Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (4/20/20)
Time for the men to punch their tickets!
Will the Architect’s plan for Raw succeed?
Seth Rollins vows to stomp out doubt from Raw, and that starts by aiming for the top. Will he get the response he wants from Drew McIntyre?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Aleister Black VS Austin Theory; Aleister wins and advances to the Men’s MITB match.
- Shayna Baszler VS Indi Hartwell; Baszler wins.
- Ricochet & Cedric Alexander VS Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink; Ricochet & Alexander win.
- Nia Jax VS Kairi Sane; Nia wins.
- Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Apollo Crews VS MVP; Crews wins and advances to the Men’s MITB match.
- Ruby Riott VS Liv Morgan; Morgan wins.
- Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Rey Mysterio VS Buddy Murphy; Mysterio wins and advances to the Men’s MITB match.
- Charlotte Flair VS Kayden Carter; Flair wins.
- Andrade Almas w/ Zelina Vega VS Akira Tozawa; Almas wins.
- Bianca Belair VS Santana Garrett; Belair wins.
- Drew McIntyre VS Angel Garza; McIntyre wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Raw opens with Drew McIntyre!
The WWE World Champion heads to the ring for all the “cool cats and kittens,” and grabs a mic to welcome us to the show. This is truly the highlight of his week, so thank you for joining him. But to business. Last week, McIntyre was ambushed and left laying in this very ring. It wasn’t a surprise, really. McIntyre knows the title represents a lot of things. History, prestige, glory and fame. All great things, but it’s also a bull’s eye on the champion’s back. This title means you are the best of the best, and everyone wants to be in that position. They say it is lonely at the top, but they’re lying. It’s crowded at the top! Everyone wants the title! That brings McIntyre to Seth Rollins. Rollins was the one who stomped McIntyre’s head into the mat. Twice, even.
If you look past the Monday Night Messiah rhetoric, Rollins isn’t that complex. McIntyre is champion, Rollins wants to be champion, but does Rollins deserve it? McIntyre said those who are deserving get their shot. Many say Rollins isn’t deserving. But McIntyre took the week to think about it and came to a conclusion. He could make Rollins jump through hoops, but Rollins is one of the most decorated superstars today. McIntyre has been in the ring with Rollins so he knows firsthand how good Rollins is. If McIntyre wants to become the very best, he must beat the best. So at the Money in the Bank PPV, it WILL be McIntyre VS Rollins for the WWE Championship! McIntyre speaks to Rollins directly here. Don’t worry, Rollins, he won’t insult you. Because then he-
Wait a minute! Here comes Zelina Vega and her boys! McIntyre says he can talk later on, since he has Garza in a match. Zelina says hi, and he says hi back to the “number one thorn in my ass.” She knows she can’t speak for the entire WWE Universe, but her team is “so sick” of these speeches! McIntyre’s problem is he is too focused to MITB, that he is looking past tonight’s match with Angel Garza. And Andrade Almas attacks from behind! That’s why he wasn’t on stage! Almas dropkicks McIntyre into the corner and then stomps away! Almas runs corner to corner, but gets a CLAYMORE!! Zelina shouts for Garza and Theory to after McIntyre, but they’re not budging. McIntyre gives a countdown and… CLAYMORE! He sends Almas flying out of the ring! Vega’s stable regroups and retreats! Will McIntyre be the one feeling tranquilo tonight?
Raw shares the big news about MITB!
As announced on SmackDown just last Friday, Money in the Bank won’t just be with ladders. They’re going to compete inside WWE Titan Towers! The entire corporate headquarters will be the battlegrounds for both the Men’s and Women’s MITB briefcase matches! Who will climb the corporate ladder to success?
Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Aleister Black VS Austin Theory!
We just saw #TheRealSuperstar be intimidated by the Scottish Stud, but he’ll have to refocus if he’s going to go #AllDay. Will Theory prove himself worthy of this massive opportunity? Or will he simply #FadeToBlack?
The bell rings and Aleister circles with Theory. They tie up and Theory goes for the wrist but Aleister gets away quick. The two go again, Theory goes after the wrist again and wrenches. Aleister spins and steps in to trip for a takedown. Theory tries to fight Aleister off but Aleister wrenches and wristlocks. Theory drags Aleister into a facelock but Aleister powers him off. Aleister has the arm again, and has a modified hammerlock. Theory endures, gets to his feet and reaches around to a headlock. Theory shifts to an armlock but Aleister rolls and trips Theory again, only for Theory to kick him away. Aleister catches Theory’s attack to arm-drag him away. Theory throws Aleister away and runs him over with a shoulder!
Zelina praises Theory while he jumps the leg sweep. Theory clubs Aleister on the back then throws forearms. He whips Aleister but Aleister simply rebounds and stands in Theory’s way. Theory runs but is put on the apron. Theory grabs hair but Aleister breaks free, and spins back! Black Mass narrowly misses Theory’s head as he jumps away! Aleister runs and wrecks Theory with a dropkick! Theory shakes the cobwebs out but Zelina heads off commentary. Zelina talks trash at Aleister, bringing up the past from NXT here like she has with McIntyre. Aleister doesn’t play fair? Theory throws Aleister into barriers! THAT isn’t very fair. But Zelina is pleased as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns and Aleister fights up out of a chinlock. He powers Theory into buckles but Theory elbows back. Aleister walks into a buckle bump, then Theory slingshots in for a somersault shotgun dropkick! Cover, TWO! Theory rains down lefts and rights on Aleister, then drags Aleister up for clubbing forearms. Theory torture racks and throws Aleister into buckles! Then another torture rack, for another throw! Theory wants a third, but Aleister fights back! Aleister lands out of the toss and BOOTS Theory away! Theory comes back to grab hair, but Aleister scoop slams Theory! Zelina grows worried again as Aleister wheelbarrows to the victory roll. TOW, and Theory blocks the strike fest to fireman’s carry. Aleister avoids ATL to roll Theory. Theory elbows out of the waistlock, but swings into a takedown!
