Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (2/1/22)
NXT is GUNTHER!
Will NXT 2.0 belong to Imperium?
New name, same Ring General! Will GUNTHER and Imperium crush Diamond Mine? Or are the Creed Brothers going to win over the NXT Tag Team Champions?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Six Man Tag: Imperium VS Diamond Mine; Imperium wins.
- Cora Jade VS Raquel Gonzalez; Gonzalez wins.
- Sarray VS Kayla Inlay; Sarray wins.
- LA Knight VS Joe Gacy w/ Harland; Gacy wins.
- Wendy Choo VS Amari Miller; Wendy wins.
- Draco Anthony VS Andre Chase w/ Bodhi Hayward; Chase wins.
- Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa VS Legado Del Fantasma; Bron & Ciampa win.
PLAY BY PLAY
Six Man Tag: Imperium VS Diamond Mine!
NXT opens with Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner and GUNTHER! Will they crush the Creed Brothers and Roderick Strong to prove their dominance? Or will Julius, Brutus & Roddy show who runs NXT 2.0?
The trios sort out, but Imperium strikes! They beat down Diamond Mine, Gunther kicks Strong out and Barthel throws out Julius. The bell rings, Brutus and Aichner brawl, Aichner headlocks. Brutus powers out, they ram shoulders, and neither man falls. Brutus waistlocks to SLAM Aichner, then he deadlift gut wrenches for a suplex! Brutus gets Aichner to the corner, tag to Julius and the Creed brothers mug Aichner! Tag back to Brutus, the brothers mug Aichner again, but Aichner kicks Brutus. Aichner CHOPS and CHOPS, then kicks again. Aichner whips, Brutus reverses but Aichner dodges and catches Brutus!
Aichner fireman’s carries for a ROLLING SENTON! Fans fire up, Aichner drags Brutus up but Brutus powers him back. Barthel tags in, Aichner whips Brutus and Barthel arm-drags Brutus down. Barthel grinds the armlock but Brutus endures. Brutus fights up, fans rally, and Brutus arm-drags. Barthel holds on and drags Brutus down. Brutus gets up, picks up Barthel and he hits a SPINEBUSTER! Brutus rains down forearms, then tags Julius. The Creed Brothers surround Barthel, they throw KNEE after KNEE into Barthel, and Bivens likes what he sees. Julius CLUBS Barthel with a crossface forearm, then hauls him up.
Barthel slips off the shoulder, ROCKS Julius and snapmares to run and PENALTY KICK! Fans fire up as Barthel runs in but into an elbow. Barthel blocks the boot, shouts, “NEIN!” and then GAMANGIRI to a BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Barthel goes up to FLYING EUROUPPER! Cover, TWO! Bivens coaches Julius but Barthel brings him to the corner. Gunther tags in, he KNEES and EuroUppers Julius. Fans still chant “WAL~TER! WAL~TER!” Julius throws hands, Gunther CHOPS him down! Gunther CLUBS Julius, clamps on and brings him up to scoop and SLAM! Gunther stomps Julius, tags Barthel, and Barthel covers, TWO!
Barthel clamps on with a cobra clutch and he grinds Julius down. Julius arm-drags free, facelocks and HALF HATCH suplexes! Hot tags to Strong and Aichner! Strong rallies on the Pride of Italy, then catches him for a half nelson BACKBREAKER! Fans fire up, Strong DECKS Gunther! Strong fires off big elbows on Aichner, then runs side to side! Forearm after forearm, but he slows down, still shaky from that ambush. Gunther tags in and CLOBBERS Strong! Fans rally for “WAL~TER!” as NXT goes picture in picture.
Strong crawls, Gunther looms over him and dares him to stand. Strong drags himself up the ropes, only for Gunther to stomp him down! Gunther stands on Strong, lets off as the ref counts, then KICKS Strong out of the ring! Gunther goes out to put Strong in and tags Aichner. Aichner covers, TWO! Aichner KNEES Strong in the back, clamps on with a chinlock and he thrashes Strong around. Strong endures, fights his way up, and throws body shots to get free. Strong BOOTS Aichner, but Aichner blocks to reel Strong in for a LARIAT! Aichner looms over Strong, but Strong crawls to ropes. Aichner tags Barthel and they both stomp away on Strong at the ropes!
Barthel gets in, paces and kicks Strong around. Barthel brings Strong up for a snap suplex! Cover, TWO! Barthel keeps Strong down with a chinlock! Tag to Gunther, and he stomps Strong in the ribs. Gunther drags Strong up, digs his elbow into Strong’s forehead then JAMS it in. Gunther wants after Strong but Strong gets to the ropes. Strong drags himself up, Gunther runs in and BOOTS him to the corner! Tag to Aichner, Imperium mugs Strong, and Aichner drags Strong back up. Aichner scoops and SLAMS Strong, then drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! Aichner is annoyed but he drags Strong back up.
NXT returns to single picture and fans are dueling. Aichner has a facelock but Strong throws body shots. Aichner shoves Strong, blocks his boot, but Strong ducks the lariat to tag in Julius! Julius rallies on Barthel and Aichner, CHOP BLOCK for Barthel, to a SIDE SLAM! Cover, TWO! Tag to Brutus, the brothers fire each other up, gut wrench SLAM onto Barthel! Cover, TWO! Brutus looms over Barthel, talks some trash, and brings him up,. Barthel hits a JAWBREAKER! Hot tag to Aichner, he fireman’s carries Brutus, but Brutus fights free. Brutus shoves Aichner, tags Julius, and the brothers DOUBLE SPINEBUSTER! Cover, Gunther CHOPS it apart!
Hot tags to Strong and Gunther! Strong fires off CHOP after CHOP but Gunther KNEES low. Gunther reels Strong in but Strong slips out of the bomb. Gunther catches the knee! Strong dodges the chop, SICK KICK! Fans fire up, hot tag to Brutus! Brutus and Strong CHOP Gunther, but Strong is dragged out and sent into steps! Julius CLOBBERS Barthel, Aichner BOOTS Julius! Brutus CLOBBERS Aichner! Fans are thunderous as big Brutus gets in, swings on Gunther, but into a SLEEPER! Brutus arm-drags free! He ROCKS Gunther, but Gunther swats his lariat away! Brutus still goes for a leg but Gunther just powers him to turn and CLUB him down!
Gunther gets Brutus up, POWERBOMB!! Cover, Imperium wins!
Winners: Imperium, by pinfall
The Ring General is still powerful, no matter his name! And with this victory, will the mat and all of NXT be sacred?
LA Knight speaks.
“All right, pipe down, that’s all I need to hear. Let me talk to you. Grayson Waller’s trying to avoid the inevitable. He’s trying to avoid what’s coming to him.” Restraining order, a bodyguard, and an impressive one, too. The guy’s gotta 7 foot tall! But it wouldn’t matter if the guy was 17 feet tall, Knight is coming for Waller. But then Joe Gacy says “Mr. Knight” has a lot of anger in his heart. Harland once had to move on from a restraining order unfairly put on him, too. So if Knight is open to it, Gacy can help Knight grow and move on from this, just like he did for Harland. Wow, Gacy would do that for Knight?
Well Knight has a better idea. They should all move on together to the ring and if they play their cards right, Knight will have more restraining orders, one from Gacy and one from Harland after he stomps their asses. That’s not an insult, that’s a fact of life, YEAH! Gacy says Knight is the troubled one. But will Gacy and Harland have the solution to the problem they perceive is L A Knight?
Toxic Attraction heads to the ring!
Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne, aka the NXT Women’s and Women’s Tag Team Champions, strut their way out and show off the gold. They all get mics, and Gigi starts by calling out Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta. “Even the most unworthy of people fall into luck sometimes.” Some call last week a fluke, but Gigi thinks of it as a death sentence. Jacy says at Vengeance Day, the tag titles will be on the line. Indi & Persia get their shot, and Toxic Attraction get their vengeance! Unlike- Kay Lee Ray interrupts Mandy, but that’s probably who Mandy was going to say. KLR says it’s Mandy’s turn to give her the title match.
How about no? Well, KLR figured Mandy would say that so… “Let’s have some fun!” How about KLR gets in there and bash their brains. No, put the bat down and the tag champs will leave. KLR puts the bat down, fans chant, “Not the face!” as Gigi & Jacy exit. KLR says she is the longest reigning woman’s champion of the modern era. And if there is anyone deserving, it’s her. But Mandy doesn’t care about that, she wants to talk about herself. Does KLR even know Mandy’s accomplishments before this? Mandy has been the face of multiple international campaigns, flaunted across billboards and magazine covers. Bikini World Champion, and the epitome of what every woman aspires to be and what every single man wishes they could be with.
Is she done? Cuz, all of that doesn’t compare to any in-ring skill. KLR was champion for 649 DAYS! She dominated an entire continent while Mandy was slipping on her ass at WrestleMania and sucking the face off of Otis! Well look at her now! She’s the hottest thing in WWE, and that’s a fact! Unlike all the fugazees that claim to be. This is what the company wants and needs in a champion. And KLR doesn’t really understand so Mandy will be completely transparent in the nicest way possible: “All the talent in the world will never replace this.” She means her figure. KLR tells Mandy that by the end of tonight, she’ll have her title match.
Mandy doubts that, but KLR gives her a SLAP!! And then she gets the bat back to chase off Toxic Attraction! Will the Scary Queen of Scots break into a title match
Backstage interview with Cora Jade.
#GenerationJade is moments away from a match with Raquel Gonzalez. Why does she want this match? To prove she is tough enough. They could win the Women’s Dusty Cup, but the only thing in the way is Raquel doubting Cora. Cora might get her ass kicked, but she’ll prove she can hang with the best. Aw, how cute. Raquel walks in and asks if Cora still wants this match. Yes, she does. Then good for her. Raquel heads out first, will she be the only one walking back to the back?
Toxic Attraction hurries out of the arena.
They tell NXT Media to hurry up with the questions because they gotta get going with that crazy lady running around the with bat. Is Mandy not going to give KLR her title match? Uh, no! Did you not hear her out there? KLR does not deserve an opportunity. They get in the car, and Mandy says KLR is not even on her level. She doesn’t deserve to be in the same ring with her. So please, get outta the way. But the car door won’t open. KLR already got in the driver seat! KLR says she’ll be back for Mandy later. KLR drives off with Gigi and Jacy!! What is she gonna do to the tag champs!?
Cora Jade VS Raquel Gonzalez!
NXT returns and Cora makes her entrance. Big Mami Cool is amused seeing the spunky skater girl running around the ring, but the bell rings and Raquel says this is Cora’s last chance to leave. Cora runs but bounces off Raquel! Is this just to waste Raquel’s time? Cora dodges, kicks but Raquel blocks to CLOBBER Cora! Raquel waistlocks, picks Cora up and throws her around, but Cora slips out the back and kangaroo kicks! Cora dropkicks to put Raquel in a corner, then runs in to forearm smash! Cora runs corner to corner again, but Raquel blocks the monkey flip! Raquel turns it around into a BACK DROP! Raquel drags Cora to a cover, TWO!
Raquel smiles, amused with Cora again. Raquel drags Cora up, Cora throws forearms but Raquel whips her to a corner hard. Cora bumps off buckles, Raquel bumps her off them again. Raquel stomps Cora, throws forearms, and gets in Cora’s face. “You wanna win the Dusty? You gotta show me something!” Raquel brings Cora around, Cora throws body shots and runs, but into a Raquel’s SWINGING SIDEWALK SLAM! Cover, TWO! Cora survives but Raquel stays cool. Raquel drags Cora back up, reels her in and suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Raquel clamps onto Cora’s shoulders and squeezes tight!
Cora endures, fights her way up and hits a JAWBREAKER! Raquel staggers, but she BOOTS Cora down! Fans duel but Raquel CLUBS Cora on the back. Raquel tells Cora that the fans want her to do something, and then Raquel gut wrenches Cora to a Canadian rack! Raquel bends Cora’s arms way back! But Cora still endures, so Raquel RAMS her into a corner! Cora ends up on the top rope, Raquel taunts her, and Cora SLAPS Raquel! Cora BOOTS Raquel, leaps, but into Raquel’s arms! Raquel swings Cora gain, but Cora makes it an IRON OCTOPUS! Raquel endures, stays on her feet, and powers her way around to SLAM Cora down!
Raquel climbs up the corner, VADER ELBOWÂ FLOPS as Cora moves! Cora runs in again, but gets caught for another scoop! Raquel runs at a corner, Cora slips off, and she POSTS Raquel! Roll up, TWO!! Cora grits her teeth, takes aim, SUPERKICK! Cora drags Raquel up and throws haymakers! Cora knuckle locks, runs to the corner to go up and up and RANA! Fans fire up with Cora, but Raquel blocks the kick. Cora ENZIGURIS! Cora hurries to get up, runs in at the ropes, but Raquel blocks shining wizard into CHINGONA BOMB!! Cover, Raquel wins!
Winner: Raquel Gonzalez, by pinfall
Ricky Desperado destroyed Cora, but somehow Cora drags herself to the ropes. Raquel storms up on Cora, and offers a hand! Raquel helps Cora up, and says, “Let’s go win the damn thing!” Is Raquel actually giving Cora a chance? Are they going to enter the Women’s Dusty Cup and win it all?
Sarray speaks.
