WWE today announced that Ford Field in Detroit will host SummerSlam on Saturday, August 5, as first reported by The Detroit News.
SummerSlam marks the first WWE event to be held at Ford Field since WrestleMania in 2007 and the first SummerSlam to take place in the state of Michigan since 1993.
“We are excited for Ford Field to host WWE’s biggest event of the summer and look forward to the WWE Universe converging on Detroit to celebrate SummerSlam’s long-awaited return to Michigan,” said Dan Ventrelle, EVP, Talent at WWE.
“Landing WWE SummerSlam at Ford Field is a signature win for Detroit and continues the momentum of the Detroit Sports Commission in attracting major sporting events to the region,” said DSC Executive Director Dave Beachnau. “Metro Detroit enjoys a special place in WWE history and has produced many iconic moments. Thank you to the entire WWE family for entrusting us with this incredible opportunity, and we look forward to delivering a first-class experience.”
Tickets for SummerSlam will go on sale Friday, April 14, 2023, via Ticketmaster.com. To learn more about registering for presale opportunities, please visit: https://www.wwe.com/summerslam2023-presale-registration
WWE Hall of Famer Lita returned on WWE television last night on Raw, helping Becky Lynch in her ongoing fight against Damage CTRL.
With IYO SKY and Dakota Kai helping Bayley during the steel cage main event match, the former WWE Women’s champion sprinted to the ring to help Becky, delivered a Twist of Fate to IYO, took the crutch from Dakota Kai, and even slammed the cage door in Bayley’s face as she tried to walk out.
That allowed Lynch enough time to recover and hit Bayley with the Manhandle Slam for the pinfall.
Lita has not been seen on WWE TV for a year when she participated in the Royal Rumble last year and then wrestled Lynch for the Raw Women’s title at the Elimination Chamber in Jeddah.
Lita was in San Antonio for the Royal Rumble weekend where she appeared at WrestleCon but was not part of the women’s Royal Rumble match.
Out first Edge and Beth Phoenix. Edge talks about elevating the Judgment Day and the crowd started chanting “you still got it” and Edge said I never lost it. Beth cuts Edge off and challenges Ripley and Balor to a tag team match. Judgment Day comes to the stage. Dominik tells them to run along before he does something to them as he did to his deadbeat dad at the Royal Rumble.
Priest is fired up to the point he cannot speak but says he plans to win the match tonight then the Elimination Chamber. Ripley is not here tonight and Beth then challenges Balor and Ripley to a match at the Elimination Chamber. The Judgment Day then circles the ring and as they get in the ring, Beth knocks out Dominik and Angelo Dawkins comes out. Dominik tried to run away but was met in the aisle by Montez Ford who throws him back in the ring and Beth picked him up and he yelled for mami as Beth gave him the Glam Slam.
Adam Pearce came out and eliminated everyone from ringside so the Elimination Chamber qualifying match can be one on one.
Angelo Dawkins VS. Damian Priest
Priest hits the round house kick to the head of Dawkins and hit the South of Heaven Slam and gets the win and advances to the Elimination Chamber match for the United States Championship.
Winner: Damian Priest
Adam Pearce is talking with Maximum Male Models and Maxine Dupri and is interrupted by Chelsea Green complaining again about accommodations and expects an opportunity. Green tells Adam to make it right or she will make one phone call and have him fired.
A video package from Friday about Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn issues was shown.
Baron Corbin VS. Dexter Lumis
Corbin ran at Dexter and hit his head off the ring post, Dexter grabbed him and did his slam on him for the pin.
Winner: Dexter Lumis
Byron Saxton interviews Becky Lynch about her match tonight with Bayley in the steel cage match. Becky said she has one hand she hasn’t played yet and tonight might be the night she has to play it.
Brock Lesnar is out to the ring next. He says he wasn’t on Raw last week because he had to get his head straight and all he can think about is Bobby Lashley. He then pulls out a contract for Bobby Lashley to face him at the Elimination Chamber. He calls out Lashley to sign the contract. Lashley comes out without hesitation. Lashley tells Brock he will take the contract and let his advisor, manager and lawyer look at it and will get back to him.
Lashley then asked Brock if he was surprised the Almighty has one up on him. Brock grabs Lashley and gives him an F5. The crowd chanted one more time and Brock gave Lashley a second F5.
