Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (5/22/23)
A final faceoff!
The Beast wants a fight, but will he get it?
Night of Champions is this Saturday, and both Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar will be here on Raw! Will they keep from throwing hands tonight?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Ricochet VS Bronson Reed; Reed wins.
- Candice LeRae VS Zoey Stark; Stark wins.
- The Alpha Academy w/ Maxxine Dupri VS The Viking Raiders; The Alpha Academy wins.
- Shinsuke Nakamura VS Finn Balor w/ Damian Priest; Finn wins.
- Raquel Rodriguez VS Sonya Deville w/ Chelsea Green; Raquel wins.
- Apollo Crews VS Dominik Mysterio w/ Rhea Ripley; Dom wins.
- Six Man Tag: Imperium VS Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Matt Riddle; Kevin, Sami & Riddle win.
PLAY BY PLAY
Cody Rhodes arrives backstage.
Only to be blindsided by Brock Lesnar into a table!! Water bottles, fruit and potato chip bags go flying! Lesnar drags Cody up while shouting, “You wanna fight!?” And then he RAMS Cody into ladders! And into road cases! “YOU WANNA FIGHT!?” Lesnar drags Cody up to throw him into more road cases, and then a bunch of kegs! Lesnar asks if Coyd’s ready to fight! And he throws Cody into the garage door! Lesnar dares Cody to get up and fight, and then he grabs a keg! Refs and security shout, but Lesnar SMASHES Cody’s hand with a keg!! Cody writhes and Lesnar leaves it at this. Will Cody even make it to Night of Champions now?
Paul Heyman is in the ring.
Fans boo as The Wise Man introduces himself. “And for the record, I had nothing to do with that.” Fans boo, they don’t really trust that. But Heyman says what we saw is something he can testify to as a mere example of what Cody Rhodes is in store for this Saturday afternoon, 1 PM Eastern, when he “attempts” to slay the Beast, BRRROCK, LESNAR. Now he understands how much his special appearance on Raw last week was so well received. He was clearly invited back this week to “enlighten” us. On the way to the Island of Relevancy, he stopped by the “hellhole” known as Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Fans boo but Heyman continues, “Just to hype you on one simple fact: This Saturday afternoon, there’s not one, there’s not two, there are THREE main events at Night of Champions, capped off by the historic battle in which ‘KO’ Kevin Owens and his miserable rat bastard of a partner, Sami Zayn, will LOSE the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships back to the Bloodline!” Fans boo that but Heyman says the Usos will watch proudly at home as the NEW Tag Team Champions will be Solo Sikoa… And Your Tribal Chief, the Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion, Roman…! Reigns!
Fans boo even more but Heyman says, “Ladies, gentlemen, and things that live in Pennsylvania, for the final time ever before this Saturday’s Night of Champions, welcome to Monday Night Raw!” Heyman drops the mic, but here comes Kevin! And of course, that means here comes Sami! The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions go down to the ring and Heyman gets out. Fans sing Sami’s song and Sami says they did pretty good. By the way, where’d Heyman go? Sami’s never seen someone scurry off so fast. He must think that Sami & Kevin have a score to settle after everything last week.
But the truth is, they’re feeling pretty good. They are heading into the biggest possible title defense they could have when at Night of Champions, they face Solo Sikoa & Roman Reigns. Fans boo the Bloodline, but Sami says he’s said it already, and will say it again. This one is very personal for Sami. There’s nothing left to say, because Sami already said it all straight to Roman’s face. Kevin says he has something more to say. A couple weeks ago, Roman on SmackDown, “dedicated” the win he thinks they’ll have over Kevin & Sami to the Wild Samoans, Afa & Sika. So Kevin was inspired to do the same.
Tonight, Kevin officially dedicates their victory over Solo & Roman to… The true pillars of The Bloodline, The Usos! Sami says that’s pretty good. But that’s at Night of Champions. They have to remember, there’s business to take care of tonight! Tonight, they are in Six Man action against Imperium. But speaking of, here they come! Kevin knew that’d happen. Gunther leads Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci to the ring, and they flank Kevin & Sami on three sides. But here comes THE BRO! Matt Riddle slides in to join KO & Sami, and Imperium backs off! Kevin mockingly asks what’s wrong, it’s 3v3.
But wait! Imperium rushes back in! The brawl is on! Fans fire up as KO tosses Vinci and Sami tosses Ludwig! Gunther knocks Riddle down but Riddle comes back with a FINAL FLASH! KO & Sami double clothesline Gunther against ropes, then all three dump Gunther out! Fans fire up but Der Ring General is furious! Will Riddle be just the thing Kevin & Sami need to stop Imperium?
Byron Saxton waits on a medical update for Cody Rhodes.
It isn’t clear if Cody will even be able to make it to Night of Champions now, and Byron flags down Adam Pearce as he exits the medical room. Any updates? No, Cody is still being evaluated, so if you’ll excuse him. Byron asks Pearce about a rumor that Cody may have a broken arm. Pearce says he has no information at this time, thank you. Pearce leaves, but did Lesnar make sure he doesn’t have to worry about the American Nightmare?
Ricochet VS Bronson Reed!
The One and Only missed out on becoming #1 contender to Gunther’s title, but so did The Colossal Aussie. The chase is always on, so who will be in pole position for after Night of Champions?
Raw returns and Reed makes his entrance. The bell rings and the two circle. Ricochet throws kicks but Reed brushes them off. Ricochet slips away before he’s cornered, and then fires more kicks and hands. Reed blocks a kick to shove Ricochet down! Ricochet goes to a corner, Reed runs in but Ricochet dodges to fire off body shots. Reed shoves him again but Ricochet rebounds to dropkick the legs out! Ricochet keeps moving, but Reed scoops him! And throws him! But Ricochet lands on his feet to kick at the leg! Ricochet runs to dropkick the leg again! Ricochet tries a third time but Reed catches him!
Reed brings Ricochet up but Ricochet PELES! Fans fire up as Reed drops to a knee! Ricochet fires off on Reed with big hands and body shots. Reed shoves to BODY CHECK and ELBOW DROP! And then STEAMROLL SENTON! Ricochet sputters and crawls to the corner. Reed storms over after him and Ricochet bails out. Reed goes to the apron, to FLYING SHOULDER! Ricochet is sent into barriers and Reed says this is HIS show, as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Reed is holding Ricochet up in a suplex! How long has he been doing that? Ricochet throws knees, but Reed keeps him up! Ricochet slips out the back, goes to a corner, Reed runs in but into BOOTS! Ricochet runs, but into a SAMOAN DROP! Cover, TWO! Ricochet survives and goes back to the apron. Reed storms over, drags Ricochet up but Ricochet HOTSHOTS him! Ricochet hurries back up but Reed is on him. Ricochet HOTSHOTS again! Fans rally with Ricochet, he goes up the corner, but Reed runs in. Ricochet jumps over, keeps moving, and dropkicks the legs out!
Fans fire up, Ricochet fires off hands but Reed shoves him away. Ricochet comes back with a KNEE! Reed stays up so Ricochet SUPERKICKS! Reed is still up, and he grits his teeth! But Ricochet SUPERKICKS! And SHOOTING STARS! Cover, ONE?!? Ricochet hurries to LIONSAULT! Ricochet goes back to Reed, but Reed grabs him by the neck! Reed rises, Ricochet fights the grip. Ricochet throws kicks on the bad leg, then throws big forearms! Reed SWATS the next kick! Ricochet crawls to ropes, Reed clotheslines him up and out! Fans fire up and Reed goes back to the apron. FLYING- V-TRIGGER!!
Ricochet takes Reed out of the air and fans fire up again! Ricochet hurries to put Reed in the ring. Ricochet then GAMANGIRIS! “This is Awesome!” as Ricochet springboards, but Reed trips him up! Ricochet is in the corner, Reed SPLASHES, then POWERSLAMS! Fans boo as Reed puts Ricochet in a drop zone and climbs the corner. TSUNAMI!! Cover, Reed wins!
Winner: Bronson Reed, by pinfall
Battle tested and destructive, #Auszilla crushes Ricochet in the end! Will Reed be ready for whoever comes back from Night of Champions as Intercontinental Champion?
Backstage interview with Apollo Crews.
Apollo says long time no see, Cathy Kelley. But before we get going, Apollo hopes Cody is okay, that was rough. That aside, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t excited to be back! But in walk Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley. Dom has things hold on. What is Cathy doing? This is Mami’s interview time. Sorry about the confusion, but Rhea’s interview was for after Apollo Crews. Apollo who? Crews. Don’t act like you don’t know who he is. Apollo’s everything that Dom is not. Whatever, man. But Apollo’s time is over, Rhea’s a very busy woman and she has something to say. Rhea thanks “Dom-Dom,” then takes the mic.
Rhea tells Natalya, “You’ve had a very legendary career here in the WWE, but you decided to get in my way. So this Saturday afternoon at Night of Champions, I’m gonna make an example out of you. I’m gonna make you not only regret getting drafted to Raw, but I’m gonna end your legendary career.” Apollo speaks up. No disrespect, Rhea, as you are a champion, but this was his interview. Dom tells Apollo not to interrupt Mami! Well he just did. Question is, what’s Dom gonna do about it? What’s Dom gonna do about it? Rhea says Dom’s gonna remind Apollo just who runs Monday Night Raw! Right, Dom-Dom? Dom says yeah!
Apollo grins and says okay. Can’t wait to see Dom try. Apollo’s return match is set, will he remind everyone just who he is?
Corey Graves’ interview with Seth Rollins continues.
We left off last week with The Visionary saying now is the perfect time for a new World Heavyweight Champion, “and we can do it the way it’s supposed to be done.” Then what are Rollins’ thoughts on Roman Reigns and his Universal Championship reign? Rollins takes off the sunglasses to be serious. “I… love Roman Reigns. But I don’t like Roman Reigns. That’s brothers, right? I will always have love for that man. When everybody in the world had made us their enemies, Roman was there for me. But the person he has become… and the champion he has become… I’ve got no respect for that.”
Rollins thinks Roman let his own ego poison him. And the biggest thing is that unified title. He is taking opportunities away from everybody else, and that is the most selfish someone can be. Rollins wants to be World Heavyweight Champion so that we can all forget about Roman Reigns. Then what does Monday Night Raw look like if Rollins is champion? And how will it be different from what we’ve come to know with Roman on top? Rollins says, “It can be the Land of Opportunity, it can be the catalyst for change, it can push the industry forward.
“Because I’m gonna be around, and I want challengers. I wanna know who wants my spot, and I want them to come try and take it from me. Somebody’s gotta carry the torch when I’m gone. When Roman’s gone. Who’s that going to be? I wanna know. That’s what I want.” But that means getting through the Phenomenal AJ Styles. They’ve competed before but these are the highest stakes. Rollins says Styles is unquestionably one of the greats. Graves opened this with saying Rollins is one of the greats, but Styles might argue that, and Rollins might argue that for him. Styles is truly special.
Rollins says that he and Styles have done this dance before. April of 2006, NWA No Limits Wrestling. And in 2016, Styles remembers back to that and thinking, “Holy cow!” After that match in question, Styles himself said Rollins is “The future of our business,” and Rollins was only 19! Styles knew Rollins was going to be a superstar, and he was right. Night of Champions won’t be any different. Rollins is at the top of his game, no one can touch him, and not to jinx it but he’s feeling invincible.
Graves points out Rollins has held ever title on the main roster, he’s in another historic title match, the resumé speaks for itself. Why is Night of Champions different? Why is the World Heavyweight Championship so special to Rollins? Because “this is it.” What does Rollins mean by that? The final part of this interview is still to come later tonight.
Raw shares footage from Raw Talk.
The Judgment Day interrupted Shinsuke Nakamura’s interview time (seems to be their thing), and Priest said that “this fool lost” and cost Priest his shot at the world title. Nakamura asked if was Priest gonna cry about it. Y’know, like he did after losing to Bad Bunny. Priest got mad, Finn kept him back. Finn says the Judgment Day just beat the Undisputed Tag Team Champions in the main event. Dom & Rhea were waiting, tranquilo, have tequila, they can deal with “the clown” next week.
Backstage interview with The Judgment Day.
Byron finds Finn & Priest and he asks them for a moment. Priest says Byron should know Finn’s getting ready for his match. Priest gets heated again and rants in Spanish but Finn has him calm down. Finn wants Byron to first congratulate them on their big win over the tag team champions. Byron does congratulate them, and then Finn brushes that off. Tonight, Finn faces Nakamura. Nakamura cost Priest an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship. And not only that, he rubs salt in the wounds by disrespecting him! If you disrespect one member of the Judgment Day, you disrespect ALL of them! For that, Nakamura will pay.
Finn vows tonight, he’ll mop the floor with Nakamura, and maybe just a little bit will be left over for Priest to pick the bones. Byron thanks them for their time, will the Prince be able to bring down the King of Strong Style?
Candice LeRae VS Zoey Stark!
The Poison Pixie stood up for Nikki Cross, but now she’s in the crosshairs of The Hunter! Will Candice simply be prey for Stark? Or will Stark be taught a little something about respect?
Raw returns and Stark has a video message first. “They say greatness comes from humble beginnings. From working day in and day out, and giving it your all, and being the least important person inside of a room. That is, until one day, you change it. Until one day, you become undisputable.” That is Zoey Stark. She is “clear, calculated, and vicious. You’re not going to like me. I’m going to take all of your favorite superstars, all of your idols, I am going to tear them apart. I am going to expose all of their weaknesses. The time of heroes is over. The Zoey Stark Era begins.” Stark then makes her entrance, will she back up those words with actions?
The bell rings and Stark RAMS Candice to a corner! Stark RAMS into Candice again and again, stomps away, but lets off at the ref’s count. Stark drags Candice up, whips her corner to corner then UPPERCUTS! And GAMANGIRIS! Stark brings Candice around, to HALF ‘N’ HALF SUPLEX! Candice is dazed and fans fire up with Stark. Stark runs to SLIDING KNEE! Cover, TWO! Stark rains down forearms on Candice, roars, and she clamps onto Candice with a chinlock. Candice endures, moves around, and fans rally up. But wait! Nikki Cross is here! Nikki cheers on Candice and the fans rally with her.