“2021 was my first year in NXT, but everything didn’t go as planned. At one point, I wanted to give up. But at that time, I found my grandma’s necklace. I thought I should never give up, I have something to do here.” Sarray is coming back with renewed passion and energy! The Warrior of the Sun is ready to rise again, and she’s up next!
Pete Dunne speaks.
“Hey, Tony! How’s the hand doing? What did you say? You said there’s 16 different ways to hurt somebody with a crowbar? Well with that cricket bat, I only needed one. So as you dip your hand in ice, think about how I took the advice of your cousin, Julio. ‘When you’re taking care of business, you gotta handle it by any means necessary.'” Dunne handled his business. But don’t get it twisted. He can do that with a cricket bat, a steel chair, brass knuckles, just about anything he gets his hands on. So Tony, tell Dunne how he wants to do this. They should settle this where it started: inside a STEEL CAGE!!
Sarray VS Kayla Inlay!
From bookish school girl to Warrior of the Sun, the transformation is complete! But will the comeback start here? Or will she be eclipsed right from the start?
The bell rings, Sarray offers a handshake. Kayla slaps it away, so that’s a no. Sarray nods, that’s fine by her. They circle, tie up, and Kayla wrenches to a wristlock. Sarray rolls, wrenches back, fans rally up behind her, but Kayla powers through to wrench back. Sarray headlocks, Kayla powers out, but Sarray handsprings over her to keep moving and arm-drag her down! Fans fire up with Sarray, and she runs corner to corner at Kayla for a back elbow! Sarray wrenches, arm-drags, and then rolls to get Kayla back up! Wrench and arm-drag back the other way! Kayla flounders, she dodges Sarray’s attack and stomps away in the corner!
Kayla brings Sarray around to bump off buckles, then she rams into her with shoulders. Kayla handsprings back, runs in and RAMS into Sarray again! Snapmare and cover, TWO! Fans rally but Kayla clamps onto Sarray with a rear bearhug. Sarray endures as Kayla leans on her. Sarray fights up, throws back elbows and is free to flying-mare! Sarray fires up, runs in and ROCKS Kayla with a forearm! And then another! Kayla staggers about, Sarray ROCKS her again! Sarray whips, follows Kayla then victory rolls to a DOUBLE STOMP! Fans fire up as Sarray digs her boots into Kayla at the ropes. The ref counts, Sarray runs and SUNRAY DROPKICK!
Sarray drags Kayla up, she’s not done! SUN PLEX! Cover, Sarray wins!
Winner: Sarray, by pinfall
Red hot as she was when she first arrived, the Warrior of the Sun gets back on track! Will she continue to shine all the way to the top?
Duke Hudson speaks.
“The only way to get ahead in this place is by striking first. It didn’t matter that it was Dante Chen. I saw an opportunity, so I took it.” Duke was addicted to the felt and the long game, but look where that got him. So now he’s only addicted to one thing: inflicting pain and suffering. Dante, you won the first hand. Duke’s done playing games. “When you control your own destiny, you don’t need to calculate odds. When you take matters into your own hands, you eliminate the luck.” Duke buzzes his hair short again, and says he makes his own luck now. Will the streamlined and sinister Duke Hudson put the hurt on Dante Chen and many, many more superstars?
Tommaso Ciampa speaks with Bron Breakker backstage.
Bron appreciates the assist last week, though he didn’t ask. But Ciampa says the mountaintop is a very lonely place. You don’t understand it until you get there. Bron is now part of a small circle of men and women who do understand that. This is about respect. And Ciampa wants to make sure Bron remains NXT Champion. Well alright, they’ll handle business tonight. They’ll rip Legado in half! Ready? Yeah. They’re gonna kick some ass. Ciampa and Bron fist bump, will they be standing tall in tonight’s main event?
Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams head to the ring!
The North American Champion and his right hand man get the mics and Trick says, “Hey, hold on, Melo. Let me get this straight. Last week, Cameron Grimes comes out here and beats a distracted D’Angelo, and now he thinks he’s ready for The A Champion?” He ain’t ready. Grimes was better of wasting time with poker than coming out here with the champ and getting dish ragged up and down the ring. Melo says the old him would verbally put Grimes in a grave. But it is important for him to explain that even though the fans don’t take Grimes serious and see him as a threat, believe it or not, Melo does. He really does. Hard to believe, but he does.
That is why Melo goes harder in the gym, puts more work in the ring, and still finds time for OllieJayy, because that’s what the A Champ does! And Melo IS the standard. He sets the bar on NXT. So even if Melo is looking down on you, he always will. That’s all it is, and that’s- Grimes interrupts! Grimes has a mic, but he wants to make sure he heard Melo right. These people don’t care about Grimes? Well, he could be wrong, but they’re not chanting “A Champ.” Grimes is pretty sure he’s hearing, “TO~ THE~ MOON!” And also “Whoop That Trick!” Trick tells the “low down, raggedy, two-footed bum,” that two things are for certain: Melo don’t miss, and trickin’ ain’t easy.
So Trick is gonna take his boot off and whoop that slimy- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Cameron ain’t slimy, he’s grimy. But if we wanna poke some fun, what about Melo’s hair? Did he go to the barber and ask for the pineapple under the sea? Melo’s looking like SpongeBob’s house! Then that makes Trick Squidward, right? But Grimes caught these clowns on OllieJayy’s Instagram, and they were in awe of her Bikini Bottom. Don’t you bring her into this! Trick says this is how they’ll do this. Trick says Grimes is a bum, his momma’s a gold digger, his daddy’s a boot licker, and if they wanna fight, they can fight! Grimes never been ’bout it ’bout it!
Grimes asks Trick to slow down. He isn’t sure what all that was, but the question back is, “Am I fighting you? Or am I fighting you,” Melo? Melo takes off the glasses to say he’ll put it like this. This is all it’s gone be: at Vengeance Day, Grimes finds out that Melo is him, and he will shoot for the moon and take the stars as casualties. OO-OOO~! Trick & Melo exit the ring, but Grimes says, “Hey, uh, Melo. Yo, Melo. It’s funny you were talking about the stars. Because at Vengeance Day, it’s only gonna be a one star match. And that one star is going TO~ THE~ MOON~!” These two are set to collide in two weeks, who gets the rocket strapped to their backs when they strap the North American title around their waist?
Edris Enofe & Malik Blade talk backstage.
They’re doing great in the Dusty Classic, but to keep up with the other teams, they gotta have a tag team name. Edris’ idea is, “Team Edris & Malik.” Yeah, Team Malik & Edris. Uh, no. Wait, they’re both bold, they’re both brave, and they’re both confident! Team BB- OH, no, wait. Well, okay. How about, Mandy Rose? Every week… Hey, if she walked in right now, what would Malik say to her? Uh… “Hey, Mandy. It’s Malik, one half of your favorite tag team, and I was wondering-” Wait, Mandy actually walks in and falls into Malik’s lap! “Thank you!” Mandy needs help! She’s chasing her! Who?
KLR storms in with her bat! Edris fires up for the girl fight! KLR drags Mandy’s jacket off her but Mandy runs away! KLR pursues, and Edris wants to chase after them both! Malik says he needs a minute. Huh? Oh… Malik is a gentleman, but he’s still a man. Will Malik & Edris be able to calm down and think clearly on a tag team name? And what about the coming Dusty Classic showdown with MSK?
Backstage interview with Diamond Mine.
McKenzie knows they struggled with Imperium, but Bivens asks her, “What do you know about struggle?” Without struggle, there is no progression, and they are still moving forward because they will win the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Julius adds that they’ve been champions at every level. The bigger the stage, the better they perform. Brutus agrees, and adds that Diamond Mine strives for perfection. They will face Imperium again, but it’ll be for the tag team titles. But then Grizzled Young Veterans walk in and sarcastically applaud. Isn’t Bivens supposed to be managing these dopes? They’ve got fights right, left, back and front when they should focus on the Dusty Cup.
All this group achieved tonight was making GYV’s journey back to the finals that much easier. See you next week, mates. Pip pip cheerio to you, too, fellas. See you next time, nerds! But is Diamond Mine sssoooon to be kicked out of the Dusty Classic at the hands of Zack Gibson & James Drake?
LA Knight VS Joe Gacy w/ Harland!
The Million Dollar Megastar doesn’t much care for playing nice and considering someone else’s feelings. But will he be feeling unstoppable as he goes after Grayson Waller? Or will Mr. Inclusion make sure Knight thinks before he speaks from now on?
NXT returns and Gacy has made his entrance. Harland exits, but Knight is still wary of him. The bell rings, Gacy swings but Knight dodges to fire off haymakers. Knight whips, Gacy reverses but Knight comes back for a RUNNING NECKBREAKER! Knight gets Gacy to a corner, stomps a mudhole into him, “YEAH!” but lets off as the ref counts 4. Knight keeps moving to KNEE Gacy down! Fans fire up, Gacy flounders to another corner, but Knight is after him. Gacy sends Knight into the buckles, corner SPLASHES then hits an URENAGE! Gacy stalks Knight, stomps him down, then rains down fists.
Gacy drags Knight up to snapmare and clamps on the arms for a modified armlock and neck wrench. Fans rally, Knight fights up, Harland stares, and Knight fires off hands. Knight whips, Gacy whips the back drop away to then ROCK Knight with a forearm! And then a BIG back suplex! Gacy soaks up the heat, he stomps Knight more, then he digs his forearm into Knight’s face. Gacy elbows Knight down, drags him up, and ROCKS Knight with a right. Gacy throws more hands, then KNEES Knight against ropes. Gacy throws body shots but Knight fires off hands! Gacy kicks Knight in the leg, then KICKS the leg again.
Gacy has Knight in a corner, puts a leg on the ropes, but the ref counts. Gacy KICKS the leg as he lets off. Gacy ROCKS Knight with a EuroUpper, then he whips Knight corner to corner. Gacy runs in but Knight dodges the splash for a JUMPING NECKBREAKER! Fans fire up as Gacy staggers up. Knight dodges to scoop and POWERSLAM Gacy! Knight runs, and drops a BIG elbow! Fans fire up with Knight, he kicks and cravats but no BFT! They CLANK heads, and Knight tumbles out. SANGA appears from the crowd! But that’s just a distraction so Grayson Waller can SOMERSAULT STUNNER Knight down!
The ref doesn’t see any of that, and he starts a ring count! Fans boo Waller as hard as they can while Waller shows off his drop steps. The count is past 5, Knight flounders. The count is 9, Knight is in at 9.99!! But Gacy HANDSPRING LARIATS! Cover, Gacy wins!
Winner: Joe Gacy, by pinfall
Oh the irony! Gacy gets a win thanks to the most obnoxious man in NXT! Waller then shouts, “You think you belong in my ring, LA? You think you belong in my NXT? You don’t belong here! This is MINE now! I own NXT, and there’s nothing you can do about it, YEAH!” But Knight ROCKS Waller! Sanga clamps on with a choke grip for a CHOKE SLAM! Waller says if Knight wants to get his hands on Waller, then next week, he has to take on Sanga! And if he wins, maybe Waller will think about lifting the restraining order on Knight!
Wendy Choo wakes up again.
She stretches and heads for the ring, ready for her first singles match! But Tiffany Stratton is watching from the shadows. Does Daddy’s Little Rich Girl have a Mean Girls level plan for NXT’s resident sleepyhead?
Robert Stone speaks.
“For the longest time, I was focused on the entertainment side of this business, aligning myself with a group of talent that I thought was going to take me to the top. And then I saw a 6’5″, 255 pound athlete destroying people, and I said, ‘I gotta get connected to that.'” Stone gladly paid Von’s fines, and will gladly pay them again and again in the future, because Von Wagner is the future. A future NXT Champion, a future WWE World and Universal Champion! So who is going to stop them? No one! This is Von Wagner’s world, everyone else is just living in it.
Wendy Choo VS Amari Miller!
Two very different personalities meet in the ring, but it seems they have one thing in common: they can’t stand Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany tried to get Miller to agree with her that Wendy is a freak, using a shopping spree as a bribe. Amari said she’d think on it, but that might’ve just been to get Tiffany to leave. Will Amari still win that all expenses paid mall trip? Or will she be caught sleeping on the…Â eccentric Wendy Choo?
The bell rings and Wendy gets another stretch in. She dodges Amari with a roll, and then lounges on the mat. Fans cheer, Wendy looks ready to nap again. Amari grabs the legs, Wendy kicks her away and then trips Amari up! Wendy grapevines the leg, but more to snuggle with it like a pillow… Amari is annoyed but she can’t kick Wendy away. Wendy says shush, and she snoozes again. Amari kicks Wendy, so Wendy gets a standing toehold. Amari rolls, gets free, but things speed up and Amari blocks a hip toss. Amari spins Wendy around to a backslide, TWO! Wendy dropkicks Amari down and fans fire up!
Wendy runs to the corner and SUPERKICKS Amari! Amari staggers, Wendy stretches and drops a snoozing elbow! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up behind Wendy, she brings Amari up and whips. Amari gets around, sweeps the legs and runs to drop the SENTON! Cover, TWO! Amari clamps on with a cobra clutch but fans rally up. Wendy fights her way up, throws body shots and ripcords for a forearm, KICK and LARIAT! Wendy fires up now, whips Amari to ropes and hits an OVERHEAD Belly2Belly! Amari gets to a corner. Wendy handsprings in to SPLASH! EXPLODER! Wendy fires up more and fans are with her!