Fatal four-way match to qualify for the Elimination Chamber
Carmella VS. Piper Niven VS. Candace LeRae VS. Michin Mia Yim
Carmella had LeRae in the corner and Niven came in and did a cannonball and splashed LeRae. Carmella superkicked Niven out of the ring and rolled up LeRae for the pin.
Winner: Carmella
In the back JBL and Baron Corbin are talking and Corbin asked where they were going to eat and JBL said there is no WE and his hall of fame career is tarnished being with him. Corbin says he can change and JBL said you can’t polish a turd and walked away. In the background you could see MVP talking with Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin.
In the back, LeRae was walking, and Niven pushed her up against some storage containers and Mia Yim came in and stopped her. Niven said there better never be anyone stand in my way of the Raw Women’s Championship again or they will pay.
Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander with MVP VS. Alpha Academy
After Benjamin gives Otis a Samoan drop, Gable knocks Benjamin out of the ring and goes for a moonsault on Alexander but Alexander moves and hits the back stabber for the win.
Winners: Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander
Cathy Kelly interviews the Miz, she asked for his reaction to the return of Rick Boogs and he said he will give his reaction to Adam Pearce and the bill for damage for his $10,000 suit. Boogs came in and Boogs said he is just happy to be back with the Boogs Crew. Miz calls Pearce a lazy incompetent official. Meanwhile, Pearce walks out of his office and hears the Miz and he makes a rematch for next week The Miz VS. Rick Boogs. Chelsea Green says she is going to the ring and he better find an opponent or she is calling his manager.
Chelsea Green VS. Asuka
Green attacks Asuka before the bell. Carmella, Liv Morgan, Natalya and Raquel Rodriguez are around the ring. Nikki Cross crawls out from under the ring and Chelsea yells out at her if you want crazy, I will give you crazy. Chelsea ran at Asuka and Asuka grabbed her by the arm and locked her in the double arm bar lock and Chelsea tapped out.
Winner: Asuka
Bianca Belair comes out after the match. Belair says she sees six top tier women in the WWE, but who has it in them to win the Elimination Chamber. And she wishes them all good luck because whomever wins the Elimination Chamber she will see them at WrestleMania.
Cody Rhodes is out next. Calls his current WresteMania opponent Roman Reigns the greatest superstar in the world. He says his path is clear, but his opponent is a little foggy because Reigns is defending versus Sami Zayn. Cody wishes them both good luck and let the best man win.
Paul Heyman comes out and he asked Cody “May I?” come into the ring. He said the Tribal Chief and he wanted to congratulate him on winning the Royal Rumble. Cody said his brother had a nickname for him, his father had a nickname for him but he is going to call him Mr. Heyman because he has an unparalleled respect for him.
Cody then tells a story about the family being broke. Talks about Dusty doing car commercials just to keep the car. Heyman then calls Dusty to appear for ECW and if he would appear for ECW, he would pay him and pay him well. Heyman kept his word and gave Dusty his confidence back and he cannot thank Paul enough. Heyman is shown wiping tears from his eyes as Cody thanked him again for showing him the way with his other adventure.
Heyman says you’re good, I came out here to talk a little business with you and you got me personally. Heyman tells Cody that right down the road his father trained and prepped superstars of this generation and he goes on and names several names and ends with The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and tells Cody his father did not train and prep him.
Heyman tells Cody he cannot convey how much he loved Cody’s father and how much he knows Dusty loved Cody. Heyman told Cody in his last conversation with Dusty that Cody was his favorite son, but Roman Reigns was the son he always wanted. Cody went over to shake Heyman’s hand and Heyman says you’re hurting me. Cody says I am just trying to win a wrestling title, and everyone is trying to make it personal and you just did just that but you Mr. Heyman are not going to pay for it, your boy Roman Reigns is going to pay at WrestleMania when I take those titles personally.
Final spot in the Elimination Chamber Match qualifying match
Montez Ford VS. Elias
Ford flew over the corner to take Elias out outside the ring, then slid Elias back in the ring and hit the Frog Splash for the win.
Winner: Montez Ford
Austin Theory was on commentary for the match and as Ford celebrated in the ring, Seth “Freakin” Rollins takes out Theory and gives Theory a stomp on the floor.
