Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW Strong Style Evolved Report! (3/25/18)
This review of NJPW: Strong Style Evolved will be as broadcast by AXS TV.
Gifs courtesy of http://frentique.tumblr.com
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- 6 Man Tag: Roppongi 3K VS SoCal Uncensored; RPG3K wins.
- Taguchi Japan’s Juice Robinson & David Finlay VS Chaos’ Hirooki Goto & Gedo; Robinson & Finlay win.
- Chaos’ Chuck Taylor & Toru Yano VS Killer Elite Squad; Killer Elite Squad wins.
- The Guerrillas of Destiny VS Cody & Marty Scurll; Cody & Scurll win.
- 8 Man Tag: Dragon Lee & Taguchi Japan VS Los Ingobernables de Japon; LIJ win.
- Jyushin Thunder Liger VS Will Ospreay; Ospreay wins.
- Chaos’ Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii VS Suzuki-Gun’s Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr; Suzuki & ZSJ win.
- IWGP United States Championship: Jay White VS Hangman Page; White wins and retains the IWGP USC.
- Golden☆Lovers VS The Young Bucks; Golden☆Lovers win.
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PLAY BY PLAY
For NJPW, the G1 Special in the USA was only the beginning.
NJPW, as well as their partner in ROH, has ascended to new heights, and have even evolved. The stars are out to outshine each other, from top to bottom of tonight’s match card. Strongest of all, the Switchblade as the new IWGP United States Champion already has a major contender in the Bullet Club’s Problem Solver. And as the Bullet Club Civil War grows stronger, the reunited Golden Lovers wish to show Omega’s other friends, The Young Bucks, who really is the best tag team in the world today. Tonight is about survival of the fittest, tonight is about who has evolved.
6 Man Tag: Roppongi 3K VS SoCal Uncensored!
Rocky Romero helped Sho & Yo evolve from Tempura Boyz into Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions! Meanwhile, The Addiction adapted and added Scorpio Sky in order to pursue trios titles. Which team will have proven themselves the better adapter here tonight?
The fans chant for “Rocky! Rocky!” as he starts against Scorpio. Rocky and Scorpio circle, tie up, and Rocky gets the arm wrench. Scorpio rolls and rolls then spins to bring Rocky to the mat. Rocky stands back up but can’t grab hair because Scorpio is bald. Rocky hits Scorpio so Scorpio hits back, and they move to chops. Scorpio changes to forearms, Rocky gives a strike fest. Rocky whips but Scorpio reverses to a takedown, roll and neckbreaker! The fans applaud as Scorpio backs off and watches Rocky. Scorpio tags Kaz while Rocky tags in Yo. Kaz kicks low, puts Yo in a headlock, but Yo fights and powers out. Kaz runs Yo over but Yo is right back up, only for Kaz to kick and whip again. Yo runs and whips Kaz, to then run Kaz over with a flying elbow.
Tag to Sho, Yo hits Scorpio and Daniels, then Sho & Yo double whip. Things speed up, drop toehold to dropkick! Daniels runs in but he gets dropkicks, and RPG3K has SCU on the defensive. Kaz rakes Sho’s eyes and tags Scorpio, Scorpio fires of on Sho. Things speed up again, Sho dropkicks Scorpio! Kaz back in but he gets the knee, and the fans chant for “Roppongi! Roppongi!” Yo tags back in, and clubs Kaz down. He snap suplexes, cover, TWO. Kaz wants a time-out but there are none in wrestling. He wants a handshake, Yo kicks him instead. Yo backs Kaz down then whips but Kaz reverses, cheap kick from Daniels! Yo rocks Daniels with a right, then he fights Kaz back. He runs, but Scorpio trips him up, Kaz springboards but doesn’t quite get it, still drops the legs.
Daniels tags in and keeps on Yo, then whips Yo to ropes for the calf kick. Daniels grinds a knee into Yo, then brings Yo over to tag in Kaz. The Addiction double whip while fans rally, Kaz body shots, Scorpio adds double stomps and then Daniels the STO, Kaz the leg drop, cover, TWO! Kaz grinds Yo with the facelock but Yo stands up and fights back. Fans rally again but the referee gets distracted. Rocky tags in, and clubs away on Kaz, but the referee stops that. Kaz brings Yo over and hangs him up on the ropes, to then kick him right in the chest. Daniels takes advantage with the Arabian press! He puts Yo back in the ring, Scorpio slingshots in for the cutter! Cover, TWO! Scorpio can’t believe that, but he tags Kaz back in.
Together, they put Yo in a corner and whip him corner to corner. Yo dodges the splash, then Kaz’s lariat, to tag in Rocky! Rocky springboards for the crossbody! He gets a two-for-one huricanrana on Daniels and Scorpio! He has the Addiction corner to corner for the infinite clotheslines! Kaz dodges but he still gets The Addiction at the same time! Rocky rallies the fans and punches on Kaz. He whips Kaz corner to corner, Kaz slips out but misses his lariat, Rocky knees him then springboards for the dropkick to Kaz’s back! Cover, but Daniels breaks it. Sho & Yo come in and go after Scorpio and Kaz. All six men are in, double whip but Kaz and Scorpio hold ropes. Sho & Yo run over but get dumped out of the ring. Rocky goes for Sliced Bread but Kaz grabs Rocky into tombstone position! Scorpio targets Sho & Yo and FLIES!
Meanwhile, The Addiction hit Best Meltzer Ever! Kaz covers, but Yo manages to break it! The fans are loving this. Yo fights Daniels and Scorpio alone, which doesn’t go his way. They double whip, but Yo dodges, the cutter hits Daniels! Yo enziguris Scorpio down, then regroups with Rocky and Sho. Sho tags in, he goes after Kaz. Yo helps out, they double whip but Scorpio tags in. Sho & Yo see it coming with a kick, then Yo slingshots over!
Sho German Suplexes once, twice, but Scorpio fights off the hat trick. Scorpio runs, but into the double knees! Yo bringS Scorpio up, suplexes for Sho, and together they hit the running dominator cutter! Cover, TWO!! Frustrated, Sho gets Scorpio up for Yo’s elbow. Backstabber to dropkick, but they’re gonna keep going. They rally the fans, then stalk Scorpio. They hit the 3K! Cover, Roppongi 3K wins!
Winners: Roppongi 3K (Romero, Sho & Yo; Yo pins)
Chaos’ flashy trio are victorious here against one of ROH’s top teams, can they find their way back to the IWGP Jr. Tag Team titles?
Taguchi Japan’s Juice Robinson & David Finlay VS Chaos’ Hirooki Goto & Gedo!
Juice & Finlay have been on a roll as of late, but they’re going up against veteran stars in the Fierce Warrior and the Rainmaker’s right hand man. Will youth and exuberance finally win out against old age and treachery?
The Flamboyant Juice starts with the NEVER Openweight Champion, who are very familiar with each other. Goto gets the waistlock but Juice pries his way out to the standing switch. Goto gets the reversal, but Juice reverses back. Juice wristlocks but Goto rolls to put on a hammerlock then headlock. Juice powers out, they collide but neither falls. The two stare down, Goto runs again, and Juice again withstands his shoulder. Juice runs now, fans cheering him on, but Goto bounces off his shoulders. Things speed up, Juice runs Goto over with the back elbow! Juice drops the back senton, then covers, TWO. Juice stares Gedo down, then brings Goto up for a chop. He whips Goto corner to corner, Goto reverses the whip but runs into a boot.
Juice runs but he and Goto collide with clotheslines. Juice fires up and runs again, but Goto follows. Goto misses, dodges, then gets Juice on the return. Finlay runs in but Goto catches him into a suplex onto Juice! The fans applaud while Goto stomps on Juice.
Goto bleeds from the mouth but is not bothered by it as he crossface punches Juice against the ropes. He stretches Juice back with a chinlock, knee digging into Juice’s back. The fans rally and Goto elbows Juice in the head. Goto tags to Gedo, Gedo keeps on Juice at the ropes with rakes to the eyes. Gedo stalks Juice while he reaches for Finlay, only to bring Juice back. He bumps Juice off Goto’s boot, then Goto tags in to drop more elbows. Juice fires back, so Goto rocks him with another heavy right.
Goto stalks Juice, tags in Gedo, and together they whip Juice for double shoulders. Gedo taunts Finlay, then rakes Juice’s eyes again. The referee counts and reprimands, Gedo lets up on Juice. Gedo taunts Juice while fans rally, Gedo jabs and jabs but Juice kicks to punch back! The fans chant “Juice! Juice!” with every punch, but then Gedo pokes his eyes. Juice returns the favor, and Gedo staggers over into Finlay’s punch! Hot tag to Finlay, and Goto comes in to intercept. Finlay still rallies on Goto, then whips but Goto reverses. Finaly gose up and over, builds speed and runs Goto over with the leaping elbow! He has Goto and Gedo in opposite corners, so he goes corner to corner for endless back elbows! Finlay pushes Gedo out, hops up, and hits a flying EuroUpper! Cover, TWO, but the fans are rallying for the Son of Fit Finlay.
Finlay goes for a cutter on Gedo, but Gedo pushes him away into Goto’s fireman’s carry and Ushigoroshi! Gedo adds a mule kick, then covers, but Juice breaks it. Goto is right on Juice and they brawl again. Juice runs but into the fireman’s carry, only to slip out for the full nelson slam! Juice is fired up, but Gedo gets him with an uppercut. He gives one right back, then slingshost to take Goto out. Finlay fires up as he stalks Gedo, for the stunner! Cover, Finlay & Juice win!
Winners: Robinson & Finlay
Flamboyant but ferocious, Finlay and Juice make quite the team already. If they found a way to defeat veterans like Goto & Gedo, will they be able to climb up to the top of NJPW’s Heavyweight Tag Team Division?
Chaos’ Chuck Taylor & Toru Yano VS Killer Elite Squad!
The Kentucky Gentleman and the Sublime Master Thief are set to take on some serious hard-hitting and un-apologetically obnoxious bad boys of Suzuki-Gun. Will the jovial and carefree combination be able to best the brutality of Archer & Davey Boy Jr?
Not when KES goes right at them before the bell! Archer beats down Yano outside while Davey Boy beats up Chuckie T in the ring. The fans chant for Chuck even as Davey Boy headbutts him. Chucke gets Sole Food out of a whip reversal, then puts Davey in a standing Octopus! Davey powers out but Chuck slips away. Chuck misses the enziguri but gets a big deadlift German Suplex from Davey. Davey boots Yano down, which fans boo, then he clubs Chuckie T. Tag to Archer, who throws heavy rights and chops. He runs corner to corner, but Chuckie gets a boot up. He goes to powerbomb, but Archer body drop shim up and over, then reels him into a lariat.
Fans boo the bad attitudes, but Archer keeps on Chuckie with a clubbing forearm. He walks up for some Old School, then all the way to tag Davey. Fans admit that was good with their applause. Davey taunts Yano but Chuck fights back with right hands. Davey still picks Chuck up and throws him down. Cover, TWO, but Davey chinlocks Chuck to grind him down. Fans rally for the Kentucky Gentleman, and Chuck feeds off it to fight out. Davey knees low then whips, belly2belly suplex, cover, TWO. Fans keep going for Chuckie but Davey turns him over for a Boston Crab. He adds a leg, that’s almost a Lion Tamer. Chuck endures, and fans rally, but Davey just lets him out to drop an elbow. He rains rights right into Chuck’s head, then tells the fans to shut up when they boo.
Tag to Archer, Archer gets in Yano’s face and Yano backs away from the ring. Archer stalks Chuck, the fans rally but Archer still runs Chuck over with a shoulder. Yano tries to come back but Archer scares him again. Fans try to give Yano courage, but Yano isn’t so sure. Archer tags Davey and KES mug Chuck in their corner. Davey double underhooks, then butterfly suplexes Chuck far. Cover, TWO, but back into a chinlock. The fans chant for “Chuckie T! Chuckie T!” Chuck fights out but ends up in KES’s corner again. Archer tags in and they mug Chuckie more. They go for the spinebuster lariat, but Chuckie ducks and turns it into a DDT on Davey!
Yano returns to his corner, the fans rally, and Chuckie fights off Archer to hot tag Yano! Yano throws forearm after forearm, but Archer hits him back. Archer runs, Yano grabs hair but Archer slaps him away. Archer whips Yano but Yano holds ropes! Yano taunts Archer, and then gets in the ropes for safety. The fans join in on the trolling, which infuriates Archer. Archer runs in, Yano dodges him. Then Yano begs for mercy. He tries the low blow, but Archer saw it coming! Archer whips but Yano reverses into the Atomic Drop. Nothing happens… And Yano freaks out to the ropes. The trolling continues but Archer doesn’t care, he knocks Yano down to the floor.
Fans boo but Archer just mocks Yano. Archer runs, but Yano ducks to deny him a target. Archer exits the ring, Yano trips him up! Then Yano gets out of the way and lets Davey collide with Archer! Chuckie T FLIES in outta nowhere! KES goes down, and Yano realizes he’s still standing. The fans want to see this, and he builds speed, to untie the pad!
Yano grabs the buckle pad, and tosses it to Archer. Archer swats it, then goes in, but Yano is upon him with stomps. That do nothing… Archer roars and grabs Yano’s hair, but so does Yano to Archer. They both want the other to let go, Yano gets the yank. Only to turn back around into an angry Archer.
Tag to Chuckie, then Archer hits those exposed buckles! Chuckie grabs Archer but Archer powers him up and over, sunset flip! TWO! Chuckie gets to a corner and knees back, then tries again. PILEDRIVER! Cover, but Davey breaks it. Yano throws him out, and Chuckie keeps on Archer. Davey hits Yano back, but Chuckie is climbing up high. MOONSAULT! But he lands on his feet when Archer rolls. Chuckie tries the backslide but no go, so he forearms Archer a few times. Chuckie runs, but into the POUNCE! Then CHOKE SLAM! Cover, TWO, into Crucifix! TWO!!
So close, so the KES want to finish this. Full-nelson lift but Chuckie fights back. He SUPERKICKS Archer, then with fans rallying, he gives Davey and Archer clotheslines in the corner. But archer follows and gets Chuckie with one of his own. Then the full-nelson, KILLER BOMB!! Cover, The Killer Elite Squad win!
Winners: Killer Elite Squad (Archer & Smith, Archer pins)
Being carefree doesn’t do it here. “Everybody dies” when they go up against Archer & Davey Boy, and Archer even calls out the “B Bros”. KES wins matches, they don’t. Are Archer & Davey Boy ready to take out #DemBoyz, the Briscoes, on their road to the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships?
The Guerrillas of Destiny VS Cody w/ Brandi Rhodes & Marty Scurll!
The Bullet Club Civil War spreads as now it drags in Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa to go against the would-be Leader and his pal in The Villain. Will the Bullet Club still be fine after yet another rivalry? For that matter, the fans are more on Scurll’s side than they are Cody, so will Cody’s ego be fine after this match?
Cody wishes to speak first, however, and grabs a mic. Fans boo, so he hands the mic to Scurll. The fans cheer, but then boo when Cody takes the mic back. The mic isn’t on, so the fans cheer again. The mic turns on and Cody speaks, insisting “Bullet Club is fine.” What isn’t, is booking this match. Cody says there will be no Bullet Club VS Bullet Club match. But here’s some knowledge as to why: because the members of The Bullet Club are all friends.
