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Mitchell’s ROH Results & Report! (3/9/23)

A golden second episode!

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ROH Wrestling 2023

Will the landscape of ROH soon change?

On just the SECOND episode back, ROH puts up the Women’s, Television and Pure Championships in three star-studded showdowns! Who will hold the gold in this new era of honor?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe VS Tony Deppen; Joe wins and retains the title.
  • Six Man Tag: Dalton Castle & The Boys VS Marcus Kross, Cody Chhun & Guillermo Rosas; Castle & The Boys win.
  • La Faccion Ingobernable w/ Jose VS Spanish Announce Project w/ Luther; LFI wins.
  • Trish Adora VS Billie Starks; Adora wins.
  • The Trustbusters w/ Mark Sterling VS Jake Crist & Man Scout; The Trustbusters win.
  • ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler Yuta VS Timothy Thatcher; Yuta wins and retains the title.
  • Aussie Open VS Rhett Titus & Tracy Williams; Aussie Open wins.
  • Eddie Kingston VS Ben Dejo; Eddie wins.
  • ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena VS Willow Nightingale; Athena wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

ROH World Television Championship: Samoa Joe VS Tony Deppen!

While no longer the One True King of Wrestling Television, the Samoan Submission Specialist will not give up his final piece of gold without a fight. Will Joe still have a throne in ROH? Or will Deppen be steppin’ up to become The Czar of Honor?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who truly reigns in ROH!

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and fans rally for “JOE! JOE! JOE!” as he circles with Deppen. They tie up, fans sing “Joe is gonna kill~ you!” as Joe puts Deppen on ropes. The ref counts the break, Joe lets off cleanly and smirks as Deppen resets. The two circle, tie up, and Joe puts Deppen in the corner. The ref calls the break again, but Joe CHOPS Deppen as he lets off. Fans rally up for Joe again but Deppen shrugs that off. Deppen and Joe tie up again, go around, and Deppen wrenches to a wristlock. Joe wrenches right back, but Deppen rolls and hooks a leg. Joe twists the wrist but Deppen rolls back, stands up and CHOPS! And ROCKS! And CHOPS!

Deppen fires off on Joe in the corner but Joe HEADBUTTS! Then JAB, JAB, JAB! Joe fires off fast hands and a CHOP! Deppen falls and fans fire up! Deppen sits up and gasps, but he CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! Deppen runs, but Joe CLOBBERS him! Joe looms over Deppen before he covers, TWO! Deppen goes to ropes but Joe stalks him. Joe JABS again, and again, and again! Joe stomps Deppen to the corner, stomps him more then digs his boot in. The ref counts, Joe lets off, but Deppen shoulders into Joe. Deppen eggs Joe on, so Joe CHOPS and KICKS him down! Joe drags Deppen up, back elbows then JABS, then HEADBUTTS!

Joe stands Deppen up but Deppen throws hands. Deppen backs Joe down, ELBOWS him, then CLUBS him on the back! Deppen whips corner to corner, Joe reverses and runs in to back body block, then PELE! Deppen goes down again and fans fire up! Fans rally behind Joe, and Joe drags Deppen up. Joe hoists Deppen up top as fans sing again. But Deppen fights the tuck to HEADBUTT! Joe CHOPS in return! Joe climbs up, clinches, but Deppen throws body shots! Deppen ROCKS Joe, stands and leaps, to MISSILE DROPKICK! Fans fire up, Deppen says Joe is dead, but Joje puts Deppen on the apron. Deppen dodges the haymaker to SLINGSHOT STUNNER!

Joe staggers, Deppen rolls Joe up, TWO!! Joe escapes but Deppen is focused! Deppen runs in, URENAGE and KNEE collide!! Both men fall but Deppen makes the cover, TWO!! Deppen almost had Joe but he isn’t sure what he has to do now. Deppen climbs the corner and fans rally up. DIVING- NO, Joe avoids the stomps! Deppen comes back, the URENAGE hits clean! Joe storms up on Deppen, reels him in, but Deppen drops! Victory roll, TWO!! Joe LARIATS Deppen! Joe then puts Deppen up top, tucks him in, and brings him out, MUSCLE BUSTER!! Cover, Joe wins!

Winner: Samoa Joe, by pinfall (still ROH World Television Champion)

Down goes Deppen, long live the king! Joe still reigns, and now he wishes to speak. “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to welcome you to the new Ring Of Honor.” Fans rally for “R O H! R O H!” Joe continues to say that there is much to be celebrated, but one thing that remains true: “When it comes to this ring right here, and when it comes to ROH, and what happens in between these ropes, Samoa Joe always runs things around here. And as of right now, your champion needs contenders. So if anybody in the back wants to come out here and make their case, the champ will see you now.”

“Reach for the sky, boy!” MARK BRISCOE walks out! Fans fire up and Mark tells “Big Joe” that it’s been a long time. “What’s good?” Fans rally for Briscoe, and Joe says if Mark has something to say, he needs to man up and say it. Mark says, “You know just as well as I know what I’m about to say. That TV Championship, my man, that’s my destiny! So what do you say uh me versus uh you?” Fans like it, and Joe says, “Any day I get an opportunity to get in a fist fight with a Briscoe is a good day to me. I accept!” The Sussex County Chicken is ready to fly, will he be the one to dethrone the king?

 

Dalton Castle speaks.

“The night that those ROH Six Man Tag Team Championships got taken away from me and my Boys, it pained me. It ate me up inside because I thought we were prepared for the challenge that lied in front of us. The Embassy, and that fanny burp of a manager they call Prince Nana. But defeat isn’t something we haven’t tasted before. We’ve been beaten in the past. But my Boys, when they get knocked down, they become Chumba Wumba! We come back stronger than ever! More powerful!” Castle grabs the Boys by their shirts and shake them as he says, “More hungry! More strong! We’ve been moving furniture all weekend! Heavy, dense furniture!”

Castle says they are more ready for a challenge at those Six Man titles than they’ve ever been! “Embassy, I suggest you stay limber. Because you’re in for the fight of your life. Show ’em your teeth, boys.” The Tate Twins growl, will they and the Peacock devour the competition until they get after Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony?

Six Man Tag: Dalton Castle & The Boys VS Marcus Kross, Cody Chhun & Guillermo Rosas!

The Code of Honor is upheld, the trios sort out and fans rally for “Dalton Castle!” “And The Boys!” Castle starts against Kross and they circle. Fans fire up with Castle as he says he wants to set this place on fire. Kross fires up with Castle, Castle pats him on the chest, and then Kross CHOPS Castle again and again! Castle runs in, Kross sends him to a corner and CHOPS! Castle shoves Kross away, Kross dodges, but jumps into the Alabama! Kross grabs ropes, gets free, and dumps Castle out! Kross strikes a stance and Castle stands down. Fans rally while the Boys fan Castle off. Castle has the Boys beat on those abs to fire him up!

Castle gets back in the ring, Kross runs in but misses! Castle trips him, waistlocks, and SLAMS him down! Kross flounders away, tag to Rosas. Rosas runs into a waistlock and SLAM! Castle drags Rosas up and fans fire up for The Boys! Tag to Brendan, and he tags Brent. The Boys double whip and double hurdle to double HIP TOSS! They roll Rosas to his feet to DOUBLE LARIAT! Fans fire up as Brent covers, TWO! Brent brings Rosas up, whips him to the corner but Rosas reverses. Brent goes up and over, ducks a boot and dropkicks a leg out! Cover, TWO! Brent brings Rosas up, waistlocks, but Rosas elbows free!

Rosas RAMS Brent into the corner, tag to Chhun! Brent fires back but Chhun CLOBBERS him! Fans boo but Chhun DECKS Brent! Tag back to Rosas, Team C4 coordinate to double whip, and then Chhun whips Rosas in to SPLASH! Chhun adds a SPLASH while Rosas BLASTS Brendan! Then DROPKICK SUPLEX COMBO! Rosas drags Brent back up, tags Kross, and Kross goes up! Kross DIVING- NO, Brent avoids the stomps! Brent wrenches and SLICED-0 NO, Kross slips free, but Brent ENZIGURIS! Both men are down, they crawl for their corners, hot tags to Rosas and Castle! Fans are thunderous as The Peacock rallies on everyone!

Castle scoops Rosas for a FALL AWAY SLAM! Kross swings, into a FALL AWAY SLAM! Chhun runs in, into an EXPLODER! Fans fire up as Castle stands tall! “BRING ME A BOY!” Brendan gets in, Castle TOSSES him onto Chhun! Brent gest in, Castle TOSSES him onto Kross! Brendan returns, and Castle TOSSES him onto Rosas! The fans fire up, the Boys put Rosas in and Castle Alabama Lifts! BANGARANG!! Cover, Castle & The Boys win!

Winners: Dalton Castle & The Boys, by pinfall

New era, new intensity, the Peacock and the Twins are ready! Will they get back after The Embassy and avenge their loss?

 

The Kingdom speaks.

“My name is Maria Kanellis-Bennett, and I am the First Lady of Professional Wrestling. And this right here is Mr. Motivation, Mike Bennett. And this is The Trend, Matt Taven. And we are the OGK.” Taven says “He is I and I am him, I AM Matt Taven, and you Melvins might think my favorite color’s purple. That would make you stupid, because my favorite color is gold! And the trend of us being world tag team champions everywhere we’ve gone is continuing. Whether it’s ROH, whether it’s AEW, it doesn’t matter! You Melvins better get in your cry closets because you’re avoiding the inevitable!”

Mike says it is crazy, because just as Matt said, they’ve literally won gold everywhere they’ve gone! They practically hand titles to The Kingdom. And you think this place will be any different? Are you insane? It will not. But what is really pissing Mike off is that Top Flight ruined their moment at Final Battle! Their return to ROH was ruined! So if they think the business between them is done, they are sorely mistaken! Maria says that they always says diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But gold solidifies legacy. And Maria wants the OGK’s legacy to last forever! They ARE the OGK, but just call them The Kingdom.

 

La Faccion Ingobernable w/ Jose VS Spanish Announce Project w/ Luther!

Rush & Dralistico are ready to make ROH tranquilo, but they’re going to be off to a chaotic start going up against Angelico and Serpentico. Will the South African Submission Specialist and #SNAKEMAN bring down LFI? Or will El Toro Blanco (The White Bull) y El Principe de Plata y Oro (The Prince of Silver and Gold) be the ones shining bright tonight?

The Code of Honor is not upheld, but the fans rally for “RUSH! RUSH!” Rush is actually a little surprised, and he steps to Angelico. Angelico still offers the handshake, but Rush kicks it away! The bell rings all the same, Rush and Angelico circle. They tie up, Rush wrenches and YANKS an arm, but Angelico spins and steps through to then wrench and arm-drag! Rush gets up in a huff, Angelico sweeps the leg! Cover, ONE! Rush sweeps the leg and covers, ONE! Angelico spins and “HEEHEE!” a la Michael Jackson, but Rush shoves him to ropes. Angelico doesn’t let that kill the vibe, and fans rally up.

Fans duel now, “S A P!” “RUSH!” as the two reset. They tie up, Rush knees low and throws body shots. Rush tells fans to hush, but Angelico blocks the chop to wrangle Rush! Luther wants Angelico to break that arm with that top wristlock, but Rush kips up, knees low, and CHOPS! Angelico sputters and drops to a knee, but Rush eggs him on. Fans chant “One More Time!” and Rush wants Angelico to stand. Angelico asks Serpentico, “You want that one more time?” Serpentico nods, so Angelico tags him in! Serpentico is confused but he has no choice but to step in. Serpentico CHIOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS, but nothing happens!

Rush choke grips, but Serpentico breaks free to SUPERKICK! Serpentico fires up, only for Rush to CHOP him down! Fans want that “One More Time!” but Rush tags in Dralistico. Rush CHOPS Serpentico, Dralistico springboards to CROSSBODY! Dralistico CHOPS Serpentico now, and fans love that! Dralistico whips, Serpentico reverses, but Dralistico goes up and over and SOBATS, KNEES and HEEL KICKS! Serpentico staggers, into a SCREW HIGH KICK! Fans fire up and Dralistico drags Serpentico up. Dralistico pushes Serpentico in the corner, tags Rush, and he hushes fans. Dralistico CHOPS Serpentico!

Rush brings Serpentico around to ROCK, throw body shots, and whip corner to corner. Rush whips Dralistico in to SPLASH, then Rush hits a SPLASH! Snapmare and DOUBLE BASEMENT DROPKICKS! Fans fire up while the brothers Munoz raise the fist bump. But Angelico runs in to fire off JABS on each of them! Rush ducks and the ROUNDHOUSE hits Dralistico! Angelico runs, but into a mule kick! Dralistico dropkicks the legs out and Rush runs, to basement dropkick Angelico out of the ring! SAP regroups at the ramp but Dralistico builds speed, Dralistico FLIES! Direct hit on all of SAP!

Fans rally for Rush, Dralistico sets Serpentico up, but Rush just fakes us out to tranquilo! Fans are torn between cheers and jeers, but Dralistico POSTS Serpentico! Rush kicks Angelico, whips him into railing, and Dralistico does the same to Serpentico. They put Serpentico in the ring, fans rally up, and Dralistico goes to the apron. Rush has an extension cord to LASH Angelico with it while Dralistico springboards to MISSILE DROPKICK Serpentico! Cover, TWO! Rush LASHES Angelico more, then RAMS him into barriers! Dralistico fires off kicks on Serpentico, stomps a mudhole in, then digs his boot in.

The ref counts, Dralistico lets off, but Rush sends Angelico into more barriers! Dralistico bumps Serpentico off buckles, digs his boot in, and lets go of the ropes. That’s not the problem! Rush gets in, the brothers argue with the ref, and that allows Jose to get a cheap shot in! Fans boo but Jose just swaggers around. Rush storms over but Serpentico kicks back! Rush hoists Serpentico up onto the ropes, fans rally, and Dralistico springboards, GUILLOTINE LEG DROP!! Cover, TWO!! Fans fire up with Serpentico! Serpentico stands, he gets Dralistico with CHOP after CHOP! Fans duel, but Dralistico CHOPS!

Dralistico KICKS a leg out, he and Rush both stomp Serpentico! Dralistico takes Serpentico’s “head,” and Rush PUNTS it into the crowd. The kick is good but LFI drag Serpentico up. They double whip Serpentico corner to corner, Rush whips Dralistico in to clothesline! Dralistico KICKS Serpentico, calls to Rush, but Serpentico fights back. Rush CHOPS Serpentinco, LFI double whip to ropes, but Serpentico holds ropes. Dralistico runs in but Serpentico puts him on the apron! Dralistico CHOPS Serpentico and holds him in place, Rush runs in, but Serpentico dodges! Rush BLASTS Dralistico!

