Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (10/26/20)
Who survived Hell in a Cell?
The more things change, the more they stay the same for Monday Night Raw.
After Hell in a Cell, Randy Orton is once again WWE World Champion! But The Miz is once again Mr. MITB! Will history repeat itself?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Jeff Hardy VS AJ Styles; Styles wins and joins Team Raw.
- Lucha House Party VS Drew Gulak & Akira Tozawa; Lucha House Party wins.
- WWE 24/7 Championship Tag Team Interruptus: R-Truth retains the title.
- Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Keith Lee VS Elias; Keith wins and joins Team Raw.
- 8 Man Tag Elimination Match: The Hurt Business VS Retribution; The Hurt Business wins, by disqualification.
- Drew McIntyre VS The Miz w/ John Morrison; McIntyre wins.
- Survivor Series Women’s Team Raw Qualifier Fatal 4 Way: Lana VS Lacey Evans VS Peyton Royce VS Nikki Cross; Lana wins and joins Team Raw.
- Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Sheamus VS Matt Riddle; Sheamus wins and joins Team Raw.
PLAY BY PLAY
Drew McIntyre is here!
Despite falling off the side of the cell through the announce desk and then losing his title, the Scottish Stud is still able to make it for Monday Night Raw! McIntyre gets the mic to say, “I’m trying to think of the words to best express how I feel losing my WWE Championship nearly 24 hours ago to Randy Orton.” The truth is, McIntyre will give no excuses, but one promise: “I will be WWE Champion once again.” But thinking back to the movie Rocky, there’s a quote in that movie that McIntyre lives his life by. “It’s not about hard you’re hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” That is how you win! If you have followed McIntyre, you know that he gets back up twice as strong!
But you’re also wondering why he’s in such a good word with inspirational quotes, right? He flew off the side of the Cell, roughly 15 feet then through a table and it hurt like hell! But here’s the thing. If you could read his mind right now, if you knew what was going on up in his head, you wouldn’t think that. You’d be scared. But THE MIZ interrupts! He and John Morrison are feeling great after Miz took the Money in the Bank contract from Otis! Miz says, “Bravo, Drew, bravo. Take a bow!” Everyone watching at home should give McIntyre an encore! McIntyre strongly suggests Miz choose his words very carefully. Morrison says they just want to congratulate him. McIntyre swears he’ll drop them where he stands.
Morrison says McIntyre had a great run as champion! He beat Rollins, Lashley and Lesnar. Very impressive. Almost as impressive as become a TWO-TIME Mr. MITB. Miz says to Morrison that all good things must come to an end, including Otis’ run as Mr. MITB and McIntyre’s run as champion. Oh c’mon, McIntyre, take a joke. You’re not a loser, just not a winner. So they’re commending him on not letting that get him down. Now McIntyre won’t have to face Orton as champion. And why would Miz say that? Because, as Miz was going to say before being interrupted, Miz has the briefcase! And this makes him THE Mr. MITB, and he wants us all to know that he is entitled to a world title match any time he wants! Miz has successfully done it before, and who was it against? Randy Orton! CORRECT!
McIntyre says that if they’re going to interrupt him, at least pay attention. They continue to ignore him as Miz asks Morrison where Miz cashed in on Randy Orton. Right here in the Orlando Amway Center! CORRECT! Miz ran down, cashed in, countered the RKO to the Finale and pinned him to become WWE World Champion, #AngryMizGirl, Miz had people celebrating with him, and then Miz celebrated with then future wife Maryse. And this morning, Miz was talking to Maryse on his way here, and he said history could repeat itself! Orton is a guest on A Moment of Bliss. So McIntyre, things could be worse. CORRECT!
Let’s just hypothetically say McIntyre won at HIAC. He would be standing here with the WWE Championship, outnumbered by them. And in that case, Miz would cash in and become WWE Champion, thus putting McIntyre in the same situation he’s in right now: disappointed, frustrated and empty handed. So as embarrassing as this is on the inside, look at the bright side! McIntyre has no more target on his back, doesn’t have to worry about MC M I Z, and it just dawned on Morrison, hopefully it doesn’t take another nineteen years for McIntyre to get back tot he title. Oh, c’mon, McIntyre, it’s a joke! McIntyre doesn’t laugh, he HEADBUTTS Miz! Miz is down from the Glasgow Kiss, and Morrison tries to use the horrible Scottish accent to appease him. NOPE! McIntyre just DECKS Morrison with a right hand! And then hauls him up to whip and OVERHEAD SUPLEX! “Time to fly!” ANOTHER OVERHEAD SUPLEX!
McIntyre scares Miz out of the ring but pursues, to put Morrison back in! McIntyre drags Morrison up, Miz gets in to chop block a leg! The Greatest Tag Team of the 21st Century run away, but McIntyre STOMPS the sunglasses they left behind. McIntyre has an idea that he’s going to run by management, and it’ll be a bad Monday for these “friggin’ idiots.” What could McIntyre have in mind?
Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Jeff Hardy VS AJ Styles w/ Jordan Omogbehin!
The Charismatic Enigma may not have won at HIAC, but he got to give Elias a sample of his own “smash hit.” Will Hardy rebound to join Team Raw at the battle of the brands? Or will the Phenomenal One win with his BIG back-up at ringside?
Raw returns and AJ Styles has a mic. “That’s right! 2-0 baby!” He’s 2-0 on Raw, and is dominating everyone that gets in the ring with him! It is the return of THE PHENOMENAL ERA of Raw! Surely everyone missed him, not that he cares. But let’s get to the question on everyone’s mind, including his: Why is AJ Styles in a qualifying match for Raw’s Survivor Series team? Has he not proven himself worthy? Not just in the WWE, but around the world! Who does he still have to prove himself to? Adam Pearce and the “jokers in the back?” C’mon! But not only should Styles be on the team, but he should be the captain! And it’s simply because of his face right here. The Face that Runs the Place!