Stark shakes her head, but Candice fights up. Candice JAWBREAKERS free, then goes to a corner. Stark runs in but Candice BOOTS her away! Then DROPKICKS her away! Nikki gets fans to cheer for “CNADICE! CANDICE!” Candice back body blocks, snapmares and step-up SENTONS! Stark goes to the apron, Candice DROPKICKS her to the floor! Candice then goes out, and SPRINGBOARD CROSSBODIES! Fans fire up with Candice and she puts Stark in. But then Nikki wants to celebrate with her? Too soon, Nikki! And Stark CLOBBERS them both! Stark puts Candice in, scoops her, Z 360! Cover, Stark wins!
Winner: Zoey Stark, by pinfall
Crazy Cross costs Candice, and Stark comes away with a big win. Will Stark continue to tear through Raw until she’s heading for a title?
Backstage interview with Mustafa Ali.
Byron is with The Beacon at gorilla and brings up Ali’s feelings as he prepares for the biggest match of his career. Because Saturday, Night of Champions, for the Intercontinental Championship, it’s Ali VS Gunther. Ali seems speechless. He apologizes, he can’t do this. He knows Byron and the people are expecting a quote about positivity, but listen. This is just way too real for him now. He has been dreaming about this since he was a kid. “Dreaming about doing something great, dreaming about becoming a champion.
“But if you look back at my career, I haven’t even come close to that. It’s been failure after failure after failure, and no one believes that I can defeat Gunther and become the Intercontinental-” Whoa, wait, Brock Lesnar just walked past… The Beast tells Ali to get a life, and then goes through the curtain. Ali sighs and leaves, will The Beacon stand a chance against Der Ring General?
As for Brock, he’s going to the ring! Beating up on Cody Rhodes wasn’t enough, it seems, and Brock gets a mic. Fans chant for “CODY! CODY!” but Brock says, “So, Hershey, whaddya wanna talk about?” Fans boo his copying of Cody’s opening line, but Brock says he’d boo Cody, too. “Unfortunately, Cody will not be out here tonight. Cody will not be fighting Brock Lesnar at Night of Champions this Saturday, either. But don’t you worry, Brock Lesnar will not let you down. I’m gonna issue an Open Challenge for anybody back there to fight me at Night of Champions. All you gotta do is step out here, and step up to Brock… Lesnar!”
Brock waits, and eventually, it’s CODY!! Even with an arm in a sling, Cody is storming out to the ring! Refs and Pearce tell him to stop but he isn’t listening! Fans fire up for Cody as he gets closer, and even Lesnar is thinking he shouldn’t. But Cody still goes up the steps, and steps inside the ring! Cody takes off the sling! And the wrap, and the ice pack! Lesnar takes off his cowboy hat, drops it, and he RAMS into Cody! Cody CLUBS away with the good arm, but Lesnar gets the bad arm in the KIMURA!! Pearce shouts for Lesnar to let it go, but Lesnar shouts, “You wanna fight me? C’mon, Cody, fight me! FIGHT ME!”
Cody still endures, and then the arm POPS!! Lesnar lets go and Cody writhes like he did earlier tonight. Lesnar grins and fans boo, and then Lesnar stands on the broken arm! And he STOMPS it!! Lesnar picks up his hat, takes his leave, and Pearce calls for medics. If Cody wasn’t making it to Night of Champions before, he sure isn’t making it now. Right…?
The Alpha Academy w/ Maxxine Dupri VS The Viking Raiders!
Chad Gable and Otis are still a duo, but Maxxine is still trying to make Gable the third wheel. Will this business partnership be able to survive the raid? Or will they suffer Ragnarök?
The teams sort out and Gable starts with Erik. They circle, feel things out, and Gable shoots to a waistlock. Erik wrenches, wristlocks, but Gable rolls, bridges, handsprings and spins through to headlock, spin and drop toehold! But Erik stays up! Even Maxxine is worried as Erik drags Gable up. Erik hammerlocks but Gable reaches back to flying-mare Erik away! Gable goes up, “A THANK YEW~” and then headscissors! Fans echo, “A THANK YEW~!” and Erik runs in, but Gable arm-drags! Gable armlocks, wrenches, and reaches out. But Erik keeps Gable away from Otis, to CLOBBER Gable!
Erik tags Ivar, the Vikings mug Gable against ropes! Sarah Logan likes what she sees and Ivar beats his chest. Ivar then stomps Gable, brings him up, and fans chant for Otis. Ivar CHOPS Gable down, drops an ax handle, and drags Gable up. Tag back to Erik and Erik runs in, to SPLASH Gable! Feed to a LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Erik looms over Gable, drags him up and DECKS him! Gable crawls to the corner, fans still want Otis, but Erik bumps Gable off buckles. Erik RAMS into Gable, tags Ivar, and Ivar runs in to RAM Gable! Cover, TWO! Ivar clamps on a cobra clutch and he thrashes Gable around!
Fans rally, Gable fights up, but Ivar knees him low! Ivar whips Gable at the corner but Gable uses that to BLAST Erik! Gable CHOPS Ivar, ELBOWS Erik, leaps, but Ivar cathces him! Gable sunset flips, then lets go to go for his corner! Ivar keeps him back again, whips him in, but Gable goes up and over! Hot tag to Otis! Otis rallies on Ivar with big clotheslines! Erik gets in, Otis dodges to WRECKER ELBOW! Otis scoops Ivar to SLAM him! Maxxine cheers as Otis SPLASHES Erik! Erik falls, and fans fire up! Gable says to do it, and Otis tears off the shirt! Otis starts up the CATERPILLAR! ELBOW!!
Maxxine cheers and Otis runs in at Ivar, but Ivar dodges the splash! Gable tags in as Otis staggers, and Gable waistlocks Ivar! Erik saves Ivar from the suplex and tags in. Erik KNEES Gable down! Maxxine gets at Logan and Ivar is distracted. Logan scares Maxxine off, but Erik drags Gable up! But Gable BOOTS Ivar down! And O’CONNER BRIDGE! ALPHA ACADEMY WINS!
Winners: The Alpha Academy, by pinfall
Maxxine celebrates with her number one guy and Gable! “A THANK YEW~!” Will this huge win lead the Academy back to the gold?
Byron is backstage, hoping for another medical update.
Adam Pearce is back, he says not now, and he argues with Cody in the room. Cody tells them all to go away! Cody slams the door shut, is he going to go to Night of Champions no matter what the doctors say?
Indus Sher speaks.
Jinder Mahal says, “Last week was the first day of the end for many superstars. Veer and Sanga are forces of nature. Thunder is crashing, lightning is clashing, the storm is here. So what happens next on Monday Night Raw?”
Shinsuke Nakamura VS Finn Balor w/ Damian Priest!
The King of Strong Style and the Prince of Judgment Day are no strangers to each other, so this is just a new chapter in a storied rival. Will Nakamura continue to establish himself on Raw? Or will this be his punishment for poking fun?
Raw returns and Finn makes his entrance, Priest by his side. The bell rings, Nakamura and Finn circle. They tie up, Finn gest around to a waistlock and he SLAMS Nakamura down. Finn floats to a facelock, then floats around to a chinlock. Nakamura slips out, hammerlocks, and the two stand. Finn snapmares, headlocks, but Nakamura slips out to hammerlock again. Finn stands, reaches back, drop toeholds and has Nakamura down for a chinlock. Nakamura fights up, Finn gets an arm and wrenches to a double wristlock. Nakamura endures, reaches for ropes, but Finn keeps him away.
Fans rally for Nakamura and he rolls, kips up and spins to cartwheel and wrench back! Nakamura hammerlocks, but Finn spins around to hammerlock, headlock and hit the takeover. Nakamura headscissors, Finn kips free, but roles reverse as Nakamura gets the headlock takeover. Finn tries for the headscissors but Nakamura shrugs it off. So Finn pulls hair instead! The ref reprimands, but Finn gets the headscissors, and he stomps away on Nakamura at the same time! Fans boo as Finn lets off and stomps Nakamura on the back. Finn has Nakamura in a corner, he CHOPS, and CHOPS! Priest likes it as Finn whips corner to corner.
Finn runs in but Nakamura KNEES him in the gut! Finn sputters, Nakamura gives him stomps in the corner. And then some GOOD VIBRATIONS! Fans fire up but Finn pushes Nakamura back. Nakamura ENZIGURIS in return! Nakamura puts Finn on the top rope, for the TOP SHELF KNEE! Finn falls to the apron, Nakamura runs and baseball slides him to the floor! Fans fire up and Nakamura goes out to fetch Finn. Nakamura puts Finn in, but Finn hurries to kick him back! Finn argues with the ref, but Nakamura throws forearms! Nakamura suplexes Finn but Finn fights it!
Finn throws body shots, but then staggers back. It’s all a distraction so Priest can YANK Nakamura down, and CLOBBER him! Fans boo but the Judgment Day has control as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Finn has Nakamura down with a chinlock. Fans rally and Nakamura fights up. Nakamura fires off body shots but Finn knees him down! Finn talks trash and stomps Nakamura, but Nakamura growls. Nakamura blocks a stomp, stands up and Finn wants him to hold on. Nakamura CLUBS the leg! And ROCKS Finn with a forearm! Nakamura scoops but Finn slips to a dragon sleeper! But Nakamura drops to KICK Finn away! Finn staggers to a corner, Nakamura runs in but blocks boots. He puts Finn in the ropes, ROUNDHOUSES and SLIDING GERMANS! Fans fire up and Nakamura tells Priest, “C’MON!!”
Priest runs in, Nakamura dodges and then taunts him. Priest chases after Nakamura, Nakamura slides into the ring and dodges Finn. Nakamura scoops, Finn slips out again, and Finn ducks a roundhouse! But not the WHEEL KICK! Cover, TWO! Priest is worried, Nakamura drags Finn up to suplex and GOURD BUSTER! Then KNEES to the head and shoulders! Nakamura drags Finn up, turns him around, clinches, but Finn fights the lift! Finn throws down elbows, staggers, but Nakamura reels Finn in by the purple rag in his pocket! But Finn wheelbarrows to a victory roll, TWO! SLINGBLADE!
Fans fire up while Finn takes aim from the corner. Nakamura rises, Finn runs in, SHOT- DYNAMIC DROPKICK! Fans fire up with Nakamura now and he goes to a corner. “YAO~!” Finn rises, Nakamura runs in, but into a STANDING DOUBLE STOMP!! Finn puts Nakamura in a drop zone, hurries up a corner, and COUP DE- NO, Nakamura moves! BLINDSIDE KNEE!! Both men are down and Priest is freaking out, but the fans rally up. Nakamura goes to a corner, Finn rises again, and Nakamura powers back up! Finn goes to ropes, Priest drags him out to safety!
Fans boo and the ref reprimands, but Nakamura goes to the apron. FLYING KNEE takes out Priest! And then Nakamura fires off kicks and fast hands! And some knees! Nakamura clotheslines Priest up and over barriers! But Finn SHOTGUNS Nakamura into those barriers! Finn puts Nakamura in, goes up top again, COUP DE GRACE!!! Cover, Finn wins!
Winner: Finn Balor, by pinfall
The King of Strong Style was strong, but Priest was a big part of the Prince’s victory. Will this momentum help The Judgment Day truly take over Monday nights?
Raquel Rodriguez VS Sonya Deville w/ Chelsea Green!
Big Mami Cool took care of the Hot Mess last week, but now she has to take on the Pride Fighter. Will Raquel be rolling into next week’s WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4 Way? Or will the Complaint Department actually have something to be happy about?
Raw returns and Sonya makes her entrance, Chelsea by her side. The bell rings and Raquel circles with Sonya. But then Chelsea throws her sunglasses into the ring. Raquel is annoyed, and she STOMPS the glasses apart! But Sonya CHOP BLOCKS Raquel down! Sonya CLUBS away on Raquel, fans boo, but Sonya lets off to taunt Raquel. Sonya then runs to KNEE Raquel down! Cover, TWO! Sonya argues the count, but she runs in to forearm Raquel in the corner! Sonya pushes Raquel down, goes up and FLYING KNEES! Direct hit! Cover, TWO! Chelsea complains about the count but the ref says it was fair.
Sonya drags Raquel up by her hair, bumps her off buckles, and then Sonya fires off fast hands! The ref counts, Sonya lets off at 4, and Sonya soaks up the heat from the fans. Chelsea eggs the fans on even, and then Sonya goes back to Raquel. Sonya fires off more forearms, Raquel shoves her away and goes to another corner. Sonya taunts Raquel, but Raquel BOOTS her down! Raquel goes up, TWISTING VADER! Raquel hoists Sonya up, TEXANA BOMB!! Cover, Raquel wins!
Winner: Raquel Rodriguez, by pinfall
But Chelsea BOOTS Raquel in the head! Chelsea rains down fists and fans boo, but Chelsea sets Raquel up for a KNEE from Sonya! Wait, here comes SHOTZI! The Wild Child is here to ROUNDHOUSE Chelsea, dodges Sonya, and Raquel BOOTS Sonya down! The Ballsy Badasses reunite! They coordinate, Raquel goes up the ropes to hold them open, so Shotzi can DIVE! Down goes the Complaint Department! Shotzi may not be Liv Morgan, but will she get just as wild in the chase for the tag titles?
A ref talks with Adam Pearce.
He explains that they’ve tried talking to Cody but Cody is very angry. Cody is shutting everyone out of his locker room, but he is hurting badly. Pearce thanks the ref for this, and then Trish Stratus walks in. She says she’s been really busy, thriving and all, but she is ready for the contract signing. He thanks her, and she’s glad he “gets it.” Anyway, speaking of the contract signing, Becky is a little… Uh, feisty, fiery. Y’know how gingers can be. But then maybe they should have a No Contact policy for tonight. Keep the professional environment, the sets are expensive and all that. So maybe Pearce will consider that?
Pearce says there’s a lot going on tonight, in case Trish hasn’t noticed. Frankly, he isn’t sure there’s a need for a No Contact clause. So thank you, Trish, but it’s not happening. Pearce heads out, the contract signing is up next! Will The Man get her hands on Trish even before Night of Champions?
Matt Riddle speaks.
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is fearing that you’ll make one.” The Bro has faced champions, monsters, men bigger than him, and faster than him. “But what’s the point of being afraid? You learn your own strength by challenging the impossible. By laughing in the face of adversity. This is my time. If you doubt me, bro, that’s a mistake you can’t afford to make.” Riddle is standing beside Kevin & Sami once again, will they be triumphant against Imperium?
Becky Lynch heads to the ring!
