Tag: baron corbin

The People vs. GCW live results: Hammerstein Ballroom return

Posted on by Joseph Collins

For the first time in three years, GCW will return to the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City for The People vs. GCW.

After a big build, their January 2022 debut received mixed-to-negative reviews which GCW owner Brett Lauderdale will try to erase tonight.

GCW Champion Mance Warner defends against a mystery opponent while the next challenger will be decided in a bout between partners Effy and Allie Katch.

GCW Tag Team Champions Violence is Forever defend against Alec Price & Cole Radrick while the GCW Extreme title and Ultraviolent title will be unified in an eight-person match.

In what should be an athletic affair, El Hijo del Vikingo will take on Sidney Akeem while Tom Pestock (the former Baron Corbin) will debut in a Bloodsport rules match against Josh Barnett.

Former ECW stars Super Crazy, Little Guido & Tajiri will face Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel with another former ECW star — Masato Tanaka — will go one-on-one with Joey Janela.

The card will also feature Matt Cardona against a mystery opponent, a steel cage match and more.

**********

Kick Off Show.

There was a 90 minute kick off show. It started off with clips of matches from various GCW events that set up tonight’s matches. There was a pretty good Matt Cardona hype video.

Preshow Scramble Match: Manders pinned Marcus Mathers in a match which also had Mr. Danger, Marcus Mathers, Fuego Del Sol, Rich Swann and Blake Christian (11:03)

The arena was still mostly empty at the start of the match, but there was still a booming GCW chant from the crowd that was there. Mathers got to look good in an exchange with Del Sol, and the commentators put over he was WWE’ID. Christian did some ariel stuff with Mr. Danger and Swann. The opening few minutes were two guys doing stuff in the ring, four guys selling on the floor.

Christian hit a snap spinning powerslam on Del Sol. Manders (the only guy in the match who isn’t super flippy) got dropped with a quadruple superkick. Christian hit a fosbury flop onto four guys on the floor. Mr. Danger hit a top rope springboard moonsault onto all five guys. Back in the ring, Christian hit Danger with a top rope Spanish Fly. There was a stacker superplex on Swann, and then Fuegeo hit Manders with a coast-to-coast dropkick. Del Sol hit a springboard DDT on Christian, and Dangers hit a moonsault on Del Sol. Mathers hit a fisherman’s bustper on Danger. Manders tossed Matthers out of the ring with a suplex, and Christian took him out with a superkick. Christian followed up with a 450 foot stomp.

Swann caught Manders with a springboard cuter for a near fall. Manders hit a destoryer off the top on Del Sol while he was on Manders shoulders. Mathers dove into a Oklahoma stampede from Manders, who finished him off with a lariat. All those flips and the finish was a clothesline.

– Allie Katch and Effy gave promos ahead of their top contender’s match later.

PCO won the Kick-Off Rumble.

There were already a bunch of guys brawling in the ring with this started, but then there were more entrants every minute or two. First was Crowbar, who came in and hit everyone with a crowbar. Zeyda Steel (who is a woman) entered next and actually got the corwbar from Crowbar. The tag team champions from Juggalo Championship Wrestling, The Back Seat Boys, (brought out by the Insane Clown Posse) enterted next. Sam Stackhouse was the next entrant. This was just a mess.

Shane Mercer came in next. There were so many men in the ring I was started to fear it might break. Brook Havoc (another woman) entered next. She was followed by CPA, an accountant. Big Vin was the next entrant and he gave someone a big chokeslam. The final participant was PCO.

PCO tossed a bunch of guys. Havoc eliminated Steel. Shane Mercer eliminated the Back Seat Boys. The camera cut to a wide shot, but you couldn’t really tell what was goign on. Sam Stackhouse use a cartwheel kick to eliminate someone. Havoc sent Stackhouse (who weighed like 400 pounds) to the floor with a rana. Shane Mercer then gorilla pressed Havoc and dumped her onto a crowd on the floor. This left him with PCO. They fought onto the apron, where PCO chokeslammed Mercer to the floor and got the victory.

After the match, PCO got the microphone and smashed a TNA championship belt (the Digital Media title) with a sledgehammer. PCO started running down TNA and the show quickly cut away from PCO and went to a pretaped package.

I guess PCO wasn’t happy in TNA.

– Brett Lauderdale crows about his ticket sales and how they’re better than any show that ran in this building “in the last 30 days or so.” He put over GCW’s success and promised to bring it to all 50 states. He talked up how GCW was successful without a coprorate TV contract or “a billion dollar safety net.” He also recognized some GCW fans who have passed away, including his mother. He rambled on for way too long.

– Dave Prazak joined the commentary team.

The People vs. GCW Main Show

Dave Prazak and Veda Scott were on commentary for the main show.

Matt Tremont won the DLC Match for the GCW Ultraviolent Championship & Extreme Championship which also featured Drew Parker, Dr. Redacted, Rina Yamashita, Matthew Justice, Ciclope, John Wayne Murdoch, Brandon Kirk, and Maki Itoh (15:55)

Most of the entrances occurred during the pre-show. “DLC” means “Doors, ladders and chairs” with the two belts hanging above the ring. This was the retirement match of Brandon Kirk, win lose or draw. Murdoch grabbed a mic and declared that Itoh didn’t not belong in the match, and he was jumped by everyone else to start the match. Itoh is the “Extreme” champion, which is one of the belts hanging above the ring. Parker & Murdoch climbed a ladder and were yanked down by their groins by Yamashita. Itoh did the Terry Funny spinning ladder spot. Guys threw chairs at each other’s heads, then came off the top rope with chair shots to the head. Cicople gave Yamashita a spinebuster. Cicople hit a springboard moonsault onto a pile on the floor. The pan to a crowd shot, but I gotta say the building looked a lot better when AEW was in it last month.

Brandon Kirk went through the first door. Murdoch hit Parker with a destroyer. Itoh hit Murdoch and Justice with a spinning DDT. Kirk went for a pumphandle slam, but Itoh countered that with another spinning DDT. Itoh hit a dive onto a pile on the floor. Nobody has made any attempt to get the belts.

Yamashita and Redacted tried to come off of opposite corners while wearing trash cans, but wound up crashing into each other. Now the match has just stopped while everyone builds ladder struckers in the ring and door/table structures on the floor. Yamashita and Cicople double-teamed Redacted, suplexing a ladder onto him. Out of the ring, Itoh and Murdoch were laid out on tables by Parker. On the top of a ladder, Cicople forced a kiss onto Yamashita, then superplexed to the floor through some tables. Then Drew Parker came off the top of another ladder with a swanton through Itoh and Murdoch. Then on a ladder-scaffold, Justice gave Redacted a death valley driver through a table against the ring barricade. This left Kirk to climb the ladder, but Drew Parker cut him off. Kirk then gave him a pump handle powerpomb through the ladder.

