Raw, The Danger Zone and MORE MORE MORE!
Shawn Cuts promo of his carrer, however continues using the same old eight year grudge...
The Heart Throbs vs. Big Show (Handicap Match)
* star...
John Cena vs. Carlito and Chris Jericho (w/Eric Bischoff)
* star...something smells of HHH booking.
Edge (w/Lita) vs. Val Venis
* star... I love Montral. Even they dont like Lita's...well I dont know how to say **** in french.
Rob Conway vs. The Hurricane (w/Stacy Kiebler)
* star...
SummerSlam Rundown - RAW Only:
WWE Title: John Cena vs. Chris Jericho
Edge vs. Matt Hardy
Eugene vs. Kurt Angle
Hulk Hogan vs. Shawn Michaels
Main Event:
Hulk Hogan vs. Kurt Angle
** stars. There match a few years ago was way better.
First time ever, lets do TNA Sacrfice as we countdown to Oct 1 and the all new Impact on Spike TV.
PWInsider.com provided the results:
Sonny Siaki & Apollo vs. Mikey Batts & Jerrelle Clark. Batts was tossed around at the start, and given a double flapjack. Clark tagged in and didn't fare much better, with Siaki giving him a dropkick and a neckbreaker. Batts hit Siaki from the apron, and Clark hit a pair of ranas on Siaki. Batts tagged back in, and managed to turn a Siaki leapfrog attempt into a spinebuster. Siaki and Apollo quickly took back over, squashing Batts and Clark with powermoves, and Siaki got the pin on Batts.
** stars here. Ok work.
Simon Diamond, David Young & Elix Skipper vs. Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt & Shark Boy. Simon cut a promo about how Skipper has been "lost" ever since being forced to break up with Christopher Daniels. Simon said that his guidance would bring Skipper back to the top. Shark started out with Young, trading holds and stalemating. They traded slaps, and Shark hit some chops. Shark Boy ran into a Young elbow, but came back with a neckbreaker for two. Young hit a clothesline, while Shark bit Young on the BUTT. Skipper flipped into the ring and clotheslined Shark while the referee wasn't looking. Diamond tagged in and hit the Simon Series on Shark. Skipper and Dutt tagged in, and the pace picked up, with Skipper hitting a backbreaker and a double underhook suplex on Dutt, then followed with a gut wrench suplex and a kick to the back. Sabin got a hot tag and went to work on Diamond, hitting a rana and a springboard dropkick. Dutt gave Young & Skipper a bodypress, but they caught him, so Shark dropkicked him in the back to send the pile down. Skipper hit a sloppy walking the ropes rana on Dutt, and Young gave Dutt a spinebuster for a two count. Shark hiptossed Young to the floor and gave him a pescado. Dutt gave Skipper an enzugiri and tagged Sabin. Sabin and Skipper exchanged pin attempts, with Sabin grabbing a sunset flip after first attempting a backslide to get the pin on Skipper at the eight minute mark.
** 3/4 stars. A bit longer and its an easy three.
Alex Shelley vs. Shocker. Shelley went after the legs of Shocker early, while Shocker responded in kind, going for a single leg crab. Shocker then went after the arm, hitting hiptosses and armdrags, then dropping his knee on the arm, all while retaining a wristlock. Shelley went for a Sharpshooter, but Shocker kicked him away. Shelley ducked a kick and hit an elbow to the back of the leg. Shelley wrapped Shocker's leg around the ropes and kicked it. Shelley missed a charge and fell over the top rope to the floor. Shocker went for a dive, Shelley moved, and Shocker did a handstand on the apron so he would land on his feet. Shelley hit an enzugiri, but Shocker dropped him face first on the apron and then hit a backbreaker on the floor. Shelley yanked Shocker throat first across the top rope, but Shocker kicked out his legs on a charge and sent him to the floor. Shocker hit a top rope bodypress to the floor. They traded chops and punches in the ring, but Shocker hit a bulldog and a boot to the face, then applied a twisting figure four leglock. Shelley made the ropes for a break, and hit a double knee in the corner. Shelley hit a tornado DDT for a two count. Shocker blocked a lariat and applied an abdominal stretch-like maneuver with his legs on the mat. Shelley made the ropes, and Shocker applied a reverse Indian Deathlock, but Shelley made the ropes again. Shocker hit a German suplex, but Shelley grabbed a Dragon Screw legwhip. Shocker turned a Shelley toehold into a small package for a two count. Shocker hit a slingshot elbow for a two count. Shocker went for a sunset flip, but Shelley rolled through and dropkicked Shocker, only for Shocker to roll back from the kick and deliver his own dropkick. Shocker went for La Magistral, but Shelley hooked his legs on the ropes and got Shocker's shoulders down for a three count at the eight minute mark.
