WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon underwent major spinal surgery last week. The news was broken by TMZ.
TMZ adds that McMahon was under the knife for over four hours and while the surgery was a success, McMahon is still recovering from the surgery.
McMahon was last seen at the Smackdown live television show from Madison Square Garden earlier this month and while he still barks orders remotely by forcing script changes, he hasn’t been present for live TV or premium live events.
It’s unclear how long the 77-year-old McMahon is out of commission for.
Duffy, Georgia, is gearing up to welcome back the characters of Heels for a second season, a season which arrives a bit later than usual following the end of the first season in 2021.
Starring Stephen Amell as Jack Spade and Alexander Ludwig as Ace Space in the leading roles, Heels is a story about a small, independent wrestling federation called the DWL run by two brothers and sometimes rivals.
Season one ended with a big plot twist. Both Spades wanted the title but in a swerve, it was Crystal Tyler, played by the excellent Kelli Berglund, who climbed the ladder to retrieve the championship.
The second season resumes right after the end of season one, while episode two pretty much kicks off the second season storyline.
One thing you will notice in season two is the effort to make women’s wrestling as important as the men’s. Season one lacked that effort, with only Crystal on the roster, but the second season adds a fan favorite – AJ “Lee” Mendez – who joins the cast as Elle Dorado.
Apart from Amell, Luwdwig, and Berglund, season two also stars Alison Luff (New Amsterdam) as Staci Spade, Mary McCormack (Deep Impact, The L Word) as Willie Day, Allen Maldonado (House Party, The Wonder Years, The Last O.G.) as Rooster Robbins, Chris Bauer (Gaslit, Survivor’s Remorse, and True Blood) as Wild Bill Hancock, Trey Tucker (The Outpost) as Bobby Pin, Robby Ramos (Chicago P.D.) as Diego Cottonmouth, Alice Barrett Mitchell (The Thing About Pam, Billions) as Carol Spade, and Roxton Garcia (Reminensce) as Thomas Spade, David James Elliot (Trumbo, JAG) as Tom Spade, and Joel Murray (Mad Men, Shameless) as Eddie Earl. CM Punk (Mayans, AEW) as Ricky Rabies, AJ Mendez (Women of Wrestling, WWE) as Elle Dorado, Josh Segarra (Scream VI, Arrow, The Other Two) as Brooks Rizzo, and Emmy Raver-Lampman as Jen Lussier.
Heels showrunner and executive producer Mike O’Malley (Survivor’s Remorse, Shameless) also portrays Charlie Gully on the series. Michael Waldron (executive producer of “Loki,” Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and producer for “Rick and Morty”) is the series creator. Christopher Donnelly (By Sidney Lumet), Pete Segal (Get Smart, 50 First Dates, Tommy Boy, Shameless), Patrick Walmsley (JT LeRoy), and Julie Yorn (Hell or High Water, White Boy Rick) also serve as executive producers on the series. “Heels” is produced through O’Malley Ink and LBI Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television for STARZ.
The second season will feature eight, one-hour episodes and will run through September 15, 2023.
This week’s Dynamite drew 898,000 viewers, down 45,000 viewers from the Blood & Guts episode. The drop was expected but it was still the best number since June 21 taking out last week. The show drew a 0.29 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.05 from last week and placed #2 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
One of the main events of Impact’s Emergence streaming special was announced last night as new Impact Knockouts champion Trinity will defend her title against former champion Deonna Purrazzo in a rematch from Slammiversary.
Emergence will take place live on Sunday, August 27 from Toronto, Canada on the same day as AEW’s All In show from London. The two will not be airing head-to-head as All In will be an early afternoon show in the United States while Emergence will start at 8PM ET.
The only other match announced so far is KUSHIDA, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Josh Alexander vs Bully Ray, Moose, Lio Rush, and Brian Myers in an eight-man tag team match.
Emergence will air on the Impact Plus streaming service as well as on FITE.TV.
Episode eight of season four of Dark Side of the Ring, featuring Bam Bam Bigelow, drew 185,000 viewers, up 7,000 viewers from the prior week. The show did a 0.05 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.01 from last week. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
WWE today announced that NXT No Mercy will take place live at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, California. on Saturday, September 30.
Tickets for the premium live event go on sale Friday, August 4 at 10AM PT axs.com. Exclusive pre-sale opportunities will be available beginning Wednesday, August 2 at 10AM PT. To learn more about registering for pre-sale opportunities, please visit: https://www.wwe.com/nxtnomercy-presale.
NXT No Mercy will stream live exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else. Additional information on the event will be announced in the coming weeks.
Easily my favorite-ever AEW champ is Jon Moxley. Because every promo was basically – ‘I love this title, you’ll have to kill me to take it’. It felt like something important that people should want. And FTR are in the same mould. Which is why the tag belts are the most interesting championship in the promotion right now.
Not that it’s a high bar, on which more in the Down section.
The match has a serious edge, the affronted champs taking exception to their challengers’ approach. Employing the always effective tactic of mixing in a little truth with fiction. (There’s little doubt FTR were genuinely not fans of the dance-off.)
And should be fantastic between the ropes while continuing the story of everyone warning Cole about Max.
