#Diving Hurricanrana

[dankhausen]

Impact: Hard To Kill 2023 Review (January 13th, 2023)

Right off the bat, let me say this was overall a 10/10 show and I highly recommend checking it out- as such, no match spoilers here! Here's my thoughts:

Show opened with a heartfelt tribute to Don West, that was nice!

Really hype video package to kick off the show, I love it.

Bully Ray vs. Josh Alexander: Full Metal Mayhem was a BADASS title match, and one hell of an opener! It had a definite deathmatch feel (I've been watching way too much GCW, I guess), and there were so many awesome moments. Highlights include Josh FALLING OVER THE ROPES ONTO THUMBTACKS, Tommy Dreamer with an epic fakeout, Josh's wife (I didn't quite catch her name, I think it's Jen?) hitting a sick bulldog and Josh DIVING OFF A LADDER ON THE OUTSIDE TO PUT BULLY THROUGH A TABLE IN THE RING.

Victoria (or Tara as she's known in this company) was backstage with Mickie, it's cool to see her.

Ace & Bey vs. Motor City Machines Guns vs. Major Players vs. Heath & Rhino was a really good, fast paced match. Chris Bey and Heath really stood out to me in this one, and commentary had some major gold with the puns and relatable lines (I too follow too many people to know if I follow Cardona lol).

Surprise appearance by Frankie Kazarian, and a pretty good promo.

Excellent video package for Moose vs. Hendry

Moose vs. Joe Hendry was a pair of matches (both the original and an immediate rematch) that were really good, I will say the original finish shocked me. Hendry hit some amazingly impressive moves, like a walking suplex and a BRUTAL cutter that flipped Moose head over heels.

A surprise appearance by Santino Marella, who looks to be the new authority figure. Loving him in this role.

Masha Slamovich vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Taylor Wilde vs. Killer Kelly was a really quick paced, awesome match! Highlights included Taylor with a nasty top rope choke, Deonna with a deadlift powerbomb and Masha nailing everyone with a stacked Snowplow.

Steve Maclin vs. Rich Swann: Falls Count Anywhere was a somewhat long but still enjoyable match, loved the hardcore elements and Raven on guest commentary. Highlights include Swann with a cutter off the stairs and MACLIN WITH A POWERBOMB ON THE OUTSIDE, HOT DAMN.

Eddie Edwards vs. Jonathan Gresham was a brutal, hard hitting, fast paced match- possibly match of the night! I'm quickly becoming a fan of Gresham's work, I love how he works one limb the entire match and has so many smooth as butter transitions and moves out of nowhere. Also.... YOOOOOO, PCO IS BACK!!!!!!

Awesome hype up video for Rebellion, should be a great show

Mickie James vs Jordynne Grace... where to begin with this one? It was a phenomenal match, the right mix of hard hitting and high drama and I loved Mickie as the plucky underdog! Highlights include a *brutal* double stomp by Jordynne, Jordynne with a standing sidewalk slam, Jordynne with a delayed superplex into a jackhammer, Mickie James turning a Tombstone into a hurricanrana(?)... seriously, watch this if you haven't yet!

Again, I cannot recommend Hard To Kill 2023 enough- it's truly an absolute win by Impact Wrestling.

[mjfass]

Random question, but I'm so curious, what would The Hitwoman's moveset be like? And what would her finisher be?

Nice. I just remembered how much I love The Hitwoman.

Moveset: Considering she is me, lol, and I’m tiny, and I’ve always thought that my wrestling style would be high flying. I have a list of a couple of moves she would use: Diving hurricanrana. Sunset flip. Reverse sunset flip. Diving Twisting Crossbody. Frankensteiner. Shiranui. Double knees facebreaker. Headscissors to ddt. Leg drop ddt. Mushroom stomp. Diving senton. Octopus hold. Running knee.

And The Hitwoman would have two finishers: Moonsault ddt (my favorite move ever). And Reverse Gory Special.

[leanstooneside]

Diving hurricanrana (INCENSER)

1. brawling laurel crown

2. smokeless laurel crown

3. corroborated laurel crown

4. literary laurel crown

5. eroded laurel crown

6. deviant laurel crown

7. ginger laurel crown

8. amorphous laurel crown

9. versed laurel crown

10. laughable laurel crown

11. posed laurel crown

12. luxurious laurel crown

13. flammable laurel crown

14. contraceptive laurel crown

15. pliable laurel crown

16. panting laurel crown

17. quick laurel crown

18. lifted laurel crown

19. confederate laurel crown

20. longsuffering laurel crown

21. conservative laurel crown

22. unsafe laurel crown

23. hotbutton laurel crown

24. garbled laurel crown

25. humid laurel crown

26. recognised laurel crown

27. cooked laurel crown

28. engrossing laurel crown

29. rundown laurel crown

30. subjugated laurel crown

31. banned laurel crown

32. opposing laurel crown

33. clapping laurel crown

34. pensive laurel crown

35. memorable laurel crown

36. cover laurel crown

37. deodorant laurel crown

38. amino laurel crown

39. gratuitous laurel crown

40. lowcarb laurel crown

41. worstcase laurel crown

42. stylized laurel crown

43. formulaic laurel crown

44. disconnected laurel crown

45. pulsed laurel crown

46. migrating laurel crown

47. extraordinary laurel crown

48. nailbiting laurel crown

[mayhemproduces]

WAR CHAMBER PART 3- Danielson enters

Well, this is less than a favorable spot, as Danielson is selected as our fourth entrant of the night! Leaving Eric Taylor and Tom Lawlor as the lucky two who get to stand on the sidelines and watch their opponents pick each other apart. Even worse, Bryan has someone waiting for him.

Bryan wipes his hands on his trunks, staring at Malakai as Malakai patiently waits, eyeing him up and down. But Danielson has no interest in getting in the ring with him at the moment. Instead, he takes a few laps on the outside, does some jumping jacks, and makes sure the blood’s flowing, the heart’s a pumpin, before he finally gets in the ring. Still, he stays back, circling and sizing up Malakai from afar. Danielson goes low with probing kicks. Black catches one, but Danielson breaks free, and nails Malakai with a chop to the chest - and he immediately regrets it. Not only does Malakai absorb that shut, but he approaches Bryan rapidly, forcing Danielson to turn tail and run if he wants to survive. He dives out of the ring, trying to back away - but runs right into Blade! He turns around, tilting up his jaw at her, as Malakai steps through the ropes. Danielson has no time but to look them over before the onslaught starts, Blade and Malakai lighting him up with stiff round kicks to the chest! As is usually the case with these types of multiman matches, unlikely alliances always come to pass, but the idea of a Shooter and a former member of The Fallen ever standing side by side would have once sounded asinine. But yet, they work in tandem to take out the champion, Black nailing him with a big knee strike, and Blade plants him on the outside with a German suplex - but Bryan lands on his feet! He avoids the landing, and sends them both colliding with the metal frame of the pod, dropkicking the both of them! Taking possession of Malakai’s left arm, Bryan tucks it in a hammerlock, and throws him shoulder first into the pod! He grabs him, repeatedly slamming the shoulder into the unforgiving chainlink that makes up this massive structure, before he slips the arm through the links, wrapping it in a hammerlock, and wrenching back on it, while the arm is all twisted up! Holy shit!

Still holding onto the arm, Danielson moves into the ring, and snaps the arm right over the top rope! He pulls Black inside the ring, and plants him with an arm trapped suplex, floating into the cover!

1… 2… Kickout!

Danielson lights him up with stiff, targeted round kicks, particularly targeting the shoulder, but still kicking the chest and the ribs. On the outside of the ring, Julia just about gets lawn darted into a pod, but she’s able to slip out of Blade’s grasp. Julia nails her with a wicked forearm, and tries to follow up with a clothesline, but Blade uses her momentum to pop her up! But Julia grabs onto the chainlink! She kicks Blade away before leaping off, going for a hurricanrana - but Blade holds on! She swings Julia back upright and tosses her into the wall of the Chamber so hard she bounces off, and Blade runs through her with an uppercut! Wow! Julia almost has her head taken off, and Blade pushes her down, making the cover!

1… 2… Kickout!

Julia powers out at two, and the countdown begins anew, as we welcome in our fifth contestant! Will it be Eric Taylor or Tom Lawlor?!

[heartsoulrocknroll]

AEW Dynamite 12/28/22

Bryan Danielson vs. Ethan Page -- MJF's music hits. Where is he??? He is shown up in the skybox with "the only hot chick in Colorado," drinking champagne and taunting Danielson. This match is solid. Danielson looks great as always. Page has some good stuff here too. Great finish. Psycho knee!!! Danielson kicks Page's head in!!! Danielson locks in the Regal Stretch for the submission victory!!!!! Rating: 3.5

After the match, Danielson turns to MJF in the skybox, gesturing for him to come down. Of course, MJF does not. Boy, I can't wait for this match!!!!!!!

Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley vs. Top Flight -- Top Flight with stereo topés to Mox and Claudio before the bell!!! Top Flight target Mox's knee throughout the match -- chopblocks, submission holds, kicks. Uppercut party from Claudio to Dante! Great assisted tornado DDT by Top Flight on Claudio. Double vertical suplex by Claudio on Top Flight!!! Claudio lands the Neutralizer, and Darius kicks out! Dang!!! Hammer and anvil elbows from Claudio to Darius!! Huge lariat from Mox to Dante! Claudio continues with the elbows to Darius' head until Darius' body is limp! Claudio tries to pull him up, but he just falls back down. Darius finally gets back up!!! Claudio hits the most vicious uppercut I have ever seen on Darius!!!!! Darius is out, and Claudio covers!! 1, 2, 3!!!

Top Flight had a great showing here. Darius kicking out of the Neutralizer was big. Just good action all around. Really liked this match. Rating: 3.75

Samoa Joe attacks Wardlow backstage, injuring his knee/leg ahead of their match.

Hook beats a jobber in decisive fashion, looking good as usual. Stokely and The Firm come out to antagonize Hook. (This is after Hook came to the assistance of Jack Perry when The Firm attacked Perry weeks ago.) Hook has a stare down with Big Cass Morrissey Bill, whatever his name is. Please god, let's do this!!! Let Hook bury that man!!!!

Jericho with a promo on Starks backstage. Jericho says Starks has the arrogance and confidence of a superstar, but he doesn't have all the tools. Jericho says he is going to put an end to the Ricky Starks experiment. 

Death Triangle (c) vs. The Elite -- Match 6 in the Best of 7 Series for the AEW World Trios Championship (Falls Count Anywhere, No DQ) -- This match starts backstage, and it is chaos from the jump!!! Pac lands a brainbuster on Omega on a stack of wood pallets!! Moonsault off some risers by Pac!!!! Big back drop from Matt to Fénix through a table!!! Huge senton from Nick to Penta off the risers, and Penta goes through a table on the landing!! In the arena now. Tornillo off the entrance tunnel by Fénix onto the Bucks!! VICIOUS V-TRIGGER OUT OF NOWHERE FROM OMEGA TO FÉNIX!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! Pac with a beautiful German suplex into a bridging pin on Omega on the stage!! Omega kicks out! Three locomotion Northern Lights suplexes from Matt to Pac. Fénix runs to break it up, but Matt grabs Fénix too!! Nick comes running down the ramp, dives over Matt, Fénix, and Pac, and lands a senton on Penta!!! Damn! Double North Lights on Pac and Fénix by Matt!!! Penta and Nick are up on the stairs in the crowd. Penta chokes Nick with a scarf, then chokes Nick again by driving a crutch into his throat and trapping him between the crutch and the hand rail!!! Death Triangle later isolate Omega in the ring! The put a trash can on Omega's head and land stereo dropkicks! Everything breaks down! Slingblade by Penta! Destroyer by Matt!! Cross body off the top by Fénix!!! Snap dragon from Omega to Pac!!! Omega puts the trash can on Pac's head and lands a GORGEOUS, DISGUSTING, BEAUTIFUL V-TRIGGER!! MY GOD!! OMEGA FOLLOWS THIS WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GUT WRENCH SIT-OUT POWERBOMB THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN!!! I AM HAVING A MOMENT!!! 😍😍Omega covers, but Pac kicks out!!! Fear Factor from the Lucha Bros to Omega on the floor!!!! Fénix with a hurricanrana to Matt!! Fénix then lands a cutter on Nick!! Fénix with a huge topé con hilo to Matt and Omega on the outside, and Fénix way over-rotates, landing hard on his face!!! Holy shit!!! Meltzer Driver from the Bucks to Penta on the floor!!! Oh my god!!! They try to pin Penta, but Pac breaks it up at the absolute last second!!!!! Pac misses the Black Arrow! Nick hurls a chair at Pac's head!!!!! Damn!!!! BTE-trigger from the Bucks to Penta, but Pac breaks up the pin again!!! The Bucks go for a Meltzer Driver on Pac, but Pac escapes and sends Matt into an accidental superkick from Nick!!!!! Pac rolls up Matt! Matt kicks out, but Pac transitions right into the Brutalizer!!!!! BEAUTIFUL!!!! As Pac still has the Brutalizer locked in on Matt in the ring, OMEGA LANDS A ONE-WINGED ANGEL ON FÉNIX OFF THE STAGE (or some tall platform) THROUGH A TABLE!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!! Omega is barely able to cover Fénix with a hand and his legs!!!!! The ref on the outside counts!!!!! 1, 2, 3!!!!!!! That's it!!!!!! Meanwhile, in the ring, Matt taps to the Brutalizer! Pac thinks they have won, but is livid when he learns that Omega has already pinned Fénix on the outside!!!!!

