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Mitchell’s NJPW WrestleKingdom 18 Results & Report! (1/4/24)

Will WrestleKingdom be tranquilo?

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The Cold Skull and the Stardust Genius battle for NJPW’s top prize!

NJPW returns to the Tokyo Dome for WrestleKingdom 18, and perhaps one of the biggest nights in their history! And in the main event, it will be Sanada VS Tetsuya Naito for THE IWGP World Heavyweight Championship!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • KOPW 2024 Ranbo: Taiji Ishimori, Great-O-Khan, Toru Yano & Yoh advance to New Year Dash.
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Clark Connors & Dan Moloney VS Catch 2/2; Catch 2/2 wins and become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
  • NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. VS Hiroshi Tanahashi; Tanahashi wins and becomes the new NJPW World Television Champion.
  • Yota Tsuji VS Yuya Uemura; Uemura wins.
  • Shota Umino & Kaito Kiyomiya VS Ren Narita & EVIL; Narita & Evil win.
  • NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi VS Tama Tonga; Tama wins and becomes the new NEVER Openweight Champion.
  • IWGP Heavyweight & NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, Winners Take All: Bishamon VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo; ELP & Leo win and are the dual IWGP Heavyweight & NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions.
  • IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi VS El Desperado; Desperado wins and becomes the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat: Will Ospreay VS Jon Moxley VS David Finlay; Finlay wins and is the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion.
  • Kazuchika Okada VS Bryan Danielson; Okada wins.
  • IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA VS Tetsuya Naito; Naito wins and becomes the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

PLAY BY PLAY

KOPW 2024 Ranbo!

No better way to kick off WrestleKingdom than with a New Japan Ranbo! Eliminations are via pinfall, submission or going over the top rope and to the floor, and we go until we have our final four! Who moves on to New Year Dash tomorrow night to battle for the KOPW Championship?

The first ones out are Chase Owens, bringing back his Texas Heavyweight Championship that he’s never defended, and The Dominator, Great-O-Khan! And Tiger Hattori is back to call the event? Fans fire up already for this great moment as the bell rings. Khan and Chase circle, feel things out, and they tie up. Khan waistlocks, Chase elbows free then throws hands. Chase whips, CLOBBERS Khan, then blows snot on him! Khan brushes himself off but Chase throws down fists. Chase stomps Khan, drags him up, but Khan throws body shots. Chase bumps Khan off buckles, but the countdown is already here!

Chase steals the Mongolian Chops, then regular CHOPS, and here comes Bullet Club’s Gabe Kidd! Chase has back-up already in the #WarReady War Dog! And he better hurry up, Khan is throwing Chase at the ropes! Chase holds on, Kidd rushes in and UPPERCUTS Khan! Kidd talks trash, CHOPS and clotheslines and suplexes! Fans fire up with Kidd, and then he flips off Chase?! Kidd DECKS Chase, and shouts “I’m a madman, y’know!!” Kidd stomps Chase, rains down fists on Khan, but then argues with Tiger Hattori over that. Kidd UPPERCUTS Khan, BITES his forehead, and the countdown is back!

Kidd CHOPS Khan, but here comes another War Dog! Kidd grins as he now has Alex Coughlin on the way. Kidd CHOKES Chase in a corner, lets off, and Coughlin slides in. Kidd stands on Khan while Coughlin gut wrenches to SLAM Chase down! Fans cheer the War Dogs as they stand tall, but Khan fights back with forearms! Kidd wants help but he gets Mongolian Chops! Coughlin CLUBS and DECKS Khan, then the War Dogs mug Khan together. They mug Chase but Chase fights back. The countdown is back already as the mugging continues. Here comes Jeff Cobb! The Imperial Unit is here, but the War Dogs are right on him!

The War Dogs double whip but Cobb DOUBLE LARIATS! Fans fire up as Cobb OVERHEAD SUPLEXES Kidd! Then he OVERHEAD SUPLEXES Coughlin! The United Empire stands together, Khan blocks Chase’s kick and Cobb whips. Kidd reverses to BITE Cobb! Tiger reprimands, Coughlin scoops Cobb for a FALL AWAY SLAM! Fans cheer the showing of strength, and here comes another countdown! HENARE is here! The Empire has three in at once and the Face of Fury rallies on the War Dogs! He also blocks Chase’s kick to WINDMILL KICK! Henare whips, Coughlin reverses but Henare ELBOWS back, then FLYING CHUCKS!

Fans fire up with Henare and he powers up! But Kidd CLUBS him first! Kidd throws hands, Coughlin CLUBS Cobb, then Kidd CHOPS Henare. The War Dogs have the Empire on the ropes, but the Empire reverses the whips to DOUBLE SUPERKICK! Fans fire up as Henare and Cobb run to clothesline the War Dogs up and out! DOUBLE ELIMINATION!! Fans fire up, and we have another countdown! Wait, here comes the Stone Pitbull, Tomohiro Ishii! The Empire mugs Chase while Henare waits on his rival. Ishii storms up, seeing all three Empire members standing at the ready.

Ishii gets in the ring and the Empire mugs him! But he fires back with forearms! Ishii roars, but gets DOUBLE SUPERKICKS and a BOOT! Khan keeps Chase down while Henare fires hands on Ishii. Henare headbutts but Ishii stands firm! Ishii HEADBUTTS and CHOPS Henare in return! Henare shoves Ishii, fires forearms, but Ishii leans into them! Ishii ROCKS Henare, and the countdown is back. Here comes Mikey Nicholls! Mad Mikey is back in action, and Chase fights back against Khan. Chase CHOKES Khan on ropes, Mikey CLUBS Henare and Cobb! Mikey ROCKS Henare, ROKCS him again, but Henare ROCKS Mikey back!

Fans rally and Mikey CHOPS! Cobb goes to dump Ishii out! Ishii holds on for dear life! Khan stomps Chase down, Ishii powers his way back in and elbows Cobb away! Khan has an IRON CLAW SLEEPER on Mikey! Ishii hoists Cobb up now, and the countdown is back. Cobb suplexes Ishii, but Ishii fights it off! Ishii throws body shots but Chase stomps Ishii down. Shane Haste is here! TMDK now has both OG in the mix, and Hysterical Haste fires forearms with Henare! Shane UPPERCUTS, but Henare ROCKS him! Henare runs, into a DROPKICK! Fans fire up but Cobb CLOBBERS Shane! Mikey DECKS Chase!

Mikey stomps Ishii, then helps Shane with Cobb. They go to hoist Cobb up and out but Cobb holds onto the ropes. Khan makes the save, but then Ishii goes after Khan. Khan Mongolian Chops Ishii! But Mikey hits Khan with a BIG back suplex! The countdown returns, and next up is… Yujiro Takahashi! The Tokyo Pimp is here, but is he Bullet Club or House of Torture tonight? He takes his time getting to the ring while Chase is in trouble. Shane fires forearms on Ishii, Chase claws Mikey’s eyes! Chase claws Shane, too! Yujiro is in, but Cobb blocks the pimp cane! Cobb kicks Yujiro, has the cane, but Yujiro slides out the bottom!

TMDK attacks Cobb, get rid of the cane, and hoist Cobb up! Khan saves him from Thunder Valley! But he runs into the BACK SUPLEX NECKBREAKER COMBO! Cobb fires forearms on TMDK, but they fire back! Cobb JABS Mikey, but Shane jumps on! Cobb catches Shane with one arm! But Shane slips free, feed to an elbow! DROPKICK and low bridge, TMDK ELIMINATE Cobb! The countdown is back, and here comes Master Wato! The Way to the Grandmaster makes his way to the ring, right as Ishii TOSSES and ELIMINATES Henare! The Face of Fury is furious, but Khan goes after Wato the moment he’s in!

Khan UPPERCUTS Wato, runs, but into the CALF KICK! Chase runs up, but Wato KICKS and KICKS and KICKS Chase in return! Shane kicks but Wato blocks to trip Shane and turn him! Mikey CLOBBERS Wato to stop the Boston Crab! Ishii storms over to CLUB Shane, then he focuses on Chase. But Shane hoists Ishii up the corner! The countdown is back already! Khan tries to help Shane with Ishii, but Ishii holds on for dear life! Yoshinobu Kanemaru is here! The Heel Master takes a swig of liquid courage before he hurries into the ring. Khan drags Mikey into an IRON CLAW SLEEPER! Kanemaru stomps everyone he can!

Kanemaru whips Wato and dropkicks the legs out! Yujiro is hiding on the outside, safe from being eliminated. Wato fires back on Kanemaru, elbows Chase for good measure, but Kanemaru chokes Wato against ropes. Mikey digs his boots into Ishii, Kanemaru stomps a mudhole into Wato. Shane helps Kanemaru with Wato while Chase sneaks some whiskey. The countdown is back, and here comes YOH! Mr. Direct Drive is coming in at high speed! He slides in, and fires off on Kanemaru! Wait, he has no shoes? Why does he have no shoes? Because they’re his weapons! But then TMDK slap him around with his own shoes!

TMDK double whip, Yoh holds onto ropes and then uses them as defense. But TMDK still slap him with his own shoes! Yoh falls over, Ishii CLUBS Mikey then ROCKS Shane! Ishii keeps on Mikey, but Shane comes back to make the save. TMDK tries to double suplex, but Ishii makes it a DOUBLE DDT! The countdown is back and now we have SHO! Yoh’s most hated rival is here, ready to help the other House of Torture members. But Yoh slips out the bottom to go after Sho! Sho panics and gets the wrench! Yoh and Sho fight over the Murder Tool! Yoh takes it, and holds it between his legs! So Sho kicks him low!

Sho takes the wrench back, but Yoh kicks low! They fight over the wrench, but Sho knocks Yoh down and CHOKES him with the wrench! Fans boo but Kanemaru keeps after Ishii. The countdown is back again and next out is… Hayato Fujita Jr?! Of Michinoku Pro?! Fujita is a three-time and current Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Champion while also being GLEAT’s Lidet UWF Champion, and now he is here to add the KOPW to his collection! He CLOBBERS Sho & Yoh on the ramp! He even KICKS Yoh in the butt, then brings both men along with headlocks! The fans fire up as Fujita puts them both in the ring.

Kanemaru stomps Fujita, CLUBS him and whips him, but Fujita reverses. Kanemaru BOOTS back, but runs up into a COMPLETE SHOT! Sho kicks and whips, Fujtia reverses to SOBAT, KICK and SHOTGUN Sho down! The countdown is back as the fans fire up with Fujita! Wato goes after Fujita, but here comes Taiji Ishimori! Bone Soldier may have missed out on the Junior Heavyweight Championship but he’ll seek more gold here. Meanwhile, Ishii slips free of Tank Buster to send Mikey into Shane! Shane BOOTS Ishii, but Ishii puts Shane on the apron! Mikey runs up but is sent into Shane and Shane falls! Mikey ELIMINATES Shane!!

Then Ishii suplexes Mikey but Mikey suplexes Ishii! They both end up on the apron, they brawl with forearms, and Kanemaru runs up! He and Sho ROCK Mikey & Ishii, but they roar and ROCK those two back! Yujiro runs up, Mikey moves Ishii aside and takes the hit! Yujiro ELIMINATES Mikey! No more TMDK, but Ishii DECKS Yujiro for that! Kanemaru BOOTS Ishii, and Sho is underneath anchoring Ishii’s feet! Yujiro BOOTS Ishii down, the House ELIMINATES Ishii! Fans boo but things move on. Wato and Fujita trade KICKS, but Wato ducks the buzzsaw! Fujita fights the German Suplex, but Wato shoves him to a corner.

Wato runs in, Fujita puts him on the apron but Wato GAMANGIRIS! Kanemaru shoves Fujita into Wato and sends Wato down, Fujita technically ELIMINATES Wato! But then Kanemaru tosses Fujita up and out! Fujita holds on to stay safe on the apron, Yoh goes after Kanemaru, and the countdown is back. Yoh goes up and up, where’d his socks go? Ishimori jumps in, Yoh goes Old School, and here comes Douki! Japones Del Mal takes his time while Fujita and Ishimori speed things up. Sho trips Yoh up! Ishimori CHOPS Fujita but Fujita KICKS back! Douki runs up to fire forearms on them both! Then he shoves Ishimori into Fujtia!

Douki RAMS Ishimori, then springboards to COFFIN SPLASH! Fans fire up with Douki as he hauls Ishimori up. But Chase helps Bone Soldier. Douki throws elbows on Fujita, kicks and ENZIGURIS, then runs, but into Fujita’s SLEEPER! Fujita then shifts that around, GUILLOTINE! Douki grabs the ropes, but Ishimori and Sho work together to DUMP and ELIMINATE both Douki and Fujita!! But the countdown is back, here comes Toru Yano! Fans fire up as the inaugural and most dominant KOPW Champion is here! Yano’s introduction is just long enough to take up the entire walk down the ramp!

Yoh is stuck on the top rope, but everyone else waits on Yano. Yano tells them to get away then! This is too much even for him! Yujiro & Sho stomp Khan but Chase holds the ropes open for Yano. Yano is hesitant but the fans rally for him. Yano wants them to be reasonable, but the countdown is back again. Next up is… TAKASHI IIZUKA?!? Didn’t he retire?!? No one can believe this, but it’s really him!! The absolute madman is storming down the ramp and everyone else just stops to watch! Yano wants to welcome Iizuka back, but Iizuka attacks! Iizuka BITES Yano! Ishimori rushes out, but he gets attacked, and a BITE on the forehead!

Chase rushes out, but he also gets a BITE from Iizuka! Iizuka storms into the ring and the House freaks out! Iizuka stares them down, and the House offers him a spot on the team? Fans rally for Iizuka but he’s curious about the shirt. Iizuka takes the shirt, tries it on, and then RIPS It up!! He kicks Sho, BITES him, kicks Yujiro, and BITES him! Kanemaru kicks, runs, but into a SLEEPER!! Iizuka has Kanemaru sitting down right away! Sho & Yujiro attack, fans boo, but here comes the countdown. The House stomps Iizuka but here comes TAICHI! Not only is the Holy Emperor the previous KOPW Champion, but he was a protege to Iizuka!

Fans cheer as Taichi makes his way to the ring, lip synching the entire way. Taichi has the POUCH! He gives it to Iizuka while the House is after him! Sho & Yujiro double whip, but get DOUBLE AX BOMBERS! Iizuka has the IRON FINGERS!! He JAMS Sho, and he JAMS Yujiro! The fans fire up as Taichi whips Kanemaru. Kanemaru reverses, Taichi dodges and GAMANGIRIS! Taichi calls to Iizuka, and he feeds Kanemaru to the IRON FINGERS! Yoh finally gets off the ropes to cover Sho! Yoh ELIMINATES Sho by pinfall! Khan also covers Yujiro, to ELIMINATE him by pinfall! And Taichi covers Kanemaru, to ELIMINATE him by pinfall! No more House of Torture!

But then Taichi offers Iizuka a handshake. Iizuka drops the iron fingers, but he just stares at Taichi. Taichi still holds out his hand, and the fans rally up. Iizuka steps forward, to shake Taichi’s hand! But then he BITES Taichi on the head! The madness is strong in Iizuka, so everyone else takes advantage! They push and DUMP Taichi and Iizuka out to DOUBLE ELIMINATE them! No back-to-back for Taichi just yet! But now we have Chase, Ishimori, Khan, Yano and Yoh as our final five, so we just need one more elimination! And it seems the group chooses Khan! The other four attack together!

Fans fire up but then Ishimori goes after Yano and Chase goes after Yoh! Bullet Club sticks together and they haul Khan up. Chase TOSSES Khan out but Khan holds onto ropes! So Chase HOTSHOTS! Ishimiori runs up, into an IRON RIGHT! Yoh DUMPS Ishimori out, but Ishimori holds on! Chase runs up, but Khan avoids the boot and then clamps on the IRON CLAW! Khan drags Chase out! Ishimori holds on, even as Yoh & Yano shake the ropes! Chase runs up, but Khan blocks the C-Trigger to APRON ELIMINATOR!! And just like that, Chase falls, and we have our four!!

Winners: Taiji Ishimori, Great-O-Khan, Toru Yano & Yoh (advance to New Year Dash)

Yoh is surprised, and Yano asks what is up with him having no shoes. Whoa, Taichi goes after Iizuka now for screwing up everything! Iizuka is raving mad, going after Akira Nogami! Taichi drags Iizuka away, but Iizuka has a hold of Nogami’s tie! Nogami gets stripped down just to escape! Well, Iizuka’s madness aside, our final four will battle it out tomorrow night, who will start 2024 as provisional KOPW Champion?

 

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Clark Connors & Dan Moloney VS Catch 2/2!

This is one has been brewing all year. The Abunai Gaijin took these titles from the Public Enemy & Nova Fireball and have found any number of ways to keep them. But now, after taking those Super Junior Tag League trophies, Catch 2/2 is feeling like they’re back from the dead! TJP makes his entrance as the Aswang, the Filipino Vampire, will he and Francesco Akira drain the life from 100 Proof & 44 Caliber? Or will Bullet Club use the Full Clip to take them down?

The introductions are made, the newly white-strapped belts are raised, and we see who starts the New Year on top of the division!

The teams sort out and TJP finally takes off the hat to reveal the rest of that scary mask! Then he DOUBLE SHOTGUNS Clark & Dan down! The bell rings while the champs bail out, but Akira DIVES onto Connors and TJP LEAPS off the apron onto Dan! Fans fire up and TJP puts Dan in. TJP Electric Chair Lifts and Akira goes up, LEANING TOWER CUTTER!! Dan flops out of the ring, Connors returns but Catch 2/2 get him first. They double whip, and ALLEY-OOP FACEBUSTER! Fans fire up as Catch 2/2 already sets up in the corners! They run in, but Connors gets away! Akira runs up but Connors TOSSES him!

But TJP SOBATS Connors, whips, but Connors reverses. TJP slips out, bites the ropes, then GAMANGIRIS Connors! But Dan YANKS TJP down, sends him into railing, and coordinates with Connors! Connors aims from the apron, FULL CLIP to the floor!! Connors says this is THEIR ring! Connors then gets his dog collar! The ref reprimands but Connors rains down fists first. The ref tries to stop Connors but Connors sends TJP into railing firs.t Connors then has the dog collar, but Dan is after Akira on the other side. Connors puts the collar on TJP and uses the chain to pull TJP against railing! Fans boo as Connors CHOKES TJP!

Dan beats up Akira, even using chairs, and then drags Akira back to ringside. The ref reprimands Connors and Connors lets go, but Dan POSTS Akira! Dan puts Akira in, storms up on him, and he scowls through a bloody nose. Dan kicks and stomps Akira around, then brings him up. Dan whips, ELBOWS Akira down, and then grins as he looms over Akira. Fans rally for Catch 2/2 and Akira rises. Dan CHOPS him to the corner. Bullet Club mugs Akira, then Connors tags in. The mugging continues, and Connors reels Akira in. Akira fights but Connors still snap suplexes! Connors paces around, taunts Akira, then runs to drop the BIG elbow! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally but Connors slaps Akira around. Akira stands to fire a forearm! And a CHOP! Connors shakes his head, then RAMS Akira into the corner! Tag to Dan and he CHOPS Akira. Bullet Club double whips, but Akira ducks to shove Connors into Dan! Then wheelbarrow, STOMP 182 for Connors! Fans fire up and Akira uses Connors as a step, for a DESTROYER on Dan! Akira crawls, hot tag to TJP! TJP climbs up and he CROSSBODIES Connors! TJP whips, Connors reverses but TJP blocks the kick to slip around and hit a BIG back suplex! TJP then crawls right up to Dan, and scrubs his boot into Dan’s face!

The fans fire up and TJP runs side to side, to BOOT WASH! TJP drags Dan up, hoists him up top, and has him in a Tree of Woe! TJP climbs up, Akira runs in, SLIDING DROPKICK to WOE STOMPS! Cover, TWO! Dan is still in this but fans rally behind Catch 2/2. TJP drags Dan to center and Akira aims from a corner. TJP goes to the other end, they aim at Dan, but Connors gets in! SPIN POWERSLAM for Akira, SPINEBUSTER and DOUBLE STOMP for TJP! Bullet Club coordinates, Dan runs up at TJP, but TJP goes up and over to TORNADO- NO, Dan feeds TJP to Connors! BRAINBUSTER, then Dan gets TJP up! DRILLA KILLA!!! Cover, TWO?!?!

TJP sits up like a Deadman to grab Dan by the neck! Dan breaks free but then says BANG! Connors runs in, DOUBLE SPEAR! Then Connors BLASTS Akira off the apron! Dan covers, TWO!!! Connors is shocked but Dan slashes his throat. Connors climbs, Dan hoists TJP up. Fans rally for TJP but Akira makes the save! TJP BITES Dan’s shoulder! Akira ROCKS Connors and climbs up after him! The ref reprimands TJP, Akira has Connors for a SUPER SPANISH FLY!! TJP lets Dan go, and SPITS RED MIST!! Akira DIVES onto Connors! TJP then drags Dan up, crosses the arms, and STRAITJACKET DDTS!

Fans fire up as TJP then aims from a corner. Akira is back, Dan is in their crosshairs! 2 BY 2!!! Cover, Catch 2/2 wins!!!

Winners: Catch 2/2, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)

Revenge is sweet, especially now that those nice new titles belong to the United Empire! Even Akira is a bit wary of Aswang TJP, but they still shake hands and salute. Will this new chapter for Catch 2/2 be the strongest one yet?

 

NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. w/ TMDK VS Hiroshi Tanahashi!

TMDK’s Front Man has made it a full YEAR with this title, having won it at the end of the tournament, right here in the Tokyo Dome. But will The ZSJ Show be renewed for a second season? Or will one of his greatest rivals soon take over as the star of NJPW World?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and this might be the most intense 15 minutes ever!

IWGP Women’s Champion, Mayu Iwatani, joins commentary for this one. Fans cheer Tanahashi’s abs as he takes off the jacket. The bell rings and we’re on the clock. The fans are already fired up and dueling as the two circle. The two feel things out, knuckle lock, and ZSJ rolls back to wrench the hands. ZSJ turns Tanahashi around, wraps him up in a straitjacket, but Tanahashi endures. Tanahashi turns things around onto ZSJ, but ZSJ bridges to slip under and away! Fans cheer that and the two reset. ZSJ and Tanahashi feel things out again, knuckle lock, and Tanahashi wrenches an arm to a wristlock.

ZSJ works on the escape, rolls, bridges and then uses a leg to hook free. ZSJ wrenches and wristlocks, then hammerlocks. Fans cheer the exchange, and ZSJ taunts Tanahashi. Tanahashi doesn’t fall for the bait, he just reaches back, facelocks, TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi runs, but ZSJ scoops him! Tanahashi fights free, TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! And another TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Tanahashi runs, to SLINGBLADE! Fans fire up and Tanahashi covers, TWO! Tanahashi keeps moving, knowing time is of the essence! Tanahashi is up top, ZSJ stands, HIGH FLY ATTACK! Fans fire up with Tanahashi as he goes right back up!

