Coverage
Mitchell’s NJPW Sakura Genesis Results & Report! (4/6/24)
LIJ VS LIJ!

One way or another, things will be tranquilo!
Tetsuya Naito battles his Los Ingobernables de Japon teammate, Yota Tsuji, for THE IWGP World Heavyweight Championship! Tsuji already won the New Japan Cup, but will the Reiwa Musketeer have the best rookie year ever?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Frontier Zone Six Man Tag: Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Boltin Oleg VS Chicharito Shoki, Takuro Niki & Ayato Yashida; Yano, Ishii & Oleg win.
- Ryusuke Taguchi & El Desperado VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Kosei Fujita; ZSJ & Fujita win.
- BUSHI & Hiromu Takahashi VS David Finlay & Gedo; Bushi & Hiromu win.
- Six Man Tag: Just5Guys VS The United Empire; Just5Guys win.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships Triple Threat: Bullet Club War Dogs VS Intergalactic Jetsetters VS Catch 2/2; War Dogs win and retain the titles.
- IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: KENTA & Chase Owens VS Bishamon; Bishamon wins and become the new IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: SHO VS YOH; Sho wins by referee stoppage, and retains the title.
- Shota Umino & Jon Moxley VS Jack Perry & Ren Narita; Shota & Moxley win.
- NEVER Openweight Championship, Special Guest Referee Yoshinobu Kanemaru: EVIL VS Shingo Takagi; Takagi wins and becomes the new NEVER Openweight Champion.
- IWGP World Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Tetsuya Naito VS Yota Tsuji; Naito wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships Triple Threat: Bullet Club War Dogs VS Intergalactic Jetsetters VS Catch 2/2!
Clark Connors & Dan Moloney snatched these titles away during the New Beginning, but they’ve found themselves right back where they started! Kushida & Kevin Knight are former champions, but so are TJP & Francesco Akira, and they all want payback on Bullet Club! Will these titles stay 100 Proof? Or will there be “new” champions crowned tonight?
Everyone dressed up for this occasion! Kushida is wearing Back to the Future DeLorean armor and Knight is Doc, TJP is a human-Aswang hybrid, and The War Dogs have dog masks. The introductions are made, but then the brawl is on! The fans fire up as the bell rings and they’re just letting this one be tornado style! Drilla stomps Kushida out of the ring, TJP RAMS Connors into a corner and Knight RAMS Akira into another corner. TJP TOSSES Connors out, Knight RAMS into Akira more but fires forearms! Akira and Knight brawl while TJP stomps Connors. Akira CHOPS, then ducks Knight’s leg lariat, only to run into a BACKBREAKER!
The fans fire up as Knight whips Akira, hurdles, hurdles, and then Kushida is in! They bypass Akira to drop toehold and RUNNING SPLASH! Knight gets air even there, and then Jetsetters whip Akira to a corner. Akira BOOTS Knight, kicks Kushida low, then goes up the corner to use Kushida as a step, FLYING RANA for Knight! Akira dodges Kushida, rolls back, and gets Kushida for a swinging RANA! Kushida is sent into Knight, and then Akira runs up, NECKBREAKER DROP DDT COMBO! The fans fire up with the Nova Fireball and he gets the Jetsetters on ropes. TJP returns, he runs to the corner to triangle jump DOUBLE DROPKICK!
The fans fire up but Drilla returns! He kicks Akira, CHOPS TJP, then whips TJP to a corner. TJP goes up and over, Akira clotheslines! Then TJP gives Akira the boost to DROPKICK Connors down! All four corners have someone in them, and TJP scrubs Knight! The fans rally up, and TJP runs side to side to BOOT WASH Drilla! BOOT WASH Kushida! BOOT WASH Connors! And BOOT WASH Knight! TJP completes the lap and the fans are thunderous. Kushida sneaks up on TJP but TJP switches, trips him, and steps through! TJP ties Kushida up in the Deathlock, but Connors runs up! TJP catches him to a COBRA TWIST!
Knight runs up but TJP HEADBUTTS him, then reels him into a GUILLOTINE FACELOCK! The fans fire up for this chimera of submissions, and Akira intercepts Drilla with a GUILLOTINE of his own! But Drilla carries Akira as he CLOBBERS everyone else! All six men are down and the fans fire up! TJP finds Connors, brings him around to whip to a corner, then runs in. Connors puts TJP on the apron but Akira UPPRECUTS! Akira says iku zo, and he goes to the apron. Catch 2/2 coordinate, but Drilla YANKS Akira down! TJP still runs in, but into an APRON SNAP POWERSLAM!? How’d Connors even do that!?
Knight runs up to fire forearms on Connors, then ROLLING ELBOWS! Drilla gets in to CLUB Knight! Drilla then back suplexes, but Knight lands out! Only for Connors to POUNCE him up and out onto everyone else! The fans can’t believe it but it just happened! The War Dogs brag then soak up the heat before going out to fetch Knight. Connors pushes Knight to a cover, TWO! The fans rally but Connors stomps Knight around. The other teams get up but The War Dogs BOOT and KICK them back down. Knight CHOPS Drilla, Connors UPPERCUTS Knight! Drilla CHOPS Knight, then Connors CHOPS Knight!
Drilla CHOPS Knight, Knight kicks Connors! Knight kicks Drilla, CLUBS Connors, ROCKS Drilla, repeat! But Drilla BODY BLOWS then ROCKS Knight! Connors snap suplexes Knight down! Then Connors runs to JUMP ELBOW DROP! Kushida gets in but Connors is on him first, and TOSSES him back out. The War Dogs see Akira gets up so they mug him. Drilla scoops and SLAMS Akira, then they soak up more heat. But Kushida is back, helps Knight up, but Drilla CLAWS Kushida on the back! Drilla tosses Kushida out, Connors UPPERCUTS Knight. Connors whips Knight corner to corner hard, then Drilla covers, TWO!
The fans rally as Knight keeps everyone else in this match, but the War Dogs loom over him. They mock the fans cheering on Knight then flex. Knight fires forearms and CHOPS on the Dogs! The fans fire up but Drilla mule kicks! The Dogs double whip, but Knight LEAPS the double lariat to DOUBLE PELE! The fans fire up as the Dogs bail out! Kushida returns, as does Akira! Akira kicks Knight, CHOPS Kushida, then runs, into into a bypass and DROPKICK! Kushida KICKS TJP, KICKS Connors, then HANDSPRING KICKS Drilla! And he WRECKS Akira with a dropkick! Akira and Drilla both end up in the front row!
TJP and Connors each get up, but Knight springboards to DOUBLE FLYING LARIAT! The fans are thunderous, Kushida TOSSES TJP and Connors over railing! Kushida’s gathered all targets in the front row, and Knight takes aim! Springboard SUPER CROSSBODY into the crowd!! Direct hit on everyone and the fans are thunderous! The Jetsetters regroup, a ring count starts on all six wrestlers! Kushida hurries up and over railing, he and Knight drag everyone back over. We pass 10 of 20, the brawling returns, and everyone falls over again! We’re at 16! 17! 18! EVERYONE slides in at 19! The fans fire up again as all six men are exhausted!
All six men rise up, and the brawling continues! Akira with Connors, TJP with Knight, and Kushida with Drilla. But then they trade, and Knight fires off on Connors! Drilla stomps Akira and Kushida out then goes after TJP. Drilla puts TJP up, ROCKS him, then climbs up after him. Drilla goes to the very tip, but TJP trips him into the Tree of Woe! The fans fire up, but then Jetsetters SUPERKICK ENZIGIRI COMBO! Knight says it’s time, but TJP throws him down by his hair! TJP then stands up but, Drilla kicks from below! Drilla gets out of the Tree, Knight comes back, UPPER ROOM! But Akira leaps in, only for Knight to catch him! SKY2HIGH!! Cover, TWO!!
The Dogs are up and they take aim! SPEAR GORE COMBO!! Cover on Knight, TWO?!?! Knight survives and the fans are thunderous! The Dogs get Knight up, take aim again, but Knight leaps over! The Dogs almost collide, and Knight dodges Drilla to LARIAT Connors! Drilla SUPERKICKS Knight! Kushida runs up on Drilla but is put on the apron! Connors goes out to APRON SPEAR!! A rough landing for both guys, but Drilla HEADBUTTS Knight! Knight forearms Drilla! Drilla fires back, but Knight fires another! Knight eggs Drilla on, Drilla forearms! Knight UPPERCUTS! Drilla ENZIGIRIS!
Drilla whips Knight, Knight goes up and- LOW BLOW!! Drilla inverted suplexes, OSAKA STREET CUTTER!! Kushida returns but Drilla mule kicks! Drilla whips, Kushida handsprings, but into the DRILLA- NO, Kushida lands out! Drilla ducks the Buzzsaw, Kushida rolls through the schoolboy, but gets hit by the FIREBALL! TJP CALF KICKS Drilla! Catch 2/2 coordinate and Akira builds speed to FLY! Direct hit on Connors, but a rough landing for Akira! FINAL CUT for Drilla! TJP goes up top, to MAMBA SPLASH!! Cover, TWO?!? Drilla survives and the fans are thunderous! Connors returns and he ROCKS TJP!
TJP SOBATS Connors! TJP runs, but Connors scoops for a SIDEWALK SLAM! Akira returns to wrench, knee, and STO! Akira fires up, gets Drilla up, knee and- SPIENBUSTER DOUBLE STOMP COMBO!! FASTBALL from Kushida! ROLLING SOBAT from TJP! SUPERKICK from Knight! Knight whips, TJP reverses, and he ducks Kushida’s crossbody! Drilla GORES Knight!! Akira returns to wheelbarrow and victory roll so TJP can BLOOD MIST Drilla!! STOMP 182, and then TJHP backslides Kushida! TWO!!! 2 BY 2!!! Cover, CONNORS BREAKS IT!!! The fans are thunderous as this still isn’t over!
The fans fire up for “CATCH! NI NI! CATCH! NI NI!” TJP & Akira get Kushida up, Electric Chair Lift and Akira climbs! But Knight is back and he anchors Akira! Kushida fights to a victory roll, TWO!! TJP drop toeholds Kushida to the PINOY STRETCH!! Akira SHOTGUNS Knight down! Kushida endures, Akira plays defense with DIVE after DIVE! But Kushida powers up and out to drag TJP into the HOVERBOARD!!! TJP flails, kicks, but he can’t find ropes! Akira returns but Knight runs in! SATELLITE DDT!!! Knight HOVERBOARDS Akira!!! TJP AND Akira endure, but the Dogs CLOBBER everyone else!!
Catch 2/2 tumble out of the ring, the Dogs get the Jetsetters, but then the Jetsetters switch! DOUBLE HOVERBOARDS, but then SPINEBUSTER SANDWICH! And another! Kushida still SHOTEIS! Connors mule kicks Knight, BODY BLOWS Kushida, then runs, into an atomic drop! Dropkick to the legs, Chancery and BASEMENT DROPKICK! Shoutout to Shelley & Sabin! Jetsetters then combine, Electric Chair, victory roll, SPEAR!!! Connors ruins the Culture Shock, and Drilla GORES Kushida!!! The Dogs roar and the fans are thunderous! The Dogs get the Jetsetters up, for DRILLA KILLA and NO CHASER!!
But the Dogs aren’t done there! They haul Kushida up, lock ‘n’ load as Connors climbs, and FULL CLIP!!! Cover, War Dogs win!
Winners: Bullet Club War Dogs, by pinfall (still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
Drilla won’t stop there, either! He rains down forearms on Kushida for the hell of it! The Ichiban Gaijin came through for Bullet Club, but is this just the beginning of a Too Sweet Sakura Genesis?
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: KENTA & Chase Owens VS Bishamon!
We just saw the Bullet Club’s Junior Heavyweights find a way, now we see if the big boys can pull it off. Will Fang Revived & Crown Jewel still shine with gold? Or will Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi #GetBackUp to the top of the tag division?
The introductions are made, and then Bullet Club attacks! Kenta goes after Hashi while Chase is after Goto, and they both CLUB away! Kenta TOSSES Hashi out, the bell rings to get this on record, and Bullet Club stomps away on Goto. They double whip, but he ducks the double clothesline! Goto sends Chase into Kenta, but Chase knees Goto low. Chase UPPERCUTS, CHOPS, then runs, but Hashi returns! Bishamon runs Chase over! Then Hashi runs for ZANMAI! Kenta returns but Goto kicks low to snap suplex Kenta onto Chase! The fans fire up with Bishamon and they get Chase up. Goto CLUBS Chase, then stomps him and fires forearms in a corner.
Goto whips corner to corner, runs in, but Chase BOOTS back! Goto still runs in, but into a BUCKLE SHOT, STO and SENTON! Kenta YANKS Hashi off the apron, then whips him into railing! Chase brings Goto out, and he sends Goto into railing, too! Kenta whips Hashi hard into more railing! Chase CHOKES Goto against railing, the ref reprimands, and Chase punches Goto down. Kenta stomps Hashi against railing, then ROCKS him! Kenta brings Hashi around to POST him, Chase puts Goto in the ring, and Chase FIST DROPS! The fans rally but Chase drags Goto up. Chase bumps Goto off buckles, but Goto kicks back!
Chase CHOKES Goto, the ref counts, and Chase lets off at 4. Chase brushes the ref aside to tag in Kenta. Kenta and Chase split the wishbone! Kenta then drops an ELBOW, covers, TWO! The fans rally as Goto stays in this, but Kenta stays on Goto. Kenta puts on a headscissor squeeze but the fans rally more. Goto fights around, ROPEBREAK! Kenta holds until the ref counts 4, and then argues Goto was holding onto him. The ref says no, he saw clearly what was going on. Kenta brings Goto up, bumps him off Chase’s boot, then tags Chase in. They stomp mudholes into Goto, then Chase bumps Goto off buckles.
Chase whips Goto to the neutral corner, forearm smash and short arm LARIAT! Chase says that’s a homerun! Tag back to Kenta and he drags Goto up. Kenta turns Goto for the NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Kenta drags Goto back up, KICKS, but Goto blocks to CHOP and CHOP! Kenta KICKS again, Goto goes to a corner, and Kenta BOOTS him! Kenta RAMS into Goto again and again, then lets off to insult Hashi. Kenta then whips corner to corner but Goto reverses. Goto runs in, Kenta BOOTS and runs, but Goto follows! LARIAT! The fans fire up while both men are down! Hot tag to Hashi, and he runs up to ELBOW Kenta!
Hashi BLASTS Chase, DOUBLE CHOPS Kenta, and the fans fire up! Hashi runs corner to corner to CHOP Kenta, then whips to CHOP Kenta again! Mule kick! NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up, Hashi brings Kenta up, but Kenta fights the suplex. Kenta wrenches out but Hashi ROCKS Kenta. Hashi whips, Kenta reverses, and Chase trips Hashi! The ref reprimands but Chase and Kenta stomp Hashi to a corner. They drag him up, double whip corner to corner, then Kenta runs in. Hashi dodges to dropkick Chase’s legs! Kenta runs in again but Hashi sends him into Chase! Hashi kicks Kenta, CLUBS him, and calls Goto.
Goto gets in, Hashi feeds Kenta to the fireman’s carry, but Kenta slips free to shove Goto into Hashi! Kenta then TOSSES Goto, runs up, but Hashi dodges! Kenta blocks Hashi’s lariat to URAKEN! Kenta runs, into Hashi’s LARIAT after all! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Kenta and Hashi crawl, hot tags to Chase and Goto! Goto swings, Chase dodges to mule kick. Chase runs, but Goto runs him over! Goto fires off on Chase in a corner, then whips corner to corner. Goto runs up to MURAMASA! Then SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Chase stays in this and the fans rally up. Goto drags Chase up, fireman’s carries, but Chase fights free!
Chase ROCKS Goto, eggs him on, so Goto ROCKS Chase back! Chase ROCKS Goto again, but Goto ROCKS Chase! The forearms go back and forth, faster and faster, and the fans rally up! DOUBLE FOREARMS rock both men! They then both DOUBLE LARIAT! Neither falls, so they both roar, and DOUBLE LARIAT! GOto drops to a knee but Chase grits his teeth! Chase runs, but into a fireman’s carry! Chase slips free, but Goto puts him in a corner! Hashi runs in to clothesline! Feed to the fireman’s carry! FIERCE FLASH into dragon sleeper! Chase BOOTS Hashi away, grabs the ref while he powers Goto to ropes, Kenta CHAIR SHOTS Goto in the back!!
Chase drags Goto into a cradle, TWO!! Goto escapes the screw job and Bullet Club is furious! Chase runs in at the corner but Goto BOOTS him! Goto runs up but into a SOBAT! Chase hops on, SUNSET BUCKLE BOMB! Kenta HYDRAULIC DROPKICKS! Hashi runs in, but Chase fireman’s carries to DEATH VALLEY BOMB! Kenta PENALTY KICKS Hashi down! Chase gets Goto up, hammerlock for JEWEL HEIST!! Cover, TWO!! Goto survives and the fans fire up! Chase drags Goto up, reels him in and tucks the arms, but Goto fights the lift! Chase CLUBS Goto, ROCKS him with a forearm, then tries again. But Goto back drops free!
Chase blocks the ref’s eyes while Kenta gets in with a title belt! The fans boo as Kenta takes aim, but Goto fireman’s carries Kenta! USHIGOROSHI! Chase fires off a strike fest, ROCKS Goto, then runs, but Goto follows! Chase ENZIGIRIS first! But Goto stays up! Goto swats the first knee, but the C-TRIGGER returns! Chase takes aim, runs up, but Goto blocks this one! Chase fights but Hashi SUPERKICKS! Fireman’s carry, FIERCE FLASH! Hashi calls their shot and the fans are thunderous! Goto dragon sleepers and Hashi has the legs, but Chase boots free again! Kenta trips Hashi, Chase victory rolls, TWO!!
Goto rises up, into a C-TRIGGER! Hashi and Kenta brawl while Chase covers, TWO!! Goto survives and the fans fire up again! Chase locks ‘n’ loads and says BANG as he drags Goto up. C-TRIGGER POINT-BLANK!! Then Chase gets Goto up, hooks him up, but Hashi BLOCKBUSTERS! Kenta runs up to hit Hashi, but Hashi hits back! The brawling continues, Kenta CROSS COUNTERS! Kenta runs, into the HIDDEN GAP, GOTO STYLE! Hashi finds Chase, feeds him to Goto but Chase BOOTS! Hashi gets around Chase, has him on the ropes, and Goto LARIATS! Then the roll into dragon sleeper! Chase still fights free, but gets HIDDEN GAP! Then SHOUTO!!! Cover, BISHAMON WINS!!
Winner: Bishamon, by pinfall (NEW IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions)
Bishamon lost these belts to El Phantasmo & Hikuleo at WrestleKingdom, but now, three months later, they’ve returned to prominence! Will Goto & Hashi make sure to hold on to these titles much tighter this time?
