Impact Wrestling held a series of tapings last night. The episodes filmed are expected to air on July 13th and 20th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGDi4Fkk5tQ
July 13th Episode (assuming parts weren’t filmed out of order):
LAX comes out, and Konnan cuts a promo about adding a new solider. He introduces Alberto El Patron, who asks what he is doing. Konnan tells Alberto he should join LAX so they can protect him, and that they can start a Latin revolution. Alberto again says no so the group attacks him. Bobby Lashley makes the save, hands Alberto back his title and then leaves.
Naomichi Marufuji faced Moose for the Grand Championship, but EC3 ran in and hit Marufuji with the belt, busting him open. The match was waved off.
Trevor Lee defeated William Weeks in a singles match, while wearing the stolen X-division title the whole time.
Laural Van Ness won a singles match over Ava Storie. Grado Park asked Van Ness out for some #NetflixandChill, but Kongo Kong ran in and scared him and Joseph Park away.
Bobby Lashley and Alberto El Patron teamed up to defeat members of LAX in a non-title match. After the match El Patron said they made a good team, but then Lashley just left and allowed El Patron to get beaten down by LAX.
July 20th Episode (assuming parts weren’t filmed out of order):
Drago beat Sammy Guevara in a singles match.
Sienna defeated Amber Nova in a singles match (non-title). She cut a promo saying Karen Jarrett didn’t believe in her, which brings Karen out. Allie also came out however and beat Sienna down with a kendo stick. Laurel Van Ness comes out to make the save, then so does Gail Kim. Karen Jarrett announces Rosemary vs. Sienna in something referred to as a “Last KO standing match” next week.
Garza Jr, Laredo Kid and Octagoncito defeated Trevor Lee, Idris Abraham and Demus 3:16.
Matt Sydal pinned Low-Ki and then called out Bruce Prichard to give him a title shot. Lashley came out and said the only one who deserved a title shot was him, and then he speared Sydal.
2 unknown assailants came out of the crowd and attacked Chris Adonis and Eli Drake.
LAX then came to the ring with Alberto’s father, Dos Caras and his 29 year old brother, El Hijo De Dos Caras. Konnan threatened to rip Alberto’s father’s mask off if he didn’t join LAX. Alberto finally relents and puts on the LAX t-shirt. He then attacks LAX, showing he hadn’t actually joined the faction.
Samoa Joe is the new #1 contender to Brock Lesnar’s RAW Universal Championship after winning the Fatal 5 Way main event of Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
Joe defeated Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt to earn the shot at Lesnar, which is scheduled for next month’s Great Balls of Fire pay-per-view.
On the RAW Talk post-show that took place after Extreme Rules, Joe says he’s fully prepared for his ‘dream match’ with the Beast Incarnate.
It’s been a quick rise to the top for Joe, who made his main roster debut back in January as the hired gun of Triple H. Brock Lesnar will have his hands full in his first title defense, as Joe is one of the most physical athletes on the RAW roster.
Great Balls of Fire takes place on Sunday, July 9th from Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. WWE released this promo video hyping the show:
As reported previously, WCPW’s recent ‘Fight Back’ live event stream saw the company lose their streaming privileges due to a strike on their YouTube account.
WCPW has since confirmed that the strike is still being upheld and that the show will now only be available to view via Facebook and the WhatCulture Extra on demand streaming service.
The nature of the strike has still not been officially confirmed. The original claim stated ‘violation of YouTube’s policy on spam and deceptive practices’ so it is likely that the parody image that the company used to promote the show may have caused the issue.
Top UK Independent promotion Rev Pro has announced the first match for their Summer Sizzler event that takes place in York Hall, Bethnal Green on Thursday 17th August.
Former WWE/WCW star Rey Mysterio will be taking on ‘The Villain’ Marty Scurll. Mysterio has made some sporadic appearances across the UK this year, including dates for WCPW and World Association of Wrestling. It appears as though Rey may be taking more UK dates going forward and he sees the region as a home away from home.
‘The Villain’ on the other hand has been touring the globe and has not featured on many UK based cards this year. His recent debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament has impressed many and this match against crusierweight legend Mysterio will only help to boost his already impressive resume.
Kalisto defeated Apollo Crews in a solid match. Titus O’Neil got up on the ring apron and started arguing with Crews. Kalisto took advantage and hit the Salida del Sol on Crews for the victory. The crowd was surprisingly hyped for this match. Hopefully that energy continues throughout the night.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs The Miz (Ambrose Loses Title If Disqualified)
Ambrose started out the match in control and applied a Chin Lock. The Miz fought out of it but Ambrose knocked him to the mat. The two Superstars locked up in the center of the ring and Ambrose once again got to the upper-hand. Ambrose beat the hell out The Miz in the corner until the referee broke it up. The Miz shouted at the referee to disqualify Ambrose but the referee wasn’t having it. Ambrose Clotheslined Miz out of the ring and followed it up with a Suicide Dive.
Ambrose continued to assault Miz and slammed him into the barricade. Dean then drove Miz into the ring apron and rolled back into the ring to break up the referee’s count. Ambrose then grabbed a chair and the referee got in his face. The Miz capitalized on the distracted and booted Ambrose in the chest. Maryse distracted the referee and Miz grabbed the chair. Ambrose knocked the chair out of Miz’s hands and the action returned to the ring.
The referee once again shouted at Ambrose because he wouldn’t stop attacking Miz while he was leaning against the ropes. Miz once again capitalized and spiked Ambrose’s head off the ring apron with a DDT. The Miz slowed the match down and applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Dean battled out of the hold and connected with a flurry of right hands. Ambrose went for the Lunatic Lariat but Miz was ready and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count.
Miz connected with a knee that knocked Ambrose to the mat and followed it up with a boot to the face for a two count. Miz yanked Ambrose to the mat by his hair and then punched him in the face a few times. The Miz then posed in the ring as Maryse applauded ringside. Miz hit three Dropkicks on Ambrose in the corner and then knocked Ambrose to the mat with a Clothesline.
The Miz had an intense look on his face as he ascended to the top rope. Ambrose groggily stumbled around in the ring and Miz attempted to leap onto him. Ambrose countered the aerial attack with a kick to the chest and then knocked Miz out of the ring. Ambrose climbed to the top rope and connected with an elbow onto Miz outside the ring. The referee started counting as both Superstars were on the floor outside the ring. Ambrose was the first to his feet and rolled Miz back into the ring at the count of eight.
Ambrose hit a Clothesline and followed it up with a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count. Both Superstars got back to their feet and Ambrose went for a Bulldog but Miz countered and knocked Ambrose to the mat. Miz attempted a kick but Ambrose avoided it and rolled Miz up for a two count. Ambrose then planted Miz with a swinging Neckbreaker for a two count. Dean once again climbed to the top rope but Miz charged at him and Ambrose jumped back to the mat. Ambrose tweaked his knee and Miz focused his attack on the injury.
Miz applied the Figure Four in the middle of the ring and Ambrose writhed in pain. Ambrose fought through the pain and slowly made his way to the bottom rope.The crowd cheered as Ambrose grabbed the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Ambrose tried to get back to his feet but his injured left leg gave out. Miz once again went for the Figure Four but Ambrose countered it into a roll up for a two count. Ambrose returned to the top rope but Miz swept out his feet and Dean landed crotch-first on the top turnbuckle.
Miz went for a Superplex but Ambrose blocked it and punched Miz in the chest. Dean then connected with three headbutts and went for a Powerbomb off the top rope. Miz removed the top turnbuckle pad during the sequence. Ambrose went to slam Miz’s head into the exposed turnbuckle but caught himself before he went through with it. Miz connected with a knee to Dean’s face for a two count. Miz hit a few Yes! Kicks as the crowd chanted along with every strike.
Miz went for another kick but Ambrose caught him and locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Miz battled his way to the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Miz went for a quick Skull Crushing Finale but Ambrose avoided it and hobbled his way to a Lunatic Lariat. Both Ambrose and Miz almost ran into Maryse on the ring apron. Miz knocked Ambrose to the mat and instructed Maryse to slap him. Maryse slapped Miz in hopes that the referee would disqualify The Miz. The referee didn’t buy it and kicked out Maryse.
Maryse wouldn’t leave and the referee started shouting at her. The Miz then threw Ambrose into the referee and knocked him out of the ring. Ambrose pleaded with the referee to not disqualify him as the ref made his way to the timekeeper’s area. The Miz then creeped up behind Ambrose and planted him with a Skull Crushing Finale. The referee then rolled back into the ring and counted to three.
Winner & New Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Reaction: The interactions with the referee throughout this match got annoying but this match was much more entertaining than I thought it would be. The Miz is now a 7-time Intercontinental Champion and Extreme Rules is off to a good start.
