Apple today announced the new documentary series “Monster Factory,” set to premiere on Friday, March 17 on Apple TV+. Directed by News & Documentary Award nominee Galen Summer and Naiti Gámez, and produced by Vox Media Studios and Public Record, “Monster Factory” is the story of misfit dreamers at a wrestling school on the outskirts of a gritty New Jersey factory town who, with the help of their tough yet loving coach, fight for their big break as professional wrestlers.
Meet the Team
Danny Cage: Owner and the charismatic coach of the Monster Factory. Danny, a former wrestler himself, needs to keep the veterans and the new recruits motivated if they want to survive the training, and the potential rejection that is to come in this business.
Twitch: Wrestling saved his life … literally. When Twitch entered a dark time in his life, he found wrestling to be a safe space. As the only member of Monster Factory who suffers from Tourette syndrome, he used what could be seen as a hindrance to his advantage. But will his inner demons get in the way of him making it to the next step?
Bobby Buffet: The quiet, unassuming New Jersey native is more than meets the eye. By day, he flips burgers at a local fast food restaurant, but when he walks into the Monster Factory, he is the insatiable Bobby Buffet. Can he find the inner discipline and leadership skills needed to drop the apron and get in the ring full time?
Gabby Ortiz: Gabby, a Philadelphia native who has worked in the mayor’s office, rose to fame fast in the wrestling scene but, because of a personal tragedy, was forced to step away. Now she is back, but can she let go of the past and embrace the wrestling world as it is today?
Goldy: The pretty boy. But what lies underneath this chiseled, bad-boy exterior is someone who has crippling social anxiety who is using wrestling as a way to control his panic attacks. In the ring, he becomes someone else, someone invincible. But will the pressure of being in the spotlight ultimately be too much?
The six-episode series is produced by Vox Media Studios and Public Record with Max Heckman, Jeremiah Zagar, Galen Summer, Chad Mumm, Mark W. Olsen and Jeremy Yaches serving as executive producers. Marina Stadler co-executive produced. All episodes are available to stream on Friday, March 17.
The series will join Apple’s expanding offering of nonfiction programming featuring the behind-the-scenes stories of the biggest names in sports, including “Real Madrid: Until The End,” which goes behind the scenes with the iconic football club for a look at their astonishing 2021–2022 season; “Make or Break,” a docuseries with the World Surf League; “Super League,” documenting the high stakes battle for the future of European football; the acclaimed Emmy Award nominated four-part documentary event series “They Call Me Magic,” chronicling the life and career of two-time NBA Hall of Famer and cultural icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson; and “The Long Game: Bigger Than Basketball” about basketball sensation Makur Maker. Upcoming projects include a feature documentary about the groundbreaking life and career of seven-time Formula One world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton; the documentary film “Underrated,” featuring NBA legend Stephen Curry; and “The Dynasty,” a documentary series about the New England Patriots, from Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentaries, in association with NFL Films.
Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have been honored with 335 wins and 1,406 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”
Amazon Studios today announced that it has ordered Twin Love to series. From ITV Entertainment, the new dating competition will be hosted by WWE Hall of Famers and TV personalities Brie and Nikki Bella, and will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide this summer. In the U.S. and UK, Twin Love will also premiere simultaneously on the free, ad-supported service Amazon Freevee.
“Twin Love is a social dating experience like no other, blending the specificity of being a twin—someone born, quite literally, with a biological soulmate—with the universality of being single and searching for lasting romantic love,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD Original Content and Unscripted Programming, Amazon Studios.
“Thanks to Brie and Nikki Bella, for bringing their personal experience to this series; to our cast, for their openness, playfulness, and willingness to be vulnerable; and to the unscripted team at Amazon Studios, who championed this series. Our goal is to help couples find love in a fun, unique way, and we can’t wait to share Twin Love with Prime Video and Freevee audiences this summer.”
NXT this week drew just 555,000 viewers, the least-watched episode so far of 2023 and down 34,000 viewers from last week’s show. Not did a 0.13 rating in the 18-49 demo, down 0.01 from last week and placed #21 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
The number one contender for the AEW TNT title was revealed last night on Dynamite as Powerhouse Hobbs won the Face of the Revolution ladder match.