Tama Tonga, OG BC! GoD, the three time IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions! Wrestlers like them is what made Bullet Club cool in the first place. And it’s “superstars” like Cody that make it popular today! The fans agree with the former more than the latter, by saying “F*** you, Cody!” Cody mishears that as “Team Cody”. But the studs here and the lovely woman of Brandi, it’s all Team Cody! Right, Tama?
Tama stares at Cody holding the mic out at him. Loa takes it for him, and says that Cody cannot deny Long Beach and the world this match. “Especially the Bullet Club family”, “Too Sweet! Woop Woop!” Therefore, the scheduled match will happen, and if there is a team the GoD is on, it’s definitely not Team Cody. Cody takes offense and attacks Loa! The bell rings, and Tama gets right in Cody’s face. Tama fires off on Cody, whips him, then arm-drags him! Loa returns to clothesline Cody out, but then Scurll tries to be on their side? Brandi protests as Scurll tells Cody to get out of there! But Scurll isn’t fooling anyone, GoD stare him down and run him over! Scurll regroups with his friend, Cody, giving him an apologetic hug.
The fans chant for “GoD! GoD!” while Scurll returns to face Loa. Scurll wants a handshake? Loa refuses, so Cody tags in. Loa helps Cody with the ropes, and then the two circle. Cody tags back to Scurll. Scurll and Loa circle, fans rally, and they tie up. Loa gets the wristlock, Scrull spins and rolls to reverse. Scurll gets the headlock but Loa lifts him up. Scurll headlock takeovers but Loa headscissors, Scurll pops out to flap his wings. Loa just rock shim with an uppercut. Tag to Tama and Tama headbutts Scurll down. Tama scoop slams and elbow drops, Scurll scurries to a corner. Scurll hits back and tags to Cody. Cody whips but Tama reverses, Cody evades but still gets the splash on the other end!
Tama stalks Cody, then rocks him with an uppercut. He whips Cody to ropes but Cody evades, Brandi bails Cody out. She then holds Tama off while Scurll gets a sneak attack on Loa! Scurll comes over, and apron SUPERKICK! Tama goes down and Scurll wants a kiss. Cody kisses him on the cheek, then puts Tama back in the ring.
Cody stomps Tama while fans rally. He drags Tama up in an arm wrench then tags to Scurll. Scurll throws hands then brings Tama down, for a hammerlock stomp! Tama writhes in pain but Scurll keeps on that arm with another hammerlock stomp. Scurll drags Tama up, Cody tags in and they mug Tama in the corner. Cody drags Tama up for a suplex, and holds him up for a good ten seconds before dropping him on his face.
Cody does push ups to show off, Tama sweeps his arms, Cody kicks Tama then tags to Scurll. Scurll hits Loa before stomping Tama’s arm. Scurll drags Tama up but Tama hts back. Tama runs but fall sfor the fake, Scurll mule kicks his legs out. Scurll calls for it, the fans fire up for it, he spins for it, “CHICKENWING” but Cody tags in. Cross- No, Tama reverses and steals the Cross Rhodes! Both men are down while fans rally, and Tama tags Loa. Loa tanks the chops, but realizes it’s the padding. He unzips and lets Cody go to town on him, but it still doesn’t slow Loa down. Loa rallies with lariats, then whips Cody into the hip toss neckbreaker. Scurll runs in, gest the Samoan Drop! Loa drags Cody up, but Cody slips out of the back suplex to springboard for the Disaster Kick!
Cody climbs up top, Tama stops him with a SUPER PUNCH! Tama climbs up, SUPERPLEX! But that’s not all, Tama climbs up top now, but Scurll rocks him. Scurll climbs up, SUPERPLEX of his own! The fans applaud and Scurll fires himself up. Marty climbs up but Loa intercepts him, for a SUPERPLEX! Scurll and Loa both slip out of the ring, and Cody stands up to hit the Terminator Pose. Fans boo as he copies Kenny Omega, then builds speed, only to run into a SPEAR from Loa! Loa covers, Scurll breaks it. Scurll mule kicks Loa then helps Cody up. They bring Loa up, Cody catches Tama, and then double kicks to complete shot! They return to Loa, but Loa shoves Scurll at Cody. Scurll stops himself, Cody catches Loa, but Loa dodges to let Scurll hit Cody.
Loa catches Scurll, Scurll backs Loa up, Tama runs in but Scurll dodges. Scurll thinks Loa and Tama collide, but Loa catches his brother and gently sets him down. Loa tackles Scurll to a corner and Tama hits a big splash! Tama sees Cody coming, they run around, dropkick from Tama knocks Cody down. Loa returns, fireman’s carry, but Cody slips out and the GoD collide. Cody grabs Loa, Cross Rhodes! Cover, Cody & Scurll win!
Winners: The Bullet Club (Cody & Scurll, Cody pins)
The civil war rages on but that’s one battle in favor of the American Nightmare. Will #TeamCody rack up enough victories to establish himself atop the entire faction?
8 Man Tag: Dragon Lee & Taguchi Japan VS Los Ingobernables de Japon!
This match showcases the relationship of NJPW and their other partner, CMLL, as stars of Japan and Mexico team together to determine faction supremacy. Can Naito lead Bushi, Sanada and Hiromu to victory over Funky Weapon, the Time Splitter, the Ace and The Wonder Boy?
Fans are excited for just about everyone in this match, but it is Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito starting. The fans are thunderous for this IWGP Intercontinental Championship rematch, dueling evenly between the two. Naito and Tanahashi circle, but then Sanada comes in and clobbers Tanahashi. He and Naito both stomp Tanahashi, but then Tanahashi fights back. It’s 2v1 so it doesn’t work. Sanada holds Tanahashi, then Naito spits on him. Naito runs but Tanahashi sends him into Sanada, then throws them both with the headlock-headscissors. Tanahashi tags Dragon Lee but Naito gets away. The fans want Hiromu, and so does Lee! Naito gives fans what they want, tag to Naito. the CMLL rivalry reignites with furious chops back and forth! And it doesn’t slow down! The fans give a standing ovation for this endless chop fight.
Back and forth, back and forth, neither man gives in. Lee gets an edge, then whips but Hiromu reverses. Things speed up, Hiromu headscissors but Lee lands on his feet! They go again, rebound German from Lee to Hiromu! Lee runs and FLIES! He takes out Hiromu, then drags him back in for stomps. Lee kicks something away, then flips off LIJ before all of Taguchi Japan attacks them! They whip Hiromu, then start a train. Taguchi rallies his men for the train as it goes Kushida, Lee and Tanahashi! Taguchi feels good now, they feed Hiromu to his hip attack. Kushida Mahistrols, TWO! Things calm down and Kushida puts Hiromu in an armlock. He shifts to a double chickenwing with a bridge for Cow Mutilation. It becomes a backslide, TWO, but Kushida keeps on Hiromu with an arm wrench and shoulder breaker.
Hiromu gest to a corner and doges, Naito dropkicks the legs and Sanada dropkicks the head. Bushi and Naiot take out Taguchi Japan and then Hiromu keeps on Kushida. Hiromu grinds a boot into Kushida’s throat, then backs off at the count. He brings Kushida into a corner, tags to Bushi. Naito holds Kushida for Bushi’s missile dropkick, Bushi-rooni stands him back up. Tag to Sanada, who drags Kushida up and whips corner to corner. Kushida tries to boot but Sanada blocks and brings Kushida into the Paradise Lock! Fans cheer as Sanada backs up, and dropkicks Kushida out of paradise. Tag back to Bushi, who drags Kushida into a chinlock. The fans rally for Kushida, Kushida fights out, but Bushi uses his shirt as a weapon! Bushi chokes Kushida until the referee sees him. Bushi lets go, then goes after Taguchi Japan. Kushida arm-drags and dropkicks Bushi back!
Kushida crawls to his corner but no one is home. Sanada tags in and brings Kushida up for a whip. Kushida handpsrings and back elbows Sanada, both men go down! The fans rally as Tanahashi returns. Kushida sees him and tags! The Ace rallies on Sanada, then Bushi, then hits Hiromu and Naito. He keeps going, crossbody on Sanada! Hiromu comes in, he and Bushi whip but Tanahashi fights them off. Tanahashi catches both kicks and double dragon screws them away! He then runs, but Sanada dodges. he goes from crossbody to dragon sleeper, but Tanahashi manages to turn it around on him! Sanada breaks out, whips, but Tanahashi reverses. Sanada tumbles to the apron, then springboard missile dropkcisk back in!
Both men are down, and now Naito and Taguchi himself are there. The fans rally, hot tags to Naito and Taguchi! Taguchi rallies with hip attacks all over the place. He hits Naito again and again, then whips to ropes. Naito reverses but Taguchi does it back, into the drop toehold and ankle lock! Kushida comes in, Bushi sunset flips but Kushida gets him into the Hoverboard! Sanada runs in, Tanahashi dropkicks him down for the Texas Cloverleaf! Three submissions side by side but Hiromu breaks them all!
Lee takes Hiromu out, and whips him to barriers! Taguchi and Naito keep fighting, Taguchi goes for a hip attack but Naito dodges. Naito enziguris, runs, but Taguchi rolls to the ankle lock again! He keeps Naito from ropes, but Sanada come sin for the dragon sleeper. Tanahashi runs, Slingblade! Bushi code breaker, but then Kushida the fast ball! Hiromu lariats, Lee bicycle boots, then runs, but overhead suplex into the buckles! Naito atomic drop, SUPERKICK to jackknife, TWO. Naito calls for it, hits Destino! Cover, LIJ wins!
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon (Naito pins)
LIJ were tranquilo the entire time, and come out the victors. With such charismatic and chaotic unity, will the Ungovernable rule over all of NJPW in the near future?
Rey Mysterio is here!
Though he’s injured, the King of Lucha still appears for the match he wanted with another living legend in Junior Heavyweight wrestling. And he told himself that he’d come out to apologize, because it’s unfortunate that he tore his bicep. The match meant for him and Liger won’t happen, but that doesn’t mean it’ll never happen. Mysterio respects Liger too much for it not to. He promises to check this off his bucket list, so as soon as he can, he’ll return and wrestle for NJPW. The fans like the sound of that, and Mysterio gives a “Booyaka from the 619 to the 562!”
Jyushin Thunder Liger VS Will Ospreay!
Injuries or not, the show must go on. Liger may not get the King of Lucha, but he will get the Aerial Assassin of the UK. Can the current IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion best one of the best in Jr. Heavyweight wrestling ever?
The bell rings and they furious tie up. Liger gets the wristlock, then the takedown, and puts Ospreay in a seated surfboard! He rocks back and gets Ospreay up for the chinlock variant! Ospreay endures, Liger lets go, and prepares the surfboard proper. Liger hoists Opsreay up for the full Mexican Surfboard! Ospreay pops out of it again, but Liger chops away on him. Liger wrenches the arm then whips corner to corner, but Ospreay jumps up and over. Ospreay uppercuts, then runs corner to corner for the hesitation dropkick! Ospreay stalks Liger, then drags him up for another EuroUpper. The fans rally while Ospreay knocks Liger down, and Ospreay turns Liger around for a hammerlock and recliner! Liger gets the ropebreak, so Ospreay lets him go.
Ospreay drags Liger up while the fans sing for him, and puts Liger in a chinlock. Liger endures, stands up and fights out. Ospreay kicks back then whips but Liger reverses. Liger dodges the handspring and hits Ospreay with a backbreaker. Then from the apron, a cannonball flattens Ospreay down! The fans fire up as Liger drags Ospreay up. They go around the railing to the entrance way, brainbuster from Liger to Ospreay! Liger returns to the ring and leaves Ospreay out there, to then pose and embrace the cheers. Ospreay is okay to compete, somehow, but is at the mercy of the 20 count. The count gets to 10 before Ospreay stirs. Ospreay hears the count hit 15, but crawls. At 19, he full sprints to beat the count at 19.5!
Liger is on Ospreay with a BIG corner Shotei, then the Liger Bomb! Cover, TWO, but Liger keeps his cool. He drags Ospreay back up and puts him on the top rope. Liger climbs up, and “OSU”, SUPER Steiner, that Ospreay lands on his feet! His legs jam, yet he still hits a handspring PELE! Liger rolls out, Ospreay hobbles but still builds speed, to FLY! The Sasuke Special hits, but Ospreay takes a moment to recover his breath and the feeling in his leg. He hops over to Liger to put him back in the ring at 7. Ospreay takes aim from a corner, the fans build to a rally, and he springboards for the clothesline! Then standing shooting star, TWO!
Ospreay keeps his cool, and drags Liger up in the dragon sleeper. Liger slips around but Ospreay gets around for the dropkick. Liger’s on the ropes, and maybe… Ospreay calls for it, runs, and 619- No, Liger ducks it! He kicks low and counters the flip kick with the rolling kick. Liger runs, into Spanish Fly! Cover, TWO! Ospreay takes aim at Liger from a corner while the fans build to a rally. Robinson Special spinning kick! He isn’t done there, he springboards, OsCutter blocked to another brainbuster! Cover, TWO! Liger won’t slow down, he says it’s over. He drags Ospreay up onto the top rope, then climbs up with him. Liger positions this, for a SUPER BRAINBUSTER!
Ospreay is dazed but Liger can’t make the cover right away. Liger crawls over, ropebreak! It’s all Ospreay could do to survive, but Liger keeps calm.
Liger stands up and calls for it, but Ospreay ducks the Shotei. Hook kick, but SHOTEI on the run! High stack cover, TWO!! And Liger can’t believe it. He just fires up and calls for another. Ospreay counters into a POWERBOMB! TWO!! Ospreay keeps going, buzzsaw to mule kick to OSCUTTER! Cover, Ospreay wins!
Winner: Will Ospreay
The champion proves he’s better than even a legend! He has the respect of Liger, as well as Mysterio. Can the Aerial Assassin carry the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Division to even higher heights?
Ospreay speaks.
“Junior Heavyweight wrestling at its best, folks.” Ospreay hopes that when he’s 53, he can still wrestle like Liger. For everything the past, present and future Liger has done, Ospreay cannot thank him enough. The fans agree as they chant “Liger! Liger!” Ospreay knows that he wants to carve out his own legacy. To do that, Ospreay must go through legends. He looks right at Mysterio. Fans can boo, fans can cheer, but Ospreay is no replacement! He is THE Jr. Heavyweight Champion, and “consistently for six years”, he’s been putting on “the damn best wrestling matches” possible! Ospreay will put the title on a new level, so he wants OSPREAY VS MYSTERIO!! And so do the fans! Once Mysterio is healed, let’s do this.
But then Scurll attacks! The Villain smacks his familiar foe, but then Mysterio gets in the ring. Scurll snatches the mask! And puts it on to mock both him, Ospreay, and every fan watching.
Scurll stomps Mysterio but Liger runs him off. The Villain sent his own message to the champion and the legends, when will Scurll get his taste of the title? Mysterio shakes Liger’s hand, and then Ospreay’s. When will these two different yet both equally amazing matches happen?
Chaos’ Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii VS Suzuki-Gun’s Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr!
The IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the Stone Pitbull take on Undisputed British Tag Team Champions, as well as the IWGP Intercontinental Champion and 2018 New Japan Cup winner. It is such a star-studded match, will Chaos make it rain? Or will Suzuki and ZSJ make them feel the pain?
After all the belts are put away, ZSJ talks it out with Suzuki and will start against Okada. The bell rings, the two circle but fans are on Okada’s side. ZSJ backs him up and gets the waistlock, but Okada reverses. ZSJ slips away and fans applaud. They tie up again, ZSJ gest around again to a roll and float over to put Okada in a modified headscissors. Okada pops out but ZSJ is ready, and they separate. ZSJ teases Okada as he backs up to a corner.
