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Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (3/14/23)

Who answers the Open Challenge?

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NXT White 'n' Gold Era

Even more titles are on the line after Roadblock!

Wes Lee loved the chaos of his previous NXT North American Championship Open Challenge so much, he’s doing it again! Who answers the call this time? Plus, Gallus defends the NXT Tag Team titles against Pretty Deadly!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • NXT Tag Team Championships: Gallus VS Pretty Deadly; Gallus wins and retains the titles.
  • NXT Women’s Championship Qualifier: Zoey Stark VS Sol Ruca; Stark wins and advances to the title match at Stand & Deliver.
  • NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Match: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance VS Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley; Fyre & Dawn win and will challenge for the titles at Stand & Deliver.
  • NXT North American Championship Open Challenge: Wes Lee VS ???; No Contest.
  • Apollo Crews VS Dabba-Kato; Kato wins.
  • NXT Women’s Championship Qualifier: Kiana James VS Gigi Dolin; Gigi wins and advances to the title match at Stand & Deliver.

PLAY BY PLAY

Johnny Gargano is here!

The fans fire up for Johnny Wrestling as he makes his way to the ring, ready to stand and deliver. Fans chant “Johnny Wrestling!” as Gargano gets the mic. Gargano says, “Let’s see. Where did we leave off?” Fans chant, “Welcome Home!” Gargano smiles, and asks them a favor. Last time he was in this ring, Waller jumped him from behind with a chair. Watch his back for him, yeah? Gargano says last time he was in NXT, he said he’d teach his son how to be the best man he can be. And to be the best man you can be, you finish what you start. It’s WrestleMania Season! And there’s a lot of talk about finishing the story. Well, Gargano is back in NXT to finish his story!

“15 months ago, my story ended on a cliffhanger. And when I came back to Monday Night Raw in August, it felt like a little piece of me was missing. Because the last time you guys saw me, I was lying face down on that announce table, with Grayson Waller standing above me. Grayson Waller didn’t just take my last moment from me, he took closure from me. He took out the Heart & Soul of NXT in my last night in the company. And y’know what? I hate to say this… But I kinda respect it. I kinda do. That’s why I gave you a gift, Grayson. I waited. I wanted to see what you’d do with that moment. Because the last guy who took me out, his name was Tommaso Ciampa.”

Gargano says Ciampa became one of the greatest NXT Champions of all time. So Gargano sat back and watched. What’d Grayson do? Fans chant, “NOTHING!” Waller had two chances, and he FAILED. Then what? Waller whined, cried, complained and blamed everyone but himself! Waller started disrespecting the fans, the locker room, and most importantly, he started disrespecting NXT! “A lot has changed in 15 months, but one thing that will never change, no matter what brand I’m on, NXT is my home! And Grayson, you do not screw with a man’s home!” Fans like the sound of that!

Gargano says that for seven years, blood, sweat and tears, in front of all these people- Wait! Vic Joseph is getting Gargano’s attention. Waller is AT Gargano’s house!! Waller is watching Gargano on NXT right now! Gargano hurries out of the ring, will he make it home in time?!

 

NXT shares footage of when Wes Lee arrived.

And Axiom finds him. Axiom says he’s gonna follow Wes everywhere today. No one is taking the title opportunity from Axiom. Wait, the match is eight HOURS from now. What’s he gonna do until then? Whatever Wes wants to do. Alright… Is he hungry? Yeah, Axiom could eat. If Axiom is going to shadow Wes Lee until the title match, does that mean he’s hanging out with the Cardiac Kid even now?

 

NXT returns as Gargano is on the phone.

Gargano tells Candice not to open any doors, he’s on his way. McKenzie Mitchell hurries after to ask Gargano how he’s feeling. Gargano just has to get home. Gargano gets in his car and drives out of the parking lot. Will Johnny Wrestling get home to stop Waller from violating any more of the Gargano family’s privacy?

 

NXT Tag Team Championships: Gallus VS Pretty Deadly!

Speaking of titles, this all seems rather familiar. Mark Coffey & Wolfgang have made NXT their kingdom, but Elton Prince & Kit Wilson want those belts back! Will history repeat itself from NXT UK? Or will Gallus Boys stay on top?

The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see who gets to #SidePlateCheck!

The teams sort out, Mark starts against Elton and they tie up. They go around, Mark puts Elton on the ropes, but lets off as the ref counts. Elton SLAPS Mark! Then mocks him! Mark ROCKS Elton but Elton throws hands. Mark headlocks, and holds on as Elton tries to power out. Elton throws body shots, fans duel, and Elton powers out, only to get run over! Mark arm-drags Elton, has the armlock, and he brings Elton back up. Elton throws hands, knees, and whips Mark to a corner. Mark reverses, Elton reverses back but Elton runs into an elbow! Elton bails out but Wolfgang is there! Elton runs away to his corner.

Elton and Kit talk, then sneak a tag! Elton anchors Mark’s foot, Kit sunset flips! TWO, but Kit cradles, TWO! Kit taunts that it was that close, but Mark says he still has the belt. Kit rushes in, but into an arm-drag! Tag to Wolfgang, he takes the handoff on the arm, and he STRAIGHT ARM SUPLEXES! Kit goes to a corner, Wolfgang SPLASHES! Wolfgang TOSSES Kit across the way! Wolfgang runs in, Elton gets Kit out of the way, and Kit fires off on Wolfgang! Fans boo but Wolfgang shoves Kit back. Kit runs in, Wolfgang puts him on the apron, but Kit shoulders in. Kit slingshots, but into Wolfgang’s arms!

Wolfgang TOSSES Kit, tags Mark, and Gallus drags Kit up. They whip Kit to a corner hard and Kit falls! Then Gallus DOUBLE MONKEY FLIP Kit back the other way! Elton runs in, but Wolfgang trips him! CATAPULT BACK DROP! Kit gets up, Mark DECKS him! Wolfgang clotheslines Elton out of the ring! Fans fire up and NXT goes picture in picture.

Pretty Deadly regroups on the outside while Mark has Wolfgang cool off. Wolfgang returns to the corner and Mark waits on Kit. Pretty Deadly Kit try to fake Mark out but Mark sees Kit coming! Mark ROCKS Kit, UPPERCUTS him, then UPPERCUTS again! Tag to Wolfgang, Gallus mugs Kit, then Wolfgang UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS !Kit yoyos, but into a clinch! Kit powers Wolfgang back, tags in Elton and they mug Wolfgang in the corner. Wolfgang hits back with big elbows! Elton CHOPS, but Wolfgang ROCKS Elton back. Elton CHOPS, Wolfgang ROCKS! Wolfgang stalks Elton but walks into a knee!