Rush freaks out but Serpentico builds speed, and Serpentico FLIES out onto Jose and Dralistico! Fans fire up and Serpentico hurries back up. Rush is fuming but Serpentico springboards, into a HEADBUTT! Rush drags Serpentico into the corner, stomps away on him, then slashes his throat. Rush stomps around, goes to the far corner, runs corner to corner, but Angelico stops him! Rush jumps the sweep but the EDDY GORDO KICK knocks him down! Dralistico springboards in to FLYING CODE BREAKER! BIG forearm from Rush! Serpentico SUPERKICKS Dralistico, but runs into a waistlock.

Serpentico breaks free, runs, but into a GERMAN SUPLEX! Dralistico SPRINGBOARD DESTROYERS!! Cover, LFI wins!

Winners: La Faccion Ingobernable, by pinfall

But LFI isn’t done! Jose puts Serpentico back in the ring, so that Rush can SNATCH the mask! Rush and Dralistico RIP the mask apart! They even beat up on Luther now! Fans boo as LFI does what they want to who they want, and they even toss the mask pieces to the crowd! Will Rush stampede through ROH until he is champion once again?

 

Trish Adora VS Billie Starks!

While the women’s title is on the line later tonight, two young and hungry hopefuls are fighting to be one step closer to that goal! Who will be waiting in the wings with a win here tonight?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and the two circle. Fans rally and duel, the two tie up, and they go around. Adora wrenches an arm to a wristlock and digs an elbow into the shoulder. Billie fights up but Adora twists the wrist. Billie rolls but Adora rolls with her! Billie gets the ropebreak, and Adora lets off. They go again, knuckle lock, and then Adora gets around to waistlock and SLAM Billie down. Billie sits up but Adora squeezes tight. Billie fights up, fans rally, and Billie wrenches out. But Adora wrenches back! Adora twists the wrist, Billie spins and arm-drags her away!

Adora goes out to steady herself, but Billie builds speed! Billie DIVES into an UPPERCUT! Billie flops to the floor, Adora scoops her and SLAMS her on the apron! Billie writhes and Adora smiles as she puts Billie in. Adora stalks Billie, grabs an arm and steps over, La Magistrol! TWO!! Billie is still in this but Adora double wristlocks an arm. Adora then waistlocks, lifts, but Billie fights free. Billie slips under, shoves, but Adora avoids the kick. Adora waistlocks and lifts but Billie flails and fights. GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Billie survives but Adora keeps right on her. CATTLE MUTILATION!! Billie endures, but Adora thrashes her around!

Fans rally, Billie fights around, but Adora is bridging deep! Billie reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Adora lets Billie go and Billie crawls to a corner. Adora runs in, but into an ELBOW! Adora shakes that off, comes back, but Billie BOOTS! Billie goes up, but Adora blocks the boot, only for Billie to KICK in return! Billie runs, into a PUMP KICK! Cover, TWO!! Billie survives again and Adora grows frustrated. Fans rally and duel again, Adora runs but has to jump over the dropdown! UPPERCUT! Adora keeps moving but Billie ROCKS her! Billie runs, but Adora reels her in! Adora swings but Billie ducks the blindside lariat!

Billie ROCKS Adora, Adora ROCKS Billie! They go back and forth with big forearms and fans rally up! This gets fast ‘n’ furious and fans love it! Billie shrieks and then fires off! HEEL KICK! But LARIAT TUBMAN OUTTA NOWHERE!!! Cover, Adora wins!!

Winner: Trish Adora, by pinfall

Adora shakes her head, she was not letting Billie get through her. But as aggressive as this got, the two keep the Code of Honor and even hug it out. Will Adora be ready for whoever comes out of tonight’s main event with the gold?

 

Backstage interview with Christopher Daniels.

Lexi Nair notes that the last time she and the Fallen Angel talked was at AEW Dark, where Daniels mentioned “opportunity.” What opportunities is he looking for in the new era of honor? A good question. This is the new era, but like in the previous, Daniels is in the thick of things. One of Daniels’ proudest achievements was becoming THE ROH World Champion. And in a perfect world, he’d happily give Frankie Kazarian a call in California and have him join Daniels one more time. But circumstances have made that impossible, and Daniels will be a man of his word in ROH.

But after 30 years, Daniels has been very fortunate with many partners by his side, and there just so happens to be another man in the ROH locker room ready for opportunity. That man is… MATT SYDAL! Sydal says there is an opportunity in front of him: them as a team. The answer is the same as the first time, Sydal will team with Daniels. Daniels has been a guiding light in Sydal’s career. He took Sydal from a backyard wrestler to an ROH Tag Team Champion. And since then, they’ve both gotten better, and not by a little but by a lot! They’re both the best in the world, and together, they will be tag team champions. Die flying or die trying.

They shake hands as Daniels thanks Sydal for this. Daniels tells Sydal that they’re gonna go out there and show all the tag teams in ROH “why they should say their prayers.” A reunion in ROH, will Sydal open his third eye to see gold in their future?

 

The Trustbusters w/ Mark Sterling VS Jake Crist & Man Scout!

Ari Daivari & Slim J split the difference in ROH’s return last week, but maybe together they can both cash in on a win. Will the Trustbusters be rolling in the winner’s purse against The Artist and the “Always Prepared” Jake Manning?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the teams sort out, and we start with Daivari Dinero and Man Scout. Seems Scout is still reading his field guide, but there can’t possibly be anything on how to handle the Trustbusters. Fans rally for Man Scout as he prepares to knuckle lock. Daivari snatches the guide! And TOSSES it! Fans boo and Scout gets upset, but Daivari kicks low. Daivari bumps Scout off buckles, bumps him off more buckles, then stomps a mudhole in! The ref counts, Daivari lets off and tells off the fans. Fans boo, but Daivari drags Scout up to bump off buckles. Daivari CHOPS, then tags Slim.

Slim ROCKS Scout, fishhooks his mouth, then CLUBS the lip! Slim scoops Scout to SLAM him! Cover, TWO! Tag to Daivari, the Trustbusters mug Scout, then Daivari bumps Scout off buckles. Daivari whips corner to corner, runs in corner to corner, but Scout dodges! Tag to Crist and he fires off on Daivari! Fans rally, Crist whips but Daivari reverses. Daivari runs in into a BOOT, ROUNDHOUSE and mule kick! Crist goes up for a FLYING FOREARM! Fans fire up as Crist kips up! Crist runs in but is put on the apron. Crist GAMANGIRIS, goes up top, and he CROSSBODY FLOPS as Daivari moves!

Tag to Scout and he fires off haymakers! Fans rally, Scout whips but Daivari reverses, and Slim kicks him in the back! Daivari then CLOBBERS Scout! Fans boo but Daivari tags Slim and Slim goes up. FLYING REVERSE DDT! And then STF! Scout taps, Trustbusters win!

Winners: The Trustbusters, by pinfall

Jake & Jake could not get it down, and Slim rips his tank top off like a Hulkamaniac! He even rips Daivari’s tank top off just because! But Sterling wants everyone to hold on. His client, “the richest man in pro-wrestling,” Ari Daivari, has something to say. Daivari takes the mic to say, “Last week, I beat Metalik all by myself! I pinned him in the middle of this ring, one two three, fair and square!” Fans boo because he didn’t. But wait, here comes Metalik! But Metalik gets mugged by the Trustbusters! Sterling says this is what he gets! Sterling even joins in! But wait, here comes BLAKE CHRISTIAN! All Heart has a CHAIR!

Blake chases the Trustbusters off and he helps Metalik up. Will Blake and Metalik combine their forces here in ROH like they have in NJPW Strong? Will Daivari put his money where his mouth is and face them?

 

ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler Yuta VS Timothy Thatcher!

The Decoder didn’t want the new era to start without him, so he gave an open challenge to the world last week. And almost immediately, the Professor of Pain answered! Will Thatcher prove he can be just as brutal as a Blackpool Combat Club member? Or will Yuta show that BCC ain’t nothing to mess with?

The introductions are made, the title is raised, and we see who is truly a technical master!

The Code of Honor is upheld, though Thatcher holds tight as Yuta tries to step back. The bell rings, Thatcher lets Yuta go with a push, and the two circle. Fans rally, the two feel things out, and Thatcher gets the FUJIWARA!! ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Thatcher lets go, and that is one of the three Yuta is allowed. Our judges at ringside, Christopher Daniels, BJ Whitmer and BOOM BOOM Colt Cabana, take note. Yuta and Thatcher regroup, Yuta shoots in but Thatcher holds him back. Thatcher turns Yuta around, has a chinlock, and shifts grips as he moves around. Yuta fights up, pries the hold open and pushes on a top wristlock.

Yuta wrangles Thatcher to the mat and fans applaud. Thatcher fights around, bridges, rolls and wrenches. Thatcher hooks a leg, chinbars on top of it, and then has the chinlock again. Fans rally and duel, Yuta fights but Thatcher has both arms! Yuta powers one arm free but Thatcher is after the other. Yuta rolls, Thatcher wrangles him, and Thatcher bends the fingers! Thatcher also pushes the elbow and shoulder, and JAMS the fingers into the mat! Thatcher KNEES Yuta in the back, then scoops and SLAMS! ELBOW DROP! Cover, ONE! Yuta hangs tough but Thatcher scoops and SLAMS, then drops another elbow! Cover, ONE!!

Thatcher smirks as he stalks Yuta. Thatcher stands Yuta up, scoops him again, but Yuta slips free to hook Thatcher up! Yuta hops on, IRON OCTOPUS! Fans fire up as Thatcher endures now! Thatcher fights his way over, ROPEBREAK! Yuta lets go and that is one of three for Thatcher. Yuta stomps a mudhole, lets off and then snapmares. Yuta has the top wristlock and isolates the arm. Yuta talks trash, “How’s it feel, huh!?” But Thatcher avoids the stomp! Thatcher trips Yuta to get the arm, but Yuta turns that around on Thatcher, to STOMP the triceps! Fans applaud while Yuta paces.

Yuta goes after the arm again, digs fingers into the triceps, but Thatcher KICKS Yuta in the back! And KICKS him again! Yuta eggs Thatcher on, Thatcher fights up and digs forearms into Yuta’s face. Yuta SLAPS Thatcher, then wrangles him back down! Yuta keeps on the top wristlock and he bends the fingers in return. Thatcher fights up, fans rally, and Thatcher HEADBUTTS! Yuta goes after the arm, goes up and hits a FLYING ARMBAR DDT! Fans fire up while Thatcher writhes. Yuta drops a SENTON! Cover, TWO! Yuta looms over Thatcher while fans rally. Yuta paces, drags Thatcher up, and he wrenches to UPPERCUT the arm!

Thatcher UPPERCUTS in return! But Yuta wrenches the bad arm to another UPPERCUT! But Thatcher uses that arm to catch Yuta, and UPPERCUT again! Yuta wrenches to UPPERCUT the arm again! Thatcher grabs at Yuta but Yuta WRINGS his bad arm out! Thatcher writhes, Yuta pushes him to a cover, TWO! Fans rally while Yuta keeps wrist control. Yuta BITES Thatcher’s ear! The ref reprimands, Yuta lets off, and he brings Thatcher up to throw forearms. Thatcher staggers, but he snarls and comes back to clinch and BELLY2BELLY! Both men are down and fans rally up again!

Thatcher and Yuta rise as the fans duel. Thatcher underhooks arms for a butterfly stretch, but Yuta breaks free to UPPERCUT and KNEE the bad arm! Yuta wrangles Thatcher, hammerlocks the arm and chinbars Thatcher! Thatcher moves around, reaches out, ROPEBREAK! That’s the second, Thatcher is metaphorically back against the ropes. Yuta toys with Thatcher now, rope a dope and then an elbow drop! Yuta SLAPS Thatcher, but Thatcher still wants a leg. Yuta stomps Thatcher, drags him up and UPPERCUTS! Yuta UPPERCUTS again, and again! Thatcher UPPERCUTS again and again and again!

Yuta goes to a corner, Thatcher is after him and brings him out, but Yuta wrenches the bad arm! Hammerlock and a wrangle, Yuta has Thatcher down again. Yuta leans on the hold but Thatcher endures. Fans rally, Thatcher fights up, but Yuta waistlocks now. Thatcher fights the lift, but Yuta CLUBS him! Thatcher just glares at Yuta! Thatcher UPPERCUTS again and again! Thatcher fires off in the corner, the ref counts, and Thatcher lets off at 4. Fans fire up while Thatcher clutches his bad arm. Thatcher drags Yuta up, puts him on the top rope and CLUBS him on the back! Thatcher then climbs up behind Yuta, but Yuta headlock punches him down!

The ref warns Yuta, that was a closed fist! Yuta just shrugs that off to turn around and leap, FLYING FOREARM! Fans rally and duel, Yuta ripcords to the OLYMPIC SLAM! Cover, ROPEBREAK! That’s Thatcher’s final ropebreak, Yuta has him right where he wants him! Yuta kicks Thatcher around, taunts Thatcher, and he fires forearms! Yuta eggs Thatcher on, throws more forearms, but Thatcher DECKS him! Yuta rewinds and shoots around, to GERMAN SUPLEX! Cover, TWO, into the KIMURA!! Thatcher pushes on Yuta, Yuta fights around, ROPEBREAK! Yuta uses his second, but Thatcher is getting closer.

Yuta goes to the apron, Thatcher storms over and brings him up to CLUB him in the chest! And CLUBS him again! The ref counts, Thatcher back suplexes Yuta back into the ring! Cover, TWO! Yuta survives but Thatcher drags him up into underhooks! BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Yuta survives again! Thatcher KNEES Yuta in the back! And again! And again! And then into the ribs and sides! Yuta goes to the ROPEBREAK! That’s the last one, this is anyone’s match! But Yuta BOOTS the bad arm! Yuta fires off forearms and CHOPS over and over and over! Yuta ROLLING ELBOWS! Fans fire up with Yuta, but Thatcher SLAPS Yuta down!

Thatcher stomps away on Yuta because neither man can use them as sanctuary! Yuta flops out of the ring but the ref wants Thatcher to stay in the ring. Thatcher pushes the ref away, and Yuta ROCKS Thatcher with a haymaker!! Fans boo but Yuta gets away with the cheat! Yuta gets Thatcher in the ropes, and has the IRON OCTOPUS!!! Thatcher TAPS, Yuta wins!!

Winner: Wheeler Yuta, by submission (still ROH Pure Champion)

Fans boo but The Decoder finds a way to hold onto his gold! Yuta then gets a mic to say, “Hey, hey, hey, I’m hearing a mixed reaction. But I told you, everyone, I told you. I told you that I am a champion. I told you that I roll with three of the greatest of all time. I’m not one of those dudes doing laundry, wearing a $50 tracksuit. Nah, man. I’m on the 96 Bulls! I got Jordan, I got Rodman, I got Pippen, and then you’ve got Wheeler Yuta! I’m tired of talking about mystery people, let’s name names. Let’s talk about these tracksuit boys, these LA Dojo boys.