The Best of the Super Juniors 31 field is announced!
Ryusuke Taguchi, El Desperado, Kevin Knight, Yoh, Hiromu Takahashi, Bushi, Titan, TJP, Francesco Akira, Douki, Robbie Eagles, Taiji Ishimori, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney, Kosei Fujita, ROH’s Blake Christian, and even Pro-Wrestling Noah’s Ninja Mack and Hayata! TWENTY of the brightest stars are ready to shine, but who be the Best of the Super Juniors?
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: SHO VS YOH!
This championship has a long and storied legacy, which the Murder Machine disgraces with how he cheated this title away from El Desperado and has continued to cheat to keep it. But his former friend has come to not only humble him but to set things right! Will Mr. Direct Drive win the Roppongi 3K Civil War? Or will Sho and the House of Torture play with a stacked deck like always?
Wait, wait, Sho is chasing Yoh! Yoh still has physical possession of the title belt! They go around the outside, then the very back of the crowd! Yoh make sit back to ringside, eggs Sho on, then keeps going. They go into the ring, then back out! Then back in! Sho is getting frustrated, but Yoh DROPKICKS him back out, then PLANCHAS him down! The fans fire up as Yoh puts Sho in the ring, the bell sounds, and DIRECT- NO, Sho fights the lift, and he bends fingers! Yoh breaks free but Sho CLAWS Yoh’s face! Sho waistlocks, Yoh drop toeholds and runs, to basement dropkick! The fans cheer as Sho scrambles away.
The fans rally while Sho goes to a corner and Yoh shakes out the bad hand. Yoh stands, still works on the stinger in his arm, and Sho taunts him that this is what he gets for messing around. Yoh storms up to stomp Sho, but that shoulder does look in bad shape. The ref calls for help from the medics, and has to call this off!
Winner: Sho, by referee stoppage (still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion)
Sho again says that’s what Yoh gets! Yoh’s arm popped out of the socket and Sho gets the belt back! Well, the actual physical possession of it, anyway. Sho got lucky here, but wait! Kosei Fujita shows up! We just learned that TMDK’s Ichiban Young Punk is going to be in the BOSJ, but Sho doesn’t take him seriously. Sho is too busy mocking Yoh getting his shoulder worked on. The fans rally for Yoh as he gets to his feet and makes his way to the back, tears of frustration pouring down. However, Fujita gets the mic and has the fans cheering him on. Fujita tells Sho, “Oi, worst champion ever. How about I take your head and become the youngest champion ever?”
Sho laughs at that, acting like it isn’t possible. But then DOUKI shows up! The fans fire up as Japones Del Mal takes the mic. He tells Fujita that he gets how he feels. However, Douki has the hot hand! He beat Hiromu Takahashi, and so before Fujita does, Douki’s gonna take that shot. Sho grabs a mic to says hey, hold on! What the hell are these two going on about? Look what happened to Yoh! That’s how tough Sho is! The fans boo the exaggeration but Sho says that some dork who wrestled in the mud huts of Mexico is no match for him! He doesn’t want either of them, so they can get outta here! Sho holds up the belt while fans boo.
Fujita springboards to DROPKICK Sho down! The fans fire up while Sho sputters! Fujita holds up the belt now, stares down with Douki, and fans like the look of this showdown. Fujita puts the belt down in front of Sho, but then Douki picks it up. Douki says Sho will have to wait to challenge the winner of Douki VS Fujita! And Douki just takes the belt with him, just like Yoh did! Sho is furious that he gets showed up! But with BOSJ on the horizon, is the Murder Machine’s luck about to run out?
Shota Umino & Jon Moxley VS Jack Perry & Ren Narita!
In order to have a fair fight against the House of Torture’s Scapegoat and Souled Out, The Roughneck calls in his Maniac mentor! Will Moxley help Shota finally humble Hollywood Jack Perry and the traitorous Son of Strong Style? Or will there be no Paradigm Shift here tonight?
The teams sort out and it’s Moxley & Shota that attack first! Moxley TOSSES Narita out, the bell rings, and Shota keeps after Jack! Jack kicks back, CLUBS Shota, then CHOPS! Moxley sends Narita into railing, then drags him up to headlock and bring him around the way. Moxley punches Narita out of the headlock but Jack whips Shota. Shota reverses and scoops to DROP Jack, run and SHOTGUN! Jack tumbles to a corner while the fans fire up with Shota! Shota storms up to stomp Jack, then brings him up. Jack CLAWS Shota’s eyes but Shota UPPERCUTS! Shota whips, Jack reverses and Narita gets a cheap shot in!
Jack CLOBBERS Shota, Narita BLASTS Moxley, then Narita goes out to CLAW Moxley’s eyes! Jack rains down fists on Shota, covers, TWO! The fans boo but Narita whips Moxley into railing hard! Jack stomps Shota, sits him up and KICKS him in the back! Jack snap suplexes, covers, TWO! The fans rally for Shota but Jack keeps on him. Jack tags Narita, they mug Shota, and Shota hobbles to a corner. Narita fires forearms, then brings Shota over to bump off buckles. Narita TOSSES Shota out, BLASTS Moxley, and Jack stomps Shota against railing! Moxley runs in to TACKLE Narita! The fans fire up but Narita CLUBS Moxley!
Jack drags Shota up while Narita KNEES Moxley down. Jack whips Shota into railing, then leaves him behind. Narita gets Shota in the ring, drags him up, and Narita suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO! Shota pounds the mat in frustration but the fans rally behind him. Narita kicks Shota around, taunts him, but Shota eggs Narita on. Narita gives more scuffing kicks but Shota grits his teeth. Shota fires forearms on Narita, then UPPERCUTS! Shota turns Narita, but Narita elbows free. Narita swings, but Shota spins him again, NECKBREAKER! The fans fire up while both men are down! Shota crawls, hot tag to Moxley!
Moxley dodges Narita, BLASTS Jack, then ROCKS and CHOPS Narita over and over! Moxley whips, Narita reverses, but Moxley bounces off buckles to LARIAT Narita down! The fans fire up and Moxley flips Narita off as he runs in to corner clothesline! The fans chant “Let’s Go, Moxley!” and Moxley climbs up to rain down fists! The fans fire up as Moxley goes all the way to TEN, then goes way past it! Moxley then hoists Narita up, CHOPS him, and climbs up after him. Moxley pulls Narita’s shirt away, and CLAWS Narita’s back! The ref reprimands and counts, Moxley stops, but then Narita CLAWS Moxley’s back!
Narita CLAWS Moxley’s face, shoves him away, and runs up, but Moxley gets around to a SLEEPER! Takedown into the BULLY CHOKE! Narita endures, flails, reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Moxley BITES Narita, then lets off. Moxley goes out after Narita, shoves him into railing, but Jack attacks from behind! Moxley just gets pissed! Moxley ROCKS Jack, then whips him over railing and onto commentary! The fans fire up as Jack gets stuck in No Man’s Land, but Narita gets Moxley for an EXPLODER to the floor! The ref checks but Moxley’s okay to continue, so Narita drags him up. Narita puts Moxley in and runs, to BOOT!
Narita drags Moxley back up to BLIZZARD PLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Moxley is still in this and the fans rally, but Narita laughs as he goes to the corner. Narita climbs, watches Moxley rise, and Narita MISSLE- NO, Moxley moves! Narita tumbles, gets up, and Moxley CUTTERS! The fans fire up again and both men crawl! Hot tags to Jack and Shota! Jack dodges, Shota dodges, and Shota kicks to whip. Jack reverses but Shota ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER Jack! The fans fire up with #SHOOTER as he whips Jack to a corner. Shota runs in, UPPERCUTS, and then FISHERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, TWO!
Shota may not be perfect but the fans fire up with him all the same! Shota drags Jack up, clinches, but Jack fires elbows! Shota RAMS Jack into a corner, runs in, but Jack dodges! Jack clotheslines, then clinches to NORTHERN LIGHTS! Roll through, POLAR EXPRESS! Jack is referencing Matthew Jackson here, then he goes out to the apron to PENALTY KICK Moxley! That’s just like Nicholas Jackson! Jack then goes up top and aims at Shota, flips everyone off, MACHO ELBOW! A shot at Phil Brooks?! Cover, TWO!! Shota survives and Jack is shocked! Narita joins in to stomp away on Shota but the ref reprimands.
The House of Torture double whip Shota to a corner, then Narita sends Jack in. Shota dodges Jack to SHOTGUN Narita! Jack dodges Shota to kick and whip, but Shota holds ropes! Jack runs up but Shota drop toeholds him onto ropes! Moxley runs in and he DIVES to take out Narita! Shota slingshots to APRON DDT Jack!! The fans are all fired up again as Shota goes around the way. The ring count starts, Shota comes back for Jack by 7 of 20. Shota drags Jack up and puts him in at 13. The fans applaud as Shota goes up top, and he COAST2COAST DROPKICKS Jack! Then EXPLODERS! Cover, TWO!! Jack survives but Shota keeps calm.
Shota drags Jack up, dragon sleepers and TRI- NO, Jack slips free, underhooks, but Shota wrenches out to ROCK Jack! ROLLING- SUPERKICK from Jack! Jack runs to LARIAT, but Shota stays up! Shota LARIATS, but Jack stays up! Shota roars, Jack dodges to mule kick and SUPERKICK! Jack runs, but into a DROPKICK! The fans fire up while both men are down again! Jack and Shota crawl, hot tags to Narita and Moxley! Moxley fires forearms and KICKS on Narita, but Narita CLAWS Moxley’s face! Narita runs, BOOTS, but Moxley just roars! Narita runs to BOOT again, but Moxley flips him off, and SLAPS him!
Narita runs, Moxley blocks the boot and LARIATS! The fans fire up again while Narita flounders to a corner. Moxley runs in, clotheslines, then he hoists Narita up top! Moxley climbs, brings him up, and SUPERPLEXES! Cover, TWO! Narita survives but the fans rally behind Moxley. Moxley storms around, drags Narita up, and he reels Narita in. Narita slips around to a SLEEPER! Moxley fights, but Narita puts on the COBRA TWIST! Jack BLASTS Shota while Moxley endures! Shota sends Jack into railing then gets in to CLOBBER Narita! Moxley is free but Jack CLOBBERS Shota! Jack TOSSES Shota, goes out, and whips him into railing!
Narita has the push-up bar! He CHOKES Moxley with it!! The ref is too busy with Jack! Narita lets Moxley go, but Shota takes the shot for him!! Moxley DECKS Narita, BLASTS Jack, but Narita gets the SLEEPER! Moxley SAIDOS free! The fans are thunderous and Moxley runs, but Narita gets around again! SLEEPER, then he spins Moxley around to DOUBLE- NO, Moxley slips free of Doublecross to DEATH RIDER!! Cover, Moxley & Shota win!
Winners: Shota Umino & Jon Moxley, by pinfall
The House tried but they couldn’t beat these two aces! Will this momentum help Moxley and Shota find their way to some golden opportunities in the Spring? Or can Jack get payback next Friday at Windy City Riot?
NEVER Openweight Championship, Special Guest Referee Yoshinobu Kanemaru: EVIL w/ Dick Togo VS Shingo Takagi!
As if The King of Darkness doesn’t already stack the deck in his favor, he supposedly got The Heel Master approved as the special referee for this match! Will nothing stop The House of Torture from cheating their way through this one? Or can the Rampaging Dragon still pull out the win?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, but referee Marty Asami says no, Kanemaru’s not the ref for this match! Kanemaru still insists he is, as he does the check on Evil. Asami pushes Kanemaru and even Dick, and tells them to get outta here! Kanemaru reluctantly obeys and the fans cheer as he and Dick head to the back. But then Evil CLOBBERS Takagi from behind! The bell rings, the fans boo, but Evil stomps Takagi. Evil CHOPS Takagi, CHOPS again, but then Takagi knees low! Takagi CLUBS and CLUBS and headlocks, but Evil powers up, just to pull hair! The fans boo, Asami reprimands, but Evil whips. Takagi reverses but Evil holds ropes!
Takagi runs up, Evil BOOTS him then runs, but Takagi runs Evil over! The fans fire up while Evil goes to a corner. The fans rally behind “TA-KA-GI!” and he winds up. Takagi runs in but blocks a boot to clothesline through! Takagi fires the fans up more before he JABS, CHOPS and repeat! Takagi tops it off with a CHOP, then whips corner to corner. Takagi runs up to clothesline, then scoop and SLAM! Takagi goes up but Evil scrambles away. Takagi sighs, hops down, and storms over to Evil. Takagi stomps Evil, drags him up, but Evil CLAWS Takagi’s face! Evil kicks, Takagi blocks, and he JABS, then DOUBLE CHOPS!
Takagi powers up to ELBOW DROP! And ELBOW DROP! And then SENTON! The fans fire up while Evil goes to ropes. Takagi storms up again, brings Evil up to KNEE him against the ropes, then KNEE him again. Takagi whips, KNEES, then snapmares to run, but Evil bails out! The fans boo but Takagi keeps his cool. Evil tells the fans to shut up while he goes around the outside. Evil gets a chair! The ref reprimands so Evil drops it. Takagi dares Evil to get in here already, and the fans rally up. Evil takes his time, slides in, but then slides out. Takagi goes after him but Evil kicks low! Evil brings Takagi around, but Takagi stops from ramming into the timekeeper!
Takagi fires elbows then puts Evil in the ring. The fans cheer as Takagi keeps Abe-san safe. But then Evil SHOVES Takagi off the apron! Takagi wobbles, but he’s safe! Only for Evil to RAM him in anyway! Poor Abe-san still suffers, and the fans boo as Evil tells him that’s what he gets! Evil whips Takagi into more railing, then gets more chairs! The ref’s busy helping Abe-san, but Takagi takes the chair off his neck! The fans fire up as the two now have a stalemate! Takagi swings but Evil JAMS him low! Then he SMACKS the chair into Takagi’s face! Not quite the homerun but Evil still gets on base with that shot.
The fans boo but Evil then goes to the blue corner. Evil takes the tag rope away, hiding that from the ref. The ref checks Takagi but he’s somehow okay to continue. Evil wants the ring count so the count begins. No Abe-san helping, though. Takagi staggers up at 5 of 20, stumbles around at 8, checks his head, and hobbles his way back at 10. Takagi slides in at 12, but Evil brandishes the House of Torture shirt. The ref takes that form him, but the tag rope is now used to CHOKE Takagi instead! The fans boo but Evil gets away with one! Cover, TWO! Evil argues the count but the count was fair. The fans rally but Evil tells them off.
Evil stomps Takagi, gets a leg, and he stomps away on the thigh! Evil drops an elbow on the knee and Takagi writhes! The fans rally for Takagi but Evil stands on Takagi’s face. Evil steps away, drags Takagi up, and knees low! FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Takagi roars as he sits up and the fans fire up! Evil keeps calm, and he scuffs Takagi. Evil slaps Takagi around, talks trash, but Takagi ROCKS Evil, knees low, then CHOPS! Evil CHOPS in return and Takagi falls! Takagi snarls as he rises back up and the fans rally again. Evil CHOPS, Takagi grits his teeth and stays standing. Evil CHOPS again, Takagi sputters but he stays standing!
Evil CHOPS again, Takagi headbutts the buckle to fire up! Takagi eggs Evil on, Evil winds up, but just CLAWS Takagi’s eyes! The fans boo, the ref reprimands but Evil tells them all to shut up. Takagi kicks, Evil blocks and hands that to the ref! But then Takagi blocks Evil’s kick! The ref lets Takagi go to DRAGON SCREW! The fans fire up while both men are down! Takagi goes to a corner and rises up. Evil rises, Takagi runs him over! Then Takagi scoops, SLAMS and SENTON FLOPS as Evil moves! Evil whips Takagi, Takagi reverses but Evil takes a swing. Takagi blocks, spins Evil around, and suplexes high and hard! Cover, TWO!
Evil is still in this but Takagi pounds the mat! The fans rally up, Takagi looks to the camera, and “TOKI GA-” EVIL CLOBBERS TAKAGI! The fans boo as Evil denies Takagi his time! Evil stomps Takagi, CLUBS him, then runs. Takagi ELBOWS! JABS! YUKON feint to DDT! The fans fire up again and Takagi looks around. Takagi sits Evil up, “Mada mada.” HAMMER ‘N’ ANVIL ELBOWS! “OI! OI! OI!” Takagi then runs, but Evil goes to a corner! Takagi still runs in to corner clothesline! The fans fire up more as Takagi puts Evil up top. Takagi goes right up after Evil, they’re on the very top, SUPER DUPER PLEX!! Cover, TWO!!
The fans are thunderous for “TA-KA-GI!” as he rises up! Takagi says “TOKI GA KITA! OI! OI! OI!” The fans join in again, “OI! OI! OI!” Takagi drags Evil up, but wait, Yujiro Takahashi is here now! The fans boo the Tokyo Pimp showing up uninvited, but Takagi stomps Evil. Takagi pump handles, but Evil fights the lift! Takagi throws knees, lifts, but Evil slips free! Evil claims bad knee but Takagi doesn’t fall for it. The ref still needs to check, and Yujiro is undoing the blue buckle pad! Evil shoves the ref at Takagi! Takagi helps Asami stay up, but then Evil blocks Takagi’s kick! Evil hands that to Asami, and mule kicks Takagi down!
The fans boo but Evil doesn’t care. Evil mocks Naito with tranquilo, then he whips Takagi into bare buckles! Takagi just fires up and runs in, but Evil LARIATS first! Evil fireman’s carries, for DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Takagi survives and the fans are thunderous again! Evil slashes his throat, vowing to end this! The fans boo as Evil spins Takagi around, but Takagi fights the STO! Takagi waistlocks, Evil elbows free, then LARIATS! Takagi stays up! The fans rally, Evil runs up to LARIAT again! Takagi shouts as he stays on his feet! Evil takes off his elbow pad, runs, but Takagi SWATS the lariat, wrenches and ELBOW BREAKERS!
Evil clutches the arm, still takes a swing, but Takagi SWATS it! The fans fire up as Takagi fires boxing elbows! Takagi then winds up, but Evil CLAWS eyes! The ref counts, Evil lets off to run, but Takagi LARIATS Evil at ropes! Takagi runs, Evil distracts Asami, Yujiro CHAIR SHOTS Takagi!! Evil steps through, SCORPION DEATHLOCK!! Takagi endures, the fans rally as hard as they can, and Takagi fights forward! Takagi reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Evil holds on, the fans boo, but he lets go at 4. Wait, Bushi is here! At least, we think that’s Bushi… Dick’s pulled this trick before but can’t tell if that’s him…
The ref sees Yujiro sneaking in, so Yujiro bails out. Evil tells the ref to handle “Bushi,” but then he and Yujiro double whip Takagi! Takagi DOUBLE PUMPING BOMBERS!! The fans are thunderous, Takagi wants Bushi to help, but that’s NOT BUSHI! They sucker punch Takagi, HOTSHOT him, and then go up the corner. Wait, the REAL Bushi is here!! The Spiderman Meme is real! Bushi kicks Fake Bushi, then YANKS the mask away! It WAS Dick!! But then Dick uses Asami as a shield from the BLACK MIST!! Then Dick shoves Asami into Bushi! The fans freak out as now the whole House gets in the ring!