The match featured Hobbs, Sammy Guevara, Action Andretti, Eddie Kingston, AR Fox, Ortiz, Konosuke Takeshita, and Komander.
Hobbs will now be facing the winner of Samoa Joe vs Wardlow on next week’s episode of Dynamite. Joe puts up his TNT title on the line against Wardlow this Sunday at Revolution.
The team of AEW All-Atlantic champion Orange Cassidy and Danhausen won the Casino Tag Team Battle Royale last night on Dynamite and are going to Revolution for a shot at the AEW World Tag Team titles.
Other participants in the match included Alex Reynolds and John Silver, Angelo Parker and Matt Menard, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta, Dante Martin & Darius Martin, Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis, Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix, Preston Vance and Rush, and The Butcher and The Blade.
Unfortunately for the two, Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, and The Gunns did some post-match damage but The Acclaimed came out to even the odds.
The four tag teams will be part of the four-way match for the titles, currently held by The Gunns.
Whether you’re a seasoned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fan or just getting into the sport, there’s no denying that watching live matches is an exhilarating experience. So if you’re looking to get the most out of your next UFC viewing party, here are a few tips on how to make it truly memorable.
Research the fighters
UFC fighters put a great deal of time and effort into perfecting their craft. Therefore, recognizing the skill and technique that goes into each UFC fight is essential. Consider reading up on the fighters before an event to gain an understanding of their individual fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses. This can lead to more enjoyment and knowledge during fight night, as well as a new appreciation for the UFC.
Find a Good Viewing Location
UFC nights are one of the most exciting nights in sports entertainment. Choosing a good viewing location is important to ensure that you enjoy them. Whether watching it at home or a local sports bar, ensure you get a comfortable sitting spot with a great view of the screen and no distractions.
To get a better experience, ensure your setup has cinematic quality sound and enough light on the video screen to capture every knockout moment.
Invite Friends
Watching the UFC with friends can be a great experience. It provides an opportunity to experience raw emotions during the match. In addition, a group setting allows you to share your thoughts while building up the excitement as the fight progresses.
You can increase the fun factor with betting pools that allow you to generally bet on sports, friendly competitions, and discussions about fight tactics. So make some snacks and drinks, lay some cushions on the floor, and invite your friends to join you for a thrilling UFC-watching night!
Get Involved On Social Media
Social media is a great way to stay connected during special events; the UFC event is no exception. To get the most out of your experience, follow the UFC social media account or any MMA-related accounts and use hashtags related to the event. You can start a conversation in the comments section, share memes, and compare picks. This way, you can connect with thousands of other viewers and share your enthusiasm.
Understand The Rules
MMA is exciting, but you must understand the rules to appreciate it more. Familiarizing yourself with MMA rules is beneficial as it allows you to better understand each fighter’s strategy and tactics during a match.
In addition, becoming comfortable with complex laws about illegal techniques and time-outs for injury is important for grasping MMA matches on a deeper level. If you’re a beginner, consider starting with the most basic rules, such as grappling, submissions, striking, and stand-up fighting.
Pay Attention To The Details
Paying attention to details can often differentiate between an amazing and a mediocre fight. For example, observing a fighter’s footwork is key to understanding how they position themselves to anticipate their opponent’s next move. Good head movement can make it easier for them to avoid punches and kicks and counterpunch more effectively.
It’s also important to understand how fighters utilize fighting techniques such as counterstrikes, combinations, and clinch work. These small details can help you gain a deeper appreciation for the sport.
Watch The Pre-Fight and Post-Fight Interviews
UFC pre-fight and post-fight interviews are a great way to understand a competitor and their strategy going into the match. It gives you a peak into the fighters’ mental state before the fight, as well as any adjustments or lessons learned afterward.
The interviews also provide UFC fans with extra motivation and inspiration by sharing an inside look at these determined fighters’ dedication and mindset. Undoubtedly, UFC pre-fight and post-fight interviews offer many advantages, giving UFC aficionados reasons to stay engaged.
Enjoy The Experience
UFC events are meant to be enjoyable because of the thrilling fight sequences and close matchups. The feeling of anticipation is one of the most exciting parts of tuning in – not knowing what will happen next or who will win.
