Lucha Underground SN2 EP12- ‘ Three’s A Crowd ‘

Hey everybody and welcome to the return of my Lucha Underground reviews for Skatronixxx. I apologize for the lateness. On the bright side, I moved within an hour of where the Temple is! Hopefully I can provide even more Lucha Underground content for the site. On to the episode!

We start the episode off with Cage, Taya and Johnny Mundo in Dario Cueto’s office. Cueto is trying to convince the three to join the Trios tournament together. They originally decline his offer but eventually decided to team up. There was an audible laugh from me when Cueto sarcastically mentioned that Cage is a machine.

The first match of the night is Argenis facing off against Killshot. Killshot got a nice vignette recently so it seems he’s on a path to more exposure. I imagine we’ll see a win for Killshot in this match.

The match starts with Killshot continuously slapping Argenis across the chest. Argenis is able to get some offense in though by kicking Killshot in the tuchus. Killshot eventually jumps over the top rope onto Argenis, who was outside of the ring. The two men get back in the ring and are trading blows. Killshot is able to get the upper hand and hits a stomp on Argenis from the top turnbuckle. He then hits a brainbuster on Argenis to get the victory. This was a pretty good match that helped Killshot look like one of the men to beat in Lucha Underground.

We now see a backstage segment with Dragon Azteca and Black Lotus. They both talk about their issues with Dario Cueto.

Another backstage segment is next with Daga and Dario. Cueto tells Daga that he will be facing Texano for one of the medallions. I saw Daga perform at the tapings I attended and wasn’t particularly impressed with him. He seemed like a generic cocky heel to me. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

Match #2 is up next and it just so happens to be that it is Texano up against Daga for one of the medallions.

The action starts fast and furious and both men are able to get some hits on each other. There’s a lot of slapping back and forth. Texano is first to attempt a pin but Daga kicks out at 1.

There’s some more in-ring action between the two which leads to Daga jumping over the top ropes onto Texano. That’s the most Daga has impressed me so far. He throws Texano into the rafters as well as the commentary booth. He clearly has the upper hand right now. He attempts a pin on Texano but a kick out occurs. The two trade kicks. Both men are now down in the center of the ring.

Both are now up. Texano hits a lariat of a turnbuckle and goes for a pin. Daga reverses it but is not able to get the win just yet. Daga now has Texano in an ankle lock. Texano gets a hold of Daga and plants him. Texano gets the 1, 2, 3 and now is the owner of one of the Aztec medallions. I must say that Daga was better than I expected in this match but I am not sold on him yet. As for Texano, he put on a fun and entertaining match. Something Texano always does.

A backstage segment with Mil Muertes and Catrina follows and she says that The Disciples of Death will be in the Trios tournament. Muertes is ready to face Matanza! There were some pretty remarkable special effects in this segment involving Catrina summoning The Disciples of Death.

The main event is up next and it’s the team of Rey Mysterio, Prince Puma and Dragon Azteca versus Johnny Mundo, Taya and Cage. This match will be one hell of a main event!

The match starts off with Cage and Dragon Azteca. Azteca performs multiple aerial moves on Cage that excited me and the crowd inside the Temple. I really like this guy so far. Now it is Puma and Mundo in the ring. Mundo gets Puma down in the ring and goes for a few pins. None of these are successful. Taya enters the ring and continues to attack Puma. Taya and Mundo are one of the better parts of Lucha Underground every week. We get a Jem & the Holograms reference from Striker regarding Taya. That’s why you gotta love Matt Striker! Cage now enters the ring.

Cage continues the assault on Puma. Puma is getting demolished in this match. Mundo tries to get a chair involved but Cage refuses to use it. Cage slaps Mundo which is considered a tag. Puma is finally able to get to a partner. Azteca is attacking everybody! He is now being double teamed in the center of the ring. He is able to tag in Mysterio quickly after. It’s so great to see Mysterio again! Makes me happy for him! And who doesn’t love Rey Mysterio? Rey was one of the first people who got me into wrestling as a kid about a decade ago. He’s about to hit a double 619! But both Taya and Mundo move out of the way. Azteca and Puma both get them anyway.

It’s now Mysterio and Mundo inside the ring. He tries to get the win but Taya stops the pin. Puma, Mysterio and Azteca stand tall in the ring until Cage takes all of them out, aside from Rey Mysterio. The action continues and Puma is able to throw Mundo from the top rope. Mundo kicks out. This match is moving ridiculously quickly! Everybody is getting their licks in. Cage continues to beat the hell out of his opponents by throwing Mysterio into Taya as well as a double suplex on Azteca and Puma. He then beats down his own partner, Johnny Mundo.

Mysterio is able to get Mundo in the ropes and attempts a 619 for the second time. He connects this time. Azteca and Puma take down Mundo in their own ways as well and get the win for their team. I expected a great match out of these six and I was not disappointed!

The episode ends with Cueto in the basement talking with Matanza about his match next week against Mil Muertes. Cueto shows his love for Matanza and reveals he keeps him in the cage because of how valuable he is.

I’m happy to be back doing these Lucha Underground reviews! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Lucha Underground is arguably the best wrestling in the world and consistently one of the best hours of television each week. This week’s main event was stellar and next week’s involving Matanza and Mil Muertes sure will be as well.

The TNA Review – 3rd May 2016

For my first TNA review, it seems the wrestling god (not JBL the other one) has decided to bless us with the rare event of a great episode of Impact Wrestling. The May 3^rd edition of TNA saw the fallout from Sacrifice the previous week, and boy it did not disappoint. Before I get into the show I feel it is worth noting how important good shows like this are to Impact Wrestling at the moment. Dixie Carter and co have fallen on hard times recently, as their finance and ownership have been called into question. The recent relocation to a certain warehouse comes to mind. As for the product itself, it has been at most average, the importance of these coming weeks cannot be understated. With that said let’s get into the review.

