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Mishal: Top 5 Ways to Fix WWE Monday Night Raw

Mishal takes a long hard look at WWE Monday Night Raw to see the Top 5 things that could fix the show that’s seemingly at a crossroads.

Published

5 years ago

September 25, 2020

Chairshot

Mishal takes a long hard look at WWE Monday Night Raw to see the Top 5 things that could fix the show that’s seemingly at a crossroads.

WWE RAW is at a crossroads right now, both in terms of TV ratings as well as the reception it receives from both fans & critics alike on practically a weekly basis at this point.

In fact, for the longest time, it’s looked like Monday Night RAW has been in desperate need of a revamp from the ground up. RAW has been on the air for over 27 years as of this writing and with no offseason, breaks or some kind of ‘seasonal’ break from programming or storylines, it’s almost inevitable that the show hits its fair share of bumps in the road from time to time. This isn’t necessarily anything new either for the company’s flagship show as in the past RAW has been a victim of circumstance, bad booking & just an overly saturated product with no clear direction in mind, which is what we’re currently seeing play out in front of our eyes.

From its presentation, storylines, characters, match structure or overall flow over the course of almost 3 hours every single week, RAW to put it quite simply, just isn’t giving off the excitement it sells itself as having to the core WWE fanbase or the more casual audience. Alongside the global pandemic, the product just hasn’t found the groove other brands have surrounding them, even at a point in time. Fellow WWE brands such as NXT or SmackDown have found ways to innovate or present their storylines at such an odd time, where other promotions such as AEW or TNA (which people really need to give a second chance) have gone a long way to keeping their product fresh & interesting without fans in attendance up to previous capacity prior to March of this year.

Due to the brand creative direction it brought us here, amidst this being one of the hot topics the online wrestling community has to discuss considering that without RAW, the wrestling landscape as we know it would likely not exist in the way it does. Fans are simply frustrated at all the inconsistency, the lack of investment in the future & the fact that week in & week out, RAW seems like a show with so little consequence many (myself included) barely feel the urge to even catch up with the show’s events on YouTube shortly after.

Today, I wanted to take a look at how Monday Night RAW can fix the fundamental issues it has, from the perspective of a wrestling fan since the age of 5 & a viewer of RAW since roughly 2000.

RAW has become a staple in professional wrestling for many, especially those invested in North American wrestling, so it’s only right that something of this much significance garners the reaction it has been getting from fans & critics alike because anyone who loves this industry wants this show to progress in a way that attracts new fans, not isolate them even further.

5. 50/50 Booking MUST die

I’d make the argument that within modern-day WWE, the very notion of ”50/50 booking” is the single biggest momentum killer the company continues to utilize to this very day, with no clear signs of stopping despite the condition of the younger talent pool at their disposal.

More than anything 50/50 booking doesn’t just create mass inconsistencies on a booking level, allowing no star aside from a select few to look in any way, shape or form dominant but it hampers the very strategy needed to create the next megastar that Vince McMahon himself has been intent on creating for so very long within his own company. Entertainment, in general, is all about consistency, constantly making your top representation look at their very best. Whether that be through victories, big wins over established talent or a firm presence at the top of various respective cards, a bigtime talent that’s on the verge of breaking the proverbial ”glass ceiling” can’t do so if he/she isn’t given the brightest spotlight to shine on.

50/50 booking doesn’t just dismantle momentum, it gives fans one more reason to stop caring about investment, long or short term in any manner. Why would fans invest their time into someone a creative team is putting for when the result is more often than not the same, the time they spend with the character amounts to absolutely nothing of value to the present or future.

4. Put long-term storytelling at the forefront

As I just mentioned, fans love some long-term storytelling in entertainment. The best shows from Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Wire or the copious numbers of comic-book shows that exist all excel at one thing, a big payoff down the line that keeps everyone wanting to come back for more.