** stars. Liked this match. At least there PINNING people.
Lance Hoyt vs. Abyss. Hoyt is dressing like CM Punk now. They started brawling as Hoyt ran into the ring, and Hoyt sent Abyss to the floor and hit a pescado. Hoyt rammed Abyss into the guardrail, but allowed himself to be distracted by Jim Mitchell, and Abyss whipped Hoyt into the rails. Back in the ring, Abyss hit an avalanche, then chopped Hoyt, but Hoyt returned fire. Abyss reversed a whip, but missed a charge and ran shoulder first into the ringpost. Hoyt missed a kick, and Abyss went for a chokeslam, but Hoyt elbowed it away. Abyss hit a lariat and a second rope splash for a two count. Abyss threw Hoyt shoulder first into the ringpost, then did it again in the opposite corner. Hoyt came back with a clothesline off the second rope, then hit a flying shoulderblock. Abyss kicked Hoyt in the gut, then jumped off the second rope, but Hoyt caught him with a chokeslam. Hoyt hit a moonsault for a two count. Hoyt measured Abyss for a superkick, but Abyss caught him with a Black Hole Slam. Hoyt kicked out at two. Abyss went for a chair, and as the referee was trying to take it from him, Hoyt kicked it into Abyss' face for a two count. Abyss went down in a corner, and Hoyt put the chair in front of Abyss' face. Hoyt went to the opposite side of the ring, and hit a springboard dropkick across the ring into the chair, into Abyss' face. Abyss kicked out at two. Hoyt went for a whip, Abyss reversed it, but Hoyt kicked away a backdrop attempt. Hoyt charged, and Abyss grabbed him in another Black Hole Slam to get the pin at the eight minute mark.
*** stars. Hoyt is gettin there. And Abyss is good to stand on his own. Good match.
Ron Killings & Konnan vs. Kip James & Monty Brown, BJ James as special referee. All four men started brawling as soon as Killings and Konnan came out. Kip and Brown took over, with Brown hitting a clothesline on Konnan in the corner. Killings avoided a Kip charge, and 3LK took over, dumping Gunn to the floor, then Killings hitting a sidekick on Brown. Killings then hit a top rope legdrop on Kip as Konnan held his legs apart. They went to the floor and brawled, and then finally settled into a tag team match, with Konnan on the apron, while Kip hit Killings with a backbreaker before going to the apron. In the ring, Brown slammed Killings and worked him over in a corner. Kip tagged in and continued the assault on Killings as they kept Konnan from tagging in. Brown suplexed Killings, and James was slow getting down for the count. Brown hit some crossface shots, then applied a neck vice. Brown hit a knee to James' midsection for a two count, then the two collided in center ring. Konnan got the tag and cleaned house on Kip, hitting a rolling clothesline. Brown came in, and was given a facebuster. Konnan took off his sneaker and threw it at Kip. He then went to throw it at Brown, but James got in the way and took the sneaker to the back. Kip went for a Fameasser on Konnan, but Konnan ducked it and hit a facebuster. Killings and Brown fought to the floor. Konnan went for a chair, but James wouldn't let him use it. Kip hit Konnan, and grabbed the chair. James wouldn't let Kip use the chair either, then started punching Kip. Konnan blasted Kip with the chair, and covered him for the pin, with James making the count at the nine minute mark. 3LK, reunited, then embraced in the center of the ring.
** stars. Ok but it was just there.
Christopher Daniels vs. Austin Aries. Daniels' X-Division title was not on the line. Before Aries came out, Daniels cut a promo, referencing Jeff Jarrett's "paranoia" about TNA wrestlers being replaced, and saying he could never be replaced. Daniels said that Aries might be "Mr. Independent" and "Mr. Ring Of Honor", but he was just a "warm up" match for "Mr. TNA". Aries got right in Daniels' face after coming out, and the two went right at it. Aries hit a back elbow off the middle rope at the start, then went to a front facelock. Daniels reversed into a facelock of his own, but Aries pulled out of it and dropkicked Daniels to the floor. Aries hit a low tope, going between the bottom and middle ropes. Aries chopped Daniels on the floor, then rolled him into the ring and hit a slingshot twisting splash for a two count. Aries went for a leapfrog in a corner, but Daniels caught him and hit a shoulderbreaker for two. Daniels slammed Aries three times in a row, then covered him for a two count. Daniels whipped Aries into the corner, then stood on his back and head. Daniels drove a knee into Aries' back, then put him in a chinlock. Aries came back with a sunset flip, but Daniels hit him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two, then pounded him with right hands. Daniels slammed Aries and hit an Arabian Press to the back for a two count. Daniels set up for the Angel's Wings, but Aries rolled away from it. Daniels slapped Aries, then went for a suplex, but Aries floated over and hit a slap. Daniels charged, and Aries hit a dorp tow hold. They started trading shots, with Aries getting the better of it and then hitting a clothesline and a pair of back elbows. Aries hit a swinging pendulum elbow for a two count. Daniels backdropped Aries to the apron, but Aries slingshotted right back in and hit a back elbow, then a dropkick. Aries hit a sideslam for a two count. Daniels hit a chinbuster and a faceplant to turn the tide. Daniels went for the Best Moonsault Ever, bur Aries moved out of the way and kicked Daniels in the head. Aries hit a 450 splash, but Daniels reached out and grabbed the bottom rope to stop the count. Daniels hit an STO and used the ropes for leverage for a cover, but the referee saw it. Aries grabbed a backslide for a two count, then went for a neckbreaker, but Daniels reversed it into the Angel's Wings for the pin at the nine minute mark.
