BVV: Reviewing Penta vs. Vikingo for WWE Intercontinental title from AAA TV

It was a big week in AAA: a big debut, a big match, and the biggest announcement since the company was purchased by WWE.

The debut was by La Catalina, who appeared on both WWE Raw and NXT years ago and has now jumped from CMLL to challenge Flammer for the Reina de Reinas Championship.

The big match saw Penta defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against Vikingo.

And the big announcement saw El Grande Americano challenge Original Grande Americano to a mascara contra mascara match that will probably be AAA’s biggest match of the year.

Come join the fun on the Big Vinny V Show!

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WWE x AAA Worlds Collide live results: El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Dominik Mysterio

Following tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Virginia, WWE heads west with AAA to Las Vegas for tonight’s Worlds Collide event from The Pavilion at the Thomas & Mack Center, airing live on YouTube.

The headliner will see AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo defend against WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio. Mysterio nearly had the title won at last month’s Triplemania until AJ Styles pulled him out of the ring as he was making a pin.

After defeating Los Garza for the titles at Triplemania, AAA World Tag Team Champions Psycho Clown & Pagano defend against The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)

The next top contender to AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Lady Flammer will be determined as Natalya takes on Faby Apache. Both women were in a three-way with Flammer at Triplemania.

AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. defends against three WWE talents in Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh & Ethan Page in a four-way.

The card is rounded out by Finn Balor & Roxanne Perez vs. Mr. Iguana & Lola Vice, and Laredo Kid, Mascarita Sagrada, Octagon Jr. & La Parka vs. Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, Lince Dorado & Mini Abismo Negro.

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Friday night, much like Saturday night, is indeed all right for fighting and it’s even better when World’s Collide! As is tradition, the show kicked off with footage of the various participants (and the Undertaker!) arriving to work in various cars. Adia Cuevas sang the Mexican National Anthem, followed by Lillian Garica taking care of the Star Spangled Banner and we were ready for action!

To start the show, Penta was introduced to a massive ovation. He came to the ring with the Mexican flag and addressed the crowd. I’ll be honest, after a few “como estas?” to the crowd, I had no idea what he said. But the audience loved it, so I’m assuming it was positive.

La Parka, Octagón Jr., Laredo Kid & Mascarita Sagrada vs. Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, Lince Dorado & Mini Abismo Negro

Dorado and Octagon kicked things off and did so with gusto. head scissors and hurricanranas were a plenty. Del Toro and Laredo squared off next, with Del Toro eating some heavy strikes in the corner. Del Toro took a super frankensteiner but landed on his feet. That brought in Wilde to help out on a double team.

Wilde stayed in and Laredo got a tag to La Parka to a big pop from the crowd. He and Wilde had a bit of a dance-off (la Parka won) and La Parka drop kicked him into the corner. La Parka stopped dancing long enough to get a spinning slam on Wilde and then the Mini’s tagged in!

Sagrada was giving up a significant size advantage to Abismo, but that didn’t stop him from running circles around him before tagging in Octagon. Laredo got a good pin opportunity, but only a two count.

Del Toro and Wilde put in the work to double team Laredo, but still only a two count. Wilde brought in Dorado who began trading chops with Laredo. He landed a flapjack and then a superkick, but still only two. Abismo tagged in and powerslamed Laredo.

Laredo missed a step up and Abismo made him pay with an elbow. Laredo hit a headscissor and managed to tag in Sagrada who literally spun circles around Abismo until he fell out of the ring. That brough in Del Toro, then Dorado, then Wilde but Sagrada took them all out, Wilde with a Falcon Arrow!

Octagon and Del Toro ended up the legal men and the two traded strikes in the middle of the ring. Del Toro hung Octagon up int he tree of woe and then went coast to coast with a dropkick. Laredo came in to make the save and everyone started spamming finishers, with Sagrada being the only one left standing.

Sagrada got an octopus onto Abismo, but all three of his partners bailed him out. La Parka hit a big cutter and then ate a springboard stunner from Dorado. That did not stop him from dancing. Octagon went up top and flung himself onto La Parka and Dorado on the outside. Del Toro then did the same on them, followed by Laredo taking out everyone.

Wilde was slingshotted by Del Toro and Dorado and few about 25 feet into everyone at ringside. That left Abismo and Sagrada as legal in the ring. Sagrada hit a flurry of headscissor moves and got the pin and victory for his team.

Match Result: La Parka, Octagón Jr., Laredo Kid & Mascarita Sagrada defeated Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, Lince Dorado & Mini Abismo Negro

Natalya vs. Faby Apache

I am really liking this no-nonsense Natalya so this match against Apache was high on my list for this show. Winner becomes the #1 Contender for the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship.

Natalya got the upper hand off the top, but it was Apache who ended up locking her in a leg lock. Natalya fought out of it though and the two traded strikes. Natalya put a sleeper on Apache, but she was able to battle out of it as the two worked through an extended feeling out process.

Natalya got Apache up in a classic surfboard, but Apache wouldn’t give in. Natalya threw her off and went for a suplex, but Apache turned it into an inside cradle and almost got a pin. That enraged Natalya who started throwing lariats.

Apache was having trouble standing as Natalya hit her with blow after blow. She seemed to catch a second wind though and planted Natalya with a headscissor. Apache went up top for a crossbody followed by a big boot to Natalya’s face.

Apache put on an Armbar, but Natalya gritted her teeth and worked out of it. The two started trading brutal punches with Natalya screaming “I hate you!” as she rained down shots. Natalya picked up Apache and slammed her, but seemed to be favoring her left arm in the process.

Natalya put on an ankle lock, but Apache pulled her legs out from under her and put on an ankle lock of her own. Natalya pushed her off but walked into a kick to the face trying to throw a discus elbow. Apache looked to put Natalya away and pulled her to the center of the ring.

Apache stepped through, trying to get a sharpshooter, but Natalya pushed her off and the two rolled aorund trying to get a pin with Natalya coming up the winner, planting Apache for a quck 1-2-3.

Match Result: Natalya defeated Faby Apache

AAA World Tag Team Championship Match: Psycho Clown & Pagano (c) vs. The New Day

Before the match, the New Day announced that Xavier Woods wasn’t medically cleared to compete, so Kofi Kingston would be teaming with Grayson Waller. New Day entered and went straight to the ring, pausing only to yell at some children in the front row.

Waller and Clown (also the name of my acoustic Slipknot tribute band) kicked things off with Clown making short work of him and then sliding out of the ring to terrify Woods. He hopped back in the ring and flattened Waller with a shoulder block. Waller bounced back with a stiff shot to the big red nose of Clown.

Pagano tagged in and kicked Waller into next week. Waller slid out of the ring to recouperate, allowing Kingston to get in and lock up with Pagano. Pagano tried to flip Kingston out of the corner, but Kingston landed on his feet and then faced a double team from Pagano and Clown. Clown hit a split-legged moonsault on Kingston, but could only get a two-count.

Waller grabbed Clown from behind the ropes, giving Kofi an opening to stomp him in the corner. Waller and Kingston traded quick tags to beat on the isolated Clown. He managed to fight out of it, but when he went for the tag, Pagano was nowhere to be found thanks to a cheap shot from Waller.

Kingston tagged in and went up top, with Waller joining him on the opposite post. Then they jumped down and punched Clown a bunch, much to the crowd’s dismay. Kingston positioned Clown on the top turnbuckle and tried to remove his mask, which made Clown angry enough to hit a crossbody from the top rope.

Clown finally got a tag to Pagano who ran in and took Kingston to the corner. Waller tried to help but Pagano dropped him with a neckbreaker. Pagan picked up Kingston and hit a big side slam, but Kingston kicked out at two.

Pagano and Clown laid out Kingston and Waller in opposite corners and laid them out with stereo dropkicks. Pagano was the legal man and climbed up the turnbuckles, but Woods caused a distraction allowing Kingston to hit a superplex, followed by a big elbow from Waller, but it only got a two count.

Woods caused another distraction, but Clown took out kingston and then TORE HIS OWN FACE OFF to scare Woods away from ringside (it was his mask, not his real face. But still scary).

Clown punched Waller’s lights out then wrapped him up in a cradle to pick up the victory and retain the titles.

Match Result: Pagano and Psycho Clown defeated The New Day

After the match, Clown and Pagano were about to be interviewed when the lights went out and the music of the Wyatt Sicks played. The group entered with the WWE Tag Titles around Uncle Howdy’s neck. They stalked to the ring surrounded Clown and Pagano.

Loomis and Gacy punched the Clown and Rowan hit Pagano with the steel steps on the outside. Roawn and Gacy set up Slim Jim tables on the outside of the ring and laided out Pagaon for Gacy to send him through it.

In the ring, Rowan powerbombed Clown through a table and Uncle Howdy hit a Sister Abigail on Pagano. The Wyatts then posed with the AAA titles over the broken bodies of Pagano and Clown.

Mixed Tag Team Match: Mr. Iguana & Lola Vice vs. Finn Bálor & Roxanne Perez

The last time Balor and Iguana shared the ring we got the appearance of the Demon Puppet. I lobbied hard for there to be a Puppet vs Puppet match (and possibly a World Puppet Championship) but my cries fell on deaf ears. Instead, we get Vice and Perez as partners, which to be honest is pretty great if you can’t do puppets.

Perez and Balor came to the ring with Raquel Rodriguez and Balor was carrying a nondescript black bag that could only hold one thing: his Magic Card collection. Or a Puppet. Only time would tell.

Iguana and Balor started things off, with Balor going to work on the wrist and hand of Iguana, presumably to take away his puppetry skills. Balor went for his bag, but Iguana knocked him over and took the bag and tossed it under the ring. He then hit an Igunanarana on Balor and tagged in Vice.

Perez tagged in and Vice put her down with a shoulder block. Vice went for an arm bar, but Perez reversed it into a pin attempt. Vice set Perez up in the corner, but Balor pulled her to safety before anything could happen. Vice dragged her into the ring along with Balor who was trying to pull Perez back out.

That counted as a tag apparently, and Iguana went after Balor. Unfortunately, he got too close to Rodriguez who pulled him out and smashed him onto the ring apron. That gave Balor a chance to stomp Iguana and send him to the corner for some vicious strikes.

Balor kept Iguana from making a tag by dragging him around the ring. He put him down with a big elbow, and hung him up on the ropes, but suddenly the Demon Puppet (Democito) popped up from under the ring! Balor told him to wait until he needed him and Democito retreated.