Kanemaru has Evil, Dick & Yujiro stomp away! The fans boo and Kanemaru DECKS Bushi! The House whips Takagi to a corner, Dick runs in to ELBOW! Yujiro BOOTS! Evil clotheslines! Snapmare and then Dick goes up! DICK CHOP!! Kanemaru plays dumb, then Evil covers! TWO!!! Takagi survives, but Evil covers again, Kanemaru’s count is so fast!! TWO!!!! The fans boo and the House is upset! Kanemaru ENZIGIRIS Takagi! Dick joins in, MAGIC KILLER!! Cover, fast count and Evil “wins!!” Only because Yujiro rang the bell! Evil gets the belt, Kanemaru raises his hand, but there’s no way this stands!
Wait, here comes REFEREE HIROMU! The Timebomb SHOTGUNS Kanemaru out! Then he SHOTGUNS Yujiro & Dick! Then he says let’s go! Evil takes a swing on Hiromu, but Hiromu sends him into ELBOW! JAB! YUKON LARIAT! The fans are thunderous and Takagi shouts “OI! OI! OI!” The fans join in, Takagi winds up, and Evil rises into PUMPING- DOUBLE LARIATS! Neither falls, so DOUBLE LARIATS clash again! Evil falls, Takagi roars! Takagi sits Evil up, spins him around, but Evil dodges! Evil shoves Takagi into Hiromu, then LOW BLOWS! EVERY- NO, Takagi slips free to JAB! HEADBUTT! Evil swings, Takagi STEALS EVERYTHING IS EVIL!!
The fans are thunderous as Takagi covers and Hiromu counts! But Kanemaru CLOBBERS Hiromu! Kanemaru stomps Takagi, DECKS Bushi again, and he goes for his whiskey! The fans boo as Kanemaru takes a big swig! But Takagi JABS the mist away! Then YUKON LARIATS Kanemaru! Takagi drags Evil up, Dick is in with the SPOILER CHOKER!! The fans boo but Takagi powers up! Takagi overpowers Dick and throws him away! Bushi DROPKICKS Dick away, then DIVES onto him! Down goes Dick and the fans are thunderous! Takagi swigs the whiskey!? HE dodges Evil to WHISKEY MIST! But he’s also drunk!
Yujiro shoves Takagi, winds up, but Takagi ducks the POCKET SAND!! Evil gets a face full!! Hiromu SUPERKICKS Yujiro, Takagi sobers up and runs, DRUNKEN PUMPING BOMBER!!! Red Shoes is here to be the REAL ref, and Takagi gets Evil up! LAST OF THE DRAGON!!! Red Shoes counts, TAKAGI WINS!!!!
Winner: Shingo Takagi, by pinfall (NEW NEVER Openweight Champion)
Evil’s reign of terror ends as Los Ingobernables de Japon work together! Will The House of Torture ever learn their lesson? Or is it a good thing there are those that will always stand in their way?
Oh, hold on, Takagi gets the mic. The fans cheer him on as he says, “Before the main event, let me just take a moment of your time. I have become the 40th NEVER Openweight Champion, MY TIME HAS COME!” But wait, the War Dogs are attacking!! Gabe Kidd goes right after Takagi while Connors & Drilla go after Bushi & Hiromu! The fans boo as the Mad Man and the Ichiban Gaijin ruin the moment! Gabe grabs the NEVER title, then the mic. “I got a question for you raff. Is that what this has become? A effing joke?! An embarrassment?! Why?! Nic Nemeth ‘n’ Matt Riddle turn up, and we all start wrestling like we’re trying to get on Main Event or Superstars!
“Does the squiggle on the side of this ring say ‘Level Up’ or am I a dickhead?! NO! It’s a joke. It’s a joke. And then what? They send Jungle B*tch as what? A punishment? A punishment?! This is NJPW! Tanahashi might as well walk into Tony Khan’s office, pull his trousers down and say ‘Do your worst!’ It’s a EFFING embarrassment!” Then he SPITS at Tanahashi! Kidd asks if he stayed a year-and-a-half for this. If he nearly lost his head for this! If he nearly offed himself TWICE just for this?! NO!! He used to LOVE this company! He used to LOVE that lion logo! But from the bottom of his heart, God as his witness, F NJPW!!
Kidd SPITS on the logos, then says he’ll take everything from this company. The War Dogs will take everything! Kidd will outright kill Yota Tsuji, Tetsuya Naito, and even Tanahashi just to remind him of the old days! And it’ll start with Takagi and this NEVER Openweight title! Kidd will bring some respect to this place, sayonara you Japanese bastards! Kidd is completely out of line, but is he completely wrong? Do his words bite because of the insults or because of the harsh truth? And either way, will he come through and take it all from NJPW to give it to Bullet Club?
IWGP World Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Tetsuya Naito VS Yota Tsuji!
The Uncontrollable Charisma wanted this to be Los Ingobernables de Japon VS Los Ingobernables de Japon and here it is! The Gene Blast won the New Japan Cup, will he soon have both trophy and championship? Or will Naito prove why he’s the leader of LIJ?
Tsuji is patient as of course Naito takes his time with everything, even letting Red Shoes have the belt. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is truly leading NJPW into the future!
Once Naito is done putting his entrance attire away, the bell rings and the fans are thunderous already! They duel between “NA-I-TO!” and “YO~TA! YO~TA!” Red Shoes feels it’s about even, maybe 55-45 in Yota’s favor. The two circle, approach, but Naito dodges. Naito tells everyone to relax, and he resets with Yota. They go again, but Naito again dodges! The fans cheer Naito’s typical tactics but Yota just grins. Yota and Naito circle again, the fans rally up, and Naito kicks low! Naito CLUBS away on Yota, headlocks and grinds him down, but Yota powers up. Yota pulls hair, Red Shoes reprimands, but Yota headlocks Naito now.
Naito endures as Yota grinds, and Naito fights up. Naito powers up and out, Yota ducks ‘n’ dodges but leaps over Naito’s dropdown! Yota whips Naito to a corner, runs in, but Naito puts Yota on the apron! Naito sweeps the legs! Naito then builds speed, but he fakes Yota out to tranquilo! Or not as Yota stomps Naito! The fans cheer as Yota grins, knowing Naito’s playbook well. Yota drags Naito up, ROCKS him, then follows him to a corner. Yota CHOPS, then CHOPS, then whips corner to corner. Naito reverses to run in, but he blocks Yota’s boot! Yota brings Naito in to STOMP him down! The fans fire up again while Naito writhes!
Yota pushes Naito to a cover, ONE!! Naito is tougher than that but Yota still grins as he has the majority of the fans. Yota stomps Naito, drags him up, and CLUBS him! Naito staggers but stays up, and he fires forearms! Yota gives those back, then snapmares. Yota wraps on a body scissor squeeze, and even adds a chinlock! Naito fights back, but Yota half nelsons Naito while keeping on the squeeze! Naito fights around, reaches out, kicks around, and drags Yota along for the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer and Yota lets off cleanly. Yota paces, then comes back to bring Naito up. Naito fires haymakers and CLUBS Yota!
Yota KNEES low, whips, and KITCHEN SINK KNEES! Naito sputters and bails out while the fans rally. Yota takes aim, builds speed, and he DIVES! Direct hit and Naito hits railing! The fans fire up again as Yota paces around the outside. Naito sputters but Yota comes back for him. Yota drags Naito up, then he whips Naito hard into railing! Naito hobbles away, Yota tells the NJPW execs that he’s gonna be their champ soon. Yota then whips Naito into more railing! Naito staggers, Yota scoops him, SNAKE EYES off the apron! Yota drags Naito up to ROCK him, then puts him in the ring. The fans applaud as Yota slides in.
Yota looms over Naito, has a cocky cover, but Red Shoes doesn’t like that. Naito pushes Yota’s foot away so Yota stomps him down! Yota drags Naito up, scoops, and hits a BACKBREAKER! Naito writhes but Yota pushes him over to cover, TWO! Naito stays in this and the fans rally up again. Yota smiles as he stands up, and he brings Naito into the CAMEL CLUTCH! Naito endures, even as Yota bends him back! The fans rally, Yota stands to then make it a motorcycle stretch! Naito endures the knee in his back, even as Yota pulls the arms! Yota makes it a BASEMENT BACKSTABBER! Naito writhes more and Yota paces.
The fans rally, still strongly for Yota as he scuffs Naito. Yota eggs on his team leader, wanting to see the great Tetsuya Naito! Yota kicks Naito around, but Naito stands to body shot! And body shot again! Then Naito fires a haymaker! Yota SPITS in Naito’s face, a very Naito thing to do! Naito swings, but Yota BODY BLOWS! Yota runs up but Naito ELBOWS him! Yota runs back in, but into the HIP TOSS BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up while both men are down! Naito rises while the fans rally, and he stands Yota up to fire forearms and kicks. Naito CLUBS Yota, whips, but Yota reverses. Naito stops himself to BOOT, ELBOW and BASEMENT DROPKICK!
The fans fire up as Naito has Yota in a corner. Naito whips corner to corner, blocks Yota’s boot, and SPITS at him! Naito puts Yota in the ropes for the DRAPING NECKBREAKER! Naito then stands Yota up for another NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up and Naito stands again. Naito brings Yota up, cravats for the neck wrench, and he thrashes Yota to keep him from ropes. Yota still fights around and reaches out, but Naito brings him back. Yota throws body shots, then gets the ROPEBREAK! Red Shoes counts, Naito thrashes Yota more, but Red Shoes reprimands. Naito whips, then HIP TOSS BACKBREAKERS again!
Yota writhes and goes to the apron. Red Shoes checks but Yota seems okay to continue. So Naito goes out, brings Yota out along the apron, for a DRAPING NECKBREAKER to the floor! Yota writhes more but Naito drags him back up. Naito puts Yota in, drags him up, and dragon sleepers, for the BACKBREAKER, into the LEG HOOK NELSON! Yota endures, reaches out, and the fans rally up! Naito puts on the pressure but Yota still endures. Yota kicks his way around, and kicks, but Naito pushes up for more pressure! Yota looks to be fading! But a second wind helps him get the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer but Naito of course “struggles” to undo the hold.
Red Shoes reprimands, he knows Naito’s tricks. Naito lets go as we pass 15 minutes, and the fans continue to rally for “YO~TA!” Naito drags Yota up, hammerlocks and half nelsons, but Yota fights with elbows! Yota is free, he dodges Naito and scoops to BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up again while both men are down! Yota rises first but Naito follows slowly. Yota fires forearm after forearm, then whips. Naito reverses but Yota BOOTS Naito down! The fans fire up again and Yota drags Naito up. Yota scoops to SLAM Naito, then runs to SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Naito stays in this and the fans rally up again.
Yota drags Naito up, reels him in, and suplexes, but Naito slips free! Naito waistlocks, Yota elbows free and runs, and RANAS! Naito tumbles all the way out of the ring! The fans fire up as Yota takes aim again, builds speed, but Naito flops to the apron. Yota has to stop himself, and then he goes out to bring Naito up. Yota ROCKS Naito, ROCKS him again, and the fans rally. Yota fires up, he fireman’s carries, but Naito fights free! Yota SUPERKICKS, but Naito forearms! Yota forearms, and forearms, and SUPERKICKS again! Naito holds onto ropes to stay on the apron, but Yota CURB STOMPS Naito to the floor!!
Both men are down on the outside but Red Shoes checks Naito as he’s the bigger concern. The fans rally as hard as they can, dueling all the same, and Yota drags himself up first. The ring count starts, Yota leaves Naito behind, and we pass 5 of 20. Naito is still down at 10! The fans rally even harder, Naito sits up at 15! Naito drags himself up at 18 and slides in! But Yota BASEMENT DROPKICKS! We hit the 20 minute mark as Yota hauls Naito right up, suplexes, but Naito knees free! Naito wrenches and ELBOWS, and kicks, and TORNADO DDTS! The fans are fired up again while both men are back down!
Naito and Yota stir, and Naito crawls his way over. Naito drags Yota up, then throws the HEAVY ELBOWS! Yota drops to his knees, but the fans rally up again. Naito stands Yota for the HEAVY ELBOWS! Yota flops right over and Naito paces. The fans are thunderous, the “YO~TA! YO~TA!” so much louder! Naito stands Yota up to HEAVY ELBOW again! Yota staggers to a corner, then slumps down against the buckle pad. Naito drags Yota up, hoists him to the very top, then climbs up, to SUPER STEINER! The fans are thunderous as Naito stands back up and waits on Yota. Yota rises, Naito runs in, but into a BLUE THUNDER!
Yota sits Naito up to KNEE him back down! Then Yota flops back over! The fans are thunderous again as they rally behind both men! Yota flounders but he rises up. Yota storms over, gets Naito up, and suplexes, for ORANGE CRUSH!! Cover, TWO!! The fans fire up again as Naito stays in this and Yota shouts in frustration! Yota goes to the corner, drags himself up, and he roars again! Three point stance, GENE- ROLLING KICK!! Naito atomic drops, ENZIGIRIS, and then tilt-o-whirls, DESTINO!! Naito hurries to get Yota up, wrenches and- NO, no Destino! GENE BLASTER!!! Yota can’t cover, he’s so tired!!
The fans are electric as we pass 25 minutes and Yota clutches his shoulder! Yota grits his teeth as he struggles to sit up, it’s like this place is going to explode! Naito stirs now, and Yota crawls his way over. Yota drags Naito up, and he manages to smile as he fires a forearm! Yota falls over, but he sits back up, just in time for Naito to throw a forearm! Both men sit up again, and Yota fires another forearm! Naito stays up while Yota has to steady himself. Yota throws another forearm and he gets Naito to sit back on the mat. Naito rises back up but so does Yota, and Yota fires another forearm. That didn’t have as much, but Yota throws another.
Naito shrugs as Yota seems to be running out of gas! Naito stands, Yota drags himself up, and he fires another shot. Naito HEAVY ELBOWS! And again, and again! Yota falls back and Naito suplexes, but Yota fights it! Yota clinches, BACKBREAKER, COMPLETE SHOT, and STOMP! Yota had enough for that combo! The fans are thunderous again as Yota roars and rises up! Yota drags Naito by a leg, then gets both legs, for the BOSTON CRAB! Yota sits deep on the Young Lion staple! Naito scrambles to the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer as Yota lets off, then runs to CURB STOMP! Naito flounders around while Yota fires up!
The fans rally as Yota drags Naito up again. Yota puts Naito on the top rope, then CHOPS! Yota climbs, goes to the very top, and he brings Naito up to join him! The fans freak out, but Naito SHOVES Yota down! Yota perhaps wanted a Spanish Fly but it didn’t work. But then he rises right back up! Yota gets Naito again as we hit 30 minutes! SUPERPLEX! Cover, TWO!! Naito survives but it’s right back to the BOSTON CRAB! Yota stands high, this is almost Walls of Jericho! Wait, then the knee into Naito’s back, LION TAMER!! Naito knows Jericho’s moves well, how does this compare? Yota digs the knee in deep but Naito still endures!
Naito has the fans getting louder for him now as he fights his way around! But he’s still so far from ropes! Naito looks to be fading and Red Shoes checks! Yota drags Naito from ropes, but lets go of the hold so he can go up and up and FLYING CURB STOMP!! #MarrowCrusher! Cover, TWO!! Naito survives but Yota drags him up! Fireman’s carry and swing, 70 CROSS!! Cover, TWO?!? Naito survives again and the fans are thunderous again! Yota powers up and he goes to the corner! The fans are electric as they anticipate what’s coming! Three point stance, and GENE- MONKEY FLIP!! Yota is sent into the corner with that counter!
Naito runs up, to GENE BLASTER?!?! Cover, ONE?!?!? Naito steals Yota’s tackle but Yota survives it!! The fans are volcanic as Naito rises up! Naito drags Yota up, scoops, but Yota slips free! Naito ROCKS Yota, then blocks the knee! Naito suplexes to VALENTIA!! Naito drags Yota up as the fans stay at that fever pitch! DESTI- NO!! Yota blocks, but then Naito fights the clinch! Yota still spins Naito around to suplex, but DESTINO COUNTER!! Naito hurries to get Yota up, wrench and swinging DESTINOOOO~!!! Cover, NAITO WINS!!
Winner: Tetsuya Naito, by pinfall (still IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
LIJ’s newest member gave the team leader an all-time epic match, but perhaps it is still too soon for the new generation to be the #NowGeneration! But if Yota can win the New Japan Cup and push Naito this far in his “rookie” year, is his bright future still going to become reality?
As for Naito, he stands over Yota while the title belt and a special prize are brought into the ring. Red Shoes hands Naito the belt, which Naito snatches away. And then founder, president and CEO of Bushiroad, Takaaki Kidani, presents him with a certificate for the Sakura Genesis Dream Order Japanese baseball league trading card game! Naito does love baseball, so he appreciates this gift. He even offers a fist bump to Kidani! The fans like the idea, and so Kidani raises his fist, only for Naito to SPIT on him! Naito shoves Kidani out of the ring, still not over Kidani’s previous sleights against him.
But as Kidani takes his leave, Naito gets the mic. “Buenas noches, RYOGOKUUU~! First of all… I’d like to thank you all for coming here.” A commotion from the crowd gets Naito to stop, and Moxley has returned to ringside! The fans cheer as Maniac and Uncontrollable Charisma are now face to face ahead of their Windy City Riot main event match. Moxley looks at the belt, and Naito asks in English, “Do you want IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, yes?” When Moxley doesn’t respond, Naito asks again much slower, “Do you want… I W G P World Heavyweight Championship?” Moxley nods and the fans fire up!
Naito continues in English to say that their title match will be next week in Chicago, okay? The fans cheer, and Naito hands the mic over to Moxley. Moxley says, “Chicago, April 12th, Moxley, Naito, NEW IWGP Champion!” Mic drop from Mox and he heads out, so the showdown is set! Will the Windy City Riot see the winds of change blow through NJPW? As for Naito, he picks up the mic to say, “Let’s start again. Buenas noches, RYOGOKUUU~!” Naito again thanks everyone for coming, “Gracias, amigos.” The fans applaud, and Naito says this was only his second time facing Yota. The first time was August 1st, 2021, Yota’s sendoff match.
