Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (12/30/20)
It’s the End of the Year Awards, 2020!
NXT has awards to hand out, and some scores to settle!
As 2020 draws to a close, the NXT Year-End Awards return! Who will win the coveted Female Superstar, Male Superstar and Match of the Year trophies? Plus, Johnny Gargano takes on Leon Ruff and the title defense curse in a rematch for the North American Championship!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Isaiah “Swerve” Scott VS Bronson Reed; Reed wins.
- Breezango VS Grizzled Young Veterans; Grizzled Young Veterans win.
- Mercedes Martinez VS Valentina Feroz; Martinez wins.
- Pete Dunne VS Roderick Strong; Dunne wins.
- El Legado del Fantasma VS Lucha House Party; Lucha House Party wins.
- NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano w/ The Way VS Leon Ruff; Gargano wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
WWE and NXT mourn the loss of Jon Huber, aka Luke Harper.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott VS Bronson Reed!
The swagger has been turned up to 11, but it might be dropped down to zero after tonight! Will The Colossal crush Swerve’s House under his foot?
The bell rings and Reed ties up with Swerve. Reed headlocks, Swerve works to power out but Reed holds on tight. Reed hits a takeover, Swerve works his way back up, and he uses a leg to get up and around to go after an arm. Reed stays up and dead lifts Swerve back up! Swerve lets go, dodges and drops, but Reed rolls over Swerve and that is painful enough! Swerve scrambles to ropes but Reed clotheslines him out! Reed goes out to then LEAP and BLAST Swerve to the ramp! Fans fire up for Reed as he puts Swerve back in the ring and gets in. Swerve goes to a corner, Reed storms over but the ref keeps him back. Swerve claims he has a bad shoulder, but then he uses it to chop block! HOUSE CALL!
Reed bails out, Swerve goes to the apron and BOOTS Reed! Reed flops against the apron and Swerve says “Suck it!” Swerve drags Reed in, covers, ONE! Swerve keeps his cool and he stomps Reed’s leg. Swerve stands on the leg but Reed hits him back. Swerve stomps Red, goes to the corner and hits the FALLING UPPERCUT! Cover, TWO! Reed gets up but Swerve brings him up. Reed throws body shots and forearms but Swerve goes after the leg. Swerve gets Reed in a corner but Reed clubs away on Swerve’s back! Reed lifts Swerve but Swerve fights free to get on the corner and flip back! Swerve runs in, blocks the boot and puts it on the ropes to UPPERCUT!
Swerve runs side to side to dropkick the leg! Reed hobbles into the somersault COMPLETE SHOT! Cover, TWO! Swerve seethes but he goes after the leg with a standing kneebar. Reed endures but Swerve stands on him for a cover, ONE! Reed endures, throws a haymaker and he rocks Swerve! Swerve throws haymakers back, but Reed just gets angry! Swerve kicks the bad leg, runs, but Reed choke grips and tosses him! Swerve sunset flips, but Reed SITS on him! Cover, TWO!! Swerve survives but he is gasping for air! Reed scowls as Swerve rises, and Reed rallies with big forearms! Reed whips Swerve to ropes, then CLOBBERS him with an elbow!
Swerve flounders to a corner, Reed runs in to corner splash! Reed COLOSSAL CHOKE SLAMS! Cover, TWO!! Swerve survives again but Reed keeps his cool. Reed walks off the pain in his leg as he dead lifts Swerve into a waistlock! Swerve scrambles and gets the ropebreak! Swerve sneaks in the headbutt! Reed staggers but he’s just pissed off! Reed CLOBBERS Swerve, then drops the back senton! Reed goes up as fans fire up, and TSUNAMI SPLASH!! Cover, Reed wins!
Winner: Bronson Reed, by pinfall
Swerve’s House just got demolished by Auszilla! Will Reed continue this colossal comeback towards a championship?
NXT GM William Regal presents the first Year-End Award of 2020!
Regal thanks everyone who voted on Breakout Star of the Year. The nominees were Pat McAfee, Damian Priest, Shotzi Blackheart, Cameron Grimes, Dexter Lumis, Timothy Thatcher, Raquel Gonzalez, Santos Escobar, and Ilja Dragunov. The winner is… Shotzi! The wild child howls to the moon and says from the Royal Rumble to hosting Halloween Havoc to leading an army into WarGames, what a wild, fun and absolute dream of a year. Her dad taught her to #TCB, and is sure her dad is very proud of her. But the good times will roll into 2021! Will this Breakout Star find an even bigger opportunity to seize in the new year?
The Way arrives together.
Johnny Gargano is already bragging that the champion is here to stay, but then he, Candice, Indi and Austin all see a black cat down the hall. Will the superstitions get in their head and curse Gargano for good?
Breezango VS Grizzled Young Veterans!
Tyler Breeze & Fandango are back, determined to climb back up towards the NXT Tag Team Championships! But Zack Gibson & James Drake are after those same titles and the two men that hold them. Will Gibson & Drake SOON be recognized as the two men who mauled the #ModelCitizens?
The teams sort out, Prince Pretty starts with Mr. Mayhem. They circle, tie up, and go around. Drake headlocks, hits a takeover, but Breeze fights up and turns it around to a facelock. Breeze wrenches to a wristlock, wrangles Drake down with it, and digs a knee into Drake’s head. Drake gets up, rolls, handsprings, but Breeze wrangles him down again. Breeze twists the wrist and wrenches to tag in Fandango. Fandango takes the hand off and headlocks but Drake powers out. Fandango runs Drake over then keeps moving. Fandango handsprings to arm-drag Drake back to the armlock! Drake moves around, gets up and knees low! Drake wrenches and tags in Gibson.
GYV hand off but Fandango escapes the scoop and headlocks. Gibson powers out, drops down and arm-drags Fandango, but Fandango counters to a headlock right away! Fans cheer as Fandango grinds Gibson. Gibson powers up, powers out, but Fandango goes up and over to sunset flip! Cover, TWO! Gibson gets up, Fandango wrenches the arm to a wristlock and yanks on it. Tag to Breeze, Breeze wrenches and whips but Drake saves Gibson from buckles and Gibson CLOBBERS Breeze! Drake tags in and he throws haymakers on Breeze! Drake drags Breeze back up, scoops and slams him down! Cover, ONE!!
Fans rally as Drake drags Breeze back up to a snapmare. Drake digs knees in, wraps on a chinlock, but Breeze endures. Breeze fights up, fans rally and Breeze throws body shots. But Drake rams Breeze into the corner, tags in Gibson, and GYV hit a boosted suplex, only for Breeze to slip out! Hot tag to Fandango and he starts throwing hands on GYV! Atomic drop for Drake, to a LARIAT! Fandango turns into Gibson’s kick and whip, but Fandango sunset flips! Drake helps Gibson stay up but Breeze dropkicks them both down! Cover, TWO! Fandango knees low, suplexes and hangs Gibson out to dry. Tag to Breeze and Breezango makes it rain with double boots!
Breezango hurries to coordinate, and Fandango goes to the apron. Breeze catapults Gibson but Gibson throat chops Fandango down! Drake is there to shove Fandango into a girder! Gibson sits on Breeze for a cover, TWO! Breeze WRECKS GYV with a dropkick! Gibson and Drake flounder, Fandango has gone up the girder and he LEAPS down onto them! Direct hit, but perhaps a bit risky for the Lord of the Dance. Fandango holds his leg as NXT goes to break.
NXT returns and Drake tags in Gibson. Gibson goes after Fandango and Drake slingshots, PLANCHA BACKBREAKER! Fans boo but GYV soak up the heat as they loom over Fandango. Gibson drags Fandango around by his leg to SLAM the leg into barriers Gibson refreshes the count, puts Fandango in, and then keeps between Fandango and Breeze. Gibson has the leg again but Fandango clubs him away. Fandango elbows Gibson, hops up, and boots, but Gibson blocks to SUPER DRAGON SCREW! Fandango crashes hard, Gibson covers, TWO! Another try, TWO! Another, TWO!
Gibson keeps after Fandango but Fandango slips away. Gibson drags him from Breeze and scoops, to SLAM Fandango into the ropes! Drake tags in as Fandango clutches his legs, and Drake drags Fandango out. Fandango boots Drake into barriers! Gibson hurries to help Drake up and in, then he tags in to go after Fandango! Gibson has the leg, flips Fandango around but Fandango slides under to tag in Breeze! Breeze fires off on GYV, dropkicks Gibson then forearm smashes Drake! Forearm for Gibson, another for Drake! Breeze baits Gibson into the corner, dodges then enziguris! Drake tags in but Breeze dodges to clothesline him out!
Gibson runs in, Breeze throws him out, and then he slingshots! Drake and Gibson get clear to forearm sandwich Breeze! But Fandango leaps and takes Gibson down! Drake gets Breeze in the ring, but runs into a KNEE! Both men are down but Fandango is back on the corner! Gibson yanks him down to deny the tag, then he RAMS Fandango into the steel steps! Drake rolls Breeze up, TWO! Drake ROCKS Breeze, Gibson tags in, but Breeze rallies with more forearms! Gibson blocks the Super Model Kick, feeds to Drake’s gut wrench, TICKET TO MAYHEM! Cover, GYV wins!
Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans, by pinfall
Liverpool’s Number One and Mr. Mayhem get a big win, but will things only get bigger for them in the new year? Wait, Ever-Rise rushes out because they want a piece of GYV! Chase Parker and Matt Marthel don’t like Gibson and Drake, but the referee holding them back has had it with their nonsense! The ref leaves, and now Ever-Rise doesn’t have an excuse as GYV storms up the ramp. Ever-Rise retreats, but will they have to face these Grizzled Young Veterans soon enough?
BREAKING NEWS!
The new year will bring back a classic NXT tradition, in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic! The tag teams we’re seeing compete tonight, and many of the tag teams in the NXT Tag Division, will have a golden opportunity to not only go down in history, but to go after the tag titles! Whose in and who will win only the sixth ever Dusty Cup? And speaking of tag teams…
William Regal presents the next Year-End Award!
This is for Tag Team of the Year! The nominees: The Undisputed Era, Breezango, Imperium, Gallus, Legado del Fantasma, and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. The winners: The Undisputed Era! They stand with Regal, and for the third year in a row, “The Era boys are the baddest on God’s green.” It’s never ending for them. They’ve ran NXT for years with no signs of slowing down. But they should make an announcement. This year, in the Dusty Cup, representing the UE will be Adam Cole Baybay and Roderick Strong! They are ready to go! But to keep that momentum going, they have another tournament to win. And that is Undisputed.
The training is almost complete.
Xia Li and Boa demonstrate their new levels of strength, speed and skill in a flurry of strikes and use of weapons. “She” has Shifu stand by as she stands to adorn her followers with a special mark on their foreheads. Then she breathes a special smoke, and leads them into the light. What does “she” have planned for NXT? We find out, at New Year’s Evil!
Mercedes Martinez VS Valentina Feroz!
The vicious return that decimated the NXT Women’s Champion was a statement to say the least! Will Mercedes run right over the young hopeful in the ring with her?
The bell rings and Mercedes circles with Feroz and kicks her low then ROCKS her with a right! Martinez eggs Feroz on but Feroz dodges in the corner. Feroz whips, Martinez reverses but Feroz rolls and rolls, only for Martinez to ROCK her with a right! Martinez gets Feroz with both hands for a TWO HAND SLAM! Martinez dares Feroz to get up, then she drags her up to DECK her! Feroz goes to a corner, Martinez chokes her on the ropes! The ref counts, and Martinez even claws Feroz’s face, but she lets up at 4. Martinez gives a toying kick, then suplexes Feroz up. Feroz slips out and gets a sleeper hold! Martinez RAMS Feroz into buckles and is free, to then throw elbows!
“Who do you think you are?!” Martinez whips and SPINEBUSTERS Feroz down! Martinez gets in Feroz’s face, then pushes her down. Fans boo but Martinez ROCKS Feroz with an uppercut! Martinez drags Feroz up, hauls her up, but Feroz sunset flips. Martinez stays up, yanks Feroz back up, for an OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Martinez stalks Feroz, drags her up and fireman’s carries, for the AIR RAID CRASH! Cover, Martinez wins!
Winner: Mercedes Martinez, by pinfall
That was almost as rough as what she did to Shirai! But will Mean Ms. Martinez cut ahead in line to go after the NXT Women’s Championship in the new year?
Regal presents the next Year-End Awards!
It’s time for the Female Competitor of the Year award! The nominees are Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Kay Lee Ray, and Tegan Nox! The winner is: Io Shirai! Naturally the current NXT Women’s Champion wins, and the Evil Genius of the Sky says, “Thank you to everyone who voted for me. This Women’s Division is so talented. Thanks for voting me the best of the best. Domo arigato!” Will Shirai continue to dominate a division that is only growing more powerful by the day?
And now, the MALE Competitor of the Year award! The nominees are Finn Balor, Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, Keith Lee, Walter and Tommaso Ciampa, but the winner is… ADAM COLE BAYBAY! Another golden bell for the UE, but Cole accepts this one on hi sown. Last year he said he’d this award again, and he did. He said he’d be the longest reigning NXT Champion ever, and he did. Truth be told, he couldn’t have done it without his “brothers,” the guys who will fight alongside him to the very end. As much as this golden bell means to him, back-to-back, seeing Kyle O’Reilly win the NXT Championship off Finn Balor will mean even more. That is Undisputed! But that means voting is now open for OVERALL Competitor of the Year! Will Shirai or Cole be the best of the best of the best in 2020?