Jericho & Callis
They continued to move the mystery along in suitably sycophantic style.
Jack Perry and the ECW vets
Perry was a tried-and-true heel here. Talking a big game until someone challenged him to back his words. And is getting a little more comfortable on the mic. It’s not an original thought but putting Anna Jay and a heavy with him would make his act seem bigger and perhaps give him some people to play off in his promos.
Cassidy vs Fox & Swerve vs Allin
Both provided good action, the former telling an in-ring story of a challenger very much the equal of the champ, usually a step ahead in fact, forcing the incumbent into resorting to squeaking a win via cradle. And an out-of-ring one about Fox betraying Darby’s trust.
Which continued into the latter when Fox caused Allin to lose. It was well-booked and logical. Though it too also features in the Down section.
DOWN
Cassidy vs Fox & Swerve vs Allin
Because TV time is a big investment which has to be used wisely. And AEW spent an awful lot of it last night on AR Fox, while a list of performers long enough to obliterate my word count waits in the wings. Big stars, potential stars, with promo skills to boot.
And tying another lower-card guy to Swerve is just cruel. It’s Hangman and the Dark Order all over again. And get Prince Nana off tv. What a goof.
Title Contenders
In the past twelve weeks (May-today) AEW have had eighteen title matches on Dynamite & Collision (bearing in mind Collision began six weeks ago) and two Eliminator matches (MJF/Cole & FTR/BCG).
Among these, only the latter Eliminator showed wrestlers actually winning their way to a championship match. A quick glance back at 2023’s pay-per-views shows that only Bryan Danielson truly did so by running Max’s gauntlet. And that applies to any title.
While on Rampage there’s yet another battle royal for a title shot – this time at the tag belts.
Part of what made FTR/Jay & Juice so special was that the heels had truly earned their opportunity by beating the champs the previous week in a hard-fought match. They felt justified in contending. A genuine threat. Meaning the match was more exciting because it was feasible either side could win.
Far too many of AEW’s ‘title matches’ are anything but. For fans to invest, they have to believe both sides might win. And feel like they’re ‘with’ a contender or title-holder as they build momentum. The easiest way to achieve this is to show both challenger and contender racking up wins.
Something AEW almost never does. Instead we see a bunch of open challenges, battle royals and favors. I.e. booking short-cuts. And arrive at pay-per-views feeling underwhelmed.
Britt vs Taya & the Women’s Division
It’s notable that Valkyrie had a much better match than this with the inexperienced Skye Blue on Saturday. Britt’s been wrestling since 2016, but still doesn’t guarantee a solid match on tv.
Which is a problem when she’s one of the division’s most popular performers and best talkers.
‘Book the Women’s Division Better’ read a sign in the crowd last night.
It’s certainly puzzling that popular performers like Shida and Riho absolutely disappear for months at a time. Not to mention current champions Storm and Statlander requiring ‘Missing’ posters and rewards.
As with the men, cutting back on titles would be a solution. Storm, Hayter, Willow, Taya, Shida, Riho, Statlander and Baker should be more than enough to give at least one of the titles some zip. (And of course Athena, who’s stuck having good matches for 10,000 subscribers.)
Perhaps some time on the less-rushed Saturday show could help?
What’s certain is that they need to put female performers out there who’re the same standard as the men. The division needs credibility. Good, solid matches every week would build a nice foundation.
Pac vs Gravity
Pac and gravity usually go together pretty well; Pac and Gravity do not.
Jericho and the JAS scrubs
AEW don’t seem to realize that fans need to be invested in performers in order to care about them. Via screentime, promo time and character development. So whyever they believed we’d be all ‘Woah, even Matt Menard’s pissed’ is puzzling.
Losing potential stars like Guevara & Garcia, or 6’5” MMA heavies from his stable is one thing, losing 2.0 is another. It was very hard to take this seriously.
Follow-up
This one will likely become a recurring theme.
Last week the company presented their annual Blood & Guts match. Featuring a minimum of five guys supposed to be among their biggest stars. And it got a one-minute video package last night.
The package didn’t explain what happened at the end, who won, or how. It just showed blood, gore and extreme moments. Ignoring the hooks of Moxley sacrificing the potential win to save his junior partner. Or of both sides shaking hands and showing respect after a hard-fought feud.
(Fans who only see what airs on tv might not even know the feud’s over. Scant reward for investing their time in it.)
Instead, we got a literal ‘to the back’ from Excalibur as the show moved on. As did the BCC. While none of the babyfaces were even present, their absences unexplained. And if it doesn’t matter that they’re not appearing, then they don’t matter.
We’ll leave things there, but this was a very badly booked show.
This Sunday’s NXT Great American Bash will have a special cold open narrated by none other than Cody Rhodes.
The Great American Bash holds a special place in the Rhodes family as it was Dusty who created the event in 1985 for Jim Crockett Promotions and from there on, it became a yearly WCW pay-per-view. It was only in 1993 and 1994 that WCW failed to produce a Great American Bash and then it kept going until the year 2000.
NXT adopted the name in 2020 as a television special on USA Network until this year it was announced as a standalone premium live event.
