Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Monday Night Raw Report & Results! (12/17/18)
It’s the Raw after TLC, and The Chairman makes a return! What will Vince Kennedy McMahon have in store to “shake things up again?”
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle; changed to…
- 4v1 Handicap Match: Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle, Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable; changed to…
- 4v1 Handicap No Disqualifications Match: Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle, Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable; Angle, Crews, Roode & Gable win, and Baron Corbin is NOT Raw GM.
- Finn Balor VS Dolph Ziggler; Finn wins.
- WWE Intercontinental Championship Open Challenge: Dean Ambrose VS Tyler Breeze; Ambrose wins and retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
- Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: The Authors of Pain VS The Revival VS The B-Team VS Lucha House Party; The Revival wins and will face Roode & Gable for the Raw Tag Team Championships.
- Raw Women’s Championship Open Challenge: Ronda Rousey VS ???; changed to…
- 8 Woman Gauntlet Match: Natalya wins and is the #1 contender to Ronda Rousey’s Raw Women’s Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
Mr. McMahon is here!
The Chairman, Vincent Kenny McMahon, is on the Raw after TLC! And he knows we want to know what’s going on with Raw. Tonight, we find out. Raw has been on the air for over 25 years, an extraordinary feat. And that’s because the show changes with the time. “Despite one man’s brilliance, despite one man’s creativity, despite one man’s vision,” Vince can’t do this alone. Vince can do it without the fans, though. Fans boo, but then Stephanie McMahon appears! The Commissioner, and daughter of Vince, heads to the ring and gives her father a big hug. Fans boo but Vince asks they be nice. And then, Triple H appears! The Game, the COO, joins wife and father-in-law in the ring, and even gives Vince a hug.
Fans are excited to see these three in the ring, but there’s more! Shane McMahon is here! The SmackDown Commissioner joins father, sister and brother-in-law in the ring, and now we have all the power players of WWE at the same time! Stephanie says they’re all out here because they’ve all realized, “we haven’t been doing a good job lately.” They’ve all realized that there’s need for a change, and this will be a fresh start. These four will be “taking back Monday Night Raw”, and even SmackDown. These four know they are the ones ensuring the best possible experience for their fans and empowering their superstars. They will finally give fans what they want. “Something new, something fresh.” There will be new faces, new matches, and now the fans are the Authority! WWE will always be #ThenNowandForever.
But wait, here comes Baron Corbin! The Constable lost his job at TLC when he lost his TLC Match to Braun Strowman, but he seems to think he has another chance. “No one is more excited for a fresh start than me.” Fans rain down the boos and jeers, to which Stephanie makes sure Corbin understands. Corbin knows they’re all upset, but he’s so very excited to have the entire McMahon family in charge of Raw. However, those promises were amazing, but there’s something they didn’t mention. “Fair”. Last night’s TLC Match was not fair, so let’s talk this out. What will Corbin have to say? Find out after the break!
Raw returns and Corbin joins the McMahons and HHH. Fans still boo as he defends the Sacramento crowd does not reflect the WWE Universe as a whole. HHH tells the fans if they keep booing, Corbin can’t finish speaking. Corbin needs to explain himself. HHH asks the fans please stop for a moment. Stephanie wants fans to speak up, Vince is harder of hearing. But the fans eventually calm down, but Corbin riles them up again. Shane actually encourages the booing. Corbin ties to defend that he does his best. Vince tells Corbin he can be louder with his microphone. Fans chant “You Suck!” but Corbin does not take the blame. He says superstars aren’t living up to the challenge. Strowman was not supposed to be at TLC, Corbin was not prepared, and Corbin was not prepared for being outnumbered. If fans think that is fair– They do!
HHH tells Corbin that “as predictable as you are”, Corbin is here to say it’s a “travesty of justice” and hopes they all reconsider Corbin as GM. Is that it? Yes! And Corbin is thankful they’re all here to sort this out. Corbin would’ve won if not for Finn Balor, Kurt Angle and the rest. Are they letting that travesty stand? Or will they overturn the decision? Fans boo but Corbin says “Think of what we can accomplish with you guys backing me.” The McMahon Family huddles up, and then it comes down to a vote. Shane and HHH go with “No”, Stephanie says “No Chance in Hell.” Vince thinks of a way. They huddle up again and perhaps Corbin does deserve a chance. Fans don’t agree, but Corbin is willing to take that chance. Then Corbin will get that chance.
If Corbin wins a match tonight, right now, he’ll be permanent Raw GM! Just beat this man. KURT ANGLE! The previous Raw GM and Olympic Gold Medalist returns to action himself, and gets a chance to shut Corbin up once and for all! Will Corbin fail to make good on this second chance? Or will he find a way to revive his tyranny?
Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle!
Stephanie “remembers” the special guest referee for this match. It’s Heath Slater! The One Ref Band gets to be part of this payback! Slater rings the bell and we begin!
Corbin swings but Angle counter punches! Angle bumps Corbin off buckles to then stomp and punch away! Slater lets Angle continue and whip Corbin corner to corner. Corbin reverses but misses, Angle throws him with a German Suplex! Corbin bails out of the ring while we go to break.
Raw returns and Corbin has Angle down. Corbin eggs Angle on while fans rally up. But then HHH returns to say he “forgot” something else. This is a Handicap Match.
4v1 Handicap Match: Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle, Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable!
The rising star AND the Raw Tag Team Champions appear to reinforce Angle! Corbin finds himself flanked by the people he wronged, and now they’re getting further payback! Roode, Gable & Apollo rain down hands and stomps, then feed Corbin to Angle. Angle drags Corbin up for another German Suplex! And another! And the hat trick! Angle tags in Gable, and Gable drags Corbin up for his own German Suplex! Gable tags Roode, and the tag champs coordinate to double whip. Roode whips Gable to whip Roode in for a clothesline! Tag to Apollo for a big enziguri! Corbin bails out again but he can’t get away from Apollo and the champs! They drag him back to ringside, tossing him over barriers!
Gable puts Corbin in and Angle returns. The four of them surround Corbin, but look to Slater. Slater literally looks the other way as they stomp Corbin out! But now Shane O’Mac appears, and says he was so pumped to be in Sacramento, he “forgot” this is No Disqualifications!
4v1 Handicap No Disqualifications Match: Baron Corbin VS Kurt Angle, Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable!
Now the foursome don’t have to worry about Slater’s disapproval. In fact, Slater gets in on the action! Slater stomps Corbin while the others get chairs! Angle, Gable, Roode & Apollo repeat last night’s humiliation with new chair shots! They jab, they SMACK, repeat! Fans love seeing Corbin getting what he deserves! But “We Want Tables!” Gable climbs while Roode brings Corbin up, GLORIOUS Combination! Apollo climbs for the frog splash! They bring Corbin up and feed him to Angle’s Olympic Slam! Cover, Angle’s team wins!
Winner: Team Angle, Kurt Angle pinning; Corbin is NOT Raw GM
Finally, the dictatorship of Constable Corbin ends! The Lone Wolf really was all alone against his “disgruntled employees”, and now he is out of power! Who will take his place in this new Raw?
But the punishment isn’t over! Apollo, Gable & Roode set a table up in the ring, and everyone but Corbin is grinning. They haul Corbin up again, for an Olympic Slam through the table!! Now the celebration begins!
John Cena wins the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.
The Face that Runs the Place is honored to receive this award, but he wouldn’t win this award without being a friend and philanthropist to so many.
Finn Balor VS Dolph Ziggler!
The Extraordinary Man helped The Show-Off to stick it to the Scottish Psychopath. And Ziggler would return the favor, mostly to stick it to Drew McIntyre. However, neither man is thankful for the other’s help, and look to show what they can do on their own. Who will gain some major momentum as we approach the New Year?
The bell rings and the two circle. Fans are already fired up as they tie up. Finn and Ziggler go around and Ziggler puts Finn on the ropes. Ziggler backs off but gives a shove. They tie up again and Ziggler gets a headlock. Finn goes to power out but Ziggler holds on. Ziggler grinds and gets the takedown. Finn moves around to make it a cover, TWO! Ziggler keeps on Finn with the headlock, but fans rally. Finn gets up and powers out now, then things speed up. Finn arm-drags Ziggler around and into an armlock. Ziggler quickly headscissors but Finn quickly pops out, and fans cheer this close match-up. Finn kicks low, snapmares and kicks Ziggler, then brings him up again. Finn whips and dropkicks Ziggler down! Ziggler bails out while fans cheer Finn. Finn soaks it in as we go to break.
Raw returns and Ziggler whips Finn. Finn reverses but Ziggler sunset flips. Finn rolls through to dropkick! Both men are down as Finn clutches his leg. Finn gets up and to a corner, and boots Ziggler on the way in. Ziggler keeps after Finn but Finn counter punches and chops him! Finn whips but Ziggler reverses, only for Finn to run him over with forearms! Finn fires up and gets a takedown to a double stomp! Fans fire up as Finn aims at Ziggler. Finn runs out but the Slingblade is rolled up! TWO, and Ziggler uppercuts Finn. Ziggler taunts Finn, but misses the Famouser, to get the elbow drop DDT! Cover, TWO! Finn keeps moving as he aims at Ziggler again. Finn runs at Ziggler, and hits the Slingblade! He takes aim again, but the shotgun dropkick goes into the Satellite DDT! Cover, TWO!
Both men are down but fans rally up. Ziggler sits up but Finn gets to a corner. Ziggler runs but the ZigZag is denied. Finn goes to the apron and swing kicks Ziggler down! Finn climbs but Ziggler trips him up! Ziggler throws Finn into the post! ZIGZAG!! Cover, TWO!! Ziggler is shocked and sore, but he gets up in a corner. He takes aim, but here comes McIntyre! Ziggler kicks McIntyre, then leaps out! McIntyre catches Ziggler but they still brawl it out! McIntyre shoves Ziggler but Finn FLIES! Ziggler clobbers Finn! Ziggler puts Finn in, FAMOUSER! Cover, TWO!! Finn lives and the match continues! Fans rally for Finn while he and Ziggler stir. Ziggler stands first, tunes it up, but gets another Slingblade! Finn aims again, but McIntyre attacks!
Winner: Finn Balor, by disqualification
The Scottish Terminator targets both thorns in his side as he throws Finn out and gives Ziggler the Glasgow Kiss headbutt! McIntyre rains rights down on Ziggler, then yanks him right up for a Claymore! McIntyre aims at Finn, Claymore! Fans boo and jeer McIntyre as he seethes all the way to the stage. Will McIntyre eliminate Ziggler and Finn on the road to the Royal Rumble?
Dean Ambrose heads to the ring!
The Lunatic has his siren and his gas-mask wearing henchmen accompany him and his newly won WWE Intercontinental Championship. Ambrose picks up a mic while fans boo and jeer. “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Fans should show more respect! But they boo. “You disgusting little people” should be bowing to Ambrose, because he made his prediction come true. Rollins spun out of control, dropped the ball in the fourth quarter and choked. Rollins failed himself and failed the fans. Ambrose doesn’t need respect, because he has the belt. And it wasn’t too long ago that Rollins had two belts, now he has none. But Ambrose is just getting started. When Ambrose is done, Rollins will truly have nothing!
Ambrose promises to take Rollins’ career, take Rollins reputation and drag it through the mud! But there’s another option. “The Moral Compass” has an obligation. Rollins can come out here and be a man of character and integrity to admit Ambrose was right! Rollins, tell everyone that Ambrose was right! Fans boo while Ambrose waits. They chant “Burn It Down!” but Rollins doesn’t appear. Ambrose waits but has a new idea. “How about an open challenge?” But not for the title, Rollins doesn’t deserve it. But maybe Rollins wants to take out his anger. Ambrose dares Rollins to appear, but he doesn’t. This proves Rollins is no hero, he’s “a selfish little whiner who always has to get his way.” Rollins lost and is too ashamed to show his face.
So Ambrose moves on to a third idea: Ambrose will stay a page from the playbook and actually give an Open Challenge for the title, to anyone not named Seth Rollins. And out comes… Tyler Breeze!
WWE Intercontinental Championship Open Challenge: Dean Ambrose VS Tyler Breeze!
Prince Pretty wants his shot and this is his chance! Can Breeze make that Intercontinental Championship gorgeous? Or will Ambrose make an example out of him?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we begin! Ambrose goes after Breeze but Breeze is ready! Breeze throws hands, whips but Ambrose reverses. Breeze hits big forearms then stomps away in a corner! He backs off at 4 and dropkicks Ambrose! Breeze clotheslines Ambrose out! Prince Pretty is fired up while we go to break!
Raw returns and Ambrose stomps Breeze out. Ambrose laces up the legs and puts Breeze in a modified Queen Angelito stretch. Breeze endures and crawls for ropes. Ambrose grabs that arm to stomp it! Breeze crawls but Ambrose is on him with a whip. Ambrose elbows Breeze down, covers, TWO! Ambrose keeps on Breeze with a chinlock. Fans rally up as Breeze endures. Breeze fights his way up but Ambrose wrangles him down hard! Ambrose keeps Breeze grounded, but fans rally for Breeze. Breeze gets up but Ambrose knees low. Ambrose clubs and scoops Breeze, but Breeze slips out to enziguri! Ambrose is dazed, and Breeze gets up to huricanrana! To a cover, TWO! Breeze enziguris from a corner, then sends Ambrose into post! Cover, TWO!
Breeze hits the Beauty Shot heel kick! But Ambrose gets up again so Breeze climbs up. Breeze leaps, big crossbody! Cover, TWO! SUPER MODEL KICK! Cover, TWO!! Ambrose survives Breeze’s best, but he is dazed. Breeze gets up and stalks Ambrose. Breeze brings him around but the Unprettier is denied. Dirty Deeds! Cover, Ambrose wins!
Winner: Dean Ambrose, by pinfall; still WWE Intercontinental Champion
The Lunatic says that is the performance of a champion with character! Rollins didn’t show because Rollins– “BURN IT DOWN!” But where is Rollins?! He’s one of the gas-mask men!! Rollins SUPERKICKS Ambrose down! And then throws fast hands from all sides! The other henchmen hurry in but Rollins fights them off. Ambrose runs away with the belt while Rollins tosses the henchmen away, and SUPERKICKS another! Rollins tells Ambrose to bring the fight, but Ambrose continues his retreat. Will Ambrose back up his words and be brave enough to face The Kingslayer?
Backstage interview with Shane McMahon.
The McMahons promise a fresh start, but what does that mean? Fresh faces and new opportunities! There will be tough decisions to make, but here comes Drake Maverick. These two finally meet, and Maverick introduces the “rightful” Raw Tag Team Champions, Akam & Rezar. Maverick says those titles were stolen from them. But now that the McMahon Family is here, they’ll make this right. Authors of Pain get their title rematches tonight. Now, now, hold on. The mandatory rematch clause Maverick is citing is “antiquated”, Corbin handed AoP those titles in the first place. Let’s create an opportunity. But they’re the former champions! Shane suggests AoP take on The B-Team, The Revival and… Lucha House Party! Fatal 4 Way #1 Contender’s match! Shane wishes them luck, but the AoP are just upset. Will they make the best of this huge opportunity?
WWE takes a look at the new faces coming to the main roster!
Monsters, Beasts, Vipers, Giants. None of them compare to the Leviathan! Lars Sullivan is a dominate Freak and promises to destroy the roster.
The Lady of NXT, the Model Soldier, Lacey Evans is armed with a Woman’s Right to hit hard and class it up.
#SteaksAndWeights fuel Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic in tag team wrestling! They have a “damn good time” in the ring, and they’re COMIIIIN’!
The Loony Lass loves to play! SAnitY’s Twisted Sister finally joins her chaotic crew, who wants to play?
The Top One Percent prepares for #VictoryAfterVictory on the main roster! Will he find brand new success as he jumps from #NX3 to TV?
“Ladies and Gentlemen: The Almighty Bobby Lashley.”
Lashley and Lio Rush are in the ring, parodying Elias’ usual greeting and performance. These two will give the fans something they’ve never seen before. It turns out Elias isn’t the only gifted guitarist. The greatest music Elias ever heard was a guitar smashing into his back at the hands of Bobby Lashley! And be honest, no one here wants to hear another of Elias’ boring songs. They’re all here to witness a “true work of art.” And that is exactly what Lashley will give you. But before that, please silence phones, hold applause, and shut your mouths!
Lashley gets up with the mangled guitar, and starts posing. The double biceps, the side chest. Comparing Lashley to Elias is like comparing the Golden State Warriors to the Sacramento Kings. But of course, there’s always the “favorite pose”, the double glutes! Lio and Lashley laugh it up, but “Ladies and gentlemen, Elias.” The Drifter SMACKS Lashley with a guitar! Lashley gets back up but Elias gets away. There won’t be an encore tonight, but when will these two create another smash hit together?
Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: The Authors of Pain VS The Revival VS The B-Team VS Lucha House Party!
Drake Maverick knows Akam & Rezar feel robbed over the feud they had with Roode & Gable, but considering they got those titles through unfair means to begin with, they have no automatic right to a rematch. Can they rip their way through Dash & Dawson, Axel & Dallas, and the luchadores of 205 Live? Or will one of those other teams step up to the GLORIOUS challenge instead?
The teams sort out and we start with Curt Axel and Lince Dorado. They circle but Axel stays back when Lince handsprings. “Lucha! Lucha!” starts, as do the matracas. But “B-Team! B-Team! GO GO GO!” counters. The chants duel but Axel swings into a dropkick! Lince tags Kalisto and they combine for an alley-oop dropkick! Scott Dawson tags in and now The Revival revive their feud with LHP. Dawson slaps Kalisto, Kalisto fires off forearms! They brawl, and Dawson rocks Kalisto with a right. Dawson wrenches the arm and kicks Kalisto to the ropes. Dawson chops Kalisto on the ropes, but keeps his distance from AoP. He bumps Kalisto off buckles and gives European Uppercuts. Dawson mocks the lucha chant, then suplexes Kalisto. He drops an elbow, then tags Dash Wilder.
The Revival go after Kalisto together but they get a double DDT! Kalisto tags Lince, and hist the elevated splash! Lince hits the planking splash, covers, TWO! Dash scrambles and Akam tags in. Lince goes after Akam but Akam shoves him away. Lince dropkicks but Akam tags Rezar, for a pop-up and tackle into a corner! AoP mug Lince while we go to break.
