19 Results and Review

Let’s look at this week’s RAW, which included an unannounced return, an announcement from Roman Reigns and much more.

Opening Segment

Monday Night RAW started with a video package about when Roman Reigns came out in October to announce that the was battling leukemia. After that, Roman Reigns’ music hit. The crowd was very loud and supportive of him. Reigns looked like he was on the brink of tears when he first saw the crowd. He went around the border of all of the front row high fiving fans. At first he said thank you to everyone. He said that he was scared before his announcement in October. He was overwhelmed by all of the support he got after the announcement and that he will use his platform to raise awareness and help others who were in his situation. Reigns eventually said he will give us his long awaited update. The update was that he is in remission for his leukemia. The crowd started cheering and chanting because of this. He said thank you one more time and then left. This was genuinely great news and a great way to start the show. Roman Reigns is truly inspiring because of this. You could tell that the support from others had him in high spirits through his battle and even moreso afterwards. I can’t wait to see him return.

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet

In another one of these NXT versus main roster matches we had Aleister Black and Ricochet face The Revival. Before the first break both Black and Ricochet were diving all over the place. Black ended the match with Black Mass. Like I’ve said before, these matches are good but I don’t like that they take up so much TV time since they have nothing to do with any storylines. Like I understand squash matches but it took up so much of the show last week. Also, they should focus on the dudes they called up earlier in the year before they focus on a new pack.

After a break we saw backstage a red carpet for Ric Flair’s Birthday Celebration. We also saw a video from Snoop Dogg wishing Ric Flair a happy birthday.

Elias Can’t Get A Song Going

Elias was in the ring to play on his guitar but then was cut off by Lacey Evans and Dean Ambrose. When Dean came out he issued a challenge to Drew McIntyre in a No DQ match. Poor Elias can’t get his own part of the show. Elias tried playing his guitar but Ambrose asked what he was doing. Elias tried surprising Ambrose with a guitar shot but he dodged it and was hit with the Dirty Deeds.

Sarah Logan & Ruby Riott w/ Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Ronda Rousey

The next match on this show was two members of the Riott Squad versus Natalya and Rousey. Rousey and Natalya did a double team on Morgan on the outside. Natalya got beat up for a long time and then Rousey got a hot tag. As Ronda was on a roll the match got called off because Becky Lynch came from the crowd and hit Natalya. Ronda and Lynch tried fighting but got separated. Lynch was handcuffed and brought away. After the break Ronda got on a mic and called out Vince McMahon. Vince didn’t come out, but Stephanie McMahon came out. Ronda begged for Becky to being reinstated but Stephanie refused to do so. After more arguing and a semi-good promo from Ronda (at points it seemed like she stumbled but a lot of it was good), she left Stephanie with the decision.

Jinder Mahal vs. Kurt Angle

After commercials, we saw a video from Stone Cold Steve Austin wishing Ric Flair a happy birthday. In the ring we saw Jinder Mahal issue an open challenge to anyone who was invited to Flair’s party. Kurt Angle took the challenge. Kurt Angle won after hitting a ton of spots and whatever. Cool, but why?

A Moment of Bliss w/ Finn Balor

Alexa Bliss started her talk show by talking about how she is available for the Wrestlemania main event. I think she was under the assumption that Ronda was out of the Wrestlemania main event or something? Anyways, Finn Balor is her guest this week. He was dressed in in-ring attire, so I assumed his match was next. Bliss was about to make a deal that if Balor showed his abs she would show something but she got interrupted while talking. Why cut a deal when he’s going to fight? His abs are gonna be visible in like seconds. The thing that cut off Bliss was Lio Rush coming out. Rush said something about Balor’s IC title. Balor interpreted this as Lio wanted a title shot, so he gave it to him.

Finn Balor vs. Lio Rush (Intercontinental Championship Match)

Early in this match Rush was getting tons of moves in. He did a Moonsault off the apron and then two Tope Suicidas. In fact the match felt like it was meant to make Rush look really good. Like, nearly on Balor’s level type of good. Balor eventually ended the match after reversing a move and then landing a Coup de Grace. After the break Lashley was behind the curtain scolding Lio Rush. He said that he was supposed to get a title shot for him, not Rush. He then forced a beaten up Lio Rush to come out with him.

Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush vs. Braun Stroman

Stroman fought Lashley next. Well, he was going to, but their match never started. Lashley tried jumping Stroman but ended up losing the brawl. I could easily be wrong, but I get the feeling that Rush is turning babyface soon and Lashley will turn against him.

Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre (No Disqualification Match)

Dean Ambrose called out Drew McIntyre earlier in the night. Later in the show he got his wish. During this match Elias came down and attacked Ambrose. This was of course because Elias was interupted by Ambrose earlier. After that, McIntyre gave him a Claymore Kick to end the match. After the match it was Elias, McIntyre, Lashley and Corbin all beating up Ambrose. Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns came out to save Dean. Reigns landed Superman Punches, and Seth landed a Curbstomp. Reigns did a Spear to McIntyre.

Bayley w/ Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax w/ Tamina

To preview what is most likely the first rivalry for the women’s tag belts, Bayley fought Nia Jax. The finish of the match was Nia Jax being distracted by pulling Banks’ hair, giving Bayley the chance to kick her and land an elbow drop for the win.

Ric Flair’s Birthday Celebration.

The finale of the show was the Ric Flair Birthday Celebration of course. This has been promoted for weeks. Now. The ring had a cake, balloons and a table with something covered. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out while the rest of the roster stood on the ramp. They brought out Shawn Michaels, Ricky Steamboat, Kurt Angle and Sting. After seeing a video package about Ric Flair, they unveiled a custom World Heavyweight Championship belt. When he was finally introduced, he didn’t come out. Backstage we saw Batista storming into Flair’s dressing room, most likely beating him up, and then dragging him out. He said “Hey Hunter, do I have your attention now?” HHH then ran backstage to attend to Flair. The show ended with HHH shouting for a doctor. Not going to lie, this was a big surprise to me and I’m kind of hyped because of it. It’s been a long time since Batista last wrestled, and I’m so ready to see it again.

While the ending of the show was good, the whole show wasn’t amazing. There was lots of just plain boring segments. My favourite match this week is easily Rush versus Balor.

Kyle Busch Wins Atlanta Truck Race, Breaks All-Time Record

Kyle Busch broke Ron Hornaday’s record of NASCAR Truck series wins on Saturday after winning the Ultimate Tailgating 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Busch also won the first two stages of the race, making it a full race sweep, similar to the one in the Xfinity Series earlier in the day.

