Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (10/19/20)
It’s a Raw Season Premiere!
It’s a new day and a new season for Monday Night Raw!
The Ravishing Russian has the opportunity of a lifetime! Will Lana become a champion? Or will she NEVER be ready for Asuka?!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- 8 Man Tag: The Hurt Business VS Retribution; The Hurt Business wins.
- AJ Styles w/ Jordan Omogbehin VS Matt Riddle; Styles wins.
- Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka VS Lana; Asuka wins and retains the title.
- Women’s Fatal 4 Way Tag: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler VS Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke VS Peyton Royce & Lacey Evans VS The Riott Squad; Jax & Baszler wins.
- Kofi Kingston w/ Xavier Woods VS Sheamus; Kofi wins.
- The Miz & John Morrison VS Tucker Knight & ???; Tucker & “El Grand Gordo” win.
- Keith Lee VS Braun Strowman; Strowman wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
The Fiend is here?!
No, it’s ALEXA BLISS! “Monday Night Raw. He’s heeere~!” #LetHimIn. NOW The Fiend arrives! He and his Bray Wyatt head lantern creep to the ring for the first time on USA Network! Alexa stands still like a statue, even as he gets in the ring. Then when he offers, she takes his hand. But what is this?! Retribution!? They’re hijacking Friend’s hijacking of Raw! Mustafa Ali leads “T-Bar” Dijakovic, “Mace” Maddin, “Slapjack” Thorne and “Reckoning” Mia Yim to the ring and they surround Fiend and Alexa! But neither Fiend or Alexa has moved? Do they not even register that these five are here? Mustafa raises his right hand, and the lights go out! But under whose power? When the lights come back, Fiend and Alexa are gone! It seems we know who really has power here.
But now, here comes the Hurt Business! MVP, Cedric Alexander, Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin want to finally settle things with Ali and his cohorts! Reckoning Yim moves aside so the boy scan brawl! T-Bar gets dumped out, then Mace and Slapjack! Alexander throws Ali out onto his men, and then FLIES onto them all! They were going to have an 8 Man Tag some time tonight, now that time is after the break!
Get ready for Monday Night Bruh!
Matt Riddle is chill, but he can go from bro-down to throw down with the flip of a switch! And he’ll do it all without wearing shoes! Will the Bro soon run this show? Or will AJ Styles still be the Face that Runs the Place? Their rematch from SmackDown a long time coming is going to be part of Raw’s season premiere!
8 Man Tag: The Hurt Business VS Retribution!
At one point, the Heart and Soul of 205 Live were thick as thieves. But the Age of Alexander has grown up and the Beacon of Light is on a darker path. Will Alexander and his new business associates stop Ali and his rogues from running roughshod over Raw?
Ali tells T-Bar to go after Lashley but Lashley is the one throwing hands at the bell! Lashley whips and runs T-Bar over! Then runs corner to corner to clothesline hard! Lashley throws haymakers and elbows but the ref counts. Lashley lets off, comes back but T-Bar BOOTS! And CLUBS Lashley! Retribution is fired up but Lashley gets T-Bar for a COMPLETE SHOT! Tag to Slapjack but Lashley kicks and clubs him down! Lashley brings Slapjack up for a stalling suplex, a count of 10, and a SLAM! Hurt Business is fired up and Alexander tags in to Penalty Kick Slapjack! Alexander clubs Slapjack, Slapjack forearms back! Slapjack suplexes but Alexander counters to a GOURD BUSTER and BOOT! Cover, TWO!
Alexander glares at Ali as he brings slapjack up. Tag to MVP and MVP throws hands on Slapjack. MVP stomps a mudhole, argues the count with the ref, then brings Slapjack up to whip back into buckles HARD! Cover, TWO! MVP keeps Slapjack contained, then tags Alexander back in. They mug Slapjack with forearms to the back, then Alexander brings him up to bump him off buckles. Alexander ENZIGURIS hard then grinds forearm’s in. The ref counts, Alexander lets off to forearm Slapjack down! Slapjack flops through ropes, T-Bar and Mace go over and bark, but Alexander puts Slapjack in the drop zone. Alexander goes up, T-Bar talks smack. Slapjack SHORYUKENS and SUPER ARM-DRAGS!
Hot tag to Ali and he DROPKICKS the bad arm! Ali drags Alexander around, stands on the arm then stomps it! Alexander goes to a corner but Ali snapmares him to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Alexander survives, Ali drags him up and Ali wrenches on the arm. Alexander pushes Ali away and ROCKS him with that right! Alexander runs in, Ali puts him on the apron but Alexander rocks him again! Alexander jumps up but Ali trips the springboard up! Alexander hits buckles on the way down, then Ali grinds his heels into him! the ref counts, Ali stops and Alexander flops out of the ring. Ali slips out to THROW Alexander into the barriers! The rest of Hurt Business go to reinforce Alexander, Retribution meets them, but THE FIEND is on screen! Bray Wyatt’s nightmares watch these eight as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns as Shelton Benjamin and Dio “Mace” Maddin are in the ring and brawling! Benjamin gets the edge but Mace hits back! Benjamin knees low, Mace uppercuts back and knees. Mace pushes Benjamin to a corner, fires off more hands then runs to come back, only for Benjamin to POST him! Benjamin GERMAN SUPLEXES Mace to the other corner! Then runs in for the step-up KNEE! Mace flops down, Benjamin covers, TWO! Benjamin tries again, TWO! Benjamin runs to drop a knee! Benjamin has Mace in a chinlock, even using his dreadlocks against him. Mace fights up but is in the Hurt Business corner. Benjamin fires off forearms, tags Lashley and Lashley brings Mace out for haymakers. Lashley whips, Mace kicks back! Lashley roars and clotheslines Mace out!
Lashley blows up the Retribution corner and Mace gets in, for the ROKCY MOUNTAIN SPINE BUSTER! T-Bar runs in, Lashley goes up and around to SPEAR! Cover, Ali breaks it! Ali asks Lashley show mercy but T-Bar gets Lashley in a waistlock! Mace gets Ali out as Lashley standing switches. T-Bar throws elbows but Lashley turns those into the HURT LOCK!! T-Bar taps, Hurt Business wins!!
Winners: The Hurt Business, by submission
But then The Fiend returns!! He’s standing among Retribution, and SHOVES Ali down! And CLOBBERS Mace! Slapjack takes SISTER ABIGAIL! Mace is given an URENAGE to the announce desk! The Fiend targets Ali but Ali runs, only to get caught! T-Bar BOOTS Fiend, choke grips, but Fiend MANDIBLE CLAWS! And SISTER ABIGAILS! The Fiend lay waste to the rogues, and then he looks at the Hurt Business. Alexa is on screen now! “Let me in.” SHE SPOKE WITH BRAY’S VOICE!! What is going to happen to Monday Night Raw?!
AJ Styles w/ Jordan Omogbehin VS Matt Riddle!
This match was BRO-NOMENAL on SmackDown, but the Face that Runs the Place now has HUGE back-up! Shane McMahon’s buddy and bouncer is now accompanying Styles to the ring! Will Jordan be a big difference in this rematch with Riddle?
Styles says “I’ve got to give credit where credit is due.” Finally, they drafted a true leader. A true leader in A, J, Styles. Seth Rollins’ messiah complex where he was preaching and spewing prophecy and propaganda, Styles can only assume it was Jeff Hardy “stumbling out to the ring, screwing something else up,” Rollins was going to claim the promised land. But the real redemption of Raw was the return of the prodigal superstar, AJ Styles. Styles beat Hardy, he beat Rollins, at the same time! It further proved this was never Monday Night Rollins. When Styles beats Riddle tonight, Styles will shepherd Raw into a brighter future. This is more than a season premiere, this is a new era! A new era that belongs to the Face that Runs the Place, AJ Styles! But here comes Riddle to respond with action! Will the Bro show Styles he’s got it all wrong?
The ref asks Jordan to move from the ring but Jordan refuses. The ref asks Styles to ask Jordan to leave the ring. Styles isn’t going to do that, either. But the match has started. If Jordan doesn’t get out before five, Styles is disqualified. The ref starts counting, but Jordan stops him!? Jordan puts the ref’s hand down, but the ref asks one last time that he leave. He’s just doing his job, okay? Styles says it’s up to Jordan. Jordan finally does exit the ring, Styles and Riddle finally circle, and Styles kicks low and throws haymakers and CHOPS! Riddle dodges to KICK and KICK and KICK! Styles falls down hard but Riddle drags him from the ropes.
Riddle goes after him with more strikes but Styles gets the ropes. Riddle lets off but Styles throws a sucker punch! So Riddle throws Styles! And again! Riddle still holds on for a THIRD gut wrench suplex! Styles gets up but Riddle clotheslines him out, in front of Jordan! Riddle goes to the apron, but Jordan stands in his way! Riddle bails out of his Penalty Kick before running into that wall, and Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Styles whips Riddle to kitchen sink knee him down! Riddle goes to a corner but Styles is on him with stomping! Styles drags Riddle up, snapmares him and wraps on with a rear bearhug. Riddle endures and fights up, only for Styles to shift to a chinlock. Riddle fights out and fireman’s carries but Styles fights out of that! Riddle spins out of a kick to PELE Styles down! Both men go to opposite ends as fans rally on their screens. Riddle runs to forearm smash, then go side to side for another! And then BROSPLDER! Styles sits up but ducks the Penalty Kick, and the moonsault, and he BOOTS the Broton away! Riddle is down but so is Styles, and fans clap on screen. Styles brings Riddle up, Riddle fires off a strike fest but Styles responds with his! Only to turn into FINAL FLASH!
Riddle dead lifts but Styles PELES back! Riddle stays up!! And DEAD LIFT GERMANS! Riddle brings Styles up but Styles fireman’s carries to USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO!! Riddle lives and Styles can’t believe it! Styles gets to the rope, drags himself up and hobbles back over to Riddle. Styles drags Riddle up and reels him in, but Riddle resists the Clash! Styles clubs, lifts, Riddle flips out to FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cradle for a cover, TWO!! Styles survives and Riddle is furious! Riddle gets up, drags Styles to a drop zone, and goes up top. Styles trips Riddle up! Styles gets up behind Riddle, brings him up, but Riddle fights back! Riddle sends Styles down, adjusts, but Styles is up and throws haymakers! Styles and Riddle brawl as Styles climbs, Riddle and Styles both fall!! Styles is in the ring, Riddle is outside.
The ring count climbs as Jordan walks over. Riddle is wary of Jordan as he balls up that fist, and he gets in at 6. Styles ENZIGURIS! And STYLES CLASH!! Cover, Styles wins!!
Winner: AJ Styles, by pinfall
Give a literally big assist to Jordan Omogbehin! Will Jordan continue to give Styles a huge advantage in his matches from now on?
Backstage interview with Drew McIntyre!
The WWE World Champion knows he has a “tall task” defending the title in his very first Hell in a Cell match, against a seasoned veteran of the Cell in Randy Orton. How much does this difference in experience play? McIntyre asks he take this over and address Orton directly. Charly obliges and hands over the mic. “Randy, from the first moment I met you when I was 20 years old, throughout my entire career, especially these past few months, it was always obvious to me.” Orton is the most evil and entitled entity in the WWE. But he’s also very intelligent. When McIntyre slammed the door closed and won the match, he should’ve left Orton behind. But Orton saw McIntyre celebrate with four legends he respects, and attacked them. McIntyre sees it was a calculated maneuver because he knew McIntyre would get angry. Orton challenged McIntyre to HIAC and McIntyre accepted.
But McIntyre sees the bigger picture. HIAC is custom built to injure. IT is a last resort. Those with darkness in them thrive in that environment. Orton has had success in them while McIntyre has had ZERO! Against anyone else, this would be a huge advantage. But McIntyre isn’t any superstar, is he? McIntyre defended the title with the honor and respect it deserves! This Sunday, there will be no honor or respect because Orton doesn’t deserve it! McIntyre has been through hell and will put Orton through hell to remain champion! Someone asked why he looks like he’s going to a funeral. Maybe he is. Orton has an interview later, so don’t be surprised if McIntyre shows up.
Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka VS Lana!
Speaking of a tall task, the Ravishing Russian managed to rebound from a rough tag team defeat, and managed to snatch a victory from defeat in a battle royal, and now she’s challenging The Empress of Tomorrow! But Asuka has almost always been dominant in her WWE career. Will that continue even against the spirited determination of Lana?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this battle of dominant champion and “influencer” underdog begins!
Lana and Asuka circle, tie up and Asuka headlocks. Asuka grinds Lana down, Lana stays up and powers out but Asuka runs her over! Asuka speeds things up but Lana hurdles, only for Asuka to shove her. Asuka dances, Lana gets mad but she runs only for Asuka to side-step. But Lana turns the pop-up into a takedown, only for Asuka to make it a pin! ONE, Asuka wants her lock but Lana gets ropes! The ref counts, Asuka lets off fast and things reset. Lana and Asuka circle again, approach with a knuckle lock, but Lana kicks! Asuka ducks a kick, jumps the sweep, but Lana ducks a kick to roll Asuka! TWO, Asuka’s back hand misses and Lana kicks legs out! Lana kicks and kicks then covers, TWO!
Lana hurries to bring Asuka back up and bumps Asuka off buckles! Lana stomps a mudhole but Asuka shoves her away. Asuka back elbows hard, then ROUNDHOUSES! Lana is in a daze as she crawls away. Asuka hurries after but Lana throws the first forearm! Asuka forearms back, blocks a kick and gets around but Lana resists the waistlock. Lana elbows, Asuka gets the arm! Lana switches, rolls up, TWO! Asuka drags Lana in, ASUKA LOCK!! Lana reaches, but she still taps, Asuka wins!!
Winner: Asuka, by submission (still Raw Women’s Champion)
But here comes Nia Jax?! From the BACK! Nia CLOBBERS Asuka, but Shayna’s here, too! Shayna drags Lana up and holds her down while Nia clears off the desk! Not again!! They drag Lana out of the ring and Nia slaps her around while mocking her. Nia fireman’s carries, to SAMOAN DROP her through the desk! The FIFTH time in a MONTH! Shayna gets Asuka up but Asuka fights free and MULE KICKS! Asuka hip attacks Shayna out of the ring! The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions regroup while the Raw Women’s Champion gets away! Will either of the predators catch Asuka as their prey? Or are even their powers combined NOT READY for Asuka?
Raw returns and Nia and Shayna are still in the ring.
The tag champs have mics, and Nia starts with, “To Lana, or anyone who thinks that Shayna and I are not on the same page, or we’re not a real team because we don’t braid each other’s hair on the weekend or follow each other on Instagram… You know what I see when I watch that replay? What’s the word I’m looking for? That’s it: teamwork!” Shayna would’ve said dominance. Teamwork is said by the tag titles. But it doesn’t matter how you say it, it’s what you do. And week after week, they’ve both come out here and dominated! They own the Women’s Tag Team Titles, which means they own the Raw AND SmackDown Women’s Divisions! And if anyone wants to refute that, they dare you to do something about it!
Here come Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke! Asuka’s #SexyMuscleFriends are not scared of the Queen of Spades or Irresistible Force! But it seems neither is Lacey Evans, because she’s following right behind! As is the Venus Flytrap, Peyton Royce! The champs want to know what the heck this is about! Peyton and Lacey are an even more dysfunctional duo than the champs as they keep pushing each other out of the center of the shot and whatever else. But wait! The Riott Squad is coming out?! They’re now on SmackDown, but these are floating titles! Their “farewell” to Raw could be a win over their rivals! Will Nia and Shayna regret throwing out the challenge having to face three teams at once?
Women’s Fatal 4 Way Tag: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler VS Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke VS Peyton Royce & Lacey Evans VS The Riott Squad!
In this kind of Fatal 4 Way Tag, only two teams are legal at a time, so the champs stand down, as do Lacey and Peyton. Dana starts with Ruby and they tie up. Dana rolls Ruby, Shayna breaks it up fast. Shayna and Nia get in now and start talking trash with Ruby and Dana. IT turns into a brawl, and the other teams get in! The champs are outnumbered but they still fight the rest off! The ref tries to sort things out but the Squad DOUBLE ENZIGURI the champs! Then the #SexyMuscleFriends double baseball slide! They go after the champs with fists, but Peyton LEAPS onto all four! Lacey sees she has a shot, she slingshots and MOONSAULTS onto them all! The Squad is still in the ring, but not for long! They’re on opposite corners, DOUBLE CROSSBODIES! The Squad stands tall and fans cheer on their screens as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Liv scoops Peyton but Peyton slips out. Peyton throws forearms then drags Liv over. Lacey won’t tag to Peyton clubs Liv down. Peyton tags Lacey in with attitude, and the two mug Liv. Lacey snapmares “nasty” Live and reels her in for a lift, but Liv huricanranas out! Liv runs in to body block Lacey in a corner and Ruby tags in! Ruby snapmares and covers, TWO! Ruby keeps on Lacey but Lacey pushes her back and trips her up to punch her in the stomach! Lacey rolls Ruby, runs but Mandy tags in! Nia tags in off Ruby while Lacey and Mandy argue! Nia and Mandy tie up, Mandy fires off forearms but Nia scoops! Mandy slips off, Dana tags in, and the #SexyMuscleFriends try to double suplex! Nia is too big and strong, she DOUBLE SUPLEXES them!
Mandy and Dana crawl while Nia rises. Nia runs in at them but Dana and Mandy dodges, Nia POSTS herself! Dana runs back in, handspring back elbow! Mandy tags in, she stomps Nia then double clotheslines Peyton and Lacey! KNEE FROM A ROSE! Tag to Dana while Mandy BLASTS the Squad! Dana is up, SWANTON BOMB! Cover, but Shayna breaks it! Shayna stalks Dana but turns around into a KNEE FROM A ROSE! Peyton HEEL KICKS Mandy down! Ruby gives Peyton an STO! WOMAN’S RIGHT from Lacey! Dana throws Lacey, goes after Nia, but Nia shoves! Liv tags in to dropkick a leg out! Liv fires off on Nia, then runs, to shotgun dropkick! Lacey tags in but runs into a drop toehold! Liv goes up, STOMPS Lacey down and Ruby tags in!
Ruby drags Lacey up, Liv adds on, LIV BREAKER to RIOTT KICK! Cover, Shayna drags Ruby off just in time! And into a KIRAFUDA KLUTCH! Nia tags in off Ruby, stalks after Lacey, SAMOAN DROP! Cover, the champs win!
Winners: Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler, by pinfall
This wasn’t for the title but it still shows where the champs stand in the food chain! Will these two hold onto their gold while still hunting after Asuka’s?
Ladies and gentlemen: Elias.
The Drifter has an entire band accompanying him for once as he asks us one question: Who wants to Walk With Elias?! The ThunderDome seems torn. But this being the season premiere, what better way to do it than to give us all something we’ve been dying for in a live concert! Elias’ new album, Universal Truth, drops next Monday, and it is called that because there is a universal truth we all know: WWE stands for WALK WITH ELIAS! Now, Elias will kick this off with a medley from the new album, starting with “Amen.” Jeff Hardy better be listening. Hit it!
“How many times they gonna kill me? Try to put me in the grave~! Because I’m down deep, about six feet, I need someone to save… I only wear my black hat everywhere I go. The only time I take it off is when I do my show.” Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, I’m goin’ in! Pretty good guitar solo right here, but not from Elias. “I was born a sinner. And that’s how I’m gonna die. So when I drop down to my knees, I thank the Lord and cry. I’ve seen so many things I don’t want to believe. But my eyes see through those lies, and the truth will set you free!” Now Elias gives us a good guitar solo. Pyro for the bridge into the next song, “Lead Me Home.”