Fans fire up as Hershey enters the Big Time! Corey Graves is in the ring already to preside over this contract signing between The Man and the Chick. Becky grabs a mic and says, “The Man has come around to Hershey!” She takes a seat and says there’s business to take care of, so Trish needs to get her ass out here to handle this. Becky already signs her part of the contract and kicks up her high heel boots onto the table. Trish makes her entrance and fans boo as she joins the others in the ring. Trish takes her seat and grabs her mic to say, “Look at you, you little keener. You jumped right into it. Great, so eager.”
Trish says it’s funny. Becky wasn’t that eager to come back to Raw after Trish kicked her head off, huh? Trish has to say, this is kind of a big moment. This is her first contract signing! It’s a big deal. She wants to enjoy this, especially since The GOAT has come around to… Wait, where are we? Hershey? Like the chocolate? Trish says Becky’s being all cool and casual, kicking back with her weird hand sunglasses on. Because contract signings aren’t a big deal to Becky, right? She’s had so many of them. And do you know why Becky’s had so many of them? Because of Trish. Because of the work Trish did.
Because Trish single-handedly changed women’s wrestling where Becky could get down doing her Irish jigs in some dump of a restaurant and come back. Contract signings were just normal a part of the women’s wrestling landscape for Becky, because of Trish. Becky doesn’t respond, and Trish says Becky claims Trish is only back because she wants to be number one again. “Honey, I am number one, I am still number one, and I will always be number one. In fact, I was number one the minute I walked into the WWE, and it didn’t take a broken nose for me to get there.” Becky smirks and sighs, but Trish continues.
“You say you’re ‘It?’ Well what happens when I beat you at Night of Champions? I guess that makes me ‘it.’ And what will happen to you? Will you crawl back into a dark, deep place and have to go through your stuff again?” Becky, Trish has you figured out. Trish sees your weak spots. Becky’s biggest problem is Becky! Becky is Becky’s worst enemy! When Becky said she wanted to find a name and a face for the “badness” in her head, it had a name all along, staring back at you in the mirror. So Trish will sign the contract, the fans don’t have to tell her what to do. But isn’t it ironic? This is Trish’s first signing, and it’ll be Becky’s last!
Trish signs her part, Graves takes the contract, and Becky takes off the sunglasses and picks the mic back up. Fans rally behind Becky and she says, “You’re scared, aren’t you, Trish? I saw that little thing with you and Adam Pearce in the back. You’re scared that I’m gonna hurt you. Don’t worry, Trish, I’m not gonna hurt you. I want you at the full of your health at Night of Champions. But you’re scared of something bigger, aren’t you? That’s what all of this is about. You’re scared that history is forgetting you. Time is passing all of us by, everyone is getting better, but you just stayed the same.
“And what’s more, and this is a problem for you, is that they remember you as being better than you are. But I, I’m even better than you think that I am. So you don’t need to worry about why I was gone, you just need to worry that I’m back.” Fans cheer that! Becky says if Trish wants her flowers, flowers, flowers, that’s all this is about! We’re all past that but okay, here it is to your face: Thank you, Trish. Thank you for being everything Becky hopes she never becomes. Because Trish is vapid, Becky is passion. Trish is trashy, Becky is soul, heart and fashion. Trish is cold, Becky is hot. Becky is it, Trish is NOT! Nice rhyme.
Becky says that Trish can stab people in the back and all, but Becky will punch you in the face every single time. And that’s why she can look at herself in the mirror, know she’s not perfect unlike how Trish thinks she is, and know that Becky can carry on regardless. And that is why, even with the badness in her head, Becky’s had a career Trish can only dream of. Trish has done things that would give Becky nightmares. “And if you think barking like a dog is embarrassing… Just wait until I whoop your ass at Night of Champions! Welcome to the big time, b*tch, WOOF WOOF!” Trish tosses the table, but Becky blocks it!
Fans fire up as Trish storms off in a huff. Becky glares at Trish and Trish tries to smile it off. But will Trish have only herself to blame for getting in this deep with The Man?
Adam Pearce is on the phone.
He tells the other person that they have all the same info he does. Yes, it’s bad. Cody’s arm is “mangled,” but Cody won’t reason with anyone or listen. He gets rid of medical personnel the second they try, so that’s why Pearce is calling. Pearce is at a loss for what to do. He nods and agrees with this other person, but just what is the solution to Cody’s stubbornness?
Backstage interview with Raquel & Shotzi.
Byron asks for a word with this new alliance. He has to know, what was Shotzi’s motivation for coming to Raquel’s rescue? Shotzi says everyone has to know how much respect she has for Raquel. And Raquel, Shotzi wants you to know that she has your back whenever you need it. Raquel says she has Shotzi’s. Seems she found her new tag partner! And next week, they walk out the NEW WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions! Shotzi’s fired up, will the Ballsy Badasses be golden badasses?
Apollo Crews VS Dominik Mysterio w/ Rhea Ripley!
Apollo went back to NXT in search of things he never had before. Instead, he perhaps found what he needed all along. Apollo is back thanks to the WWE Draft, will he make this run an even better one? Or will the Prodigal Son ruin things out of his own selfishness?
Raw returns and Apollo makes his entrance. The bell rings and the two circle. Apollo and Dom tie up, Apollo wrenches and headlocks, but Dom powers out. Apollo runs Dom over, gives a little Latino Heat, then things speed up. Apollo slides under Dom, waistlocks, but Dom bucks the O’Conner. Dom runs in, Apollo hurdles and drops, then CLOBBERS Dom! Fans rally, Apollo suplexes Dom and holds him up! Fans fire up and Apollo waits until TEN to SLAM Dom! Dom goes to a corner, he BOOTS Apollo, then runs in, but into a trophy lift! Apollo carries Dom around, Rhea freaks out, and Apollo SLAMS Dom down again! Cover, TWO!
Dom wants mercy but Apollo says really? Dom gets to his feet, offers a handshake, but Apollo says no, this is a match. Dom kicks low, whips, but apollo reverses. Apollo runs in, Dom puts him on the apron. Apollo ROCKS Dom, Apollo climbs, but Dom trips Apollo up! Apollo lands hard on the mat and Dom stomps away! The ref counts, Dom lets off to give some Latino Heat of his own. Fans boo but Dom says Judgment Day runs Monday nights! Dom brings Apollo up, snap suplexes, Uno Amigo! Fans boo but Dom then shoves Apollo down to deny the rest of teh Amigos. Cover, ONE! Dom wraps on a chinlock.
Apollo endures, fans rally, Dom tells them to shut up and Rhea says to choke Apollo out. Apollo fights up, throws body shots, and Fans chant “We Want Mami!” Dom KNEES low, CLUBS Apollo, then whips. Apollo reverses but Dom ducks ‘n ‘dodges, but leaps onto a FALL AWAY SLAM! Dom flounders and Rhea worries. Dom goes to a corner, Rhea coaches him up, but apollo SPLASHES him! Apollo snapmares Dom, goes up, and FLYING BLOCKBUSTERS! Dom staggers, Apollo goes up the other corner! CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO! Dom is still in this and Rhea is relieved, but Apollo reels him in!
Dom slips out of the back suplex and he dropkicks Apollo onto ropes! Dom dials it up but Apollo ducks the 619! Apollo drags Dom out to CLOBBER him! Apollo roars and fans fire up! But then Rhea stands in Apollo’s way. Fans fire up, but Dom goes looking under the ring. Apollo jukes Rhea, but Dom YANKS him into steel steps! Dom gets back in the ring, distracts the ref, and Rhea POSTS Apollo! The Judgment Day helps each other out as always, and the ring count starts. Rhea counts along to mock Apollo, Dom relaxes in a corner, and we’re past 5 of 10! Apollo drags himself to the desk at 8, but shoots in at 9!!
Fans fire up, but Dom FROG SPLASHES all the way there!! Cover, Dom wins!
Winner: Dominik Mysterio, by pinfall
The one impressive thing about this win was that long distance splash! But Mami has to help Dommy again, will Dom ever get things down on his own?
Raw shares the rest of the Seth Rollins interview.
Rollins is a WWE Grand Slam Champion, but why is the World Heavyweight Championship match at Night of Champions different? Why is this so special? Rollins brings it back to where they started this interview: “It is time for change.” Because Rollins has always felt like he was never pegged to be “The Guy,” it made him work harder to take that spot. This is his first love. Since he was four years old, as long as he can remember, pro-wrestling has been everything he’s ever dreamed of. It has given him a life beyond his wildest dreams. He just wants to see it “be the best it can be.”
The World Heavyweight Championship IS that thing. This is the moment to do something special. Rollins is putting all his chips in, all in on the World Heavyweight title. he’ll give it everything he’s got. He wants to create something legendary, something that’ll live forever. He is Seth Rollins, the change we’ve been waiting for. He wants to be someone the future can look to and see as the guy to carry things forward. The Visionary, the Revolutionary, Seth FREAKIN’ Rollins is ready, but will he make his dreams come true by becoming THE World Heavyweight Champion?
BREAKING NEWS for next week’s Raw!
Money in the Bank is on the horizon, but qualifying matches are set to begin! Who will earn their golden tickets to the first ever MITB in London and those high stakes ladder matches?
Six Man Tag: Imperium VS Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Matt Riddle!
The Intercontinental Champion did not appreciate the “disrespect” shown to his soldiers, Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci, but the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions told him it was the other way around. But either way, the battlelines have been drawn! Will Der Ring General make Monday Night Raw sacred? Or will the Prizefighter, Great Liberator, and Original Bro bring Imperium down this close to Night of Champions?
Raw returns and Riddle makes his entrance, followed by Kevin, and then by Sami. The teams sort out and Ludwig starts against Sami. They tie up, go around, and Sami wrenches to a wristlock. Ludwig powers Sami to a corner, the ref counts, and Ludwig throws body shots and stomps! The ref counts, Ludwig throws down fists but lets off at 4. Ludwig drags Sami up but Sami turns things around to CHOP and CHOP and ROCK and wrench! Sami brings Ludwig around, tags Riddle, and Riddle KICKS Ludwig. Riddle whips, Ludwig holds ropes and UPPERCUTS! Tag to Vinci and he BOOTS Riddle down!
Vinci bumps Riddle off buckles, CLUBS him in the chest, UPPERCUTS him, and UPPERCUTS him, and then argues with the ref. Vinci whips corner to corner, but Riddle goes up and over. Riddle KICKS Vinci down! Riddle gut wrenches Vinci up to SUPLEX! Vinci gets away to his corner, and Gunther tags in! Fans fire up as Gunther stares down with Riddle. They circle, Riddle shoots in but Gunther holds off the takedown. Gunther puts Riddle in a corner, the ref counts, and Gunther swings! Riddle avoids the chop to KICK and KICK and KICK! Gunther blocks a kick to KICK Riddle’s leg out!
Gunther hauls Riddle up to CHOP him back down! Gunther frowns and Riddle sputters while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Riddle reaches out for his corner, but Ludwig keeps him back. Riddle ROCKS Ludwig, and ROCKS him, but Ludwig still holds on! Ludwig pulls hair, whips Riddle away, and tilt-o-whirl SLAMS Riddle down! Cover, TWO! Ludwig taunts Sami, bumps Riddle off buckles, and then tags Gunther in. Gunther CLUBS Riddle down, taunts Sami and Kevin, then BOOTS Kevin! The ref keeps Sami back and Gunther goes to Riddle. FINAL FLASH KNEE from Riddle! Both men are down, fans fire up, and they crawl, but Ludwig just rushes in! Riddle TOSSES him back out!
Gunther grabs Riddle’s leg to keep him from Sami, but Riddle BOOTS him away! But then Ludwig trips Sami off the apron! Gunther BOOTS and LARIATS Riddle! Cover, TWO!! Riddle survives the double whammy, but Gunther deadlifts him! Riddle fights the German Suplex, to switch and GERMAN SUPLEX in return! Fans fire up, both men crawl, hot tags to Vinci and Kevin! Kevin fires off on Vinci with fast hands! And stomps against the ropes! The ref counts, Kevin lets off and fans fire up! Kevin whips, Vinci KICKS, but Kevin LARIATS! And SENTONS! Kevin waistlocks to GERMAN SUPLEX Vinci to a corner!
Fans fire up again, “SUCK IT!” Kevin CANNONBALLS Vinci! Cover, TWO! Vinci is still in this but Kevin drags him to a drop zone. Kevin goes up the corner and fans rally up. But Ludwig rushes in! Kevin ROCKS Ludwig, kicks him and reels him in, but Vinci DROPKICKS Kevin! Ludwig tags in, Imperium HIGH LOWS Kevin on the apron! Kevin falls, Imperium is back in control, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns once again and Kevin is up top! FROG SPLASH onto Vinci! Fans fire up but Kevin bounces off the cover! He and Vinci crawl for their corners, hot tags to Sami and Ludwig! Sami rallies on Ludwig with big lariats! Sami whips, back drops Ludwig, and then runs to BLAST Gunther! Ludwig UPPERCUTS Sami, whips, but Sami goes up and over! Sami scoops to MICHINOKU DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Sami hurries up, he aims at Ludwig, and he goes corner to corner, but Ludwig BOOTS back! Gunther sneaks a tag before Sami TOSSES Ludwig out! Gunther CHOPS Sami! Gunther talks trash, then CHOPS Sami again!
Sami grits his teeth as Gunther talks even more trash. Gunther has Sami by the throat, Sami breaks free, and then Sami dodges the clothesline to get around! BLUE THUNDER BOMB!! Cover, Vinci breaks it! Riddle gets in to kick but Vinci ducks. Vinci shoves Riddle, Riddle BOOTS him back! Riddle goes up, but Vinci trips him up! But Kevin is there, STUNNER!! Ludwig whips Kevin out of the ring, talks trash, but Sami clotheslines Ludwig out! Fans fire up, Sami runs at Gunther, but into a SLEEPER!! Gunther wraps Sami up, has a rear mount even, but Riddle is back up! FLAOTING BRO onto Gunther’s back!!
Gunther lets Sami go and flounders away. Tag back to Vinci, he runs in but Sami catches him, EXPLODER into the buckles! Fans fire up and Sami goes corner to corner again, but Gunther anchors Sami! Kevin SUPERKCIKS! Riddle FINAL FLASH KNEES! Riddle then TOSSES Gunther over the announce desk! Fans fire up, Ludwig runs at Sami but Sami TOSSES him out! Vinci runs in to clothesline! But Sami just follows through to HELLUVA KICK!! Tag to Kevin, he’s up top, SWANTON BOMB!! Cover, Team KO wins!