WHAT!!! A!!!! MATCH!!!!! I AM LOSING MY MIND!!!!! I HAVE NEVER AGREED WITH A FIGHT FOREVER CHANT SO WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!! I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THESE SIX WRESTLING EACH OTHER, AND IT IS MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO OVERRATE THEIR MATCHES!!! Rating: 4.25

As The Elite have their hands raised in victory, Pac stands in the ring, looking absolutely infuriated. 

Backstage, Starks says he is going to get revenge on Jericho for Andretti. Starks says, yes, obviously he is a star, but he is a star that Jericho cannot control.

Samoa Joe (c) vs. Wardlow for the TNT Championship -- Before the match, Joe is on the mic saying Wardlow isn't going to show up. But of course, he does. Against the advice of the medical team, Wardlow gets in the ring. Midway through, Wardlow's knee gives out, and it looks like the doctor is going to take him out of the match, but he makes a miraculous comeback, getting back into the ring with high-flying offense from the top ropes, a spinebuster, a powerbomb. But Joe keeps chopping the knee out from under him, and ultimately puts Wardlow's lights out with the Coquina Clutch.

This was a fine match that I'm sure was much better to people who care about Wardlow. I am not one of those people. Thank god, the one true king of television retains. Rating: 2.75

After the match, Wardlow gets up, but Joe takes him right back out with a shot to the head with the TNT Championship belt. But here comes Darby to nail Joe with his skateboard for the save! Darby holds up the TNT Championship! Heck yeah! Leave it to Joe and Darby to make me care about this title. 

[423-get-game-blog]

The first match of the night was the women's WarGames match with Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Alexa Bliss and Mia Yim vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley.

Belair and Kai started the match for their teams. The heels had the advantage, so after the first five-minute period was up, Sky joined her tag team partner in the ring.

When it was time for Cross to enter the match, she brought a ton of weapons with her from under the ring. When Bayley joined a few minutes later, she brought some ladders and a table into the ring.

Ripley and Lynch were the final members of their respective teams to enter the match. Once The Man entered the ring, the match officially began and could be won at any point.

There's no other way to say this: The match was absolute mayhem. They used every weapon multiple times, had several big spots and even included some callbacks to past encounters between some of the women in the ring.

Some of the spots in this match did not go as planned, so there were several close calls that could have led to injuries. It helped the competitive nature of the bout, but it also slowed the match down in spots.

Lynch ended up scoring the pin for her team by hitting a huge leg drop from the top of the cage to put Kai through a table.

This was a fun way to kick off the show.

Winners: Belair, Bliss, Yim, Asuka and Lynch

Grade: B-

Notable Moments and Observations

Everybody's gear in this match looked awesome. They went all-out on the designs. 

Belair hit a rough backbreaker at one point. Kai almost landed on her head. 

Sky's hurricanrana to Belair did not go as planned. She barely had her feet over Belair's shoulders. 

The dropkick Sky hit by jumping from one rope to another before hitting Belair was awesome. 

They keep teasing Sky vs. Asuka. Just give us the match already. 

Cross hit a big dive from the top of the cage onto everyone who was in the ring at the time. 

Cross breaking up a nine-person Tower of Doom spot was hilarious. 

The leg drop Lynch hit from the top of the cage was a good way to end the match. 

[bustadivamove]

Maryse~ Diving Hurricanrana

[phoxic]

We had to have a class wide discussion for excessive tea bagging in the sixth grade.

[grownassmanshit]

Everything from the Mark/Jay match that was potentially lethal.

(CZW Best of the Best 1)

[leanstooneside]

Diving hurricanrana

1. BULLING

2. DENYING

3. HAULDING

4. SPEKING

5. COMPLAINING

6. TREADING

7. DATING

8. GEWING

9. STARTING

10. APPLYING

11. METING

[mayhemproduces]

Sardonyx vs Tony Deppen

While Sardonyx is wrapping up her entrance, Tony uses the darkness to blindside Sardonyx! The music stops, replaced by the sound of the bell, as this match starts off with a cheap shot! Tony stays on top of Sardonyx, hitting forearm after forearm in the corner, weakening her while Sardonyx was too surprised to even react. Deppen looks to send her off with an irish whip, Sardonyx reversing, but stays hot on his heels. Deppen pulls himself up with the ropes, throwing himself over Sardonyx’s head to get behind her. Sardonyx whips around, but Tony grabs her hips and throws her back to the ropes, while Deppen himself runs the opposite way. He leapfrogs over his opponent’s charge, dropping down on the second rebound, but it’s Deppen who strikes on the third go-around, leaping up for a hurricanrana - but Sardonyx turns it into a powerbomb, crushing Deppen’s spine on her knees! The double knee backbreaker out of the powerbomb causes Deppen’s spine to sing in agony, back arching off the mat before he’s pulled off of it entirely, Sardonyx trying the Hemonga Lock, trying to force Deppen to tap out already, but a quick dive to the ropes prevents that before it can truly get started.

While Deppen may have saved this match by doing so, he doesn’t really save himself, as Sardonyx lands a hamstring kick to soften it up, before Tony sits up, holding his leg, and Sardonyx lands a thunderous penalty kick, nearly leaving an indent in Deppen’s chest! Another one hits before Sardonyx pulls them off the ropes, putting Tony in the corner, where Sardonyx measures him, and blasts him with a chop. Tony’s features contort in a grimace, his skin turning colors already, as he stumbles into a new corner. Sardonyx stays close, and measures Deppen once more, but this time it’s for a penalty kick, and Sardonyx crushes his chest a third time in this matchup!

This time, Deppen falls to the mat after being crushed between the turnbuckles and Sardonyx’s leg, and Sardonyx charges, looking for a snap swing neckbreaker, but Tony reverses! He swivels out along with the neckbreaker, and lands a WICKED forearm! As Sardonyx falls to her knees, Deppen swivels and slides, picking up steam as he turns back to Sardonyx, catching her with a front dropkick, right on the bridge of the nose! Deppen turns to the crowd to celebrate his success so far, much to their displeasure, a fact they loudly let him hear, as Sardonyx picks herself up in the corner. Tony charges, landing a running forearm, and falls back to repeat the process, before tripping Sardonyx up. A third time’s a charm as Deppen runs back, then back to Sardonyx, finally nailing her with a meteora! Deppen smirks as he pulls her out, making the cover!

1… 2 - Kickout!

With Sardonyx in the dropzone, Deppen ascends to the top, looking to finish with a double stomp, but when he leaps, there’s nobody home! Deppen manages to roll through, still, and walks right into a spinning heel kick! Sardonyx catches him on the temple, and Deppen hits the mat hard!

Dragging Deppen’s corpse, Sardonyx hooks him in for a German suplex, but a quick elbow to the temple quiets that notion. Tony spins out, attempting a discus elbow, but a big boot from Sardonyx turns that around, and propels Deppen into the turnbuckles! Sardonyx goes after him, but Deppen lands an enzuigiri, and a nice looking one at that, to send her stumbling back. Deppen rolls forward, stopping on his back, and lands an upkick to the underside of Sardonyx’s jaw! Deppen rolls himself backwards to run the ropes, but as he bounces off, Sardonyx strikes on the rebound, blasting him with a running bicycle knee strike! Deppen’s temple is clipped as Sardonyx brushes past him, and throws Deppen into the turnbuckles again, where Sardonyx traps him with an onslaught of strikes. Throwing in lefts and rights, body hooks, forearms, and eventually stomping Deppen into the turnbuckles, before Sardonyx puts him up on the top rope. She follows up there with him, and with Deppen weakened, she’s able to set up easily, before bringing them down to the mat with a Superplex!

But wait just a second! Despite absorbing the brunt of the Superplex, Deppen ROLLS THROUGH! He picks them back up, and drops Sardonyx with a brainbuster! Deppen may be an annoying little shit, but the audience couldn’t deny that that was a sick, unexpected move, and Deppen may have secured his victory! He looks to put the final nail in the coffin as he rises to the top rope, leaping off, and crushing Sardonyx with a double foot stomp! The outside leg is hooked!

1… 2… KICKOUT!

Sardonyx kicks out of the double foot stomp, and Deppen is PISSED!

He gets in the referee’s face, arguing with Clemons over the count, but no amount of shouting can change it. Deppen got two, and he’ll have to keep digging to put Sardonyx away, and end her streak!

Deppen hovers over Sardonyx as she begins to stand, and connects with a slap to the cheek! It’s meant to be more of an insult than to actually harm Sardonyx, as Deppen keeps firing away every time she starts to rise. Eventually, Sardonyx jumps up, taking one last slap to the face, and her features take a sharp turn to stone. Deppen starts to look worried, maybe regretting his decision on slapping her, or even asking for this match, but he won’t have time to apologize, as Sardonyx nails him with a MASSIVE roundhouse kick! Deppen’s out on his feet as Sardonyx runs the ropes, plowing through him with a bicycle knee strike! She lifts him up, swiftly planting him with the Nine of Swords, rolling Deppen over for the cover!

1… 2… 3!

“Here is your winner, Sardonyx!”

[danwhobrowses]

AEW: All Out 2021 - Initial Reaction and Thoughts

I have kept so far off of social media it's not funny And I hope you know how difficult that is being a QA tester

But AEW is back in Chicagoland, there'll be homecomings, title defenses and one would bet some new faces, so without further ado let's get to it

Spoilers on the PPV, watch it on BR or Fite then come back

As I did with Summerslam, I will be marking who I predicted to win in Italics so we can see how right or wrong I was. I also must confess even radio silence could not save me from learning about 1 debut, but it was one I had anticipated.

The Buy In

As usual we started with promo package overkill, but they did right by starting with CM Punk's one because it is a great package - also the video was good.

Half an hour later - which we could've fit one or two matches in - we get to the first match.

Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus) and Best Friends (Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy & Wheeler Yuta) [w/Marko Stunt] def. HFO (Matt Hardy, Private Party & TH2) [w/The Blade] (Submission on Angelico by Jungle Boy via Snare Trap) Well that was a mouthful. Our quickly put-together clusterfuck started with the HFO coming out quickly, then the Pixies coming out with a nice pop as Orange grabbed a sign hoping that Trent gets well soon. Baltimora had the bigger pop because everyone loves Baltimora, and Jungle Boy, also I loved the sign 'Jurassic Times demand Jurassic Measures'.

Matt and Chuck start but Matt demands OC to come out, Chuck tries to lock up but gets kicked away, and tags in Yuta, who gets thrown in the corner too, so Yuta tags Orange in...and Orange tags Luchasaurus in XD Hardy isn't too willing to try and shove the big dino man and tags in Jack Evans, who gets thrown around. JB gets tagged in, showing off his skillset with the rope flip arm drag and an inch perfect dropkick. Yuta and Kassidy are tagged in next, but Yuta's baited into Quen's blind tag, leading into Angelico to be tagged in. Yuta escapes a wristlock and turns it into an Octopus Stretch, but Evans puts him in an Ankle Lock, so Taylor puts him in a chinlock, so Kassidy climbs on a backpack sleeper, JB then latches an Ankle Lock, so Quen locks in the Cravat, Luchasaurus is out next, assessing who to hit and just decides to tackle them all apart. Proper Indy spot that was.

Luchasaurus is now playing like a hot tag, chop one man, drop the other, chop the one man, drop the other, Kassidy hits his high pitch scream as the big man comes back around to Jack Evans, hitting that wonderfully brutal Chokesault GTS he used to murder Fuego that one time (they didn't name the move, so I'm calling it the Extinction Event). Luchasaurus now stalks Hardy, but Hardy is using himself to distract the big man from Private Party's blindside, he stops them with a chokeslam setup but Hardy hits the chop block, leading to a kick combo from PP and driven into the ring post. Cassidy comes up behind all 3 next though, Superkicks of Death for each of them, Hardy's beside himself from this relentless assault and tries to charge OC, but Cassidy turns it into a Waistlock to push Hardy through the ropes. PP take advantage though, flatliner into Kassidy's knees, then a Standing Shooting Star Press Sandwiching Cassidy again. Taylor comes out next, dodging PP and then using Quen's charge as a release Suplex into Kassidy who was sitting in the lower corner. TH2 run into the DDT/Flatliner combo and then PP are taken out by Taylor's Tope Con Hilo while Yuta splashes Angelico - but Evans breaks it up.

