WWE announced an April tour in the United Kingdom where they will visit England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for the usual post-WrestleMania trip.
The Raw brand will be performing on this tour which starts on Wednesday, April 17 at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England. On Thursday, April 18 it’s off to the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff, Wales. On Friday, April 19, it’s back to London, England at The O2 Arena, and then the tour wraps up on Saturday, April 20 at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
No on-sale ticket date has been announced apart from WWE saying that they will on sale soon.
Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh open tonight’s Monday Night Raw. While Rhea was going on and on, Sami Zayn comes out and interrupts her. Sami tells her he is sick of hearing her and listening to her talk about having all the power and running Monday Night Raw. Sami tells them if they are power his name is rebellion. Rhea then offered Sami a match against Damian Priest.
Dominik said let’s teach him a lesson right now and as they advanced toward Zayn, Ricochet came out.
Ricochet VS. Dominik Mysterio
As Ricochet went to the top rope, Rhea gets on the apron and distracted Ricochet, JD got on the apron and ducked a superkick from Ricochet, but Dominik pulls him in the ring and falls on his legs and puts his feet on the ropes to hold Ricochet for the 3 count.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
Alpha Academy VS. The Creed Brothers
Otis goes for a pin on Brutus, but Julius hits a shooting star press onto Otis and lays there for a moment that lets Gable do a moonsault on top of the pile. Meanwhile outside, Ivy Nile and Maxxine Dupri get into an argument and Tozawa tried to calm them down and Ivy back suplexes Tozawa on the floor.
Julius picked Otis up on his shoulders while Otis was climbing the ropes and Brutus hit the Brutus ball and Julius got the win.
Winners: The Creed Brothers
After the match all four men shook hands and raised each other’s arms.
In the back, Damian Priest and Finn Balor were talking and someone knocks on the door. It’s the New Day dressed like the Judgment Day saying trick or treat. Priest said he has a lot to concentrate on and wonders when did Rhea start making match decisions around here and Rhea says because Sami needed punished, and he is the punishment of the Judgment Day. Then they all fired each other up.
Miz TV is next with special guest Gunther. After announcing him a few times Kaiser and Vinci came out and told Miz he was what is wrong with WWE these days and Kaiser called him a clown. Miz then called Vinci a third wheel, Vinci asked Miz if he wasn’t his wife’s sidekick on Total Divas. Vinci and Kaiser started arguing a little bit and this caused Gunther to finally come out. Miz welcomed Gunther and told him to have a seat or not. Gunther says I am not your guest. Gunther said this ring is sacred and everything he does is beneath him and Miz is beneath him. Miz told Gunther that he interviewed an invisible John Cena in that seat that is more entertaining than you.
Miz then started listing his accomplishments. Miz said he was serious when he made the Intercontinental championship relevant again and he has no problem doing it again. Gunther has Kaiser smash a pumpkin with the Miz’s symbol on it. Miz then punched Kaiser and Gunther chopped him. Gunther then tells the Miz he is not in his league. Then Miz attacked Gunther, but Kaiser and Vinci pulled him off and got him out of the ring.
The Miz now yelling at Adam Pearce and Miz wants a championship match against Gunther and Pearce said he can’t just give him a chance, but he can earn a match against this guy and Bronson Reed walked in. Miz said I am getting the title match.
Johnny Gargano & Tommasso Ciampa (DIY) VS. Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci
Ciampa sends Kaiser out of the ring and then tags Gargano and double knee to Vinci for the win.
Winners: DIY
Shinsuke Nakamura asks for his next sacrifice and wants to know who it’s going to be or if he has to decide who its going to be.
Candace LeRae VS. Xia Li
The referee stopped the match after a spin kick knocked out Candice.
Winner: Xia Li
In the back Jey Uso and Sami Zayn talking about tonight’s match.
Jackie Redmond then came in and asked to talk to Jey and he said maybe Cody and he can get those tag titles back one more time then he is going to see how Rhea is feeling yeet!
Drew McIntyre talks about winning the title and defending the title during Covid. He says for Seth Rollins it’s just another title defense in a hall of fame career and Seth is willing to break his back to keep his title and he is willing to break Seth’s back to take it.
Seth Rollins comes out and talks about his match against Drew McIntyre and was attacked by JD McDonagh.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins VS. JD McDonagh
JD goes for a pedigree, but Seth reversed and gave him a pedigree then a stomp for the win.
Winner: Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Adam Pearce asked Ricochet if he wanted a chance for the Intercontinental Championship. Chelsea Green comes in and she is dressed like Bret Hart and Piper is dressed like Jim Neidhart. Chelsea walks away and Pearce turns, and Ivar and Valhalla were there and wanted to talk about an Intercontinental championship match for Ivar.
Natalya VS. Chelsea Green in a Trick or Street fight match
Chelsea picked a pumpkin up off the table and its Nikki Cross’ head from a hole in the table and scared Chelsea. While Natalya was distracted knocking Piper Niven off the apron. Chelsea caught Natalya with the unprettier for the win.
Winner: Chelsea Green
Damian Priest VS. Sami Zayn
During the match the rest of the Judgment Day come down to the ring and then Jey Uso comes out to help Sami and gives Priest a superkick causing the disqualification.
Winner by DQ: Damian Priest
After the match the Judgment Day attack Jey and Sami and Cody Rhodes comes out for the save. The rest of Judgment Day retreat but JD is caught with a Helluva kick then Cody was standing on the announce desk and Cody gave JD two crossroads on the table.
