SEScoops

Author: Fernando Quiles Jr.

  • WWE SmackDown Live (March 6) Preview: Two Matches Announced

    WWE SmackDown Live (March 6) Preview: Two Matches Announced

    It’s Tuesday and that means another episode of SmackDown Live is upon us.

    Tonight (March 6), the show takes place inside the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. WWE.com has rolled out their preview for tonight’s episode. The show has two matches and one segment set. WWE is also teasing conflict between two female superstars.

    The Lowdown

    WWE champion AJ Styles is set to take on one of his Fastlane opponents in a non-title bout. He’ll meet Dolph Ziggler, who got a measure of revenge on Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn last week. After losing to John Cena, Styles will look to redeem himself on the go-home show.

    An old rivalry will be renewed. Randy Orton will do battle with Jinder Mahal. Back in May 2017, Mahal shocked the world when he defeated Orton for the WWE title. That rivalry sparked the return of the Punjabi Prison match. They’ll meet again tonight just five days before Orton challenges Bobby Roode for the United States championship.

    Ruby Riott has been a thorn in the side of SmackDown Women’s champion Charlotte. Riott is the last member of the Riott Squad for Charlotte to take out. Before their title match at Fastlane, the two will have a faceoff.

    Becky Lynch and Money in The Bank holder Carmella have been at odds on social media. Things got heated enough for Lynch to challenge Carmella to a match tonight. We’ll see how it all plays out tonight on SmackDown Live at 8 p.m. ET.

  • Report: WWE Set to Add New Titles on 205 Live

    Report: WWE Set to Add New Titles on 205 Live

    It appears the WWE is looking to introduce some new gold to 205 Live. WWE officials are planning to introduce Cruiserweight tag team titles, according to a report at PWinsider. The new belts are expected to be introduced after WrestleMania. WCW created Cruiserweight tag titles prior to going out of business in 2001, so WWE is looking to rewrite history in that respect.

    Since reports surfaced of Triple H taking over the brand, 205 Live has undergone some significant changes. With Drake Maverick serving as the brand’s general manager, his role on shows has been to clean up the goofy backstage banter and get back to wrestling.

    Cruiserweights are currently fighting to remain in a tournament that will determine a new champion. The finals will take place at WrestleMania.

    There has been a bevy of talents that have been considered to be poorly utilized or don’t even show up at all. The addition of tag team titles could bring new life into these superstars.

  • NJPW 46th Anniversary Results: Title Changes Hands, Okada vs. Ospreay

    NJPW 46th Anniversary Results: Title Changes Hands, Okada vs. Ospreay

    A dream match-up three years in the making will finally take place at NJPW 46th Anniversary.

    Today (March 6), IWGP Heavyweight champion Kazuchika Okada will meet fellow CHAOS member and IWGP Junior Heavyweight champion Will Ospreay. The two met back in 2015. Okada defeated an inexperienced, but flashy “Aerial Assassin.”

    The card will also feature two title matches. Minoru Suzuki puts his IWGP Intercontinental title on the line against Togi Makabe. Also, in a three-way tag team match Sho and Yoh defend their IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles against Hiromu Takahashi and Bushi, as well as El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

    Be sure to keep refreshing this page for live results of the event, which will begin at 5 a.m. ET:

    10-Man Tag Team Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Kushida, Tiger Mask, & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Ren Narita, Tetsuhiro Yagi, Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata

    The Young Lions and Nagata immediately attacked their opponents. Taguchi and Yagi got things started. Taguchi finally got the upper hand and tagged in Tiger Mask. Narita tried to save Yagi from punishment, but was easily shoved down.

    Liger locked in a surfboard stretch before tagging in Tenzan. There was a funny spot where Yagi landed a chop, but Tenzan no sold it and hit his mongolian chop. Nagata was in and he kicked Tenzan multiple times. He did his fake high kick and went low.

    Umino and Kushida went back-and-forth with forearms. Umino countered the springboard elbow with his own elbow. The Young Lions all teamed on Kushida. They held Kushida and Umino landed a missile dropkick for a two-count.

    Kushida eventually locked in the Hoverboard Lock and transitioned into an armbar. Umino tried hard to fight it off, but finally tapped.

    Winners: Ryusuke Taguchi, Kushida, Tiger Mask, & Jushin Thunder Liger

    *Singles Match: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Katsuya Kitamura*

    *This match has been canceled due to Kitamura’s injury*

    Six-Man Tag Team Match: Toa Henare, David Finlay, & Juice Robinson vs. Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroki Goto

    Henare and Ishii got the match started. They traded forearms. The two then went for shoulder blocks. Finally, Ishii ended up hitting the mat.

    Yano was the legal man and he squared off with Finlay. Of course Yano went for the corner padding. Finlay ducked the shot and hit a leaping uppercut. The action spilled to the outside. Finlay and Juice were thrown into the guardrail, while Henare went over it.

    Goto was the legal man and locked in a single leg Boston Crab. Finlay reached the ropes and hit a dropkick. Yano tried to prevent the tag, but got sent into the exposed turnbuckle.

    Juice was now in and he went to town on Yano and Ishii on opposite corners. Juice hit Goto with a spinebuster and senton. He hit his signature punches on all three men. With Goto left in the ring, Juice hit him with a clothesline.

    Henare, Finlay, and Juice triple teamed Goto. It ended with a spear from Henare. It didn’t take long for Goto to hit GTR for the win.

    Winners: Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroki Goto

    IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: Sho & Yoh (C) vs. Hiromu Takahashi & Bushi vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

    Yoh and Hiromu got things started. Naturally, they got into a chest slap battle right away. Yoh’s chest quickly turned red. Yoh trapped Hiromu in a head scissors and took him down.

    Sho and Yoh went for a dive, but Desperado and Kanemaru pulled them out of the ring. Hiromu and Bushi landed baseball slides on Desperado and Kanemaru. Bushi choked Sho with his shirt before he and Hiromu hit a double team move. Kanemaru then tagged himself in to take on Sho.

    Kanemaru and Desperado worked the back of Sho. Hiromu tagged himself in and raked the eyes of Kanemaru. Soon, Kanemaru found his way back in the ring and he landed a superplex. He then locked in a Boston Crab as Desperado fought off all opposition. Sho managed to reach the bottom rope.

    Finally, Sho was able to tag in Yoh after hitting a suplex. Yoh connected a series of dropkicks on Desperado and Kanemaru. Bushi tagged Kanemaru and he and Hiromu took him out. Yoh hit an enzuigiri on Bushi and tagged in Sho. Sho hit a double spear on Desperado and Kanemaru.

    Hiromu hit his apron bomb on Desperado. Bushi landed a suicide dive on Kanemaru. Yoh than leaped over the top rope to take out Hiromu. Sho and Yoh hit stereo jumping knees on Bushi. They went for 3K, but Hiromu hit a German Suplex on Yoh.