Bayley was interviewed backstage about her Kendo Stick On A Pole match against Alexa Bliss. Bayley poked fun at Alexa’s horrible “This Is Your Life” segment on last week’s episode of RAW. Bayley stated that she has been studying for this match by watching Sandman and Steve Blackman. Bayley also said that she saw Wonder Woman and felt inspired. Bayley then stated that she is ready to do whatever it takes to recapture the RAW Women’s Championship.
Sasha Banks and Alicia Fox started out the match. Alicia immediately tagged in Dar which meant that Swann had to get in the ring. Dar charged at Swann in the corner and Swann avoided him. Dar then ran over to Fox and hugged her on the ring apron. Fox and Banks then battled in the ring and traded punches. Sasha locked in the Bank Statement quickly but Dar dragged Fox’s leg to the bottom rope and the hold was broken. Fox then connected with a kick to Sasha’s face for a two count.
Fox then danced in the ring and mocked Rich Swann. The crowd chanted “lets go Sasha” as Fox hit a Backbreaker for a two count. Fox then applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as the crowd once again got behind Banks. Sasha batted to her feet and connected with an elbow to Fox’s face. Alicia went for a kick on Sasha in the corner but Banks got out of the way.
Swann and Dar then got back in the ring and Swann knocked Dar to the mat. Swann then flipped and connected with a kick to the back of Dar’s neck for a two count. Dar went for a roll-up but Swann kicked out at two. Both Superstars traded punches in the middle of the ring. Swann connected with a spinning kick and both Superstars fell to the mat. Alicia Fox and Sasha Banks started battling outside the ring. Sasha slammed Fox into ring apron as Dar launched Swann into the barricade outside the ring. Sasha Banks climbed to the top rope and hit Double Knees onto Noam Dar. Swann then rolled Dar into the ring and climbed up to the top rope and hit a Phoenix Splash for the victory.
After the match, Sasha Banks and Rich Swann danced around in the ring.
Winners: Rich Swann & Sasha Banks
Reaction: I’m glad this match was quick because I honestly had zero interest in it. One can only hope that this marks the end of this feud.
Elias Samson strummed his guitar in the ring and performed a song. Samson demanded that the crowd hold their applause until after he is finished performing. Samson then performed a song that bashed the city of Baltimore and the crowd in attendance.
Reaction: I thought there was going to be a filler match here but that wasn’t the case. It was just a random performance by Elias Samson and that was it.
RAW Women’s Championship Kendo Stick On A Pole Match: Alexa Bliss (c) vs Bayley
Alexa Bliss folded her arms and then instructed Bayley to climb up the turnbuckle to grab the kendo stick. Bayley obliged and Alexa Bliss knocked her to the mat. Bayley battled to her feet and bounced Alexa’s head off the top turnbuckle. Alexa knocked Bayley out of the ring and started climbing the turnbuckle. Bayley joined Alexa on the turnbuckle and Bayley grabbed the kendo stick. Bayley then dropped the kendo stick in the ring and both Superstars fell to the floor outside the ring.
Alexa went for the kendo stick but Bayley cut her off and slammed her into the barricade. Bayley then hit a Belly to Back Suplex on the floor outside the ring. Bayley then got in the ring and grabbed the kendo stick. Bayley chased Alexa around with the kendo stick. Bayley backed Alexa up into the corner and went to hit her and Alexa tackled her. Alexa then grabbed the kendo stick and struck Bayley in the back several times. The camera cut to a small child who seemed to be devastated.
Alexa went for another shot with the kendo stick but Bayley grabbed her and connected with the Bayley to Belly. The kendo stick was propped up in the corner and Alexa shoved Bayley into it. Alexa then hit Bayley with the kendo stick and hit a DDT for the victory.
Winner & Still RAW Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Reaction: I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I thought this match absolutely sucked. It had an awful build up and the match fell completely fell flat. I guess the takeaway from this match is that Bayley can’t get extreme? I have no idea. This feud ultimately damaged both Bayley and Alexa Bliss. Bayley’s character has been buried since joining the main roster and that is a shame. I thought WWE gave her the Women’s Championship way to early and didn’t build her up enough as an underdog.
Alexa Bliss was excellent on SmackDown and was one of the main reasons to watch that show every week. She took a hit because she was wrapped up in one of the worst promos everyone has seen in a long time last week on RAW. This wasn’t just a bad match, it was a total failure of a feud. I hope that WWE figures out a way to build Bayley back up because she should be much more popular on the main roster than she is right now. Alexa Bliss deserves to be the champion. However, if WWE is going to keep putting on garbage feuds like this, it simply does not matter how charismatic the person is that is holding the title. Bayley and Alexa Bliss can put on much better matches than this. The WWE Universe has seen both of them perform at a high level. The stipulation, the feud and the nauseating promos resulted in this feud being an unforgettable disaster.
RAW Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match: The Hardy Boyz (c) vs Sheamus & Cesaro
Everyone tried to escape the cage early. Matt Hardy grabbed Cesaro as he straddled the top of the cage. Matt brought him back into the ring and applied a Chin Lock. Jeff connected with a Leg Drop to the midsection of Sheamus and then Clotheslined him onto the ring apron. Cesaro fought out of the Chin Lock and launched Matt into the steel cage. Sheamus then hit an Irish Curse Backbreaker to Jeff and then launched him into the steel surrounding the ring.
Sheamus and Cesaro teamed up to throw Matt into the cage. Sheamus and Cesaro tried to climb the cage but Matt and Jeff dragged them down. All four Superstars were standing on the ropes and battling to climb up the cage. Matt and Jeff knocked Sheamus and Cesaro to the mat and followed it up by bouncing their heads off the cage. Matt and Jeff connected with Dropkicks onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
Jeff connected with Poetry in Motion onto Sheamus and Cesaro on opposite sides of the ring. Matt and Jeff tried to climb up the cage but were quickly joined by Sheamus and Cesaro. Sheamus and Cesaro Powerbombed Jeff off the cage and Matt Hardy connected with an Elbow Drop onto Cesaro. Matt then climbed the cage and reached the top. Cesaro got back to his feet and grabbed Matt’s leg and brought him back into the ring.
Sheamus then brought Matt down and hit a rolling Senton. Sheamus tried to escape through the door of the cage but Matt prevented him. Cesaro then stomped on Matt and tried to escape through the door but Matt was able to prevent him. Sheamus and Cesaro then picked Matt up and launched him face-first into the cage. Jeff Hardy scaled the cage on the opposite side of the ring but Cesaro was able to grab his leg.
Cesaro then tried to escape but Jeff prevented him. Sheamus knocked down Matt and went for a Brogue Kick to Jeff but missed. Matt then planted Sheamus with a Tornado DDT. Matt and Jeff tried to escape but Sheamus and Cesaro met them at the top. Jeff kicked Cesaro off of him and escaped the cage. Matt Hardy was knocked back in the ring but connected with a Side Effect onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
Matt then climbed to the top of the cage but Cesaro grabbed him. Jeff then scaled the cage outside the ring and a tug of war broke out. Cesaro headbutted Jeff off the cage and Matt Hardy was brought back into the ring via double team Razor’s Edge. Jeff slammed the steel cage door onto Cesaro’s head but got a Brogue Kick to the face for his troubles. The steel door then bounced off Jeff’s head and Jeff fell to the floor outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Matt connected with a Twist of Fate onto Sheamus. Matt then slammed Cesaro to the mat and once again climbed the cage. Cesaro caught him at the top and connected with an uppercut. Sheamus then planted Matt Hardy with the White Noise off the top rope. Jeff Hardy then removed his shirt and climbed back up the cage from outside the ring. Jeff stood at the top of the steel cage and leaped off and hit the Whisper in the Wind onto both Sheamus and Cesaro.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome” as all four Superstars got to their feet. Cesaro and Sheamus climbed out of the cage as Matt tried to drag Jeff out of the ring through the steel cage door. Sheamus and Cesaro wound up hitting the floor first and won the match.
Winners & New RAW Tag Team Champions: Sheamus & Cesaro
Reaction: I was looking forward to this match and I thought it delivered. It started out slow but turned into absolute chaos towards the end. I find it amazing that Jeff Hardy is still willing to put his body on the line the way he does. He is just a tremendous athlete. This was easily the match of the night so far in my opinion.
Cruiserweight Championship Submission Match: Neville (c) vs Austin Aries
Neville targeted the injured left knee of Aries to start off the match. Neville then locked in an Arm Bar but Aries battled out of it. Neville then rolled out the ring and shouted at the crowd. Aries laid across the top rope and waited for Neville to get back in the ring. Aries and Neville locked up and Neville went for Arie’s knee again. Aries blocked it and slapped Neville in the back. Neville then drove Aries into the corner and hit him in the midsection.
Aries connected with an elbow and followed it up with a Senton. Aries went for the Last Chancery but Neville rolled out of the ring again. Aries followed him out there and launched Neville into the barricade a couple of times. Aries picked up Neville onto his shoulders and dropped him face-first off the ring apron. Aries rolled Neville into the ring and Neville once again escaped to the outside.