Elton headlocks, Wolfgang pulls hair and powers out, but Elton pulls hair to reel Wolfgang into another knee! Tag to Kit, but Wolfgang wrangles Kit to a hammerlock takedown! Wolfgang grinds Kit into the mat with a chinbar added on. Kit endures, fights up, but Wolfgang wrangles him back down! Wolfgang grinds on the hammerlock, chinbars again, and he drags Kit from the ropes. Kit fights up but Wolfgang has a cobra clutch! Kit throws hands but Mark tags in. Wolfgang RAMS kit, then feeds him to Mark’s FLYING SHOULDER! Cover, TWO! Mark now has Kit in a cobra clutch! Kit still endures as fans rally up.

Kit fights up, throws hands, but Mark ripcords. Kit still ROCKS Mark with another forearm! And another! Kit swings, but into a waistlock! Kit fights, gets a facelock, and now Mark endures the hold! Kit CLUBS Mark, facelocks again, but Mark pries free to put the cobra clutch back on! NXT returns to single picture as fans rally and duel. Mark ripcords, Kit gets around, Mark switches, O’CONNER! TWO, and Elton UPPERCUTS! Kit hits a BIG back suplex! Tag to Elton and he stomps away on Mark! Elton rains down fists then huffs and puffs. Elton drops a leg, covers, TWO! Fans rally up but Elton KNEES Mark in the back!

Elton tags Kit, Pretty Deadly double whip Mark to double elbow him down! Kit covers, TWO! Kit pie faces Mark, KNEES him in the side, then KNEES him again! Fans rally, Kit RAMS Mark into the corner, and Elton tags in. Elton taunts Wolfgang then runs to UPPERCUT Mark! Cover, TWO! Wolfgang coaches Mark, but Elton CLUBS Mark down. Elton stomps Mark in the corner, clotheslines, then stomps again! Elton repeats the process, pushes Mark down to cover, TWO! Mark hangs tough and fans rally up but Elton clamps on a chinlock. Mark endures as Elton grinds, and fans rally up more.

Mark fights up, but Elton wrangles him down! Cover, TWO! Elton tags Kit, Pretty Deadly mugs Mark. Kit soaks up the cheers and jeers, then waits on Mark. Mark rises, Kit BOOTS him down! Kit sits Mark up to BOOT him again! Kit clamps onto Mark with a neck wrench but Mark endures. Fans rally up again, Mark fights up but Kit knees low. Mark throws body shots, Kit knees low again. Tag to Elton, but Mark back drops Elton away! Then arm-drags Kit! Mark dodges Elton, hot tag to Wolfie! Wolfgang rallies on Pretty Deadly, fires off hands on Elton, then whips Elton for a CALF KICK! Then a SPLASH in the corner!

Kit rushes in but Wolfgang BOOTS him from the apron! Wolfgang goes up for an AX HANDLE! Wolfgang scoops to SLAM Elton, then he runs, for the BASEMENT SENTON! Cover, TWO! Elton is still in this but Wolfgang tags Mark. Gallus drags Elton up, hoist him up, DOUBLE URENAGE! Cover, but Kit dropkicks it apart! Wolfgang runs in but Kit fires off on him! Elton helps out, Pretty Deadly mugs then double clohtslines Wolfgang out! But Wolfgang drags them both out! Pretty Deadly mug Wolfgang again, then TOSS him over the announce desk! Fans go nuts over that one! Pretty Deadly then get up to their old tricks and grab the title belts!

Elton distracts the ref with his, but Kit CLOBBERS Mark with the other!! Cover, TWO!?!? Mark survives and shocks everyone! Tag to Kit, Pretty Deadly hurry to finish this! But Wolfgang dumps Elton out! Kit sees what happened, but turns around into an UPPERCUT! Mark tags Wolfgang and Wolfgang scoops Kit! Mark runs, KNEE-K-O!! Cover, Gallus wins!!

Winners: Gallus, by pinfall (still NXT Tag Team Champions)

A fast and furious finish fitting of Hollywood action movies! With this victory, will Mark & Wolfgang look to stand and deliver?

 

Fallon Henley & Josh Briggs sneak into Kiana James’ office.

What’s he wearing? She told him, “Covert ops!” Yeah, and? And, they can only see his face. That outfit is only good in the woods, not in an office building! Well, they’re here anyways. Fallon takes out a hairpin to pick the lock. But Briggs checks the knob. It’s unlocked! How’d Briggs know it’d be unlocked? Uh, the cleaning ladies let them in, so maybe she could try door handles first. Whatever, just look around for clues. Wait, Kiana has a Stand & Deliver guarantee? Fallon wants Briggs to read this, but he says it’s a paper in an office, big whoop. A noise makes Briggs hide behind Kiana’s plant.

Fallon says chill, this is a title match contract. Wait, really? Fallon reads it. “Kiana James agrees to be present and in condition for her NXT Women’s Championship Qualifying Match on Tuesday, March 14th.” That’s tonight! So much for being a team. But hey, why stop at one title, one guy, one relationship? That again? Just keep looking! There has to be proof! Briggs sees the photo of Kiana and Jensen at the diner. Briggs sure hopes for Jensen’s sake that they’re wrong. Did he get a good look at the card that came with the flowers? Nope, Kiana snatched it away and put it in a planner. Oh, like this one? BINGO! Bust it open, girl!

They flip through the pages, and Kiana even has something called “Operation: Boyfriend,” and it’s marked, “Ongoing.” What? Get Fallon team with her? Wasn’t that Fallon’s idea? She thought it was… Okay, the call home to mom and Zack, that checks out. Oh, the truth about ONE thing. Drinks with Sebastian? Dinner with Sebastian? THAT BITCH! Briggs tries to calm Fallon down, suggesting that Sebastian could just be a work colleague. Oh, c’mon. He’s really trying. OH! The card! From Sebastian!! “Thanks for the date. It was a truly unforgettable night. And morning?!” Poor Brooks…

Fallon can’t believe it! But now they have a name! Fallon, shh! They gotta leave quietly, too! Fallon snaps a pic of the card and puts the planner back. But who is this Sebastian?

 

Shawn Michael speaks.

