Tonight’s WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network:
WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair recently took to Twitter to claim that he was asked to leave Piesonas, a major restaurant chain in Florida, after spending $1500 on a meal.
The WWE Hall of Famer explained that he had an issue with the kitchen manager taking too long in the bathroom, which led to the incident.
In response to the claim, Piesonas co-owner Jerry Roberts provided a statement to The Gainesville Sun, clarifying the circumstances that led to the Flair’s unceremonious departure from the restaurant. He noted that he reviewed the security footage and was proud of the way his staff handled the situation.
Word often spreads quickly among restaurant chains that are in close prominently to each other, and the manager of a sister location of the Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza a few miles down the road has taken to Twitter to provide additional context on why Flair was kicked out of the restaurant.
According to the manager, Flair was “being drunk and disorderly” and at one point “woo’d directly into a blind grandmothers face.”
The manager went on to add that Flair “picked up furniture and swung it menacingly” after being confronted by the staff. He wrote,
“I’m the manager of @PiesanosSFP sister location off Archer. Mr Flair was being drunk and disorderly. He woo’d directly into a blind grandmothers face. After being confronted he picked up furniture and swung it menacingly. We love Ric. But he was booger’d”
Source: eWn
We saw another QR code air on this week’s episode of WWE RAW.
On this week’s show, a QR code led fans to a new video and puzzle. The video had a crow at the bottom of it that led to a puzzle, which reads:
“YOU KNOW NOTHING
HELL IS ONLY A WORD
REALITY IS MUCH
MUCH WORSE”
Source: eWn
Olympic Gold Medallist Gable Steveson was one of many performers to be released by WWE in April 2024. Steveson signed a contract with WWE in 2021 following his successful run to Olympic Gold at the Tokyo games, and was immediately positioned as a potential successor to someone like Kurt Angle. He appeared at WrestleMania 38, was officially drafted to “WWE Raw,” and even had a brief run in “WWE NXT” in 2023. However, his career in WWE never reached the heights of his freestyle career.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Steveson was released by the company for a very simple reason; he wasn’t that good. “His contract was a very big money contract, and he wasn’t cutting it.” Steveson arrived in WWE already having allegations of sexual abuse to his name, something that WWE fans were not high on, but according to Meltzer, it was Steveson’s ability in the ring that cost him his spot, as the company had full knowledge of the allegations against him.
“He did have the sexual assault claim from his freshman year in college, WWE signed him with full knowledge of that and it was not an issue in amateur wrestling, wasn’t an issue in college wrestling, like once he was cleared, he was good to go … it was an issue with wrestling fans. However, it probably had to do in a great degree with him getting booed with Baron Corbin, in the one match that people saw that he had at that one ‘NXT’ show.” Meltzer went on to say that he watched a number of his dark matches, some of which were against recently released star Cameron Grimes, and said he wasn’t impressive, had no charisma, and got little to no reaction from the fans.
Source: Wrestling Inc. credit to Wrestling Observer Radio
WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the XL Center in Hartford, CT.
Fallout from Backlash
2024 Draft roster changes take effect
Over the last few weeks, WWE has guided fans on a cryptic treasure hunt, with the final prize rumored to be a new faction led by Uncle Howdy (fka Bo Dallas), the real-life brother of the late Windham Rotunda (aka Bray Wyatt). WWE’s latest clue revealed a QR code at WWE Backlash that linked to a phone number and an audio file indicating that several “missing” people have come together to form a new family in WWE.
QR code hit the screen that sent viewers to the WWE-hosted landing page www.wwe.com/porte_ouverte. (That slug, “port ouverte,” is French for “open door.”)
On the page, an audio file is hosted, along with what appears to be a phone number, 888-280-3999 — the same number that, in 2022, revealed an audio clip of Bray Wyatt’s doctor revealing his (in character) mental health diagnosis, ending with a tease of his return. When playing the audio on the page, a distorted female voice says, “You think you’re so close to finding him but you don’t even know what you’re looking for. He’s not what you think. He just wants to help. That’s all he ever wanted. He opens up his arms and makes you feel like you matter; like you belong. He doesn’t change you. He, he reminds you. He wants to know, ‘Why did you forget about them?’ He says he opened the door and the time of secrets has come to an end.”
