Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco! (7/7/18)
NJPW returns to the United States for another G1 Special! So many stars and so many titles will be featured in this massive event, from the Ticking Time Bomb defending his Jr. Heavyweight Championship, to a Dominion rematch for the Tag Team Championships, to the Bullet Club leaders facing off for THE Heavyweight Title!
Gifs can be found courtesy of http://frentique.tumblr.com/
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- 10 Man Tag: Chaos’ Yoshi-Hashi, Gedo, Rocky Romero & Roppongi 3K VS The Bullet Club’s Guerrillas of Destiny, Haku, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens; Bullet Club wins.
- Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano VS Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr; Ishii & Yano win.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kushida VS Hangman Page & Marty Scurll; Hangman & Scurll win.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Hirooki Goto VS Jeff Cobb; Goto wins and retains the NEVER Openweight Championship.
- IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks VS EVIL & SANADA; The Young Bucks win and retain the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
- Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay VS Tetsuya Naito & Bushi; Okada & Ospreay win.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi VS Dragon Lee; Hiromu wins and retains the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
- IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Jay White VS Juice Robinson; Juice wins and becomes the new IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega VS Cody; Omega wins and retains the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW is LIVE in the Cow Palace!
The “Madison Square Garden of the West” is host to another amazing G1 Special. Five titles are on the line, from the Junior Heavyweight to THE Heavyweight Championship. Rivalries are renewed and new ones are being born. Will the Superkick Party survive a rematch with SANADA & EVIL? Can Hiromu Takahashi get one over on Dragon Lee? Will The Cleaner’s first ever reign end at the hands of the American Nightmare? Is Bullet Club truly (not) fine?!
10 Man Tag: Chaos’ Yoshi-Hashi, Gedo, Rocky Romero & Roppongi 3K VS The Bullet Club’s Guerrillas of Destiny, King Haku, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens!
It’s a MASSIVE showdown between two equally massive factions! Will Chaos conquer the Bullet Club in this opening bout? Or will dysfunction be put aside so that Bullet Club can stand tall?
The teams sort out and while fans chant “Too Sweet! Woop Woop!”, Yoshi-Hashi starts against King Haku. The bell rings and the two circle. Haku swipes at Gedo while fans chant for the Father of the Guerrillas. He and Hashi tie up, and Haku gets the waistlock. Hashi elbows out and then gets a headlock, but Haku powers out. They collide but neither man falls. Haku runs but that clothesline barely does a thing. Hashi runs again and that dropkick drops Haku. Hashi throws hands and backs Haku down, then whips corner to corner. Haku reverses to then clothesline Hashi in the corner! Haku tags Tonga Loa, but Tama Tonga comes in, at the same time. They triple headbutt Hashi together!
Fans chant “G O D!” for Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. Rocky tags in, but he’s clearly the underdog here. He runs but barely moves Loa. Loa dares him to go again, but the result is the same. Rocky tries a third time, but still nothing. Things speed up on the fourth, and Rocky gets the headscissors! Rocky revs up to start on those endless clotheslines in the corner. He hits five, before Loa picks him up! Loa carries Rocky corner to corner while Tama Tonga comes in, BIG splash in the corner! The rest of Chaos is taken out by the other members of Bullet Club and it’s a brawl on the outside. Haku hits Rocky with a piledriver! Cover, TWO!
Tonga grabs the ref, not standing for the disrespect towards his legendary father. The referee is spared while Loa covers. TWO, but Rocky is alone in the Bullet Club corner. Loa puts Rocky into Chase’s boot, then tags Chase in. Chase hits a body shot, then throws haymakers. Rocky chops back, but Chase knees low. The Crown Jewel lifts Rocky for the pendulum backbreaker. Cover, TWO, but Chase keeps on Rocky as he tags in Tokyo Pimp. Yujiro mule kicks then snapmares Rocky, then hits a leg drop. Cover, TWO. Yujiro keeps Rocky in a chinlock, but fans rally up for Rocky. Rocky gets up and fights out, backing Yujiro down. He runs, but Yujiro picks him up while Chase takes out RPG3K.
Yujiro whips and kicks Rocky, Chase adds a kick, then Yujiro back suplexes Rocky. Rocky slips out, so Chae tries. Rocky slips out again, then ducks to double headscissor! Fans rally up while Rocky crawls. Hot tag to Yoh! Yoh rallies with dropkicks, then a dragon screw to Yujiro, then one to Chase. Yoh suplexes Yujiro but Yujiro slips out. Yujiro waistlocks but Yoh backs him down, and Sho tags in. Sho runs, takes out GoD, then hits Yujiro with a clothesline. Yoh hits one, theN Sho, then Poetry in Motion! RPG3K combine, but Yujiro slips out to push them into each other. Inverted DDT to Sho, then hot tag to Tama Tonga! Tonga stomps away on Sho, then scoop slams for the elbow! Fans fire up with him as he whips Sho. Sho SPEARS Tonga, then crawls for his corner. Tag to Gedo, and Gedo stalks Tonga.
Gedo jabs and jabs, but Loa stops his haymaker. Gedo throws hands on Loa, then jawbreaker to Tonga. He aims, but Tonga blocks the kick. Chase bicycle boots, but Hashi blasts him. Yujiro gets Hashi with the basement dropkick, but RPG3K combine for backstabber to shotgun kick! Loa hits both Sho & Yoh down, but Rocky springboards to hit both GoD! Rocky runs, and DIVES on Loa! Gedo SUPERKICKS Tonga, but Haku throat thrusts Gedo! The Samoan King has the throat, and feeds it to the Gun Stun cutter! Cover, Bullet Club wins!
Winners: Bullet Club, Tama Tonga pinning
While there is unrest in the rest of the Bullet Club, it would seem this unit of five is just fine with each other. Will this be the foundation of the faction after things settle down up top?
Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano VS Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr!
The Stone Pitbull and the Producer have had their run-ins with the Meanest Man in the World and his Submission Master protege. Needless to say, it didn’t go well for the Chaos duo. But in this rematch in the States, will things even out? Or will Ishii & Yano again #JustTapOut?
The Pitbull dares the King of Pancreas to bring it, so at the bell, he does! Suzuki goes right at Ishii with boots, then whips. Suzuki boots in the corner, then whips again. Ishii comes back with a forearm, but now it’s a brawl. Back and forth, fast and furious, neither man backs down but the fans love it! There’s no end to it, but Suzuki gets the edge. He whips Ishii but Ishii runs him over. Ishii eggs Suzuki on, but ZSJ tags in. And now Yano wants in! Ishii tags, but Ishii goes after Suzuki without hesitation. As for Yano, he circles with ZSJ, but he’s very scary. Yano uses the ropes for safety, but then asks for a handshake. ZSJ takes it, only to get the wristlock. Yano grabs the ropes, but ZSJ holds onto the wrist. He lets go at 4, then waits for Yano.
Yano wants another handshake, ZSJ gets another wristlock, but Yano rakes the eyes. Yano gets to the ropes and taunt ZSJ. ZSJ grabs a leg, reels Yano in for several European Uppercuts, but Yano pulls him down by his hair. Yano celebrates, but ZSJ goes after the arms! ZSJ gets double wristlocks but Yano manages to get to the ropes. However, it’s on Suzuki’s side of the ring. Suzuki lets ZSJ Pele Yano’s arm before going after Ishii again! Suzuki puts Ishii into railing while ZSJ stands on Yano’s head. ZSJ wraps Yano up in an Indian deathlock while Suzuki chops away on Ishii. ZSJ bridges to put on leverage, then shifts to adding an armlock. Yano endures being tied up like that, and starts back pedaling for ropes. ZSJ grabs the other arm, but Yano uses a leg.
Fans rally while ZSJ lets go of Yano. ZSJ tags to Suzuki, and together they torture Yano with a Fujiwara armbar and Achilles Lock. Then they switch! Ishii protests, but that only gives the devious duo more time to damage Yano’s limbs. They flip Yano over for both an armbar and a heel hook. The referee finally sees and gets ZSJ to leave. Suzuki tags in ZSJ, and it’s just more of the same anyway. Tag back to Suzuki, and Suzuki throws hands on Yano. Suzuki mocks Yano, toys with him, but fans boo and jeer. Suzuki runs, but into an atomic drop! Yano tags Ishii, and he runs in, but into a boot. It does nothing! Ishii and Suzuki brawl again. Ishii runs, then forearms Suzuki, then corner clotheslines him! He trash talks Suzuki, then toys with him.
Suzuki only grows angry from those toying kicks to the head. Suzuki throws another forearm, but Ishii dares him to give more. Ishii hits Suzuki, then slaps him in the head. Suzuki gives Ishii a stiff forearm, then another. Ishii staggers, but stays standing. So Suzuki just gives him another shot, and another. Suzuki keeps going, and Ishii hits the mat. Ishii is okay to continue, so Suzuki toys with him now. Ishii stands and starts throwing forearms on Suzuki. He slaps Suzuki while trash talking, but Suzuki just sticks out his tongue like a wild man. Suzuki throws so many palm strikes, then gets Ishii in a sleeper hold! Ishii throws Suzuki off, then runs, but Suzuki gets around for another hold. Ishii throws Suzuki with a back suplex!
Fans rally up while both men crawl for their corners. Hot tags to Yano and ZSJ! Yano rakes the eyes, then goes for buckle pads! ZSJ stops him just in time, but Yano throws ZSJ off. Yano sings, but misses, and ends up in an octopus stretch. Suzuki picks up the pad to smack Yano with it. Suzuki throws Ishii out and they brawl on the outside again. ZSJ catches Yano’s low blow, then the haymaker, into the bridging pin, TWO! EuroUpper! ZSJ runs but into bare buckles! Yano shoves him at the ref, but ZSJ stops himself short. Low blow blocked by leg strength! But then Ishii runs ZSJ over! Yano covers, Chaos wins!!
Winners: Chaos, Yano pinning
What a shocking exchange! Yano’s trickery and Ishii’s toughness win out, but that just pisses Suzuki off. Suzuki grabs himself a chair, then rushes the ring. Security and Young Lions work to stop Suzuki, and manage to get him away from the ring. But ZSJ makes one of them pay for it by throwing him to the ground. Then Suzuki SMACKS the other with that chair. This feud is far from over, will Suzuki show any mercy next time?
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kushida VS Hangman Page & Marty Scurll!
The Ace and the Time Splitter have had their issues with the Problem Solver and Villain in their own paths before, but now all four men converge tonight. Can the main unit boys overcome Bullet Club’s proverbial lieutenants tonight?
Fans duel while both teams egg each other on, but things sort out to start with Scurll and Kushida. The junior heavyweights circle and tie up. Kushida gets the waistlock but Scurll reverses, only for Kushida to reverse back. Scurll spins and rolls to reverse back, but Kushida gets a takedown. Kushida grabs the facelock, and holds on as Scurll rolls. Kushida floats all over, then gets a waistlock. Scurll pries his way out but it ends up a full nelson. Scurll breaks it with a bump, then gets a full nelson of his own. Kushida tries to copy but ends up in an octopus! Kushida pries his way out to bring Scurll down but Scurll headscissors. Scurll takedown but Kushida headscissors, so Scurll flaps his wings. Tag to Hangman and Tanahashi!
Now the heavyweights circle, and fans are strongly behind Tanahashi. He and Hangman tie up, and Hangman reverses to a wristlock and headlock. Tanahashi powers out to his own headlock, but Hangman pulls on hair! Kushida protests, but that allows Tanahashi to pull Hangman’s hair. They go into a corner and Tanahashi throws body shots. He whips Hangman but Hangman reverses. Hangman runs in, but into a back elbow, and Tanahashi leaps for a crossbody! Tanahashi air guitars and fans fire up. Tanahashi mocks the wings and Scurll gets upset. Tag to Kushida, and Kushida drops ax handles on the arm. Kushida wrenches Hangman’s arm, then whips, but Hangman holds ropes. Hangman dumps Kushida out while Scurll takes out Tanahashi. They run together, SUPERKICK to SHOOTING STAR from the apron!
Fans chant “Too Sweet! Woop Woop!” while Hangman & Scurll target Taguchi himself. Taguchi doesn’t want any trouble, but that doesn’t stop them. They club Taguchi down and bring him into the ring. They double whip, he goes to hip attack, but they get clear. Taguchi crashes and burns out of the ring, having hurt his behind. Scurll grabs Kushida, and the Bullet Club double whip, drop toehold, dropkick, then shooting star and fist drop! Cover, TWO! Hangman keeps on Kushida and bumps him off Scurll’s bot. Tag to Scurll, and they work together again. Double whip Kushdia corner to corner, and Scurll hits the clothesline. He becomes a step stool but Kushida gives Hangman the Poetry in Motion! Kushida then handsprings to back elbow Scurll down! Fans rally while Kushida crawls. Hot tag to Tanahashi!
Tanahashi rallies on Scurll, whips corner to corner, but Scurll reverses. Tanahashi still comes out with a back elbow, then he wipes Hangman out for good measure. He gives Scurll a Dragon Screw, then fires up. Fans fire up with him as he scoop slams Scurll down. Tanahashi climbs up, somersault senton! Cover, TWO! Fans rally again as Tanahashi runs, but into Scurll’s crossface chicken wing! Scurll almost has it, but Tanahashi pries his way out. Fans rally for Tanahashi as he keeps those hands apart. Tanahashi breaks free but runs into a palm strike. He knocks Scurll down with one of his own, then tags Kushida. Kushida fires off on Scurll, but Scurll hits the leg. Kushida hip toss, cartwheel and dropkick!
Scurll dodges the Penalty Kick, and Hangman comes in to rock Kushida with a right. Tanahashi returns, but Hangman gets him first. Tanahashi reverses the whip to Slingblade Hangman down! Scurll comes back and fakes Tanahashi out for the mule kick. Scurll stomps Kushida’s hand, then grabs the fingers. Shh! Kushida breaks free but runs into a EuroUpper. Scurll runs into a spinning forearm, then ends up in a takedown, Hoverboard Lock! Tanahashi intercepts Hangman for the Cloverleaf! Double submissions, but Hangman crawls out of the ring. Scurll stands up while Tanahashi misses his slingshot. BUCK SHOT from Hangman! Tag to Hangman, and he jackknifes into Rite, but sunset flip! TWO! Discus forearm meets Pele! Kushida kicks out the arm, then runs, but Hangman blocks the Hoverboard, into RITE OF PASSAGE! Cover, Bullet Club wins!
Winners: Bullet Club, Hangman pinning
A mostly clean win from the devious Villain & Problem Solver, but a win is a win. Will Hangman do the same to Tanahashi in the G1 Climax tournament? Or will the Ace fine a way to win out in the end?
NEVER Openweight Championship: Hirooki Goto VS Jeff Cobb!
The All-Pro Universal Champion is quite the monster with his strength and speed, but he goes up against the Fierce Warrior for another belt. Will Chaos’ constant be able to conquer Mr. Athletic in this first-ever meeting?
The belt is presented and the bell rings as we begin! Fans are strongly behind Cobb as he circles with Goto. They tie up, and Cobb backs Goto to the ropes. Cobb honors the break, and they circle again. They tie up again, and Cobb again powers Goto to ropes. Goto turns it around, but Goto honors the break, for a moment. Goto kicks and clubs away on Cobb, then stomps. Fans boo and jeer, but Goto tunes them out as he whips Cobb. Cobb reverses, and the two collide. Cobb doesn’t back down, but he does let his hair down while Goto eggs him on. Goto tries to hip toss but ducks the clothesline, but not the flying shoulder!
Cobb drags Goto up and throws forearms and EuroUppers. He whips Goto corner to corner, then grabs Goto for a BIG overhead suplex! Fans rally up but Cobb runs into a boot. Goto goes up, but Cobb yanks him off and to the mat. Cobb drags Goto up, and gives him a stiff chop. Goto chops back, but Cobb chops again. Cobb whips but Goto dodges to bait Cobb over and out! Goto then slingshots, and wipes Cobb out! Goto gets up to club away on Cobb, then puts him into a post! Fans boo and jeer as Goto goes after Cobb more. The 20 count begins, but Goto puts Cobb back in at 8. Goto stalks Cobb with stomps, then brings him up for elbows. He snapmares Cobb, to drop the elbow. Fans boo and jeer more, but Goto just drops another. Cover, TWO!
Goto drags Cobb up for a neck wrench. Fans rally as Cobb endures, but Goto switches to a headscissors hold. Goto squeezes Cobb and props himself up. Cobb endures, then rolls his way to a ropebreak. Goto lets Cobb go, but then drags him up for another snapmare and chinlock. Cobb endures while fans rally again. Goto goes to drive in an elbow but Cobb blocks it! Cobb powers out, then dropkicks Goto down! Both men are down but fans rally up. Cobb staggers to ropes, then waits for Goto. He throws a forearm, then a chop, repeat. Cobb whips Goto corner to corner, and hits a leaping uppercut! Cobb lifts and swings Goto with the Sidewinder! Cover, TWO! Cobb is a bit surprised, but he’s not done yet.