Aries climbed to the top turnbuckle and leaped onto Neville. Aries came up hobbling after he landed on his injured knee. Aries rolled Neville into the ring and hopped up onto the ring apron. Neville then got to his feet and kicked Aries in the knee as he was entering the ring through the ropes. Neville then slowed the match down and attacked Aries’ knee.
Neville charged at Aries but Austin connected with an elbow and then a chop to Neville’s chest. Aries then hit three Shinbreakers in a row and then launched Neville over his back and Neville fell to the mat. Aries went for the Discus Fivearm but Neville blocked it. Neville then connected with a Dropkick to Aries’ knee and Aries fell to the floor outside the ring. Aries appeared to hurt his shoulder while falling out of the ring and Neville attacked it.
Neville brought Aries back into the ring and stomped on his shoulder. Neville then taunted the crowd and connected with a kick to Aries’ shoulder. Neville climbed to the top turnbuckle and went to leap onto to Aries but Austin was ready. Aries knocked Neville to the mat and applied the Figure Four in the center of the ring. Neville rolled through but Aries maintained the hold. Neville was able to reach the bottom rope and the hold was broken.
Aries limped back to his feet but Neville threw him to the ring apron. Aries grabbed Neville and connected with a Neckbreaker onto the second rope. Aries climbed to the top rope and went for a Crossbody but Neville dodged it. Neville then locked in the Rings of Saturn in the middle of the ring. Aries battled through and got his foot on the bottom rope. The crowd was apparently bored and booed that the match didn’t end.
Neville went for the Rings of Saturn but Aries countered it into a Rings of Saturn of his own. Neville got out of the hold and connected with a Superkick. Both Superstars were on the top turnbuckle and Neville went for a Superplex but Aries fought him off and knocked him to the mat. Neville got right back up joined Aries again on the turnbuckle. Aries connected with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb and applied the Last Chancery but Neville rolled out of the ring. Aries didn’t break the hold and applied the Last Chancery outside the ring. Neville tapped out but the match cannot end outside the ring.
Aries connected with a Discus Fivearm while Neville was on the ring apron and knocked him out of the ring. Aries then went for a Suicide Dive but Neville dodged it and Aries landed on the floor. Neville rolled Aries into the ring and climbed back to the top rope. Neville hit a Red Arrow onto the back of Aries and then locked in the Rings of Saturn for the victory.
Winner & Still Cruiserweight Champion: Neville
Reaction: I felt bad for Aries and Neville because they put on a hell of a match. The crowd flat out rejected the match and didn’t provide the energy that the match deserved. I also find the Cruiserweight division boring right now, but that shouldn’t prevent an audience for acknowledging two Superstars busting their ass in the ring. I am surprised that Aries didn’t win the title here. Neville has now defeated Aries three times in a row in Cruiserweight Championship matches at WWE PPVs. 205 Live and the Cruiserweight division hasn’t gained any popularity since it debuted. I just assumed that giving Aries a run with the title would be worth a shot, just to see if would breath some life into the division. Neville is a great heel champion, but I thought it was time to change things up. Apparently I was wrong and things will just remain the same. I honestly do not understand that logic when hardly anyone is watching 205 Live on the WWE Network.
Fatal 5-Way Match To Determine #1 Contender For The Universal Championship: Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe vs Seth Rollins vs Bray Wyatt vs Roman Reigns
The match started out with everyone brawling as Roman Reigns stood and observed. Balor, Wyatt, Rollins and Joe battled outside the ring as Reigns paced around in the ring. Bray Wyatt got back in the ring and had a stare down with Reigns. Wyatt went for a punch but Reigns blocked it and smacked him in the face. Reigns lifted Bray up onto his shoulders and dropped him with a Samoan Drop. Samoa Joe went at Reigns but suffered the same fate as he was greeted with a Samoan Drop.
Finn Balor got into the ring and was sent into the corner by Reigns. Roman connected with a right hand and knocked Balor to the ring apron. Rollins then got into the ring and circled Reigns. Wyatt and Joe then charged at Reigns and beat him down in the corner. Wyatt then drove Reigns’ shoulder into the ring post and then went after Rollins. Joe threw Rollins out of the ring and went for a Suicide Dive but Rollins avoided it and then hit a Suicide Dive of his own onto Joe.
Balor connected with a Dropkick onto Bray and then stomped onto him several times. Balor then stomped on Rollins and Joe as they tried to get back into the ring. Balor bounced off the ropes and flipped onto Joe, Rollins and Wyatt. Reigns then entered the frame and blasted Balor in the face with a right hand. The crowd booed as Roman launched Balor into the barricade and bounced his head off the ring apron.
Bray grabbed Roman’s hair but got a fist in the face for his troubles. Reigns went for the Drive By on Wyatt but Joe hit Roman in the chest and then threw him into the barricade. Wyatt and Joe then shared a laugh as they took turns beating down Reigns. Wyatt and Joe then slung Roman into the steel steps outside the ring. Wyatt then laid on the announce table with a smirk on his face.
Joe and Wyatt then picked up the stairs and bashed Rollins in the face with it. Wyatt and Joe then circled the ring and hit Balor and Reigns with the steps. The crowd cheered as Wyatt and Joe were in control of the match. Joe then kicked Balor, but grew concerned with Wyatt lurking behind him. Bray told Joe to “play it cool” and they continued their alliance to beatdown Balor. Wyatt took a break from assaulting Balor to boot Rollins in the face and then casually stepped on his chest on his way back to the ring.
Back in the ring, Joe and Bray took turns punching and stomping on Finn Balor. Joe and Bray then slapped Balor in the face. Finn fought back but was knocked back down to the mat by Wyatt and Joe. Bray brought Balor back to his feet and punched him in the face. Rollins got back in the ring and hit a Dropkick onto Wyatt. Rollins then slammed Joe’s face into the second turnbuckle. Rollins went for a Suicide Dive onto Wyatt but Bray was ready and punched him in the face. Bray then knocked Reigns back to the floor and hit Rollins with a DDT onto the steel steps.
Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch onto Balor in the ring. Balor got out of it and hit a Double Stomp onto Joe. Wyatt entered the ring toting a steel chair and hit Balor with it. Reigns tried to get back into the ring but was greeted with a chair shot from Wyatt. Bray then hit Balor in the back with a chair, rolled him over and placed the chair across his chest. Samoa Joe then hit a Senton onto Balor and the chair. Joe then placed the chair onto Balor’s chest and Wyatt hit a Senton of his own.
Balor slammed Joe’s face into the chair that was perched up on the turnbuckle. Balor then knocked Wyatt to the ring apron and Reigns hit the Drive By. Reigns then planted Balor with a Powerbomb and leveled Samoa Joe with a Clothesline. Reigns clubbed Bray in the chest several times in the corner. Joe charged at Reigns but Roman got out of the way and Joe slammed into Wyatt. Reigns then booted Joe in the face and knocked Bray to the mat with a Clothesline.
Reigns geared up for a Superman Punch but was dragged out of the ring by Samoa Joe. Wyatt attacked Reigns from behind and slammed Roman onto the announce table that was ringside. The crowd chanted “one more time” as Bray Wyatt climbed to the ring apron. Rollins attacked Wyatt and hit a springboard Clothesline for a two count. Joe charged at Rollins but Seth got his foot up. Rollins then hit a double Blockbuster onto Wyatt and Joe. Rollins tried to pin Bray but Wyatt kicked out at two. Rollins hit a Suicide Dive onto Joe outside the ring and then hit another one onto Joe because Wyatt shoved Joe in the way.
The action returned to the ring and Bray Wyatt connected with a Clothesline to Rollins. Wyatt went for a Suplex but Rollins reversed it into a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Wyatt responded by planting Rollins with a Sister Abigail. Joe broke up the pinfall and started shouting at Wyatt for shoving him in the way of Rollins’ Suicide Dive a few minutes ago. Joe connected with a series of kicks to Wyatt but Bray got the upper-hand and knocked Joe to the mat.
Wyatt went for a Sister Abigail but Joe countered it into the Coquina Clutch. Balor entered the ring with a chair and hit both Joe and Wyatt with it. Balor then hit a Double Stomp onto Wyatt while the chair was across his chest. Balor hit Reigns with a Dropkick and then punted Roman’s head from the ring apron. Finn then sprinted and hit Joe and then Wyatt with a Dropkick that sent them both in the barricade. Finn brought Bray to the announce table and bounced his head off the table a dozen times.
The crowd roared as Balor cleared off an announce table. Balor laid Wyatt across the announce table and pointed to the turnbuckle. Joe tried to apply the Coquina Clutch onto Balor outside the ring but Finn was able to block it. Reigns then hit a massive Spear onto Joe and Balor that sent the three Superstars crashing through the barricade. Rollins then ascended up the turnbuckle and connected with a Frog Splash onto Bray Wyatt through the announce table outside the ring.