There’s also the great entertainment value from every matchup. Even if you don’t necessarily want to become a hardcore fan, the drama and excitement that comes along with watching UFC bouts are enough to keep you enthralled. So try it and enjoy the electrifying experience of watching the UFC.
Final Thoughts
Watching UFC fights can be an exciting and highly rewarding experience. To experience the thrill each match offers, consider keeping up with the latest fighters’ news, knowing the rules of the ring, and getting involved in online conversations about the fights. More importantly, have realistic expectations – don’t expect every fight to end with a knockout.
Get ready to enjoy a thrilling night of UFC action!
WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg is up for one more match – a retirement match – and says that they “owe him one” in comments given to Sports Illustrated.
Repeating the often-used “never say never” line in the wrestling business, the former champion said, “I made a deal with the devil and I did my job, and they owe me a retirement match.”
Goldberg said that now that he’s 56 years old, he’s not at a point in his career where he’s sitting down by the phone just patiently waiting for the phone to ring. He did say that he has a few ideas of how to do it on his own if WWE doesn’t give him that, and one of the ideas is to hold it in Israel.
Goldberg has not wrestled since Elimination Chamber in February 2022 which was held in Saudi Arabia, losing a match against Roman Reigns. Speaking on Reigns, Goldberg said that he’s really proud of him on how he turned it around for himself.
“He’s quite dedicated. I respect that, I respect him, and I’d love to get in the ring and give him an ass-kicking, but this is his time,” he said.
Goldberg has fulfilled the number of matches he had with WWE as part of his contract but is still under a WWE deal.
Last Week’s Rating: 1,028,000 overall; 0.35 in 18-49 demo
With no NBA last week, those are about the best numbers since early Fall.
It’s Wednesday night, it’s Dynamite. Let’s go.
…..
Orange Cassidy vs Big Bill, All-Atlantic Title
Backstory: Bill & co. attacked the Best Friends Friday, Cassidy was serious for once in wanting to know who did it.
Strangely, the champ was out first. Large William was with Stokely as Excalibur told us he was ‘a force of nature’.
Cassidy played mind games from the jump, getting the big guy to follow him in and out of the ring, even rolling in on one side, all the way across and out at the other.
And continued to avoid the big man until attempting a swinging ddt and being dropped then crushed in the corner. A Big Bill boot knocked him off the apron to the outside as the crowd entertained themselves with a ‘s-a-w-f-t’ chant.
Bill and Hathaway then moved the ringside table to the bottom of the ramp, chokeslam at the ready, Cassidy fought it off at first but was then planted through the wood. Which for some reason isn’t a dq.
Rolled back in as we returned, Substantial Bill dropped Cassidy via delayed suplex then snatched him into a full nelson as Cassidy went for the Punch.
Boy, this is boring. Fortunately, Cassidy’s so over the crowd were still into it.
He twice ‘collapsed’ to avoid a Big Bill boot as Danhausen attempted to Curse Hathaway, who knocked Danhausen out with his cast. Cassidy was then caught in a chokeslam, slipped out and hit an Orange Punch to the knee, Bill down on the outside.
Orange then caught him with a tornado ddt, Orange Punch, another, then one off the top to bag a win too long in coming.
They need to make their minds up with Big Bill. He’s been presented in tags as beatable and nothing special but here it took an army unit to defeat him.
WINNER: Orange Cassidy
Footage of Mox after last week’s match with Uno. Covered in blood, he yelled that it tasted like victory, like life. He does this because he likes it. It’s not something anyone should aspire to.
‘I’m not the kinda guy you wana go down a dark alley with when there’s only one of us comin’ out.’
He then warned Hangman that ‘you wanted this… I tried to leave it alone…’, ranting that when he took out Page it was seen as an accident; when Page did the same to him it drew praise. Pouring blood, he promised that this time he would leave no doubt.
Page is a great wrestler, even a great man ‘but you are not the same animal as me!’ And there is only room for one of those animals in AEW and ‘I will die to protect what’s mine’.
Delivery and intensity off the charts.
…..
The Elite made their entrance, or were about to when the lights went out just as the song was kicking in. The House appeared behind them, audibly beating them up, which was revealed as the lights came back up: the Elite were lying on the floor and the HOB clutched the trios belts.
Meh.