Raw returns as Dash has Lince in a Gory Special! Lince endures as fans chant, but Dash reaches back to go after the mask. Dash mocks the lucha chant, but Lince pops out to arm-drag Dash! Axel tags in, Dash gets an enziguri! Axel goes after Lince but Lince handsprings to the Golden Rewind! Both Lince and Axel are down and fans rally up. Chants duel while Axel crawls. Hot tags to Bo Dallas and Kalisto! Kalisto springboards and crossbodies! Kalisto kicks and whips, Bo reverses but Kalisto springboards for a corkscrew crossbody! Fans fire up with the Lucha Dragon as he tackles Bo in a corner. Axel returns but gets the tornado DDT! Kalisto kicks Bo then whips, but Bo reverses. Dawson tags in and goes after Kalisto to throw him out. Dawson slaps Bo but Bo fires off hands!
Bo boots and clotheslines Dawson, then brings him up for the draping neckbreaker! Cover, but Dash breaks it up! Dash takes his time leaving, but Kalisto comes in to tilt-o-whirl DDT Dash down! Axel swings but gets a kick! Kalisto dodges Rezar, Bo and Dawson clothesline him out! But then Akam grabs them both, only to get haymakers. Akam shoves them back but is sent out. Lucha House Party are LAUNCHED onto both AoP! Bo and Dawson are alone, Dawson rolls Bo up but Bo rolls him back! Cover, TWO! Small package, TWO! Dawson scoops but gets another cradle, TWO! Bo shoves Dawson but Dash tags in. SHATTER MACHINE! Cover, The Revival win!!
Winners: The Revival, Dash Wilder pinning; new Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders
#SayYeah! Now that Dash & Dawson got a fair shake, they can get another shot at those tag titles! Will they be #ReadyWillingAndGLORIOUS against Roode & Gable?
Backstage interview with Seth Rollins!
The Architect got back at Ambrose just a bit earlier, but he still feels rough from last night’s “disaster.” Personally, professionally, it was all wrong. He let Ambrose get in his head and take that title, and Rollins heard the crowd. Rollins takes the blame for all of that, and vows to move forward. This isn’t about his in-ring performance or titles, this is his life! “This is everything that I’ve dedicated everything to!” It’s going off the rails, but Rollins will right the ship by ending Ambrose.
But Baron Corbin comes over, and tells Rollins that everyone thought he was doing great until Rollins had to speak up. Rollins goaded Corbin into a match, Rollins is why Strowman won, and Rollins is why the McMahons are back in charge. Ambrose was right. And Corbin would take Rollins title, if Ambrose hadn’t already done that. Rollins hits Corbin! The Lone Wolf gets further comeuppance, but when will the Lunatic get his?
Ronda Rousey is here!
And the Baddest Woman on the Planet is still Raw Women’s Champion after a physical match with Nia Jax! Ronda denied the #FaceBreaker her victory, but she didn’t stop there. She got her payback on The Queen, Charlotte Flair, and The Man, Becky Lynch, by throwing them off their ladder in the SmackDown Women’s Championship TLC Match! The Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka, has the throne now, but what does that mean for both shows now?
Ronda smiles as fans duel. She says “I told Nia Jax she could kiss that right hand she’s so proud of good-bye. I told Charlotte Flair I was going to write the next chapter of our story. And I told Becky Lynch I am the last woman on Earth she should provoke.” Ronda didn’t come out here to justify her actions, but to define what a real champion is. “A real champion is so much more than just a title someone puts in front of your name or an object you can hold”. It’s so much more than the winner of a match. A real champion represents the limit of human potential, physically, mentally and morally. A real champion is the best the human race has to offer, and steps up to the challenge. That is why Ronda is here tonight!
Fans still duel as Ronda suggests a new tradition. Every Raw after a PPV, the champion shows up no matter what to defend their title! Ronda wants a fight, this is her open challenge, so who wants a shot!?
Raw Women’s Championship Open Challenge: Ronda Rousey VS ???
There’s a traffic jam at gorilla position! So many women want their shot at Ronda, the production team can’t figure out what song to play! Stephanie McMahon leads them out in front of the fans, microphone in hand. Stephanie lets Ronda know that everyone wants their shot. And they’re deserving, but there won’t be any favorites anymore. These women will all earn their shot, in a Gauntlet Match! And that’s right now! And we start with Alicia Fox, against Bayley!
8 Woman Gauntlet Match!
Who will be the last woman left to challenge Ronda for her title?!
Bayley circles with Alicia and tie up. Bayley rolls Alicia, ONE. Alicia backs off to circle with Bayley again. They tie up and Bayley gets an arm wrench. She brings Alicia down and then Mahistrols, TWO! Alicia scrambles to ropes for safety, and fans boo as she takes her time getting up. Alicia kicks low, still holding the ropes, then throws forearms. She throws Bayley down by her hair, covers, ONE. Alicia keeps on Bayley in a corner for buckle bumps, then stomps her in another corner. She backs off to snapmare Bayley to a cover. ONE, but Alicia wraps on a chinlock. Fans rally up and Bayley feeds off the energy. Alicia clubs Bayley but misses the scissor kick to get a saido suplex! Cover, TWO! Alicia runs away again and we go to break.
Raw returns as Alicia stomps Bayley. Alicia kicks Bayley down and around at the ropes. Bayley gets to a corner, Alicia throws forearms. Alicia taunts Bayley to whip her corner to corner. Bayley slips to the apron and shoulders in. She slides under to sunset flip, TWO! Alicia clobbers Bayley quick! Alicia chokes Bayley on the ropes but backs off at 4. She pulls on Bayley’s ponytail, then throws more forearms. Bayley kicks and kicks, then throws forearms. Alicia kicks low but fans rally for Bayley. Alicia whips Bayley hard into buckles! Cover, TWO! Alicia keeps her cool, but then she starts slapping Bayley around in the corner. Bayley pushes Alicia away then flapjacks her on the buckles! Bayley whips but Alicia reverses, but Bayley goes up and over. But Bayley’s ankle gives out, and Alicia boots her down! Cover, but Bayley reverses it, Bayley ELIMINATES Alicia!!
Dana Brooke comes out now, and hurries to capitalize. She goes after Bayley with an enziguri! Dana handsprings corner to corner for the elbow! Cover, TWO! Dana tries again, TWO! Dana rains rights down because she wants this chance. She puts Bayley in a body scissor squeeze and trash talks, but Bayley fights out. Bayley makes it a cover, TWO! Dana chop blocks the bad leg! The ref checks on Bayley, but she won’t quit. Dana bumps Bayley off buckles and stomps a mudhole. Dana whips but Bayley can’t even run on the leg. Cover, TWO! Dana keeps on Bayley with a chinlock but fans rally. Bayley endures the thrashing, and fights her way up. Dana throws her back down by her hair, then covers. TWO, Dana tries again, TWO!
Dana grows frustrated but she keeps on Bayley in a corner. She stomps in another mudhole, then backs off at 4. Dana taunts Bayley, but gets a Bayley2Belly! Cover, Bayley ELIMINATES Dana! The Huggable One continues in this Gauntlet while we go to break!
Raw returns and Bayley’s third opponent is Mickie James. Mickie has Bayley in a chinlock but Bayley fights her way up. Bayley fights back but Mickie knees low. Mickie whips Bayley to a corner, but runs into a boot! Bayley runs out but into a neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Mickie is frustrated that a beat up Bayley is still going. Ronda watches backstage as Mickie toys with Bayley. Mickie drags Bayley up to choke her on the ropes. She stops at 4, but runs, only to miss and get ropes! Bayley covers, TWO! Mickie brings Bayley up and kicks, but then runs and misses, Bayley rolls her up! TWO, and Mickie flapjacks Bayley! Mickie kips up and heads up top. Bayley stands, Mickie hits the flying seated senton! Cover, TWO and Bayley sunset flips, TWO! Mickie high stacks, TWO, roundhouse! Cover, TWO! Bayley still lives!
Mickie grows frustrated, but aim to finish this. Bayley slowly stands, but denies the Mick-DDT to a saido suplex! Fans fire up with Bayley, but Mickie kicks her out of the ring. Mickie builds speed, to slide, but Bayley spins her around for a big knee! Bayley grits her teeth as she heads back up. Bayley has a bad footing on the ropes but she still elbows Mickie. She leaps for a crossbody, but can’t keep the cover! Mickie gets to a corner, Bayley runs in for a big knee! Bayley tosses Mickie out to climb back up. Bayley leaps, Macho Elbow! Cover, ROPEBREAK! Mickie survives and Bayley grows frustrated. Bayley gets up and goes after Mickie but gets body shots. Mickie steps in for a hotshot! Bayley fires herself up, but Mickie grabs hair! Bayley powers Mickie back, but Mickie elbows Bayley.
Mickie goes for the Mickanrana but is put on the apron. Mickie hits back and bumps Bayley off buckles! The Mick-DDT hits! Cover, Mickie ELIMINATES Bayley! But there’s no rest for the wicked, Ember Moon heads in! Mickie dropkicks Ember right as she slides into the ring! Mickie stomps away but backs off at 4. Ember gets up but Mickie kicks her to a corner. Mickie grinds her boot in but stops at 4. Ember gasps for air but Mickie is on her with a slap. Ember and Mickie kick each other, Mickie whips but Ember flips through the hip toss to arm-drag! Mickie runs into a leg sweep, Ember misses the dropkick! Mickie covers, TWO! Ember blocks a kick but gets a kick. Mickie runs, but she misses. Ember runs, springboard crossbody! Cover, TWO!
Mickie slides out, because she wants a time-out. But Ember doesn’t give her one. ember runs and slides out, but Mickie kicks her on the return. Mickie wants a draping DDT but Ember fights her off. Mickie slides out and wants a bomb! Ember holds on for dear life and fights Mickie off, but Mickie trips her up! Ember hits apron while we go to break.
Raw returns and Ember slams Mickie! Both women are down but stirring. Mickie throws a forearm but Ember throws one back. Ember throws more forearms, then ducks to swing. Mickie dodges but Ember dodges and mule kicks, Ember enziguris! High stack cover, TWO! Ronda still watches backstage as Mickie gets to a corner. Ember runs in but misses, and Mickie rolls her up. She uses ropes but gets caught! The referee reprimands Mickie, but Mickie still flapjacks Ember! Mickie kips up again, then heads up top. Mickie leaps, but into a code breaker!! Ember hurries up top now, for the ECLIPSE! Cover, Ember ELIMINATES Mickie! But here comes The Queen of Harts! Natalya hits the ring but Ember rolls her up, TWO!
Natty gets Ember down, but the Sharpshooter is denied. Ember ducks the discus to SUPERKICK Natty! Cover, TWO! Ember drags Natty up into a chinlock but Natty endures. Natty works her way up and fights out, but Ember kicks her back. Ember brings Natty up to trap an arm in the standing chinlock. Natty endures the modified stretch, even as Ember clubs her on the back. Natty fights out and fireman’s carry, but Ember fights out. Ember throws forearms, then whips, but Natty reverses. Natty runs into a boot, and Ember hops up. Ember brings Natty over, tornado snap suplex! Cover, TWO! Ember clubs Natty again, then heads up top. Natty stands and gets clear of the Eclipse, to discus clothesline Ember! Cover, TWO!! The War Goddess survives and the Queen of Harts is frustrated.
Natty goes for legs but Ember fights her off. Cradle, TWO! Natty rolls Ember up, Natty ELIMINATES Ember!! Natty shocks Sacramento, but The Riott Squad heads out together. Will it be a rematch of TLC to determine a #1 Contender? We’ll find out after the break.
Raw returns and Ruby has Natty in a chinlock. Natty endures and pries her way out of the chinlock, but Ruby puts on body scissors. Liv and Sarah smirk as Ruby squeezes Natty. Natty turns around to club Ruby, so Ruby slaps Natty! Ruby wraps Natty in a guillotine now, but Natty still endures. Natty powers up and powers Ruby off with a scoop slam! Fans fire up as Natty and Ruby double clothesline! Both Ruby and Natty are down but the Squad coach Ruby up. Ruby gets up first and kicks Natty in the ribs! Ruby drags Natty up to throw her down, then brings Natty up to bump her off buckles. She stomps a mudhole into Natty but stops at 3. Natty rolls her up! TWO, and Ruby clobbers Natty again. Cover, TWO!
Ruby grows frustrated, but puts Natty in a cravat. Natty endures and fights her way back up. Natty arm-drags Ruby off, but gets a knee to the chin! Ruby throws Natty down, covers, TWO! Ruby keeps her cool, and toys with Natty, but Natty slaps her! Natty gets up but Ruby rolls her, TWO! Natty boots Ruby down, then catches her breath. She scoops Ruby but Ruby sunset flips, TWO! Natty dropkicks Ruby down! Ruby and Natty are slow to get up but Natty rallies with ax handles and lariats. Natty kicks low, then fires the fans up with a snap suplex! And another! Natty slaps Ruby then whips her to a corner. Discus meets STO! Ruby positions Natty in the drop zone then climbs up. The Squad cheer on the back senton, but it misses! Roll up, Natty ELIMINATES Ruby!
But it’s Boss Time! Sasha Banks goes at Natty, and rallies the moment she hits the ring! She blocks a kick to give a knee, then turns Natty sideways in the corner. Stock Drop knees! Cover, TWO! Natty survives but The Boss keeps her focus. Sasha puts up the four and says she wants that belt, but Natty powers her to a corner! Natty rams her shoulder in but then misses. Sasha goes up, but Natty gets under to roll her up! TWO! Sasha runs, sunset flip DDT! Cover, TWO!! Natty still lives and this match continues, after one more break!
Raw returns and both women are down. A 10 count begins, and Sasha sits up at 6. She stands at 7 and Natty follows. Natty blocks the kick to trip Sasha up, then she walks all over her to dropkick! Cover, TWO! Natty fires up the fans as she brings Sasha around. She wants the Sharpshooter but is denied with a roll up, TWO! Sasha backslides, TWO! Sasha knees Natty but Natty discus clotheslines! Cover, TWO!! Natty grows frustrated, but she wants that Sharpshooter. And she gets it! Sasha endures as Natty drags her from ropes! Fans fire up and duel as Sasha crawls. Sasha reaches but Natty drags her away again! Natty sits down deep but Sasha gets a second gas, to roll Natty into buckles! Both women are down and the ref checks on them.
Fans rally up as both women are okay to continue. Natty goes for the legs but Sasha rolls through to a Half Crab! Natty endures, crawls and reaches! Sasha shifts to the Rings of Saturn, to a cover, TWO! Bank Statement crossface!! Natty endures as Sasha pulls back hard! Natty powers Sasha around, but Sasha holds on. Fireman’s carry, but Sasha slips off. Natty throws Sasha with a German Suplex! Fans rally and duel while both women stir. Sasha gets to a corner, but Natty stands up. Natty runs in, but into a boot! Sasha elbows Natty away, then hops up. She leaps, Meteora! Cover, TWO!! Natty lives and Sasha can’t believe it! Sasha and Natty slowly stand, and Sasha wants the backstabber. Natty bucks her off, but walks into a takedown!
Sasha wants the crossface but Natty arm-drags her off. Sasha runs and rolls again, but into an inverted bomb! Natty gets the legs, Sharpshooter is on! Sasha endures as she’s far away, and TAPS! Natty wins the Gauntlet!!
Winner: Natalya, by submission; will face Ronda Rousey for the title next week
The Queen of Harts just won herself the best Christmas present ever! Natty shows Sasha respect, but here comes Ronda to congratulate her friend. Natty and Ronda celebrate this accomplishment together, but now friends must become opponents. Ronda offers a handshake, and Natty accepts it. Will friends stay friends after their title match?
My Thoughts:
Well this wasn’t what I expected from a post-PPV Raw. And sadly it wasn’t worth the hype. Vince and the McMahon family promised change and finally giving fans what we want, but this first night doesn’t quite give that impression. The only change might’ve been that there were way more commercials than I can remember being on a Raw. Did WWE need to pay some bills or something? This would’ve been a better Raw just on the virtue of keeping the flow going with less ads and more action. It’s not like having more of those commercials changed how Raw actually ran, either. The opening was a talk segment to give us this supposed “change”, and Vince’s time on his own show to shine. The only reason it wasn’t a consecutive 20 minutes is because a commercial happened 5 minutes in.
Now, I did appreciate that the McMahons were the Faces in this scenario, and gave Corbin further comeuppance. It was proper karma with the running gag of “remembering” things. However, another “change” seems to be we won’t get Angle back as GM or even someone new, like a rumored WOKEN Hardy. But perhaps if that means HHH is technically in charge, there’s a sliver of hope he’ll get this thing running as it should. In fact, Finn VS Ziggler was a really great match, but I am a bit disappointed McIntyre interfered. We’ve already been told there will be a Triple Threat for this story on the Christmas Eve edition, so that sounds like a good time. And for those who don’t already know, the Christmas Eve Raw will be recorded TONIGHT and put on tape delay. I don’t know if the live audience is lucky or being tortured…
There are also these “new faces” to address. The NXT Call-Ups have been announced in advance, but honestly I hope most of them go to SmackDown. We’ll have to wait and see how the “fresh start” affects SmackDown, but I’d imagine SmackDown will still be just as good as it was before. Therefore, they’d be able to use Lacey Evans, Heavy Machinery and EC3 much better than Raw. In fact, we were all worried about what Faces could face the Heel Daniel Bryan, maybe The Top One Percent can be that Face.
It seems Tyler Breeze is Mr. Open Challenge, with having gone back to NXT long enough to challenge Ricochet then returning to Raw to answer Ambrose’s Open Challenge. Rollins being in disguise as a gas-mask man was a standard twist, but still fitting of the story. If only Rollins interfered during the match to cost Ambrose the title. But perhaps that in itself proves Ambrose right: Rollins won’t go after Ambrose unless he can get the title back. Rollins VS Corbin will be the Christmas Eve match, and perhaps Ambrose attacks him back to keep pace. I wonder if their title rematch would be at Royal Rumble to keep them out of the Royal Rumble match… Perhaps that’s for the best if Rollins isn’t going to win to then challenge for the Universal Championship.