Wendy says time to go to sleep, but she means Amari! SLEEPER HOLD! Amari endures, snapmares free, and hits a CODE BREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Tiffany shows up to offer Amari the credit card, and Amari agrees to the deal. But Wendy rolls Amari up, TWO!! Amari hurries up, Wendy hits a RUNNING AX HANDLE! Cover, Wendy wins!
Winner: Wendy Choo, by pinfall
Wendy got the win though she really only just woke up, could she be the sleeper hit of NXT? As for Tiffany, she is very disappointed Amari couldn’t come through on the deal. Give her the credit card back! Wait, where is it? Wendy has it! Tiffany throws a hissy fit, will Wendy get herself a thousand refills on that cup?
Persia Pirotta goes through her phone.
Someone looks good to her. But then Indi and Dexter Lumis walk in. Indi is excited because they’re gonna win those tag titles! It’s gonna be Persia’s first and Indi’s second. But who was Persia looking at? Duke Hudson… Whoa, okay, friend to friend, Duke’s trouble. Persia likes trouble. Why’s Indi always on her about this stuff? Dexter, what do you think? Thumbs down? No way, those abs are a thumbs up. But Brooks Jensen walks over and wants to ask them some advice. He wants his relationship with Kayden Carter to just like Dexter’s and Indi’s. Well, okay, not exactly the same, and Brooks isn’t thinking marriage yet, but-
Indi says the biggest piece of advice is that when a guy talks too much, it’s a turn off. Really? Yep. Non-verbal communication is sexy. Watch Dexter. Indi looks at him and she’s all fired up. Whoa, how’d he…? That’s the hot tub look? That’s the hot tub look!! Brooks thinks that’ll work. He tries it on Persia, but Persia says she’s into someone else. W-Well so is he, but he’s trying to get somewhere with Kayden. He’s hoping for the “pickup truck” date but- Okay, Brooks is going motormouth again. Will he figure out how to charm Kayden before someone else does?
Draco Anthony speaks.
When everyone else’s day ends, his day begins. He goes to the Performance Center at 2Â in the morning, and puts in the work. His drill sergeant said he’d never make it as a Marine, but he proudly served for four years. Tonight, he’ll make his NXT debut. And at the end of the day, when it’s you against the world, Draco will win. But will his actions speak louder than everyone else’s words?
Another new superstar is on her way.
“We all come from somewhere, right? Well, Nikkita Lyons comes from the world of entertainment.” Her dad was a bassist, her mom was a beautiful groupie, and Nikkita was the result. She grew up in a van that traveled from New York to California, from down south to the cold north while her dad worked for every cent he ever earned. People looked down on her, saying she learned about life from dirty bars and degenerate musicians. Well, that may be true, but each one of those experiences led to this moment. She’s living her truth, she’s in NXT and the most competitive women’s division in the world. If she attacks the ring like she does the mic, then you better watch out for her roar. Nikkita Lyons is coming soon!
Backstage interview with Sarray.
Having powered down back to her everyday self, Sarray dedicates her win tonight to her grandmother. Well the fans want ot know more about this necklace. When Sarray wears this necklace, she can do anything! Oh, how cute! Dakota Kai mocks the return of “the beloved” Sarray. She can tell by the way Sarray holds the necklace that it is important, just like her relationship with her grandma. But the Warrior of the Sun surely knows that no matter how strong a relationship is, the sun always sets on it. Dakota leaves and Sarray is worried, but will Sarray be able to outshine the gloom and doom of #CobraKai?
Draco Anthony VS Andre Chase w/ Bodhi Hayward!
The newest star in NXT finally has a match, but Professor Chase wants to make this a #TeachableMoment! Will Chase get through to Draco? Or has Draco already learned more than enough to make it big in NXT?
The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but Draco powers Chase back. Chase turns things around to arm-drag Draco, and he says that was a TEACHABLE MOMENT! Draco shrugs that off as he and Chase circle again. They tie up, Draco headlocks, but Chase pries at the hold. Draco clamps on tighter, Chase pries free again to get a headlock back. Draco powers up, powers out, and jukes Chase to run him over! Things keep moving, Chase hurdles but Draco shoves and leaps, into an atomic drop! And then a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Chase keeps cool as he looms over Draco.
Chase brings Draco up, whips, but Draco reverses and scoops for a POWERSLAM! Fans cheer Draco’s strength, and he kicks Chase to a corner. Draco drags Chase up, throws big KNEES, then has him in the corner again. Draco runs in, KNEES Chase down, then RAMS into Chase with a shoulder. Draco lets off, whips Chase back into the corner, then hits an EXPLODER off the rebound! Cover, TWO! Chase is still in this as fans duel, but Draco clamps on and knees Chase in the back. Draco has the arms for a motorcycle stretch but Chase endures. Fans continue to duel, Chase fights his way up, and he stomps Draco’s foot!
Chase elbows Draco, runs, slips out of the scoop and rallies with ax handles! Chase whips, Draco reverses but Chase reverses back, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Fans fire up and the student section spell out “CHASE U” as Chase stomps away. Chase brings Draco up, whips him to a corner, but Draco boots back! Draco gets annoyed and he snatches the Chase U flag away from Bodhi! Draco waves it around before he stomps it! Draco digs his boot into the flag, but Bodhi snatches it back! Chase RAMS into Draco and fires off fast hands! Fans fire up, Chase jukes the ref to ROCK Draco! Chase stomps a mudhole into Draco but lets off at 4!
Chase gets Draco up to bounce him off buckles! Chase wrenches, hammerlocks and COMPLETE SHOTS! Cover, Chase wins?!?!
Winner: Andre Chase, by pinfall
What a shocker! Draco’s actions riled up Chase, and Chase says he’s coming for Von Wagner! Will Chase teach vicious Von Wagner something about respect?
Mandy Rose is still running away form Kay Lee Ray.
She tells people to get out of her way and stop looking at her. That crazy lady… Where are her girls? Mandy chugs water, but KLR pops up from behind the counter! And she dumps SPAGHETTI on Mandy! Mandy freaks out, KLR gets the cake! CAKE TO THE FACE! Mandy falls over as a hot mess, and she doesn’t understand why KLR is doing this! Oh, you know exactly why! Will KLR humiliate Mandy into giving her the title match she wants?
Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa VS Legado Del Fantasma!
The young NXT Champion may be a second generation wrestler like the Emperor of Lucha, Santos Escobar, but that’s where the similarities end. Escobar has had Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza backing him up but Bron won the title all on his own. And now with the Psycho Killer backing him up, will Bron break Escobar’s pawns to leave him with no one? Or will Wilde & Mendoza do la familia proud?
NXT returns and Bron and Ciampa make their way to the ring. The teams sort out, Wilde starts with Ciampa. They tie up, Ciampa waistlocks and SLAMS Wilde down. Ciampa holds on, Wilde fights up to wrench out and he gets the arm to fireman’s carry. Wilde does his dance but Ciampa applauds before he kicks low. Ciampa headlocks, Wilde powers out, but Ciampa runs Wilde over! Things keep moving, Ciampa fakes Wilde out to CHOP him down! Ciampa does the macarena to mock Wilde, then he drop toeholds to the headlock. Wilde fights up, Mendoza tags in, but Ciampa is ready and gets Mendoza in a headlock.
Mendoza powers out to get the headlock but Ciampa powers out. Mendoza slides under, tilt-o-whirls then kicks low. Mendoza whips, Ciampa reverses, Mendoza goes up and over and things keep moving, Mendoza dropkicks Ciampa down! Mendoza stands Ciampa up to CHOP him! And CHOP him again! Mendoza swings but misses, Ciampa CHOPS back and now we have a CHOP fight! Ciampa kicks low, fires off haymakers and then he stomps Mendoza into the corner! The ref counts, Ciampa lets off but fans fire up. Ciampa runs in but Mendoza bails out to avoid the knee! Escobar stares down with Ciampa, but Ciampa backs off.
Mendoza gets back in, Wilde tags in, and Ciampa tags Bron. Bron gets Wilde for a facelock then headlock. Wilde powers out, Bron hurdles, ducks and catches the drop down for a deadlift suplex! Ciampa intercepts Mendoza to also suplex! Dual stalling suplexes, count to ten and SLAM! Fans fire up as both men applaud and pat themselves on the back! Fans are loving this as NXT goes picture in picture.
Ciampa exits the ring, Bron waits on Legado. Bron holds ropes open for whoever wants it, even if it’s Escobar! Escobar laughs that off, Wilde hobbles his way back in, and Wilde stays back. Bron rushes in, Wilde kicks him low and pokes him in the eye! Wilde bumps Bron off buckles, stomps him, then talks trash before he pie faces. Bron turns it around to fire off haymakers! Bron lets off to RAM his shoulder in, and again, and again! Bron lets off, scoops Wilde, carries him around, and hits a BACKBREAKER! Bron drags Wilde over, tags in Ciampa, and they mug Wilde in the corner. Ciampa snapmares to drop a knee on Wilde’s head!
Ciampa drags Wilde back up, whips him to ropes, but Wilde kicks back! Wilde whips Ciampa into the Legado corner, tags Mendoza, and Mendoza stomps away. Mendoza lets off at the ref’s count, JABS Ciampa then whips. Ciampa reverses, Mendoza ducks and CROSSBODIES, but flops as Ciampa ducks! Ciampa whips Mendoza and kitchen sink KNEES him down! Tag to Bron, they mug Mendoza, and Bron stomps Mendoza at ropes. Mendoza kicks back, tag to Wilde, and Wilde brings Bron around. Bron throws body shots, snapmares Wilde, NXT returns to single picture as Bron clamps on a chinlock.
Wilde endures, fans rally and duel, and Wilde fights up. Wilde throws body shots, then knees. Wilde runs, but into a LARIAT from Bron! Bron is fired up and fans bark with him. Escobar is annoyed as Wilde bails out, but he stays away as Bron goes out to fetch Wilde. Bron puts Wilde in the ring, Wilde distracts the ref and Escobar RAMS Bron into steel steps! Ciampa protests but Legado gets away with it as always. Wilde goes out, he puts Bron in the ring and stomps Bron down. Wilde says Bron should’ve stayed outta Legado business. Wilde SLAMS Bron’s arm down, RAMS him into the Legado corner, and Wilde runs in to clothesline!
Mendoza tags, he runs and clotheslines to then tag Wilde. Wilde clotheslines and tags! Mendoza clotheslines and tags! Wilde runs in, clothesline and tag! Mendoza runs in to GAMANGIRI! Tag to Wilde, Legado double suplex! Cover, TWO!! Bron survives the onslaught and Legado is frustrated. Fans rally and bark for Bron but Wilde stomps Bron down. Wilde pie faces Bron, paces around, and Escobar loves it. Wilde stomps Bron, shoves him to ropes and CLOBBERS him with an elbow. Cover, TWO! Wilde clamps on with a facelock and he grinds Bron down. Fans rally, Bron fights up, and he heads for his corner!
Wilde keeps Bron away with knees, but Bron endures the facelock to BACK DROP free! Both men are down and fans fire up! Bron and Wilde crawl, hot tag to Ciampa! The Blackheart rallies on Wilde with clothesline, then he gives some to Mendoza! Corner clothesline for Wilde, corner clothesline for Mendoza! He dodges their double clothesline to give DOUBLE CLOTHESLINES! Fans fire up with Ciampa, he tags Bron back in! Ciampa whips Wilde, poops him up, to Bron’s SPINEBUSTER! Fans say “This is Awesome!” But Escobar distracts Bron. Wilde tags Mendoza, Mendoza goes up and leaps, missile dropkick!
Mendoza drags Bron to a drop zone, goes up again, PHOENIX SPLASH! Cover, TWO!! Escobar is stunned but Mendoza stomps away on Bron. Mendoza whips, Bron reverses, Mendoza slips out to GAMANGIRI! Bron ducks the springboard, runs in and SPEARS Mendoza down! Cover, Wilde breaks it! Ciampa gets in to throw Wilde back out, then he does the same to Mendoza. KNEE in the ropes! Ciampa feds Mendoza to Bron, then he SHOVES Wilde off the top, onto the announce desk! Fans lose their minds as Wilde crashes ‘n’ burns! Bron gives Mendoza the BREAKKER SLAM!! Cover, Bron & Ciampa win!
Winners: Tommaso Ciampa & Bron Breakker, by pinfall
Escobar is stunned silent, jaw dropped open! He still gets on the apron to stare Bron down, and Bron dares Escobar to get in. Straps are down, Escobar says they still do this on his time. Escobar leaves with Lopez and what’s left of Mendoza & Wilde, but when will he say it’s finally time?
Mandy Rose hurries out to ringside!
KLR says Mandy doesn’t look so good. They get in the ring, Mandy still tries to get away but KLR drags her back in! KLR has a mic to say Mandy knows what KLR wants. She wont’ even wait for Vengeance Day! She wants it next week! Mandy says fine! Just put down the bat! Okay, KLR will put down the bat. Then she SUPERKICKS Mandy down! And gets her back up, K L R BOMB!! The match is set, will KLR once again become Forever Champion?
My Thoughts:
A pretty good NXT here that paves the way to Vengeance Day 2022. A very good Six Man Tag opened the night, and if anything says changing Walter’s name was a dumb move, it’s that the fans kept chanting “Walter” during the match. Imperium wins and that puts it on the Creed Brothers to win the tag tournament. GYV had a decent promo to get on Diamond Mine for focusing on other things, but I feel like this is just setting GYV up for a loss. A shame for GYV but it just feels like how things are going. Malik & Edris have a good promo, even though it was more about a team name than game-planning for MSK. This was the one time “NXThirsty” worked out to be entertaining to me. They blended it with Mandy running away from KLR, and the punchline of a boner was clever.