Just as he tweeted out, HBK says, “As of Friday morning, Roxanne Perez was discharged from the hospital. However, after numerous tests, Roxanne’s health is still in question. With Stand & Deliver in less than three weeks, I have the obligation to announce we possibly have to crown a NEW NXT Women’s Champion. Starting tonight, there will be a series of qualifying matches with the winners advancing to Stand & Deliver to compete to become the NXT Women’s Champion in a Ladder match.” Will the Prodigy’s prize be literally up in the air in Hollywood?

 

NXT hears from the doctors.

Dr. Warren Becker says he and his team of sports medicine physicians have been running a series of tests on Roxanne Perez, checking three main areas: heard, heart and vessels in the body. Roxie’s bloodwork came back reassuring. She wasn’t dehydrated, her CT scans showed no abnormalities, and most importantly of all, her EKG came back showing no heart arrhythmia. But while all that is encouraging, it does present us the difficulty of knowing why Roxie collapsed. It is the doctor’s recommendation to continue testing, and maybe even bring in a clinical psychologist. They also do not have an estimated return date for Roxie.

 

NXT Women’s Championship Qualifier: Zoey Stark VS Sol Ruca!

The Hunter and the Surfer have collided before, and it was Stark’s win back then. But Sol prides herself on how hard she works on herself. Will Sol prove she’s leveled up past Stark? Or will Stark not be denied her golden opportunity in Hollywood?

NXT returns and Stark makes her entrance. The bell rings and the two tie right up. Stark puts Sol on the ropes but lets off with a shove. Sol shoves back! And again! And again! Stark knees low, whips but solo handsprings up and over! Sol kicks low, whips, and back drops! Stark lands hard, bails out, and fans taunt her, “OH~ Zoey is Angry~!” Stark gets in the ring in a huff, and she knees Sol low. Solo blocks buckle bump to buckle bump back! Sol bumps Stark more, whips her corner to corner, and runs in, but is put on the apron. Sol slingshots to CODE BREAKER! Stark flounders, fans fire up, and Sol stands Stark up.

Stark swings on Sol but Sol goes Matrix! Sol kips up to LARIAT! Cover, ONE! Stark bails out again but Sol pursues, into a SUPERKICK! Stark puts Sol back in the ring, covers, TWO! Sol rolls to ropes but Stark stomps her down. The ref counts, Stark lets off, and she CLUBS Sol. Stark whips, Sol reverses but Stark SMASHES her with a knee! Then SLIDING LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Stark cravats and cranks the neck but Sol endures. Fans rally up but Stark keeps Sol down. Sol moves around, keeps her shoulders up, then fights to her feet. But Stark SLAMS her right back down! Stark pushes Sol to a cover, TWO! Stark clamps right back on with the chinlock!

Stark CLUBS away on Sol, clamps on a chinlock tighter, but Sol still fights up. Stark CLUBS Sol, then has the cravat back. Stark thrashes Sol around but Sol still endures. Stark KNEES Sol in the head, but Sol spins to snapmare free! Sol blocks a kick to ROCK Stark! Stark ROCKS Sol back, the forearms fly! Sol dodges to FLYING SHOULDER! And another! Sol mule kicks, CLUBS and ENZIGURIS! Stark flounders to a corner, Sol runs and handsprings to SPLASH! Sol then scoops Stark for a POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Fans rally for Sol and she runs in to clothesline Stark up and out! Stark is dazed as she stands up but Sol is up top! ARIHARA MOONSAULT!

Fans fire up with Sol as she even sticks the landing! Booker T says that’s a ten! Sol puts Stark in, aims and springboards, but into a clinch! Z 360!! Cover, Stark wins!!

Winner: Zoey Stark, by pinfall (advances to Stand & Deliver)

Stark snatches victory away from Sol and is now heading to Hollywood! But just how many of these qualifiers does HBK have planned?

 

SCRYPTS speaks.

“They say give a man a mask, and he will show you his true face. From my corner of darkness, my eyes scan across NXT to see metaphorical, physical and emotional masks, cloaking the ideals, faces and true feelings of many. But my gaze… is drown to one man. Sincerely, Scrypts.” Is the wicked writer looking to erase a certain someone?

 

NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Match: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance VS Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley!

On a night where the Women’s Division is fighting for gold, three teams fight to be the ones going after Fallon & Kiana! Will the Fire Keeper and the Wicked Witch cast a spell to eliminate all that stand in their way? Or will another team move up to go for gold?

NXT returns as the former champions, Kayden & Katana, make their entrance. Lastly, the Diamond Mine’s duo make their entrance. In this kind of Triple Threat, one member from each team is legal, so Tatum steps up with Katana and Isla. Isla kicks, Tatum blocks it, and she spins Isla so Katana can ROCK Isla! Tatum ROCKS Isla, Fyre protests, but then Katana headlocks Tatum. Tatum picks her up but Katana also headscissors Isla to THROW them both! Fans fire up and Katana dodges Ila to sunset flip! Tatum drags Katana off to suplex, but Katana cradles! Isla pushes it over and then throws Katana out.

Katana is on the apron, she knees into Isla then body scissors to throw her out! Tatum runs in but into a shoulder! Slingshot sunset flip, TWO! Katana DROPKICKS Tatum, tags Kayden, and Kayden trips Tatum. Katana cartwheel KNEE DROPS! Kayden hurries in to waistlock but Tatum switches. O’Conner Roll, TWO, and Kayden holds onto Tatum. Isla runs in but both Tatum and Kayden duck the Penalty Kick! Kayden rolls Isla while holding Tatum with body scissors! DOUBLE COVER, TWO! Tatum runs in but Kayden ROCKS her! Isla whips Kayden into Tatum then BOOTS Tatum! Roll up on Kayden, TWO!

Isla drags Kayden over, tags in Fyre and Isla stomps Kayden while Fyre fires off on Tatum. They coordinate, Fyre traps Tatum while Isla whips Kayden corner to corner. Kayden gets sent into Tatum! Fyre then ROCKS Tatum! Kaydne ROCKS Fyre! Tag to Katana, Kayden DROP SPLASHES Tatum and Fyre! Then she gives Katana the wheelbarrow back suplex SPLASH! Cover, Tatum breaks it! Tatum and Katan fire off, but Tatum scoops Katana to SLAM her on Fyre! Cover on Fyre, TWO! Tatum drags Fyre over, tag to Ivy, and the Diamond Mine girls double suplex! Cover, Katana breaks it!

