Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW Power Struggle Results & Report! (11/7/20)
So much is on the line!
It is truly a Power Struggle in NJPW!
Tetsuya Naito defends his IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships against EVIL, again! Who will be atop NJPW after the Power Struggle?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Provisional KOPW 2020 Exposed Corners Match: Toru Yano VS Zack Sabre Jr; Yano wins and retains the KOPW 2020 trophy.
- NEVER Openweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki VS Shingo Takagi; Takagi wins and becomes the new NEVER Openweight Champion.
- Kazuchika Okada VS Great-O-Khan; Okada wins.
- IWGP United States Championship Contract match: KENTA VS Hiroshi Tanahashi; Kenta wins and retains the Right to Challenge contract.
- IWGP Double Championship Contract match: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White; White wins and becomes the new contract holder.
- IWGP Double Championship match: Tetsuya Naito VS EVIL; Naito wins and retains the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships.
PLAY BY PLAY
Provisional KOPW 2020 Exposed Corners Match: Toru Yano VS Zack Sabre Jr!
The Producer is fired up and wants to shut the Submission Master up, too! And with this special stipulation, Yano’s work will be so much easier! But will having bare buckles only bite Yano in the butt?
The KOPW trophy is set aside, Yano sets aside all his other merchandise, and now the buckle pads are removed. Yano wants them to hurry up, but ZSJ says this won’t matter because of his submission game. The corners are exposed, fans cheer, and Yano wants a gentleman’s agreement that they not whip each other into corners. What is the point of doing this then? The bell rings and finally the KOPW 2020 trophy is on the line!
ZSJ and Yano circle, feel out the grapple, and Yano goes for a leg. ZSJ gets around, the two switch back and forth, ZSJ floats on top but Yano gets away. Fans cheer as the two reset, and Yano kicks! Yano apologizes as he whips ZSJ at a corner! ZSJ stops himself and that agreement is already out the window! ZSJ kicks, whips but Yano reverses. ZSJ stops himself again, Yano runs in but ZSJ dodges and Yano hits bare buckles! There’s the karma! ZSJ whips Yano to the other corner and Yano hits buckles again! And then a third corner! ZSj wants the quartet but Yano reverses, only for ZSJ to reverse again! Yano hits bare buckles again, completing the set! Yano bails out, walks off the pain, and ZSJ wants the count to start.
Wait, Yano finds the buckle pads and grabs one! Yano apologizes as ZSJ tells him to drop that one! Yano refuses, ZSJ goes out and kicks Yano low! ZSJ takes the pad, tosses it, then whips Yano at railings, only for Yano to reverse! ZSJ hits steel now and Yano hurries away to get the pad back! Yano brings it into the ring, and he puts the pad ON the corner! What a reversal of Yano’s usual strategies. ZSJ grabs Yano by his ears and nose first, drags him down, and CRANKS his neck! ZSJ pulls the buckle pad away this time, and considers using it on Yano. Instead, ZSJ throws it out of the ring. The Submission Master drags Yano up, whips him but Yano reverses, only to get caught into a cobra twist! They go around and around, Yano holding the hold off, but not forever!
Yano is caught in the twist but he gets the ropebreak! ZSJ holds on until the ref’s count, and then he whips Yano again. Yano reverses to throw ZSJ down by his hair! Yano fires fans up with Y T R, but gets caught to a heel hook! Another ropebreak saves Yano but ZSJ holds on until 4! Yano gets out of the ring, and brings out the other buckle pad! ZSJ tells Yano to put that down but Yano tells him to shut up! “Urusei, baka!” ZSJ still argues with Yano but Yano refuses. ZSJ goes out, Yano throws the pad away, and they get in each other’s face with chest and shoulder bumping. ZSJ is annoyed so he DECKS Yano with a European Uppercut! Yano gets up, brawls with ZSJ, and a ring count is climbing! Fans rally, ZSJ ROCKS Yano, then eggs him on!
Yano uses the SPRAY BOTTLE! Yano gets in and we’re at 18 of 20! ZSJ gets in at 19.5! Yano has the buckle pad! And he uses WRIST TAPE to tie it to the corner! Where did Yano hide that? The pad is on as far as Yano is concerned! ZSJ runs in, Yano side steps, but ZSJ runs into the pad! Wait, that’s not painful. Yano kicks ZSJ and whips him to a bare corner but ZSJ reverses again! ZSJ pulls Yano’s shirt off and throws it away. ZSJ whips Yano back in, bare skin hits bare buckles! Yano falls down and ZSJ drags him up by his ears. ZSJ wrenches the ear, the ref reprimands and fans rally up. ZSJ CRANKS Yano’s neck again! ZSJ keylocks an arm to STOMP it! Fans rally but ZSJ jams Yano’s leg, then the other leg! Then he stomps the other arm!
ZSJ is thoroughly destroying Yano’s limbs as he has a standing toehold on one leg! ZSJ steps through but Yano boots him away! ZSJ stops himself from hitting the buckles then he whips Yano. Yano grabs ropes and taunts ZSJ, then dodges him to hit a BELLY2BELLY! Both men are down and fans fire up! Yano and ZSJ slowly rise, Yano brings ZSJ up to whip, but ZSJ reverses again! Yano stops himself, and then dodges ZSJ! ZSJ hits buckles, Yano rolls him up, TWO! Yano dodges, gets the takedown, TWO! ZSJ blocks the low blow, then the other! ZSJ throws Yano down, EUROCLUTCH! TWO!! Yano narrowly escapes but ZSJ is after him again. Yano waistlocks, ZSJ victory rolls through to a KNEEBAR! ZSJ has grapevine’d the leg immediately but Yano endures!
Fans rally up as ZSJ keeps shifting his hold, but Yano turns over and gets a leg in return! Yano cranks on the heel but ZSJ does the same! It is a dead heat of Achilles locks! ZSJ and Yano torture each other, but ZSJ is better at that! Yano writhes, endures, fans rally up and Yano keeps moving around. Yano slaps the mat but it isn’t a tap! Yano moves around, ZSJ keeps cranking, so Yano grabs at the ref! Fans continue to rally behind Yano and Yano gets to the ropebreak! Fans cheer, ZSJ can’t believe it, but he has to let Yano go. Yano flops out of the ring, having survived for now. ZSJ goes out after Yano and puts a leg through the railing! ZSJ SLAMS the leg against the bars over and over! And then puts a HEEL HOOK on through the railing!
But Yano goes after ZSJ’s shoe laces? ZSJ cranks on the ankle but Yano is tying the boots together! Yano moves around, a ring count begins, and it reaches 10 of 20 already. ZSJ lets go at 15 but he’s stuck in the railing because of the shoe lace trick!! Yano gets in at 18, ZSJ is stuck outside!! YANO WINS!
Winner: Toru Yano, by count-out (still Mr. KOPW 2020)
As Rocky Romero puts it on commentary, “That man is a genius right there.” Yano continues to find ways to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! And ZSJ takes his frustration out on a Young Lion who was just trying to help! Will YTR be able to finish out 2020 as Mr. KOPW?
NEVER Openweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki VS Shingo Takagi!
It’s a rematch from Summer Struggle a long time coming! The King of Pancrase slayed The Dragon in Jingu, but will that be avenged here in Osaka?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised and the next chapter in this aggressive feud begins!
Suzuki kicks and shoves, Takagi shoves back and the forearms start flying! Fans rally as both men keep going back and forth, no guard and no slowing down! Suzuki gets the edge, whips Takagi but Takagi reverses. Takagi blocks the boot to clothesline, but Suzuki gives back forearm after forearm! Takagi just gives them all back! Suzuki adds more forearms and even headbutts! The ref counts but Suzuki gives one more, only for Takagi to come back with JAB CHOP JAB CHOP, and then headbutts of his own! Takagi knocks Suzuki down and fans cheer as the ref finally backs Takagi off. Suzuki scowls but then smiles a wicked smile. Fans rally up and Suzuki stands. Takagi JABS but Suzuki just keeps stepping into them! Takagi double CHOPS but Suzuki stays up.
Takagi whips, Suzuki reverses and reels Takagi in. Suzuki cranks on the facelock and keeps Takagi from prying free. Takagi endures, even as Suzuki keeps pulling on his head. Takagi still snap suplexes free! Both men slowly rise as fans rally up. Fans rally with “TA-KA-GI!” as he runs in at Suzuki in the corner. Suzuki dodges, then gets Takagi in a hanging armbar! The ref counts but Takagi CLUBS Suzuki down! Takagi goes out to the apron and brings Suzuki up. Takagi fireman’s carries but Suzuki slips into the ring to get the hanging armbar back! The ref counts, Suzuki lets go at 4 then runs, to BOOT Takagi down! Takagi hits railing and then Suzuki goes out. Suzuki brings Takagi up to RAM into the railing! And then again!
Suzuki whips Takagi to more railing, and watches Takagi writhe on the floor. Fans rally up but Suzuki drags Takagi up to RAM him into more railing! Suzuki backs off, only to get chairs from under the ring! The ref tries to stop Suzuki but Suzuki shoves him away. Suzuki JAMS and SMACKS Takagi with the chair! Takagi’s back is already taped up but Suzuki just adds on with the HALF CRAB! The ref reprimands and tells Suzuki to stop! Suzuki does let go, but when HE wants to. Suzuki warns the ref not to upset him, then he grinds Takagi into the railing! Takagi glares back defiantly but Suzuki bumps Takagi off the apron. Suzuki puts Takagi in, stomps the back, but Takagi grits his teeth as he gets up. Suzuki snapmares and KICKS Takagi right in the back!
Suzuki has the leg and an arm but Takagi gets a ropebreak! The ref counts, Suzuki lets go at 3, but he KICKS Takagi’s bad back again! Suzuki looms over Takagi in the corner and throws forearms. Takagi elbows back, and again, and then throws forearms and CHOPS! Suzuki ROCKS Takagi with a forearm back! Suzuki runs corner to corner to BOOT Takagi! Suzuki snapmares, runs and kicks, but Takagi blocks to then waistlock! Suzuki fights the suplex off, whips again but Takagi blocks to reel Suzuki in, for a SAIDO! Both men are down and fans fire up! Suzuki gets to a corner but Takagi runs in to corner clothesline! Suzuki sputters and Takagi brings him up for a scoop slam! Takagi goes up top, for a DRAGON ELBOW! Cover, TWO!
Suzuki survives but Takagi fires up and so do the fans! Takagi dares Suzuki to get up, then he KICKS him in the back! Takagi hobbles a bit from the bad back but he still gives toying kicks to Suzuki’s head. Suzuki laughs as he gets up. Takagi slaps Suzuki’s head! Suzuki ROCKS Takagi with a forearm! Takagi stays up and laughs it off, to then ROCK Suzuki back! Suzuki wobbles, stays up and he laughs it off. Suzuki ROCKS Takagi, and dares Takagi to come back. Takagi ROCKS Suzuki! Suzuki ROCKS Takagi! And repeat! Fans rally up with clapping as the forearms fly faster and faster! Suzuki ROCKS Takagi again then runs, but into a back elbow! Takagi runs, Suzuki BOOTS him, but Takagi comes back with a clothesline! Suzuki HEADBUTTS Takagi in the back of the head!
Suzuki reels Takagi in but Takagi back drops out of the piledriver! Takagi runs, Suzuki dodges the sliding lariat to boot again! Takagi rebounds to swing, but into a spin and SLEEPER! Suzuki squeezes tight, then spins Takagi around. Gotch lift, but no driver as Takagi fights back! Takagi powers up, DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Suzuki is right up!? PENALTY KICK! But Takagi is up, only for Suzuki to BOOT him! Takagi is up again and he LARIATS! Suzuki rises?! But both men flop and flounder to corners! Fans rally up and the ref checks on both men. Suzuki and Takagi rise, they’re far from through! Takagi eggs Suzuki on, they run at each other, Suzuki BOOTS, then CLUBS Takagi in the back! And again! Takagi turns it around to DDT! Takagi runs, SLIDING LARIAT!
Both men are down again but Takagi fires himself up with “OI! OI! OI!” Fans clap along as Takagi brings Suzuki up. Pump handle and half nelson, but Suzuki fights out of Made in Japan! Takagi falls over, perhaps his back being to blame. Suzuki gets the legs but Takagi kicks him away. Suzuki BOOTS Takagi back down! Suzuki has the leg and turns Takagi over but Takagi gets the ropebreak! Suzuki lets go of the Half Crab and fans rally up again. Suzuki throws fast hands on Takagi all over but Takagi turns it around to throw elbows from all sides! Takagi ROCKS Suzuki with that last one, but he runs into a dropkick! Fans fire up again as both men are back down! Suzuki drags Takagi by his legs and turns him over for the FULL Boston Crab!
Takagi endures, crawls, but Suzuki drags him away! Takagi continues to endure, powers up, and fans rally as he reaches for ropes! Suzuki lets go to just focus on the Half Crab, and he sits DEEP! Takagi somehow endures, somehow keeps moving around, but Suzuki drags him away again! Suzuki pulls back harder, but Takagi gets the ropes after all! Suzuki lets go and looms over Takagi. Suzuki drags Takagi up by his hair to put on the SLEEPER! Takagi is fading fast! Fans rally up but Suzuki squeezes tighter! Takagi is almost out so Suzuki spins him around, GOTCH STYLE- NO! Takagi fights it off again! Suzuki keeps trying but Takagi lifts up. The back gives out and Takagi falls over! Fans rally for “TA-KA-GI!” but Suzuki headbutts him!
Takagi shakes his head so Suzuki headbutts again! Takagi refuses to fall over and he HEADBUTTS Suzuki back! Takagi runs, Suzuki follows but Takagi DECKS him with a forearm! Fans fire up as Takagi dares Suzuki to stand! Takagi powers up and LARIATS! Suzuki wobbles and stays on his feet! Takagi LARIATS but Suzuki stays up again! Suzuki dares Takagi to keep trying so Takagi LARIATS again! Suzuki is still up, he ducks the lariat to headbutt to the back of the head! Takagi elbows back, Suzuki SLAPS, Takagi JABS and LARIATS! Suzuki BOOTS, Takagi LARIATS! Suzuki stays up but barely! Suzuki ducks one lariat but not the BLINDSIDE! Takagi LARIATS again, Suzuki wobbles! Takagi won’t let Suzuki fall yet, and he CLOBBERS him! Down goes Suzuki! Is Suzuki even conscious?!
Takagi won’t let it come to that decision and he drags Suzuki back up. Takagi pump handles but his back is limiting him! He still gets Suzuki up, LAST OF THE DRAGONS!! Cover, Takagi wins!!
Winner: Shingo Takagi, by pinfall (NEW NEVER Openweight Champion)
Whether it was by knockout or this pinfall, Suzuki could not stand against the powerful and determined Dragon! Will Takagi make this second reign as champion even bigger and better?
Kazuchika Okada VS Great-O-Khan w/ Will Ospreay!
The Rainmaker wants after the traitorous Will Ospreay, but is willing to go through The Dominator first! Will Okada be able to rise up against “The Empire” one step at a time?
Ospreay is by O-Khan’s side in a nice suit and with a bottle of champagne. It seems Ospreay is already assuming they’ll be celebrating big after this match. But O-Khan gets started early as he attacks Okada during the entrance! The bell rings, Okada throws forearms back but O-Khan Mongolian chops! And again! And again! Okada is down and fans cheer because they admit, that’s already impressive. Khan throws Okada out and drags Okada up to bump him off the apron. Khan POSTS Okada, and Ospreay is already enjoying the champagne. Khan STOMPS Okada at the railing, then lets off as the ref reprimands. Khan goes back to CLUB Okada on his back as the ring count climbs. Khan puts Okada in at 12 of 20 but takes his time returning.
Fans rally up as Okada rises but Khan BOOTS him down! Cocky cover, TWO! Khan wraps Okada up in an arm triangle but Okada endures. Okada scoots around, reaches and gets the ropebreak! Khan lets go quickly to stomp Okada down. Khan drags Okada up, Okada hits back with body shots, but Khan knees back. Khan knees over and over, then whips Okada to ropes. Okada reverses, and FLAPJACKS Khan down! Fans fire up as both men slowly rise. Okada and Khan get to their feet and Okada throws forearms. Okada whips, Khan reverses but Okada ducks to elbow Khan down! Fans fire up as Okada drags Khan back up. Okada wrenches, whips Khan corner to corner then runs in to hit a back elbow! Okada kicks low and hits the DDT! Cover, TWO!