*** 1/2 stars. Is it me, or this match could have been 2 min longer and it would have been four stars?
They gave Lynn a big introduction for his return to TNA in-ring action from shoulder surgery, calling him the "pioneer of the X-Division". Lynn offered a handshake at the start, and after exchanging words, Waltman shook it. They locked up, with the two trading waistlocks. Waltman took Lynn to the mat and rode him, but Lynn took his legs out as he got up and did the same, then paintbrushed the back of his head. Lynn grabbed a wristlock, but Waltman rolled out of it and reversed the hold. Lynn rolled out and hit an armdrag. Waltman called for a test of strength, but Lynn gave him a crotch chop before going for the fingerlock. Waltman swept Lynn's legs out, but Lynn got to his feet before Waltman could take advantage. They went for the test of strength again, but Lynn walked the ropes with it and armdragged Waltman, only for Waltman to come back with a spin kick. Lynn leapfrogged Waltman in a corner and used a headscissors to send Waltman to the floor. Lynn went to the top rope and hit a flying bodypress on Waltman on the floor. Lynn chopped Waltman on the floor, but Waltman grabbed Lynn and rammed him shoulder first into the ringpost.
Waltman got back in the ring and gave Lynn a baseball slide dropkick as Lynn tried to get into the ring. Lynn was favoring his left arm as he got in the ring, and Waltman choked him with a boot against the ropes. Waltman hit some chops, and soon the two were trading chops back and forth. Lynn went for a whip, but his arm was hurting, and Waltman grabbed a bodyscissors for a two count. Waltman hit a legdrop for two, as we saw that Shark Boy was watching from the ramp. Waltman put Lynn in a chinlock, then a surfboard. Chris Sabin came out to watch as well. Waltman hit a shoulderbreaker for a two count. Waltman hit a series of kicks, and a spinkick in the corner. Sonjay Dutt was now watching. Waltman missed a Bronco Buster in the corner, and Lynn hit a series of rights. Waltman went for a clothesline, but Lynn ducked and hit a flying headscissors, sending Waltman to the floor. As Waltman got in, Lynn charged, and Waltman side stepped him, so Lynn fell to the floor. Waltman dove from the ring with a somersault senton, connecting with Lynn on the floor.
Waltman went to suplex Lynn back into the ring, but Lynn reversed it, suplexing Waltman from the apron to the floor. Both men crashed hard, but Lynn got up and tossed Waltman back into the ring. Lynn hit a top rope dropkick, was slow to get up, then hit a backdrop and a clothesline. Lynn hit a Thesz Press and a series of rights. Waltman decked Lynn and went for a rana, but Lynn turned it into a powerbomb for a two count. Lynn went for a cradle piledriver, but his arm was hurting, and Waltman reversed into an X-Factor for a two count, as Lynn got his foot on the bottom rope. Waltman went to the top rope for a flying bodypress, but Lynn rolled through it into a cover for two. Lynn hit a swinging DDT for another near fall. Lynn went for a tombstone piledriver, but Waltman reversed into his own tombstone for a two count. Waltman lifted Lynn off the mat, but Lynn rolled him into a victory roll for the pin at the fifteen minute mark.