TH2 then hit Yuta with some combos; Back/Neckbreaker, then a launch into Evans' boots, but Taylor breaks up the pin. PP throw Taylor out next though, hitting the Gin n Juice on Yuta, Angelico makes the pin but OC kinda half-heartedly shoves Angelico to break the pin, dragging Yuta in the corner as he puts in the pockets. Two lariat dodges lead to a no hands headscissors on Angelico, a 2 for 1 hurricanrana on PP and a dropkick kip up on Evans, Hardy though sneaks up and hits the Twist of Fate. But his focus is on the illegal man, Yuta tags in JB while Taylor dumps Hardy out, both Taylor and Yuta then Tope on PP, but they don't get much and PP roll back in with Angelico. Crowd firmly behind JB he misses the rebound lariat on Kassidy but recovers by sweeping Quen, Brainbuster on Kassidy as Angelico comes to, JB kicks him to his knees, Evans comes out but he kicks Evans into Angelico, Evans punches JB away as Angelico stands up with Evans on his shoulder, but this only acts as a threat to Luchasaurus who lifts JB on his shoulders, both men trading blows with JB clotheslining Evans off of Angelico.

Quen though looks to use this as a Doomsday Device setup, but JB matrix dodges it, so Kassidy now tries a crossbody, which JB reverses into a Spanish Fly/Moonsault Fallaway Slam (I've only ever seen such a counter in Lucha Underground when Cage reversed the Doomsday Device into a twisting powerslam, I popped for that as well). Luchasaurus is left standing but the Blade threatens involvement, so he eats a Pump Kick, Marko then climbs on Luchasaurus' shoulders and dives on the Blade. Tail Whip by Luchasaurus and then the Snare Trap by JB ends the match.

Post match Jurassic Express leave so Best Friends can Give The People What They Want™ but TH2 jump Yuta and PP jump Taylor, Evans delays Orange for a bit as a hulking figure marches into the ring. Big Bad Butch is back in the game, beheading OC with a lariat before his patented knee steps. He throws OC down as the heels look to swarm OC, but Jurassic Express, Varsity Blonds, Dante Martin, 10 and John Silver make the save. Assisted by the Jurassic Express, Best Friends give the Blonds, Dante, 10 and Silver What The People Want™ much to Silver's giddy elation. JB also looks killer in OC's shades as OC 'climbs' the corners to gesture the crowd.

It was a fun ass indy match to get the crowd hot, it could never try to top Deeb/Riho so it didn't, it did surprise me that it didn't lean too much on the Best Friends/HFO narrative but that was proven to be due to Butcher's return post-match. Last thing this kinda pointless feud needs though is more bodies, maybe being outnumbered will cause Hardy to back off? I mean does anyone remember what they were fighting over? I think this started with Kris and Bunny maybe? It's ran it's course is all.

Afterwards we got a sneak peak of the Rhodes' latest vanity project 'Rhodes to the Top'. Doesn't really interest me tbf I don't wanna see Total AEW Divas you know? I feel like it's just gonna make both of the Rhodes' look bad and since Hana Kimura I have little patience for pseudo-reality and forced drama.

Dan Lambert interrupts commentary from the crowd flanked by 3 UFC fighters and the Men of the Year (I still prefer ScorpEgo). They seem to have threatened to do something later in the show. JR gets his introduction and the PPV begins!

Main Card

It never ceases to make me smile that AEW still uses the 'And you know what that means' to start their shows.

TNT Championship Miro (c) def. Eddie Kingston (Pinfall via Matchka Kick) The announcement of the title match was met with a big roar from the crowd as the Chicago natives were firmly behind Kingston, even having a 'Redeem Deez Nuts' sign AND Shirt. Miro got a nice pop too, signs also pick the perfect spot with Miro because before it was 'Miro vs Ishii When?' and this time it's 'We want AJ and Punk vs CJ and Miro'. Eddie shows no intimidation, even happy and goading the Redeemer into the fight.

Miro makes the charge but runs into a knee to the gut, but he trips Kingston to try and latch on Game Over, Kingston wriggles out and tries the Half Nelson Suplex but Miro powers out and rolls out of the ring. Both men pace as Kingston holds the early advantage, shimmying his shoulders with the fans' clapping, Miro catches the kick but Kingston just pokes the eyes instead, chops to the corner, then machine gun chops to the next corner, Miro tries to grapple but Kingston thrusts him with an Exploder. Miro's rattled out the ring, so Eddie follows, but runs into a kick and is thrown into the barricade, body tackle and superkick by Miro as he again throws Kingston into the opposite barricade, but Kingston rebounds and retaliates with a big boot and returns to the ring.

Knowing he can't win by Countout, Kingston looks to dive at Miro from the apron, but his charge is countered into a twisting powerslam onto the exercise mats, Miro focuses on the back, driving it into the ring post twice but it's not even 1. Miro then focuses on the hand, biting and stomping it, knowing that this nullifies grip, chops and the Uraken, he chokes Kingston on the ropes before another kick to the spine. As Miro stares at the crowd Kingston grits his teeth and stands back up, slapping Miro's beard in hopes of a comeback before being smacked with a forearm. Two Sliding Elbow Drops only gets one, Miro then wears Eddie with a choke but Eddie powers back, couple of chops but he can't lift for the Suplex, allowing Miro to hit a high end dropkick, he soaks in the boos for a bit then body charges Kingston in the corner, he eats a retaliation chop by Kingston, but the second one makes him wince. May've been a miscommunication next, Miro looked like he body charged Kingston who was leaving the corner, but he quickly missed the corner splash, if it was a miscommunication it was well-recovered. Enzugiri by Kingston and a sliding uppercut knocks Miro out the ring, but the Suicide Dive is intercepted by an Enzugiri by Miro. Kingston recovers with a Saito Suplex but both men are reeling.

Miro gets up first, hitting Kingston with forearms and pulling him up, once Kingston's on his feet though he starts getting his fire back, trades of forearms and chops ends with two Side slams for 2. He goes for the Uraken but Miro rolls out the ring on sight, only to eat a Suicide dive. Miro misses the pump kick back in the ring and gets hit with a Fisherman's Suplex pinfall for 2. Crowd is hot behind Kingston, but he's lured into the corner charge so Miro can pummel at the back, Kingston tries to hold onto the turnbuckle pad but rips it off as Miro German's him, Matchka kick floors Eddie, as Miro devilishly smiles with half his chest bruised by chops. He calls for the Game Over, but before he cinches back Kingston starts moving to the ropes, he gets the regular Accolade version which allows Eddie to free an arm and grab the rope.

Crowd is getting really loud now as Miro gets more frustrated, he grabs the Turnbuckle pad but throws it away in reconsideration, opening him up for Eddie to strike: Uraken, DDT! But the Ref was disposing of the turnbuckle pad, gifting that extra few seconds for Miro to kick out at 2. Crowds kayfabe chant 'you fucked up' at the ref while Kingston prepares for the piledriver, but his back gives in twice making him opt for knee strikes to the head. He sees the exposed turnbuckle and prepares to drive Miro into it, but the ref stands in the way - knowing it'd lead to a DQ. The position we know well as Miro uses his frame to obscure the Ref's vision from the heel kick low blow, a clean roundhouse to the head staggers Eddie more and then the Matchka allows the 3.

Strong opener, good narrative of both men exposing the weak points of the other's body parts. The low blow is a bit cheap but it creates the paradox of Miro's holier than thou attitude. Kingston still proves himself strong in defeat, and as I anticipated AEW didn't make him tap out, so the continuity of his I Quit feud with Moxley remains intact, with Miro pushed this far and having to cheat it also sells Kingston as more than capable of being Miro's equal. Miro will have W no. 7 now, and it remains a prize waiting for a young prospect to crack open.

Jon Moxley def. Satoshi Kojima (Pinfall via Death Rider) Kojima got a loud welcome from Chicago but they sang for Moxley as he came down the crowd in a GCW hoodie - sadly no GCW belt which he won recently from Matt Cardona. Bell rings and Kojima offers a handshake, but Moxley is a man of his word, the bell rang so he has no respect, and offers a middle finger instead.

Stiff chops and forearms start the physicality, both men get a kick to the gut but it's Kojima who gets the early advantage with a shoulder tackle and a titty dance next to the titty master. Koji Lariat is avoided by Mox who flees the ring, but Kojima flattens him with a Tope, Moxley elbows Kojima away when the NJPW legend attempts to return to the ring and delivers a suicide dive of his own, Russian Leg Sweep onto the barricade and then Moxley attacks the hand. Knees to the head then a chop in the corner keeps Moxley's confidence high, but Kojima barrages him with Machine gun chops, throwing Moxley into the corner then landing the Elbow Drop for an early 2. Forearms are countered with a backwards slam, he calls for the Brainbuster but Kojima holds his ground, reversing it to put Moxley on the top turnbuckle. Moxley bites at Kojima, so Kojima bites back and lands the Superplex. Both men fight on the Apron before Kojima hits Mox with a forward falling DDT on the apron, DDT back in the ring for another 2 as duelling chants for Mox and Kojima divides the crowd.

Bleeding from the elbow, Mox counters a Koji Cutter with a Choke, twisting it into a Money Clip for 2, then transitioning to a Cross Armbreaker. Kojima gets a leg to the rope but Moxley knees him in the face, Kojima prevents the Paradigm Shift and hits a Brainbuster for 2, Koji Lariat again is averted but this time with a German. Mox tries two standing lariats, but Kojima won't fall, he tries a running lariat but Kojima collides it with a lariat of his own, staggering Moxley, Kojima feels that third time's the charm but Moxley gets a high knee, tries the Paradigm Shift again but this time is countered by a short-arm lariat and a Koji Cutter. Both men trade blows, Moxley uses the ropes but runs into a Discus but roars back with a Rebound Lariat for 2, as Kojima rolls though it's straight into the Bulldog Choke that Kojima gets to the ropes to break.

Moxley rethinks his strategy by kicks to the gut, but he's caught and hit with Mongolian Chops, Moxley headbutts him away long enough to twist Kojima's charge into a rolling Paradigm Shift, Moxley gestures to the crowd, picks him up for the Death Rider for 3.

After the match Moxley shows his respect, bows to Kojima and looks to take a breather, but the music has changed.

The King

Minoru Suzuki

Crowd Roars alive as Moxley looks in disbelief, but the sound is real, the Kaze ni Nare is real and oh baby, Minoru Suzuki is Damn Real. Suzuki makes sure the crowd is ready, but they were born ready as Kaze ni Nare erupts from the building, Murder Grandpa vs Moxley II looks imminent as they stare each other down. Suzuki looks ready for a fight though, hitting Mox with a forearm, Moxley retaliates with the bleeding elbow, Moxley's blood only adds to Suzuki's scoffing as he returns fire, Suzuki goes for a big boot but Moxley laughs it off and goes for a Lariat, but Suzuki holds ground too, Moxley tries again but Suzuki locks him into the Rear Naked Choke, fading Moxley enough to hit the Gotch Piledriver and placing his foot over the prone Moxley.

We knew AEW were put in a corner when Tanahashi was unable to fulfill the planned match with Moxley, and major props to Kojima too for stepping up, Moxley definitely worked to show off Kojima's strengths in the match but not too much to feel like Mox was fully in danger, both men still had an ace in the hole. Mox's victory though only elevates Suzuki's arrival more for the crowd, giving the anticipated rematch time to build where Kojima's match could not.

AEW Women's Championship Dr. Britt Baker DMD (c) [w/Rebel 'Reba' Tanea & Jamie Hayter] def. Kris Statlander [w/Orange Cassidy] (Ref Stoppage Submission via Lockjaw) Statlander appeared in what looked a bit like a remodified version of her gear that she wore in her clunky title match with Nyla years ago, backed by the Best Friends in grey tracksuits (could be the lighting I think that was supposed to be 'space tracksuits'). Baker has added white to her gear and still has the crowd fully behind her, while Jamie also has a new baseball-ish shirt.

Wristlocks are traded to start the match, each switching by rolls or cartwheels, Baker rolls backwards to try and apply the Lockjaw but Statlander wriggles out and motions to a headlock, Baker pulls the hair to get Kris to release the hold and tries a sunset flip, but has to backtrack when Statlander tries her new 'Spider Crab' submission move she submitted Reba to on Rampage. Statlander motions to boop but Britt takes the arm to try and set up another Lockjaw, Statlander rolls out but Baker now motions DMD - which prompts Statlander to grab the arm and use it to boop Baker with her own hand. Shoulder tackle proves the Alien's strength, so Baker uses kicks and a headlock to try and cut her down, she whips her to the turnbuckle but Statlander remains composed and elbows her away, then doing a headstand on the turnbuckle to Mule Kick Baker away, Baker takes advantage of a slow climb to hit Statlander with a Draping Spinning Fisherman Neckbreacker and kicks Statlander out the ring. Hayter and Rebel look to stalk Statlander but OC struts up sunglasses half down with the most 'bruh' stare he can muster, Baker behind him looking confused as hell.

