Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Elimination Chamber Results & Report! (2/17/19)
Who will make history in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Chamber match?
WWE Elimination Chamber will make history by crowning inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions! Who will outlast five other teams to leave with the titles?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff Show –Â WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy VS Akira Tozawa; Murphy wins and retains the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Elimination Chamber match: Bayley & Sasha Banks win and become the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
- SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Miz & Shane McMahon VS The Usos; The Usos win and become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
- WWE Intercontinental Championship Handicap Match: Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush VS Finn Balor; Finn wins and becomes the new WWE Intercontinental Champion.
- Raw Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey VS Ruby Riott; Rousey wins and retains the Raw Women’s Championship.
- No Disqualifications: Braun Strowman VS Baron Corbin; Corbin wins.
- WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match: Daniel Bryan wins and retains the WWE Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
It’s the Elimination Chamber Kickoff Show!
Join Jonathan Coachman, Beth Phoenix, Booker T and Sam Roberts in taking a look at everything set for tonight’s Pay-Per-View event!
Mustafa Ali speaks.
The most painful thing about missing Elimination Chamber isn’t the injuries, but having to watch others take his opportunities. He’s on Kofi Kingston’s side, but he will return to come for his second chance. Ali has more black eyes and broken bones coming his way, but nothing’s easy in life for those who dream.
Braun Strowman speaks.
“Let me tell you a story about a coward who thought he could challenge a Monster.” Worse than a coward, he was a sniveling snake that did anything he could to stop the Monster. But all he did was make the Monster angry. The coward knew he could never win on his own, so he recruited others to help him brutalize the Monster. They were all cowards, and thought they had the monster down. But this was no normal monster. This monster came back and vows to make them all pay! When the cowardly Corbin goes against the Monster Among Men in No Disqualifications, there’s only one way this story ends: Braun Strowman continues on his rampage, and Corbin will #GetTheseHands.
The Bar joins the Kickoff Panel!
Sheamus & Cesaro are confident The Usos will win against The Miz and Shane McMahon. Miz and Shane are like watching TV and listening to the radio at the same time: it just doesn’t work! But then how did they beat The Bar? A fluke. What about Strowman and Nick? That was a trick to throw them off. But then Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic come over. They’re on Team #McMiz. Miz and Shane are wild cards, just like Heavy Machinery. How bold of them to interrupt The Bar. Plus they’re just sucking up to Shane for a spot on SmackDown. Heavy Machinery knows the WWE Universe wants to see them as much as possible. The tag teams trash talk, but whose predictions will come true?
Becky attacked Charlotte Flair at a house show!
The Man was so furious over Vince McMahon replacing her in the Raw Women’s Championship, she went right at The Queen! But Charlotte would turn the tide and go right after Becky’s bad leg again and again! Becky is only digging a deeper hole for herself, will she ever get back to a title?
The Riott Squad speaks.
“Houston, we have a problem.” They’re going to wreak havoc together as they all go for gold! Their careers come full circle when they take the Road to Wrestlemania on a detour! Ruby wants to take that Raw Women’s Championship off Rousey while Liv and Sarah want those Women’s Tag Titles. But then Charlotte walks in. She remembers their debuts. They went right after her for their #SquadGoals. But Charlotte would love if Ruby went right after Ronda with all that aggression. Ruby can follow in Charlotte’s footsteps and win her first title in Houston. Then they can face off at Wrestlemania. Can Ruby really change the Wrestlemania plans further?
Mojo Rawley speaks to himself again.
The WWE Universe doesn’t care about him. They don’t even know him. But who they Hell are they? They don’t matter! They don’t like Mojo’s face? Well Mojo doesn’t either! It’s time Mojo shows them the real him.
Alexa Bliss speaks.
“Tonight, we make history.” She feels so honored to play a large role in this. Ever since The Goddess debuted, the Women’s Division has hit all these great firsts! They’ve been on fire! Speaking of fire, maybe if Becky took Alexa’s advice, she’s still be selling out Wrestlemania and not suspended. But oh well, tonight’s not about Becky. It’s about the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships! And as the first Women’s Chamber winner, she knows who is winning. Alexa’s prediction: The Samoan Dynasty, Tamina & Nia Jax. Has the Goddess given us the future?
Kickoff Show –Â WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy VS Akira Tozawa!
The Juggernaut has been as unstoppable as anyone since claiming the title, it looks almost impossible to ever defeat him! But the Stamina Monster did the “impossible” when he won his first title, can he do it again?
Introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we begin! Tozawa and Murphy circle and tie up. Murphy gets the wrist and wrenches, then brings Tozawa to a knee. Tozawa gets up and flips through to reverse the wrench. Murphy rolls and handsprings to reverse back, and he yanks the arm over and over. Tozawa spins through and CHOPS! But Murphy just shrugs it off. Tozawa CHOPS, but Murphy puts him in a corner. Tozawa dodges and CHOPS but Murphy tosses him out. Murphy follows but gets another CHOP! Murphy swings but Tozawa dodges, Murphy hits the post with his hand! Tozawa CHOPS and puts Murphy back in. Tozawa runs but into a flapjack!
Murphy clutches the bad hand but runs into a huricanrana! Murphy bails out and Tozawa baseball slides him back. Tozawa builds speed, and DIVES! But is caught into a suplex! Murphy shows off his strength as he brings Tozawa crashing down. The ring count begins and Murphy leaves Tozawa behind. Tozawa crawls up at 6 but flounders. He springs back up to get in at 9! Murphy grits his teeth as he drives a knee into Tozawa’s back. Murphy stands Tozawa up but Tozawa gives chops! They still do nothing, but Murphy’s one CHOP takes Tozawa off his feet!
Meanwhile, Kayla interviews the New Day in hopes of talking to Kofi Kingston before tonight’s WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. Murphy rocks Tozawa with a right while Xavier Woods and Big E explain Kofi can’t talk right now. Kofi is getting a maple syrup massage from Mr. Bootysworth. Murphy chokes Tozawa on the ropes but backs of at 4. Tozawa gets in the corner, but Murphy goes right at him. Tozawa elbows Murphy away but then he’s yanked off the top! But Tozawa tilt-o-whirls to an Octopus Stretch! Murphy powers out for a tilt-o-whirl backbreaker! Cover, TWO! Murphy tries again, ONE! Murphy keeps on Tozawa with a chinlock.
Fans rally as Murphy drives his knees in. Tozawa feeds off the energy and gets up, but Murphy shifts to a standing abdominal stretch! Tozawa endures again, and manages to pop out! They go around but Murphy gets the stretch back on Tozawa. Murphy blocks the hip toss but so does Tozawa. Tozawa hip tosses Murphy out of the ring! Tozawa catches his breath, and SUPERKICKS Murphy as he runs back in! Murphy and Tozawa crawl to opposite corners as fans rally up. Tozawa runs in but Murphy puts him on the apron. Tozawa kicks Murphy back then climbs up quick. Big missile dropkick! Tozawa runs in for a helluva kick in the corner! Murphy staggers and Tozawa takes aim.
Tozawa kicks, spins, slides, but is caught! Murphy lifts but Tozawa slips out, Tozawa gets the saido suplex! Tozawa hits a Shining Wizard! Cover, TWO! Murphy lives but Tozawa knew he was tough. Tozawa drags Murphy to a drop zone and climbs up top again. Fans fire up, Tozawa aims, but he has to leap over Murphy. Murphy boots Tozawa away, but then Tozawa boots back! Tozawa climbs up to join Murphy on the top rope, but Murphy fights back. Murphy headbutts Tozawa away but Tozawa comes right back! Murphy lifts, but Tozawa still SUPER STEINERS!! Cover, TWO!! Houston and Tozawa are shocked that Murphy survives! But the fans do know “This is Awesome!” as Murphy and Tozawa stir.
Tozawa stands and stalks Murphy. Murphy tosses Tozawa to the apron but Tozawa climbs up again. Tozawa leaps, crossbody, but Murphy rolls through! Murphy pops Tozawa up but Tozawa slips out. Tozawa leaps but into a jaw jacker, knee trigger, and suplex! Cover, TWO!! The Stamina Monster lives and fans are fired up all over again! Murphy eggs Tozawa on but Tozawa only gets angry. Murphy throws haymakers, but Tozawa laughs!? Tozawa chops and Murphy finally feels it. Murphy sees through the feint, starts a strike fest, but Tozawa still gets the JAB! Tozawa waistlocks but Murphy elbows out, only to get clobbered by a clothesline! Deadlift German! Bridging cover, TWO!! Fans rally with “AH! AH!” alongside Tozawa.
Tozawa puts Murphy in the drop zone again and climbs. Murphy anchors the foot but Tozawa stomps away with the other. Tozawa finishes climbing but Murphy tucks him in! But the superkick is denied! Tozawa hops back for the Reverse-Rana! Murphy flounders out and Tozawa builds speed to DIVE! The Tozawa Torpedo hits! But he keeps going, for a SECOND DIVE! Tozawa drags Murphy in and to the drop zone. He climbs up and aims, but Murphy gets to the apron. Tozawa kicks Murphy, GUILLOTINE SENTON!! Cover, TWO!? Murphy survives?! Tozawa fires up with more “AH! AH!” and Houston echoes it. Tozawa drags Murphy up for slapping palm strikes and a mule kick. He runs, but into Murphy’s knee trigger! MURPHY’S- Wheelbarrow! TWO, tilt-o-whirl to the Octopus! Tozawa has the Iron Octopus! Murphy endures, powers up, and pops Tozawa out to Murphy’s Law! Cover, Murphy wins!
Winner: Buddy Murphy, by pinfall; still WWE Cruiserweight Champion
The unstoppable remains unstoppable and remains the champion! Is it inevitable that the Juggernaut becomes THE greatest Cruiserweight of all time?
Kevin Owens speaks.
“Hello, WWE Universe.” They know who he is. He finished his rehab, and got himself some Hawaiian style pizza for the family while watching Elimination Chamber. It hurts that he won’t be in such a match. He hasn’t had his first Chamber match yet, but his rehab is going well. He’s got another month left, but just know that the Kevin Owens Show is coming back very soon. Kevin looks forward to his “buddy”, Finn Balor, win the Intercontinental Championship and the Riott Squad being golden. Though his kids are huge Becky Lynch fans, it’ll be hard to explain why she’s not around. Also it’s hard to explain why his kids like pineapple on pizza, because he hates it. He tries, but no, no good. KO hopes we all enjoy Elimination Chamber better than he does the pizza.
Mark Henry is here!
The World’s Strongest Man and Houston’s own is back! And he’s happy to be back! Give it up for that Cruiserweight Championship match! Henry has had an Elimination Chamber match before, what about it makes it so unique? The Chamber is a different animal, it changes everyone who enters inside. And who does Henry think will be the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions? His personal choice is The IIconics. And what of the WWE Championship Chamber match? Henry hears the crowd give their choices, but after last week’s Gauntlet Match, it’d be hard not to pick Kofi. Kofi did incredible even in falling short, but we’re all believers again. Now if Henry was in that match, there would be a lot of other men inducted into the Hall of Pain. Fans respect Henry’s opinion, but will his personal preferences see the night through?
The Road to Wrestlemania is filled with hope.
But every road leads to this. Men and women alike will “risk it all” the sinister structure that challenges courage, tests resilience and awards those who survive. Rowdy meets Riott, brothers in arms meet brothers in blood, and you will have to be bold to get the gold! That is Elimination Chamber!
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Elimination Chamber!
The Boss & Hug Connection will start against Fire & Desire while the other four teams wait in their pods. History is being made to kick off the night, who will be the first to put their names on those lovely new belts?
Teams finish entering the Chamber and pods, with Nia Jax giving the IIconics a swat to stop their playful fingers. Mandy and Sonya meet Bayley and Banks in the ring, and the doors are locked. The bell rings and the #LegitHuggable friends tie up with Mandy and Sonya. Mandy kicks Sasha to a corner then double whips Bayley with Sonya. Sonya kicks Bayley low then they double whip her again. Bayley dodges and clotheslines Mandy to then speed up with Sonya. Sasha dropkicks Sonya, then double hip tosses and sliding attacks! Cover on Sonya, ONE! Cover on Mandy, ONE! Bayley and Sasha give Sona and Mandy double hotshots! They then coordinate, acrobatic assist for a double crossbody! Sasha gives Sonya to Bayley to cover, TWO!
Bayley and Sasha keep their cool while Sasha stomps Mandy. Bayley puts Sonya in a corner and Sasha comes over. They mug Sonya in the corner but Sonya fights back with body shots! Sonya whips Sasha but Sasha goes up and over, only to get a spinebuster! Cover, but Bayley breaks it in time! Mandy goes after Bayley and deflects boots for a backbreaker! Cover, TWO! Mandy keeps her cool as she tosses Bayley out hard. Sonya goes around the side and picks up Bayley. Mandy whips and knees Sasha, then Sonya does the same to Bayley. They drag Sasha and Bayley up to throw them into the chains! Fire & Desire soak up the heat, then they drag Bayley and Sasha up again. Bayley fights back while Mandy covers Sasha, TWO!
Mandy drags Sasha up to toss her back out while Sonya slams Bayley into chains. Sonya and Mandy trade, but Sasha dodges and the kick goes into steel! Mandy’s boot gets caught in the chains, too, and Bayley hits a neckbreaker! Sasha knees Sonya down next to her! The countdown begins and the next team to join is… The Riott Squad! Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan brawl right away with Bayley and Sasha! Sarah and Liv stomp them out, and Sarah throws Sasha into chains. Sarah drives a knee in! Liv drags Bayley up and Sarah drags Sasha up. They make Bayley watch as Sasha is slammed into a pod! Then Sarah gives Bayley a pop-up headbutt! The Riott Squad meet Fire & Desire, and throw down!
These two duos have paralleled each other on Raw and SmackDown since debuting, and now they parallel each other in brawling on the mat! Fire & Desire kick and punch but so does the Squad! Liv rocks Mandy but Sonya rocks Sarah! Liv goes after Sonya now, and SLAPS her! Sonya throws hands, Liv SLAPS even harder! Liv goes Matrix but still gets caught! She manages to roll Sonya back, TWO! Liv slaps and boots but walks into a roundhouse! Sonya can’t cover, she’s still dazed from those slaps! Bayley returns and covers Liv! TWO, so Bayley rocks Mandy with a knee! Bayley hits Sonya with a knee, then clotheslines Liv. She hits a saido suplex on Sarah! Fans fire up for the Huggable wrecking ball! Bayley climbs up but Mandy rocks her up top.
Mandy and Sonya work together but then the Squad adds on, TOWER OF DOOM! Everyone is down but Houston is loving this! The countdown returns, and the next team is… The IIconics! Peyton Royce & Billie Kay hurry to cover whoever! ONE! ONE! TWO! ONE! TWO! They couldn’t eliminate anyone and they’re furious! Mandy comes back but gets knees. The IIconics throw Liv into a post, then drag Sarah up into another post! They kick Sonya down then double kick Mandy down. Sonya runs into more kicks, and then a double gourd buster! The IIconics yank Liv out of the corner to hit the mat, then do the same to Sarah. Peyton & Billie taunt Bayley as they drag her back into the center. Fans rally up for Sasha while Billie puts Bayley in a camel clutch. Peyton adds a knee strike! Double cover, but Sasha saves Bayley!
The IIconics regroup but Sasha fires off haymakers and forearms! But the IIconics double knee Sasha down, then hit the IIconic bulldog! And heel kick! Cover, TWO!! Sasha survives and the IIconics are shrilly furious. Billie and Peyton toy with Sasha while fans say “This is Awesome!” The IIconics grind the Boss & Hug Connection into the steel chains! Peyton throws Sasha down while Billie toys with Bayley. Hotshot to forearm! The IIconics drag Boss & Hug over, Peyton slingshot sentons onto them both! Cover on both, TWO!! Both Bayley and Sasha survive and the IIconics are growing further frustrated. The IIconics go back to Fire & Desire to throw them into steel! Then they go after the Riott Squad and do the same! But the countdown returns and the next team is… The FABULOUS Glow!
Naomi and Carmella roundhouse the IIconics away! Springboard crossbody takes them both out! The IIconics are stacked in a corner while Naomi dropkicks the Squad down! Fire & Desire are stacked in one corner and Boss & Hug take the last. Double bronco busters for Squad and #LegitHuggable, and double moonwalks! Now double bronco busters on The IIconics and Fire & Desire. Billie starts climbing? Naoim enziguris Peyton while Billie and Carmella fight on the chains. Naomi kicks Liv away but Billie has Carmella, but Carmella huricanranas Billie to steel! Sarah waistlocks but Carmella fights out to FABULOUS Kick! Naomi sits Sarah up for another FABULOUS Kick, then the split-leg moonsault! Cover, but Liv breaks it! Liv throws Naomi out but Carmella leaps and crossbodies!
Bayley back suplexes Carmella but Billie boots Bayley! Sasha knees Billie but Peyton hits the Gory Bomb! Liv hits Peyton with a code breaker! Mandy tosses Liv with an exploder! Sarah hits a Fisherman Buster on Mandy! Sonya SPEARS Sarah! FABULOUS Kick for Sonya! All the women are down but Houston is thunderous! Houston again says “This is Awesome!” but the Samoan Dynasty are growing impatient. Sonya stands, blocks the Fabulous Kick to SPEAR! Jackknife cover, TWO into Code of Silence! Mandy saves Sonya, but Naomi has her now! Naomi fires off furious forearms on the home wrecker! Mandy hits back and whips, but Naomi comes back with a springboard Rear View! But the IIconics roll Naomi up! The IIconics ELIMINATE the Fabulous Glow!!
Peyton & Billie celebrate with their IIconic pose like they’ve already won the titles. However, they’re surrounded on all sides now… The IIconics point out the countdown is back, and everyone realizes they need to be ready for Nia and Tamina! Nia and Tamina wreck everyone in their way! Nia tosses Mandy into the ring! The IIconics hide in a pod but Tamina still spots them. Peyton and Billie give thumbs up, but now they’re trapped! Tamina and Nia swat at the Plexiglas. They force the doors open, and grab each IIconic by the hair! Double biels back and forth into the chains! And then into the ring! Nia and Tamina loom over the IIconics, then drag them up, for double Samoan Drops! Cover, the Samoan Dynasty ELIMINATES the IIconics!