    With the referee distracted, Bushi sprayed mist in Sho’s eyes. Kanemaru then spat whiskey in Bushi’s face. This allowed Kanemaru to pin Sho for the stunning title win!

    Winners and NEW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

    Singles Match: Sanada vs. Yoshi-Hashi

    Sanada went for a headlock, but settled for a shoulder block. Yoshi-Hashi hit a hurricanrana followed by a dive to the outside. They exchanged chops on the outside and Yoshi-Hashi was throw into the guardrail. He locked in a reverse sleeper all the way in the crowd.

    Sanada locked in a sleeper hold in the ring, but he was countered with a DDT. Yoshi-Hashi was on a roll with shoulder blocks. He then chopped his opponent in the corner. He placed Sanada over the top rope and hit his signature dropkick.

    Sanada hit a springboard dropkick. Yoshi-Hashi went for the butterfly lock, but Sanada quickly reached the bottom rope. He went for a German suplex, but Sanada landed on his feet. He then landed the Saito suplex. Yoshi-Hashi ran right into the TKO.

    Yoshi-Hashi locked in his own reverse sleeper, but Sanada countered with a Skull End attempt. Yoshi-Hashi then nailed him with the Lung Blower. He then hit the Bunker Buster. Yoshi-Hashi went for the swanton, but Sanada got his knees up. Sanada then went for the moonsault, but his opponent got out of the way.

    Yoshi-Hashi reversed Skull End into the inside cradle. Sanada ran into the western lariat. Yoshi-Hashi hit the sitout powerbomb for a two-count. He then locked in the butterfly lock again. After much suspense, Sanada finally reached the ropes.

    Sanada reversed Karma into Skull End. Yoshi-Hashi was fading and Sanada let go of the hold to hit the moonsault for the victory.

    Winner: Sanada

    Singles Match: Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi

    Before the bell rang, Taichi hit Naito with his microphone stand. He took his opponent into the crowd and looked to powerbomb him on the floor. He nailed it. The referee checked on Naito before starting the count. He was able to get back inside the ring at the count of 19.

    Taichi pinned his opponent for a two-count. He took off Naito’s jacket and hit him with it. Naito landed some weak chops, still feeling the effects of that powerbomb. Naito fought Taichi off in the corner. He hit the neckbreaker into his dropkick.

    Naito proceeded to keep throwing Taichi into the guardrail. With Taichi perched on the middle rope, Naito hit another neckbreaker. Naito went for his signature trip on the apron, but he was countered with a kick.

    Even with the move to heavyweight, Taichi felt the need to take his pants off. It didn’t pay off as his kick was reversed. Naito connected with an avalanche hurricanrana. Taichi took back some momentum with a Last Ride for the near fall. Naito then hit a reverse hurricanrana.

    Taichi was hit with Gloria and kicked out at two. Naito signaled for Destino, but was shoved off. Taichi shoved the ref and kicked Naito low. Naito barely kicked out. He ducked a clothesline and hit a wheel kick.

    Taka distracted the ref. Naito ducked a mic stand shot from Taichi. Naito shoved the referee into Taka. He then kicked Taichi low and whacked him over the head with the mic stand. He followed that up with Destino for the win.

    Winner: Tetsuya Naito

    Taka then grabbed a mic and warned Naito about his match against Zack Sabre Jr. in the New Japan Cup. Taka said Zack will make Naito tap out.

    Another video package for Rey Mysterio aired. He talked about his match-up against Jushin Thunder Liger at Strong Style Evolved on March 25.

    IWGP Intercontinental Title Match: Minoru Suzuki (C) vs. Togi Makabe

    Suzuki landed a big boot to start. They traded forearms and Suzuki’s advantage there was clear. Makabe connected with a clothesline. He then landed a series of forearms as Suzuki urged him to keep hitting him. The two kept battering each other and Suzuki crashed down to the canvas. Makabe threw his opponent into the guardrail.

    Makabe fell for Suzuki’s armbar on the ring apron, but Suzuki was punched out of it. Makabe was caught again, but Suzuki slipped and fell to the outside. He then slammed Makabe’s leg to the ring post. He took a chair, but Red Shoes stopped him. Suzuki shoved Red Shoes down and bent another chair on Makabe’s knee.

    In the ring, Suzuki locked in the heel hook. Makabe was able to reach the bottom rope. The champion ran into a powerslam.  Makabe hit his signature punches in the corner followed by a northern lights suplex for a two-count.

    Suzuki hit a thudding forearm that dropped Makabe. A second one once again sent the challenger crashing to the canvas. Suzuki dropped Makabe for a third time. He then ran into a death valley driver.

    Makabe landed a German suplex from the top rope. He then went for the King Kong knee drop, but Suzuki rolled out of the way. The champion sprung up and locked in the heel hook. He dragged the challenger further away from the ropes. For a second time, Makabe reached the bottom rope.

    A slap battle ensued. Suzuki ended it with a punch. He went for another heel hook, but Makabe reversed with the German suplex. He then went for a dragon suplex, but Makabe kicked him in the knee. The challenger hit a lariat for a near fall. Suzuki ran and landed his signature dropkick read to the forehead.

    Suzuki went for the Gotch Piledriver, but Makabe out muscled him. Suzuki dropkick his opponent right on the knee. He ducked a clothesline and locked in the sleeper. He hit the Gotch Piledriver this time for a three-count.

    Winner and STILL IWGP Intercontinental Champion: Minoru Suzuki

    Anniversary Day Special Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

    The two got into a grappling exchange to start the match. Okada went for a leg lock, but Ospreay reversed into an arm bar attempt. Some great mat wrestling was on display from Okada. They traded pins in various ways to the delight of the crowd.

    Okada maintained control of Ospreay’s hands and tried pinning him down. Ospreay used a monkey flip to reverse. Okada went for a northern lights suplex, but Ospreay landed on his feet. Ospreay ducked under the Rain Maker, while Okada avoided the Oscutter.

    Okada went for his signature clean break, but Ospreay slapped him. He hit a head scissors and did his fake out springboard. He ate a dropkick for it. Okada sprinted to the outside and landed a big boot. He hit a DDT inside the ring for a two-count.

    Ospreay hit his springboard enzuigiri. He followed that up with a kick to the chest. With Okada seated in the corner, Ospreay landed a dropkick.He went for a reverse DDT, but ate a knee. Ospreay was able to get Okada down and he hit a standing shooting star press for a near fall.

    Okada stopped the momentum with a flapjack. With Ospreay perched on the top rope, Okada went for his dropkick but was kicked. It didn’t take long for Okada to perch Ospreay back up on the top rope to hit the dropkick. With Ospreay over the guardrail, Okada went for his signature crossbody but Ospreay leaped off the rail for a forearm.