The pause does not disrupt Baker's momentum, her kick from the apron is caught, but she stomps on the hair so Kris lands face first on the apron. Baker assumes control with stomps, a suplex, forearms to the back of the head and then an Octopus hold, Kris powers back with strikes, driving Baker into the corner, running elbow and a running knee gets Kris going but Baker hits back with a Sling Blade, kinda scuffed the stomp attempt but it didn't look like it was meant to happen as Statlander hits the Fisherman's Falcon Arrow for 2. Short-arm Lariat hits once but not the second, as Baker weaves and contorts into a backslide for 2, a planted DDT follows as Statlander pulls an RVD-esque sell but that also only gets 2.

Baker looks annoyed at the hardcam, superkick to Statlander who's on her knees as Reba provides her with the glove. Baker toys with Kris with kicks to the head, but Baker catches the big Superkick and cracks Baker with a kick of her own, sets up the Big Bang Theory but Baker rolls up for 2, Statlander tries to recover with a corner charge but Baker hits the turnbuckle flatliner. She climbs up top, but Statlander recovers, this one was a light botch: Kris looked to go for a delayed superplex but Baker was falling back to the turnbuckle, so in an attempt to gain more leverage she leaned back too far and followed with the Superplex, Kris looked to have hurt her head a little but nothing drastic. Undeterred, Statlander tries the Area 451, but Baker dodges and prepares the Lockjaw, Statlander struggles enough though for Baker to transition to a Crossface, so Statlander lifts her up, eventually scrambling to an Electric Chair position for the Facebuster, Scissor Kick only gets 2.

Baker this time rolls out the ring, and avoids Statlander's Pendulum Moonsault - hard landing for Kris there - which allows Baker to hit a Stomp on the outside, using the steel steps to get some extra height. Baker seeks a countout win as Statlander's floored, OC though in a desperate move uncharacteristically removes his shades and shouts 'Stat! Get Up!' to will her back into the ring, Baker tries Lockjaw but Statlander rolls it into a Spider Crab. It...still doesn't look too great honestly, the setup needs more like a Powerbomb and it'd probably work better is the opponent was either lifted a little (like Shida's Fullmetal Muffler) or their head was backwards like a Boston Crab, regardless Baker frees a leg to kick Statlander away. Scraping kicks to Statlander's face in the corner draws the ire of the ref, who Baker shoves away to deal more stomps and gain some heat. Pittsburgh Sunrise (it's the Panama Sunrise but she's from Pittsburgh) gets a huge pop, 1, 2, No! Baker then hits the Stomp, 1, 2, No! Lockjaw then gets applied and the ref stops the match.

Really good match from these two. It wasn't much a doubt over whether Baker would retain but this was definitely a redemption of sorts from Statlander. Her last title match with Nyla didn't hit the mark and it did harm her momentum and confidence, but she came out here strong and very well received against the super-over Baker, Statlander lost nothing in defeat and proved she can deliver on PPV and be a future champion.

Andrade El Idolo interview segment Andrade was asked whether he was behind PAC's 'travel issues' which has delayed their much-anticipated match to Rampage, and Andrade pleas innocence because he was ready for a fight on PPV, he undermines PAC for being a smaller name compared to him as well and offers to pay for PAC's flight for Rampage to ensure the match goes forward. Chavo suggests that PAC is scared of Andrade and mocks the Lucha Bros for refusing their services.

AEW World Tag Championship Steel Cage Match Lucha Bros [w/ Alex Abrahantes] def The Young Bucks [w/Brandon Cutler] (pinfall by Pentat on Nick via Assisted Package Piledriver) - TITLE CHANGE!! Announcement that the tag titles are next drew a big pop as the cage descended. Interesting to note as well that Cage Escape is not a win stipulation. A live performance for the Lucha Bros with masked and robed dancers, the singers were quite accurate to how they sound on track so that was good, Lucha Bros arrived in Aztec headwear and then hilariously varsity jackets which did not clash at all, Alex though with the red suit. Under the jackets, Penta sports Mexico colours while Fénix has flames on his tights. A round of boos follow the Bucks' entrance, wearing some red at the front badges at the back thing which is somehow less in-your-face as past gears, they are flanked by Gallows in an Elite Shirt, Anderson in a Bullet Club shirt, Brandon in the obscured back in a zebra print tracksuit and Don Callis in a pink suit. Also god Nick what is that beard? It's like he's bleached the Hogan tache blonde but kept the rest of the beard, kinda like Scott Steiner but worse. Don joined commentary as well.

The match starts with throwing hands, but strangely the Bucks try to climb out the cage to start, which commentary does note confusion over. Fénix dropkicks them into the steel with the assist from Penta, some liquid tag team dodging still goes Lucha Bros' way with simultaneous corner Enzugiris, Nick looks to get an advantage by knocking away Penta but Fénix dropkicks him back into the steel, kicking Matt in the jaw as he did a turnbuckle headstand after his charge missed too. Fénix gets Matt's hand for a corner arm drag, but Nick has the same idea with Penta, they meet on the same turnbuckle so Fénix instead Rana's Nick, Lucha Bros remain firmly in control with the lower ass dropkick (they called it something but I didn't catch the first word) and then stereo superkicks, two throws head first into the steel and then a tackle should've been enough, but the Bucks moved out of the way for the fourth attack causing the Lucha Bros to land into the steel themselves.

The Bucks assume some control now, hitting the brothers with the corner-to-corner Double Stomp and Backstabber, a dropkick sandwiches Penta's head between Matt's boot and the steel, as he slumps in the small gap between the cage and apron, and then Fénix gets the same with a nasty landing from the powerbomb into the cage wall - Penta hit with a PK to keep him down. The Bucks posture as they find their groove, Matt choking Fénix with a chain while Nick continues to wear down Penta. They try to powerbomb Fénix again into the cage, but Fénix hurricanrana's Matt into the steel instead, Nick eats 2 Sling Blades and then Matt a Backstabber from Penta for 2, broken by Nick. Fénix then defies logic again, doing his usual setup for the flipping arm drag but this time using the cage wall to kick off and arm drag Matt instead of Nick, he rolls away from Nick's senton who runs into Penta's tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, their stereo superkicks though are avoided and kick each other instead.

Cutters are traded next, Nick to Fénix, Penta to Nick, Matt's to Penta was slick, Fénix's handspring though is scouted as they try to throw him overhead, but he lands on his feet and lands the Rolling Double Cutter. Penta lets Fénix hit a Superkick on Matt before hitting the Pentagon Driver (which Excalibur still calls Made in Japan, currentish IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi's move - ish depending on if you're asking Will Ospreay or not) but it's only a 2. Fénix whistles to his brother like a dog to set up the Fear Factor, but Nick pushes Fénix into the cage and Matt flips out, Penta now in the Sharpshooter as Fénix has a nasty landing on the apron from a German Suplex. Commentary reminds that there's no rope breaks, so Fénix has to kick through Nick to get a kick on Matt to break the hold, now the Bucks use the Draping Swanton but it's only 2, Fénix tries fighting back, but the Bucks hit a double Superkick when he springs up, causing him to bounce off the cage wall again.

With Fénix in between, the Bucks do what looked more like a Fear Factor variant of the Indytaker, Nick dropkicking Penta on the tombstone so he can land a senton on Fénix, both cover each brother but only get 2 a piece. Crowd tries to will the Lucha Bros alive as the Bucks set Fénix up for the BTE Trigger, but like on Dynamite Fénix rolls away so the Bucks' knees clash instead, he tries a Springboard Crossbody but the brothers Jackson catch him, looking to set up the Meltzer Driver, but Fénix wriggles away, pushing Matt into Nick who rebounds off the cage, Matt low blows both of the Lucha Bros to disrupt their momentum with Callis noting that it's all legal.

More Bang For Your Buck's pinfall is broken at 2 by a Penta superkick to Matt, annoyed the Bucks now focus on the masks of the Lucha Bros and then Lawn Darts Fénix into the cage wall. Motioning to Cutler, Brandon throws a bag over the cage into the ring (would've been funnier if he failed the first time), Matt takes his shoe off and I blood left my face with flashbacks of Candice LeRae - and lo it was just that: the Thumbtack Shoe - a $5000 variation. Penta's already bleeding as Matt stalks Fénix, but Penta stands between Matt and his brother, taking the blow for him (cameras missed the impact though which was a shame), focusing on Penta now, Nick prepares to throw him headfirst into Matt's Tack Shoe, but Penta just about holds his ground to stop...but not for the second time, his mask 'stuck' on the tacks as Matt digs the shoe further into Penta's head and then Nick drives in with a Helluva Kick.

Penta's pooling with blood now as the Bucks prepare a BTE Trigger, but Fénix is standing up now, so they hit him with a tacked Superkick and a Poison Rana, BTE Trigger on Penta, 1, 2, NO! Fénix just reached out in time to break the count. Both Lucha Brothers are bleeding as Alex is willing the crowd on, Matt takes the shoe off to use it like a belt shot, but Fénix kicks it away, the Bird of War has come to life as he reverses Nick's back body drop into a Hurricanrana onto Matt. Matt's put on the turnbuckle and Nick's kicked away, Fénix spots the Tack Shoe and clubs Nick in the head with it, then Matt, Blackfire Driver! 1, 2, NO! Lucha Bros look for the Fear Factor, so Nick again tries to throw Fénix into the cage wall, this time though Fénix latches onto the cage wall, so Nick decides to climb too. Matt and Penta yank their opponent down, staring each other down and hitting stereo Package Piledrivers. Now Matt and Penta collide, they're up on the turnbuckle where Penta realises something: they've gone through this whole match without a Canadian Destroyer, and it's time to rectify that.

The Super Destroyer is not pinned though, all four men wobbling as they chop each other (at this point Penta's practically unmasked, only blood obscures his face), then they trade superkicks, a second round though leaves Matt the quicker foot and still standing, but Fénix kips up and knocks him with a superkick too, then Nick does that to Fénix, then Penta does that to Nick, and Matt and Penta double clothesline. Fénix and Nick fight next, Nick does a flip escape but Fénix rocks him with his Tiger Feint Rebound Roundhouse into Penta, Fear Factor! 1, 2, Matt breaks it up! Fénix gestures another top rope move but Penta tells him to think higher: the top of the cage. Fénix ascends the Cage's top looking for a massive Fear Factor finish, but just when they prepare, Nick superkicks Penta, and now he climbs the cage to meet Fénix, and runs into a PK back down. Cage Crossbody on all 3, assisted Package Piledriver, Fénix claws Matt away, 1, 2, 3!

The cage lifts as Penta celebrates with his kids before reconvening with his brother and Alex to celebrate at the ramp.

Jesus what a match, brutal and athletic. How can you underrate either team when they keep delivering bangers like this? Even though I bet against them I'm not at all upset with the Lucha Bros winning, if anything I only expected it because it paired in with the Andrade storyline - who had promised under him they would win the titles - and because I was hoping for Santana & Ortiz to win the titles at Grand Slam, which could still happen but I was kinda liking them as babyfaces. But the Bucks' reign ends, which means that it's new destinations for both teams, perhaps this will be an opportune time for AEW to use the pedigree of the Bucks to elevate another tag team like they have with Jurassic Express, or maybe even feud with Santana & Ortiz or the fractured Dark Order.

A recap of the matches reminds us that we've had some great matches so far, as we steel ourselves for the Women's Casino Royale.

Women's Casino Battle Royale Joker: Ruby Soho wins the Battle Royale First is the clubs, which begins with Hikaru Shida for a nice big pop, then Skye Blue - the Chicago native late addition replacing the injured Julia Hart - who gets another big hometown welcome, Emi Sakurai with butler Lulu Pencil and the Bunny are next, but Abadon with new hair and new gear makes the striking impression. I am confused though, didn't Nyla say she would start the Battle Royale? I felt like that was a thing in the build.

No friends in the ring for Shida, former teacher Sakura goes right for her but gets hit with a powerslam, Abadon and Bunny stared down but focused on Skye Blue as Shida got hit with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Shida sprawls too close to Bunny who shifts her focus on the former champion while Skye takes Sakura in a show of Ss. Both Skye and Bunny eat tilt-a-whirl backbreakers though as teacher and student don't see eye to eye, Abadon though sneaks up on them and scares both Joshi, aiming for the only women whose given her the L twice in her AEW career. Skye and Bunny take the centre stage as Skye tries to rally, only to be kneed by Bunny, Skye retaliates with a rope jump knee strike - dangerous territory as she poses unaware of Abadon, she survives the throw but not the boot, a row of boos as Chicago laments that one of their own was the first to be eliminated. Bunny then eliminates Abadon though to cheers, Abadon impressively landed on her feet, and hopefully she will not forget Allie's actions of As.