Bayley VS. Becky Lynch in a Steel Cage Match
As Becky and Bayley fought on the top of the cage, Becky locks in the disarm-her on the top and Bayley falls to the mat. Iyo Sky climbs the cage and starts fighting with Becky and knocks Becky off as Dakota Kai hands Bayley one of her crutches and she begins to use it on Becky. Lita’s music hits and the Hall of Famer comes out and pulls Iyo the rest of the way down off the cage and grabs the other crutch of Dakota and slams her into the ring steps. Bayley goes to climb out of the steel cage door, Lita slams the door shut on Bayley and Becky hits her with the rock bottom and gets the win.
Tonight’s Monday Night Raw will be Elimination Chamber-heavy as not one, not two, but three matches will be directly involved with that premium live event as three Superstars seek to get added to Elimination Chamber matches.
A fatal four-way match will see who will be the sixth and final member of the women’s Chamber match which will determine the #1 contender for the Raw Women’s title. Michin, Candice LeRae, Carmella, and Piper Niven will be involved in this match tonight.
Two more qualifying matches will take place for the men’s match for the United States title which for the first time ever is also taking place inside the Elimination Chamber. Angelo Dawkins takes on Damian Priest and Montez Ford battles Elias with the winners advancing to the title match.
And after getting cut from the RAW IS XXX episode, Becky Lynch will finally go up against Bayley in a steel cage match.
AEW World champion MJF has come to the defense of Zachary Wentz, the former NXT Tag Team champion who used the name Nash Carter, who was fired from WWE after his ex-wife and fellow pro wrestler Kimber Lee made domestic violence allegations against him.
Lee also uploaded photos of when he busted her lip when he was drunk and then uploaded a photo of Carter, sporting the Hitler mustache and doing the Nazi salute.
“Everyone’s afraid of talking honestly so I will,” MJF said. “@ZacharyWentz isn’t a antisemite. I lived with him. The fact he’s not on TV right now because a girl (who got caught lying about abuse) couldn’t handle a break up and posted a photo of him doing something in jest is wild.”
MJF then continued, “When a wrestler who shall remain nameless keyed my car and called me a kike, Zachary went out of his way when everyone else turned a blind eye to check in on me.”
The champion noted that “the court of Twitter” can sometimes get dirt bags out of the industry, “but the court isn’t always right.”
Several friends defended Carter at the time, saying that Kimber Lee was served with divorce papers when she did what she did.
Wentz, who formed part of MSK with Wes Lee, was released from WWE after the duo won the NXT Tag Team titles at NXT’s Stand & Deliver show last April.
Former champion Bayley will be making her return to NXT tomorrow to host her in-ring show, Ding Dong Hello.
The guests for Bayley this week will be Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jane of Toxic Attraction, who this past Saturday failed in their quest to dethrone Roxanne Perez and take her NXT Women’s title.
Bayley wrestled for NXT from 2012 to 2016 and was one of the most popular figures there during her time. This will be her first time back on NXT television since June 2020 when she and Sasha Banks returned to the black and gold brand to defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles against Tegan Nox and Shotzi.
Music superstar Adele got to meet Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson last night for the very first time at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony which aired on CBS.
During the opening monologue, host Trevor Noah approached Adele, who was sitting among her peers, to recount the story of how the person Adele always wanted to meet but never managed to was Johnson.
“Then I found out that he’s a huge fan of yours too,” Noah told her as Adele nodded. “No, I don’t have a Dwayne Johnson here tonight, but I do have someone called The Rock.”
At that point, The Rock walked up from behind and moved next to Adele for a big hug as the crowd cheered and clapped.
“Adele, meet The Rock. The Rock, meet Adele,” Noah continued. “First time ever! Alright you two get acquainted, we’re going to keep the show moving!”
Johnson was one of the main presenters at the Grammy Awards last night in Los Angeles.
Dabba-Kato, the former muscle man for Apollo Crews, returned at Vengeance Day last night and cost Crews his match against Carmelo Hayes.
The man formerly known as Commander Azeez came out to even the odds for Crews but the former Intercontinental champion got distracted and lost the match. Afterward, both men hugged it out but it was just a swerve, as Dabba-Kato then chokeslammed Crews.
The 33-year-old Nigerian-Polish star aligned with Crews at WrestleMania, helping Crews win the IC title from Big E. He was reintroduced to the audience as Commander Azeez. After both were sent back to NXT in June of last year, Dabba-Kato disappeared from TV until last night’s appearance.