“I traveled through time and space, through a forest and a quiet place,” he needs you to show him the way. Lead me! Lead me! Lead me home! “When I feel far away, and I don’t think this ain’t the place, I feel the sunshine on my face.” More pyro to top that one off. “Thank you, ThunderDome! WWE Universe! My new album, next Monday, Universal Truth! Thank you, good night! I love none of you.” Well that last bit wasn’t really necessary… Elias pretends the booing and thumbs down means they want an encore, so he gives it to us. Wait, whose music is this? Who is this guy showing off? Elias gets mad, this is HIS show. Hand him the guitar! But it’s JEFF HARDY! Hardy’s been known to rock, and he smashes the mic stand with the guitar! Hardy tells Elias he never hit Elias with a car, that was a frame job! Will Hardy make sure Elias hears what he’s saying with actions rather than words?
John Morrison and The Miz are backstage.
Can you believe Mandy called Miz petty? Can you believe Lars Sullivan showed up to get his freak on by attacking Morrison? John, please, this is about Miz! He did Mandy a favor by getting her away from Otis! Now she’s in a team with Dana instead of being Otis’ arm candy! Yeah, Miz practically saved her life! We all know how Otis is around candy. And Miz will save the Money in the Bank contract when he wins the court case against Otis. Morrison tells Miz he-
Tucker shows up! Tucker says Miz is just ruining Otis’ life for his own gain. The influence with USA got Mandy traded, Tucker drafted, and he’s just delaying this trial to drain Otis’ wallet. While Heavy Machinery may not be on the same roster, Tucky is going to find a partner who wants to ruin Miz & Morrison’s life tonight on Raw! First, Miz is NOT trying to ruin Otis’ life. Nope! He is trying to restore dignity to the MITB contract. Dignity, yo! Second, they accept this challenge. Challenge accepted! Morrison, what are you doing? Being the hype man. Well, the point is, Tucky finding a new tag partner is laughable! But will Tucker have the last laugh on the Greatest Tag Team of the 21st Century?
Backstage interview with Elias.
Obviously Hardy’s interruption was not part of the concert. Of course it wasn’t! Elias thought in his hiatus that the people would stop interrupting him, there would be reverence for his music, but NO! So next week, Elias will not only celebrate the album dropping, but he’ll be dropping Hardy! Elias challenges Hardy to a match at the HIAC PPV! Will Hardy not only accept but flip the script on the Drifter’s plans?
Kofi Kingston w/ Xavier Woods VS Sheamus!
The New Day may be separated between Monday and Friday, the Power of Positivity is universal! But the Celtic Warrior is also on Raw and wants to continue where he left off from SmackDown! Will Sheamus ruin the fun on the season premiere?
Raw returns as the New Day get the mics. “Wow! For the first time in nearly 4 years, ya bois the NEW~ DAY~ are your Raw, W, W, E, World, Tag, Team, CHAMPIONS~!” But a lot has changed since then. Four years brings a lot of change, but even one year brings a lot of change. Woods had his Achilles tear last year where he couldn’t work, and then 2020 happens and talk about a garbage fire! They’re back now but then they get drafted away from Big E, Woods can’t take this! Kofi calms him down and says it’s one step at a time. Just breathe. But Sheamus interrupts before they can even exhale! Sheamus has a mic to say, “Here we are, huh? Lads, I’ll be honest. I’m glad you finally stopped crying, because that stuff was embarrassing.”
But four years since they were on Raw, huh? But Big E’s on SmackDown. This is only two t’irds of the New Day. Did he just call them turds!? That means “both you Muppets” are going to end up on the wrong end of a Brogue. Oh c’mon, Sheamus. Just because Kofi and Woods are away from Big E, that doesn’t mean the New Day is done! Oh~ no~! It means that Big E gets to hold it down on the blue side while they’re here on the red side! That means the New Day get to speed their seeds of positivity all over the WWE Universe! Like Johnny Appleseed! That’s them! We Johnny Appleseedin’! Oh just shut up! Look at reality! This power of positivity is not real! The reality is, lads, both of them are divided. And divided they will fall.
Um, Sheamus wants to talk about falling? Didn’t Big E drop Sheamus’ ashy ass on the hood of a car? So ashy and dry at work! C’mon, Sheamus! But since he’s already forgotten what it’s like to lose to the New Day, get on in the ring and let Kofi knock you out with the I5’s! And do you know why? Oh wait Big E isn’t here to say it. Sheamus doesn’t want them to say it, but why? BECAUSE, NEW! DAY ROCKS! The Fella has a headache, but will it only get worse going 1v1 with the Grand Slam Kingston?
The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, Sheamus headlocks and hits a takeover but Kofi headscissors. Sheamus pops out, Kofi headlocks but Sheamus blocks the takedown. Sheamus powers out, runs Kofi over, and then speeds things up. Kofi dropkicks Sheamus down, covers, TWO! Kofi keeps on Sheamus, drags him up and kicks him around. Sheamus throws a forearm and has Kofi in a corner. Sheamus brings Kofi out for a European Uppercut but Kofi chops back! Kofi throws body shots, haymakers and CHOPS! Sheamus kicks low, CLUBS Kofi down hard, then brings him up to whip. Kofi kicks back, runs but into a scoop! Sheamus trophy lifts but Kofi slips out to clothesline Sheamus out of the ring! Kofi runs to dropkick Sheamus back down! And then he FLIES! But Sheamus catches him to SLAM him onto the apron! The Fella just gave Kofi a headache, and Raw goes to break!
Raw returns as Sheamus grinds Kofi down with a chinlock. Kofi fights up as fans clap on their screens. Kofi hits a jawbreaker and Sheamus staggers away! Sheamus comes back to CLOBBER Kofi! Sheamus puts Kofi on the ropes, brings him up in the ropes and gives him beats of the bodhrain! Sheamus wants Kofi to get emotional and cry like he did on Friday! Sheamus keeps clubbing Kofi until the ref counts 4, and he lets Kofi flop down. Big E is spotted among the ThunderDome screens as Kofi fights back! Kofi throws elbows and forearms but Sheamus hits a HARD body shot! Sheamus brings Kofi up for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Sheamus clamps onto Kofi with a chinlock and squeezes tight. Woods points out Big E to Kofi, and the “New! Day Rocks!” clapping starts!
Kofi powers up, fights up, but Sheamus back suplexes. Kofi lands on his feet and comes back to STOMP Sheamus down! The power of positivity grows with Big E cheering on his screen! Kofi rises, Sheamus gasps as he stands, and Kofi double CHOPS! And double CHOPS! nd dropkicks! Sheamus swings, Kofi dodges, LEAPING LARIAT! Kofi fires up and runs, NEW~ DAY~ BOOM DROP! Kofi aims from the corner and the fans clap along on screen! Big E claps, too, but Sheamus dodges Trouble, only for Kofi to go up and crossbody! Cover, TWO! Woods coaches Kofi, Kofi rises but Sheamus throws another hard body shot. Sheamus runs in but into a swing kick! Kofi goes up top, leaps again, but Sheamus catches him again! And SWINGING SLAMS Kofi down! Cover, TWO!
Woods is relieved but Sheamus grows frustrated. Sheamus gets up, drags Kofi around by his legs, but Kofi fights off the Cloverleaf! Kofi is up but leaps into a takedown! Sheamus has the legs for the CLOVERLEAF! Kofi is caught, Sheamus sits DEEP! Kofi reaches for Big E’s LED screen and the ropes, then rolls through to go up and drag Sheamus down to a cradle, TWO!! Sheamus and Kofi are up, Sheamus runs in but Kofi kick shim away! Kofi spins, but no Trouble as Sheamus gets under! Alabama lift for an Alabama SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Kofi still lives and Sheamus is speechless! Woods coaches Kofi up more and tells Samoa Joe on commentary that Kofi’s got a lot left! Big E and the fans clap and rally, Sheamus drags Kofi up, fireman’s carry, and then he climbs the corner?!
Kofi fights back, slips off, and then climbs back up, SUPER RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP!! Both men are down but Woods is fired up! Cover, TWO!! Sheamus survives but the fans haven’t given up! Kofi and Sheamus stir, rise and the ThunderDome is thunderous! Kofi stands Sheamus up, reels him in, but no SOS! Sheamus rolls Kofi, TWO, but he scoops! Kofi slips around, crucifix takedown, TWO! TROUBLE IN PARADISE!! Cover, Kofi wins!!
Winner: Kofi Kingston, by pinfall
The Celtic Warrior is 0-2 against the New Day in singles competition! Big E is fired up for Kofi, will the New Day soon stand tall atop both Raw and SmackDown?
Mustafa Ali speaks.
“The Fiend and the Hurt Business made a very big mistake.” They made the mistake believing that Retribution’s only power is strength in numbers. No, Ali’s power is creating chaos. You have no idea how much chaos he can create! All he needs is a laptop, a cellphone, and a secret. And with one click, he can make anyone’s world come crumbling down. Ali embraced that power. For you see, while he was sitting at home this past year, “because this corrupt company couldn’t figure out how to make a buck off of someone named Mustafa Ali,” Ali wasn’t just watching. He was watching each and every “spineless superstar” as they plotted and backstabbed each other just to get ahead! Ali learned all of their “pathetic, little secrets.”
At this point, Ali might as well just say it. That mysterious hacker WAS Ali! And he did it because he wants the entire world to know that “this sick place is infecting everyone with greed and corruption!” Because of that, good, talented individuals are being forgotten and abandoned, their dreams left to DIE! Ali found them. Ali united them. And Ali promised them that their truth will be heard. So to anyone, from the Fiend to the Hurt Business to anyone in between, “if you try to stop the truth from being heard, we will will shut you down!” It was Ali, WWE Universe! It was Ali all along! And now that he has combined his intellect and abilities with the savage rage of these outcasts, will anyone be safe?
Titus O’Neil talks to The Hurt Business backstage.
Titus knows they did their thing tonight against Retribution. He was sitting backstage and thought he’d be a great addition to their group. He already dresses the part, looks the part, and with his connections in public image, he can take their conglomerate worldwide. Oh, worldwide, huh? Well Titus is an upstanding community service man and he definitely dresses the part. And Ricochet isn’t coming to his senses so let them take a moment to discuss. That moment doesn’t last that long. Wow, they move fast! Music to his ears! Titus can’t wait to get started. No, they’re in business. And they beat up Titus! The Real Deal gets beat down 4v1! Is this because they can’t go after Ricochet anymore?!
The Miz & John Morrison VS Tucker Knight & ???
The Hollywood A-Lister and Guru of Greatness got a great laugh out of Tucker’s threat of a tag team beating. But will Tucker be making them eat their words after the break?
Raw returns and Miz tells Tucker that time is up. Bring out this tag team partner that will “fill Otis’ shoes.” Hey hey, ho ho! If you’ve got a partner, let us know. Tucker makes his entrance and is fired up, because he tells them to make their jokes. When the bell rings, they won’t be laughing. Tucker scoured the globe, north, south, east and west, from the highest mountains to the lowest valleys, and he found “one of the world’s premiere luchadors!” This is… EL GORDO GRANDE! Wait, what? That’s just Otis in a mask. Nuh-uh. Gordo, introduce yourself. “Si, senor Tucky. Yo soy GRANDE GORDO!” He has the lunchbox!! He’s holding onto it for Otis. And how did Tucky scour the globe in 30 minutes? Uh, digitally! Duh! And in Tucker’s opinion, Gordo could be the next Rey Mysterio! Right, Gordo? “Si, senor Tucky.”
ENOUGH!! Do you think wearing a mask makes you clever? It’s more like you ate Lucha House Party! And it just proves Miz’s point! Otis doesn’t deserve the MITB briefcase because Otis is not championship material! When Miz won, he upped his game, won the title and main evented WrestleMania! Otis is standing there in a bright pink mask and cape with a lunchbox filled with deli meats! Otis spits on everyone who has ever won the MITB contract! That contract changes careers, and yet Otis is wasting his! So why is he making a joke? The only thing Miz can think of is that Otis is the joke! Miz looks at Otis, and thinks of them side by side. There’s a difference that’s obvious: Miz LOOKS like a WWE superstar. He has been in this business for 15 YEARS beating Hall of Famers!
Miz has represented the WWE in all forms of media! Miz is championship material and yet everyone boos him and thumbs down in “Virtual World” while cheering Otis! Why!? Why?! Because Otis is the “underdog story!” Otis won as an underdog! When Mandy chose a boyfriend, he was the underdog and won the girl. Miz will explain this very slowly so even Otis can understand. When people call you an underdog, it’s out of pity! And they will pity Otis more when the court rules in Miz’s favor, because he knows how to play the system. Miz separated Otis from Mandy, separated Otis from Tucker, and will separate Otis from the MITB contract and bring prestige back to it! So play any character you want. Put a mask on a pig, it’s still a pig. This finally fires off!! Otis/Gordo and Tucker clobber Miz and Morrison and hold the ring as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and this match finally begins as Tucker circles with Morrison. They tie up, Tucker pushes Morrison away and then tie up again. Tucker puts Morrison in a corner, whips him corner to corner but Morrison goes up and over, only for Tucker to go up and CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! Tucker swipes at Miz, blocks Morrison’s kick but Morrison goes Eddy Gordo! Morrison chokes Tucker on the ropes, then lets off so Miz can choke Tucker! They get away with it all then tag, for a DOUBLE GUTBUSTER! Miz mocks Otis/Gordo and BOOTS Tucker down! Miz throws haymakers, tags Morrison, and snapmares Tucker. Morrison runs to KNEE Tucker down, Miz BOOTS, Morrison standing shooting stars! Cover, TWO!
Morrison keeps Tucker down with haymakers and stomps. Morrison taunts Tucker while stomping him more. Morrison brings Tucker up to throw knees but Tucker throws haymakers. Morrison throat chops Tucker! Morrison throws elbows down, gets the arm and shifts, but Tucker blocks the armbar to a cover. ONE, Morrison keeps moving around and has a straitjacket stretch! Tucker endures, fans clap and rally as Otis/Gordo shakes and moves around. Tucker fights up, backs Morrison into the ropes but Miz tags in. Tucker throws Morrison off and CLOBBERS him, but Miz is after the legs! Tucker kicks him away and tags in Otis! Gordo rallies with big clotheslines! And then he pops Morrison up for a FLAPJACK! Morrison staggers, Otis clotheslines him out!
Miz runs into a boot from Otis, and Otis goes up! Otis reels Miz in for a flying arm-drag! And a cartwheel! Maybe this IS a luchador! Scoop slam and a cover, Morrison breaks it! Tucker gets in and he scoops Morrison for a SLAM of his own! Miz BOOTS Tucker out of the ring! Miz goes after Otis, full nelson but wait, R-Truth gets in? He’s being chased, but also pretends he’s not here. Miz is distracted as Drew Gulak, Akira Tozawa and another ref are passing through, too! Otis recovers to CORNER SPLASH! Lucha House Party is in the 24/7 Championship chase, too, but they stick around to see LA ORUGA! The Spanish Caterpillar! Otis goes up top, EL VADER BOMB! Cover, Otis- er, Gordo and Tucker win!
Winners: Tucker Knight & “El Grand Gordo,” by pinfall
Well whoever that really is, he and Tucker teach The Miz and Morrison not to be so high and mighty! Will the court case between Miz and Otis finally be settled?
The New Day parties with Tucker and “Gordo” backstage!
Great job with Miz and Morrison! That’s what they get for that $6 song on iTunes. Actually it’s down to 99 cents. OUCH! But wait! Mandy gives “Gordo” a ham! Gracias, senorita. GOR! DO ROCKS! GOR! DO ROCKS!
Raw presents an all new Firefly Fun House!
Time to unpack! Bray brings out Mr. Mallet, and the black sheep mask. And the weird branding thing? What was that for again? Well anyway, hi, fireflies! This is the season premiere of Firefly Fun House on Monday Night Raw! It makes Bray sad he had to lave his friends on SmackDown. But he can’t wait to make new friends here on Raw! “He” already did… What a great start! Abby the Witch wants us to keep it down so she can sleep. Don’t be crabby, Abby. Raw is about having fun! Huskis likes it raw. Ramblin’ Rabbit says that’s right. This is about new beginnings! He’s making new friends and going to do his garsh darn best to be a better father and husband. Wait, Ramblin’ has a family? Well you never asked…
Sorry about that, little buddy. But going forward, Bray promises to be a better friend. You mean you’ll keep Ramblin’ from being eaten by Mercy the Buzzard? And just dying in general? “After all, the past is in our heads. But the future is in our hands.” Really? Really! That means so much! All Ramblin’s wanted is a fresh start. MERCY ATTACKS! Fresh start? More like fresh meat! But wait, someone is knocking at the door? It’s… LEXI! The best surprise saved for last! And the fun is just getting started! YOWIE WOWIE! See you later~! Bye~! Now that Lexi is on the show, what “fun” will the Fun House be having?
Keith Lee VS Braun Strowman!
The Limitless One and the Monster Among Men nearly destroyed the ThunderDome in their “exhibition” match! Now it’s going to be on the record, will they just wreck everything all over again?
Raw returns and Keith Lee makes his entrance. The bell rings and the titans stare down. Braun says Keith picked a fight with the wrong monster! They tie up, go around, and Braun puts Keith in the corner. Braun throws headbutts and elbows but the ref counts. Braun tells the ref to shut up as he goes corner to corner and SPLASHES! Keith staggers, Braun clotheslines him out of the ring! Keith staggers to the desk, Braun follows out and comes around the way, the STROWMAN EXPRESS blasts Keith into the apron! Braun puts Keith in, tells him to get up, and then he scoops Keith up! Keith slips off, the bad back and ribs from Roman’s chair shots limit Braun! Keith goes after Braun with clubbing forearms!
Keith lets Braun sit up before he boots him down! Braun gets up, Keith BODY PRESSES! And SPLASHES! Cover, TWO!! Braun toughs it out as Ric Flair and JBL are watching on the ThunderDome! Keith as Braun in a corner and throws forearms and rams in shoulders! The ref counts, Keith keeps going until 4. Keith brings Braun up, wrenches and whips him but Braun blocks! Braun ROCKS Keith with a right, throws uppercuts then runs corner to corner only to miss! Keith moves to POUNCE Braun!! Keith tells Braun to get up now but Braun stays down as dead weight. Keith says “We ain’t done yet,” but Braun learns a trick from Roman! Braun gets up and “inadvertently” LOW BLOWS Keith with his head! Braun seethes as he watches Keith gasp for air! Braun runs and BOOTS Keith down! Cover, BRAUN WINS!!
Winner: Braun Strowman, by pinfall
The Monster took advantage of the one limiter Keith has! But Keith grimaces as he LOW BLOWS Braun back! “Don’t test me!” Braun claims to be a monster, but he just met a dragon! “You have tangled with the wrong one!” Will Keith make sure Braun gets what’s coming and #BaskInHisGlory?
Raw returns, and the Cell is being lowered!