Naito tells Yota, “You got strong as hell. Let’s keep competing to lead NJPW and LIJ to even greater heights!” The fans like the sound of that!” And like he said in simple English, he is going to defend this world title against Moxley next week. Naito vows to beat Moxley and return home to Japan still champion, so please look forward to it. The fans cheer that! Naito then asks, “Shall we close this out the right way?” The fans cheer that, too! Time for their first roll call in Ryogoku since the G1 last August! Are you ready? They sure are! Then this is the only proper way to close Sakura Genesis!
“Bushi! Hiromu! Takagi! Titan! Yota! Y Naito! NOSOTROS! LOS! INGOBERRRRRRNAAABLEEES~! DE! JA! PON!!” The gold streamers fly and the fans cheer, will Naito be the one to keep NJPW and this world title tranquilo?
My Thoughts:
An awesome event for NJPW here, with a lot going on to add to an already stacked weekend in wrestling around the world. And there was so much Bullet Club! Well, that’s if House of Torture even still counts as Bullet Club, but then that just makes for a lot of House of Torture on this card, too. Awesome Triple Threat Tornado Tag for the Junior Tag titles, and the challengers all looked really close to winning, but it was fine for War Dogs to retain. Meanwhile, I oddly wasn’t sure Bishamon was going to win, but Goto & Hashi have proven to be solid in the ring and as characters, NJPW loves going to them so them winning was also fine.
A real shame about Yoh dislocating his shoulder and needing it popped back in right there at ringside, he and Sho were definitely going to have an awesome match. With the news of the BOSJ field, hopefully Yoh can still compete in that and get another chance. But at the same time, great moment for Douki and Fujita to not only confront Sho but to act like Sho might as well not even be the champion as we go into the tournament. Douki has been making that Yoshi-Hashi style rise from being the punchline to being a contender, it’d be awesome if Douki reached the later rounds in the BOSJ.
Really good tag match for Moxley & Shota to get a really good win. I actually really like Jack referencing the Young Bucks and CM Punk with that string of moves near the end there. “Scapegoat” as a gimmick is clearly an ongoing reference to #BrawlIn last year, and it’s only a matter of time before he goes back to really stick it to the EVPs. Great NEVER Openweight Championship, even with all the goofy overbooking and madness. Great win for Takagi, he brings this title back to LIJ and hopefully gets a redesigned belt or something to undo all the black paint Evil sprayed on the thing.
Then Kidd making his presence known, I can’t blame him for having that worked-shoot rant. I have also found it rather odd that, mostly through House of Torture, NJPW is doing things rather American style with the overbooking. And Kidd really makes a good point about Scapegoat Perry, not sure how Tony Khan got NJPW to agree to taking Jack with that kind of kayfabe behind the angle. Commentary mentioned Kidd taking on Eddie first, Windy City Riot I believe, no idea if Kidd takes the NJPW Strong title from Eddie after Eddie’s already lost all his other belts. But between sending Jack back to AEW and Kidd having beef with all these things as a whole, it’d be pretty cool if Kidd led Bullet Club War Dogs on some kind of Forbidden Door feud with other parts of Bullet Club as a whole.
And then just an amazing main event here tonight. Yota continues to look incredible in every singles match he has, this is definitely his best match yet. The fans were so strongly behind Yota for the majority of that match, I wouldn’t have blamed NJPW if they decided Yota should win here tonight. But instead, it’s still Naito, and that’s totally a great choice, too. Naito VS Moxley being for the title now is great stuff, that alone makes Windy City Riot worth the $20 USD extra. But that also makes for another busy weekend for me…
My Score: 9/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

So much gold is on the line!
Stephanie Vaquer is the first ever NXT Women’s Double Champion, and she’s willing to defend both belts separately! Will Vaquer still be golden after tonight?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- NXT Women’s Championship: Stephanie Vaquer VS Jaida Parker; Vaquer wins and retains the title.
- Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont w/ Wes Lee; Igwe & Dupont win.
- NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Lexis King VS Je’Von Evans; Lexis wins and retains the title.
- Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley VS Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson; Gigi & Tatum win.
- Ethan Page VS Andre Chase w/ Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors; Ethan wins.
- NXT Women’s North American Championship: Stephanie Vaquer VS Fallon Henley; Vaquer wins and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
NXT Women’s Championship: Stephanie Vaquer VS Jaida Parker!
The Dark Angel starts her Double Header to start the show, and Miss Parker is ready to take her shot on goal! Will Jaida get out the mud with this one? Or will she learn that La Primera don’t play, either?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and both title and history are on the line!
The bell rings and the fans duel already. The two tie up, go around, and Jaida knees low! Jaida wrenches, wristlocks, and YANKS the arm. Jaida wrenches, YANKS, and wrenches again, but Vaquer rolls, handsprings, and wrenches to a wristlock in return. Jaida powers through to scoop and SLAM! She eggs Vaquer on, scoops her again, and SLAMS her! Jaida talks trash, the fans rally, and Vaquer goes for a leg. Jaida stops Vaquer with a facelock, shifts to hook the arms, but Vaquer slips through to trip Jaida up! Vaquer has the toehold, then ties Jaida’s legs up into a DEATH LOCK! The fans fire up while se see Ava Raine and the Women’s Division watching backstage.
Jaida endures, crawls back, and reaches out to the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Vaquer lets go, but Jaida runs up. Vaquer dodges, comes back, and tilt-o-whirls to a roll-up! TWO, Vaquer dodges Jaida and sits her down for body scissors! Gedo Clutch, TWO! Jaida escapes that one and the fans fire up. The two reset, circle again, and tie up. They’re in a deadlock, but Jaida powers her way to a facelock. Jaida CLUBS Vaquer, headlocks, then THROWS Vaquer down! Jaida wraps on the body scissors, but Vaquer pushes back to a cover, TWO! Jaida CLUBS away on Vaquer, rolls her over to a cover, TWO!
Jaida facelocks, drags Vaquer up, but Vaquer wrenches free. Vaquer whips, Jaida reverses, but Vaquer RANAS! Jaida tumbles to a corner and the fans fire up. Vaquer runs up and LARIATS, but Jaida fires a forearm! Vaquer CHOPS, SOBATS, and whips corner to corner. Jaida goes up, over, and HIP DROPS! Jaida caught Vaquer with that one and the fans fire up! Jaida talks more smack before she rains down fists, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Jaida lets off of Vaquer to clap back at the Vaquer fans. Jaida whips Vaquer to a corner hard, then scoops for a BACKBRAEKER! Vaquer writhes, Jaida drags her back up, and Jaida whips Vaquer to then ROCK her! Jaida whips Vaquer and CLUBS her, then she brings Vaquer around for a snap suplex! Cover, TWO! Jaida stays on Vaquer with a facelock, and snap suplexes again! Cover, TWO! Jaida is annoyed, but she whips Vaquer, only for Vaquer to fire off forearms! Vaquer dodges a lariat, ROCKS Jaida again and again, but Jaida knees low! Jaida stands Vaquer up, runs and BLOCKBUSTERS! Cover, TWO!
Jaida grows frustrated but she pushes Vaquer over. Jaida digs a knee into Vaquer’s back and pulls her back! Vaquer endures, fights to her feet, but Jaida wrangles her back down. Jaida digs her knee in more but Vaquer still endures. Vaquer fights back up, only for Jaida to CLUB her back down! Jaida whips Vaquer to a corner, then whips her back in! Jaida talks some smack while NXT returns to single picture. Jaida whips Vaquer back into the corner, then corner to corner. Vaquer staggers, Jaida scoops, but Vaquer slips free and drops down, VICTORY- NO, Jaida stuffs it! TWO, and both women stand! Jaida blocks a shot, wrenches and slips around, BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO!
The fans rally up as Vaquer goes to a corner. Jaida runs in, but into a BOOT! Jaida comes back, but into a HANGING TRIANGLE! The fans fire up, the ref counts, and Vaquer lets go at 4. Jaida staggers away, Vaquer springboards in and CROSSBODIES! Direct hit, and the watch party loses a few guests, such as Jordynne Grace. The fans fire up as Vaquer runs and dials it up, 619! Jaida flounders, Vaquer storms up, and the fans fire up for the headscissors! Vaquer turns Jaida over for the PRIMERA DRILLER! Vaquer goes all the way to TEN, then brings Jaida up. Vaquer underhooks but Jaida wrenches free!
Jaida knees low, reels Vaquer in and suplexes, FALCON ARROW! Cover, TWO! Vaquer survives and Jaida grows further frustrated. Jaida drags Vaquer up, dragon sleepers, “This is Awesome!” as Vaquer slips free. Vaquer waistlocks. Jaida switches and shoves, then SPINEBUSTER! Jaida drags Vaquer back up, POSTS her, then has her in the ropes! Jaida CHOPS Vaquer, then runs to TEARDROP! Jaida high steps, but GRACE is ringside! The Juggernaut is not happy with how Jaida interrupted her last week! Jaida frowns, but she still blocks Vaquer’s kick! Jaida ROCKS Vaquer, runs and builds speed, into a victory roll! VAQUER WINS!!
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer, by pinfall (still NXT Women’s Champion)
Jaida is beside herself, but she let someone else get in her head before the end. Refs rush out here to keep Jaida from going after Jordynne. The bottom line is that Vaquer still has the top title in the NXT Women’s Division. But FATAL INFLUENCE ATTACKS! The fans boo as Fallon, Jacy & Jazmyn mug Vaquer, wanting to soften her up for the main event! Jacy drops a SENTON, then another SENTON! Then a third SENTON! The fans boo as hard as they can, but will NXT once again be under the Influence?
Trick Williams paces backstage.
But he spots someone walking in and says he doesn’t wanna hear any of that, he doesn’t have time for it today. But Je’Von Evans says, “Deadass, I didn’t like how you pushed me to the side last week. I was focused on Dark State, and I was trying to tell you and Oba that-” Trick says Je’Von still doesn’t get it! Just because they’re from the Carolinas, they’re supposed to be brothers? Trick told him once and he’ll tell Je’Von again, the focus is on Stand & Deliver and the NXT Championship. Je’Von knows Trick’s obsessed with Oba, he’s been that way for the last four months! How is Trick focused so hard on Oba that he couldn’t do what Je’Von did and just drop him?
Trick says be real. Je’Von only dropped Oba because Oba was focused on Trick. Oh, really? Well, if Trick keeps on doubting Je’Von, then Je’Von will just keep on shocking him. Trick said Je’Von would never be champion, but tonight, Je’Von proves Trick wrong again. Trick says yeah, Je’Von has potential, good for him. Randy Orton said Je’Von’s got potential, there’s all these “cosigns,” but there’s a difference between having potential and having the title. Everybody can’t hold that title in the air. Je’Von says he thought Trick was mad before. But that title has really changed Trick into someone else.
Trick says it’s a champion thing, dawg. That’s something Je’Von doesn’t understand. Well, after tonight, Je’Von will. The Young OG heads out, but will he take the Drama King’s throne as Heritage Cup Champion?
The NXT Women’s Division Watch Party continues.
As the others murmur about how the opening match ended, Ava says she needs to go check on Vaquer. But Lash Legend says, “SKRRT! Excuse me, Miss Mayor.” Ava says, “Yes, Lashes?” Lash needs to check into why Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley have a title match with the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions when it should be the Meta Girls. Ava tries to start, but Gigi says maybe it’s because Ava is tired of giving Lash & Jakara opportunities and they lose. Ever think about that? Tatum says first, Gigi & Tatum will beat Ash & Heather By Elegance, and then they’ll bring those TNA titles to NXT!
Jakara says whatever, she and the Bougie Bully have been a real tag team a lot longer than anyone else in this room. Zaria steps up but Sol Ruca has her calm down. Lash tells them both to sit back down. Jakara says you don’t send girls to do a woman’s job. They ran up on Ash & Heather but Gigi & Tatum went and took their shot. Oh, “took their shot,” huh? Please, Miss Jackson. If you’re about the action, Gigi & Tatum will show them something. Lash says don’t even go there. The Meta Girls head out, telling Ava to fix this. Ava has a lot on her plate, but will Gigi & Tatum show they can make an impact?
Sit-down interview with Ricky Saints.
Vic Joseph sits down with The Absolute and says he has been waiting for this moment ever since Ricky arrived over a month ago. Ricky has already had some big moments, but there are those in the locker room that say Ricky doesn’t belong. It’s Stand & Deliver Season, tensions are high, is that all white noise or motivation? A bit of both. Ricky thinks it is funny, as there are superstars back there that have had a head start on him. And it wasn’t until he actually showed up that the decided to up their game. Vic and the fans are finding out just how confident Ricky is as a performer. And confidence can scare people.
That is what Ricky has been dealing with all his life. So coming here and getting that is nothing new to Ricky. Then where does Ricky find that inner confidence? Ricky says when he was breaking into the business, he was living out of his car. There were times he didn’t know how he was going to eat for that weekend. He didn’t know if he’d have money for food or clothes. But at the end of those days, the only thing he actually had was his confidence. The confidence in the fact that he was going to get out of that situation. That is why he’s sitting with Vic right now, in NXT and the WWE. It is because of that confidence.
Ricky wears the scars and battle wounds as pride. But wait, Shawn Spears interrupts? Vic tries to explain this is an exclusive interview, but The Chair Man says he is going to take it from here. Vic steps aside and Spears tells Saints to relax, he’s just sitting down. Spears says they’ve known each other a long time. Ricky says too long. Then why does Ricky think Spears didn’t ask Ricky to join The Culling. Because Spears knew Ricky would say no. Spears knew Ricky would say that, and tells Ricky that he’s wrong. Remember that conversation in Philly? How many times has Spears had to talk Ricky off the metaphorical ledge?
How many times did Ricky not believe in himself? All the advice he’s given over the years. The reason Spears didn’t offer is because, sadly, Ricky is still the same man he left over a year ago. Nothing’s changed. This arrogance is a plague everywhere Ricky goes. All he does is create a long line of enemies, and it is all his fault. Wow, what’s really weird to Ricky is that Spears doesn’t get how if he wants to be number one here in not just NXT but in WWE, it’s that he’s going to make enemies. Spears has heard that same thing, “You wanna make friends? Or do you wanna make money?” That is Spears’ point with Ricky!
Look at Spears! He is a champion in the WWE, with three of his best friends, family even, right by his side. Ricky says they’re the only reason he has that title. And Ricky is going to be the one to take it from Spears. Oh, so Ricky wants the North American Championship? Is he sure? Even though they both know what the outcome’s going to be? Do not add Spears to your long list of enemies, Ricky. You know what they are capable of. Jensen, Niko & Izzi step in, but Spears has them stay back. Spears tells Ricky that in case it doesn’t work out, he can always go back to… Oh, no, never mind. They both know Ricky burnt every bridge.
The Culling leaves, and Ricky says he’ll just have to win then. Will Spears still be so high and mighty when Saints comes marching in?
Other superstars finish watching the interview.
Wes Lee’s guys, Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont, cannot believe this. What is Ricky doing? He can’t be for real. Wes says no, he is. It’s “Ricky ‘Everything is About Me Once I Walk Through the Door’ Saints.” But in time, he’ll realize he ain’t the guy around here. But don’t sweat it, it’s almost time for their match. Let’s get it. The Wes Side heads out, Ethan Page puts his coat up, and Kale Dixon tells Uriah Connors that Ricky is pulling an Ethan Page. That’s what All Ego did, didn’t he? That’s gotta suck. Ethan says two more words, and Kale will get knocked out again. Uriah steps up for Kale, but then Andre Chase steps in.
Chase tells Ethan, “What the hell is your problem? You know that’s not how we handle things here.” Oh, and this isn’t a classroom, professor, this is the real world. Yeah, and Ethan knows better. Kale & Uriah are young and inexperienced. Oh, then Chase better teach them that their words have consequences. Actually, Ethan forgot that their dead-end university is closed. Oh, is that how Ethan feels? Yeah! Then maybe Chase should teach them about sensitive tough guys like Ethan who can’t handle the truth. Ethan says, “We’ll see.” Ethan heads out, Chase tells Kale & Uriah that he’ll handle this. And seeing how eager they are, Chase lets Kale & Uriah follow.
Kale & Uriah are excited to see Mr. Chase handle business, but will All Ego stomp all over the name of Chase U?
Hank ‘n’ Tank walk ‘n’ talk.
They’re riled up from last week, being talked down to by Wes, but forget about last week. Right here, right now, these two will prove they’re not just two individuals. They are two minds intertwined! Nobody is more connected than the Bodacious Belly Boys! What does Motor City Machine Guns say to that? Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin are waiting and they like the energy. Hank ‘n’ Tank have got this! One time for the boys! HONK HONK! MCMG wants to see Hank ‘n’ Tank bring out that it factor, will this be the night they level up? Or will Ty & Ty show them what it takes to evolve?
Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont w/ Wes Lee!
NXT is picture in picture for entrances, and while the teams sort out. Igwe starts against Tank and the two circle. They tie up, are in a deadlock as Igwe is taller but Tank is wider. The two reset, tie up again, and Igwe waistlocks. Igwe SLAMS Tank down, holds him down, but Tank fights back up. Tank wiggles and swivels and switches, but Igwe fires elbows! Igwe goes to ropes, bucks Tank, then runs him over! Igwe drags Tank up, tags Dupont, and they double wrench to double YANK the arms! Tank goes to ropes, Dupont brings him around, and Dupont CLUBS the arm! Dupont wrenches to RAM shoulders, then taunts Tank.
Dupont stands Tank up but Tank rolls Dupont up! TWO, and Tank wrenches to YANK the arm! Tank wrenches the arm again, Dupont fights the elbow breaker, but Tank powers him into the corner! Hank tags in, sets up, and Tank HONK HONKS the ELBOW BREAKER! Hank runs up and LARIATS Dupont! Hank bumps Dupont off buckles, then goes corner to corner with Dupont to bump him off more buckles! Hank whips, Dupont reverses, and Dupont SPLASHES! Dupont talks trash, then whips corner to corner. Hank goes up and over, and he BODY BLOWS! NXT returns to single picture as Hank climbs up!
Igwe storms in but Tank intercepts! The fans fire up as Tank bumps Igwe off buckles and climbs up! Hank ‘n’ Tank coordinate, and they rain down fists! The fans count along, and we go to nine, wind up, and TEN! Hank ‘n’ Tank send Ty & Ty into each other, and then HONK HONK, BIG BELLY SANDWICH! Igwe falls out, Wes is annoyed, and Hank wrenches Dupont to YANK the arm. Tag to Tank, drop toehold and ELBOW DROP! Tank then sits Dupont up for Hank to run, run, and run, to DROPKICK! The fans fire up and Tank hurries to get Dupont for a cover, TWO! MCMG watches this backstage, Tank whips but Dupont blocks!