The crowd chanted “holy sh**!” and then transitioned into a “this is awesome!” chant as the five Superstars were on the floor. Rollins and Reigns were the first Superstars to their feet. Reigns’ lips and nose were covered with blood as the two Superstars slowly made their way back to the ring. Reigns and Rollins got in each other’s face and Rollins hit a flurry of punches. Reigns halted his momentum with an uppercut. Roman went for a Clothesline but Rollins ducked it and kicked him in the face. Reigns connected with a Superman Punch but Rollins powered out at two.
Reigns got back to his feet as the crowd booed. Reigns screamed and went for the Spear but Rollins countered it into a roll up for a two count. Rollins bounced off the ropes and connected with a kick to Reigns’ face for a two count. Rollins went to the top turnbuckle and hit a Frog Splash onto Reigns for a two count. Rollins once again climbed to the top rope and went for a Phoenix Splash. Reigns got out of the way and Rollins landed on his feet. Wyatt got back in the ring and went for Sister Abigail onto Rollins but Seth avoided it. Rollins was then launched out of the ring.
Wyatt then went for a Sister Abigail onto Reigns but Roman blocked it and hit a Spear. Reigns then leveled Balor with a right hand and geared up for a Spear. Balor was ready for it and hit a Slingblade. Balor then climbed to the top rope and hit a Coupe de Grace onto Reigns. Balor went for the pinfall but Joe got back into the ring and applied the Coquina Clutch. Balor passed out and Samoa Joe won the match.
Winner & #1 Contender For The Universal Championship: Samoa Joe
Reaction: Extreme Rules ended on a high note with a terrific Fatal 5-Way match. This match was close to forty minutes and there wasn’t a dull moment. Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar sounds like a great match and it will take place at Great Balls of Fire. Overall, Extreme Rules was a solid show. The main-event was the match of the night and the steel cage match was also very entertaining.
Unfortunately, the same issues continue to plague WWE shows. If this PPV had a better build, the matches would have been much more entertaining. Some of the matches tonight were very entertaining, but I think they would have been so much better if their was a storyline to get invested in. The Cruiserweight Championship match is a great example of a match that should have had the crowd on their feet. The crowd simply did not care and it became impossible for Neville and Aries to win them over. Bayley and Alexa Bliss competed in a match that was dead on arrival. The Intercontinental Championship match was also good but the crowd wasn’t all that into it.
I’ve said this word a few times in this post but WWE shows aren’t generating enough energy from the crowd in attendance. The main-event was an example of how much better a match can be when the crowd is engaged. It is hard to get pumped up for a show when you spend weeks struggling to get through episodes of RAW and SmackDown. When that happens, the audience winds up overlooking a great match like the Cruiserweight Championship match tonight at Extreme Rules. To make matters worse, they also had to sit through a terrible Women’s Championship match that had two excellent performers in it. While Extreme Rules ended well, I cannot help but be frustrated with the WWE product in general.
Jeff Jarrett recently did an interview with Sportskeeda during Impact Wrestling’s tour of India. Jarrett talked about India being an important market for Impact to tackle, ‘Slapnutz’, and a possible in-ring return. Here’s what he had to say:
Where the term ‘Slapnutz’ originated from:
“Oh Slapnutz. That is a legendary term that, to this day, continues to garner quite a bit of interest. Whether it’s Beetlejuice or Mae Young and Moolah, they’ve all been smacked on the head with a guitar and called a Slapnut. I remember in the early days of Slapnutz, we were in Detroit, Michigan and I was working for WCW where I was pulled into a small room, and Standards and Practices looked at me and said, ‘Jeff, we want you to explain something to us.
“We really want to know what’s going on, because we have been called from the North Tower of the Turner Organization and asked what actually is a Slapnut, We feel this needs to be censored.’ So, Slapnutz was derived from my grandmother Christine Jarrett and she used to call people slappy. A slappy was someone who slapped their gums together. She would say, they know more and more about less and less every day.
“Let that sink in. So you put that in 1999 language and you turn it into a slapnut, with a Z. It sort of just took off, sold a lot of t-shirts, had a lot of fun. It’s funny. Here we are in 2017, in Mumbai, India and you’re asking me about Slapnutz. You’re the crazy one (Laughs).”
If he’ll be getting in the ring again:
“I’ve got my promoter cap on. Firstly, my wife doesn’t want me in the ring. Karen is like- ‘Stay out of it’. Obviously, being inside the ring and wrestling is my first love. It’s something I grew up dreaming about and then [I] got to step into the ring with all the greats. Before I was a wrestler, and certainly before I was a promoter, I was a wrestling fan. It’s something I still love. You know, I’m just past my 31st year in the business…that does make me feel old…but no, my in-ring days are far behind me. [However, you can] Never say never in this business.”
India being an important market for Impact:
“It’s very important. You know, we are here at The Westin, minutes away from Film City (site of the Impact Zone in Mumbai) and this isn’t my first time in India producing professional wrestling but it’s very obvious that over the last 120 days, Anthem Wrestling and the new ownership and the new regime…it’s a rebuilding of the brand and it’s a priority. With the United States, it’s our home base but with the United Kingdom and India, both of them are our top priorities. Impact coming to India and producing content has been talked about for a long time and here we are.
My family’s been in the business for over 70 years, so to do something that is a first is very hard. And so producing Impact on Indian soil is truly history making. It’s something that no one takes lightly. We are very, very excited, from the production to the administration to the talent, every facet of our organisation is truly excited. How ironic is it that we’re producing 4 episodes of Impact that lead up to our fifteen year anniversary. In the States, Slammiversary coming up on July 2nd, is a pay-per-view. Around the world, it is premium content. We’ve been here two days and couldn’t be more excited.”
You can read Jarrett’s full interview with Sportskeeda here.
The WWE has announced that WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race suffered two broken legs after a bad fall at home in Troy, Missouri. Race reportedly fractured his right femur in addition to suffering breaks in his left fibula and tibia. He also has a spiral break of his left ankle.
Race required surgery to relieve the swelling in his legs and also received four blood transfusions. You can check out the WWE’s full statement on the matter here:
“Harley Race injured in fall
“WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race has broken both legs after a fall in his home in Troy, Mo. on Tuesday, WWE.com has learned.
“Race sustained a fracture to his right femur and suffered breaks in his left fibula and tibia, as well as a spiral break of his left ankle. The WWE Hall of Famer required emergency surgery to relieve the swelling in both legs late Tuesday night. He subsequently received four blood transfusions and underwent surgery on Friday to reset the fractures.
“WWE wishes Harley Race the best on the road to recovery.”
Former WWE European Champion William Regal recently did an interview with Metro to talk about NXT, his friendship with Triple H, and much more. You can check out some highlights from their conversation here:
About his friendship with Triple H:
“We have a very odd friendship in the fact that I probably speak to him less than anyone in the company. He trusts me with what he needs to trust me with. He can literally look at me from across the room, and we know that have the same kind of mindset.”
Triple H getting an offer to go to WWE in 1995:
“We got put together as a team, so we trained together all the time at the old Power Plant in WCW. I didn’t know how long the British wrestling style would last at that time because it was dying off then, so I started teaching him some of that stuff that I knew. It just went from there, the team worked well for a short period but his contract was coming up and he got an offer from WWF. I said to him he had to go, he wanted to go anyway, but he asked me and I said he had to because they were working nearly 300 dates a year at that point.I’d done all my work working every day, and I told him he could only get better doing that. Some people are good from the get go. I wasn’t, and he wasn’t. We had to learn everything that we ever got. The only place to get better is to work in front of a crowd every night, that’s when you’ll find what really works and what doesn’t.”
What NXT stars to look out for:
“I know people have been seeing Drew McIntyre for the last few years in the UK, and now you get to see him in NXT with the new way he’s going to get presented. The experience that he has got over the last three years and the confidence he has gained means he’s like a whole new person with how good he is. Bobby Roode is a star, he’s great for the brand, while Aleister Black is somebody who if you’ve never seen him, you’ve got to see him. It’s hard to explain, he just has a presence. Some people are great wrestlers and some people just have a presence about them, and he’s got both. To get to see Roderick Strong and Kassius Ohno as well, they’re exceptionally good pros and they’re going to have excellent matches. The best of the best keep being brought here, and NXT has its own rawness and special quality to it.”
Former WCW Champion Vader is reportedly retired from professional wrestling. Vader took to Twitter and stated that he was saddened to leave the love of his life in hopes of one day being able to see his grandchildren:
With Great Sorrow I leave my first born my greatest love of All for a chance to exist inthe same plain of existance of my Gr Ch yet to exist
If Vader truly is done competing his last match would have been a Six Man Tag Team bout at the Korakuen Hall in Japan last April, where he teamed up with Keiji Muto & AKIRA against Fujinami, Riki Choshu & Shiro Koshinaka. After the match, however, Vader passed out due to a head injury he suffered in the match.
