PROGRESS Chapter 55: Chase The Sun
September 10th, 2017 | Alexandra Palace in Haringey, Greater London | Attendance: 2,000
It’s the biggest show in PROGRESS history. I don’t even want to give a longer introduction because I’m too excited to watch it.
As always, Jim Smallman kicked things off in the ring. It wasn’t as long as some chapters, but he thanked the fans before starting the show.
PROGRESS Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: British Strong Style [c] vs. #CCK
The last time they met in a straight tag match, #CCK won the titles (***¾), but lost them back in a six man tag at the next show. The crowd was molten hot. The teams brawled around the ring, until #CCK used their aerial skills to gain an advantage. Everyone’s first attempt to grab the titles failed because the ladder was too small. The first wild spot saw Lykos take a dragon suplex onto the side of the ladder, which legitimately made my jaw drop. It looked brutal. Bate pulled out an impressive Undertaker like dive, which Lykos followed with a Shelton Benjamin style ladder run into a corkscrew dive. Bate has had some awesome feats of strength this year, but giving Lykos the big swing, while having Brookes in an airplane spin was near the top. He also paid tribute to Terry Funk with the ladder airplane spin, even accidentally hitting his partner. There were so many great spots, I’m barely scratching the surface. In the end, Bate wanted to hit a Tyler Driver ’97 off the ladder onto a bridged one. Brookes fought him off and back dropped him onto that ladder, before pulling down the titles at 17:27. A great match that featured the expected wild spots, but also had a sense of disdain between the two teams. They all did a wonderful job of finding ways to incorporate their signature spots in this kind of match, with it being sensible. A few ladder spots felt contrived, but either way, this ruled. [****]
PROGRESS Women’s Championship: Toni Storm [c] vs. Dahlia Black
They’re not messing around, throwing two high-profile matches on early. Dahlia took a moment to make out with the injured TK Cooper in the crowd before the bell. This match happened in the Semi-Finals of the Natural Progression Series (**½), where Black broke her leg. Her road back from the injury and Visa issues led her here. Dahlia brought lots of fire from the opening bell. They both had each other well scouted, with Dahlia cutting off Toni’s hip attacks and Toni avoiding a cannonball and moonsault. Toni used her strength to nail a Buckle Bomb and delivered Strong Zero for a surprising near fall. Dahlia fought back with a successful moonsault. However, she went to the well too often. Her next top rope attempt was cut off by a nasty German from Storm. She finished her with two more Strong Zero piledrivers at 7:31. Between this and the Jinny match at Chapter 54, Black has had her best matches (that I’ve seen) and Toni’s streak of good matches continues. It was an even match, yet still told the story of Toni still being the best woman in PROGRESS, while Dahlia gave everything she had to overcome that. In the end, she didn’t have enough. [***¼]
After the match, Jinny jumped Dahlia Black from behind. The injured TK Cooper had to helplessly watch from the audience as Jinny beat on Dahlia’s previously broken leg. She used a chair to PILLMANIZE Dahlia and signaled that the title was hers.
It was now time for Zack Sabre Jr.’s open challenge. It was answered by Marty Scurll, which got an absurdly huge pop.
Marty Scurll vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
It’s not a pairing I always love as they tend to have some good (though overly long matches), but never that one I consider great. That being said, I couldn’t help but be excited to see Marty. He whacked Sabre in the face with his umbrella during introductions because, villain. He used that to dominate the early stages, until Sabre caught his apron superkick and wrenched on the ankle in hideous ways. From there, Marty’s aggression was combated by Sabre twisting him into strange ways. Sabre caught another kick attempt and pulled Marty into a brutal looking submission. Scurll eventually applied his own sick looking version of the Chicken Wing, without the usual “CHICKEN WING” shouting and pizazz. Sabre survived and Marty’s next attempt saw him call for the finish. That allowed Sabre to counter it into the European Clutch to win at 14:32. I thought this was good, but again, not quite great. It was aggressive, which I liked, and featured good exchanges. The finish coming out of nowhere was pretty cool, too. [***]
Sabre and Scurll hugged after the match. Left alone, Marty got a microphone and talked about facing Sabre way back at Chapter 1. He put over PROGRESS and thanked the fans, saying goodbye for now.
Death Match: Jimmy Havoc vs. Mark Haskins
This got video package treatment. I could be wrong, but this might’ve been Havoc’s first time wearing white since returning. He brought an axe with him, which Haskins ducked and they went right into fighting. The first weapon to come into play was a stapler, with both men feeling the wrath. Though this is Havoc’s specialty match, Haskins was in control for a lot of it. He made a big mistake, though, taking too long to set up a spot and getting powerbombed through cinder blocks. With Havoc taking over, he used paper cuts and salt, because he does sick shit like that. Jimmy missed a shot with the axe and Vicky Haskins, Mark’s wife, came down. She stopped Mark from using a chair and gave him a barbed wire bat instead. He used it and applied an armbar with it, before nailing a series of DVDs, including one onto a barbed wire board. Somehow, that still wasn’t enough. Haskins poured out thumbtacks and there was an excellent spot where Havoc dropkicked him into the board, landing on the tacks and sacrificing himself. However, Haskins put the brakes on, making it all for naught. Havoc delivered two DVDs onto the tacks, but Haskins wouldn’t stay down. He survived a DVD through the barbed wire board and Acid Rainmaker onto the tacks, showing a ton of heart. Havoc finally hit an Acid Rainmaker with the barbed wire bat and placed it on Haskins’ throat for extra pin leverage to win in 23:08. That was absolute insanity. It’s not for everyone, but I thought it was awesome. They used weapons and had a brutal match, but also told a great story. Haskins was out to do it for his family (bringing a dinosaur toy and Vicky into play was great) and refused to give in. He got just as violent as Jimmy at times, yet was unable to beat the Death Match king at his own game. My main gripe was that the final blow with the bat looked weak as hell. [****¼]
Following intermission, Jim Smallman pointed out some impressive cosplayers in the crowd before thanking the fans for the growth of PROGRESS. He then announced that next September, PROGRESS will make their debut in Wembley Arena, which will easily be their biggest crowd ever. It’s a bold move, considering Wembley holds over 10,000 more seats than Alexandra Palace.