Dupont reels Tank in to LARIAT! Tag to Igwe, Ty & Ty double whip to DOUBLE SHOULDER TACKLE! Igwe snarls, but Tank avoids the stomp! Igwe hobbles, Dupont tags in and he CLOBBERS Tank! Dupont talks trash, whips Tank, but Tank KICKS Dupont! Tag to Hank, and Hank TOSSES Dupont onto Igwe! The fans fire up as Tank holds the way open! Shoutout to MCMG, Hank DIVES! Direct hit and Hank even hits the desk! The fans are losing their minds over the world’s biggest “five hole goal” as Hank puts Dupont in the ring. Dupont goes to a corner, Hank runs in, BACK BODY BLOCK and BULLDOG! The fans fire up with Hank, but Wes distracts him!
Hank takes a swipe, Wes gets away, and Dupont UPPERCUTS Hank down! Tag to Igwe, he stomps away, and Igwe clamps onto Hank’s arms, to then pull and STOMP! Igwe then drags Hank up to fire hands, then he lines up a shot. Hank wobbles, Igwe BOOTS him down! Igwe drags Hank up, whips him to the corner, then he runs up to RAM into Hank! Dupont tags in, but Hank fights back! Dupont full nelsons, Igwe BODY BLOWS, and Dupont FULL NELSON SLAMS! Cover, TWO! Hank survives that mugging but Dupont drags him back up. Dupont has the full nelson and he thrashes Hank around! Hank fights up and hits a JAWBREAKER!
Dupont staggers, Igwe tags in! Igwe drags Hank from Tank, but Hank fights and flails! Hank powers up, the fans rally, and Hank steps forward. Igwe CLUBS Hank on the back! Igwe keeps the facelock, but then takes a swing on Tank! Tank dodges. then Hank dodges, hot tag to Tank! Tank rallies on Ty & Ty with big forearms and LARIATS! Tank dodges Igwe to then OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY! Dupont storms up but Tank ROCKS him, and BLASTS him! Wes is freaking out as Tank cartwheels past Igwe to LARIAT! The fans fire up as Tank suplexes Igwe, FISHERMAN SPINEBUSTER! Cover, DUPONT BREAKS IT!
The fans rally, Igwe goes to a corner, and Tank runs in. Igwe runs up, Tank dodges to go up, up and FLYING SHOULDER TACKLE! Tag back to Hank, and Tank goes up? Hank turns Igwe, but Wes slides in! The ref stops Wes, but that lets Dupont trip Tank up! No Skull ‘n’ Bones, Igwe shoves Hank away! BOOT and Hank is on spaghetti legs! Dupont tags in, SLAM DUNK SAIDO!! Cover, Ty & Ty win!
Winners: Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont, by pinfall
The Wes Side used numbers against Hank ‘n’ Tank trying to use another legendary team’s style. Will Hank ‘n’ Tank ever find that thing that makes them a legendary tag team?
Ava Raine checks on Vaquer.
Vaquer is being iced and taped up from that attack earlier, and the NXT GM says she should’ve known better. Is Vaquer sure she can defend the North American Championship tonight? After what Fatal Influence did, Ava- Vaquer stops Ava there. Vaquer is the double champion, and she will keep her word to Ava, to the NXT Women’s Division, and to her home country of Chile. Vaquer IS La Primer. Fallon will still get her title match. Okay, but is Vaquer sure? They can always reschedule. Vaquer says she’s sure, thank you. Vaquer heads out with both belts in hand but ice wrapped around her waist. Will Vaquer still make history by successfully pulling off the double header?
Backstage interview with Fraxiom.
Sarah Schreiber is with the NXT Tag Team Champions and brings up that the last time we saw them, they were battling it out with The Hardy Boyz at Roadblock. What was it like for Axiom to go home to Spain and push Der Ring General, Gunther, to his limits? Axiom says that was a dream come true. Axiom pushed the WWE World Heavyweight Champion to his limits in front of Axiom’s home crowd. His friends, his family! That’s a moment he’ll never forget. Nathan Frazer says him, too, amigo. Because Frazer didn’t get invited to that. But hey, it’s Stand & Deliver Season, and-
Axiom stops Frazer there. They talked about this. It was all meant to be a big surprise for everyone, and… Frazer has a big mouth. So- Oh, what is that supposed to mean? Does Axiom think Frazer was going to tweet it out or something? Well, he’s kinda done something like that before… Hey, maybe if Frazer was there, Axiom would’ve beat Gunther! Okay, what is that supposed to mean? Wait, as Fraxiom argue, someone pulls up. It’s OBA FEMI! And The Ruler does not look happy. Axiom gets out of there, and Frazer is unsure where he’s going. Frazer follows, will the dysfunction start up all over again?
NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Lexis King VS Je’Von Evans!
The Drama King continues to talk a big game, but perhaps changing the rules from British Rounds to First Fall might come back to bite him. Will this Cup still be Lexis’ prized possession? Or will the Young OG shock the world by adding his name to the Heritage Cup legacy?
NXT returns as Lexis makes his entrance. The introductions are made, the trophy is raised, and we see if this is still Lexis’ way and Lexis’ life.
The bell rings and the two approach. Lexis takes a swing, Je’Von dodges, and Je’Von asks if Lexis is still mad about last week. Lexis runs up, Je’Von headlocks, and Je’Von thrashes the hold. Lexis powers up but can’t power out. Je’Von thrashes the headlock more, but Lexis pries at the grip. Lexis pulls hair, puts Je’Von in a corner, but lets off as the ref counts. Je’Von dodges the sucker punch to hit a headlock takeover! The fans cheer as Je’Von shows he has that technical side, but Lexis headscissors. Je’Von kips free, headlocks again, but Lexis fires body shots. Je’Von CLUBS Lexis and CHOPS him, then it’s back tot he headlock.
But Lexis hits a BIG back suplex! The fans boo but Lexis stomps away on Je’Von. Lexis soaks up the heat, drags Je’Von up and scoops for a SLAM! Cover, TWO! Je’Von is tougher than that and Lexis stays focused. Lexis taunts Je’Von, clamps on the chinlock, but Je’Von endures. Je’Von fights up, but Lexis crossface forearms Je’Von down! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for “YOUNG O G!” Lexis tells them to shut up, then he winds up. Je’Von dodges to springboard and FLYING SCHOOLBOY! TWO, and Lexis swings, into a wrench! Je’Von goes up the ropes, BOUNCY~” RANA! Lexis gets up, Je’Von dodges him, for a springboard CROSSSBODY! Cover, TWO!
Je’Von DROPKICKS Lexis right down and the fans fire up! Lexis bails out, Je’Von grins and builds speed. Je’Von DIVES, direct hit on Lexis and he ends up on the desk! The fans fire up as Je’Von cheers himself on, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Je’Von perches on the desk as he waits for Lexis to get up. The ref reprimands and wants this in the ring, so Je’Von hops down to fetch Lexis. Je’Von CHOPS Lexis, brings Lexis around, but Lexis SHOVES Je’Von into steel steps! Je’Von writhes, Lexis talks trash, and he drags Je’Von up to put him in the ring. Lexis drags Je’Von up to scrape laces off the face, then he KICKS Je’Von in the back! Je’Von grits his teeth but Lexis stands him up. Lexis bumps Je’Von off buckles, then headlocks to throw in some sneaky punches! The ref sees those and reprimands, but Lexis drags Je’Von up. Je’Von stops the buckle bump to give a buckle bump!
Je’Von CHOPS and Lexis sputters! Je’Von CHOPS again, but Lexis dodges to throat chop! The ref reprimands, but Lexis stomps Je’Von around. Lexis hoists Je’Von up for a BIG back suplex, covers, TWO! Lexis looms over Je’Von, stomps him, then drags him up to bump off buckles. Lexis uses the ropes so he can dig both boots in! The ref counts, Lexis backs off, and he drags Je’Von out from the corner. Je’Von fires body shots, then whips, only for Lexis to reverse. Lexis DROPKICKS Je’Von down, covers, TWO! Je’Von stays in this but Lexis stays on him with a chinlock. Lexis leans on Je’Von but Je’Von still endures.
NXT returns to single picture as Je’Von rises up. Je’Von arm-drags free, then BODY BLOWS! And BODY BLOWS! Lexis ROCKS Je’Von right back! Lexis runs up to LARIAT in the corner, and CHOP! Lexis wrenches, then has an inside fisherman, for a FISHERMAN DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!! Je’Von survives and Lexis is furious! The ref defends his count was fair, so Lexis drags Je’Von back up. Lexis talks trash, Je’Von CHOPS! The fans fire up while Lexis sputters and drops to his knees! Je’Von then goes to a corner, and Lexis snarls. Lexis runs up, blocks a boot, but Je’Von stands on Lexis’ foot! Je’Von ROCKS Lexis, UPPERCUTS, then runs and hits a SUPER OG PUNCH!
The fans fire up and Je’Von keeps moving, springboard and DREAMCAST KICK! The fans fire up as Je’Von hurries to the apron! Je’Von then climbs, FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!! Cover, TWO?!? Lexis survives and the fans are thunderous! Je’Von just brushes that off and brings Lexis up. Je’Von underhooks, “This is Awesome!” but Lexis BACKDROPS free! Je’Von lands on his feet! Lexis runs up to SUPERKICK! Lexis snarls, drags Je’Von back up and reels him in! “LONG! LIVE! THE KING!” CORO- NO! Je’Von wrenches out, whips, but Lexis reverses! Je’Von hits a NEURALIZER! Lexis tumbles out while the fans fire up!
Je’Von shakes the ropes, he is all fired up! Je’Von runs and FLIES! Direct hit at the ramp and the fans fire up again! Je’Von hurries to get Lexis in, then he goes up the apron. Lexis distracts the ref, OBA GRABS JE’VON! APRON POWERBOMB!!! The Young OG writhes, the fans boo, but the ring count is climbing! The Ruler counts along as we pass 5 of 10, and then 8! 9! TEN! Lexis wins!!
Winner: Lexis King, by count-out (still NXT Heritage Cup Champion)
The King keeps his crown thanks to The Ruler getting revenge on Je’Von! And while Oba stalks Je’Von back into the ring, the lights go out! Because THEY are here! Dark State is in the crowd! Je’Von fights Oba while Dion, Saquon, Cutler & Osiris creep closer! Oba ROCKS Je’Von, reels him in, but Je’Von gets out of the bomb! Trick Williams runs in, Oba dodges, TRICK SHOT hits Je’Von!! Trick is a bit stunned, but refs and security rush out here! Dark State waits at the barriers to see how this plays out. Fans want to “LET THEM FIGHT! LET THEM FIGHT!” but the refs won’t let Trick and Oba get started! Dark State is loving this! Will NXT truly fall into chaos?
Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley VS Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson!
It was last week that these teams “crossed the line” into TNA to call out Ash & Heather By Elegance, but it was the “weird girls” who were given the title opportunity. Will Gigi & Tatum make Lash & Jakara understand why? Or will the Meta Girls make them pump the brakes?
The teams sort out and Gigi starts against Lash. They circle, tie up, and go around. Gigi arm- NO, Lash blocks the arm-drag to then press Gigi down. But then Sol & Zaria walk out on stage to watch this in person. Lash whips and THROWS Gigi away! Lash talks smack on Sol & Zaria, then tags in Jakara. The Meta Girls double whip Gigi to the corner, then Lash sends Jakara in for a back body block! Lash runs up to SPLASH, then she feeds Gigi to Jakara’s SLINGBLADE! Cover, TWO! Gigi stays in this but Jakara stays on her. Gigi reaches up to RANA Jakara to the corner! Gigi back body blocks, tag to Tatum!
Gigi sends Tatum and she CROSSBODIES Jakara in the corner! Tatum sets up, Gigi runs up, POETRY IN BRONCO BUSTER! Gigi gives Jakara a wild ride, then Tatum high stacks, TWO! Jakara toughs it out and then ROCKS Tatum with a right! But Tatum drop toeholds! Tatum drags Jakara back, then top mounts to hook the legs, and she turns Jakara over for the SPIDER-WEB SURFBOARD! Jakara endures, Lash storms in and pushes things over! Lash drags Tatum up, tells her off, and then Jakara HOTSHOT BULLDOGS! Tatum flounders, Jakara tags Lash, and Lash BOOTS Tatum down! Lash puts Tatum on the ropes and dares Zaria to do something.
Tag to Jakara, and she drops a knee on Tatum’s face! And another knee! Jakara runs to cartwheel ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Jakara drags Tatum up, tags Lash, and then Jakara feeds Tatum to Lash’s scoop! Lash SLAMS Tatum, talks trash to Zaria & Sol, then covers Tatum. TWO, and Lash is annoyed. Tag to Jakara, the Meta Girls mug Tatum, but Jakara swaggers too soon! Tatum BOOTS her away! Tatum breaks free of Lash, leaps, but Lash catches her! Tatum still reaches out, tag to Gigi! Lash throws Tatum back, Tatum dodges Jakara, Jakara ROCKS Lash! Gigi goes up to DOUBLE FLYING LARIAT the Meta Girls!
The fans fire up as Gigi hurries to DECK Jakara! SUPERKICK for Lash! Gigi wrenches and ROCKS Jakara, to then ripcord and LARIAT! Tag back to Tatum, Gigi gives her a boost to ENZIGIRI Lash! Tatum & Gigi then set Jakara up, DOUBLE HEADBUTT SANDWICH!! But that’s not all! They hook Jakara up, CEMETERY DRIVE!! Cover, Tatum & Gigi win!
Winners: Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley, by pinfall
The combination of STO and Lightning Spiral is certainly deadly! Will it help them knock out the Knockouts Tag Team Champions?
Tony D’Angelo is at the restaurant.
The cousins tell The Don, “the streets are talking.” “And they’re talking a lot.” Tony knows that. He hears everything. He’ll handle it. The rest of the Family arrives, and they sit with Tony. Luca asks how he’s doing, and Tony says he’ll be alright. Those four guys put a pretty good beating on him. Tony doesn’t even know who they are. Tony wants intel. He wants to know who they are, what’s their motive, what’s their purpose, and where they eat before they even do. Understood? Rizzo says got it. They’ll take care of it. Luca says Tony can count on them. Tony says he knows he can. Stacks stays silent, but then Tony tells him to hold on.
Stacks sits back down while the others leave, and Tony asks if Stacks is good. Yeah, everything’s alright. Besides this “Dark State.” But why? Tony says Stacks is Underboss for a reason. They grew up together. Remember back in high school, when Stacks and Ralphie Ziparetto hit that high roller card game? Yeah, he does. There were some big sharks there. That there were. And remember when they tried to pull his card and Tony had to step up and convince them to give Stacks a pass? Yeah, he remembers. He’ll never forget what Tony’s done for him. Tony knows Stacks won’t. Because Tony believes in Stacks, trusts him, and can always trust him. Right?
Stacks stands up and pats Tony on the shoulder. “You can always trust me, T. Always.” Stacks leaves, but is that enough for Tony to believe him? Or is something brewing in the background of all this?
Hank ‘n’ Tank regroup with MCMG.
Tank doesn’t get it! They did everything Sabin & Shelley said: Stay connected, step in unison! Shelley says okay, enough. Let’s talk them off the ledge. MCMG thinks Hank ‘n’ Tank did great. But hey, they’ve also been in this game a long time, wrestled all sorts of teams from all over the world. They definitely feel Hank ‘n’ Tank are future champions, but… They have to remember that everyone’s process is different. Everyone takes a different path to the top. It’s short term pain for long term gain. There are levels to this, but a couple words of advice: trust your partner, and don’t compare yourselves to other teams. MCMG’s been together well over a decade.
But y’know what? This isn’t linear, it is undulating. It took MCMG a long time to get to the top, to get to the WWE. And within weeks, they were WWE Tag Team Champions! The most important thing: Don’t give up. Don’t give up! Tank says yeah, they’ll get there, and they’ll see MCMG down the line. They all fist bump, but what path will it be? Will Hank ‘n’ Tank just need more time? Or will they find a major breakthrough as soon as next week?
Ethan Page VS Andre Chase w/ Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors!
While All Ego and The Professor have different philosophies, they do have something in common: They both want to rebound from some disappointing losses. Wait, Ricky Saints pushes right past Ethan to join commentary. The Absolute wants to watch this in person, will he see Ethan rebuild his ego? Or will we finally see some school spirit again?
NXT returns and Chase makes his entrance, still a bit worse for wear, but Kale & Uriah are pumped up enough for all three of them. Chase has them remember, it’s not Chase U, though. Even so, Uriah & Kale put up that U and cheer Mr. Chase on. On commentary, Vic apologizes for Shawn Spears interrupting their interview. Ricky says hey, just one more Canadian wrestler who doesn’t like him. The bell rings and the two tie up. Chase headlocks, Ethan pries at the hold, and Ethan powers up and out. Chase goes up the corner and around to roll Ethan up! TWO, Chase trips Ethan, steps through, but Ethan boots him away.
Chase comes back, Ethan drops down, but Chase counters hip toss with a hip toss! Ethan hits a headlock takeover, and he holds Ethan down as Ethan kicks around. Ethan fights up, the fans chant, “We Want Thea!” Ethan stomps Chase’s foot, headlocks back, but Chase powers up and out. Ethan runs Chase over! Things speed up, Ethan counters hip toss with hip- NO, Chase MONKEY FLIPS that hip toss away! The fans fire up and Chase headlocks. Ethan powers up to hit a BIG back suplex! The fans rally but Ethan KNEES Chase in the side, stomps away, then drops an ELBOW! Ethan brings Chase up, but Chase stops the buckle bump!
Chase fires forearms, then whips, but Ethan reverses to DECK Chase! Ethan DECKS Chase again, then looms over Chase at the ropes. The fans boo but Ethan drags Chase up again. Ethan whips Chase to ropes, but Chase grabs ropes! Chase DUMPS Ethan out, then takes aim, only for Ethan to step aside. Ethan glares at Kale & Uriah, but Chase is on the apron! SUPERKICK! The fans fire up for Chase as he FLYING LARIATS! Down goes Ethan and the fans fire up! Chase wants Kale & Uriah to calm down, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Chase drags Ethan up, puts him in the ring, then storms up to suplex high and hard! Cover, TWO! Ethan is tougher than that but Chase brings him back up. Chase whips Ethan to a corner, but Ethan reverses. Ethan runs in, Chase ELBOWS him away, then Chase goes up. Ethan ROCKS Chase first, then brings him off the corner for an OKLAHOMA STAMPEDE! Ethan stomps Chase, then drops an ELBOW! Cover, TWO! Ethan clamps onto Chase with a chinlock and he grinds Chase down. Chase endures, Uriah & Kale rally the fans, and Chase fights up! Chase fires body shots, then runs, but into a DROPKICK! Ethan covers, TWO!