But the Riott Squad are right on Nia and Tamina! Nia pushes Liv and Sarah away but gets double dropkicks. Sarah helps Liv take flight, to huricanrana Nia into buckles. Sarah shotgun knees Nia in deeper. Tamina runs in but into a forearm, and an assisted Diamond Dust! Cover but Nia pushes Sarah onto it. Fire & Desire return, and Sonya kicks away on Nia. Mandy hits the golden knee, Sonya hits a sliding knee! Double cover, TWO! Sasha and Bayley return for double Thesz presses! Bayley hits Tamna with a big knee, Sasha adds Meteora! Liv runs into double hip toss body slam! Sarah runs into one, too! Cover, TWO!
Fire & Desire throw forearms on Bayley & Sasha. Mandy stomps a mudhole on Bayley while Sonya drags Sasha up. They double whip but Sasha reverses, Bayley flapjacks Mandy on buckles. Bayley catapults Sonya into more buckles! Bayley stacks Fire & Desire in the corner, and Sasha hits a double Stock Drop! Cover on Sonya, TWO! Bayley drags mandy but Nia and Tamina run Bayley and Sasha over! Nia drags Bayley up but the Squad are climbing? Nia chases Liv and Sarah but Mandy comes up behind her. Tamina fights Sonya while Nia slams Mandy into steel. Liv and Sarah LEAP onto both sides! Sarah covers Sonya, TWO! The Squad is furious, but Nia goes right at them. Nia runs into Liv’s boots and Liv hops up.
Nia grabs Liv’s feet but Liv kicks at her. Liv can’t get away, SUPER SAMOAN DROP! Tamina has Sarah for the SUPERFLY! Cover, the Samoan Dynasty ELIMINATES the Riott Squad! But Sasha and Bayley go right at Nia with dropkicks. They bait Tamina in, drop toehold to knee! Cover but Nia breaks it and scoops Sasha. Nia tosses Sasha onto Sonya! Nia drags Bayley up and tosses her out the other side. Fans duel as Nia aims at Bayley. Bayley slowly drags herself up, but Sasha saves Bayley as Nia runs in! Nia DESTROYS a pod!! The Irresistible Force all but eliminated herself and Tamina is in shock! Tamina also realizes she’s all alone. Fire & Desire go after Tamina with kicks and knees, then Sasha adds Meteora! Bayley adds the Macho Elbow! Cover, everyone else ELIMINATES the Samoan Dynasty! The two teams to start are the two teams left!
Fire & Desire and Boss & Hug get up on opposite ends, and start brawling! Sonya knees Sasha while Mandy knees Bayley. Bayley throws Mandy out but Mandy yanks her in for another knee. Sonya makes Sasha watch as Mandy drags Bayley up. Double underhook but Bayley resits. Bayley feeds Mandy to Sasha’s stiff knee! Sonya rolls Sasha! TWO and into Bayley’s knee! Backstabber to Bayley2Belly! Cover, Mandy breaks it just in time! Bayley and Sasha regroup and chase Mandy. Mandy climbs chains and fights Sasha off, but Bayley cuts her off at the top of a pod. Sasha pursues and Mandy is isolated! Sasha clubs Mandy down and then she helps Bayley up. The best friends drag Mandy up, slam her into the Plexiglas, then take aim at the ring.
Sonya hurries up to help Mandy! They fight and Bayley sends Sonya back down. But Mandy sends Bayley down! Sonya spears Bayley into a pod corner! Sasha hurries down to check on Bayley, but then goes right after Sonya. Sasha throws Sonya into chains but Mandy throws Sasha into a pod! Mandy drags Sasha up, double underhook, butterfly facebuster! Cover, TWO!!! Sasha survives and Mandy is shocked! Mandy covers again, TWO! Mandy drags Sasha up and throws her into a post, then regroups with Sonya. Wheelbarrow and Sonya runs in, but Sasha dodges! Sonya SPEARS Mandy! Sonya staggers up into the Bank Statement crossface! Sasha’s bad arm keeps it from completing, so she uses her own legs for a modified clutch! Sonya taps, Sasha & Bayley win!!
Winners: The Boss & Hug Connection, Sasha Banks by submission; inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
The dream comes true! Not just for Sasha & Bayley as best friends, but for all of the women in the WWE! The Boss & Hug Connection is stronger than ever, will they take this inaugural reign all the way to Wrestlemania?
In-ring interview with the new tag team champions.
This victory made history, and fans feel “You Deserve It!” Bayley is at a loss for words, and Sasha starts tearing up. Sasha manages to say “Nobody knows how hard we fought to get these.” If only the WWE Universe knew. This isn’t just for them, this is for the entire Women’s Division. This is just the beginning, there is more change to come. The Boss & Hug Connection will lead the way as your new Women’s Tag Team Champions.
SmackDown Tag Team Championships: The Miz & Shane McMahon VS The Usos!
Jimmy and Jey don’t see the A-Lister and Shane O’Mac as a “real” tag team, but the Best Tag Team in the World are the champions. Will the underdog champions manage to defeat one of WWE’s best? Or will they end up in the Uso Penitentiary like so many before?
The Miz comes out a mic to first congratulate the Boss & Hug Connection on making history. And then he dedicates this match to his family, from his dad to his daughter, to his wife Maryse! Maryse is here! “We always said when we had a huge announcement, we would announce it right here in the WWE in front of all of you.” And tonight, the Must-See Family has a huge announcement: “We’re having another baby!” Miz still has it. And with such happy news, Shane comes out to congratulate Miz & Maryse before he and Miz head to the ring. The Usos finally make their entrance, then the belts are raised and we begin.
The teams sort out and it’s Miz starting against Jimmy. Jimmy and Miz circle and tie up. Jimmy gets a headlock but Miz powers out, only for Jimmy to run him over. Things speed up and Miz goes to hip toss, but Jimmy counters to a fireman’s carry. Miz slips out, A-Lister combination denied at the backbreaker. Jimmy whips but gets caught into the Figure Four. He pushes Miz away and tags in Jey. Miz narrowly avoids the double superkicks! Shane and Miz talk but Miz is okay. MIz circles with Jey and they tie up. Miz gets a waistlock but Jey elbows out. Jey whips but Miz reverses and hits the kitchen sink knee. Miz mocks the Uso chant before hitting the A-List lariat.
Tag to Shane and Shane goes to the other corner! Jimmy knows what that means but Shane fights him off! Shane sweeps the legs, then rocks Jey! Slingshot sunset flip, TWO! Shane throws fast hands then whips. Miz tags in as Shane elbows Jey down. Miz adds the low boot, then Shane drops an elbow. Shane and Miz double clothesline Jey out, but Jimmy runs in. Miz hip tosses Jimmy, and then the champs double clothesline Jimmy out! Houston fires up as Shane and Miz mock the Uso chant together. Jimmy and Jey regroup and talk strategy. Jey rushes Miz but Miz dodges to throw haymakers. Miz puts Jey in a corner for It Kick! Jey gets a headlock and Jimmy tags in. Miz powers out but walks into a flapjack hotshot! Jimmy stalks Miz and rocks him with an uppercut!
Jimmy chokes Miz on the ropes but lets up at 4. Jey gets a cheap shot, and then Jimmy rocks Miz again. Tag to Jey and the Usos isolate Miz for a corner forearm. Jimmy tags back in and the Usos mug Miz to split the wishbone. Jimmy wraps a chinlock on but fans rally up. Miz fights out but Jimmy shoves him back to clobber him with a clothesline! Jimmy drags Miz over and tags in Jey. The Usos stomp Miz down, then Jey wraps on a chinlock. Fans rally up again and Miz fights his way up. Miz reaches for Shane while fighting back, but Jey throws him down. Tag to Jimmy, and he rips Miz’s shirt off. Jimmy throws it at Shane but Shane catches it. Jimmy rocks Miz with an uppercut then whips him to the open corner. He copies the A-List lariat!
Jimmy grins as he goes corner to corner, but into Miz’s STO! Both men are down while fans rally up. Miz and Jimmy crawl, hot tags to Jey and Shane! Shane rallies on both Usos, and pump kicks Jey down! Shane whips and back drops Jey! Fans fire up as Shane circles Jey. Big right rocks Jey! Float-over DDT for Jimmy! Then one for Jey! Cover, TWO! Shane keeps his cool as he drags Jey to a corner. Jimmy’s in another corner, and Shane climbs up top. Shane leaps and hits Jimmy with Coast 2 Coast! But he doesn’t stop there, he climbs up again to aim at Jey! Shane leaps, for a SUPERKICK! Jey climbs, Uso Splash! Cover, but Miz saves Shane! All four men are down but stirring.
Fans build to a rally as Miz returns to his corner. Shane crawls and Miz reaches, hot tag brings in Miz! Miz springboards for an ax handle! And even he’s surprised that worked! Miz fires up and gives Jey more kicks! Miz runs but into a Samoan Drop! Jey fires up now as he goes corner to corner, but misses the hip attack. Miz kicks the legs out, basement DDT! Cover, TWO! Miz keeps his cool while Jey rolls out. Miz wrecks Jey with a dropkick! Fans anticipate what’s coming, and Miz clears off the announce desk! Miz and Jey brawl, Jimmy DIVES but gets his brother! Miz boots Jimmy down!
The Usos are down, the table is cleared, and fans are fired up. Miz puts Jey on the desk while Shane drags himself to the top rope. Shane leaps, for the elbow through the table!! Miz checks on Shane while Houston loses their minds! Miz puts Jimmy in, blocks the Superkick but Jimmy denies the Finale. Roll up, TWO, roll up, full nelson! Jimmy throws Miz off, SUPERKICK! Jimmy climbs up top, Uso Splash! But MIz gets knees up! Cradle cover, TWO, Skull-Crushing Finale!! COver, TWO into a crucifix!! The Usos win!!
Winners: The Usos, Jimmy Uso pinning; NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions
The Best Tag Team in the World and the SmackDown Tag Team Champions are no longer Miz & Shane! Jimmy drags his brother from the wreckage, and the twins celebrate the start of their sixth reign! Miz helps Shane up from the wreckage now, and the two walk to the back together. Fans cheer them on for the great effort, but with no rematch clauses, how will they get a chance to take those titles back?
Backstage interview with Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush.
This is easy money, it’ll be two versus one. But with the trend of new champions, will there be another? Is Lio going to be a weak link? Granted, they can work together, but perhaps Finn Balor can get Lashley out of the way to pin Lio to win the title. Lio tells Dasha that they all know that. But Finn can’t capitalize and win. Lashley & Lio have the advantage, they’re the top of the food change. No one is stronger and more dominant than Lashley, and Lio. Relax, big man, Lashley’s the steak, Lio’s the sizzle. So Lio isn’t worried even after Finn beat him two weeks ago? No. Enough talk, the match is next!
WWE Intercontinental Championship Handicap Match: Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush VS Finn Balor!
The Man of the Hour has a point: the odds are in their favor. But the Extraordinary Man knows how to defy odds and win when no one thinks he can. Can Finn do all that again tonight and take the title from the Rocky Mountain Machine? Or will he simply be dominated?
Introductions are made, the belt is raised, and Lio convinces Lashley he’ll start. The bell rings, and Lio tags right out to Lashley! Lashley and Finn tie up, and Lashley knees low and clubs Finn down. Fans boo as Lashley flexes, but Finn kicks back! Finn runs and throws forearms, then more kicks. Lashley knees low again, then stands on Finn’s chest. Fans rally as Lashley stomps Finn. Lashley whips but Finn dodges to hit flying forearms! Finn chases Lio off but Lashley gets away. Lio and Lashley regroup on the outside and talk strategy. Finn waits as Lashley returns. Lashley gets a waistlock and throws Finn down. Lashley bumps Finn off buckles and then throws a throat chop. He clubs Finn then throws forearms into the back. The ref counts as Lashley chokes Finn again, and Lashley backs off at 4.
Lashley whips Finn corner to corner, but Finn dodges! Finn swing kicks Lashley down then hurries up top! Lio distracts and Finn chases him off. Finn slingshots but Lashley denies the sunset flip with a stomp. Lashley stomps Finn more then drags him up for a powerbomb. Finn slips out and back drops Lashley out! Lio panics as Finn builds speed, and Lio manages to swipe his feet! Finn chases Lio, but runs into Lashley’s tackle! Fans boo as Lashley stands over Finn and Lio hypes him up. Lashley lifts Finn to ram him into the apron! Lashley puts Finn in, drops an elbow, and covers. TWO and Lio tags in. Lio mocks the Too Sweet and he kicks Finn while he’s down. He eggs Finn on as he throws haymakers and stomps away in a corner.
Finn throws Lio into the corner! Lio runs away and tags Lashley! Lashley clobbers Finn! Cover, TWO! Lashley stays on Finn with a cobra clutch. Fans rally up as Finn endures. Finn powers up and fights out with body shots. Lashley gets Finn with a complete shot! Cover, TWO! Finn lives and Lio is livid! Lashley tags Lio back in and Lio puts Finn in an abdominal stretch. Finn endures as Lio flexes. Fans rally again and Finn powers his way out to a hip toss! Lio crawls to the far corner, and Finn runs in, only to get boots. Lio hops up but Finn ducks under, tag to Lashley! Finn runs into another tackle! Lashley rams his shoulder in again and again, then runs in for another tackle.
Lashley flexes but fans boo and jeer. He puts Finn in the corner again, runs in for another tackle, then lifts Finn HIGH for a spinebuster! Fans continue to boo as Lashley takes aim. But Lio tags in? Lio says he can finish this for them. Lio leaps for the Final Hour, but Finn dodges! The splash flops and Lashley panics. Finn and Lio slowly stand, and Finn stays between Lio and Lashley. Lio kicks but Finn catches it! Lio reaches but Finn reels Lio in for forearms. Finn hits Lashley, then double stomps Lio! Lashley runs in but gets a slingblade! Finn clotheslines Lashley out, then tosses Lio out onto him! Finn FLIES onto them both! He puts Lio in quick, shotgun dropkick blasts Lio down! Finn climbs up high, COUP DE GRACE! Cover, Finn wins!!
Winner: Finn Balor, by pinfall; NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion
Finn gets away from the angry Almighty, and is celebrating with Balor Club! Will the Extraordinary Man take this title all the way to Wrestlemania?
Lashley is angry with Lio. Lio is the only reason things went sour for them! And he grabs Lio around the head! Lio begs Lashley forgive him, he is sorry. Lashley lets Lio go, only to lift and slam him! The Rocky Mountain Machine is done with all the hype. Will Lashley be able to find his way back to the title? Is it back to 205 Live full-time for Lio?
In-ring interview with Charlotte Flair.
When did she find out Vince McMahon was going to use her to replace Becky Lynch at Wrestlemania? “Life is good when you’re Charlotte Flair!” The Queen is going to Wrestlemania, and she got to humiliate Becky at the same time. Becky should’ve learned by now that this is her own fault. She can’t let anything go. Becky panders to the WWE Universe! She needs the fans to love her! But Charlotte doesn’t need anyone else’s affirmation. Charlotte knows that she is THE very best in the WWE today! Fans still chant for Becky, though. But Charlotte will be ringside to watch Rowdy Rousey VS Riott, to see who main events against her.
Raw Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey VS Ruby Riott!
Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan fell short of getting the tag titles, but the Squad Leader still looks to shake up Wrestlemania by shocking the world tonight. Is it possible that Ruby can dethrone the Baddest Woman on the Planet? Or will Ronda be the one constant in the Wrestlemania Raw Women’s Championship picture?
Introductions are made, the belt is raised, and Charlotte takes a seat as the match begins. Ruby kicks low and throws fast hands on Ronda! Ronda gets Ruby off her to then throw her around! Ruby scrambles out to catch her breath but Ronda eggs her on. Ruby takes her time returning while Ronda paces. Ronda rushes Ruby but Ruby bails out again. Ruby slowly returns, but uses the ropes as defense. She then throws forearms and kicks! Ronda still throws Ruby down! Ronda scoops Ruby, for Piper’s Pit! And then while pointing at the Wrestlemania sign, ARMBAR! Ruby taps, Ronda wins!
Winner: Ronda Rousey, by submission; still Raw Women’s Champion
Ronda stares Charlotte down. The Queen isn’t who she wanted, but Ronda is more than happy to take her frustrations out on her. Charlotte is still confident as she walks up to the ring. Charlotte and Ronda stand face to face, but wait, is that Becky!? Becky is on crutches but she’s still making her way from the crowd to the ring! Becky puts the crutches in and rolls into the ring. Fans cheer her on but Charlotte mocks Becky at how hard it is for her to join them. Becky ignores Charlotte to look at Ronda. Ronda stares back, and then Becky fires off on Charlotte!! Becky seems fine enough to smack away on the woman replacing her!
Ronda takes up the other crutch?! Ronda aims at Charlotte with it, but then Becky SMACKS Ronda! The Man takes her anger out on both women going to Mania over her! Security rushes the ring but Becky keeps going! Becky finally stops but Houston is thunderous for the Straight Fire! Becky leaves peacefully with security escorting her out. Ronda is furious and Charlotte is in a daze. Will Becky’s actions only make things worse for her?
No Disqualifications: Braun Strowman VS Baron Corbin!
As the Monster Among Men told us earlier today, he plans on making this a happy ending for himself, and a nightmare for the Lone Wolf. Will Corbin regret ever angering Strowman to this point? Or will he have another scheme up his sleeves to screw Strowman over?
The fans chant “Get These Hands!” as the bell rings. Corbin throws his vest at Strowman! But Strowman rocks him with an uppercut! Corbin bails out and Strowman gives chase. Corbin SMACKS Strowman with a kendo stick! And another SMACK, and antoher SMACK! Corbin has Strowman staggering about the ring with every SMACK! Corbin dedicates the next SMACK to the fans. Strowman gets to a corner so Corbin wedges the stick into the opposite corner. Corbin whips but Strowman reverses! Corbin slides out to avoid the stick, then slides back in only to get an uppercut! Strowman squashes Corbin in a corner! Corbin goes back for the stick but Strowman takes the stick from him! They fight over the stick but Strowman’s one hand beats Corbin’s two!
“I don’t need a kendo stick to whoop your ass!” Strowman breaks the stick then clubs Corbin down! Fans fire up with Strowman while Corbin bails out. Strowman comes around the corner and blasts Corbin into barriers! Strowman takes another lap, but Corbin throws an arm chair! And Strowman catches it! Corbin runs and Strowman chases, but Corbin sends Strowman into steel steps! Corbin takes the steps apart and rams the top half into Strowman! Strowman staggers about but Corbin gives chase. Corbin jams Strowman with the steps again, then mocks the lap. Corbin gets speed and runs Strowman over! And then he mocks the monster’s roar. Fans boo and jeer while Corbin drags Strowman up and into the ring. Corbin drags Strowman up to rock with a right hand!