OPENER

The show starts with gym bro Lashley ready to teach Drew Galloway why he is the most feared man on the TNA roster. The segment leads to a confrontation between the unsuspecting champion and Lashley during Drew’s gym session. The fight ends with the intervening gym members but not before Lashley and Galloway each get their fair share of offense in. Drew’s reversal of the guillotine choke into a powerbomb looked very vicious and the segment did a fantastic job at reminding the audience that Drew is a man with a target on his back.

After the opening segment, we are shown a video package focusing on the ongoing feud between EC3 and Mike Bennett after last week’s shock result. The decision to end the EC3 undefeated streak was and is still a good one in my eyes.

MIKE BENNETT v JEFF HARDY

So Bennett cuts a promo telling the crowd and everyone in the locker room that The Miracle is the best thing going in TNA, then suddenly we hear the atrocious sound that is Jeff Hardy’s theme music (God! That theme sucks so much). After a verbal exchange between The Miracle and The Charismatic Enigma, our first match is set. There is not much to say about this match though as it is cut short by Lashley as he spears both Hardy and Bennett.

After the attacks on Hardy and Bennett Lashley proceeds to hold the show hostage by demanding to speak to Dixie Carter. The president herself then comes out to set up our main event, Lashley v Hardy v Bennett to decide the number one contender, the special guest referee? None other than the champ himself Drew Galloway.

BACKSTAGE SEGMENT

Backstage we see Harley Qui- I mean Rosemary giving the rest of Decay a pep talk. The rest of this scene is super weird as we see Decay go through a sort of baptism by mist which is so very, very gross.

ABYSS v STORM

The segment is followed by the reveal of the newly unmasked Abyss. It seems that the unmasking of the grizzled veteran clearly reflects his new character as part of Decay. James Storm comes down to the ring to challenge Decay reminding them that Storm is the ‘S.O.B from Middle Tennessee’ (sounds a lot cooler when he says it). The match that follows with Abyss is a standard match. Storm and Abyss seem mostly even throughout but The Monster is able to get the upper hand with the help from partner Crazy Steve who spits in the face of James Storm so that Abyss can get the pin after a Black Hole Slam. The match was solid and showed that Storm and Abyss both proved a challenge to each other but Abyss using the help from Steve solidifies Decay as a championship unit.

IN RING SEGMENT: THE KNOCKOUTS

• Before coming out Maria totally rips into someone backstage

Maria comes to the ring with her usual self-confidence and begins her usual routine of patting herself on the back. Maria then calls out the current Knockouts Champion Jade to the ring, and after a slight delay she joins Maria in the ring. Maria tells Jade that she “sees her star shining bright” however according to Maria her vision for the Knockouts division are bigger than Jade so that is why Jade must lay down. Jade, of course, refuses to do this which leads to the introduction of a new Knockout, Sienna. Instantly her and Jade brawl, eventually leading to an absolutely brutal swing into the steps. The segment ends with Maria and Sienna standing tall over the fallen champion. This segment was a great way to progress the knockouts storyline. Both Jade and Sienna looked good and having them brawl instead of a match leaves me wanting to see them go against each other in the ring. However, the credit has to be given to Maria who once again carries a segment on the mic. She’s such a good heel that I have had to accept she has to be a bitch outside the ring.

KOTM MATCH

• Bram cuts a promo on how despite being the KOTM champ he is still his old self
• Bennett gives an interview again stating that                                                                        

The King of the Mountain match type sucks. SUCKS. It is an absolute joke of a match concept. It is convoluted, messy and ridiculous. The participants in this match are the Champion Bram, Eli Drake, Andrew Everett, Jessie Godderz and Eddie Edwards. As always with a match with multiple people chaos ensues. The match itself is not too bad, there is no clear story in the match until we see Everett and Eddie engaged in a heated brawl displaying their distaste for each other. Then they leave… Wait, what? Why? Could they really not think of another way of getting wrestlers to stay out of the match in a match type that involves A CAGE?! (sigh). Returning to the action we almost get an Eli Drake victory but luckily we are saved from the smugness by a sensational Bram dropkick, with Bram going on to retain the championship. Considering this match was limited by one of the stupidest match concepts it was actually pretty good. Bram’s powerbomb on an aerial Everett looked brutal, Drake looked strong with his near victory and it is clear that this is the KOTM feud that will be going forward.

MAIN EVENT

• Drew Galloway assesses each of his contenders and why they should be given this opportunity.
• Matt, sitting in the dark covered by his hood, gives a weird promo. Not a fan honestly, seems like an odd character shift.

As we get ready for the main event The Miracle Mike Bennett makes his way out to the ring, but on his way our shining saviour graces us with his presence. EC3!What a guy! Anyways fanboyish reaction aside he cuts an INTENSE promo on The Miracle.

And finally, we get to the main event of the evening the triple threat match for the number one contender spot. The match starts off chaotically with all 3 men looking to do some damage. I did enjoy the corner beating that Jeff endured by a smug Bennett and Lashley who looks like he doesn’t give a fuck. Overall the match was very good and as expected Lashley picked up the win. The notable moments from the match include:

• The Swanton bomb onto the steel steps looked like it hurt a lot. Probably wasn’t worth doing honestly.
• Decay intervening against Jeff while Galloway was down and out. Jeff vs Decay seems like it will be a battle of the face paint. (that clapping from Jeff while he was laying on the steps made me cringe a little)
• The Lashley spear onto Jeff into the turnbuckle which looked awesome.
• The show closing out with a brawling Galloway and Lashley. Here’s hoping the feud remains this intense.