*** and 3/4 stars. X-Pac? Good Match? NEVER! But it happend. They busted there asses.
Team Canada vs. America's Most Wanted & The Naturals. The two sides started off fast, with lots of tagging and run-ins on each other. James Storm was giving Petey Williams a spinning powerbomb when he had his knee clipped out from behind. Team Canada went to work on Storm's knee, keeping him from making a tag until he got a hot tag to Chris Harris. Harris hit a delayed vertical suplex on Eric Young for a two count. AMW and The Naturals were working well as a unit. Team Canada managed to get Chase Stevens on their side of the ring and work him over for a while, until Stevens hit a springboard enzugiri from the top rope that sent Eric Young from the top rope to the floor. Andy Douglas got the hot tag and cleaned house. The match broke down, with everyone starting to hit their finishers and brawling in and out of the ring. Harris hit a top rope dive on a pile of wrestlers on the floor. In the ring, Bobby Roode went for second rope German suplex attempt on Chase Stevens. Chris Harris went to powerbomb Roode out of the corner, and ended up helping Roode in his suplex of Stevens. The match continued, with Team Canada trying unsuccessfully to use the hockey stick. Roode ended up ramming Stevens into Storm, who was on the apron, and rolled up Stevens for the pin at the ten minute mark.
** stars...well they had to calm down the croud a bit before the next match. Not bad but there teasing a heel turn for AMW...
Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles, Super X Cup Finals. Christopher Daniels, wearing a suit, joined the announcers for this match. The winner of this match will face Daniels at the September 11th PPV. They traded kicks to the legs at the start, then Styles hit a legsweep and kicked at Joe on the mat. Styles hit some shoulderblocks in the corner and slammed Joe, then hit a kneedrop for a one count. Styles hit a kick to the back, then delivered some forearm, but Joe came back with a big right, and then a running knee that sent Styles though the ropes and to the floor. Joe then hit a powerful tope. They fought on the outside, with Styles jumping off the guardrail into a forearm shot that downed Joe. Styles chopped Joe and tossed him into the ring. Styles went for a suplex, muscling Joe over for a two count. Styles applied a Mutalock, but Joe got out and hit a shoulderblock. Styles dropkicked Joe's legs out from under him. Joe came off the ropes, and Styles teased a dropkick, but Joe put on the breaks, and Styles backflipped to avoid falling to the mat. Styles charged Joe, who caught him with a STO. Joe hit a running knee to the chest in the corner, then hit some boot scrapes to the face in the corner. Joe hit a running kick to the face. Joe swept Styles' leg out for a two count. Joe snapmared Styles, chopped his back, kicked his chest, and dropped a knee for a two count.
Joe applied a chinlock, then hit a shoulderblock as Styles got out. Styles tried the rana from mat, but Joe caught him and powerbombed him, then turned him into a Boston Crab. Styles tried to power out, but Joe dropped down into an STF. AJ made the ropes, and Joe missed a clothesline. Styles hit a dropkick and a moonsault into an inverted DDT for a two count. Styles went to the top rope, but Joe met him there. They traded shots, and Styles slugged Joe to the mat. Styles hit a springboard somersault senton for a two count. Styles hit a Pele kick, then rolled up Joe for a two count. Styles went for the Styles Clash, but Joe kicked him off. Joe hit a sunset flip, then went into a rolling cradle around the ring before stopping for a two count. Styles, disoriented, went for a Pele kick that missed by a mile, and Joe followed with a vicious clothesline for a two count. Joe hit some kicks, and soon they were trading forearms, with Styles getting the better of it. Joe hit a series of open hand shots, and Styles responded with an enzugiri to the face of Joe. Both men were down, and slow to get up. Joe went for a Muscle Buster, but Styles floated over, hit a kick to the head, and then put Joe in a Torture Rack. Styles spun the Torture Rack into a sideslam, but accidentally hit the referee. With the referee down, Christopher Daniels ran in and gave Styles an STO. Daniels then went to hit Joe with the X-Division Title, but Joe turned and Daniels stopped in his tracks. Styles charged Daniels and clotheslined him to the floor. Joe and Styles went back at it, with Joe hitting Styles with shots in a corner. Joe lifted Styles up and hit the Muscle Buster (double leg fisherman's buster), then locked in the rear naked choke with a body scissors. Styles struggled to reach the ropes, but finally couldn't, and tapped out at the fifteen minute mark.
I want to give this a 4 and 1/2 stars, but I am going to dock this and give it *** and 3/4 stars because of the interferance. This was a wonderfull match never the less.
Raven & Sabu vs. Jeff Jarrett & Rhino. Cassidy Reilly was sitting in the front row, dressed like Raven (as he was during the pre-show). There was an "ECW" chant as the bell rang. Raven and Jarrett went nose-to-nose to start the match, with Jarrett bailing out right away and letting Rhino go at it with Raven. They went right to the floor, with Raven giving Rhino three Russian legsweeps into the guardrail. Sabu tagged in, and traded shots with him. Sabu flipped over a backdrop attempt and dropkicked Rhino's legs out, then hit a legdrop for a two count. Rhino hit a shoulderblock, but Sabu came back with a spinkick and put Rhino in a camel clutch. Jarrett ran in the break it up, and Raven attacked Jarrett, hitting a kick in the corner and taking him to the floor. Raven threw Jarrett over the announcers table. Sabu and Rhino brawled on the other side of the ring, with Sabu suplexing Rhino on the ramp. Raven sliced Jarrett's forehead open with a pizza cutter, then hit him with a trash can. In the ring, Sabu threw a chair at Rhino, then hit a chair launch into a rana. Sabu put Rhino on the top rope, then climbed the ropes and hit a rana for a two count. Sabu went for a Triple Jump Moonsault, but Rhino tripped him into a chair. Jarrett then hit Sabu with a chair from the floor, and rolled up Sabu for a two count. Rhino hit Sabu with a chairshot for another two. A bloody Jarrett tagged in, and gave him a top rope superplex. Rhino tagged back in for a two count.