Actually thought a promo was very much needed here. Especially since the Elite only get to talk in goofy backstage segments.
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match, winner gets title shot
Participants: Konosuke Takeshita, Ortiz, Action Andretti, Sammy Guevara, Will Hobbs, Eddie Kingston, AR Fox, Komander
Nice mix of guys in this: flyers, brawlers, wrestlers, behemoths.
Though you should probably change the name when your roster’s become so bloated you can no longer fit it on the eponymous ppv.
A dapper Joe came out to the usual chants from the crowd. By the time the break ended, we caught the end of Sammy’s entrance with the others already in the ring.
Entrances are important, a chance for the announcers to tell you about who’s competing. AEW needs to plan accordingly. If you’re a casual fan who likes the chaos of ladder matches, you might not have a clue who half these guys are. And even if you aren’t, who the hell is Komander?
Immediately, they all split all over the place. Ortiz and Kingston brawled outside, no-one seemed to care, understandably given the story.
Komander walked the ropes to hit a dropkick through the ladder on Andretti but was taken out by Will Hobbs who was massivelyover with his home-town faithful. He set to tossing guys into the pair of ladders stacked in the corner.
Making Guevara think better of getting in there with him.
Takeshita had no such reservations as the two blasted into one another with lariats, both wobbling, neither dropping, until Takeshita avoided a splash and dropped Powerhouse with a deadlift German. Don Callis was shown watching backstage (this is an angle they’ve been doing on Dark and etc. for months).
Guevara took advantage with a cheap-shot knee strike but was immediately taken out by Andretti, then Fox took to the air to wipe out both guys. Leaving Komander to run the ropes from buckle to buckle before launching into a senton, wiping out everyone as the ads arrived.
Very much a ‘spot-fest’ and guys being wiped out one after the other thus far. Fun though.
Takeshita took out Komander, Hobbs took him out, Fox hit Hobbs with a chair. Powerhouse wasn’t amused, dropping Fox via DVD onto a ladder bridge. Then clashed once more with Takeshita, the clotheslines continuing as they simultaneously left each other laying.
With Guevara about to grab the brass ring, Andretti flew up to cut him off, they set up a falcon arrow from the top rung. Sammy was meant to land on another ladder bridge but only grazed it with his head and neck, plummeting all the way to the mat.
Komander again wobbled about on the top rope, launching a shooting star onto Hobbs, still on the ladder bridge outside.
Now all alone, Komander made it atop the ladder but was caught by Takeshita into a wild blue thunder bomb from the top! A little too crazy for me, all I can think about with spots like that is whether someone got injured.
Not this crowd though, they went wild. As Takeshita made the climb, he was met up top by Andretti when Daniel Garcia came out to shove the ladder over and Rock Bottom the youngster. The crowd died. Not surprised. These everyone can interfere in everything rules AEW have for every stipulation match SUCK.
Thankfully, Guevara was back on his feet after that nasty landing. He and Garcia placed Andretti on a ladder propped across two chairs as Excalibur informed us that Ortiz and Kingston had brawled to the back. Sammy then launched a senton from the top of a ladder at ringside.
Garcia then almost literally carried him up the ladder toward the brass ring. Until Takeshita shoved them off, nailed Guevara with a knee strike but took another nasty landing as Hobbs charged the ladder like a bull, nearly breaking the damn thing.
He bagged the brass ring and the TNT title picture is back exactly where it was four months ago. He’ll face the champ next Wednesday.
Wardlow came out and a bunch of security separated he and Joe. Hobbs sat and watched with a big smile on his face. Hope those security extras are well paid.
Fun but very dangerous match, stupid booking.
WINNER: Will Hobbs
Renee with the Best Friends et al. Chuck and Trent haven’t been cleared for tonight’s battle royale. Danhausen and Cassidy will take their place, despite Cassidy getting his arm worked on.
Does that mean no FTR?
Chris Jericho vs Peter Avalon
Backstory: Avalon was laid-out by Jericho while trying to accept Ricky Starks’ open challenge
Hopefully Jericho doesn’t give Avalon as much as Cody did a couple years ago. Avalon did not get a televised entrance. That, I’m okay with.