Pete Dunne VS Roderick Strong!
This grudge between Bruiserweight and Savior of the Backbreaker will not go away until one of them is gone period! With the Dusty Cup returning, will Dunne stop Strong’s run before it even starts as the ultimate revenge? Or will Strong only be stronger for getting past his past?
The bell rings and Strong tackles Dunne right away! Strong rains down rights while trying to get the cover but Dunne resists. Dunne gets away but Strong CHOPS and haymakers, repeat! Strong goes after Dunne on ropes but Dunne kicks back! Dunne kicks more but Strong hits a headlock takeover! Strong throws more right, but Dunne fights up and powers out! Things speed up, Dunne leaps, drops, but Strong hits a leaping lariat! Strong kicks low, throws more haymakers on the ropes, but lets off as the ref counts. Fans rally for Strong but Dunne trips him up to trap an arm. Dunne has a headlock and Strong endures the grind. Strong fights as fans rally, and gets up to power out, and calf kick Dunne down!
Strong stalks Dunne, digs knees into him then rains down more rights! Strong brings Dunne up, CHOPS him again, then CHOPS him again! Dunne goes after an arm, pulls on the fingers, and throws Strong down to headscissor with the wristlock. Strong endures as Dunne tortures the fingers. Dunne sits up to bend the fingers way back, then go to a double wristlock. Strong endures, moves around, but Dunne traps his legs to keep him stuck. Strong keeps fighting, gets up, but Dunne wrenches on the arm more! Dunne body scissors, Strong puts Dunne through ropes to hotshot him! Strong is free and now he stalks Dunne to a corner.
Strong forearms, CHOPS Dunne down, but Dunne kangaroo kicks Strong all the way out of the ring! Dunne goes out, and BOOTS Strong down! Dunne drags Strong up, puts him in the ring, and stalks up to bring him up. Strong throws forearms, blocks a boot and yanks Dunne into a BACKBREAKER! Dunne bails out but Strong runs to WRECK Dunne with a dropkick! Dunne ends up over the barriers but Strong pursues and drags Dunne back up as NXT goes picture in picture.
Strong has Dunne by his hair but Dunne pries free to enziguri back! Strong staggers, Dunne comes back to CHOP Strong and put him in the ring. Dunne then brings Strong around and uses a facelock to grind Strong into the apron edge! The ref counts, Dunne stops at 4 and goes back in to stalk Strong to a corner. But Strong BOOTS back, Dunne flounders, and Strong brings Dunne up to KICK him in the ribs! Strong CHOPS Dunne, hoists him up top, and throws haymakers. Strong climbs, Dunne resists the superplex but Strong throws body shots. Strong brings Dunne all the way up but Dunne bends fingers!
Dunne GOURD BUSTERS Strong down, and then leaps to STOMP the hands! BUZZSAW! Strong flounders, Dunne paces, and Dunne uses Strong’s legs to turn him over. Dunne stands on the legs, pulls on one arm, then gets the other. Dunne pulls but Strong resists the surfboard, so Dunne STOMPS the knees! Strong writhes, Dunne grabs at him again but Strong kicks back. Dunne grabs an arm, wraps it around the ropes, then pulls! The ref counts, Dunne kicks Strong down then ROCKS him with a right! Dunne keeps on Strong in the ropes and BOOTS him down! The ref reprimands but Dunne just takes his time stalking Strong. Dunne basement dropkicks Strong out of the ring!
The ref starts a ring count, Strong flounders up at 3 and stands at 4, but Dunne is after him! Strong kicks Dunne away, but Dunne comes back to BOOT him down! Dunne drags Strong up but Strong throws forearms! NXT returns to single picture as Strong whips but Dunne reverses and Strong hits buckles hard! Dunne drags Strong around, hammerlocks one arm and chicken wings the other for a modified crossface! Dunne even twists an ear for added pain! Strong endures, fans rally up and Strong fights out to throw knees. Dunne drops knees onto Strong! Strong writhes, Dunne gives him toying kicks, and fans chant, “You Still Suck!”
Dunne puts Strong in a corner and throws hands, then trips Strong up to dig his boots in! The ref counts, Dunne lets off, and he storms in but Strong kicks back! And CHOPS! Strong forearms, whips, but Dunne goes up and over and keeps moving, but runs into a dropkick! Fans fire up for Strong as he and Dunne are both down! “This is Awesome!” but far from over as both men slowly rise. Dunne throws haymakers but Strong gives them back, it’s a brawl! Dunne bounces off ropes and Strong clips him with one clothesline, to CLOBBER him with the next! Dunne staggers into Strong’s back suplex TOSS! Strong runs into the corner to SHINING WIZARD!
Fans fire up, Strong runs side to side and he unleashes endless forearms on Dunne! Strong brings Dunne in for an OLYMPIC SLAM! Cover, TWO! Dunne survives but Strong keeps his focus. Strong drags Dunne but Dunne kicks him away. Dunne bails out, Strong runs but the dropkick misses and Dunne mule kicks! Dunne whips Strong into steel steps! The ref starts a ring count but Dunne refreshes it. Dunne drags Strong up and pump handles, but Strong slips out of Bitter End to APRON BACKBREAKER! Strong gets Dunne in to cover, TWO! Fans hope they “Fight Forever!” at this point, but it has to end somehow!
Strong drags Dunne up, Dunne rolls him, TWO!! ENZIGURI! Strong BOOTS back, enziguris back, and brings Dunne in for a butterfly, but Dunne counters the lift to a TRIANGLE HOLD! Strong dead lifts for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Dunne survives abut Strong is too tired to be frustrated. Fans are thunderous as the two rise, and Strong grabs at Dunne first. Strong suplexes but Dunne inside cradles, to DANIELSON STOMP! Dunne drags Strong back into the Triangle Hold, Strong makes it a cover, ONE! Strong rains down fists until Dunne lets go and then still throws hands! Strong tries to turn Dunne but Dunne kicks back from below!
Strong is dazed, Dunne wants the arm again! Strong resists, but the fingers go SNAP! Dunne pump handles for the BITTER END!! Cover, Dunne wins!
Winner: Pete Dunne, by pinfall
A bitter fight until the very end, but in the end, the Bruiserweight breaks the Savior of the Backbreaker! Does this not bode well for the Undisputed Era taking the Dusty Cup?
The next Year-End Award is for Match of the Year!
The nominees: Super Tuesday’s Fatal 4 Way 60 Minute Iron Man Match of Balor, Cole, Ciampa & Gargano; NXT TakeOver 31’s NXT Championship match, Balor VS O’Reilly; the NXT UK Championship match of Walter VS Ilja Dragunov; NXT TakeOver: WarGames’ Undisputed Era VS Kings of NXT; and the NXT TakeOver: In Your House Triple Threat for the NXT Women’s Championship, Charlotte Flair VS Rhea Ripley VS Io Shirai! But the winner is… Balor VS O’Reilly at TakeOver 31!! Balor arrives to tell Regal that he can keep Balor’s golden bell. But Balor will take Kyle’s, so that he can give it to Kyle personally.
Balor walks through the backstage area, and encounters Dunne as he’s on his way back in. Dunne tells Balor he better be ready, because he’ll be coming for that title soon enough. Balor says a lot of people want to face the champion, so Dunne better get in line. With that, Balor goes to the ring! Will he peacefully give Kyle his part of the MOTY prize? We find out after the break!
NXT returns as Balor has set belt and bell down in the middle of the ring. He picks up the belt and puts it on his shoulder, then gets a mic. “Finn Balor VS Kyle O’Reilly, TakeOver 31, for the NXT Championship. Match of the Year!” Kyle surprised a lot of people that night, but not Balor. Kyle proved to everyone that he belongs in the ring with Balor. The way Balor sees it, Kyle deserves this honor. And before Balor can say more, Kyle heads to the ring! Kyle sees the gold bell, and Balor says he can go ahead and pick it up, because it’s his. Because Balor doesn’t need it when he has the NXT Championship!
Balor doesn’t need a trophy to remind him of that night, he has three steel plates in his jaw that remind him every single day! “The only thing that trophy is good for is gathering dust.” Oh, so it doesn’t mean much to him? Kyle gets that. But it means something to Kyle. To Kyle, it’s proof not only that he belongs in the ring with Balor, but that he belongs at the top of NXT! Kyle puts the bell aside and says he also doesn’t need it, and he certainly isn’t going to carry it around. It’s more a consolation prize, a participation award really. Kyle’s been “participating” for 15 years, and he’s done with it. He wants a REAL prize.
The bell is just a reminder that in the fight of Kyle’s career, he came up short. It is a reminder that Kyle may respect the hell out of Balor, but next week, respect is left at home! “I will do anything and everything to become the NXT Champion! You have what I want! That says you’re the best, that says you’re number one, that says that these last 15 years have been worth a damn! That says that Kyle O’Reilly is worth a damn! And Finn, that comes home with me.” Balor says that’s great and all, but he tells Kyle that he will do everything in his power to make Kyle suffer.
Last time, Kyle broke Balor’s jaw! So this next time, Balor will make Kyle pay by dragging him all over the canvas, and then make Kyle wish that he had stepped on Balor’s throat the first time! This couldn’t possibly be more intense, but then Scarlett Bordeaux interrupts. “What’s in that ring belongs to us.” It is irrelevant who leaves with it, because the champion’s fate is already sealed! Karrion Kross says doomsday is here! Tick-tock. But Damian Priest is right behind Kross!! These two stare down now, and Kross asks if Priest has something to say. “This is how you step like a man.” And then Priest ROCKS Kross with a right! A brawl is on at the top of the ramp!
Priest fires off hands but Kross BOOTS back! Kross throws off his jacket, Priest kicks him back, reels him in, but Kross slips out to ROCK Priest back! Priest BOOTS Kross, Kross staggers down the ramp, and Priest ROCKS him again! Kross picks Priest up to RAM him into the girder! And then runs in, only for them BOTH to go crashing through boards!! Fans are thunderous as Priest and Kross continue to throw hands!! This brawl heads backstage, then back around until Priest throws Kross and the curtains come tumbling down! Priest eggs Kross on and Kross gets up to throw more hands!
Kross puts Priest on a road case to club away on him! Priest rakes Kross’ face, they both climb up the trunks. Priest ROCKS Kross again, then shouts, “Get up, you son of a bitch!” Kross does, for a DOOMSDAY SAIDO through tables!! Both men are down in the wreckage, and Scarlett just admires Kross’ work. But will Kross and Priest even make it to New Year’s Evil?
NXT reminds us what the Fight Pit is all about.
Timothy Thatcher says it is “the ultimate measure of a man. No ring ropes, only steel!” Ciampa knows there’s no doors, no pinfalls, and no escape. The only ways to win are by tap out, or knockout. Ciampa says that sounds like fun. Thatcher says weakness are exposed and toughness is showcased, as the only weapons are your skills and ability to absorb pain. Lose an ear? Keep fighting. Lose some teeth? Keep fighting! Nose smashed? Keep. Fighting!! Ciampa says he had homefield advantage at TakeOver, but he doesn’t mind “playing in a hostile environment.”
Thatcher won the first-ever Fight Pit when he put Matt Riddle to sleep. Next week, New Year’s Evil, Thatcher promises that Ciampa enters his world! Ciampa says he already took Thatcher’s ear, so imagine what he’ll do next. Who doesn’t so much win but survives their jump into the Fight Pit?
NXT takes a closer look at Ripley VS Gonzalez, Last Woman Standing.
Rhea says when she first came to the WWE PC, she felt alone. She and Raquel gravitated towards each other and became great friends. “We sort of just felt like we only had each other. We had each other’s backs when no one else did. And it was that special bond that led us to tagging, led us to going on the road together, led us to pretty much being sisters, which is something that I didn’t have over here.” Every time they were on the road together, they’d get some sort of tattoo, and they have matching “RNR” tattoos, that is how close they are. Or, were. Things change, and people change. “Raquel’s not the same person that I knew back then.”
Rhea admits she doesn’t really let people in. She let Raquel in, and trusted her, relied on her, and maybe even needed her. But the thing with Raquel is, they were there for each other, until Raquel wasn’t there. Raquel’s ego got in the way, she got jealous of Rhea’s success, and left her. Rhea would’ve been there for Raquel, but we’ve heard Raquel say it herself, she thinks Rhea walks around like she owns the place. Raquel has made sure time and again that Rhea doesn’t get the wins she was so close to getting. Raquel says she’s the biggest and the baddest, but Rhea has had enough of it! “I don’t care what we used to be! I don’t care if we were friends, we’re nothing now!”
Raquel says maybe she was playing a game since the first moment they met. All those years of teaming together, working out together, spending time together, rooming together, Raquel’s thrown it all away. They fought at Halloween Havoc but that wasn’t enough. Will it finally be enough when it is Last Woman Standing?
El Legado del Fantasma stands in the ring.
Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza stand with Santos Escobar as he has the mic. “Y’know what? Let’s take a moment. Look around. See where we are. Enjoy the moment!” What a year they have had! What a year Escobar has had! The NXT Universe can vote all they want for the Undisputed Era as Tag Team of the Year. “It’s a sham!” Escobar isn’t here to be popular. He is here to dominate! That is exactly what he has done! NXT GM William Regal is out trying to find the next challenger for the Cruiserweight Championship, but no one can touch Escobar! Regal can look all over the world, and the fact is, he can’t and he won’t find anyone, NADA, who belongs in the ring with Escobar.
With Legado, the Leaders of Lucha Libre, their dominance will continue in 2021! And Escobar knows exactly what they’re going to do. Their first order of business- Is Lucha House Party!? Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado from Raw are on NXT! And Lince says it’s nice coming to a place where they’re not having to chase a champion. But they do have a question for Santos Escobarrrr. Does he really think he owns Lucha Libre? He’s buggin’! No one owns Lucha Libre, it’s for everyone! Todo mundo! But Mendoza tells Lince to shut up, and show respect to the leaders of lucha! Oh, well then, guess it’s time to lucha! LHP rushes the ring, Lince tosses Wilde and Metalik dropkicks Mendoza!
Escobar sneaks up, but LHP turns around to see him! Escobar’s 2v1 so he stands down. But a ref comes out, Regal just sent word that we’re getting a tag team match! LHP VS El Legado is about to get #LuchaLit! But then Wilde and Mendoza blindside LHP from behind! They whip Lince but Lince handsprings to DOUBLE GOLDEN REWIND! Metalik runs and gets a boost to double dropkick Legado out of the ring! Then LHP double DIVE! Double Tope takes Legado out at the ramp! Will Lucha House Party bring the fighting fiesta to Legado del Fantasma after the break?
El Legado del Fantasma VS Lucha House Party!
NXT returns and Wilde whips Metalik to speed things up. Wilde dodges the handspring attack but Metalik knuckle locks to CHOP Wilde! Mendoza runs in but into a mule kick, and Metalik goes to the corner to go up and leap to huricanrana Mendoza! Metalik tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKERS Wilde! Cover, TWO! Metalik grows annoyed but he brings Wilde up. Wilde shoves him away, Lince tags in and Metalik boots Wilde. Lince goes in, gets a boost from Metalik on the springboard and he FLYING RANAS Wilde! Wilde hurries and tags Mendoza, but Lince hip tosses and runs to QUEBRADA! Cover, TWO!
Lince stomps Mendoza and clubs him, but Mendoza shoves, only for Lince to CHOP! Lince handsprings but Wilde blocks the Rewind for Mendoza to dropkick Lince down! Mendoza stomps Lince, brings him around to whip into the corner, then fire sup as he runs in to clothesline! Wilde tags in, runs and clotheslines! Mendoza tags in, clotheslines, then tags Wilde. Legado double suplexes Lince, Wilde covers, TWO! Wilde keeps Lince down with a chinbar but Lince fights up. Lince throws body shots, but Wilde puts him in the corner. Lince elbows Mendoza, boots Wilde, then hops up to leap and crossbody! But he bounces off and both men crawl, hot tags to Metalik and Mendoza!
Mendoza rushes in but Metalik springboards over him. Metalik keeps moving, dodges and rolls off Mendoza’s back to then SUPERKICK! SLING-DOG! Metalik goes back to a corner, walks the ropes, and missile dropkicks Mendoza down! Cover, TWO! Escobar is still smug as Metalik drags Mendoza up. Metalik fireman’s carries, but Mendoza slides off and shoves. Lince tags in, Metalik SUPERKICKS Mendoza again, and Lince puts Mendoza up top and CHOPS him! Metalik goes up and SUPER STEINERS Mendoza! Lince hits the FROG SPLASH! Cover, but Wilde breaks it!
Wilde kicks Metalik down, runs at Lince in a corner but Lince puts him on the apron. Lince rocks Wile, then gives Metalik a boost to RANA Wilde off the apron and to the ramp! Lince dodges Mendoza, hits a POISON-RANA, then tags in Metalik! Metalik goes up, he walks the tightrope, and springboards for the ELBOW! Cover, Lucha House Party wins!!
Winners: Lucha House Party, by pinfall
Metalik and Lince have had a big week to end their 2020, and Escobar is furious that his men have failed him! Will the Leader of Leaders go back to the drawing board on his plans for 2021?
The next Year-End Award is Future Star of the Year!
The nominees are Austin Theory, Jake Atlas, Leon Ruff, Kacy Catanzaro, Kayden Carter, Indi Hartwell, Xia Li, A-Kid, Aoife Valkyrie, and Pretty Deadly! The winner is… Austin Theory! And The Way is with him as he accepts his very first golden bell. But he has to share with Indi. Indi greedily snatches the bell and takes the hammer. She rings it, and realizes it’s a real ring bell. Austin says that he has been saying he is the future, and the bell proves it. He has truly found his Way. And now Gargano is going to defend his title and break that curse! Austin, you never mention the curse!
Johnny snatches the Gargano Whey from Austin and throws it, but it breaks a mirror!! That’s bad luck! And then Gargano walks under a ladder!! MORE BAD LUCK! But don’t tell Johnny that! Will Gargano have to worry about more than just a title curse after tonight?
And finally, NXT presents the Overall Competitor of the Year Award!
William Regal proudly announces that between Shirai and Cole, the winner is… Io Shirai! The Evil Genius is so honored and thanks the fans for this. With two golden bells and her NXT Women’s Championship, will Shirai make 2021 her year?
NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano w/ The Way VS Leon Ruff!
Johnny Wrestling has felt more like Johnny Bad Luck when it comes to first title defenses of his reigns. Will Leon look to make this a rough way to end 2020 for The Way?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see if Gargano can turn his luck around to end the year!
Gargano and Ruff circle, tie up, and Gargano gets the arm. Ruff tries a chinbar but Gargano slips around to a hammerlock. Gargano spins Ruff, hits a headlock takeover, and grinds Ruff down. Ruff goes for a headscissor but Gargano fights that off. Gargano gets up, wrenches to a wristlock, but Ruff rolls and kips up and shows off his agility to then flip back and wring Gargano out! Cover, ONE, but Ruff rolls Gargano up, TWO! Ruff gets Gargano in the victory roll, TWO!! Gargano escapes and bails out to regroup with The Way. Gargano cools off and Candice says he has a 10 count. Theory distracts Ruff, Gargano slingshots, but Ruff avoids the spear to ghost pin! TWO!!
Gargano gets up, Ruff ranas him, then arm-drags him around! Gargano blocks one but Ruff rolls Gargano to kip up and kick! Fans fire up with Ruff and Ruff drags Gargano up. Ruff bumps Gargano off buckles, throws hands then CHOPS! Gargano staggers away but Ruff is on him with big forearms! Fans fire up more, Ruff runs and BOOTS Gargano in a corner! Gargano flounders, Ruff brings him up, but Gargano pushes out of the bulldog. Ruff goes up the corner but Gargano shoves him down! Ruff crashes and burns, and The Way taunts Ruff’s rough landing. Gargano goes out, brings Ruff up and CHOPS him against the apron!
Gargano bumps Ruff off the apron, brings him around and throws him into barriers! Gargano refreshes the count, gloats as he goes over to Ruff, and he brings Ruff up by his hair. Gargano whips Ruff but Ruff goes up the boards! Then he leaps to the steel steps, then back to some boards, and then he mule kicks Gargano away! Ruff leaps and RANAS Gargano down! Fans fire up with Ruff and he gets Gargano in. Ruff watches The Way closely but they say they haven’t done anything. Gargano kicks Ruff in the ropes, and hits a hotshot neckbreaker! Ruff tumbles down, Gargano builds speed and DIVES! Direct hit sends Ruff into boards! Gargano RAMS Ruff into steel steps!
NXT goes picture in picture as Gargano grins and Ruff writhes. Gargano gets the no look high five from Theory before he KICKS Ruff in the ribs! Gargano puts Ruff in the ring and elbows him against the apron! And again! Gargano grabs his The Way shirt and rubs it in Ruff’s face. Gargano goes back in, drags Ruff up against the ropes and has him in a rope camel clutch! The ref counts, Gargano lets go at 4, then mocks the ref with the counting. Gargano drags Ruff back up, and hits a neckbreaker! Cover, TWO! Gargano keeps his cool as he looms over Ruff and brings him up. Ruff throws body shots and haymakers!
Ruff rocks Gargano, Gargano rolls him for a KICK of his own! Cover, TWO! Gargano grows annoyed, but he wraps Ruff up in a cobra clutch. Ruff endures as Gargano stands over him in the hold and NXT returns to single picture. Fans rally up for Ruff and Ruff fights up. Ruff throws body shots, but Gargano hits a BACKBREAKER out of the clutch! Gargano then steps over to leg hook the hammerlock and pull on the far limbs, for a Bow ‘n’ Arrow SNAP! Ruff writhes and Gargano smirks as he stalks him. Gargano drags Ruff up, turns him again, but Ruff fights the neckbreaker off to a backslide! Gargano slips out but Ruff ducks the buzzsaw to ENZIGURI!
Gargano flounders, Ruff kicks him low! And back kicks, then uppercuts! Ruff throws forearms, Gargano shoves, but Ruff comes back with flying forearms! And more forearms! Ruff fires up, runs corner to corner but Gargauno dodges. Ruff dodges to enziguri! Backbreaker to neckbreaker! Ruff brings Gargano up, but Gargano slips out of the tilt-o-whirl, only for Ruff to get around and GERMAN SUPLEX! Gargano ends up in a corner, fans fire up with Ruff and Ruff runs corner to corner to TORNILLO CANNONBALL!? Cover, TWO!! Fans are loving this as Ruff rises and brings Gargano up. Ruff fireman’s carries but Gargano slips off and CLUBS Ruff!
Gargano throws forearm after forearm and Ruff rebounds, to LARIAT! Ruff grits his teeth as he runs and rebounds again, into a SUPERKICK! Ruff wobbles, Gargano scoops him, to LAWN DART! Gargano aims from the corner, but he fakes Ruff out to SUPERKICK him on the second! Cover, TWO!! Gargano seethes and The Way can’t believe it! Gargano drags Ruff up and over to the ropes. Gargano goes to the apron, aims and slingshots, but no final beat as Ruff slips to the apron and enziguris back! Ruff slingshots now to crucifix, but Gargano blocks to BACKBREAKER, and DISCUS! Gargano drags Ruff up, for a POWERBOMB! High stack cover, TWO!?!
But the GargaNO Escape is right on!! Ruff endures, reaches around, and gets the ropebreak! Gargano holds on but lets go at 4! Gargano is frustrated and he glares at Ruff. Gargano shoves Ruff out, stalks him to the ramp and drags him back up. Gargano scoops, aims at a girder, but Ruff slips off the Lawn Dart! Ruff dodges Gargano, runs in but is put on the apron. Ruff mule kicks Gargano away! And then FLYING CUTTERS to the floor! Ruff drags Gargano up and into the ring, hurries up to the top rope, and FROG SPLASHES!! Cover, TWO!!! Gargano survives and fans can’t believe it! But Ruff keeps his focus while Gargano flounders to a corner.
Ruff drags Gargano up, puts him on the top rope, and CHOPS him! Ruff climbs up now, throws some haymakers, but Gargano turns this into an ALLEY-OOP SNAKE EYES! Ruff flounders, Gargano is on the apron, ONE FINAL BEAT!! Cover, Gargano wins!
Winner: Johnny Gargano, by pinfall (still NXT North American Champion)
The curse has been broken! Gargano has the belt and The Way has their golden bells, is this just the beginning of them leading NXT into the future?
Dexter Lumis is watching from the rafters!
The host of New Year’s Evil uses his artwork to announce that for New Year’s Evil, it will be Santos Escobar VS Gran Metalik for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship! Will the Leader of Leaders no longer own Lucha Libre after taking on the King of the Ropes? What else will happen on the first NXT of 2021?
My Thoughts:
A great episode that was one part awards show, one part regular episode and one part go-home to New Year’s Evil! First off, all the winners of the Year End Awards golden bells make sense. Shirai is currently champion after beating two great superstars in Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley, and has been going strong ever since, so of course she is the Female Competitor of 2020. Adam Cole has also been incredibly consistent all year so he’s naturally Male Competitor of 2020, but with Shirai on the way up and Cole somewhat coasting, it makes sense Shirai wins the Overall Competitor of the Year.
Match of the Year being Balor VS O’Reilly at TakeOver 31 worked out as a great way to give us a final promo between Balor and O’Reilly. The rematch they’re going to have is going to be amazing, no doubt. Dunne and Kross making their interests known were also good, and Priest brawling with Kross was really good. Dunne VS Strong was a great match, and it made a lot of sense for Dunne to win since he wants his part in the title chase. Strong and Cole being the combo for the Dusty Cup and therefore another try at the NXT Tag Team Championships was a given, and I can’t wait to see who else is put in the tournament. Though after seeing a great match of GYV VS Breezango and of LHP VS Legado, I think we have half the field right there.
