With less than 20 days to go for the show, SummerSlam 2024 at the Cleveland Browns Stadium is up to over 47,000 tickets distributed according to @WrestleTix.
The stadium seating has been expanded to over 55,000 now, with sections on the hard cam section now being opened. WWE was only set to use the north part of the stadium, with the south part being closed.
But sections in the 100 and 200 level on the south end of the stadium have now been opened to accommodate for the demand. It’s good to note that the floor area remains largely unsold , with two of the sections surrounding the ring all pretty much open for sale with tickets at $2,500 for ringside.
The prices for the new opened sections start from $150 and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.com.
TNA Wrestling will hold a Slammiversary press conference today starting at 4:20PM ET live at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal.
Stars such as Joe Hendry, Jordynne Grace, Mike Bailey, AJ Francis, and Montreal’s own PCO will be participating. Josh Mathews of TNA Wrestling and Kevin Raphael of TVA Sports will be co-hosting the event.
Fans are free to attend and the first 50 to enter will receive a special Slammiversary souvenir.
The press conference will stream on TNA’s digital platforms.
After the Unified AEW Trios titles were declared vacant last week on Collision when Christopher Daniels stripped The Bang Bang Gang off their gold due to Jay White’s injury, a match to determine the new champions was announced for this week’s Collision.
The match will feature Christian Cage, Killswitch, and Nick Wayne take on Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, and Juice Robinson, with the winners getting both the AEW and ROH Trios/Six-Man tag team titles.
The Bang Bang Gang tried to invoke the Freebird Rule last week in a bid to have Juice Robinson replace Jay White due to his injury but Daniels didn’t want any of that, ending their 83-day reign.
The ROH Six-Man Tag Team titles and the AEW Trios titles were unified at the Dynasty Zero Hour show, with White and The Gunns defeating The Acclaimed. The Acclaimed had been AEW Trios champions for 238 days.
This week’s NXT drew 610,000 viewers, down 46,000 viewers from the prior week. The show had a 0.20 rating in 18-49, down 0.04 from last week and had a share of its audience lost to the MLB All-Star game which had around 7.5 million viewers and a 1.58 rating in 18-49. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
The remaining three individuals for Team AEW in the Blood & Guts match were announced last night on Dynamite.
Max Caster and Anthony Bowens pleaded their case to be added to the match with ROH World champion Mark Briscoe in a backstage segment. While Briscoe agreed, it was not just up to him, and right at that moment, AEW World champion Swerve Strickland came in to give his blessing.
And as expected, Darby Allin was the fifth and final guy to join Team AEW in their war against The Elite. In the show-closing angle, The Elite brawled with the four members of Team AEW before Allin came down from the rafters like Sting to even the odds.
The match will take place next Wednesday live on Dynamite from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dynamite 250 started with a big bang, and no, we’re not talking about Sheldon Cooper of the Dynamite lead-in Big Bang Theory, but near one-hour match that saw a new champion crowned.
AEW International champion Will Ospreay wrestled MJF in the opening match of the show, with MJF winning with 59:58 on the clock, just two seconds before the match was about to be stopped for the 60-minute time limit.
The finish saw MJF, now back as a heel, hit the British star with his Dynamite Diamond ring after a ref bump and covering him for the pinfall.
This is MJF’s first run with the AEW International title, ending Ospreay’s 52-day reign.
MJF was held up by a couple of people as doctors put an oxygen mask on him as he celebrated with the title for a great visual.
#250. Must be closing in on the total number of Nitros now. Kinda crazy.
*****
Excalibur and MJF’s music welcomed us to the 250th Dynamite. Though not many people did. The number of tickets sold is worrying after they loaded this show up. Mix of cheers and boos for Max, who pretended to masturbate onto front row fans.
Schiavone’s back to heeling hard on him. Big pop for Ospreay.
MJF vs Will Ospreay (International Title)
Had actually forgotten the title was on the line till they showed it. Bell rang, crowd quietly anticipating, staredown. Crowd louder now, Ospreay playing to them, Max bailed outside then started heading through the crowd. And stole something off a fan and chucked it, then tore signs.
Before returning inside to duck a lariat and gyrate a la Rick Rude. Finally a lockup, Ospreay spinning out into a headlock, Max tried to counter by flipping Will, who landed on his feet, stopping to strut and pose endearingly badly, mocking MJF.
Back to it, Max headlock, fans chanting for Ospreay as he tripped Max after a dropdown then went right for the Blade, Max ducked, exchange of headlock takeovers, Max avoiding round kicks and a standing moonsault, Oscutter too, finally just flattening out to avoid a corkscrew kick, Ospreay though landing on his haunches to stare down at Max with a smile.