He flew at Jericho, hurling chops and punches then launching a tope as the Ocho bailed to ringside. Continuing in the ascendancy, he bagged two with a pump kick, continuing to beat on the vet in the corner before bagging another two with a springboard cross body.
Then another via tornado ddt.
Popping up right into a Code Breaker. Oh well.
Floyd came out, Avalon taking a beating until Ricky Starks chased Jericho off.
Garcia and Hager helped Jericho beat down Starks. Apparently, Starks has a pre-existing rib injury.
WINNER: Chris Jericho
Hangman’s turn to talk. Alone. In some sort of warehouse.
‘This Sunday… is the finish line.’ Alex Reynolds had asked him earlier if he was afraid of losing. But this is all Page has left to lose. He lost his title, lost his shot to get it back when Mox concussed him, Mox already beat Uno to within an inch of his life, nor can he take Page’s memory – ‘It’s gone’, or the feeling in his fingertips, that’s gone too. And Mox can’t take away his heart ‘because you couldn’t carry it’.
But on Sunday he takes everything from Mox. ‘Your spot at the top of the food chain… your pride’. And he doesn’t claim to be the same as Mox, he doesn’t enjoy violence, he hates it (spitting to show his disdain).
But at Revolution he’ll be the most bloodthirsty SOB Mox has ever seen because he knows that’s who he needs to be to defeat Moxley. And beating Mox is his last glimmer of hope. There are only two ways out of ‘Texas Death, either you live… or you die… and I ain’t done yet’. (He should’ve left it there, it was such a perfect line with perfect intensity.)
Before promising that Moxley would never be the same after Sunday.
This was fantastic.
…..
Renee in the ring to talk to Christian. Who said he’d heard Jungle Boy promise to win a singles championship and it’d happen ‘over my dead body’. Vowing to win one himself this year. ‘That’s a fact’.
He then goaded Perry for only winning his matches on flukes: roll-ups, quick pins.
Before heeling on ‘this generation’ who turn everything into a video game. And challenging him ‘for a fight’ at Revolution. ‘No rules, no regulations’. Before turning into Cheap Heat Cage as usual, talking crap about Perry’s dead dad.
Cut to footage of Perry on the big-screen, digging a grave interspersed with footage of their feud. Finally revealing a tombstone with Christian’s name on it (That was clever given Cage’s ‘dead body’ promise). A shook Cage left.
Perry couldn’t even hit him with a chair last week after everything he’s done but now he’s going to bury him.
…..
Schiavone with Britt and Jamie. Britt vowed that Saraya would never win the belt, Hayter warned that the two would be watching Riho and Storm tonight in case she tried to interfere. Smart girls.
Hook vs Matt Hardy, FTW Title, If Hardy loses Hook gets a match vs Stokely
Backstory: Hardy is contracted to Hathaway against his will, they keep putting him in bad spots including having to face Hook, so he pretended to be so confident of victory here as to promise Hook a match vs Stokely if he can’t beat him
After starting stupidly, this is a fun mini-story with the good guys fighting back against the evil empire who own their contracts.
Hardy came out with Ethan Page, Isiah Kassidy and Stokely.
Hook quickly took him down; Hardy quickly got the ropes. Then fired shots to the face but was knee-bar’d while pausing to ‘delete’. The youngster pursued him outside, flinging him around ringside until Page nailed him with a cheap shot with the ref distracted.
Back in the ring, Hardy hit a neckbreaker but Hook drop-stepped behind into a T-Bone, then threw shots in the corner but was caught running in and hit with snake eyes. Though landed on his feet as Hardy tried to slingshot him up out of the corner, a lariat followed but a northern lights was shaken off by Hardy, into a side effect for two.
Crowd very quiet, almost silent.
Page then struck Hook with Hathaway’s cast. The youngster kicked out. Then locked in the Redrum as Hardy set-up the Twist of Fate. Hardy tapped immediately, forcing Stokely to face the youngster.
Hathaway rocked in the fetal position at the prospect.
WINNER: Hook
House of Black video promo, clutching the Elite’s titles. Man’s greatest enemy is fear, on Sunday ‘you have already lost’. They left the belts on the floor.
Whatever.
Toni Storm vs Riho
Backstory: None
Storm continued her recent trend of attacking before the bell, well on top as she bagged an early count with an arrogant cover.