A Fatal 4 Way tag to determine contenders was good, and the match itself was alright. I’m sure many fans are happy that The Revival are finally back in the title scene, and I for one am glad the Raw Tag Division didn’t have to worry about pee jokes and lucha rule inaccuracies. Revival VS Gable & Roode should be a good one, if they’re allowed to go NXT level with HHH behind the wheel. Fans would be even more amazed if The Revival finally won. At the same time, we’re getting some Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn “returning soon” hype, I wonder if they finally aim for tag titles on top of singles. It’d make a lot of sense to me, at least, as Kevin would get his Grand Slam with the help of his best friend.
It seems the Raw Women’s Division has finally turned the corner to match up to SmackDown’s. Ronda wanted a match already, and the Gauntlet was a great surprise. I am genuinely surprised but pleased that Natalya is facing Ronda “next week” rather than Sasha Banks. There is story to be had with Ronda VS Raw’s NXT Horsewomen, but everyone was expecting Ronda VS Natty to have happened at some point, so this seems like a good a time as any. Ronda VS Natty, tired as they both might be, will still be a solid match, and I just hope that there’s no interference. At least not until the title match gets to a really hot point. The Riott Squad or the Samoan Dynasty might be expected given Raw stories, but I’m thinking it should be Charlotte and Becky for payback from TLC to move that story forward.
My Score: 7.7/10
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If The Mighty Don’t Kneel, then will they stand atop the mountain?
TMDK is all over this card, from Zack Sabre Jr. defending his world title to the Super Junior Tag League finals! Will TMDK win the Power Struggle?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Tiger Mask, Capitan Suicida & Shoma Kato VS YOH, Ninja Mack & The DKC; Yoh, Mack & DKC win.
- 10 Man Tag: Intergalactic Jet Setters, VeloCities & Katsuya Murashima VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
- 8 Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Ryusuke Taguchi, Dragon Dia, Tori Yano & Tomoaki Honma; LIJ wins.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Boltin Oleg VS EVIL & Ren Narita; Evil & Ren win.
- Shota Umino VS SANADA; Shota wins.
- IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholas VS Great-O-Khan & HENARE; Khan & Henare win and become the new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
- 2024 Super Junior Tag League Finals: Ichiban Sweet Boys VS Catch 2/2; Ichiban Sweet Boys win and will challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at WrestleKingdom 19.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: DOUKI VS Master Wato; Douki wins and retains the title.
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: David Finlay VS Taichi; Finlay wins and retains the title.
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Shingo Takagi; ZSJ wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
After Hiroshi Tanahashi & Boltin VS EVIL & Ren Narita…
As you might guess, The House of Torture had to cheat to win this one, with Yoshinobu Kanemaru tipping Oleg over so Ren could roll him up. But another obvious move, The House of Torture starts beating up on The Ace & BARS afterward! The fans boo but nothing can stop them from stomping away! Then Yujiro & Kanemaru sit Tanahashi up while Evil grabs a mic. Evil tells Tanahashi that if he really thinks he has another year left as a wrestler, he’s wrong! Tanahashi’s career will end THIS January! Be grateful that Evil will be the one to end him at WrestleKingdom! The fans boo more but then Dick hands Evil a pair of scissors!
Evil says he’s gonna cut away what makes Tanahashi Tanahashi, but then Jado runs in for the save! Jado gets mugged now and fans boo more. Kanemaru CHOKES Jado, and Evil still drags Tanahashi up. Evil TOSSES Tanahashi out, then drags him up the ramp! The fans boo but the mugging continues! The scissors have disappeared, but Boltin runs at Ren! Ren LOW BLOWS Boltin, and hits him with DOUBLE CROSSER!! The Ace is being kidnapped while The Souled Out Son of Strong Style holds his NJPW World Television Championship over Oleg. But wait! TMDK’s Mullet Man, Ryohei Oiwa, is here!
Ryohei gets the mic to tell Ren that their match is already finished. Ryohei hates the way the House does business, so HE will be the one to take this title off this punk! Ren laughs at Ryohei, and basically says he’d like to see him try. But then here comes Jeff Cobb! The Imperial Unit quit literally shoves Ryohei aside to get in Ren’s face! Triple Threat or not, we all know Ren took the low road to win that belt! The fans fire up as Cobb eggs Ren on, but Ryohei fires a forearm on Cobb! Cobb hits back! Then he kicks Ren, whips him, but Ren runs away! Ryohei and Cobb argue, they each want after Ren first!
Ren just laughs and leaves while the other two start shoving. Will Ren have the last laugh as these two fight it out for the title shot?
Shota Umino VS SANADA!
While Shingo Takagi is getting his shot tonight, and while Cold Skull already had his shot at Royal Quest 4 last week, The Roughneck still wants his turn. Will he earn it by taking down a former world champion? Or will Sanada prove it’s still too early for Shota’s Paradigm Shift?
The bell rings and Shota CLOBBERS Sanada! And CLOBBERS him again! Shota whips, Sanada reverses, but Shota ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER him again! Fans fire up with Shota and he storms up on Sanada. Shota whips Sanada corner to corner, then runs in, and UPPERCUTS! Shota then FISHERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but Shota shows respect to Kobayashi-san. Shota then drags Sanada up, clinches, but Sanada fights it. Sanada fires elbows and Shota backs away to ropes. Sanada storms up, whips Shota, but Shota reverses, only for Sanada to grab ropes! Shota’s dropkick misses!
Sanada runs to a corner! ROUNDING BODY- NO, Sanada lands out as Shota moves. Shota runs up but into a fireman’s carry. Shota slips free to waistlock but Sanada switches. Shota elbows free, runs, but Sanada dropkicks the legs! Then he DROPKICKS Shota down! The fans fire up for Sanada while Shota bails out. Sanada takes his time walking over, to then PLANCHA, but Shota moves! Shota comes back to SHOTGUN! The fans rally and Shota drags Sanada back up. Shota reels Sanada in, but Sanada blocks the suplex! They fight for control as the fans rally, and Shota still lifts Sanada! But Sanada fights it back down!
Sanada suplexes Shota to the apron, MAGIC SCREW to the floor! The fans fire up while the ref checks Shota. Shota is still in this, though he clutches an arm, and Sanada walks over to him. Sanada drags Shota up, then brings him through the gate! And into the crowd! Fans barely have time before Sanada THROWS Shota into chairs! Sanada then drags Shota up, and whips him back in! Sanada picks up the spare and the ref reprimands. Sanada moves chairs aside then drags Shota up to his feet. Dragon sleeper! Sanada squeezes the air out of Shota but the ref reprimands again. Sanada lets Shota go, then leaves him behind.
The fans rally again as the ring count starts. Sanada waits in the ring as we reach 7 of 20. Shota crawls at 10 of 20, but is still only at the railing by 15. Shota hobbles the rest of the way and rolls in at 18! The fans applaud, but then Sanada is on Shota with a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Shota stays in this and the fans cheer, but Sanada clamps on a chinlock. Sanada grinds Shota down but Shota endures the squeeze. Sanada shifts to have a knee dig into Shota’s back! Shota still endures, but Sanada thrashes him around a bit. The fans rally as Shota continues to fight, and Shota scoots forward. Shota kicks his way to the ROPEBREAK!
The fans cheer and Sanada lets go slowly. Sanada paces while Shota sputters. Sanada comes back to stomp Shota! Shota growls and shakes his head. Sanada throws a punch, but Shota just grits his teeth. Sanada fires another punch, and another, but Shota feeds off that! Sanada eggs Shota on, so Shota fires a forearm! And another forearm! Sanada sways but then Shota ROCKS him again! Sanada dropkicks the legs! Shota hobbles away and the fans continue to rally. Sanada runs up, whips, but Shota reverses to TORNADO DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down. Shota rises and gets the fans rallying even more!
Sanada rises and Shota runs up, slingshot APRON DDT! The fans fire up while the ref checks Sanada. Sanada is still in this so Shota brings him back up. Shota puts Sanada in and the fans rally up. Shota climbs a corner, takes aim, and he goes COAST2COAST to hit Sanada! Shota then hurries to EXPLODER! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up as Sanada stays in this, and Shota keeps his cool. Shota waits on Sanada, then he runs to IGNITION! Cover, TWO! Sanada survives but the fans fire up with Shota. Shota goes to a corner, fires the fans up more, and he takes aim. BLAZE- NO, Sanada ducks! But then Shota avoids the Shining Wizard!
Shota ROCKS Sanada, then ROLLING- NO, Sanada spins Shota through to put on ropes! MAGIC SCREW! Shota is down and the fans fire up while Sanada catches his breath. Sanada drags Shota into the dragon sleeper! But Shota fights free, arm-drags, and then runs corner to corner. Sanada BOOTS him away! Sanada QUEBRADA, then dragon sleeper! Shota flails but Sanada drops back into the SKULL END! The fans rally as Shota endures, but the body scissors are in tight! Shota reaches out but he’s fading! Sanada lets Shota go to then climb up! ROUNDING BODY PRESS! And then a clinch! DEAD- NO, Shota slips around! Backslide!
Sanada rolls through so Shota reels him in! ELEVATED DEATH RIDER! Shota can’t make the cover, he’s still catching his breath! The fans rally up while both men are down! Sanada and Shota slowly sit up, and they head for each other. They go forehead to forehead as they stand up, and then Shota UPPERCUTS! Sanada UPPERCUTS in return! The fans rally as Shota shakes that off, and he comes back to UPPERCUT! Sanada shakes that off, and he UPPERCUTS! The fans continue to duel while Sanada eggs Shota on. Shota winds up, to UPPERCUT! Sanada UPPERCUTS! They UPPERCUT again and again, back and forth!
The fans rally more, and Sanada gets the edge! He UPPERCUTS again, and again, and again! Shota wobbles, Sanada eggs him on, and the fans fire up! Shota winds up to ROCKS Sanada with a forearm! ROLLING ELBOW! ENZIGIRI! Sanada rebounds to SHINING WIZARD! Shota pops up to BLAZE BLADE! Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Shota rises and roars, and he brings Sanada up. Shota pump handles, half nelsons, and scoops, to POWERSLAM! Then he hurries to bring Sanada up into underhooks. But Sanada slips out, O’Conner Roll BRIDGE! TWO!! Fans fire up as Shota escapes in time!
Sanada SHINING WIZARDS! The fans fire up even more as Sanada rises. Sanada brings Shota up, clinches, but Shota slips free again! Shota underhooks, but Sanada wrenches! DEAD- NO, Shota rolls Sanada, but Sanada rolls through, into the DEATH RIDER!! Cover, SHOTA WINS!
Winner: Shota Umino, by pinfall
Some might call it an upset, others might just be upset about it, but the Roughneck found a way to win! At the same time, Shota does show respect to Sanada by offering a hand. Sanada declines and simply makes his exit. But is this win proof enough that Shota is ready for the next level? Or is it simply one step on a long journey ahead?
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholas VS Great-O-Khan & HENARE!
It isn’t just Ryohei and Cobb fighting it out, TMDK and the United Empire is fighting for these titles! Will Hysterical Haste & Mad Mikey still be dual tag team champions? Or will The Dominator & Face of Fury conquer The Mighty?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see who is THE tag team in NJPW!
Tensions rise as the teams sort out as Henare and Mikey want after each other. But for now, it is Shane and Khan that start. The fans rally with the bell as Shane and Khan circle. They feel things out, even test the water with kicks, then Khan goes for a leg. Khan trips Shane, sits him up, then runs to run Shane over! Khan poses, then sucker punches Mikey! Khan drags Shane up to a SLEEPER, and while the ref is busy keeping Mikey back, Henare steps in! Henare uses Shane as a punching bag, then Khan MONGOLIAN CHOPS! Henare KICKS Shane, Khan SPLASHES down! Cover, ONE!! Shane toughs it out but Khan clamps onto an arm.
Khan has the double wristlock, and he brings Shane over. Henare tags in and Henare KICKS Shane’s legs. Shane hobbles, Henare BLASTS Mikey, then Henare CLOBBERS Shane! The fans cheer while Henare kicks Shane around. Henare eggs Shane on and Shane stands to KICK! And KICK! And BOOT! Henare growls, Shane fires forearms. Henare winds up to BODY BLOW! Shane falls to his knees, but Henare fireman’s carries to WASTELAND SLAM, and SENTON! Cover, TWO! Henare keeps his eyes on Mikey, but then goes back to Shane. Shane UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! Henare eggs him on so Shane BOOTS! And BOOTS!
Shane kicks but Henare HEADBUTTS the foot! Henare runs, but Shane DROPKICKS him down! The fans fire up, hot tag to Mikey! Mikey fires forearms on Henare, then BLASTS Khan! Henare storms up but the forearms start flying! Mikey gets the edge, SLAPS Henare, then runs. They RAM shoulders, but neither man falls! Henare returns the forearms and SLAP! Henare runs, they RAM shoulders again, and then Mikey CHOPS! Henare snarls and the fans fire up. Henare winds up to KICK! Mikey stays up, and he comes back to CHOP! Henare comes back to KICK! Mikey still CHOPS! Henare headbutts buckles to fire up!
The fans rally as the KICK and the CHOP go back and forth again and again! Mikey ROCKS Henare, reels him in, and has a COBRA TWIST! Henare powers out but Mikey HEADBUTTS! Mikey learns that was a mistake, Henare’s head is too hard! In fact, Mikey busted himself open from that shot! Mikey wobbles and falls to his knees in a daze while Henare growls. The fans fire up as Mikey rises, but Henare runs up! Mikey SPINEBUSTERS first! And then he sits Henare up, SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, Khan breaks it! Khan stomps Mikey but Mikey fires forearms! Mikey fireman’s carries but Khan slips free. Khan ducks an elbow, but Mikey hits a DDT!
Henare returns, but Mikey gets around him. Henare switches, and he catches Mikey’s elbow! Henare goes for the full nelson but Mikey fights back! Mikey ELBOWS free, then he gets Henare with the DDT! But Henare is right up! Mikey isn’t sure what to make of it, but he still runs in! But Henare scoops for a BESERKER BOMB! But Mikey’s right up!? SLIDING LARIAT! Both men are down and the fans fire up! Mikey and Henare stir, and then crawl for their corners, hot tags to Shane and Khan! Shane LARITS, but Khan stays up! Khan BOOTS but Shane stays up! Shane swings, into a SAYANAGI!
Khan drags Shane back up, and hits a fireman’s carry takeover! The fans rally as Khan keeps wrist control, then reels Shane in for a MONKEY FLIP! And then ARMBAR! Shane scrambles to clasp hands but Khan brings him back down! ARMBAR! Shane flails, reaches out, fights around, but Khan pulls on the arm! Shane still finds the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer, the ref counts, and Khan lets go at 4. Khan scuffs Shane around, drags him up, but Shane UPPERCUTS! But that’s the bad arm…! Khan eggs Shane on, and Shane UPPERCUTS! And RAMS Khan! The fans rally as Shane shakes out the bad arm.
Shane UPPERCUTS again and again and again! Shane runs, but into a clinch! ELBOW BREAKER! Khan hauls Shane up to RAM him into a corner! Khan then bumps Shane off buckles, and he hops up, onto his- NO, Shane slips free to SHORYUKEN! Shane climbs up after Khan, but Khan resists the suplex! The fans rally, Khan BODY BLOWS, and Shane hops down! Mikey UPPERCUTS Khan, then gives Shane a boost! SUPERPLEX POWERBOMB! Mikey drags Shane onto the cover, TWO! Khan stays in this and the fans rally up. Shane crawls over, tag to Mikey, and Mikey sends Shane at the corner to LARIAT!
Mikey runs up to LARIAT Khan, then feeds Khan to Shane’s LARIAT! Shane also BLASTS Henare off the apron while Mikey SLIDING LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Khan survives all the lariats but TMDK drags him up. Mikey scoops, Shane runs up, TANKBUSTER! Cover, HENARE BREAKS IT! The fans fire up but TMDK goes after Henare now. Henare CHOPS Shane, ROCKS Mikey, repeat! But TMDK SLAP, SLAP, and SLAP! Henare roars, runs up, but into the URENAGE POWERBOMB COMBO! Khan PANCAKE PLEXES Mikey! Shane breaks the cover! Khan Mongolian Chops Shane! IRON CLAW for Mikey!
Shane Mongolian Chops Khan! So Khan IRON CLAWS Shane! Khan squeezes TMDK, but TMDK fights free! URENAGE BOMB COMBO! Cover, TWO!! Khan survives and the fans fire up! The fans rally, Shane climbs up, and Mikey brings Khan up. Scoop and- NO, Khan slips free! Khan shoves Mikey into Shane and Shane falls to the floor! Mikey comes back, into Henare’s fireman’s carry! Khan runs up, IMPERIAL DROP!! Cover, UNITED EMPIRE WINS!!
Winners: Great-O-Khan & Henare, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
The Mighty Don’t Kneel, but they do drop! And in this case, they just dropped the belts! The Monster Rage is now in victory as The Face of Fury & Dominator are on top! Khan is a DOUBLE CHAMPION at that! Will NJPW soon belong to The United Empire?
Kenny Omega is here!
The fans cheer as The Best Bout Machine has returned to Osaka and to NJPW! Omega waves to fans, high-fives a few, then goes to the ring. Omega is then handed the mic so that he may speak. The fans chant “KE-NI-Y! KE-NI-Y!” Omega says in Japanese, “I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to be here or not, but well, NJPW made an announcement, so if that’s the case, I had to show up.” The fans cheer that! Omega says recently, he met with Hiroshi Tanahashi, it was a very good talk. Tanahashi had an interesting comment that if Kenny Omega is “back,” then he should take on one of NJPW’s young stars. And Omega replied, “Not a bad idea.”
But that said, there was also another idea. To be honest, Omega is still a little far off, still a bit ill, but he is getting better. So in just a little bit, Omega WILL be able to wrestle again. The fans like the sound of that! Omega says he is still a full-time member of AEW, but… If he may return, and when he does, he’d love to first return to a NJPW ring! The fans love that idea! So while Omega can’t say when and where that will be, but maybe… January 5th? The fans cheer, and Omega asks they please understand, he hoped he could say that.