    Inside the ring, Ospreay hit the Robinson Special. He then went for the Oscutter, but Okada caught him and locked in the cobra clutch. Ospreay reversed, but was caught reverse neckbreaker. Ospreay hit a side kick to the jaw, but ran into the dropkick.  Okada hit the elbow drop and signaled for the Rain Maker. Ospreay fought him off, but crumbled after three stiff forearms.

    Okada mocked Ospreay with slap kicks to the back of the head. Ospreay was fired up and traded forearms. Okada gained the advantage, but ran into a step up enziugiri. Ospreay hit the C-4 followed by his half Rain Maker. He then landed the implosion 450 splash for a near fall. Okada countered the Oscutter with a Tombstone. He went for the Rain Maker, but Ospreay countered into the sitout powerbomb for a very close two-count.

    A third Oscutter attempt was countered by a dropkick. Okada then hit a German suplex for a two-count. Okada hit his half Rain Maker twice. He attempted the full one again, but Ospreay did a springboard which was countered into the spinning Tombstone. Okada then hit the Rain Maker for the win.

    Winner: Kazuchika Okada

    After the match, Okada and Ospreay hugged. Okada grabbed the mic and said he had three things to say. He first praised Ospreay for his effort. Okada then mentioned how special it is for NJPW to reach its 46th anniversary. He then said he’s better than the competition he has faced such as Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega. Lastly, he poked fun at Gedo to close out the show.

  • NJPW 46th Anniversary Final Lineup, Opening Video Package

    NJPW 46th Anniversary Final Lineup, Opening Video Package

    NJPW’s 46th Anniversary show is set, which means the card has been made official.

    It was once tradition at these special events that the IWGP Heavyweight and Junior Heavyweight champions would collide. Kazuchika Okada and Kota Ibushi did battle back in 2014. The match garnered a ton of praise from fans.

    The tradition has returned as Okada will take on Will Ospreay in a rematch from their 2015 encounter under the Rev Pro banner. There will also be two title bouts. The show takes place tomorrow (March 6) at 5 a.m. Of course SEScoops will provide coverage of the event. You can peep the full lineup below:

    NJPW 46th Anniversary Lineup

    10-Man Tag Team Match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Kushida, Tiger Mask, & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Ren Narita, Tetsuhiro Yagi, Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka, & Yuji Nagata

    Singles Match: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Katsuya Kitamura

    Six-Man Tag Team Match: Toa Henare, David Finlay, & Juice Robinson vs. Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroki Goto

    IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Match: Sho & Yoh (C) vs. Hiromu Takahashi & Bushi vs. El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

    Singles Match: Sanada vs. Yoshi-Hashi

    Singles Match: Tetsuya Naito vs. Taichi

    IWGP Intercontinental Title Match: Minoru Suzuki (C) vs. Togi Makabe

    Anniversary Day Special Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay

    Also interesting to note is that the official YouTube channel of NJPW has released the opening video package for the event:

  • Rusev Day Runs Wild In ROH, WWE Fastlane 2016 Full Match (Video)

    Rusev Day Runs Wild In ROH, WWE Fastlane 2016 Full Match (Video)

    It’s Rusev Day In Ring Of Honor

    There’s no doubt that Rusev is enjoying success outside of the stereotypical foreign heel. Since aligning himself with Aiden English, fans have taken note of Rusev’s more personable character. It also helps that he has a new catchphrase.

    “Rusev Day” has not only taken over crowds, but also WWE’s merchandising. The company recently stocked up on more Rusev Day calendars after the first batch sold out quicker than expected. Despite the success, Rusev hasn’t exactly been booked to thrive on SmackDown Live. Some weeks he doesn’t even make an appearance and the Bulgarian hasn’t been shy to take issue with it.

    At a recent ROH event, fans were seen chanting Rusev Day. The current WWE superstar had an intriguing response:

    https://twitter.com/BalorClubGuy/status/970126219969691648

    Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler Full Match (WWE Fastlane 2016)

    As we get closer to WWE Fastlane, the company has been releasing past matches from the pay-per-view. They’ve already released Paige vs. Nikki Bella from 2015 as well as Bayley vs. Charlotte and Kevin Owens vs. Goldberg from last year. This time, it’s Owens vs. Ziggler from 2016. At the time, Owens was the Intercontinental champion and put his title on the line against “The Showoff.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlbT2IhKnr8

  • Kenny Omega on Going to WWE: ‘I Don’t Want to be Controlled’

    Kenny Omega on Going to WWE: ‘I Don’t Want to be Controlled’

    NJPW may not have to worry about Kenny Omega making the jump to WWE anytime soon.

    Omega, the former IWGP United States Heavyweight champion, recently reunited with Kota Ibushi to reform the Golden Lovers. The team will meet The Young Bucks on March 25th for Strong Style Evolved. Omega’s current storyline definitely sounds like one of those “bucket list” things he mentioned back in early 2017 when he re-signed with NJPW following Wrestle Kingdom 11.

    Freedom Over Spectacle

    Because he’s regarded as the hottest talent outside of WWE, naturally fans question when he’ll make the trip to Stamford. If you’re one of those fans, then hold your horses. During a recent Twitch stream, Omega broke down why he doesn’t want to be in the WWE at this time (via Cageside Seats):

    “Going back to the last question everyone is asking, if I will go to WWE? Right now the answer is no. I’m just having too much fun doing what I am doing. It really means a lot to me in my profession, to feel like I’m making a difference. I don’t want to be a robot. I don’t want to be controlled. Ummm even though there is a lot of great talent, some of my good friends are still in WWE. I wish them all the best but to be able to tell the stories, the kind of stories I want to tell with who I believe are the greatest talents in the world, um that’s most important to me right now.”

  • MMA News Roundup: Jon Jones’ License Revoked, Brock Lesnar-UFC

    MMA News Roundup: Jon Jones’ License Revoked, Brock Lesnar-UFC

    Another Friday means another edition of the MMA News Roundup. This week featured a slew of noteworthy news items in the world of mixed martial arts. Everything can’t be crammed in this article, so be sure to visit MMANews.com for your fight fix.

    Let’s jump into the top three news items from this week:

    Justin Buchholz Leaves Team Alpha Male

    Image Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images

    A crucial piece in the resurgence of Team Alpha Male is moving on. Justin Buchholz, who had served as the camp’s head coach before his role was reduced, is no longer a part of the team. MMA News’ Damon Martin was able to confirm the news with Buchholz.

    The move didn’t come as a surprise to some. There was speculation that Buchholz wasn’t happy after being removed from his head coaching role. It was a head-scratching decision, as Team Alpha Male was enjoying great success with him at the helm, including Cody Garbrandt’s bantamweight title win over Dominick Cruz.

    Brock Lesnar Going Back To The UFC?