Perez and Vice tagged in withn Vice absolutely pummelling Perez in the corner, butt-first. Perez tried to roll out of the ring, but Vice dragged her back in. Perez raked the eyes and then flip-slammed Vice. Vice got back up and pulled her in for a rear naked choke. Perez broke free and set her up on the top rope.

Iguana threw his puppet to Vice, causing a distraction and allowing Vice to slam Perez. That brought Balor in with his bag, but Iguana sent him back out. Iguana grabbed the bag and emptied it, but Balor and Democito appeared behind him and hit a sling blade followed but a shotgun dropkick.

Balor went for a Coup De Grace but Vice pulled him down allowing Iguana to slam Balor and Democito from the top rope.

Back in the ring, Perez and Vice battled. Rodriguez tried to get involved but Vice dispatched her and hit a spinning back elbow on Perez to get the pin.

Match Result: Mr. Iguana and Lola Vice defeated Finn Balor and Roxanne Perez

AAA Latin American Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) vs. Dragon Lee vs. Ethan Page vs. JD McDonagh

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: An Irishman, a Canadian, a Dragon and a Doctor all walk into a wrestling ring to fight for the Latin American Championship…

The match started with Lee and McDonagh trading punches and Page and Wagner pairing off. Wagner sent page out of the ring and went to dive after him, but McDonagh grabbed his ankle. Wagner turned around and clobbered McDonagh allowing Page to get a shot in. Wagner sent him to the corner and McDonagh hit him with a big suplex.

Lee rejoined the fray and took on Page and McDonagh, sending the latter into the former’s junk, face-first. McDonagh powered back though and sent Page and Lee to the outside, then sentoned Wagner. Page then used McDonagh as a weapon to take out Wagner and hit a face buster on Lee for a two count.

Page tied Lee’s mask to the ropes and stomped him, stopping only to hit a few jumping jacks. A brawl broke out with everyone spamming finishers, leaving all four laying. Lee and Page got up first and then the lights blew out. They turned on the house lights though and the match continued.

Lee stacked up McDonagh and Page for a double stomp and then hit a hurricanrana on Wanger by leaping over the top rope and sending him to the floor from the apron. He followed that with a Liger bomb on McDonagh, but only got a two count.

Page tried to steal one by sending Lee to the outside and pinning Mcdonagh, but he only got a two count. Lee came back and brought Wagner with him, setting him up in a tree of woe. He went up top, but McDonagh scrambled up and grabbed Lee for a Spanish Fly.

McDonagh tried to get to Lee, but ate a Mexican Destroyer for his trouble. Wagner then grabbed McDonagh and hit a Wagner Driver to get the pin and retain his title.

Match Result: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Dragon Lee, Ethan Page and JD McDonagh

AAA Mega Championship Match: El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Dominik Mysterio

Earlier in the show, Mysterio had a chat with his father and said that when he wins, he’s going to make Rey put the title around his waist. Rey said that he would do that for whoever won. Balor then showed up and said that in the interest of proving that Dominik is the King of the Luchadores, he should win this title alone.

Vikingo and Mysterio circled each other tentatitvely to start things off, feeling each other out. They moved into a chain with Mysterio trying for a 619 early. Vikingo dodged it and wrapped Mysterio in an ocotpus style hold, but Mysterio reversed it for a pin attempt.

Vikingo sent Mysterio to the outside and then dove headfirst through the ropes to take him out. Setting him up against the ring apron, Vikingo chopped Mysterio and tossed him back in. Vikingo charged, but Mysterio saw it coming and bounced him off the ropes before tossing him outside.

In front of Logan Paul in ther front row, Mysterio chopped Vikingo and then threw him into the steel stairs. Mysterio thew Vikingo back into the ring and hit a three amigos suplex set while the crowd chanted for Eddie, his real Dad.

Mysterio dropkicked Vikingo back out to the floor. Vikingo seemed to need a moment to adjust his gear, so Mysterio worked the crowd for a bit. When Vikingo rolled back in, Mysterio stomped him repeatedly and set him up for a sunset flip.

Mysterio slowed the pace down, taking his time and making sure that Vikingo didn’t have time to get his wits about him. That backfired though and Vikingo got a big chop in, followed by a superkick. Vikingo charged and Mysterio picked him up and hit snakeyes on the top rope.

Mysterio then rolled out and grabbed the Mega Championship belt. He posed with it and asked Konnan if he ever won it, to which Old Man K responded “suck it.” Mysterio rolled back in and locked in a sleeper on Vikingo.

Vikingo fought out of it and went up top for a Missile dropkick followed by a meteora in the corner. He went up top again, but as he leapt, Mysterio caught Vikingo in a powerbomb. It only got a two count though and the match continued.

Mysterio went for a 619, but Vikingo grabbed him and threw him off. Mysterio went up top, but Vikingo pulled him down in an electric chair and then a facebuster. Vikingo dragged Mysterio to the corner and went up top and nailed a 450 splash. Mysterio kicked out at two.

Suddenly, Balor and McDonagh arrived. McDonagh headbutted Vikingo behind the ref’s back, but Mysterio could only get a two count. Mysterio put on a mask and Balor passed him a foreign object. Mysterio put it in the mask, but Vikingo superkicked him. Then Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio arrived to take out Balor and McDonagh.

Back in the ring, Vikingo hit a big kick and pulled Mysterio to the corner for another 450 splash. Vokingo covered him, but at two, El Grande Americano himself pulled the ref out of the ring. Mysterio hit Vikingo from behind and hit a 619 followed by a frog splash.

Mysterio pinned Vikingo, but there was no ref! A new official raced to the ring, but by then Mysterio could only get a two count. Vikingo hit a back kick and poisonrana. He then tried to remove the mask of Americano, giving Americano a chance to slip another foreign object to Mysterio who loaded up his mask and used it. He then hit a frog splash and one, two, three, Dominik Mysterio is the new AAA Mega Champion!

Match Result: Dominik Mysterio defeated El Hijo del Vikingo

After the match, as promised, Rey Mysterio came down to the ring. He handed the belt to his estranged son who insisted he put it around his waist. Rey reluctantly did so and dejectedly left the ring. Dom celebrated as the Judgement Day and Americano came down to share in his victory.

AAA Triplemania XXXIII live results: Four-way Mega title match

The first AAA Triplemania of the WWE era emanates from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, airing live and free on YouTube.

The headliner will feature El Hijo del Vikingo defending his AAA Mega title in a four-way against WWE main roster talents Dominik Mysterio, Dragon Lee and El Grande Americano.

In a street fight, main roster members and reigning AAA Tag Team Champions Angel & Berto defend against Pagano & Psycho Clown.

In a mixed trios match, Judgment Day’s Finn Balor, JD McDonagh and Raquel Rodriguez face Nino Hamburguesa, Mr. Iguana & Lola Vice.

The Reina de Reinas title will be on the line in a three-way as Flammer defends against Faby Apache and Natalya.

The Latin American title will also be defended as champion El Mesias faces El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.

The card is rounded out by a Copa Bardahl match, similar to a Royal Rumble in terms of entrances but eliminations happen via pin.

Our live coverage begins at 9 PM Eastern.

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I am the perfect audience for this as I’m not a regular, if any, watcher of either CMLL or AAA, but I’m obviously very familiar with the World Wrestling Federation. Will this hook me? Read on and find out.

I found it notable that the WWE stinger that airs at the beginning of all WWE shows also aired here, even though the sale hasn’t officially gone through yet. That was followed by a really well done intro video with nods to the past, the current, and the future.

Within the first few minutes, this 100% felt like a WWE production. Is that good or bad for the longtime fans? That’s not for me to say.

AAA executives, Triple H, Nick Khan, and Shawn Michaels were all in the ring to start the show, leading into the Mexican national anthem. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Khan ever on WWE so this is quite a moment for nerds like me.

Walk-ins from all the major talent were shown as were the AAA announce team. Corey Graves, Konnan and JBL are on the call with Jesus Zuinga as our ring announcer. Konnan will also be inducted into the AAA Hall of Fame by Rey Mysterio.

And with that, we’re off.

Copa Bardahl match

As you read above, this is Royal Rumble-style in terms of entrances but eliminations are by pinfall only.

La Parka was the first entrant, coming in with a Thriller knock-off song and full dance routine which I certainly did not hate. AAA Cruiserweight Champion Laredo Kid (who has worked plenty in TNA through the years) was as entrant two. Kid got a near fall off a 450 which led to Joaquin Wilde from WWE as entrant no. 3.

Shortly after, Abismo Negro Jr. was no. 4 and impressive quickly with his power moves. Then, Taurus (apparently a new version?) was in at no. 5 which as someone that regularly watches AEW, is a strange visual to say the least. Aerostar was in next at no. 6 and took his time getting into the ring. It’s hitting me that this is the perfect match to start this show with so many new fans watching that have zero idea who is in AAA (like me!).

Laredo Kid was eliminated by Aerostar by tossing him over the top which I thought was just by pin only, but I’m learning as we go. That led to Mecha Wolf (former NWA Tag Team Champion) as no. 7 and Cruz Del Toro from WWE was in at no. 8. Wolf eliminated Wilde over the top after spraying mist in his eyes.

Then, things picked up as WWE’s Otis was no. 9, tossing Aerostar over the damn ring post to eliminate him. He then did a worm on Negro Jr. The fans were loving this. Pimpinella was out at no. 10 which was a sight to see and then some. Taurus was then eliminated by a double Pimpinella and Otis clotheslineand I am already loving this show. Otis then teased kissing Pimpinella before accidentally eliminating Pimpinella after getting dropkicked over the top rope.

Cibernetico was in at no. 11, followed by the one and only MICROMAN at no. 12 who seems destined to appear in WWE by year’s end. After fighting off elimination, Cibernetico was eliminated by Otis who picked Microman up and used him as a weapon to do so. Well, then.

No. 13? WWE’s Omos. We’ll see how his NOAH training prepared him for this moment. The remaining people in the ring then all attacked him one-by-one and got taken out one-by-one. This led to, yes, a Microman and Omos interaction in an image that needs to be seen to be believed. Omos then picked Microman up by his head and people shrieked with what he might do. Shrieked, I tell you.

He then eliminated Negro Jr. and Del Toro at the same time before the final entrant was revealed: Octagon Jr. who won last year’s Copa Bardahl. Otis took his shot at Omos and failed, but Microman took advantage and pinned Otis to eliminate him. Omos then picked Microman up high above his head and threatened to toss him into the stands, instead tossing him onto Negro Jr. and Del Toro at ringside to eliminate him.