Aleister has the arm but Theory stays on his feet! Theory fights the Triangle Hold and dead lifts, to a POWERBOMB! Zelina is excited to see that, but Theory can’t make the cover. A standing count begins, and Theory stands at 6. Theory drags Aleister up before 8, and fisherman lifts. But the bad arm gives out! Aleister goes after it with a standing armlock! Theory knees free and throws Aleister back to buckles. Theory tries again but Aleister cradle counters! TWO, and Aleister dodges to rally with big forearms! Aleister fires off the strike fest, sweeps the legs, and thrusts the KNEE! Zelina is frustrated as Aleister QUEBRADAS! Cover, TWO!! Theory lives and Zelina makes excuses, but Aleister looms close.
Aleister waistlocks and drags Theory up. Theory trips with a leg, but walks into a BOOT! Aleister runs, but Theory dodges the knee to SUPERKICK! Fisherman lift, USHIGOROSHI!! Cover, TOW!! Aleister survives and Zelina has had it with Byron. Theory keeps his focus, and claims he’s taking MITB. He drags Aleister up, fireman’s carries, but Aleister elbows back. Aleister is on the apron, blocks punches to give punches, and then climbs up top. Aleister leaps but Theory gets under! Theory runs into Aleister’s KNEE! Aleister GERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, TWO!! Aleister grits his teeth and lifts Theory with his foot. BLACK- No! Theory dodges and elbows back. But runs into BLACK MASS!! Cover, Aleister wins!!
Winner: Aleister Black, by pinfall (advances to the Men’s MITB Ladder Match)
Zelina tries to convince herself that this is okay, but it certainly isn’t for Theory. Will Aleister make the entire field #FadeToBlack as they battle in Titan Towers?
In-ring interview with Aleister.
Byron Saxton congratulates Aleister on the big win, and he asks: What is the plan for climbing the “corporate ladder” in the most unique MITB match ever? Aleister doesn’t know much about the corporate life or the office. He’d probably have to cover up all of his tattoos. But when he enters the match, each floor will become his opponents’ personal hell.
Shayna Baszler VS Indi Hartwell!
The Queen of Spades quite literally broke Sarah Logan to qualify for the Women’s MITB match. Charly Caruso asks her on stage if that was taking it too far. Too far? Did Shayna break any rules? No. Just Sarah’s arm. Will Shayna break Indi like she did the Kentucky Valkyrie?
The bell rings and Shayna just ROCKS Indi with strikes! And then gut wrench SLAMS her down! Shayna stalks Indi, has the arm, and prepares to stomp! But Indi rolls her up! ONE and Indi hurries away from Shayna! Shayna is furious now, and she runs right at Indi. Indi BOOTS but Shayna laughs it off. Shayna runs in to ROCK and SLAM Indi down! And KNEES her right in the head! Indi is dazed, and Shayna STOMPS the arm!!
Winner: Shayna Baszler, by referee decision
Bully Baszler is more dangerous than ever as she sees redemption towards the Raw Women’s Championship. But will there be any women left on Raw if she keeps going like this?
Wait, what is Shayna doing with that ladder? She drags Indi out of the ring to SWING into the barriers! The ref reprimands Shayna but she isn’t listening. Shayna takes the ladder, sits it up against the steel steps, and then THROWS Indi into them! And then she puts the arm inside the ladder, to CRUSH!! The ladder breaks the arm like a nutcracker! Bully? Shayna is an evil villain. Will anyone be brave enough to stand in her way and the briefcase?
Ricochet & Cedric Alexander VS Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink!
The fast and furious combination returns, looking to get back on track in the Raw Tag Team Division. But can they best The Worst and the Smug?
The teams sort out and Vink starts against Ricochet. Ricochet and Vink tie up and Vink knees low! Vink tosses Ricochet to the corner and tags in Thorne. Thorne stomps Ricochet then throws European Uppercuts. Alexander avoids Thorne’s sucker punch and Thorne turns around into an elbow! Ricochet boots Thorne down then somersault shotgun dropkicks! Tag to Alexander and he knees Thorne low. Ricochet neckbreakers Thorne onto Alexander’s knee for a double breaker! Vink runs in but Alexander baits him into buckles! Enziguri sandwich! Thorne waistlocks but Ricochet tags in. Alexander elbows and suplexes Thorne down for Ricochet’s slingshot senton! Thorne flounders to a corner but Ricochet runs in. Thorne puts Ricochet on the apron and Vink trips him up! Vink CLOBBERS Ricochet then tags in.