Allie takes her time before stomping Shida out of Emi's Romero Special, she tries to throw Emi but she resists and goes for Shida again, using a hair yank to throw Shida around. Double Underhook Backbreaker preludes the next suit: Diamonds. Anna Jay charges right for the Bunny for revenge as Kiera Hogan , KiLynn King, Diamante and Nyla come out. King tried to save Shida from Hogan, but real life girlfriend Diamante retaliates leading to them teaming up on the Dark standout. Nyla, Emi and Shida continue to duke it out, unable to take turns on who fights who as Anna and Bunny fight in the corner. Emi gets hit to the apron and seated by Diamante's failed chop block, allowing Shida to Baseball Slide both and eliminate her former mentor. Hogan is also eliminated by Nyla via an Enzugiri while she was sitting on the Turnbuckle, then sadly KiLynn King could not reignite past feuds with Nyla and is eliminated by her with a big clothesline. Shida hits the Willow's Bell on Diamante and locks eyes with Nyla, she tries to Rana but the Native Beast powers through and dumps the former champion in surprise fashion - fans booed it too, having a special handshake with Diamante to signify an alliance there.

Alliance did not last long as they determined to leave Anna and Allie to their assault of As, both Diamante and Allie have the advantage on opposite corners when Hearts are called. Thunder Rosa charges at lightning speed at Nyla, who calls a Time Out and gets a dropkick instead, Penelope Ford puts the disadvantage on Anna while Riho gets a nice pop from the crowd, Jamie Hayter comes in next and then Big Swole just as Riho hits Allie and Ford with a 619. Hayter zones in on the smaller opponent in Riho while Swole eyes her rival Diamante, Commentary incorrectly say Riho was eliminated by Hayter, even though she kicked the Joshi under the ropes - maybe something happened? - Swole eliminates Diamante with a diving headbutt but is thrown out by Hayter, allowing Diamante and Swole to continue brawling. Hayter then joins Nyla in fighting Rosa, but she fights back with charging dropkicks.

Spades are last and like a storm Tay Conti rushes to save her friend, hitting a Tay-KO on Allie as Red Velvet is called, spearing Hayter as Leyla Hirsch comes in, seeking a target to throw and finding Penelope. Jade Cargill's the penultimate name called as Leyla German's Nyla but runs into a strike by Jade, Rebel is the final Spade to assist Jamie on attacking Velvet. Penelope almost eliminates Conti by the turnbuckle, but Conti uses her core strength to sit back up, Rebel's feat of doing the splits in the middle of the ropes does not save her though, as she's prime target for Velvet's dropkick. Bunny follows, she dragged Anna with her to the apron but her kick was blocked, Anna's kick landed, but then Penelope's landed on Anna. Tay cannot boot Penelope over the ropes but the Leyla is eliminated by being Gorilla Pressed by Jade onto Anna and Bunny. Conti is whiplashed mid-rope by Ford, Velvet and Hayter in one corner, Jade and Nyla zoning on Rosa in the other, the countdown for the joker cannot be heard though because Chicago knows which woman they want to come out.

And they get it.

Ruby Soho with 'Destination AEW' on the back of her jacket, she comes for Jade first, staggering her with kicks, Nyla attacks next, staggering her with a headbutt, but Rosa uses Soho as a platform to Rana Nyla, both women eye up Cargill but Jade fights through, a nice pumphandle suplex from her on Soho preludes Conti doing her Three Amigas Judo throws, Ford lands on her feet for the third though as Cargill dumps Hayter out so she can face her first rival alone. Conti's attacks keep being countered by Ford, and she eats a hook kick to keep her floored, at this time Jade dumps Velvet out, but she posed too much and Nyla lobs her out, Rose herself surviving a double assault from Soho and Rosa as Conti uses a headscissors to eliminate Ford - only for herself to be blindsided on the apron by Nyla.

It comes down to Three; Nyla, Rosa and Soho. Soho and Rosa are fended off by Nyla, Tree Slam on Soho, Samoan Drop on Rosa, Nyla shifts attention to Soho and puts her in the Tree of Woe, but Rosa uses this to throw Nyla over, she holds on but cannot avoid the Shotgun Dropkick. Now it's Soho and Rosa, both women super over with the crowd as they trade chops, both are exchanging the same counters, so Rosa tries the Fire Thunder Driver, Soho escapes and tries her old Riott Kick, Rosa tries to reverse it but Soho turns it into a whip to get Rosa onto the apron. Rosa though goes for the slow DDT, but Soho holds onto the ropes in Skin the Cat fashion, leaving her stomach prone for Rosa to stomp. Soho manages to stumble Rosa, dodges a kick and staggers Rosa with a knee, Rosa's legs now dangerously close to ground, Soho tries a lift, then a German but Rosa then tries a DVD, Soho escapes, throws Rosa in the ring post, Gamagiri hits Rosa clean and eliminates her.

Oh JR, had to pull a WWE Dynamite and call her Ruby Riott XD

I...liked it? But it's not all I wanted from this Battle Royale. I hoped this'd be a platform to properly expand the Women's Division and set up multiple long-term feuds, instead we mainly retread on old feuds, but we also unceremoniously dumped out fan favourites like Shida, Riho and Skye Blue for little less than nothing, we also had the chance to better showcase Kiera Hogan, KiLynn King, Abadon and Jamie Hayter but had them eliminated by people with no real storyline connection or implication. I do hope Riho's okay because that elimination was wonky and must've been done due to an injury. I also didn't like how half of the eliminations is just 'I'm gonna pose in this obviously dangerous position I hope nobody blindsides me', we need to find new tricks.

The final two though was some good wrestling, happy for Ruby and she'll hopefully make a good fit for AEW

It's 10:30 and I have 4 matches still...yeep

If Chris Jericho Loses, he Retires Chris Jericho def. MJF (Submission via Walls of Jericho) A Y2J countdown gets the crowd going, but the tron doesn't erupt in Judas, instead it says 'Jericho's Last Match' and MJF's music hits. HEEL

That's all you can say until he comes out in kingly robes, without Wardlow surprisingly, getting in the face of fans and sporting new gear, no more plaits this time.

No Entrance Music for Jericho, instead there's Fozzy's guitarist playing the riff to will Chicago to sing along. Jericho in a biker jacket and his baseball bat Floyd as MJF stares daggers at him. An ad for Jericho's book preludes the match too.

Before locking up MJF adds heat by ripping up signs. A stalemate of sorts begin with traded shoulder tackles and hip tosses, Jericho's experience seems to be winning out when he prepares the walls, but MJF turns it into a cradle for 2. MJF and Jericho leave the ring, the veteran getting the advantage and tossing MJF into barricades, into the crowd they go as Jericho poses with a sign, but then back to ringside where Jericho dumps one of those queue rope holder things (sue me I don't know every word) right on MJF. Back in the ring MJF is dumped out again by a triangle dropkick, but he baits the baseball slide by trapping Jericho in the apron, he regains advantage by wrenching on the shoulder that was injured, taunting the crowd in between his attacks. Suplex gets 2 so he bites the fingers, second Suplex is countered allowing Jericho to chop, Bulldog and Backbreaker for 2, MJF goes back for the arm, stomps and hammerlock throws for 2, now MJF goes for chops, strutting like Flair and then gyrating, Jericho throws him over but MJF just counters with a Heatseeker on the apron.

Count Out is being threatened but Jericho gets in enough at 9, avoiding MJF's stomp, MJF gets a little too cocky and misses the Asai Moonsault - landed on his feet though - and then receives a Twisting Powerbomb on the apron. Back in the ring it's back to fisticuffs, MJF does an eye rake but misses the haymaker and gets hit in the back, Jericho looks for a top rope attack but lands into a one-legged Codebreaker for 2. The back attack from early delays MJF from lifting Jericho, allowing the Demo God the chance to try the Walls, MJF kicks him away but runs into a Shoulder Block, then a Lionsault - just to prove he can - but it's only 2. MJF is writhing as Jericho clubs him in the corner, 10 strikes looks to soften MJF for a Super Rana but he counters it into a Sit-Out Powerbomb, MJF still sells the back and the time allows Jericho to kick out at 2. He bites at Jericho next, sets him up for a Superplex but is pushed away, Flying Codebreaker only gets 2 for Jericho.

Out comes Wardlow, but Hager intercepts and brawls, the distraction is enough though for MJF to use Floyd the Bat to hit Jericho, MJF shouts Goodbye to Jericho and hits his own Judas Effect: 1, 2, 3? The bell rings but Jericho's foot is on the ropes, it takes a secondary ref to inform Aubrey and the Announcer so the match can resume. MJF is angry, he shoves Aubrey but she shoves back, allowing Jericho to roll up MJF for the 2 (nice call to when he technically won the world title from Triple H), MJF then cinches the Salt of the Earth, Jericho fights it into a rollup, just a 2, he scraps and claws at MJF and finally gets in the Walls of Jericho, MJF tries to crawl to the ropes but he's dragged to the middle and taps. The Inner Circle come to congratulate Jericho after.

So, they were never gonna retire Jericho like this, not with 4 losses and not when there's still mileage in fans singing Judas. Frankly, the feud went on too long, the Labors were decent but peaked at Nick Gage (sorry Juice and Wardlow) and it made no sense that MJF was a fifth labor because the labors were meant to be completed SO Jericho could face MJF. I guess it's 'just desserts' for the heel but now where does AEW's best heel go from here? He needs a solid win and so does his faction.

CM Punk def. Darby Allin (Pinfall via GTS) Next would be the one everyone was looking forward to, a Century Gothic Quote starts Darby's entrance as he hangs a body bag with 'Best in the World' from a Helicopter then jumps off of said helicopter. Sting gives Darby a fistbump and hug before letting him skate alone to the ring, a strong pop considering who he is facing.

And who he is facing is chanted at full volume as Cult of Personality is sang along louder than they sang Judas. Punk in the trousers gets to his knees, checks his watch and tells the world what they wanna know: It's Clobberin' Time.

Punk looks in great shape for the match as both opponents stare each other down, Punk even taking a seat to stare at him, both stand at the same time, like two predators ready for war. The bell rings to cheers as they lock up, Darby shifts his weight to roll Punk away, a surprised 'well okay then' smirks from Punk as Darby wins the first exchange. Darby knows to be hesitant with locking up, and his hesitation is well found as Punk uses his strength to shoulder barge Darby away. The third lock is controlled by Darby's hammerlock, every attempt to roll away doesn't deter Darby until he releases it for a roll up, not even 1 though as Punk elbows him down. Scoop Slam doesn't get 1 for Punk so he tries a headlock, Darby surprises Punk by using his speed to tackle him down, but on the second time he almost sets himself up for GTS, which Darby is quick and wise to stay well away from.

Leaving the ring, Darby takes a moment to get his head straight, he tries a hip toss but Punk is too strong, he manages the springboard hip toss though and rams his body into Punk's in the corner. He tries a hammer throw but it's countered and Darby does that nasty nasty spot where he goes through the turnbuckle and ricochets off the ring post. Punk rolls him in for just a 2, then focuses on the back with a stretch, when he reaches the ropes he stomps Darby and hits a backdrop but it's only good for 2, he stretches Darby again and counters his fight back with a Kitchen Sink and an Abdominal Stretch, then again with a Tilt-a-Whirl Backbreaker and a chinlock before returning to the Abdominal Stretch. Darby soon regains momentum though, escaping the stretch long enough to hit his over-the-top stunner, Slaps from Darby keep Punk frazzled as he hits a springboard Coffin Splash and a roll up for 2, Punk tries GTS but Darby Sunset Rolls for 2 again, Darby's strike combo and then a Code Red for 2. Darby seeks the Coffin Drop, but Punk cuts him off and prepares for an Avalanche Back Drop, only for Darby to cleverly shift it into a Crossbody Splash for 2. Darby goes for a Jacknife Pin but Punk uses his core to crab up, twisting for a Backslide, he can't get all the way but he lifts him for GTS, hits it! But Darby's body sprawls out of the ring.

Darby answers the count at 9 to Punk's relief, before using his strength to keep Darby jaded, classic knee strike to the corner followed by a short-arm clothesline. He gestures for GTS, but Darby is limp, he takes time to lift Darby which gives him the time to elbow Punk's jaw, hammering it until Punk is on his knees. Punk rolls out the ring but gets hit with the Darby-patented Suicide Dive, then a Swanton from the top turnbuckle to the outside. He throws Punk in the ring and prepares to Coffin Drop, but not before drawing heat by gesturing GTS himself, he makes the jump but Punk sits up just in time! He soaks up his cleverness a little too much though because his confident shuffle to pin Darby is reversed into a pin by Darby for 2, so Punk holds on mid-kick out to lift him up for GTS, he gets the throw but Darby blocks the knee, Last Supper! 1, 2, No!