Absolutely rapid and just as fluid.
A look of concern on Max’s face as he sought solace in the ropes before claiming a hair pull as they locked up again. Crowd booed, Max tried a cheap shot and was lariated outside. Moving to avoid a dive but Ospreay changed the angle and hit a plancha.
Before chucking Max back in: running boot, back suplex, two. Just. Lining up a Blade again, Max staying down and crawling to the corner before a cheap shot saw him start targeting the arm. Loud boos now as he posed atop the buckle. After the crowd were indifferent to begin.
As he grabbed an armbar, Ospreay fighting up, Max going for the hair to slam him back down. Into a chinlock, Ospreay out via jawbreaker, MJF hit back via kitchen sink, each landed on their feet out of belly to backs until Max anticipated and caught Will in a stunner as he landed.
For two. This is already about as good as any tv match this year.
Ospreay blocked a heatseeker but was hauled into a cutter for another near fall. MJF again seeking a heatseeker, gamengiri fought it off, AJ forearm, both down. Up into an exchange of rights, Ospreay a running backhand, Max outside, Ospreay nailing a space flying tiger. Perfect.
‘Holy S,’ from the fans.
Back in, Will up top, Max twice rolling to avoid a moonsault, Will still landing on his feet to hit a standing shooting star, right back upstairs, sky twister from the middle, Max out at two. This guy is unreal. Fans loved that.
Blade readied again, Max again rolling away outside. Ospreay following via vaulting press, Max down once more. Will grabbing a table, setting it up at ringside then peppering Max’s chest in the corner. Until being elevated into a thrust kick, MJF piledriver blocked, Max briefly did his fake knee injury thing then hit a piledriver for two.
Both down once more.
Max up first, hopping on his ‘injured’ leg to show it was BS. Then yelled to the camera that ‘Danny, that was a real piledriver!’ So he stopped during MJF vs Will Ospreay to sell MJF vs Daniel Garcia:
‘Nooo sir, you don’t want the lamborghini, can I interest you in a bicycle?’
Back after the leg, driving the elbow, Ospreay raking the face to break, up to hit chops but running into a back body. Max right back to the leg, figure four, dead center, wrenching back, getting a one count, fans chanting for Will, rallying as he looked to them for support before turning the hold, Max screaming but managing to counter back, Ospreay finally, gratefully collapsing his hand into the ropes.
Still down clutching his knee until Max hauled him up, teeing off with open hands in the corner. Until a whip saw Will collapse on his injured leg, Max smiling. Before raking the back and deliberately whipping Will once more, just to watch his leg give out again. Ospreay squeezing his knee, ref checking, Max in to gouge the eyes.
Killer heel work.
Stopping too long to pose, Ospreay fighting up, chops and rights, finally steeling himself to run as Max went after the knee via chop block. Elbows to the head, Ospreay fighting back with rights and Kawada kicks, stiff chop, seeking a backbreaker, Max grabbing the ropes to block, raking the eyes, each hitting the ropes, each landing lariats.
Both to their knees, Max a knee to the thigh, calling for a brainbuster, Ospreay countering via stundog, Oscutter hit, the Brit couldn’t make it in time to cover between his knee and Max rolling outside. Both on the apron, Max again avoiding an Oscutter, Will landing hard on his shoulder.
Ads. Over twenty minutes in.
Back to Max blocking a handspring attack, shoulderbreaker, seeking Salt of the Earth, settling for Made in Japan, which Tony’s never seen him hit before. For two. Both down again, TIA from the crowd. Max missed a lariat, Ospreay finally able to land the corkscrew kick, both hit the mat once more.
Up into an Ospreay gamengiri, chops with wrist control, a flurry until Max blocked with his elbow, Ospreay again landing on his feet out of a judo flip, enziguri, blue thunder for a near fall.
‘Fight forever!’ now from the crowd.
As Max dragged himself outside, Will following, near the table setup long ago. Max again bailing through the crowd, being battered through it now as Ospreay gave him beats over a railing (a tiny little girl right by it, absolutely loving it, even daring to slap at Max, Ospreay gave her a high five).
Before pasting Max back down the steps, ref ‘using discretion’ as usual. Crowd loving it. Will then told a fan off for rocking a ‘kangaroo kick’ tee. Until Max chucked something at him (they went to a wide shot, a beer or something). So Ospreay put him in the bin.