Winners: Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Matt Riddle, by pinfall
Imperium falls to the bros! Will Gunther be able to regroup and be ready for Mustafa Ali at Night of Champions? As for the Undisputed Tag Team Champions, they are rolling into their final war with The Bloodline! Sami dares Roman to try his best, but on Saturday, the tag titles stay with them! Will the Sami & Kevin #JustKeepFighting until the end?
Someone knocks on Cody Rhodes’ door.
He says he doesn’t need any help, but in walks TRIPLE H! HHH says he just wants to talk. They sit down, and HHH says Cody is a heck of a talent. And he understands Cody has that fire burning inside him. Cody says he knows what HHH is trying to do, Cody has respect for it. HHH knows Cody knows, but this is the position we’re in. HHH says Cody needs medical attention but Cody says he doesn’t. Cody told everyone already. HHH can tell just looking at the arm that it is broken. And HHH can see the look on Cody’s face that Cody knows it, too.
HHH says no one is questioning how tough Cody is, and HHH knows Cody is afraid that- Afraid? Afraid?! What does Cody have to be afraid of? HHH says Cody is afraid that if a doctor comes in here, looks at the arm, says it’s broken, that HHH won’t let him go to Night of Champions to face Lesnar. Oh, over this? An arm? HHH used to do the same thing Cody did. Cody’s legs are just fine, he can walk to the ring! HHH says Cody has nothing to prove! This isn’t about toughness! HHH saw Cody go to the ring at Hell in a Cell with a torn pec! Never seen anything like it! No one questions for a second Cody’s toughness.
But this is different. Think about that year Cody spent on the shelf after that match. A year of his career, a year of his life. Cody tries to say he understands, and that year was terrible. But what is far worse is what would happen if Cody was a coward! If he came back a shell of himself and didn’t go to NOC to fight! And again, of all people, HHH… what would you do? What has HHH done? HHH has fought! That’s what Cody is going to do. Cody is going to NOC to fight Brock Lesnar. Cody does his best to pack his things with one arm, and HHH sits down again. HHH pats Cody on the shoulder, and leaves. Is that HHH’s way of giving Cody permission? Or his way of wishing Cody luck?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw, even for a go-home, but thankfully not with the Go Home Syndrome recapathon. Though in all honestly, the rest of Seth Rollins’ interview promo wasn’t quite as shocking or controversial as they were making it feel. Of course he doesn’t approve of what Roman’s been up to, we heard him say that before. It’s just more of Rollins (and perhaps HHH through him) criticizing the booking of Roman Reigns (by Vince McMahon up until last year). And in the end, it still feels very clear, all but inevitable, that Rollins is going to win the World Heavyweight Championship to solidify his spot at the top.
Great bookending of the show with Cody Rhodes, too. Cody getting ambushed and brutalized by Brock Lesnar right at the start was a wild way to kick things off. I did not think it’d escalate like it did, but perhaps I should’ve expected it to go that way. HHH talking with Cody at the end was a great surprise, given how Cody was referencing HHH so much over in AEW. But their conversation, while not really well recorded, was a logical one. Cody fought with a torn pec, he’ll fight with a busted arm, but it almost feels like too much for Cody to win this time. Sure, Cody swept Seth Rollins in their feud, but Cody’s gonna start entering “Cena Wins LOL” territory at this rate.
Great bit with Mustafa Ali where he brings back his genuine self rather than more “Positive Ali,” but also wow, Lesnar just insulting him for being there. A little surprised Ali didn’t get any further involved with Imperium tonight, but Imperium ended up losing in a great Six Man Tag main event against Kevin, Sami & Riddle anyway. Riddle and Gunther feels like the next title feud after Night of Champions, as also implied by that battle royal and how Riddle taunted Imperium. Riddle got a good video package to show his more serious side, and obviously Riddle VS Gunther is going to be awesome stuff, no matter who wins. But after that Six Man Tag, I really wanna see Gunther VS Kevin and Gunther VS Sami in 1v1 matches just for the hell of it.
A little disappointed in Stark VS Candice, but only because of how short it was. Nikki shows up, and almost immediately costs Candice the match. Why does it feel like none of Candice’s matches on Raw have been even allowed to live up to her NXT stuff? Raquel VS Sonya was also pretty quick, and a little surprised Raquel won rather than be cheated by Sonya & Chelsea. But of course this was to introduce Shotzi back into the tag title scene. But the way Byron worded it, “new alliance,” they’re trying to retcon things like Shotzi & Raquel weren’t a team months ago on SmackDown and that annoys me. But even so, it still feels like Ronda & Shayna are going to win the tag titles.
Really good match from Alpha Academy VS Viking Raiders, but it feels like they’re taking a bit too long on the story of Otis/Otise. Where’s the promo where Mace & Mansoor confronting Maxxine? It’s almost like Maxxine is joining the Alpha Academy rather than getting Otis to join MMM. Good promo from Jinder for Indus Sher, and I’m hoping that one, they decide to go after the other factions here on Raw, like Imperium and Judgment Day, and two, get entrance graphics that better fit them. Really good contract signing segment from Becky and Trish, but those golden hand glasses were really odd. But with Becky standing tall in the contract signing, I wonder if Trish cheats to win and this feud extends through the Summer.
And great stuff from Judgment Day. Good promo from Apollo, Dom and Rhea, with Rhea having a good though perhaps redundant promo aimed at Natalya. Dom VS Apollo was a very good match, but of course Rhea helps Dom. I feel like while Kofi Kingston still recovers, Xavier Woods should make an alliance with Apollo so at least someone can have a fair match with Dom. Then good promo from Raw Talk and then tonight as part of Finn VS Nakamura. Great match from Finn VS Nakamura, but of course Priest is the reason Finn wins. Throw Nakamura into the mix with Apollo and Woods and that’s quite the unique trio to take on Judgment Day.
My Score: 8.5/10
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Coverage
Mitchell’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku Results & Report! (4/27/24)
Rural Revitalization continues!
Will Great-O-Khan be setting the table?
It’s Rural Revitalization in Hiroshima for the KOPW Championship! Can Yuya Uemura survive tires, lemons and a table? Or will Great-O-Khan conquer him for the United Empire?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Frontier Zone – Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano VS Rey Paloma & HANZO; Oleg & Yano win.
- Six Man Tag: Tiger Mask & Bishamon VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita VS Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira; Cobb & Akira win.
- Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Shota Umino & Tomohiro Ishii VS The House of Torture; Desperado, Shota & Ishii win.
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima VS Tomoaki Honma & Shoma Kato; Tanahashi & Murashima win.
- DOUKI & Taka Michinoku VS SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru; Sho & Yoshinobu win.
- NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships: TMDK VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo; TMDK wins and retains the titles.
- KOPW Championship Rural Revitalization: Great-O-Khan VS Yuya Uemura; Yuya wins and becomes the new KOPW Champion.
- 10 Man Tag Elimination Match: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs; LIJ wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships: TMDK w/ Zack Sabre Jr. VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo w/ Jado!
Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls snatched the titles away during the Windy City Riot, but the Guerrillas of Destiny are getting their rematch! Will the Headbanga & Young Guerilla redeem themselves on the Road to Wrestling Dontaku? Or will they see The Mighty Don’t Kneel?
The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and we see if The Mighty stay NJPW Strong!
The teams sort out and Hysterical Haste starts against ELP. The fans rally up with the bell and the two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but then Shane cording holds into a wrench and wristlock. ELP rolls, handsprings and wrenches back. ELP keeps Shane from ropes so Shane rolls, kips up, snapmares and KICKS ELP! The fans cheer while Shane shakes out his leg. ELP grimaces as he stands and shakes out the arm. The two reset, tie up, and ELP waistlocks. ELP goes for a chinlock but Shane standing switches. ELP switches, Shane switches again, and repeat. ELP headlocks, Shane powers out, then reels ELP in for a headlock.
ELP powers out, Shane runs him over, and then he sits ELP up to run. ELP drops under, hurdles over, but Shane shoves him. ELP rolls off Shane’s back to RANA! The fans fire up as ELP kips up and fixes his hair. The fans rally for “E L P! E L P!” while Shane is in a corner. Shane comes back to fire a forearm! ELP fires a forearm back! Shane fires another forearm so ELP gives it back. They go back and forth, faster and faster, and the fans rally up! ELP gets the edge, but Shane UPPERCUTS! Shane CHOPS ELP, whips him corner to corner, but ELP goes up and over and keeps moving. ELP fakes Shane out to avoid the dropkick!
ELP goes to ropes to LIONSAULT but Shane moves! ELP sits up but avoids the Penalty Kick! The two stand off and the fans cheer! Shane and ELP reset, and Leo reaches out. ELP tags him in and the fans rally up. Shane tags Mikey, and he circles with Leo. They get face to face, and Mikey pie faces Leo! They tie up, Leo shoves Mikey away, but Mikey comes back. They tie up, Mikey headlocks but Leo lifts. Mikey thrashes the hold, Leo powers out and they RAM shoulders! Leo eggs Mikey on so Mikey runs and they RAM shoulders! Leo runs, Mikey ELBOWS him! Mikey runs, Leo runs him over! The fans fire up as Leo flexes.
Leo drags Mikey up, suplexes, but Mikey fights it! Mikey tries to suplex but Leo’s so tall! Leo suplexes, Mikehy slips free to waistlock, but Leo RAMS him into a corner! Leo runs in, Mikey dodges, only for Leo to LARIAT outta the corner! Tag to ELP and the Guerrillas get Mikey up. ELP BLASTS Shane while Leo whips Mikey to a corner. Leo SPLASHES, ELP clotheslines, then feed to the SIDEWALK SLAM and FALLING AX HANDLE! The Guerrillas high-five, ELP covers, TWO! ELP brings Mikey up but Mikey fights the suplex! Mikey powers out, whips, but ELP BLASTS Shane! ELP dodges Mikey, waistlocks, but Mikey swings. ELP ducks, into a DDT!
The fans fire up while Mikey shoves ELP over and tags in Shane. Mikey brings ELP up to TOSS him out, and then Mikey BLASTS Leo! Shane whips ELP into railing! Shane flexes, fans applaud, and Shane drags ELP up. APRON BACK SUPLEX! Shane shoves ELP in, covers, ROPEBREAK! The fans rally as ELP stays in this but Shane grabs one of ELP’s hands. Shane stretches out the arm to then KICK ELP in the shoulder! Shane brings ELP up but ELP fires forearms! Shane shoves ELP but ELP ELBOWS Mikey! ELP fires off on Shane, whips, but Shane reverses and Mikey trips ELP up! Shane basement dropkicks ELP and he spins around into a HAYMAKER from Mikey!
ELP flops to the floor, Mikey claims the apron is slippery, but the referee reprimands him all the same. The ring count starts but Mikey puts ELP in at 4 of 20. Shane covers, TWO! Shane keeps ELP down with body scissors. ELP endures, reaches out, drags Shane along as he crawls over, and the fans rally up. Shane grabs ELP’s arm and brings him into a cover, TWO! Shane whips ELP away into The Mighty corner! Tag to Mikey, he sends Shane in, but ELP puts Shane on the apron! ELP BOOTS Mikey, ROUNDHOUSES Shane, then runs, but Mikey catches him! Mikey RAMS ELP back into the corner!
Mikey taunts Leo then digs boots into ELP. The fans rally up and ELP throws body shots. Mikey eggs ELP on so ELP CHOPS! ELP tries to get under but Mikey grabs a leg and drags him back! Tag to Shane, and Shane stomps ELP down. Shane kicks ELP around, kicks him more, but ELP fires off hands! Shane back drops ELP up and away! The fans rally while Shane drags ELP back to a cover, but Leo breaks it! Shane drags ELP back, tags Mikey in, and TMDK mug ELP. ELP sputters, Mikey tags Shane back in, and Shane sucker punches Leo! Mikey hoists ELP up but ELP BOOTS Shane! ELP backs Mikey into the corner, then goes up and over Shane!
Shane runs into Mikey but Mikey still pursues ELP. Mikey drags ELP back but ELP ENZIGIRIS free! The fans fire up, but Shane gets ELP’s legs! ELP BOOTS Shane away, hurries up again, but Mikey BLASTS Leo first! Mikey then brings ELP around to back suplex! ELP lands on his feet, but Shane back suplexes! ELP still lands on his feet, then he ducks under TMDK to hot tag Leo! The fans fire up as Leo UPPERCUTS Shane, swings on Mikey, but Mikey dodges, only for Leo to BOOT him! Leo scoops Shane for SNAKE EYES and a BOOT! The fans fire up with Leo while Shane and Mikey go to opposite corners.
Leo runs in to SPLASH Mikey! Leo keeps going but Shane BOOTS him! Shane runs up but Leo ELBOWS him down! Leo runs to drop the JUMPING ELBOW on Shane! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up and Leo watches Shane stir. Shane rises, Leo choke grips! GODS- NO, Shane slips free and Mikey fires a forearm! Shane UPPERCUTS, Mikey LARIATS, but Leo stays up! Shane runs to LARIAT! Leo roars, but TMDK double kick! TMDK reels Leo in, but Leo DOUBLE SUPLEXES them instead! The fans fire up and Leo watches TMDK bail out. Leo tags ELP and ELP goes up. Leo helps him walk the tightrope, to ARIHARA MOONSAULT TMDK down at the ramp!
The fans fire up again, and Leo goes out to get Shane in. ELP & Leo get Shane up to CHOP, straitjacket torture rack, and then Leo runs. BOOT into the spin, BRAIN SALAD! Cover, Mikey breaks it! Mikey fires forearms on Leo & ELP, runs, but ELP hurdles so Leo can DDT! Mikey bails out, the fans fire up, and ELP tunes up the band. Shane rises, into SUDDEN- NO, Shane dodges! Shane runs up, but into Leo’s hands! ELP aims, but Shane pulls Leo into SUDDEN DEATH! Shane UPPERCUTS ELP and DROPKICKS Leo! Shane KICKS ELP, BOOTS him, then reels him in for an INVERTED EXPLODER! Cover, TWO!!
ELP survives and Shane is surprised! The fans fires up, Shane and ELP rise, and ELP staggers to a corner. Shane puts ELP up top, ROCKS him with a right, then climbs up. Shane brings ELP up but ELP fires body shots! ELP HEADBUTTS Shane down but Mikey tags in! Shane goes up, ELP sends him back down, so Mikey UPPERCUTS! Mikey gives Shane the boost, and they get ELP for the SUPERPLEX BOMB COMBO! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives but Mikey powers up and runs, SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives again and the fans fire up! Mikey grows frustrated, he drags ELP up and reels him in.