Fans boo as Corbin gloats. Corbin eggs Strowman on but Strowman drags himself up. Corbin runs to rock Strowman with another right! Fans boo as Corbin gloats more. Corbin prepares a third, but Strowman clobbers Corbin instead! And then a corner splash to a big boot! Strowman roars and fans chant for a table. Strowman obliges, and finds a table from under the ring! He puts the table in the ring, then sets it up in a corner. Strowman goes after Corbin to scoop, but Corbin slips out and rakes the eyes! Corbin boots Strowman, then hops up to leap, but into the scoop! Monster Slam through the table!! But here comes Drew McIntyre! It is only natural that one of Corbin’s allies would come out just as Corbin looked to be losing. McIntyre has a steel chair, but then Bobby Lashley attacks from behind!
The pack is together and they SMACK Strowman with chair shot after chair shot! Lashley and McIntyre help Corbin up from the wreckage, but Strowman stands! Strowman rocks Lashley with an uppercut! McIntyre hits the Glasgow Kiss, Lashley SPEARS Strowman down! Corbin coordinates the trio and has them bring in the steel steps. McIntyre and Lashley take the big base steps and put them in the ring. Corbin helps set them side by side, and fans boo as the three circle Strowman. McIntyre drags Strowman up to talk trash, but Strowman grabs him by the throat! Strowman grabs Lashley, but Corbin SMACKS Strowman on the back! Strowman goes down again and Corbin goes searching under the ring.
Corbin, McIntyre and Lashley get tables into the ring and start setting them up. CLAYMORE keeps Strowman down! McIntyre helps Corbin double stack the tables, then they both drag Strowman around to Lashley on top of the steps. They all lift Strowman, for a SHIELD BOMB through BOTH tables! Corbin covers, Corbin wins!!
Winner: Baron Corbin, by pinfall
This new pack of wild dogs asserts dominance over the Monster Among Men! What is to come of these three being united in their dominance and destruction?
WWE supports the Special Olympics World Games.
Support and cheer on all the athletes as they head to Abu Dhabi!
The Miz and Shane are getting checked out backstage.
Miz apologizes to Shane. He can’t calm down over the loss. They’re better than this! Miz dedicated this match to his entire family!! Shane tells Miz to calm down and head home. They can talk again on Tuesday. Just go home, okay? Miz does leave, but he’s not happy. Will Miz cool off come SmackDown this week?
Lacey Evans heads to the ring.
The Model Soldier surprises everyone by walking out, but then she heads back? Was this her way of classing up the night?
WWE Championship Elimination Chamber!
SmackDown’s incredible Gauntlet Match established who will go in last, and that is The Viper! Randy Orton takes a pod, as does Kofi Kingston, Jeff Hardy, and AJ Styles. That leaves the New Daniel Bryan to start against Samoa Joe by default!
But as Bryan makes his entrance, he shouts for them to cut his music. “Do you know what happens when a genius like myself tries to enlighten the masses?” They get punished! The WWE management has given the WWE Universe power! And what happens now? Bryan comes out and he’s one of the first in the match! “Fickle!” First in the Gauntlet! “Fickle!” And now Rowan can’t accompany Bryan to the ring! Bryan shouts “No!” but fans chant “Yes! Yes!” Bryan doesn’t want the fans to make him a martyr, but he is suffering for the greater good. The small-minded people just repeat the same stupid phrase, and it only reminds Bryan that there is hope. The people and the planet needs the New Daniel Bryan as the WWE Champion! Bryan finally enters the Chamber, the belt is raised, and the match finally begins.
Joe corners Bryan but Bryan slips out and around the outside. Joe dares Bryan to come back but Bryan refuses. Bryan simply trolls Joe while waiting out the clock. Joe waits and Bryan enters the ring, but he still keeps his distance. Bryan throws kicks but Joe just grins. Joe catches the next kick to give a kick! Joe kicks, Bryan catches, but Joe uses that to get at kneebar! Bryan endures, and grabs the ropes. Joe lets go and Bryan gets him into a corner. Bryan CHOPS Joe but Joe just gets mad. Bryan runs but Joe gives chase! Joe corners Bryan and CHOPS him against the steel chains! Joe drags Bryan back into the ring for a back suplex. Bryan slips out and hops up, but into a powerbomb! High stack cover, TWO, into the Boston Crab!
Bryan endures but Joe shifts to an STF! Then a crossface! Then Rings of Saturn! Bryan shifts to a cover, TWO, he dropkicks Joe’s legs out! Bryan throws Joe out of the ring, then into a pod! Joe rolls back into the ring and Bryan covers, ONE! Bryan stands Joe up for a chop, but Joe CHOPS Bryan! Joe headbutts Bryan then kicks him in the chest and back. Bryan gets up to chop, but Joe CHOPS him again! Joe whips Bryan to a corner, but Bryan drop toeholds Joe into buckles! Bryan kicks away on Joe but the countdown finally appears! Bryan backs off to watch the pods. The next man in is… Kofi Kingston!
The Iron Man rallies on both of them! Springboard ax handle for Bryan! Kofi spin through the urenage but Joe denies the DDT. Kofi swing kicks Joe away then climbs up for a splash to the back! Cover, TWO! Bryan goes after Kofi in a corner, then hangs him out to dry on the ropes. Fans rally while Bryan climbs. Bryan leaps at Kofi for a guillotine knee drop! Cover, TWO! Bryan goes after Joe with chops, but Joe still isn’t bothered by them. Joe backs Bryan down with another CHOP! Bryan runs away from Joe again, then climbs up on top a pod. Joe wants Bryan to come back but he just sits. Kofi rams into Joe with shoulders but then Joe CHOPS Kofi. Joe whips Kofi corner to corner but Kofi goes up after Bryan! Bryan wants Kofi to take it easy, but Kofi throws furious haymakers!
Bryan gets away but Kofi pursues! Joe approaches from below as the two exchange kicks. Joe drags Bryan down off the wall, but Kofi kicks Joe away. Kofi aims, climbs a little higher, and Trust Falls onto them both! All three men are down as that fall hurts Kofi almost as much as Bryan or Joe. Kofi drags Bryan back into the ring, covers, TWO! He covers Joe, TWO! Bryan throws European Uppercuts on Kofi then headlocks. Kofi powers out but Bryan runs him over. Things speed up, Kofi back elbows Bryan! Cover, TWO! Kofi keeps his cool but Joe is on him with a headbutt. Joe back sentons Bryan! Joe drags Kofi up and snap suplexes. Cover, TWO! Joe goes back to Bryan on the outside, throwing forearms and CHOPS against the steel chains! The countdown returns and the next man in is… AJ Styles!
The Phenomenal One rallies on everyone with haymakers! Phenomenal Blitz on Joe! Bryan goes after Styles and SLAPS him. Styles SLAPS Bryan, and the two brawl! Styles whips but Bryan reverses. Bryan runs in but into an elbow. Styles hops up, Moonsault but Kofi comes in. Styles catches Kofi, double DDT’s! Cover on Bryan, TWO! Cover on Kofi, TWO! Styles bumps Kofi off buckles and kicks out the leg. Styles goes to Joe on the outside, slingshot for a forearm! Bryan climbs again while Styles keeps Joe down. Styles spots Bryan, and springboards up to meet him! Phenomenal Forearm takes Bryan out! Styles shoulders and slingshots on Kofi for a sunset flip, but into the Styles Clash! Kofi fights out of it, then runs, but into the Ushigoroshi! Cover, TWO! Styles keeps his cool as he goes back to Joe. J
oe covers up but Styles kicks low and then chops him. Styles throws forearms, but Joe prevents him from throwing him into steel. Joe throws Styles into the chains then back drops Styles into the ring! Joe goes after Kofi but Kofi hits back! Kofi fires off haymakers and kicks, but runs into the sleeper! Kofi copies his idea from the Gauntlet and makes it a cover! TWO and Joe still has the sleeper! Jawbreaker frees Kofi, Phenomenal Forearm hits Joe! Styles ELIMINATES Joe! The Destroyer is gone, but the countdown returns. Since we know who is last, the next man in has to be Jeff hardy! The Charismatic Enigma brawls with Styles! Hardy whips but Styles reverses, only for Hardy to run him over. Hardy atomic drops and splits the legs! Dropkick on top, cover, TWO!
Hardy jawbreakers Styles then back kicks Bryan. Hardy kicks Kofi and hits a sit-out gourd buster! Then he uses Kofi to hit Bryan with Poetry in Motion! Fans chant “DELETE! DELETE!” as Hardy stalks Styles. Styles denies the Twist of Fate with a Pele! Hardy crawls to a corner while Bryan throws Kofi into chains. Bryan grinds Kofi into steel while Styles shoves Hardy into a pod! Styles climbs up behind Hardy but Hardy fights back. Hardy trips Styles up and Styles hits post on the way down! Hardy drags Styles into the ring while Bryan laces Kofi’s arm through chain! Styles is stuck on the top rope, Hardy SWANTONS on Styles! KNEE PLUS outta nowhere! Bryan ELIMINATES Hardy! Hardy put it all on the line to go after Styles, he got caught off guard.
Bryan goes after Styles now with a Tree of Woe. Bryan fires off No Kicks, then runs corner to corner to basement dropkick! Styles can’t get out of the tree and Bryan puts Kofi on top. Bryan stomps Styles down then climbs up over him. Bryan drags Kofi up but Styles sits up! Styles adds on for a Tower of Doom, German Suplex and SUPERPLEX! Styles works to get out of the Tree while the others are down. The countdown returns, and finally, Randy Orton joins the match! He has his pick and first lariats Bryan down. Orton stomps Styles in the Tree, then clotheslines Kofi. He stomps Styles more, but Kofi gets his attention. Orton throws Kofi into Styles! Styles finally falls out of the Tree, but Bryan goes at Orton. Orton almost gets the RKO but Bryan backslides! TWO, and Orton hangs Bryan out to dry!
Kofi dropkicks Orton! Kofi drags Styles up, but Styles gets him with the STO backbreaker, just like the Gauntlet match! Styles drags Kofi up as fans rally. Styles whips Kofi to a corner, then runs in, only for Kofi to put him outside. Kofi turns around into Styles’ forearm, then Styles springboards, into an RKO!! Cover, Orton ELIMINATES Styles! Orton grins as he watches Styles be helped out of the Chamber. But Kofi rolls Orton! TWO, Trouble in Paradise misses. Kofi kicks Orton back, then climbs up, only for Orton to trip him up. Orton drags Kofi out from the top rope, for a SUPER draping DDT! Fans duel as Orton hears the voices in his head. Orton stalks Kofi but catches Bryan in a powerslam! Orton goes back to Kofi but Kofi denies the RKO! TROUBLE IN PARADISE! Cover, Kofi ELIMINATES Orton!
Kofi is one of the final two with Daniel Bryan! Houston is thunderous for how close Kofi is to achieving a dream! Kofi and Bryan are in opposite corners, and Kofi fires himself up. Bryan and Kofi stand up stare down. They approach, and start throwing hands! Bryan kicks so Kofi kicks, and repeat! They go back and forth, but Kofi eggs Bryan’s kicks on! Bryan kicks and Kofi kicks! Trouble In Paradise misses, Bryan dropkicks the legs out! Bryan dares Kofi to sit up, and starts giving him No Kick! He kicks again and again, but Kofi ducks the buzzsaw! SOS!! Cover, TWO!! Kofi was so close yet so far from finally being world champion! Houston is at a fever pitch as Kofi and Bryan reset.
Kofi runs in but misses in the corner! Fans rally up as Bryan takes his time looming over Kofi. Bryan throws angry haymakers, saying Kofi doesn’t deserve to be here. Bryan gives Kofi more kicks, then runs corner to corner, for a big dropkick! And then another! And a third! A fourth! Kofi jumps out and double stomps out Bryan! Cover, TWO!! Houston is right there with Kofi on how close he was again. Kofi wills himself to his feet and to a corner. He aims at Bryan as he stands. Kofi runs but Bryan bails out. Kofi goes after Bryan and throws him into chains! He does it again and again and again! Kofi only picks up speed as he rams Bryan into steel! He drags Bryan up, bulldog but Bryan sends Kofi into the pod!
Bryan drags Kofi into the ring, and waits for Kofi to stand. Fans are not giving up on Kofi, but Bryan is taking am. Bryan runs at Kofi, KNEE PLUS! Cover, TWO!? Kofi survives and shocks Bryan! But Houston is eating this up! Bryan grows angry, and grabs Kofi’s arms. Bryan stomps away on Kofi’s face! And again and again and again! Cover, TWO! Bryan wants another shot, Kofi stands, TROUBLE IN PARADISE! Cover, TWO to a cradle! TWO, and Kofi kicks Bryan. Bryan catches Kofi’s arm into a form of the Labell Lock! But he also rakes the eyes and nose! This isn’t illegal in the Chamber! Kofi reaches and gets the ropebreak! Bryan lets go out of exhaustion. Bryan sits up and drags Kofi around. Houston declares “This is Awesome!”
Bryan climbs up top but Kofi kicks him down! Kofi climbs up and throws hands. Bryan climbs to the pod but Kofi pursues. Kofi clubs Bryan down then headbutts him against the Plexiglas. Kofi throws Bryan into it as fans chant “Yes! Yes!” He drags Bryan up, but Bryan resists. Kofi throws body shots but Bryan continues to block the risky suplex. Bryan fights and now he bounces Kofi against the Plexiglas! Bryan decides to use Kofi’s idea, but now Kofi resists! Kofi fights back and clubs Bryan down. Bryan slips down to the post but Kofi again pursues. Kofi boots Bryan again and again and sends him all the way down! Kofi stands, leaps, but FLOPS! Bryan aims from the corner, KNEE PLUS!! Cover, Bryan wins!
Winner: Daniel Bryan, by pinfall; still WWE Champion
The New Daniel Bryan survives the Chamber by the skin of his teeth. Will the Planet’s Champion ever be defeated?
As for Kofi, the New Day come out to join him. They and the fans still have Kofi’s back. Houston chants “Thank You, Kofi!” because he has nothing to be ashamed of. Will they go back to the drawing board and find another way for Kofi to get that Grand Slam?
My Thoughts:
A really great Elimination Chamber! WWE more or less took advantage of the assumption that they wouldn’t use this PPV for anything crucial and actually did that. At least, for some of this. Buddy Murphy retains because while Tozawa was doing great, I’m thinking it’s someone brand new to 205 Live that’ll finally take it from Murphy. AKA Kushida. The Women’s Tag Team Championship Chamber match was of course new and historic, and it was pretty good for having a few superstars who aren’t exactly the best. All 12 women got to look strong, but it was good for the IIconics to be later in the match so that they could pick on the others. Naturally Bayley and Sasha win, it is their story, and they were even matching the belts with their gear. I’m still waiting to see how they’ll make these belts work on both brands.
I did not think The Usos were going to win those titles. There was the new of Jimmy’s DUI, but it seems the Usos and Naomi had a counter of wanting to leave. The WWE gave the Usos their win to keep them and will likely worry about punishing Jimmy for the public incident some other way. But the match was great, and this does help give Miz & Shane a new dimension to the story. Though I have a feeling that this might be what brings us to Miz VS Shane. That’s a bit of a shame, but I suppose this would be a good way of doing it. But I did see Finn Balor getting that Intercontinental Championship off of Lio Rush. That seemed to be the only reason for the Handicap stipulation, because Vince still doesn’t see Finn being able to beat a beefy guy directly.
Of course, it also helps give Lashley energy left over to beat up Strowman with his real friends. No Disqualifications was obviously for this to happen. Corbin, Lashley and McIntyre taking the Shield triple powerbomb to the extreme was an interesting choice. If Roman Reigns was healthy, I would think this would lead to Corbin, Lashley and McIntyre taking on a once-again-reunited Shield at Wrestlemania. Even with Dean Ambrose supposedly leaving after Mania, one last ride with his brothers would be a great match for him to have at Wrestlemania, and it could be a feel-good send-off moment when the Shield stands tall for one last fist bump.
We all knew Ruby Riott was going to lose, but Ronda sure beat her quickly. Ruby should stick with Liv and Sarah and try to Freebird the Women’s Tag Titles. As for the rest of the Raw Women’s Championship segment, it was amazing! Becky surprises us, and then her beating both Charlotte and Ronda up with the crutch was a lot of fun. This wasn’t the route I pictured for the Triple Threat but it’s working out. Now if only Asuka would have something lined up. Lacey Evans randomly showing up was just weird, but maybe she is their choice to build for Asuka in the home stretch. Then after a huge block of WWE’s own ads, we finally get to the world title chamber. It was really good with how they played on all the story, and it was perfect to have Bryan start and Kofi hang with him.
In the back of my mind, I knew Kofi wasn’t going to win, but they did such a great job making it seem like Kofi could’ve pulled it off. It is a shame Ali wasn’t getting this same shine because of injury, but Ali will be back and can continue where he left off. Fastlane is coming, and that will surely be used to determine the next challenger. A lot of it depends on Ali’s physical health, so anything could happen. It’d be great if Kofi got another chance, but the New Day have said Kofi will get the title in 2019, so it doesn’t have to be at Mania, even if Mania is the place for such great moments.
My Score: 8.3/10
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Is Orange Cassidy coldblooded? Or just in control?
Before their AEW World Championship match at Full Gear, Jon Moxley puts Wheeler Yuta in Orange Cassidy’s way! Will Cassidy destroy The Decoder before going for The Maniac?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- 8 Man Tag: Will Ospreay, Mark Davis, Ricochet & “Powerhouse” Will Hobbs VS The Don Callis Family; The Don Callis Family wins.
- Kris Statlander VS Hikaru Shida; Kris wins.
- 2v1 Handicap: Bobby Lashley w/ The Hurt Syndicate VS Joe Keys & Cheeseburger; Lashley wins.
- Darby Allin VS Claudio Castagnoli; Claudio wins.
- Orange Cassidy VS Wheeler Yuta w/ The Death Riders; Cassidy wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
8 Man Tag: Will Ospreay, Mark Davis, Ricochet & “Powerhouse” Will Hobbs VS The Don Callis Family!
This All-Star 8 Man is going to make for a massive match! The Aerial Assassin, Dunk Zilla, The One & Only and the man the family foolishly forgot are now teamed together against Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, Brian Cage & Lance Archer! Will Ospreay lead this team to victory ahead of the grudge matches at Full Gear? Or will Callis’ Alpha, Aussie Arrow, Machine & Murderhawk Monster make sure #EverybodyDies?