“It really grinds my gears that you think you’ve accomplished something, because you haven’t. Even your trainer fell short in his biggest moment!” But wait! Here comes CLARK CONNORS! The Wild Rhino of the LA Dojo and a big name in NJPW Strong, he goes right to the ring! Fans fire up as Connors stares Yuta down then snatches his mic away. “Hey yo, hey yo, hey yo, cut the music.” Yuta says they already did. Connors says he isn’t sure if anyone remembers him, it’s been awhile since he was in ROH, but he is Clark Connors, and he’s from the LA DOJO!

Fans fire up, and Connors tells Yuta that he had a wonderful match with Thatcher. But man, he grabbed that mic and was about to put the people to sleep! Fans agree with that. So if Yuta is talking dojos and who is the best, with his BCC and “Jeeeeeeon~,” “Claud” and “Bryan.” Everyone of those guys wishes they trained under Katsuyori Shibata, a man Connors trained under for four years with blood, sweat and tears. But if Yuta is really a Pure Champion, then how about Yuta steps up next week. Yuta VS the Wild Rhino! What’s the big dog say? Yuta takes the mic back, but then drops it. Yuta leaves, fans boo, but then Yuta stops at the ramp.

Yuta turns around, stares Connors down, and shouts, “YOU’RE ON!!” Connors fires up and so do the fans! The Pure title will be on the line in back to back weeks, but will Yuta survive back to back defenses?

 

Aussie Open VS Rhett Titus & Tracy Williams!

Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis are representing the United Empire in AEW and ROH, and still have the FTR seal of approval as the future of tag team wrestling. Will the Aussie Arrow and Dunkzilla soon conquer another tag team division? Or will The Professional and the Hot Sauce be too much for even the former NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions?

The Code of Honor is upheld, the teams sort out, and Fletcher starts against Titus. Titus and Fletcher circle, tie up, and go around, Titus clinches an arm, fireman’s carry takeovers, then has the armlock. Fletcher stands, Titus wrenches and RAMS Fletcher, then tags Tracy. Tracy KNEES the arm, then goes right after it. Fletcher gets free and rolls away, and fans applaud. Tag to Davis, he and Tracy circle. Davis runs in, but into a drop toehold! Tracy gets a facelock but Davis powers up! Tracy cranks the hold and brings Davis back down. Davis wrenches out but Tracy wrenches back to ELBOW BREAKER!

Tag to Titus, Tracy whips and Titus leap frogs to HIP DROP the arm! Titus wrenches the arm, but Davis CLUBS Titus away. Davis goes to the Aussie corner, and he says he’s good. Titus eggs Davis on, the two circle, and Davis BOOTS Titus down! Fletcher runs in to BLAST Tracy! Fans are torn but Aussie Open double whips and DOUBLE CHOPS, to then PENALTY KICK and SENTON! Fans fire up and Davis pushes Titus to a kneeling cover. ONE, but Davis brings Titus up. Davis CHOPS Titus again! Titus snarls and stays up, but Davis CHOPS him off his feet! Fans fire up for that one!

Davis paces around, drags Titus up, then bumps him off buckles. Tag to Fletcher, he stomps Titus. Fletcher brings Titus in, suplexes, and he holds Titus up! Fans rally as Fletcher walks over and Davis tags in. Davis takes the handoff, and he holds Titus up! Fans fire up more, and Davis SLAMS Titus down! Fans fire up while Titus writhes. Titus crawls but Davis drags him away to tag Fletcher back in. Fletcher GAMANGIRIS Tracy, Davis drags Titus up. Aussie Open double whip Titus to a corner, Davis runs in but Titus goes up and over! Davis POSTS himself, and Titus BOOTS Fletcher! Titus skins the cat to the top rope, jumps over Fletcher, hot tag to Hot Sauce!

Tracy blows past Fletcher, BLASTS Davis, then CHOPS Fletcher! Tracy blocks a kick, CHOPS Fletcher, and brings him around for a SAIDO! Fans fire up and Tracy runs in to clothesline in the corner! Tracy runs back in, he blocks Fletcher’s boot and dodges the superkick! Tracy BOOTS, goes up, but Fletcher blocks a kick! Fletcher YANKS Tracy off the corner, but Tracy uses that to hit a FLYING DDT! Cover, TWO! Fletcher survives but Tracy fires up! Fans rally with him, Tracy brings Fletcher up, but Fletcher fights the lift! They go to ropes, and Fletcher back drops Tracy to the apron. Tracy ROCKS Fletcher in return!

But Davis grabs at Tracy’s legs! Titus runs in and BOOTS Davis down! Fletcher runs in but Tracy dumps him out! Tracy eggs Fletcher on, Fletcher stands but he avoids Tracy’s flying knee! Tracy hits railing, Titus still jumps at Davis! But Davis catches Titus, steadies himself, and Fletcher drags Tracy up. SPINEBUSTER SANDWICH! Fans fire up as Aussie Open puts Tracy in the ring. Fireman’s carry, POP UP KICK! Tracy staggers from the Aussie Dental Plan, and Davis scoops him again! Fletcher goes up top, LAWN DART CUTTER! Cover, TWO!?! Tracy survives and shocks Aussie Open! Fans fire up while Fletcher fumes.

Fans rally, Fletcher tags Davis, and they drag Tracy up. Feed to the scoop, Fletcher aims, but Tracy slips off! Tracy shoves Aussie Open into each other and fires off CHOPS and forearms! But Aussie Open block, double wrench and DOUBLE FOREARM! And then fireman’s carry, POP-UP- NO! Tracy blocks the Dental Plan’s follow-up, and he DRAGON SCREWS Fletcher’s leg! Davis rushes in but into a clinch! Tracy wants the arm, but Davis whips him away. Scoop but Tracy tilt-o-whirl FACEBUSTERS! CROSSFACE!! Titus intercepts Fletcher to a HALF CRAB!! Titus sits deep while Tracy pulls back hard!

Aussie Open crawl to each other, Fletcher keeps Davis from tapping! Davis rolls to the ROPEBREAK! Titus and Fletcher also end up in ropes, and Fletcher kicks Titus onto Tracy! Davis is free, all four men are down, and fans rally back up. Aussie Open regroups on their side of the ring and Davis crawls. Hot tags to Fletcher and Titus! Titus runs in, dodges, and KNEES low! Titus runs to KNEE LIFT! Fletcher staggers, Titus runs in to clinch and BELLY2BELLY! Titus roars and fans fire up as he runs in. BOOT! Tag to Tracy, Titus goes side to side to BOOT! Whip to the ELBOW! DROPKICK into the DISCUS LARIAT! Cover, Davis breaks it!

Titus clotheslines Davis and himself out! Tracy aims from the apron, to KING KONG KNEE DROP Davis on the floor! Titus goes up, KING KONG KNEE DROP on Fletcher! Tracy is up top, FROG SPLASH!! Cover, TWO!?! Fletcher survives and fans fire up again! Tracy grows frustrated but he just snarls and watches Fletcher flounder. Tracy drags Fletcher up, reels him in, but Fletcher fights the lift! Fletcher back drops Tracy away, sits down to cover, TWO!! Sunset flip, TWO!! Fletcher scoops Tracy for a SPINNING TOMBSTONE!! Titus runs in but Fletcher blocks the kick! And gives it over to Davis!

Fletcher SUPERKICKS Titus, Davis trips him! Davis yanks Titus up by those legs, Close Your Eyes and Count to F@#$!! Fans are thunderous and Aussie Open throws off the elbow pads! Tracy stands into the DOUBLE LARIAT SANDWICH!! And then, double pump handle, COREALIS!!! Cover, Aussie Open wins!!

Winners: Aussie Open, by pinfall

Former NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions defeat former ROH Tag Team Champions, because they are THE future of tag team wrestling. And though a bit sarcastically, they uphold the Code of Honor. Will Aussie Open help the United Empire conquer yet another tag team division?

 

Eddie Kingston VS Ben Dejo!

Last week, The Mad King shocked the world by quitting AEW, and then immediately shocked us again by showing up in ROH! And bigger than that, he wants after Claudio Castagnoli and the ROH World Championship! Will Eddie fight his way up to force Claudio’s hand? Or will he be the one shocked by the man also sometimes known as Jon Cruz?

Fans are thunderous for “EDDIE! EDDIE!” already. The Code of Honor is upheld and the bell rings. The two tie up, and Eddie puts Ben in the corner. The ref counts, Eddie lets off, but Ben CHOPS! That does nothing. Eddie turns things around to MACHINE GUN CHOP Ben! And then EXPLODER! Ben flounders up, into the URAKEN!! Cover, Eddie wins!

Winner: Eddie Kingston, by pinfall

And Eddie upholds the Code of Honor. But that Backfist to the Future isn’t done, he wants a mic! Eddie gets the mic to have the music cut, and he says, “HEY! Claudio! ROH World Champion! Come out here now. Do not be scared.” And so, Claudio appears! But then Eddie shouts for them to cut the music again. Eddie wants his shot! Give him his shot at the title! Fans are fired up for it. Claudio has a mic but Eddie dares him to be a champion. “For once in your life, do business correctly and fight me.” Claudio tells “Edward, a man without honor will never be Ring of Honor Champion.” Claudio drops the mic again and Eddie asks where he’s going.

Fans boo and Eddie is not settling for that! Eddie hurries to the back to chase after the Swiss Superman! We cut to Lexi Nair catching Claudio for an interview. She asks what that was about, and Claudio asks, “Did I stutter?” Claudio heads out but Eddie storms up. He thought he was coming here… Lexi, get outta here with the mic. Where’s Claudio? He just left. Oh of course he did! Eddie storms off, and even Lexi has to ask, just what is going on here? Will Claudio continue to duck Eddie? Or will rankings force him to face the Mad King?

 

Willow Nightingale speaks.

“Why hello there, Miss Athena. You just think I’m so happy to be here. But I am! I am. I’m so happy to be here, but there’s more. There’s more to me. I’m not coming out to the ring just so you can break me like porcelain. Of course I’ve bled, I’ve sweat for professional wrestling. We all do that. But I’ve fallen to my knees, cried. I’ve thrown up, I’ve shook throughout the night, with fear that I’m not good enough to do this.

“But y’know what? I’m in ROH because I am good enough to be here. And I’m gonna prove that to you, I’m gonna prove that to everyone watching at home, I’m gonna prove that to everyone watching in the back. Because I plan on walking out the ROH Women’s World Champion.”

Athena responds.

“Willow, you have the audacity calling my name out. You think you want this? You want my precious ROH championship? But you are in for a world of hurt! I don’t care how many people you’ve beaten, I’ve broken porcelain broad after porcelain garbage, left and right, week after week after week. And if you think that for one second, I’m gonna let you get your grimy little paws on this… Well, you’ve lost your damn marbles.” This is about to get wild, will the Fallen Goddess eclipse the Nightingale?

ROH Women’s World Championship: Athena VS Willow Nightingale!

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and the main event gets hyped!

The Code of Honor is upheld, the bell rings, and fans rally as the two circle. Fans are on Willow’s side and Athena gets upset by that. Athena and Willow tie up, Willow wrenches and wristlocks, but Athena handsprings and wrenches to arm-drag! Athena kips up and fans do cheer the ability, and Athena waves mockingly at Willow. The two tie up again, Athena headlocks, but Willow powers out to run Athena over! Fans fire up, Willow flexes, then things speed up. Willow runs Athena over again! Willow keeps moving, she rolls over the dropdown to then bypass, and she even dodges the dropkick! CROSSBODY! Cover, ONE!! Athena is up but Willow is on her.

Athena ROCKS Willow with a forearm! Willow steadies herself, Athena talks trash and slaps her. Willow DECKS her! Willow snap suplexes, rolls, Una Amiga! Another snap suplex, Dos Amigas! And then the FISHER-AMIGA! Bridging cover, TWO! Athena escapes but fans fire up for Willow. Willow storms up on Athena in the corner, puts some stank on it, and she swings, but Athena ducks into the ropes. So Willow CHOPS Athena on the back! Fans fire up and Athena is feeling it! Willow runs in, Athena dodges, but then Willow puts Athena on the apron. Athena HOTSHOTS an arm! Fans boo but Athena stomps Willow down!

Athena snarls as she looms over Willow. Fans rally for Willow but Athena KICKS her in the back! Athena KNEES Willow in the back, covers, TWO! But Athena wraps on a straitjacket! Athena even fishhooks Willow’s mouth! The ref counts, Athena lets off, and fans rally up again. Willow throws body shots but Athena KNEES Willow to a corner. Athena stomps a mudhole into Willow, but she lets off as the ref counts. Willow kicks back from below but Athena FOREARMS Willow! Athena wraps the bad arm around ropes and pulls! She even digs a boot into Willow’s face! The ref counts and Athena lets off at 4.

Athena storms up on Willow, brings her up to CLUB her down! Fans feel that one, but Athena mocks Willow’s positivity. Fans boo, but then Willow KICKS Athena in the leg! Athena goes after her and dribbles her head into the mat! Athena drops a knee on the bad arm! Athena top wristlocks but Willow endures. Fans rally for Willow as Athena leans on the hard. Willow fights up, throws body shots, but Athena throws her down by her hair! Fans rally for Willow but Athena runs. Willow avoids the senton! Oklahoma Roll, TWO! Willow rolls Athena up, TWO! Willow tries again, O’Conner turns into a HOTSHOT! BAYONET FOREARM!

Athena rains down fists while fans boo, but the ref counts. Athena lets off, Willow goes to the apron, but Athena KICKS her down! Willow sputters, Athena runs to baseball slide dropkick Willow to the floor! Athena smiles but then gets upset hearing the fans boo. Athena goes out, brings Willow up but Willow throws body shots. Athena CLUBS away on Willow’s back, then she drags Willow back up. Athena puts Willow on the steel steps, puts the arm in the gap, but Willow fights back! Athena SMACKS Willow off the steps, then puts both arms in the gap! The fans boo, Athena pulls Willow against the post again and again!

The ref reprimands, Athena stops, but then she mocks the fans. And she DROPKICKS the steel steps! Willow falls back and writhes, clutching her arm! The ref reprimands but Athena just plays innocent in the ring. Fans chant “YOU SUCK! YOU SUCK!” and that upsets Athena. The ring count climbs, Willow stands at 6 of 20, and she drags herself with her one good arm at 8. But Athena DROPKICKS Willow right back out! Athena then goes out to the apron, rallies the fans almost mockingly, and she leaps, but Willow blocks the rana! APRON POWERBOMB!! And then a fireman’s carry, for a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER to the floor!!