    As WWE fans are well aware, Brock Lesnar’s contract is set to expire after Wrestlemania next month. Lesnar will defend his WWE Universal Championship against Roman Reigns. What happens next probably comes down to who is willing to pay “The Beast Incarnate” more.

    UFC president Dana White stirred the pot when he posted a picture of he and Lesnar getting chummy. The image was released during the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. White followed that up by saying there’s a “very good chance” Lesnar returns to the UFC.

    CSAC Revokes Jon Jones’ License

    Jon Jones received the first half of his punishment this week. Jones failed a UFC 214 drug test and was due for hearings with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Jones will worry about USADA at a later date, but he has faced the music with the CSAC.

    The commission decided to revoke Jones’ fight license and hit him with a $205,000 fine. The CSAC will wait on a ruling from USADA before hearing Jones’ plea to reinstate his license. An official date for Jones’ USADA hearing has not been made official.

    That does it for this week’s MMA News Roundup. Don’t forget that this Saturday, UFC 222 will take place. Visit MMANews.com for live coverage of the event.

  • Road Dogg Talks Jeff Jarrett’s Hall of Fame Induction, Paige vs. Nikki Bella Full Match From Fastlane 2015

    Road Dogg Talks Jeff Jarrett’s Hall of Fame Induction, Paige vs. Nikki Bella Full Match From Fastlane 2015

    Road Dogg On Jeff Jarrett’s Influence

    Road Dogg hasn’t forgotten his early days in WWE as The Roadie.

    Back in the mid 90s, Road Dogg aligned himself with Jeff Jarrett. He played the role of Jarrett’s assistant. At the time, Jarrett’s character was one who had delusions of his musical talents. He viewed himself as a country music star who wanted to share his “expertise” with WWE fans.

    In a recent interview posted on WWE’s official YouTube channel, Road Dogg talked about how Jarrett helped influence his career:

    “I couldn’t be happier for Jeff. Jeff and I kind of came up together, second generation southern superstars. So I couldn’t be happier for Jeff and I’ve really enjoyed the resurgence of the “With My Baby Tonight” song. My daughter actually played it for me through the car on her cell phone … I really had a good time with Jeff growing up. He taught me a lot not only about sports entertainment, but about being a businessman. I think people forget that that’s what sports entertainers are.”

    WWE Fastlane Free Match: Paige vs. Nikki Bella

    To hype up Fastlane next Sunday (March 11), WWE has posted the full Fastlane 2015 match between Paige and Nikki Bella:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NibAdoJkuvM

  • Chris Jericho Likely For NJPW Dominion, News on His WWE Status

    Chris Jericho Likely For NJPW Dominion, News on His WWE Status

    If you thought Wrestling Kingdom 12 was a one-shot deal for Chris Jericho in NJPW, think again.

    Jericho made waves late last year when he appeared on NJPW Power Struggle to challenge Kenny Omega to a match inside the Tokyo Dome for the IWGP United States Heavyweight championship. He ended up losing the match, which was highly praised by fans and critics. At the New Year’s Dash!! event the following night, Jericho attacked Tetsuya Naito from behind.

    Many had speculated that Jericho would be penciled in to face Naito at Strong Style Evolved on March 25. A recent report suggests that the match-up is being put on hold due to the show already selling out. On the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer said it’s likely that Jericho vs. Naito will instead take place at Dominion in June.

    For 2018, Jericho has put a strong emphasis on his band Fozzy. The band began their Judas Rising Tour yesterday and it will run through April 8. This pretty much confirms that Jericho will not be attending WrestleMania this year.

    Those hoping for Jericho to make another WWE appearance soon after the tour may also be in for a rude awakening. He and Fozzy will be back on tour from July through mid-August in Europe. It’s said that the earliest Jericho would return to the WWE is late summer.

  • 205 Live GM Drake Maverick Breaks Down His Vision For WWE’s Cruiserweight Division

    205 Live GM Drake Maverick Breaks Down His Vision For WWE’s Cruiserweight Division

    Drake Maverick has given the lowdown on what he expects of the wrestlers on WWE 205 Live.

    It’s no secret that 205 Live has been undergoing some changes. Since it was reported that Triple H took over the creative direction of the show, there’s been a heavier focus on wrestling rather than segments that resemble a lite version of Monday Night Raw. In fact, many have drawn comparison of the show’s presentation in recent weeks to that of NXT.

    The Future Of 205 Live

    The official YouTube channel of the WWE has released a new video featuring Maverick. The 205 Live general manager talks about his vision for 205 Live. It’s a refreshing clip where the man formerly known as Rockstar Spud talks about wrestling numerous times and shuns comedy skits:

    “What did Daniel Bryan mean with his announcement? Simple, everybody coming out of the Cruiserweight Classic was talking about cruiserweight wrestling. I watched the Cruiserweight Classic, I wanted to be a part of the Cruiserweight Classic. Along the way, the guys on 205 Live, they’ve lost their way. Guys on the roster of 205 Live need to realize there’s gonna be changes the way we do business around here. This isn’t a place for cartoons. Cruiserweight wrestling is for competition.”

  • FOX Sports President & On-Air Talent Attend WWE SmackDown Live

    FOX Sports President & On-Air Talent Attend WWE SmackDown Live

    There may be smoke to the fire when it comes to FOX potentially becoming the home of WWE Raw and SmackDown Live.

    While the USA Network has been the home of WWE Raw for over a decade, that relationship isn’t guaranteed to last. The WWE’s contract with USA Network and NBCUniversal expires in 2019. Facebook, Amazon, and FOX have been considered the lead candidates to engage in a bidding war with NBCUniversal.

    Now there is fuel to the fire regarding FOX speculation. Reporter Richard Deitsch noted on Twitter that top FOX Sports executives and a high-level on-air talent attended WWE SmackDown Live last night:

    https://twitter.com/richarddeitsch/status/968864415281025026

    Colin Cowherd’s attendance is particularly interesting. Cowherd’s disrespect for pro wrestling is well documented. Back in 2005, ESPN had to apologize for Cowherd’s comments on Eddie Guerrero. “Latino Heat” had just passed away and Cowherd questioned who cares about Eddie’s death.

    FOX currently has a deal in place with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), but it’s also set to expire next year. There has been talks that FOX isn’t willing to give the UFC their desired $450 million deal due to tanking ratings on their major network. A saving grace in that relationship could be the strong FOX Sports 1 shows.

  • WWE Raw Viewership Dips Post-Elimination Chamber

    WWE Raw Viewership Dips Post-Elimination Chamber

    Viewership numbers for the Feb. 26 edition of Monday Night Raw are in and there is a slight decrease.

    Raw this past Monday was able to bring in an average of 3.180 million viewers. This is down from the previous week, which took in 3.282 million. Last week’s show was praised for having the seven-man gauntlet match.