Katana facleocks but Ivy TOSSES her! Ivy dodges Fyre, then KICK PUNCH COMBOS them both! Ivy TOSSES Fyre to a corner, DECKS her, then TOSSES Katana to a corner! Katana BOOTS back, goes up, CROSSBODIES, but Ivy rolls through! Ivy lifts Katana to fireman’s carry, but Fyre SUPERKICKS her down! Katana also goes tumbling away, Fyre tags Isla. Isla hits a METEORA! Cover, TWO! Kayden calls to Katana but has to avoid Fyre’s sweep! Kayden then SUPERKICKS Fyre away! Isla swings but misses, and then turns around into a ROUNDHOUSE from Ivy! Ivy crawls over to Tatu, but Tatum LEAVES HER HANGING!?

Ivy doesn’t understand, but Tatum says, “We were NEVER a team!” Fans boo but Isla DROPKICKS Ivy out of the ring! Katana runs in, dodges Isla and hits a CODE BREAKER! Hot tag to Kayden and Katana goes up, only for Fyre to shove her down! Kayden DECKS Fyre but Isla ROUNDHOUSES Kayden! Tatum adds on to Ivy with a KICK to the side! Fans boo but Isla loves seeing this! Tatum feeds Ivy to the BACK STABBER SWANTON COMBO!! Cover, Isla 7 Fyre win!

Winners: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contenders to the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships)

The Diamond Mine is falling apart and the party is over, because something wicked is coming to Hollywood! Will Fyre & Dawn soon break brittle bond between Fallon and Kiana?

 

Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo find Bron Breakker backstage.

The Don and Stacks say hey to the NXT Champion, and he asks what’s up. Bron says that Jailhouse Street Fight was a war, and Stacks says, “Yeah, you’re telling me.” Tony says it was, but that’s not why they’re here. Tell him, Underboss. Well, Bron has a big contract signing with Carmelo Hayes tonight, so they were just thinking, maybe they could “take him out” for Bron? That’s not what Bron had in mind. What’re they thinking? Oh, like the Sopranos or Godfather, right? Concrete shoes! Hit him with the Jim Brown! Ella Fitzgerald! Whoa, hold on, Bron, you’ve been watching too many movies.

Bron asks what they wanna do then. Take him to the park, pipe to the knee, crowbar to the biceps. Oh, bada bing bada boom boom bing bing! What? No. Bron says in all seriousness, he appreciates the offer, but he’s got this. Tony tells Stacks that it’s time they add gold to the family. So what? Tony VS the winner of Bron and Melo? Nah. Wes Lee Open Challenge? No. Tony said they add gold. Tag team titles! Stacks has been sticking his neck out for Tony for months, and almost lost his arm in that Jailhouse Street Fight! That doesn’t go unrewarded. So what does Stacks thing? The family as tag champs? He’s ready!

 

Ilja Dragunov is here!

Fans fire up as The Czar heads to the ring, and he gets the mic to say, “My career in WWE has been life changing. For me, for my son, for my wife, we have had opportunities that we never felt happening. But with every success, there was a blemish. Because with every step I take, there has been JD McDonagh cutting my legs out from under me. This could’ve been avoidable. But now, I have no choice. To keep my autonomy and to continue my ascension in NXT, I need to rid myself of JD McDonagh once and for all!” Fans love that, but speak of the devil, here comes JD!

The Irish Ace also has a mic and he says, “Ilja, please, do not come out here and pretend this was ever gonna be avoidable, because it never has been.” The two of them are two sides of the same coin. Whether Dragunov can see it or not, they are more alike than they are different. No, JD is wrong. And JD’s obsession will ultimately lead to his devastation! JD says, “My obsession with you!?” Dragunov is the one who drove him out of the UK, but then followed him to the States, and then put him in JD’s way of the title! And because of that, they both fell! Every time Dragunov draws them together, they both suffer!

JD says Dragunov needs to look in the mirror! “You can’t quit me!” Dragunov says this “friendship of suffering” is something JD talks about, but this is something Draguonv possesses. “Pain makes me feel alive. Pain makes the difference in my life. And I choose that life.” Funny he says that. Dragunov thinks he chooses pain and that puts him in control. Dragunov could not be more wrong, and that is not how things work around here. Dragunov’s greatest strength is what he’s willing to put his body through. But it is also the reason he’s in the ring with no title over his shoulder.

“We’ve been doing this, you and I, for years now.” Dragunov chases JD down because Dragunov wants to suffer. As for JD, he will never, ever getting tired of making up new ways to make Dragunov suffer. They are destined to do this for a long time together. Dragunov says no. This will end next week! There will be no more JD McDonagh. When Dragunov is through with him, there will be NOTHING left but a random pile of body parts, and the smell of fluids that spell out, “Here lies the Irish Ace!”

JD steps into the ring with Dragunov now, and tells him, “I look forward to our symphony of sadism more than you could ever imagine, Ilja. I’m going to commit it to memory. Because like a scalpel in my eye, it will be hard to watch. You and me, next week.” JD goes to headbutt but Dragunov dodges! The hands fire off, Dragunov gets the edge, but JD shoves him away. But then Dragunov clotheslines JD and himself out of the ring! But JD HEADBUTTS back! The brawl continues, fans fire up, and this goes to the back! Dragunov CLUBS JD down, stomps him, but JD gets up to ROCK Dragunov in return!

JD RAMS Dragunov into a door and they’re int he parking lot! Things are getting dangerous, what will it take for this to end?

 

Backstage interview with Pretty Deadly.

McKenzie says that was a tough loss to Gallus. At this point, they’re not going to Stand & Deliver. That’s harsh, McKenzie! Is she trying to rub salt in the wound? Have some class. But they can’t believe they lost to Gallus. Wait, wait. They are universally adored, are they not? They are. And then they don’t need Stand & Deliver. Stand & Deliver needs them! Of course, the fans can’t be deprived of seeing them! What match could contain them? NO match! It’s Hollywood! Why be on the show when you can BE the show? Yes! They should HOST Stand & Deliver! #YESBOY! Stand & Deliver? More like Snacks & Delicious! Now excuse them as they go pay a certain someone a visit.

 

Wes Lee heads for gorilla.

