AEW Double or Nothing 2025

AEW Double or Nothing 2025

Glendale, AZ - May 2025

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, Jon Moxley was the AEW World Champion, the TNT Champion was Adam Cole, the Continental Champion was Okada, the International Champion was Kenny Omega, the AEW World Tag Team Champions were The Hurt Syndicate, the World Trios Champions were The Opps (Samoa Joe, Tomohiro Ishii, and Will Hobbs), the TBS Champion was Mercedes Mone, and the AEW Women's World Champion was Toni Storm. 

The finals of the Women's Owen Hart Memorial Tournament was our opening contest - Mercedes Mone vs. Jamie Hayter. Mone came into this match undefeated. A dueling "Jamie Hayter/CEO" chant broke out early, the crowd very much into this match from the start. Not everything looked pretty, but the physicality was there to make up for some of the awkward transitions in the opening minutes. After some leg lock/crab exchanges, the first major shift of the match happened when Mone hit a Meteora in the ropes her  by double knees that drove Hayter from the apron onto the floor. Mone maintained control back in the ring, applying a rear chin lock and then a backstabber into a straight-jacket camel clutch. Mone hit another Meteora but only got 2. Hayter came back with a big dropkick and then a series of punches to Mone's skull in the corner. Hayter looked to do something off the ropes, but Mone pulled her foot out from under the second rope, causing her to neck to snap back onto the buckle in another cool spot. Mone hit a third Meteora, this one to Hayter's back, but missed the next attempt, allowing Hayter to hit a back suplex. Hayter hit a pair of dropkicks and then a Meteora of her own before attempting a fireman's carry. Mone escaped and hit Tres Amigos, but her cockiness and wasting of time allowed Hayter to meet her at the top rope for a superplex. Hayter went for another one but Mone delivered a second Backstabber. After some struggle, Hayter hit a superkick, Mone hit a knee, but then Hayter caught her with a huge clothesline! Cool sequence there. Mone rolled to the outside and Hayter followed her out there. Hayter went for a clothesline off the steps, slipped, but still connected. It looked ugly and definitely detracted a bit from the next sequence as, back in the ring, Mone hit three backstabbers and then applied  her signature crossface. Hayter escaped and delivered a series of headbutts. She went for some pins but couldn't get the 3. Mone went for her finish but Hayter backed her up into the corner. Hayter got caught once again and Mone went for a Money Maker off the 2nd rope. Hayter escaped and attempted a powerbomb, but Mone countered it by just dropping down on her and driving her to the mat. From here we got a brilliant sequence that resulted in Hayter applying a ridiculous rear naked choke that had the crowd going absolutely insane. Mone managed to escape, though, and eventually lock in her Statement Maker! Hayter wouldn't tap and got up onto her legs not once, but twice, and then connected with her Hayter-ade Lariat for an awesome nearfall. Hayter called for another lariat, but Mone blocked her attempt and got Hayter up for a piledriver. Hayter reversed it into a tombstone piledriver, but again only got 2.9! Hayter brought her up for another Lariat, but Mone managed to counter it into an incredible cradle DDT-ish thing that even the announcers weren't quite sure what to call. Excellent match worthy of being a tournament final. (4/5)

I really appreciated the pre-match video package they aired before the next match because, save for the initial FTR/Stokely Hathaway promo, I have not kept track of what they've been up to since their heel turn and had no idea they were feuding with Nigel McGuinness and Daniel Garcia. I really liked Cash Wheeler's heel shtick early on, really trying to humiliate Garcia. When Dax came in, he called out Nigel and gave him some super stiff chops in the corner before things fell apart and FTR needed to take a powder. Back in the ring, Nigel hit one of his signature combos in the corner but only got a 1 count. McGuinness got tossed to the outside soon after and looked to be in trouble but caught Dax with an awesome elbow to the jaw before getting sent hard into the desk repeatedly. Cool stuff. Wheeler then got even more heat by brushing Tony's hair before rolling Nigel back into the ring. Nigel played the face-in-peril for the next few minutes, even eating a Tower of London onto the floor by Wheeler, who capped it off with some more brilliant heeling, mocking the announcers and the fans in the front row. An uppercut by Cash got countered by Nigel, though, and he managed to land a HUGE clothesline off the ropes to stay alive. Nigel got the hot tag to Garcia, who ended up getting both guys in the corner and raining down on them with big right hands before clotheslining Cash out of the ring. Garcia was able to hit a back suplex for 2 and then went for the Dragon Tamer (Sharpshooter) but Cash broke it up. Nigel went for the Tower of London on Dax but Dax escaped and went for one himself only to end up eating a big forearm. A 2-man Tower of London got a 2 count and all four men did some brawling in the ring. Unfortunately, they botched a spot where Dax and Cash ended up clotheslining each other as Nigel did not move (and got inexplicably shoved out of the way and into position by Hardwood). There was a fun moment as Nigel forced Wheeler to apologize to Tony but then, as soon as he was back on top, Wheeler took back his apology (and threw in some extra curse words as a bonus). In the ring, Garcia hit a superplex and then hit another, essentially a Tres Amigos but with even less logic. Hardwood countered the superplex attempt and brought Garcia down to the mat, where he then got squashed by Cash. Nigel broke up the pin attempt to a loud pop. Back on the outside, FTR hit the Shatter Machine onto Nigel on the floor while Garcia continued to sell in the ring. Schiavone went to check on Nigel but FTR got in his face and kept him from helping his colleague. They turned their focus onto Garcia, who fought valiantly for a little while, slapping the hell out of Dax's chest, but ultimately fell prey to a nasty piledriver and then a two-man piledriver for an awesome 2.9 nearfall when Garcia managed to get his foot on the bottom rope. Dax applied a Sharpshooter and looked to have the match won as Wheeler touch out "Daddy Magic" and then stomped on Nigel's hand as he tried to make his way back into the ring to help Garcia. There were a few not-so-hot moments, but, overall, this was a really strong match and an excellent performance out of FTR, who proved here that they are still in the conversation for being the best tag team in the US (if not the world). (3/5)