And maybe you’ve noticed his new associate. Jordan Omogbehin doesn’t like to be noticed or looked at or talked to. That is a warning. But let’s talk about this match with “the biggest cheater in WWE history,” Jeff Hardy! Hardy used his illegal knee brace to win the Intercontinental Championship from Styles. But the joke’s on Hardy now! If Hardy tries what he did then here tonight, Styles’ associate will wish Hardy never put down the bottle. Hardy makes his entrance after those fighting words, will he shut Styles up and cast aside all doubt?
The bell rings, Styles kicks low and clubs Hardy down! Styles stomps Hardy, drags him up and throws haymakers! Hardy wobbles, Styles whips but Hardy ducks and slides out to dare Styles to follow. Styles does but Hardy goes in to then swing and wreck Styles with that dropkick! Hardy goes out, climbs up the corner, and leaps, but Omogbehin catches him! Omogbehin stares Hardy down this way but Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Styles cranks on a neck wrench. Fans rally for Hardy, he fights up with elbows and body shots, then runs but into an enziguri! Styles drags Hardy up, suplexes and hits a SNAP BRAIN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Hardy survives and Styles is upset already. Styles paces, goes to the apron, and prepares the arm. Hardy slowly rises, hobbles away, and Styles is frustrated. Styles gets in, waits for Hardy to stand, and runs in, only to miss! Hardy comes back with forearms, atomic drop, leg splitting leg drop! Basement dropkick! Splash down and cover, TWO! Hardy keeps his focus but he does hesitate with Omogbehin so close. Hardy kicks, Styles blocks but Hardy spin back kicks him away! Styles is in the corner, HARDY-AC ATTACK! Cover, TWO!
Styles and Hardy are down after the swinging dropkick, but Hardy rises first. Hardy drags Styles up, Styles fireman’s carries to USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down again but Styles sits up first. Styles drags Hardy up to fire off the Phenomenal Blitz, but into the jawbreaker! Hardy gets Styles for the Russian Leg Sweep, and leg cradle! Cover, TWO!! Styles narrowly pops free but Hardy flounders back up. Hardy hobbles after Styles in a corner and hoists him up top. Hardy throws hands, climbs up and brings Styles up, but Styles resists the superplex! Styles slips through and trips Hardy up! Hardy hits buckles and flounders away but Styles brings him up to torture rack! TOWER HACK BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Hardy still lives but Styles is too tired to be frustrated.
Styles gets back up, drags Hardy up and in but Hardy resists the Clash! Hardy spins out, kicks and Twist, but Styles slips out! Styles Peles but misses, OKLAHOMA ROLL, TWO!! Hardy kicks low and suplexes, GOURD BUSTER! Hardy hurries to a corner but Omogbehin is close again. Hardy still climbs, but Styles gets up to trip Hardy up! Hardy tumbles to the apron and clutches the bad leg. Styles goes out to bring Styles up, Hardy fights back but is denied the Twist! Styles POSTS Hardy then clotheslines him into the ring! Styles aims, springboards, PHENOMENAL FOREARM! Cover, Styles wins!
Winner: AJ Styles, by pinfall (qualifies for the Raw Men’s Team)
Raw’s team is now phenomenal, but you have to think Omogbehin was a distraction just by being there. Will Styles bring that advantage to Raw come Survivor Series?
But then ELIAS attacks Hardy with another GUITAR SMASH! The Drifter won’t let Hardy off the hook, but will he be able to focus on his own qualifier later tonight?
Backstage interview with R-Truth.
Truth is still WWE 24/7 Champion after defeating Drew Gulak, before having to run off again. Errybody wants Truth’s baby. But all those guys are going to have their hands full with each other in a tag match. Truth will be there to scout his competition, and to let them know that if they want a piece of the Truth, here he is. Isn’t that dangerous? Being the 24/7 487 7/11 I-95 South European Champion IS dangerous. But he eats dangerously, sleeps dangerously, and his full name is R. Franklin DANGEROUSLY Copperpot Truth. Well then will Mr. Dangerously Truth still have his name on that title after tonight?
WWE once again teams with Susan G. Komen to fight breast cancer.
This month, #GiveAMoment of joy, family and love.
Lucha House Party VS Drew Gulak & Akira Tozawa!
Lince Dorado, Gran Metalik, the Philly Stretcher and the Stamina Monster all want after R-Truth’s championship, but are looking to clear the other side out of the way first! Which duo moves into pole position for the race to capture the 24/7 487 7/11 I-95 South European Television Champion?
The teams sort out, Tozawa starts with Lince and he dodges the lunge to say STOP! Tozawa activates his ninja power to JAB Lince down! Tag to Gulak, they mug Lince and double whip to double elbow! Gulak covers, ONE, but Gulak stays close. Gulak gets Lince in a clinch, then a backbreaker and press! Lince endures, even as Gulak digs knuckles into the ribs. Lince pops free, Gulak drags him back up but Lince CHOPS! Gulak kicks low, whips but Lince rolls up and hits a FACEBUSTER! And here comes R-Truth! He’s a little late to scouting the match like he promised to do, but he goes right to commentary. Tozawa sneaks up on Truth to roll him up! TWO!! Truth BOOTS Tozawa and then throws him into barriers!
But Metalik LEAPS at Truth from the apron! Truth dodges then gets in the ring, but Lince dropkicks him down! Cover on Truth, Gulak breaks it! Gulak throws Lince away, covers Truth, TWO! Truth and Gulak get up, Truth dodges as Lince LEAPS and crossbodies Gulak! Lince covers Gulak, LHP wins the tag match!