Ethan grows frustrated, but he clamps back on with a chinlock. Chase endures, even as Ethan grinds him into the mat. Kale & Uriah keep cheering Chase on with the U, and Chase fights up again. Chase JAWBREAKERS free! Ethan staggers, but he still scoops and SLAMS Chase! And back to the chinlock! Chase endures all over again as Ethan squeezes tight. Chase fights up, pries at the hold, and NXT returns to single picture as Chase fires body shots. Ethan knees low, then whips, but Chase KICKS Ethan back! Chase then wrenches and SWINGING NECKBREAKERS! The fans fire up while Ethan and Chase are both down.
Chase and Ethan go to corners, and Ethan runs up, only for Chase to dodge! Chase rallies with ELBOW after ELBOW! Chase whips, Ethan reverses, but Chase reverses back, RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! The fans fire up and Chase starts to spell it out, but he feels so conflicted! Uriah & Kale tell him it’s okay! Spell it out! Chase says alright! “C! H! A! S!” But Ethan blocks the E! Only for Chase to dodge the roundhouse and SIDE EFFECT! Cover, TWO! Ethan stays in this but Kale & Uriah coach Mr. Chase to keep going. The fans fire up, Chase storms up on Ethan and brings him around. Chase goes up the corner, reels Ethan in, but Ethan wrenches out! ICONOCLASM!
Ethan then RIPCORD CODE BREAKERS! Cover, TWO!! Chase survives and the fans fire up! Ethan is frustrated but Uriah is relieved and Kale is pumped up! Ethan and Chase rise up, and Ethan pie faces Chase. “Stay down! Stay down!” Chase eggs Ethan on! Ethan SLAPS! Chase SLAPS! Chase CHOPS, CHOPS, runs, but Ethan BOOTS him! Ethan goes to the apron to get Chase, and brings him up, only for Chase to APRON NECKBREAKER! Chase hurries in, goes up, and TORNADO DDTS! Cover, TWO!! Ethan survives and the fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” Chase hurries back up top, but Ethan hits the ropes! Chase gets tripped up!
Ethan goes up the corner, hoists Chase onto his shoulder, and fans boo as Ethan hits a SUPER POWERSLAM!! Cover, TWO?!?! Chase survives and the fans are thunderous! But TWISTED GRIN!! Cover, Ethan wins!
Winner: Ethan Page, by pinfall
Chase gave Ethan much more of a fight than expected, but Ethan still won out. All Ego talks trash on Ricky, Ricky says if Ethan wants some, he’s right here. But then SHAWEN SPEARS CLOBBERS RICKY! The Culling mocks Ricky’s pain and Ethan smirks. Will they all make sure Ricky has nothing to show for showing up in NXT?
Dark State speaks.
They post to X as Dion shouts, “Y’all like that, huh? Y’all like that?! We ain’t even gotta do nothing and y’all go crazy!” Cutler says, “Just ask Tony D what happens when we decide to get involved!” Osiris says, “When the lights go out, anxiety goes through the roof!” Saquon asks, “Are y’all slow? When are y’all gonna realize that when Dark State strikes, ain’t nobody safe! NOBODY!” They head out into the night, when will they strike again?
NXT Media catches up with Trick Williams.
The reporter asks if Trick meant to hit Je’Von earlier tonight. Trick says everyone wants to talk about Je’Von. Everyone who can see knows Trick was aiming for Oba. Je’Von was just collateral damage. Nah, forget that! Je’Von’s a distraction! Just like how Eddy Thorpe was a distraction! A distraction from what Trick wants. Everyone’s a distraction from the fact that Trick is the man around here! Trick is supposed to be NXT Champion. Oba knows it. And if Oba is still The Ruler, then he knows where to find Trick right here next week. Trick turns to go but the reporter asks his opinion on Dark State.
Tricky says that ain’t his business. Trick leaves, not interested in distractions. But is he overlooking a major problem gnawing away at the foundation of NXT?
NXT Women’s North American Championship: Stephanie Vaquer VS Fallon Henley w/ The Fatal Influence!
La Primera made it through Jaida Parker, perhaps in part thanks to Grace. But Fatal Influence still had to stack the deck against Vaquer with an ambush. Will the Toxic Cowgirl just be picking the bones like a vulture? Or will the Dark Angel still have gold on each shoulder?
The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see if Vaquer can defy the odds to make history again!
The bell rings and the fans rally behind “LA PRIMERA!” But Jacy distracts Vaquer and Fallon RAMS her into the corner! Fallon RAMS in again and again, then drags Vaquer out to snap suplex! Vaquer writhes, Fallon covers, TWO! Fallon top mounts but Vaquer pushes her up and away. Vaquer then fires a flurry of forearms! Fallon kicks low then whips Vaquer. Fallon KNEES low, the fans boo, but Fallon covers, TWO! Fallon snarls, storms around, and she drags Vaquer up. Fallon bumps Vaquer off buckles, then stomps a mudhole in. Fallon whips corner to corner, runs up, but Vaquer BOOTS her away! Vaquer then DROPKICKS Fallon down! Cover, TWO!
Vaquer and Fallon rise up, and Fallon BOOTS Vaquer down! Fallon drags Vaquer to then stomp her in the stomach and ribs! The fans rally but Fallon covers, TWO! Fallon frowns, but she clamps on with a REAR BEARHUG! Vaquer endures, the fans rally for her, and Vaquer pries at the grip. Vaquer turns around to JAWBRAEKER, and SUPERKICK! Fallon falls onto ropes, Vaquer dials it up, but Jacy & Jazmyn warn Fallon! Fallon ducks the 619, then RAMS into Vaquer! Fallon POSTS Vaquer, then runs to swing and TIGER FEINT Vaquer down! The fans boo but Fatal Influence soaks up that heat while NXT goes picture in picture.
Fallon storms back into the ring, stalks Vaquer, and drags her up. Vaquer fires body shots, but Fallon KNEES low! Vaquer falls over, clutches the ribs, but Fallon drags her back up. Fallon bumps Vaquer off buckles, stomps her down, then talks trash. Fallon stomps away on Vaquer, digs her boot in, but steps off as the ref counts. Fallon drags Vaquer up, TOSSES her out, then paces. The ring count starts while Vaquer writhes. Fallon storms out to stand Vaquer up, and she RAMS Vaquer into the apron! Fallon drags Vaquer up again, SMACKS her off the desk, then puts her in the ring. Fallon stomps away on Vaquer, covers, TWO!
Vaquer toughs it out and Fallon grows frustrated. Fallon drags Vaquer by her hair, talks smack on the fans, but Vaquer ROCKS Fallon again and again! Vaquer SOBATS, runs, but Fallon BOOTS her down! Fallon huffs ‘n’ puffs and drags Vaquer around again. Fallon clamps on a top wristlock and grinds the arm. Vaquer endures, fights up, and NXT returns to single picture. Vaquer fires shots, but Fallon kicks low! The fans boo but Fallon whips and ROCKS Vaquer! Fallon cravats, Vaquer powers out, but Fallon comes back to get around. Fallon waistlocks and sits Vaquer down! Fallon then runs to SLIDING FOREARM!
Fallon keeps moving and she KICKS Vaquer in the side! Vaquer writhes, but Fallon drags her up to bump her off buckles. Fallon goes out to the apron, and she redials, but Vaquer dodges the feint kick to bump Fallon off the buckles! Then they go side to side, but Fallon blocks the buckle bump! Fallon SMACKS Vaquer, goes up the corner, but Vaquer SMACKS Fallon back! Vaquer goes up, but Fallon fights back. Vaquer HEADBUTTS again and again and again! Then she brings Fallon up for a SUPERPLEX! The fans fire up for “NXT! NXT!” while both women are down! Fallon and Vaquer crawl to each other, and Fallon SLAPS Vaquer!
Vaquer HEADBUTTS Fallon! Fallon ROCKS Vaquer! Vaquer HEADBUTTS again! Fallon kicks low, Vaquer sits down, but Fallon is right on her. Fallon whips, Vaquer reverses, EAT DA FEET! Vaquer bumps Fallon off buckles again and again and again, all three levels! Vaquer scrubs Fallon’s face with her boot, then goes corner to corner! METEORA! The fans fire up as Vaquer snapmares Fallon, and wraps on the headscissors! But Fallon victory rolls, and she STOMPS Vaquer’s ribs! Fallon then drags Vaquer up, clinches, pump handle, FALL AWAY SLAM! Fallon stomps Vaquer again whiel fans boo.
Fallon stands Vaquer up, runs, but Vaquer victory rolls! TWO!! Fallon SOBATS, then she TOSSES Vaquer out! The ref argues with Fallon, but that lets the Influence rush in! Vaquer dodges Jacy to SUPERKICK! But Jazmyn’s NYX KICK hits!! The fans boo as Jazmyn puts Vaquer in, and Fallon goes up, up, and BLOCKBUSTER! Cover, TWO!! Vaquer survives and Fallon is shocked! Fallon argues with the ref, then she snarls at Vaquer. Fallon runs in, Vaquer dodges! SUPERKICK! Vaquer tucks the arms, but Jazmyn gets on the apron! Vaquer runs up but Jazmyn scurries away. Fallon hooks Vaquer up again, but Vaquer slips underneath!
Vaquer shoves Fallon into Jazmyn! Then roll-up, roll through, and tuck! S V B!! Cover, Vaquer wins!!
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer, by pinfall (still NXT Women’s North American Champion)
The Influence is shocked, but their numbers game backfired! La Primera keeps both titles, but then Jacy & Jazmyn attack! The fans boo as they and Fallon stomp Vaquer again! They set her up, but HERE COMES JORDYNNE! The Juggernaut is back, and she picks Fallon up, BOOTS Jacy, and then SMACKS Jazmyn using Fallon! Grace ELBOWS Fallon down, then LARIATS Jacy! A BACKHAND for Fallon, and the fans fire up! Grace picks up both belts, and she hands them back to Vaquer. But she kinda holds on, too… Grace lets them go, Vaquer gets fired up, but then Jaida SHOVES Grace into Vaquer!
Jaida fires hands on Grace, but Grace DECKS her in return! And then she runs up to HIP ATTACK Jaida down! Grace shows Miss Parker isn’t the only one that’s hip-notic. But then Vaquer turns Grace around so they can stare down. Grace bailed Vaquer out two times tonight, will Vaquer have to face Grace two times in one night?
We cut back to the watch party, and Ava tells Stevie Turner that this is historic. No one has pulled off two defenses in one night, but Vaquer did. Lola Vice steps up and says she wants next. Kelani Jordan says nope, not before her! She deserves her own shot at the title. Cora Jade says she wants in, but so does Izzi Dame, Karmen Petrovic, and pretty much everyone else in the room. Ava says okay, okay! She will figure this out! Just what will Mayor Ava choose for Stand & Deliver Season?
My Thoughts:
An awesome NXT, really packed for just the two hours, and with some great story intertwining. Saints VS Spears next week for the North American Championship is a touch surprising, but they laid the groundwork really well tonight. Good interview promo where Spears “interrupts” and gives Ricky that not so subtle threat. Then with that promo, they cleverly used it to make Ethan VS Chase and put Ricky on commentary. I wonder, though… Ricky’s line about Canadians hating him, was that a shot at Adam Copeland taking those cheap shots at him last year?
That aside, great match from Ethan VS Chase, but I figured Ethan would win, this keeps building anticipation for the moment Chase U returns. But also, Ricky jawing with Ethan was a good distraction for Spears to attack. It feels like Ricky is going to win, but The Culling could easily cheat him out of the title and we extend things towards Stand & Deliver. Igwe & Dupont VS Hank ‘n’ Tank was a great match, but between Wes interfering and Hank ‘n’ Tank clearly trying to do things like MCMG and not their own way, Hank ‘n’ Tank were of course losing. I believe I said this when “going extreme” like the Hardys didn’t work out that Hank ‘n’ Tank just need to find a team more their style, aka The Dudleys.
Very good promo from Tony D with The Family, with Tony’s strength as The Don being questioned by “the streets,” but also perhaps Tony questioning if Stacks is going to stay loyal this time. They teased Stacks turning on Tony way back when The D’Angelos were feuding with Gallus, but they might actually pull the trigger now. The Culling is working to replace The D’Angelos as the top faction, Tony has done almost everything in NXT, and something would be very fitting if Tony was betrayed before he can win THE NXT Championship and become the Grand Slam Champion.
Very good stuff in this Dark State story, though it’s really more the others in it, like Je’Von, Trick and Oba. Je’Von VS Lexis was a great match, but I should’ve figured Oba would cost Je’Von. Also, good promo from Fraxiom to revive their dysfunction while also segueing into Oba showing up. Trick hitting Je’Von by accident was also a good touch, and he had a good promo after. Him claiming he doesn’t care about Dark State is intriguing, too. Could Trick be working with them behind the scenes? It’d be very “CM Punk helped The Shield” of them to do in this story. Perhaps Dark State affects the NXT Championship match for that purpose.
And of course, the highlight of the night, the throughline story, is NXT’s incredible women’s division. Opening with Vaquer VS Jaida for THE NXT Women’s Championship was rather telling that Jaida would lose, but it’s a bit disappointing it had to be because of Jordynne. I get wanting to keep Jaida strong and they’re clearly planting sees of Jaida VS Jordynne there, but it doesn’t really help Vaquer. Though they also have Fatal Influence attack to put Vaquer in the underdog position with the beat up ribs. Vaquer does get to show her grit by overcoming the unofficial 3v1, but all that could’ve still happened without Jordynne costing Jaida on some level.
I also did appreciate that the watch party had a part to play. Gigi & Tatum VS Meta Girls was really good stuff, and I really like that team finisher from Gigi & Tatum. They probably won’t beat Ash & Heather By Elegance, but they can have a great showing. And all the other women wanting their shot at Vaquer’s belts, Ava can definitely give us something big in the last three weeks before Stand & Deliver. Maybe a small tournament, maybe a battle royal, it really depends on if Vaquer will defend the belts in another double header or in a Winner Takes All match.
My Score: 9/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

The American Nightmare is in Scotland!
After confronting a “whiny” John Cena in Brussels, Belgium, Cody Rhodes is now in Glasgow, Scotland! Will there be another Raw encounter between champion and challenger?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso VS A-Town Down Under; The Usos win.
- WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Lyra Valkyria VS Raquel Rodriguez w/ Liv Morgan; Lyra wins and retains the title.
- Dragon Lee VS Chad Gable; changed to…
- Dragon Lee VS El Grande Americano; Grande wins.
- WWE Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker VS PENTA; Bron wins, by disqualification, and retains the title.
PLAY BY PLAY
JOHN CENA IS HERE!
Glasgow erupts with boos just like Brussels did last week, and then “JOHN CENA SUCKS~!” Cena wears the custom Scotland “The Last Time is Now” merchandise, and fans show their Cody Rhodes signs. Cena goes to the ring, grabs a mic, and the fans boo again. Cena hears those boos, and then says, “Is something on your mind? Seems like you have something you want to say to me.” The fans keep booing, and there’s still dueling even now. Cena says yeah, they’re ready to do their worst tonight, aren’t they? It’s because they finally understand what is going on. Cena has turned the spotlight onto the fans, and now they know that he can pick apart any one of these random ticket holders to shreds!
Cena knows they know that no one is safe! Cena put a clueless kid on blast! His poor, pathetic face was everywhere! WWE posted it! And you all loved it. The fans tell Cena off, and Cena just smiles. Cena says who is better: him, the one guy who actually tells the truth; or all the fans, whose collectively best idea is to use profanity! The fans are the ones who loved to watch and rewatch and meme up a poor, defenseless kid getting destroyed! Cena doesn’t need to single out anyone here, because they are ALL horrible people! No, tonight, the fans get to find out how Cena makes them pay for the abuse they have put him through.
For 25 YEARS, Cena has listened to their lies and their noise! But he didn’t waste that time being mean, he paid attention. Fans tell Cena to STFU, and Cena says, “You make this so easy. While you were chanting profanity at the top of your lungs, I’ve been paying attention. I’ve been learning from you, quizzing you, studying you, testing you, prodding you, rewarding you for playing along with your stupid, curse ridden nursery rhymes. And in doing so, you have told me every single thing about your. You know nothing about me, I know more about you than you.” The fans boo, but Cena says the truth is, “Your life is sad!
“Because this is the best it’s gonna get. This is all you have! But to me, you have been nothing more than an experiment. You have been rats in a cage. Oh, you don’t believe me? Pick out any moment in my career, and I’ll tell you what I learned from you. When I bled, you thought I was tough. When I spoke, you were inspired. When I was edgy, you were excited. When I was vanilla, you were bored. When I was loyal, you were loved. When I was selfish, you were disrespected. When I speak in rhythmic tones, you say, ‘What.’ You make this so, so simple. You will always tell me everything about yourselves, because you so desperately want to matter.
“And the most important thing you ever told me was in April 2005. It was the day I gave you my greatest idea. I gave you the WWE Spinner Championship! And just like right now, you ate me alive. All you have to do is google, ‘Negative comments about the spinner belt.’ You all told me loud and clear how stupid I was, because I changed your championship into a toy, and the championship is not a toy. The championship is a symbol of the center of all this, and the toy belt I made for you disrespected tradition and disrespected your legacy. Listen closely, because that was the biggest mistake you ever made.
“In that one single moment, you were vulnerable enough to tell me what means the most to you in this life. And now that I know that… I am going to ruin wrestling. I am going to ruin wrestling for every fan, for every wrestler, for everyone. At WrestleMania, I make history by winning a 17th (world) championship. And I finally force you to forget the name of the fun machine, jet-flying WOO~, Ric Flair. You will forever say the name ‘John Cena.’ But even worse… I’m going to win that championship, the center of every superstar of this entire business, of every fan in this building, I will win that championship and retire with it. I am taking it home with me!
“And leaving all of you to create a brand new toy belt, because the real one comes home with me! I will be the LAST REAL CHAMPION in WWE! Revenge is best served cold, and I pay you back by ripping your heart out and forcing you to watch as I just walk away with your memories, and your traditions, and your dreams, and there is nothing you can do to stop me!” But wait! Here comes Cody Rhodes! Glasgow fires up and sings along, “WHOA~ OH!” Cody gets his pyro, high-fives the fans, and joins Cena in the ring. Cody grabs his own mic, the fans cheer, and Cena just glares the entire time. Cody raises the belt and the fans cheer again.
The fans sing “CODY! CODY RHODES~!” Cody then lifts the mic to say, “I’m sorry, what’d you say? You said you were going to take this away from them? Don’t you think you need to take it away from me first? Admittedly, I made a mistake last week. I looked at you, I talked about Old John, I talked about New John, I didn’t look hard enough. Hearing it, seeing it now, you are clearly sincere, you are clearly angry, and you are clearly willing. Perhaps you’re the most dangerous John Cena has ever been. But you have made a massive mistake. And the mistake was not hitting me upside the head with this at Elimination Chamber.
