The first WWE Raw of February brought with it a new No. 1 contender for Brock Lesnar 's WWE Championship, a new rivalry for Charlotte Flair, the return of one of the more promising ...
By the time February comes, New Year's resolutions often start to fade. Instead of getting closer to their goals, many people find themselves worse off than they were heading into the year...
AEW Dynamite vs. WWE NXT: Who Won the Jan. 29 Battle of the Wednesday Night War?
Jan 30, 2020
Dr. Britt Baker has found her calling as a heel.
Last week, All Elite Wrestling delivered the kind of show NXT couldn't quite match, a rollicking collection of high-end matches and goofy skits. That it happened on a cruise liner in front of an adoring audience was icing on a very tasty cake.
But that atmosphere can't be recreated in a standard arena, and the chance of a letdown lingered in the air as the two promotions went head-to-head once again.
Meanwhile, NXT was coming off its own smoking-hot pay-per-view over the weekend, a masterclass in great in-ring wrestling.
Once again, the stage was set for a classic battle between the two best wrestling shows on television. Who would emerge the victor and who would have to settle for second place?
Read on, wrestling friends, and let me know what you think in the comments.
AEW Dynamite
Where: Cleveland, Ohio
Main Event: Chris Jericho/Santana and Ortiz vs. Private Party/Darby Allin
Match of the Night: Main Event
Moment We'll Remember: Jon Moxley, wearing an eye patch like a freaking pirate, taking the fight to the entire Inner Circle. The Moxley versus Jericho pay-per-view match on February 29 will be the bout with the best buildup in AEW's short history. And there are still weeks to go before fans finally get to see Moxley attempt to take the title from the only men's world champion AEW has ever known.
What Worked
—The show opened with an interview segment that lasted more than 15 minutes. On paper, that's a bad thing, reminiscent of WWE at its worst. There's nothing I hate quite like wrestlers droning on and on, attempting to regurgitate a script they likely read for the first time earlier that night.
This, however, didn't feel like one of those endless segments that drive hardcore fans crazy. Moxley and Jericho, both speaking extemporaneously and from the heart, never wore out their welcome.
Instead of feeling like sports entertainment at its worst, it reminded me a little of the famed Attitude Era, when stars like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and The Rock could mold those potentially terrible quarter hours into pure gold.
Obviously AEW has a few million viewers to nail down before it can be compared to WWE at the height of its popularity. But, for wrestling in 2020, it doesn't get much better on the mic.
The Young Bucks
—While The Young Bucks work great with other high spot-intensive teams constructed from the same mold, I think they are at their best against brutes like The Butcher and the Blade. If you were making a list of AEW's best in-ring tag technicians, that team wouldn't likely appear as anything more than an afterthought. But, against the Bucks, they looked like world-beaters before eventually coming up short.
That's a feather in the cap of the Bucks, the best tag team in the world sans championship gold.
—It's been very interesting to watch the slow unraveling of The Elite. Despite their newly minted status as tag team champions, "Hangman" Adam Page and Kenny Omega's relationship feels fairly tenuous, despite the latter's apparent obliviousness to his partner's inner turmoil.
Page, drink in hand, continues to torment and taunt stablemates The Young Bucks. Where this all goes is undetermined. But it's a surprisingly well-done version of the cliched "feuding tag team" story, in part because that story is typically built around a team falling apart due to failure in the ring.
Hangman and Omega continue to win despite not being entirely on the same page. That's an interesting wrinkle and a premise unfamiliar to wrestling. Perhaps winning alone is not enough to satisfy a man like Page? Time will tell.
—Cocky attitude? Verbal attacks on two beloved icons? Trash talk running down the local sports team?
Ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Britt Baker is officially a heel...and so far, so good. She has the sneer down and this week seemed more assured in her delivery.
The women's division doesn't have a character quite like her. This is going to be fun.
—The video package with PAC, standing outside in just his tiny trunks despite it being cold enough to see his breath, railing against both Moxley and Omega. This had a unique look that helped it really stand out.
The Inner Circle reigned supreme.
—The main event was a really fun match. The Inner Circle took three young babyface by the hand and led them to a really incredible bout.
Private Party matches can sometimes feel more like an exhibition of individual spots than a coherent whole. That wasn't a problem here, as the veteran presence in the ring helped hold it all together and make sure the timing was on point.