For that matter, I like that Lucha House Party has come back to NXT much like Balor and Ember Moon have. LHP made mention to chasing the 24/7 Champion, and they were honestly stalling out on Raw. Metalik won over Miz but as I said for Raw, it didn’t matter once Miz got his MITB contract back because of a “technicality.” Escobar VS Metalik is going to be a great match, but I feel like Escobar will retain. Escobar’s promo was a bit odd, though. Did he forget Curt Stallion has a title match in his back pocket? Or is he doubling down on thinking that doesn’t matter? Did something happen to Stallion that WWE doesn’t want to say yet? I hope not, Escobar VS Stallion still needs to happen.
Bronson Reed crushing Swerve was a nice crossover of their stories. I almost thought Jake Atlas was going to get a segment where he rubbed the loss in on Swerve, but maybe that’ll be a social media exclusive or something like that. Martinez has a good squash match win and she’s definitely in the mix for the NXT Women’s Championship chase after her attack on Shirai. The “RNR becomes RVR” video for Rhea VS Raquel was almost a Prime Target and it a was great way to give more perspective on their Last Woman Standing match. But with Rhea having done so much already in NXT, you would think Raquel wins this and also moves up in the title chase.
We also got a pretty good Fight Pit vignette, and that match is naturally going to be great stuff. Thatcher won the first one with Matt Riddle to send Riddle to main roster, but this one feels up for grabs. Ciampa surely doesn’t want to leave NXT, but he’s already beaten Thatcher 1v1. Thatcher being undefeated in the Fight Pit would be a great thing for him, and would basically make the match synonymous with him. In a way, it’s a similar situation to Rhea VS Raquel, in that the more accomplished one puts the rising star over to open the door for them.
The Way were great all night with their gags about bad luck piling up on Gargano. And them being able to tie Austin Theory winning Future Star was great, even Indi’s little bit where she found out the golden bell trophies are actual ring bells. Gargano VS Ruff was a great match, and it built upon the previous ones, and naturally “the curse” had to be broken so Gargano could move on. With Gargano still champion and Bronson Reed now back in action, I think what NXT will do, and should do, is revisit the feuding between Gargano and Reed on the build to the NXT North American Championship ladder match from after Keith Lee vacated it. Reed having Candice as a backpack as he super splashed Gargano is a very memorable moment, so maybe Reed can rub that in in their feud.
My Score: 9.1/10
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Coverage
Mitchell’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku Results & Report! (4/27/24)
Rural Revitalization continues!
Will Great-O-Khan be setting the table?
It’s Rural Revitalization in Hiroshima for the KOPW Championship! Can Yuya Uemura survive tires, lemons and a table? Or will Great-O-Khan conquer him for the United Empire?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Frontier Zone – Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano VS Rey Paloma & HANZO; Oleg & Yano win.
- Six Man Tag: Tiger Mask & Bishamon VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita VS Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira; Cobb & Akira win.
- Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Shota Umino & Tomohiro Ishii VS The House of Torture; Desperado, Shota & Ishii win.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima VS Tomoaki Honma & Shoma Kato; Tanahashi & Murashima win.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Sho & Yoshinobu win.
- NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships: TMDK VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo; TMDK wins and retains the titles.
- KOPW Championship Rural Revitalization: Great-O-Khan VS Yuya Uemura; Yuya wins and becomes the new KOPW Champion.
- 10 Man Tag Elimination Match: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs; LIJ wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships: TMDK w/ Zack Sabre Jr. VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo w/ Jado!
Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls snatched the titles away during the Windy City Riot, but the Guerrillas of Destiny are getting their rematch! Will the Headbanga & Young Guerilla redeem themselves on the Road to Wrestling Dontaku? Or will they see The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see if The Mighty stay NJPW Strong!
The teams sort out and Hysterical Haste starts against ELP. The fans rally up with the bell and the two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but then Shane cording holds into a wrench and wristlock. ELP rolls, handsprings and wrenches back. ELP keeps Shane from ropes so Shane rolls, kips up, snapmares and KICKS ELP! The fans cheer while Shane shakes out his leg. ELP grimaces as he stands and shakes out the arm. The two reset, tie up, and ELP waistlocks. ELP goes for a chinlock but Shane standing switches. ELP switches, Shane switches again, and repeat. ELP headlocks, Shane powers out, then reels ELP in for a headlock.
ELP powers out, Shane runs him over, and then he sits ELP up to run. ELP drops under, hurdles over, but Shane shoves him. ELP rolls off Shane’s back to RANA! The fans fire up as ELP kips up and fixes his hair. The fans rally for “E L P! E L P!” while Shane is in a corner. Shane comes back to fire a forearm! ELP fires a forearm back! Shane fires another forearm so ELP gives it back. They go back and forth, faster and faster, and the fans rally up! ELP gets the edge, but Shane UPPERCUTS! Shane CHOPS ELP, whips him corner to corner, but ELP goes up and over and keeps moving. ELP fakes Shane out to avoid the dropkick!
ELP goes to ropes to LIONSAULT but Shane moves! ELP sits up but avoids the Penalty Kick! The two stand off and the fans cheer! Shane and ELP reset, and Leo reaches out. ELP tags him in and the fans rally up. Shane tags Mikey, and he circles with Leo. They get face to face, and Mikey pie faces Leo! They tie up, Leo shoves Mikey away, but Mikey comes back. They tie up, Mikey headlocks but Leo lifts. Mikey thrashes the hold, Leo powers out and they RAM shoulders! Leo eggs Mikey on so Mikey runs and they RAM shoulders! Leo runs, Mikey ELBOWS him! Mikey runs, Leo runs him over! The fans fire up as Leo flexes.
Leo drags Mikey up, suplexes, but Mikey fights it! Mikey tries to suplex but Leo’s so tall! Leo suplexes, Mikehy slips free to waistlock, but Leo RAMS him into a corner! Leo runs in, Mikey dodges, only for Leo to LARIAT outta the corner! Tag to ELP and the Guerrillas get Mikey up. ELP BLASTS Shane while Leo whips Mikey to a corner. Leo SPLASHES, ELP clotheslines, then feed to the SIDEWALK SLAM and FALLING AX HANDLE! The Guerrillas high-five, ELP covers, TWO! ELP brings Mikey up but Mikey fights the suplex! Mikey powers out, whips, but ELP BLASTS Shane! ELP dodges Mikey, waistlocks, but Mikey swings. ELP ducks, into a DDT!
The fans fire up while Mikey shoves ELP over and tags in Shane. Mikey brings ELP up to TOSS him out, and then Mikey BLASTS Leo! Shane whips ELP into railing! Shane flexes, fans applaud, and Shane drags ELP up. APRON BACK SUPLEX! Shane shoves ELP in, covers, ROPEBREAK! The fans rally as ELP stays in this but Shane grabs one of ELP’s hands. Shane stretches out the arm to then KICK ELP in the shoulder! Shane brings ELP up but ELP fires forearms! Shane shoves ELP but ELP ELBOWS Mikey! ELP fires off on Shane, whips, but Shane reverses and Mikey trips ELP up! Shane basement dropkicks ELP and he spins around into a HAYMAKER from Mikey!
ELP flops to the floor, Mikey claims the apron is slippery, but the referee reprimands him all the same. The ring count starts but Mikey puts ELP in at 4 of 20. Shane covers, TWO! Shane keeps ELP down with body scissors. ELP endures, reaches out, drags Shane along as he crawls over, and the fans rally up. Shane grabs ELP’s arm and brings him into a cover, TWO! Shane whips ELP away into The Mighty corner! Tag to Mikey, he sends Shane in, but ELP puts Shane on the apron! ELP BOOTS Mikey, ROUNDHOUSES Shane, then runs, but Mikey catches him! Mikey RAMS ELP back into the corner!
Mikey taunts Leo then digs boots into ELP. The fans rally up and ELP throws body shots. Mikey eggs ELP on so ELP CHOPS! ELP tries to get under but Mikey grabs a leg and drags him back! Tag to Shane, and Shane stomps ELP down. Shane kicks ELP around, kicks him more, but ELP fires off hands! Shane back drops ELP up and away! The fans rally while Shane drags ELP back to a cover, but Leo breaks it! Shane drags ELP back, tags Mikey in, and TMDK mug ELP. ELP sputters, Mikey tags Shane back in, and Shane sucker punches Leo! Mikey hoists ELP up but ELP BOOTS Shane! ELP backs Mikey into the corner, then goes up and over Shane!
Shane runs into Mikey but Mikey still pursues ELP. Mikey drags ELP back but ELP ENZIGIRIS free! The fans fire up, but Shane gets ELP’s legs! ELP BOOTS Shane away, hurries up again, but Mikey BLASTS Leo first! Mikey then brings ELP around to back suplex! ELP lands on his feet, but Shane back suplexes! ELP still lands on his feet, then he ducks under TMDK to hot tag Leo! The fans fire up as Leo UPPERCUTS Shane, swings on Mikey, but Mikey dodges, only for Leo to BOOT him! Leo scoops Shane for SNAKE EYES and a BOOT! The fans fire up with Leo while Shane and Mikey go to opposite corners.
Leo runs in to SPLASH Mikey! Leo keeps going but Shane BOOTS him! Shane runs up but Leo ELBOWS him down! Leo runs to drop the JUMPING ELBOW on Shane! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up and Leo watches Shane stir. Shane rises, Leo choke grips! GODS- NO, Shane slips free and Mikey fires a forearm! Shane UPPERCUTS, Mikey LARIATS, but Leo stays up! Shane runs to LARIAT! Leo roars, but TMDK double kick! TMDK reels Leo in, but Leo DOUBLE SUPLEXES them instead! The fans fire up and Leo watches TMDK bail out. Leo tags ELP and ELP goes up. Leo helps him walk the tightrope, to ARIHARA MOONSAULT TMDK down at the ramp!
The fans fire up again, and Leo goes out to get Shane in. ELP & Leo get Shane up to CHOP, straitjacket torture rack, and then Leo runs. BOOT into the spin, BRAIN SALAD! Cover, Mikey breaks it! Mikey fires forearms on Leo & ELP, runs, but ELP hurdles so Leo can DDT! Mikey bails out, the fans fire up, and ELP tunes up the band. Shane rises, into SUDDEN- NO, Shane dodges! Shane runs up, but into Leo’s hands! ELP aims, but Shane pulls Leo into SUDDEN DEATH! Shane UPPERCUTS ELP and DROPKICKS Leo! Shane KICKS ELP, BOOTS him, then reels him in for an INVERTED EXPLODER! Cover, TWO!!
ELP survives and Shane is surprised! The fans fires up, Shane and ELP rise, and ELP staggers to a corner. Shane puts ELP up top, ROCKS him with a right, then climbs up. Shane brings ELP up but ELP fires body shots! ELP HEADBUTTS Shane down but Mikey tags in! Shane goes up, ELP sends him back down, so Mikey UPPERCUTS! Mikey gives Shane the boost, and they get ELP for the SUPERPLEX BOMB COMBO! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives but Mikey powers up and runs, SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives again and the fans fire up! Mikey grows frustrated, he drags ELP up and reels him in.
ELP slips free of the Blue Thunder to kick and tuck the arms! But Mikey trips ELP to jackknife bridge, TWO! ELP rolling clutches! TWO and Mikey has the cover! TWO and ELP ghost pins, TWO!! Mikey escapes but ELP dodges! ELP DROPKICKS Mikey down and the fans fire up! Both men crawl, hot tag to Leo! Leo runs to BLAST Shane, then he turns to look at Mikey. Mikey eggs Leo on, then fires forearms! Leo ROCKS Mikey with just one! Mikey fires another flurry, but Leo ROCKS Mikey again! Leo eggs Mikey on and the fans rally. Mikey kicks low, ROCKS Leo, then runs, but into a scoop! Tag to ELP before the POWERSLAM!
ELP goes up to SWANTON BOMB! And then LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up, ELP tags Leo back in, and they tune up the band again! Mikey rises, but Shane trips Leo! Mikey ROCKS ELP, Shane UPPERCUTS ELP! Feed to the scoop but ELP slips free! ELP shoves Mikey into Shane, and Leo grabs them both! But both Shane & Mikey fight free of the choke slams! Shane KNEES, Mikey FOREARMS, but then ELP fires off on TMDK! ELP runs, but into a double trophy lift! THUNDER- DOUBLE DDTS!! ELP turns things around on TMDK, and the fans are thunderous! Mikey stands up into SUDDEN DEATH! ELP PLANCHAS onto Shane!
GODSEND for Mikey! ELP then climbs up the ropes, then climbs onto Leo! SUPER THUNDERKISS 86!! Cover, but Shane barrels through ELP to break it!! The fans are thunderous again but ELP is frustrated. ELP fires off on Shane, runs, but Shane LARIATS! Shane dodges Leo but runs into the POWER TRIP! GOD- NO, Mikey rolls Leo up!! TMDK WINS!!
Winners: TMDK, by pinfall (still NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions)
Leo is furious! He is sure Mikey pulled tights there! He stomps at Mikey, pushes past ELP and goes after Mikey on the outside! Mikey and Leo push each other around, but there’s nothing Leo can do about this one. Will he and ELP just have to fight their way back up to the top? As for TMDK, will they continue to rock ‘n’ roll through the ranks with all this gold?
KOPW Championship Rural Revitalization: Great-O-Khan w/ Callum Newman & Francesco Akira VS Yuya Uemura w/ Taka Michinoku & Taichi!