It is a sampler of what will happen this Sunday at the HIAC PPV. And now, Randy Orton heads to the ring! The Viper promised a “message from hell,” and that means from inside Hell in a Cell itself! Orton makes sure to lock the door, knowing McIntyre will want after him. Orton has a chair as well as a mic, and he takes a seat in the center of the ring. “Before I came out here tonight, I asked that the cell be lowered, because I wanted to come out here and reflect. I wanted to come out here and remember.” Orton looks at the steel and says ever since he’s been in the WWE, he heard about the cell, “and that anyone who competes inside Hell in a Cell leaves a small piece of them behind.” Orton has had seven matches inside this structure, and he has never left any piece behind. If anything, he’s understood himself better after each time. Orton understood what he was truly capable of.
This Sunday, Orton enters for the eighth time as he faces McIntyre. But as he sits here, he remembers standing toe-to-toe with the World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry. He remembers surviving the Celtic Warrior, Sheamus. Orton remembers mutilating Jeff Hardy, and beating down Daniel Bryan. He remembers facing John Cena twice, and becoming WWE Champion twice! But the most important thing he remembers about the cell, that despite what McIntyre says about Orton not earning “a damn thing” in his life, Orton remembers standing “in this hell, and looking The Deadman in the eye, and earning his respect.” Orton says that every name he listed are all agreed upon future hall of famers. And when Orton thinks of the Hall of Fame, he thinks of the synonymous word, “Legend.”
The word “legend” gets thrown around a lot these days rather loosely. The word “legend” is losing its meaning. There are legends and legendary moments. Orton will admit McIntyre had a legendary moment beating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania to become champion. But enough talk, McIntyre heads out to the ring! Orton taunts McIntyre from the other side of the steel fence. The chain holds the door closed so Orton gets cocky as he eggs McIntyre on. McIntyre will have to wait until Sunday unless he can break the lock! “Come get me!” Okay then. McIntyre goes over to the barriers, and brings out BOLT CUTTERS! Orton freaks out as McIntyre starts clipping chain links!
Orton runs to the ring but McIntyre is in! Orton has his chair, McIntyre slams the door closed, and he shouts, “Your ass belongs to me!!” But Raw has to end for the night?! What happens between Scottish Psychopath and vicious Viper when we can’t see it?!
My Thoughts:
Are you kidding me?! That ending really hurt the whole show! And it was a really good go-home episode up until then! McIntyre had a good promo teasing his appearance, and Orton had a great promo to lead into that. The two looked ready to tear themselves and the cell apart, but then we have to cut away?! It didn’t bleed over into Raw Talk like it should have, it hasn’t been posted anywhere yet, such as YouTube or Twitter, so what the hell?! It’s not even a cliffhanger, it’s just a big middle finger to us! And not the cool kind like Stone Cold throws up. The mean kind when you’re meaning to insult people because you don’t care if you piss them off!
Moving on to the good stuff, opening with Alexa and Fiend, followed by Retribution and Hurt Business, it was all great stuff. I really like the idea that with Seth Rollins bringing the “greater good” to SmackDown, the rest of the roster could be fighting to fill the “power vacuum,” if you will. Retribution VS Hurt Business have their 8 Man Tag I was hoping for, but I felt like Retribution got jobbed out too easily. Lashley basically finished them off by himself, which seemed too much. On the flipside, Fiend doing that to them was fine, because it was the Fiend. But I feel bad for Titus getting beat down 4v1. Maybe Titus and Ricochet become an alliance, and they find a way to take the fight to the Hurt Business.
The Firefly Fun House segment was great, too, especially with them having Alexa show up. It just makes sense. Ali had a great promo, too, that finally gave us closure on the SmackDown hacker that we all felt made the most sense. I really hope we get some kind of 4v4v4 match, where Fiend can either debut more characters being “played” by superstars, or superstars take on the characters of the funhouse. Bo Dallas should definitely return to be the human embodiment of Ramblin’ Rabbit or Mercy the Buzzard. At this point, maybe that’s what happens to Ricochet and Titus. They want to fight Hurt Business, so does The Fiend. Bray, Bo, Ricochet and Titus become some new kind of Wyatt Family meets Firefly Fun House cast, and they get to win against two other honestly talented factions.
Styles VS Riddle was a great surprise, as was Omogbehin being Styles’ new heavy. Granted, I was hoping for Raw Underground to regroup as a faction, but Omogbehin being with Styles is great for both of them. Joseph Park should show up, too. I still hope we get the WWE equivalent of The Abyss out of him, so that way Styles has two monsters with him. The Raw Women’s Championship was good but fast, similar to Asuka’s matches with Zelina Vega. Lana does have talent but it sure seems like having her smashed through a table is more fun. The Fatal 4 Way Tag was pretty great, though it’s very confusing in the moment for Peyton and Lacey to team up when Peyton and Billie just got broken up as a team. Maybe Peyton goes Face against Lacey in a 1v1 feud? And no idea who steps up to be contenders since Nia and Shayna just crushed a bunch of teams.
Asuka taking on both Nia and Shayna would be interesting. A Triple Threat before Survivor Series maybe? Because I’m still hoping we get something to the effect of Asuka VS Shirai VS Bayley/Banks. Survivor Series needs to be triple branded again, and we need to at least get moments of Asuka VS Shirai since we haven’t gotten that at all. The New Day and Sheamus had a great promo segment and an even greater match. That is why they’re all still in the WWE doing big things. But I wonder, will Sheamus get a tag partner to take Kofi and Woods on together? Meanwhile, Miz & Morrison and Heavy Machinery have their own great promo segment and match. The 24/7 Championship chase showing up was a great bit, too. Heavy Machinery win one more time together, but I am so surprised as to them dragging the briefcase element out. WILL Otis cash that in before the “court” settles things? That’s the best way Otis can get back at Miz, even if Otis fails to take a title.
Elias’ “concert” was great, because he’s actually improved to some level. And Hardy showing up to show him up was good, too. Their match at HIAC will be good, but I feel like it’s only going to be the beginning of a long feud. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is how the winner of that feud gets towards a title. If Hardy wins, he’s at least getting after the US Championship, and could actually be who joins up with Fiend to fight Hurt Business. Or he goes all the way to the top title just to give us a great Face VS Face match with McIntyre. Braun VS Keith was pretty good, and I actually like that they had Braun get away with that low blow. Braun VS Keith deserves to be even bigger, so a match at a PPV for a shot at the world champion is definitely how this should go. Even if McIntyre holds on, the bit of battling he and Keith had was not nearly enough, we need more of that. McIntyre VS Braun isn’t half bad either, given they have history dating back to their feud with The Shield.
My Score: 8/10
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Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW New Beginning Osaka Results & Report! (2/11/25)
Who is the mightiest of them all?
Will this truly be a New Beginning?
Hirooki Goto won the New Japan Ranbo to have this shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, can he finally reach that mountaintop? Or will Zack Sabre Jr. prove he is the mightiest of them all?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Kickoff – El Desperado & Katsuya Murashima VS Francesco Akira & Jeff Cobb; Akira & Cobb win.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Togi Makabe; Tanahashi wins.
- Shingo Takagi VS “Drilla” Dan Moloney; Drilla wins.
- Shota Umino VS Great-O-Khan; Khan wins.
- Taichi VS SANADA; Sanada wins.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita VS Rocky Romero & YOH; Eagles & Fujita win and retain the titles.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita VS Boltin Oleg; Konosuke wins and retains the title.
- IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks VS Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi; Naito & Hiromu win and become the new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji VS Gabe Kidd; Double Down Draw, Yota retains the title.
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Hirooki Goto; Goto wins and becomes the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
PLAY BY PLAY
Shingo Takagi VS “Drilla” Dan Moloney!
The Rampaging Dragon is big and bad, but 44 Caliber ain’t too shabby, either. Will Shingo avoid a Drilla Killa? Or will this “Super Junior” slay the dragon?
The bell rings and the two run right up! Drilla dodges, Takagi blocks to kick low and HEADBUTT! Takagi whips, Drilla grabs ropes and BOOTS back! Drilla runs, RAMS Takagi, but Takagi RAMS him back! Drilla RAMS Takagi again, neither man falls, and the fans fire up! Drilla fires a forearm, but Takagi fires back! Drilla fires another, but so does Takagi! Fans bark with Drilla as he fires another, but then fans “OI! OI! OI!” with Takagi! The forearms go back and forth, “BARK! OI!” and repeat! Takagi gets the edge, “OI! OI! OI!” Drilla fires back, “BARK! BARK! BARK!” Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! YUKON feint, but Drilla slips out of the DDT!
Takagi avoids the double stomps, knees low, but then things speed up. Drilla hurdles, drops down, then DROPKICKS! But Takagi stays up to RUN Drilla over! The fans fire up again and Takagi storms up on Drilla. Takagi drags Drilla up to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Drilla is still in this, but Takagi fires Osaka up. But Drilla SUPERKICKS Takagi before he can even say “Toki!” Both men are down, the fans rally up, and Drilla stands. Drilla fires the fans up now and the barking returns. Drilla storms up to CHOP Takagi! Drilla whips, Takagi reverses, and Takagi blocks a boot to LARIAT through!
Takagi fires the fans up as he JABS and CHOPS on repeat! Then Takagi JABS, JABS, JABS, and CHOPS! Drilla pushes Takagi and eggs him on! The fans like that, and Takagi obliges, only for Drilla to block the shot! Drilla ROCKS Takagi, but Takagi ducks the enzigiri to deadlift GERMAN SUPLEX! But Drilla’s right up to SAIDO! Both men stand, Takagi runs up, and DOUBLE LARIATS hit! Drilla ripcords to CHOP, then he runs, only for Takagi to follow and LARIAT! Takagi runs, but into a SPINEBUSTER! The fans fire up while both men are down. Takagi rolls out of the ring but Drilla pursues.
The fans rally both ways, and Drilla stalks Takagi. Drilla drags Takagi up, then whips him into railing! Takagi slumps down, but Drilla brings Takagi around to throw him into chairs! The fans bark for Drilla and he drags Takagi up. Drilla ROCKS Takagi, then brings him around and whips him hard into more railing! The fans are torn, Drilla glares at Young Lions, and Drilla goes to Takagi. Drilla wrenches Takagi, puts him in the ring, and then throws up the Too Sweet. Drilla brings Takagi up, but Takagi backdrops free! Drilla goes to a corner, Takagi runs up, but Drilla dodges to GAMANGIRI! Drilla reels Takagi in, hoists him up, but Takagi arm-drags free!
The fans fire up as Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! YUKON feints, but then Takagi stands Drilla up to JAB and YUKON LARIAT! The fans fire up while Drilla sputters. Takagi drags Drilla up, hoists him to the top rope, and then he ROCKS Drilla! Takagi climbs, and he brings Drilla up for a SUPER DUPER PLEX! The fans fire up while both men are down again! The fans join in on “OI! OI! OI!” as Takagi rises. Takagi drags Drilla up, slashes his throat and then Canadian Racks! But Drilla slips out, and pump handles! Takagi arm-drags free of that, then catches Drilla for some knees. Drilla powers up, runs, and GORES! Cover, TWO!!
Takagi survives, the fans fire up, and Drilla grows frustrated. Drilla slashes his throat, brings Takagi in, and Canadian Racks! Takagi slips free to Gory Especial and NOSHIGAMI! The fans fire up, Takagi crawls over to Drilla, and Takagi stands Drilla up to LARIAT! Drilla stays on his feet so Takagi eggs him on. Drilla BOOTS, SUPERKICKS, then he SUPERKICKS again! Takagi comes back, but into MADE IN JAPAN!? Cover, TWO!!! Takagi survives and the fans are thunderous! Drilla is frustrated that he couldn’t beat Takagi with his own move. Drilla drags Takagi up but Takagi fights the lift to then ALABAMA SLAM!
Takagi CATAPULTS Drilla to a corner, and then LARIATS! Takagi hurries to pump handle, MADE IN JAPAN!! Cover, TWO?!? Drilla survives taking Takagi’s move and Takagi is shocked! The fans fire up with more “OI! OI! OI!” and Takagi brings Drilla up. Takagi fires boxing elbows, but Drilla roars! JAB from Takagi, then a HEADBUTT! SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, ONE?!? WHAT?! Drilla staggers, but into a PUMPING BOMBER!! The fans are thunderous again as Takagi hauls Drilla up for the torture rack! But Drilla slips free, to inverted suplex, and then he pops Takagi around?! DRILLA KILLA!!! Cover, DRILLA WINS!!!!
Winner: “Drilla” Dan Moloney, by pinfall
HOLY SMOKES! 44 Caliber just shot down the Rampaging Dragon! Is this a sign that Drilla is ready for bigger and better than the Junior Heavyweight Division?
Shota Umino VS Great-O-Khan!
As if losing on the Road to New Beginning wasn’t bad enough, The Roughneck suffered humiliation as The Dominator cut off a lock of his hair! Will Shota defy the United Empire once more? Or will he fail to bring about a Paradigm Shift?
As Khan makes his entrance, he shows off the electric clippers! Is he planning on doing more follicle based damage to Shota should he win tonight? Shota steps into the ring, and SHOTGUNS Khan right down! Khan goes to ropes, but Shota slingshots to APRON DDT! The fans fire up while Shota puts his jacket aside. Shota drags Khan up, puts him back in the ring, and the bell rings! The fans rally for Khan as he scrambles away from the underhooks! Khan gets out of the ring again and Shota goes out after him. Shota drags Khan up, but Khan grabs railing. Shota CLUBS Khan down, UPPERCUTS, then UPPERCUTS again!
Shota whips Khan, but Khan reverses, sending Shota into railing! But Shota comes back to SHOTGUN again! The fans are torn but Shota drags Khan up. Shota brings Khan to the ramp, he clinches, but Khan fights the lift! Khan knees low, then he underhooks Shota! Khan BUTTERFLY SUPLEXES Shota into railing! The fans fire up while both men are down! The ref checks on them, Khan rises up, and Khan pulls some railing from the rest. Khan SLAMS it onto Shota! Shota writhes, the ref reprimands, but Khan drags Shota up. Khan Mongolian Chops! And Mongolian Chops again! And he Mongolian Chops again!
Shota falls back over, the fans rally and duel, and Khan drags Shota up. Khan brings Shota around, picks him up, and then he APRON SPINEBUSTERS! Shota writhes, Khan slides in and covers, TWO! Shota stays in this but Khan stays on him. Khan wrenches to fireman’s carry takeover! Then he wristlocks to MONKEY FLIP! And then SAYANAGI! Cover, TWO! The fans rally, Khan stands over Shota, and then Khan clamps onto Shota with the IRON CLAW! Khan drags Shota up, Shota breaks free, but Khan gut wrenches! GUT BUSTER, then GUT WRENCH PLEX! The fans fire up while Shota flounders away to the corner.
Khan waits on Shota, then runs in, but Shota BOOTS him! Khan comes back, but into more BOOTS! Shota runs up, but Khan ROCKS him first! Khan runs, but Shota clinches him! EXPLODER! Both men are down and the fans are torn again. Khan and Shota slowly sit up, Shota rallies the fans, and he gets moving. IGNITION! Cover, TWO! Khan stays in this but Shota drags Khan up. Shota underhooks, but Khan wrenches free. Khan slips around, IRON CLAW, then the Bow ‘n’ Arrow rack, only for Shota to slip free! Shota blocks the Mongolian Chop to ROCK and ENZIGIRI! Khan wobbles, the fans duel, and Shota powers up!
Shota aims from a corner, runs up on Khan, but into a LARIAT! IRON CLAW, then ELIMI- SATELLITE DDT!! Both men are down again and the fans rally back up. Shota rises, goes back to a corner, and then powers up, to BLAZE BLADE! But Khan’s right up! Khan swings, but into underhooks! PARADIGM SHIFT! Cover, TWO!! Khan survives but Shota hurries to bring him around. Underhooks, but Khan slips out to RABBIT PUNCH! Shota goes down in a heap, but Khan rains down more forearms! The ref warns Khan, he has to check Shota! Khan SHOVES the ref down to rain more shots down on Shota!
The ref reprimands, Khan stops with the forearms, just to grab Shota’s hair. The ref stops Khan and checks on Shota. Khan comes back, drags Shota to his feet, REVERSE S T O! Cover, TWO!! Shota still has something to give, but Khan’s Monster Rage boils over! Khan clamps on the IRON CLAW, hauls Shota back up, and he ELIMIN- NO, Shota slips free! Khan runs up, Shota dodges, and uses the ropes in a TORNADO DDT! Shota hurries to bring Khan up, underhook, but Khan NORTHERN LIGHTS free! Khan then drags Shota up with wristlocks, into HITSUJIGOROSHI! Shota endures, flails, but Khan swings him around! Shota slips free to spin Khan, and ROLLING ELBOW! Then ROLLING- IRON RIGHT from Khan!!
The fans fire up while Shota staggers around. Khan clamps onto Shota with the FLATLINER, and then IRON CLAW! ELIMINATOR!! Cover, KHAN WINS!
Winner: Great-O-Khan, by pinfall
The Roughneck was running hot, but Khan just cooled him down! Khan stands tall over Shota, but then he grabs the clippers! Khan has them, and even some scissors, but Young Lions stop him! Khan just kicks one and throws him into the other! Khan now has Shota all to himself! Khan turns on the clippers, but Shota stops him! Shota has power enough to take the trimmers from Khan! But then Shota stares at them, and starts shaving his head anyway?! Fans are shocked to see Shota doing Khan’s work for him, cutting away at the fiery red locks! Khan grins, and Shota flops over, having only down a runway down the center.
Khan leaves Shota behind for Shota to wallow in his humiliation and defeat. What and who will Khan look to conquer next in the name of the United Empire?
Taichi w/ Taka Michinoku VS SANADA w/ Taiji Ishimori!
When Just4Guys became Just5Guys, it was because the Holy Emperor reached out to a man he respected in the Cold Skull. And while Sanada reigned as world champion for a time, it would seem his losses made him Cold Blooded. Sanada would betray Taichi, all to join The Rebel that beat him, and there’s no more respect here. Will Taichi make Sanada pay for his betrayal? Or will Sanada destroy what’s left of Just4Guys?
As if to mock Taichi’s operatic entrance, Sanada has a leather jacket with big speakers on the jacket, and a guitar in hand. But speaking of that entrance, the moment Taichi is ringside, Sanada PLANCHAS onto him! The fans fire up but the ref reprimands, only for Sanada to push Taichi into the ring. Sanada then grabs his guitar! The ref reprimands, the fans cheer on Taichi, but Sanada takes aim! Taichi avoids the Smash Hit to then kick low! Taichi whips, Sanada reverses, but Taichi BOOTS him down! The fans fire up while Taichi seethes. Taichi then grabs the guitar? The ref says don’t do it, as does Taka, and Taichi throws the guitar aside.
The fans cheer as Taichi storms back out after Sanada. The ref reprimands, this isn’t even a match yet! Taichi whips but Sanada reverses! Taichi hits railing, but he comes back to BOOT Sanada! Taichi then whips Sanada into railing after all! Sanada hobbles away while the fans rally behind Taichi. The bell rings now, but Taichi has a chair! The ref stops Taichi, only for Taichi to shove him aside! Taichi JAMS Sanada up with a chair! Then SMACKS him on the back! The fans cheer while Sanada falls in a heap! Taichi stalks Sanada, daring him to get back up. The ref keeps Taiji from getting involved, and Taka has Taichi calm down.