Okada keeps his cool and starts up the rallying. Khan stands, Okada goes to Alabama lift but Khan fights that off with clubbing forearms! Okada swings, Khan gets around him and atomic SLAMS him! Ospreay cheers but he’s the only one. Khan looms over Okada as fans rally up. Khan drags Okada up, whips him to a corner, and then clotheslines him from behind! Khan hoists Okada up top backwards, then Mongolian chops him into the Tree of Woe! Khan mocks Okada before digging his boot in! The ref reprimands, Khan stomps and runs corner to corner to sliding BOOT Okada out of the Tree! Khan uses a chinbar cover, TWO! Okada survives but Khan keeps his focus. Khan kicks at Okada then brings him up.
Okada fights off the full nelson but Khan reels him in for a waistlock. Okada fights that off, avoids Khan’s half nelson facebuster, and Alabama lifts to the REVERSE NECKBREAKER! Fans cheer as both men are down again! Ospreay coaches Khan up as both Khan and Okada slowly stir. Okada brings Khan up but Khan fights off the gut wrench! Khan clamps onto an ear, then CLUBS it! Khan whips but Okada reverses, only for Khan to deny the dropkick! Khan stalks up, reels Okada in, LIFTING COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO! Okada survives but Khan arm triangles again! Khan grinds Okada down but Okada endures. Fans rally up, Okada moves around but Khan squeezes tighter! Okada reaches with a leg and gets the ropebreak! The ref counts and Khan lets off at 3 in frustration.
Khan drags Okada back up, reels him into a dragon sleeper, and then lifts, but Okada fights free! Khan Mongolian chops Okada again! And again! Ospreay tells Khan to do more, so Khan hits more Mongolian chops! Khan runs, into the dropkick! Fans fire up as Okada drags Khan back up and gut wrenches, to the TOMBSTONE! Okada grabs the arm, drags Khan up and wraps him in the MONEY CLIP! Khan endures, and rakes Okada’s eyes! Khan is free of the Money Clip to then CLAW- NO! Okada arm-drags free! Okada uppercuts, runs but into Khan’s BOOT! Khan is furious as he drags Okada back up in the dragon sleeper. Khan suplexes, holds Okada up for a count of 10, before the SLAM! Okada is down but fans are rallying as Khan clamps on the claw!
Khan drags Okada back up, but Okada slips out to the MONEY CLIP! Okada wrenches tight but Khan rams him into buckles! Khan is free, runs back in but into boots! Okada shotgun dropkicks Khan! But Khan rises! Okada blocks the boot, spins but into the claw! Okada again slips out of the Eliminator choke slam to DISCUS RAINMAKER! And then MONEY CLIP!! Khan pries at the hold, fights his way up, reaches for ropes, but Okada uses the back2backbreaker to stop him! The Money Clip is on tight, Khan fades, the ref calls it!
Winner: Kazuchika Okada, by referee stoppage
Ospreay can’t believe his Dominator has been defeated! Okada stands tall and Ospreay is seething. Okada dares Ospreay to get in the ring with him, so Ospreay does! The two stare down, Ospreay with a smug smirk on his face. Ospreay sarcastically applauds The Rainmaker before grabbing a mic. The mic wasn’t on at first so Ospreay gets on the Young Lion for messing up. But Ospreay congratulates Okada and says Okada passed the test. So for that, Okada has earned the truth. “I used you.” Ospreay used Okada to make himself more popular so that everyone knows the name “Will Ospreay!” And of course he’d get popular standing with the Rainmaker! But there’s one thing that Ospreay can’t get standing by Okada’s side: the title of THE BEST Wrestler in the World!
“Okada, since I’ve left you, look at me! I’m wearing a £3000 suit! I’m drinking £2000 champagne. And I’ve got a £10,000 watch on my wrist!” But Ospreay wants more. So what can he do to get more? What’s worse than stabbing “my big brother” in the back? Well, what if Ospreay ended Okada’s career? Ospreay will never have to worry about his suits ever again because he’ll get more! And more champagne! And more watches! The real deal right there! If Ospreay is the guy, WOO! See you later! Ospreay won’t even have to worry about that. The suits, the drinks, the accessories, the love of Bea Priestly, he’ll never have to worry about any of that being the man that ended the Rainmaker! And where better to finish Okada than in the Tokyo Dome? If Okada wants Ospreay, it will be at WrestleKingdom 15!!
Fans cheer that idea as Okada takes the mic. Okada tells Ospreay, “You did a lot of talking, all in English. The only things I understood were Tokyo Dome, Wrestle Kingdom, and Okada VS Ospreay. That’s good enough for me.” And it won’t be big brother VS little brother, but the Rainmaker crushing Ospreay once and for all! The challenge has been accepted, and we only have to wait two months for it! Will Ospreay ring in the New Year with a new top dog in NJPW?
IWGP United States Championship Contract match: KENTA VS Hiroshi Tanahashi!
Fang Revived had an admittedly awful time in the G1 Climax, and a line of challengers for his Right to Challenge briefcase is forming! Kenta starts with The Ace, but will it be a one and done against the Once in a Century Talent?
The introductions are made, the contract is presented, and this battle to meet Jon Moxley in the future begins!
Fans rally for Tanahashi as he and Kenta circle. They approach and feel out the grapple. Kenta messes Tanahashi’s hair up before backing off. Tanahashi does his best to fix it and he resets with Kenta again. They tie up, fight for the grapple and Tanahashi puts Kenta on the ropes. Kenta keeps messing with Tanahashi’s hair until they break. Tanahashi fixes his hair again and circles with Kenta again. They tie up, Kenta PULLS the hair now and puts Tanahashi on the ropes with that. The ref counts, Kenta lets off and waits on Tanahashi. Tanahashi rushes Kenta but Kenta rocks him with a right! Tanahashi goes to a corner, Kenta whips him corner to corner but runs into Tanahashi’s elbow!
Tanahashi goes up and hits the crossbody! But Kenta’s right up to kick Tanahashi out of his air guitaring! Kenta plays the air bass but Tanahashi kicks him down! Kenta bails out and Tanahashi aims, PLANCHA! Fans fire up with Tanahashi and the air guitar! Tanahashi brings Kenta up and into the ring, and fans cheer as he fixes his hair again. Tanahashi goes in but Kenta bails out. Kenta rests against rails but Tanahashi goes out after him! Tanahashi kicks Kenta, puts him back in, but Kenta rolls away and out of the ring again. Kenta grabs his briefcase but hides it as best he can. The ref reprimands, Tanahashi waits, but the ref starts a count. Tanahashi hurries over, BRIEFCASE SHOT! Kenta just added another dent!
Kenta rains down rights over and over, lets up as the ref reprimands, but then punches Tana more! Kenta brings Tanahashi up, elbows him down and then again. Kenta drops a knee, another knee, then brings down the knee pad, to scuff Tanahashi’s face. Kenta does air piano playing? That’s new. Kenta drags Tanahashi up and throws a big haymaker! Tanahashi hits back with a forearm, and another! And another! Kenta elbows Tanahashi on the back, brings him up and turns him around for a neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Kenta sits Tanahashi up and wraps him up in a headscissor hold! Tanahashi endures and fans rally up. Kenta tells the fans to shut up as he squeezes tight. Tanahashi moves around and gets the ropebreak!
Kenta holds on until the ref counts, and the ref still has to pry the hold apart. Kenta drags Tanahashi up, elbows him down again, then another! Kenta kicks at Tanahashi toyingly but the fans rally up. Tanahashi gets mad, Kenta KICKS Tanahashi! Kenta KICKS, Tanahashi fires up! Tanahashi blocks a kick, gives forearms in return, but Kenta hits another neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Kenta drags Tanahashi back up to snapmare him back down, and he clamps on a chinlock! Kenta digs his knee into the back to bend Tanahashi but fans rally up as Tanahashi endures. Tanahashi fights up but Kenta throws him down by his hair! Fans still rally, “LET’S GO ACE!” Kenta brings Tanahashi up and KICKS Tanahashi over and over. Tanahashi throws forearms in return but Kenta knees low!
Kenta elbows Tanahashi again, but Tanahashi blocks the boot! DRAGON SCREW! Tanahashi evens things out and the fans continue to rally. Tanahashi gets up, throws a strike fest on Kenta, then whips. Kenta reverses but Tanahashi hits a flying forearm! Fans fire up with Tanahashi as he throws more body shots. Tanahashi scoop slams Kenta then goes to the ropes, SOMERSAULT SENTON! Cover, TWO! Kenta is still in this but Tanahashi drags him by his legs. Kenta avoids the Cloverleaf and gets the ropebreak! Tanahashi keeps his cool as he stomps Kenta at the ropes. Tanahashi watches Kenta rise then runs, but into a boot! Tanahashi keeps moving but Kenta rolls him up, TWO! Kenta goes to a corner but boots Tanahashi back! Kenta reels Tanahashi in, tornado hotshot!
Tanahashi is down but Kenta goes up top! Tanahashi rises, Kenta hits the FLYING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Kenta keeps on Tanahashi with the arm trap, but Tanahashi resists the crossface! Tanahashi gets the ropebreak to avoid Game Over! Kenta drags Tanahashi back up, waistlocks, but Tanahashi elbows out! Tanahashi runs, into the SPINNING POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Kenta tries again, TWO! Kenta argues the count but two is two. Tanahashi gets to a corner, Kenta fires off haymakers and stomps, but the ref backs him off. Kenta is angry, but he goes after Tanahashi. Tanahashi swings but Kenta spins him into a DDT! Cover, TWO! Kenta bumps into the ref as part of the kick-out! The ref is down and Kenta realizes this.
Kenta grabs his briefcase again! He’s going to break the case at this rate! Fans rally for Tanahashi but Kenta aims, but Tanahashi blocks it!! The ref gets in and tells them both to stop! They all fight over the case, Tanahashi SMACKS Kenta?! Wait, the ref is holding the case so is it his fault? The ref says he’s not to blame, so the case shot is ignored. Tanahashi watches Kenta rise, so he runs, but Kenta dodges to come back, DOUBLE CLOTHESLINES take both men down! Fans rally up again as Tanahashi and Kenta stir. Kenta sits up first but Tanahashi follows. Kenta forearms but Tanahashi forearms back. They brawl on their knees then even more as they stand up! They go back and forth and fans rally behind them! Tanahashi gets the edge, a strike fest, but Kenta has his own!
Tanahashi blocks one back hand but not the second! But Tanahashi ROCKS Kenta back with an uppercut! Both men wobble but Kenta comes back to put Tanahashi through ropes! DRAPING DDT! Fans rally up again as both men are down. Kenta aims at Tanahashi from across the way, and goes corner to corner to BOOT him! Then corner to corner again, HESITATION DROPKICK! Fans fire up and Kenta goes up top! DOUBLE STOMPS!! Cover, TWO!! Tanahashi survives Kenta’s coup de grace but Kenta vows to finish this! Kenta lifts but Tanahashi blocks the fireman’s carry! Tanahashi fights Kenta back, but swings into counter punches! Kenta fires off haymaker after haymaker to ROCK Tanahashi! Kenta fires up as he aims, PSYCHO KNEE!! Cover, TWO!?!
Tanahashi survives but Kenta isn’t done! Fireman’s carry, GO TO- NO! TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi holds on, ANOTHER TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! And a THIRD TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi is fired up after hitting the hat trick, Kenta rises but counters the Sling Blade! GO TO- SLING BLADE! Tanahashi finds a way to hit it, and then runs to SLING BLADE again! Cover, TWO! Kenta is down, Tanahashi goes up, ACES HIGH CROSSBODY! Tanahashi grabs the legs, for the CLOVERLEAF!! Kenta endures being bent back, even as Tanahashi sits deep! Kenta rolls through and drags Tanahashi down! GAME OVER! Fans rally as Tanahashi endures but he can’t even see where he is with Kenta’s hands over Tanahashi’s eyes!
Tanahashi reaches around with feet, pries at the hold and gets them off to get away! Tanahashi gets the legs again, CLOVERLEAF! Kenta moves around to avoid the full turn over, kicks free and gets the arm again! GAME OVER!! Tanahashi endures all over again, reaches out, but Kenta gets that arm to trap it! They roll around, Kenta CRANKS Tanahashi back hard! Tanahashi quits, Kenta wins!!
Winner: KENTA, by submission (still IWGP US Championship contract holder)
The Fang Revived tore into the Ace and it was truly game over! Will Kenta keep hold of the contract until the day he finally faces The Death Rider? Will the briefcase even last that long?
IWGP Double Championship Contract match: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White w/ Gedo!
Speaking of defending a Right to Challenge briefcase, the Golden Star settles things with the ONLY man to beat him in this year’s “Jay1.” Will Ibushi keep things on track towards a WrestleKingdom 15 championship match?
The introductions are made, White does his own muscle reveal like he’s Tanahashi or something, and he wants to snatch the contract already. The briefcase is put aside, and after White and Gedo Low Sweet, this rematch from the G1 Climax 30 begins!
White complains the bell was too early, he’s not actually ready. But the fans rally with claps for “I-BU-SHI!” White of course bails out, claiming he’s still finishing getting ready. The ref keeps Ibushi back and White returns, only to bail out again. The same ol’ mind games but Ibushi stays in the ring. White checks the briefcase itself, but Ibushi goes out after him. The ref reprimands, White goes into the ring with the briefcase and Ibushi stays calm by rallying fans again. Ibushi gets in, White tosses the breifcase at him then CLOBBERS him! White stomps Ibushi, drags him up and throws forearms. White mocks the applause and throws more forearms.
White whips, Ibushi reverses but White avoids the roundhouse to knee low. White whips again but Ibushi comes back with the flying gamangiri! Ibushi has the fans rallying again as Ibushi KICKS White on the back! Gedo protests while White writhes but Ibushi KICKS him again! Ibushi drags White from the ropes but White elbows him away! White fireman’s carries but Ibushi gets to the apron. Ibushi rocks White but Gedo grabs at Ibushi’s legs! White dropkicks Ibushi down! White goes put, drags Ibushi up, and SLAMS him down on the apron! Gedo cheers but he’s the only one as White walks around and back into the ring. Fans rally for Ibushi and the ring count begins. Ibushi stirs but White goes out to suplex and SLAM him back on the apron!
The ref reprimands, White goes back into the ring while Ibushi is down. The count begins, Ibushi is back in at 8 of 20 but White stands on Ibushi’s chest! White stomps away but the ref reprimands and counts. White lets off but he brings Ibushi around to KICK him. Ibushi says that doesn’t bother him so White KICKS more. Ibushi gets up to ROCK White with rights! White knees low then brings Ibushi back up to knee him again. White whips Ibushi to a corner hard! Gedo cheers but again, he’s the only one. White drags Ibushi up by his hair and rams his shoulder into Ibushi’s ribs over and over! The ref reprimands, White shoves him away to keep ramming! The ref counts, White lets off and fans rally for Ibushi again.
White digs his boot into Ibushi with some Bad Vibrations a la Nakamura. Ibushi gets mad and pushes back but White rakes eyes! White throws Ibushi out then drags him up to whip him into railing! Ibushi slumps down but White brings Ibushi up to put him in. Cover but the ref refuses given all the extracurricular. White and Gedo complain but White drags Ibushi back out. White whips Ibushi hard into more railing! Ibushi slumps down, fans rally up but White puts Ibushi in the ring. Cover but again the ref refuses to count. Gedo and White complain again, but White brings Ibushi back up. White throws Ibushi out once again, and argues with the ref. Gedo goes after Ibushi and whips him into railing!