Winners: Lucha House Party, by pinfall
But Tozawa drags Truth out to roll him up, Metalik breaks it! Metalik La Magistrol, TWO! Lince sunset flips, TWO! Gulak is late to getting at Truth, and the chase is on again! Will Truth make it out of the ThunderDome with the gold?!
Raw returns with Firefly Fun House!
What a spread of sweets! Huskis and Mercy and even Ramblin’ Rabbit are chowing down as the Mad Hatter- Er, Bray Wyatt, walks in! Welcome to their very first MAD TEA PARTY~! Hell in a Cell was great, Bray, cheer up! No, not that kind of mad. Now shut your carrot hole. A very special guest is here! It’s Alexa in Wonderland! And she brought tea! YAY~! Abby is being the Red Queen by saying, “Off with your head.” Ramblin’ gets a special serving of tea. What’s in it? A touch of strawberry, a hint of peach, a sprinkle of sugar, and a smidgen of a secret ingredient! YAY~! But what’s the secret ingredient? She can tell Ramblin’, he’ll protect the secret with his life! Funny he should say that! It’s arsenic. OH NOOO~! Ramblin’ is meltin’! Aww…
YOWIE WOWIE, Alexa’s fitting right in! Bray’s mad, Alexa’s mad, “we’re all a little mad down here.” How does he know that? Well she has to be, or else she wouldn’t be here. This is a very magical place where memories and nightmares walk hand in hand! A place where you don’t have to hide from anything. You’re safe because “he” comforts and heals you! There’s only one thing you have to do. #LetHimIn. Alexa’s eyes change…! And then change back. The fun is just beginning! Tonight, Alexa has a fun chat with the NEW WWE World Champion, Randy Orton! Oh… awkward… Ramblin’ is back and says, “Hey, dudes. Turns out I’m alright. Honey Bunny, I’m coming home.” Bray has the brand and SMACKS away on Ramblin’! That’s it for this week! We can’t wait o see Orton on A Moment of Bliss! It’s gonna be FIRE! YAY~! Bye~! See you soon!
Backstage interview with Keith Lee.
The Limitless One is angry after losing to Braun Strowman under “questionable” tactics that were anything but! Braun couldn’t win clean, so instead of losing like a man, he went below the belt and took a cheap way out? A Monster? No, the next time Keith faces Braun, we’ll see a real monster. But not tonight. Tonight is about destroying Elias, joining Team Raw, and going to Survivor Series. Will Keith #WalkWithElias and make him #BaskInHisGlory?
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler find Adam Pearce backstage.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions obviously see the men are having Survivor Series qualifiers tonight. That’s great and all, but the women won’t do that. Nia has a list of those she thinks should be on the team. Pearce will take these under consideration but Nia isn’t team captain. Shayna figured, because she has HER list for Pearce. And Nia isn’t on it?! As captain, she had to do what was best for Raw. But wait, when are they finding out who is on the team? Pearce will look at both lists, and promises an announcement before the night is over. Right, make sure team captain hears first. But wait, was Shayna on Nia’s list? You won’t know now, will you?
Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Keith Lee VS Elias!
We heard from Keith before the break, and we saw what Elias did to Hardy. Will the guitar be the least of things broken tonight with representing Raw on the line?
But before the match, Elias is in the spotlight. He plays his guitar and notes how he took care of Hardy. Just a little bit of payback for what Hardy did with that car. But Hardy won’t keep Elias down. Elias will put Hardy in the rearview mirror. Elias won, and is celebrating his album, Universal Truth, being out on iTunes, Spotify and all that. It’ll change your life, and it is already #2 on the charts! Now it’s called Universal Truth because there is a truth we all know in our souls: WWE stands for Walk With Elias! And with Hardy behind him, Elias will keep this going with a song, because he’ll beat Keith and join the Raw Survivor Series team. So please, silence cell phones, hold applause and most of all, shut your mouths! “Keith Lee-” interrupts! The Limitless One is in NO MOOD for song and dance, the match is happening now!
The two tie up, Keith pushes Elias around but Elias headlocks. Keith powers out and runs Elias over! Elias gets up, Keith wrenches the arm to a wristlock, then collides shoulders! Keith brings Elias up to ram him again! Elias throws an elbow back, but Keith blocks the whip to reverse it and HURDLE! Keith drops down then gets to BODY BLOCK Elias! Elias bails out of the ring to catch his breath and steady himself, but Keith goes out to pursue. Keith bumps Elias off barriers and puts him back in the ring. Keith takes his time returning but Elias hotshots him back! Elias runs to wreck Keith with a dropkick! Keith stays up but Elias goes out and runs, into a POUNCE!! Elias is sent over the announce desk and Keith stands tall as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Keith grinds down on Elias’ arm. Elias fights up, throws body shots but Keith knees low and clamps harder on the armlock. Keith grinds Elias down to the mat, clubs the arm, but Elias endures. Keith reels Elias in but Elias hits back with body shots. Keith knees Elias again, reels him back in, and lifts, but Elias fights out of the bomb and huricanranas! Keith gets up but Elias KNEES him back down! Keith goes out to the apron but Elias follows. Elias runs around the way to POST Keith! And then again! And then he throws Keith into barriers and into the ring! Elias gets up top fast, leaps, and ax handles Keith down! Cover, TWO! Elias keeps on Keith with stomps! Elias drops a knee, covers, TWO!