He fires himself up, but then he has to watch out as Dragunov and JD brawl right on through! Refs and security try to stop this, but that’s easier said than done. Wes tells JD to watch out or Dragunov’s gonna mess him up. JD pie faces Wes for that! Wes ROCKS JD, and now the brawl is 2v1! The refs stop Wes, he has to go to his Open Challenge! And Axiom is watching all of this from the shadows. Will The Undeniable Truth not be denied his shot at the champ?

 

Tyler Bate helps Thea Hail again.

He has her work on balance, but she has a hard time to stay on just one foot. She swears she’ll get it, but Andre Chase asks for a minute with Duke Hudson. Thea and Tyler leave and Chase asks Duke, “Well?” Well what? Duke’s clearly not happy with the Chase U win-loss record. Winning is everything, and people will judge them by their record. Chase agrees there. No matter what sport, anyone who is worth a damn believes that. “But then Chase U was born. And for the first time ever, it became about so much more than what the record books say. Chase U is more than buildings and books and desks. Chase U is a feeling.

“It’s where students can come to learn and grow and prepare for their future. Chase U is where I found my purpose in life, a place that I belong. And the same goes for you, too, Duke.” Duke doesn’t know about that, but Chase says to think about it. Before, Duke was happy just to skate by. But now, he is living and dying with every single win and loss. And why is that? Because for the first time ever, Duke actually cares. But wait, someone from The Schism sneaks up to listen to this. Chase says Duke was happy just to deal cards at the table and get his head shaved.

Duke may think Chase U has done nothing for him, but maybe, just maybe, Chase U’s done more for him than anything else in his entire life. Chase leaves, but then Duke notices the Schism person. It’s Ava Raine! And she leaves her mask with Duke. Which side will the former card shark choose to bet on?

 

Grayson Waller posts a video on Twitter.

Captioned, “Neighborhood Watch,” Waller cruises around Gargano’s home! “Wow, so this is what main roster money gets you, huh, Johnny? This place is like a palace! That must be at least six bedrooms in there. That’s so much room for action figures! You are living the high-life, Johnny!” But he knows Gargano isn’t home. This is a dangerous neighborhood! What if he left the door unlocked? Waller’s gonna go check, as as favor. The 21st Century Success Story continues to cross the line, will Gargano get home in time before he crosses another?

 

The brawl backstage is on!

Everyone, from Odyssey Jones, Damon Kemp and Quincy Elliot to Oro Mensah, Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are fighting it out to get at Wes Lee! Dante Chen slips through while Xyon Quinn fights off Von Wagner! Who will make it to the ring first?

NXT North American Championship Open Challenge: Wes Lee VS ???

Wes makes his entrance, but the chaos is already overflowing! Axiom doesn’t realize it, and he’s the first to get CLOCKED by Dante! Wes is amused and asks, “Who’s it gonna be?” Axiom just focuses on getting away, and he gets in the ring! But then SCRYPTS flies in!! Scrypts CLOBBERS Axiom and sends him back out! Wes is confused, he was more than willing to let Axiom get it on that. But then JD gets in the ring from behind and CLOBBERS Wes for earlier! Dragunov CLOBBERS JD! The brawling just gets wilder but Wes is pissed! Wes builds speed and he FLIES out onto everyone!! He bowls over the locker room!

Fans are losing their minds and loving it as this just keeps on going! Is the chaos too much? Is this Open Challenge canceled for the night?

 

Backstage interview with Dragon Lee.

McKenzie is with NXT’s newest signee, and welcomes him. He is thankful, and says that though he has been around the world, the fact he is finally here to start the biggest journey in his career is truly exciting. What can NXT expect to see from him? So much. He came to NXT to be a prime example of lucha libre and to show the world that Dragon Lee is Especial. And after seeing that Open Challenge, believe him, he’s gonna love it here. When and where will we see Dragon Lee hit the ring?

 

Backstage interview with Jacy Jayne.

McKenzie is with the Toxic Traitor, her arm in a sling, and notes that last week, she lost to Gigi Dolin, her long time friend turned bitter enemy. Jacy says she won’t even wait for a question, “Gigi Dolin did absolutely nothing last week. Even on her best day, she’s not even 1/10th as good as I am.” But she won… Oh, she won~! McKenzie, why don’t you report real news and real facts instead of pitiful gossip? One minute into the match, Gigi separated Jacy’s shoulder because she couldn’t handle her at 100%. Gigi had to take a shortcut, because that’s who Gigi is! Jacy could barely even lift her arm in that match!

“So Gigi wants to consider that a victory? Hah! she’s even more pathetic than I thought she was. Gigi, every day, every hour, every minute, every second that I’m away from this place, I’m gonna be thinking of you, and what you did to me. And when I return, I promise I’m gonna break your heart and your face, again!” Jacy leaves, but where and when will she return?

 

Apollo Crews VS Dabba-Kato!

Former friends have become bitter enemies, a story as old as time in pro-wrestling. Both men vow to make the other pay for their betrayal, but who is truly in the right?

Apollo doesn’t even wait for Dabba to get int he ring! He goes up top to CROSSBODY! Apollo SMACKS Kato off barriers, throws hands, but Kato hits back. Apollo RAMS Kato into barriers! Apollo fires hands, but Kato shoves him away. Apollo kicks low, CLUBS Kato again, and he eggs Kato on. Kato throws hands, CLUBS Apollo, but Apollo hits back. Kato clinches, but Apollo POSTS him! Kato CLUBS Apollo, puts him up top and he CHOPS! Apollo flops into the ring, Kato storms up, and now the bell rings! Apollo RAMS into Kato and they fall back out of the ring!! Fans fire up as Apollo HAMMERS away on Kato!

Apollo rains down fists but Kato shoves him away. Kato gets up but Apollo RAMS him into barriers! Kato CLUBS Apollo more, knees him low, then whips him into the barriers! Apollo just stands back up to ROCK Kato! And again! Kato RAMS Apollo into steel steps, but then Apollo dodges as Kato runs in! Kato hits the steps, and Apollo puts him in the ring. Apollo stomps Kato, digs his boot in, then lets off as the ref reprimands. Apollo stalks Kato but Kato ROCKS Apollo in return! And then he STOMPS Apollo down while standing!! Fans boo but Kato looms over Apollo as NXT goes picture in picture.