TMDK panics as ZSJ is down. HIGH FLY FLOW onto knees! ZSJ gets a body scissor, turn over, JAPANESE LEG BRIDGE! TWO!! Everyone is shocked and ZSJ argues with the ref! ZSJ hobbles a bit but he aims from a corner. ZSJ eggs Tanahashi on, then runs in, PENALTY- NO, Tanahashi blocks the kick! Tanahashi stands, to DRAGON SCREW! ZSJ writhes but Tanahashi grabs the legs and ties them up! Tanahashi fights to turn ZSJ over but ZSJ grabs at Tanahashi’s hands! ZSJ opens the grip and gets Tanahashi in a TRIANGLE HOLD! Tanahashi fights up to his feet, tries to stack but ZSJ keeps his arms up!

Tanahashi fights, powers his way through, and has the BOSTON CRAB, then ties up the legs, to the TEXAS CLOVERHOLD! ZSJ endures now and the fans fire up! ZSJ rolls through, trips Tanahashi to get the ARMBAR! Fans fire up more as now Tanahashi endures. ZSJ shifts sides, then rolls to the TRIANGLE HOLD, then the omoplata! ZSJ gets the leg, he’s going for CLARKY CAT! Tanahashi endures, ZSJ shifts to the DISARMER! Tanahashi scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! ZSJ lets go but the fans are thunderous for this master class of technical wrestling! Tanahashi goes to ropes while ZSJ eggs him on.

Tanahashi sits up, ZSJ KCIKS him! ZSJ runs, but Tanahashi dropkicks the legs out! Tanahashi fires up, but ZSJ catches him for a COBRA TWIST! But Tanahashi switches it onto ZSJ! ZSJ fights the hold, so Tanahashi makes it a GROUND COBRA! TWO, and ZSJ has the ARMBAR! Tanahashi fights up fast and clasps hands! ZSJ breaks the grip but Tanahashi rolls him up, TWO!! ZSJ escapes and fans fire up again! Both men stand, egg each other on, and they step up. ZSJ UPPERCUTS! Tanahashi shakes his head so ZSJ UPPERCUTS again! And again! Tanahashi wobbles but he comes back to fire a strike fest!

ZSJ shakes his head, and comes back to UPPERCUT! ZSJ eggs Tanahashi on, and gets a SHOTEI! Tanahashi full nelsons but ZSJ drops down to victory roll! And then he hooks the legs, EURO CLUTCH! TWO!!! Tanahashi escapes just in time and the fans fire up again! Both men stand, ZSJ runs up but Tanahashi gets around! O’Conner Roll and BRIDGE! TWO!! ZSJ has the REAR NAKED CHOKE!! Tanahashi powers through to roll back and cover, TWO!! ZSJ still has the SLEEPER! Tanahashi fights up, ZSJ hooks him up in the IRON OCTOPUS! Tanahashi endures and the fans rally! Tanahashi powers his way out to get the DRAGON-

NO, ZSJ steps through to then get the NECK TWIST!! ZSJ then has Tanahashi for another NECK TWIST!! ZSJ goes to a corner and takes aim. PENALTY KICK!! Back of the net but ZSJ says that’s not enough yet. ZSJ drags Tanahashi up, reels him in, scoop and ZACK DRIVE- VICTORY ROLL!? TWO!! ZSJ sits on it, TWO!! Tanahashi has it again, TWO! ZSJ has it again, ONE!! Tanahashi has it, ONE!! ZSJ has it back, ONE!! Tanahashi has it again, crossed leg! TANAHASHI WINS?!?!

Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi, by pinfall (NEW NJPW World Television Champion)

In just under TEN MINUTES, The Ace of the Universe pulls of what no one could for an entire year!! Season two of this title now belongs to Hiroshi Tanahashi!! But in the greatest showing of respect, ZSJ personally hands the title over to Tanahashi and bows! The Mighty Don’t Kneel, but how will they move on from this shocking plot twist?

As for Tanahashi, he proves he can still hang with this generation, and gets the mic to say a few words. He says it’s been awhile, but he is a singles champion again. He wishes everyone a Happy New Year! And he knows that we’ve all heard the news, but yes, he IS President of NJPW now. He hopes that everyone offers the same support to both him but all of NJPW going forward in 2024. Will the Ace bring new fortune to all of NJPW from here on out?

 

Yota Tsuji VS Yuya Uemura!

The newest member of Los Ingobernables de Japon faces the newest member of the still Just5Guys, hoping to prove their side the stronger faction in NJPW today. Then will Gene Blast or Heat Storm hit a homerun for their team before the team captains face off in tonight’s main event?

The bell rings and the two young studs step to each other. The fans rally and duel, and Yota just grins at Yuya. They circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Yuya wrenches to a wristlock but Yota slips around to full nelson. Yuya fights that, but Yota snapmares him to a chinlock. Yuya slips right out to wristlock. Yota fights up, rolls, wrenches, and wrenches, and facelocks. Yuya spins free but Yota headlocks him back. Yuya powers up but Yota powers him back down. The fans rally up, Yuya lifts Yota but Yota thrashes the hold. Yuya powers up and out, things speed up, and Yota SPEARS Yuya mid-hurdle!

Fans fire up and Yuya bails out. Yota takes aim, builds speed, and the fans fire up as Yota DIVES! Direct hit into railing! Yota fires up and the fans are with him! Yota then fetches Yuya to the ring, and smiles again as he steps back inside. Yota drags Yuya up, wrenches and Inverted Gory Especials! Yuya sits up so it’s an Electric Chair, but Yota uses that to Electric Chair SLAM him down! Cover, TWO! Fans cheer while Yuya rolls away to ropes. Yota stays cool and he storms up on Yuya. Yota drags Yuya up but Yuya is dead weight. Yota stomps Yuya, stands on him, then scuffs him. Fans rally and Yuya sits up.

Yota brings Yuya in but Yua wrenches out to hit a FLYING ARMBAR TAKEDOWN! Yota stacks to a cover, TWO, and the ARMBAR is back! Yota gets the ROPEBREAK and Yuya lets go fast. Yota stomps away on Yuya for that! Yota shakes out the arm, then waits on Yuya to stand. Yuya CHOPS! Yota shrugs that off, so Yuya CHOPS again! Yota CHOPS and fans fire up! Yota runs, to run Yuya over! Cover, TWO! Yuya is hanging in there but the fans rally behind Yota. Yota drags Yuya up, whips him to ropes, and arm-drags! Then he BOOTS Yuya in the back of the head! Yuya flounders but Yota stands on him.

Yota eggs Yuya on, the fans rally up, but Yuya pushes Yota’s leg away. Yota eggs Yuya on more, and Yuya stands to CHOP! And CHOP! And CHOP! But Yota knees low! Yota whips, Yuya reverses and hip tosses! Then arm-drags! And DROPKICKS! Fans fire up while both Yuya and Yota are down! Yuya and Yota go to corners, and Yuya fires up. Yuya runs corner to corner, to DOUBLE CHOP! And then BULLDOG! Cover, TWO! Yuya fires up more and he hauls Yota up. Yuya wrenches, reels Yota in, but Yota fights the lift! Yuya keeps trying but Yota throws elbows. Yota scoops but Yuya slips free. Yota elbows, runs, but Yuya reels him in for a BIG back suplex!

Fans fire up again and Yuya hurries to a corner. Yuya climbs, Yota rises, and Yota gets under the leap! Yuya comes back, but into a tilt-o-whirl BACKBREAKER! Both men are down and the fans fire up again. The fans rally as both men stir and go back to corners. Yota runs in now, and he SPLASHES! Then Yota hoists Yuya to the top rope, and CHOPS! Yota climbs up, brings Yuya up to join him, but Yuya shoves Yota! Yota backflips through, Yuya leaps, into a SUPERKICK! Yota then hauls Yuya up to suplex, FACLON BOMB! Cover, TWO! Yuya survives but Yota powers up again. Yota aims from a corner and Yuya rises.

Yota runs in, to GENE- ARM-DRAG! And then ghost pin, but Yota smothers it to his own cover! TWO!! Yuya is up, swings, but into the BACKBREAKER, COMPLETE SHOT and STOMP!! Yota roars, runs, but Yuya avoids the Curb Stomp! SNAP GERMAN SUPLEX! But Yota’s right up!! Only for Yuya to get him for an URENAGE! Yuya shakes his head, he’s not done yet! Yuya drags Yota up, full nelsons, and DRAGON SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, TWO!! Yota survives but Yuya is red hot! Yuya hauls Yota up, wrenches, clinches, swings and KAMUKI SUPLEX! BRIDING COVER, YUYA WINS!!!

Winner: Yuya Uemura, by pinfall

The Heat Storm was too hot for The Gene Blast, and Just5Guys scores a huge win! Will this be a foreshadowing of tonight’s main event? Or will tonight still have a tranquilo ending?

 

Shota Umino & Kaito Kiyomiya w/ Ryohei Oiwa VS Ren Narita & EVIL w/ The House of Torture!

The Roughneck thought he and his rival had an understanding through combat, but it turns out the Son of Strong Style is an SOB instead! Will Narita and the King of Darkness stack the deck and steal the win? Or will the unlikely duo of #SHOOTER and Galaxy View bring down the House?

Instead of coming through the crowd, Shota makes an entrance from the parking lot on his bright orange motorcycle! But of course, the entire House of Torture is going to be out here for this match. Sho is showing off a Pro-Wrestling Noah shirt, that Evil CUTS with scissors! As if Kaito didn’t already hate all their guts. And no more waiting, Shota and Kaito rush the House at the apron! Kaito gets Evil in the ring while Shota CLUBS Narita and Sho, then sends Narita into railing! Kaito dodges Evil to DROPKICK him down! Fans fire up, Kaito fires forearms, and he climbs up in a corner to rain down fists!

The fans fire up, the ref rings the bell to get this on record, but Evil drags the ref down! Sho rushes in but Kaito blocks a kick to DRAGON SCREW! Yujiro gets in, he kicks, but Kaito blocks and DRAGON SCREWS! And then DRAGON SCREW for Kanemaru! Dick stays safe on commentary while Kaito dropkicks Evil’s leg, and hits a DRAGON SCREW! Then he steps through to FIGURE FOUR! Shota catches Narita, drags him down and has an STF! Someone rings the bell?! Shota & Kaito let off, each thinking the other got the win. But no, it was just Kanemaru tricking them both!

Shota & Kaito are furious, but then Evil shoves them both into the ref! The House then rushes in, Yujiro BLASTS Oiwa and the others stomp away on Shota and Kaito. Shota falls out of the ring, Narita CLAWS Shota’s eyes! Kaito is sent into a corner, Sho runs up to forearm smash! Yujiro BOOTS, Kanemaru elbows, and Evil clotheslines! They then set Kaito up and Dick leaves commentary to climb! Fans boo the New Year’s DICK CHOP! Evil calls to the ref, covers, TWO!! Kaito is still in this and the fans fire up! Evil tags Narita and they stomp away on Kaito together. Fans boo but Narita drags Kaito up to kick low.

Narita wants the facebuster but Kaito shoves Narita back to JUMP KNEE! Fans fire up, Kaito crawls, hot tag to Shota! Shota runs up to rally on Narita! And he catches Evil to scoop and SLAM! Shota BLASTS Yujiro off the apron, then stalks Narita. SLINGSHOT APRON DDT!! The fans are thunderous, but Kanemaru & Sho attack while the ref is busy with Narita! They double whip Shota into railing, but he comes back to DOUBLE SHOTGUN! The fans are thunderous again and Shota storms back to Narita. Shota puts Narita in, climbs a corner, and he MISSILE DROPKICKS Narita down!

Shota hauls Narita up, SAVING GRACE! Cover, TWO! Narita is still in this but Shota calls to Kaito. Kaito storms in and they both get Narita to his feet. Shota & Kaito double whip corner to corner, then Shota sends Kaito in. Kaito foreamr smashes! Shota runs up to UPPERCUT! Feed to Kaito’s forearm! They pinball Narita and then ROLLING ELBOW to ROLLING ELBOW! Then they JUMP KNEE ENZIGURI COMBO! Evil BLASTS Kaito and CHOKES Shota with a shirt! The fans boo and the ref reprimands but Kaito CLUBS Evil! Kaito steals EVERYTHING IS EVIL!! The fans fire up again, but Sho gets on the apron. Kaito SHINING WIZARDS Sho down!

Kaito then runs up, but into EVERYTHING IS EVIL!! The King of Darkness strikes back, and Narita staggers his way over to his rival. Narita grins as he wraps on the SLEEPER! Narita then spins Shota around, kicks low, and FACE- NO, Shota blocks, kicks, underhooks, but Narita slips free! SLEEPER! But Shota wrenches out, clinches, but Narita slips around again! Shota switches one more time, HALF ‘N’ HALF! Narita staggers around, into a HALF ‘N’ HALF BRIDGE! Cover, TWO!! Shota fires up and the fans are with him! Shota aims from a corner, but Yujiro distracts the ref! Kanemaru slides the push-up bar to Narita!

Shota runs in, Narita dodges Blaze Blade to CLOBBER him with the push-up bar!! Fans boo as there are even chrome panels on it now! Narita reels Shota in, DOUBLECROSS FACEBUSTER!! Cover, The House wins!!

Winners: The House of Torture, by pinfall

Narita grins as he and his new friends once again cheat Shota out of his revenge! Will nothing stop the House from making 2024 the absolute worst?

 

NEVER Openweight Championship: Shingo Takagi VS Tama Tonga!

The Rampaging Dragon managed to get this title back after defeating The Good Bad Guy in Las Vegas, but then Tama came knocking the moment Takagi beat Trent Beretta in Texas. Is Tama feeling luckier here in the Tokyo Dome? Or will nothing stop Takagi now that it’s the Year of the Dragon?

Tama shows he’s serious already by taking off the vest! The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who NEVER gives in!

The bell rings and the two RAM shoulders! Then they fire forearms back and forth! The fans fire up, Takagi shifts to JAB, JAB and CHOP! Takagi whips, Tama ducks ‘n’ dodges then RAMS Takagi! Takagi rebounds to RAM back! They RAM again, and Takagi flexes! Tama kicks low, runs, but Takagi clotheslines! Takagi runs, but into a DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Tama storms up on Takagi in a corner. Tama fires haymakers, whips corner to corner, then runs in to clothesline. Tama clinches, but Takagi fights the exploder with elbows. Tama UPPERCUTS, whips, but Takagi reverses to SAIDO! But Tama is right up!? And clinches to EXPLODER!

Takagi stands, they DOUBLE LARIAT! Neither man falls, Tama takes a swing but Takagi swats the haymaker! Takagi runs, only for Tama to catch him into an EXPLODER! Cover, TWO! Fans rally up and Tama drags Takagi up. Tama HEADBUTTS Takagi to the corner, then goes corner to corner to STINGER SPLASH! Tama keeps moving, but Takaig ELBOWS! JABS! And YUKON LARIATS! The fans fire up while both men are down! Takagi hears the fans rallying and he headbutts the buckles! Takagi then runs up to run Tama over! Then he scoops, SLAMS and SENTON FLOPS as Tama moves! Tama runs, but Takagi puts him on the apron.

Tama ROCKS Takagi, slingshots, but Takagi BLASTS him down! Then Takagi FLIES?! Direct hit at the ramp and the fans are thunderous! Takagi says he’ll fly like a dragon but to think he’d actually do it! Takagi and Tama stir at ringside, and Takagi rises up. The fans rally as Takagi brings Tama up and into the ring. Takagi then drags Tama up, suplexes high and hard, then covers, TWO! Takagi looks around, finds the right camera, and says “MY TIME’S COMING! TOKI GA KITA!!” Fans fire up for both the English and Japanese version! Takagi runs up to clothesline in the corner! Fans fire up more as Takagi hoists Tama up top.

Takagi climbs up but Tama fires forearms in return! Tama headbutts Takagi down, BOOTS him away, and FLYING NECKBREAKERS! The fans fire up and Tama rises again. Tama brings Takagi up to throw forearms but Takagi gives them back. Tama gets the edge, ROCKS Takagi, but Takagi runs up! But into a fireman’s carry! S R C! Then Tama to the apron, and fans fire up as he goes up! But Takagi is there to anchor his feet! Tama throws hands, but Takagi ROCKS him! And RIDGEHAND CHOPS! Takagi climbs up, brings Tama to the very top, and fans fire up for the SUPER DUPER PLEX!! Both men are down and the fans are thunderous!

Takagi sits Tama up then runs to SLIDING LARIAT! Takagi then fires up with “OI! OI! OI!” and the fans join in! Takagi brings Tama up, but Tama fights the pump handle! Tama throws elbows to get free, but Takagi pops him up! But Tama slips free to TONGAN TWIST! Tama hurries to a corner and to the top rope! SUPREME FLOW! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives and the fans fire up again. Tama pounds the mat and the fans join in. Takagi rises, Tama runs up, but Takagi stops the Gun Stun! Tama avoids Pumping Bomber, but Takagi catches him into a Gory Especial! But Tama slips off the back! But then Takagi catches the superman punch!

Takagi flips Tama around, reels him in, and hoists him up, to POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO!! Tama survives and the fans fire up again! Takagi grits his teeth, has a wild look in his eyes, and he shouts as he brings Tama back up. Takagi runs to SLIDING FOREARM!! Takagi then runs as Tama rises, PUMPING BOMBER!! Tama gets turned inside out! Takagi starts up the “OI! OI! OI!” again because he’s not done yet! Takagi hauls Tama up, pump handles, and MADE IN- GUN STUN!?!? Fans are thunderous while both men are down again! Tama rises first and the fans rally as he brings Takagi around.

Tama facelocks but Takagi fights the suplex. The fans rally and duel, Takagi wrenches out, Tama breaks free but Takagi JABS! Takagi runs, but Tama spins him around, BLOODY SUNDAY!! Cover, ONE?!?!? WHAT?!? Tama doesn’t stop, though, he runs to LARIAT! Tama vows to finish this now, and he brings Takagi up and in. Underhooks, but Takagi fights the lift! Takagi powers up to trip and jackknife bridge! TWO!! Tama escapes, but Takagi ELBOWS! Tama HEADBUTTS! Takagi HEADBUTTS! Tama ENZIGURIS! Tama roars, tries again, DIVE SHACK- RANA!? Takagi stops the driver but Tama SUPERMAN PUNCHES!

Takagi staggers around, Tama aims, and Takagi steals GUN STUN!?!? And then PUMPING BOMBER!!! And then Takagi hoists Tama up, MADE IN JAPAN!!! Cover, TWO?!?!? Tama survives but how?!? The fans are thunderous again while both men are down! Takagi grits his teeth and roars! Takagi rises up and brings Tama around. “OI! OI! OI!” echoes out as Takagi pump handles again. But Tama fights the lift! Takagi fires boxing elbows, then LARIATS! Tama stays up so Tama LARIATS again! Tama drops to his knees but Takagi won’t let him down! Pump handle, torture rack, but Tama sunset flips! And deadlifts into the STYLES CLASH!!!

The fans are thunderous again and Tama reloads, GUN STUN!!!!! Cover, TWO?!?!?! Takagi must be a dragon because he ain’t human! Tama calls for the end and he reels Takagi back in! DIVE SHACK DRIVER!!!! Cover, TAMA WINS!!!

Winner: Tama Tonga, by pinfall (NEW NEVER Openweight Champion)

Once more, The Good Bad Guy gets this title back! He is now a FOUR-TIME NEVER Openweight Champion, but how long will this one last?

 

Wait, is that Nick & Ryan Nemeth?

They’re being accompanied to their ringside seats by staff! What business do the Showoff and the Hollywood Hunk have in NJPW?

 

IWGP Heavyweight & NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, Winners Take All: Bishamon VS El Phantasmo & Hikuleo w/ Jado!

These two teams faced off twice in the 2023 World Tag League. First, The Headbanga & Young Guerrilla won on opening night. Then, Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi defied the odds and won the tournament finals for a third year in a row. History is about to be made once again, who stands tall as THE BEST team in NJPW today?

The introductions are made, all the belts are raised, and we see who brings them all home for the New Year!

The teams fist bump to show there is respect, and the fans applaud. The teams then sort out, and ELP starts against Hashi. ELP hears the fans rallying for him, and he circles with Hashi. They tie up, are in a deadlock, then break. They start throwing forearms back and forth, then Hashi body shots and CHOPS! Fans cheer, Hashi whips, but ELP reverses. Things speed up as ELP drops then DROPKICKS! ELP then handsprings up, and spins to CHOP Hashi! Goto tags in and Bishamon runs ELP over! Then they combine for ZANMAI! Leo runs in but into kicks! Bishamon reels Leo in but Leo DOUBLE SUPLEXES Bishamon!

Fans fire up as the shirt comes off! Leo drags Hashi up to whip him to a corner. Leo sends ELP in and he back elbows Hashi! ELP feeds Hashi to Leo’s scoop, and ELP goes up! SIDEWALK SLAM to ELBOW DROP! Goto fires off forearms on ELP & Leo, runs, but ELP hurdles and Leo hits a DDT! Fans fire up, and ELP high-fives Leo. Leo & ELP then aim at Goto from opposite corners. ELP tunes up but Hashi anchors his foot! Goto sends Leo into ELP, then MURAMASAS Leo down! Then SAIDO for ELP! Fans fire up while Goto crawls, hot tag to Hashi. Hashi runs up to CHOP ELP in a corner.

Hashi whips to CHOP ELP again, then he mule kicks. Hashi turns ELP around, but ELP fights free and shoves Hashi away. ELP runs up but Hashi BOOTS him! Hashi BLASTS Leo, Goto has ELP, and Hashi runs in, GOTO GO TO HUNTER! Cover, but Leo breaks it! Goto stomps Leo, brings him up, but Leo fights the suplex. Leo suplexes but Hashi saves Goto. Hashi joins in now, Bishamon DOUBLE SUPLEXES Leo after all! The fans fire up with Hashi, and Goto runs in at ELP. Goto clotheslines, then Hashi runs in to clothesline! Hashi brings ELP up and Goto climbs. The fans fire up, but ELP fights free to send Hashi into Goto!

ELP then uses Hashi as a step to get up top! SUPER STEINER sends Goto into Hashi! Fans fire up and ELP crawls his way over to the Guerrilla corner. Hot tag to Leo! Leo storms up to UPPERCUT Goto, but Hashi dodges the boot. Hashi ducks ‘n ‘dodges but still gets run over! Leo scoops Goto, to SNAKE EYES! Leo keeps moving and he runs Goto over! The fans fire up as Leo choke grips Hashi, then he grabs Goto. But Bishamon fights free, kicks low and double whips. Leo blasts through the line to DOUBLE LARIAT! The fans fire up and Leo tags ELP back in. ELP & Leo coordinate again, and they tune up the band.

Hashi stands, ELP SUDDEN- NO, Hashi blocks that and CHOPS! Leo choke grips! But Hashi sends Leo into the SUDDEN DEATH! And then DRAGON SUPLEX on ELP! Hashi hurries and hot tags Goto! Goto calls to Hashi as he drags ELP up. Dragon sleeper, but ELP spins that around! Goto fights the suplex, and he hoists ELP up! Hashi has ELP’s legs, for G Y R!! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives and fans fire up again. Bishamon coordinates and they drag ELP back up. Hashi calls for lights out, and they have the dragon sleeper and legs. But ELP BOOTS Hashi away, goes up and over Goto, but Goto switches. ELP ends up in the HIDDEN GAP!