Cody then tells Priest that he didn’t get the job done because Cody got back up and he is back on his path and Saturday his path goes right through him.
On the eve of Halloween, hopefully Raw will not be a scary three-hour affair and continuing a recent trend, several matches have already been announced for tonight’s broadcast.
The WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins will be in action as he takes JD McDonagh who will be representing The Judgment Day. Fellow JD member Dominik Mysterio will also have a match as he takes on Ricochet in a non-title match.
The recently reunited DIY – Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa – will battle Imperium’s Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser and two women’s matches are set for the show, including Natalya vs Chelsea Green in a Trick or Street Fight and Candice LeRae vs Xia Li.
Superfan Vladimir Abouziede, whose documentary was released on the WWE Network this past weekend, issued a statement to PWInsider.com following the love and support he received after WWE finally made the doc available.
“I want to thank you all for watching my WWE movie Superfan. I want to thank Giancarlo and everyone who worked on the movie. I always wanted my story to be told,” Vladimir said. “I know a lot of people worked hard to finally release the movie and I thank everyone in WWE, the wrestlers in the movie and everyone backstage for making this happen.”
Born in Haiti, the popular fan who has been at ringside for over 1,000 WWE shows and nearly all WrestleManias, is well known with WWE Superstars and older fans and his long-awaited documentary has been well-received by viewers.
“I want to thank all of my friends who have been with me at wrestling over the years. You are all my brothers and I love you, especially Charlie, Mike and Jon. I am always so happy to take photos and talk with everyone at the shows, because we get to love wrestling together. Wrestling is magic and it cheers me up. Let’s love all wrestling and have fun,” he continued.
A big part of the documentary is also showcasing his love and relationship with his mother, who unfortunately passed away from COVID a few years ago.
“I miss my mom and I love her. More than anything else, I am so happy the world gets to know how much she did for me and my family. That is the most important thing. I love you Mom and I know you are proud of me,” Vladimir said.
In a 25-minute interview with Developmentally Speaking on YouTube, Shane McMahon’s son Declan said he’s the likeliest of the Vince McMahon grandkids to step in the ring.
Declan, who’s first WWE appearance came in the opening video of WrestleMania XX with his father and grandfather when he was still a newborn, said the story “is already written” as the “rightful heir and the good-looking” and the one who looks like Vince.
“We have such a great family and we’re all so supportive of each other,” Declan said. “So I think, I think really, any of us could potentially want to do it.”
He also added that his cousin Aurora, the oldest daughter of Triple H and Stephanie, has also talked about wanting to be a wrestler.
“But in having my dad and my grandpa’s ego, I think I’d be the best,” Declan said!
Declan, who is playing for the Indiana Hoosiers football team as a running back, appeared ringside at Fastlane with his teammates.
He also touched on his father’s rehab progress, saying that it’s going very well and he’s ahead of schedule after completely tearing his quad tendon off the bone at WrestleMania this year.
“My dad loves wrestling second to none. He truly cares for the business but not only for the business, he truly wants to just put on a show for the fans because the fans show him so much love and it’s so rewarding for a lot of those guys to just give to those fans who came to see them,” he said.
Alpha Academy’s open challenge for tonight’s Monday Night Raw has been answered by former NXT Tag Team champions The Creed Brothers.
This will be the first time that Julius and Brutus Creed will be wrestling on the main roster, with Julius responding to Chad Gable’s challenge on X. “Let’s have some fun,” he wrote, after noting they’ll be on Raw tonight and then on NXT tomorrow for the Tables, Ladders, and Scares match.
The two have been working for WWE since late 2020 after they were scouted boy Gerald Brisco at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Apart from being former NXT Tag Team champions, they also won the 2020 Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Tickets for the Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia will go on general sale on Friday, November 10 at 10AM AWST, with a pre-sale starting two days prior on Wednesday, November 8.
Fans can register for the early pre-sale by inputting their information at https://www.wwe.com/au2024-presale. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster.com.au.
Taking place at the Optus Stadium, Elimination Chamber will be the first WWE premium live event in Australia since 2018 and the only PLE in the Asia-Pacific region of 2024.
The Optus Stadium holds over 60,000 fans but will be configured for less as it’s likely that only a section of the stadium will be open unless ticket sales are encouraging to open the whole venue.
MJF and Kenny Omega closed Dynamite on air and even off air as the two shared a special moment in the ring after the TNT broadcast came to a close.
Sitting across each other, MJF said that several years ago when he started wrestling, he had his first match outside his training school and Kenny Omega was there and he saw his match and was kind enough to let him pick his brain afterward. MJF said that Omega didn’t have to do that because he was a “piss pot” back then but he did anyway and he will never forget it.
He noted that without The Bucks, Omega, Cody, and that mark Tony Khan, AEW wouldn’t exist, and therefore, this MJF wouldn’t have existed either. He said he still doesn’t know what to do come 2024 but when you have the opportunity to wrestle people like Kenny Omega, that might sway his decision a little bit.
MJF then handed the mic over to Kenny Omega and Omega put over MJF as the future of the company and someone who now not only broke his record as AEW champion, but one who will carry the ball farther than he ever did. He told MJF that he’s rooting for him to beat Jay White and reminded everyone that while time is not on his side, he will give his very best in every single match he’s on.