Kato checks his chin, then he has Apollo on the ropes. Kato CHOKES Apollo but he lets off as the ref counts. Kato clamps on a half nelson in the ropes, lets off as the ref counts again, and he shoves Apollo to the apron. Kato drags Apollo up, and CLUBS him against the ropes! Kato then goes out to fetch the steel steps! Kato brings those around but Apollo CLUBS Kato first! Apollo CLUBS Kato more but Kato throws body shots. They go around the way, and Kato ROCKS Apollo again. Apollo gets into the ring, Kato storms up, and Kato scoops Apollo. Apollo slips off to fire off body shots! Kato shoves Apollo away to BOOT him down!

Kato drags Apollo back up, scoops him, and hits a BACKBREAKER! Kato bends Apollo against his knee in a backbreaker rack! Apollo endures, fans rally, and NXT returns to single picture. Apollo pries the hand away from his face to KNEE Kato in the head! Apollo is free and fans rally up again. Kato stands in a daze, Apollo mule kicks. Apollo lifts but Kato’s too big! Kato scoops Apollo again, and hits a GUTBUSTER! Fans boo but Kato snarls. Kato stalks Apollo to ropes, brings him around, shoves him to CLUB him in the back! Fans boo more but Kato CHOKES Apollo on ropes again!

The ref counts, Kato lets off, and he brings Apollo back up. Kato swings but Apollo bobs ‘n’ weaves to fire off hands! Apollo throws body shots, haymakers, and Kato wobbles! Kato grabs at Apollo but Apollo ROCKS him! Kato KNEES low! Kato drags Apollo up, to BLINDSIDE LARIAT! Fans boo but Kato runs to drop a leg, brother! Apollo clutches the back of his neck, and Kato grins as he stands. Kato clamps onto Apollo’s face and says this is what he gets! Kato pushes Apollo against the buckles! The ref counts, fans rally, and Kato lets off at 4. Apollo goes to the apron, Kato storms over, but into a GAMANGIRI!

Kato staggers back over, but Apollo HOTSHOTS him! And then Apollo hurries in to BOOT! And BOOT! And BOOT!! Kato falls to a corner, Apollo SPLASHES! Fans fire up with Apollo and he manages the OLYMPIC SLAM!! Apollo hurries up to the top rope and fans fire up again! FROG SPLASH!! Cover, TWO!?! Kato survives and fans are shocked! But Apollo stays focused and he stalks Kato to the ropes. Apollo keeps Kato from crawling away, but Kato kicks Apollo away. Kato bails out, but Apollo goes around the way to LEAP, but into both hands! TWO HAND SLAM on the steel steps!! Fans boo but Kato leaves Apollo behind!

The ring count climbs, it’s at 5 of 10 as Apollo flops off the steps! Apollo crawls but the wrong way! We’re at 8, Apollo slides in at 9.9!! Kato is furious, he drags Apollo up again. TWO HAND SLAM!!! Cover, Kato wins!

Winner: Dabba-Kato, by pinfall

Big bad Dabba-Kato crushed his former friend and leader. Is Kato going to be the one going for gold now?

 

NXT Anonymous posts another video.

They’re spying on Wes talking with HBK. HBK tells Wes that he loves him and all, but the Open Challenge is causing too much chaos. Wes has to help HBK out here. Wes says all he wanted was a chance, and HBK gave him that in spades. Now he’s just paying it forward. He wants to give as many shots as he possibly can. HBK says Wes has already proven himself, he’s the NXT North American Champion. Wes says with all due respect, he disagrees, he has to continue to prove himself. And HBK should know best of all, because he did it day in and day out, especially after becoming a champion.

Wes wants to go even beyond that. At Stand & Deliver, Wes wants the TOP TEN! HBK can’t give Wes ten opponents. But he’ll meet him half way. Fatal 5 at Stand & Deliver, and Wes can pick who. Deal? Deal. They shake on it, and even hug it out. Then who will be in Wes’s top four to go on to Hollywood?

 

Jensen and Kiana try to reach Briggs and Fallon.

Where are they!? Kiana needs her partner! Her match is next! Jensen can go out there with her. No, she needs to be alone. Oh, okay. No, no, sweetie, not like that! Just for the match. Oh, duh! Then good luck. Thanks! She leaves without a good luck kiss, though. Is everything going to be fine? Or is this going to get real bad real quick?

 

NXT Women’s Championship Qualifier: Kiana James VS ???

The Calculator has tried to control the situation, as Fallon uncovered earlier tonight. But are there too many variables even for Kiana to solve? Or can she find a way to control her own destiny?

But wait, who is her opponent? It’s GIGI DOLIN! She avenged herself against Jacy, will she prove she can have gold all on her own?

The bell rings and fans rally for Gigi. She circles with Kiana, ties up, and Kiana gets the arm. Kiana wrenches to a wristlock but Gigi wrenches and wristlocks back. Gigi sweeps, rolls, and then steps over to La Magistrol! TWO, and Kiana rushes in, but into a waistlock, full nelson, spin and snapmare! Gigi keeps moving but Kiana ducks the Penalty Kick to roll Gigi up! TWO, and Kiana hurries, but Gigi wrenches, spins, cravats and KNEES to snapmare again. PENALTY KICK! Cover, TWO! Gigi smiles as Kiana gets away, and Gigi runs in, but Kiana dodges. Kiana bumps Gigi off buckles, then fires off hands!

Fans chant, “Who’s Sebastian?” at Kiana as she stomps a mudhole in on Gigi. Kiana handsprings then RAMS into Gigi! Kiana brings Gigi out to NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Gigi hangs tough and Kiana grows frustrated. Kiana clamps onto Gigi with a chinlock and she grinds Gigi down. Fans rally, Gigi fights forward, ROPEBREAK! Kiana holds until 4, frustrated as she is, but she storms back up. Gigi elbows Kiana, ROUNDHOUSES her, but Kiana kicks back. Kiana clinches, but Gigi JAWBREAKERS! And BOOTS! And BOOTS again! Gigi wrenches, ROUNDHOUSES, and runs to STO! Cover, TWO!

Kiana is still in this but Gigi waistlocks to deadlift! Kiana fights, switches, O’Conner Rolls, TWO! Kiana runs, but into a clinch! FINAL NAIL!! Cover, Gigi wins!

Winner: Gigi Dolin, by pinfall (advances to Stand & Deliver)

What Kiana couldn’t account for was Gigi’s determination! Gigi has her golden ticket, but will it just be her and Stark? Or are we going to add even more fuel to the fire?