It’s Rural Revitalization 2: Hiroshima Style! The Dominator just managed to make it past Tanga Loa, will he make it through the Heat Storm? Or will KOPW soon belong to Just5Guys?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who can put in the work!
This first round is Mazda tire carrying. Each man has a big orange cone placed in their corner, so they simply have to go fetch the tires from the stacks outside. Whoever gets four tires first wins the round! The bell rings, Yuya kicks Khan then heads for ropes, but Khan reels him in for a BIG back suplex! Khan goes out now, hurries up the ramp, and grabs two tires at once! The fans cheer and Khan gets those tires in the ring. Then he goes back for more! A risky move but that means four tires are on play. Yuya DROPKICKS Khan and here’s where the risk is involved! Yuya aims to PLANCHA but Khan chucks a tire!
Yuya falls back, Khan gets the tires in then drags Yuya out. Khan CLUBS away on Yuya against the apron, then uses a tire to bind Yuya’s legs! Khan CLUBS Yuya more, and Khan even ties Yuya up in the ropes! Khan sacrifices two tires to trap Yuya! The fans cheer the creativity, and Khan STOMPS Yuya on the apron before heading for more tires. Yuya works to get free as Khan brings two more tires to the ring. Khan sets those tires in, Yuya gets free, but Khan has stacked two tires. Then three, but Yuya DROPKICKS him down! Yuya takes the tires off Khan’s cones, leaving him with just one. Yuya goes out to get the last tires remaining!
Yuya brings tires to his cone, then clears out some space. Yuya has two tires, steals Khan’s one, but then Khan grabs Yuya for an IRON CLAW SLEEPER! Yuya fights free, but Khan Mongolian Chops him down! Khan throws the tires off Yuya’s cone, then throws the cone! We’re back to zero and zero, and Khan whips Yuya into a corner, to then clothesline him! The fans fire up as Khan climbs up and sits on his throne! Khan then hops down to Mongolian Chop! And Mongolian Chops! And Mongolian CHOP! Yuya sits down, Khan takes a tire, but then THROWS it at Yuya! Yuya goes up and over and AX HANDLES Khan down!
The fans rally as Khan grabs tires and cone, and he starts stacking! Yuya has two, then three! He just needs to find one more! Yuya grabs one from outside, but Khan reels him in! Khan DECKS Yuya, then undoes some of the stack. Khan confiscates a tire, makes sure it’s nice and bouncy, but also works up quite the sweat. The fans rally as Khan aims and takes a swing, only for Yuya to counter tire with tire! They clash again, and again! Then they set up for TIRE SUMO! And again, TIRE SUMO! They run in again, and Khan RAMS Yuya! Yuya is disarmed, and Khan CLOBBERS him with the TIRE SUMO!
The fans fire up while Yuya is down and Khan grabs tires. Khan says he’s not done with Yuya yet. Khan starts stacking tires at the center of the ring, then drags Yuya up. Khan clinches Yuya into HITSUJIGOROSHI! Yuya endures, even as Khan throws knees! Khan then scoops to SLAM Yuya on the tires! That’ll leave some skid marks! Khan then drags Yuya off the stack, brings him up and around, to then put a tire around his head. And then another! Yuya’s two tired to stand but Khan makes him! Khan throws a BODY BLOW, then he TRIPS Yuya into a TIRE DDT! The fans fire up while Khan grabs the other tires.
Khan stacks tires on his cone, that’s two. Khan hurries to find other tires on the outside, and he has a third. Khan considers his options, and takes one of the tires from Yuya. But Yuya clings to the tires, so Khan stomps him! Yuya refuses to let go of the tires! Khan stomps Yuya more but Yuya defends the tire with his body! Khan claws at Yuya, they tug-o-war over the tire, but Khan pulls on Yuya’s ear! Yuya kicks low, kicks again, then SMACKS Khan with the tire, and DROPKICKS Khan down! The tire goes tumbling out of the ring while Yuya fires up! Yuya takes Khan’s tires, hurries them over to his cone, that’s three right there!
Now Yuya has to hurry and find another! Yuya goes outside, grabs the tire, but Khan intercepts! They tug-o-war again, but then Khan RAMS Yuya into a corner! Khan takes this tire, that’s one. Khan finds tires on the outside and brings them in! Yuya hurries to cover tires again! Khan stomps Yuya, still stacks three, so it’s all down to this seventh tire! Yuya and Khan tug-o-war yet again, the fans rallying behind them! Khan grabs Yuya’s arm, but Yuya slips around to a SLEEPER! Khan fights up but Yuya squeezes tight! Yuya then CLUBS away on Khan, runs, but into a TIRE SWEEP! And a BASEMENT DROPKICK!
Khan grabs the final tire, but Yuya schoolboys him away! Yuya rolls through, snatches the tire, and complete his stack! Yuya wins the first round!
Khan: 0; Yuya: 1
Just like with Tanga Loa, Khan drops the ball in the first round! But then, will history repeat itself here as we prepare for the second round?
The tarps are set down, the table is set, and it’s time to eat up some Hiroshima lemons! Khan makes sure the people watching at home and around the world understand that Hiroshima lemons are the best, which probably means they’re the most sour. Khan puts on his bandana and takes his seat at the table. He and Yuya get some wet wipes to clean their hands, and it all comes down to who finishes their one lemon first. Ready, set, EAT! Yuya starts fast and that face shows how sour these are. Khan says hold on, and he just takes a HUGE bite! Yuya is suffering but Khan is reveling in the sourness! Khan’s already halfway through!
Yuya can barely keep the lemon in, but Khan’s eaten it all up! Can he get it all down before Yuya? Khan is chewing and chewing, Yuya is practically shaking from how sour it all is! Khan keeps going and… Yes, Khan has it all down! Khan wins!
Khan: 1; Yuya: 1
Khan now lets his body feel the stinging sweetness, and he says it was delicious! But then, that leaves us with this third and final round. And this time it’s a TABLES match! Who will be feeling sour and sore after this one?
The bell rings, both men rush in, Yuya dodges to fire haymakers! Yuya whips, Khan reverses but Yuya CLOBBERS him! Khan gets up, but Yuya DROPKICKS him down! Khan bails out, Yuya aims and PLANCHAS! Direct hit at the ramp, and the Heat Storm fires back up! The table is there, so Yuya drags Khan right up! Yuya goes to suplex but Khan blocks! Khan fights with body shots, turns things around, but Yuya fights the suplex! They fight for control, but Khan RAMS Yuya into the apron! The fans rally, Khan drags Yuya back up, and whips him into railing! Yuya tumbles up and over into No Man’s Land!
Khan storms out after Yuya and he asks fans move aside. Young Lions help the fans clear out while Khan drags Yuya up. Khan brings Yuya around and reminds everyone, No Disqualifications! Khan BOWLS Yuya through chairs, and that’s definitely a strike! The fans cheer Khan as he stands on chairs, but then asks more fans to move aside! Khan stomps Yuya, stomps a chair onto Yuya, then tosses that chair aside. Sorry to whoever had that seat… Khan then drags Yuya up and brings him around, but Yuya throws body shots! Khan Mongolian Chops Yuya down! Khan drags Yuya back up, and BOWLS him into more chairs!
Yuya is stuck on the seats, that wasn’t quite a strike. But Khan stacks chairs on Yuya to pick up the spare. Khan SMACKS chair with chair! Yuya sputters while fans applaud, and Khan goes back to fetch Yuya. Taichi and Taka are there but so are Newman and Akira. The Empire keeps the two out of five guys at bay while Khan drags Yuya to the back of the crowd. Khan whips Yuya into the emergency exit! Khan then SLAMS railing down on Yuya, and then SMACKS railing with railing! Khan talks trash while Taka and Taichi coach Yuya up. The ref checks Yuya, but he’s somehow able to continue, so Khan drags him up.
Khan brings Yuya around to drag him through the chairs! Khan brings Yuya back to ringside, then into the ring. The fans applaud, and then Khan goes looking under the ring. Khan eventually finds another lemon! Khan takes a big bite and uses the citrus to power up! Then he DIGS the lemon into Yuya’s face! The citric acid burns but the fans fire up! Khan goes to fetch the table from outside, puts it inside, and then sets it up in a corner. The fans rally up as Khan stalks Yuya. Khan drags Yuya up, reels him in to scoop, but Yuya slips free! Khan avoids hitting table, but Yuya DOUBLE CHOPS! Yuya whips Khan into the blue corner, then DOUBLE CHOPS again!
The fans fire up and Yuya grits his teeth. Yuya roars, brings Khan up and reels him in for a BIG back suplex! The fans rally again and Yuya brings Khan up. Yuya clinches, but Khan fights the lift! Yuya still tries, but Khan fights it to a head ‘n’ arm clinch. Yuya gets around, headlocks, but Khan pops out to waistlock. Yuya fights being pushed around, then switches to get an arm. Khan clinches but so does Yuya. They fight for control, and Khan’s SAYANAGI takes Yuya down! The fans fire up and both men stir. Yuya flops out of the ring, but Khan crawls in pursuit. Khan drags Yuya up, then RAMS him into railing!
Yuya writhes, Khan goes looking under the ring, and he brings out another TABLE! Khan SMACKS Yuya with the table, then stands the table up at ringside. Khan drags Yuya up, SMACKS him off the apron, then climbs up. Khan drags Yuya up onto the apron, Mongolian Chops, then regular CHOPS! Khan UPPERCUTS, then clamps on the IRON CLAW! Khan scoops but Yuya fights free! Yuya DROPKICKS! Khan holds onto ropes to stay up, but Yuya hurries to run! Yuya LARIATS, but into the IRON CLAW!! Khan drags Yuya up and over, ELIMINATOR- NO, Yuya grabs ropes to fight that off! Khan kicks low, winds up, but Yuya traps the arm!
Yuya traps the other arm, takes aim, but Khan fights the Deadbolt with all his might!! The fans are thunderous as Yuya still tries! Khan BITES Yuya’s ear! And then POSTS him! But Yuya runs up, into a BOOT! Yuya falls back, Khan sits down, and the fans rally again! Khan undoes his hand tape, ends up pushing the table over, and then he folds it all up. Khan puts the table in the ring, pushes Yuya aside, and then he sets this table up again, in the blue corner. Yuya goes up top to CROSSBODY! The fans fire up as Yuya roars! Yuya has his choice as he hauls Khan up. Yuya traps the arms, but Khan makes it a BELLY2BELLY!
But Yuya rises back up! Yuya runs in, gets around, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! But Khan’s right up! Khan LARIATS Yuya down! The fans fire up as Yuya is right back up, and URENAGES! Both men are down again and the fans are thunderous! Khan flounders around, he and Yuya crawl to center, and Yuya fires a forearm! Khan gives it back! Both men stand, and Yuya fires a haymaker! Khan comes back to forearm! Yuya wobbles, but he comes back to HAYMAKER! Khan staggers, wobbles, but comes back to FOREARM! Both men stagger, but Yuya fires another haymaker! Khan fires a flurry of forearms, but Yuya haymakers!
Khan ROCKS Yuya, but Yuya DOUBLE CHOPS! And DOUBLE CHOPS! And DOUBLE CHOPS! But Khan throws an IRON RIGHT! The fans fire up again as Yuya falls! Khan roars with Monster Rage and he hauls Yuya up! IRON CLAW, and then ELIMIN- NO, Yuya slips free! Yuya wrenches, traps the arms, DEADBOLT SUPLEX through the table!! YUYA WINS!!
Winner: Yuya Uemura, 2-1 (NEW KOPW Champion)
Yuya slammed the Deadbolt shut on Khan and now he takes the title from him! The Heat Storm is rising, how hot will he make the KOPW Division through the Summer?
10 Man Tag Elimination Match: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs!
These factions have been battling all over this Road to Wrestling Dontaku, but now they will fight ’til the last man! Will there be a roll call for Bushi, Hiromu, Takagi, Yota y Naito? Or will this alliance with the Good Looking Emperor, Jake Lee, help David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors & “Drilla” Dan Moloney shoot down LIJ?
Wait, it seems Naito has brought backup of his own? It’s SLYLY! The dragon-like mascot of Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and half-brother to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Phillie Phanatic! Well, Naito does love him some baseball. Tensions are running high, and Finlay throws his shirt at Yota. Yota balls that shirt up, and throws a fastball over the plate! The teams sort out, Finlay pushes Yota around and Gabe talks trash on Takagi. Red Shoes gets them all to settle down, and the War Dogs bark and put up the Too Sweet. Jake joins in at the end there. LIJ mocks the barking before they fist bump, and the fans cheer.
Things finally sort out and Finlay starts against Yota. The fans fire up behind “YO~TA! YO~TA!” at the bell, and Yota makes sure Finlay hears that. Finlay gets on the corner but the fans all boo. The two circle, tie up, and Yota uses his size to put Finlay on ropes. Finlay turns that around to grind forearms in Yota’s face and push him around. Finlay then backs up to SPIT at him! The fans boo but Yota CHOPS Finlay in return! The fans cheer, Yota headlocks, and Yota grinds Finlay down. Finlay powers up and out to headlock back, but Yota powers up and out. They RAM shoulders, Yota rebounds to run Finlay over!