Gedo whips Ibushi again but Ibushi reverses and Gedo hits railing! Fans cheer Gedo getting what he deserves! White whips but Ibushi reverses again and finally White hits railing! Fans rally for Ibushi as he drags White back up. White shoves Ibushi into the apron! White puts Ibushi in, walks off the back pain then gets in the ring. Ibushi dropkicks White back down! Fans rally up for Ibushi as he aims at White. PLANCHA! Down goes White and the fans fire up! The ring count climbs, Ibushi drags White up and puts him in the ring. Ibushi drags White up, bobs ‘n’ weaves, kicks and KICKS, then KICKS White down! Standing moonsault! Cover, TWO! Ibushi keeps his cool and fans fire up again.
Ibushi brings White up, waistlocks, but White elbows free. White whips but IBushi reverses and then runs in. White dodges, runs back in, Ibushi goes up and over and gets White for a SPINNING POWERSLAM! Ibushi MOONSAULTS, White rolls but can’t avoid all of it! Both men are down after that awkward landing by Ibushi. Fans rally, Ibushi and White go to opposite corners. White runs in to UPPERCUT Ibushi! White GUT BUSTERS and covers, TWO! White drags Ibushi back up and reels him in, but Ibushi blocks the suplex. White knees low, suplexes, and GOURD BUSTERS! Then the BLADE BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Ibushi survives the twisting suplex and fans cheer.
White seethes as he gets up, but then he mocks the applause from the fans. Ibushi fires up and resists White’s lift. Ibushi elbows White but White forearms back. Ibushi DECKS White with the return! White gets to a corner, Ibushi runs in but White boots back! White runs into the RANA! Both men are down but fans rally up again. Ibushi sits up first and encourages the fans to get loud. Ibushi brings White up, but White resists the scoop! White throws body shots but Ibushi still powers through! White fights out harder and then CHOPS! Ibushi spinning KICKS! Ibushi dodges White’s clothesline to SNAP GERMAN! White flounders around and Ibushi fires up, but Ibushi swings into a COMPLETE SHOT!
White waistlocks Ibushi, dead lifts and GERMAN SUPLEXES! That was hard and fast and Gedo is loving it! White drags Ibushi back up, but Ibushi swings again, but into the URENAGE! Gedo is fired up for White! White goes back to Ibushi, brings him around with a sleeper hold, but Ibushi blocks the suplex! Ibushi gets to a corner, but White rams him into the buckles. White CLUBS Ibushi on the back over and over, then hits him HARD in the stomach! White throws more hard body shots, even as the ref reprimands. White finally backs off, and he brings Ibushi in for a knee hard and low! Gedo rallies behind White as White knees Ibushi hard again! White brings Ibushi up but Ibushi blocks the knee to gut wrench! Ibushi tucks White in, BASTARD DRIVER!
Both men are down but the fans are fired up! Ibushi aims as he calls upon the power of Nakamura, but White dodges the Bomaye! White full nelsons but Ibushi standing switches to a SNAP DRAGON SUPLEX! Did Ibushi learn that from Tanahashi or Omega? White sits up into the BUZZSAW! Ibushi says he’ll end it and Gedo freaks out! Ibushi grabs the wrists and sits White up, but White RAMS into Ibushi first! And again! And again! White has Ibushi back up, kangaroo kicks him in the stomach, but Ibushi BOMAYES! Ibushi won’t end it there, he has White in the position, LAST RIDE!! Cover, TWO!! White survives and Ibushi can’t believe it!
Fans rally up and Gedo shouts at White to get up. Ibushi has the wrists, but White reels him in! BLADE- NO! IBushi slips out, V-Trigger misses, SNAP SLEEPER, but Ibushi lands on his feet! ROUNDHOUSE! Ibushi has the wrists, Gedo gets on the apron but Ibushi BOOTS him down! White gets Ibushi, but still no Bladerunner! V-TRIGGER!! Ibushi wants to end this and he gets the wrists again! White slips around to underhook and BACKSLIDE! But he has feet on the ropes!!! White wins?!?!
Winner: Jay White, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Double Championship Contract Holder)
The ref totally missed that!! And now, Ibushi lost the prize he fought so hard to claim! How can White keep getting away with things?! Is 2020 just cursed?! The Young Lions try to explain but Gedo shoves them away. But it doesn’t matter, referee decisions are 99.9% always final. And White is laughing all the way. Will White make good on being the 1 in 16-1 right to challenge contracts changing hands?
IWGP Double Championship match: Tetsuya Naito VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!
It’s another Summer Struggle rematch! The King of Darkness has gone back and forth with the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon ever since the New Japan Cup betrayal! But will everything be Evil all over again?
Naito takes his time heading to the ring to of course get on Evil’s nerves. Naito takes off the elaborate entrance attire while Red Shoes raises both the Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championship belts. Fans rally already but Evil and Dick Low Sweet. The two men are finally ready, and the next chapter in this tragic tale of betrayal begins!
Naito and Evil circle slowly but Naito makes sure Dick stays back. Evil and Naito approach but Naito backs off, as is his usual tactic. They go again, and this time it’s Evil who fakes Naito out. Evil smirks as he and Naito circle then approach. Evil kicks low, headlocks but Naito endures the grind. Naito pries at the hold but Evil wrangles him back in. Evil grinds, Naito drops to a knee, but Naito pops out the back. Naito headlocks but Evil quickly turns it back around. Naito rolls and gets Evil down for a headlock again, and cranks back. Evil endures, rolls Naito to his own headlock, but Naito pushes with forearms. Evil cranks harder, Naito fights up and powers out. Evil runs Naito over and fans admit that was good. Things speed up, Naito arm-drags Evil then elbows him down! Naito keeps moving, basement dropkick! Fans cheer because they like that!
Naito snapmares and puts on the headscissor hold. Evil endures as Naito cranks on his head! Naito pushes up to keep the pressure on but Evil refuses to quit. Naito thrashes Evil, lets him go to cover, TWO! Naito is back on the headlock and he grinds Evil down. Evil moves around but Naito cranks harder. Evil pulls hair, Red Shoes reprimands and Naito grinds more. Naito grabs an arm, brings Evil up and cravats. Evil endures as Naito cranks on the hold, but Evil gets the ropebreak! Red Shoes counts, Naito thrashes Evil around but Naito lets off. Evil bails out right away and catches his breath. Naito waits but then goes out after Evil! Naito clubs Evil, runs Dick off, but Evil knees low and RAMS Naito into railing! That was so hard, the timekeeper is wiped out, too!
Evil drags Naito up to snap suplex Naito to the floor! Red Shoes goes out to check on everything and Evil leaves that mess behind. Dick has undone the blue corner’s buckle pad! The Bullet Club special is ready while fans rally up. Naito slowly rises, the ring count begins, and Naito gets up at 10 of 20. Naito is in at 13 but Evil is after him with another snap suplex! Cover, TWO! Fans cheer but Evil keeps his cool. Evil taunts Naito, Naito gets up and he throws body shots! Naito throws haymakers but Evil whips him to the bare corner! Evil drags Naito up and throws him out of the ring. Evil goes after Naito, turns him around and RAMS him BACK into the timekeeper’s table! Poor Abe-san! Evil says maybe he shouldn’t be sitting so close!
Red Shoes helps the timekeeper but Evil puts Naito in the ring. Dick gets in with a chair and SMACKS Naito with it! Dick gets away with it before Red Shoes is back in the ring. Fans rally up for Naito but Evil grabs a leg and turns him for a Half Crab! Evil digs a knee in to Naito’s back on top of it! Naito endures, fans continue to rally, and Naito crawls to a ropebreak! Evil holds on until Red Shoes counts and he lets go at 4. Naito clutches his back but Evil taunts him. Evil kicks at Naito and Dick taunts him but fans continue to rally. Evil drags Naito up and reels him in, but Naito resists the fisherman! Naito throws body shots, but Evil still suplexes! Naito fights free, Evil knees low and runs, but Naito waistlocks! Evil standing switches, shoves, goes from the corner, but Naito counters that to a neckbreaker! Both men are down and fans fire up!
Naito and Evil stir, and Naito stands first. Naito throws haymakers and kicks on Evil then whips. Evil reverses but Naito ducks to dropkick Dick! Naito boots Evil then huricanranas him to a corner! Fans fire up as Naito runs in, rocket kick and leg sweep! COMBINACION CABRON! Fans fire up as Naito strikes his pose! Cover, TWO! Fans still rally as Naito works out the pain in his back. Naito brings Evil up, dragon sleepers for the backbreaker to the leg hook full nelson! Evil endures, even as Naito slaps Evil around. Dick tries to distract Red Shoes and egg Naito on but Naito ignores Dick. Naito cranks harder on Evil but Evil endures. Naito sees Dick is still there so he does let go after all. Naito swings on Dick but Dick gets away. Naito boots, Evil blocks and clotheslines Naito out!
Evil catches his breath before going out. Evil brings out a chair and watches Naito rise. Evil JAMS Naito with it, Dick distracts as Evil hits the HOME RUN! Naito goes down and Evil says that one is out of the park! Red Shoes goes out and reprimands while the fans rally up. Evil drag Naito up and into the ring. Evil mocks the applause from the fans then mocks Naito. Naito gets up while Evil waits, and then Evil runs in to corner clothesline! Evil SNAP FISHERMAN, covers, TWO! Fans cheer and Evil is upset that Naito is still in this! Evil drags Naito up, reels him in but Naito fights off the fireman’s carry. Naito and Evil grapple, Evil whips, Naito reverses to TORNADO DDT! Both men are down and fans fire up again!
Naito gets up, goes after Evil and brings him to a corner. Naito hoists Evil up top, climbs up but Evil gets out to trip him up! Evil whips Naito but Naito reverses, only for Evil to reverse again! Naito hits bare buckles! And then Naito staggers into Evil’s BACKBREAKER! Both men are down again but Naito is writhing in pain. Fans rally up as Naito and Evil slowly rise. Evil sits up first, drags Naito up, but Naito hits back. Naito throws forearms but they don’t back Evil down. Evil RAMS Naito into the bare buckles! Naito goes down in a heap, writhes and rolls, but Evil follows. Evil brings Naito up, hoists him up top, then climbs up to join him. Evil goes to the very top, fans rally in anticipation of what’s coming, and Evil brings Naito up for a SUPERPLEX!
Evil has to crawl over, but he goes for the legs instead! SHARPSHOOTER! Naito endures as Evil sits deep on the Scorpion Deathlock! Fans rally as Naito reaches for ropes. Naito crawls but Evil sits DEEP! Evil keeps on Naito’s legs and back but Naito refuses to give up! Is Naito conscious, though? Naito is awake and he gets the ropebreak! Evil holds on until Red Shoes counts to 4. Fans cheer as Naito is still in this but Evil stalks back over. Evil drags Naito up, fireman’s carries, DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Naito survives! Evil grows frustrated but he vows to end this! Evil drags Naito up, spins him but Naito fights off the STO! Naito waistlocks to GERMAN SUPLEX! Evil gets up right away to run, into a SPINE BUSTER! Both men are down again and fans fire up!
Evil crawls to a corner but Naito follows. Naito drags Evil up and puts him on the top rope now. Naito climbs up, throws forearms over and over, then SUPER STEINERS! Evil hits hard but Naito won’t let off! Hammerlock, GLORIA! Cover, TWO!! Evil survives but Naito still has more! Naito wrenches, tilt-o-whirls but no Destino! Evil gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX Naito! Naito is up and shocks Evil! Naito denies the STO to enziguri! Evil reverses the whip but Naito comes back with flying forearms! Dick is up but Naito DECKS him! Naito aims at Evil, runs and tilt-o-whirls, DESTINO!! But Naito doesn’t cover, he hits a SECOND DESTINO!! Cover, but Dick drags Red Shoes out!! The Spoiler isn’t letting Evil lose just yet! Naito sees Red Shoes is down, but he doesn’t see the SPOILER CHOKER!
Dick chokes Naito and Yujiro Takahashi is here!? Tokyo Pimp uses his PIMP CANE! And PIMP JUICE! Yujiro is Team Evil within Bullet Club after all! But here comes SANADA! Cold Skull dropkicks Dick but Yujiro kicks Sanada! Dick and Yujiro double whip but Sanada dodges to double dropkick them out! Sanada DOUBLE PLANCHAS Dick and Yujiro! Fans are thunderous as LIJ counters Bullet Club! Sanada even hauls Dick and Yujiro away! Things are now fair between champion and challenger! Red Shoes revives, having missed all the madness! Fans are thunderous again as Naito and Evil slowly rise. Naito and Evil head for each other while Red Shoes rests in a corner. Evil throws a forearm but Naito hits back!
Red Shoes slowly sits up while these two brawl back and forth on their knees. Naito drags Evil up by his hair but Evil forearms back! Evil and Naito keep hitting back and forth, and all three men, including Red Shoes, stand. Naito eggs Evil on with a look so Evil hits him back! Naito forearms Evil, Evil forearms Naito, back and forth, faster and faster! The fans rally up and Naito gets the edge! Evil staggers back and fans fire up more! Evil runs, Naito ducks and kicks back. Evil blocks that to rake Naito’s eyes! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, but Evil swings Naito’s leg into him! Red Shoes goes down again and Evil LOW BLOWS Naito!! But with no ref, Evil can’t get a count! Fans rally back up as Evil drags Naito up. Evil runs but Naito pops him up to LOW BLOW back!! Turnabout is fair play!
But here comes Jay White! The new contract holder smirks as he gets in the ring. But he hesitates. Does he want to go after Naito to ensure it’s Bullet Club all the way? Wait he goes after Evil!? “Is this what you want?!” But White just puts Evil in a corner to help him sit up. White goes to Naito, reels him in, SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX! White says, “You’re welcome.” But IBUSHI returns! Ibushi runs off White but Evil CLUBS Ibushi! Evil fireman’s carries Ibushi but Ibushi slips out to ROUNDHOUSE! Ibushi goes back to chasing White! Fans are thunderous as it is again even between Naito and Evil! Naito crawls over, drags Evil up and Red Shoes is finally back. Naito throws elbow after elbow into Evil, but doesn’t let Evil stay down for long. Naito brings Evil back up for more elbows!
Evil falls over again and fans cheer as Naito brings him up for a third round of elbows! Evil RAMS Naito back into bare buckles! Naito powers up to throw more elbows! And he RAMS Evil into buckles! And throws even more elbows! Naito is relentless on Evil! Fans are thunderous as Naito drags Evil up. Naito scoops but Evil slips out and shoves Naito at Red Shoes! ANOTHER LOW BLOW!! And then a HUGE LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!?!? Naito survives and Evil is shocked! Fans continue to rally hard as ever as Evil sits up. Evil staggers over and drags Naito back up. Evil spins Naito, but still no STO! Naito tries to swing on Evil but Evil counters, only for Naito to slip out, elbow, and SLAP Evil! Then, scoop and VALENTIA! Evil is in a daze as Naito brings him up, DESTINO!!! Cover, Naito wins!!
Winner: Tetsuya Naito, by pinfall (still IWGP Double Champion)
Thank you, Naito, for saving the rest of us from the worst case scenario! The Uncontrollable Charisma holds onto both Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships and will bring us a rematch of last year’s WrestleKingdom. Will Naito make Jay White pay for everything he and the Bullet Club have done?
Naito insists someone raise his hand, and is pointing at Jushin Liger on commentary? Liger politely declines that job, but wait. White is back, with Gedo and the Right to Challenge briefcase. White gets in and says he’ll raise Naito’s hand. White does, which fans cheer, but it’s White who takes the mic first. “You awake? Naito, sorry about before. But Naito, it’s just me and you now. Ibushi, he failed. Evil, even with my help, he failed, too. So Naito, once again, it’s just me and you.” Next is WrestleKingdom! January 4th and 5th, so White will tell us what happens. Night one: White will do nothing. White will take a night off. Naito can do whatever he wants. He could wrestle a young boy or whatever. But White will do “nada” that night.
White wants Naito to understand that on night two, 1/5, White will challenge for the titles because HE has the briefcase now! White, on 1/5, will take the titles from Naito! Night two and night two only! Naito tries to get it clear, 1/5. Yes, and White says that night is when he becomes the next Heavyweight AND Intercontinental Champion! That is WHITE’S Destino. Ibushi returns?! White tells him he doesn’t have this anymore so he can’t come out! White won the briefcase! Ibushi doesn’t care, he keeps walking to the ring. White and Gedo bail out to stay away from Ibushi. White says Ibushi shouldn’t be here. White has the briefcase, Naito has the belts, Ibushi has nothing!