Vink drags Ricochet up to throw into the ring. He stalks up behind Ricochet while Thorne talks smack. Vink DECKS Ricochet then brings him up again. He crucifix lifts, but Ricochet huricanranas Vink into buckles! Hot tag to Alexander and Thorne! The Ebony Lion rallies on Thorne and unloads a strike fest! He also dropkicks Vink’s legs out! Alexander has Thorne, props him up on Vink, and hits a one-man MAGIC KILLER! Alexander SUPERKICKS Vink away, but Thorne uppercuts Alexander! Ricochet tags in and Alexander knees Thorne. Alexander hits a tornado DDT! Ricochet hits a standing shooting star! Cover, but Vink breaks it! Vink DECKS Alexander, but Ricochet tilt-o-whirl DDT’s Vink! Ricochet is up, tags in Alexander, and Thorne runs into a kick! Ripcord RECOIL into LUMBAR CHECK! Cover, Alexander and Ricochet win!
Winners: Ricochet & Cedric Alexander, by pinfall
Raw’s tag team scene is about to shift into overdrive! Will anyone be able to keep up with this dynamic duo?
Backstage interview with The Kabuki Warriors!
Asuka and Kairi are still feeling good this week. The Pirate Princess lost her chance at being in the Women’s MITB match, but has a rematch with Nia Jax. Charly addresses the obvious size disadvantage being what lost last week. What makes Kairi think this week will be different? Asuka and Kairi says Charly is being stupid. Tonight, Kairi is ready for Nia! Right? Right! But no one is ready for ASUKA in Titan Towers! Will all this be true after tonight?
Bobby Lashley and Lana make a training video.
The Rocky Mountain Machine is going to show you how easy it is (for him) to flip this tractor tire. Lana says if you’re jealous of her now, wait until you see her Bobby in action. Will Lashley’s warm-up really make him mighty enough for this feat of strength?
Nia Jax VS Kairi Sane!
Raw returns as the Pirate Princess makes her entrance, followed by the Irresistible Force. Will this rematch change things from last week? Or just be a warm-up for Nia?
The bell rings and Kairi circles with Nia. Kairi dodges Nia and says, “Kiss this!” She gets around and climbs up Nia to get a sleeper hold! Nia throws Kairi off fast, but Kairi runs at her. Nia blocks the dropkick and makes it a swing! She TOSSES Kairi to a corner! Asuka is watching backstage as Kairi grabs the ropes. Asuka cheers Kairi on but protests as Nia drags Kairi up by her hair and throws her again! Though, the ref can’t hear that if she’s backstage. Nia stalks Kairi but Kairi throws body shots. Those don’t affect Nia and she throws Kairi again! Kairi grits her teeth but Nia drags her up again. Nia reels Kairi in to clothesline! And again! Kairi crawls to the bottom rope and the apron, but refuses to quit.
Nia runs over but Kairi slides under! Kairi tries but she can’t tip Nia over with the sunset flip! Nia drags Kairi up and holds her up with body hands! For a BUCKLE BOMB! Kairi groans in pain but drags herself back up. Nia runs in, but Kairi dodges! Nia just stops herself but Kairi goes after the leg! Kairi is after the surgically repaired knees! But Nia drags her up for a military press! The knee gives out and Kairi is right on it again! Asuka likes what she sees as Kairi throws elbow after elbow on Nia’s head! Nia pushes Kairi away but Kairi comes back for more. Kairi roars as she throws even more elbows! The ref counts as Kairi grabs hair, but she BACK HANDS Nia down! Kairi roars more as she runs in, for the SLIDING D!
Nia is down and Kairi climbs up! Kairi weighs anchor, for the InSANE- No! She has to roll and bail out as Nia evades. Nia is up, scoops Kairi, and pops her up for the SAMOAN DROP! Cover, Nia wins!
Winner: Nia Jax, by pinfall
Two times in a row, Nia A-Nia-Lates Kairi. But has Kairi done damage enough to give Asuka and the other women a chance against Nia in the Women’s MITB match?
Raw has a message from Seth Rollins.
“You’re a brave man, Drew McIntyre. A fighting champion. I admire that. I respect that.” There aren’t many who know what it’s like to walk in McIntyre’s shoes. But Rollins does. They both won a title off Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Not many know what it is like to do that. But Rollins does. Rollins and McIntyre have a lot in common, actually. They command the respect of their peers. They have a deep, deep love and passion for this industry. Rollins accepts the challenge for the WWE World Championship. But not out disdain, because this isn’t personal. This is out of necessity. Because now, more than ever, the WWE Universe needs a leader. As much as Rollins and McIntyre have in common, the parallels stop with titles. Rollins is a proven leader, and McIntyre is not.
Rollins says he is the one who will sacrifice for the greater good! He is the one who will make the hard decisions! He will be the one the light in the darkness. At MITB, Rollins will take the title. And not because he wants to, but because he has to. What will McIntyre need to do to prevent that?
The Viking Raiders have a fight song now.
Erik and Ivar road around while coming up with verses back and forth. “Viking Raiders!” The raid is here and here to stay. They’re men with beards who all should fear. They worship Thor and knock them to the floor! Will the Viking Raiders sing their praises all the way to the Raw Tag Team Championships?
Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Apollo Crews VS MVP!
The rising star returned to Raw but would #FadeToBlack against Aleister. Montel Vontavius Porter returned to the WWE ring with the Royal Rumble. But who takes the second spot Raw has to give in the Men’s MITB?