Rhino headbutted Sabu, then stomped him in the corner. Rhino went for a superplex, but Sabu knocked Rhino off the ropes and hit a somersault senton on a standing Rhino. Sabu hit an enzugiri and tagged Raven. Raven hit a discuss lariat on Rhino, and one on Jarrett. Raven hit Rhino with a lariat, and gave him and Jarrett kneelifts. Raven gave Jarrett a bulldog and clotheslined Rhino at the same time. Raven hit Rhino with a DDT, but Jarrett pulled the referee out of the ring. Sabu attacked Jarrett on the floor, and threw him into the ring. Jarrett hit Raven with a low blow and went for his guitar. Cassidy Reilly ran in and grabbed the guitar from Jarrett, then left with it. Jarrett hit Raven with the Stroke instead, but only got a two count. Rhino tagged in and bit Raven on the head. Raven was busted open, and Rhino punched him to the mat and got a two count. Jarrett tagged in, and went for a figure four leglock. He got it locked in, but Raven managed to turn it over and break out. Jarrett set up a chair in the ring, and went for a drop toe hold into it, but Raven side stepped it, picked up the chair, and threw it at Jarrett. Sabu and Rhino tagged in, with Sabu hitting Jarrett and Rhino with chairshots. Sabu hit Air Sabu on both men, with Jarrett falling to the floor. Sabu hit Rhino with a Triple Jump Legdrop, but Rhino kicked out at two. Rhino rolled to the floor, and Sabu hit him with a springboard bodypress.
In the ring, Jarrett gave Raven a drop toe hold into the chair for a two count. Raven blocked a whip and hit a DDT, but Rhino got in to break up the pin. Rhino gave Raven a Gore, but Sabu broke it up. Sabu whipped Rhino into a corner, but ran into an elbow. Rhino went for the Gore on Sabu, but Sabu ducked and Rhino gored the referee. Sabu hit Rhino with a chair, then gave him an Atomic Arabian Facebuster. Sabu rolled Rhino onto a table at ringside. Abyss came out, grabbed Sabu, and slammed him through the table at ringside (which Rhino had rolled off of). Jeff Hardy, to a big pop, ran out, took out Abyss, then gave Jarrett the Twist Of Fate and a Swanton Bomb. Hardy took off to the back, as Raven covered Jarrett. A new referee came out, but Rhino broke up the cover. Rhino set up a table in the corner. Jarrett went for the Stroke on Raven, but Raven reversed it and set up for a DDT. Rhino charged across the ring and gored Raven through the table. Rhino covered Raven and got the pin at the sixteen minute mark, with Sabu hitting them with a legdrop, but not until after the three count had gone down...
*** stars... It was a better match than it had to be...
TNA has a good Crusier, X Division and Heavy Division...that will only get better.
The only weakness is the Tag Division but that might start to change with the Corino Inventational.
I have nothing but praise for this show. It was WAY better than GAB. Could be better than Summerslam if WWE doesnt play there cards well.
A shout out to the new radio show on The SmarkMarks website, the Danger Zone! Hosted by the only blog the beats me in views... Dangerous A. (Which remids me about my radio show and its premere on ITUNES.)
Now to some TNA news first:
AJ Styles will be appearing at tonight's Impact taping in Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios but will not be wrestling. The word going around is that Styles suffered a tendon injury against Samoa Joe so TNA will use him in a way that allows him to rest up and not chance further injury.
As a follow up to the Matt Bentley story from this morning, both sides are negotiating again but I don't know anything additional at this point.
Add Mike Barton (the former Bart Gunn) to the list of those backstage visiting at the Sacrifice PPV.
Tickets for the 10/23 Bound for Glory PPV will be $59, which includes a ticket to the PPV and to a fan gathering at the nearby Doubletree Universal Hotel on Saturday 10/22 with a Q & A and autograph session featuring NWA champion Raven, Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, TNA X-Division champion Christopher Daniels, Jimmy Hart, Monty Brown, America’s Most Wanted, Jeff Hardy, Rhino, and Abyss among others. It will be the first time the company has charged for a live ticket to their PPV events since their debut three hour Victory Road PPV.
