Last night Kevin Owens gave Chris Jericho a DDT on the floor that seemed to be the catalyst for Jericho’s injury angle. Jericho will be touring with his band soon, and an angle was needed to write him off television.
Normally when Kevin Owens injures someone he gives them the powerbomb on the ring apron outside. This begs the question, why change things up here and use a DDT on the floor to explain Jericho’s impending absence?
31 Years Ago Today: Jake Roberts DDTs Ricky Steamboat
It was 31 years ago today that a famous angle played out between Ricky Steamboat and Jake “the Snake” Roberts. Jake gave Ricky the DDT on the floor, resulting in a long stay on the injured list for Steamboat.
Jericho has been known to throw out homages to his favourite wrestlers and moments in wrestling before, and it is possible that’s what he has done here.
** The match was taped on May 3rd 1986, but wouldn’t air until later in June that year.
28 year-old Marty Scurll’s ascension in pro-wrestling continues, as he has been announced for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament in NJPW. The round-robin tournament kicks of on May 17th.
Last year the tournament was won by another Englishman, Will Ospreay, the first time a wrestler from England has won the tournament.
The highlight of last year’s tournament was the well-received Will Ospreay vs. Ricochet match. Not everyone liked the match however, as some, most notably Vader, felt it was too high-spot focussed. Others point out that high-spot laden matches are what the Best of the Super Juniors is all about.
Block A Dragon Lee (CMLL) Hiromu Takahashi (Los Ingobernables) Jushin Liger Marty Scurll Ricochet Taichi (Suzuki-Gun) Taka Michinoku (Suzuki-Gun) Will Ospreay (CHAOS)
Block B ACH Bushi (Los Ingobernables) El Desperado Kushida Ryusuke Taguchi Tiger Mask IV Volador Jr. Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Kevin Owens was a guest on Talking Smack last night with Renee Young and Shane McMahon. SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon was clearly bothered by Kevin Owens’ attack on Chris Jericho at the end of SmackDown, but understood that Owens was trying to make a statement. Renee Young also thought Owens went too far. Owens claimed that he had to put an end to Jericho and if Jericho was smart, he wouldn’t come back to SmackDown.
WWE has released a new promo for the New Day’s upcoming SmackDown debut. New Day will make their return to WWE TV once Kofi Kingston has fully recovered from his ankle injury.
After SmackDown went off the air, AJ Styles, Randy Orton & Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Dolph Ziggler, Jinder Mahal & Erick Rowan. Below are some photos and videos of what went down after SmackDown:
Kevin Owens defeated Chris Jericho in the main event on SmackDown to recapture the United States Championship. After the match, Kevin Owens brutally attacked Jericho and placed his head between a chair. Owens then slammed the chair into the ring post. WWE has uploaded a new video of Kevin Owens ripping Jericho’s name plate of the United States Championship.
Sean Waltman was arrested over the weekend at LAX airport in Los Angeles after getting stopped at customs with marijuana and capsules that allegedly contained methamphetamine. Waltman proclaimed his innocence with a couple of tweets and in an interview with TMZ. Waltman claims that he has been suffering from a yeast infection and was taking cleanse capsules to treat it. Here are Waltman’s tweets on the matter:
Waltman was also interviewed by TMZ while on the set of his X-Pac 1-2-360 podcast. Waltman once again stated that this was all a misunderstanding and that the truth will come out soon. In the meantime, Waltman understands why people may not believe him given his past. Waltman also denied that he had any intent to sell drugs overseas. Waltman also said that he will discuss what transpired more tomorrow on his podcast on AfterBuzzTV.
Jinder Mahal was shown taking photos with the WWE Championship to kick off the show. Shane McMahon appeared behind him and took the title away from him because it did not belong to him. Shane also informed Jinder that he has a match later tonight against Sami Zayn.
Shane McMahon then came down to the ring and introduced the newest member of SmackDown Live, Chris Jericho. Jericho came down to the ring with the United States Championship around his waist and his list in his hand. The crowd started to chant “Y2J!” as Jericho grabbed a microphone. Jericho referred to SmackDown as “the new show of Jericho” and the crowd once again chanted Y2J. Shane McMahon stated that he was thrilled that Jericho was now a part of SmackDown.
AJ Styles interrupted and the crowd started to chant “AJ Styles!”. Styles informed Jericho that he was standing in the house that AJ Styles built. Styles said that nothing would please him more than to take that United States Championship away from Jericho at WWE Backlash. Styles added that would only happen if Jericho was able to retain his title in his match against Kevin Owens later tonight.
Jericho bragged about defeating Kevin Owens at WWE Payback. Jericho was about to add AJ Styles to the list but Kevin Owens interrupted. Owens’ hand was all bandaged up due to Jericho slamming the steel steps against it at Payback. Owens threatened Jericho and said that he has no idea what is he is in store for tonight. Owens then told AJ Styles to get the hell out of his ring. Styles proceeded to get out of the ring and sprint towards Owens. Styles and Owens traded punches on the entrance ramp and SmackDown went to a commercial break.
Reaction: Owens and Jericho are certainly capable of putting on a great match to main-event the show. I would be shocked if Owens doesn’t get his United States Championship back tonight so WWE can start building towards his match with AJ Styles at Backlash.
Footage of Baron Corbin attacking Sami Zayn during Talking Smack last week was shown before the match. Baron Corbin was subsequently suspended for a week due to shoving an official during the attack. The Singh Brothers accompanied Jinder Mahal to the ring. Jinder Mahal started out the match in control and connected with an elbow to Sami’s face.
Zayn battled back and connected with a chop to Mahal in the corner. Zayn then connected with a Dropkick that sent Mahal out of the ring and SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Mahal perched Zayn up on the top turnbuckle. Mahal went for a Superplex but Sami headbutted Mahal off the turnbuckle. Mahal then connected with a viscous knee to Zayn’s face for a two count.
Sami got back to his feet and leveled Mahal with a couple of Clotheslines. Zayn climbed to top turnbuckle and hit a Crossbody for a two count. Zayn hit a Tornado DDT and geared up for the Helluva Kick. Sunil Singh dragged Jinder out of the ring before Zayn could reach him. Sami was then about to Moonsault onto Sunil and Jinder but Samir Singh tripped him up. Zayn then got frustrated and Mahal took advantage and slammed Sami to the mat for the victory.
Winner: Jinder Mahal
Reaction: Jinder Mahal barely got a reaction tonight and that is very concerning. In order for this to work, Mahal has to get the crowd to absolutely hate him. The Singh Brothers assisted Mahal in the victory, but there really wasn’t any outrage from the crowd. Randy Orton is who he is. Half the crowd likes him and the other half finds him incredibly boring. If Jinder Mahal isn’t getting a reaction, there really is nothing to get excited about for the WWE Championship match at Backlash.
WWE still has some time to make this interesting. I really hope that add some intensity to this feud and have Mahal brutally attack Orton soon. That angle worked for AJ Styles and Shane McMahon, might as well try it here. They need to do something because I am starting to lose interest and I was one of the people that was actually willing to give it a chance. This feud needs a jolt ASAP or it is going to fail.
Becky Lynch had a conversation with Tamina, Ellsworth, Carmella and Natalya backstage. Natalya thought it was strange that Charlotte Flair was given a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship right when she arrived to SmackDown. Natalya also reminded Becky that she was the first woman drafted to SmackDown and if anyone should be getting title shots, it should be her. Carmella then asked Becky to join them and take over the SmackDown women’s division. Becky replied that she had never thought of that way and said that she would think about it.
Dolph Ziggler was shown backstage and he was complaining about Shinsuke Nakamura not being on SmackDown tonight. Shane McMahon then appeared behind Ziggler while he was complaining about it. Shane told Ziggler that he needed to be worried about Nakamura. Ziggler said that Nakamura was nothing but an entrance. Dolph has a match against Sin Cara later tonight.
Aiden English was in the ring and a spotlight shined down on him. English started singing but was quickly interrupted by Tye Dillinger.
Aiden English vs Tye Dillinger
Dillinger beat the hell out of English to start off the match. Dillinger stomped on Aiden in the corner as the crowd chanted “10!”. Dillinger then picked up English in a Fireman’s Carry and then smashed Aiden’s head on his knee for the victory. Aiden English threw a tantrum after the match.
Winner: Tye Dillinger
Reaction: I actually find Aiden English’s gimmick amusing but I’m guessing most people don’t enjoy it. I think it is great that WWE is building up Dillinger and giving him easy victories. I’ve just seen a bunch of Superstars like him come to WWE’s main roster and not connect with the crowd. I hope he breaks through because he has worked extremely hard for this opportunity. As of now, the crowd is behind him.
Renee Young interviewed Chris Jericho backstage. Aiden English walked by Jericho and he was crying. Jericho mocked English for crying after the match. Jericho complimented English’s hairy chest and singing voice. Jericho then added Aiden English to the list and he started crying again. Jericho then added Renee Young to the list for absolutely no reason and walked away.
Charlotte Flair was interviewed backstage. Charlotte stated that the SmackDown Women’s Championship was her destiny. Carmella, Tamina and Natalya attacked Charlotte for the second week in a row and beat her down.
