NXT - 9/9/15 Review

WWE NXT - 9/9/15 Review

Carmella vs Peyton Royce

This match was okay. Carmella is slowly getting better and experienced opponents like Royce and Billie Kay are where she is going to learn the most and, in turn, improve the most. Carmella won in 5:04.

Rating: *1/2

Bull Dempsey and Tyler Breeze vs Johnny Gargano and Tommasso Ciampa

It was obvious from the start that both Johnny and Tommasso were struggling a little bit to adapt to the slower WWE style of match, but since it was their first match, I won't be too hard on them. Johnny was definitely seeming to get used to the style a bit better than Ciampa and this was a decent little match. Breeze attacked Bull after they lost in 6:21.

Rating: **1/2

Dana Brooke vs Billie Kay

I really didn't enjoy this match much at all. Dana needs to improve a hell of a lot before she can be considered for Women's Title contention, and it speaks volumes that someone as good as Kay couldn't drag a decent match out of her. The match ended with Brooke winning in 5:21.

Rating: 1/4*

Samoa Joe and Finn Balor vs The Lucha Dragons

Awesome, awesome tag team match to close the show with. Joe and Balor seemed to have pretty good chemistry in the ring and I would love to see them go all the way to the finals. The MuscleBuster/Coup De Gras combination was really cool as a tag finisher, too.

Rating: ***3/4

Final rating: ***

This week's episode was up and down. Parts were good, parts were off. I dislike how little Bayley and The Vaudevillains have been featured since TakeOver, but, then again, it's a one hour show.

WWE - Summerslam 2015 Review

WWE Summerslam 2015 Review

Randy Orton vs Sheamus (**1/4)

This was a fine opening match that didn't go too long felt like it was just right. It was a solid opening contest and it delivered if you ask me. There were a couple of dope spots like the slingshot-RKO and Orton dumping Sheamus to the outside, but ultimately Mr. Money In The Bank walked away with the win.

The Prime Time Players vs The New Day vs The Lucha Dragons Los Matadores - WWE Tag Team Championships (***)

This match was absolutely nuts. It started off fairly normal, but towards the end, it descended into anarchy. There was crazy spot after crazy spot after crazy spot and I struggled to keep up with everything that was going on. Xavier Woods was amazing as usual and I couldn't be happier that the New Day won.

Rusev vs Dolph Ziggler (**1/4)

This match was similar to the opener. A solid lower card match. It didn't need to be amazing, but it was just the right balance of average and good to make it a decent match. There were some good spots in the match, but in the end, Ziggler managed to walk away with the win.

Stephen Amell and Neville vs Stardust and King Barrett (**1/4)

I'll preface this by saying that I was pleasantly surprised with just how good Amell was in the ring. He handled himself just fine and even though there were obviously a couple of mistakes, he mostly got things just about right. I had a feeling that the Arrows were gonna win and they did. This was a pretty gimmicky match but a fun one regardless.

Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper vs Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns (***)

This was on ok match. It went a couple of minutes too long in my opinion but I still enjoyed it. I honestly expected Ambrose to turn here but I'm really glad he didn't.

Ryback vs The Miz vs Big Show - WWE Intercontinental Championship (***)

I enjoyed this match a good deal. I've been loving Ryback's run since the start of the years and it was good to see him retain his title. The Miz didn't really do much offense wise other than a skull crushing finale. Ultimately Ryback managed to score the pin after throwing Big Show out of the ring and pinning Miz.

Seth Rollins vs John Cena - WWE World Heavyweight and United States Championships (****)

I'd say this was the best match do the card if Cesaro-Owens didn't happen. It was a really, really fun match and Rollins in white was a nice change. The only problem I had was Jon Stewart interfering and causing a major title change in a division supposed to be taken seriously. It was a good match other than that and one I was able to get into.

Team Bella vs Team PCB vs Team BAD (**)

I thought this was the weakest show on the card which is a shame since I'm a big fan of almost everyone involved, but this match just dragged. 

It went 10 minutes longer than it should have and I just started to lose interest. Sasha and every one for that matter deserve better treatment. The match at this show should have been Sasha/Paige/Becky/Charlotte or whoever vs Nikki. Having tag matches every show isn't gonna do anything for the division.

Cesaro vs Kevin Owens (****)

Hot damn, was this a good match. Both men are ridiculously popular and both got pops from the crowd throughout. This match was paced well and just a lot of fun to watch. I especially loved the apron spinning tope thing from Cesaro. The best match this show had to offer, I recommended checking it out.

The Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar

Considering that Undertaker is 50, this match was pretty incredible. It wasn't anything ridiculously special but it wasn't anything ridiculous bad either. The match was worked pretty well for the most part up until the ending which confused the fuck out of me. No idea.

Overall:

This show was hit and miss. It was largely good, but some parts just confused me, but in the end, I did enjoy it, so therefore I can't be too hard on it.