The fans fire up, things speed up, but Finlay bails out. The fans boo but Finlay says he’s got time. Yota barks at Finlay but Finlay just mockingly applauds. Finlay returns, kips up just to show off, but then Hiromu wants in! Yota tags Hiromu, Finlay tags Drilla. Hiromu fires forearms on Drilla, whips, to ROCK, trip, KICK the ropes, then run and SHOTGUN Drilla down! The fans fire up while Hiromu barks. Hiromu runs corner to corner to clothesline, snapmare and basement dropkick! The fans fire up but Connors runs in to knee Hiromu low! Connors barks, runs, but Hiromu kicks low! Bushi dropkicks legs out so Hiromu can basement dropkick!
The fans fire up but Drilla fires hands and CHOPS on LIJ. Hiromu CHOPS back, he and Bushi double whip to TU LO SABE! Cover, TWO! Drilla stays in this but Hiromu fires Hiroshima up. Hiromu fireman’s carries, but Drilla slips free to RAM Hiromu into the corner! The Dogs mug Hiromu while Jake Lee runs up to BLAST Naito! Finlay and Connors help out in mugging Yota and Bushi! Things have pilled out into the crowd in multiple areas while Naito fights back! Jake kicks Naito, then whips him hard into railing! Naito tumbles up and over into No Man’s Land! Gabe and Takagi throw HEADBUTTS back and forth!
Finlay snatches a phone? He’s taking pictures of Jake stomping away on Naito! But then Yota attacks Finlay! Finlay POSTS Yota, a ring count starts, but the Dogs just keep beating LIJ down! Drilla finds his way back to ringside, Hiromu manages to make his way in! Hiromu crawls in at 17 but Drilla is there to stomp him! Drilla bumps Hiromu off Finlay’s boot! Drilla tags Jake in, they mug Hiromu, and Jake digs his boot in while Finlay pulls Hiromu’s hair! Red Shoes is busy getting everyone to stop brawling! Jake lets off but Hiromu fires off CHOPS! Jake just kicks low, whips, and then HIP TOSSES Hiromu down!
Hiromu staggers up but Jake clamps on a SLEEPER! Tag to Finlay and they mug Hiromu in the corner. Red Shoes reprimands and counts, the fans boo, and Finlay lets off at 4. Finlay soaks up heat, then he takes Hiromu’s Kamaitachi mask and THROWS it to the crowd! Finlay then BLASTS Yota off the apron! The Dogs CHOKE Hiromu more, mug him while Finlay argues with Red Shoes, then Finlay brings Hiromu up. Finlay fireman’s carries and goes to dump Hiromu! Hiromu clamps onto ropes, Bushi runs in to make the save! Connors goes after Bushi so Takagi makes the save! But Connors goes after Takagi now!
Finlay puts Hiromu on the apron but Hiromu rolls back in, SAFE! The fans cheer while Finlay is frustrated. Finlay storms up on Hiromu in a corner but Hiromu CHOPS and CHOPS! Finlay knees low, whips corner to corner hard, and Hiromu flounders all the way back to where he started! Finlay drags Hiromu up and over, the fans still cheering him on, but Connors tags in. Connors BLASTS Naito off the corner, then snap suplexes Hiromu down! Connors runs to ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Hiromu stays in this but Connors stays on him with a seated full nelson. The fans continue to rally for “HI-RO-MU!” as he endures!
Hiromu fights around, even as Gedo barks at him to give up. Hiromu still gets the ROPEBREAK! Finlay pushes the foot away and that distracts Red Shoes, allowing Drilla to join in and stomp Hiromu! Drilla & Connors double whip but Hiromu gets around to lift Connors and throw him at Drilla, FORCED RANA! The fans fire up but Connors keeps Hiromu away from his corner! Hiromu blocks a kick, and a punch, to DRAGON SCREW! The fans rally again while both men are down! Hot tag to Naito! Naito rallies on Connors, BLASTS Drilla, swings on Jake, but Jake gets away. Connors CLUBS Naito, whips, but Naito reverses to arm-drag!
Naito atomic drops, runs, and ELBOWS Connors down, to then basement dropkick! The fans fire up while Naito stares Jake down. Naito covers Connors, TWO! The fans rally, Naito drags Connors up and dragon sleepers, for the NECKBREAKER! And then, LEG HOOK NELSON! Connors endures but Gabe stomps Naito! Gabe BLASTS Takagi, the rest of the Dogs attack, and Gabe stomps away on Naito! Gabe tells off the fans but the fans boo. Red Shoes reprimands so Gabe steps away, and Connors drags Naito up. Connors UPPERCUTS, whips, but Naito reverses to TORNADO- NO, Connors powers out!
Connors dodges Naito, redirects and POUNCES! Naito is down but the fans rally up. Naito and Connors crawl, hot tags to Takagi and Gabe! The fans fire up for the NEVER Openweight Championship appetizer! They RAM shoulders, Takagi ROCKS Gabe then runs to RAM him! Gabe rebounds to RAM Takagi, but Takagi rebounds to RAM Gabe! Gabe fires a forearm, whips Takagi to a corner then runs in to clothesline! Takagi says that’s not enough, so Gabe UPPERCUTS! Gabe says he’s a madman, then whips, only for Takagi to reverses. Takagi runs in, blocks a boot, and clotheslines through! The fans fire up with Takagi, but Gabe shoves him!
Takagi kicks and CLUBS away on Gabe, but Gabe BITES Takagi’s forehead! Red shoes reprimands, but Takagi spins Gabe around to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Gabe’s still in this but the fans rally behind “TA-KA-GI!” Takagi looks around, “Oi, Hiroshima! TOKI GA-” NO, Gabe CLOBBERS Takagi! It isn’t his time yet, and Gabe stands Takagi up to HEADBUTT again and again! Then Gabe suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Takagi’s tougher than that but Gabe shakes his head. Gabe scuffs Takagi, eggs him on and runs, but Takagi blocks the Rebounder to HEADBUTT! Gabe HEADBUTTS! Both men shake their heads, and then Takagi HEADBUTTS!
Gabe HEADBUTTS! Takagi HEADBUTTS again and again, but then Gabe HEADBUTTS again and again! Takagi fires a forearm, Gabe gives it back, repeat! The fans fire up as the shots go back and forth! Gabe gets the edge, but Takagi fires boxing elbows! Gabe CHOP! Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! Gabe UPPERCUTS and YUKON LARIATS! But Takagi’s right up to LARIAT!! Gabe rises and shouts! Both men run in, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! And again! Gabe fires palm strikes, talks trash, but gets a JAB, HEADBUTT, and a PUMPING BOMBER take takes both men up and out! DOUBLE ELIMINATION!!
Fans go wild as Takagi’s sacrifice play makes things 4v4! Bushi and Drilla jump in and Drilla fires off shots! Drilla ENZIGIRIS, ripcords, but Bushi dodges to RANA! And DROPKICK! Drilla bails out but Bushi builds speed, only for Connors to SNAP POWERSLAM! Drilla gets in, he and Connors get moving, SPEAR GORE COMBO!! Cover, TWO!! Bushi survives but the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions coordinate. Connors BLASTS Naito off the apron before he climbs a corner, and Drilla gets Bushi up. Drilla suplexes, but Bushi slips free! Bushi shoves Drilla into Connors, then runs back in to CODE-
NO, Drilla blocks and aims for ropes! Bushi slips free, dodges Drilla, but Drilla ducks the enzigiri, only for the REWIND HEEL to hit! Bushi whips Drilla up and out and to the floor, Bushi ELIMINATES Drilla! We’re 4v3 in LIJ’s favor, but then Connors SPEARS Bushi! Connors says this is it, and he reels Bushi in for- NO! Bushi turns No Chaser into a backslide! BUSHI ROLL! Bushi ELIMINATES Connors!! The Black Mask singlehandedly handles the tag champs and the fans fire up! But then Finlay CLOBBERS Bushi and rains down fists! Finlay roars in rage, then he drags Bushi up. Canadian Rack, but Bushi slips free to backslide!
Finlay rolls through to UPPERCUT! Jake BLASTS Naito, BLASTS Yota, and then Finlay gets Bushi up! Finlay POWERBOMBS Bushi to the outside, onto Naito and the rest! Finlay ELIMINATES Bushi! We’re back to 3v2 as Finlay still has Jake but LIJ still has Naito, Hiromu and Yota. And speaking of Yota, he gets in to brawl with Finlay! Yota whips, Finlay reverses but Yota flipping RANAS! Then he BLASTS Jake! Yota runs corner to corner to STINGER SPLASH Finlay! Yota keeps moving, he runs Finlay over to then run and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up with Yota as he smiles and paces around.
Yota brings Finlay up and fireman’s carries, but Finlay slips free. Yota kicks, runs, but Finlay ELBOWS him down, then SENTONS on top! Finlay barks as he aims at Yota. Yota rises, Finlay runs in, and UPPERCUTS at the corner! Then clotheslines! Then FALCON ARROWS! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Yota but Finlay grows frustrated. Finlay drags Yota up, reels him in, but Yota fights the lift! Finlay CLUBS away on Yota, tries again, and he has Yota up, but Yota fights free of the bomb! Yota fires forearms, but Finlay UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS again! Finlay runs, but Yota backslides to KNEE Finlay down!
The fans fire up again as we pass 20 minutes, and Yota drags Finlay up. Yota goes up and up but Finlay shoves him over! Yota’s on the apron, he and Finlay brawl! Yota ROCKS Finlay, but Finlay gets in Red Shoes’ face! Jake grabs at Yota, Yota kicks him away, but Finlay BLASTS Yota down and ELIMINATES him! The fans boo but the Dogs have made this 2v2! Finlay and Jake stand together, and they dare Naito & Hiromu to join them. Naito and Hiromu oblige as they step inside. Naito stares Jake down, Hiromu stares Finlay down, and they start swinging! The fans fire up, but then Finlay fireman’s carries Hiromu! Finlay aims for ropes!
Naito gets past Jake to save Hiromu, but then Jake BOOTS Naito down! Jake scrapes Naito out of the ring and goes after him, but Hiromu fireman’s carries Finlay! Hiromu runs at ropes and dumps Finlay out! Finlay stays on the apron but Hiromu SUPERKICKS! Finlay holds onto ropes and wobbles, but Hiromu builds speed! Hiromu DIVES and SUNSET FLIPS, but Finlay still holds on! Finlay throws down hands, gets back inside, he’s SAFE! Hiromu is also safe because he went through the second rope. Hiromu runs back in, but avoids Blue Thunder to wheelbarrow! But Finlay turns that into an IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER!
Hiromu writhes, the fans rally as hard as they can behind him, but Finlay drags Hiromu up. DOMINATOR! Cover, Naito breaks it! Jake stomps Naito and TOSSES him out! It was all second rope so Naito’s safe, but Finlay talks trash on Hiromu. Finlay drags Hiromu up, reels him in, suplexes, but Hiromu slips free! Finlay UPPERCUTS, and UPPERCUTS, and UPPERCUTS! Flashback to the 23rd! Hiromu just takes UPPERCUT after UPPERCUT from Finlay, but he doesn’t stop! Then he SUPERKICKS! Hiromu runs, but into another UPPERCUT! Finlay gets Hiromu up, but Hiromu RANAS Finlay up and out to ELIMINATE him!!
The fans are thunderous as The Rebel is shocked! Hiromu mocks him, but then Jake runs in! Hiromu gets under the boot to get under Jake! Jake fights Hiromu off, snarls, and then runs up! Hiromu dodges to kick a leg! Hiromu runs, but Jake kitchen sink knees! Jake takes aim, runs up, and FACE BREAK SHOT! Hiromu tumbles up and out and to the floor, Jake ELIMINATES him! And now, at 25 minutes in, we’re down to just Jake and just Naito! Naito slowly rolls into the ring as the fans rally behind him. Jake watches Naito stand, and the two stare down. Jake runs in but Naito dodges to fire off forearms!
Naito whips but Jake reverses to KNEE low! Jake fires up but fans boo as he stands Naito up. Jake reels Naito in for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Naito protects the plate but Jake is aiming another heater! Jake waits as Naito stands, then winds up to choke grip! But Naito throws back elbows to get free! Naito then wrenches, TORNADO DDT! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Naito rises, he drags Jake up, and he throws those heavy back elbows! Jake crawls around, Naito brings him up, and Naito throws more heavy back elbows! Jake wobbles and staggers to the corner but Naito is right on him.
Naito brings Jake around for even more heavy back elbows! Jake falls over, the fans fire up, and Naito aims from the corner. Naito drags Jake up and in, but Jake BOOTS Naito down! Naito dangles off the apron! Red Shoes keeps the War Dogs from interfering, and Naito stands up. Jake aims, runs in, but Naito avoid the FBS! Naito drags Jake ot the apron, Jake elbows him back! Jake runs up, but into an ELBOW! Naito goes up and over, sweeps the legs, then BASEBALL SLIDE DROPKICKS! Jake falls, LIJ wins!!
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon, Naito as the lone survivor
It came down to the bottom of the ninth, technically speaking, and Naito just hit the walk-off homer! Jake is stunned and Finlay is frustrated, but Yota just smiles back at him. Finlay and Yota will have it out as part of Wrestling Dontaku Night One, who will be smiling then?