They circle again, ZSJ gets the hands and bends Okada’s arms back. He digs a fist and elbow into the spine then stands Okada up. Okada tries to power through but ZSJ keeps control of the arms and shoulders. Okada tries again and gets the reverseal! He bends and wrenches ZSJ now, but ZSJ works to turn it back around. No go, Okada wrenches deeper.
ZSJ gives it another go, but Okada turns it all the way through, so ZSJ flisp and kicks. Okada swings him out, ZSJ barely avoids The Rainmaker itself. ZSJ backs to a corner, and Minoru calls him over. Minoru tags in, Ishii tags in. The two toughest men get in each other’s face, then throw forearms! They dare each other to hit harder, and they do! Back and forth they go, neither man backing down. Forearm after forearm, but Suzuki finally gets an edge. He whips but Ishii dodges to run him over! Suzuki boots him away then catches him in the ropes for the hanging armbar! ZSJ gets a cheap shot on Okada, and then Suzuki drags Ishii out. ZSJ flips everyone off as he puts Okada in an abdominal stretch while Suzuki puts Ishii into barriers.
The referee tries to get control but no go, Suzuki has a chair and SMACKS Ishii with it. Suzuki keeps going, putting Ishii into the crowd. He pursues and they fight among the fans. ZSJ EuroUppers Okada on the other end, and laces Okada’s arm through the railings. ZSJ kicks the railing to jam Okada’s arm, then Suzuki comes over to add on a chop. The 20 count is at 10 before Ishii and Suzuki return to the ring, but they keep going. Ishii chops and chops but Suzuki doesn’t seem bothered by them at all. Suzuki laughs and encourages him to chop more, then chops Ishii right back! ZSJ holds Ishii by the nose as Suzuki mugs him.
Tag to ZSJ, and he brings Ishii to a Fujiwara armbar. Okada comes in but that allows Suzuki to get an Ankle lock! Then they switch around! They both Fujiwara and crossface Ishii!
Suzuki gets away without a trace, and ZSJ stands on Ishii’s legs and knees in a figure four.
The fans duel, ZSJ tags to Suzuki. Suzuki mugs Ishii, then snapmares to boot Okada! He returns to Ishii and puts him in a kneebar! Ishii flails as Suzuki heel-hooks it, but manages the ropebreak. Suzuki lets go at 4, then goes at Ishii more. Ishii eggs him on, so Suzuki stomps him out for it. Suzuki slaps Ishii over and over, Ishii slaps back. Suzuki headbutts Ishii then tags ZSJ. ZSJ takes his time as he toys with Ishii’s bad leg. Ishii endures the toying kicks, then fires up. ZSJ kicks harder but Ishii is sturdier than that! He catches a kick, waistlock but ZSJ elbows out. He tries a drop toehold but Ishii deadlifts for the German Suplex!
Okada is back, Ishii tags him in! Okada rallies, even booting Suzuki down for good measure. He runs ZSJ over, then whips him corner to corner. Okada back elbows then DDT’s ZSJ, covers, TWO! He brings ZSJ up, but ZSJ slips out for the front choke. Okada elbows, ZSJ EuroUppers. ZSJ runs in, but Okada catches him, reverse neckbreaker becomes an Octopus! ZSJ brings Okada to the floor, Suzuki intercepts Ishii. Okada gets a ropebreak so ZSJ lets go. ZSJ brings Okada up for the full nelson but Okada slips out. ZSJ slips back around, back to the Octopus. Suzuki keeps Ishii out of the ring, but Okada breaks out into the Tombstone, only for ZSJ to slip to the Hoverboard! He brings Okada to the mat for a Coil Lock and stretches that other arm! Ishii busts in to break the hold!
Suzuki hits Ishii again, then returns to his corner. Fans rally while ZSJ stalks Okada. He stomps Okada, drags him up, and hits him with another EuroUpper. ZSJ toys with Okada more, but Okada hits him with a forearm. ZSJ hits another EuroUpper, and fans duel as the two brawl. Okada forearms, ZSJ EuroUppers, ZSJ runs but Okada hip tosses! Okada cobra clutch but ZSJ breaks out for another EuroUpper. He tries another EuroUpper but Okada backslides it to the Rain- No, ZSJ blocks to kick to the arm! Tag to Suzuki, and now Suzuki goes after the arm. He kicks it, and brings Okada to Sleeper, piledriver, but Okada reverses into the reverse neckbreaker! Both men are down but the fans are applauding, hot tag to Ishii.
Ishii goes after Suzuki with chops, forearms and back to chops. He doesn’t stop, but Suzuki dares him to hit harder. Ishii does, then whips Suzuki corner to corner, but Suzuki botos him back. They brawl again, ferocious as bfore, and the fans love it. Ishii dares Suzuki to keep hitting him, so Suzuki winds up for a stiff one! Somehow Ishii shakes it off, and gives one back. Suzuki stays standing somehow, to load up and hit another. Ishii staggers, is he out? No, he shakes it off again, and the fans fire up! Ishii winds up to hit Suzuki, who staggers back but stays standing. Suzuki puts some stank on this next one, and Ishii staggers again.
Suzuki keeps going, not giving Ishii his turn. He then runs, but into Ishii’s shot. Suzuki resists the suplex, then guillotines, but Ishii suplexes him! The two get up, speed up, Suzuki the sleeper but Ishii breaks out, to run into the kitchen sink! Tag to ZSJ, ZSJ clocks Okada, and then takes his time with Ishii. He drags Ishii up, corner to corner wip, then runs in for teh EuroUpper. Suzuki adds his boot, then snapmare for the double Penalty Kick. Cover, but Okada breaks it! Suzuki throws Okada out, then follows to clobber the champ. ZSJ stalks Ishii, waiting for him to stand. The Penalty Kick is caught, HEADBUTT! Ishii still has life as he powerbombs ZSJ! TWO, and Okada fights off Suzuki on the outside.
ZSJ goes after Ishii with another guillotine, and Ishii fades. He powers out, Okada is there to feed ZSJ to a forearm. Okada dropkicks ZSJ, then dropkicks him again, and Ishii adds the lariat. Suzuki barrels in to break the cover just in time. Okada throws Suzuki out but Suzuki drags him out, too. ZSJ EuroUppers Ishii but Ishii swats that kick away. Ishii runs, but ZSJ grabs him into the Octopus! The takedown to the cross armbreaker, and Okada is too busy with Suzuki’s sleeper! ZSJ shifts around to a modified ankle lock while Suzuki kneebars Okada. Ishii reaches but ZSJ grabs that free arm. Napalm Death is in! Ishii quits, Suzuki-Gun wins!
Winners: Suzuki-Gun (Suzuki & Sabre Jr, Sabre with the submission)
But the torture doesn’t end here! ZSJ puts Okada in the Octopus! He doesn’t care about ringing bells or respect, he just wants to make the IWGP Heavyweight Champion suffer. Then Suzuki goes after the referee, they wristlock and ankle lock for Double Hell!
The Meanest Man in the World and his young protege show no mercy to anyone. Will either man show remorse as they take on Chaos’ Rainmaker and Pitbull in 1v1 action?
Special Announcement:
July 7th, 2018, NJPW WILL return to the United States! The G1 Special’s second year will hit the Cow Palace, in Fighting Spirit Unleashed!
IWGP United States Championship: Jay White VS Hangman Page!
The Switchblade is only the second man ever to hold NJPW’s newest title. And he did it by playing a long game against the Cleaner: he got Omega’s attention as a prospective Club member; then betrayed him upon the offer. Omega may have underestimated White while seeking revenge, because somehow, someway, White won in the end.
However, the Problem Solver wouldn’t let anyone ignore his win streak, and got in White’s face. Page wants that title more than anyone has wanted anything in their life, and now fights to prove himself a star in his own right. Which man will survive when they bring a Switchblade to a gun fight?
The belt is shown, Red Shoes does the weapon check. Both men are clear, and we begin. White taunts Page with a handshake, and this sparks a brawl. White gets chops, Page swings but misses, takes another chop. Page puts White in a corner but Whtie still chosp him. White chops again, Page’s chest is already red. Page revesres the whip but White runs him over. White runs but Page dodges, but whti dodges back, Page boots him down. Page rains down rights, then tells Red Shoes to shut up. Red Shoes won’t be intimidated, so Page suplexes Whiet down. Cover, ONE, but Page keeps his cool. He drags White up but White fights back. Page knees low, runs, but into White’s dropkick. White drags Page up, back suplex back, cover, ONE.
White keeps on Page, going for a leg lock. He puts Page in the Deathlock, then tucks it in, for the Muda Lock! Page endures, and even powers up, but White brings him back down. The fans rally, Page powers up but White rakes the nose and eyes. Page still crawls free of the arms and clubs White away to get the ropebreak. The hold is undone and Page slips out, but White follows to chop him again. White chops Page against the barriers, then follows him around the corner. Page kicks and clubs back to finally give White a chop of his own. Now Page stalks White, but White kicks and chops again. They go back in the ring, White dumps Page to the apron and punches him. Page side steps and knees White, then turns him around for the hotshot neckbreaker to the apron!
White tumbles to the floor, Page drags him up, to throw him into railing! Page grinds a foot into White’s head, but Red Shoes insists they go back into the ring. Page lifts White up, fireman’s carry to long dart White at a post! White goes down in a heap, and Page takes a moment to catch his breath before entering the ring. No Champion’s Advantage on the 20 count, but Page doesn’t want it that easy, either. He puts White in the ring, then kicks him while he’s down. Page pumphandles White up in a deadlift Fall Away bridge! TWO, and Page grows frustrated. The fans rally for Hangman, but White hits back. White EuroUppers then forearms, but Page hits back. Page whips White but White reverses. White jumps but Page catches him into a fireman’s carry and flipping backbreaker! Cover, TWO, and the frustration continues.
Fans rally while Page stalks White. He toys with the champ, wanting White to show him something. White stands up and forearms Page, then chops. Page kicks back, then suplexes White up. White slips out and waistlocks, Page fights him, but White still saido suplexes Page down! The fans rally again while both men stir and stand up. White stalks Page, chops him sharply and again. A third chop, then White whips. Page reverses, White dodges then jumps up to knock Page over with a back elbow. White drags Page up, half-hatch and roll through for another. Another roll through, but Page blocks the third as he backs White to a corner. White pushes out, then throws Page into buckles. He runs back in for a EuroUpper, then suplexes Page into the buckles. Cover, TWO!
White keeps his cool as he stands up and stalks Page. He drags Page up, Fisherman but Page resists. White chops Page, then goes for it again, but Page counters to the small package, TWO! They both clothesline and collide, then stagger. Page swings but White Half ‘n’ Half but Page lands on his feet. Page runs, but into the Complete Shot, followed by the deadlift German Suplex! Bridge, TWO, but White is perhaps too tired to be frustrated. He lifts Page again, but Page slips out, so another chop it is. White whips but Page holds ropes. He chops Page again, then whips but Page reverses to a fireman’s, to hang White up, hanging DDT!
The fans rally again as both men slowly stir. Page slips to the outside, and takes aim from the apron. He punches White away, but not far enough so he hits him again. White staggers, Page wants to slingshot but still has to clobber White. Page hits him again to send him back, then slingshots, into a forearm from White! White brings Page through the ropes for yet another chop, and another EuroUpper. Another chop, and another chop, and Page’s chest is very red. One more chop, and Page falls to the apron.
White goes out to join him, then drags him up, preparing his finisher from up there. Page resists with all his might, fighting White off. Both men sway, Page swings but into the apron Compete Shot! White has the cameras move back as he gets back up, deadlift snap German suplex to the apron!
Fans lose their minds over it while Page slumps to the floor.
White shows no remorse as he drags Page back up and into the ring. He drags Page up backwards onto the top rope. White climbs up, prepares a waistlock, but Page holds on for dear life. White clubs away, but Page won’t let go. Page fights White off, then turns around. They brawl on the top rope with haymakers, then chops. Page eggs White on, and White responds. Page gets the edge with elbows to White’s head. He stands up on the top rope, SUPER SWINGING NECKBREAKER!!
Both men are down from that impact, but Page crawls to a cover, TWO! White slowly stirs, but Page is already staring him down. They brawl on their knees, and White even laughs. The brawl continues as the two make it to their feet. They fire up and fire off faster forearms. Page gets the edge, but White gets another chop. White runs but into a forearm. Page tries to bulldog but White back suplexes Page up and out of the ring! White keeps going, he saido suplexes Page to the floor! White touches his title before dragging Page back up and into the ring. He stalks Page while the fans rally. White drags Page up, for another saido suplex! Page stands up, and fights against another attempt, but White still saido suplexes. White calls for the end, brings him up but Page slips out. Page tilt-o-whirls to the powerbomb!
Page drags White up with the fans rallying. He lifts White, for the PILEDRIVER! Cover, TWO, and Page seems at a loss. He goes to a corner, and climbs up top… MOONSAULT but lands on his feet as White evades. Page goes to the apron, Shooting Star Press tackles White down! Page climbs up again, the fans rallying, SUPER MOONSAULT!! He wipes White out again, then puts him back in the ring. Page takes off the elbow pad, takes aim from the apron, slingshot for the Buck Shot! TWO! Page can’t believe it, but the fans love it as they duel for both men.
Hangman stands up and brings White up in position. White resists, clubs Page but Page tries a gain. Sunset flip, high stack, TWO. White body shots and strike fest, Half Nelson suplex! He keeps going, wanting the fisherman. He gets Page up, Kiwi Crusher! TWO! It was just enough, but WHite won’t let that slow him down. He brings Page up, Page SPITS in White’s face. White turns around, into a SUPERKICK! Then the roaring elbow! RITE OF- No, BLADE RUNNER!! Cover, White wins!
Winner: Jay White (retains IWGP United States Championship)
The Switchblade is still the second-ever IWGP USC as he successfully defends his title. White celebrates, but not for long! He gets a SPEAR from David Finlay! The former tag team partner of White sarcastically presents the winner to the fans, but about that. Finlay told White they would never be done fighting, so White has one month. On April 24th, Finlay wants his match! The Son of the Man Who Loves to Fight wants a big title fight in Korakuen Hall, will he get one over on his former friend?
Golden☆Lovers VS The Young Bucks!
The #GoldenReunion at Honor Rising was a success, but Matt & Nick Jackson took offense to Kenny Omega’s claims. The REAL greatest tag team in wrestling today might be decided right here, in a true dream match! The Elite were friends, can they still be friends after this?
Matt keeps Nick back while the fans duel. The teams keep cool as Kota Ibushi and Matt start. Fans still chant for “The! Elite! The the Elite!” as Matt says, “I want Kenny!” Kota considers it as the fans chant for Kenny Omega, and the tag is made. Omega comes in and tries to talk with Matt, but Matt just smirks. Matt eggs Omega on, choose your other friend over him again. Matt sucker punches Kota, and fans boo while Matt tags out to Nick. Omega isn’t sure what to make of this, so he tags Kota in. Kota and Nick circle while the fans duel again. They tie up, Nick gets the headlock, but Koata powers out. Things speed up, Nick dodges the kicks and moonsault, and fans are fired up.