Despite being billed as “Hotlanta” by many, today the speedway was under misty and foggy conditions. The 130 lap race had two 40 lap stages, with the final stage being 50 laps.

The race had two red flags at the end. The first was to clean up after a crash involving Spencer Boyd, Austin Wayne Self, Chad Finley, Stewart Friesen, Parker Kligerman and Jesse Little. The second one was thrown up after the cars had just started rolling again, this time due to weather. The race was able to get back going with five laps under green. The finale of the race had rookie Harrison Burton and Kyle Busch on the front row.

There were three incident cautions in the race. Two were from Natalie Decker going into grass, and the third was John Hunter Nemechek spinning out.

The Gander Outdoors Truck Series returns next Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the Strat 200. Kyle Busch will be racing once again tomorrow in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 for the Monster Energy Cup Series. The broadcast for the race starts at 2 PM Eastern Time.

ROH/NJPW Honor Rising: Japan 2019 Day 2 Results and Review

This show was the second of two Honor Rising shows this year. Ring of Honor sent over some of their talent to compete with NJPW’s talent. The first night had three title matches, and so did this one. Let’s look at night two.

Honor Rising Day 1 Results and Review

Toa Henare & Johnathan Gresham vs. TAKA Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr.

Before the first match, TAKA Michinoku cut a promo on his team’s opponents. He didn’t or at least pretended he didn’t know who Johnathan Gresham is. Man, TAKA’s slogans and all of that are so cool. I wish he would do the English promo more often. Henare jumped his opponents to start the show. ZSJ and Gresham showed a great battle of grappling at the start. Henare got a hot tag and hit a combo of moves on ZSJ. He got a two count from a Samoan Drop. ZSJ turned a vertical Suplex attempt into a Guillotine. Henare fought out of it and landed a Clothesline after getting hit with a kick. ZSJ landed a DDT off the ropes, allowing him to tag in Michinoku. TAKA was given a Samoan Drop off the ropes, and then Johnathan Gresham was tagged in. Gresham was in a 2-on-1 situation, landing a Moonsault onto ZSJ and then a Tope Suicida onto Michinoku. Gresham did a Shooting Star Press onto TAKA but ZSJ broke up the pin. Gresham put in the Octopus Lock, making TAKA tap out. Gresham really stuck out to me in this match. We didn’t get to see much of him on day 1 because his tag match was so short.

Robbie Eagles vs. Marty Scurll

They showed the wrong image on the screen in Korakuen Hall for this match. Robbie Eagles fought Marty Scurll in this bout. Right out the gates both of these guys traded blows. Eagles did a Huricanrana and then was given a clothesline by Scurll. Eagles got thrown out of the ring and hit a Springboard Dropkick when getting back in. Later on, Eagles tried for a 450 Splash but Scurll avoided it. They traded roll-up pin attempts after. Scurll did a Small Package Piledriver, but Eagles kicked out at two. He attempted to follow it up with a Crossface Chickenwing but had to settle with a German Suplex. On the top rope, Eagles hit a Huricanrana. This was impressive cause when I said they were on the top rope, I meant they were both standing on the top rope with no support for balance except each other. Scurll took some kicks and then spat at Eagles. The crowd booed when Eagles avoided his fingers getting snapped. When Eagles went off the ropes he was hit with a strike and then given a Crossface Chickenwing to end the match. I thought the finish was a little abrupt but the match was still good. The top rope spot was impressive.

Cheeseburger & Delirious vs. Colt Cabana & Toru Yano

It’s time for a comedy match. Cheeseburger and Delirious faced Colt Cabana and Toru Yano. Cabana teamed with Cheeseburger and Delirious last night for 6-man titles but lost, which caused some beef within the trio. Cabana helped promote Yano’s curry line during his entrance. Cheeseburger teased leaving the match when the crowd was chanting against him. Yano wasn’t as successful with undoing the turnbuckles tonight. Instead, Cabana brought in a long corner pad that NJPW usually uses. Delirious hit Yano with it. When Cheeseburger was trying for a Sunset Flip, Cabana gave Yano another corner pad, letting him hit Cheeseburger in the head with it. Cheeseburger gave Cabana his palm strike, but he kicked out. When the ref wasn’t looking, Delirious took a play out of Yano’s book and gave Cabana a low blow for a two count. Cabana gave Delirious a Chicago Skyline to win the match.

Dalton Castle & Jeff Cobb vs. Hirooki Goto & Will Ospreay

The next match combined both of yesterdays singles matches that were for titles. Cobb got a hot tag late in this match. He was striking Goto when Ospreay came in and was given a huge belly-to-belly German Suplex. Cobb did a Samoa Drop and then a Standing Moonsault onto Goto for a two count. Ospreay tagged in and prevented Castle from coming in. After Ospreay did a Springboard Forearm, he did a flippy move off of Goto’s back. After other tag members came in and out of the ring, Ospreay did a Robinson Special. He tried for an Os-Cutter but it was reversed into a slap. Cobb tried for a Tour of the Islands but Ospreay escaped. Goto and Ospreay both gave him strikes, and then Ospreay did his elbow strike which is still terrifying. Ospreay lifted Cobb in impressive fashion for a Storm Breaker to end the match. Ospreay never ceases to amaze. Simple as that. Also, Cobb is quite the competitor as well.

Vinny Marseglia & Matt Taven vs. Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito

The next match was The Kingdom versus Los Ingobernables. Colt Cabana joined the English commentary team at this point. The Kingdom jumped their opponents before the bell. In this match Takagi avoided a Swanton Bomb and then gave Marseglia a Back Bodydrop and a Shoulder Tackle, finally allowing him to tag in Naito. He gave Taven a dropkick and then spat at him. Naito was given a backbreaker by Marseglia but kicked out at two. Takagi and Naito teamed up at the end, letting Naito hit the Destino to win the match. I thought the teamwork from LIJ at the end was good, but overall I wasn’t a huge fan of this.

TK O’Ryan vs. Jay Lethal (ROH World Championship Match)

The first championship match was for the ROH World Title. It’s odd that the biggest title was the first defence on the show. Lethal caught O’Ryan off guard, diving to the outside before the bell. Jay did a Suplex on the floor. They got in the ring eventually and the match started. I liked a spot where Lethal had a Figure Four in, and when O’Ryan would lie down he would get counted for a pin, and have to sit up. When Lethal tried for it again, O’Ryan tried for a roll-up. Lethal tried for a Lethal Injection but O’Ryan stopped it. O’Ryan nearly almost won the match with a roll-up but the ref stopped counting before three. Lethal did his own roll-up and then went off the ropes to hit a Lethal Injection to retain the belt. After the match, Matt Taven attacked Jay Lethal. That’s the matchup set for Ring of Honor’s anniversary show. I thought this match was good. I haven’t seen a ton of O’Ryan but he worked well with Lethal.

Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa w/ Jado vs. SANADA & EVIL (IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match)

The next championship match was for the IWGP Heavyweight tag belts. The team’s last defence was at the second night of New Beginning in Sapporo against Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. For anyone who hasn’t watched recently, Tama Tonga isn’t a good guy anymore. During the match, SANADA took out Jado with a Crossbody while Tonga Loa was in a Paradise Lock. There was some weird spot where Tonga dodged a dropkick from SANADA but also awkwardly brushed into him. It didn’t look like it was meant to be done the way it was. EVIL almost got a hot tag but was stopped by Tonga, who pushed him off the apron. Minutes after EVIL got tagged in he found himself on the top rope with Loa. Loa landed a Superplex for a two count. SANADA leapfrogged over Tonga twice and then did a dropkick.

After many reversals, Tonga hit the Tonga Twist. SANADA did a Dropkick on Loa and then EVIL clotheslined him out of the ring. They called for the Magic Killer but Tonga escaped it, giving EVIL a DDT. Tonga tried for a Gun Stun but SANADA caught it and turned it into a Skull End. Tonga wasn’t tapping, so he let go of the hold. SANADA tried for a Moonsault off the top but Tonga escaped. The English team was criticizing SANADA for letting go of the hold. They tried again for a Magic Killer but Tonga escaped, shoving SANADA into the referee. Jado came in and tried using a kendo stick. He didn’t use it, and almost got hit with a Magic Killer but Loa came in to stop it. Loa and Tonga hit a double team move on EVIL. SANADA went off the top and was hit with a Gun Stun. The team landed a Super Powerbomb while EVIL was being held back by Jado. The pinfall after made them win the match and crowned them as the new champions.

The finishing combination of this match was amazing. I’m really enjoying Jado as a manager for this team. He has a purpose every time he is out there. It’s also good that at least one title changed hands on this tour since there were six title matches. It would be too predictable if everyone retained.

David Finlay & Juice Robinson vs. Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)

The main event for this show was the team of Lifeblood challenging The Briscoes for the ROH World Tag Titles. Early in the match, Mark did an Elbow Drop off the apron onto the floor. Later on Mark also did a Moonsault off the top onto both of his opponents. Robinson ran into both Briscoes and then gave Mark a Juicebox after spinning around. Off the ropes, Jay did a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Lifeblood did dual summersault dives off the apron onto the floor. They also did cannonballs into the barricades. On the top rope, Finlay was given a Superplex and then an Elbow Drop for a two count. They tried for a Doomsday Device but Finlay escaped. Finlay hit a Spear on one Briscoe and a backbreaker on another. The team landed their own Doomsday Device, but Jay kicked out. Finlay was held down while being hit with a Froggy-Bow to end the match. The Briscoes retain.

I wasn’t as interested in this match compared to the one before. Although that could be because I’m more invested in the teams in the match before. Finlay was being checked out after the match with something happening to his elbow. I’m unsure about whether that’s a real injury or not. If it is real then I hope he is okay. After the match, The Briscoes cut a promo. They talked about how the Guerillas of Destiny won the IWGP tag belts in the match before. They challenged Loa and Tonga in a title versus title match on the April 6th show at Madison Square Garden. The team came out and took the challenge. This was a good way to finish the show since the MSG show is a big one between these two promotions, and it’s worth having an angle on this show about it.

This show was pretty good. My favourite match was probably the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Title match. These were two fun shows to watch this weekend as NJPW takes a week or so off before their anniversary show.

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ROH/NJPW Honor Rising: Japan 2019 Day 1 Results and Review

Finishing off the February calendar for NJPW is their two collaborative shows with Ring of Honor, called Honor Rising. Live from Korakuen Hall, let’s look at the first night of the tour, including three championship matches.

Ren Narita vs. Marty Scurll

Tonight’s show took place in a ring that had Ring of Honor turnbuckles and aprons. Chris Charlton was on the English commentary team with Kevin Kelly. I think the last time he was at the desk was Wrestle Kingdom or New Year Dash. In what is a pretty big way to start the show, Young Lion Ren Narita fought Marty Scurll. Late in the match, Scurll did a Powerbomb into a Boston Crab, but Narita escaped. As you could expect, Scurll won the match. Scurll finally ended the match with a Crossface Chickenwing. Honestly, this went way longer than I expected.

Shota Umino vs. Zack Sabre Jr. w/ TAKA Michinoku

Before the next match, TAKA Michinoku cut a promo fully in English. I don’t often hear what he says in his pre-match promos, but this one sounded pretty cool. When Michinoku called the “Young Boy” Umino to “come over ever,” he kicked Michinoku right in the gut. Umino put ZSJ in an Armbar during this match but put his leg on a rope to escape. This crowd was very enthusiastic tonight. ZSJ put in a Guillotine but Umino lifted him for a slam and escaped. Umino went to the top rope and landed a Missile Dropkick for a two count. ZSJ won the match with a Fisherman Suplex into a leg move that made Umino tap. This match made Umino look very strong. ZSJ tried hurting Umino more after the bell.

Johnathan Greshman & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Robbie Eagles & Taiji Ishimori

This next tag match helped promote the upcoming title match between Ishimori and Liger. This was a debut match under NJPW for Johnathan Gresham. When Ishimori and Liger got in the ring, Liger did a roll-up to win the match in very short time. This caught my off guard and very much annoyed Ishimori. Hey, if I put facepaint on for a five-minute match I’d be mad too. This was a fun little way to promote their upcoming match. I hope we get to see more of Gresham on the second night.

Toa Henare, Tomoaki Honma, David Finlay & Juice Robinson vs. Tonga Loa, Tama Tonga, Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe w/ Jado & Hikuleo

In the biggest match of the evening (in size), The Guerillas of Destiny teamed with The Briscoes to face Lifeblood and the team of Henare and Honma. Hikuleo returned to be at ringside for this match. Late into this match with it was Mark and Juice who got hot tags. They exchanged punches, and then Juice reversed a Irish Whip into a Spinebuster. Finlay and Jay got into the ring, making it a two on two situation. Lifeblood did double clotheslines and then put each Briscoe in a corner. Finlay was thrown out of the ring and then Robinson was given a double team neckbreaker. The pin attempt that followed it was broken up. The Briscoes tried for a Doomsday Device but Juice escaped. He got Loa to run into Mark instead of attacking him. Robinson tried for a Pulp Friction but Mark escaped. He rolled to the ropes where Jado accidentally hit him with a kendo stick instead of Juice. Robinson scored a pinfall to end the match. Hikuleo, Loa and Tonga beat up The Briscoes afterwards.