If he may, he quickly translates for the English speaking fans that the goal is to return in NJPW for a brand new star and really test himself at WrestleDynasty on January 5th! Because NJPW still IS the King of Sports, it still IS the best pro-wrestling on the planet, and it still IS one of his favorite places because it is his home! So… Until we meet again. He must bid us adieu. So goodbye, MWAH, and goodnight, BANG! The fans cheer hearing that again, and surely we will all see Omega wrestling again. Who will it be that tests Omega at the very first WrestleDynasty?
2024 Super Junior Tag League Finals: Ichiban Sweet Boys VS Catch 2/2!
We just saw a heavyweight battle of TMDK VS United Empire, but now it’s time for a speed blitz! Will Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita conquer the Super Junior Tag League? Or will TJP & Francesco Akira go back to back in the league?
The teams sort out and the fans already clap for “CATCH! 2/2! CATCH! 2/2!” But then Robbie starts up the “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” “ROBBIE!” “OI!” “ROBBIE!” “OI!” “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” The fans cheer and then Akira steps up to Fujita. The bell rings, the two run up and dropkicks cancel out! Akira headlocks, Fujita powers out, but Akira runs Fujita over! Things keep moving, Akira rolls over the dropdown then bypasses Fujita, but Fujita RANAS! Robbie hurries to BLAST TJP! The Sweet Boys double whip Akira to trip, KICK and SOMERSAULT SENTON!
Akira sits up into a basement dropkick from Robbie! Akira bails out, TJP is there, but Robbie gets them both! Fujita climbs, and SUPER CANNONBALLS! The fans fire up as the Japanese Young Punk wipes out Catch 2/2 and even Jakob Austin Young! Fujita puts Akira back in, then wrenches to whip him into a corner. Fujita runs up to CHOP! The fans cheer, and Fujita snapmares to PENALTY KICK! Cover, TWO! TJP runs in but Fujita knees him low. Robbie hops in, TMDK double whips, but TJP KNEES the lariats! TJP blocks a kick from Robbie, gives it to Fujita, then fires off fast hands on Fujita! TJP SOBATS Fujita, but Robbie kicks TJP after all.
Robbie whips, TJP goes up and over, then TJP gives Akira the boost for the SHOTGUN! Robbie tumbles out, and Catch 2/2 double whip Fujita. They DOUBLE HIP TOSS, ELBOW DROP, and BASEMENT BLOCKBUSTER! The fans fire up and TJP rallies the fans, “CATCH! 2/2!” TJP WRECKS TMDK with the dropkick, then holds the ropes down for Akira to FLY! TMDK falls again and the fans fire up more! Akira brings Fujita up and into the ring, then snapmares him down. Akira tags TJP, and then he runs. Akira hops up, “Take a picture! Take a picture!” And then BACK SUPLEX SPLASH! Cover, TWO!
TJP keeps the fans fired up, and he steps through on Fujita’s legs! TJP has the deathlock, but then Robbie runs up! TJP catches him for a COBRA TWIST! The fans rally, and then TJP sets Robbie up so Akira can RANA! Then TJP drops into the MUTA LOCK! Fujita endures, so TJP focuses on the legs. Fujita pulls TJP’s hair but the ref reprimands. Fujita legs go, and TJP stands up to shift around, and BOW ‘N’ ARROW! Fujita flails and manages the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer while TJP lets go. TJP keeps the “CATCH! 2/2!” going, and then he whips Fujita corner to corner. TJP runs in, to BACK ELBOW!
TJP sits Fujita down and he scrubs Fujita’s face! Fans rally up, and TJP goes side to side to BOOT WASH! The fans cheer and chant, “MOIKAI! MOIKAI!” So TJP obliges with more scrubbing! TJP runs, but Fujita gets up! TJP avoids the lariat to SOBAT! TJP runs again, but into a GAMANGIRI! Both men down and the fans fire up again! Fujita and TJP crawl, hot tags to Akira and Robbie! Robbie ducks ‘n’ dodges to RANA! Then he WHEEL KICKS and kips up! Fans fire up as Robbie keeps moving, GAMANGIRI! Akira flops to a corner and Robbie runs in, to DOUBLE KNEE! Robbie rolls back, comes back, but into a BOOT!
Robbie tries again but gets an ELBOW! So Robbie basement 619s! Akira sits down, and Robbie METEORAS! The fans fire up and Robbie drags Akira to a cover. TWO, and the fans cheer again. Robbie has Akira in a drop zone so he goes up top. WARP- NO, Akira moves so Robbie rolls through. Akira dodges Robbie’s kick to ENZIGIRI! Robbie drops to his knees but Akira storms over. Akira chicken wings, but Robbie fights towards ropes! Akira has the arms, TIGER- NO, Robbie fights the suplex with elbows! Akira CHOPS, whips, but Fujita tags in! Robbie wheelbarrows Akira so Fujita can CHOP! Then they double wrench to MAXXY BOMB! Cover, TJP breaks it!
Robbie TOSSES TJP, and he drags Akira up. Robbie scoops Akira but Akira slips free! Akira shoves Robbie into Fujita, then he POISON-RANAS! Akira blocks Fujita’s kick, slips under, and SIT-OUT POWERBOMBS! Everyone is down and the fans fire up! Akira fires himself up and he reels Fujita in! Fujita wrenches free, pops Akira up, but Akira fights with elbows! So Fujita CHOPS! Fujita runs up, but Akira puts him up top! TJP tags in, Fujita is in the Tree of Woe! Akira runs to BASEMENT DROPKICK! Then TJP adds WOE STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Fujita survives and the fans fire up again!
Catch 2/2 reset and they drag Fujita up. TJP has the dragon sleeper while Akira climbs, but Fujita wrenches free! Fujita shoves TJP into Akira and Akira falls! Fujita runs back in, TJP goes up and over! TORNADO- NO, Fujita fights the DDT off! Robbie is back, TMDK whips, but TJP reverses, only for TMDK to break both grips! ENZIGIRI HEEL KICK COMBO! TJP sputters and Robbie runs, to DIVE onto Akira! Direct hit at the ramp and the fans fire up! Fujita whips TJP to pop him up into the HIGH ANGLE GERMAN! Bridging cover, TWO!! TJP survives, but Fujita holds on! The fans rally as Fujita spins TJP around!
Fujita slashes his throat, but TJP suplexes instead! FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Fujita survives and the fans fire up again. The rallying is now for “FU-JI-TA! FU-JI-TA!” as he and TJP stir. TJP grabs at Fujita first, brings him up, and fires a forearm! Fujita fires one in return! TJP fires another, Fujita fires another, then TJP fires a flurry! Fujita fires up to CHOP! Fujita runs, but TJP LARIATS! Down goes Fujita, but Robbie TOSSES TJP! TJP goes Spider-Man, then lures Robbie in. Robbie gets stuck in the ropes and gets a DROPKICK SANDWICH! The fans fire up again and Akira ASAI MOONSAULTS! Down goes Robbie!
The fans fire up as Akira hurries back in, and Catch 2/2 sets up! Fujita sits up, into TWO BY- NO, Fujita sends TJP into Akira, then O’Conner BRIDGE! TWO!! Akira whips Fujita, into the ALLEY OOP! The fans are thunderous as Akira climbs and TJP Electric Chair Lifts Fujita! But Robbie jumps in! He SUPER STEINERS Akira away! Fujita slips down to waistlock TJP! TJP RAMS Fujita into a corner, but Fujita holds on! TJP fights the lift but Fujita CLUBS away! TJP still RAMS Fujita into a corner! Robbie tags in, springboard MISSILE DROPKICK to the leg! Fujita then QUEBRADAS Akira down! The fans fire up, but then TJP cradles Robbie! TWO!!
Robbie ROUNDHOUSES TJP, and Fujita joins in! POP-UP DDT!! Cover, TWO!!! TJP survives and the fans are thunderous again! TMDK calls for the end! Scoop and SWEET BUSTER!! Cover, AKIRA BREAKS IT!! The fans are thunderous while Fujita kicks Akira out! TMDK reset and the fans rally up. Robbie sends Fujita in, but TJP puts Fujita out! Robbie runs up, TJP dodges and Fujita takes the knees! TJP Electric Chair Lifts Robbie! Akira is right up top, LEANING TOWER CUTTER!! Cover, FUJITA BREAKS IT!! The fans are electric as this one continues! TJP TOSSES Fujita, then he and Akira set up in corners!
The fans rally, “CATCH! 2/2!” Robbie sits up, but then ducks! TJP dosidos with Akira, and they set up side-by-side! But then Fujita trips Akira up! TJP tilt-o-whirls but Robbie has him in position! SWEET- NO, Akira HALF ‘N’ HALF SUPLEXES Fujita! TJP slips out, waistlocks, but Robbie ducks, Akira’s SUPERKICK hits TJP! Robbie SUPERKICKS Akira! Robbie roars, but TJP trips him! But Robbie cradles TJP! TWO!!! The fans are going wild as Robbie scrambles to ropes. Akira returns, but Robbie TOSSES him back out! TJP SUPERKICKS Robbie! TJP runs, but Robbie wrenches him into the backpack! TJP wrenches out to dragon sleeper!
Robbie drops, but TJP sits on him for a cover!! TWO!??! Robbie escapes, SCHOOLBOY BRIDGE! Fujita anchors Akira, TMDK WINS!!
Winners: Ichiban Sweet Boys, by pinfall (2024 Super Junior Tag League Champions)
Robbie is stunned and even emotional as he and Fujita pull it off! No two in a row for Catch 2/2, and they’re just as emotional over that. The trophies are presented to Robbie & Fujita, and they stand together to hold them up high! Then as is tradition for TMDK, they sit on the apron together to show off their prize. Robbie says they didn’t stop working all year, this is that work paying off! But then TMDK steps back inside the ring, and Robbie offers a handshake to his old friend. TJP accepts it and the fans cheer. Akira and Fujita are also able to shake hands, and the fans cheer. But Catch 2/2 lets TMDK know, they’ll be back for another round.
Oh, Robbie gets the mic to say something. “Osaka… everyone here… WE WON~!” Robbie then encourages Fujita to say something, as do the fans. Fujita says that it is absolutely 100% established that the TMDK Era has arrived. And it is because his teammate is the man known as Robbie Eagles that they pulled this off. Because they won Super Junior Tag League, that means they will challenge Kushida & Kevin Knight for the titles. That’ll be later, but they wanna talk to the Intergalactic Jet Setters now! TMDK waits, and here they come! The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champions make their way out, and they applaud the league winners.
The fans also applaud, and now champions join challengers in the ring. Kushida has the mic to say in English, “Congratulations.” Knight says it in Japanese, “Omedeto.” Kushida says they accept the challenge! BUT… Where is Catch 2/2? Why? Well, Catch 2/2 did beat the Jet Setters. Knight asks why he’s bringing that up now. Well, Catch 2/2 return, having heard their names. Kushida now says okay, good. Kushida asks when will it be? Knight says WrestleKingdom! TMDK says okay, they’ll wait their turn. Catch 2/2 and Jet Setters can settle their Tag League beef, and then- THE WAR DOGS ATTACK!? WITH CHAIRS!!
The fans freak out as Clark Connors & “Drilla” Dan Moloney beat up TMDK, Catch 2/2 and the Jet Setters! Connors says it’s a War Dog party, baby! The fans boo but Connors & Drilla laugh it up. Drilla takes a seat, grabs the mic, and he says, “Hold on a sec, okay, okay. Lemme get this right, Clark.” TMDK beat Catch 2/2, but Catch 2/2 beat Jet Setters, but then TMDK also beat Jet Setters, but THE WAR DOGS have chewed up and spat out every tag team in the Junior Heavyweight Division! The fans are torn on that point. Drilla says congrats on the great fight, it was cute. But it ain’t no party like a War Dog party!
And it ain’t no WrestleKingdom without The War Dogs! The fans boo as the former champs stake their claim to a rematch. Then who is it that will start 2025 with the gold?
BREAKING NEWS!
It would seem the War Dogs are warring on multiple fronts! While the Super Junior Tag League final was happening, Gabe Kidd went after Kenny Omega backstage! We knew he was a Mad Man, but does this mean he’s #WarReady for WrestleDynasty?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: DOUKI VS Master Wato!
After years of struggling and ridicule, Japones Del Mal is finally getting some respect on his name as he’s made it through some top tier contenders! But after facing ridicule of his own, and even coming back from injury, The Way of the Grandmaster wants some of that! Will Wato take this title and the respect that comes with it? Or will there be no stopping the era of Douki?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see whose hardships were worth it all!
The bell rings and the fans rally up. The two stare down as the energy builds. Wato and Douki step forward, then tie up. They’re in a deadlock at center, but Wato’s height becomes leverage. Wato has Douki on ropes, Douki turns it around, repeat. Douki still puts Wato on ropes, but he lets off slowly. But Wato shoves Douki! The forearms start flying back and forth! Neither man backs down, and they even speed up! Douki ROCKS Wato, fires more shots, but Wato fires them in return! Douki CHOPS and the fans fire up! Douki CHOPS again, then CHOPS again! Wato SOBATS! Wato whips, but Douki reverses!
Douki drops then hurdles. Douki drops again but Wato leaps over. Wato bypasses Douki, dodges him, then RANAS! Douki bails out, fans fire up, and Wato builds speed. Douki moves so Wato slows down. The fans cheer and Douki runs back in, but Wato scoops! Wato SLAMS and JUMP ELBOW DROPS! Cover, ONE! Wato clamps onto Douki with a chinlock, and also digs his knee in. Douki fights around, fights forward, and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer, Wato slowly lets go, but then Wato stomps Douki. Douki fires a body shot, but Wato CHOPS! Wato whips corner to corner, then runs in, but into a BOOT!
Wato comes back but Douki puts him on the apron. Douki swings but Wato blocks the shot to ROCK Douki! Wato slingshots, but Douki DROPKICKS him down! The fans fire up as Douki builds speed, to DIVE! Direct hit into railing, right in front of English commentary! The fans fire up and Wato writhes, but Douki brings Wato back up. Douki puts Wato on the railing, then goes to the apron! The fans rally up as Douki DIVING STOMPS Wato off the railing! Wato writhes and Douki leaves him behind. The count begins, and Wato is still down at 5 of 20. Douki paces while the count reaches 10 of 20, and Wato rolls in.
Fans cheer while Douki drags Wato up, and Douki CLUBS Wato on the neck. Douki brings Wato around again, to CLUB him on the neck! Douki then turns Wato for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Douki clamps on with a chinlock and he digs a knee into Wato now. Wato fights around, but Douki drags him back! Douki puts on a headscissor squeeze! The fans rally, Wato fights, but Douki pushes up to put on more pressure! Wato moves around, but Douki traps an arm! Wato kicks his way to the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and Douki lets go of Wato. Douki taunts Wato a bit, scuffs him around, but Wato rises.
Wato CHOPS, SLAPS, then SLAPS again! Wato fires more CHOPS but Douki CHOPS Wato off his feet! Douki whips corner to corner, then runs in, but Wato BOOTS him! Wato dodges Douki, then reels him in for a BIG back suplex! Both men are down and the fans rally up. Wato grits his teeth, and he has fans behind him. Douki also rises, and Wato runs up to CLOBBER Douki! And CLOBBER him again! Wato whips, Douki reverses, but Wato ELBOWS Douki down! Then he DROPKICKS Douki out of the ring! The fans fire up and Wato builds speed. Wato FLIES! Down goes Douki at the ramp!
The fans fire up again, but Wato has to catch his breath. The ring count starts, and Wato sits up at 4 of 20. Wato stands at 8 and he fires Osaka up. Wato goes to Douki at 11 of 20, drags him up, and throws him in at 15. The fans applaud and Wato aims from the corner. Wato watches Douki rise, then he springboards in to FLYING UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO! Douki stays in this and the fans rally more, but Wato hooks Douki up! Douki fights the Mouse Trap so Wato sunset flips! TWO, into VENDIVAL! Douki flails, reaches out, and has the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Wato lets Douki go, and Douki goes to the apron.
Wato storms over and he brings Douki up. But Douki RAMS into him! DAY- NO, Wato stops Daybreak to DECK Douki! Douki flops back to the apron and Wato brings him back up. Wato suplexes but Douki fights! Douki HOTSHOTS Wato, then slingshots to arm-drag! Wato bails out and Douki WRECKS him with a dropkick! The fans fire up and Douki hurries to the apron. Douki climbs up a corner, but Wato springs up after him! Wato drags Douki down in a waistlock, but Douki holds ropes! Douki fires elbows to fight free, but then Wato KICKS him! And APRON- NO! Douki grabs ropes again!
Douki spins things around on Wato, APRON DDT! Both men are down and the fans fire up! Wato is dazed from the impact, but Douki resets up top! Douki still wants to DOUKI BOMB SENTON!! Direct hit and the fans fire up again! Both men are down, so the ring count starts on them both now. Douki drags himself up at 8 of 20 and he fires up! The fans are with Douki as he drags Wato up and in at 13! Douki then goes up a corner, and he takes aim, to DIVING DOUBLE STOMP! Cover, TWO! But Douki drags Wato into ITALIAN STRETCH #32! Wato flails around, reaches out, and manages the ROPEBREAK!
The fans cheer as Wato survives by a literal foot. Douki only lets go at the ref’s count, and then he fires himself back up. The fans rally as Douki wheelbarrows Wato into SUPLEX- NO, Wato fights the full nelson! Douki ENZIGIRIS! Douki runs up but is put on the apron. Douki RAMS Wato, slingshots, DAY- NO! Wato again stops Daybreak, to pop Douki around and T T D!! Cover, but Wato himself can’t keep it! Wato hurries back to the cover, TWO!! Douki survives the Tenzan Tombstone Driver and the fans rally again. Wato flounders to a corner and drags himself up. The fans duel and Wato takes aim, to KICK! And KICK! And KICK!