Speaking of, KLR chasing Mandy all night worked out as a good through story. She abducted Gigi & Jacy for the night, scared and humiliated Mandy into giving her a title match, and it isn’t even for the big themed episode. There’s a chance Gigi & Jacy screw that up for KLR, but I would hope Indi & Persia try to counteract that. The women’s tag title match will be very good, and could go either way. I like that the promo of Indi, Persia and Lumis also tied into other NXThirsty stories, like Brooks just being a lovesick puppy dog for Kayden Carter. Persia liking Duke is probably just for character and tension between Persia and Indi, not sure if anything comes of that.
Duke himself is apparently embracing the buzzcut as it represents the new chapter in his character arc. He has a good promo to hype up his grudge match with Dante Chen, that’ll be a good one. We got good interactions between Knight and Gacy, and a pretty good match, but naturally Waller & Sanga screw Knight over. Knight VS Sanga is going to be pretty good, and Knight will find a way to win, but it isn’t an official stipulation that if Knight wins, Waller rips up the restraining order, so totally expect Waller to not rip up the restraining order. Knight has to find a way to get under Waller’s skin to make Waller want the match with Knight.
Grimes has a good promo segment with Melo & Trick, and I like that for as great as Trick is on the mic, everyone’s response is to have no idea what he said. Grimes could even have a proxy match with Trick as the tune-up to the title match and it’ll be a lot of fun. We got a good promo from Robert Stone, with Von punctuating the catchphrase, but this NXT 2.0 version of Lesnar and Heyman is probably the extent of the Robert Stone Brand’s revival. Dunne had a good promo to set up what will surely be his real good-bye match, even though a Steel Cage match is rather cliché. So, it’s actually rather fitting since Vince has seized more control of NXT.
Cora and Raquel had a good match, and of course Raquel won yet still chose to be Cora’s teammate. Those two are going to go far in the Women’s Dusty Cup, and maybe even win it. Sarray got a good return win, and I’m actually a little disappointed WWE didn’t go all in on the magical girl aspect. Where was her transformation sequence before she went out on stage? But anyway, Dakota calling all these teams and other superstars out, I’m waiting for when they figure out who her next feud is with. Dakota VS Sarray would be a really good one, provided they let these two give us all they can give in the ring.
Great to see Women of Wrestling’s Faith the Lioness coming to NXT as “Nikkita Lyons,” but wow, what a way to spell that. Couldn’t they just get away with one K and an I for Lions? But Nikkita showed promise in WOW, she’ll become something really special in NXT. In tonight’s biggest shocker, the debuting Draco Anthony got the jobber non-entrance, and he in fact jobs to Andre Chase! Chase going after Wagner is good stuff, but this is clearly a feud to get Wagner going in the ring. And we got a very good main event tag match, Bron and Ciampa had good chemistry, and what a spot for the newly positioned announce desk. That was rough for Wilde.
I feel like Ciampa and Escobar should have a match to see if Escobar can earn the title match, rather than being handed a match, the very thing Escobar complains happened with Bron. Of course, a Heel is usually a hypocrite, so maybe Escobar won’t care how he gets his match. Either way, Bron VS Escobar is going to be really good, but I’m wondering why Xyon Quinn hasn’t shown up again. Maybe they’re just waiting for the best possible moment for him to screw over Escobar? That would actually be good stuff.
My Score: 8.5/10
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SmackDown’s on the road to Riyadh!
John Cena dared CM Punk to challenge him at Night of Champions, and Miss Money in the Bank, Naomi, wants all champions to Proceed With Caution!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- King of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Randy Orton VS LA Knight VS Aleister Black VS Carmelo Hayes; Orton wins and advances to the next round.
- Queen of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Jade Cargill VS Nia Jax VS Piper Niven VS Mia Yim; Jade wins and advances to the next round.
- Motor City Machine Guns VS Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis w/ The Wyatt Sick6; Gacy & Lumis win.
- Queen of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Charlotte Flair VS Alexa Bliss VS Candice LeRae VS
Chelsea GreenAlba Fyre; Alexa wins and advances to the next round. - King of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Cody Rhodes VS Damian Priest VS Andrade VS Shinsuke Nakamura; Cody wins and advances to the next round.
PLAY BY PLAY
John Cena is here!
Lexington, Kentucky sings, “JOHN CENA SUCKS~!” as he makes his way out in the University of Kentucky white ‘n’ blue. Cena goes to the ring, and while the fans duel, “Let’s Go, Cena!” “CENA SUCKS!” Cena signals to Mark Nash to give the proper introductions: Please welcome the Greatest of All Time, the Never Seen Seventeen, gracing Lexington with his presence one last time, he is the Last Real Champion, JOHN CENA! The fans boo as Cena holds up the belt. Cena then grabs a mic and says, “Wrestling’s Mount Rushmore… is John Cena, John Cena, John Cena, and John Cena.” The fans boo but Cena says, there have been great wrestlers and great talkers.
But no one in the past, and certainly no one in the present nor the future, is comparable to him. And the very reason Cena will always outmaneuver the fans is not because he never gives up. It is because he is smarter than us. “You Can’t See Me, but you all wanna be me.” And whether watching at home or being mesmerized in this very arena, Cena is always 1000 steps ahead because everyone is worried about here and now, when he had already “won” this title over a year ago. Cena announced his retirement early so that he could have an extra six months to scout his potential opponents.
Cena knew anyone could enter the Rumble, so he did. And he knew that if he lost in the Rumble, he could use his seniority to enter the Elimination Chamber. And he knew that in the Chamber, Rollins and Punk would melt down to give Cena an easy win. Plus, Cody Rhodes was so focused on The Final Boss, Cena just had to seize the moment, shock the world, and become unpredictable. Then all he did was use Cody’s obsession with everyone’s love to guarantee the WrestleMania win. Cena used the fanfare and love of the 25 year rivalry to get a match in Randy Orton’s hometown, all to lull Randy into a false sense of security.
Cena put R-Truth in the Saturday Night’s Main Event so that all the fans would care, and the fans took the bait! While the fans tried to save Truth, Cena made friends with Logan Paul, just to eliminate him as a threat, and all to size up his next opponent in CM Punk. The fans boo but Cena says he used Punk’s rebellious nature and sociopathic self-confidence to back him into a corner. The fans cheer for Punk, but Cena says if Punk wants to take the title, he has to admit that he is a hypocrite! And Cena doesn’t even have to worry about Mr. Money in the Bank, Rollins will never cash in on Cena while he holds this!
Cena knows Rollins wants Cena to leave with the Undisputed title, Rollins becomes your only champion! Cena is the greatest for a reason! The fans boo but Cena says while they’ve been busy using their pathetic brains to come up with fake stories like if Cena “sold his soul,” all Cena has to do is put the math in his favor. He wins before the matches even start! In 25 years, he crunched every number, solved every puzzle and cracked every code. And thank God Cena doesn’t need the fans’ appreciation, because they won’t realize how good he is until three years after he’s gone! This is the greatest moment of their lives, but to Cena, they are just a mathematical equation.
And the math says that there is no one ever worthy enough to earn the right to hold the Undisputed title ever again. But wait, here comes Cody Rhodes! Lexington sings along with Cody’s song, “WHOA~ OH~!” as the American Nightmare makes his way to the ring. Cody gets his pyro, high-fives fans in the front row, then steps up onto the corner for the second “WHOA~ OH~!” and pyro. Cody throws his track jacket to the crowd as a free souvenir, then he grabs himself a mic. The fans cheer as Cody and Cena are face to face again, and then Cody gets the fans to fire up a bit more. Cody takes a moment, then asks Cena to go over what he just said.
Cena claims to be 1000 steps ahead because he’s so smart? No, no, he isn’t just smart! Cena’s a genius! It is unfortunate that everything Cena’s said has come true: Rollins and Punk melted down, Cody was distracted, and they all took their eyes off the prize. The homefield advantage was used against Randy, and the Mount Rushmore being all Cena, sure. But here we are, some sort of 25 year master plan, and there’s this variable that he didn’t account for, and it is simple. Cena laid out his whole story since his return, but why didn’t he include the simple fact that this past Saturday, he was looking up at the lights when Cody pinned him in the middle of this ring?!
The fans cheer, and Cody says he isn’t part of Cena’s plan, Cena is part of Cody’s. So “John Rushmore,” where does that leave the two of them? Well it isn’t just the two of them, because here comes Randy Orton! The fans fire up as The Viper goes right to the ring, gets right in Cena’s face, then pushes past him to grab himself a mic. Randy is back a month after Backlash, and he tells anyone and everyone that had a pulse and was watching Backlash knows Orton had Cena BEAT! Down and out, dead to rights, and about to remove Cena’s head from his shoulders! Until somebody out there decided to come and save John Cena.
Orton realizes now that he has to do whatever it takes. It doesn’t matter what or who it is he has to go through to get his fifteenth. Even being in the King of the Ring Tournament. Cody, Orton loves you like a brother, you know that… But if Orton has to put Cody’s ass down to get to Cena, he won’t hesitate to do it! But wait! Here comes LA Knight! Lexington fires up for The Mega Star as he already has a mic to say, “LEMME TALK TO YA!” “YEAH!” LA Knight says all week long, he’s heard the whole world saying #WeWantLAKnight! “YEAH!” Knight knows what they want, and he knows for damn sure what none of the other guys in the ring want, and that’s Knight walking down there.
So, why don’t we take a walk? Knight understands what this is as he defiantly walks down there. He is looking at the WEW Establishment! “YEAH!” Knight is the sore thumb sticking out here, and that’s how he likes it, YEAH! “YEAH!” But you gotta understand something. Cena, you have this great little master plan, BAH GAWD, it is genius. But Knight knows damn sure that the plans didn’t include Knight, YEAH! So let’s go ahead and throw the plan on it’s head. KOTR is around the corner, which means Knight has a shot at Cody, Orton, and Cena, all on the way to taking what is his! “YEAH!”
So unbreakable as Knight is walking in here, he’s gotta drop a viper, a nightmare, and if he has to drop “a genius balding b*tch John Cena,” he’ll do it to be WWE Champion, with everybody saying, “L! A! KNIGHT! YEAH!!” Cena chuckles and steps out. The fans boo as Cena goes back up the ramp, but then R-TRUTH GETS HIM! Or, well, Ron Killings gets him! And he rains down furious fists on Cena right at the ramp! Security rushes out there, as do producers, and the fans boo. Cena kicks free as it takes everybody to hold Killings back! Will Cena even make it to Night of Champions with the walls closing in?
King of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Randy Orton VS LA Knight VS Aleister Black VS Carmelo Hayes!
SmackDown returns as Melo joins Orton and Knight out here, followed by The Dark Father. The King of the Ring has a new format this year, which one of these four survives to head into the semifinals?
The bell rings and the four watch each other. Melo locks eyes with Knight, but then he goes after Aleister! They brawl with forearms and haymakers, then Melo throat chops! Melo whips, Aleister grabs ropes and BOOTS H1M back! Aleister TOSSES Melo, Knight and Orton tie up and they end up in a corner. Aleister whips but Melo reverses to send Aleister into barriers! Orton fires hands on Knight, then a KNEE! Knight turns thing around, only for Melo to roll him up! TWO, and Orton kicks Melo! Orton UPPERCUTS Melo, Aleister UPPERCUTS Melo, then Knight DECKS him! And LARIATS him up and out!
Aleister goes up, out, and TRIANGLE MOONSAULTS! Down goes Melo and Knight has Orton! Orton denies the BFT, but then Knight denies the RKO! Aleister runs up, Knight ducks the Black Mass! The fans fire up the huge standoff, and SmackDown goes to break.
SmackDown returns again and Melo has Knight in a corner. Melo rains down fists, but Knight stops him quick! Atomic drop and a LARIAT! Knight storms up on Melo to stomp him into a corner, “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Knight then goes to Orton in the other corner and stomps away! “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Knight goes back to Melo, but Melo SUPERKICKS! Aleister is back, Melo ducks ‘n’ dodges, LA MYSTICA! But then Knight runs up, only to be put on the apron. Knight slingshots but into a CUTTER! Melo has Knight in the ropes, FADE AWAY LEG DROP! DROPKICK for Orton, but Aleister ROCKS Melo!
Aleister whips, Melo springboards, FLYING LARIAT! Melo shoots his free throw, then FLIES to take out Aleister! The fans fire up and Melo goes back to the ring, but Knight WRECKS him with a dropkick! “YEAH!” Knight huffs ‘n’ puffs and drags Melo up to SMACK him off the desk! Knight dribbles Melo, “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Orton has Knight for a back suplex, but Knight lands out! Orton blocks Aleister’s boot, spins him around, DESK BACK SUPLEX! Knight then RAMS Orton into the apron! The fans rally, Knight fetches Melo, and Knight puts Melo in the ring. Knight storms up, “This is Awesome!” as Knight hoists Melo up top.