Final rating:

7.5/10

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Review

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Review

Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Tyler Breeze (***3/4)

This was a very fun little opener and a match I enjoyed a lot. Seeing Liger in a WWE ring was honestly surreal and I popped really hard for the selfie spot. Both Liger and Breeze had some pretty crazy spots in this match but ultimately Liger got the win. Not too long, not too short, just right. This match was really enjoyable.

Blake and Murphy vs The Vaudevillians (***1/2)

This was a match that I don't think many people expected to be amazing, but I guarantee they were blown away. Seeing Blue Pants come out at the start was great and this match was actually really good. The story was told well and you could really feel the emotion in the match with Aiden being cut off and desperate to make the tag. I loved the ending and I'm glad to say that I really like the Vaudevillians and I'm happy that they one. Even though I love BAMF.

Tye Dillenger vs Apollo Crews (**3/4)

This was a fine and simple debut for Apollo against pretty much a lifetime jobber now in Dillenger. Apollo looked really strong and it was a great debut for him. Not much else to say about this match.

Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin (***1/4)

I was really impressed by Baron in this match. His main criticism since debuting has been that people think he was a one-dimensional wrestler, but this match showed that he is working hard to improve in the ring and get better. Joe managed to help him along to a fine match. I look forward to seeing Baron improve over the next few months.

Sasha Banks vs Bayley - NXT Women's Championship (*****)

To say that I loved this match would be one hell of an understatement. This is far and away my match of the year. The raw emotion and storytelling was done so beautifully well and it just pushed a great match to a classic. The whole match, you could feel Bayley's struggle and I really wanted her to win, even though I'm a huge fan of Sasha. The wrestling itself was done perfectly and that top rope reverse rana was absolutely nuts. The ending was great and I just haven't felt that excited about something related to wrestling in a while. It was 3:43 in the morning, yet I still jumped out of my chair with excitement. When Becky and Charlotte came down, I honestly started to cry tears of joy. Legit. I was crying. It was an incredible moment and by far the greatest women's match I have ever seen and the match of the year. It takes something really, really special to top matches like Shinsuke Nakamura vs Hiroshi Tanahashi from NJPW's G1 Finals, Zack Sabre Jr vs Roderick Strong from PWG's Don't Sweat The Technique and Daisuke Sekimoto vs Yuji Okabayashi from BJW's Ryugokutan, but there's not a doubt in my mind that this match deserves every ounce of praise it's getting. Incredible. Sasha put in a hell of a performance, but on this night, Brooklyn belonged to Bayley.

Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor - NXT Championship (****1/4)

Balor and Owens were tasked with having to go out after the match of the year to try and outperform them, which is just an almost insurmountable challenge, but they sure as hell gave it their best shot. Owen's heel work was dope as usual and Balor was fantastic, like always. There were some absolutely insane spots throughout the match and I cringed really, really hard when Owens' head bounced off of the ladder. Eek. In the end this was still a great match.

Overall:

This is 100% the show of the year ANYWHERE so far. We saw the debut of a legend, 3 solid undercard matches, and Owens-Balor was a great match but Bayley vs Sasha was a ***** classic. I was legit blown away by how amazing that match was, but I shouldn't have been because the NXT women always deliver. We all witnessed the greatest women's match ever last night and it will go down in history as the night Bayley finally overcame the odds and became the Women's Champion. Honestly, that whole match just restored my investment in wrestling. Kudos to both Bayley and Sasha.

Final rating:

9.25/10

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn Predictions

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn Predictions

Finn Balor vs Kevin Owens - NXT Championship

My money is for sure on Balor. Heh, that rhymed. To put the belt back on a guy like Owens, who is pretty much a main roster guy now, would just be nonsensical, so I'm going to be backing Finn to win. Plus, if he did lose, it would make Beast In The East seem really pointless.

Winner: Finn Balor

Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs Tyler Breeze

I'm a pretty big Liger fan. I've seen a ridiculous amount of his matches and he is beyond a shadow of a doubt a legend. I also like Tyler Breeze. This match is pretty hard to pick a prediction for since, A. Having Breeze lose to Liger would hurt him, and, B. Having Liger stay away from WWE all those years only to lose to Tyler Breeze would seem kind of disrespectful to Jushin, but, I think it could finally be the thing Tyler needs to be turned into a legit NXT Title picture main event player.

Winner: Tyler Breeze

Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin

Joe came in with a lot of hype at the last Takeover. He left TNA and the indies to come to WWE which shocked everyone, and he appeared after the Owens-Zayn match, seemingly picking a fight with Owens. We were all excited at the prospect of an Owens-Joe match, but it just.. never happened for some reason. Anyway, it seems like this show will be Kevin's NXT farewell, so they need to find something else for Joe, and I think Corbin is a good opponent. He can learn from Joe and it gives Joe something to do. I'm a big fan of Corbin but I have a feeling that Joe is gonna win tonight.