Ricochet faced Mark Briscoe in an Ambulance Match next. This was a wild brawl right from the start with Briscoe in full control until Ricochet managed to escape and run to the relative safety of the ring. Ricochet was an awesome chickenshit heel in this match. Highlights included Ricochet attempting a Shooting Star Press off the apron but crashing into the stretcher, Briscoe hitting an elbow drop from the barricade to the floor, Briscoe spraying Ricochet's head with cleaning spray and then bashing him with a metal bucket, and Ricochet blasting Briscoe with a chair from the floor as he attempted a springboard dive. Briscoe ended up sporting a full crimson mask, the first of the night. Ricochet looked to have the match won but Briscoe fought out of the back of the ambulance and sprayed Ricochet with the fire extinguisher. Briscoe hit his brother's signature double-underhook piledriver and then dumped Ricochet back onto the floor. Briscoe put Ricochet on a table and then hit him with a HUGE elbow drop from the top rope. With how much blood Briscoe was covered in, it made for quite a visual. Briscoe brought Ricochet closer towards the ambulance and seemed to be going for another piledriver but Ricochet countered it into a back body drop. The crowd started a "This Is Awesome" chant as the two men made their way closer to the ring. Ricochet pulled out a pair of scissors out of nowhere and nailed Briscoe in the head with it. He went for another stab but Briscoe blocked him and got a hold of the scissors himself. Ricochet ran towards the ambulance and grabbed an additional pair and jabbed Briscoe in the head with them. Ricochet hit a low blow and then the Spirit Gun before tossing Briscoe into the ambulance to win a very violent, very good match that may have actually been Briscoe's best overall performance in AEW. (3.5/5)

The Hurt Business (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin with MVP and new recruit MJF) defended their AEW World Tag Team Championships against Dustin Rhodes and Sammy Guevara in the next match. Rhodes and Guevara are the ROH World Tag Team Champions but those belts were not on the line. Solid match, but nothing really special. I liked MJF trying to get involved but not being allowed to by Lashley and Benjamin, who felt like they had things under control. (2.5/5)

The AEW Continental Championship was on the line in the next match - "Speedball" Mike Bailey vs. Kazuchika Okada. I still don't necessarily see Okada as being an all-time great, but will admit to having seen none of his vaulted work so I know I'm judging him based on an AEW run that is widely considered a step down from his better work. That being said, even if Okada is not near peak, he is still a very smart worker who is an expert at building a match towards a crescendo of dramatic false finishes and high-impact moves. This wasn't as wild and crazy as the Omega/Bailey/Ricochet three-way from the last PPV, but Bailey still hit some really cool high-flying moves, double knees, and kicks. Okada, meanwhile, worked to cut him down whenever he had momentum, dishing out some of his trademark dropkicks and lariats to great effect. (3/5)

Mina Shirakawa vs. Toni Storm for Storm's AEW Women's World Championship was next. This match suffered a little bit from having a predictable outcome as it has become clear that we're heading towards a Storm/Mone showdown at All In. There wasn't much build to this match despite Shirakawa and Storm having plenty of history to pull from. This wasn't as incredible as Storm/Bayne from the last PPV, but part of that is because Bayne was relatively unproven so I'm not sure anyone expected a match as great as the one they put on. This was expected to be good and was good, with some excellent exchanges between the two that played on how well they know eachother's movesets. I'm not sure what to make of the post-match kiss. On one hand, it plays into the idea that her and Mira have this sort of weird relationship where they will try to beat the hell out of eachother to win a match but also are attracted to eachother and that is a unique relationship to see in pro-wrestling. On the other hand, the tropes exist because they help tell fundamental heel/face storylines that make matches and rivalries heated and part of me does want to see this story continue with betrayals and mind games and all the things that create drama and tension. (2.5/5)

Anarchy in the Arena followed as the team of Samoa Joe, Shibata, Hobbs, Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, and Willow Nightingale took on Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Claudio Castignoli, The Young Bucks, and Marina Shafir. This was as chaotic as advertised, a wild brawl that went all over the arena, but had its best moments happen in the ring. "I'm So Excited" and "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor" were the soundtrack for the first third or so, something of a tradition for these matches that Kenny Omega clearly gets a huge kick out of. These guys did absolutely everything to each other - tables, thumbtacks, barbwire, dives from balconies, even an explosion at the end. This has a rather ridiculous 9.31 rating on Cagematch as I type this, which seems very high for what is essentially a stunt show and not an actual wrestling match. A very hot crowd helped things too as there was a particular sweetness to the way they chanted "Please Help Willow" when she was locked to the post by her ear. Most everybody got a chance to shine, but I really liked the performances of Hobbs, the Bucks (whose "Founding Fathers" bit at the start of the match was absolutely loathsome but helped the set the tone for what this match is: a half-goofy/half-ultra-violent spotfest that is not meant to be taken too seriously), Swerve, Omega, and, maybe most surprisingly, Marina Shafir. It was almost shocking how "lost in the mix" Moxley was, which really tells you all you need to know about how successful this title run has been for him. Entertaining from beginning to end but not necessarily a match I'd ever want to watch again or even recommend if you're not invested in this storyline. (3.5/5)

Poor Paragon (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O'Reilly) and, to a lesser extent, the Don Callis Family (Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, and Josh Alexander) as they had the unenviable task of having to follow a 40+ minute war filled with every wild spot under the sun. Even Cole's entrance got a bit of a muted response from the clearly exhausted crowd. I'm a big enough fan of Takeshita and Fletcher to have enjoyed much of this even if it was in the "death spot." This felt very much like a Collision-level match, which it essentially was. I really liked the exchange between the Kyles as they showed tremendous chemistry with their counters at one point. The post-match got a huge response as not only did we see Ishii and Brody King come out to even the odds against the extended Callis Family but also the AEW return of Hiroshi Tanahashi, current President of NJPW. Tanahashi delivered a slingblade that didn't look too great, but the crowd dug it so whatever. The action in this match was all good, but this was clearly the "piss break" match because the build occurred on the lesser-watched AEW program and there were no real stakes. Fine for what it was. (2.5/5)