With WWE and RAW, in particular, the opposite is the reality. Short-term, non-essential ratings boosts are a constant priority on the program. This could come to a variety of methods, from the recent use of ”In Your Face” to compete with the presence of Monday Night Football, the random use of legends across the show, unannounced brand crossover appearances or random celebrity involvement, all of this is fine under a certain context but when it practically fills in any kind of storytelling to plan for the future, there’s a fundamental problem at hand. Not just a structural problem, but a clear misunderstanding of what made the company so good in the past.

Having a long-term plan & vision for your stars is the key to essentially anything if you want success. Fans & critics alike want their time & effort put to good use, so the payoffs are handled well, new talents rise from the outcome & there are a plethora of new stories to tell off the back of others once they’re said & done. At its peak, WWE had some of the best long-term bookings from any company under the sun, but nowadays with the likes of AEW thriving with this strategy, the cracks are showing on a product that just doesn’t demand your attention span outside of WrestleMania season.

3. Utilize your roster

Without question, the current crop of WWE talent might be the most potential-filled in company history, at least to some degree.

Whether it’s Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, Asuka, Shayna Baszler, The Hurt Business, Ricochet, Apollo Crews, Andrade, Angel Garza, Keith Lee, The Street Profits, Dolph Ziggler or dozens of others, it’s clear that with a working understanding of professional wrestling, a creative mindset & the will to build towards the future rather than further establish the past as dominant as they once were, you could have something very special on your hands.

WWE’s roster is crammed with talent across all brands that are constantly being undermined or underutilized. Simply naming storylines such as RETRIBUTION, virtually everything surrounding the program’s presentation of its female talent, Andrade & Angel’s constant break-ups that amount to nothing, a virtually non-existent tag team scene begging for energy or the unusually strange booking of a powerhouse like Keith Lee are all just scraping the surface of what is stacked roster of talent that is simply directionless. Of all these major storylines it’s unlikely that any of them will lead to a bigger, more prosperous moment considering the track record the company has developed with its own fans.

By simply putting the talent you have in storylines & alongside characters that bounce off of each other dynamics will give a good chunk of the audience that remains something to take interest in. Rather than watch a product that tries to benefit everyone, but ends up benefiting nobody on a weekly basis.

2. RAW’s commentary needs an overhaul

I’ll make this quick to avoid an overabundance of negativity, especially since this entry seems more personal than a reflection of what many are saying in regards to this topic, but RAW’s commentary team needs a desperate overhaul.

Generally, a commentary team is there to do what’s in the very word, comment. Rather than describe what’s on-screen or relevant to the stories being told, but in the case of RAW, in particular, you can hardly call the commentary even play-by-play at times. Despite Samoa Joe being the saving grace behind the desk the voices that tend to guide us through RAW seem to be keener on exposition rather than substance or calling the action, instead becoming a distraction more than a set of people who try to get us invested on what we’re being presented.

The same criticism can be levelled at the likes of Michael Cole & Corey Graves over on SmackDown, who rarely call the action but rather ramble on and a lot of the time, detract what could be a set of solid performances in the ring. Rather than have the commentary team act more like a discussion forum, having them invest & add to the program, storylines & characters (much like a company like AEW or NJPW does) would even add a unique dynamic for fans rather than be a vapid voice that adds nothing to their viewing experience.

1. Pacing is everything

Pacing is everything when it comes to professional wrestling. It’s the key to crafting a good, and more importantly, an excellent show for the audience to receive.

Achieving good pacing is essential when it comes to how your show is structured, how matches play out, how storylines unfold or how the big moments that every story thread has come across to the audience. Once the pacing of a show or event is compromised, there is rarely a level of talent that could save that sinking ship that you’ve put on course, because a product with no clear plan will never fully formulate in anyone’s mind.