Then finally elevated him over to ringside. Fans chanting for tables, Will setting Max atop it, heading upstairs, can’t see this ending well. Max rolled away before it could, fans booed. Ospreay climbed down as Max re-entered, Ospreay rolled through a piledriver, counters back and forth for two until a poisonrana sent MJF reeling to the corner.
Where he again elevated a rushing Will for a thrust kick then hit ‘Long Island sunrise’ for two. TIA again from the crowd, Will rolling outside, Max now setting him atop the table and heading upstairs…
He waited too long and Ospreay rolled free. To a few boos. Max biting the bicep then again stopping to mock Garcia into the camera. Before running Ospreay into the barricade, raking the eyes, heading back in to break the ostensible count. Then aiming a running boot to the mush.
And stopping to drink a little water and toss some at the doc. Clearly having fun being a heel again. Ospreay countering another whip to the barricade via Oscutter, both down at ringside, both scrambling up into the ring, Max ducking a right, seeking CrossRhodes, Ospreay countered and hit his own for a near fall.
Max just can’t help himself, can he?
He dragged the ref in front to halt Ospreay then hit a cheap shot right into an elevated hammerlock ddt. Which always looks great. For another near fall. Will blocked another heatseeker but was crotched atop the rope and knocked off via diving lariat for another close count.
Ref checking Will on the apron, Max thinking tombstone out there, Ospreay countering through, Max clapped his boots to free himself, each seeking Germans, Will settling for a thrust kick and a Styles Clash on the apron. Crowd chanted ‘Holy S!’ Indeed.
Max dragged in, cover, two. Just. Crowd flattening a little now, forty minutes in, as Ospreay hit a one-armed powerbomb after the damage done earlier to his shoulder.
Ads. They certainly want us to think this is going the distance.
Ospreay nailing a back elbow, stack, near fall, firing up, Excalibur said the doc had put Ospreay’s shoulder back in its socket during the break. Max again countering an Oscutter, finally hitting the tombstone but only collapsing into a pin, allowing Will out before three. As they showed footage of Will’s shoulder being reset.
If that’s not real, they really need to stop pretending dudes are genuinely hurt.
As Max used his tape to briefly choke the Brit before whipping him shoulder-first to the buckle. And again. So presumably it’s not a genuine injury. Max mocked him before Will countered a third whip but Max targeted the shoulder again, wrenching him down to the mat.
But being elevated outside as he rushed at Will. Then blocking an Asai, stopping to pose into the camera, ‘That’s why I’m the smartest wrestler in the world,’ as Ospreay came into our homes via Hidden Blade through the ropes. Ref counting them out for probably the first time all night. Before Ospreay nailed a forearm to the back of the head off the top.
‘Nother near fall.
Before being crotched upstairs, Max thinking rana, Ospreay countering, Styles Clash!? Yep! He let it go half way so he didn’t land on Max, fans went nuts for that. MJF got the ropes to break the pin.
They keep cutting to replays at bad times so we missed what Max did to setup a heatseeker. He then placed Ospreay atop that table at ringside. Third time tonight. Schiavone said he’s never seen a match this good. Then said it was ‘one of’ the best matches they’ve ever had.
Max struggling up the ropes and nailing the diving elbow which injured him last November. Because then there was no table to break his fall.
Ads. Fifty minutes.
Ospreay locked in an abdominal, the announcers putting across the stakes, MJF using the rope for leverage, standard ref kicks the arm spot. Both to their knees, Ospreay cradle for two, another, backslide for the same, MJF headlock takeover, bridging up into another exchange of pinfalls, until Ospreay was caught in midair and driven across Max’s knee for another close call.
Both down, gasping, crowd clapping, Taz doing a great job emphasizing that this long into a match those quick pinfalls can really make a difference. ‘Let’s go, get us a winner!’ yelled Schiavone.
Both struggling up, Excalibur highlighting Ospreay’s big-match credentials. Schiavone said we’re 53 mins in, MJF prepping a kangaroo kick, being caught and elevated to the buckle, Nando’s kick, poisonrana off the top, Max landing on his feet! Into a corner lariat, humping the face a la Danny, but he’s a heel so fans were aghast. Before a rana of his own saw Ospreay land on his feet too, much more cleanly.
After each dropped down and kipped up to avoid lariats, Max poked the eyes. So good! Awesome contrast. But stopping to pose before they traded big shots, boots to the face, discus lariats, Ospreay floating over, Max knee strike to the jaw, Ospreay floating over again, being countered but landing right into a sunset flip, as each rolled back and forth with leverage, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2…
Ospreay going for the Oscutter again, taking a thrust kick, hitting a stundog, poisonrana, Max slipping out of a stormbreaker, Ospreay Spanish fly, for two, both down again, exhausted, crowd into every exchange there. The cardio on these two is immense. Such a fast exchange 50+ mins in.