Main event time - Will Ospreay vs. "Hangman" Adam Page in the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament (with the winner going on to challenge Jon Moxley at All In: Texas for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship). Page and Ospreay started things off with some good ol' fashioned chain wrestling, arm drags and wristlocks and whatnot. It was intense stuff. Both guys went for their finish early but couldn't connect as their opponent was still too quick and composed not to evade the attempts. Ospreay hit a standing twister that looked wild but only got a 1 count. Page rocked him with a huge forearm that Ospreay sold like a shotgun blast. Ospreay returned fire with an excellent flying forearm from the top rope. To the outside they went and Page delivered a fallaway slam into the barricade (and then another one back in the ring into the second buckle). Page controlled for the next few minutes, even hitting two big back suplexes. He applied a headlock to keep the pressure on, but Ospreay fough out. Page hit Ospreay with some weak kicks, which only fired him up and we got a strike exchange sequence. Hangman floored Ospreay with a forearm but Ospreay countered a vertical suplex into a Slumdog Millionaire and then sent him to the outside with a nifty Pele Kick. Ospreay then hit a huge Sasuke Special, an insane cartwheel backflip moonsault. Ospreay delivered a big kick in the corner and then turned a Torture Rack into a Blue Thunder Bomb for 2. A dueling "Let's Go Ospreay/Cowboy Shit" chant started up before Page got back dropped to the floor. Before Ospreay could hit him with another splash, Page caught him on the apron and then a huge moonsault from the top to the outside! Page followed it with a pop-up powerbomb for 2 and then went for a Sharpshooter, a nice nod to Owen Hart. Ospreay reached the ropes and Page looked dejected as the crowd resumed their dueling chants. Ospreay hit Page with some chops, but Page no-sold them, rocking Ospreay with a big right hand and then hitting him with yet another back suplex. Page went for a boot but Ospreay no-sold it and hit him with one of his signature enziguiris and then a spin kick to the gut. Ospreay went for a springboard back elbow but Page blocked it and...well...they did a whole bunch of other stuff before it ended with a double clothesline/Spanish Fly thing brought both guys to the mat. People can hate on the sheer number of counters and reversals and "gymnastic routine" spots of this match, but when you execute it this well, it is really hard to criticize. Plus, because the intensity was there, it did feel like a legit fight with high stakes. Page caught Ospreay with a Buckshot Lariat from the corner, but Ospreay countered a second attempt and then delivered a Shooting Star Press to Page's back as he hung over the top rope. Nifty. A "Fight Forever" chant started up and I was in full agreement as these two were delivering the goods. Page almost got a 3-count with a tombstone but couldn't seal the deal. Page went for an Alabama Slam but Ospreay tried to hit him with a Styles Clash. Page escaped and hit him with the Angel's Wings, an homage to Christopher Daniels. Page then tried for a BME but got caught up in the ropes - on purpose? - allowing Ospreay to recover and connect with a Hidden Blade!...But Page got to the apron and nearly out of the ring before he could make the cover. The two men did some brawling on the apron before trading strikes, leading to Ospreay delivering a stiff powerbomb on the apron and then a Styles Clash from the apron to the floor! Insane. I'm not sure I've ever seen that spot before and I'm not sure it was a good idea for them to even attempt it. My biggest gripe is that Page did the overdone "wait until 9 and then roll into the ring" thing when I think a wrestler should show more signs of life around 6 or 7 before beating the count. Ospreay hit the Os-cutter and then a Hidden Blade, but still only got 2! Ospreay delivered a series of strikesout of frustration but left Hangman in position to hit a Buckshot Lariat. Before he could, though, Ospreay booted him off the apron and into the Spanish Announce Table. Ospreay bashed Page's head into it repeatedly and double-underhooked him, but before Page could really counter it into the Deadeye, the table fell apart and both guys went down into it. On one hand, it was a clear botch - but on the other hand, it is these sort of unscripted moments that make a match even more memorable. Page ended up hitting him with the Deadeye anyway and then rolling him into the ring, setting him up for a Buckshot Lariat. Ospreay stumbled, though, falling into the bottom rope. Ospreay managed to get to his feet and pulled off his elbow pad. This led to a staredown, Ospreay flipping off Page, and both guys basically going for their finisher at the same time but Page catching him full-on with the Buckshot Lariat for 2. Great moment there that arguably could've been the finish. When Page went for another, Ospreay caught him with the Hidden Blade and then hit him with the Stormbreaker...but only got 2.9! Holy cow. Ospreay went for another Hidden Blade but Page somehow sensed it and dodged it, sending Ospreay flying across the ring and onto the mat. Ospreay called for a V-Trigger and hit it and then went for Omega's One-Winged Angel, but Page countered it into a crazy piledriver move lifted from Swerve Strickland and seemed to have it won...until Ospreay got his foot on the rope. NUTS. A "Both These Guys" chant started up as Page went for another Buckshot Lariat but had it countered only to end up nailing Ospreay with a lariat into yet another Buckshot for the win! Unbelievable match. As I've written countless times before, Will Ospreay is a "fireworks show" wrestler, but he's the best "fireworks show" wrestler going today. If you don't like the style, that's fine. Most of the time I don't like it. But he's so dang good at it, his matches have become must-see for me. This also felt like something of a redemption match for Page, who has never stopped being good, but is now back to being in the conversation as one of the best performers today. An excellent match. (4/5)

With an overall Kwang Score of 3.17-out-of-5, Double or Nothing 2025, with its 4+ hour runtime is a show that is best watched over a series of "sessions" rather than as a whole, but without a single outright bad match on it, I'd consider it an overall excellent show, easily the best since World's End 2024 (with its staggering 3.38 Kwang Score). The main event was a potential Match of the Year candidate, while the opener was not only the best Jamie Hayter match since her return from injury but more proof that Mercedes Mone is as good as once-advertised after a somewhat rocky start to her AEW run. I really liked Briscoe/Ricochet as well and thought the FTR match was very strong too (if maybe a tad too long). 