Before the MVP grabs a mic to say, “In my storied career, I have seen a lot of WWE superstars literally rise and fall in pursuit of that briefcase.” Because inside is a contract that entitles the bearer a shot at the world title anywhere, anytime. We’ve seen the dangerous Aleister Black punch his ticket. Later, we will see the absolute legend in Rey Mysterio compete for his. But right now is MVP’s turn. In his way is the extremely talented Apollo Crews, the most gifted athlete on Raw. But he is outmatched. When the WWE wanted to make this year’s MITB match the most unique, they called the most unique competitor. MVP is no stranger to wearing suits, going to the corporate headquarters to sit in boardrooms and sign big money deals. They called MVP.
“No hard feelings, Aleister Black. Er, no, uh, Apollo Crews. That guy.” But MVP called his agent to book a private jet already to go to Stamford. MVP vows to be in MITB. Money talks, and what it says is that MVP is the future. But Apollo makes his entrance to interrupt. Will MVP put his money where his mouth is?
The bell rings and Crews stares down with MVP. MVP throws hands but Crews counter punches! Crews whips but MVP holds ropes. Crews handsprings through to dropkick MVP down, and down again! MVP gets to the apron and calls for a timeout. Nope! Crews blasts MVP off the apron! Crews slingshots but MVP sweeps the legs! MVP’s experience has the edge as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns as MVP has Crews in a camel clutch. Crews endures but MVP says he can just make it easier on himself and give up. Crews refuses and powers up instead! He rams MVP into buckles! Crews is free and he runs back in, but into MVP’s LARIAT! Cover, TWO! MVP drags Crews back into the camel clutch, and throws clubbing crossface forearms! MVP drops names like Mysterio and Kane as past opponents. He brings Crews up for the Play Maker, but Crews powers out to a SPINE BUSTER! MVP writhes and flounders to a corner while Crews catches his breath. MVP stands in the corner but Apollo grits his teeth as he runs in. Crews hits a big splash then rains down hands! The ref counts and Crews backs up, to SUPERKICK! Crews runs to BOOT! Then keeps going to LARIAT back!
Crews isn’t done there, he scoops MVP for a BIG powerslam! Cover, TWO! Crews keeps his cool and brings MVP up. He scoops and slams MVP down then heads up top. Crews leaps, but the frog splash gets knees! MVP drags Crews into position, PLAY MAKER! Cover, TWO!! Crews survives and MVP can’t believe it! MVP argues the count but two is two. MVP looms over Crews as he makes it rain. He runs but gets an enziguri! Crews military presses and tosses MVP, for the standing moonsault! And shooting star! Crews wants MVP to stand up again and MVP does. Crews gets him for the CREWS MISSLE!! Cover, Crews wins!!
Winner: Apollo Crews, by pinfall (advances to the Men’s MITB match)
An incredible comeback for Crews! He shouts, “This is MY time!” But will that be the case when fighting for the case?
Backstage interview with Ruby Riott.
Charly brings up the Riott Squad, the old trio of Ruby, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan. Ruby and Liv are set to compete in a matter of moments, but how did the group go from so close to so divided? Ruby sets it straight: it was never really a squad to her. She had to have double surgery because she was carrying Sarah and Liv on her back! Ruby made them look strong! And now look. Sarah’s arm is broken, and Liv will be lucky if Ruby doesn’t break both arms. Liv still suffers from the delusion that she’s all grown up. But Ruby is going to show her just how lonely and small and weak Liv is without her.
Ruby Riott VS Liv Morgan!
Raw returns as Liv makes her entrance first, then followed by Ruby. Will the former Juvenile Delinquent prove Ruby wrong by winning with her own strength?
The bell rings and the two go right at each other. Liv powers Ruby to a corner but backs off at the ref’s count. Ruby sucker punches Liv! Then clubs her on the back. Ruby stomps Liv down to a corner then kicks her in the ribs! Liv sputters but Ruby bounces her off the mat! Ruby drags Liv up but Liv throws body shots. Ruby clubs Liv back down then drags her back up. Liv throws more haymakers and then kicks low to BOOT! Liv LARIATS Ruby on the rebound, and again! Then enziguris Ruby to a corner! Liv runs in but Ruby dodges. Liv jumps, jumps and dropkicks! Cover, TWO! Liv keeps her cool as she clubs and pushes Ruby around now. She drags Ruby up to suplex but Ruby blocks. Ruby stomps feet to then hang Liv out to dry. And BOOT her down! Cover, TWO!
Ruby grins as she sits Liv up for a cravat. She cranks on the neck but Liv endures. Ruby leans on Liv but Liv refuses to give up. Liv elbows free but Ruby bounces her off the mat again. Ruby drags Liv up and has her against the ropes to club away. The ref counts but Ruby lets up to run. But Liv ROCKS Ruby back with a forearm! Liv runs, but Ruby gives that forearm back! Ruby runs, Liv reels her in but Ruby elbows out hard! And SUPERKICKS! Ruby slaps Liv around and wants the “puppy” to beg. Ruby runs, but into the REBOUND SHOT! Cover, Liv wins!!
Winner: Liv Morgan, by pinfall
Ruby just got got, and her own ego is to blame! Will she ever get over letting Liv get the better of her?
Lashley and Lana return.