Douki stands up, blocks a kick, but Wato dodges a haymaker! Wato tilt-o-whirls, then hooks Douki up! MOUSE TRAP DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Douki escapes the trap and the fans fire up again! Wato roars, and he drags Douki back up. Wato waistlocks but Douki fights the suplex with elbows. Douki goes to run, Wato reels him in, but Douki uses the British Escape. Douki kicks low but then Wato ducks the enzigiri! Wato waistlocks to HIGH- NO, Douki victory rolls! TWO, but into a wheelbarrow! SUPLEX- NO, Wato swings around to sunset flip! TWO, into VENDIVAL!! Douki flails but he endures the hold!
The fans rally and duel as Douki shifts around. Douki kicks and moves towards ropes, but then Wato rolls him away into a cradle, then VENDIVAL!! Wato thrashes Douki but Douki endures! Douki kicks, fights, rocks the boat, and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and Wato lets go more in disbelief than frustration. Wato then drags Douki up, wrenches, and reels him into the fireman’s carry. WASTELAND SLAM, and Wato goes to the corner! The fans rally as Wato climbs, for the DIVING- NO, Douki avoids the stomps, then catches Wato, SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! The fans fire up while both men are down again.
Douki and Wato stir, then crawl. They find each other and grab at the other’s hair. The ref reprimands but Wato fires a forearm. Douki shakes his head, then fires a forearm back! Wato fires another forearm, but Douki fires back! They rise, the forearms keep going, and the fans rally up more. Wato and Douki start picking up speed with their forearms, but then Douki wobbles! Wato ROCKS Douki, ROCKS him again, and Douki drops to a knee! Wato fires more shots to put Douki on the mat! The ref checks, could this be a knockout? Douki is still conscious so Wato stands Douki up. Douki ducks the roundhouse to HELL STAB!
Douki ROCKS Wato, spins, but Wato ROUNDHOUSES! Wato BOOTS Douki at ropes, then runs, but into a LARIAT! Both men are down, but then Douki fires back up! The fans are with Douki and he runs, into a scoop and torture rack! Wato hits a RACK CUTTER! The fans fire up with Wato now and he KICKS! KICKS! KICKS! Wato KICKS from all sides, then BUZZSAWS! Douki flops over, Wato covers, ONE?!? Douki is hitting that new gear he unlocked against Taiji and Sho, but then the DREAMCAST KICK hits! The fans fire up and Wato TSUTENKAKU GERMANS! Bridging cover, TWO!?!? Wato cannot believe it!
The fans fire up but Wato drags Douki up. Wato roars, the fans are with him, and he half nelsons, into MOUSE- NO, Douki slips free! And he drags Wato down into ITALIAN STRETCH #32!! Wato stays up but Douki pulls on the arms! Wato endures, fights around, and he drags Douki with him, but Douki rolls Wato away from ropes! But then Wato jackknifes! But Douki rolls through, to get ITALIAN STRETCH 32 back! The fans rally harder as Wato continues to fight! But then Douki rolls him away from ropes again! Only for Wato to stand up with Douki in a cradle! Wato powers Douki into T T- NO, Douki flips it around, IMPALER!
ITALIAN STRETCH 32!!! The fans are thunderous, but Wato is fading! Wato flops over and the ref checks! Wato IS OUT, Douki wins!!
Winner: Douki, by submission (still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
Wato fought as hard as he could, but he could not endure. How much harder must he fight to become the Grandmaster?
As for Douki, he stands tall, only for EL DESPERADO to appear! The fans all cheer to see The Rogue Luchador and this year’s Best of the Super Juniors winner to make his way out. Desperado wears a Headbanga shirt to show his love to El Phantasmo, who is now fighting cancer. But right now, Desperado and Douki are once again face to face. Desperado has the mic to say that Junior Heavyweight wrestling is pretty damn great! So that is why he is proud of this division, he LOVES Junior Heavyweight wrestling! And that is why Desperado wants to challenge Douki for Tokyo Dome. The fans love the sound of that!
Desperado then says that there are a lot of people who will have something to say about that, a few complaints, and while the fans should be happy, Desperado knows that this is really about him and Douki. Desperado wants Douki to show him personally what these last six months have given Douki. Desperado has been watching, but everyone should know that watching it and feeling it are two very different things. The fans fire up for that! So Desperado wants Douki to show him every bit of it! After all their ups and downs, Desperado wants Douki to give every single thing that he loves about wrestling.
Desperado hands the mic to Douki, and Douki tells Desperado that they were brothers in Suzuki-Gun, but right now, Douki is champion. And as such, Douki has beaten some of the best here. But if it’s Desperado, Douki will gladly stand across the ring from him one more time to have the best possible match! Douki will show the world the very best in Junior Heavyweight wrestling! The mic goes back to Desperado, and he smiles as he says Hiromu must hate this. Hiromu is on commentary, but he says go ahead, Desperado. Then maybe after Desperado beats Douki, Desperado and Hiromu can go another round.
Desperado smiles at his old amigo, and tells him see ya later. Another big battle has been put together for WrestleKingdom, but Douki has one more thing to say. He is the winner here, so HE should have his song playing! The fans cheer that, and Douki’s theme does play. Will Japones Del Mal have a very good start to the New Year? Or will Desperado remind us that he is the Best of the Super Juniors?
IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: David Finlay w/ Gedo VS Taichi w/ Taka Michinoku!
The King of Savages crossed the line when he called out the injured Yuya Uemura, then acted like Yuya was the coward. Can The Holy Emperor bring the Rebel to justice? Or will the War Dogs continue to do what they want to who they want?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who truly reigns!
The bell rings and the fans rally up as the two stare down. “Let’s Go, Taichi!” greatly drowns out the “Let’s Go, Finlay!” but that doesn’t bother Finlay at all. Finlay circles around Taichi, then the two tie up. They go around, and Finlay puts Taichi on ropes. The ref counts the break, and Finlay slowly lets off. Finlay pats Taichi on the head, the ref has him back off, but Taichi fixes his hair. Finlay fires forearms but Taichi just eggs him on! Taichi leans into the shots, so Finlay SPITS at him! Taichi DECKS Finlay! The fans fire up as Finlay flounders away, clutching his jaw! Taichi waits on Finlay to get up, then he runs up to BOOT him!
The fans cheer and Taichi snapmares Finlay, to KICK him in the back! Finlay writhes more, but then Taichi KICKS him again. And again! Finlay writhes, Taichi kicks him again, and Gedo starts to worry. Finlay sits up, and Taichi KICKS him again! The fans cheer while Finlay flounders. Taichi brings Finlay up but Finlay fights the saido! Finlay grabs ropes, Gedo wants the break, but Taichi pulls hair! The ref reprimands, Gedo protests, but Taichi LCUBS Finlay! And CLUBS him again! Finlay ROCKS Taichi, runs, but into a BACKDROP! Finlay writhes from the crash landing and the fans fire up.
Taichi storms over but Finlay fireman’s carries! HOTSHOT SNAKE EYES! Finlay then rains down fists! The ref reprimands, Finlay shows he has open palms now. Finlay rains down those strikes and now Taka has reason to protest. The fans rally but Finlay SPITS at them! The fans boo Finlay, so he flips them off now. Finlay pushes Taichi out, they go to commentary, and Finlay RAMS Taichi in! Finlay taunts Hiromu, then RAMS Taichi in again! Finlay says one more, then he slaps stuff off the desk! Finlay drags Taichi up again, for an APRON BACK SUPLEX! Taichi flops to the floor and Finlay says this is too easy.
Finlay paces, Gedo likes what he sees, and Finlay asks if Taichi wants to quit. Gedo talks trash with Taka while Finlay puts Taichi back in. Finlay digs his elbow into Taichi’s face! The ref reprimands, Finlay stops, and he claims it was a cover. Finlay drags Taichi up and whips him hard into a corner! Taichi falls, and Finlay does pushups just to show off. Finlay says this is just too easy, and he drags Taichi back up. But Taichi KICKS Finlay in the leg! And then ROCKS him! Finlay comes back but Taichi just fires more shots! Taichi runs, but Finlay ELBOWS him! Only for Taichi to DANGEROUS SAIDO Finlay up and out!!
The fans are just as shocked as Finlay falls against railing! The ref checks on Finlay, and he’s somehow okay to continue. The fans rally that much harder for Taichi as he goes out to fetch Finlay. Gedo is upset, the ref says Taichi shouldn’t, btu Taichi still whips Finlay hard into railing! And then hard into more railing! Finlay staggers and hobbles away in a hurry, but Taichi is on him again. Taichi whips Finlay hard into more railing! Finlay falls in a heap, but Taichi grabs a chair! The ref stops Taichi here, so Taichi lets him have the chair. Taichi drags Finlay up, the ref wants this in the ring, but Taichi POSTS Finlay instead!
Taichi stalks Finlay while Gedo protests, but Taichi still puts Finlay in the ring. The fans applaud, and Taichi stalks Finlay. Taichi scuffs Finlay, kicks him around, but Finlay grits his teeth. Finlay fires a forearm, but Taichi scowls. Taichi eggs Finlay on so Finlay fires more shots. Taichi wrenches to DANGEROUS HOOK KICK! Cover, TWO! Finlay stays in this but Taka says keep on him. Gedo tells Finlay to get up but Taichi looms over him. Finlay ducks the buzzsaw, and he IRISH- NO, Taichi arm-drags Finlay away! Finlay runs back in, but Taichi BOOTS him! Finlay ROCKS Taichi with a forearm, but Taichi ENZIGIRIS!
Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Taichi rises and the fans rally behind him. And OFF COME THE PANTS! The fans fire up as Taichi takes aim and powers up. TENSHO- NO, Finlay dodges the superkick to clinch and IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Taichi writhes but Finlay’s own back keeps him from making the cover. Finlay grits his teeth and Gedo says to finish this! Finlay grins as he crawls over to Taichi. Finlay pushes Taichi to the apron, then goes out after him. But Taichi ridge hand chops! Finlay fires a forearm! Taichi BOOTS Finlay, Finlay ROCKS Taichi! The fans rally as the brawl continues!
Finlay fires HEADBUTT after HEADBUTT! Finlay reels Taichi in, but Taichi fights the lift! Taichi lifts Finlay, but Finlay scrambles in and around, to then POST Taichi! Taichi falls to the floor and Gedo applauds. Finlay grins and taunts Taichi. Finlay flips off Osaka and insults it but the fans boo. Finlay drags Taichi up, fireman’s carries, and he runs to LAWN DART Taichi into the post! The ref checks Taichi as Taichi clutches his arm. Finlay Too Sweets with Gedo, but the ring count begins. Finlay backs Taka off before he drags Taichi up. The count is 10 of 20 but Finlay shoves Taichi back into the ring. Cover, TWO!!
The fans cheer as Taichi manages to stays in this, but Finlay jokes he just wants more punishment. Finlay suplexes and THROWS Taichi! Finlay flexes then flips everyone off, then he goes back to Taichi. Finlay CLUBS Taichi with a crossface forearm! And another! Finlay says the fans are calling Taichi’s name but Finlay doesn’t need that. Cocky cover, TWO! Finlay says okay, and he drags Taichi up. Canadian Rack, CANADIAN HAMMER! Cover, TWO! Taichi survives and Finlay says his bad, he did a bad cover. The fans rally but Finlay asks how many bombs Gedo wants to see. Gedo says six or seven is good.
Finlay gets Taichi up, but Taichi RANAS! Taichi then dodges Finlay to DANGEROUS SAIDO!! Finlay is down and sputtering and the fans fire up again! Taichi and Finlay stir and the fans rally behind Taichi. Taichi goes to a corner, he runs in at Finlay, and he BOOTS! But Finlay blocks! Finlay backs Taichi down, fires a forearm, but Taichi KICKS! Forearm, KICK, repeat, then Taichi SOBATS! Finlay ROLLING ELBOWS! Taichi RIDGE HANDS, BLINDSIDE AX BOMBERS, and GAMANGIRIS! Then AX BOMBER!! Taichi brings Finlay up, DANGEROUS SAIDO BRIDGE! TWO!! Finlay survives but the fans are thunderous for Taichi!
Finlay clutches his head while Gedo shouts for him to get up! Taichi rises, the fans are with him, and he reels Finlay in. Finlay grabs a leg to stop the lift, but Taichi gives him Kawada Kicks! Then a PUNT!! Taichi reels Finlay in, hauls him up, but Finlay slips free! INTO OBLIVION!! Cover, TWO!!! Taichi survives and Gedo is furious! Finlay doesn’t bother being shocked, he just hauls Taichi up to POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO!! Taichi survives again and Finlay is frustrated now. So much for being easy work! Finlay slashes his throat and vows to end this, but the fans boo. Finlay hauls Taichi up, but Taichi RIDGE HANDS
Taichi reels Finlay in, but Finlay powers up to Alabama Lift, and steals BLACK MEPHISTO!!! Cover, TWO!!! Taichi survives his own move, but Finlay won’t let him rest. The fans are thunderous for Taichi but Finlay shakes his head. Finlay suplexes, for OVER- NO, Taichi blocks the leg! Body scissors, GEDO CLUTCH!! TWO!!! Finlay escapes, but Taichi scoops him! EMERALD FLOWSION!!! Cover, TWO!!! The fans are thunderous again as Finlay survives! Gedo panics as he tells Finlay to get up! Taichi and Finlay stir, and Sanada has appeared ringside for more support from Just5Guys! The fans rally and Taichi goes to a corner.
Taichi roars and takes aim! Finlay rises, into TENSHO- NO, Finlay rolls Taichi up, holding tights! TWO!! Taichi escapes, but Finlay ROLLING ELBOWS! And ROLLING- ROUNDHOUSE from Taichi! TENSHO- NO, Finlay blocks the kick again! And he reels Taichi in, for a BUCKLE BOMB!! But Taichi’s up to TENSHO JUJIHO!!! The fans are thunderous as Taichi roars! Taichi reels Finlay in, but now Gedo is on the apron! Taka grabs Gedo and drags him down! Taichi brings Finlay up, BLACK MEPHISTO!!!! Cover, WHO yanks the ref out?!? SANADA did?!? WHY?!?! Why did The Cold Skull just betray The Holy Emperor?!?
Taichi is most confused of all, but is this Sanada being petty over how he couldn’t beat Finlay? Even Gedo isn’t sure what this is about! But he doesn’t really care, he kinda likes that his guy’s not dead yet. But then Sanada unzips his jacket, to reveal a WAR DOGS SHIRT?!? Who convinced Sanada to turn?!? And now Finlay has the shillelagh! Finlay CLOBBERS Taichi!!! Sanada puts the ref back in and Finlay grins. Finlay says this is for Sanada. OVERKILL!!! Cover, Finlay wins!!
Winner: David Finlay, by pinfall (still IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion)
No one can understand why Sanada would join Finlay of all people, but it’s too late to do anything about it now. Taka gets in to confront Sanada, but Gedo CLUBS Taka! And Sanada LOW BLOWS Taka to boot! Sanada says no hard feelings, Taichi. He helps Taichi up, but Taichi still can’t understand why. And then DEADFALL!!! Sanada continues to add insult to injury! Sanada revels in the fans telling him to go away, but wait, Douki is here now! Douki is just as upset over this, but he can’t stand against Sanada and Finlay alone. The fans boo more as Sanada hands Finlay this win on a silver platter.
Finlay grabs a mic to say, “And STILL~ IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, yours truly, The Rebel, Boss Dog, Savage King, David Finlay! I want you to get a good look at this face. This is the face of a man that didn’t cry, that didn’t complain, that didn’t bitch online, moan, whine, what have you. I observed, I waited, I watched, I schemed, and I put together the most savage, ruthless, violent brotherhood this company has ever seen.” Fans boo but he tells them to shut up. Now, Finlay did warn Taichi that there was a wolf in the pack, but Taichi’s thick skull didn’t pick up the wisdom Finlay was putting down.
The thing about the War Dogs, the entrance fee is bodies or gold, and main man Sanada will bring plenty of both now. But let’s be honest. Tonight’s title match only happened because Yuya was too scared to face Finlay. That’s fine, there is still a man who thinks he is better than Finlay. Yota Tsuji! It’s one thing to have one win over Finlay, but nobody gets two and gets away with it. See, Finlay’s been watching Yota a long, long, long time, and he’s tired of waiting. Get your fat ass out here so he can handle some business! Oh, there he is! Yota makes his way out here, and Finlay says to hurry up, we don’t have all night.
Yota goes to the ring at the same pace anyway, and Finlay says any day now. Yota grins as he steps into the ring with Finlay, and Finlay promises he won’t hurt Yota. We all know it is Tokyo Dome Season, and with Finlay as the most valuable champion, he gets to call the shots. So how about this? Finlay VS Tsuji for Finlay’s Global Heavyweight Championship at WrestleKingdom? The fans do like the sound of that. Yota picks up the mic to say, “Oi, Finlay! Good to see you didn’t run away. And in the G1 Climax, you lost to me, twice. So now you want revenge, huh? I accept your challenge! January 4th, Tokyo Dome, for this title. The question is, are you ready?”
Finlay holds up his belt as he gets in Tsuji’s face. Tsuji still grins, and will he have an even bigger smile after hitting the Rebel with a Gene Blast?
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. w/ TMDK VS Shingo Takagi!
From using his G1 Climax Right to Challenge at the Ryogoku Kokugikan to defending this title the week after, The Front Man is certainly leading the way for TMDK! But now he runs into the Rampaging Dragon who NEVER backs down from a fight! It is Champion VS Champion but with only one title on the line. Will Takagi soon become a Two Belt Dragon? Or will ZSJ make him #JustTapOut?
The introductions are made, the top belt is raised, and we see who survives the Power Struggle!
The bell rings and the fans rally up already as the two stare down. The chants of “ZAKKU! ZAKKU!” and “TA-KA-GI! TA-KA-GI!” echo out, perhaps leaning in Takagi’s favor. The two feel things out, circle, then clinch. They fight for control, and Takagi has the facelock. Takagi brings ZSJ down, floats to a waistlock, but ZSJ wrenches out to then flip Takagi over. Takagi keeps an arm up but ZSJ keeps moving around. ZSJ wants an arm but Takagi goes for a leg. ZSJ turns that around on Takagi but Takagi slips away, and the fans cheer as the two reset. They feel things out again, then clinch. They knuckle lock, and Takagi powers ZSJ right down!
