Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (9/21/21)

Is Kushida’s time up?

Published

3 years ago

September 21, 2021

Steven Mitchell

The NXT Cruiserweight Championship takes center stage!

It may be a new era for NXT, but the Cruiserweight Championship still belongs to Kushida! Will Roderick Strong break the reign and take over the division?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

NXT Cruiserweight Championship: KUSHIDA VS Roderick Strong w/ The Diamond Mine; Strong wins and becomes the new NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
Kay Lee Ray VS Amari Miller; KLR wins.
Dante Chen VS Trey Baxter; Chen wins.
Cameron Grimes VS Joe Gacy; Grimes wins.
Elektra Lopez w/ Legado del Fantasma VS Anna Scheer; Lopez wins.
2v1 Handicap Match: Cary Millman & Darren Chiappetta VS Odyssey Jones; Jones wins.
Tommaso Ciampa & Bron Breakker VS Pete Dunne & Ridge Holland; Ciampa & Breakker win.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT opens with a lot of new stars in the ring.

Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, Odyssey Jones, Bron Breakker, Joe Gacy, Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen are waiting as the NEW NXT Champion walks out! Tommaso Ciampa, Goldie in his arms, fires up the CWC and he joins these new guns in the ring. Fans are fired up for the champ and he says, “908 days, man, and on day 908, I reclaimed my spot at the top of the mountain and took back the title that I never lost in the first place! It has been a long, long journey,” and from neck surgery to tonight, “it was worth every damn second!” This moment here makes it worth it. Ciampa gets to say to each and every man in the ring, fan in the arena and fan at home that once again, Ciampa is YOUR NXT Champion!

Fans chant “Daddy’s Home!” but Ciampa hushes everyone. “I missed you, too.” Ciampa loves what’s going on with NXT 2.0! The energy is contagious, there are fresh faces, and fans like this, too. These young men and women are busting their asses day in and day out, ready to show the world just how damn good they are! Ciampa looks at Melo, “when Melo shoots, he don’t miss.” Odyssey Jones, Bron Breakker, the list goes on and on. Then there’s Ciampa, and we already know he is, was and always will be Mr. NXT! Now they can all give themselves a fresh coat of paint and put on “2.0” but one thing that hasn’t changed is the passion.

Ciampa looks around, Alicia is NXT, Barrett is NXT, and everyone in the ring is NXT! And of course, there’s the fans. They are the heartbeat and the soul of this place! The fans are the reason Ciampa gets to do what it is he does. Ciampa is so damn happy to have fans back and holding the title to represent this brand! With Ciampa holding the title, NXT 2.0 just became THE A-SHOW! So do Ciampa a solid: tell the world, and make them hear you and feel you, “WE ARE! N! X! T!” But here comes Cameron Grimes! “All this energy has got ol’ Cameron Grimes fired up!” And that fire will build with that championship, and he’ll go TO~ THE~ MOON~!

But Joe Gacy asks “Mr. Grimes” that as charitable that would be for Ciampa to give Grimes a shot- LA Knight interrupts. “Lemme talk to ya!” He’s looking at a heap of happy hot garbage when all the incels know they should be chanting “You Deserve It!” to Knight. But Odyssey tells Knight, “Last week, you lost twice in the same day! What’re you talking about, man? Shut up!” But here comes Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland! The Bruiserweight and Northern Grit storm right up to the ring, but they have Briggs & Jensen in their face. “So here we are, NXT 2.0. All these fresh new faces. SO let me give you all a piece of advice that I got: make a name for yourself.”

But Dunne says the problem is, he looks and sees “a bunch of geezers who are scared to throw the first punch.” Ciampa throws a forearm! And a brawl breaks out! Grimes stomps Gacy, Holland goes after Breakker, other superstars rush out to get them some! Hudson is after Trick, Grayson Waller and the Grizzled Young Veterans grab at who they can, and the ring clears aside from Breakker, Ciampa, Dunne and Holland. Ciampa ROCKS then TOSSES Dunne, Breakker does the same to Holland! The champion stands tall, as does the brightest of the new wave. Will they be the ones to give Dunne & Holland the fight they want?

Meanwhile, the women’s division is heating up backstage!

Elektra Lopez and B-Fab are jawing, but Amari Miller isn’t backing down from Kay Lee Ray! The shoving begins and turns to scrapping! Security hurries to break this up before it gets any worse, but the brawling continues in the ring, too! Breaker and Ciampa again DECK and eject Dunne & Holland, but then Breakker asks, “Where ya going?” The fans want to see this fight continue, so how about the two bitches grow balls and face Breakker & Ciampa TONIGHT?! Fans like the sound of that! Will NXT General Manager, William Regal, make it happen?

NXT Cruiserweight Championship: KUSHIDA VS Roderick Strong w/ The Diamond Mine!

The Time Splitter and the Savior of the Backbreaker have waited for this long enough, so they’re going to keep the energy of the night going by opening the card! Will the Super Junior still be champion? Or will the Diamond Mine finally strike gold?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who cracks under the pressure!

Strong rushes in but Kushida avoids the knee. Kushida drops down to throw kicks but Strong stays just out of reach. Kushida stands back up, they tie up, fight for control, Strong blocks a takedown to get a takedown, but Kushida fights the lateral press. Strong facelocks, gator rolls, but Kushida gets a toehold. Strong fights back with a chinlock but Kushida fights free of that. Strong wants an arm but Kushida gets away and fans cheer as the two reset. They tie up with knuckle locks and have a test of strength, but Kushida gets a takedown. Strong fights the press so Kushida throws down hands. Kushida still goes in but Strong turns it around with a clinch.

They fight up, Strong headlocks and shifts, but Kushida powers up and out, only for Strong to run him over. Things speed up, Kushida hip tosses to an ARMBAR! Strong fights to get up and make it a cover, ONE! Kushida has a short arm scissor and turns it into an ARM TWIST! Kushida keeps the omoplata, gets the other arm and falls back to SNAP! Strong bails out and is furious as NXT goes to break.

NXT returns and the two clinch again. Strong knees low and puts Kushida in a corner, but Kushida kicks back. Kushida runs in after an arm but Strong turns that to an OLYMPIC- NO! Kushida arm-drags Strong away! Strong comes back but Kushida WRINGS out the arm! Strong gets to his feet, Kushida dodges him to SHOTEI! And SHOTEI! Atomic drop and a whip to a hip toss! Cartwheel basement dropkick! Fans fire up and Kushida winds up, FASTBALL! Strong is down, but he dodges the Penalty Kick to CHOP back! Kushida ends up in a corner, Strong hurries over and puts Kushida up top. Strong climbs but Kushida gets the arm for a KIMURA! FALLING ARMBAR DDT!

Fans are fired up as Kushida and Strong slowly rise. Kushida aims from the corner, PENALTY KICK to the bad arm! Strong staggers about, but he BOOTS back from the ropes! Strong hurries to bring Kushida in, BACKBREAKER, to the OLYMPIC SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Kushida is still in this and Strong grows frustrated. The Diamond Mine coaches him up, fans are rallying and dueling, Strong runs to give forearm after forearm. But the bad arm makes things worse! Kushida kicks, Strong fires off CHOP after CHOP, then another forearm! Back suplex, but Kushida arm-drags out of the slam to get the KIMURA! Not quite the Hoverboard as Strong moves around to change leverage!

But Kushida throws Strong over! Strong keeps moving, he gets up, but Kushida gets the body scissors! HOVERBOARD!! Strong is down, Bivens helps him get the ropebreak!! The ref sees it, he calls it and Kushida lets off. Kushida already suspects Bivens! The ref is busy with Bivens as Kushida runs, but the Creed Brothers drag him out! And Ivy Niles hits a SUPERWOMAN PUNCH! The brothers put Kushida back in for Strong’s KNEE! END OF HEARTACHE!! Cover, Strong wins!

Winner: Roderick Strong, by pinfall (NEW NXT Cruiserweight Champion)

The Diamond Mine might as well have all their names on that belt with all the assists Strong just got! But now that they have a taste of gold, how long until Julius, Brutus and Ivy all get something for themselves?

But wait, here comes Grayson Waller! “Hey, chill, chill. Let’s hear it for the new champ, yeah?” Waller says after what happened to his boy, Drake Maverick, he’s starting to realize that NXT 2.0 is a jungle. But if anyone was built to survive in the jungle, it was Grayson Waller. So instead of just sitting in the back and waiting, Waller’s here to take one. So what does Strong say to a match with him for the title next week? Bivens says, “How dare you interrupt the champion’s celebration?” If we’re talking next week… Oh, gotta check in with daddy first? Bivens mocks Waller’s taunt, then talks with Strong.

Decision made! Next week, Diamond Mine shows Waller why they run NXT! Will Waller be baller and make it a slam dunk on his first try?

NXT hears from Tony D’Angelo.

He talks about the years spent on the docks, watching his uncles make some handshake deals. Some “business arrangements,” if you will. The family made many investments up and down the Atlantic, and his Uncle Paulie always told Tony, “There’s two things we take seriously: business, and family.” When it comes to sports, they were dead serious. Add a new item to that list: Tony’s success in the WWE. D’Angelo is on his way, will any wise guys try to start something with him?

NXT hears from Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen.