FINAL NOTES AND SCORE

• Tonight’s MVP: Maria
• Match of the Night: Main Event
• Moment of the Night: “Guess I’ll be your devil”
• Fuck the KOTM match type. Why do you have to take it up the ladder rather than take it down? Bram put it on the hook only to take it off seconds later. IT MAKES NO SENSE

The 3.5.16 episode of TNA Impact gets a 7.5/10. All the interesting feuds were developed on tonight. We have a clear path going forward and after this episode, the future for the Knockouts and World Heavyweight title picture looks bright.

Interview With Rising ‘British MMA Star’ Scott Clist

So I was asked to interview a local cage fighter from my home town of Trowbridge, Wiltshire Scott Clist and of course jumped at the chance. So please read my interview with Scott below I hope you enjoy.

1) How did you get into MMA?

I have always done some form of training since the age of about 5 years old when my father taught me and my older brother how to box in our living room.

I started Karate from the age of 10 and then progressed into kickboxing.  I have studied some form of martial arts ever since.

I have competed in so many different styles of martial arts that MMA was the next thing to do. it was just something that was suggested I do by my sponsor (Spitfire fight equipment) in  2006 so he arranged a semi pro fight for me  and I went into it with limited knowledge on the ground game. I knew how to do a double leg takedown, a rear naked choke, an arm barr from mount and guard position. I went in thinking my kickboxing would carry me through.

2) What does a normal days training consist of for you?

If I am in fight camp then training is much more intense. I will wake up and either go to the Contender gym and work boxing or strength and conditioning.  Depending on the day. Some days it will be footwork and movement, other days it will be power and speed training.

I’ll have breakfast then shower and go to work.

In the evenings I go to Dragonslair in Melksham and work MMA. Depending on who I am fighting we will work either wrestling, submissions or positions followed by sparring. When we get closer to the fight I will get shark tanked.

Shark tank is where One fighter stays in the cage and a new opponent is put in every round so the fighter is getting tired and has to spar with fresh opponents. You really have to be pushed every session.

I train 6 days a week, sometimes 3 times in one day.

3) Would you ever consider entering The Ultimate Fighter?

I actually tried out for the Ultimate fighter when it was UK vs Australia. I made it to all the way through on my skills and was standing in the last 16 when they picked the final 8 for the show. I understand that the producers were looking for a specific type to make the show interesting for viewers. I was unlucky that I didn’t get picked.

4) You have just come off a fantastic TKO win against Brad Wheeler what’s on the cards next for you?

I will keep winning my fights and progress as a fighter.  I will fight on cagewarriors again and people will see me in the UFC soon.

5) You have your own gym called Revolution gym what inspired you to set this up?

I actually don’t run Revolution anymore.

I fought on an 8 man tournament couple years back and my mental game wasn’t really where it should have been because I was teaching fighters it was very hard to focus on my own training. The fight made me realise that I had to make a choice between being a teacher/coach of fighter because at the level I am now fighting I really need to focus on my own training and grow as a fighter. I now train at Dragonslair in Melksham and to be honest I really wish I had made that move 10 years ago. I am a much better fighter now than I ever was and that’s because I have some of the best coaches in the country. Stu pike and UFC fighter Brad Scott at Dragonslair and Mark Kent and Wayne smith at Contender gym .

6) What advice would you give to someone who is trying to get into the MMA game?

Find a good gym with good coaches. People who can develop you as a athlete.

So many gyms pop up promoting classes in MMA but the instructors have never competed so don’t know if what they are teaching works under pressure.  Find a gym with proven results and coaches who know what they are doing and are not just concerned with taking your money.

7) Do you prefer UFC or Ballator?

UFC .

8) If you could fight anyone from the UFC past or present who would you pick and why?

Matt Hughes former welterweight Champion because he was my favourite fighter when I started watching MMA and I followed his career. I think he was a great champion. I would also like to fight Anthony Pettis because I think he is a great fighter.

9) What do you think of all the hype around Connor McGregor and his recent choice to not attend any promotional events and instead choose to concentrate on his training?

Connor McGregor has made enough money that he prob never has to work another day in his life and for him that’s great but I imagine it’s wrote into his contract that promoting the fight is part of his job and it is his JOB!!

He should remember that the way he has promoted fights in the past is what has given him the pay days that he now receives.

You do what the job requires.

So there you have it keep and eye out for Scott’s next fight and you can also follow him on twitter @scottclist 

The NXT Review – May 4th 2016

Whats up Wrestling Peeps! Welcome back to The TNA Review – nah I just kid – Of course its NXT, the proving ground for future WWE Superstars and TNA has-beens … Okay, I’ll stop.

Joking aside, my fallacious attitude toward former TNA stars entering NXT (and by-in-large WWE) is rather limited regarding my knowledge of the number two wrestling company in the US. Yes I’m familiar with the AJ Styles, the Samoa Joe’s and Ol’Sparkle-Pants himself Austin Aires of the wrestling world, but Eric Young is in my blind spot when it comes to his tenure with Impact Wrestling.

I could hop on the inter-web of course and head-on over to the YouTube’s but hey, we’ve got him here on NXT. So with an obvious program against our New NXT Champion Samoa Joe in the offing, I’ll let Young introduce himself to me the way Triple H has intended it. Inside an NXT ring.

A quick BTDubs for a second that will either enhance your WWE viewing or enrage you to no end (your choice really). Why is a McMahon – a seven year absentee Shane O’Mac no less – allowed to take credit for all the shiny new NXT talent on the Main Roster?

Granted its storyline and the machinations of Heel and Face alignment dictating who fans will cheer for. But I can’t help but feel bad for Triple H who created a Show/Brand/Training ground which is ushering in a self admitted New Era in WWE. Rather than Trips getting the limelight, his absentee Brother-in-law who jumped of a Cell at WrestleMania is garnering praise.