The warm-up is done, now it is time to prove himself. But Lana says he isn’t just warm, he’s hot. Lashley says it takes an elite athlete to properly flip a tire. He gets it up and over! Lana is pleased, but Lashley says the real challenge is the extra thick tire. Will he be able to pump up and power that rubber beast around?
Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier: Rey Mysterio VS Buddy Murphy!
It is time to fill Raw’s last spot in the historic “corporate ladder” match! The King of Lucha Libre has been a victim of the cash-in, but he wants to be on the other end for once in his career. Will he get past Rollins’ returning disciple? Or will Murphy’s Law take effect?
The bell rings and Murphy circles with Mysterio. They approach and tie up, and Murphy gets a headlock takeover. Mysterio headscissors but Murphy pops out, only for roles to reverse. Murphy headscissors but Mysterio pops out. Murphy sweeps legs, covers, ONE! Mysterio sweeps legs, covers, ONE! Both men stand off, and circle again. Murphy says, “Not bad for an old man.” Mysterio brushes that one off, and ties up with Murphy again. Murphy has the arm and wrenches, then yanks on the arm to go after the shoulder. Mysterio endures though he drops to his knees. Murphy grinds Mysterio down then brings him up to wrench and whip. Mysterio dodges, dodges and tilt-o-whirls to headscissor! Dial it up, but the call misses! Mysterio tells Murphy he was that close.
The two circle, Murphy swings a boot but Mysterio uses the ropes for defense. Murphy keeps going after him with hammering hands but the ref backs him off. Mysterio bails out and says his hand got messed up. Murphy goes out and throws Mysterio into barriers! And then into the timekeeper’s area! Murphy shows no mercy as he puts Mysterio back in. Cover, ONE, but Murphy goes after those bad hands! Murphy wrenches and wrings the arm out! Cover, ONE! Mysterio toughs it out but Murphy drags him up. Murphy goes after the bad hand with a wristlock. Mysterio reaches but has to roll and handspring to then flip with the ropes. He arm-drags Murphy out then dropkicks him down! Mysterio builds speed but Murphy is ready for the slide! Murphy wheelbarrows Mysterio but Mysterio elbows free!
Mysterio runs into a BOOT! He drops to the ramp as the ring count begins. Murphy STOMPS Mysterio’s bad hand on the ramp! Mysterio shouts in pain as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns as Murphy SLAMS the bad hand on steel steps! Mysterio falls against barriers while he clutches the fingers. Murphy drags Mysterio up to SLAM the hand again! The ring count passes 5 but Murphy refreshes it. Murphy goes up the steps and drags Mysterio to the apron. Mysterio gets away but Murphy watches from in the ring. Murphy goes out and drags Mysterio back up to the corner! Murphy SLAMS the hand on the post, then stands on it! The ref counts but Murphy lets up at 3. Mysterio trips Murphy! Murphy hits buckles and then the floor! Mysterio gets space, runs to the steps, and LEAPS for a huricanrana! Murphy crashes down on the ramp! Mysterio refreshes the count and fetches Murphy into the ring. Mysterio’s hand slows him down, and Murphy is on him. But Mysterio kicks Murphy away!
Murphy wobbles back into another enziguri! Mysterio springboards for the seated senton! Then springboards again for a crossbody! Mysterio KICKS at Murphy’s leg then whips. Murphy reverses and slaps the bad hand! But Mysterio dropkick the leg out to dial it up! But Murphy catches him, only for Mysterio to tilt-o-whirl DDT! Cover, TWO! Murphy lives but both he and Mysterio are down. Murphy goes to ropes but Mysterio stands up. Mysterio joins Murphy on the apron and drags him up. Mysterio throws forearms but Murphy BOOTS back! Murphy stalks up behind Mysterio, fireman’s carries him, but Mysterio fights free! And dropkicks Murphy down! Murphy hits barriers and Mysterio builds speed! Mysterio slides, headscissors and sends Murphy hard into barriers again!
The ring count climbs while both men are down and out. Mysterio sits up first and finally fixes his fingers. He puts Murphy back in the ring then takes aim from up top. Mysterio leaps and crossbodies, but Murphy rolls through! Murphy powers Mysterio up, for an USHIGOROSHI! KNEE TRIGGER! BRAIN BUSTER! Cover, TWO!? Mysterio survives because as he said last week, he wants this more! Mysterio slowly rolls to the ropes but Murphy stands up. Murphy drags Mysterio back to the middle of the ring, then heads for a corner. But Mysterio anchors Murphy’s foot. Murphy stomps Mysterio until he lets go, then finishes his walk to the corner. Murphy climbs up top but Mysterio stops him with haymakers!
Mysterio climbs to join Murphy, and clubs away on Murphy’s back. Murphy resists the superplex and throws body shots. Murphy clubs Mysterio back then sunset flips. Mysterio blocks the bomb, so Murphy tucks him in. Murphy wants to kick but Mysterio mule kicks him first! Mysterio turns himself around to leap, for a DESTROYER!! Murphy flounders onto ropes! Dial it up, 6 1 9!! Mysterio climbs up, leaps, FROG SPLASH! Cover, Mysterio wins!
Winner: Rey Mysterio, by pinfall (advances to the Men’s MITB match)
The Raw half of the field is complete! The lucha legend leaves Murphy outside looking in, but will we be looking at Mysterio’s first run as Mr. Money in the Bank?
Backstage interview with Zelina Vega and Angel Garza.