He has been working for WWE since 2016 and was part of the short-lived Raw Underground concept that went nowhere.
Impact Wrestling pulled in 93,000 viewers lat week, down 22,000 viewers from the prior week. The show did a 0.01 in the 18-49 demo and did not chart at all. (Ratings credit: F4Wonline.com)
Booker T announced on his Twitter that he’s having NXT talent on his Reality of Wrestling show starting with Ivy Nile.
“Excited to merge my @WWENXT favorites with the roster of my students at @TheOfficialROW! Don’t miss a HUGE show next Saturday! Can’t wait to see @ivynile_wwe in the World Gym Arena,” Booker wrote on his Twitter.
However, when asked in the post-Vengeance Day press conference about NXT talent possibly working other indie shows in the future, NXT’s Shawn Michaels shot the idea down, saying that they’re doing this as one night only to help Booker T with his show.
Booker’s tweet contradicted what HBK had to say about the subject as the two-time WWE Hall of Famer made it sound like NXT talent would be regularly showing up at his promotion.
Here are the results from last night’s NXT Vengeance Day 2023 which took place live from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Wes Lee defeated Dijak to retain the NXT North American title; Fallon Henley and Kiana James defeated Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to become the new NXT Women’s Tag Team champions; Carmelo Hayes defeated Apollo Crews 2–0 in a two-out-of-three-falls match; Gallus defeated The New Day, Pretty Deadly, and Chase University in a fatal four-way match to become the new NXT Tag Team champions; Roxanne Perez defeated Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne in a triple threat match to retain the NXT Women’s title; Bron Breakker defeated Grayson Waller in a steel cage match to retain the NXT title.
Former World Heavyweight champion Dave Bautista said that he’s trying to get into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, a few years after he had to reschedule his induction due to other commitments.
Bautista was asked about the status of his Hall of Fame while speaking to ComicBook.com promoting his new movie Knock at the Cabin.
“I hope so, but I can’t say for sure,” the wrestler-turned-actor said. “I can say that I’m trying. I am trying.”
Bautista was originally set to go into the WWE Hall of Fame at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 but then the pandemic happened and WWE canceled the ceremony. He was set to be inducted the following year in front of no crowd but he wasn’t able to attend the ceremony.
“Unfortunately due to previous obligations I am unable to be a part of the @WWE #HOF this year. By my request they have agreed to induct me at a future ceremony where I’ll be able to properly thank the fans and people who made my career possible,” he said at the time.
WWE held a dual ceremony in 2021, with both 2020 and 2021 members being inducted.
The former champ was last seen in the ring at WrestleMania 35 where he lost the No Holds Barred match against Triple H.
WWE has not announced anything for the Hall of Fame just yet.
During the conference call with investors, WWE’s CFO Frank Riddick said that going forward, the company expects to incur additional costs related to the Vince McMahon investigation, suggesting more payouts will be handed to settle potential lawsuits.
Riddick said that Vince McMahon has agreed to pay the reasonable cost of the investigation not covered by insurance and any future payments related to the investigation. WWE had a $2.3 million expense related to the investigation in Q4 2022 and the results also include $7.4 million of expenses reflecting payments that McMahon has agreed to make related to additional claims that have recently been settled.
“These payments were or will be paid by Mr. McMahon personally,” Riddick said.
McMahon recently settled a case involving former WWE referee Rita Chatterton which happed in the mid-80s in New York. Chatterton claimed that McMahon raped her in the back of a limousine and McMahon settled with her last month to avoid additional litigation costs. Chatterton wanted over $11 million but sources say the two parties settled for much less.
Live tonight from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, WWE presents NXT Vengeance Day 2023 on Peacock and WWE Network. The full card is as follows:
Bron Breakker vs Grayson Waller in a steel cage match for the NXT title; Roxanne Perez vs Gigi Dolin vs Jacy Jayne in a triple threat match for the NXT Women’s title; Wes Lee vs Dijak for the NXT North American title; The New Day vs Gallus vs Pretty Deadly vs Chase University in a fatal four-way tag team match for the NXT Tag Team titles; Katana Chance and Kayden Carter vs Fallon Henley and Kiana James for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles; and Apollo Crews vs Carmelo Hayes in a two-out-of-three falls match.