What can you say at this point about Allin? There's no one else quite like him. The crowd is ready for him to ascend to bigger and better things, but without a midcard title, there aren't distinct tiers for wrestlers to rise into. Maybe that might change later in the year?
Missed the Mark
—There was nothing wrong with Hybrid2 vs. SCU. But, a few minutes removed from it being on my television set, I couldn't tell you a thing about it. A filler bout to get SCU back in the win column. This is the kind of thing AEW Dark is for. Dynamite, typically, is more filling fare.
—There were portions of her match with Nyla Rose where Big Swole looked like the next big thing in the women's division. When she's hitting, she looks like a special talent capable of delivering serious matches at an elite level.
But then, in the same bout, she'll hesitate at an inopportune time or throw strikes soft enough or far enough off the mark to pull even the most forgiving fan out of the moment.
Unfortunately for the women in AEW, there are no Jerichos or Dustin Rhodes to help show greener talent how to perfect their craft. They'll have to learn together in the ring, and that will lead to some growing pains as they figure out how to get the most out of what they have.
Grade: A
WWE NXT
Where:Winter Park, Florida
Main Event: The BroserWeights vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Final)
Match of the Night:Dominik Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest
Moment We'll Remember: Tomasso Ciampa, blood streaming down his bald head, spending some quality time with "Goldie" after powerbombing Adam Cole through a table. The two will meet for the NXT title Ciampa never lost at the next Takeover event in Portland on February 16.
What Worked
—I had the opportunity to sit ringside at Worlds Collide last weekend and saw firsthand just how hard-hitting and aggressive Finn Balor can be when motivated.
Well, the man appeared plenty motivated against Trent Seven here, delivering a whooping to the senior member of Mustache Mountain.
He appears to be hitting his stride in NXT, adjusting to the faster, harder-hitting style easily, no doubt a product of years in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling ring working a similar style. His match with Johnny Gargano at Takeover will be a perfect litmus test to see just how "back" he truly is.
—Damian Priest wanted to be the first man to challenge for Keith Lee's North American Championship. The problem? Dominik Dijakovic desired that honor for himself and suggested, none too kindly, that the "bootleg Marilyn Manson" leave the heavy lifting to him.
This being NXT, the two settled the dispute in the ring, in an absolutely wild sprint. The two big men delivered all the spots from a 20-minute match in just over eight minutes in the ring, doing things no men their size should be capable of.
Dijakovic walked out the winner after his Feast Your Eyes, a kind of standard Go To Sleep-style finisher he makes look particularly compelling due to being an enormous human being. This was a ton of fun.
—Kayden Carter, an enhancement talent beloved by the NXT crowd, finally got a moment to shine against Chelsea Green, the brand's latest cocky heel in the women's division.
It was surprising to see Green, whose return has been kind of a big deal in vignettes across multiple weeks, lose like this, but NXT has earned my trust and I'm intrigued enough to see where the story goes from here.
—The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic again delivered an outstanding month of tag team wrestling. I was relieved and pleased to see WWE stick with the Dusty Rhodes branding, even after the late, great legend's son, Cody, offered the company its first compelling competition in years in the form of AEW.
I visited the Performance Center when it first opened and saw the impact Dusty had on the young wrestlers developing their craft there. They called themselves "Dusty's Kids" and he helped mold a generation of top talent.
More than that, his career warrants this kind of recognition. Rhodes was among the greatest babyfaces the territory era had ever seen, wowing fans across the country with his unique charisma and powerful performances on the microphone.
It makes me truly happy to see WWE didn't attempt to erase him from history out of spite.
Missed the Mark
—Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai had something special brewing, successfully convincing an audience used to technical classics that they truly hated each other and wanted to do the other woman serious harm.
Unfortunately, it was over just as it was beginning, a blood feud settled in just over three minutes. I was left wanting more. Unfortunately, that wasn't a good feeling because it wasn't entirely clear there would be more.
Presumably this isn't it for the two former tag team partners? In a way it felt like a blowoff match. But, surely not? Right?
—The BroserWeights and Grizzled Young Veterans delivered a heck of a main event. This was excellent tag team wrestling and, as a match, it certainly doesn't belong in the "missed the mark" section.
However, this wasn't just any match. It was the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. As such, it should have been something special, an exhibition of state-of-the-art wrestling like the one delivered at Worlds Collide by DIY and Mustache Mountain. But it never quite got there, mostly, I think, because I was never convinced The Grizzled Young Veterans could truly win.
Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle are both stars in the NXT Universe. Hidden away on NXT UK, the Veterans don't shine quite as bright. I just couldn't stop my mind telling me this was a foregone conclusion, and it sucked the drama right out of the match.
Grade: B
Overall: NXT remained NXT. It delivered a solid, well-constructed show filled with really, really good technical wrestling. My attention was fully captured for the entire two hours.
But, when AEW is firing on all cylinders, it hits top speeds NXT can't match. From the WWE Raw-style opening to the strong main event, this show maintained the momentum established last week on the Jericho cruise, and the promotion looks like it will be scorching hot by the time Revolution comes around next month.
Winner: AEW
Overall: AEW (3), NXT (2)
CM Punk Explains Keith Lee Pick for WWE Royal Rumble, Rejects Logan Paul Fight
Jan 26, 2020
FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 file photo, CM Punk stands in his corner before a welterweight bout at UFC 203 in Cleveland. CM Punk won the fight of his life this week when he was cleared by a jury of defamation and invasion of privacy in a lawsuit brought by a wrestling doctor. But he still has a big one ahead when he fights at UFC 225 in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)
CM Punk is sticking with his underdog pick to win WWE Royal Rumble, backing Keith Lee heading into Sunday's pay-per-view.
The former WWE Champion explained his thoughts to TMZ Sports:
"I think it's kind of a no brainer," CM Punk explained. "I think Keith Lee is a good guy. They need stars and they can build a star with Keith Lee."
He originally made his projection on WWE Backstage, and Lee was honored by the statement:
Hmm....should I ever have the privilege of meeting Mr. Punk, I shall be certain to express my gratitude.
A battle for brand supremacy between NXT and its UK counterpart culminated Saturday in a blockbuster pay-per-view, live from Houston's Toyota Arena, headlined by two explosive main events...
Imperium Beats Undisputed Era at WWE Worlds Collide
Jan 25, 2020
Imperium defeated Undisputed Era in a dream match between two of WWE's top stables at Worlds Collide on Saturday night.
The eight-man tag team match was announced for Worlds Collide well before the two sides ever had a real issue with each other, but their rivalry blossomed at the conclusion of NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II.
After Walter defeated Joe Coffey in the main event to retain the WWE United Kingdom Championship, he posed in the middle of the ring alongside Imperium teammates Alexander Wolfe, Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner, but the moment was short-lived.
Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish hit the ring seemingly from out of nowhere and began to decimate Imperium with a dizzying array of high-impact offensive maneuvers.
Cole, the NXT champion, put an exclamation point on the attack by hitting Walter with the Last Shot and leaving him lying in the middle of his own ring.
An enraged Walter cut a fiery promo in German after the sneak attack, and while most weren't too sure what he said, it was clear at that moment that the feud had reached a new level.
The invasion of NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II was needed in order to add some heat to the rivalry between the two stables, but even if it hadn't happened, there would have been plenty of interest in seeing two dominant groups lock horns.
It can be argued that Undisputed Era and Imperium are the two most successful stables in all of WWE currently, and they are certainly the top stables on their respective brands.
If the primary goal of Worlds Collide was to give fans matches they have never seen before and possibly thought they would never see, then that was accomplished in the form of Undisputed Era vs. Imperium.
While the stakes of the match weren't high beyond bragging rights, it was a significant contest since it is possible that Undisputed Era and Imperium will never cross paths again.
The spoils went to Imperium by virtue of their win Saturday, although UE likely won't lose much from it considering they are still draped in gold.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
The black-and-gold brands in WWE had been red-hot in 2019, so starting off 2020 with Worlds Collide: NXT vs. NXT UK felt like a guaranteed recipe for success. With The Undisputed Era vs...
Rhea Ripley Beats Toni Storm at WWE Worlds Collide to Retain NXT Women's Title
Jan 25, 2020
Rhea Ripley defeated Toni Storm at the WWE Worlds Collide event in Houston on Saturday night to retain the NXT Women's Championship.
Ripley and Storm have been rivals for much of their time together in WWE, so it was only fitting that they clashed at an event meant to pit the best of NXT and NXT UK against each other.
Both Ripley and Storm reached the semifinals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic, which Storm went on to win with a victory over Io Shirai in the finals. Storm was seemingly on the fast track to the top at that point, but Ripley stood in her way.