It should also be noted that Vader announced on Twitter that he only has two years left to live last November as he is suffering from congestive heart failure. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…..
Back in 2015 WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan was let go by the WWE after some viciously racist comments made by “The Hulkster” were leaked out online. Virtually all references to Hogan were removed by the WWE after he was fired, and Hogan won a $115 million lawsuit against Gawker for releasing the tape without his permission.
Recently, HBO late-night host Bill Maher has been taking some heat after using the N-word on TV over the weekend in a joke while interviewing a Senator. Shortly after, Maher released the following apology for his actions:
“Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show,” Maher stated.
“Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYp4Vh9FGKs
HBO also commented on the incident:
“Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”
Hogan didn’t seem too happy with Maher’s actions or his apology, as he said the following on Twitter:
Last year, former WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes made the decision to walk away from the company citing creative differences and a displeasure with his then-role on the roster dubbing his Stardust gimmick. He has since solidified himself as one of the biggest names in the sport and the most sought after free agent in professional wrestling.
Rhodes has done work for Impact Wrestling, Ring Of Honor, and New Japan Pro Wrestling since his departure, but according to his wife Brandi, he’s done working for Jeff Jarrett and company:
Rhodes made his Impact debut back in October of last year when he signed a non-exclusive deal with the company and made his debut at Bound for Glory. He last competed on Impact Wrestling Television back in March where he lost to Moose in an Impact Grand Championship match.
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Rhodes revealed that he’s in the process of looking for a permanent home after jumping from promotion to promotion the past year (quotes via CBS Sports):
“I guess I spoke too soon.” Rhodes said. “It’s probably not time to make a decision. But if I did make a decision, it’s just a matter of trust. There’s so little trust in pro wrestling. So little. And there should be. We all love this thing and want to put on the best show and fill all of the seats in the house. But it’s trust and being around people in the office that I trust. I trust every guy in the locker room for the most part. But it’s finding that top brass in most companies that I know, if I put my name on the dotted line, that I’ll be taken care of. Honestly, any offer that came my way I haven’t really looked at. My date book is still pretty deep — all the way through September. It goes everywhere. We’ll probably revisit it then.”
As we previously noted, former WWE Superstar and World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger was a guest on the Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast to talk about his time with the company and his recent release. During the interview, Swagger also commented on his longtime friend Jinder Mahal’s recent main event push and WWE Title win. Here are the highlights:
Jinder Mahal’s WWE Title Win:
“Jinder is an amazing performer. He is a very tall guy, great look and he is a business person. So I could definitely see him achieving this for sure and he has all tools. I was just as surprised as anyone though which is one of the good things about pro wrestling that you literally never know what is going to happen. I can definitely understand and I think I know why they did it. Jinder is amazing but India is also a very big market so it is like two birds with one stone.”
If he was surprised Mahal moved up the ladder so fast:
“No, I’m not. Maybe I’m jaded but I really don’t get surprised by much these days when it comes to WWE or professional wrestling because that is the beauty of it. Overnight you can become someone so the trick is to stay consistent, stay performing well and stay ready because it could happen at any second.”
His stance on the Randy Orton “dive” debate:
“Randy and I were always good friends. Some people don’t like Randy but I personally love him. I’ll take a guy that tells me how he feels 100% than someone who is going to sugarcoat it. What people don’t get about Randy (which I can understand) is that Randy is his father’s son. He understands this business more than a lot of people think he does. He looks at a lot more through his father’s eyes in the way he does things and thinks about things. He is definitely an old soul but he grew up in this business so he has that perspective and he doesn’t want 99 super-kicks in a match, which I get but at the same time you have to do what the market dictates. Social media is a fun thing where you can say how you really feel and it is going to cause a stir about somethings and point a light on things and we all have a voice and that is what it is for. He just has a special touch for getting on people’s skin and I’m sorry but it is hilarious.”
WWE Superstar and former WWE Champion AJ Styles recently joined Bailey and Southside on Rock 100.5 in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Styles talked about making the decision to sign with WWE last year and how he has been treated backstage since joining the roster. Check out the highlights:
WWE being the best place he has ever worked:
“You can’t compare the WWE to anything else. It’s amazing. It literally is the best place I’ve ever worked and that’s saying a lot because I’ve worked at a lot of great places, but there’s just something special about the WWE.” Styles said, “here’s the way I usually explain it: so I played in the minor leagues. And then, I went to Japan and I also played there. And then, I came to the MLB. That’s basically how it happened. You’ve got to show them what you can do. You’ve got to prove yourself wherever you go and work your way to the top.”
It being a different time in the WWE as all the guys are big men who can move:
“Things have changed. Not everybody is 6’8″ and 400 lbs. That’s not the way we went. We actually went the different direction where normal looking guys like myself are getting in the ring and performing at a huge level. We’re giving the fans what they want to see.”
How he has been treated backstage since arriving at WWE:
“When you go from one locker room to another, everything changes because you’re the new guy. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the ring or this whole [pro] wrestling thing. You’re the new guy and I expected that when I came to the WWE, like, ‘okay, I need to kind of keep to myself.’ But what I didn’t understand is a lot of guys were watching me when they were in their teens and they respected what I had done and treated me with respect right from the get-go, so I was a little surprised by that, but, at the same time, I’m happy that we have that kind of locker room.”
Former SmackDown Live Tag Team Champion Jason Jordan recently did an interview with NBC Elmira to speak on a variety of professional wrestling topics. You can check out the highlights here:
American Alpha separating themselves from tag teams similar to them and potentially working with Kurt Angle:
“We realized everybody was going to make the correlation between World’s Greatest Tag Team or Team Kurt Angle, and us. We still want to be our own individuals. We still want to be American Alpha and not Team Angle 2.0. But if the opportunity came and Kurt would put his stamp on us, then we could essentially be Team Angle, but we would like to be Team Alpha with the tutelage of Team Angle. We want the separation between the two, we’re our own tag team.”
What are some of the biggest challenges he has faced since working on the main roster:
“Physically, the only thing that I’m getting adjusted to is not getting an off-season. You have to really be cautious and be aware of fine tuning with your body, because something small – when never given the time to actually rest and heal – can grow [into] something big. …Overall, the hardest thing to do is constantly being able to be fresh with the crowd. Be what it is that they come to the show [to see] and never disappoint, but it’s hard sometimes to really figure out what it is that connects with crowds. What it is that makes the crowd love you or want to get behind you. For me, I think that’s the most difficult part, something that’s out of your control, but trying to figure out where you can find some control.”
His dream matches in the WWE:
“It would be really nice to wrestle The Hardy Boyz or Cesaro and Sheamus. …But also, this is further in advance after American Alpha has run its course, at some point I would love to get in there and wrestle a singles match with AJ Styles. I know that he’s hot right now and he’s clearly one of the best in the WWE, period. ”
WWE Superstar Luke Harper recently did an interview with Democrat & Chronicle to talk about his journey in WWE, almost leaving pro wrestling, and joining the WWE at the age of 32-years-old. Here are some of the highlights:
Going 0-3 in matches in his hometown of Rochester, New York:
“I know about (the curse), and I feel that, and trust me it sucks. I actually had a really great match with Dolph Ziggler here that I thought I should have won and I didn’t. That really sticks in my craw. It’s something I think about …but it’s nothing that’s in my control.”
Almost making the decision to leave professional wrestling while working in Japan, as his wife was at home state-side and pregnant:
“I said to her, ‘This is it. I’m done. I can’t be away from you, we just have to figure something out.’ I was just going to wrestle locally and I come back from the tour, make the decision, everything’s good, then WWE calls and says ‘Hey, we want you to come try out.’ So, literally, I was as far out as I’ve ever been in my life away from pro wrestling, and they instantly pulled me back in and it was back to it.”
Joining the WWE roster at 32-years-old:
“Learning the way I did gave me more of a foundation than if I didn’t. I’m glad I didn’t get to WWE until I did because I was more complete at 32 than I was at 25. It all happens for a reason, but if I tried to tell myself that at the time I would have said ‘Screw you.’ ”
WWE Extreme Rules 2017 took place at the Royal Farms Arena in Balitimore, MD on June 4th.
Extreme Rules Kickoff Show
– David Otunga is back on the broadcast team tonight. Nia Jax joins the pre-show panel to talk trash about Bayley.
– Kalisto def. Apollo Crews: Titus gets in Kalisto’s face before the match, and he’s at ringside with Titus. Crews hits a dropkick early on for a two count on Kalisto. Kalisto comes back and throws Crews to the outside then he follows up with a springboard 450 onto Crews at ringside. Kalisto goes for another splash on Crews but this time Crews punches him out of the air. Back in the ring, Crews hits a suplex then holds Kalisto down with a front face lock. Kalisto comes back with a series of kicks and a hurricanrana for a two count and Titus barks instructions from ringside. Kalisto comes off the top but Crews catches him mid-air and hits him with a Samoan Drop. Titus gets on the apron to yell at Crews, and Kalisto comes up from behind and hits the Salida Del Sol on Crew by springboarding off of Titus. Kalisto pins for the win, and it appears Titus cost Crews the match.