    Hour-By-Hour

    In the first hour of this week’s show, Raw was able to draw 3.407 million viewers. This too was down from last week’s hour one, which managed to attract 3.518 million. Hour two of the Feb. 26 edition did 3.249 million, while the third hour took in 2.884 million.

    This week’s episode featured the Raw debut of Ronda Rousey. She was involved in a segment for the fallout of her Elimination Chamber contract signing. At the event, Rousey slammed Triple H onto a table. She was then slapped by Stephanie McMahon, who made a quick exit. Stephanie apologized to Rousey, but Triple H decked Kurt Angle with a sucker punch before it was all set and done.

    Brock Lesnar was advertised for the show, but WWE ran an angle where the Universal champion “no-showed.” This allowed Roman Reigns to cut a shoot style promo that has been praised by fans and critics.

  • Cody Sends Warning to Kenny Omega, Jay Lethal Hypes ROH 16th Anniversary

    Cody Sends Warning to Kenny Omega, Jay Lethal Hypes ROH 16th Anniversary

    Cody Says Kenny Omega’s Time Is Up

    On April 7, Cody will finally meet Kenny Omega. The match is expected to headline Supercard of Honor XII. Last month at NJPW’s The New Beginning in Sapporo, Cody gave Omega a Crossroads and was going to hit him with a chair before Kota Ibushi made the save.

    Since then, the Golden Lovers have reunited and Bullet Club is in shambles. Cody believes a victory over Omega would make the world view him as the true leader of Bullet Club. He fired a warning at “The Best Bout Machine” in a new ROH video:

    “What a year for the Bullet Club, the most profitable in the faction’s history. Let’s think about it. Think about those records that Marty Scurll and The Young Bucks set. That watershed agreement that everybody seems to be benefiting off of doesn’t happen unless I sign on the dotted line … There was Marty over there, Hangman over there, The Bucks, the streamers but no Kenny. Leadership, it’s not a title. You have to live it! Go ahead and bring Kota Ibushi with you because I want to see the look when he sees you in pain and the rest of the world sees me as the leader of the Bullet Club.”

    Jay Lethal Wants ROH Gold Again

    Jay Lethal has sent out quite the statement to ROH World champion Dalton Castle. Next Friday night (March 9), Lethal will challenge Castle in the main event of ROH 16th Anniversary. In a new promo, Lethal says Castle’s reign is coming to an end:

    “Dalton Castle I have waited, not patiently, but I have waited nonetheless for this exact moment. I stand the number one contender right now for the Ring of Honor World championship. Just saying it makes my hair stand up … One more time I will become the Ring of Honor World champion.”

  • Booker T Praises WWE Talent, Says He’s Sick Over Jason Jordan Missing WrestleMania

    Booker T Praises WWE Talent, Says He’s Sick Over Jason Jordan Missing WrestleMania

    Booker T digs the current crop of WWE talents.

    We’re approaching WrestleMania and things already seem to be set. Roman Reigns is scheduled to take on Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal championship, while Ronda Rousey will likely team with Kurt Angle to take on Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. Shinsuke Nakamura is set for a WWE title opportunity after winning the Royal Rumble, but some speculate that Cena will challenge him for that right at WWE Fastlane.

    One man who won’t make it to the “Showcase of Immortals” is Jason Jordan due to an injury. During a recent appearance on the Sam Roberts Wrestling podcast, Booker T talked about today’s WWE talent and Jordan’s inability to compete at WrestleMania:

    “I praise guys like Elias, going out there doing their thing. Jason Jordan, right now man I’m sick about Jason Jordan being on the shelf. I wanted to see him go out and have his WrestleMania moment. Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens rising from the ashes of what he was doing, the independent scene for 15 years. The Finn Balors of the world that I’ve seen do remarkable, spectacular things with Neville many, many years ago.”

    Booker T went on to say that he’s very optimistic for the future of the WWE.

  • Alexa Bliss on Hitting Twisted Bliss Off Chamber Pod: I Was Quite Terrified

    Alexa Bliss on Hitting Twisted Bliss Off Chamber Pod: I Was Quite Terrified

    Alexa Bliss admits she was nervous before pulling off her finisher at the 2018 Elimination Chamber.

    The Raw Women’s champion successfully defended her gold against five other challengers inside the Chamber structure. Bliss had to outlast Bayley, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Sasha Banks, and Sonya Deville to retain the championship. There was a spot in the match that caught the attention of viewers.

    Super Twisted Bliss

    With Banks on the outside, Bliss landed Twisted Bliss off one of the pods. ESPN interviewed Bliss after the match and the champion made it clear that keeping her cool before the spot wasn’t exactly easy:

    “I was quite terrified. I’m not going to lie. I’ve done the ‘Twisted Bliss’ off of Braun Strowman’s shoulders before, but that’s not nothing to be on top of an Elimination Chamber pod. There are big challenges with being in a match like this. You’re inside of this chamber that’s intimidating to begin with. There’s nothing appealing about the Elimination Chamber. When I first walked into it, I was terrified. You start out the match in these pods, and you’re just watching everyone go at it, waiting for your time.”

    At this time, Bliss’ WrestleMania challenger is unknown. There are conflicting reports regarding who the Royal Rumble winner Asuka will challenge.

  • Finn Balor Not Giving up After Elimination Chamber, Darren Young on CM Punk’s Reaction When he Came Out

    Finn Balor Not Giving up After Elimination Chamber, Darren Young on CM Punk’s Reaction When he Came Out

    Finn Balor Reacts To Elimination Chamber Loss

    Last night (Feb. 25), seven men entered the Elimination Chamber structure. Only one man walked out as the winner and his name is Roman Reigns. He will go on to WrestleMania to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal championship.

    Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, The Miz, Elias, John Cena, and Finn Balor will have to wait until next year for a chance to headline the “Showcase of Immortals.” WWE posted an interview where Balor admitted to being disappointed after having a ton of fan support:

    “Yeah obviously it adds to the disappointment. Huge opportunity at stake tonight, (I) lost. The chance to go to WrestleMania to challenge Brock Lesnar for the title I never lost, goes away. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been chasing that title since I had to relinquish it the day after Summerslam over a year ago. The chase will continue. You can’t wipe the smile off this face with just one loss.”

    Darren Young Says CM Punk Embraced Him After Coming Out

    Former WWE superstar Darren Young recently appeared on Cerrito Live. When asked about CM Punk mentoring him, Young revealed that Punk embraced him after revealing he is gay:

    “One great story I have about CM Punk is when I came out publicly and it was around Summerslam. I remember he had a match with Brock Lesnar. And right after his match with Brock Lesnar in catering, he was all iced up from head to toe. He approached me in catering in front of everybody and he told me to stand up. And I stood up and he gave me a hug. And he said ‘I’m very proud of you for coming out. If you have a problem with anyone because of this, you tell me and I’ll take care of it.’”