As for LIJ, they regroup in the ring and have their hands raised. Slyly’s even still hanging around! But uh, he’s a little too chunky to get in the ring, so he just settles for pumping up the crowd like he does at baseball games. Naito gets the mic to say that it was three months ago, the Splash Strong series back in January, since Naito was last in Hiroshima. Naito would like to thank the fans from coming here tonight, “Gracias, amigos.” The fans cheer, and Naito continues by saying, “Hiroshima is my second home. I really long to have a match at Mazda Stadium.” The fans love the sound of that!
Naito does preface that him saying that doesn’t mean there’s anything planned. So please, tranquilo, be patient, and look forward to the day that finally happens. So, shall they do it? The fans cheer again! So then, for the first time in Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in a year and eight months, is everyone ready? The fans cheer because they sure are! Well then, the only way to close The Road to Wrestling Dontaku here in Hiroshima… Bushi! Hiromu! Takagi! Titan! Yota! Slyly! Y Naito! NOSOTROS! LOS! INGOBERRRRNABLEEEES~! DE! JA! PON!! Slyly gets in on the roll call! Will all of LIJ have success as we reach Wrestling Dontaku next week?
My Thoughts:
A great event to conclude Road to Dontaku before getting to Wrestling Dontaku itself. An unfortunate change in the card, Sanada fell ill and could not compete, so his match alongside Taichi against Tanahashi & Tomoaki was changed into Tanahashi and a Young Lion VS Tomoaki and a Young Lion. Hopefully Cold Skull gets well soon. Great tag title match from TMDK VS GoD, and while I figured TMDK was going to retain, I didn’t think it’d be in a shady way like holding tights. While ZSJ VS Cobb for the NJPW World TV title is still to come, I doner of GoD shift gears and ELP becomes a singles guy so Leo and Loa can team up. Then ELP can challenge ZSJ in a battle of initials while the Brothers Guerrilla get to take on Shane & Mikey.
Great Rural Revitalization again, they managed to pull off great comeback spots each round. I was very surprised Yuya won out, I felt like Khan could’ve done one more Rural Revitalization before losing. But at the same time, Yuya feels like the unofficial fourth Reiwa Musketeer behind Narita, Shota & Tsuji. Yuya getting a title, any title, ahead of the others is good stuff for him, and could even bring about a feud with one of the Musketeers for the Summer. And then a great 10 Man Elimination Tag. I again really like that NJPW allows over the rope eliminations even in a tag match like this to really mix things up. Jake Lee not winning out for the War Dogs is really surprising, but I feel like that means Jake will defeat Naito 1v1.
My Score: 8.9/10
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It’s a violent end to a legendary friendship!
Former Best Friends, Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor, have been through many Parking Lot Brawls, but this is their first time as enemies! Will there be broken bones to go along with the broken hearts?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Parking Lot Brawl: Trent Beretta VS Chuck Taylor; Trent wins.
- Thunder Rosa VS Deonna Purrazzo; Rosa wins.
- “Big Bill” Morrissey VS Trevor Blackwell; Bill wins.
- Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions; Shibata & Garcia win.
PLAY BY PLAY
Parking Lot Brawl: Trent Beretta VS Chuck Taylor!
Years of friendship, thrown away, and why? Because #JustTrent had a problem with Freshly Squeezed having more success in AEW than them? Because #JustTrent had a problem with Cassidy as a person? Because #JustTrent turned out to be the selfish one in the relationship? Well, then will #JustTrent get his ass kicked? Or will he take advantage of how Chuckie T. is a Kentucky Gentleman?
Trent stares Chuck down while we hear the crowd of other wrestlers taunting him. Trent takes a swing, but Chuck dodges to fire off hands! The brawl is on, and Chuck gets the edge! Chuck ROCKS Trent, then SMACKS him off a car hood! And then off the car door! Chuck drags Trent up, but Trent RAMS Chuck into the car! And throat chops him just because! Trent gets space, runs back in, but Chuck dodges so Trent hits the passenger door! Chuck gets a trash can lid and he stands Trent up. Trent jumps through the open window but Chuck drags him back out. Trent kicks low, and he gives Chuck a CAR HOOD BACK SUPLEX!
Trent grabs the trash can lid, SMACKS Chuck right in the head and Chuck falls down! The crowd boos but Trent opens a car trunk to bring out a trash can, a dustpan and a baseball bat! Chuck storms up but Trent CHUCKS the trash can into Chuck’s face! Chuck flounders and Trent smirks. Trent SMACKS Chuck with the trash can, CLUBS him around, and Chuck is busted open! The white car has red polka dots on it now, and Trent talks trash, “This is what you wanted?!” Trent runs up, but Chuck POP UP POWERBOMBS Trent onto a car hood! Trent writhes, Chuck staggers around, and Chuck brings Trent around.
Chuck headlocks Trent before he SMACKS him off another car door. Trent goes around the back and then up onto a truck! Chuck follows, and he CLUBS Trent in the chest! But Trent slips under, and he CLAWS Chuck’s bloody face! Trent DECKS Chuck and Chuck falls through drywall sheets! Trent looms over Chuck as he crawls out of the wreckage. Trent stalks Chuck, brings him around and SMACKS him with the trash can lid! Trent hoists Chuck onto a car roof, SMACKS him again, then goes back to the truck. Trent climbs onto the roof of the truck, to FLYING ELBOW from car to car! Cover, TWO!!
Trent is furious, but Chuck is still in this as Rampage goes picture in picture.
Trent fumes, paces around, and goes back to the goodies. He brings out… Is that a screwdriver?! And he JABS Chuck in the head with it!! And then he DIGS it into Chuck’s forehead!! As if he wasn’t already bleeding badly!! Trent leaves Chuck behind, to fetch what looks to be a flat screen TV. Then he brings out a wood door!? Did someone visit Home Depot before coming here? Chuck CHOPS Trent in return then fires haymakers! Trent CLAWS Chuck’s face! Trent grabs that TV and CHUCKS it, only for Chuck to duck it! Rampage returns as TV screen hits windshield! Chuck kicks low to snap suplex Trent through the door!!
The crowd is losing its minds as Trent crawls. Chuck gets Trent’s legs, to CATAPULT him into the truck’s tailgate!! The crowd fires up while Chuck gets a sinister look on his face. Chuck takes a piece of that drywall to SMASH it on Trent! Chuck gets that trash can, he SMACKS Trent with it! Chuck sees the pile of extra goodies nearby, and he uncovers some light tubes! But first, he’ll clean up the mess, he SMACKS Trent with the dust pan! And SMACKS him again and again! And then one more shot with the trash can! Trent writhes, but Chuck drags Trent up. Chuck SMACKS Trent off the tailgate, then clears some space.
Chuck climbs up, but Trent ROCKET LAUNCHES him onto the light tubes!!! The tubes shatter under Chuck’s back! Trent sputters, he’s bloody now, too. Trent puts Chuck against the car hood and stands on him! Trent soaks up the heat, but Chuck TRIPS Trent! Trent writhes, Chuck reels Trent in, Canadian Rack, RAZOR’S EDGE onto a windshield!! Trent writhes while fans chant “HOLY CHUCK!” Chuck covers Trent on the hood, TWO!! Trent survives and hurries around the back of this sedan. Chuck snarls, goes up after Trent, and they meet on the roof. They’re both so bloody as they fire forearms back and forth!
The crowd cheers Chuck and boos Trent, and as the two swing wild, they end up HUGGING! You GOT to give the people what they want, right? They stand, Chuck ROCKS Trent and reels Trent in, but Trent LOW BLOWS!! Trent has Chuck now, PILEDRIVER ON THE CAR ROOF!!! And then, SNAKE BITE!! Trent is choking Chuck out!!! Chuck IS out, Trent wins!!
Winner: Trent Beretta, by submission
The Best Friends tore each other apart, but it is #JustTrent that stands tall in the end. He’s clearly lost the respect of his peers given how the other wrestlers are chanting “You Suck! You Suck!” But wait, Trent isn’t done? He has a monkey wrench!? Cassidy & Kris step forward to say no, this is going too far! Trent says this is all Cassidy’s fault! And SMASH, Trent hits Chuck’s leg with the wrench, and even shatters the glass behind it!! Chuck clutches the already recovering leg, and now Cassidy wants after Trent! Kris stops Cassidy, Trent’s still got the wrench! Trent escapes into the shadows of the arena, what darkness is living in Trent’s heart?
Don Callis is watching this.
And he seems to like the sadistic savagery he just witnessed. Trent may not have Best Friends anymore, but could he end up with a whole new family?
Backstage interview with Kyle O’Reilly.
Arkady Aura is with #CombatKyle and brings up his impressive showing in Dynamite’s Casino Gauntlet this past Wednesday. But we all want to know, what is next for her? Well, on Saturday, May 11th, AEW is coming to his hometown! Collision in Vancouver, British Columbia! The Rogers Arena, the same building an 11-year-old Kyle saw his first wrestling show ever. And at that show, Kyle told his dad that he was gonna do this one day. Papa O’Reilly said, “Oh yeah, sure you will, kid.” But somehow, Kyle pulled it off. 25 years later, he’s coming back home to do the one thing he’s ever been good at and that’s wrestling.
Kyle is going to take on the best wrestlers this world has to offer, right here in AEW, where the best wrestle. Kyle is ready for a fight, who will take him up on that in two weeks?
Thunder Rosa VS Deonna Purrazzo!
La Mera Mera and The Virtuosa could not coexist in the race for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and now they will Rampage against each other! Who will stand tall, ready for another shot at the title?
The bell rings and the fans rally up. Deonna and Rosa step up, talk a little trash, then Deonna pie faces Rosa! Rosa swings but Deonna catches the arm! Rosa avoids the takedown to knee low! They tie up again, go around and around, and Deonna puts Rosa in a corner. The ref counts, Rosa powers her way out but Deonna headlocks. Rosa powers up and out, but Deonna RAMS her! The two stay up, Deonna eggs Rosa on then kicks her low! Deonna whips, Rosa blocks the hip toss, but then Deonna blocks a hip toss! Rosa avoids the lariat to DECK Deonna! Rosa rains down fists but the ref reprimands.
Rosa sits Deonna up, clamps on a COBRA CLUTCH, and she grinds Deonna down. The fans rally but Deonna fights up. Deonna throws hands, then wrenches, but Rosa breaks free. Deonna BOOTS Rosa, then has the arm for the ARMBAR DDT! Deonna dusts herself off as she paces, then she KICKS Rosa’s arm. And KICKS it again! Rosa goes to ropes, Deonna pushes her down and ties her up in Paradise! Rosa is stuck, Deonna soaks up the cheers and jeers, and then runs to DROPKICK Rosa out of Paradise! Deonna stands Rosa up but Rosa ROCKS her first! Deonna stands, Rosa RAMS into her then bumps her off buckles.
Rosa goes up and up to leap, but Deonna blocks the rana and has a BOSTON CRAB! They’re in the ropes, the ref counts, and Deonna lets go. Rosa crawls to the corner, Deonna paces while soaking up the heat. Rosa stands, builds speed, and she WERCKS Deonna with a dropkick! Rosa fires up despite the pain in her back, and she kicks Deonna. Deonna stands, Rosa CHOPS her against the post! And CHOPS her again! Deonna ducks, Rosa chops post! Deonna SUPERKICKS Rosa down, and Rampage goes picture in picture.
Deonna steps on Rosa’s face, steps away, and Rosa staggers up to railing. Deonna storms up but Rosa kicks her low. Rosa then runs Deonna side to side to POST her! But then Deonna RAMS Rosa into apron! And SMACKS her off it! Deonna snarls, brings Rosa around, and she puts Rosa in the ring. Cover, TWO! Deonna clamps onto Rosa to pull her arms in, for a straitjacket stretch! Rosa endures, fights up, but Deonna turns that into a BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO! Rosa is still in this, and she is feeding off the energy of the fans! Rosa stands, and she ELBOWS Deonna! And body shots! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS again!
Rosa has Deonna in a corner to UPPERCUT! Rosa runs corner to corner and back again, but Deonna dodges! Rosa POSTS herself and falls to the apron! Deonna storms back over, brings Rosa up and wraps the bad arm against ropes! The ref counts, Deonna KICKS the ropes as she lets off, and Rosa clutches the elbow. Deonna returns but Rosa RAMS into her! Deonna CLUBS Rosa, has her in a corner, and HEADBUTTS the lower back as Rampage goes to break.
Rampage returns and Deonna runs in, but into an ELBOW! And then a BOOT! Rosa goes up to MISSILE DROPKICK! The fans fire up with Rosa as she rises up! Deonna runs in, Rosa dodges to fire forearm after forearm! Deonna shoves, Rosa ENZIGIRIS! Rosa runs, to SHOTGUN BOOT! Deonna flounders to ropes, Rosa pounds the mat and the fans rally again. Rosa runs side to side to DROPKICK again! Cover, TWO!! Deonna toughs it out while Rosa shakes out her arm. Rosa drags Deonna up, but Deonna SOBATS! Deonna runs to KNEE LIFT and RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Deonna wants the Fujiwara but Rosa rolls free!