Cheeseburger, Delirious & Colt Cabana vs. Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano & Togi Makabe (NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship Match)

The first of three title matches on this show was for the NEVER Openweight 6-man title belts. The challenging team was ROH’s Cheeseburger, Delirious and Colt Cabana. Toru Yano has been promoting his line of curry instead of his DVDs recently, and I seriously want to give them a try. The trio was wearing Taguchi Japan jerseys, all with custom names and numbers on them. The match started with Yano and Delirious. Yano was terrified of him. Cabana said some Japanese lines during the match which got a pop from the crowd. Yano did his unbuckling of the corners spot, but struggled since ROH’s turnbuckles had more tying involved and only undid the top of the three. Cabana and Yano battled with two turnbuckle pads. As the ref was distracted with Cabana, Delirious was given a hip attack from Taguchi, a low blow from Yano and a chop from Makabe to end the match. This was a decent comedy match. It felt weird that this was for the titles though since this team was an impromptu one.

Dalton Castle w/ The Boys vs. Will Ospreay (NEVER Openweight Championship Match)

It took a little time before the next match because people had to put turnbuckles back on. The next match was Will Ospreay defending his NEVER Openweight Championship for the first time since he won it at Wrestle Kingdom in January. Jushin Thunder Liger joined the Japanese commentary team. The fight went outside the ring early on with Ospreay hitting a barricade hard. Ospreay did a Space Tiger Drop later on. There was a move during the ring where Ospreay went off the ropes and was supposed to land on Castle but sort of went right over him. Ospreay got a close count after a Spanish Fly. Ospreay tried for his elbow attack but Castle avoided it. Castle did an impressive Powerbomb for a two count. Ospreay did a Superkick and then his Hidden Blade elbow strike (which looks terrifying), and then a Storm Breaker to win the match. After the match, they shook hands. That elbow move looks so convincing, it’s really terrifying.

Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb (ROH World Television Championship Match)

The third and final championship match was Hirooki Goto versus Jeff Cobb for the ROH World TV Title. Goto got some boos from the crowd during this match when he slammed a Young Lion onto Cobb. In the ring Goto did a kick in the corner and then went to the top rope for an Elbow Drop, but Cobb avoided it. Cobb caught Goto and did an impressive Belly-to-Belly German Suplex. He followed that up with a Standing Moonsault, which gave him a two count. Minutes later, Goto started to mount a comeback, landing a great clothesline at one point which flipped him around. Goto went for a pin attempt after a kick to the chest, but Cobb kicked out. Goto landed a reverse GTR for a two count. He tried for another GTR but Cobb escaped and landed a kick. With Goto going off the ropes, Cobb landed a Tour of the Islands to win the match and retain his belt.

Matt Taven, TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia vs. Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jay Lethal

The main event of the show was The Kingdom versus a Okada, Tanahashi and Jay Lethal. As Vinny Marseglia was coming to the ring he let a balloon fly to the ceiling of Korakuen Hall. This match previews tomorrow’s ROH World Title match between Jay Lethal and TK O’Ryan, though the illusion of the match was kind of ruined when Kevin Kelly mentioned that Matt Taven is facing Lethal for the belt farther down the line. Lethal did a dive to outside the ring onto Taven, and then dragged him back into the ring for Okada, who landed a reverse neck breaker. Kingdom tried for a Rockstar Supernova, but Okada and Tanahashi came in to save it. They both did dropkicks while Lethal did a Huricanrana to escape his move. Lethal gave Marseglia a Lethal Injection to win the match. After the match, Taven got some extra shots in on Lethal. After the match Lethal cut a promo on The Kingdom. The match was somewhat short, but I enjoyed it.

This show, in general, had a lot of good matches. ZSJ versus Shota Umino was great, especially for a Young Lion match. I really enjoyed Cobb versus Goto and Castle versus Ospreay. I look forward to tomorrow’s second and final show.

NJPW New Japan Road “Takashi Iizuka Retirement Match” Results and Review

In a special show, NJPW said goodbye to Takashi Iizuka, giving him a retirement match at Korakuen Hall. Along with the match was a full card of other contests. Let’s look at the event.

Yuya Uemura & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Robby Eagles & Taiji Ishimori

The show started with a video package showing the past between Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Takashi Iizuka. The first match on the show was Yuya Uemura and Jushin Liger versus Robby Eagles and Taiji Ishimori. Liger got a hot tag in this match, doing a combo of moves on Ishimori which culminated with a Romero Special. Later on, Uemura gave Eagles a Boston Crab, but he eventually made it to the ropes. Eagles did a great looking 450 Splash onto Uemura to end the match while Ishimori beat up Liger outside the ring. After the bell Ishimori continued to fight, taking Liger into the seats. I’ll admit I haven’t seen a ton of Eagles, but he seems pretty good.

Yota Tsuji, Ren Narita, Manabu Nakanishi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Toa Henare, Tiger Mask, Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe

The next match was a big matchup between Young Lions and veterans. Satoshi Kojima was on a roll against Tomoaki Honma, doing an elbow drop off the top for a two count. He landed a Cutter but then got a Brainbuster reversed. Honma landed a Kokeshi after Makabe and Tsuji ran in to help their teams. Toa Henare and Tsuji were the next entrants in the match. Tsuji put on a Boston Crab, but it was undone by Tiger Mask who kicked him a few times. Henare and Tsuji traded strikes, ending with Henare landing a headbutt. Henare did a Clothesline and then a Rock Bottom to win the match.

YOSHI-HASHI & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shota Umino & Yuji Nagata

Tomohiro Ishii had his first match since New Years Dash on this show. Throughout this match, Nagata and Ishii would trade strikes. Umino fought really well in this match. YOSHI-HASHI won the match with the Butterfly Lock. Ishii and Nagata continued fighting after the bell but were separated.

El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. SHO & YOH

The next match was El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru versus RPG3K. Kanemaru did a nice move where he hung up SHO on a barricade and then gave him a curb stomp, jumping off the same barricade. Kanemaru and Desperado brought the fight into the floor seating. Desperado threw SHO into a table at ringside. This brawl outside the ring is what gave the Suzuki-gun team the advantage for a while. SHO was hit with a Deep Impact from Kanemaru, but YOH broke it up. Kanemaru tried for a Moonsault but SHO escaped. SHO landed a German Suplex and then a double team combo of moves with YOH. Desperado stopped a big move that they were planning for until he was dropkicked out of the ring and then given a Crossbody. Kanemaru missed a Satori Surprise on SHO and then was given a lariat. Kanemaru escaped a Powerbomb but was given a 3K when going off the ropes to end the match. This was definitely one of my favourite matches on the show. After the match, Shingo Takagi and BUSHI faced off with RPG3K. YOH said that they will go after the belts on the Anniversary show. Looks like that will be the next IWGP Jr. Tag Team Title match. The two teams brawled after that. The Los Ingobernables duo got the better part of the fight, with both of them cutting a promo afterwards. I forgot that this is one of the last shows where NJPW has the chance to shoot angles for the Anniversary show.