Fans clap for “I-BU-SHI!” as Ibushi goes out of the ring. White and Gedo run away again but Ibushi is like a Terminator! White says the match is his, but will Ibushi find a way to change that? As for Naito, he gets the mic back and apologizes for White’s interruption. That said, BUENOS NOCHES, OSAKA~! “The fourth singles match with Evil, the second here in Osaka… If you didn’t want to see it, you could have left in the semifinal match. But if you did, thank you, amigos.” Naito says they’ll be back in Osaka for Best of the Super Juniors, that’s not Naito’s card. This is the last time this year Osaka got to see Naito wrestle.
But! Next year, Naito will be excited to return again. By the way, Naito knows the next time they’ll be here. Do the fans know? It’s a secret, so please tranquilo, be patient! Naito continues to say that he’ll finish things off as they should be. You can’t shout along, but please do it in your hearts. NJPW Power Struggle in Osaka will end with the role call! “BUSHI! SANADA! HIROMU! TAGAKI! Y NAITO! Nosotros! Los Ingoberrrrrnableeees~! DE! JA! PON!!” The streamers fly and confetti falls, Naito stands tall as the top champion in NJPW! Will Naito have plans for WK15 Night 1 on 1/4? Or will he rest up just like White to make Night 2 as explosive as possible?
My Thoughts:
This was a very strong event, but of course it is, as it is a feeder to WrestleKingdom in many ways. Yano VS ZSJ was pretty good, the bare buckle stipulation causing a lot of strategies to be reversed. Another clever win from Yano, I wonder who he’ll face at WK15 and in what match. Suzuki VS Takagi was again brutal, but Suzuki might’ve shoot lost that match anyway. He looked legitimately dazed, not just selling a hit. I’m sure he’ll be fine or else there might’ve been news. But it’s great that Takagi has the belt again and will have another run to again, as I said earlier this year, give us those great match-ups his first run would’ve had if not for COVID.
Kenta VS Tanahashi was really good, and I am a bit surprised it is Kenta retaining. But I suppose with Jon Moxley essentially Face between both NJPW and AEW, he needs a Heel to face, and this can feed into a larger Bullet Club story where they’re trying to grab up a bunch of gold. Okada VS Great-O-Khan was really good, and of course Okada wins on the big stage. Ospreay had a great suit, had a great promo, and is clearly building his new character where he is about a different kind of flash and substance now. Okada VS Ospreay for WrestleKingdom is going to be great, could go either way, but I feel like Ospreay’s Empire only gains momentum if he wins. It doesn’t have to be clean, either. A new member of The Empire could reveal themselves, since it’s just Ospreay, Khan and Bea. Ibushi VS White was perhaps the real shocker of the night, I did not think they’d pull that when they could give us a Naito VS Ibushi rematch.
Naito VS Evil was great, but mostly for the overbooking and the false finishes caused by screwjob attempts. Teasing White turning on Evil was a good detail, Sanada and Ibushi helping Naito was great, and even White and Ibushi coming back to have something more to say and do was good. White pointing out how there will be two nights and he wants night 1 off has to mean stuff happens after all. Ibushi can request a rematch and “NJPW management” gives it to him, so things could change last minute on us. White also taunting Naito with being able to do whatever, Naito also lost to Sanada, so maybe Naito gives Sanada his shot on night 1. This will all of course parallel WK14’s Double Gold Dash, the mini-tournament with winners facing winners. Ibushi winning back the contract, and then perhaps Sanada having his moment of finally winning big, and then we get a G1 Climax 30 finals rematch on night 2, that’d be incredible!
My Score: 9.1/10
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Opening weekend wraps up with the Funky Weapon!
There’s more mix ‘n’ match as Best of the Super Juniors 32 keeps going! But will Ryusuke Taguchi kick Bone Soldier butt in tonight’s main event?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Dragon Dia & Katsuya Murashima VS Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young; Akira & Jakob win.
- El Desperado & Shoma Kato VS Nick Wayne & Daiki Nagai; Nick & Daiki win.
- Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi VS Kosei Fujita & Hartley Jackson; Hiromu & Takagi win.
- Best of the Super Juniors 32 A Block: Ninja Mack VS Robbie X; Mack wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: Kevin Knight VS MAO; Mao wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 32 A Block: Master Wato VS Clark Connors; Connors wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: YOH VS Robbie Eagles; Eagles wins.
- Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: Ryusuke Taguchi VS Taiji Ishimori; Taguchi wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Best of the Super Juniors 32 A Block: Ninja Mack VS Robbie X!
It’s the return of the Mack! Will the American Ninja start to take the block? Or will he be unable to solve for X?
The bell rings and the fans rally while the two circle. They start a “NINJA! NINJA!” chant, but then Robbie brings out a copy of the Ninja Mack mask! Just to rip it up! The fans boo, but Robbie throws it at Mack, and then SMACKS him down! The fans boo but Robbie stomps Mack at the ropes! The ref reprimands but Robbie ROCKS Mack! Robbie whips, Mack reverses, and Robbie handsprings over to then handspring with the ropes! Mack catches him, shove shim, hurdles over him, then backflips over, only for Robbie to SOBAT! The fans cheer, Robbie whips, but Mack reverses. Robbie goes up and over and shows off with his own handspring!
Mack runs in, Robbie slips out to the apron to ROCK Mack! Robbie springboards but Mack gets under. Robbie handsprings through, comes back and RANAS, but Mack handsprings through! The fans fire up and the two reset. Robbie runs up, Mack TOSSES him up and out! The fans fire up as Mack builds speed, and he handsprings for the NINJA- NO, Robbie moves back! But the Ninja Special continues even on the floor! Robbie runs away but Mack catches up, to HANDSPRING KICK him down at the stage! The fans fire up for that Super Ninja Special, and Mack leaves Robbie behind for the ring count.
Robbie sputters and crawls at 4 of 20, but is still far away at 10! Robbie hurries, the fans rally, and Robbie runs at 15 to slide in at 17! But Mack is on him with a facelock! Robbie fights up, lifts Mack, and then throws him away! Mack comes back, but Robbie uses the ref as a shield! Then he throws Mack down by his mask! Robbie throws down forearms and a stomp! The fans are torn but Robbie storms up on Mack to BOOT him in the corner! Robbie brings Mack around, suplexes then covers, ONE!! Mack is tougher than that and the fans rally up. Robbie CHOKES Mack on the ropes, then soaks up the cheers and jeers.
The ref counts, Robbie steps off at 4, then he WRECKS Mack with a dropkick! Mack is on the ground but the fans rally up. Robbie stands Mack up, CHOPS him, then stalks him to railing. Robbie pushes Mack into the ring, clamps on with a half nelson and covers, TWO! The fans cheer and Robbie gets annoyed. Robbie hauls Mack up to a fireman’s carry, but Mack slips around to sunset flip! TWO, and Robbie SWATS Mack’s haymaker to CHOP! Robbie whips, Mack reverses, but Robbie slides and then dodges! Mack is on the apron, Robbie runs to CANNONBALL KICK! The fans fire up as now Robbie builds speed!
Robbie goes up, up, and he ESCALARAS! Down goes Mack and the fans fire up with Robbie! Robbie drags Mack up and puts him back in the ring. Robbie then slingshots for a stalling SENTON! Cover, TWO! Mack is still in this and the fans rally up. Robbie and Mack slowly rise, and Robbie takes aim. Robbie runs in but blocks a boot! Robbie puts the leg on the ropes, KICKS the ropes, then SPIN KICKS Mack! Robbie snapmares Mack, RUNNING SHOOTING STAR onto knees! Mack cradles Robbie, TWO! Mack waits on Robbie, and DOUBLE CHOPS him! Then he DOUBLE CHOPS against the ropes! Mack won’t let Robbie get away as he unleashes CHOP after CHOP!
The fans fire up and Mack whips. Robbie reverses, then Robbie runs past Mack to fireman’s carry! ROLLING SENTON, STANDING SHOOTING STAR! Cover, TWO!! Robbie is frustrated but the fans fire up! Mack flounders to the corner, the fans rally up, and Robbie runs up to BOOT! Snapmare and now Robbie goes up the corner! From the top rope, X EX- NO, Mack dodges! Robbie rolls through, handsprings, but into a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Mack holds on but Robbie victory rolls! TWO!! Mack and Robbie hurry up, Robbie handsprings, but into a DREAMCAST KICK AND CRADLE!! MACK WINS!!
Winner: Ninja Mack, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Robbie earns 0)
Innovating in the blink of an eye, Ninja Mack ends this just as quickly! Will every match Mack has be as fast ‘n’ furious as this? Or will someone find a way to slow Mack down?
Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: Kevin Knight VS MAO!
The Jet may be All Elite now, but he’s always going to be #2Flyy! However, he’s up against DDT Pro’s Idol Wrestler. Can Knight get through the Michinoku Tornado? Or will his flight to the top be grounded?
The bell rings and the fans rally as Knight and Mao stare down. The fans seem strongly behind Mao as he and Knight circle. They tie up, Knight headlocks, then he hits a takeover. Mao fights around, stands back up, and he powers his way out of the headlock to have the armlock. Mao steps over to wrench the arm, but Knight rolls, handsprings, and wrenches back! Knight hammerlocks, but Mao reaches back to headlock. The fans applaud, but Knight rolls Mao to get free. Mao ducks a kick, Knight dodges a spin kick, and the fans cheer the standoff. Mao runs up, Knight dodges then arm-drags! Knight runs up, springboards and FLYING ARM-DRAGS!
Mao is up but Knight FLYING SHOULDER TACKLES! The fans fire up and Knight runs corner to corner to LARIAT! Knight goes up to rally the fans, then he hops down to stomp and UPPERCUT on repeat! The ref counts as Knight stomps a mudhole in, and Knight snapmares Mao for a SLIDING SHOULDER TACKLE! The fans rally, Knight covers, TWO! The fans applaud while Mao grits his teeth. Knight stands Mao up but Mao fires body shots! Knight ROCKS Mao, runs, but Mao ELBOWS him! Mao runs, Knight follows, but Mao goes up and around! Knight tumbles out to the apron, but he ROCKS Mao first!
Knight springboards but Mao WHEEL KICKS him down! Mao wrenches an arm and SLINGSHOT CUTTERS! The fans fire up and Mao climbs up, to then SPLIT LEG MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO, but Mao goes right to the corner! Mao aims again, for a KING KONG KNEE DROP! Mao rolls off the impact, but then rolls back and has Knight in the COBRA TWIST! Knight endures, the fans rally, and Knight powers his way to switch the twist! Mao endures now and the fans rally more. Knight says he’s #MecchaTsuyoi, but then Mao throws elbows! Mao switches things back, and he says he is meccha, meccha, TSUKAKUI! Mao puffs up to show how strong and handsome he is!
The fans cheer, but Knight powers out with a HIP TOSS! But Mao drags Knight down into a JUST FACELOCK! Knight endures, reaches out, fights around, and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer again while Mao lets go. Mao rises and the fans rally while Knight is on the ropes. Mao runs and CANNONBALLS Knight against the ropes! Knight writhes but Mao brings him up, only for Knight to fire a forearm! Mao fires one back! Knight fires another forearm, so Mao fires back! They go forearm for forearm, then Knight has the edge. Knight winds up but Mao SHOTEIS! Mao whips Knight to a corner, but Knight comes back to LARIAT!
Knight LARIATS again, then whips, but Mao reverses. Knight goes up and over, runs back in, and he LARIATS again! The fans fire up with Knight as he goes to a corner. Knight aims, runs in corner to corner, but Mao dodges! Mao runs, but into a DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Mao survives and Knight is stunned but the fans rally up! Knight fires up and the fans rally again. Knight runs up but Mao stops the satellite DDT! Mao BOOTS Knight against the ropes, then runs, but he goes Matrix to avoid Knight’s superkick! Mao BOOTS Knight’s lariat to SHOTEI, but Knight ROCKS Mao with a forearm! Mao REAR HEADBUTTS!
Mao runs, Knight hurdles over to PELE! But Mao tiger-feints and rewinds to SPIN KICK! The fans fire up even more while both men are down! Knight staggers to his feet, Mao ROCKS him with a hard right! Mao reels him in, but Knight suplexes first! The fans fire up and Knight covers, ONE as Mao goes Matrix again! Knight is stunned, runs up on Mao, but blocks a boot. Mao ENZIGIRIS Knight, goes up, only for Knight to go to the UPPER ROOM! The fans fire up as Knight hurries to the apron and then the corner. Knight climbs, but Mao rises again! Mao goes up the ropes to SUPER STEINER Knight in return!
The fans fire up as Mao hurries up top again, but Knight goes back up! But no Upper Room, this is a SUPER DUPER PLEX!! But Mao’s right up!? And so is Knight! But then both men fall over! The fans fire up as Knight and Mao slowly stir. They both rise up, but Knight goes to the apron. Knight springboards, but into a DREAMCAST KICK! Mao reels Knight in and gut wrenches, but Knight TORNADO DDTS free!! Knight roars, runs, but Mao uses the ref as a shield! Then Mao runs to jump over the ref, only for Knight to jump over Mao! ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO!! Mao survives and the fans are thunderous!
Knight and Mao hurry back up, Knight runs up, but Mao stops the satellite again! MICHINOKU DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!?!? The fans rally as hard as they can and Mao aims, SUPERKICK! Cover, MAO WINS!
Winner: Mao, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Knight earns 0)
The Idol Warrior’s Samurai Kick strikes down the Knight! Knight shows respect with a bow, will we see these two meet again down the line? Will Mao soon take over the BOSJ for DDT Pro?
Best of the Super Juniors 32 A Block: Master Wato VS Clark Connors!
The Way of the Grandmaster is once again IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, but that just means he has a target on his back. Will Wato soon owe a golden ticket to this War Dog? Or will Wato be stronger than 100 Proof?
The bell rings and the fans rally up as the two stare down. Connors and Wato circle, the fans rally more, and the two feel things out. Wato stays away from the leg takedown, then they feel out a knuckle lock. They back off, step forward, but Connors KNEES low! Connors ROCKS Wato, CHOPS Wato, then whips Wato. Connors bypasses but Wato hurdles over the backdrop! Connors still ROCKS Wato and has him in a corner. Connors runs in, but Wato BOOTS Connors, then BULLDOGS! The fans fire up with Wato and he KICKS Connors’ leg. And KICKS, and KICKS! Wato snapmares Connors, KICKS him again, then KICKS, KICKS, KICKS!
Connors ducks Wato, shoves him, and then hits the JEEP FLIPPER! Wato tumbles out of the ring but Connors pursues. Connors SMACKS Wato off the apron, then tells fans to move! The Young Lions usher fans out of the way, and Connors BOWLS Wato into the chairs! That was a STRIKE and then some! The fans fire up and even bark with Connors. Connors storms over to Wato, stomps him, then drags him up to his feet. Connors SMACKS Wato of a chair, then brings him back around. Wato fires elbows and CHOPS, but Connors CHOPS back! Wato staggers deeper into the crowd and Connors pursues!
The fans rally as Connors BOWLS Wato into more chairs! Connors has cleared out the whole section! The fans rally as Connors shoves the ref aside. Connors JAMS Wato up with a chair, then tells another section of fans to move! They hurry out of the way as Connors BOWLS Wato into even more chairs! Connors hits a turkey, aka bowling hattrick, and the fans fire up more. The ref reprimands but Connors clears out the chairs so he can stand Wato up. Wato fires body shots and forearms! Wato ROCKS Connors, and then Connors falls onto chairs! This entire area is a mess but Wato drags Connors up.
Connors body shots Wato, then POSTS him! Wato falls in a heap and the fans are torn. Connors intimidates commentary, then he goes looking under the ring. Connors brings out… a TIRE?! Why was one of those under there?! The ref reprimands Connors but Connors shoves him aside! Connors brings the spare tire over and JAMS Wato up! Connors sets the tire down, and he has Wato’s leg! Connors SMASHES Wato’s knee on the hubcap! The fans are torn but maybe so is Wato’s knee! Connors puts Wato in the ring, covers, TWO! Wato stays in this and the fans applaud, but Connors ties the legs up in a knot!