The familiar phone number now hosts a different message, mentioning “the ones that had gone missing,” and going on to say, in part, “None of you cared. Their families didn’t care. Their friends didn’t care, but I set them free. They are my family now and we will do anything to protect our family. I can’t wait for you to see what we’ve become. It’s beautiful.”
In the wake of this massive Easter egg, PWInsider is now reporting that this new group will soon present themselves on WWE television as a spinoff of sorts of the Wyatt Family. Moreover, this Bray Wyatt-themed faction will feature a few former associates of Wyatt’s, in addition to some new names, who have been subject to absences from WWE programming. The five names currently penciled into this reported group are Bo Dallas, Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Erick Rowan.
Like the aforementioned audio file alluded to, all members of this new faction have previous experience in other factions, or families, in WWE. Cross formerly served as a member of Sanity up until her stablemates Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killian Dain were called up to WWE’s main roster, while she remained in “WWE NXT” in 2018. Similarly, Dexter Lumis was once a member of The Way alongside the likes of Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Indi Hartwell. While the latter three stayed in close proximity to each other on WWE’s main roster, Lumis abruptly disappeared from television last year, last wrestling on the June 1 episode of “WWE Main Event.” Erick Rowan, of course, was a member of the original Wyatt Family before the group disbanded in 2017.
For Gacy, his status as the leader of The Schism took a turn when Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler (Grizzled Young Veterans) departed from WWE in September 2023. As a result, Gacy later declared that Schism was “dead.”
As of now, there is no word on whether Alexa Bliss, who notably aligned with Wyatt’s alter-ego The Fiend from 2020 until 2021, will be part of this offshoot unit as well.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Over the last year, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler has faced a few health concerns, most of which have been connected to a stroke he suffered in February 2023. While he continues to recover from his stroke, Lawler also notably underwent knee replacement surgery in March 2024. During a virtual signing with East Coast Autograph Auctions, Lawler provided a new update on his overall health following this recent knee operation.
“My health is great,” Lawler said (h/t POST Wrestling for the transcription). “I just [went] over to the doctors to get back on the road from my knee replacement and then of course, still some minor difficulties from the stroke. But all of that stuff is coming around fast.”
As Lawler alluded to, his 2023 stroke resulted in a few short-term mental and physical difficulties. According to WWE alumni Dutch Mantel, “The King” was struggling to complete his sentences and create artwork with his right hand in the months following his stroke. After reaching out to Lawler over the phone, journalist Bill Apter also noted that he was experiencing some memory troubles. Despite that, Lawler was said to still be in great spirits at the time.
Six months after his initial hospitalization, Lawler returned to WWE for a surprise appearance in front of his hometown crowd in Memphis, Tennessee. This outing came in the midst of a commercial break segment during “WWE Raw,” in which Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn brought Lawler out onto the entrance stage to wave “hello” to the fans in attendance. Lawler later appeared on the November 28 episode of “WWE NXT” by announcing two of the qualifying matches for the 2023 “NXT” Iron Survivor Challenge.
Lawler’s WWE broadcast contract has expired.
PWInsider reports that WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler is no longer with the WWE after his broadcast contract expired with the promotion “at the onset” of the year, with WWE choosing not to offer “The King” a new deal. WWE and Lawler’s association isn’t fully at an end, however, as Lawler is said to remain under a WWE Legend’s deal.
Lawler’s departure from WWE ends a 31-year relationship between him and the promotion, which began in December 1992. While he continued to wrestle sporadically for WWE over the years, “The King” became best known to WWE fans for his role as color commentator, most notably during the Attitude Era, where he called matches with fellow WWE Hall of Famer and long-time friend Jim Ross.