Naomi & Charlotte vs Carmella & Natalya
Charlotte was supposed to be Naomi’s tag partner but she didn’t come down to the ring due to the attack just before the match. Naomi and Carmella started off the match and delivered a brutal kick to the back of Carmella’s leg. Carmella started shouting at Naomi and Naomi connected with a series of kicks. Natalya was then tagged in and Naomi hit her with a Hurricanrana that sent her out of the ring. Natalya slammed Naomi’s head into the ring post outside the ring and posed for the crowd. The crowd booed her as the action returned to the ring.
Carmella was tagged back in and applied a Chinlock to Naomi in the middle of the ring. Naomi battled out of it but Carmella dragged Naomi to the mat by her hair. Carmella then sat on the back of Naomi’s neck while she was pressed against the second rope. Natalya got back in the match and both Superstars ran into each other in the middle of the ring. Charlotte’s music hit and she limped down the entrance ramp as the crowd cheered her on.
Naomi immediately tagged in Charlotte and she connected with a right hand that sent Carmella flying off the apron. Charlotte then big boot and knocked Natalya to the mat. Naomi connected with a Clothesline on Charlotte and SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Carmella had Charlotte in a submission hold. Charlotte battled out of it but Carmella dragged Charlotte to the mat by her hair.
Charlotte was able to tag in Naomi and Naomi connected with a Crossbody off the top rope onto Carmella. Naomi hit Carmella with the Rear View and went for the pinfall but Natalya distracted the referee. Ellsworth then distracted Naomi and Carmella rolled her up and grabbed her tights for the victory.
After the match, Tamina, Natalya and Carmella attacked Charlotte and Naomi. Becky Lynch then sprinted to the ring and the crowd chanted “Becky!”. Becky then extended her hand to to Tamina, Carmella and Natalya. Becky offered Ellsworth a hug. Ellsworth leaned in and Becky shoved Ellsworth into Tamina. Becky then attacked Carmella and Natalya. Tamina got back up and knocked Becky to the mat. Natalya, Tamina and Carmella then took turns beating down Becky Lynch.
Winners: Carmella & Natalya
Reaction: I like this storyline a lot, well besides James Ellsworth’s involvement in it. Charlotte has really benefited from the Superstar Shake-Up in my opinion. Her heel promos on RAW had become robotic and tiresome. She got a great reaction tonight when she came down to the ring after the attack.
I think both the RAW and SmackDown women’s division have gotten better by just swapping Alexa Bliss and Charlotte. I’m still kind of confused as to why Tamina Snuka has a grudge against Charlotte. She hasn’t been around for ages, so why would she be pissed off or feel slighted that Charlotte got a title shot before her? There are certainly things to pick at but for the most part I like this storyline.
Ziggler controlled most of this match but Sin Cara kept fighting back. Ziggler connected with an elbow for a two count. Ziggler connected with a Dropkick and went for the Fameasser but Sin Cara avoided it. Sin Cara then impressively held Ziggler up with one arm and slammed him to the mat. Ziggler quickly bounced back and hit the Superkick for the victory.
Breezango had a Law & Order spoof as the fashion police entitled “The Fashion Files”. Breezango will face The Usos May 21st at WWE Backlash for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships.
United States Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs Kevin Owens
Owens started out the match in control and beatdown Jericho for a couple of minutes. The crowd started to chant “stupid idiot!” at Owens as he hit a Senton for a two count. Jericho battled back and hit a Dropkick off the second rope. Jericho then connected with a series of punches and called Owens a stupid idiot. Jericho charged at Owens in the corner but Owens moved and Jericho went flying out of the ring.
Owens followed him out there and hit a Cannonball while Jericho was against the barricade. Owens brought Jericho back into the ring and tried to pin him but Jericho kicked out at two. SmackDown went to a commercial break with Owens in control of the match. When SmackDown returned, Owens went for a Pop-Up Powerbomb but Jericho avoided it. Jericho attempted a Lionsault but Owens got his knees up. Owens went for another Cannonball but Jericho got out of the way. Jericho then attempted a second Lionsault and this time he connected for a two count.
Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring but Owens was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold. Owens slapped Jericho in the face and went for another Pop-Up Powerbomb but once again Jericho avoided it. Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho again in the middle of the ring but once again Owens was able to reach the ropes. The action spilled out of the ring and Owens connected with a Superkick. Owens followed it up by hitting a DDT on Jericho onto the concrete floor.
Owens brought Jericho back into the ring and hit another Superkick for a two count. Jericho rolled up Owens for two count. Owens finally hit the Pop-Up Powerbomb for the victory. After the match, Owens attacked Jericho and hit another Pop-Up Powerbomb. Officials tried to help Jericho backstage but Owens returned and punched him in the face. Owens then placed Jericho’s head in between a chair and slammed him into the ring post. SmackDown went off the air with Jericho screaming in pain and with blood on his face.
Winner & New United States Champion: Kevin Owens
Reaction: I really don’t understand the point of Jericho winning the title at Payback. Was it just because WWE thought it would be too obvious if Owens retained? Either way, this was a solid match. This is the Kevin Owens that should have been featured during his Universal Championship reign. Chris Jericho’s current WWE run is most likely coming to an end. Jericho is about to go on tour with his band, Fozzy. Jericho knocked it out of the park during this run and I cannot wait till he comes back.
Overall, I enjoyed this episode of SmackDown but I did have some issues with it. The feud between Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal seems to have lost all of it’s momentum and WWE needs to find a way to fix that. I also cannot stand how SmackDown rarely features their tag team division. Breezango became the #1 contenders last week and all they had on the show this week was a goofy Law & Order spoof. The Usos are the SmackDown Tag Team Champions and they weren’t even a part of the show. I’d like to see the tag division featured weekly on SmackDown.
The May 2nd edition of WWE SmackDown was the first episode after Payback 2017 and aired live on the USA Network from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA.
– Shane McMahon comes out to kick off SmackDown and introduce recent SmackDown signee and new U.S. Champion Chris Jericho. Shane books Jericho in a match against Owens tonight, but then AJ Styles comes out to interrupt. AJ has doubts that Jericho will retain his U.S. Title tonight, so Jericho informs Styles of what happens when you don’t think he’ll retain his Title. Jericho goes to add Styles to The List, but then Kevin Owens interrupts. Owens says Shane, AJ and Jericho arguing about things that don’t matter is the most pathetic thing he’s seen in his career. Owens says the only thing that matters tonight is he takes back what’s rightfully his tonight: The U.S. Title. AJ has had enough and charges Owens on the ramp and starts pummeling on him. Referees start to pull AJ off of him but AJ keeps stomping on him. Shane runs down and gets in the middle of them, then we cut to a graphic promoting the Women’s match later tonight.
– Jinder Mahal def. Sami Zayn: The Bollywood Boys come out with Jinder to be in his corner for this one. Zayn gets in lots of offense early on and sends Mahal out to ringside. Zayn follows outside and the Singh Brothers drop him when the ref’s not looking. Back in the ring, Jinder takes control with some elbows to the head and knee drops. Jinder takes Sami up to the top turnbuckle but Sami fights him off. Zayn misses a splash and Mahal drops him with a flying knee to the face for a two count. Jinder slaps Sami across the had a few times, and Sami comes back with some clotheslines. Zayn follows up with some kicks to the head and a cross body off the top for a two count. One of the Singh Brothers gets on the apron and distracts Sami, allowing Jinder to roll him up from behind for two. Sami goes for a Blue Thunder Bomb but Jinder elbows his way out of it. Zayn hits a (botched) tornado DDT on Jinder and Jinder rolls outside. The other Singh Brother trips Zayn when he goes for a suicide dive, and Jinder capitalizes with a Million Dollar Dream slam for the win. Jinder’s mouth is bleeding after the match.
– We go backstage where Becky Lynch confronts the group of Natalya, Carmella, Tamina and James Ellsworth. Natalya says they have Becky’s back against Charlotte and SmackDown management, and that Becky should be the Women’s Champion. Natalya says Becky should join them, and together they can save the Women’s Division.
– Tye Dillinger is shown backstage getting ready to head out for his match up next.
– Dolph Ziggler is backstage complaining to some people about Shinsuke Nakamura and Shane McMahon. Shane walks up behind Ziggler and confronts him about what he said. Ziggler says he’s not impressed by Nakamura’s entrance and is going to teach him a lesson.
– Tye Dillinger def. Aiden English: Aiden does his singing gimmick before the match and starts off with right hands on Tye as soon as the bell sounds. Tye comes back with a flying forearm and a knee to the face. Dillinger stomps a mudhole on English in the corner then finishes with a fireman’s carry into a knee to the face for the win. English appears very upset and crying after the match.
– Chris Jericho is doing an interview backstage when a very upset Aiden English walks by. Jericho tells English to stop crying because he’s on SmackDown, is talented and can sing — besides, do you know what happens when you cry on Chris Jericho’s SmackDown? You make The List! The interviewer makes the list too, and Jericho leaves.
– The group of Natalya, Carmella and Tamina all attack Charlotte backstage and leave her laying on the floor.
– Natalya & Carmella def. Naomi & Charlotte: Charlotte’s music hits but she doesn’t come out, so it looks like Naomi will be alone in this one and the match doesn’t get cancelled. Naomi gets in some offense on Carmella to start off, including her jumping alternating kicks. Natalya comes in and hits a suplex, but Naomi comes back with a flying headscissors takedown that sends Natalya outside. Natalya takes control of the match after slamming Naomi’s head into the ring steps. Charlotte finally comes out to the ring but she’s selling her ribs and walking slowly. Charlotte gets the hot tag from Naomi and she cleans house. Charlotte knocks Carmella off the apron then tees off on Natalya with chops and punches. Charlotte turns her attention to Carmella again with a kick, then Charlotte turns around and walks into a clothesline from Natalya. Naomi gets the tag and takes control of the match, but a distraction from Ellsworth on the apron allows Carmella to roll up Naomi from behind fr the win. After the match, Natalya, Tamina and Carmella beat down Naomi and Charlotte until Becky comes out to make the save. Becky shakes the heels’ hands, but then turns on them and beats them all down including Ellsworth. Tamina comes back and lays out Becky and the heels beat down all the babyfaces.