TNA will be promoting heavily that the first 30 minutes of the Bound For Glory PPV will be free. The current plan is to run a three and a half hour PPV show, starting at 7:30 PM Eastern. The first 30 minutes will go out live over the air (as opposed to having a pre-game show) as a way to entice PPV viewers to order the rest of the show.
From the DVDRMB:
Match #1: Nigel McGuinnes vs. Delirious vs. Matt Sydal w/ Daize Haze (spelling?) vs. Alex Shelley w/ Prince Nana.
- Here's what I gathered in the early going: Delirious is VERY OVER. I was surprised, and I got caught in the marking out and it gave me my first big migraine of the night. Great. Great comedy spots here. Funny spot where the bell rang, and Delirious takes that as the dinner bell and begins chasing Prince Nana and spazzing out. I heart Delirious. Finish came when Nigel McGuinness pinned Delirious after a bulldog from the top rope.
Post match saw Alex Shelley and Matt Sydal continue fighting, going into the crowd and back to ringside. That bastard Alex Shelley injured Matt Sydal after whipping him into the steel board sign. That sonofab!tch.
Match #2: Chad Collyer vs. Ace Steel.
- Homecoming for Ace Steel. I found his ring introduction rather humourous. Here's this bad ass looking Ace Steel, and he announced as the "Vastly Popular" Ace Steel coming down to the Blues Brothers theme song. Guys in front of me started a "LOD" chant towards Collyer because of his mohawk. Ok, I admit I took part in it the first time, but then stopped. These chicks on the other side of the ring kept screaming for Collyer. I think he knew all or one of them. The guys in front of me started a "Fat Chick Triller" chant.
Ace accidently knocked out a security guard....then BAM!!!! Massive chair shot to Ace. Ace is opened up badly here. He rather large puddle of blood on the floor and the ring. Ace was declared unconcious and Collyer is declared the winner. Good ending. I'm liking the heel Collyer with the mohawk.
Match #3: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Rave w/ Prine Nana.
- Rave is a walking heat machine. Big time. He's so fun to mess with with. The crowd threw in streamers, which agitated Rave and he began throwing them back out into the crowd. Good wrestling here. My migraine returned. I don't remember much from this match other than I had a blast watching it. Aries wins after a reversed sunset flip. Shelley then ran down to beat on Aries until the rest of Generation Next (Matt Sydal and Roderick Strong) came down to clear the ring.
Ring of Honor returns to the Frontier Fieldhouse on Saturday, November 5th, 2005. I went to get tickets for me and a new friend....then....THE mother of all tag matches was about the being.
Match #4: Low Ki and Homicide of the Rottweilers vs. ROH Pure Wrestling Champion Samoa Joe and Jay Lethal.
- No Julius Smokes tonight.
Good tag match. I had a HUGE POUNDING headache from this yelling I do. Lethal really took a lot of punishment here. Lethal was about to pin Low Ki until Homicide elbow dropped the referree, causing a disqualification victory for Lethal and Joe. We almost had another Death Before Dishonor chair incident.
Then, folks, ALL HELL BROKE LOSE!!!! Low Ki got busted open, some believe it was hardway.
HUGE HOLY SHIT MOMENT: Low Ki with a double stomp from the top of the bleachers onto Jay Lethal sent the crowd into "Holy Shit" mode, and I went into complete overmark mode which led to another headache. Damnit! But what a night this has been so far!!!!
Intermission Time: Good lord. When you cheer a lot....try not to pressure your head too much. I do this at football games, but tonight....it literally gave me some seriously painful headaches. Maybe it was the heat? No clue....wow.
Match #5: ROH Tag Team Champions Jimmy Jacobs and BJ Whitmer vs. ROH World Champion James Gibson and Spanky.
- Again, good tag match. Someone in my section tried to get a "JessHUSS!" chant started, but it didn't go anywhere. Finish I saw coming a mile away: Spanky turned heel on Gibson causing them the match. This basically set up a future Spanky vs. Gibson classic.
Match #6: Roderick Strong vs. Matt Hardy
Sidenote: For those wondering, Hardy used his non-intro WWE edit of "Live for the Moment" by Monster Magnet.
- Wow. Strong got a strong face reaction, Hardy got a very loud mixed reaction. Some of the chants where unneccesary. This was a great match. I was surprised. Not like overly excellent, but great. Crowd was on the edge of their seats. "Let's Go Hardy" vs. "Let's Go Strong" chants. I was for Hardy here. However, when Strong pinned Hardy with a rollup. Awesome spot came when Strong reversed a Twist of Fate attempt into a backbreaker. After this, Hardy got BACK on the mic to thank the ROH fans and ROH. They shook hands.