Don’t worry Trips, the NXT Fans know the truth.

I admit, I tend to go hyperbolic at times, its a flaw that I’m working on. I stand by the blind faith I have in Nia Jax’s ability however to subvert the Monster Heel gimmick she has been given. Okay yes maybe squash-match after squash-match doesn’t help my faith based theory. But Jax has something special to her that former Monster Heel’s like Beth Phoenix or WWE’s version of TNA star Awesome Kong, Karma, failed to maintain and capitalise on.

That and it also doesn’t hurt being Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Cousin. Although, with The Uso’s being turned into nothing but Bullet Club fodder … maybe it can hurt.

Tye Dillinger never fails to make me smile. Moving on from his entertaining match against Shinsuke Nakamura a few weeks ago, we get another – excuse the pun – Perfect 10 match here. Both Dillinger and Austin Aries were on top form. Well have you come to expect no less from Dillinger? Well you shouldn’t and Aries has finally shown why he should be in the conversation for a Top Spot also.

Of course the Perfect 10 fell to Aires but as the Dolph Ziggler of the yellow brand, Dillinger will find himself in a Championship match sooner rather than later, before languishing on the Mid-Card for the entirety of his career.

But lets focus on the positives shall we.

Speaking of positives, it was refreshing to get Young’s debut match coincide with his first appearance on NXT. Rather than teasing us we got our first glance at Samoa Joe’s next competitor for his Championship gold.

The match spoke to the pairs familiarity with one another displaying hard-hitting shots and outburst of speed highlighting Joe’s speed and agility. Young was kept closer to the mat than I would have liked giving my aforementioned inexperience with Young’s wrestling skill-set. But a dominant Joe is what the crowd want to see, especially given his recent win over Finn Balor, and that is what they got.

With Balor’s expected return next week, we could see the set-up to the rumoured Steel Cage pay-off to their dogged feud before we get any in-depth program between Samoa Joe and Eric Young.

If tonight’s match is any indication of what these two can do however, we have a lot more to come.

For all your NXT-News-&-Review, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

Ortiz vs Berto II – Time To Retire For Victor Ortiz?

Well as the old saying goes in boxing ‘one punch can change a fight’ and that proved prominent in the rematch between Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz. The fight was not expected to go the distance – and it didn’t. The fight was expected to be exciting – and it was. Although not quite the same fight that erupted in Atlantic city for the WBC Welterweight Title 5 years ago, the match up was still enthralling. Berto the slight favourite heading into the clash; as was the case when they first met 5 years ago, just looked uncomfortable and uneasy from the first bell. In stark contrast, Victor Ortiz, whose recent performances since his fairytale world title victory against Berto have merely shadowed the man who was recognized as pound for pound one of the best and a potential superstar who could dethrone Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather off their perch on the top of the Welterweight division. His shocking KO defeats to Luis Collazo and Josesito Lopez, his ventures into other media such as films, (most notably Expendables 3 and Creed) and with his only wins since his victory against Berto coming against unknown Gilberto Leon and Manuel Perez have led many boxing experts to question his hunger and dedication to the sport.

However Berto has hardly took the boxing world by storm either. A devastating TKO loss to Jesus Soto Karass and being completely annihilated by Robert Guerrero have threatened to end the career of this once ‘all conquering’ seemingly invincible Haitain with one punch KO power. However with a credible performance against Floyd Mayweather and a gritty and gutsy performance to stop Josesito Lopez in a fight that looked to be going against him, Berto’s heart and dedication have never really been questioned.

The first round was a cagey affair, the only real thing of note was a clash of heads that left Victor Ortiz with a nasty gash on his forehead and blood streaming into his eye, obscuring his vision. Despite this, Ortiz boxed slightly better and stuck to his game plan in round 1 and took the first. 10-9 Ortiz.

The 2nd round was spectacular for Ortiz, all the questions of whether the Kansas man had heart or any questions of his dedication to this fight were well and truly vanquished. Ortiz came out to box, and confused Berto, landing 3 exquisite straight lefts from the southpaw stance flush onto Berto’s chin. The 3rd in the round dropping Berto on his butt, to receive an 8 count from the referee. Although Berto was not hurt, he was perplexed at Ortiz’s movement and speed. Ortiz round 10-8.

The 3rd, although not quite as dominant was still very much following the same pattern. Berto did have a couple of good moments with a couple of right hands landing, but nothing of real note. He still looked like a sleeping neanderthal chasing shadows, as Ortiz’s movement and superior hand speed showed, winning him the round. 10-9 Ortiz.

Round 4 seemed to start the same way, and frustration for Berto was clear. With two looping right hands missing and being caught with 2 clean lefts from Ortiz, Berto looked uncomfortable. Ortiz, with more confidence was moving in with his shots, and trying to step up the pace, but as he stepped in to land another left, Berto timed it to perfection and landed one of his trademark right uppercuts that have defined his career and got him out of jail in many fights. Ortiz was badly hurt and knocked to the canvas. Up at 9 he struggled to get to his feet, and his legs were extremely shaky. Berto smelt blood and the end was inevitably close. Ortiz valiantly landed a couple of rights and lefts to keep off Berto, but Berto showed us why he has a 70% KO rate, and finished the job. Unlike the first fight when Ortiz got up twice off the canvas to beat Berto, this time when Ortiz hit the ground for the second time it was over. Although he beat the 10 count, referee Jack Reiss twice asked Victor if he could continue, to which Ortiz couldn’t respond with anything, but a dazed absent look in his eyes. The referee was right to call the fight, and award Andre Berto with the TKO victory at 1:14 of round 4.