News of WWE declining to re-sign Lawler was slow to get out, largely due to Lawler’s retreat from the public eye following a stroke in February 2023. Due to his health issues, including a 2012 heart attack on “Raw” that nearly cost Lawler his life, some in WWE were surprised by his departure, with onne person going as far as to say that Lawler would’ve been kept around under the old regime of McMahon’s and that Lawler’s departure was a true sign that “the old company is dead.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
2021 Olympic Gold Medalist and inaugural WWE NIL signee Gable Steveson has been released. Following news that there had been cuts made to the “WWE NXT” roster, including Drew Gulak, Dave Meltzer reported that Gable Steveson had been a part of them. When Steveson signed with WWE in 2021, declining to continue in freestyle wrestling or a potential move into MMA, he set the precedent for an influx of college athletes to be molded into professional wrestlers at the Performance Center. Meltzer’s report in particular makes mention that he’d signed his WWE deal in 2020 — going against all other reporting — with the caveat that he’d continue as an amateur wrestler to compete in the 2021 Olympics. WWE was supposed to be facing competition from its now sister promotion, UFC, but won out to eventually land him.
Steveson continued in freestyle wrestling afterward, winning the 2022 NCAA Division I National Championship, and most recently the 2023 US Open Wrestling Championship. He would also defeat fellow NIL signee Mason Parris to qualify for the 2023 World Championship, but Meltzer notes that WWE forbade him from competing in the tournament.
Despite being a hot commodity within the context of collegiate and national wrestling, Steveson had been unable to make such a mark in the world of professional wrestling. In 2019 it was alleged that he and a Minnesota wrestling teammate — Dylan Martinez — had sexually assaulted a woman and were arrested. In December that year, it was confirmed that no charges were being brought forward due to a lack of significant evidence. The county attorney also pointed to a lack of law in Minnesota which would allow them discretion in charging perpetrators of sexual assault of an inebriated victim. It’s worth noting that an overturned conviction in the case of the State vs. Francois Khalil in 2021 saw Minnesota law-makers update legislation regarding alcohol consumption and consent.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The show opens with a quick explainer for people who haven’t spent a tenth of their life poring over old maps to explain where in France the city of Lyon is, unlike the cool girls like me who did in fact do that and already knew.
The now-familiar montage of people arriving at the arena follows, and then into the usual hype reel opening video.
Brawling on the floor before the bell, referees and road agents (including “Hurricane” Shane Helms, Jamie Noble, and Petey Williams) and security pulling them apart, but these four men are out for blood!
Nick Aldis comes down the aisle and tells them to knock it off, and if they want to ignore the rules, they can do whatever they want, because it’s a street fight!
Chaotic brawling, Orton ends up at ringside out of the action while the Bloodline double-team Owens in the crowd but soon enough Randy returns to help his pal! Orton taking Tama to the announce tables, suplexing him into both of them! Brawling continues, Randy sets a table up in the ring but Solo puts him through it with a Samoan drop!
Tonga and Owens come in, Tama beats the hell out of him, setting him up in the corner, Ode to Rikishi connects! Continuing to smash Kev and beat him down, trash can shots, Tonga gets another table, soon enough Orton returns, ducks a lariat, snap scoop powerslam on Tama Tonga!
Big nearfall, Solo breaks it up, battering Orton to the floor! Sikoa wants the Samoan Spike, Randy counters with the RKO and both men are down! KO with a steel chair, walloping Tama, he unfolds the chair, grabs a second, hits Tong with that one, sets that one up, and so on until he has a nice little section of four chairs set up, up top… AVALANCHE FISHERMAN BUSTER THROUGH THE CHAIRS!
It’s almost enough… TONGA LOA IS HERE AND HE PULLS OWENS OFF THE COVER! Smashing KO with the chairs, Sikoa takes advantage, Spinning Solo puts KO through a chair! Solo draws him back up…
The Bloodline win by pinfall with a Samoan Spike from Solo Sikoa on Kevin Owens.
Post-match, the all-new, all-different Bloodline throw their ones up.
Randy Orton helps Kevin Owens to the back.