Both women writhe on the ground and fans are thunderous for “R O H! R O H!” The ring count is up to 5 of 20 again while Willow drags herself around. The count is 7, then 8. Both women sit up at 9, and Willow drags herself along the railing. We’re at 12 of 20 as Athena finally stirs. Athena finds her way to the ring, fans rally as we hit 15! Willow staggers about at 16, Athena flounders at 17. Both women slide in at 19!! Fans fire up as this continues! Athena says Willow ain’t ish! She SLAPS away on Willow, saying she’s fragile porcelain, then she starts pie facing. But Willow DECKS Athena! And back body blocks in the corner! And LARIATS! Snapmare and BOOT!

Fans fire up with Willow, she whips Athena, and hits a SPINEBUSTER! High stack, TWO!! Willow roars and the fans are with her! Willow drags Athena back up, reels her in, gut wrenches, but the bad arm gives up! Athena wrenches to ARM CODE BREAKER! And then METEORA! And then CROSSFACE!! Willow endures, fans boo, but Athena pulls back on the hold! FUJIWARA ARMBAR!!! Willow fights, rolls it to a cover, TWO!! Athena lets go in time, and she METEORAS in the corner!! Fans boo but Athena tells them it’s over. She drags Willow up, wants the fans to say bye, and then Canadian Racks, CLIFFHANGER CODE BREAKER!! Cover, TWO!?!?

Willow shocks Athena but the fans are thunderous again! Athena pulls at her hair, throws a tantrum, but fans declare, “This is Awesome!” Willow stirs, but Athena goes to the corner. Athena wants to finish this with her best shot, but Willow runs in! Athena jumps up and over, but runs into a POUNCE!!! Cover, TWO!?!? Now Athena shocks Willow! But fans are electric for Willow as she stalks Athena. Athena grabs at ropes, but Willow YANKS her up. Athena lands on her feet, to SUPERKICK! Athena runs, but Willow CLUBS her at the ropes! Gut wrench, double clutch, BAE BOMB!! Cover, TWO?!?!?

Fans are thunderous again as Athena survives! Willow grows frustrated, but the fans rally behind her again. Athena crawls to the outside but Willow snarls. Willow shakes her head and pursues. “This is Wrestling!” but Athena wants to leave? Willow chases her down at the ramp! But Athena CLAWS Willow’s face! Fireman’s carry, and WASTELAND SLAM to the ramp!! Willow rolls all the way to ringside, and Athena RAMS her into steel steps!! Athena puts Willow in the ring, goes up top, THE O-FACE!!! Cover, Athena wins!!

Winner: Athena, by pinfall (still ROH Women’s World Champion)

Willow proved she wasn’t porcelain but tough as nails! However, Athena still managed to bend that iron will and hold onto the gold! Athena then drags Willow up and puts the belt in place. The ref won’t let her do this, but Athena gest in the ref’s face now! The ref tells her to let off, but Athena grabs her belt. She chases after Willow to CLOBBER her with the belt at the ramp!! Fans boo but then Athena METEORAS Willow into the steel steps! Athena shakes Willow’s hand to barely keep the Code of Honor. Will anyone be able to stop the savagery the Fallen Goddess brings to the ring?


My Thoughts:

A great second episode for ROH’s return, and they went big with three title matches on one night. Great opener with the TV title, and of course Joe wins. I like that Mark Briscoe wants after the title next, I remember that being his mission in ROH years ago. Obviously, there’s still the issue of how to handle the ROH Tag titles, but that aside, Joe VS Mark will be a great match and could probably go either way. Great promo from Castle, and really good win for him and The Boys. They’re definitely going to be in the conversation for the ROH World Six Man titles going towards Supercard of Honor at the end of March.

Good promo from The Kingdom, though they’re definitely more likely to get the ROH Tag titles rather than the AEW Tag titles. I feel like LFI is going to be strong in ROH, too, though they didn’t have the smoothest match with the SAP. They might’ve just lost track of what spot was when because of just how fired up the fans were for Rush, a Heel. Aussie Open VS Titus & Tracy was awesome stuff, Aussie Open seems to bring out the best of everybody they face. Fletcher & Davis wins because they’re going to be strong across the board from NJPW and NJPW Strong to AEW and ROH. But somehow, someway, Aussie Open probably won’t get the ROH titles because they’re going all over the place.

Really good showing from Trustbusters VS the Two Jakes, but of course Daivari & Slim win. It was a bit lame for Metalik to show up to immediately flop in his fight against Trustbusters, but cool to see Blake Christian show up. All Heart & The King of Ropes will make a great duo but it feels like they’re just going to be fed to the Trustbusters. I feel like we need confirmation on how the Trustbusters and Varsity Athletes work together more than anything. Daivari runs a faction but is a teammate in another? Just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Great squash from Eddie beating down Ben Dejo, aka Jon Cruz (aka Serpentico so he lost twice tonight). Claudio being smug champion fits with the Heel turn of the BCC, and while Eddie quit AEW, he could still get Moxley involved in this story somehow. Great Pure Championship match from Yuta and Thatcher, but Yuta also shows his Heel turn by getting away with that cheating. Yuta was almost as smug as Claudio to have Connors waiting, but I like that he decided to accept the challenge after all. That’s going to be great stuff, as Connors almost had Zack Sabre Jr. for the NJPW World Television Championship, but I think Yuta cheats some other way next week to retain.

Good match from Adora and Billie, and for being so young, Billie definitely shows all the great potential of a future champion. But because that time isn’t now, Adora wins. And then, great move making the women’s title the main event. Good promos from both Willow and Athena, awesome match, and I was kinda hoping they’d shock us by giving us a new champion on the second episode, they’re clearly waiting until the PPV for anything even remotely like that. Athena has any number of possible contenders, I can’t be sure who they’ll choose but it’ll be great stuff.

My Score: 8.8/10


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Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (3/18/24)

Talk about a Big Time Raw!

Published

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Will The Man be the Last Woman Standing?

Becky Lynch and Nia Jax want to finally put this to an end, so tonight on Raw, it will be a Big Time Last Woman Standing match! Will the Irresistible Force force the WrestleMania 40 match to change?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers; DIY wins and advances to WrestleMania.
  • Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance; Candice & Indi win.
  • Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet; Ricochet wins.
  • Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher; The Awesome Truth wins and advances to WrestleMania.
  • Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The New Day VS The Alpha Academy; The New Day wins and advances to WrestleMania.
  • Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch VS Nia Jax; Becky wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Jey Uso is here!

North Carolina State University fires up and bounces along with Main Event Jey, and Pat McAfee plays a dangerous game standing on the armchairs! From Bret VS Owen to Matt VS Jeff, we’re about to get Jey VS Jimmy in the third-ever Brother VS Brother WrestleMania grudge match! Jey gets the mic as fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Jey welcomes us to Monday Night Raw, and wants us to check this out. He knows his brothers are somewhere in the building. He knows The Bloodline’s in the building. He knows how the Bloodline rolls! SO Big Brother Jimmy, where you at?! Where you at, Uce!?

Jey waits for someone to show up somewhere, and the crowd spots them first! Fans boo as Jimmy & Solo make their way from the back of the stands. Jimmy gets a mic and goes to the apron while Solo paces around the outside. Fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” again as Jey puts the sunglasses aside. The Usos stare each other down, the fans now chant “UCE! OH! UCE! OH!” Jey wants to say something, hesitates, but then says these two would always get to it but they always knew how to shake right back to this. But now it’s different. Regardless of what happened, the bad blood between them, Jey misses his brother. He does.

Jey knows Jimmy will say what he wants, but Jey doesn’t talk to him no more, doesn’t ride with him no more, doesn’t even see him no more! Jimmy can just come back. Jimmy says he never left! He protected Jey! Jey’s so dumb, he can’t see it! Jimmy is protecting Jey! It was Jey’s idea to leave The Bloodline, but Jimmy helped because he is Jey’s brother. So yeah, Jey leaves, and what happens? Lil’ Bro becomes the BIGGEST star on the Raw roster! Lil’ Bro becomes the top merch seller! Lil’ Bro goes off to become a tag team champion without Jimmy, but with CODY RHODES!? Who left who, Uce?

Jey forgot Jimmy! Everything Jey did that was big was cuz of Big Bro Jimmy! Everything! So listen loud and clear. The biggest moment in Jey’s career, the BIGGEST moment, is because of Jimmy! Jimmy stares Jey down, but Jey says no. Jey’s biggest moment in his career is going to be his dream match at WrestleMania 40: Jey VS Jimmy, and Jey knocks the yeet out Jimmy’s ass! Jey DECKS Jimmy, DECKS Solo off the apron, but then Jimmy SUPERKICKS Jey down! The fans boo but now Solo storms in and looms over Jey. Solo drags Jey up so Jimmy can look him in the face and tell him that Jey needs to get it right! JIMMY made Jey!

But here comes Cody Rhodes! The fans fire up as Cody DECKS Jimmy, then gets in to springboard and CODY CUTTER Solo!! The American Nightmare said he was gonna be a Bloodline Hunter, and he made sure they didn’t take out Jey! Cody tells The Bloodline it is only a matter of time before they lose it all at WrestleMania! Will Jey prove that younger or older doesn’t matter when he is the BETTER brother?

 

Adam Pearce is on the phone.

He’s telling Nick Aldis to stop being a hypocrite, telling Pearce to keep his roster in check when this is happening. But then Paul Heyman walks over and Pearce says he’ll call Aldis back. Pearce then asks Heyman what was all that, and Heyman says he owes Pearce an apology. He is sorry. That was not authorized by The Final Boss nor The Tribal Chief, and certainly not by Heyman. Jimmy & Solo went into business for themselves so Heyman apologizes. But listen, Pearce knows that there have been flight delays all day. Even private jets like theirs. Heyman is barely even dressed for TV, let alone has his make-up!

Pearce says those two were ready. Yeah, well, they got in on a different flight. But Roman Reigns is a chief of his word. Those two are already gone, out of the arena, and Pearce has Roman’s word. Call his bluff, put out a search party. Pearce knows Heyman is here on official business, which Heyman will handle, and then be gone. That is it. But when Heyman does his official business… everyone will be caught off guard. “And Mr. Pearce, sir, that’s not a prediction. That’s a spoiler.” The Wise Man heads out and calls Roman, but just what is Heyman teasing?

 

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers!

Unlike SmackDown’s mini-tournament, Raw and Adam Pearce say it’s win and you’re in! Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano want one more shot at Judgment Day, but so do Julius & Brutus! Will the Sicilian Psycho & Johnny Wrestling prove that when it comes to Mania Moments, you gotta do it yourself? Or will the Creeds be bringing golden tickets to the Diamond Mine?

Raw returns as The Creeds make their entrance. The teams fist bump to show respect, then the teams sort out. Julius starts against Ciampa, they circle and tie up. They’re in a deadlock, Ciampa goes for a waistlock but Julius facelocks. Julius wrangles Ciampa to the mat, flips him over, ONE, and Ciampa keeps moving. They trade facelocks, gator roll, and Julius gets another lateral press. ONE, but Julius gator rolls Ciampa around. Ciampa fights up, puts Julius on ropes, and the ref counts. Ciampa lets off, then CHOPS! Julius shoots in for the takedown! Julius has a leg, Ciampa fights but Julius turns him for the ANKLE LOCK!

Ciampa scrambles to the ROPEBREAK, and Julius lets off cleanly. Ciampa bails out, shakes it off, and he gets back in. They go again, Julius hits a fireman’s carry takeover! Tag to Brutus, and Julius feeds Ciampa to another fireman’s carry takeover! Brutus cording holds but Ciampa endures. Ciampa fights up, but Brutus facelocks. The fans rally as Brutus switches and rolls Ciampa. Ciampa fights up, headlocks, then ROCKS Brutus! Brutus DECKS Ciampa, then whips him to ropes. Ciampa ducks ‘n’ dodges, tag to Gargano! Ciampa slides, CHOPS, Gargano LARIATS and Ciampa JAWBREAKERS! Wrench and LARIAT!

Julius runs in, Gargano kicks and Ciampa gives him the boost for SLICED BREAD! The Creeds bail out, but DIY DOUBLE PLANCHA! Down go the Creeds, and DIY applaud and pat themselves on the back. The fans fire up and Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and Ciampa has Julius in a chinlock. The fans rally, Julius fights up to throw body shots, but Ciampa hits a back suplex! Julius lands out of it, but Ciampa elbows him away. Ciampa drop toeholds Julius, gets legs, but Julius BOOTS Ciampa away! Hot tags to Gargano and Brutus! Brutus rallies on DIY, TOSSES Gargano, then blocks Ciampa’s kick to get under and POWERBOMB him! Brutus sees DIY regroup, then he runs in to SPLASH them both! O’Conner on Ciampa, but Gargano runs up! NORTHERN LIGHTS! Brutus has a DOUBLE BRIDGE, TWO!! Tag to Julius and he gut wrench SLAMS Brutus on Ciampa!

Brutus helps Julius flip up and over to SPLASH onto Ciampa! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up as Julius drags Ciampa up. Ciampa throat chops! A bit dirty but Ciampa wants that win! Ciampa storms up on Julius, but Julius basement stalling suplexes!! The fans are thunderous, Gargano runs in, but Brutus intercepts! Brutus suplexes Gargano now, stalls, and then the Creeds SLAM and kip up! Then they both STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Ciampa stays in this for DIY but the Creeds keep cool. Julius stomps Ciampa, tags Brutus, and they KNEE Ciampa around! Then they DOUBLE GUTBUSTER! Ciampa sputters but Brutus tags Julius in.

Julius drags Ciampa up, tags Brutus back in, and Brutus climbs. Julius Electric Chair Lifts, but Gargano makes the save! Gargano ROCKS Julius, Brutus ROCKS Gargano! Ciampa BOOTS Brutus, Gargano swings on Julius but is sent into Ciampa! Ciampa pushes Gargano back so he can ELBOW Julius! DIY set up again but Brutus stops the Sliced Bread! Julius DECKS Ciampa, KNEE into the WIDOWMAKER! Julius scrapes Gargano out, Brutus POUNCES Ciampa over the desk! Pat fires up with Brutus and so do the fans! The Creeds say they run this now, and then Brutus drags Ciampa up while Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and Julius has Ciampa in a chinlock. Ciampa fights up, and he JAWBREAKERS free! Ciampa ELBOWS Brutus down, BOOTS Julius, then runs up, only for Julius to catch him and toss him back! But then Ciampa catches Julius for a REVERSE DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down and crawling! Hot tag to Gargano! Gargano slingshots to KICK Julius, then he CLOBBERS Brutus! ENZIGIRI for Julius, then he runs to DOUBLE KNEE Brutus! BULLDOG LARIAT COMBO! The fans fire up with Gargano while Julius ends up in another corner. Gargano runs in but is put on the apron!