This victory catapults Berto in line for a big named Welterweight opponent, or even potentially a world title shot. However this devastating loss leaves the 29 year old Ortiz in a tough position. With his good looks, charm and undeniable talent in many facets, it could be time for Victor Ortiz to draw the curtain on his up and down career. However as he’s shown in the past, not just in the boxing ring, but in life, when you write Victor Ortiz off, and when the chips are at their lowest, that’s normally when the Kansas boy pulls out a miracle, so hopefully we do see him back in the ring.

The NXT Review – 27th April 2016

Whats up Wrestling Peeps! So I’m going to skip over my annoyance of Finn Balor’s NXT Championship loss occurring off-screen, at the so-called dubbed ‘Mayhem in Massachusetts’. And instead revel in the prevailing rumour that this now means that Balor will be heading onto the Main Roster soon … as in, Payback soon.

Yes this would please me muchly, given that this would almost certainly mean a Bullet Club reunion and my much-anticipated Heel turn for Balor – or at the very less an Anti-Hero status – because c’mon. You ever gonna boo the Bullet Club? I mean, real-time hatred boos. Nah, I didn’t think so.

But the WWE (or Vince McMahon to be more precise) has a proven track record of not giving fans what they want. Throw in the rumour of a Steel Cage pay-off for Samoa Joe and Balor’s long-fought feud at the next TakeOver event. And it adds much anticipation going into this Sunday’s Payback.

Does Balor have double-duty in his future? Its your move Vince.

But back to tonight and someone who will be staying on at NXT for a while, your new NXT Women’s Champion Asuka.

As many of you know I have been down on the Asuka win at TakeOver Dallas. I won’t rehash why exactly in much detail, other than I didn’t like the pass-out ending. But I will say that Asuka will make a fantastic Champion, especially if NXT keep Bayley chasing after the title. I have no information telling me that they won’t do that – other than those pesky rumours that Bayley’s call-up will come soon – but an underdog chasing after the Championship they lost, seems fitting for the perpetual easy-to-root for Bayley.

But lets turn Asuka Heel already. A feat made impossible when you have her against the easy-to-Boo Eva Marie.

God bless Eva. No matter how much she improves her in-ring skills, crowds love to boo the All Red Everything. And I can’t hate on it because hey, its fun to do. But as a watcher of Total Divas (I apologise for nothing), Eva seems like a scripted-sweetheart making it hard to hate her.

Reality TV aside though, her limited skill-set and her ability to slow matches down significantly means that a larger push won’t be on the horizon anytime soon. Which I’m okay with, keep Eva as a  hanger-on to the superior Nia Jax, because that is a future NXT Women’s Championship match I’d like to see.

Queen Nia FTW!

Welcome back Blake & Murphy. I’ll let you guys off for the lack of Alexa Bliss (sad emoji’s all round) but it’s good to see my favourite Tag Team in the ring. But lets take a moment and commiserate Zack Ryder, poor guy. Not only does he lose the Intercontinental Title the night after he wins it at WrestleMania but he is once again sent back to wrestle with the man-ape Mojo Rawley.

Okay I’ve got to stop the hate because I like The Rawley-Monster but the dude is annoying as hell. Straight up!

Truth talk time though. Why is Ryder not a permanent fixture on the Main Roster? Like his bestie Dolph Ziggler, the Broski is so over its mind-boggling that this wouldn’t put him in any title hunt what-so-ever. Even more so when considered that his wrestling skills put some Superstars to shame.

Yes you Roman Reigns. #ShotsFired.

Speaking of shots fired. I would normally skip over Elias Samson matches because I’m just not a fan. But when Shinsuke Nakamura is this D’Bags opponent. NXT kinda forced my hand.

Nakamura seems at home in WWE. The Flamboyant King of Strong-Style has sauntered and face-smacked his way through the competition thus far but I can’t help but think that Nakamura’s greatest match won’t present itself on the yellow brand.

I could be wrong, after all that TakeOver match with Sami Zayn has Match of the Year written all over it . But with fellow Wrestle Kingdom 10 Main Eventer AJ Styles on the Main Roster. Nakemura’s future has Monday Night RAW (and WrestleMania Main Event) waiting for him against arguable more cashable stars than Elias Samson.

NXT … enjoy Nakamura while you’ve got him. It won’t be for long.

*Insert Sad-Face Here*

For all your NXT News & Review, stick with @mitch_rated only on Skatronixxx

 

‘WWE Thursday Night SmackDown’ Gets Cheeky

 

Opener:

Just like this past week’s Monday Night RAW, Smackdown emanates from London, England. Before the show begins, we’re shown a video package of the entire AJ Styles/Roman Reigns/Bullet Club encounter from RAW.

And just like RAW, we’re treated to another talk show opening the show. The Miz and Maryse are in the ring in all their Hollywood glory.

AJ Styles is Miz’s guest.

Side note: I really can’t take AJ Styles seriously with his hairstyle. He needs a haircut or at least an elastic band to tie that shit up.

Miz grills Styles on whether or not Styles had anything to do with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson attacking Roman Reigns. Even though Styles declines, Miz keeps on questioning which results in Miz getting knocked on his ass.

This has been the longest a Miz TV segment has ever lasted. A full 7 minutes!

Opening segment: 2/5

Kalisto V Ryback:

Ryback faces off against Kalisto in an exciting rematch from WrestleMania.

I appreciated this matchup for a couple of reasons:

1. Ryback and Kalisto worked well together.

Ryback’s bull-headed fighting style complimented Kalisto’s swiftness to create compelling in-ring chemistry. The way Ryback tossed Kalisto around at the beginning helped me get behind the Lucha Dragon and root for him.

2. The match wasn’t too long.

I wouldn’t have cared if it went on for longer but it was right in the goldilocks zone for being the first match of the night. Neither man locked in a submission to run down the clock. They both did their thing and left us wanting more.