Bryan Danielson is looking at another couple of months on the sidelines after the American Dragon suffered a broken orbital bone during his tag team match this past Wednesday on Dynamite.
Danielson will be undergoing surgery to repair it and will be out of the upcoming Full Gear pay-per-view and also the Worlds End pay-per-view at the end of December, targeting an early 2024 return.
The former WWE champion took a Rainmaker clothesline and an Orange Punch towards the end of the match which left him down and requiring medical assistance by the ringside physicians.
Danielson returned to action early last month after he suffered a broken arm from his match against Okada at Forbidden Door in June.
TKO Chairman Vince McMahon and The Undertaker traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia yesterday for the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou boxing match.
The two also attended a glitzy pre-show event and McMahon later took a front row seat next to WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson and Eminem. McMahon was walking slowly and had to use a cane due to the recent back surgery.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, McMahon described Saudi Arabia as their “home” and “WWE’s home” and both he and Taker put over the Kingdom’s effort to bring sporting events and entertainment shows.
The reporter also asked Vince about the recent Dana White comments where White said that Vince tried to f*ck him over several times in the past, including giving him cheap seats for WrestleMania.
“Please, I don’t do business that way. I don’t bust anybody’s chops, unless they get in the way,” Vince said. “But Dana and I do get along very, very well. He’s really a good guy.”
McMahon continued to say that he and Dana are good business partners and when you’re a good businessman, you get along. The Undertaker chimed in and said it’s hilarious that both of them are working together now because they’re so similar.
With the merge of WWE and UFC under the TKO umbrella, Taker said that he’s now going to get a lot of good tickets for UFC events!
AEW Collision tonight comes to us from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. After last week drawing 518,000 & 0.16 in the 18-49 demo.
*****
The theme played while the intro video featured all the wrestlers appearing tonight, beginning by highlighting Omega and Max. Don’t know if that’s new or I’ve just missed it previously. Schiavone led comms. again alongside Kevin Kelly & Nigel McGuinness.
Jay White’s music started the show, he came out with the BCG & the BBB. The one that’ll be competed for later by two other wrestlers.
Jay White vs AR Fox
Backstory: NONE
The announcers painted Fox as on a redemption tour and they played a bunch of his highlights. Not optimal but better than usual for wrestlers fans might be unfamiliar with.
Collar and elbow, to the corner, White headlock takeover out, the announcers debated who the real world champ is – Nigel in favor of Jay. Kelly ran through White’s accomplishments as he stomped Fox in the corner. Chops following, Fox whipped to the opposite buckle, getting his feet up, cutter, turn-around enziguri sending White through the ropes, he then hit his run-the-buckle moonsault – never not graceful.
Back inside, White slipped out of a suplex and hit one of his own into the corner and ropes. Fox landed a chop, White asked for more then hit back: ducking a lariat, another stiff chop, whip, hiptoss, low chop, cover, barely one. An angry Fox asked White to bring it but was nailed with a running back elbow, crushed in the corner, ddt, nearly three.
Ads. White’s looking strong here, as he should. And the announcers are doing a nice job discussing the storyline issues including the Gunns trying to wear down MJF with that ROH tag match at Full Gear.
White still on top, more chops in the corner, Fox flurry, rights and kicks, big chop from White cut him off, White sent to the apron, Fox flipped away to avoid a senton before nailing the BCG with a tope con hiro then another onto White on the other side, fans up for that. Spinning suplex back inside, to the top, senton bomb, very near fall. Fans loud for that flurry. TiA.
They hyped and explained the Dynamite main event for Wednesday.
Slowing back down, Fox placed White atop the buckle, White kicked him away but Fox leapt up to drag him off with a Spanish fly, then missed off the top, right into a sleeper suplex, Blade Runner, 1, 2, 3.
Perfect. For most of the match, every time Fox got a flurry he was cut back down by White, finally had a brief comeback with lots of high spots but ultimately lost. Nice action too, building to a flurry at the crescendo.
As BCG were celebrating, MJF – dressed in black – tried to steal his belt back but was spotted and fled through the crowd. Who chanted for the champ. Like that he at least tried it. Awkward situation given that if he had got it back it would’ve negated the Dynamite main event.
Winner: Jay White
The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn backstage, who’ve been champs for ’62 days!’. Max was again banished to face the wall after being catfished by someone messaging him pretending to be MJF. They’ll celebrate 69 Days next Saturday.
*****
And I was immediately happy as Dalton Castle’s music brought us back to the ring. Unfortunately he left after bringing his Boys out. The Gunns stayed out there after the last match.
The Boys vs the Gunns
Backstory: NONE
The Boys sent Austin to the buckle, nailed an elbow in the corner, Austin slammed through one of the Boys then wailed on him in the Gunns’ corner. Colten in, Branden came in too and was flung right back out, 3:10 to Yuma to the other Boy.
This announcing is really good tonight, they keep pushing the main event and the main storylines.
Winner: the Gunns
Video package highlighting MJF & Omega. Max listed his own accomplishments and called tonight’s main event one of the biggest matches in wrestling history. If he beats Omega, that’ll solidify him as the best champ in company history. Omega said he’d have laughed at that notion in the past but now he’s not only protecting his record, he’s protecting his pride as the best. MJF is fully aware of how big this match is. They ended with Omega’s ‘three days bitch’ line from Dynamite.
This was superb. Exactly how you sell a match. So good that part of me is disappointed it isn’t on pay-per-view without the ads and with a clean finish (don’t think we’re getting one tonight).