Kota and Nick circle again as fans chant “Ibushi! Ibushi!” They tie up, Nick goes to kick but Kota blocks, Nick blocks a kick but Kota hits the next two. Nick tags Matt, Matt gets kicked in that bad back! Matt slumps to the ground while Kota stomps and stomps, but Omega comes in to back Kota off? Omega is torn between friends, but Matt still shoves Omega down! Kota kicks Matt, so Nick comes in and kicks both Golden Lovers. Nick runs, but into double back elbows. The Golden Lovers go after Matt, double whip and double leap frog. Matt stops himself and throws Omega out. He kicks Kota, Nick comes in for a kick and facebuster, then neckbreaker backbreaker! Double hip toss and dropkicks for Omega, the fans fire up for The Bucks!
Matt wrecks Kota with a dropkick, then holds the ropes open, but Omega intercepts Nick to flapjack him onto Matt’s groin! Matt goes down with more than a sore back, and Nick ends up out there with him. Omega goes Terminator and the drums start up. He rises, builds speed, but Nick SUPERKICKS Omega mid-flight!
Omega crashes down, his feathers flying. The Bucks work together, to acrobatically somersault onto the Golden Lovers! Nick puts Kota in the ring while Matt checks under the ring. Nick leg drops on Kota, Matt keeps exploring. Matt finds a TABLE!
Matt makes Omega look at it, the stakes are raised because of The Cleaner. The Bucks dispute what to do, but Matt says it’ll be fine. Omega staggers while Nick keeps on Kota in a corner. Nick whips corner to corner hard, and Kota goes down. Nick brings Kota back up, whips him again, but Kota fights back. Kota tries to boot but Nick spins him around for the draping neckbreaker, and holds it for Matt to slingshot senton on! Nick bumps Kota off the buckle, then tags Matt. Matt whips Kota into the corner, but Kota dodges! Matt hits Nick, Kota kicks Matt in the back! Kota runs, hops up, then over to the other side to jump on Nick!
Fans cheer as Kota slowly enters the ring. He heads for his corner, but Matt grabs his foot. Kota forearms Matt, then keeps crawling, but Nick trips Omega off the apron! Matt drags Kota up again, and puts one out on him, to powerbomb lift. Buckle bomb kick combo! But Matt’s back slows him down again. Nick tells him to cover, he does, Omega breaks it.
Omega coaches Kota up, but Matt is upon him again. Fans rally as Kota kicks Matt away. Kota crawls, but Matt yanks him away. Matt runs, but into the dropkick! Both men are down, and crawl for their corners. Hot tag to Omega! Omega climbs up, and crossbodies on Matt! He rallies on Nick, then swings. Nick dodges and whips, but Omega reverses, only for Nick to reverse into a back elbow. Nick sees Kota coming and stops him with a kick. Matt comes in to alley-oop Nick for the headscissors. Omega hits Nick but Matt handsprings. Kota intercepts Nick with a missile dropkick, then kicks Matt in the back again! Omega enters and Golden Lovers target Nick. They double whip and leap frog, roundhouse to leap frog bulldog! Nick gets out of the ring, and the fans sense what’s coming. Golden Lovers go to corners, run and CROSS SLASH!
Matt stays up but Kota throws Matt to the floor mats. Omega goes over to help Kota and they pursue Matt in the ring. Fireman’s carry, rolling senton, shooting star and both moonsaults! Cover, TWO! Golden Lovers keep going, bringing Matt up to go after his back. Omega ax handles Matt down, then stomps him. Matt asks if that feels good for Kenny to do! Omega doesn’t respond, he just puts Matt in a corner. He whips corner to corner hard, and Nick is worried for his brother. Kota tags in and keeps on Matt’s bad back. Matt grits his teeth and spits in Kota’s face. Kota forearms Matt again and again, then brings him over to tag in Omega. Omega brings Matt up, running backbreaker! Matt screams in pain, and the time warning is given.
Omega brings Matt back, tags in Kota, and Kota snapmares to a chinlock. The fans still duel while Matt endures, and another rally begins. Matt stands up and fights back, then runs to trip Omega up. He shoulders into Kota, slips under, but Kota keeps him from getting to Nick. Kota whips, Matt slips out, but Omega has him with an apron back suplex! Kota drags Matt up, but Matt sips out of the back suplex. Hot tag to Nick!
Nick kicks and elbows on the Golden Lovers, then clotheslines Omega to bulldog-clothesline them both! The fans fire up as Nick puts Kota in a corner. Omega saves Kota and chops Nick. He whips but Nick reverses. Omega goes up and over, headscissors but Nick rolls through to backstabber Kota! Matt baits Omega and dumps him out, for Nick to DIVE! They keep going, Shining Wizard to Kota, assisted Sliced Bread and another Shining Wizard! Cover, TWO!
The Bucks are tired and sore but not frustrated just yet. Nick drags Kota around while fans rally. He climbs up, but Matt tags in. They get an idea, and Matt climbs up to join Nick. The Bucks aim but Kota goes after them both. He dumps Nick down then goes after Matt. Matt resists and fights back, but Omega comes over to help. The Golden Lovers DOUBLE SUPERPLEX!!
Everyone is down but stirring. The Golden Lovers decide on their next move, and drag Matt over to an open corner. Fans fire up as they sense what’s coming. The Golden Lovers climb up together, but Nick trips them up! Matt throws Kota down while Nick German Suplexes Omega to the apron!
Nick brings that table over, turning it into a bridge between ring and barriers. He bumps Omega off it, and Matt climbs up. Matt aims at Kota, but Nick wants him to hit Omega. The Bucks argue out who to hit but Kota springs up to Pele Matt! Matt teeters, Nick gets in and goes at Kota, and clotheslines himself out with Kota! Omega gets up, sees the table and sees Matt, Electric Chair, but Matt fights back furiously! Kota clubs Matt, and springboards up for a SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX!
Cover, TWO!! Somehow Matt survives, and Kota can’t believe it. But he signals to Omega to finish this. The fans declare “This is Awesome!” as the two drag Matt up. The Golden Lovers want the Trigger but Nick drags Omega out. Omega puts Nick into the barriers, and Kota brawls with Matt.
They go back and forth, then Kota unleashes a strike fest. SUPERKICK from Matt! But he runs into a V-Trigger! Kota’s lariat adds on, then lifts up, for the Last Ride sit-out! TWO!? Kota sits Matt up, V-Trigger again! Cover, Nick breaks it! Omega throws Nick out, then tells Kota to go after Matt. Kota stands up and brings Matt up, kicking that bad back again. He keeps kicking, and Omega dumps Nick into the fans. Matt takes another kick and gets in Kota’s face, but Kota snapmares and kicks him more. Matt dodges a kick and gets knees up for the moonsault, then puts on the Sharpshooter! Kota endures but Omega is back, to haymaker Matt until he lets go. “C’mon, Kenny!!” Kenny gives Matt more, Nick SUPERKICKS outta nowhere! The Bucks stand up, Nick FLIES to take Omega out!
Matt goes back to Kota with the Sharpshooter. The fans cheer while Kota endures. Nick slingshots to facebuster, then cartwheels for the tornado DDT on Omega! Matt sinks the hold in deeper, and endures his own bad back as he bends Kota. But the back gives out, Kota is freed. The fans rally once more while Matt crawls to ropes. He’s on the far side from his brother. Matt walks over and tags Nick, they want to finish this. Nick climbs up while Matt brings Kota up. Matt gives haymakers, then fireman’s carry but the back limits him. Nick helps his brother, then hurries to dropkick Omega away again. Matt rolling senton, Nick 450, but the Matt drops the elbow on Omega through the table!!
Fans lose their minds all over again, but Matt grins because that was apparently worth it.
Nick checks on his brother in the wreckage, and helps him back in. Matt stands and brings Kota back up, to hold him up on the ropes. Nick climbs up again, for the draping 450! Cover, TWO!? Frustration sets in as the Bucks are at a loss for what to do. They stand up while the fans duel once again. Kota revives and fights back with haymakers and chops! He takes Nick’s kick, swings it but Matt avoids, and Nick sweeps Kota’s legs for a double SUPERKICK! Omega SUPERKICKS Nick, then goes after Matt. Matt boots him back but Omega shovels Matt onto his shoulders. Matt slips out, SUPERKICK from Nick, SUPERKICK from Matt! Kota DOUBLE Peles the Bucks! Everyone is down but the fans are thunderous! At this point, the fans hope they “Fight Forever!”
Omega and Matt somehow stand, and they brawl. They go back and forth, haymaker for haymaker, no signs of slowing. Omega Snap Dragon Suplexes Matt, but Matt is up to PILEDRIVER Omega! Matt stands up first and takes off that weight belt, to SMACK Omega with it! SMACK, then SMACK for Kota. Red Shoes tries but fails to stop Matt. Matt swings, Omega ducks and hits him in the back again. Omega takes that belt in his own hand, and throws it away. He V-Triggers Matt point blank, then again. Omega double guns, but Matt SPEARS! Matt drags Omega up and Nick is there. Matt can’t lift Omega, that bad back is stopping him. Nick kicks Kota away and helps Matt get Omega for the Tombstone, but Kota anchors Nick, to then LAST RIDE THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE DESK!!
Omge reverses the tombstone, Kota flies in for the GOLDEN Indietaker! TWO!? But how?! Omega drags Matt up, Electric Chair and then roundhouse! They’re not done, gut wrench sit-out! TWO, and the Golden Lovers are further shocked. Omega loads up, and though he doesn’t want to, he drags Matt up again. SUPERKICK from Matt! Kota saves Omega and kicks Matt down. Kota says to do it, so “BANG!” V-Trigger!
That won’t be all, he lifts Matt up, but hesitates. Matt shouts for him to do it! ONE WINGED ANGEL!
Cover, Nick breaks it! The fans chant for “New Japan! New Japan!” because this match is that good.
All four men slowly stir, and Nick asks Omega, “What’s your problem?” Nick swears it isn’t over, and begs his brother to get up with him. Kota stands up and tells Omega to finish this. Nick fights them off to protect Matt, haymakers and chops back and forth. He focuses on Kota, but Omega V-Triggers to Kota’s German Suplex! Omega lowers his knee pad as he and Kota drag Matt up. The Golden Lovers take aim, Golden Trigger!
Double cover, The Golden Lovers win!
Winners: The Golden Lovers (Omega & Ibushi)
The victory is theirs, but Omega knows it was at great cost. Whether or not Matt ever recovers, the friendship of The Elite may never come back. And all that aside, will this win lead the Golden Lovers to ascend to the very top of tag team wrestling the world over?
But wait, Cody reappears?
He seems upset with Matt and Nick! Cody seems to be saying something about them having one job to do. Nick tries to back Cody off of Matt, but Cody shoves him down! Matt comes to his brother’s aid, but Cody gets angry. Omega and Kota return to run Cody off! Fans boo the American Nightmare out of the arena, and then Omega turns back to the Bucks. And he offers them a hand. Nick takes it, and then they hug! Omega also goes over to Matt, and offers that same hand. Matt doesn’t accept it. Matt exits the ring, and insists Nick follow. The Bucks leave together, the fractures in Bullet Club still too fresh for healing.
Omega takes a mic, and speaks. “Y’know, sometimes it’s a sad world we live in, where friends have to go to war with one another.” Wars have casualties. This isn’t the usual Kenny Omega. He wishes he could be happy, but there is a silver lining. That is that the Golden Lovers are still back, and here to stay. And before you know it, NJPW will come back to “a backyard near each and every one of you.” Omega assures us, whether NJPW likes it or not, the Golden Lovers will be in a featured match up, because they love to party with the fans. Omega wishes the Bullet Club’s issues could be solved sooner rather than later, but people like Cody only know how to talk. In the end, Omega will beat the “ever-living poop” out of him.
“And if you liked today’s match up, we have no choice but to up the ante” for the Cow Palace! “And so with that”, the banged up Omega and Ibushi wish us ado. “Good bye and good night, BANG!” If this is only the beginning, how monumental will the next NJPW event in America be?!
My Thoughts:
Hot damn was this a good night of wrestling. Leaving commercials out during matches was a smart move, no sense in breaking up the action with ads and no one misses any action, live audience or at home watching. The matches were all top quality, and some were perhaps even perfect given the stories. Great crossover in RPG3K VS SCU, and while Sho & Yo want the regular tag titles back, this win could also position RPG3K for trios titles in both ROH and NJPW. Robinson & Finlay winning is great for both of them, but we both know now that Finlay also wants singles gold against Jay White. Naturally KES defeat Yano & Chuckie T, mostly because they’re just that big and mean and on a roll. If they’re calling out Chaos’ Briscoes, that will be a great match for the aggression alone.
Cody continues to be a brilliant Heel in the story of “Bullet Club is (Not) Fine”, and it just gets better the more members of Bullet Club are brought into it. Naturally he fails to recruit the Guerillas to his side, they’re likely to be on their own side if it came to it. Cody still wins, though, to keep himself strong ahead of his ROH Supercard of Honor match with Omega to settle the first phase of this massive story. There was so much history in the Taguchi VS LIJ match, it really showcases the partnerships of NJPW, ROH & CMLL. As I said for Honor Rising, LIJ is growing into the faction to watch.
Ospreay VS Liger was great for being a true impromptu match, and NJPW even brilliantly weaves it into Ospreay’s own mission. Ospreay VS Mysterio, Mysterio VS Liger, Ospreay VS Scurll Nth time around, all are going to be great matches to elevate the Jr. Heavyweight title as well as Ospreay himself. Suzuki & ZSJ were brutal to Okada & Ishii, that match perfectly sets up the two separate singles title feuds. ZSJ’s new attitude is so great to make him the Heel against Okada, and Suzuki VS Ishii will truly be an example of iron sharpens iron. And speaking of, wow did Page VS White do the same. Those two will help push NJPW & ROH forward, and then Finlay going after White will also bring up the US title. Page still has his place in the Bullet Club story, so he’ll be fine even in losing.
Golden Lovers VS Young Bucks just raised the bar on any and every kind of match any and all companies put on for big events from this point forward. The Bullet Club story is compounded with the tag team superiority aspect, and it just kept going like they really were going to #FightForever. Matt’s bad back on top of the conflict in Omega’s heart really gave this match a unique story, but Golden Lovers win because their reunion can’t be weakened just yet. Plus, Cody shows up to add on another helping of the Bullet Club story. The uncertainty is so great for everyone involved, especially the fans. I can’t wait to see how they top all of this, if that’s even possible.
My Score: 9/10
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Could this be the biggEST and strongEST SmackDown of the year?
SmackDown in Knoxville sees the returns of Bianca Belair, Cody Rhodes and John Cena, along with some final Money in the Bank qualifiers!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifier Triple Threat: Jade Cargill VS Naomi VS Nia Jax; Naomi wins and advances to Money in the Bank.
- R-Truth VS JC Mateo w/ Solo Sikoa; Mateo wins.
- Rey Fenix & Je’Von Evans VS Los Garza w/ Santos Escobar; Los Garza win.
- Zelina Vega VS Alba Fyre w/ The Green Administration; Zelina wins.
- Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifier Triple Threat: Carmelo Hayes VS Andrade VS Jacob Fatu; Andrade wins and advances to Money in the Bank.
PLAY BY PLAY
Bianca Belair is here!
Knoxville fires up for their strongEST, fastEST, quickEST, toughEST, roughEST, and greatEST hometown hero as she struts out to the ring. Bianca high-fives and hugs fans along the ramp, as well as mom and dad at ringside. Bianca then grabs a mic to say, “Man, it feels good to be in Knoxville!” The fans cheer and chant for “EST! EST!” Bianca says she loves them so much. And she couldn’t come out here without singing Rocky Top! Y’all ready? The fans cheer, and the music plays! Bianca conducts the fans as they sing for the University of Tennessee. In fact, the Lady Vols softball team is playing in the Super Regionals right now!