Big bad Briggs first met Brooks at Johnathan’s Pub the same night Briggs lost in the Breakout Tournament. Briggs was just trying to blow off some steam. He got three deep when some idiot, aka Brooks, bumps into him and so they start swinging. They got black eyes, loose teeth, and there’s still some blood somewhere on the bar. Brooks’ hands are like bricks, so Briggs learned to respect him. Brooks says if you can knock him onto a pool table and beat him down off it, you’ve got his respect, too. From where these boys are from, you throw hands, shake hands, and become friends. They love to fight and love to drink.

In the 2.0 era, it doesn’t matter if it’s a street fight, bar fight or dog fight, you fight these two, you’re in for a bad night. If you start something, Briggs & Jensen are going to end it! Will they fight until they end up contending for the tag titles?

Kay Lee Ray VS Amari Miller!

The Scary Queen of Scots isn’t letting that confrontation with the new girl go, and now it’s going down in the ring! Will KLR show Amari and everyone else in the NXT Women’s Division why she was NXT UK Women’s Champion for so long?

NXT returns and Amari makes her entrance. The all star athlete from KC, MO is all smiles now, feeling the vibe, but will she learn why KLR is a killer? The bell rings, Miller dodges KLR then eggs her on as she fires forearms. KLR shoves Miller away but Miller elbows back. Miller reels KLR in for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Miller gets KLR up and whips, but KLR reverses and ROCKS Miller with a forearm! KLR whips, dropkicks Miller down, then stomps Miller around. KLR covers, ONE! KLR drags Miller up, CLUBS her down, then gets her up again for a GOURD BUSTER! KLR scowls as she kicks Miller to a corner.

KLR eggs Miller on now, drags her up to CLUB her down again, and fans rally up. Miller throws body shots, KLR CLUBS her again. KLR brings Miller around, but Miller jawbreakers free! KLR blocks the heel kick to the Gory Especial, GORY BOMB! Cover, KLR wins!

Winner: Kay Lee Ray, by pinfall

And that is why KLR is here in NXT prime! Will she keep climbing the ranks until she’s the one facing Raquel Gonzalez for the title?

Backstage interview with Bron Breakker.

McKenzie asks Bron about his huge tag team match alongside Ciampa. How is he feeling? Oh, tonight’s huge! He’s getting in the ring with the top three guys in the world! Bron heard what Ciampa said, and those words hold a lot of weight. Ciampa walks over to say it’s sink or swim. Ready to get in the deep end, big fish? Hell yeah! Bron’s ready to kick some ass! And who better to do it with than the champ? Bron gives Ciampa a smack on the shoulder, but will he watch where his eyes drift in regards to Goldie?

Xyon Quinn walks into the CWC.

He talks with a few female superstars about their training, and they ask him the next time he’ll be in the ring. He’s hoping very soon. They note how good he looks in the ring and he thanks them. He gets the door as a gentleman, but someone tries to cut them off. Quinn has the guy wait, ladies first. Chivalry’s dead, bro. Yeah? Quinn SMASHES the guy into the door! Quinn is a gentleman but also a warrior, will this be a lesson to everyone else?

Dante Chen VS Trey Baxter!

The first Singapore superstar in the WWE makes his debut as the 2.0 era ushers in more new names! But will #AllHeart rain on the parade as he still tries to make a name for himself?

The bell rings and Chen ties up with Trey. They go around, Chen powers Trey to a corner and fans duel. Chen lets off, Trey BOOTS him and then gets around to a BACKBREAKER to HALF ‘N’ HALF! Trey hurries to a corner and up top, but Chen anchors a foot. Trey kicks at Chen but Chen holds on. Trey gets Chen to let go but has to leap over him. Chen turns around into a cradle, TWO! Chen dead lifts Trey for a SIT-OUT CRADLE DDT! Cover, Chen wins!

Winner: Dante Chen, by pinfall

Trey may be all heart but Chen won in the blink of an eye! Will this young star take NXT by storm?

NXT has a message from “Chase University.”

Andre Chase welcomes students to day one of a place of higher learning. They’ve chosen his course to get ahead in the careers. The first lesson is on Odyssey Jones and how he failed to get ahead by losing the finals of the Breakout Tournament. Roll film. Chase didn’t take kindly to Jones embarrassing him at the #InDex Wedding, but look at how embarrassing this weak cover was. Carmelo Hayes easily rolled Jones up, and there is the face of a loser. Chase teaches the fundamentals: a lateral press with all the weight on the shoulders. Lights, please, there’s a question. Didn’t Jones beat Chase in the first round?

What’s your name again? Steve. Well, Steve, who did you ever beat?! WHO THE F DID YOU EVER BEAT!? Get the F out of here! Don’t you disrespect him! Chase throws chairs around, is class going to be canceled?

NXT has a medical update on Kyle O’Reilly.

His ribs are reinjured and he will be week to week on whether or not he can compete.

NXT also has an update on Triple H!

The Game tweeted himself that he has been “blown away by the outreach and support from so many people.” HHH is recovering, doing well and so very grateful for all the love in his life, especially from the NXT crew. Also, Steph and the girls loved the snacks they sent. HHH hopes to see us soon, and we hope to see him again, too.

NXT returns and Joe Gacy is in the ring.

“Tonight, this ring is a safe space. NXT 2.0 is full of conflict, from the smallest microaggression to the most heinous grudges. This is a place where we settle our differences.” Gacy comes to us tonight with a mindset of conflict resolution, where he doesn’t need to use “male privilege” to get what he wants. Gacy understands that life isn’t fair. But he believes we can achieve unity and tolerance for us all. Gacy can be the man that will show us we can achieve peace in this safe space. That starts tonight!

Cameron Grimes VS Joe Gacy!

The Carolina Cash Money Caveman is ready to take 2.0 #ToTheMoon, but will he have to resolve this conflict he started with Gacy? Or will Gacy’s old wild man antics find their way back to the surface?

The bell rings, the two circle and grapple. Grimes gets a leg, Gacy facelocks but Grimes wrenches and has a wristlock. Gacy powers Grimes to ropes, lets off with the ropebreak, but Grimes ducks the sucker punch! Pacifist, huh? Grimes arm-drags Gacy down, grinds the armlock, and wrangles Gacy down. Gacy headscissors, Grimes kips free and says #KissMahGrits! Gacy laughs that off, but then swings on Grimes again. Grimes waistlocks but Gacy bucks the O’Conner Roll, only to run into a BOOT! Fans fire up as Grimes runs in but into a boot from Gacy! Gacy whips Grimes in, corner splashes to a BIG Urenage! Gacy works to keep his cool but fans rally for Grimes.

Gacy wraps on a chinlock, grinds Grimes down, but fans rally up behind Grimes. Grimes fights up, throws body shots, then powers out. Gacy runs in but only gets buckles, Grimes runs to rally with forearm smashes! Grimes eggs Gacy on but Gacy dodges, handsprings and LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Grimes survives and Gacy is surprised. Gacy fires up, gets Grimes up but Grimes evades the powerbomb to ROUNDHOUSE! Gacy comes back to BOOT! Grimes stays up so Gacy runs to forearm smash! Gacy keeps moving, but runs right into a CAVE-IN! Cover, Grimes wins!

Winner: Cameron Grimes, by pinfall

Gacy didn’t find peace or victory tonight and Grimes has the momentum he wants! But then Gacy stands up, and offers a handshake. Grimes says no thanks, so Gacy hugs him! Gacy leaves it at that, is he going to keep preaching conflict resolution while Grimes goes for the gold?

NXT hears from Von Wagner.

“Last week didn’t go my way. You can either bitch ‘n’ moan, or you can put in the work.” He’s an unconventional man with unconventional methods. His journey in NXT has only just begun, will this towering man find his way back up to the top of the mountain?

Elektra Lopez w/ Legado del Fantasma VS Anna Scheer!

Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza accompany Elektra to the ring. Despite the scuffle with B-Fab in the back, that beef’s being put on the back burner for now. Will Anna be the one paying the price for the fire B-Fab’s lit inside Lopez?

The bell rings and Lopez takes her time with her jacket. She circles with Scheer, then kicks hard and CLUBS her down! Lopez CLUBS Scheer, runs and runs her over, then runs to do it again! Lopez drags Scheer up, throws her by her pigtails, then tells her, “You are nobody!” Lopez throws Scheer down by her hair, then looms over her. Lopez scoops and SLAMS Scheer, but Scheer throws forearms back! Scheer runs and leaps, but into Lopez’s arms! SWINGING SIDE SLAM! Lopez hauls Scheer back up to snap suplex! Roll through, wrench and BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, Lopez wins!

Winner: Elektra Lopez, by pinfall

Scheer felt the sheer dominance of Lopez, but Escobar gets a mic to speak. “Class. Elegance. Sophistication. Fuego! And raw power to command silence and respect. And all of this under the umbrella of one word: familia!” Escobar tells Lopez that she completes Legado del Fantasma. Lopez takes the mic to speak now, saying, “What I did here tonight was just a little taste of what the First Lady of Legado del Fantasma, Elektra Lopez, La Madrina, is going to unleash on B-Fab and NXT 2.0.” Fans like the sound of that! Lopez tells B-Fab that she can keep talking, “but we all know that that’s all it is.” And if B-Fab doesn’t like, then she can get her skinny ass out to the ring!