RAW has a pacing problem, a bad one. A problem that isn’t just in need of fixing instantly, it should be a problem we echo from the rafters. Fans deserve better than a constant overabundance of DQ finishes, distractions from the dreaded ”outside interference”, constant interruptions that treat fans like the idiots the company clearly thinks we are & a product that is simply throwing ideas at a wall to see what sticks. Nothing about Monday Nights feels structured anymore, every week is one big catastrophe after another in terms of booking because so little carries over into the next series of events.

Even in terms of pacing, RAW rarely has a constant strand of consistency flowing from it week to week, with a lot of character writing, turns, match results & change in the structure of the show is either abandoned or sidelined because of how randomized a lot of each weeks events feel.

A show as scattered as the one we see on a weekly basis is almost impossible to retain a returning audience from, because what is the audience returning for?

Fans like myself tune into wrestling to get excited, overwhelmed & have their jaw dropped, not angered out of utter confusion for what they’re being pushed by a creative team who seem to spend most their time trying to appeal to what’s ”hip” at the moment, rather than something they can present and build to a satisfying conclusion down the line. I hate saying all these things about Monday Night RAW, I really do, it just hurts seeing a show as historically significant become a shell of its former self.

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Greg DeMarco’s WWE WrestleMania 41 BOLD Predictions

WWE WrestleMania 41 is upon us, and—it’s time to throw logic out the window and dive headfirst into the wild world of Greg DeMarco’s BOLD Predictions.

Published

3 days ago

April 18, 2025

Chairshot

WWE WrestleMania 41 is upon us, and you know what that means—it’s time to throw logic out the window and dive headfirst into the wild world of Greg DeMarco’s BOLD Predictions.

I’m not here to give you the safe picks. I’m here to hit you with the predictions that make you yell “NO WAY!” before whispering “…but maybe.” These aren’t your dirt sheet spoilers or fantasy booking pipe dreams—these are Bullheaded, Outlandish, Lascivious, and Deplorable takes straight from the brain of the man who sees the wrestling business for what it is: ruthless, unpredictable, and gloriously absurd. Welcome to WrestleMania 41… DeMarco style.

These are NOT supposed to come true–but you can be rest assured that when one does, you won’t hear the end of it.

WWE WrestleMania 41 – Night 1

World Heavyweight Championship – Jey Uso vs. Gunther (champion)

Real Prediction – Jey Uso wins the World Heavyweight Championship

BOLD Prediction – Ludwig Kaiser prevents Gunther from using a chair on Uso, after being frustrated that he can’t keep the 2025 Royal Rumble winner down. After Jey wins, this sets up Gunther’s post-WrestleMania program, and the biggest push for Kaiser to date.

World Tag Team Championships – The New Day vs. The War Raiders (champions)

Real Prediction – The New Day defeats The War Raiders to win the World Tag Team Championships

BOLD Prediction – Big E interferes and costs The New Day, allowing The War Raiders to retain. This only works if Big E can actually return to the ring–otherwise, there’s no payoff!

Rey Mysterio vs. El Grande Americano

Real Prediction – Rey Mysterio picks up the win but doesn’t take the mask.

BOLD Prediction – El Grande Americano pulls out some “twin magic” with different versions of himself entering the match–played by Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, and even Ivy Nile. In the end, it’s not the true “El Grande Americano” that eats the pin.

Jade Cargill vs. Naomi

Real Prediction – Naomi defeats Jade Cargill via nefarious means.

BOLD Prediction – Those nefarious means involve Bianca Belair, who doesn’t want to see her two best friends fight, “accidentally” doing something that costs Cargill the match.

United States Championship – Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight (champion)

Real Prediction – Jacob Fatu wins the title clean.

BOLD Prediction – Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga interfere and cost Jacob Fatu. Also, the Las Vegas crowd treats Jacob like the babyface, so Knight leans into it by showing heel tendencies (the man is basically a heel as it is).

WWE Women’s Championship – Charlotte Flair vs. Tiffany Stratton

Real Prediction – Tiffy Time picks up the biggest win of her career over Charlotte Flair.