Gargano GAMANGIRIS Julius, SUPERKICKS Brutus, then SLINGSHOT SPEARS Julius! Cover, TWO! Julius survives but Gargano puts him in a corner. Gargano CHOPS, then hoists Julius up top. Tag to Ciampa, Ciampa CHOPS Julius while Gargano DIVES onto Brutus! Ciampa CHOPS Julius again, goes up top, and fireman’s carries! Ciampa then tucks Julius in for the SUPER AIR RAID CRASH! Cover, TWO!! Julius survives again and shocks Ciampa! The fans are just as stunned, but Ciampa and Julius sit up. Ciampa stands, and he CHOPS! And CHOPS! Julius sits back up as Ciampa puts some stank on the CHOP!

Julius brings the straps down! Julius fires a forearm, Ciampa hits back, and the fans fire up as the shots keep going! They go faster and faster, harder and harder, meaner and meaner! The fans fire up as this just turns into a brawl of haymakers and SLAPS! Ciampa then gets around, ripcord and HAYMAKER! ROLLING- TACKLE from Julius! And then the ANKLE LOCK!! Ciampa reaches out, moves around, but Gargano runs up! Julius kicks him, then gets him up with one arm to POWERBOMB! Then it’s back to the ANKLE LOCK on Ciampa! Brutus gets in to get Gargano for an ANKLE LOCK of his own!

The fans are thunderous as DIY endures! Ciampa and Gargano fight, turn things over, SICILIAN CROSSFACE and GargaNO Escape!! The fans are thunderous as The Creeds power up and lift both DIY! They fireman’s carry, then TOSS DIY into each other!! The fans are thunderous as Julius goes up to MOONSAULT onto Ciampa! Brutus MOONSAULTS, too! Cover, TWO?!?! Ciampa survives and the fans are loving this! Julius tags back in, Brutus climbs up! “This is Awesome!” as Julius Electric Chair Lifts Ciampa! But Ciampa VICTORY ROLLS to get under the Brutus Ball!! Cover, Brutus tips it! Gargano TOSSES Brutus then SUPERKICKS Julius!! Ciampa has the cover, DIY WINS!!

Winners: DIY, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)

Julius can’t believe it! He kicked out at 3.1, but a loss is a loss! And for the first time ever, DIY is going to Mania! Will Philadelphia soon be historic for a DIY championship victory?

 

Judgment Day meets backstage.

Rhea Ripley is with Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh, but also Andrade. Dom says he’s always liked Andrade’s style, but things have changed since the last time he was in the WWE. The Judgment Day runs Raw now. Rhea says yeah, and they don’t extend invitations to just anyone. Judgment Day is very exclusive. JD says very exclusive. But if Andrade continues to impress them, they’ll see about making things happen. And Finn says he just heard that Andrade has a match next week, so the Judgment Day will be watching him. Sounds good. See you next week. But then in steps Damian Priest.

The Punisher says hello to El Idolo, and El Idolo says hello to Senor Dinero. Andrade heads out, will he quite literally win his way into the club? But as for Priest, Finn asks him what he was up to. Priest was getting a closer look at that DIY VS Creeds match. DIY won, but whatever, they can handle those guys. But JD, they thought he could handle Ricochet last week, and run the gauntlet, and then go to WrestleMania to bring even more gold back to Judgment Day. JD says he did he belonged in there. But also, he battered Ricochet, who got lucky at the end there. Right, Finn? Finn hesitates, and Rhea says Priest is right on this one.

Ricochet made a fool out of JD! A fool? Yes. A fool? Yes. That’s why tonight, Dom will make it right. Right, Dom? Yeah, Mami. Let’s go talk to Pearce to make it official. Dom & JD head out, and the others are confident Dom’s got this. But does he, though? Or will the One and Only have two wins over Judgment Day in as many weeks?

 

Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance!

The Poison Pixie certainly lived up to that name last week when she bullied Maxxine Dupri as part of beating her and Ivy Nile last week. Will Candice’s toxic tongue strike again? Or will the party not be stopped by her harsh vibes?

The teams sort out and Candice starts against Kayden. Candice rushes up, Kayden gets around and O’Conner Rolls, TWO! Kayden springboards to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Kayden stalks Candice, Candice ELBOWS her away then tags Indi. Kayden dodges Candice to SUPERKICK, but Indi BOOTS Kayden! Cover, TWO! Indi drags Kayden up, tags Candice back in, and they mug Kayden. Candice CLUBS away on Kayden, fires off furious fists, then covers. TWO, and Candice grows frustrated already. The fans rally, Candice steps up but Kayden avoids the senton! Tags to Katana and Indi! Katana blasts past Indi, comes back and BULLDOGS!

Katana keeps moving, ducks ‘n’ dodges, then SHOTGUNS Indi to a corner! The fans fire up as Katana stomps away on Indi! Indi shoves Katana, Katana runs corner to corner to A-LIST LARIAT! Katana shoves Indi down, runs up, but into a back suplex! Katana lands out, but her leg jams! The ref and Kayden check, then the ref keeps Indi back. Indi says okay, and she stays by Candice. But Candice tags in to WRECK Kayden! And she SLAMS Katana’s leg into the post!! HALF CRAB and DEEP! Katana taps, Candice & Indi win!

Winners: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, by submission

Candice smiles and celebrates with Indi, but Indi doesn’t want to. Candice says a win is a win, but just what is going on in her toxic mind?

 

Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring.

NC State fires up again as The American Nightmare walks down the ramp, and this time the fans can sing along with the song, “WHOA~ OH~!” Cody gets his pyro then gets the mic. “In less than three weeks time, I will stand opposed for the second year in a row, in the main event, with the lights on brightest, I will challenge for the WWE Undisputed Championship, against the greatest champion in all of sports, The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. And this Friday on SmackDown, Roman and I are going to have a little conversation, if you will. But there are… complications. Factors, elements, combustible elements, namely… The Rock.”

Fans boo but Cody says The Rock took to Instagram on Friday, and followed it up with “extremely entertaining” concert. Too bad The Rock didn’t wanna be here tonight. Something Cody took from the Instagram post: The Rock referred to himself as “Our Favorite Heel.” A bit of an inside term, but we’re not dumb, we know that means he’s the “bad guy.” Cody has known Heels. Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, Michael Hayes, “Superstar” Billy Graham, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair! Fans “WOO~” and Cody says he doesn’t think The Rock is a Heel. He’s just an assh*le. The fans go nuts hearing that!

Cody doesn’t want Rock getting upset, he doesn’t want the “seven bucks team” to get upset, he doesn’t want anyone getting emotional. Cody knows how Rock feels about emotions, he poked fun at Cody tearing up at discussing “finishing the story” with good friend, Michael Cole. There’s no crying in pro-wrestling, Jimmy Dugan, we get it. But hasn’t The Rock been crying behind the scenes this whole time? Once that hashtag came out, once fans chanted something else, The Rock cried to his buddies on the TKO board and said “Hey, this is gonna be some good PR for The Rock! I need to save WWE!” God knows, look at this house. They sure needed “saving,” huh?

The fans cheer but Cody says Rock wanted great PR. Until it wasn’t. TKO said OMG yes, put on the Gucci shirt, get those muscles looking big. It’s because they are Yes People, they are enablers, they won’t dare tell The Rock like it is, so Cody’s going to. Cody tells The Rock, “You’re a lot of things. You’re a lot of wonderful things. You are the Braham Bull, you are The Great One.” Cody still has shoes with The Rock’s logo on it! The Rock is the only guy Cody honestly feels is a Mount Rushmore wrestler. But he is also a terrible salesman, a carny succubus, and for those who don’t get what that means, The Rock is “a whiny b*tch!”

Fans lose their minds again but Cody says The Rock has been convinced otherwise. But don’t think that for two seconds this locker room needs The Rock more than The Rock needs it! That’s a rule of wrestling, nobody is bigger than the business! And sure, Cody brought up his mom, so it is fair game for The Rock to use that. But Cody knows The Rock’s mom. Here’s what Cody will tell us about The Rock’s mom. She is a wonderful lady, salt of the earth, she helped Cody chop Kevin in a dark match. Cody has nothing but respect for The Rock’s mom, something The Rock should’ve echoed back towards Cody’s mom.

But see, The Rock was talking about whipping Cody, handing a bloody weight belt to Cody’s mom, and normally someone as powerful as The Rock, Mama Rhodes would tremble. But The Rock doesn’t know Cody’s mom. Cody was more scared than she was, because she ain’t scared of nothing. This is the same woman who once jumped out of her chair at a Willie Nelson concert and beat up an undercover cop! She ain’t afraid of The Rock! Cody has been asked, April 6th, biggest tag match of all time, Rock & Roman VS Cody & Seth. Seth Rollins, the World Heavyweight Champion, a man The Rock should respect because that man has carried The Rock’s company!

How will Cody get past that match? How will April 7th look? Will it be a fair fight? Cody can tell us honestly… He doesn’t know. Cody does not know if it will be Bloodline Rules or not. Hell, he might not #FinishTheStory. “But Dwayne… What do you know? How can you be so sure of your own self, right?” The Rock hasn’t been in the ring in real action in years! April 6th, the bell is gonna ring, and what happens then? Is The Rock gonna bring The Great One, the hero we all had growing up? Is he bringing that #BigDwayneEnergy? Or is it gonna be LDS, Little D*ck Syndrome?! The fans chant “L D S! L D S!”

Cody says The Rock has referred to himself as The Final Boss. Kudos for that nickname, maybe he really is that. Maybe Cody is too naive to see it. But at WrestleMania, Cody doesn’t think The Rock will be The Final Boss. At WrestleMania, he’s just Roman’s side chick. But then ladies and gentlemen, his name is Paul Heyman, and he serves as The Wise Man to Your Tribal Chief, the reigning! Defending! Undisputed! WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion, Roman… Reigns! And as Special Counsel to the Bloodline, Heyman is here to say to Cody that the ideals that Cody and Heyman share are far greater than the interests on which they conflict.

By example, don’t you hate it when someone comes out to demand an apology? Not that Cody’s done that, but Heyman is still going to do that. Heyman came out here with some “friends” of his, and he apologized. For a Wise Man, that was pretty freakin’ stupid. One: because it didn’t work. Two: because it was just dumb. And for that, Cody, to you and the fans, Heyman humbly apologizes. Cody says whoa, whoa, whoa. He didn’t ask for an apology, and he certainly knows Heyman wants permission to be in the ring. Heyman is a Hall of Famer starting this year, if he wants into the ring, be Cody’s guest.

Heyman thanks Cody for that but he’s fine on the apron. He carries with him a message from The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. Talk about Heels… You may think of Heyman anything negative you want, and that might be understanding the obvious. Heyman is not trustworthy, but Roman is a chief of his word. Heyman assures that this Friday on SmackDown, Roman will be face to face with Cody. American Nightmare, Tribal Chief, challenger and champion. And when they are face to face, there will not be a single other member of The Bloodline in sight. Except for Heyman, but he is no physical threat.

Heyman holds the title belt, the beads, whispers things in Roman’s ear, such as his love and respect. But Cody has Roman’s word that if he shows up on SmackDown, Roman will show up alone. Cody says Roman shows up alone, no Bloodline outside of Heyman, it’s a deal. They good? Heyman has some jet lag, he forgot one little point. And don’t boo him, he’s talking to Cody! Cody says yes they’re booing, and he’s about to go full Homelander and rip Heyman’s throat out if he doesn’t get to the point. Fans like the reference. Heyman composes himself and says if Roman Reigns shows up alone this Friday on SmackDown, then Cody must show up to SmackDown alone, too.

Cody steps closer to Heyman and Heyman is a bit nervous. Cody tells Heyman, “Deal!” They shake hands, and Heyman smiles. The Wise Man negotiated a purely one-on-one meeting between his Tribal Chief and American Nightmare, but can we trust Heyman was telling the truth about Roman telling the truth?

 

Nia Jax speaks.

“You know what I’ve realized? Becky Lynch has never beaten me. And after tonight, she never will. Because after I break her face again, I will be taking her spot at WrestleMania. I will finish business with Rhea Ripley, and not only will I walk out the Last Woman Standing, but I will become Women’s World Champion.” The Irresistible Force is ready for the Big Time, but will she A-Nia-late her?

 

Cody Rhodes returns backstage.

And Jey says there he go! But real quick, Cody can’t be going to SmackDown alone. Cody says he gave them his word. But The Bloodline isn’t gonna play fair! They’re all gonna be there! If Cody needs Jey, Jeys’ got him. Cody hears that, but he knows what he’s dealing with. They shake hands and Jey heads out. Will Cody be able to have that fair, one-on-one meeting? Or does Jey have a point about The Bloodline?

 

Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet!

It seems Pearce agreed to the idea that Dirty Dom should try and clean up The Irish Ace’s mess. Will Dom be able to get revenge on Ricochet? Or will Ricochet be the One and Only person holding their head high tonight?

Raw returns and Dom has made his entrance. The bell rings, Dom and Ricochet circle, and they tie up. Ricochet waistlocks, Dom fights the lift and grabs ropes. The ref counts, Ricochet lets off, but Dom ELBOWS him away! Dom fires hands, soaks up the heat, then storms up, but into haymakers! Ricochet CHOPS, kicks then flexes on Dom. Ricochet whips, Dom reverses, but Ricochet goes up and over. Ricochet ducks ‘n’ dodges to then handspring back elbow! The fans fire up while Dom bails out! JD is there to coach Dom up, but Ricochet runs in! JD gets Dom to safety, but Ricochet handsprings to hero land!

The fans fire up, Ricochet then goes to ropes to TORNILLO PLANCHA! Direct hit on Dom and Ricochet tells JD to back off. Ricochet puts Dom in, Dom distracts the ref, but JD grabs Ricochet’s leg! Ricochet kicks JD away, but then Dom WRECKS Ricochet with a dropkick! Dom soaks up the heat and Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and Dom has Ricochet up top. Dom climbs but Ricochet throws body shots! The fans rally behind Ricochet as he sends Dom staggering. Ricochet hops down as Dom comes running back, and Ricochet GAMANGIRIS him away! Ricochet then springboards, but Dom trips him up! Ricochet flops to the mat, then Dom kicks and FACEBUSTERS! Cover, TWO! Ricochet is still in this and JD argues the count. Dom looms over Ricochet, scuffs him around, then mockingly cheers him on. Fans boo but Dom brings Ricochet up. Dom gives some Latino Heat, then suplexes! Uno Amigo, but fans boo.

Dom gets Ricochet up but Ricochet suplexes Dom instead! And then fireman’s carry, DYNAMITE KICK! Cover, TWO! Dom is still in this and JD coaches him but the fans rally for Ricochet. Ricochet stands, storms up on Dom, but Dom shoots around to roll him up! With tights! TWO, Ricochet blocks a kick and KICKS Dom down! Ricochet hurries up top, the fans fire up, but Ricochet has to bail out of the 450 as Dom moves! Dom runs in again, but into a SUPERKICK! JD gets on the apron, so Ricochet triangle jump DROPKICKS! But then Dom DROPKICKS Ricochet onto ropes! Dom dials it up but Ricochet ducks!

Dom spins around, into the RECOIL!! Cover, Ricochet wins!