Taka takes the chair from Taichi, and Taichi finally takes off his coat. Taichi drags Sanada up, puts him in the ring, and the fans applaud. But Sanada grabs at the ref so Taiji can anchor Taichi! Taichi tries to kick free, but Sanada KICKS the ropes! Taichi gets jammed up low, Taka goes after Taiji, but Taiji CLAWS Taka’s face! Sanada drags Taichi up to then suplex and MAGIC SCREW! The fans boo Sanada, Sanada complains about the chair, but nothing the ref can do about it now. Sanada rains down fists on Taichi, the ref reprimands, but Sanada lets off. Sanada paces, then he sits Taichi up to throw a haymaker!
The ref reprimands about closed fists, but Sanada just throws another! Taichi eggs Sanada on, so Sanada fires more haymakers! Taichi gets in Sanada’s face, so Sanada dropkicks the leg! Taichi hobbles back, Sanada whips him to ropes, but Taichi grabs ropes to BOOT back! Taichi then whips, but Sanada reverses, only for Taichi to reverse back, and RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! The fans fire up while both men are down. Taichi sits up, and he watches Sanada go to the corner. Taichi paces while he wants on Sanada to stand. Taichi runs up to BOOT Sanada! Taichi runs, Sanada dodges, but then Taichi dodges! Taichi wrenches to HOOK KICK! Cover, TWO!
The fans rally up more as Taichi paces around. Taichi kicks Sanada, kicks him again, then KICKS him again! The fans cheer, but now Sanada eggs Taichi on. Taichi KICKS Sanada again, and he definitely felt that one! Taichi sits Sanada up, and KICKS, but Sanada blocks! Sanada CLUBS the leg, fireman’s carries, but Taichi slips free! Only for Sanada to dropkick the leg again! And then he DROPKICKS Taichi to a corner! Sanada runs up, but Taichi dodges to GAMANGIRI! Sanada slumps down and the fans fire up! Taichi fires up now, and the fans fire up even more as OFF COME THE PANTS! Taichi aims at Sanada, TENSHO- NO, Sanada dodges!
Sanada goes up, out, springboards, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! But Taichi’s right up! ROUNDHOUSE, and then DANGEROUS- NO, Sanada grabs the ref to stop the saido! LOW BLOW MULE KICK!! The fans boo as Sanada gets away with it! SHINING WIZARD! Sanada isn’t done, he puts Taichi in the drop zone! Sanada goes up, up and ROUNDING BODY PRESS! Cover, TWO!! Taichi survives and the fans fire up! Sanada is frustrated but he drags Taichi up. Sanada encourages the fans to cheer Taichi, as he clinches for SIDE- NO, Taichi slips free and ROCKS Sanada! BLINDSIDE AX BOMBER, then GAMANGIRI!
The fans fire up while both men are down again! Taiji coaches Sanada, Taka coaches Taichi, and Osaka rallies again. Taichi rises first, goes to a corner, and he roars! The fans are with him as he takes aim again. Sanada stirs, Taichi powers up, TENSHO- NO, Sanada pulls the ref in! Taichi pushes the ref aside, BUZZ- NO, Sanada blocks that kick! Taichi shouts to the ref to see the FAKE LOW BLOW! Sanada won’t get away with this one as Taka also vouches for Taichi! Sanada gets pissed at the ref and says it’s so obvious! But then Taka argues with the ref, and Taichi LOW BLOWS Sanada!! And then GEDO CLUTCH!! TWO!!!
Sanada escapes, Taiji shouts to the ref, and Taichi runs, AX BOMBER!! Taka YANKS Taiji down and the fans are thunderous for Taichi! Taichi drags Sanada up, DANGEROUS SAIDO BRIDGE!! TWO!?!? Sanada escapes but the fans are thunderous again! Taichi roars, he drags Sanada up, and Taichi Alabama Lifts! Sanada grabs the ref again! Taichi drops Sanada, the ref falls, Sanada hits the POP-UP LOW BLOW! DEADFALL!! Cover, SANADA WINS!!
Winner: Sanada, by pinfall
Another cheap tactic, another cheap win for Sanada! He gives thumbs up and Too Sweet to Taiji, and then he rains down fists on Taichi! Taka and Young Lions get in there, and Taka SLAPS Sanada! And he SLAPS Taiji! But Taiji LOW BLOWS Taka and hits BLOODY CROSS! The War Dogs keep on winning, but they’re not done with Taichi! Taiji drags Taichi up while Sanada grabs his guitar. Taiji says to end Taichi, and Sanada nods. Sanada winds up, BUT WAIT! YUYA UEMURA is back?! He throws off his suit jacket to then arm-drag Sanada, and DROPKICK him! The fans are thunderous as he arm-drags Taiji, then CHOPS him down!
The fans are all fired up now that Heat Storm is back! Yuya clamps onto Sanada with one cording hold, then goes for the other, but Sanada scrambles free! Sanada takes a moment to catch his breath, and the fans now rally for Yuya. Yuya grabs the mic to tell Sanada that he’s back, and that he’s ready anytime, anywhere to get his revenge! Sanada will become Yuya’s stepping stone! Sanada looks to camera and shakes his head like, “He did not just say that.” The fans cheer Yuya on more, but the War Dogs take their leave. Yuya continues with “YOSH! Taka-san, Taichi-san, and everyone here in Osaka, Uemura is back, and he’s ready to blow!”
Yuya adds that from now on, HE will be the one to heat up everyone’s hearts! Mic drop and the fans are already fired up! But when and where will the Heat Storm get to burn the Cold Blooded Sanada?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita VS Rocky Romero & YOH!
From winning the Super Junior Tag League to then winning these titles in a huge Fatal 4 Way, the Ichiban Sweet Boys have been riding high. However, the revival of a classic threatens their reign. Will “Roppongi ReVICE” write a new chapter with this gold? Or will they find that no matter what, The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see who punctuates this story!
The teams sort out and after he assures Yoh it’s fine, Azucar starts against the Sniper of the Skies. The bell rings, the fans rally up, and Eagles circles with Rocky. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but Rocky finds a point of leverage to push Eagles back. They go to ropes, the ref counts, and Rocky lets off to give some Azucar Heat. The fans cheer and Eagles is amused. But then he trips Rocky, goes for the leg, but Rocky kicks him away. Things speed up, Rocky hurdles but Eagles leaps over. Eagles sidesteps, arm-drags, but Rocky arm-drags back. Rocky avoids Eagles’ next arm-drag, then calls him a “konoyaro” before he UPPERCUTS!
Eagles flounders away while the fans fire up, and the fans rally behind Rocky. Rocky whips Eagles, Fujita sneaks a tag. TMDK double elbow Rocky down, then split the wishbone! Eagles knocks Yoh down for good measure, and Fujita brings Rocky up. Fujita whips and wrenches Rocky to a corner, then CHOPS! The fans cheer and Fujita runs Rocky to ropes. Fujita CHOPS Rocky again, then snapmares for a KICK! Cover, ONE, and the fans cheer more. Fujita is on Rocky with a facelock, and Eagles tags in. The Sweet Boys mug Rocky, but then Rocky CHOPS Eagles! Eagles eggs Rocky on so Rocky CHOPS again! Eagles CHOPS Rocky off his feet!
The fans rally and duel, Eagles bumps Rocky off buckles, then Fujita tags in. Fujita stomps Rocky, brings him around, and CHOPS again! Rocky shoves Fujita, they go forehead to forehead, then Fujita CHOPS Rocky down again! The fans fire up and Fujita whips. Rocky grabs ropes, BOOTS Fujita, and Yoh tags in! Rocky whips Fujita and Yoh bypasses him. Drop toehold, basement dropkick, and then Eagles runs in! Eagles takes DOUBLE DROPKICKS and the fans cheer RPG ReVice! Yoh storms up to Fujita, CHOPS him in the corner, then wrenches and whips. Yoh runs up, ELBOWS Fujita, then scoops to SLAM him!
Yoh soaks up the cheers, drops an elbow, then cover, TWO! Knee drop! Cover, TWO! SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Fujita stays in this and the fans cheer, but Yoh keeps his cool. Yoh brings Fujita up, but Fujita fires forearms! Yoh kicks low, CHOPS Fujita, then reels him in. Yoh suplexes but Fujita fights free! Fujita wrenches, but Yoh ducks the chop! Fujita drop toeholds Yoh and ties up the legs! Fujita pulls Yoh back into the NEMESIS HOLD! Rocky runs in, but Eagles catches him with a wheelbarrow and victory roll! Eagles steps through on the legs, but Rocky KICKS him into Yoh and Fujita! Yoh is saved, though maybe in a rather rough manor.
The fans rally up as all four men rise up. Eagles runs up, Rocky DUMPS him out, but Fujita CHOPS Rocky! Fujita whips Rocky, Rocky ducks the chop to DIVE onto Eagles! Fujita dodges Yoh, CHOPS him, but Yoh says I’LL BE BACK! Yoh CHOPS, but Fujita rebounds to GAMANGIRI! The fans fire up while Yoh tumbles out, and now Fujita aims! Fujita slingshots to feint the plancha, then he ASAI MOONSAULTS, only for RPG ReVICE to catch him! The fans fire up as Yoh & Rocky now DOUBLE SUPLEX Fujita to the floor! Eagles is up, but Yoh scoops and SLAMS him! Rocky goes to the apron, to DIVING DOUBLE STOMP to the floor!
Eagles coughs and sputters while the fans fire up! Yoh drags Fujita back up and puts him in the ring. Rocky is there, RPG ReVICE tunes up and the fans join in. Fujita rises slowly, into a shove and 3- NO! Fujita RANAS Yoh away! Rocky spins Fujita to UPPERCUT, then he calls to Yoh again. Yoh is back, he aims while Rocky whips, but Fujita reverses! SUPERKICK for Rocky! Fujita then waistlocks Yoh to roll him and O’Conner BRIDGE! TWO!! Yoh escapes just in time! Fujita CHOPS him, roars, then runs, into a 3K!! Cover, EAGLES BREAKS IT! The fans are thunderous, but Rocky kicks Eagles! Rocky tells Yoh to get up!
Yoh rises, reloads, and Rocky whips Eagles, only for Eagles to reverse! But Rocky stops himself from having a repeat, and he again whips Eagles! Yoh SUPERKICKS Eagles! Finally, the right target gets hit! Eagles tumbles out, Rocky goes to the corner, and Yoh tags Rocky in. RPG ReVICE hauls Fujita up, BACKSTABBER and feed to the suplex! Rocky joins in, FALCON ARROW BOMB!! Rocky high stacks, TWO!! Fujita survives again, but Rocky calls for the next one! Yoh hauls Fujita up and Alabama Lifts! Rocky climbs up top, but Eagles springboards up to get him! SUPER STEINER! And Fujita SUNSET FLIP BOMBS Yoh!
The fans fire up again as all four men are down! The teams regroup, then they all go to corners. The fans rally as all four men stand, and then Rocky runs at Eagles! Eagles BOOTS Rocky, Yoh UPPERCUTS Fujita! Eagles ducks Yoh’s superkick to then CHOP! TMDK double whip, but Yoh crisscrosses them, only to get a ENZIGIRI HEEL KICK COMBO! The fans fire up with TMDK and they get Rocky up. Double wrench, lift, and MAX- NO, Rocky slips free and DOUBLE RANAS! TMDK go to opposite ends, so Rocky winds up, LARIAT for Eagles! LARIAT for Fujita! THREE-EVER for Eagles, but Fujita ducks Four-ever!
TMDK catch Rocky again, but Rocky slips out of the double back suplex! Only to run into the MAXY BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Rocky survives and the fans cheer again! Fujita crawls to tag Eagles! Eagles fires up, scoops Rocky, and Fujita adds on, SWEET BUSTER!! Cover, YOH BREAKS IT! The fans fire up, Fujita kicks Yoh but Yoh TOSSES Fujita out! Eagles blocks a kick to ROUNDHOUSE! YOH’LL BE- NO, Eagles dropkicks Yoh! Fujita tags back in, and then Eagles DIVES onto Yoh! They both hit railing! Eagles gets his leg tweaked in there, Hartley Jackson hurries to make sure Eagles is okay. Fujita springboards, MISSILE DROPKICK on Rocky!
The fans fire up with the Japanese Young Punk as he gets Rocky! Suplex and- NO, Rocky cradle counters! TWO!! Fujita escapes, runs up again, but Rocky pops him up to an Alabama Lift, and then a tuck! DUDE BUSTER!! Cover, TWO!!! Rocky’s shoutout to #JustTrent doesn’t finish this, but Rocky roars! The fans fire up as Rocky cravats Fujita, but no Sliced Bread here! Fujita then slips around Rocky to O’Conner, and CHAOS- NO, Rocky fights that, but Eagles is back! GAMANGIRI into the GERMAN SUPLEX!! Bridging cover, TWO!! The fans are thunderous and Fujita holds onto Rocky! Fujita hauls Rocky up, spins him, ABANDON HOPE!! Cover, TMDK wins!
Winners: Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita, by pinfall (still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
It got scary there for a second, but the Ichiban Sweet Boys pull off the win! Will the Junior Heavyweight Division continue to be Mighty? Wait, wait, Taiji is making his way back out here. Taiji grabs a mic and he congratulates Fujita & Eagles for making it through. But yes, he wants next! Fujita & Eagles say okay, but who will his partner be? Taiji says yes, he knows. Taiji will be teaming with Robbie! No, not Eagles. Robbie “Extreme,” aka Robbie X! Taiji promises he and Mr. X will be the next champions, so they better be ready! The Bone Soldier leaves, having delivered his message. But will TMDK be ready for Taiji and his X-Factor?
NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita VS Boltin Oleg!
The Alpha of the Don Callis Family, the DOUBLE CHAMPION, puts up just one of his belts against the former NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champion. Josh Barnett promised to make him a singles champion, will Boltin soon become “Gold Bars?” Or will he see what it means to be All Elite?
The introductions are made, the NEVER belt is raised, and we see who NEVER backs down!
The bell rings and the fans rally up as these two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock as they’re both big and strong, and Konosuke headlocks. Oleg powers up and out, Konosuke RAMS him, but Oleg stands his ground! Oleg runs, RAMS Konosuke now, but Konosuke runs. They RAM shoulders again, then Oleg runs to RAM Konosuke! Konosuke comes back to RAM Oleg, Oleg comes back to RAM Konosuke! Oleg runs, but into a BOOT! Konosuke whips, Oleg reverses, Konosuke RAMS him, but Oleg rebounds to CLOBBER Konosuke! The fans are thunderous already as Konosuke tumbles out of the ring!
The fans rally behind Oleg, he eggs on Konosuke, but Konosuke eggs on Oleg. Oleg slides out, and the two tie up on the outside!? They’re in a deadlock all the same, until Oleg POSTS Konosuke! The fans fire up and Oleg opens the gate. Oleg runs up, but Konosuke moves, Oleg POSTS himself! Oleg goes down in a heap, but Konosuke drags him up. Konosuke brings Oleg to the apron, then hammerlocks the bad arm, to POST it again! Oleg falls to the floor, the ref checks on him, but Konosuke drags Oleg back up. Konosuke wrenches the arm while the fans rally, but Konosuke puts Oleg in the ring. Konosuke then drags Oleg back up by the bad arm.
Konosuke fires a forearm into the bad arm, but Oleg hits back! Oleg fires another shot, and another shot, but Konosuke CLUBS the bad arm! Oleg staggers back, but Konosuke is on him with a whip. Oleg reverses, but the TAKESHITA LINE takes Oleg down! The fans fire up while Oleg writhes, and Konosuke brings Oleg back up. Konosuke hoists Oleg up to the top rope, then climbs up to join him. The fans rally as Konosuke goes to the very top! SUPER DUPER PLEX!! Oleg tumbles, Konosuke hurries to cover, TWO!! Oleg survives and the fans fire up! Konosuke steps on the bad arm, digs his heel in, but the ref reprimands.
Konosuke steps off, and he smirks as he eggs Oleg on. Konosuke stomps Oleg, drags him up again, but Oleg DROPKICKS Konosuke away! Both men rise and go to corners. Oleg runs up, but Konosuke BOOTS him away! Konosuke runs up, but into a scoop!? Oleg THROWS Konosuke away, then runs to SPLASH DOWN! Cover, TWO! Konosuke is tougher than that but Oleg still gut wrenches him! But Konosuke wrenches the bad arm to an ELBOW BREAKER! Konosuke throws a back elbow into the arm, but Oleg picks Konosuke up! DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Oleg roars and the fans fire up with him!
Konosuke pounds the mat in frustration, but the fans rally as both men stand. Oleg runs up, he and Konosuke DOUBLE LARIAT! They stagger back, run back up, and DOUBLE LARIAT! Again, they stagger back, and they run back up, DOUBLE LARIAT! Oleg CHOPS Konosuke, then he gut wrenches! Shake, Rattle and THROW! Konosuke tumbles away and the fans are thunderous! Oleg rises, Konosuke goes to a corner, and Oleg runs in! SPLASH! And then a scoop, for a SLAM! Oleg runs to go up, up, and VADER BOMB! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up as Oleg stays on Konosuke with a deadlift scoop!
Oleg pops Konosuke to the fireman’s carry, but Konosuke slips fere! BLUE THUNDER BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Oleg survives and the fans fire up again! Konosuke snarls as he crawls over to the ropes. Konosuke and Oleg rise as the fans rally again. The two stare down, then they step up. They wristlock to then fire forearm after forearm! The fans fire up as the shots go back and forth between these titans! Oleg DECKS Konosuke!! But Oleg says that’s not all! Oleg stands Konosuke up to DECK him again! Oleg wants more, and he stands Konosuke up, but the ALPHA ELBOW hits! So Oleg ROCKS Konosuke! ALPHA ELBOW AGAIN!!
Konosuke flops onto Oleg, but Oleg’s on his stomach! And then Oleg fireman’s carries Konosuke from the mat?! POINT BLANK KAMIKAZE!! Cover, TWO?!? Konosuke survives and Osaka is erupting! Oleg waistlocks to GERMAN- NO, Konosuke fights and throws elbows! Oleg shoves Konosuke, but Konosuke ducks the lariat! Oleg ducks a lariat, but then Konsouke LARAITS on the return! Cover, ONE?!?!?! HOW?!?! Konosuke doesn’t ask how, he just POWER DRIVE KNEES!! Cover, TWO!?!? Okay, now HOW?!? ALPHA ELBOW!!! Konosuke has the GUILLOTINE FACELOCK!!! Oleg is fading but then he SPINEBUSTERS!!
But Konosuke holds on!? So Oleg powers up again! But Konosuke CRANKS the hold!! Oleg is fading on his feet! Oleg drops to a knee, the fans are thunderous, but the hand drops once! The hand drops twice! The hand- KONOSUKE won’t let it drop!? And then he hits RAGING FIRE!!! Cover, Konosuke wins!!
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita, by pinfall (still NEVER Openweight Champion)
Konosuke didn’t take the easy win, he punctuated it! And while he’s still the Double Champion, Konosuke shakes Oleg’s hand to show him the respect he earned. But if Oleg got this close at this early in his career, is his rise to the top inevitable? As for Konosuke, he not only stays the Double Champion, but he builds momentum towards AEW Grand Slam: Australia this Saturday! Wait, wait, wait, here comes Ryohei Oiwa! The Mighty Mullet stares down the Double Champion, and he has the mic to say, “Takeshita-san, your style, going worldwide, and my style, Japanese-made, if we mix that, it’ll be electric.” Fans cheer that.