  • NJPW Announces New Japan Cup 2018 Participants

    NJPW Announces New Japan Cup 2018 Participants

    The 2018 New Japan Cup participants have been revealed.

    NJPW held a press conference tonight (Feb. 25) to announce the participants. This year’s New Japan Cup will begin on March 9. The single-elimination tournament will run through March 21. NJPW World will be airing all of the events live.

    The winner of the New Japan Cup will receive a title shot of his choosing. This means that the one who emerges victorious isn’t guaranteed to go after the IWGP Heavyweight title. He can take on the United States, Intercontinental, or even the NEVER Openweight champion.

    At Sakura Genesis on April 1, the winner will get his title opportunity. Last year’s winner was Katsuyori Shibata. He choose to challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight title. Shibata lost the match and suffered a life-threatening head injury. He is doing much better now, however his in-ring career is likely over.

    The last New Japan Cup winner to be successful in his title match was Tetusya Naito. He won the 2016 New Japan Cup and went on to defeat Okada at Invasion Attack for the IWGP Heavyweight title.

    Below is the list of participants for the 2018 New Japan Cup.

    New Japan Cup 2018 Participants

    Michael Elgin

    Tomohiro Ishii

    Juice Robinson

    Yujiro Takahashi

    Hiroshi Tanahashi

    Bad Luck Fale

    Lance Archer

    Yoshi-Hashi

    Zack Sabre Jr.

    Tetsuya Naito

    SANADA

    Chuckie T

    Taichi

    Davey Boy Smith Jr.

    Kota Ibushi

    Toru Yano

  • The Miz Angered by Elimination Chamber Ad, Paige Responds to Body Shaming

    The Miz Angered by Elimination Chamber Ad, Paige Responds to Body Shaming

    The Miz Disrespected by EC Ad

    The Elimination Chamber hasn’t begun and The Miz already feels as if he’s been slighted. The Intercontinental champion will participate in the men’s EC match tonight (Feb. 25). The winner will receive a shot at Brock Lesnar’s WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania.

    While The Miz has his spot secured, he isn’t exactly feeling the love from the promotional side of things. Upon his arrival in Las Vegas, Miz saw an ad for the EC pay-per-view. The problem? Not only is The Miz not on the ad, but Dean Ambrose is featured despite not even being on the card.

    https://twitter.com/mikethemiz/status/967616454098010117

    Paige Fires Back At Body Shamers

    Paige has had a rough go with her career as of late. While being sidelined with an injury, reports spread on the toxicity of her prior relationship with Alberto Del Rio. Then, footage leaked of Paige engaging in sexual activities with other wrestlers.

    Ready to bounce back and put the negativity behind her, Paige returned to the ring but it was short-lived. She suffered an injury following a kick to the back by Sasha Banks at a house show. Reports surfaced claiming that Paige will not be cleared to compete in the WWE going forward.

    Now, the former WWE Divas champion is dealing with body shaming. Paige fired back at people poking fun at her weight on Instagram:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BfjZf6WFVsy/

  • Paul Heyman Apologizes on Behalf of Brock Lesnar, Vince McMahon’s Biggest Gamble

    Paul Heyman Apologizes on Behalf of Brock Lesnar, Vince McMahon’s Biggest Gamble

    The Advocate Apologizes In Advance

    Tonight (Feb. 25) the Elimination Chamber event takes place live on the WWE Network and pay-per-view. The men’s EC match will determine Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania challenger for the WWE Universal Championship. Participating in the match will be Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Braun Strowman, John Cena, The Miz, and Elias.

    The advocate for “The Beast Incarnate” doesn’t appear too worried about his client’s next foe. Paul Heyman took to Twitter and offered an apology ahead of time. Lesnar will be appearing on Monday Night Raw tomorrow night and he will confront the men’s EC winner.

    Vince McMahon’s Biggest Gamble

    Every year on the road to WrestleMania, the WWE likes to remind fans of the humble beginnings of “The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment.” It’s no secret that Vince McMahon took a risk when he invested in the mega pay-per-view event in 1985.

    McMahon did everything he could to ensure that the first WrestleMania felt like an extravaganza. That means he had to pour a significant amount of money into the event. Had WrestleMania I been a flop, McMahon likely would’ve been out of the wrestling business and the WWE would’ve gone under. Below is a preview of the WWE Network special, WrestleMania Rewind:

  • Jinder Mahal Eyeing More WWE Titles: My Prime is Still Yet to Come

    Jinder Mahal Eyeing More WWE Titles: My Prime is Still Yet to Come

    Jinder Mahal believes he has plenty to offer in his WWE career.

    Mahal caught everyone off guard last year when he captured the WWE Championship from Randy Orton. The company took a chance on Mahal due to his potential star power in the Indian market. His physique definitely didn’t hurt either.

    While Mahal’s reign lasted 170 days and he’s now in the United States title picture, “The Modern Day Maharaja” says he is not in the midst of a demotion. In fact, he’s happy to have the opportunity to snag more titles.

    Infinite Gold

    He explained why during a recent appearance on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast (via Cageside Seats):

    “I continue to improve. It’s just not my goal to be a one-time champion. I’ve held the WWE championship but I look forward to holding it many more times, along with all the other championships. I want to be U.S. champion, I want to be Intercontinental champion, I want to be tag team champion, and I want to hold the WWE championship, all of them! I want to be here for a long, long time. I’m 31-years-old right now. I believe I haven’t even hit my prime yet. I think my prime is still yet to come and I believe I can be one of the top stars in WWE for a long time. I’m there mentally now, I’m there physically, I have the confidence now. I just continue to improve. I have a great relationship with Vince (McMahon) and Hunter and everything. You know, they’re oftentimes the first people that I go to for advice. So, everything is going great and I’m just looking forward to what’s next.”

  • Beretta Suffers Injury, ROH 16th Anniversary Title Match Set

    Beretta Suffers Injury, ROH 16th Anniversary Title Match Set

    Beretta Taking Time Off

    Earlier today (Feb. 24), Beretta was scheduled to challenge Dalton Castle for the Ring of Honor World title. Before the match began, The Beer City Bruiser walked in the ring and demanded that he be added to the match. Castle accepted and the bout turned into a three-way match.

    The reason for this is that Beretta has been working injured. F4W Online reported that Beretta tore his triceps during a match with Chuck Taylor at a PWG event. The former NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team champion took to Twitter to confirm he will be taking some time off:

    ROH 16th Anniversary Title Match Official

    Dalton Castle vs. Jay Lethal had been booked for ROH 16th Anniversary prior to Honor Rising. The question remained, would Castle walk into the show as ROH World champion? As mentioned above, Castle put his gold on the line against Beretta and The Beer City Bruiser.

    Castle pinned The Beer City Bruiser with a dead lift German Suplex to successfully defend his championship. His title defense against Letal has now been made official for the ROH 16th Anniversary show. The event takes place in Las Vegas on March 9. Big names such as The Young Bucks and Cody will also be competing on the card.