But speaking of Hit Row, here they come! But B-Fab isn’t with the boys. She rushes in from the crowd to scrap with Lopez! Lopez turns things around but B-Fab comes back! Hit Row and Legado separate the two but fans want to “Let Them Fight!” B-Fab says it’s cool, but then she fires off on Lopez again! Hit Row and Legado get B-Fab and Lopez to back down, but this has to explode some time! When will these two finally get to have it out in the ring?

Cora Jade checks in on Trey Baxter.

She gives him a big hug and asks what’s wrong. What, she didn’t see? Well how long have they been together? He knows she still loves him. Chen came in looking like a superhero but whatever. Chin up, Trey. Then she gives him a big kiss to cheer him up. Trey does have a reason to smile, and then thinks on “superhero.” Will #AllHeart show he can be super in the 2.0 Era?

The Franky Monet Brand walks backstage.

Franky and Jessi want Rob Stone to stop jabbering as they head for Mr. Regal’s office. As they round the corner, Raquel Gonzalez is in their way. The NXT Women’s Champion says she already took care of this. They finally get their match next week. Aw, well, in that case, enjoy your last week, Chingona. La Wera Loca is ready, but then someone new walks by. She congratulates Franky on her big title match, but it won’t be as big as her talk show’s debut! Lashing Out with Lash Legend begins next week, and that is something to talk about. Wait, who and what now? Will #BougieBad feel like lashing out against Ms. Legend?

2v1 Handicap Match: Cary Millman & Darren Chiappetta VS Odyssey Jones!

Sound the alarm! Though he called out the Million Dollar Megastar, and though Andre Chase has been barking at him, Jones is more than ready to step up his game against two young and hungry opponents. Will it be a two-for-one special on squash tonight?

The bell rings, Jones is fired up and fans are fired up with him. Cary & Darren flank Jones, get an arm each, but he blocks the double whip to double shoulder tackle them! Darren & Cary regroup, coordinate, and circle with Jones again. Cary gets a leg, Darren gets a headlock, but Jones TOSSES Darren away, then drags and throws Cary! BACK SPLASH for Cary, FRONT SPLASH for Darren! Fans fire up but Chase walks out and talks trash. Jones says he’ll break Chase soon enough, but he gets Darren up first. Cary CLUBS Jones and Darren goes after the leg! They mug Jones but Jones shoves them both away! Darren & Cary come back, Jones breaks the clothesline to DOUBLE CROSSBODY!

Jones is feeling it and the fans are fired up, too! Jones gets Darren up, scoops him, and gives him a SHOUDLER BREAKER! Darren ends up in a corner but Cary jumps on for a sleeper! Jones just RAMS Cary into Darren! Jones has them both stacked on the mat, and Jones goes to the corner to climb up! DOUBLE FROG SPLASH! Cover, Jones wins!

Winner: Odyssey Jones, by pinfall

Chase may have to rethink his classes, because we just saw one be greater than two! Chase gets in with a chair, but Jones blocks it and the chair falls apart! Jones steps and Chase bails out! Will Chase’s big brain tell him that he can’t take on all that power?

Grayson Waller talks with other superstars backstage.

Baller Waller is feeling good about his chances against Strong, and they tell him these chances don’t come along very often as it is. But then Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams walk in, and Melo says he would congratulate Waller, but he wouldn’t mean it. His Breakout Tournament contract guarantees that even if Waller won the title next week, he could lose it in the same night to ya boi, Melo. So we’ll just wait and see. Right, Trick? Yeah, keeping the options open! Waller says Melo can go ahead and do that. Waller heads out, will he be ready to pull a double header just in case?

As for Melo and Trick, the #ToxicAttraction of Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne walk by to say hey. Well, damn! They fine! And they’re heading to gorilla position!

NXT hears from Ikemen Jiro.

The Handsome One welcomes us to his #Ikemansion! His collection of jackets and other merchandise is just the beginning. “When you think of Japanese superstars, you think of Strong Style. But when you think if Ikemen Jiro, you think of Style Strong!” A lot of people asks what “ikemen” means, and it means “handsome man.” Jiro is a handsome man, and a handsome man needs handsome jackets! From fruits to floral to shadowy black, Ikemen Jiro is always in style. But will his strong style get him closer to the always fashionable Cruiserweight Championship?

Toxic Attraction goes to the ring!

Mandy leads the way, we’ll hear from this newest trio in the NXT Women’s Division after the break.

NXT returns and Mandy speaks first. “When I came to NXT 2.0, I came here to be your gift, your golden goddess. I realized that this division was in desperate need for a woman like me! A woman that you people will never be with, but love to look at.” Then it took a little turn. Where were the fans when her face was battered and beaten?! What did they do!? NOTHING! It’s disgusting, really. The fans ridiculed her! She was a gif replayed over and over, just yesterday’s news. But that’s when she realized that they treated her the way they were treating Gigi & Jacy. The only difference, these two don’t give a damn about what the people think!

All the guidance and advice she can give, in return Gigi & Jacy showed that behind her beauty, a beast is ready to be unleashed! This is what the future of the women’s division in NXT 2.0 looks like! They’re ready to take over their precious “greatest women’s division of all time,” with these two baddies by her side. Gigi, your turn. “The pain of my past has always fueled my aggression.,” Gigi knew that if they could bring that out of Mandy, nothing would stand in their way. But they also needed Mandy’s guidance. “Because chaos without direction is just an accident waiting to happen.” Mandy’s experience gave them purpose. And that makes them unbeatable and will lead them to the top!

Mandy dares fans to go, “What?” if they don’t think they’re the hottest things alive. Jacy says they’re more than just the prettiest faces in the crowd. And if you thought for one second that they were going to sit in the back and wait like the rest of these broads, you’ve got another thing coming. “What Toxic Attraction wants is the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships!” Io Shirai, Zoey Stark, you’ve got an ass kicking waiting for you! And trust Jacy when she says you don’t want to keep them waiting. Speaking of which…

Backstage interview with Io Shirai & Zoey Stark.

McKenzie knows they were listening in, so what are their thoughts? Shirai doesn’t like Gigi & Jacy, so if they want a shot, they’re on! Uh, shouldn’t this be a conversation between the two of them first? As a team? Does Stark disagree? No, but it’s the principle of the matter. So Stark likes Toxic Attraction? No, Shirai knows she doesn’t. Then okay, match made. But Persia walks in and says Gigi & Jacy aren’t the only ones who want a chance. When Indi is back from her honeymoon, the two best friends are ready to go for the gold. So uh, good luck against Toxic Attraction. Stark and Shirai wonder what’s up with that, but will they make it through the thorny Gigi & Jacy first?

NXT is going to be BIG next week!

Not only is there the NXT Cruiserweight Championship match, Strong VS Waller, and the NXT Women’s Championship match, Gonzalez VS Monet, but the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships ARE on the line! Shirai & Stark will take on Gigi & Jacy, but will they make it through to take on the best friends, Indi & Persia? Plus, after all the jawing and jumping, B-Fab VS Lopez finally happens under No Disqualifications! Who will be left standing to have the last laugh after these ladies go all out?

Tommaso Ciampa & Bron Breakker VS Pete Dunne & Ridge Holland!

The Psycho Killer and the biggest and brightest new star are ready to take the fight to the Bruiserweight and Northern Grit! But will they prove they’re not just a couple of “geezers” against the self-proclaimed baddest men in NXT today?

NXT returns and Bron makes his entrance, quickly followed by the champ. Ciampa and Dunne start and the hands fly at the bell! Ciampa headlocks, Dunne powers out and things speed up. Ciampa sees the knee coming and he backslides but Dunne rolls through. Ciampa underhooks, Dunne wrenches out to get a takedown. Ciampa boots Dunne away and trips Dunne, but Dunne boots back. Ciampa ducks the enziguri, Dunne avoids the knee and fans fire up as the two stand off. Fans rally and duel but Ciampa and Dunne back down to tag in Breakker and Holland. Bron circles with the big man and they tie up. Bron shoves Holland away and is fired up!

They go again, Holland waistlocks, spins Bron and EuroUppers! Holland headlocks, Bron powers out but Holland runs him over! Holland headlocks again but Bron pries free of the hold to headlock back. Holland powers out but Bron runs him over! Bron stays fired up, he sees the drop down and waistlocks to a roll and SLAM! And then a dead lift and SLAM! Dunne runs in, Bron hurdles then catches Dunne for a POWERSLAM! Fans fire up but Holland ROCKS Bron with a right! Holland whips, Bron reverses and clotheslines in the corner! Tag to Ciampa and Bron whips Ciampa in for a big clothesline! Ciampa feeds Holland to Bron’s atomic drop, then adds a BULLDOG!

Ciampa brings Holland around to a chinlock and he grinds Holland down. Holland endures, fights up and throws body shots. Ciampa CHOPS back, whips but Dunne tags in. Holland reverses to SPINEBUSTER then Dunne adds a basement dropkick! Dunne glares at Bron, gets Ciampa up and grinds the arm, then he drops knees on the shoulder. Dunne bends the arm at the elbow, twists the wrist and tortures the fingers! Ciampa endures but Dunne isolates the arm to drop knees again. Dunne keeps punishing Ciampa’s arm from elbow to finger to then stomp Ciampa in the ribs! Dunne wrenches but Ciampa throws forearms! Dunne wrenches, snapmares and hooks up the arm for a SNAP!