Wato endures, reaches out, and he claws his way to the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer but Connors doesn’t let go. The ref counts so Connors stops at 4. Connors mocks the fans cheering Wato on, then drags Wato to his feet. Connors CHOPS Wato, whips him, but Wato blocks by holding ropes! Connors KNEES low, whips again, btu Wato reverses to ROCK, KNEE, and SHOTGUN Connors to a corner! The fans fire up and Wato rises. Wato runs in, Connors dodges, and Connors comes back, only for Wato to dodge! Wato then reels Connors in for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Connors stays in this but Wato goes to the apron.
Wato slaps his leg into working, then watches Connors rise. Wato springboards but Connors gets under! Wato lands on his feet but his bad leg jams! Connors CHOP BLOCKS the leg! The fans are torn as Wato writhes, but Connors circles like a shark. Connors runs, but Wato catches him to a cradle! TWO!! Wato ROUNDHOUSE, but Connors blocks! And pops Wato up for a SIT-OUT POWERBOMB! Both men are down and the fans fire back up! Connors rises, drags Wato up, then whips, but Wato avoids the powerslam! Wato runs in, tilt-o-whirls, then hooks Connors up, RECIENTEMENTE!! Cover, TWO!!
Connors survives but Wato doesn’t stop! He body scissors and rolls Connors into VENDEVAL!! Connors endures, fights around with his legs, and he rocks the boat, only for Wato to pour on the pressure! Connors still fights, but Wato puts even more pressure on!! Connors powers through to have the ROPEBREAK!! The fans cheer while Wato lets go in frustration. Wato drags Connors up, reels him in, but Connors holds ropes to fight the suplex! Wato KICKS the arms, TSUTEN- NO, Connors mule kicks the legs! Wato SOBATS and runs, but into a POWERSLAM!! Wato rises up, into a SPEAR!! Cover, TWO!!
The fans fire up as Wato survives, and Connors hurries to bring Wato up. Connors puts one out, but Wato fights No Chaser! ROUNDHOUSE, and Wato fires back up! The fans rally, Wato hooks Connors up, RECIENTE- NO, Connors slips free and reels Wato back in! NO CHASER!!! Cover, CONNORS WINS!!
Winner: Clark Connors, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Wato earns 0)
100 Proof gets his clear shot on Wato, and now he has both two points and a golden ticket for it! Will the DEFY Champion soon run the whole Junior Heavyweight Division?
Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: YOH VS Robbie Eagles!
The Direct Drive is also once again IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion alongside Wato, but that means the same target is on his back. Will Yoh owe this Ichiban Sweet Boy a title shot? Or can he shoot down the Sniper of the Skies first?
Wait, Yoh’s near jacket and gear is made with… recycled Ziploc bags? Well, guess that’s one way to stay fresh. The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but Yoh’s height gives him leverage to put Eagles on ropes. The ref counts, Eagles turns things around on Yoh, but he lets off slowly, to kiss Yoh on the cheek. The fans cheer, especially the ladies, and then Eagles asks Yoh for one in return. Yoh steps closer, but Eagles headlocks! Eagles hits the takeover, Yoh headscissors, and Eagles kips free. Roles reverse and Yoh headlocks for a takeover and Eagles headscissors. Yoh kips free, the two stand off, and the fans cheer.
Eagles steps closer and he gives Yoh another kiss on the cheek. Yoh still wants to reciprocate but Eagles says no thanks. Because right now, he wants to “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” “ROBBIE!” “OI!” “ROBBIE!” “OI!” “ROBBIE ROBBIE ROBBIE!” “OI OI OI!” And Yoh kisses Eagles on the cheek three times! The fans cheer and Eagles is stunned. Eagles slaps sense into himself, then SLAPS Yoh! Yoh runs up, Eagles trips him, but Yoh boots him away. Yoh drops down, bypasses, then drop toeholds Eagles! He calls Eagles a “hentai (pervert)” before he DROPKICKS Eagles!
Eagles tumbles out, Yoh PLANCHAS and direct hit! The fans fire up for Yoh, and he uses a fan’s towel to wipe his face. Yoh stalks Eagles, puts him in the ring, then hurries to a corner. The fans rally as Yoh climbs, and he CANNONBALLS! Cover, TWO! The fans rally while Eagles goes to a corner. Yoh stomps Eagles, throws forearms, then wrenches and whips corner to corner. Yoh runs in and ELBOWS Eagles, then turns him, but Eagles SAIDOS free! The fans fire up while both men are down! Eagles covers, TWO! The fans applaud and Eagles sits Yoh up to run and SLIDING KICK! Cover, TWO!
Eagles is annoyed but the fans rally up. Eagles kicks Yoh around, drags him up, and reels him in for a scoop and SLAM! Eagles soaks up the cheers, then covers, TWO! Eagles eggs Yoh on, so Yoh fires a forearm then a kick, and repeat. Eagles kicks low, CHOPS, then whips. Yoh reverses but Eagles stops himself, so Yoh’s dropkick gets nothing. Eagles runs up to roll Yoh into a KNEEBAR! Yoh endures as Eagles grapevines the leg, and the fans rally up. Yoh reaches out, crawls around, and manages the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud and Eagles lets go. Eagles drags Yoh from the ropes to drop a KNEE on the knee!
The fans rally while Eagles paces. Yoh rises up, but Eagles KICKS, KICKS and KICKS! Yoh eggs Eagles on, so Eagles runs to LEG LARIAT! Cover, TWO! The fans rally and Eagles drags Yoh up. Eagles cravats but Yoh fights the rest. Eagles CLUBS away on Yoh, UPPERCUTS, then ASAI- NO, Yoh slips free of the Asai DDT! But Eagles back suplexes! Yoh lands out and waistlocks but Eagles switches and CHOP BLOCKS! Eagles runs, but into a DROPKICK! Both men are down and the fans rally up. Yoh and Eagles go to opposite ends, then they both run up! Yoh rallies with forearm after forearm, then whips, only for Eagles to reverses. But Yoh FLYING FOREARMS!
The fans rally more and Yoh brings Eagles around. Yoh scoops and SLAMS Eagles, then he sets up to soak up cheers. Yoh soaks up quite a lot, and then Yoh ELBOW DROPS! Cover, TWO! KNEE DROP! Cover, TWO, SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Eagles stays in this and the fans rally up again. Yoh brings Eagles around, reels him in, but Eagles fights the suplex! Yoh CLUBS away on Eagles, then brings him up to suplex, only for Eagles to fight free! Eagles wrenches, but Yoh ROCKS him! And ROLLING ELBOWS! Yoh reels Eagles back in, FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Eagles survives and the fans fire up again!
Eagles and Yoh stir and Yoh goes to a corner. Yoh tunes up and the fans rally. Eagles rises, Yoh aims, but Eagles ducks the superkick to trip Yoh and tie up the legs! RON MILLER SPECIAL!! ROPEBREAK, but Eagles brings Yoh up fast, ASAI DDT!! Both men are down again and the fans rally back up. Eagles drags Yoh up, but Yoh breaks free, only for Eagles to KNEE low! And KICK down! Yoh goes to a corner, Eagles runs in, DOUBLE KNEES! Eagles comes back but Yoh BOOTS him! Eagles returns again to BASEMENT 619, but Yoh jumps it! Yoh then JUMP KNEES Eagles! Eagles DOUBLE KNEES Yoh again!
Yoh sits down, Eagles runs in yet again, METEORA! The fans fire up as Eagles drags Yoh to center and covers. TWO, but Eagles stands Yoh up to hook him up! But Yoh fights the backpack to scoop and FALCON GOROSHI! The fans fire up while both men are down, and Yoh clutches his leg. Yoh crawls to the cover, TWO! Yoh clamps on an ANACONDA VICE!! Eagles endures as Yoh uses Tenzan’s signature hold! Eagles fights around, stands up, but Yoh SLAMS Eagles down! Yoh pulls on the hold but Eagles still endures! The fans rally, Eagles reaches out, then manages to sit up! Eagles stands again, fights towards ropes, but Yoh ripcords and reels Eagles in!
DIRECT- NO, Eagles BACKDROPS out of that! Yoh sunset flips but Eagles rolls through! Eagles steps through, but Yoh BOOTS him away! Both men stand and the fans rally. Yoh ROCKS Eagles, Eagles kicks the leg, and both men back up. Yoh slaps his leg into working, and DOUBLE FOREARMS collide! DOUBLE FOREARMS collide again! And then again! Both men stagger all the way back to the ropes, for DOUBLE I’LL BE BACK! Eagles and Yoh SUPERKICK each other down! The fans fire up and both men go to corners. Eagles runs in, Yoh pops him up! Eagles lands on the apron, KICKS the leg out, then springboards to SNIPER DROPKICK!
The fans fire up as Yoh flounders! Eagles aims again, HYPER- NO, Yoh ducks that and rolls Eagles. Eagles rolls through but Yoh blocks the superkick! But Eagles stops the dragon screw, grabs an arm, and YANKS Yoh up to the fireman’s carry! Eagles shifts Yoh around to the TURBO BACKPACK!! Cover, TWO!!! Yoh survives and Eagles is shocked! The fans fire up as Eagles takes aim, BASEMENT SUPERKICK! Eagles hurries up top, takes aim, and WARP 4.5!! Direct hit on Yoh’s legs, and then Eagles steps through. But Yoh cradle counters! TWO!! Eagles escapes but he and Yoh fight for facelock control!
Yoh suplexes, Eagles slips through to waistlock, but Yoh switches! Yoh half nelsons, but Eagles fights the suplex! Yoh powers up and gets the full nelson! Eagles breaks free, but Yoh hops up to POISON-RANA!! Eagles rises, into a SUPERKICK!! The fans fire up and Yoh powers up again! Yoh drags Eagles up and in, DIRECT- NO, Eagles arm-drags and steps through, but Yoh turns Ron Miller Special into an O’Conner! STAR GAZE- NO, Eagles pushes on the bad leg! Yoh falls forward and Eagles ties the legs up! RON MILLER SPECIAL!!! Yoh endures, flails, and claws at the mat while the fans rally! Eagles drags Yoh away from ropes, YOH TAPS! EAGLES WINS!!
Winner: Robbie Eagles, by submission (gains 2 points; Yoh earns 0)
Both IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions have lost! A golden ticket to Clark Connors, a golden ticket to Robbie Eagles, will Wato & Yoh be busy after the Best of the Super Juniors? Will Eagles use this win to go for the trophy?
Best of the Super Juniors 32 B Block: Ryusuke Taguchi VS Taiji Ishimori!
The Funky Weapon and the Bone Soldier have had quite a few battles through this tournament series, and more often than not, #ItsReborn! But will Taiji keep up that streak #ByGrace? Or will Taguchi finally get lucky here in the main event?
The bell rings and the fans rally behind “TA-GU-CHI!” Taguchi and Taiji circle, feel things out, then clinch. They go around, Taiji facelocks, but Taguchi wrenches out. Taiji wrenches in return and hammerlocks but Taguchi moves around. They stand, Taguchi switches the hammerlock, but Taiji drop toeholds. Taiji floats but Taguchi slips out the back to hammerlock again. The fans applaud this technical exchange, and Taguchi hooks an arm for a cover, TWO! Taguchi holds onto Taiji but Taiji fights up. Taiji wrenches out, but Taguchi rolls, trips Taiji and has the toehold. Taiji goes for an armbar but Taguchi goes for the leg!
Taiji scrambles forward and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans applaud and Taguchi lets go. Taguchi scoots back and keeps his eyes on Taiji. The fans rally as Taiji stands and the two reset. They circle, tie up again, and Taiji headlocks. Taguchi powers up and out and RAMS shoulders with Taiji! The fans cheer as Taiji dares Taguchi to run. Taguchi runs, they RAM shoulders again, and now Taiji runs. Taguchi drops down, hurdles, but Taiji waistlocks. Taguchi elbows free, whips to arm-drag, then he RAMS Taiji! Taguchi springboards to FLYING ARM-DRAG! And DROPKICK! The fans fire up as the Dropkick Master returns!
Taiji bails out but Taguchi builds speed! Taiji runs away but Taguchi rolls back and swivels them hips! Then Taguchi does the dance moves! The fans cheer but Taiji is annoyed. Taiji rushes up but Taguchi HIP ATTACKS him down! Taguchi slingshots, but Taiji YANKS him down! Taguchi hits apron then the floor, and Taiji stomps him. Taiji drags Taguchi around and CATAPULTS him into the POST! Taguchi falls and clutches his arm but the fans rally up. Taiji paces around the outside while Red Shoes checks Taguchi. Taguchi is okay to continue, but Taiji undoes the blue buckle pad! Red Shoes is none the wiser as he starts the ring count.
Taguchi shakes out the bad arm while he’s down on the mat. We go past 5 of 20, then past 10. Taguchi stands at 14 and the fans applaud. Taguchi hears 17 and rolls in at 19! The fans cheer as Taguchi maximizes his rest time, but then Taiji stomps Taguchi down! Taiji pulls on Taguchi’s bad arm, twists the wrist, and even stands on Taguchi’s face! Red Shoes reprimands, and it sounds like a young fan in the crowd shouts at Taiji. Taiji tries to spot the kid but he just pulls on Taguchi’s arm more. Taguchi fights up, but Taiji hammerlocks and POSTS him! The fans boo as Taguchi is stuck in the bare corner. Taiji brings Taguchi out to snapmare and FIST DROP! Cover, TWO!
The fans cheer but Taiji keeps Taguchi down with an armlock! Taguchi endures, and he reaches out to a ROPEBREAK with his foot! The fans cheer but Taiji holds on! Red Shoes reprimands and counts, Taiji lets go at 4, and the fans rally more. Taiji has Taguchi on the apron and drags him up. Taiji wrenches to HOTSHOT the arm! Taguchi drops to the apron and rolls in, clutching that shoulder. Taiji grins and looms over Taguchi. Taguchi CHOPS from below, but Taiji CLUBS him! Taguchi CHOPS again, but Taiji CLUBS Taguchi again! Taiji then grabs the bad arm for a STRAIGHT ARM BAR! Taguchi scrambles around again, ROPEBREAK!
Taiji still holds on so Red Shoes counts again. Taiji lets go at 4 and Taguchi crawls to the ropes. Taguchi kicks from below but Taiji eggs him on. Taguchi kicks more, so Taiji stomps him down! Taiji taunts the fans as they rally up for Taguchi. Taiji drags Taguchi up, Taguchi fires body shots, and the fans rally again. Taguchi runs, but jumps into an atomic drop! Taiji runs, btu Taguchi follows! Only to get another atomic drop! Taiji laughs while Taguchi drops to his knees. Taiji waistlocks but Taguchi fires elbows. Taguchi runs but fakes Taiji out, and then HIP ATTACKS! Then Taguchi TRIANGLE JUMP PLANCHAS! Direct hit and the fans cheer!
Taguchi still clutches the bad arm and shakes it out, but both he and Taiji are down as the ring count starts. Taguchi sits up at 6, drags Taiji up at 10, and puts him in at 11. Taguchi steps in and HIP DROPS! And HIP DROPS! And HIP DROPS again! Taguchi then goes back out to the apron, and he fires the fans up for the SLINGSHOT HIP DROP, but onto knees! Taiji turns things around on Taguchi and Taguchi hobbles away to a corner. Taiji runs in, but Taguchi BOOTS him! Taguchi goes up to get Taiji for the DEADLY BUTT SHADE! Taiji staggers back, Taguchi goes up, FLYING HIP ATTACK! The fans fire up and Taguchi covers, TWO!
Taguchi kips up and the fans fire up! Taguchi calls upon the powers of Strange Style, “ORYA~!” KETSU- NO, Taiji rolls Taguchi up! TWO!! Taiji ROCKS Taguchi, whips, but Taguchi reverses. Taiji handsprings to NEURALIZER KICK! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Taiji hobbles over to Taguchi, drags him up, and gut wrenches. Taguchi slips free and waistlocks but Taiji switches. Taguchi drop toeholds but Taiji scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! Taguchi still uses OH MY GAH ANKLE!! Red Shoes reprimands, Taguchi stops, but then he drops KNEE after KNEE on Taiji’s ankle! Taguchi drags Taiji up and chicken wings!