ZSJ fights up to go shoulder to shoulder with Takagi, but Takagi powers ZSJ down again! It’s a cover, ONE as an arm comes up! Takagi pushes that arm down, ONE as the other arm comes up! Takagi puts that back down, ONE as ZSJ bridges up! ZSJ then kips up, rolls, and he reverses the pressure of the knuckle locks. Takagi fights up, puts ZSJ in a corner, and Red Shoes calls the break. Takagi and ZSJ slowly let go, but ZSJ avoids a chop! ZSJ cravats Takagi, but Takagi arm-drags free! ZSJ runs up, Takagi dodges to waistlock. ZSJ switches, half nelsons, then snapmares, but Takagi kicks him away! ZSJ avoids a sliding lariat, but Takagi avoids the Penalty Kick!
The two back up and the fans cheer the standoff. Takagi and ZSJ take a moment to reset, then feel things out again. They tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, but ZSJ chinbars. ZSJ then wrenches an arm, steps over, and adds the cravat. ZSJ then shifts to a headlock, but Takagi fights up. Takagi powers up and out, but ZSJ RAMS him! Neither man falls, and the fans cheer. ZSJ runs, and he RAMS Takagi, but still Takagi stands! Takagi eggs ZSJ on, and ZSJ runs to RAM Takagi! Takagi rebounds, but ZSJ slips around to COBRA TWIST! But Takagi powers up and out with a hip toss! Then Takagi runs to RUN ZSJ over!
The fans fire up and Takagi stalks ZSJ. Takagi brings ZSJ up, bumps him off buckles, then RAMS into him! And RAMS in again! And again! ZSJ sits down, but Takagi stands ZSJ up to CHOP! Takagi then brings ZSJ around to whip and KNEE at the ropes! ZSJ falls, clutching his stomach and ribs, but Takagi follows him tot he apron. Takagi goes to fireman’s carry but ZSJ holds ropes. ZSJ then BOOTS, BOOTS, and runs up, but into a fireman’s carry! ZSJ slips out to SLEEPER over the ropes! Takagi ELBOW BREAKERS! But then ZSJ catches Takagi’s shoulder ram into a NECK TWIST! The fans rally up while Takagi falls back.
Takagi bails out the side and Red Shoes checks with him. Takagi is okay to continue, so ZSJ walks over. ZSJ UPPERCUTS Takagi, and UPPERCUTS him again! And again! Takagi leans on the railing in front of English commentary but ZSJ snapmares, NECK TWIST! The fans rally again while ZSJ leaves Takagi behind. Red Shoes checks Takagi again, but Takagi is still okay to continue. The ring count starts, and Takagi is still down at 8 of 20. Takagi drags himself up with railing to stand at 11, and he sees both NEVER Openweight and IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on the timekeeper’s table.
Takagi hurries into the ring with that motivation and the fans applaud. ZSJ has Takagi in a cravat and leg hook to really wrench the neck. Takagi endures, reaches out, and has the ROPEBREAK. ZSJ lets go, but then brings Takagi up to UPPERCUT! The fans rally and duel as ZSJ UPPERCUTS again! And again! Takagi headbutts buckles to fire up! Takagi gets in ZSJ’s face, so ZSJ UPPERCUTS! Takagi scoops to SLAM and SENTON FLOP as ZSJ moves! ZSJ gets Takagi for another NECK TWIST! ZSJ fires up and the fans fire up, too! ZSJ paces, then he wraps Takagi up in a neck lock. ZSJ also wants an arm but Takagi resists, so ZSJ CRANKS the neck lock!
Takagi scrambles around to the ROPEBREAK! ZSJ lets go and the fans rally up again. Takagi rises, but ZSJ scuffs him. Takagi JABS! JABS! And JABS! Then CHOP! Then CHOP again! ZSJ blocks a chop, but Takagi powers out. ZSJ RAMS and cravats but Takagi shoves ZSJ down! ZSJ sits up, into a BLINDSLIDE SLIDING LARIAT! Both men are down and the fans fire up! The fans still rally stronger for “TA-KA-GI!” then “ZAKKU! ZAKKU!” Both men rise, and ZSJ RAMS Takagi! Takagi ELBOWS, JABS, but ZSJ jumps on for a GUILLOTINE! But Takagi powers up to THROW ZSJ away! Then he SENTONS! Cover, TWO!
The fans rally up while both men are down. Takagi calls to Osaka, and says it- NO, ZSJ grabs his hand to isolate and STOMP the arm! It is not Takagi’s time just yet! ZSJ looms over Takagi, steps on the bad hand, then wrenches the arm. ELBOW BREAKER! Wrench, and ELBOW BREAKER! Then wrench and- NO, Takagi grabs ZSJ in a SLEEPER! ZSJ slips that around to a SLEEPER, but Takagi hits a BACKPACK SENTON! Takagi drags ZSJ up, turns his uppercut into a backslide, but ZSJ rolls through! Takagi catches ZSJ, STOMP the hands and NECK TWIST! The fans fire up as Takagi gives ZSJ a taste of his own medicine!
Takagi realizes it’s here! “TOKI GA KITA! <The time has come!>” The fans fire up for Takagi as he runs up on ZSJ! Takagi blocks a boot to LARIAT! And then he hits a BIG suplex! The fans fire up while both men are down again! Takagi rises again, and he drags ZSJ up. ZSJ fights the back suplex and throws down elbows. Takagi shoves ZSJ to a corner, then Gory Especial! But ZSJ reaches back to a SLEEPER! Then he shifts to IRON OCTO- NO, Takagi powers up! But ZSJ just shifts for an IRON OCTOPUS all the same! Takagi endures, fights up, and fireman’s carries, DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! ZSJ sits up, into SLIDING- NO, ZSJ catches Takagi’s arm!
ZSJ shifts around, he wants both arms! Takagi kicks around but he’s still in CLARKY CAT! Takagi endures, fights over, ROPEBREAK! ZSJ lets go in frustration but he clamps back onto an arm. ZSJ grinds the shoulder, then STOMPS it! Takagi clutches the arm but ZSJ needs to catch his breath. ZSJ then stomps away on Takagi. Takagi rises up, ZSJ runs in, but Takagi blocks a boot! Takagi puts the leg in the ropes, to then DRAPING DRAGON SCREW! Both men are down again and the fans rally back up. Takagi shakes out the bad arm, brings ZSJ up, and fires HEADBUTT after HEADBUTT!
Takagi runs, but ZSJ boots him! Takagi LARIATS anyway! But that’s the bad arm! ZSJ BOOTS Takagi! Takagi LARIATS! Even still, Takagi has power behind it! ZSJ comes back, Takagi blocks the boot to CLUB the leg! But ZSJ blocks the lariat to UPPERCUTR the arm again and again! ZSJ runs but Takagi follows, LEFT ARM LARIAT and SAIDO! ZSJ is up and gets around, SNAP GERMAN! Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! YUKON- ZSJ blocks to PELE the arm! Takagi spins, but ZSJ BOOTS the lariat! Takagi spins back around, YUKON feint and DD- NO, ZSJ slips free! PENALTY KICK! But Takagi’s right up, to PUMPING BOMBER!!
Both men are down and the fans are thunderous! Takagi rises up and the fans join in on “OI! OI! OI!” Takagi runs at ZSJ to LARIAT in the corner! ZSJ SLAPS Takagi! And UPPERCUTS! UPPERCUTS! UPPERCUTS! ZSJ runs, into a SLEEPER! ZSJ sits down, but Takagi chicken wings him! ZSJ fights around but Takagi hits a TIGER SUPLEX! And PUMPING BOMBER!! The fans are fired up again and Takagi roars! Takagi drags ZSJ up, pump handles, but ZSJ pries free to have both arms! CLARKY CAT! Takagi turns over but ends up in a modified TRIANGLE HOLD! Takagi endures, fights around, but into a proper TRIANGLE HOLD!
ZSJ squeezes tight, the fans rally and duel, and Takagi powers up! Deadlift, fireman’s carry, and now Takagi goes up the corner?! ZSJ fires elbows, but Takagi still hits STAY DREAM!! Both men are down from that rough landing but the fans fire up again! Takagi rises and he brings ZSJ around again. Takagi wrenches, ducks a kick, and pump handles! MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, TWO!! ZSJ survives and the fans rally again! Ryohei coaches ZSJ, the fans rally more, and Takagi rises. Takagi brings ZSJ up to the pump handle and torture rack. ZSJ slips free, trips Takagi, but Takagi fights off the Japanese Bridge!
Takagi has a SLEEPER, but ZSJ rolls and has the legs! ZSJ STOMPS the legs! A very American Dragon move that keeps this Rampaging Dragon down! The fans rally again as Takagi goes to ropes and ZSJ clutches his side. ZSJ goes to ropes on the other end, and then heads for Takagi. Takagi rises, ZSJ rolls to get a leg. ZSJ ducks an enzigiri, and has the ANKLE LOCK! Takagi rolls free, ROKCS ZSJ, then SWATS ZSJ’s kick! But ZSJ catches Takagi to a scoop, ZACK DRIVER!! Both men are down as ZSJ cannot make the cover! The fans rally up even harder, and now the “ZAKKU! ZAKKU!” is ahead of “TA-KA-GI! TA-KA-GI!”
ZSJ sits up, then heads over to Takagi. ZSJ tries another scoop but Takagi fights it. ZSJ powers through, but Takagi slips around! Dragon sleeper becomes facelock, for the TAKAGI TWIST! Both men are down again and the fans continue to rally! Takagi rises, he stands ZSJ up, and he fires boxing elbows! Takagi stops but ZSJ falls forward! ZSJ slowly sits up, but Takagi stands him up. ZSJ SLAPS! And SLAPS! And RAPID FIRE PALM STRIKES! Takagi JABS! And HEADBUTTS! And SLIDING FOREARMS! Then another American Dragon move, the HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! Takagi drags ZSJ into a REAR NAKED CHOKE!!
ZSJ endures, reaches out, but Takagi has those body scissors in deep! ZSJ works to pry those open, then works on the sleeper, but Takagi has a tight grip on both! TMDK coaches ZSJ but he’s turning red! Fans rally and duel as hard as they ever have, but ZSJ manages to roll and roll and roll into the ROPEBREAK! Takagi lets ZSJ go and Red Shoes checks on ZSJ. ZSJ sits up in a bit of a daze, but he tells Red Shoes that he’s not done. The fans fire up and Takagi brings ZSJ up for RIDGE HANDS! Takagi goes to fireman’s carry, but ZSJ wants an arm! ZSJ slips free, shoves Takagi, then goes up and around to TORNADO DDT!
ZSJ scoops Takagi for a SABRE DRIVER!!! Cover, TWO!! But ZSJ has the KNEEBAR!! Takagi flails as ZSJ shifts the grip around for a HEEL HOOK on top of it!! The fans rally and duel again as Takagi reaches around. Red Shoes checks with Takagi but Takagi bites a finger to ignore the leg pain! But then ZSJ makes it an INVERTED FIGURE FOUR!! Takagi flails, rolls around, and finds the ROPEBREAK!! ZSJ lets go in frustration while the fans fire up again! Takagi crawls but ZSJ stands. The fans rally up more as Takagi still tries to chase ZSJ. ZSJ PENALTY KICKS Takagi! Takagi stays up and shakes his head.
ZSJ KICKS, and KICKS, and KICKS, but Takagi block! DRAGON- NO, ZSJ slips free, to NECK TWIST! Takagi still rises, and he scoops, MICHINOKU DRIVER!! Then the pump handle! ZSJ kicks and kicks, only for Takagi to SNAP LAST OF THE DRAGON!!! But Takagi’s leg slows him down, and ZSJ rolls away from the cover!! The fans are rallying as hard as they can as both men stir. Takagi brings ZSJ up, to LARIAT! But there was almost nothing to it! Takagi LARIATS again, but still not enough! Takagi LARIATS, ZSJ BOOTS, Takagi rebounds to PUMPING BOMBER!!! The fans are thunderous as Takagi rises!
Takagi hobbles over, pump handles again, but the bad leg gives up! ZSJ has the SLEEPER, then a GERMAN SUPLEX! Then a PENALTY KICK! Cover, ONE?!?! How does Takagi have that much left?! The fans are thunderously dueling, and both men run up to LARIAT! Takagi ducks the roundhouse but ZSJ KICKS the leg! And dropkicks the bad leg! And then fisherman for the SABRE DRIVER REMIX!!! Cover, ZSJ WINS!!!
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr, by pinfall (still IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
Another instant classic from The Front Man! And that’s taking nothing away from the NEVER Openweight Champion and a former world champion in his own right. But if Takagi can put up this level of a match challenging for a belt, will no one ever take the gold Takagi has already?
As for ZSJ, he grabs a mic quickly to tell Takagi, “Damn that hurt. But also, thank you.” The fans cheer that, and Takagi says he’ll get him next time. ZSJ continues with saying that he is tired, that match was long. But hey, it’s nothing, he’s not even warm. Well, okay, he is a bit warm. But uh, why waste time? Who’s his next challenger? Who’s next? Oh, that takes him back. “Da re desu ka?” But please, come on out. They’re short on time. Fans are torn as Shota Umino appears! They were okay with him winning over Sanada, especially in retrospect, but Shota for the world title…? ZSJ says hey, it’s okay, it’s okay.
ZSJ tells Shota it’s alright, come to the ring. But, make it quick. The fans continue to boo as Shota grabs a mic. Shota tells ZSJ, “Amazing. What a fantastic, hot blooded match. Nice work.” ZSJ thanks Shota as Shota bows in respect. Shota then tells Zack in English that he wants to face him again. Shota wants to be IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Shota wants to challenge ZSJ! The fans boo, but ZSJ teases that he doesn’t understand English, please say that in Japanese. The fans have a good laugh, and Shota says okay. Since he is the challenger, he won’t call the shots. Anywhere, anytime, that’s fine by Shota. He leaves it up to the champion, please and thank you.
The fans do cheer that, and ZSJ tells “Shota-kun” that anytime and anywhere is fine by him, too. “Ganbate ne. <Do your best.>” Shota replies in English, “Thank you, d*ckhead.” ZSJ gives back, “Yarimasho <Let’s do it>, d*ckhead.” The two then shake hands after their strange show of respect, and the fans are still iffy on this. When and where will Shota look to bring about his Paradigm Shift?
Shota then takes his leave, and ZSJ admits he can’t do much more in Japanese, everything hurts so much already. ZSJ does say he had “three dreams” for this year. First: win the G1. Check. Second: win the IWGP World title. Check. Third: main event in the Tokyo Dome! The fans love the sound of that! ZSJ then thanks the fans here in Osaka, drops the mic, and the fans cheer as the streamers fly! Wait, the music cuts off? Why? BECAUSE RICOCHET’S MUSIC STARTS! The One & Only is here?! AND COMING IN FROM THE CROWD! ZSJ turns around in time for the springboard FLYING LARIAT!!
The fans are going nuts for Ricochet as he takes out the champ! Ricochet grabs the mic to tell, “Osaka! Hisashiburi yo! Choto matte, choto matte.” Ricochet then goes to ZSJ, and says that he never really got to formally congratulate ZSJ on winning the G1 Climax, then going on to winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. So before anything else, Ricochet will say, congrats. The fans applaud, and Ricochet says in the world of wrestling, it is widely known that he who holds the IWGP World title is regarded as one of the best wrestlers on this planet. And it is also known that he who holds that title holds all the power here in NJPW.
And Ricochet wants that. He wants that power. So what better way to prove to everybody, to himself, that this fire inside burns brighter than ever before, by taking that title from ZSJ and proving he is still the EFFIN MAN around here!? So Ricochet challenges ZSJ for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for WRESTLEDYNASTY!! But before that, here’s a little parting gift. Ricochet takes off his jacket, loads up the finger gun, and he says bang! But then Shota runs out here! The fans are torn about Shota being the hero here, but Ricochet says they’ll sort this out soon enough. Shota picks ZSJ up, but ZSJ attacks Shota!
ZSJ TOSSES Shota, dares Ricochet to get back in here, but then Shota gets ZSJ! DEATH RIDER!! The fans boo Shota and Ricochet equally, but Ricochet smirks. Shota picks up the world title, and he tells ZSJ to NOT look past him! ZSJ is NOT the best wrestler yet! The fans boo, but the walls are already closing in on ZSJ. Will ZSJ’s dream of having the main event in the Tokyo Dome soon become a nightmare?
My Thoughts:
An awesome event for NJPW, especially to finish up the Super Junior Tag League. Though, there were a lot of interesting moves, maybe even confusing, when it comes to what’s next. I was genuinely surprised to see Khan & Henare win the Heavyweight Tag titles, but how great for Khan to be a double champion. And it seems TMDK and United Empire will be feuding as factions since both Ryohei and Cobb want the NJPW World TV Championship. A match between them would be great, but I feel like another Triple Threat is the better option. It’s how Narita won the title, and it’d be great if that’s how he loses it. It’s mostly because I don’t see Ryohei overcoming Cobb 1v1.
The SJTL final itself was awesome, and what a great finish. But then I wasn’t really sure what to make of the move after. I get the logic of Catch 2/2 beating Jet Setters and being owed a title match, and I get the logic of War Dogs wanting the rematch they never got. I also get they’re trying to add some intrigue as to who gets the WrestleKingdom match, but it should really be TMDK and only TMDK. Doing a Fatal 4 Way undercuts TMDK winning tonight because then the other teams just get in on the title match. At the same time, there’s little time before World Tag League takes over, so unless Fighting Spirit Unleashed and New Japan Road have tag titles matches, WK will end up having a Fatal 4.
While I didn’t cover the match, Evil & Narita of course cheated to win, but of course Evil wants to face Tanahashi for WrestleKingdom this year. That means we have a full two months to build. And if we go by the scissors, does Evil want a Hair VS Hair match? Something about that makes sense given Tanahashi’s hair is almost as iconic as anything else. But since Tanahashi is going to continue until WrestleKingdom 20, he has to be winning one way or another. And if it IS Hair VS Hair, seeing Evil shaved as his punishment for all the cheating he’s done would be amazing. Great match from Shota VS Sanada. Shota beating Sanada was expected as he’s moving up the ladder, whether fans like it or not.