Elias keeps his focus as he looms over Keith. Elias fish hooks Keith’s nose then clamps on a chinlock. Elias thrashes and cranks on the hold but Keith fights his way up. Fans rally up, Keith pries free, but Elias knees him in the back! Elias whips, Keith reverses and scoops Elias for a POWERSLAM! Elias goes to a corner, Keith corner splashes then TOSSES Elias across the way! Keith hits another splash, wrenches and whips corner to corner again, but Elias goes up, only to get caught! Elias still kicks Keith away, and reels Keith into a swinging neckbreaker! Cover, TWO!! Keith survives but Elias climbs up top. But here comes Hardy for payback of his own! Elias looks for Hardy, but Keith grabs Elias to TOSS him down!
Keith brings Elias up, pops him up, and hits the SPIRIT BOMB!! Cover, Keith wins!
Winner: Keith Lee, by pinfall (qualifies for the Raw Men’s Team)
It seems Hardy was just messing with Elias. Either way, Keith is on the team with AJ Styles, and that’s already an amazing combination! Elias manages to stand up, only for Hardy to SMASH him after all! Now they’re even! Hardy tells Elias to believe him about the car accident already, but are things only going to escalate from here?
The Hurt Business is backstage.
They’re all suited up, ready to face Retribution in an 8 Man Tag rematch, but MVP shouts at the guy wanting to use the restroom. No, that’s their restroom. Ask to use it first. The guy says he’s sorry, then scurries away. MVP, Cedric Alexander, Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley are laughing now, but will Retribution finally get the last laugh tonight?
Backstage interview with Randy Orton.
The Viper is the new WWE World Champion and will surely expound upon that during A Moment of Bliss, but Charly asks if he’s worried about The Fiend? Orton has nothing to be concerned about. He made it out of hell as a 14-time champion. So it could be The Big Dog, The Fiend or the former WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, at the end of the day, there is only one Randy Orton. The only people that need to be worried are those that cross him.
8 Man Tag Elimination Match: The Hurt Business VS Retribution!
Two forces have been fighting for dominance of Monday Night Raw, and given their love of bringing the hurt, it’s clear who has the upper hand. But just as Mustafa Ali changed that in a single moment, will he and his cohorts throw away the corrupt and greedy one by one so that the truth can be heard?
Raw returns and MVP has the mic. “Attention WWE Universe, this is an official announcement from the Hurt Business.” When Retribution first showed up, everyone fled except the Hurt Business. Lashley says they stood their ground because Retribution isn’t a threat, but an opportunity. Raw is an asset of the Hurt Business, and Retribution is a liability. Liabilities are bad for business, so you eliminate them. “If you’re a good businessman, you know that if you’re good at something, you never do it for free!” So MVP struck a deal with the higher-ups and said they’d take the fight to Retribution, and that is exactly what’s happened. Once they WRECK Retribution once and for all, the Hurt Business will have completed their end of the arrangement and be looking to collect their payment. Shelton Benjamin says that payment will be in GOLD. Retribution makes their entrance and this elimination battle begins!
The teams sort out, Lashley starts against T-Bar and they tie up. T-Bar tries to power Lashley back but Lashley turns it around to put T-Bar in the corner. The ref counts, Lashley lets off but counter punches T-Bar! T-Bar keeps hitting back but Lashely clubs and knees T-Bar, then bumps him off buckles! And more buckles and more buckles! Lashley stomps, clubs and punches, but lets off long enough before going up top. Lashley rains down rights but T-Bar powers him away! T-Bar BOOTS Lashley, then CLUBS him! T-Bar shows his power as he ROCKS Lashley! T-Bar whips Lashley to ropes, Lashley dodges and runs T-Bar over! Lashley drags T-Bar up, T-Bar rams him into a corner! T-Bar throws body shots but Lashley gets him in a clinch! T-Bar fights but the COMPLETE SHOT still hits!
Lashley drags T-Bar up, brings him to the corner and tags in MVP. The Hurt Business mugs T-Bar, MVP fires off and bumps T-Bar off buckles. MVP throws more haymakers, brings T-Bar out and says Ali will get what’s coming. But T-Bar knees hard and low! Tag to Mace, they mug MVP, and then Mace drags MVP up to say this is for Slapjack! Mace rains elbows into MVP, then tags Slapjack in. Retribution mugs MVP, Slapjack snapmares and basement dropkicks! Cover, TWO! Slapjack stays close, drags MVP up and bumps him off buckles. Slapjack fires off forearms and uppercuts! Slapjack throws haymakers, goes corner to corner but MVP drop toeholds him into buckles! MVP runs corner to corner to BOOT Slapjack down! But MVP keeps him up to EXPLODER! Cover, Ali breaks it!
MVP is angry with Ali but “Reckoning” is on the apron. She claims she’s itchy? What is she doing? She goes wild and then faints?! Slapjack rolls MVP up, Slapjack ELIMINATES MVP! The Hurt Business is down their mastermind, but Reckoning is still flailing and writhing!? What is wrong with her?! Raw goes to break as this sorts out.
Raw returns and Lashley has Slapjack in a rear bearhug. Slapjack endures, and by the way, Reckoning was FAKING it! She just wanted Hurt Business to be distracted. So the ref EJECTED her! Things are fair as they can be with Retribution in a 4v3 advantage, but Lashley squeezes tighter on Slapjack for all of that. Slapjack fights up, throws elbows, and gets around to throw body shots. Lashley throws Slapjack to a corner, runs in but into a boot! Slapjack boots again, then runs, but into a TOSS! Slapjack lands on his feet but Lashley SPEARS him!! Cover, Lashley ELIMINATES Slapjack! But T-Bar pounces on him! T-Bar elbows away, but Lashley clinches and throws T-Bar out. T-Bar drags Lashley out to join him and clubs away!