DODON TO THE- NO, Taiji blocks the knees and deadlifts Taguchi into the CIPHER UTA- NO!! OH MY GAH- NO, VICTORY ROLL! TWO!! Taiji runs up, Taguchi dodges, ENZIGIRI! Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Taiji and Taguchi stir, and fans rally as Taguchi stands. Taguchi chicken wings but Taiji fights the lift! Taguchi CHOPS Taiji on the back, runs, but Taiji catches and spins him, to POST him again! Red Shoes reprimands but Taiji grabs Taguchi’s arm. Taiji hammerlocks one then half nelsons the other, but Taguchi fights the lift! Taiji powers through to hoist Taguchi up, SHOULDER BUSTER!
The fans rally while Taguchi writhes, and Taiji aims from the corner. Taguchi rises, Taiji runs in, LA MYST- NO, Taguchi powers through to roll Taiji up! TWO, and OH MY GAH ANKLE!! Taiji crawls, reaches out, but Taguchi drags him back! But Taiji drags Taguchi down! FUJIWARA, into the BONE LOCK!! Taguchi endures, fights around, reaches out, but Taiji rolls him away from ropes! Taguchi pops free to OH MY GAH ANKLE!! Taiji flails and reaches out, then grabs Red Shoes! Taiji YANKS Red Shoes into Taguchi, and that undoes the hold! Taguchi hurries back, but Taiji BOOTS Taguchi into Red Shoes!
The fans boo as Red Shoes goes down, but Taguchi rushes up on Taiji! Taiji slips around and hooks the arm, to LOW BLOW MULE KICK!! The fans boo more but Taiji GEDO CLUTCHES, TWO!!! Taguchi survives Taiji’s sneaky tactics and the fans fire up! Taiji, Taguchi and Red Shoes all slowly stand back up, and Taiji hobbles over to Taguchi. Taiji drags Taguchi up, but Taguchi is a ragdoll! Taiji snarls and he drags Taguchi up all the same, BLOODY- NO, Taguchi rolls through, and then has the OH MY GAH ANKLE!!! Taiji endures, Taguchi keeps him from ropes, and Taguchi pushes on that leg! The fans rally as hard as they can as Taguchi puts on the pressure!
Taiji grits his teeth, reaches out, but Taguchi twists the ankle more! Taiji fights forward, Taguchi drags him back, and repeat! Taguchi then yanks Taiji into the DODON BUSTER!!! Cover, TWO!?!? Taiji survives, but Taguchi just goes for OH MY GAH ANKLE!!!! The fans rally for Taguchi but Taiji rolls! Taguchi holds on!! Taguchi ELBOW DROPS the leg, then TWISTS the ankle!!! Taiji endures, but he TAPS!! TAGUCHI WINS!!!
Winner: Ryusuke Taguchi, by submission (gains 2 points; Taiji earns 0)
Taiji tried and tried, but who knew Taguchi would take this one so seriously? Will it only be #ByGrace that Taiji can turn this around and reach the top?
As for Taguchi, he ices his arm while the fans cheer him on. Then he gets the mic to say, “Thank you for the chants.” The fans cheer, and Taguchi continues, “Thank you all for so many of you showing up here in Iwanuma, and thank you for all the support.” The fans cheer again, and Taguchi adds that he’d like to thank Mayo Junichi Sato, as well as the Iwanuma City Board of Education. “The elementary and middle school kids were able to come here for free today, so we got so much support from the kids. For you to understand how pro-wrestling can give you strength is something that brings me so much joy.”
The fans applaud that, too, and Taguchi hopes they’ve all found a new hobby today in pro-wrestling. Please keep watching pro-wrestling, as there are so many great wrestlers for you to discover and enjoy. He hopes watching wrestling makes their lives more fun. He wishes them all the best. The fans applaud, and Taguchi says not just his opponent tonight, Taiji, but also Yoh and Mao are from here in the Miyagi Prefecture. “We produce a lot of great wrestlers, but I guess the Saito brothers are most famous.” The fans have a good laugh at that, and Taguchi says he hopes he can be like them in terms of popularity. Please continue to support him!
The fans applaud, and Taguchi says Hirooki Goto is leading NJPW and his Goto Revolution. The fans do applaud that, and Taguchi says he is willing to follow Goto. The G in IWGP may be for Goto, but the T in “The” that is in “Best of The Super Juniors” will now stand for Taguchi! The fans do like the sound of that. Taguchi says the BOSJ’s T will send his love to Iwanuma today. The fans like that, and Taguchi sees the cheerers are here, as is the mascot! The fans applaud and “Chief Clerk Iwanuma” waves. Taguchi says this is also on NJPW World, so this is good promotion around Japan and the world. You will see how great Iwanuma is today!
So, let’s go! The T in Best of the Super Juniors is for Taguchi! Iwanuma, daisuki desu~!” And since it’s been awhile, let’s do that, huh? The fans cheer and clap along as Taguchi does his dance! Will the Funky Weapon get even funkier as this tournament goes on? Will he lead the Junior Heavyweight Division just as Goto leads all of NJPW?
Here are the updated A Block standings!
Hiromu Takahashi: 1-0, 2 points
Dragon Dia: 1-0, 2 points
Kosei Fujita: 1-0, 2 points
Ninja Mack: 1-0, 2 points
Clark Connors: 1-0, 2 points
Master Wato: 0-1, 0 points
KUSHIDA: 0-1, 0 points
Yoshinobu Kanemaru: 0-1, 0 points
Francesco Akira: 0-1, 0 points
Robbie X: 0-1, 0 points
Here are the updated B Block standings!
El Desperado: 1-0, 2 points
Nick Wayne: 1-0, 2 points
MAO: 1-0, 2 points
Robbie Eagles: 1-0, 2 points
Ryusuke Taguchi: 1-0, 2 points
Kevin Knight: 0-1, 0 points
Titan: 0-1, 0 points
SHO: 0-1, 0 points
YOH: 0-1, 0 points
Taiji Ishimori: 0-1, 0 points
My Thoughts:
A great second day for BOSJ’s opening weekend. Mack VS Robbie X was immediately a high bar with that extra special Ninja Special Mack pulled off, and even how the finish came about with that spin kick into a cradle. Knight VS Mao also had some great innovation, and a great first win for Mao in his first-ever BOSJ. Connors and Eagles each getting a win over the tag team champions was a bit surprising, but they could do some big stuff with the tag teams after the tournament. I did like Connors using a tire in this match, and it sounds like that’s part of a new gimmick or something he’s doing. Yoh’s Ziplock outfit is pretty fun, too.
And great stuff out of the main event with getting “Serious Taguchi” here tonight. Taguchi is usually such a jokester so it’s great when he busts out a banger like this, especially when he wins. I appreciate Taguchi giving such a promo where he genuinely wants the kids to know pro-wrestling can be a hobby but also a career. I also like that he brought out the comedy here, copying Goto’s “the G in IWGP is for Goto” but to where it’s something irrelevant. Taguchi rising back up as a serious contender would be something to see, especially with all these crossovers.
My Score: 9/10
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CM Punk is back! Will Seth Rollins’ vision already be in trouble?
Last Monday Night Raw, CM Punk & Sami Zayn helped Jey Uso against Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker. What happens tonight as they’re all in Louisville?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- PENTA VS Chad Gable; Penta wins.
- The War Raiders VS The Creed Brothers w/ Chad Gable; The Creed Brothers win.
- AJ Styles VS Finn Balor w/ Judgment Day; Styles wins.
- Iyo Sky & Rhea Ripley VS Giulia & Roxanne Perez; Iyo & Rhea win.
PLAY BY PLAY
WWE mourns the loss of “Sabu,” Terry Brunk.
CM Punk is here!
Louisville fires up for the Best in the World, and they know, “IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME~!” Punk goes to the ring, grabs a mic, and asks, “Is it great to be alive on a Monday night in Louisville, Kentucky or what? I’m a pissed off man but I’m fortunate enough to say that this is my home! All the dust has settled from WrestleMania, and I waited a few weeks, and I’ve nursed a few injuries and a lot of hurt feelings, but I can’t shake being pissed off!” The fans cheer that! Punk says he has a lot of enemies. It’s really easy to list off who he’s NOT pissed off at. But number one with a bullet, a big, fat bullet…
The person that Punk is most pissed off at right now… is himself. The fans are surprised to hear that, but Punk says yeah, he’s mad at himself, mostly because we’ve been here before. This isn’t the first time Paul Heyman stabbed Punk in the back. Stab him in the back once, shame on you. Stab him in the back twice, shame on him. But he though the could trust his friend. Almost 12 years ago, Heyman smashed a ladder into Punk’s head, gave him 13 staples right down the middle, and they moved past that. At least, he thought they had. They had grown and matured as humans, or at least Punk knows Punk had.
And apologies to Jey Uso, but when Punk came back to the WWE, Jey had warned him about Paul Heyman, but Heyman is Heyman. Heyman is who he always has been: a fat little snake! So yeah, while Punk is pissed at Heyman, he’s more upset with himself. He might be upset with “Temu Punk,” Seth Rollins, but Punk will get them all. But we know how this ends, we’ve been down this road, Heyman knows how this ends, Punk can’t wait to get his hands around Heyman’s fat neck and squeeze until Heyman’s eyes pop out. But “Ladies and gentlemen…!” Punk says good, where are you, Penguin?!
Heyman storms out to the stage and Punk dares him to explain why he did what he did. And Wise Man, understand that whatever words you choose, they will be your last! But before that, here comes Rollins! The fans sing and Punk says that’s all Rollins is! But Rollins also has Bron Breakker by his side, and the trio stands together on stage. Rollins, in his all rattlesnake skin ensemble, is handed the mic. The fans chant for Punk but Rollins says, “Just when I think you can’t get any more selfish or any more egotistical, you find a way to top yourself. This man, Paul Heyman, was your best friend! Your best friend! And you made his life HELL on the Road to WrestleMania!
“And now you are out here in front of the entire world, gaslighting all of us, trying to make us believe that he betrayed you?” The fans seem to agree. Rollins says Punk makes him sick! Heyman believed in Punk for YEARS! YEARS, when no one else did. But y’know what Rollins believes? He believes Punk is scum, is trash, is excrement, and that he was right about Punk all along. And just when Rollins thinks he can’t hate Punk more than he already does, Punk stands there in that ring as THE reason Rollins is not World Heavyweight Champion right now! Punk says Rollins ain’t ever gonna be champ as long as Punk’s on two feet.
The fans cheer and Rollins groans. The fans chant for Punk but Rollins and Heyman chuckle. What is Punk’s deal? Does he love punishment? Does he love suffering? Does he love being on the wrong side of history? Wait, wait, wait. Rollins gets it now. Punk loves to play the victim. Punk loves to come out here and boo hoo, poor CM Punk~! Punk so desperately so wants to be a victim, he so desperately wants to die a martyr… The fans bark in anticipation, and Rollins says he believes that can be arranged. Rollins hopes Punk has prepared his last words. And with that, Bron is sent to the ring like the attack dog he is!
Punk says is the little doggy gonna bark or bite. And then the brawl is on! Bron RAMS Punk in the corner again and again, rains down fists, and the fans boo as Rollins swaggers into the ring. Bron runs but Punk BOOTS him! And TACKLES Rollins! The fans fire up but now it’s 2v1 as Bron gets back on Punk! But wait! Here comes Sami Zayn! Sami fires hands on Bron, then on Rollins! The fans fire up but Bron picks Sami up! EXPLODER! Punk is up to brawl with Rollins, but Bron joins in again! They mug Punk, and Heyman brings a chair! The fans boo but wait! JEY USO IS HERE! SUPERKICK and the chair is down!
Rollins and Jey brawl, Bron goes after Jey, it’s another 2v1 mugging! But then Sami is back, as is Punk, and they have chairs! They chase off Rollins, Bron & Heyman! The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” but Rollins has Bron stand down. Will Punk, Sami & Jey turn the tide when it’s their three against Rollins’ three?
PENTA VS Chad Gable w/ Ivy Nile!
While he still has #CeroMiedo, he also has zero titles because one way or another, Judgment Day screws him over! Of course, it was “El Grande Americano” who factored into things at Backlash, so Penta knows exactly who to go after this time! At least, maybe? Will Penta prove Gable and Grande are one in the same? Or will Gable #SHOOOOSH all the conspiracy theory noise?
Raw returns as Gable makes his entrance. Penta wants right after him but the ref keeps him back. And just as Michael Cole is wondering if Pat McAfee will make it tonight’s show, Pat arrives! Louisville cheers Pat and he gives high-fives on his way to commentary, still in one piece after his battle with Gunther. He even still has energy to hop up onto the desk to salute the fans.
The bell rings and Gable is a bit off balance from Pat’s entrance. Penta CLOBBERS Gable, stomps away on him, then KICKS Gable’s leg! Penta CHOPS Gable, CHOPS again, then CHOPS again! Penta whips, Gable ducks ‘n’ dodges to FLYING HEADBUTT! Gable rains down fists, then he paces around in a huff. Gable CHOPS Penta down, CHOPS him again, and CHPOS him again! Gable whips, then CLOBBERS Penta! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Penta and Gable is annoyed by that. Gable drags Penta up, but Penta fires body shots! Penta ELBOWS Gable, whips, but Gable reverses. Gable ELBOWS Penta down and he then hits a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO!
Gable is annoyed but the fans rally for Penta. Gable drags Penta up, whips corner to corner hard, and Penta falls! Gable storms up to put Penta on the top rope. Gable climbs up, pulls on Penta’s mask, but the fans boo. Gable pries at the mask now but the ref reprimands. Penta fires elbows and Gable falls back! Penta leaps to FLYING ARM-DRAG! Gable is up, Penta ducks ‘n’ dodges and RANAS! Gable tumbles out, Penta says “CERO! MIEDO!” and builds speed. Gable moves, Penta adjusts to PLANCHA, but Gable HEADBUTTS him down! Gable shouts, “Lucha Libre SUCKS!” and fans boo, but Raw goes to break.
Raw returns and the fans rally for Penta as he fights up. Penta fires elbows and is free of the chinlock, only for Gable to throat chop! Gable whips, Penta reveres, but Gable ducks ‘n’ dodges, only for Penta to SUPERKICK! Both men are down, Ivy is worried, and the fans rally up. Penta runs in at the corner to GAMANGIRI! Gable sits down, Penta headstands and SWINGING DROPKICKS! The fans fire up and Penta covers, TWO! Penta is annoyed but he shakes out his arm and brings Gable up. Penta half nelsons, pump handles, but Gable slips around to shove. Penta springboards but Gable catches him to a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!
Penta escapes and Gable is upset. Gable drags Penta to the center of the ring, then goes up a corner. Gable DIVING HEADBUTTS into a CODE BREAKER!! Cover, TWO!! The fans fire up while both men are down, and Gable flounders away. Penta rises up and the fans rally. Penta storms up, KICKS and CHOPS Gable, then CHOPS again! Gable whips, Penta goes up, stumbles, but still goes up! Gable grabs ropes to fight the backstabber, then BUCKS Penta away! Gable goes up, MOONSAULTS, cover, TWO!! But into an ANKLE LOCK!! Penta rolls to throw Gable away, and then SUPERKICK! Cover, TWO!!
The fans fire up while both men are down again! Penta calls his shot, hammerlocks an arm, and he SLAPS Gable into giving up the other arm! But Gable powers out and has the ANKLE LOCK!! Penta endures, fights forward, and reaches out, only for Gable to drag him back! Penta fights up and rolls to victory roll! TWO, and Gable rolls Penta up! TWO! Gable throat chops Penta again! Gable hauls Penta up to the top rope, then climbs up after him! They are on the very top, but Penta fights with body shots! Gable gives shots back, then talks trash, but Penta tells him CERO MIEDO! Penta SHOVES Gable, Gable lands out, but Penta hits a FLYING DESTROYER!! Cover, Penta wins!!
Winner: Penta, by pinfall
Gable tried to belittle lucha libre, but it backfired! Penta comes through and gets even with at least one enemy, but will he even the score with “El Grande” and Judgment Day soon enough?