3. It wasn’t one-sided.

Ryback did have the upper hand due to his size and power, but Kalisto put up a fight and wasn’t a punching bag for the entire match. They both had their fair share of surprising moments — like Ryback reversing Kalisto’s Salida Del Sol into a Shell Shock for the victory. That was a beauty.

It helps that Kalisto isn’t a botch-magnet like his “mentor”, Sin Cara. He can pull off surprise moments without face-planting.

Kalisto V Ryback: 3.5/5

Baron Corbin V Dolph Ziggler

Corbin attacks Dolph from behind as he makes his way out to the ring.

Thank god. I was worried I’d have to sit through a Baron Corbin match.

Baron Corbin V Dolph Ziggler: 1/5

AJ Styles V The Miz

A solid ending to an otherwise average bout. Anytime AJ Styles starts to pick up the pace, The Miz slows him down with a headlock or a kick to the gut.

Miz shouldn’t be paired up with high-intensity wrestlers. He’s not exciting enough to keep up. He mainly resorts to holds and quick stabilizers to bring the match down to his level.

Contrary to what some people might think, pairing Miz with another non-exciting wrestler forces him to elevate his game. His match against Zack Ryder a couple of weeks ago is proof that he needs someone at his own wavelength to truly shine.

Styles comes back at the end with a solid sequence of moves. Miz tries to leave but is forced back into the ring by an approaching Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

Styles wins with the Phenomenal Forearm.

AJ Styles V The Miz: 3/5

P.S. I love Mauro Ranallo’s commentating. He’s an actual student of the sport. He knows all the moves by their original name and even makes it a point to call out what’s happening in the ring rather than babbling on like JBL and King do. He reminds me of Matt Striker. I miss Matt Striker.

Backstage segment:

Dean Ambrose and Sami Zayn talk about their match later tonight. Ambrose and Zayn try to have an odd-couple-style banter but it falls flat. Oh well, you never know until you try!

Backstage segment: 1.5/5

In-ring segment:

Oh, what? Miz is still in the ring?

Miz demands that somebody launch an investigation into AJ Styles and The Bullet Club. Shane O Mac comes out and tells Miz that he’s not a priority. Being the egomaniac that he is, The Miz gets insulted by this remark and starts poking Shane to do the right thing. Shane tells Miz to stop poking him and Miz pokes him a couple of more times.

Shane hits Miz with a few baby punches and then a big elbow.

In-ring segment: 2.5/5 (it would be a ‘3’ but the segment went on too long)

Backstage segment:

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows say that they’re not aligned with AJ, they’re just here to make an impact. Hmm, a possible shot at TNA?

They say that they’re making their debut on RAW against the Usos.

By the way, did anyone else notice that Luke Gallows’ arms were incredibly orange during this segment? It looks like he just freshly spray-tanned his arms and nothing else. That or he was shoulder deep in a bag of Doritos.

Backstage Segment: 2/5

Paige & Natalya V Team B.A.D:

This was a sloppy match. I have respect for all the wrestlers in this match but you could tell they didn’t run through the chain of events.

Paige wins via PTO:

Paige & Natalya V Team B.A.D: 2/5

R-Truth V Fandango w/ Goldust as Special Guest Referee:

What the fuck was this?

Why is WWE stretching this “will they won’t they” Golden Truth partnership? Why is Fandango involved? Why did I just watch 3 grown men awkwardly dance for cheap laughs?

R-Truth V Fandango: 0/5

In-ring segment:

Enzo and Cass are out to have a verbal smackdown with The Vaudevillians.

Both teams did a great job of trash talking one another but Enzo came out on top, obviously.

In-ring segment: 3/5

Primo and Epico video package:

Ugh.

Does anyone want to join in on a pool with me to see how long these guys will last before they fade into obscurity? I’m going to give them 2 months.

Primo and Epico video package: 1/5

Dean Ambrose & Sami Zayn V Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens:

Alright, so what the hell happened at the end of this match? There had to be some sort of miscommunication between Owens, Ambrose and Jericho because it seems like Ambrose being pushed off the top rope and getting pinned isn’t how it was supposed to end?

The Heels dominated for the majority in order for the Face team to come back with a hot tag victory. The only problem was the Heels won. Was that supposed to happen? Maybe Sami Zayn missed his mark to break up the pinfall? I don’t know, but something funky happened.

The entire broadcast went whack after that moment. The cameramen were confused and didn’t know where to focus and Eden stood in the ring as if she was going to announce a match.

Overall, a standard tag-team match.

Dean Ambrose & Sami Zayn V Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens: 2.5/5

Conclusion:

WWE Thursday Night SmackDown emanating from London, England was a lacklustre affair. It started off on the right foot with a great opening match but didn’t live up to that hype as the show went on. Anything that came after was perfectly average or downright awful — I’m looking at you Goldust and Fandango.

You’ll get ‘em next time, SmackDown! I will always love you more than your pampered brother, RAW.

SmackDown rating: 24/60

Errol Spence VS Chris Algieri – Was Errol’s Victory A Blessing Or Curse?

Errol Spence stepped up in class for the first time on Saturday against former WBO light-welterweight champion Chris Algieri. From the opening bell Spence asserted his dominance in centre ring and showcased the skills that have him widely regarded as the welterweight divisions hottest prospect.

The 1st round was fairly close, with both men establishing their game plans. Spence laded a few crisp combinations, with Algieri landing a couple of nice counter shots. Both men targeted the body, with limited success. The 2nd round followed a similar pattern, but Spence was busier and landing effective shots.