– Dolph Ziggler def. Sin Cara: Zigglers controls things early on but Sin Cara fires up with a couple springboard elbows then a springboard cross body. Sin Cara throws Dolph to the apron then kicks him the face down to the ringside floor. Sin Cara follows up with a suicide dive onto Ziggler on the floor before taking him back in the squared circle. In the ring, Ziggler grabs Sin Cara across the ropes and hits a neckbreaker into the ring. Ziggler controls the next couple moments, but Sin Cara comes back with a big one-armed powerbomb that pops the crowd. Sin Cara goes for a springboard moonsault but Ziggler blocks it with his knees. Ziggler follows u with a superkick for the win.
– We see a video promoting Lana’s debut on SmackDown.
– There’s a Law & Order-style intro and voice over introducing a segment with The Fashion Police, investigating “fashion-related offenses.” We cut to Fandango and Breeze in a police station “investigating” The Usos’ style violations. They count up all of their violations, and plan a “big bust” to go down on May 21st at Backlash.
– Kevin Owens def. Chris Jericho: Jericho’s United States Championship is on the line in this one, and AJ Styles is banned from ringside. Jericho controls the match early on and goes back to working on Owens’ hand that he injured at Payback on Sunday. Jericho comes off the top rope but Owens catches him with a punch. Jericho drops Owens with an elbow but Owens blocks it with his knees. Jericho falls into the corner and Owens goes for a cannonball splash, but Jericho rolls out of the way and Owens hits the turnbuckle by himself. Jericho successfully hits a Lionsault this time for a two count. Jericho puts Owens in the Walls of Jericho but Owens reaches the ropes to break the hold. Owens reverses a superboard dropkick attempt by Jericho and drops Y2J with a superkick. Owens goes for a Pop Up Powerbomb but Jericho reverses with a Frankensteiner. Jericho locks in the Walls again but Owens once again reaches the ropes. Owens rolls outside and Jericho misses a baseball slide attempt. Owens follows up with a superkick, then DDTs Jericho onto the entrance ramp. Owens rolls Jericho back in the ring for another superkick, but Jericho kicks out at 2. Owens stomps on Jericho then hits the Pop Up Powerbomb for the three count to win the U.S. Title. Owens heads back up the ramp with the U.S. Title belt, while medics check on Jericho in the ring. The referee calls for more help and the announcers say the DDT on the ramp is what hurt Jericho. Owens comes back in the ring and pushes off the medics to hit another Pop Up Powerbomb on Jericho after the match. Owens goes for another one but Jericho goes limp and Owens leaves with the U.S. Title again. The medics back off and some referees including “Little Naitch” Charles Robinson help walk Jericho to the back. Owens comes running back down the ramp and drops Jericho again. Owens unfolds a chair and puts Jericho’s head inside of it, then slams Jericho head-first into the ring post. Jericho sells the beat-down at ringside as Owens heads backstage and SmackDown goes off the air.
Monday’s post-Payback edition of WWE RAW averaged 2.870 million viewers, down from 3.007 million viewers last week.
In addition to Payback fallout, the show featured The Miz defeating Seth Rollins and Finn Balor in the main event to earn a shot at Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental championship.
Here’s the hourly breakdown, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:
Hour 1: 2.924 million viewers
Hour 2: 3.039 million viewers
Hour 3: 2.649 million viewers
RAW was #3 on cable for the night behind the NBA Playoff games and #4 in the 18-49 demographic. Here’s WWE’s “Top 10 RAW Momens” video and make sure to check out our WWE RAW Recap & Reaction.
– WWE has provided a storyline update on “injuries” of Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman. After both men missed last night’s RAW, WWE.com writes:
“At WWE Payback, Strowman re-aggravated injuries to Reigns’ ribs, and The Big Dog suffered additional internal injuries on top of the ones he sustained when The Monster Among Men toppled an ambulance with Reigns inside it during the April 10 edition of Raw. Strowman, meanwhile, has a torn rotator cuff.”
A torn rotator cuff would keep Strowman out for months, so it will be a superhuman feat when Strowman is back in action at Extreme Rules on June 4th.
– In the main event of last night’s RAW, The Miz defeated Finn Balor and Seth Rollins in a triple threat match to become the #1 contender for Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental championship. After the victory, The Miz tweeted the following mocking Balor:
– The official promotional artwork for WWE Backlash has been released and it features SmackDown Live newcomer Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura is set to make his main roster pay-per-view debut at the show, which takes place on Sunday, May 21st from Rosemont, Illinois at the Allstate Arena.
Additional details are coming in regarding Sean Waltman’s arrest over the weekend and it’s not looking good for the former WWE Superstar. Waltman was arrested on Saturday at LAX airport in Los Angeles after getting stopped at customs with methamphetamine and marijuana. He was taken to a local jail, charged with a felony and released the following day on $35,000 bond.
TMZ.com has obtained the police report and it reveals Waltman got stopped because he was on a Customs and Border Patrol watch list for narcotics. This is presumably due to his history with drug-related arrests.
Drug sniffing dogs helped police locate a large quantity of drugs, including 3 Cannibis chocolate bars, 2 THC liquid cigarettes, 38 meth/Amphetamine capsules. He also had over $700 cash on him.
Authorities suspect Waltman intended to sell the meth overseas, because “the large quantity of pills plus the large quantity of U.S. currency are associated with narcotics sales.” Possession of narcotics with intent to sell is a felony that could land him in prison for up to 4 years.
Waltman tweeted the following on Monday night after news of his arrest began circulating online:
– WWE announced last week that RAW Universal Champion Brock Lesnar’s first title defense will take place at the new Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 9th from Dallas, TX.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Lesnar will be working more dates than he did the last time he was WWE Champion. In addition to July, Lesnar will be at SummerSlam in August, Survivor Series in November and more. Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins and Finn Balor are all expected to work with Lesnar in the coming months.
Based on what we saw last night on RAW, Seth Rollins will continue his feud with Samoa Joe and Finn Balor will have his hands full with Bray Wyatt.
– After Monday’s RAW from Sacramento went of the air, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins and WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose attempted to get The Miz to do his “Because I’m The Miz” line. Miz agreed to do so, but the babyfaces all hit their finishers to him to send the crowd home happy.
And this was Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Miz after Raw went off air??? pic.twitter.com/izP9cupriy
Century Media Records has released the official music video for “Judas” by Chris Jericho’s band FOZZY. Judas is available everywhere for download and streaming on May 5th.
Chris Jericho and Fozzy are about to embark on the Judas Uprising Tour, which kicks off this Friday from Virginia Beach, VA. For ticket information, visit Chris-Jericho.com.
Chris Jericho is scheduled to defend the United States Championship against Kevin Owens tonight on SmackDown. Jericho will be taking another hiatus from WWE for the Fozzy tour, so don’t be shocked if Kevin Owens regains the title he lost to Jericho this past weekend at Payback.
Here’s the complete schedule for the Judas Uprising tour:
May 5 – Lunatic Luau – Virginia Beach, VA
May 6 – The Revival – Canton, GA – Tickets
May 7 – Carolina Rebellion – Charlotte, NC
May 9 – The Concourse at The International – Knoxville, TN
May 10 – Trixie’s Entertainment Complex – Louisville, KY
WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson was the latest guest on the The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast. On this episode, Double A relives some of the Four Horseman’s most classic feuds and matches in a staple area for the Crockett territory as well as shares what the modern day wrestling convention means to the “old timers.” He also dives deep into the formation of the Horseman, the promos they cut and what made them become such a dominant group in the business. Here are some highlights the show sent in:
Working for both the NWA and WWE in the 1980’s:
“In those days if you lived up North and you didn’t have TBS you were WWF fans at the time (obviously now WWE) and they didn’t get a lot of stuff unless it was syndicated Crockett stuff. There were definitely two distinct audiences. People still come up to me now and know me in The Brain Busters. It is not so much the Horseman (of course they know about it) but they were Brain Buster fans or they hated The Brain Buster’s guts. The cross pollination of all of that with the brands being consolidated and it is always somebody that has a different story but I think everybody understands that Crockett was something pretty special and a lot of major talent came from that company and that era and I will be forever grateful because that is where I cut my chops and figured out what to do in this business and how to grow, excel and add to the business itself and contribute.”
His favorite incarnation of the Four Horsemen:
“The first will always be special just because it was the first. It was unique. I would say that I agree with the fans that say the Barry Windham incarnation was probably the most functional and most fun to watch and most exciting and best group bell to bell. You can probably name any other grouping and it is open to conjecture but certainly the first one and the Barry Windham version would be the top 2.”
Getting a chance to wrestle fellow Horseman and best friend Ric Flair during a brief program in 1995:
“A lot of people go to talk about the Ric Flair and myself match in Asheville, North Carolina on a pay per view. I don’t think that match was one of my favorites and I didn’t particularly enjoy it. It is kind of hard to pound a knot in your best friend even if he is acting up and showing his ass and doing a lot of things that are disrespectful to you. I guess we had to have that match and get it out of our system.”