Leg Lariat floors Darby, but Darby gets his boots up in the corner, he climbs on Punk looking for a Poison Rana, but Punk shifts him and that's the GTS! 1, 2, 3!

Punk gestures 7 to the cameras to note that he's back after 7 years, Sting then comes out and shakes Punk's hand before both men tend to Darby. Darby staggers away to get up on his own and shakes Punk's hand too as Darby and Sting leave the ring for Punk to soak in. Punk gleefully takes a lap before joyfully leaving, letting the fans tell him which tunnel he's supposed to leave through.

It won't get 5 stars but this was still great fun to see, it was a moment more than it was a match, and it's good to see that Punk barely misses a step. Darby still looks strong too and we open much more new opportunities with Punk on the roster. The finish was a bit quick for me, but it was the right finish: it's Bret in Canada, you don't have Punk lose in Chicago...unless you want a riot that is.

Full Gear was promoted for November before the piss break.

Paul Wight def. QT Marshall [w/ Aaron Solo & Nick Comoroto] (Pinfall via Chokeslam) The Factory came out first, before Wight returned in a more clothed version of his usual singlet. Solo was thrown at Wight and dumped out the ring, Comoroto - not used to facing someone this bigger and this heavier than him - would also be dragged out the ring too.

QT's opening blows are nothing to Wight, who effectively destroys Marshall with chops between punches and standing on him. QT does get some momentum by using dropkicks, dropping Wight to his knees with a dropkick to the hip, his strikes are shoved off by Wight but a Shotgun Dropkick does floor the big man - enough for a 1 count at least which dumps QT out of the ring. QT tries the Diamond Cutter but it's shrugged off, Shoulder Block and a Back Body Drop keeps him down as Wight lifts Solo into the ring to chop him, Comoroto fares a little better after eating one Wight's punches, but is felled to a pounce, giving Marshall time to climb to the turnbuckle and land into a Chokeslam for 3.

At least it was over quickly, maybe could've been quicker. I dunno since the Cody feud demolished them the Factory are nobodies, which is a shame because Comoroto and Ogogo have great potential, they're just in the wrong spot. This wasn't a PPV match either, this was better a segment or a Buy-In 'match' and the Gunn Club turn had no influence on this in the end either, so meh.

Dynamite/Rampage Promo

Dynamite is promoted for next Wednesday and it's Moxley vs Suzuki booked! Mox then cuts a promo on Suzuki before the rest of the card is shown; Ruby Soho will have a segment to address her win and collision course with Baker, and Dustin vs Black as previously announced on Rampage.

Black cuts a promo too, inviting Dustin to get angry because it makes him prone to mistake, taunting Dustin with his past victories in the Codyverse so to keep him angry.

We also promoted PAC/Andrade on Rampage but it was just saying the match is on Friday.

AEW World Championship Kenny Omega (c) [w/Don Callis] def. Christian Cage (Pinfall via Avalanche One Winged Angel)

Christian comes out first with the Impact World Title around his waist, but Kenny goes more showy with Devil's Sky and tights reminiscent of his New Japan days and blue in his hair. When his name was called he danged the world title in front of Christian as commentary note how he's on the verge of surpassing Moxley's world title reign in days.

Omega tries a V-Trigger before the bell, but Christian dodges it and prepares a Killswitch that Omega escapes, wagging his finger and starting a shoving contest. Omega hits a rana but Christian regains control on the outside, throwing Omega in the barricade and then a jumping splash from the top turnbuckle. Omega is next to shift momentum though by reversing an Irish Whip that throws Christian up and over the steel steps, using Callis as distraction he pulls out a table to stomp onto Christian, cracking the furniture as Omega mockingly channels Urkel's 'Did I do that?'.

Callis sets up another table with Kenny, but the suplex is countered by Christian who suplexes Omega away from the table. Back in the ring Omega's dropkick is scouted as he lands back first on the floor, but he rakes Christian's eyes before he can capitalize and lands a modified sling blade for 2. Raking facelocks and chops are among the actions Kenny does to try and cut Christian's breathing, a Back drop draws Cage to the corner where he tries to use his feet to hide openings for Kenny, he gets to his feet and climbs to the turnbuckle, but Kenny just shoves him off back outside the ring.

Humorously, Kenny's initial attempt to Moonsault off the barricade leads him to slip on his ass, but the second one hits the mark and splashes Christian on the outside, it's only good for 2 though. Christian tries to fight through Kenny's assault, but he's thrown into the turnbuckle then hit with an Ushigoroshi for 2. Kenny looks to go up top but Christian cuts him off, Super Rana by Cage is clean but no space for a pin, instead they trade blows, Kenny throwing his weight to get the upper hand, he misses the corner elbow which allows Christian to start his 10 strikes, but at 4 Kenny sets up the OWA, so Christian wriggles out, pushes him back in the Turnbuckle and starts again. Christian's getting some speed on Omega, and almost has him in a Cloverleaf, so Kenny after trying to eye rake and pull hair loosens a leg and kicks him away, he sets up the You Can't Escape but Christian reverses the run up into a reverse DDT for 2.

Cage sizes Kenny up for a spear, but he runs into a Knee, Christian escapes the Tiger Driver and lands a Swinging DDT to set up the Killswitch, Kenny escapes and uses a Spinning Leg Lariat to send Christian in the corner; V-Trigger, Snap Dragon Suplex, Another Snap Dragon, he gestures the gun but Christian gives him the finger, so he gives Christian a third Snap Dragon and a V Trigger. Both men edge closer to Chekov's table, Kenny looking to German Christian onto, Christian holds onto the ropes so he tries a Snap Dragon, but Christian reverses into a Killswitch setup, which Kenny avoids by pushing Cage into the ring post, he looks for the OWA but Christian escapes by returning to the ring and a reverse neckbreacker, onto the apron and Christian spears Kenny into the table with venom.

Spear to the back and front gives Christian the 2 count, so he goes up top, Frog Splash falls into Kenny's knees but Christian's damage to Kenny's back prevents him from performing the Dr Wagner Bomb. 2 V Triggers land, Christian blocks the third to try and fight back, but Kenny hits another one, then a Rain Trigger! Calling back a lot of New Japan now. Kenny goes for the Tiger Driver but Christian escapes, taking Kenny down for a Cloverleaf - sensing danger, Callis motions to the ramp, and the Good Brothers comes down. As Callis distracts the ref, Christian fends off Anderson, but Gallow has him held against the rope for Kenny to attack, V Trigger obviously hits Gallows instead and Christian tries the Killswitch, Kenny escapes, Omega tries the OWA, Christian escapes, Killswitch attempts, Killswitch lands! 1, 2, No! That was a close 2 as well, very good timing.

As Christian sets Kenny on the turnbuckle Callis tries to sneak behind him, being chased away when spotted. Christian looks to set up an Avalanche Killswitch but Kenny rakes the eyes, sets up for OWA, and lands it, nobody kicks out and that's 3.

The Bucks come out wrapped up to celebrate with the Elite and beat down Christian more, Jurassic Express try to help but the numbers are too grand. Chants of Yes! come from the crowd but Kenny grabs a mic, telling them that nobody is on his level. Apt choice of words though; the only people who can beat him are either not here, already retired or already dead

The lights go out, and it's a Ghost! Britt Baker's Boyfriend! Adam Cole BayBay comes to the ring, ready to argue with Kenny about his case of being killed off of BTE, but then he shifts his focus and superkicks Jungle Boy!

Embracing the Bucks and getting a triple kiss, Kenny mocks the crowd for thinking that Cole, their good friend, would be their enemy. Cole then talks about how the Elite is now the biggest faction in the business and that nobody is going to stop them. Kenny happily says it's a happy ending and prepares his goodbye and good night, but before that even happens, another music hits.

Oh Yes. Yes. Yes.

It's Bryan Danielson, backing the faces, as they fend off the Elite, Danielson hits the Buisaku Knee on Nick before celebrating with Christian and Jurassic Express while Cole - thunder stolen - looks angrily on.

Well it's midnight and that's how you end a PPV. Kenny vs Christian was a decent enough match all things considered, it's hard to fill the boots of Kenny vs Hangman like we wanted, but we can be patient, we have brand new toys to play with after all. Some of the shenaniganry was a bit gimmicky especially since it was a little too similar to Jericho vs MJF, but we never really bought Christian beating Kenny here so it doesn't matter as much.

Conclusion Somehow I didn't feel as enthralled as I did for Double or Nothing, but I still felt like this was great. I think it bodes down to the whole 'higher highs but lower lows' argument; Wight/QT shouldn't have been there, the Women's Casino Royale could've been booked better for most of the women and MJF/Jericho needed a bit more oomph. On the other hand, can you really fault a PPV that just gave us debuts for Minoru Suzuki, Ruby Soho (oh right, she was the one I was spoiled on btw), Adam Cole BayBay and Bryan Danielson on the same night CM Punk, Darby Allin, Christian Cage, Kenny Omega, the Lucha Bros, the Young Bucks, MJF, Jericho, Miro, Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley all competed in?

This may indeed be worth the 3-4 hours sleep I bet I'll get now, but with a backlog as long as my arm I need to sleep

Pro Wrestling is Great.

[heartsoulrocknroll]

AEW Dynamite 11/30/22

Jon Moxley is out here to say that no one can out wrestle him and that no one within a 100 miles has the balls to come out there, look him in the eye, and tell him any different. Hangman Adam Page comes out to stare down Moxley! Moxley asks if he is sure he wants to do this after what happened last time. Page attacks Moxley!!! Security has to come out to pull them apart!! Moxley trips off the side of the ramp as he tries to run at Hangman. Lmaooooo.

Bryan Danielson vs. Dax Harwood -- The match starts with a technical showcase, both guys trading holds and reversals. Big boot from Danielson on the ground to Harwood's face! They trade hard chops in the corner! Topé from Danielson to Harwood on the outside. Harwood suplexes Danielson over the barricade onto the floor in the crowd! They exchange more hard chops in the ring!! Three German suplexes in a row from Harwood to Danielson! Huge piledriver by Harwood!!! Diving headbutt attempt by Harwood misses, and Danielson catches him in a nice pinning combination. Harwood kicks out and rolls outside. Knee off the apron by Danielson and more chops!! He rolls Harwood back in. Both guys to the top rope. Hammer and anvil elbows by Danielson. Back suplex attempt by Danielson is countered into a cross body off the top by Harwood!! Danielson with a series of headbutts!! They trade lariats, and neither man will go down. They hit lariats at the same time until they both go down!! Slingshot powerbomb attempt by Harwood is reversed into a hurricanrana by Danielson! Huge round kick by Danielson puts Harwood down, but Harwood kicks out! German suplex by Harwood, but Danielson lands on his feet!! Psycho knee attempt by Danielson, but Harwood catches him and lands a slingshot powerbomb!! Danielson kicks out! Sharpshooter is locked in by Harwood!! Rope break! They trade inside cradles and two counts until Danielson grabs the LeBell lock. Harwood taps!! This was a great match. Both guys looked fantastic. As technically sound and hard-hitting as you could want. They shake hands after the match.

Backstage, Ricky Starks says he's entering the battle royal for the shot at the Dynamite Diamond Ring and that he's coming for everything MJF has.

Moxley and Hangman are shown still going at each other backstage, security still trying to separate them.

Renee sits down with the JAS and Claudio and Yuta. She says Jericho will defend the ROH World Championship against Claudio at Final Battle. We learn that if Claudio loses this match, he has to join the JAS. Menard and Hager run their mouths. Claudio says he is sick of talking. He came to AEW to prove he is the best wrestler in the world. He turns over his chair and leaves. Yuta says he is sick of the JAS as well and challenges Garcia for the Pure Championship at Final Battle. Yuta to Parker: "I'm sick of your dumb suspenders. You wear a belt too. What are you doing?"

Samoa Joe (c) vs. AR Fox for the TNT Championship -- Some nasty kicks and strikes from Joe here. 450 off the top rope from Fox. Fox goes for a senton off the top rope, and Joe just walks out of the way, leaving Fox to land flat on his back. Huge back elbow from Joe sends Fox flying, and a Muscle Buster gets Joe to pinfall to retain!!! Joe rocks, and having him as TNT champion is a blessing to us all. Good, solid stuff here.

Regal is out to introduce MJF. HERE WE GOOOOOOO!!!!! MJF enters and proceeds to cut another legendary, career-definining promo.

"I know you people aren't very bright, but when the best wrestler on God's green earth is holding the microphone, you keep your hillbilly mouths shut."

MJF says that Regal emailed him after The Firm's attack on MJF. Regal's email said that he sees the potential in MJF to become the greatest villain of our time, but MJF has much to learn. Regal said in the email that he would help MJF reach his true potential, but this time, instead of grabbing the Dynamite Diamond Ring, MJF would have to grab the brass ring. MJF says Regal did not want him to just beat Moxley. "He wanted me to leave Jon Moxley with a lesson in the form of an emotional scar, so he would never forget the day he was outsmarted by MJF."