PROGRESS Atlas Championship: Matt Riddle [c] vs. Timothy Thatcher vs. WALTER
This also got video package treatment. Riddle and WALTER have traded the title recently, having three great matches. Thatcher has the added story of being Ringkampf buddies with WALTER. It was great how WALTER and Tim had nearly identical entrances (including music) and the contrast with Riddle’s personality. After taking Riddle out, the Ringkampf guys shook hands and went toe to toe. Like most Atlas Title matches, especially ones involving WALTER, this was stiff. Three guys beating the hell out of each other and not giving a damn. Riddle impressed by dead lifting WALTER again and doing his best to trade chops with the big lad. There was an awesome, yet scary spot where WALTER double German suplexed both opponents. I swore Riddle injured himself. This was the WALTER showcase, as he was awesome throughout and even got to no sell the KO knee from Riddle. He also scored the win, hitting a sitout tombstone at 12:49 to regain the title. This was very good, but not better than the straight up Riddle/WALTER matches. Thatcher didn’t add much, though he was tied up when the finish happened, so he could have claim to a title shot. [***½]
WALTER’s celebration was cut short by the PROGRESS debut of Wolfgang. He entered the ring and came face to face with the new champion, signaling that he wanted a shot. That could produce some quality big lads wrestling.
Number One Contender’s Scramble Match: Chief Deputy Dunne vs. Eddie Dennis vs. Flash Morgan Webster vs. Jack Sexsmith vs. James Drake vs. Mark Andrews vs. Strangler Davis vs. Zack Gibson
Gibson cut a heat filled promo before the match that saw him go into the crowd and get flipped off by nearly all 2,000 in attendance. He and Drake are the Grizzled Young Vets, while Andrews and Dennis make up FSU, giving two teams in the match. They worked together, but teased some dissension. There was a spot where four superplexes were hit in a row, which was cool. Sexsmith shined with all his wacky antics. The chaos kept building, with Webster hitting several headbutts and a great dive outside. Dennis had the highlight, Border Tossing Dunne over the turnbuckle and onto a crowd of competitors. Andrews offered up the win to his partner Dennis, having had several shots (and a title reign) in the past. Dennis couldn’t do it, getting hit with Destino. Andrews immediately came off the top with an SSP, pinning Flash at 13:14. This was a lot of fun and had some good storytelling. It was the chaotic match you’d expect, with lots of moving parts and enjoyable moments.[***¼]
Webster teased attacking Andrews, but they hugged it out. Eddie Dennis was less positive, turning on his partner and effectively becoming a heel. His demeanor changed as he left, soaking in the heat. Good way to set up a future feud.
PROGRESS World Championship: Pete Dunne [c] w/ Trent Seven and Tyler Bate vs. Travis Banks
I was more hype for this match than anything on the WrestleMania or Wrestle Kingdom cards. Dunne dropped the PROGRESS Title down the steps, only caring about the WWE UK Title. Banks came out firing, clotheslining Dunne before the bell and getting things started on his terms. BSS saved Dunne from an early submission, so Banks took them all out with dives. They all left and returned with sledgehammers, so referee Chris Roberts ejected Bate and Seven. From there, Dunne took over and wore down Banks. He did a masterful job of working the crowd and drawing more and more heat. The match relied on that and Banks’ comeback ability, which he excels at. Dunne hit an apron Pedigree and Banks responded with an apron Kiwi Krusher. Big offensive blows with everything on the line. Then came the overbooking, with Dunne tapping to the Lion’s Clutch but the referee being down. Bate and Seven returned, only to be taken out by #CCK. Banks survived a TON, including Bate and Seven’s finishers, a sledgehammer shot and pretty much anything else you could imagine. Finally, he took the sledgehammer and hit Dunne, followed by a Kiwi Krusher. Dunne kicked out, but Banks went right into the Lion’s Clutch, which made Dunne tap at 24:07. Was it overbooked? Yes. Did it make sense within the story they’ve been telling for months? Absolutely. Great storytelling and it worked as the culmination of a lengthy storyline. There were a few moments that went overboard, though. It was like the best kind of WWE Attitude Era main event. [****]
Post-match, Dunne threw the title at Banks and seemingly accepted that the better man won. #CCK and Travis’ parents celebrated with him to close the show.
Overall: 9/10. PROGRESS delivered in a big way for such an important show. Not a single thing on this show is bad, with the ratings bottoming out at ***. That’s nuts. As usual, there’s also a great mix of things throughout the show that gives almost everyone something to enjoy. There’s one of the best death matches I can recall, a fun triple threat match for the viewers who enjoy hard hitting battles, a wild scramble, a damn good women’s match, one of the best ladder matches all year and a main event that closed out months of storyline in proper fashion. Add in another chapter in the Sabre/Scurll story and the debut of Wolfgang and this was nearly everything I wanted it to be.
NJPW Destruction in Hiroshima
September 16th, 2017 | Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima, Japan | Attendance: N/A
The second of three “Destruction” events is the poorly titled “Destruction in Hiroshima.” The Jr. Tag Titles are on the line in an uninteresting match and the heavyweight Tag Titles are a repeat from the last show. The two major singles titles matches (KUSHIDA/Desperado and Tanahashi/Sabre) are both rematches from tournaments (BOTSJ and G1), but sound much more fun.
Hirooki Goto, Jado and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger and Tiger Mask IV
The Dads vs. CHAOS. This was basically what you’d expect from an NJPW opener. Not the top effort from everyone, but solid. Jado and CHAOS acted like heels, which they don’t do often. Liger took the heat until he caught Goto with a superplex. Tenzan got the hot tag and hit his stuff, before Tiger Mask eventually came in. Though he hit a Tiger Bomb for a near fall, he was forced to tap out to HASHI’s Butterfly Lock at 7:20. Standard opener, with less energy. Matches like this are why it’s hard for me to give NJPW shows a 9/10 or higher. Even when the last few matches deliver, the stuff early can sometimes feel pointless and redundant, like this one. Other than giving YOSHI a rare win, it was just there to get guys on the card. [**]
Bad Luck Fale and Leo Tonga vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson
Things like this show why they should probably run two Destruction shows instead of three. This same exact match went down in Fukushima. Juice and Finlay attacked quickly, leading to a brawl outside, which happened in their first match. Juice ended up taking the heat and eventually fought back after some help from Finlay. Finlay nailed a stunner and Juice hit Pulp Friction on Tonga to score the win in 4:32. I didn’t write a lot, because not a lot happened. It served the purpose of getting Juice another win ahead of his match with Kenny Omega on the 24th. [*¾]
Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Roppongi Vice
It’s the last match for Roppongi Vice before Baretta goes on to get lost in the heavyweight shuffle. I’ll miss that theme. Yujiro brought Mao to the ring with him. If he keeps doing that, I’m all in on Yujiro for G1 28 winner. The Bullet Club attacked before the bell, allowing Baretta to take the heat segment. The Yujiro/Baretta rivalry continued, but it was Owens who allowed Baretta to make the eventual hot tag. He did his FOREVER clotheslines but got cut off. The heels had control for a short while, until RPG Vice rallied. They put down Owens with Strong Zero in 6:55. This was decent, but I was hoping for something more from RPG Vice’s last match. It felt like nothing special and was just used to further Baretta/Yujiro. [**½]
Post-match, Yujiro told Baretta to go back to being a junior and challenged him to a singles match.