El Latino es en la casa, but Raw didn’t really open how Vega’s team hoped. How does Charly figure that? Well, Almas’s sneak attack turned into two Claymore kick. Yes, yes, how “noble” for McIntyre to attack when Almas couldn’t stand. How does Charly know this isn’t going to Vega’s plan? How does anyone know Garza won’t teach McIntyre about nobility? And how do we know McIntyre will even make it to MITB to face Rollins? Because it’d be a shame if he didn’t. Garza says that once he wins tonight, he would love if Charly asked how it felt to beat a champion. See you later tonight.
Charlotte Flair VS Kayden Carter!
The Queen may reign over the NXT Women’s Division, but she returns to Raw to remind us why! Will she give NXT’s fiery Filipina that promised lesson in humility?
The bell rings and Charlotte stretches the ropes. KC has her dukes up, but that does nothing against Charlotte’s BOOT! Charlotte brings KC up and CHOPS her back down! That’s “lesson number one: always, always do your homework.” Charlotte toys with KC as she kicks her to ropes. Charlotte goes for another boot but KC dodges to sweep the legs! And mule kick! Cover, ONE, and Charlotte gets up fast. KC swings around to crucifix DRIVER! Cover, TWO, into a Rings of Saturn! KC tries to bring the arms back but Charlotte powers up. Charlotte is almost up but KC hooks a leg for an iron octopus! She brings Charlotte back down, but Charlotte still powers up! Charlotte stands, and gets to ropes, to then elbow away! And HOTSHOT KC off ropes!
KC wobbles about, but finds Charlotte. Charlotte dodges the kick to SPEAR KC down! Charlotte dusts off her hands, then grabs a leg. She puts on the Figure Four! And then toys with KC before putting in the Figure EIGHT! KC taps, Charlotte wins!
Winner: Charlotte Flair, by submission
Charlotte holds on until she’s satisfied, and the lesson is over. The Queen has called out both the Head Baddie in Charge and the Evil Genius #1 contender. Will each of them “do their homework” before going up against the champion?
Lashley attempts the lift challenge.
450 pounds of tire. If anyone can move it, it’s him. He gets up under and begins, but only gets it up a few inches. Lashley tries again, but still can’t. He takes his frustration out on the tire, then fires himself up. Round three, and Lashley does it! He lifts the monster tire! And Lana gushes all over him. “That’s the kind of power everyone in the WWE locker room needs to fear.” Will the Rocky Mountain Machine move on from tires to superstars as MITB looms closer?
Andrade Almas w/ Zelina Vega VS ???
El Idolo’s ambush failed to fall McIntyre, but he looks to rebound from that in the ring. Will the WWE United States Champion take his frustrations out on his opponent? Or will he falter even harder?
Raw returns and Almas’ opponent is Akira Tozawa! The Stamina Monster is coming off red hot from his Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament win, but he has beef with Vega’s team. Will Tozawa keep the roll going with some retribution?
The bell rings and Tozawa circles with Almas. They tie up, Tozawa throws hands all over but Tozawa gives them back. Tozawa rocks Tozawa but Tozawa hits the spinning roundhouse! Vega is concerned and the SHINING WIZARD hits! Cover, ONE! Tozawa stomps Almas down then has him against ropes. Tozawa throws forearms then whips. Almas reverses but Tozawa comes back to huricanrana! Almas bails out and Tozawa builds speed, to BOOT Almas down! Tozawa slingshots but Almas moves. But Tozawa just adjusts, to CANNONBALL! Vega is worried as Tozawa gets up. Tozawa drags Almas up and into the ring then heads up top. Almas stands, but Tozawa missile dropkicks him down! Cover, TWO! Almas bails out and regroups with Vega.
Vega says Almas is fine, but then she stays in Tozawa’s way. Almas sucker punches and then CHOPS Tozawa! “I am the champion!” Almas puts Tozawa in the ring and Vega wants to send a message to McIntyre. So Almas wrenches and shoulder breakers, then back suplexes. Tozawa lands on his feet, dodges, tilt-o-whirls and puts on the Iron Octopus! Almas reaches but Tozawa cranks harder! Almas powers up again, but Tozawa just cranks harder! Tozawa bends the hand but Almas uses one more push to get the ropebreak! Tozawa lets go, and Almas ELBOWS him down hard! Almas drags Tozawa up and fireman’s carries, but Tozawa slips out. Tozawa back kicks and both men fall! Tozawa gets up, spins, slides under, and fakes Almas out to JAB! Almas is rocked, but he dropkicks back! Almas drags Tozawa in, shouts out Eddie, but gets a cradle counter! TWO!!
Almas pops Tozawa up, Tozawa huricanranas again, cover, TOW! Wheelbarrow takedown, TWO!! SUPERKICK!! Tozawa has Almas down in the drop zone and heads up top! Vega panics as Tozawa stands, but Almas trips him up! Almas drags Tozawa out and hammerlocks, for the DRAPING LA SOMBRA!! Cover, Almas wins!
Winner: Andrade Almas, by pinfall
That was much more than either Almas or Vega expected, but it still went as they expected. Almas wins here, but will a contender close in on that WWE US Championship?
But speaking of champions, the Street Profits are here! They and their Raw Tag Team Championships party on the announce desk, and are in action after the break!
Bianca Belair VS Santana Garrett!