The lasting legacy of War Games:
“It was a full days work that is for sure. A lot of nights I thought that this was a hard way to make a living. When you are trapped in that cage with Dusty, Nikita, The Road Warriors, Luger and whoever else it was like a Barry Windham or Ricky Steamboat it is a hard 35-40 minutes. But it also played perfectly into what we were and we always said and we made no bones about it, if you jump on one of us you will jump on five of us. We were in our element and I can’t remember a War Games where we got dominated. I don’t if we won (if we won any) but the fact is if you ask anybody today who won War Games in a particular town that they were in that night now I am not sure if they can tell you but they would say; “My God what a blood bath and what a war”. That is what sold tickets and to be able to pull off 22 out of 36 days one summer where we went on tour in the stadiums and all of us almost bled to death that summer. It was something special and has also stood the test of time and that is one of those instances where adversity introduces you to yourself and in one of those War Games matches is probably where that quote came from.”
Arn Anderson will be appearing at the Mid Atlantic Wrestle Expo on May 20th in Richmond, Virginia. For more information, visit Wrestleexporva.com.
For this and every other episode of @TwoManPowerTrip, subscribe on iTunes, Podomatic, Player FM, Earpeeler and Tune In Radio.
Carmella was a recent guest on Lilian Garcia’s Making Their Way to the Ring podcast and commented on why she wasn’t called up to the main roster with Enzo and Big Cass.
“When Hunter told me he said the reason why you’re not going with them is because you have the ability to make it on your own, you’re not just a hype girl for Cass and Enzo you’re not, I see more in you, you have more potential and you’re gonna be fine on your own.”
Carmella is making a name for herself on SmackDown Live while her real-life boyfriend Big Cass is making noise on RAW. Carmella says it’s tough for them being on different brands and spending extended periods of time apart.
Now that she’s on the main roster, Carmella is able to look back at her time in NXT and reflect on what she felt was her biggest obstacle there. “So I think the biggest struggle for me is I wasn’t Charlotte, Sasha, Bailey or Becky,” she said. “They had obviously wrestled before, well Charlotte hadn’t but she obviously comes from such greatness being a Flair and because of that I didn’t have any like history of wrestling or any experience. So I think that was the biggest struggle to try to like how do I fit in here knowing I’m not one of them but knowing that I do think I have something to offer that’s different.”
Carmella says she just knew she knew she wasn’t going to be ‘the best technical wrestler’ like the Four Horsewomen, “but I know I have something else to offer as far as the personality and I know I can be over the top.”
Other topics discussed include working with Dusty Rhodes in NXT, when she found out she’d be joining the main roster, a stalker who hacked into her phone and more. You can listen to the full show here:
Sean Waltman has resurfaced after missing a scheduled appearance in the UK over the weekend and growing concern that he had gone missing. Waltman had been scheduled to wrestle for IPW: UK on Saturday, which was billed as his final UK match. When he didn’t show, the promotion released a statement that they were unable to get a hold of him.
After minor updates from Kevin Nash and Waltman’s podcast host stating that he was deal with “issues” – Sean Waltman broke his silence late Monday night and tweeted:
As it turns out, Waltman was arrested on Saturday (4/29) at LAX Airport in Los Angeles after he was stopped at Customs and officials discovered he was concealing meth and marijuana. Police were called to the scene and Waltman was arrested and taken to jail, where he was booked for possession of a controlled substance. To make matters worse, he had an outstanding warrant stemming from a prior DUI arrest.
NWA President Bruce Tharpe has released a statement on his Facebook page regarding Billy Corgan’s purchase of the promotion. You can read the full statement here.
“As everyone knows by now – Billy Corgan and I have agreed on principle regarding his acquisition of the NWA brand. This decision comes after many weeks of negotiation and deep consideration.”
Current State of the National Wrestling Alliance
The NWA has earned revenue in recent years through their on-demand streaming service NWA Ringside. The service offers on-demand viewing of many classic NWA matches.
There are still several small promoters who belong to the Alliance, although none that were part of the group during their glory days. Tharpe had previously developed a relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, which saw the NWA title defended in Japan in 2013.
If Billy Corgan is buying in, he’ll have some type of plan. Corgan hasn’t posted to social media in over a month.
“With the capital and business acumen that Billy Corgan brings to the table – I am confident that he has the ability to take the NWA to the next level. And I have promised to do all I can to help him succeed. I ask you to join me in supporting the new NWA regime in the future,” Tharpe said.
At the Festival of Friendship, Jericho presented Owens with a painting. It was a replica of the “Creation of Man” painting, only with Jericho and Owens playing the roles of God and man. In the painting Owens and Jericho are reaching out their index fingers towards one another.
At WrestleMania, Owens used his index finger to reach the bottom rope while trapped in the Walls of Jericho. Owens then went on to win the match. At Payback, Owens again just used his index finger to grab the bottom rope to get out of a submission. Jericho then smashed Owens’ finger in the steps and locked Owens back in a submission. This time with his index finger injured, Owens had to tap as he could not reach out and grab the rope.
Owens’ index finger is an analogy for their “friendship”. He had used the finger/Jericho’s friendship to win matches. So if Jericho wanted to win he had to break the finger/friendship, which is what he did. Pretty creative storytelling.
WWE RAW kicked off with all the female Superstars in the ring awaiting the new RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss. Bayley had her arms crossed and had a frustrated look on her face. Alexa Bliss came down to the ring and received boos from the Sacramento crowd. Alexa grabbed a microphone and thanked all the ladies for coming down to the ring tonight, even though she demanded that RAW GM Kurt Angle make them all come out there. Alexa referred to herself as the “goddess of the WWE” and proceeded to brag about becoming the first ever female Superstar to hold both the RAW and Smackdown Women’s Championships.
Bliss went up to Mickie James and called her an inspiration, even though her contemporaries Mae Young and the Fabulous Moolah were now in a better place. Alexa then thanked Sasha Banks for being there and bragged about defeating her. Sasha then stepped towards Alexa and Bliss bumped into Nia Jax behind her. Alexa complimented Nia Jax and stated that all the other female Superstars were jealous of her. Alexa Bliss then stood on top of stand and said that it felt good to be on top of the world.
Alexa then acknowledged Bayley as “former RAW Women’s Champion” and the crowd broke out in a “Bayley!” chant. Bliss boasted about defeating Bayley last night at Payback in front of her entire family. Bliss claimed that when the referee raised her hand she noticed that all of Bayley’s nephews were crying. Bliss stated that now her whole family finally has a real role model to look up to. Bayley lost it and knocked over the stand and Bliss fell to the mat. RAW went to a commercial break with the entire RAW women’s division brawling in the ring.
Reaction: I enjoyed Alexa Bliss’s work on SmackDown, but she has upped her game since coming to RAW during WWE’s Superstar Shake-Up. She is excellent at getting the crowd to despise her. I hope that the rest of the RAW women’s division benefits from Bliss being on the roster when it comes to promos.
Alexa Bliss, Alicia Fox, Nia Jax & Emma vs Bayley, Sasha Banks, Mickie James & Dana Booke
Alexa Bliss and Bayley started off the match but Alexa immediately tagged in Emma. Bayley controlled the match early and beatdown Emma. Mickie James then entered the match and continued the assault on Emma. Mickie connected with a series of kicks then knocked Emma to the mat with a Clothesline. Dana Brooke was tagged in and Emma tagged in Alicia Fox. Dana Brooke beatdown Alicia for a minute and then tagged in Sasha Banks.
Sasha Banks got a massive cheer from the crowd and slammed Alicia to the mat. Bayley then got back in the match and went right after Fox. Alicia was then isolated in the corner and Mickie got back into the match. Mickie connected with a kick to Alicia’s face and tagged Sasha back in. Banks applied a Chinlock to Fox in the middle of the ring. Bliss shouted at Fox as Sasha Banks controlled the match.
Banks connected with an Arm Drag and followed it up with Double Knees for a two count. Alexa screamed for a tag and Fox comically replied “I’m trying!” while in a lot of pain. Fox launched Sasha out of the ring and all of the Superstars gathered outside the ring. RAW went to another commercial break with everyone shouting at each other ringside.
When RAW returned, Alicia Fox and Sasha Banks were once again battling in the ring. During the commercial break, Nia Jax dominated and it allowed Fox to recapture control of the match for her team. Fox hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a one count. Nia Jax entered the match and dropped an elbow on Sasha’s back. Nia then hurled Sasha across the ring and Bliss mocked Sasha from the ring apron. Nia hit another elbow for a one count.
Last night Corey Graves referred to Strowman as a bear, tonight he referred to Nia as a bear as she had Sasha in a Chinlock. Nia slammed Banks into the turnbuckle and tagged in Alexa Bliss. Alexa stuck her boot right in Sasha’s face as she laid across the bottom rope. Bliss then stomped on Sasha’s head a few times for a two count. Bliss punched Fox and Nia in the face in the corner was sent back to the mat via a Clothesline from Bliss. Sasha finally escaped and tagged in Bayley. Bayley tackled Alexa to the mat and punched her in the face several times. Bayley then slammed Alexa’s head into the top turnbuckle 10 times as the crowd went wild.