The show will start at 8PM ET with the Kickoff show starting at 7:30PM. The Kickoff show will air on Peacock, WWE Network, and all of WWE’s social media channels.
Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss WWE’s Q4 2022 earnings report, WWE Chief Executive Officer Nick Khan hinted that a WWE sale could be happening within the next three months.
Khan said that they got a “warm reception” from those who are interested in their business and are looking for a deal before the negotiations for the TV rights start progressing.
The WWE CEO noted that the company is still “bullish” about Comcast being in the running for WWE after one of the hosts mentioned that a source said that Comcast wasn’t interested in acquiring WWE “at this point.”
The other three companies mentioned during the show by the hosts were Netflix, Amazon, and Endeavor.
CNBC later said in a news story that McMahon returning and his potential involvement post-sale was “an early sticking point” in preliminary meetings.
Over 5,000 fans are expected at tonight’s NXT Vengeance Day 2023 premium live event, making it the most-attended NXT show since prior the pandemic.
WWE is taking Vengeance Day on the road, the first NXT show not a Stand & Deliver, which is not taking place in Orlando, Florida, since February 2020.
NXT Takeover: Portland was the last NXT show to be held outside of Florida, with Takeover: In Your House and Takeover: XXX both held at Full Sail University before WWE moved all NXT shows to the WWE Performance Center in the Summer of 2020.
In 2022, Stand & Deliver was held in Dallas at the American Airlines Center on the afternoon of WrestleMania 38.
With a setup of nearly 6,000 seats, @WrestleTix reports that WWE sold nearly 4,900 tickets so far for the show, which is already more than what was sold for Stand & Deliver last year.
The NXT television rights in the United States will expire in September of this year and are not part of the broader, more expensive package for Raw and Smackdown which will expire in late 2024.
NXT has been airing on USA Network since September 2019 and went from Wednesday head-to-head with AEW to Tuesday where it has no wrestling competition.
“USA is thrilled with it. NBCU is thrilled with it,” WWE CEO Nick Khan said yesterday while talking to investors. “Keep in mind, as much of its own brand as NXT is, it’s still our farm team. It’s our feeder system to get folks called up to the main roster. So the expectation there is not the expectation that we and others have for Raw and SmackDown, but certainly the expectation, but the outside world is the same as our world inside, which is growth, which is, I think, what you’re seeing.”
Khan said that the partnership between WWE and NBCU involving all shows is excellent, saying that if they have a premium live event on a Saturday and NBC has Sunday Night Football the next day, they get a lot of promotion out of those two to Raw on Monday, which promotes a lot to NXT on Tuesday, which all of those promote to Smackdown on Friday on Fox.
WWE CFO Frank Riddick also said that there are several international content licensing agreements which are up for renewal, most notable the MENA one in March.
The main event for Elimination Chamber in Montreal has been set as Roman Reigns will be defending the Undisputed WWE Universal championship against hometown boy Sami Zayn.
The next chapter in the Bloodline vs Zayn storyline continued last night in the main event of Smackdown with Zayn once again attacking Reigns to a massive pop from the crowd. Zayn attacked while wearing a hoodie and then removed his hoodie to another roar.
Roman fought back and Heyman eventually handed him a chair. But as Reigns turned around, Zayn hit a picture-perfect spear to send the crowd into complete frenzy. As Reigns retreated, Zayn grabbed the mic and told him that he was wrong about him because he never wanted anything from him. Until now.
“I want something from you now. And I’m gonna take it because I’m coming after you and the WWE Undisputed Universal championship,” Zayn said.
But the night wasn’t over as Reigns along with Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa got the upper hand after Jimmy and Solo attacked Zayn from behind. Reigns blamed Zayn for breaking his Bloodline and for Jey not being there.
“I’m gonna give you what you want, but you’re going to give me what I want,” Reigns said as he held Zayn in the corner. “I want you in Montreal at the Elimination Chamber because you broke up my family and I’m gonna break you in front your family, parents, child, and all your family.”
A recap of the Royal Rumble involving Sami Zayn and the Bloodline was shown.
Kayla Braxton in the back trying to get a word from Roman Reigns upon his arrival. She asked about Jey’s status after the Royal Rumble and everyone but Paul Heyman kept walking and Paul said they cannot confirm or deny Jey’s involvement in the Bloodline but thanks for wearing our colors tonight.