Bianca smiles and says this city is so special to her. Not just because it is her hometown, but because it is her safe space. She has her love and support from mom ‘n’ dad, and has all the fans who show up and show out for her. With everything Bianca’s been going through, losing at Mania, getting injured, losing tag titles and friends along the way, she just wanted to come back home to her safe space. The fans cheer, and Bianca says she came home to heal. While she’s not 100%, she is doing everything she can to get back to the ring and continue to show us why she is the EST of Tennessee and of WWE! The fans cheer that!
Bianca says with all that said, Knoxville, welcome to Friday Night SmackDown! But wait, she’s interrupted by Naomi! The fans boo but Naomi says, “Oh my gosh~! Finally! B, I am so glad you finally here on SmackDown!” Bianca says now is not the time, Naomi. Naomi asks Bianca to please hear her out. It has been way too long. Not a day has gone by when Naomi doesn’t think about what happened to them. What is there to talk about? What could Naomi say? What could she want from Bianca? The fans chant “YOU SUCK!” at Naomi, and Naomi says she just wants forgiveness. She is begging for it!
Naomi knows things go toff the rails, but she is here because she wants to fix it, she is trying to fix it, but she alone can’t fix it. Months have gone by, and Naomi has tried to communicate, to say the past can be the past and that they can move forward. Bianca has not responded back to Naomi once. Naomi even visited Bianca’s parent’s house! But no one would answer! WHAT?! Mom ‘n’ Dad don’t know about that, but Naomi says no one was home, so she let herself in! Naomi looked through the photo albums, the one right on the front coffee table. And in those photos, Bianca looked so happy. It reminded Naomi of how they were as tag team champions.
Bianca stops Naomi there. Naomi, Bianca will make this perfectly clear. They were best friends, but Naomi betrayed Bianca’s trust. Naomi took their friend, Jade, and threw her onto a car, then lied about it for months! Bianca said she was done with Naomi, she meant that, and if Naomi ever comes near her family again, what Naomi did to Jade will be nothing compared to what Bianca does to Naomi. The fans fire up for that! Naomi gets emotional, but then she gets mad. “Y’know, Bianca, it wouldn’t be good for you and your mama to be in a wheelchair.” The fans boo as Naomi laughs maniacally. Naomi says she’d hate if something happened to Bianca here and now!
Naomi storms up on Bianca, but then JADE makes her way out here! Naomi is even angrier now, but this Storm starts throwing hands! The fans fire up as Jade BOOTS Naomi down! Bianca and Jade look to each other, neither really saying or doing anything. Naomi runs up but Jade TOSSES her out! Jade and Bianca look to each other again, but then here comes NIA! The Irresistible Force won’t be left out of this, especially when this is the Women’s Triple Threat Qualifier for the night! This match now opens the night, who earns SmackDown’s final golden ticket to the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match?
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifier Triple Threat: Jade Cargill VS Naomi VS Nia Jax!
SmackDown returns, this match is already going, and Naomi POSTS Nia! Naomi stalks Jade, rains down forearms, and the fans boo. Naomi stomps to BITE Jade’s hand! Jade still fights back, so Naomi has the arms to STOMP Jade down! Naomi flexes, the fans boo, and Naomi puts Jade in a corer. Naomi runs to DROPKICK Jade in the corner! Naomi SLAPS Jade, drags her into the drop zone, then goes up, up, and twerks! HIP DROP! Naomi covers, ROPEBREAK! Naomi is annoyed but she sits Jade up to stomp a mudhole in. But Nia runs up! Naomi dodges, the HIP ATTACK hits Jade! Naomi goes to the apron to ROUNDHOUES Nia!
Naomi reels Nia in for a HEATSEEKER! Nia flops to the floor, the fans rally for Jade, but Naomi kicks her around. Naomi goes up the corner, leaps, but Jade catches her! Jade FALL AWAY SLAMS Naomi, then kips up! Knoxville fires up with Jade and she runs up to LARIAT! And ELBOW! And SCRAPBUSTER! Cover, Nia breaks it! The fans boo but Nai huffs ‘n’ puffs and drags Naomi up. Nia whips Naomi, pops her up and HEADBUTTS her down! Then she SAMOAN DROPS Naomi! Nia soaks up heat, then lines the two up. Naomi grabs at Nia’s leg but Nia CLUBS her down! Nia stomps Jade for good measure, then drops a leg, brother!
Nia TOSSES Jade out, then goes up the corner. Nia SUPER LEG DROPS on Naomi!! Cover, TWO!!! Naomi survives and Nia is shocked! The fans rally while Nia stalks Naomi. Naomi clings to ropes as Nia pulls at her arm. Nia CLUBS Naomi, whips her to ropes, then SAMOAN DROP- NO, Naomi makes it a CRUCIFIX DRIVER! Ghost pin, TWO!! Nia survives the sudden turnaround, Naomi sees Jade crawling in, and Naomi goes after her as SmackDown goes picture in picture.
Naomi KICKS Nia while she’s down, then kicks her more. Naomi puts Nia in a corner, CHOKES her on the ropes, then clamps on with a SLEEPER! Nia THROWS Naomi away, then TOSSES her out. Nia soaks up heat, but Jade runs in and rolls Nia up! TWO! Nia stands, and she HEADBUTTS Jade down! Nia looms over Jade, drags her up, but Jade fires forearms! Jade backs Nia down, then runs, and she CLOBBERS Nia outta the ring! Jade fires up and has the fans with her. Jade drags Naomi up from the apron but Naomi fires hands. Nia is back to HIP ATTACK Jade against the POST! Nia soaks up more heat, then taunts Naomi.
Naomi stands on the apron, argues with Nia, but they apparently agree to mug Jade for both their benefit. They put Jade in the corner, Naomi digs her boot in, and then Nia sends Naomi in for a SPALSH! Nia adds a SPLASH of her own! Naomi snapmares Jade, runs, and SLIDING LARIATS! Jade sputters and Nia taunts her. Nia and Naomi soak up the heat together, but Jade fights back! Nia HEADBUTTS Jade down! Nia drags Jade up, and Naomi KICKS Jade low! They soak up more heat, talk trash on Jade, and SmackDown returns to single picture. Nia scoops and SIDEWALK SLAMS! Naomi runs to SPLIT LEG DROP! Cover, but Nia drags Naomi away!
Nia and Naomi argue again, and then Naomi rolls Nia up! ONE, and Nia grabs Naomi to shove her to a corner! Nia SPLASHES, then pushes Naomi down. Nia runs to SENTON! Nia grins while Naomi sputters and the fans rally up. Jade rises to fire forearms on Nia! Then she ELBOWS Naomi in a corner! She ELBOWS Nia, but then Nia follows Jade! Jade dodges so Nia SPLASHES Naomi! Jade then SUPERKICKS! Nia wobbles, Jade SUPERKICKS again! And SPINEBUSTERS! But Naomi METEORAS! Cover, TWO! Jade survives and the fans rally up. Naomi goes up, SPLIT- LEG MOONSAULT on Nia! But Jade has Naomi in the chicken wings!
Jade brings Naomi around, JADED!! Cover, Nia CLOBBERS them both! The fans rally while all three women are down! Nia climbs a corner, Jade is after her with forearms! Naomi joins in, drags Jade back, but now they trade shots! Nia DOUBLE CROSSBODIES! Cover on Jade, TWO! Cover on Naomi, TWO! Nia grows frustrated but the fans rally up again. Nia drag Naomi up, fireman’s carries, and she climbs the corner! The fans already anticipate what’s coming, SUPER SAMOAN DROP!! Cover, JADE FROG SPLASHES IN!! Cover, TWO!!! The fans fire up while all three women are down again! “This is Awesome!”
Jade rises, she clamps onto Nia, but Nia HEADBUTTs her! And HEADBUTTS Naomi! Jade BOOTS Nia down! Cover, TWO! Jade runs up on Naomi but Naomi BOOTS her! Naoim goes up top but Jade is right on her! They fight for control, but then Nia joins in! TOWER OF DOOM!! Nia double stacks her opponents, for a A-NIA-LATOR!! Naomi avoids it, Jade takes it all! Naomi ghost pins Nia, AND WINS!!
Winner: Naomi, by pinfall (advances to Money in the Bank)
Nia did a lot of the damage, but it is Naomi who wins out! Will everyone in the Women’s MITB Ladder Match now have to #ProceedWithCaution?
Solo Sikoa’s crew arrives.
Solo says they will win Money in the Bank together! Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, whichever one wins MITB wins it fof the family! But then they hear R-Truth talking to… Lil’ Jimmy? Solo says Truth’s childhood hero beats him, and now he’s talking to ghosts. Truth taps Solo on the shoulder and asks if there’s something Solo wants to say. Solo says Truth is crazy touching him. JC Mateo steps up but Solo has him stand down. Truth says he wants to be honest. He’s never seen JC a day before in his life. Is this Solo’s son? He’s husky! Truth asks if he can teach Solo’s husky son a lesson in the ring. Solo says that sounds good to him.
Truth says he’ll go talk to Nick Aldis. “Boy, y’all big boneded!” Truth heads off, and Solo says don’t worry, they’ll take care of him. Let’s have fun. Fatu says keep it 100. They can have their fun, he’s got his own business to take care of. Yadada mean? The Imperial Unit against Truth, Samoan Werewolf in a qualifier, will everything go the family’s way?
Chelsea Green confronts Nick Aldis.
The Hot Mess hides behind a cardboard cutout of herself as she tells the SmackDown General Manager, “What happened on Saturday night was a deliberate-” Piper Niven has to direct Chelsea to point at Aldis, and Aldis says he can’t quite understand her from behind the cardboard mask. Piper holds the mask between Chelsea and camera, though we do get a glimpse of her fancy headgear. Chelsea repeats herself, but Aldis says she needs to be looking at him when they talk. Chelsea hides her face in shame, but she says it is still a deliberate hitjob put on by vicious Zelina Vega! Even her Secret Her-vice could not stop it!
Chelsea demands that Zelina be suspended, stripped of her title, and that Chelsea be reinstated as the champion! Chelsea, no need to be so ugly about this. Gasp! Aldis says what he means is, no suspensions, and we can talk a rematch down the road once Chelsea is medically cleared. Then he is doing nothing for what Zelina did to Chelsea?! Alba says if he won’t, then they will! Yeah, Zelina VS Alba! Tonight! Alba is a bit surprised, but Aldis says, “Chelsea knows best. Alba VS Zelina, I actually like the sound of that. I will make that official right now, if you do one thing for me. Please leave me alone.”
The Green Administration hurries away, but will Alba make sure Chelsea brand justice is served? Or will La Muneca just keep racking up the wins?
Backstage interview with Tiffany Stratton.
Byron Saxton is with the WWE Women’s Champion, and says that MITB is around the corner. Tiff successfully cashed in her own contract to become champion, but how is she handling the pressure of knowing the same thing could happen to her? Tiff says she can’t wait to see who wins MITB. Then she can handle the pressure by being prepared. Having this title makes her the top threat to the division, but let’s be fair. She’s always been the girl everyone has been obsessed with. So whoever wins, targeting her will be a big mistake. But then in steps Naomi.
Naomi says if Tiff thought Nia was a problem, then she ain’t seen nothing yet. Naomi vows to win MITB and cash in for Tiff’s title, wherever and whenever she wants. And in case Lil’ Miss Tiffy forgot, when Naomi was fighting for a championship, Tiff stayed in Naomi’s way. Wanna know what happens when people play with Naomi? Just ask Jade. Naomi heads out, and Alexa Bliss steps in. Alexa says she wouldn’t be so worried about Naomi. Be worried about Alexa. Alexa heads out now, Tiff clutches to the title a little bit tighter, who will be trying to run the clock out on Tiffy Time?
R-Truth VS JC Mateo w/ Solo Sikoa!
To Solo’s point, #RonCena could not make John Cena see the light at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and Truth might be relapsing if he’s talking to Lil’ Jimmy again. But will Truth relapse so far that we get the R-Truth that was once United States Champion? Or will a Tour of the Islands send Truth off the deep end?
SmackDown returns and JC makes his entrance, Solo backing him up. The bell rings and Truth runs up, only for JC to RAM him into a corner! JC RAMS Truth again and again, then lets off. JC whips corner to corner hard and Truth falls in a heap! JC whips corner to corner again just as hard, and Truth falls in a heap again. Solo talks trash but the fans rally behind Truth. JC runs up but Truth dodges! Truth SHOULDER TACKLES! JC stays up, so Truth runs and SHOULDER TACKLES! “What’s Up?” Truth runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, and SHOULDER TACKLES! Then he hits the SPIN OUT- CROSSBODY! JC then gets up to GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULT!
JC smirks as he looms over Truth, and Solo says to finish this off now. JC runs to SENTON but Truth moves! Truth calls for it! “YOU CAN’T SEE ME!” FIVE KNUCKLE SHUFFLE! Truth fireman’s carries JC, but JC is too much! Truth falls over again! Solo laughs, JC whips, TOUR OF THE ISLANDS!! Cover, JC wins!
Winner: JC Mateo, by pinfall
Truth tried to be like John Cena of old, but it just wasn’t meant to be. JC beats up on Truth more, then stands him up for Solo! But here comes BIG Jim! Jimmy has a chair, he runs JC off, but Solo stands his ground. Solo says his brother wouldn’t hit him with that chair, would he? Jimmy steps to Solo so Solo steps out, but that lets JC CLOBBER Jimmy! But then Solo has JC stand down! They’re family! Solo and JC leave, leaving Jimmy wondering what this is about. Will Jimmy make it clear to Solo that Jimmy’s not the one who has to come to his senses?
The Street Profits are here!
The WWE Tag Team Champions walk through the smoke to be on stage and the fans cheer. Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford hold up the titles, walk to the ring, then step inside. The fans cheer as they hold up the belts again, then the Profits grab the mics. Ford says, “Knoxville, Tennessee, oh I love everything about you, and what I have, too. But lemme rap to y’all real fast. This tag team division that we’re a part of, the greatest tag team division on any brand, any promotion… It’s on fire right now.” Dawkins says, “Talk to ’em.” Ford says, “But just like how the gorilla fears us, make no mistake about it, let’s not forget who’s leading the charge right now: The Street Profits.”
The fans cheer, and Dawkins says hey, they got all the teams coming at ’em! DIY, Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxiom, and now… The Wyatts?! The fans cheer that, and Ford says that’s sick. But what big bro is saying, it don’t matter who it is, the Profits will defend against anybody. Well hold on, here comes Fraxiom! Nathan Frazer & Axiom go to the ring to stand with the Profits, and they have mics. Frazer says alright, since the Profits are talking about defending the titles, well, Frazer & Axiom didn’t exactly get a fair shake. Ford says, “Fraxiom, is it?” He congratulates them for being on a roll, but up until the Wyatt Sick6 got in the Profits’ business…
Yeah, the Profits had them beat. Wow, oh, okay. Sure, maybe… But maybe not. Thanks to the Wyatts, we’ll never know. And now that those shenanigans are behind us, it is fair to say that Fraxiom and the Profits need to run it back! The fans like the sound of that! But wait, here come the Machine Guns! Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin have mics, and Shelley says okay, hold on, sorry to interrupt. Fraxiom’s entire basis for a rematch is that the Profits never beat them. Well, last time Shelley checked, the Profits never beat MCMG! So if they’re handing out title matches, MCMG will take one. But naturally, here comes DIY!
Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, and Candice LeRae have their own mics, and the Poison Pixie says no no no no. She is pretty sure “you losers” have had a million chances, and “the nerds” just got here. Whoa, hold on? Just got here? Sounds like Candice just got back, so she should do us a favor and shut up. Gargano says you shut up, idiot! The reason DIY brought in Gargano’s beautiful wife is to even the odds against all of what this is! Everyone can see there is a conspiracy in the tag team division to hold down the BTTITW! And now with the Wyatts showing up- Ciampa has Gargano ixnay on the amily-fay.
Do not talk about you know who, scratch that, let’s get to business. All these teams have all KILLED the tag division that DIY built! Matter of fact, let us hold a moment of silence for the death of the SmackDown Tag Division. Everyone, stand up, bow your heads, and give a moment of silence… now. OH NO! The lights go out! All the teams panic, because when the lights turn on, UNCLE HOWDY is on the corner! Howdy laughs, because the rest of the Wyatts flank the ring! Erick Rowan drags MCMG out to DOUBLE LARIAT! Dexter Lumis is up top to CANNONBALL onto the Profits and Gargano! Joe Gacy is in, and he handsprings to bring Fraxiom to the UPSIDE-DOWN!!
Lumis then runs, POWERBOMB SENTON COMBO on Axiom! Ciampa freaks out, turns around, and Nikki Cross is there! CROSSBODY onto Candice! The fans fire up, and Howdy has Frazer for SISTER ABIGAIL! “We’re here!!” It is just as the Profits said, and now it is clear. Will some killer combination of the Wyatts go right after the gold?
Rey Fenix & Je’Von Evans VS Los Garza w/ Santos Escobar!
Worlds Collide is just over a week away, and all four of these men will be involved. The Immortal Firebird and the Young OG are going after the NXT North American Championship in a Fatal 4 Way while Legado Del Fantasma will be taking on AAA’s Pagano, Psycho Clown y El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. Who will be heading for Los Angeles with all the momentum behind them?
Speaking of that North American Championship, the champion is here! Ethan Page joins commentary and says what a year for him, to be honest. Wade says that title has never looked better than on Ethan’s shoulder. Fenix makes his entrance now, followed by Je’Von’s. The teams sort out and Fenix starts against Angel. Angel and Fenix circle, the fans rally up, and the two tie up. Angel fires a forearm, Fenix fires back, repeat! Fenix gets the edge but Angel shoves then drops down. Fenix cartwheels over the dropdown, then comes back, ducks ‘n’ dodges, and RANAS! Angel tumbles, the fans fire up, and Fenix somersaults, but into a fireman’s carry!
Fenix slips free, ripcords to ROUNDHOUSE, but Angel HEADBUTTS! Both men stagger back, tags to Berto and Je’Von! Je’Von dodges and springboards to BOUNCY~ roll-up! TWO, and Berto mule kicks! Berto CLUBS Je’Von, whips, but Je’Von reverses and slips around. Berto bucks the O’Conner, springboards and CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Berto drags Je’Von up, but Je’Von kicks! Berto blocks, but the ENZIGIRI hits! Je’Von runs up, and BOUNCY~ RANAS! The fans fire up and Je’Von DROPKICKS! Berto bails out, Angel runs in, but Je’Von goes Matrix to dodge! Je’Von kips up, and STUNNERS! Angel flops back and the fans fire up!
Los Garza regroups, Je’Von tags Fenix, and they build speed, but have to dodge Angel first. Fenix SOBATS, Je’Von KICKS, and both men ENZIGIRI! Berto is up top, he leaps, but into DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Cover, TWO! Fenix runs to basement CALF KICK! Cover, TWO! Berto stays in this for Los Garza while SmackDown goes picture in picture.
Fenix drags Berto up to RAM him into the corner. Tag to Je’Von and they mug Berto. Berto fires hands back on Je’Von, but Je’Von headlocks. Berto powers up and out and Angel tags in. Berto drop toeholds Je’Von into Angel’s KNEE at the ropes! Angel TEARS OFF HIS PANTS! Angel drapes those over Je’Von before he KICKS Je’Von in the side! Angel stalks Je’Von to the corner, tags Berto, and they shove Je’Von for a double hip toss, TU LO SABE! Then DOUBLE SUPERKICK! Berto covers, TWO! Berto argues the count but the ref defends it. Berto shoves Je’Von to ELBOW him down! Berto then DUMPS Je’Von down to be under the ropes.
Tag to Angel and Berto sits Je’Von up on the apron. Angel runs to KNEE Je’Von down! Santos joins in with Los Garza as they soak up the heat, and Angel drags Je’Von back in. Angel stands Je’Von up, hoists him to the top rope, then climbs up behind him. Angel CLUBS away on Je’Von, mocks the clapping, and he THROWS Je’Von down. Angel KICKS Je’Von in the arm and Je’Von clutches his hand. Angel drags Je’Von to the ropes, CHOKES him, and the ref reprimands. The ref counts, Angel steps off at 4, and Berto BOOTS Je’Von down. ANgel clamps onto Je’Von with an armlock and chinbar but Je’Von reaches for Fenix.
Angel keeps hold of Je’Von but Je’Von fires hands! SmackDown returns to single picture as Je’Von dodges the lariat, leaps, but Angel catches him! Angel puts Je’Von in a corner and through ropes. Angel pulls an arm and leg against the ropes, but stops as the ref counts. Angel runs to KNEE Je’Von in the ribs! Je’Von slumps to the apron, and Angel sucker punches Fenix! Angel goes back for Je’Von but Je’Von fires body shots! Angel blocks a kick, slips around and Gory Especials! Angel walks over, tags Berto, and Berto slingshots, GARZA ESPECIAL! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up for Je’Von but Berto clamps onto him with a chinlock.
Je’Von endures, even as Berto traps an arm. Je’Von fights up, pries the hold open, and he arm-drags Berto! Je’Von leaps but Berto grabs a leg! Ethan laughs from commentary, but Je’Von kicks free to SUPERKICK! Both men are down, Je’Von and Berto crawl, hot tags to Angel and Fenix! The fans fire up as Fenix rallies on Angel with forearms! Fenix then dodges a shot to springboard and FLYING ARM-DRAG, to a DOUBLE STOMP! Fenix fires off KICKS on Berto, then fires up with Knoxville! Fenix uses Berto to jump up and RANA Angel! Fenix then goes corner to corner to JUMP SOBAT! Fenix fires hands, shoves Angel aside, then goes up.
Fenix springboards to QUEBRADA! Cover, Berto breaks it! Berto whips Fenix, Fenix goes Spider-Man, and Je’Von tags in! Fenix says HASTA LA VISTA, BABY! Angel is up, he pops Fenix up to KICK him! But Je’Von springboards to FLYING LARIAT! The fans fire up, Berto springboards to FLYING CHUCK! All four men are down and the fans fire up again! “This is Awesome!” as Angel and Je’Von crawl. Angel CHOPS Je’Von, Je’Von CHOPS back, and the fans “WOO~!” Angel CHOPS again, so Je’Von CHOPS again! Angel fires a forearm, Je’Von fires back, and they go around with forearm after forearm! The fans fire up, Angel CHOPS, a
nd Je’Von SUPER PUNCHES!
Je’Von runs, BOUNCY- NO, Angel makes it a SIT OUT POWERBOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Ethan is surprised and the fans rally up. Angel hoists Je’Von up top, tags Berto in, and they hoist Je’Von up even higher! But Fenix SHORYUKENS Angel down! Je’Von fires hands on Berto and SHOVES him down! Fenix climbs up to join Je’Von now, and ADIOS AMIGO DOUBLE STOMPS for Angel! Je’Von adjusts, to SUPER DUPER SWANTON onto Los Garza! Ethan says don’t get closer, keep this in the ring! He taunts both his challengers, Fenix and Je’Von stand down to put Los Garza in the ring. The fans rally up, but then Ethan CLOBBERS Fenix & Je’Von!
Ethan TOSSES Fenix over the desk! But Je’Von SUPERKICKS Ethan down! The fans fire up, Je’Von hurries in, and he dodges Angel! But Berto rolls Je’Von up, TWO!! Je’Von dodges Berto, rebound and RED DOT!! Berto is down, Angel gets up, but Je’Von DECKS him! Je’Von goes up, up, but Santos distracts the ref! Ethan SHOVES Je’Von down! The fans boo but Berto tags Angel! Los Garza hoists Je’Von up for M T Y!! Cover, Los Garza win!
Winners: Los Garza, by pinfall
All Ego grins as he screws over two of his three challengers, and now Legado is rolling towards Worlds Collide. But will these rudos get everything they deserve in LA?
The Wyatts speak.
“We won’t stop. Not until we get what’s owed.” A simple yet ominous threat, are the tag titles only the beginning?
Zelina Vega VS Alba Fyre w/ The Green Administration!
La Muneca held onto the WWE Women’s US Championship by smacking The Hot Mess in the face with a foot, and obviously Chelsea is not happy with it. But will Alba get payback on behalf of her fearless leader? Or will things only get uglier for the Green Regime?
The bell rings and Piper distracts Zelina so Alba can CLOBBER her! Alba fires off hands, then bumps Zelina off buckles. Alba bumps Zelina off more buckles, then more buckles! And then the fourth corner! Chelsea says Zelina should’ve never messed with her! Alba fireman’s carries but Zelina fights free. Zelina KICKS Alba, KICKS again, then KICKS, but Alba CLUBS Zelina. Alba whips, scoops, and- NO, Zelina swings through to RANA! Cover, ONE! Zelina headlocks but Alba fights up and lifts Zelina. Zelina holds on but Alba powers up and out to RUN Zelina over! The fans boo but Chelsea cheers as Alba stalks Zelina.
Alba ROCKS Zelina, whips her to ropes, but Zelina wheelbarrows and arm-drags! Zelina then runs up on Alba in the corner and rains down fists! Alba shoves Zelina away at three, but Zelina comes right back to rain down more shots! Alba stops Zelina at four now, but Zelina wants another go! Alba stops Zelina at four again, and RAMS her into the corner! The fans boo but Alba grins. Zelina BOOTS Alba, goes up, and FLYING RANAS! Alba tumbles out, Piper helps her up, and Zelina goes to the apron. Alba trips Zelina up, spins and ROCKS Zelina, then gets her up. Gory Especial, but Zelina flips through to arm-drag Alba onto ropes!
The fans fire up as Zelina dials up, but Chelsea is on the apron! The ref argues with Chelsea while Zelina redials, but Piper trips her up! The fans boo but Alba SUPERKICKS Zelina! Alba salutes to Chelsea, and SmackDown goes to break.
SmackDown returns and Alba stands on Zelina’s hair while pulling Zelina’s arms! The ref reprimands, Alba steps off, and she drags Zelina up to suplex for the GOURD BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Zelina stays in this and Chelsea argues with the ref. The ref says the count is fair, so Alba clamps onto Zelina with a COBRA CLUTCH! Zelina endures, the fans rally, and Zelina fights up. Zelina fires body shots, Alba ripcords and wrenches to SUPERKICK! Zelina rebounds to SHINING WIZARD! Both women fall and the fans fire up! Piper coaches Zelina, the fans rally up, and both women rise up. Alba is on Zelina and brings her to a corner, but Zelina buckle bumps Alba first!
The fans rally as Alba stalks Zelina, but Zelina bumps her off buckles again! Alba tries again, but Zelina ELBOWS Alba away. Then BOOTS her away! Zelina fires forearms on Alba, backs her down, then whips. Alba reverses but Zelina dodges to LARIAT! The fans fire up as Zelina LARIATS again! Zelina blocks a kick, ELBOWS Alba, but Alba blocks the saido. But Zelina keeps Alba from running, SNAP SAIDO! The fans rally for Zelina as she runs corner to corner, METEORA! Zelina pushes Alba out and goes up top! The fans cheer for some Latina Heat, and METEORA! Cover, TWO! Alba survives and Chelsea is relieved.
Zelina grows frustrated, but she goes back for Alba. Zelina reels Alba in, suplexes, but Alba blocks! Alba knees low, suplexes, but Zelina hits STUN DOG MILLIONAIRE! Alba is down, Zelina goes up, MOONSAULT FLOPS! Alba goes up now, and she SWANTON BOMBS! Cover, TWO!?! Zelina survives and shocks Alba! Chelsea is upset again but Alba hurries to bring Zelina up. Alba KICKS Zelina out, and now Chelsea takes off her face mask?! She tells Piper to stand Zelina up! Piper does as told, and Chelsea takes a swing, but Zelina ducks! The face mask SMACKS Piper!! Chelsea is shocked, then furious, and then she chases after Zelina!
Zelina slips into the ring, Chelsea gets on the apron, but Zelina sends Alba at her! They almost collide, and then Zelina rolls Alba up! Zelina hops on, CODE RED!! Cover, Zelina wins!!
Winner: Zelina Vega, by pinfall
Chelsea tried so hard to screw Zelina over that she just screwed up her own team! Zelina survives again, will no one take down the Vega Administration?
The Miz pep talks Carmelo Hayes.
Melo looks good, and he just has to follow the plan. If Melo follows that plan, with no mistakes, they will win. Melo says he knows what he’s doing. Miz asks if he really does. Because Miz has taken Black Mass after Black Mass, sacrificing himself for Melo. Does Melo understand? Miz gave up this chance at MITB for Melo! Miz has already done it twice! If Melo wins this match tonight, Miz will guide Melo to make sure “we are Mr. MITB.” Wait, we? Miz says, “Who do you think got you in this position?” Melo says Melo did. Melo appreciates everything Miz has done for him, from sacrificing to taking hits for him, and helping him win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.
But nobody told Miz to do that. Melo will run the play exactly as Miz designed it, but what brought Melo to the dance is Melo’s talent. Melo goes out there and does it better than anybody else. Melo puts up 40 points on a bad day, because he is H1M. And Miz just needs to let Melo be H1M. They good? Miz nods, and Melo says okay, let’s do the thing. They are Melo Don’t Miz and they are Awes-H1M. Miz still nods, but he doesn’t seem genuinely happy. Will Miz let Melo be Melo? Even if that means letting H1M fail?
Giulia speaks.
“Throughout my entire career, even back when I started in Japan, I had one goal… It’s not to be ‘the best.’ Everyone says that. It’s hollow and empty. My goal is to be indisputable. You can love me or hate me, admiration or disgust, it means nothing. But I’m impossible to deny. My opponent doesn’t matter, because I only view them as an opportunity to build my legacy. Evidence you cannot refute. SmackDown, you will see. I will hit harder, move faster, think sharper, and conquer everything, just like I’ve always done. The question isn’t, ‘Who’s going to let me?” It’s, ‘Who’s going to stop me?'” She adds in Japanese, “If you can stop it, stop it.”
Will SmackDown and all of the WWE soon succumb to The Beautiful Madness?
Zelina returns backstage.
She refreshes for a second, but Giulia is there! And Giulia says she sees Zelina, but she also sees that title more. Zelina scoffs and leaves. Could Giulia be aiming for everything once she becomes Ms. Money in the Bank?
Damian Priest is here!