Kota Ibushi, Michael Elgin and Togi Makabe vs. NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku and Takashi Iizuka
You gotta love the sometimes random appearances of Kota Ibushi. This felt like one, but based off the G1 Climax, his reason for being on this show would be clear later. The real question, was whether or not he could make Suzuki-Gun fun for a night. As usual, they jumped their opponents before the bell and we got their usual antics out there. Ibushi took a short heat, before Makabe came in hot. He and Minoru had some nice hard hitting exchanges and I won’t ever get upset watching Kota and Minoru trade shots. After things broke down, Ibushi became the legal man with Iizuka. Elgin saved him from the IRON CLAW OF DEATH, opening the door for Ibushi to beat Iizuka with the knee strike that took out Tanahashi in the G1 after 8:09. They cut back on the Suzuki-Gun shenanigans a bit, which helped. I thought Ibushi and Makabe (surprisingly) brought some fire to this. [**½]
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Funky Future [c] vs. Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
This Suzuki-Gun pairing has produced some truly bad matches this year. Their match with Jado and Gedo at Sakura Genesis was the third lowest rated NJPW match from me in 2017. Instead of the usual Suzuki-Gun attack, it was only teased. The champs ran wild with corner attacks until they had a miscue and the tide turned. Taguchi got worked over until tagging in Ricochet, who continued to be one of the best hot tag guys in all of wrestling. He went for the SSP, but Taichi got the knees up to stay alive. He nearly won after Ricochet was misted and he used a Gedo clutch. Taguchi took over, but then Suzuki-Gun nonsense reared its ugly head. Taichi used the microphone stand and then poured tequila down Taguchi’s throat. He kicked out of a powerbomb/moonsault combo, which gave Ricochet time to return. He nailed a super rana and took Taichi out with one of the best looking suicide dives you’ll see. Taguchi had Dodon countered into a pin, but he kicked out and applied the ankle lock. Kanemaru submitted after also taking a springboard 450 while in the hold at 15:41. The best part of the show so far, but still nothing special. There were a few too many Suzuki-Gun shenanigans for my taste, but the finishing stretch was fun and it had a hot crowd. Ricochet and Taguchi are very fun and probably my favorite champions since reDRagon. Hopefully, BUSHI and Hiromu face them. [***]
Post-match, Rocky Romero got in the ring and said he’s bringing in a team that is stronger, faster and better. “Roppongi3K” and they’re coming for the Jr. Titles. I’m intrigued.
IWGP Tag Team Championship: War Machine [c] vs. The Guerrillas of Destiny vs. The Killer Elite Squad
It’s crazy to think how little thought goes into this division. This is part two of this series of three matches, all booked for these events. This is the entire division (sans TenKoji), by the way. Hanson had the battle of the big lads with Archer early on. I love me some BIG LADS WRESTLING. Things broke down quickly, with everyone brawling. As I said in their previous match, that’s what these guys do best. Hanson became the face in peril. I know it’s tag formula, and I can’t fault them for using it, but when there are so many tag matches on a show in a row, it can get tiring. Hanson used a handspring back elbow to open the door for the hot tag. Rowe did his thing until KES nailed their Hart Attack variation. GOD got their stuff in and hit Guerrilla Warfare, but weren’t legal so the referee didn’t count. Archer took them out, but Smith fell to Fallout at 11:05. I appreciate this being different from their first match. However, it didn’t do much to change the quality. The brawling was fine, as was the story of GOD nearly winning again, it just wasn’t all that interesting. [**¾]
Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito and NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA vs. Gedo, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano and Will Ospreay
This was here to build Ishii/Naito and EVIL/Okada at KOPW. The positive response for Naito was overwhelming. Hiromu and Ospreay opened this with a ridiculously quick exchange. Their recent feud has been wacky in the best possible way. We were treated to Yano antics and SANADA trapping him in the Paradise Lock, which was how SANADA beat him in the G1. That was followed by the usual high quality exchange between Naito and Ishii. We’ve seen it a ton, but I can’t help but look forward to their KOPW match. It all built to the Okada/EVIL battle, previewing their upcoming title bout. Their stuff has been very intense, with EVIL bringing a hard hitting style and Okada giving his all to atone for the G1 loss. It came down to BUSHI and Gedo and it was clear why Gedo was in this match. He ate a slew of moves from LIDJ and took the pin after being hit with MX at 12:17. In an added moment of awesome, EVIL planted Okada with the STO and pinned him at the same time, giving himself another visual win over the champion. It’s CHAOS vs. LIDJ. They physically can’t have bad matches, it seems. This had a lot of action and did wonders to build KOPW. [***½]
After the match, Naito hit a sliding dropkick to Ishii’s knee. He also checked with the crowd if he was safe, a nod to the new LIDJ shirt, which is baseball themed. EVIL hit Okada with Darkness Falls on a pile of chairs.
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: KUSHIDA [c] vs. El Desperado w/ TAKA Michinoku
I enjoyed their BOTSJ match (***), which Desperado won. I don’t know Japanese, but the video package seemed to note that Desperado failed in prior title shots and watched as the focus was put on international guys like Ospreay and Ricochet. Commentary noted that KUSHIDA has lost the title in three straight Septembers (to Taguchi, Omega and BUSHI). After a slow exchange to start, Desperado picked things up with a suicide dive that might’ve looked better than the Ricochet one I raved about earlier. That led to a fight through the crowd, with KUSHIDA’s leg being targeted. That became the theme of the match, as Desperado went after that, while KUSHIDA looked to set up the Hoverboard Lock. Desperado managed a few counters into a Stretch Muffler for close calls. When he got in serious trouble, Desperado removed his own mask and made it look like KUSHIDA took it from him. That caused a stoppage and he delivered a low blow for another near fall. He came close a few more times, before having a super Pinche Loco countered into the Hoverboard Lock. When Desperado didn’t tap, KUSHIDA rolled into Back to the Future to retain in 16:56. This was good, with Desperado’s shortcuts making sense as he was trying anything he could to win the title. I enjoyed the leg and arm work, as well as some of the later exchanges. What kept this from going over the top was the crowd, who never seemed to believed Desperado had a change. [***½]
Post-match, Will Ospreay came out to challenge KUSHIDA for October 9th. Hiromu Takahashi tried interrupting but was taken out by Ospreay.