Now folks....the main event.
Match #7: 2 out of 3 Falls - CM Punk vs. Colt Cabana
- Two hometown fan favorites. Two best friends. Colt Cabana came out first. Then....the man everyone came to see. The man who on this night was making his final ROH appearance. CM Punk. Punk has been a heel lately, but tonight he forewent that and Miseria Cantare began blasting. The sound of the everyone banging on the signboards, gave me goosebumps as I was doing the same. The music continued playing as Punk never entered. Once Miseria Cantare stopped playing, "Night Train" by Bouncing Souls began playing and it was fitting. CM Punk came through the curtain with tears in his eyes. This sent most of the crowd into tears, also photographers, referree, and ring announcer. Once we saw Punk's face we just couldn't help it.
Punk got into the ring and did his pose, and the biggest array of streamers came. I've never seen that many streamer thrown for one wrestler. Ever. Anywhere. I was so glad to be a apart of it. Chants of "Thank You Punk", "CM Punk", "Please Don't Go" began coming from the crowd as the ring announcer even had to stop after he announced "From....CHICAGOOOO, ILLINOIS!". Truly an emotional moment.
The match began. Not exactly an awesome match, but a good match and a good way for CM Punk to leave ROH. Comedy spots early on, but then got serious as the match went on. Punk took the first fall after hitting Cabana with a Colt 45. Both Samoa Joe and Ace Steel are at ringside. Ace was being the timekeeper for this mathc. Cabana took the second fall after a lariat. Colt won the third and deciding fall after a roll up.
After this match, the ROH locker room emptied and got into the ring to homage to CM Punk. There was classy Pepsi Toast. Very emotional moment that you have to see or have been there (like me
) to know the feeling of.
After the show, I met Matt Hardy, and I met Punk for about the 8th time. He signed my folder again....right next to where he signed last time. I thanked him for all he did in ROH, and giving me a reason to keep watching ROH and wrestling in general. It's stuff like this, the emotion, that makes me want to be a wrestler that much more.
I FINALLY met Low Ki, and I forgot to meet Spanky. Damnit!
In Puro News... OMG Guess who one the G1...again!
New Japan ran their 2005 G-1 tournament semi-finals and finals on August 14th in Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan, claiming 11,500 paid. Results:
1. Hirooki Goto defeated Akiya Anzawa in 8 minutes, 41 seconds with a crab hold.
2. Lizmark Jr. defeated Takashi Iizuka in 11 minutes, 50 seconds with a side-buster.
3. Hangman defeated Hiro Saito in 5 minutes, 6 seconds with a stretch-buster.
4. G-1 Semi-Finals: Masa Chono (A Block #1) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (B Block #2) in 11 minutes, 35 seconds with the STF.
5. G-1 Semi-Finals: Kazuyuki Fujita (B Block #1) defeated Toshiaki Kawada (A Block #2) in 6 minutes, 23 seconds with multiple knee strikes.
6. Jadoh, Gedoh, Minoru, & Jushin Liger defeated Tiger Mask IV, Masahito Kakihara, El Samurai, & Koji Kanemoto in 18 minutes, 20 seconds when Jadoh used an inside cradle on Tiger Mask IV for the win.
7. Osamu Nishimura & Tatsutoshi Goto defeated Toru Yano & Minoru Suzuki in 13 minutes, 1 second when Nishimura used a backslide on Yano for the win.
8. Yuji Nagata, Kendo Ka Shin, & Manabu Nakanishi defeated Yutaka Yoshie, Hiroshi Tanahashi, & Hiroyoshi Tenzan in 13 minutes, 34 seconds when Nagata used a back-drop suplex hold on Yoshie for the win.
9. G-1 2005 Finals: Masa Chono defeated Kazuyuki Fujita in 8 minutes, 52 seconds with the Shining Yakuza Kick. Whole theme of the match was Chono fighting in memory of Shin'ya Hashimoto. Chono had huge babyface heat the entire night in the building. The show ended with the crowd doing a loud "Hashimoto" call.
The Reactions were Fast and Furious:
Sankei Sports had their main story as "Chono's conquest - Three Musketeers Fighting Spirit." It talked about Chono winning his 5th G-1 tournament and that Chono declared a challenge for Kazuyuki Fujita's IWGP belt on 10/8 at the Tokyo Dome. "Hey, Hashimoto! The G-1 champion of 2005... I am Chono!" In regards to a match against Fujita on 10/8, Chono said after winning the G-1, "It is natural, I have the right." Chono said that he would focus on the 10/8 Tokyo Dome show being a tribute to his old friend Hashimoto. In regards to his semi-final loss to Chono in the G-1, Shinsuke Nakamura said that he didn't fear Chono and that he would return the favor (of beating him) shortly.