Knoxville cheers as The Archer of Infamy heads to the ring, victorious from Saturday Night’s Main Event and that brutal Steel Cage match. Priest grabs a mic to tell Tennessee, “Ever since I beat Drew on Saturday, it’s like I’m breathing in fresh air. Y’know, there was a time when I lived on the street, if we were beefing with another street, that war could go for years. But in WWE, you have a beef with somebody, you have a match and it’s over. But with Drew and I, we went well over a year, and that’s not normal. But we took that beef into a cage. Now, I can feel it, you can se it on my face, we went to war.
“At the end of this war, at Saturday Night’s Main Event, I gave him a Con-Chair-To, I walked out the door, and I put his ass in the past.” The fans cheer that. Priest says now he knows Drew is somewhere recovering from his scrambled brains, but he knows Drew is watching, so this is for Drew. “I still can’t stand yo ass. But the Drew McIntyre that stepped in that cage wasn’t the guy that hides behind his phone on social media. That was the old Drew, the warrior, and I appreciate that.” The fans applaud, and Priest says he won’t ask what is next for himself, he’ll just tell us all. And it is the same thing he wanted when he came to SmackDown: Championships!
The fans cheer, and Priest says this war with Drew cost him an opportunity at being in MITB. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his eyes on a certain champion. Somebody who he has unfinished business with, and a champion he considers the most badass. The fans know that means Fatu, and he knows they know! Priest calls out Jacob Fatu! Priest respects Fatu. Priest knows where Fatu came from, what Fatu had to live through, how it feels to stand in this ring as a champion. Real talk, Priest is proud of Fatu, he congratulates Fatu, that’s real. But what Priest doesn’t respect is the crew that follows him around.
Wait, check that. What Priest doesn’t respect is the crew Fatu follows around. Priest knows at some point, they will get in this ring, handle business, but that’s for them. As for Fatu’s so-called family, if they wanna get involved, they can catch a fresh one, too. Priest won’t make it just a nickname or moniker, he wants this to be fact! Priest is and forever will be EL CAMPEON! The fans cheer that! But will the Archer soon take aim at the Samoan Werewolf? Well, speaking of, Fatu makes his way out here for tonight’s other Triple Threat Qualifier! Fatu nods to Priest, but if Fatu wins his way into the ladder match, will this showdown have to wait a little longer?
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match Qualifier Triple Threat: Carmelo Hayes VS Andrade VS Jacob Fatu!
SmackDown returns and El Idolo makes his entrance, followed by H1M. The bell rings and Miz distracts Fatu and Melo attacks! Fatu ELBOWS Melo away, Andrade is on Melo with forearms, and then Fatu adds a LARIAT! Fatu looms mover Melo but then turns to stare down Andrade. The fans rally as these two step up. Andrade fires forearms but Fatu SHOVES him to a corner. Fatu runs up, Andrade dodges then whips. Fatu reverses, Andrade goes up and out to then ROCK Fatu! Andrade goes up, up, and CROSSBODIES! Cover, ONE! Melo CLUBS Andrade, TOSSES him out, and then CLUBS away on Fatu!
Miz says that’s the way! Melo HAMMERS and CHOPS, then whips, but Fatu blocks! Fatu whips Melo, Melo springboards, but into an UPPERCUT! The fans fire up and Fatu sees Melo go outside. Fatu builds speed, but Miz trips him up! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Fatu drags Miz into the ring! Melo goes to roll Fatu up but Fatu stays up! Fatu YANKS Melo up, scoops, but Melo slips free! Melo SUPERKICKS and Miz DUMPS Fatu out! The fans boo but Melo builds speed, only for Andrade to LARIAT! The fans cheer, and now Miz sees he is in trouble. Fatu snarls, but Andrade DIVES, into a HAYMAKER!
Fatu then SUPERKICKS Miz! Fatu THROWS Miz into barriers! The fans fire up and Fatu grins. Fatu runs in, HIP ATTACK against the barriers! The Samoan Werewolf has dominated three men at once and the fans fire up while SmackDown goes picture in picture.
Miz sputters and Fatu leaves him behind to go around the way. Melo is there to kick Fatu, RAM Fatu, but Fatu blocks another whip! Fatu ROCKS Melo and Melo staggers away. Fatu stalks Melo, Melo checks on Miz, but Fatu ROCKS Melo! Andrade goes after Fatu now, but Fatu THROWS Andrade into barriers! The fans cheer as Fatu lets Andrade go to the ring. Fatu brings Melo up, SMACKS him off the desk, then pushes him down. Fatu clears the desk off, but Melo CLUBS Fatu against the desk! Melo storms into the ring, brings Andrade up, but Andrade RAMS Melo into the corner! Andrade RAMS Melo, CHOPS Melo, then stalks Melo.
Andrade whips Melo, Melo reverses and Andrade hits buckles hard! Melo CHOPS Andrade down! Melo brings Andrade up, soaks up some heat, then makes it Latino Heat. But Andrade blocks the suplex to suplex Melo! Andrade hangs Melo out to dry, and Melo flops to the apron. Fatu is back but Andrade fires forearms first! Andrade whips, Fatu reverses, and Fatu BODY CHECKS Andrade! Fatu geeks out and the fans are with him while he stalks Andrade. Fatu drags Andrade up to HEADBUTT him into the corner. Fatu shoves Melo off the apron, then he HEADBUTTS Andrade again. Andrade sputters but Fatu is all fired up.
Fatu CHOPS Andrade, UPPERCUTS, and HEADBUTTS him again! Andrade CHOPS in return! SmackDown returns to single picture and Andrade CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS! Fatu UPPERCUTS and Andrade falls back! Melo stomps Andrade in the corner, then tells Fatu to come on in. Fatu runs up, but Andrade gets away! Hip attack hits buckles! Melo ENZIGIRIS Fatu, Andrade runs to dodge Melo and FLYING FOREARM! The fans fire up as Andrade kips up! Andrade has targets in the corners, and he rallies the fans with “SI! SI! SI!” CIEN KNEES for Fatu! CIEN- NO, Melo tilt-o-whirls and LA MYSTICA! Cover, TWO!
The fans rally, Melo runs to stomp away on Fatu, then he brings Andrade up. Fatu stands to CLOBBER Melo! Andrade SUPERKICKS Fatu! The fans rally, Melo brings Andrade up and springboards, but Andrade stops him at the ropes! SECOND ROPE SPANISH FLY! But Fatu SENTONS Andrade! The fans fire up as Fatu SENTONS Melo! Fatu drags Melo to a drop zone, then goes to the corner! The fans rally for Fatu as he goes up, up, but Andrade YANKS him down! Andrade goes up top, MOONSAULT DOUBLE!! Cover, Melo breaks it! The fans rally while all three are down! “This is Awesome!” as the three stir.
Melo brings Fatu and Andrade around, and he fires forearms on each of them. Andrade fires back on Melo, then Fatu UPPERCUTS! Andrade ROCKS Fatu, but Fatu UPPERCUTS Andrade! The fans rally as the three rise, and Melo springboards! DOUBLE FADE AWAY DDT!! Cover on Andrade, Fatu breaks it! Melo and Fatu stare down, and they run up! Melo dodges to hit the FIRST 48! Andrade adds a POISON-RANA! Melo slips around Andrade to KNEE and suplex, CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Andrade survives and Melo grows frustrated. The fans rally for Fatu while Melo shakes his hands out. Andrade is on the apron but Melo rises.
Melo brings Andrade up but Andrade trips Melo! They go out to brawl, and Melo SUPERKICKS Andrade down! But Fatu SUPERKICKS Melo! The fans fire up for Fatu as he lines up a shot. Fatu gets the fans even more fired up, then he geeks out! Fatu runs in the full length, but Andrade & Melo move! HIP ATTACK through barriers!! The fans go nuts as Fatu crashes into the timekeeper’s area! Fatu sputters as SmackDown goes back to picture in picture.
Fatu stirs while Andrade and Melo go to the ring. They roll in, Melo grabs at Andrade and vice-versa. Melo fires a forearm, then goes back outside. Andrade goes to the opposite end while Melo looks under the ring. Melo makes Knoxville happy by bringing out a table! But then Melo makes them mad by dropping it! Melo goes after Andrade but Andrade ROCKS him first! Andrade brings out a chair! Andrade aims, but Melo dropkicks the legs out! Andrade crawls, Melo shakes his head, and he grabs the chair now. Melo aims, but Andrade kicks Melo low! Andrade and Melo go into the ring, and Andrade puts Melo in a drop zone.
Andrade goes up the corner, but Melo trips him up! Andrade is stuck up top and Melo hits the SLINGSHOT PLEX! Melo flexes, then decides to step through on the legs! Andrade cradles that, TWO! Melo and Andrade stand, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Both men fall and the fans look for Fatu. SmackDown returns to single picture as the fans rally, Melo and Andrade sit up, and Melo CHOPS! Andrade ROCKS Melo, then rolls away. Melo hurries to clamp onto Andrade with a facelock, but Andrade RAMS him into a corner! Andrade puts Melo up top but Melo fires forearms. Andrade drops back, Melo aims, but Andrade GAMANGIRIS!
The fans still want tables but Andrade climbs up to get Melo. They’re on the very top, but Fatu is back! Fatu makes the SUPER SPANISH FLY part ROCKER LAUNCHER!! The fans are thunderous as Fatu goes up now! SWANTON BOMB onto Melo! Cover, Andrade breaks it!! The fans rally up again and still want tables. Fatu runs at Andrade to SPLASH! Then Fatu runs at Melo, but Melo BOOTS him! Melo runs up, but into a pop-up! Melo fights the Samoan Drop, and Andrade adds the SHADOW ELBOW! But Melo makes it a ghost pin! Andrade adds a stack, TWO!!! Fatu survives the double cover, but here come Solo & JC!
The fans boo as Solo is here to coach Fatu up. Melo and Andrade trade forearms, then Melo dodges to springboard, FLYING LARIAT! Cover, Fatu breaks it! Fatu snarls, drags Melo up, and he HEADBUTTS Melo! Fatu finally notices Solo & JC, but Fatu puts Melo up top. Fatu CHOPS Melo, then he fireman’s carries Andrade. Fatu adds Melo to this, but Melo slips free. SAMOAN DROP for Andrade, and then Fatu goes to the corner. Solo says Fatu’s got this now! BEST MOONSAULT EVER FLOPS and Melo hits NOTHING BUT NET!! Cover, ANDRADE BREAKS IT! Andrade underhooks Melo, THE MESS- NO, Melo RANAS through! Cover, TWO!!
Andrade has a cover, TWO! Melo has a cover, TWO! Andrade has it, TWO! Both men stand, SHADOW ELBOW! FIRST 48!! SHADOW ELBOW AGAIN!! All three men are down and the fans are thunderous! Fatu crawls, Melo rolls to a corner, and Andrade stirs. Fatu rises, he brings Andrade up, IMPALER DDT! Then Fatu has Melo to RAM him into a corner. Fatu runs and HIP ATTACKS Melo! Andrade is up, Fatu hits him with another IMPALER DDT! Fatu puts Andrade in the drop zone, and he hits the BEST MOONSAULT EVER!! Solo says yeah, do that again! The fans boo but Fatu glares at Solo. JC says do what Solo is saying, Fatu!
But wait! Jimmy YANKS JC down, and SUPERKICKS him! The fans fire up, and then Melo RAMS Fatu into Solo! Then FIRST 48! But Andrade rolls Melo into THE MESSAGE!! Cover, ANDRADE WINS!!
Winner: Andrade, by pinfall (advances to Money in the Bank)
Solo just screwed things up for Fatu! Solo does his best to keep the peace between Fatu and JC, but the point is: Andrade is headed to Los Angeles! Will he make this El Idolo in the Bank?
Backstage interview with LA Knight.
Byron Saxton segues from congratulating Andrade for qualifying to welcoming in someone who already has qualified, but The Mega Star says, “My gawd. What is it with punching tickets around here? Everybody talks about punching tickets. WWE Instagram, punched tickets. Commentary, punched tickets. You’re talking about punched tickets. I guess I punched my ticket to MITB, it’s only eight days away. A few other guys who punched tickets, who are they? You got Andrade, you got Penta, you got what’s his name, Seth Rollins. You got Solo Sikoa! They’re all in it! They all punched their tickets!
“And everybody’s gonna be climbing that ladder, trying to get up, put everything on the line that they can. Now, if this was a one-on-one match, I’d go ahead and call my shot, and I’d say I’m gonna run up there, grab the case, and cash it in. But you gotta understand, this is my third year in a row, so I understand what this is. You can call me the vet in this match. Some people say maybe that Seth is the vet in this, but they would be wrong. For three years in a row now, you’re talking about the most robust and the most recent experience, YEAH. And what that means is now it’s anybody’s game. Anybody can come out with it, and I understand that.
“But with or without the case, what you need to understand is that the WWE title, the world title, they’re all in my future. With the way I’ve been running, at this point, they should be in my past, maybe even my present. Why don’tcha go ahead and punch that ticket? While we’re talking about-” Knight stops himself when he spots someone walking in. It’s Aleister Black! And Aleister says that win was supposed to be his. But he tells Knight, “You’re welcome, though.” The Dark Father lets the Mega Star shine, if only for now. Will LA win big in LA when we finally reach MITB?
Fatu and Solo regroup backstage.
Solo wants Fatu to listen. He was just trying to help. Fatu tells Solo to listen. For the last time, Fatu does not need his help! Fatu storms off, JC steps in, but Solo has nothing else to say. Is the Samoan Werewolf going to break away from this dysfunctional “family?”
Cody Rhodes is here!
Knoxville fires up and sings along, “WHOA~ OH~!” Cody gets his pyro, high-fives fans along the ramp and the front row, and even signs autographs. Cody goes to the ring, grabs a mic, and he hears the fans chant his name. Cody fires the fans up more, then hears them sing, “Cody! Cody Rhooodes~! Cody! Cody Rhooodes~!” Cody says, “So, Knoxville! Whaddya wanna talk about?” The fans cheer, and Cody says, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that we could talk about the record crowd here this evening!” The fans cheer that, too! Cody says he loves them, too, thank you very much.
Cody says they could also talk about WrestleMania 41. The fans boo, but Cody says after WrestleMania 41, he went home, he drowned his sorrows, might’ve touched the “Tennessee Cough Syrup” a little bit, and he had a moment of doubt. He reached out to a friend. A friend who helps him prepare to wonderful audiences like this one here, or speaking to everyone at home. Cody asked him, “Was I a good champion?” The fans cheer for that, but Cody says the friend told him wasn’t quite as simple as yes or no.
The friend told him, “With everything that you faced here in the ring in front of all the fans, and with everything that you faced behind the scenes, being pulled in different directions, the waters that you had to navigate that no champion has ever had to navigate, yes, I feel that you were a good champion.” Cody says he felt good hearing that, it turned into a hopeful moment, the silver lining on a dark cloud. Cody looked back on his whole year. He thought about AJ Styles faking retirement to get the drop on him. Cody thought about his friend, Kevin Owens, sucker punching him against his bus while Cody’s family slept inside.
Cody thought about his boss, Triple H, who pushed Cody to the limit, and sees something in Cody that Cody doesn’t even see in himself. Cody even thought about The Final Boss, how he asked Cody for his soul, and the entire world wondering what that meant. As preposterous as that sounded, The Rock was 100% serious. No matter how many times Cody said no, the offer still stands. And Cody also thought about John Cena. The fans initially boo, but the “Let’s Go, Cena!” “CENA SUCKS!” starts up. Cody takes a moment, and then he says, “I thought about John Cena doing exactly what he said he was going to do. He forced me to make a choice, and I hesitated.