“Oh, no, no. The mistake was saying what you just said in front of these lovely people while I was in the building!” The fans cheer and sing for “CODY! CODY RHODES~!” Cody asks Cena if all that bothers him. Because it doesn’t bother Cody. What bothers Cody is that he didn’t unpack their history. But Cena should know well enough just how hard Cody fought just to hold this title ONE time, just to validate ONE name! And if Cody understands Cena right, Cena is saying that the timeline of all pro-wrestling hangs in the balance because of Cena’s vanity? Cena wants the title, right? He wants to take it?
Cody sets the belt down on the mat, and says he’ll give Cena that chance right now. The fans fire up as Cody takes off the tie, and dares Cena to take it! The mics drop, Cena prepares to draw as the two square up, but then Cena steps back. The fans boo as Cena leaves, not giving Cody the satisfaction of doing things his way. Cody picks up his mic again and shouts, “JOHN!” Cena turns around, comes back down the ramp, and the fans cheer as Cody dares him to bring it! Cody’s jacket comes off now, the fans fire up more, but Cena shakes his head and leaves again. Cody tells Cena, “one thing, John. I cannot let you do it. I cannot have that on my conscience.
“Right now, I need you to see me, I need you to see all of them, and I need you to understand that your psychotic need to take this does not outweigh OUR right to keep it!” The fans cheer that! Cody says the champ is no longer standing there, the champ is standing in the center of this ring! And Cena walking away empty handed, that is how he walks away from WrestleMania, and that is how he walks away from the WWE! The fans cheer as Cody says the champ is here! But will Cena use whatever means he has to in order to carve his name into eternity?
Jey Uso & ??? VS A-Town Down Under!
Main Event Jey put Austin Theory away so fast, you’d blink and miss it. Theory & Waller want revenge, but who’s joining Jey tonight? Why none other than JIMMY Uso! It’s an Uso Reunion in Glasgow, will they put Theory & Waller in the Uso Penitentiary? Or will they suffer the Grayson Waller Effect #AllDay?
While we get an accidental non-ad break for the YEETing, we also get ATDU making their entrance. And after a quick self-plug for the WWE original series, Stephanie’s Places, the teams sort out. Theory starts against Jey for revenge from last week. They tie up, Jey headlocks, but Theory powers up and out. Jey runs Theory over, the fans fire up, and Jey says “YEET!” Jey runs, Theory stays low to then hurdle, but Jey stops the hip toss! Jey then LARIATS Theory! Theory scrambles away, and he tags Waller in while Waller is busy taunting Glasgow. Waller says he ain’t impressed, but Jey says YEET! Jey blocks a kick, then plays keep away before he SMACKS Waller!
Jey BODY BLOCKS and PELES Waller in the corner, then tags in #BigJim! The fans fire up as Jey whips Waller, and the Usos DOUBLE ELBOW, then handshake DOUBLE ELBOW DROP! They DOUBLE LARIAT Waller up and out, but here comes Theory! The Usos TOSS Theory out, and then Jimmy FLIES! Down goes ATDU and the fans fire up! YEET! Jimmy high-fives some fans before fetching Waller into the ring. Jimmy storms up but Waller mule kicks! Waller CLUBS Jimmy, CLUBS him again, then whips corner to corner. Jimmy goes up and over, then UPPERCUTS! Cover, TWO! Waller stays in this but Jimmy stays calm.
Jimmy CHOPS Waller to a corner, but Waller kicks low! Waller swings but Jimmy dodges, and Jimmy CHOPS! Waller flops down, the fans chant, “UCE! OH!” Jimmy CHOPS Waller, whips, but Waller grabs ropes. Theory tags in, Waller KICKS Jimmy, then Waller TOSSES Jimmy! Waller builds speed, slides, but Jimmy dodges! Jimmy UPPERCUTS Waller, but then Theory DECKS Jimmy! The fans boo, Jey checks on his brother, but Theory mocks the Yeet. Theory puts Jimmy in, dares him to reach for Jey, then stomps Jimmy’s hands. The Usos are in trouble while Raw goes… Well no, another not ad break?
Theory taunts the fans, the fans boo, but Theory taunts Jey. Theory drags Jimmy onto ropes to CHOKE, but he stops at 4. Waller gets a cheap shot in as Theory argues with the ref! Jey protests but now Theory rains down fists on Jimmy. Theory mocks the Yeet, says “SUCK IT!” then drags Jimmy up. Tag to Waller, ATDU mugs Jimmy, and Waller CLUBS Jimmy down! Waller lines up a shot, and he KNEES Jimmy in the side! Waller drags Jimmy up, fires hands, but Jimmy SMACKS back! And he CHOPS Theory! Jimmy ROCKS Waller, then ELBOWS Theory! Waller blocks boots, puts Jimmy in ropes, and CLUBS him!
Waller runs to ROLLING ELBOW Jimmy in the back! Tag to Theory, DRAPING JUMP STOMP! Cover, TWO! Theory clamps onto Jimmy with a chinlock and grinds him down. The fans rally up, Jimmy fights to his feet, and Jimmy reaches out. Jimmy fires body shots, then hits a BIG back suplex! The fans fire up while both men are down! Jimmy and theory crawl, hot tag to Waller, and he BLASTS Jey off the apron! Waller rains down fists, then talks trash. The fans boo, Waller paces, and Waller steps on Jimmy’s face! The ref reprimands, but Waller clamps on a cravat. Jimmy endures the neck wrench, and the fans tell Waller he’s a wanker.
Waller puts on more pressure, and we fade to block for just a second. Jimmy fights up, the fans rally up, and Jimmy fires body shots. Waller knees low, then sucker punches Jey! But Jimmy UPPERCUTS Waller! Waller goes to the apron, Jimmy storms over, but Waller HOTSHOTS! Waller then somersaults in, but into a SAMOAN DROP! The fans fire up as Jimmy and Waller crawl again, hot tags to Theory and Jey! Jey LARIATS Theory, DECKS Waller, then fires haymakers on Theory! “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Pop, lock ‘n’ put some stank on the YEET! Then an UPPERCUT! Theory blocks a kick, but not the DRAGON WHIP!
The fans fire up with Jey and they “YEET!” with him. Jey dodges Waller to HIP ATTACK Theory! SUPERKICK for Waller! SUPERKICK for Theory! Cover, TWO! Jey stays cool and the fans rally up again. Theory rises, Jey waits on him, and fireman’s carry for a- NO, Theory fights free, tag to Waller! Jey dodges Theory to UPPERCUT! Waller grabs Jey, and DOUBLE ROLLING ELBOWS connect! Then they double whip to POP-UP DOUBLE HAYMAKER! Cover, TWO!! Jey survives but Waller hurries to a corner. Waller goes up, and he hits a BALLER- NO! Jey dodges, that was an airball! Hot tag to Jimmy! Jey POPS Waller up for Jimmy’s SAMOAN DROP!
The fans fire up as Jimmy goes from Alley-Uce to the top rope. Theory runs up, Jimmy kicks him down, but Waller hits the ropes! That trips Jimmy up and Waller drags Jimmy into a fireman’s carry, Jimmy slips free, tag to Jey! SUPERKICK for Waller! Theory sneaks a tag! Theory hides, Waller BOOTS Jimmy away! Waller runs up, Jimmy ALLEY-UCE into the SPEAR!! The fans fire up but Waller’s not the legal man! Theory is back, but he runs into a ONE D!! Cover, Usos win!
Winners: The Usos, by pinfall
One and done for the Day One Ish! BUT GUNTHER YANKS JIMMY OFF THE CORNER!! The fans boo, but Gunther and Jey start brawling! Then a SUPERKICK for Gunther! Jey SUPERKICKS again! Gunther ends up in a corner, Jey runs in, but he trips?! Gunther pounces to attack with elbows and fists! Jimmy runs in with a chair! Gunther gets away while he can, but he mocks what happened to Jey tripping. Jimmy has his brother’s back, but will Der Ring General keep up the blindside attacks?
The Judgment Day is backstage.
Raquel Rodriguez stretches, and she says she’s missing something. Liv Morgan says, “Imagine how you’d feel with one of these on each shoulder by the end of the night.” Liv has Raquel hold up the title belt and Raquel likes that idea. Dominik Mysterio & Carlito walk in, and Dom says Finn hasn’t talked with any of them since last week. Liv says typical Finn. She loves the guy, but he is always more concerned about his own problems. Dom gets that, he just wishes things went different last week. Liv says it’s fine, things are turning around for the better. Liv beat Jade Cargill just last Friday, and Raquel will become the NEW Women’s Intercontinental Champion! #DoubleChamp!
And just because Finn didn’t win last week doesn’t mean they have to give up on the Men’s IC title. Liv wants Dom to talk with Adam Pearce, and Carlito interrupts by saying Liv’s right. Now it’s time for Carlito to go for the gold. Um, yeah… But also, Dom should go talk with Penta again. Dom says Finn is already against that idea, but Liv says Finn was against Liv joining, and look how that turned out? Dom has the brains, he should just trust himself. Liv says she and Raquel are going to go, Dom wishes them luck. Carlito says yeah, they brought him in, too, and look how that turned out. Okay but can he share his apples? Nope.
The Judgment Day is doing what they want, but not really consulting all members on that. Will things really work out for the better? Or are they just one move away from everything falling apart?
Lyra Valkyria prepares for her match.
Bayley is there to give her a fist bump of encouragement before she heads to gorilla. Lyra also passes by Adam Pearce talking with the LWO. Is the Raw General Manager going to help Dragon Lee get a fair fight with Chad Gable? Or could “El Grande Americano” still make an appearance?
The rich and illustrious history of lucha libre…
… is filled with legends like Blue Demon, The Guerrero Family, and Mil Mascaras. But one star shines brighter than all the rest: El Grande Americano! Hailing from the Gulf of America, El Grande Americano was raised to be the ultimate luchador. He quickly rose to the top of the industry, and for decades was the face of Lucha Libre. But after being blackballed by his jealous enemies, he disappeared without a trace. Now, the legend has returned to bring honor and glory back to this beautiful sport! He is an icon! He is a trailblazer! He is… El Grande Americano!”
Adam Pearce talks with The LWO.
Rey Mysterio asks just what the Hell is that video. That is the introduction to the newest member of the Raw roster… That’s ludicrous! It’s all just Chad Gable! Gable steps in and says they’re wrong. He also coughs and wheezes a bit. Gabel says he knows there are physical similarities, but he is not Grande Americano. He also doesn’t have the energy to argue right now, he got sick on the way over. Sadly, he cannot compete tonight. He has a doctor’s note. Pearce reads it, and it is legit. Rey cannot believe this. But whatever, it’s okay. They’ll just see Gable in the parking lot! Pearce has Rey stand down, and Gable says whoa now. Let him finish.
Gable suggests that Lee should take on the new guy, Grande Americano, and see what he’s got. Rey & Lee are still incredulous, but Pearce says his hands are tied. Rey says he gets it. Lucha libre tradition is about not backing down. Lee says whether Americano is Gable or not, Lee will take the match. Then it’s official! Lee glares at Gable, and Rey says Gable’s a jackass. The LWO walks out, Gable says he can’t believe Pearce is going to let them talk to him like that, but Pearce can’t believe Gable needed a doctor’s note. Gable coughs as if on cue, but will the Boy Wonder still get a big win here in Glasgow?
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Lyra Valkyria VS Raquel Rodriguez w/ Liv Morgan!
The Morrigan has been undefeated in title matches ever since winning the tournament, but she is quite literally up against her biggest challenge yet. Will Lyra still fly high this close to home? Or will Big Mami Cool become Double Champ Rodriguez?
The introductions are made, Lyra’s belt is raised, and we see who holds the #ShinyShiny!
The bell rings, the two circle, and they feel things out. Lyra dodges Raquel, then gets around to waistlock. Raquel THROWS Lyra off with ease but the fans boo. Lyra brushes herself off while Raquel tells the fans to shut up. The two tie up, Lyra goes for a leg, but Raquel gut wrenches to SWING Lyra around, and then THROW her away! The fans boo but Liv applauds. Raquel drags Lyra up with both ands, then THROWS her into a corner! Raquel runs up, Lyra dodges and headlocks! Raquel powers up and out, Lyra goes up, but Raquel catches her! Lyra holds on, Raquel yanks her from the corner, but Lyra slips free.
Lyra dropkicks legs out, then she gets under Raquel. Raquel fights the Northern Lights to gut wrench and Gory Especial! Lyra sunset flips, but avoids a stomp! Lyra headlocks again, but Raquel powers up and out again. Lyra ducks ‘n’ dodges, wheelbarrows, and victory rolls Raquel out of the ring! The fans fire up with Lyra and Lyra builds speed, but Raquel stops the dropkick! Raquel drags Lyra out but Lyra RANAS her into the desk! Liv panics, Lyra waistlocks, and Lyra puts Raquel in the ring. Lyra hurries up the steps, Liv coaches Raquel, and Raquel stands. Lyra leaps, into a BOOT! The fans boo but Liv cheers, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns and Raquel has Lyra on the ropes to CHOKE her! Raquel steps off as the ref counts, and Raquel drags Lyra up. The fans rally for Lyra, but Raquel reels her in to suplex. Raquel SLINGSHOT JACKHAMMERS! Cover, TWO! Lyra survives and Raquel is frustrated, but Liv coaches her to keep going. Raquel pie faces Lyra, drags her to a drop zone, and then goes up the ropes. Raquel soaks up the heat before the VADER- FLOP! Lyra dodges, goes up a corner, and the fans fire up again! TURN OF FORTUNE!! Cover, TWO?!? Raquel survives that flying leg drop and Lyra is shocked! The fans rally as Lyra fireman’s carries!
Raquel kicks and flails, slips free, then shoves Lyra to a corner. BLINDSIDE LARIAT! Raquel goes up, VADER SENTON! Cover, TWO! Lyra survives and Raquel grows frustrated. Liv coaches Raquel and she drags Lyra up again. The fans rally, Raquel bumps Lyra off buckles, and then Raquel puts Lyra up top. Lyra BOOTS the haymaker away, then she fires forearms! Raquel wobbles, Lyra adjusts, and Lyra CROSSBODIES, but into Raquel’s arms! Raquel pops Lyra up to a suplex, but Lyra DDTS! Cover, Liv gives Raquel the ROPEBREAK! The fans boo and Lyra knows something is up! Lyra glares at Liv but Liv just taunts Lyra.
Lyra hurries to bring Raquel up again, fireman’s carry, but Raquel powers out. Raquel shoves, Lyra dodges the boot and WRECKS Liv with a dropkick! But Raquel drags Lyra into a scoop, but Lyra slips around to victory roll! LYRA WINS!!
Winner: Lyra Valkyria, by pinfall (still WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion)
Lyra couldn’t outpower Raquel, but she did outthink her! But now Liv attacks from behind! The fans boo as Liv & Raquel mug Lyra, but here comes Bayley! The Role Model ROCKS Liv, then gives her a HOTSHOT in the ropes! Bayley fires haymakers on Raquel but Raquel knees low! Raquel hoists Bayley up, but now Lyra saves Bayley! And together, they grab legs and DUMP Raquel up and out! The fans fire up as Bayley & Lyra send Judgment Day into retreat! But will Lyra thank Bayley by giving her a title match?
Jimmy & Jey regroup backstage.
Jimmy asks Jey what’s up, and that for the last couple of weeks, Jimmy sees Jey is all up in his own head. Jimmy doesn’t get it. Last week, Jey was hitting that dive for 15 years, and then he becomes a joke! A meme even! What’s with him? Tonight, that killshot was right there, but Jey’s out here slipping. Jey keeps this up, he will not win at WrestleMania. Jey knows that! Jey knows. But everyone reminds him every week. He ain’t beat Gunther, he’s 0-3! But you know what else? He doesn’t know if he can beat Gunther. Jimmy says he can’t?! Jey gets up, Jimmy keeps him from going off somewhere.
Jimmy says Jey can’t beat him. Not this Jey Uso. The Jey that Jimmy knows, the Right Hand Man, that’s the Jey that can! The one that become Main Event Jey, that’s the Uce we need! The one that won the Royal Rumble, THAT’S the Jey we need! Understand him? Jimmy then spots someone off to the side. Jimmy says he’s got Jey on this. Jimmy confronts Gunther! Gunther grins as he walks over, and Jimmy says Gunther VS Jimmy next week! Wow, really? Sure. So long as Jimmy doesn’t trip and fall like his brother. Jimmy SLAPS Gunther for that one! The Usos head out, Gunther leaves it at that. But then Gunther grins. Is Gunther going to make Jimmy an example to Jey?
Adam Pearce is in the ring.
The Raw GM says, “We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania!” The fans cheer that, and Pearce shows the contract for the WWE Women’s World Championship match between Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky. Last week, Rhea Ripley came out here, thought it was appropriate to start a fight, to pick a pen up off the ground, and to scribble her signature onto the contract, as if that makes anything official. Pearce assures us, and he wants this to be crystal clear, Rhea Ripley is NOT in the title match. Glasgow boos, Pearce says they can do that all they want, but the match is Iyo Sky VS Bianca Belair!
Furthermore, the signature Rhea put down means nothing, because Miss Ripley already knows that she has a rematch. A rematch Pearce has tried to get Rhea to settle down on for weeks now, that in the meantime, Bianca won the Elimination Chamber and the right to call herself THE #1 Contender. So that is the issue here. Bianca earned hers, Rhea is owed one, but Rhea seems to want it on her time. Pearce ain’t doing it that way, so therefore- Iyo interrupts! The fans cheer the Evil Genius as she has both belt and mic in hand while heading to the ring. Iyo tells Pearce, “I don’t care about contracts. Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, it doesn’t matter who it is.
“I’ll take on BOTH of them! Because… I am the Women’s World Champion~!” The fans like that, and Pearce says he appreciates her being a fighting champion. But if you’d just let him- Nope, Bianca interrupts! The fans cheer the EST as she has her own mic to say, “Oh, girl, uh-uh, hold up, hold up! No, Pearce, you are right, I earned that #1 Contender’s spot. And I… went through Elimination Chamber to get to WrestleMania. So I am not about to let Rhea headbutt her way into this match! If she did not earn it, then she does not deserve it.” Pearce agrees, so if everyone- NOPE, Rhea interrupts!
The fans fire up as Mami makes her way out, and Pearce is beside himself. Rhea has a mic to say, “Honestly, I don’t give a damn about WrestleMania. And I don’t care who I have to go through to get MY title back. All I want is my rematch.” Oh, now she wants that? Pearce has been talking about it for weeks! Bianca says if Rhea wants her rematch, well, she already waited three weeks, so she can wait three more. Then she can get her rematch after WrestleMania, with Bianca. Yeah, she said what she said. Iyo says hold on, but Rhea pushes her aside. The fans boo, but that’s the last straw for Iyo!