The strongest, fastest, toughest and roughest is back in action, looking to prove she wasn’t just a big fish in a small pond. Will she make big waves against the Wonder Woman of Wrestling?
The bell rings as the Profits are fired up for Bianca. She and Santana circle and tie up. Bianca powers Santana to a corner but the ref counts. Bianca lets up and goes again with Santana. They tie up, Bianca SLAMS Santana down then claps at her. Santana grabs a leg but Bianca blocks the take down. Bianca gut wrenches Santana up to the Canadian rack but Santana fights free. Santana pie faces and Bianca is not having it. Bianca SHOVES Santana down then claps back. Santana gets up, waistlocks but Bianca standing switches for a slam! Santana stands but gets thrown down again! Bianca keeps on Santana and ducks the elbow, to slam Santana again! Bianca waits for Santana to get up before she stomps away in the corner.
The ref counts and Bianca lets up, to hip toss Santana across the way! Santana dodges and throws big haymakers! Santana whips but Bianca reverses. Bianca gets under as Santana goes up and over. Bianca blocks the arm-drag, whips Santana away then runs her over with a shoulder! Things speed up and Bianca handsprings over Santana! Bianca dares Santana to bring it, and then she hurdles over. She side steps and follows to run Santana over again! The Profits are so hyped for Bianca right now as she brings Santana back up. Bianca suplexes Santana and holds her up for squats! Then drops her down! Bianca runs, and SPLASHES! Then kips up to blow a kiss to the fans at home. Bianca tells Santana to kiss this, but Santana goes to the apron. Santana throws hands but Bianca ROCKS her back!
Bianca drags Santana up but Santana hotshots! Santana BOOTS Bianca back! Santana climbs up top and leaps, crossbody! Cover, ONE! Santana SUPERKICKS Bianca then handsprings, into a BOOT! Bianca drags Santana up to lift, and alley-oop onto buckles! Torture rack, KISS OF DEATH! Cover, Bianca wins!
Winner: Bianca Belair, by pinfall
The EST is many things, but her boys are the wildest commentary team. Will this trio soon stand atop all of Raw together?
Drew McIntyre VS Angel Garza!
Raw begins and ends with the WWE World Champion! But it also begins and ends with Vega’s team being ringside. Will this week look a lot like last week? And will that be good or bad for the Latino Lothario?
The bell rings and Theory distracts McIntyre right away! Garza rushes McIntyre but McIntyre hits back. McIntyre CHOPS and CHOPS and chop blocks Garza! That’s in return for last week! McIntyre KICKS the leg out, then mockingly asks how the leg feels. McIntyre CHOPS again but Garza elbows back. Garza can’t get away before McIntyre THROWS him overhead! Garza bails out and regroups with Vega’s team, but McIntyre is in pursuit. McIntyre CLUBS Garza then snake eyes him off barriers. McIntyre CHOPS Garza while mocking Theory’s #AllDay. He puts Garza in, but Almas tries to ambush again. McIntyre blocks the post attack, and catches Garza’s DIVE! McIntyre throws Garza at the steel steps but Garza hops over. Garza runs back, into a HEADBUTT!
McIntyre glares at Almas but Vega stands in the way. Theory lurks up behind but McIntyre DECKS him! Garza leaps off the steps to dropkick! McIntyre hits the barrier, then Garza RAMS him into a post! And then another! The ring count passes 7! McIntyre gets in but Garza follows. Garza is up top and leaps, to missile dropkick! Cover, ONE! Garza goes after McIntyre’s leg and clubs away. He cranks on the knee but McIntyre resists the full turn. Garza hammers the leg more but McIntyre kicks free with the other leg. McIntyre shoves Garza but Garza kicks him back. McIntyre CLOBBERS Garza! Then McIntyre whips to elbow Garza down! Garza dodges the clothesline but not the BOOT! McIntyre glares at Vega as he heads to the corner. He climbs up top, and leaps to ax handle! And kip up!
McIntyre says this is it. He glares at Garza as he dares him to get up. Garza slowly rises, the countdown begins, but Garza runs away! McIntyre grabs Garza but off come the pants! Seems that trick isn’t just for taunting his opponent! But McIntyre builds speed to FLY!! He wipes out Vega’s stable, and then says, “I can do it all!” McIntyre puts Garza in the ring then throws Almas over barriers! And CLAYMORES Theory for good measure! Vega is stunned as McIntyre stalks Garza in the ring. McIntyre elbows Garza then drags him up. INVERTED ALABAMA! But Garza wheelbarrows and victory rolls through!! TWO, and both men run, CLAYMORE!! Cover, McIntyre wins!!
Winner: Drew McIntyre, by pinfall
And to punctuate that win, he busted Garza open! McIntyre raises the WWE World Championship, his confidence not at all wavering. In fact, he wants to add on! Garza flounders up and into ANOTHER CLAYMORE! “Keep bringing them in, keep lining them up. I’ll keep Claymore-ing them down.” Speaking of, Theory flounders into the ring. And he gets a CLAYMORE! McIntyre copies tranquilo just to make a point. But will he truly make a statement when he goes 1v1 with The Architect at Money in the Bank?