Winner: Samoa Joe

Blake And Murphy vs The Vaudevillians - NXT Tag Team Championships

I like Blake and Murphy, but their whole tag title run has honestly just felt rushed. It seemed to me that the only reason they were given the titles was because they needed to get the Lucha Dragons on main TV quick and they were the only heels around to beat them. Regardless of that, I think they're going to retain here and eventually go on to be beaten by Enzo and Cass before the year is out. I also like The Vaudevillians but it wouldn't make much sense for them to get the win, in my view.

Winners: Blake and Murphy

Sasha Banks vs Bayley - NXT Women's Championship

There is only one way I see this match ending, and I am 100% happy about that. Bayley HAS to win the title tonight. All these weeks of build up and those great matches she's had lately against Charlotte and Becky would just mean nothing. It all feels eerily similar to the Balor-Owens scenario a month ago where they're building up the babyface to dethrone the champ who is leaving for the main roster. I love Sasha, but Bayley needs the win and that's what I see happening.

Winner: Bayley

WWE Summerslam 2015 Predictions

WWE Summerslam 2015 Predictions

The Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar

I see this match going one of two ways. Either Undertaker wins after a huge slugfest and gains his retribution, or some shenanigans happen at the end involving Sting or somebody else, causing Brock to win. It would be absolutely ridiculous for WWE to bring Undertaker back only to lose cleanly to Brock again. So, if we're gonna go into it, I say this match will be won by Lesnar after interference from Sting to set up Undertaker vs Sting at Wrestlemania next year.

Winner: Brock Lesnar

John Cena vs Seth Rollins - WWE World Heavyweight Championship

I see this match ending in a DQ with both men keeping their titles. Cena's US Title run has been great and he doesn't need the WWE Title, at least right now, same with Rollins, except he doesn't need the US Title. I don't necessarily want it to happen since it would make Rollins look even weaker than he already does, but it seems like the most likely scenario.

Winner: John Cena by DQ

Ryback vs The Miz vs The Big Show - Intercontinental Championship

The likeliest end, at least to me, feels like it's going to be Ryback overcoming the odds and hitting Big Show with a Shell Shock for the win. Miz will play up the cowardly hollywood heel stuff, as Ryback will walk away with the title, looking stronger than ever. He seems like the one who needs it most to me and I've really been enjoying his run.

Winner: Ryback

Cesaro vs Kevin Owens

There are two ways that WWE could go with this. Either, A, they put one man over the other and give them a huge amount of momentum, or they have Owens cheat to win and continue the feud over into NOC. Will Owens look cowardly? Yeah. But it seems like that's kind of his deal lately.

Winner: Cesaro by count out

Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper vs Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns

The most obvious choice here for a prediction would be to have The Wyatts over Reigns and Ambrose after Ambrose turns on Reigns. I don't want Ambrose to be a heel and associated with Harper and Bray but it damn sure seems the most likely thing right now.

Winners: Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt

The Prime Time Players vs Los Matadores vs The New Day vs The Lucha Dragons

Going by how much the New Day has been pushed as the PTP's main enemies, I think that they're gonna run away with the belts tonight. They're all doing a great job as heels and their previous run as champs was a lot of fun. I don't think The Matadores will win even though I like both of them and the same goes for the Dragons, really.

Winners: The New Day

Dolph Ziggler vs Rusev
After recent events, I see Ziggler going over after Raw this past week and I honestly just don't see Rusev winning this at all. I'd like him to, but, this is a list of predictions, not wishes. I see Ziggler winning and something with Lana and Summer happening.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Stephen Amell and Neville vs Stardust and King Barrett

I think it's pretty obvious that Amell and Neville are gonna get the win here. Rarely does a celebrity have a match at a PPV or a match at all just to lose and I just have a feeling that that's how things are gonna go down. Barrett has been made to look like a schlub lately and as much as I love Stardust, he's just kind of.. there right now.

Winners: Stephen Amell and Neville

Team Bella vs Team PCB vs Team B.A.D

I think Team Bella are gonna win this. Nikki, the current champion, has been made to look pretty poor in recent weeks and needs to get a win to gain back some credibility. It feels like it's what's gonna happen and it's necessary IMO if they want to take this feud further.

Winners: Team Bella

NJPW G1 Climax 25 Finals Review

NJPW G1 Climax 25 Finals Review

David Finlay, Mascara Dorada & Ryusuke Taguchi vs Jushin Liger, Sho Tanaka & Yohei Komatsu (**1/2)

Your usual 6 man tag team match to open the show. A fine match, but nothing to really write home about.

Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Captain New Japan vs Jay White, Manabu Nakanishi & Yuji Nagata (**1/2)

Again, similar to the first match, your usual opening 6 man tag. Worked fine throughout, but again, nothing ridiculously special, and there didn't need to be.

Michael Elgin vs YOSHI-HASHI (***)

An alright match. Elgin has been having the best matches of his career in Japan for sure, and he absolutely rocked Y-H with a forearm shot halfway through. He seems to be way more motivated than usual. Wasn't a huge fan of the no sell of the Superkick from Elgin, though. Regardless, a decent enough match.

Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii and Kazushi Sakuraba vs Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga (*3/4)

Weakest match on the show. I really don't like Takahashi and not even Sakuraba and Ishii could save this match for me. Nothing exciting.

Katsuroyi Shibata, Kota Ibushi and Hirooki Goto vs Tetsuya Naito, Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma (***1/2)

The most enjoyable 6 man tag on the show with some fun heel work from Naito and some solid action. The brawl at the end was pretty nuts and seemingly set some stuff up for the future.

IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships - reDRagon vs The Young Bucks (****)

This was absolutely the second best match on the card. reDRagon are the best tag team in the world today and this match certainly showed that. I haven't enjoyed a JHTT match like this in a long time. Cody Hall basically kidnapping Kyle was pretty damn funny too. A lot of exciting spots but ultimately the right team won.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship - Ricochet vs KUSHIDA (***3/4)

This was a very exciting match from top to bottom. Over the past few months I've grown to appreciate Ricochet more and more and KUSHIDA has been having the year of his career. Lots of crazy stuff in here, most notably KUSHIDA's tope to the floor from the top, and Ricochet's missed 630. KUSHIDA got the win and retained the title in a fun match.

AJ Styles, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson vs Kazuchika Okada, Matt Taven and Michael Bennett (***1/4)

The Kingdom are now in CHAOS, I guess. This was a fine tag team match and one that ended with AJ pinning Okada clean, which of course means he is in line for a title shot now. I had a good chuckle at the Styles and Anderson/Maria moment and all in all this match was pretty solid.

G1 Climax 25 Finals - Shinsuke Nakamura vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (*****)

Oh. My. Fucking. God. This match was amazing. Legit. I don't like to hand out the full ***** often but this match absolutely far and away deserves it. It doesn't quite top Ishii-Honma as my match of the year but it is damn close. Rarely do I ever say "Good lord above, that match was fucking perfect", but good lord above, that match was fucking perfect. I was on the edge of my seat from the start to the very end. The drama, psychology, wrestling, atmosphere, and pretty much everything else was nailed down to a t. This genuinely had a "big fight feel", and even though I'm a huge Nakamura fan and really wanted him to win, I can't even be mad that Tanahashi won because of how good that match was. So, I guess we currently have Tanahashi vs Okada set for WK10? That is of course if Tanahashi doesn't have to defend his cup.

Overall

This was a great show. The main event, Ricochet-KUSHIDA, and the Jr Tag Title match are all must watch, IMO. The rest of the card was pretty much your standard New Japan undercard but this show was still awesome.

Final rating

8.75/10

WWE Presents: Beast In The East Review

WWE Presents: Beast In The East

A very fun, enjoyable show and something different from WWE. 

 Chris Jericho vs Neville

Fantastic way to open the show. At 44 years old, Chris Jericho can still go, my god. Neville, as always, was on fire. Many cool spots throughout the match, especially the Super Liontamer and Tope Moonsault. A lot of fun to watch. (***3/4) 

 Nikki Bella vs Paige vs Tamina Snuka - WWE Divas Championship

Far better than the triple threat from Elimination Chamber involving Naomi. Naomi is just too green to be taken seriously as a championship contender in my view. Not too much can be said about this match other than it was an improvement over others in recent weeks and Paige looked hot as hell. (**) 

 Brock Lesnar vs Kofi Kingston

What did Kofi do to deserve this? Absolute murder from Lesnar. Destroyed Kofi in just over a minute, and that isn't even the worst part - Big E and Xavier were rekt too. Makes me sad to see 3 very talented men be treated like that. Regardless, at least Brock looked strong. (Not going to rate since it was only a minute long) 

 Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor - NXT Championship

Match of the night, without a doubt. Balor absolutely deserved this win. Owens built up some good heel heat, and the whole payoff with Finn fighting back to achieve his dream in the country that made him famous felt great. Awesome match. Kevin almost made me squeal with the Package Piledriver setup. (****) 

John Cena and Dolph Ziggler vs King Barrett and Kane

Despite the fact that people complained about this match being too long, it was fine for a tag team match, and something different since Barrett was included. The Japanese fans love John Cena, and it was nice to see them showing him some respect. Good ending to a very good, enjoyable night, ahem, morning. (***) Overall, this was a good show. Different, fun, and above all else, enjoyable. Overall, I give it ***3/4.