Cobb drags Goto up, then lifts for a torture rack. Running slam! Fans fire up, because Cobb still has more. Standing moonsault, but it misses as Goto rolls away! Both men are down again, but fans rally again. Each man gets to a corner, then Goto runs in for the spinning heel kick! Goto suplexes Cobb, cover, TWO! Goto drags Cobb up, but fans are on Cobb’s side. Cobb resists the fireman’s carry with back elbows, then blocks the boot to give a stiff forearm. Cobb drags Goto up, scoop onto the shoulder to bump off buckles and hit the Oklahoma slam! Cover, TWO! So close but so far from finishing this match. Cobb stands up again, then runs, but the two collide with clotheslines. Neither falls, so they go again. They still stay up, so they go again, and it’s Goto that gets flipped! Standing moonsault hits! TWO!!
Cobb is shocked, but not done yet. He throws Goto, then scoops, but Goto slips out to a sleeper hold! Cobb gasps, reaching for ropes. Fans rally up and Cobb gets a second wind to throw Goto off. Goto and Cobb both stand, but Cobb sees Goto coming. Goto dodges the boot to give the spinning clothesline. Cobb dares him to do more, so Goto headbutts. Goto lifts Cobb, USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO!! Cobb survives and that shocks Goto now. Goto brings Cobb up, but Cobb denies GTR with a suplex. Goto knees out, and tries to turn Cobb again. Cobb resists, so Goto clubs him. Reverse GTR! Cover, Goto wins!
Winner: Hirooki Goto, by pinfall; still NEVER Openweight Champion
The Fierce Warrior manages to hold off the powerful behemoth that is Jeff Cobb. Goto starts over with this first successful defense, will he be able to hold onto it for a long time?
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks VS EVIL & SANADA!
It’s a rematch from Dominion 2018, where “the best tag team in professional wrestling” took those titles from Los Ingobernables de Japon’s heavy hitting duo. Matt & Nick Jackson won in Osaka, but can they throw a victorious Superkick Party in their home state of California?
Fans chant “The! Elite! The the Elite!” for the champions as always. Cold Skull Sanada starts against Nick with the bell. They circle, but Sanada hits Matt. So Nick hits Evil! Nick whips but Sanada reverses, and things speed up. Nick stops himself but Sanada blocks the kick to spin Nick around for the dragon sleeper! Sanada lands on his feet through the snapmare, but Nick dodges the dropkick. Nick drops an elbow but Sanada dodges. Sanada drops an elbow but Nick dodges. Matt drops an elbow, Sanada dodges, then Evil drops a back senton but Matt dodges. Nick grabs Evil in headscissors but Sanada does the same to Nick. Matt comes back and grabs Evil’s legs. Fans sense what’s coming, as does Sanada, Sharpshooter that flips everyone over! A strange chain of submissions there.
But with only two men legal, there’s something illegal about this, so the referee has them all break. Matt regroups with Nick while Evil goes out. They double whip Sanada, hip toss and back-flip dropkicks! Headscissor dropkick for Evil, and fans fire up for The Bucks! The Bucks double whip Sanada again, double kick, then the alley-oop, but into a dropkick from Sanada! Evil blocks Matt’s kick, and feeds it to the ref, to then mule kick Matt in the ass. Matt rolls out from being butt hurt while Sanada grabs Nick. Sanada drags Nick over to a neutral corner, then whips him corner to corner. Sanada hits the corner clothesline, but Nick boots back. The boot is caught, and Sanada drags Nick out into the paradise lock! Nick is a pretzel, so Sanada dropkicks him out of paradise!
Tag to Evil, and LIJ drag Nick up for double whip. Back elbow to back senton, then cover, TWO! Evil grabs Nick into a half surfboard with those arms. Fans rally up and Nick feeds off it. Nick works against the hold but Evil keeps him grounded. Nick powers up again, but still can’t get free. Evil digs in a knee but fans keep rallying for Nick. Nick tries one more time, and manages to turn it around, only for Evil to turn it back around. So Nick dropkicks out! Fans rally again, and Nick crawls, but Sanada trips Matt right off the apron! Fans boo and jeer, but Sanada doesn’t care. Evil attacks Nick, then rakes the eyes. He whips Nick corner to corner but Nick slides out to trip up Sanada. Nick runs into Evil, but slips out of the back suplex to tag Matt!
Matt rallies on LIJ, but they get him with kicks. LIJ double whips, but he dodges to leaping lariat them both! Matt grabs Evil to throw haymakers and chops. Matt whips Evil but Evil holds ropes. Evil throws Matt to the apron, but Matt shoulders back in, then takes out Sanada with a cutter! Matt sunset flips in, legs to the Sharpshooter! The Cease is in, but that back bothers Matt again. Evil gets a ropebreak, so Matt tags to Nick. Nick kicks Sanada for good measure, then coordinates for the slingshot X-Factor. Nick goes to asai onto Sanada, but Sanada dodges to asai into dragon sleeper! Matt sees his brother in danger, and wrecks Sanada with a dropkick. But then Evil knocks Matt out, to build speed. SUPERKICKS! Sanada springboards, double missile dropkick! All four men are down but the fans are loving it.
Fans duel while all four men stir. Nick tags in Matt, but Evil tags in Sanada. Sanada and Matt trade haymakers back and forth. Matt kicks, then whips Sanada, but Sanada back elbows. Sanada quebradas, dragon sleeper, but Matt slices bread to get it on Sanada. Sanada turns it around again, for the swinging dragon sleeper! He climbs up top, moonsaults, but Matt evades. Sanada tumbles back out to the apron, but Matt gets him with a triangle jump DDT to the apron! Nick climbs up and aims at Sanada, 450 splash! Cover from Matt, TWO! The Bucks can’t believe it, but this isn’t over yet. Matt puts Sanada in the Sharpshooter, but Sanada drags himself towards ropes. Nick hits the swanton! Then he intercepts Evil, to FLY!
Sanada is alone, enduring the Sharpshooter. Sanada drags himself towards ropes, drawing so close to either the break or the tap. He powers up and gets the break! Matt lets Sanada go, thinking of what else to do. He tags in Nick, and Nick climbs up. Matt brings Sanada up for the fireman’s carry. More Bang for- No, knees disrupt that, and Sanada avoids the moonsault! Sanada crawls for his corner, and Evil is back to tag in! Evil German Suplexes Nick, then the same for Matt! Nick fights of another, but Evil still reels him in for another German! Evil fires up and runs in at Nick for a BIG clothesline. Then the fireman’s carry, Darkness Falls! Cover, TWO! Evil isn’t deterred, he brings Nick up. Nick slips free to back elbow. Nick suplexes but Evil counters. Sanada comes in, MAGIC KILLER! Cover, Matt breaks it!
Sanada throws Matt out but Matt brings him out, too. Evil drags Nick up, but Nick denies the STO. Matt puts Sanada into barriers, then he saves Nick from the slam. Deja vu to Dominion, but Evil dodges the SUPERKICKS, and they go into the ref! Evil double clotheslines both Bucks down! But with no ref to count, there’s no point in covering. Instead, Sanada pulls out some items from under the ring. He gives Evil a chair, but Evil misses. Evil and Nick play hot potato, but then Matt gets up, SUPERKICKS into the chair! SUPERKICKS for Sanada, then Matt prepares the chair on the mat. He brings Evil up as fast as he can with that bad back while Nick waits on the apron. Tombstone position, but Sanada trips up Nick! Evil reverses to the Tombstone, Ungovernable Driver on the chair!
Sanada wakes the ref, Evil covers, but Nick barely breaks it in time! Fans are all fired up, but Sanada throws Nick back out. Evil rises and calls for the finish. “This is Awesome!” as they prepare and hit Magic Killer! Cover, TWO!? How?! Sanada slingshots to take Nick out for good measure, and Evil waits for Matt. Matt reverses to back slide and SUPERKICK! Evil still goes after him, so Matt uses the STO! Sanada flies into SUPERKICKS! The Bucks hurry to get Evil up, then MELTZER DRIVER! Cover, The Bucks win!
Winners: The Young Bucks, Matt pinning; still IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions
Another thrilling close-call, but the Superkick Party rolls on! Their first heavyweight tag title reign continues, how far can Matt & Nick Jackson go in the Heavyweight Tag Division?
NJPW and AXS look at the Bullet Club Civil War.
Kenny Omega saw trouble coming from the very beginning when The American Nightmare used the faction to elevate himself. Cody manipulated the Young Bucks, Marty Scurll & Hangman Page, but Omega has already shown what he does to selfish members of the Club before. On the flip side, Cody saw Omega as too obsessed with his own goals and it was ruining the faction. The other members have been unsure which side to choose, but The Bucks found a way to decide. They chose Kenny. It cost Omega his match against Cody in ROH, but Cody took it as validation. Everyone else has reconciled aside from Cody, who is the “rotten apple” messing up the bunch. Is it hatred? Is it a matter of pride? More importantly, is it going to end with their match tonight?
Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay VS Tetsuya Naito & Bushi!
The Rainmaker is no longer IWGP Heavyweight Champion, the Aerial Assassin is no longer Jr. Heavyweight Champion, and LIJ’s Tranquilo leader is no longer Intercontinental Champion. Who will come out of this match with renewed vigor towards chasing the titles they lost at Dominion?
Fans are evenly split between Chaos and LIJ, especially Okada and Naito. Okada starts but wonders who is starting against him. Naito hears fans wanting him, so he obliges. Okada and Naito hear the fans fire up for them just being in the ring together. They circle, lunge, but Naito evades to keep things tranquilo. Naito and Okada circle but again Naito dodges. Fans enjoy the mind games, and Okada manages to shrug it off. They tie up finally, and Okada backs Naito to the ropes. Okada backs off, to fake the chop. Naito actually kicks then throws Okada out. Naito builds speed, to Tranquilo!
Fans love it, but Okada cools off before returning. Okada and Naito circle again, and fans rally up. Then Naito tags out to Bushi. Some fans boo and jeer but others still love the mind games. Okada tags in Ospreay, and now the junior heavyweights circle. Bushi kicks then slides off the back to headscissor, but Ospreay handsprings through to dropkick Bushi down. Bushi rolls out so Ospreay builds speed, to fake him out for the superhero landing. Naito rushes in but gets a kick for it! Bushi returns but Ospreay is ready with a chop. Ospreay whips Bushi to a corner, hits the back elbow, then sweeps the legs. Bushi gets up as Ospreay runs corner to corner, but Ospreay boots him away.
Ospreay runs again, but into a drop toehold, and Naito dropkicks in. Okada comes in, but Naito feeds him to Bushi’s sunset flip, which just feeds Okada back to Naito’s basement dropkick! Okada rolls out while Bushi returns to Ospreay. Bushi chokes and stretches Ospreay at the ropes, but backs off at 4. Meanwhile, Naito keeps on Okada on the outside. Bushi has Ospreay in the corner while fans sing for the Aerial Assassin. Bushi grinds his boot into Ospreay but stops at 4. Naito tags in, then stalks Ospreay to the ropes. He brings Ospreay around to whip to a corner, then jump kicks and sweeps the leg, swinging shotgun kick! Naito spits at Okada, then tags Bushi. Bushi wraps his shirt around Ospreay’s neck to choke him! He drops Ospreay with a neckbreaker, covers, but the ref sees the shirt. No count, and the shirt is tossed away.
Tag to Naito, and he toys with Ospreay. Ospreay fires up and pushes back, then gives forearms. Naito fakes the retaliation, only to kick Ospreay low. Naito whips Ospreay thne turns the boots away. Ospreay hits back from the apron but Naito gets under the springboard. Naito kicks, then runs, but into the flip dropkick and enziguri! Both men are down, but Ospreay is headed for his corner. Fans rally up, hot tag to Okada! Okada rallies on LIJ, then hits Naito. He builds speed and runs Naito over with an elbow! Bushi attacks but runs into a flapjack that splashes onto Naito! Okada kips up, then scoops Naito for the slam. Okada gets to the corner, aims at Naito, and hits the flying crossbody! Cover, TWO, but Okada keeps his cool while fans fire up.
Okada brings Naito up, but Naito blocks the gutwrench. Okada clubs Naito down then wrenches again, but Naito slips out into the dragon sleeper neckbreaker, and adds the dropkick to the back. Naito catches his breath, then brings Okada up. Okada resists Gloria, but Naito hits an enziguri. Hammerlock lift but Okada slips out to dropkick Naito in the back. Okada whips but Naito holds ropes to dodge the dropkick. Naito whips but Okada reverses, but Naito hits the flying forearm. Naito brings Okada up, tilt-o-whirl, but into the Tombstone, yet Naito slips out. He uses the ropes, but Okada blocks the tornado DDT with power! Okada lifts Naito, Air Raid! Both men are down but the fans applaud. They rally up for Okada as both men crawl. Hot tags to Ospreay and Bushi!
Ospreay and Bushi brawl with forearms back and forth. Bushi swings but Ospreay full nelsons. Bushi breaks free but gets the hook kick. Ospreay dragon sleeper suplex, but Bushi slips out. Bushi hits the swinging boots, then the missile dropkick! It’s a Bushi-rooni into double knees, then the swinging neckbreaker! Cover, but Okada breaks it. Naito throws Okada out, Bushi runs for a code breaker! Cover, TWO! Bushi isn’t done, though, as he climbs back up. He aims at Ospreay as Ospreay slowly stands. But he flies into a roundhouse! Naito baseball slides Ospreay, then dodges the Rainmaker lariat, but not that dropkick! Okada fires up as he pursues Naito. Bushi kicks Ospreay, but runs into a Spanish Fly! Cover, TWO! Ospreay fires up, Robinson Special kick! He drags Bushi up, double underhook to Stormbreaker!! Cover, Chaos wins!
Winners: Okada & Ospreay, Ospreay pinning
The former Heavyweight and Jr. Heavyweight Champions combine for a victory tonight, not letting their past defeats drag them down. Can the Rainmaker & Assassin climb back up to take back what they’ve lost?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi VS Dragon Lee!
This rivalry spans both NJPW and CMLL promotions, and sometimes even ROH. Lee is the current CMLL World Lightweight Championship while the Ticking Time Bomb won his belt back at Dominion after also winning Best of the Super Juniors 25. While Hiromu is NJPW’s best Junior, will Lee prove he’s the best in two companies?
But Dragon Lee doesn’t wait for the bell, he just waits for Hiromu to be done putting away his toys, to leap out with a crazy huricanrana! If there was any doubt, this proves there’s no love lost between these two. The bell rings, and we begin outside the ring as Lee whips Hiromu into railings then rams into him. Lee returns to the ring, builds speed, and DIVES! That was a dangerous tope suicida, but Lee still did it. He gets up and puts Hiromu into the ring. Hiromu gets to a corner, but Lee runs in for a dropkick and sweep to swinging dropkick, NAITO’s moves. Lee even mocks Tranquilo! Fans boo and jeer but Lee throws elbow after elbow into Hiromu. The referee backs Lee off, but only long enough for that corner to corner dropkick! Cover, TWO!
Lee keeps his focus as he drags Hiromu up for an ankle lock. Hiromu rolls through but gets stomped out. Lee puts on a chinlock, then rakes the face. Lee lets go, but then kicks Hiromu across the back. He keeps on Hiormu with a whip into a corner. Hiromu comes out with a headscissor, but Lee just handsprings through. They speed up, and Lee gets caught that time. Hiromu hits Lee with a clothesline and baseball slide dropkick! Lee gets out of the ring, but Hiromu doesn’t stop, John Woo from the apron! Hiromu climbs up top now, and aims at Lee, for a SUPER SENTON!! They crash and burn on the ground! Fans lose their minds after that one.
The 20 count begins, but Hiromu gets on the apron at 10. Lee grabs Hiromu, not wanting to end the count. Hiromu fights him off, but they both end up on the apron. They brawl, and the count stops as they go back and forth. Hiromu rocks Lee but Lee rocks Hiromu. Hiromu kicks Lee, then brings him up to the top rope. He climbs up with Lee, and fans fear for the wrestlers’ lives. Lee stops Hiromu’s crazy idea, and fans rally up as they brawl more. Each man fires up, and that headbutt rocks Hiromu into a Tree of Woe. Lee stands up, SUPER WOE STOMPS! Hiromu hits apron and then ground, and fans lose their minds all over again. Both men are down as a new 20 count begins. They stir at 6, but doesn’t stand until 9.
Lee gets on the apron, but Hiromu grabs him for the powerbomb! The count climbs, but Hiromu flounders around. They both get in at 19.5! Hiromu and Lee are already so sore, but somehow both stand up. Hiromu runs in for a big clothesline, then whips. Lee reverses to clothesline, but Hiromu reels him into a wheelbarrow German Suplex! Hiromu keeps going, but runs into a rebound German! Yet he springs up to German Lee back! But so does Lee! Hiromu Germans Lee again, but Lee gets up to give it back! Fans chant “Suplex City!” as Hiromu gives Lee another! Lee flounders, but he still goes towards Hiromu. Lee grabs Hiromu for yet another German suplex! Hiromu clotheslines, but Lee knee strikes into another German Suplex! SUPERKICK from Hiromu, then German! Lee Reverse-ranas, but runs into a massive clothesline!