Parka, Octagon and Mecha Wolf then teamed up to try and take Omos out, but then turned on each other while Omos just awkwardly hung out in the corner. Parka eliminated Wolf and Omos eliminated Octagon with a big boot while he was on the apron.

That left the first entrant and Omos. Parka teased eliminating Omos and had him teetering on the apron, but Omos grabbed Parka with a chokehold and simply pulled him up over the ropes to throw him to the outside for the win.

This match was a lot of fun with a good blend of AAA and WWE talent. Omos has apparently returned, but I could see him go into mothballs again until next year’s Copa.

Match Result: Omos won the Copa Bardahl

-Dragon Lee did a backstage interview in both English and Spanish, neither of which moved me.

-It was time for celeb crowd shots which includes Triple H, Nick Khan and AAA execs, someone named Pipe Punk, and Dr. Wagner Jr. who was sporting a tremendous fur coat and glasses combo.

AAA Latin American Champion El Mesias (w/ Dorian Roldan) defends against El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr.

Mesias is 50 and has held the title for 280 days with three successful title defenses. My guess is the 33-year-old goes over here, but what do I know? Mesias was out in an homage to Doctor Doom of Marvel fame.

I do give WWE credit as they are not shying away from the majority of the presentation being in all Spanish minus the English commentary team. I wonder how long that will continue. One thing TKO must love is all the logos on the mat which is right up their financial alley.

Commentary did a great job establishing Mesias’ background with the elder Wagner Jr. and why there is history here. Father did not love when Roldan attacked his son on the outside of the ring and neither did the fans. Mesias then threatened to rip his son’s mask off in front of him. Konnan leaned into his rivalry with Wagner Jr., siding with Mesias.

Wagner Jr. rallied after a double clothesline spot, firing up and nearly getting the win after a big splash and then again after a power bomb and Wagner Driver. Roldan jumped up on the apron and his father could take it no more. However, Roldan put on his old mask to taunt the father but got socked anyway.

Mesias hit his big finisher, but Wagner Jr. kicked out. He got distracted by the father on the outside of the ring and got superplexed followed by another Wagner driver that got the pin and his first title win.

This started out a bit meh and got really fun when Wagner Jr. got involved on his son’s behalf which just added to the heat. Konnan’s annoyance on commentary only added to the fun.

Vero Rodriguez interviewed the new champion after the match while Konnan called him an ass kisser. This was only in Spanish, so I have no idea what he said.

Match Result: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. defeated Mesias to become the AAA Latin American Champion

-Chuey Martinez interviewed Judgment Day in the back but took off when Rey Mysterio Jr. entered the frame. They disrespected him in both English and Spanish.

-A Cricket ad with Penta aired. Never saw that in AEW.

-A celebrity named Natalia MX (an “influencer”) was shown. Like with their other properties, WWE is leaning heavy into that culture.

Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh & Raquel Rodriguez) (w/ Roxanne Perez) vs. Nino Hamburguesa, Mr. Iguana & Lola Vice

Back when I was watching Valerie Loureda compete on Bellator undercards, I wouldn’t have guessed her higher calling would be in WWE as Lola Vice but she’s absolutely perfect for it.

This was a party match which the fans loved, especially Hamburguesa as the babyface in peril and Iguana, because, well, he’s Iguana. Hamburguesa eventually got the hot tag to Iguana who cleaned house. As Iguana was running wild, Balor jumped up on the apron to reveal…Demonito, his own puppet done up as his Demon character. Iguana was perplexed and Demonito ate the iguana. Yes, that is a sentence I just wrote in 2025.

Hamburguesa then brought in two burgers and gave Balor one which led to an Iguana enziguri to knock him out of the ring. Hamburguesa then hit a tope on Balor and McDonagh after a Iguana dive, leaving Vice and Rodriguez.

Perez shoved Vice off the top which led to Hiedra running out but she accidentally hit Vice and then chased Perez to the back. Rodriguez then hit her Tejana bomb for the pin and win.

Again, this was a fun party match. The end felt kind of flat with the run-in, but it is what it is.

Match Result: Judgment Day defeated Nino Hamburguesa, Mr. Iguana & Lola Vice

-Brian “El Shulito” Calderon (a singer with 1.1 million Instagram followers) was shown.

AAA Tag Team Champions Los Garza (Angel & Berto) defend against Psycho Clown & Pagano in a street fight

At one point, both Berto and Angel seemed destined to be released as they had no real fit on the WWE main roster. Yet, this team has revitalized them and feels right. This AAA relationship came at a perfect time.

I was interested if this would be a WWE street fight or a AAA street fight (maybe they are the same?) and this felt like the former. It basically stayed in the ring the entire time and felt like a house show street fight with kendo sticks, garbage cans and tables. There was an impressive double press slam on Pagano through a non-Slim Jim table in the ring which led to more tables being brought in. Pagano speared the champions through a table as they were trying to suplex Clown through it.

Pagano and Clown were put through side-by-side tables on the outside of the ring after a Jericho-style springboard dropkick by Berto while Angel had both men ensnared on the apron. Got that? Pagano and Clown rallied with “barbed wire,” wrapping it around Berto, followed by a Spanish fly off the top by Clown to give the challengers the title win in a bit of a surprise. That led to other Clowns coming out to celebrate.

The loss ends the two-month reign of Los Garza.

I do enjoy a good street fight, but this didn’t do anything for me.

Match Result: Pagano & Psycho Clown defeated Los Garza to win the AAA Tag Team titles

Rey Mysterio inducts Konnan into the AAA Hall of Fame

Mysterio spoke in Spanish, but there was also an English translator who was nearly impossible to hear as both men were talking essentially at the same time. Of note, there were “Alberto” chants to which Mysterio said “I’ll bring him. Wait on me.” or something to that effect.

The video featured R-Truth, Norman Smiley, Road Dogg and Penta giving their props in addition to a lot of WCW footage. Konnan thanked a lot of people, yelled at someone to sit down in the crowd twice, and put over the WWE relationship.

Assuming an increasingly English-speaking audience is the goal for WWE with these shows, production needs to figure out how to make the translator thing work as two men talking over each other is distracting.

-El Grande Americano was interviewed backstage in Spanish.

-Vikingo was also interviewed and heavily booed.

-During the night, ads also aired for WrestleMania in addition to the upcoming Canelo Alvarez fight being promoted by TKO.

-Attendance was announced as a sold-out 19,691.

-Briadana Deyanara Moreno (influencer) was shown followed by Mascarita Sagrada, Fantasma and Lady Shani which was quite a visual transition.

AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Flammer defends against Faby Apache and Natalya in a three-way

A loss here would end a 735-day reign (!) as champion for Flammer, one that began in August 2023 but only has five successful title defenses. Natalya came out as the Nattie Neidhart Bloodsport version of her character, aka “The Low Key Legend.” I could see a title change here for Natalya which would give her something notable on the resume.

Apache had a pin on Flammer, but did a super slow count for which the story wasn’t explained. He then did a quick count when Flammer attempted to pin Apache so clearly there’s a story. The fans were also chanting something at each other which wasn’t explained on commentary. Perhaps also distracted, Konnan did randomly say during the match that he can’t wait to see what AAA is like under WWE’s direction in the next year, two years and five years.

Natalya nearly got the win on a quick count on Apache, but Flammer took advantage of a distracted Apache who had just hit a Michinoku driver on Natalya, rolling her up for the pin with a quick count.

Afterward, Natalya and Apache got into it again and had to be separated.

Like the crowd, I wasn’t into this. This went just under 11 minutes and felt a lot longer.

Match Result: Flammer retained the AAA Reina de Reinas title in a three-way over Natalya and Lady Apache

The next Worlds Collide show was announced for Friday, September 12 at 10 PM Eastern from Las Vegas, right after SmackDown.

AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo defends against Dominik Mysterio, El Grande Americano and Dragon Lee in a four-way

Americano came out with a mariachi band and sang his way to the ring which the crowd absolutely loved followed by Lee with dragon wings and a Chinese dragon. Then, there was Mysterio, the reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion who was beloved. Vikingo was shown backstage getting props from Rey Mysterio Jr. and also his father who was also roundly booed.

Of note, commentary didn’t say a god damn word during the entrances which I love, love, love. Let the performers have the moment and let us take everything in. Based on the reaction, the people want either Americano or Mysterio. Also, can we give props to Ludwig Kaiser for speaking perfect (I think) Spanish? Who knew that speaking multiple languages was such a plus in today’s WWE?

Perhaps too jacked up about the moment, Lee was off early, missing some kicks and a dropkick into the corner. He and Vikingo teamed up on the not-so-heels before competing against each other. It’s so wild to me to hear Vikingo booed considering how loved he is in the U.S.

As noted several times on commentary, this was, indeed, non-stop action (Total Nonstop Action, perhaps?). They went a little too strong into how great a match this was instead of just letting the action speak for itself.

Things broke down on the outside as the not-so-heels put Vikingo through the English announce table (EAT?) before turning on each other which distracted them from a Lee tope through the ropes. This also knocked out the broadcast team so it was quiet for a while.

Judgment Day came out to distract Lee and hold him in place for a 619 but Americano broke up the pin attempt. The LWO then ran out to even up the odds and the commentary team came back. Two of Americano’s mysterious masked men then came out to aid Americano and nearly won by pinning Lee after a Blockbuster.

He then tried to load the mask, but Lee prevented it and dove onto all the interfering parties on the outside of the ring. He then hit Operation Dragon on Americano, but Vikingo broke up the pin and nearly got one of his own after a 630.

Mysterio then put on his own Rey Mysterio Sr. mask, loaded it up, dumped Vikingo outside and headbutted both Americano and Lee, nearly getting the pin on Lee after a frog splash until a masked man pulled him off.

That was revealed to be AJ Styles who hit a Styles Clash on his rival Mysterio and then left. Vikingo took advantage, hitting a 630 to get the pin and successful title defense.

PHEW.

This was a beautifully chaotic WWE-style main event that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Match Result: El Hijo del Vikingo defeated Dominik Mysterio, Dragon Lee and El Grande Americano to retain the AAA Mega title

Triplemania Final Thoughts:

For a AAA noob like myself, this was an extremely entertaining three hours, capped by a fun main event. The street fight and women’s title match didn’t do much for me, but everything else checked the boxes for me. The WWE production gave it a familiar gloss which is either good or bad depending on your viewpoint.