Dunne keeps after Ciampa’s left arm, pulling on the hand and elbow. Another wrench, then Dunne ROCKS Ciampa with a forearm! Tag to Holland, Dunne DECKS Bron, but Ciampa shoves Dunne into Holland! Ciampa slides to trip Dunne up, then he dodges Holland to BOOT him! Ciampa RAMS Holland into steps, then he TOSSES Dunne over the announce desk! Ciampa claps and pats himself on the back and fans cheer along, but Holland POUNCES Ciampa over the desk! Northern Grit storms in to get Ciampa back up and around into the ring as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns once again and Dunne gives Ciampa some Danielson Stomps! Fans boo but Ciampa kicks from below! Dunne staggers and tags Holland, and Holland drags Ciampa. Ciampa kicks but Holland spins him for clubbing crossface forearms. Holland hauls Ciampa up but Ciampa fights the suplex. Ciampa fights again, tries to suplex, and it happens on the second time! Fans fire up for Ciampa’s strength as he and Holland are down! Hot tags to Dunne and Bron! Bron rallies on Dunne with big shoulders, then he dodges Holland to hit a BIG shoulder tackle! Bron shoves Holland away, clinches Dunne and Belly2Belly suplexes! Then he clinches Holland for a BIG Belly2Belly!

Fans fire up with Bron as he brings down the straps! Bron gets Dunne in a STEINER RECLINER!! Dunne endures but Bron bends him back! Dunne gets his arms free, slips out the back and gets Bron’s fingers! Dunne JAMS the fingers into the mat! Then he bends them back even more, isolates the arm and STOMPS it! Tag to Holland, and the boys get Bron up for a ROUNDHOUSE to ALABAMA SLAM! Cover, Ciampa breaks it! Fans are thunderous as Dunne goes after Ciampa and they fire off big forearms! Ciampa KNEES Dunne, runs in and clotheslines Dunne in the corner! He keeps going but Dunne ROCKS him with a right! Ciampa comes back to forearm!

Ciampa keeps going, Dunne sidesteps but Ciampa still ROCKS him with a forearm! But then Holland gets Ciampa for an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly! But Bron does the same, giving Dunne an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly! Fans fire up as Bron and Holland lock eyes again. They stand off, fire up and fire clotheslines point blank on each other! Again and again and again, but then Bron ducks and runs, DOUBLE CLOTHESLINES take them down! Fans fire up for “2 point 0! 2 point 0!” Ciampa sees Dunne getting in and takes away Holland’s Billy club! But Dunne ENZIGURIS Ciampa out! Bron gets Dunne, trophy lifts, but Holland HEADBUTTS Bron down!

Holland goes out to get his club as fans chant, “This is Awesome!” Wait a minute! Is that Kyle O’Reilly!? He snatches the club away to SMACK Holland with it! Kyle puts Holland in while the ref was busy with Dunne! Ciampa gets Dunne for WILLOW’S BELL! Bron gets Holland up in the trophy lift! POWERSLAM!! Cover, Bron & Ciampa win!

Winners: Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa, by pinfall

The young stud stands tall alongside the champion! Bron has the belt, though, and he hands it over to Ciampa. Ciampa pats him on the shoulder, but it’s clear what Bron is hungry for. How long will he have to wait before he has his chance at the championship?

My Thoughts:

NXT 2.0 is now, for both better and worse, very much like its siblings, Raw and SmackDown. I sigh deeply seeing how Josh Briggs goes from “I hate people so I beat the hell out of them” to “Haha, I like to drink and fight cuz I’m Southern!” I sigh very deeply seeing Joe Gacy go from “I’m wild and violent!” to “Let’s all get along in this safe space, everyone.” And I groan seeing that the Andre Chase University catchphrase is now becoming a segment for him to try and roast his feud rival while getting roasted by “students.” It’s Vince and team having to slap tropes and cheesy characters onto people, skipping the call-up process to just ruin things here and now.

Tony D’Angelo is also just a grating stereotype a few years too late to be relevant to The Sopranos. I know The Many Saints of Newark being released revitalizes The Sopranos franchise, but c’mon, Vince. No. Just no. But at least we’re getting something out of Xyon Quinn, even though he’s only been in two matches, one of them on 205 Live. Quinn being a gentleman but also a badass is very action movie trope, but I guess he’s getting to stand out somehow. Dante Chen squashing Trey Baxter was a bit of a two birds, one stone thing, though maybe not in the way I would’ve done this. Chen VS Trey could’ve easily been a surprisingly good match to better build both men, but hey, I guess Trey has to be down in the dumps for his girlfriend to comfort him with a big kiss.

Kay Lee Ray squashes Amari, Toxic Attraction’s promos was a standard “We’re Heels because fans don’t care, so we don’t care about the fans!” so yawn. If they could’ve skipped that and just kept it to Mandy wanting to mentor the kind of female superstars she feels should be running the division, that would’ve been better to me. But again, they going after the tag titles was obvious, and it did give Shirai and Stark a quick little bit to show their dysfunction is still strong. I also like the initiative Persia is taking on behalf of Indi, and I feel this could be the new wrinkle in The Way’s happy family life when it was Indi & Candice who were a team.

Kushida VS Strong was an awesome opener, but of course Diamond Mine helps Strong cheat to win. Props to Waller stepping up with Drake Maverick gone from NXT again and him needing something to do. And with that comes some smart crossover with Carmelo Hayes putting Waller on notice because of the Cruiserweight Championship being on his radar. I hope Hayes isn’t just saying he could cash in that night. I think it’d be a great way around NXT not being in on MITB if the Breakout Tournament contract can be for any time, anywhere. Lopez squashes Tesha Price, renamed Anna Scheer here because duh, it’s the WWE, they aren’t going to acknowledge AEW.

Escobar and Lopez have a good promo, we get a decent scrap between B-Fab and Lopez but it could’ve been a bit wilder if the guys all fought each other. No DQ is great for B-Fab and Lopez, but when are we getting Swerve VS Escobar for the North American Championship already? And talk about a match that needs a stipulation. Swerve and Escobar have done quite a bit in their long rivalry, these two could probably go Last Man Standing or I Quit with this one. Odyssey squashing two dudes was alright, but a bit of a let down after he called out LA Knight. But I guess there’s no easy way around also having Chase on his case, so Jones has to handle him first.

What a great night for Bron Breakker, though. He’s definitely got some kind of rocket strapped to him, as he got to stand tall with Ciampa at the start of the night to call out Dunne & Holland. Then they had a really great tag match for the main event, and though it was apparently his own choice not to be “Rex Steiner” a la his dad and uncle, Rick & Scott, him using the Steiner Recliner of course got fans to mark out just a little. Bron getting the pin here is just further proof he’s going to be facing Ciampa for that title, but I feel like it’d benefit Bron’s build if he doesn’t succeed right away.

Let Bron come really close to winning but he loses, probably from a “miscalculation” or “rookie mistake,” and then he builds up through the North American Championship scene. We got a video from Von Wagner that detailed much of the same for him, so that is the route these two big 2.0 frontrunners should go. We know who they are, we’ll see their journey through the next year or so, and when they’ve really shown themselves to the fans, then they can take up the torch from the “1.0 guys.”

My Score: 8.7/10

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

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Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Results & Report! (4/26/24)

It’s Draft Day!

Published

14 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Steven Mitchell

And with the first overall pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects…

The WWE Draft returns for 2024, the first four rounds being right here on Friday Night SmackDown! With champions protected, who ends up where to challenge them?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee w/ Zelina Vega & Carlito VS Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo; Rey & Dragon win.
Bron Breakker VS Cedric Alexander; Bron wins.
WWE Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton; No Contest.
Cody Rhodes VS Carmelo Hayes; Cody wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Backstage interview with Paul Heyman.

Kayla Braxton is with the Wise Man and says that here on night one of the Draft, there are already rumors circulating, including those about The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. Heyman will clarify these are not rumors regarding The Tribal Chief, Roman… Reigns. These are facts! Ladies and gentlemen, Your Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, has voluntarily withdrawn from eligibility for this year’s Draft. That is not a negative but a positive. Who built SmackDown since the Pandemic? Roman Reigns. Who is the biggest star in the entire industry? Roman Reigns. Why would Roman Reigns hog the number one draft pick spotlight when he won’t be returning in the immediate future?

Read into his words, Kayla, that is not what a real Tribal Chief would do. Instead now, the pressure is on Nick Aldis. Because if Roman Reigns isn’t the first draft pick, then who is? The first two picks make history in a brand new era. And Heyman doesn’t know about you, but he is intrigued. No Tribal Chief up for grabs, who gets their opportunity to shine in the spotlight?

SmackDown throws it to the NXT Performance Center.

Jackie Redmond says the emotion down here is palpable! There is excitement, hope, and a little bit of nerves. But for these NXT Superstars, tonight is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work, dedication, a little bit of luck and a whole lot of self-belief. It was just last year that the NEW WWE Tag Team Champion, Grayson Waller, was hoping his name would be called. And it is funny this is NXT, but time to buy a vowel, throw in an E! Who is next? We find out tonight! The draft pool is deep, who rises to the top of the list?

Corey Graves is in the ring.