– Kurt Angle briefly joins the pre-show panel to welcome us to Extreme Rules, and he predicts that Samoa Joe will win the main event tonight.
WWE Extreme Rules 2017
– The Miz def. Dean Ambrose: Ambrose’s IC Title is on the line in this one, and if he gets DQ’ed he loses it. Ambrose gets the upper hand brawling with the Miz in the opening minutes. Ambrose hits an elbow to the face then throws Miz outside for a suicide dive. Ambrose whips Miz into the barricade and they brawl around ringside. Miz tries to hit Ambrose with a chair but Ambrose takes it away. The ref stops Ambrose from using it, so Ambrose hits Miz with some forearms then throws him back in the ring. The Miz comes back with a DDT onto the corner of the apron for a two count. Miz follows up with a swinging neckbreaker and he is now controlling the pace. Miz hits a series of kicks and dropkicks, but Ambrose gets a second wind and comes back. Ambrose drops Miz with an elbow and hits a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count. Ambrose goes for a bulldog and Miz gets out, but Ambrose comes right back with a swinging beckbreaker for a two count. Some of the fans are dueling chants in favor of Miz and Ambrose. Ambrose goes up top but Miz knocks him down and Ambrose starts selling a knee injury. Miz hangs Ambrose’s knee up on the middle rope and starts kicking it. Miz drops Ambrose and puts him in the Figure Four leg lock. After an exchange on the corner, Ambrose puts The Miz in a Figure Four of his own. The Miz breaks the hold, and then Maryse gets up on the apron. Ambrose almost runs into her but he stops short. Miz tells Maryse to slap him, so she does and he sells it. The referee says he knows Miz is trying to get Ambrose DQ’ed, so he doesn’t call it. The ref ejects Maryse from ringside and while he’s arguing with her, Miz pushes Ambrose into the ref from behind. The ref falls down to the floor and he’s pissed off at Ambrose. The ref starts walking towards the timekeeper’s area and Ambrose is yelling at him from the ring to try to explain. The Miz comes up behind Ambrose and hits the Skull Crushing Finale. The referee decides against calling for the DQ, then he slides back in the ring and counts to 3. Miz is now the 7-time Intercontinental Champion.
– Bayley does an interview backstage where she says Alexa’s “This Is Your Life” segment proved she’s no Mankind or Rock. Bayley says she’s been watching footage of Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and Steve Blackman to prepare for her match tonight. She adds that she watched Women Woman in theaters and felt empowered after.
– Sasha Banks & Rich Swann def. Alicia Fox & Noam Dar: Swann and Dar start things off with Swann taking control early on. Dar retreats to hug Alicia and tag her in. Sasha tags in and she hits a series of strikes on Alicia before going for the Banks Statement. Alicia gets to the ropes with the help of Dar pulling her leg to break the hold. Sasha yells at Dar and Alicia hits her with a big boot off the distraction. Alicia controls the next few moments of the match until Sasha ducks a big boot in the corner. Swann an Dar tag in and Swann hits a hurricanrana on Dar then a leg drop for a two count. Dar and Swann get up and trades elbows to the face, but Swann comes out on top with a spinning kick to the face. Sasha and Fox don’t tag in, but they run in and start brawling until they tumble outside. Sasha goes up top with Alicia on the floor, but Dar runs over and holds Alicia back, so Sasha hits the flying double knees off the top onto Dar down on the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Swann hits the Phoenix Splash on Dar for the win.
– Elias Samson is in the ring for a song. He asks the audience to hold their applause until he end, then sings a heel song about how much he hates Baltimore.
– Alexa Bliss (c) def. Bayley: This one is a Kendo Stick On A Pole match for the RAW Women’s Title. Alexa sends Bayley falling to the outside after an elbow to the face early on. Bayley and Alexa both fight on the corner going for the kendo stick on the pole. The kendo stick falls to the mat, but Bayley and Alexa both fall to the ringside floor. Bayley stops Alexa from grabbing the kendo stick then slams her into the fan barricade. Bayley follows up with a belly to back suplex on Alexa onto the floor at ringside, then she rolls in the ring to grab the kendo stick. Alexa spears Bayley before she can swing the stick, then Alexa tees off on Bayley with it. Bayley comes back with a suplex, but it doesn’t stop Alexa’s momentum as she throws Bayley into the corner, then hits her with the stick again. Bliss follows up with a DDT to win and retain the title.
– NFL star Adam Jones and his friends are shown sitting at ringside dressed as Virgil, Ted DiBiase and I.R.S.
– Sheamus & Cesaro def. The Hardy Boyz: This one is a cage match for the Hardy Boyz’ RAW Tag Team Championships. Both men must escape to win. “Delete” chants from the crowd before the bell, and as soon as the opening bell rings Cesaro and Sheamus try to climb to the top of the page. The Hardys pull them off, but they keep trying to make the early escape. Hardy hits an inverted atomic drop and a leg drop on Sheamus, then clotheslines him over the top rope into the cage. Cesaro throws Matt into the cage, then Jeff and Cesaro start brawling. The crowd chants for “Brother Nero” as Sheamus hits an Irish Curse Backbreaker on Jeff before throwing him into the cage wall. Cesaro and Sheamus stand tall and continue working over the Hardys. Matt and Sheamus both start climbing opposite sides of the cage, but Cesaro and Jeff stop each of them. The Hardys are now in control and have the heels both reeling against the cage. The crowd chants “Delete” with every time Matt & Jeff slam Cesaro & Sheamus’ heads into the cage wall. The Hardys hit running dropkicks on Sheamus and Cesaro against the cage walls, then Matt pushes open the cage door. The Hardys hit the Poetry In Motion on Sheamus against the cage, then again on Cesaro in the corner. The Hardys climb but Cesaro and Sheamus stop them. Cesaro throws Matt down to Sheamus who catches him on his shoulders and hits a rolling senton. Sheamus and Cesaro try to walk out the cage door but Matt Hardy won’t let go of his grip on their feet. Cesaro and Sheamus continue working over the Champions and are in control at this point. Sheamus misses a Brogue Kick attempt on Jeff, and Matt hits a tornado DDT on the Celtic Warrior. The Hardys start climbing but Cesaro and Sheamus stop them at the very top. Jeff Hardy fights his way out, but Matt is still inside. Matt hits the Side Effect on Cesaro, then hits one on Sheamus too. Hardy is slow to get up but when he does he starts climbing the cage. Cesaro stops him and Jeff tries to pull him down. Sheamus starts climbing up now too. Cesaro headbutts Jeff until he falls down to the floor, and he and Sheaus drag mat back in the cage. They hit a double team Razor’s Edge on Matt. Jeff tries to come in through the door to help Matt, but Sheamus kicks the door into Jeff’s face. Sheamus tries to walk out through the door but Matt latches onto his leg. Sheamus picks up Matt, but Matt reverses into a Twist of Fate. Matt throws Cesaro off the cage, then starts climbing. Cesaro stops Matt, then Sheamus climbs up on the turnbuckle and grabs Matt. Sheamus hits the White Noise off the top rope on Matt with Cesaro assisting. Jeff has seen enough and he climbs up top the top of the cage. Jeff goes flying and hits the Whisper In The Wind on both Cesaro and Sheamus back in the ring. Cesaro and Sheamus start climbing, and Jeff and Matt go towards the door. Sheamus and Cesaro hit the floor first and win the Tag Team Titles.
– Neville (c) def. Austin Aries: This one is a submission match for the WWE Cruiserweight Title. Aries gets Neville in two submission holds early on, then after an elbow to the face and a senton bomb he goes for the Last Chancery. Neville gets out, then Aries takes the offense to Neville at ringside where he throws him into the fan barricades. Aries drops Neville onto the ring apron, then rolls in the ring and gears up for a suicide dive. Neville moves out of the way, so Aries changes directions and hits a flying cross body onto Neville on the floor. Aries starts selling a knee injury, and back in the ring Neville focuses in on Aries’ knee. Neville stomps on Aries’ knee then delivers a dragon screw on the bad knee. Aries comes back with a series of shin-breakers on Neville and a suplex. Aries takes his elbow pad off and goes for a discus elbow, but Neville blocks it. Aries hits a dragon screw of his own on Neville, and Neville comes back with a dropkick that sends Aries to the outside. Neville follows the challenger outside and starts working on Aries’ left shoulder. Neville beats down Aries some more in the ring, but when he comes off the top rope Aries blocks him. Aries puts Neville in a knee bar and Neville grabs the ropes to break the hold. Aries hits a neckbreaker across the middle rope, then goes up top. Aries goes for a missile dropkick and misses, and Neville jumps right on him with the Rings of Saturn. Aries gets his foot on the rope to break the hold. Neville goes for the Rings of Saturn again, but Aries reverses it into a version of the Rings of Saturn. Neville seemed to be grabbing the referee which causes a distraction, then Neville superkicks Aries. Neville takes Aries up top but Aries locks him in a guillotine choke. Aries releases the hold and hits a sunset flip powerbomb off the top. Aries follows up immediately with the Last Chancery but Neville gets out. They roll outside and Austin locks the Last Chancery in on Neville on the ringside floor. Neville taps out, but the ref says it doesn’t count because it’s not in the ring. Aries hits the Discus Five-arm on Neville on the apron and it sends him back to the outside. Aries goes to follow up with a suicide dive, but Neville ducks and Aries crashes into the fan barricade. Neville throws Aries back in the ring, then hits the Red Arrow onto the back of Aries. Neville immediately follows up with the Rings of Saturn for the win to retain the Cruiserweight Title.