TAKA Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ryusuke Taguchi & Hirooki Goto

TAKA Michinoku and ZSJ fought Taguchi and Goto in the next match. Early in the match, there was some comedy that revolved around Taguchi. He was struck by his own teammate, and then, later on, he was given some uppercuts to his behind. Goto gave ZSJ a slam onto TAKA at one point. When Taguchi got a hot tag he did his hip attack to Michinoku. They retried their double team spot that messed up earlier and succeeded. Taguchi did a roll-up which got double reversed, giving him the win. It’s nice to see Taguchi rebound after he failed at chasing Ishimori’s belt. I liked the comedy in the match. English commentator Kevin Kelly did a good job at portraying how the team had trouble at the start but eventually got it figured out.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer vs. Will Ospreay & Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi made his first in-ring appearance after losing his title in this match. In this match, Archer did a shoulder tackle on Ospreay which he sold amazingly. As ZSJ was trying for a tag he was nearly caught in a Chokeslam but found his way out. Tanahashi got the hot tag on Archer. His momentum was stopped when given a Black Hole Slam. DBS Jr. did a leg drop for a two count. Tanahashi reversed a Vertical Suplex into a Twist and Shout.

Ospreay got tagged back in and did a top rope 619. He did a forearm strike off the top rope. Ospreay was selling one of his legs heavily. He tried for a Hammerlock move on DBS but he escaped. Smith landed a German Suplex and then Hammerlock German Suplex, but Ospreay escaped it and did a Robinson Special. He tried for a Os-Cutter but it got reversed. When going off the ropes he was given a double team slam, but kicked out at two. DBS gave Ospreay a Powerslam off the second rope but Tanahashi broke it up. They tried for a Killer Bomb but it was escaped by Ospreay. Tanahashi landed a Swingblade on Archer and Ospreay gave DBS a Spanish Fly. Ospreay hit an Os-Cutter off the second rope to end the match. Ospreay was heavily carrying the matchup for his team. Nonetheless, a fun bout.

Taichi, Minoru Suzuki & Takashi Iizuka vs. Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Kazuchika Okada

Before the main event, veteran commentator Shinpei Nogami made a special appearance to call this match. Takashi Iizuka made his walk through the crowd one last time. When he made it to ringside he ripped off the tops of Nogami, leaving him just in a tie. Taichi and Minoru Suzuki made their entrances under Iizuka’s music. Suzuki-gun did their world famous jump start to the match. Tenzan was beat up by Iizuka with chairs and did a near count out spot. Iizuka got his mask taken off and bit Tenzan when in the ring. While Taichi tried to undo a corner pad (and failed at it because he took too long), Yano hit Taichi from behind with a corner pad of his own. Yano tore off Taichi’s long pants. Suzuki attempted to give Okada a Gotch Style Piledriver but Okada reversed it into a Backbody Drop. Iizuka got a hot tag onto Okada and bit him in the head. He bit his boot as well. Okada gave him a Neckbreaker after he tried using a chain. Okada went to the top rope and gave him and Elbow Drop and then called for a Rainmaker. Iizuka escaped the Rainmaker and then dodged a dropkick. After a good combo, Okada did two dropkicks and then tried for another Rainmaker but it was reversed into a leg lock by Iizuka. The crowd was very behind Iizuka. Okada picked up Iizuka and did a Death Valley Driver.

Tenzan got tagged in. Tenzan found himself in a sleeper hold but escaped because Taichi broke it up. While the ref was distracted by Taichi, Iizuka brought out his iron glove. Tenzan pleaded him to not use it. Iizuka fought his own hand, trying to fight it. He eventually tried but missed Tenzan. Goto hit him with a low blow, and then Okada did a Tombstone Piledriver. Tenzan went to the top rope for a headbutt and then put a shirt on Iizuka from when they were a tag team. With the shirt was on him, Tenzan did a Moonsault off the top to end the match.

Tenzan cried on Iizuka as his music played. When Iizuka got up, Tenzan tried to bring Iizuka back to his old self. The crowd chanted his name too. Iizuka finally found the power to shake Tenzan’s hand. When Tenzan tried to hug him however, he was bit, and the old Iizuka was back. He grabbed a chair and hit Tenzan with it. Iizuka got to use his iron glove on Tenzan. All of Suzuki-gun came out to be with him. Iizuka started to leave through the crowd. Minoru Suzuki did a ten bell count, and Iizuka’s iron glove was left in the middle of the ring. Taichi was in the ring alone and picked up the iron glove. He teased that he would put it on, but then just left with it. Afterwards the crowd chanted for Iizuka in hopes that he would come back out (presumably). I didn’t follow Iizuka’s career or even have much knowledge about his past, but this felt like a great sendoff for him. I enjoyed this match and this show was pretty good overall.

WWE Smackdown Live 2/19/19 Results and Review

Smackdown came back on Tuesday after WWE Elimination Chamber took place on Sunday. Live from New Orleans, Louisiana, let’s look at this week’s Smackdown Live.

Smackdown Live started with Shane McMahon coming to the ring. As he made his way there, we were shown a video package about the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. As Shane was talking about the show, The Miz came out. Miz said he had to get something off of his chest. He acted guilty about how they lost their tag belts on Sunday. Miz confessed that he used Shane. His speech eventually went into the idea of a rematch against The Usos. So it looks like The Miz is going to use him again. The Usos came out and trashed talked a little. Shane booked the rematch for Fastlane.

Aleister Black vs. Andrade w/ Zelina Vega

At RAW the night before there were many NXT wrestlers who got shown to the mainstream audience. It happened again this week but on Smackdown this time. The first match was between Aleister Black and Andrade. Andrade and Black were in a close battle for quite some time. Andrade tried for his Hammerlock DDT, but Black escaped and landed the Black Mass Kick to end the match. Not a bad match. Backstage we saw Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa being interviewed. Sheamus and Cesaro came over and told them to leave Smackdown. Gargano said that they are there to break the bar. This made Sheamus and Cesaro burst into laughter, and that was it. Kofi Kingston gave an olive branch that had pancakes on it to Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles as a way to apologize for being opponents on Sunday.