Corey welcomes Cincinnati and all of us at home to night one of the 2024 WWE Draft. Understandably, the GMs have their hands full, so Corey will be moderating the contract signing for the WWE Championship match that takes place next Saturday for Backlash: France. Without further ado, it’s the #1 contender, The Phenomenal AJ Styles! Styles makes his entrance, taking a seat at the table on camera right. And now, the Undisputed WWE Champion, the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes! Cincy fires up and sings along, “WHOA~ OH~!” as Cody makes his entrance and gets his pyro before joining everyone in the ring.

Styles looks over the contract, absolutely tuning out the fans going wild for “CODY! CODY!” Styles then gets the mic to say before he signs, he doesn’t know if we realize that we’ve got two Georgia boys about to mix it up for the first time, and for the biggest prize in the game. Styles understands why they boo, but they gotta know that he doesn’t respect LA Knight, LA Knight got under his skin. He accepts that. But that’s why Styles lost at Mania. But what happened? Styles got his composure back and realized that he is Phenomenal. Styles BEAT Knight to earn the right to face Cody Rhodes at Backlash.

Now unlike Knight, Styles does respect Cody. They hadn’t crossed paths yet, but they’ve been down the same roads. They had to prove themselves outside of the WWE. And Styles is willing to believe that the same man who gave him advice a long time ago gave Cody the same advice, on how to stand on their own two feet and be the men they are today. That man was The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. The fans cheer for “DUSTY! DUSTY!” Styles learned a lot from Dusty. Styles gets a little emotional thinking about Dusty, he was a good man. Dusty taught Styles how to carry himself, and to carry the weight of a championship.

And Styles looks at this WWE Championship here. The weight of this isn’t just the leather and gold. And at Backlash, we see if Cody can carry it. Styles goes back to his table, signs the contract, and then hands it off to Corey. Corey brings that to Cody, and Cody picks up his mic. “So… Cincinnati…! Whadda we wanna talk about? Certainly, we can talk about respect. There is not a locker room on Earth that you’ll find where everyone in it, every single person, they all respect AJ Styles. Last week, I went on to say you are the modern day Excellence of Execution. I respect the roads that you have traveled down to get here, the parallel paths that perhaps you and I have.

“Mutual respect, much respect. But that respect goes by the wayside at Backlash. I can feel it in your words to a degree. You’ve been here before. And it seems you’re implying that I cannot carry the weight of that championship. Well, good thing the man who trained me not far from where I sit now used to tell me all the time, it’s not about winning the title, it’s about keeping it.” The fans cheer that. Cody says boy does he respect Styles’ familiarity with Cody’s last name. But when you put C O D Y in front of it on this paper, that means they’ve never touched before. That means Backlash is a level playing field.

That means no matter how Phenomenal Styles is, this isn’t a dream match for Cody. It’s a must-win! Cody signs while the fans cheer, and it is official! Cody even throws the pen to the crowd as a free souvenir. Cody then offers a handshake, and Styles says y’know what? It was a beautiful thing to see Cody #FInishTheStory and win the title. But it’s a shame that Cody’s title reign will end at Backlash. Styles still shakes Cody’s hand, and then walks away. Cody picks up the belt and holds it high, will he get to hold it high again in Lyon, France?

Triple H is here!

Just as Cody was on his way to the back, The Game makes his way out here! HHH raises Cody’s hand, then invites him over to the podium. HHH welcomes us to the first round of the 2024 WWE Draft. It is a night that changes the landscape of the WWE going into the future, and things are a bit different this year. As the GMs ponder their next steps, they have to understand it is about protecting the roster they have as it is making the roster they want. Meaning that when they use their picks, they have just as much of a chance gaining a superstar as they do losing one they already have.

HHH just felt that since champs are protected and Cody will be staying here on SmackDown, maybe Cody could help read the SmackDown picks and HHH can read the Raw picks. And since SmackDown goes first, Cody reads first. Cody takes the card to say that with the first pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects… The E S T, Bianca Belair! The stongEST, fastEST, roughEST, toughEST stays on Friday nights! HHH reads that for the second pick of the 2024 WWE Draft, Raw selects… YEET! JEY USO! Monday nights will still have Main Event Jey Uso! And the fans “YEET!” Cody says for the third pick, SmackDown selects… NXT’s Carmelo Hayes!

The fans fire up as SmackDown manages to snag… HIM! The former NXT Champion makes history again by being the first NXT superstar to be chosen this high in the Draft! HHH says that’s a hell of a pick. But then the fourth and final pick of this first round, Raw selects… SETH! FREAKIN’! ROLLINS! It is still going to be Monday Night Rollins as the Visionary stays on the red brand! Cody and HHH shake hands, and then Melo makes his way out! Melo has the mic to say when they talk about who’s next up, about who’s the hottest out, they don’t call them “the hottest out,” they just call him “Carmelo Hayes.”

The fans chant “WHOOP DAT TRICK!” to remind Melo how he’s leaving NXT. Melo says okay, okay. But then to Cody Rhodes, ever since Cody won the title, he’s been talking about “If you aim for the king, you best not miss.” Well, funny how that works. Because when Melo shoots, Melo don’t miss. And as a first round draft pick, what better way to shoot his shot on SmackDown than to shoot it right at Cody? Melo leaves the mic with Cody but Cody picks it up to say, “Fortune certainly favors the bold, but I dunno. You folks don’t wanna see me in action tonight, do ya?” The fans go wild! Oh, but what if Cody forgot his gear?

Oh that’s right! He didn’t forget his gear! And this title right here, for Cody, means absolutely 100%, Melo’s on! They shake on it, and we’re about to see a huge first-time-ever showdown! But will this bold first move work out for… HIM?

Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee w/ Zelina Vega & Carlito VS Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo!

The LWO is still not convinced Legado Del Fantasma had nothing to do with the beating that took the Boy Wonder out ahead of WrestleMania. Will the King of Lucha help get to the bottom of things? Or will Angel & “Berto” make it as easy as ABC, 1-2-3?

The teams sort out, Dragon runs up on Humberto but Humberto LARIATS him down! Humberto drags Dragon up, tears the shirt away and CHOPS! Humberto whips, Dragon ducks ‘n’ dodges to RANA! Humberto tumbles out, Dragon builds speed and FLIES! Direct hit and down goes Humberto! The fans fire up as Dragon pushes Humberto into the ring, goes up a corner, and then CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Dragon facelocks to drag Humberto up, but Humberto wrenches out to CLUB Dragon down. Humberto waistlocks but Dragon throws elbows. Angel tags in as Humberto shoves Dragon. Dragon ducks but Angel holds ropes open, and Dragon tumbles to the floor!

The fans boo and LWO hurries to check on Dragon! Angel & Humberto just soak up the heat as SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns and both Dragon and Humberto are down! They crawl, hot tags to Angel and Rey! The fans fire up as Rey ducks ‘n’ dodges and tilt-o-whirl RANAS! Angel ends up in a corner, he puts Rey on the apron, but Rey ROCKS Angel! Rey goes up to SEATED SENTON! Rey keeps moving, wrenches and kicks, then hops on! CODE RED! Cover, Humberto breaks it! The fans boo but Humberto hauls Rey up. Rey fights and RANAS Humberto up and out! But Angelo kicks, scoops, but Rey slips free! Angelo kicks low, reels REy in, and underhooks, but Rey fights those to RANA Angel onto ropes! Rey dials it up to 619!

Tag to Dragon and he takes aim! Angel stands, into the tilt-o-whirl, PROJECT DRAGON!! Cover, LWO wins!

Winners: Rey Mysterio & Dragon Lee, by pinfall

Carlito and Zelina hug it out with the team, but then Santos Escobar & Elektra Lopez walk out here. Santos says whoa, whoa, whoa, hold that celebration. Because Santos is many things, but a liar is not one of them. And when Santos said he did NOT attack Dragon that night before Mania, he meant it. Elektra has been working for weeks to track down the security footage from that night. And Rey… Oh, Rey. What you’re about to see, you will find very, very interesting. The footage plays, and it was CARLITO!! Carlito throw Dragon around backstage! No one can believe it, because of how well Carlito fooled even Dragno.

Speaking of, Carlito RAMS Dragon into Rey, then hits a BACKSTABBER! Never has that move’s name been more fitting! Carlito runs away in a panic, and Rey stands back up in a rage! Santos says he told Rey that he was right all along. They were supposed to be family, and yet look how that turned out. How will the LWO recover from this shocking development?

Bron Breakker VS Cedric Alexander!

The Big Bad Booty Nephew has been making a case for himself ever since showing up on SmackDown, and he’s already bringing the straps down! Is he going to break PRIMED Alexander while also breaking match time records? Or will Cedric prove he’s too fly for Bron?

The bell rings and Cedric dodges Bron to CHOP and ROCK! Cedric whips, Bron reverses and Cedric handsprings, into a SPEAR!! Cover, Bron wins!

Winner: Bron Breakker, by pinfall

Well, hard to say if that’s an all-time fast match, but that was a fast match! QR Code stuff going on, but will we all see Bron take the world by storm?

Nick Aldis heads out.

And waiting is Tiffany Stratton. She asks if he saw what she did last week. Wait, of course he did. Because she is the Center of the Universe. She dropped Naomi and Bayley, where is her title match? Aldis tells Tiff to look at his watch. It is NOT set to #TiffyTime. And he was this close to sending her to the back of the line. But then someone convinced him otherwise, good for her. Tonight, she goes 1v1 with Naomi again, and the winner faces Bayley for the title at Backlash. Whose stupid idea was that?! Bayley says DING DONG, it was hers. It is a win-win situation here. If Naomi wins, she gets the match she got cheated out of.

