Tag Archives: pro wrestling

Book The Elite 2: CM Punk vs Nick Aldis part 1

Brief recap of Book The Elite 1 : RUSH won the AAA championship with a little help from Konnan, and friends. Kenny started to become unhinged, and challenged Matt Hardy for the inactive Omega Championship. But before that Kenny Omega lost his AEW championship to CM Punk. Kenny Omega wins the Omega Championship only to eventually drop it to Jon Moxley. Moxley rebranded the championship as the AEW Hardcore Championship.

There were a few side plots mentioned in #1 but we’ll be focusing on the CM Punk vs Nick Aldis feud. CM Punk has been trashing the National Wrestling Alliance all over social media for weeks. Tony Schiavone hasn’t been able to get any explanation of his plans for the NWA championship.

On tonight’s episode of Rampage, the AEW finally clears the air. CM Punk explains that the NWA is nothing more than a studio wrestling vanity project for some rockstar. He believes that Billy Corgan has no desire to bring it to it’s former glory. Tony tried to respond but CM Punk took the microphone.

“The fact of the matter is that the NWA will always be a vanity project. Unless it has a real star representing it. Nick Aldis is just there for a paycheck, and to cement his legacy among fans of vintage wrestling. There’s no territories, no governing body, and the NWA depends on AEW for attention. ” -CM Punk

CM Punk told the audience that he wants the title vs title 2 out of 3 falls match to take place in the Mid-South Coliseum or Madison Square Garden. Punk claims Tony Khan will be discussing it with Billy Corgan tomorrow.

The card laid out by CM Punk

The first match will be for the NWA women’s championship.

1. Kamille versus Jade Cargill

2nd is just a tag team match.

FTR versus Aron Stevens & JR Kratos

The main event is the title versus title 2 out of 3 falls match

CM Punk versus Nick Aldis

A week later Nick Aldis was asked in an interview about all of this. He called CM Punk delusional, and said “if anybody is tarnishing the NWA legacy it’s you.”

Nick Aldis is looking forward to the match against CM Punk for both championships. He believes that he will be the better representative for the wrestling world. As for the comment about NWA territories that CM Punk had made. Nick said to stay watch the upcoming episodes of Power.

To be continued…

Book The Elite 1: Disgruntled Omega comes for Big Money Matt!

I’ll continue to do vintage wrestling reviews in the future. Primarily the Tennessee territory because it’s my favorite. but I have to admit telling a story is easier, and more fun for me.

RUSH announced his departure from ROH two months ago. He’s arrives on AEW Dynamite with Konnan to make an important announcement. Rush has signed AAA & AEW contracts.

The first person he calls out is Kenny Omega promising to take the Mega Championship from him. Even suggesting that he may have friends in the back already. Should the Elite try to intervene. Don Callis comes to the ring by himself.

Don tells RUSH that he’s undeserving of a match with Kenny Omega. Tells him that he has to spend a year or two on AEW Dark get some experience with the AEW style. “Kind of like those luchadores who spend their youth doing jobs in Arena Puebla & Arena Mexico”

This line is making reference to RUSH coming from CMLL, and it’s booking philosophy. Where seniority, and family ties have a significant hold on the company. RUSH is visibly angry, and Konnan gets in front of RUSH. Konnan laughs as he pulls a copy of RUSH’s AEW contract out of his pocket.

He tells Don Callis that he may want to call the cleaners because this championship match is in the contract. Which means he gets it wherever he wants it. RUSH wants it at the upcoming PPV.

It’s the All Out PPV, and the match is underway. Great in-ring work, and good storytelling in the ring. It almost similar to Omega’s match with Okada. Kenny Omega is clearly gassed, and getting impatient halfway through.

Callis & Konnan are both at ringside. Callis pepper sprays RUSH while the referee is focusing on Kenny Omega whose trying not to tap out. RUSH let’s go of him, and knocks the referee over as he tries to stand. Kenny Omega & Don Callis take this opportunity to attack RUSH together. Konnan tries to help but Kenny hits him below the belt before tossing him back out.