The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)

The next NXT versus Smackdown Live was one between the previously mentioned Bar and #DIY. During this match Ciampa did a Sunset Flip off the second rope on Sheamus, but looked very scary. It looked like Ciampa nearly buckled his left knee with the move. It seemed to really scare the commentary team. Gargano put Cesaro in the “Gargano Escape” but Cesaro got out of it. Sheamus gave Gargano a knee off the top rope with help from Cesaro, but Ciampa broke up the pin attempt. Gargano was hit with a backbreaker from Sheamus for another two count. Sheamus was given a Superkick for a two count. Gargano tried for a roll-up and then tagged in Ciampa who did a roll-up to win the match. This caught Sheamus off guard because he was attacking Gargano in the corner at the time. An enjoyable match by all four. While I like these matches, I do feel that they can get sort of lame since they are basically special attraction matches.

Asuka vs. Mandy Rose w/ Sonya Deville

In the ring we saw Asuka get interviewed. She said that she’s ready for a challenge. Who answered her call? Mandy Rose. The match was made, but wasn’t for the title. Not even a minute into the match, Lacey Evans came out. She did he walk down the ramp, and then turn around and left. This actually distracted Asuka, giving Mandy an opening. She went for a pin attempt after putting Asuka into a corner, but wasn’t successful. Asuka landed a Shining Wizard later on for a two count. Rose faked a face injury to make Asuka let her guard down. She then shoved Asuka into a corner and then did a roll-up to win the match. Asuka was undefeated at one point in her career. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Ricochet vs. Eric Young w/ Killian Dain & Alexander Wolfe

Ricochet versus Eric Young in the next match. Ricochet landed his 630 Splash to end the match. Of course, Ricochet had a good showing.

Kofi Kingston, Jeff Hardy & AJ Styles w/ Big E & Xavier Woods vs. Samoa Joe, Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan w/ Erick Rowan

The main event was a tag match including all members of the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. Daniel Bryan talked to the crowd on his way out. You could see huge welts on his chest from Sunday. Bryan says that his next opponent will be none of the men from the Chamber match since they’ve all been defeated. During this match Kofi had the crowd behind him (as he should to be honest). Kingston tried for a dive off the top rope but was shoved off by Bryan. Orton threw Kingston onto a commentary table, but it did not break. He did it again after a commercial break. Styles and Bryan were in the ring when Styles gave him a Calf Crusher. It was broken up by Samoa Joe, who was given a Twist of Fate. Orton slid Hardy out of the ring and then got clotheslined out by AJ. Bryan put AJ in an Labell Lock after a combination of moves. Bryan tried for a knee but got hit with a Pele Kick. Kingston got a hot tag but got dumped to the outside where many people were. Kofi came back in and did a dropkick off the top rope. He went to the top rope and did a dive to the outside onto Bryan and Rowan. Kingston landed a Trouble In Paradise to win the match. After the match Shane McMahon came out and booked Daniel Bryan versus Kofi Kingston for the Fastlane PPV.

Is this happening? Kingston is legitimately big with the crowd, and he’s getting some real wins. I’m ready to see this match. I don’t think that Kofi will legitimately win because this has all been so short term, but I’m excited to see what they can do in the next week weeks and in their match at the PPV.

This show felt somewhat lame. Like sure the NXT dudes are putting on good matches, but WWE needs more than just good matches to keep me interested. They need storylines that go along with them, which none of them really had. The main event was fun, and helped further build Kingston as a fan favourite.

WWE RAW 2/18/19 Results and Review

Let’s look at the RAW that happened the night after the 2019 Elimination Chamber PPV.

Opening Segment

Before RAW started, we saw a photo remembering Pedro Morales. Monday Night RAW started with Triple H in the ring. He talked about the Elimination Chamber, which was last night. HHH mentioned how the first members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019 is D-Generation X. He then dropped an even bigger announcement, saying that NXT wrestlers will be debuting tonight. The wrestlers that debuted were Ricochet, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Gargano and Ciampa are both champions in NXT currently.

Braun Stroman vs. Baron Corbin (Tables Match)

Braun Stroman faced Baron Corbin in the first match, with the stipulation being a tables match. This comes after Stroman was Triple Powerbombed through two tables on the night before. At the start of the match, both guys fought extensively outside of the ring. They made their way to the announce table but were back in the ring when we came back from commercials. Corbin went off the apron at one point and was met with steel stairs from Stroman. Corbin did a move where he went outside the ring, around a ringpost and back in, but when he went back in he was caught for a Running Powerslam through a table to end the match. I love when we get stipulation matches on TV, but this wasn’t the best match. It felt like 90% of it was outside the ring, which was a little too much for me. As Stroman was leaving, Paul Heyman was on the ramp. Stroman grabbed onto Heyman but didn’t do anything to him.

Paul Heyman Talking

Heyman had a microphone but struggled to speak. After a break, he was more able to speak. He talked about Brock Lesnar, and then a video package played that featured him. It included footage of his college wrestling and his earlier years of wrestling, and MMA photos.

Finn Balor & Ricochet vs. Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush

Finn Balor came into the ring in the next segment and talked. He was giving a generic story about representing the title or whatever until Lio Rush came out. Rush said that Bobby Lashley deserves to be the champion. Lashley came from behind and jumped Balor. Both guys picked on Balor until Ricochet came out. Ricochet saved Balor, and then after a break, we got a match. After Balor was in the ring for a long time, he started to tease tagging in Ricochet. Ricochet eventually got tagged in and went wild on everyone. Ricochet did a back 450 Splash to end the match. Ricochet didn’t get a ton of time in the ring, but showed off his skills in the time he had.

Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik) w/ Kalisto vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder

The next match was Lucha House Party versus Hawkins and Ryder. A week or so ago there was a segment where Ryder told Hawkins that he will get him out of his losing streak. Hawkins seemed to be somewhat in control of this match but then lost it all after Metalik on the apron distracting him, making him get put into a roll-up to end the match. Curt’s losing streak continues, but he seems to be improving.

Heavy Machinery & Lacey Evans Segment

Heavy Machinery was brought out to be interviewed. They talked about how they get the job done. During the interview, Lacey Evans walked up and down the ramp and then left, similarly to what she did the night before. Heavy Machinery walked down the ramp after, doing a chest bump at one point. They did a Bushwacker march around Evans.

The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) vs. #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano)

The Revival fought Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano in the next match. Fun fact, all members of this match currently hold championship belts. #DIY won the match with a double team move onto Scott Dawson where Gargano did a Superkick while Ciampa did a running knee. This felt like a tough match because no matter who wins you’re making someone who should be treated important lose. We saw another promo with Kevin Owens this week. He nearly dropped his phone but picked it up. These videos feel so weird. Like, what are they getting at with this goofier Owens.