Goto fireman’s carries ELP, Hashi aims, FIERCE FLASH into SHOUTO!! Cover, LEO BREAKS IT!! Fans fire up as all four men are down! Jado coaches his team and the fans rally up again. Leo drags Hashi up, reels him in for the choke grip, then he adds Goto! But Bishamon breaks free again! They dodge the double lariat to DOUBLE LARIAT Leo up and out! Fans fire up with Bishamon and Hashi brings ELP around. Full nelson and lift, NARA- RANA!! ELP sends Goto into Hashi, crawls for his corner, hot tag to Leo again! Leo runs up to clothesline Hashi up and out! Goto CHOPS but Leo just scowls.

Leo choke grips, then CHOPS Goto! Leo calls to ELP, and ELP DIVES to take out Hashi! ELP then goes to the apron, but Goto sends Leo into him! Goto fireman’s carries Leo, for USHIGOROSHI! And then GOTO ISHIKI! TWO!! Leo escapes the cradle but Goto brings him back around. Goto dragon sleepers, but Leo powers through! Leo and Goto fight for suplex control, but then Goto slips free! HIDDEN GAP, ELP EDITION! ELP then ARIHARA MOONSAULTS Hashi down!! Leo hauls Goto up, to GODSEND!!! And then he gives ELP the boost, SUPER THUNDERKISS 86!!! Cover, TWO?!?! Goto survives and shocks everyone!

ELP pounds the mat, the fans rally up with him, and the Guerrillas coordinate again. ELP reels Goto in while Leo climbs! C R THREE!!!! And then ELP gives Leo the boost?!? NOT! LEO SPLASH!!! Cover, THE GUERILLAS WIN!!!

Winners: El Phantasmo & Hikuleo, by pinfall (DUAL IWGP Heavyweight & NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions)

History has TRULY been made! Yes, ELP & Leo hold all these belts together, but this also makes them the ONE HUNDRETH IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions!! And even better, they show respect to Bishamon by helping them to their feet. Bishamon shows respect in return, is this the torch being passed? How much bigger will get after this incredible moment?

 

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi VS El Desperado!

The Ticking Timebomb may not be pulling off his dream of 10 YEARS as the Best of the Super Juniors, given he lost out on the 2023 tournament, but Hiromu still has the title. Will even that change after one more round with his greatest rival? Or will he find a way to make it past the Rogue Luchador in 2024?

The moment Hiromu is ringside, Desperado DIVES out onto him! Direct hit into railing and the fans are thunderous! The bell rings and Desperado drags Hiromu up out of his wild looking jacket. Desperado puts Hiromu in the ring and the fans fire up. Desperado drags Hiromu up to hit a BIG back suplex! Cover, ONE!! Hiromu isn’t going down that easy but Desperado keeps on him. Desperado CLUBS Hiromu on the neck, taunts him, but Hiromu taunts Desperado back. Desperado CLUBS Hiromu again, then CHOPS him! Hiromu goes to a corner, Desperado storms up and whips corner to corner.

Desperado runs in to clothesline, then he fireman’s carries. WASTELAND SLAM, then Desperado hurries up the corner. Desperado jumps but has to bail out as Hiromu moves. Desperado returns, Hiromu dodges to SPLASH in the corner! Hiromu then snapmares, runs and basement dropkicks! Desperado bails out, Hiromu goes to the apron and he FLYING SHOTGUNS Desperado into railing! Desperado hits so hard, he tumbles over the railing! Hiromu goes out to fetch Desperado, then whips him into more railing! Desperado tumbles up and over again, clipping the timekeeper’s table! Hiromu storms out to fetch Desperado again.

The ref wants this back in the ring so Hiromu says okay. Hiromu puts Desperado in and he drags Desperado up. FALCON ARROW, then cover, ONE!! Desperado is also not that easy, but Hiromu grins. Hiromu drags Desperado up, fireman’s carries, and CORNER DEATH VALLEYS! The fans rally up as Hiromu drags Desperado back up, fireman’s carries again, but Desperado slips free. Desperado shoves, but Hiromu fights the spinebuster. Hiromu kicks low, whips, but Desperado reverses to SPINEBUSTER! Cover, TWO, but into the STRETCH MUFFLER! Hiromu flails, reaches out, but Desperado drags him so far away from ropes!

Hiromu scrambles around, goes to the side, and has the ROPEBREAK after all! Desperado lets go in frustration while the fans cheer. Hiromu clutches his leg while Desperado catches his breath. Desperado rises, he stomps Hiromu’s leg, but Hiromu eggs him on. Desperado kneels on the leg, Hiromu pulls at the mask, but the ref reprimands. Hiromu lets go to CHOP, CHOP and CHOP! Desperado SPLASHES the bad leg! Desperado eggs Hiromu on, Hiromu CHOPS again! And CHOPS! Desperado kicks the leg out, gut wrench, but Hiromu slips free. But the bad leg buckles! Hiromu still tries, but Desperado blocks the superkick!

Desperado spins Hiromu around, grabs the leg again, SHIN BREAKER! And then GUITARRA DEL ANGEL! Cover, TWO! Fans fire up while both men are down. Desperado coughs and sputters but he catches his breath again. Desperado storms up but Hiromu kicks and kicks. Desperado stomps Hiromu, drags him up and reels him in to underhook. But Hiromu fights Pinche Loco! Hiromu lifts Desperado up to back drop him away! But Desperado is right up and aiming from a corner! Hiromu stands, but he avoids the dropkick! Desperado comes back but Hiromu spins him. Desperado fights the suplex, wrenches out, but Hiromu victory rolls for the COMPLETE SHOT!

Both men are down again and the fans rally up. Hiromu shakes out the bad leg and he rises to his feet. Hiromu hobbles over and he brings Desperado up. Hiromu goes to fireman’s carry but Desperado fights it. Hiromu powers through, Desperado slips free but Hiromu SUPERKICKS! Desperado runs back in but Hiromu sidesteps to SNAP GERMAN! Desperado sits up in a daze and Hiromu roars! Hiromu hurries to fireman’s carry again, swing and- NO, Desperado sunset flips, to get the STRETCH MUFFLER! Desperado thrashes the leg, has the arm for NUMERO DOS, and he rolls Hiromu away from ropes!

Hiromu endures as Desperado thrashes leg and arm around! Hiromu powers up to sit up, and he reels Desperado in for a DESTROYER! Desperado staggers around, into HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER! Fans fire up with Hiromu and he drags Desperado back up. Desperado is dead weight but he still throws some hands. Hiromu fireman’s carries, swings and TIMEBOMB! Cover, TWO!! Desperado survives and the fans fire up again! Hiromu slaps his bad leg into working, then he hobbles after Desperado. Hiromu dragon sleepers but Desperado throws hands! Hiromu CLUBS Desperado, inverted suplexes and tucks, but Desperado kicks and flails!

Hiromu ends up in a corner, and Desperado gets to the top rope that way. But Hiromu SUPERKICKS first! Hiromu hurries up after Desperado, to jump and- NO, Desperado stops the Super Victory Roll, to hit a SUPER BACK SUPLEX!! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Desperado snarls as he watches Hiromu rise. They shout at each other, then crawl over to each other. Desperado pulls Hiromu’s hair but Hiromu pulls Desperado’s mask. Hiromu then shoves Desperado, but Desperado ducks the superkick! Desperado ROCKS Hiromu, ROCKS him again, and ROCKS him again! And again! And again! And AGAIN!!

Hiromu wobbles but Desperado DECKS him!! The fans are thunderous as Desperado roars, and he LOCO MO- NO! Hiromu ducks to SUPERKICK! And then SUPERKICKS again! Hiromu runs, to HIROMU-CHAN BOMBER!! Hiromu roars and the fans are thunderous! Hiromu reels Desperado in to the dragon sleeper, inverted suplex, but Desperado slips free! OLYMPIC SLAM! And then Desperado underhooks, PINCHE LOCO!!! Cover, TWO?!?! Hiromu survives and Desperado is stunned! The fans are electric as Desperado pounds the mat and roars! Desperado drags Hiromu up and underhooks again.

PINCHE- NO, Hiromu fights it, wrenches, HIROMU-CHAN ROLL! TWO!!! Desperado ROCKS Hiromu again, then underhooks, for a JAY DRILLER!!! And then roll through to the PINCHE LOCO!!!! Cover, DESPERADO WINS!!!

Winner: El Desperado, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)

Desperado was wearing red for the occasion, and now he will get to wear gold once again! He defeats Hiromu on NJPW’s biggest stage, does this make Desperado the Best of the Super Juniors?

 

IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat: Will Ospreay VS Jon Moxley VS David Finlay w/ Gedo!

What was the United States Heavyweight Championship became the United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship under the Aerial Assassin’s reign. But just as The Maniac made his return to NJPW aiming for the gold, The Rebel stormed in and took the fight to them both! Finlay says he is a man without a country, so will he be the first to hold a title that represents all countries? Or will he see that NJPW doesn’t need the Rebel?

Finlay has a bigger jacket than usual, Moxley mixes Nightwing with Red Hood while Ospreay has a Jack the Ripper meets Assassin’s Creed style going. The introductions are made, the brand new belt is presented, and we see who gets to be the very first!

The bell rings and Finlay asks how the others are gonna play this. Ospreay & Moxley go after Finlay together, that’s how! They mug Finlay, but then Ospreay pushes Moxley aside so he can stomp and punch away. Moxley moves Ospreay aside so he can stand on Finlay’s face! Ospreay then CHOPS Finlay, and then Moxley CHOPS Finlay! Ospreay CHOPS Finlay, and Moxley CHOPS Finlay! They’re trying to outdo each other as they CHOP Finlay again and again! Fans cheer, but then Finlay rushes up on Ospreay. Moxley stops that to CHOP Finlay down. Moxley claws Finlay’s face, the ref counts and Moxley lets off.

Moxley & Ospreay double whip but Finlay bails out. Fans boo, but Ospreay goes out to BOOT Finlay down! The fans cheer, and Moxley adds on by sitting Finlay right on the railing! Moxley then goes to No Man’s Land to CLOBBER Finlay off the railing! Ospreay is there to drag Finlay up and throw forearms. They end up by commentary, go around the back, and Ospreay throws more forearms. They end up among the fans, Ospreay throws more forearms, but Moxley returns. Finlay fights back but Moxley kicks him low. Ospreay CHOPS Finlay down! Finlay sputters, but Ospreay & Moxley haul him up, to whip him into railing!

Finlay falls over, but Ospreay hauls him up, for a RAILING BACK SUPLEX! Finlay writhes, the ref wants this back in the ring, but Moxley and Ospreay drag Finlay up again. Moxley ROCKS Finlay, whips him, but Finlay reverses and sends Moxley into a power generator! Finlay then FLAPJACKS Ospreay off railing! Ospreay sputters, Moxley stands up, but Finlay CLUBS Moxley back to ringside. Moxley kicks back, and he snap suplexes Finlay to the floor! Finlay writhes, and Moxley gets a TABLE! The fans fire up for that but Gedo freaks out! Moxley dares Finlay to get up while he finishes setting the table.

Ospreay brings Finlay over, he and Moxley haul him up to DOUBLE POWERBOMB him through the table!! The fans fire up as Moxley and Ospreay loom over Finlay. Finlay sputters in the wreckage, Ospreay and Moxley take this into the ring. Fans fire up for the 1v1 and the two fire forearms! They go back and forth, Ospreay runs and BOOTS! Then SNAP SAIDOS! But Moxley’s right up to SNAP SAIDO in return! Ospreay is up, both men LARIAT! Ospreay CHOPS, whips, but Moxley reverses. Ospreay handsprings but Moxley catches him for a GERMAN SUPLEX! Moxley sits Ospreay up to run and PENALTY KICK!

Moxley puts Ospreay in a corner, climbs up and he rains down fists! The fans rally as Moxley goes to TEN! Then he whips corner to corner, runs in, but Ospreay BOOTS! Ospreay goes up but Moxley ROCKS him! Moxley climbs up to CLAW Ospreay’s back! The ref reprimands, but Ospreay slips under, tucks Moxley in, CHEEKY NANDOS! Moxley staggers off the corner, Ospreay springboards, but Moxley catches him! SNAP SLEEPER SUPLEX!! Moxley runs, but into a SPANISH FLY! But Moxley turns it around?! ARMBAR!! Ospreay fights around, clasps hands, but Moxley pries at the grip! But Ospreay shifts, only to end up in a TRIANGLE HOLD!

Ospreay endures, deadlifts and BUCKLE BOMBS Moxley! But Moxley’s right up!? KING KONG LARIAT!! The fans are thunderous again while Ospreay crawls to the apron. Moxley goes out after him, and we’re near the table wreckage. Moxley hauls Ospreay up but Ospreay fights the lift. Ospreay kicks low, reels Moxley in, but Moxley fights the lift. Moxley back drops Ospreay to the apron! Finlay is back up to POST Moxley! Fans boo but Finlay goes after Ospreay and puts him on the apron. Finlay hauls Ospreay up, Canadian Rack, but Ospreay slips free to SILENT WHISPER HOOK KICK!

But Gedo slips Finlay his shillelagh! Ospreay goes up the corner, but Finlay catches the Oscutter for a SHILLELAGH NECKBREAKER to the apron!! Ospreay falls to the floor and fans boo again. But Finlay leaves Ospreay behind to go after Moxley, who is busted open! But Moxley still hits a CUTTER!! Moxley staggers around, finds Finlay again, but Finlay sends him into buckles! Finlay stomps away, rains down fists, and he BITES Moxley’s bloody forehead! The ref reprimands, Finlay lets off to spit out Moxley’s blood, then he fires hands on Moxley’s bloody face. Finlay has Moxley on ropes, digs his forearm into the wound, and fires crossface forearms!

The ref counts, Finlay lets off, and Moxley sputters. Finlay hauls Moxley up to suplex, but Moxley turns that around to X-PLEX! Ospreay is back to BOOT Moxley! Moxley ROCKS Ospreay! Moxley runs, into the TIGER WALL KICK and ENZIGURI! Finlay returns, Ospreay dodges, to HANDSPRING PELE both Finlay and Moxley! The fans fire up with Ospreay as he has targets in the corners. ELBOW for Finlay, but Moxley dodges. Ospreay BOOTS Moxley, goes up and steps off him to FLYING ELBOW Finlay! Ospreay chops and whips Moxley but Moxley ducks ‘n’ dodges to DIVE onto Finlay at the ramp!

The fans fire up but Ospreay won’t be outdone in aerial combat! Ospreay goes up the corner to ARIHARA MOONSAULT both Moxley and Finlay! The fans are thunderous, Finlay checks his nose and there is some blood. Ospreay fires up, he puts Moxley in, and the fans join him in “OI! OI! OI!” Ospreay PIP PIP- FOREARM from Moxley!! Moxley flips off the Ospreay fans to get Ospreay up. DEATH RIDER!!! Cover, TWO!!! But Moxley has the BULLY CHOKE!! Ospreay endures as Moxley pulls way back on the hold! Ospreay fights around, Moxley rains down HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! And back to the BULLY CHOKE!

Ospreay fights up, so Moxley BITES Ospreay’s forehead! But Ospreay kicks, underhooks, but Moxley back drops free! Ospreay sunset flips but Moxley stays up! Finlay returns but Moxley kicks him low and reels him in, PILEDRIVER onto Ospreay! Fans fire up as Moxley uses one enemy against the other! Cover on Ospreay, TWO!! All three men are down and the fans fire up again. Moxley bails out, goes looking under the ring, and he brings out chair after chair after chair! Moxley throws those into the ring, not caring who gets hit! Ospreay gets hit! Moxley has about five chairs now, and he CHUCKS one at Finlay!

Finlay flounders, Moxley grins as he sets up the chairs face to face. But then he decides, back to back! Moxley hauls Finlay up, Gedo freaks out, but Finlay CLAWS the bloody forehead! Finlay then reels Moxley in, URENAGE on the chairs!! Moxley writhes, Finlay brings Ospreay around and Canadian Racks. DOMINATOR onto Moxley! Cover on Moxley, TWO!! The fans fire up while Finlay is frustrated. Finlay grabs a chair to SMACK Ospreay down with it! The fans boo more but Finlay taunts Ospreay. Ospreay fires a forearm! And another! And another! Finlay UPPERCUTS but Ospreay SUPER- NO, Finlay blocks to ROLLING ELBOW!

Finlay suplexes, but gets STUN DOG MILLIONAIRE! Fans fire up as Ospreay aims, but Finlay reels him in, IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! REGAL KNEE from Moxley!! Moxley runs, but Ospreay slips through the lariat! Ospreay lifts Moxley up but Moxley slips free of the bomb to PARADIGM SHIFT!! Ospreay springs up to HIDDEN BLADE!!! Finlay TOSSES Ospreay, covers Moxley, TWO!!! Finlay tried to be opportunistic but it wasn’t enough. Finlay kicks Ospreay aside, then he hauls Moxley up. INTO OBLIVION! HIDDEN BLADE!!! But Finlay is still on the cover!!! TWO!!!! Moxley has the cover now, but Ospreay breaks it!!

All three men are down and the fans fire up again. Moxley seethes while Finlay flounders to a corner. Ospreay and Moxley go forehead to forehead, then forearm for forearm! Fans rally as they keep going back and forth, even as they stand back up. Moxley keeps one eye on Finlay, because Finlay comes in to throw forearms on him and Ospreay! Neither of them back down, though! Finlay finds himself stuck in the middle quite literally, so he SPITS at Ospreay and flips them both off. But they pinball Finlay with forearm after forearm! Ospreay fires a flurry, Moxley PALM STRIKES Finlay, then Ospreay SILENT WHISPERS!

Finlay drops to his knees, then falls over. Moxley drags Finlay back up, he and Ospreay agree to work together. They each take aim, but THE WAR DOGS ATTACK!!! Fans boo as Kidd attacks Ospreay and Coughlin is after Moxley! Kidd claws Ospreay’s eyes, more revenge for his own failures against Ospreay than anything. Gedo argues with the ref, there’s no problem since this is No Disqualifications. Except there still kinda IS a problem! Kidd gets table after table out, Coughlin CHOKES Moxley with a shirt! Kidd sets those tables up while fans tell the Dogs to go home. Moxley CHOKES Coughlin, but then Kidd CHOKES Moxley!

The Dogs mug Moxley, and then Finlay tells them to finish this! Kidd scoops, Coughlin goes up, but Moxley slips free to send Kidd into Finlay! Ospreay is back, SUPER OSCUTTER for Coughlin!! The fans fire up again as Moxley brings Coughlin out to the tables. Moxley puts Coughlin on the tables, rains down fists, then he brings Kidd around. Moxley throws hands, puts Kidd next to Coughlin, and he holds them down while Ospreay climbs! Ospreay SUPER SWANTON BOMBS, but the tables don’t break!!! At least, not all the way! Coughlin’s ass is stuck down through his table while Kidd and his table just flop over!

But Finlay LOW BLOWS Moxley!! Cover, TWO!! Finlay is furious but he still has his shillelagh! Finlay aims at Moxley, but Moxley kicks him first! PARADIGM SHIFT!! And then another underhook, DEATH RIDER!!!! But Ospreay HIDDEN BLADES!!!! Cover, ONE?!?!? HOW?!?! Ospreay JUMPING HIDDEN BLADES!!! And then underhooks, into STORMBREAKER!!!!! But Finlay BLOCKBUSTERS, to INTO OBLIVION!!!! Cover, TWO?!?!?! Ospreay survives and Finlay is furious! Finlay ties up the legs, he has Ospreay’s arms, SURFBOARD STOMP!!! Finlay roars, fans boo, but Finlay suplexes again, INTO OBLIVION MK II!!! High stack, Finlay wins!!

Winner: David Finlay, by pinfall (INAUGURAL IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion)

Finlay holds the brand new belt, gives it a big kiss, and manages to stand so he can celebrate! But fans boo as he wouldn’t have this without his pawns helping him. Will The Rebel do whatever he has to in order to take over NJPW?

But wait, Finlay spots the Nemeth Brothers at ringside, and he starts talking trash to Nick. The WWE Grand Slam Champion tells Finlay yeah, he had a hell of a match, but that somehow makes him think he gets to talk to Nick? Finlay tells Nick being in WWE doesn’t mean he deserves to be in Finlay’s ring. Finlay shoves Nick, so Nick fires back!! Young Lions rush in, Ryan gets his brother back, and Finlay starts spitting at Nick! Nick says he will END Finlay! Will the Rebel regret punking out the Showoff?

 

Kazuchika Okada VS Bryan Danielson!

The Rainmaker and the American Dragon have met before, both in a 1v1 and in a tag team match. And though Bryan has won both of those matches, it came at the cost of his own physical health. Bryan’s got a bad arm and a bad eye, what will he sacrifice in order to win again? Will he win again?

Okada shows off the amazing science of his new jacket. It’s all white with outlines of a dragon pattern, but the power of UV light brings out the color! Fans cheer the amazing transformation happening before their eyes! Bryan’s entrance meanwhile gets pillars of fire, and he tears up the Okada Dollars on the ground. The fans rally with “YES! YES! YES!” and the bell rings. Bryan and Okada stare down and the fans duel. The two circle, feel things out, and they knuckle lock. They go to a corner, Bryan slaps at Okada but Okada backs up. Okada even baits Bryan in, so Bryan kicks him. Okada still dares Bryan to try.

Bryan throws another kick but Okada doesn’t back down. They tie up again, go around, and Bryan wrangles Okada down. Bryan powers Okada into the chinlock but Okada slips around. Bryan facelocks, floats around, tries for the chinlock again but Okada slips out. Okada has an arm, wrenches, and wristlocks. Bryan moves around, rolls, and hooks a leg. Bryan also chinbars, then he wrangles Okada to the mat. Okada gets the ROPEBREAK, and Bryan lets off fast. The fans cheer as the two reset. Okada and Bryan knuckle lock, go shoulder to shoulder in a test of strength, or “test of wills” as Bryan would call it.

The fans rally as the two are forehead to forehead, and then they throw elbows! Fans rally as the elbows go back and forth but Okada gets the edge. Bryan drops back, rolls, but Okada ROCKS him again! Okada ducks ‘n’ dodges to ELBOW Bryan down! Fans fire up and Okada has Bryan in a corner. Okada whips corner to corner, runs in, and back elbows! Okada then kicks and DDTS! Cover, TWO! The fans cheer but Okada brings Bryan up to top wristlock, then MONEY CLIP! Bryan goes to the ropes, Red Shoes calls the break, and Okada lets off slowly. Okada knees low! Okada snapmares Bryan, runs side to side and DROPKICKS!

Bryan bails out, clutching the bad eye! Bryan checks around the eyepatch but Okada storms out after him. Okada brings Bryan to the ramp, then to No Man’s Land, for a DDT to the floor! Okada leaves Bryan behind, to get up on the girder’s support platform? And he uses it to get a boost as he runs across the way, into Bryan’s BUSAIKU KNEE!! The fans fire up while Bryan snarls and looms over Okada. Bryan SLAPS Okada, talks trash and SLAPS him again! Bryan drags Okada up and says he’s gonna break Okada’s arm! Bryan wrenches to hit an ELBOW BREAKER! Then Bryan brings Okada to railing and puts the arm through.