Kenny Omega wants to use RUSH as an example. So, he motions for someone to come out to the ring. It’s the Good Brothers, and the Young Bucks. But as they get close to the ring, the lights go out. “Nuevos Ingobernables” appears on the entrance screen.

Andrade, Dragon Lee, Penta, and Fenix are fighting with the Elite. Don Callis ran to safety like a chicken shit heel manager should. Konnan returns the favor by hitting Kenny Omega in the nuts before leaving the ring. The Elite have been pushed back to the entrance stage.

The referee is finally back to his feet after all this. Rush finishes it with his double foot stomp finisher “La Lanza” . We have a new Mega Champion, and the men that came to his aid return to celebrate. The Lucha Brothers say that it won’t stop here. They’re coming for the AEW tag team championships.

Note: I love factions in wrestling. I also think kicking out of finishers shouldn’t be allowed. What’s so special about the move, if it doesn’t have a lethal effect?

Kenny is having a mental breakdown in the back. The Elite are trying to console him but it’s not going too well. CM Punk & Matt Hardy walk by talking about their ROH stories. CM Punk looks at him but remains expressionless. Matt Hardy chuckles, and that only makes it worse.

As the two of them walk away from Kenny. Kenny shouts that he wants to face Matt Hardy for the Omega Championship. “You named your Indy fed after me! The least you can do is give me my championship.” Kenny said to Matt Hardy.

Matt Hardy responds by telling him that he has to defend the championship against CM Punk in a steel cage. We’re going to timeskip a bit here. Punk wins the AEW championship, and issues a challenge to NWA champion Nick Aldis. A title for title 2 out of 3 falls match.

Kenny’s mental health continues deteriorate, and his actions become more eccentric. He becomes a demented version of his “Cleaner” persona. Matt Hardy keeps his word after a few Dynamites, and Rampages. It’ll be a ladder match for the Omega Championship.

But Matt Hardy adds a special stipulation to the match. The loser carries the winner’s bags, and gets their snacks for one month. Kenny Omega quickly agrees to this. Fortunately for Kenny the Wrestling God Karl Gotch took pity on him that day.

Kenny Omega becomes the new Omega Champion. Matt Hardy’s fall while trying to grab the belt saved him. It was winning the lottery or Detroit actually being good at sports. No one saw it coming because Kenny was clearly done.

Matt Hardy is currently being tended to after falling into a table. Kenny Omega is looking at the championship like it’s the ring from Lord of the Rings. He’s laughing like a really bad Joker impersonator. Don Callis quickly escorts him to the back, and into a limo. Threatening cameramen, and Tony Schiavone as he does it.

The show ends there.

Kenny Omega would spend weeks hyping up the title, and defending against every undercard guy imaginable. Jon Moxley tricks Kenny Omega into a straight jacket match for the title. Jon Moxley wins, and Kenny Omega is sent away for a bit.

Kenny Omega returns to normal. The Omega Championship is rebranded as the “AEW Hardcore Championship”. It’s design is influenced heavily influenced by Moxley, and early CZW. The one remaining indicator of it’s past is the Omega symbolism on the side plates.

CWA versus AEW!

Some brief thoughts on CWA & AEW events.

CWA 01/03/87

After an interrupted interview, the first match was Goliath vs John Paul & Dennis Upton. Goliath’s manager is the scrawny little Downtown Bruno. A perfect rival for Marko Stunt. He’s built like a twig, and is a basic cowardly heel. Bruno takes credit for Goliath’s success in the ring. Pretty good 2 minute match.

Virgil is doing an Apollo Creed gimmick… That’s a it’s something that’s for sure. Jerry Lawler had a match. It was nothing special just a squash. Virgil & John Laurinaitis shouldn’t be allowed near a microphone. Absolutely terrible decision.

Tommy Rich delivered a basic, and solid promo. Talking about how he beat Harley Race, and he can beat Lawler too. Nothing complex it’s straight to the point.

After the RPM’s Mike Davis & Tommy Lane announce that Bruno will be their special referee in their upcoming title defense. The match is underway, and Bruno is on commentary. His opening remarks about the opposing team is filled with racial stereotypes.