Sasha Banks and Bayley Celebrate Their Win

Sasha Banks and Bayley, who are the first women’s tag team champions, made an appearance. They both talked about their win. As they finished their segment, Nia Jax and Tamina came out. They tried to storm Banks and Bayley but were unsuccessful. The crowd went mild. Before the next segment, we saw a video package promoting DX being inducted into the Hall of Fame. We were told that the tickets for the Hall of Fame Ceremony go on-sale on Friday.

Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre

The next match was Dean Ambrose versus Drew McIntyre. Ambrose got McIntyre outside the ring an then did a dive. Back in the ring Ambrose landed a Neckbreaker. McIntyre dodged a move and then hit a Claymore Kick. Korakuen Hall crowd right now. He landed another to end the match. It’s like they’re playing a game of which WWE writer can bury Ambrose the most. We saw another video package about Brock Lesnar.

Elias vs. Aleister Black

Elias came out for a performance. Before he got to start his song, Aleister Black came out. They had their scheduled match after. Black won the match with a Black Mass Kick. This match was short but made Aleister look good. We were reminded that next week will be the Birthday Celebration for Ric Flair, live from Atlanta, GA.

Ruby Riott w/ Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. Ronda Rousey (WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match)

The main event of RAW was a rematch from last night. I’m sorry, why? Riott got beat pretty decisively the night before. Riott turned a Triangle Choke into a pin attempt which made Ronda let go of it. This match went way longer than their PPV match, with Riott actually getting quite a bit of moves in. Riott tried for a move off the top rope but Rousey tried turning it into an Armbar. Riott’s buddies dragged her out but ate a Crossbody off the top rope to the outside because of it. Riott tried for a Reverse Huricanrana but got thrown into a corner instead. Rousey put in the Armbar to win the match and retain her Championship.

This was an interesting RAW. No storylines moved forward, but it wasn’t a bad episode either.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2019 Results and Review

Tonight we look at Elimination Chamber, a PPV on WWE’s Road to Wrestlemania. The show had two matches that took place in the Elimination Chamber itself. The first one crowned the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, and in the main event, a match that had the WWE Championship on the line. Let’s take a look at the show.

Akira Tozawa vs. Buddy Murphy (WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match)

The Youtube pre-show match was Akira Tozawa versus Buddy Murphy. It feels sort of odd that the one feud that took place exclusively on the Network is having it’s match on the pre-show. Some people who don’t watch 205 Live just wouldn’t care, right? Anyways, Tozawa did a dive to the outside early on, but was caught an given a suplex. Tozawa landed a Shining Wizard for a two count. Shortly after, Tozawa reversed a Powerbomb off the second rope into a Huricanrana for another two count. He did an Inverted Huricanarana off the corner, and then two dives to the outside head first. Murphy was dragged back into the ring but got up to avoid being landed on. Murphy got hurt on the ropes, and was given a Back Senton from Tozawa which looked painful. Coming off the ropes, Tozawa was hit with a running knee. Murphy escaped a submission move and landed Murphy’s Law to retain his belt. This was a spectacular match. I don’t know much about 205 Live currently, but when I see their matches on PPV’s then tend to deliver.

Carmella & Naomi vs. Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. The Iiconics (Peyton Royce & Billie Kay) vs. Tamina & Nia Jax vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose vs. Sasha Banks & Bayley (Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match)

The first match on the PPV was the Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match. The two tag teams that started this match were Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose and Sasha Banks & Bayley. Mandy Rose was given a good neckbreaker outside the ring from Bayley because she got her boot stuck on the cage. The first group to enter from a pod was Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan from the Riott Squad. The second team that entered was The Iiconics. They immediately tried pinning everyone in the ring since everyone was on the ground tired. After the Iiconics came Naomi and Carmella. Sidenote, but their names together work well as a team name since they’re both one-word names. Also they’re pretty good at mocking each other’s movements. Carmella was picked up by Billie Kay and almost Powerbombed off the cage and to the floor, but she reversed it into a Huricanrana. Naomi fought Mandy during this match because of their rivalry. Naomi was surprised by a roll-up pin from The Iiconics, who both pinned her. Naomi and Carmella became the first eliminations of the match. Right after, The Iiconics were surrounded by all of their opponents. Of course the final entrants were Nia Jax and Tamina.

Out of fear of the chaos, The Iiconics went back into their pod. Once Tamina and Jax realized this, they focused on The Iiconics. They were given duel Samoan Drops to be eliminated. They’re a seriously good comedy tag team. Morgan and Logan did duel Crossbodys off the top of a pod. Morgan was given a Samoan Drop off the second rope by Jax, and then Tamina did a Frogsplash onto both Riott Squad members to eliminate the team. Nia tried spearing Bayley but missed her and went through a pod. While Jax was out, Tamina was given an Elbow Drop off the top rope from Bayley. Everyone pinned and eliminated her. The final two teams were Deville & Rose, and Bayley and Banks. Banks did a Backstabber, and then Bayley did a Bayley-to-Belly onto Deville for a pin attempt. Rose came in to break up the pin. All four wrestlers went to the top of a pod. Deville was kicked off the pod, so was Bayley right after. Deville speared Bayley into a pod, but a metal bar in it, so it didn’t break. Rose drove Banks into a pod, and then did a move in the ring for a two count. Rose tried Spearing Banks, who was being held by Rose, but Sasha escaped, making Deville attack her own teammate. Banks put Deville in a Boss Statement to become the inaugural tag team champions with Bayley.

This match was pretty good. Up until the first pinfall it did feel a little slow, with a few minutes where it felt like nothing was happening at all. Also I don’t completely understand the gimmick of Banks doing nothing in tag matches on RAW the weeks before. Banks did a lot of the work in this match, so it didn’t make much sense to me. Banks and Bayley had an emotional speech afterwards.

The Miz & Shane McMahon vs. The Usos (WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match)

Before the first match, The Miz came out. He brought out Maryse, who announced that they’re having another baby. To be honest this surprised me because I was expecting him to announce another episode of their reality TV show. Pretty sure this was the sole reason why the champions entered first. Like true best friends, The Miz and Shane wore matching shirts for this match. Early on in the match Shane was hit with a Superkick while trying for a Coast-to-Coast, and then a Frogsplash for a pin that The Miz broke up. He landed a Coast-to-Coast before his second one was countered. Shane did an elbow drop off the top rope and through a commentary table later. Miz did a Skull Crush Finale but it was reversed into a roll-up to end the match. The crowd loved this but it felt weird. The finish felt a little rushed. I was surprised that they were able to get the crowd back by the end of the match since they seemed tired from the match before. The Miz helped Shane McMahon to the back.