Oiwa says he is challenging Takeshita for the NEVER Openweight Championship! NJPW’s Konosuke Takeshita? NO, OIWA is NJPW! The fans cheer that, and Oiwa drops the mic. Oiwa then heads out, but Konosuke takes the mic. “Oiwa, hold on. Worldwide Takeshita is damn tough.” The fans like the sound of that. When and where will Oiwa took to get a grip on the NEVER title?
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: The Young Bucks VS Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi!
Matthew & Nicholas Jackson made their return to NJPW by calling out then-champions, Great-O-Khan & Henare. But as Khan & Henare battled Los Ingobernables de Japon, the Face of Fury would go down with an injury. A Triple Threat was made, and it was won by the AEW EVPs. However, NJPW says the 2024 World Tag League winners deserve their 2v2 title shot. Will LIJ finally have these titles once again? Or will The Bucks throw a Superkick Party for Osaka?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see if tranquilo beats The Elite, the the Elite!
As always, Naito takes his time with his entrance attire. The Bucks get impatient, but then the teams sort out, only for The Bucks to fake a sneak attack! The Bucks then mockingly tell LIJ to relax. Matt and Hiromu shake hands, which the fans applaud. But then Hiromu uses that handshake to DOUBLE AX HANDLE Nick! The bell rings, Matt dodges double ax handles, only for LIJ to come back on the rebound! LIJ double whip, and DOUBLE AX HANDLE, then DOUBLE BASEMENT DROPKICK! They kick and whip Nick, he gets around to send Naito into Hiromu, but Hiromu & Naito dosido! They kick Nick, and Hiromu gives Naito the boost into the RANA!
Nick tumbles out, Matt storms up, but Hiromu CROSSBODIES Matt down! The fans fire up as Hiromu keeps moving, and he CROSSBODIES Nick! The Bucks bail out, Hiromu slides out to keep going! CROSSBODY for Nick! Hiromu keeps going, and Naito holds Matt up, but Matt SUPERKICKS first! Matt then elbows Naito, and he sets up LIJ for Nick! Nick FLIES and wipes out LIJ! The fans fire up as Nick lands on his feet! Nick asks the cameraman if he saw that. Unbelievable, right? The fans duel, Nick puts Naito in, and Nick finally takes off his shirt. Nick kicks Naito to a corner, then whips him to the Bucks’ corner.
Nick runs up, he blocks boots, and he puts Naito int he ropes! Tag to Matt, NECKBREAKER and DRAPING SLINGSHOT SENTON! Matt keeps going and he BLASTS Hiromu off the apron! Matt runs in, he and Nick LARIAT ENZIGIRI combo on Naito! Matt keeps moving, and he slides out to SUPERKICK Hiromu! Nick slides out, Matt slides in, and they coordinate, CANNONBALL ENZIGIRI COMBO! The fans fire up with The Bucks, then Matt brings Naito up. Matt bumps Naito off buckles, then CLAWS Naito’s back! The ref reprimands, Nick tags in, and Nick CLAWS Naito’s back! Nick facelocks and he grinds Naito down.
Naito endures, and he manages to CLAW Nick’s back! Nick lets go, Naito CLAWS him again! The ref reprimands but Naito SPITS at Nick! Naito runs, but Matt trips him! Matt drags Naito out and sets him up for Nick. Nick runs from the apron, but then Naito ducks! PENALTY KICK hits Matt! Nick panics, then springboards at Naito, but into a MANHATTAN DROP! A little double-edged given Naito’s bad knees, but he and Nick crawl. Hot tags to Matt and Hiromu! The fans fire up as Hiromu fires forearms on Matt! Hiromu whips, Matt reverses, but Hiromu RANAS! Nick is back and he kicks Hiromu!
Nick CLAWS Hiromu, then he coordinates with Matt. They double whip Hiromu, but Hiromu ducks the double ax handle to send Matt into Nick! Then Hiromu lifts Matt to make him RANA Nick! The fans fire up, and Hiromu runs to LARIAT Matt in a corner! Hiromu snapmares Matt, runs and basement DROPKICKS him out! Hiromu goes out and he CROSSBODIES Nick like before! And then he finally CROSSBODIES Matt! The fans fire up as Hiromu says he’s going another round! CROSSBODY for Nick! CROSSBODY for Matt! The fans fire up and Hiromu puts Matt in the ring. Hiromu drags Matt up, fireman’s carries, but Matt slips free!
Matt clinches to NORTHERN LIGHTS! And roll through, NORTHERN LIGHTS! The Polar Express gets going as Matt NORTHERN LIGHTS again! Then he has the legs, Nick tags in, CATAPULT GAMANGIRI! Hiromu falls back, Nick goes up, DOUBLE STMOP BACKBREAKER COMBO!! Cover, TWO!! Hiromu survives and the fans fire up! Nick argues the count but the ref defends it. Nick whips, Naito tags in, and Hiromu reverses! DOUBLE AX HANDLE on Nick! LIJ then whip Nick to a corner, but Nick reverses! Naito is sent in, Nick kicks Hiromu. Nick runs at Naito, but gets BOOTS! Hiromu SUPERKICKS Nick into the ESPERANZA!
Nick sputters and flounders, Naito takes aim, but Matt SUPERKICKS Naito! Hiromu is up, he blocks Nick’s kick, then sends it at Matt! Matt ducks, Nick keeps the spin going so he can sweep the legs on Hiromu! Hiromu sits up into basement DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Naito stands, into DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Nick climbs, Matt puts Naito in the ropes, DRAPING SWANTON BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Naito survives and the fans fire up! Nick tags Matt and Matt drags Naito up. Nick goes to the apron, Matt scoops Naito, but Hiromu SUNSET FLIPS Nick! Nick fights off the bomb, but Naito fights the driver! Victory roll, TWO!!
Hiromu has Nick anchored on the outside, but Matt schoolboys Naito! TWO, but Nick kicks free of Hiromu! Matt has Naito’s wrist, Nick grabs the other! E V P- NO, Naito ducks so the knees hit together! CORRIENDO SHIKI DESTI- NO, Matt stops the Destino in time! Nick gets the other arm, E V P TRIGGER!! Cover, HIROMU BREAKS IT! The fans fire up again as Hiromu CHOPS Nick, then CHOPS Matt! And CHOPS Nick! And CHOPS Matt! Hiromu runs, into DOUBLE SUPERKICKS! Matt tags Nick and they soak up the cheers and jeers. The Bucks aim at Hiromu first, but he blows past the kicks! CROSSBODY caught!
Matt has Hiromu while Nick goes back to the apron. But Naito anchors Nick this time! Hiromu fights the gut wrench while Nick kicks free! Nick goes up the corner, but Naito anchors him there! Hiromu turns things around on Matt, and now Naito SHOVES Nick! INVOLUNTARY TK DRIVER on Matt!! Naito storms in, Hiromu laughs as he gives Nick TIMEBOMB 1.5! Naito & Hiromu work together now, ASSISTED- NO, Nick slips out of the DDT! Nick shoves Naito at Hiromu, but they dosido again for the DOUBLE AX HANDLE! The fans fire up as NOW we get the ASSISTED TORNADO DDT!!
Naito waits on Nick to stagger up, then he wrenches and tilt-o-whirls, DESTINO!! Cover, LIJ WINS!!!
Winners: Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
The Bucks’ reign ends at just over five weeks! The Bucks thank Japan, and they promise that they’ll be back again some day. Meanwhile, Hiromu has his first reign as a heavyweight champion, and he wants Captain Naito to stand up with him. Naito asks for help but he kinda sandbags on it. Hiromu gives up and simply fetches Naito’s hat for him. They eventually do stand together, but will this New Beginning be LIJ’s best chapter yet?
IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji VS Gabe Kidd!
The Gene Blast took down the “Boss Dog,” David Finlay, and took this title from him at WrestleKingdom. But now the second in command is looking to avenge The Rebel! Will this Mad Man become a double champion? Or will Yota keep everything tranquilo?
As Yota makes his entrance, he tosses his coat away to reveal he went with SHORT tights tonight! Gabe smirks, this is clearly Yota’s answer to Gabe wanting NJPW to return to tradition. The introductions are made, the white strap is raised, and we see who takes NJPW global!
The bell rings and Gabe steps to Yota and vice versa. The fans fire up for this stare down, and the crowd sounds pretty torn. Gabe SLAPS Yota, so Yota SLAPS back! Gabe grins, the two back up, and then they tie up! They’re in a deadlock, but then the forearms start flying! They tie up again, are still in a deadlock, but Gabe pulls hair! Yota turns things around to put Gabe on ropes, but Gabe turns that back around. Red Shoes calls the break, Gabe lets off slowly, then he fires forearms! Red Shoes reprimands, Gabe eggs Yota on, but Yota headlocks. Gabe powers up and out, Yota RAMS him, but Gabe rebounds to RUN Yota over!
The fans fire up and duel again. Yota reaches up at Gabe, Gabe stomps him, then things speed up. Gabe hurdles, Yota hurdles, then Yota bypasses Gabe to RANA! But Gabe handsprings through!? Only for Yota to arm-drag! Gabe headscissors, Yota kips free, and then Gabe scoops to SLAM Yota! The fans fire up, Gabe covers, TWO! Gabe stays cool, that was just a heat check. Gabe drags Yota up, tells him this is NJPW, and he CHOPS! The fans fire up, Gabe gets in Yota’s face, and Gabe eggs Yota on. Yota CHOPS, Gabe wants more, so Yota CHOPS again. And CHOPS again! Gabe UPPERCUTS Yota, then UPPERCUTS again!
Yota falls, sputters, and the fans fire up. Gabe kicks Yota out of the ring, then brings him around to whip him hard into the railing! Gabe opens the gate, grabs a chair, but then puts it aside as he sees Yota stirring. Gabe drags Yota up, whips him, and Yota hits railing hard! But he comes back, only for Gabe to clinch! Yota fights the clinch with elbows, but Gabe still hits the T-BONE to the floor! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Gabe then sits up cross-legged a la Shibata. Gabe shakes his head, then he storms up on Yota. The fans rally and duel, Gabe encourages them to get louder, then he CHOPS Yota!
Yota staggers away, Gabe storms up, and Gabe CHOPS again! Yota huffs ‘n’ puffs as he staggers away. Gabe storms up to CHOP him again! Gabe eggs Yota on, so Yota CHOPS in return! Gabe felt that one! Yota stands Gabe up to CHOP again, and CHOP again! Gabe SUPERKICKS!? Yota staggers back as Gabe shows he’s been working on his arsenal. Gabe fires up, the fans fire up with him, and Gabe brings Yota up. Gabe puts Yota in, covers, but Red Shoes says no, too many shenanigans on the outside. Gabe scuffs Yota to egg him on, and the fans rally up. Gabe scuffs Yota more, then KICKS him in the back!
Yota rises up, Gabe pushes him around, and talks trash. Yota DECKS Gabe! The fans rally again, Gabe stands back up, and he ROCKS Yota! Yota shakes that off to ROCK Gabe! The forearms go back and forth again and again, and then Gabe ROCKS Yota! Gabe eggs Yota on as he wobbles! Yota roars, CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! Yota fires more CHOPS, then he brings Gabe around to CHOP again! Gabe drops to his knees but Yota says he’s not done! Yota stands Gabe up, but Gabe CHOPS! Yota doesn’t back down, so Gabe CHOPS again! Yota CHOPS back, so Gabe CHOPS again! The CHOPS keep going and the fans rally up!
Gabe CHOPS, he gets the edge, and he eggs Yota on to show him NJPW’s spirit! Yota fires a flurry of forearms, and he ROCKS Gabe! Gabe leans against ropes, seethes but also grins. “I’m a MAD MAN, y’know!” Gabe comes back to CHOP! The fans fire up and Yota grits his teeth. Yota CHOPS and Gabe drops to his knees! The fans are thunderous as Yota looks at his own hand. Gabe seethes, rises up, and though he’s stinging, he says F you, Yota! CHOP! Yota grits his teeth, both men storm up, and Gabe CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! And CHOPS again! Gabe CHOPS Yota against the ropes again and again, but Red Shoes counts.
Gabe LARIATS, runs, but into a BOOT! Gabe UPERCUTS! Yota ROCKS! Gabe CHOPS! Yota SUPERKICKS! Gabe roars so Yota SUPERKICKS again!! The fans are thunderous, Yota covers, TWO! Gabe stays in this and the fans fire up more. Yota rises, goes to ropes, and he fires up again! The fans join him and Yota grabs Gabe’s legs. Gabe kicks at Yota, but Yota works to turn Gabe! Gabe resists, but Yota still has the BOSTON CRAB! Yota wants to use the “Young Lion” hold to humble Gabe! Gabe powers up, fights forward, but Yota sits down deep on the hold! Gabe endures, the fans rally, and Gabe powers up again! Gabe claws at the mat, but Yota drags him from the ropes!
The fans rally as hard as they can as Gabe endures! Gabe powers up one more time, and he makes it to the ROPEBREAK! Yota lets go, barely holding on as it was, but both men are down as they catch their breath. Yota rises, Gabe goes to a corner, and the fans rally as hard as they can. Gabe bites the rope as he drags himself up. Yota runs in, KNEE! Gabe slumps down, Yota pushes him, and Yota goes up, up, and MARLOWE- NO, Gabe gets under! DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Both men wobble, but Yota drops to a knee! Gabe runs, but Yota blocks the knee! POP-UP KNEE, and then a LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Gabe survives, Yota roars, and Osaka is thunderous again!
Yota aims from a corner, Gabe slowly rises, GENE- COBRA TWIST!! Gabe catches Yota into the iconic Inoki hold! Yota endures, even as Gabe puts on the pressure! Yota reaches for ropes, but Gabe shifts to a BIG back suplex! Yota almost lands on his head! Both men are down and the fans rally up again. Gabe rises and the fans fire up! But then Yota also rises in the other corner. Gabe hobbles his way over, then runs up to LARIAT! Yota drops to his knees, and Gabe goes up? Gabe shouts, “SAEKO DA! <I’M AWESOME!>” Gabe drags Yota up with a facelock, bringing him up the corner. Yota endures the guillotine and fires body shots.
Yota fires forearms, Gabe fires back, and they brawl on the corner. Gabe HEADBUTTS Yota! Yota holds onto ropes, and he RISING HEADBUTTS in return! Gabe sputters, Yota roars, and Yota goes to the very top! The fans fire up already as Yota has Gabe in the clinch, but Gab says F YOU! SUPER LARIAT!!! Yota has a crash landing but Gabe roars! Gabe runs, to LARIAT Yota again!! Cover, TWO!?!? Yota survives being turned inside-out, but Gabe roars again! Osaka is ready to erupt again, but Yota suplexes first! X-PLEX even! Gabe sputters, Yota KNEES him down!! Osaka is electric as both men are down again!
Yota grits his teeth as he crawls away to a corner. Yota drags himself up with the ropes while Gabe is in a daze. Yota staggers back over to Gabe, drags him up, but Gabe’s a ragdoll. Red Shoes checks Gabe but Gabe is somehow still in this. Yota eggs Gabe on, and he wants Gabe to show that NJPW spirit! Gabe rises, leaning against Yota. Yota then SLAPS Gabe! Gabe staggers, but that slap woke him up! Gabe comes back to PALM STRIKE! Gabe grins, but so does Yota! Gabe tells Yota, “Who you think you are, I AM!” Yota gets up, and he SLAPS Gabe! Gabe SLAPS Yota, Yota SLAPS!! Gabe wobbles but the SLAPS keep going!
The fans fire up as the SLAPS come in from all directions, back and forth! Yota fires a flurry, but Gabe gives it back! STRAIGHT RIGHT! Gabe runs, Yota dodges, and Yota LARIATS Gabe!! Yota hurries to haul Gabe up, POWERBOMB! A very Finlay looking one at that! Then CURB STOMP! Yota roars as he aims from the corner! Gabe rises, into the GENE- PILEDRIVER?!?! Gabe turns things around in an instant and Osaka is erupting again! Yota and Gabe stir, Gabe finds the cover, TWO!! Yota is still in this, but so is Gabe. The fans rally as hard as they ever have, and Gabe rolls away to the ropes.
Gabe rises and Osaka roars again! Gabe snarls, he drags Yota up by his hair, and he reels Yota in. The barking echoes through the stadium, but Yota fights the lift! Wrench and HEADBUTT! Gabe stays up, but a GENE TRIGGER hits! COMEBACKER from Gabe!! The Mad Man is going nuts, and he brings down the kneepad and even the wrap! ONI- GENE BLASTER!!! But Gabe tumbles away, Yota can’t make the cover! Time is running out on this match as Gabe sputters and Yota crawls his way over! Yota claws at Gabe, Gabe turns over, and Red Shoes begins a double down count! The fans rally as both men have until 10!
Gabe sputters, grits his teeth, and he grabs the ropes. But we’re already at 5! And then 7! 8! Yota stands at 9, but he flops back down! TEN, IT’S A DRAW!!
Double Down Draw; Yota retains the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
These two men fought so hard, neither man could keep going! Or maybe they can? They both sit up and give junkyard dog headbutts, but there’s no point now! They both flop back down, the fans cheer again, and Red Shoes tells them both to stop. The fans chant for NJPW, clearly feeling these two epitomize the truth spirit of Strong Style. Gabe and Yota stare down, then nod. Gabe DECKS Yota! In a roundabout way, that is how these two show respect. Yota keeps the title, but will he and Gabe look to run this back?
WAIT, THE HOUSE OF TORTURE ATTACKS!! The fans boo as Sho, Kanemaru, Yujiro and Narita all stomp away on Yota! Is this because not a single one of these rejects got on the card? Wait, Narita stomps Gabe, too?! And then the lights go out! WAIT! EVIL is here! The King of Darkness said he wasn’t coming home after losing back at Battle in the Valley! And yet he’s returned with New Beginning? Then he STOPS The House from beating up on Yota?! What’s going on with The King of Darkness? He and Dick Togo have the guys back off, and Evil helps Yota to his feet? Oh, just so he can hit EVERYTHING IS EVIL on him!
The fans boo as Evil tricked us into thinking he had a change of heart. Or a heart at all. The fans tell The House of Torture to just go home, but now they want to help Gabe up? Evil & Dick help Gabe stand, only to set him up!? PUSHUP BAR ATTACK?!? Narita then hits Gabe with the DOUBLE CROSSER!! What happened to House of Torture being Bullet Club? Hold on, Evil grabs a mic to speak. “Oi, Tsuji, you thought I was here to help you? TOO BAD, SUCKER! HAHAHA!” The fans boo more, but Evil says Yota’s head is foggy from all that damage. This is your present and future. And as for “Gabe-chan,” Evil is here to speak to him.
Evil tells Gabe, “You’re in my way, pieces of crap like you. Tell this to Finlay, as well. From now on, the War Dogs are no longer part of Bullet Club!” What!? Does Evil have the authority to say that? But he says, “Your crew of losers aren’t needed in Bullet Club anymore! Got it? Remember that!” The House has declared war, but will this be anything but civil?
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. w/ TMDK VS Hirooki Goto w/ Yoshi-Hashi!
The Front Man really shook things up when he used the G1 Climax golden ticket to win this title in Ryogoku rather than the Tokyo Dome, but now the Fierce Warrior looks to do the same in Osaka! Goto has been fighting for decades, will this finally be his moment? Or will he #JustTapOut?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see if there is truly a New Beginning in Osaka!