FINAL RATING - Watch It

More Random Matches

El Satanico vs. El Dandy (12/14/1990, EMLL): Considered a classic among lucha fans, this one didn't quite "hit" with me. The gore and blood is there from within the first 30 seconds of the match, a 2-out-of-3 Hair Match, which doesn't leave room for as much escalation of violence/stakes as I tend to like. The finish was also a bit deflating for me, though, reading up on the story between these two, it did make storyline sense for Dandy to "cheat" to get the victory. Unfortunately, at the end of such a violent and physical match, it feels a bit silly and not like the big conclusion that one would want after a 25+ minute contest. Dandy takes a great bump into the post that sends him flying to the outside of the ring that made me rethink how much I hate that overused transition and Satanico connected with an elbow drop to the outside that looked more devastating than any of the flip-filled high-flying moves we often see in 2025. Maybe because it actually made real contact? A very good match, but I continue to be a bit baffled by some of the psychology employed in lucha libre. (3/5)

LA Park vs. Blue Demon Jr. (10/15/2016, Lucha Libre Elite): I couldn't dig up too much information about this match, which is surprising because it was certainly an above-average war between two longtime rivals that was highly-physical and bloody. The most disappointing aspect was the finish, which, like the previous match I reviewed, felt like a cop-out after such an intense battle. Again, I'm not sure if this is a matter of not wanting a "clean" finish due to their rivalry spanning such a long time or if this just a lucha booking philosophy thing that I don't get, but it didn't seem to me like either guy would've looked bad in a loss when you consider the punishment they took. Not "must see," but a fun watch that doesn't stretch too long. (3/5)

Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard vs. Michael "P.S" Hayes and Jimmy Garvin (12/05/1987, NWA): Ric Flair is on commentary for this one to praise his fellow Horsemen. The work was good here, but I just wasn't "hooked." Maybe it had to do with the heel/heel dynamic? The Freebirds seem to have more support from the live crowd, but they still pull some tricks to try to get the advantage at various points. Tully and Arn's work isn't anything too fancy, but it is tight and focused, giving this a real sense of competition and an intense energy. The Freebirds going "light" on their usual shtick makes this feel more serious and less cartoonish than some of their other work, especially the stuff they'd end up doing in the early 90s. This is another one that I couldn't find too much info on and just stumbled upon via YouTube but don't regret watching. (3/5)

Psicosis vs. Eddie Guerrero (07/08/1996, WCW): This is Psicosis' Nitro debut, which makes the finish a bit of a surprise. Psicosis hits an awesome move from the top rope to the outside at one point and a beautifully snappy sunset flip powerbomb, but this is not some spotfest. The match ends up being built around Guerrero suffering some shoulder damage, giving this sub-10 minute match more structure and drama and believable false finishes than one might expect. My biggest gripe would be the poor commentary, which is 90% focused on Hulk Hogan's heel turn on the previous night's Bash at the Beach show. Good TV match. (2.5/5)

Tully Blanchard vs. Ron Garvin (05/03/1986, NWA): This match was for the National Heavyweight Championship held by Blanchard at the time. Dusty Rhodes is on commentary for it too. Garvin goes right after Blanchard to start, trying to bite him in the corner. The crowd is absolutely electric for this, the girls screaming their heads off from the very beginning. I really like how Tully slows things down and turns the match into a more scientific contest by applying a headlock and bringing the match to the mat because he knows he can't out-brawl Garvin. I also really like the urgency Garvin brings to the match, going for some quick pins early, which reinforces how meaningful winning the belt is for the challenger. Garvin was known for his "Hands of Stone" but, as they play up on commentary, his right hand was injured in a previous match and so he can't fully utilize it. Watching Garvin in this match and hearing the crowd's responses to him, it makes a ton of sense why he was once the NWA World Heavyweight Champion but less sense as to why his WWE run wasn't as successful. There are so many small details and moments that make this match work, but ultimately, its as simple as two guys having tremendous chemistry, wrestling in front of a molten hot crowd, and knowing how to keep things interesting with well-timed transitions, hope spots, cut-offs, and curveballs. Garvin wasn't necessarily known for his technical prowess, but he busts out every hold he probably knew in this match and Blanchard puts on a masterful selling performance, especially once Garvin starts targeting his ankle (plus some of his barely-able-to-get-a-shoulder-up kickouts are unbelievable down the stretch). Commercial breaks on the recording mean that we don't get the full match, but everything we do get is about as good as wrestling gets. A ref bump leads to a really fun finish involving both JJ Dillon and the Dream that is maybe the most perfect example of a "Dusty Finish" I've ever seen. I could see why this sort of ending could kill a town or prevent an otherwise super special match from earning a perfect score. (4.5/5)

Scott Hall vs. The Great Muta (07/15/1989, WCW): Scott Hall was blonde and vanilla here, not yet rocking the Diamond Studd gimmick. Michael Hayes and Jim Ross are on commentary. Its a bit weird watching Hall wrestle such a "straight" match with none of the character flourishes that made him a star years later. That being said, what I expected to be a bit of a squash is actually a fairly even match with Hall getting plenty of offense in. There are some awkward moments when it seems their timing is off or there's a miscommunication and I wasn't a fan of the weak finish (even if Hall's selling of the mist was wonderful). Nothing special here, but not bad. Fairly typical TV match. (2/5)

Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Hiroshi Hase (01/09/2000, AJPW): Being unfamiliar with Hase's style - which I've now learned is more ground-based and submission heavy - I was expecting to enjoy this match much more. Built entirely around Hase going after Misawa's arm and the various ways he can twist and turn it, the AJPW fans werre into it, but I got a little bored by the minutes-long armbars and key locks. Misawa gets in the occasional hope spot with a big forearm here or there, but its not enough to keep the match interesting. I was surprised to read that Meltzer gave this a very low 1-star rating as I wasn't nearly as offended by it, just bored at times. Over at PWO, this match has received a ton of praise due to the story being told, Hase's focus and strategy, and Misawa's resiliency, but these elements, the type of subtle notes that only true analysts and experts can often appreciate, didn't make for an entertaining match to me. (2/5)