BOLD Prediction – THIS MATCH STINKS. Charlotte Flair, plain and simple, has not been the same Charlotte Flair that we’ve grown accustomed to since she won the 2025 Royal Rumble. She’s had so many outside distractions, and so many negative voices coming at her that she’s not the GOAT at the moment, and it shows in this match.

Triple Threat Match – CM Punk (with Paul Heyman) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns

Real Prediction – Seth Rollins gets his WrestleMania main event victory.

BOLD Prediction – Seth Rollins joins up with Paul Heyman, but in the real surprise it is Brock Lesnar that helps Rollins win.

WWE WrestleMania 41 – Night 2

Women’s World Championship – Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky (champion)

Real Prediction – Iyo Sky proves she wasn’t the afterthought and picks up the win.

BOLD Prediction – Naomi interferes, but openly helps Bianca Belair win, fully turning The EST heel in the process, with the duo revealing during the week that follows that they both orchestrated the attack on Jade Cargill.

Sin City Street Fight – Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest

Real Prediction – Damian Priest picks up the win much to the dismay of the Las Vegas crowd.

BOLD Prediction – This match features your outlandish spot of the weekend, where there is some huge fall or giant superplex through an apparatus with pyro going off after it happens, which leads to Priest’s unpopular (but deserving) win.

AJ Styles vs. Logan Paul

Real Prediction – AJ Styles surprisingly gets the clean victory–he’s not quite done yet!

BOLD Prediction – Jake Paul interferes in the match and the Paul Brothers compete as a tag team in WWE later this year.

Randy Orton vs. ???

Real Prediction – Randy Orton defeats Nick Aldis, shaking his hand in a show of respect after.

BOLD Prediction – When it appears that Aldis will be Orton’s opponent, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga get involved, leading to a Tag Team Match that is won by Aldis and Orton. (Thank you, Andrew Balaz.)

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships – Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (champions) vs. Bayley & WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria

Real Prediction – Liv & Raquel retain after miscommunication between their opponents.

BOLD Prediction – Roxanne Perez interferes to cost Bayley in the match, possibly bringing Cora Jade with her, setting the table for her main roster program.

WWE Championship – John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes (champion)

Real Prediction – LOLCODYWINS – clean, to retain his championship.

BOLD Prediction – John Cena doesn’t get the job done, so The Rock brings out Brock Lesnar, who ultimately wins the WWE Championship. By the end of the match, this all includes Paul Heyman and Seth Rollins being involved to reveal that Cena, Rollins, Lesnar, and Heyman are The Rock’s new unit in WWE.

You didn’t come here for “well maybe” or “if the booking makes sense.” You came for BOLD—for the predictions that light Twitter/X on fire and make group chats erupt in rage or awe. WrestleMania 41 is WWE’s playground, and I’m here to knock down the jungle gym. Whether I’m right, wrong, or just plain insane… at least I’m not boring. Enjoy the show, and remember: Wrestling is better when it makes you feel something—even if that feeling is total disbelief.

About Chairshot Radio Network

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TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)

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THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)

FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)

SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)

TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends

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Classic POD is WAR

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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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Mitchell’s ROH Results & Report! (4/17/25)

Prelude to Spring Breakthru!

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2025

Steven Mitchell

The Prodigy is going to prove his worth!

It’s a special week in wrestling, so ROH will get you started right with a FREE YouTube special! Will Nick Wayne be red hot going into Spring Breakthru?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Top Flight w/ Leila Grey VS Tomohiro Ishii & Rocky Romero; Top Flight wins.
Shane Taylor w/ The Infantry VS KM; Taylor wins.
ROH Women’s World Television Championship #1 Contender’s Match: La Catalina VS Taya Valkyrie; Catalina wins and will challenge Red Velvet for the title.
Nick Wayne w/ Shayna Wayne VS Michael Oku w/ Amira; Nick wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Top Flight w/ Leila Grey VS Tomohiro Ishii & Rocky Romero!