If I’m a AAA hardcore, I’d love to hear from you. What did you think of tonight’s show and did it assuage your concerns about the future? Hit me up on X, BlueSky or good ol’ email.

WWE x AAA Worlds Collide live results: El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Chad Gable

In a show that seemed like an impossibility just a few months ago, WWE will team up with AAA to present Worlds Collide, live from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California, as part of a doubleheader of WWE action.

The show will be free worldwide on YouTube.

The main event will feature new AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo defending against WWE’s Chad Gable. It will be Vikingo’s first match inside a WWE ring.

The NXT North American Championship will be on the line as Ethan Page defends against Je’Von Evans, Rey Fenix and Laredo Kid in a four-way.

In a tag match featuring women from three different groups, WWE’s Stephanie Vaquer will team with NXT’s Lola Vice against AAA’s Chik Tormenta & Dalys.

In a pair of trios bouts, Santos Escobar teams with Angel & Berto to take on AAA’s Psycho Clown, El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. & Pagano while Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro & Lince Dorado (injury sub for Joaquin Wilde) battle AAA’s Aero Star, Octagon Jr. & Mr. Iguana.

**********

– Following the WWE signature open, we were taken to a cold open for the event narrated by Rey Mysterio that focused on the acquisition of AAA by WWE/TKO and the events that led to today’s show.

– After the cold open, we were welcomed to the show proper by the voice of Corey Graves. Shots of Rey Mysterio, Lola Vice and Stephanie Vaquer, Chad Gable, and El Hijo del Vikingo arriving at the Kia Forum before we went inside the arena. Graves was joined on commentary by Konnan. The Spanish commentary team, led by Marcelo Rodriguez was then shown. We then got stirring performances of the Mexican and U.S. national anthems. In the ring, WWE’s Paul Levesque and Shawn Michaels were standing alongside Blue Demon Jr. and Marisela Pena from AAA.

Rey Mysterio opens the show

– Rey Mysterio then made his entrance to a very loud ovation. The recipient of the National Hispanic Media Council’s Legend Award was all smiles for this afternoon’s event. Mysterio started off by talking about the 1994 When Worlds Collide event held by AAA and its historic significance twenty-one years later. He claimed that WWE helped put lucha libre on the map.

Mysterio talked about how he was proud to see lucha libre evolve over the years and that the entire world will see today just what made lucha truly libre.

A… rather interesting opening promo from Rey Mysterio. His claims of WWE helping put lucha libre on the map will certainly be called into question and perhaps rightfully so.

Trios Match: Mr. Iguana, Aerostar, Octagon Jr. (AAA) vs. Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro (WWE) and Lince Dorado (AAA)

The enigmatic Mr. Iguana was, of course, accompanied by his beloved pet iguana, La Yesca. Lince Dorado entered with the LWO.

Liv Morgan and “Dirty” Dom Mysterio were seen in the crowd having a closer look at the action.

As the bell rang, both teams faced off in the ring before Octagon and Del Toro started off for their respective sides. After a handshake, Octagon and Del Toro got into a lockup battle that neither man could get a clear upper hand on. The two competitors traded armdrags and pin attempts, but nobody could get any advantage. Soon, Iguana and Lince Dorado were the legal men for this match.

Dorado held the advantage with some armdrags of his own, followed by a hard chop that caused Iguana to fall on his back. Iguana answered with a dropkick as he then brought in La Yesca, which seemed to give him a bit an advantage. The fans chanted for Iguana as Aerostar and Dragon Lee entered for their teams.

We got some nice lucha libre action between Aerostar and Lee as the former delivered an impressive tornillo from the top rope. With Lee sent over the top, things broke down as the LWO got sent to ringside. The AAA all-stars then took to the air with simultaneous dives onto the LWO trio. In the ring, Lee blocked a dive by Aerostar and turned it into a near-fall attempt. The LWO then worked over Aerostar in their corner. This didn’t last long as Aerostar created separation with a dropkick to Lee. This gave Aerostar the opening to tag in Mr. Iguana.

Del Toro stifled Iguana’s offense and delivered a spinning la magistral cradle pin, but Iguana kicked out. We once again saw Iguana’s beloved pet iguana enter the fray, which angered Lince Dorado. This led to Dorado stomping on La Yesca and then nailing a standing moonsault on the poor critter. Iguana took exception to the cruelty shown to La Yesca and laid out Dorado.

The LWO hit a triple superkick on Iguana, as they then appeared to have the match won on Dorado’s shooting star press. Aerostar made the save to break up the pin. On the top rope, Dorado hit a frankensteiner on Octagon as we got another breakdown once more. Aerostar leapt from the ring to drop Dragon Lee with an over-the-top rope dive. Not to be outdone, Del Toro took off with a spinning dive to take out half the competitors outside the ring.

Octagon and Dorado mixed it up on the top rope once more, but in the end, it would be Octagon that got the best of Dorado with an avalanche moonsault fallaway slam. That was enough for the AAA stars to pick up the duke in the opener.

After the match, Dominik Mysterio got on the microphone to talk trash about his father Rey as Octagon got up to face him. This led to Octagon punching Dom as it escalated into a brawl between the two. As the two were separated, Dom dropped a bombshell and said he’d defend the Intercontental Championship against Octagon later tonight at Money in the Bank.

Octagon Jr., Mr. Iguana, and Aerostar def. The LWO and Lince Dorado via pinfall

A real fun opening bout and this being my first time seeing Mr. Iguana, I can easily see why everyone loves him. I enjoyed it greatly and it was nice to get another match for Money in the Bank confirmed with Dominik defending his IC Title against Octagon.

**********
– Mascarita Sagrada, Latin Lover and musician That Mexican OT were shown in the crowd.

– Backstage, Chuey Martinez interviewed Legado del Fantasma about their trios match against El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Psycho Clown, and Pagano.

Tag Team Match: Stephanie Vaquer & Lola Vice (WWE) vs. Chik Tormenta & Dalys (AAA)

Tiffany Stratton and IYO SKY were shown in the crowd watching this next bout.

Dalys and Vaquer started things off as the former used her strength to cut off any momentum for Vaquer, even managing to power her way out of the Devil’s Kiss. Tormenta was then tagged in and continued to maintain dominance over Vaquer, up until a suplex stopped her cold. Vice tagged herself in and found herself locked into a single-leg crab by Tormenta.

Vice responded with her smash-mouth strikes that gave her the upper hand on Tormenta and Dalys. She caught both women with consecutive running hip strikes on opposite corners. Dalys used a distraction from Tormenta to send Vice to the outside. This opened up Vice to a lariat from Tormenta as the AAA women maintained control in this match.

Tormenta entered the match and dropped Vice with a powerslam as she then stretched her with a submission hold. Dalys was tagged in and used her power game to keep Vice separated from Vaquer. Vice caught Dalys in an inside cradle pin for the near-fall before she finally tagged in Vaquer.

The former NXT Women’s Champion took out Daly’s leg with a rope-assisted dragon screw for a two-count. Vaquer then had Dalys in position for the Devil’s Kiss. Vice cut off Tormenta at the pass as the two NXT stalwarts then delivered stereo Devil’s Kisses to their foes.

Vice took Tormenta out of the equation with a dive to the outside as Vaquer finished things off with the SVB for the one, two, three.

Post-match, Vera Rodriguez interviewed the victorious tag team.

Stephanie Vaquer & Lola Vice def. Dalys & Chik Tormenta via pinfall

Entertaining tag team action that I really enjoyed. Vaquer has become one of the most impressive additions to the WWE roster over the past year and the fact that she’s getting double duty work tonight between Worlds Collide and Money in the Bank is a testament to her hard work. I also enjoyed what I saw from Dalys and Chik Tormenta.

**********

Trios Match: Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto) (WWE) vs. Psycho Clown, El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. and Pagano (AAA)

Psycho Clown’s attempt at a show of respect was brushed off by Escobar as we got the match underway with El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. and Berto kicking things off. Wagner used his speed to keep Berto grounded, but he soon found himself in the LDF corner as Angel took over for his team.

Psycho Clown entered the match and floored Anfel with a scoop slam, followed by a kick to the head. We got a standoff of standing switches between Psycho Clown and Angel & Berto, that ended with the clown dropping both men with a double German suplex. Psycho Clown then took out Escobar with a dive to the outside.

Pagano entered the match in style with a double dropkick on Angel and Berto. With the brothers on the outside, Pagano lookedto hit a running dive, but Escobar pulled Berto out of the way, which caused Pagano to crash land to the outside with a gnarly landing.

Legado del Fantasma asserted their will with a triple kick to the back of Pagano as Berto continued the attack in the ring. Escobar tagged in and trapped Pagano in a rest hold, but the AAA star turned the tide with a neckbreaker. Pagano pushed Escobar aside as Psycho Clown got the hot tag.

Psycho Clown hit a prone Angel with a dropkick in the corner as he then connected with the Code Red on Berto for the two count. Wagner joined the fray and took care of business. With Legado caught on the outside, the heroes of AAA took them out with a bombardment of con hilo dives to the outside.

The two teams squared off in the ring and got themselves into a hockey fight seauence. As the dust settled, Wagner was caught in a double slam from the top by Angel and Berto. Psycho Clown dropped Berto with a Psycho Driver on the apron as Angel took him out with a dive. Pagano answered with a dive of his own.

Things broke down once more in the ring as the action remained non-stop. A running spear from Berto took out everyone at ringside. Wagner snuck up on Escobar with a running knee, but couldn’t put the Legado leader away. Wagner headed up to the top, but Escobar intercepted and hit an impressive avalanche hurricanrana for a close near-fall.

Escobar recovered and finished the match with the Phantom Driver for the victory.

Legado del Fantasma def. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Pagano, and Psycho Clown via pinfall

More fun trios action on Worlds Collide. As the pace quickened, things got all the more exciting. I enjoyed this one.

**********

NXT North American Championship: Ethan Page (c) vs. Laredo Kid vs. Je’von Evans vs. Rey Fenix

Evans, Fenix, and Laredo started off by taking Page off the board as they then took each other on. Laredo was sent out of the ring by a Fenix clothesline as Evans then squared off with Fenix in the ring. Evans and and Fenix exchanged strikes, with the latter winning out after a springboard armdrag.

Evans landed on his feet after a hurricanrana attempt before Page attacked both men. Laredo entered the fray and we got some wild action amongst the four men. Evans took Page out with a sitting springboard hurricaneana as Fenix answered with a kick that sent Evans outside. Laredo intercepted Fenix’s attempt at a dive as he then delivered a moonsault to Page and Evans on the outside. It was the flight of the Fenix as he leapt over the top rope with a tope tornillo that took Page, Evans, and Laredo out.