Roxanne Perez & Giulia speak.
Roxie says, “Tonight, The Prodigy & The Beautiful Madness take on the Genius of the Sky and Rhea Ripley. And I think we’ve made it very, very clear that this division isn’t safe anymore.” Giulia says in Japanese, “They are strong, but we are hungry. We didn’t come here to wait our turn. We came to take over.” Roxie says that means going after the very top. Iyo, Rhea, they don’t give a damn about your history because they’re here to make their own! You are looking at the future of this industry. And the future starts tonight. Will these former NXT Women’s Champions put the WWE Women’s World Champion & Mami in the past?
Judgment Day meets in the clubhouse.
Carlito knows with Liv Morgan off making her movie, Raquel Rodriguez doesn’t have anyone to hang out with, so he offers to hang out with her. Maybe get something to eat? Raquel rolls her eyes, but Dom finishes a phone call with Liv. Liv says she misses Dom, but the filming is going great. Though, she said “Good morning,” but it’s night here. JD McDonagh says surely this isn’t the first time Dom’s heard about time zones. Dom says he doesn’t really pay attention to that. But he does need to talk with Finn about something real quick. He knows at Backlash, Finn hesitated with the chair and that almost cost Dom. If not for Grande-
Whoa, easy, Dom. Don’t get all paranoid like Damian and Rhea. Remember what they were like as champions? It didn’t go smoothly, sure, but it all worked out, and Dom is still the champ. Finn pats the title, and says he’ll handle Styles for Dom. Dom knows he will. They fist bump and Finn heads out, and JD tells Dom they’ll explain this. The light is the sun, and this skull is Earth. When the Earth turns, the light is somewhere else. Liv is probably over here where there’s sunlight. Rudimentary science aside, will The Prince come through for the champ and cross off a phenomenal contender?
The fans cheer Pat’s match at Backlash.
Pat stands on the desk again and waves to Louisville. For what was shown in the highlight reel, everyone was making sure he was okay before letting him out here. Pat admits everything is sore head to toe. He got a blood vessel popped in his eye, but he is sure he gave something to Gunther. Pat has respect for everyone who gets in that ring, and he hopes Gunther has respect a bit for him and Cole.
BREAKING NEWS for Saturday Night’s Main Event in Tampa!
Saturday, May 24th, Sami Zayn & CM Punk will have a tag team match against Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker!
Sami and Punk regroup backstage.
Sami says the two of them, SNME, taking on Rollins & Bron. Is Punk good? Punk is, but he isn’t. He can’t really trust anybody right now. Fair enough. Sami gets that given he had a hard time trusting Punk back at WarGames. But it all worked out, right? And Sami isn’t stupid, he knows Punk likes to do things his way, has his goals. Sami isn’t that different. Sami has his ambitions, too. But the truth is, neither of them are going to get anything done if Rollins & Bron are in the way. Punk says that’s no lie. Sami says all they gotta do is work together and take Rollins’ team out. Punk agrees, they fist bump, and things are set. But will Punk & Sami be able to stop “the vision?”
The New Day is here!
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods strut out to the ring because the WWE World Tag Team Champions want to “grace us with their presence” on commentary. That, and they want to watch Julius & Brutus Creed fight Erik & Ivar in hopes of stopping the War Raiders from earning their title rematch. Will the Creeds come through for the New Day? Or will the raid have its redemption? We find out, after the break.
The War Raiders VS The Creed Brothers!
Raw returns and both teams have made their entrances. The teams sort out, Erik and Julius tie up, and Erik snapmares to a cover, ONE! Julius snapmares to a cover, ONE! Erik runs, Julius drops down then hurdles over. Erik scoops to SLAM Julius, then he tags Ivar. New Day argue with Michael Cole how they cheated at Mania but Cole tried to help Pat by cheating at Backlash! Brutus tags in, he and Ivar circle, but Ivar scoops Brutus to SLAM! Tag to Erik, Julius runs in, but Ivar scoops and SLAMS him! Erik scoops and SLAMS Brutus, then they say “UP!” Erik scoops and SLAMS Ivar onto Brutus! The fans fire up with the Raiders!
Brutus sputters but Erik brings him up. Erik whips, Brutus ducks ‘n’ dodges and Julius sneaks a tag. Erik CLOBBERS Brutus but Julius LARIATS Erik! Julius ROCKS Erik, tags Brutus, and they mug Erik. The Creeds stomp a mudhole in, but stop as the ref counts. The fans boo but New Day puts the Creed Brothers over. Julius tags back in, the Creeds stomp another mudhole, and then they stop at 4. The fans rally, Erik fires body shots, and Erik backs Julius down, until Julius RAMS Erik into the corner! Brutus tags in and the Creeds continue to mug Erik! The ref counts, Erik gets away, and Brutus hits an AX HANDLE!
Tag back to Julius, he facelocks Erik, then BACKDROPS! Julius sucker punches Ivar, but Erik ELBOWS him away! Erik TOSESS Julius onto Brutus! New Day say Ivar is down because he’s a bad partner! Erik says forget it, and he DIVES, into a haymaker! Julius drags Erik out along the ropes, DRAPING BRAINBUSTER to the floor! The Creeds fire up, the New Day applaud, but the fans boo as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns, Ivar runs and SPLASHES Julius! Julius goes to a corner, Ivar whips him corner to corner, but Julius reverses. Ivar comes back with a SEATED SENTON! Brutus is in, Ivar cartwheels and LEG LARIATS! The fans fire up with Ivar, “WAR! WAR! WAR!” Ivar runs corner to corner and BRONCO BUSTERS Julius! Julius sputters into the drop zone and Ivar climbs. But Julius springs up after Ivar! Brutus tags in, Julius hits a SUPER DUPER PLEX for the Power! MOONSAULT from Brutus for the Glory! Cover, TWO!! Ivar is showing that grit, and then he catches Julius for a SPINNING POWERSLAM!
Both men crawl, Erik tags in! Erik intercepts Brutus to EXPLODER! Erik wrenches Julius to EXPLODER! Tag back to Ivar, then Ivar tags Erik back in. Ivar LARIATS, then feeds Julius to Erik’s KNEE! Erik picks Ivar up, SPINEBUSTER HIP ATTACK!! Cover, but Brutus breaks it! Brutus then CLOBBERS Ivar! Erik DECKS Brutus! Julius JUMP KNEES Erik! All four men are down, even New Day applaud this great match. Kofi takes credit for making this match, and then Julius and Brutus crawl to their corner. Erik crawls over, hot tags to Ivar and Brutus! Brutus ducks the leg lariat, and ANGLE SLAMS Ivar!!
Tag back to Julius and the Creeds double whip. Ivar breaks the double lariats, and then handsprings, but into a DOUBLE BACK SUPLEX!! Cover, ERIK KNEES JULIUS! Erik TOSSES Brutus, but Brutus drags Erik out! Erik DECKS Brutus then shouts for Ivar to rise! Woods gets closer, but Erik glares at him. The fans boo New Day while Ivar climbs. But wait, Kofi sneaks over to ROCK Ivar!! Brutus CLOBBERS Erik from behind! Julius tags Brutus, then Electric Chair Lifts Ivar! BRUTUS BALL DOOMSDAY!! Cover, Creed Brothers win!!
Winners: The Creed Brothers, by pinfall
New Day cheers on as their choices for this match win out! Will this lead to an American Made title opportunity?
Rollins and group regroup backstage.
Rollins looks at Bron seething in frustration, but Rollins says they probably think they got one over on “us.” “They probably think they’ve got us backed against the wall. They might even feel like they’re winning this battle. And maybe they feel like I’ve underestimated them.” Rollins chuckles and says, “They have no idea what I am capable of.” Bron calms down, and Rollins tells him there’s one more thing Bron has to do tonight before he leaves. Rollins whispers his instructions, and tells Bron to have fun with it. Bron smiles, what will Rollins’ attack dog do before the night is over?
Adam Pearce talks with Jey Uso.
The Raw General Manager knows the WWE World Heavyweight Champion was going to hear it at some point, but he wanted Jey to hear it from Pearce first. Jey says, “Yeet,” and they fist bump. Jey is now headed to gorilla, what news will he have to relay to the WWE Universe?
Jey Uso heads to the ring!
Louisville is ready to be #YEETVILLE as Main Event Jey makes his way through the crowd. They bounce along with that Day One Ish, and Jey even joins a young fan in the YEET! Jey reaches ringside, daps it up with Pat & Cole, then the YEET continues as Jey steps into the ring. Louisville is fired up even as Jey gets the mic, and they want that “ONE MORE TIME! ONE MORE TIME!” Jey hears the people, and he figures he’ll give the people what they want. Time for an encore of Day One Ish! Jey then says, “The World Heavyweight Champion, Main Event Jey Uso, is now in your citaaay~!” The fans cheer, and Jey feels that energy.
Jey says there’s a lot going on. “YEET!” Big target on his big back. “YEET!” So let him get something off his big chest. “YEET!” “Logan Paul! You talking out the side of your neck, Uce. You say I’m not championship material. You say I’ve got a glass jaw. He keep on duckin’ me, he keep on sneakin’ me. But look, tho. At Saturday Night Main Event, it’s me and you, Uce. Yeah, yeah! Face to face, aight? Face to face. Two time world shocker, the arena shaker. I promise you this, after that Saturday night, I still will be your world-” GUNTHER IS HERE?! The fans are shocked to see Der Ring General interrupting, but perhaps this should’ve been expected.
Gunther goes to the ring, grabs himself a mic, and the fans taunt him with, “You Tapped Out!” Gunther is a bit annoyed by that, but he focuses on Jey. “The unimaginable came true. Jey Uso: World Heavyweight Champion. It’s the first time since that moment that we meet again.” Jey says, “You mean the moment where I made you tap out?” The fans cheer and keep chanting, “You Tapped Out!” Gunther says he understands what Jey is doing. Gunther knows what it is like to be a champion. 80% of his time here in WWE, he has been a champion. There is a lot of pressure on Jey right now.
But just because Gunther understands doesn’t mean his opinion has changed. He can feel this is not natural to Jey. Because unlike Gunther, Jey is not a natural champion. And since Jey likes to run his mouth, Gunther is surprised Jey hasn’t spread the news. Let this be Gunther’s pleasure. As Pearce told Jey earlier tonight, the winner of Jey VS Logan will have the honor of handing that title over to its rightful owner, DER RING GENERAL, GUNTHER! Jey, in one month from now, June 9th, Phoenix, Arizona, Gunther challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship on Monday Night Raw!
“And Jey… I really do hope it’s you. Because I would love nothing more than to shut you and all these people up for good! I would love nothing more than to get into this ring with you again, and remind you of where your place is! Jey-” Jey stops Gunther there and takes off the sunglasses. Remind him of his place? He is IN his place! THIS is his place! Jey runs this place! With this title on his arm, Jey will handle that YouTuber, and then he will run it back with Der Ring General! Jey will walk into this match the same way he walked out of WrestleMania: The WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! Four letters, one word… Uh, uh, YEET!!
The fans fire up with the very fired up Jey Uso! But from Saturday Night’s Main Event to a hot Raw in Phoenix, will this be the Summer of YEET?
Iyo Sky speaks.
In a mix of Japanese and English, the Women’s World Champion says, “I tried to show Roxanne respect last week. But all she and Giulia proved is that talented as they are in the ring, they don’t deserve any respect! Tonight, you’ll both learn the same lessons that Bianca and Rhea did at WrestleMania. Nobody in this division can stop me. Nobody in this division will ever take this championship from Iyo Sky!” The Genius is ready, but will she and Mami get along in tonight’s main event?
Backstage interview with Ludwig Kaiser.
Jackie Redmond is with the Impeccable German, and says last year was such a breakout year for him. He got wins over Sheamus, Bron Breakker, was a top contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but now we’re almost halfway into 2025, and it feels like we haven’t seen Kaiser in competition that much. The question is- Wait, something is going down! Bron just attacked Jey! Bron knocked Jey down into a road case, then he leaves as producers and refs hurry over. Was this on Rollins’ orders? Sami rushes in and wants to know what happened, and the others explain it was Bron. Punk also hurries over, Sami calls for medics, is Jey going to be okay?
AJ Styles VS Finn Balor w/ Judgment Day!
The Phenomenal One told everyone in the club that whoever had the WWE Intercontinental Championship after Backlash, Styles would be after them next. Dirty Dom is still the self-proclaimed greatest Intercontinental Champion ever, but will Finn remind everyone why he was the original Universal Champion? Or will Styles make sure things are too sweet tonight?
The bell rings and the fans rally as the two circle. They tie up, Finn hits a headlock takeover but Styles headscissors. Finn kips free, the two reset, and the fans cheer on Styles. Styles and Finn tie up again, Finn goes for an arm to wrench and wristlock, but Styles rolls, only for Finn to wrangle him. Finn kneels on the arm but Styles kips up. Styles wrenches back, but Finn rolls and hooks a leg, Styles fights the takedown to wrangle Finn now. Finn kips up, but into the headlock! Styles has Finn down but Finn rolls to headlock back! The fans rally as Styles rolls to a cover, ONE! Finn holds on, Styles powers up and out, and Styles hurdles, drops down, then DROPKICKS!
Finn flounders out of the ring and the fans fire up! JD & Carlito help Finn focus but a ring count begins. Styles waits on his old friend, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns and Finn RAMS into Styles at the corner again and again! The ref counts, Finn lets off and soaks up heat with the Too Sweet. Finn then storms up on Styles, but Styles BOOTS him! Styles scoops for a BACKBREAKER and the fans cheer. Styles drags Finn up, snap suplexes, then floats to a cover, ONE!! Finn is tougher than that but the fans still cheer Styles. Styles stays on Finn, brings him up, and he scoops Finn to SLAM him down! The fans rally, Styles runs, KNEE DROP! Finn flounders away to a corner but Styles is right on him. Finn kicks low, puts Styles in the corner and CHOPS! Styles just glares at Finn!
Finn throws hands but Styles CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHPOS in return! Finn FLAPJACK HOTSHOTS Styles! Styles sputters on the mat while Finn paces. Finn runs to KICK Styles in the side! Finn jump stomps away on Styles again and again! The ref reprimands, Finn argues with him, and then Finn mocks Louisville. Finn drags Styles up, throws some body shots from the side, then clamps on for a COBRA TWIST! Styles endures, even as Finn digs an elbow into the ribs! The fans rally and Styles fights with elbows to Finn’s leg! Styles HIP TOSSES free, then he LARIATS! The fans fire up as Styles runs, SLIDING FOREARM!
Styles fires up and the fans are with him! Styles runs in at Finn to LARIAT in a corner! Then fireman’s carry, USHIGOROSHI! Cover, TWO! The fans rally while Carlito & JD grow worried. Styles stalks Finn, brings him up and in, but JD gets on the apron! The fans boo but Styles chases JD off. Styles goes back for Finn, but Finn cradles! TWO! Finn is up, he slips around, and he dragon sleepers, but Styles drops! Styles KICKS Finn away, then he fires off a Phenomenal Blitz! Finn dodges the lariat, comes back, DOUBLE LARIATS take both men down! The fans fire up while JD & Carlito coach Finn, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Finn brawls with Styles up top! Styles throws hands, then he brings Finn to the very top! SUPER DUPER PLEX! A hard landing and both men are down! The fans rally up while JD & Carlito are worried all over again. The fans rally up, “This is Awesome!” as Finn and Styles rise up. Styles fires a forearm, Finn fires a haymaker, and repeat! They stand up now, and Finn fires a body shot! Styles fires a haymaker, but Finn fires back! Finn gets the edge again, then soaks up heat. But Styles ROLLING ELBOWS! But Finn PELES, only for Styles to block! Styles then clamps onto that leg, CALF CRUSHER!!
Finn endures, reaches out, and he fights around! Finn drags Styles along for the ROPEBREAK! The fans are torn while Styles lets go. Finn drags himself up with the ropes, but Styles is back on that leg! Finn slips around, dragon sleeper, EYE OF THE HURRICANE! The fans fire up while both men are down again! JD & Carlito coach Finn as he rises up in the corner. Finn aims, runs in, but Styles LARIATS! The fans fire up and Styles whips Finn to ropes. Finn SLINGBLADES first! Finn keeps moving, and he SHOTGUNS Styles into buckles! Styles falls, Finn goes up, and COUP DE- NO, Styles dodges! Finn falls to his knees!