Braun Strowman & Ricochet VS. Imperium in the finals of the Tag Team Championship Contenders Tournament
As the action spills out of the ring, Ricochet gets into a verbal argument with Gunther and then a shoving match. The referee sees the push from Gunther and throws Gunther out of the ringside area.
Ricochet was able to tag in Strowman after being in the ring a long time, Strowman gave a Monster Bomb to Kaiser. Stroman then tags Ricochet back in and Ricochet climbs onto Strowman’s shoulders and hits a senton bomb off Strowman in the center of the ring to get the win.
Winners and New #1 Contenders to the Smackdown Tag Team Championship: Braun Strowman & Ricochet
Kayla Braxton interviews Charlotte Flair and says WrestleMania is going to be awesome but tonight it is about Sonya Deville. Sonya comes in and insults South Carolina and says she is only there to win the championship off Charlotte tonight then she will go on to WrestleMania to face Rhea Ripley.
Footage is shown where The New Day and Rey Mysterio were with Michael Waltrip doing a promotional appearance and The Judgment Day show up and interrupted and Rey and Dominik end up getting to race each other. Rey took the lead right at the end to win the race.
Charlotte Flair VS. Sonya Deville for the Smackdown Women’s Championship
Great back and forth match but Flair locked in the figure 8 and Sonya had to tap out.
Winner and Still Smackdown Women’s Champion: Charlotte Flair
The Bloodline are in the locker room and Roman asked Jimmy where his brother is, and Jimmy says he hasn’t talked to him. Roman gets upset and asked Jimmy again if he talked to his brother and Jimmy says he will be here next week because he is my brother. Then Roman asks Solo and Solo just blank stares. Roman says to find their brother now. And Solo and Jimmy get up and walk away.
Butch & Ridge Holland VS. The Viking Raiders
Ivar takes Ridge out on the floor with a roundhouse kick, Raiders then hit Butch with their double power bomb to get the win.
Winners: The Viking Raiders
After the match Sheamus & Drew McIntyre come out and begin fighting with the Viking Raiders.
Shotzi VS. Natalya VS. Zelina VS. Shayna Baszler in a fatal four-way for a spot in the Elimination Chamber
Natalya locked a sharpshooter on Shotzi, Zelina comes in and takes out Natalya with a bulldog. Baszler comes in and gives Shotzi a German suplex and locks Zelina in the clutch. As Zelina begins to fade, Natalya comes in but Shayna ducks a clothesline and hooks the clutch again on Natalya. Natalya was able to get out of the clutch and send Baszler out of the ring and quickly grabs and hooks Zelina in a Sharpshooter and Zelina taps out.
Winner: Natalya
Back in the Bloodline locker room, Heyman tells Roman “Sorry Tribal Chief, Jey’s phone goes straight to voicemail.” Jimmy and Solo also come in and apologize that they cannot get ahold of him. Roman says of all the times of year for this to happen. Roman tells Jimmy and Solo the Wiseman had catering send a meal to the bus so go eat and I am going to the ring.
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman came to the ring. Roman asked to be acknowledged and a Sami chant started. Roman says I was going to ask who you wanted me to talk about but I guess it’s pretty obvious. He was going to talk about Cody Rhodes who deserves his attention.
He said he had to go clear back to War Games and he saw greed. He said Sami used him because everyone wants something from him. Just then someone in a hoodie attacks Roman and its Sami Zayn. As Heyman hands Roman a chair Sami gets to his feet and hits Roman with a spear.
Sami then picks up the chair but before he could hit Roman, Roman runs out of the ring. Sami says you are wrong about him, he never wanted anything from him until now. Sami says he is coming after the WWE Unified Universal Championship. Just then Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso attack Sami. Jimmy puts a chair over Sami’s head and before Solo could run into him Roman stops him. Roman says he broke up his family and he said he will give him what he wants but he is going to break him at the Elimination Chamber so he can break him in front of his family and friends.
Last Week’s Rating: 458,000 overall; 0.14 in 18-49 demo
It’s Friday Night, and you know what that means… it’s time for our Rampage Review!
…..