– Samoa Joe def. Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins: This one is a Fatal 5-Way match to determine the #1 contender for Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship. When the bell rings Rollins and Joe go at it, and Wyatt and Balor go at it, while Reigns watches on in the corner. They brawl out to ringside, leaving Reigns alone in the ring. Wyatt drops Balor then rolls in and stares down Reigns. Reigns and Wyatt trade strikes in the ring until Reigns hits a Samoan Drop on Wyatt. Joe comes in and goes for a Samoan Drop of his own on Reigns, but Reigns gets out and gives one to Joe. Balor hits Reigns with some elbows, but Reigns blocks a kick and uppercuts Balor down. Wyatt and Joe double team Reigns until Rollins grabs Joe. Rollins works on Joe in the corner until Wyatt comes over and drops Rollins. Balor starts working on Wyatt, and Rollins hits a suicide dive on Joe at ringside. Balor stomps on Wyatt in the ring, then delivers some stomps to Rollins. Balor kicks Joe out of the ring next, then hits a suicide dive onto Joe, Wyatt and Rollins at ringside. Reigns comes up behind Balor and uppercuts him then throws him into the barricade. Reigns attempts a Drive By on Wyatt, but Joe drops Reigns in mid-air with a punch. Joe throws Reigns into the barricade, then turns his attention to Rollins. Wyatt and Joe then double team Reigns at ringside and throw him into the steel steps. Joe and Wyatt grab the ring steps together and slam them into Rollins and Balor, then they hit Reigns with it again for good measure. Joe and Bray double-team Balor at ringside, then take him into the ring for more punishment. Joe and Wyatt lay into Balor with kicks and punches. Balor starts to fire up but they knock him back down. Rollins comes in and dropkicks Bray, then drops Joe face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Rollins goes for a suicide dive on Wyatt, but Wyatt blocks it with a punch to his face. Wyatt then DDTs Rollins onto the steel steps at ringside. Joe gets Balor in the Coquina Clutch but Balor fights out and hits the double foot stomp on Joe. Wyatt comes in and blasts Balor with a steel chair, then hits Reigns off the apron to the floor. Wyatt teases hitting Joe with the steel chair, but he bashes Balor with it again instead. Wyatt lays the chair on Balor, then Joe hits a senton drop on it. Joe puts the chair back on Balor and Wyatt hits a senton drop of his own on Balor. Balor blocks a splash by Wyatt with a kick, then drops Joe into the steel chair. Reigns hits the Drive By on Wytt, then rolls up Balor for a one count. Reigns powerbombs Balor, then hits flying clothesline on Joe. Reigns hits a series of clotheslines on Wyatt in the corner, then Joe charges at Reigns but misses and hits Wyatt instead. Reigns drops Joe with a big boot, then clotheslines Wyatt down. Reigns sets up for a spear, but Joe pulls him outside and brawls with him. Wyatt comes up from behind and lays out Reigns, then slams him onto the announce table but it doesn’t break. Rollins kicks Wyatt off the apron, then hits a suicide plancha on Joe. Back in the ring, Joe hits a cross body off the top on Wyatt for a two count. Rollins throws Wyatt outside and goes for a suicide dive on him, but Wyatt pushes Joe in front of him and Joe takes it. Back in the ring, Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow on Wyatt for a two count. Rollins comes off the top rope, but Wyatt catches him and hits the Sister Abigail. Joe breaks up the pin and backs Wyatt up into the corner. Wyatt pushes Joe and Joe lays into him with elbows to the face. Joe follows up with a Pele kick on Wyatt for a two count. Wyatt goes for the Sister Abigail on Joe, but Joe reverses with a Coquina Clutch. Balor comes in and hits both Joe and Wyatt with the steel chair. Balor puts the chair on Wyatt and jumps on it. Balor then kicks Reigns off the apron and follows up with a kick to the face. Balor rolls outside and dropicks Bray into the barricade, then Joe. Balor slams Wyatt’s head into the announce table, then lays him on it. Joe comes up from behind and puts Balor in the Coquina Clutch, then Reigns spears both Joe and Balor through the barricade. Rollins sees Wyatt on the table and he climbs up top and hits a frogsplash onto Bray through the table. Reigns and Rollins come face to face in the ring and trade strikes until Reigns gets the better of things with a Superman punch for a two count. Reigns sets up for a spear but Rollins dodges it and superkicks him for a two count. Rollins goes up top and hits a frogsplash on Reigns for another two count. Rollins goes back up top and goes for the Phoenix Splash. Reigns rolls away and Rollins lands on his feet. Wyatt comes in and grabs Rollins first, but then grabs Reigns and attempts a Sister Abigail. Reigns escapes and hits the Superman punch on Wyatt. Rollins powerbombs Reigns into the turnbuckle, but Reigns comes right back with a Superman punch on Rollins then one on Balor. Balor comes back with a Sling Blade and the Coup De Grace on Reigns. Reigns is out cold, but then Joe runs in and locks Balor in the Coquina Clutch and Balor goes out cold. Balor’s arm goes limp and the ref calls for the bell. Samoa Joe wins via submission and is now the #1 contender for Brock Lesnar’s WWE Universal Title. Joe stands tall on the stage and looks down at the bodies around ringside.
Impact Wrestling recently held tapings in Mumbai, India. Alberto El Patron was celebrating in the crowd and was shoved to the ground when the crowd became too aggressive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZrRrBqysa8
WWE held a live event in Trenton, New Jersey on June 2nd, 2017. Bayley, Mickie James & Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss, Alicia Fox & Nia Jax. During the match, Mickie James landed several kip ups in a row. Alexa Bliss then tried to do a kip up of her own and failed. Bliss then threw a tantrum as the crowd laughed at her.
Google is apparently not a fan of professional wrestling anymore. What Culture Pro Wrestling is an independent pro wrestling promotion based out of the UK. Since 2014, they have been uploading wrestling related content on Google’s popular platform YouTube. Recently, YouTube has been trying to keep the content uploaded to the site “family friendly” in order to satisfy companies that pay to advertise on the site. YouTube’s newly released “Restricted Mode” lumps in wrestling channels with offensive content and has a massive impact on the revenue the channel can generate. YouTube introduced this policy because advertisements appeared on videos on the site were actually offensive and advertisers didn’t want to be associated with that content. While that may be understandable, it simply does not make sense for wrestling channels to be subjected to that system.
WCPW held an event called Fight Back on June 2nd and the logo for the event was similar to YouTube’s logo. The video of the event has since been taken down by YouTube and WCPW’s channel was issued a strike on their account. Much like baseball, if a channel receives three strikes they are out. In other words, WCPW’s popular YouTube channel is all of the sudden in danger of being completely removed from the site. As of now, WCPW has 174,000 subscribers on YouTube. In addition to receiving the strike, YouTube has also revoked WCPW’s ability to livestream their events.
Not only is Wrestling not monetizable on YouTube… apparently it's not welcome at all. We have now been issued with a "Strike". #FightBackpic.twitter.com/MAPpKVv1S0
Before the Fight Back event, Adam Blampied of WCPW delivered an impassioned speech about how wrestling brings people together. A brief “f*** you YouTube!” chant broke out during the beginning of the speech. Blampied asked people to share the video and sign a petition to ensure that professional wrestling gets the respect it deserves.
If you wish to sign the petition, you can do so by clicking here.
Natural bodybuilder Nick Miller recently posted a video on his YouTube channel and discussed why WWE should test Jinder Mahal for performing enhancing drugs. Miller pulled up WWE’s Wellness Policy on the company’s website and listed off several reasons why Mahal should be tested.
Miller looked at Mahal’s extreme vascularity and claimed that Mahal has “extreme almost unreasonable level” of low body fat and leanness from match to match. Miller said that Mahal used to have a “dad bod” and has undergone a wild body transformation. Miller also stated that Mahal has gynecomastia (swollen male breast tissue), which is a condition caused by a hormonal imbalance or elevated estrogen levels from possibly not recovering correctly from a steroid cycle. You can check out the Nick Miller’s entire video below.