Ripley and Storm met in the finals of a tournament to crown the first-ever NXT UK Women's champion, and while Storm was the favorite to win, her Aussie rival prevailed.
Following a 139-day reign, Storm finally got revenge on Ripley when she defeated her at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool in January 2019 to win the title.
After dropping the championship to Storm, Ripley started to transition to NXT, and she slowly worked her way to the top of the brand. The past few months have been especially crucial in launching Ripley to superstardom.
During Survivor Series weekend, Ripley and her team beat the team of Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Kay Lee Ray and Shirai in the first-ever women's WarGames match despite the fact that Ripley and Candice LeRae faced a four-on-two disadvantage. The next night, Ripley captained the NXT team to a win over Raw and SmackDown in the five-on-five-on-five elimination match at Survivor Series.
That set Ripley up to challenge Baszler for the NXT Women's Championship, and she ended Baszler's 416-day reign on Dec. 18.
On a recent episode of NXT, Storm interrupted a Ripley promo and challenged her to a title match at Worlds Collide. The New Zealand native vowed to bring the NXT UK Women's title with her as well, but she fell short in a Triple Threat match against Ray and Piper Niven at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II.
The match still went on as scheduled Saturday, and Ripley put another feather in her cap by managing to retain against one of her greatest rivals.
With Ripley still holding the NXT Women's Championship, it paves the way for her to face Belair next month at NXT TakeOver: Portland after Belair recently won a Battle Royal to become the No. 1 contender.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa Beat Moustache Mountain at WWE Worlds Collide
Jan 25, 2020
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa reformed their DIY tag team Saturday night at WWE Worlds Collide and scored a victory over Moustache Mountain.
While Gargano and Ciampa were once among the best tag teams in NXT history, they broke up a few years ago when Ciampa turned on Gargano, and they have largely focused on their singles careers ever since then.
They did reunite for a brief spell before Ciampa got injured last year, but Ciampa has gone all-in on pursuing Adam Cole and the NXT Championship since his return, and Gargano is in the midst of a heated rivalry with Finn Balor.
Both Superstars took a detour ahead of Worlds Collide, though, when Tyler Bate and Trent Seven challenged them to a tag team match.
After watching Gargano and Ciampa fight side by side against Undisputed Era on a recent episode of NXT, Seven took to Twitter and appealed to NXT general manager William Regal for a potential match at Worlds Collide:
Gargano and Ciampa took matters into their own hands, though, when they agreed to the match and vowed to bring back DIY for one night only.
DIY is responsible for some of the best tag team matches ever in NXT, and their pursuit of the NXT Tag Team Championships before finally beating The Revival for them in 2016 was storytelling at its finest.
Moustache Mountain has yet to win the NXT UK Tag Team Championships, but they held the NXT Tag Team titles briefly as well when they beat Undisputed Era in 2018 and then dropped them back just two days later.
Bate and Seven are also among NXT UK's biggest stars individually, and Bate entered Worlds Collide coming off a huge win over Jordan Devlin at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II.
Saturday's match was essentially a friendly rivalry with both teams aiming to prove their superiority despite there being no titles or title shots on the line.
Even so, Gargano, Ciampa, Bate and Seven brought their best and put on a match to remember. In the end, though, Gargano and Ciampa showed that they can still be one of the top tag teams in the world when they work toward a common goal.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Everything You Need to Know About the WWE Worlds Collide 2020 Match Card
Jan 24, 2020
In 2019, WWE created a new event dubbed Worlds Collide, which played with the idea of having Superstars on different brands face each other in crossover matches we wouldn't normally see.
As both editions mostly focused on wrestlers from 205 Live, NXT and NXT UK, Worlds Collide flew under the radar and wasn't heavily promoted. Many casual fans likely aren't aware the shows even happened. On Saturday, however, the event will return under the banner "WWE Worlds Collide: NXT vs. NXT UK." The show will feature stars from those brands clashing with nothing but bragging rights on the line.
But which Superstars will be on the card, and how did WWE go about setting this up? Let's take a look at everything you need to know about WWE Worlds Collide 2020.