Well forget sorting out, Ospreay leads his team in attacking the Callis Family right on the ramp! The fans fire up as Hobbs is after Archer, Davis is after Cage, and of course Ricochet is after Konosuke while Ospreay is after Kyle! Hobbs smacks Archer off railing, Kyle CLUBS Ospreay on the back, but Ospreay kicks low. Ospreay sends Kyle into railing, rips the tearaway pants right off him, and then LASHES him with them! Davis sends Cage into railing while Ospreay uses those pants to SLING Kyle into more railing! Davis CLUBS away on Cage, Ospreay blows snot on Kyle’s pants, and Davis sends Cage into more railing.
Kyle turns things around to send Ospreay into railing! Konosuke helps Cage against Davis but Hobbs still throws hands on Archer. Kyle CLUBS Ospreay, CLUBS Ricochet, but Konosuke puts Davis in the ring. The bell rings and this is finally a match. Konosuke headlocks Davis but Davis fires body shots. Davis powers up and out, but Konosuke RAMS him! The fans fire up as Davis stays up. Davis runs to RAM Konosuke! Konosuke stays up and the fans rally. Konosuke runs to RAM Davis, but Davis runs. Konosuke bypasses, leaps, but Davis catches him for a TOSS! And a SENTON! The fans fire up with Davis, and Ricochet reaches out.
Davis tags Ricochet in , then holds the way open, for Ricochet to FOSBURY FLOP onto Konosuke! But Cage CLOBBERS Davis! Cage then RAMS Ricochet into the apron, POSTS him, but Ospreay PENALTY KICKS Cage! The fans fire up as Ospreay goes up, but Kyle UPPERCUTS him! The fans boo as Kyle goes up, CLUBS away on Ospreay, and Ospreay falls to the floor. But now Hobbs is up! Kyle says wait! Then he fires hands! Hobbs just CHOPS Kyle! Hobbs climbs up to get Kyle, but Archer CLUBS Hobbs! Archer drags Hobbs down, throws hands, then puts Hobbs in between steps and post! Hobbs fights back, but Cage sends Ospreay into the steps!
The fans boo as Hobbs’ leg is crushed between steps and post! Archer puts Ricochet in the ring while a medic checks Hobbs. Archer brings Ricochet up but Ricochet slips free to fire off fast strikes! Hobbs is being helped to the back and Ospreay is concerned that this is now 4v3. Ricochet still fires strikes on Archer, but Archer grabs Ricochet by the neck! CHOKE- NO, Ricochet RANAS Archer first! Archer tumbles, stands up, and Ricochet springboards, but Archer CLOBBERS Him out of the sky! Archer BLASTS Davis, then catches Ospreay out of the air! Archer TOSSES Ospreay away and fans boo. But Ricochet springboards back in!
Archer catches Ricochet, and he CHOKE SLAMS Ricochet out onto Ospreay and Davis! The fans boo as the Don Callis Family is in control, and Dynamite goes picture in picture.
Cage & Kyle flex to soak up the heat, then Archer goes out after Ospreay and the rest. Konosuke fetches Ricochet into the ring, waistlocks, and then brings him away from the corner. Archer beats up on Ospreay while Konosuke fires knees into Ricochet. Ricochet tumbles to ropes but Konosuke is on him. Davis fires hands on Archer, then sends him into railing! Davis fires more hands, but Konosuke CHOKES Ricochet at the ropes! The ref counts, Konosuke steps off and tags Kyle. Kyle stays between Ricochet and his corner. Kyle taunts Ricochet, stomps him around, then whips him to ropes. Kyle ELBOWS Ricochet down, then stalks him to a corner.
Kyle stomps away on Ricochet while Archer intimidates commentary. Kyle shouts at the camera while the ref counts, and Kyle steps off of Ricochet’s neck. Kyle bumps Ricochet off buckles, tags Cage, and Cage stands Ricochet up. Cage CHOPS Ricochet, then whips him to ropes for an ELBOW! Cage flexes while he taunts Ospreay & Davis. Cage drags Ricochet up but Ricochet RAMS him! And RAMS him! And fires forearms! Cage ROCKS Ricochet, then runs, but into a tiger wall kick and ENZIGIRI! Konosuke tags in and storms after Ricochet. Konosuke stomps Ricochet, then rains down fists! The ref reprimands while Dynamite returns to single picture.
Konosuke argues with the ref while Ospreay rallies the fans. Konosuke stays between Ricochet and his team, but Ricochet SLAPS Konosuke! Konosuke ROCKS Ricochet for it! Ricochet fires forearms and an UPPERCUT! Konosuke keeps Ricochet from his corner, reels Ricochet in, but Ricochet victory rolls! TWO, and Ricochet ducks a chop to handspring BACK ELBOW! The fans fire up while both men are down! Ricochet and Konosuke crawl, hot tags to Kyle and Ospreay! The fans fire up as these two fire fists and forearms! Kyle kicks and whips but Ospreay ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER Kyle!
Ospreay whips, Kyle reverses, Ospreay handsprings to NEURALIZER KICK! Kyle staggers, Konosuke tags back in! Ospreay dodges Konosuke to BLAST Cage & Archer! Ospreay fires fists on Konosuke, but Konosuke CLAWS Ospreay’s face! Konosuke runs, but Davis intercepts with a fireman’s carry! AUSSIE DENTAL PLAN! Or maybe in this case, just a United Empire Dental Plan! But in any case, Davis scoops Konosuke, for the LAWN DART CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Konosuke survives but the fans fire up. Ospreay & Davis bring Konosuke up, double pump handle, but the #MurderMachines make the save!
Archer puts Davis in a corner, Cage ducks Ospreay’s haymaker to waistlock. Archer runs up, BOOT GERMAN SUPLEX COMBO! Davis fires hands on Archer but Cage waistlocks, ripcords, and ROCKS Davis! Then fireman’s carry into the ASSISTED NECKBREAKER! The fans boo but the Murder Machines DOUBLE RIPCORD Ospreay up for Konosuke’s BLUE THUNDER BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Ospreay survives and shocks everyone! Archer argues with the ref but the count was fair. Konosuke tags Kyle while fans rally up behind Ospreay. Kyle smirks as he stalks Ospreay. Kyle BOOTS Ricochet off the apron for good measure!
Kyle tells Ospreay that this is how he wants it, right? All about Ospreay! Kyle stomps away on Ospreay in the corner, then digs his boots in! The ref counts but wait! Here comes Hobbs! Hobbs hobbles but Kyle hurries to send Ospreay to the Callis corner. Tag to Konosuke and then Kyle slides out. Kyle runs up on Hobbs, but Hobbs CLOBBERS him! The fans fire up as Hobbs makes his way to the corner. Ospreay fights free of the corner but Konosuke holds him back! Ospreay fires forearms, reaches out, repeat! The fans rally as hard as they can, but Konosuke reels Ospreay in! Konosuke hits a back suplex, but Ospreay lands out!
Ospreay dodges Konosuke, hot tag to Hobbs! The Powerhouse powers up to rally on Konosuke! The fans fire up as Hobbs TOSSES Kyle, but the Murder Machines attack! They reel Hobbs in, but Hobbs fights the double suplex! The fans fire up but the Murder Machines double whip. Hobbs DOUBLE LARIATS! The fans fire up as Hobbs has targets in all corners! SPLASH for Konosuke! SPLASH for Cage! SPLASH for Kyle! SPLASH for Archer! The fans are thunderous and Hobbs brings the straps down. Archer kicks low, then runs, but Hobbs dodges, to SNAP POWERSLAM! The fans fire up again, and Hobbs tags Davis!
Davis runs up to BOOT Konosuke, BOOT him again, but Konosuke just fires up! Ospreay CANNONBALLS onto Kyle while Konosuke fires hands! Konosuke spins, but Davis DECKS him! Davis roars, stands Konosuke up, but Konosuke backdrops back! POWER- NO, Davis stops the knee to ENZIGIRI! Davis gut wrenches Konosuke, for a PILEDRIVER!! Cover, KYLE BREAKS IT! The fans boo but now Aussie Open is face to face! Kyle pie faces Davis, talks trash, but Davis glares at him. Kyle SLAPS Davis, so Davis TACKLES Kyle! Davis throws hands, Kyle gets up, and Davis runs up! Kyle dodges and Konosuke DECKS Davis!
Ricochet springboards, FLYING LARIAT on Konosuke! But Cage POP-UP POWERBOMBS Ricochet! Hobbs SPINEBUSTERS Cage! Archer CHOKE SLAMS Hobbs! Ospreay hits the PIP PIP CHEERIO FOREARM on Archer! Ospreay dares Kyle to man up and fight him! Kyle snarls, gets in, and they fire forearms again! Kyle swings, Ospreay catches him, but Kyle breaks the full nelson with an elbow! Ospreay HOOK KICKS Kyle! Ospreay runs, Kyle dodges, but then Ospreay slips through the lariat! Kyle slips through the bomb, hoists Ospreay up, but Ospreay slips free! Kyle ducks the hook kick to SUPERKICK! Kyle runs, into the SPANISH FLY!!
The fans are thunderous as Ospreay takes aim from a corner! Kyle rises, so does Davis, and Ospreay runs up, Kyle uses Davis as a shield from the HIDDEN BLADE!! Ospreay freaks out, Kyle SUPERKICKS Ospreay out of the ring! Then Kyle DIVES onto Ospreay! Konosuke brings down his kneepad, aims at Davis, POWER DRIVE KNEE!!! Cover, Don Callis Family wins!!
Winners: The Don Callis Family, by pinfall
The Alpha stands tall over Davis as friendly fire takes out Ospreay’s team. But what happens when things divide into 1v1 matches? Will Konosuke still be International Champion after he and Ricochet go #OuttaThisWorld? Will Kyle prove that he IS The Protostar after tearing down Will Ospreay?
Jon Moxley & The Death Riders speak.
“Despite recent discoveries that Orange Cassidy is a snake, coldblooded, uncaring, unmoving, a serpent lurking in the darkest corners of the battlefield, my objective remains the same, my job on Saturday night remains the same. You may be this borderline sociopath, you may be a great guy just like everybody thinks. I don’t care if you’re a great guy. I don’t care what kind of person you are. When the bell rings on Saturday night, and the AEW World Championship hangs in the balance, you are a threat to my people. And I will destroy you.
“There’s so much more going on behind Orange Cassidy’s eyes than any of us could’ve imagined. You may make it to Full Gear with your mind in tact, but your body… For that matter, Darby Allin’s body… Still up for grabs.” Claudio jumps in, speaking in German about what he’ll do to Darby. Then in English, he says, “Tonight, I’m gonna end you.” Moxley pats Claudio on the shoulder. Will The Maniac’s top henchmen do his dirty work for him when they dismantle Cassidy & Darby? Or will it just be fuel on the fire for Freshly Squeezed & The Relentless One? Speaking of…
Darby Allin speaks.
“Claudio, I’m gonna keep this really short. Let’s not forget you’re the one who put the chair around Bryan’s neck and pulled the trigger on his career. Every single one of you Death Riders will have your day. And Claudio, today’s your day.” Will Moxley’s men be dealt with in brutal fashion before he suffers the same?
The Hurt Syndicate arrive.
Renee Paquette waits in the parking lot as an SUV pulls up, and she welcomes Montel Vontavious Porter, Shelton Benjamin & Bobby Lashley to the show. She heard MVP has a surprise in store, what’s he got planned? MVP says yes, there is a special treat for the AEW audience, and that is this announcement: The All Mighty Bobby Lashley will be in action here tonight on Dynamite in Reading, Pennsylvania, prior to his PPV debut on Saturday! Renee asks if MVP is at all concerned to put Lashley in a match- OH NO, Swerve attacks!! Swerve knocks Lashley over, then laughs as he gets away!
Shelton helps Lashley up but that ambush might’ve been with Swerve’s own silver chain. Will Lashley elect not to compete tonight after all? Or is he about to make an example out of whatever poor soul is put in front of him?
Adam Cole is here!
Reading fires up as the Panama City Playboy makes his way to the ring. They join in with the “BOOM!” and “ADAM COLE, BAYBAY!” Cole grabs a mic to ask, “Who’s ready for Storytime with Adam Cole, Baybay?” Reading sure is ready! Cole wishes so so badly that he could get his hands on MJF this Saturday, but he’s not. MJF did everything in his power to make sure he and Cole didn’t fight on Saturday, and he succeeded. But do you know who else succeeded last week? Roderick Strong did! The fans cheer as Cole says he and Roddy have the exact same goal: Give MJF the ass whooping of a lifetime! And that is exactly what happens at Full Gear!
The fans cheer, and wait, Kyle O’Reilly makes his way out here. The longtime friend of Cole & Roddy makes his way out here, and already has a mic. Kyle isn’t sure if Cole remembers, but 14 years ago, right here in Reading, PA, Cole and Kyle had their second match ever against each other. They’ve come a long way. Being associated with Cole has given Kyle some incredible highs, and some serious lows. And through those lows, Kyle knows Cole better than anyone. Which makes Kyle the only one willing to tell Cole the truth. The truth is, this crusade against MJF has got to end before someone gets hurt.
This obsession, Cole needs to wash his hands of it. His ankle has already been reconstructed, what’s next? Cole has friends willing to take a bullet for him, Kyle included, but Cole has got to stop having his friends fight his battles. Roddy barely makes it out alive last week, and now he wants to fight MJF! He wants to END MJF, all because of Cole. Kyle just doesn’t have a good feeling about any of this. Cole asks Kyle what he’s trying to say here. Kyle doesn’t think Roddy can handle MJF? Kyle asks Cole if he really thinks MJF isn’t already three steps ahead. MJF hasn’t been here for weeks but he’s pulling all the strings.
Cole should know that dealing with MJF is like playing with fire, and Kyle doesn’t wanna see his friends get burned. Cole needs to realize why so many of his friends are willing to go to war for him, and it’s because he is a great leader, an elite pro-wrestler, and a great friend, who doesn’t wanna see his friends get hurt. At least, so Kyle thinks. But Cole has to face facts: MJF is more of an evil bastard than Cole will ever be, and that is a good thing. Kyle drops his mic and walks away. Cole drops his mic, and has a lot to think about. Does Kyle have a point? Can Cole just let Roddy handle MJF and then move on?
Orange Cassidy speaks.
“A little later tonight, I’m gonna make an example out of you, Wheeler Yuta. And I’m gonna show everybody exactly what I’m gonna do this Saturday to you, Jon Moxley. And that’s walk down to that ring and beat you, alone.” But The Conglomeration steps in. Mark Briscoe has Rocky Romero & Tomohiro Ishii with him as he asks Cassidy, “What sense does that make, man?” Moxley said himself, there’s five Death Riders, one Cassidy. Conglomeration has his back, they are here for him. Cassidy says no, no one else needs to get hurt. Get hurt? What’s Cassidy talking about? The Conglomeration are ready to scrap!
PLEASE!! Cassidy is asking them… They don’t have to believe him or even understand him. But just promises him they’ll stay back here. If Cassidy insists, then so be it. Cassidy says there you have it, Jon. Five of you, one of him. Do what you’re gonna do. Because at Full Gear, Moxley’s gonna need all the help he can get. Cassidy is himself wanting the best for his friends, but will that work out for the betterment of AEW? Or is he just playing into Moxley’s hands?
Kris Statlander VS Hikaru Shida!
The #BornAgainKristen bodied the bullies that are Mercedes Mone & Kamille the last time she saw them, but she still needs to tune up for Full Gear. However, taking on the THREE-TIME AEW Women’s World Champion might be more than just a workout. Win, lose or draw, will the Shining Samurai get Kris ready for The CEO?
The bell rings, Kris and Shida shake hands and the fans applaud. The two circle, tie up, and Kris wrenches to a wristlock. Shida handsprings and wrenches back, then hammerlocks. Kris reaches back, hits a headlock takeover, but Shida headscissors. Kris kips free and the fans cheer while the two reset. Shida and Kris circle again while the fans fire up. The two tie up, Shida wrenches and hammerlocks, then CLUBS Kris on the back. Shida CLUBS Kris again, then waistlocks. Kris fights the lift with elbows, then switches. Kris SLAMS Shida, then flips her over. Shida kips up to arm-drag Kris! Kris ends up in a corner, and Shida runs up to KNEE her!
Shida climbs up and the fans cheer as she rains down fists! But Kris stops Shida at 5 and carries her out of the corner! Shida slips free, Kris blocks a lariat to SWEEP the leg! STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Shida is tough and she goes to ropes, but Kris whips her to a corner. Kris runs up but into a RANA! Kris cartwheels through! Then she CLOBBERS Shida! The fans fire up while Kris flexes. Kris drags Shida into a motorcycle stretch but Shida endures. The fans rally up and Shida fights to her feet. Shida arm-drags Kris down, and wraps her in a straitjacket stretch! Kris fights up with a bridge, but Shida hops on!
The fans rally while Kris RAMS Shida into a corner! Shida holds onto the straitjacket and pulls! The ref counts, Shida lets go at 4, and then MISSILE DROPKICKS! Kris tumbles and the fans duel as Shida fires up! Shida goes outside, drags Kris to the apron, and CLUBS her! Shida runs to KNEE LIFT! Kris flops to the floor and fans cheer while Dynamite goes picture in picture.
Shida brings Kris up again, and whips her into railing hard! Kris writhes, Shida drags her up, and then Shida whips Kris into more railing! Kris writhes again and Shida refreshes the ring count. Shida sits Kris in a corner to rain down fists! The fans fire up but the ref reprimands, so Shida stops. Shida brings Kris around, pushes her into the ring, and then stalks her. Shida stomps Kris around, brings her up, and snap suplexes! Kris writhes but Shida brings her up again. Shida then snap suplexes Kris into a corner! Shida drags Kris to a cover, TWO! Kris stays in this but Shida stays on her with a chinlock stretch!
Kris endures being bent back, and she reaches out with her free arm. Shida pulls back more but Kris rises up! Shida is again a backpack, but then she slips down. Kris fires body shots, slips around and lifts for a BIG back suplex! Kris huffs ‘n’ puffs as she rises up, but then Shida dodges the sliding forearm! Ghost pin! TWO, and Kris has a cradle! TWO! Shida ROCKS Kris, but Kris PELES! Shida staggers, but she comes back to ENZIGIRI! Both women are down and the fans fire up! The ref checks both women and they’re okay to continue, so a standing count begins. Shida and Kris stir at about 4 of 10, then rise up at 6.