*****
They repeated the same Danhausen package. He’s ‘very nice; very evil’ you know.
*****
Lexi Nair with Ryan Nemeth backstage. Nemeth bragged about all his new movies and tv shows. But wants to translate that into success in AEW. To do that he needs a top-level manager. So was outside CJ Perry’s office and tried to get a hug off Lexi who said ‘absolutely not’ and left. Nemeth knocked on the door, Miro answered and beat the crap out of him.
Between Nemeth trying for a hug with a reluctant female and Perry’s door listing her as ‘hot and flexible’, this seemed like something from the 1970s. Doesn’t say much for Perry that a bunch of lower-card talents want her as manager.
Hikaru Shida vs Abadon (‘Fright Night Fight’, Women’s Title)
Backstory: Abadon won a 4-way on Rampage
Abadon hope all ye who enter? I’ll get me coat…
Nice reaction for the champ. Silence as the match started. Abadon tried to bite Shida which didn’t help. Shida knocked her down with a shoulder thrust as a dueling chant played. Abadon nailed a flying headscissors then brought out a bone. Yes, a bone, to attack Shida with. Shida blocked it, hit ten punches in the corner, kicked Abadon away, missile dropkick, the challenger to the outside.
Where she disappeared, Shida looking for her but not checking the one place she might have disappeared to – under the ring. Abadon tried to drag Shida under, the crowd died again, Shida then looked around straight ahead of her again and Abadon appeared behind her again. That’s a nasty dose of DBS to bring the break.
The two fighting as we returned, headbutts vs rights, Shida nailed a leaping knee, firing up, broomstick out as the champ headed upstairs, she went for a stomp with the broom between her legs like she was flying on it. I laughed but she looked dumb when she missed.
Abadon brought a bat in, Shida ducked a shot and used it to choke her, the challenger freed herself and ignored all of Shida’s offence, popping up to hit a lariat for two. Then screaming. To apathy.
Rollup for another two, thrust kick, Shida sent head-first to the buckle, Abadon then poured candy out of a bucket – the fans booed ‘cause they thought it was thumbtacks. Abadon hit a blockbuster onto the candy for another two. They exchanged rollups, Abadon grabbed a pumpkin, Shida her kendo stick, she nailed Abadon in the head, hit her running knee for only two. Then grabbed a jack o’lantern to a massive pop, put it on Abadon and hit the Katana to win.
Willow needed to win that 4-way. Then be given a good fifteen minutes here to have an ass kicker; they needed to restore credibility quickly after that shambles on Dynamite. Yet they went with a gimmick cause it’s Halloween. On another week, they could’ve done this match, but not after that.
Toni Storm’s music interrupted the champ’s celebration, she acted weird and danced down the ramp in black and white. Then posed on the announcers’ desk. Schiavone was actively trying not to look at her ass right in front of him which was amusing. Shida just looked bemused which is about the right emotion. Lots of people love this Toni Storm character and I’ve enjoyed aspects of it. I’m just not sure why she’s getting a title shot based on creative p-in-p videos.
Winner: Hikaru Shida
FTR & Ricky Starks promo package. Dax has a lot of respect for Starks as a performer but not as a man. He’s going to beat him like he stole something. Starks said it took he and Bill one night to equal what took FTR years. Like the fact they’re doing promos for the match, which were solid.
*****
Keith Lee and Shane Taylor package. Feels like they’ve been building this for years.
Samoa Joe vs Rhett Titus
Backstory: NONE
Joe came out to his usual huge pop and the crowd chanting his name. Might be the most effective entrance in AEW. Bobby Cruise on ring announcing so even that’s creeping back in.
Titus got a few shots in, an angry Joe nailed a running back elbow, snapping jabs in the corner left Titus a puddle, before being squashed against the buckle, turn-around enziguri, Titus got a little offence so Joe could walk away from a cross bodu off the top, even checking his watch, crowd loved it.
He setup the Muscle Buster, Titus fought free, hit a couple kicks but ran into an STJoe then tapped to the Kokina Clutch. There are squashes and then there are Samoa Joe squashes.
The announcers again mentioned the 8-man on Dynamite and thought Max should be begging Joe to help him.
Winner: Samoa Joe
Recap of Rampage. Which is still featuring QTV. So if you don’t watch there’s your ‘I’m thankful for …’ sorted for Thanksgiving. You’re welcome.
Marshall banged on about defending whatever AAA title he has. And now wants to do that in AEW. No thanks. Very nice of you but we don’t want that.
Renee asked which luchadors in particular he wanted to face; QT wouldn’t say.
*****
Claudio promo – a furious one because Bryan Danielson has a broken orbital bone. He doesn’t know whether the Orange punch or the Rainmaker did it and he doesn’t care. He’s coming for Okada here or in Japan and ‘will make you pay’ (so that sounds like they’re hedging in case BD’s not ready for WrestleKingdom).
Orange he’ll take care of Wednesday Claudio knows what he himself is capable of and it even frightens him a little. ‘You hurt one of the Blackpool Combat Club and now I’m gonna hurt you’.
Beast of a promo. Looked the part; sounded the part.
The announcers sent their best wishes to Danielson so seems that’s legit. Well, except McGuinness who said Danielson could dress up as ‘Mr Glass’ for Halloween. Schiavone said BD needs surgery and will be out till ‘later this year’.