Both men are down but the fans are loving it all! They chant “New Japan!” to show appreciation to the promotion bringing this to us. Fans rally up as both men stir, but a 10 count begins. Lee gets up with ropes while Hiromu gets up on his own. They go back towards each other, and trade sharp chops. Back and forth they go, sharper and sharper. Hiromu staggers but still comes back with a chop. Then he dares Lee to do the same, so Lee does! Both men drop to a knee from the stinging pain, but they don’t back off for long. They chop more, more, more, faster, harder, sharper! Fans are loving the endless chop fight going on in the ring. They shift to slaps now, then as hove. Hiromu and Lee trade blocks, but Lee gets the knee. Lee runs but into the overhead throw!
Hiromu grins before he lifts Lee, for a fireman’s slam! Cover, TWO! Hiromu drags Lee up again, but Lee slips out. Lee lifts Hiromu for a suplex but Hiromu slips out to SUPERKICK! Hiromu runs, but into Spanish Fly! Cover, TWO! Both men are down from exhaustion now, but fans rally up. Lee grabs Hiromu, but Hiromu headscissors out of the suplex, into the triangle hold! Lee resists, deadlifts, and powerbombs! But Hiromu holds on! Lee endures as he tries another deadlift, then shifts it to a Dragon Driver!
Fans lose their minds over the impact to Hiromu’s head, but Lee shows no mercy. Lee brings Hiromu up again, for a suplex to sit-out bomb! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives while Lee grows frustrated. Fans rally up while Lee brings Hiromu up. Lee knee lifts, then bomb lifts, but Hiromu pops out for a Destroyer! Cover, TWO!! But the Time Bomb still has more to give as he brings Lee up, fro THE Ticking Time Bomb! Cover, Hiromu wins!
Winner: Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall; still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion
This explosive feud was intense even before the bell. But in the end, the eccentric champion retains against one of his fiercest rivals in the world. Will Hiromu’s second reign last a long time with heart like that?
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Jay White VS Juice Robinson!
The Switchblade snatched the belt from the inaugural champion, Kenny Omega, while the Flamboyant One has tried but failed to grab a title for himself again and again. The Switchblade upped the animosity between him and Juice, vowing Juice will walk away with nothing! Or will the actual American in this match be the first American to finally hold this title?
But there’s a special rule: Juice cannot use his cast as a weapon, on grounds of a disqualification. In other words, Juice might as well be fighting with one less hand. But Juice doesn’t care, he’s confident he’ll win even with just one hand. The belt is presented, both men are checked, and we begin!
White mocks the bad hand, so Juice tackles him and uses the good hand! White turns it around to throw hands of his own, but Juice turns it back again. They separate, and Juice crossbodies White out with him! Fans chant for Juice as he aims from the apron for the flying clothesline! Juice dusts himself off and puts White into railings. White clutches his arm but Juice is back on him. Juice throws White into railings and it crashes into the timekeeper’s area! Juice holds that belt, and says the timekeepers are just holding onto it for him. He then puts White back in the ring, and prepares his good hand. White stands, and Juice jabs away. “Juice! Juice!” echoes out, but he can’t use the left, so he just chops White.
White gets to a corner, and Juice hits a corner clothesline. But then White suplexes Juice out to the floor! Juice clutches his neck while White regroups. White goes out to fetch Juice, and put him into railings in return! The railing almost flies away with that impact. White mocks Juice’s fist pump while fans boo and jeer. White digs Juice out of the wreckage to then chop him across the chest. He then throw Juice into the timekeeper’s area, and practically bowls the table and chairs over! White eggs the fans on as they boo and jeer. The referee, Red Shoes, reprimands White and wants him to put this in the ring. Fans chant “You Suck!” at White as he puts Juice in. White suplexes Juice into buckles, then covers. TWO, but White is only annoyed.
White goes back to Juice with clubbing forearms across that back. He then tortures the bad hand with the wristlock and finger stretching. He even stands on and, while flipping everyone off, stomps said bad hand! Juice crawls, but White is on him. White hammerlocks for the scoop slam to beat up that bad hand. Fans jeer White but White responds with another middle finger. White brings Juice back up for another hammerlock. He tortures the arm while fans rally up for Juice. Juice gets to a corner but White keeps on the arm. Juice reverses and jabs with the good hand. He headbutts, but misses the kick. He elbows out of the waistlock, though, only to end up in a saido suplex! Fans boo White more, but he doesn’t care as he brings Juice over for a Muda Lock. He even uses the bad hand to choke Juice!
Fans rally for Juice as he endures the hold. Juice crawls as best as he can, and reaches for the ropes. White wrenches but Juice gets the ropebreak! White lets go at 3, but goes after Juice on the apron. He has Juice between ropes to throw EuroUpper after EuroUpper, then chops. He chops Juice again, then again, then again. White does not let up on Juice, but Juice tells him to “Eat sh*t!” White chops again, then runs, to EuroUpper Juice right out of the ropes. Fans boo and jeer White more, but White keeps mocking Juice. White waits for Juice to stand, and then copies the jabs. He jabs and jabs, then winds up the right, but Juice chops back! White chops, so Juice chops again. They go again, and White falls to a knee, only to wring out the arm.
White drags Juice back up, but runs into a spinebuster! Fans rally while both men get to corners. Juice runs in for the big clothesline. Juice gives a discus clothesline, then runs, but into a complete shot! White drags Juice up with a German Suplex! Bridge, TWO, but White goes after the bad arm with the Fujiwara! Juice endures the bend from elbow to fingers, but White makes it a modified Rings of Saturn on top. White tortures both arms, but Juice uses his legs for the ropebreak. Juice slips out of the ring but White pursues. White rams Juice into a post, then snap suplexes him into railing! The impact is so hard, it knocks JR out of his seat at commentary! Not that White cares, he just mocks JR and Josh. Josh is about to get in there himself!
White keeps his distance, and JR just wants to find his hat. Red Shoes tries to calm Josh down, but fans let White know he’s an “As*hole!” Josh returns to commentary, but White keeps on Juice. He yanks Juice into a post, then brings out chairs. White prepares a chair like a vice on Juice’s hand! White swings the other chair, but Juice gets his hand out in time! Juice swings at White, but only SMACKS the post. White goes after Juice with another saido suplex! White returns into the ring to refresh the count, then brings Juice up again. Juice grabs White with a headlock and elbows away on White. White clubs Juice back, then reels Juice in for another suplex. Juice slips out, to SPIENBUSTER White onto the apron! Fans are loving the intensity, and rally up for Juice again.
Red Shoes checks on both men, but somehow both men are okay to continue. Juice gets up and into the ring, but White grabs the bad hand. Fans chant “Juice S A!” while White and Juice end up on the apron. White brings Juice up, but Juice swings, only to end up in a complete shot on the apron. White gets up and deadlifts Juice, but Juice grabs ropes. Juice fights for his life, but White clubs away. White pulls but Juice holds on with all he has. The two keep fighting, but Juice elbows White away. Juice then switches, to a SUPER Russian Leg Sweep!! They crash and burn on the ground, and a 20 count begins. Neither man stirs until about 10, and don’t stand until 17! Juice gets in, but White barely makes it at 19.9.
Both men are crawling while fans rally up. They stand in opposite corners, Juice CANNONBALLS! Juice hoists White onto the top rope, then headbutts before climbing up. Fans fire up while Juice prepares something. SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO!! But Juice is not deterred, he has something left. He brings White up, turns him around, but the Unprettier is countered into an armlock! Juice crawls to the ropes and gets the break. White won’t let go, he just throws elbow after elbow! Red Shoes finally gets him to stop, but that doesn’t stop White’s egotistical posing. White brings Juice up, but Juice slips out of the Blade Runner. Juice goes to punch, but Red Shoes reminds him of using the cast! This distraction allows White to EuroUpper, but backslide counter! TWO, Blade– No, Pulp- No, White shoves Juice at Red Shoes! LOW BLOW!
Juice collapses and Red Shoes saw nothing. White runs in, but Juice dodges. Cast hand punch!! Red Shoes still didn’t see it, so Juice gets away with it. Juice drags White back up, turns him, PULP FRICTION!! Cover, TWO?!!? How!? Juice can’t understand why he’s still so far away from the title. But fans rally up for him, they believe in him. Juice stands and fires up! He brings White up, wants it again, but White hits the bad hand. White grabs Juice in the Half-Nelson Suplex! Then, he dodges the left hand for ANOTHER! White calls for his end, and brings Juice up again. Roll up! JUICE WINS!!
Winner: Juice Robinsin, by pinfall; NEW IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion
The first American for the American championship!! White’s ego got the better of him, and now Juice is the third-ever IWGP USHC! Juice is so happy, he hugs Red Shoes. White refuses to accept this, but the referee’s decision is final. Red Shoes officially gives Juice the belt, and the celebration truly begins! Will this title’s first American bring it to new heights?
IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega VS Cody w/ Brandi Rhodes & Bernard the Business Bear!
The Bullet Club has been through many transitions since forming as a faction. From the founding Prince Devitt to the Phenomenal AJ Styles to the current iteration, it has been one of the strongest factions in NJPW. But with The Cleaner having finally climbed the mountain, he is ready to settle things with the would-be leader, The American Nightmare. Omega is the face of pro-wrestling today, but will the Son of the Son of a Plumber ruin the dream already?
The belt is presented while fans chant “The! Elite! The the Elite!” Fans are definitely more on Omega’s side than Cody’s. For that matter, The Bucks are on Omega’s side more than Cody’s. The bell rings, and we begin.
Omega and Cody stare down, but Cody is again bothered by so many more people being on Omega’s side than on his. They circle, testing each other. Cody shoots a look at The Bucks, but the Bucks just shrug. What did he expect them to do? Cody and Omega circle again and finally tie up. They go around with waistlocks and standing switches, but Cody goes after the hand. Omega reverses, but Cody thumbs the eyes. Fans boo while Cody gruffly acknowledges the ropebreak. They back off, and fans boo and jeer Cody while Omega checks his eyes. The fans aren’t very nice to Cody, either. But Cody just takes it out on Omega as they tie up again.
They go back to a corner, and Omega honors the break. Cody doesn’t with that shove, but Omega keeps from retaliating. The two circle again, tie up, and Omega gets the headlock. Cody powers out, but Omega knocks him back with a shoulder. Cody pie-faces Omega so Omega kicks back. Now Cody gets the headlock but Omega powers out. Cody runs Omega over with the shoulder, and motions that the belt will be his. Things speed up and Omega hip tosses. Cody kicks back then headlock takeover but Omega headscissors. Omega headlocks but Cody reverses. Omega powers out to then chop Cody sharp. Cody slips out of the back suplex, kick to dropping uppercut. Omega ends up outside the ring, but Cody pursues.
Cody punches Omega around the way, then bumps Omega off the apron. Fans still curse out Cody, and that distracts him. Omega hits Cody, but Cody rams Omega into the apron. Cody puts Omega in the ring, then stalks him. Cody chops Omega in a corner, then chops again. Omega turns it around to chop back even sharper. Omega goes to chop a third time but Cody turns it around. Cody whips corner to corner but Omega reverses. Omega runs in but Cody goes up and over to hit the spinning powerslam. Cover, TWO! Cody keeps his cool while he gets back up.
Cody brings Omega up for a headlock and punches. Omega’s eye is bugging him, but he still reels Cody into a waistlock. Cody elbows out then runs, to duck the boot. Omega elbows back to dropkick the legs out. Omega runs, Kotaro Crusher bulldog! Cody rolls out of the ring, but the Terminator rises. Brandi coaches Cody up, but Omega builds sped. Cody uses Brandi as a shield! But he still get a dropkick. Omega slingshots but misses, and Brandi taunts him. Cody builds speed, to FLY! His springboard splash takes Omega out.
Cody hears the fans boo and jeer again, but he ends up arguing with The Bucks over putting things back in the ring. Cody instead throws Omega into barriers. He then takes off the weight belt, but simply tosses it to Matt. Cody whips Omega to the barriers near the timekeeper’s area instead. Omega boots back, then throws Cody over into the timekeeper’s area. Cody is on the table, but Omega uses the railings to springboard stomp him through it! Fans lose their minds at that one!
Omega regroups with the Bucks, to bring out another table! The Bucks don’t seem to want this either, but the fans sure do! Cody digs himself out of the wreckage, but Omega has the table set up. Omega puts Cody on it with forearms and chops, then climbs up into the ring. Omega takes aim, springboards, but Cody gets away. Luckily Omega saw it in time and he stops himself. But when he comes over to fetch Cody, Cody shoves the table into the ribs! Those ribs were banged up at Dominion, so Omega is a bit slow to returning to the ring. Cody kicks him on reentry, then clotheslines to complete shot! Cover, TWO!
Cody is frustrated, and he tries again, TWO. Omega gets to ropes but Cody is on him. Cody stretches Omega back against the ropes, then brings Omega over for clubbing forearms. He drives an elbow into Omega’s head, and then big body shots into those ribs. Fans duel while Cody throws Omega with an X-Plex. Cover, TWO, but Cody keeps Omega grounded. Cody shows off with push-ups, which fans boo and jeer. Omega chops Cody, but Cody puts Omega’s leg on the rope to kick the thigh. Cody drags Omega up while shouting at the Bucks. Cody snapmares then cravats Omega on the mat.
Omega endures while fans rally up. Omega pries his way out of the hold, then kicks Cody in the head. He clubs Cody int he back, then throws forearms. Cody knees low and whips, but Omega reverses into fireman’s carry. “You Can’t Escape”, but Cody does. Even so, Omega gets Cody with headscissors! Cody rolls out and tips over the table for good measure. Omega builds speed, to FLY! He wipes Cody out with the tope conjilo. Omega gets back up and puts Cody in the ring. Fans fire up as Omega climbs. Cody stands, and gets the missile dropkick to the back! Omega drags Cody up, cross-leg fisherman neckbreaker!
But Omega isn’t done there, as he loads up and BANG! Omega runs, but Cody dodges the Vi-Trigger. Waistlock but standing switch, V-Trigger at point blank. Omega tries the wristlock but Cody standing switches. Cody German Suplexes but Omega lands on his feet, another point-blank V-Trigger! Omega brings Cody up, Snap Dragon Suplex! Cody is dazed, but Omega is far from done with him. Cody elbows out of the full nelson, but they standing switch around, Cody copies the Snap Dragon! Both men crawl towards each other, and start throwing forearms. Cody kicks low, then throws forearms. Omega hits back, but Cody still comes back. Omega fires off three, then a boot. He runs, sunset flip, but Cody rolls through to Figure Four!
Omega endures the legendary hold, and fans rally up. Omega works to roll it over, but Cody holds it in place. Cody throws a haymaker, but so does Omega. They go back and forth, brawling while the leg hold is on. Cody wrenches the Figure Four but Omega starts slapping him. Cody slaps back, but Omega slaps harder. Omega then turns it over! Now Cody endures the pain! Cody gets the ropebreak, and the two separate. Fans rally up again while Cody bails out of the ring. Brandi checks on him, but Omega has since pulled out a ladder! The Bucks are definitely not for this. But Cody has himself a chair! This isn’t a TLC match, but it’s becoming one.
Omega puts the ladder in the ring while Cody has his chair. Red Shoes stops Cody from using the chair, so Cody just scoop slams Omega on that ladder! Cody positions the ladder to his liking, sticking it out from the apron. He goes over to Omega, but Omega resists with body shots. Omega suplexes but Cody fights out. Cody lifts, gordbuster ON the ladder! Matt & Nick check on Omega, but he’s somehow okay to continue. Cody puts the ladder all the way in the ring, then embraces the heat. Red Shoes reprimands him as he brings Omega up and puts him into the timekeeper’s railing. The railing also hits the ring announcer, so it’s not just Omega in pain.
Cody grabs the table and brings it back. The Bucks keep trying to talk sense into these tow, but neither man is listening. Cody stands the ladder up. Omega sees it as he rests against the table. Cody bumps Omega off the table, then sets him on the wood. He shoves the Bucks out of the way, but they take offense to that. Red Shoes keeps Matt from disqualifying this match, though you have to question the TLC element. Cody climbs, but Omega follows! The Bucks shout for them to climb down, but they instead brawl atop the steel. Fans chant “Please Don’t Die!” as both men teeter. Cody slaps, Omega SLAPS. Omega tells the Bucks to get back, because he grabs Cody for a… SUPER SUPERPLEX! But from CODY!
They crash land in the ring rather than through table, but it’s still just as crazy. Cody and Omega crawl for each other, “This is Awesome!” Cody covers, TWO!! But barely, as Omega only gets the one shoulder. Fans rally up for them again, but it’s Cody who rolls out. He asks Brandi for help walking over. She obliges, but he’s not retreating. Cody snatches the belt, and holds it up like it’s already his. The Bucks still try to reason with him, but it’s futile.
Cody brings the belt in, and aims at Omega. Red Shoes stops Cody, and Omega pounces with the Reverse-Rana! Omega stands up, reloads, but then Cody resists the electric chair. Cody shoves Omega into Red Shoes, but Omega shoves Red Shoes out of the way for safety. Beautiful Disaster kick! But no ref means no count, so no point in covering. However, it also means no rules, so Cody picks up the belt. Cody aims at Omega, but the Bucks plead with him not to. Fans boo and jeer, so Cody skips the bet. He wants Cross Rhodes but Omega slips out. Omega swings, full nelson into CROSS RHODES! Red Shoes returns, Cody covers, TWO!!