Inside the ring, Laredo fought Page on the top rope but got dropped by a slam from the NXT North American Champ. Page then hit a splash on Evans for the two-count. Laredo recovered and got Fenix with a Michinoku Driver. The action intensified as Laredo hit an amazing moonsault DDT on Fenix. Evans managed to break up the count, however.

Laredo headed up top, but Evans clipped him in the leg. Evans took Page out with a clothesline as he then soared with a dive on the egotistical Canadian. Evans wasn’t done yet as he hit a coast-to-coast flip kick on a prone Laredo Kid, followed by the OG Cutter on Fenix. Page recovered at the very last second to break up Evans’ count.

Fenix blasted Page with the tightrope kick as he connected with the Fenix Driver on Evans. One, two…. Evans somehow kicked out at two! Now with all four men inside the ring, the pace picked up once more. On the top rope, Laredo and Evans’ scuffle was broken up by Page, who threw Fenix onto the two. Avalanche Spanish Fly by Fenix on Laredo was soon followed by Page’s Ego’s Edge on Fenix. Evans dove onto Page to break up the pin. We got a crazy finish as Evans connected with an OG Cutter on Laredo, but got thrown out by Page. This allowed “All Ego” to finish Laredo off with the Twisting Grin for the three and a successful retention of the North American Championship.

Ethan Page def. Laredo Kid, Je’von Evans, and Rey Fenix via pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship

Just a frenetic match from start to finish. An incredible showing from four standout talents and certainly in the conversation for match of the night so far.

**********

AAA Mega Campeones: El Hijo del Vikingo (c) vs. Chad Gable

Gable targeted Vikingo’s ankle early on, but could not get a clear upper hand. The two then got into a test of strength as thing started off slow between the two and a more technical battle was emphasized. Vikingo’s attempt at an armbar was countered beautifully into an ankle lock by Gable. The former Olympic wrestler then went on the offensive as he dropped Vikingo with a suplex.

Vikingo caught Gable in mid air but got reversed as an exchange of counters ended with a dropkick by the Mega Champion of AAA. Vikingo followed that up with a hurricanrana and a Meteora that sent Gable crashing to the floor below. Vikingo headed up top and took Gable down with a standing 630 splash onto the back.Gable got the knees up at the last second to block Vikingo’s shooting star press as he then tossed the champ onto the steel steps. Gable pulled out a table from underneath the ring. He grabbed Vikingo and looked for a German Suplex through the table, but Vikingo escaped. In the ring, Gable kept Vikingo grounded with punches to the face, followed by a monkey flip from the corner. Vikingo blocked an abdominal stretch, but he couldn’t block Gable’s German Suplex. Gable continued to work over Vikingo as his diving headbutt attempt was countered into a Codebreaker by the Mega Campeone. Vikingo kicked Gable across the back and headed up top with a double stomp onto Gable’s prone body. One, two… not yet!

On the apron, Vikingo kicked Gable as he then hit a springboard 450 splash from the middle rope, but that wasn’t enough. Gable caught Vikingo’s handspring and dropped him with the modified Gory Special for the near-fall. Gable missed on a moonsault attempt but a skirmish on the top rope led to an incredible avalanche sitdown powerbomb. One, two…. Vikingo kicked out at 2.99999999999!!!!!!!!

Vikingo stunned Gable with a dropkick as he then took off from the top rope with a Mexican Destroyer onto the apron! Somehow, Gable kicked out at two after that. Vikingo placed Gable on the table, but the challenger recovered to push him off. Gable instead placed Vikingo on the table and put him through it with a moonsault.

With both men down and out, they managed to enter the ring at the count of nine as they then mixed it up with clubbing blows. Gable avoided a kick from Vikingo as he then cinched in his ankle lock. Vikingo escaped a German Suplex attempt as he followed it with a Poisonrana and.a Meteora on a prone Gable in the corner. Vikingo then put an end to Gable’s Mega Campeone aspirations with the 630 Splash.

After the match, the AAA roster celebrated Vikingo’s victory to end the night.

El Hijo del Vikingo def. Chad Gable to retain the AAA Mega Campeones

A fantastic main event and it’s always nice to see Chad Gable get a main event spot, for sure. For his part, Vikingo was at his best as usual, and this was a great way to end a surprisingly good WWE/AAA co-branded night.

Overall, I enjoyed Worlds Collide and the show being matches with very little downtime made for an enjoyable and easy watch (if a bit predictable) from start to finish.





El Hijo del Vikingo gets involved at WWE WrestleMania 41

On the day it was announced that WWE has acquired Lucha Libre AAA, one of their top stars briefly got involved in the action at WrestleMania 41.

El Hijo del Vikingo was in the front row for Rey Fenix vs. El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) at night one of WrestleMania in Las Vegas on Saturday. Before the bell rang, there was a spot where Vikingo kicked Americano after being shoved by him at ringside. Vikingo was identified as a former AAA Champion.

During the match, Americano inserted a metal plate into his face mask and proceeded to use it as a weapon, getting the victory with a diving headbutt to Fenix. Vikingo entered the ring to check on Fenix after the match and help him to his feet.

AAA representatives Marisela Pena and Dorian Roldan were also shown on camera at WrestleMania, with Michael Cole saying WWE’s acquisition of AAA will change the landscape of lucha libre. Cole plugged the AAA & NXT Worlds Collide event that will be held in Los Angeles this June.

The announcement of the AAA acquisition was made by Paul “Triple H” Levesque during tonight’s pre-show with Vikingo, Pena, and Roldan among the personnel appearing alongside him.

Vikingo is a one-time AAA Mega Champion. In the United States, he made frequent appearances for AEW from 2023-2024. Vikingo has also competed for TNA Wrestling — and he’ll be in action at TNA’s Rebellion pay-per-view later this month.

Rey Mysterio was originally scheduled to be Americano’s WrestleMania opponent, but Fenix replaced him in the match after Mysterio suffered an injury on SmackDown last night. Dave Meltzer reports that Mysterio’s injury is a torn groin.

The People vs. GCW live results: Hammerstein Ballroom return

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.

El Hijo del Vikingo comments on injury, hopes to recover in a few weeks

El Hijo del Vikingo is staying positive while he faces another injury.

While making his PROGRESS Wrestling debut on Sunday, Vikingo suffered an injury to his left leg while facing Kid Lykos II. The match was stopped after Vikingo’s injury and ended in a no contest. PROGRESS Wrestling noted that Vikingo would be checked out by their medical team, and the promotion was hoping for a speedy recovery.

Vikingo made an Instagram post after the match sharing a clip of the spot where he got hurt. He’s hoping that he will be able to recover in a few weeks.

“God knows why he puts these tests on me, I have faith that it will be a few weeks,” Vikingo wrote. “Thank you very much to all the fans in London for such a wonderful welcome.”

In another post on his Instagram stories, Vikingo shared a photo of himself on the flight home to Mexico with a caption that included the words “always positive.”

Vikingo was originally supposed to make his PROGRESS debut in November, but that was pushed back a month so that he could fully recover from an injury that he suffered in October. Before that injury, Vikingo spent seven months out of action from February-September due to knee surgery.

PROGRESS said that Vikingo’s match against Lykos was a “classic in the making” before he got hurt, and they cannot wait to have the Lucha Libre AAA star return soon.

Vikingo avoids major injury, gives timetable for in-ring return

Image: AEW

El Hijo del Vikingo avoided a major injury at last Sunday’s TNA Impact TV taping and said he expects to be back in action in less than a month.

The former AAA Mega Champion took to Instagram Thursday to provide the update, saying the injury in his match with Trent Seven that caused him to be stretchered out “did not affect any ligament or muscle.”

“I have to rest for 5 days while the swelling goes down, then start rehabilitation until I am 100% recovered, I will be out for 15-to-20 days,” he wrote (translated from Spanish), thanking TNA, AAA, and the fans who reached out to him.

He sustained the injury following a corkscrew to Seven on the outside of the ring that caused the match to be stopped.

After being out of action for more than seven months, Vikingo made his in-ring return for AAA in a late-September trios match. The 27-year-old hadn’t wrestled since February when he suffered a torn meniscus and ruptured ligament in a match that same month in Mexico. He wrestled against TNA X-Division Champion Mike Bailey at Saturday’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view.

Big Vinny V: TNA Bound for Glory recap

Image: TNA

Last Saturday featured TNA Wrestling’s biggest show of the year — Bound for Glory — with some very high highs and a few very low lows.

The highs: Vikingo vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a spectacular X-Division showcase, PCO vs. Matt Cardona destroying each other for our entertainment; and Masha Slamovich vs. Jordynne Grace for the Knockouts title in one of the company’s best matches all year.

The lows? A string of referees who did not understand the assignment, most notably Frankie Kazarian, and wishy-washy booking that completely ruined the Nic Nemeth vs. Joe Hendry World title match.

We break it all down on the newest Big Vinny V Show!

Click Here to Listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube with a premium sub

Wrestling Observer Radio: Tons of medical updates, RAW, NXT PLE

Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including medical updates on Phantasmo, Chris Bey, Vikingo, Maria and Steve Austin, ratings, the RAW report, NXT Halloween Havoc, upcoming lineups and more. A packed show, so check it out~!

Timestamps:
Start: Health updates on Chris Bey, El Hijo del Vikingo, El Phantasmo, Maria Kanellis, Steve Austin
8:51: Wendy Barlow’s son/Ric Flair’s stepson Sebastian Kidder passes away
10:45: Big Boom AJ vs. QT Marshall set for AEW Full Gear
13:32: Mick Foley on CNN, Hulk Hogan and Dana White at Donald Trump Madison Square Garden rally
16:28: WWE MSG house show set for December 26
18:30: Ratings
25:31: Lineups for the week
29:56: WWE NXT Halloween Havoc thoughts
41:58: WWE Raw report, new Crown Jewel match

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Wrestling Observer Live: Chris Bey, Vikingo, weekend TV and news

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including updates on Chris Bey and Vikingo, all of the great wrestling over the weekend, the less great wrestling at Halloween Havoc, news on AEW trademarks and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

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Vikingo, Chris Bey both taken out on stretchers during TNA TV taping

Image: AEW

This story has been updated.

El Hijo del Vikingo and Chris Bey had to be taken out on stretchers in separate matches during Sunday’s TNA Wrestling TV taping in Detroit, Michigan.