Vader vs. Toshiaki Kawada (02/17/2000, AJPW): A fun match between two heavy hitters. I liked how Kawada bided his time early, playing some mind games and frustrating Vader by not immediately locking up. This allowed Kawada to stun the big man with his stiff strikes and kicks before Vader was able to start overpowering him. There's not much "wrestling" on display, but that's not to say it is slow or that they're not putting in big effort. Vader wasn't in his prime, but he can still bump and sell and his strikes still work. Kawada is always good for a stiff brawl and, though some have criticized this match going longer, I liked that it was compact and felt like both guys were throwing the heaviest hits they could, knowing full well that this match was not going to go long. Vader's final lariat makes for a great finish too. Not "must see," but good enough. (3/5)

Psicosis vs. William Regal (01/11/1997, WCW): Nothing much to this TV Championship match despite - on paper - looking like it could be really good. Psicosis looks sloppy at times and Regal, while always at least good, doesn't have great chemistry with him. I also really disliked the finish as Regal got himself DQ'd at almost the first sign of Psicosis showing any sort of control. I get that they were building up to a return match and wanted to "protect" Psicosis, but it made for a disappointing ending when Regal pulling the tights or using some other underhanded technique to get the win would've been just as good. (1.5/5)

Scott Armstrong vs. La Park (01/11/1997, WCW): Another underwhelming contest from the same episode of Saturday Night as the previous review. Again, I was kinda hoping for a hidden gem here as Scott Armstrong was a solid in-ring worker and La Parka is almost always worth watching. Unfortunately, this match is way too short and there's nothing interesting or exciting going on for most of its runtime. La Parka and Armstrong have some good technical exchanges, but nothing to write home about it and it all wraps up in under 5 minutes. I would've liked more of La Parka's "fun" side - the dancing, the strutting, the teasing of chair usage - in this. (1/5)

Chavo Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (01/11/1997, WCW): And, finally, another DUD of a match as Chavo Guerrero and Rey Mysterio struggle to make the most out of a 5-minute match. They filled the time with some good action, no doubt, but Mysterio was one of the best, most exciting wrestlers in the world at the time and he generally had good chemistry with Guerrero so this being so underwhelming is a huge disappointment. Maybe given 2-3 more minutes, they could've done something to make this memorable. I kinda wish this had been a bit more one-sided with Chavo working as the heel and getting constantly cut-off and outsmarted and outwrestled...but its more of just a straight-up exhibition-type match so there's no drama or suspense. The finish is one we've seen before too, only better executed. A disappointment. (1.5/5)

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event - 05/24/2025

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event

Tampa, FL - May 2025

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WWE Universal Champion was John Cena, the World Heavyweight Champion was Jey Uso, the Intercontinental Champions were Dominik Mysterio and Lyra Valkyria, the United States Champions were Zelina Vega and Jacob Fatu, the World Tag Team Champions were The New Day (Woods and Kingston), the WWE Tag Team Champions were The Street Profits, and the Women's Tag Team Champions were Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez of the Judgment Day. Tiffany Stratton was the Women's WWE Champion on SmackDown, while on Raw, IYO SKY held the Women's World Championship. 

Saturday Night's Main Event kicked off with some videos showing the arrival of several of the night's participants and then an introduction featuring Jesse "The Body" Ventura sporting what appeared to be a hat like the ones people wore when Malcolm X came out in theaters 30 years ago.

The opening contest saw Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker take on CM Punk and Sami Zayn, both sporting Palestinian flag-themed ring tights. Punk was over huge with the Tampa crowd. Breakker hit an awesome flying clothesline from the ring apron onto Zayn, sending him over the announce table, which was a hot start to the match that then led to one of what seemed like a commercial break every 3-4 minutes on this show. Punk hit a Code Red at one point, which amazed the crowd and the commentators (and Paul Heyman on the outside). I'm not sure I'd seen him hit that move before myself. The heels scored the win with help from Bronson Reed, who made an unexpected return by putting Punk through the barricade, which distracted Zayn and allowed Breaker to get the W with the spear. After the match, Reed teased a face-off with Breakker (which led to a "Holy Shit" chant), but ended up getting hugged by Rollins, revealing that he was now in alliance with them despite having history with Seth. Reed then hit a splash onto Punk. This was a good opener and an entertaining start to the night. (3/5)

Next up - Zelina Vega defending the Women's United States Championship against Chelsea Green. I expected Green to move onto a feud with Tiffany Stratton after dropping the title to Vega, but I guess they wanted to extend this feud before getting to that. Green's new President-inspired gimmick is a great use of her talents as she has become one of the more consistently entertaining talents on the women's roster. In ring, she's not necessarily anything special, but she's competent enough. Vega got the silent treatment from the Tampa crowd, which isn't surprising. Her attire comes across as Temu Sasha Banks/Mercedes Mone. There was some awkwardness at one point when Vega botched a 619, but it didn't detract too much from what was a decent contest (though it did break Green's nose). Remember when a powerbomb on the arena floor would not only be a legitimate match ender, but actually used to write off wrestlers for months at a time? In this match we got one within the first 2 minutes and it didn't lead to anything at all. The AEW haters who love to criticize the company for its "gymnastic routines" and "spotfests" should take note that AEW does not have a monopoly on this sort of thing. (2/5)

John Cena vs. R-Truth was the next match, but was definitely played more like an "angle." I was not a fan of R-Truth coming out to Cena's entrance song and in Cena's gear. It wasn't clever or funny and it didn't really make all that much sense to me. Sure, R-Truth was/is a John Cena superfan, but he's also a former multi-time singles and tag team champion with his own well-known theme song. Just came across as a Eugene bit to me. The "match" was what it was and ended when Cena struck Truth with a kick to the groin and then an AA. By my estimation, Cena is now 0-3 in singles matches in terms of actually delivering anything good. It's also worth noting that the crowd was somehow split 50/50. I'm guessing that Cena really hates that because he has really worked hard to not give the crowd any reason to cheer him, including putting on unremarkable matches that end in supremely screwy, cheap fashion. Its hard to "rate" this match because it was clearly meant to be more of an angle than an actual competitive contest, but even with that purpose, this wasn't particularly good. (2/5)