Announcers pushing that we’re closing in on 60. As Ospreay deliberately lost his footing, highlighting fatigue, Max snatched him into a tombstone up top, Ospreay fighting free, springing up into an Oscutter, Hidden Blade, Max out!
Second Blade coming, Max dropped flat to avoid it again, Taz emphasizing he must’ve looked at the big screen, fans clapping, wanting a winner. Max spat at the champ, who responded via headbutt; pissed and thinking tiger driver, one minute remaining.
Ospreay having second thoughts. Hauling Max up, continuing to hesitate and finally dropping Max down safely. Announcers doing a really good job explaining his emotions. Max shoved him into the ref as the clock counted down, then hit a shot with four seconds left, to win at 59:58. Presumably a loaded shot. As we finally zoomed in on the diamond ring.
Quite a lot of boos but more droning than heat. They popped at the announcement of a new champ because yeah.
‘He’s (MJF) a cheater, and Will Ospreay has the moral fiber that MJF could never have,’ protested Schiavone. Announcers added a lot here. Taz did the ‘do what you have to,’ which I hate, he’s not a heel. Excalibur put the heat right back.
As doctors rushed in with ice for Ospreay’s shoulder and an oxygen tank for MJF, who was just incredible as he posed with his belt, supported by like four guys to stop him falling over, oxygen being pumped into him, looking anything but a winner, what a heel!
Though was mostly cheered. If he isn’t booed after that I don’t know how you get heat anymore. He then did his new ’and you can thank me later,’ line into the camera, pausing between each word to inhale oxygen. Spectacular.
After a magnificent match. Loved the fact there weren’t long exchanges of rights and chops. Loved the mix of pacing, made Will’s flurries pop. These two might be perfect opponents. And proof you don’t need distractions and dumb refs to be a heel. Just be vicious and cynical and calculating and everything Max was here. Masterful.
There’ve been some excellent tv matches lately; between the stakes, the intrigue over the finish and the action itself, this was the best all year. Everything AEW should be about at the outset of their 250th show – top wrestlers, killer action, title on the line, intrigue over the finish. I’d expected not to get a clean finish here. In what’s presumably the first chapter of this feud, and another in the story of Ospreay lacking killer instinct when it matters.
‘Follow that!’ as HBK used to yell.
Winner: MJF
Arkady with the Acclaimed and Mark Briscoe.
The Acclaimed had asked for this time to talk to Mark. Caster, sounding like a total heel, told Briscoe the only way he could get the best wrestler in the world (him) onto his team was by taking the Acclaimed onto Team AEW.
He called it a ‘no brainer.’ ‘When you think AEW, you think the Acclaimed!’ yelled Bowens, who was like The Bucks just burned down my home levels of intense. Before jamming in their catchphrase. Three people joined in.
Briscoe said they’d had his back a couple weeks ago so as far as he’s concerned, they’re in. But it’s not just up to him. Swerve entered and said they’ve had their issues but ‘there’s no-one better to go to war with, than people you’ve done battle with.’ Nice line.
‘Y’all ready to get violent?’ He offered a fist, Acclaimed dapped it, Briscoe fired up and said they were ready.
*****
They pushed Swerve/Danielson and Swerve/Okada.
*****
Big Bill was in the ring to introduce Jericho. Schiavone’s sickened by all of this. They said Hook still has vision issues, ‘some serious issues,’ per Taz. And Joe was only recently cleared to return home to recuperate after being hospitalized.
That’s much better than usual, clear and concise.
The music stopped and you would have thought every fan had left. Jericho reeled off local crime statistics. Then said he’d been on almost every Dynamite. He promised never to miss another until episode 500.
He said when people don’t listen to him, they get hurt. They showed footage of them taking out guys, while Jericho talked about it like he hadn’t done it.
He wondered who would be crazy, maniacal etc. enough not to listen to the Learning Tree. Cue Suzuki? Yep. Fans didn’t seem to recognize the theme, only really popping when his name came up on the screen. He brought a paper with him.
Then wrenched the mic from Jericho, said ‘next week,’ and handed over the paper. Keith read it: he and Bill are banned from ringside for an FTW title match. Suzuki dropped Jericho with a headbutt, the other two backed up.
He waved and said ‘Hi guys,’ then left.
Fun to see Suzuki; having to watch Jericho basically nullifies it.