Reacting to the news that NXT would be using The Great American Bash name back in mid-2020, Cody, still an AEW EVP, said that the event means a lot to him and his sister and while he does not own the intellectual property rights for the name, he wasn’t holding a grudge over it.
During AEW’s Fyter Fest in July 2020, Cody sported a shirt with an exact replica of The Great American Bash logo but instead it had The American Nightmare Cody written on it.
A24, the company behind Von Erich family movie The Iron Claw, announced that the much-anticipated film will be released this Christmas. IMDB.COM lists the exact release date of December 22.
Written and directed by Sean Durkin, The Iron Claw follows “the story of the Von Erichs, a dynasty of wrestlers who made a great impact on the sport from the 1960s to the present day.”
The movie, with a budget of around $21 million, was filmed in Baton Rouge and features Jeremy Allen White as Kerry Von Erich, Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, and Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich.
Other notable names in the cast include MJF as Lance Von Erich, Aaron Dean Eisenberg as Ric Flair, Ryan Nemeth as Gino Hernandez, and Chavo Guerrero Jr as The Sheik Ed Farhat.
PWInsider.com is reporting that Scott Garland, the man formerly known as Scotty 2 Hotty in WWE, was at Dynamite this week working a tryout as a producer.
Garland occupied the position of a coach at the WWE Performance Center for six years, teaching the middle class at the state-of-the-art facility until he resigned in early 2022.
The former Tag Team champion is also doing coaching at AEW with a tryout which will last a few weeks.
This week’s NXT, with matches involving both Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley, drew 703,000 viewers, down 43,000 viewers from the prior week. It was the third most-watched NXT of 2023 so far. The show drew a 0.23 rating in 18-49, up 0.02 from the previous week and matches this year’s best number. (Ratings credit: Wrestlenomics)
The pre-sale for the big Dynamite: Grand Slam kicked off today at ticketmaster.com with the code 3XASHE.
AEW will have its third visit to Arthur Ashe Stadium, the home of the U.S. Open, on Wednesday, September 20 for a live Dynamite and tapings of Rampage as well. Tickets start from $30.95 all the way up to $597.95 for ringside.
Unlike previous years, not the whole stadium is being used and many sections remain closed for now. Depending on demand, additional sections will be opened to accommodate more fans.
Last year’s Dynamite: Grand Slam had 13,800 fans and the 2021 event, which was the first, debuted with 20,177 fans.
The general on-sale starts on Friday, July 28 at 10AM ET.
WWE and Nutrabolt, owner of the C4 brand, today announced an expansion to their multi-year partnership with the launch of their first-ever co-branded product collaboration: WWE-inspired flavors of C4 Ultimate Pre-Workout Powder and C4 Ultimate Energy Drink. The products will be available exclusively at GNC ahead of WWE SummerSlam in Detroit on Saturday, August 5.
Allowing consumers to unleash their ultimate undisputed performance, the C4 Ultimate Energy x WWE collection will consist of five special edition flavors and each product label will feature design inspiration drawn from WWE Championship titles.
“C4 has been an outstanding partner and we are excited about the launch of our first collaborative retail activation and extending our sponsorship work together. We believe the overlap between our audiences is strong and this multifaceted approach to our expanding partnership will unlock even more value for the WWE Universe,” said Craig Stimmel, WWE SVP, Head of Global Sales and Partnerships.
C4 Ultimate Energy Drink x WWE is the same supercharged formula with 300mg of caffeine that consumers love, but now available in two new flavors, Ruthless Raspberry and Berry Powerbomb. Without sugar or artificial colors, the new co-branded beverage will allow fans to work hard and play hard without ever missing a beat.
The new C4 Ultimate Pre-Workout Powder x WWE features an entirely new “ultimate heavyweight” formulation including 300mg of caffeine to unleash next-level energy for next-level workouts. Available in three new flavors — Pomegranate PileDriver, Bare Knuckle Blood Orange, and Nectarine Guava Knockout — the product features a superstar combination of premium ingredients like CarnoSyn(R) beta-alanine for peak performance; Velox(R), CitraPeak(R), and citrulline nitrate for increased nitric oxide production to get muscle-splitting pumps; and Brainberry(R) and TeaCrine(R) to elevate focus for mind-muscle connection.
“WWE fans have always been a huge crossover audience for C4, and we are pumped to step into the ring with WWE for our first ever co-branded product collaboration,” said Robert Zajac, Chief Marketing Officer at Nutrabolt. “This collaboration represents a natural expansion of our exciting partnership with WWE, one that we’re confident will take fans’ ‘work hard, play hard, train hard’ lifestyles to the next level. Just take it from Montez Ford, who said, ‘C4 and WWE go together like peanut butter and jelly’.”
To celebrate the launch, C4 is debuting the “Not Safe For Work” creative campaign that explores the right (and wrong) ways to consume C4 Ultimate Energy. Utilizing its WWE brand ambassadors — the newly debuted Seth “Freakin” Rollins, along with Bianca Belair and Street Profits — the brand supercharged the Superstars and unleashed them at the new WWE HQ to the dismay and delight of the heads-down staffers ahead of SummerSlam. The final creative lands a simple fact: this 300mg energy main eventer is not meant to be wasted at the office desk.
As the Official Energy Drink of SummerSlam, the new C4 Ultimate Energy x WWE co-branded drinks will be featured across the SummerSlam broadcast. Additionally, C4 and WWE will host a meet-and-greet on Friday, August 4 with WWE Superstars Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Rhea Ripley at the GNC at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Detroit, allowing fans the opportunity to sample the batch of new C4 Ultimate Energy drinks ahead of SummerSlam at Ford Field. C4 is also upping the ante by surprising the 36th person in each line with a pair of tickets to SummerSlam.
WWE and C4 first partnered in 2021, when WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, Montez Ford, and Bianca Belair joined the company’s growing roster of celebrities, trainers, and athletes to help expand C4’s mission of inspiring and maximizing human performance beyond the ring to everyday life through media, retail, and digital content. In addition, C4 has been a mainstay sponsor at some of WWE’s biggest annual premium live events, including SummerSlam, WrestleMania, and more.
The new C4 Ultimate x WWE products are available exclusively at GNC stores nationwide, online at GNC.com, and on cellucor.com.
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Impact Wrestling has announced a three-day tour in the United Kingdom set for October of this year. This will be the promotion’s first visit to the UK since 2018.
The tour starts on Thursday, October 26 at the O2 Academy in Glasgow, Scotland. On Friday, October 27 there’s a show at the Walker Activity Dome in Newcastle, England, and then another one on Saturday, October 28 at HMV Empire in Coventry, England.
“We are all so excited to come back to the UK with these action-packed shows,” said IMPACT Wrestling president Scott D’Amore. “The British fans have always been among our most loyal and passionate supporters and have been yearning for IMPACT’s return for many years now. What makes this tour even more special is that there are many stars on the IMPACT roster who these wonderful fans will now have the chance to see live and in-person for the first time ever.”
Tickets for all shows go on sale on Friday, August 4 at ImpactWrestling.com with tickets starting at just £35.
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the MVP Arena in Albany, NY. After last week drawing 953,000 & 0.34 in the 18-49 demo, the best since Feb.
*****
Orange Cassidy vs AR Fox (International Title)
Backstory: This title shot for Fox is a favor to Darby Allin
It feels like the story of Cassidy being broken down and on the verge of losing his title has lost steam the last few weeks. Facing a guy who never, ever wins doesn’t help.
They tried to justify it via a video package of Darby putting Fox over as giving him somewhere to live when he had no money. ‘If someone deserves a shot it’s AR Fox’ since without him there is no Darby. It might be a good reason to give the guy a contract, it might be a good reason to give the guy some sort of humanitarian award. It is absolutely not a reason to give someone a title shot.
Footage played of Cassidy coming out at the ROH ppv and inadvertently slugging Claudio. They are indeed continuing the ‘he’s beat up’ storyline.
Fox offered a handshake, Cassidy loosely and maybe dismissively accepted. Collar and elbow, rope break as Excalibur listed all of Cassidy’s injuries. Fox blocked the pockets and was booed. The crowd almost silent, individual shouts can be heard.
Cassidy deliberately botched a kip-up to laughs then worked the arm, Fox kipped up and cartwheeled free with ease. Snapmare into a body scissors, this one starting slowly considering the guys involved.
Cassidy kipped-up out of it, did his pockets routine, Fox blocked it all, landing on his feet out of an armdrag and countering a shotgun dropkick into a sunset flip for two. Then ducked and kipped-up again to avoid the Punch.
A frustrated Cassidy bailing outside, trying to bait Fox into a dive. Instead, Fox hit the apron then did a backflip moonsault off the ring-post to a literal ‘wow’ from yours truly.
Before returning to the ring, rolling through out-to-in looking for a suplex, Cassidy countered into stundog but taking a cutter off the buckle, trying a tornado ddt, Fox countering into a twisting brainbuster for two. Very nice start.
TiA chants already from the crowd as the first break beckons.
Backslide attempt from the champ, Fox searching too, Orange dropkick to the knee, Fox big boot in response, Cassidy returning the favor, the pair exchanging them like punches until both hit at the same time, a sequence with both ducking and dodging ended with both landing synchronized neckbreakers.
Cassidy Flair-flop to the apron, running Fox buckle to buckle, Fox avoiding a splash by darting to the apron, big plancha to the outside, senton off the top, two only, crowd loudly counting along.
Orange tope, tornado ddt back inside, Beach Break, 1, 2… kickout. Punch being readied, Cassidy sent atop the buckle instead for Lo Mein Pain (something like a leaping Spanish Fly) with Fox dragging Cassidy back to the mat for another close count. Then hitting the heights once more; Cassidy doing his patented role away.
Fox then hit an apron senton which looked very staged, Cassidy dragging himself into position right in front of the camera. Ddt through the ropes for another close call. To the top once more, Cassidy avoided a 450, magistral for two, another very practiced-looking sequence saw Orange anticipate Fox ducking the Punch and wrap him in the MouseTrap to bag the win.
Excalibur slipped in a ‘steamed hams’ reference since they were in Albany. Big props.
In short, very good with a couple overly staged looking sequences at the end. Fox then turned heel after Cassidy placed his shades on the vet, breaking them and hitting a lariat to Orange. Furious, Darby hit the ramp – ‘I put my name on you’ he yelled over and over. Calling what Fox did ‘embarrassing’.
Fox said it was a mistake. Still a little angry, Allin told him to get backstage.
This was actually pretty clever. Turning a ‘why this match’ into a nice story where Fox was setup as the ultimate nice guy and backed by Darby only to go heel. Assuming, as is always the caveat with this company, that it actually goes somewhere and he doesn’t disappear for a month.
Still doesn’t compensate for starting the show with this. Can’t see many casuals staying tuned to see if AR Fox grabs gold.
As Allin left too, you could hear something coming by the crowd noise: it was Mox, he dropped Orange with a Death Rider then left.
Winner: Orange Cassidy
Cut to a Blood & Guts recap. Which apparently went ten minutes long and was supposed to have Omega’s post-match promo and the handshake occur on tv.
*****
Renee with Jericho and Don Callis. Callis said all the speculation means they have to give the people something. So he’s setup a tag with Jericho partnering with Takeshita. Jericho was willing until Callis revealed it was against Daniel Garcia & Sammy Guevara. Callis said Jericho didn’t have to do it.
But Jericho agreed. After Callis mentioned that Jericho wanted his JAS partners to fly on their own and etc. Then unveiled a sickeningly sycophantic painting of he, Jericho and Bad News from their promo a few weeks back. The pair looking like Greek Gods.
*****
A video played of Hook sitting in a train station. He had the FTW title. A train went past, then he didn’t have it any longer. ‘Locomotive’ Jack Perry?
*****
Claudio and Yuta told kids at home not to play with fire. And the ‘kids’ in the locker room not to mess with the BCC. Mox returned to say that’s (ie what he did to Orange) what happens when anyone takes advantage of the Club when they’re not all together (ie what happened at the ROH ppv).
He threatened that Death Triangle were going to ‘get hurt’.
Absolutely all for BCC vs Death Triangle.
*****
Schiavone introduced Jack Perry. Again to an ill-fitting Beethoven’s Fifth. And a tight-fitting ‘I Beat Hook’ shirt. And orange shorts. Basically he was dressed for the beach. New FTW champ and blah blah.
He took the mic to say Hook couldn’t hang with the big boys. So he went home. He said that when he promised to win a title, he sure as hell wasn’t talking about the FTW one. It’s from a ‘second class company’ full of scumbags like the fans here in Albany.
‘As soon as I put my hands on it, it became the real deal. Because I’m the real deal.’ He’s the greatest wrestler ever to hold it. He addressed Taz to say he’d have beaten all the ECW guys.
Jerry Lynn hit the ramp to cut him off. To almost zero reaction. He said he and ECW paved the way for this generation. To ‘EC-Dub’ chants. ‘So go ahead keep runnin’ that mouth, you will get your ass kicked’.
Notable that a guy renowned for being great in the ring and poor on the mic outshone Perry with one line. Simple but effective.
Perry got in his face to ask who was going to do it. Lynn dropped the mic as if to say ‘me’. Perry backed down, saying he wasn’t dressed for a fight. Next week, ‘we’ll see who gets their ass kicked’.
Taz said that was the opposite of the ‘FTW mindset’.
Perry was largely good here, there were droning boos but not massive heat. He paused a couple times and whether true or not, it made it seem like he was thinking what came next.
I’m not against him feuding with a couple ECW guys to get some easy heat. It fits with the title and at least makes it have some purpose and seem a little different. Heels coming up with BS reasons to postpone fights is always fun.
It could be argued Perry should be doing something higher up the card but presumably they’re buying time till Hook returns.
*****
Renee with Britt Baker. She was a little surprised at getting called out by Taya. But she’s excited to face an opponent she truly respects. Cue Network tie-in: ‘Swim with the sharks, dragged to the deep end’. TBS is ‘The Britt Show’ – she did the ‘DMD’ fingers.
Show’s been good so far but god is it a sprint.
Pac vs Gravity
Backstory: ‘A veritable dream match’ per Ian Riccaboni
I’ll never complain about seeing the Geordie wrestle. But hopefully they actually explain to us who Gravity is. I’d at least heard of Vikingo before he faced Kenny Omega.
They finally made it clear that Pac had lost against Claudio. Gravity comes out in a NASA suit and pretends he’s walking on the moon. I’m immediately out.
Pac contrasted their physiques, took a swing and ate a quick dropkick. Another followed after a pointless Lucha springboard-for-the-sake-of-it. Gravity is Bandido’s younger brother apparently and played soccer. That’s about all we’re getting.
Shot to the face, another dropkick, Pac bailed outside. Then chased Gravity in and out of the ring until planting him with a dropkick through the ropes. Who’s the heel?
The import countered and flung Pac to the barricade then hit a powerslam on the outside and a stone splash from the middle rope. Then did more goofy moonwalking, though not the Michael Jackson kind.
Stone silence as we came back from break. BCC watching backstage.
Pac on top, paintbrushing Gravity in the corner until running into a boot, another, another, taking a cross body but coming back with a flurry of wicked kicks and a dropkick. These two might as well be in different businesses.
The Geordie snapped off an avalanche brainbuster, Brutalizer, instant tap. The crowd popped. Did not care a lick about Gravity. Even after Pac held on after the bell.
Pac backed a scared Gravity to the corner.
Not much of a match, didn’t last long, cold crowd and Pac sold too much. He should be considered a top guy or just below. They aren’t helping any of these Lucha guys by bringing in the next one before their priors have been established.
Winner: Pac
Renee with Cole and MJF after last week’s win. Max snatched the mic away as Cole was about to speak. To say that when FTR were his lackeys was the ‘Pinnacle’ of their careers. He made fun of Cash rocking a mullet. Then said Dax looked like Yosemite Sam and mimicked his promos and accent. Finally saying he’d hit him so hard he’d spit out Punk’s jockstrap.
Great line.
Cause ‘we’re better than you Bay Bay’.
Cole joining in then saying that it’s all become about friendship. And that Max has nothing to worry about when it comes to the world title. MJF’s becoming ‘one of my best friends’. MJF said he’s going to give Cole a rematch for the title, Cole asked if he was serious as Roderick Strong stormed in saying he saw the look in Max’s eyes.
Cole asked Max to leave so he could straighten out Strong. Cole said Strong is pushing him away and being possessive. Then did the same ‘boundaries’ thing he used to say to Max when he touched him.
Apparently Cole’s more of a fist-bumper than a hugger with his boys.
Still kinda baffled by all this as entertaining as some of it’s been. Does seem Strong might be going heel as it looked last week. And obviously Max is testing Cole. If Cole accepts the shot, MJF will take that as it being more important than their friendship and snap.
This technically fulfilled the ‘BtYBB will speak’ promise but is a bit naughty. Wouldn’t be best pleased if I’d bought a ticket to see them.
*****
Again from last week, Renee with FTR. Cash said he’s excited but feels bad cause Cole’s getting dragged into their mess. He likes and respects Cole but despises Max. Who’s a ‘generational ass kisser’. Everyone, including his fiancée, once they get to know Max, they leave him.
Dax said Cole has one win over him. And isn’t going to make it two. And thinks Max is making a mockery out of tag wrestling and the tag titles with their dance routines. ‘We’re gonna have a fight’. ‘I’m going to beat your ass is an understatement – I’m going to beat the s*** outta you’.
He apologized to his daughter for swearing. Cole too:
‘Sorry Adam, Top Guys… out’.
Excellent promo. Was already looking forward to that and now can’t wait.
Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland
Backstory: A long-running rivalry continued recently with Swerve costing Allin a match, defeating his protégé Nick Wayne and the pair being ever-present in a battle royal until Allin tossed Swerve
Nick Wayne joined Darby.
After cagily circling, they locked-up, Allin hammerlock, headlock, holding on after Swerve tried to use the ropes and a belly to back suplex to escape. And after being lifted over to the apron, finally releasing it only to basically slingblade back into it.
Swerve tried to fling Darby outside only for Allin to counter into a springboard armdrag, to the outside where Allin hit a code red. Rushing back inside to bag two. Then following Strickland back out, chop to the chest, hurling him into the steps then setting them up next to the apron.
Splash against the barricade, Swerve blocked a whip, sending Allin hurtling toward the steps, he leapt over them only for Strickland to use them as a launch pad to smack Allin with his heel kick.
Break.
Back to Swerve posing before catching Allin in his leaping flatliner, immediately flipping over so smoothly up into a suplex to bag two. Before looking to work over the arm, Allin kicked him away, catching Swerve in a sunset flip, the pair rolled in and out several times until a Last Supper got 2.9.
As Excalibur told us that this was the way Allin had beaten Swerve every time they’d met. And Allin blasted Strickland with his bullet tope, taking him down off the apron with it. Brutal.
Weak TiA chant from the crowd.
Flinging Swerve back in, the heel rolled back out the other side and walloped Darby mid tope with a leg lariat/leaping heel kick. Swerve to the top, Stomp ready, hit, two only. Allin upstairs now, cut off with a chop, Strickland joining him, Darby on his shoulders, countering into an avalanche stunner, Strickland spilling to the apron to avoid being pinned.
Allin to the top once more, crotched, Strickland again placed him on his shoulders, fireman’s carry this time. To hit a DVD off the top to the apron. Darby’s insane. Swerve’s not much brighter.
The count beginning, a guy in a blue hoodie dragged Allin out, flung him into the buckle (guessing AR Fox), JML Driver, win.
Yes it was AR Fox, he began stomping away after. Nick Wayne came in, throwing weak punches to Strickland until being battered by Fox, using Allin’s skateboard. Fox has joined the Mogul Embassy.
Scratch what I said earlier. I’m sick of them attaching rocks to Swerve. Though glad he got a win for once. AEW refs stay being dumb as hell.
Good match; bad finish.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Renee with the JAS scrubs – the girls and 2.0. As Jericho turned up and asked them into his dressing room to talk. Callis had put the painting up. Tay asked what was going on?
Parker took out the blade which doubles as his gimmick and entire character: ‘This means the world to me’ because Jericho had given it to him. He threatened to give it back but didn’t.
Anna said Jericho was being selfish. They spent all this time appreciating him and he didn’t appreciate them. So like Jake, they can’t give him 100%. Menard warned him ever so dramatically to ‘figure it out… fast’.
What a threat. However will Jericho survive?
Laughed so hard at so much of this; none of it was intended to be comedy. Tay’s acting was not good, partially caused by English not being her first language tbf. 2.0 were so dramatic. And it’s hard to sympathize with their complaints about them appreciating Jericho while he didn’t do the same for them. It’s kind of in the name guys.
If your characters are too stupid to realize that, I’m not going to sympathize with you. As Adam Cole might find out.
*****
Collision recap. Really focusing on Billy Gunn’s threatened retirement. This is up there with Flair and Shawn’s. I might cry.
You don’t do angles like this with non-legends. It cheapens the whole idea.
Britt Baker vs Taya Valkyrie
Backstory: Valkyrie challenged Baker on Collision
Defnitely concerned about Outcast stank here. Since Valkyrie called Skye Blue a ‘homegrown favorite’ or something to that effect on Saturday.
Otherwise actually a little intrigued, it seems ages since Britt was involved in anything even remotely interesting.
Valkyrie immediately showed he strength, smashing Britt face-first to the mat, waistlock takeover into a headlock, Britt countered into one of her own, ducked a clothesline, back to the headlock, crowd quiet, a few weak ‘DMD’ chants as Britt used the buckle to push off and maintain the headlock. Even holding on through a belly to back.
(This is two matches in a row working a ‘can’t shake the headlock’ start)
Valkryie finally freed herself by flinging Britt to the ropes and hitting a shoulder block. Baker slumped in the corner, Taya mocked the ‘DMD’ thing then charged her knees-first, we missed the impact since the cameras decided to film at shoulder height instead.
Dragging Britt center, she bagged two.
Slap to the chest, another, big lariat, another two. Shots to the face, Baker hit a kick to the shin, avoided a boot, caught out of a cazadora, cringey spot which was seemingly supposed to be a counter into Road to Valhalla but Britt just kind of fell/Taya dropped her.
Valkyrie throwing shots from the mount as the ads arrived.
Missing a charge in the corner, Taya missed a kick too, Baker got a cravate and drove knees to the face then flung her into the corner. Ripcord elbow strike, Taya kicked out at one. Slugfest in the middle. Really lacking intensity.
They avoided one another until Taya hit a roundhouse, Baker a thrust kick, Taya a knee strike and a weak lariat for another two. Baker got a boot up, caught into a Northern lights. Notha two.
Valkyrie looked for a leglock, Baker fought free, thrust kick, Panama Sunrise for two. Taya still down, glove out, ‘D-M-D’, Valkyrie fought back with a knee lift and a spear, Road to Valhalla ready, Baker fought out, nice counter swinging round into Lockjaw. Instant tap.
Not good. None of which was Taya’s fault.
They cut to the crowd, right to a sign saying ‘Book the Women’s Division Better’ and hastily cut away. How do they keep making these mistakes?
Winner: Britt Baker
They pushed Rampage, which has a tag team battle royal. Seriously…
Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs Lucha Bros vs Best Friends
Backstory: None
We all know which team are doing the honors here right?
BCC came out to Wild Thing and a babyface pop. As Excalibur finally mentioned the finish to last week’s Blood & Guts match. Too late.
With the BCC en route, the Bros looked for uno, dos, tres kicks and were sent outside. Where the BCC arrived to attack them until taking dives from the Friends, Mox choking Chuck up the ramp with his shirt. Looking to launch him off the stage. Taylor countered before leaping onto all of their opponents except Fenix.
Claudio now brawling with Taylor, flinging him to the steps as Trent and Mox fought on the ramp. Fenix and Claudio met in the ring, the others fighting outside. Big chop fight/slugfest, Claudio on top, backing Rey to the corner, he answered with a thrust kick as Claudio attacked, soaring armdag off the top, stomp after landing, Claudio down, Trent in to hit a fantastic-looking running knee strike to Rey.
Mox cutter to Trent, Taylor thrust kick to him, Penta thrust kick to Taylor, Claudio wiped him out via uppercut, he and Fenix left alone again. The Swiss avoided Fenix’ rebound kick, caught a thrust kick, flinging Rey back into the ropes and catching him in a pop-up uppercut for two.
The BCC now doubling up on Rey, the only three standing. ‘Moxley’ chants as we finally had a tag and he worked over Rey with shots and lariats, snap suplex, Claudio in, leg drop, two. Suplex being readied, he and Rey fighting and chopping once more until Fenix floated over, thrust kick, Trent tagged himself in.
Rules-wise, this thing is all over the place.
He took out Claudio with a right then ground-and-pounded Rey, using the latter’s chest to hit a tornado ddt to Castagnoli. Readying a knee strike, he was caught, fought free, Saito suplex, Claudio ending up outside where he blocked a tope via uppercut, tag to Mox, KKL, two with the leg hooked.
Ads.
Castagnoli took Trent up for a superplex, he was fought off, landing painfully on the ropes, Trent shotgun from the top, both down seeking tags. Mox in, Taylor too, big chops from the latter, whip, blocked, soul food, to the corner, leaping knee as Mox ran in, wild swing from Mox, Taylor behind for a German, Penta tagging himself in to a pop.
Slingblade, another, backstabber in the corner, pin broken at two by Trent. After patiently adhering to tag rules for five minutes, all six just decided to come back in now cause…
Leading to Claudio military pressing Trent into a Mox cutter, Fenix cross body off the top to take out the BCC, rolling under a lariat, thrust kicks from the Bros to the BCC, who responded with lariats to leave all four down.
As Taylor came back to roll-up Penta for two. All six again fighting until the Friends stumbled into the stupid hug. They flung the BCC into Bros backdrops to send them outside. Then hit piledrivers for two.
Before looking to whip the Bros into one another, Fenix leapt over his brother’s head to hit a kick to Trent, then the two transitioned into a heel hook and an armbreaker respectively, Made in Japan for two.
BCC back in, Claudio H&A to Chuck, Mox stomping away at Trent with the wrists captured. Claudio paused for ages readying a powerbomb. To allow Orange Cassidy’s music to play. He hit the ramp, laid out Yuta with one Punch (after all the wins and etc Yuta’s got, to just sacrifice him like that…).
Then got to fighting Moxley. Apparently there are no DQs since it’s a three way. Trent countered a Claudio powerbomb into a behind the back driver but wasn’t the legal man. So you can bring a vial of pneumonic plague to the ring but must remember who the legal man is after all six have been fighting for most of the match, got it.
Fenix kipped up to hit a thrust kick to Trent, Fear Factor from Penta, Fenix smothered Claudio to stop him blocking the pin and win.
Was looking forward to this but it was a messy scrap with confusing and irritating ‘rules’. Schiavone said it was an upset. Damn sure shouldn’t be.
Cassidy and Mox continued fighting after the bell, breaking down into a BCC/Best Friends scrap, the Bros wading into it too.
They announced Mox, Trent and Penta in a triple threat ‘Anything Goes’ match next week.
Andrade vs Buddy Matthews (Ladder match for Andrade’s mask, other HOB banned from arena)
Vikingo, Action Andretti & Darius Martin vs the Gunns & Juice Robinson
Next Dynamite (Episode 200):
Chris Jericho & Konosuke Takeshita vs Sammy Guevara & Daniel Garcia
Jack Perry ‘face-to-face’ with Jerry Lynn
Jon Moxley vs Penta vs Trent Beretta (Anything Goes)
More announced on Rampage
Thumbs Up/Down
Orange vs AR Fox
Darby vs Swerve
Perry/Lynn angle
FTR promo and build for the tag title match – Cole and Max were serious this week
Lucha Bros back on tv
*****
Can we please have a little break somewhere to digest any of the segments or matches?
Expecting us to care about the JAS scrubs in an attempt to add weight to Jericho’s decision
They didn’t even mention the big finish to last week’s B&G match – Mox sacrificing to save his partner Yuta. Nor the handshake and Omega’s promo to end the feud (maybe they briefly showed it in the package – if so, it’s not enough)
As usual, big stars (the Elite) were missing and weren’t even mentioned
Britt vs Taya
Pac vs Gravity
More detailed Up/Down coming later on Thursday.
Appreciate you reading. Keep blasting those summer tunes.
AEW will be looking to continue the momentum from last week’s Blood & Guts on tonight’s Dynamite live from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
Five matches have already been announced for the broadcast, including Orange Cassidy vs AR Fox for the AEW International title, PAC vs Gravity, Britt Baker vs Taya Valkyrie, Darby Allin vs Swerve Strickland, and Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli vs Lucha Bros vs Best Friends in a triple threat tag team match.
Plus, we’ll also hear from AEW World champion MJF and Adam Cole who last week won the Blind Eliminator tag team tournament.
The ABC network is promoting this Sunday’s Celebrity Family Feud episode featuring a total of 10 WWE Superstars.
Airing at 8PM ET, the episode will see Seth Rollins, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Dolph Ziggler teaming up to take on Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Alexa Bliss, Bayley, and Natalya.
This episode was taped in mid-April.
This is not the first time that WWE stars were part of the show. Last year both The Miz and Rey Mysterio were part of episode eight of season eight.
With just 10 days to go, SummerSlam 2023 has crossed the 45,000 ticket mark according to the ticket tracking service @WrestleTix.
The show was close to the 40,000 tickets sold in late May but then took a while to pick up steam, with now the count standing at 45,643 at Ford Field which has been set up for nearly 48,000 seats and could expand more.
WWE has a tendency to move thousands of tickets in the last few days for big stadium shows and if this follows the same trend, SummerSlam could reach over 50,000 tickets by August 5.
Last year’s attendance was at 48,449 at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
The NXT North American title will be on the line in a triple threat match this Sunday at The Great American Bash.
Originally scheduled to be Wes Lee versus Mustafa Ali, plans changed after Dominik Mysterio beat Lee in the main event of last week’s show to capture his first singles gold in WWE.
Mysterio, along with Ripley, were on NXT last night and were interrupted by both Lee and Ali who each demanded a match for the title. Eventually, after a few arguments, all agreed to a triple threat match for the title.
This was the seventh match added to the premium live event card, although one of those matches will be on the Kickoff show.