The Elite vs Ethan Page, Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy, Trios Titles
Backstory: The opposition challenged the Elite on Weds
Don Callis joined JR, Tony & Excalibur on comms as Nick and Isiah got us going in the ring with smooth chain wrestling focusing on armdrags. Until Nick hit one off the top then tagged his brother to hit a double team chestbreaker/facebuster then tag in Omega to face off with Hardy.
Also, there was a dude dressed as Cactus Jack front and center in the crowd.
Hardy went for the Twist of Fate early, Omega missed a V-Trigger and was sent off the apron into the barricade. And immediately gripped his shoulder.
Page tagged himself in to hit a bodyslam then drag Kenny to the heels’ corner – I guess – until Omega used a hurracanrana to bag the tag. Both Bucks in, double dropkick then a wheelbarrow kintaro crusher by Matt & Kenny.
Nick then hit a dive over the top through his brother’s legs to take out Kassidy & Page. The latter of whom rescued Hardy from locomotion suplexes only to eat one himself. Matt then beat down Hardy in the middle until Page grabbed the leg, leading to Hardy bagging two after a Side Effect.
Page demanded the tag, got it and began targeting Matt’s back as the first break beckoned.
Then mimicked Hardy’s top rope legdrop and ate a superkick. Tag to Omega, cross body, Polish hammers into you can’t escape.
Isiah and Hardy dumped the Bucks off the apron then triple-team squashed Kenny in the corner. Then set up whisper in the wind but the Bucks met Isiah mid-flight with a superkick party.
Omega and Hardy then took each other down with lariats, Nick and Isiah came off onto each with stereo sentons, Kassidy hit a swinging flatliner on Nick, Matt took him out, Page=Matt then Kenny blasted Page with a V-Trigger.
Very good so far.
Nick and Isiah slugged it out in the middle, the younger man getting the better, dumping Nick in the corner, Nick avoided a splash, hit a step up strike and a bulldog; the Elite readied a BTE Trigger but the illegal men were dragged out, leaving Isiah to hit a destroyer on Nick.
Page and Isiah hit a double-team version of Ethan’s armdrag up into a powerslam, Hardy added a Twist of Fate, last second save by Matt Jackson.
Omega in with a V-Trigger, quickly dumped outside, Hardy knocked Page off the apron by mistake, Kassidy caught Nick with a cutter for very nearly three.
Though he was left alone with Hardy checking on Page on the outside. Omega walloped him with a V-Trigger from behind, Matt knocked Hardy off the apron, OWA then a triple BTE Trigger bagged the win.
Excellent opener. If you like bing, bang, boom matches.
WINNER: the Elite
Lexi backstage with Ricky Starks. Starks accepted the Garcia-Guevara Gauntlet. He’ll do anything to get to Jericho. ‘I always find a way’. He vowed to embarrass Jericho and beat him once more.
…..
Jarrett and Co. package. They talked crap about Paul Walter Hauser and Danhausen. The Best Friends and Danhausen responded with their usual ‘comedy’ which totally undermined any heat. Danhausen wants the Golden Globe back. He thought it was an Oscar.
Swerve Strickland vs Brian Pillman Jr.
Backstory: Swerve wants to remove nepotism from AEW in his feud with Dustin Rhodes, Pillman’s first on his list
Unlike the opener, these two received their entrances. Strickland came heavy. Including ‘Trench’ who I mistakenly called ‘Tench’ on Wednesday.
Right to a lockup, Pillman athletically tried to free himself from an arm-wringer, Strickland fluidly came through with a dropkick into his cartwheel headscissors. Before re-starting with another aggressive lockup, Swerve again working the arm; Pillman this time managed to free himself with a kick to the face.
Swerve vaulted over a rebounding Pillman; Pillman then walked over his back as Swerve ducked-under too early.
Then hit a dropkick through the ropes to bring the break.
Very smooth and athletic so far but doesn’t feel much like a contest.
Slugging it out as we returned, Swerve landed a huge right to knock Pillman down in the corner. He then hit a backbreaker but ate a superkick as Pillman bagged two.
Before taking Swerve onto his shoulders. Strickland slipped out then hit a kick to the back of the knee, leaving Pillman down and unable to put weight on it. Swerve hit his running kick to the back of the head for two of his own.
Then hoisted Pillman upstairs, Pillman cam back with shots to the gut, Swerve slipped off, Trench distracted the ref, Boudreaux tripped Pillman who Swerve immediately DVD’d onto the apron then hit his foot stomp from the top to win.