Kris grabs Shida, but Shida fires a forearm! Dynamite returns to single picture as the shots go back and forth. Shida fires a flurry, then whips Kris to ropes. Kris ducks ‘n’ dodges, then dodges a knee! SNAP POWERSLAM! The fans fire up with Kris as she whips Shida to a corner. Kris runs up to UPPERCUT, then she goes side to side for a KNEE LIFT! Shida ends up in ropes but Kris reels her in. Fisherman BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Shida survives and the fans fire up again! Kris hoists Shida up, gut wrenches, but Shida slips free! DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Shida eggs Kris on, then dodges her to fire forearms! Kris just shakes her head!
Shida fires more shots, but Kris fireman’s carries! But Shida slips free, straitjacket roll-up! TWO!! KNEE STRIKE! And then short arm LARIAT! Shida takes aim, but she starts to doubt the Katana! Shida runs up but Kris dodges the boot to then scoop and INVERTED SLAM! Then Kris aims, DISCUS- NO, Shida backslides her! TWO!! Shida reels Kris in, suplexes, FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO?!? Kris survives and Shida is shocked! Shida brings Kris up but Kris fires body shots and forearms! Shida ROCKS Kris, but Kris wrenches to kick! Kris runs, but into the JUMP KNEE! Shida hurries to suplex, but Kris turns it around!
Shida slips out of Kris’ suplex to slip around, GERMAN SUPLEX! Shida roars, aims, KATA- NO, Kris gut wrenches! Tuck and STATURDAY NIGHT FEVER!! Cover, Kris wins!!
Winner: Kris Statlander, by pinfall
Shida gave Kris a powerful match, but clearly Shida has to iron out her own crisis of confidence. Kris still shows Shida respect by helping her up. But wait, here comes Mercedes Mone & Kamille! The fans boo The CEO & Brickhouse but Mone has a mic. “Readiiiiing~! Say hello to your C E O!” The fans boo instead. Mone asks Kamille if she wants to hear a fun fact about Pennsylvania. The 76ers have had yet another terrible season! Embarrassing~! But shoutouts to Mone’s Celtics for another incredible victory. The fans boo Boston but Mone says another person with an incredible win was Kris Statlander. Mone is rarely impressed by her competition.
Does anyone else want to hear another fun fact? “NO!!” Well, Mone has held the TBS Championship longer than Kris! So at Full Gear, Mone will NOT lose, because she is The CEO, the greatest TBS Champion of all time! And she will NEVER lose this title! Fans tell The CEO to STFU, but Mone tells Kamille go get the job done! She is so pissed off! GO! NOW! Kamille walks up the steps past Mone, but with only one good arm! Mone says hurry up, but Kamille looks at both Shida and Kris. Kamille takes as swing, but Kris blocks to ROCK her! Shida QUESTION MARK KICKS Kamille! Then Kris & Shida TOSS The Brickhouse!
Shida goes out after Kamille, but then Mone goes after Kris! Mone goes for the backstabber, but Kris holds onto ropes! Mone is almost stuck up there, but Kris pops her around! STATURDAY NIGHT FEVER!! The fans fire up as Kris stands tall over The CEO! Will Kris once again become the Face of TBS? Or will Mone find a way to win even without her insurance policy?
The Hurt Syndicate has a cameraman with them.
MVP says hold on, he and Shelton have found Swerve. They go after the man in the big fur jacket, but that’s not Swerve! Swerve gave his jacket to the guy, but MVP & Shelton still beat this guy up for helping Swerve. MVP says they’ll find Swerve later, Lashley has his match up next. And it’ll be a 2-on-1 Handicap?! The All Mighty really IS mad, what poor duo is about to be destroyed?
AEW hears from Jay White and Hangman Adam Page.
“Hangman. You and I are on that same path to that same destination, trying to grasp at that same prize. 2024 still has some time left for The Switchblade to share the spotlight with Hangman once more!” But the Blackhat Cowboy asks White if he knows “Who the hell I am?! I am the Hangman! I am THE man! They named this whole godforsaken PPV after ME!” White says when he makes Hangman TAP, it will be a public declaration! But Hangman says White can’t make him tap, even if his life depended on it! These two vicious gunslingers will write one more chapter in their storied rivalry, but who comes out riding off into the sunset?
2v1 Handicap: Bobby Lashley w/ The Hurt Syndicate VS Joe Keys & Cheeseburger!
The All Mighty thought he’d have an easy night getting in a little warm-up, but The Realest quickly reminded him why he’s the most dangerous man in AEW! Lashley’s now doubling down to make a point, will there be nothing left of Keys & Cheese after tonight?
The bell rings and while the fans rally for Cheeseburger, he and Keys each argue the other should start. Lashley runs up and TOSSES Burger across the ring! Keys runs away, Lashley runs to RAM into Burger! Lashley brings Burger up, Keys runs in, but Lashley catches him for a COMPLETE SHOT DDT COMBO! Lashley drags Keys up and TOSSES him out! Lashley then turns to look at Burger in the corner. The fans rally for Burger, but Lashley CLOBBERS him! The fans boo but MVP & Shelton high-five Lashley. Lashley drags Burger up to gut wrench, Canadian Rack, and DOMINATOR! Keys runs in to break the cover!
The fans cheer Keys as he fires hands, but Lashley just gets angrier! Keys short arm LARIATS, but Lashley stays up! Keys runs, into a MILE HIGH SPINEBUSTER! Lashley storms around, then aims at Keys. Keys staggers into the SPEAR! Lashley isn’t done there, and he clamps on the HURT LOCK! Keys can’t open that lock, he is OUT! Lashley wins!
Winner: Bobby Lashley, by submission
MVP & Shelton join Lashley in the ring to celebrate, but then “Whose House?” “SWERVE’S HOUSE!” The fans fire up, and here comes Prince Nana with a chair! Nana eggs the Hurt Syndicate on so Shelton storms out after Nana. MVP watches the rest of ringside for Swerve, but Swerve slides out from under the ring! The fans fire up as Swerve slips in to CHAIN PUNCH Lashley!! MVP gets on the apron but Swerve DECKS MVP with a chain punch! And then Shelton eats a chain punch! The fans are thunderous as Swerve aims, and hits a HOUSE CALL on Lashley! Swerve hurries to the top rope, and he gives Lashley a KILL STOMP!!
The fans are thunderous as Swerve stands over Lashley! MVP & Shelton get up and get in, but Swerve escapes, chain draped on his neck! Will AEW then, now and forever be whose house? “SWERVE’S HOUSE!”
Backstage interview with Mariah May & Mina Shirakawa.
Renee is now with the AEW Women’s World Champion and her best friend, the Rev-Pro Undisputed British Women’s Champion. They are planning their Championship Champagne Celebration for Full Gear, BUT Friday Night Rampage will feature the two of them teaming up for the first time in just over a year. Mariah says no champion deserves a celebration more than her. Her rise to the top was meteoric, and her reign will be historic. She takes ish and makes it shine, any time and any show, against anyone. In Mariah’s division, you hold this title, or you die.
Mina says yes, Mariah has been working so hard. She came back to tell her she is so very proud. And Mina will give Mariah a celebration she’ll never forget! Mariah says the “H Cup Angel” (Mina) and the “Woman from Hell” (Mariah herself) are going to make Rampage into Glampage. Everyone wants Mina, but Mina wants Mariah. And then… They’ll dance! These two shimmy and shake their way out, will they finally be toasting their victories at Full Gear?
Darby Allin VS Claudio Castagnoli w/ The Death Riders!
The Relentless One told The Swiss Superman that revenge was coming, and here is Darby’s chance! Will Darby avenge Bryan Danielson? Or will he just be the next to fall?
The bell rings and Darby stares Claudio down. Darby takes some deep breaths then circles with Claudio. Darby slips around to waistlock but Claudio flings him off, only for Darby to roll to his feet. They circle again, and the fans rally behind Darby. Darby and Claudio feel things out, tie up, and Darby headlocks. Claudio lifts Darby but Darby thrashes the hold. Claudio throws Darby off, runs up, but Darby uses that to get around and springboard arm-drag! The fans fire up while Claudio bails out, and Darby taunts Claudio with some drop steps. Claudio snarls, but then Darby fakes him out with a slingshot!
Claudio is annoyed and takes a swing but Darby slingshots up and over! Darby taunts Claudio again while the fans rally up. Claudio cools off before he storms up the steel steps. Claudio pops Darby up but Darby keeps from hitting buckles! Darby ELBOWS Claudio away, goes up, then leaps, but Claudio catches him! Claudio SLAMS Darby down, flips him back to his feet, but Darby slips around to waistlock. O’Conner Roll, TWO! Darby springboards to SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Claudio bails out but the fans fire up. Darby goes up a corner, and he SUPER COFFIN SPLASHES into a waistlock! Claudio swings and THROWS Darby away!
Darby staggers to his feet but Claudio runs up, to POUNCE Darby into railing! Darby writhes against the railing, but Claudio runs up to UPPERCUT Darby up and over! Fans freak out as Darby hits the floor! Claudio leaves Darby behind while the ring count climbs, but Darby drags himself up at 7. Claudio goes back out after Darby to suplex! Claudio holds Darby up while he marches up the steps! The fans fire up for this feat of strength and balance, and then Claudio TOSSES Darby back into the ring! Darby writhes again while Claudio steps back in. Claudio stalks Darby, talks some trash, and Dynamite goes picture in picture.
Claudio looms over Darby, then deadlift gut wrenches for a GUTBUSTER! And then another GUTBUSTER! And then another GUTBUSTER! Darby writhes while Claudio stands over him again. Claudio watches Darby crawl towards a corner and stalks him. Claudio drags Darby up, brings him around, and ROCKS Darby with a forearm! Darby pushes Claudio, then CHOPS! Claudio DECKS Darby! Darby tumbles out of the ring! The ref wants Claudio to stay back while Darby drags himself up. Darby is back in before the count starts, but then Claudio DOUBLE STOMPS him! Claudio kicks Darby around, then clamps on with a neck wrench!
Darby endures, fights up, but Claudio powers him down. Darby BITES Claudio’s hand! The ref reprimands but Darby fires off forearms on Claudio. Claudio HIP TOSSES Darby up and out of the ring! Darby hits the floor and flounders around while the ref reprimands Claudio. Claudio again waits on Darby, and then he DOUBLE STOMPS Darby the moment he’s in! The ref counts as Claudio stands on Darby at the ropes. Claudio steps off at 4, brings him around, and clamps on an armlock and chinbar. Darby endures, fights around, and manages to fireman’s carry Claudio! But Claudio rains down elbows! HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL even!
Claudio clamps on with a double wristlock and he grinds Darby down. Darby still endures and the fans rally up again. Darby fights around and Dynamite returns to single picture. Darby fires body shots but Claudio knees low! Claudio then HIP TOSSES Darby into a corner! Darby tumbles out of the ring but Claudio pursues! Claudio SWINGS Darby into railing! Then Claudio fireman’s carries, to TOSS Darby back in the ring! Claudio storms in while Darby flounders away. Darby flops back out of the ring but Claudio pursues him again. Darby trips Claudio up and traps him in the apron skirt! Darby then fires forearms, and BITES Claudio’s ear!
The fans fire up but Claudio shoves Darby away. Darby slides into the ring then DIVES onto Claudio! And then runs to DIVE again! Down goes Claudio and the fans fire up! Darby crawls over to bring Claudio up and into the ring. The fans fire up as Darby climbs up a corner, though slowly given all the damage to his back. That lets Claudio trip Darby up! Darby is stuck up top, and Claudio climbs up after him. Claudio gut wrenches for a SUPER GUT WRENCH PLEX!! Cover, TWO!! Darby survives and Claudio can’t believe it! The fans fire up but Claudio calls for the swing! Claudio grabs the legs, but Darby twists to a victory roll! TWO!!
Claudio escapes and runs up, but Darby ducks ‘n’ dodges, roll and- WHOA, Claudio has to fight to stay up, and then he deadlifts Darby! Darby pops through to CODE RED!! Cover, TWO!! Claudio survives and the fans fire up again! “This is Awesome!” as Darby and Claudio crawl for ropes. Claudio runs up to UPPERCUT! And UPPERCUT again and again and again! The ref backs Claudio off, but then Claudio fires off body shots! Darby flops over but Claudio has the legs. Claudio FLIPS Darby up and over the ropes, but Darby lands on the apron! Claudio BOOTS Darby down! The ref wants Claudio to hold on but Claudio goes out after Darby.
Claudio drags Darby by his legs, then SWINGS him around! Into steel steps!! The fans lose their minds, the ref reprimands Claudio, but Claudio doesn’t care. The fans tell Claudio he is sick, but Claudio TOSSES Darby over the announce desk!! Schiavone, Excalibur & Matt Menard narrowly avoid becoming collateral damage! But Claudio clears the desk and brings Darby up. Claudio puts Darby on the desk, then stands over him. The ref reprimands but Claudio just ignores him. Claudio drags Darby up, and gorilla presses him! SUPER DUPER TOSS onto the timekeeper’s table!! The fans lose their minds as Darby is down but that table’s somehow still standing!
The ref checks on Darby but Claudio storms right over! The ref tells Claudio to stop so they go to the ring. Claudio lets the ring count start, and yet Darby somehow stirs at 4 of 10! The fans rally as hard as they can and Darby crawls his way over! Darby is still far away at 7! But then he powers up and LEAPS in at 9!! But Claudio LARIATS Darby inside-out!! Cover, Claudio wins!
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli, by pinfall
Darby truly is relentless, with durability like no other, but it just wasn’t enough against the strength and brutality of Claudio! Will no one stop The Death Riders from running roughshod over AEW?
Backstage interview with Private Party.
Renee is with Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy and brings up that at Full Gear, the AEW World Tag Team Championships are on the line in a Fatal 4 Way. Private Party takes on The Acclaimed, The Outrunners and The Kings of the Black Throne. In such a match, the champs do NOT have to be pinned or submitted to lose their titles, so what is their strategy? Brother Zay says they obviously can’t tell her that, the other teams are watching. But it seems like the odds are against them. Fortunately, the odds have been against them their whole lives, their whole careers, just like against The Young Bucks.
But look what happened: Private Party defied the odds, beat The Bucks, and are your AEW World Tag Team Champions. That is the same thing that happens on Saturday. They leave Newark, New Jersey still your tag team champions. Because there ain’t no party like a Private Party, that’s a flex. Oh, speaking of! It’s AJ & Big Justice! They’re fired up to be here, but Justice wants to know what that face Zay made was last week. Oh, right, this one, with the chin scratching. And AJ says they’ve got a BIG announcement coming up after this! Maybe some double chunk chocolate cookies? BOOM!!
A green Porsche Taycan pulls up to the middle of nowhere.
And out steps MJF. The Wolf of Wrestling tells the hobo to “go get it” as he throws spare change off to the side like birdseed. MVP then sits back and tells Roderick Strong, “You’ve been through so much. The kid who grew up trailer park trash with two abusive alcoholic parents. For crying out loud! Your own mother shot your father right in front of you. That’s traumatizing. And as you know, Roddy, trauma is the result of an overwhelming sense of danger, powerlessness and fear. However, healing is a result of feeling safe, empowered and supported. That’s why you’d do anything for Cole. He makes you feel all those positive things that you lacked.
“It’s why I was no different than you. It’s why I trusted him. Unfortunately, the difference between you and I: Cole for me was a mirage of what I wanted him to be. A fraud, a liar. And whilst Cole is a fraud, I do actually believe deep down, in his narcissistic, sociopathic, frail, feeble frame, is a man who cares about Roderick Strong. This is precisely why upon further contemplation, I am happy you won, Roddy. Because I want Adam Cole to watch a person he cares about suffer! And because of your White trash upbringing, you aren’t intelligent enough to realize that you don’t have a prayer. And I’m sending you back to where you belong. To your grimy little trailer park.
“And after the match, you’ll be in so much physical anguish, you’ll wish your mother hadn’t shot your father, but instead shot you.” As if this scumbag couldn’t stoop any lower, he brings up Roddy’s past to hurt him. But will Roddy make sure MJF’s future is the one full of pain and suffering?
Backstage interview with AJ & Big Justice.
Renee is with the Costco Tiktok sensations and says that in the Full Gear Zero Hour, we will see #BigBoomAJ take on QT Marshall in a match 20 YEARS in the making. AJ says it may have been 20 years in the making for QT, this all started for AJ when QT threw the double chunk chocolate cookies down! Renee says AJ has not been in the ring in those 20 years, is he concerned about how his body will hold up? AJ isn’t worried about that, because he just has one strategy, and that’s the strategy they use each and every day. That strategy is to bring the BOOM~! But hey, there’s another special announcement.
Because when AJ rings QT’s bell, and he Power-Booms QT right in the middle of that ring, there is only one guy they want ringing the bell: Big Justice’s best friend, THE RIZZLER! Time to bring the BOOM~! Will QT be sleeping on the mat for The Rizzler? Will he be skibidi? Fanum Tax? Why are those even words?
Tony Schiavone is on stage.
And he welcomes out The Undisputed Kingdom! The fans cheer as Roderick Strong makes his way out, accompanied by Matt Taven & Mike Bennett. Schiavone brings up Roddy VS MJF at Full Gear, and we just heard all that disgusting stuff MJF had to say. Roddy’s response is that to be honest, he has not slept a wink since last week. IT is finally happening! Roddy feels like a kid on Christmas morning. He finally gets his hands on “MAAAAAX~!” The fans echo that, and Roddy says if MJF was here tonight, and not hiding out there, Roddy would ask him: Is Roddy supposed to be ashamed of his childhood?
Is Roddy supposed to be ashamed of his parents? You don’t think Roddy’s heard that stuff before? His whole LIFE, that is what people brought up! His mom’s an addict, his dad’s an addict, mom shot dad. Good job, Max, you made Roddy feel like he was in elementary school again. And people may look at Roddy’s past and feel sorry for him, but Roddy asks us not to. Because looking at MJF, Roddy feels sorry for him. Understand this, Max. With Roddy’s life, he learned that to get the most out of life, you have to earn it. If you wanna break the cycle, you have to earn it. And that is what Roddy’s done ever since he was a kid!
And now looking at MJF, he’s been spoon-fed everything. And when something doesn’t go his way or something happens and he doesn’t like it, MJF throws a temper tantrum like a baby until that changes. So Roddy wants MJF to do something for him: Look in the mirror and think about all the things that MJF has done to people. The manipulating, the backstabbing, the using. MJF needs to realize, when the bell rings at Full Gear, MJF will pay for all those sins. With every chop, with every punch, with every elbow, with every backbreaker! And when it is all over, Roddy walks to his hotel room for the best night of sleep in his life because he earned it.