The bell rings and the fans are already strong for “GO-TO-O! GO-TO-O!” ZSJ doesn’t let that bother him as the two circle. They feel things out, tie up, and ZSJ wrenches an arm. ZSJ then waistlocks, but Goto wrenches free. ZSJ spins around, slips through, and he wrangles Goto by an arm. Goto fights up but ZSJ top wristlocks. ZSJ wrangles Goto after all, but Goto keeps his shoulders up. Goto slips around, goes for a leg, but ZSJ slips away, and the fans cheer this opening exchange. The two reset, tie up, and ZSJ headlocks. Goto powers up and out, ZSJ RAMS him, but Goto returns to RUN ZSJ over!
ZSJ avoids the elbow drop but Goto avoids the Penalty Kick! ZSJ avoids a lariat, Goto avoids as roundhouse, then Goto kicks and whips. ZSJ reverses but Goto RUNS him over again! The fans fire up while ZSJ shakes out the stars. Goto CLUBS ZSJ to a corner, whups him corner to corner, then runs up to LARIAT! Goto HIP- NO, ZSJ THROWS Goto down, the NECK TWISTS! The fans rally and ZSJ brings Goto up. ZSJ cravats for the neck wrench, then shifts to a headlocks. Goto endures the grind, fights up, and powers out. ZSJ RUNS Goto over! Things keep moving, but ZSJ catches the dropdown into a NECK TWIST!
Goto writhes and goes to the apron. ZSJ goes out to NECK TWIST even out there! Goto falls, Hashi protests, but ZSJ just shakes out his arms. ZSJ drags Goto up, UPPERCUTS him, and Goto staggers up the ramp. ZSJ pursues to UPPERCUT, but Goto CHOPS! ZSJ UPPERCUTS again and Goto falls! ZSJ goes to the ring, which fans applaud, and Goto crawls his way over. The fans rally as Goto reaches the ring by 5 of 20. Goto rolls in, ZSJ drags him by a leg, and ZSJ has a toehold. ZSJ turns Goto over and ties up the legs, while also adding a headscissor! Goto endures this modified deathlock, but then ZSJ focuses on just the headscissors!
Goto fights around, the fans rally, but ZSJ rolls Goto away from the ropes. ZSJ has Goto at the center of the ring, grabs an arm, but Goto kicks around! ROPEBREAK right as ZSJ goes for the armbar! ZSJ lets go, and the fans rally for “GO-TO-O!” even more. ZSJ paces, drags Goto up to cravat, but Goto again endures the neck wrench. Goto fires body shots, but ZSJ UPPERCUTS! Goto staggers to a corner, ZSJ whips him corner to corner, but Goto reverses. Goto runs up, but into a BOOT! ZSJ runs, but Goto follows! ZSJ BOOTS the lariat, but Goto avoids the Pele! ZSJ
avoid the buzzsaw, RAMS low, then whips.
Goto reverses, fireman’s carries, USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down and the fans fire up! ZSJ goes to a corner, Goto runs up, and Goto LARIATS! Goto whips corner to corner, then runs to MURAMASA! And SAIDO! Cover, TWO! ZSJ stays in this but Goto stays on him. Goto fireman’s carries again, but ZSJ kicks his way to the apron! ZSJ has Goto in the ropes, HANGING ARMBAR! Red Shoes reprimands, then counts, but ZSJ lets go at 4. ZSJ stumbles a bit, but goes back for Goto in the ring. ZSJ knees on Goto’s face, then grabs an arm. ZSJ SNAPS fingers! And then he digs his elbow into Goto’s ribs, to then isolate an arm, and STOMP it!
The fans duel while Goto clutches that elbow. ZSJ drags Goto around, digs an elbow into Goto’s shoulder, then pulls on the bad arm. ZSJ twists it around, and STOMPS it again! Goto writhes more but ZSJ looms over him. ZSJ stands Goto up, reels him in, but Goto fights the scoop! Goto CLUBS with the good arm, but ZSJ UPPERCUTS the bad arm! And again! And again! ZSJ brings Goto around to scoop, but Goto slips free! Goto waistlocks, ZSJ elbows free, and ZSJ runs up. Goto dodges to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! And then roll into the GOTO SAN SHIKI! TWO, and ZSJ body scissors, JAPANESE ROLLING CLUTCH! TWO!!
The fans fire up as both men escape the other! ZSJ BOOTS Goto to a corner, then runs up. Goto dodges to put ZSJ right in the ropes! Draping dragon sleeper, for DRAPING SHOTO! Cover, ROPEBREAK! ZSJ survives but Goto roars! Goto dragon sleepers, but ZSJ slips around to scoop and ZACK DRIVER! But ZSJ can’t make the cover! The fans fire up again while ZSJ sits back up. ZSJ grabs Goto by the hair and drags him up. ZSJ UPPERCUTS, Goto wobbles, and the fans rally. ZSJ UPPERCUTS again, Goto staggers, but ZSJ has him again. ZSJ UPPERCUTS, but Goto just gets mad! Goto fires forearm after forearm!
ZSJ UPPERCUTS again, but Goto just roars! The fans fire up as Goto LARIATS! ZSJ stays up and DOUBLE LARIATS collide! ZSJ comes back, but Goto spins him around, URA G T R! Goto roars, runs, but ZSJ ROUNDHOUSEES the lariat, then scoops! SABRE DRIVER!! Cover, TWO?!?! But into an ARMBAR!! Goto flails, reaches out, but ZSJ pulls on the arm! Goto fights around, but ends up in a TRIANGLE HOLD! Goto keeps moving, tries to stack ZSJ, but ZSJ keeps his shoulders up! So Goto deadlifts, but ZSJ wrangles him into an omoplata! ZSJ grabs the other arm, Goto resists, but ZSJ powers it into a roll and CLARKY CAT!
Goto keeps fighting and the fans rally as hard as they can! Goto refuses to get caught, but ZSJ grabs the leg! CLARKY CAT, BAD BALLOON MIX! Goto still fights, even with just the one free leg! Goto kicks and his arm slips free, ROPEBREAK!! Even ZSJ is surprised, but he lets go of Goto. The fans continue to rally for Goto as he slowly rises. ZSJ KICKS him in the chest and Goto falls over! ZSJ paces, Hashi coaches Goto, and Goto rises up. ZSJ KICKS him in the chest again! ZSJ eggs Goto on, then KCIKS, KICKS, KICKS! Goto blocks one! Goto stands, and he fires forearm after forearm! ZSJ rebounds, but Goto DECKS him!
The fans are thunderous and Goto roars! Goto runs, but into a SLEEPER! ZSJ squeezes tight as Goto reaches out, and Goto is fading! Red Shoes checks on Goto, but he drops to his knees! ZSJ sits Goto down, but the fans rally even harder! ZSJ lets go to run and PENALTY KCIK! But Goto’s right up!? LARIAT!! Goto knows Shibata well, so he knew how to fight that combo! The fans are thunderous again as Goto rises! Goto roars, then takes aim, BUZZSAW! ZSJ falls right down! Goto drags him right up! Fireman’s carry and G T W!! Cover, TWO!!! ZSJ survives, the damage he did to Goto’s arms being what weakened that attack!
Goto still dragon sleepers, but ZSJ fires shots! Goto grabs that arm, but ZSJ grabs Goto’s arm! They fight for control, so Goto ripcords and HEADBUTTS ZSJ! The fans fire up as ZSJ drops back! But Goto holds onto ZSJ’s wrist! Goto drags ZSJ up, but ZSJ SLAPS him! And SLAPS him again! And again! Goto just stands ZSJ up, so ZSJ fires a flurry of SLAPS! Goto HEADBUTTS again! Goto snarls, the fans are thunderous, and Goto HEADBUTTS ZSJ again! But Goto isn’t done! He HEADBUTTS AGAIN AND AGAIN! Goto roars, winds up, and LARIATS!! The fans are thunderous once more as Goto suplexes, for SHOUTEN KAI!!
The fans erupt as Goto brings out one of the classics! And then Goto hauls ZSJ up, dragon sleepers, but ZSJ victory rolls! EURO CLUTCH, TWO!?!?! Goto escapes, but ZSJ snatches an arm! ZSJ wrenches to PELE the arm, but Goto LARIATS with the other! Goto leans on the ropes, Osaka erupts once again, and Goto drags ZSJ up! Dragon sleeper, but ZSJ hooks the arms! Goto fights the backslide, dragon sleepers, G T R!!! But Goto doesn’t cover?!? Goto wants to end this, and he straitjackets ZSJ’s arms, for ULTIMATE G T R!!! Cover, GOTO WINS!!!!
Winner: Hirooki Goto, by pinfall (NEW IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
Osaka is practically lifting off into space as finally, after 22 YEARS of hard work, of blood, sweat and tears, of always being the proverbial bridesmaid but never the bride, the Fierce Warrior has his world title breakthrough!! It was a generational battle to be sure, and while The Mighty Don’t Kneel, ZSJ could not #GetBackUp! Will TMDK have to take a page out of Chaos’ book and find a way to #TurnItAllAround?
As for Goto, it finally sinks in with the official announcement! “Perennial Challenger” no longer, Hirooki Goto is FINALLY the top champion in NJPW! Goto finally gets to hold this belt, and Hashi is there by his side to help put it on. After Goto catches his breath and gathers himself, he grabs the mic. “I know my dad was watching, and this is for him.” Goto points to the sky and the fans cheer. Goto stands, and he says, “A lot of you probably know this, but I’m an idiot. I’ve been an idiot as I’ve pursued this pro-wrestling life. But this idiot stuck with it, and now this idiot is a champion.” The fans cheer that, and they cheer as Goto tells his dad, “I DID IT!”
Goto now thanks everyone for coming and packing the house. “Actually, my son and daughter are here, as well.” The fans cheer, knowing the little Gotos are here. Goto asks if it’s okay to invite them into the ring. The fans cheer more, and Goto calls to them. After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Goto’s son and daughter hurry from their seats, take off their shoes, and then step into the ring to stand alongside their father. The fans cheer, and Goto says they’re doing well in school. And his girl is doing well in her dance class. The fans cheer, Goto says he wants them to get a good look at this sight. “This is what Papa’s been working for.” The fans cheer that, too!
Goto says thanks to his kids, he was able to do this. And of course, “Yo-chan” for always being in his corner. And most of all, it is thanks to the people here today! The fans applaud again, and Goto says that he’s been at this for 22 YEARS, so he is thankful to his own body for making it this far. “The Goto Revolution has just begun.” The fans like that! Goto hopes they’ll be part of it until the end. “And finally… It’s about Goto’s G! Do you know what the G stands for?” Do the kids know? His son and daughter are excited. It is for the G in IWGP! That’s right! Now, here goes! The fans fire up with Goto, and he says the G in IWGP now stands for GOTO!
Goto hugs his kids, and the confetti flies! It may be decades into his career, but this is truly Goto’s New Beginning! Will there be no stopping the Fierce Warrior that overcame The Mighty Front Man?
My Thoughts:
An awesome New Beginning event, and fittingly, we got a lot of new stuff going on from this point. Drilla beating Takagi was wild, I did not think that’d happen. Khan beating Shota was also wild, and so was Shota voluntarily shaving his own head. As I’ve said before, Shota is the one out of the Reiwa Three Musketeers that isn’t working as far as crowd reaction. Fans love Yota as a Face, they love to hate Narita as a Heel, but they haven’t quite accepted Shota as a Face. Maybe shaving his head and ditching this Roughneck hero character could help Shota. Sanada beating Taichi with more cheating made sense, it just adds more Heel heat on him.
Roppongi ReVICE looked great against the Ichiban Sweet Boys, but I figured Eagles & Fujita would win. Taiji making the challenge on behalf of himself and Robbie X, that’ll be a great feud. And then holy crap, Konosuke VS Oleg was awesome. Not only does it show how great Konosuke is, but it shows how awesome Oleg already is for being this early in his career. But I feel like it’s a shame the KOPW Championship is gone, because I felt like the NEVER Openweight title was the one Oleg could get at this point. Oiwa challenging Konosuke is cool, can’t wait to see how that one goes.
LIJ VS The Bucks was great stuff, and I’m actually a little surprised LIJ won. I suppose The Bucks could (and maybe should) go back to AEW now, maybe do something about the Death Riders or whatever. But this is big for LIJ, and they have quite the lineup to defend these titles against. Yota VS Gabe was also awesome, and it was brilliant to have it end in a draw. But then, are we seriously getting Bullet Club: Civil War now? With House of Torture VS David Finlay & The War Dogs? Well, it isn’t about the quality of the wrestlers, since the War Dogs are all good, but it’s more we could’ve gotten even better stuff when it was Jay White’s Bullet Club.
And then, the main event was amazing, especially because of the story going into it. ZSJ has fought hard to become top champion, but Goto has fought hard and long for the same thing, to where maybe people were thinking it’d never happen. This is an inspirational story on top of an awesome match, because it shows if you keep at it, your dream will come true, and/or people will see your dedication, and they will appreciate and maybe even reward it. You deserve it, Goto, and what a great moment for him and his kids. I can’t wait to see where this is going, especially with the Anniversary Show in under a month.
My Score: 9.3/10
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Will The King keep his Cup?
Lexis King gave in to his Loose Cannon nature, but at least he’s Heritage Cup Champion. Unless… TNA’s JDC (formerly Fandango) takes it away from him!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Bayley VS Cora Jade; Cora wins.
- Triple Threat Tag: Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura VS Myles Borne & Tavion Heights VS Hank ‘n’ Tank; Briggs & Inamura win.
- NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Lexis King VS JDC; King wins and retains the title.
- Zaria w/ Sol Ruca VS Nikkita Lyons; Zaria wins.
- NXT North American Championship Steel Cage Match: Tony D’Angelo VS Ridge Holland; Tony wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
Bayley VS Cora Jade!
The Role Model has been busy since the Royal Rumble but also focused. She qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in March, and she’ll be in the NXT Women’s Championship Triple Threat this Saturday. But first, she looks to settle things with the Generation of Jade, who just couldn’t help but use that kendo stick on Bayley outta nowhere. Will Cora look to ruin Bayley’s Road to WrestleMania? Or will Bayley humble her before going for gold?
Speaking of that kendo stick, Cora takes a swing the moment she’s in the ring! Bayley dodges, then she TACKLES Cora! The bell rings as Bayley rains down fists! The fans rally up as Bayley DECKS Cora, DECKS her again, and Cora bails out! The fans boo but Cora soaks it up. Bayley storms out after Cora, and fires forearms! The fans fire up as Bayley bumps Cora off barriers! Bayley CHOPS Cora, then she grabs Cora’s kendo stick. Bayley tosses that aside to put Cora in the ring. Cora scrambles away again, and the fans boo. Cora wags her finger, but Bayley goes out the side. Bayley runs in, DAREDEVIL DROPKICK!
Cora staggers, Bayley stalks her, and Bayley SMACKS Cora off the desk! Bayley puts Cora back in the ring, covers, TWO! Cora stays in this but the fans chant, “HUG ME, BAYLEY!” Bayley wrenches and snap suplexes while Giulia watches from backstage. Cover, TWO! Bayley keeps cool while the fans fire up. Cora RAMS into Bayley, RAMS her again, then she throws Bayley by her hair! The fans boo Cora but she drags Bayley back up. Cora ROCKS Bayley with a forearm, then whips and ROCKS her again! Cora whips and ROCKS Bayley again, then puts Bayley on ropes. Cora runs in but Bayley avoids the elbow!
Bayley elbows Cora down, then runs to ELBOW Cora in the back! And SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Bayley is annoyed but the fans chant “NBA ALL-STAR!” Bayley blocks a kick, KNEES Cora, then snapmares her. Bayley hooks Cora up but Cora rolls Bayley, TWO! Bayley KNEES Cora back down! Cora bails out, Bayley shoots her shot and fans say “SWISH!” Bayley DIVES and down goes Cora! The fans fire up, Bayley brings Cora up, but Cora RAMS Bayley into the apron! Cora SMACKS Bayley off the apron, puts her in, but Bayley ROCKS Cora! Bayley has Cora in the ropes, but Cora HOTSHOTS her first!
Cora fires knees on Bayley in the ropes, then bumps Bayley off buckles. The fans boo Cora, but she KNEES Bayley down! Cora mocks Bayley while NXT goes picture in picture.
Cora steps in and covers, TWO! Bayley is tougher than that but Cora stomps her down. Cora SMACKS Bayley off the mat, then stalks her to the ropes. Cora CHOKES Bayley on the ropes, then runs to ELBOW Bayley in the back! Cover, TWO! Cora stalks Bayley, stomps her more, then bumps her off buckles. Cora stomps away, digs her boot in, but stops as the ref counts 4. Cora storms back up to whip Bayley corner to corner. Bayley goes up an dover, then rolls Cora up, TWO! Cora hurries to her feet and she LARIATS Bayley down! Cora soaks up more heat, then she drags Bayley into a chinlock. Bayley endures while Cora squeezes tight.
Bayley fights up and JAWBREAKERS free! But Cora RAMS Bayley into a corner, and SHINING WIZARDS! Bayley falls, Cora stomps her, then Cora soaks up heat. Cora runs to IMPLODER DOUBLE STOMP! Cover, TWO! Bayley stays in this and Cora grows frustrated. Cora clamps on with another chinlock, but Bayley endures again. Bayley fights up, arm-drags, but Cora holds on! Cora squeezes Bayley tighter but Bayley still endures. Bayley fights up, and now she arm-drags free! NXT returns to single picture, Cora runs back in, but Bayley FLAPJACKS her off buckles! Bayley then puts Cora in the ropes for a HOTSHOT!
Cora flops down and the fans rally up. Bayley brings Cora up, counter punches, then counter punches again! Bayley fires a flurry, but Cora knees low! Cora runs, but Bayley clinches! BAYLEY2BELLY! Cover, TWO!! Cora survives, but Bayley slowly rises back up. Cora staggers up, Bayley LARIATS! And LARIATS! Bayley bumps Cora off buckles, puts her in the ropes, and she CHOPS Cora! Bayley goes up for the STOCK DROP! Shoutout to The Boss, then a SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Cora survives, Bayley runs to sunset flip, but Cora sits on it! TWO!! Cora goes up to IMPLODER DOUBLE STOMP again! Cora hauls Bayley up for a GUT WRENCH PELX! Cover, TWO!
Cora grows frustrated but the fans rally up. Cora drags Bayley up and underhooks, but Bayley wrenches free! Clinch and- NO, Cora THRWOS Bayley into buckles! SHINING- NO, Bayley gets under, fireman’s carries, and swings for the SIDEWALK SLAM! Cover, TWO! Bayley hurries to put Cora in a drop zone, and Bayley hurries to climb up! Wait, Bayley’s old music plays? Because Roxanne Perez is cosplaying Hugger Bayley! Bayley is annoyed, but she still ROCKS Cora first! Bayley hits the MACHO ELBOW to a standing Cora! Cover, TWO!! Cora survives and Hugger Roxie is high-fiving fans. Bayley goes out to CLOBBER Roxie!
The fans fire up, Cora runs out there, but Bayley ROCKS her! Roxie scurries away, Cora gets Bayley with FUTURE SHOCK to the floor!! The fans boo but Cora puts Bayley in the ring, FUTURE SHOCK again! Cover, Cora wins!