Knight climbs but Melo throws hands! Knight CHOPS, they brawl some more, and Knight fires a flurry! “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Knight steadies himself, brings Melo up, but Melo fights the lift! Melo fires body shots then he shoves Knight down! But Orton runs up to ROCK Melo! Orton gets Melo up but Melo CLWWS the eyes! Aleister STEP-UP KICKS Melo! Melo wobbles, Aleister TOSSES Orton, but Orton drags Aleister out! Orton whips, Aleister reverses and he POSTS Orton! Knight springs up to get Melo! Melo shoves Knight away, aims, FROG SPLASH!! Cover, Aleister breaks it! The fans fire up as this one continues, and SmackDown goes to break!
SmackDown returns once again and Aleister KNEES Melo, then ENZIGIRIS! Knight runs u;, Aleister goe sup and over, then he spins Knight to ELBOW him! Orton stumbles up but Aleister stops the RKO! Orton avoids Black Mass, Aleister grabs Knight but Knight rolls him up! ONE, and Aleister aims, but Knight dodges so the BOOT hits Orton! Knight has Aleister but Aleister denies BFT to KNEE Knight down! Melo headlocks but Aleister handsprings out of the bulldog! Aleister fires off a strike fest and a BOOT! Cover on Melo, TWO! Aleister grows frustrated but he has all three opponents down! The fans fire up as Aleister aims, runs up, but Orton LARIATS!
Orton LARIATS again, then dodges to SNAP POWERSLAM! But Knight runs up, he gets a SNAP POWERSLAM! Melo ROCKS Orton, runs, but into a SNAP POWERSLAM! The fans fire up for Orton as he drags Melo up. Orton puts Melo in the ropes, but then Aleister runs up. Orton kicks Aleister, has him in the ropes, but then Knight adds on! JUMPING NECKBREAKER DOUBLE DRAPING DDT COMBO!! Cover on Orton, TWO!! Orton stays in this for everyone’s sake and Knight is a bit stunned. The fans rally up, “This is Awesome!” Knight watches Melo rise, kick and B- NO, Melo powers out! Knight swings on Orton but Orton ducks!
Orton aims, but Knight denies the RKO, and he sends Orton into Melo’s FIRST 48! Aleister BOOTS Melo! Knight has Aleister, B F T!! Cover, MELO BREAKS IT!! Melo denies Knight that game winner, and now they rise up. Melo vows to end this, but Knight wrenches and kicks, to then whip and POP-UP and POWERSLAM! Knight huffs ‘n’ puffs and goes to the corner. The fans rally as Knight climbs, “L! A! KNIGHT!” BUT BRONSON REED YANKS KNIGHT DOWN! The Colossal Aussie gets revenge for Monday, but speaking of! BRON BREAKKER SPEARS KNIGHT!! They cost Knight at MITB, he cost them in KOTR, so now they get him out of KOTR!
Melo grins and takes aim, NOTHING BUT RKO!! Cover, Orton wins!!
Winner: Randy Orton, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
Just when Melo thought he was taking advantage of an opening, he left himself open to The Viper! Will Orton be meeting Cody Rhodes at the end of this tournament? Or will Sami Zayn make sure he isn’t just someone’s stepping stone?
Jacob Fatu walks ‘n’ talks backstage.
“Lexington, Kentucky. The United States Champion is here. Hell, the United States Champion is America’s Most Wanted, and I’m coming live and direct inside The Rupp Arena! YADADADADADADA mean?!” The Samoan Werewolf is all fired up, but what more will he say on how Saturday was the night he broke free from Solo Sikoa? We find out, after the break.
SmackDown returns and…
Fatu heads to the ring! Lexington cheers the Samoan Werewolf, and he grabs the mic to say, “Lexington, Kentucky! Let’s keep it 100! Just because you’re family don’t mean that you can go behind their back and try to snake ’em. Just because we both come from the same bloodline don’t mean that they can take all the credit for your hard work! So Solo says I wouldn’t be nothing if it wasn’t for him. Solo says Jacob Fatu would be nothing if it wasn’t for him!” The fans boo that, and Fatu says this is why he had to remind Solo at MITB what happens when you don’t get in where you fit in! The fans cheer that!
So now, it is Fatu against the world! Cuz Fatu is all gas, no brakes with it! YADADA MEAN~?! But wait, Solo Sikoa is on the tron, sarcastically applauding. Solo says that’s it, Jacob, tell ’em how you feel. Solo leans in close and asks Fatu if he’s done getting it all off his chest. At MITB, Fatu could’ve made the biggest mistake of his life. And Solo can forgive him for that. One year ago, when Solo visited Fatu in Sacramento, Fatu was doing nothing. NOTHING. No one wanted Fatu around until Solo brought him here to the WWE. Solo made Fatu into a WWE Superstar, put money in his pocket, put him in the position for success, and even made him a champion!
This is all because of SOLO, you stupid…! Solo holds back, and he says next week, Solo will be in the ring with open arms, willing to take Fatu back. But there is something Solo needs from Fatu. He needs those four words from him: I Love You, Solo. And just remember… Solo brought Fatu into the WWE, and he can take him out of it. Yadada mean? Solo leaves Fatu to think on this ultimatum, but is it already obvious what Fatu will say to Solo next week?
Nick Aldis meets with The Secret Her-vice.
“Special Slaygent” Piper informs the SmackDown General Manager that Chelsea Green needs to speak with him. But Chelsea isn’t here in the room…? She’s on the phone. And Chelsea apologizes, she had an impossible time finding a flight to get her to Lexington, so can they postpone her Fatal 4 Way until next week? Aldis says no, they’re not postponing anything for little ol’ Chelsea. But if her Secret Her-vice is here… Alba is ready for competition, right? So then Alba will take Chelsea’s place! Perfect! Chelsea says no, she will filibuster and- Oh, sorry, no, Aldis authorized it, he doesn’t care what Chelsea has to say, so Alba has to go get ready now.
Alba grumbles that she has to change from her security suit to her wrestling suit. Chelsea complains and complains, but then Zelina Vega steps in. Zelina takes the phone and hangs up on Chelsea so she can talk with Aldis. She wants Giulia now! Well, she’s not here tonight. Oh, that’s convenient. Aldis says he understands that Zelina wants after Giulia after last week. Zelina says first of all, she’s been snatched unawares much harder by much better. Second, don’t worry about the girl that does the sneak attacks, worry about the girl that gets up after every beating. One sneak attack isn’t gonna scare her, she is THE Women’s US Champion!
So next week, Zelina will confront Giulia, because she doesn’t need to pretend or hide. The smallest girl with the biggest mouth is gonna make Giulia look stupid! Zelina storms off, will the Beautiful Madness learn not to get on La Muneca’s bad side?
Queen of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Jade Cargill VS Nia Jax VS Piper Niven VS Mia Yim!
A storm has come to Lexington, and she wants to make her way to Riyadh! Will the Irresistible Force, the Special Slaygent and even the Head Baddie in Charge be unable to slow her down? Or will someone else grab that spot in the semifinals?
SmackDown returns as Michin makes her entrance, joining Jade and Piper, leaving Nia for last. Nia says she won the crown last year, she’ll just do it again. The bell rings and Piper fires off on Mia while Nia RAMS Jade! The fans boo but Jade elbows Nia and bumps her off buckles! Jade RAMS into Nia but Piper has Mia on the outside. Piper whips Mia into barriers! And then puts her up against the post. Nia and Jade have moved their brawl outside while Piper runs up on Mia. Mia dodges so Piper POSTS herself! Nia whips, Jade reverse, Nia hits steel steps! The fans fire up as Jade and Mia meet in the ring.
Mia and Jade run up, Mia slips around to waistlock, but Jade switches to SLAM Mia down! Mia fights up while Jade holds on, but Jade whips. Jade hurdles, then scoops for a BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Mia stays in this but Jade stays on her. Jade suplexes, holds Mia up, but Mia slips free! Mia goes to a corner, dodges Jade, but Jade keeps moving! Mia ducks ‘n’ dodges ‘n’ redirects to RANA! Mia runs and SHOTGUNS Jade down! The fans rally, Mia covers, TWO! Jade is tougher than that but Mia stomps her. Mia runs but Piper trips her up! Piper drags Mia out and scoops to SLAM her on the floor!
Nia drops an ELBOW on Jade! Piper SENTONS Mia! Nia soaks up the heat, drags Jade up, and Nia bumps Jade off buckles. Nia CHOPS Piper, then shakes her hand. Nia whips corner to corner, Jade bounces off buckles, and Nia signals for that crown. Jade fires forearms but Nia HEADBUTTS her down! Nia fireman’s carries and SAMOAN DROPS! Piper adds a SENTON! Piper and Nia stare down, but they decide to work together on Jade. Nia & Piper mug Jade in a corner, then whip corner to corner. Jade ELBOWS Piper away, dodges Nia, and Nia POSTS herself! Jade runs to PUMP KICK Piper outta the ring!
But Nia drags Jade out of the ring! The mugging continues, but Mia goes up and up to ASAI MOOONSAULT! Direct hit and all four are down! The fans fire up while SmackDown goes to break.
SmackDown returns again and Jade SPLASHES Piper in one corner, then SPLASHES Nia in the other! And repeat! But then Nia follows, only for Jade to dodge! Nia SPLASHES Piper, then Jade ROCKS her! But Piper CLOBBERS Jade! Nia DRIBBLES Jade off the mat, the fans boo, and Nia salutes with Piper. They drag Jade up, whip her to a corner, then Nia runs to SPLASH! Piper adds a SPLASH of her own! Jade sits down, Nia HIP ATTACKS! Piper CANNONBALLS! Cover, but Nia won’t let Piper get it! Piper says okay, okay, she was just kidding around. But Nia shoves Piper! Piper shoves Nia! Mia RANAS Nia, then JAWBREAKERS Piper!
Mia has Piper for a TORNADO BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Piper stays in this but Mia drags her up. Jade CLUBS Mia, whips her, but Mia RAN- NO, Jade blocks it! SIT OUT POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO!! Mia survives, and Piper SPLASHES Jade! Piper drags Mia up, reels her in, but Mia slips out of the scoop! SLICED BREAD! Mia hurries to cover, but Nia breaks it! Nia SENTONS onto Mia! Cover, TWO! Mia toughs it out and Nia grows frustrated. Nia & Piper go after Jade on the outside but Jade fights them off! SUPERKICK for Piper! HAYMAKER for Nia! Piper HEADBUTTS Jade, Nia ROCKS Jade, and then they two TOSS Jade over the desk!
Wade Barrett gets wiped out by The Storm and Nia just flips them both off! But Mia WRECKS Nia with a dropkick! Piper is up, Mia dodges and tilt-o-whirls to DDT! Cover, Nia breaks it! Mia drags Nia up to fire hands, then she fires hands on Piper! The fans rally, Mia runs, but into double guzels! DOUBLE CHOKE SLAM!! Nia applauds, the fans boo, and Wade is apparently okay, but then Nia DECKS Piper! Nia dumps Piper out, drags Mia to a drop zone, then she goes up! The fans boo the A-NIA-LATOR!! Cover, PIPER BREAKS IT! Piper and Nia go outside, and Piper POSTS Nia! Piper then runs to SPEAR Nia through the barriers!!
The fans go nuts as Piper proves she’s the more destructive powerhouse! Piper then storms over to Mia, she goes up the corner, VADER BOMB! But Jade is up!! Chicken wings on Piper, JADED for Piper!!! Cover, JADE WINS!
Winner: Jade Cargill, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
Just as it looked like she was done for, Jade snatches this win away for her own! The Storm is in the semifinals, will she make quick work of The Prodigy, Roxanne Perez?
Naomi watches this backstage.
She’s not exactly pleased that Jade is advancing, but she’s also the one holding the Money in the Bank briefcase. Naomi heads for gorilla, what will she have to say about her huge victory? We find out, after the break.
SmackDown returns and…
Lexington fires up as Naomi heads to the ring! “Yes, I see some o’ y’all looking real surprised! Real shocked! Real stupid! I dunno why, because I told y’all I was done accepting scraps. I took what I deserve, and look at me now. Miss Money in the Bank! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” The fans are torn, but Naomi says what’s really funny is the entire time, when she was trying to beat Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s Championship, y’know who was there with a briefcase to stop it? Y’know who distracted her? Who bashed her in the head?! It was Tiffany Stratton. “Too Nice Naomi” just let it happen. But the Naomi now aini’t lettin’ nothing sliding! She’s here for payback!
And when Naomi CLOCKS Tiffy Time in the head with this briefcase, it’ll feel so good when Naomi becomes the NEW WWE- Well, here comes Tiffany herself! The fans cheer as Tiff goes to the ring, and she grabs a mic to say, “You talk a big game, Naomi. So why don’t you just do it? Just cash in and take my title… right now.” The fans chant “DO IT! DO IT!” Tiffy says see, she’s still the same ol’ Naomi: all talk and no action. That is why Naomi never beat Nia. But please, prove us all wrong! The fans cheer, Naomi snarls, and she says, “Do I look stupid to you?! Do I look like Booboo the Fool? I ain’t gonna cash in on you now. I’ma cash in when you least expect it.”
Fans go, “What?” and Naomi shouts, “B*tch, you heard me!” Naoim says in the meantime, she will enjoy making Tiffy’s life HELL! Naomi says tick-tock, Tiffy, time is almost up! So Naomi strongly advises to #ProceedWithCaution. The fans are torn, but while Naomi holds up the briefcase, Tiffy holds up the belt. When and where will we see- WAIT! NIA is here! Nia and Tiff brawl, the fans fire up, and Nia shoves Tiff. Tiff DROPKICKS Nia’s legs, then DROPKICKS Nia in the face! Naomi runs up, Tiff DECKS her, but Nia CLOBBERS Tiff! Nia may not be going to Riyadh, but she wants to get hers now! A-NIA-LATOR on Tiff!!