The ring count is climbing while these two are brawling! Lashley throws T-Bar into barriers then clotheslines him over! But he doesn’t hear the count anymore! They’re brawling and are COUNTED OUT!! DOUBLE ELIMINATION! Now things are fair again at 2v2! Mace goes in against Cedric Alexander, and Alexander fires off fast hands! Mace shoves him away then LEG LARIATS! Ali likes that! “Make him feel what Retribution is about!” Mace says Alexander will feel every ounce! Mace throws body shots, then runs in to back elbow! Alexander flounders, Mace looms over him, but Alexander throws forearms. Mace ROCKS Alexander with that uppercut! Mace drags Alexander from the corner, Alexander throws more forearms, but he can’t get away! Mace reels Alexander in, Alexander slips free and dropkicks legs out!
Alexander DECKS Ali, but runs into a choke grip! Alexander gets free, Mace boots him, but Alexander holds rpoes. Benjamin tags in. Alexander handsprings to NEURALIZER! PAYDIRT from Benjamin!! Cover, Benjamin ELIMINATES Mace!! And Ali realizes he’s all alone. Ali tries to reason with Benjamin but Benjamin DEKCS him! And again! Benjamin whips, Ali dodges and comes back, but is caught for a FALL AWAY SLAM! Benjamin fires up, tags Alexander in, and they mug Ali! Alexander especially fires off and whips Ali into the corner! Alexander fires off more haymakers, the ref counts and Alexander lets off. Alexander brings Ali up, whips him corner to corner but ALi dropkicks Benjamin down! Ali BOOTS Alexander then runs, but into a BIG back drop!
Ali flounders, Alexander snarls and runs at Ali to BOOT him out of the ring!! Alexander dares Ali to get up, and Alexander goes out after him. Ali USES A CHAIR!
Winners: The Hurt Business, by disqualification
Ali doesn’t care about winning so long as he can hurt the Hurt Business! But Ali forgets Benjamin is still here. Benjamin stalks after Ali and Ali is in retreat. But MVP and Lashley return to surround him! Ali gets around to the back and runs away through the screens of the ThunderDome! The Hurt Business regroups around Alexander. MVP says Alexander did good. They dominated Retribution again, will they now collect on some golden rewards?
Angel Garza flirts with Mandy Rose.
And he has a rose for her, too. How is Otis doing? Are they still close? Mandy says Otis has had a rough 24 hours between losing his MITB contract and his best friend in Tucker. And to answer his question, yes, she and Otis are still close. Well then, maybe Dana Brooke is interested. But then Garza is distracted by Nia Jax. She tells him to save it. This is about business. Shayna tells Garza to move along, but Nia does take the rose. But to Survivor Series. If Mandy and Dana end up on their team- Wait, their team? Yes, their team. Let’s get something straight. Well to get something straight, Dana and Mandy have been undefeated since forming this team. If the champs want to join their team, fall in line or be ready to watch their backs, and those titles. Is this Punk’d? Mandy and Dana head out while Nia smells the rose. Seriously, Nia? Garza?
Drew McIntyre VS The Miz w/ John Morrison!
THIS is what McIntyre was getting at earlier! He may be battered but that doesn’t compare to his anger! Will he take it all out on the new Mr. MITB, to not only assert himself as the next contender but also make sure Miz can’t even think about cashing in?
Raw returns and The Miz makes his entrance. The bell rings, Morrison slide sin but slides out, only for McIntyre to be ready for Miz’s lunge! McIntyre clubs Miz away then bumps him off buckles. McIntyre CHOPS Miz, keeps him in the corner and throws a BIG haymaker! McIntyre tells Miz to tell jokes now, as he stomps a mudhole in! Miz kicks the bad leg! Miz runs but into an elbow! McIntyre drags Miz up, throws her out, and Morrison hurries away as McIntyre goes out to CHOP Miz again! McIntyre scoops Miz, Miz slips off and shoves him into steel steps! McIntyre’s bad ribs are hit! Miz stalks behind McIntyre and back into the ring to then go after him in a corner! Miz stomps the ribs, lets off at the ref’s count, but McIntyre kicks back! And CHOPS back!
McIntyre whips, Miz reverses and kicks the leg out, to then basement DDT! Cover, ONE!! Morrison is shocked but he says Miz still has this. Miz chokes McIntyre on the ropes, lets off at 4, and Morrison gets a cheap shot in! That only pisses McIntyre off! McIntyre gets up but Miz BOOTS him! Miz throws haymakers, and kicks, but McIntyre grabs Miz by the head to throw him into the buckles! Miz dodges, blocks the boot and KNEE JAMMERS! Miz puts the leg around ropes and pulls! McIntyre powers Miz away but Miz comes back with It Kicks! The ref counts, Miz lets off and runs, but into a LARIAT! McIntyre rallies with more clotheslines, then whips Miz for the OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Miz gets up, but just gets another OVERHEAD SUPLEX!
McIntyre glares, he gives Miz the jumping neckbreaker! And kips up! “Now, Miz, you’re screwed!” McIntyre glares at Miz, drags him up, underhooks but no Future Shock! McIntyre shoves Miz, Miz throws McIntyre out and rests against ropes to distract the ref. Morrison comes around but McIntyre BOOTS the briefcase away! McIntyre gives Morrison an OVERHEAD SUPLEX! McIntyre CHUCKS the briefcase to the stage! McIntyre goes in, Miz gets McIntyre in a cradle, ONE!! Miz runs, so does McIntyre, CLAYMORE!! Cover, McIntyre wins!
Winner: Drew McIntyre, by pinfall
The Scottish Stud stands tall and might be back on track towards the title! Will McIntyre be the one Orton has to worry about before ever worrying about Miz or Fiend?