Deonna BOTOS Rosa down, covers, TWO! Rosa is still in this and the fans rally up. Deonna is frustrated but she fireman’s carries Rosa. Rosa fires elbows, waistlocks, but Deonna pries the hold open! Deonna waistlocks, Rosa victory rolls and STOMP 182! The fans rally up again and Rosa covers, TWO! Deonna stays in this but Rosa stays on her. Rosa drags Deonna to a drop zone, goes to a corner and climbs. But Deonna rises and catches the leap! FUJIWARA ARMBAR!! Rosa endures, reaches out, pushes Deonna over to get a REAR NAKED CHOKE!! Deonna is in the body scissors but she fights around!
Deonna rises, to BACKPACK SENTON! Deonna is free, the fans fire up, and Deonna brings Rosa back up. Deonna SLAPS Rosa, then reels her in! Gotch Hold, but Rosa jackknife bridges! TWO, Deonna sunset flips, TWO! Prawn hold, TWO! FUJIWARA!! Rosa rolls it to a cradle, ROSA WINS!!
Winner: Thunder Rosa, by pinfall
Deonna thought she had the perfect formula but Rosa says she just beat her at wrestling! But then Deonna CLOBBERS Rosa at the ramp! The fans boo but Deonna drags Rosa up to RAM her into the bleachers! Rosa slumps down, but Deonna digs her boot in! Deonna SLAPS Rosa around, tells the ref to shut up, and she SLAPS Rosa more! So Rosa SLAPS back! They brawl on stage and then out to the ledge of the upper level! The fans fire up as they keep going! Security rushes in, the fans boo, but Deonna flips Rosa off! It seems nothing was settled here, will these two look to go Double or Nothing?
Backstage interview with The Undisputed Kingdom.
Arkady Aura is with Roderick Strong, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett as she notes Will Ospreay is the NEW #1 Contender to the AEW International Championship. Taven says hold on, before we get started here, “Not Lexy,” as three guys who care deeply about neck health, and as two guys who nursed someone from the brink of paralysis (aka Roddy), The Kingdom wishes a very speedy recovery to “the world’s greatest boss. TK, stay strong, buddy.” Roddy then shouts that “WILL… Ospreay. Congratulations, you did it! You have signed, sealed and delivered the downfall, demise and destruction of The Aerial Assassin at Double or Nothing.”
Roddy says the world can sing Ospreay’s praises, but none of that matters when you step in the ring with Roddy. Just like all the ones before, Roddy will dismantle Ospreay, he will BREAK Ospreay, and he will make Ospreay fall in front of The Savior of the Backbreaker. Roddy’s confidence is strong, but will Roddy be the one feeling the End of Heartache after taking on the #BillyGOAT?
“Big Bill” Morrissey VS Trevor Blackwell!
The human skyscraper says he wants to sit under the Learning Tree, but Chris Jericho’s gonna need a bigger tree if he’s to give guidance to Big Bill. Will Bill prove he is worthy of The Wizard’s sage advice?
The moment Bill is in the ring, he SPLASHES Trevor right in the corner! The bell rings, Bill runs to BOOT Trevor down! Trevor flounders around, Bill runs corner to corner and SPLASHES again! Trevor flops around, Bill wants Jericho to watch this. Bill said he’d show Jericho he is worthy, and we do see Jericho watching backstage, holding the FTW Championship on his shoulder and oddly still wearing a #LionHook shirt… Jericho nods as Bill CLUBS Trevor on the back! Bill then tells Jericho to watch him! Scoop and BIG BOSS SLAM!! Cover, but Bill lets off! Bill wags his finger, he wants Jericho to see more.
Bill brings Trevor up, reels him in, and short arm LARIATS! Cover, but again Bill lets off! Bill is having too much fun at poor Trevor’s expect. Bill says Jericho’s gonna wanna teach him. Bill hoists Trevor up for the SKYSCRAPER CHOKE SLAM!! One foot cover, a very Jericho move, and Bill wins!
Winner: “Big Bill” Morrissey, by pinfall
Trev might want to change his last name to Well-done, because he got roasted. Bill wants Jericho’s guidance, does he even need it when he can do all this?
BREAKING NEWS for Rampage!
Rampage won’t be following up Collision next week but it also won’t be back on Friday just yet. For AEW’s return to Canada, Rampage is going to be BACK TO BACK with Dynamite! Get ready for a truly All Elite Wednesday!
Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions!
The Wrestler said during Collision earlier tonight that he was going to take on Shane Taylor Promotions by himself if he had to, but then the Dragonslayer offered his help. Now they’re both going to take on #TAIGASTYLE and Big Bad Shaney T. himself! Garcia wears basic trunks and boots to match Shibata, will The Wrestlers win out? Or will STP rumble, bad man, rumble?
The moment all four men are in the ring, Shibata CLOBBERS Lee Moriarty and then he and Garcia both go after Shane! The fans fire up as they stomp and kick Shane right out of the ring! Then they go out to keep after him! Shibata whips and BOOTS Shane into railing! Garcia fires off on Lee, then Shibata adds an UPPERCUT! Shibata whips and BOOTS Lee against railing! Garcia stomps Shane, Shibata snap suplexes Lee to the floor! Shibata leaves them behind to go into the ring and sit cross-legged! Garcia sits with him! The fans fire up and the two go out again. The brawling continues but Shane throws heavy hands!
Lee ROCKS Garcia, Shane puts Shibata in, and Shane storms in after Shibata. Lee sends Garcia into railing, but Shibata fires hands on Shane! Shibata KICKS and KICKS, but Shane blocks the boot! Shane JABS Shibata and Shibata falls back! Shane talks trash, the fans boo, but Shane drags Shibata up. Shane HEADBUTTS Shibata, tags Lee, and they mug Shibata. Lee stomps a mudhole in, lets off as the ref counts, but he sneaks mule kicks on Shibata the whole time! Shibata trips Lee, stomps him, but Lee gets up to RAM into Shibata! Lee brings Shibata around, suplexes, but Shibata slips free to waistlock!
Lee elbows free, kicks, but Shibata blocks! Lee KNEES Shibata but Garcia tags in! Shibata BOOTS Lee, Garcia LARIATS! Garcia DROPKICKS Shane, gets around Lee, TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! And then another TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Garcia brings Lee up again but Lee suplexes! Garcia slips free, spins Lee and kicks low, to then TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The trifecta is complete and the fans fire up! Garcia storms up on Lee, brings him up, and UPPERCUTS! The fans rally for Garcia, he CHOPS Lee to ropes. And CHOPS Lee against ropes! Garcia runs, but Shane trips him! Lee distracts the ref so Shane can DRAPING DDT to the floor!
Shibata protests but Lee mocks him by sitting cross-legged. The ring count climbs, Garcia drags himself up at 3 of 10, slides in at 5, but Lee stomps Garcia at the ropes! Lee drags Garcia up, bumps him off buckles, then tags Shane. Shane pushes Garcia against the buckles, to then CHOP! Garcia seethes and he fires forearm son Shane! The fans fire up, Garcia throws more shots, then leaps, but into Shane’s arms! Shane RAMS Garcia into a corner, then CHOPS! Shane runs up, but Garcia BOOTS! Garcia spins, but Shane ROCKS him first! And URENAGES! And then SPLASHES down! Cover, TWO!
Shane seethes but he keeps Garcia from Shibata, and Rampage goes picture in picture.
Shane mocks Garcia’s dance, drags him up, but Garcia CHOPS! Garcia staggers, but Shane fires body shots in the corner! Shane ROCKS Garcia, tags Lee, and STP mugs Garcia. Garcia flounders to ropes, Lee CHOKES him! The ref counts, Lee steps away, and he stomps Garcia around. Lee wraps an arm around the ropes, then fishhooks Garcia! The ref counts, Lee lets off, and Garcia feeds off the energy of the fans. Lee brings Garcia up but Garcia fires forearm sand CHOPS! Lee gets around, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! Cover, TWO! Garcia stays in this but Lee stays on him with a wrench. Tag to Shane, and Lee hooks Garcia up in a COBRA TWIST, just so Shane can KNEE Garcia down!
Shane has Garcia on ropes, ROCKS him with a forearm, then scoops him for SNAKE EYES! Garcia slumps down in the corner, Shane drags him back up, and TOSSES him out! Shane goes out to then put Garcia against railing. Shane ROCKS Garcia, talks trash on fans, then brings Garcia around to scoop and SLAM him to the floor! Shane talks more trash on the fans, Lee has him cool off, and Shane brings Garcia up again. Shane puts Garcia in, tags Lee, and then Lee clamps on with a top wristlock and stretches Garcia out! Garcia endures, turns to fight the pressure, but Lee CLUBS him down. Lee drags Garcia up, tags Shane, and Shane scoop SLAMS!
Shane runs to SPLASH Garcia again! Rampage returns to single picture, Shane drags Garcia to a drop zone, and he goes up a corner. The fans boo but Shane blows them a kiss. FALLING SPLASH FLOPS as Garcia moves! T he fans fire up, but Lee KICKS him down! Lee hurries back and tags in, then he drags Garcia up. Lee wrenches, wristlocks, but Garcia endures. Lee SNAPS the fingers! The fans boo Lee being so villainous, but he drags Garcia up. Lee bumps Garcia off buckles, Shane holds Garcia up, but Garcia fights free with boots and haymakers and elbows! The fans fire up, Garcia sends Lee into Shane!
Lee hurries to waistlock but Garcia switches, SAIDO! The fans are thunderous as Lee and Garcia crawl! Hot tags to Shane and Shibata! Shibata BOOTS Shane! Shane roars, Shibata runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges and BOOTS! Shibata whips to BOOT Shane in the corner! Shibata fires forearms, the ref counts, but Lee runs up. Shibata DECKS him! Garcia RAMS Lee into a corner, climbs up, and while Shibata fires forearms on Shane, Garcia rains down fists! Garcia goes all the way to nine, then DOES HIS DANCE! Shibata and Garcia coordinate, DOUBLE HYDRAULIC DROPKICKS! The fans fire up and Garcia stands Shane up. Shibata runs in to BOOT!
Shibata CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS Shane, then CHOPS, CHOPS and JABS! Garcia does his dance while Shibata JABS and CHOPS to the rhythm! The fans are loving this, as now Garcia runs in to KNEE Shane! Shibata & Garcia get Shane up, to DOUBLE SUPLEX!! Cover, ONE?!? Shane has power to spare, but Garcia BOOTS him! Shibata BOOTS him! They go again, but this time Shane DOUBLE SUPLEXES them!! The fans boo but Shane tags in Lee. Lee runs up to clothesline Shibata, and JAB! And CHOP! JAB! CHOP! JAB! CHOP! Shibata just scowls at Lee! Lee says okay, and he fires more JABS and CHOPS!
Shibata steps into the shots, so Lee eggs him on! Shibata ROCKS Lee! Shane runs up, HEADBUTTS, then Lee HALF HATCH SLAMS! Cover, TWO!! Shibata toughs it out and STP grows frustrated. Lee drags Shibata up, kicks then waistlocks, but Shibata fights the lift! Shane storms in, helps Lee put on the full nelson, and Shane promises to knock Shibata out! But Shibata BOOTS Shane first! Garcia jumps on for a SLEEPER! Shibata switches on Lee for a SLEEPER!! The fans fire up as STP start fading out! Shane fires up to RAM Garcia into buckles! But Shibata BOOTS him! And Garcia SAIDOS!! Shibata PENALTY KICKS Lee!! Cover, The Wrestlers win!
Winners: Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia, by pinfall
Shibata helps Garcia stand up, and Garcia is proud to have won alongside one of his heroes! And with the fans cheering him on, Garcia sets up… to DO HIS DANCE! Will this momentum help Shibata avenge Hook and take that FTW Championship off of Chris Jericho? Or will The Learning Tree have some things to teach Shibata?
My Thoughts:
A great Rampage here, though I was oddly more excited when I thought it was just Deonna VS Rosa and the Parking Lot Brawl. But even so, at least Bill squashing a dude was used in story. He was showing off, he’ll surely have Jericho’s blessing if he helps defeat Shibata on Dynamite, but a part of me almost wants this to be all a trap. Bill was teammates with Ricky Starks in a feud against Jericho, and if Jericho is being obliviously arrogant then maybe Bill is using that against Jericho, too. But either way, let’s just hope this story helps Bill get going rather than slow him down like the #JerichoVortex has always done.
The Parking Lot Brawl was moving maybe a bit fast for me, especially with how there were some obvious spots already set up when they arrived, such as the drywall draped across the truck bed. But they surely got bloody, and in the end, Trent won out because he was willing to sink to the lowest low. And then they’ve written Chuck off again with that monkey wrench to the shin, so Cassidy VS Trent is definitely a Double or Nothing match. And something is just telling me that if Kris is gonna turn out to be the villain in the Willow Nightingale story, she’s probably gonna screw Cassidy over to help Trent, too.
Really good match from Deonna VS Rosa, and with Rosa getting a quick pin then that brawl, we’re clearly getting more out of them. Good promo from Kyle O’Reilly to hype AEW’s newest Canada tour, and good promo from The Kingdom to tie in their old Neck Health Awareness gag to the Tony Khan piledriver angle. Roddy calling out Ospreay, I would definitely think Ospreay wins the title at Double or Nothing. And really good tag main event from Shibata & Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions. STP keeps getting great showings even in losing, but Lee took the loss here to keep Shane himself strong. Great win for Shibata but this just adds to the go-home math where Jericho retains the FTW Championship on Dynamite.
My Score: 8.7/10
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