And if Tiff wins, then she’ll find out when she attacks the Role Model. Tiff gasps as she has a #TiffanyEpiphany. Bayley should be ringside for that match so she can see Tiff do what Bayley couldn’t, and that’s beat Naomi. Tootles. Tiff leaves, but will the only thing she gets is to #FeelTheGlow?

Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson are here!

One is a former WWE Women’s Champion, the other is a WWE Hall of Famer, but they’re both here to present Draft picks! Michelle says with the first pick of the second round, SmackDown selects… The Viper, Randy Orton! SmackDown will still have to watch out for an RKO outta nowhere! Torrie says that with the second pick of the second round, Raw selects… BRON BREAKKER! We just saw Bron make quick work of opponents here on SmackDown, but now he’s gonna be rampaging on Raw!

Michelle says that with the third pick of the second round, SmackDown selects… NIA JAX! The Irresistible Force may have to change targets from the Women’s World to the Undisputed Women’s title, but will she be unstoppable all the same? And with the fourth and final pick of this round, Raw selects… LIV MORGAN! The Revenge Tour will still be part of Monday nights, will we watch Liv rise to the top?

The Bloodline arrives backstage.

Paul Heyman is there to greet them and open the door to the SUV. He apologizes for not being faster about that, but Solo Sikoa asks The Bloodline if they’ve been drafted. Not yet. Then give Solo the details. Okay, well, Roman Reigns withdrew right before the show began, and then Solo keeps adding members, so no one really knows what they’re getting if they draft The Bloodline! Solo sighs, and here comes Tama Tonga. Heyman asks they be patient but Solo wants Heyman to repeat that for him. Heyman gets scared, but then KEVIN OWENS jumps in! Kevin fires off on Tama, security and refs rush in to stop it!

The Prizefighter wants Solo’s “MFT” to bring the fight like he did last week! Security still drags Kevin away, but will he get that fight he wants?

Kayla Braxton is on stage.

SmackDown returns and Kayla welcomes us back to the show. And please welcome out the first overall pick, Bianca Belair! The fans fire up as The EST walks out on stage, and Kayla congratulates her on being the first overall pick. But let’s talk Backlash. Breaking news, Bianca and Jade Cargill are going to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, against the Kabuki Warriors. How satisfying would it be to dethrone them on the stage of this magnitude? Bianca says so satisfying. She really hopes Jade gets drafted to SmackDown because given all this history with Damage CTRL, all the partners by her side, Bianca has never been the one to finally end it with them.

For everything they’ve done to her and this division, Bianca feels Jade is the perfect woman to help her end this. Now, DMG CTRL is falling apart piece by piece, and that final piece is the tag titles. So once Bianca & Jade take the gold at Backlash, the Kabuki Warriors won’t even have a reason to come back to SmackDown. But wait, they’re here now! Asuka & Kairi walk out here and Kayla moves aside. The Empress of Tomorrow and the Pirate Princess taunt the EST, but here comes The Storm! Jade makes her way to stand right by Bianca’s side. The four shout and argue, but this will be settled on May 4th!

WHOA! Tama and Kevin are brawling their way out here! The ladies move aside so the gentlemen can brawl all the way down to ringside! Tama hits low, gets in the ring, but Kevin pursues! Kevin TACKLES Tama, but Solo CLOBBERS Kevin! The fans boo as The Bloodline beats Kevin down! The refs hurry out here but clearly Solo’s Bloodline won’t listen! Tama DECKS producers, DECKS guards, HEADBUTTS them, throws hands and even THROWS the guards! Tama and Solo beat Kevin down again, but here comes Randy Orton! The Viper is still on SmackDown and he’s still pals with Kevin, so here he comes!

Orton DECKS Tama, fires hands on Solo, then RK- NO, Solo gets free and gets away! Orton wants to pursue, almost runs Jamie Noble and refs over to do it, but the Bloodline has gotten away! The fans cheer Randy on, and KAevin even hugs him! But then Kevin and Randy try to give chase! Security stops this, when and where will we see #RKKO strike down Solo and Tama?

The Dudley Boyz are here!

The fans fire up as Bubba Ray & D-Von are both here for the next round of picks! Cincy chants for “E C DUB! E C DUB!” Bubba and D-Von look at the cards, it’s hard to read. So out come the glasses! Bubba says with the first pick of the third round of the 2024 WWE Draft, SmackDown selects… L A KNIGHT! YEAH!! The Mega Star stays on Fridays! D-Von says with the second pick of the third round, Raw selects… RICOCHET! Mondays still has the One and Only, is Ricochet going to bring that WWE Speed Championship home to Raw, too?

Bubba says with the third pick of the third round, SmackDown selects… THE BLOODLINE! That means Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Paul Heyman are staying right here on Friday nights. And D-Von says with the final pick of this round, Raw selects… SHEAMUS! The Celtic Warrior just got back, but he won’t have to worry about going anywhere else but Monday nights.

WWE Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton!

It’s time to run it back once again! The Glow got robbed by the Spoiled Rich Girl, but supposedly, it’s #TiffyTime. Will Naomi prove there’s no such time on the clock? Or will Bayley be the one feeling the Backlash over giving Tiffany one more chance?

The bell rings and Naomi hits a THESZ PRESS! Naomi rains down fists, Tiffy shoves her away and goes to ropes, but Naomi gets up in Tiff’s face. Naomi whips, Tiff holds ropes to bail out and fans boo. Naomi scowls, runs in and WRECKS Tiff with a dropkick! Naomi then gets Tiff up, SMACKS her off the apron, and then SMACKS her off it again! And again! Naomi puts Tiff in, goes up a corner, but Tiff gets under the jump! Naomi runs back up but Tiff YANKS her into ropes! Tiff runs to HIP ATTACK! Naomi sputters, Tiff scowls and drags Naomi up, to then put through ropes. But Naomi RAMS into Tiff!

Naomi reels Tiff in, for a HEATSEEKER! Tiff flops to the floor, and then Naomi SPLIT LEG DROPS! Naomi says it’s #NaomiTime, but SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns and Naomi runs, but into a SPINEBUSTER! High stack, TWO! Naomi survives and Tiff is frustrated but the fans rally up. Tiff drags Naomi up, whips her to a corner, but Naomi goes up and sunset flips! TWO! Tiff escapes, knees Naomi low, then whips. Naomi slides under the lariat to then mule kick! Then she headscissor SPIKES Tiff down! Cover, TWO! Tiff survives but barely, and Naomi keeps her cool. Naomi headlocks, but Tiff shoves her into buckles! Tiff runs, but Naomi follows, DOUBLE RUNNING FACEBUSTERS take them both down! The fans fire up as the two rise!

Naomi KICKS, ROCKS and ROCKS Tiff again! Naomi fires shots again and again but Tiff knees low! Tiff reels Naomi in, but Naomi wrenches out to ENZIGIRI! And then BUCKLE BULLDOG! But then NIA JAX attacks Bayley!? Nia SMACKS Bayley off buckles, rains down fists, and this momentarily distracts Naomi. Naomi refocuses, but by now, Tiff’s slipped away! Nia KICKS Bayley in the side, so Naomi goes out to ROCK her! Nia POSTS Naomi and that throws the match out!

No Contest

The fans boo as Nia ruins the fun, then runs Bayley over! Nia smiles as she blows kisses to Cincy. Tiff smiles, she drags Naomi up and puts her in the ring. Then she drags Bayley in! Tiff wants a repeat of last week as she puts them side by side in the drop zone! Tiff then goes up and up for the PRETTIEST MOONSAULT EVER!! Tiff says it’s her time, but the #1 contendership is still in question. Who gets their shot at the Role Model at Backlash?

B-Fab and the Street Profits meet up backstage.

Angelo Dawkins has a “WHO-DEY” sign, but Montez Ford is wondering where Bobby Lashley is right now. B-Fab says calm down, he’ll be here. Byron Saxton walks over and apologizes for interrupting. He doesn’t know what the Draft destination for this group will be until Monday Night Raw, but we do know that The Profits will challenge A-Town Down Under for the WWE Tag Team Championships. YESSIIIIIIR~! B-Fab says it doesn’t matter where they get drafted. The Profits are going to take down A-Town Down Under and take those titles. Then they’ll have their first class tickets right back to SmackDown.

SmackDown? Did someone say SmackDown~? In walk Austin Theory & Grayson Waller, showing off the titles. And Theory says you can’t have SmackDown without the GREATEST undefeated tag team of all time. And sorry, Dawkins, but these are championships, something the Bengals know nothing about! B-Fab keeps Dawkins back, but then in steps Bobby Lashley! The All Mighty scares Theory & Waller right off, and Dawkins says see y’all next Friday! Will there be nothing keeping these Profits down the night before Backlash?

The Final Testament speaks.

Karrion Kross says good evening. What’s going on here? You guessed it! More random acts of violence! Just follow him. Kross & Scarlett lead the way to show The Authors of Pain beating down New Catch Republic! Rezar beats down Pete Dunne while Akam victimizes Tyler Bate! Paul Ellering says they will know about sacrifice! Kross says whether they get drafted to Raw or stay on SmackDown, the violence will continue until they get what they want! So sayeth The Final Testament!!