The Street- Er, New Day, are hyped up!
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s ya bois, the NEW~ DAY~!” And they welcome us back to Monday Night Raw, fam. And in just a few short weeks, it’s that time of year when we get to see Raw VS SmackDown. That’s Survivor Series! Champions take on champions… Kofi, what’s wrong? They talked about this, you can’t go full Dawkins. Right, sorry. Champions take on champions, fam! And that means Woods finally gets to face King Corbin for his title of King of the Ring! No, fam, no. They’re taking on the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, the Street Profits. There’s the graphic. They look great there. Well then, there’s only one more thing-
Asuka shows up? She introduces herself to them, and says, “WE WANT THE SMOOOKE!!” That’s true, that’s true! Asuka, the Empress of Tomorrow, is going to beat the brakes off the NEW SmackDown Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks! And the NEW WWE World Champion, The Viper, Randall Orton, take on the Tribal Chief, OOOOAH! Roman Reigns!! And of course, don’t forget the traditional men’s and women’s- MVP and the Hurt Business walk in to plug THE United States Champion bringing the hurt to the Intercontinental Champion, Sami Zayn. And for good measure, they have their sights set on the tag team champions. Asuka says, “Yo yo yo! You can try, and you will fail!” GOTTEE! Do you know why?! BECAAAUSE~! NEW! DAY ROCKS! Asuka’s a scarier hype person than Big E, but will she be ready for Grand Slam Sasha?
Backstage interview with Drew McIntyre.
Congratulations on winning over The Miz. Is this his first step back to the title? Sure, why not? McIntyre will take however many steps it take to reclaim the title. Speaking of which, Orton is on later, right? McIntyre is going to give us a guarantee: Orton will have a moment, but not of bliss. McIntyre is keeping that promise he made from before HIAC! Will he continue to hunt down and beat down Orton until Survivor Series?
Adam Pearce and Pat Buck are in the ring.
“We are just weeks away from Survivor Series, the event where the best of Raw and the best of SmackDown go head to head.” We’ve already seen men fight for their spots on the team, but now we learn the five women for Team Raw! And we start with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Nia and Shayna! They walk out, and Pat says joining them will be Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke! The #SexyMuscleFriends (Asuka’s name for them) join them in the ring, but that leaves one more spot. Nia says Pearce should slow down. He’s just rushing through this that he and Pat chose? At least let the fifth person be announced by the team captain, Nia. No one said it was Nia! Nia said it was Nia.
Pearce keeps the arguing stop and is about to let us know that the fifth and final member will be decided in a Fatal 4 Way featuring: The Ravishing Russian, Lana! The Sassy Southern Belle, Lacey Evans! The Venus Flytrap, Peyton Royce! And lastly, the Twisted Sister, Nikki Cross! Nikki even has new music to commemorate the moment, that starts right now!
Survivor Series Women’s Team Raw Qualifier Fatal 4 Way: Lana VS Lacey Evans VS Peyton Royce VS Nikki Cross!
Lacey and Peyton brawl while Nikki and Lana fire off! Peyton throws Lacey out, and Lana throws Nikki. Lacey drags Peyton out to join her, Lana BOOTS Nikki down onto them! The Ravishing Russian underdog stands tall as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns, Peyton has Nikki in the ropes, and then in the Motorcycle Stretch! Peyton pulls Nikki back but doesn’t have to let go because there are no disqualifications off ropebreaks. Nia sits in Byron Saxton’s seat on commentary while Shayna, Mandy and Dana watch at ringside. Lana rushes Peyton, Peyton ducks and kicks but Lana ducks that. Peyton ducks Lana’s kick and mule kicks low, to then POST Lana! Lana tumbles out, Lacey gets in and rocks Peyton. Peyton jumps the leg sweep to kick Lacey back down! Peyton goes back to Nikki but Nikki catches her to a cradle, TWO! Nikki gets up but Peyton clotheslines her down! Cover, TWO! Peyton is angry and she clubs Nikki down! Peyton rams knees in, clamps on a chinlock and pulls her back.
Nikki endures, fights up, and arm-drags free! Peyton ends up in a corner, Nikki runs in but Peyton puts her on the apron. Nikki counter forearms then bumps Peyton off buckles! Nikki LEAPS and takes down Lana! Nikki drops a senton on Lana, then goes after Lacey with a TORNADO DDT! Nikki fires up, gets back on the apron and back up top! Nikki LEAPS to CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! All four women are down and Nikki fires up. Lana gets up, Nikki ROCKS her! Nikki drags Lana up, Lana KICKS her down! Lana slingshots and goes after Nikki, but Nikki spins out, WOMAN’S RIGHT takes Lana down! Nikki rolls Lacey up but Peyton breaks it! HEEL KICK for Lacey! Peyton Gory Especials Niki to GORY BOMB her onto Lacey! Cover on Lacey, TWO!!
Peyton is furious, she goes after Nikki and hoists her up top. Nikki fights back and Peyton tumbles away. Lacey goes after Nikki now, and climbs up. Nikki fights with Lacey and GOURD BUSTERS her down! Peyton HEEL KICKS Nikki! Peyton climbs, Nikki fights her off again and Peyton lands hard! Nikki gets up, but so does Lacey! Lacey CLUBS Nikki, brings her up, but Peyton adds on, SUPER GERMAN SUPERPLEX! Lana drags Peyton out and pounces on Nikki, LANA WINS!!