Naomi hurries back up, but Nia steps in the way! Nia tells Naomi to back off, so Naomi backs off. Will Nia get payback on the Wrestling Barbie before Naomi can? Or will Tiffy still have time on the clock?
Nick Aldis meets with the SmackDown Tag Division.
He thanks the Street Profits, Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxiom & DIY for coming to discuss the Wyatt situation. Johnny Gargano interrupts, saying this is a big decision. DIY feels this is a huge opportunity… for Fraxiom. Everyone else says they knew DIY would pull that. Fraxiom says they’re not afraid, but Tommaso Ciampa says if nothing else, the Street Profits should step up as the champions. Angelo Dawkins says bet, they’re already ready. Aldis suggests they all let him finish his explanation. Taking all this into account, MCMG are the veterans, so they will set the tone. They get the Wyatts tonight.
The others applaud and Dawkins says yes, set that tone. Will Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin be able to have an impact on the Wyatt Sick6? Or will the Motor City Machine Guns have no effect on what goes bump in the night?
Motor City Machine Guns VS Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis!
SmackDown returns as the lights go down and the fireflies come out. The chair and the lantern wait on stage as the Wyatts make their entrance. Uncle Howdy sits in the chair, Nikki Cross & Erik Rowan stay close, and Gacy & Lumis rush the ring! The fans cheer as the brawl is on! The bell rings, Gacy has Shelley while Lumis has Sabin! The ref reprimands, Gacy whips Shelley to a corner then CLOBBERS him! Lumis & Gacy whip Sabin, DOUBLE ELBOW, then Lumis drops an AX HANDLE! Gacy drops a SENTON! Cover, ONE!! Gacy drags Sabin up, bumps him off buckles, and tags in Lumis.
Lumis brings Sabin around but Sabin swings. Lumis duck sot hit a BIG back suplex! Lumis kips up and LEG DROPS! Cover, TWO! Sabin is tougher than that, but Lumis drags him up. Gacy tags in, they mug Sabin, and then Gacy whips. Scoop and BACKBREAKER! Gacy goes up the ropes to LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Gacy BLASTS Shelley off the apron and he tags Lumis in. They get Sabin up, UPPERCUT and then a kick down low. Lumis wrenches Sabin, tags Gacy back in, and the mugging continues. They double whip, but Sabin breaks the double lariat! Gacy runs up but Sabin DUMPS him out! And then he TOSSES Lumis!
Tag to Shelley and MCMG set up! The fans fire up as the Machine Guns DOUBLE DORPKICK! Then they DOUBLE PLANCHA! Down go Lumis & Gacy and the fans fire up! MCMG stare down with Rowan while SmackDown goes to break.
SmackDown returns again and both Shelley and Gacy are down. The fans rally, Shelley crawls, hot tag to Sabin! Sabin goes up to MSSILE DROPKICK! Gacy flounders, Lumis tags in, but Sabin dodges to CHOP, CHOP, and CHOP! Sabin whips, Lumis reverses but Sabin BULLDOGS! The fans fire up and Lumis staggers up. Sabin runs and GAMANGIRIS! Sabin drags Lumis to a cover, TWO! Howdy is antsy as Sabin tags Shelley. Shlley goes to the apron, Sabin follows, and MCMG DOUBLE SUPERKICK Lumis! Lumis sputters, MCMG drags him inside, and Shelley whips Lumis to the corner. LARIAT, then he tags Sabin!
Shelley clinches but Lumis ELBOWS free! Lumis trips Sabin up, then hurries to tag Gacy! Gacy runs in to handspring, and DOUBLE UPSIDE-DOWN!! Tag back to Lumis and they have Sabin! Whip and POP-UP POWERBOMB onto Sabin! The fans fire up as Lumis covers, TWO!! Sabin survives but Lumis snarls. Lumis watches Sabin stir, drags him up and wrenches to then whip him to the corner. But Sabin DROPKICKS Gacy! Lumis runs in, Sabin BOOTS him away, then Sabin runs up, DDT! Hot tag to Shelley! Lumis staggers up, Shelley whips, BIG atomic drop! Then the DREAM SEQUENCE!
The fans fire up with MCMG and Howdy doesn’t like that. Sabin tags back in, he drags Lumis up while Shelley climbs. Sabin turns Lumis but Gacy trips Shelley! Gacy HEADBUTTS Sabin, he and Lumis aim, HIGH LOW!! Cover off the superkick and leg sweep combo, but they ask Howdy for permission. “YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH~!” Lumis goes up, Gacy CLOBBERS Shelley, and Lumis hits a SUPER LEG DROP!! Cover, The Wyatts win!
Winners: Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis, by pinfall
The chaos is back and it is on top as Lumis & Gacy break the Machine Guns. Will they tear through the rest of the division until they’re the champions?
John Cena encounters Jimmy Uso backstage.
Cena and #BigJim stare down, and Cena asks if Jimmy has seen R-Truth. No, he hasn’t. Then has he seen Ron Killings? Listen, man… Jimmy ain’t seen either one of ’em. Cena says he knows Jimmy and Truth are close. So let Killings know that Cena’s going back to the ring, and he wants Killings to meet him there. Cena heads out, will Ron get the message? Will Cena get the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth?
SmackDown returns and…
“JOHN CENA SUCKS~!” as he goes right back to the ring, just as he promised. And he tells everyone to shut up! Cena paces and says, “There is a level of disrespect that I can tolerate. R-Truth, you just crossed the line!” The fans chant, “We Want Truth!” and Cena frowns. Cena says for once, he agrees. There is a time to talk and there is a time to fight, so Truth, get out here so they can fight! BUT WAIT! CM PUNK is here instead! Cena is stunned and maybe even a little scared to see Punk here on SmackDown. Punk goes right to the ring as the fans cheer, and he grabs himself a mic before sitting on the top rope.
The fans cheer Punk on even more and Punk asks, “Is it great to be alive on a Friday night in Lexington, Kentucky or what?” The fans cheer that! And Punk asks Cena if he said something about disrespect. Cena is tired of being disrespected? “John, these people are tired of being disrespected! But now, CM Punk has a microphone, and I think you can trust when I say that we have yet to begin the reach the levels of disrespect that we are capable of.” Punk says for old time’s sake, he’ll give Cena a chance, the benefit of a doubt. Maybe Punk’s empathy is too much, too Obi-Wan talking to Darth Vader, hoping to see Anakin still in there.
So Punk will give Cena a chance in front of this legendary wrestling town. “Stop what you’re doing, let these people celebrate who and what you are, let them put you on a pedestal on your way out. Let them celebrate the sacrifices you have made for them and this business. Give them a happy ending!” Punk steps back and Cena steps up. Cena asks, “Why? Why would I waste my time?” The fans boo, but Cena says the people don’t matter, this place doesn’t matter, basketball doesn’t matter, horse racing doesn’t matter! THIS Undisputed Championship is the only thing that matters! So Cena is to eat crow to the same idiots wearing his shirt but singing Punk’s song? Fat chance!
Punk says okay, okay, let the record show that Punk and Lexington gave Cena an out. But now, let’s do it Cena’s way. Let the disrespect being. Ironically that is the Punk way! When the static hits and Cult of Personality plays through sold-out arenas, everyone knows it is about to get real. And ladies and gentlemen, watching and working at USA Network, it’s about to get real. Here’s the truth Cena wants so badly. The saying goes, “You tell a strong man a lie to offend him.” That’s why it pisses Punk off when Cena calls him the hypocrite. Conversely, you tell a weak man the truth and that offends him.
Fans chant, “We Want Truth!” Punk says the truth here is… Cena can’t beat Punk. When Punk is at his best, Cena never could. And now Cena wants to ruin wrestling? Well, Punk is going to take it upon himself to save it. Bare with Punk, because as always, he has a lot to get off his chest. That other thing about sociopathic confidence? Punk takes that as a compliment. Because it is that confidence that brought Punk to the mountaintop time and time again. Especially when people like Cena say they wanna see it but claim Punk didn’t have it. But Punk is not as confident as Cena, because Punk would never dress like a toddler who looks like he struck out at T-Ball.
The fans laugh, Punk says he wants that stricken from the record, because y’know who that sounds like? That sounds like the PG John Cena. Which is ironic, because right now, y’know who Cena sounds like, saying he’s gonna ruin wrestling, take the strap and go home… That sounds like C M PUNK! And yes, that is ironic. Cena is stealing Punk’s best material. Punk won that title, he left with the title, and Cena is trying to follow in those footsteps. Punk did it! He said he would and he did, and Cena couldn’t stop him. Cena thinks challenging Punk at Night of Champions is going to stop him? “John Boy, just like old times, here’s CM Punk to make your title run interesting.”
Here comes CM Punk to make John Cena’s retirement tour interesting! Watchable! Get the rocket fuel to fuel that private jet! Punk would go to MARS to beat Cena’s ass! Punk will follow Cena to Hell to prove he is better than Cena! But here’s more truth, it isn’t all bad. Cena IS a GOAT, but so is Punk. Punk beat Cena in Chicago, he beat Cena in Boston, and he will beat Cena at Night of Champions. Cena is the “Goat” that Punk will spit-roast and sacrifice to the gods of wrestling! Legends who actually belong on the Mount Rushmore! Terry Funk, Harley Race, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero! The AUDACITY of Cena to put himself on that mountain once, let alone all four times. What a joke.
The fans cheer but Cena smirks. Punk says here’s more truth: You can’t see me? No, Punk sees through him, and always has, and that’s the truth. Punk leaves Cena with that, and then KILLINGS STRIKES AGAIN!! And he puts Cena in the STF!! Punk mockingly says, “I’m sorry~! But the Truth hurts!” Cena suffers his own signature submission but security rushes out here! The fans boo as they drag Killings off Cena and Cena scrambles away! Cena hops and hobbles on one good leg, are the bridges he burned going to take them down with him?
Backstage interview with Alexa Bliss.
Byron Saxton is with Lil’ Miss Bliss at gorilla, and notes that she took a tough loss at MITB. What is the mindset going into the future? Alexa says she’s won MITB, cashed in, made history, so she isn’t rattled. Tonight, she reminds everyone of who she is, and will be one step closer to becoming Queen of the Ring. But then in steps Charlotte Flair. And she says, “Sweetie, did you say, ‘Queen?’ There’s only room for one queen in this division. WOO~!” Charlotte makes her entrance first, but both she and Alexa will have to fight their way into the next round. Will it be either of them that moves forward? Or are they overlooking the Poison Pixie and the Firestarter?
Nick Aldis finds R-Truth/Ron Killings backstage.
Aldis asks Truth what the hell he’s doing, he can’t just keep jumping Cena like that! What’s Aldis supposed to do? Truth says he wants a match with Cena next week. Next week? Yeah. Done. Killings says he’s driving now! Will he run Cena right off the road?
Queen of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Charlotte Flair VS Alexa Bliss VS Candice LeRae VS Alba Fyre!
SmackDown returns and Candice makes her entrance to join Charlotte, Alexa, and Alba. The bell rings and the fans rally up. The four watch each other, but Alexa and Charlotte stare down as they step up. Alba and Candice jump on them! Candice is after Alexa, Alba is after Charlotte, and they put the two in corners. Alba RAMS into Charlotte again and again while Candice stomps a mudhole into Alexa. Alba digs her boots in, Candice SPLASHES Alexa, and then Candice fires elbows. Charlotte CHOPS Alba, storms up to RAM Alexa into Candice, then Charlotte POSTS Alexa! Alexa tumbles out and the fans are torn for Charlotte.
Charlotte dusts herself off, then THROWS Candice into Alba! Charlotte drags Alba to a cover, ONE!! Cover on Candice, ONE!! Charlotte CHOPS Alba, CHOPS Candice, and repeat! The fans “WOO~” with every CHOP! But then Candice grabs a leg, Alba BOOTS Charlotte down, and they mug Charlotte! Alba smothers Charlotte using her tie! Alba CLUBS Charlotte down, then she and Candice mug her, returning the CHOPS! Alba kicks Charlotte, she and Candice have Charlotte on the ropes, and they CHOP again! They double whip Charlotte, but Charlotte grabs ropes. Charlotte KICKS Candice, ROCKS Alba, then LARIATS Candice!
Alexa is back and she CROSSBODIES onto Charlotte! Cover, ONE! Alexa clinches, but Candice & Alba mug Alexa! Charlotte gets away while Candice bumps Alexa off buckles. Alba stomps Alexa, Charlotte DECKS Candice, and she DECKS Alba! Cover on Alba, TWO! Charlotte scowls as she stands back up. The fans rally while SmackDown goes picture in picture.
Charlotte storms up on Candice, reels her in, but Candice fights the suplex. Alba joins in, they DOUBLE SUPLEX Charlotte! Cover, but Alba stops Candice. A parallel to Piper and Nia, we know how that turned out… But Alba & Candice still mug Charlotte together for now. Charlotte JAWBREAKERS Alba, dodges Candice, but Candice tilt-o-whirls to RANA! And then ENZIGIRI! Cover, TWO! Charlotte is tougher than that and that annoys Candice. Alba BLASTS Alexa off the apron, Charlotte RAMS Candice into a corner, but Alba CLUBS Charlotte down. Candice climbs the corner while Alba stands Charlotte up, but Charlotte ELBOWS free!