ELP slips free of the Blue Thunder to kick and tuck the arms! But Mikey trips ELP to jackknife bridge, TWO! ELP rolling clutches! TWO and Mikey has the cover! TWO and ELP ghost pins, TWO!! Mikey escapes but ELP dodges! ELP DROPKICKS Mikey down and the fans fire up! Both men crawl, hot tag to Leo! Leo runs to BLAST Shane, then he turns to look at Mikey. Mikey eggs Leo on, then fires forearms! Leo ROCKS Mikey with just one! Mikey fires another flurry, but Leo ROCKS Mikey again! Leo eggs Mikey on and the fans rally. Mikey kicks low, ROCKS Leo, then runs, but into a scoop! Tag to ELP before the POWERSLAM!
ELP goes up to SWANTON BOMB! And then LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up, ELP tags Leo back in, and they tune up the band again! Mikey rises, but Shane trips Leo! Mikey ROCKS ELP, Shane UPPERCUTS ELP! Feed to the scoop but ELP slips free! ELP shoves Mikey into Shane, and Leo grabs them both! But both Shane & Mikey fight free of the choke slams! Shane KNEES, Mikey FOREARMS, but then ELP fires off on TMDK! ELP runs, but into a double trophy lift! THUNDER- DOUBLE DDTS!! ELP turns things around on TMDK, and the fans are thunderous! Mikey stands up into SUDDEN DEATH! ELP PLANCHAS onto Shane!
GODSEND for Mikey! ELP then climbs up the ropes, then climbs onto Leo! SUPER THUNDERKISS 86!! Cover, but Shane barrels through ELP to break it!! The fans are thunderous again but ELP is frustrated. ELP fires off on Shane, runs, but Shane LARIATS! Shane dodges Leo but runs into the POWER TRIP! GOD- NO, Mikey rolls Leo up!! TMDK WINS!!
Winners: TMDK, by pinfall (still NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions)
Leo is furious! He is sure Mikey pulled tights there! He stomps at Mikey, pushes past ELP and goes after Mikey on the outside! Mikey and Leo push each other around, but there’s nothing Leo can do about this one. Will he and ELP just have to fight their way back up to the top? As for TMDK, will they continue to rock ‘n’ roll through the ranks with all this gold?
KOPW Championship Rural Revitalization: Great-O-Khan w/ Callum Newman & Francesco Akira VS Yuya Uemura w/ Taka Michinoku & Taichi!
It’s Rural Revitalization 2: Hiroshima Style! The Dominator just managed to make it past Tanga Loa, will he make it through the Heat Storm? Or will KOPW soon belong to Just5Guys?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who can put in the work!
This first round is Mazda tire carrying. Each man has a big orange cone placed in their corner, so they simply have to go fetch the tires from the stacks outside. Whoever gets four tires first wins the round! The bell rings, Yuya kicks Khan then heads for ropes, but Khan reels him in for a BIG back suplex! Khan goes out now, hurries up the ramp, and grabs two tires at once! The fans cheer and Khan gets those tires in the ring. Then he goes back for more! A risky move but that means four tires are on play. Yuya DROPKICKS Khan and here’s where the risk is involved! Yuya aims to PLANCHA but Khan chucks a tire!
Yuya falls back, Khan gets the tires in then drags Yuya out. Khan CLUBS away on Yuya against the apron, then uses a tire to bind Yuya’s legs! Khan CLUBS Yuya more, and Khan even ties Yuya up in the ropes! Khan sacrifices two tires to trap Yuya! The fans cheer the creativity, and Khan STOMPS Yuya on the apron before heading for more tires. Yuya works to get free as Khan brings two more tires to the ring. Khan sets those tires in, Yuya gets free, but Khan has stacked two tires. Then three, but Yuya DROPKICKS him down! Yuya takes the tires off Khan’s cones, leaving him with just one. Yuya goes out to get the last tires remaining!
Yuya brings tires to his cone, then clears out some space. Yuya has two tires, steals Khan’s one, but then Khan grabs Yuya for an IRON CLAW SLEEPER! Yuya fights free, but Khan Mongolian Chops him down! Khan throws the tires off Yuya’s cone, then throws the cone! We’re back to zero and zero, and Khan whips Yuya into a corner, to then clothesline him! The fans fire up as Khan climbs up and sits on his throne! Khan then hops down to Mongolian Chop! And Mongolian Chops! And Mongolian CHOP! Yuya sits down, Khan takes a tire, but then THROWS it at Yuya! Yuya goes up and over and AX HANDLES Khan down!
The fans rally as Khan grabs tires and cone, and he starts stacking! Yuya has two, then three! He just needs to find one more! Yuya grabs one from outside, but Khan reels him in! Khan DECKS Yuya, then undoes some of the stack. Khan confiscates a tire, makes sure it’s nice and bouncy, but also works up quite the sweat. The fans rally as Khan aims and takes a swing, only for Yuya to counter tire with tire! They clash again, and again! Then they set up for TIRE SUMO! And again, TIRE SUMO! They run in again, and Khan RAMS Yuya! Yuya is disarmed, and Khan CLOBBERS him with the TIRE SUMO!
The fans fire up while Yuya is down and Khan grabs tires. Khan says he’s not done with Yuya yet. Khan starts stacking tires at the center of the ring, then drags Yuya up. Khan clinches Yuya into HITSUJIGOROSHI! Yuya endures, even as Khan throws knees! Khan then scoops to SLAM Yuya on the tires! That’ll leave some skid marks! Khan then drags Yuya off the stack, brings him up and around, to then put a tire around his head. And then another! Yuya’s two tired to stand but Khan makes him! Khan throws a BODY BLOW, then he TRIPS Yuya into a TIRE DDT! The fans fire up while Khan grabs the other tires.
Khan stacks tires on his cone, that’s two. Khan hurries to find other tires on the outside, and he has a third. Khan considers his options, and takes one of the tires from Yuya. But Yuya clings to the tires, so Khan stomps him! Yuya refuses to let go of the tires! Khan stomps Yuya more but Yuya defends the tire with his body! Khan claws at Yuya, they tug-o-war over the tire, but Khan pulls on Yuya’s ear! Yuya kicks low, kicks again, then SMACKS Khan with the tire, and DROPKICKS Khan down! The tire goes tumbling out of the ring while Yuya fires up! Yuya takes Khan’s tires, hurries them over to his cone, that’s three right there!
Now Yuya has to hurry and find another! Yuya goes outside, grabs the tire, but Khan intercepts! They tug-o-war again, but then Khan RAMS Yuya into a corner! Khan takes this tire, that’s one. Khan finds tires on the outside and brings them in! Yuya hurries to cover tires again! Khan stomps Yuya, still stacks three, so it’s all down to this seventh tire! Yuya and Khan tug-o-war yet again, the fans rallying behind them! Khan grabs Yuya’s arm, but Yuya slips around to a SLEEPER! Khan fights up but Yuya squeezes tight! Yuya then CLUBS away on Khan, runs, but into a TIRE SWEEP! And a BASEMENT DROPKICK!
Khan grabs the final tire, but Yuya schoolboys him away! Yuya rolls through, snatches the tire, and complete his stack! Yuya wins the first round!
Khan: 0; Yuya: 1
Just like with Tanga Loa, Khan drops the ball in the first round! But then, will history repeat itself here as we prepare for the second round?
The tarps are set down, the table is set, and it’s time to eat up some Hiroshima lemons! Khan makes sure the people watching at home and around the world understand that Hiroshima lemons are the best, which probably means they’re the most sour. Khan puts on his bandana and takes his seat at the table. He and Yuya get some wet wipes to clean their hands, and it all comes down to who finishes their one lemon first. Ready, set, EAT! Yuya starts fast and that face shows how sour these are. Khan says hold on, and he just takes a HUGE bite! Yuya is suffering but Khan is reveling in the sourness! Khan’s already halfway through!
Yuya can barely keep the lemon in, but Khan’s eaten it all up! Can he get it all down before Yuya? Khan is chewing and chewing, Yuya is practically shaking from how sour it all is! Khan keeps going and… Yes, Khan has it all down! Khan wins!
Khan: 1; Yuya: 1
Khan now lets his body feel the stinging sweetness, and he says it was delicious! But then, that leaves us with this third and final round. And this time it’s a TABLES match! Who will be feeling sour and sore after this one?
The bell rings, both men rush in, Yuya dodges to fire haymakers! Yuya whips, Khan reverses but Yuya CLOBBERS him! Khan gets up, but Yuya DROPKICKS him down! Khan bails out, Yuya aims and PLANCHAS! Direct hit at the ramp, and the Heat Storm fires back up! The table is there, so Yuya drags Khan right up! Yuya goes to suplex but Khan blocks! Khan fights with body shots, turns things around, but Yuya fights the suplex! They fight for control, but Khan RAMS Yuya into the apron! The fans rally, Khan drags Yuya back up, and whips him into railing! Yuya tumbles up and over into No Man’s Land!
Khan storms out after Yuya and he asks fans move aside. Young Lions help the fans clear out while Khan drags Yuya up. Khan brings Yuya around and reminds everyone, No Disqualifications! Khan BOWLS Yuya through chairs, and that’s definitely a strike! The fans cheer Khan as he stands on chairs, but then asks more fans to move aside! Khan stomps Yuya, stomps a chair onto Yuya, then tosses that chair aside. Sorry to whoever had that seat… Khan then drags Yuya up and brings him around, but Yuya throws body shots! Khan Mongolian Chops Yuya down! Khan drags Yuya back up, and BOWLS him into more chairs!
Yuya is stuck on the seats, that wasn’t quite a strike. But Khan stacks chairs on Yuya to pick up the spare. Khan SMACKS chair with chair! Yuya sputters while fans applaud, and Khan goes back to fetch Yuya. Taichi and Taka are there but so are Newman and Akira. The Empire keeps the two out of five guys at bay while Khan drags Yuya to the back of the crowd. Khan whips Yuya into the emergency exit! Khan then SLAMS railing down on Yuya, and then SMACKS railing with railing! Khan talks trash while Taka and Taichi coach Yuya up. The ref checks Yuya, but he’s somehow able to continue, so Khan drags him up.
Khan brings Yuya around to drag him through the chairs! Khan brings Yuya back to ringside, then into the ring. The fans applaud, and then Khan goes looking under the ring. Khan eventually finds another lemon! Khan takes a big bite and uses the citrus to power up! Then he DIGS the lemon into Yuya’s face! The citric acid burns but the fans fire up! Khan goes to fetch the table from outside, puts it inside, and then sets it up in a corner. The fans rally up as Khan stalks Yuya. Khan drags Yuya up, reels him in to scoop, but Yuya slips free! Khan avoids hitting table, but Yuya DOUBLE CHOPS! Yuya whips Khan into the blue corner, then DOUBLE CHOPS again!
The fans fire up and Yuya grits his teeth. Yuya roars, brings Khan up and reels him in for a BIG back suplex! The fans rally again and Yuya brings Khan up. Yuya clinches, but Khan fights the lift! Yuya still tries, but Khan fights it to a head ‘n’ arm clinch. Yuya gets around, headlocks, but Khan pops out to waistlock. Yuya fights being pushed around, then switches to get an arm. Khan clinches but so does Yuya. They fight for control, and Khan’s SAYANAGI takes Yuya down! The fans fire up and both men stir. Yuya flops out of the ring, but Khan crawls in pursuit. Khan drags Yuya up, then RAMS him into railing!
Yuya writhes, Khan goes looking under the ring, and he brings out another TABLE! Khan SMACKS Yuya with the table, then stands the table up at ringside. Khan drags Yuya up, SMACKS him off the apron, then climbs up. Khan drags Yuya up onto the apron, Mongolian Chops, then regular CHOPS! Khan UPPERCUTS, then clamps on the IRON CLAW! Khan scoops but Yuya fights free! Yuya DROPKICKS! Khan holds onto ropes to stay up, but Yuya hurries to run! Yuya LARIATS, but into the IRON CLAW!! Khan drags Yuya up and over, ELIMINATOR- NO, Yuya grabs ropes to fight that off! Khan kicks low, winds up, but Yuya traps the arm!
Yuya traps the other arm, takes aim, but Khan fights the Deadbolt with all his might!! The fans are thunderous as Yuya still tries! Khan BITES Yuya’s ear! And then POSTS him! But Yuya runs up, into a BOOT! Yuya falls back, Khan sits down, and the fans rally again! Khan undoes his hand tape, ends up pushing the table over, and then he folds it all up. Khan puts the table in the ring, pushes Yuya aside, and then he sets this table up again, in the blue corner. Yuya goes up top to CROSSBODY! The fans fire up as Yuya roars! Yuya has his choice as he hauls Khan up. Yuya traps the arms, but Khan makes it a BELLY2BELLY!
But Yuya rises back up! Yuya runs in, gets around, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! But Khan’s right up! Khan LARIATS Yuya down! The fans fire up as Yuya is right back up, and URENAGES! Both men are down again and the fans are thunderous! Khan flounders around, he and Yuya crawl to center, and Yuya fires a forearm! Khan gives it back! Both men stand, and Yuya fires a haymaker! Khan comes back to forearm! Yuya wobbles, but he comes back to HAYMAKER! Khan staggers, wobbles, but comes back to FOREARM! Both men stagger, but Yuya fires another haymaker! Khan fires a flurry of forearms, but Yuya haymakers!
Khan ROCKS Yuya, but Yuya DOUBLE CHOPS! And DOUBLE CHOPS! And DOUBLE CHOPS! But Khan throws an IRON RIGHT! The fans fire up again as Yuya falls! Khan roars with Monster Rage and he hauls Yuya up! IRON CLAW, and then ELIMIN- NO, Yuya slips free! Yuya wrenches, traps the arms, DEADBOLT SUPLEX through the table!! YUYA WINS!!
Winner: Yuya Uemura, 2-1 (NEW KOPW Champion)
Yuya slammed the Deadbolt shut on Khan and now he takes the title from him! The Heat Storm is rising, how hot will he make the KOPW Division through the Summer?