With everyone down, Kirk set up another ladder-scaffold before starting to climb for the belt. Murdoch low-blowed Kirk and sent him through the ladder he’d just set up. Oh the irony! Matt Tremont and Murdoch climb a ladder, and Tremont stopped him by hacking away at him with a fork, sending Tremont crashing down. Tremont pulled down both belts to win the titles.

– A pre-match video on Allie Hatch had me convinced she was winning tonight.

Effy defeated Allie Katch by decision for the GCW World Title shot in the Main Event (4:35)

Katch backdropped Effy to the floor and followed him out with a tope. Katch’s head ended up under the guardrail, but the commentators said she injured her leg. Later it was confirmed she injured her leg. Effy broke character checking on Katch, and the show cut to a wide shot while Katch was tended to by the crew.

Mance Warner (the champion) came out and attacked Effy with the title belt. Warner chokeslammed Effy through the time keeper’s table. Effy was declared the winner in what was obviously not the planned finish.

The New York OG’s (Homicide, Grim Reefer & Amazing Red) defeated Real F’n Pros (Kerry Morton, Tony Deppen, Griffin McCoy) after a lot of time killing.

Kerry Morton started a pre-match promo by saying “It’s a damn shame that GCW gets real professional wrestlers” and immediately became the babyface for me. There was a lot of mic work that felt like it was trying to fill the time left from the last match. And there was really no need for that.

Then, an announcement is made that they can’t actually start the match because “the commission” was not at ringside because they were dealing with the Allie Katch injury. This led to Morton grabbing another mic to run down some more people. The Real F’n Pros decide to leave since they’ve already been paid. Homicide got a mic and started cursing and demanded someone ring the bell. The Grim Reefer offered to hunt down the commissioner and “slap him in his f*n face.”

The finally cut away for some pre-tapes.

The match got underway once a second ambulance got on site. The first ambulance took Allie Katch to the hospital after her leg injury.

Morton did some great heel work from the apron while Deepen was triple teamed by the OG’s. Morton pulled a joint out from behind the Grim Reefer’s ear and broke it in half. Reefer sold for the heels. Morton’s heel work was tremendous. Reefer was completely gassed taking basic punishment from the Real Pros. Reefer pulled out another joint, lit it, then hit a top rope dive onto Deepen and McCoy. Homicide got the tag and took out Deepen and Morton with cutters. Morton’s team triple-teamed Homicide. Morton grabbed Homicide’s fork, but Ricky Morton ran in and took the fork away from his kid, then gave him a destroyer. A Code Red and A Cop Killer ended the match for the New York OG’s.

After the match, Amazing Red was inducted into the 2025 Independent Wrestling Hall of Fame. This would have been a great thing to do when they were trying to kill time before the match.

The Gahbage Daddies (Cole Radrick & Alec Price) defeated Violence is Forever (Kevin Ku and Dominic Garrini) for the GCW Tag Team Championship (14:28)

The match spilled to the floor very early. The Gahbage Daddies went for spinning DDTs on the floor, but they were blocked. Price was dropped with a brainbuster on the ring apron. Back in the ring, the champs double-teamed Radrick. This led to some pretty good old-school tag psychology where Vioence is Forever kept cutting off Radrick from getting the tag to Price.

Price finally got the tag and hit a blockbuster on Ku for a near fall. Price hit knee strikes on the champs. Garrini ate several kicks, and Price hit him with a top rope splash for two. Garrini dropped Price with a northern lights bomb. Ku hit a Regalplex on Price (with a boot from Garrini for good measure) for a near fall. Price and Garrini took each other out with a double clothesline.

Ku and Radrick exchanged forearms, and Ku caught him with a sleeper. Garrini had Price locked in a submission, but Radrick broke that up. Ku hit a brainbuster on Radrick, but Drake came off the top with a swanton bomb to break the pin up. Ku and Garrini hit Radrick with a spike piledriver, but it only got two.

Radrick hit an inverted powerbomb for a near fall. The Gahbage Daddies went for their finisher, but the champs countered it, and Ku dropped Drake with a top turnbuckle brainbuster. The Gahbage Daddies made a fast comeboack on Ku, hitting him with a cutter and a rebound lariat. Then then hit their finish, the Gahbage Disposal (a top rope stop from an electric chair) on Ku to get the pinfall and the championship.

This was decent. The Garbage Daddies went into the crowd to celebrate their title win.

Charles Mason defeated Richard Holliday in a Steel Cage Match (12:17)

Holiday reported Mason for murder, but apparently the charges didn’t stick and now we have this cage match. Because a snitch is worse than a murderer, according to commentary. During the entrance for Mason, various criminals are shown on the screen and Luigi Mangione gets a face pop.

Mason seems to understand his character, I will give him that. Mason was pretty dominant early. He sent Holliday headfirst into the cage but walked into a cutter. Holliday sent Mason into the cage headfirst but it didn’t faze him. Holliday hiptossed Mason into the cage to finally slow him down. They brawled up to the top of the cage. Holliday tumbled to the mat, and Mason came off the top of the cage with an elbow.

Perro (Holliday’s ally) broke into the cage and chokeslammed Mason. Mason kicked out of the pin attempt, so Perro threw a door and some chairs into the ring. Perro set up Mason for a powerbomb through the door, but Mason’s ally Slade entered the ring and speared Perro through the door. The wooden door set up like a table, not the cage door. Slade and Perro brawled out of the cage and into the crowd.

Holiday found a chain, but Mason had a chair and beat Holiday to the punch. With the chair, I mean. Mason went for a last big swing, but Holliday caught him with a low blow. Holliday admitting to snitching on Mason and leveled him with a superkick. Holliday hit a spinning suplex for one. Mason hit a spinning lariat and a meteoria in the corner. Mason hit a death valley driver for two, then locked in a sleeperhold. Holiday went for a suplex, but Mason countered into another sleeper, and locked in a body scissors. Holiday tried to use the chain to break it, but Mason grabbed it and used it to choke out Holliday to get the win via ref stoppage. This wasn’t too bad, either.

Sidney Akeem defeated El Hijo Del Vikingo (10:38)

Some pretty great mat stuff started things out. Vikingo offered Akeem a handshake, but he declined and hit a crossbody and a forearm. Vikingo came back with a superkick. Akeem went for a suplex to the floor, but Vikingo escaped with a knee and a kick. Akeem dodged a dive from Vikingo and hit him with a bodypress on the floor from the apron, basically on his back.

Back in the ring, Akeep hit a top rope crossbody for a near fall. Vikingo came back with a missle dropkick off the top that sent Akeem to the floor. Vikingo hit a tope and immediately grabbed his left knee. Back in the ring, Vikingo hit a frog splash for two. Akeem hit a spin kick and a pump handle slam for a near fall. Vikingo hung up Akeem in the ropes and hit a double stomp for a near fall. Both guys avoided cutters and knocked each other down simultaneously with kicks.

Akeem hit his handspring cutter (The Final Act) for two. Vikingo crotched Akeem on the top rope, then hit a destoryer from the top rope onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Akeem hit the Final Act a second time and got the pinfall.

Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel defeated Tajiri, Super Crazy & Little Guido (12:35)

The ECW guys looked very old. Guildo did soem pretty good matwrok, and Tajiri hit some crisp arm drags. Super Crazy kept up with Arez desipte putting on a good deal of weight since his ECW days. A cheap shot from Arez led to all six guys getting in the ring, and Cartwheel’s team triple teamed Crazy and sent him to the floor. Arez stomped on Little Guido, and Cartwheel hit a slingshot elbow off the ropes. He went to the top for a skytwister press, but Guido rolled out of the way.

Crazy got the tag and hit his opponents with clotheslines. Tajiri took out Loco and Arez with the handspring elbow. Tajiri and Crazy tied them up with tarantuals, and Guildo locked Cartwheel in an armbar. The fight then went to the floor.

Super Crazy climed up the second level balcony and hit a moonsualt on the pile. That’s an insane risk considering what’s already happened on this show. The match eventually went back to the ring, and Arez and Crazy each lock one of their opponents into a surfboard. Arez sent Crazy to the floor, and Loco and Cartwheel followed out and hit him with dives. Arez then hit the pile with a moonsualt to the floor of his own.

Back in the ring, Tajiri misted the referee. Arez then hit Tajiri with the red mist! Loco hit Guido with a split legged moonsault and got the pinfall.

This show feels like it’s been on forever.

Josh Barnett v. Tom Pestock in a “Bloodsport Fight” (10:04)

Pestcok is the former Baron Corbin, but he has legitimate Golden Gloves and BJJ experience. This match has a 15 minute time limit with a five minute overtime if necessary. The ropes have been removed from the ring for this.

Pestock got a takedown and then a heel hook. Barnett looked like he might have an armbar, but Pestock countered and got in a full mount and turned that into a cross arm breaker. Barnett escaped and caught Pestock with some short rights. Pestock threw some elbows into Barnett’s ribs. Barnett got a headlock, but Pestock countered with a headscissors and then went right back into a cross arm breaker again. Barnett was able to block it. Barnett rolled up on Pestock and went for ankle, but Pestock was able to roll on top to counter. Pestock got on top and drove some knees into Barnett’s ribs, then went into a guillotine. Barnett countered that with a suplex, then locked in an armar into a cross arm breaker. Pestock tried to power out, but Barnett countered into a knee bar. Pestock escaped and started pummeling him with forearms. Pestock hit a verticual suplex and some more forearms. Barnett got on top and hit a punches, but Pestock rolled over and fired back.

Both men got to their feet, and Barnett went after Pestock with kicks to the legs. Pestock blocked a kick and leveled Barnett, then hit a pair of backdrop suplexes. Barnett countered a third with a go-behing and went for another legbar, locked it in and Pestock (who had been the crowd favorite) had to tap out.

I don’t’ know what it was but the crowd was into Pestock.

Megan Bayne defeated Atticus Cogar (13:49)

Cogar wore headgear exactly like Bayne’s. Bayne quickly hit a spear for a near fall. Bayne backdropped Cogar and hit a chop in the corner. Bayne buried knees in Cogar’s midsection and hit a spalsh in the corner, then followed that up with a butterfly suplex. Sliding lariat got Bayne a near fall. Cogar shoved Bayne off the turnbuckles to the floor.

Cogar draped Bayne across the barricades and came off the apron with a splash. Cogar set up a table on the floor. Cogar caught Bayne coming in the ring with a DDT for a near fall. Cogar kicked a chair into Bayne’s face. Cogar tried to drive skewers into Bayne’s head but missed. They exchanged German suplexes, and Cogar hit a half and half suplex and a superkick. Cogar found some more skewers and shoved them into every corner of the ring.

Bayne came back with forearms and an overhead belly to belly suplex. Cogar went for a crossbody, but Bayne caught him and gave him a fallaway slam into a steel chair. Cogar hit a headbutt, then came off the top with a stomp for a near fall.

Bayne escaped an air rad crash and hit a sitout powerbomb for two. Bayne went to the top, but Cogar caught her with a kick. Cogar followed him up and hit an air raid crash that was supposed to be on the apron but they went straight to the floor. They went back into the ring and Bayne kicked out of a cover attempt. Bayne hit Cogar with an F5 for a near fall. Bayne grabbed some of the skewers, but before she could skewer him, Otis Cogar (Atticus’ brother) ran in and gave Bayne an uranage, then a moonsault. But Atticus only got a near fall. Otis went for a second moonsault, but Sawyer Wreck sprayed him with a fire extinguisher. Wreck then hit Atticus with a taser, and Bayne hit a tombstone on Atticus to get the pinfall.

Joey Janela defeated Masato Tanaka (12:38)

I don’t think having this many guys who were stars in ECW 30 years ago is the flex the guys running this thing think it is. Tanaka turned Jalena inside-out with a clothesline. Janela dropped Tanaka with a death valley driver on the ring apron. Janela set up some tables on one side of the ring. Jalena then walked Tanaka over to the tables and whipepd him into the ring barricade. Tanaka sent Jalena over the ring barricade and hit him with a chair. Janela then positioned himself onto a table for Tanaka to dive onto him.

Tanaka then threw a bunch of chairs in the ring. Back in the ring, Janela cuaght Tanaka with a DDT. Tanaka hit Jalena with a swinging DDT into the pile of chairs. Janela suplexed Tanaka into the pile of chairs. Then back onto the apron , and Janela powerbombed Tanaka through the table on the floor.

Jalena set up the chairs in the ring. He went for a powerbomb, but Tanaka countered with an elbow and hit Diamond Dust for a near fall. An elbow sent Janela into the chairs and Tanaka went to the top, but Janela caught him. Janela superplexed Tanaka through the chairs and got a one count. Janela hit Tanaka with a pair of chair shots to the head for two.

Janela threw a door and a table into the ring while Tanaka grabbed his head. Janela set Tanaka up in the corner for a superplex, but Tanaka turned it into a spinning DDT into the table. Jalena kicked out at two. Janela sent Tanaka through the door with a death valley driver.

They fought with chairs and forearms in the center of the ring. The each hit rolling elbows and knocked each other down. Janela hit a superkick, then a package piledriver on a steel chair to get the pinfall.

Janela grabbed the mic afterwards and said, “it’s been a long f*cking night.” Yeah, no kidding. Janela got the crowd to give Tanaka ovation. Janela started to talk about his spring break show and the lights went dark. Then clips of Sabu were shown. Including stuff from ECW, Raw, and WCW so I don’t know how they’re getting away with that. Anyway the lights came back up and Sabu was in the ring with Janela. Janela announced that Sabu would have his retirement match with Janela at his spring break show.

Matt Cardona defeated Tommy Invincible (1:44)

Cardona cut a promo about how he’s carried GCW on his back for the last four years. Tommy Invincible has a social media following, and the crowd doesn’t respond well to him. Cardona hit Radio Silence right out of the gate, but it only got two. Invincible hit a pair of knees and then did a John Cena impression to a lot of boos. Invincible hit a fistdrop and a cutter for a near fall. The crowd was not having any of this. Cardona hit a low blow and another Raido Silence and that was it.