*****
The Elite backstage, sans Perry. Each with a belt over their shoulder. Nick was annoyed at the Acclaimed promising to win the tag belts. Matt said they were the greatest faction in company history and that after next week they’d have all the gold and all the power.
Nick corrected him that they didn’t have the world title. Matt said it might be vacant after what they do to Swerve, he put each member of the clique across, building to Hangman, as Mercedes Mone walked through.
She thanked them for banning Britt from backstage. Matt said it was all taken care of, Okada whispered in his ear. Matt told Mone Okada wanted her to do her dance.
She happily danced as the Bucks chanted ‘C-E-O,’ into her saying ‘got-to-go.’ Okada was sweating, hyperventilating and nearly dropped his belt. The idea of him being too shy to talk to her is f’ing hilarious. Dude has incredible comedic instincts. As ever, probably not the best use.
The Bucks looked at him like he was weird.
Mostly liked the build to Blood and Guts tonight given limited time. Though does feel like they’re having to rush through things lately since they’ve had and got so many shows, tournaments etc to fit in. The idea of who has ‘power’ needs to die.
Mercedes Mone vs Nyla Rose (TBS Title)
Backstory: Nyla accepted an open challenge to anyone but Britt Baker
Taz said there was a chance Okada passed out as Mercedes danced. Think Nyla had a new theme? Mone looked worried as she made her entrance.
Lockup, Mercedes running in place trying to budge Rose. Being set atop the buckle then stopping to dance and leaping free as Rose rushed her. She grabbed a waistlock, Nyla flung her off, Mone begged off then viciously attacked with kicks and stomps.
Rose snatched a delayed vertical in response, Mone slipped behind, attacking the knee, thinking tornado ddt, being blocked, Nyla yelling ‘Have you lost your mind!?’ then being draped across the top rope.
Rose hit her knee drop from the top, looked brutal as the tiny Mone spun into splatting on the mat.
Ads.
Back to Mone on Nyla’s back, Rose spun her front, into a suplex, corner splash, lariat, another splash, Mone down, cannonball coming, hit, cover, two. Basically silent btw, though understandable crowd would be worn out from that opener.
Mone attacked the knee to drop Rose from the buckle, springboard splash, knee attack in the corner, meteora off the middle, two. The champ hooked the arms for Mone Maker, Rose draped her across the top as a dueling chant played. Mone fired elbows then hit a bulldog off the top.
Then pulled out a glove with ‘CEO’ on it. And did ‘C-E-O’ like Britt before applying Lockjaw. Nyla bit free, the announcers emphasized she didn’t know how to apply it like Baker. Nice stuff. She turned it into the ‘Statement Maker’ (Bank Statement) for the tap.
Solid match, Rose a little slow, like she didn’t want to hurt Mercedes. More really nice storytelling around Mone/Britt.
She tore a Britt sign from a fan in a Sting mask. Of course it was Baker. Mone legged it, security quickly on the scene to keep them separate. The EVPs on their game. Mone hammed it up a little but looked like she was on the brink of a panic attack.
More nice stuff.
Winner: Mercedes Mone
Recap of the Storm/May angle from last week. Over haunting music. Voiced over with clips of May’s comments over the past months, will stop at nothing to win the Owen, have to make Toni proud; Toni, this one’s for you.
And more good stuff. Subtle and effective.
*****
Perry backstage, all Darby had to do to get his attention was ask. He didn’t need to take out Cutler. ‘What I mean to say is, do you really think I give a shit about Brandon Cutler?’
Camera zoomed out to reveal a broken Cutler at his feet. Perry slammed him into a wall then told Allin to come find him tonight and he’d show him what a real sacrifice looks like.
Like it.
*****
Toni Storm’s ‘Timeless’ music hit, the announcers were confused, Mariah came out looking eerily like her. She had her face set in the cold manner it was at the end of last week.
She took a mic, crowd pretty dead, pausing, ‘Well, speak bitch come on now,’ muttered Schiavone. Killing that word deader than it already was. The other announcers were appalled.
‘You hear the B-word enough on Dynamite,’ said Excalibur. Laughed.
May said we should be honest, we all saw it coming, ‘everybody saw it coming… except Toni Storm.’ (She was speaking in a very detached, cold manner.)
A woman so desperate for the spotlight, she didn’t realize she was giving it all away. The question shouldn’t be why, it should be ‘what took you so long?’
May said she didn’t think it would last this long either (she was getting the ‘What?’ treatment here). But it was so easy and so much fun stringing Toni along. But then she saw Wembley and thought why take the old horse out back when she can kill it in front of as many people as possible.