This is the kind of booking I don’t like. Why would Ospreay get a title shot? He’s 0-3 against KUSHIDA and if he finally beats him here, it would feel kind of anti-climactic. Like, he wouldn’t really overcome anything. Plus, he’s been doing a lot of nothing lately besides dressing like a cat. Meanwhile, if he loses, he just remains KUSHIDA’s bitch. Lastly, it’s a match that will be very good (that seems to be their floor), but I’m tired of it. Give it a break for a while.
IWGP Intercontinental Championship: Hiroshi Tanahashi [c] vs. Zack Sabre Jr. w/ TAKA Michinoku
Their G1 match ruled (****¼) and was Sabre’s first ever G1 match. Tanahashi’s new hair should knock at least half a star off any match. A deliberately slow start to this one, as Tanahashi was tentative to fully lock up. He knew Sabre’s strength and that his arm had a giant bullseye on it. Tanahashi retaliated by going after the leg to set up the Texas Cloverleaf. His ability to use his veteran know to combat Sabre, frustrated the challenger. We got more of aggressive Sabre as he stomped on Tanahashi’s arm outside. Tanahashi survived a vicious octopus hold and hit High Fly Flow to the outside. He nailed one inside to a standing Sabre, but Minoru Suzuki ran out as TAKA distracted the referee. There was a ref bump, leading to Michael Elgin making the save and taking Suzuki to the back. During all this, Sabre got a good near fall on a PK. He got his knees up on another High Fly Flow attempt and moved into a submission. Tanahashi got free and nearly lost to the European clutch, which is probably the best pinning combo in wrestling right now. Tanahashi fought free with a bunch of neckbreakers and retained after finally hitting another High Fly Flow at 30:13. A high quality main event, but it fell short of their G1 outing. The lengthy mat stuff won’t be for everyone and the dueling limb work could be seen as too similar to the Jr. Title match, which is understandable. I didn’t see the point of the Minoru run-in. The SG shortcuts made sense in the Jr. Title match, but added nothing to this one. They told a fine story of Tanahashi being outmatched due to Sabre’s technical acumen and his bad arm, but he overcame the odds. [***¾]
Being the fighting champion that he is, Tanahashi called out Kota Ibushi after the match. Based on post-G1 booking, Tanahashi challenged the other man who beat him in the tournament (not counting Naito who has bigger fish to fry) and we’re most likely getting that match at Power Struggle.
Overall: 6/10. If you just look at the last three matches, you’d think this show deserved a better score. Those were the only three matches I’d say you should seek out and even then, there’s a better Tanahashi/Sabre match in the G1 and other CHAOS/LIDJ tags that were better. Everything before those three matches are skippable, though the show did well to set the next batch of programs up for the most part.
Sorry I haven't been covering Lucha Underground in recent weeks. School has been quite hectic, but I'm back for the 100th episode!
The show started in the back with the Worldwide Underground. Ricky Mandel got his name legally changed to Ricky Mundo, which Jonny obviously didn't like. He said there's only one Mundo in Worldwide Underground, which just caused Ricky to be excited that he's an official member.
Atomicos Match: Lucha Underground Champion Johnny Mundo, Marty Martinez, PJ Black and Taya w/ Jack Evans and Ricky Mandel vs. Cage, Fenix, Prince Puma and Sexy Star
Mundo made Ricky sit out due to the name change, replacing him with Marty "The Moth." With Ultima Lucha right around the corner, this was a good way to build some feuds heading into that. Fenix/Marty, Taya/Star (they're set for a Last Luchadora Standing Match at Ultima Lucha) and Puma/Mundo were focal points. Cage spent a good chunk of the match staring at his gauntlet. He finally removed it and kicked lots of ass. Jeremiah Crane showed up and stole the gauntlet, leading Cage to chase him to the back. Though shorthanded, Puma went on a roll for his guys, but the numbers became too much. Mundo pinned him with End of the World after a bunch of WU attacks in 5:36. This was a lot of fun, but ended rather quickly. With a few more minutes, I think this could've been one of the better matches this season. [***]
Post-match, Marty creeped on Melissa Santos. She lit him up with about seven slaps, but he wouldn't stop. Fenix laid him out with a LOUD superkick.
Backstage, Crane brought the gauntlet to Catrina. He wouldn't give it over unless she gave him a kiss. Mil Muertes cock blocked by taking him out with a spear. Catrina picked it up, but Cage arrived and grabbed her by the throat. She couldn't disappear and Cage said it was because the gauntlet was too powerful. She dropped it and vanished, leaving the three men to brawl. While they had one of LU's great movie like fight scenes, Dario Cueto snuck in to steal the gauntlet.
Gift of the Gods Aztec Medallion: Dragon Azteca Jr. vs. Pentagon Dark
These two have broken each other's arms in the past. The crowd created a great atmosphere with "Ole Ole Ole Ole...Lu-cha Lu-cha" chants. It was really cool. They worked this at a very quick pace, with action from bell to bell. Azteca used a rana off the stage, while Pentagon brought more vicious offense like kicks and a double stomp. Azteca's satellite DDT was incredible. Pentagon crotched Azteca up top and brought him down with a Package Piledriver to win in 6:33. Great sprint. If a match with guys of this magnitude is going to go this short, then I want it packed with action, which is what we got. [***1/4]
After the match, Pentagon went to break Azteca's arm, but Matanza interrupted. He and Pentagon came face to face, which had the crowd buzzing. Dario showed Matanza the key around his neck, trying to stop him. Pentagon shoulder bumped Matanza as he left and the monster did nothing because of that key. Pentagon got in Dario's face before leaving. Matanza attacked Azteca until Rey Mysterio Jr. made the save. Dario pulled Matanza back.
Matanza Cueto w/ Dario Cueto vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.
After a commercial, Rey attacked and the match got going. It's vital to note that Matanza beat Rey during Aztec Warfare II to win the Lucha Underground Title and lost it when Rey pinned him back at Aztec Warfare III. It remains Matanza's only pinfall loss. Rey's hot start didn't last long and Matanza began dominating. Rey busted out Code Red, which finished off Matanza in the past, but wasn't enough here. A chair came into play and it was eventually used on Rey's knee. Shortly after, Rey got caught in the Wrath of the Gods to lose in 10:46. Though it lasted a while, this was one sided and helped re-establish Matanza as a big deal, since he hasn't done much in the back half of season three. Good main event that told a tried and true story. [**3/4]
After the match, Matanza added a chair assisted Wrath of the Gods and then, by order of Dario, wrapped Rey's head in a chair and sent him into the post several times. Matanza carried Rey to the back, most likely as a meal.