As of now, no update on either man has been released.

Details are still unconfirmed for what the Vikingo injury could be, but he was wrestling Trent Seven and according to fan reports, the referee threw up the “X” sign after he tried to hit a corkscrew on Seven while he was outside of the ring. From one report, he landed awkwardly in his leg.

He was later taken out on a stretcher as seen below:

After being out of action for more than seven months, Vikingo made his in-ring return for AAA in a late-September trios match. The 27-year-old was out of action since February when he suffered a torn meniscus and ruptured ligament in a match that same month in Mexico.

Later on, Bey was put in a neck brace and taken out following either a possible clash of heads or off a neckbreaker spot in a match he and Ace Austin were having with the Hardys.

El Hijo del Vikingo set for action on TNA Impact

Image: AEW

For the first time since this past January, former AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo will be in action on this Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact.

Vikingo fell in defeat to X-Division Champion “Speedball” Mike Bailey at Saturday’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view. This will be his first TNA TV match since a six-way in January, but his opponent has yet to be named.

In what promises to be a hard-hitting tag team match, Hammerstone & Jake Something will battle former TNA World Champion Sami Callihan & PCO. Hammerstone, Something and Callihan were all involved in the Call Your Shot gauntlet match Saturday while PCO defended his Digital Media and International titles against Matt Cardona in a Monster’s Ball match.

In another tag team match, First Class’ AJ Francis & KC Navarro will take on former TNA Tag Team Champions The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz). All four men were part of the gauntlet match as well.

Here’s the current lineup being taped Sunday in Detroit:

  • El Hijo Del Vikingo in action
  • First Class (AJ Francis & KC Navarro) vs. The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Zachary Wentz)
  • Hammerstone & Jake Something vs. Sami Callihan & PCO

TNA Bound for Glory live results: Nic Nemeth vs. Joe Hendry World title match

One of the breakout stars of 2024 will try to become TNA World Champion in the main event of tonight’s Bound for Glory from Detroit as Nic Nemeth defends against Joe Hendry with Frankie Kazarian as special referee.

Reigning Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace will look to extend her near-300 day reign as she defends against Masha Slamovich.

In a three-way for the TNA Tag Team titles, The System’s Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers defend against Jeff & Matt Hardy and ABC in a Full Metal Mayhem match.

X-Division titleholder “Speedball” Mike Bailey will defend against Vikingo while in a Monster’s Ball match, Digital Media & International Champion PCO defends against Matt Cardona.

Josh Alexander will face Steve Maclin while Mike Santana takes on another former World Champion in Moose.

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions Spitfire defends against NXT’s Wendy Choo & Rosemary.

The pre-show will feature a 20-man Call Your Shot gauntlet match; Ash & Heather by Elegance vs. NXT’s Xia Brookside & Brinley Reece; and the annual Hall of Fame ceremony.

**********
Ash & Heather By Elegance defeated Xia Brookside & Brinley Reece

The Countdown to TNA Bound For Glory pre-show kicks off inside Wayne State Fieldhouse with George Iceman coming to the ring with a microphone in-hand. He welcomes beauty personified — times two. With that said, out comes Ash & Heather By Elegance, dressed up as the devil and an angel, respectively.

WWE NXT Superstar Brinley Reece comes out first for their opposition. Then out to the late-1990s pop-rock, American Pie soundtrack missing-tune comes her partner, Xia Brookside, to a pretty good pop from the Detroit crowd.

Reece and Heather kick things off for their respective teams, as fans immediately break out in the first of what will likely be many “TNA! TNA!” chants for the evening. Reece controls Heather and then tags in Brookside, who picks up where she left off, taking it to Ash By Elegance’s new protégé.

After Heather tags back in, the action spills to the floor, where Ash provides an assist that leads to a shift in the offensive momentum. Fans chant “You still suck! You still suck!” as the angel and devil duo take turns controlling Reece in the ring.

After a loud “We want Xia!” chant spreads throughout the building, Reece fires back up and makes the much-needed tag. Brookside hits the ring off the hot tag with a ton of momentum, and connects with Broken Wings in the corner.

Reece tags back in and after a big move, gets a close two-count on Ash. Reece hits a big power spot after that and seemingly has things won, only for Iceman to interfere to a ton of heat from the Detroit crowd. Fans chant “Kick his ass! Kick his ass!” as Brookside chases him around the ring.

She gets him down and chokes him out with his own sport coat. Meanwhile, Reece is hit with a Spanish Fly by Heather and Rarified Air by Ash for the finish. Iceman celebrates with Ash and Heather in the ring to wrap up the opener.

Bob Ryder, Rhino Inducted Into 2024 Class Of TNA Hall Of Fame

The induction video package for Bob Ryder airs for the 2024 class of the TNA Wrestling Hall of Fame. The package featured Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, James Storm, Frankie Kazarian, Josh Mathews and many others singing the praises of the longtime TNA office employee.

When the package wraps up, Eric Young comes out to a podium at the end of the entrance ramp to give an induction speech for his longtime personal friend, Bob Ryder. Fans in the building chant “Thank you, Bob!”

Young gives a speech about what a good person Ryder was and mentions his passing and how he’s watching now proudly. He is given credit for being along with Jeff and Jerry Jarrett, one of a handful of people responsible for TNA’s existence.

When that wraps up, the induction video package for former ECW original Rhino airs. Many of the same talking heads are featured giving kind words about “The Man Beast” / “The War Machine.” When the package wraps up, Tommy Dreamer comes out to deliver an induction speech.

Dreamer talks about Rhino being “everything a classic big man should be.” That’s right, 5’10” “big man.” We all get what he means, but still. Dreamer gives Rhino’s long list of credentials from his days in WWE, ECW and TNA. Dreamer says Rhino looks and works as good as ever now as he did in his prime.

He then wraps up joking about Rhino saying every year that it’s going to be the Detroit Lions’ year. The fans in Detroit loved that and broke out into a loud pro-Lions chant. Rhino is then introduced and out he comes in a bright red suit coat to the obligatory “You deserve it!” chant.

Rhino delivers an excellent line about being in shock that they found a decent suit jacket that fit Dreamer. He follows that up with an awesome joke about his wife. The crowd gives him some flack for it and he quickly quips, “C’mon you’re supposed to be on my side tonight!”

Rhino’s personality is shining through in ways in this induction speech that he’s maybe never shown in decades of performing in front of cameras. Really good, genuine stuff. He thanks his family, Paul Heyman and even his “WWE family.” He thanks Triple H for never stop believing in him.

He thanks Jim Ross and Pat Patterson for always believing in him and pushing for him to get a second chance. He thanks Edge, Christian and Joe Legend for always being his friend no matter what. He says Dreamer is like a brother to him. He thanks Johnny Swinger and tells him to keep swinging, baby.

He thanks Scott D’Amore for training him. He mentions having two minutes left. He thanks Heath Slater. He calls him a great human being and says in 2017, his brother Jim was diagnosed with cancer and given a death sentence.

He only lived two-and-a-half months after it and Heath would talk to him and he could see the cancer go away and the life come back in his voice. He says for a moment in time he would give his brother moments in life. He thanks Heath again. He leads fans in a “GORE!” chant and wraps up an awesome induction speech.

Frankie Kazarian Wins 2024 Call Your Shot Gauntlet

After the 2024 TNA Hall of Fame segment wraps up, we shift gears and get ready for the Call Your Shot Gauntlet. Out first comes Frankie Kazarian. Starting things off with Kazarian will be Zachary Wentz. The bell sounds and these two will kick things off for the first two minutes.

Wentz takes the early offensive lead and after some back-and-forth action, the countdown clock appears to bring out Jake Something at number three. Something immediately hits the ring and makes an impact, taking it to both Wentz and Kazarian with power offense.

Something and Kazarian both try and throw Wentz over the top, and as they do, the countdown clock appears again. Trey Miguel makes his way out in the fourth position and provides some help for Wentz. The crowd comes to life as Miguel flies all over the place, taking out any-and-everything that moves in the process.

Wentz recovers and joins in with Miguel as the Detroit crowd breaks out into a “Let’s go Rascalz!” chant. The countdown clock appears and winds down to bring out Hammerstone. Now Jake Something has some assistance, and four of the five men in the ring are part of teams.

Hammerstone powerbombs Wentz into Miguel. Kazarian tries ordering Hammerstone around, but this backfires on him. Hammerstone and Something run over “The King of TNA” with a big double-clothesline. The countdown clock winds down and Rohit Raju comes out as the seventh competitor in the gauntlet.

Out as the eighth participant in the gauntlet a couple of minutes later is Laredo Kid. Fans chant “Lucha! Lucha!” as the masked-man hits the ring with a ton of energy, but within seconds is eliminated. Miguel works on Hammerstone outside of the ring ropes on the apron, but Something hits him from behind.

Hammerstone launches Miguel onto Laredo Kid on the floor to eliminate him. The countdown clock winds down at the same time and out comes Sami Callihan. As he enters the ring, Hammerstone is eliminated. Callihan hits a Cactus Driver ’97 almost immediately.

John Skyler comes out next and after a couple of minutes, Bhupinder Gujjar comes out as the next entrant. Gujjar is nearly eliminated by Raju, but in Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat-fashion, he skins the cat with relative ease. Trent Seven comes out next to a big pop in his return hometown appearance.

KC Navarro comes out next, but walks right into “The Death Machine.” Sami Callihan Donkey Kong’s him into the mat with authority for a big pop. Moments later, Raju and Gujjar eliminate themselves, and John Skyler gets eliminated just as 2024 TNA Hall of Fame inductee Rhino makes his way out.

Rhino immediately eliminates Callihan as the crowd goes berserk. Fans chant “Gore! Gore! Gore!” Rhino ties Chris Sabin tonight with his 13th match at a TNA Bound For Glory event. The countdown clock winds down and out comes Tasha Steelz as the first Knockout in this year’s bout.

Steelz hits the ring and blasts Navarro with a standing cutter that launches him half way across the ring. Steelz and Rhino have a big staredown, Brock Lesnar and GUNTHER style. Rhino hoists her up but sets her down. Steelz does a twerk dance.

The countdown clock strikes and Lei Ying Lee comes out as the second Knockout entrant in the gauntlet. Within a minute, Lee eliminates the only other female in the ring, as she blasts Steelz with a kick that sends her over the ropes and out to the floor.