Alexa was then hung up on the second rope and Bayley planted her with a Neckbreaker. Bayley hit a Suplex and went for a pin but Nia broke up the pin. Dana Brooke then knocked Nia out of the ring and Mickie hit Nia with a Crossbody outside the ring. Bayley and Sasha then beatdown Alicia in the ring. The battle spilled outside the ring and Fox and Sasha traded punches. Back in the ring, Alexa raked Bayley’s eyes and spiked her head into the mat with a DDT for the victory.
Winners: Alexa Bliss, Alicia Fox, Nia Jax & Emma
Reaction: This was a solid 15+ minute to start off the show. I could live without the commercial breaks right in the middle of the damn match but complaining about that is a lost cause. I really enjoyed this match and Alexa picked up a victory over Bayley with a DDT for the second night in a row. I’m still waiting on that Sasha Banks heel turn and for to attack Bayley. Maybe that simply won’t wind up happening but I really do think Sasha Banks would be much better off as a heel. Having said that, Sasha Banks got a hell of a reaction from the crowd tonight so maybe that isn’t necessary.
Enzo and Cass came down to the entrance ramp to a big reaction from the crowd. Enzo bragged about giving Gallows and Anderson the beating of their lives last night. Gallows and Anderson attacked Enzo and Cass from behind. Cass and Enzo got the upper-hand anyway. RAW went to a commercial break with Enzo and Cass standing tall in the ring.
Luke Gallows vs Enzo Amore
When RAW returned, Gallows blasted Enzo with a giant boot to the face. Gallows then beatdown Enzo in the corner as Cass cheered his partner on from ringside. Enzo tried to fight back but was knocked back down by a Clothesline from Gallows. Gallows then slammed Enzo to the mat and posed in the ring. Gallows proceeded to beatdown Enzo for the next couple of minutes. Enzo finally fought back and connected with a series of punches. It didn’t matter as Gallows slammed Enzo to the mat again.
Gallows applied an Arm Bar on Enzo in the middle of the ring. Enzo got to his feet and punched Gallows a couple of times but once again was sent back to the mat. Gallows once again applied an Arm Bar and shouted at Enzo to give up. Cass slammed on the mat to try and pump up his teammate. Gallows charged at Enzo in the corner but Enzo avoided it. Enzo jumped off the second turnbuckle and connected with a DDT. Enzo hit a Dropkick to Gallows’ midsection and then kicked Gallows’ head like it was a football. Enzo then threw his hands up indicating that the field goal was good.
Enzo rolled up Gallows for a two count. Enzo climbed to the top turnbuckle but Anderson leaped up onto the apron. Gallows then slammed Enzo to the mat for the victory. Cass charged at Anderson outside the ring but Anderson retreated.
Winner: Luke Gallows
Reaction: Gallows, Anderson, Enzo and Cass are seemingly stuck in a never-ending feud that nobody really cares about.
Neville and TJ Perkins were backstage. Perkins said that Neville barely escaped his match with Austin Aries last night at Payback. Neville blamed the unprofessionalism of a young WWE official that caused him to get disqualified last night. Neville also stated that he respects Perkins but will not allow anyone to slander the King of the Cruiserweights. Neville informed Perkins that he has a match tonight against Austin Aries and suggested that Perkins make the most of that opportunity.
Seth Rollins came down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Rollins stated that for the first time in a long time he is feeling really good. Rollins then gave a mini-motivational speech about overcoming the odds and the “sucky” parts of life. Rollins bragged about defeating Triple H at Wrestlemania 33 and getting payback on Samoa Joe last night at WWE Payback. Rollins stated that there was only one thing left to do and challenged Brock Lesnar. The crowd broke out in a “yes!” chant as Rollins said that he has been to Suplex City and that he is not afraid to go back.
Finn Balor interrupted and said that he respects Rollins. Balor congratulated Rollins on being the one-legged man who defeated Triple H. Balor said that he was the one-armed man that defeated Rollins to become the Universal Championship. Balor said that the line starts with him when it comes to people that should face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship.
Dean Ambrose then joined the party and poked fun at Balor and Rollins. Ambrose said that RAW should be about fighting champions and Brock Lesnar barely wrestles. Ambrose claimed that the Intercontinental Championship is the number one title on RAW. This prompted The Miz and Maryse to come down to the entrance ramp.
The Miz claimed that Rollins and Balor haven’t earned anything and called Ambrose an embarrassment of a champion. The Miz stated that he deserves the Intercontinental Championship and boasted about making the IC Title relevant. Balor interrupted and said that Miz was the latest member of the “Finn Balor just kicked my ass club”. Miz called Balor a coward for attacking him last night during the Payback Kickoff Show. Miz made fun of Amborse and said that Ambrose has made the IC Title so unimportant that it wasn’t even defended last night at Payback.
Miz said that the reason everyone hates him is because he is the biggest threat on Monday Night RAW. Ambrose, Balor and Rollins told Miz to shut up at the same time. Ambrose asked the crowd if they would like to see everyone beat up The Miz. Ambrose then pulled out his iPhone and made a call to RAW GM Kurt Angle. Ambrose revealed that there will be a #1 contenders match for the Intercontinental Championship between The Miz, Seth Rollins and Finn Balor.
Reaction: Balor, Rollins or The Miz would all make solid Intercontinental Champions. I’m not sure if it is just the change of scenery, but Ambrose has been much more entertaining since the Superstar Shake-Up. He absolutely hit a wall on SmackDown and it felt like he was phoning it in leading up to Wrestlemania 33. With Lesnar’s constant absence from RAW, the Intercontinental Championship needs to be build up again. My hope is that it remains an important title on RAW from this point forward. There are far too many weeks where both the US Title and the IC Title are left off RAW and SmackDown.
Tony Nese, Noam Dar & Brian Kendrick vs Rich Swann, Akira Tozawa & Jack Gallagher
Swann, Tozawa and Gallagher all had umbrellas and danced on the ring apron. Tozawa and Kendrick started off the match trading punches. Tozawa took control but Tony Nese entered the match and beatdown Tozawa. Nese mocked Tozawa as he launched him across the ring. Swann and Dar then entered the match and battled back and forth. Gallagher was tagged in and sent Dar out of the ring. Tozawa and Gallagher then launched Nese onto Dar and Kendrick outside the ring. RAW went to a commercial break with Tozawa, Gallagher and Swann in control.
When RAW returned, Kendrick planted Tozawa with a Suplex for a two count. Nese was then tagged in and he flexed in the ring. Nese held up Tozawa for a Suplex for 15 seconds and then simply threw him onto the top rope and Tozawa bounced to the mat. Dar got back into the match and continued the beatdown on Tozawa. Nese was tagged back in and he kicked Tozawa in the chest. Nese applied the Torture Rack to Tozawa. Akira eventually battled his way out of hit was knocked back to the mat by Nese.
Tozawa planted Nese with a German Suplex and tagged in Swann. Swann leveled Kendrick with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Rolling Thunder Splash for a two count. Kendrick went for Sliced Bread No. 2 but Swann avoided it. Gallagher was tagged in and he headbutted Kendrick for a two count. Gallagher then headbutted Nese out of the ring. Kendrick then locked in the Captain’s Hook but Tozawa broke up the hold. Tozawa hit a Suicide Dive onto Dar outside the ring. Swann then flipped onto Tony Nese outside the ring. Back in the ring, Gallagher connected with a running kick on Kendrick while he was leaning against the turnbuckle. Gallagher then pinned Kendrick and picked up the victory for his team.
Winners: Rich Swann, Akira Tozawa & Jack Gallagher
Reaction: Everyone that wrestled in this match is very talented. The Cruiserweight divsion and 205 Live still have the same issue since it’s inception. There aren’t enough personalities that are featured in the division. Gallagher, Swann and Kendrick are all entertaining with a microphone in their hands. I’d still just like to see more Cruiserweights have their personalities featured on RAW. These matches are entertaining but if people want to watch them, they can just check out the highlights on YouTube. I could be wrong, but I don’t believe these random 6-man tag matches provide any incentive for people to watch 205 Live tomorrow night on the WWE Network.
Sheamus and Cesaro came down to the ring in black jackets and black kilts. Sheamus removed his sunglasses and thanked the crowd for their response as they booed. Sheamus stated that it felt good to finally be set free. Sheamus said that if he is being honest, he never really liked anyone in the WWE Universe. The crowd chanted “you look stupid!” and Sheamus claimed that he didn’t look as stupid as Matt and Jeff Hardy did last night after getting their ass kicked.
Sheamus said that Cesaro had his own “Cesaro section” and he believed that the crowd would get behind them. Sheamus blamed The Hardy Boyz for stealing their moment at Wrestlemania 33. Cesaro grabbed the microphone and stated that these people felt a rush of nostalgia when The Hardys returned. Cesaro claimed that the WWE Universe would rather live in the past or look in the future than look at the present that is standing right in front of them .
Sheamus poked fun at Jeff Hardy losing a tooth last night at Payback and referred to The Hardys as novelty acts. Sheamus stated that WWE now belongs to Sheamus and Cesaro. Cesaro vowed that they will recapture the RAW Tag Team Championships. The Hardy Boyz then interrupted. Matt Hardy thanked Cesaro and Sheamus for their explanation for the post-match beatdown last night at Payback. Matt and Jeff then did the “delete!” motion and charged the ring. Sheamus and Cesaro got out of the ring and retreated.