Seeing Kenny Omega return was great, and great to hear that he’s just two months away from returning. The first ever WrestleDynasty got big just off that. And since Gabe Kidd attacked him backstage, tada, there’s the match. Gabe is a great choice for Omega’s first match back, and Gabe will look great regardless of the outcome. And since WrestleDynasty is the huge crossover event, Omega can easily segue into something AEW related. After all, The Young Bucks will be there, too.
Great match from Douki VS Wato, and Wato looked about the best he’s ever looked. But in the end, Douki retains and that’s just fine. And then Desperado returning to challenge Douki, that is going to be a great rematch that could go either way. But after this point, things get weird. Taichi VS Finlay was awesome, and they really made Taichi look great, but something about that was foreshadowing enough for Finlay surviving this match. What I don’t understand is Sanada being the guy. Was Sanada losing to Shota “the last straw” or something? Was there tension in Just5Guys? Maybe there was backstage promo stuff I missed, but Sanada joining the War Dogs seems too out there.
ZSJ VS Takagi was an awesome match so it was a good palate cleanser, because then things got weird again. I figured ZSJ was winning, no problems there. But then as the fans are souring on Shota, he steps up to be the challenger. Shota tries to get back some of that attitude he had when he was with Moxley, but it didn’t really land with the crowd tonight. And then Ricochet shows up and basically lets out his Heel side on ZSJ. Yes, it makes sense that NJPW and AEW both realized this was the time to make a dream match like ZSJ VS Ricochet for WrestleDynasty, but looking at the big picture, it gets confusing.
Face Ricochet is feuding with Konosuke Takeshita over the AEW International Championship, but now Heel Ricochet wants the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. I would think that Ricochet VS Takeshita happens at Full Gear, and maybe, just maybe, Ricochet wins the International Championship. Then Ricochet can bring that belt to WrestleDynasty. Not even to do a Winner Takes All but to raise the star power like how ZSJ VS Takagi was Champion VS Champion here tonight. Because trust me, just like Takagi here tonight, Ricochet will put on a classic with ZSJ only to lose.
My Score: 9/10
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WWE continues to make history!
For the first time ever, Monday Night Raw comes to you from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia! And with it, a big Fatal 4 Way to determine the #1 contender to Gunther’s World Heavyweight Championship!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- WWE Women’s World Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royal: Iyo Sky wins and will challenge Liv Morgan for the title.
- The New Day VS The War Raiders; The War Raiders win.
- Dragon Lee w/ The LWO VS Chad Gable w/ Team American Made; Lee wins.
- WWE World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Seth Rollins VS Damian Priest VS Sheamus VS Dominik Mysterio; Priest wins and will challenge Gunther for the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
Liv Morgan is here!
The WWE Women’s World Champion is the inaugural Women’s Crown Jewel Champion, mostly thanks to the two standing by her side, Raquel Rodriguez and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio. These three go to the ring together, and Liv grabs a mic. Liv welcomes us to Monday Night Morgan, and please, please, please wants a warm welcome for the new Crown Jewel Champion, LIV. Liv shows off that brand new Crown Jewel ring, and says the revenge tour is over. We are now on the Liv Morgan WORLD Tour! The fans are torn on that, but Liv says just this week alone, she defeated Tiffany Stratton, then took out Rhea Ripley for the third time!
Don’t like that? Well, this time Liv made sure Rhea is gonna be gone for a very, very, very long time. Then she traveled halfway across the globe to beat Nia Jax and become the new, first and only Women’s Crown Jewel Champion! The fans chant, “We Want Rhea!” but Liv says too bad! Liv’s done everything she ever said she was gonna do, and has proven she is the GREATEST Women’s Champion of all time~! The fans boo but then Dom has a mic, and they boo louder. Dom says when he wins tonight, he- JADE CARGILL is here!? The fans fire up as the Women’s Tag Team Champion is here, and then here comes BIANCA BELAIR!
The fans fire up as THE WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions step into the ring to step to Liv & Raquel. Bianca grabs a mic to say Liv isn’t the only one who won at Crown Jewel. But hey, don’t forget about that confrontation from last week. Bianca & Jade are tired of waiting. If Liv & Raquel want a piece of the tag team champions, then here they are. The fans like that, but Liv says wow. They were in the middle of a celebration before being interrupted. And then, if Bianca & Jade won, why’re they coming out all angry? Oh… Liv knows why. Is it because Bianca thinks she’s the biggest, strongest, fastest, toughest, roughest, and the best?
Well, the problem with that is… Jade thinks the same about herself. So they can pretend they get along, unlike Liv & Raquel who have a real friendship. The only thing keeping Jade & Bianca together are the titles. Bianca sees what Liv’s up to, and it won’t work. But if Liv wants to put this theory to the test, then why not have the match tonight? Aw, well, Liv doesn’t know. Raquel, what do you think? Raquel says this was more of a celebratory night, so- Here comes Adam Pearce! The fans fire up as the Raw General Manager asks everyone step back a moment. Dom, you, too. They’re not starting Raw like this, everyone needs to calm down.
Liv says yeah, get them outta HER ring! Listen to the boss! And Jade, watch out for the knife Bianca will stab in your back. Oh, sorry, Bianca, you mad? You gonna do something? Well you’re not, so- Bianca SLAPS Liv right down! Pearce says stop it! Liv, no! Pearce says before this devolves into more chaos, he was coming here to make an announcement. What Liv & Raquel did to Rhea last Tuesday was disgusting! And they don’t think there’s some new #1 contender to the Women’s World Championship? Think again! Liv will defend that title, because tonight is a battle royal! The winner will be the NEW #1 contender to Liv’s title!
Raquel says bring anyone on, she’ll stop them! But Pearce says hold on, because it gets bigger than that. This battle royal will also have the tag team champions! And biggest of all, it starts right now! The fans fire up while Raquel & Liv freak out! But here comes the rest of the roster! DMG CTRL may have missed out on the tag titles, but can one of them skyrocket right to the top? Or will someone else win the golden ticket to the Liv Morgan World Tour?
WWE Women’s World Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royal!
Raw returns and Lyra Valkyria makes her entrance, joining Zelina Vega, Natalya, Pure Fusion Collective’s Sonya Deville and Shayna Baszler, as well as Kayden Carter, Katana Chance, Maxxine Durpi, Ivy Nile and the Unholy Union. That with Iyo, Kairi, Bianca and Jade, that makes 15. The bell rings, the fight is on and the fans fire up! Maxxine and Ivy brawl, but then Katana & Kayden each climb a corner? They DOUBLE CROSSBODY four people! Then Kayden MONKEY FLIPS Katana to SENTON Natty! Then the same to IVY! The fans fire up, but then the Unholy Union CLOBBER KC Squared!
The fans rally and sing while Maxxine struggles against The StrongEST Duo! Kayden DUMPS Isla, but she holds onto Katana! Katana KICKS a leg, Kayden SHOTGUNS Isla, they ELIMINATE Isla! Alba is busy with Lyra so Natty TOSSES Kayden! She whips Katana but SILLY STRING sends Katana back at Natty! Shayna has Kayden in a KIRAFUDA CLUTCH! Katana makes the save, but then SOnya KNEES Kayden down to ELIMINATE her! Sonya drags Katana off Shayna, but Maxxine DUMPS Shayna! Maxxine goes after Sonya with a SPLASH in the corner! Sonya is down, and the fans fire up! Maxxine winds up, but Shayna grabs at Maxxine!
Maxxine slips free from her oversized Alpha Academy jersey (still wearing a full bodysuit underneath) and she BOOTS SHayna ! Shayna flops over, and then Maxxine hits the INVERTED CATERPILLAR on Sonya! The fans fire up but then Alba scoops Maxxine! Maxxine lands safe on the apron, Alba SLAPS her! Maxxine ROCKS Alba, RAMS into her, but Ivy DROPKICKS Maxxine down to ELIMINATE her! The fans boo but Ivy calls Maxxine a loser. Liv taunts all the losers, and Zelina LEAPS t Ivy! Ivy catches Zelina, puts her on the apron, but Zelina grabs her with a HEADSCISSOR! Ivy dangles, Zelina 619s Ivy down to ELIMINATE her!
The fans fire up as La Muneca waves bye to the Diamond Pitbull. But there’s still a lot of chaos in this battle royal as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and things have really trimmed down. We just have Natty, Kairi, Iyo, Jade, Bianca, Lyra, Kayden & Katana. DMG CTRL is working on Natty, PFC works on the StrongEST Duo, and Lyra hangs back in a corner. DMG CTRL double whip Natty, then DOUBLE DROPKICK! The fans fire up, and now StrongEST Duo has turned things around on PFC! Lyra joins in to go after Sonya! DMG CTRL hit the POP-UP INSANE ELBOW! The fans fire up with DMG CTRL, but while Kairi has Natty, Bianca RAMS Iyo! Bianca and Iyo fight, Natty picks Kairi up! Kairi holds onto ropes, even as Natty CLUBS her!
Kairi RAMS Natty, Bianca bumps Iyo off buckles. Kairi AX KICKS Natty, goes up, but Jade DECKS Kairi to ELIMINATE her! Raquel is there to taunt Kairi, and Sonya DUMPS Natty! Natty ROCKS Sonya, but Shayna KNEES Natty down and ELIMINATES her! The fans boo but then StrongEST Duo DUMPS and ELIMINATES PFC!! Wakanda Forever, Black Girl Magic! The fans chant for Jade & Bianca as they stare down Iyo and Lyra. They circle, and the tag champs get surrounded! The brawl is on, Iyo with Jade and Lyra with Bianca! “This is Awesome!” as Jade DECKS Iyo then saves Bianca.
Jade ROCKS Lyra, then she and Bianca double scoop! They SLAM Lyra down! Bianca runs at Iyo, but Iyo BOOTS her! Jade runs in, Iyo RAN- NO, Jade stops the rana! Bianca helps SWING Iyo into buckles! Then Jade & Bianca each TOSS someone! Lyra and Iyo both hold onto ropes! The fans fire up because now Jade and Bianca see each other. Will these two have to fight it out after all? But then Lyra & Iyo are back! The brawl is on, but then Jade & Bianca get Iyo and Lyra! JADED and KISS OF DEATH!! Bianca TOSSES Lyra, but Raquel grabs the braid! Jade saves Bianca from being screwed over!
The fans boo Raquel but Liv helps out! Liv & Raquel YANK The StrongEST Duo out to ELIMINATE them!! The fans boo and Liv talks trash, but now Jade & Bianca have no reason to hold back! They chase Liv & Raquel into the crowd! As for Iyo and Lyra, our final two, Iyo hits Lyra with SHINKANSEN! Iyo TOSSES Lyra but Lyra stops from going out! Lyra ROCKS Iyo, throws her out, then sweeps the legs! Iyo sits on the apron, but Lyra runs up! Iyo DUMPS Lyra out! Lyra holds onto ropes but Iyo CLUBS her hands! Lyra SWEEPS the legs! Both women are on the edge and the fans fire up! Iyo UP KICKS Lyra!
Lyra hooks a rope with a leg, but Iyo just stomps away on her! Lyra grabs that leg! Lyra drags Iyo down, but Iyo CLUBS Lyra again and again! Lyra stands up to shove Iyo, then BOOT her into the corner! The fans fire up as Lyra fireman’s carries Iyo, for an APRON- NO, Iyo CLUBS away on Lyra’s chest! SHOTEI! GERMAN SUPLEX on the apron!! Lyra FLOPS off to the floor, Iyo wins!!
Winner: Iyo Sky (NEW #1 Contender to the WWE Women’s World Championship)
The Evil Genius is going so crazy, she keeps the bridge while celebrating! But now, will she have the perfect plan for taking that title off Liv?
Backstage interview with The New Day.
Cathy Kelley is with Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods. Last week, the War Raiders became the new #1 contenders to the WWE World Tag Team Championships in a win over both The LWO and New Day. It feels like Woods & Kofi aren’t on the same page. Tonight, New Day gets a 2v2 match with Erik & Ivar, how did this match come about? Woods says honestly, the New Day should’ve won. They should be fighting for their WWE World Tag Team Championships. But unfortunately, Chad Gable felt the need to get involved and that led to the War Raiders winning. Woods approached the to explain the truth, the Raiders didn’t like it, so here we are.
Kofi’s face says otherwise, and Cathy asks his thoughts. Kofi says he agrees the War Raiders didn’t win straight up, but it wasn’t because of Gable. Woods asks what’s the problem. Kofi fumbled the ball, Woods picked it up and ran with it. Oh, Kofi fumbled? How? Because he got pinned. Um, there is literal footage of what really happened. Yeah, and it’ll show Woods attempting to neutralize the Hall of Famer, Rey Mysterio! The video gets taken over by the Wyatts…! It’s of the Miztourage days! Miz telling Bo Dallas & Curt Axel that he’d make them stars that their legendary families could be proud of.
But now, MIZ IS THEIR CAPTIVE!! He is the serpent with the forked tongue, searching for those he can deceive. He whispers into their ears, laying eggs of false promises and lies. Seek and ye shall fine. Miz says they have this all wrong! Bo wants Final Testament, Miz is NOT with them! This is all one big misunderstanding! Miz wants to forget it all. Bo leans on Miz and laughs. BO never cared about Final Testament. They wanted Miz all along. Miz begs but Miz says he shall crawl on his belly through thorn and thistle, burdened with the pain he inflicted on others, as you beg and plead for mercy, until you return to the ground. For dust you are, and dust you shall return.
Miz is left in darkness and despair, what will it be that saves the Hollywood A-Lister from his sins?
The New Day VS The War Raiders!
Woods & Kofi better get their act together or this will be a repeat performance from last week, as well as the previous times they took on Erik & Ivar 2v2. Can the Power of Positivity still hold it down? Or will the raid only pick up speed towards Judgment Day?
The teams sort out and the two tie up. Ivar powers Woods into a corner, fires body shots, then brings him around. Ivar scoops but Woods slips free to waistlock. Ivar bucks the O’Conner, Woods ducks ‘n’ dodges, then tilt-o-whirls into a RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! The fans fire up and Kofi tags in. Woods sits Ivar up for the SPEED COMBO! IMPLODER SPALSH and FIST DROP! Erik runs up, Kofi dodges to DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Woods tags in, to then WERCK- NO, Ivar catches Woods to THROW him into the apron! Kofi gets caught by Erick for the full nelson and KNEE STRIKE! Ivar SPLASHES Woods against the apron!
The fans fire up with the War Raiders as they stand tall, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns and Ivar grinds Woods down with a chinlock. Woods endures, even as Ivar leans on the hold. Ivar has a neck wrench now, but Woods fights up. Woods fires body shots, but Ivar shoves Woods to ropes. Woods grabs ropes, BOOTS Ivar, then ROCKS Erik! But Ivar HEEL KICKS! Cover, TWO! Ivar tags Erik, and the Raiders haul Woods up. Ivar scoops Woods, SLAMS him down, then Erik scoops Ivar! Erik SLAMS Ivar onto Woods! Cover, TWO! Woods stays in this but Erik stays on him. Erik ROCKS Woods, tags Ivar, and Woods flounders. Ivar stalks Woods, brings him up, but Woods fires elbows.
Woods reaches for Kofi but Ivar keeps Woods back! Kofi reaches out but they’re still fingertips apart! Woods fires more elbows, and more elbows, and then reaches out! Ivar back suplexes, Woods lands out! ENZIGIRI! Ivar wobbles and the fans fire up! Woods hurries but Ivar hooks him! Ivar whops Woods, Woods BLASTS Erik! Woods SUPERKICKS Ivar! Woods and the Raiders are down and the fans fire up! “NEW! DAY ROCKS!” Woods crawls, hot tags to Erik and Kofi! Kofi springboards to AX HANDLE Erik! Kofi CHOPS, and CHOPS, and DROPKICKS! Erik dodges Kofi, TOSSES him a to a corner, but Kofi goes up and up to CROSSBODY!
Erik gets up, he kicks Kofi low, then runs, but Kofi catches him! S O S! Cover, Ivar breaks it! Ivar then runs at Kofi, but Kofi DUMPS Ivar! Kofi builds speed to FLY! Direct hit on Ivar, the fans fire up with Kofi, and Kofi climbs a corner! Kofi leaps, Erik gets under! But Kofi comes back to AX HANDLE! The fans fire up for the “NEW~ DAY~!” BOOM DROP! Kofi fires up more and the fans are with him! Kofi aims from a corner, “NEW! DAY ROCKS! NEW! DAY ROCKS!” But then Woods tags himself in! Kofi is annoyed but Woods says still hit him! But then Erik DECKS Kofi! Woods ROCKS Erik, steps in, but Erik turns the DDT into an URENAGE!
Tag to Ivar, and the Raiders haul Woods up. Feed to Ivar for him to pop Woods up! Erik catches Woods in the waistlock, Ivar springboards, WAR MACHINE!! Cover, War Raiders win!
Winners: The War Raiders, by pinfall
Quarterback Woods called an audible that did not work out, and now Erik & Ivar have even more momentum. Will the raid rampage right through Finn Balor & JD McDonagh? Or are the Prince & Ace more than ready for war?
Sami Zayn is here!
The fans cheer as the Great Liberator, the Master Strategist, the Underdog from the Underground, makes his way to the ring. But this wasn’t his first appearance in Riyadh this week, as Sami showed up during Crown Jewel in an attempt to help one of the Bloodlines. The fans sing Sami’s song, and then Sami welcomes them in Arabic, to the first Monday Night Raw IN Arabia! The fans love it! Sami then says in English that he cannot tell us how proud he is to be in front of HIS people and speak their language on WWE TV.
But that’s not why he’s here tonight. He is here to address what happened with him, Roman Reigns, and The Bloodline at Crown Jewel. But before Sami can elaborate, here comes Main Event Jey Uso! The fans go just as nuts for Jey as he makes his way down the ramp. The bouncing is on, but Jey is in a much more serious mood. The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” and Jey has a mic. Jey says before Sami says his part, Jey wants to thank Sami for having his back. Jey watched back the footage of when Sami kicked Roman in the face. Sami needs to be 100% honest with Jey on this: Was that an accident?