Everyone is down, and that includes Red Shoes. The Bucks take this time to get that ladder out of the ring, they don’t want this to go overboard any further. Cody stands up and grabs Omega. Omega slips out and whips Cody into a V-Trigger! He loads, BANG, V-Trigger! Omega keeps going, electric chair, but Cody reverses into Di– No, heel kick from Omega to Cody! Then, corner to corner V-Trigger! Omega keeps going, powerbomb lift, Doctor Bomb! TWO, so V-Trigger! Omega shows no mercy as he gives another V-Trigger! And with a running start, Cody blocks that Trigger, but only for a moment. Omega double underhooks but Cody resists. Omega backslides but Cody rolls through, V-Trigger again! Cover, TWO!
Both men are down from exhaustion, but fans are loving this. The Terminator drums begin, and Omega stands first. He brings Cody up, but Cody still resists the electric chair. Omega clubs away on the back, then electric chair lifts. He spins Cody around, but Cody resists. Even so, POWERBOMB THROUGH THE TABLE!! The table didn’t break, but maybe Cody did. The Bucks and Red Shoes check on Cody while Omega catches his breath in the ring. Brandi also checks on Cody, but Omega continues to show no mercy. The 20 count begins, and Omega brings Cody up and over at 8. Fans cheer, because they appreciate Omega wants to win this in the ring.
Omega reloads, BANG, but Brandi becomes Cody’s shield again. It’s her husband, after all, and she doesn’t want him to take any more damage. But even Cody says she needs to exit the ring, this is still a match. Omega BANG, then runs, but into a BIG lariat from Cody! Cody is too far away and too sore for a cover, though, and Omega gets up first. Cody follows, but Omega hits first. They trade forearms back and forth, then shift to chops. Omega brings it back to forearms, but Cody shoves. Cody runs into a V-Trigger, then Omega gives another. Omega double underhooks, butterfly piledriver! Cover, TWO!? Cody shows heart, but Omega shows his mean-streak, with another V-Trigger. Omega lifts Cody in the electric chair, One-Winged Angel! Cover, Omega wins!
Winner: Kenny Omega, by pinfall; still IWGP Heavyweight Champion
The Best Match Machine succeeds in his first ever defense of the top title. He fought so hard to get it, and he fought hard to keep it. Cody himself fought hard in trying to take it, but was just not strong enough. Omega takes Cody’s hand and helps him up to his feet, and the fans applaud the sportsmanship. The two look each other in the eyes, but not a word is said. Brandi helps Cody exit while Omega raises the belt in victory. Does this match mark the end of the Civil War?
Omega speaks.
“This is my first title defense as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. I’m proud that I could do it in a legendary building such as the Cow Palace.” But most importantly, he’s proud he could do it in front of these fans. Omega didn’t understand before how a line forms to knock the champion down. But they’re all human, they’re all deserving of second chances. Even Cody deserves one, and this effort tonight was “nothing short of valiant.”
Whether it be a pro-wrestler, an idol, or someone working at the popcorn stand, we all need to be given the very best life possible. Omega promises to give us the very best matches against anyone and everyone on the roster. There was speculation that this show wouldn’t go well, but from what he can tell, this place is full and the fans were lively as Hell. So thank you for everything, but he must now bid you adieu. “Good-bye, mwah, and good-night BANG.” This new chapter for Omega’s NJPW is just beginning. The rest of Bullet Club meets The Elite on the ramp to celebrate and throw up Too Sweets! But then Tama Tonga attacks?!
It’s a coup! The chief of the Tongan sub-faction and his brother and father beat down Omega in the ring!! Gun-Stun Bomb!! The Civil War is far from over, as Haku & GoD beat down the Bucks. But here comes Hangman! Hangman fights off the Tongans, but only for so long. Loa runs him over, then scoops him for a slam. So here comes Scurll! He has his umbrella and he tees off, until Tonga gets him with Gun-Stun. The Bucks are back up, but Haku knocks them back down. Tonga says “You did this!” to Omega, as if it’s his fault.
The other members, Yujiro & Chase Owens, come out to try and sort this out. But it seems not even they are safe! Loa saido suplexes Yujiro, then Chase gets hit with the spinning neckbreaker! The Tongans don’t stop here, as they bring in the chairs from the main event to SMACK anyone that moves. Haku then gives Omega the throat thrust for good measure.
What was meant to be a moment of celebration for all is ruined by this revolting revolution. Fans boo and jeer, but perhaps this is Tama Tonga the OG member bringing The Club back to its roots. Wait, Cody returns! Is he even able to fight in his condition? He hobbles his way to the ring either way, but he’s on Tama Tonga’s side?! NOPE! He attacks the Tongans! Only to get a Stun Gun! Then Omega is fed to Haku, father and sons hit a piledriver on the chair. The Tongan #FiringSquad has just downed the rest of the club without mercy. “This is family! There ain’t no leader!” The silver lining: Cody and Omega are back on the same side. Is this the beginning of a new and even more brutal Civil War?
My Thoughts:
Simply incredible. NJPW goes for over 4 hours, but all of it was spectacular. As a bonus, their match card went in the order it was advertised where a WWE card feels like it’s on shuffle. The opening 10 Man was a nice opener, and I did not get a hint of foreshadowing towards the end, which makes it even better. Isshi-Yano surprised me, I thought Suzuki-Sabre were going to win again. But I suppose this extends their story, because Ishii VS Suzuki is something I’d watch all the time. Then Hangman & Scurll win, so another point for Bullet Club. It almost resembles Dominion, where that was basically dominated by The Club. I was hoping Cobb would beat Goto, but perhaps it’s too soon for him to win a title in NJPW when he’s just debuted and is unaffiliated.
The Young Bucks score again for Bullet Club, and I loved the parallels and upgrades to the Dominion match. Okada looks odd in gear that isn’t what he was wearing as champion. Good to see him and Ospreay basically bounce back from their losses, but it also makes you wonder where Naito is going from his. At least LIJ still has Hiromu, he and Dragon Lee surprised everyone with all that was going on. Hiromu is definitely best junior right now. That US title match was great, White and Juice brought each other up to new levels. I really thought Josh was gonna beat the crap out of White, but obviously between the kayfabe of commentator and wrestler not being able to get violent, and the result of Juice FINALLY being champion, what we got was the superior choice.
Cody VS Omega was also insane, and the story of the Bucks and even Brandi trying to keep things from going too far was a great touch. In the end, Omega wins because it’d be a shame to end his reign so soon. And of course, that swerve from the Tongans was not expected at all. At least, not here tonight. Tama Tonga hinted at wanting to go against Omega in the past, but to think he’d do it in such riotous fashion with his brother and his father by his side. As I said, great to see Cody is back on the same side with Omega, but I have a feeling that (aside from Bad Luck Fale and possibly Taiji Ishimori) Tama Tonga will bring in more people to his side in order to match who Omega has on his side (The Bucks, Hangman, Scurll, Cody, Chase & Yujiro).
My Score: 9.7/10
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The Road to the Tokyo Dome goes through KOPW!
As 2024 nears an end, Great-O-Khan defends the KOPW Championship one more time, against a former KOPW Champion in Taichi! Who will be THE 2024 King of Pro-Wrestling?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Chase Your Dream Match: Shoma Kato VS Hiromu Takahashi; Hiromu wins.
- Boltin Oleg VS Satoshi Kojima; Boltin wins.
- Triple Threat Tag: Jeff Cobb & Jakob Austin Young VS Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson VS Ren Narita & Yujiro Takahashi; Narita & Yujiro win.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS El Desperado & Master Wato; Desperado & Wato win.
- Fatal 4 Way: Kevin Knight VS Robbie Eagles VS Francesco Akira VS “Drilla” Dan Moloney; Eagles wins.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs; LIJ wins.
- Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita; ZSJ & Fujita win.
- KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi; Khan wins and is the definitive 2024 KOPW Champion.
PLAY BY PLAY
After the Triple Threat Tag…
The House of Torture of course cheated to win, but they wouldn’t leave it at that! They waited until the United Empire and TMDK argued with each other to then attack them all! Yujiro Takahashi CLUBS Oiwa down while Narita shoves Cobb into big Hartley Jackson! And then Narita JAMS Cobb with the pushup bar! The fans boo but Narita JAMS Oiwa up, too! The Souled Out Son of Strong Style is so proud of himself as he holds up his NJPW World TV Championship, but wait. Christmas music starts playing? The fans clap along as surprise! Santa and his reindeer are here! Well, one reindeer. But shouldn’t the House of Torture be on the naughty list?
Santa Claus walks over, and he gets the mic. He sounds familiar as he tells, “Narita-san… You have a Christmas present waiting. Would you like it now?” Narita asks what the heck is going on. Santa steps into the ring and offers Narita the little tiny bag. Narita snatches the bag, then he and Yujiro look at it. The fans asks, “Nani nani? <What is it?>” Narita tells them to shut up. Narita gets the bag open and pulls out… Blue sunglasses! With LED lights! The fans cheer as the lights go down! “E! L! P!” EL PHANTASMO IS HERE! The Headbanga has been battling cancer, but he’s here in Korakuen Hall!
Narita is furious but ELP slides right into the ring! Narita & Yujiro run away, but the fans cheer ELP on as he stands side-by-side with Jado Claus. ELP gets the mic now, and the fans cheer him on. ELP takes a moment before saying, in Japanese, “Cancer. Cancer… I’ve beaten cancer! And I love Korakuen!” But ELP asks Jado-san how to say a certain something in Japanese. He whispers it, but then Narita & Yujiro attack! The fans boo these cowards, but then Narita says Merry Christmas! But ELP BOOTS him, ELBOWS Yujiro, then dodges Narita to SUDDEN DEATH! Jado Claus DECKS the Tokyo Pimp!
ELP again asks Jado, and Jado says on behalf of ELP, that ELP is going to wrestle tomorrow night! And… Then he’ll be at the Tokyo Dome! ELP grabs the NJPW World TV Championship! ELP looks it over, and looks to the crowd, and then to Jado, but then Jeff Cobb and Ryohei Oiwa get in the ring. Cobb asks if ELP’s good. ELP is good. Are they good? Then let’s turn it up a notch! FATAL 4 WAY for the TV Championship! Narita snatches his belt, gets out of the ring, and tells everyone to shut up! The odds just got stacked against the House of Torture, will the New Year have a NEW NJPW World TV Champion one way or another?
Shota Umino & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita!
Ahead of battling for THE IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, The Roughneck and The Front Man bring some back up! The Ace is also preparing to fight Evil, will he and Shota bring a Once in a Century Paradigm Shift? Or will ZSJ and the Japanese Young Punk prove The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The teams sort out and Shota starts against ZSJ. The fans cheer this WrestleKingdom preview, and Korakuen duels between “SHOTA! SHOTA!” and “ZAKU! ZAKU!” ZSJ and Shota feel things out, then knuckle lock. ZSJ clinches but Shota fights back with his own clinch. ZSJ slips around to chinbar but Shota wrenches to a wristlock. ZSJ rolls, tries another chinbar but Shota cranks the wristlock. ZSJ bridges, spins, slips around and wrangles Shota! Shota kips up to WRING the arm, but ZSJ UP KICKS! The fans cheer as the two reset. Shota and ZSJ circle, feel things out, and knuckle lock. ZSJ then stands on Shota’s hand!
ZSJ has another hand and twists the wrist! Then he has both arms for a motorcycle stretch but Shota fights up. Shota turns things around, and he fights ZSJ as ZSJ tries to turn them back. ZSJ keeps trying, and he pushes through, but Shota spins things right back around! The fans cheer while Shota digs a foot into ZSJ’s back. ZSJ flips, kips up, spins things around, but Shota spins them back! The fans cheer, and Shota spins ZSJ. ZSJ dodges the lariat, Shota blocks a kick, but ZSJ ducks the enzigiri! Shota avoids the Penalty Kick and arm-drags ZSJ, but ZSJ headscissors! Shota kips free, avoids a leg pick, and the fans cheer!
Shota dares ZSJ to go for the leg but the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, and each man breaks free of one. They back off, and Shota tags in Tanahashi. The fans cheer, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Korakuen strongly supports President Ace. Tanahashi and Fujita circle, tie up, and Tanahashi powers Fujita back. The ref counts, Tanahashi lets off slowly, but then Fujita turns things around! Tanahashi turns things around, and repeat! The ref counts, Fujita lets off slowly, but then both men block a kick! They argue over who lets go first, and eventually agree for a mutual break. They set the feet down, but then Fujita holds on!
Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi, then whips. Tanahashi reverses but Fujita ducks ‘n’ dodges to GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Fujita aims from a corner. Fujita runs corner to corner but Tanahashi BOOTS him! Shota CLOBBERS Fujita, then eggs ZSJ on! ZSJ runs up, Shota blocks a kick and he sends ZSJ into Tanahashi’s ELBOW! Shota CLOBBERS ZSJ and the fans fire up. Shota pursues ZSJ to the outside and CLUBS him down! Shota clamps onto ZSJ with a chinlock but the ref reprimands. Tanahashi CHOPS Fujita, but Fujita CHOPS Tanahashi! The fans fire up as Fujita storms back up, but he blocks a boot!
Fujita DRAGON SCREWS Tanahashi’s leg! Fujita kips up, ZSJ sends Shota into railing, and Fujita stomps Tanahashi. The fans rally and Fujita brings Tanahashi up to CHOP! Fujita eggs Tanahashi on, CHOPS him again, then CHOPS again! Tanahashi flounders and ZSJ tags in. ZSJ drags Tanahashi up to UPPERCUT! Tanahashi ends up in the TMDK corner, ZSJ UPPERCUTS him again! ZSJ says, “Mada mada!” and he UPPERCUTS again! Tanahashi falls, ZSJ tags in Fujita, and Fujita brings Tanahashi up. Fujita CHOPS again, and then CHOPS again! Tanahashi is stinging and using the ropes for defense while the fans rally up.
Tanahashi storms up but Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi CHOPS, Fujita CHOPS! Tanahashi falls and Fujita BLASTS Shota! Tag to ZSJ and he grabs a leg. Fujita also grabs one, they drag Tanahashi to center, and then they both go after arms. Then they shift, ZSJ has an arm while Fujita has a leg! Then they both have legs again! Then ZSJ has a leg and Fujita has an arm! Then back to the arms! They both isolate the arms for DOUBLE STOMPS! The fans cheer, the ref reprimands and ZSJ “apologizes” with a bow. ZSJ stands on one of Tanahashi’s legs to then twist the other! Tanahashi endures, even as ZSJ TWEAKS the ankle!
ZSJ twists the foot the other way, flips Tanahashi over, and shifts around to have a headscissor and armlock! Shota stomps ZSJ but Fujita goes after Shota! Fujita TOSSES Shota, ZSJ tags Fujita back in. Fujita stomps Tanahashi, KICKS him in the back, but Tanahashi gets mad! Fujita KICKS Tanahashi but Tanahashi fires up! Fujita KICKS and CHOPS, but Tanahashi fires forearm after forearm! Fujita CHOPS again! Tanahashi grits his teeth but Fujita CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! SHOTEI! Fujita falls but so does Tanahashi! The fans rally up while both men crawl, hot tag to Shota! Shota rallies on Fujita with big forearms and elbows!
Shota whips, Fujita reverses, but Shota dropkicks the legs out! ZSJ runs up and RAMS Shota! Then ZSJ runs, but into Shota’s DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Shota goes to Fujita. Shota whips corner to corner, runs up, and UPPERCUTS! Shota reels Fujita in, FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but Shota doesn’t mind. Shota clinches but Fujita fights the suplex with elbows. Shota runs up, but Fujita wrenches, waistlocks, but Shota ELBOWS free! Shota whips, Fujita reverses and DROPKICKS! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Fujita crawls, hot tag to ZSJ!
ZSJ runs up to BOOT Shota! Shota stays up so ZSJ runs to BOOT him again! And BOOT him again! Shota roars and ROCKS ZSJ! Shota runs to ROCK ZSJ again! ZSJ UPPERCUTS, Shota eggs him on, repeat! Shota UPPERCUTS and ZSJ roars! ZSJ UPPER- NO, Shota hooks the arm, but ZSJ wrenches out of the backslide to PELE the arm! Then ZSJ basement DROPKICKS Shota! The fans fire up while Shota clutches a leg and an arm. ZSJ kicks him around, scuffs him and taunts him. The fans rally, the ref checks Shota, but Shota is okay to continue. ZSJ stands Shota up to UPPERCUT! And UPPERCUT!
Shota clinches to EXPLODER! Both men are down and the fans rally again! Shota crawls, hot tag to Tanahashi! Fujita runs up, but Tanahashi blocks a kick to DRAGON SCREW! Payback for earlier! Tanahashi runs up at ZSJ in a corner, blocks a boot, and DRAGON SCREWS! Tanahashi put some stank on that one! Then he goes up the corner for a SUNSET SENTON! Cover, TWO! ZSJ stays in this but the fans continue to rally! “GO ACE! GO ACE!” echoes out as Tanahashi runs, but ZSJ catches him into a COBRA TWIST! Tanahashi endures, then throws elbows into ZSJ’s leg. Tanahashi gets free to DRAGON SCREW again!