Damien Priest vs. Drew McIntyre in a cage match followed. This was a weird one (and not only because it was ruined by some really poorly-placed commercial breaks). McIntyre was clearly the fan favorite with this crowd but he also wrestled like it, hitting Priest with a nifty South of Heaven. Priest, meanwhile, came across a bit heelish with his use of the chair and the way he won the match by slowly walking out of the door after delivering a Con-Chair-To. It may have been met to be "badass," but it wasn't at all heroic the way one would expect a babyface to be. I'm not sure if the plan is to move Priest into a heel position, but Ventura's commentary certainly seemed to indicate that too. Of course, it seems like Ventura has limited knowledge of any of the current storylines or wrestlers and is there to "call it the way he sees it" rather than to necessarily "sell" the story. The live crowd seemed to be into this match, though it felt disjointed to me as a viewer because of the commercial breaks. Still, the action we did get was very good - hard-hitting, the right amount of violence for a modern WWE cage match, and heated from beginning to end with an intriguing finish. (3/5)

Main event time - Jey Uso vs. Logan Paul. This was worked as a "sprint" as there was only about 15 minutes left of TV time when it started. The speed at which this was worked was impressive and kept the crowd into it from beginning to end. Jey's superkicks were on target. Paul continues to make things look easier with his athleticism and natural swagger. John Cena attempted to screw Uso out of the title which led to the return of Cody Rhodes, who came out to an absolutely MASSIVE response and hit Cena with the Cross Rhodes. In all the pandemonium, Uso managed to hit Paul with his frog splash to retain the championship. I'd love to see these guys work again as they had noticeably strong chemistry. Cody Rhodes' post-match promo was also a great way to sell Money in the Bank as it seems we will be seeing the two sides face each other in a tag team match. (3/5)

While no match was necessarily "great" and the amount of commercial breaks was annoying, this was better paced and more fun than your average SmackDown or RAW episode. Plus, with the returns of Reed and Cody Rhodes, this felt like a show worth watching if you're at all a fan of the current WWE product. Its Kwang Score of 2.6-out-of-5 may seem a little low, but this was a breezy and enjoyable show to get through, adequately star-studded and wrestled in front of a crowd that was super into it.

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand

TNA No Surrender 2010

TNA No Surrender 2010

Orlando, FL - September 2010

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship was vacant, the X-Division Champion was Doug Williams, the TNA Television Title was held by AJ Styles, the Motor City Machine Guns were the TNA World Tag Team Champions, Angelina Love was the Knockouts Champion, and the Knockouts Tag Team Championships were held by Hamada and Taylor Wilde, though I'm not sure if they were still active. 

I was somewhat surprised to read that the opening contest - Generation Me (aka the Young Bucks) vs. The Motor City Machines Guns for the Guns' TNA Tag Team Championship belts only got 3 stars from Meltzer and a sub-8 score on Cagematch because, to me, this would seem like the type of match that fans of both teams would go ga-ga over. While it only goes a little over 10 minutes, the action is very good from beginning to end. I really liked how this started fairly straight-forward before building to the crazy spots and superkicks and double-team maneuvers. I also thought the post-match heel turn by the Bucks was effective and foreshadowed nicely by how frustrated they were throughout the contest. If this is considered one of the "lesser" matches these teams had, I'm excited to see what their betters one are like. (3.5/5)

Doug Williams vs. Sabu for Williams' X-Division Championship was next. I'm a sucker for "Sabu vs. Random Guy" matches like this where you can almost guarantee there will be some serious clashes of style and ability and it will result in a one-of-a-kind match. Now, in 2010, that didn't mean the match would be technically sound or a mat classic or even a crazy spotfest like the ones Sabu had 15 years earlier, but it would be interesting. Its what makes a match like Big Show vs. Sabu appealing in a way that, say, Big Show vs. John Cena rarely was. Here, you have Doug Williams, master technician, going up against the unpredictable Sabu and, from the very start, its clear that Williams is going to have to slow things down and work his way through a match built around Sabu's often-sloppy spots. Ultimately, though, it is this looseness, this ramshackle quality that makes the match more interesting and more fun to watch than any of the Williams/Kendrick matches from the previous few months. This isn't a great match - and certainly not "must see" - but with Sabu, the thrill is partially watching to see when things will fall apart (which they inevitably do). (3/5)

Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Skye follows. The story here is that everyone involved is either a current or former member (or rival?) of The Beautiful People. Angelina Love is there to support Skye, while Madison Rayne (who had dropped the Knockouts Champion to Love), is backed up by Tara, who she had retired a few months prior. I don't know the details of that storyline but it sounds convoluted on its face. Rayne and Skye had a very bad 4 minute match, borderline unwatchable. Considering that these women ostensibly trained fairly extensively with each other, one would've expected a better outing and better chemistry between them, but it just isn't there. This isn't offensive, but its not good at all. (1/5)

Rhyno vs. Abyss in a Falls Count Anywhere match followed. Nothing fresh or exciting here. Abyss was in the midst of a storyline where he claimed he would reveal, on 10.10.10, something or other about some group that was coming for Dixie Carter. I don't remember where this goes, but I am a little intrigued. Really not much to say about this aside from it not being as hardcore and violent as it probably needed to be to work. With Abyss, you need the glass and the tacks and tables and the barbwire and this was tame compared to what he'd done in the past. (1/5)