That finish always looks silly, the opponent has to sit up straight like a kid on the carpet.
Swerve then gave the ‘hoodies up’ command and his minions began working over Pillman. Dustin Rhodes broke it up.
This was disappointing and was another of those AEW finishes which makes the ref’s look like morons.
WINNER: Swerve Strickland
HOB video package re: Eddie Kingston. They said Kingston joining was an assumption by the fans. They don’t want him, nor he them. But basically took credit for Kingston attacking Ortiz.
Kinda done with the endless talking.
Saraya & Toni Storm vs the Renegades
Backstory: Saraya & Storm are on a quest to defeat any homegrown talent
Saraya got comfortably the biggest reaction of anyone so far (bearing in mind the opener didn’t have entrances). Schiavone very carefully talked about the heels not ‘starting with us (AEW)’ without mentioning WWE.
Storm and Robyn got us going. Renegade fired stiff shots and chops until a Thesz Press broke it up. JR liked that one. Storm took the ref and Saraya launched a series of vicious knees to the face before a Storm hip attack sent Robyn crashing to the mats at ringside.
Tag to Saraya, she maintained wrist control while repeatedly knocking Renegade to the mat with clotheslines. The former Paige was very animated here. She crushed Robyn in the corner then hit a wicked bicycle knee to the chin for two.
Storm back in as Ross put over last week’s Hayter/Sakura match.
Toni disparagingly toyed with Robyn; Renegade came roaring back with stiff strikes and an enziguri before finally tagging her sister. Charlette took both heels down with lariats and splashes in the corner but quickly ate a Storm shotgun dropkick then a hip attack in the corner. Saraya hit a thrust kick, Storm the Storm Zero, victory.
I like these two as heels. They aren’t trying to be liked, yell verbal abuse and work aggressively. Also liked the Renegades again. They weren’t given much here but they hit hard and work a realistic style. A cut above many who appear regularly on tv.
Saraya should continue working tags till she gets her wind back too.
Good action.
Post-match, the victors sprayed the letter ‘L’ on the Renegades’ backs. Saraya made the loser sign in case anyone missed the point.
WINNER: Saraya & Storm
Adam Cole package. Excellent promo with a fired-up Cole talking about how desperate he is to return and be the best wrestler in the world. He doesn’t yet know who his first opponent will be.
Rush vs Christopher Daniels
Backstory: None
This is not remotely a tv main event.
Grappling out of a lockup led to a stalemate, Rush began working the arm, Danielson shook him off. Then did so twice more, neckbreaker, lariat, count of two.
A leg lariat sent Rush bailing outside where Danielson pursued him with a tope. Twice tonight we’ve gone to break with the babyface on top. Has to be a record.
Things had changed when we returned: Rush booting Danielson around the ring as we were told his minions had been attacking Danielson during the break. They did so for what seemed like several minutes as the ref enoyed a vigorous conversation with El Toro Blanco.
Peligroso hit a kick to Jose as Danielson ducked, Danielson used it to bag two with a roll-up. Hit a lariat, chop, sit-out powerbomb then began clubbing Rush’s head with elbows. The Mexican came back with chops and a thrust kick, Daniels hit a DVD for two.
Then locked in the koji clutch. Vance put Rush’s boot on the ropes. The ref might as well have been wearing a blindfold at this point.
Daniels planted Rush with a uranage, Rush got the knees up on the BME, flung the vet into the buckles with a belly to belly, spent about five minutes psyching himself up then launched Bull’s Horns to bag the win.
They made sure here to erase any doubt that Danielson would win on Wednesday. If there was even a shred to begin with.
An interference-riddled whimper of a main event.
WINNER: Rush
…..
Next Dynamite:
Rush vs Bryan Danielson
The Elite vs Top Flight & AR Fox, Trios Titles
Jamie Hayter vs the Bunny, Eliminator Match
The Acclaimed vs the Gunns, Tag Team Titles
MJF vs Konosuke Takeshita, Eliminator Match
Ricky Starks vs Angelo Parker
…..
Overall impressions
The point of wrestling is to keep people guessing. Who will win? Who will turn? Who will return? Who will debut? What will happen next?
This was a show which needed no questions. Though it did have some good wrestling.