While Darius & Dante Martin are still stinging from Nick Wayne & Cru getting the better of them, they’ll brush that off and look to start again. Will they take off towards tag title opportunities? Or will the Stone Pitbull & Azucar represent for The Conglomeration?

The teams sort out and Dante starts against Rocky. The bell rings, the fans rally, and the Code of Honor is upheld. The two circle, feel things out, and knuckle lock. Dante kicks an arm, wrenches the other, then swings Rocky around to waistlock. Dante then half nelsons, spins Rocky to a cravat, but Rocky wrenches free to top wristlock. Rocky wrangles Dante, the fans rally up, and Dante kips up. Dante goes to the ropes, springboards to arm-drag, then things speed up. Rocky avoids the dropkick, but then Dante kips up, ducks ‘n’ dodges, and DROPKICKS after all! Dante whips Rocky to the corner, A-LIST LARIATS, then tags Darius!

Darius snap suplexes, tags back to Dante, and Dante slingshot SENTONS! Cover, ONE, but Dante brings Rocky up. Dante wrenches an arm, tags Darius, and Darius LEAP FROG HIP DROPS the arm! Darius whips Rocky, leaps, but Rocky FLAPJACKS him down! Tag to Ishii! The fans fire up and Ishii runs up, but Darius DROPKICKS! Ishii stays put, runs, but Darius arm-drags! And arm-drags! But Ishii stuffs the headlock takeover! Ishii whips Darius to ropes, Darius comes back to RAM Ishii! Ishii rebounds, runs through the lariat, and CLOBBERS Darius! The fans fire up as Ishii then fires forearms with Darius back and forth.

The fans rally as the forearms keep going and going, and going! Darius blocks, CHOPS, but Ishii ROCKS him! Darius DROPKICKS and Ishii falls! Darius drags Ishii up, but Ishii SAIDOS! Tag to Rocky and the Conglomeration double whip to DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE! Rocky flexes, the fans cheer, and Rocky gives some Azucar Heat. Rocky drags Darius up to CHOP him! Then he snap suplexes Darius! Tag to Ishii and Ishii stomps Darius. Ishii CHOPS Darius to the ropes, then CHOPS him on the ropes! And CHOPS! CHOPS! Darius sputters, Ishii tags Rocky, and Rocky snapmares Darius to KNEE him in the back!

Rocky KNEES Darius again, then eggs him on. Darius fires body shots, UPPERCUTS, but Rocky kicks low! Rocky CHOPS Darius, the fans rally, and Rocky whips Darius away. Darius BLASTS Ishii, then goes up and over Rocky, hot tag to Dante! The fans fire up as Dante ELBOWS Rocky, LARIATS him, then whips. Rocky reverses, but Dante slips outside, goes up and over, then GAMANGIRIS! Dante springboards to CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! Dante brings Rocky up, whips him to the corner, but Rocky stops to BLAST Darius! Rocky UPPERCUTS Dante, then runs corner to corner, LARIAT! That’s One-Ever!

Rocky comes back to TWO-EVER! And THREE- NO, Dante dodges! Darius gives him the boost, then Dante gives the assist, TORNADO DDT on Rocky! Cover, Ishii BLASTS Darius onto it! Ishii waistlocks but Darius fights free. Feed to the JUMP KNEE! Top Flight double whip, but Ishii reverses to send Dante into Darius! GERMAN SUPLEX for Dante! Darius BOOTS Ishii, but Ishii ROCKS Darius! Darius CHOPS, Ishii HEADBUTTS! Rocky SOBATS Darius, then gets help from Ishii in the SHIRANUI! Ishii ROCKS Dante, Rocky ENZIGIRIS, and then another SHIRA- NO, Dante powers out! Ishii runs up, Dante dodges, but Rocky ROCKS him!