Sting and Kevin Nash teamed up against Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett in the next match. Another unremarkable contest. The Sting/Jarrett story had started really hot with Sting as a vicious and violent heel and Jarrett selling the hell out of the ass-kicking he received. Nash and Joe being involved feels like it was shoe-horned in and an unfortunate retread of a rivalry that had seemingly ended months earlier once Nash's boys (Waltman and Hall) got fired and Joe had nothing going on either. Joe gets the W but it doesn't feel important or like this story has progressed. This felt meaningless and like everyone was just going through the motions. (1/5)

AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer followed in an "I Quit" match. This was part of the EV2.0 vs. Fourtune feud. Styles bumps and sells big for Dreamer and while this match certainly isn't a carry job - Dreamer gets inventive with a light he pulls from the ramp, there's a great cane-assisted crossface spot, and takes some good bumps on the ramp himself, plus he gets a ton of color during the finish - it is AJ that keeps things moving and takes the majority of the punishment. The crowd is split 50/50, which wasn't the intention as Fourtune were clearly positioned as heels, but AJ Styles had built up such a tremendous reputation as a great worker that it is no surprise he was beloved by the audience. The second half of the match built around a fork that Styles had brought into the match and eventually used to force Dreamer into submission by "stabbing" him in the eye. Overall, not a bad match at all, but uneven and a bit boring at times. (2.5/5)

Kurt Angle faced Jeff Hardy in the next match. This was part of the tournament for the vacant TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Despite too very good performances from Angle and Hardy, including an absolute vicious powerbomb by Angle and then Hardy hitting a Swanton Dive to the floor later on, this match suffered a bit from not having a clear "story" driving it from point A-to-point B. Things got better towards the end as Angle started focusing 100% on Hardy's ankle, limiting Hardy's agility, speed, and high-flying and making the story more about Hardy's ability to withstand a ton of punishment. When Hardy did hit one of his big signature moves, Angle's kickouts at 2.9 were great...until they became a pattern and more predictable. I liked the double overtime, but like the fans in attendance, was disappointed by the lack of a (spoiler alert) clear winner. Angle being nearly submitted with his face on the mat in a pool of blood was a fantastic visual, even if it wasn't the most original one ever. Without a definitive ending, its hard to recommend this match. I'm curious how good this match could've been with someone with more of a "story-driven" mind guiding the ship and helping to lay it out, something that I think is overlooked when people discuss Angle's TNA run and how, while he was physically at his peak and capable of some incredible feats, he doesn't necessarily have a ton of matches at the same overall level as the matches he had in the WWE. (3/5)

Main event time - "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero vs. Ken Anderson in the other semi-finals of the TNA World Championship tournament. You have to give credit to TNA for trying to make Dinero a star, but he just wasn't at the level necessary to be a PPV headliner at this point in his career (and he never got there later on either). The match isn't bad, but its not great either and, coming after a 30-minute Angle/Hardy match, this match feels "overworked," like their main goal here was to make this feel "epic" just by going close to 20 minutes instead of thinking about how this match could stand out and offer a different flavor than the match that came before it. The right guy wins, sure, but it feels like a step back when Anderson gloats and acts like a heel after the victory. I guess Anderson was supposed to be a "tweener," but its a sour note to end a show on. As one commenter noted on Cagematch, neither guy comes out of this match better than they were going in. Dinero was once again exposed as not being "main event ready" while Anderson's half-and-half lovable asshole/despeciable asshole continued to be presented as murky in a way that feels more indecisive than interesting. (2.5/5)

With an overall Kwang Score of 2.19-out-of-5, No Surrender 2010 is one of the weaker shows that TNA put on in 2010 but did feature a very good opener and a solid Angle/Hardy match that fans of those particular wrestlers would probably consider a near-classic. The Doug Williams/Sabu match is an interesting match and Dreamer/AJ is probably about as good a match as Dreamer could, well, dream of having in 2010, but everything else on this show was pretty weak.

FINAL RATING - High Risk Maneuver

Random Matches

Jaguar Yokota vs. Monster Ripper (04/07/1982, AJW): This is for the WWWA Championship. Jaguar Yokota is a terrific babyface and Monster Ripper is a great heel and monster for her to work against. This didn't grab me initially, but as it went on it got better and better. I loved Yokota's selling and struggle and Monster Ripper's power moves, including a great press slam stun-gun. This is Technique vs. Brute Force done really well, the kind of match that you can go into 100% "cold" and thoroughly enjoy. Loved Monster Ripper busting Yokota open with her elbows. Great match, but maybe just short of "must see/should watch" territory. (3.5/5)

Jaguar Yokota vs. Devil Masami (07/19/1982, AJW): Another strong performance out of Jaguar Yokota here as she defends her WWA Championship against Devil Masami. Unlike the Monster Ripper match, Yokota and Masami are more evenly matched, so this one doesn't have as clear a story. Plus, Yokota dishes out punishment with just as much intensity as Masami, so this is not so much a classic heel/babyface match as much as it is two absolute pros trading their best shots. The first half is good, but not great, while the back half hits that "second gear" that JR is always talking about. Once Masami starts delivering headbutts, this match goes from one terrific spot to the next and blew my mind with some of the lucha-inspired action. Then, things end with both women just grabbing weapons - a chair and a kendo stick, respectively - and trying to kill each other. Its a bit disappointing, but kinda like the Taker/Shawn match from Ground Zero 97', I can dig a match ending like this when it is well-earned and doesn't feel "screwy" and this is another good example of it as both women had shown increasing frustration and desire to not only win the match, but truly hurt their opponent. I'm not as high on this as others - there are some who consider this one of the best women's matches of the 80s - because of how much better the second half is than the first half, but I can understand the argument that you don't get those thrilling final 6-7 minutes without laying the groundwork with some more slow-paced action in the opening dozen. (3/5)

Nobuhiko Takada vs. Super Tiger (Satoru Sayama) (01/20/1985, UWF): A "shoot-style" wrestling match with Satoru Sayama under the Tiger Mask, uh, mask, but going by Super Tiger. I don't know the history there. Some of the kicks in this match are brutal, but the "realness" of the match is a bit undercut when you also have Sayama performing a piledriver during a match that was mostly all about submissions and strikes. This didn't "hook" me. (2.5/5)