Teddy Long and JBL are here!

The Hall of Famer General Manager and the Hall of Famer WWE Champion are both here, ready to give us the fourth and final round of picks tonight! Teddy gets right to it! The first pick of the fourth round, SmackDown selects… AJ STYLES! The Phenomenal One is really an obvious choice, because one way or another, the WWE Championship stays with SmackDown! JBL says the second pick of the fourth round, Raw selects… THE ALPHA ACADEMY! Raw keeps Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri & Akira Tozawa, A THANK YEW~!

Teddy says with the third pick of this round, SmackDown selects… ANDRADE! A big move as now El Idolo will be part of Friday nights. And with the final pick of this fourth round, Raw selects… NXT’S Kiana James! The Calculator, the former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, has the Raw hat to put on, and after a quick hype package, Jackie Redmond is there to interview her. Kiana, congratulations! You are heading to Monday Night Raw! How much does this mean to her? This means the world to her. She is filled with gratitude, but also knows every decision she has made up to this point has been by design to get her here.

Kiana is so proud of her time in NXT, but she’s ready to show Raw why she is the One Percent. Was she surprised? Of course she was! HBK is here to wish her luck and congratulations. Is Kiana going to start the hostile takeover of the Raw Women’s Division?

Backstage interview with Nick Aldis.

Kayla is with the SmackDown GM and says that with night one in the books, how does he feel about SmackDown’s selections? He feels really good about them. SmackDown’s future is bright, he can’t wait for the new recruits to show up and show out for the blue brand. But he also wants to turn attentions to Backlash, because he’s got some new matches to announce! The first PLE in France, this is exciting stuff, Kayla. Aldis says that the WWE Women’s Championship will now be on the line in a Triple Threat! Bayley VS Naomi VS Tiffany Stratton! Will the odds make it that much harder for the Role Model to succeed?

There’s one more match to announce, but Aldis will let the GM GOAT take it from here. Teddy Long steps in, and don’t forget. We’ll talk about this tag team match. The Bloodline VS Kevin Owens & Randy Orton! Holla, players. Solo & Tama will have to face The Viper and the Prizefighter, will #RKKO strike fast and strike hard?

Cody Rhodes VS Carmelo Hayes!

The American Nightmare just put pen to paper for his match with the Phenomenal One, but he isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. The former NXT Champion is shooting his shot, but will this be nothing but net? Or will it be a frustrating airball?

The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, the fans rally for Cody as he puts Melo in a corner then arm-drags him away. Melo runs up, Cody headlocks, Melo powers out then drops. Melo hurdles, but Cody kicks low to RHODES UPPERCUT! Melo staggers to ropes, the fans fire up, but then melo throat chops and springboard FLYING LARIATS! Melo says that’s why he’s a first round pick! But then Cody CLOBBERS him! Cody asks if Melo’s ready for this, and SmackDown goes to break.

SmackDown returns once again and Cody has a headlock. Cody hits a takeover, Melo flails and kicks around, but Cody grinds him down. Melo pushes with his forearm, then headscissors, but Cody kips free. Melo CHOPS, the fans “WOO~!” but Cody brushes himself off. Melo pie faces Cody! Cody fires forearms on Melo, then whips, but Melo reverses. Melo ELBOWS Cody, then runs up to KICK him in the side! Melo fires forearms and CHOPS in a corner, then throws body shots. Melo digs his boot in, the ref counts, and Cody goes to another corner. Cody eggs Melo on, Melo storms up, but Cody puts him in the corner to CHOP!

Cody swings, Melo dodges and CHOPS! Cody turns things around to CHOP! The fans rally, Cody whips corner to corner, then he back drops Melo away! Melo staggers up, Cody runs, and he rallies on Melo with forearms! Cody goes up and over in a corner but Melo tilt-o-whirls, LA MYSTICA! Melo springboards, FADE AWAY! Cover, TWO! Cody survives that flying DDT, but we see the NXT roster all fired up watching Melo take it to the champ. Melo sits Cody up, drags him into a facelock, but the fans rally for Cody. Cody fireman’s carries but Melo slips free to dragon sleeper! Melo grins, but Cody cradles! TWO!!

Melo swings, Cody boots, then Cody springboards to BEAUTIFUL DISASTER! Melo flips inside-out, Cody covers, TWO! Melo is still in this and he snarls up at Cody. Melo gives a forearm, Cody gives it back, and the fans rally up. Cody scoops Melo, storms around, and then hits a RUNNING POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Melo survives and Cody grows frustrated. Cody pounds the mat, the fans rally up, and then Cody goes to ropes. Cody springboards again, CODY CUTTER! Cover, TWO!! Melo survives yet again, proving why he’s a former NXT Champion, on top of NXT North American Champion! But then Cody drags him up!

Cody back suplexes, Melo lands out of it, then FIRST 48! Doe goes Cody and Melo goes up! Melo is setting up for the game winner! NOTHING BUT- NO, Cody avoids the flying leg drop! Melo rolls through, Cody dodges to SUPERKICK! Cody brings Melo around, but Melo gets free! They both run, both springboard, but completely miss each other, and Cody takes a rough landing! Melo drags Cody up, reels him in, but Cody wrenches out to dragon sleeper! CROSS RHODES!! Cody shakes out the bad arm but still makes the cover, and Cody wins!

Winner: Cody Rhodes, by pinfall

Melo took his shot but it was blocked! Even so, Cody sits Melo up to show him respect and tell him he’s still the future. But did this match end up more of a trap game for Cody after that crash landing? Or will he be alright in time for Backlash and his phenomenal opponent?

Speaking of, Styles sneaks right into the ring! Cody sees him in time and Styles stays back. Cody and Styles stare down, but Styles says it was that close. Styles offers a handshake, and Cody takes it. There’s still respect here, for now. But will nothing stop Styles from turning Cody’s story into a tragedy after all?

My Thoughts:

A great SmackDown to open the WWE Draft but to also set up Backlash. To recap, SmackDown took Bianca, Melo, Orton, Nia, LA Knight, The Bloodline, Styles and Andrade while Raw took Jey, Rollins, Bron, Liv, Ricochet, Sheamus, The Alpha Academy, and Kiana. Many of those choices made sense, as picks won’t be wasted on keeping champions on brands, and just need to be used to keep most stories alive and change up a few others. Kiana is perhaps one of the more surprising moves, but well-deserved. She has been a solid character and solid in-ring performer almost from the start, she’s a solid addition to Raw.

Bron of course demolished his opponent tonight, it’s just a shame it was Cedric and not local enhancement talent. But Bron will also be a good addition to Raw, but maybe he can move past his squash match phase and get right to story. Melo being a first round pick was great stuff, and he had a great promo with Cody to give us tonight’s main event. That double springboard whiff was definitely a timing problem, but at the same time, a Fade Away countered into a Cody Cutter would’ve been way too epic just for TV. Cody with a great win, and we got a really good contract signing segment, but you can bet Cody retains.

Really good tag match from LWO VS Legado but naturally Rey & Dragon won. I knew it was only a matter of time before Carlito was outed, and how he handled being exposed was pretty good. And with Andrade being drafted to SmackDown, you just know that means Andrade joins the LWO. The Final Testament attacking New Catch Republic was a wild moment, I almost thought Ellering was going to use the pliers in his hands to grab at fingers. Maybe we get that next week for SmackDown in France. Good promos from A-Town Down Under and the still technically unnamed faction of Bobby Lashley’s. As great as The Profits are, it feels like Theory & Waller will cheat to retain.

Really good promo with Tiff and Bayley to set up Naomi VS Tiff round 3, but I did not think Nia Jax would disrupt all that. A Triple Threat at Backlash is good stuff, it will protect Bayley if she loses, but can also protect Naomi and Tiff if Bayley uses them against each other to win. Good promo from Bianca that then turned into the shouting match of Bianca & Jade with Kabuki Warriors. Their tag title match is official, and I’m pretty sure Bianca & Jade win. I also liked that this segment ended up having Kevin and Tama brawl right through it. Orton saving Kevin was a great move, RKKO VS Solo & Tama is going to be awesome stuff, I can’t wait to see it.

My Score: 8.8/10

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

Coverage

Andrew’s TNA iMPACT! Results & Match Ratings: 4.25.2024

We just got done with Rebellion, and Under Siege is two weeks away! Gotta see how these dots connect!

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2024

Andrew Balaz

Rebellion had quite a few returns, Mike Santana, Sami Callihan and Broken Matt Hardy. All three of these guys could easily be main event players, and its nice to mix up and expand what felt like a rather small pool of potential challengers.

Under Siege is only like 2 weeks out, so we’ll see how the dots connect in such a short period of time.

.@AJFrancis410, Rich Swann, and rap legend @BunBTrillOG are IN THE HOUSE Meanwhile, @joehendry announces he will deliver an apology to Fir$t Cla$$ NEXT WEEK on #TNAiMPACT! pic.twitter.com/4GNe2xWfyU

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

Ratings:

Mike Santana vs Myron Reed w/Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz: Santana wins via Spin the Block – ** 1/2
#1 Contender: Frankie Kazarian vs Josh Alexander: Josh wins via Grapevine Ankle Lock – ***
ASH by Elegance vs Xia Brookside: Xia wins via School Girl Roll-Up – ** 3/4
Sami Callihan vs The Good Hands: Sami Callihan wins via Cactus Driver ’97 – SQUASH
Eddie Edwards w/Alisha Edwards & Brian Myers vs Nic Nemeth: Eddie wins via Boston Knee Party – *** 1/4

Results:

Did @NicTNemeth say BROKEN? @MATTHARDYBRAND has arrived in the iMPACT Zone! #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/HbkUangt6e

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

A weird opening that is just framed to put Nemeth and Hardy together against The System. Feels a little awkward, but who knows how it will play out.