Winner: Ricochet, by pinfall

But then JD runs in! Ricochet dodges, goes up and around, BOOTS JD away, then BOOTS him again! Ricochet even flips up and out of the ring at the same time! Ricochet gets the better of Judgment Day again, just how disappointed is Mami going to be in her Latino Heat this time?

 

Sami Zayn is backstage.

He finds Chad Gable and wants to talk with him. Last week’s match, that was an honor. Sami hasn’t been pushed like that in a long time, it could’ve gone either way. Gable says yeah, it was great. Thanks. Is Gable alright? Yeah, he’s fine. Kinda feels like not… Gable says he’s fine, so leave it at that. C’mon, man, how many years have they known each other? Sami knows when something’s bothering Gable, so he should just say it. Gable says look, last week, the WrestleMania opportunity, the whole thing, it just meant more to him. Sami says he’s been hearing Gable say that for weeks, and it is really unfair.

Does Gable really think he’s the only one this title opportunity matters to? Sami has a family, too! Sami’s kid cries when Papa loses a match, too. Sami has people he’s let down and is trying to make proud. After all the years put into this, Gable can’t tell Sami what matters more because he doesn’t know Sami like that. Gable has Sami calm down, and says he knows all that. But it isn’t all about that. Then what is all this? Gable says Sami can’t beat Gunther. Gable then leaves, and Sami is at a loss for words. Is this bitter side of Gable only going to get worse as we go down this Road to WrestleMania?

 

Adam Pearce is in the ring.

Raw returns with the GM by a table, and he welcomes us to a contract signing to make official the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship for WrestleMania! The fans cheer, and Pearce introduces first, the challenger, Sami Zayn! The Great Liberator makes his entrance and the fans sing along with his song. Sami still looks troubled by what Gable said just moments ago, but he still high-fives fans and gets in the ring. Then Pearce introduces the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, Der Ring General, GUNTHER! The fans boo as Gunther walks in, having reached Day 647!

Gunther smiles as Sami watches him make his way down the ramp and into the ring. Pearce says we know how this works, but Gunther says before we proceed, let us call this what it is: the most important contract signing for the most important match in the history of this championship. And why, why, why is the challenger dressed no better than any of the bums in the audience? Fans boo but Sami just shrugs that off. Sami gets a mic to say that Gunther keeps sitting there all smug, and it’s really starting to piss Sami off. Gunther thinks this is just another day at the office, that he’ll steamroll through Sami like any other contender.

But with all respect to Gunther, he really has. He has beaten everyone that has come his way, and has done it on his own. Gunther doesn’t believe Sami can do it. A lot of people didn’t believe Sami at many points in his career. They didn’t believe he’d even make it to WWE, let alone win championships and main event a WrestleMania. And if you ask The Usos, they didn’t believe Sami would be one of the guys to end the longest tag title reign in WWE history, but he did! And one year later, he will make history again by ending the longest Intercontinental title reign in WWE history! Sami signs his part and pushes the contract over to Gunther.

The fans cheer Sami on but Gunther waits it out. Gunther tells Sami, what Sami should do is listen to his new friend, Gable. Gable doesn’t believe Sami can win. The people here cheer Sami, they probably even love Sami. But even they don’t believe Sami can win. And y’know, when Gunther looks Sami in the eyes, and if Sami was honest with himself, even Sami doesn’t believe he can win. So what Sami is doing right now is standing on Gunther’s doorstep and begging him to get the beating of a lifetime on the Grandest Stage of Them All! So whatever Sami has to do, from training to believing, just keep doing that. Because at WrestleMania, Sami’s dreams will meet reality.

Gunther grins and signs his part, and it is now official! Gunther then stands, title on his shoulder, and takes his leave. The fans boo, but then Sami tells Gunther to wait. Gunther steps back inside to hear Sami as Sami turns around. Gunther looks in Sami’s eyes and believes Sami doesn’t believe? Sami stands to get in Gunther’s face and dares him to look again. Get a good long look, because these are the eyes of the man who will take you down at Mania! The fans fire up, and now Sami leaves first. Gunther still just grins, but will Sami use a Helluva Kick to wipe that smile off his face?

We follow Sami as he storms backstage, right past DIY and The Awesome Truth. Truth asks what’s up with Sami, but The Miz says that is the mindset of WrestleMania right there. That’s what they need. DIY wishes Awesome Truth luck. Awesome Truth knows DIY is into the ladder match, and they are gonna have their own qualifier. Miz & Truth just need to beat… Indus Sher. Jinder Mahal tells Veer & Sanga to warm up for the match. They head out, and Truth says he feels sorry for whoever has to face those guys. Miz stares at Truth, and he has DIY hold off. Miz will explain. The Awesome Truth heads to gorilla, their match is next!

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher w/ Jinder Mahal!

Miz wants a remix of the theme song but Truth says to just follow his lead. NC State knows what’s up, but will the Awesome Truth finally reach the top of the tag division 13 years after they first teamed? We’ll see, after the break!

Raw returns as Indus Sher makes their entrance, the Modern Day Maharaja by their side. The teams sort out and Truth starts against Sanga. The fans echo “WHAT’S UP?!” but Sanga roars! Truth is scared now so he tags Miz. Truth fires Miz up, Miz runs up and dodges Sanga to fire off haymakers! Miz kicks, whips, but Sanga blocks! Sanga whips and CLOBBERS Miz! Jinder nods as Sanga then scoops Miz and brings him over. Veer tags in, Sanga SLAMS Miz, then Veer ELBOW DROPS! Indus Sher say “NAMASTE!” but the fans say “WHAT’S UP!?” with Truth. Veer HIP DROPS Miz, then looms over him.

Veer eggs Miz on, drags him up with shoulder claws, and then steps over Miz for the neck wrench! Miz endures as Veer still digs a claw into his shoulder. The fans rally for Miz, Miz fights up and throws body shots! Miz reaches out but Veer knees low! Veer SHOVES Miz to the corner, runs in, but Miz BOOTS! Miz ELBOWS Sanga, but Veer catches him! Veer puts Miz back int he corner, but Miz ducks the boot to tag Truth! Truth dodges Veer and starts up the shoulder tackles! Truth gets around Veer to SPIN-OUT BOMB! The fans fire up as Truth shouts out Cena with “You Can’t See Me!” Truth runs to Five Knuckle Shuffle!

Jinder is not happy now as Truth fireman’s carries! But Veer slips free! Truth drop toeholds to the STF!! The fans fire up but Sanga stomps Truth! Miz fires off kicks on Sanga, then body shots! Truth joins in, they mug and whip Sanga, to DOUBLE DROPKICK! Sanga staggers around, Veer runs up, but into a full nelson! Truth and Miz combine for a SKULL CRUSHING LIE DETECTOR!! But Sanga whips Miz away! Miz WRECKS Jinder with it, but Sanga runs up! Sanga knocks Miz down, Miz anchors Sanga, Sanga ELBOWS Truth, Truth falls onto Veer for the cover! Awesome Truth wins!!

Winners: The Awesome Truth, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)

The fans fire up, and Truth doesn’t even realize what happened! Miz celebrates with Truth and Truth puts it together! They’re now one of the six in the ladder match! Will this combination of teamwork and luck be just what they need to take those titles from Judgment Day?

 

Sami confronts Gable now.

Sami tells Gable to tell him why. Why what? Why does Gable think Sami can’t beat Gunther? Well you just saw why! With Gunther, it isn’t just physical, it is mental. Sami made his career out of being the underdog that crawls his way out of any hole he’s in, right? Just like last week! Sami found the window of opportunity to get out of a bad situation any time he can. Gunther’s on a different level! You gonna sit and wait for that window to appear? It doesn’t happen with Gunther! He’s a different beast, a different animal. If Sami doesn’t change his mentality, then he can’t beat Gunther. Gable leaves Sami with a lot to think again. Is there a way Sami can change enough to defeat Der Ring General?

 

CM Punk speaks.

“Do I plan at being in WrestleMania? WrestleMania is in Philadelphia, what’re the first four letters in Philadelphia? Phil. You can’t have WrestleMania Philadelphia without Phil. Whether I’m invited or uninvited, Punk will be there.” And next week in Chicago, Punk returns to Raw! Will the Second City Saint find a way to be part of the biggest WrestleMania ever?

 

Drew McIntyre is here!

The Scottish Terminator, or as his new shirt says, “The Savior of WrestleMania,” makes his way to the ring, NC State a bit torn about seeing him. But then Seth Rollins is here, too!? McIntyre is upset but the fans sing along, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” as The Visionary struts his way out. Rollins swaggers right past McIntyre in his green storm pattern suit, and steps into the ring first. McIntyre frowns as he follows Rollins in, and sits in a corner. The fans continue to sing, which Rollins revels in for a moment. Rollins has the mic to then say, “RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA~! Welcome to Monday Night Rollins~!

“And Drew, hah, sorry, I didn’t even see you there. I was too busy, uh, y’know, soaking up the spotlight, right?” McIntyre has a mic to say, “Alright, here we go.” Here goes what, Drew? McIntyre says no, no, get it all out of your system, he knows Rollins has more! McIntyre can stay in the back while Rollins enjoys the spotlight, because after WrestleMania, that spotlight’s all McIntyre’s. Hey, hey, c’mon. Rollins is here with an honest cause. Rollins doesn’t like McIntyre, he thinks he’s stupid, a hypocrite, has said a lot of dumb things lately, but Rollins is here to admit that one thing McIntyre said is absolutely right and he wants to say it to McIntyre’s face, right here in Raleigh, in front of the fine people.

Now, they always say the first step to recovery is the hardest, so bare with Rollins. He has been working on this all week, but… “My name is Seth Freakin’ Rollins, and I’m a spotlight junkie.” The fans chant “Spotlight Junkie!” and also sing, but McIntyre says everything is just a joke to Rollins, isn’t it? Look at Rollins! He’s a parody of himself at this point. But honestly, McIntyre doesn’t care. He tried reasoning, he gave the answers, and now he only cares about their match and the world title. And you wanna know the real punchline, funny man? “What?” McIntyre says they say that because they’re happy McIntyre sidelined Punk, thanks for remembering!

But the punchline is when McIntyre beats Rollins for that title. The fans chant for “C M PUNK!” but McIntyre says don’t be ridiculous. Punk’s waiting until next week to return because he’d never show up in a place like Raleigh. The fans boo but McIntyre says see, they’re booing Punk! Punk is only getting off his couch to be at his local arena. Rollins tells McIntyre to shut up already. Oh, seems McIntyre got Rollins’ attention. Rollins takes off the sunglasses to say yeah, McIntyre has his attention. Because this isn’t a joke! When Rollins says he is a junkie, it isn’t a joke! He’s been doing this for 20 YEARS! Just like McIntyre!

And every time Rollins comes out of the curtain, that’s his fix. And it gets better and better every single time. Rollins comes out here, lays it all on the line, and it just gets better and better! When he hears the fans sing the song so loud, Rollins can barely speak, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” That’s Rollins’ fix! That is the spotlight he craves, and y’know what? Rollins wants the spotlight as bright as it can possibly be. So yeah, McIntyre’s been busy online entertaining people with memes, so he hasn’t been listening to Rollins. So Rollins will get this through McIntyre’s thick skull: Night One, Rollins takes the biggest star in Hollywood and his side chick, and makes them his b*tches!

Then on Night Two, the biggest spotlight possible will be shined down on McIntyre and Rollins and the World Heavyweight Championship! McIntyre says all hail the savior, Seth Rollins! This is what McIntyre wanted! The passion and desire, not the stupid laughing and dancing. Rollins had McIntyre all the way to the finish. Rollins has done this 20 years, just like McIntyre. They’ve given their lives to this industry, and that is what the title is about! The wrestlers’ title, the workhorse championship! Rollins had McIntyre with him until he mentioned the bigger spotlight and how Rollins pins one of the biggest stars in the world.

Why can’t it just be about Rollins’ hard work to make that title, and all of McIntyre’s hard work to get this chance? Why can’t that be the reason they’re getting the biggest spotlight!? Rollins has had his priorities all backwards, McIntyre has been giving him all the answers. McIntyre said he is over the BS, and all he cares about is Rollins making it to the ring on Night Two. And if Rollins can’t walk, then McIntyre will wheel him down. If not, McIntyre will carry Rollins down. At Mania, McIntyre doesn’t get the moment he deserves. He gets the moment he has bloody EARNED. The fans do cheer that!

Rollins smirks and says, “Ah, Drew. There it is. That’s right, you wanna call me a spotlight junkie, but you want the spotlight just as bad as I do, don’t you? You’re an addict, just like I am. And you’ve been begging for spotlight for the past four years, because you won the WrestleMania main event. You did, back in 2020, in an empty warehouse. And all we’ve been hearing from Drew McIntyre for the past four years was how that wasn’t good enough. You’ve been whining and complaining and bitching and moaning that you deserve better, that you deserve more. The problem is, Drew, when everybody came back around, and the lights got bright again, what happened? You fumbled the ball.

“And that’s the difference between you and me. When the lights are the brightest, I shine, baby. I shine bright. And at WrestleMania 40, the lights are gonna be as bright as they have ever been. And you are gonna find out you are not as good as you think you are.” Rollins drops the mic, but this time McIntyre smirks. The verbal battle continues, but who will put their money where their mouth is once this one finally happens?

 

Becky Lynch speaks.

“I’m a wanted woman, and I don’t even have the title. Yet. But we’re less than three weeks away from WrestleMania, so why would I risk it all? Because I don’t know anything else. All I know is taking risks. All I know is fighting. And all I know is tonight, I’m gonna be the Last Woman Standing.” Becky is fired up to finally do what she hasn’t done in the most extreme way possible. Will she be the immovable object to Nia’s irresistible force?

 

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The New Day VS The Alpha Academy!

Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods have been W, W, E, World, Tag, Team, CHAMPIONS~, but they’ve never been a part of a title match as big as this Six Pack Ladder challenge! Will they look to be part of history once again? Or will Akira Tozawa & Otis say “A THANK YEW~!” for this golden opportunity?

Raw returns as the Academy makes their entrance. The teams sort out and Woods starts against the tree trunk, Otis. The fans rally for “NEW! DAY ROCKS!” Otis and Woods tie up, but Woods kicks low then headlocks. Otis powers up and out then runs Woods over! Otis storms up on Woods, GUT RAMS him back down, then brings him back up. Otis GUT RAMS Woods again, then runs to CLOBBER Woods! Otis swivels his hips, the fans echo “Oh~ yeah!” Otis tags Tozawa and the Academy mugs Woods. Tozawa brings Woods around but Woods CHOPS! Woods tags Kofi, he and Kofi double whip Tozawa but Tozawa holds ropes!