Bryan SLAMS the gate shut on Okada’s arm!! And then again!! “Who’s the best?!” The fans cheer while Red Shoes reprimands Bryan. Bryan drags Okada up, and wrenches the bad arm, for another ELBOW BREAKER! Bryan puts Okada in, the fans rally and duel, and Bryan looms over Okada. Okada clutches his arm, but Bryan drags him up to wrench the arm again. Bryan digs his knuckles into the elbow, then wrenches for an ELBOW BREAKER! Bryan hammerlocks Okada to fire forearms into Okada’s chest! Bryan then reels Okada in, NORTHERN LIGHTS on the hammerlock! Bridging cover, TWO!

Okada hangs in there and Bryan snarls. Bryan looms over Okada, drags him around and twists the wrist! Bryan bends Okada’s arm, isolates it, and STOMPS it!! Bryan vows to break Okada’s arm, and he wants everyone to know it! Bryan wrangles Okada to another hammerlock, and he KNEES the arm! And KNEES it again! And again! Bryan then sits on Okada for the DISARMER! Okada endures that arm being bent way back! And even the fingers are being bent way back! Bryan pulls on the entire arm!! Okada endures, even as Bryan bends the arm in a deep hammerlock! Okada fights around, to the ROPEBREAK!

Fans cheer while Bryan lets go in frustration. Bryan kicks Okada around, kicks him to a corner, then wraps the arm around ropes. Bryan pulls on the arm, then runs side to side to DROPKICK Okada! Bryan keeps going, and he DROPKICKS Okada again! Fans fire up as Bryan goes again, but Okada BOOTS Bryan down! Both men are down and the fans rally up. Okada brings Bryan up in an Alabama Lift, but Bryan fights free. Bryan KICKS, runs, but Okada pops him up to the Alabama Lift! REVERSE NECKBREAKER! Both men are down again but both sit up as they grit their teeth.

Okada hauls Bryan up to scoop and SLAM! The bad arm slows Okada down but he still follows the formula. Okada climbs a corner, but Bryan ROCKS him first! Bryan UPPERCUTS Okada, and UPPERCUTS, and UPPERCUTS again! Okada wobbles up top but Bryan UPPERCUTS again! Bryan climbs up after Okada now, underhooks the arms, and SUPER BUTTERFLY SUPLEXES!! And then the omoplata, for the LEBELL LOCK!!! Okada endures, flails around, reaches out, ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer as Bryan lets off in frustration. Bryan goes out to the apron, eggs Okada on and brings him up to KICK! And SLAP!

Bryan KICKS and SLAPS Okada on repeat, but Okada blocks a kick! Okada CLUBS the leg, then gut wrenches Bryan! Bryan tries to fight, but Okada still APRON TOMBSTONES!!! The fans are thunderous while Okada stumbles away! Bryan sputters on the apron’s edge and a ring count begins. Okada sits up at 5 of 20, but he stands at 8. Okada makes his way over to Bryan and pushes him in at 11. The fans cheer as this match continues, and Okada steps in to kick Bryan to a corner. Okada kicks and stomps Bryan, focusing on that bad eye. Okada sits Bryan up to give him more stomps, but Red Shoes tells him to stop.

Okada lets off, then storms up again to take the eyepatch away! Okada kicks Bryan right on his face! He even digs his boot in! Red Shoes makes Okada stop, but then Okada brings Bryan up. Okada whips and DROPKICKS Bryan down! Fans fire up and Okada drags Bryan to his feet. Okada scoops to SLAM, and back to the formula! Okada climbs, for the MACHO ELBOW!! But that was also the bad arm! Okada grits his teeth to endure the pain, and he hits the Rainmaker Pose~! The fans are thunderous as Okada drags Bryan up, ripcords, but Bryan slips through to crucifix takedown! TWO, and Bryan BUZZSAWS the bad arm! Then Bryan BUZZSAWS Okada!

Fans fire up as Bryan huffs and puffs and gets back to his feet. But then Bryan staggers, but steadies himself. Bryan hooks Okada up, for HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! Fans rally up with every shot, but Okada just roars! Bryan throws more elbows but Okada shakes his head! Okada is feeding off them even! Okada powers up to scoop Bryan! Bryan slips free, BUSAIKU KNEE!! Cover, TWO!!! Okada survives, but he ends up in the LEBELL LOCK!! Okada endures as Bryan bends him back! The fans rally as hard as they can, and Okada moves around. Okada fights his way over, reaches out, but Bryan grabs that arm!

Bryan rolls Okada away to a modified ghost pin! TWO, but it’s back to the omoplata! Bryan hooks the free arm with a leg, this is a modified RINGS OF SATURN!!! Okada endures and refuses to give up! The fans are thunderous as Okada fights his way around with just his legs! Bryan puts as much pressure as he can on the arms, and even adds a CROSSFACE!!! Okada endures, but he’s so red in the face! Okada’s fading!! Red Shoes checks on Okada, and he gets a second wind! Okada kicks around to the ROPEBREAK!! The fans are thunderous as Bryan lets off in frustration! Bryan looms over Okada, and grabs the wrists!

Bryan fires off DRAGON STOMPS! And hard ones! Again and again and again and again, he stomps Okada! Then he reels Okada in to an ARMBAR! But Okada rolls through, ripcords and RAINMAKER!!! The fans are thunderous while both men are down! Okada clutches the bad arm while Bryan rolls away. Bryan sits up, shakes out the cobwebs, and he KICKS Okada in the arm! Okada BOOTS back! Bryan KICKS the arm! Okada BOOTS again! Bryan KICKS, KICKS and KICKS! Okada scowls and ROCKS Bryan with a forearm! Bryan sits down and the fans fire up for Okada! But then Bryan drags Okada down into the omoplata!

Okada tucks his head to fight the crossface, and powers his way through Bryan’s legs to fire off forearms! Okada then GERMAN SUPLEXES! Okada holds on, to ripcord and- Bryan BOOTS the lariat! And ROUNDHOUSES! Bryan runs, but Okada avoids the knee to ripcord! Bryan ROLLING ELBOWS! And BUSAIKU KNEES!! Okada is down, Bryan is huffing and puffing again and the fans fire back up. The fans join in with the “YES! YES! YES!” as Bryan aims from a corner. Bryan runs in, but Okada ducks the knee! And scoops to POWERSLAM! And then RAIN- NO, Bryan ducks and has the arm! But Okada powers out, DISCUS-

NO, Bryan dodges, runs, but into the DROPKICK! Bryan roars to his feet!! But Okada fireman’s carries! LANDSLIDE, and then the ripcord! RAINMAKER!!!! Cover, OKADA WINS!!!

Winner: Kazuchika Okada, by pinfall

The third time IS the charm, and that is what it took for the Rainmaker to slay the American Dragon! Will this prove once and for all that Okada is the best in the world? But rather surprisingly, Okada shows respect to Bryan by kneeling and bowing! Bryan returns the favor! Fans cheer the sportsmanship, and in singles competition, that makes them 1-1. When and where, if ever, will we get another round?

 

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA VS Tetsuya Naito!

Once upon a time, both men were in the same NJPW tryout, but only the Stardust Genius was accepted. Sanada then proved himself worthy as he competed in Pro-Wrestling NOAH and made the jump over. Now it is Sanada who stands at the summit as Naito makes the hard climb. Will Naito replace Sanada on the mountaintop? Or will nothing take this gold from the Cold Skull?

Naito wears a mask that’s part dragon, part fox, while Sanada wears a brand new red jacket with gold and silver feathers on the back. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see if NJPW was right or wrong all those years ago!

Naito of course takes his time with his entrance attire, but Sanada is used to that. Naito is finally ready, and the bell rings. The fans are thunderously dueling already! Red Shoes assesses Naito has the edge, but Sanada isn’t bothered by that. Sanada and Naito circle, feel things out, and they tie up. They’re in a deadlock, but Naito goes for an arm. Naito wrenches, wristlocks, but Sanada rolls, trips Naito, and has a toehold. Naito chinlocks to fight back but Sanada pulls on the leg. Naito uses his free leg to bring Sanada down, but Sanada fights off the armbar. Sanada moves around, Naito shifts to a short arm scissor.

Sanada endures, moves around, rolls back, but Naito stays hooked on. Sanada powers through, headlocks, Naito rolls and then gets his own headlock, but Sanada headscissors. Naito kips free, the two stand off, and the fans rally up. Naito and Sanada reset, approach, and tie up again. Naito puts Sanada on ropes, Sanada turns that around but Naito turns it back around. Sanada turns it back around, Naito turns it back around, and Red Shoes counts. Sanada turns it around, Naito turns it around, but then Naito slowly lets off. Naito pats Sanada on shoulders, and then SPITS at him! Sanada runs up, Naito kicks low and throws him out!

Naito builds speed but Sanada rushes back in! Sanada kicks Naito low, not letting him do either the dive or the tranquilo! Sanada then TOSSES Naito out, then Sanada builds speed! Sanada tumbles up and out as Naito moves, then Sanada slingshots back in. Not the smoothest but fans still cheer Sanada showing off there. Sanada then holds the ropes open for Naito. Naito goes under the ropes instead, and fans applaud this back and forth of mind games. Naito and Sanada reset again, feel things out, and knuckle lock. But Naito kicks low! And CLUBS Sanada on the back! And again, and again!

Sanada CHOPS, but Naito forearms! Naito pie faces, so Sanada CHOPS! Naito forearms, Sanada CHOPS, repeat. Naito then throws those heavy back elbows of his! Sanada drops to his knees but Naito brings him back up. Naito whips corner to corner, Sanada goes up and out then springboards back in. Naito gets clear, things keep moving, and Naito hip toss BACKBREAKERS! Sanada writhes while fans fire up. Naito casually walks over, brings Sanada up, and he cravats for a neck wrench. Sanada endures, but Naito puts him in a corner. Red shoes reprimands, but Naito throws those heavy back elbows!

Naito goes back to the cravat and neck wrench but Sanada endures. Naito whips, arm-drags, but Sanada’s right up! So Naito ELBOWS him down and basement dropkicks! Naito then brings Sanada around, dragon sleepers, and BACKBREAKERS, into the PLUMA BLANCA! Sanada endures, the fans rally, and Sanada kicks around. Naito puts on the pressure but Sanada still fights. Sanada kicks and reaches out, ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer, Red Shoes counts, but Naito claims he needs help. This is par for the course, and Red Shoes gets Naito to let off. Naito then stomps Sanada around.

Naito brings Sanada up but Sanada throws body shots. Sanada CHOPS and CHOPS, but Naito throws those heavy elbows! Naito puts Sanada in the corner, grinds his forearm into Sanada’s face, then whips corner to corner. Naito runs in but Sanada avoids the kick to dropkick the legs out! And then he gets around to hit a BIG back suplex! The fans fire up while both men are down! Sanada rises first, and he storms up on Naito. But Naito claws the eyes! Naito whips, Sanada reverses, and Sanada hurdles, hurdles and DROPKICKS! Fans fire up, Naito bails out, and Sanada PLANCHAS! Direct hit and down goes Naito!

The fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get louder. The fans oblige and Sanada likes the volume. Sanada drags Naito up, puts him in, and fans cheer. Sanada aims from the apron, springboards in, and MISSILE DROPKICKS! Sanada drags Naito up, fireman’s carries, but Naito fights free! Naito swings, but into another fireman’s carry! T K O! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up as Sanada drags Naito into the dragon sleeper! But Naito fights free to arm-drag! And then runs up, but into an O’Conner Roll, and DRAGON SLEEPER! SKULL END!! Naito is in the body scissors while fans rally up!

Naito endures the squeeze on his head, fights around with his legs, and reaches out with his feet. Sanada squeezes and Naito starts fading! Red Shoes checks, but Naito gets a second wind! Naito pops free of the sleeper to have the ROPEBREAK! Sanada lets go in frustration while the fans cheer. Sanada storms up, drags Naito to his feet, and scoops to SLAM him into a drop zone. Sanada then goes up, to ROUNDING BODY- NO, he has to bail out as Naito dodges! Naito then puts Sanada on the apron and he sweeps the legs! Then MODIFIED COMBINACION CABRON!! A rough landing for both men but the fans fire back up!

Naito crawls his way over to Sanada, brings him up, and sits him on the railing, for a DRAPING NECKBREAKER to the floor!! Red Shoes checks Sanada while Naito leaves him behind. Sanada is somehow still in this, so a ring count begins. The fans rally up while Sanada is still down at 5 of 20. Sanada is still down at 10, at 13, and sits up at 15! Sanada pushes up at 17, and he slides in at 18! Naito has Sanada to whip, and hip toss BACKBREAKER! Sanada writhes again but Naito drags him back up. Naito hoists Sanada to the top rope, climbs up after him, and SUPER STEINERS! Fans fire up again as Naito stands back up.

Naito aims from the corner as Sanada slowly rises. The fans rally up behind Naito as he runs up, but Sanada DROPKICKS him! Sanada whips, Naito reverses and TORNADO- NO, Sanada stops that to suplex and use the ropes, MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down again and the fans rally up again. Sanada fires up as he storms over to Naito. Naito swings, but Sanada gets around and jumps up, POISON-RANA! SHINING WIZARD!! Then Sanada hauls Naito up, scoop and SLAM! Then Sanada goes up to ROUNDING BODY PRESS onto knees!! Naito saves himself but both men are down again!

The fans rally as hard as they can and Naito sits up. Naito stands, hobbles over to Sanada, and he drags Sanada up. Naito kicks low, throws heavy elbows, and repeat! Naito ELBOWS Sanada down, and the fans fire back up! Naito storms over to Sanada, drags him up again and then hops up the corner. Naito reels Sanada in as the fans all rally behind him, ESPERANZA!! Sanada flounders back up, into CORRIENDO SHIKI DESTINO~!! But Naito isn’t done there, he wrenches, tilt-o-whirls, and DESTI- NO!! Sanada blocks to T K O with authority!! The fans are thunderous while both men are down again!

Naito stirs and Sanada pushes himself back up. Sanada climbs, ROUNDING BODY PRESS onto Naito’s back! But he’s not done there, he goes right back up! ROUNDING BODY PRESS onto Naito’s front!! Cover, TWO!!! Naito survives and the fans are thunderous again! Sanada drags Naito up, but Naito gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX! Sanada manages to land on his feet, but Naito hits a SPINEBUSTER! Naito wrenches, but Sanada fights the tilt-o-whirl. Naito throws more heavy elbows! Sanada throws one, but Naito ducks it to tilt-o-whirl, only for Sanada to block the Destino! Fans fire up as they’re in a deadlock!

Naito CLUBS Sanada, and CLUBS him, and CLUBS him! Sanada fires a forearm in return! Naito dodges the next, to tilt-o-whirl DESTINO!!! And then Naito drags Sanada up again! Wrench, tilt-o-whirl, DESTINO!! Not the cleanest but Naito still covers, TWO?!?! Sanada is still in this after 2.5 Destinos, and the fans are thunderous! Naito drags Sanada up, he wants another! But Sanada clinches! DEADFALL!!!! Both men are down and the fans are electric!! Red Shoes goes for a down count! The two men stir at 3 of 10 and the fans get even louder! Sanada sits up at 5, Naito goes to a corner at 7, and both men stand!

The fans fire up again as Sanada runs in. Naito BOOTS him! Naito runs up, but Sanada ROCKS him! ROLLING- SLAP! ENZIGURI! Sanada rebounds to ROLLING ELBOW! And then cravat, ASAI DDT!! Sanada drags Naito right up, wrenches and clinches, but Naito slips free! ROLLING KICK! TORNADO DDT!! The fans are volcanic and Naito brings Sanada back up! Naito scoops, but Sanada slips free! O’Conner Roll, BRIDGE!! TWO?!?!? Naito escapes by nanoseconds!! But Sanada SHINING WIZARDS!! Shoutout to Keiji Mutoh but Sanada ain’t done yet! Sanada drags Naito up, clinches again, DEADFA- NO, Naito ripcords to ELBOW! And steals DEADFALL!!!!

The fans are bound to lose their voices at this rate, but they don’t care! They’re going to cheer Naito as he hauls Sanada up! Scoop and VALENTIA!!! Naito fires up, drags Sanada to his feet, tilt-o-whirl DESTINOOOOOO~!!!! Cover, NAITO WINS!!!!

Winner: Tetsuya Naito, by pinfall (NEW IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)

From winning the G1 to being THE ONE here at the end of WrestleKingdom, Naito has truly reached the top of NJPW!! The Cold Skull no longer has the gold, what will become of his 2024?

As for Naito, he is presented the title belt, and actually accepts it! Fans cheer the photo op, then Naito gets the mic. But before he gets a chance to speak, EVIL ATTACKS!! The King of Darkness and even Dick Togo beat the new world champion down, ruining the moment for everyone! Dick holds Naito down while Evil picks up the title and the mic! Fans boo and tell him and Dick to go away, but Evil says, “OI, Naito! I won’t let you do the LIJ roll call, ya bastard! And hey, I’ve just become the EIGHTH IWGP World Heavyweight Champion! Understand, ya bastard?” Oh no, not this BS again! But wait! Sanada gets up to SHINING WIZARD Evil!!

Dick freaks out, rushes Sanada, but Sanada kicks him low! And Sanada sets Dick up for Naito’s dropkick to the legs! These two may not be on the same team anymore but they still know how to work together! The fans are thunderous and The House retreats! Sanada and Naito get back up, and Naito gets the belt again. Sanada promises, he and Naito will do this again. Sanada then takes his leave, the fans cheering him on. Naito gets his hat, finds the mic, and finally gets to speak. “The faction has changed… but once again, I’m holding the mic in the end, all thanks to you. Gracias, Sanada.” The fans cheer that! And Sanada’s even emotional!

Naito continues with finally saying, “Buenas noches, Tokyo Dooome~!” To everyone watching this on TV, online, and to everyone who came to the Tokyo Dome, “thank you for creating this wonderful moment. Gracias, amigos.” The fans cheer in thanks back. Naito says that “LIJ will surely take you all to new heights in 2024. Please keep your eyes on LIJ.” The fans cheer, looking forward to that. But speaking of, Naito was most looking forward to the huge roll call we never got four years ago. The fans cheer again, and Naito is sure they all came here just for that, right? Then are they ready for the BIGGEST roll call in history? The fans cheer in confirmation!

Then the only way to close out NJPW WrestleKingdom 18 is naturally… “Bushi! Hiromu! Takagi! Titan! Yota! Y Naito! Nosotros…! LOS! INGOBERRRRRRRNABLEEEEEES~! DE! JA! PON!!!” Mic drop and confetti, the New Year has a new champion! Will Naito be nigh unstoppable now that he’s on top of the world?


My Thoughts:

An awesome WrestleKingdom, certainly one of if not the best that I’ve seen. The New Japan Ranbo was a lot of fun, especially with Iizuka showing up. But I like the four they went with. Khan tried for the KOPW but lost to Takagi a couple times, Yoh and Ishimori are kinda branching out from the Junior Heavyweight Division right now, and Yano is too good at comedy and creativity to leave out of the mix. Of those four, it’d be too obvious if Yano won. Yoh is really going full goofy so I feel like he’s a strong candidate for leading this year off as KOPW Champion.

Great match from Catch 2/2 and Bullet Club, and being half-Filipino, I appreciated TJP referencing the Aswang in this spooky persona of his. Great win for Catch 2/2, and I even like these belts being redesigned to have white straps. Awesome NJPW World TV Championship match, but what’re the odds that the new President of NJPW is now a double champion? I’m mostly kidding. But Tanahashi has this title and is a NEVER Openweight Six Man Champion, though I feel like the plan was still for ZSJ to drop the NJPW World TV title to whoever he faced tonight so that things freshen up just a little going into the “second season.”

Great match from Yota and Yuya, and Yuya winning was actually a bit of a surprise to me. Meanwhile, the House of Torture cheating to win was not a surprise. I will say, a wood push-up bar that now has metal plates on it is a unique weapon so I like that part. Great match from Tama VS Takagi, but I’m really surprised Tama won the belt again. A fourth reign puts Tama right behind the top “most reigns” with the NEVER Openweight title, with Goto at five and Ishii at six. Maybe some new names move up into the NEVER Openweight scene for Tama to face, such as Yuya after his win tonight.

Awesome IWGP Heavyweight & NJPW Strong Openweight tag title match, and I was genuinely surprised ELP & Leo won that. That is huge in many ways, but especially as I said, this marks the 100th change in reign, aka the 100th team to hold the titles. It’s hard to say where things go from here, then, but much like the NJPW World TV title changing hands, this moment had to happen at some point so why not WrestleKingdom? And on the same level, same for Hiromu giving up the Junior Heavyweight title. Great new gear for Desperado, great win for him, and apparently he got jumped backstage by Kanemaru & Sho the same as we saw Evil jump Naito in the main event. And that’s a good feud for Desperado, he has beef with Narita and Kanemaru, he might as well fight those guys, too.

Awesome Triple Threat for the new Global Championship, but the outcome was sadly a bit obvious. With Moxley being in AEW, Ospreay heading to AEW, and Finlay having Bullet Club War Dogs backing him, of course Finlay wins to be the first Global Champion. But I do really like that we saw Ryan & Nick Nemeth here, even before Nick ever shows up in AEW. And whatever anyone thought of Dolph Ziggler’s last days in WWE, I personally feel he is still better in all the aspects of pro-wrestling than Finlay is right now, even after Finlay’s Heel turn and makeover. But Finlay is definitely not losing this title in his first feud, so this is really just a solid first move for both guys right now.

Awesome match from Okada and Bryan, and of course Okada wins this one. As such, Okada must be sticking around in NJPW rather than leaving for WWE or even moving over to AEW like Ospreay. Really hope we get Bryan VS Okada 1v1 a third time sooner rather than later, what with this being Bryan’s last year and all. Maybe Revolution in March is enough time for both guys to kinda take things easy and then go again? And of course, what an awesome main event. Another genuine surprise, I oddly didn’t think Naito would take this, but again, they had to seize the moment of the roll call. Evil wants the title, of course, so he’ll probably get a shot at like New Beginning. Great moment for Sanada, too, even in losing, because he really did come up with these guys. I hope Sanada does get his rematch, and even if it isn’t right away, he can have some good feuds along the way.

My Score: 9.2/10

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Coverage

Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (5/6/25)

Prepare the Battleground!

Published

on

Who will grab their golden tickets to Tampa?

While TWENTY-FIVE men fight in a Battle Royal to face Oba Femi, Jordynne Grace and Giulia go 1v1 to face NXT Women’s Champion, Stephanie Vaquer!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • Six Man Tag: Joe Hendry, Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Dark State; Dark State wins.
  • Kelani Jordan VS ZARIA w/ Sol Ruca; Zaria wins.
  • NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royal: Myles Borne wins and will challenge Oba Femi for the title at NXT Battleground: Tampa.
  • Karmen Petrovic VS Jaida Parker; Jaida wins.
  • NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Giulia VS Jordynne Grace; Grace wins and will challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the title at NXT Battleground: Tampa.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: Joe Hendry, Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Dark State!

Say his name and he appears, HONK HONK! Hank ‘n’ Tank believe in Joe Hendry! And they also didn’t like that the Prestigious One got attacked by the pack of wild dogs known as Dark State. But will we all be believers after the TNA World Champion and the NXT Tag Team Champions stand tall together? Or will we see that truly #NoOneIsSafe?