  • Pre-Elimination Chamber Facebook Live Announced, Top 10 Pod Collisions

    Pre-Elimination Chamber Facebook Live Announced, Top 10 Pod Collisions

    Pre-WWE Elimination Chamber Facebook Live

    WWE Elimination Chamber is upon us. Tomorrow night (Feb. 25), the special event will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will featured two EC matches, one of them is for championship gold.

    Cathy Kelley took to Twitter to announce a Facebook Live session ahead of the event. It will air tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET. She will co-host alongside Mike Rowe. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Matt Hardy will serve as guests.

    Braun Strowman, Elias, Finn Balor, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and The Miz will do battle inside the chamber. The winner will be granted a shot at Brock Lesnar’s WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania.

    Meanwhile on the women’s side, Alexa Bliss will put her Raw women’s championship up for grabs against Bayley, Mandy Rose, Mickie James, Sasha Banks, and Sonya Deville. The pay-per-view airs live at 8 p.m. ET.

    WWE’s Top 10 EC Pod Collisions

    Much hype has gone into the EC event. With two chamber matches, you can almost be certain that more than one pod will be shattered. Fans anticipate it every year and are never disappointed. It happens so often that WWE posted a top 10 video all about pod collisions:

  • Impact Wrestling Talent Allegedly Paid Late, Ed Nordholm Responds

    Impact Wrestling Talent Allegedly Paid Late, Ed Nordholm Responds

    Could it be deja vu for Impact Wrestling talent?

    PWInsider.com is reporting that several Impact Wrestling talents have informed them that they have not been paid for last month’s television tapings in Orlando, Florida. Talents who reached out did so under the condition of anonymity.

    In addition to not being paid for last month’s work, talent also alleges that they weren’t given a Bound For Glory payoff or pay for working the Ottawa tapings until after Christmas.

    Impact Wrestling president Ed Nordholm released a statement to PW Insider, denying that the promotion was late on pay:

    “Talent is not behind on their pay. We generally provide for talent to be paid as independent contractors in the month following a month in which services are rendered. This was an improvement over previous management, where talent cheques were issued only as the actual episodes aired (could be as much as 12 weeks after tapings before final instalments were delivered).

    We instituted a payment policy last year to pay for all services rendered in a month in the following month, regardless of when the shows would air. Accordingly, cheques for January were mailed earlier mid-month; cheques for November were mailed mid-December (and I understand got caught up in Christmas mail delays).

    We realize that one unexpected impact of moving our corporate offices to Canada has been a further delay with mail services going cross-border. We are working to streamline our talent payroll processing so future events will be paid closer to the beginning of each month after services are rendered.”

  • Golden Lovers & Young Bucks Plant Seeds For Dream Match

    Golden Lovers & Young Bucks Plant Seeds For Dream Match

    Night two of NJPW Honor Rising ended with the Golden Lovers and The Young Bucks face-to-face.

    Earlier today (Feb. 24), Kenny Omega and Kota ibushi took on Cody and Marty Scurll. This was the first time the Golden Lovers teamed up in two-on-two action in years. The former IWGP Junior Tag Team champions have enjoyed success as heavyweights. Omega and Ibushi scored the win when they hit Golden Trigger on Scurll.

    Who Is The Best?

    After the match, Omega grabbed a mic and said Golden Lovers are the best tag team in the world. The Young Bucks didn’t appreciate that and hit the ring to respond. Matt Jackson said he and his brother Nick are the best team in the world. He then announced that The Young Bucks are moving up to the heavyweight tag team division before saying he’ll see Omega and Ibushi around.

    Backstage, Omega told the media that he and Ibushi have no problem facing The Young Bucks if that’s what they have to do to prove they’re the best tag team in the world. The seeds were planted for a move to heavyweight for The Young Bucks on a recent episode of “Being The Elite.” Cody told both men that they appear to be bulking up and need to think about the heavyweight division.

  • NJPW Honor Rising Night Two Results: The Golden Lovers vs. Cody & Marty Scurll

    NJPW Honor Rising Night Two Results: The Golden Lovers vs. Cody & Marty Scurll

    The second and final night of NJPW Honor Rising has arrived.

    In the main event, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi try their luck as the Golden Lovers once again to take on Cody and Marty Scurll. Last night, Cody made the bold claim that he is the new Bullet Club leader. Will we find the true answer tonight?

    The co-headliner will feature a major world title bout. ROH World champion Dalton Castle will put his gold on the line against Beretta. Also, NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team champions Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Tanga Loa will put their titles on the line against Cheeseburger, Delirious, and Jushin Thunder Liger.

    Of course there are some undercard matches to look forward to as well. The action begins at 4:30 a.m. ET. Keep refreshing the page for updated results below:

    Singles Match: Toa Henare vs. The Beer City Bruiser

    Henare tried to sink in a headlock, but Beer City Bruiser demanded a fight. He slapped Henare and kicked him in the corner. They got into a chopping battle. Henare went for a shoulder block, but no one was home. Beer City Bruiser spat beer in his opponent’s face.

    Henare went to lift his opponent up, but couldn’t. On a second try, Henare was able to land his shoulder block. He went up the top turnbuckle and landed the flying shoulder for a two-count.A full nelson into DDT was there for Beer City Bruiser. He went up the top turnbuckle and hit his frog splash for the win.

    Winner: The Beer City Bruiser

    Six-Man Tag Team Match: David Finlay, Juice Robinson, & Jay Lethal vs. HIKULEO, Chase Owens, & Yujiro Takahashi

    Bullet Club attacked their opponents before the bell rang. Chase went to work on Finlay in the ring. Eventually, Chase was triple teamed. BC soon got the edge back.

    Juice broke up HIKUEO’s pin on Finlay. Juice and Finlay hit a double dropkick, followed by a double flapjack. Lethal threw Chase and Yujiro to the outside. He took turns hitting suicide dives on both men.

    Chase kicked Yujiro by accident. He was then hit with Lethal Injection. HIKULEO got hit with a Stunner, Pulp Friction and Hail to The King, eating the pin.

    Winners: David Finlay, Juice Robinson, & Jay Lethal

    Tag Team Match: Ryusuke Taguchi & Flip Gordon vs. Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi

    Flip and Hiromu got the match started. Gordon escaped with his flips. Hiromu couldn’t find a way to catch him. With Hiromu on the outside, Flip teased a dive. He was attacked from behind by Bushi.

    The action spilled to the outside. Bushi sent Taguchi crashing into a wall. Hiromu did the same to Flip. Hiromu then threw Flip into the guardrail. Bushi worked on Flip’s knee inside the ring.