Riho fought back, flinging shots but trapped in a headlock then dropped via shoulder tackle. She quickly bridged up to hit a running dropkick. A running knee in the corner and snap suplex bagged two as Saraya began the de jour distraction.
Riho cartwheeled to avoid a lariat then hit a stomp after rolling through via wheelbarrow. Two slaps of the mat. Transitioning right into a cross face. Storm got the ropes.
Then took advantage of more Saraya interference to knock Riho off the apron via hip attack as Saraya scored with a knee strike during the 99th ref distraction of the hour.
This, as promised, brought the champ and Britt to ringside as the ads arrived.
A headscissors left Storm in the ropes for a 619 but Storm caught the attempted kick. Riho returned the favor, avoiding a charging Storm then taking flight from the top to the outside via cross body.
Back to the top, a diving stomp and northern lights bagged two. Before Storm cut her off atop the buckle, seeking a Storm Zero from the top, blocking a sunset bomb, hitting a hair-mare then a shotgun dropkick, leaving Riho slumped in the corner.
The hip attack landed, Riho kicked out at nearly three.
Storm began mocking Baker, synching in a clover leaf until Britt hopped on the apron, distracting Storm long enough to be rolled up for three.
The crowd very pleased at Riho’s win. Good match for the time they had.
Storm went right after Baker but was easily beaten down while the English girls threw fists in the ring until Soho came down to slug both women equally.
The announcers then promised a video package of this feud before stalling and hesitatingly going to a package on Keith Lee’s return instead.
WINNER: Riho
Or even a Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes promo. Lee talked in riddles, Rhodes said they were ‘Naturally Limitless, and you’re (ie Swerve and his goons) gonna remember our name’.
Nothing special, particularly by Dustin’s high standards.
Tag Team Casino Battle Royale
There were rumors Tony Khan was having Jarrett and Lethal cloned so they could win tonight too and occupy two spots in Sunday’s tag. Until a desperate WWE’s complaints to the FCC about ‘unfair competition’ put a stop to it.
Also, seems Max and Danielson are our main event for the evening.
The Dark Order boys were attacked mid-entrance by the increasingly heel-ish BCC as the break came before the match started.
Rush and Vance were next. The crowd remained pretty quiet, which is a problem with these matches: they know nothing’s happening till all teams are out.
Lucha Bros time as the fans finally woke, the bro’s colors reversed as a blue-clad Fenix took out two off the top while his brother – in red – began slingblade-ing everyone in sight. Uno, dos, tres thrust kicks followed before Fenix nearly eliminated the ROH champ.
They pushed the company’s re-start tomorrow.
‘Cero Miedo’ chants as the next count began, Aussie Open out to almost ‘cero’ reaction. They dropped Fenix as Silver and Claudio continued to fight. He and Reynolds ran through their rapid combo-offense on Yuta. Castagnoli saved his teammate from elimination.
Moxley’s friends then eliminated Hangman’s as another break came.
Top Flight out next, levelling the BCC with rapid double-teaming, nearly removing Claudio then dispatching Daddy Magic (who’d presumably come out during the break). Mike Bennett and Matt Taven followed, immediately going after Dante but being fought off by his brother until an enziguri levelled him too.
Aussie Open then took out the Kingdom with dragon suplexes as Tony Nese, Josh Woods and Ari Daivari simply entered the ring through the crowd, dragged out the Lucha Bros and beat them around ringside (What was I saying about the rules in stip. matches?) as easily the most popular team in both battle royals were taken out by a team who shouldn’t make it onto Rampage. But please, give us more of Jarrett, Lethal and the Gunns.
Rush then easily eliminated Penta as a furious crowd booed heavily. Fenix wasn’t even given the grace of his elimination being caught on camera.
Dante got rid of Vance, Darius the same to Rush; Top Flight, Aussie Open, the BCC and the Kingdom left. The crowd very quiet once again.
Dante was eliminated by Aussie Open while attempting a dive, they then removed his brother as Danhausen and Orange Cassidy made their entrance. Teams just seem to be coming and going as they please.
Case in point, Angelo Parker emerged from under the apron to attack Danhausen. Cassidy quickly took care of him though. Butcher and Blade were next, the most dangerous team in AEW history during battle royales per Excalibur.