The teams sort out, but then it is just a brawl! The fans fire up, Dark State knocks Hank and Hendry out of the ring to isolate Tank. Dion Lennox starts and he throws hands. Dion whips, then hits a SPINEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Tank stays in this but Dion is already bringing out his Mr. Hyde side. Tank fires body shots but Dion headlocks. Tank powers him to ropes but Osiris Griffin tags in. They mug Tank, then Osiris dribbles Tank off buckles. Tag to Cutler, Osiris feeds Tank to him, but Tank swings around and hits a crucifix takedown! TWO, Cutler headlocks, but Hank tags in as Tank powers out! They misdirect and CLOBBER Cutler! Then SENTON! Cover, TWO!

Hank keeps Cutler down with a facelock, then wrench to a wristlock. Tag to Hendry, the fans fire up, and Hendry KNEES low! Hendry suplexes Cutler, holds him up, and the fans cheer him on as he marches around with Cutler! Then the SLAM! Cover, TWO! Hendry wrenches Cutler, tags Hank, and Hank goes up to AX HANDLE the arm! The fans rally as Hank whisp, but Cutler grabs ropes to block! Cutler BOOTS Hank, then brings him around to whip. Cutler ELBOWS Hank down, then CHOKES him on the ropes! Saquon Shugars talks trash on the big boy, then Dion tags in. Dion scoops but Hank fights it!

The fans fire up as Hank fires hands, but Dion fires back! Dion whips and ELBOWS Hank down! Dion stalks Hank to the ropes, wrenches his arm, then RAMS his shoulder! Cover, TWO! Hank is tougher than that, but Dion scoops. Hank slips free, shoves Dion then BOOTS him! Tag to Tank and they bump Dion off buckles! Tank SPLASHES, Hank SPLASHES, then BULLDOGS! The fans fire up and Dark State is mad! But HONK! HONK! BIG BELLY SANDWICH! Feed to Hendry for a scoop! FALL AWAY SLAM! The fans fire up as Hendry kips up! Cutler is in, but Hendry scoops to FALL AWAY SLAM! And another kip up!

Hank hugs Hendry but Hendry scoops out of instinct! Tank tells him that’s Hank, and Hendry realizes it. Hendry sets Hank down, and then trio TURNS! The fans cheer the big smiles and NXT goes picture in picture.

Hendry waits on Dark State while they huddle up. They talk it out, Dion rushes in, but Hendry SLAMS him down! Hendry wrenches an arm, tags in Hank, then Hank goes up again. Hank winds it up, then AX HANDLES Dion! Hank taunts Dark State before he wrenches Dion and YANKS the arm! Hank wrenches again, tags Hendry back in, and Hendry goes up. Hendry winds it up, and then AX HANDLES Dion’s arm! Hendry wrenches the arm again, tags Tank, and they double wrench to DOUBLE CLUB Dion! Tank snapmares Dion, covers, TWO! Dion stays in this but Tank stays on him with a chinlock.

Dion endures the grind and fights up to his feet. Dion fires body shots, Tank grinds the hold, repeat. Dion powers Tank to ropes, Osiris tags in, btu Tank fights them both off! Osiris HOTSHOTS Tank, then storms in and CHOKES Tank on the ropes! The ref counts, Osiris stops at 4, then he CLUBS Tank down! Osiris scoops Tank to SLAM him, then covers, TWO! Osiris keeps Tank down with a COBRA CLUTCH! Tank endures as Osiris thrashes him around. Osiris ripcords, Tank dodges! Hot tags to Cutler and Hank! Hank fires haymaker after haymaker, then whips for an ELBOW! And another ELBOW! Hank bumps Cutler off buckles, then runs him corner to corner to do it again!

NXT returns to single picture as fans fire up with Hank! Hank goes up the corner, Cutler storms over, but Hank fires hands! Cutler falls back, Dion distracts the ref, and Saquon SHOVES Hank down! Cutler tags Dion, Dion stomps away on Hank, then SPLASHES DOWN! Dion pulls Hank back by pulling hair, then he tags Osiris. Osiris waits on Hank, scoop shim, and hits a BACKBREAKER! Osiris then CHOKES Hank on the ropes, drags him up, and bumps him off buckles. Tag to Dion, then tag to Cutler, and Dion sends Osiris to SPLASH Hank! Cutler sends Dion in and he SPLASHES Hank! Then feed to Cutler for a BIG back suplex! Cover, TWO!

The fans fire up as Hank toughs it out, but Cutler drags him up and RAMS him into an open corner! Cutler talks trash on Hank, hits a short arm LARIAT, then he covers, TWO! Cutler is annoyed but he clamps on a chinlock. The fans rally as Hank endures. Hank reaches out, fights up, and he fires body shots! Cutler CLUBS Hank, Hank ROCKS Cutler! The fans rally as Hank ROCKS Cutler again! Cutler clamps on an IRON CLAW! Cutler powers Hank to the corner, tags in Osiris, and Cutler feeds Hank to Osiris’ POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Hank survives but Osiris grins. Then he sucker punches Hendry!

The fans boo but Osiris ROCKS Hank and RAMS him into the corner! Tag to Cutler, then tag to Dion! Cutler sends Osiris in, but Hank dodges! Osiris POSTS himself! Hank then DUMPS Cutler, dodges Dion, and hot tags Tank! The fans fire up as Tank rallies on Dion with big shoulders and haymakers! Dion staggers, Tank dodges, and Tank OVERHEAD SUPELXES! Cutler is up but Tank wrenches and DECKS him! Tank then goes up, out, and CANNONBALLS Cutler and Osiris down! The fans are thunderous for Tank as he hurries back in! Tank catches Dino to a BUBBA BOMB! Cover, Osiris & Cutler break it!

Hendry and Hank return, the brawl is back on! Osiris runs up, Hank DUMPS him out! Hendry and Cutler throw hands while Osiris drags Hank out! Saquon distracts Hank, Osiris RAMS Yank into a POST! Hendry hits a FALL AWAY SLAM on Cutler! Hendry kips up, and the fans join in on “We Will Rock You!” But wait! TRICK WILLIAMS drags Hendry out of the ring!! Hendry fires hands on Trick in return! Tank goes for Cutler, but Dion CHOP BLOCKS a leg out! Tag after tag, and now Dark State gets Tank up! DARK STATE BOMB!! Cover, Dark State wins!

Winners: Dark State, by pinfall

Trick Williams’ grudge with Hendry cost Hendry’s team, and Dark State steal another win! Will nothing stop this fearsome foursome from taking over NXT?

 

Thea Hail talks with Karmen Petrovic.

Karmen thanks Thea for being on her side with the Karmen x Ashante breakup. Karmen is so done worrying about Ashante when this Women’s Division is only getting deeper. Thea says it feels safe relying on others, but sometimes, you gotta worry about yourself. That’s how you get stronger. Jaida Parker walks in and asks what Thea knows about being strong. Thea came back acting grown when nothing has changed. Thea is still the yappy little girl she was. And Karmen ain’t safe, either. Didn’t Jaida tell her four MONTHS ago to dump Ashante? Now look at you. But go ahead, open your ears to hear more wisdom.

Ashante wasn’t the only thing holding Karmen back. Karmen is just too damn soft. Thea gets heated but Karmen says she’s got this. Maybe the problem is Jaida had such an amazing opportunity at Stand & Deliver and, cough cough, choked? So what happened? We thought Miss Parker don’t play. Karmen’s right. That’s why Jaida will see Karmen in the ring. Since she’s acting so froggy, Karmen might as well jump. Jaida heads out, will she make sure the #ShingShing doesn’t get out the mud?

 

No Quarter Catch Crew talks backstage.

Myles Borne & Tavion Heights hype each other up for the battle royal, and Charlie Dempsey says, “Fellas… Before we compete in this battle royal, there’s something I gotta say.” Myles says if it is what he thinks it is, it can wait. Dempsey says no, it can’t. Tonight, it is a major opportunity for all of them. Tavion says damn right! Dempsey says it isn’t about grudges or individual glory. They are three individuals with the same goal in mind: That is to make sure that the NQCC takes one step closer to Oba Femi and taking that NXT Championship from him at Battleground! Yeah! Now, are they all on the same page?

Tavion says Dempsey knows they are! Time to get a title back in the NQCC! NQCC all the way to the top! Wren Sinclair checks if Myles heard that. Yeah, he heard. Let’s do this. Wren says NQCC on three. Hands in! NQCC! They’re united in wanting to win that battle royal, but will any of them make it through to the end of the 25 Man Battle Royal?

 

Kelani Jordan VS ZARIA w/ Sol Ruca!

Speaking of acting tough and wanting opportunities, The Standout’s new attitude is making her act a little entitled to a title shot. Kelani wants to face Sol for the NXT Women’s North American Championship, but Zaria wants Kelani to earn it. Will that be easy enough when No One Does It Like Lani? Or will the Agent of Change be the gatekeeper for Sol’s gold?

NXT returns as Zaria makes her entrance, Sol by her side. The bell rings and Kelani DROPKICKS Zaria! The fans are torn as Kelani runs and slingshots, but Zaria stops the arm-drag! Zaria whips Kelani away, Kelani ducks around to waistlock, but then ducks an elbow. Zaria pie faces Kelani! Then shoves her! Kelani frowns, then fires forearms and CHOPS! Kelani backs Zaria up but Zaria shoves her away! Zaria runs up, Kelani dodges, and Zaria hits buckles. Kelani runs up, Zaria puts her on the apron, but Kelani ROUNDHOUSES! Kelani goes up, leaps, FLYING- NO! Zaira stops the rana and brings Kelani up! Kelani fights with fists, sunset flips, but Zaria stays up!

Zaria YANKS Kelani up and scoops, but Kelani slips free again! Kelani shoves Zaria at the corner, Zaria stops herself short, and then she runs up to lift Kelani! Kelani sunset flips it, TWO! Zaria escapes, and now she RAMS Kelani into the corner! Zaria RAMS Kelani again and again, the fans are torn, but Zaria stalks Kelani to another corner. Zaria stands Kelani up, tells her she isn’t just gonna get a title opportunity, but Kelani breaks free! Zaria CHOPS Kelani on the back! Kelani goes to a corner, Zaria puts some stank on it, but Kelani dodges the chop to CHOP in return! Kelani puts stank on the CHOP to Zaria’s back!

The fans fire up as Kelani then RAMS Zaria into the corner again and again! Kelani digs her shoulder in, lets off as the ref counts, and Kelani whips. Zaria reverses to scoop and SWINGING GUT BUSTER! Kelani writhes, Zaria brushes herself off, and the ref checks on Kelani. Kelani says she’s okay to continue, but then Zaria clamps onto her face! Kelani SLAPS Zaria! Kelani BOOTS Zaria outta the ring! Zaria is furious, btu Kelani gets her in the ropes! HOTSHOT KNEE, and then the POMMEL LEG DROP! Kelani goes up, up, but Zaria bails out! Kelani adjusts, leaps, but into Zaria’s hands! Zaria knees low, whips Kelani, but Kelani stops short of the steps!

Kelani ELBOWS Zaria away, then goes up, up, and FLYING RANAS to the floor! The fans fire up and Sol is stunned while NXT goes picture in picture.

Sol coaches Zaria up but then Kelani gets in her face. Sol backs off, not wanting trouble, and Kelani drags Zaria up. Kelani whips Zaria into the apron! And then whips her into the apron again! And then she puts Zaria in the ring, runs, and SPLASHES! Cover, TWO! Zaria toughs it out but Kelani KNEES her in the back! And again! And again! Kelani then basement DROPKICKS Zaria in the back of the head! Kelani bumps Zaria off buckles, snapmares her and runs, to then SPLASH into BOOTS! Zaria turns the tide and Kelani goes to the apron. Zaria storms up, Kelani RAMS into her, then Kelani slingshots, but Zaria trips her up!

Kelani tumbles to the floor and flounders around. Zaria storms up on Kelani, drags her around, and digs a knee into her back while she pulls her back! Kelani endures, fights up, but Zaria CLUBS her down! Zaria KICKS Kelani in the side, stalks her to the ropes, then puts her in a corner. Zaria RAMS Kelani, brings her around, and KNEES her low! Zaria KNEES Kelani again and again, then reels her in for another SWINGING GUT BUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Kelani survives but is in rough shape. Zaria reels her in, hoists her into a Canadian Rack, and bends Kelani with the Argentine Backbreaker Rack! And BACKBREAKER!

Zaria holds onto Kelani, stands back up, and FLIPS Kelani! Kelani just manages to land out, and she fires body shots! Zaria storms up and they both throw hands! It gets scrappy as Zaria whips. Kelani dodges as NXT returns to single picture and Zaria hits buckles. Zaria BOOTS in return, then storms up to bring Kelani into the corner. Zaria goes up, and drags Kelani up using a full nelson! Kelani flails but the ref counts so Zaria drops Kelani. Zaria then stands Kelani back up, but Kelani ROCKS Zaria and TOSSES her from the top! The fans fire up as Zaria staggers to her feet. Kelani runs up, and she CLOBBERS Zaria! And CLOBBERS her again!

Zaria catches Kelani’s cartwheel to GERMAN SUPLEX! But Kelani is right up to handspring BACK ELBOW! Both women are down, Kelani kips up, and Sol is worried for Zaria. Kelani brings Zaria up, whips her to ropes, but Zaria reveres. Zaria scoops Kelani but Kelani tilt-o-whirl DDTS! Cover, TWO! Kelani is frustrated and she goes up, up, and 450- NO, Zaria moves! Kelani rolls through, but comes back into a SPEAR!! Cover, TWO!?! Kelani survives and Zaria is stunned! Zaria drags Kelani up, fireman’s carries, but Kelani fights around to a dragon sleeper! And THE SLICE! Cover, TWO! Zaria stays in this and Kelani is frustrated, but “This is Awesome!”

Kelani kicks at Zaria while holding a wristlock. Then Kelani changes sides to KICK from there! But Zaria blocks a kick, and she clamps onto Kelani’s neck! CHOKE- NO, Kelani slips free to waistlock. Zaria switches, Kelani switches, O’Conner Roll! TWO and Kelani staggers to ropes. Zaria runs up but Kelani DUMPS her out! Kelani aims, slingshots and ASAI MOONSAULTS! Direct hit and down goes Zaria! Kelani hurries to her feet, stands Zaria up, but Zaria shoves Kelani at Sol! Sol helps Kelani from falling! Kelani is confused, but then Zaria SPEARS Kelani through the barriers! The fans go nuts and even Sol is shocked!

Zaria rises up, she drags Kelani into the ring, and then fireman’s carries! DELTA FORCE 5!! Cover, Zaria wins!

Winner: Zaria, by pinfall

The Standout was perhaps moments away from winning, but those moments slipped through her fingers so that Zaria could come out on top! Sol celebrates with her friend, but who else will want their shot at what Sol’s got?

 

Tony D’Angelo is on the phone.

The Don is assuring them he’s got this. But then Wes Lee walks in, Tyriek & Tyson with him, talking up how big Wes winning the battle royal will be. They spot Tony, and Wes says look it! The Don of NXT! How’s the family, dog? Oh, haha, real funny, Wes. But if anyone knows about stabbing a brother in arms in the back, it’s Wes. What Stacks did to Tony, Wes did to Zachary Wentz. Wes says if he’d had to, he’d do it all over again. And he’s pretty sure Stacks feels the same. But hey, there’s something different about Tony. Oh…! Less confidence. That’s why Tony ain’t in the battle royal. He doesn’t think he can win without The Family.

Tony says Wes doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Wes has all this talent, yet still no instincts. But if he wants to be a tough guy, take a shot. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wes would, but he has the battle royal to win. So see ya~! Wes heads out, his guys stare Tony down a second, and then they head out. Will the path to Battleground go through the Wes Side?

 

Lola Vice talks with Stephanie Vaquer.

The Mayor of Vice City tells La Primera that no matter who wins tonight between Giulia and Jordynne Grace, it will be tough at Battleground. And Lola knows Stephanie knows this, but Lola has no doubt that if anyone can walk through Hell and come out the other side NXT Women’s Champion, that’s Stephanie. Stephanie says, “Gracias, hermana.” And competing all over the world, in different promotions, could not have prepared her for what being at the top of this division would mean. Stephanie wants to say more but Lola stops her there. Lola says no matter what happens at Battleground, Lola will be waiting on the other side for her title shot.

But then in steps Giulia. Giulia says she hasn’t forgotten anything between the two of them, so she’ll see her at Battleground. Giulia heads out, but will the Beautiful Madness make it through the Juggernaut to have one last shot at the NXT Women’s Championship?

 

NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royal!

Everyone wants to win and face Oba Femi at Battleground, but Trick Williams says he NEEDS to win. Is this finally when #CrashOutTrick gets his way? Or will one of the other 24 hungry contenders be heading to Tampa?

NXT returns as most everyone has gotten in the ring, and Je’Von Evans makes his entrance. “All Ego” Ethan Page joins the field, but then the lights go down. A guitar strums, and the fans go nuts! That’s because E- Uh… ELIJAH is here! The fans sing, “Oh~ Walk With Elias~!” but no, no, the Drifter corrects them, and also sings. “I saw a friend in need~. And I don’t like Trick Willy~! So I decided to come back to NXT~. TNA, we walk this way. I got one more thing to say! It’s NXT, walk with me.” The fans cheer, and even chant, “Welcome Home! Welcome Home!” Elijah has a question for everyone here tonight: Who wants to walk with ELIJAH?

But then Ethan slides out to get in Elijah’s face! The bell rings and the brawl is on! Lexis King ROCKS and TOSSES Chris Island to ELIMINATE him! Lexis says he should go back to LFG! But then Island’s fellow LFG prospect, Shiloh Hill, TOSSES and ELIMINATES Lexis! The fans fire up for that, and wit, Elijah and Ethan brawl on the outside! Trick stomps away on Ricky Smokes while Sean Legacy brawls with Brad Baylor, Swipe Right is in trouble! Ty & Ty keep Wes safe, but then Briggs & Inamura get in there. Elijah and Ethan finally in the ring, but Ashante slides out under the ropes for a breather.

The Culling and NQCC are all over the place, Ridge Holland HEADBUTTS Niko Vance, but then Niko brawls with Myles. Dempsey KNEES Elijah, Myles KNEES Niko, and NQCC work together for a second. But Myles gets caught up with Thatcher, Elijah LARIATS and ELIMINATES Dempsey! Tavion goes after Elijah and Inamura is after Myles! Shawn Spears finds a pocket to stay safe before going after Elijah. Swipe Right brags a bit, and Inamura POUNCES Brad up and out to ELIMINATE him! The fans fire up with The Great Rush as he CLOBBERS Ricky Smokes! But then Trick hits a JUMPING NECKBREAKER!

The fans boo, but Adonis returns to TOSS Trick! Trick holds onto ropes while Ashante SUPERKICKS Tyson! And SUPERKICKS Smokes! And SUPERKICKS Tyriek! And SUPERKICKS Thatcher! Ashante is letting loose after being dumped by Karmen! He also SUPERKICKS Shiloh! Ashante TOSSES Shiloh, but Shiloh holds onto ropes! Shiloh dangles off the apron, Trick CLOBBERS Ashante up and out of the ring! Trick ELIMINATES Ashante and Ashante is furious, but Trick dares him to do something about it! The fans are torn over Trick while he stomps away on Shiloh, and NXT goes picture in picture.

Refs have to usher Ashante away, he’s that upset. The brawling continues chaotically, but Thatcher and Inamura trade UPPERCUTS! Elijah bumps Tavion off buckles and stomps him down, Wes and Zach find each other, but they have to fight off everyone else! They end up working together on Smokes?! Kick after kick, and then they TOSS Swipe Right out to ELIMINATE them! Then Wes and Zach stare down again. Only for Tyriek to CLOBBER Zach! Wes lets Tyriek & Tyson mug Zach, but then Briggs busts things up. Je’Von is clinging to ropes for dear life while Briggs & Inamura mug Tyson. Thatcher tries to throw Spears but Spears holds onto ropes.

Tyson fights back against Inamura, but Briggs BOOTS him and DUMPS him out of the ring to ELIMINATE him! Inamura CLOBBERS Tyriek! They stomp away on Tyriek now, then NXT returns to single picture. Ethan brawls with Thatcher, Culling works together, and Ridge is after #SuperSean. Thatcher throws uppercuts on Ethan, Jensen throws hands with Wes, and Thatcher whips Ethan. Ethan BOOTS back, then ROUNDHOUSES! Ethan TOSSES and ELIMINATE Thatcher! The fans boo but Ethan catches his breath. Briggs runs up on Je’Von but Je’Von dodges! Je’Von ROCKS Briggs, Shiloh throws hands on Niko, but Niko turns things around on him!

Tavion stomps away on Trick, Spears helps Niko against Shiloh but Shiloh throws hands! Shiloh ROCKS Spears, runs up, but Niko takes the LARIAT! Shiloh ELIMINATES Niko instead! Shiloh is still fired up, and he dodges Ridge, only for Ridge to come back and CLOBBER him! Ridge TOSSES Shiloh but Shiloh holds on! Trick ROCKS Ridge, but then Shiloh ROCKS Trick! Trick fires hands on Shiloh, but that just fires Shiloh up! Shiloh HEADBUTTS Trick, but a BOOT ELIMINATES Shiloh! The fans are torn but Trick has fire in his eyes. Elijah fights off Legacy, Inamura DECKS Trick! Jensen fires off on Inamura!

Spears CHOPS Tyriek! Je’Von whips, Tavion reverses, and Je’Von clings to ropes again! Je’Von RAMS into Tavion, hurries back in, and Trick stomps away on Inamura. Tyriek fights off Spears, Wes fights off Briggs, Inamura CHOPS Trick! Tavion stomps Sean, Ridge is down on the mat, but Briggs & Inamura work to shove Trick up and out! Trick clings to the ropes as best he can, and he stays on the apron! Briggs & Inamura kick at him, but Trick keeps one foot up! Tavion YANKS Wes down and tosses him aside. Jensen has Tyriek on the apron, and goes for broke with the FLYING LARIAT! Jensen ELIMINATES himself and Tyriek!

Tavion fires hands on Ethan, then on Ridge! Wes and Zach brawl, Tavion fires hands on Ridge! Ridge fights the German Suplex, Zach handsprings and JUMP KNEES Wes ! Ridge ROCKS Tavion! Briggs & Inamura DOUBLE LARIAT Tavion up and out, but Tavion stays safe on the apron!! Tavion grabs each of them, but Ridge runs up to BLAST Tavion! The fans boo as Ridge ELIMINATES Tavion, but then Briggs & Inamura go after Ridge! Elijah stomps Myles and goes after Spears while Briggs & Inamura give Ridge an ASSISTED BACKBREAKER! Je’Von stomps Sean, Briggs & Inamura TOSS Ridge!

Ridge holds onto ropes, but Briggs runs back up! Ridge drags Briggs out to join him! Inamura sets up while Briggs choke grips Ridge! Inamura runs up, Ridge pulls Briggs into the path, Inamura POUNCES Briggs!! Inamura accidentally ELIMINATES Briggs!! Inamura is stunned, Ridge steps back inside, and then Ridge CLOBBERS Inamura! Zach CLUBS Ridge down, stomps him, and then Je’Von DUMPS Myles out! Elijah kicks Je’Von and fires hands. Zach DECKS Spears, then goes for Wes. Je’Von leaps at Elijah, but the JUMP KNEE finds him! Wes and Zach have another stare down, but Je’Von and Sean storm up!