Sami looks surprised Jey would even ask, but then here comes Jimmy Uso! #BigJim storms down to the ring, in an even worse mood than Jey. Jimmy asks Jey, “What’s wrong with you? You saw what I saw. Everybody in this whole world at Crown Jewel seen what we saw. We watched Sami Zayn kick OTC dead in the face on purpose.” Jimmy is pissed, Roman is pissed, and Jey should be pissed! They can’t trust Sami! OH, Sami can’t be trusted!? Does Sami need to remind Jimmy of his own track record? Remember this: Before Sami and Jey, it was Sami and Jimmy! They were dawgs, they were brothers, and JIMMY brought Sami into the family!
The fans chant “UCEY! UCEY!” Sami points out that the second things went sour, Jimmy kicked Sami in the face! And then when things went sour for the rest of them, they kicked Roman in the face! And when Jey had a chance to do things on his own, Jimmy kicked Jey in the face. We worrying about Sami? Nah, man. Oh, like Jimmy owes Sami an explanation? Jimmy is NOT the bad guy here! Fans chant for “SAMI USO!” Sami says Jimmy doesn’t get it, does he? Jimmy might not believe this, but Sami doesn’t hate him. He doesn’t. Sami never has. And no, Jimmy is not the bad guy, but he makes bad decisions.
Sami came out for one person: Jey. Sami wanted to make sure Jey was okay. The fans cheer that. Sami says he won’t lie, for a minute there, when it was them all fighting side by side, it felt like old times. It felt special. The fans again chant “UCEY! UCEY!” Sami says for that one minute, it was good. But that’s how long it lasted. It was a minute. Just like every time when it’s the four of them. Sami is not being question, not being put on trial, he is not doing this again. Sami loves the Usos, but he cannot do this again. Sami is out. The fans are stunned as Sami walks away. The fans chant “NO! NO! NO!” but then Jey calls to Sami.
Jey says he is asking Sami, to please come to SmackDown so that all four of them can talk this out like family. Jimmy says Sami AIN’T family! Jey says he was wrong. Just because Sami isn’t blood doesn’t mean he isn’t family. Sami IS family! The fans cheer that! And right now, Jey says Jimmy Uso, he sees Jey Uso, and he sees SAMI USO! The fans love it! Sami tries not to smile, even as the fans “YEET!” Jey says he hopes to see Sami on SmackDown, brother. Sami takes his leave for now, but will we truly have the OG Bloodline back again?
Backstage interview with Seth Rollins.
Jackie Redmond is with The Visionary and congratulates him on his win over Bronson Reed at Crown Jewel. That was a battle there. And it also earned Rollins his spot in tonight’s Fatal 4 Way. Rollins has Jackie “pump the brakes” there. It was a hell of a performance on Saturday, by Rollins. But what earned Rollins his spot is his résumé! The last 20 YEARS of Rollins’ career! And, who Rollins is. We’ll get to who Rollins is in a minute, but let’s talk about who Bronson Reed is here. Rollins will tell us that Bronson is as advertised. Bronson took everything Rollins had, asked for more, and Rollins respects that.
Rollins knows, no doubt in his mind, Bronson and Rollins will do the dance again. But that is the distant future because Rollins has gold on his mind! And tonight, three of the very best today, and Dominik, will duke it out for a crack at Gunther and the World Heavyweight Championship, the title Rollins put on the map! And after Crown Jewel, what Rollins went through, Rollins knows exactly who he is. He is a Visionary, he is a Revolutionary, and you know he is SETH! FREAKIN’! ROLLINS! Jackie wishes Rollins luck, will he need it in a match with so many variables?
Dragon Lee w/ The LWO VS Chad Gable w/ Team American Made!
The Boy Wonder is looking to avenge not just himself from last week’s Triple Threat Tag match, but also to get revenge for what “Master” Gable did to Rey Mysterio’s leg! Will the dragon fly higher than ever before? Or will this victory in Riyadh be American Made?
Raw returns and Gable makes his entrance, Ivy Nile by his side. The bell rings and the fans chant at Gable, “YOU SUCK! YOU SUCK!” Gable and Lee circle, they tie up, and Gable waistlocks to SLAM Lee! Lee lands on his face even! Lee gets up, but Gable picks him up to THROW him away! Gable then gator rolls Lee around, floats around, but the fans rally for Lee. Gable slaps Lee around, headlocks, but Lee fights up. The fans continue to rally and Lee powers up and out. Gable pulls on the mask! The fans boo but Gable has the headlock. Lee wrenches out of the hold, but Gable uses the mask to throw Lee down!
The fans boo but Gable soaks up the heat. The ref reprimands about the mask, and Lee runs up to flying headlock takeover! Gable fights up, powers up, but Lee holds onto the singlet! Turnabout is fair play! Then Lee SNAPS the strap on Gable! Gable swings, misses and Lee uses the singlet to SNAP Gable in the butt! Gable swings, misses again, and Lee RANAS! Gable goes to a corner, Lee runs up, but Gable puts him on the apron. Lee blocks a shot to ROUNDHOUSE Gable and SMACK him off buckles! Gable staggers, Lee climbs up, and Lee CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Gable stays in this but the fans rally for Lee.
Lee stalks Gable to an apron, but Gable ROCKS Lee! Lee ROCKS Gable! The forearms go back and forth, then Lee V-TRIGGERS Gable! Gable staggers back, Lee runs up, but Gable BACKDROPS Lee to the floor! The fans boo Gable but he soaks up the heat, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Gable has Lee up top., But Lee shoves Gable into a Tree of Woe! Lee then WOE STOMPS Gable down! The fans fire up and Lee goes to another corner. Lee runs back in, but Gable OVERHEAD SUPLEXES Lee into the corner! Gable stands Lee up to CHOP him down! And CHOP him down! And CHOP him down! Gable whips, to then BACKDROP again! Cover, TWO!! Lee survives being literally thrown around, and the fans rally as hard as they can. Gable runs back in at Lee, but Lee dropkicks legs out! Gable hits buckles, but he gets up. Gable runs in again, but into an ELBOW!
Lee mule kicks, then fires off forearms! Lee whips, Gable reverses, but Lee CLOBBERS Gable! Lee scoops but Gable slips free. Gable shoves Lee, but Lee pops Gable up! SUPERKICK while Gabler’s upside-down! The fans fire up and Lee runs back in, JUMP KICK! Leg sweep! SWINGING DROPKICK! “This is Awesome!” as Lee then takes aim. Shoutout to his hermano, BULL’S HORNS DROPKICK! Cover, TWO!! Lee is frustrated but Zelina coaches him up. Lee drags Gable up, reels him in, but Gable resists the lift. Lee still brings Gable up but Gable slips out! Gable ROCKS Lee, so Lee takes his elbow pads off!
Lee fires forearms, Gable gives them back! They go back and forth, hard and harder! Gable ROCKS Lee, then runs up, but into a SNAP GERMAN! Gable stands right up!? The straps come down, GERMAN SUPLEX! But Lee is right back up!! Lee and Gable switch again and again, and again, and then Gable GERMAN SUPLEXES! Gable holds on to GERMAN SUPLEX! And then a GERMAN- NO, Lee fights with elbows! Lee stomps a foot, then V-TRIGGERS! Gable wobbles, swings, but Lee slips through! And then he lifts Gable, SIT-OUT POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO!! Gable survives and the fans fire up again!
Lee and Gable crawl, both Zelina and Ivy worried for their teammates. The fans rally up and Lee climbs a corner! But Gable springs up after him! SUPER DUPER BELLY2BELLY! And then Gable has the crucifix, for a CLIFFHANGER DDT!! Gable has feet on the ropes! Zelina shoves them off!! The fans fire up as Zelina keeps Gable from cheating, but then Ivy catches Zelina into the DIAMOND DRAGON SLEEPER! But wait, here comes Rey! The King of Lucha won’t let this stand, but then Ivy wants to get in the ring!? Gable grabs Rey’s mask! Rey KICKS Gable away! And into OPERACION DRAGON!! Cover, Lee wins!!
Winner: Dragon Lee, by pinfall
Ivy realizes she may have messed that one up! But the LWO stands together victorious! Will this huge win help Dragon Lee head for some gold?
Backstage interview with Imperium.
Jackie Redmond is now with Der Ring General, Gunther, and his lieutenant, Ludwig Kaiser. Jackie says things didn’t go how Gunther wanted at Crown Jewel, but what are his thoughts on the match and Cody Rhodes becoming the inaugural Crown Jewel Champion? Kaiser answers first, what are we even doing here? Why is she bothering to ask Gunther questions about the undeserving Cody Rhodes? Cody was nothing but lucky on Saturday! Gunther has Kaiser stand down. Gunther and Cody may disagree on a lot of things, but that wasn’t luck and Cody is not undeserving. On that night, Cody was the better man.
Jackie then asks about the World Heavyweight Championship contender’s match tonight. Gunther says yeah, it is three very capable performers, and Dom. Seth Rollins, that speaks for itself. Damian Priest could make for another difficult match-up. And of course Sheamus. Well, Kaiser knows about that, right? Kaiser thought he’d take care Sheamus. But whoever is the winner tonight, Gunther is still World Heavyweight Champion. And after Saturday, Gunther realized that it is his responsibility to do better. They both have to do better. Gunther heads out, and Kaiser has a lot to think on. Will Imperium still find a way to rule over Raw, no matter who comes at them?
WWE World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Seth Rollins VS Damian Priest VS Sheamus VS Dominik Mysterio!
This is a star studded battle of former world champions, and the Judgment Day’s dirty little troublemaker. Dirty Dom may have been SmackDown Tag Team Champion, and NXT North American Champion, but that was always with someone by his side. Dom needed his dad, he needed Rhea Ripley, he needed The Judgment Day as a whole, but can he actually handle business all on his own? Or will he still need to stack the deck to overcome these odds?
Raw returns as Dirty Dom makes his entrance, and is surprisingly on his own. Next out is The Celtic Warrior, which leaves The Visionary to “BURN IT DOWN” last. The fans sing along, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” as Rollins again has the denim-and-leather duster. The bell rings and Priest storms up on Dom. Dom bails out but Priest pursues! Sheamus and Rollins tie up, and Sheamus headlocks for a takeover. Rollins headscissors, Sheamus kips free, then Sheamus headlocks again, but Dom slips back in. Dom bumps into them and shoves Sheamus. Now Sheamus chases Dom! Priest is there as Dom bails out again, but then Rollins goes out the side.
Dom finds himself surrounded, but Sheamus has Dom on the ropes! Priest and Rollins both say have at it! Sheamus winds up for BEATS OF THE BODHRAIN! The fans count along, all the way to TEN, then past that! Rollins rolls Priest up! Sheamus stops beating up Dom to stop Rollins! Rollins fires hands, Sheamus scoops, but Rollins slips free, Sheamus ELBOWS Rollins, Priest ROKCKS Sheamus! Priest reels Sheamus in, Sheamus turns that into a fireman’s carry, but Rollins mule kicks Sheamus! Rollins reels Sheamus in but Priest choke grips Rollins! SOUTH OF- NO, Rollins slips free! Rollins dodges Priest, BOOTS Sheamus, but then dodges Priest again!
Sheamus drags Priest out, they brawl, and Rollins builds speed! Rollins DIVES and he takes them both down! The fans fire up as Rollins now DIVES onto Dom! The fans fire up and Rollins keeps moving! Another DIVE onto Sheamus and Priest! The fans fire up with Rollins and Raw goes to break!
Raw returns again and Dom is standing tall! The fans boo as he gives some Latino Heat. Then Dom slingshot SENTONS onto Priest! Cover, ONE!! Dom stomps away on Priest, then he DROPKICKS Sheamus off the apron! Dom DROPKICKS Rollins on the other end, and then fires hands on Priest. Dom soaks up heat as the fans boo more, then he throws down hands on Priest. Dom tunes out the booing to fire more hands, then he gets space. Dom runs back in, to go up and up to TORNADO DDT! Cover, TWO! Rollins slides in but Dom stomps him back out. Dom rains down fists on Priest again, but Priest hits back!
The fans fire up but Dom SUPERKICKS Priest! And then NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Priest stays in this but Dom throws his shirt at Priest. Priest is annoyed as Dom talks trash. Dom fires hands, saying he already beat Priest once. Priest gets mad and he ROCKS Dom! Dom CHOPS! Priest snarls and the fans fire up! Priest blocks a shot, to LARIAT Dom down! And again! Dom dodges one but runs into a FLAPJACK! The fans fire up with Priest and he fires off KICK after KICK! ROLLING ELBOW! HAYMAKER! Dom is down and the fans fire up again! Dom goes to a corner, Priest runs in, BACK ELBOW! FLATLINER!
The fans fire up with Priest as he powers up his arm. Dom rises, Priest runs, but Sheamus pushes Dom down to then clinch Priest! IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Rollins returns, but he gets an IRISH CURSE! Dom runs up, but into an IRISH CURSE! The fans fire up for the Fella, and he puts Dom in a drop zone. Sheamus climbs up, and the fans cheer him on! Sheamus KING KONG KNEE DROPS on Dom! Cover, but Rollins springboards to SENTON onto it! Priest ROUNDHOUSES Rollins! Rollins PELES Priest! Priest rebounds to LARIAT Rollins down! The fans fire up as all four men are down around ringside, and Raw goes to break!
Raw returns yet again and Rollins trades shots with Sheamus! The fans rally as the shots speed up! Sheamus mule kicks, front kicks, then runs, but into a ROLLING ELBOW! Rollins sees Priest and rushes over, but Priest ROUNDHOUSES Rollins first! Sheamus LARIATS Rollins up and out! Priest choke grips Sheamus but Sheamus fights free! Priest ducks an elbow to BELL CLAP! But then KNEE CAP! Sheamus fireman’s carries for the WHITE NOISE! Cover, TWO!! Priest survives and the fans fire up again! Dom is lurking, and he runs up to DROPKICK Sheamus onto ropes! Fans boo but Dom dials it up!
But Sheamus scoops Dom! POWERSLAM! The fans fire up with Sheamus again as he aims from a corner! Sheamus beats his chest, the fans hoot along, BROGUE- SUPERKICK from Rollins! Sheamus tumbles out, but Dom rolls Rollins up! With tights! TWO!! Rollins is free, he kicks low, and he PEDIGREES Dom down!! The fans are fired up again and Rollins takes aim. The singing returns, but then BRONSON REED POSTS SHEAMUS! And he WRECKS Priest! The fans boo as Auszilla won’t leave Rollins alone! Rollins DROPKICKS Bronson first! They brawl, but Bronson CLOBBERS Rollins!
Bronson clears off the desk! The fans are torn, but then Priest ROCKS Bronson! Sheamus KNEE CAPS him! Bronson ends up in the ring, Sheamus chases after Bronson, but Bronson CLOBBERS him! Priest ROCKS Bronson, but then Bronson fireman’s carries Priest! DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Sheamus is back up, Bronson gives him a DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Bronson then goes up a corner! The fans boo and Dom watches in horror as we see a TSUNAMI! Then Bronson goes up another corner, TSUNAMI for Sheamus!! Bronson roars, the fans boo, but then Bronson goes after Rollins! Bronson puts Rollins on the desk!
Bronson goes up the barriers, and it’s a sequel from months ago! TSUNAMI through the table!! The fans are torn but mostly freaking out as Bronson has wrecked three former World Heavyweight Champions! And Dom is a vulture! He FROG SPLASHES Sheamus!! Cover, PRIEST BREAKS IT!!! The fans are thunderous that Priest refuses to let Dom steal one! Dom is furious, he dials it up, 619 for Priest! Dom goes up, to FROG- SOUTH OF HEAVEN!!! Priest crawls to the cover, PRIEST WINS!!
Winner: Damian Priest, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Champion)
Dom almost won another one with help, but nothing could stop The Punishment! Priest fought through the pain to become a contender, will he fight through that and then some to once again be El Campeon?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw here with lots of action that also pushes story forward. Great opening segment with Bianca & Jade confronting Liv & Raquel, with a very good segue into a battle royal. A little surprised Raquel didn’t try to be in it so she could win and then just let Liv win the title match. At the same time, Raquel would then lose the battle royal and she can’t look weak so this is fine. We get a much better set up for the tag title match, who knows who wins. But Iyo coming out the battle royal winner was a touch surprising. At the same time, Iyo is awesome, she’s already been WWE Women’s Champion so it’d be great if she is the first woman to hold both new era belts.
Very good promo from New Day to further their dysfunction, and great “interruption” by Bo Dallas to have his promo with Miz. I do appreciate they’re bringing up Miztourage/The B Team, and great dramatic irony for Miz. We all figured Bo was after Miz but he sure didn’t. The matches will still be Wyatt Sick6 VS Final Testament but this is such great storytelling. Very outside the box for what you’d usually get. And then New Day VS War Raiders was really good stuff. The New Day’s dysfunction cost them again, which gives War Raiders momentum going into the title match with Finn Balor & JD McDonagh, that will be great stuff.
Great bit of Bloodline storyline here tonight, as obviously the Usos were going to confront Sami on what happened. Sami is on Jey’s side, Jey is on Sami’s side, and everyone live clearly loved Jey calling him “Sami Uso.” SmackDown will have a great follow-up to this, but I think they’ll drag out the process of Roman and Sami forgiving each other so that it’ll be a big moment when the four of them unite to officially give us the WarGames match. Gable VS Lee was awesome stuff, but I was legit a bit afraid from those overhead throws. Lee somehow kept his head from hitting too hard every time. Great overbooking move with Ivy, Zelina and Rey, and great win for Lee. With the Intercontinental Championship being in the background right now, Dragon Lee VS Bron Breakker would make a great match.
And great stuff in the world title story. Good promo from Rollins to compliment Bronson, good promo from Gunther to compliment Cody, and I like that they both belittled Dom. It was a bit of false foreshadowing, where I really thought Dom would find a way to win. For one, Bronson showed up and wrecked everyone, especially Rollins, and there is the set-up for a rematch of Bronson VS Rollins, likely at Survivor Series. Priest being the one to win, they can certainly revisit Priest VS Gunther just a few months ago, I just hope Judgment Day doesn’t bother since they have to focus on the tag titles. Honestly, Dom can even try and go for the Intercontinental Championship, too, something Finn won’t want to betray him over.
My Score: 8.8/10
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