Rocky has Dante, Ishii runs in, but Dante slips free, the LARIAT takes out Rocky! The fans fire up, and Darius SUPERKICKS Ishii! Ishii bails out, Darius PLANCHAS! Down goes Ishii, and Dante has Rocky! Half nelson for the SLAM! Cover, Top Flight wins!

Winner: Top Flight, by pinfall

Darius & Dante used their athleticism and teamwork to get that win, and now they’ve got momentum back on their side! Will nothing stop Top Flight from heading back to the title scene?

As for Rocky and Ishii, Rocky is on edge and Ishii tells him to calm down. Azucar is feeling spicy, but he still hugs it out with Ishii. Will Rocky’s frustration become motivation so that he can go for gold of his own?

PROGRAMMING NOTE for ROH!

Just because we’ve got this early helping today doesn’t mean we won’t get more ROH! Tune in at 4:20 PM Eastern tomorrow for a special Friday edition of ROH TV! Watch Duston Rhodes & The Von Erichs defend their ROH World Six Man Tag Team Championships against Johnny TV & MXM Collection!

Red Velvet speaks.

“Your longest-reigning ROH Women’s World Television Champion is back and cooking. And word around the kitchen is that Taya Valkyrie and La Catalina of CMLL are gonna duke it out for an opportunity at my baby.” Velvet laughs at that, and says, “Spoiler alert!” It doesn’t matter if it’s La Wera Loca or La Diva, because those two are just idiots! And Red Velvet always gets her lick back. She doesn’t back down from anyone, because it will be #AndStill.

ROH Women’s World Television Championship #1 Contender’s Match: La Catalina VS Taya Valkyrie!

Speaking of that match, La Diva and La Wera Loca are ready to serve it up! But who will be tasting sweet victory while the other is left with the bitter taste of defeat?

The Code of Honor is upheld, but Taya makes sure Catalina knows this is serious business. The bell rings, the fans rally up, and the two tie up. Taya waistlocks, then spins Catalina to wrench an arm. Catalina rolls, arm-drags, and the fans cheer as Catalina tosses her hair. Taya stays cool, circles with Catalina, and gets around for another waistlock. Taya SLAMS Catalina down, flips her over, but Catalina kips up, only for Taya to throw her down! Catalina kips up again, but Taya throws her back down! Catalina kips up a third time, breaks free, and fires a flurry! Catalina hits an arm-drag, then kips up again! But Taya BOOTS her down!

Taya messes with Catalina’s hair, the ref reprimands and the fans boo, but Taya shrugs. Taya whips Catalina, but Catalina redirects to then SHOTGUN! The fans fire up with Catalina while Taya bails out. Catalina builds speed, but Taya hurries away. The fans are torn but Catalina storms out after Taya. Catalina wheelbarrows, but Taya SLAMS her on the railing! Taya gives some of her own cha-cha skills, then brings Catalina around to SMACK her off the apron. Taya pushes Catalina into the ring, stomps her down, then sits her up for a SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Catalina stays in this but Taya grabs the legs.

Taya smiles as she steps through, spinning toehold! Then a roll into the KNEEBAR ANKLE LOCK COMBO! Catalina endures, crawls forward, and drags Taya along as she manages the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Taya holds until 4, and then Taya talks trash. Catalina ELBOWS her back! And BOOTS her, too! Catalina runs to SHOTGUN KNEE! Taya stumbles onto the ropes, Catalina fires up, HIP ATTACK! The fans fire up with Catalina as she runs, dodges, and fires boxing elbows! Catalina runs again, SLAM DUNK! Cover, TWO! Taya stays in this but Catalina stays focused. Catalina whips Taya to a corner, sits her down, and fires up again!