Venue: Toyota Center in Houston
Start Time:7 p.m. ET (main show), 6:30 p.m. ET (pre-show)
How to Watch:WWE Network via the following supported devices, according toWWE.com:
Amazon Fire TV
Android TV
Apple TV
Chromecast
Roku
Smart TVs (select LG, Samsung and Sony models)
Sony PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Web browsers (Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
WWE App (on iOS and Android devices)
The pre-show will also be available on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Match Card
Eight-man tag team match: The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong) vs. Imperium (Alexander Wolfe, Fabian Aichner, Marcel Barthel and Walter)
NXT Women's Championship match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Toni Storm
Tag team match: #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven and Tyler Bate)
Singles match: Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov
Cruiserweight Championship Fatal 4-Way: Angel Garza (c) vs. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott vs. Jordan Devlin vs. Travis Banks
Singles match: NXT UK women's champion Kay Lee Ray vs. Mia Yim
Background, Storylines and Setup
Even less effort than normal was put into setting up the feuds—if they can even be called that—for this show.
For example, the basis for Moustache Mountain against #DIY is a tweet from Trent Seven merely suggesting the match followed by a quick interview with Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano in which they accepted the challenge.
Mia Yim against Kay Lee Ray, as well as Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov, were announced out of nowhere. Since then, the Irishman had a 60-second promo warning his opponent he would lose, and that's the extent of the match's build.
Toni Storm took a shot at Rhea Ripley's recent title win by mentioning how she had beaten her for the NXT UK Women's Championship and suggested she could do the same with this new title. The Mosh Pit Kid accepted the challenge, and moments later, they were teaming up in a six-woman tag match.
At least the Fatal 4-Way for the Cruiserweight Championship had qualifying matches to determine Angel Garza's three opponents. Isaiah "Swerve" Scott defeated Tyler Breeze and Lio Rush on the January 15 edition of NXT. Jordan Devlin defeated Ligero, and Travis Banks beat The Brian Kendrick on the January 22 NXT UK to earn their spots.
Finally, The Undisputed Era attacked Imperium in the finale of NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool II to assert dominance and get a leg up on the competition, cutting short the group's celebration after Walter's successful NXT UK Championship defense against Joe Coffey.
Predictions
Most of these matches should be pretty competitive to keep both brands looking strong, but NXT has an advantage in many of the fights.
Moustache Mountain and #DIY are amazing tag teams who will beat each other senseless and steal the show. Both duos have great chemistry, but if there's any weak link, it's Seven, who might be the easy option for a fall guy.
Keeping Gargano and Ciampa strong ahead of NXT TakeOver: Portland on February 16 should see them given the win, as Moustache Mountain can lose and it wouldn't derail any of their plans.
Balor is far more accomplished than Dragunov in terms of experience and accolades. The Irishman has won numerous titles, but his opponent hasn't won any major matches.
However, if Gargano distracts Balor, the Russian could score an upset. That would further drive a wedge between the two in preparation for their match at TakeOver: Portland.
There is no way Ripley will drop her title to Storm. It would make no sense for WWE to have put so much stock into building her up over the past three months—she was the winning captain of WarGames and Survivor Series and the one to beat Shayna Baszler—just for her to lose another title to Storm.
Storm is in a storyline of getting frustrated that she can't get her career back on track. Losing again would push that further.
Plus, Bianca Belair has already become No. 1 contender for Portland. Rather than change the landscape of the title scene with Storm as a newcomer to the brand, it is easier to keep the belt and momentum with Ripley.
NXT UK should get a win on the women's side via Kay Lee Ray, though. As great as Mia Yim is, there are no straws worth grasping for when it comes to hoping she can beat that brand's champion for a random show like this.
The Cruiserweight Championship will remain on Garza. Look out for Banks to take the pin, as he's the lowest on the totem pole of the four.
Swerve has been on a roll and will likely feud with Garza going forward, while Devlin is one of the more preeminent heels in NXT UK who just suffered a loss to Bate in Blackpool.
The main event should be Imperium's match to lose. Walter's size dwarfs everyone on Undisputed Era and should make up for anything they bring to the table. Also, as with Balor vs. Dragunov, an opportunity for run-ins, distractions and interference could swing the pendulum even more in Imperium's favor.
There is no distinct challenger for Walter's title, while Adam Cole and Co. have made countless enemies in recent months. Ciampa, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic, Matt Riddle and more just may screw with them and cost NXT that victory.
Overall, look for NXT to have more points at the end of the night, with Ripley and Garza as guaranteed winners and an edge toward #DIY. Dragunov and Imperium may win, but even those victories aren't guaranteed.
Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.