So after destroying that nobody, Cardona demands more competition.

Matt Cardona defeated Micro Man

It’s midnight, are these guys serious? The smallest wrestler alive Micro Man came out to wrestle Cardona. Cardona won this match after a low blow when his second, Jimmy Lloyd, pulled the ref out of the ring. Cardona demanded another opponent.

Jimmy Lloyd defeated Matt Cardona (2:12)

Lloyd was Cardona’s second, who turned on Cardona and hit him with Radio Silence. Lloyd hit him with a boot wash and a superkick, then dropped him with a big piledriver and got the pinfall.

Effy defeated Mance Warner for the GCW Championship (19:07)

Warner is trying to start fights with the crowd around ringside. Also it looks like there are a lot of empty seats in the Ballroom. Probably because it’s well past midnight.

Effy started off fast and hit a pair of boots in the corner, but Warner grabbed the title belt and walloped Effy with it. The fight went to the floor and Warner dominated with chops and bit Effy’s forehead. Effy suplexed Warner on the floor. Effy whipped Warner into the ringpost and into the guardrail. Effy threw some chairs in the ring.

Back in the ring, Effy hit Warner with a chair, then dropped him crotch-first onto a chair. Effy went for a cannonball off the top, but Warner moved and Effy hit the chair. Warner hit Effy with a chair. Warner then chokeslammed Effy into the edge of a set-up steel chair. What was left of the crowd was behind Effy, and they definitely weren’t as loud as they were earlier in the night. Warner set up some more chairs in the ring. Effy sent Warner into the chairs with the TKO. Effy followed up with a tombstone into a set up chair.

Effy smashed Warner with a door. Warner hit him with the door. Warner tried to springboard into Effy, but Effy caught him and spinebustered him threw the door. Effy gave him a curbstomp into a chair for another near fall.

Effy threw more doors and chairs into the ring. Any booker with good sense would have sent these guys home by now. The crowd does not care about any of this. Effy and Warner fought on the apron, and Warner tried a piledriver through the table and it didn’t break and both guys are out of it. And the crowd couldn’t care less.

Back in the ring, Effy kicks out of a pin attempt. The crowd barely reacts. Warner goes to the floor to throw more stuff around. Warner hit a member of the ring crew with a steel chair. Back in the ring, Warner put a door across some steel chairs (a “door bridge” the commentators called it). Warner DDT’d Effy off the top through the door, and Effy kicks out. And maybe four people clapped.

Warner dumped Effy to the floor and demanded a count out. Effy got in before the ref counted ten, so Warner dumped him out again. Effy made it back in the ring, and Warner beat him with a steel chair. Warner hit him with a knee for one, and finaly the crowd reacted a bit. Warner pulled a screwdriver out of his boot, and Effy hit a spear. Effy got the screwdriver and hit Warner in the head. Effy gutwrench powerbombed Warner through the door, but it only got one. Warner countered a Radio Silence attempt with a powerbomb, then hit a DDT for another near fall.

Warner then left the ring to grab a guitar. But Cole Radrick ran in and stopped him. Radrick pulled out a brass ring (which would get him a title shot), but Radrick didn’t use it. Instead, he gave Effy the guitar and left. Effy hit Warner with the guitar, then hit the Radio Silence (which he calls the Sack Ryder), and got the pinfall. The win got barely any crowd reaction.

This show was about two hours too long. There’s only so many times you can see guys get hit with chairs or go through tables or doors before it gets redundant. And I’d guess about 1/2 the crowd left before the end of it.

Baron Corbin to make GCW debut at Hammerstein Ballroom event

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Baron Corbin is heading to GCW.

The company announced that Corbin, going under real name Tom Pestock, will be making his debut for the company on Sunday at their Hammerstein Ballroom event The People vs. GCW. He will be taking on Josh Barnett in a Bloodsport rules match.

“Pestock is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist & Golden Gloves Champion entering Bloodsport for the 1st time,” he company noted in their announcement.

Pestock commented on social media soon after the match was announced, writing “Grit your teeth and protect your neck!!”

This will be Pestock’s first match on the independent scene since his release from WWE last November. Pestock, along with Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox were all released from WWE at the same time. 

The People vs. GCW is scheduled for Sunday, January 19, 2025, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. It will air live on Triller as a pay-per-view.

The People vs. GCW announced lineup:

  • GCW World Champion Mance Warner defends against Effy or Allie Katch
  • Effy vs. Allie Katch (winner challenges Mance Warner later in the night)
  • GCW Tag Team Champions Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku defend against Cole Radrick & Alec Price
  • Doors, Ladders & Chairs match for the vacant GCW Ultraviolent Championship: Matt Tremont vs. Brandon Kirk vs. Drew Parker vs. John Wayne Murdoch vs. Matthew Justice vs. Dr. Redacted
  • Super Crazy, Tajiri & Little Guido vs. Arez, Gringo Loco & Jack Cartwheel
  • Masato Tanaka vs. Joey Janela
  • El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Sidney Akeem
  • Bloodsport match: Josh Barnett vs. Tom Pestock
  • Steel cage match: Charles Mason vs. Richard Holliday
  • Megan Bayne vs. Atticus Cogar
  • Matt Cardona vs. TBA
  • NYC OGs (Homicide, Grim Reefer, and Amazing Red) vs. Tony Deppen, Kerry Morton & Griffin McCoy 
  • PCO, Maki Itoh, and more set to compete
  • Sabu returns to GCW

Daily Update: WWE-Netflix, AEW Dynamite, Baron Corbin

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • A big new issue of the Observer up on the site.  Special note that we’ve had a lot of people contact us both about the Rey Misterio Sr. and Tijuana wrestling story and the breakdown of every PPV this year and how they did.  Highlights of the issue:
  • WWE expanding television in 2025 and the biggest unanswered questions
  • A look at international deals with WWE’s move to Netflix.  What countries will still have TV deals, where Raw won’t be on Netflix, and what this means to AEW and TNA and the scoreboard of who has gotten what. And what is potentially the biggest international deal and when it will be open.
  • The Auditorio in Tijuana and Rey Misterio Sr., a look at the biggest matches in a building that should be on the list as a major wrestling arena that nobody ever talks about, plus how did Rey Mysterio, Konnan, Psicosis and others get their start and looking back at the biggest matches in Rey Misterio Sr.’s career
  • Drawing money and a look at how every PPV show in 2024 did, to see what does and doesn’t work as far as being a PPV headliner, covering WWE, AEW and TNA and every show so far this year.
  • The Battle of Orlando and where things stand for Worlds End.
  • Full coverage of ROH Final Battle
  • WWE’s holiday special in MSG and a look back at how the show has done since 2010.
  • Death of Jax Dane
  • The most detailed look at the TV ratings for all the major shows,including placings, competition, segment-by-segment and more.
  • The Gran Alternative tournament and its history at picking future stars
  • Stardom’s big show the week of the Tokyo Dome.
  • NOAH preparing for Budokan Hall show.
  • More news on the Tokyo Dome shows.
  • New Japan notes for San Jose.
  • St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • RevPro show notes
  • Notes on upcoming North American stadium shows.
  • Lots of thoughts on booking
  • Upcoming ticket sales for WWE & AEW events
  • More on Lee Fitting.
  • Why there’s a very real chance the Janel Grant lawsuit will be thrown out and why, and what it will take for that not to happen.
  • McIntyre makes fun of Punk