Charlotte BOOTS Candice off the corner, but Alba rolls Charlotte to BOOT her down! Cover, WTO! Alba seethes and throws her suit jacket at Charlotte. Alba stomps a mudhole into Charlotte, then stands on her hair! Alba salutes while Candice SMACKS Alexa off the apron. Alba pulls Charlotte’s arms and Candice SMACKS Alexa off the desk! Alba & Candice work together to DOUBLE SUPLEX Charlotte, but Alba has Candice stay back. They drag Charlotte up again, but she ROCKS Alba and ROCKS Candice! Then repeat! Alba kicks low, Candice comes back, and they double whip Charlotte to a corner.
SmackDown returns to single picture as Charlotte goes up and out! She BOOTS Alba, RAMS Candice, then goes up the corner! The fans fire up but Candice SMACKS Charlotte first! And SMACKS her again! Alba climbs up to join them, but Alexa sneaks in underneath! TOWER OF DOOM! The fans fire up and Alexa crawls to cover Charlotte, TWO! Alexa is frustrated but the fans fire up. Alexa and Candice stand, Alexa RUNS her over! She even RUNS Alba over! Alexa SLAPS Candice, DECKS her, then blocks Alba’s kick to DRAGON SCREW! Charlotte runs up, Alexa clinches to S T O! And then INSULT2- NO, Candice makes it a CODE BREAKER SENTON!
Alba has Candice, wrenches and reels her in, GOURD BUSTER! But Alexa hits a BLOCKBUSTER! Candice hits NATURAL SELECTION!! Charlotte drags Alexa around, steps through, FIGURE FOUR! And the push-up into the FIGURE EIGHT! But Candice LIONSAULTS it all apart!! Alba SUPERKICKS Candice! Charlotte is up, Alba spins her around, Gory Especial, GORY BOMB! Cover, ALEXA BREAKS IT! The fans fire up and Alba drags Alexa up. Alexa mule kicks, DDTS, and then hurries for a corner! Lexington cheers on Alexa, TWISTED BLISS!! Cover, CHARLOTTE BREAKS IT! The fans boo but Charlotte TOSSES Alexa!
Alexa is on the apron, Charlotte BOOTS her down! But Candice rolls Charlotte! TWO!! Charlotte escapes, Candice ducks ‘n’ dodges, but Charlotte SPEARS her down! Cover, TWO!! Candice shows that toughness and Charlotte is frustrated. Charlotte has the legs, steps through, but Alba SUPERKICKS Charlotte! Alba roars, turns her, but Charlotte powers out of the Unpretty-Her! BOOT!! FIGURE FOUR!! Then FIGURE EIGHT!!! Alba endures, but Alexa catches Candice!! TWISTED SISTER ABIGAIL!! Cover, ALEXA WINS!!
Winner: Alexa Bliss, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
Charlotte lets go of Alba and is in disbelief! But Alexa smiles as she snatches this win right out from under Charlotte’s nose! Charlotte may call herself the queen, but will Alexa be the one to wear the crown?
Cody heads to gorilla.
And he crosses paths with Punk. Cody says they can’t run away from each other forever. Punk says he knows. But good luck tonight. After Night of Champions, we’ll see who’s chasing who. Cody moves on, but will he move on in the tournament? Or will the American Nightmare’s nightmare of losing that Undisputed Championship only get worse?
King of the Ring Tournament Fatal 4 Way: Cody Rhodes VS Damian Priest VS Andrade VS Shinsuke Nakamura!
SmackDown returns as the King of Strong Style makes his entrance, followed by El Idolo, leaving the Archer of Infamy for last. The bell rings and the fans rally. All four men are wary of each other, but Nakamura winds up, only to not say his signature “C’mon” to just bail out. But then Cody DIVES onto him! Priest swings on Andrade, Andrade dodges to WRECK Cody! Priest KICKS, KICKS, and ROLLING ELBOWS Andrade! Priest winds up, Andrade dodges, FLYING FOREARMS! Andrade kips up, the fans fire up, and Andrade rallies the fans with ‘SI! SI! SI!” But Cody stops Cien Knees to take an elbow!
Priest mule kicks Andrade, then suplexes for the BROKEN ARROW! Cover, TWO! Cody JABS, JABS, JABS, then flip, flop- BELL CLAP from Priest! But Cody rebounds to LARIAT Priest up and out! Priest drags Cody out, they brawl, and Cody SMACKS Priest off the apron! Nakamura FLYING KNEES Priest! Nakamura kicks Cody, ROCKS Priest, they all brawl outside, but Andrade goes up! ARIHARA MOONSAULT! Direct hit and everyone is down while the fans fire up, and SmackDown goes picture in picture!
All four men stir and Andrade is first up. Andrade puts Nakamura in the ring, covers, TWO! Andrade whips Nakamura to a corner, runs in, but Nakamura dodges! Andrade’s knee hits buckles and he tumbles out! Nakamura goes after Andrade to put him on the apron, and then runs to KNEE Andrade down! Priest and Cody brawl in the ring, and Priest ROCKS Cody to a corner. Priest whips, Cody reverses to kick and RHODES UPPERCUT! Cody whips, Priest reverses, and Priest runs up, only for Cody to go up and over. Priest feints running up so Cody’s snap powerslam gets nothing! Priest then KICKS Cody down!
Cody sputters but Priest is on him. Priest ROCKS Cody again, Nakamura stomps Andrade, then Nakamura KICKS Priest! Nakamura fires off fists and kicks in the corner, so Andrade rolls Cody! TWO, and Cody powers Andrade to a corner. Cody climbs up to rain down fists, only for Andrade to slip out at nine and YANK Cody down! Nakamura brings Priest around but Priest DECKS him! Priest stomps away on Nakamura, then he goes over to Andrade, Priest stands Andrade up to DECK him! Cody SMACKS Nakamura off the desk! Priest drags Andrade up while Nakamura SMACKS Cody off the desk! Priest ROCKS Andrade, then he has Cody in another corner.
Nakamura fires off on Andrade, Priest digs his boots into Cody, and then Nakamura bumps Andrade off buckles. Cody turns things around on Priest to CHOP, but that just pisses Priest off. Priest DECKS Cody! Cody sputters, Priest puts him in the corner, but Nakamura fires off strikes on Priest! Nakamura has Andrade on the top rope, and SmackDown returns to single picture as Nakamura runs in for a TOP SHELF KNEE! Andrade falls to the floor, but then Priest runs up! Nakamura dodges, runs back in, and he blocks boots to ROUNDHOUSE Priest! Nakamura puts Priest in the ropes to SLIDING GERMAN!
Nakamura hurries back in while fans fire up. Cody swings, misses, but then Cody ducks a roundhouse, only for the WHEEL KICK to hit! The fans fire up as Nakamura gives Cody some BAD VIBRATIONS! Nakamura goes corner to corner and the fans rally. Cody dodges, Nakamura hits buckles, and Cody grabs a leg! Cody trips Nakamura, steps through, FIGURE FOUR! Nakamura endures, fights the main leg, but Andrade is up top! FROG SPLASH onto Cody! Nakamura is free, but then Priest JUMP KICKS Andrade! Priest drags Cody up, ROCKS him, and then runs to ELBOW Andrade! ELBOW for Cody! SHOULDER TACKLE for Andrade!
The fans fire up for Priest and he goes to the outside, to leap off the steel steps and AX HANDLE Nakamura! Priest puts Nakamura back in the ring, drags him up at the ropes, and he knuckle locks so he can climb! The fans cheer as Priest goes Old School, only for Cody to jump up after him! But Priest then grabs Cody in a guzel! Nakamura trips them both up! Nakamura CLOBBERS Priest, Andrade rolls Nakamura, TWO! Andrade swings, but into an ARMBAR TAKEDOWN!! The fans fire up as Cody DIVING SPLASHES! Cody TOSSES Nakamura, covers Andrade, TWO! Cover again, TWO! Cody is frustrated but he goes outside.
The fans fire up as they sense what’s coming! Cody brings out a TABLE! Cody sets “Slim Jim” up at ringside, goes back to the ring for Andrade, and he lines up the shot. But Andrade hooks the ropes to block! Andrade suplexes but Cody blocks! They fight for control, but Priest CLUBS Andrade. Priest and Cody stare down, but they decide to work together! The fans fire up as they hoist Andrade up, but Nakamura makes the save! Only to INVERTED EXPLODER Andrade! DYNAMIC DROPKICK and Cody falls through the table! Cody snaps into a Slim Jim and the fans go nuts! Nakamura goes outside while SmackDown goes picture in picture.
Nakamura fetches Priest, brings him over, but Priest blocks the desk smack to ROCK Nakamura! Priest SMACKS Nakamura off the desk now! And again! Priest brings Nakamura around to DECK him, but then Andrade CLUBS Priest! Andrade SMACKS Priest off the desk, then he and Nakamura actually work together to BOOT Priest onto the desk! But they’re not done as they TOSS Priest over the desk! Wade got outta there this time! Andrade then clears off the desk! Nakamura & Andrade bring Priest around to TOSS him over barriers! Then Nakamura CLOBBERS Andrade! Nakamura applauds his trickery before putting Andrade in the ring. Nakamura covers, TWO!
Nakamura is annoyed and he KICKS Andrade in the side. Andrade sputters but Nakamura paces. Andrade rises to CHOP! Nakamura dusts himself off to KICK Andrade down! Andrade stands but into KNEES and KICKS! Andrade blocks one, but not the ENZIGIRI! Andrade ends up in a corner, Nakamura whips corner to corner, but Andrade reverses. Andrade runs up, Nakamura puts him on the apron, but Andrade ROCKS him! Andrade climbs, but Nakamura ROCKS him! Nakamura climbs now but Andrade fires back! They brawl up top, and Andrade HEADBUTTS Nakamura down! Nakamura GAMANGIRIS in return!
SmackDown returns to single picture again as Nakamura climbs back up. Priest returns to CLUB Nakamura! He has Nakamura in the crucifix, but Nakamura fights free! Priest drags Nakamura down, Nakamura fires a strike fest! Priest clinches to FLATLINER! Andrade MOONSAULT DOUBLES! Cover, TWO!! Nakamura LARIATS! Andrade BOOTS! Nakamura PELES! These three are down, and Cody rises from the wreckage! The fans fire up for Cody as he drags himself into the ring. Cody runs up to LARIAT Andrade! And LARIAT Nakamura! Cody whips Priest, Priest reverses, but Cody goes up and over, and this time, SNAP POWERSLAM!
The fans fire up and Cody blocks Andrade’s kick to then run and BEAUTIFUL DISASTER! Cody catches Nakamura, Nakamura drops down to UP KICK! Snapmare and SLIDING KNEE! Cover, ANDRADE BREAKS IT!! Priest has Andrade, Andrade schoolboys him into buckles! The fans fire up, “SI! SI! SI!” Andrade runs corner to corner, CIEN KNEES for Nakamura! Then Andrade goes again, CIEN- NO, Priest has Andrade by the neck! Andrade breaks free to CHOP, but Priest ROCKS Andrade! Andrade comes back, SHADOW ELBOW! THE MESSAGE!! Cover, NAKAMURA AX KICKS IT APART! Nakamura drags Andrade up, but Andrade ROCKS him first!
Nakamura snarls and ROCKS Andrade back! The fans rally as the forearms go back and forth! Andrade CHOSP! Nakamura KICKS! Nakamura CLUBS Andrade, KNEES him low, but Cody is back! Cody dodges Nakamura, to DOUBLE CODY CUTTER!! Not the cleanest but it didn’t need to be! Priest kicks Cody low, reels him in, Canadian Rack, but Cody slips free! Cody goes up, up, and SUPER CODY CUTTERS!! Priest tumbles out of the ring and Cody roars! He catches Andrade, CROSS RHODES!! And then he drags Andrade up again, only for Nakamura to clamp on a SLEEPER!! Cody flails, claws at the grip, but Nakamura dragon sleepers!
Nakamura vows to end this, but Cody flips that around on him! CROSS RHODES!! Cover, CODY WINS!!
Winner: Cody Rhodes, by pinfall (advances to the semifinals)
Lexington cheers and sings with Cody’s song as he comes out on top! We know Sami Zayn and Randy Orton are one semifinal match, but Raw will determine the other! Sheamus, Rusev, Bronson Reed, or MAIN EVENT JEY USO, who survives to then meet Cody in the next round?
My Thoughts:
A great SmackDown with a lot of action from doing all the SmackDown Fatal 4 Ways in the King & Queen of the Ring tournaments. And each Fatal 4 Way was great, because Fatal 4 Ways always lend themselves to fast, chaotic action. Great opening promo from Cena with Cody, Orton and Knight to help segue into the first match, but also great stuff with R-Truth going after Cena. Orton winning was a bit of a surprise, and makes for a very interesting match with Sami Zayn. I suppose Sami going hard against Orton and finding a sneakier way to win could go with how Karrion Kross has been working to bring that side out of Sami.