MJF addresses The Firm, saying that he respects them for seeing a weakness in him and attacking, and that he would have done the same.

MJF talks about a need for change in AEW. He says when he looks at the AEW World Championship belt, he wants to gag, and it isn't just because he's in Indiana. He says the belt is tacky, lacks class, and reminds him of all the men who held it previously, none of whom are on his level. "This version of the title, much like all of you, is garbage." MJF throws the old belt on the floor and unveils the new championship belt, which he calls "Triple B, the Big Burberry Belt." Lmao. On commentary, Schiavone says MJF has desecrated the title and audibly gags loool. MJF continues, "This is now the most important, the most prestigious, the most prolific world title in all of the sport of professional wrestling, and it's because I'm the man holding it." He says no one but him deserves to call themselves champion, and that includes fake tough guys like Eddie Kingston and Ricky Starks, as well as fake wrestlers like Bryan Danielson. "No offense, but in comparison to me, Bryan Danielson couldn't wrestle his way out of a goddamn paper bag. No offense, Mr. Regal. You tried everything you could. Some people just can't be helped." Loool. He continues, "Speaking of people who can't be helped, here is a message to everybody on my show, in my locker room, and on my roster. As long as I am in this company, you will never know what it feels like to be on top. Because I am going to be world champion for a very long time. All the way, in fact, until the bidding war of 2024, where I will use Triple B as a bargaining chip to get the biggest money contract in the history of our business. I will make more money in a day than any of you white trash, disgusting hicks will see in your worthless, miserable lives. I just pray to God the right Khan foots the bill. And Lord knows, I ain't talking about Tony. I'm talking about my boy, Jolly Old St. Nick and my other boy, The Game, Trips. Come January 1st, 2024, I don't even know if a wrestling company wins the bidding war. Because, quite frankly, I am getting sick and tired of having to look at disgusting, grotesque professional wrestling fans on a weekly basis. Maybe Hollywood wins. But I'm not deaf. I know there is an interesting amount of you who were over the moon when I became your world champion. Okay, and to you people, I say fantastic. But just call me Mystic Max, because I have a feeling your happiness will soon turn to resentment, because you people are fickle. Pretty soon, you'll be saying stuff like, 'I am so sick of MJF. He's so boring, he's so repetitive, all he does is talk, he never wrestles, he's a coward.' There it is! (MJF holds out the mic as the crowd starts chanting 'boring.') 'He constantly makes his opponents jump through hoop after hoop just to get a match with him. I am sick of MJF.' And to you people, I say great. Because you know who is gonna keep tuning in every week, praying to God someone takes Triple B off of me? You. During my long and fruitful, illustrious reign as world champion, Triple B will be defended very rarely, and I will wrestle very rarely, because, unlike everyone else in this business, I am a special attraction. In order for you disgusting poors to see me defend my title, nine times out of ten, you will have to reach into your pockets with the small amount of money that you have and buy a pay-per-view in hopes to see someone dethrone me. News flash, they won't. I am about to have a world title reign that will make Hulk Hogan, JBL, and Jeff Jarrett's seem short and sweet. I am about to have a world title reign that is gonna make that schmuck Bruno Sammartino roll in his shitty little grave. Ladies and gentleman, you are now in the Era of MJF, and my reign of terror has just begun." GO OFF, CHAMP, OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IS THERE NO END HIS TO BRILLIANCE??

MJF then turns to address Regal. "Oh wait, Mr. Regal, I almost forgot. I wanted to say (shut the fuck up chants from the crowd!!!!), without these (MJF holds up the brass knuckles) and without you, none of this is possible. Everyone in this business respects you, because for 40 years, you have given blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice to this business. (The crowd starts cheering for Regal). Yeah, give it up for Regal. And that's why I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart..." MJF is behind Regal now. He stops talking and clocks Regal in the back of the head with the brass knuckles!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!! THIS ROCKS!!!!!! !!!!!

Excalibur, Schiavone, and Taz do a great job of selling this. Excalibur says Regal has had two neck surgeries in the last seven years. Schiavone says Regal has previously had a brain bleed.

MJF now squats down over Regal's motionless body. "It's funny. You said I had much to learn, and yet you're the one who made a deal with the devil. So allow me to leave you with the same words you left me seven long years ago. Will, the game has changed. MJF exclusively hires top talents or top world class athletes. When you're one of them, send me your stuff. Yours sincerely, the world champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman." POETRY, I TELL YOU!!!!!

I AM LOSING MY MIND AND RUNNING OUT OF WAYS TO SAY HOW ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT MJF IS!!!!!!! WHAT A START TO HIS TITLE REIGN!!!!! JUST INCREDIBLE!!!

Danielson comes out to check on Regal, who is still lying motionless on his face in the ring. Regal is taken out of the arena in a neck brace on a stretcher and is shown being driven away in an ambulance with Danielson at his side.

Schiavone says MJF is a blight on AEW and says something needs to be done about this piece of shit. Wow. What a segment. Good, good, good stuff.

Ruby Soho is back!! She tees off on Tay Melo!!

Death Triangle (c) vs. The Elite Match 3 in the Best of 7 Series for the AEW World Trios Championship -- The Elite jump Death Triangle on the ramp before the bell!! Double rolling cutters by the Lucha Bros on the ramp! Kenny runs down the ramp into a huge superkick by Pac!! Moonsault off the stage by Pac on Nick and Kenny!! Matt follows with a big cross body off the stage on Death Triangle! Powerbombs on the apron by the Bucks to Pac and Fénix!! Tilt-a-whirl back breakers to Nick and Kenny by Penta!! V-trigger from Kenny to Penta! Superkicks by the Bucks, then a snap dragon suplex by Kenny to Penta! Powerbomb and v-trigger from Kenny to Penta! Pac breaks the pin! Miscommunication gets Kenny superkicked by the Bucks in the corner! Superkicks from Penta and Fénix to the Bucks! Triangle moounsaults to the outside by Pac and Fénix! Package piledriver from Penta to Omega! Northern Lights by Matt!! Pump kicks from Pac to Matt and Kenny! Huge headbutt from Pac to Omega on the top! Avalanche Falcon Arrow by Pac, but Omega kicks out! Series of kicks by Death Triangle to Omega! Brutal chops from Pac and Penta to Omega! Pac and Omega exchange elbows! V-trigger from Omega to Pac! Release German suplex by Pac, lariat by Omega!! Fénix and Nick are in to trade kicks! More Bang For Your Buck on Fénix! Fear Factor on Matt! Fénix takes out Kenny and Nick on the floor with a topé! Penta dives onto them as well from the top rope! Brainbuster by Pac on Matt, but Matt kicks out! Black Arrow attempt by Pac, but Matt gets the knees up and pins Pac for three. Another great match in this series. These two teams cannot have a bad match. I would have loved to see Death Triangle sweep the series, but of course, that was never going to happen. I can only hope they retain the titles in the end.

Kenny closes the show on the mic. He says there was never going to be a sweep as long as The Cleaner is in town. Great show!!!!!!

[brothersgrim]

Deep Character Questions

@ivakir​ asked:

Our bodies are how we interact with the physical world and are critical to how we think of ourselves. Overall how do they think about their body? Does your character have a good relationship with their body? Do they see their body as apart of them, or as something they are disconnected from? Are they confident in their appearance? Do they take care of their body, either by proper nutrition, good sleep, or exercise? Do they consider themselves to be physically healthy? (for both?)

I mean, they both rely on their bodies a lot. They’re wrestlers. They fight for a living. And behind that, they have the yard. Digging graves, filling graves, building caskets... It’s all very physical. They also have a thing about being able to move around. Between Taker being a slave, often confined to one spot by orders, and Kane being chained to a wall or locked in a cell, they both don’t like having to stay still for too long. Plus, their occupations mean they’re very active people.

Overall, they’re aware of being strong. They’re aware of being fast. They’re aware of being dangerous. They know that. But beyond that, their views of their bodies are slightly different. Taker sometimes views his as a prison. The urn can’t control his thoughts or emotions, but it definitely controls his movements. It’s also something he can’t really escape. He dies, he wakes up again. The later he gets in life, the more he comes to terms with that. So, if he’s going to be stuck in this thing, he’s going to make it look the way he wants it to. Tattoos, piercings... He’s got a lot of them. I think he’s up to two earrings in each ear and the pierced eyebrow, and his ink is legendary. It’s all meaningful things to him. He very rarely gets a tattoo ‘just because’.

Even just getting a tattoo is meaningful for him, though. It’s an act of defiance. An act of individuality. He spent a long time not being a ‘self’, not being a person. His tattoos are a way to fight back against that. A way to remind himself who he is. He also just thinks it’s fun. He likes tattoos! He has a high pain tolerance, when he feels it at all, so the process doesn’t bother him. He finds it soothing. That’s one of the reasons he usually gets bigger or more intricate pieces. It’s almost like meditation for him, sitting there with some music and the whir of the needle.

Kane, on the other hand, can’t have tattoos. He can’t. He’s had a lot of bad experiences with needles. He also doesn’t like being closely examined, which is something that happens when you get tattoos. It makes him uncomfortable.

They both generally think they’re connected to their body, most times. Unless they’re dissociating. Then, they sometimes feel outside of it. Kane feels almost too attached to his body. He feels like his appearance defines him. Even if it doesn’t define him, it absolutely confines him. He feels trapped. Bound inside himself. His physical being has informed a lot of his choices and relationships. It very much impacts his self-perception, and how he thinks he’s perceived by others. This also ties into his relationship with his body, which is a mixed one. On one hand, he likes being tall. He likes being strong. Hell, Kane’s athletic and combative abilities are the stuff of legend. He can lift Big Show, hit a Hurricanrana, dive over the top ropes, and out-arm-wrestle Brock Lesnar, without breaking a sweat. He’s proud of it. He worked hard for it. He needs it, too. It keeps him safe, keeps him employed, and working out kept his mind off of everything when he was younger. Gave him something to do. There’s a lot of monotony in mental hospitals. ... But he doesn’t like his other aspects. He’s not his brother in many senses, including that he doesn’t like his physical appearance. He hates it. He’s been raised and conditioned to hate himself. His face is his greatest insecurity. He wears a mask. His BDD often makes him see himself as deformed, his scars as much more severe, et cetera. It limits him a lot in what he does and how he performs. In that way, his body is like a prison.

Taker’s body is a prison of a different kind. He’s literally trapped in it. I wrote above that he can’t escape his body via death. He dies, he comes back in the same body, just minus some injuries (sometimes). Doesn’t matter how he dies, he comes back. But when the urn takes over, his body moves whether he wants it to or not. It’s those moments where he feels both too attached and not attached enough to his body. It doesn’t feel like him when it moves on its own, but he does feel trapped in it. ... It just doesn’t feel like his. This is especially true in his late twenties to early 30′s, at around his WWF debut. Just watch him. He’s literally a blank slate - nobody’s there. He’s only vaguely aware of himself. So, yeah, I suppose it depends for him. And then he’s alive again. Oh, man, that’s a trip. So, just to keep people updated, that’s the ‘Biker Taker’ run. He hasn’t been alive since he was 14. It’s been twenty-one years since he heard his own heartbeat. Do you have any idea how strange that is? Yes, in some timelines, he’s in a relationship, and he’s listened to his partner’s heartbeat at night, but that’s not at all what this was like. It was loud. It was constant. It actually was really unpleasant for a while. Thankfully, he adapted, but early on into his ‘resurrection’, he really felt like a stranger in his own skin. This wasn’t him. he is the Undertaker, and  he is the Deadman, with emphasis on the ‘dead’. The last time he was alive, he was Adam, but he’s not Adam now. Adam is dead. So he felt very disconnected to himself for a while, there. Thankfully, he got used to it later on, but it was rough going for a while there. Overall, it depends on the day for him.