By the 3rd round, Spence had established his dominance and was landing with real authority to both body and head. Algieri was gone, yet his efforts were easily quashed. Spence was beginning to hurt Algieri in the 4th, this was illustrated when a flush left dropped Algieri to the canvas. The 5th round was no different, Spence unloaded a four punch combo and a left hook shaking Algieri, and dropping him for the second time.

This time Algieri looked demoralised, The speed, strength and ferocity in which, Spence delivered his attacks had completely drained him of his resilience. A reluctant Algieri barely beat the count, and after a further barrage pummeled Chris onto the ropes, a sweet, sweeping left hook dropped Algieri for the 3rd time prompting referee Benjy Esteves to step in and stop the fight.

Algieri had been dropped 6 times by Manny Pacquiao and sensationally dethroned the seemingly invincible Russian Provodnikov. And last year took Amir Khan 12 rounds in a very close fight. Yet, Saturday, Spence pulverized Chris and forced the fight out of him.

Errol Spence has truly established himself by beating Algieri in such emphatic fashion, and in doing so became the #1 ranked welterweight. Kell Brook is in his sights to become champion, yet Brook is unlikely to take that fight with Spence purely for economical reasons. So this is a huge step Spence, but until he becomes a household name and gains global recognition, it’s unlikely Spence will be involved in a huge mega fight. This performance, impressive as it was may harm Spence’s chance for a big fight. Until he brings a bigger fan base due to the politics and financial side of boxing, most elite fighters will avoid this young, explosive, talented American because he will pose a threat to anybody in the division.

NEXT FIGHT

April 30th sees the always entertaining ‘Vicisious’ Victor Ortiz face Floyd Mayweather’s last opponent, Andre Berto in a rematch of thier 2011 ‘Fight Of The Year’. Although both men are probably past thier best, this fight will be entertaining due to the bad blood between the two of them. A victory for either may catapult them into the title picture for a shot at the world title. It may also be a potential swansong for either man. As both have suspect chins, I’m not anticipating a decision. if Berto wins by KO it will be early. The later it goes, it favours Ortiz, due to Berto’s stamina issues.

MY PREDICTION – Ortiz wins by K.O in the 11th round.

Joshua VS Charles Martin – ‘ More Than A Heavyweight Title Fight ‘

Charles Martin entered as anonymous and he left anonymous. The only difference is he left without the title he had entered with. The fight lasted under five minutes. To call it a fight implies two people were involved and either could have won. yet from the 1st bell Martin looked unsteady, and possibly a small gust of wind may have even knocked him over. After a fairly eventful 1st round, the tornado that is Anthony Joshua came out and it wasn’t just Charles Martin he blew away. The 28,000 strong partisan were shocked at how quickly Joshua dispatched of his opponent, and there was a sense that this was the start of something special.

For the first time in the best part of twenty years, Britain, and the world had a reason to be excited about the heavyweight division. With the retirement of PPV King Floyd Mayweather, the dethroning of Klitschko and Anthony Joshua’s gold medal. The memory of Chisora and Haye’s disgraceful actions and Audley Harrison’s embarrassing career being a distant memory. Not only that but also the shadow that the more popular lightweights have cast over the glory division of boxing, has at least temporarily been removed. Were you aware that Pacquiao fought the very same night as Joshua?

To think that less than one year ago Floyd and Manny broke all PPV records, now one’s retired and the other is almost faded into obscurity. This as well as Joshua’s gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics, and enthralling scrap with Dillian White has been a catalyst for the rise of the heavyweights. Even with Haye, Fury and Wilder, their own personalities (or in Wilder’s case lack of), means the public had no real role model. Yet the charming, Greek God like physique, and thousand watt smile Joshua possess give him global appeal. So his win over Martin will transcend the heavyweight division, and brings a very exciting next 12 months to the division. Had Charles Martin won, he would have arrived anonymous, left antonymous and took with him the belt and possibly the future of the heavyweight division.

 

 

‘ WWE Monday Night Raw ‘ Does England

Opener:

RAW is in London, England. Which can only mean one thing: soccer chants!

The show opens with The Ambrose Asylum; Dean Ambrose’s new talk show…

I’m curious to know what readers of this post think about WWE’s talk show segments. Have there ever been any talk show iterations that you’ve genuinely enjoyed? I’m sure there have been some, but ever since I’ve been a WWE fan (early 2000’s), I’ve never found any.

Shane McMahon is Dean Ambrose’s guest and surprise! He’s the RAW GM again. Hooray for social media! He’s here to spread change, and he has the perfect opportunity to do so as Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn AND Chris Jericho make their way out to the ring to huge pops, each. Shane O’ Mac makes matches for Payback between Jericho and Ambrose and Zayn and Owens. The crowd loves it and Jericho tells them all to shut up. He can say that because he’s Jericho and he can do whatever the fuck he wants.

The segment ends in a brawl and we’re on to our first match.

Opening segment: 3.5

Chris Jericho V Sami Zayn:

A great back-and-forth match between two in-ring veterans. Jericho controlled early on until Zayn came back – which is when the fun started. I could watch Sami Zayn hit his Blue Thunder Bomb all day! That and Jericho being a Heel. Jericho’s mid-match jeers and taunts are just hilarious.

Jericho wins with a thumb to the eye followed by a Codebreaker.

Jericho V Zayn: 4/5

Backstage segment:

AJ Styles is being interviewed until Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson show up. They hug it out all bro-ey like and embrace with some grunts and chest slaps. Luke Gallows says he wants to thank AJ Styles for putting in a good word for them and getting their foot in the door. I’m guessing we’re all supposed to forget the two other times Luke Gallows had his foot in the door — but hey! I ain’t complaining. The segment was decent and helped reestablish the Bullet Club bond.