Dax Harwood vs Ricky Starks
Backstory: Starks and Big Bill took the tag belts from FTR
The heels held up the tag belts to mock FTR as the latter made their entrance. The lights went out before the match to almost zero reaction. Then came back up to reveal the House of Black in the crowd. Again to almost zero reaction other than a few barks. Overdone.
Stiff lockup, break in the corner, back to the middle, Starks slipped behind, Dax took him over, Starks fought out of a single-leg. Start again: lockup, corner, break, Starks ducked a wild swing, began working the arm, crowd almost silent, Dax nailed a shoulder block, leapfrog/duckdown, Starks popped up to land an armdrag, headlock takeover from Dax, maintaining the headlock on the mat, they kept cutting to the HOB in the crowd. Lot of wrestling so far, the pair evenly matched.
Starks landed a right hand and a pair of big chops, slap to the face, Dax hit back with hard chops in the corner, snap suplex for one. Scoop slam, Dax to the top, the announcers pushed limited ads for the main event as Dax missed a diving headbutt.
Starks hit his rope-strut axe handle then crushed Harwood’s head against the ropes with his leg, following with a legdrop on the apron. Kelly called him one of a kind and not ‘the next …’. Harwood tried to fight back, Starks kept fighting him off, after a Starks leapfrog Dax used the momentum to fling him outside but was trapped in the ringskirt after baseball sliding out. Starks then nailed a snap suplex on the ramp to bring the break, even saying ‘We’ll be right back’ to the cam.
Back to Dax seeking a superplex, hitting it, both down. Up at seven, Dax ducked wild swings, hit chops and rights, Starks rebounded off the ropes with a stiff lariat, Dax countered a double underhook – series of jabs, Starks countered a whip, Dax pulled him down into an inside cradle for two, O’Connor roll out of the corner for the same, big lariat off the ropes, Starks down, this is really good.
Starks slipped behind a suplex, tornado ddt off the ropes blocked; delayed brainbuster as Dax got two. Harwood missed a spear in the corner, nailing the post, Starks poised for his own, Dax nailed him with a knee as he came in and hit a piledriver. Bill pulled Dax out with the count at two, FTR got in the big man’s face, Dax ran back in to a Starks piledriver for the win. Said it before – don’t mind interference as much when it builds a match. And this did. It was also done clearly behind the ref’s back.
Kelly said this was the ‘door closing on FTR’ as far as a title shot. Schiavone wasn’t convinced.
The lights went down again, Julia Hart appeared on the ramp dressed as a clown, the lights went down again, the HOB were in the ring when they came back up. They and the champs were cornering FTR when La Faccion Ingobernables came out. They stared down FTR but it was a SWERVE BRO! LFI turned around, attacked the HOB and the tag champs fled up the ramp. The House also headed for the hills though walked r/t ran. The announcers talked about LFI and FTR being together in the ring like it was Rock/Hogan.
The first sub-par thing all night – the angle, not the match. Does anyone care about LFI?
Winner: Ricky Starks
Lexi with Andrade backstage. She referred to his interaction with CJ Perry (which you only saw if you watched BotB, they didn’t show it here). Sorry, ‘the hot and flexible CJ Perry’, seems that’s contractually obligated. Then asked about Andrade’s past with LFI. Andrade said he’s a businessman which means it’s ‘my business, nobody else(s)’. Lexi wasn’t sure what that meant.
At least they addressed the LFI thing.
*****
Lexi was now with Statlander, Willow and Skye Blue. Statlander addressed the other two and said they needed to sort their issues. Willow said there was a tension that kept growing between them and they should address this. Blue rolled her eyes for about a minute then said anything she has to say to Julia ‘is between her and I’.
None of that seemed to quite go together.
*****
Claudio Castagnoli vs Hotsauce Somebody
Backstory: NONE
Claudio’s music hit, he came out to a really big pop, marched to the ring, smashed Hotsauce with an elbow, hit a bunch of Rainmakers then an uppercut to win almost instantly. Then briefly applied the LeBell Lock. They’re clearly trying to push him into a top role since both Mox and Danielson are out.
Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
They pushed that the main event was next and showed the two warming up backstage. Samoa Joe appeared to offer MJF his help once more. In exchange for a title shot. Joe said he’d never, ever give him an ultimatum but if he needs a friend tonight just scream his name. ‘DANGERous opponent, I’ll keep my ears perked up.’ Joe’s amazing.
Fairly sure House of Black were supposed to be wrestling tonight but seems they’ve scrapped that.
Ads.
Kenny Omega vs MJF (AEW Title)
Backstory: MJF’s closing in on Omega’s longest ever reign, this is the latter’s last chance to protect it
Back to Omega’s music, he came out to a nice pop in some very flamboyant gear – black leather jacket, fluffy pink neck along the lines of Hogan’s feather boas and dark shades. JR joined on comms and they again mentioned the stakes – Omega’s record reign on the line. Max came out to another nice pop but don’t think either beat Claudio’s.
Dasha announced the competitors as they limbered up in opposite corners, lights down, crowd chanted along with Omega’s name, Max’s too. Little weird him being announced as the champ while they showed his bare waist.
McGuinness called this unquestionably the biggest match in show history. I rag on AEW for exaggerating. But that’s unquestionably the truth.
The two exchanged a little smack talk, crowd chanted ‘Holy S’, Nigel gave Omega the experience advantage, JR agreed, as MJF rolled free of an armlock. Kenny took Max down, stiff chinlock, Max immediately countered to a hammerlock, Omega took him down by the legs, Max countered back to an armbar, Omega floated over, both free, staring one-another down. Dueling chants through all of that.