My Thoughts:
A really good episode for Raw, even after #BlackWednesday just last week. There are now rumors that some names get to come back, one name being Sarah Logan. They did mention her because of the overlap she plays in both Shayna Baszler’s story and in the Ruby VS Liv story. And with her husband, Erik (Ray Rowe) still employed, you would hope she is brought back. Speaking of her husband, I do NOT understand the cheerful fight song segment for The Viking Raiders. Obviously they’re Faces, but they shouldn’t be gleeful Faces. They should’ve been singing a much tougher song, at least. As for Shayna, that was some incredible brutality, and that is great for Shayna. She needs to be very dangerous in the MITB Titan Towers match, win or lose, to stay on course.
Liv getting a win over Ruby is great, but it’s hard to be sure where the Riott Squad break-up goes from here. Bringing Sarah back would also be a good move in order to keep this story fresh. Lashley’s tire lifting segment was… filler. I thought there was going to be more tension with him and Lana, but they completely let off on it. Hopefully they get back on that next week, especially with Rusev among the superstars cut. Bianca had a good match against Santana Garrett, but wow were the Profits hyperactive. And Charlotte of course gets a win before she makes her momentous return to NXT. I’m thinking the Charlotte VS Mia Yim rematch is going to be an incredible match to officially bring Charlotte back to NXT, but Charlotte will still win to stay strong towards facing Io Shirai.
Kairi Sane losing to Nia again reinforces my concerns that Kairi is leaving. I was hoping Asuka ambush Nia with mist, but it seems Nia still needs momentum after her return. Though, it seems she isn’t a Face with how she toyed with Kairi, so it looks like Raw is sending in three Heels for the Women’s MITB. This is an interesting move, because it parallels Raw’s three Faces for the Men’s. Aleister was of course winning over Austin Theory, and it just feels right for Mysterio to go in over Murphy. It’s great for Apollo to win and be in, but unless he turns, he’s also a Face. Will SmackDown be the one sending outright Heels in the last two spots? Gulak VS Corbin is happening this Friday, but I felt Elias was going to cost Corbin. Is Gulak the one turning?
Raw being sandwiched by McIntyre was good stuff. I’m not sure if he should’ve been so cheerful in the beginning given the ambush last week. But I suppose as top Face, starting happy is fine. He sure seems to enjoy kicking Vega’s team around. Vega’s team is also on a losing record this week, with Theory losing, but Almas winning against Tozawa, then Garza losing in the main event. But don’t shout “Buried!” just yet. McIntyre mopped the floor with them in the main event last week, so nothing changed there. This time McIntyre had to stand tall going into his match against Rollins. That match will great, however and wherever they do it. As for Vega’s team, they’ll rebound to a degree. They might even cost McIntyre the title to stay in the main event scene.
My Score: 8.3/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Oblong Ball Foot Show: Another Harbaugh Bowl Incoming
Josh Allen and the Bills deal KC their first loss of the season but, is this Buffalo team now favorites...
Oblong Ball Foot Show: Who’s Your Fav Ninja Turtle?
Every team has now played more than half of their schedule and Tunney and Balaz got you covered as we...
Hockey Talk- The Hall Finally Calls [111224]
Hockey Talk celebrates Jeremy Roenick finally getting inducted into the Hall of Fame 16 years after his last game and...
Oblong Ball Foot Show: Are The Lions Better Than The Chiefs?
With Rey Cash out on assignment, Andrew and PC take you through Weapon and Dumbass of the week along with...
Hockey Talk- Capital Gains [110524]
Hockey Talk looks at the surprising Washington Capitals and their captain, Alex Ovechkin, as he draws closer to the goal...
Bandwagon Nerds #263: Dawn Patrol
BWN continues its coverage of Game 7 featuring the 1987 Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and Flyers, plus Star...
Bandwagon Nerds #262: Curse of the Great Bambino
BWN begins its coverage of Game 7 featuring the 2003 ALCS clash between the Yankees and Red Sox, plus MCU...
Bandwagon Nerds #261: Flying Figgity
The Bandwagon begins its 6th year by concluding its review of Agatha All Along and mulling over the question of...
Mitchell’s Hyrule Puro-Resu Results & Report! (10/31/24)
IT'S TIME!
Hockey Talk- Jet Setters [102924]
Hockey Talk looks at the red-hot start to the season of the Winnipeg Jets and discusses how the defending champion...
Mitchell’s AEW Dynamite Results & Report! (11/20/24)
Dynamite is Freshly Squeezed!
Greg DeMarco Show: Looks That Kill
Patrick O'Dowd went to Arizona and he and Greg had themselves an extended weekend with IZW Looks That Kill!
Mitchell’s NJPW World Tag League Results & Report! (11/19/24)
It's Tag Season again!
Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (11/19/24)
There's a lot on the line tonight!
Classic POD is WAR: What Is Thank You Alex Trebek? (111220)
The Chairshot, brings you THE podcast that will absolutely have you questioning everything you thought you knew about professional wrestling,...
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (11/18/24)
It's a BIG night!
#TheOddity 018: That’s Alot Of Chalamets
Join Dave Wortz and PC Tunney for your weekly newsletter on the ridiculous and dumb of actual headlines from around...
Mitchell’s AEW Collision Results & Report! (11/16/24)
Championship or Bust!
Mindless Wrestling Podcast: Posthumously? Really??
Smash or Trash is back this week as the guys are talking beverages! Plus, some thoughts on the Mike Tyson/Jake...
Mitchell’s AEW Rampage Results & Report! (11/15/24)
Ricochet is on a Rampage!