Winner: Lana, by pinfall (qualifies for Team Raw)
And there you have it! The Ravishing opportunist rounds out the team! Will Lana use that ability to help Raw win? Lana hugs her team, but Nia won’t let her go. Shayna clears off the table!! NOT AGAIN! This is the sixth time Lana goes through the announce desk!! Well, it seems obvious that Nia and Shayna did NOT have Lana on their lists. But will the team find a way to work together and defeat Team SmackDown?
Charly Caruso knocks on Randy Orton’s door.
Orton answers, and Charly apologizes for bothering him. Is he still planning on being Alexa Bliss’ guest after the Firefly Fun House episode earlier? Yes. Orton goes to leave, but Charly asks if he heard what they said. He did. So he didn’t take that as a threat? Because to some, it’s a guarantee that the Fiend is coming for him, and that A Moment of Bliss could be a trap. Orton stops Charly there. He is NOT afraid of The Fiend. “If The Fiend wants to show his ugly ass face tonight,” Orton is fine with that, because he has no problem introducing The Fiend to the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment. But will it be so easy when it’s The Fiend who can come outta nowhere?
Retribution regroups backstage.
Ali says that they are not family. They are not a team. “Retribution is a mission. And the good men and women that stand beside me are willing to sacrifice everything for that mission.” So we need to understand something: They win when we suffer. And they will win. Because they decide when we #GetShutDown! What will Ali resort to in order to accomplish the mission?
Survivor Series Team Raw Qualifier: Sheamus VS Matt Riddle!
The Fella and The Bro are ready to throw down for the third spot on the men’s team! Who joins the Phenomenal and the Limitless in representing Raw?
Raw returns and Sheamus makes his entrance. The bell rings and Riddle circles with Sheamus. They tie up, Riddle waistlocks but Sheamus headlocks. They go to ropes, go around and end up in a corner. Riddle picks Sheamus up to SLAM him down! Sheamus scrambles to get to the apron and Riddle lets off. Sheamus walks off his frustration but Riddle patiently waits. Sheamus gets back in, circles with Riddle again, and they tie up. Sheamus headlocks to hit the takeover, but Riddle moves around. Riddle fights his way up, Sheamus throws him back down. Sheamus traps an arm while grinding a headlock, but Riddle pushes back. Riddle gets up, gets the arm and shifts to an armbar! Sheamus holds it off, moves around but Riddle has the triangle! Sheamus makes it a cover, TWO!
The two reset and circle again. They tie up, Sheamus SLAMS Riddle now and covers, TWO! Sheamus has Riddle’s arm, wrenches to a double wristlock, but Riddle endures. Riddle fights up, spins through and gets a gut wrench to suplex Sheamus! Riddle just manages to throw Sheamus, and then is right on him again! Sheamus grabs ropes, the ref counts and Riddle lets go. Riddle and Sheamus clinch, Riddle gets the double wristlock but Sheamus knees low and hits the IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Sheamus hauls Riddle up and hangs him out to dry on the ropes! Riddle is on the apron, Sheamus give shim beats of the Bodhrain! Sheamus stops at the ref’s count of 4, but Riddle gets the arm! Riddle has a hanging armbar but lets go at 4!
Riddle gets in, dumps Sheamus out, then goes out to PENALTY KICK! And then BROSAULT! Direct hit and down goes Sheamus as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Sheamus has Riddle down with a chinbar and armlock. Riddle fights up, fights back and fights free to then fire off forearms! Riddle runs but into a tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Riddle is still in this and Sheamus grows frustrated. Sheamus stomps Riddle, drags him up and fish hooks the face! The ref counts, Sheamus stops and goes back to the chinbar and armlock. Riddle fights up, fights back and even headbutts Sheamus in the chest! Sheamus knees but Riddle gets around to fire off palm strikes and a boot! PELE! Handspring and ROUNDHOUSE! Sheamus sits up to get a PENALTY KICK and BROTON! Cover, TWO! Sheamus gets to a corner but Riddle fires up! Riddle runs in to forearm, then goes side to side to forearm again! Riddle brings Sheamus out but Sheamus fights back! Sheamus KNEES Riddle down! Cover, TWO!!
Sheamus is furious that Riddle survives the knee, but he goes back to a corner. Sheamus climbs the ropes but Riddle goes up to stop him! Riddle clubs Sheamus, brings him up but Sheamus fights back! Sheamus shoves Riddle down, stands, but Riddle is up top fast! Riddle hits a SUPER BROSPLODER!! Cover, TWO!?! Sheamus survives and Riddle can’t believe it! Riddle refocuses and fires himself back up. He goes to a corner and climbs back up. The fans rally as Riddle leaps for the FLOATING BRO, onto knees!! Sheamus saves himself and may have broken Riddle! Sheamus drags Riddle up, keeps on the back with big forearms, and then drags him back up. Sheamus brings Riddle up, Riddle slips out of the urenage to SLEEPER HOLD! Sheamus flails, reaches, but Riddle squeezes tight!
Sheamus rams Riddle into buckles until Riddle lets go, but Riddle just hops back on! Sheamus throws Riddle off, but misses the Brogue into a GERMAN! Bridging cover, TWO!! Sheamus survives but Riddle is foaming at the mouth! Riddle drags Sheamus up in a facelock, throws big forearms on him, but Sheamus slips out of the scoop to BROGUE!! Cover, Sheamus wins!!
Winner: Sheamus, by pinfall (qualifies for Team Raw)
Two gladiators just fought their hearts out, but it’s the Celtic Warrior that joins the team! Will Sheamus fight even harder to help Raw win over SmackDown?
Raw returns with A Moment of Bliss.