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Wednesday Update

WWE

  • The WWE Raw archive from 2022 through the second-to-last episode of 2024 is now available on Netflix in a section called “Raw Vault.” In addition to that, select episodes from 1993-2001 have been uploaded. There are currently:
    • Seven episodes from 1993
    • Four from 1994
    • Nine from 1995
    • 13 from 1996
    • 16 from 1997
    • 20 from 1998
    • 16 from 1999
    • Nine from 2000
    • Five from 2001
    • 52 from each of 2022, 2023, and 2024
  • Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Stepanie McMahon, and Linda McMahon were at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago in Florida last night for Trump’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
  • Levesque tweeted out a video marking the end of 2024 and hyping Raw’s Netflix premiere:
    • That is a wrap on 2024. We went all over the globe, we sold out, we set records, we lit the world on fire. And I can tell you this, Jan. 6 is right around the corner – Netflix, and you ain’t seen nothing yet. Are you ready?
  • WWE and AEW both paid tribute to Sweet Daddy Siki following his passing at 91 years old.
  • On Instagram, Raquel Rodriguez made a post reflecting on the highs and lows she experienced in 2024 during her recovery from mast cell activation syndrome:
    • The highs and lows of 2024. Despite not knowing how this year would go I’m so grateful for how it turned out.
    • More time with family.
    • Traveled to Bali alone.
    • Made friends in Guadalajara MX.
    • Healed physically and emotionally.
    • Returned to my dream job and the amazing people in it.
    • Not every day will be perfect but not everyday will be bad either. Be easy on yourself, allow yourself to feel the things but don’t stay stuck there. Everyday is a new day. A new start. A new adventure.
    • Booked, busy and blessed
    • Happy New Year
  • Rodriguez posted today:
    • Woke up a little red and itchy around my eyes. Not too sure what could have caused it but this time last year I would have been making myself sick stressing over it. Today I just plan to lay in the sun, soak up some rays with my bare feet in the grass. Pay no mind to the rash and be more present in this moment. Grateful for the little things like sunshine, good people and healing food.
  • Former WWE wrestler Donovan Dijak reacted to his triple threat match against Oba Femi and Josh Briggs winning Match of the Year in the 2024 NXT Year-End Awards: “I really can’t put into words how much this means to me. Thank you to Oba, Josh, Matt, Shawn, and Hornet for helping me create something special. Stay tuned because we are just getting started.”
  • Cody Rhodes read the story “Gigantic” on the New Year’s Day edition of the BBC series CBeebies Bedtime Story.
  • Michin said facing Natalya (who she lost to on WWE Speed this week) for the first time was a bucket list moment:
    • FIRST TIME EVER! I finally got to wrestle @NatbyNature! I remember her giving me advice in my Extra days. She always pushed for me and rooted for me. A true legend I’ve always wanted to wrestle. Finally got to check this off my bucket list.
  • R-Truth was the guest on the latest episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
  • Sam Roberts interviewed Karrion Kross on Notsam Wrestling.
  • WWE Shop has launched a new collection of Los Angeles-themed merchandise for the start of John Cena’s farewell tour.

AEW/Other Wrestling

  • Swerve Strickland vs. Roderick Strong vs. Jay White has been added to the card for AEW Dynamite tonight. The winner receives the number one spot in next week’s Casino gauntlet match.
  • AEW content launched on Max today with every Dynamite episode from 2019 and every PPV from 2019 now available to stream. AEW TV programming from the end of 2024 has also been uploaded (the October 30 Dynamite through the December 21 Collision).
  • Deonna Purrazzo and Matt Menard were in attendance at the Citrus Bowl yesterday between the University of Illinois and South Carolina. Illinois players celebrated with an AEW World title belt after their victory.
  • Purrazzo is featured in a commercial for Southern New Hampshire University, where she graduated with a degree in history in 2023.
  • Tony Khan sent out a tweet last night thanking everyone who watched AEW in 2024.
  • ABC 13 News in Asheville, North Carolina spoke with Adam Copeland & Dax Harwood ahead of tonight’s Fight for the Fallen edition of Dynamite.
  • Copeland discussed his role in AEW during an interview with The Takedown:
    • I’ve always said I’m a designated hitter. Where do you need me? Okay, right now we’re moving into Max. You want a recognizable face? Got it. Okay, you need me for this right now. Well, then let’s do me and Mox right now then. That’s how I look at things, more so than I gotta go from this story, to this story, to this story. Where are we as a company? Where do you need me? You need my face here, for right now, coming off an Emmy nomination, all those things. I get it. Cool. Put me here. Let’s go.
  • AEW photographer Dakota Runnels – the daughter of Dustin Rhodes & Terri Runnels – announced that she and her husband are expecting their second child. The baby will be another boy: “Happy New Year!!! Rowan’s getting a tag team partner this year. Little brother coming in June!”
  • Nic Nemeth listed Leon Slater, Jordynne Grace, KC Navarro, Kenny Omega, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Adam Cole, and Jeff Hardy as wrestlers he wants to face in 2025.
  • Tom Pestock (former WWE wrestler Baron Corbin) tweeted today that he is officially a free agent: “I’m officially no longer under contract since i was not fired. I was told they were not extending. So if you’re making a horror movie, let me know ha ha ha ha New year, no contract, let’s see what we can create”

Kurt Angle reacts to Baron Corbin’s WWE departure, Corbin responds

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Update —

Baron Corbin posted the following tweet reacting to Kurt Angle’s comments:

**********

Now that Baron Corbin’s WWE career is over, Kurt Angle feels “a little disappointed” that the company didn’t do more with Corbin after WrestleMania 35.

Angle wrestled the final match of his career at that 2019 event, losing to Corbin on his way out. Angle thought that WWE would do more with Corbin and make him a top-tier guy, but they were never able to find an idea that really worked. Angle believes Corbin is underrated and could have thrived on his personality alone, not needing a more elaborate character.

“Baron, I think he’s underrated,” Angle told WrestleZone. “I think it kind of sucks that they — they started utilizing him the way they should have, you know, they had him beat me, which I was okay with. It was my last match, and obviously you’re going to lose with your last match when you retire. But Baron, after that, he ended up winning King of the Ring and then nothing else happened with him.