Especially because Roddy will know he has broken MJF’s back, and left him humbled! Roddy is all fired up, and the fans are with him! Will MJF finally get what’s coming to him? Or will he give Roddy nightmares for the rest of his life?
AEW shares footage taken from last Saturday night.
First, a recap video of Daniel Garcia thwarting Jack Perry’s attempts to abduct and torture Matthew Menard, as well as the joyride they took in the Scapegoat bus, with Perry as the hood ornament. And now, they have Perry strapped into a chair, the bus headlights as the only source of light. Menard is behind the camera as he asks Perry how he’s feeling. How’d that work out for him, huh? Garcia splashes Perry with water to wake him up, and says “Let’s have a conversation. I’m all ears.” Perry chuckles and says Garcia thinks he’s so much better than him. Look at where they are! Garcia shouts back that he doesn’t wanna be here!
Garcia just wants to wrestle, but AEW is full of savages! Perry tried to take Daddy Magic’s life! And those in power just sit back and watch, pretending that nothing’s going on. So what do they do? Gotta take the power back, right? Perry counters with, “Everybody’s got a code. Everybody cares about right and wrong until it costs them something. Until they have to SACRIFICE!” Garcia gets in Perry’s face, grabs him by the mouth, and says Perry’s always going on about sacrifice but Perry has no idea what Garcia’s had to go through! Perry has NO idea what Garcia’s had to sacrifice to be here!
Garcia knows where Perry wants him to go, but Garcia promises that he’s never gonna go there. Perry smirks, then SPITS in Garcia’s face. Garcia wipes that off his face and says bet. Garcia’s got something for Perry, so just wait right there. Garcia goes to the bus while Perry mockingly asks what he’s gonna do. Menard tells shut up, Jack! Life must be so hard for him! What’s Jack got to be sad about?! Garcia comes back and he has a crowbar! Perry dares him to go ahead. Garcia raises the bar, but he SMASHES up the bus! Garcia throws the crowbar away and Perry laughs. Is that it? Garcia tells Menard they’ll get out of here. What? Where’s Garcia going?
Perry says yeah, walk away. Menard tells Perry that Garcia’s gonna whoop his ass! Just wait! Menard leaves, Perry shouts into the night, but will The Face of TNT soon be the one sacrificed for the greater good?
Renee Paquette presides over the ROH World Championship contract signing.
She welcomes us backstage to the signing for this match, which will happen next week, Dynamite: Thanksgiving Eve, in Chicago. The challenger, Tomohiro Ishii, is on her left, and the champion, Chris Jericho, is on her right. Jericho, as champion, you have the honors to sign first. Jericho smiles and waves as he says, “Hi, guys.” But Renee, you should know better. A champion of Jericho’s caliber does not just sign a contract thrust at his face randomly. He has a whole legal team that needs to approve this contract. Renee says it was sent to said legal team last week. Oh, really? What about today? The now! Jericho lives in the now!
Jericho says he’ll get this checked by his legal eagles one more time. But for now, wait here. Choto matte kudesai. Jericho steps around the corner and then down the hall. He smiles at his own picture on the wall. What a good looking guy. But wait, Ishii has followed Jericho to the hall. Jericho is a bit worried as he keeps moving. Jericho tries to block Ishii’s path but a trash can isn’t enough. Jericho tells staffers that Ishii wants to talk to them. They step in the way but Ishii pushes them aside. Jericho moves faster, pushes more people in the way, but Ishii pushes them aside. Was that RJ City?
Jericho goes up some stairs but Ishii follows. Ishii’s even gaining ground! Jericho goes through a doorway and ends up in the concourse! Fans cheer as Jericho and Ishii keep up their cat ‘n’ mouse game. Jericho decides to go into the stands! Ishii follows, and they head down the bleachers towards ringside! Jericho hurries over railing but so does Ishii. They go into the ring, and now Jericho tells Ishii to stop following him! Jericho wants a mic, a mic is brought, and Jericho says hey, listen, Ishii. Jericho would sign this contract, but he doesn’t have a pen. Ishii has a pen! Oh. Ishii clicks it for Jericho, and pushes it into him.
Jericho takes the pen, looks at the contract again, and still hesitates. Jericho signs his part, and then hands things over to Ishii. But then BRYAN KEITH & BIG BILL ATTACK! It was all a massive set-up! Bad Apple & Redwood beat down Stone Pitbull, and then sit him up! Jericho has the pen ready, but here comes The Conglomeration! Mark Briscoe & Rocky Romero rush in, and Mark TACKLES Jericho! Rocky fires off on Bill while Mark CHOKES Jericho! Keith saves Jericho from Mark but Mark fires hands on Keith! The fans fire up, but then Bill SKYSCRAPER- NO, Mark UPPERCUTS Bill first! Rocky adds on!
The fans fire up as The Conglomeration pinballs Bill, and then Ishii CLOBBERS him! Bill tumbles out, but Rocky DIVES! Bill is sent into railing! Keith stands up, into a kick and underhooks! JAY DRILLER! Jericho stands up, Ishii has him, and hits a BRAINBUSTER!! Conglomeration stands tall over The Learning Tree and his Branches, and now Ishii signs his part! The match is now official, and Ishii is looking to take a bite out of Jericho! Will The Conglomeration have the ROH World Championship to be thankful for this year?
Backstage interview with Jamie Hayter.
Renee is with the former AEW Women’s World Champion and notes that last time, we were going to hear from her, only for her to be interrupted by Julia Hart. What is Hayter’s reaction to that? Well, yeah, she isn’t angry, but she is baffled why Julia chose to interrupt Hayter. They’ve never really spoken or interacted, or even wrestled each other. Hayter is just curious as to why Julia felt it was okay to do that. Granted, Julia can do whatever she wants, Hayter moves to the beat of her own drum just as much as Julia. But… if Julia wants to have a chat-
Uh oh, something is happening to the video! Brody King’s message echoes, “It’s time to come home.” Julia Hart walks through the woods. Brody says The House is her foundation. She has seen her rebirth. Now it is time to rebuild. She has woken up stronger, more determined, and more dangerous than ever. Julia aims her arrow to shoot down a target: her past self. Her obstacles are just bull’s eyes. She is the Princess of the Black Throne, and the Keeper of Secrets. She is Julia Hart, and her heart grows harder. She hits her mark, but will she find Hayter Hits Hard?
Orange Cassidy VS Wheeler Yuta!
Freshly Squeezed has been accused of being coldblooded and uncaring, but he got pretty heated as he told The Conglomeration to keep themselves safe tonight. He goes 1v1 with The Decoder, a young man who was once Cassidy’s student, and who left him behind to join the then Blackpool Combat Club. If anyone is uncaring, it is Yuta with how he would then follow Jon Moxley’s lead in the destruction of Bryan Danielson and Chuck Taylor. Who will be the more ferocious fighter tonight, this close to Full Gear?
The bell rings and Yuta SHOTGUNS Cassidy! Yuta follows Cassidy to a corner to CHOP, then ROCK, then CHOP again! Yuta whips corner to corner but Cassidy goes up and out. Cassidy bumps Yuta off buckles, climbs up top, but has to leap over. Yuta comes back but Cassidy catches him to a backslide! TWO, but Cassidy reels Yuta in for a cradle! TWO! Yuta pulls on an ear! But Cassidy arm-drags and wrangles Yuta into the SEATBELT! TWO!! Yuta escapes and the fans fire up as these two stand off. Yuta huffs ‘n’ puffs, but Cassidy shows he wants a grapple. They feel things out, knuckle lock, but Cassidy blocks a kick!
Cassidy reels Yuta in for a headlock, but Yuta powers up and out. Cassidy ducks ‘n’ rolls, tilt-o-whirls, but Yuta suplexes! Into STUN DOG MILLIONAIRE! Yuta tumbles out and fans fire up! Cassidy builds speed to DIVE! Down goes Yuta and the fans fire up again! Cassidy brings Yuta up, whips, but Yuta reverses to reel Cassidy in! Cassidy fights the suplex, but then Yuta fights a suplex. Yuta suplexes, to RAILING BRAINBUSTER!! Cassidy writhes and fans are stunned! Yuta stomps Cassidy, then leaves him behind for the ring count. Cassidy crawls into the ring, Yuta exposes a crossbar, and then he GRINDS Cassidy’s face into the steel!
The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Yuta steps off at 4. Cassidy seethes as he rises up, but Yuta has him at the corner. Cassidy kicks Yuta’s legs out and Yuta falls onto a turnbuckle! Yuta falls back, Cassidy climbs, but Yuta grabs Cassidy first! Yuta drags Cassidy down but Cassidy fires hands. Yuta squeezes the facelock tight, then hits an APRON DDT! The fans boo Yuta while Cassidy writhes, and Dynamite goes picture in picture.
Cassidy clutches his neck while Yuta waits in the ring. A ring count starts and Yuta eggs Cassidy on. Cassidy reaches up as the count reaches 5 of 10, but he doesn’t sit up until 6. Cassidy hobbles up, stumbles and falls, but springs back to life! He slides in at 9! Only for Yuta to be right on him! Yuta reels Cassidy in, but Cassidy turns that into BEACH BREAK! Cover, TWO!! Yuta survives but Cassidy is too sore to be frustrated. They both sit up, and Yuta crawls his way over to a corner. Cassidy rises, checks his neck, then runs up, but into an ELBOW! Yuta goes up, but Cassidy JUMP FOREARMS! Cassidy positions Yuta just right before he climbs the corner.
Yuta resists but Cassidy still brings Yuta up. Yuta continues to fight the suplex, throws body shots, then shoves Cassidy down. Cassidy rolls back to his feet, runs back up the corner, but Yuta again fights the suplex! Cassidy fires hands, but Yuta fires back! They brawl up top, Cassidy HEADBUTTS Yuta! But Yuta HEADBUTTS back! They both wobble, but then Cassidy BITES Yuta! The ref reprimands, but Cassidy CLAWS Yuta’s back! This is very Moxley of him to do! And then Cassidy hits the SUPERPLEX! Both men are down and the ref checks. They’re both okay to continue, so a standing count begins!
Cassidy sits up, spots Yuta, and heads that way. Yuta sits up, they fire forearms as they stand! Dynamite returns to single picture as these shots go back and forth. The fans fire up for Cassidy but boo Yuta as the shots go faster and faster! Yuta BITES Cassidy’s forehead! Yuta spits then runs, but Cassidy dodges! BODY BLOW! SUPERKICK! Yuta sits down, Cassidy runs, PENALTY KICK! Cassidy slashes his throat, hauls Yuta up, BRAINBUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Yuta survives but Cassidy seethes. Cassidy rains down fists on Yuta! The ref reprimands about closed fists and hair pulling, but Cassidy doesn’t stop until the ref counts 4.
Cassidy stands, and he throws off the elbow pad! Cassidy aims at Yuta, runs up, but Yuta ducks the punch! GERMAN SUPLEX! Yuta runs to CHOP in the corner! And then a wrench and PAIN THRILLER! The fans boo while Yuta seethes and stands over Cassidy. Yuta sits Cassidy up, for HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! But Cassidy blocks one! And bends fingers, to then SNAP them! The fans fire up as Cassidy SNAPS finger after finger! Yuta swings, Cassidy BOOTS him, then serves up SOLE FOOD! Scoop and MICHINOKU DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Cassidy is busting out all his best friends’ best moves, but he hasn’t gotten it done!
Cassidy aims, loads up, and ORANGE- NO, Yuta ducks! Orange fights the suplex, switches to O’Conner Roll! TWO, Yuta dodges Cassidy, scoops him, and CROSS LEG TOMBSTONE!! Cover, TWO?!? Cassidy survives and Yuta is furious! The fans are thunderous, but Yuta rains down HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! Cassidy grits his teeth but he’s almost a ragdoll! Yuta lets off to then hook the arms, CATTLE MUTILATION!! Cassidy endures as Yuta thrashes him around! Cassidy powers up as the fans rally, and he kicks around to the ROPEBREAK!! Yuta holds on, the ref counts, and Yuta finally lets go at 4!
The ref reprimands Yuta, but Yuta pushes past the ref to go outside the ring. Yuta grabs a chair! Yuta storms into the ring while the fans boo, and the ref says don’t do it! Cassidy dodges the chair shot! Victory roll, CASSIDY WINS!!
Winner: Orange Cassidy, by pinfall
Yuta is in disbelief! Cassidy beat him with a technical move! Yuta snarls but the ref keeps him back. Cassidy did what he promised in beating Yuta, but then he stares his former student down. Is Cassidy going to offer a handshake? WAIT, PAC ATTACKS! The Bastard BOOTS Cassidy down so we’ll never know what Cassidy was going to do! The fans boo more but Pac & Yuta stand on Cassidy. The rest of the Death Riders appear, and Marina Shafir has duct tape! The AEW World Trios Champions stomp away on Cassidy, like vultures picking the bones. Moxley steps into the ring while Marina hands the tape over to Pac.
Claudio puts Cassidy’s hands in his pockets, and then Pac tapes them in! Cassidy is physically bound, and Moxley paces around. Cassidy is pushed around by all the Death Riders, then Moxley DECKS him! Claudio hauls Cassidy back up, the Death Riders keep bullying him, and then Moxley SLAPS Cassidy down! But the bullying continues as they stand Cassidy up. Cassidy “kicks” Moxley! Defiant to the end! But Moxley DECKS him again! Moxley paces around more, then stomps Cassidy right on the face! Moxley leads The Death Riders away, and The Conglomeration finally comes out here.
Mark has scissors to cut Cassidy loose, and the fans boo as The Death Riders still retreat. Cassidy tries to stand up, but he has to use ropes to do it. Even so, Cassidy stands on his own two feet. Moxley eggs on the fans while Cassidy puts his sunglasses on. And then hands up, and then into the pockets! Try as they might, The Death Riders could not break the Freshly Squeezed fighting spirit! Will Cassidy finally become AEW World Champion? Or will Moxley find a way to break Cassidy at Full Gear?
My Thoughts:
A great go-home Dynamite here, though it felt like it contracted Go Home Syndrome. A lot of recap and other promos, but good promos all the same. Good follow-up from last week with Hayter and Hart, that will probably really get going after Full Gear. Good promo from Mariah & Mina to hype up their celebration segment for Full Gear, and with Toni Storm’s announcement of her retirement, you can bet Toni is anything but retired! Toni Storm most assuredly will return very soon, maybe even to ruin the celebration and spark another feud. I still want us to get to Mariah VS Mina but maybe Storm moves things back so that Mariah VS Mina happens in 2025.
Good promo from Private Party to also have AJ & Big Justice show up. The promos didn’t really add much to any of the matches, though. I’m very sure AJ does hit the BOOM on QT to win, and then Private Party finds a way to survive the Fatal 4. Great stuff with Perry, Garcia and Menard, that was another very action movie kind of promo, maybe even like that grittier Batman movie. But with Garcia not sinking to the same lows as Perry, that will be why Garcia loses. Honestly, why not just have Perry blatantly get himself disqualified? What great heat for Perry while keeping Garcia strong in not becoming TNT Champion.
Great promos in this MJF story. I appreciate Cole throwing his support behind Roddy was good, as well as Kyle O’Reilly wanting Cole to just leave it at this. MJF of course insults Roddy over his past while also trashing Cole at the same time, but great response from Roddy. Also I’m not a car guy so it took me a little too long to Google out what car MJF was driving. Anyway, given all these promos, I am very confident MJF wins at Full Gear and then Cole still wants after MJF, only for Kyle to have to fight Cole to make him stop. Then we’ll maybe get Cole VS MJF at Worlds End, or even some time in 2025.
Very good stuff with The Hurt Syndicate, even with them getting jumped by Swerve. Poor Cheeseburger, that’s one fan favorite that got fed to Bobby Lashley. But Swerve getting the better of the Hurt Syndicate again and again tonight, all the more reason Lashley wins at Full Gear. Very good promo vignette from White and Hangman to hype up their grudge match, which still feels it could go either way since they’re tied on the year. And Jericho and Ishii had perhaps simultaneously the most clever and most ridiculous contract signing segment ever. And of course Jericho worked out some sort of trap, only for it to go badly for him and his team. But with that, that means Ishii is losing next week, as I figured he would.
Awesome opening match with the 8 Man, and I liked that they had Hobbs do the “fighting through the pain” angle in the match. Also, great bit with Kyle Fletcher sending Davis into harm’s way so that the Callis Family can get the better of Ospreay’s team. I thought the Faces were going to win here, but the math now says Ospreay finds a way to beat Kyle, and maybe Ricochet takes the International Championship from Konosuke Takeshita. The Continental Classic is coming, and they could easily use that round robin to get Konosuke back to a feud with Kazuchika Okada and they battle for the Continental Championship at Worlds End like we should’ve gotten at WrestleDream.
Awesome match from Kris VS Shida, and I appreciate the crisis of confidence for Shida. Kris gets a great win to go into Full Gear, and then Kris and Shida get the better of Mone & Kamille, so all the more reason Mone finds a way to survive. As for Kamille, I feel like she should ditch Mone for being treated like crap by Mone, and maybe we can get a feud of Mone VS Kamille going into 2025. And of course, plenty of promos from Death Riders and “Team AEW” members. Moxley just kinda went on and on about stuff he’s already said in reference to Cassidy, but I did like Claudio going bilingual in talking trash on Darby.
Awesome matches from those stories, of course. Darby really got thrown around but he continues to show that toughness. Claudio getting the win mostly keeps Darby back so that Darby can build towards a world title match at Worlds End. Cassidy VS Yuta was great stuff, too, with great back and forth of Cassidy wanting to end it quick, having to grit it out with Yuta, and then Cassidy still finding a way to end it with a quick pin. And they did a good job muddying the math. Cassidy wins the match, but the Death Riders beat him down, only for Cassidy to literally stand tall at the end of the show. I still don’t see him taking the world title from Moxley, though, with Darby still in the wings, but this could end up Cassidy’s best match yet.
My Score: 8.9/10
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Will this be the mightiest Tag League yet?
It’s time for NJPW World Tag League 2024, and this year already looks mighty good as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Zack Sabre Jr, is in the A Block! Will he and Ryohei Oiwa make everyone #JustTapOut?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – Shoma Kato VS Masatora Yasuda; Kato wins.
- Six Man Tag: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jado & Katsuya Murashima VS Taiji Ishimori & The Filip Brothers; Taiji & The Filip Brothers win.