ZSJ writhes, Tanahashi ties the legs up, but ZSJ kicks at him! Tanahashi blocks a kick to GROUND DRAGON SCREW! And now, TEXAS CLOVER- NO, ZSJ fights the turnover and reels Tanahashi into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Tanahashi endures and the fans rally up, but Shota gets in! Shota stomps away on ZSJ, but then Fujita MISSILE DROPKICKS Shota! Fujita brings Tanahashi up but Tanahashi SHOTEIS him down! ZSJ is after Tanahashi but he avoids the shotei! ZSJ SLAPS Tanahashi, then PENALTY KICKS! Cover, TWO!! Tanahashi survives but ZSJ gives him a NECK TWIST! The fans fire up as ZSJ stand Tanahashi up.
ZSJ scoops but Tanahashi fights that, to a TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The fans fire up but Tanahashi isn’t done! TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi stands ZSJ up again, but ZSJ scoops to ZACK DRIVER!! Cover, ZSJ & Fujita win!
Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita, by pinfall
Shota can’t believe The Ace fell, but this is why ZSJ is the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! Will ZSJ do this all to Shota when they’re 1v1 in the Tokyo Dome? Or will Shota prove he’s mightier than The Mighty?
KOPW Championship Three Stages of Hell: Great-O-Khan VS Taichi!
The Dominator has, well, dominated as KOPW Champion for a long stretch of 2024, but the Holy Emperor did close out 2023 with this title. Granted, Taichi says that win, lose or draw, this is his final KOPW Championship match. As such, tonight’s stipulation is a sort of “Best Of” compilation as we go Best 2 Out of 3. Part one: a no ropes Sumo Rules match! Part two: Yoshinobu Kanemaru as special guest referee? Well, he would be a neutral party… And part three, if needed, will be a LAST MAN STANDING MATCH! Will Taichi “retire” from this truly freestyle division standing tall? Or will Khan truly conquer KOPW for the United Empire?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, but Taichi also brings back the trophy for the occasion, and it’s time to end the year in style!
Sumo Rules!
Both men finish preparations with weight belts and some stretching. They square up, the ref says go and they RAM into each other! The fans rally as both men go for those weight belts to use as leverage. They go around, get very close to the ring edge, but then Khan moves things away. Khan THROWS Taichi, but Taichi stays on the ring so the sumo match continues. They reset and go again! Taichi pushes Khan back with both hands, but Khan digs in his heels! They clinch, go around, and Taichi goes for the edge! Khan pulls on Taichi’s leg to get around, but Taichi uses that to steer Khan to another edge! But Khan hits a fireman’s carry takeover!
Khan drags Taichi up but Taichi fights off the throw! They clinch and fight for control again. They each try to lift with the belt! Khan has Taichi near the edge, but then Taichi has Khan near the edge! Khan is teetering and the fans fire up! Taichi THROWS Khan to the floor, Taichi wins the fall!
Khan: 0; Taichi: 1
Special Guest Referee!
The fans are thunderous as Taichi takes the Sumo Rules fall, but now we go to a much more complicated situation. The ropes have to be put back up, sure, but now the Heel Master of all people is going to be the referee! The time it takes to set up the ropes is a reprieve for both sides, especially Khan as he has to catch his breath and refocus. Once the ropes are up, both men wait in the ring. All that is left is the buckle pads, and of course, Kanemaru himself. Kanemaru gets a proper introduction and entrance before he goes to the ring, and wow, he’s even wearing an official NJPW referee shirt with the lion mark on it.
Referee Kanemaru does his check and he even tells Taka Michinoku to watch himself. Kanemaru does a far less thorough check of Khan than Taichi! Did the Empire pay Kanemaru off?! Kanemaru has Taichi cool off, then whispers something to Khan! The bell rings, the fans rally for Khan, and Khan circles with Taichi. They tie up, Taichi powers Khan to ropes, and Kanemaru calls for a ropebreak. Then he has a fast count! Taichi lets off before 4 and argues with Kanemaru! Kanemaru says that’s his count, deal with it. Khan and Taichi reset, tie up, and Khan puts Taichi on ropes. Kanemaru pays more attention to Taka than Taichi!
The fans can’t help but laugh as Kanemaru finally does count, and now it’s really slow! Taichi protests, but Khan pulls Taichi’s arms. Then he CHOPS Taichi and stops at “3!” Khan then goes after Taichi, wrenches and wristlocks, and Kanemaru is asking if Taichi gives up!? Taichi tells him to shut up, but Khan kicks and CLUBS Taichi. Khan whips, Taichi BOOTS Khan down, then covers! Kanemaru strolls over to count! And it’s so slow! “TWO” and the fans cheer. Taichi is upset, but Khan rolls Taichi up! SO FAST!! TWO!! Taichi is getting pissed but Kanemaru backs away. Taichi stomps Khan, and Kanemaru’s untying a buckle pad?!
Taichi stomps Khan around, Khan leaves the pad there loosely, and Taichi whips. Khan reverses, and SURPRISE! bare buckles! Taka protests but Kanemaru SMACKS him with the pad! Khan plays dumb, and then he stands on Taichi’s lower back. Taichi has the ropes, but Kanemaru kicks the arm away! Khan has Taichi’s other arm, Taichi keeps grabbing for ropes but Kanemaru keeps kicking the hand away! Khan drags Taichi up, brings him around, and ROCKS him in the back! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan Mongolian Chops him on the back! And Mongolian Chops again! And Mongolian Chops again! Kanemaru doesn’t bother counting at all!
Taka protests, Kanemaru warns him, but then Khan hops up to sit on his throne! The fans cheer while Taichi endures, and only now does Kanemaru count! Khan asks hold on, hold on, so Kanemaru stops counting! Khan hops down, and then he puts Kanemaru up on the throne! Khan gets the fans to join in on the “Ohh…! HMPH!” Kanemaru isn’t into it so he hops down. Khan apologizes to Kanemaru, then he kicks Taichi around. Taichi gets up to fire hands! Khan kicks low, whips, but Taichi reverses to wrench and HOOK KICK! The fans fire up while both men are down. Taichi stands, and he drags Khan up into SEITEI JUJIHOU!
Kanemaru might be stuck, he can’t ignore Khan tapping. But then Kanemaru drags Khan over to the ropes! Taichi is frustrated with Kanemaru but Kanemaru says that’s a ropebreak. Taichi storms up on Kanemaru, but then Khan waistlocks! Ripcord and SAYANAGI! Both men are down again and the fans rally up! Taichi goes to a corner, Khan runs in, but Taichi dodges! GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up and Taichi snarls. Taichi TAKES OFF THE PANTS! The pants were a bit stubborn, but still. But then Kanemaru “checks” Khan just to stay between him and Taichi! Taichi says move or else! Kanemaru says he’s the ref!
Kanemaru kicks Taichi, CLAWS Taichi’s eyes, then traps his arms! Khan gets up to IRON RIGHT!! Kanemaru “scolds” Khan, then “checks” Taichi. Khan rests in a corner and Kanemaru drags Taichi up for him. Taichi CHOKES Kanemaru! Kanemaru kicks low! Kanemaru whips Taichi into a corner, ELBOWS him, then Khan LARIATS! Khan snapmares and covers, Kanemaru wants more first! Khan sits Taichi up for a BASEMENT DROPKICK! Now cover, TWO!! Taichi survives so Kanemaru hurries to get his whiskey! Khan takes a swig, and Kanemaru sets Taichi up! WHISKEY MIST into Kanemaru! Taichi hits the GEDO CLUTCH, but Kanemaru really can’t count now!
Taichi lets off of Khan since there was no count to be had. Taichi drags Kanemaru up, but Khan WHISKEY BOTTLE SHOTS Taichi! IRON CLAW!! Kanemaru calls for the bell? He just hands the win to Khan without counting, so now we’re all tied up!
Khan: 1; Taichi: 1
Kanemaru has fulfilled the contract, Khan gives him the envelope of money. Khan even makes sure we all see how many thousands that is! Kanemaru heads out, is he going to party hard for the holidays? But that aside, it is time for the final fall!
Last Man Standing!
Taichi gets the mic first, and tells Khan that if that’s how Khan wants to do it, then Taichi will get down and dirty with Khan! No lumberjacks, no special guests, just the straight up ten count, and it can happen anywhere in Korakuen Hall! Khan says bet! The announcement is made for the official rule change, and now we have the final fall! Khan rushes Taichi on the outside, then whips him into railing! And we’re already going into the crowd! Khan throws Taicihi at English commentary, but big Hartley is a solid wall for Chris. Khan then drags Taichi up into the bleachers, and the fans clear out of the way!
Khan CHOKES Taichi with a chair, then lets off to clear chairs out of the way. The Young Lions try to help but Khan gets mad at them and pushes them aside. Khan drags Taichi up, knees him low, and then reels him in! But Taichi fights the sayanagi! Taichi SHOVES Khan, Khan falls to the floor but gets up, only for Taichi to CROSSBODY! Down goes Khan and Red Shoes hurries over. Both men are down but Taichi sits up. The count starts and Khan is still down at 5 of 10! Khan hurries to get up, and Taichi stomps him down! Taichi drags Khan back up into the bleachers, but we go the other way.
Taicih KICKS Khan down, Young Lions keep the fans back again, and Taichi drags Khan along. They keep moving through the crowd, and Taichi shoves Khan into chairs! Khan sputters but Taichi drags him up again. Taichi KNEES Khan, then drags him up. They go back down to floor level, and then Taichi aims at chairs! Taichi whips but Khan reverses and he BOWLS Taichi into chairs! Not quite a strike but he got a good number of those chairs! Khan pops the railing loose from the special corner piece, and he brings that corner piece over! Khan SMACKS Taichi with the steel! Taichi staggers away but he sits in a chair.
Khan starts folding chairs to stack them on the floor. Khan then uses one chair as a leash to drag Taichi over! Khan CLUBS Taichi, adds that one chair to the pile, and then snap suplexes Taichi onto the chairs! Taichi writhes but Khan rises up. Khan roars and the fans fire up! The count begins again but Taichi slowly sits up at 4. Taichi rises up, and he stands at 8! Khan brings Taichi around in a headlock, and they go to the orange bleachers! Khan uses the gate to smother Taichi, then they go up to the higher level! The fans fire up but then fans have to move! Khan KNEES and CLUBS Taichi, then whips Taichi at the exit door!
Taichi tumbles into the hallway! Khan drags Taichi back into the arena and uses the HITSUJIGOROSHI against the chairs! Taichi endures as Khan chokes him, then Khan lets him go! Red Shoes checks on Taichi, Taka coaches him, but the count begins. Khan sits in a chair to relax while he waits. Taichi sits up at 7, and stands at 9! Khan storms up on Taichi to CLUB him on the back! Khan headlocks Taichi, brings him to the other section, and he gets up close to the fans for photo ops. Khan then whips, but Taichi reverses, and Khan is sent into the wall! Taichi leaves Khan behind while the count begins again.
Khan sits up so Taichi KICKS him back down! Taichi drags Khan up, KICKS him again, and Khan falls to his knees. Taichi drags Khan up by his ponytail, and he goes close to the stairs that lead to the back! Khan fights the suplex, and for his life, but then he turns things around! Taichi fights the suplex, throws hands, and then DDTS Khan to the floor! Red Shoes checks both men, then starts the count. Taichi shakes out his arms and sits up at 4. Taichi stands at 6 but Khan is still down at 8! Khan drags himself up at 9! Taichi CLUBS Khan down, then brings him back up. Taichi brings Khan back to ground level, then snapmares him hard for a KICK!
Khan is in agony but Taichi drags him back up. But Khan RAMS Taichi into the railing! Taichi sputters while also sitting in a chair. Khan staggers away to ringside, and he goes looking under the ring. Khan brings out a trolly cart? Khan JAMS Taichi up using his own mic stand, then leaves him behind. Khan brings out a TABLE! Fans rally up as Khan puts the table on the trolly, then he staggers over to Taichi. Khan CLUBS Taichi down, then SHOVES him onto the table trolly combo. Khan has fans clear out, and then he SNOW PLOWS the chairs with Taichi on the cart!! The fans fire up as Khan stands over Taichi.
Khan drags Taichi up, and he brings the table along, too. Khan kicks chairs out of the way as he returns to the upper deck! Khan SMACKS Taichi off the edge, then he clears out space. Khan sets the table up, then he goes up to fetch Taichi. Khan JAMS Taichi up with a chair, then SMACKS him! Taichi writhes, fans rally, and Khan drags Taichi up. Khan vows to end this! IRON CLAW, and ELIMI- NO! Taichi fights Khan off! Taichi stumbles away through the crowd, but then grabs himself a chair. Taichi runs up to JAM Khan right in the face! Taichi then steals Khan’s idea to choke grip and CHOKE SLAM down through the table!!!
Khan writhes and the fans go nuts! Taichi hobbles around while Red Shoes counts Khan. Khan is still down at 5! Still down at 7! 9! KHAN GRABS RED SHOES’S HAND!! Khan survives, and though he has a couple bloody cuts on his back, he crawls his way to the ring. Taichi eggs Khan on and the fans are thunderous! Khan drags himself into the ring, Taichi runs, AX BOMBER!! The fans fire up and the count returns! Khan is still down at 5, stirs at 6, sits up at 7, and he rises at 8! So Taichi just runs up to AX BOMBER!! Khan drops to his knees, flops over, but he’s already pushing himself back up! Taichi runs again, AX BOMBER!!
Khan staggers around but he stays on his feet! Taichi says fine, AX- SAYANAGI!! Khan turns things around, and he AX BOMBERS in return!! Both men are down and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and Khan crawls for ropes at 5! Taichi slowly sits up at 6, and both men go to corners at 7! Red Shoes waits on them to rise up, and then Taichi fires up! Taichi runs up, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Neither man falls, so Taichi BOOTS! Khan BOOTS back! Taichi URAKENS! Khan MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Taichi SOBATS! Khan BODY BLOWS! Both men drop to knees, but they also grab at each other.
The fans rally as Khan and Taichi slowly rise. They are forehead to forehead, and then Taichi AX BOMBERS! Khan drops to his knees, Taichi BUZZSAWS, but Khan blocks it! Khan ROCKS Taichi with a right! And then Khan reels Taichi in, but Taichi Alabama Lifts! BLACK- NO, Khan fights into a GUILLOTINE! Taichi is stuck in the body scissors!! Taichi flails, even taps out, but that’s not how Last Man Standing works! Khan squeezes tighter and tighter, Taichi fades, and Red Shoes checks! Khan lets Taichi go and the count begins! Khan rises at 6, and Taichi is somehow up at 9!! So Khan clamps on an IRON CLAW!
Khan lifts Taichi, but Taichi slips free! Taichi shoves Khan and ROCKS him! DANGEROUS SAIDO!! But Khan is staggering to his feet?! Khan goes to a corner, flounders along ropes, but he isn’t down yet! The fans rally hard while both men fight to their feet! SUPERMAN PUNCH from Khan! PELE from Taichi! Both men are down again! Red Shoes starts the count on them both, and the fans rally even harder! Taichi is up at 7! Khan grabs Red Shoes at 9 again!! Taichi roars, Korakuen is with him, and he powers up! TENSHI JUJI- NO!! Khan blocks, and he hooks Taichi! Taichi CLUBS away on Khan, but Khan still lifts! ULTIMATE ELIMINATOR!!
Both men are down again and the fans rally as hard as they can! The count is on both men, and they’re both down at 5! At 7! 9! Khan pushes up, but he FLOPS back down!! DOUBLE TEN! IT’S A DRAW!! What does that mean for the belt!? Red Shoes goes out to talk with Abe-san, and then the announcement is made. In the end, with it being 1-1-1, a true draw, it all goes to KHAN!
Winner: Great-O-Khan, by pinfall (DEFINITIVE 2024 KOPW Champion)
Khan flips Taichi off, one last insult added on top. Khan is given the belt back, but Taichi grabs his trophy. Taichi steps up to Khan, and gives him the trophy, saying it is rightfully his now. Taichi shows Khan that respect, and Khan returns it with a handshake. Khan “retires” Taichi from KOPW, what will the Holy Emperor look to do in 2025?
As for Khan, he grabs the mic, and he asks Taichi to wait a moment. “You served this title for three years. We will honor your glory!” The fans applaud that, and Khan asks the previous champion to come closer. No, closer. The fans cheer Taichi on as he steps closer to ringside. Khan says Taichi served this title well, so here is his reward. Khan is giving the trophy back? Taichi says no, he gave that to Khan out of respect. Khan says to Taichi and to everyone to listen well. “We are the last KOPW Champion!” Everyone is a bit surprised to hear that.
Khan says, “As an alternative, on January 4th in the Tokyo Dome… as THE last KOPW Champion, We demand that the January 4th match determine the next IWGP World Heavyweight Championship challenger!” The fans are really intrigued by that idea! Khan throws down the belt, and Chris makes sure English speakers understand what Khan is suggesting. The New Japan Ranbo determining a #1 contender? Khan says that these are the words of the final KOPW Champion, The Great-O-Khan! “HAIL US, PEASANTS!” A New Year, a new era? Will Khan’s revolution bring glory to the United Empire?