Alexa welcomes us to a very special edition of her show as her guest went to hell and back in defeating Drew McIntyre. Please welcome the NEW and 14-TIME world champion, Randy Orton! The Viper makes his entrance, but he does seem a bit wary of his surroundings. Orton still enters the ring as Alexa has a sly and almost sinister smile on her face. Orton grabs his mic but Alexa says he can take a seat. She won’t bite. Orton says he’s good. That’s fine. Let’s talk about his big win last night! One for the ages! Now did it surprise Orton that he delivered “such a super duper performance?” Well what is there to be surprised about? That he won HIAC? That he became a 14-time world champion? No. But talk about surprises, does Alexa have a surprise for him? Nope! What good talk show wouldn’t want the champion on their show, duh? Especially after he and McIntyre burned the house down…!
There it is. Burning the house down… Orton wants Alexa to know he knows Bray better than anyone. He knows Bray is close, so he will ask her this once and only once: “Where is The Fiend?” Alexa smiles bigger, because here comes MCINTYRE! McIntyre’s keeping his promise! And these two brawl in the ring! Alexa watches from a corner, very amused as McIntyre throws haymakers and stomps on Orton! McIntyre tells him, “SURPRISE!” McIntyre tosses chairs out of the ring, and even the table! McIntyre drags Orton up and DECKS him! Alexa is very amused! McIntyre grins, too, as he aims from a corner. Orton flounders up, but the lights start turning off! The lights go out, and when they come back on red, it’s JUST McIntyre left in the ring!
Orton has made it to the ramp but Alexa is completely gone! McIntyre isn’t afraid, but that’s because The Fiend is behind Orton!! Orton shrugs it off, and heads for the ring. Seems he’d rather fight McIntyre than that psycho! McIntyre says that’s fine, “BRING IT, B*TCH!” He and Orton brawl, McIntyre throws Orton into barriers and then more barriers! McIntyre promises he’ll do this forever until he gets his title back! Orton tries to hit back but McIntyre whips. Orton reverses and sends McIntyre into barriers! And they brawl to the announce desk! McIntyre throws haymakers on Orton, they go around the way, and McIntyre throws Orton into steel steps! McIntyre sits Orton up to get in his face before bringing him back to the desk!
McIntyre bounces Orton off the hood, then throws more haymakers! Orton kicks back, and gives McIntyre the back suplex to the desk! Orton gets up on the table, rains down fists on McIntyre, and The Fiend just watches on! The fight rages on but Raw goes off the air! Will there be nothing but chaos now that The Fiend is aiming for the world title?
My Thoughts:
Wow, this was a great follow-up to HIAC and the start of build for Survivor Series. I’ll ignore the huge disappointing fact that NXT will, as of right now, NOT be part of Survivor Series 2020. But circumstances being what they are, maybe WWE just doesn’t want to risk COVID complications. I will say two of the three Survivor Series men’s team matches were a bit obvious given how HIAC went. Elias and Hardy were not going to be on Team Raw given they’ll be having their own feud to settle, but AJ Styles and Keith Lee make for great members. Riddle VS Sheamus was an incredible match, just like Sheamus VS Kofi Kingston was last week. Sheamus is being given a great run, and he is a great addition to the team. I’m really curious to see who the final two men will be, as well as who SmackDown will put forward.
And since Survivor Series sticks to Raw VS SmackDown, no NXT and no room for a story based elimination match, that’s the reason why we got Hurt Business VS Retribution in an elimination tag tonight. Retribution had a decent plan using Mia “Reckoning” Yim as a distraction, but I was a little disappointed they didn’t try to rope The Fiend and his friends back in. Them making Yim hallucinate something gross on her would’ve been great story, but oh well. Retribution continues to be made into jokes to a degree, even with Ali using a chair to be disqualified. I hope with time before Survivor Series, Ali does something to really stick it to the Hurt Business as they’re trying to get the Raw Tag Team titles now. The New Day cosplaying the Street Profits was funny, as was Asuka joining in on hyping up all the Raw VS SmackDown Champion VS Champion matches. Again, disappointed we won’t get NXT involved but whatever, Asuka VS Sasha is still going to be a lot of fun. I hope the Profits return the favor and cosplay being New Day.
The tag team match that was also part 24/7 Championship match was a lot of fun. I feel like that should happen way more often, just to make a point of the 24/7 Championship being any time, any where, with anyone. There needs to be a mishap where a superstar that doesn’t even want the title ends up with it, I think that’d be pretty hilarious. The women’s tag team for Survivor Series being just announced was fine. Lana winning the Fatal 4 Way wasn’t just to set up another table spot, it’ll probably set things up where it comes down to Lana against however many SmackDown women are left, and somehow Lana wins as a sole survivor. It’d be great if it was also Natalya as one of the last SmackDown women to reference their story. And then when Lana wins, Nia can still put her through the desk.
McIntyre having segments and a match with Miz and Morrison was good stuff. I like that they also referenced the history of Miz, Orton, and the MITB. Firefly Fun House was pretty good, with Alexa bringing back her Alice in Wonderland costume and helping Bray reference his history with Orton. Orton is definitely going to have the hardest time making it to Survivor Series to face Roman Reigns. McIntyre is coming for him, title match or not. Fiend is definitely after the title, but also his own revenge on Orton. And Miz has the contract so he could just swoop in during any of that and take the title while WWE is still in ThunderDome.
And while we might be wondering when Miz is going to cash in, I bet he waits until Survivor Series so that he can pounce on BOTH top champions while they’re in bad shape. I will say there needs to be a moment where Miz tries to cash in and Otis shows up despite being on SmackDown, as his own revenge. Otis has to be moving to Raw somehow, between wanting payback on Tucker and probably on Miz, but I suppose SmackDown could do something with him now that he’s completely separate from everything that used to define him.
My Score: 8.3/10
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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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