Winner: Cora Jade, by pinfall
Roxie meant to screw over Bayley, but it seems like she only now realizes what that means: Cora got a win over a WWE Women’s Grand Slam Champion! Giulia and Ava Raine seem to talk something over, and then Ava makes her way out here! The NXT General Manager congratulates Cora on the biggest win of her career thus far. But all of this is getting settled on Saturday. Because now all three of them have a chance to become the NEW NXT Women’s Champion. That’s right, the Triple Threat is now a FATAL 4 WAY! Good luck, ladies. Cora says that’s right! Roxie says yeah, good for her. Cora can tell Roxie isn’t really happy for her, but then Bayley CLOBBERS them both!
Cora tumbles out, Roxie staggers up, into a BAYLEY2BELLY!! Bayley knocks both upstarts down, but will she be able to put them in their place this Saturday? Or will everyone succumb to the Beautiful Madness?
Sol Ruca talks with Zaria backstage.
They go over their win from last week’s tag match, and Sol says it worked because they did things her way. And maybe, they can keep this going. They’ll be facing Lash & Jakara next week, so Sol was thinking, they could do a training session together at the beach. Zaria says fine, but… That’ll be done her way. Zaria then hears Nikkita Lyons laughing and muttering to herself, and asks her what’s so funny. Nikkita says these two at the beach is a joke. But just imagine Nikkita at the beach. No, they’re good. Then how about they touch grass instead of sand. One win does not make you a tag team. Also, Sol is holding Zaria back.
Zaria says no, Sol is the most athletic woman in the division, and they just won here. Which is more than Nikkita can say. Oh, okay. Then how about Zaria steps in the ring with “Big Cat Kita” and find out. Nikkita leaves, Sol asks who the hell she thinks she is. Will the Agent of Change make sure Nikkita knows what’s up?
Oba Femi is here!
The fans cheer The Ruler as he struts to the ring, NXT Championship around his waist. “The date is set. This Saturday at Vengeance Day, Oba Femi will be defending his NXT Championship against Grayson Waller & Austin Theory, in a Triple Threat match. But let’s be real, that’s a Handicap Match, because it’s going to be Oba Femi VS A-Town Down Under. Because in their minds, they’re going to gang up and get rid of The Ruler. But then what? Then after that, I’ll tell you what. Their egos will become their greatest downfall. Because don’t get it messed up, after everything’s said and done, it’s only one man for themselves when it comes to this NXT Championship.”
But wouldn’t you know? Here comes A-Town Down Under! Theory & Waller have mics, and Waller tells “Oba-rated,” it’s too late. Oba is starting to feel the pressure facing some real stars. But trying to turn them against each other? They thought so much better of Oba. Honestly, this is pathetic. Does Oba not realize that he has to face Grayson Waller? A man who has not received his flowers here in NXT. Fans boo, but Theory says listen to this! Waller’s jumped off ladders! He has hit elbows through tables! He nearly risked his career every time he’s been in the ring. And who gets all the credit? Carmelo Hayes, Tony D’Angelo, and Bron Breakker.
All three of those guys and everyone else forgets that Waller is the pillar that helped shape NXT into what it is today! The fans boo more, but Theory says with that same help, Waller helps Theory become NXT Champion. Uh… Waller says yeah, and Oba’s fighting Austin Theory! He’s wanted to be a WWE superstar his whole life, and he did it easily! In NXT, he rode shotgun with little midget Johnny Gargano. And on Saturday, Theory rides shotgun again with the NEW NXT Champion, Grayson Waller. Oba says hold on, hold on. What they’re telling him is that they’ll both become NXT Champion? Hmm…
Waller says that title means a lot of him. You know how sick he gets hearing Bron Breakker’s name, hearing Carmelo Hayes’ name, hearing Trick Williams’ name, all because they had that, when Waller gave everything to have it and he was this close!? Waller will do whatever it takes, and that includes- Theory asks includes what. Theory’s never had that title, either. He’s been US Champion- And Theory beat John Cena! We get it! Waller is so sick of hearing that story. Guess what? No one cares. Fans, and Oba, like how heated this is getting, and Waller even mocks the You Can’t See Me!
Theory says, “Lemme tell you something, Grayson. That accomplishment is a very rare accomplishment. But I get someone like you not understanding, because you’ve never had a singles title of your own anyway.” Oof…! Waller says that’s not wrong. But Waller also remembers WrestleMania 40, when he was standing on top of the ladder, holding the WWE Tag Team Championships, and Theory was on the bottom rung like a cheerleader! Theory should be saying, “Thank You, Grayson! You saved my career!” Saved?! Theory doesn’t need to be saved, he’s just getting started! And in this Triple Threat, Theory will do whatever it takes to become NXT Champion!
Oh really? Like what? Theory says we start with this big dummy, and they put him through the announce table! Waller says they can hit him with chairs! Theory says they can throw everything they can on top of Oba, and then the desk on top of that! Waller says then he and Theory can decide who the champ will be, which is A-Town Down Under! Waller knows Oba came in with a plan, but it didn’t work. But on Saturday, there is nothing and no one who will stop Waller from getting that title. Nobody. Waller turns to go, but Theory turns him back around! Theory is mad, but Waller shoves him first!
Oba likes where this is going, but then Theory shoves Waller! Theory dares Waller to swing, so Waller swings! Theory ducks, and the shot hits Oba! Waller fires off on Oba, but Theory backs him off. Now ATDU mugs Oba together! The fans boo as this might’ve been the plan all along. ATDU then hold Oba up, DOUBLE ROLLING ELBOW! Theory lifts Oba to a fireman’s carry, A-TOWN DOWN, and then Waller somersaults for the DOWN UNDER STUNNER! The fans boo but then Waller holds up the belt. Theory steps over and grabs the belt, too. It still has to come down to one winner, but will ATDU make sure it’s one of them?
Eddy Thorpe speaks.
“Trick Williams, the face of NXT. Continuously handed opportunity after opportunity. All I wanted was once chance to prove myself, and I tried to do things the right way. But time after time, I was disregarded. By Ava, by Shawn Michaels, even by the WWE Universe. So Trick, you think you’ve been screwed over? Those people chant your name while they scoff at mine. Vengeance is the only thing that I seek now. For me, for my people, I’ll leave my mark one way or another. So what do you say, Trick? At Vengeance Day, if you’re man enough to accept the challenge, I’ll finish what I started here… in a STRAP MATCH!” Will Trick take on the Alpha Wolf in his own game?
NXT hears from Je’Von Evans’ physician.
Dr. David Cohen says that after extensive examination of Je’Von’s jaw, following reconstructive surgery and weeks of recovery, the jaw is healing on schedule. However, understanding the timeline Je’Von wants to have a match this Saturday, the team has expedited the process. Dr. Cohen says that yes, he will be cleared for the match at Vengeance Day. However, Dr. Cohen did express his great concern for re-injury if Je’Von takes any severe damage to the jaw. Another fracture could sideline Je’Von for a minimum of six months, and he would be medically disqualified from ever stepping into the ring again.
As of now, it is Je’Von’s decision on what he does, but Dr. Cohen reiterates, he is still cleared to face Ethan Page.
Je’Von meets with Ava.
The Young OG hopes she saw that statement from Dr. Cohen. He gets his match with Ethan now, right? Ava wants to make sure Je’Von paid attention to what Dr. Cohen said. He risks extensive and career-ending injury! Je’Von says he ain’t about that. Ethan won’t even have a chance to touch Je’Von! Well, Ava’s still worried. Then that’s a risk Je’Von is willing to take. Then Ava has no choice. He needs to sign this contract. If he insists on competing at Vengeance Day, the WWE cannot be held liable for anything that happens. Just think about it, oaky? Je’Von says yeah, he will. Done. He signs the contract! Je’Von is ready to go all or nothing, will he get vengeance on All Ego?
Triple Threat Tag: Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura VS Myles Borne & Tavion Heights VS Hank ‘n’ Tank!
In pursuing Fraxiom and the NXT Tag Team Championships, the Bullhead City Brawler and Pro-Wrestling Noah’s Great Rush ended up in a rather Fraxiom style situation. While Inamura asked No Quarter Catch Crew to a match, Briggs did the same with the Blue Collar Belly Boys. Will Briggs & Inamura be able to overcome both the NQCC and BCBB? Or will another team prove themselves worthy of the next tag team title shot?
NXT returns as the NQCC makes their entrance, complete with Charlie Dempsey & Wren Sinclair. Then, last but not least, the two men who put this fight together in Briggs & Inamura. The teams sort out, and in this form of a Triple Threat, two teams are legal. Inamura steps up to Tank Ledger, and they RAM into each other at the bell! They RAM again, Inamura fires sumo palm strikes, then he CHOPS Tank! Hank runs up, but Inamura gives him sumo palm strikes and a CHOP, too! Inamura then sees Myles coming, and he SUMO POUNCES him! Inamura fires up, he blocks Tank’s punch to CHOP!
Inamura hits the three point stance, but Tank avoids the sumo attack! Inamura hits buckles, Tank runs, and Hank tags in! Tank RAMS Inamura, Hank LARIATS and BULLDOGS! Hank whips but Heights tags in. Inamura dodges Hank, Heights LARIATS Hank! Roll into the fireman’s carry, then tag to Myles. ASSISTED GUTBUSTER, and then a DOUBLE GUT WRENCH PLEX! Cover, TWO! Hank stays in this but Myles ROCKS him! Myles UPPERCUTS Hank, then he jumps up and rains down fists! Hank pops Myles into a HOTSHOT, then tags Tank. Tank runs up to scoop Myles, but Myles slips free into a SLEEPER!
Tank backs Myles up, Inamura tags in and he CHOPS Tank! Then he JABS Myles! And repeat! Briggs tags in, he BOOTS Heights, Inamura fires off more shots! Briggs tells Inamura to keep that up, and he SPLASHES Hank! Then he SPLASHES Heights! SHOTGUN for Hank! SHOTGUN for Heights! Inamura fires off more shots, then he and Briggs whip Tank. Tank cartwheels through!? And he DOUBLE CROSSBODIES! The fans fire up with Tank, then he runs up to SPLASH Briggs! Myles tags in, Tank whips Briggs, Briggs dodges Tank but Myles dodges Briggs! Tank dodges Myles, then Tank dodges Briggs!
Myles UPPERCUTS Briggs, Tank goes up and up to FLYING CROSSBODY! Myles whips Tank, tags Heights, but Tank DUMPS Myles! Tank BOOTS Heights, tags Hank! Tank gives Hank the boost, SEATED SENTON onto Heights! The fans fire up with the “HONK! HONK!” But Briggs & Inamura drag Hank ‘n’ Tank out! They brawl, Briggs FLYING SHOULDER TACKLES Myles! Hank ‘n’ Tank coordinate, then they “HONK HONK!” Hank ‘n’ Tank BIG BELLY SANDWICH Myles on the outside! The fans fire up as Hank runs at Heights, but into an OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Cover, TWO! Hank survives and the fans fire up!
Wait, we can see Fraxiom in the perch! They’re enjoying the show as Heights HAMMERS Hank. Cover, TWO! Hank stays in this, and NXT goes to break.
NXT returns and NQCC has Tank! But Tank JAWBREAKERS Myles! Tank crawls for his corner, but Heights YANKS Hank down! Tank dodges Myles, and he hot tags Inamura! Inamura rallies on Myles, then short arm LARIATS! Inamura whips Myles to a corner, then scoop shim on the rebound, SPINNIIIIIING POWERSLAM! The fans fire up and Inamura hauls Myles up. Inamura whips Myles to the corner, SPLASHES, and Briggs tags in. Inamura bumps Myles off buckles, then runs to BLAST Heights off the apron! Briggs BOOTS Hank, then he whips Inamura in to SPLASH Myles! Briggs then BOOTS Myles!
Heights is back, but he gets a SIDEWALK SLAM and SPLASH! The fans fire up for Briggs, he runs, but Hank sneaks a tag! Myles DROPKICKS Briggs, Hank runs up! Myles hits the ORTON POWERSLAM! Tag to Heights, Tank runs up, they each dodge, but then they DOUBLE CROSSBODY, and they fall on Hank! Hank catching strays! Heights covers, Inamura & Briggs break it! The fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” Dempsey & Wren coach their guys up, and Heights fires hands with Hank. They go back and forth, the fans rally and duel, and Hank windmills away on Heights! Heights ROCKS Hank, but Hank BOOTS Heights!
Briggs tags off Heights before Heights LARIATS Hank! Briggs steps in, Heights dodges Hank and Briggs BOOTS Hank! Then he runs but now Hank dodges, Briggs BOOTS Heights! Hank BOOTS Briggs, Heights LARIATS Hank! Briggs SHOTGUNS Heights! Briggs BOOTS Hank into a corner! The fans are fired up as Briggs pumps up, choke grips Hank, and MAYHEM BOMB!! Cover, HEIGHTS & MYLES BREAK IT! They mug Briggs, Tank DIVES onto them all! The fans are thunderous, and Hank goes up?! “HONK HONK” CROSSBODY! Hank wipes out everyone, then he puts Briggs in! Wheelbarrow and BUBBA BOMB!! Cover, TWO?!?
The fans can’t believe it and neither can Hank! “This is Awesome!” as Briggs finds a way to survive. Hank goes to the apron, then he goes back up a corner. Briggs sputters, staggers, but he manages to ROCK Hank first. Briggs climbs up, he choke grips Hank, but Hank fires elbows! Hank SHOVES Briggs down, adjusts, and he LEAPS! Briggs dodges, tag to Inamura! CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL, and then Briggs BLASTS NQCC off the apron! Inamura fires himself up for the GREAT RUSH FROG SPLASH!! Cover, Briggs & Inamura win!
Winners: Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura, by pinfall
A big win for the newest duo, and Nathan Frazer has a mic to say alright! That’s what he’s talking about, lads! Congrats! Axiom says yeah, Briggs is one of the most underrated guys in NXT, legitimately. And Inamura, they can see what the hype was about. But after tonight, they deserve their chance at these tag titles. They wanted it, and the problem is, they’ve got it. So see you at VENGEANCE DAY! Saturday got that much bigger, but will Fraxiom be able to #NeverSlowDown when they take on Briggs & Inamura? Or are they about to run into a couple of brick rules?
The D’Angelo Family talks backstage.
Tony D is with Stacks, Luca, Rizzo… and Izzi Dame… Luca says it’ll be another big night for The Don, and Rizzo says yeah, The Don always steps up. Stacks says he and Tony have been on different pages these days, and he wants to apologize. He’s just been stuck in his own head, thinking about how to handle things on his own, like Tony said. Tony doesn’t wanna do things without the family, but- Tony says relax, Stacks. They’re good. He meant what he said, though. It is a cage match, so he has to do this alone. But hey, Luca knows, Rizzo knows, and even Izzi knows. We’re all good. But what do they always say? FOGEDABOUTIT~!
Stacks says yeah, okay, it’ll be good. Tony heads out to prepare, but will the cage be the least of his worries when he’s stuck in there with Ridge the Fridge?
NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Lexis King VS JDC!
The Drama King claims he never really turned over that new leaf, and now he is fully embracing being his father’s son. But will that help him when he’s thrown away the Heritage Cup rules to do this first fall to a finish? Or will Johnny “Dango” Curtis take this NXT trophy with him to TNA?
The introductions are made, the cup is raised, and we see if The King succeeds doing things his way!
The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, go around, and JDC arm-drags King. King gets up in a huff, and the two reset. They feel things out, King waistlocks, and he SLAMS JDC down. King facelocks, and he rolls with JDC as JDC tries to roll free. JDC fights up, King wrenches, but JDC wrenches to WRING King! King gets up but JDC arm-drags! JDC has the cording hold, but King scrambles around. King fights up, but JDC cranks the hold. King puts JDC in a corner, the ref counts, but King fakes a punch! JDC flinches, King tosses his hair to taunt JDC, but JDC CHOPS! and CHOPS! And CHOPS again!
King goes to a corner, JDC CHOPS again! JDC whips, King reverses, but JDC goes up and sunset flips! TWO! King swings, but into a wrench and backslide, ONE! King KNEES JDC! JDC flops out of the ring, the fans boo, but King goes back to his corner. King mocks the Heritage Cup rules by “refreshing” himself, dabbing away the sweat, but JDC rolls him up! TWO! JDC LARIATS King up and out, then he PLANCHAS! Direct hit and the fans fire up! JDC touches the Cup, the fans are behind him and TNA, but NXT goes picture in picture.
JDC uses a towel to dab sweat from his brow now, then he CHOPS King! King staggers and sputters, JDC ROCKS him again. JDC puts King in the ring, but King slips out the side. JDC follows, but King RAMS him into the apron! And then he hits an APRON BACK SUPLEX! JDC hobbles and falls, but King is right on him. King puts JDC in the ring, hurries after him, and KNEES him in the side! King rains down fists, then knuckle lock covers, TWO! King holds onto the hands and he drags JDC up for a back suplex BACKBREAKER! JDC writhes, King mocks the Dango dance, then he slaps JDC around.
King pie faces JDC, JDC SLAPS King! King KNEES low, CLUBS JDC, then CHOPS! JDC goes to a corner, King brings him around and bumps him off buckles. King digs his boots in, but stops as the ref counts. King soaks up heat, but JDC CHOPS him! And CHOPS him! King ROCKS JDC, whips, then kitchen sink knees! King KICKS JDC in the back! King then runs to CROWNING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! King is still on JDC with a wristlock, then he scrapes his sole off JDC’s face. King hauls JDC up to whip him corner to corner, then he LARIATS! And CHOPS! King then scoops for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!
JDC toughs it out, but King clamps onto him with a motorcycle stretch. JDC endures, fights up, and he turns things around, only for King to turn it back around! King CLUBS JDC, put shim in a corner, and then whips corner to corner. NXT returns to single picture as the fans still rally for JDC. King soaks up the heat, then CHOPS! King whips JDC corner to corner, but JDC ELBOWS him away! JDC goes up, but King avoids the missile dropkick! King grabs a leg, works to turn JDC, but JDC KICKS free! JDC CHOPS, and CHOPS, and whips. King reverses, then he rolls JDC into the HALF CRAB! JDC endures, crawls, reaches out, but King drags him back!
King stomps away on JDC, KICKS him, then lets go to throw a forearm down! Cover, TWO! King grows frustrated with JDC, but the fans rally up. King stands JDC up, whips him to ropes, then ROCKS him in the back! The fans boo King, but King just soaks it up. King stands JDC up again, but JDC LARIATS him down! King and JDC go to corners, then JDC runs up! UPPERCUT! JDC runs again to UPPERCUT! And UPPERCUT! RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! The fans rally up, JDC brings King around, suplex and FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! King survives and bails out to the apron! JDC builds speed to FLY! Direct hit on King!
The fans fire up as JDC gets King up and into the ring! JDC climbs a corner, and he SUPER LEG DROPS! Cover, TWO?!? King survives and the fans argue, “That Was Three!” JDC climbs again, but King hits the ropes! That trips JDC up, and King drags him along the ropes! SUPER CORONATION!! Cover, King wins!
Winner: Lexis King, by pinfall (still NXT Heritage Cup Champion)
King may have thrown out the Heritage Cup rules, but he didn’t throw away his book of dirty tricks! But a win is a win as far as he’s concerned. Will the Drama King ever be humbled?
Bayley talks with Ava backstage.