“It’s a little disappointing to know that he beat a legend at WrestleMania — the legend’s last match — and they didn’t really do much with him after that. For me, it makes me feel like I did that for nothing. So it’s not like, ‘Screw you Angle.’ But it kind of is [laughs], because I thought they were going to run with the kid. I thought they were going to make him one of the top-tier guys. And he was on his way. And I do believe they changed his character a couple times, I think he was Happy Corbin or something like that and then something else. But I don’t know if they just found anything that really stuck. And maybe that’s why they let him go, because they couldn’t find a character. But Baron has a great personality. He didn’t need a character. He could be him and he was entertaining as it is. So I was just a little disappointed that they didn’t do much with him and then they let him go.”

The 40-year-old Corbin departed WWE on November 1 when the company chose not to renew his contract. He was with WWE for more than a decade after starting out in developmental in 2012.

Before his departure, Corbin returned to NXT for a stint in 2023-2024 but did not do much on the main roster when he was brought back to SmackDown.

Carmelo Hayes: I’m ‘forever indebted’ to Baron Corbin

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Carmelo Hayes appreciates all the ways that Baron Corbin helped him both in the ring and outside of it.

It was revealed last Friday that the 40-year-old Corbin had departed WWE with the company choosing not to renew his contract. While speaking with The Metro, Hayes reacted to the news and express how much Corbin helped him in WWE.

“Listen, Baron was one of the people that actually took a liking to me, and took me under his wing. He did so much for me, he helped me so much, he gave me so much advice. Not just wrestling, life advice, money advice, so many things. I’m forever indebted to Baron Corbin — super talented, and I hate to see him go,” Hayes said.

“That was one of those ones that really kinda hurt, seeing that, because believe it or not, me and Baron were pretty close, pretty tight. Everybody loved Baron.”

Hayes and Corbin were opponents in NXT in 2023 and later worked against each other on SmackDown this year.

Earlier this week, Corbin tweeted out a message thanking fans for their support. His career with WWE lasted more than a decade after starting out in developmental in 2012.

Along with Corbin’s contract not being renewed, Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox were released from WWE last week. Hayes told The Metro that he almost feels “survivor’s guilt” whenever there is a round of roster cuts.

“It’s weird because I’ve been through it a lot unfortunately, where you’re with somebody one day and they’re gone the next,” he said. “It’s kinda like a survivor’s guilt, you know what I mean? After a day or two, you’re like, ‘Man!’ You just hate to see that for them.”

In WWE, Hayes has been in a long-term feud with Andrade that still remains unresolved. LA Knight retained the United States title against both of them in a triple threat match at Crown Jewel on November 2.

Baron Corbin thanks fans for support following WWE departure

Posted on by Ian Carey

Baron Corbin has commented on his exit from WWE after a 12-year run with the company.

Corbin was informed his contract would not be renewed last Friday, the same day that Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox were released.

Fans have been posting their favorite Corbin moments to social media in recent days, including his gimmick as Happy Corbin and the preceding time he spent as Bum Ass Corbin.

Corbin responded to the support he’s received, writing, “Just want to let everyone know I see all the messages and tweets. I appreciate it more than you know. It defn helps!”

Fightful reported that Corbin was one of several WWE wrestlers on hand for a Netflix-WWE commercial shoot on Sunday, October 27, just days before WWE informed him they would not renew his contract. Corbin confirmed the report today on X, writing, “That is a fact.”

Corbin also responded to a fan on Instagram who said WWE “fumbled the bag” when they let him go. Corbin wrote back, “I appreciate that and feel the same.”

Wrestling Observer Radio: WWE talent releases, AEW vs. NXT

Posted on by Garrett Gonzales

Dave Meltzer and I are back with our Friday episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, talking about all the big news from today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter as well as news that happened after the issue was published.

Here were some of the things we covered:

Click here to listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube (video sub needed)

Baron Corbin, Indi Hartwell, Tegan Nox departing WWE

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Three WWE wrestlers are leaving the company.

Fightful reported on Friday that Baron Corbin has been informed that his contract with WWE will not be renewed. They also reported that Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox have been released, and will be free agents in 90 days. Bryan Alvarez has confirmed that all three are leaving the company.

Corbin posted on social media regarding his departure, writing: “That’s all she wrote folks. It’s been real and I appreciate everyone who supported me.”

Signed in 2012, Corbin spent time in NXT before being called up in 2016. During his time in WWE he was given several gimmicks, including King Corbin and at one time becoming the constable of the Raw brand. After a period where he was down on his luck, he was rebranded as Happy Corbin after becoming rich in Las Vegas. 

After Triple H took over creative, he was put with JBL for a while before returning to NXT, where he was most successful in a tag team with Bron Breakker. In the 2024 WWE Draft, he was put back on SmackDown but wasn’t used much on television, most recently teaming with Apollo Crews.

Hartwell was signed in 2019 and is best known for her run in NXT with a romance storyline involving herself and Dexter Lumis. In 2023, she was called up and mainly teamed with Candice LeRae. She also reacted to the news on social media:

Following her release in 2021, Nox returned to WWE the following year, first on SmackDown and later on Raw, where she was best known for teaming with Natalya briefly. Nox only made a few appearances on television in 2024 and never appeared on SmackDown after being traded to the brand in the 2024 WWE Draft.

Baron Corbin vs. Lexis King added to WWE NXT lineup

Posted on by Ian Carey

A new match has been added to the lineup for tonight’s NXT. 

Lexis King vs. Baron Corbin is now scheduled for the show. 

Yesterday, WWE posted a video of King attempting to give Corbin a parting gift, as he assumed Corbin would be leaving NXT now that his tag partner Bron Breakker is on the main roster. 

“I don’t know where you heard that. I think what you’re hearing is there are a lot of people out there that are saying they hope I leave NXT,” Corbin responded to King.

“I just thought maybe you were having second thoughts now that your buddy Bron is up on SmackDown living the high life. I mean, sheesh, it’s gotta be rough, man,” King said. “Anyway, you should probably just strap your wagon onto the next second-generation superstar that comes your way, and he’ll probably be a bigger and better star but, I tell you what, I accept and you’re welcome.”

“That dude is a tool bag and there’s no way that beard is real,” Corbin finished the segment saying. 

NXT Spring Breakin’ Night one, Tuesday, April 23 —

  • NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov defends against Trick Williams –If Williams loses, he leaves NXT
  • NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defends against Lyra Valkyria & Tatum Paxley in a triple-threat match
  • No Quarter Catch Crew’s Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp & Myles Borne vs. The Family’s Tony D’Angelo, Stacks & Luca Crusifino
  • Sol Ruca vs. Blair Davenport in a Beach Brawl
  • Baron Corbin vs. Lexis King
  • Natalya & Lola Vice contract signing

NXT Spring Breakin’ Night two, Tuesday, April 30 —

  • Natalya vs. Lola Vice in an NXT Underground match

Wolf Dogs vs. Alpha Academy stipulation match announced for next WWE NXT

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A stipulation match featuring the The Wolf Dogs vs. Raw’s Alpha Academy is one of five bouts set for the March 26 WWE NXT show.

NXT Tag Team Champions The Wolf Dogs (Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin) will take on Alpha Academy’s Otis & Akira Tozawa on next week’s show. If Alpha Academy are victorious, they will be added to the NXT Tag Team title match at Stand & Deliver on Saturday, April 6. 