Wes and Zach shrug them off to SUPERKICK them both! Then they TOSS Je’Von and Sean out! They go back to a stare down while Sean and Je’Von hold on! And then Ethan and Spears TOSS the former Rascalz up and out! But then Wes and Zach both hold on! Ethan and Spears now stare down, as we get QUADRUPLE SKIN THE CAT! Ethan and Spears hurry, they LARIAT Zach back up and out to ELIMINATE him! Ethan grins and taunts Zach but Wes is safe, and NXT goes back to picture in picture.

Myles ROCKS Wes, then CHPOS him! Ethan and Trick meet again and Trick works to dump Ethan out! Ethan BOOTS Trick away, Sean and Je’Von work together on Elijah. Inamura CHOPS Wes in a corner! Spears ROCKS and CHOPS Ridge, TOSSES him, but Ridge holds on! Spears keeps after him, but Ridge punches from below! Wes throat chops Inamura, then goes after Je’Von. Wes kicks everyone he sees, and he KNEES Myles in a corner! Wes drags Myles up, but Myles puts Wes on the apron! Wes DECKS Myles, but TRICK BOOTS Wes off the apron and onto the desk! Trick ELIMINATES Wes, and is still seething.

Inamura knocks Spears down, Trick stomps Ridge, Elijah stomps Spears. Ethan and Je’Von brawl, Sean fires hands on Inamura, and Je’Von SUPERKICKS Ethan! Ethan BOOTS Je’Von! Sean puts Inamura up top, Trick has Myles, and Je’Von fights off Ethan’s powerbomb! STUNNER! Je’Von runs up but Ethan BOOTS him down! Inamura goes after Ridge with a CHOP! Ridge CHOPS in return! Elijah and Spears brawl, and Elijah JUMP KNEES him down! Ridge and Inamura fire up and go forearm for forearm! Inamura ROCKS Ridge again and again but Ridge just eggs him on! NXT returns to single picture as the big meaty men roar!

The forearms keep going, and the fans fire up more! They both roar, run, and DOUBLE LARIAT! And DOUBLE LARIAT! And DOUBLE LARIAT! Inamura roars, runs, but Ridge LARIATS him at the ropes! Ridge roars, runs, but Inamura LARIATS him at the ropes! Trick runs up to DUOBLE LARIAT and he ELIMINATES them both!! Trick has the most eliminations of this match and the fans fire up behind him! But wait! JOE HENDRY makes his way back out here! Trick screwed Hendry, Hendry is going to return the favor! Elijah TOSSES Trick and ELIMINATES him! And now Hendry brawls with Trick!!

The fans are torn but security rushes out here as Trick and Hendry fight around ringside! But then Spears TOSSES and ELIMINATES Elijah!! The fans boo as The Chair Man marks The Drifter! But Sean Legacy springboards to MISSILE DROPKICK Spears! Then Sean and Je’Von meet again. The fans fire up as these young guns take aim, and draw! Sean’s BOOT hits first! Sean TOSSES, but Je’Von rebounds, gets around, and GERMAN SUPLEXES! But Sean is back up! Je’Von runs up, Sean DUMPS him out, but Je’Von grabs the ropes! Je’Von’s feet are so close to the floor!! Je’Von rises up, he ROCKS Sean, and then he springboards in, into a SUPERKICK!!

Je’Von goes to a corner, Sean fires up and he GAMANGIRIS in the corner! The fans are torn between Young OG and Legacy, but Ethan is back! Sean turns that around to TOSS Ethan! Ethan holds onto the ropes, Sean turns around into an OG CUTTER! Je’Von gets moving, BOUNCY GAMANGIRI, and Ethan holds the ropes down! Sean falls out, Je’Von & Ethan ELIMINATE Sean together! And now we’re down to our final four! Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, Shawn Spears, and Myles Borne! “This is Awesome!” as the brawl is back on! Je’Von has Spears, Myles has Ethan, and the fans fire up! Je’Von whips but Spears reverses to fireman’s carry!

Je’Von grabs ropes to stay safe, and he RAMS Spears! Myles stomps Ethan down in a corner, but he sees Je’Von slingshot up and over Spears. SNAP POWERSLAM from #BabyRandy! But Spears runs up, into a SNAP POWERSLAM! Ethan is up, and he BOOTS Myles from outta nowhere! Ethan whips, Myles reverses, clinches, and OVERHEAD SUPLEXES! Myles fires up, he puts Ethan on the ropes, but Ethan holds on! Je’Von fires hands on Spears, whips, but Spears reverses to send Je’Von into Myles and Ethan! Spears then pushes past Je’Von to DECK Myles! Je’Von runs up, Spears ducks but Je’Von leaps to the corner!

Spears turns around, Je’Von mule kicks! Ethan is up, Je’Von BOOTS him away! Myles DROPKICKS Je’Von! Je’Von dangles from the ropes! Spears SUPERKICKS Myles! Spears sees Je’Von on the apron, runs up, but Je’Von holds ropes down! Spears ends upon the apron and Je’Von BOOTS him! Je’Von goes up the corner, but Ethan BOOTS him! Je’Von slumps down and fans freak out, but Je’Von grabs the ropes at the last possible second! Je’Von stays safe, but Ethan stomps away! Ethan calls to Spears, but Je’Von RAMS them both! Je’Von DECKS Ethan, ROCKS Spears, then he goes to the corner! Springboard, DOUBLE FLYING LARIATS!

The fans are thunderous as the Young OG reloads, springboards again, but Spears and Ethan both move! OG CUTTER for Myles!! Je’Von kicks at Spears, Spears blocks it, and sends it into Ethan! Je’Von still SUPERKICKS Spears! Springboard and DOUBLE- NO!! Ethan & Spears hold Je’Von up and TOSS him!! The Canadians ELIMINATE Je’Von! The fans boo but now Spears and Ethan agree, Myles is next. But then Spears whips Ethan! Only for Ethan to reverse and send Spears out! Spears holds onto ropes, Myles runs up, Ethan dodges! Myles dodges back, and he DROPKICKS Ethan into Spears’ headscissors!

Spears drags Ethan out with that, but the BOTH fall! MYLES WINS!!!

Winner: Myles Borne (NEW #1 Contender to the NXT Championship)

NQCC returns to celebrate with their guy! Though, Tavion & Wren are more excited than Dempsey is about it. Will #BabyRandy start to live up to that parallel? Is Myles the next NXT Champion? Or will Oba Femi still be the Ruler?

 

Backstage interview with Jordynne Grace.

Sarah Schreiber is with the Juggernaut and brings up tonight’s #1 contender’s match. Grace and Giulia are going 1v1 for the first time ever, with only one of them going on to face Stephanie at Battleground. Grace says last week, the two of them fought all the way out of the arena. Tonight, it has to stay in the ring. Grace vows to beat Giulia and win her long overdue 1v1 opportunity at the title. Grace has the power advantage over not just Giulia, but the entire NXT Women’s Division. But in steps Izzi Dame. “What a great attempt at being interesting. You might be one of the strongest here, but you’re not one of the biggest.

“And regardless of what happens tonight, or at Battleground, I plan on-” Lash Legend walks in and says, “SKRRRR~! The birthday girl has finally arrived. Now, I know y’all ain’t talking strong, powerful women without mentioning the Bougie Bully at the top of that list.” Grace sees where this is going. After she becomes #1 contender tonight, and then wins the title at Battleground, she’ll gladly see both of them on the other side. Grace heads out, will the Juggernaut prove it isn’t about size but about backing it up?

 

Karmen Petrovic VS Jaida Parker!

The locker room confrontation is now a battle in the ring! Will Karmen prove that she is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a man? Or will Miss Parker remind us that she don’t play, period?

NXT returns and Karmen is in the ring. The bell rings and the fans rally up. The two tie up, go around, and Jaida puts Karmen on the ropes. Karmen turns things around but Jaida turns it back around. Jaida has Karmen in a corner, the fans chant, “Hey, Miss Parker~!” and the ref counts. Jaida pushes Karmen while she lets off, and Karmen frowns. The two tie up again, go around, and Jaida scoops to SLAM! Jaida says Karmen is in HER ring now! Karmen dodges the lariat, then sweeps the legs! Karmen runs and though Jaida leans back, Karmen changes from Penalty Kick to LEG DROP! Cover, TWO! Karmen drags Jaida up, whips her, but Jaida reverses.

Karmen goes up and SOBATS, then runs up again to wrench and PELE! Jaida bails out in frustration but Karmen builds speed! Karmen DIVES and down goes Jaida! The fans are torn but Karmen puts Jaida back in. Karmen storms up, but Jaida ELBOWS her down! Jaida doesn’t play, and she runs to BLOCKBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Karmen stays in this but Jaida stays on her with buckle bumps. Jaida RAMS into Karmen again and again, then puts Karmen in the ropes. Jaida CHOPS Karmen, then runs to TEARDROP! Jaida high steps it out, then she drags Karmen up for a TWIST ‘N’ SHOUT! Cover, TWO!

Jaida is frustrated, but she clamps onto Karmen. Jaida pulls Karmen’s arms into the motorcycle stretch, then she steps over to sit on Karmen! Karmen endures being folded up and the fans rally. Jaida talks trash, but Karmen powers up to pull her arms back in. Jaida HIP DROPS Karmen first! Jaida then stands Karmen up, throat chops her, and fireman’s carries. Karmen kicks and fights free, then runs up! Karmen ducks ‘n’ dodges to rally with FLYING FOREARM after FLYING FOREARM! Then she DISCUS LARIATS Jaida down! Karmen fires up, fans are torn, but Karmen runs in at the corner to ELBOW!

Karmen sits Jaida down, goes corner to corner, SLIDING KICK! Jaida sputters, Karmen goes up, and Karmen SHING-BLADES! Cover, TWO!! Jaida survives and Karmen is beside herself! Karmen thinks on what to do, and she tries the LION’S- NO, Jaida dodges the kick to HIP-NOTIC!! Cover, Jaida wins!

Winner: Jaida Parker, by pinfall

A big comeback win, but Jaida isn’t done! She HAMMERS away on Karmen, fires KNEE after KNEE, then suplexes for a GOURD BUSTER! Jaida high steps it, then runs up again, but THEA HAIL takes the hit! Jaida tells Thea to mind her own business. But then Karmen almost gets Jaida with a roundhouse! Jaida goes running, and Karmen checks on Thea. Will Jaida show Karmen and Thea what it really means to be a grown ass woman?

 

Ava Raine talks with Joe Hendry.

The “Mayor of NXT” has security on hand as she says this situation with Hendry and Trick has gotten out of hand. It has to end! Rebellion, the attacks on TNA Impact, and even this tonight, it is all too much, she is not having it anymore! Hendry says as TNA World Champion, he is NOT backing down from Trick. Ava says that’s fine, she knows Trick, and Trick surely won’t back down. So she spoke with Santino Morella earlier tonight, and they came to an agreement. At Battleground, it will be Hendry VS Trick 1v1. And for the first time on a WWE PLE, the TNA World Championship will be on the line.

Hendry is a bit surprised by that, but Ava says the contract signing is next week. Hendry says he’ll be there. Perfect. Hendry heads out, but is he risking a lot just to settle things with Trick? Or is TNA about to stand for Trick’s Newest Achievement?

 

Out The Mud is on their way back.

Lucien Price says, “Sometimes you gotta let the noise die down. That’s when you strike. We got sloppy. No patience, no control.” Bronco Nima says now they know better. They been crawling out that damn mud. Now that they’re back up, they see the NXT Tag Division for what it really is. There are teams begging to prove what they can do, but OTM ain’t begging. OTM will just take whatever they want. That means they’re taking everyone else’s shine, everyone else’s opportunities, and most importantly, everyone else’s gold! When and where will Price & Nima strike down the competition?

 

The Wes Side regroups backstage.

Wes himself is on the phone, and he says, “He took the bait, right? The match is set.” And he tells Tyriek & Tyson it’s as the saying goes: Everyone’s got a price! They laugh and head out, but what exactly does Wes mean by that? Meanwhile, we spot Inamura & Briggs. Briggs wants Inamura to hold on, and he wants to talk about the last couple of weeks. Inamura tells Briggs that he knows what he’ll say. Inamura disappointed Briggs again. Unable to win tonight, unable to win last week, and it was all on Inamura. Inamura is sorry. No, Briggs wasn’t going to say that. Inamura says he has already talked to Ava. Tonight, he heads home to Japan.

Briggs says he doesn’t want Inamura to go, but Inamura says he wishes he could’ve been a better tag partner. Inamura even returns his leather vest! “Goodbye, my friend.” Inamura leaves, and Jensen walks in, The Culling by his side. Jensen says he knows that feeling. He’s lived that feeling! And it sucked! But hey, Briggs is better off now, right? Briggs always thinks it’s his partner, but maybe, just maybe, the problem has always been Briggs. Izzi says, “The truth hurts, huh?” The Culling leaves, and Briggs is all alone. What is the Bullhead Brawler to do with himself now?

 

The NQCC returns backstage.

Wren & Tavion continue to be fired up for Myles, but Dempsey still seems torn. Dempsey does pat Myles on the shoulder and tells him that was a fantastic job out there. But now is the time to get serious. Dempsey needs each and every one of them to help HIM get ready for the match with Oba at Battleground. Myles says he knows he’s hard of hearing, but did Dempsey just say he is facing Oba? Yeah. Uh, no, Myles won the battle royal. Dempsey says hey, Myles won for the good of the group, but it needs to be Dempsey going to Battleground, going after that big piece of meat and stretching it out to have Oba crying for mercy. Uh… What?

Before anyone can question what Dempsey’s talking about, Oba walks in and applauds Myles’ victory. Myles was not Oba’s pick to win, but he is still impressed. He will be seeing Myles at Battleground. Dempsey says no, it’ll be him. Oba says he’s pretty sure he saw Myles win the match. Yeah, but- Myles says yeah, HE won, so HE will be facing Oba at Battleground. But hey, Dempsey can still show Myles how it’s done by facing Oba next week. Because before Oba showed up, Charlie was saying something about… Uh, Tavion, can you help Myles remember? Something about stretching out that big meat? Dempsey says he wasn’t saying that!

Myles says no, he’s pretty sure he heard that. And Wren, didn’t Dempsey say he was gonna make Oba cry for mercy? Hey, Charlie, look. If you beat Oba like you believe you can, then maybe Battleground can be a Triple Threat. No, no, no, Oba is done with Triple Threats. But he will see Dempsey next week. Oba heads out, Myles says Oba’s pissed. Dempsey “thanks” Myles for that. What wonderful selective hearing he has… Sorry, what was that, Charlie? Dempsey frowns then storms off and Myles chuckles. Wren says Dempsey said Myles has wonderful selective hearing, and Myles chuckles again.

Tavion says Myles shouldn’t worry about that. But will Dempsey manage to take down Oba all by himself? Or will Dempsey just be an appetizer for The Ruler?

 

Uriah Hall & Kale Dixon talk with Mr. Chase.

It is so exciting to have Chase U back! Mr. Chase agrees, it’s been awesome. Kale says he and Uriah have been thinking. First, they love the sweater. So does Mr. Chase! And they love the polo shirts. So does Mr. Chase! But they were thinking to spruce it up a bit by getting rid of the polo. W-What? Uriah says no one really wears polo shirts anymore, and they already have some clothes for Mr. Chase to try on. Chase isn’t so sure, he was just getting used to wearing the sweater again. Uriah says just try these on. And trust them, it’ll be worth it. Chase sighs and gives in. He takes the stack of shirts, goes into the dressing room, but then a few minutes later, he shouts at them!

Uriah & Kale stand at attention as he walks out in a quarter-zip. They love it! It’ll look sharp in the classroom! Chase isn’t so sure, and he goes to try on the second shirt. That’s fine, it’s good to have options. A few minutes later, Chase comes out in a full tracksuit! There it is! That’ll look great ringside! Ringside?! J-Just a suggestion. Chase says y’know what? He does like it. Kale & Uriah fist-bump! New Chase U, new Chase Fit, this is going to be great!

 

NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Giulia VS Jordynne Grace!

La Primera may have overcome The Beautiful Madness, The Juggernaut and Miss Parker all at once, but now she’ll have no choice but to face someone 1v1 at Battleground. Will the former NXT Women’s Champion have her rematch of revenge? Or will Grace go Beast Mode and earn her spot at Battleground?

NXT returns as Grace makes her entrance. The bell rings and both rush in! They fire forearms back and forth and the fans fire up! Grace gets the edge, but then Giulia dodges to ROCK Grace! Giulia has Grace in a corner, CHOPS and ROCKS her over and over, but stops as the ref counts. Giulia winds up, runs up, and hits a FASTBALL! The fans fire up, but then Grace puts Giulia in the ring! Grace fires forearms and CHOPS of her own! The fans fire up, the ref counts, Grace GRIZZLY MAGNUMS! Grace brushes herself off, then whips Giulia corner to corner. Giulia reverses, Grace reverses back and atomic drops!

Grace whips, scoops, and GUT WRENCH SLAMS Giulia! Giulia hits her head hard, but Grace hurries to deadlift suplex! Grace holds Giulia up, even as Giulia kicks and flails! Grace then shifts to hit a GUT BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Giulia stays in this, slaps herself to make sure she’s still in this, and we see Stephanie Vaquer watching this backstage. Grace drags Giulia back up, whips her to a corner, and Giulia bounces off buckles! Grace whips her back the other way! Giulia drops to her knees, but Grace looms over her. The fans rally, Grace bumps Giulia off buckles, then LARIATS to the back again and again!

The ref counts, Grace stops, and then Grace brings Giulia around. Grace waistlocks, Giulia switches, but Grace switches back. Grace goes for a full nelson, but Giulia uses her own leg as leverage to fight the hold. Grace still powers up to nelson, and then she spins Giulia to KNEE and LARIAT! Giulia stays up so Grace LARIATS her in the back! Giulia grits her teeth as Grace LARIATS her again! Giulia then clinches to STO! Cover, TWO! Giulia snarls and headlocks, then she brings Grace to a corner. Giulia ROCKS Grace, runs up, but Grace gets around to RAM her into the buckles! Grace has the arms hooked but Giulia pushes off the buckles!

Grace backslides, Giulia rolls through, then Giulia SHOTGUNS Grace down! The fans fire up, Giulia brings Grace up, but Grace wrenches out and whips Giulia to the apron. Giulia dodges Grace, but Grace blocks a kick! Grace pulls the leg into the ropes, Giulia pulls Grace’s hair, and the ref reprimands them both. They both let go at 4, but then Grace blocks the sucker punch! Grace trips Giulia, then goes up, up, and STOMPS! Giulia avoids disaster, then she YANKS Grace down! Grace hits apron, then Giulia pushes her back in! Giulia stands, goes Matrix to avoid the haymaker, but then Grace BOPS her! Grace goes up and brings Giulia up!

Giulia CHOPS at Grace’s legs, then drops down to trip Grace up! Grace has a hard landing now, and Giulia drags her to the apron. Giulia has Grace dangling, DRAPING NECKBREAKER to the floor! The fans fire up again and NXT goes picture to picture.

Giulia fires up, and she brings Grace back up. Giulia puts Grace in the ring, stomps her around, then brings her back up. Giulia wrenches Grace’s hair, wrenches again, then THROWS Grace by her hair! Giulia throws down hands, then throws down HEADBUTTS! The ref reprimands the hair pulling but Giulia runs to DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Grace is tougher than that, but Giulia looms over her. Giulia drags Grace up by her arms with a motorcycle stretch. Grace powers up to turn that around! But then Giulia turns it back around! Giulia brings Grace to a knee, then STOMPS her down! Giulia kicks Grace around, then clamps on for a NECK TWIST!

Grace writhes but Giulia drags her up. Giulia bumps Grace off buckles, reels her in, and puts her up top. Giulia puts Grace in a Tree of Woe, taunts her, then builds speed side to side, basement DROPKICK! Grace falls out of the Tree, but Giulia clamps on a cravat! Grace endures the neck wrench, fights up to her feet, and fires body shots! Giulia just clamps on tighter! Grace fires more body shots as NXT returns to single picture. Giulia ROCKS Grace, whips her, but Grace goes up and over! Grace then hits a SPINEBUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Giulia then has a GUILLOTINE FACELOCK!! Grace endures, even as Giulia has the body scissors on!

The fans rally, Grace fights up and powers through, but Giulia HEADBUTTS again and again! But Grace still hits an EXPLODER! The fans fire up while both women are down! “This is Awesome!” as both women slowly rise. They go forehead to forehead, then Giulia fires a forearm! Grace fires a haymaker! Giulia fires a forearm, Grace fires back, and they go back and forth! The fans rally as Giulia gets the edge and ROCKS Grace! Giulia whips but Grace holds ropes! Giulia SLAPS Grace, then whips! Grace reverses to SLAP back! The fans fire up, Grace runs, but Giulia blows past! Only for Grace to scoop and SLAM!

Grace scoops and SLAMS again! Then she scoops and- NO, Giulia fights it! But even so, Grace powers through to scoop and MICHINOKU DRIVER!!! Cover, TWO?!!? Giulia survives and no one understands how! Grace grows frustrated but Giulia gets herself to a corner. Grace drags Giulia up, ROCKS her, then winds up, only for Giulia to dodge! Giulia runs up but Grace puts her on the apron! Giulia goes up, but Grace UPPERCUTS! Grace climbs up and brings Giulia to the top! Stalling SUPERPLEX! And then roll through to a JACKHAMMER!! Cover, TWO!!!! Giulia survives again and Grace is beside herself!

The fans rally up for Giulia but Grace pump handles and half nelsons! Giulia fights free, but Grace reels her in! NORTHERN- DDT!! Giulia hurries to wrench and hammerlock Grace, then scoop, GLORIOUS DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!?!? Now Grace shocks us, but Giulia isn’t done! But then Grace scoops! The fans are thunderous for “Women’s Wrestling!” as Giulia fights the scoop to have an IRON OCTOPUS! Grace endures, powers through, but Giulia has her up again! Grace slips free, inverted suplexes, and tucks Giulia in for a REVERSE POWERBOMB!! But Giulia rises?!? Both women roar, Giulia runs up, but Grace ROCKS her! And URAKENS!

Grace reels Giulia in for the pump handle, BEAST MODE DRIVER!!! Cover, Grace wins!!!

Winner: Jordynne Grace, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the NXT Women’s Championship)

These two pushed past their limits and put on a banger, but Giulia could not outlast the Juggernaut! Grace is headed to Tampa, but here comes Stephanie Vaquer! La Primera walks to the ring to be face to face with Jordynne, and she holds up the title. Will Vaquer still be the best of the best in the best women’s division in the world? Or will the Dark Angel learn to lose with Grace?


My Thoughts:

An awesome NXT here, jampacked with both action and build towards Battleground. For one, an awesome main event from Giulia VS Grace, though that rough landing for Giulia out of the gut wrench was scary. Grace winning was a moderate surprise, but Vaquer VS Grace will still be awesome. I feel like this is Giulia’s way to move on to Raw, but I guess we’ll see as soon as next week. Good promo from Jaida with Thea and Karmen, and then a very good match between Jaida and Karmen. Jaida gets a good win, and with OTM on the way back, maybe the trio can finally get going on the other side of Battleground.