My Thoughts:
A very good night for Road to Tokyo Dome, though I did skip a lot just because I didn’t have a lot of time today. But luckily I was skimming through, or I would’ve missed ELP’s great return. Congratulations on him beating cancer, and I like that they’re adding him to the NJPW World Television Championship match. It makes sense given ELP’s beef with the House of Torture, and honestly, why not just have ELP win? Not even so much for getting over cancer (though kind of that, too) but because fans love ELP and it’d help him solidify his singles run with Hikuleo long gone for WWE.
Really good stuff in the other tune-up matches, such as #DespeWado winning and the chaotic end to the Fatal 4 Way. Eagles won to help him and Fujita have momentum, but there is still more to the Road to Tokyo Dome first. Honestly that tag Fatal 4 could really go any which way they want so I’m not sure how the go-home math would even work. And Gedo of course took the loss against LIJ. Yota Tsuji is aiming for David Finlay and the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, but who knows how things go before we get to WrestleKingdom.
Very good tag match from Shota & Tanahashi VS ZSJ & Fujita, and it was technically a surprise for Tanahashi to take the loss. This works on many levels, as Tanahashi should be figuratively on the ropes going into his match with Evil, and this gives Fujita equal momentum alongside Eagles. And then great main event, Khan and Taichi really went the distance with this one. And it all makes sense after Khan reveals this is the end of the KOPW Division. Khan wants to make the New Japan Ranbo to basically be the Royal Rumble and that is pretty cool. I think they could keep the belt to represent that contender’s status the same as the G1 Climax having a briefcase, because that KOPW belt actually looks pretty nice.
My Score: 8.8/10
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Rockin’ around the Christmas Collision!
The Continental Classic continues on Christmas Collision, with crucial points on the line this close to AEW Worlds End! Who will finally take the lead in Gold League?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- AEW Continental Classic, Gold League: Will Ospreay VS Ricochet; Ricochet wins.
- Kris Statlander VS Penelope Ford; Kris wins.
- AEW Continental Classic, Blue League: Shelton Benjamin VS Daniel Garcia; Garcia wins.
- AEW Continental Classic, Blue League: Mark Briscoe VS The Beast Mortos; Briscoe wins.
- AEW Continental Classic, Gold League: Darby Allin VS Claudio Castagnoli; Claudio wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Here are the current Continental Classic Gold League standings!
Claudio Castagnoli: 2-1, 6 points
Will Ospreay: 2-1, 6 points
Ricochet: 2-1, 6 points
Darby Allin: 2-1, 6 points
Brody King: 2-2, 6 points
Komander: 0-4, 0 points [ELIMINATED]
Here are the current Continental Classic Blue League standings!
Kyle Fletcher: 3-1, 9 points
Kazuchika Okada: 2-1-1, 7 points
Mark Briscoe: 2-2, 6 points
Shelton Benjamin: 2-1, 6 points
Daniel Garcia: 1-1-1, 4 points
The Beast Mortos: 0-4, 0 points [ELIMINATED]
Ian Riccaboni is in the ring.
He has Big Boom AJ & Big Justice with him in the Hammerstein Ballroom, and yes, they’re ready to bring the BOOM~! They’re ready to watch the action tonight, and even the final face-to-face of MJF and Adam Cole. AJ says if MJF is gonna bring the doom, then you know he and Big Justice will bring the BOOM~! But tonight, their guy, Adam Cole will bring the BOOM~ too! And of course we have big Continental Classic action! Daniel Garcia VS Shelton Benjamin in a critical showdown, and while Shelton is tough, Garcia is going to bring the BOOM~! Plus, Mark Briscoe battles The Beast Mortos! The Chicken is their guy, time to bring the BOOM~!
In Gold League, we have Darby Allin VS Claudio Castagnoli, and the Swiss Superman is a DOOM~! Let’s go, Darby, bring that BOOM~! And then a match everyone wants to see, the fireworks rematch of Will Ospreay VS Ricochet! If you’re a fan of high-flying wrestling, this is the right night to be right here in AEW! Ricochet and their guy, Ospreay, will bring the BOOM~! But speaking of, that match is up first! The Aerial Assassin joins AJ & Big Justice in giving a BOOM~, but will Ricochet make sure tonight is #OuttaThisWorld?
AEW Continental Classic, Gold League: Will Ospreay VS Ricochet!
Wait, are the fans throwing white streamers or is that… No, yeah, it’s toilet paper! Ospreay laughs at the fans basically calling Ricochet crap. Ricochet throws the toilet paper back! The bell rings and we’re on the clock. The fans fire up for Ospreay as he and Ricochet circle. The fans also sing, “F HIM UP, OSPREAY, F HIM UP!” Ricochet shrugs that off, he and Ospreay tie up, and then Ricochet rolls. Ospreay shoots in, waistlocks, but Ricochet switches. They go around, Ricochet gator rolls with Ospreay, then floats to a headlock. Ricochet wrenches, hammerlocks then headlocks again. Ospreay powers up and out, Ricochet runs him over, but Ospreay kips up!
The fans cheer and Ospreay smiles as he and Ricochet reset. They tie up, go around, and Ricochet wrenches to a wristlock. Ospreay rolls, wrenches and wristlocks, but Ricochet spins and wrenches to hammerlock. Ospreay reaches back, headlocks and hits a takeover. Ricochet rolls to a cover, TWO! Ospreay holds onto the headlock but Ricochet powers up and out. Ospreay runs Ricochet over, Ricochet bails out, and then Ospreay handsprings to fake Ricochet out! The fans cheer as Ospreay superhero lands out, and Ricochet is annoyed. Ospreay holds ropes open for Ricochet, but Ricochet goes around the way to step in on his own.
The fans boo Ricochet being a bad sport but Ricochet ignores that. Ospreay and Ricochet knuckle lock, then Ricochet kicks low! And CHOPS! Ricochet whips, Ospreay reverses, but Ricochet rolls off Ospreay’s back! Things keep moving, Ospreay avoids the handspring to then duck ‘n’ dodges and RANA! But Ricochet handsprings through! The fans fire up, and Ospreay arm-drags Ricochet down! The fans cheer while Ricochet endures the grind. Ricochet fights up and puts Ospreay on ropes. The ref counts, Ricochet and Ospreay slowly let g o, and Ricochet SLAPS Ospreay! Ospreay CHOPS Ricochet!
Ospreay takes a swing, Ricochet ducks under to roll back and RANA! But now Ospreay handsprings through! Ricochet dodges to waistlock but Ospreay bucks the O’Conner. Ricochet arm-drags Ospreay down, but Ospreay headscissors back! Ricochet pops free but Ospreay arm-drags! Ricochet headscissors, Ospreay pops free, and Ospreay handsprings, but Ricochet catches him! Ricochet then THROWS Ospreay into the Tree of Woe, and Ospreay falls down! The fans boo while Ospreay bails out, but Ricochet FOSBURY FLOPS! The fans boo but Ricochet takes the toilet paper to wipe himself, then he SMOTHERS Ospreay with it!
The fans boo that literally disgusting act of disrespect, but Collision goes picture in picture.
Ricochet taunts the fans, then drags Ospreay up. Ricochet puts Ospreay in, soaks up more heat, then KNEE-BOARD SENTONS! Ricochet swaggers to taunt the fans more, then he goes back to Ospreay. Cover, ONE!! Another cover, TWO! Ricochet taunts the fans more, then goes back for Ospreay. Ricochet stands Ospreay up to CHOP, and Ospreay goes to a corner. Ricochet RAMS into Ospreay, RAMS him again, then snapmares to UPPERCUT in the back! Cover, TWO! Ospreay stays in this but Ricochet drags him into a motorcycle stretch. Ospreay endures while Ricochet digs a knee into the back. Ospreay fights up, fights with elbows, then runs, but into a DROPKICK!
Ospreay is down in a daze but Ricochet has to shake out the stars in his own head. Ricochet covers, ONE! Ospreay then uses that one to flip off Ricochet. Ricochet RAMS Ospreay in the back! Ricochet then clamps on with a chinlock, and he digs his knee into Ospreay’s back. Ospreay endures, even as Ricochet JAMS Ospreay. Collision returns to single picture as the fans rally for Ospreay again. Ospreay fires up, fires hands, but Ricochet RAMS him into a corner. Ricochet runs up, RAMS into Ospreay, then goes to the apron. Ospreay takes a swing but Ricochet dodges and gets around him to GERMAN SUPLEX! Ospreay lands out!
Ospreay runs, handsprings, NEURALIZER KICK! The fans fire up while both men are down! Ospreay goes to the apron, takes aim, and he springboards to PIP PIP CHEERIO! Down goes Ricochet, Ospreay covers, TWO! Ospreay stays focused and the fans rally up. Ospreay drags Ricochet up, CHOPS him, then CHOPS him again! Ricochet staggers, Ospreay runs, but Ricochet TIGER WALL KICKS! Forearm, SOBAT, and Ricochet runs, but into a POP-UP, and STYLES- NO, Ricochet sits up, slips free, and he underhooks Ospreay for a FACEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Ospreay survives but Ricochet goes up.
Ricochet has to double clutch, the fans let him hear it, but Ricochet still MOONSAULTS! Ricochet lands out as Ospreay moves, and Ospreay runs up, but into an ELBOW! Ricochet handsprings, but into a pop-up, Electric Chair, spin around, STYLES CLASH!! Cover, TWO!! Ricochet survives and Ospreay is surprised. Ospreay pulls on the elbow pad and the fans fire up! “This is Awesome!” as Ospreay aims, but Ricochet bails out! The fans boo but Ospreay storms after Ricochet. They’re both on the apron and Ospreay goes up a corner. Ricochet anchors Ospreay first! Then Ricochet has the Electric Chair Lift!
Ospreay fights free, fights off a nelson, then he KICKS Ricochet! Ospreay runs, but into a pop-up APRON DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! The fans chant “You Still Suck!” but Ricochet adds a SHOOTING STAR PRESS! Ricochet puts Ospreay in, then springboards to 450 SPLASH! Cover, TWO!! Ospreay survives, but then Ricochet AX KICKS! Dragon sleeper, inverted suplex, VERTIGO! Cover, TWO!? Ospreay survives and Ricochet is shocked! Ricochet snarls and he aims from a corner. The fans rally for Ospreay but Ricochet loads up. SPIRIT- NO, Ospreay ducks under! Ospreay gets up, Ricochet blocks a kick!
Ricochet V-TRIGGERS, then he reels Ospreay in! But Ospreay fights out of the bomb, but then Ricochet returns the favor! Ricochet suplexes, into STUN DOG MILLIONAIRE! Ospreay springboards for the OSC- CUTTER FROM RICOCHET!! Ricochet hurries to get Ospreay up, powerbomb into fireman’s carry, DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! SPIRIT- HIDDEN BLADE!! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous! Ospreay and Ricochet both slowly sit up and the fans rally as hard as ever. Ricochet and Ospreay stare down, talk a bit of trash, then stand up. Ospreay draws a line in the sand and dares Ricochet to step up.
Ricochet steps right up, they stand toe to toe, literally! They start firing forearms! The fans cheer Ospreay, boo Ricochet, and Ricochet wobbles! But then Ricochet comes back with forearm after forearm! Ospreay wobbles, but he grins as he rises and roars! Ospreay fires a flurry on Ricochet, then ROCKS him! Ricochet flops over, Ospreay hauls him up! But Ricochet grabs at the ref! Ospreay kicks Ricochet’s arm away, but then Ricochet RAMS Ospreay into the ref! The fans boo but then Ricochet hurries to HOOK KICK! And VERTI- NO, Ospreay slips free to underhook! STORM BREAKER! Cover, but the ref is down!
The fans count, Ospreay would’ve won twice over! Ospreay calls to the ref, the ref sputters around, and Ospreay goes up. But then Ricochet kicks the ref into ropes! Ospreay gets tripped up and the fans boo more! Ospreay is confused as to what happened, but SPIRIT GUN hits the mark!! Cover, RICOCHET WINS!
Winner: Ricochet, by pinfall (gains 3 points; Ospreay earns 0)
The One & Only got away with murder, but there’s nothing that can be done now! Ricochet has NINE points, will he be headed to Worlds End?
Adam Cole heads to the ring!
The fans cheer as the Panama City Playboy returns to the Hammerstein Ballroom, and yes, they join in for the “BOOM~!” and the “ADAM COLE, BAYBAY~!” Cole grabs a mic, but he keeps his eyes on the ramp. That’s because we all know who’s next. MJF makes his entrance, but with a handful of security guards in front of him first. And not even AEW security, that’s his own personal security. MJF grabs a mic and has them cut his music. The fans boo but MJF tells them, “If I wanted your help, I’d ask for it. Sit down and shut up.” The fans tell MJF to STFU, but MJF shrugs that off.
MJF tells Cole that MJF is frustrated. It’s because for the past few months, MJF has had to listen to Cole say MJF is Cole’s biggest enemy! If memory serves, and MJF’s memory always does because unlike the fans here, he isn’t a complete moron… Didn’t Cole turn on MJF? But then does Cole realize he has bigger enemies out there? Like spray tan, cracks in the floor, gusts of win, and maybe… a cavity. Because last MJF heard, Cole’s dentist isn’t seeing him anymore. Cole was already staring daggers into MJF, but now he’s pissed. MJF has Cole calm down, and he tells the fans to shut up so he can shoot straight.
When MJF was the longest-reigning and greatest AEW World Champion of all time, Cole was nothing more than MJF’s cute little sidekick. That ate Cole up inside. Cole wanted to be MJF. Cole wanted #TripleB. But the sad truth is, Cole had many opportunities to win the title before MJF got anywhere near it. It’s almost like when it comes to Cole being elite enough to become world champion, just like his “s*itty little ankle,” Cole blows it. MJF laughs at his own joke, and then tells the fans he is talking, it is not that complicated. But this is why MJF doesn’t buy the hogwash that Cole turned on MJF because MJF would turn on Cole first.
Cole turned because he, like all these shmucks, is jealous of MJF. And who can blame Cole? MJF is rich, handsome, funny, entertaining, and then look at Cole. For crying out loud, Cole used to be ADAM COLE BAYBAY. Now, he’s just a crack baby! Cole asks if MJF is done. Was that the last line? Because it felt like MJF practiced that for two weeks in front of a mirror. But MJF killed it, really. Cole could come back with childish comments to hurt MJF’s feelings, but he won’t. Cole could mention MJF has had two surgeries on that fake head of hair of his while only in his 20s, which is hilarious, but he won’t.
Cole could talk about how MJF pulled some strings to get his girlfriend hired, like the real politician he is, but Cole won’t go there. Cole could talk about how every single time MJF enters a room, everyone waits for him to leave because he is loud, obnoxious and annoying as hell. But Cole won’t go there. Because Cole is not like MJF. They are nothing alike. That is why the friendship was ruined. Because, MJF, the truth is you say Cole is a failure, but in virtually every wrestling company Cole has worked for, he is the longest-reigning champion in so many!
In this very building, Cole bled BUCKETS against Kyle O’Reilly, wanting to prove he was one of the best in the world, and that is exactly what he did! Does Cole have regrets? Sure. Are there things Cole wishes he could take back? Absolutely. But Cole does NOT regret turning on MJF. The only reason it drives MJF insane is because Cole beat MJF to it. That’s MJF 101: Get close to someone, then turn on them. It’s what MJF does. Cole just did it better than MJF, and MJF knows it.
But Cole has been thinking, trying to understand what’s going on in MJF’s head, and he finally figured it out. MJF is terrified of having anyone close to him, because he feels it is a weakness. That hit a chord? Because not only does MJF act like a child, he thinks like a child! MJF knows in his heart that he was going to be the one to turn on Cole first! DAMN RIGHT HE WAS!!! MJF realizes he let the cat out of the bag. MJF says congrats, Cole, he solved the mystery! A regular Scooby-Doo! Great job, Adam.
But you want the truth? Here it is. The fact of the matter is, last year at Worlds End, MJF had every intention on stabbing Cole in the back that night. Cole just got lucky. When #BetterThanYouBaybay started, MJF didn’t give a damn about Cole. Cole was nothing more than a pawn. But MJF will admit, he did eventually start to care. For the first time in MJF’s life, he cared about someone else. Fans mockingly go, “Aww…” But MJF says that is just when Cole became a liability. And since Cole’s “a fragile little freak,” him jumping off that ramp and exploding his ankle made him a distraction!
Distractions, liabilities, emotions, there are no room for those when all you should be concerned with is maintaining the world championship! But Cole doesn’t get it, does he? Last year was a fluke. Cole ain’t the Devil, he just beat the Devil to it. But this year, Worlds End, December 28th, the same show where Cole tried to end MJF’s world, MJF ENDS Cole!! MJF throws down the mic and the fans are torn. Cole smirks and says MJF ends things then? Well, how about Cole ends this? COLE DECKS MJF! The guards rush in, but Cole fights them off! MJF sends more but Cole SUPERKICSK! And SUPERKICKS! And SUPERKICKS!