Overall: 7.5/10. For a 100th episode, they didn't quite put their best foot forward, but they certainly featured plenty of stars. There were three solid matches and several cool story moments (the backstage fight, Pentagon facing off with the Cuetos, Matanza destroying Rey). It was a good shell of season three, which has been good but not as great as the first two seasons.
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PROGRESS Chapter 54: Go To Your God Like a Soldier
August 27th, 2017 | Electric Ballroom in Camden, Greater London, England | Attendance: 700
Following a successful trip to the United States, PROGRESS returned home to the Electric Ballroom for the final show before Alexandria Palace. Chapter 55 is set to be one of, if not the biggest show in company history. This worked as kind of a go-home show for it.
Jim Smallman started the show by thanking the home fans and the US crowds for being great.
Connor Mills vs. Strangler Davis
Mills has been working PROGRESS’ Freedom Road shows. I feel like he would be PROGRESS’ equivalent to a “young boy”. Strangler was formerly James Davis of the London Riots. He was treated with “Strangler Wanker” chants and his look of coming out with a noose wasn’t one I liked. It barely works for Hangman Page. Connor showed the expected fire from a smaller, young guy. Strangler was aggressive, though not quite enough to really sell him as a legitimate singles heel. Connor used a discus lariat that looked way more impressive than I expected from a guy his size. He missed a 450 splash and was put down with a cobra clutch at 8:32. Connor showed promise, but the match did nothing for Davis. He didn’t look like a real threat and none of what he did clicked. [*½]
Flash Morgan Webster came out for a live version of his podcast. He had a potted plant, ala the Ambrose Asylum. His guests were Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins, who are scheduled to face off at Chapter 55. Flash said they hadn’t gotten along in a while and both told him to “fuck off”, resulting in Havoc and Haskins hugging it out. They had fun with the segment, as they ordered drinks and talked about the issues. Havoc and Haskins admitted their mistakes and said they were cool. Havoc saying he’s perpetually sad was great. Things got heated when discussing the PROGRESS Title, but they all agreed to work together to take out British Strong Style. Out came Travis Banks to join the lovefest, but wanted to remind them that he would be the next champ. That led to Pete Dunne arriving. Since he and Travis pick each other’s opponents, he wanted Banks/Havoc/Haskins, while Banks wanted the same for Dunne. Smallman got around it by booking a tag team main event pitting Haskins and Havoc against Banks and Dunne. I didn’t hate it, though it really gave this chapter a TV build feel. From the lengthy talking segment to the tag team main event.
Kid Lykos vs. PROGRESS Tag Team Champion Tyler Bate
The Tag Team Title match for Chapter 55 got split into two singles matches on this show. This really is a build chapter. I’m not saying that like it’s a bad thing, by the way. The winner of each match chooses a stipulation for the Tag Title match. This got a “small lads wrestling” chant, which offended Bate. Once things got going, the work was smooth. Bate went after the leg to take away Lykos’ aerial offense. Lykos still managed to bust out a sweet Spanish Fly, while Bate showed off a standing SSP. My favorite exchange was probably the one capped by Lykos hitting a reverse rana and Bate popping up for a deadlift German. Trent Seven came out and nailed Lykos with a cheap lariat behind the referee’s back. Tyler Driver ’97 finished him off at 12:16. This featured some very good back and forth. Bate is excellent and made sure Lykos looked like a real threat. The distraction finish is rather overdone by this point, though. [***¼]
Post-match, Trent Seven teased them picking Punjabi Prison as the stipulation. He eventually picked a normal, two on two tag match where falls count anywhere…IN THE RING!
Number One Contender’s Match: Dahlia Black vs. Jinny
The winner faces Toni Storm at Chapter 55. Dahlia charged the ring and they brawled before the bell. There was surprising amounts of intensity and hatred behind each move. Dahlia threw a lot of kicks, only to have it backfire when Jinny caught a few and targeted it. That played off their NYC tag and Dahlia’s leg injury earlier in the year. Everything Jinny did was vicious and fitting of her character. Dahlia was a very good sympathetic babyface, making for a great combo. She mostly sold well, even making sure to only use one leg on a powerbomb spot. Dahlia kicking out of an Acid Rainmaker and Styles Clash was a bit much, though. She rolled Jinny up at 9:53 to win. I’d have loved for Storm to face a heel, but the pop for Dahlia winning was great so they made the right move. The match had a lot to like. Intensity, limb work, selling and a hot crowd. The best Dahlia singles match I’ve ever seen. [***½]
Chris Brookes vs. PROGRESS Tag Team Champion Trent Seven
Seven started with his usual “I’m a sports-entertainer” promo stuff. He put over his performance in the Barclays Center, which got a “pre-show” chant. He combated it by saying it was recorded for the main event of NXT TV. Brooke shut him up with a knee, nearly repeating Seven’s loss in mere seconds during the Super Strong Style 16. A good chunk of this match took place outside, with brawling through the crowd. A lot of times, that can make a match kind of dull, but these two made it work well. The hard hitting exchanges continued in the ring, but of course, we had to get shenanigans. Tyler Bate came out to cheat, but was caught in the act. Referee Chris Roberts then physically ejected Bate by tossing him over the top rope. “CHRIS ROBERTS HAS JUST WON THE ROYAL RUMBLE!” Kid Lykos snuck in and hit a lung blower/senton combo with Brookes to get the win at 11:17. Good match with plenty of fun moments. Even with the run-in stuff late, this worked. I enjoyed how the tables were turned on BSS. [***½]
Chris Brookes announced that #CCK chose a Ladder Match for the stipulation for Chapter 55. It’ll be only the second ever Ladder Match in company history.
FSU vs. Grizzled Young Vets
FSU are Mark Andrews and Eddie Dennis, while the Grizzled Young Vets are Zack Gibson and James Drake. Drake had quite the push for a good chunk of 2017, but is actually very bland to me. Putting him with Gibson, a mega heat magnet, could do wonders. They worked well together, cutting the ring in half on Andrews. Andrews bumped around for them and drew a good amount of sympathy. He’s a good fit for the face in peril role. Dennis got the eventual hot tag and brought his hard-hitting style to the forefront, while also busting out a somersault to the outside. GYV started hitting tandem offense and making the match more enjoyable. The finishing stretch had some missteps, before Drake and Gibson won with Ticket to Mayhem in 14:26. This was fine, but completely unspectacular and forgettable. They worked solid tag formula, though the heat segment was kind of lifeless. It picked up in the back half. [**½]
Doug Williams vs. Timothy Thatcher
It’s nice to see Doug Williams again. I enjoyed a fair chunk of his TNA run. He hasn’t been in PROGRESS since way back at Chapter 15. It’s crazy how much better Thatcher is received by the fans in the UK. If you know these two, you know what to expect. They worked the mat like experts. It’s Thatcher’s specialty, while Doug can still do it, he’s slower than in his prime. Thatcher continually had a leg up, with Williams using his veteran knowhow to combat him. It’s a good story, but I feel their styles are too similar at times. Thatcher’s focus was the arm, looking to win with the armbar. He eventually did just that, making Williams submit at 13:50. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I like mat wrestling, so this was kind of cool. As I said, they told a good story, but Thatcher usually does well against more energetic wrestlers. [***]
Doug Williams got a standing ovation before leaving.
Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins vs. PROGRESS World Champion Pete Dunne and Travis Banks
Ever the dick, Pete Dunne left Travis Banks alone almost immediately. To add to things, he removed Callum Leslie from commentary and kicked him in the nuts, taking his spot. Banks brought fire, knowing he was alone, similar to what he did against British Strong Style in New York City. Havoc and Haskins had their own problems, pulling the other in the way of Travis’ attacks. They still took clear control due to having the man advantage, but their issues continued. Eventually, they came to blows, allowing Banks to level them with kicks. His offensive burst was great and he continued to look like a breakout star of 2017. Banks countered the Acid Rainmaker, which led to Haskins superkicking Havoc. Banks hit Haskins with the Kiwi Krusher and Dunne returned to throw his partner outside. Dunne delivered the Bitter End and stole the win at 14:08. This was mostly storyline, but it was fun getting there. Banks, Havoc and Haskins are all great, so anything they do works. Plus, Dunne played his role perfectly. [***¼]
After the match, Banks attacked Dunne until the rest of British Strong Style made the save. #CCK ran out to save their buddy. However, it didn’t end there. The fans chanted “Travis, our champion” until the sounds of a woman screaming were heard. Dunne returned from the back with Dahlia Black and a sledgehammer. That allowed Bate and Seven to take out #CCK. Dunne kicked Dahlia in her bad leg and went to the ring. Bate and Seven held Banks in place, while Dunne hit him in the back of the head with a sledgehammer. I thought this was a great angle, that really put over Dunne being a vile heel.
Overall: 6.5/10. One of the lesser PROGRESS chapters this year, but it was understandable to an extent. It was clear the focus was on the big Chapter 55 show, and this was used to build that. The main event was not traditional for PROGRESS, but worked to hype the upcoming bigger event. Regardless, the show is still solid. Only the opener is an easy skip. Everything else ranges from pretty good to very good, which is a fine way to spend three hours.
NJPW Destruction in Fukushima
September 10th, 2017 | Azuma Sports Park in Fukushima, Japan | Attendance: 2,056
For those who care about my reviews, I apologize for the lack of them recently. I’ve missed a few Lucha Underground reviews and the NJPW “Road to” events. I watched them, but didn’t have time for reviews due to school. I had to prioritize and chose PROGRESS and the Mae Young Classic over them.
However, I’m back to NJPW for their three Destruction shows. Destruction is an NJPW “B” level series of shows, featuring build for King of Pro Wrestling and some G1 rematches. In fact, all three main events are G1 rematches, but with titles on the line.
Hirai Kawato and Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi and Shota Umino
Honestly, this was only behind the two CHAOS/LIDJ tags for match I was most looking forward to on this card. The dads have been more aggressive than usual with one another in the build to this, which spilled over here. The Young Lions worked hard, which you can always expect. Nagata escaped Nakanishi’s torture rack and Kawato nailed a nice missile dropkick. That left Nagata alone with Umino, who brought the fight right to him. He’s just a boy though, so Nagata made him tap to the crossface in 5:47. A solid opener. The battle of the dads is typically fun and the lions brought energy. Oka has loads of potential and Kitamura screams star, but Kawato is probably my favorite. [**½]
Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Katsuya Kitamura and Tomoyuki Oka
The lions against the low heavyweights on the CHAOS totem pole. Well, unless you count Beretta, though he hasn’t had enough time with that yet. Kitamura showed no fear, going right at Tacos and overpowering him. CHAOS eventually took over, using quick tags to isolate to the powerhouse. I’m surprised Oka wasn’t the guy taking the heat. Oka got the hot tag and did quite well, but found himself in a Goto Boston crab. That’s not cool, Hirooki. Don’t use one of the few moves they have in their arsenal, You jerk. Oka reached the ropes, while HASHI and Kitamura brawled outside. Goto finished off Oka with a series of kicks at 7:35. That was a flat finish to an otherwise good match. Kitamura and Oka continued to show promise, though Goto and HASHI seemed to take it like a night off. [**¼]
Baretta and Jado vs. Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi
Poor Baretta gets to start his heavyweight run by teaming with the eternally horrible Jado. He and Yujiro have traded some wins in tag matches. Jado started and quickly got in trouble. Owens and Yujiro isolated him and knocked Baretta off the apron. When Baretta got the tag, he ran wild and focused on Yujiro. I wonder when their first singles match will happen. Probably on a “Road to” show at some point. Baretta made the mistake of tagging Jado back in. He got sent outside and Yujiro hit Jado with Pimp Juice to win in 7:36. Dull. When Baretta got involved, it was fine. When Jado was in, the match lacked any sort of life. [*½]
Bad Luck Fale and Leo Tonga vs. David Finlay and Juice Robinson
This originally had Kenny Omega, to build Omega/Juice, but he’s injured so Haku’s third kid fills in. So far, he’s tall and that’s most of what we can say. The match featured early brawling, with all four men outside. Fale focused on Juice, as if Omega sent him here purely to soften him up for Kobe. Fale worked like Tonga’s mentor, telling him to “watch and learn” at one point. Tonga made a mistake, accidentally kicking Fale. That opened the door for the babyface comeback, as Juice countered a chokeslam and won after a stunner and Pulp Friction in 5:04. Inoffensive, but nothing special. Leo still needs work and though I dig the Finlay/Juice pairing, they didn’t wow me here. [**]
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi, IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA, Togi Makabe, and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Ricochet and Ryusuke Taguchi vs. El Desperado, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku, Takashi Iizuka and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
This is here to build KUSHIDA/Desperado and the upcoming Jr. Tag Title match. Tanahashi has a match with Zack Sabre Jr. at the next Destruction event, but no ZSJ today. While Taguchi Japan talked strategy, Suzuki-Gun attacked before the bell, because that’s what they do. Taguchi Japan turned it around, leading to a more traditional match. KUSHIDA got worked over for a bit, but then tagged in Ricochet, who showed off his aerial skills. When Tanahashi came in, they did the typical isolation on him and used the bell hammer. Same Suzuki-Gun, same Suzuki-Gun channel. Taguchi was next to take a beating, but a ref bump allowed Ricochet to save him. Taguchi used an eye poke to roll TAKA up at 10:40. It had fun moments, but was riddled with SG nonsense. I’m okay with that stuff, but it’s so old for them already and they don’t even try being creative with it. It’s a shame because Taguchi Japan is quite fun. Also, Makabe was in “no bumps” mode. [**½]
The strange knife promo ran again. I really hope it’s not for Sami Callihan like I’ve heard.