Breakker & Corbin are currently set to defend the Tag titles against the winners of a number one contenders match set for the April 2 NXT show, but the Stand & Deliver bout becomes a triple threat should Alpha Academy win next week. 

Four more matches, plus a series of vignettes for the Stand & Deliver bout between Trick Williams & Carmelo Hayes are also set for next week’s NXT. 

A “Prime Target” vignette series on next week’s episode will recap the Williams vs. Hayes feud, plus preview their Stand & Deliver contest. 

NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov will be in action on next week’s episode against Stacks Lorenzo in a non-title match. Dragunov defends the NXT title against Stacks’ partner Tony D’Angelo at Stand & Deliver. 

NXT GM Ava also announced a pair of matches for next week’s show that she says could decide competitors in the NXT North American Championship match at Stand & Deliver. Shawn Spears will face Dijak on next week’s episode, plus Josh Briggs will take on Duke Hudson. Oba Femi is the current North American Champion, and has yet to have an opponent announced for Stand & Deliver. 

In a women’s division contest set for next week, Thea Hail will face Jazmyn Nyx in Nyx’s first televised match. Nyx cost Hail’s Chase U stablemate Riley Osborne his NXT Heritage Cup match on this week’s episode against Drew Gulak. 

The announced card for the Tuesday, March 26 WWE NXT : 

  • The Wolf Dogs (Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin) vs. Alpha Academy’s Otis & Akira Tozawa –If Alpha Academy win, they are added to the NXT Tag Team title match at Stand & Deliver
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams “Prime Target” vignettes
  • Ilja Dragunov vs. Stacks Lorenzo
  • Shawn Spears vs. Dijak
  • Josh Briggs vs. Duke Hudson
  • Thea Hail vs. Jazmyn Nyx

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin win Tag Team titles on WWE NXT

Posted on by Bryan Rose

New NXT Tag Team Champions were crowned on Tuesday.

Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin defeated Tony D’Angelo and Stacks in the main event of NXT to win the Tag Team titles for the first time. The finish had Corbin lay out Stacks with the End of Days, only to get taken out of the ring by D’Angleo. This allowed Breakker to hit Stacks with a spear to win the titles, ending D’Angelo & Stacks’ reign after 92 days.

Breakker & Corbin agreed to team together just prior to the start of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in January. Though Breakker was reluctant to team with Corbin at first, he eventually agreed. The team went on to win the tournament final at Vengeance Day earlier this month, defeating Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams.

The title win comes as Breakker may be heading to either Raw or SmackDown. Following his appearance at the Royal Rumble, an ongoing storyline on the main roster has general managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis looking to sign Breakker to their brand.

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin win WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin are the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament winners.

The duo defeated Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams in the opener of Sunday’s NXT Vengeance Day premium live event, with Breakker hitting a spear on Hayes for the win. As a result of their victory, Breakker & Corbin have now earned a future NXT Tag Team title match against current champions Stacks & Tony D’Angelo.

Just prior to the start of the tournament, Corbin suggested to Breakker that they team up. Breakker seemed reluctant about the idea, but eventually agreed. They defeated Gallus and the team of Nathan Frazer & Axiom to reach the finals.

Although Williams wanted to focus on his NXT Championship match against Ilja Dragunov at Vengeance Day, he eventually agreed to team with Hayes, saying he could wrestle twice in the same night if need be and become a triple crown champion. They defeated Edris Enofe & Malik Blade as well as the Latino World Order (Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro) to make it to Sunday’s tournament finals.

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin advance to WWE NXT Dusty Classic finals

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin are going to WWE NXT Vengeance Day. 

Breakker & Corbin defeated Axiom & Nathan Frazer in a semifinals match in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic on Tuesday’s WWE NXT episode to advance to the tournament finals at Vengeance Day set for Sunday, February 4. 

They now await the winner of next week’s Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams vs. LWO’s Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro matchup in the finals. 

The odd couple pairing of Breakker & Corbin has gone 2-0 in this year’s Dusty Classic with wins over Gallus in the quarterfinals, and now Axiom & Frazer in Tuesday’s semifinals. Hayes & Williams defeated Edris Enofe & Malik Blade in their quarterfinals matchup. Wilde & Del Toro defeated Chase U’s Andre Chase & Duke Hudson to earn their spot in the semifinals.

The Dusty Classic winners will receive a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship currently held by Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.

Two teams advance in WWE NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Two teams have advanced in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament.

Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin and Axiom & Nathan Frazer won their first round matches on Tuesday. Breakker and Corbin defeated Gallus, while Axiom & Frazer defeated Hank Walker & Tank Ledger. They will now face each other in the semifinals.

The rest of the tournament bracket was also revealed on Tuesday. Next week’s matches will see Chase U (Riley Osborne & Duke Hudson) take on LWO (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro), while Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams will face Edris Enofe & Malik Blade. The finals will take place at NXT Vengeance Day on February 4.

Earlier on NXT, Hayes told Williams that he had secured the final spot in the tournament. Williams wasn’t sure about entering, instead wanting to focus on his future NXT Championship match. He warmed up to the idea, however, once Hayes brought up that Williams could become a double champion.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is making its return after no tournament was held in 2023. The winners of the 2022 tournament were The Creed Brothers for the men’s tournament and the team of Kay Lee Ray (Alba Fyre) and Io Shirai (IYO SKY) in the women’s tournament.

WWE NXT live results: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins

Posted on by Chris Aiken

The road to the 2024 Dusty Cup begins on WWE NXT tonight.

On tonight’s NXT episode, the first two matches in the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will take place. Former rivals Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin are teaming up for the first time ever against Gallus. In the other tournament match, Axiom & Nathan Frazer are facing Hank Walker & Tank Ledger.

The team that wins the Dusty Classic earns a shot at the NXT Tag Team titles. Those belts are currently held by Tony D’Angelo & Stacks, who have a title defense against Bronco Nima & Lucien Price tonight.

Cora Jade vs. Gigi Dolin and Blair Davenport vs. Nikkita Lyons have also been announced.

Plus, we’ll get a look at Tiffany Stratton’s day working as a ranch hand for Fallon Henley. Stratton had to work on Henley’s farm for 24 hours as a stipulation of her loss to Henley last week.

Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

The shows begins with a recap from New Year’s Evil, which was last week’s episode. Opening the show is a grudge match that started as a fight in the parking lot.

Nikkita Lyon is jumped “moments ago” by Blair Davenport. They are supposedly separated, and each goes to their locker room. The two start brawling again after they have their gear on, and they conveniently brawl their way on to the sound stage. 

They brawl to the ring just in time to be the opening match on a nationally televised episodic professional wrestling program of sport entertainment.

Blair Davenport defeated Nikkita Lyons

Davenport pinned Lyons, after Davenport targets an injury. Their fight ends up outside the ring. Lyons goes for a roundhouse kick, but Davenport moves out of the way, and Lyons smacks the ring post with her leg. That spot would lead into the finish, playing off a previous injury suffered by Lyons.