But then MJF LOW BLOWS Cole! MJF tells the fans to shut up! MJF takes out the Dynamite Diamond Ring! But then The Kingdom rushes out here! MJF runs away from Matt Taven & Mike Bennett, but he vows this ends at Worlds End. We have one week left, is that the last week Cole has in AEW? Or will MJF finally lose the one thing he has left in that diamond ring?
Backstage interview with Kris Statlander.
Lexy Nair is with the #BornAgainKristen and brings up her trying to make amends with Willow Nightingale last night, as well as making the save when Harley Cameron & Penelope Ford were beating Willow up. Kris says what she and Willow have to discuss is between them. But as far as her and Penelope go, they’ve got a lot of history, and if Ford wants a fight, Kris will give her a fight. Then speaking of history, Kris still has her eyes set on the TBS Championship, can she tells us more on that?
Kris says she looked back on 2024 and she had a downward spiral that started with losing that title. Maybe if she wins it back, Kris will right her wrongs. On that note, Mercedes Mone, you don’t have an opponent for Worlds End so here Kris is. Let her know when you’re ready for round two. Kris heads out, will she prove to everyone that she is still the Galaxy’s Greatest?
Backstage interview with Orange Cassidy.
AEW returns and Lexy is now with Freshly Squeezed. In exactly one week, he will compete against three other men for the AEW World Championship. There are a lot of combustible elements at play, and Cassidy says yeah, we saw that on Dynamite. Jay White, Hangman Page and Cassidy can’t exactly have a conversation. So really, Cassidy wants them to listen. “Between now and Worlds End, Jon Moxley can run and hide. He can hide behind his goons, he can run away in a pickup truck. But when that bell rings in seven days, he has nowhere to go. He will be in the ring with us. Us three. And you both know that we need to remove Jon Moxley from the equation.
“We can. We’ve done it. And after that, us three, we can fight for the AEW World Championship and one of us will become the AEW World Champion. Just something to think about. See you guys on Dynamite.” Cassidy is ready to remove the Maniac from the throne, but will the Switchblade and Cowboy listen to reason?
Kris Statlander VS Penelope Ford!
As Kris just said, she’s calling out The CEO in hopes of one more TBS Championship match. But will the Superbad Girl be more like the Grinch for Kris this Christmas?
The bell rings and the fans rally as Kris circles with Ford. They tie up, Kris powers Ford to a corner, then throws Ford back into the corner! The ref counts, Kris lets off, but Ford shoves her! Kris ROCKS Ford, TOSSES her, then runs up on her. Kris whips, drops down, then hurdles over. Kris CLOBBERS Ford and the fans fire up as she flexes. Kris drags Ford up, reels her in, and suplexes, and she holds Ford up! The fans cheer and Kris goes all the way to TEN, but Ford slips into a SLEEPER! Kris pries the hold open and she brings Ford around for another suplex! The fans fire up as Kris holds Ford up for five before the SLAM! Cover, TWO!
Kris drags Ford up, whips her to the corner, but Ford goes up, only for Kris to Electric Chair Lift! Kris climbs, Ford fights with fists, and she shoves Kris down! Ford steadies herself, then hits a FLYING BLOCKBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Ford is frustrated but she storms up on Kris. Ford bumps Kris off buckles but the fans rally behind Kris. Ford stomps a mudhole, but she lets off as the ref counts. Kris goes to the apron, but Ford jumps up to drop KNEES on her! The fans boo but Ford soaks up the heat, and Collision goes picture in picture.
Ford brings Kris around to THROW her into railing! Ford soaks up more heat, then drags Kris up and RAMS her into the apron! Ford refreshes the count, then stalks Kris around the way. Ford whips Kris into the steel steps! Kris falls over in a heap but Ford drags her up into the ring. Ford covers, TWO! Kris stays in this but Ford kicks her around. Ford CHOKES Kris on the ropes, thrashes around, but lets off as the ref counts. Ford drags Kris up and whips her to ropes, then LARIATS as Collision goes to break.
Christmas Collision returns and Ford CHOKES Kris on the ropes again! The ref counts, Ford lets off and Kris sputters to the apron. Ford runs and goes up, up, and KNEE DROPS on only apron! Kris then SHOTGUNS Ford off the apron! The fans fire up and Kris brings Ford up, to THROW into railing! Kris puts Ford in the ring, the fans fire up, but Ford kicks low. Ford reels Kris in, but Kris suplexes, FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Ford flounders to a corner but Kris has the fans rallying behind her. Kris runs up to UPPERCUT! Kris goes side to side but Ford dodges the knee! Ford hits a FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!
Ford wasn’t quite perfect there but she watches Kris go to a corner. Ford runs corner to corner, handsprings, but Kris catches her! The fans fire up as Kris GERMAN SUPELXES, but Ford lands out! but Kris goes Matrix to dodge! So does Ford! STUNNER! Ford runs, Kris does her best to follow, but Ford hops up for a POISON-RANA! Cover, TWO!! Kris survives and the fans fire up! Ford is beside herself, but she drags Kris to a drop zone. Ford goes up top, and MOONSAULTS BUT FLOPS as Kris moves! Kris hurries to deadlift GERMAN SUPLEX! And then GERMAN SUPLEX again! The fans fire up as Kris scoops to tuck Ford in! STATURDAY NIGHT FEVER! Cover, Kris wins!
Winner: Kris Statlander, by pinfall
Ford gave Kris quite the fight, but Kris came out on top! Wait, here comes Mone! Kris did call the CEO out, so Santa Mone says, “Ho, ho, ho ho ho! New York Citaaaay~! Please say hello to your C E O! Kris, after the year I’ve been having, I was planning on taking Worlds End off. I was planning on going to the Ritz in Boston.” The fans boo Boston, but Mone says since it’s the holidays, Mone feels like being nice. She already beat Kris once anyway, so she’ll just beat her twice! At Worlds End, you see that money changes everything, because Mone is the greatest TBS Champion of all time!
The challenge has been accepted, and Mone is looking to be busy before the New Year. Will Kris make her regret it?
Big Boom AJ & Big Justice return to the ring.
They’re getting Christmas Collision ready to bring the BOOM, but out comes Chris Jericho, who is still ROH World Champion after overcoming Matt Cardona last night at Final Battle. And he has Bryan Keith & “Big Bill” Morrissey with him as he asks if AJ has a permit for being here tonight. Did they talk with Mayor DeBlasio? Because they certainly didn’t run this past Jericho. Do they know who he is? Big Justice says yeah, he knows! “You’re a JACKASS!” Jericho is taken aback, but the fans agree with Justice. The Bad Apple says this is why dumbass kids should be sitting and not heard. Jericho says yeah!
And if being a jackass means he’s the King of New York, then Jericho’s the biggest jackass! And besides, Jericho talks for everyone here saying we do not want AJ & Justice here! The fans boo, they disagree with Jericho. But Jericho says they don’t even have Costcos in New York! New Yorkers shop at bodegas. Fans are torn, because they kind of agree. Jericho says his favorite is the Walgreens a few blocks over in Flushing. And speaking of Flushing, that’s where AJ & Justice belong: in the toilet! This is the Hammerstein Ballroom, the House that Jericho built! The fans boo that, it’s the House that Hardcore built.
But Jericho says there’s no time for goofy gimmicks like BOOM~, or bandit masks, or scissoring! Scissor me, Bad Apple~! But then wait! The Acclaimed is here! Well, Anthony Bowens is, at least. Bowens pushes past The Learning Tree and he joins AJ & Justice in the ring. Bowens has the music cut, and he tells Jericho that he doesn’t get why Scissor King is catching strays, but you caught his attention. Jericho is trying to intimidate a man in a walking boot and an 11 year old child while spouting nonsense about being the King of New York. Why doesn’t Jericho do what he has asked so many others in the past: SHUT THE HELL UP!
The fans cheer but Big Bill says, “As the Learning Tree always says, when a man tries to silence another man, he’s probably afraid of the truth.” The fans do cheer Big Bill because he is from New York. Bowens says he has no idea what that means, Bill. But he does know we’re live on TNT, Christmas Collision, Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City! So Chris, why not walk your ass to this ring and get it whipped by the Scissor King?! Jericho says if Bowens wants him to do that, then not tonight. Jericho waves bye, but AJ says hold on, listen up. We know Jericho is running scared, but we know at some point, Bowens will get to bring the-
Bowens stops the Boom? Because he wants to scissor! AJ says okay, and they SCISSOR BOOM~! But is that true? Will Anthony Bowens be the one to tear down the Learning Tree and be a champion?
Backstage interview with The Vendetta.
Lexy is now with Deonna Purrazzo & Taya Valkyrie, and they’ve got a hot streak going. Deonna’s message last week was ominous, but who was it for? Taya says there are so many options. Everyone deserves a slice of The Vendetta. There’s Mercedes, Mariah, Toni Storm, even Lexy could get some, so watch your back. Speaking of Toni, she stumbles in and apologizes for interrupting. She just wants to say hi to everyone, hello. Oh, Deonna, a pleasure. Deonna says she knows who Toni is. R-Really? So cool! Taya says she’ll make a guess: Toni has a tattoo on her leg, a little duck with a knife through it.
Wow, how’d Taya know? Deonna says no no no, she is not doing this again. She does not get what sick crap Toni’s up to, but she is already done with it. So for Dynamite’s Miracle on 34th Street, Toni VS Taya! Taya says she’ll make Toni forget everything! Toni nervously thanks The Vendetta, and says this is a big opportunity to face someone like Taya. Toni leaves, Deonna and Taya sigh, and Lexy has no idea what to say. Is Toni’s mind unraveling before our eyes? Or is there still a bit of Timeless inside Toni Time?
AEW Continental Classic, Blue League: Shelton Benjamin VS Daniel Garcia!
This showdown was inevitable, but it’s even more fitting after The Standard of Excellence beat up the TNT Champion just because he stood up to the Hurt Syndicate. Will Shelton continue to bring the pain? Or will he not survive Red Death?
The bell rings and Garcia goes right at Shelton! Garcia fires hands but Shelton RAMS him into the corner! Shelton fires hands but Garcia turns things around to fire more shots! The ref counts, Shelton shoves Garcia back, but Garcia runs up to fire hands! Shelton shoves Garcia again, but Garcia gets under the lariat to waistlock. Shelton fights the lift but Garcia shoves him to SLAP! And CHOP! Shelton just grins and he picks Garcia up again! Shelton TOSSES Garcia away and Garcia goes to ropes. Shelton brings Garcia back up, scoops and SLAMS him, then brings him up again. Scoop SLAM! Shelton drags Garcia up and puts him in a corner.
Shelton whips corner to corner hard and Garcia falls! The fans sing, “We Hurt People!” Shelton drags Garcia around, stomps him around, then TOSSES Garcia out hard! Garcia sputters but Shelton storms outside. Shelton brings Garcia up but Garcia fires hands! Shelton RAMS Garcia into the apron, then railing, then back to the apron! And repeat! Garcia falls in a heap and the fans fire up. Shelton grins as he drags Garcia up, to then THROW into steel steps! Shelton leaves Garcia behind and the ring count climbs on Garcia. Garcia drags himself up at 7 but Shelton goes out after him again.
Shelton puts Garcia in the ring, then grabs at him. Garcia grabs ropes but Shelton stomps him. Shelton stands Garcia up to DECK him! The fans cheer but Shelton brings Garcia up again. Garcia fires a forearm, then he CHOPS! Shelton eggs Garcia on, so Garcia CHOPS! Shelton grins, Garcia CHOPS, but Shelton DECKS him again! The fans duel but Shelton whips Garcia to ropes, for a BIG backdrop! Garcia flounders and Collision goes picture in picture.
Shelton stalks Garcia to the ropes, brings him up and around, then puts him on other ropes so he can CHOKE him! The ref counts, Shelton steps off, and Garcia coughs and sputters to a corner. Shelton stalks behind Garcia, stands him up, and winds up to ROCK Garcia! Garcia flounders against ropes then falls to the mat! Shelton stands over Garcia, drags him up and puts him in the corner. Shelton throws hands and Garcia stumbles. Garcia falls, but Shelton stands on him. Shelton stomps Garcia, drags him up, but Garcia fires up! Garcia breaks free to fire CHOPS and forearms on repeat!
Garcia whips, Shelton reverses and Shelton BOOTS Garcia down! Cover, TWO! Shelton is still amused, and he clamps onto Garcia with a chinlock. Garcia endures as Shelton grinds him down, and Garcia fights up, only for Shelton to wrangle him back down! Shelton leans all his weight on the hold and he squeezes tight. Garcia fades but the fans rally, and Garcia gets a second wind! Garcia fights up, Christmas Colilsion returns to siongle cipture, and the fans duel as Garcia fires hands! Garcia runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, then SHOTGUNS SHelton down! The fans fire up and Garcia aims from a corner. Garcia runs up, Shelton gets around, GERMAN SUPLEX!
The fans are torn while Shelton storms around. Shelton waits on Garcia, waistlocks, GERMAN SUPLEX! Garcia flops around but Shelton stalks him to the ropes. Shelton goes to the apron, runs up, but Garcia BOOTS him! Garcia takes a swing, but Shelton waistlocks! Garcia holds ropes to fight off the suplex to the floor! Garcia stands up and elbows Shelton away! Then Garcia LEAPS, but into Shelton’s clinch! OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY to the floor! Garcia flounders, fans sing, “We Hurt People!” Shelton runs up but Garcia drop toeholds him into a chair! Shelton sputters and the fans rally up. Garcia makes Shelton take a seat, then rains down fists!
The fans count along and Garcia goes to nine, puts up the dukes, then hits TEN! Garcia gets space, runs back in, and he SHOTGUNS Shelton outta the chair! The fans are thunderous as Garcia goes back for Shelton. Garcia drags Shelton up but Shelton pushes him away. Shelton LARIATS Garcia, then rolls into the ring. The ring count starts, the fans help Garcia stand, and the fans fire up! Garcia hurries to the ring, but Shelton BOOTS, only for Garcia to block! DRAGON SCREW! Garcia runs, Shelton gets around, GERMAN SUPLEX! Even with a bad leg, Shelton has so much strength! Shelton storms up in the corner, but Garcia dodges!
Shelton’s knee hits buckles, and Garcia leg scissor rolls him! Garcia steps through for the DRAGON TAMER!! Shelton endures and the fans fire up! Garcia sits on the hold, but Shelton powers up! Shelton powers out of the hold, has Garcia’s legs, and he turns Garcia over into a QUEEN ANGELITO STRETCH! Garcia endures, reaches out, and he army crawls his way forward! But Shelton drags Garcia back! Garcia cradles Shelton! TWO!! Shelton escapes, but Garcia BOOTS him! Shelton SUPERKICKS Garcia! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous! Shelton covers, TWO!! Garcia barely gets out of that and Shelton is furious!
“This is Awesome!” as Shelton looms over Garcia. Shelton drags Garcia up, but Garcia trips Shelton! Jackknife bridge, GARCIA WINS!!
Winner: Daniel Garcia, by pinfall (gains 3 points; Shelton earns 0)
A Christmas Collision miracle? Who knows! But Garcia is still alive in the C2, but Lashley snatches Garcia into a SLEEPER! The fans boo but MVP hands the pimp cane to Shelton! But here comes Mark Briscoe, and he has a chair! Security wants this to stop before it gets out of hand, and even producers get out here! But wait! Is that Swerve Strickland rushing in from the crowd?! It is! He goes right up top to SUPER SWERVE STOMP the Syndicate and security guards! Garcia gets free of the pile, Mark Briscoe is with him, and now the locker room hurries out here to stop this from getting worse!
The fans chant, “Whose House?” “SWERVE’S HOUSE!” and Nana eventually hands the mic to Swerve. “Bobby FREAKIN’ Lashley! Didn’t I say I was gonna get my hands on you by the end of ’24? By the end of 2024, I said I was gonna get my hands on you, and that’s what I did, courtesy of the most dangerous man in AEW. Whose house?!” “SWERVE’S HOUSE!” Swerve is still aiming for Lashley’s head, will he and Lashley have it out at Worlds End?
AEW Continental Classic, Blue League: Mark Briscoe VS The Beast Mortos!
After getting a couple shockers, The Sussex County Chicken could easily jump up to the front of the block with one more! But will he #ManUp and bring down the menacing minotaur? Or will The Beast be a massive spoiler for Briscoe?
The bell rings and we’re on the clock again. The fans rally and duel while both men fire up. They RAM shoulders, and then fire forearms! The fans fire up as Mark gets the edge, but Mortos swings! Mark dodges to CHOP, then fire forearms! Mark ROCKS Mortos, whips, but Mortos reverses and SPLASHES Mark! Mortos runs but Mark follows to LARIAT! Mark runs, Mortos follows, but Mark dodges to CHOP! And CHOP! And forearm! And Mongolian Chop! Mark fires forearms against the ropes, then roars. Mark runs but Mortos follows to UPPERCUT! The fans fire up, Mortos runs but Mark follows to FOREARM!