Jade winning her match made sense, as Piper is still just Chelsea’s sidekick and Mia isn’t quite at that QOTR top title level. It also puts her in line with Naomi’s story of being Miss MITB, because Naomi can mess Jade over in a title match just as much as she can Tiffany. Very good promo from Naomi with Tiffany to tease a cash in, but also set up Tiffy VS Nia one more time. Chelsea also had a hilarious video call promo, and good on Aldis to stand up to her by putting Alba in the match instead. Alexa winning was only a little surprising, as she’s on that return push. And it makes for a fresh match-up no matter who from Raw wins the final Fatal 4.
Awesome main event Fatal 4 but I figured Cody would win, as it makes for a unique match-up of Cody VS Jey. Jey being put in was a bit of a surprise, but perhaps the wrestlers we’re waiting to return (Roman Reigns, but maybe even Ilja Dragunov) just aren’t ready yet. And given Bronson & Bron screwed Knight over, Knight will surely show up on Raw again to keep that feud going. Sheamus and Rusev have their own story, so Jey is the default choice. I almost feel like they should’ve flipped the brackets so that it would give us Orton VS Cody and Sami VS Jey in the semifinals, but those combos probably serve for stronger finals matches.
Very good stuff with the tag division, but MCMG VS Gacy & Lumis could’ve been a bit better. Part of the problem that comes with the Wyatts being gone away so long is that there might be some ring rust. Lumis & Gacy were on point, but they needed time to coordinate some things first and that slowed the overall pace down. The Wyatts won, of course, and will likely deal with Fraxiom next, what with DIY volunteering Fraxiom and Profits ahead of them. Then, Cena and Punk had a great promo, with it mostly being Punk tearing into Cena. Surprisingly, no allusions to Punk’s incendiary comments from years ago, but that’s very Punk of Punk.
And Killings going after Cena again was great stuff. Cena VS Killings will be a great match next week, and Cena probably rubs it in that he’s using one of his precious final appearances was used to beat Truth again. Though, to build Killings up, I would think they find a way for him to win that “isn’t definitive,” like a count out victory or some kind of disqualification. I was hoping for an R-Truth celebration at Saturday Night’s Main Event akin to Lex Luger over Yokozuna, but maybe that happens next week.
My Score: 9/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
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SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
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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: 6.12.2025
DO SOMETHING WITH JASON HOTCH AND KC NAVARRO – that is all.
So Against All Odds…was barely passable and that’s only with Xanax. The Knockouts title match was awful, the 4 Man “Home Town Man” was stupid and the only good part was remixing the old Jerry Lynn & AJ Styles “Born in the USA” theme for Home Town Man. Maclin needs to stop having brawls, they’re boring, give him a bump guy. Kaibas and Rascalz was underwhelming. Santino vs Robert Stone was funny, Elias vs Trick was too chalk and lame. IInspiration (IIconics) returning was big news at least. Hendry losing to Kaz was also obvious since Kaz hasn’t won a match in forever.
The show dragged, and as much as I usually like Masha’s wrestling ability…her last 3 title matches have sucked and its not her opponents fault. Killer Kelly returning is sexy though…I mean, good. Yes, good. Saving the best for last, Mustafa Ali vs Jason Hotch was the best match of the show, and really damn good in general. Workrate was great, Tasha and Skyler being conflicted and popping for Hotch when he was doing well was great character work. Hotch looked amazing in the loss, if they don’t capitalize on it, that would be a huge screw up from TNA.
Not really sure what kind of shows we’ll be getting, and I’m not excited.
.@MATTHARDYBRAND and @JEFFHARDYBRAND have a message for FIR$T CLA$$ ahead of TONIGHT's MAIN EVENT!
WATCH on TNA+: https://t.co/F3YYaTmexl pic.twitter.com/mTnNBEFBcb
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 13, 2025
Ratings:
- The IInspiration vs Missa Kate & Brittani Brookes: IInspiration wins via Idolizer – ** 1/2
- Jason Hotch w/Jon Skyler vs Leon Slater: Leon wins via Swanton 450 – ** 3/4
- 8-4-1 Knockouts Match: Tessa Blanchard, Xia Brookside, Dani Luna & Rosemary vs Killer Kelly, Indi Hartwell, Jody Threat & Tasha Steelz: Indi wins via Hurts Don’t It – ** 3/4
- Indi Hartwell vs Killer Kelly vs Jody Threat vs Tasha Steelz: Kelly wins via Hurts Don’t It – ***
- Fir$t Cla$$ vs The Hardy Boyz: Hardyz win via DQ – ***
Results:
Santino opens the show informing Santana of a suspension, kicking Robert Stone out and recapping his victory party before introducing the IInspiration for their first match back.Â
The IInspiration vs Missa Kate & Brittani Brookes
A bit of talking and pandering from IInspiration, they’re dominating the jobbers and there’s not much to discuss here. They do the IIconics Pose and actually keep the control. Cassie pulls off some kind of Butterfly Facebuster which looks cool, Jess comes in and the Jobbers cheat a little to take over. Jess tags in Cassie and Scorpion Kick, decent comeback, corner Hip Attacks, Neckbreaker, Jumping Kick to the Head into Fisherman’s Suplex Hold for 2. Idolizer (Magic Killer variant) is hit and IInspiration win, and didn’t look bad. Cassie (Peyton) is still the better wrestler of the two, but neither looked bad.
Jason Hotch w/Jon Skyler vs Leon Slater
I don’t hide the fact I heavily dislike Slater. He has no personality, he’s all flips, no ability to talk…he’s boring. He’s ROH Will Ospreay or Flip Gordon, does flippy crap to pop morons but he’s a worthless character. Since he wants to become the Youngest X Division champion, and they’ve talked about for like the last 7 months…sadly it’s probably going to happen.Â
Chain wrestling start and Hotch already looks like the better wrestler. Hotch is on his SANADA in LIJ arch where he looked great losing to the leader, falls back in line but then he hits a Spinning Overhead Kick for a near fall, so I’m not allowed to finish my thought because Hotch is fun to watch. Leon is such a bad wrestler…he held the rope and looked back to take a forearm shiver, the nerd had to watch it to sell it. Man’s not talent.
Hotch has Leon in an Arm Iso Cravat, Leon tries to fire and then Hotch keeps him down. Leon counters a Slingshot Suplex into his own Final Cut to get space to breathe. Double sell, Leon leap frogs, then rope runs, Lariats and Lethal Injection from Leon for 2. Hotch is so fluid, dodges the corner attack, rope assisted side kick, Outside In Neckbreaker for a near fall! Hotch will probably lose, but he looks like the better wrestler by miles. Heavy Irish Whip counter from Leon, into Blue Thunder Bomb. Leon goes to the top, Hotch cuts off, Leon dodges, hits the Knife Edge Chop and they wrestle on the apron, Front Kick from Hotch sends Leon into the post, Double Stomp onto the apron, Hotch wants a finish but counter, Cradle trades and then Hotch gets caught by a Leg Lariat, Swanton 450, selling from Leon was spotty and bad during this whole match.
Fun moments but the wrong kid died…
.@MeanGiaMiller gets Tessa Blanchard's thoughts ahead of TONIGHT's 8-4-1 Match!
WATCH #TNAiMPACT on TNA+: https://t.co/F3YYaTmexl pic.twitter.com/kurcKH2vtH
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 13, 2025
8-4-1 Knockouts Match: Tessa Blanchard, Xia Brookside, Dani Luna & Rosemary vs Killer Kelly, Indi Hartwell, Jody Threat & Tasha Steelz
Dani and Jody start, so at least there’s a measure of story telling, but I still detest Jody. Sloppy counter wrestling start, Jody stops herself from punching Dani and tags in Tasha. Tasha pauses and jaws to her team and gets Back Body Dropped by Dani, Dani tags in Xia and Tasha pokes her eyes immediately and lights up Xia. Xia fights back, Rope Assisted Headscissors, Crossbody and near fall. Xia tags in Rosemary and Rosemary looks at her like death, then Rosemary goes after Xia, but a Codebreaker from Tasha gives space to tag in Kelly. Kelly kisses Rosemary and then they brawl in full mount. I’m not sure if I clicked the orange website or TNA…oh there’s a Lariat…it’s wrestling again.
Jody doofus tags in, the crowd wants Indi, no one wants Jody and Rosemary Upkick, Drop Toe Hold, Tessa tags in, works over Jody, Jody tries to go to the top, Victoria Crawford fka Alicia Fox trips her, Tessa gets the momentum back, a bunch of distraction and Tessa tags in Dani. Then Dani tags out to Rosemary. Whip, Rosemary misses the Spear, Tessa tags herself in and they’re keeping Indi out of the ring. Tessa crashes and burns as Jody dodges and fights back. Rosemary tags in, Indi gets the tag. Bunch combo, Spinebuster, Dani breaks the pin and now signature spam spot.
Indi is the last on to hit her moves, Hurts Don’t It takes out Rosemary after Tessa just walks out.
Indi Hartwell vs Jody Threat vs Killer Kelly vs Tasha Steelz
Commercial happened and we’re back and it’s Indi vs Jody. Jody takes her down with a Shoulder Tackle, Jody hits the Exploder, and Indi finally stalls some of the offense, Indi throws Jody into the ropes and Jody takes it bad. Jody Drop Toe Hold, looking for her Knees into German spot, but Kelly pulls her out, Tasha tries to pick the bones but Kelly comes in and attacks Indi. Tasha and Kelly have a heel agreement to gang up on Indi. Kelly goes for the pin, so hells are arguing, throw forearms, Kelly with the Double Overhooks, Headbutts, Angel’s Wings gets hit from Kelly but Tasha kicks out. Jody Crossbody takes out both heels.
Jody and Indi team up and 10 Count Lariats on the Heels, pop spot for the crowd since Indi is in the driver’s seat, Simultaneous Lariats each other and everybody down. Mickie James Bulldog from Tasha but Jody pushes her off, Indi tries the Cradle for two. Indi misses the Boot, eats a German. Tasha hits the Mickie Bulldog, but Jody kicks out. Indi grabs Tasha, Hurts-nope. Tasha wanted Blackout, Indi says no, Hurts Don’t It, but Kelly takes out Indi and steals the pinfall. Kelly wins.
.@TheEricYoung will see @TheSamiCallihan NEXT WEEK on #TNAiMPACT!
WATCH on TNA+: https://t.co/F3YYaTmMmT pic.twitter.com/NtKjpYIIRa
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 13, 2025
Fir$t Cla$$ vs The Hardy Boyz
AJ charges before the bell, Hardyz dodge and Lariat AJ to the floor and work over KC with their usual Arm Bar Extreme Elbow, Delete Arm Breakers and Back Elbow Hardyz combo. AJ tries to get back in and the Hardyz attack, Poetry in Motion, AJ is back to the outside. Commercial break time, I wonder if the heels will be winning coming back…OH no, Jeff is still isolating KC. Pleasantly surprised I suppose.
Arm Wringer, simple offense, Jeff tags in Matt, Stalling Tandem Suplex and Matt covers, only 2. Matt with Short Arm Shoulder Tackles, close quarters forearms and the Rocket Launcher into the middle rope followed by a Leg Drop onto the apron, KC keeps kicking out but he’s getting dog walked. Stomps into Splash, KC needs to tag out, but Jeff stays on him, AJ finally pulls out Jeff, KC flies into Jeff and tags out. Finally AJ gives KC a break and bends Jeff back in a Bow and Arrow Stretch. Jeff tries the comeback, AJ pulls the hair to throw him down, stomps his face and AJ is manhandling Jeff as KC is sucking wind. Little Bro deserves a big break.
Tennessee Whiskey from AJ, connects and “Money, Money, Money”. AJ gets a little distracted trying to one up Matt, Jeff hits two Twists, and tags in Matt, so Delete Face Smashes and AJ is getting rocked. AJ reverses the Irish Whip, but Back Elbow from Matt into a Middle Rope Side Effect. Trick Williams comes out to attack the Hardyz. Hardyz win via DQ, but then Hendry and Elijah come out for the save. System is out…old school TNA donnybrook.
Overall Score: 5.5/10
The ring work was mediocre at best, but nothing miserable. Cassie and Jess look like they never missed a beat, take that for what you will if you loved or hated the IIconics. Trick solidifying his alliance with First Class makes for interesting cross promotion. If Fir$t Cla$$ ends up with the NXT Tags while Trick is the TNA Champ…that’s…a pretty neat visual I ain’t mad at. Yes I’m bias because KC is awesome, but AJ has done good work in TNA, so he deserves some flowers. Tessa keeping Victoria Crawford in the Robert Stone ejection is wonderful. I’ve always loved Alicia Fox and teaming her with Tessa is very interesting for the obvious reasons I don’t need to mention again, just search Twitter, you’ll understand.
Sami looks like a doofus getting sideswiped, Jay-SANADA Hotch is the best thing TNA has right now for home grown talent. Slater is still useless but oooo he can flip…I hate no personality flip-tards. Indi getting screwed sets things up nicely to not push her too quick to the top of the card, but she’s very over. The lack of Lei Ying Lee is annoying since I really don’t think the poor match was her fault. Also, putting her in a throwaway tag match against the Elegance girls next week? TNA really doesn’t know what to do with Lei, do they? She’s been mishandled the entire time since debut.
So even with my nitpicks, there were a lot of building blocks in the show. Hell Tessa insulting Gia is also probably something brewing…but I’m glad we didn’t lose Gia when we lost Ace. Gia is the best backstage interviewer since Lauren Brooke. So very middle of the road show, either things will get slightly better going to Slammiversary, or it’s the calm before the storm. We…shall see.
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
 MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)Â
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports PodcastÂ
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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