Bayley says Ava’s doing a great job. Bayley is now going to get her hands on Cora at Vengeance Day, too. But now Roxie storms in so she can complain about how her chances just went down in that match! Ava says Roxie should’ve thought about that before she went out there. Bayley says yes, she really should have. Is this all Roxie does? Just whine and complain? Roxie says regardless, she’ll become a record-breaking THREE-TIME Women’s Champion! Bayley says good luck with that. Also, she kinda likes Roxie in the Hugger gear. Best she’s looked, “you ugly little idiot.” Bayley leaves, and Cora steps in.
Cora asks Roxie what was she just saying, and Roxie says it was nothing. Just that there will be a new champion on Saturday. Yeah, Cora agrees. And it’ll be Cora. Roxie said it herself, it is finally Cora’s turn to win the NXT Women’s Championship, and Roxie gets to be right there to see it. Cora leaves, Roxie says, “Yeah right. Over my dead body.” Ava raises an eyebrow at that, but then looks away before Roxie sees. Will that be what it takes to stop The Prodigy from taking the title back? Or will NXT truly enter the Generation of Jade?
Fatal Influence walks ‘n’ talks backstage.
They know Stephanie Vaquer is good, but there’s also strength in numbers. And none of them thinks Vaquer has any friends. Well, maybe Giulia, but she’s got her hands full that night, too. Kelani Jordan walks in and she knew she’d find them here. If Fallon keeps the Women’s North American Championship past Saturday, Kelani wants next. Fallon says yeah, nice try, but she already had her rematch, remember? Well, Fallon didn’t face this Kelani? Jacy says Kelani should be more worried about Jaida Parker. And speaking of, Miss Parker steps in. And Jaida says she appreciates that, cuz that’s facts. Kelani stays thinking about Jaida 24/7.
Kelani says no, not really. Jaida says don’t lie to yourself, baby girl. Because unfortunately for Miss Thang, Jaida doesn’t have any time to be focused on her. She is focused on the Women’s North American Championship, though, so best believe Jaida has next. Ashante THEE Adonis walks in, says pause and rewind. His girl, Karmen, beat Jaida and Kelani. So the only woman deserving the shot is the “Gold Blooded Queen,” Karmen Petrovic. Kelani and Jaida both scoff at that, and Fallon says she won’t deal with this crap. They can figure that out themselves. Fatal Influence leaves, but will it even be Fallon’s gold after Vaquer’s through with her?
Zaria w/ Sol Ruca VS Nikkita Lyons!
The Agent of Change and the Sol Surfer are ready to turn the tide and ride the wave of momentum as a team, but the prideful Lyons thinks otherwise. Will Nikkita get herself going again with a win here tonight? Or will Zaria be the one teaching Lyons a lesson?
NXT returns as Zaria makes her entrance, Sol by her side. The bell rings, Zaria steps to Lyons, and Lyons fires the first forearm! Zaria comes back with a forearm, they go back and forth, faster and faster, then Zaria BOOTS and DISCUS LARIATS! And LARITS! And BOOTS! Lyons staggers, Zaria waistlocks, but Lyons fights the lift. Lyons hip checks free then GERMAN SUPLEXES Zaria! Lyons goes up, up, but Zaria stops her! Zaria CLUBS Lyons, gets under her, and Lyons holds onto ropes, but not for long! Lyons hurries to RANA free! Lyons gets up but Zaria ducks the kick! GERMAN SUPLEX! Lyons flounders and the fans fire up!
Lyons goes to ropes, Zaria goes to the other side. Both women rise up, the fans duel, and both women roar! They run up to DOUBLE LARIAT! Neither falls, so they DOUBLE LARIAT again! Lyons then dodges to THRUST KICK! Cover, TWO! Zaria survives, but Lyons clamps onto her for a CAMEL CLUTCH! Zaria endures as Lyons pulls her back! And does the splits! Sheik never did it like that…! But Zaria still fights up, carries Lyons as a backpack, and she hits a BACKPACK SENTON! The fans fire up while Zaria goes to a corner. Zaria runs up, but Lyons KNEES her down! Lyons goes up, up, and VADER BOMB FLOPS!
Zaria reloads, and she runs up, SPEAR!! Then the fireman’s carry! DELTA FORCE 5! Cover, Zaria wins!
Winner: Zaria, by pinfall
Sol celebrates alongside her teammate as she brings down the Big Cat! Will these two become even stronger as a duo until they’re the ones with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships?
Ethan Page speaks.
“I’ve been told Je’Von Evans is medically cleared for our match this Saturday at Vengeance Day. I can’t say I’m surprised. You’re pretty resilient. But you lead with your heart, and not your head. You have a long career ahead of you. Multiple championship title reigns. Potential of being the Face of NXT. Maybe even all of WWE. But you can’t help yourself, can you, Je’Von? You’re willing to risk it all just to get your hands on me. Kid, you’ve got a million dollar smile, and a ten cent brain. What’s about to happen to you is not my fault. You’ve got a giant bull’s eye on your jaw, and this time, I’m not gonna break it, Je’Von, I’m gonna shatter it.
“You thought Lowell, Mass was bad? This Saturday, it’ll be ten times worse. Je’Von, you’re looking for vengeance? After Saturday, the only thing you’ll be looking for is a new career. Because I plan to end yours.” All Ego is going All Psycho again, but will Je’Von be the hero that brings down this villain?
There’s a Roadblock up ahead!
On Tuesday, March 11th, NXT goes to The Theater in Madison Square Garden! It’ll be the last chance to change course before Stand & Deliver on WrestleMania Weekend, who will be the champions after NXT hits the Big Apple?
Trick Williams is here!
Sarah Schreiber interviews the former NXT Champion up in the perch, and says Eddy challenged him to the Strap Match. It’s his call, so what’s his response? Trick tells Eddy, if he wants the Strap Match, then he’s got it! Eddy cost Trick the NXT Championship! Eddy’s out here, running his mouth, and that’s fine. But here’s what they’ll do about it. Trick and Eddy are gonna have that Strap Match! Eddy will have to look Trick eye to eye, man to man, and then Trick will whoop dat ass. Will Trick have his vengeance on Eddy this Saturday?
RICKY STARKS IS HERE?!
“Ohh~ this feels right!” The Absolute surprises everyone by sneaking in from the back!! The former AEW star, the DEFY Wrestling Champion, is now in NXT!! The fans are going nuts, and Starks says they obviously know who he is. And if NXT is the future of pro-wrestling, then guess what? You need an absolute star of the future! And if this is the hottest brand, then you need the hottest free agent, baby. The fans cheer that! Starks says do not let the handsome face and expensive fragrance fool you, he is here to turn this place upside-down! And everybody’s been begging him the question, “When will the revolution be televised again?”
Well, he’s here, ain’t he? Starks poses, the fans cheer more, and the future is now absolute! But how quickly can Starks rise to the top here in not just NXT, but ALL of WWE?
Giulia talks with Stephanie Vaquer.
The NXT Women’s Champion wishes Vaquer good luck for Saturday, and Vaquer thanks her friend, and says good luck back. After Vaquer wins the North American title, there is only one place left to go. Giulia nods, and then Ridge walks by. He nods to the ladies, then makes his way to gorilla. Will La Primera be just as golden as The Beautiful Madness after Saturday? Will Ridge be golden after the main event tonight? We find out, after the break!
Andre Chase walks the halls.
He still seems rather disheveled, but Kale Dixon finds him again and brings it in for a handshake. How’s it going, man? Chase says he’s fine, but asks what’s going on here. Kale says this is pregame, because it is about to get lit. But wait, Chase needs to meet Uriah. Uriah Connors, meet Mr. Chase! Connors is honored to meet Mr. Chase, and says it sounds like Chase knows how to have fun. Wanna come out with them? Chase thanks them for the invite, but says he can’t, not on a school night. Wait, school? Didn’t Chase U die? Kale says don’t say that, man! Chase says Connors is right, though. Chase U is dead. Just… Old habits die hard.
Chase leaves, and both Kale & Connors feel bad now. But then Connors says they’ll see about that. Could that school spirit be revived?
NXT North American Championship Steel Cage Match: Tony D’Angelo VS Ridge Holland!
The D’Angelo Family became the new target of Yorkshire Grit, all because of the gold around The Don’s waist. And for whatever reason, Izzi Dame helped Tony retain once, only to suggest this very stipulation for the rematch! Will Tony survive the It Girl raising the stakes? Or will he be put on ice by Ridge the Fridge?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and the cage door is locked because there’s NO escape! Time to see who survives the steel to hold the gold!
The bell rings and both men run up! They both ROCK each other with forearms, then run back up to ROCK each other again! Ridge throws a haymaker, Tony fires back, and repeat! Ridge kicks Tony’s bad leg, CLUBS him on the back, then runs him at the wall, only for Tony to stop himself from hitting steel! Tony fires body shots, then he pushes Ridge at the wall, only for Ridge to stop himself. Ridge fires body shots in return, but Tony fires haymakers! Tony fires body shots, then whips, only for Ridge to reverse. Tony comes back to CLOBBER Ridge! The fans fire up and Tony brings Ridge up. Tony fires up, and he fires body shots!
The fans cheer the hockey scrum, and then Tony hits a HALF HATCH PLEX! Cover, TWO! Ridge goes to ropes but Tony storms up after him. Tony brings Ridge around, fires more body shots, but Ridge wrenches and KNEES low! The fans boo but Ridge UPPERCUTS Tony! Ridge stalks Tony but Tony fires haymakers! Tony whips, Ridge bounces off buckles, and Tony LARIATS him down! The fans cheer and Tony stands Ridge up. Ridge fights the bearhug with a THUMB to the eye! The fans boo, but Ridge KICKS Tony to ropes. Ridge runs in, but Tony TOSSES him at the steel! Ridge rises but Tony runs in, only for Ridge to dodge! Now Tony crashes into steel!
The fans boo and the ref checks Tony, but Ridge grins. Tony is okay, but stuck between ropes and steel, while NXT goes picture in picture.
Ridge drags himself up, and then he stomps away on Tony! Ridge drags Tony up, then turns him around, to UPPERCUT Tony in the back! Tony is sent into the steel, but Ridge pulls him back. Ridge UPPERCUTS Tony again, and again! Tony flops down, Ridge drags him to a cover, TWO! Tony is still in this but Ridge stays calm. Ridge stretches out his back, then drags Tony up to TOSS him into the steel! Ridge then drags Tony up to TOSS him into more steel! Tony stagger sup, but Ridge DECKS him! Ridge drops a Regal Knee, then he drags Tony up again. Ridge scoops Tony, takes aim, but Tony slips free! Tony SHOVES Ridge into steel, then rolls him up, TWO!
Tony hurries to fire hands and kicks on Ridge! Tony whips, Ridge reverses, and Ridge pops Tony up to a fireman’s carry! SNAKE EYES! Tony flops back, Ridge huffs ‘n’ puffs, and he storms back over to Tony. Ridge drags Tony up to OVERHEAD SUPLEX again! Tony flounders, Ridge paces, and then Ridge drops onto the cover. TWO, but Ridge looms over Tony. Ridge makes sure the Family is watching as he fires crossface forearms and then an ELBOW! Cover, TWO! Tony toughs it out, but Ridge clamps on a cobra clutch as NXT returns to single picture. The fans rally up for Tony, the Family coaches Tony, but Ridge ripcords and CLOBBERS Tony!
Ridge clamps back onto Tony with the cobra clutch. The fans rally again while Tony endures. Ridge thrashes Tony around, but Tony fights up to JAWBREAKER free! But Ridge returns to LARIAT Tony down! Cover, TWO! Ridge rains down fists on Tony, no room to breathe! The fans boo but Ridge paces around. Ridge goes up the corner, but the ref explains there are no escapes in this match. Tony springs up after Ridge, but Ridge SHOVES Tony down! Ridge adjusts position, takes a breath, and then DIVING HEADBUTT FLOPS! The fans fire up as Tony avoids disaster! Tony storms up on Ridge to then TOSS him into steel!
Tony TOSSES Ridge into another wall, and another wall, and then the fourth wall! Tony clinches for a BELLY2BELLY! The fans fire up, and Tony clinches again, BELLY2BELLY! Tony hauls Ridge up again, FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Ridge survives but the Family coaches Tony up again. Tony waits on Ridge as Ridge slowly gets up. Ridge stands, Tony runs up, but into a BOOT! The fans boo but Ridge scoops, NORTHERN GRIT!! Cover, TWO?!? Tony survives and Ridge can’t believe it! The fans rally for Tony more, but Ridge is right on him. Tony fires a haymaker, Ridge fires it back!
The shots go back and forth, then Ridge HEADBUTTS! Tony wobbles, Ridge winds up, but Tony almost slips through! Tony at least muffled the damage, then kicks low! Tony reels Ridge in, gets him up, BOMB INTO THE STEEL!! Ridge scrapes the steel, and then staggers up, into a SPEAR!! Cover, TWO!!! Ridge survives and Tony is shocked! Wait, Izzi is suddenly ringside again, and she brings out the crowbar! Well, no disqualifications in this kind of match, but Stacks tells Izzi to stop that! Izzi says she’s just trying to help! Stacks says yeah, good point, and he slips the crowbar in after all.
Izzi rolls her eyes at Stacks, he could’ve just let her do it. But Tony does see the bar, only for Ridge to also see it! Both men grab the crowbar, and they tug-o-war! Ridge HEADBUTTS Tony, then CROWBAR BODY SHOTS! Then Ridge CRACKS Tony in the back with the crowbar! Ridge puts the crowbar in his armband, CROWBAR LARIAT!!! Cover, TWO?!?! Tony survives and no one can believe it!! Ridge is furious, but he has the bar again! Ridge tells Tony to look to his Family and tell them he’s failed! But Tony CLAWS Ridge’s eyes!! The fans cheer as Tony gets even, CROWBAR CRACK! SPINEBUSTER!! Cover, TONY WINS!!
Winner: Tony D’Angelo, by pinfall (still NXT North American Champion)
The Family and the NXT fans all cheer that The Don just survived one hell of a fight! The cage door is opened so they can go inside to join Tony, but Ridge CLOBBERS Stacks & Luca! Then he DOUBLE LARIATS! They brawl 2v1, Stacks & Luca chase Ridge backstage! Izzi & Rizzo help Tony up, but wait! Shawn Spears and his crew have shown up! Izzi grabs the crowbar while Rizzo shuts the door! Rizzo tells Spears, Jensen & Vance to leave them alone! But then Izzi CRACKS Tony with the crowbar!! Rizzo is shocked, but then she lets go of the door! Spears, Jensen & Vance get in, and they shut the door! Izzi hits Rizzo with the VOLLEYBALL SPIKE CHOKE SLAM!!
The Chair Man and The It Girl smile, as their plan has succeeded! Spears has his chair, but Jensen & Vance mug Tony first! The fans boo but Spears has his men stand back. Then Spears SMACKS away on Tony with the chair! Spears gives Jensen the chair to set it down, and Spears climbs up. Vance hauls Tony up to put on Spears’ shoulders! But wait, Stacks & Luca return! Only for Jensen to SMACK Stacks off the steel using the chair! Vance BLASTS Luca, too! And then Spears grins as it’s back to what he has planned. Luca shouts don’t do it, but too late! SUPER FULL METAL C4!!!! The fans boo as hard as they can, but the damage is done!
Spears and his squad stand over The Don, and their target is clear. Will they not only take the NXT North American Championship, but tear down the D’Angelo Family once and for all?
Vengeance rules the day.
But as the hype package finishes up, we get more glimpses at those mysterious four from last week. Various skull masks, but that’s all we get. Who are they? And what do they have planned for NXT?
My Thoughts:
A great, maybe even awesome NXT, especially for a go-home. Granted, a lot of expected story developments, but all done in very exciting ways. Bayley VS Cora was a very good opening match, and it was incredibly clever for Roxie to taunt Bayley with her original gimmick. I guess Roxie just thought she and Bayley would brawl to give Bayley the win by disqualification, but then Cora wins and tada, Fatal 4 Way. That part was clear when Cora threw a fit last week, and the Women’s Championship match will be even greater now. I still feel like Giulia finds a way to win, because she can pit Roxie and Cora against each other, and Bayley’s a main roster star, she doesn’t need this title.
Good promo from Fatal Influence with Kelani, Jaida and Adonis on Karmen’s behalf. Kelani VS Jaida VS Karmen will be a really good Triple Threat, but c’mon, it has to be for Vaquer’s first challenger, not Fallon’s next. I would really hope Vaquer wins on Saturday, but between Fatal Influence and perhaps even Lola Vice going after her, there is a small chance Vaquer loses. Then after a very good steel cage match, I figured we’d get the reveal of Izzi’s true allegiance. I do appreciate this was a No Escape Cage Match. Bringing in the crowbar was a good touch, and you could just feel Izzi was going to hit Tony when she hung back. We’ll definitely get Six Man Tag, Mixed Six, maybe even a Mixed 8 Person, all to lead up to Tony VS Spears for the title.
Awesome Triple Threat Tag, and of course Briggs & Inamura won. Fraxiom giving them the tag title match for Vengeance Day is a little surprising, but why not? The tag title match can be a hot opener to get the fans going, as is the NXT standard formula. Maybe Briggs & Inamura win, and maybe they give Fraxiom a rematch at Roadblock since that’s coming back again. Also c’mon, that show is gonna have to be bordering on PLE status, it’ll be in The Theater at MSG, NYC. And very good promos from Eddy and Trick to set up a Strap Match, that thing could be a show stealer for how violent it’ll get.
Je’Von of course gets “medically cleared” for Vengeance Day, but we didn’t quite get the Unsanctioned match. A “Hold Harmless” contract is good stuff, but I would think Je’Von wins out to get revenge on Ethan. Too bad they released Cedric Alexander, or else he could be part of things on Saturday, such as distracting Ethan and celebrating with Je’Von. Well, I suppose Dante Chen could take that role since he was another of Ethan’s victims. And either way, Je’Von winning against Ethan should send Je’Von towards a title match. Of course, at this point, the Heritage Cup Championship is probably the one.
Lexis VS JDC was a great match, but I’m a little disappointed they went through with making it standard rules. Maybe that’s just while Lexis reigns, and someone restores the Heritage Cup Division rules after they beat Lexis. Very good promo segment from Oba with A-Town Down Under. I liked the trash talk Theory and Waller gave each other, but I suppose it also works that they mostly held it together as a team for tonight. The Triple Threat will be the real test, and I’m pretty sure Oba still retains, using Theory and Waller against each other.
Good promo from Zaria and Sol with Lyons to set up that match, and very good match from Zaria VS Lyons. Good win for Zaria, but I’m still not sure how this story between Zaria and Sol is supposed to go. The Chase U revival story is gaining some ground now that Kale brought in his friend, Uriah Connors. I’m still confused as to why they haven’t gotten the former Chase U members going. Sadly, they released Duke Hudson, despite him being good in the ring and fairly charismatic. There’s still hope for Thea Hail and maybe even Riley Osborne, if they’d just get them going again.
And then holy crap, it is happening! Ricky Starks was let out of his AEW contract, so he’s now here in NXT! A little odd he didn’t say his name, or that commentary and WWE social media have been coy about who he is, because it’s his legal name, “Richard Starks.” But maybe they just wanted to finalize some things before they formally introduced him as Ricky Starks full stop. Honestly, Ricky could and should jump right to the top title like Ethan Page did. The North American title is preoccupied in the Tony VS Spears thing, and the Heritage Cup is not good enough for Starks. Starks VS Oba would be some great stuff, really, maybe even Stand & Deliver worthy.
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!
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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!
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