They take... Relative care of their bodies. They eat well, they work out. They have to. Again, their job(s) are very physical. They have to be in shape. But, on the other end of the scale, is where the abuse kicks in. They both have bad sleep schedules. Some nights, they don’t sleep at all. Sometimes, when they do sleep, they sleep in weird places that might not be great for them. Kane, for example, couldn’t sleep in a bed for a long time. He was too used to sleeping on the floor of tha basement, and once he got into the hospitals, the beds there - when there were beds - weren’t much better.  First time he got a hotel room, he ended up sleeping on the floor, because the bed was literally too comfortable for him to sleep in. Taker’s slept at his work bench, standing up, in the throne at the Old Church, on the ground... He had to make due. He had a bit more access to a bed than Kane, when Paul wasn’t around. That made it a bit easier, but the servitude balanced it out. And then there’s paranoia, nightmares, and perfectionism. They won’t sleep on planes or busses - too public. They won’t sleep in a dressing room unless it’s a private one and the other brother is there to watch their back, it’s not safe. Nightmares keep them up sometimes. Other times, they’re up because the other brother had nightmares and didn’t wanna be alone. And sometimes they can’t sleep because they’re not done working. Paul never liked a dirty house. Paul never wanted them to stop working. The casket needed to be finished. The grave needed to be dug. There’s always something to be done, something they did wrong, something that needs to be fixed. This is much more of a problem with Taker, but sometimes it strikes Kane, too. They both can push themselves too hard while working out, but Taker pushes himself too hard while working, period. There were times, under the urn, he wouldn’t be permitted to take a break, and he’d end up working his hands bloody. Skin worn raw, torn to all hell... He’s got scars all over his palms for them. Even free from the urn, this still happens, sometimes. Usually only on bad days. If he’s especially stressed and hasn’t brought the heavy bag out to hit or feels buried under work. He also has an undiagnosed panic disorder, which he talks about briefly in the fire storyline, stemming from the trauma he went through as a child and his PTSD (also undiagnosed). He tends to self-diagnose this with alcohol and chewing tobacco, though he thankfully gets both habits under control later in life. Kane’s a bit more willing to go to therapy, depending on the situation, so he gets properly medicated around his mid to late forties, which helps. They’ve both practiced different degrees of self harm. When he was younger - twelve to fourteen - ‘Taker (Adam, at the time) used to burn himself with a lighter. He also grappled with suicidal thoughts and tendencies that eventually resulted in his becoming what he is now. Kane has been known, on bad days, to pick at or scratch at his scars, especially when he was younger, and especially in the basement. This is another thing they deal with and recover from with time, therapy, and each other (and Paul’s death).

They both tend to ignore injuries, for the most part, or at the very least power through them. This is especially true during fights. For the most part, they’ll power through just about anything until they can’t. Bruises, scrapes, bleeding, broken bones... They’ll go for it. It doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t. They have to finish it. Their injuries don’t matter. All that matters is that they get the job done. That they win. Sometimes, it’s honestly because they don’t notice they’re hurt. They both have extreme pain tolerances. That’s not nearly as helpful as you would think, as they often strain or don’t take proper care of injuries, but, it is what it is. Taker hurts himself in the workshop sometimes. He’s burned himself on the forge once or twice, cut himself on a tool. Usually, he just keeps going, unless he thinks it’s going to stain his work. Priorities, right?

Overall, they think they’re relatively healthy. They try to be. It helps, too, that one brother will always take care of the other - making them bandage their wounds or remember their meds - better than they’d look after themselves, but, still.

They do their best.

[opinionatedwrestlingfan]

WRESTLE KINGDOM NIGHT 1 REVIEW

KOPW Rumble thingy 

Yeah yeah you know pre show stuff

1/5 

Hiromu Takahashi vs ELP

Hiromu looks beautiful as always. ELP is.... Like that. Hiromu starts with the sass and when ELP starts on the outside calling for Liger, Hiromu doesn’t have any of it and immediately dives after him. This is a great start. ELP reverses Hiromu’s sunset bomb with one of his own right off the bat! Great speed from these two. ELP mocks Kenny Omega and no one gives a shit lol. I don’t like ELP but not in the way I don’t like other heels, he’s not interesting to me but he is really athletic and conniving. This is hard to watch cause ELP is clearly slowing the pace of the match by targeting Hiromu’s limbs and I was expecting a much faster pace here. ELP gets Hiromu in the tree of woe and stands on him nuts.... I may be changing my mind here. Hiromu bites ELPs fingers to escape from his bullshit. Follows it up with an awesome cradle piledriver for 2. Hiromu reverses a Styles Clash for 2. ELP is trying a lot of callbacks to old Bullet club leaders and IDK how to feel about it honestly. ELP with a roll up for 2. ELP with an attempt at the one wing angel turned pile driver for 2. I might not be feeling it but the crowd is getting into it. ELP knocks down the ref and just PUNCHES Hiromu in the dick. Followed through by a hurricanrana and a frog splash for 2. ELP reverses a pin attempt into a Styles Clash for 2! Hiromu reverses a One Wing Angel into a buckle bomb followed by a time bomb but its countered for 2 by ELP! Hiromu counters CR2 for a 3 count! 

3/5??? idk obviously Hiromu can’t go at 100% and the aim of ELP was to injure the hand so that Ishimori can secure the win in their match. But this match was meh

Dangerous Tekkers (C) vs GOD IWGP Tag Team Match 

… I forgot Tama Tonga shaved..... my heart hurts. Listen.... I don’t like Taichi matches. That’s facts. This is gonna be a low effort review ok? I’m sorry. Dammit I do like ZSJ though.... We’ll see. I’m rooting for GOD obviously. Tekkers looks really aggressive here I’ll give them that, ZSJ always looks good and dirty but Taichi is really nasty in this match but GOD are consistently great. Their teamwork is second to only a few other tag teams. They are real strong here folks, lots of big combination moves from GOD. ZSJ is aggro as FUCK in this match, he really is managing GOD by himself most of the match on his own... cause Taichi SUCKS.

Favorite parts, ZSJ catches Tama Tonga by the leg mid air and rolls him up with his arm crossed head on the mat pin for 2. 

ZSJ SCREAMING “FUCK IT IT’S THE TOKYO DOME!” Before getting Taichi to Superplex him and Tonga Loa to the mat lol

GOD beats Dangerous Tekkers cause DUH 7 TIME 7 TIME 7 TIME!

3/5 It’s a good match and GOD won but like kind of a shit end no?

KENTA(US Champ Challenger) vs Satoshi Kojima

We start with Moxley giving a VERY intimidating promo threatening violence, as always. Kojima comes in, normal. Very bread dad. Very good. Kenta on the other hand... walks in with a damn Florida Bullet Club shirt.... ew. But the briefcase is still cool. Rocky says that the briefcase is essentially a championship which I agree with. He’s defended it and kept it right with him. It is VALUABLE.

Ok let’s get started. Kojima is out the gate strong but Kenta doesn’t want it, Kenta tells the ref to chill him out, Kenta is not impressed and Kojima is EAGER. They skirt each other for awhile until Kenta! leaves the ring. He goes to start shit with Tenzan but as soon as he get sin the ring Kojima immediately stomps him. Kojima locks in a headlock that Kenta struggles to get out of. 

Kojima sends Kenta to the outside and flexes those pecs for the crowd, they love him. Again Kenta picks on Tenzan but Kojima comes outside and Kenta throws Kojima into Tenzan then DDTs Kojima onto the floor! Kenta gets him in the ring and gets a 2 count. Another 2 count from Kenta. Kenta tortures Kojima on the ground with a leg scissor headlock but Kojima gets the ropes and Kenta needs tp be unfolded. Kenta kicks the head of Kojima, taunting him. Kojima gets up and they exchange big strikes until Kenta kicks him across the chest and brings him down. 

Kojima gets up and hits the big Mongolian chops to bring Kenta down! Machine gun chops in the corner followed by Kenta with the repeated elbows! Kojima however takes to the top rope and Kenta goes up with him. Kenta tries for the super plex and absolutely gets it. Kojima tolls away but Kenta charges with a big elbow then heads up to the top trope and fives to Kojima for a 2 count! Kenta tries for the suplex on the apron to Kojima who reverses it into a DDT to Kenta on the apron which absolutely ragdolls Kenta.

Kojima and Kenta struggle in the ring but Kenta nails a deep DDT on Kojima followed by a series of stalled dropkicks to Kojima in the corner FOLLOWED by a diving knee from the top rope to Kojima aaaand a 2 count! Kenta picks him up and tries for GTS but Kojima fights back, Kojima hits a big lariat to Kenta’s arm and then follows with a neck breaker and he takes off the elbow pad! Kenta reverses with a power slam before Kojima can nail him though! Kenta grabs his briefcase but Kojima punches it outta his hand, and Kenta eats a big lariat for  a 2 count! Kojima hypes up the crowd and gets Kenta up misses the lariat and Kenta hits a psycho knee to take Kojima down. What a great fucking pace here folks! Kojima fights Kenta with big elbows and strikes and Kenta goes down. Kenta gets up and hits a series of palm strikes followed by another psycho knee for a 2 count. Kenta sets up the GTS and LANDS IT! That’s all folks!

4/5 what a fucking solid match from Kojima here! Was NOT expecting that at all honestly. This was a great match and Kojima looks strong but Kenta proved even stronger as he had a lot more at stake. Great match. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Great O-Khan

Not totally interested in this one but if Tana is wrestling Great O Khan at Wrestle Kingdom he must be special right? The gear with Tana’s face on the mask is neat. I just don’t know how to feel about O Khans gear man, it’s so weird. Tana comes out as always looking like a bajillion bucks. Ok so they grapple for awhile and shift momentum till Tana is on the outside. Tana is trying to look weak here but it’s hard to go with it cause O Khan just doesn’t feel that dominating to me. O Khan takes him to the ramp and scoop slams him onto the ramp then leaves him outside for the count. O Khan has a chair in the ring and he’s patiently waiting for Tana who comes in at 18. O Khan gets Tana in a kneebar that Tana gets out of by grabbing the ropes. Tana gets a dragon screw in on O Khan. 

Tana leads with big elbow strikes and gets flung into the corner but he runs out full speed taking O Kahn down with 3 diving elbows in a row but his knees can’t take it. He scoop slams O Khan down and hits a somersault senton from the top rope for 2. O Khan catches Tana mid running dive and throws him face down on the mat. They trade big blows in the center of the ring back and forth until Tana hits a combo and O Khan follows with his own combo that ends in a kick that takes Tana down. Big mongolian chops from O Khan. He pushes Tana down. It’s supposed to be a big double handed thrust but I mean... it’s a push. O Khan picks Tana up and hits a weird STO for a 2 count. O Khan follows up with a gnarly knee bar but Tana gets the ropes. Tana comes back to great applause and blocks O Khans strikes followed by a twist and shout and a SLING BLADE!

Tana tries for the pin and gets 2. Tana get to the top rope and O Khan gets Tana’s face in the claw, followed up by a cobra twist! Tana tries to get to the rope but O Khan hits a big reverse suplex and a gets a 2 count. O Khan picks Tana up and hits another reverse suplex. O Khan grabs the chair and lays it down on the mat, O Khan locks the claw but Tana twist him outta the way. Tana grabs the chair! Then gently tosses it out of the ring lol BIG DRAGON SUPLEX FOR 2 from Tana who heads to the top rope and hits a high fly flow but doesn’t cover! He goes for another one that gets him the 3 count.

2/5 I mean... what did you expect? I feel bad for O Khan. Idk why he was brought in here but if they intended to make him look like a threat I just wasn’t buying it. Kinda wish I hadn’t done this whole write up for this honestly???

Ok that’s it for these matches, I went long on the Okada v. Ospreay match so that will be a seperate post! Same for the title match!

[thecompostpile]

Quarantine Chronicles #3

Chuck Taylor vs Fire Ant 

The feud between The Colony and FIST has spanned almost a decade in Chikara. It is one of my favorite feuds in all of wrestling. THe two teams absolutely hated each other and destroyed each other every chance they got. I will also use this time and space to mention that Fire Ant is one of the best wrestlers in the world and one of the most understated wrestlers in the world. He hasn’t been around in a while and I hope he comes back before the end of the year. 

This match starts with Chuck Taylor still in a sweatshirt. He had just come from Philly at a Dragon Gate USA show.  Fire Ant greets Chuck Taylor with a baseball slide and a tope. The two brawl all over the gymnasium. There is no count out because the match never started. 

Fire Ant reverses an Irish whip and sends Chuck Taylor flying into a group of chairs. Chikara rarely does anything very violent but when they do boy is it so good. While I do really deathmatch stuff all the blood and violence that Chikara never does, it is much more fun for a promotion to be subtle about that violence. When it finally comes it hits so much harder. It is easy to tell these two hate each other and this is a blood feud that elevates the stakes so much more. 

Fire Ant ends up on top of pushed in plastic bleachers and jumps onto Chuck Taylor trying to give him a hurricanrana. Chuck catches it and throws Fire Ant into the bleachers  Really cool spot and making use of their surroundings. 

They finally end up inside the ring. Where Chuck gets Fire Ant into a submission. They quickly end up back outside the ring. Chuck Taylor gets into an argument with a small girl. The small girl tries to fight and honestly good for her. Chuck ends up outside again and Fire Ant dives out after him. 

When they finally end up back in the ring Fire Ant hits a huge crossbody. He goes up to the top a lot. While Chuck is still on the ground Fire Ant hits him with a Yahtzee kick. Fire Ant quickly follows up with a brainbuster. Chuck Taylor answers back with a razors edge right into the turnbuckles. He picks Fire Ant up but Fire Ant turns it into a stunner. 

Fire Ant tries for the beach breaker while Chuck Taylor tries for an Awful Waffle, neither one gets it instead Fire Ant rolls Chuck Taylor up to get the win. Nothing is really finished the feud can continue on.