Trading arm drags early, Naomi blocks one from Stratton, whips her off, handspring over, stalemate. Trading pins, still no deal, some back and forth three-way cut-offs, Tiffany completes a sunset flip for Bayley and then breaks up the resulting pin with a basement dropkick!
Naomi down and out on the floor, Tiffany whips the champion to the corner, back handspring back elbow, the Role Model catches her, back suplex, Stratton lands on her feet and hits an Alabama Slam… NOPE! Naomi back in, Tiffany with an elbow but Naomi spears her clean through the ropes and to the floor!
Brawling against the barricade, Stratton sets her up, handspring back elbow against the barricade and she throws Naomi clean over into the timekeeper’s area! Turning around, Bayley dives on her! Naomi cuts Bayley off, perches on the barricade, diving Blockbuster to the floor!
Up on the apron, Heatseeker, split-legged moonsault… BAYLEY BREAKS IT UP! Naomi and Bayley up in the turnbuckles, Stratton pulls Naomi away, climbs up, Naomi under her, powerbomb connects, crucifix neck crank… BAYLEY BREAKS IT UP WITH A DIVING ELBOW DROP FOR TWO!
Sunset flip powerbomb puts Naomi into the corner, Bayley tries one with Tiffany and gets countered into a pin! Bayley-to-Belly connects but it’s a little loose… STILL NO! Stratton with a fireman’s carry, thinking More Bang for Your Buck but Naomi pulls her out of the ring and brawls with her!
Cartwheel Alabama slam into the announce desk! One for Bayley too! Match breaks down, 3D takes Stratton out! Hammering elbows, trading pins…
Bayley wins by pinfall with a lateral press on Naomi, retaining the WWE Women’s Championship.
Post-match it’s no hard feelings and Naomi hugs Bayley and they stand tall together as Naomi raises her hand.
We get a recap of the Bloodline match.
Jey Uso is getting ready when Solo Sikoa rolls up with Guerrillas of Destiny in tow for a quick veiled threat.
Priest throwing him into the corner, Uso turns it around, punches, whip across, up and over, yeet. Off the ropes, Damian sidesteps the dive and Jey stops himself short with ease! Off the apron, caught, stampeded into the barricade! Back inside, Damian cracks him with a right hand and waits for him to get up!
Charging in, back elbow, off the ropes, another vicious elbow and Priest is fired up, cover for two! Cravate applied, clubbering him with Uso breaks free, Jey with hard right hands, big wind-up yeet punch, enzuigiri follows! Another enzuigiri, Uso off the top, diving crossbody… NOPE!
Suicide dive connects, Jey throws him back inside, referee distracted and JD McDonagh crotches him on the ropes, opening the path for a spear from Priest… JEY USO WON’T STAY DOWN! Superkick takes JD out, one for Damian as well, Uso off the top… PRIEST KICKS OUT OF THE SPLASH!
Trading elbows in the middle of the ring at some length, superkick gets a rolling elbow gets an enzuigiri and Damian throws one right back in return! Priest gets him up… RAZOR’S EDGE CAN’T KEEP HIM DOWN! Goozle, Jey slips out, off the ropes, spear connects… NOT ENOUGH! Priest tries again and can’t keep Uso down!
Circling, beckoning Uso up, 540 roundhouse kick puts him back on the mat! Jey posting up, he turns into it, another kick but Uso isn’t done yet! Hands and knees, spinning, superkick cuts him off! Another superkick, a third, another kick in the corner, a spear connects!
Jey off the top one more time… MCDONAGH PUTS PRIEST’S FOOT ON THE ROPES! Uso headed back up top, Damian crotches him, pops up to the second, draws him up… AVALANCHE SOUTH OF HEAVEN! IT’S OVER!
Damian Priest wins by pinfall with an avalanche South of Heaven, retaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Post-match, JD McDonagh and Finn Balor hit the ring and beat Jey Uso up but Damian backs them off!
Phillipe Chereau announces something or other in French, which turns out to be that Backlash has the largest gate of any arena show in WWE history.