Speaking of fire, FYRE & DAWN appear, and they snatch Kiana out of the ring!! Fans boo as Dawn & Fyre stomp away on Kiana! Jensen runs out to stop this, but Dawn & Fyre just taunt Kiana. Fans continue to ask, “Who’s Sebastian?” Will the answer to that be the key to keeping the team together?

 

Gargano arrives home!

Gargano hurries out of the car and up to the front door. He looks around, but Waller CLOBBERS him from the bush! “Welcome home, Johnny!” Johnny TACKLES Waller! They brawl, Gargano throws Waller back into the bush! Waller writhes, Gargano is furious, but Waller throws dirt in Gargano’s eyes! Waller CLUBS Gargano, and he says this is HIS house now. Waller grabs the trash can but Gargano BOOTs it into him! And then TACKLES it into him! Gargano grabs the trash can to CHUCK it at Waller! Waller writhes, Gargano hurries after him to fire off haymakers! Gargano beats down on Waller at the steps!

Candice is there, Gargano tells her to stay in side. Waller LOW BLOWS Gargano in the distraction!! Waller beats down Gargano, and Waller tells Quill that he’s home! But Gargano LOW BLOWS in return! And then SLAMS Waller up against the wall! And again! Only for Waller to YANK Gargano into the wall! Gargano staggers, Waller gets the rake and he JAMS Gargano with the handle! Gargano sputters, Waller tells Gargano to go home. Candice wants the fighting to stop, but Waller BREAKS the rake on Gargano’s back! Candice tells Waller to stop while she calms Quill down. Waller doesn’t stop, he STOMPS Gargano into the dirt!

Waller grins as he sits Gargano back up to look at Candice. “This is your dad, Quill, and you’re proud of this man?” Waller pushes Gargano down, and he says Gargano ain’t the man he was. Candice calms the crying Quill, then hurries to Gargano’s side. Will Johnny Wrestling show his son that he is a man to be proud of? Will Gargano stand and deliver?

 

Briggs, & Jensen regroup backstage.

Jensen asks Kiana if she needs something. What she needs is to know why she got jumped by those witches alone! Fallon & Briggs arrive and Fallon asks what happened, why does she have nine missed calls? Uh, what’s Fallon wearing? What is BRIGGS wearing? Uh… Briggs says this isn’t what it looks like. Aw man. Briggs say that bear movie without him! No… Er, uh, yes! That’s totally what he did, but he’ll totally watch it with Jensen. Kiana asks where Fallon was! Jensen agrees, they need to know where she want, because those crazy redheaded ladies jumped Kiana! Uh, well, Fallon didn’t even know Kiana had a qualifying match. What’s that about, partner? Briggs adds, “Yeah!”

Uh, Kiana is not passing up an opportunity at THE NXT Women’s Championship! Jensen adds, “That’s right!” Kiana asks what they’re gonna do about Fyre & Dawn at Stand & Deliver? Wait, Stand & Deliver? What? Yeah, Fallon & Kiana have to face Fyre & Dawn because they are the #1 contenders after winning a Triple Threat tonight, and that’s why they were trying to call her! So whatever this is, handle it! Oh, it will be handled. But is this all playing right into the hands of their challengers?

 

Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams head to the ring.

They’re dressed to kill because this is the contract signing for the NXT Championship! Melo waits by the table as Bron makes his entrance. Bron is still in jeans and a merch shirt because he still does things how he wants. They both take their seats now and fans applaud. Bron says it’s just gonna be them. Isn’t there someone to host this? Well, no, that’s not needed. The faster they get the contract signed, the sooner they can begin the countdown to a new champion. Oh, it’s like that, Melo? Bron didn’t think this was gonna be like all the other contract signings but Melo’s about to change Bron’s mind.

But wait! Pretty Deadly makes their way out! Elton says, “As your hosts of STAND & DELIVER, it only makes sense to come out here and host the contract signing for the NXT Championship match at STAND & DELIVER!” Kit adds, “But don’t mind us, guys. You’ll hardly know we’re here.” Kit & Elton get in the ring, they want everyone to keep calm. Melo and Bron sit back down and Melo says that he meant no disrespect. Bron’s carried the title and all the weight that comes with it. The responsibility, the legacy of all the previous champions, Bron did that and deserves to be recognized. Really, he does.

But on April 1st, you can feel it. The changing of the guard. Because Melo is taking that title, and he’s taking it way further than Bron ever could. Just like Melo did with the North American Championship and made it THE A Championship. So listen, respectfully, at Stand & Deliver, you’re coming in second to Melo. Kit & Elton react with “Oooh!” Bron will disagree except for that last part. Melo did take the North American title and made it, at least in his own mind, the top title. Melo made that title the top title because he knew he wasn’t ready for THE top title. And that’s fine.

But that’s not the Melo Bron wants to face. Bron wants to face the Melo that the fans get on their feet for. Bron wants the Melo that comes out here and fans chant his name. Bron wants the Melo that beat Ricochet! That beat Apollo! That knows deep down that in his heart and soul that he is READY! Melo don’t miss? Pretty fitting. Because on April 1st, there’ll be a first for everything. Fans chant, “BRON BREAKKER SUCKS~” a la “John Cena Sucks,” but Elton & Kit have a chuckle over how mad Melo’s getting. It’s so fun to watch! Kit’s favorite part is all the backhanded compliments. That’s all on another level.

Melo reminds Pretty Deadly they said they weren’t going to talk. Oh, right, right, sorry. Carry on. Then shut up! Melo tells Bron that in LA, here’s what Melo doesn’t want. Melo doesn’t want the Bron with the anger management issues.  Or the Bron in the tux inducting his dad and uncle into the Hall of Fame. Or the Bron with the fishing pole or with the smiling. Leave that Bron at home. Bring the Bron that runs through walls. The Bron that won at WarGames. The Bron that made Ciampa tap out! As Melo says all these things, how can he deny Bron’s greatness? When Bron is that guy, he is unstoppable! Okay?

“Which is gonna make it oh so much sweeter when you give me everything you’ve got, and it’s still not good enough. And I don’t just say this because it sounds good, Bron. I say this because it’s true. I am him.” Pretty Deadly like that one. Bron says Melo IS him. Bron believes that! But Melo has to show it. Melo has to show “him” isn’t just something on a T-shirt! That “him” isn’t some random thing Melo came up with to further his character. Melo has to show Bron that it means something! Because if he does, he’ll get everything he wants outta this and Bron will get everything he wants.