10 Man Tag Elimination Match: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Bullet Club War Dogs!
These factions have been battling all over this Road to Wrestling Dontaku, but now they will fight ’til the last man! Will there be a roll call for Bushi, Hiromu, Takagi, Yota y Naito? Or will this alliance with the Good Looking Emperor, Jake Lee, help David Finlay, Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors & “Drilla” Dan Moloney shoot down LIJ?
Wait, it seems Naito has brought backup of his own? It’s SLYLY! The dragon-like mascot of Hiroshima Toyo Carp, and half-brother to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Phillie Phanatic! Well, Naito does love him some baseball. Tensions are running high, and Finlay throws his shirt at Yota. Yota balls that shirt up, and throws a fastball over the plate! The teams sort out, Finlay pushes Yota around and Gabe talks trash on Takagi. Red Shoes gets them all to settle down, and the War Dogs bark and put up the Too Sweet. Jake joins in at the end there. LIJ mocks the barking before they fist bump, and the fans cheer.
Things finally sort out and Finlay starts against Yota. The fans fire up behind “YO~TA! YO~TA!” at the bell, and Yota makes sure Finlay hears that. Finlay gets on the corner but the fans all boo. The two circle, tie up, and Yota uses his size to put Finlay on ropes. Finlay turns that around to grind forearms in Yota’s face and push him around. Finlay then backs up to SPIT at him! The fans boo but Yota CHOPS Finlay in return! The fans cheer, Yota headlocks, and Yota grinds Finlay down. Finlay powers up and out to headlock back, but Yota powers up and out. They RAM shoulders, Yota rebounds to run Finlay over!
The fans fire up, things speed up, but Finlay bails out. The fans boo but Finlay says he’s got time. Yota barks at Finlay but Finlay just mockingly applauds. Finlay returns, kips up just to show off, but then Hiromu wants in! Yota tags Hiromu, Finlay tags Drilla. Hiromu fires forearms on Drilla, whips, to ROCK, trip, KICK the ropes, then run and SHOTGUN Drilla down! The fans fire up while Hiromu barks. Hiromu runs corner to corner to clothesline, snapmare and basement dropkick! The fans fire up but Connors runs in to knee Hiromu low! Connors barks, runs, but Hiromu kicks low! Bushi dropkicks legs out so Hiromu can basement dropkick!
The fans fire up but Drilla fires hands and CHOPS on LIJ. Hiromu CHOPS back, he and Bushi double whip to TU LO SABE! Cover, TWO! Drilla stays in this but Hiromu fires Hiroshima up. Hiromu fireman’s carries, but Drilla slips free to RAM Hiromu into the corner! The Dogs mug Hiromu while Jake Lee runs up to BLAST Naito! Finlay and Connors help out in mugging Yota and Bushi! Things have pilled out into the crowd in multiple areas while Naito fights back! Jake kicks Naito, then whips him hard into railing! Naito tumbles up and over into No Man’s Land! Gabe and Takagi throw HEADBUTTS back and forth!
Finlay snatches a phone? He’s taking pictures of Jake stomping away on Naito! But then Yota attacks Finlay! Finlay POSTS Yota, a ring count starts, but the Dogs just keep beating LIJ down! Drilla finds his way back to ringside, Hiromu manages to make his way in! Hiromu crawls in at 17 but Drilla is there to stomp him! Drilla bumps Hiromu off Finlay’s boot! Drilla tags Jake in, they mug Hiromu, and Jake digs his boot in while Finlay pulls Hiromu’s hair! Red Shoes is busy getting everyone to stop brawling! Jake lets off but Hiromu fires off CHOPS! Jake just kicks low, whips, and then HIP TOSSES Hiromu down!
Hiromu staggers up but Jake clamps on a SLEEPER! Tag to Finlay and they mug Hiromu in the corner. Red Shoes reprimands and counts, the fans boo, and Finlay lets off at 4. Finlay soaks up heat, then he takes Hiromu’s Kamaitachi mask and THROWS it to the crowd! Finlay then BLASTS Yota off the apron! The Dogs CHOKE Hiromu more, mug him while Finlay argues with Red Shoes, then Finlay brings Hiromu up. Finlay fireman’s carries and goes to dump Hiromu! Hiromu clamps onto ropes, Bushi runs in to make the save! Connors goes after Bushi so Takagi makes the save! But Connors goes after Takagi now!
Finlay puts Hiromu on the apron but Hiromu rolls back in, SAFE! The fans cheer while Finlay is frustrated. Finlay storms up on Hiromu in a corner but Hiromu CHOPS and CHOPS! Finlay knees low, whips corner to corner hard, and Hiromu flounders all the way back to where he started! Finlay drags Hiromu up and over, the fans still cheering him on, but Connors tags in. Connors BLASTS Naito off the corner, then snap suplexes Hiromu down! Connors runs to ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Hiromu stays in this but Connors stays on him with a seated full nelson. The fans continue to rally for “HI-RO-MU!” as he endures!
Hiromu fights around, even as Gedo barks at him to give up. Hiromu still gets the ROPEBREAK! Finlay pushes the foot away and that distracts Red Shoes, allowing Drilla to join in and stomp Hiromu! Drilla & Connors double whip but Hiromu gets around to lift Connors and throw him at Drilla, FORCED RANA! The fans fire up but Connors keeps Hiromu away from his corner! Hiromu blocks a kick, and a punch, to DRAGON SCREW! The fans rally again while both men are down! Hot tag to Naito! Naito rallies on Connors, BLASTS Drilla, swings on Jake, but Jake gets away. Connors CLUBS Naito, whips, but Naito reverses to arm-drag!
Naito atomic drops, runs, and ELBOWS Connors down, to then basement dropkick! The fans fire up while Naito stares Jake down. Naito covers Connors, TWO! The fans rally, Naito drags Connors up and dragon sleepers, for the NECKBREAKER! And then, LEG HOOK NELSON! Connors endures but Gabe stomps Naito! Gabe BLASTS Takagi, the rest of the Dogs attack, and Gabe stomps away on Naito! Gabe tells off the fans but the fans boo. Red Shoes reprimands so Gabe steps away, and Connors drags Naito up. Connors UPPERCUTS, whips, but Naito reverses to TORNADO- NO, Connors powers out!
Connors dodges Naito, redirects and POUNCES! Naito is down but the fans rally up. Naito and Connors crawl, hot tags to Takagi and Gabe! The fans fire up for the NEVER Openweight Championship appetizer! They RAM shoulders, Takagi ROCKS Gabe then runs to RAM him! Gabe rebounds to RAM Takagi, but Takagi rebounds to RAM Gabe! Gabe fires a forearm, whips Takagi to a corner then runs in to clothesline! Takagi says that’s not enough, so Gabe UPPERCUTS! Gabe says he’s a madman, then whips, only for Takagi to reverses. Takagi runs in, blocks a boot, and clotheslines through! The fans fire up with Takagi, but Gabe shoves him!
Takagi kicks and CLUBS away on Gabe, but Gabe BITES Takagi’s forehead! Red shoes reprimands, but Takagi spins Gabe around to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Gabe’s still in this but the fans rally behind “TA-KA-GI!” Takagi looks around, “Oi, Hiroshima! TOKI GA-” NO, Gabe CLOBBERS Takagi! It isn’t his time yet, and Gabe stands Takagi up to HEADBUTT again and again! Then Gabe suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Takagi’s tougher than that but Gabe shakes his head. Gabe scuffs Takagi, eggs him on and runs, but Takagi blocks the Rebounder to HEADBUTT! Gabe HEADBUTTS! Both men shake their heads, and then Takagi HEADBUTTS!
Gabe HEADBUTTS! Takagi HEADBUTTS again and again, but then Gabe HEADBUTTS again and again! Takagi fires a forearm, Gabe gives it back, repeat! The fans fire up as the shots go back and forth! Gabe gets the edge, but Takagi fires boxing elbows! Gabe CHOP! Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! Gabe UPPERCUTS and YUKON LARIATS! But Takagi’s right up to LARIAT!! Gabe rises and shouts! Both men run in, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! And again! Gabe fires palm strikes, talks trash, but gets a JAB, HEADBUTT, and a PUMPING BOMBER take takes both men up and out! DOUBLE ELIMINATION!!
Fans go wild as Takagi’s sacrifice play makes things 4v4! Bushi and Drilla jump in and Drilla fires off shots! Drilla ENZIGIRIS, ripcords, but Bushi dodges to RANA! And DROPKICK! Drilla bails out but Bushi builds speed, only for Connors to SNAP POWERSLAM! Drilla gets in, he and Connors get moving, SPEAR GORE COMBO!! Cover, TWO!! Bushi survives but the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions coordinate. Connors BLASTS Naito off the apron before he climbs a corner, and Drilla gets Bushi up. Drilla suplexes, but Bushi slips free! Bushi shoves Drilla into Connors, then runs back in to CODE-
NO, Drilla blocks and aims for ropes! Bushi slips free, dodges Drilla, but Drilla ducks the enzigiri, only for the REWIND HEEL to hit! Bushi whips Drilla up and out and to the floor, Bushi ELIMINATES Drilla! We’re 4v3 in LIJ’s favor, but then Connors SPEARS Bushi! Connors says this is it, and he reels Bushi in for- NO! Bushi turns No Chaser into a backslide! BUSHI ROLL! Bushi ELIMINATES Connors!! The Black Mask singlehandedly handles the tag champs and the fans fire up! But then Finlay CLOBBERS Bushi and rains down fists! Finlay roars in rage, then he drags Bushi up. Canadian Rack, but Bushi slips free to backslide!
Finlay rolls through to UPPERCUT! Jake BLASTS Naito, BLASTS Yota, and then Finlay gets Bushi up! Finlay POWERBOMBS Bushi to the outside, onto Naito and the rest! Finlay ELIMINATES Bushi! We’re back to 3v2 as Finlay still has Jake but LIJ still has Naito, Hiromu and Yota. And speaking of Yota, he gets in to brawl with Finlay! Yota whips, Finlay reverses but Yota flipping RANAS! Then he BLASTS Jake! Yota runs corner to corner to STINGER SPLASH Finlay! Yota keeps moving, he runs Finlay over to then run and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up with Yota as he smiles and paces around.
Yota brings Finlay up and fireman’s carries, but Finlay slips free. Yota kicks, runs, but Finlay ELBOWS him down, then SENTONS on top! Finlay barks as he aims at Yota. Yota rises, Finlay runs in, and UPPERCUTS at the corner! Then clotheslines! Then FALCON ARROWS! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Yota but Finlay grows frustrated. Finlay drags Yota up, reels him in, but Yota fights the lift! Finlay CLUBS away on Yota, tries again, and he has Yota up, but Yota fights free of the bomb! Yota fires forearms, but Finlay UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS! And UPPERCUTS again! Finlay runs, but Yota backslides to KNEE Finlay down!
The fans fire up again as we pass 20 minutes, and Yota drags Finlay up. Yota goes up and up but Finlay shoves him over! Yota’s on the apron, he and Finlay brawl! Yota ROCKS Finlay, but Finlay gets in Red Shoes’ face! Jake grabs at Yota, Yota kicks him away, but Finlay BLASTS Yota down and ELIMINATES him! The fans boo but the Dogs have made this 2v2! Finlay and Jake stand together, and they dare Naito & Hiromu to join them. Naito and Hiromu oblige as they step inside. Naito stares Jake down, Hiromu stares Finlay down, and they start swinging! The fans fire up, but then Finlay fireman’s carries Hiromu! Finlay aims for ropes!
Naito gets past Jake to save Hiromu, but then Jake BOOTS Naito down! Jake scrapes Naito out of the ring and goes after him, but Hiromu fireman’s carries Finlay! Hiromu runs at ropes and dumps Finlay out! Finlay stays on the apron but Hiromu SUPERKICKS! Finlay holds onto ropes and wobbles, but Hiromu builds speed! Hiromu DIVES and SUNSET FLIPS, but Finlay still holds on! Finlay throws down hands, gets back inside, he’s SAFE! Hiromu is also safe because he went through the second rope. Hiromu runs back in, but avoids Blue Thunder to wheelbarrow! But Finlay turns that into an IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER!
Hiromu writhes, the fans rally as hard as they can behind him, but Finlay drags Hiromu up. DOMINATOR! Cover, Naito breaks it! Jake stomps Naito and TOSSES him out! It was all second rope so Naito’s safe, but Finlay talks trash on Hiromu. Finlay drags Hiromu up, reels him in, suplexes, but Hiromu slips free! Finlay UPPERCUTS, and UPPERCUTS, and UPPERCUTS! Flashback to the 23rd! Hiromu just takes UPPERCUT after UPPERCUT from Finlay, but he doesn’t stop! Then he SUPERKICKS! Hiromu runs, but into another UPPERCUT! Finlay gets Hiromu up, but Hiromu RANAS Finlay up and out to ELIMINATE him!!
The fans are thunderous as The Rebel is shocked! Hiromu mocks him, but then Jake runs in! Hiromu gets under the boot to get under Jake! Jake fights Hiromu off, snarls, and then runs up! Hiromu dodges to kick a leg! Hiromu runs, but Jake kitchen sink knees! Jake takes aim, runs up, and FACE BREAK SHOT! Hiromu tumbles up and out and to the floor, Jake ELIMINATES him! And now, at 25 minutes in, we’re down to just Jake and just Naito! Naito slowly rolls into the ring as the fans rally behind him. Jake watches Naito stand, and the two stare down. Jake runs in but Naito dodges to fire off forearms!
Naito whips but Jake reverses to KNEE low! Jake fires up but fans boo as he stands Naito up. Jake reels Naito in for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO! Naito protects the plate but Jake is aiming another heater! Jake waits as Naito stands, then winds up to choke grip! But Naito throws back elbows to get free! Naito then wrenches, TORNADO DDT! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Naito rises, he drags Jake up, and he throws those heavy back elbows! Jake crawls around, Naito brings him up, and Naito throws more heavy back elbows! Jake wobbles and staggers to the corner but Naito is right on him.
Naito brings Jake around for even more heavy back elbows! Jake falls over, the fans fire up, and Naito aims from the corner. Naito drags Jake up and in, but Jake BOOTS Naito down! Naito dangles off the apron! Red Shoes keeps the War Dogs from interfering, and Naito stands up. Jake aims, runs in, but Naito avoid the FBS! Naito drags Jake ot the apron, Jake elbows him back! Jake runs up, but into an ELBOW! Naito goes up and over, sweeps the legs, then BASEBALL SLIDE DROPKICKS! Jake falls, LIJ wins!!