Belair and Asuka to start, the Empress in full Murder Clown. Side headlock from Bianca, slide to the mat, shot off, shoulder block, a shoving match breaks out and gives way to trading forearms! Hip toss into a pin, Asuka kicks out and puts her in the octopus hold!
Bianca gets away, delayed vertical suplex, tags on both sides! Waistlock, Cargill shrugs her off! Sane charges in, blocked again, float over, kick to the badk, duck a lariat, Kairi off the ropes, caught on the crossbody and swung into a backbreaker! A second Rock Bottom backbreaker, tag to the EST!
Double-team pop-up drop, standing moonsault from Belair! Into the corner, shoulder block, up top, mounted punches, Sane pulling at the braid but Bianca hops down and sends her packing! Slingshot plancha attempt, nobody home, Asuka comes over and clobbers Belair and Kairi comes off the top with a plancha of her own!
Double-teams take Belair out but can’t keep her down! Bianca reaching for the tag, Asuka cutting her off, tag to Sane, double whip, backsplash, sliding elbow, brutal diving forearm off the top breaks the EST in half… STILL NO! Tag to Asuka, Bianca trips them up, crawling, jawbreaker, schoolboy for two, superkick cuts Belair off!
Vertical suplex, both women down and out, Kairi tags in and steps up on Bianca Poetry in Motion style to knock Jade off the apron! Whip reversed, back elbow, tag to Asuka. Codebreaker connects, running blockbuster, Total Elimination… BIANCA BELAIR KICKS OUT!
Seated armbar attempt, Bianca powers up and hoists the Empress up into a backbreaker rack! Kairi tags in and saves Asuka from the KOD, buzzsaw roundhouse from the Empress, Sane off the top, the EST rolls under! Grabbing the braid, pulling her in, Bianca blocks with a lariat and both women are down and out!
Tag to Cargill, springboard crossbody takes both of them out! Lariat for Sane, big boot for Asuka! Stinger Splashes on both sides, goozle, chokebomb… ASUKA BREAKS IT UP! Military press slam, Jade is fired up, boot cuts her off, Asuka tags in, uraken after uraken, both Kabukis hammering her with kicks, running shiranui from Sane but she’s not the legal woman and referee Dan Engler warns her off!
Jade with an elbow, whip in, tags, Sane is legal now, goozle, chokeslam, Kairi with a cross armbar, Asuka with one on Belair as well, but both challengers swing them around for stereo powerbombs! Tag made, the EST in control, assisted Codebreaker into an assisted wheelbarrow suplex… SANE KICKS OUT!
Kairi sidesteps a charge, Bianca hard into the post, tags, hard elbow… CARGILL MAKES THE SAVE! Kairi off the second, Jade catches her, turns her around, pops her up, Jaded takes Sane out! Asuka in, Bianca gets her…
Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill win by pinfall with KOD from Belair on Asuka, becoming your new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Commentary gives us some announcements about King and Queen of the Ring, including a couple frist-round matches.
Circling, Michael Cole says the words “two former Bullet Club leaders” out loud and my brain short circuits. Feeling out, Rhodes getting a little mad, Styles knees him back into the corner, they trade chops with violent abandon! Stalemate, test of strength denied, front kick, AJ backing him into the ropes with chops.
Whip across, dropkick on the button, Cody fighting back, delayed vertical dropped into the Gourdbuster! Rhodes drawing him up, Styles rams him into the corner, Divorce Court follows! Hammerlock applied, Cody trying to punch his way out of it, off the ropes, Kitchen Sink takes him off his feet!
Leg and chest kicks from the challenger, trading pinfall attempts, drop down slap gets an enzuigiri and both men are down! Rhodes sends Styles sprawling into the ropes and then the floor, off the ropes, AJ blocks a dive with an elbow and takes him to the announce desk, bouncing his head off the cover!
Cody with some separation by putting Styles into the steel steps, pulling himself up the ropes, up in the turnbuckles, AJ on the apron, pulling him up with him, jockeying for position, Styles floats over and slams Rhodes into the mat off the top, leaving him hurting in the corner!