IWGP Tag Team Championship: War Machine [c] vs. The Guerillas of Destiny vs. The Killer Elite Squad
Things like this are why I can’t get on the “Gedo is a great booker” train. He does some good, but this division is atrocious. This match is literally happening on all three Destruction shows. Anyway, DBS wearing jeans makes him look like his dad in his worst era, while Archer with dreads is odd. Early on, Tama wanted no part of Predator Archer and tagged to a bigger War Machine member. Lots of brawling from all six men, which is their strong suits. Near the end, GOD worked a few double teams on Rowe and hit Guerrilla Warfare, but DBS broke the pin. It was time for KES to do their thing, hitting double team offense until Hanson made the save. The champs took out KES and hit Loa with Fallout to retain in 11:09. Average outing. The action and brawling was fine, though some of it came off clunky. It’ll probably get better as they have more matches, but I’m not exactly clamoring for those. [**¾]
Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Will Ospreay
Easily the match I was most looking forward to. Hiromu and Ospreay have had an interesting feud lately, while Ishii and Naito are my #2 and #3 best wrestlers in the world and always work great together. The juniors got right into the fast paced stuff and the first interactions between Naito and Ishii saw Naito get thrown around outside. Ishii took a short heat, which was surprising but welcome as he’s better at selling and drawing sympathy than his partner. I know it doesn’t happen, but I’d be down to see juniors vs. heavys in singles matches. Ospreay/Naito and Ishii/Hiromu would be cool. Anyway, they continued to show Naito acting nonchalant with Ishii, angering him in the process. Ishii was taken out, leaving Ospreay alone. Naito caught him with a low blow and won via Destino in 12:04. About what I expected. Good action and quick pacing, but not the best effort from everyone involved. That’s not me dissing them, as they’re expected to take it easier in these tags. Even without them performing at their best, this was still the best part of the show so far. [***¼]
NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship: BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA [c] vs. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero and Toru Yano
CHAOS vs. LIDJ. I’ve missed these matches. We got the early brawl, with CHAOS coming right at LIDJ. They had control early, until Romero got isolated. BUSHI resorted to cheap tactics, while the champs used their quick offense. Romero used a desperation knee to make the hot tag to Okada. The champ got his shit in, but EVIL proved to be a thorn in his side again. He brought in Yano, who did Yano things. The turnbuckle pad was removed and he did the RVD taunt stuff. You know the drill. Romero was brought back in and it was FOREVER time. Towards the end, everyone came in to hit some of their signature moves. SANADA trapped Yano in a Paradise Lock on the ropes, which gave him a nice front row seat to an EVIL/Okada exchange. EVIL won out by hitting the STO and then BUSHI beat Rocky with the MX in 14:00. Fun match and like the previous one, CHAOS/LIDJ was the best thing on the show. They did good build for EVIL/Okada, as EVIL once again had his number. This was very good, though not great. [***½]
NEVER Openweight Championship Lumberjack Match: Minoru Suzuki [c] vs. Michael Elgin
The Lumberjack Match for this title at Dominion was garbage (*½) and most of Minoru’s stuff since returning (other than a few G1 matches, mainly with Okada and SANADA) has been shit. I gave the G1 match these two had **½. Taguchi Japan and Suzuki-Gun were the lumberjacks. In the early stages, this was about on par with the G1 match. They had back and forth and the lumberjacks mostly did their jobs without getting too involved. Once they got involved, though, this went out the window. Suzuki-Gun did a lot of their usual shenanigans, while the faces kind of didn’t do anything at times. Eventually, they came in and helped Elgin. Elgin launched TAKA onto a pile of bodies at ringside, followed by Ricochet diving onto them. KES got involved, which brought out War Machine as if there weren’t enough people out here. Iizuka also joined the fray with his stupid iron claw. He hit Elgin, leading to the Gotch Piledriver for Suzuki to retain in 19:07. Once again, a Suzuki-Gun match shits the bed. This was trash. Early on, it was alright, but the overbooking nonsense is beyond tired. They should’ve had the lumberjacks do stuff early and maybe fight to the back, leaving Suzuki and Elgin to go at it. It went too long, the crowd was over it and there was too much nonsense to enjoy. [*]
Overall: 4/10. I didn’t expect much from this show and I got exactly that. A lackluster show that was the worst full effort from NJPW in about a year. It felt lifeless and wasn’t even as good as the “Road to” events. It was like NJPW’s equivalent of Battleground or something. Lazy booking and a poor main event didn’t help things. Watch the CHAOS/LIDJ tags (though they’ve had better) and that’s about it.
WWE Mae Young Classic Episode #8
September 9th, 2017 | Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida
And then there were four. Kairi Sane, Mercedes Martinez, Shayna Baszler and Toni Storm. I’ve finally reached the final episode of the Mae Young Classic before the live finale.
Mercedes Martinez vs. Shayna Baszler
They were stablemates in SHIMMER. Shayna got heat after her actions following her win over Candice LeRae. Despite that attitude, Shayna shook hands with Martinez, which she hadn’t done with anyone else yet. They were tentative for the first few seconds, but Martinez then fired off shots, taking the fight to Shayna like nobody before. She had the first real bit of sustained offense over Shayna. Shayna turned things around with a series of gutwrench suplexes for two. Martinez escaped a knee bar and Shayna got free from a Regal Stretch. They traded strikes before Martinez hit the Fisherman’s Buster, but was too hurt to cover right away. Martinez fired off a bunch of suplexes, but had a second Fisherman’s Buster blocked. Shayna hit the falcon arrow into the rear naked choke. Martinez lasted longer than everyone else, but had to tap at 8:10. Very good, even match. It allowed us to see a side of Shayna where she didn’t dominate. They knew each other well and played off that. It was stiff and one of those matches where it truly felt like something important was on the line. [***½]
Mercedes and Shayna hugged after the match. Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Sara Amato entered the ring to congratulate the women and present Shayna with flowers.