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japon, Naito as the lone survivor
It came down to the bottom of the ninth, technically speaking, and Naito just hit the walk-off homer! Jake is stunned and Finlay is frustrated, but Yota just smiles back at him. Finlay and Yota will have it out as part of Wrestling Dontaku Night One, who will be smiling then?
As for LIJ, they regroup in the ring and have their hands raised. Slyly’s even still hanging around! But uh, he’s a little too chunky to get in the ring, so he just settles for pumping up the crowd like he does at baseball games. Naito gets the mic to say that it was three months ago, the Splash Strong series back in January, since Naito was last in Hiroshima. Naito would like to thank the fans from coming here tonight, “Gracias, amigos.” The fans cheer, and Naito continues by saying, “Hiroshima is my second home. I really long to have a match at Mazda Stadium.” The fans love the sound of that!
Naito does preface that him saying that doesn’t mean there’s anything planned. So please, tranquilo, be patient, and look forward to the day that finally happens. So, shall they do it? The fans cheer again! So then, for the first time in Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in a year and eight months, is everyone ready? The fans cheer because they sure are! Well then, the only way to close The Road to Wrestling Dontaku here in Hiroshima… Bushi! Hiromu! Takagi! Titan! Yota! Slyly! Y Naito! NOSOTROS! LOS! INGOBERRRRNABLEEEES~! DE! JA! PON!! Slyly gets in on the roll call! Will all of LIJ have success as we reach Wrestling Dontaku next week?
My Thoughts:
A great event to conclude Road to Dontaku before getting to Wrestling Dontaku itself. An unfortunate change in the card, Sanada fell ill and could not compete, so his match alongside Taichi against Tanahashi & Tomoaki was changed into Tanahashi and a Young Lion VS Tomoaki and a Young Lion. Hopefully Cold Skull gets well soon. Great tag title match from TMDK VS GoD, and while I figured TMDK was going to retain, I didn’t think it’d be in a shady way like holding tights. While ZSJ VS Cobb for the NJPW World TV title is still to come, I doner of GoD shift gears and ELP becomes a singles guy so Leo and Loa can team up. Then ELP can challenge ZSJ in a battle of initials while the Brothers Guerrilla get to take on Shane & Mikey.
Great Rural Revitalization again, they managed to pull off great comeback spots each round. I was very surprised Yuya won out, I felt like Khan could’ve done one more Rural Revitalization before losing. But at the same time, Yuya feels like the unofficial fourth Reiwa Musketeer behind Narita, Shota & Tsuji. Yuya getting a title, any title, ahead of the others is good stuff for him, and could even bring about a feud with one of the Musketeers for the Summer. And then a great 10 Man Elimination Tag. I again really like that NJPW allows over the rope eliminations even in a tag match like this to really mix things up. Jake Lee not winning out for the War Dogs is really surprising, but I feel like that means Jake will defeat Naito 1v1.
My Score: 8.9/10
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It’s a violent end to a legendary friendship!
Former Best Friends, Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor, have been through many Parking Lot Brawls, but this is their first time as enemies! Will there be broken bones to go along with the broken hearts?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Parking Lot Brawl: Trent Beretta VS Chuck Taylor; Trent wins.
- Thunder Rosa VS Deonna Purrazzo; Rosa wins.
- “Big Bill” Morrissey VS Trevor Blackwell; Bill wins.
- Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions; Shibata & Garcia win.
PLAY BY PLAY
Parking Lot Brawl: Trent Beretta VS Chuck Taylor!
Years of friendship, thrown away, and why? Because #JustTrent had a problem with Freshly Squeezed having more success in AEW than them? Because #JustTrent had a problem with Cassidy as a person? Because #JustTrent turned out to be the selfish one in the relationship? Well, then will #JustTrent get his ass kicked? Or will he take advantage of how Chuckie T. is a Kentucky Gentleman?
Trent stares Chuck down while we hear the crowd of other wrestlers taunting him. Trent takes a swing, but Chuck dodges to fire off hands! The brawl is on, and Chuck gets the edge! Chuck ROCKS Trent, then SMACKS him off a car hood! And then off the car door! Chuck drags Trent up, but Trent RAMS Chuck into the car! And throat chops him just because! Trent gets space, runs back in, but Chuck dodges so Trent hits the passenger door! Chuck gets a trash can lid and he stands Trent up. Trent jumps through the open window but Chuck drags him back out. Trent kicks low, and he gives Chuck a CAR HOOD BACK SUPLEX!
Trent grabs the trash can lid, SMACKS Chuck right in the head and Chuck falls down! The crowd boos but Trent opens a car trunk to bring out a trash can, a dustpan and a baseball bat! Chuck storms up but Trent CHUCKS the trash can into Chuck’s face! Chuck flounders and Trent smirks. Trent SMACKS Chuck with the trash can, CLUBS him around, and Chuck is busted open! The white car has red polka dots on it now, and Trent talks trash, “This is what you wanted?!” Trent runs up, but Chuck POP UP POWERBOMBS Trent onto a car hood! Trent writhes, Chuck staggers around, and Chuck brings Trent around.
Chuck headlocks Trent before he SMACKS him off another car door. Trent goes around the back and then up onto a truck! Chuck follows, and he CLUBS Trent in the chest! But Trent slips under, and he CLAWS Chuck’s bloody face! Trent DECKS Chuck and Chuck falls through drywall sheets! Trent looms over Chuck as he crawls out of the wreckage. Trent stalks Chuck, brings him around and SMACKS him with the trash can lid! Trent hoists Chuck onto a car roof, SMACKS him again, then goes back to the truck. Trent climbs onto the roof of the truck, to FLYING ELBOW from car to car! Cover, TWO!!
Trent is furious, but Chuck is still in this as Rampage goes picture in picture.
Trent fumes, paces around, and goes back to the goodies. He brings out… Is that a screwdriver?! And he JABS Chuck in the head with it!! And then he DIGS it into Chuck’s forehead!! As if he wasn’t already bleeding badly!! Trent leaves Chuck behind, to fetch what looks to be a flat screen TV. Then he brings out a wood door!? Did someone visit Home Depot before coming here? Chuck CHOPS Trent in return then fires haymakers! Trent CLAWS Chuck’s face! Trent grabs that TV and CHUCKS it, only for Chuck to duck it! Rampage returns as TV screen hits windshield! Chuck kicks low to snap suplex Trent through the door!!
The crowd is losing its minds as Trent crawls. Chuck gets Trent’s legs, to CATAPULT him into the truck’s tailgate!! The crowd fires up while Chuck gets a sinister look on his face. Chuck takes a piece of that drywall to SMASH it on Trent! Chuck gets that trash can, he SMACKS Trent with it! Chuck sees the pile of extra goodies nearby, and he uncovers some light tubes! But first, he’ll clean up the mess, he SMACKS Trent with the dust pan! And SMACKS him again and again! And then one more shot with the trash can! Trent writhes, but Chuck drags Trent up. Chuck SMACKS Trent off the tailgate, then clears some space.
Chuck climbs up, but Trent ROCKET LAUNCHES him onto the light tubes!!! The tubes shatter under Chuck’s back! Trent sputters, he’s bloody now, too. Trent puts Chuck against the car hood and stands on him! Trent soaks up the heat, but Chuck TRIPS Trent! Trent writhes, Chuck reels Trent in, Canadian Rack, RAZOR’S EDGE onto a windshield!! Trent writhes while fans chant “HOLY CHUCK!” Chuck covers Trent on the hood, TWO!! Trent survives and hurries around the back of this sedan. Chuck snarls, goes up after Trent, and they meet on the roof. They’re both so bloody as they fire forearms back and forth!
The crowd cheers Chuck and boos Trent, and as the two swing wild, they end up HUGGING! You GOT to give the people what they want, right? They stand, Chuck ROCKS Trent and reels Trent in, but Trent LOW BLOWS!! Trent has Chuck now, PILEDRIVER ON THE CAR ROOF!!! And then, SNAKE BITE!! Trent is choking Chuck out!!! Chuck IS out, Trent wins!!
Winner: Trent Beretta, by submission
The Best Friends tore each other apart, but it is #JustTrent that stands tall in the end. He’s clearly lost the respect of his peers given how the other wrestlers are chanting “You Suck! You Suck!” But wait, Trent isn’t done? He has a monkey wrench!? Cassidy & Kris step forward to say no, this is going too far! Trent says this is all Cassidy’s fault! And SMASH, Trent hits Chuck’s leg with the wrench, and even shatters the glass behind it!! Chuck clutches the already recovering leg, and now Cassidy wants after Trent! Kris stops Cassidy, Trent’s still got the wrench! Trent escapes into the shadows of the arena, what darkness is living in Trent’s heart?
Don Callis is watching this.
And he seems to like the sadistic savagery he just witnessed. Trent may not have Best Friends anymore, but could he end up with a whole new family?
Backstage interview with Kyle O’Reilly.
Arkady Aura is with #CombatKyle and brings up his impressive showing in Dynamite’s Casino Gauntlet this past Wednesday. But we all want to know, what is next for her? Well, on Saturday, May 11th, AEW is coming to his hometown! Collision in Vancouver, British Columbia! The Rogers Arena, the same building an 11-year-old Kyle saw his first wrestling show ever. And at that show, Kyle told his dad that he was gonna do this one day. Papa O’Reilly said, “Oh yeah, sure you will, kid.” But somehow, Kyle pulled it off. 25 years later, he’s coming back home to do the one thing he’s ever been good at and that’s wrestling.
Kyle is going to take on the best wrestlers this world has to offer, right here in AEW, where the best wrestle. Kyle is ready for a fight, who will take him up on that in two weeks?
Thunder Rosa VS Deonna Purrazzo!
La Mera Mera and The Virtuosa could not coexist in the race for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and now they will Rampage against each other! Who will stand tall, ready for another shot at the title?
The bell rings and the fans rally up. Deonna and Rosa step up, talk a little trash, then Deonna pie faces Rosa! Rosa swings but Deonna catches the arm! Rosa avoids the takedown to knee low! They tie up again, go around and around, and Deonna puts Rosa in a corner. The ref counts, Rosa powers her way out but Deonna headlocks. Rosa powers up and out, but Deonna RAMS her! The two stay up, Deonna eggs Rosa on then kicks her low! Deonna whips, Rosa blocks the hip toss, but then Deonna blocks a hip toss! Rosa avoids the lariat to DECK Deonna! Rosa rains down fists but the ref reprimands.
Rosa sits Deonna up, clamps on a COBRA CLUTCH, and she grinds Deonna down. The fans rally but Deonna fights up. Deonna throws hands, then wrenches, but Rosa breaks free. Deonna BOOTS Rosa, then has the arm for the ARMBAR DDT! Deonna dusts herself off as she paces, then she KICKS Rosa’s arm. And KICKS it again! Rosa goes to ropes, Deonna pushes her down and ties her up in Paradise! Rosa is stuck, Deonna soaks up the cheers and jeers, and then runs to DROPKICK Rosa out of Paradise! Deonna stands Rosa up but Rosa ROCKS her first! Deonna stands, Rosa RAMS into her then bumps her off buckles.
Rosa goes up and up to leap, but Deonna blocks the rana and has a BOSTON CRAB! They’re in the ropes, the ref counts, and Deonna lets go. Rosa crawls to the corner, Deonna paces while soaking up the heat. Rosa stands, builds speed, and she WERCKS Deonna with a dropkick! Rosa fires up despite the pain in her back, and she kicks Deonna. Deonna stands, Rosa CHOPS her against the post! And CHOPS her again! Deonna ducks, Rosa chops post! Deonna SUPERKICKS Rosa down, and Rampage goes picture in picture.
Deonna steps on Rosa’s face, steps away, and Rosa staggers up to railing. Deonna storms up but Rosa kicks her low. Rosa then runs Deonna side to side to POST her! But then Deonna RAMS Rosa into apron! And SMACKS her off it! Deonna snarls, brings Rosa around, and she puts Rosa in the ring. Cover, TWO! Deonna clamps onto Rosa to pull her arms in, for a straitjacket stretch! Rosa endures, fights up, but Deonna turns that into a BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO! Rosa is still in this, and she is feeding off the energy of the fans! Rosa stands, and she ELBOWS Deonna! And body shots! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS again!
Rosa has Deonna in a corner to UPPERCUT! Rosa runs corner to corner and back again, but Deonna dodges! Rosa POSTS herself and falls to the apron! Deonna storms back over, brings Rosa up and wraps the bad arm against ropes! The ref counts, Deonna KICKS the ropes as she lets off, and Rosa clutches the elbow. Deonna returns but Rosa RAMS into her! Deonna CLUBS Rosa, has her in a corner, and HEADBUTTS the lower back as Rampage goes to break.
Rampage returns and Deonna runs in, but into an ELBOW! And then a BOOT! Rosa goes up to MISSILE DROPKICK! The fans fire up with Rosa as she rises up! Deonna runs in, Rosa dodges to fire forearm after forearm! Deonna shoves, Rosa ENZIGIRIS! Rosa runs, to SHOTGUN BOOT! Deonna flounders to ropes, Rosa pounds the mat and the fans rally again. Rosa runs side to side to DROPKICK again! Cover, TWO!! Deonna toughs it out while Rosa shakes out her arm. Rosa drags Deonna up, but Deonna SOBATS! Deonna runs to KNEE LIFT and RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Deonna wants the Fujiwara but Rosa rolls free!
Deonna BOTOS Rosa down, covers, TWO! Rosa is still in this and the fans rally up. Deonna is frustrated but she fireman’s carries Rosa. Rosa fires elbows, waistlocks, but Deonna pries the hold open! Deonna waistlocks, Rosa victory rolls and STOMP 182! The fans rally up again and Rosa covers, TWO! Deonna stays in this but Rosa stays on her. Rosa drags Deonna to a drop zone, goes to a corner and climbs. But Deonna rises and catches the leap! FUJIWARA ARMBAR!! Rosa endures, reaches out, pushes Deonna over to get a REAR NAKED CHOKE!! Deonna is in the body scissors but she fights around!
Deonna rises, to BACKPACK SENTON! Deonna is free, the fans fire up, and Deonna brings Rosa back up. Deonna SLAPS Rosa, then reels her in! Gotch Hold, but Rosa jackknife bridges! TWO, Deonna sunset flips, TWO! Prawn hold, TWO! FUJIWARA!! Rosa rolls it to a cradle, ROSA WINS!!