Tozawa fires hands, dodges Woods then BOOTS Woods down! Kofi kicks low, whips Tozawa to a corner, but Tozawa BOOTS Kofi away! Tozawa goes up to FLYING RANA! The fans fire up as Tozawa sees New Day regroup outside. Tozawa runs to DIVE! Direct hit on both New Day, and Otis joins in for “A THANK YEW~!” The Academy stands tall as Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and Tozawa fights a chinlock. Tozawa reaches for Otis but Woods back suplexes. Tozawa lands out to then DROPKICK Woods down! The fans rally as Woods and Tozawa crawl, hot tags to Otis and Kofi! Otis CLOBBERS Kofi, CLOBBERS him again, then whips him to ropes. WRECKER ELBOW! Woods runs in, Otis dodges, to LARIAT! Otis sees Kofi leap off the corner, and catches him for a WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM! Otis rips the shirt off, winds up the hips, and then starts up the CATERPILLAR! ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Kofi survives but Otis hurries to step on him! Tag to Tozawa, and Otis goes up!

Otis VADER BOMBS but FLOPS as Kofi moves! Tozawa hurries up top while Kofi SUPERKICKS Otis! Kofi turns around into the CROSSBODY from Tozawa! Cover, TWO! Tozawa SUPERKICKS Kofi but Woods tags in! Woods GAMANGIRIS Tozawa, then steps in to TORNADO DDT! Cover, TWO! Tozawa toughs it out but Woods grits his teeth as he goes to the corner. Woods climbs, but Tozawa rises! Tozawa throws body shots, Woods CLUBS Tozawa! Tozawa throws more hands and climbs up! The fans rally as they brawl up top! Tozawa brings Woods up but Woods fights the lift! Woods throws body shots in return!

Woods shifts position to get under Tozawa for a fireman’s carry! But then Tozawa pops up to SUPER STEINER!! Tozawa rips off his shirt, climbs back up top, SUPER SENTON!! Cover, Kofi breaks it! The fans fire up but Otis drags Kofi out! Otis whips Kofi at steps, Kofi goes up and jumps off the steps to TORNADO DDT to the floor! Kofi hurries back up to the apron but Tozawa SCREW HIGH KICKS him down! Tozawa dodges Woods, pop-up, but Woods blocks the rana to then SPINNING POWERBOMB! Woods sees the WrestleMania sign, hurries up the corner, and he tightrope walks! LIMIT BREAK ELBOW!! Cover, New Day wins!

Winners: The New Day, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)

The New Day are the ones saying A THANK YEW~ as they put their names down for the Six Pack Ladder Match! Will they once again climb to the top of the WWE Tag Team Division and bring home those championships?

 

Liv Morgan confronts Becky Lynch.

Becky asks if she’ll have to watch out for Liv as well. Well, you should always #WatchMe, but no, not tonight. Nia is all Becky’s. Liv just wants Becky to kick Nia’s ass. Liv leaves, will Becky kick ass and then some?

 

Cody walks with his dog, Pharaoh, backstage.

Rollins finds him and brings up Friday. One on one? One on one. Rollins nods and says he loves Pharaoh’s bandanna. The Visionary trusts the American Nightmare can handle himself, but will we be able to trust The Tribal Chief?

 

Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch VS Nia Jax!

From the origins of “The Man” in WWE to the aftermath of Elimination Chamber: Perth, these two have battled, but never as brutally as this! They’re able to go anywhere and do anything, but who will be the Last Woman Standing this close to WrestleMania 40?

The bell rings and the two rush in! Becky DROPKICKS Nia and Nia goes to a corner. Becky runs in but Nia puts Becky on the apron. Becky ROCKS Nia, goes up a corner, then leaps to MISSILE DROPKCIK! Nia stumbles and tumbles out of the ring, so Becky WRECKS her with another dropkick! Becky then goes to the apron for a FLYING FOREARM! Nia stays up, Becky tries again, but Nia dodges! Fireman’s carry and Nia POSTS Becky, to then SAMOAN DROP her into barriers! The ref counts as Becky is down, but she stands at 4 of 10. Nia CLOBBERS Becky and wants the count! The count climbs but Nia is impatient.

Nia clears off the desk, Becky stands at 5 of 10, and she leans against barriers. Becky comes back with body shots and haymakers, but Nia ROCKS her with a forearm! Becky staggers away as Raw goes to break!

Raw returns and Becky is bringing out a table! The fans fire up as Becky sets that up ringside. There’s been a lot of chaos during the break according to commentary, from chairs to kendo sticks to even a copy of Becky’s book, The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl! But Nia storms over to stop Becky and SMACK her off the desk! Nia puts Becky in the ring, takes that table for her own and sets it up. The table doesn’t cooperate and fans boo, but Nia goes for chairs instead. She slides those in the ring, Becky manages to stand at 7 of 10, and she grabs at those chairs. Nia ditches the table, it just doesn’t wanna work.

Nia storms in but Becky JAMS her with a chair, SMACKS her with it, then clinches! Nia fights the slam, fireman’s carries Becky, and FULL METAL SAMOAN DROPS!! Becky writhes from hitting chairs but Nia looms over her. Nia soaks up the heat as she counts along. Becky flounders to ropes and drags herself up at 7! Nia sits a chair up, fans want a table, but Nia scoops Becky. Becky slips around to a SLEEPER! Nia RAMS Becky into buckles again and again until Becky lets go. But then Becky BULLDOGS Nia off the chair! Nia is down for the count now, and Becky leans against ropes to stay up herself.

Nia stirs at 5, stands at 8, but Becky is up top! Becky leaps, into a CHAIR SHOT! Nia SMACKS Becky again and again and again! The fans boo but Nia finally stops. Nia puts that chair aside and goes out to get some kendo sticks! Nia puts those in, but Becky grabs one! Nia snatches it from her to SMACK! And SMACK! And SMACK! Becky sputters and staggers, Nia clinches and scoops! Nia SLAMS Becky onto chairs! Then Nia runs to drop the leg, brother! Nia wants the count and the count begins! Becky sputters as we reach 5 of 10. Becky grabs that kendo stick but Nia SMACKS Becky with a chair! And again!

Nia kicks Becky around, then uses the chair to take a seat on Becky’s body!! The fans boo as the count begins, but Becky SMACKS Nia with the kendo stick! And again and again and again, even in the butt! Nia stands up, into more shots! Becky stands and she fires away until Nia scurries out of the ring! Becky pursues but Nia CLOBBERS her! Nia pulls the steel steps apart now, and takes that top half to RAM Becky down! Becky flounders, Nia hauls her up and puts her in the ring. Becky’s on the apron and Nia takes aim! Nia runs up, APRN LEG DROP only gets apron! Becky avoids disaster, then has Nia by the steps! DDT onto the steel!

Nia is down again and the count begins. Nia stirs at 5 of 10, sits up at 6, but Becky SMACKS her off steps! Nia falls over again and the count resets. Becky hurries to go looking for things while Nia rises again. Becky has a new table! The fans fire up as Becky gets that in the ring. Nia stands at 7, staggers after Becky, and Raw goes back to break.

Raw returns once again and Nia mugs Becky against barriers! Nia puts Becky on a table, and surprise! There’s a ladder set up now! Nia climbs the ladder?! She also demands Pat support the ladder. But Becky gets off the table so now Nia has no reason to be up there. Nia storms after Becky, but gets a FIRE EXTINGUISHER BLAST!! The fans fire up as Becky cools Nia off, then JAMS her with the canister! Becky puts Nia in the ring, and there’s a table waiting in a corner! Becky lines up the shot, and runs in, but Nia SAMOAN DROPS Becky through the table!!! Both women are down in the wreckage and the count begins!

Nia flounders away from the wreckage but she still needs to stand. Nia is up at 5, and she isn’t satisfied with this! She drags Becky all the way to another corner and puts her in the drop zone! Nia climbs up, for the A-NIA-LATOR!! Nia shouts for the count, the count begins, and Nia storms around as she points to the Mania sign. Becky is still down at 5 of 10, only starts stirring at 7, and she slumps out of the ring to stand up! Nia is furious, goes out after Becky, and kicks things aside to keep after her. Nia asks if Becky’s vision is blurry. Nia fireman’s carries Becky up the steel steps and along the apron, aiming for that other table!

The fans freak out but Becky fights with elbows! Becky CLUBS away on Nia and the fans are thunderous! Becky then clinches, for a MANHANDLE SLAM through the table!!! Both women are down int he wreckage again, and the count begins! Becky sits up at 4 while fans are still losing their minds! We pass 5 of 10, then 7! Nia sits up at 8 and stands at 9! But then she slumps back over! The count starts again, Nia flounders around and stands at 5. Becky goes up the ladder! Becky sees Nia approaching the desk, and then SUPER MAN’S LEG DROP through the desk!!! The fans lose their minds again while both men are down in more wreckage!

The count is 5 of 10! Becky flounders and crawls, drags herself up at 9, but Nia is still down! BECKY WINS!!

Winner: Becky Lynch

The Man conquers truly one of the most intense challenges in her career! But then here comes one of the most intense champions! The fans fire up as Rhea Ripley makes her way out, Women’s World Championship in hand. She goes right to the ring and looks at Becky. Rhea “congratulates” Becky for winning, but then Becky gets in Rhea’s face! The fans fire up, and now there are no obstacles in the way of Mami VS The Man! Who will be the champion after WrestleMania 40?


My Thoughts:

A great Raw right here, though the in-ring action kinda dipped down until that awesome Last Woman Standing main event. This is one of the times I wish they’d done picture in picture so we as the TV audience could see even more action. Great win for Becky, of course, but I also like that Becky had a moment with Liv just before, and of course she had a moment with Rhea to close out the night. Great promos with Sami and Gable that also blended into the contract signing from tonight. And I suppose Gable has a point that Sami, the comeback kid, can’t do that when Gunther has an arsenal of moves that would be “finishers” given all the different ways Gunther has won over the years.

And speaking of that contract signing segment, I really liked the segue they did in following Sami so that he’d cross paths with Awesome Truth at gorilla and we’d get their segment going into their match. WWE has been doing some really creative stuff in this newest era where Vince is truly out and apparently even Kevin Dunn has moved on. Awesome Truth had a really fun but also really quick tag match with Indus Sher, and then New Day VS Alpha Academy was solid stuff, but DIY VS Creeds was such an awesome match. For a moment, I thought Creeds were gonna take this one but DIY still found a way, and I like that DIY is in. Honestly, I’m liking that the HHH favorites are getting in, because we also have New Catch Republic on the other side that can still win into the match.

Judgment Day had good stuff tonight, too. Good group promo with Andrade to tease El Idolo possibly joining, but who knows if he does. Depends on how things go for Priest. He was watching the qualifiers, he’s not worried, but maybe he should be. Granted, he still has the MITB briefcase, he could go from losing the tag titles to taking the world title, who knows how the Judgment Day’s story is going to go as we move past Mania. Dom VS Ricochet was a really good match, and Ricochet winning was the right move to keep this feud going. I think there’s going to be Ricochet VS McDonagh next week as a rematch from the gauntlet, that’ll be great stuff, too.

Candice’s Heel turn slow burn continues as she takes advantage of the “hurt” leg. Indi also does a good job of being very conflicted about this. There’s a WWE YouTube exclusive where Ivy Nile confronts Candice so that’ll be a match, and then maybe when Candice again goes too far, Indi steps in and we get a match of Candice VS Indi at some point. Good little update promo from CM Punk, he’ll have a great homecoming moment in Chicago, but also probably McIntyre coming after him. McIntyre had a great promo segment with Rollins, and with all these continued moments where the other person gets the mic drop moment, it feels like McIntyre has to win the title.

And of course, great stuff with the Bloodline story even on Raw. Jey and Jimmy have great promos in their confrontation, and of course it turns into a brawl. Good segue from that to Heyman being here, and Heyman confronting Cody during Cody’s great promo segment. Cody really went off on The Rock, that was some wild stuff. But the supposed promise of “one on one and no one else aside from Heyman” might be kept, and we get a strong promo segment on SmackDown in a foreshadowing of the fair-and-square 1v1 match. Or it is a trap and that’s more a foreshadowing of Bloodline Rules where they can do whatever they want. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

My Score: 8.9/10


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Mitchell’s NJPW New Japan Cup Results & Report! (3/18/24)

The semifinals are here!

Published

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We’re just one step away from the Cup!

Cold Skull faces The Fierce Warrior, and Gene Blast faces The King of Darkness, and when the smoke clears, we will have our New Japan Cup finalists!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls; ZSJ & Mikey win.
  • Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Tomohiro Ishii & Togi Makabe VS Just5Guys; Just5Guys win.
  • Tanga Loa & Ryusuke Taguchi VS Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman; Loa & Taguchi win.
  • Six Man Tag: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Hiroyoshi Tenzan VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
  • 8 Man Tag: Shota Umino, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & YOH VS The House of Torture; Shota, ELP, Leo & Yoh win.
  • Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
  • 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL; Tsuji wins and advances to the finals.
  • 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto; Goto wins and advances to the finals.

PLAY BY PLAY

2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!

The Gene Blast overcame the tricks Ren Narita tried, but that’s because the House of Torture was saving all the good stuff so they could slay the Rampaging Dragon. Will the deck be even more stacked to make sure Everything is Evil’s? Or will Yota be one step away from LIJ VS LIJ at Sakura Genesis?

Well, Dick is making his way out here, but where is Evil? Oh, there he is. No tricks just yet it seems. But then Yota DIVES onto Evil! The fans fire up but Dick attacks Yota! Dick whips, Yota stops himself, and then scoops Dick for a BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up and Yota wants the bell. The ref says yes, ring the bell, and this is on the record! Yota stomps and CLUBS Evil, then whips, but Evil reverses! Yota hits railing, and then Evil whips him into more railing! Evil CHOKES Yota against the railing, Yota fights back, but the ref gets knocked aside! Evil puts Yota in so he and Dick can stomp away!

The fans boo but here comes the rest of the House already! Narita, Yujiro, Kanemaru and Jack all stomp away on Yota, but here come Bushi & Hiromu! It’s a replay of yesterday as LIJ fights off the House, but the numbers are still against them! The ref rushes in to tell everyone to stop! Evil shoves the ref out of the ring, Yota fires off on him, but Evil CLAWS Yota’s eyes! The House CHOKES LIJ, but the ref says stop! The bell rings, but what is the decision!? NO CONTEST!?

No Contest

What does this mean!? Someone has to advance, right? The finals aren’t until the 20th, how can there be a no contest? The House started this, where’re the consequences?! Yota gets up but Evil TOSSES him back out! LIJ regroups and Yota asks for a mic. Yota tells Evil that he’s sick and tired of this! They ARE gonna finish this match! The fans like the sound of that! All the refs come out, including Red Shoes, to discuss how this will be handled. For starters, they tell all the extras to get outta here! LIJ is cool with that, and Hiromu tells the House to come along. Evil says fine, and Jack, Kanemaru, Narita, Yujiro and even Dick reluctantly exit.