Reaction: Sheamus cut a really solid promo here and some of his points were actually valid about fans living in the past. I think this feud has the potential to be awesome and I’m looking forward to seeing how things unfold over the next few weeks on RAW.
The Miz was interviewed backstage alongside Maryse. Miz began to boast and Dean Ambrose took the microphone away from Charly Caruso. The Miz got pissed off when Ambrose asked him about his hair gel and walked away. Ambrose then said “this is Mean Dean Ambrose signing off, Gene and Bobby back to you at ringside”.
Crews was conversing with Slater and Rhyno earlier in the evening about becoming a father. Titus O’Neil was pissed off by this and said that Crews should be coming to him for advice.
The match started off back and forth. Crews leveled Slater with a Clothesline and went for a kick but missed. Slater then missed with a kick of his own and Crews connected with a kick to the side of Slater’s head. Crews then planted Slater with a Powerbomb for the victory. O’Neil then shoved the referee out of the way and raised Apollo’s hand. Titus went to take a selfie with Crews but Rhyno photobombed it.
RAW GM Kurt Angle came down to the ring as the crowd chanted “you suck!” along with his theme song. Angle called the match last night between Reigns and Strowman the most physical match he has ever seen. Angle revealed that Reigns re-injured his ribs and Strowman tore his rotator cuff. Angle also said that Reigns and Strowman were not done with each other. The lights in the arena went out and Bray Wyatt appeared on the entrance ramp. Wyatt made his way to the ring and confronted Kurt Angle.
Wyatt apologized for the interruption and introduced himself as Bray Wyatt and extended his hand. Angle shook Wyatt’s hand and Bray stated that he means Angle no harm. Bray Wyatt said that he closed the chapter of Randy Orton last night at Payback. Wyatt claimed that he was reborn on Monday Night RAW and is going to write a new story. Wyatt said that there was an evil all around us and that he holds the cure. Bray said that Angle needs him and Bray then asked Angle if he was going to allow him to do his work or stand in his way. Angle stated that he doesn’t know what Bray has planned, but he told Bray to remember that this was his show. Bray then laughed and said that RAW may be Angle’s show, but this is his world.
Reaction: I refuse to fall for the Bray Wyatt hype again. I hope that Bray Wyatt is entertaining every Monday night on RAW. I still haven’t gotten over the stink of his Wrestlemania 33 match and the terrible House of Horrors match last night. I spent years waiting for Wyatt to finally get his shot with the WWE Championship and WWE completely butchered it. It is pretty much impossible to get invested in a Bray Wyatt storyline at the moment. Also, a torn rotator cuff usually takes months to recover from. I’m guessing that is just storyline when it comes to Strowman, because it would make zero sense in the real world to plan any future matches for Strowman right now.
Dean Ambrose continued his reporter shtick and interviewed Rollins backstage. Rollins said that Ambrose should know that he has was it takes to take the IC Title from him. Ambrose stated that he is looking forward to tossing Rollins around the ring if Rollins becomes the #1 contender later tonight.
The match started out back and forth. Perkins hung up Aries on the turnbuckle and stomped on him as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Perkins dabbed over Aries and applied a Chinlock to Aries. Austin fought out of it but Perkins knocked him right back to the mat. Aries was once again stuck in the corner and Perkins stomped on his knee. Booker T said that he was not a fan of Rich Swann during this match, despite stating that he was a fan of him while Swann was performing earlier.
Aries charged at Perkins in the corner but TJ moved and Aries slammed into the ring post. Perkins then applied a Half Crab while Aries was hung up between the ropes. Perkins went outside the ring and grabbed Aries’ legs. Perkins was about to slam Aries’ knee into the ring post but Aries countered it and Perkins’ head bounced off the ring post. Aries then leveled Perkins with a Suicide Dive as Neville was shown shaking his head backstage.
Back in the ring, Aries connected with a couple of chops and then hit a Gutbuster, STO and followed it all up with a Pendulum Elbow. Aries then hit another elbow off the second rope for a two count. Aries slapped his own knee to get some feeling back into it and went for a Suplex on Perkins. TJ avoided it but Aries Suplexed him. Aries was then able to lock in the Last Chancery after countering TJ’s Detonation Kick for the submission victory.
After the match, Perkins attacked Aries and targeted his knee. Perkins applied the Knee Bar and Aries screamed in pain. Perkins then removed his wrist tape and tossed it at Aries in disgust as he exited the ring.
Winner: Austin Aries
Reaction: I’ve said it for weeks, TJ Perkins is much better as a heel. He just needs new entrance music because it doesn’t fit his character right now.
Dean Ambrose interviewed Finn Balor backstage and asked if he was nervous. Balor stated that he eats nerves and produces results. Ambrose then handed Balor a donut and said he was too skinny. Balor took a bite of it and walked away. The Drifter then walked by Ambrose playing a guitar. RAW went to a commercial break while Ambrose finished off the rest of the donut.
Reaction: “I eat nerves and produce results” is one of the strangest lines I’ve ever heard. The Ambrose as a reporter joke was funny once. Thus, WWE decided to beat it into the ground throughout the episode of RAW.
R-Truth and Goldust were backstage and asked RAW GM Kurt Angle for a RAW Tag Team Championship match against The Hardy Boyz. Angle said that he couldn’t make the match because the Golden Truth’s win/loss ratio was terrible. Goldust and R-Truth stated that they really needed this. Angle made a Tag Team Turmoil match next week and the winner of that match will become the #1 contenders for the RAW Tag Team Championships.
Triple Threat Match To Determine The #1 Contender For The Intercontinental Championship: Finn Balor vs The Miz vs Seth Rollins
The Miz rolled out of the ring right when the match started and the crowd booed. Miz instructed Balor and Rollins to fight and they obliged. Balor went for a quick roll up and Rollins kicked out. Miz rolled into the ring for a second and then immediately exited. Rollins went for another quick pin and once again Miz got into the ring for a second. Balor kicked out and Miz immediately rolled back out of the ring.
Balor and Rollins then got out of the ring and chased Miz around. Balor and Rollins then cornered Miz in the ring and Miz tried to form an alliance with both of them. Both Rollins and Balor refused and beat the hell out of Miz. Balor threw Miz out of the ring and Rollins tried to steal the match with a roll up. Balor kicked out and Rollins kicked Miz off the ring apron. Balor then connected with a Dropkick to Rollins’ face.
The Miz tripped up Balor on the ring apron and Finn fell to the floor outside the ring. Rollins Dropkicked Miz off the ring apron and went for a Suicide Dive but Miz hid behind Maryse. Rollins then connected with a Crossbody onto The Miz. Back in the ring, Balor connected with a kick to Rollins. Miz booted Balor in the face and Rollins climbed to the top turnbuckle. Miz shoved Rollins off the top turnbuckle and Rollins smashed into the barricade outside the ring. RAW went to a commercial break with The Miz standing tall in the ring.
When RAW returned, Miz was still in control of the match but that didn’t last long. Balor knocked Miz to the mat and hit him with a Dropkick to the head. Rollins then flew into view and hit a Crossbody onto Balor. Rollins landed awkwardly on the side of his head. Miz then launched Rollins into the ring post. Miz hit a couple of Dropkicks on Rollins in the corner and followed it up with a Clothesline. Miz then climbed to the top turnbuckle and clubbed Rollins across the face. Miz and Rollins were on the mat in the ring and Balor was on the floor outside the ring.
Miz connected with a couple of right hands to Rollins. Balor got up to the ring apron and Miz sent Rollins flying into him and Balor once again fell to the floor outside the ring. Balor returned to the ring and was greeted with a kick to the ribs by Miz. The Miz then delivered a few Yes! Kicks to Rollins and Balor. Balor sent Miz into Rollins and Seth set him up for a DDT. Balor then connected with a Dropkick to Rollins and Seth drilled Miz with a DDT at the same time. The crowd started to chant “this is awesome” as the three Superstars got back up to their feet.
Balor hit Rollins with a chop in the corner and kicked Miz out of the ring. Balor kept up his momentum by knocking Rollins out of the ring with a Clothesline. Balor then got on the ring apron and punted The Miz’s head while he was standing outside the ring. Balor then sprinted around the ring and delivered a devastating Dropkick to Rollins in the corner. Back in the ring, Balor hit Rollins with a 1916 and went for a pinfall but Miz hurried to the ring and broke it up.
Miz was then tossed out of the ring again by Balor. Finn planted Rollins with a Slingblade, but was dragged out of the ring and crotched up against the ring post by The Miz. Rollins rolled up The Miz for a two count. Miz then Dropkicked Rollins’ knee and connected with a DDT for a two count. The Miz went for the Figure Four as Balor writhed in pain outside the ring. Miz was able to lock in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring and the crowd chanted “woo!”. Balor sprinted back in the ring and once again punted Miz’s head to break up the Figure Four.
The crowd once again chanted “this is awesome!” as the three Superstars battled in the ring. Balor connected with a chop to Miz and Rollins laid him out with kick. Balor connected with a kick to Rollins but Seth bounced off the ropes and hit a Superkick on Balor for a two count. Rollins hit a Splash on Balor in the corner and then smashed Miz’s head into the second turnbuckle. Rollins then hit a double Blockbuster off the second rope onto Balor and Miz. Rollins then climbed up the turnbuckle and hit a massive Frog Splash for a two count.