- Six Man Tag: Toru Yano, Boltin Oleg & Tiger Mask VS The House of Torture; The House of Torture wins.
- Six Man Tag: Taichi, Douki & Taka Michinoku VS The United Empire; Taichi, Douki & Taka win.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS TMDK; TMDK wins.
- World Tag League 2024 A Block: Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma VS Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman; Cobb & Callum win.
- World Tag League 2024 A Block: Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji VS Alex Zayne & Ryusuke Taguchi; Takagi & Tsuji win.
- World Tag League 2024 A Block: Bishamon VS KENTA & Chase Owens; Bishamon wins.
- World Tag League 2024 A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa VS Gabe Kidd & SANADA; ZSJ & Oiwa win.
PLAY BY PLAY
World Tag League 2024 A Block: Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma VS Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman!
The Roughneck is bringing Everyone’s Kokeshi along for the ride, but this league might already be too much to handle. Can Honma help Shota bring about his Paradigm Shift? Or will they just get conquered by the United Empire?
The teams sort out and Shota starts against The Imperial Unit. The bell rings and Shota runs up to RAM Cobb! And RAM! And RAM! Cobb stays up so Shota kicks low. Shota runs to RAM Cobb, but Cobb rebounds to CLOBBER Shota! The fans cheer while Cobb stalks Shota. Cobb brings Shota up to whip him to a corner. Shota comes back to RAM Cobb! Cobb stays up, so Shota clinches! Cobb fights free with elbows, but Shota dodges a lariat to RAM Cobb! Cobb falls over! The fans fire up with Shota, and he brings Cobb up again. Callum runs in so Shota shoves Cobb aside to catch Callum. Shota shoves Callum at Honma for a shoulder tackle!
The fans fire up as Shota keeps moving and he SOMERSAULT SENTONS Callum! Shota then sets up so he and Honma can tabletop Cobb! Cobb sits up into Shota’s SHOTGUN! The fans fire up and Shota tags Honma. The fans rally behind Honma as he CLUBS Cobb. Honma reels Cobb in, but Cobb suplexes first! Cobb SLAMS Honma down, then calls for Callum. Callum rises but Cobb says hold on. The “Cobby Cat” mocks Honma by bopping himself on the head. Cobb then runs to FALLING KOKESHIÂ FLOP! Honma winds up and runs, but Callum is in the way! Cobb runs up, Honma dodges the lariat but Callum tags in.
Cobb dodges Honma, then shoves him at Callum. They pinball Honma around, and Callum BOOTS Honma while Cobb BLASTS Shota! Then Callum & Cobb coordinate to HIGH LOW with a shoulder tackle and leg sweep! The fans cheer and Cobb says You Can’t See Him! Callum stomps Honma, then KICKS him in the back. Honma gets mad but Callum scuffs him again and again. Honma rises, CHOPS, and CHOPS again! Callum CHOPS and pretends that hurt his hand. Callum CLUBS Honma down but the fans rally up. Honma rises to CHOP! And CHOP! And CHOP! Callum kicks low, reels him in, but Honma fights the suplex!
Honma catches Callum’s lariat to spin and DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down! Callum and Honma crawl, but Honma hot tags Shota! Shota rallies on Callum with big elbows! Shota whips, Callum reverses, but SHota ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER Callum! Cobb runs up, but Shota arm-drags him, then dropkicks the legs out! Cobb bails, Shota fires up, and the fans rally again. Shota whips Callum corner to corner, runs up on him, and UPPERCUTS! Shota reels Callum in for a FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Not quite perfect but Shota doesn’t let that slow him down!
Shota waits on Callum, then runs, but Callum avoids Ignition to hook Shota! Shota fights the backslide so Callum whips him to a corner. Callum runs up but Shota dodges! Shota runs up but Callum goes up and over! Callum keeps moving, but Shota ROCKS him, UPPERCUTS him, and runs! Callum follows to ROCK Shota at the ropes! Callum runs, but then stops to fake out Shota’s dropkick! Shota sits up, but he ducks the Penalty Kick! Shota rolls Callum but Callum rolls through. Shota ROCKS Callum, then spins, but Callum dodges the rolling elbow! DREAMCAST KICK! Shota drops to his knees and the fans fire up!
Callum and Shota crawl, hot tag to Cobb! Cobb runs up to waistlock Shota for a deadlift! Shota fights with elbows, goes to run, but Cobb reels him in for a forearm to the back! Cobb runs, but Shota DROPKICKS him! The fans fire up again and Shota heads for his corner. Hot tag to Honma! The fans rally as Honma CHOPS Cobb, and CHOPS, and CHOPS! Honma puts Cobb in a corner, whips him corner to corner, then runs up. Honma ELBOWS Cobb and hits a BULLDOG! The fans fire up as Honma shows Cobb how it’s done! FALLING KOKESHI- NO! Now Honma FLOPS as Cobb moves! Callum runs up to SHOTGUN Shota off the apron!
The fans fire up as Cobb RAMS Honma into the corner! Callum runs up to forearm SMASH! Callum drops down and Cobb LEAPS over to ELBOW Honma! Callum comes back and Cobb pops him up to the apron! ENZIGIRI, then fireman’s carry! Callum climbs, DOUBLE STOMP ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! PENALTY KICK and GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULT! Cover, Shota breaks it! The fans fire up and Shota TOSSES Callum! Cobb kicks Shota, whips, but Shota reverses to TORNADO DDT! Shota shouts to Honma and the fans fire up again. Honma rises and he storms up on Cobb. Honma & Shota double whip corner to corner!
Honma runs up to LARIAT! Honma feeds Cobb to Shota’s UPPERCUT! Honma LARIATS, Shota clinches, EXPLODER!! The fans cheer and Honma runs, SLIDING KOKESHI! Shota keeps moving, IGNITION! Honma covers, Callum breaks it! Shota stomps Callum out of the ring and leaves the rest to Honma. Honma drags Cobb up, but Cobb fights the suplex! Cobb ROCKS Honma, whips him, but Honma grabs ropes! Honma BOOTS Cobb, and Shota joins in! DOUBLE RUNNING KOKESHI! And then they DOUBLE FALLING KOKESHI! Cover, TWO!! Cobb survives but Shota goes after Callum! CANNONBALL to the floor!
The fans fire up again as Honma climbs! FLYING- NO, Cobb catches Honma! SPINEBUSTER, and FALLING HAMMER! Cover, TWO!! Honma survives and the fans fire up again! But then Cobb reels Honma in, for a TOUR OF THE ISLAND!! Cover, United Empire wins!
Winners: Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman, by pinfall (gain 2 points; Shota & Honma earn 0)
A powerful showing from “The Kokeshi Brothers,” but they could not bring down Callum & Cobb. With the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships already on Great-O-Khan & Henare, will The United Empire completely dominate the NJPW Heavyweight Tag Division?
World Tag League 2024 A Block: Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji VS Alex Zayne & ???
Los Ingobernables de Japon’s heavy formation is in this block, ready to rampage like twin dragons. If only The Sauce could’ve brought his own monster back. Who will be the substitute for Lance Archer? And can he help heat things up?
Zayne makes his entrance before anyone else, and asks to speak on the mic. A mic is given, and Zayne says, “Kon’nichiwa.” The fans applaud, and Zayne explains that when he was contacted this year for WTL, he was also informed that Lance Archer could not make it. Zayne knew he had to do one thing: find the most “delicious” tag partner he could find. And that man is… RYUSUKE TAGUCHI!? The fans can’t believe the Funky Weapon is joining Zayne in this tournament! And he wears a green version of Zayne’s gear! Are things about to get really spicy now?
The teams sort out, and Takagi is in disbelief. LIJ fist bumps and the fans applaud. Taguchi and Zayne bow, “Itadakimasu,” and Zayne starts against Yota. They circle, tie up, and Yota powers Zayne back. But Zayne powers Yota back! Yota powers up to power Zayne onto the ropes, but Zayne turns things around. The ref counts, Zayne lets off slowly with a pat on the shoulders, but Yota plays with Zayne’s hair. Zayne smirks and Yota grins as the two reset. They circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Yota headlocks, but Zayne powers up and out. Yota RAMS Zayne but neither man falls. Fans cheer as Yota grins and Zayne plays with his own hair.
Things speed up suddenly, and Zayne sidesteps. Yota bucks the O’Conner Roll, then gets around Zayne. Zayne ELBOWS Yota away to a corner. Zayne runs up to BACK ELBOW and go to the apron in one go! Then he slingshots to RANA! Yota has a rough tumble, but he stands back up. Zayne runs up again, dodges the lariat and waistlocks, only to bring Yota back and run. Yota sidesteps Zayne then drops down, only for Zayne to IMPLODER KNEE DROP! The fans fire up but Zayne keeps moving, STANDING MARIPOSA! The fans cheer more while Zayne grins at Takagi. Zayne brings Yota up, tags Taguchi, and they double whip.
“Funky Sauce” misdirects Yota to hit a BULLDOG then basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! The fans cheer and Taguchi stomps Yota. Taguchi brings Yota up, kicks low, then whips. Yota reverses but Taguchi RANAS! A little slippery, but then Zayne BLASTS Takagi off the apron! Funky Sauce takes aim, Taguchi PLANCHASÂ but flops as Yota moves! Zayne is on the apron but Takagi YANKS Zayne down! The fans rally but Takagi hauls Zayne up to whip him into railing! Yota drags Taguchi up and puts him in the ring. Takagi gets the fans fired up, then he stands Taguchi up. LIJ double whip Taguchi to then DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE!
The fans cheer and then Takagi SENTONS! Yota SPLASHES down! Cover, TWO! Taguchi stays in this but Yota tags Takagi. The fans rally and duel while Takagi stands Taguchi up. Takagi bumps Taguchi off buckles, RAMS into him again and again, then digs his shoulder in. The ref counts, Takagi steps back, and he snapmares Taguchi down. Tag to Yota and Yota drags Taguchi up. Yota snapmares Taguchi to ROCK him in the back! Taguchi falls back, Yota tags Takagi, and LIJ drags Taguchi up. They DOUBLE ATOMIC DROP! Taguchi hobbles in pain, falls to his knees, and Takagi BLASTS Zayne off the apron!
Takagi gets annoyed with this Funky Sauce, but Taguchi fires off CHOPS! Taguchi runs, but Takagi easily dodges the hip attack! Takagi then suplexes Taguchi high and hard! Cover, TWO! Taguchi survives and the fans fire up. Takagi hears the fans dueling as he stomps Taguchi. Takagi KNEES Taguchi against the ropes again and again, then whips, for another KNEE! Takagi runs, but into a SOMERSAULT HIP ATTACK! The fans fire up while both men are down! Taguchi and Takagi crawl, hot tag to Zayne! Zayne jumps in and DECKS Takagi, then he BLASTS Yota! Zayne swats a lariat to fire elbow after ELBOW!
Takagi blocks the superkick to CLUB the leg! Yota joins in, LIJ whips Zayne, but Zayne KICKS Takagi, mule kicks Yota, and runs, DOUBLE SOMERSAULT KICKS! The fans fire up and Zayne runs at Takagi. Takagi ELBOWS Zayne, BOOTS him, then goes up. Zayne returns to JUMPING STEINERS! The fans fire up while Zayne covers, TWO! Takagi stays in this but Zayne brings him right up. Zayne goes to scoop but Takagi fights it! Zayne CHOPS, scoops, and BAJA- NO, Takagi slips free! SLIDING- NO, Zayne dodges! Zayne mule kicks, runs, but into the ELBOW! JAB! YUKONÂ feint and DDT! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up!
Takagi pounds the mat, the fans rally behind him, and he crawls, hot tag to Yota! Yota fires up and the fans are with him. Yota brings Zayne around to whip, but Zayne stops himself. Zayne dodges Yota, Yota dodges Zayne, and both men kick low! Yota comes back to BOOT! The fans cheer and Yota brings Zayne up again. Yota fireman’s carries but Zayne fights free. Yota ROCKS Zayne first! Yota tries another fireman’s carry but Zayne sunset flips it! TWO, and both men stand! Zayne rolls Yota, BASEMENT ENZIGIRI! Zayne hurries to hot tag Taguchi! Taguchi HIP ATTACKS in a corner! Taguchi goes corner to corner, for another HIP ATTACK!
Taguchi keeps moving, but Yota runs up! Taguchi dropkicks Yota’s legs out! The fans fire up and Taguchi keeps going! Another dropkick to legs, then a LEG SWEEP! Taguchi rolls Yota into the OH MY GAH ANKLE!! Zayne BOOTS Takagi off the apron! Yota scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! Taguchi lets go but he brings Yota back up. Taguchi traps Yota and Zayne runs in to ELBOW! Zayne then sets up and Taguchi runs, SHOTGUN IN MOTION! Taguchi then brings Yota out to GOURD BUSTER! The fans fire up as Zayne climbs! But Yota KICKS Taguchi away, then GAMANGIRIS Zayne off the corner!
Taguchi kicks Yota, runs, but into a scoop and BACKBREAKER! Takagi slides in, and he finds the camera, “TOKI GA KITA!” The fans fire up as the time has come, and they join in on a chant of “OI! OI! OI!” LIJ whips Taguchi to a corner, then Yota runs in to ELBOW! Takagi whips Yota back in to SPLASH! Takagi adds a LARIAT, then feeds Taguchi to a BOOT! BLINDSIDE LARIAT! SUPERKICK! Taguchi is down, Yota covers, TWO! Taguchi stays in this and the fans fire up. Takagi stands Taguchi up and throws him to Yota for a POWERBOMB! Cover, Zayne breaks it! Takagi drags Zayne up, LIJ mugs him, but he fights back with CHOPS!
The fans fire up but Yota spins Zayne around to facelock, and Takagi wheelbarrows. Yota helps Takagi swing Taguchi down, then up for a BOOSTED WHEELBARROW GERMAN!! The fans fire up and Takagi leaves it to Yota. Yota takes aim and the fans rally. Taguchi rises, Yota runs in, GENE- LEG DROP!? And then La Magistrol! TWO!! Yota escapes in time, but Taguchi spins him to a backslide! TWO!! Yota escapes again! But Taguchi ENZIGIRIS! Taguchi fires up and the fans are with him! But Takagi LARIATS! GENE TRIGGER! PUMPING BOMBER!! And now Yota loads up, for the GENE BLASTER!! Cover, LIJ wins!
Winners: Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (gain 2 points; Zayne & Taguchi earn 0)
The Funky Sauce was hot, but they’re the ones that got burned! Will they be able to spice things up in the second round? Will Takagi & Tsuji keep the tag league tranquilo?
World Tag League 2024 A Block: Bishamon VS KENTA & Chase Owens!
Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi once again clash with The Fang & The Jewel, both sides hungry for gold. Will it be Lights Out in the opening round? Or will someone just #Go2Sleep?
The teams sort out but then Bullet Club just attacks! Chase is after Goto and Kenta is after Hashi, and they put each man in corners. The bell rings to get this on record as Kenta TOSSES Hashi. Chase CHOKES Goto in the corner, then stands on him! The ref reprimands and Chase lets off to bring Goto up. Chase ROCKS Goto, whips him, and Kenta POSTS Hashi! Chase hits a big hip toss then covers, TWO! The fans rally up while Chase stomps Goto’s leg. Chase scrapes his sole off Goto’s face, and Kenta whips Hashi again. Hashi reverses and Kenta hits railing in front of English commentary! Chase ROCKS Goto, CHOPS him, then whips.
Goto grabs ropes to stop, then he BOOTS Chase! Hashi returns and Bishamon DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE! Then ZENMAI! Kenta returns but Bishamon kicks him first. “Se no!” Bishamon BEATS Kenta like a drum! The fans cheer and Bishamon flexes. Goto then goes back to Chase to stomp and CLUB him down. Goto kicks Chase, Chase shoves Goto and ROCKS him with a forearm! Goto knees Chase low, runs, but Chase TOSSES Goto out! Goto hurries back up, he counter punches Chase, and then counter punches Kenta! Chase slips out to YANK Goto down and THROW him into railing! Kenta intercepts Hashi with a kick!
Kenta whips Hashi away into railing while Chase sends Goto into other railing! The ref reprimands but Chase brings Goto through the gate. Chase has fans move out of the way, but then brings Goto back to ringside. Chase grins as he trolls the fans and pushes Goto into the ring. Kenta CLUBS away on Hashi before leaving him behind. Chase pulls on Goto’s arms then TWEAKS Goto’s neck! Not a twist, but equally painful. Chase tags Kenta while the fans rally for “GO-TO-O! GO-TO-O!” Kenta pushes Goto into the corner, Goto hits Chase, but Kenta RAMS Goto! The ref reprimands and counts as Kenta RAMS Goto more!
Kenta sits Goto down, and digs his boot in! The ref counts, Kenta stops at 4, and he tags Chase back in. They stomp Goto more, then Chase headlocks for a sucker punch! Cover, TWO! Chase drags Goto up and he bumps Goto off Kenta’s boot. Tag to Kenta and Bullet Club double whips. They DOUBLE ELBOW Goto down then Kenta covers, TWO! Kenta covers again, TWO! Kenta argues with the ref but the count was fair. Kenta drops an elbow, drops another elbow, then covers, TWO! Kenta gets mad at Hashi for no reason, but the fans rally up for Goto. Kenta CLUBS Goto, but Goto fires CHOPS in return!
Kenta knees low, whips Goto to a corner, but Goto reverses. Goto runs up but into a BOOT! Kenta runs but Goto follows! Goto avoids Chase’s cheap shot to LARIAT Kenta! The fans fire up while Goto and Kenta are down! Goto crawls, hot tag to Hashi! The fans fire up as Hahsi BLASTS Chase! Kenta kicks Hashi low then whips him to a corner. Kenta runs up but Hashi CHOPS in return! And mule kicks! And turns Kenta for a NECKBREAKER! The fans fire up and Hashi watches Kenta. Hashi waits on Kenta to rise, then runs up to CHOP! Hashi hoists Kenta up to hang him out to dry! The fans fire up as Hashi runs, and he DROPKCISK Kenta down! Cover, TWO!
The fans cheer Hashi on as he brings Kenta up. Hashi reels Kenta in, lifts, but Kenta fights with fists! Kenta slips free of the bomb, then slips around Hashi to spin and- NO, Hashi suplexes first! But Kenta slips free again, and he spins Hashi around, to SPIKE DDT! Hashi is stood up on his head before falling over, and Kenta tags in Chase. Chase brings Hashi up and fireman’s carries. Hashi fights free of that, but Chase slips around to half nelson, lift, and SWINGING FACEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Hashi survives but Chase says time to end this! Chase takes aim, C- NO, Hashi dodges the trigger! Chase knees low, runs, but Hashi dropkicks the legs!