The Kingdom and Aussie Open were eliminated. The camera missed most of how. Apparently these (BCC, B&B, Cassidy & Danhausen) are the last three teams so no Joker. Though the comedy did continue as Silver and Reynolds returned to distract Yuta long enough for him to be eliminated. Claudio quickly followed.
They kept pretending Butcher and Blade had a chance of eliminating the faces, but we all know who won, Danhausen sneaking up to shove the heels over the top.
I doubted even FTR could save this tag match Sunday. These two have no chance.
Of course, despite the myriad talent who can’t get tv time, AEW can’t have a show without Jarrett and Lethal, who attacked the winners after the bell. Might as well give them the belts now.
The Acclaimed’s video played long before their music in yet another production snafu. They ran off the heels.
WINNER: Danhausen & Orange Cassidy
Video package hyping Danielson/MJF for Sunday. Don’t know how the same company that just vomited up the previous segment can also produce something this good.
…..
Renee was in the ring to welcome Danielson, whose entrance was only just caught on camera after the ads, not even bothering to show the crowd reaction to your #1 contender just days before a ppv.
Renee referenced a tweet of Max’s from when he dropped out of college, about pursuing his dream. Did this change the vet’s perspective on Max? Before Danielson could get going about ‘fighting for your dreams’, MJF’s music interrupted. Danielson though, immediately cut him off.
Max might want everything Danielson has but has done nothing to earn them. ‘If there’s one thing you deserve, it’s your fiancé leaving you!’ Max removed his jacket.
Danielson yelled that he was ready to fight ‘anytime!’ As MJF thought better of it.
He’s been fighting his entire life, for everything. He left a very good job to come to AEW because ‘I wanted to fight’. His new dream: he wants to become AEW champion. Max better be ready to fight ‘with everything you have for sixty full minutes, and if you don’t… you are going to (presumably there was swearing here because it got muted)’.
This was an excellent promo by Danielson and a needed response to last week. It was also nice that for once MJF just got shouted down and overawed by the babyface.
…..
Next Rampage:
Naturally Limitless vs Swerve Strickland & Parker Boudreaux
Added to Revolution:
Jack Perry vs Christian Cage
…..
Overall impressions
There were rumors this week of Vince McMahon’s possible return to the WWE creative team. Given all the interference, distractions and general stupidity tonight, can we be sure he isn’t in AEW?
Because for a company built on ‘wrestling’, it was strangely lacking on a night when promo’s saved the show.
Check Out
Mox, Hangman and Danielson all cut excellent promos
The ladder match was crazy and full of big moves and dives if that’s your jam
Week two of the WWE block on A&E featured the Biography of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, currently employed by AEW, and the Rivals episode saw The Undertaker vs Mankind.
The Biography episode drew 453,000 viewers, down 42,000 viewers from the nWo Biography of last week. It did a 0.12 rating in the 18-49, down 0.03 from the prior week and placed #25 on the top 50 cable chart.
Rivals did 421,000 viewers, down 23,000 viewers from last week’s Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant episode. It did a 0.12 in the 18-49 demo and placed #23 on the top 50 cable chart. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Dynamite is live from San Francisco’s Cow Palace tonight on TBS with just a few days away from the Revolution pay-per-view.
Six matches have been announced so far including Toni Storm vs Riho, Hook defending the FTW title against Matt Hardy, Orange Cassidy defending the All-Atlantic title against Big Bill, Chris Jericho vs Peter Avalon, the Face of the Revolution match and the Casino Tag Team Battle Royale to determine the final team who will compete at Revolution in the four-way tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team titles.
The ladder match will feature Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, Powerhouse Hobbs, AR Fox, Action Andretti, and Komander.
Fightful.com is reporting that Sonya Deville was arrested in New Jersey around two weeks ago and charged with one count of unlawful weapon possession, a handgun without permit.
Deville, who has a license to carry a weapon in Florida, has no license to carry any weapon in the state of New Jersey. The arrest took place on February 19 according to Fightful after her car was being valeted and the gun was found in her glove box compartment. Police officers took her in and charged her and is now scheduled to go to court this month.
Deville applied for a license to carry a gun in Florida after a kidnapping attempt a few years ago in her own home. Mandy Rose was also living in the same place and both escaped unharmed thanks to the alarm in the house.