Backstage segment: 3/5

Enzo and Cass V The Dudley Boyz: #1 contender qualifier

My boys, Enzo and Cass are out to a huge pop! These guys are, dare I say it, electric! Their mic skills and charisma draw parallels with Stone Cold, The Rock and DX. They can lighten up any crowd and you can’t teach that!

In a pretty standard tag-team match, Enzo and Cass pick up the win with the Rocket Launcher. They’ve moved up to the next bracket in the #1 contender tag team qualifiers.

Enzo and Cass V The Dudley Boyz: 3/5

Roman Reigns in-ring segment

THE guy is out to the ring. Remember, he’s not a good guy or a bad guy.

Roman hits rewind on his “Raw promo” cassette tape and starts spewing the same shit he has been since the past 2 weeks. The crowd charts chanting boring and AJ Styles music hits immediately (probably to shut them up).

AJ Styles and Roman talk a little bit about being the best and beating the best. Styles begins to leave. He’s almost to the top of the ramp when Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson appear in the ring and take out Roman Reigns!

Styles catches up with Roman in the back and says he didn’t have anything to do with that attack. Roman says Styles can bring all his friends to Payback, it’s one versus all for Roman.

Roman Reigns in-ring segment: 3/5

Fandango V Baron Corbin

Fandango is in the ring “Fandango-ing” in a desperate attempt to bring that back. One day, buddy. One day. You’ll get your Zack Ryder WrestleMania moment and have it taken away from you just like he did. I promise you!

Anyways, what do we really expect from this match? Baron Corbin makes quick work of Fandango by hitting him with his lack of charisma.

Ziggler jumps in after the match to try and earn back his dignity but is quickly flattened by Corbin’s receding hairline.

Fandango V Baron Corbin: 1/5

Miz TV in-ring segment

Nothing exciting here except for Cesaro’s James Bond gun barrel sequence. Is this a permanent thing or was it just used to get some hometown love? Either way, it was pretty neat.

I will say this; Cesaro needs to stay away from the mic. I understand that to be a top star in WWE, you need in-ring skills and promo skills, but let Cesaro be the exception. Give him the title and let his uppercuts do the talking!

Miz TV in-ring segment: 1.5/5

League of Nations and The Miz V Cesaro and The New Day

A surprise 8-man tag? I can dig it. Cesaro rips off his suit to reveal a Booty O’s tank top and The New Day comes out to what has to be the biggest pop of the night. Good on these guys for taking a gimmick doomed for failure and making it their own. I love watching these guys do what they do.

I enjoyed this match. It wasn’t as exciting as it could be but it was pretty entertaining in its own right. The New Day and Cesaro pick up the win after Big E reverses Miz’s Skull-Crushing Finale into a Big Ending and Cesaro hits Sheamus with the Neutralizer. Sexy stuff.

League of Nations & The Miz V Cesaro & The New Day: 3.5/5

Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige and Sasha Banks V Team B.A.D, Summer Rae and Charlotte

Another 8-person tag match, but this time, It’s women’s action!

Natalya, Becky, Paige and Sasha all are out to amazing fanfare. The same can’t be said for the Heel team. Charlotte is the only member who got any sort of reaction.

Team Face wins after Natalya locks in the Sharpshooter on Charlotte and forces her to tap. Natalya will face Charlotte for the WWE Women’s Championship at Payback with Bret Hart by her side!

Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige and Sasha Banks V Team B.A.D, Summer Rae and Charlotte: 2.5/5

Primo and Epico video package

They’re back! The Puerto Rican travel agents are back to sell us on Puerto Rico, the shining star of the Caribbean!

At least they’re not smelling flowers this time.

Primo and Epico video package: 0.5/5

The Usos V The Vaudevillians: #1 contender qualifier

I’m having a tough time getting behind The Vaudevillians. I don’t know if it’s their gimmick, their entrance or the fact the Aiden English hasn’t seen the sun since 1987. I just can’t seem to invest myself in anything they do. Here’s hoping Enzo and Cass beat them at Payback to advance and face The New Day.

Vaudevillians pick up the win and advance.

The Usos V The Vaudevillians: 2/5

Apollo Crews V Heath Slater

We get a video package of Apollo Crews to start off the match. You see some pictures of Crews as a baby and Crews wrestling in High School. WWE is positioning him as the “you can achieve your dream” guy. Nothing says achieving your dreams like becoming a grown man after being a baby.

So, help me out here. What’s the point of NXT if all you do is start superstars back on square one once you bring them to the main roster? I just don’t get the point of the entire video package and 2 weeks worth of squash matches for Crews. If he still had work to do, you shouldn’t have called him up so quickly…

Crews beats Slater but not as quickly as I thought. I guess Slater is the powerhouse of the Social Outcasts!

Apollo Crews V Heath Slater: 1/5 (minus 1 for the cheesy video package)

Kevin Owens V Dean Ambrose

You know what I loved about this match? Aside from the fact that it was a solid 20-minute match? Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens main-evented Monday Night RAW! They weren’t in a tag team with Roman or The League of Nations. No, it was just Ambrose and Owens putting on a show.

Owens hits some heavy bombs on Ambrose but Ambrose keeps coming back for more.

Ambrose wins after hitting the Dirty Deeds on an unsuspecting Owens.

Kevin Owens V Dean Ambrose: 4/5

RAW in London rating: 32.5/65

Overall, RAW in London was okay. It started off really strong but declined midway with the addition of unnecessary fillers. I really believe WWE Monday Night Raw should go back to 2 hours of programming. I understand 3 hours gives them a chance to showcase more of their talent but the quality of matches isn’t there. It actually hurts the talent more than it benefits them.

Luckily, the program ended on a high note with Dean Ambrose V Kevin Owens. Lets have more of that and less of Puerto Rican tour guides and Baron Corbin, AKA, the wrestler you’d create when you’re 14 in a WWE video game.