AJ gets under him, electric chair drop to capitalize on the damage! Moonsault… CODY WITH THE KNEES UP! Rhodes running hot, up and over, snap scoop powerslam connects! Beautiful Disaster follows, cover… NOPE! Victory roll for two, AJ comes back with Ushigoroshi, only two!
Jockeying for position on the apron… AJ STYLES WITH A BRAINBUSTER ON THE APRON! Rhodes recovers and gets under him… CODY POWERBOMBS AJ THROUGH THE FRENCH ANNOUNCE DESK! Referee Jessika Carr counting… THEY BARELY BEAT THE COUNT TOGETHER! Trading forearms in the middle of the ring, stereo roundhouse kicks and both men are down and out!
Both men fired up, Cody charges in and just paintbrushes him with open-hand strikes! AJ returns punches, Rhodes with body blows, Styles Rush gets a Flip, Flop, & Fly into the Bionic Elbow… NOT ENOUGH! Up for the Styles Clash, reversed, AJ floats over, boot out of the corner, snap suplex into the turnbuckles!
Styles springboards into the 450 splash… THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE WILL NOT LOSE LIKE THAT! AJ STYLES BURNING HAMMER DOESN’T DO THE DEAL! RHODES IS FIRED UP! Absorbing strikes from the Phenomenal One, Cody Cutter connects… STILL NO! AJ cuts him off, springboard, cut out of midair with a superkick!
Rhodes with a double wristlock, bodyscissors applied, Styles posts to his feet and counters with a slam! Inverted facelock, reversed, calling for the Styles Clash, Cody slips out, victory roll, only two! Off the top… DIVING CODY CUTTER! Inverted facelock applied…
Cody Rhodes wins by pinfall with a Cross Rhodes to retain the WWE Undisputed Championship.
Source: CageSideSeats
Pre-show
Rhino defeated VSK. The underdog missed on a flying splash, then Rhino rallied for a belly-to-belly suplex and a Gore to win.
Full Blooded Italians defeated The Batiri. Ray Jaz and & Zack Clayton represented the FBI inside the ring with Little Guido on the outside for support. Hot tag to Clayton running roughshod. FBI finished with a neckbreaker from Clayton followed by a flying elbow drop from Jaz. Clayton picked up the pin.
The lineup was shuffled due to Alexander Hammerstone not medically cleared to compete. It appears it’s not part of a storyline. Rich Swann will wrestle Jake Something. KC Navarro stepped in for Swann’s original assignment.
It’s April 4th, 2006. We’re in Boston for the 2006 NCAA final between a school with a powerhouse reputation that you might be surprised to hear has never won a championship, and a school you might not be surprised to hear has never won a championship. The first one’s Duke, and the latter is Maryland in case I’m being too opaque. Terps have the ball, down three, with 12 seconds left. To understand just how surprising it is that Maryland is this close to winning the title, and how annoying that must be for Duke, we gotta rewind.
TNA Digital Media Championship: Laredo Kid defeated KC Navarro to retain the title. Speedy action. Navarro was on a run of offense, but he wasted time on the turnbuckles doing an Eddie Guerrero shimmy. Laredo sprang up for the Laredo Fly to win.
Under Siege
Josh Alexander & Eric Young defeated Frankie Kazarian & Steve Maclin. The story was EY rearing to go to put hands on Kaz. Young finally got his wish at the end. Maclin came in for the save, but he accidentally kicked Kazarian on friendly-fire. Alexander cleared the ring of Maclin. Young planted Kaz on a piledriver to win.
Ash by Elegance defeated Havok. Comedy match. Rosemary was ringside, so Ash’s personal concierge purified the ring with holy water to rid the evil spirits. Ash wore a garlic necklace to the ring. Havok was a dominating powerhouse, so Ash played into the spiritual antics to buy time for recovery and to strategize. In the end, the concierge distracted Havok. Ash swooped in underneath to powerbomb Havok off the turnbuckles. Rosemary drank the holy water and chased the concierge to the back. Havok regrouped for a suplex, but Ash countered for a roll-up to win. Afterward, the comedy turned to violence. Ash aggressively choked Havok with the garlic necklace, whacked a few chair shots to the back, landed a swan dive, and closed with a DDT on the ramp.