She’s been Toni Storm and now she can be so much more. She told Storm not to worry, she still loves her. Fans chanted ‘we want Toni.’ At least some. May said she’s never loved Toni more than when she was on her knees, bleeding, crying and screaming her name.
It was her greatest performance. And May’s will be at All In. ‘Because now All Elite Wrestling is all about Mariah.’
She lay back on the mat a la Toni.
Super promo. Content, poise, delivery. Looked hot AF too.
*****
To BCG sans Jay White on Saturday. They said they’d never give up the belts. Chris Daniels rolled up saying he didn’t like it and it wasn’t popular but it’s his job. He said the alternative is he suspends them. They got angry and shoved the belts at him.
Austin addressed the Patriarchy: do they think BCG are scared of ‘a guy with a father fetish, a sixteen-year-old TikTok kid, the stepmom from Brazzers and a lizard!? HELLLLL NO!’ Juice vowed they were coming with their homies to get their hardware. Colten did Gunns Up!
Okada got a nice pop coming out. Loud ‘Swerve’s house!’ too as his music hit. Guess they’re pushed for time cause it cut Okada’s short.
Circling, lockup, Okada headlock, takeover, Swerve reciprocating, Okada tried it again, Strickland blocked it, whip off, Okada boot up, Swerve rolled back to trip him, tried House Call, Okada a Rainmaker, Swerve big pressure, settling for an armdrag, Okada headscissoring through, both up, stalemate.
Nana leading more loud chants. Excalibur congratulated Willow on winning the CMLL title. As Okada went to work, Swerve slipping behind, avoiding a corner charge, pivoting into a tejeiras, middle buckle elbow to the spine, stupid dance. Into the Rainmaker pose. Fun.
Okada eyed him like ‘Okay…’
Before they got to sluggin’. The Japanese offering his face, the champ faking him out to kick the gut but taking a flapjack and bailing outside. Where Okada hit a ddt on the mats.
Ads.
Back to a fistfight, Swerve ducking to nail a headbutt, Okada reeling, running into a Strickland corner boot but launching up into that dropkick with Strickland atop the buckle, knocking Swerve to the apron.
Where Okada sought a tombstone, Swerve fighting out, Okada landing in the ring, snapped across the top rope as Swerve launched himself back inside, flipping up into a flatliner, floating through into a brainbuster. For two.
Swerve up top, cut off, Okada raking the face, down into his air raid neckbreaker for a near fall, facials just incredible, selling the agony of the close count. Bodyslam, to the top, diving elbow, into the Rainmaker finger, Swerve capitalizing to roll him up for two, kipping up to avoid a lariat, flurry of strikes countered by a single Okada dropkick.
Both down. Really good sequence.
Swerve attacking the leg now, ducking through a lariat into a backbreaker, through into a powerslam from a powerbomb position, Stomp coming, avoided, Swerve snatched into a tombstone, Okada seeking a Rainmaker rather than a pin, Swerve countering up into a Stomp which looked more like a meteora. Fans really into these guys, possibly more than the two in the opener.
Crowd loud as Swerve threatened another Stomp. As the Bucks rushed in to cause the DQ amid heavy booing. Only expected a finish in one of these two matches, admittedly thought we’d get it here.
And again it serves a purpose in building Blood and Guts. Acclaimed out, getting the better until Perry came out. Bringing Briscoe. Big brawl around ringside, Briscoe nailing the Bucks via senton, laid out by Perry, laid out by Swerve, who is as over here as he’s been in months.
Just as he was left alone, Hangman’s music started. Perfect. One of my favorite moments of all time is when Bret’s music hit with Austin alone in the ring in the ‘97 Rumble, this had aspects of that.
Page to the apron, they stared, Hangman not happy when Okada attacked from behind, dragging Swerve outside, Page dragged off too on his side. That’s a nice tease. Security out, the Elite hiding behind it, presumably the Perry promo earlier didn’t air in the arena cause the fans went nuts when Darby’s music hit.
Security now forced to circle the Elite on both sides, as we wondered where Darby was. He was in fact in the ceiling, rappelling down with his arms out, like a madman. Huge pop, right into another big brawl, fans roaring.
Schiavone yelled about Blood and Guts next week, Excalibur wondered if Swerve and Darby could get along, Darby and Perry brawling wildly. Crazy end to the show.
Winner: Swerve Strickland by DQ
A phenomenal tv show. Another tighter, more focused one too. The opener itself meant the show couldn’t be bad. But they followed it with more excellent build and storytelling. Capped by a strong main event, the screwy ending of which had a purpose in building next week’s.
We can’t necessarily get action like this every week. We can get this level of focus and storytelling.