As Lyons was going back through the ropes, Davenport strikes with a chop block on Lyons’ injured knee. Davenport then delivers her knee strike finisher, and Davenport covers Lyons for a three count. 

Cody Rhodes voiced over a video package that hyped the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The tag tournament is set to begin after a commercial break.

When the show returns from the break, Carmelo Hayes is in the locker when he gets “good news” for himself and Trick Williams. Yet, Williams questions whether he wants to hear the news. 

Hayes goes on to ask if Williams knows how long Ilja Dragunov will be out. Williams does not know, so Hayes tells him that Hayes secured them the last spot in the Dusty Classic. Williams is again unsure, as Williams says he still needs to focus on his upcoming title match with Dragunov. 

Hayes continues to hype up Williams, vowing they will win the tournament. Then, they will go on to win the tag titles. Trick will win the singles belt, and Hayes proclaims him “Two Title Trick” ahead of time. Williams like the sound of that. 

Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker defeated Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang with Joe Coffey) in a first round mach if the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

Corbin pinned Mark Coffey to win the match. Corbin & Breakker advance to the semifinal round. 

In a spot similar to the opening match, Corbin smacks the ring post. This time it was an errant punch by Corbin. Gallus capitalizes after Corbin punches the ring post, and they target Corbin’s hand.

Gallus works over, until a hot tag brings in Breakker. Gallus bumps all over for Breakker. They do a convoluted spot where Breakker does a suplex on both Wolfgang and Coffey.

For the finish, Corbin executes End of Days on Coffey, and Corbin covers Coffey for a pinfall.

Fallon Henley is at a horse barn, waiting on Tiffany Stratton to arrive for her role as a ranch hand. Stratton is late, but Henley is ready to make her work hard. Stratton arrives dressed like she on the set of Barbie. Stratton refuses to wear the work clothes Henley has for her, despite Stratton having trouble walking in high heels. Stratton is also freaking out by the thought of “mucking” the stalls, and any mention of horse manure. To be continued…

NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria is in the ring for a monologue. Valkyria wonders who she will face in four weeks at the next NXT PLE. Valkyria announces a 20-woman battle royal to decide the number one contender, but with a “twist” as Valkyria puts it. When the battle royal comes down to the final four, it becomes a fatal four-way. Why? Because why not, I guess. 

Valkyria is interrupted by Lola Vice and Elektra Lopez. Vice still has her contract she can cash in at any time. Vice and Lopex confront Valkyria. There is a terrible back-and-forth dialogue by Valkyria and Vice. Valkyria issues a challenge for a title match right now. They square up just about the time Lopez blindsides Valkyria. Lopez and Vice jump Valkyria, until Tatum Paxley runs in for a save. Paxley fights off the heels, and they flee. This would seem to clearly set up a tag match. 

NXT North American Champion Dragon Lee is talking with Ava when they are interrupted by Lexis King. Lee signs a contract for a title match tonight, without letting a lawyer look at it first. That is a horrible business decision, but not as horrible is these skits tonight. Another horrible skit set up the next bout.

Josh Briggs defeated Oro Mensah (with Noam Dar, Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend)

Briggs pinned Mensah, in what was a showcase match for Briggs. Noam Darr interfered at one point. He tried again, and it backfired on him. That led to Mensah missing a kick in a corner, and Briggs hits him with a Stan Hansen Western Lariat. Briggs hooks and leg and covers Mensah for a pinfall. Briggs glares a Dar after the match, so they are clearly setting up a match there.

A video montage shows Tiffany Stratton doing chores around the barn. Stratton is then ordered to bath a horse. When Stratton thinks she is done, she is then made to “muck” the horse stalls. She is basically being forced to clean up manure and such. To be continued…

NXT Tag Team Champions The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo with Adriana Rizzo) defeated OTM (Bronco Nima & Lucien Price with Scrypts) to retain the titles

The match goes through a commercial break. Modified Doomsday Device on the floor by OTM, and Stacks is in trouble as the show goes into the break. Stacks is being worked over as the show returns from commercials. 

Hot tag to Tony D, and he cleans house. However, Tony D is soon cut off. Stacks fights his way back into the ring. 

Scrypts tried to interfere, but his interference was thwarted by Rizzo. Stacks does a dive moments before Tony D executes a fisherman’s buster suplex. D’Angelo then pins Price to win the match and retain the titles.

Oba Femi is being interviewed by Kelly Kincaid when they are interrupted by Lexis King. They is some bickering and bad dialogue.

Another backstage skit sets up a match between Ridge Holland and Joe Coffey.

Cora Jade defeated Gigi Dolan

For the finish, Dolan went for her crucifix bomb finisher. Jade grabs the referee to counter the move. Jade then delivered a double-arm DDT, and Jade covered Dolan for a pinfall. Jade continues to get a big push.

Nathan Frazier & Axiom defeated Hank Walker & Tank Ledger in a first round match in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

This was a good match that was fun to watch. Lots of action throughout. Hank & Tank have charisma as a team. Too bad they can’t seem to get a push.

A parade of dives and high spots led into the finish. As they go home, Frazier executes a Phoenix Splash on Walker. Frazier then covers Walker for a pinfall. 

Axiom & Frazier advance to the semifinals where they meet the team of Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker. 

Back at the barn, where Tiffany Stratton is cleaning the horse stalls. Fallon Henley and her friends laugh and mock Stratton. Henley says Stratton is done, yet the stall still looks dirty. Whatever. Stratton is cutting a promo, only for her to slip in horse manure. Stratton takes a bump into a water trough. 

The skit ends with an angry Stratton kicking, screaming and splashing water, while Henley and her friends walk away. Jimmy Garvin and the Von Erich did this whole angle far better in World Class, or at least I remember it that way. Tonight’s version was not even funny. 

Edris Enofe & Malik Blade cut a promo on Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams ahead of their Dusty Classic match next week. Someone doing a personal trainer gimmick bursts in wanting to train Enofe & Blade. She promises they will have six-packs in no time. They show her they already have six-packs.

Dragon Lee defeated Lexis King to retain the NXT North American Championship

Dragon Lee has now apparently been dubbed “the future of lucha libre.” 

Trey Bearhill came to ringside to cause a distraction. He has an ongoing beef with King.

King is working over Lee when King begins to taunt Lee. That fires up Lee, and he makes a comeback. They go on to trade near falls. 

Lee counters King just before the finish, where Lee does a title-a-whirl into a slop drop. Lee the covers King to win the match and retain the title.

Oba Femi marches down to ringside after the match. Femi cashes in his contract for a title match, thus starting an impromptu title match.

Oba Femi defeated Dragon Lee to win the NXT North American Championship

Dragon Lee took the fight to Femi, but Femi was too much. Lee even got a near fall, only for Lee to take a Last Ride powerbomb. Femi then covered Lee for a three count. And new… 

Oba Femi celebrates by holding his newly won North American title belt over his head, as he stands over a fallen Dragon Lee.