Kairi Sane vs. Toni Storm
These two know each other from STARDOM. As usual, the speed vs. size dynamic came into play. Toni went after the arm, looking to take Sane’s signature elbow drop away from her. Sane managed a huge cross body to the outside and ate a face full of ramp. There was talk of her suffering a concussion during the tournament and I could totally see that being where it happened. Inside, Storm fought off a Boston crab and brought out the hip attack. Sane came back and looked for the elbow, but Storm cut her off and got two on a great bridging Muscle Buster. Storm applied an awesome looking armbar, with Sane selling the hell out of it. Storm delivered the leg drop that won her the previous match, but couldn’t make the cover. Kairi nailed a desperation back fist and went up top. She clutched her elbow in pain, but risked it anyway. The elbow connected and Sane advanced in 12:23. Great match. Storm had a lackluster first two rounds, but delivered the two best matches in her final two outings. They told a great story. Storm had a game plan and it worked, with Sane’s elbow being taken out. She sold it very well and survived a lot, before risking it all to make the finals. The crowd was completely invested, adding to this. [****]
Triple H, Stephanie and Sara Amato gave Kairi the same treatment Shayna got earlier. Atop the stage, Sane and Shayna came face to face to build the finals.
Overall: 8.5/10. The big dump of episodes ended with the highest note. Both matches were given time to breathe and delivered. Martinez/Baszler allowed us to see a different side of Shayna and she impressed. It was also easily Martinez’s best performance so far. Sane/Storm ruled and was my match of the tournament. Sane is a star and WWE needs to get to work on signing Storm, because she can be one too. We aren’t getting the finals I would’ve picked, but I certainly understand the choice.
WWE Mae Young Classic Episode #7
September 8th, 2017 | Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida
The quarterfinals are upon us. This episode has all four matches involving the remaining eight women, as we narrow it down to four heading into the Semi-Finals. Abbey Laith, Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Kairi Sane, Mercedes Martinez, Piper Niven, Shayna Baszler and Toni Storm are all that remain.
Abbey Laith vs. Mercedes Martinez
Laith has gone past Jazzy Gabert (***½) and Rachel Evers (***), while Martinez beat Xia Li (**½) and Princesa Sugehit (**¼). Lots of work on the mat to start, with Martinez peppering in some slaps. Martinez continued to play the aggressor, lighting up Laith with chops. Martinez seemed to be favoring her shoulder from previous matches, which I always appreciate. Whenever Laith fired up and got something going, Martinez found a way to cut her off. Laith got her biggest opening and hit a cross body to the outside, where her knees landed on the ramp, which had to suck. Laith had the alligator clutch countered, but still got two on a German. She went for the clutch again and it was countered once more. Martinez then used the fisherman’s buster to advance in 8:58. I thought this was good. Martinez was aggressive, but her shoulder injury opened the door for some Laith rallies. Laith has potential as a fiery babyface down the line. The trend of one woman making a crucial mistake and it costing them continues, as Laith went for the clutch too often. [***]
Candice LeRae vs. Shayna Baszler
LeRae beat Renee Michelle (**½) and Nicole Savoy (**¾), while Baszler got past Zeda (**¼) and Mia Yim (***¼). Johnny Gargano and Baszler’s fellow MMA Horsewomen were in the crowd. No Shayna handshake again. Shayna attacked quickly, but LeRae avoided a strike and her momentum took her outside. Candice followed with a suicide dive DDT that got the crowd going. Candice applied the octopus and transitioned to the Gargano Escape, with the crowd losing their minds. Shayna countered with a side slam and sold the arm. Up top, Candice went for the Wild Ride, but Shayna countered in midair to a rear naked choke for the win in 3:11. About as good as you’re going to get in three minutes. Candice was the perfect underdog, with the fans buying into her hope spots. She’s sympathetic, which works perfectly with Shayna’s badass style. She looked legit in catching Candice with the finish. Baszler meets Martinez in the Semi-Finals. [***¼]
Post-match, Baszler refused to break the submission. Tons of heat for that. Candice got choked out cold, which was when Shayna finally released it, to a chorus of boos. Johnny Gargano hopped in the ring to check on his wife. Shayna kicked the fallen Candice right in front of him. Expertly done segment, cementing Shayna in her role.
Piper Niven vs. Toni Storm
To get here, Niven beat Santana Garrett (***½) and Serena Deeb (***¼), while Storm beat Ayesha Raymond (**½) and Lacey Evans (**¾). They were friendly from the start and their exchanges ruled. Storm bridged up from a test of strength, even with Niven on top of her. They did a double bridge spot and shook hands to a pop. Storm got too playful and Piper splashed her, taking control. Toni finally bought time after hitting a backstabber. Piper survived a hip attack and hit the Michinoku Driver for a good near fall. Niven looked for a Vader Bomb, but Storm got up and took her off the second rope with a huge German suplex. She followed with a diving leg drop for the win in 7:36. The best tournament matches so far. I loved the opening exchanges, as it was refreshing and never got too past playful that it felt out of place in a tournament like this. Great back and forth and I’m glad they didn’t overdo some of the same tropes from previous tourney matches. The German spot was one of the coolest so far. I may be the high man on this, but it was right up my alley. [***¾]
Backstage, cameras caught up with Ronda Rousey, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, who all put over Baszler. Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Bayley came up to them and Ronda told them to name a time and place. The WWE Horsewomen left, but seemed intrigued.
Dakota Kai vs. Kairi Sane
Kai is my favorite person in the tournament. She beat Kavita Devi (**) and Rhea Ripley (***½), while Sane beat Tessa Blanchard and Bianca Belair (both ***½). After some even opening exchanges, Sane delivered a huge chop and running blockbuster that quickened the pace. Kai used kicks to turn the tide, but then ate a spear. Kai still got her in place for the tree of Joey Lawrence double stomp that she won with in the last match. However, Sane avoided it and Kai landed awkwardly on her knee. Sane brought out forearm strikes and Kai retaliated with kicks. She missed the big Yakuza Kick and Sane delivered an Alabama Slam. Kairi called for the elbow and connected, advancing in 7:41. Sane’s streak of very good matches continued. They worked a strong face/face match and got the crowd invested. Kai looked like Sane’s equal, which was great for her, until she missed the double stomp. With the leg damaged and the missed Yakuza, she was toast. Sane faces Storm in the semis. [***½]
Overall: 8/10. The best episode so far. Sure, none of the matches were MOTY contenders, but everything worked and the show flowed nicely. Martinez/Laith was good and then Baszler/Candice was exactly what it needed to be. The post-match angle was tremendous as well. I thought Kai/Sane delivered the way I wanted it to and Storm/Niven was my favorite tournament match thus far.