Bobby Lashley & Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor (WWE Intercontinental Championship Match)

This next match was an interesting one was Bobby Lashley’s belt was put on the line but defended by him and Lio Rush. Balor did a dive over the top rope to both Rush and Lashley. Balor gave Rush a Coup de Grace to win the match and become the new IC Champion. Out of pure anger, Lashley gave Rush a Chokeslam afterwards.

Ruby Riott vs. Ronda Rousey (WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match)

We were shown a clip from a house show last night where Becky Lynch came from the audience to attack Charlotte Flair. Flair then came out and was interviewed by Charly Caruso. She cut a promo and then took a seat at ringside for the next match. Ronda Rousey won her championship match in short time with an Armbar. Becky Lynch came from the crowd in crutches afterwards, coming to the ring with no security stopping her. After a long time of pretending she was hurt, she took her crutches and beat Charlotte with them. After a long build she beat Rousey with her crutches too. It didn’t feel believable how long Becky had until security arrived.

Baron Corbin vs. Braun Stroman (No DQ Match)

Baron Corbin and Braun Stroman fought each other in a No DQ match next. Corbin did a Running Powerslam through a table during this match. Right after, Drew McIntyre’s music hit and he came out with a chair. When he was focused on Corbin, Lashley came from behind and attacked with a chair. McIntyre and Lashley both picked on Stroman. The three guys gave Stroman a Triple Powerbomb through two tables to win the match.

Kofi Kingston vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match)

The main event of the evening was the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship. Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan started the match. During Bryan’s pre-match promo he got mad at the fact that Erick Rowan wasn’t allowed at ringside. Early on in this match, Bryan was cautious about Joe. He was waiting for another person to come into the match. Bryan fought with Joe until Kofi Kingston came in. Bryan climbed to the top of a pod and just sat down. Kofi hopped onto the pod and then chased Bryan onto the cage. Joe threw off Bryan, but Kofi avoided being taken down. Kofi jumped off the cage, landing back first onto Bryan and Joe. AJ Styles was the next person to enter the match. Joe was eliminated when AJ gave him a Phenomenal Forearm. Jeff Hardy came in next. Hardy did a unique Swanton Bomb off a pod and onto Styles, who was on the top turnbuckle. Bryan then gave Hardy a running knee strike to eliminate him. Randy Orton was the final person to enter. Orton landed an RKO on Styles to eliminate him. Kofi gave Orton a Trouble in Paradise to eliminate him.

The final two were Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan. Bryan and Kingston exchanged kicks. Kofi landed an SOS for a two count. The crowd was completely behind Kofi. Later on Bryan landed a running knee strike, but Kofi kicked out. Bryan tried for another but was hit with a Trouble in Paradise. Bryan turned a pin attempt into one of his own which Kofi escaped. Bryan put in the Labell Lock but Kofi made it to the ropes. They went onto a pod, where after exchanging blows, Bryan got knocked down. Kingston tried for a Frogsplash but Bryan dodged it. Bryan landed a his running knee strike to end the match. The crowd fell silent. I think this is a good example of how when you play up a fanbases dream but have no intention of actually fulfilling it, you make people feel unsatisifed. The crowd did a “thank you Kofi” chant after the match.

Denny Hamlin Wins 2019 Daytona 500, Becoming A Repeat Winner

Denny Hamlin won his second Daytona 500 on Sunday under NASCAR Overtime. Hamlin was on the front row during the many restarts during the final stage. Kyle Busch, who won second place in the race, won stage 1, while Ryan Blaney won stage 2.

This was the first race since motorsport team owner JD Gibbs passed away. When asked about the win, Hamlin said that “this one’s for JD. We’re desperately gonna miss him for the rest of our lives but his legacy lives on.”

The front row for the race was William Byron and Alex Bowman. Denny Hamlin started 10th, climbing his way up the grid throughout the race. The race was mostly clean until the final stage which had numerous incidents involving more than 10 cars. The race was red flagged twice.

Jimmie Johnson was put a lap down after an incident where car 51 and 52 collided, making them spin and hit cars who were heading to the pits. Those cars included the aforementioned Johnson, Ricky Stenhouse and Tyler Reddick.

On lap 191 there was a crash involving Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman, Daniel Hemric, Chase Elliott, Aric Almirola, Ryan Blaney, Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Erik Jones, Paul Menard, Tyler Reddick, Matt Tifft, Chris Buescher, David Ragan, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson and Matt DiBenedetto.

The caution with two laps to go happened after Clint Bowyer tried moving up a row but got back in line too early, making the back of his car clip Michael McDowell. They spun and collected many more with them, including William Byron, the pole sitter of the race. Out of the whole grid, Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were the only ones who finished the race without being involved in an incident.

NASCAR heads to Atlanta next week for the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500. The race will take place on Sunday at 2PM Eastern Time.

Michael Annett Wins NASCAR Racing Experience 300

Michael Annett won the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 on Saturday, leading the most laps out of anyone in the race. Justin Haley snagged stage 1, and Ross Chastain took stage 2.

The front row at the start of the race was Tyler Reddick and Jeffery Earnhardt, but due to a penalty, Reddick started at the back of the grid, giving Michael Annett the second spot in the front row. Annett stayed up ahead but didn’t find himself in the lead until on a restart with 37 laps left. A large portion of the race happened in a single file on the outside line, similar to the duel races earlier in the week.

In the final lap, Justin Allgaier pushed for second place but was blocked by Micahel Annett. He said afterwards that it was the plan to push on the last lap because of the pace that they were going at.

The race had a low number of cautions, with two besides the cautions after stage one and two. This was a polar opposite to the year before that had five overtimes and a three hour race time in total. Second place finisher Justin Allgaier said “I wish I had a good answer,” about why this year what so different from the previous.

One of the cautions was due to debris from Brad Keselowski’s car, which had its escape roof fly off during the race. He battled with the safety precaution, pitting many times and then eventually retiring from the race.

The race was the in-race debut for the Toyota Supra model. “I couldn’t tell that I was driving a different style of car,” said Brandon Jones, who also complimented the car’s look on the track.

Today is the eve of the Daytona 500, with drivers from the Xfinity race, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott making up part of the grid tomorrow. NASCAR will head to Atlanta next week, with the Xfinity series running the Rinnai 250 on Saturday in a doubleheader with the Gander Outdoors Truck Series holding the Atlanta 200 afterwards.

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