Next Dynamite:
Blood & Guts: Elite & Hangman vs Swerve, Mark Briscoe, the Acclaimed & Darby?
Jericho vs Suzuki (FTW title)
Check Out
Ospreay vs MJF
Like, everything, one of the best Dynamites maybe in years, maybe ever
Appreciate you reading. Hope you’re having a good week.
It’s a big night for AEW as the company celebrates 250 episodes of Dynamite live from the Simmons Bank Arena in Little Rock, Arkansas on TBS.
Kicking off Dynamite will be an AEW International title match between champion Will Ospreay against MJF. TBS and NJPW Strong Women’s champion Mercedes Mone puts her TBS title on the line against Nyla Rose, and main eventing the show will be a champion vs champion match featuring AEW World champion Swerve Strickland vs AEW Continental champion Kazuchika Okada.
Plus, Mariah May will speak following last week’s turn on Toni Storm and Chris Jericho will grace us with another TV Time segment.
Monday Night Raw this week drew 1,669,000 viewers, down 81,000 viewers from the prior week. Raw on Monday faced competition from the Home Run Derby game, which won the night.
Hourly ratings are not available as of press time, with cable ratings getting harder and harder to source out.
In 18-49, Raw drew a 0.56 rating, down 0.03 from the previous episode and it was the lowest number in a month. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
The trailer for season five of the massively popular game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has been published and it features a WWE crossover.
Playable starting on July 24, the WWE crossover will feature several WWE Superstars who are transformed into playable characters in the game.
The trailer features Rhea Ripley as a badass operator, first starting out with a sledgehammer and then getting her hands on an automatic weapon. Several wrestling moves are seen being used in the trailer, including the Cross Rhodes, elbow drop, the punt, etc.
Japanese legend Meiko Satomura announced that she will be participating in the upcoming WWE tour in Japan, wrestling all three dates.
Satomura, who is still under a WWE contract, has not wrestled for the company since March 7, 2023, losing to Roxanne Perez in a title match at NXT Roadblock. She was previously part of the NXT UK roster before NXT UK was closed down.
The former NXT UK Women’s champion will be teaming up with Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair to take on Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, and Kairi Sane in six-woman tag team matches.
The WWE tour in Japan kicks off on July 25 with a show in Osaka and then two back-to-back shows in Tokyo on July 26 and 27.
The pre-sale for the September 25 Dynamite: Grand Slam started on Ticketmaster.com using the code GEN8AEW to unlock the tickets.
Only a small portion of the Arthur Ashe Stadium is currently open for the pre-sale with prices starting from $55.70. Some ringside seats are priced $751.91 and $595.75.
Tickets go on sale to the general public tomorrow at 10AM ET.
AEW will tape a two-hour Collision after the live Dynamite, with the annual two-hour Rampage: Grand Slam seemingly not happening this year.
This will be the fourth Grand Slam at the home of the U.S. Open. The first show drew 20,000 fans, the second had just over 13,000 fans, and last year it drew 11,000.
AEW today announced a fan celebration event for All In weekend.
The All In Celebration will take place at Boxpark Wembley on Saturday, August 24 starting at 11AM till 3PM. Music, prize giveaways, All In merchandise, interviews, and 90 minutes of stage shows will be part of this event which will also be attended by several AEW stars.
Tickets for the show are priced £56.25 each and are available at Ticketmaster.co.uk.
All In will be held the following day at Wembley Stadium. AEW has sold just over 40,000 for the event so far, a number which will surely increase over the next few weeks.
The first match for The Great American Bash NXT special was announced last night with NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez taking on Thea Hail.
It is currently unknown on which night this match will air since the GAB is now over two nights, on July 30 and August 6.
During their in-ring segment, the champion said that she’s competing with the ones in the history books rather than those in the current NXT locker room, name-dropping Charlotte Flair.
Perez said that Flair made her first televised appearance 13 years ago and is now a 14-time champion and she will go on to break all her records.
Flair responded to Perez, telling she almost got it right since it’s been 11 years, and not 13.
“Keep doing your thing. We will meet in the ring one day—I’m sure of it,” Flair wrote.
Collision this past Saturday night drew 362,000 viewers, up 56,000 viewers from the prior week’s low going against Money in the Bank. The viewership was up despite the strong news coverage of the assassination attempt of President Trump. Collision drew a 0.14 rating in 18-49, up 0.06 from the prior week. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
It’s no longer a surprise to see UFC fighters make the leap from the Octagon to the squared circle. From Ken Shamrock and Matt Riddle to Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar, so many UFC fighters have enjoyed WWE success over the years. While sportsbooks like Borgata don’t offer WWE odds like they offer UFC odds (yet!), these MMA fighters have used stints in the WWE to beef up their resumes at some point during their respective careers.