MJF grabbed a headlock, whipped in, ducked elbows, Omega dropped down, Max strutted over the top and posed, Omega not happy. He cartwheeled to avoid a body drop, series of rapid takeovers – headlocks and legscissors – both kipped up simultaneously, Omega didn’t quite pull it off, crowd mostly forgave him. McGuinness did a nice job linking this in to the match by giving Max the edge so far (yes I’m aware I’m mentioning Nigel every other sentence, such a fanboy).
Max offered a hand and got the ‘sportsmanship’ chant going. JR said he didn’t believe him. Omega did, shook; Max poked the eye. Babyfaces really should’ve learned that by now. Omega elevated him over, Max splatted against the apron, Terminator clap, Terminator Dive, big cheer. JR really put Kenny over. Max then propelled himself into a leaping press which Omega only just got underneath as they were clearly a little off. Crowd chanted ‘Holy S’ again.
Big cross body off the top from Kenny, Max blocked a whip, Omega vaulted over as he charged, Max countered the usual rana into a stiff powerbomb-backbreaker. Tough landing. Two only.
Max grabbed a chinlock, crowd a little quiet for the first time, perhaps wondering if Omega was genuinely hurt. Omega to his feet, still in the hold, big rights, Max held on to snap Omega over onto his shoulder then nailed an elevated ddt. Omega slow to his feet, Max mocked Omega’s pose and made a masturbation motion. And paid for it: Omega avoided a charge, nailed a snapdragon – ‘IMPACT!’, yelled JR. (No Jim they’ve changed their name again.)
Polish hammer, spinning one blocked, Kenny slipped behind, Max slipped back behind him but took a dropkick to the knee, Kintaro Crusher, for two. Max down, Omega choking him with his own arms, Max to his feet, forcing Omega to the ropes, finally breaking on four. Omega ducked a cheapshot, lariat sending Max over the ropes, Kenny to the apron to springboard into a moonsault, leaving the champ down outside. Another ‘Holy S’ chant, crowd behind Omega.
Max back in, Kenny to the top, missile dropkick to the back of the neck. For two. You Can’t Escape, Max got his knees up on the moonsault. (Amazing Omega’s able to do that sequence with vertigo.) Max nailed a bodyslam, smacked Omega’s face against the buckle, ten punches in the corner, crowd counting along, he bit Kenny on ‘ten’.
Before snapping him by his arm into the corner, Kangaroo Kick coming, hit, big pop, ‘You don’t like this JR,’ stated Nigel; JR remained silent. Omega landed outside, crowd clapping, he ran back in to nail MJF with a kitchen sink to block the subsequent dive, off the shoulder neckbreaker across the knee, goodbye/goodnight, V Trigger coming, MJF slipped outside, Omega nailed a baseball slide and Max smacked against the announce desk. Omega pulled out a table on the other side, set it up, nailed Max with a shoulder to the gut from the apron, sunset flip back in, Max shifted weight, both got twos. Into an MJF backslide, same result, Omega popped up to nail a buckle bomb, Max popped out to hit a big lariat.
Both down, ref counting, near the ropes, the table setup below.
Max to the apron, Omega too firing rights, the champ fought back, Omega blasted him with a knee strike to leave him down. Then readied a snapdragon on the apron. And hit it. ‘He broke the man’s neck!’ yelled Schiavone. A wild-eyed Omega eyed the table, pulled Max up, gutwrench powerbomb off the apron through the table.
Ninety-second break. Which they really emphasized, even putting a clock up in the p-in-p.
Back to both still down outside, they’d spent the previous 90 being looked over by the docs. Kenny up first, Max scrambling up using the apron, both dragging themselves back inside, struggling to their feet, Omega in agony. Big right, Max stumbling before firing back with a chop, yay/yay as they exchanged blows, snapping rights from the challenger, on top now, he caught Max’s boot but also a poke to the eye but followed him into the ropes with a V Trigger; rolling elbow from MJF, things speeding up, both ducking and dodging as they ran the ropes until another V Trigger, OWA coming, Max poisonrana’d out, Omega hit one of his own, both down again, crowd loving this.
They’re mostly respectfully watching now but alive for the big moments – ‘Fight forever!’.
Still down, ref’s count at six – fans chanting along, Omega ran at Max who got an elbow up, stomp to the shoulder off the middle buckle, Omega rolled away to avoid Salt of the Earth, leaping knee, arms captured, Max flipped free to hit some sort of cool inverted driver out of a gutwrench for a very close count. Apologies for not knowing the name.
Max up first: shoulder breaker, thrust kick to the face, Omega countered a suplex into a spinning one of his own, piledriver, Max got his foot on the ropes at two.
Another ninety second break with the timer.
Back to Omega powerbombing Max against the barricade, Max grabbing his ribs, Omega removing the protective guard from the top of the barricade but settling for throwing Max back in after nearly being counted out.
Kenny to the top, Max down, stumbling up to crotch Omega, the champ smacking the mat to psyche himself up before meeting Omega upstairs and humping his face, you read that correctly. Omega responded by slipping underneath, dropping Max face-first against the buckle, V Trigger to the back of the head, snapdragon, roll through, another V Trigger, two slaps.