Iyo runs up but Pearce gets in there! Pearce shouts “ENOUGH! ENOUGH!” He’s glad they’re all out here, because he was going to give his solution, if they’d just give him a second! NEXT WEEK, Rhea gets her rematch! Then the winner faces Bianca at WrestleMania! Ladies, thank you, have a very nice Monday. Pearce storms off, Bianca and Rhea still argue, but Iyo says bet! She leaps over Bianca to DDT Rhea! Bianca ROCKS Iyo, torture racks, but Iyo fights free with an arm-drag! Rhea BOOTS Bianca, gets around Iyo, but Iyo lands out of the back suplex! SHOTEI! Bianca chicken wings Iyo! Iyo victory rolls Bianca at Rhea, and Bianca LARIATS rhea!
Iyo dodges Bianca again, HOTSHOTS from the apron, then goes up the corner! She FLYING RANAS Rhea on the ramp! Bianca is up, Iyo takes aim, and the fans cheer Iyo on as she springboards! Bianca dodges, torture racks again, KISS OF DEATH to the outside, onto Rhea! Bianca holds up the belt, but will this be how WrestleMania ends? Who will it even be against after next week’s rematch?
Dominik finds Penta backstage.
Dirty Dom asks if Penta has a second to talk. Penta nods, and Dom says he knows Penta is good, but he could be great. Dom is willing to offer Penta a spot in the Judgment Day, and then maybe things will go Penta’s way. Penta wants to speak but Dom says hold on. Penta could be Intercontinental Champion tonight. Just think about it. Dom heads out, Penta looks like he’s already decided. Will the Man with Cero Miedo really need allies like The Judgment Day?
The New Day barge into Adam Pearce’s office.
He’s already exasperated as Kofi Kingston tells him that The New Day is the greatest tag team on Planet Earth! Xavier Woods says that means they deserve a shot at the WWE World Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania. Oh, are they really asking for a title match at WrestleMania? No, they are DEMANDING one! Wow, really? Do they watch the show? Guess not, or else they wouldn’t be coming in here and demanding a title match just because they’re the New Day, greatest team of all time! Instead, they’d want a chance to prove it, and ask for a match. When they’re ready to do that, come back and see him. For now, get out, and don’t let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you!
New Day tells Pearce to check his blood pressure. They leave, but Bianca barges in. There is way too much going on! Who is she facing at WrestleMania? Pearce says it’ll be clear next week after Iyo VS Rhea. And now, Bianca won’t just be sitting ringside to watch, she’ll be the one in that ring calling it right down the middle! That’s right, Bianca is now the special guest referee!! The EST doesn’t know how to referee! Well, she has a week to figure it out! Now bye, drive save. Bianca storms off, Pearce is losing his cool, but what will this mean for the Road to WrestleMania?
Dragon Lee VS El Grande Americano!
The LWO doesn’t care one way or another if “The Big American” luchador is Chad Gable or someone else entirely, because they just want payback for the interference that’s been happening week after week. Will the Boy Wonder shine brighter than this supposed lucha legend? Or will we all be saying “UH GRACIAS~!” after tonight?
The bell rings and the fans rally. The two tie up, “Grande” waistlocks but Lee switches. Grande switches back, trips Lee, and then rolls to facelock, float, and armlock. The fans sing “OLE~, OLE OLE OLE~!” while Lee fights up. Gable- Er, Grande steps over, arm-drags, and then soaks up the cheers and jeers. Grande runs up to CHOP, then whip. Lee reverses, runs in, but Grande puts him on the apron. Lee jumps up but Grande DECKS him! “GRACIAS~!” Grande then builds speed, but Lee is back to RANA! Grande tumbles out, Lee builds speed, and Lee DIVES! Direct hit and down goes Grande!
The fans fire up, Lee puts Grande in the ring, and then clamps on a GROUND COBRA TWIST! Lee grabs at the mask, the ref reprimands, and Lee stops. Grande throat chops! Grande whips, Lee reverses to kick low and reel Grande in. But Grande RANAS free! Grande FLYING HEADBUTTS, then covers, TWO! The fans again sing, “OLE~, OLE OLE OLE~!” Grande goes to the apron with Lee, then he fires a forearm. Lee V-TRIGGERS, then runs up, but into an EXPLODER to the floor! Both men have a hard landing but the fans fire up while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns as Grande has Lee in an inverted Gory Especial! The fans rally as Lee sits up, and he rains down fists! Lee victory rolls Grande, TWO! Grande stands, ducks ‘n’ dodges, FLYING HEADBUTT into the V-TRIGGER! Grande ends up on the apron, Lee goes out the side. Lee drags Grande up to the top rope, the fans rally, but Grande fires body shots. Lee drops back, but he ROCKS Grande! Grande is in the Tree of Woe! Lee goes up, aims, APRON WOE STOMPS!! Grande flops to the floor but even Lee clutches a knee from that landing. The ring count starts and the fans rally. Both men are down at 5 of 10, but slowly rising.
Lee and Grande hear 8, and they spring in at 9! The fans cheer, and Grande fires a CHOP! Lee fires a CHOP! The CHOPS keep going, harder and harder, then Grande CHOPS, CHOPS, CHOPS! Grande runs, Lee dodges and CHOPS! And BOOTS! Grande ROCKS Lee! But Lee dodges to snap GERMAN SUPLEX! Grande flounders, Lee fires up, SUPERKICK! Grande falls again but Lee takes aim! Lee runs in, but Grande OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES him into the corner! Lee is in a heap, Grande covers, TWO!! Lee survives and the fans fire up! The fans again sing “OLE~, OLE OLE OLE~!” as Grande climbs!
Grande aims to MOONSAULT, but he has to roll through as Lee dodges! Lee runs in, swings through the lariat, and he gets Grande up for a LIGER BOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Grande survives but Lee vows to end it! Lee brings Grande up, puts him up top and CLUBS him! The fans declare “This is Awesome!” as Lee climbs. Grande is back in the Tree of Woe, but he sits up to pull at Lee’s mask! Grande UNMASKS Lee!! Lee falls, covers his face, and Grande sits up! The fans boo, but Grande gets after a leg! ANKLE LOCK!! The fans boo, Lee can’t fight while also covering his face, so Lee TAPS! Grande wins!
Winner: El Grande Americano, by submission
A controversial way for a luchador to win a match, but it seems El Grande Americano is willing to do anything! Will we ever get to the bottom of this not so mysterious mystery?
CM Punk is here!
Glasgow fires up and sings along with Cult of Personality as the Second City Saint makes his way out here. Punk says, “IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME~!” and continues down to the ring. What will he say in the fallout of Friday Night SmackDown’s brawl in Bologna? We find out, after the break.
Raw returns and Punk has the mic while fans chant “C M PUNK! C M PUNK!” Punk says, “Is it great to be alive on a Monday night in Glasgow or what?” The fans cheer that! Punk says that unfortunately while he’s happy to be here, always great to spend quality time with Glasgow, he is not in a good mood. He’s pissed off, but it’s hard to stay mad hearing an ovation like that. Punk says he’s also a little tired, very jetlagged, hasn’t slept well, mostly because of the uncertainty of his Road to WrestleMania. By the way, he apparently has a match now. Did you see the nice graphic? It’s beautiful.
But what Punk wants, he’s not getting. Or is he? Punk says what he wanted was win the Royal Rumble. he didn’t. Then it became what he needed to do, and that was win Elimination Chamber. But because the more things change, the more they stay the same, he work with children. The undisputed heavyweight champion of being a diaper piss baby is Seth Rollins, and he screwed Punk at Elimination Chamber. That doesn’t get Punk to what he wants. For two people, it is clearly personal, but for Punk, it’s just business. It has become simple math: the two men that want to stand in Punk’s way of getting what he wants have go tot go.
Seth Rollins takes it personal because he’s been crying ever since Punk came back to the WWE, because the magnitude of Punk and the shadow he casts belittles everything Rollins is about. Roman Reigns takes it personal, which Punk acknowledges, because Roman sees in real-time that his Wise Man isn’t just his Wise Man. So while it’s personal for the, it is business for Punk, and it’ll be business on Friday in London. It’ll be a good ol’ fashioned contract signing. The fans boo but Punk asks why. Because they wanted it here, right? The fans cheer that! Well, so did Punk, which is why Punk’s here!
Punk can’t wait to get his hands on the contract, read the fine print, and see if the contract gets Punk any bit closer to what he wants… or if it’s just another rug pull from the Powers That Be. So Seth, Roman, fuel up the jet. Since you couldn’t grace them with your presences here in Glasgow, see you in London! But before you put pen to paper, listen to two things and understand them very well. One: neither of you have defeated Punk without the other one’s help, because you can’t! And two: Punk brought them into the WWE, so he cannot wait to be the man to take them both out of it! Punk drops the mic, will he be the one that ends The Shield’s story?
Logan Paul speaks.
Via his Instagram, The Maverick tells AJ Styles, “Congrats, you’ve been added to the list of people whose downfall I’ve been preying on. What you did to me in Madison Square Garden is unforgivable. I’m in London on March 31st, Monday Night Raw, I wanna see you face to face. Bring your A Game, bring your soccer mom haircut, I’ll see your b*tch ass there.” Logan ImPAULsively called out The Phenomenal One, will he be the one to regret it?
Backstage interview with Bron Breakker.
Cathy Kelley is with the badass Intercontinental Champion and notes that he puts that title on the line in the main event, against one of the fastest rising stars in Penta. Earlier tonight, Dom approached Penta to join Judgment Day, is Bron at all concerned that Penta could be bringing backup in an onslaught of new friends? Bron says that’s Penta’s business, it is none of his concern. But as far as tonight, Bron will beat Penta in the center of that ring, then retain this title for one reason: The dogs are barking in Glasgow! Bron barks it up, then heads for gorilla. Will the Big Bad Booty Nephew not worry about the numbers and just go for the win? Or will he learn that #CeroMeido is math he can’t ignore?
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Bron Breakker VS PENTA!
Raw returns as Penta makes his entrance, followed by Bron’s. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is really the biggest badass!
The bell rings and the fans bark as Bron stares Penta down. They slowly circle, tie up, and Penta waistlocks. Bron pries at the grip, wrenches out to wristlock, and the fans duel. Penta wrenches, wristlocks, and headlocks in return, but Bron powers up! Bron shoves Penta away, but then Penta dodges to KICK a leg! And KICK it again! Penta whips, Bron ducks ‘n’ dodges, then builds speed to LARIAT! The fans bark for Bron while Penta flounders to a corner. Bron runs up to RAM into Penta! And RAM again! And again! The ref counts, Penta sputters, and Bron brings Penta up. Bron whips, Penta ducks ‘n’ dodges and RANAS!
Brun tumbles into the ropes then out of the ring! The fans fire up and Penta goes up, up, and- JUMP KNEE from Bron! Penta falls to the floor and Bron grins. The fans bark while Penta sputters to the desk. Bron aims for that FLYING LARIAT! Bron and Penta crash onto and over the desk! The fans bark more while both men are down! The ref checks on both men, but Dom & Carlito come out here? The fans boo, is Dom just assuming Penta’s decision? We’ll have to see, after the break.
Raw returns again and the fans rally as Penta fires body shots. Penta CHOPS, but Bron just frowns. Bron ROCKS Penta, eggs him on, but Penta CHOPS! Bron frowns again, then he ROCKS Penta! Penta comes back with a flurry of forearms! The fans fire up, Penta runs, but Bron ROCKS him again! Bron runs, but Penta SUPERKICKS! Bron wobbles, Penta runs up, but into another KNEE! Bron runs, runs, and- SUPERKICK from Penta! Both men fall and the fans fire up! The fans rally while Bron and Penta slowly rise. Penta has Bron first, reels him in, but Bron shoves Penta away. Penta comes back and KICKS Bron!
Penta then gets around Bron to mule kick a leg! Penta runs to SLING-DOG Bron down! Bron flops out, the fans fire up, and Penta builds speed to DIVE into an UPPERCUT! Bron hurries back in, fireman’s carries Penta, but Penta pops up to BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO! Carlito says that alone proves Penta is Judgment Day material, but Penta calls his next shot. Bron rises, Penta runs in, DEST- NO, Bron stops that to make it a fireman’s carry, then a military press! GUT BUSTER DROP! Cover, TWO!! Penta survives, Bron is a bit surprised, but the fans still bark. Bron vows to end this and he goes to a corner.
Bron aims, Penta rises, and Bron runs in, into another SUPERKICK! Penta then GAMANGIRIS in the corner! Penta puts Bron up top, climbs up after him, but Bron shoves him down. Bron fires hands, then he hoists Penta up! Bron fireman’s carries Penta, but Penta fights free! Penta hops down to the apron so he can jump up and RANA Bron off the corner! Bron tumbles out, Penta builds speed, and Penta FLIES! Dom & Carlito love the tope conjilo, and Glasgow says, “This is Awesome!” Penta drags Bron up and into the ring, then takes aim again. MEXICAN DESTROYER!! Cover, TWO!! Born survives and Carlito is shocked!
The fans rally as hard as they can, and Dom coaches Penta up. Penta tells Dom to watch himself, then he drags Bron up. Penta pump handles Bron, but Bron fights free! Penta goes to a corner, BOOTS in return, and then goes up. Bron anchors Penta, Penta CLUBS away on Bron, then ROCKS him! Bron staggers away, but he springs right up top to SUPER STEINER! Cover, TWO! Penta survives the “Breakkensteiner” and Bron is frustrated. The fans rally up as Bron brings down the straps! The fans bark as Bron takes aim from the corner. But Dom gets on the apron! Carlito grabs Bron, but Bron TOSSES Carlito!
Bron runs and he SPEARS Carlito! The fans fire up, the ref reprimands Judgment Day, but Dom CHOP BLOCKS from behind! The ref catches it, the match is over!
Winner: Bron Breakker, by disqualification (still WWE Intercontinental Champion)
The fans boo but Dom rains down fists on Bron! If Dom is trying to get Penta to join up, he sure messed up that! The fans tell Dom off, but Bron ROCKS Dom with haymakers! FINN BALOR SMACKS BRON WITH A CHAIR! The Prince is here after all, and he SMACKS Bron again! Penta doesn’t even realize what happened, and then Finn glares at Dom?! Finn decides to give Dom the chair, and Dom JAMS it into Bron again and again! Penta understands now that Judgment Day screwed this up for him, but Dom offers him the chair? The fans say “NO! NO! NO!” but Penta still takes the chair. Dom says take Bron out, Cero Miedo!
Penta aims, but while Dom is encouraging Penta to do it, Finn is upset with Dom about it! Penta throws the chair at Dom to SUPERKICK into his face! Finn is even more upset because he knew this would happen. Finn CLOBBERS Penta, stomps away on him, and the fans boo more. Finn grabs the chair again, and he SMACKS Bron back down! Bron tumbles out, and Finn tells Dom he’s too stupid to be making decisions. Finn goes up, and he gives Penta a COUP DE GRACE! Judgment Day has no new members and no new gold, but will Finn get Dom to understand that they can still run Monday Night Raw?
My Thoughts:
Another great Raw, especially with this Glasgow crowd. Cena continues to be the perfect “Justified Heel” with another great promo, and it is amazing that he uses the Spinner Championship as the cornerstone of all of this. I almost thought he was going to say he would remake the spinner belt using the current title’s design. But at the same time, it’s good enough that he vows to retire that belt with his retirement so that whatever comes next will only ever be second place. Or third, given how there’s the WWE World Heavyweight Championship again. And Cody had a good retort again, but Cena is the one bringing the better promos.
While there was speculation that Glasgow would get to believe in Joe Hendry tonight, I knew it just makes sense in story that Jimmy would be the mystery partner for Jey. Very good match from Usos VS ATDU, very good win for the Usos, and a great promo where Jimmy lights that fire in Jey before slapping Gunther. Gunther VS Jimmy is going to be really good, and this fits a bit more of what I was hoping we’d get in the build. Gunther and Jimmy can tear it up while Gunther still wins out, a real example set for Gunther VS Jey at Mania, but also incredible motivation for Jey given he’ll be watching his brother get beat up.
Very good promo from Punk, a touch better than Rollins’ last week, but both boil down to hyping up what’s happening on SmackDown this week. Great stuff with this Chad Gable/El Grande Americano stuff. That video package was like 90% AI generated images, 10% Photoshop, but I guess that adds to how Grande Americano’s legacy is fake and it’s just Gable. Lee VS Grande Gable was great stuff, and what a wild way for Grande Gable to win with Lee’s mask coming off. Rey will surely want his own match with Grande Gable, and I feel like this has to come down to a Mask VS Mask match so that when Grande loses, he is exposed as Gable all along.
Great promo stuff for the Women’s World Championship, as Pearce puts his foot down and has them do things his way. No Triple Threat, at least not yet, as we instead get Rhea VS Iyo one more time, but Bianca being the Special GuEST Referee is of course going to create shenanigans that then compel a Triple Threat. New Day complaining and demanding a title match is good stuff, too, and I would think Pearce is going to put New Day into a big contenders match. Honestly, all tag teams on Raw should be put in that: New Day, A-Town Down Under, Alpha Academy, Creed Brothers, LWO’s Wilde & Del Toro, winners face War Raiders.
And the Judgment Day were once again a great throughline for Raw. Good promo from the group to set up things for tonight while also keeping the dysfunction in mind. Lyra VS Raquel was a great title match, great win for Lyra, and good stuff with Bayley making the save. I feel like we might get a tag match of Lyra & Bayley VS Liv & Raquel before we get Lyra VS Bayley for the title. I still feel like they could escalate and make it more than just 1v1 for WrestleMania, as Liv can even get herself in on the Intercontinental Championship, but we should also really get others like Shayna Baszler, Zoey Stark and even Natalya going again or else they’re signed for no reason.
And of course, awesome stuff with the Men’s Intercontinental Championship. It plays up the Judgment Day drama of Finn and Dom each trying to be the mastermind, but everyone wanting titles. Bron is still great in the ring but his character isn’t getting much other than “bark bark.” Even if he went back to talking a lot like Uncle Scott Steiner, that would be a bit more fun. But right now, he’s just this obstacle that the others are trying to get past while also dealing with their own stuff. Judgment Day standing tall because of Finn’s surprise appearance certainly cues up at least a Triple Threat of Bron VS Penta VS Finn, but maybe Dom gets himself in that match to “improve Judgment Day’s odds,” which just pisses Finn off and creates the real fallout in the group.
My Score: 8.9/10
About Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - Musical Chairs (music) / Hockey Talk (NHL)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Keeping the news ridiculous... The Oddity / Chairshot NFL (NFL)
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - The Front and Center Sports Podcast
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast & The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history)
TheChairshot.com PRESENTS...IMMEDIATE POST WWE PLE REACTIONS w/ DJ(Mindless), Tunney(DWI) & Friends
Patrick O'Dowd's 5X5
Classic POD is WAR
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!