Maryse paced around outside the ring in frustration as Miz climbed up the turnbuckle. Rollins greeted Miz on the top turnbuckle and delivered a massive Superplex. Rollins then rolled through and hit a Falcon Arrow on Miz for a two count. The crowd chanted “holy sh**!” as Rollins sprinted across the ring and hit a Suicide Dive onto Balor outside the ring. Rollins then hit a Suicide Dive onto Miz on the opposite side of the ring. Samoa Joe then attacked Rollins outside the ring and slammed him to the floor.
Back in the ring, Balor Dropkicked Miz into the turnbuckle and climbed up to the top rope. Balor was going for the Coupe De Grace but the lights went out in the arena. Bray then planted Balor with the Sister Abigail and the lights went out in the arena again. When the lights came back on, Miz crawled towards Balor and pinned him for the victory.
Winner & New #1 Contender For The Intercontinental Championship: The Miz
Reaction: What a match this was. The ending was a bit disappointing because I’m not really interested in yet another Miz and Ambrose match. Having said that, this match was absolutely terrific and worth checking out if you missed it. Overall, this was one of the better episodes of RAW I’ve seen in awhile. It certainly had it’s eye-rolling moments but for the most part I was entertained throughout the show.
Ring of Honor TV
airdate: May 1st 2017 (Fite App)
Baltimore, MD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJipYcRjQ8Q
1. Coast to Coast (Shaheem Ali & LSG) vs. the Kingdom (Matt Taven & Vinny Marseglia)
They announced on commentary before the match that the winners would face the tag team champions in New York at the War of the Worlds show.
Taven hit a reverse DDT on Ali, followed by a senton by Vinny, but the Kingdom opted not to pin him when they could have. Instead Taven called out ROH world champ, Christopher Daniels, and then hit Daniels’ Angel’s Wings on Ali, and got the 3 count.
Daniels and Taven meet for the title on May 10th in Dearborn Michigan. Winners: the Kingdom (Taven pinned Ali)
Young Bucks Segment
The Young Bucks came out and tried to quell any rumours that there was dissension amongst them and Adam Cole in Bullet Club. They reaffirmed that Bullet Club was 4-life.
Then they said they were out of challengers in ROH, so they issued an open challenge to any tag team anywhere.
This brough out Mikey and Kenny from the Spirit Squad. They said they were accepting the challenge, but not for next week, they wanted to face the Bucks right now. They ran into the ring and were immediately super-kicked and knocked out by the Bucks. Commentary then announced we’d get the actual match next week.
2. Flip Gordan vs. Matt Sydal
Sydal will challenge Marty Scurll for the ROH TV title at War of the Worlds. While this was a showcase match for Sydal, Gordan got in a fair amount of offence as well.
Sydal wins with the shooting star press.
After the match Scurll ran into the ring and up behind Sydal. He tried to give him the chickenwing but Sydal hit him with a kick that took him out of the ring. Winner: Matt Sydal
Story Time with Adam Cole Segment
Adam Cole came out and again said there were no problems in Bullet Club, and that he and the Young Bucks have worked everything out. Cole also mentions he will team up with Cody (Rhodes) next week against Dalton Castle and Christopher Daniels.
3. ROH World Title #1 Contenders Match 4-Corner Survivors Match Jay Lethal vs. Silas Young vs. Jay White vs. Hangman Page (Bullet Club)
Christopher Daniels was on commentary, he also brought an apple-tini.
I don’t know quite how to describe this, or why I’m describing this but at one point during this match Silas Young spat on Hangman Page. In response, Page wiped the spit off his torso, licked it, and spat it back at Silas Young. It was nothing that should ever be repeated.
Lethal ended up getting the pin on Young after the Lethal Injection. Lethal will now face Christopher Daniels and Cody at War of the Worlds on May 12th for the ROH title.
Cody and Daniels each came down for a stare down session. Winner: Jay Lethal (added to world title match at War of the Worlds)
For no reason, here is a video of the Young Bucks super-kicking some kids:
The May 1st edition of WWE RAW was the first episode after Payback 2017 and aired live on the USA Network from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA.
– All of the RAW divas are in the ring with red carpeting and a podium — except for Alexa Bliss. Alexa comes out last with her RAW Women’s Title to gloat about her victory last night. Alexa proceeds to talk trash to the ladies in the ring except for Nia Jax. Alexa focuses on Bayley and talks about beating her in front of her family in Payback last night. Bayley eventually flips the podium with Alexa on it and all of the women in the ring start brawling, which leads to an eight-woman tag match.
– Nia Jax, Emma, Alicia Fox & Alexa Bliss def. Bayley, Mickie James, Sasha Banks, Dana Brooke: Bayley starts working on Emma’s arm to start things off, then tags in James who continues. James hits a flying cross body then a dropkick for a two count. Banks and Fox come in and Banks hits a hip toss then a double knee drop for a two count. Alexa tags in and works over Sasha until Bayley gets the hot tag. Bayley drops Alexa and repeatedly slams her head into the turnbuckle. Bayley drops Alexa’s neck over the ring ropes then spears her in the corner. Bayley follows up with a splash in the corner and the aprons clear and all hell breaks loose. The brawling culminates with Bliss hitting a DDT on Bayley in the ring for the win.
– Enzo and Cass are seen backstage getting ready to come out for Enzo’s match against Luke Gallows. They come out to the ring to cut their usual promo, but before Cass can spell it out for them, Gallows and Anderson attack them from behind. Cass finally fights them off so Enzo can recover.
– Luke Gallows def. Enzo Amore: Gallows hits a big boot early on that levels Enzo, and he follows up with a series of strikes on Enzo in the corner. Gallows slams down Enzo and absolutely dominates the next few moments of the match. Gallows appears to be working on Enzo’s left arm, then drops him with another big boot up against the turnbuckles. Enzo fires up and starts fighting back with elbows, but Gallows grabs him and plants him with a single-arm DDT. Enzo starts fighting back again and this time takes out Gallows’ knee. Enzo boots Gallows in the head while he’s down, but Gallows gets up shortly after and drops Enzo with an uppercut. Gallows goes for a vertical suplex but Enzo reverses into a small package pin for a two count. Enzo goes up top, but Anderson distracts him and Gallows snatches Enzo off the turnbuckle and hits a variation of a Death Valley Driver for the win. Cass checks on Enzo in the ring as Gallows and Anderson celebrate on the ramp.
– TJ Perkins approaches Neville backstage and pokes fun at Neville for cheating to win last night. Neville says he doesn’t allow anyone to slander the king, and says it was the referee’s fault for being out of position.
– Seth Rollins is out next to announce that he wants a shot at the Universal Title. Finn Balor interrupts and says he’s the rightful #1 contender, and the line starts behind him. Dean Ambrose interrupts next, and then The Miz interrupts shortly after. The Miz says he should get the Title shot, but Dean Ambrose says he knows how to settle it: He’ll call RAW GM Kurt Angle. He calls Angle and reveals that Angle told him he’s booking a match tonight to settle this. There will be a triple threat match tonight featuring Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. Finn Balor, where the winner will become the #1 contender to Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental Title.
– Jack Gallagher, Rich Swann & Tozawa def. Brian Kendrick, Tony Nese & Noam Dar: Tozawa starts off with offense against Kendrick until Nese gets the blind tag and takes over. Nese continues working on Tozawa and puts him in a Torture Rack. Tozawa gets out and tag in Swann, and Nese tags in Dar. Gallagher tags in shortly after who throws Dar outside. Kendrick runs in, so Tozawa boots him in the face and causes Kenrick to fall outside. The babyfaces then throw Nese outside and onto Kendrick and Dar. Back in the ring, Kendrick takes control of things against Tozawa. Nese and Dar trade tags next to continue working on Tozawa. Nese puts Tozawa back in the Torture Rack. Nese takes a minute to taunt Swann and Gallagher, which gives Tozawa a chance to grab Nese and hit a back suplex. Swan and Kendrick get the tags and Swan tees off on Kendrick. Swann hits a Fame-asser and a Rolling Thunder on Kendrick for a two count. Dar runs in so Swann kicks him in the head. Kendrick goes for the Sliced Bread on Swann, but Gallagher headbutts him from the apron. Gallagher tags in next, but Kendrick quickly gets him in the Captain’s Hook. Tozawa breaks it up with a Shining Wizard, then he and Swann hit suicide dives on Nese and Dar at ringside. Back in the ring, Gallagher hits a running dropkick on Kendrick in the corner for the win.
– Sheamus and Cesaro are out to the ring and Sheamus says he never liked any of the fans. Sheamus says he’s glad to be himself again, and that Cesaro kept telling him the fans would like him until WrestleMania when the Hardy Boyz came back and stole their moment. Cesaro says the fans the would look in the past than to the future. Cesaro says they proved last night that the Hardy Brothers don’t belong in the ring with them, and that they’re novelty acts. The Hardys are out next and they do the “delete” motion and hit the ring. Cesaro and Sheamus run off and retreat to the back as Matt and Jeff Hardy stand tall in the ring.
– The Miz is doing an interview backstage when Dean Ambrose takes over things and asks Miz if his hair gel gets in his eyes when he wrestles. The Miz storms off in disgust, and Ambrose signs off as “Mean” Dean Ambrose.
– Apollo Crews def. Heath Slater: Rhyno is in Slater’s corner and Titus O’Neal is in Crews’ corner. Crews starts things off with a suplex and a front face lock on Slater. Slater fights back but Crews levels him with a dropkick. Crews misses a splash in the corner and Slater rolls him up for a two count. Slater throws Crews outside, where Rhyno and Titus are hovering around keeping an eye on things. Crews misses a dropkick, then Slater misses a superkick, and Crews drops Slater. Crews follows up with the spin-out powerbomb for the win. Titus celebrates with Crews after the match and takes a selfie with him, which Rhyno gets in the background.