Champ still down, another V Trigger, another coming, hit, up on the shoulders, One Winged Angel coming – Don Callis hit the ramp and Kenny just dropped MJF to jaw with Callis for ages, Max snagged a rollup, Omega countered back, both got twos, another blistering V Trigger, again Max kicked out. Callis was thrown out, OWA coming again, Max rolled through, Omega countered back, Max countered back, all for two. Omega missed a V Trigger, ending up on the apron, Heatseeker, Omega shoulder up at 2.9.
TiA from the crowd, Max to the middle rope, Panama Sunrise coming, Omega blocked it by hooking the legs, pinning the shoulders, Max out at 2.999999999. So close the fans booed as it seemed like 3, Omega ran at Max who propelled him up, hit a superkick, Panama Sunrise hit, Heatseeker, 1, 2, 3.
This match’s only competition on Collision and possibly AEW tv all year is FTR vs Bullet Club Gold.
Joe was shown watching backstage. As was Wardlow. Max got to his feet, Omega remained down. Will Hobbs shown too watching on – like that, he shouldn’t have been left off tv this week and wasn’t. BCG watching too. All these guys in separate locations of course.
Omega finally struggled to his feet, Max held his hand out, Omega shook it, they hugged, big cheer, Max spoke to Kenny for a long time. They pushed the 8-man Weds for Max to get his belt back. Kenny as one of his partners? Probs be the Acclaimed but that’d be more interesting. Possibly even they partner him with three guys who want the belt?
Winner: MJF
I can be hard on AEW. Because I want them to succeed. On Wednesday I accused the company of hot-shotting Max vs Kenny. But the way hot-shotting can actually work is if you surround whatever the draw is with a hot show. And this was possibly the best two hours of television they’ve done all year. It was tight, crisp, well-structured, the announcers pushed the relevant feuds and matches, most things were explained in case you don’t follow everything. And most everything had a purpose.
Whether to give the #1 contender a convincing win, give the women’s champ a televised win, Joe a killer squash to keep his momentum, a heated match between Starks and Dax to keep that feud alive and continue Ricky’s ascent, or to emphasize how pissed off Claudio is and what he’s going to do to Orange Cassidy Wednesday. They even squeezed Wardlow and Will Hobbs onto the show amongst a bunch of guys who want the world title. Which was competed for in a thrilling match.
If this was hot-shotting, they got everything they could’ve out of it.
Collision is back tonight on TNT and will feature a huge match for the AEW World title as the main event.
Current AEW World champion MJF will be defending his title against former champion Kenny Omega, a match which was set up earlier this week on Dynamite. The AEW Women’s title is also on the line as champion Hikaru Shida takes on Abadon in a Fright Night Fight.
The only other match announced so far is Jay White taking on AR Fox and House of Black also return in action.
After showing up at the Lucha VaVOOM event in Los Angeles and wrestling in an impromptu match, Ronda Rousey has now been announced for the Wrestling Revolver: Unreal event on November 16.
The former WWE Raw and Smackdown Women’s champion quietly departed WWE in August of this year after putting over her friend Shayna Baszler at SummerSlam. It was her second stint with the promotion, a stint which perhaps wasn’t as successful as the first one.
Tickets for the Unreal event at the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat in Los Angeles go on sale on Monday, October 30 at RevolverTickets.com. The event will air live on FITE TV.
This week’s episode of Impact Wrestling on AXS TV drew 79,000 viewers, down 31,000 viewers from the prior week. The show drew a big 0.0 in the 18-49 demo, down 0.01 from the previous week. (Ratings credit: Wrestling Observer)
The long-awaited WWE Network documentary Superfan: The Story of Vladimir, has been finally released on Peacock and WWE Network.
Announced over two years ago during the weekend of WrestleMania 37, the documentary revolves around Vladimir Abouzeide, one of the biggest WWE fans ever who has been seen ringside at several events for over 30 years.
Superfan: The Story of Vladimir features interviews with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Jimmy Hart, WWE executive Bruce Prichard and others, along with footage which took over two years of filming.
Vladimir was recognized by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 37 and presented with a plaque and named WWE’s first Official Superfan.
The documentary was set to be released in the Summer of 2021 but faced several delays for some reason. The 37-minute production was also screened at the 2021 LA Shorts International Film Festival.
For the month of November to celebrate Veterans Day, WWE is offering complimentary tickets to all military veterans with a valid veteran ID at WWE live events.
“WWE is proud to support our nation’s military service members and veterans and has always offered active duty service members the opportunity to see a show as our guest,” a WWE post said. “In celebration of Veterans Day, this November, WWE is extending the complimentary ticket offer to include all veterans with a valid veteran ID.”
To find an upcoming WWE live event in your hometown, go to WWE.com.
The WWE Women’s title will be on the line at Crown Jewel next week as IYO SKY defends her gold against former champion Bianca Belair.
It was Belair who ended up being the victim of SKY’s Money In The Bank briefcase cash-in at SummerSlam a few months ago after Belair won the title from Asuka in a triple threat match which also involved Charlotte Flair.
Damage CTRL then took out Belair a week later in a backstage segment which kicked off Belair’s two-month disappearance from WWE television.
This will be the second women’s match at the Crown Jewel show. The WWE Women’s World title is also being defended in a fatal five-way match so at least seven WWE women will be featured on the card in Saudi Arabia.
Mark Briscoe returned to AEW last night during the Rampage broadcast after an absence of three months.