The Miz and Maryse have made the cover of Dub Magazine. Tomorrow night at Extreme Rules, Dean Ambrose will defend his Intercontinental Championship against The Miz. If Dean Ambrose happens to get disqualified, The Miz will become the new Intercontinental Champion. The Miz posted the following about being on the cover of the magazine:
The #ItCouple graces the cover of @dubmagazine and we deem it #Awesome Huge thank you to @dubmagazine for turning a regular Jeep into The Most Must See Jeep in History. Also for putting the whole family in the mag. Yes, ladies and gentlemen Pumpkin and Mocha are in there as well. ENJOY!!! Want a Jeep like mine use badass parts from @tiswheels @nittotire @metalcloak@americanfastbacks @theoriginalsmittybilt @mbrpexhaust @road_armor@metraelectronics @husky_liners @dubirtint @lftdxlvld #MetraElectronics#heise #Tspec #ibeam #axxess #raptor #installerinstitute #ammotenna#installbay #ballistic #heiseled #weare12volt #installerschoice #caraudio#12volt #jeep #dub and your Jeep will be as #Awesome as mine. ?
Alexa Bliss has gotten the best of Bayley on the past few episodes of RAW. Tomorrow night, Bliss is set to defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Bayley in a Kendo Stick On A Pole match at Extreme Rules. Alexa Bliss recently spoke to The Baltimore Sun and here are some highlights from the interview:
How she is different from Bayley:
“Oh yeah, we are polar opposites. Bayley is huggable and likes to dole out high fives. I could care less if anyone likes me. I don’t want to touch people, come on. That just makes our rivalry just that much better because we are such opposites that the feud clicks. In the ring, I just find a lot of joy in taking everything that she has away. If she goes to high five someone, I’m going to hit her after she high fives them. It’s just a lot of fun, and makes the feud that much better.”
On Bayley being the underdog even though she is bigger:
“Here’s the thing with that, Bayley does a great job of doing what she does. She has her strengths. Obviously she is the ultimate underdog, and I don’t think that my size has an impact on that. I feel like I have a big enough attitude to be 6 feet tall. I think that helps a lot. I just have to make sure that my attitude is big enough to keep it so that nobody likes me. And Bayley knows what she’s doing; she wouldn’t be in the position that she’s in if she didn’t know what she was doing and wasn’t such an amazing underdog.”
Whether she has been in a Kendo Stick On A Pole match and if she is prepared:
No, I have never. I am quite nervous about it actually. I have hit Bayley with that thing so many times and I have a feeling that she really wants to get me back for that. I’m actually kind of nervous about trying to reach the thing. It’s a race to see who can get to it first. I don’t know if you know this, but I’m 5 feet tall. I don’t know if I can reach all the way up there to grab that stick. Do I let Bayley grab it first and then take it away from her? I don’t know. That’s what my main concern is, what if I climb up there and then just can’t reach it? I’m hoping that doesn’t happen, but if it does, I’ll have to do whatever it takes to get it down.
USA Today’s “For The Win” blog has a new article that discusses the success of Miz TV and how The Miz’s career has changed since Maryse made her WWE return. Here are some of the quotes from The Miz featured in the article:
The original idea for Miz TV and how it has evolved over time:
“The first idea for Miz TV that came along in like 2011 and my idea was, I want to be on this thing and make fun of people and beat people up,” The Miz said. “All of a sudden, we did the show and I ended up getting beat up and made fun of. I was like, How does this happen?
“It’s changed over time where I have become an antagonist. I would push people’s buttons and see where I could get them for the most interaction. But we’ve also been able to use it as a showcase for (Miz and Maryse) and tell our story and get that across. That’s’ what I want to use it for.”
How Maryse returning to WWE has changed his career:
“I had become this arrogant and egotistical character, but ever since my wife has come back into WWE, I feel like my career has soared,” Miz admitted. “It’s given me a new type of confidence. Whenever you wrestle in Speedos in front of your wife, you want to show off. You don’t want to get your butt kicked in front of your wife. And she helps out where she can. It’s great having her around. She’s a huge part of why I’ve had the success I’ve had.”
The First Episode of Miz TV
Miz TV made it’s debut on September 17th, 2012. Booker T was the first guest on the show and the first episode ended with Ryback storming the ring and destroying the set. Sheamus & Cesaro were the most recent guests on the 58th episode of Miz TV on this past week’s episode of RAW.
Impact Wrestling announced their first non-televised live show in almost two years. The event will take place on August 5th at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, New York. There have been rumors that Anthem Entertainment has been trying to get Impact Wrestling back on the road for some time now. Tickets go on sale for the live event on July 9th.
New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament has come to an end. Here are the results for the final day:
Yuji Nagata, Shota Umino & Tomoyuki Oka b. Manabu Nakanishi, Tetsuhiro Yagi & Katsuya Kitamura – Oka took the win for his team using a Boston Crab on Yagi
Yano, Tomohiro Ishii & Jado b. Hirai Kawato, Togi Makabe & Hiroyoshi Tenzan – Ishii secured the win for his team after hitting a Lariat on Kawato
Volador Jr., Tiger Mask IV & Jushin Thunder Liger b. TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru – Volador beat TAKA with a Spanish Fly in a short match
Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Bad Luck Fale & Yujiro Takahashi b. ACH, David Finlay, Hanson & Raymond Rowe – Takahashi took the win for Bullet Club after hitting the Pimp Juice on Finlay
YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto b. Taichi & Minoru Suzuki – YOSHI took the win for his team after hitting the Karma on Taichi
Hiromu Takahashi, EVIL, BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito b. Ryusuke Taguchi, Dragon Lee, Juice Robinson, Ricochet & Satoshi Kojima – Naito took the win for Los Ingobernables after finishing Kojima with the Destino. Tanahashi appeared after the match to proclaim that he will win the IC Title at Dominion and stop Naito from destroying it completely.
Kenny Omega & Marty Scurll b. Gedo & Kazuchika Okada – Scurll made Gedo tap with the Crossface Chickenwing on Gedo in just over 13 minutes. This has been an extremely successful debut tour for Scurll and he has adjusted well to the New Japan style
Best Of The Super Juniors Final: KUSHIDA b. Will Ospreay – KUSHIDA hit the Back to the Future in just under 28 minutes to win the BOSJ Tournament. This was an INCREDIBLE match that you must go out of your way to see
The full event is now available to view on NJPWWorld.com, New Japan’s next big live event is the Dominion show on June 11th featuring Okada vs Omega II.
WWE Superstar and 205 Live Cruiserweight Ariya Daivari took to social media to fire back at an unnamed professional wrestling critic over their comments on the current 205 Live product. You can read his heated statement here:
“A certain wrestling critic had some unflattering words about 205. Well once again, here’s why he doesn’t understand this business as much as he thinks. WWE found a select group of guys they wanted to launch a new brand with. Anytime a wrestler comes in, they go through a developing phase. They get acclimated to the WWE and find out who they are. It doesn’t matter which brand you do it in, all that matters is you give talent time to develop.
“I use to watch Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose wrestle in front 200 people in the FCW arena and the crowd could be pretty quiet at times even though they were giving fantastic performances. Now they are two of the biggest stars in the industry. There was a tag team called The Mechanics, who weren’t too popular, until they developed into one of the best tag teams going today, The Revival.
“These are just current examples and we could list a lot more guys. Talent takes time. A brand takes time. You’re watching young new talent develop right before your eyes each week. It’s a great time to be a wrestling fan. Enjoy the journey.”
Ring Of Honor (ROH) Champion Christopher Daniels recently did an interview with A Music Blog, Yea? (AMBY) to comment on different wrestling topics. You can check out the highlights here below:
What he felt like after winning the Ring Of Honor title:
“Certainly a sense of relief, an idea that a long journey had come to an end. If you’d asked me a year if I would ever get an opportunity to be World Champion again, I probably would have said, ‘No.’ I concentrated so much on the tag team [division], with Frankie [Kazarian].”
Still wrestling at 47-years-old:
“I’m sort of proud of it, actually Hulk Hogan once told me – this was maybe four or five years ago – he told me that I should lie about my age. So, I started telling everyone I was seventy-five and that didn’t really work out. I feel like people that have watched me and know that I started in 1993, even if I was 18 when I started and you add 24 years to that, you know I’m getting up there and I wasn’t 18 when I started wrestling. So, I mean I’m sort of leaning into the idea of my age. I feel like I still performing at a top level and nobody has to slow down, so that I can keep up with them.”
Who he’d like to get into the ring with that he hasn’t against yet:
“Chris Jericho, I don’t think it’s going to happen, just because of his schedule. [A] very busy man and when he goes back to the wrestling ring, it’s for the WWE and I don’t think I’ll ever get an opportunity to wrestle for them, but that was a dream of mine to wrestle him. Someone I respected and tried to emulate, the perfect combination of athlete and entertainer was Chris Jericho.”