    Flip was able to tag in Taguchi and the Funky Weapon was loose. He hit a double DDT on Hiromu and Bushi. Taguchi locked in the ankle lock on Bushi. He couldn’t hold onto it for long. Bushi hit a rebound kick and Hiromu and Flip were the legal men.

    Flip landed a springboard dropkick. He then landed a huge senton with Hiromu on the outside. Flip hit a springboard into a modified backbreaker.

    Taguchi missed his hip attack. Hiromu and Bushi landed double kicks on Flip. Hiromu’s Time Bomb was countered into a pin attempt. Hiromu and Bushi landed the MX for the victory.

    Winners: Bushi & Hiromu Takahashi

    NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Title Match: Bad Luke Fale, Tama Tonga, & Tanga Loa (C) vs. Cheeseburger, Delirious, & Jushin Thunder Liger

    The champions went after the challengers before the bell rang. In the ring was Fale and Cheeseburger. Delirious came in for the distraction and Cheeseburger hopped on Fale’s back. Despite this, Delirious and Liger were still shoulder blocked.

    Tama Tonga easily landed a suplex on Cheeseburger and laughed. Liger was left in the ring with no one in the corner. He got double teamed in the corner. Tonga was accidentally hit by Loa. Delirious was tagged in and kept running the ropes to frustrate Loa.

    Loa hit a Jackhammer and tagged in Tonga. Cheeseburger was tagged in and his forearms did absolutely nothing. Cheeseburger landed a hurricanrana and a DDT for a two-count. He went for Shotei, but ate a dropkick.

    Tonga, Loa, and Fale all ran into Liger’s Shotei. Cheeseburger tried a small package, but Tonga blocked it. He went for it again and got a near fall. Tonga countered Shotei with the Tongan Twist, but his pin was broken up. Cheeseburger was hit with Guerilla Warfare and the champions retained.

    Winners & STILL NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions: Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, & Tanga Loa

    After the match, Tonga hit Gun Stun on Cheeseburger.

    Six-Man Tag Team Match: Chuckie T, Yoshi-Hashi, & “Switchblade” Jay White vs. The Young Bucks & Hangman Page

    Chuckie T and Nick got the match started. Nick landed an arm drag and tagged in Matt. Chuckie T tagged in White. Page was then tagged. The did traded shots. White chopped Page down in the corner.

    White was in and the numbers game was two much. Page hit a chop on White. The Young Bucks landed a double dropkick on White and Page followed up with a standing moonsault. White mounted an offense with a huge DDT to Matt.

    The Young Bucks and Page tried going for a super Rite of Passage, but they were cut off. Matt and Nick dove on Yoshi-Hashi and Chuckie T on the outside. White went for the Blade Runner, but was superkicked by The Young Bucks. Page hit Rite of Passage for the win.

    Winners: The Young Bucks & Hangman Page

    After the match, Page grabbed a chair and was going to blast White with it. The Young Bucks stopped him. They left and Page ignored his teammates and hit Rite of Passage again, but this time on the chair.

    ROH World Title Match: Dalton Castle (C) vs. Beretta vs. The Beer City Bruiser

    Before the match, The Beer City Bruiser said he wanted to bring back some gold to the United States. He demanded to be put in the match. Castle grabbed a mic and demanded to add the Bruiser. Now it’s a three-way.

    Castle hit a suicide dive on Bruiser. Beretta blasted Castle with a chair. In the ring, the ROH world champion caught Beretta and landed a German Suplex. Bruiser went for the injured arm of Beretta.

    Bruiser got on the top rope, but Castle cut him off. He ran on the apron and dropkicked Bruiser to the outside. The champion rammed a series of knees into the head of Bruiser. Beretta hit a swinging DDT on Castle. He was then shoulder blocked by Bruiser.

    Castle and Beretta teamed up to nailed Bruiser with a superplex. Beretta went for a piledriver on Brusier on the ring apron. Instead, Bruiser hit the Death Valley Driver. Bruiser and Castle then tumbled to the outside.

    Beretta moved out of the way of a frog splash attempt. He hit a shining wizard to the back of the head. He hit the Piledriver for a two-count. Bruiser hit a dropkick and went back up for the frog splash. He landed it and Beretta barely kicked out.

    Castle’s finisher was countered into a pin attempt by Beretta. Shockingly, Castle landed the dead lift German Suplex on Bruiser to retain his ROH World title.

    Winner And STILL ROH World Champion: Dalton Castle

    Tag Team Match: Golden Lovers vs. Cody & Marty Scurll

    Ibushi and Scurll got things underway. The two exchanged arm holds. Scurll chopped Ibushi in the corner. Ibushi rebounded with a leapfrog followed buy dropkick. Omega was tagged in and Cody ran into the crowd.

    Scurll went for a sunset flip on Omega, but he broke the grip and landed a springboard dive into Cody on the outside. Cody picked his spot and met Omega in the ring. Omega landed a hard chop on Cody. Omega kicked Cody in the face and stomped him. The Golden Lovers then doubled teamed Cody.

    Cody hit a springboard on Ibushi and landed awkwardly. He appeared to be fine and sent Ibushi back in the ring. Scurll hit a stalling suplex. He then double stomped Ibushi’s arm. Cody landed Disaster Kick on Omega. Ibushi was able to counter Cody and hit a powerslam.

    Omega hit a crossbody on Cody. Ibushi hit a springboard dropkick on Scurll. The Golden Lovers hit a new tag move. Omega hit the steamroller, Ibushi hit a standing moonsault, then they both took turns hitting mooonsaults from the middle rope.

    Cody exposed the floor and went for Crossroads from the ring apron. Omega hit the V-Trigger. Scurll hit Omega with his umbrella and then connected with Crossroads for a two-count. He then locked in the Chicken Wing. Meanwhile, Cody locked in his leg submission. Omega lifted Scull up and slammed him down on Cody.

    Cody ran into a V-Trigger. Omega went for another one, but Scull kicked Omega. Ibushi went for his sitdown powerbomb, but was eventually hit with a lariat. The Golden Lovers hit a powerbomb into a German Suplex on Cody. With their opponents on the outside, Omega and Ibushi hit Cross Slash.

    Cody ask Scurll to pick up Ibushi to kiss his opponent. That’s exactly what he did. This enraged Ibushi and he landed the chop and kick from hell. He then landed a powerbomb.  Scurll ate a V-Trigger. The Golden Lovers hit the Golden Trigger for the win

    Winners: The Golden Lovers

    After the match, Omega grabbed a mic and said he’s had one of the best weekends of his life. He thanked the reunion of The Golden Lovers for that. Omega said he and Ibushi are the best tag team in the world.

    The Young Bucks came out and took issue with Omega’s claim. The Young Bucks said they’re drawing the line with Omega claiming The Golden Lovers are the best tag team in the world. They announced they’re moving up to the heavyweight tag team division and said they’ll see The Golden Lovers around.

    Omega said a few more words in Japanese to close the show.