The fans cheer as Catalina goes around the world, but Taya dodges! The hips hit buckles, Taya comes back, METEORA! Taya drags Catalina up for the BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, TWO! Catalina survives, but Taya is actually amused. Taya fireman’s carries, but Catalina fights free! Catalina shoves, follows, and then FACEBUSTERS on the run! Cover, TWO! Taya is still in this, but Catalina is getting frustrated. Catalina whips Taya, Taya reverses, but Catalina dodges! Taya dodges, redirects, and SPEARS! Taya fires up, the fans are torn, but Taya DOUBLE STOMPS! Cover, TWO!! Catalina survives, but Taya has a wild look in her eyes!

Taya drags Catalina to a drop zone, grabs a leg, stomps it, then goes up the corner. The fans rally for Catalina, Taya soaks up heat, but Catalina CLUBS Taya! Catalina has Taya for the ELECTRIC CHAIR DROP! Catalina hurries up top and the fans cheer her on! FROG SPLASH!! Cover, Catalina wins!

Winner: La Catalina, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the ROH Women’s World Television Championship)

Catalina is herself a little surprised, but then she celebrates and does her dance! Will La Diva soon eat up everything Red Velvet sends her way?

Nick Wayne w/ Shayna Wayne VS Michael Oku w/ Amira!

The Prodigy has a spot in this year’s NJPW Best of the Super Juniors, and he even has an ROH World Television Championship match waiting for him on Collision, but this is a bit more than a tune-up here. Will The Master of The Half-Crab show why he’s the TWO-TIME RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion? Or will that not matter now that he’s in Wayne’s World?

The fans already rally with, “Let’s Go, Oku!” The Code of Honor is not upheld as Nick kicks the hand away. The bell rings, Nick and Oku circle, and they tie up. The two are in a deadlock, until Nick finds a point of leverage. Nick puts Oku in a corner, smothers him, but then mockingly pats him on the shoulder before giving him a little slap on the cheek. Oku stays cool and the two reset. They tie up, Nick headlocks, but Oku fires body shots. Oku powers up and out, Nick runs him over and flexes, but the fans still boo. Nick runs, Oku stays low, hurdles over, but then dodges and RANAS! The fans fire up, and Oku DROPKICKS!

Nick flounders away, Mama checks on her boy, but Amira rallies the fans for her guy. Oku grabs Nick’s legs, drags him but Nick holds onto ropes. The ref counts, Nick UP KICKS at 4! Nick then goes to the apron, climbs up, but Oku grabs him first! Oku bumps Nick off buckles, then triangle jump DROPKICKS! Nick falls, Mama is there for him, but the fans fire up for Oku as he runs corner to corner! Oku jumps the ropes, Nick runs away, but then Nick blocks the Penalty Kick to FLIP Oku! Oku lands hard on the apron, Amira is upset, but Mama has her back off. Nick drags Oku to THROW into railing! Nick climbs up the barriers just to taunt the fans!

The fans boo, Nick says “SUCK IT!” and then goes back for Oku. The fans taunt Nick as a “Mama’s Boy! Mama’s Boy!” Nick puts Oku in the ring, pushes him to a cover, TWO! Oku stays in this but Nick is annoyed. Amira rallies behind her man but Nick goes for a full nelson. Oku fights it, gets to his feet, and he arm-drags Nick away! Nick runs in, Oku ELBOWS, but Nick RAMS Oku into the corner! Oku BOOTS Nick, goes up, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! The fans fire up while Oku and Nick are both down. Oku and Nick crawl to ropes, stand up, and Oku blocks a shot to ROCK Nick! And ROCK him again! And again!

Oku fires a flurry, then whips, but Nick reverses. Oku reverses to kick, wrench and TORNADO DDT! Cover, TWO! Nick survives and Oku is a bit surprised, but the fans rally up. Oku drags Nick by a leg, and shouts, “NOW, WE PLAY!” Nick fights off the Half Crab by pulling hair and throwing hands! Nick is up, but Oku gets around to shove, redirect, only for Nick to dodge! Nick wants the nelson but Oku fights that and trips Nick! Nick kicks Oku but Oku PENALTY KICKS! Then TOP ROPE LIONSAULT, but onto knees! DRAGON SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Oku survives but Mama Shayna argues the count.