Styles grabs that bad leg again, CALF CRUSHER!! Finn endures, reaches out, but Styles rolls him from the ropes! Deadlift STYLES CLASH!! Cover, TWO?!?! Finn survives and now JD & Carlito are plotting. The fans rally as hard as they can, “This is Awesome!” Styles drags Finn up, reels him back in, but Carlito gets on the apron! The ref stops Carlito, JD grabs at Styles! Styles DECKS JD, then goes out, but Finn runs up! Styles ROCKS Finn, SLIDING KNEES Carlito, and then aims! Springboard, but Finn slips around! BLOODY SUNDAY!! Cover, TWO?!?! Styles survives and he shocks Finn! And then PENTA is back! he CROSSBODIES Carlito!
Penta scoops JD to BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up as Penta steps off JD to give Carlito a DESTROYER to the floor!! Styles BOOTS Finn, goes up and out, PHENOMENAL FOREARM!! Cover, Styles wins!!
Winner: AJ Styles, by pinfall
Penta gets even with Judgment Day after all! Styles gets the win thanks to Penta evening things up, but will Styles be able to take that Intercontinental Championship from Dirty Dom?
Becky Lynch is here!
Though, she isn’t very happy given she isn’t Women’s Intercontinental Champion right now. Becky sits up on a corner while she’s handed a mic and given the proper introductions. The fans are torn, but Becky says, “I… I wasn’t beaten on Saturday. No, no. Lyra was beaten on Saturday. Oh, oh, you don’t believe me? Well, one of us was taken to a hospital, her, and one of us went to their nice big bus, took a nice warm shower, drank a shot of tequila, and basked in their brilliance, me.” The fans are still torn, but Becky says, “Because even after everything that Lyra has done to me, after she came out week after week and attacked my character, the person that I am…
“I still made her the best version of herself! I gave her the best match of her career! And in just three weeks of standing on the outskirts of my spotlight, she has never mattered more than she does right now in her entire life, and it is not even close!” The fans boo that, but Becky hops down as she says, “But… when the bell ring after the match, I didn’t hear defeat. No, no, no. What I heard was an alarm ringing in my ear and I realized how much I had been manipulated not just by Lyra, but by all of you!” The fans definitely boo that. Becky asks if they wanna know why she walked away for almost a year.
“Because you asked me to! The last time that I won the world championship, I felt it, I heard the reaction, I saw all your comments online, and so I stepped away. Because if I’m not here to win world championships, then why am I here? But hey, hey, no, no. I’ve always been for the people. I’ve always been for the people. So whatever you want, because hey, man, I have you to thank for my career, right? You guys carried me on your shoulders into the main event of WrestleMania. You saw yourselves in me! I was you, you were me, we were in this together! Right? But then something happened. Something happened: I won!
“And you couldn’t see yourselves in me anymore, because you can’t recognize success. Because all you know is failure.” The fans boo more, but Becky scowls. Yeah, the fans hate what they cannot understand. You wanna know something? When Becky was out, one of her friends asked, “Do you miss it?” And she had a thought. She did miss being in the ring, but she liked herself more out of it. She didn’t understand what she was saying, but now she does. She wasn’t captured by all the fans! She didn’t have to listen to the fans tell her who she is and what she’s about!
She didn’t have to listen to all of the fans’ lies! The lies that are repeated from the one person she had hope for in this business! Becky didn’t have to spin her wheels to prove she isn’t what people said she was! But that all changes! From now on, whatever the fans say she is, then she is! If they say she’s selfish, then yes she is! If they say she’s greedy, then yes she is! If they say she’s cutthroat, then yes she is! And all those girls in the back that were happy Becky was gone, thought it was safe with the fire gone out inside Becky, well they’re gonna realize what it’s like to be held down by The Man! Will Becky look to burn it down from here on out?
Rusev speaks.
“I didn’t wanna do that, Otis. I don’t wanna do any of this. All I want is just… to go home and be rich. But I was once programmed by lesser people, too. And I can’t leave my brothers until you all wake up. Do you think these people care that you’re missing your family? Do you think these people care that each night, your choices are hurt or be hurt? Last week, Tozawa stepped up to me, and the crowd cheered him on. The world sent him straight into the frontline. And yet, you still seek their approval. That is because you let the sheep control the wolves. Get up off your knees, men! Don’t you see that their cheers are like a stone to a blade?
“But I can see right through them. That’s why they keep mocking me with chanting my name. But I will reclaim my own name once my job here is done. But until that day, remember this, my brothers. It will hurt me to hurt you. But I would rather you fall at my hand than fall out into the abyss.” Rusev is looking to redeem Monday Night Raw one brutal moment at a time, will no one be able to stop him?
Alpha Academy meets with Adam Pearce.
Maxxine Dupri & Natalya are with Akira Tozawa to encourage him to speak up. Tozawa says he wants a match with Rusev. Maxxine & Natty feel Tozawa can do this. Pearce respects Tozawa’s bravery, but think about this. Tozawa isn’t even medically cleared right now. Tozawa knows he will be soon. Pearce says he also knows that. And when Tozawa IS cleared, they will revisit this conversation. But then Sheamus steps in and says fair play, Tozawa. Good on him for not baking down. And Sheamus knows that when Tozawa is cleared, he’ll give Rusev hell. They fist bump, and Alpha Academy heads out.
As for Sheamus, Pearce says what a return. Sheamus says he needed that. He needed to shake off that ring rust. Well, not much rust, maybe it was in his head. But he wants to keep this momentum going. How about next week, Sheamus VS “that bouncing wallaby waster,” Grayson Waller. Pearce says consider that official, because that sounds like a banger. The Celtic Warrior shakes hands with the GM, will Sheamus make sure Waller feels what Austin Theory felt last week?
Iyo Sky & Rhea Ripley VS Giulia & Roxanne Perez!
Between Monday Night Raw and Tuesday Night NXT, we’ve seen the WWE Women’s World Champion battle The Beautiful Madness & The Prodigy multiple times already. The Genius was victorious alongside “Juggernaut” Jordynne Grace last week, but will she and the Eradicator have similar success? Or will this be the start of an NXT takeover?
Raw returns as Iyo makes her entrance, followed by Rhea’s. The fans hit that triple digit mark on the decibels as Mami makes her way to ringside. The teams sort out and Iyo starts against Roxie. They circle, but then Roxie goes to leave, only for Iyo to grab her feet! Roxie kicks Iyo away, but Iyo comes back with a THESZ PRESS! Iyo rains down fast hands, Roxie turns things around, but then Iyo turns it back around. They end up in the ropes, Iyo backs off, only to grab Roxie’s legs and YANK her from the ropes! Iyo covers, TWO! Iyo clamps onto Roxie with a headlock, but Roxie powers up, only for Iyo to hold on tighter!
Louisville rallies, “We Want Mami!” as Roxie powers up and powers out this time, only for Iyo to pull hair! Iyo brings Roxie around but Roxie SLAPS her! Iyo ROCKS Roxie, chase Giulia off, but Roxie ROCKS Iyo! Roxie bumps Iyo off buckles, stomps away, then tags Giulia. Roxie sends Giulia in and she ELBOWS Iyo! Giulia sends Roxie in for an UPPERCUT! Giulia then brings Iyo to ropes to CHOKE her! The ref counts, Giulia steps away, and that lets Roxie get a cheap shot! Roxie takes a bow while the fans boo, but Rhea runs up on her! Rhea TOSSES Roxie into the ring! The fans fire up as Rhea DROPKICKS Roxie back out!
Giulia and Rhea want after each other but the ref stops this. Giulia gets Iyo for a NECK TWIST! Giulia whips, Iyo ducks ‘n’ dodges, but Giulia avoids the handspring! Only for Iyo to SHOTGUN Giulia down! The fans fire up and Iyo headlocks. Iyo reaches out but Roxie YANKS Rhea down! The fans boo but Giulia JAWBREAKERS free! Roxie SLAPS Rhea and laughs about it. Rhea just gets pissed! Rhea chases Roxie around the outside, but Giulia is there to CROSBODY! But Rhea catches her! Roxie DROPKICKS Rhea into the POST! But Iyo DIVES to take out Roxie! The fans fire up, but then Giulia DROPKICKS Iyo!
The ref reprimands everyone, starts a ring count, and the fans rally for Iyo & Rhea while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Roxie has Iyo with a bridging hammerlock. Iyo endures and the fans rally up. Iyo fights to her feet, fires elbows, then hits a FLYING-MARE! Both women are down, the fans fire up more, but Roxie grabs Iyo’s legs! Iyo BOOTS her away, Giulia runs in but Iyo TOSSES her out! Hot tag to Rhea! Rhea rallies on Roxie, whips, but Roxie reverses! Rhea reverses back to wrench and HOOK KCIK! Then GERMAN SUPLEX! The fans fire up with Rhea and she reels Roxie in! Canadian Rack, and RAZOR’S EDGE! Then a DROPKICK! Cover, TWO!! Roxie shows the toughness of a former NXT Women’s Champion but Rhea just stalks her.
Rhea hauls Roxie up, bumps her off buckles, but Roxie BOOTS her back! Roxie BOOTS Rhea down, then goes up, up, and LION- NO, Rhea gets under her for an Electric Chair Lift! Rhea SMACKS Roxie off buckles, then hoists her up there. Rhea climbs, positions herself just right, and has the Canadian Rack again! The fans fire up but Roxie fights free! Roxie ROCKS Rhea, goes up, and SUPER STEINERS! Cover, TWO!! Rhea shows her own championship grit, but Roxie tags Giulia! Roxie DROPKICKS Iyo off the apron while Giulia HEADBUTTS Rhea! Roxie SUPERKICKS Rhea, then Giulia reels Rhea in! Tag to Roxie and Giulia snap suplexes!
Roxie goes up, up, LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Rhea but Roxie rains down fists! Rhea pushes Roxie away, but Roxie hurries to clamp on with a SLEEPER! Rhea rises as the fans rally, but Roxie THROWS Rhea down! Rhea goes to a corner, Roxie runs up and UPPERCUTS! Roxie rolls and returns, but Rhea picks her up, ATOMIC FACEBUSTER! Both women are down and the fans fire up! Rhea and Roxie crawl, hot tags to Giulia and Iyo! The fans fire up as Iyo dodges to SHOTEI! Iyo whips, Giulia reverses, but Iyo goes up and out! Iyo blocks a boot, ROCKS Giulia then goes up top! MISSILE DROPKICK! The fans fire up as Iyo kips up!
Iyo is ready to run wild and the fans are with her! But Roxie is back in, only for Iyo to dodge! Rhea scoops Roxie but Roxie TORNADO DDTS! Iyo SHOTGUNS Roxie! Giulia reels Iyo in for a cradle, TWO!! Giulia drags Iyo up, hammerlock and scoop, GLORIOUS- NO, Iyo slips free to waistlock! Giulia switches, Iyo victory rolls, STOMP 182! The fans fire up and Iyo hurries to put Giulia in the drop zone! Iyo steps on Giulia and goes up the corner! The fans fire up for OVER THE MOONSAULT!! Cover, Roxie breaks it! The fans boo but Roxie whips, Iyo reverses, Roxie tilt-o-whirls, but Iyo fights the leg sweep! Iyo hooks Roxie up but Roxie powers out!
Rhea is back, and she gives Iyo a boost! Roxie dodges, the SHOTGUN hits Giulia! Roxie SOBATS Rhea, runs up, POP- NO, Rhea pops out the back! MISSILE DROPKICK from Iyo! Roxie tumbles out, Iyo wants a high-ten. Rhea gives Iyo the high-ten, and then Rhea signals she’ll lift Iyo up! The fans fire up, but Giulia TRIPS Rhea first! Roxie runs up, Iyo BOOTS her, but Giulia is right up top! Giulia underhooks the arms, and she gives Iyo a SUPER DUPER BUTTERFLY PLEX!! Giulia roars, brings Iyo around, scoop and NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB!! Cover, RHEA BREAKS IT! The fans fire up, but Roxie DROPKICKS Rhea!
Rhea EDDY GORDO KICKS Roxie in return! Giulia KNEES Rhea down! Giulia then focuses on Iyo, but Iyo wrenches her! Iyo underhooks, TIGER BACKBREAKER! Iyo then fires up and the fans are with her! SHINKAN- NO, Giulia puts her on the apron! Iyo ROCKS Giulia, climbs up, and Rhea sneaks a tag. Iyo leaps, Giulia dodges, Rhea reels Giulia in. But then Roxie is up top, so Rhea shoves Giulia forward, the CROSSBODY hits Giulia instead of Iyo! Roxie is stunned, Rhea smirks, and Iyo BUZZSAWS Roxie! Rhea drags Giulia up, HEADBUTTS her, and hits a RIPTIDE!! Cover, Rhea & Iyo win!!
Winners: Iyo Sky & Rhea Ripley, by pinfall
The Eradicator had the champion’s back and vice-versa, and the top two women on Raw win out! But at the same time, Rhea still wants to be a champion herself. Will Mami get back on top soon enough? Or will the Genius be ready for that rematch, too?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw here to not just follow Backlash but to turn the corner towards Saturday Night’s Main Event. Great promo segment from CM Punk and Seth Rollins to open, and it naturally brought out Sami Zayn and Jey Uso for a brawl. This gives us a good set-up for Punk & Sami VS Rollins & Bron at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Jey and Gunther had a good promo together, with Jey getting fired up again because he knows Gunther is again underestimating him. And while I expected Logan Paul bringing another sucker punch, Rollins sending Bron after Jey is just as good. Though I feel bad Kaiser’s interview was no longer an interview but just a way to give us Bron’s attack.
Obviously Rollins won’t give up on the world title so easily, so he’s just trying to soften Jey up to make it easier to take that title, but it might backfire if Logan or Gunther gets the title first. Well, hopefully not Logan but I’m not sure Gunther would either. Great promo from Becky to talk down to not just Lyra but the fans. While blaming fans is a cliche Heel trope, seeing how John Cena did it and now Becky is doing it in a similar way, it still works. And her saying Lyra went to the hospital plants seeds of an injury angle as I was expecting on Saturday, so I wouldn’t mind seeing something where Becky and Bayley fight not just for their own grudge but for one more chance at the title.
Great promo from Rusev to once again frame what he’s doing as if it is a noble mission, but it would be something if someone came around to see things the way Rusev does. Tozawa wanting after Rusev and Pearce saying not yet is good stuff, Pearce is being a responsible boss by not letting Tozawa go right into a one-sided fight. Sheamus wanting his match with Waller “as intended” is also good stuff, and it’ll give Theory a chance to return the favor by being mostly unbothered like Waller was last week. The A-Town Down Under break-up has been on far too slow a burn, it needs to happen now as Rollins’ faction is rising up and we get into MITB season.
Penta VS Gable was a great match that also tied well into the Judgment Day story. Great win for Penta, and it might establish that Gable can’t win unless he’s El Grande Americano and therefore able to load the mask with plates. Penta getting his revenge on Judgment Day while also helping Styles win was good stuff, too. I wonder if Styles and Penta team up against Judgment Day for just a moment, before “El Grande” obviously gets involved and gets a 1v1 match with Penta. There’s also going to be Money in the Bank qualifiers soon, so maybe we see Penta and “El Grande” get in on that while also feuding with each other. Also, hilarious bit with JD teaching Dom about time zones.
Great tag team match of War Raiders VS Creed Brothers with New Day on commentary. New Day of course cost the Raiders since they don’t want another rematch with them, but I feel like helping the Creeds will backfire in that the Creeds will be just as hard to beat in a tag match. And then great promos from the women in tonight’s main event. A little surprised we didn’t get a Rhea one, unless I somehow missed it. But that was also a great main event tag, great win for Iyo and Rhea as a duo, and Iyo VS Rhea feels like a clear choice for the next title match. Nothing in the women’s division has been set up for SNME, so maybe that’s where we’ll get Iyo VS Rhea.
My Score: 8.8/10
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TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
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