There might be even more UFC fighters joining the WWE in the near future, too, since both organizations are now owned by the same company. Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. bought UFC and WWE in recent years and launched a new company called TKO Group Holdings to complete a $21 billion merger between the two powerhouse brands. It should lead to more synergy between them when it comes to sharing fighters.
This certainly isn’t the UFC Dana White signed up for back in 2001 when he first joined the MMA promotion company. But believe it or not, he’s in favor of UFC fighters taking their talents to the WWE when they want to do it. He was asked for his thoughts on UFC fighters jumping to the WWE after UFC heavyweight Derrick Lewis recently expressed an interest in launching a pro wrestling career.
“I would do anything for Derrick Lewis,” White said. “Listen, some of the fighters who fight here have always dreamed about doing a WWE match or whatever it is and I don’t have a problem with that.”
White hasn’t always been quite so keen on UFC fighters flirting with the idea of becoming WWE wrestlers. A quick “Dana White WWE” Google search reveals that he had problems with former WWE CEO Vince McMahon in the past and didn’t love the idea of UFC fighters finding their way to the WWE because of it. But even then, he acknowledged that he hasn’t ever stood in the way of these fighters pursuing their pro wrestling dreams.
“I didn’t have a problem with that when Vince was consistently f——- me for no reason,” White said, “and now that that’s not the case anymore, I, obviously, would absolutely [let UFC fighters take part in WWE matches].”
Don’t expect to see White himself standing in the middle of a WWE ring anytime soon, though. When you see Dana White, UFC is the first thing you associate him with, and he plans to keep it that way. He doesn’t have any interest in participating in WWE storylines himself, even as a special guest referee, and said his jumping to the WWE will “never happen.”
While it remains to be seen which other UFC fighters might join Lewis in trying to jump to the WWE, it’s worth noting that there have also been a bunch of WWE wrestlers who have leaped to the UFC. It’s another trend that could continue now that the UFC and WWE are more closely connected than ever before.
The Great American Bash will be a two-night affair on USA Network, with WWE announcing last night that both nights will air on SyFy.
Originally scheduled for August 6 only, The Great American Bash will now start a week before on July 30. With USA Network showing coverage of the 2024 Olympics, both nights will be on SyFy instead.
The 2020 and 2021 episodes of NXT’s version of the GAB were two nights, but then they went back to one night in 2022 and last year. Last year’s show was actually a premium live event from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas.
Tonight’s NXT is headlined with The Rascalz reunion for a six-man tag team match against Gallus which will be the first time in over four years that the trio of Zachary Wentz, Wes Lee, and Trey Miguel will be wrestling together.
This is also Wentz’s first match in NXT since he was fired two years ago, just days after winning the NXT Tag Team titles at Stand & Deliver with Lee.
Also on tonight’s show, Oba Femi puts the NXT North American title on the line against Duke Hudson, The O.C. take on OTM in a six-person mixed tag team match, Izzi Dame vs Tatum Paxley, and NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez will be in the house for a promo as well.
Attorneys for Janel Grant have filed a pre-action discovery petition in Connecticut court against Peak Wellness Inc. and its CEO, Dr. Carlon Colker as part of their civil lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE.
The petition requests medical records related to Grant who was treated several times at the clinic at the request of Vince McMahon. The petition alleges that Grant received IV treatments and unlabeled pills.
Her attorneys want all electronic medical records, billing, payment records related to their client, Peak Wellness Inc’s payment agreements with Vince McMahon and WWE, reasons why Grant prescribed treatments, and all communications between McMahon and Dr. Colcker related to her.
“On multiple visits, Dr. Colker prescribed Ms. Grant with ‘adrenal trays’ or ‘adrenal supplement trays,’ provided by his office and instructed her to take the unmarked pills daily,” the petition states. “Dr. Colker did not explain the substances, dosages, or purpose of the pills to Ms. Grant beyond purportedly addressing her symptoms of fatigue. When Ms. Grant asked Dr. Colker about the substance of the supplement trays, and specifically which substance(s) caused her to experience nausea, he responded with pushback about trust, including, ‘If you don’t trust me, we have bigger problems.'”
Rampage on Friday night on TNT drew 339,000 viewers, up 30,000 viewers from the prior week and the best number since May 18. The show had a 0.12 rating in 18-49, up 0.02 from the previous episode and was #7 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