“I don’t know if John Cena is going to ‘ruin’ professional wrestling. But if he does, then I’m partially to blame. Now, I know, I’d love to say this to John Cena’s face. Not sure if he’s going to come out here right now, but if you are listening, if you are listening, Champ, I need you to know that I will never hesitate with you again!” The fans cheer that, and Cody says no matter how much Cena will tout the amount of days he has left, how much Cena will talk about what remains before he absconds with the WWE Championship and leaves all of us forever, that is NOT Cena’s expiration date! That is on the other side of Cody’s corneas, and it will burn Cena’s ass up!
The fans fire up for that, and Cody calms it down. Cody apologizes for that. This is his first night back on SmackDown, he is getting worked up. He thought so much about what he could do, what he could do for the fans. Hell, how about a surprise? The fans already “YEET! YEET! YEET!” so Cody says they’re hungry for it. Let’s yeet. Well, hold on, that’d be a very big surprise. That’d be the biggest surprise. That’d be Cody’s partner riding into battle for MITB, and hell YES he is here! Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the World Heavyweight Champion, MAIN EVENT JEY USO! The fans go wild as Jey makes his way in from the pavilion!
The fans sing along with Day One Ish and bounce for that YEET! Jey makes his way down through the crowd to ringside, one verse at a time, and SmackDown goes to break.
SmackDown returns and Jey joins Cody in the ring now, mic in hand. Cody and Jey hear the fans want an encore, so we get even more YEET! But then John Cena makes his entrance to ruin the fun! The fans sing “JOHN CENA SUUUCKS~!” even though he wears that University of Tennessee orange and white. Cena goes to the ring, towel draped over his head, then grabs a mic before he joins Cody and Jey in the ring. Cena hears the fans boo, and he says, “I’m upset, too. If it isn’t professional wrestling’s biggest wannabes!” Cena tells Cody he is nothing more than a Cena Wannabe, and that Jey is nothing more than a Cena Wannabe.
The fans boo but Cena says they both wanna be Cena so bad, it makes him sick! Cody wants Cena’s fame, Jey wants Cena’s money, but they will get neither because Cody is too desperate and Jey is too lazy! There is only ONE other human being in the WWE who embodies hustle, loyalty and respect, and he’s got the fortune, fame and followers to back that up! Surprise, losers! Cena’s partner is here, too! The fans boo already, because “EY YO~!” Logan Paul IS here! The Maverick swaggers his way out, and Cena gives him a proper introduction. “Oh, you mad? You’re mad because Logan Paul does WWE better than any professional wrestler?”
Cena says Logan doesn’t need to pay his dues, because he is paying Jey’s mortgage! Everybody in this building did NOT come to see Jey! They came to see John Cena and Logan Paul! Logan asks, “What the hell you crying about, Knoxville? Look! I could walk on water, and y’all would still find a way to tell me it’s because I can’t swim! John Cena speaks the language of Logan Paul, and that is the truth! The truth! It is right in front of you! You deny it all you want, but look around, you stupid, stupid, simple Tennessee people! This is a moment in history! All of you get to witness the moment that John Cena stood side-by-side in the ring with Logan Paul.
“And look, all of you will live long, pathetic, miserable lives. But at least you will get to say that you saw that.” The fans tell Logan to STFU, and Cena tells Logan to ignore it. Logan says yeah, yeah, they’re so ungrateful. They don’t know what’s good for them. There is one problem, though. This does seem too perfect. The problem is… Logan should be standing next to THE WWE Champion as THE World Heavyweight Champion! Logan should’ve been the one to leave Saturday Night’s Main Event with that title around his waist. But look at him, Jey. Jey got lucky. Jey got lucky! He knows it, Logan knows, it, the fans know it, CODY knows it!
Jey needed Cody to save him! When Cody interfered with the match cuz these two cheaters can’t do a single thing in this business without it being handed to them! “These two nepo babies were born on third, thinking they hit a triple.” Logan points to himself and says, “Self-made man!” He points to Cena and says, “Self-made man!” Five years ago, nobody every would’ve believed Logan Paul would be a WWE superstar. And they certainly never ever would’ve believed that he’d be teaming with the Greatest Of All Time! But look at Logan now. He’s not just a superstar, he is THE superstar! His time is now! Cena told us that his time is almost up!
Cena is the Last Real Champion, Logan is the inevitable face of the WWE! So Jey, Cody, at MITB, if you want some, come get some. Jey tells Logan they don’t gotta wait! They can handle this right now! UH UH, YEET!! The mics drop, Cena and Logan talk this out, and Logan wants to throw hands while Cena wants to leave. Cody asks what they’re arguing about. They gonna go to the back so Logan can polish Cena’s Peacemaker? Now it’s a fight! The fans fire up as the hands are flying! Logan TOSSES Jey, Cena picks Cody up! Cody slips free, Jey is back to SUPERKICK! Cody hits the DISASTER KICK! Cena bails out, Jey PLANCHAS out onto him!
Logan goes to the apron, slingshot and- NO, Cody dodges the “Snapshot” Lariat and Jey SUPERKICKS Logan! Then Jey sets Logan up for the CODE D!! The fans fire up as Cody picks up the WWE Championship! Will Cody and Jey make it through Logan and Cena to then clear a path for the American Nightmare’s redemption? Or will Cena & Logan ruin wrestling together?
My Thoughts:
A very good SmackDown, but maybe with some wheel-spinning. As fun as Chelsea Green continues to be, can’t we move on from her and Zelina? Or are we about to do that with tonight’s win over Alba and then Giulia confronting her? Ironically, that seems to give away Giulia isn’t winning MITB. Giulia had a good promo video right before but they undercut it by giving us that confrontation. That said, Giulia deserves to be all the champions, but I suppose starting with the Women’s US Championship would be a good route. Very good promo from Bianca and Naomi to not just have Bianca’s homecoming, but to keep the feud between them alive.
The Women’s Triple Threat had a slow start but it turned out to be a very good match. Great win for Naomi, and good promo from her, Tiffany and Alexa to tease potential MITB winners. Great stuff in the tag match to build Worlds Collide just a touch. We only got one moment of Berto being passive aggressive towards Santos, and then Ethan Page screwing the Faces over, but that was still enough for the North American Championship. Of course, it depends on how many fans watch not just Raw and SmackDown but also NXT so that the fans already understand the story. But as someone who does, I do appreciate they’re bringing NXT story onto SmackDown.
Good promo from Priest to give some shoot respect to Drew and Fatu, but Priest wanting after the US title kinda gave away what was happening with the Men’s Triple Threat. It was a great Triple Threat, but of course Solo & JC cost Fatu. That team is just one moment away from breaking up, and it might be at MITB when Solo just expects Fatu to help him win the briefcase and Fatu refuses. And Fatu VS Priest will still be awesome whenever it happens. Good promo from Knight, and a good bit from Aleister with him, which I suppose means that’s the next feud for them. Was kinda hoping for Aleister VS Nakamura but that really depends if Nakamura is sticking with WWE or going home to Japan via Pro-Wrestling NOAH as rumored.
R-Truth relapsing to talking to Lil’ Jimmy is certainly a choice. I kinda wish he’d keep up the “Ron Cena” stuff, or they’d let Jeff Cobb do his own John Cena bit from NJPW, but I guess some things in WWE still won’t change. And closing with a big promo segment was also certainly a choice. Cody still did a good job, and nice surprise to have Jey show up. Not sure they needed to take a commercial break for Jey’s entrance, especially when they were obviously going to let Jey do his YEET encore. And Cena really must be brainwashed to put Logan over as if Logan’s on par with peak Cena. But naturally a brawl happened and the Faces stood tall.
Don’t count this as go-home math yet, they could easily revisit this on Raw and even next week on SmackDown. Even then, I still feel like Jey and Cody should win at MITB to properly set up Cody VS Cena 2 at SummerSlam. Raw on June 9th is still the move for the World Heavyweight Championship, but there’s also Saturday Night’s Main Event in July, who knows if Jey makes it to SummerSlam as champion.
My Score: 8.7/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Coverage
Andrew’s TNA iMPACT! Results & Match Ratings: 5.29.25
Stuff happens, maybe it doesn’t, Dreamer and Delirious can’t book.
Well Trick Willie is the new TNA champ and this is the first iMPACT since his win…so let’s just hear him talk about it.
"TNA turned into TRICK-NA. Lets talk about it"@_trickwilliams #WWENXT
WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/GrBQpdX5g5 pic.twitter.com/StU4pmi3oy
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 30, 2025
Ratings:
- The Rascalz vs Fir$t Cla$$ vs Laredo vs The System: Rascalz win via Meteora – ***
- Raj Singh vs Mustafa Ali: Ali wins via…No Shit – Squash Garbage
- ASH by Elegance vs Lei Ying Lee: Lei wins via Spinning TKO – ** 3/4
- Mance Warner w/SDL vs Jobber: Mance wins via Hit the Pay Winda – Squash
- Santino Marella & Arianna Grace vs Robert Stone & Victoria Crawford w/Tessa: Team Robbie wins via shenanigans – **
- International Championship: Steve Maclin (c) vs Matt Cardona: Maclin retains via KIA – ***
Results:
The Rascalz vs Fir$t Cla$$ vs Laredo vs The System
Octagon got jumped by The System earlier so Laredo is fighting alone. Another backstage jumping is getting a little dumb.
Laredo and Trey start. Typical Indie start with Simultaneous awful Dropkick spot and bad counters, AJ blind tag runs the smaller guys over, tags out to KC and the Rascalz instantly get the moment. KC is rocked, tags in Laredo and Laredo takes out the System before Lish gets on the apron and grabs Laredo. The referee kicks out Lish and Rehwoldt on commentary points out it’s a No DQ match so that’s dumb.
KC gets tossed at AJ, he catches him, Rascalz Dive and do their taunt as we go to commercial. We come back, Tennessee Whiskey into a KC tag in for the near fall on Laredo. Corner combo, Snapmare into Flip Forward Neck Breaker, KC is on a roll. AJ tags Laredo and starts talking crap to KC, they swerve and go Finger Poke of Doom, but it’s not a legal pin. Suddenly tornado attacks, System and Rascalz go for broke, AJ hits the Senton to break the eventual pin, Laredo counters AJ’s Chokeslam attempt. Trey clears out The System, Wentz sends himself and KC over and out, Laredo with a Corkscrew Moonsault, which looked cool but it’s the pile of morons waiting to get hit spot.
AJ hits the Down Payment on Laredo, but Trey blind tagged AJ. Meteora on AJ, Trey pins Laredo and Rascalz win.
Raj Singh vs Mustafa Ali
Raj looks like shit in the gear he came down in…and he wrestles equivalently. I would rather anyone else comeback…give me Anarquia.
Ali murders Raj, Instant Dropkick, Rolling Neckbreaker, Corkscrew Standing Moonsault, it’s not close. Raj tries to counter things but Ali Bellclap, a little Duck the left, connect the right. Raj even does a terrible looking Punch Combo, he’s in bad shape, a bad looking Ushigoroshi, Raj with a sloppy looking something, 450 ends it.
Fire Raj as quickly as you brought him back. You don’t need a comedically pathetic job guy when the roster is like 4 guys getting pushed and everyone else sucks. Stop being stupid. Ali still hates women too.
This Injury Report is the dumbest segment in the history of wrestling. Stop treating fake shit as “serious business”.
ASH by Elegance vs Lei Ying Lee
ASH mocks karate stuff, Lei throws a few Rising Crane kicks as ASH bails and then things slow down a little. But a Pump Kick, Sliding Kick and Low Dropkick cause ASH to cower and claim her tooth broke. It’s a bait to pull Lei into the turnbuckles and them get in a few stomps. Ash keeps Lei in the corner, Suplexes her ankles into the buckles and then Ash throws a few Booty Shots/Hit Attacks then starts a grounded stretch, Lei Headscissors her down, still sells the hips and ankles, but dodges and fires, combination strikes into the 10 Count Down Strikes. T-bone Suplex, into the pinfall, for only two.
Cheapshot into Running Meteora from ASH for two. Ash goes for the Miz Yes Kicks and Lei No Sells and asks for more. Gorgeous Capture Suplex into Thunder Struck and TKO with flair. My baby has a better finish now! Yay!
Mance Warner w/SDL vs Jobber
Hannifan cursing and being pissed at Trick for not even showing but is more entertaining than a squash match. Not that Mance’s offense is bad, but 2 out of 3 job matches is stupid.
.@milanmiracle and @AriannaGraceWWE make history as the first father/daughter tag team in TNA!
WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/GrBQpdX5g5 pic.twitter.com/3s8OhtYFPv
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) May 30, 2025
Santino Marella & Arianna Grace vs Robert Stone & Victoria Crawford w/Tessa
Marella tries to tie up with Robbie, but he bails and tags out to Victoria so Arianna comes in and aside from Alicia Fox’s silliness, the tie up was decent with Arianna and Victoria. Tessa interferes and the Referee throws her out. Victoria comes back in and aside from a slight miscommunication with how Arianna does her punches, Alicia Fox is making her look…pretty good. Transition moves, okay brawling and Arianna looks amazing in her outfit.
Rob and Santino distract the referee and Victoria hits a Figure Four into her Northern Lights Suplex, only for 2. Arianna finally Back Body Drop to find the tag, Santino and Rob, Santino does his split dodge into the Standing Headbutt, Arianna Cross Body onto Victoria. Rob pulls out the ref, then shoves the ref into Santino, Santino into the steps and Arianna attack but Alicia and Lish, the fix is in, Arianna eats the pin.
International Championship: Steve Maclin (c) vs Matt Cardona
A few quick brawl moves, Shoulder Tackles, Strikes, Back Breakers, Cardona does get dumped out and eats a SCUD. Maclin bounces Cardona’s face off the apron and hits an Elbow off the apron to keep Cardona reeling, but a dodged tackle sends Maclin into the steps. Cardona tries to Piledriver Maclin on the ramp, but Back Drop counter, into commercial.
Formulaic commercial etiquette of Cardona still in control, throws Maclin into the ropes, Diving Shoulder Tackle lays both dudes out and they get up by 8. Fighting Spirit spot, Cardona hits ropes and gets hit by Maclin twice, Thesz Press, Ground and Pound, Back Elbow and Olympic Slam has Maclin rolling. Splash into Lariat for two. Maclin has been all gas no brakes. Cardona tries to take a few shortcuts that turns into a Straight Jacket Takedown. Cardona to the top, Maclin cuts him off, Superplex spot. 1-2-kick out!
Maclin goes topside for a Jar Headbutt, Cardona hits the ropes so Maclin crashes into the corner, 2 Reboots connect, the third gets caught, counter into Busaiku Knee, Jar Headbutt. In and out, Cardona uses the middle rope for the Low Blow, Killswitch from Cardona but Maclin kicks out. Cardona dodges and shoves Maclin towards the ref, he puts the brakes on, Radio Silence! 1-2-Kick out! Maclin catches a top rope move, Power Bomb, Corner Splash, Tree of Woe, Caught in the Crosshairs, KIA and Maclin retains!
Overall Score: 4.5/10
Boring paint by numbers show, no Trick, System has one move, Robert Stone is a scumbag, too long to introduce new girls, lots of throw away segments and Rosemary sets up YET ANOTHER Monster’s Ball match. These aren’t interesting when there’s one every 3 months. So we can have terrible Monster’s Ball matches quarterly, Barbed Wire Massacre and Clockwork Orange House of Fun…BUT NO LOCKDOWN!?
Go home TNA, you’re drunk.
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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