Bron gets the smooth, the cool Melo, Trick Melo Gang that everyone has grown to love! The Melo that’s flying first class, because LA is more Melo’s vibe anyway. Melo is flying out, Bron stays in. Melo is up late, Bron’s in bed early. Elton points out these two are like yin and yang. Trick sees that. Bron tells them to stop, and Kit “scolds” Elton for interrupting. Bron says this is all 18 months in the making. This has the potential to be the biggest match in NXT history. Melo says it will be. Each guy points out the other unified titles. Bron’s had his for almost two years. And if anyone knows about long reigns, it’s Melo!

But then both of them need to understand that this is big. This is the “youngest” main event in WrestleMania Weekend history! There is a lot of pressure, a lot of eyes on them, but that is nothing new to either one of them. So Melo knows that at Stand & Deliver, he will deliver. He just wants to know Bron will, too. Bron smirks and says, “I guess something’s gotta give then, my dude.” Melo signs his part, and says he’ snot giving an inch. He passes the contract over, Bron signs his part, and says, “Neither am I.” Then it’s official! Bron Breakker VS Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship at STAND & DELIVER!

Melo and Bron shake hands, fans cheer the sportsmanship, but Pretty Deadly says no! Fans want drama! Not this! They need something more! Give them some action! Melo takes off the suit and glasses, Bron puts down the belt and tears off his shirt. Pretty Deadly fires up with the fans, and then Bron an d Melo step up. To DOUBLE BACK SUPLEX Pretty Deadly through the table!! Bron lifts up the belt and fans are thunderous! Who will come out of Stand & Deliver truly living the Hollywood dream?


My Thoughts:

A great NXT with a lot of development for Stand & Deliver, though I feel like we got a few go-home segments early. The final segment, for one, with the contract signing and a great promo from everyone involved, really could’ve been on the go-home episode. I also like the twist that Bron and Melo did their best to be respectful, but also passive aggressive. And then they take out Pretty Deadly to add on to those guys’ woes with that great table spot. As I’ve said, I think this has to be where Bron loses the belt. Melo can finally be THE champion, Bron can move on to RawDown, and the fans can relax and have someone they want to cheer as a Face.

Though I will say, Bron started tipping towards Heel in the promo he had with Tony D and Stacks. Bron and NXT really should’ve had him turn Heel sooner. Sure, there’s a lot of temptation to make him Scott Steiner 2.0, but he could still find ways of being an arrogant Heel unique to him. Tony and Stacks deciding to go into the tag division was a surprising choice, too. I feel like they should be adding new members to the faction to get back to that gang feel. Yes, they’re Faces now because of how the fans have grown attached, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t add to the D’Angelo Familia. Make the new guys the tag team, Stacks is midcard guy, Tony is top title guy.

Speaking of the tag titles and Pretty Deadly’s woes, great tag title match out of them and Gallus. For half a second, I thought Pretty Deadly was going to win, but Gallus pulls it out to retain. I do like the idea that Gallus being a “firm,” aka Scottish mafia, they’re going to go up against the D’Angelo Familia, an Italian American mafia. They can do promos like Tony did with Legado Del Fantasma, or like Gallus did with Die Familie in NXT UK, and then give us an awesome tag match at Stand & Deliver that could really go either way. And honestly, that’d be a great place to bring Joe Coffey back so that he tips the scales in Gallus’ favor.

Great stuff in the North American Championship story, too. I just knew Axiom would keep his eye on Wes, I knew and loved that they gave us the brawling chaos again, but I did not think this is where they’d finally pull the trigger on Scrypts going after Axiom. They should’ve done it sooner, and honestly could’ve waited until after Stand & Deliver on this. Wes being given the chance to choose four opponents for the North American title, he really could choose anyone, but something makes me think the four are obvious: Axiom, Scrypts, JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov. Why else would Wes cross paths with the brawling JD and Dragunov?

Great promo from JD and Dragunov, which of course turned into that great brawl, and great to know they’re getting that 1v1 match. Both guys are definitely deserving of a title shot, I’m just unsure how to feel about them being woven into the North American title story in a Fatal 5. The winner of JD VS Dragunov should be the clear cut contender to face just the champion. But in the end, at least it means they’ll be on Stand & Deliver and part of the huge WrestleMania Weekend.

But what was up with Scrypts becoming Soundwave from Transformers? They didn’t do that with his promo before, why’re they throwing that in on him now? I feel like Scrypts as a concept was really undercooked. But at the same time, there is some meta to it. Even Spider-Man had to work on his costume before he perfected the look. And while Scrypts comes off more as a villain, there is something to him as this writer/wrestler going through “rough drafts” until he has the final form. And good stuff from Chase U and The Schism. Chase gives Duke a lot to think about but so does Schism. Duke’s allegiance can be the key of where this story is going.

Great things out of the Women’s Division tonight. They’re going further with the Roxie health condition angle, and good ol’ HBK loves Ladder matches so he’s giving us one for the women’s title. I am so very sure this will somehow bring things to a recreation of HBK VS Razor Ramon, aka they will crown an Undisputed Women’s Champion with another ladder match. But for tonight, great rematch for Stark and Sol, and while Sol did better than last time, it makes sense Stark wins. Stark has done a lot of good work in NXT, this could be her moment to get that title. Of course, same can be said of Gigi as she was the surprise in facing Kiana. And who knows who else gets in on this thing, but I would love if they got Lyra Valkyria involved somehow.

The romcom of Kiana and Jensen continues to entertain. Briggs and Fallon sneaking around was funny, and the plot thickens with this “Sebastian.” Giving him a name kinda ruins them being able to make this guy a wrestler from Level Up, as the fans would’ve recognized “Sebastian” right away. Great Triple Threat Tag, and while I didn’t see Tatum’s turn on Ivy happening tonight, this was a great opening to do that. I knew Fyre & Dawn were getting this one, but what a great surprise for them to go after Kiana after her match. Fyre & Dawn are most surely winning at Stand & Deliver, and they can have a good reign with those belts.

And great stuff out of the building Gargano and Waller story. It seems like Waller predicted Gargano was gonna bring up NXT being his home with him going right to Gargano’s home. I feel like Waller should’ve first posted a video where he brought up that detail, but we still got a great brawl from the two of them. This was very much like the Rollins and Edge feud, or even the HHH and Randy Orton feud, proof that HBK and HHH see big things in Waller like they do Gargano. Their match is going to be a real show stealer, I’m sure of it.

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!

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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?


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

The semifinals are here!

Published

on

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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