Mark runs, Mortos follows, and he slingshots to hook and backslide, TWO! Mark trips Mortos to jackknife, TWO! Mortos gets around, hammerlock and cradle, TWO! Mark slips around to roll Mortos, TWO! Both men stand, both men dodge, and the fans cheer the standoff. The fans cheer “BOTH THESE GUYS! BOTH THESE GUYS!” as they reset. Mark and Mortos run up to RAM shoulders again! And again! Mortos is getting the better of this, and he CLOBBERS Mark! The fans cheer Mortos while Mark goes to ropes. Mortos runs in but Mark TOSSES him up and out! Mortos clutches a leg, stands up, but Mark runs!
Mortos slides in, dodges, and he SPEARS Mark! The fans fire up and Mortos roars while Collision goes picture in picture.
Mark rolls to a corner while Mortos headbutts buckles. Mortos then runs corner to corner to DROPKICK Mark! Mark sputters, Mortos drags him to a cover, TWO! Mark stays in this but Mortos drags him into a chinlock. Mark endures, even as Mortos leans on the hold. Mark fights up as the fans rally, and Mark fires body shots. Mortos THROWS Mark down! Mortos then CRANKS Mark’s neck, then KICKS him in the chest! Cover, TWO! Mark is still in this and he goes to ropes. Mortos storms up but Mark CHOPS! Mortos SMACKS Mark and Mark falls into a corner. Mortos stomps Mark, then digs his boots in!
The ref reprimands and counts, Mortos steps off, then Mortos snapmares Mark so he can step on Mark’s face! Then NECK TWIST! Cover, TWO! Mark stays in this and he goes back to ropes. Mortos waits on Mark to stand, then SMACKS him down! Mark dangles out of the ring in the ropes, but Mortos goes after a leg while Collision goes to break.
Christmas Collision returns and Mortos has Mark in a corner. Mortos whips corner to corner, then runs up to UPPERCUT, CHOP, and HEADBUTT! Mark staggers and the fans rally up for Mortos. Mortos brings down his kneepads, runs corner to corner, but Mark dodge! Mortos hits buckles then falls to the outside! The fans fire up as Mark then WRECKS Mortos with a dropkick! Mark builds speed and he DIVES, direct hit on Mortos! The fans fire up and Mark even hugs a few! Mark tosses a chair into the ring, and fans rally for #DEMBOYS. Mark sets the chair up, but Mortos anchors Mark’s legs! Mortos then SMACKS Mark!
Mortos drags Mark to the apron, Mark fires forearms. Mortos shoves Mark, but Mark fireman’s carries! Mortos fires elbows to get free! Mark REDNECK KUNG-FU UPPERCUTS! Then APRON GERMAN SUPLEXES! Mortos falls to the floor while the fans lose their minds! Mark rises up, takes aim, and he fires the fans up more. Mark goes up a corner, for a SUPER SKY TWISTER! The fans are thunderous and Mark high-fives the front row. Mark then goes back to the ring and builds speed! Mark uses the chair to FLY! Direct hit and Mark even lands on his feet! The fans fire up and Mark hurries to get Mortos back up.
Mark puts Mortos in the ring, “This is Awesome!” as Mark takes aim. FROGGY-BOW onto knees! Mortos saves himself there, and then roars! Mortos whips Mark, scoops him, and has the torture rack! BEAST BACKBREAKER! Then Mortos hauls Mark up for a POWER BREAKER!! The fans fire up for Mortos and he DISCUS- NO, Mark dodges, runs, but into a POP-UP SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO!! Mark survives and the fans fire up again! Mortos snarls, hauls Mark up, and then scoops! But Mark slips free! Mark crane kicks, then underhooks! But Mortos backdrops free! Mark rises, Mortos runs, but into a fireman’s carry!
Mark hits a ROLLING DEATH VALLEY! Then Mark goes up the corner, and the fans fire up for the FROGGY-BOW!! Cover, TWO?!? Mortos survives but Mark shakes his head. Mark just goes back up top! Mortos sits up and roars! But Mark still FROGGY-BOWS!! And then he underhooks, lifts, JAY DRILLER!! Cover, Mark wins!
Winner: Mark Briscoe, by pinfall (gains 3 points; Mortos earns 0)
And with that, Mark is now even with Kyle Fletcher, who Mark already beat earlier on! That is all the difference between the one seed and the two seed, how will this final round shake out?
Julia Hart speaks.
“Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. I’m no coward. What you call tricks, I call advantages. I suggested that you watch your back. I gave you all the warnings. So I’m not understanding why you feel the need to call me classless and sneaky. I thought I was being more than reasonable. I know you’re strong, but are you smart? Are my ‘tricks’ too much for you? I guess we’ll find out January 1st, Fight for the Fallen. But remember: The House Always Wins.” The Princess of the Black Throne is ready, but will she learn Hayter Hits Hard?
Backstage interview with Mariah May.
Alex Marvez is with the AEW Women’s World Champion and says in one week’s time, it will be Mariah VS Thunder Rosa for the title, in a Tijuana Street Fight! Marvez notes that Mariah not only had some harsh words for Rosa, but for her father, as well. Mariah says, “Aw~, Papa Rosa is gonna be in the front row. Is that to watch the match? Or does Thunder need a new mami?” But speaking of Rosa, she RAMS Mariah right into the door! And dribbles her off it, too! Mariah pulls hair, Rosa tries to choke Mariah, and then Mariah shoves Rosa away. Mariah calls Rosa crazy, but Rosa says she’s not done with Mariah!
Rosa storms after Mariah into the hall, and then to the stage area! Mariah has made it to ringside, Nigel tries to warn her, but Rosa CLOBBERS Mariah! Rosa rains down fists, then stomps away! Rosa SMACKS Mariah off steel steps, then grabs a chair! Mariah sputters, but gets away before Rosa swings the chair! Security rushes out here for the third time tonight, and Rosa LEAPS! The cluster keeps her away from Mariah but fans want to “LET THEM FIGHT!” Rosa holds up the AEW Women’s World Championship, will she send the “Woman From Hell” back where she came from in order to have the gold again?
AEW Continental Classic, Gold League: Darby Allin VS Claudio Castagnoli!
While The Relentless One has been after each and every Death Rider, he gets one served up to him on a silver platter. But will Darby bring down the Swiss Superman before the final round? Or will Claudio crush Darby’s hopes and dreams this close to Christmas?
But before Claudio even gets in the ring, Darby DIVES out onto him! The fans fire up as Darby fires fast hands! Claudio gets away but Darby pursues, jumps on, and throws more hands! Claudio carries Darby up the ramp to then THROW him down! Darby writhes, Claudio drags him up, and Claudio gorilla presses! Darby slips free, goes to the entry, and then dodges Claudio to send him into the light truss! And then he shoves Claudio into it again! Claudio falls, and now Darby climbs up!? The fans fire up as Darby is up on the camera balcony! Darby SUPER CROSSBODIES Claudio down!
Claudio tumbles down the ramp and Darby sputters while fans lose their minds. The ref checks Darby, his fall was still really wicked. Claudio sits up in a daze as he’s now ringside, and somehow Darby pursues! They both get in the ring, the bell rings, and Darby runs up! But into a POP-UP UPPERCUT!! Cover, TWO!! Darby survives and Claudio is already frustrated. Claudio drags Darby by his legs, to GIANT SWING~! The fans count as Darby goes around and around, and Claudio goes past TEN, past FIFTEEN, past TWENTY, and all the way to THIRTY!! Darby flounders out of the ring while Collision goes picture in picture.
The ref goes out to check on Darby, and somehow he’s okay to continue. Claudio steps out to fetch Darby, and lift shim up with one hand! Claudio then gut wrenches and carries Darby, to SLAM him onto railing! And DUMP him down! Claudio drags Darby up again, gut wrenches again, and he TOSSES Darby onto the railing! Darby flops back down and clutches his lower back, but Claudio leaves him behind. The ring count begins but Darby sits up. Claudio goes out after him again, and brings him up to CHOP! Darby staggers away to a corner, Claudio storms up and CHOPS again! Darby flops down but Claudio looms over him.
Claudio gets space, runs up, and he UPPERCUTS Darby against railing! Darby stumbles away, Claudio goes to the ring, but Darby rolls in, just to roll back out. Darby earns himself some time, but then Claudio storms out after him. Darby hurries int he ring to get away, but Claudio is after him there, too. Claudio stands on Darby’s hands, then stomps them! Darby writhes, but Claudio stomps his hands more! Darby goes to a corner. Claudio stands him up and CHOPS! Claudio UPPERCUTS, CHOPS, and Christmas Collision returns to single picture. The fans duel, Darby fires hands, but Claudio UPPERCUTS!
Claudio whips, Darby springboards, COFFIN- NO, Claudio catches Darby! Darby fights free, runs, but Claudio runs up! Darby DUMPS Claudio, then runs to DIVE! Direct hit at the ramp! The fans fire up again and Darby puts Claudio in. Claudio rolls out the far side but Darby DIVES again! Claudio is sent into railing but Darby goes up a corner! The fans fire up for the SUPER COFFIN SPLASH! Direct hit and both men are down again. The ref starts the ring count, the fans rally up, and Darby refreshes the count. Darby LEAPS onto Claudio for a SLEEPER! Claudio goes to steel steps and he steps up, but Darby squeezes tight!
Claudio steps back down, and he runs into the timekeeper’s area! BACKPACK SENTON through the table! The fans lose their minds again while Claudio leaves Darby behind in the wreckage. Darby stirs, the ref starts another ring count, and Darby crawls. “This is Awesome!” as Darby leaps in at 7! Claudio runs but Darby slips around! O’Conner Roll, TWO, springboard and SPALSH! Cover, TWO! Ghost pin, TWO! Claudio is up, but Darby sunset flips! Claudio stays up, and DOUBLE STOMPS! Claudio deadlifts Darby to then TOSS him out of the ring! Darby hits apron on the way out and fans tell Claudio he’s sick!
Claudio goes out after Darby and drags him up again. Claudio scoops and then POSTS Darby! And POSTS him again! Claudio TOSSES Darby aside, rolls into the ring, but only to refresh the count. Claudio then drags Darby by a leg and brings him over. Claudio SWINGS Darby into steel steps!! Claudio puts Darby in the ring, stands him up, and runs to LARIAT! Darby flips through the air! Claudio covers, TWO!! Darby survives and Claudio is frustrated. The fans rally for Darby but Claudio rains down HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! Then Claudio tucks the arms, RICOLA- CODE RED!! Cover, TWO!! Claudio escapes in time!
The fans rally while both men are down again. Darby and Claudio slowly rise, and Ricochet watches, very amused as Darby is his next opponent in the round robin. Darby crawls to a corner, climbs up, but Claudio UPPERCUTS! Claudio HEADBUTTS Darby, then climbs up again. Claudio brings Darby up and suplexes, but Darby fights around! SUPER SCORPION DEATH DROP!! The fans are thunderous for “A E DUB! A E DUB!” as Darby rises up. Darby climbs to the very top, COFFION DROP onto knees! Claudio saves himself, then he hauls Darby up. Straitjacket and RICOLA~ BOMB!! Cover, TWO!?!?
Darby survives and shocks Claudio! Claudio argues with the ref but the count was fair! Darby’s just that tough! Claudio goes back to Darby and ripcords him into the RICOLA~ BOMB!! Cover, TWO!?!?! HOW?!? Claudio goes outside, and he brings out something from under the ring. He also has a chair! The ref takes the chair from Claudio, but Claudio has BRASS KNUCKLES! BRASS KNUCKLE PUNCH!!! Cover, CLAUDIO WINS!
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli, by pinfall (gains 3 points; Darby earns 0)
The Swiss Superman screws over Darby, but then he gets that chair back. But wait, Ospreay slides into the ring! And HE has the brass knuckles that Claudio tossed aside! Ospreay dares Claudio to do something, but Claudio simply leaves. Does this mean Ospreay’s ready to ride against the Death Riders with Darby? Or will we see a Miracle on 34th Street send Ospreay and Darby to Worlds End?
My Thoughts:
A great Collision here as the last one before Worlds End, and therefore a bit of a go-home in itself. While the continued feud of MJF and Cole has still been a bit clunky since they did the double turn, their faceoff did a good job addressing some of that. They got good digs at each other as always, and MJF snapping and revealing “the truth” was their big move to recover this story. We of course got a brawl, and good save by The Kingdom. It feels like MJF still finds a way to hold onto the diamond ring, but c’mon, how fitting is it for Cole to get a diamond.
Good bit with Toni Storm and The Vendetta, and Deonna’s reaction to Toni was great. Deonna is justified in thinking this is still an act from Toni, not a legitimate psychological problem, and Toni VS Taya will be good stuff. Good promo from Kris Statlander, good match from her and Penelope Ford, and of course a good win for Kris. Good promo from Mone to make Worlds End official, but as I’ve been saying, Mone is more likely to lose the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship as part of the big NJPW Tokyo Dome weekend. The irony is, Mina Shirakawa is her challenger and Mina shows up plenty in AEW, so I don’t know how that math is supposed to work.
Good promo from Mariah May as it also turned into a brawl with Thunder Rosa. As it stands, Rosa standing tall holding up the belt means she is NOT winning at Worlds End, but they could still give us a little more from Rosa and Mariah on Dynamite’s Christmas episode to turn the tables. Good promo from Julia Hart to respond to Jamie Hayter, they’ll have a good match. Good promo from Orange Cassidy to try and reason with Jay White and Hangman Page, but that’s all the more reason Moxley likely uses the challengers all against each other like he did on Wednesday. Though, it would be fun if they at least started the match all annihilating Moxley with their finishers, making us think it’ll work out in favor of “Team AEW.”
Good stuff with Big Boom AJ & Big Justice here tonight, both hyping up the show but also interacting with Jericho’s group and even Anthony Bowens. They’re adding some more foreshadowing to The Acclaimed breaking up, and I guess we’re supposed to see this as a positive move, Bowens feuding with Jericho. Unless Bowens is going to be the guy that dethrones Jericho for whatever ROH cable TV debut/return is planned, the Jericho Vortex strikes again. Bowens should be going for an AEW midcard title, but right now, those are all tied up what with the C2 going on and the International Championship being tied up in Worlds End and NJPW plans.
Speaking of the C2, great stuff with all the matches tonight. Shelton VS Garcia was great stuff, and while Garcia gets the win, they’re still giving us some set-up for a TNT Championship match of Garcia VS Shelton. Mark Briscoe of course made the save, but great surprise for Swerve to show up. Lashley VS Swerve for Worlds End just needs to be said, it already feels a given. All that brawling was also a good segue into Mark VS Mortos, and another great showing for Mortos, even in losing. But as Mark has already had all his matches and is at 9 points, Kyle doesn’t even need to win against Garcia, he just needs to draw so that Mark will be out, and Garcia with him.
While Ospreay VS Darby on Wednesday raised the bar, Ospreay VS Ricochet still had great stuff of its own. Plus, Ricochet is bringing out more of his Heel side what with using the ref, and Ricochet’s win puts the pressure on Ospreay for Christmas Dynamite. Now, no offense to Brody King, but I’m thinking Ospreay wins that to take one of the semifinal spots. Darby VS Claudio tonight was also great, but Darby doing his best Sting off the truss was not the best when he gets that whiplash on the floor. I really thought that match was going to be called for concussion protocol, but Darby’s weirdly indestructible.
Claudio still cheats this win so there’s more heat on the Death Riders and Darby is also behind the 8 ball. Ospreay making the save was good, we can definitely have another “Team AEW” VS Death Riders with Ospreay joining Darby and a couple others, but the way they did the order of matches, Claudio’s got a seemingly easy ride against Komander for Christmas. Though, how awesome would it be if Komander pulled off the spoiler? Or if they were really going to add some drama, they should create a situation where the Death Riders end up ringside, violating the Continental Rules of no cornermen and that disqualifies Claudio. Claudio misses out on the semifinals because of a technicality, sending Ospreay and maybe Ricochet to the semifinals.
My Score: 8.8/10
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Dinner is served.
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The Nerds conclude their review of Game 7, plus the latest trailers and the official launch of the new DCU!
Mitchell’s NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome Results & Report! (12/22/24)
Empire VS Emperor!
#TheOddity 023: Just Use A Baby Sock
Join Dave Wortz and PC Tunney for your weekly newsletter on the ridiculous and dumb of actual headlines from around...
Mitchell’s AEW Collision Results & Report! (12/21/24)
Merry Collision!
Mindless Wrestling Podcast: The Saturday Night Wrasslin Show!
With Saturday Night's Main Event in our rear view mirror, we talk about the MAIN event.
Mitchell’s AEW Rampage Results & Report! (12/20/24)
Brody King is on a Rampage!
Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Results & Report! (12/20/24)
Who's dreaming of a gold Christmas?
Mitchell’s ROH Final Battle Results & Report! (12/20/24)
Is this the end of the Forever Reign?
DWI Podcast Classic: Scrooge McBitch
As the snow falls, enjoy this holiday classic from 4 years ago!
Mitchell’s ROH Results & Report! (12/19/24)
One last stop before Final Battle!
Classic POD is WAR: Banana Bamboo (112620)
The Chairshot, brings you THE podcast that will absolutely have you questioning everything you thought you knew about professional wrestling,...