Joe Hendry defeated Zachary Wentz. Hendry’s power triumphed over the Rascal’s athleticism. When Wentz mocked Hendry’s theme song, Hendry fired up for the Standing Ovation slam to win.
Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Masha Slamovich & Alisha Edwards defeated Jody Threat & Dani Luna to win the titles. Lars Frederiksen joined commentary to support the punk rockers. When the going got tough for the heels, Alisha pulled out a kendo stick. Luna caught the cheater in the act, and that caused a distraction for Alisha to clobber Threat with the foreign object. Slamovich smashed Threat on a gutwrench powerbomb, then Alisha served a Pedigree for the win. New champs! (Full details here.)
Rich Swann defeated Jake Something. Speed versus power. Swann gouged the eye whenever Jake picked up steam. AJ Francis added cheap shots and distractions to help his homie. The referee caught Top Dolla trifling, so Deaner entered on stage to give the people a choice. Instead of throwing out the match, he could chop down the Dolla tree. The fans chose fisticuffs. Deaner charged with punches, however, it wasn’t long until Francis goozled a chokeslam onto the apron. Jake launched for a dive onto Francis. Swann did the same onto Jake. Swann hit a cutter inside the ring, then he finished with a frog splash.
Jonathan Gresham defeated Kushida. This was Gresham’s return match with his new persona. He wrestled with the same expert technical style, but the match also had elements of developing his character. Animal instinct took over at times, such as biting his opponent. Gresham had coughing fits throughout with black ink coming up. On the finish, Kushida connected on a Tanaka punch to the kisser. Gresham coughed up ink again. He gained control for an octopus submission and smeared the ink from his hand into Kushida’s mouth. Gresham pinned Kushida down to the mat for the win as the Time Splitter choked in agony. Kushida needed medical assistance in the back.
Jordynne Grace & PCO defeated Steph De Lander & Big Kon. Intergender rules, so everyone was fair game. Down the stretch, PCO goozled SDL. De Lander seduced the monster. When PCO leaned in for a kiss, she wanted nothing to do with him. Kon came back into the picture to chokeslam PCO. Grace low-blowed Kon and stacked him on her shoulders for a powerful rolling DVD. Grace held the ropes open for PCO to land a suicide dive onto Kon. The Juggernaut clobbered SDL with a powerbomb, a spinning backfist, and a half nelson driver to win.
X-Division Championship: Mustafa Ali defeated Ace Austin to retain the title. Ali was flanked by personal security. Ace rolled solo without Chris Bey in the venue. Ali focused on the spine, and that paid off when Ace collapsed under the weight of a fireman’s carry. Ali then went to work on the left shoulder. Ace did the same, and both men were in pain. Ace dug deep down the stretch to take control. As he sized up The Fold, security caused a distraction. Ace handled them and still hit his finisher. 1, 2, Ali was pulled out of the ring by his security. Ali turned the tide to win via 450 splash.
The System (Moose, Brian Myers, & Eddie Edwards) defeated House Hardy (“Broken” Matt Hardy & Speedball Mountain). Moose, Brian Myers, and Eddie Edwards with Alisha Edwards stood on one side across from Matt Hardy, Mike Bailey, and Trent Seven in the main event. The match built to the hot tag for Hardy. He put a whooping on Moose. During the climactic sequence, Hardy landed a flying leg drop onto Moose through a table outside. The finish came down to Speedball Mountain and the TNA tag champs. Trent executed a Burning Hammer on Eddie, but Alisha interfered on the pinfall for the save. Bailey chased her around the ring. Myers picked his spot to blindside Bailey with a Roster Cut lariat. Seven was all alone. Eddie seized the moment for a backpack stunner, and Myers landed a flying elbow drop for 1-2 combo. Eddie picked up the pin to win. The System were victorious to close the show.
Source: CageSideSeats
Wrestling News Blog 