The fans fire up whiel both men are down! Chase clutches his leg while Hashi crawls. Hot tag to Goto! Goto runs at Chase to LARIAT in the corner! Goto whips corner to corner, runs up again, but Chase BOOTS him! But Goto comes back! Only for Chase to BUCKLE SHOT and STO, then SENTON! Kenta steps in and Bullet Club drags Goto up. But Goto fires forearms and CHOPS! Kenta SOBATS! Chase KICKS! Kenta ROUNDHOUSES! Goto sits up into the “I HATE YOU!” PENALTY KICK! Cover, but Hashi breaks it! Kenta TOSSES Hashi then goes out after him. Chase drags Goto up and reels him in.
Chase tucks the arms but Goto fights the lift! Goto wrenches out but Chase ROCKS him first! Chase runs, Goto follows, but Chase ENZIGIRIS! Goto stays up, but the C-TRIGGER hits! Cover, TWO!! Goto survives but Chase hurries up! C-TRIGGER POINT BLANK!! And then the tuck for the PACKAGE PILE- NO, Hashi hits a BLOCKBUSTER! The fans fire up, Kenta BOOTS Hashi! Goto fireman’s carries Kenta but Kenta slips free! Kenta shoves Goto into Hashi, then waistlocks Goto. Goto fights the lift, and then ducks, HIDDEN GAP SUPERKICK for Kenta! The fans fire up as Bishamon regroups.
Hashi drags Chase up, whips him to Goto, but Chase BOOTS Goto! Chase swings on Hashi but Hashi ducks the lariat. Hashi powers Chase to ropes, Goto BLINDSIDE LARIATS, and then Hashi rolls Chase. Goto drags Chase up, Hashi has the legs! Chase BOOTS Hashi away! Chase then slips around to dragon sleeper, to steal G T- NO, Goto drops down to victory roll! Chase stands up, into a SUPERKICK! Goto drags Chase around while Hashi BLASTS Kenta! Dragon sleeper and SHOTO!! Cover, Bishamon wins!!
Winners: Bishamon, by pinfall (gain 2 points; Kenta & Chase earn 0)
Another classic in this storied rivalry, worthy of the titles themselves! Will this first win be the win that leads the Fierce Warrior & Headhunter back to the titles? Can Kenta & Chase borrow a page from Bishamon and #GetBackUp in the next round?
World Tag League 2024 A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa VS Gabe Kidd & SANADA!
TMDK has a team in each block, doubling their chances of taking this league. But perhaps burying the lead is the fact that THE IWGP World Heavyweight Champion is joining in the fun! Will The Front Man & The Mullet rock this league right from the start? Or will the Mad Man and the turncoat Cold Skull get this tournament #WarReady?
The teams sort out but Oiwa gets in Gabe’s face. Gabe pushes Oiwa, they start, and they tie up at the bell. The fans rally as Oiwa and Gabe are in a deadlock. They go around at center, then Oiwa digs his heels in to push Gabe back. Gabe turns things around to put Oiwa on ropes, but Red Shoes calls the break. Gable lets off, to then CHOP! Gabe scoops and SLAMS Oiwa, then he goes for legs. Oiwa UPKICKS Gabe, then stands up to scoop and SLAM Gabe! Gabe UPKICKS back, both men get up and go face to face. Then they go forearm for forearm! The fans rally as Oiwa gets the edge, but Gabe CHOPS!
Gabe headlocks. Oiwa powers up and out, and they RAM shoulders! Gabe eggs OIwa on and he runs to RAM Gabe! They both run now, and they RAM shoulders again, and again, and again! Gabe CHOPS then runs, but Oiwa CLOBBERS Gabe! The fans fire up while Gabe bails out. Oiwa eggs Gabe on and Gabe snarls. Gabe shakes the railing in frustration, then he paces around the outside. Gabe cools off, slides in, but then tags Sanada. Sanada steps in slowly, so Oiwa tags in ZSJ. The two rivals circle and the afns rally behind “ZAKKU! ZAKKU!” ZSJ and Sanada feel things out, knuclke lock, and ZSJ rolls to wrench.
Sanada is already frustrated so he kicks ZSJ low! Sanada TOSSES ZSJ out and then Gabe goes after Oiwa! Gabe CHOPS away on Oiwa while Sanada sends ZSJ into railing! And then more railing! Gabe does the same to Oiwa, and Sanada storms up on ZSJ. Sanada CLAWS ZSJ’s back, a definite attitude change showing. Gabe Too Sweets with Taiji Ishimori on commentary while Sanada pushes ZSJ into the ring. Sanada whips ZSJ to a corner, but ZSJ goes up, under, around, and RAMS into Sanada! ZSJ snapmares, Sanada handsprings through, but ZSJ UPPERCUTS him down! Tag to Oiwa and he BLASTS Gabe!
Oiwa goes back to Sanada and stands him up. Oiwa wrenches an arm, YANKS it, then wrenches to YANK it again. Oiwa tags ZSJ and ZSJ brings Sanada around to wrench, step over, and wrangle into a mounted armbar! Sanada endures as ZSJ bends the fingers and isolates the arm, to STOMP it! The fans cheer, ZSJ tags Oiwa, and Oiwa CLUBS Sanada’s arm. Oiwa headlocks for a takeover, then isolates the arm in an short arm scissor! The fans rally while Sanada endures and kicks around. Sanada reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes calls it, Oiwa lets Sanada go, but then Oiwa brings Sanada up.
Oiwa whips, Sanada reverses, and Gabe trips Oiwa up! Sanda BLASTS ZSJ while Oiwa drags Oiwa out of the ring! Now things spill out into the crowd! Gabe CHOPS Oiwa, then SMACKS him off empty chairs! Sanada BOWLS ZSJ into chairs! Not quite a strike, so Sanada JAMS ZSJ up with a chair! That picks up the spare, and we can hear Gabe’s CHOPS on Oiwa echo out. Gabe stomps Oiwa while Sanada CHOKES ZSJ with a chair! Red Shoes reprimands the War Dogs, but Gabe POSTS Oiwa! Gabe says War Dogs run this, but Red Shoes starts a ring count. Gabe flexes on Oiwa, then drags him up at 7 of 20.
Gabe puts Oiwa in at 10 and Sanada covers, TWO! Oiwa stays in this and the fans rally behind him. Sanada is annoyed but he brings Oiwa up. Sanada CLUBS Oiwa, then bumps him off Gabe’s boot. Oiwa sputters while Sanada tags Gabe in. Gabe drags Oiwa up, mockingly asks where Zack-senpai went, then he UPPERCUTS Oiwa down. Gabe TOSSES Oiwa out, and he BLASTS ZSJ off the apron! Sanada whips Oiwa into railing! Gabe lifts ZSJ bu tZSJ wrenches free to KIMURA! Gabe powers through, to BITE ZSJ on the forehead! Sanada sends Oiwa into more railing, Gabe sends ZSJ through railing and into chairs!
Sanada BOWLS Oiwa into chairs now, there is the strike! Sanada continues to show his new edge as he JAMS Oiwa up with a chair. Red Shoes reprimands so Sanada brings Oiwa back to ringside. Sanada puts Oiwa in for Gabe and Gabe pushes Oiwa to a cover. Red Shoes says no, all the shenanigans were not right. Gabe gets in Red Shoes’ face about that, but Red Shoes stands his ground. Gabe storms around while the fans rally behind Oiwa. Gabe drags Oiwa up, to CHOP! Oiwa wobbles but he rises up. Oiwa CHOPS, and CHOPS, and fires forearms! Gabe DECKS Oiwa with just one! The fans still rally for Oiwa but Gabe stands on Oiwa’s face!
Gabe soaks up the heat, scuffs Oiwa and stomps him around. Oiwa sits up, Gabe runs, but Oiwa reels him in! Gabe fights the waistlock, runs, but into a SNAP GERMAN! The fans fire up while both men are down! Oiwa and Gabe crawl, hot tags to ZSJ and Sanada! The fans fire up as ZSJ dodges Sanada, full nelsons, then spins him to a headlock. Sanada powers out but ZSJ catches him to a COBRA TWIST! Sanada powers out to HIP TOSS, but ZJS UP KICKS! Sanada avoids the Penalty Kick, blocks the boot, but ZSJ steps through the dragon screw to NECK TWIST! And basment DROPKICK! The fans fire up and we’ve only hit 10 minutes!
ZSJ drags Sanada up, UPPERCUTS him, then UPPERCUTS again! Sanada blocks the next to spin and suplex, but ZSJ says no to the Magic Screw! NORTHERN LIGHTS! Bridging cover, TWO! Sanada escapes but ZSJ stays focused. ZSJ stands Sanada up to scoop, but Sanada slips free. ZSJ fights the waistlock, runs, but into a dropkick to the legs! Sanada then DROPKICKS ZSJ down! Sanada fireman’s carries but ZSJ slips free, to have the IRON OCTOPUS! The fans rally while Sanada endures, and Sanada powers out to have a leg! DROPPING DRAGON SCREW! ZSJ clutches the leg and Sanada takes aim! SHINING-
NO, ZSJ ducks, but Sanada catches him to a backslide! ZSJ rolls through to NECK TWIST! Tag to Oiwa and Oiwa BLASTS Gabe off the apron! Oiwa goes back to Sanada and brings him up. Oiwa whips Sanada to ropes, ELBOWS Him down, then ZSJ PENALTY KICKS Sanada! Oiwa deadlift GUT RWENCH PLEXES! Cover, Gabe breaks it! Gabe CHOPS away on ZSJ and Oiwa, but ZSJ blocks! Oiwa DOUBLE CHOPS! ZSJ UPPERCUTS! ZSJ & Oiwa DOUBLE DROPKICK Gabe down! The fans fire up with Oiwa and he clamps onto Sanada with a SLEEPER! Sanada endures and fights up, but Oiwa thrashes him around!
Sanada still fights to his feet, slips around the back, and shoves Oiwa to ropes. Gabe trips Oiwa up! Oiwa kicks at Gabe but Sanada kicks ropes to jam Oiwa up! Sanada suplexes Oiwa into the MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down but the fans rally up again. Sanada crawls over, tag to Gabe, and Gabe storms right up on Oiwa. Gabe UPPERCUTS Oiwa right down! Gabe then puts Oiwa in a corner to fire off forearm after forearm! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, but Gabe digs his boots in while talking trash. Gabe shoves Red Shoes aside so he can keep stomping away on Oiwa! The fans rally and Red Shoes backs Gabe off.
Gabe seethes but the fans continue to rally for Oiwa. Oiwa grits his teeth as he sits up, but Gabe ROCKS him with another shot! Oiwa still looks up defiantly at Gabe, so Gabe fires shots! Gabe says Oiwa’s not worthy of being his NJPW Strong Openweight Challenger. Gabe says Oiwa’s just some “weak ass kohai!” Gabe SPITS on Oiwa, but Oiwa gets in Gabe’s face! Gabe fires slapping strikes, blocks a shot, then SLAPS Oiwa again! Oiwa spins to DOUBLE CHOP Gsbe down! Sanada runs up and kicks low! Sanada whips, Oiwa reverses, but Sanada reverses back, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! ZSJ PENALTY KICKS Sanada!
Gabe runs up, ZSJ BOOTS him first! Gabe runs back in, slips out of the scoop, and he scoops ZSJ for EMERALD FLOWSON!! But Oiwa spins Gabe! Gabe avoids The Grip, runs, but into a LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!! Oiwa is frustrated but the fans rally behind him. Oiwa hauls Gabe up, ANACONDA PLEX!! Cover, TWO!! Gabe survives again but Oiwa roars! Oiwa drags Gabe up, reels him in, but Gabe fights the gut wrench! Gabe CLUBS Oiwa on the back, then he gut wrenches! Oiwa fights back, wrenches out, and he blocks a lariat to spin. Gabe HAYMAKERS, and SAIDOS!! Gabe crawls his way to the cover, TWO!!
The fans are thunderous as Oiwa survives! Gabe snarls and he drags Oiwa up. Gabe says this is the end. But Oiwa fights the suplex! Oiwa suplexes, but Gabe fights it! Oiwa still tries, but Gabe slips out to waistlock. Sanada DROPKCIKS Oiwa, Gabe UPPERCUTS! Gabe & Sanada work together to DOUBLE SUPLEX! Gabe suplexes again, BRAINBUSTER!! Cover, ZSJ BREAKS IT! Sanada TOSSES ZSJ out and tells Gabe to finish this! ZSJ RAMS Sanada, they brawl outside, and Gabe slashes his throat. Gabe drags Oiwa up, reels him in, but Oia slips through the gut wrench to backslide! TWO, and Gabe UPPERCUTS!
Gabe runs, but ZSJ is back! He BOOTS Gabe but Gabe SLAPS ZSJ! ZSJ KICKS the haymaker away to then ROUNDHOUSE Gabe! Sanada’s in to dragon sleeper! ZSJ arm-drags free, but Sanada comes back to SHINING WIZARD! Sanada then drags ZSJ up, but ZSJ scoops first! ZACK DRIVER!! ZSJ and Sanada flop out of the ring, leaving Oiwa and Gabe to rise up. They run at each other, to DOUBLE LARIAT! neither man falls, they DOUBLE LARIAT again! Gabe UPPERCUTS! Oiwa PALM STRIKES! Gabe PALM STRIKES, CHOPS, JABS, rebounds, into a roll-up! Hig stack, TMDK WINS!!
Winners: Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa, by pinfall
Gabe is in shock! He gets right in Red Shoes’ face but Red Shoes says it was a fair count! Gabe then goes after Oiwa to CLOBBER him! The fans boo and Young Lions rush in, but Gabe eggs Oiwa on! So Oiwa obliges and they brawl among the fans! The Young Lions rush in to separate the two, but Gabe gets loose to CLOBBER Oiwa! They scrap, ZSJ joins in, and he pulls the two apart. Gabe kicks a chair in frustration, then goes into retreat. Wait, Oiwa chases Gabe to the ramp and beats him down! Young Lions again scramble in to stop this, but it just heads to the back! Sanada shrugs it off, will the #ColdWarDogs just have to try harder in the next round?
As for the winners, well, they’re no longer ringside so there won’t be any in-ring closing words. Backstage interviews begin, Gabe promises Oiwa will be put in the ground! Will the Mad Man show The Mullet what it takes to be NJPW Strong? As for ZSJ, he gathers himself, and tells NJPW Media that he doesn’t know where The Mullet went. Actually, no, he has an idea: The Mullet must be smashing the s*it outta Gabe. “Roy The Mullet” is the next NJPW Strong Openweight Champion! Oiwa will hit Gabe so hard, his legs will turn into trombones! As for ZSJ, there is something rare happening in this year’s WTL, isn’t it?
Yes, it’s that the IWGP World EFFIN’ Heavyweight Champion is involved, as this should be! The first time the world champion’s been in this tournament in roughly a decade! ZSJ said he was gonna be a different kind of world champion for NJPW, and that he promises to take NJPW back to the top! Now obviously, a conflict of interests, as this tournament is Shane Haste’s & Mikey Nicholls’ to win, but ZSJ won’t give the boys an easy ride. ZSJ is dreaming~ of an all TMDK World Tag League finals! Then who knows, maybe Zack & Roy get the job done.
But ZSJ knows the Tokyo Dome is coming soon. And Shota Umino wants to be ZSJ’s challenger. ZSJ says he will be keeping his eyes wide open for Shota. ZSJ says he’ll have a DOUBLE main event in the Tokyo Dome, it’s in the bag. What about you, Shota? The Front Man heads out, having put the pressure on his challenger, but will all of NJPW soon belong to TMDK?
Here are the A Block standings!
Zack Sabre Jr. & Ryohei Oiwa: 1-0, 2 points
Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman: 1-0, 2 points
Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji: 1-0, 2 points
Bishamon: 1-0, 2 points
Gabe Kidd & Sanada: 0-1, 0 points
Kenta & Chase Owens: 0-1, 0 points
Alex Zayne & Ryusuke Taguchi: 0-1, 0 points
Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma: 0-1, 0 points
My Thoughts:
A great start to World Tag League 2024, with just A Block opening things tonight. I will say those tune-up matches were interesting. Even though David Finlay is the Global Champion, it’s Taiji Ishimori that has apparently become Bullet Club’s international ambassador. Taiji brought Robbie X into the group, now he teamed with The Filip Brothers, Tome & Stevie, who knows who else Bone Soldier will recruit. Taiji’s team beating Tanahashi’s team, House of Torture cheating and beating Tanahashi’s friends, this is all putting the pressure on The Ace, meaning The Ace will win out at WrestleKingdom 19.
Shota Umino teaming with Tomoaki Honma, I wonder if this is to hold Shota back somehow. He is apparently still heading for WrestleKingdom and a world title match with ZSJ, so it’s not like Shota needs to win WTL, but I guess NJPW just wants Shota to give the fans a good time alongside a fan favorite like Honma. Also, Callum & Cobb have a fun new shirt for their team-up. I figured Zayne would need to improvise now that #MonsterSauce is no longer happening, and Taguchi was a great surprise choice. But #FunkySauce making its debut against a team as strong as Takagi & Tsuji was a shame because of course LIJ was winning that. Maybe Zayne & Taguchi can pull off a spoiler victory later on, but I don’t see Funky Sauce going that strong.
Bishamon VS Kenta & Chase really was an awesome match, and it is so surprising how Chase has grown in just the past couple years. Great win for Goto & Hashi, though, as they’re clearly the solid utility choices in the tag division. And what an awesome main event, with Sanada bringing out the most Heel stuff he’s done perhaps ever. A bit jarring really, but that’s just kinda old fashioned Heel turns for ya. Great win for TMDK, though, and definitely an unorthodox way of closing by having Oiwa and Gabe brawl all over ringside and into the back.
While ZSJ says it is big for the world champ to be in this tournament, which I do agree with on some level, it also makes some of the A Block action seem secondary. Gabe and Oiwa having their grudge was kinda the main motivator behind this match, and then it’ll be similar when Shota & Honma VS ZSJ & Oiwa happens. There is the added drama of, “What if someone pins ZSJ? Will they get a world title match before WK19?” Maybe Shota solidifies his WK title match by being the one that pins ZSJ in their match, but it all just feels like more flash than substance. No one else is going to pin ZSJ, Oiwa probably takes whatever losses their team will take, so A Block’s story suffers for it.
My Score: 8.9/10
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TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
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