Winner: Thunder Rosa, by pinfall
Deonna thought she had the perfect formula but Rosa says she just beat her at wrestling! But then Deonna CLOBBERS Rosa at the ramp! The fans boo but Deonna drags Rosa up to RAM her into the bleachers! Rosa slumps down, but Deonna digs her boot in! Deonna SLAPS Rosa around, tells the ref to shut up, and she SLAPS Rosa more! So Rosa SLAPS back! They brawl on stage and then out to the ledge of the upper level! The fans fire up as they keep going! Security rushes in, the fans boo, but Deonna flips Rosa off! It seems nothing was settled here, will these two look to go Double or Nothing?
Backstage interview with The Undisputed Kingdom.
Arkady Aura is with Roderick Strong, Matt Taven & Mike Bennett as she notes Will Ospreay is the NEW #1 Contender to the AEW International Championship. Taven says hold on, before we get started here, “Not Lexy,” as three guys who care deeply about neck health, and as two guys who nursed someone from the brink of paralysis (aka Roddy), The Kingdom wishes a very speedy recovery to “the world’s greatest boss. TK, stay strong, buddy.” Roddy then shouts that “WILL… Ospreay. Congratulations, you did it! You have signed, sealed and delivered the downfall, demise and destruction of The Aerial Assassin at Double or Nothing.”
Roddy says the world can sing Ospreay’s praises, but none of that matters when you step in the ring with Roddy. Just like all the ones before, Roddy will dismantle Ospreay, he will BREAK Ospreay, and he will make Ospreay fall in front of The Savior of the Backbreaker. Roddy’s confidence is strong, but will Roddy be the one feeling the End of Heartache after taking on the #BillyGOAT?
“Big Bill” Morrissey VS Trevor Blackwell!
The human skyscraper says he wants to sit under the Learning Tree, but Chris Jericho’s gonna need a bigger tree if he’s to give guidance to Big Bill. Will Bill prove he is worthy of The Wizard’s sage advice?
The moment Bill is in the ring, he SPLASHES Trevor right in the corner! The bell rings, Bill runs to BOOT Trevor down! Trevor flounders around, Bill runs corner to corner and SPLASHES again! Trevor flops around, Bill wants Jericho to watch this. Bill said he’d show Jericho he is worthy, and we do see Jericho watching backstage, holding the FTW Championship on his shoulder and oddly still wearing a #LionHook shirt… Jericho nods as Bill CLUBS Trevor on the back! Bill then tells Jericho to watch him! Scoop and BIG BOSS SLAM!! Cover, but Bill lets off! Bill wags his finger, he wants Jericho to see more.
Bill brings Trevor up, reels him in, and short arm LARIATS! Cover, but again Bill lets off! Bill is having too much fun at poor Trevor’s expect. Bill says Jericho’s gonna wanna teach him. Bill hoists Trevor up for the SKYSCRAPER CHOKE SLAM!! One foot cover, a very Jericho move, and Bill wins!
Winner: “Big Bill” Morrissey, by pinfall
Trev might want to change his last name to Well-done, because he got roasted. Bill wants Jericho’s guidance, does he even need it when he can do all this?
BREAKING NEWS for Rampage!
Rampage won’t be following up Collision next week but it also won’t be back on Friday just yet. For AEW’s return to Canada, Rampage is going to be BACK TO BACK with Dynamite! Get ready for a truly All Elite Wednesday!
Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions!
The Wrestler said during Collision earlier tonight that he was going to take on Shane Taylor Promotions by himself if he had to, but then the Dragonslayer offered his help. Now they’re both going to take on #TAIGASTYLE and Big Bad Shaney T. himself! Garcia wears basic trunks and boots to match Shibata, will The Wrestlers win out? Or will STP rumble, bad man, rumble?
The moment all four men are in the ring, Shibata CLOBBERS Lee Moriarty and then he and Garcia both go after Shane! The fans fire up as they stomp and kick Shane right out of the ring! Then they go out to keep after him! Shibata whips and BOOTS Shane into railing! Garcia fires off on Lee, then Shibata adds an UPPERCUT! Shibata whips and BOOTS Lee against railing! Garcia stomps Shane, Shibata snap suplexes Lee to the floor! Shibata leaves them behind to go into the ring and sit cross-legged! Garcia sits with him! The fans fire up and the two go out again. The brawling continues but Shane throws heavy hands!
Lee ROCKS Garcia, Shane puts Shibata in, and Shane storms in after Shibata. Lee sends Garcia into railing, but Shibata fires hands on Shane! Shibata KICKS and KICKS, but Shane blocks the boot! Shane JABS Shibata and Shibata falls back! Shane talks trash, the fans boo, but Shane drags Shibata up. Shane HEADBUTTS Shibata, tags Lee, and they mug Shibata. Lee stomps a mudhole in, lets off as the ref counts, but he sneaks mule kicks on Shibata the whole time! Shibata trips Lee, stomps him, but Lee gets up to RAM into Shibata! Lee brings Shibata around, suplexes, but Shibata slips free to waistlock!
Lee elbows free, kicks, but Shibata blocks! Lee KNEES Shibata but Garcia tags in! Shibata BOOTS Lee, Garcia LARIATS! Garcia DROPKICKS Shane, gets around Lee, TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! And then another TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Garcia brings Lee up again but Lee suplexes! Garcia slips free, spins Lee and kicks low, to then TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! The trifecta is complete and the fans fire up! Garcia storms up on Lee, brings him up, and UPPERCUTS! The fans rally for Garcia, he CHOPS Lee to ropes. And CHOPS Lee against ropes! Garcia runs, but Shane trips him! Lee distracts the ref so Shane can DRAPING DDT to the floor!
Shibata protests but Lee mocks him by sitting cross-legged. The ring count climbs, Garcia drags himself up at 3 of 10, slides in at 5, but Lee stomps Garcia at the ropes! Lee drags Garcia up, bumps him off buckles, then tags Shane. Shane pushes Garcia against the buckles, to then CHOP! Garcia seethes and he fires forearm son Shane! The fans fire up, Garcia throws more shots, then leaps, but into Shane’s arms! Shane RAMS Garcia into a corner, then CHOPS! Shane runs up, but Garcia BOOTS! Garcia spins, but Shane ROCKS him first! And URENAGES! And then SPLASHES down! Cover, TWO!
Shane seethes but he keeps Garcia from Shibata, and Rampage goes picture in picture.
Shane mocks Garcia’s dance, drags him up, but Garcia CHOPS! Garcia staggers, but Shane fires body shots in the corner! Shane ROCKS Garcia, tags Lee, and STP mugs Garcia. Garcia flounders to ropes, Lee CHOKES him! The ref counts, Lee steps away, and he stomps Garcia around. Lee wraps an arm around the ropes, then fishhooks Garcia! The ref counts, Lee lets off, and Garcia feeds off the energy of the fans. Lee brings Garcia up but Garcia fires forearm sand CHOPS! Lee gets around, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! Cover, TWO! Garcia stays in this but Lee stays on him with a wrench. Tag to Shane, and Lee hooks Garcia up in a COBRA TWIST, just so Shane can KNEE Garcia down!
Shane has Garcia on ropes, ROCKS him with a forearm, then scoops him for SNAKE EYES! Garcia slumps down in the corner, Shane drags him back up, and TOSSES him out! Shane goes out to then put Garcia against railing. Shane ROCKS Garcia, talks trash on fans, then brings Garcia around to scoop and SLAM him to the floor! Shane talks more trash on the fans, Lee has him cool off, and Shane brings Garcia up again. Shane puts Garcia in, tags Lee, and then Lee clamps on with a top wristlock and stretches Garcia out! Garcia endures, turns to fight the pressure, but Lee CLUBS him down. Lee drags Garcia up, tags Shane, and Shane scoop SLAMS!
Shane runs to SPLASH Garcia again! Rampage returns to single picture, Shane drags Garcia to a drop zone, and he goes up a corner. The fans boo but Shane blows them a kiss. FALLING SPLASH FLOPS as Garcia moves! T he fans fire up, but Lee KICKS him down! Lee hurries back and tags in, then he drags Garcia up. Lee wrenches, wristlocks, but Garcia endures. Lee SNAPS the fingers! The fans boo Lee being so villainous, but he drags Garcia up. Lee bumps Garcia off buckles, Shane holds Garcia up, but Garcia fights free with boots and haymakers and elbows! The fans fire up, Garcia sends Lee into Shane!
Lee hurries to waistlock but Garcia switches, SAIDO! The fans are thunderous as Lee and Garcia crawl! Hot tags to Shane and Shibata! Shibata BOOTS Shane! Shane roars, Shibata runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges and BOOTS! Shibata whips to BOOT Shane in the corner! Shibata fires forearms, the ref counts, but Lee runs up. Shibata DECKS him! Garcia RAMS Lee into a corner, climbs up, and while Shibata fires forearms on Shane, Garcia rains down fists! Garcia goes all the way to nine, then DOES HIS DANCE! Shibata and Garcia coordinate, DOUBLE HYDRAULIC DROPKICKS! The fans fire up and Garcia stands Shane up. Shibata runs in to BOOT!
Shibata CHOPS and CHOPS and CHOPS Shane, then CHOPS, CHOPS and JABS! Garcia does his dance while Shibata JABS and CHOPS to the rhythm! The fans are loving this, as now Garcia runs in to KNEE Shane! Shibata & Garcia get Shane up, to DOUBLE SUPLEX!! Cover, ONE?!? Shane has power to spare, but Garcia BOOTS him! Shibata BOOTS him! They go again, but this time Shane DOUBLE SUPLEXES them!! The fans boo but Shane tags in Lee. Lee runs up to clothesline Shibata, and JAB! And CHOP! JAB! CHOP! JAB! CHOP! Shibata just scowls at Lee! Lee says okay, and he fires more JABS and CHOPS!
Shibata steps into the shots, so Lee eggs him on! Shibata ROCKS Lee! Shane runs up, HEADBUTTS, then Lee HALF HATCH SLAMS! Cover, TWO!! Shibata toughs it out and STP grows frustrated. Lee drags Shibata up, kicks then waistlocks, but Shibata fights the lift! Shane storms in, helps Lee put on the full nelson, and Shane promises to knock Shibata out! But Shibata BOOTS Shane first! Garcia jumps on for a SLEEPER! Shibata switches on Lee for a SLEEPER!! The fans fire up as STP start fading out! Shane fires up to RAM Garcia into buckles! But Shibata BOOTS him! And Garcia SAIDOS!! Shibata PENALTY KICKS Lee!! Cover, The Wrestlers win!
Winners: Katsuyori Shibata & Daniel Garcia, by pinfall
Shibata helps Garcia stand up, and Garcia is proud to have won alongside one of his heroes! And with the fans cheering him on, Garcia sets up… to DO HIS DANCE! Will this momentum help Shibata avenge Hook and take that FTW Championship off of Chris Jericho? Or will The Learning Tree have some things to teach Shibata?
My Thoughts:
A great Rampage here, though I was oddly more excited when I thought it was just Deonna VS Rosa and the Parking Lot Brawl. But even so, at least Bill squashing a dude was used in story. He was showing off, he’ll surely have Jericho’s blessing if he helps defeat Shibata on Dynamite, but a part of me almost wants this to be all a trap. Bill was teammates with Ricky Starks in a feud against Jericho, and if Jericho is being obliviously arrogant then maybe Bill is using that against Jericho, too. But either way, let’s just hope this story helps Bill get going rather than slow him down like the #JerichoVortex has always done.
The Parking Lot Brawl was moving maybe a bit fast for me, especially with how there were some obvious spots already set up when they arrived, such as the drywall draped across the truck bed. But they surely got bloody, and in the end, Trent won out because he was willing to sink to the lowest low. And then they’ve written Chuck off again with that monkey wrench to the shin, so Cassidy VS Trent is definitely a Double or Nothing match. And something is just telling me that if Kris is gonna turn out to be the villain in the Willow Nightingale story, she’s probably gonna screw Cassidy over to help Trent, too.
Really good match from Deonna VS Rosa, and with Rosa getting a quick pin then that brawl, we’re clearly getting more out of them. Good promo from Kyle O’Reilly to hype AEW’s newest Canada tour, and good promo from The Kingdom to tie in their old Neck Health Awareness gag to the Tony Khan piledriver angle. Roddy calling out Ospreay, I would definitely think Ospreay wins the title at Double or Nothing. And really good tag main event from Shibata & Garcia VS Shane Taylor Promotions. STP keeps getting great showings even in losing, but Lee took the loss here to keep Shane himself strong. Great win for Shibata but this just adds to the go-home math where Jericho retains the FTW Championship on Dynamite.
My Score: 8.7/10
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Join the Brothers Wortz as they cover professional sports in unprofessional ways!
Bandwagon Nerds #232: Superhero Madness- A Top Seed Falls
Superhero Madness continues and sees the first #1 seed fall!. Plus, a trailer for a new Transformers movie, and a...
Mitchell’s Hyrule Puro-Resu News Report! (4/20/24)
HPW looks to the horizon.
Bandwagon Nerds #231: Disney News & Superhero Madness
Round two of Superhero Madness begins this week. Cinema Con gives us plenty of Disney news and a trip to...
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Superhero Madness continues with first round battles in the Aliens bracket, plus Invincible Season 2 comes to an excellent conclusion.
Mitchell’s Hyrule Puro-Resu Results & Report! (4/1/24)
We got five on it!
Mitchell’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku Results & Report! (4/27/24)
Rural Revitalization continues!
Mitchell’s AEW Rampage Results & Report! (4/27/24)
Trent Beretta's on a Rampage!
Mitchell’s AEW Collision Results & Report! (4/27/24)
It's a slam dunk!
Mindless Wrestling Podcast: What Happened Last Week?
After a two-week hiatus, DJ gets to the bottom of why there was no podcast last week. Then, we skewer...
Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Results & Report! (4/26/24)
It's Draft Day!
DWI Podcast #427: Get Off My Back…lash
It's time to shake things up again!
Andrew’s TNA iMPACT! Results & Match Ratings: 4.25.2024
We just got done with Rebellion, and Under Siege is two weeks away! Gotta see how these dots connect!
Mitchell’s ROH Results & Report! (4/25/24)
Champions need challengers!
Classic POD is WAR: @PattonOswalt
Tune in for another vintage episode of POD is WAR!!!
Mitchell’s AEW Dynamite Results & Report! (4/24/24)
Anybody can get it!
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