– WWE RAW GM and Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is out to the ring next to a huge ovation. Angle addresses the injuries sustained by Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman last night at Payback. The lights cut out and Bray Wyatt interrupts. Wyatt introduces himself to Angle and says he’s come to RAW tonight as a savior. Wyatt says he can fix RAW, and that he has big plans for the show, but Angle reminds him that RAW is his show. Wyatt laughs and says RAW may be his show, but it’s Wyatt’s world.
– Seth Rollins is in the locker room when Dean Ambrose approaches him to interview him. Rollins asks what’s going on, and Ambrose reminds him that there were cameras in his locker room and it’d be weird if there wasn’t an interview. Ambrose asks Rollins about his match tonight, and Rollins reminds Ambrose that he’s beaten him before and says he can beat him again.
– Austin Aries def. TJ Perkins: Aries dominates the opening moments of this one and hits a missile dropkick off the top on Perkins for a two count. Perkins starts to fire up but Aries drops him with an elbow to the head. Perkins hangs Aries up in the tree of woe in the corner and starts stomping on Aries’ left knee. Aries is selling the knee and Perkins focuses in on it. Perkins hits a springboard forearm strike off the middle rope, then stomps a mud hole in Aries in the corner. Perkins gets Aries in a half Boston crab on the top turnbuckle with Aries hanging between the ropes. Aries knocks Perkins outside and follows up with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Aries hits an STO and an elbow drop, followed up by a flying elbow drop. Perkins starts fighting back with a series of kicks, but Aries hits a shinbreaker then a back suplex. Perkins comes back and attempts a Detonation Kick, but Aries fights out and locks Perkins in the Last Chancery for the win via submission. After the bell, Perkins attacks Aries from behind and stomps on his bad knee before locking in the knee bar.
– Ambrose walks up to Finn Balor and asks him if he’s nervous tonight. Balor says he eats nerves. Ambrose and Balor then share a donut, and the drifter walks by with his guitar.
– Goldust and R-Truth approach Kurt Angle backstage and say they want to challenge the Hardys for the Tag Titles. Angle tells them their win-loss record just isn’t good enough for a Title shot. Goldust says Angle and the Hardys coming back have inspired them and lit a fire under them, and they want a chance to prove they’re not a joke. Kurt books them in a Tag Team Tornado match for next week where the winner will become the #1 contender for the RAW Tag Titles.
– Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. Finn Balor: This one is under triple threat rules with no DQs. Miz rolls outside after the bell and encourages Rollins and Balor to go at it. Balor and Rollins trade holds in the ring but they frequently get distracted by The Miz. They finally decide to go deal with Miz at ringside and chase him down. Miz runs into the ring and they surround him. The Miz tries to reason with them, but Rollins and Balor both hit him with kicks and throw him out of the ring. Rollins turns his attention towards Balor and they trade offense until Miz pulls Balor outside and slams his head on the apron corner. Rollins bumps Miz outside and goes for a suicide dive but Miz pulls Maryse in front of him. Rollins waits until Maryse moves away then hits a suicide plancha on Miz. Back in the ring, Balor works on Rollins until Miz comes in and hits a big boot to the face of Balor. Rollins climbs up top but Miz pushes him off and Rollins falls down into the fan barricade at ringside. Miz works on Rollins’ bad knee, then back in the ring he puts Rollins in the Figure Four until Balor breaks it up with a knee to the face. Miz and Balor trade strikes until Rollins assists with a spinning heel kick on Miz. Balor hits a kick on Rollins, but Rollins comes back with one of his own for a two count. Rollins comes off the turnbuckle with a double Blockbuster on both Miz and Balor. Rollins follows up with a frogsplash off the top on Balor for a two count. Rollins throws Balor outside, then superplexes Miz off the top. Rollins immediately follows up with the Falcon Arrow for a near-fall. Samoa Joe then comes out of nowhere, snatches Rollins and Rock Bottoms him on the ringside floor. This leaves The Miz staring as Joe leaves, having saved him from Rollins. The Miz turns around into Balor who hits the Sling Blade then goes up top. The lights go out, and when they come back on Wyatt is on the apron and he pushes Balor into the ring. Wyatt hits the Sister Abigail on Balor, then disappears again. Miz crawls ontop of Balor and pins him to steal the win, and The Miz is now the #1 contender for the Intercontinental Title. Miz and Maryse celebrate and make their escape up the ramp as RAW goes off the air.
One night after losing the Raw women’s championship in her hometown, Bayley will team up with Sasha Banks to take on Nia Jax, the newly crowned champion, Alexa Bliss.
The match was announced earlier today by a guy Chris Jericho thinks is Tom Phillips:
Raw’s women’s division grew deeper after the Superstar Shakeup. It now consists of: Alexa Bliss (c), Bayley, Sasha Banks, Nia Jax, Mickie James, Emma, Dana Brooke and Alicia Fox. On the roster but currently inactive: Summer Rae, Paige (might not return).
Despite the increased roster size, the division still only had 1 match on the PPV last night.
Tonight’s episode of Raw takes place inside the Golden 1 Centre in Sacramento, California.
– Adam Cole is officially a free agent after his Ring of Honor contract expired Sunday night, according to PWInsider. Cole is a former 2-time ROH World Champion and wrestled for the company since 2009. He’s now free to negotiate with other companies, including WWE/NXT and Impact Wrestling.
– WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash provided the following update on longtime friend Sean Waltman, who missed a scheduled appearance over the weekend had people concerned about his whereabouts. Nash says Waltman is “great” and there’s nothing to worry about.
@TheRealXPac is great. Nothing to worry about. Love you Sean my brother.
– Kevin Owens noted on Twitter that he just got added to tonight’s SmackDown live event from Stockton, California and plans to take out his aggression on whoever stands in his way. Owens dropped the United States Championship to Chris Jericho at Payback and says things are not going to end well for whoever his opponents are tonight and tomorrow in Fresno.
– Fans in attendance at Sunday’s WWE Payback pay-per-view voiced their displeasure with the pre-recorded portion of the House of Horrors match. Twitter user @CrimsonDevies posted this video of the crowd chanting “boring” while the House of Horrors match played on the big screen.
Cruiserweight Ring Changeover Last Night At WWE Payback
Last night at WWE Payback, Neville defended his Cruiserweight Championship against Austin Aries. WWE’s production crew had to change the ring for a Cruiserweight division match and finished just as Neville was at the bottom of the entrance ramp. A reddit user posted a video of the ring changeover and synced it up with the footage from Payback.
Zack Ryder Comments On 10 Years With WWE
WWE Superstar Zack Ryder is currently out of action with a knee injury that he suffered back in December. Ryder is remaining active and working his way towards his return to the ring. Ryder took to Twitter today and stated that he made his debut in WWE 10 years ago today.
Sunday night’s WWE Payback pay-per-view saw Bray Wyatt and WWE Champion Randy Orton battle it out in a House of Horrors filled with special effects and a cinematic horror movie style presentation. The two ultimately wound up inside the ring at San Jose, California’s SAP Center, but it’s been revealed that the House of Horrors was actually located 1,860 away in Richmond, Missouri.
Richmond is located approximately 40 miles outside of Kansas City, which hosted last week’s episode of WWE RAW, so the House of Horrors segment was taped nearly a week before the Payback match took place.
Twitter user @SYNJE_Vox for dug up a real estate listing for the House of Horrors. The 2-bedroom fixer-upper is currently on the market for $36,000.
The listing reads, “Looking for small acreage, just outside the city limits of Richmond? Here it is! This home has potential! Fixer Upper’s dream! Bring your ideas and skills and make this your special home. Home has newer septic. The water in the basement is due to the sump pump not being on for several years. OWNER IS SELLING PROPERTY “AS IS”! THIS PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO THIRD PARTY APPROVAL. PROOF OF FUNDS WHEN SENDING OFFER.”
You can check out the House of Horrors listing at Movoto below:
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has been taking strides over the last year to increase their english-speaking fanbase. They have increased the amount of shows they bring on an english-announce team for, and have been increasing the amount of foreign stars they feature.
The biggest move the company is making to expand into english-speaking markets however, is bringing their famous G1 tournament to Los Angeles this summer.
The company released the following commercial for the show recently:
Witness the first commercial for the debut of New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the United States#njusa pic.twitter.com/Dq8RU1zfFA
Should You Start Watching New Japan Pro-Wrestling?
For those who don’t follow Japanese pro-wrestling, there are some significant differences. NJPW, and most other Japanese companies (not DDT) place far greater emphasis on pretending the sport is real. That is to say they don’t break down the fourth wall as much as WWE does. There is also far less talking, with backstage segments being limited to press-conference question and answer periods.
NJPW also divides much of the year up by holding several tournaments, such as the G1.
The G1 tournament is the main singles tournament of the year (with all do respect to the New Japan Cup). It is a round-robin tournament where wrestlers are split into 2 divisions. The wrestler who finishes with the most points in their division (2 points for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss) moves on to the finals to face the winner of the other division. Whoever wins in the finals, earns a contract for a title match at WrestleKingdom.
The two G1 shows in Los Angeles will most likely be during the round-robin portion of the tournament.