Amira coaches up Oku and the fans rally again. Oku and Nick rise, and Nick goes up, up, but Oku stops the cutter! Oku then redirects and BUSAIKU KNEES! Nick tumbles out of the ring but Oku rallies the fans. The fans clap along, speed up, and Oku builds speed! HIGH JUMP FOSBURY!! The fans are thunderous but Mama Wayne is upset! Amira tells her to be mad, and Oku puts Nick in. The fans fire up as Oku goes up, up, and FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!! Cover, TWO!!! Nick survives, but Oku has the leg! HALF CRAB!! Nick endures Oku’s favorite hold and the fans go wild! Nick scrambles reaches out, and Mama even pushes the rope closer for the ROPEBREAK!

The fans boo, the ref reprimands, and Amira gets in Shayna’s face! Nick tells Mama to stand down, Amira’s not just a manager! Nick hobbles, Oku DROPKICKS him! Oku fires up, the fans are with him, and Oku goes up, up and- NO, Shayna is distracting the ref! Amira argues with Shayna, but KIP SABIAN shoves Oku down! BOOTS from Nick, into WAYNE’S WORLD!!! Cover, Nick wins!!

Winner: Nick Wayne, by pinfall

Kip gets revenge on a UK rival while helping out his Patriarchy “brother,” talk about a Superbad night. But while the “family” helped Nick here, Christian Cage said that Nick must win the ROH World TV title on his own. Can Nick make “Father Christian” proud? Or will he be stumbling along towards the Best of the Super Juniors?

My Thoughts:

Tony Khan has ROH doing too much. I get that because of scheduling reasons (WrestleMania being this weekend), Collision was going to be on tonight instead of Saturday, which complicates how ROH airs. But why you gotta do this “prelude” when you can just have it all on Friday? For that matter, why have anything on Friday? This half of ROH was fine, clocking in at 37 minutes. Even then, I didn’t have time for all of it because I didn’t realize they did this until I checked on ROH’s official site. Guess that’s my mistake for not following ROH related social media like YouTube.

Good stuff from Top Flight VS Ishii & Rocky, and a good win for Top Flight. It was also serving a story point with Rocky where he is frustrated over being kinda last place in The Conglomeration. Orange Cassidy has been International Champion, Mark Briscoe has been ROH World Champion, Ishii just got the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship, and Rocky hasn’t had much of anything in a long time. I don’t see Rocky ditching Conglomeration since that’d also be tantamount to him ditching Chaos/Hontai in NJPW.

Shane Taylor VS KM went about how I expected, but I do believe Shane was saying after that he’s tired of waiting. Honestly, I agree, TK needs to do something more with Shane Taylor Promotions than just having them lose to “bigger stars.” They should at least be running ROH, taking on The Sons of Texas for their various gold and then aiming for the TV and world titles while they’re still on Face wrestlers like Komander and Bandido. In fact, I think Komander y Bandido are a duo going up against The Infantry for Friday’s episode, maybe we get started on some good story for Supercard of Honor.

Very good promo from Red Velvet, and a very good match from Taya VS Catalina. Taya and Velvet both being Heels, it makes sense Catalina would win. Plus that’s a good crossover match of ROH VS CMLL. No idea if Catalina wins or not, but she’ll give Velvet a very good match. And we also got a very good match from Nick Wayne and Michael Oku. Oku is definitely a top talent, and at least his loss is protected from the interference run by Shayna Wayne & Kip Sabian. I wonder if Oku tries to get payback on Collision during Nick’s match with Komander… After all, I’m not quite sure if Nick takes the ROH TV Championship given he’s also going to be part of NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors.