AEW Rampage tonight comes to us from the Ryan Center on Rhode Island, NY. After last week drawing 340,000 & a 0.10 in the 18-49 demo.
Against a lot of competition, that’s the lowest audience ever in the regular timeslot and ties the lowest demo. Tonight’s show doesn’t suggest much improvement in these areas but who knows…
*****
Hook vs Ethan Page, FTW Rules, FTW Title
Backstory: A rematch from Weds when Hook beat Page quickly after Hardy hit Page with the belt
This is anything goes per Page’s request.
Ethan jumped Hook early but was easily fought off as Hook grabbed a table. Shots to the gut followed, the youngster pursuing Page into the crowd, the two brawling up the stairs.
Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy were shown watching backstage.
The brawl continued for several minutes, this crowd already showing more energy than Wednesday’s did all night.
Still among the crowd, holding Page by the hair, Hook fired crossface shots, the fans counting along enthusiastically with every one; Hook seeming like a big star.
Break.
Just about back to ringside with Page well on top, the Canadian had time for an exchange with a front row fan. Really like this about Page, he often jaws with the fans at ringside, getting them involved.
The pause resulting in a T-Bone on the outside, Hook pulling more toys from beneath the ring. Page fired back, hoisting the youngster up for an Ego’s Edge through the table at ringside, Hook managed to slip out and drop Page via clothesline.
Page too saved himself from being tabled before hoisting Hook up atop his shoulders and giving the youngster wood via powerslam. The first pin of the match buying Page a two count.
Finally back in the ring, after propping another table against the buckle, Page hit a chairshot to the gut. But another backfired, Hook ducking and Page knocking himself loopy after the chair rebounded off the top rope. That’s just spectacular heel work.
Wobbling into a Twist of Fate onto the chair, allowing Hook a two count. But firing back with a pump kick, looking for the Ego’s Edge again, Hook clambering round into the Redrum to bag the win.
But he wasn’t done, pointing to the still-propped table and sending Page through it via T-Bone.
A fun opener very much made by a great crowd. Page was an excellent heel here, the beers should be on Hook tonight.
Winner: Hook
It’s time. Deep breath.
QT Marshall bought Hobbs a car because Wardlow’s too stupid to freeze his credit card. They then talked about the Lucha Bros, making fun of their style and ‘that flippy crap’.
Harley told them to ‘break a leg’. Marshall responded with ‘Who am I, Dante Martin?’
At least Dante doesn’t have to watch this garbage. It’s the mental scars that stay with us folks.
The Acclaimed & 2.0 vs the Infantry, Bobby Orlando & LSG
Backstory: 2.0 ignored the Acclaimed turning them down on Weds, is that because they’re dumb or do they have a plan?
An ‘interesting’ match was up next, per Excalibur. 2.0 got a full entrance and promo time on a show where few get either.
‘I don’t even know why we’re a team’ was Caster’s verdict in his rap.
This crowd is so much better than Wednesday’s. There’s actually energy and atmosphere.
A very quick Scissor Me Timbers looked set to lead to 4-way scissoring but the Acclaimed left 2.0 hanging. The Arrival & Mic Drop got the win.
Post-match, Hager took out Gunn & 2.0 clocked the Acclaimed. One of these teams was going to look dumb tonight, shame it was the babyfaces: the bottom-card heels getting the better of one of the hottest acts in the company.
Winner: The Acclaimed & 2.0
Swerve Strickland with a PSA. Mogul Affiliates has merged with someone, have to watch later to find out who. This better be good because Strickland’s too talented to be used this infrequently.
Darby Allin vs Lee Moriarty
Backstory: None
JR made fun of the name ‘Big Bill’ as the big man accompanied Moriarty. Then informed us Allin got run over by a car yesterday. Seriously. And is entering with an injured back.
Might not want to admit you’re letting him wrestle given the recent CM Punk revelation about working hurt.
Beginning with mat-work as Jungle Boy & Sammy were shown watching backstage, Moriarty bridged out of a choke before Darby bagged an early two via roll-up.
Fans very into Darby.
Re-setting, they locked up once more, Moriarty’s height and strength bringing the advantage until stomping-in Allin’s chest. Then sending him outside, going to work on the injured back until missing a running boot and colliding with the barricade.
After hurling Moriarty back inside, Allin was nailed by a Sizeable William big boot behind the ref’s back as the latter checked on Moriarty. For once, the interference was timed perfectly so as not to make the ref look a moron.
Break.
Blasting Moriarty with a shotgun dropkick, Allin stumbled to the top, being caught half-way and dragged back down after further distraction from BB prevented a Coffin Drop. Continuing to assault the back, Moriarty locked in a full nelson, transitioning into a release German then launching shots to the face.
Before dropping Darby gut-first across the ropes then booting him in the head. A superplex followed, Allin got a couple quick twos with flash pins but was snatched into an abdominal stretch, the two jostled in and out of holds, Allin got a backslide for two, code red, best tope in the biz to BB, to the top, Coffin Drop, victory.
Very nice finishing sequence as all four Pillars keep winning. Crowd here loved Darby.
*****
Following up on his promise, Swerve’s music hit with Darby on the ramp, distracting Allin long enough for Brian Cage to blast him with an F5 on the ramp. Prince Nana followed, shaking hands with Swerve. Don’t know why he has to be involved frankly. Like the idea of Cage as Strickland’s muscle and he as Cage’s mouthpiece.
A big – literally and figuratively – improvement on Trench & Wannabee Brock anyway.
Winner: Darby Allin
RJ City annoyingly recapped the Jade/Taya situation while sitting between the pair. Showing presence and charisma, Taya talked really well about legends using Jaded for years; Jade said bitch. Then stormed off. Taya said she’d be watching her match on BotB.
That’s one viewer anyway…
AEW must stop dressing up these glorified squabbles as ‘sit-downs’. They inevitably contain one question, then bickering, then they end.
*****
They played a video package highlighting the main event as if it were months in making.
After missing the first part due to technical issues (drink at home), Julia was really good here. Anna repeated what she said last week about having a ‘fat ass & a bad attitude’, calling Hart a ‘spooky bitch’ and threatening to choke people out.
Anna Jay vs Julia Hart
Backstory: Anna doesn’t like Julia for some reason, it wasn’t clear what that reason is
Julia also has one of the better entrances in AEW: her look, the music and lighting work perfectly to create a nice aura.
Anna attacked from behind before the bell so presumably she’s the heel here. It didn’t work – Hart beat her around ringside, introducing Jay to the barricade.
Jay threw an elbow strike then ran away, catching Julia re-entering. Hart quickly shook this off, hitting punches in the corner until being dropped neck-first across the top rope then dragged outside. The favor returned as Anna flung her into the barricade, bringing the break.
Back on top as we returned, Hart smashed Jay’s head into every turnbuckle, thrust kick to the knee, another to the face, then a sledgehammer buying a count of two. Standing moonsault for another.
But Anna caught her out of a handspring, up into the Queenslayer. Freeing herself by backing Anna to the buckle, Julia hit a handspring then a back elbow in the corner, setting Jay atop the buckle.
Jay fought back, leaving Hart upside down in a tree of woe position. From which she performed a sit-up to drag Anna off and hit a moonsault from the top for nearly three, screaming in frustration.
The two then looked for finishing holds: Julia for Hartless, Jay the Queenslayer, both blocking the other, ending when Hart ‘ran’ (slow motion would be too fast) them both out through the ropes as they spilled to the floor.
Hart threw a chair in, the ref stooping to remove it as she spat the black mist at Anna. An inside cradle followed for the win. Eerily, she sang along to her theme and smiled.
The right woman won here.
If I’ve seen Julia wrestle before, I don’t remember it. But considering her age she’s very impressive – athletic with a nice presence. The affiliation with the HOB and the entrance all helps. She just needs more seasoning in the ring, particularly where character’s concerned: as she wrestles like any other wrestler despite an unhinged, almost supernatural character in everything else she does.
Before she was finished celebrating, Orange Cassidy’s music hit to begin Battle of the Belts. Hart looked daggers at Cassidy: nice way to continue the feud with House of Black.
PWInsider.com is reporting that WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon is not in Portland for tonight’s Friday Night Smackdown on FOX.
The report states that McMahon made very minor changes to the original proposed script while reviewing it remotely and nothing major was changed unlike this past Monday on Raw.
PWInsider adds that there is a “wait and see” scenario backstage to see if Vince will resume being at television tapings while there are others who feel that he was only at Raw this past Monday because he was already in town.
Monday Night Raw was universally panned by fans for being one of the worst, if not the worst, Raw After Mania episodes ever.
McMahon has said that he will remain involved creatively only at a higher level, that is for the major storyline decisions, and won’t interfere in the rest.
It’s the Smackdown After Mania live tonight on FOX and hopefully it will be a better show than Raw After Mania!
Triple H is set to address the WWE Universe similar to what he did this past Monday on Raw. What will Triple H has to say this time around?
A few matches have been announced already including the main event of Sami Zayn vs Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio teams with Santos Escobar to take on Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest, and Imperium battle the Brawling Brutes in a six-man tag team match.
Rhea Ripley, the new Smackdown Women’s champion will also be on the show and there’s also a segment with the new Undisputed WWE Tag Team champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
Endeavor will be looking to merge certain operations when their merge with WWE is approved and President and COO Mark Shapiro has targeted as much as $100 million in savings.
That means that layoffs will be coming from both WWE and UFC’s side once this deal is done and dusted although for now, everything remains the same.
Shapiro said that when Endeavor took over the UFC, they saved $70 million in costs a year after it acquired it.
“Anything from H.R. to finance to legal to communications production to distribution and marketing,” Shapiro said of layoffs. “Across every area, you’re going to find cost synergies; you’re going to integrate and ultimately highlight and appoint the best and brightest teams.”
In an e-mail sent to all WWE employees by Vince McMahon, he noted that the transaction is expected to conclude later this year.
“In the meantime, it is business as usual here, and this news has no immediate impact on your day-to-day roles or responsibilities,” McMahon wrote.
In the same e-mail it was noted that Paul Levesque will continue in his role as WWE’s Chief Content Officer.
Episode two of season one of AEW: All Access drew 339,000 viewers, up 11,000 viewers from the prior week. The show did a 0.11 rating in the 18-49 demo, the same as episode one, and was #33 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Chelsea Green’s first WrestleMania adventure ended up being admitted to the hospital.
Green, who participated in her first WrestleMania match and also had her birthday, found herself in a hospital bed after a severe stomach bug and distended gall baller.
“I thought I celebrated my first Mania too hard,” Green wrote on Twitter. “Turns out I actually had a severe stomach bug & a distended gall bladder.”
She said the manager of the ER took really great care of her and she would not be filing any complaints this weekend!
Roku has green lighted a new original docuseries titled WWE: Recruits, executive produced by John Cena and A. Smith & Co. Productions.
WWE: Recruits follows a group of young men and women competing to earn one of the most sought-after titles in all of entertainment: WWE Superstar.
The eight-part docuseries invites viewers to experience the grueling training, personal triumphs, and life-changing moments of talented young men and women making their professional wrestling dreams a reality. Thousands of pro wrestling hopefuls will be narrowed down to an elite group of candidates going for the opportunity of a lifetime.
Cena will also appear in the docuseries, along with other legends and current Superstars Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Big E, Bianca Belair, Ric Flair, and many more celebrity guests.
“Millions around the world watch and dream of it, but only a handful of extraordinary individuals can become a WWE Superstar,” said John Cena. “I am so excited to bring ‘WWE: Recuits’ to The Roku Channel and look forward to giving viewers an exclusive all-access perspective on how the WWE turns the dreams of talented young people into a reality.”
Sean Boyle, Head of Adventure and Exploration Programming, Roku Originals, added, “Roku Original series ‘WWE: Recruits’ not only unpacks how the WWE transforms unknown athletes into world-renowned stars, but also invites audiences into the lives of an unforgettable group of young people chasing their ultimate dream. We could not be more excited to work with the icon himself, John Cena, as our executive producer and our outstanding partners, the WWE and A. Smith & Co Productions, to share the untold story of this high-stakes world.”
Arthur Smith, CEO & Chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions, said, “The journey begins here for the next generation of future WWE hopefuls to win a once-in-a-lifetime contract, giving them a platform to shine like never before. In our first time ever partnering with The Roku Channel and WWE, being the starmakers they are, ‘WWE: Recruits’ is set to be television at its best with the best.
Dynamite this week, hyped up for Tony Khan’s big announcement, did 877,000 viewers, up 44,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. The show did a 0.30 in the 18-49 demo, up 0.02 from last week and placed #6 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Triple H will be on Smackdown tomorrow night to address the WWE Universe according to a tweet by WWE.
The WWE Hall of Famer was also at the Raw After Mania a few days ago to reassure fans that WWE is going nowhere following the news that Endeavor Group purchased the controlling stake in the company.
As head of creative, Triple H has kept himself out of the limelight since taking over last July but now Vince McMahon is back making the final creative decisions so it will be interesting to see how this will work out moving forward.
PWInsider.com is reporting that AEW has hired Adam Hopkins, the former WWE Vice President of Communications. He has already started his new job and was backstage at Dynamite last week.
Hopkins departed WWE in January of this year and the reasons behind his departure remain unknown. He had worked for WWE for 25 years, starting in 1997 as a Fan Services Coordinator and then moving to Public Relations Coordinator in 2000. In 2004, he was promoted to Manager of Media Relations and three years later he rose up in ranks as Senior Manager of Public Relations and Corporate Communications. In 2012, Hopkins was appointed Director of Communications and then Senior Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications in 2019. In February of last year he was promoted to Vice President of Communications, a position he held until his departure.
Hopkins was very well-liked among the wrestling press and helped facilitate many interviews along the way.
New details have emerged of the Endeavor acquisition of WWE in a new story published by Puck.News.
According to Mark Shapiro, the President and COO of Endeavor, the put an official bid for WWE three weeks ago and Shapiro said that they didn’t know they had a confirmed deal until Saturday, the day of WrestleMania night one.
Shapiro and Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel met with WWE Chairman and CEO Nick Khan at the Raine Group offices in New York in mid-March and then a week later they visited the WWE corporate HQ to make one more pitch.
Liberty Media, the owners of Formula 1, were fighting with Endeavor for WWE’s control and Shapiro said it was “nip and tuck all the way” to the very end. The term sheet was signed on Saturday night, and Endeavor had won the battle.
The report states that Emanuel and McMahon, along with their team, hashed out the final terms of the deal at an executive suite at SoFi Stadium while Shapiro, who was set to attend WrestleMania, had to stay behind in New York with the lawyers to close the deal.
It was on Monday morning when Emanuel, McMahon, and Khan went to the Endeavor WME headquarters in Beverly Hills as they prepared to break the news to the media and analysts.
Up against heavy competition of coverage of the indictment of Donald Trump, NXT took a hit in the ratings, drawing just 555,000 viewers for the post-Stand & Deliver show, down 65,000 viewers from last week’s show. NXT did a 0.13 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.03 from last week and placed #42 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
A fan cosplaying as Big Boss Man was kicked out of SoFi Stadium on night two of WrestleMania when a security guard didn’t want to let him in for impersonating a police officer.
Decked in full Big Boss Man costume and a fake baton, Kevin Hunsperger recalled in a video on TikTok how fans and other people jumped to his defense when he was told he had to leave but the security didn’t want to hear any of it.
“Night one no problems at all, but night two a security guard got in my face just as we walked through the gates,” Hunsperger said. “And told me that because I had a patch from a sheriff’s department, which was from Georgia, on my sleeve, that I couldn’t come in.”
He removed his badge and was told he still couldn’t be in there.
“That wasn’t good enough,” he continued saying in his TikTok video. “The man stayed in my face and told me that I had to take the shirt off despite others: security guards, workers, fans telling him I was in cosplay, even had ‘Big Boss Man’ across my chest.”
Hunsperger was made to serve hard time by being forced back to his car, change in a regular t-shirt, and do the walk back to the stadium to enjoy the show.
The Top Guys are staying put in AEW as the duo of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler became the new AEW World Tag Team champions last night on Dynamite, defeating The Gunns in the main event of the show.
The stipulation was that if FTR lose the match, then they must depart All Elite Wrestling. The angle was played up to the Internet audience as FTR have their contracts coming up this month and Harwood was teasing the idea that they’re leaving the company.
Their win halts The Gunns’ reign after just 56 days after they beat The Acclaimed on an episode of Dynamite in February.
This marks FTR’s second reign with the titles. Their first one came in September 2020 after they beat Kenny Omega and Adam Page at All Out. They kept the titles for 63 days before losing them to The Young Bucks at Full Gear.
Former IWGP Heavyweight champion Jay White has, as expected, joined All Elite Wrestling.
White made his presence felt quickly on Dynamite, interrupting Ricky Starks’ entrance at the beginning of the show. Starks was supposed to have a match against Juice Robinson but that match never took place as White and Robinson beat up Starks. The two then hugged and hit the Blade Runner on Starks, a throwback to their NJPW days.
White lost a loser leaves Japan match at The New Beginning in Osaka in February against Hikuleo and. Then lost a loser leaves NJPW match against Eddie Kingston at the Battle in the Valley in San Jose.
Following his segment, AEW President Tony Khan tweeted that White is now All Elite.
AEW Dynamite tonight comes to us from the UBS Arena on Long Island, NY, home of my favorite beverage. After last week drawing 833,000 & a 0.28 in the 18-49 demo.
Tying the second-lowest viewership this year.
Poor Dante, man. Haven’t seen it; don’t want to. Sounds absolutely gruesome.
Also, thoughts to Kip & Penelope who revealed a miscarriage last year. No-one should have to go through that.
*****
Juice Robinson vs Ricky Starks
Backstory: Robinson attacked Starks a few weeks back and has been taunting him since
Excalibur reached immediately for hyperbole – describing this as ‘a huge grudge match’.
Starks out first to a nice response, the Bullet Club followed, only it wasn’t Juice. Half of 2.0 will need a new gimmick because the real Switchblade is All Elite!
Receiving a huge response from the crowd, White sprinted the aisle as Robinson attacked from behind. Leaving Starks laying, the two hugged, the crowd chanting ‘Holy S’. Blocking the Left Hand of God, Starks briefly fought back, it didn’t last, a BladeRunner Starks’ goodnight kiss.
Again, no messing around from AEW, right to a big angle to begin the show. Guess some will complain they didn’t get the promised match. A debut like this to continue and enhance the angle surely overrides such quibbles.
The commentators really talked up the signing of White, his impact and on ‘one of the biggest nights in AEW history’ to boot as they ran down the card.
Winner: No contest
Straight to a recap of Adam Cole’s return bout last week, including the friction with Jericho. Who was backstage with Schiavone. A very serious Jericho put over Cole – he returned, got the win, got the girl, the streamers, but it went ‘on, and on, and on’. As Daniel Garcia lay there beaten, making him look ‘a piece of trash’.
Keith Lee interrupted to say no-one disrespected others more than Jericho. He has respect for Cole, even if he doesn’t like him. Next week in Milwaukee, he promised to teach Jericho about respect as a shook Jericho backed away then slumped off without saying another word.
House of Black vs Best Friends & Orange Cassidy, Trios Titles
Backstory: Malakai/Brody & Best Friends fought to a no-contest Friday, then the champs beat-down their opposition tonight
Jay White’s already a company man, ensuring Orange Cassidy has the opening match on Dynamite.
The faces arrived courtesy of ‘Sue’ (Trent’s mum). Drawing a pop from the crowd and chants of ‘Sue’; groans from yours truly. Corny.
Beretta & Malakai kicked us off, wrestling on the mat, each targeting the arm, up into a fist fight, each now targeting the midsection until Black slipped behind to roll Trent up for two then popped up to eat a leaping double-knee strike. Taylor in, Malakai fought off both Friends then took Chuck to the HOB corner. Big Brody in.
Running through Chuck with shoulder blocks until missing a senton, eating an enziguri, tagging Matthews to a cheer from the crowd, quick mat-work between he and Taylor ending with a tag out to Cassidy.
As Excalibur announced the BCC would now be in action tonight.
Orange flung his shades; a pissed Matthews flew at him: standing switches, Cassidy running the ropes, looking for the tornado ddt until Matthews muscled him up into a crucifix and dropped him across the buckle.
More Matthews please.
King sent the Friends packing, the House went to work on Cassidy until a six-man brawl broke out. Cassidy elevated Malakai outside, got a boot up on Matthews, a hurracanrana sending Buddy outside as King crushed Trent against the rail with his running body splash.
Cassidy was then caught by the remainder of the House and dropped face-first against the apron; Trent too taking flight with the same result as he ate his neck-bump against the apron of the week.
Brody then wiped-out Beretta after the latter was launched up into a lariat.
After dispatching Black & Buddy outside, Orange ole’d Brody into suicide-diving onto his teammates, leaving the faces ruling the ring, Cassidy launched by the Friends onto all three as the BF’s hugged.
A triple-team chokeslam/powerbomb on Black bought a two count as La Faccion Ingobernables were shown watching at ringside – Rush, Vance, Dralistico.
(How do both the tag and trios scenes suddenly seem so empty?)
Starting with Cassidy missing the Punch, everyone took out everyone until Malakai avoided another Punch, Cassidy ducked Black Mass, standoff in the middle. Cassidy launched the kicks, Black simply booted him in the face. But saw a brainbuster countered into stundog millionaire, Trent up top, coming off with a dropkick to Buddy & Brody as Anna Jay was shown watching Julia Hart.
Black shook-off Beretta, fired a knee to the face but rebounded into a big lariat, a piledriver following, the vet popping up to catch Matthews off the top into another, until attempting a third on the Big Fella, the answer being no. At first.
A Taylor distraction and Orange Punch later, Brody was ripe to be piledriven, Malakai breaking the pin at two.
Until another Punch sent Black outside, Matthews rolled up for two as Chuck got a pair of close calls; Matthews blocked half-&-half, curb stomp, 1, 2, 3.
A slow starter which was really good for at least the last two-thirds. Nice to see Matthews getting some shine too.
The House posed with their belts.
Winner: House of Black
Christian Cage promo. The vet stared into the camera from a room bathed in red as Luchasaurus appeared through the mist.
Yay, the dinosaur with a master’s degree is back. The announcers wondered who their next targets would be. As the show transitioned ever so smoothly into:
Jamie Hayter vs Riho, Women’s Title
Backstory: None
Both women received a nice response from the crowd. Baker did join the champ, grabbing a pro-Hayter sign from the crowd as usual.
A Hayter handshake was a ruse, the champ looking immediately for Hayterade, Riho sliding behind to bag a quick two via roll-up. A flying headscissors and snapping hurracanrana got another two for the challenger, the pair then transitioning in and out of pinfalls.
Until Hayter took over: a right leaving Riho down, a pair of shoulder tackles continuing the assault, a third, a fourth, a loose cover seeing Riho bridging out (never not cool) to rush at the champ with a dropkick, sending Hayter outside.
Where Riho followed, coming off the top via cross body. Back inside, the challenger looked for the same again but was caught into a gutbuster for two.
Crowd quiet so far outside of an early Hayter chant.
Hayter thought belly-to-back, Riho slipped over, standing switch, Riho sent to the ropes, meeting the onrushing champ with a boot, sending her to the apron where Jamie avoided another, the pair looking for killer blows on the apron until Hayter struck via uranage.
Ooohs from the crowd as the ads arrived.
619 from Riho, to the top, cross body for two. Northern lights blocked, the challenger slipped behind to dump Jamie via German, dragon suplex followed, another two.
After a brief lull, Riho missed a diving footstomp, rolling through only to be snatched into an off-the-shoulder neckbreaker, a diving lariat followed as the champ came close to retaining.
Then deposited Riho on the buckle as a duelling chant played. Where she hit a superplex, rolling through up into an attempted brainbuster which Riho countered, spiking Jamie via pendulum ddt. Very nice sequence, the crowd warming to the match.
Both down, fighting up from their knees, Hayter easily getting the better of a fistfight, a lariat and high-stack bagging another two slaps of the mat. Before depositing Riho up-top once more, the challenger slumped but fighting back, slipping to the apron, still fighting until striking with a springboard hurracanrana which she made look oh so easy.
A brutal running knee strike followed, Riho collapsing into a cover as Hayter barely saved the belt with a foot on the ropes. Seeking another dragon suplex, Hayter blocked it, Riho ducked Hayterade, attempting a backslide from which Hayter muscled her up to blast her with her finish.
Riho kicked out! Got me there. Was ready to write it was all over.
Shrieking, a frustrated Hayter hauled her up for a second Hayterade to bag the win. Before bowing to and shaking the hand of her challenger.
This was good; Hayter’s had better. A fairly cold crowd didn’t help, they were into the big moves but otherwise disengaged.
Winner: Jamie Hayter
To the back! Renee was joined by the Outcasts. They sarcastically applauded Hayter’s win, warning her not to get too attached as one of them will take the belt away. Being good at her job, Renee pointed out that there was one title and three of them.
Saraya asked her to stop ‘stirring the pot’, they’ll ‘cross that bridge when we come to it’. Agreeing, Toni said the important thing was that Hayter not be the champ any longer.
There didn’t seem to be any disunity yet. It’d be really dumb if these girls were already infighting.
Continuing the shameless faction rip-offs, Saraya really peddled their new shirt a la HHH & Shawn after their mid-00s reunion.
*****
2.0 and Jake Hager were already on the stage as we panned to it. Menard did his usual wanna know what gets my nipples hard? thing. This week it was the fact that the Acclaimed are joining the JAS.
Boding poorly for the heels, the ex-champs zoomed right by them to carry out their customary rap. Quickly confirming this: ‘You want us to join, but we can’t though, Jericho is full of more s*** than George Santos.’
Taking the mic, Parker said it sounded like the Acclaimed wanted a fight…’together!’ So he’s got the four a match on Rampage, ‘because everybody loves the Jericho Appreciation Acclaimed Society.’
Billy Gunn interrupted as Parker was requesting a scissor. He and Bowens showed how it was done.
This’ lame as hell. It needs to end, quickly.
Doesn’t seem to be doing too much to damage the Acclaimed’s popularity though.
To give the company some credit, presumably the heels are trying to setup the Acclaimed for a beatdown after spurning them rather than being this stupid. Similarly, hopefully the Acclaimed won’t fall for it.
*****
They recapped Jay White’s debut.
*****
Before transitioning to a (deliberately) sappy clip of MJF getting the key to the city of Oyster Bay. With Max playing total babyface.
A live Big Band then played him to the ring. As he came out in a white tux to a nice pop but not an overwhelming one (suggesting this was either not a great crowd or not well mic’d).
Max then sang a song called Pennies from Heaven. The entire song. He’s a good singer but this is boring. Hopefully there’s a payoff.
Excalibur asked Taz to go warm-up the car as he finished. That was funny.
The crowd chanted ‘MJF’ as the Town Supervisor was introduced to loud boos. Max asked the crowd not to boo. If this guy is a real politician/civil-servant, he’s a pretty damn good performer.
As Taz said: ‘This Saladino’s got a future as a heel manager’. Without the insider lingo would’ve been nice though.
After giving Max an even bigger key, Max took the mic to ask for a ‘you deserve it’ chant. Noting that there are those who don’t deserve it. Like Sammy, Darby and Jungle Boy. The latter of whom’s only ever going to have a ‘girlfriend with a wandering eye and a tiny little penis.’
(They could do with explaining why Jungle Boy’s with the heelish Anna, even a very simple ‘she’s really hot and he can’t help himself’)
Max began to tell a story about his childhood and his ADHD. Actually getting an ‘A.D.D’ chant. Talking about an unsympathetic teacher who made fun of him, ‘Mrs Benedict’.
He paused to ask for the mic to be turned up, so perhaps that is a problem.
Everytime he drifted off in that class, he dreamed about wrestling. The teacher told him he’d never become one but now he’s the champ.
Then had a phenomenal line, addressing the kids of Long Island, who if they worked hard enough could be anything they wanna be, ‘except one thing…me’ (said with an RVD thumb and a s***-eating grin).
Before hitting his usual closing line. Or so it seemed. He asked if the crowd wanted to hear an encore as a guy hit the cymbals right behind his head. A guy whose face was covered. Leading to MJF snapping at him until Jungle Boy unmasked, brawling with Max on the ramp, the crowd totally behind the champ.
Until the pair were separated by security. Parted – fittingly enough – like the Red Sea, leaving the belt alone in the middle. As Sammy Guevara’s music hit to boo’s. He raised the belt high as the other two continued to be held back.
This was both way too long and proved MJF will be a spectacular babyface at some point.
If I wasn’t documenting it, I’d certainly have channel-hopped or checked my phone through the body of this. Most of which didn’t really serve a purpose. They could’ve easily done the song, asked for an encore, then gone to the angle.
Sammy Guevara vs Komander
Backstory: None
The above doubled as Guevara’s ring entrance. Continuing some very slick transitions from one segment to the next tonight. Nice production work.
Schiavone said he’d never been so glad to see Sammy.
No intro package for Komander such as that received by Vikingo. Know absolutely nothing about him other than he runs the ropes.
Wiping him out instantly, Guevara launched a running knee strike, the pair played peek-a-boo, sliding in and out of the ring until Sammy hit a (presumably beautiful – the crowd ooh’d, the cameras missed it) springboard moonsault.
Heading to the top, Sammy very obviously dived off intending to be caught via thrust kick, allowing Komander to fly – walking the ropes into an exquisite shooting star press. Sammy bailed outside, Komander walked the ropes from one buckle to the other before launching only to be hit with a thrust kick from Guevara.
Both down outside as the break beckoned.
Fighting up out of a chinlock, Komander fought free from a brainbuster to hit a tremendous springboard reverse-hurracanrana as Jack Perry was shown watching backstage – boos from the crowd.
Bagging two, Komander took to the ropes again, Guevara having headed outside, to hit another breathtaking dive which they caught with a very nice long shot, allowing us to see just how high he got. Still landed perfectly.
Sammy back inside, Komander to the top once more, Guevara avoided another shooting star but was booted off the apron, returning inside to be struck via phoenix splash for another two count.
Topside once again, Guevara got the knees up on yet another rope-walk dive, into the GTH, he paused to trash-talk, Komander rolled him up for two but was hit with a thrust kick.
A stangely slow sequence saw Sammy hit with an enziguri atop the buckle, leaving him perched there, Komander heading to the opposite buckle as Darby Allin was shown watching from the rafters.
As Komander was mid-point between the buckles, Guevara sprang, snatching him into a cutter, then hitting the GTH for the win.
While there were some spectacular dives and moves here, didn’t like this much.
During Komander’s previous appearance in the ladder match, I wondered if there was anything else outside of rope-walking. The answer appears to be no. If this is all he’s got, the act’ll get tired quickly.
Reflected by the crowd-reaction diminishing each time he did it.
And while he’s a heel, out of all the challengers Guevara’s the most in need of credible wins leading up to a presumed title shot. Shown by Excalibur really trying to put over his back-to-back wins tonight and last Friday. And here, he was overrun for the majority of the match.
Joining Sammy in the ring, Schiavone said he should be in line for a title shot. Snatching the mic, Guevara said he’d done what MJF never does – wrestle – then claimed he had Max ‘beat’ during their last match together until Shawn Spears clocked him with a chair.
Max’s ‘pillar’ wasn’t built by him, but by the people he used to get here. Continuing Jungle Boy’s theme from last week, Guevara said at least he was true to himself. But who is Max? Running through all the alliances MJF’s been a part of, saying he sold his soul to get where he got.
Guevara then talked about building himself up match-by-match, pouring his heart and soul into what he does – ‘I love AEW’ – he’s not using it to get anywhere else. Finishing by saying screw the other three, he’ll be the AEW champion.
An irritated Max was shown backstage.
This was not a good segment. The crowd couldn’t have cared less about Guevara. It was a wandering promo. And that’s before getting into the total mixed messaging of smug, smarmy heel playing company-first, hard-working babyface.
Though at least the three potential opponents are reiterating their commitment to the company.
Winner: Sammy Guevara
Ethan Page vs Hook, FTW Title
Backstory: Hook took out the Firm’s Stokely Hathaway; Matt Hardy manipulated Page into believing he can avenge his manager
The pair jockeyed for a bit until Page ate a T-Bone. Bailing outside, he baited Hook into following, then flung him into the steps and ringpost. Then prepared a Twist of Fate, saying it was for Matt. Hook countered into one of his own.
Isiah Kassidy took the ref, Matt grabbed the FTW belt away from Page, drilling him with it, the ref still distracted, into Redrum as this ended quickly.
Hardy’s ‘Delete!’ drew more response from these fans than most things all night.
Hook dapped-up Hardy & Isiah as the three left.
Winner: Hook
Backstage to the newly signed Nigel McGuinness, with Tony Khan. McGuinness said there were moments in his career where what seemed ‘impossible’ actually happened. What Khan was about to announce is one such moment.
Khan said that five years ago, the Bucks, Kenny & Cody had put on a show called ‘All-In’. Now, five years later, AEW will debut in London for another All-In on August 27th. He then brought in his official spokesman Adam Cole to announce it’ll be at Wembley Stadium.
The crowd in the arena sighed.
So this was the usual miserable anti-climax. ‘Huge’ and ‘Very important’ announcements are designed to attract fans who don’t always watch the show. The expectation being a big return or debut. This didn’t even come close.
They could’ve very easily advertised this as a ‘big update on our UK debut’.
Overpromising and underdelivering on a regular basis is a surefire way to turn-off customers.
For those who might not know, Wembley’s capacity runs at least 70,000.
Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta & Claudio Castagnoli vs
Backstory: None
Bryan Danielson accompanied the rest of the BCC to the ring to the strains of Wild Thing. At no point were their opponents named:
‘These three young men’.
This was over quickly and still went too long. One of the ‘young men’ tapping to a Yuta crossface.
Continuing the beating afterward, Danielson got the mic, saying he loves his family, but also loves the other three in the BCC, ‘even if (Wheeler’s) a little s***head’. And he loves professional wrestling.
The guys they just beat look like people the ‘EVP’s might’ve hired’ (do enough people know what that refers to?). And the BCC look like the only pro wrestlers in the building.
As Hangman’s music hit to a nice pop. Storming to the ring solo, Danielson called him ‘another amateur’ as Page threw himself at all four and was immediately beaten down. BD continued to call him an amateur and the other BCC guys professionals. Reiterating that he loves these men but nobody loves Page.
So nobody’s coming to save him. And nobody did.
A few ‘CM Punk’ chants played in the crowd. Presumably ironically. As Danielson pulled out a screwdriver, then became the 1000th wrestler to say AEW needs fixing, ‘from all these amateurs’. Repeating the word over and over as Mox held Page in place.
BD gouged Page’s face with the screwdriver then ranted more about ‘amateurs’.
A good attempt to ruin a hot angle. The crowd again barely cared. In fairness, they’d had little to excite them in quite some time.
Winner: BCC
The Gunns vs FTR, Tag Titles
Backstory: If FTR lose, they’re done in AEW
Did you know that in tonight’s main event two very popular wrestlers, former tag champs in fact, might be forced to leave AEW if they lose? If not, it’d be understandable, because this has had almost zero focus all night.
Loud ‘FTR’ chant, at least by this crowd’s standards. The Gunns came out to 50 Cent’s Many Men, which much of the crowd chanted along with, the cool entrance a very strange way to introduce heels.
Excalibur put across how ‘cold’ FTR are amid their recent record of bad losses.
Wheeler and Colten kicked things off until Cash paintbrushed the youngster. But ate a shoulder charge, then another until hurling his shoulder at Colten’s gut, launching uppercuts until tagging Dax. Who got the first one-count all night after nice double-teaming.
Leaving Cash back in as the legal man. A woozy Colten ducked outside but ate a baseball slide until Wheeler was dropkicked off the apron after Austin grabbed his foot. After which the Gunns ran through him with a lariat/rising-knee combo.
Quick tags in and out by the heels; Cash in the wrong corner.
Briefly fighting back, he reached desperately for the tag but was cut off, eating a Rock Bottom as the ads arrived.
Returning just in time, Cash finally got the tag, Dax in to snap-off jabs, throw fists and line up uppercuts on both Gunns. Ten of the best in the corner for Colten before Harwood leapt off onto Austin via cross body, into more shots to the face.
A Manhattan drop and short-arm clothesline taking care of Colten, he again went after Austin, a second short-arm missing, Austin looking for a leglock, Dax fighting it off several times then bagging two via inside cradle.
You certainly wouldn’t know FTR might be leaving judging by this crowd. Who remain almost silent.
Looking for a bodyslam, Austin was intercepted by a dropkick off the top from Wheeler, allowing Dax to bag another two count. This do-or-die match so important they ran through both of Friday’s cards as FTR’s fate hung in the balance.
A blind tag brought Dax in, spike piledriver, Austin kicked out. Readying the Big Rig, Colten broke it up, the Gunns looked for their own which Cash disrupted, into the Shatter Machine as Excalibur called it, Colten blatantly interrupted the pin from the outside, seeking a DQ.
Paul Turner allowed the match to continue as Colten flung Cash into the ringpost. Then collided with Dax from the apron, allowing Austin to bag a two count. Waving bye-bye, Austin readied a Pedigree, even mimicking HHH; Dax freed himself to get two via backslide.
Until Austin hit a deliberate low blow right in front of the ref in another attempt to get a DQ (was it ever stated that FTR must win the titles to keep their jobs? All I remember is that they have to win the match).
Cash stopped the ref calling for the DQ then ate the Gunns’ 3:10 to Yuma. Dax fought-off Austin, the ref intercepted the first belt being thrown in but not the second, Austin striking Dax with it as he came off the top via diving headbutt. Only for Dax to kick out, the crowd finally awake, albeit briefly.
The Gunns stood over Harwood as he spat up at both, fought out of the 3:10 to Yuma; both of FTR got sunset flips to pin both Gunns at the same time.
Started decently before the break, thereafter just a mess of ridiculous booking. The crowd groaning at the company possibly allowing a BS finish is not the same as heel heat.
Tony Khan’s big announcement was actually big this time around as it was revealed that AEW All In will take place at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 27.
This will be the company’s first stadium show and the first time that they’re using the name All In, the same name of the show that Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega used for their indie show in Chicago. It’s also the first wrestling show at the new Wembley Stadium.
The word pay-per-view was missing from the press release so it’s unknown how or where the show will air.
Effective immediately, fans in the UK can pre-register for early access to event tickets at ticketmaster.co.uk/AEW/Wembley. Tickets for All In go on sale on Friday, May 5 on Ticketmaster.co.uk and LiveNation.co.uk.
“The UK is one of the most important markets in professional wrestling, and AEW is coming in hot as the number one wrestling company in the UK on television,” said Tony Khan. “We want our debut in London to be epic in scale, and there’s no better venue than Wembley Stadium to deliver what I know will be one of the greatest events in AEW’s history. This April also marks 100 years of Warner Bros. and 100 years of Wembley Stadium – it’s a fitting time to come together for ‘AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium.'”
AEW Dynamite returns to the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York tonight for a big show headlined by FTR’s career match and Tony Khan’s big announcement.
FTR will take on The Gunns for the AEW World Tag Team titles but if FTR loses the match, they will have to depart AEW for good.
There are three other title matches set for the broadcast apart from the tag team match. AEW Women’s champion Jamie Hayter is back and will defend her title against Riho, House of Black put up their AEW World Trios titles on the line again Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, and FTW champion Hook battles Ethan Page.
Tonight is also MJF Day on Dynamite plus Tony Khan has promised to have a big announcement which he thinks will get a lot of attention.
Speaking to Lucha Libre Online, AEW’s Andrade El Idolo said that he will be returning soon on AEW television.
El Idolo last wrestled in September and was then involved in a backstage fight with Sammy Guevara which resulted in AEW sending him home.
But Andrade said that he has been out for four months due to a tear in his chest and underwent surgery in November to fix the problem.
He also revealed that his contract with AEW will be expiring soon and it was noted in the past that El Idolo tried to get out of it to go back to WWE when Triple H took over the reigns. Now that Vince McMahon is back, he might want to rethink about it!
El Idolo accompanied his wife Charlotte Flair to the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony and was at WrestleMania weekend in Los Angeles.
Nigel McGuinness has officially joined All Elite Wrestling. The news was announced by AEW President Tony Khan himself, who tweeted, “Nigel McGuiness is a legend in pro wrestling, and now @McGuinnessNigel is All Elite!”
McGuinness returned to Ring of Honor at the Supercard of Honor show last weekend to do commentary for the whole show. It’s looking likely that McGuinness will be part of the broadcast team somehow over at AEW as well.
The former ROH champion was recently doing commentary for WWE but was released from his deal in late 2022.