Lola wanting next after Battleground is also fitting. Lola VS Vaquer was teased months ago, so they might go through with it on the way to the big weekend in LA. Worlds Collide is essentially a spotlight on Latino talent, so an all Latina title match would make the perfect main event. Kelani VS Zaria was a great match, and who doesn’t like a barrier breaking spot? I figured Zaria would get the win, and I still think the route to go with is Zaria facing others who want at Sol, so that Zaria builds herself a win streak that then leads to Sol VS Zaria. Good little promo from Chase with Uriah & Kale to give an origin story behind some new ring gear. I can’t be sure if Uriah & Kale will help Mr. Chase do better or end up messing Mr. Chase up, but it’ll be good story material.

Great opening Six Man, and I didn’t think Trick would cost Hendry the match, but it still works given Trick going after Hendry every chance he can. And of course Hendry costs Trick in return during the battle royal. Trick VS Hendry for the TNA World Championship is going to be awesome stuff, I can’t wait to see the contract signing or the title match. And we might get Trick joining the exclusive club of men who’ve been both NXT and TNA Champion in their careers. The others in that club are Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Drew McIntyre, & Dolph Ziggler/Nic Nemeth.

That battle royal also made for a great throughline for a lot of the other stories tonight. Wes talking smack on Tony D is going to give us Wes VS Tony D, and I feel like Wes’s phone call after the battle royal has something to do with Stacks. Inamura and Briggs having their last match together for it to go south was a good move since Inamura really is going home to Pro-Wrestling Noah. And of course Jensen & The Culling had to pour salt on the wound. I stick by what I said last week where Briggs ends up siding with Culling so he and Jensen can be a team again.

I really liked the interactions of Wes and Zach in the battle royal, because they never got the chance to fight each other, and then ended up working together instead. I can’t wait to see if we get more of Wes VS Zach, maybe for some bigger TNA VS NXT show. I am really surprised Myles Borne won, but this is great for him. It also feels like NQCC could fall apart, as Dempsey was clearly trying to Freebird Rule that title opportunity even though that’s not how it works. Oba had a good promo with NQCC, and Oba will definitely beat Dempsey next week. Now, I don’t know the odds of Myles beating Oba, but Myles will certainly have an awesome showing, and this obviously will lend towards an eventual Myles VS Dempsey story, which will be great stuff.

My Score: 9/10

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Mitchell’s WWE Raw Results & Report! (5/5/25)

Penta wants payback!

Published

on

Cero Miedo on Cinco de Mayo!

Penta made sure Judgment Day didn’t win the WWE World Tag Team Championships, and now he’ll make JD McDonagh pay for the WrestleMania screwjob!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • PENTA VS JD McDonagh w/ The Judgment Day; Penta wins.
  • Austin Theory w/ Grayson Waller VS Sheamus; Sheamus wins.
  • Iyo Sky VS Roxanne Perez; Iyo wins.
  • Rusev VS Otis w/ Akira Tozawa & Maxxine Dupri; Rusev wins.
  • WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso VS Seth Rollins w/ Paul Heyman & Bron Breakker; Rollins wins by disqualification, Jey retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Jey Uso is in the concourse.

The fans are all fired up as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion makes his way out into the crowd! Omaha, Nebraska all YEET along, and even Pat McAfee does, no concern for what Gunther might think. Jey high-fives fans on his way to the ground level, high-fives some more fans on the way to ringside, and Jey daps it up with Pat & Cole. Jey then goes to the ring, and the fans continue to bounce while singing along with Day One Ish! Jey then gets a mic while the fans cheer. Omaha even says, “One More Time! One More Time!” Jey thinks about it, and he figures why not! YEET! Jey and the fans bounce again, then Jey goes back to the mic.

Jey says, “The World Heavyweight Champion, Main Event Jey Uso, is now in your citaaay~!” The fans cheer, and Jey says look. He’s here. He knows Logan Paul’s here. So let’s just stand on business tonight! Where you at, Logan!? But instead, “Ladies and gentlemen…” The Wise Man walks out on stage! The fans boo as Paul Heyman continues his introduction, and he says he cam here tonight not to disrespect the World Heavyweight Champion, Main Event Jey Uso. But he dragged himself all the way to Omaha, Nebraska because he wanted to say something straight to the face of the World Heavyweight Champion, Main Event Jey Uso.

Jey tells OG Heyman, “You got a lotta balls stepping to me after what you just did to my family.” Heyman says wow, Jey is going to lecture Heyman about betraying their Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns? Jey says yeah, he’ll talk to Heyman. Day one, Jey saw past him. He warned Roman about him, and he warned CM Punk about him! Well, a shame that no one warned Heyman. Warned him about his best friend, his BFF, his brother in arms, CM Punk. And while he’s at it, keep your damn boos to yourselves while he’s on the mic! Not one of these fans, or Jey, had to live through what Heyman did.

Heyman’s best friend, CM Punk, put him in a position that 100% absolutely guaranteed it would sabotage him! The fans chant for Punk and Heyman mocks them for it. “They chant his name because they don’t know what’s in the dark heart of that man.” Punk put Heyman in a guaranteed lose-lose situation with Roman Reigns. And let’s talk about Roman Reigns for a minute! The fans chant for “O T C!” and Heyman sighs. Heyman says he had a dream with his best friend, CM Punk, while Roman was still playing high school football. Long before Roman thought about following in his father’s footsteps into pro-wrestling.

And while Heyman helped Punk overcome adversity, what’d Roman think he was going to do? Sell him out to Punk? Why? After Heyman built the Bloodline for five years, why would he do that?! The fans boo more but Heyman sighs again. Heyman found a “stray big dog on the island of irrelevancy, and I turned him into the Tribal Chief and the ruler of the WWE Universe. We were the Undisputed WWE Champion for 1,316 days! And I’m not the one that blew it by getting beat by Cody Rhodes after being distracted by Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40! HE lost the title! HE lost the title that I spent five years of my life building him up as the champion!

And then what’d he do? He disappeared. He went back to being a big dog licking his big wounds, and left me in the hands of Solo, and Jacob Fatu and those Tongans, who put me through a table at Madison Square Garden and almost ended MY 40 year career. And he didn’t come back toa venge me, he came back to get his ula fala back! But I betrayed Roman Reigns, right? I betrayed Roman Reigns, who couldn’t handle the fact that I just wanted to help out my best friend live out his dream! No, it’s always Paul Heyman! I’m always the liar! I’m always at fault! I’m the betrayer, I’m the double crosser, I’m always the freakin’ scumbag in this situation! NOT THIS TIME! I’M RIGHT! I’M RIGHT! I’M IN THE RIGHT! And you blame me?! Screw you!! And screw each and every one of you for booing me!”

The fans boo more but Jey isn’t sure what to think. The fans chant “You Suck! You Suck!” and call Heyman an a-hole, but Jey takes a moment. Jey asks if Heyman is okay. In fact, is Heyman done? Jey has another question: What does this have to do with Jey? Heyman smirks and says that he does owe an apology. It has nothing to do with Jey. Not that part. He didn’t come out here to talk Roman and Punk. Here is the thing Heyman did come out here to talk with Jey. See, Jey won that title because he wanted that title> But that title is all about power and control. And honestly, Jey doesn’t know how to wield that. Jey doesn’t understand that!

Jey thinks coming out here to YEET with the audience and putting on the best in-ring performance is all it takes. But that’s not what this title is about. So while Jey needs in his heart and wants to be a champion… Seth Rollins has to be a champion. Rollins has to have that power, that control, and Bron Breakker… Well, that is just stage one of the plan. Stage two is the World Heavyweight Championship. But Heyman is out here tonight to do Jey a favor. And we all know how well Heyman’s favors work out> Jey gets to sign his own death warrant. Jey gets to chose the night he loses the World Heavyweight Championship.

Because Seth Rollins hereby challenges Jey to the World Heavyweight Championship! Rollins pinned Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, Rollins deserves to be #1 contender! Jey gets to pick the time and the place, because Rollins will fight Jey for that title any time, and any place. Heyman drops his mic then takes his leave. Jey tells Heyman to hold on, OG. Omaha, can you help him out? Jey asks if Heyman just said “any time,” and “any place,” “any where,” for the world title, against Seth Freakin’ Rollins? Then it’s on TONIGHT! FOUR LETTERS! ONE WORD! UH, UH… YEET!!

Jey had Logan Paul on his mind, but now he is daring the Visionary to put up or shut up! Will Jey turn the tables on Rollins? Or is Jey playing into Rollins’ hand?

 

Heyman returns backstage.

He finds Rollins & Bron, and Heyman smiles. Heyman says, “He fell for it> I cannot believe he fell for it! He wants to do the match tonight! You were so right!” Rollins asks you know what he loves. He loves to say< “I told you so.” And he tells Heyman, “I told you so.” Heyman says that is true. Bron says Seth Freakin’ Rollins, World Heavyweight Champion… Heyman asks if Bron understands what is going on. Roman Reigns prepared Seth Rollins at Mania, and Rollins pinned the biggest star in the main event. CM Punk prepared with unbridled passion for Rollins at Mania, and Rollins not only beat Roman & Punk, Roman & Punk lost to Rollins in the main event.

Jey Uso is a great champion, don’t take that away from him. He made Gunther tap out! Gunther! Jey is no easy day in the park. But Jey wasn’t focused on Rollins, he was distracted by Logan Paul! And now he has no time to prepare for Rollins. But Rollins is fully focused on Jey because there’s no one left. Rollins is a sniper, and he has Jey in his sights. And tonight, we get handed the keys to the kingdom when the ref hands that World Heavyweight Championship to Seth Freakin’ Rollins…! Bron can see the vision now, but will we all see Rollins burning down the YEET Era?

 

PENTA VS JD McDonagh w/ The Judgment Day!

The Intercontinental Championship Fatal 4 Way at WrestleMania only went well for “Dirty Dom” because he had an Irish Ace up his sleeve! JD is back, but will Penta make him pay for the part he played? Or will The Judgment Day be able to screw Penta over again?

Raw returns and JD is in the ring. The bell rings, JD and Penta circle while Carlito & Finn Balor watch from ringside. The fans rally for #CeroMiedo as Penta throws it up. But JD kicks low! JD headlocks for the takeover, but Penta headscissors. JD kips free, arm-drags and has the armlock. Penta headscissors again, JD kips free, and then he waistlocks. Penta ELBOWS free, runs, but JD drop toeholds! Penta avoids the basement dropkick, but JD avoids the Penalty Kick to roll Penta up! TWO and JD returns. Penta again avoids a kick but the STANDING MOONSAULT hits! Cover, TWO! Finn argues the count but JD CLUBS Penta.

JD stands Penta up to bump him off buckles, then he CHOPS! Penta CHOPS JD in return! And CHOPS again! Penta runs up to KICK JD’s leg out! The fans cheer while JD hobbles away. Penta CHOPS again, then KICKS the leg out again! The fans fire up with Penta while JD goes to another corner. Penta storms up, but JD puts him in the corner, only for Penta to dodges and CHOP! JD sputters, Penta swaggers, and Penta KICKS the legs out! Cover, TWO! Finn wants a timeout but there’s no such thing here. Penta drags JD up, whips him to a corner, but JD BOOTS in return! JD ELBOWS Penta down, then drags him up to bring him around.

Penta blocks the buckle bump, GAMANGIRIS, then CHOPS! JD leans back, Penta climbs, but JD SLAPS him! And SLAPS! JD shoves Penta down, kicks him, then goes to the apron. Penta blocks the boot, then ENZIGIRIS in return! The fans fire up, but Penta tells Finn to stay back. Finn says he’s just standing nearby. JD fireman’s carries Penta to APRON DEATH VALLEY! JD is in control and Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and JD has Penta up top. JD pulls Penta into the Tree of Woe, then runs corner to corner, but Penta sits up! JD slides into the POST! Penta is free of the Tree, and then he runs to handstand and SWINGING DROPKICK! JD gets feet right to the face and Penta covers, TWO! JD stays in this but the fans rally behind Penta. Penta fires up, and he counter punches JD! Penta bobs ‘n’ weaves to CHOP, then ROCK JD! Penta fires forearm after forearm, whips, but JD reverses. Penta KICKS in return! Penta runs, ducks ‘n’ dodges, SLING-DOG! Cover, TWO! Penta hurries to stand JD back up and JAB!

Penta puts JD against the ropes to CHOP! The fans fire up and Penta whips. Penta scoops JD to BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! JD stays in this but Penta fires himself back up! The fans fire up but Finn distracts on the apron! That lets Carlito pull no Penta’s mask! Penta breaks free to GAMANGIRI! JD runs up but Penta TOSSES him out! Penta climbs, the fans fire up, “CERO! MIEDO!” SUPER CROSSBODY! Down go JD and Carlito! Finn freaks out but the fans rally up behind Penta. Penta puts JD in, but Finn creeps up! JD distracts the ref and Finn YANKS Penta down! Finn puts Penta in, but the ref DOES see it!

The fans fire up as the ref now EJECTS Finn & Carlito! The fans cheer whiel Finn & Carlito freak otu! They apologize, but it’s too late for that! Penta goes up a corner, but CHAD GABLE is here?! Gable grabs at Penta, Penta kicks him away, then Penta leaps over JD! Penta dodges JD to then FLY out onto Gable! Penta drags JD up but JD hits a JAWBREAKER! JD goes up, up, MOONSAULT FLOPS as Penta moves! MEXICAN DESTROYER!! Cover, Penta wins!!

Winner: Penta, by pinfall

Despite all the extra help on the outside, JD could not win! Cero Miedo is victorious, but when will Penta be Numero Uno?

 

Adam Pearce talks with Grayson Waller.

The Raw General Manager says the Aussie Icon wanted a match, so here’s his match. Yeah, but he didn’t know it’d be against him! Austin Theory finds Waller and Waller says good timing. Waller was talking with Pearce about how Waller’s been a bad friend to Theory, wanting a singles match for himself, but that’s selfish. Waller wants Theory to have the match, it’d be great for him. Okay, Theory is down! Pearce asks if Waller is serious, and Waller says he is! Well, if that’s what they want, fine. Theory has a singles match now. It’s official! Great! But who is it against? Uh, well, it’ll be better as a surprise, but they better get to the ring. #AllDay, remember?

Waller hurries away and Theory wonders what kind of surprise it could be. Well, everyone is wondering that. Who will Waller pass over to Theory to avoid getting brutalized?

 

Austin Theory w/ Grayson Waller VS ???

Raw returns as A-Town Down Under is already in the ring. And who is Theory’s opponent that was meant for Waller? It’s SHEAMUS! Monday Night Raw is once again Fight Night Raw as the Celtic Warrior is back again! Will Theory regret taking this banger?

The bell rings and the two circle. The fans rally, the two tie up, and Theory waistlocks. Sheamus throws Theory away and the fans cheer him on. Theory brushes that off, resets with Sheamus, and then Theory kicks low! Theory throws hands, puts Sheamus in a corner, but Sheamus ROCKS Theory! Sheamus UPPERCUTS, but Theory ELBOWS back! Sheamus fires a BODY SHOT, an UPPERCUT, then whips. Theory goes up and over, rolls, comes back, and he DROPKICKS Sheamus down! Waller says that’s his best friend right there! But then Sheamus CLOBBERS Theory! The fans fire up, and Sheamus storms up on Theory.

Theory ELBOWS Sheamus, whips, but Sheamus reverses to scoop, IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up as Sheamus says one more time! IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Sheamus goes for the legs but Theory kicks at him! Theory reels Sheamus in and throws some hands, but Sheamus stomps Theory down! The fans cheer as Sheamus turns Theory over for a CLOVERLEAF! Theory crawls and has the ROPEBREAK! Sheamus lets go, Theory rolls out, and Waller checks on his friend. But Sheamus climbs up! SUPER FLYING LARIAT! Down goes Theory! The fans fire up, and Sheamus finds a fellow Ginger! The fans cheer more while Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and the fans rally behind Sheamus. Theory CLUBS Sheamus and throws hands, but Sheamus shoves him and eggs him on! Theory BOOTS Sheamus, but Sheamus just eggs him on more! Theory runs, but into a scoop and POWERSLAM! Theory flounders to the apron and Sheamus storms his way over. Sheamus stands Theory up and Waller stays back, but Theory HOTSHOTS free! Theory slingshots and somersaults, but into the KNEE CAPPER! Cover, TWO! Theory survives but Sheamus stays cool. The fans rally while Sheamus catches his breath, and then Sheamus goes to the apron.

Sheamus glares at Waller, Waller backs away, and Sheamus climbs. Theory avoids the flying lariat but Sheamus comes back! Theory dodges and Sheamus POSTS himself! Theory SUPERKICKS, somersaults, and BLOCKBUSTERS! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up for Sheamus while Theory goes back outside. Theory checks his jaw, shakes out the stars, and Theory climbs. Sheamus ROCKS Theory, fires body shots, and Sheamus climbs. Sheamus brings Theory up, tucks him in, WHITE NOISE! The fans fire up and Sheamus smiles as he’s clearly enjoying this. “This is Awesome!” as Sheamus rises up again.

Waller coaches Theory as Theory crawls to the apron, but Theory asks why Waller did this to him! Sheamus stands Theory up, and the fans cheer on the BEATS OF THE BODHRAIN! The fans count along, Sheamus goes past TEN, and Theory slumps down at FOURTEEN! The fans fire up, Waller is worried, and Sheamus goes to a corner. The fans cheer Sheamus on, and we get a BROGUE! Cover, Sheamus wins!

Winner: Sheamus, by pinfall

The Celtic Warrior made quite the return, and Theory is surely regretting subbing in for Waller. Will A-Town Down Under have a meltdown because of this?

 

BREAKING NEWS for Backlash!

Penta was so close at WrestleMania, and he got through JD here tonight, so now he will be challenging Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship!

Judgment Day regroups in the clubhouse.

They’ve clearly heard the news, and JD storms in asking what happened out there. The ref kicked them out? And why did Gable go out there? That wasn’t on any of them. JD says then Penta and Gable need to get it ASAP! Dom says Penta will be handled at Backlash, but as for Gable- Wait, who is this walking into the clubhouse? It’s A J STYLES! The Phenomenal One nods to Finn, Finn nods back, but Carlito asks how Styles even got here. Oh, R-Truth told him where they were. Plus, it wasn’t that hard to find. But he’s not here to fight or cause trouble. Styles just wants to give a friendly warning. Whether it is Dom or Penta, Styles is after that title.

Dom says whatever, old man. Wow, oh, so hurtful. But Styles tells Dom that it doesn’t matter who wins, he want the title! And then he’ll beat Dom up either way. Dom says this is crazy. Who knew being a champion was this hard. Penta, Styles, his hands are full! Wait, Finn has history with Styles. Can’t he handle Styles for Dom? Oh, what? Now Finn cleans up Dom’s messes for him? Nah, just messing with you. Finn’s got this. They fist bump, but will Judgment Day (not) hold it together without Liv around?

 

Chad Gable is backstage.

“Freakin’ luchadores. Bloody my nose?” The New Day walk over and Gable says it is not the time for this. Kofi Kingston says hold on, hold on, hear them out. They saw what went down, and that was awful. And they know that it is around time American Made got some respect around here. Xavier Woods says the War Raiders are already talking about getting a rematch, but New Day beat the bejeezus out of them, so that’s a no. What the New Day thinks is that opportunities need to start coming back to American Made. Gable likes what they’re saying. Give him some more ideas like that. But then Becky Lynch pushes through.

Woods tells The Man it was messed up how Lyra Valkyria treated her. Becky thanks him for that. Becky heads to the ring, what will she have to say here in Omaha?

 

Becky Lynch goes to the ring.

Omaha is torn as The Man has a mic in her hand. Becky says The Man has come around to Omaha, and she’s baffled by the bit of boos and “You Suck” chants she’s getting. Wait, wait, wait. She is very confused. The fans are treating her like she’s the bad guy here? No, she’s the victim! Okay, okay, she took out Bayley, fine. But when she came out to WrestleMania, everyone lost their minds! A woman in the crowd cried tears of joy! No one asked where Bayley was, because no one cared, Bayley is garbage! Becky took out the garbage! The fans were happy the garbage was taken out, but then Becky took credit for it and everyone got mad she took out the garbage!

That’s not what they should say when someone takes out the garbage! You tell that person, “Thank you for taking out the garbage! And what’s more than that, I also took out the recycling! Because that’s what Lyra is! She’s less offensive than garbage, but she’s still garbage! And what is garbage about her is her attitude. She doesn’t have a dream if it isn’t for me! She doesn’t have a title if it isn’t for me! She doesn’t make history if it isn’t for me! She doesn’t even have a freakin’ fiancé if it isn’t for me!!” The fans boo, but Becky says she still gets all this disrespect! But wait, here comes Lyra! Becky says this is what she’s talking about!

Lyra has a mic and asks, “Did you actually just call me recycling? You’re the Queen of Recycling! You’ve been recycling the same moves and the same tired old act for years! But that’s fine, Becky, you do you, I don’t care. What I have a problem with is you acting like you had anything to do with my success. The one thing I want to drive into your skull more than my foot is that you didn’t make me!” The fans cheer, and Lyra says she’ll catch Becky up. Becky went on holiday, and everyone here got better. Becky went on holiday, and Lyra made history of her own. Lyra holds up the Women’s Intercontinental Championship and the fans cheer.

Lyra says, “Oh, but you’re what this championship needs, right? That’s what you said. That’s rich, considering I’ve defended it more times than days you’ve shown up to work this year.” The fans cheer that zinger! Becky paces but Lyra says she sees it now. Lyra sees it so clearly. Becky shattered glass ceilings and Lyra is forever grateful. But Becky left all that broken glass on the ground and the rest of the Women’s Division were supposed to just follow behind because Becky never had any intention of taken anyone to the top with her. Becky says okay, okay, Lyra is right. Becky was gone, and everyone had the best year of their careers.

But that’s only because they didn’t have Becky around to compare themselves to! The fans boo but Becky says no, she didn’t help anybody because she doesn’t like anybody. She didn’t help anyone because her job isn’t to help anyone, it is to beat everyone! And Becky is very, very good at her job! She’s the greatest to ever do it! That’s not just her saying it, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED said so! The fans do cheer that, but Becky tells Lyra it doesn’t matter how great she thinks she is or how great she’ll become, because she will always be the moment after Becky! Wow… Sports Illustrated, huh? Lyra is wrong, she’ll take it back. Please, continue listing the achievements.

What can we say? Becky’s first SmackDown Women’s Champion, first woman to win the main event of WrestleMania, and the first Women’s Intercontin- NO! Wait! That’s Lyra! Becky frowns while the fans cheer, and Lyra says Becky must hate it. Becky must hate that this is Lyra’s first ever. But get used to being second. Becky throws hands but Lyra hits back! The fans fire up as these two brawl, and then Lyra hits a SPINEBUSTER! Becky gets up, Lyra is right on her, but Becky puts her in ta corner! Lyra dodges, RAMS into Becky again and again, then things spill outside! Lyra sends Becky into barriers! And apron! And barriers again!

The fans fire up but refs rush out! Omaha says, “LET THEM FIGHT!” but Becky gets free and throws off her jacket! Becky then gets in the ring and tells everyone, “You see this disrespect?! You see this disrespect?!” Lyra gets free and is back for more! The fans fire up, Becky clinches, but Lyra slips free to fireman’s carry! NIGHTWING DRIVER!! Lyra stands tall over Becky, title in her hand! Will this be the scene this Saturday for Backlash?

 

Iyo Sky VS Roxanne Perez!