Jason Hotch is out as the next entrant. Navarro is eliminated. Leon Slater is out next and he immediately starts racking up a body count, bouncing bodies all over the place, but not yet actually eliminating anyone. Kazarian blasts Lee with a clothesline, which elicits a ton of heat.

She is eliminated seconds later. Jonathan Gresham comes out as entrant number 18. JDC comes out as the 19th entrant and quickly eliminates Slater for a ton of heat. Seven hits a Seven-Star Lariat on JDC just as the countdown clock appears again. Out comes AJ Francis as the 20th and final competitor.

Gresham, Seven and Hotch are eliminated in rapid-fire-style fashion. Wentz hits a death valley driver on the ring apron outside the ropes to Something to eliminate him. Wentz nearly hurricanrana’s Francis over the ropes, but Something provides the assist from the floor, yanking Wentz out and eliminating him.

Fans chant “Gore! Gore! Gore!” as they see Rhino, JDC, AJ Francis and Frankie Kazarian as the final competitors remaining. Rhino eliminates JDC but turns around into a gore from Francis. The crowd craps all over that, as you would expect. Francis tries throwing Rhino out, but Rhino slides out the back door and clotheslines Francis out for a massive pop.

Rhino turns around and sees Kazarian down in the corner. Kazarian slowly gets to his feet and the bell sounds for a standard one-on-one bout between Kazarian and Rhino. Kazarian hits a low-blow on Rhino that the referee doesn’t see and within all of a minute, scores a pin for the victory.

Frankie Kazarian is the 2024 Call Your Shot Gauntlet winner. He is presented with his trophy and he celebrates. The commentators talk about him being able to call for a title shot of his choosing at any time of his choosing in the next year.

They point out with him being the third man in the ring for tonight’s TNA World title bout between Nic Nemeth and Joe Hendry, that things could get interesting. Hannifan and Rehwoldt are shown on-camera one final time to wrap up the Countdown to TNA Bound For Glory pre-show. It’s pay-per-view time!

“Speedball” Mike Bailey defeated El Hijo del Vikingo to retain the TNA X-Division Championship

An excellent cold open video package airs to start off the PPV portion of TNA Bound For Glory 2024. Back inside the Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit, MI., the theme plays to bring out El Hijo del Vikingo. After he settles in the ring, reigning TNA X-Division Champion “Speedball” Mike Bailey emerges.

Fans are chanting “Holy sh*t! Holy sh*t!” before Bailey’s theme is even finished playing. His theme wraps up and the bell sounds, eliciting a loud “This is Awesome! This is Awesome!” chant before the two touch. They shake hands and get in a Street Fighter video game-style fighting stance. The fight is on.

Hannifan says tonight is the highest grossing Bound For Glory show in 11 years. del Vikingo hits a turning spot in the ring that looked, like much of his offense, awe-inspiring. He hits another twisting splash to Bailey after diving through the ropes out to the floor.

He goes for a big high spot off the ropes back in the ring, but Bailey moves and avoids it. del Vikingo stops and the referee checks on his knee, before Bailey reengages and specifically focuses his attack on the knee of the challenger.

The two proceed to put on an instant classic of high-risk, high-impact offensive showcases for the next ten minutes, including an insane Canadian Destroyer off the ropes onto the hard part of the ring apron. In the end, Bailey hit a float-over super-plex off the ropes for the victory to retain his X-Division Championship in an epic title tilt.

Spitfire defeated Wendy Choo & Rosemary to retain the TNA Knockouts Tag-Team Championships

Rehwoldt and Hannifan appear on-camera to run down the rest of the card still to come and then set the stage for our second PPV bout of the evening, which is another championship contest. Wendy Choo and Rosemary come out together as the challengers for a Knockouts tag-team title tilt.

Spitfire duo Jody Threat and Dani Luna make their way out next for their latest title defense. The bell sounds and it is Threat and Choo who kick things off for their respective teams. Threat takes the early offensive lead before tagging in Luna.

Choo pulls Luna’s hair and brings her to her own corner, where she tags in Rosemary. We see the pillow used as a cushion for the heel challengers, resulting in the poor pillow being suplexed out to the floor. True story.

Choo and Rosemary start to sneak around with cheap heel tactics behind the referee’s back, which allows them to shift the offensive momentum in their favor. They isolate Threat on their side of the ring and prevent her from making the tag, all-the-while utilizing frequent tags themselves to keep a fresh person on her at all times.

Luna finally gets the tag and she does a good job of taking over, but eventually falls victim to a two-on-one attack by Choo and Rosemary in a prolonged beatdown at ringside. Threat hits a high spot off the ropes to even things out, while also breaking the referee’s count to keep the match going.

After the big high spot, Threat heads back to the corner and cheers on Luna to make the tag, only for Choo to yank her off the apron. Rosemary then follows up with a spear to Luna in the ring. She immediately covers her, but decides to pull Luna up before the referee could count to three.

She tags in Choo and the two set Luna up for a double suplex off the middle rope. Luna escapes and brings them both down with a double powerbomb. She makes the tag and Threat comes in delivering blows to Choo and Rosemary over-and-over again, until running into double-knees by Choo.

Rosemary accidentally blasts Choo. Threat trips Choo onto Rosemary draped over the middle rope. She hits a running double knees to their stacked-backs and then connects with a double German suplex. She tags Luna in and the two hit the Pressure Drop for the win to retain. After the match, Rosemary spears Choo and lays her out. She grabs her lifeless head and lifts it up and kisses her before leaving her laying.

Gia Miller Interviews Special Referee Frankie Kazarian

Backstage, Frankie Kazarian, fresh off of his victory in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match earlier in the evening, is shown reading Earl Hebner’s autobiography. Gia Miller walks up and he tells her he’s busy reading and studying for his special referee assignment tonight.

The self-proclaimed “King of TNA” then talks briefly about his plans as the Call Your Shot Gauntlet winner. Joe Hendry and Nic Nemeth are shown making their arrivals to the building for their main event title tilt later in tonight’s main event.

Josh Alexander defeated Steve Maclin

Back inside the arena, Steve Maclin’s theme hits and out he comes for the next PPV match of the evening. He settles in the ring and then the entrance tune for Josh Alexander hits. “The Walking Weapon” emerges, only to be rushed by Maclin.

Maclin meets him as soon as he walks through the entrance tunnel at the top of the entrance staging area. Hannifan and Rehwoldt talk about Sinner & Saint not being here tonight due to travel issues, noting Maclin gets Alexander all by himself tonight after being zip-tied and attacked on Thursday.

After a couple of minutes of beating down Alexander at ringside, Alexander finally starts to fight back and take over. He does the old-school Bret Hart-style sharpshooter around the ring post to soften up the leg of Maclin. He enters the ring and the referee finally calls for the bell.

Alexander immediately rushes across the ring and goes straight to work on the leg that he just began softening up of Maclin. Fans get on his case with “Walking Weiner” chants. Maclin starts to take over but after a few more minutes of action, Alexander blatantly low-blows Maclin after the referee is bumped.

While the referee is still down, Alexander zip-ties Maclin’s hands behind his back. Maclin starts to fight back with his hands still cuffed behind him. The referee tries during a lull in the action to untie his hands, but Maclin just moves away from him and dives through the ropes to splash onto Alexander on the floor.

Back in the ring, he does the same thing, refusing to wait for the ref to cut his hands free, opting instead to land a running double-knee to “The Walking Weapon.” Again Maclin refuses to be untied by the ref, and this time it backfires, as Alexander hits a tombstone pile driver to Maclin with his hands cuffed behind him.

Dangerous stuff. He goes for the cover, and even with his hands tied behind his back, Maclin still gets a shoulder up. Alexander goes for the C4 Spike, but Maclin avoids it. Alexander hits a German suplex to Maclin, who no-sells it and pops back up with his hands still behind his back.

Alexander locks Maclin in the ankle lock. The commentators point out that Maclin can’t tap out or grab the ropes due to them being cuffed behind him. Maclin passes out, presumably due to extreme leg pain? Alexander wins with an ankle lock due to pass out by Maclin.

PCO defeated Matt Cardona in a Monster’s Ball match to retain the TNA Digital Media & International Heavyweight Championships

We see footage of Masha Slamovich and Jordynne Grace arriving to the building earlier today, as the commentators mention we’re not far from our triple main event. First, however, the pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading up to our next PPV match.

Up next is the Monster’s Ball match between PCO and Matt Cardona for the TNA Digital Media and International Heavyweight Championships. When the “road to” style package wraps up, we hear the familiar sounds of “Alwayz Ready” Matt Cardona’s theme.

Out comes “The Indy God” looking as tan as ever, wearing a “Deathmatch Busters” Ghostbusters-style ring gear. He settles in the ring and then the lights in the building go out. The entrance for PCO begins. Out comes “The French-Canadian Frankenstein” to a big pop.

The bell sounds and off we go with this Monster’s Ball double title tilt. This is the 59th ever Monster’s Ball match in TNA history. That seems like a lot. PCO is undefeated at 3-0 in his Monster’s Ball match history. Cardona’s first few offensive attempts result in a no-sell by PCO, who nearly be-heads him with a lariat.

Cardona side-steps PCO as he charged at him at full-speed, and guides him through the ropes, where he crashes and burns on the floor at ringside. Cardona slides through the bottom rope with a baseball slide dropkick to PCO, before sending him into the ring post, and then the ring steps.

The violence levels pick up from there, as a door is brought in instead of a table. It is put in the corner and used as the back-drop for a big spear spot. Another door is brought out and laid long ways across about four steel chairs set up by Cardona.

Cardona powerbombs PCO off the ropes through it. Cardona pulls a sack full of thumbtacks out from under the ring. He takes a handful of them and puts them in PCO’s mouth, before blasting him with a Re-Boot. He hits a Radio Silence and goes for the cover, but PCO kicks out.

Cardona one-by-one pushes thumbtacks into PCO’s cheek. Eek. A third door is pulled out from under the ring. As Cardona is holding it in the ring, PCO runs and splashes onto it and him for a close two-count. Now we see PCO pull out a second black sack from under the ring.

He sprinkles out a ton of thumbtacks all over the ring mat. Cardona, who has blood all over one of his pant legs, heads out to the floor and grabs a baseball bat wrapped in neon green barbed wire. He stabs it into the face of PCO, who fights back and ultimately chokeslams Cardona onto the pile of tacks. He follows up with a PCO-sault for the win to retain his titles in a fun violent brawl.

Mike Santana defeated Moose

The “road to” style pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading up to our next match of the evening, which features Moose of The System going one-on-one against Mike Santana. Hip-hop star Westside Gunn is shown in the first row as Moose makes his ring entrance.