The former ROH Tag Team champion stormed out after Kip Sabian was in the ring cutting a promo and blasting the sports teams of Philadelphia. Briscoe’s music suddenly kicked in and he came out and took care of Sabian in the ring.
Briscoe suffered a knee injury in July a week before he was scheduled to take on Claudio Castagnoli for the ROH World title at the Death Before Dishonor ROH pay-per-view.
Prior to his injury, Briscoe was wrestling on both ROH and AEW shows.
Roman Reigns was making his way to the ring and LA Knight interrupted his entrance and walked right past him to the ring for the contract signing. Reigns and Paul Heyman stand there in amazement.
As Heyman gets in the ring he steals Knight’s seat and moves it to the head of the table and before Reigns gets in the ring Knight sits down in the seat.
Knight tells Reigns it’s time to sign the contract and sign that title away. Knight quickly signs the contract and slides it to Reigns and says here you go chief. Reigns starts out by saying hey idiot, you must be stupid. Reigns asked if he ever had a contract signing or even a championship match before. Reigns signs the contract.
Aldis said thank you gentlemen and good luck at Crown Jewel. When Roman gets up to leave, Knight stops him and tells him if he underestimates him because it’s his first time for the WWE Universal Championship, he is already beaten. As Knight continued, Reigns upset the table on Knight and began beating on Knight. Reigns runs Knight into the corner post and goes out and gets a table and sets it up in the ring.
As Reigns picks Knight up, Knight reverses and stomps Reigns down and Jimmy Uso comes in and attacked Knight. Both Reigns and Heyman tell Jimmy to get him, but it was Knight who slams Jimmy through the table.
The Street Profits VS. Carlito & Santos Escobar
With the match going on, Rey Mysterio was watching backstage and Logan Paul attacked Rey. Carlito ran to the back to help Rey, leaving Santos alone a blind tag by Dawkins who hits the Revelation with the help of Ford for the win.
Winners: The Street Profits
Heyman has one of the new NFL Green Bay Packers titles and tells Roman he is going to give it to LA Knight because that is the closest he would get to a WWE Title. Jimmy Uso comes in and falls on the couch and Reigns asked where he was, and Jimmy said trainers’ room and Reigns tells Jimmy he has to deal with it tonight and Jimmy says he is on the IR tonight and Reigns tells Heyman to make the match official.
Logan Paul was asked why he sucker punched Rey after showing him so much respect last week. Paul walked away from the interview and runs into Kevin Owens. Owens then turns and gets into an argument with Grayson Waller and Austin Theory and Owens tells them he wanted to punch them both in the face at once. After getting separated Owens comes back and decks both at once.
Dragon Lee was being interviewed when Cedric Alexander comes in and challenges him to a match tonight. Lee accepted and they shook hands.
Shotzi VS. Chelsea Green
Green hits Shotzi with a missile dropkick and then taunts the crowd and finally leans back to pin Shotzi but Shotzi rolled Green back and pinned her.
Winner: Shotzi
John Cena is out next to talk about his one-on-one match at Crown Jewel against Solo Sikoa. He says the energy tonight is special but it’s serious for him and it hasn’t been this serious for 20 years when WWE wanted to fire him. He said for the first time in 20 years he is worried about losing the fans’ support and respect. Cena says the only thing he can do is win and it’s a must see.
Paul Heyman comes out and he is out here for respect. Heyman thanked Cena for the last 20 years and Heyman said he was the one that picked him from OVW for Smackdown. Heyman tells Cena he is as great on the microphone as anyone ever has been. But Roman Reigns proved he is not the greatest of all time in the ring anymore. But he won’t win at Crown Jewel. He can’t win his must win match and Solo Sikoa came in and attacked Cena. Solo leaves Cena lying in the ring after a Samoan Spike.
LA Knight in the back tells Heyman he tells everyone to worry about messing with the Bloodline, but the Bloodline needs to start worrying about who they are messing with because he is going to pull Jimmy Uso around the ring later by his pigtails until he tells everyone who’s game this is. L.A. Knight Yeah.
Cedric Alexander VS. Dragon Lee
After several reversals Lee hits Alexander with an inverted DDT and gets the win.
Winner: Dragon Lee
After the match the men shook hands and Alexander raised Lee’s arm.
Bianca Belair is out to the ring next. She said while she was rehabbing her injury the only thing she could think of is what was she going to do to get back at Damage Control and it was a plan she took to Nick Aldis today and she is getting her rematch for the championship at Crown Jewel, but next week on Smackdown she will take out Bayley.
Jimmy Uso VS. LA Knight
Knight hits a superplex and then the BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
As Knight celebrated the win, Roman Reigns sneaks in the ring and goes for a spear but Knight moves and Reigns hits the turnbuckles instead. Reigns goes for a punch. Knight turned it into a BFT and leaves the Tribal Chief lying in the ring.
Friday Night Smackdown is moving to FS1 tonight due to the MLB coverage on FOX.
To counter on the bump back to cable, WWE is bringing Roman Reigns to the show where he will be involved in a contract signing in-ring segment with LA Knight ahead of their Undisputed WWE Universal title match at Crown Jewel.
There is only one match so far announced for the broadcast featuring The Street Profits taking on the LWO.
Tonight’s broadcast from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee is a double taping as WWE is also recording next week’s broadcast since most of its stars will be in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on Saturday.
It’s also supposed to be the last Smackdown for John Cena for the foreseeable future unless there was a new agreement to keep him beyond the announced dates.