Fightful adds that there are no issues with her and WWE because of the arrest and Deville is working with her legal team to get the case thrown out of court.
Monday Night Raw this week drew 1,768,000 viewers, down 238,000 viewers from last week’s post-Chamber show and the least-watched show since NFL ended on Monday nights.
Raw started with 1,890,000 viewers, then dropped to 1,748,000 viewers in the second hour, and finished the night with just 1,665,000 viewers with the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles on the line in the main event.
Raw was #1, #2, and #3 in the top 50 cable chart for the night with 0.55, 0.52, and 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demo for an average of 0.51, down 0.05 from last week. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
IWGP Women’s champion Mercedes Mone and her husband Sarath Ton attended the Mandalorian special launch event at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, yesterday.
The champ showed up in a smashing blue jumpsuit and carried the newly-won IWGP Women’s title with her to the red carpet.
The former Sasha Banks appeared in the first two seasons of The Mandalorian as Koska Reeves but is not part of the newest season, revealing in an earlier interview with The Bleacher Report that she did not return to reprise her role for season three.
Major League Wrestling’s new home, Reelz, announced that it will be added to Peacock as a linear channel along with on-demand programming starting today.
The bad news is that MLW will be missing out on the deal as Peacock has an exclusive deal with WWE to air on the streaming service and no other wrestling program can air there while WWE is part of Peacock.
In a story on the Hollywood Reporter it was reported that the stream between 10PM and 11PM every Tuesday will stop working as that’s when MLW airs.
“Peacock has a streaming deal with the WWE, which has exclusivity in the category on Peacock,” THR writes.
MLW and WWE are already locked into a lawsuit with MLW claiming that WWE worked with other broadcasters not to carry their program. WWE successfully fought to get the lawsuit dismissed and MLW now has three weeks to submit an appeal or amending their lawsuit.
MLW is claiming that WWE pressured VICE and Tubi, owned by FOX, to stop working with the promotion.
Rampage, back in its regular time slot, recovered from last week’s all-time low and had 409,000 viewers, up 122,000 viewers from the prior week. The show did a 0.11 rating in the 18-49 demo, up 0.04 from last week and placed #30 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Wrestling is reporting through his Select service that Vickie Guerrero is departing AEW and will not have her contract renewed when it expires in a few months.
Guerrero has worked for AEW since 2020, managing Nyla Rose and lately Marina Shafir. She also helps with the AEW Heels community.
Last week, Guerrero wrote on Twitter that she’s beginning a new journey with a photo from Tampa International Airport. A few days before she said that she’s at a crossroads in her journey and new doors and opportunities are opening for her.
After cameras went off the air following the conclusion of Monday Night Raw, Seth Rollins came out for his dark match and met the new WWE Women’s Tag Team champions in the aisle.
With Trish, Lita, and Becky still at the end of the aisle next to the ring, Rollins’ theme song hit and he came out running…met by his wife Becky who also ran into his arms. The two jumped around as Lynch held her title up and then lifted both hers and Lita’s arms in the middle of the aisle as fans sang along to his theme.
Stratus stayed back and watched the celebration but Rollins then went over and also high-fived Trish and hugged her.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will have their first encounter this Friday night on Smackdown as the Royal Rumble winner announced on Raw that he is going over to the blue brand to confront Reigns.
Rhodes, often regarded as the face of AEW when he was there, and Reigns, who is undoubtedly the face of WWE, will be squaring off at WrestleMania for the Undisputed WWE Universal title and Rhodes is on a mission to “finish the story” and become the first member of his family to win the big one.
Cody already had two encounters with Paul Heyman, two encounters which were highly praised. But Roman was busy with Sami Zayn since the Rumble and the two have yet to cross paths. But with WrestleMania a month away, things are expected to kick into full gear for this highly-anticipated match.
Smackdown drew 2,408,000 viewers this past Friday for the post-Elimination Chamber show, up 25,000 viewers from the previous show. In the 18-49 demo, Smackdown did a 0.62 rating, up 0.04 from the prior week and was #1 across all network and cable television for the night. In the overnight ratings, the show registered 2,306,000 viewers in the first hour and 2,300,000 viewers in the second hour. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