Mike Santana is out next to a big crowd reaction from the packed house in Detroit. Fans break out in a dueling “Spin the Block” / “Moose!” chant as the two stare each other down at the sound of the bell. Santana charges at Moose and the two immediately brawl out to the floor.

After this continues for a few minutes, the match resumes inside the ring where Santana starts to fight back into competitive form. Moose cuts his comeback short, however, and proceeds to settle into a comfortable prolonged run in the offensive driver’s seat.

Santana begins a fired up comeback, only for JDC of The System to hit the ring and try to interfere. Santana ends up taking him out with a Spin the Block and follows up with another to Moose. He goes for the cover but only gets two.

Moose hits a big Spear, but Santana somehow kicks out of that. Santana hits another Spin the Block for the big win. Hannifan stresses on commentary that Santana worked his way through each member of The System before taking out the head of the snake on TNA’s biggest stage tonight.

Masha Slamovich defeated Jordynne Grace to become the new TNA Knockouts Champion

Now it’s time for part one of the TNA Bound For Glory 2024 triple-main event, as up next is the TNA Knockouts Championship bout. The pre-match package airs to tell the story leading up to tonight’s showdown between Masha Slamovich and “The Juggernaut” Jordynne Grace.

The Tale of the Tape graphic flashes on the screen when we return live, and then Slamovich makes her way out to what is a pretty surprisingly big reaction from the crowd. Out next to a bigger pop is the reigning champ, Grace, who looks extra dolled up for tonight’s big show.

After the long, drawn out, formal ring introductions for this championship contest and our first of three co-main events, the bell sounds and the two shake hands before getting after it. Slamovich starts off strong, but then Grace takes over and targets the knee of the challenger.

Grace picks Slamovich up and bounces her knee off the ring post at ringside over-and-over again. Back in the ring, Slamovich eventually starts to fight back into competitive form. She hits a Snow Plow for a super close two-count. Grace fights back and hits a Kryptonite Crunch for a two-count.

Slamovich is launched to the floor where she lands hard, drawing an audible collective gasp from the Detroit crowd in attendance. Slamovich hoists Grace up and connects with a Burning Hammer for another super close two-count. Fans chant “TNA! TNA!” as both are slow to get back to their feet.

After Slamovich lands an assortment of kicks, Grace catches one of them and in one swift motion, hoists Slamovich up across her shoulders. She plants her into the mat and then quickly muscles her back up right into a Juggernaut Driver. She immediately goes for the cover, but somehow Slamovich kicks out.

Grace locks Slamovich in a tight leg submission that she cranks away on, wrenching away at the injured knee that she has been softening up the entire night. Somehow Slamovich hangs on and makes it to the ropes. Fans chant “This is Awesome! This is Awesome!”

The champ looks for the Grace Driver off the ropes, but Slamovich has it well-scouted and begins headbutting her way free. She takes over and connects with a Super Snow Plow. She rolls through into a pile driver and covers her for the win. We have a new TNA Knockouts Champion after an excellent match.

Nic Nemeth defeated Joe Hendry to retain the TNA World Championship

The pre-match video package for match two in our triple-main event here at TNA Bound For Glory 2024 airs now. Up next is the TNA World Championship showdown between Nic Nemeth and Joe Hendry. The package wraps up and special referee and 2024 Call Your Shot Gauntlet winner Frankie Kazarian emerges.

After the self-proclaimed “King of TNA” settles in the ring with his massive Call Your Shot Gauntlet trophy, he awaits the arrival of the challenger and the champion. A special elaborate pre-entrance video package airs with Joe Hendry in a hoodie looking into a bathroom mirror, ala Eminem in “8 Mile.”

It then shows him in Detroit with his back turned in a spot where clearly everyone was hoping to see the dramatic turn to reveal Slim Shady himself. Unfortunately, it was Hendry. Inside the arena, we see someone come out with their back turned holding a chainsaw, ala Eminem in his old Slim Shady wild-man days.

The catchy-ass “I Believe in Joe Hendry” entrance tune hits and we see the dramatic turn to reveal Hendry again. He makes his way to the ring as the fans in Detroit very, very loudly sing along with every word of his catchy-ass entrance tune.

Out as the wrestling equivilant of the 1980s hair metal band movement to Joe Hendry’s early-2000s hip-hop wrestling equivilant-patterned entrance is the reigning and defending TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth. The champ settles in the ring.

The ring announcer handles the long, drawn out, formal pre-match ring introductions for the champion, challenger and special guest referee. Fans actually boo Nemeth quite a bit after going bonkers for Hendry. It’s time for our second of three main events here at TNA Bound For Glory 2024.

Fans in Detroit loudly chant “F**k Ohio! F**k Ohio!” as Nemeth takes his ring jacket off and prepares for battle. Kazarian holds up the TNA World Championship and smiles real big before calling for the bell to officially get this one started. The two go face-to-face in an intense moment. They back up and lock-up.

Nemeth takes the early offensive lead. He hits his machine gun elbows spot. The Jerry Lawler heart attack special. Hendry fights back and hoists Nemeth up for a suplex. He keeps him upside down and walks him to all four corners before suplexing him down. He does his dramatic turn for a big pop.

The crowd is so pro-Hendry that they’re passionately anti-Nemeth by default. Hulk Hogan and The Rock at WrestleMania-type atmosphere, only nowhere near that scale, obviously. As the two continue to exchange offensive momentum, they each end up laid out.

Kazarian begins a double count, but stops and exits the ring. He grabs his Call Your Shot Gauntlet trophy and teases calling for his title shot now. He turns around and sees Hendry coming at him, however, and Hendry yanks the trophy out of his hands, sets it down and tells Kazarian to get in the ring and do his job.

As soon as Hendry rolls back into the ring, he stands up just in time to be planted into the mat with a FameAsser. Hendry manages to kick out of the follow-up pin attempt. A few more times we see Kazarian abuse his authority.

The next time he teases calling for his title shot on-the-spot, out walks Walker, Texas-JBL-Ranger through the crowd. John Layfield lays out Kazarian with a Clothesline from Hell for a huge pop. He stops and has a word with Hendry. As Hendry goes to turn away, JBL turns him back and nearly be-heads him with a short-arm Clothesline from Hell, Jake Roberts in-his-prime-style.

Ryan Nemeth ends up out there and he too gets turned inside-out by a big clothesline from hell by JBL. JBL walks off. Hendry slowly gets back into the ring, but is immediately hit with a Danger Zone by Nemeth. Nemeth goes for the cover but there is no referee.

One runs down and begins the count, but Hendry kicks out at two. Fans immediately break out into a thunderous “We Believe! We Believe!” chant. Hendry goes for a Standing Ovation, but doesn’t get it. Nemeth hits Danger Zone and makes the cover for the win to retain. Fans react with loud “Bullsh*t!” chants that can be heard over Nemeth’s music.

The Hardys defeated ABC and The System in Full Metal Mayhem to capture the TNA World Tag-Team Championships

The commentators run down some upcoming special event and pay-per-view dates on the TNA Wrestling calendar and then announce matches for their special Halloween episode of TNA iMPACT next Thursday night, October 31.

From there, Hannifan sets the stage for our final match of the evening, The Hardys vs. ABC vs. The System for the TNA World Tag-Team Championships in a Full Metal Mayhem match. To set up the pre-match video package, Hannifan asks, “Are you ready for one more ride into the extreme?”

The “Tag Lines” graphic flashes on the screen with some interesting notes and rules for this special Full Metal Mayhem title tilt. The iconic theme for The Hardys hits and out comes Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy.

The commentators talk about special Hardys art work being featured in, on and around the ring. Clear Jeff Hardy-style art. Exactly what you’d expect. ABC’s theme hits next and out comes Chris Bey and Ace Austin. The System’s Eddie Edwards and Brian Myers come out last.

No long, drawn out formal ring introductions for this one for some reason. Time issues? Regardless, with the special Hardy artwork all over the ring, the match going on last after Hendry-Nemeth, and the style in which the commentators are talking, if they didn’t have North Carolina coming up on the schedule almost immediately, you’d think tonight is it for Matt and Jeff Hardy.

The action gets off in a hurry and almost immediately everyone is outside of the ring and fighting in different spots on the floor. Myers escapes through the barricade and into the crowd. Hardy chases him down and Sabu’s him with a chair launched onto the back of his head. ABC fight past them with Edwards.

Myers is left for dead and The Hardys fight back to the ringside area, beating down Edwards in two-on-one fashion. They lay him on a colorful artwork table and Matt climbs an equally colorful fancy-art ladder. He hits a big leg drop to put him through it. ABC make their way back to the ringside area.

Jeff Hardy brings a painted ladder into the painted ring, which Hannifan has to point out due to the mess of colors blending together for the viewing audience at home. Odd aesthetic choice, but it’s right up The Hardys / Willow in the Whisp alley.

We see some more high spots and then everyone ends up in the ring again. A giant ladder bridge is set up. We see one ladder wedged on each side of a main ladder under the belts in the middle of the ring. The Hardys are taken out of the picture momentarily and then Edwards begins climbing.

Austin slingshots Bey off the bottom rope, LWO-style, to bring Edwards off the ladder with a backwards cutter. Moments later we see another wild ladder spot that leads to everyone being down and out except Edwards. Fans chant “This is Awesome!” as he begins to climb.

Matt Hardy stops him. Another big ladder spot sees Edwards and Matt out of the picture for the time being. Jeff climbs up a massive ladder with Myers laid out across two colorful tables at ringside. He does a swanton onto Myers but only the further table breaks. Jeff came within inches of breaking his neck or worse. Scary stuff.

Back in the ring, Austin is alone and begins climbing the ladder. Alisha Edwards runs out in a neck brace and pushes the ladder over. She then takes the neck brace off. Matt comes in behind her and takes his shirt off. He hits her with a Twist of Fate. Edwards beats Matt down from behind with a kendo stick.

Edwards begins ascending the ladder, only for Matt and Jeff in opposing corners to throw chairs at him, Sabu-style. They then hoist him up for a double power bomb over the ring ropes and through colorful tables down below. They each climb the ladder on opposite sides and pull the titles down for the win. The Hardys are your new TNA World Tag-Team Champions.

Next Week On TNA iMPACT (10/31/2024)
* Hammerstone & Jake Something vs. Sami Callihan & PCO
* El Hijo Del Vikingo Will Be In Action
* First Class vs. The Rascalz

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