I wasn’t expecting that, to be honest. The match was good, and the AWA Southern tag champions were pretty dominant throughout. They won in less than 3 minutes. In the following interview, the promoter’s son Jeff Jarrett tells Bruno that he will knock his head off.

The final match between experienced veterans & the talent of 1987’s today was great. An excellent back & forth it wasn’t one sided at all. An excellent story was told in the ring. Memphis Vice/Pat Tanaka versus Don Bass, Larry Wright, and Buddy Wayne ended in a no contest. The time limit was reached before a pin attempt could be made.

Very good show 6/10

Fun Fact: Downtown Bruno is the first man to win the WWF women’s championship. Where he wrestled as “Hervina” .

AEW Dark Elevation Episode 21

The show starts off with Paul Wight explaining why he’s wearing a “Vaxxed & Waxxed” shirt. Our first match is Red Velvet versus Angelica Risk. A quick but entertaining match. I thought Angelica using twerking as a taunt in the ring was funny. Red Velvet was all business in the ring, and walked away with the win.

The next match is Lee Johnson versus Marcus Kross with Dustin Rhodes at ringside supporting Lee. Marcus Kross looks like he’s preparing to be in the sequel of the live-action Dragon Ball movie. His hair is a crime against humanity. Lee Johnson won the match.

TNT champion Miro confronts Lee Johnson after the match. He congratulates him, and promises to end Lee’s career. This is much better than what the trashy WWE creative team had him do. We won’t discuss that.

They brought on David Crockett to do commentary. So many old school names are popping up in AEW. I wonder how Jim Cornette processes that? It must bother him a little.

The next match is Kris Statlander versus Ashley D’Amboise. I really like Kris Statlander. Just gives off really good vibes. I’m smiling, and Kris hasn’t done anything yet. She’s doing cartwheels to confuse her opponent, and I think that’s great. Kris Statlander finishes it with a Big Bang. Lots of fun, though probably wasn’t fun for Ashley.

Aaron Solo & Nick Comoroto w/ QT Marshall versus Rosario Grillo & Hunter Knott is up next. QT Marshall replaces Eddie Kingston on commentary for this match. Nick is massive, and looks like you stole him from Jim Crockett Promotions. Just a strong, and dominant force in the ring. His opponents will definitely have trouble.

AEW likes to keep track of wins, and losses. I’d pair him with a well spoken charismatic manager, and have him go undefeated for a bit. Before giving him a shot at the TNT championship. Wrestling needs monsters.

Now back to the match. They finished it with a tag team maneuver. Very good match that I’d challenge Jim Cornette to find something wrong with. Let’s move on!

Yuka Sakazaki versus Dani Jordyn is up next. Before I get to the match, I’d like to address something. While I don’t want it to come off like Jim Cornette is getting targeted by me. As a long time listener of his programs it needs to be said. His disdain for Kenny Omega is one thing. But to call these grown women “Japanese schoolgirls” is disgusting.

He’s said on his program that Kenny Omega has a fetish, and that’s why these women get booked. Jim can’t deny this because he has said it multiple times. It’s childish, Jim. In the rare chance that you are reading this. Please grow up. As a fan of wrestling, and yourself I genuinely think you need to chill.

Alright now we can focus on wrestling. Sakazaki has some excellent acrobatic skills, and she seems so positive. The match is very much within the acrobatic risk taking sphere of wrestling. That’s not my preferred style but it’s still cool.

Sakazaki wins.

Our main event is Bear Bronson w/ Bear Boulder versus Darby Allin w/ Sting in his corner. The match is showing so far that Darby Allin isn’t just a risky spot guy. I’m sorry for sounding like a broken record. But once again Cornette is letting his disdain for the Bucks & Omega cloud his thinking. A part of me wants to believe Jim Cornette is working but we know this is legit hate.

Darby Allin had the submission locked in but Bronson was able to counter due to his size. Rammed Darby into the turnbuckle. Two coffin drops put Bronson. The winner is Darby.

7.5/10 very good show