.@JordynneGrace vs @miyu_tjp NEXT WEEK on #TNAiMPACT will now be for the Knockouts World Championship! pic.twitter.com/YnKZjb9yjx

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

Mike Santana vs Myron Reed w/Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz

Ahh I didn’t really pay attention to Santana’s theme at Rebellion, but its pretty damn cool. Good stuff.

Rascalz blindside Santana early, but the heel advantage doesn’t last more than a few moves. Santana whips Myron from corner to corner, hits a few Hip Attacks before Myron finally dodges one and starts using his unique offense and agility to his advantage. Matrix dodge, into an Leaping Outside Back in Slingshot Codebreaker. Some more offense and Santana powders to the ramp, Myron jumps over the rope and tries a Flying Cutter, but Santana blocks it, turns things around, gets pushed forward and hits the Rolling Cutter. Santana takes out the Rascalz, heads back into the ring, Myron tries to catch him unawares but eats the Spin the Block off the rope run! Santana wins fairly quickly.

Maclin’s music hits, he tries to employ the help of The Rascalz to attack Santana, but as soon as Maclin positions himself to get in, The Rascalz bail and flip off Maclin. Maclin makes it out of the confrontation relatively unscathed, but at least we know where he’s going for Under Siege probably.

OH FUCK ME WITH RUSTY KNIVES. Because Cardona is hurt Kon is paired with SDL, and she just challenges Jordynne and PCO to a tag match. WHY!? STOP IT. This is hot garbage.

Josh Alexander comes out…I wonder who’s Super Finisher he’s gonna conveniently kick out this time? Brian Myers? Frankie Kazarian? Rich Swann? Because yes, I’m still annoyed that Hammerstone has been in TNA for half a sandwich, he already connects with a Super version of his finish on tacks, and that’s not a finish. Oh Kaz’s music hits. Okay, so time for Josh to kick out of Fade to Black or Flux Capacitor. Kaz talks smack, says he won his match too so he should have a say in who’s number one contender. Josh challenges him, Kaz says not right now, but a referee runs out and says the match is official.

#1 Contender: Frankie Kazarian vs Josh Alexander

Kaz throws his jacket on Josh’s head, and attacks him with some strikes before Josh fights back and throws Kaz out. Commercial break, we see Kaz misses his Apron Guillotine, Josh goes for the Low Crossbody but Kaz dodges and Josh goes flying. Kaz starts throwing some chops and claws at the cauliflowered ears of Josh. Russian Leg Sweep from Kaz for a near fall. Josh swings wildly and Kaz ducks the strike and levels Josh with a Lariat.

Josh blocks a Vertical Suplex attempt, but Frankie pulls off a Fisherman’s Suplex after a few overhead strikes for a near fall. Josh stands up and connects with a straight right, rocks Kaz, Back Body Drop, into a Charging Forearm, Rolling Senton, 2 count! C4 Spike attempt countered into a Back Stabber and then Chicken Wing, but Josh fights it off, rolls through and into an Ankle Lock, Kaz kicks off and into a Head and Arm Cradle for a near fall and then the Guillotine Leg Drop into Slingshot DDT spot from Kaz for another 2 count!

Fade to Black, but its fought off, Big Boot but then Kaz counters the next move with a Power Slam into the Springboard Guillotine Leg Drop, but Josh grabs the Ankle Lock! Locomotion German Suplex time from Josh, Halfhatch Suplex after the Germans, floats over for a 2 count! C4 Spike attempt again, but Kaz fights it off, dumps him over the top rope, slingshots him in and into the Cutter for a near fall for Kaz! After the 2 Kaz grabs a chair and chain, the referee stops the chair of course, so he tries the chain, EY runs down and grabs the chain so Kaz pulls the Eddie Guerrero and the referee admonishes EY, but doesn’t DQ Josh. So as Kaz is busy laughing at EY, Josh picks the ankle, Ankle Lock with the Grapevine, Kaz taps.

Tensions are sky-high between @alexhammerstone and @JakeSomething_! #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/LLCUJOCy7H

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

ASH by Elegance vs Xia Brookside

Both are jawing at each other and then throw hands before Xia gets the upper hand with a Headscissors from the Top Turnbuckle, Charging Knees, a Flurry of Kicks, but when the ref forces some space in the corner, ASH is finally able to dodge and work over Xia with her Twisting Body Splash, a few choking moves, a corner Stomp into a Snap Suplex for 2. ASH is in charge elegantly, but the referee keeps forcing space on both of them when they go for corner attacks. Xia manages to take advantage a little, but ASH regains control, kicks Xia up the ramp and then lands her Cartwheel Back Elbow up the ramp. It actually looks pretty cool executed like that.

Headlocks and Hair Pulling to keep Xia down and using energy to kick out. ASH is getting frustrated but Xia is remaining persistent. ASH goes back to the Headlock, but Xia fights up, Jawbreaker, Back Elbow, Kick to the gut and Drop Toe Hold sends ASH face first into the middle buckle. Xia rips off 4 Double Knee Smashes to the back of ASH’s head into her Flying Crossbody for a close 2! Xia pulls her up, but ASH spins out, then Xia slips it, but ASH kicks her in the chest and deposits her to the outside and demands a count from the referee. Iceman puts Jeweled Knuckles/Rings on ASH’s hand, the referee catches her, removes the stuff from her fingers and Xia hits the School Girl Roll-Up for the flash win.

Fraud has thrown the Ballot Box Battle into chaos, but also paved the way for an explosive showdown between @TheTreyMiguel and @The_Ace_Austin NEXT WEEK to determine the #1 Contender for the X Division Championship! #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/lYHrtgNrc3

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

Sami Callihan vs The Good Hands

So the Good Hand Jobs are about to do their job to Sami. I’m just gonna assume Sami beats the hell out of both and wins with a Cactus Driver ’97. If anything interesting happens I might actually cover it, but come on now.

.@SteveMaclin has a proposition for @FrankieKazarian #TNAiMPACT pic.twitter.com/XY6lMdmSWo

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) April 26, 2024

Kaz makes a Metallica reference with the “Wash Your Back So You Won’t Stab Mine”…and Sweet Amber is the only good song on St. Anger. So…I ain’t mad.

Eddie Edwards w/Alisha Edwards & Brian Myers vs Nic Nemeth

A little early ground wrestling and headlocks for control from both men. Nothing super flashy to start until we get to the rope run and Nemeth goes for the Flying Body Press to drop Eddie. Before Nemeth can follow up, Lish grabs his foot. Nic does have his brother Ryan in the crowd, trying to get chants going and do the old school ‘power up the babyface’ thing, but Eddie has been in control since Lish got involved. Simple offense, chokes, strikes, Snap Suplexes, Knee Drops, simple yet effective. But then Eddie ducks his head too early, Nemeth kicks him in the face, bounces his head off the buckles a few times, Dropkick sends Eddie reeling to the corner, Nemeth starts the 10 Count Punches but Myers hits the apron to distract and Eddie manages to slip the situation and push Nemeth to the floor.

Commercial break happens, Nemeth is trying to fight back with Chops, but a Kitchen Sink from Eddie puts Nemeth on the floor again! Clubbing blow from Eddie, but Eddie then misses the Hip Attack in the corner and Nemeth counters with the Rude Awakening into the 10 Count Rain of Elbows. Fame Ass-er miss, Eddie tries something but Nemeth turns it into that hesitation DDT for 2! Tuning up the band starts to build and Eddie powders to avoid it. Nemeth throws Eddie back in, goes to the top, but Eddie crotches him, rises up and hits the Superplex into Tiger Driver for 2! Eddie starts mocking with Tuning Up the band but Nemeth hits his own Superkick into an Olympic Slam for 2!

Both men just trade strikes Fighting Spirit style, Eddie says “Always Trust the System” and Nemeth shuts him up with a Headbutt. Danger Zone is blocked, Boston Knee Party gets ducked, they level each other with Lariats! Myers and Ryan Nemeth start fighting to distract the referee, Moose hits the ring and hits Nemeth with the belt. Eddie lands Boston Knee Party and The System wins again!

Overall Score: 6/10

A lame opening segment, a squash match, ASH by Elegance getting her first loss, and a weird way of just pulling the number one contender out of mid air makes for an awkward show. Also Kon still be involved in, literally anything, is negative. However, I can say there was a ton of stuff thrown at the wall this episode, so there’s a chance that some things landed better with other people than myself. The ballot segments were amusing, they overused the “I need to talk to you Santino” gimmick a bit much and personally I feel like having Jake versus Hammerstone is booking yourself into a weird corner.

But hey, the main event was fun, Nemeth getting laid out to the point that there could be a story reason to take him out of the Under Siege match. Kaz with the Metallica reference was pop worthy and I guess its a lot of ‘let’s see where it goes’ kind of angle creation. So it wasn’t complete trash, but its definitely a wait and see episode.

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