The Genius Women’s World Champion won big last week on NXT alongside Jordynne Grace, but now The Prodigy is back in hopes of returning the favor. Will Roxie prove she’s ready for Raw? Or will Iyo show being a prodigy only gets you so far?

Raw returns and Iyo makes her entrance. The bell rings and the fans rally. The two circle, tie up, and Iyo pushes Roxie back. Roxie puts Iyo on ropes, Iyo turns that around, and the two go around. Iyo clinches, Roxie wrenches, but Iyo headlocks. Roxie powers up and out but Iyo runs her over! Things speed up, Iyo ducks ‘n’ dodges, then whips Roxie. Roxie cartwheels over the dropdown, then SLAPS Iyo! Roxie takes a bow, then dodges Iyo to bail out. Iyo pursues, they go back in the ring, and Roxie dodges again to roll back! Roxie RANAS, but Iyo handsprings through! The fans fire up, things keep moving, and Iyo handsprings again!

Roxie dodges, but Iyo comes back to SHOTGUN! Roxie tumbles out, Iyo builds speed, but Roxie is back to dropkick the legs out! Iyo writhes, but Roxie grabs the leg to stomp it and SMASH it! Roxie wants both legs but Iyo BOOTS her away. Iyo runs, but Roxie puts her on the apron. Iyo ROCKS Roxie first, but Roxie grabs a leg! DRAPING DRAGON SCREW! Roxie builds speed and DIVES! Down goes Iyo at the ramp! The fans boo but Roxie puts Iyo in. Iyo gets moving and she DIVES! Direct hit on Roxie at the ramp! The fans fire up with Iyo, and Iyo hurries to put Roxie in. Iyo aims, springboards, but Roxie SLAPS her down!

Roxie grabs Iyo’s leg, drags her to a corner, and STOMPS the knee against the crossbar! Iyo clutches her leg and slumps to the floor while Roxie leaves her behind, and Raw goes to break.

Raw returns and Iyo has Roxie up top, for a SUPER ARM-DRAG! The fans fire up while both women are down! Iyo slaps her leg into working, then she crawls her way over. Omaha is behind Iyo as she ROCKS Roxie! Roxie ROCKS Iyo, but Iyo ROCKS Roxie back! The forearms keep going, Iyo fires a flurry, then she winds up to SHOTEI! Roxie staggers, runs up, but Iyo FLAPJACKS! And BUZZSAWS! Cover, TWO! Roxie toughs it out but Iyo goes to the apron. Roxie runs up, but Iyo blocks her punch to HOTSHOT the arm! Iyo climbs, Roxie stands, MISSILE DROPKICK! The fans fire up while Roxie flounders, and Iyo kips up!

Iyo goes wild, so do the fans, and all aboard the SHIN- NO, Iyo’s leg bothers her! Roxie runs up, wheelbarrows, but Iyo rolls through to STOMP 182! Cover, TWO! Roxie survives and Iyo is frustrated! The fans rally, Iyo waistlocks, and she deadlift GERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridge, but then a roll through! Roxie fights the second try to SAIDO! Iyo and Roxie stand, Roxie runs up, but Iyo wrenches and hooks her up! TIGER BACKBREAKER! Iyo says time to end this! Iyo CHOPS Roxie, hobbles to a corner, and climbs up! OVER THE MOONSAULT but Roxie moves! Iyo lands out but that jams up the leg! Roxie runs to SPIKE RANA!

Roxie roars, runs, and hits the HANDSPRING KNEE DROP! Cover, TWO!! Iyo survives the Guillotine Knee as taught to Roxie by Meiko Satomura, and Omaha rallies up more. Roxie fires hands, SOBATS, then runs to hop on! Iyo handsprings through, but Roxie blocks the kick! DRAGON SCREW! Roxie then has the arm, LA MAGISTROL BRIDGE! TWO!! Iyo bridges, TWO!! Roxie has the body scissors, O’Conner Roll, TWO! Iyo rolls Roxie up, TWO! Roxie has a lateral press, TWO! Iyo sunset flips! TWO! Roxie high stacks, TWO! Iyo sunset flips again, IYO WINS!!

Winner: Iyo Sky, by pinfall

Roxie is shocked! She tried to match speed with speed and move for move, but she just couldn’t keep up with the Genius! But then Roxie gets in Iyo’s face! Roxie offers a handshake? The fans aren’t so sure, but Iyo takes it. They both bow, and surprisingly, there is now respect here between them. But wait! GIULIA ATTACKS! It was all just so the Beautiful Madness could slip in! Roxie grins and they mug Iyo like they have before! Giulia ties up Iyo’s legs, has the arms, and sets Iyo up for a SUPERKICK and SURFBOARD STOMP!! Rhea Ripley is in Australia, she can’t save Iyo! Giulia sets Iyo up again, for another SUPERKICK and another SURFBOARD STOMP!!

Roxie and Giulia stand over Iyo, will these former NXT Women’s Champions soon run Monday Night Raw?

 

Rusev VS Otis w/ Akira Tozawa & Maxxine Dupri!

Bulgarian Brute no more, he has been REDEEMED! And now, he feels it is his divine appointment to “fix” all those on Raw who were once like him. Will that mean #TheDozer is going to go through baptism by fire? Or will he simply be crushed?

The bell rings and the fans rally as the two big men circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock, and they break. The fans rally more as the two tie up again. Another deadlock, but Rusev manages to power Oits bac. Otis powers Rusev back, the fans duel, and the big men break again. Rusev nods, perhaps liking what he is seeing already. They tie up again, and Rusev KNEES low, CLUBS Otis and fires hands in the corner! The ref counts, Rusev stomps a mudhole, but stops as the ref gets in there. Rusev storms up on Otis, stands him up, and whips him, only for Otis to reverses. Rusev returns to LARIAT! Otis stays up and shakes his head!

Rusev LARIATS, Otis stays up, so Rusev runs. Otis dodges with a roll! Otis then comes back and he LARIATS Rusev! Rusev stays up, but now Otis runs, and Otis LARIATS again! Rusev shoves Otis, Otis ducks ‘n’ dodges, but the WHEEL KICK comes outta nowhere! The fans are torn while Rusev stands tall, and Raw goes to break.

Raw returns and Otis is down on the outside. Tozawa & Maxxine check Otis and coach him up, but Rusev storms outside. Rusev kicks at Otis, stands him up, but Otis EXPLODER Rusev over the desk! The fans fire up as Otis has more to give! Otis shoves the Hydration Station aside, then drags Rusev up to whip him hard into steel steps! Otis puts Rusev in the ring, but then drag shim out to fire clubbing arms! But then Rusev ducks, Otis’ arm hits POST! Rusev aims, but Otis ducks, so Rusev’s kick hits POST! Otis then CLOBBERS Rusev! Otis puts Rusev in the ring, storms in after him, and SPLASHES in the corner!

Rusev sputters and Otis runs up again! But Rusev MACHKA KICKS him down! Rusev roars and he shouts, “RUSEV! CRUSH~!” Stomp and ACCOLADE!! Otis endures, but he’s turning red! Otis shouts for Maxxine and Tozawa, but he TAPS! Rusev wins!

Winner: Rusev, by submission

Rusev continues to make Otis suffer by holding on, but Tozawa storms into the ring! Tozawa tells Rusev he can’t do that to his friend! They’re gonna fight right here and right now! The fans fire up as Tozawa rips his shirt away! Rusev says hold on now. Rusev did what he came here to do, and he spares Tozawa for tonight. But that’s just to lower Tozawa’s guard! Ruzev storms back in and GUT WRENCH POWERBOMBS Tozawa onto Otis!! The fans boo but Rusev shows no mercy! He POSTS Otis!! Then he drags Otis back in, and sends him into another POST! Otis falls out of the ring, Rusev goes out to drag him back in!

Rusev hits another MACHKA KICK!! And then he turns Otis back over, and he clamps the ACCOLADE back on!! The fans boo but that only makes Rusev want to do this more! Pearce, refs, and security rush out here! They tell Rusev to let go, but he waits until Otis is OUT! The fans boo, Natalya is here to console Maxxine, and Pearce reprimands Rusev. Will Rusev not care what he must do to “redeem” Monday Night Raw?

 

Raw returns and Adam Pearce is in the ring.

The General Manager hopes that they can get this show back on track. That said, please join him in welcoming to the ring… Pat McAfee! Omaha fires up as Pat hops off the desk, grabs a mic, and joins Pearce in the ring. Pearce also welcomes out Pat’s opponent for Backlash… DER RING GENERAL, GUNTHER! The fans are less excited as Gunther makes his way to the ring. Gunther and Pat keep their eyes on each other as Gunther fetches his own mic. Pearce wants to remind them that they’ve gone over this. They will NOT have what happened two weeks ago happen again. Get what you want out verbally, because Saturday, the time for talk is done.

Pearce says the floor is theirs, but keep it professional. Pearce then steps aside so Pat and Gunther can stare down. The fans cheer Pat on but Gunther says, “Well first of all… Do not worry. I’m not gonna do anything tonight, I’m not going to spoil that for myself. Because luckily for you, unlike you and your friend out there, I am professional.” The fans chant “You Tapped Out!” at Gunther, and he tells them to shut up! He’ll get back to that later, don’t you worry! Pat says he heard Gunther mentioned being professional. And Pat’s friend, Michael Cole, that is a walking, talking GOAT right there! The fans cheer that!

Pat tells Gunther, “For 28 YEARS, every single week of his life, except for three times, he has dedicated to traveling the world for this company. 28 years straight, 52 weeks a year, for this company!” The fans cheer that, too! Pat says Maggle has earned the right to have an opinion. And since that opinion pissed Gunther off so bad, Gunther flipped a switch and felt he had to attack a 60-year-old man, Pat will give Gunther an opinion of the man he’s standing in front of. Pat says it is apropos to be here in Omaha, Nebraska. When he thinks Nebraska, he thinks of the Cornhuskers! Pat shouts out Coach Rhule and his players in the crowd.

Pat says he can’t wait to watch the boys in the Fall rise to the top! And when Pat’s in Omaha, he also thinks of their steaks. Nobody beats this town’s meat! NOBODY! The fans chant “BEAT THE MEAT!” Pat says right across from this very arena is a baseball field that has hosted the NCAA World Series since 1950! The fans cheer that, and Pat says this city is a symbol of working hard and dreams coming true. And Pat feels “dreams” is a good word. They both have that in common. Pat might be from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the USA, and Gunther might be from Vienna, Austria, both men grew up with the same dream.

They both grew up wanting to be in this business, idolizing the superstars of yesterday, and spent hours and hours in front of TV watching pro-wrestling, thinking that is what they were put on this earth to do! The problem with Gunther is, he was at this for 20 years. He has been a champion for 80% of his WWE career. He’s jaded! This is no longer a dream but a job for Gunther. For Pat, every time he walks into an arena, he gets jacked up about life, baby! The fans cheer that! Pat says he thinks about 12 year old Pat, the kids out there in the crowd like him, dreaming in the upper rows to get in this ring and let a-holes like Gunther know that they don’t like what Gunther’s about.

And what Gunther’s about right now, as opposed to the Waltering around stage… Gunther doesn’t want it anymore. He’s too comfortable. It happened against Sami Zayn, it happened against Jey Uso, and it’ll happen with Pat. Pat will prove to Gunther and the fans that this Gunther… is SAWFT. The fans fire up for that! Gunther paces a moment, then he stares Pat down as he says, “Did you enjoy your little daughter’s birthday last week? Two years, right? It’s cute. I bet it was a very special day for you. Because for me, Saturday is a very special day, and you just got me into the right mood for it!

“Because it’s my first match since WrestleMania, and I’m going to show up sharp, I’m going to show up prepared, I’m going to show up more focused than every before. Don’t you worry that I’ll overlook you. Don’t worry that I’ll underestimate you. I promise you, you have my full and undivided attention. Because on Saturday, that bell is going to ring, and I’m going to beat you up! I’m going to MAUL you! I’m going to grab you by the head, and DRIVE it into this mat! I’m going to CHOKE YOU OUT until you drop like a wet towel! Tonight, by my grace, you are untouchable. But on Saturday, trust me when I say this! On Saturday, only the grace of GOD can lift my arms off your throat!”

Gunther shoves his mic into Pat, then he storms off. Der Ring General is ready to reload and unleash his full arsenal upon Pat, will Pat survive to even be part of next week’s show?

 

WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Jey Uso VS Seth Rollins w/ Paul Heyman & Bron Breakker!

To what Pat McAfee just said, perhaps Gunther did underestimate Main Event Jey Uso, but Jey also managed to bring something out of himself that even he didn’t know was there. But that confidence was preyed upon to give The Visionary his shortcut back to this title. Will Rollins and his A-Team make the plan come together? Or will we bookend the show with some YEET?

Raw returns as Jey makes his entrance, and from the ramp this time. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is truly in control!

The bell rings and Jey’s first defense begins. The fans rally behind Jey while he and Rollins stare down. Omaha gets the “YEET! YEET! YEET!” going and Jey is fired up. Jey is already undoing his wrist tape, he wants to throw down! Rollins slowly steps forward, the two tie up, and Rollins waistlocks. Rollins headlocks, spins, hammerlocks, headlocks again and hits the takeover to ghost pin! TWO, and Rollins laughs at how close he had Jey. The fans duel with “YEET!” and “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” Jey and Rollins circle, tie up, and Rollins headlocks again. Jey powers up and out, but Rollins runs him over! Cover, ONE!

Rollins sweeps the legs to cover, ONE! Jey kicks, Rollins blocks, and then Rollins ducks the Dragon Whip! Rollins lounges on the top rope and the fans boo. Jey is annoyed but he keeps his cool. Rollins swaggers up, but Jey UPPERCUTS him down! Jey just suckered Rollins! “YEET!” Rollins says okay, and he shoves Jey. Jey shoves back! Rollins shoves again, Jey shoves again, so Rollins CHOPS! Jey fires a haymaker, Rollins fires back, and the fans are torn! “YEET!” wins out but Rollins mule kicks low! Jey avoids the stomp, but Rollins kicks low again. Jey fights off the Pedigree, but Rollins bails out to avoid the superkick!

The fans are torn but Bron & Heyman walk over to check with Rollins. Rollins says it’s alright, Jey is good. Jey is champion for a reason. Rollins goes to the apron, has Bron relax, and then he steps inside. The fans rally behind Jey as Jey and Rollins circle. They feel things out, but then Rollins kicks low! Rollins CLUBS and stomps away on Jey, then stands him back up to bump him off buckles! Rollins stomps a mudhole in, digs his boot in, but the ref backs him off. Heyman sings along, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” and Rollins stalks Jey to the ropes. Rollins drags Jey up, “You think you’re on my level?” Rollins whips, Jey ducks ‘n’ dodges, and then UPPERCUTS!

Jey runs, Rollins blocks the kick, but the DRAGON WHIP hits! Jey runs and LARIATS Rollins up and out! Jey then DIVES, and Rollins is sent over the desk! The fans fire up while both men are down! Heyman & Bron are worried, but Raw goes to break.

Raw returns once more, and Rollins slithers into the ring. Rollins runs corner to corner at Jey, and Rollins forearm SMASHES! Jey falls to his knees but the fans still cheer him on. Rollins says the fans are just like Jey, they just don’t understand. Rollins brings Jey up, but Jey ROCKS Rollins! And ROCKS him again! And again! “YEET!” But Rollins kicks low! Rollins fires off in the corner, the ref counts, and Rollins keeps trying as the ref backs him off. The ref reprimands, but Rollins just goes back to Jey. Rollins puts Jey up top, CHOPS him, then climbs. The fans rally as Rollins brings Jey up, and Jey fires body shots!

Jey HEADBUTTS Rollins down and the fans cheer! Rollins stands, Jey leaps, but Rollins gets under! Jey keeps moving, ducks ‘n’ dodges, but then Rollins runs! DOUBLE CROSSBODIES collide! The fans fire up while both men are down again! “This is Awesome!” as Rollins and Jey go to opposite ends. Rollins storms up, but Jey counter punches again! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Rollins wobbles, Jey pops, locks ‘n’ winds up to DECK Rollins! Then SAMOAN DROP! The fans fire up again as Jey shakes out the stars. “UCE! OH!” HIP ATTACK! Cover, TWO! Heyman is relieved and Jey grows frustrated.

Rollins slowly rises up, but Jey is there to fireman’s carry! Rollins fights the Samoan Drop and slips out of the ring. Jey pursues, they go around the way, and Rollins slides in. Jey drags Rollins back out, but Rollins BOOTS Jey into barriers! Rollins builds speed and he DIVES! Direct hit and Jey hits barriers! Rollins puts Jey in, goes to the apron, and springboards, into a SUPERKICK! Cover, TWO!! The antiair didn’t end this and the fans can’t believe it! The fans again declare, “This is Awesome!” as Jey and Rollins stir. Rollins rises, Jey aims from a corner, and Jey runs up, but into a KICK! Rollins fireman’s carries, then pops Jey around!

Rollins aims, runs up and BUCKLE BOMBS!! Jey falls, Rollins climbs, and the fans fire up! FROG SPLASH FLOPS as Jey dodges! Jey runs and SPEARS into a PEDIGREE!!! Cover, TWO!! Rollins is furious and Heyman is shocked, but Jey is showing that championship grit! Heyman coaches Rollins up while he goes to a corner. Rollins nods, he knows he has Jey in his crosshairs. Rollins runs back up, but Jey avoids the stomp again! SLEEPER!! Jey has Rollins like he has Gunther, but Rollins throws Jey away! Jey hurries to get moving! SPEAR!!! Cover, TWO!??! Jey is stunned and the fans are shocked, but Bron has a huge smile seeing Rollins’ own grit on display.

Omaha again declare “This is Awesome!” and Jey rises back up. Jey hobbles to a corner and climbs up. Rollins stirs, rises, and he anchors a foot! Jey tries to get free but Rollins CLUBS him! Rollins climbs up now, HAMMERS Jey, but Jey HEADBUTTS! And HEADBUTTS! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Rollins falls back, but into the ref! Bron grabs at Jey! Jey BOOTS Bron off into the Hydration Station! But that lets Rollins get up and SUPER DUPER PLEX! Roll through and FALCON ARROW! Rollins aims from a corner now, and he CURB STOMPS!!! Cover, TWO!?!?! Jey survives and Omaha is thunderous! Bron, Heyman, Rollins, none of them know how this is possible!

Rollins goes to Bron, whispers something to him, but wait! SAMI ZAYN is here?!? Even after what happened last week!? Bron hurries to the ramp, ready to fight Sami. But wait, Sami LEAPS in from the crowd! The fans fire up as Sami fires hands on Bron! Sami POSTS Bron, then Jey SUPERKICKS Rollins! And a SPEAR!!! Jey hurries up top and Sami cheers him on! USO SPLASH!!! Cover, TWO?!?!?! HOW?!?! Omaha has no idea what to make of that, and neither does Sami! Sami coaches Jey, Heyman coaches Rollins, and the fans rally back up. But Bron SPEARS Sami!!! Bron then slithers away to hide while the fans boo!

Jey asks what happened to Sami and he goes outside to check. Heyman distracts the ref, Bron SPEARS Jey!!! The fans boo even more, and Bron drags Jey up to put him in the ring! CURB STOMP!!!! Rollins crawls to the cover, laughing all the way, but C M PUNK is here?!?! Omaha goes nuts seeing Punk back! Punk CHUCKS a chair at Bron’s face! Then he gets int he ring! Rollins and Punk brawl, there goes the title match!

Winner: Seth Rollins, by disqualification (Jey Uso retains the title)

Punk SMACKS Rollins with the chair, JAMS him up, then SMACKS him again! Bron slides in, but Punk SMACKS away on him! Rollins tries to get back in but Punk runs him off! The fans are thunderous for Punk as he and Sami stand tall! Jey gets back up, and clearly the battlelines have been drawn! Will Rollins’ vision for Monday Night Raw fall apart?


My Thoughts:

A great Monday Night Raw as the go-home to Backlash, but everything with the world title match was both great and curious. No Logan Paul here in Omaha is a mixed bag itself. From the story side, he should’ve, so he and Jey could’ve had a face-to-face. But as a person, I was glad we didn’t have to endure Logan being smug. And quite the audible bringing Heyman out to talk with Jey. Heyman’s passion was great, really adds some stuff to help us understand his side. And I like that they “suckered” Jey into this match. It was definitely an awesome match, even with the overbooking that eventually threw it out.

Sami and Punk showing up was all fine in story, but after what happened last week, I feel like Sami shouldn’t have come back so soon. But that aside, Jey, Sami and Punk make for a good unit to counter Rollins’ team. Though, Rollins will need another member who can wrestle since Heyman won’t be of any use. Here’s hoping it is Austin Theory given how Theory is upset with Waller after that switcheroo. Good return for Sheamus, though I feel like Sheamus has done more returns in the last 12 months than just about anyone ever. Here’s hoping Sheamus still gets in on the Intercontinental Championship story.

Speaking of, great match from Penta VS McDonagh, even with the overbooking. A bit surprising Penta overcame all that to win, but it works since now Dom and Penta are now set for an Intercontinental Championship. And there is room on the card as it doesn’t seem Jey VS Logan is happening for Backlash. Makes me wonder if they started us on a Jey VS Logan feud before they were really ready, as Backlash “isn’t big enough” for Logan’s “star power.” I like that Styles also got in on this, Styles VS Finn is going to be awesome, and can certainly set up the winner as the next challenger. It really depends on what happens with Dom VS Penta.

Gable getting involved as also good, given how he and Penta had their confrontation last week. New Day had a good promo with Gable to gas up American Made. That is to say, New Day is using American Made as a shield against The War Raiders, but it’ll only help Erik & Ivar earn their rematch. Great return match for Rusev with Otis looking strong even in defeat. Rusev doesn’t waste time teasing he’s a Tweener, he goes right to blindsiding Tozawa and beating Alpha Academy down. Not sure who is next for Rusev, as there aren’t as many Faces not really tied into anything on Raw. Maybe whatever WWE Draft we get moves Rusev to SmackDown, or at least moves some names from SmackDown and NXT to Raw so Rusev can face fresh meat.

Great promo from Becky and Lyra to help hype Becky VS Lyra. Good brawl, but now Lyra standing tall makes me think Lyra loses the title. Becky can start on some sort of second Grand Slam or something like that, but also she and Lyra will be 1-1 and the rematch for the Women’s Intercontinental title can be the tiebreaker at like MITB or SummerSlam. Iyo VS Roxie was a great match, but of course Giulia showed up. No reinforcements with Rhea promoting Crown Jewel: Perth, and sadly, Dakota Kai being hurt and now released, no Damage CTRL to help either. But the Heels did need a moment where they stood tall, and one of them could even get a world title shot.

And honestly, Pat and Gunther had an awesome promo to hype their match. Pat put over Maggle, he put over Nebraska, and quite perfectly framed this story as the hungry dreamer in Pat himself and the complacent veteran who has already done so much. Gunther’s response was also great, because now he’s angry enough to get that hunger and that fire back. I would think Gunther wins, as he needs the rebound from WrestleMania and Pat doesn’t really need much. But Pat can get a moral victory of sorts by lasting longer than Gunther or any of us expect. Pat can just keep getting up after every chop, have a false finish or two, but ultimately lose because his body can’t come through for his fighting spirit. Respect for Pat but momentum for Gunther, that’s the best outcome.

My Score: 8.9/10

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