Tarzan Yamamoto noted that the angle behind Chono's G-1 win is that he had special motivation with the death of Hashimoto to go over on Fujita. Yamamoto said that he got carried away emotionally when all the fans in the building exploded for Chono winning. Tarzan noted, however, that after thinking about the situation, he thinks Fujita losing in the finals is a negative and that Fujita ultimately should have gone over to create a stronger IWGP champion. Tarzan pleads in his column for New Japan to take a certain direction for the company and make it the primary focus.
The promotion held a press briefing/angle at their office on Monday with Masa Chono talking about his G-1 tournament win. Chono said that this year's G-1 schedule accumulated a lot of tiredness and that Fujita's strength is very big. Chono reiterated that the 10/8 Tokyo Dome show would a Hashimoto memorial themed event, with Keiji Mutoh & Naoya Ogawa participating. Chono talked about the G-1 tournament being exported all over the world and talked about CMLL having their own version of the G-1. Chono took a step back in regards to demanding an IWGP title match with Fujita on 10/8 Tokyo Dome. He said that he watched the G-1 tournament matches last night on television and said that he thought this year's G-1 would produce some good matches for next year's tournament.
However...Josh Barnett was the star of G-1...even though he was out...
Big boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced that Josh Barnett would work the upcoming PRIDE 30 show in October. Sakakibara stated that if Mirko won his fight against Fedor on 8/28 in Saitama, that Mirko vs. Barnett in October would be a strong possibility. That should end all speculation that his deal with New Japan was an angle for the 10/8 Tokyo Dome show.
This is a post from Josh Barnett:
I’m not in the G-1. Again. For the past two years it has been teased and even officially announced but yet again I can only watch. At this point I start to wonder why I should even care about the G-1 or even the IWGP since I probably won’t get another shot at that either. Instead maybe I should focus my energy not on to titles or tournaments but in simply in demolishing the wrestlers themselves.
A statement. A grand statement punctuated with the bodies of the wrestlers who stand in my way. It’s not personal but if New Japan is going to put you over me and keep me down then it’s either you or me. You better believe that it’s always gonna be me.
To anyone in New Japan, if you think you deserve to be in the ring more than I you can always prove it. Anytime anyone in New Japan wishes to make their point they can meet me in the ring or the street and we can settle things. That goes for Kawada too. If he wants to show me how tough he is I would be more than happy to remove the rest of his teeth for him.
I don’t have time to play games and as I fighter I certainly lack anymore patience to sit idly by and watch others take my spot. Its war now and I’m going to do what I have to do to show the world the “true” Josh Barnett. Even if I have to do it covered in the blood of New Japan’s wrestlers.
The hottest name in the news in the Japanese fight press remains Josh Barnett. Red hot. Yesterday, DSE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated that Barnett would fight in October. DSE has managed to capitalize on Barnett's name very well and his stock as a fighter is growing. I must compliment DSE for the way they have handled this situation publicly, as they have done a very good job of marketing. All of the major newspapers talked about Barnett's return to PRIDE and now the big question with most Japanese people is who will Barnett represent - New Japan (doubtful now), himself, Pancrase, or another organization? Barnett's latest web site posting (which is linked below these paragraphs) has attracted a lot of attention tonight in Japan.
Kakutolog focuses on Minoru Suzuki's comments on encouraging Barnett to stay in pro-wrestling, and also focuses on Barnett's latest web site comments. Angle Japan focuses on Barnett's face-to-face meeting with Sakakibara in Seattle, which is what DSE really played up yesterday and today. DSE played New Japan beautifully here politically - they (DSE) got their guy Kawada booked into the G-1 tournament and Barnett now gets to play the revenge card to make big money in PRIDE. New Japan got screwed in two different ways here by DSE. DSE knows that Barnett's name is big in the newspapers and that they may as well cash in now with him. Angle Japan focuses on whether Barnett will represent himself or represent Pancrase in the PRIDE ring, because they don't think he's representing NJ any more.
This popular blog discusses whether or not any reconciliation can ever take place again between Barnett & NJ. The writer's first reaction before reading Barnett's latest comments were this - would he settle down (temper) his emotions since the Gong Magazine interview? What are his feelings towards the New Japan wrestlers? The writer concludes that today's posting only fuels the fire more between Barnett & NJ, as Barnett's name is not mentioned for the upcoming September tour. The writer thinks the situation with New Japan is sad. This writer wishes that New Japan would be able to set up Barnett vs. Kawada on 10/8 at the Tokyo Dome and take the real-life crisis and turn it into business.
YIPES... This could be as big as Hardy Vs Edge...
More on Friday/Saturday...
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