The announcement is officially made, and the bell rings! Yota and Evil rush in, Evil kicks low but Yota CLUBS away on Evil! Evil CLAWS the eyes! Evil kicks, runs, RAMS, but Yota rebounds to run Evil over! Then run and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Yota fires up and the fans are with him! Evil bails out but the fans rally for Yota. Evil wants Yota to stay back, then he slides in, only to slide right out! Yota runs out after Evil, but Evil kicks him! Evil RAMS Yota into the timekeeper! Abe-san and his table go flying! Evil gets the mic to tell Yota that this is what he gets! The fans boo but Evil tells them off, too! Evil stomps Yota then soaks up the heat.

Evil unties the blue buckle pad himself, then waits in the ring. The ref checks Yota and the fans rally up again. The Young Lions help Abe-san while Yota drags himself up. Yota slides in, the fans cheer, but Evil pulls on Yota’s hair! Evil wrenches the hair, then wrenches it again! And again! Evil CLUBS the hair! The ref reprimands but Evil just dusts off his hands. Evil covers, but the ref refuses to count! Evil is furious but he’s the one up to no good! The ref still says no, so Evil stands on Yota’s head. The fans rally up, Yota rises, and he grins as he winds up to ROCK Evil with a forearm! And ROCK him with another!

Yota ROCKS Evil again, but Evil whips him into the bare buckles! Yota falls and the ref reprimands about the missing buckle pad. Evil stomps Yota, covers, TWO! The fans cheer but Evil is annoyed. Evil scuffs Yota, taunts him, and drags him up. Evil CHOPS, Yota drops to his knees, but Evil stands him back up. Evil CHOPS again and Yota grits his teeth as he drops to his knees! Evil stands Yota up again, to fake the chop to CLAW the eyes! The ref reprimands, Evil lets off, and then Evil stands on Yota in a corner. The ref counts, Evil lets go of the ropes but that’s not the problem! Evil steps away, drags Yota up but claims he’s dead weight.

The ref checks, Evil stands Yota up and wrenches an arm. Evil whips Yota into a corner, runs in, but into a BOOT! Evil runs in again, blocks the boot, but Yota brings Evil in for the STOMP! The fans fire up while Yota rests on the mat. The fans rally up and Yota rises again. Evil’s in the corner, runs out, but into the BACKBREAKER! COMPLETE SHOT! STOMP! The fans fire up again as Yota stands back up. Yota runs, to CURB STOMP!! Yota roars and the fans fire up again! Evil flounders while Yota aims. Yota runs in, but the ref is used as a shield! Evil kicks Yota low, then uses the ref in MAGIC KILLER!

All three men are down while the fans rally up again. Evil stands, he brings Yota up, and the ref also rises. Evil whips Yota into the bare buckles, then clotheslines him in! Then FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, but Evil lets off?! Evil wants to torture Yota but it’s hard to say if Yota is still even in this. Yota opens his eyes, rises up, but Evil fireman’s carries! DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Yota survives, the fans fire up, but Evil is furious! Evil slashes his throat and vows to end this now! Evil drags Yota up, spins him around, but Yota fights the STO with elbows! Evil kicks low, whips again, but Yota stops from hitting buckles!

Evil runs in, Yota dodges and Evil hits the buckles! SUPERKICK!! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! We’re only ten minutes into this new match but this is on top of the madness from earlier. Evil drags Yota up, but Yota ROCKS Evil! Evil fights Yota’s fireman’s carry and CLUBS him, but both men wobble. Evil LARIATS, but Yota stays up! The fans fire up but Evil swings to LARIAT again! Yota drops to a knee, but he grins through the pain! Evil says alright, and he throws off his elbow pad. Evil runs to LARIAT! Yota grits his teeth to stay up! V-TRIGGER! Yota brings Evil in, suplexes, ORANGE CRUSH! Cover, TWO!!

Evil is still in this but the fans rally behind Yota again. Yota rises, drags Evil up, and then goes to the corner. Yota goes up and up and Evil moves the ref into the way! The ref takes the FLYING CURB STOMP!!! And now the House returns! The fans boo as Kanemaru, Dick, Yujiro, Narita & Jack all stomp away on Yota again! The fans tell them to go home, again, but these guys don’t care! They just put one out on Yota. They whip Yota to a corner, then DIck runs in to ELBOW! Kanemaru ELBOWS! Yujiro BOOTS! Jack SPLASHES! Narita ELBOWS! Then they snapmare and set Yota up! Dick climbs for the DICK CHOP!!

The fans boo but the House applauds their own dirtiness. But here come Bushi & Hiromu again! But they just get mugged again! They set Hiromu up for the DICK CHOP, while Bushi gets a JACK CHOP! The House then slithers away before a replacement ref rushes out here. Evil drags Yota up, winds up and runs, to LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!!! Yota survives and the fans are thunderous! Evil is at a loss for words, but he slashes his throat! He vows to end it for real, and he reels Yota in. EVERYTHING IS- Yota flips through!? And HEADBUTTS!! The fans fire up as Yota reels Evil in for a fireman’s carry! 70 CROSS!! Cover, TWO!!

Evil survives the swinging spinebuster and the House cheers! Yota drags himself to a corner, drags himself up with the ropes, and roars as he takes aim! Evil rises, but Yujiro distracts! Dick runs in, but gets a V-TRIGGER! The ref sees Dick, but misses the LOW BLOW! Then Evil RAMS Yota into the ref! That’s the second ref this match! Narita gets his push-up bar! The others set Yota up, but here comes SHINGO TAKAGI! The Rampaging Dragon has seen enough, and he’s still pissed from yesterday as it is! He dodges Narita to PUMPING BOMBER! Kanemaru & Yujiro kick Takagi, double whip, but he DOUBLE PUMPING BOMBERS!!

Jack gets in, but he gets ELBOW, JAB and YUKON LARIAT! Evil runs up but Takagi SWATS Evil’s lariat to JAB! Then feed to Hiromu’s SUPERKICK! Hiromu & Takagi set Evil up for Bushi’s BLACK MIST!! Evil can’t see, the PUMPING BOMBER turns him inside-out!! The fans are thunderous as LIJ helps Yota up! Red Shoes hurries out here, and Yota aims at Evil! GENE BLASTER!!! Cover, Yota wins!!!

Winner: Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

The House of Torture ran out of tricks, and now there is light at the end of the tournament! Will Yota do LIJ proud and bring home the Cup?

 

2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto!

One down, one to go. Yota Tsuji has made it through, now we see who joins him in the finals! Will the Cold Skull or Fierce Warrior be the one that steps closer to former glory?

The bell rings and the fans duel between “GO-TO-O!” and “SA-NA-DA!” Red Shoes measures the levels, and it seems to slightly favor Goto. Goto and Sanada circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Goto gets some leverage to put Sanada against ropes, but he lets off slowly. Goto pats Sanada on the shoulders and the fans cheer. The two reset, circle again, and tie up again. It’s another deadlock, but again Goto finds a way to put Sanada on ropes. Sanada turns things around, lets off slowly, and also pats Goto on the shoulders. The fans applaud and the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, then move to a clinch.

They fight for control, Sanada starts pushing Goto towards a corner but Goto slips away. They feel things out, knuckle lock again, then break. They tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, Goto waistlocks, but Sanada wrenches to wristlock. Goto rolls, wrenches, wristlocks, but Sanada spins, wrenches, only for Goto to roll! Goto gets a leg to trip Sanada up, and he has a toehold. Sanada fights back with a chinlock but Goto pulls on the leg. Sanada uses his free leg to hook Goto into an ARMBAR, but Goto clasps hands! Goto moves around, pops free, then headlocks. Sanada fights up, Goto grinds the headlock, but Sanada throws body shots.

Sanada powers up and out, but Goto runs him over! The fans rally as things speed up, and Goto counters hip toss with hip toss! Goto runs and he clotheslines Sanada up and out! The fans fire up and Goto slides out after Sanada. Goto stomps Sanada, drags him up, then CLUBS him on the neck! Sanada staggers, Goto CHOPS him, then kicks him, then CLUBS him! Goto whips but Sanada stops himself from hitting railing! Goto runs in but Sanada drop toeholds him into the railing! Goto goes down in a heap, but Sanada opens the gate. Sanada brings Goto through, then to the crowd! PILEDRIVER to the bare floor!

The fans are stunned but Red Shoes reprimands. Sanada leaves Goto behind and slides into the ring. The fans rally for Goto as the ring count begins. Goto crawls at 5 of 20, finds his way to ringside at 10, but still hobbles and crawls. He stands at 17 to slide in! The fans cheer, but Sanada stomps Goto. Sanada drags Goto up, CLUBS him on the neck, then brings him back up to CLUB him again. Goto CHOPS! And CHOPS! Sanada eggs Goto on so Goto CHOPS again! Goto whips, Sanada reverses to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Cover, TWO! Sanada keeps cool and sits Goto up into a chinlock. Goto endures and the fans rally again.

Goto kicks forward, reaches out, but Sanada cranks on the hold! Goto keeps fighting, and has the ROPEBREAK! Sanada lets go cleanly, but then he stomps Goto while he’s down. Sanada then stands Goto up to CLUB him on the neck. Goto CHOPS in return! And CHOPS, and CHOPS, and has Sanada in a corner! Goto CHOPS again, then whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, but Sanada BOOTS first! Sanada runs, Goto follows, and Goto LARIATS Sanada down! The fans fire up and Goto rises, clutching his neck. Goto stands Sanada up to fire off forearms, then he whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, MURAMASA!

Sanada wobbles, into the SAIDO! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up while Goto grits his teeth. Goto drags Sanada up, fireman’s carries, but Sanada fights free! Sanada waistlocks, Goto throws elbows, then runs. Sanada hurdles, hurdles, and DROPKICKS! Goto tumbles out of the ring, Sanada PLANCHAS him down! The fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get louder. The fans get louder and Sanada appreciates it. Sanada then goes back for Goto, brings him up and puts him in the ring. Sanada fireman’s carries but Goto throws elbows! Sanada turns around into Goto’s fireman’s carry, but then slips out into the dragon sleeper!

But Goto arm-drags free! Sanada kicks low, runs, but Goto follows! Sanada dodges this time, runs again, but Goto still follows! Sanada sidesteps this time, but Goto holds ropes to avoid the hurdle! Goto runs in, but Sanada fireman’s carries! T K O! Cover, TWO! Goto is still in this and the fans rally up! Sanada goes up the corner, ROUNDING BODY- NO, Sanada has to land out as Goto moves! Sanada runs in, but into the fireman’s carry! USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! They cheer on “GO-TO-O!” but the “SA-NA-DA!” chants are still there. Red Shoes checks them both, and both men slowly rise.

The two crawl towards each other, and Goto fires a forearm! Sanada shakes his head, eggs Goto on, so Goto throws another! Goto eggs Sanada on, so Sanada fires a forearm! Goto fires a forearm back, and the two stand. Sanada UPPERCUTS! Goto comes back to forearm! Sanada UPPERCUTS again, and Goto drops back to a knee! The fans rally, Goto stands again, and he forearms! UPPERCUT, forearm, repeat! Goto growls, fires a flurry of forearms, and he ROCKS Sanada! Sanada drops to his hand and knees but Goto powers up! Goto KICKS but Sanada blocks! Goto fires more forearms, then waistlocks, but Sandaa fights free!

Sanada runs, but Goto fireman’s carries! And he throws Sanada into the dragon sleeper! But Sanada turns around and suplexes, for MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! Sanada roars as he rises up, and he aims from a corner. Sanada wants Goto to get up, and Goto sits up, into the SHINING WIZARD! Sanada then dragon sleepers, for the SKULL END!! Goto endures, flails, reaches out, but he’s caught in the body scissors! Goto fights around but he’s fading! The fans rally, Goto’s hand drops! Sanada lets him go to then climb! ROUNDING BODY PRESS! Cover, TWO!!

The fans fire up as Goto survives but Sanada storms around. Sanada drags Goto up, reels him in and clinches, but Goto slips free to shove Sanada away! Sanada forearms, ROLLING- HEADBUTT from Goto! The fans fire up and duel, and Goto drags Sanada up. But Sanada breaks free! Goto HEADBUTTS again! Sanada falls back down and Goto steadies himself. Goto roars, the fans are with him, and Goto sits Sanada up. Goto runs to PENALTY KICK! Shoutout to Shibata and the fans fire up more! Sanada grits his teeth as he sits back up but Goto takes aim! BUZZSAW! And then he hauls Sanada up to dragon sleeper! G T- BACKSLIDE COUNTER! TWO!!!

Sanada and Goto hurry up, Sanada dodges to O’Conner BRIDGE!! TWO?!!? Goto escapes and shocks everyone! Sanada resets, runs in, SHINING WIZARD!! The fans are thunderous as Sanada roars and drags Goto back up! Clinch and DEAD- NO, Goto slips around to ripcord and fireman’s carry! G T W!! Cover, TWO?!?!? Sanada survives but Goto is all fired up! The fans are thunderous as Goto dragon sleepers for G T R!!! Cover, GOTO WINS!!!

Winner: Hirooki Goto, by pinfall (advances to the finals)

Don’t call it a comeback, Goto’s been here for years! Sanada’s hopes of being IWGP World Heavyweight Champion again have been delayed, how long must he wait for another chance?

As for Goto, he’s going back to the New Japan Cup Finals for the first time since 2016, and his seventh overall! But before he can get the mic to speak, Yota makes his way back out here. Yota steps into the ring and he gets the mic first. Yota tells Goto, “In order to open the door to a new era, we must do this.” The fans applaud that, and Yota continues by asking Goto, “Are you ready?!” Yota drops the mic at Goto’s feet, and Goto stands up to speak. “I also have something I want to show you. As a three-time New Japan Cup Champion, I will show you my strength.” The fans like the sound of that!

The Fierce Warrior stares down with Gene Blast, a true generational showdown on the horizon! Will Goto return not juts to former glory, but finally ascend to top of NJPW? Or will Yota make it LIJ VS LIJ for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship?


My Thoughts:

A great semifinal round for this tournament, with quite a surprising main event. Sanada VS Goto was great stuff, and while I felt Sanada wasn’t winning the Cup, I didn’t think he’d be out this round. Yota VS Evil was rather creatively put together, too. I did not think the House would get so involved that at first it was a No Contest but then they restart under a ringside ban. Takagi making sure Yota won was good stuff, too, maybe we can get Takagi VS Evil for the NEVER Openweight Championship if they’re not gonna circle back to more Shota Umino VS House of Torture stuff.

Goto VS Yota is going to be great stuff, and Goto is clearly a top utility guy. He’s had so many New Japan Cup finals appearances, certainly among the most ever, but I don’t think he gets a fourth Cup win against Yota, one of the “new era Musketeers” that NJPW clearly loves. Yota VS Naito is definitely the title match for Sakura Genesis.

My Score: 8.9/10


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