Norman Smiley vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (06/11/1988, UWF): Speaking of "hooking," this is another "shoot-style" match out of UWF with even greater emphasis on submissions and grappling. Smiley was an absolute beast with his technicality and, we'd later learn in WCW, he had charisma and showmanship, but its hard to picture him being successful in the WWF or even NWA/WCW at this time or in the early 90s despite the fact that a peak-Bret Hart vs. peak-Smiley match would've likely ruled. This is a very pure form of wrestling that I don't find myself loving despite my respect for what they are doing and the physicality. At the end of the day, I don't get lost in these matches because there is not an emotional through-line or story that I can follow and it isn't as fast-paced as RINGS, which makes the matches a bit boring (or at least the ones I've seen). (2/5)

Terry Funk and Dory Funk vs. Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen (04/22/1983, AJPW): Intense brawling, as would be expected, with these two teams of rivals fighting tooth-and-nail for every inch. This match is not as acclaimed as some of their other bouts, but everyone here looks good and even Brody was willing to do some selling. Hansen and Terry have the best interactions and were in the midst of a much bigger rivalry at the time. Not a bad match at all, but not particularly memorable and the DQ finish - coming when Brody attacks the referee for trying to maintain order - is a bit deflating. Not a match I'd really recommend. (2.5/5)

Bret Hart vs. Ricky Steamboat (03/08/1986, WWE): As big a Bret Hart fan as I am, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit I'd never seen this match before despite it being routinely mentioned as one of the best matches of the 80s and a personal favorite of Bret's and Steve Austin's. This isn't necessarily going to wow you with amazing, never-seen-before spots (especially 40 years later), but the efficiency, the heat, the build, the workrate, and the character work are all top notch. I love Steamboat's tumble through the ropes coming off a Bret Hart gut punch, I loved Bret heeling to the crowd, there's masterful cut-offs to all of the Dragon's hope spots, the way the Dragon fires up in the early minutes - just so many details that make this match work. Easy "must see" territory. My only gripe might be that the twist - whereby Bret gets the clean pinfall but the rest isn't there to see it - is arguably counterproductive to the story being told. For a match with such a pure babyface/heel dynamic, worked so incredibly well, its a somewhat disharmonious note to play. Then again, it is this sort of "outside the box" thinking that makes this match special too. (4/5)

Volk Han vs. Andrei Kopylov (03/05/1993, RINGS): The first time I saw a Volk Han match, I was really impressed and interested in seeing more because the style was so different than anything I'd seen before. Having now watched quite a few of these sorts of matches, I'm finding that it is a style I can respect but do not enjoy as much as others. This match goes under 10 minutes and is almost entirely wrestled on the ground with Han and Kopylov both trying their best to twist and pull their opponent's arms out of their sockets. It isn't the most thrilling thing to watch, but it does look as "real" as anything you'd see in MMA/UFC these days only with way fewer attempts to bust the other guy's face open. Kinda boring despite its brevity and the intensity of the submissions. (2/5)

Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (08/10/1991, NJPW): A really cool stalemate in the corner to start things off as Hashimoto shoves Choshu into the post but can't waffle him because Choshu has his hand on his throat. When the referee finally steps aside, the two monsters go at each other with super stiff chops and strikes and kicks and everything else they can throw. Hash with a nasty kick to the face and then some to the upper chest. Brutal stuff. A Hashimoto kick to the chest has to be up there as one of the most devastating-but-simple strikes in wrestling history. Choshu is a tough son-of-a-bitch, though, and gets up to continue the match only to get knocked back down with a kick to the lower leg. Every time Choshu gets to one knee, Hash kicks him down again. Choshu connects with a punch to the gut that Hash no sells and then he stomps the damaged leg again. Hash comes off the ropes and nails him with a kick to the arm before hitting a DDT and then applying a leglock. Choshu grabs the ropes out of desperation but the damage has been done and this is total slaughter. A wrestler - I'm not sure who - tries to stop it but is unable to and Hashimoto re-applies the leglock. I missed it, but I guess Choshu's corner men threw in the towel, but he defiantly threw it back out of the ring. Hashimoto goes back on the attack and, at this point, another dozen guys come in and try to end this, pulling Hashimoto off his opponent. This feels like more of an "angle" than an actual match, but what an impressive angle it is. Hashimoto looks like a total badass here, but Choshu also looks tough in defeat, even nailing Hashimoto with one big clothesline after the bell to show that he is not finished. Really easy-to-understand storytelling that makes a rematch a "must see," but as a stand-alone match, its hard to rate because it is essentially a squash match (albeit a very entertaining one). (3/5)

Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (06/15/1994, NJPW): I was shocked to learn that, what seemed like a surefire start to a huge rivalry between Choshu/Hashimoto in 91' did not lead to a series of immediate rematches and, instead, actually led to them tagging together? I'm sure a NJPW historian could fill in the blanks but anyway...here we go. Definite "big fight feel" as Hashimoto is IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Some collar-and-elbows to start before Choshu goes after Hash's knee and then its Hashimoto with the big knees to the chest and devastating kick that knocks Choshu to the mat. Hashimoto with an arm drag and another kick, then its back up for another collar-and-elbow and another series of knees that knock Choshu to the mat. Hash lays in some stiff kicks and this is looking like another one-sided affair. Choshu manages to get to his feet and almost has his head knocked off with a roundhouse. Hash hits a DDT and goes for the spinning heel, but Choshu blocks it! Riki puts him on the top turnbuckle and, after considerable struggle, he hits a superplex! The champion is rocked and the challenger hits some devastating strikes of his own including a big lariat off the ropes! He hits another but Hashimoto stays on his feet only to get knocked down with a third lariat! And then a fourth to the back of the head! A fifth to the back of the head, but Hashimoto kicks out at 2. This is Kicks vs. Clotheslines as Choshu hits yet another lariat for another nearfall. He goes for another and then yet another, but Choshu is also selling damage to his own arm because he's basically been throwing it at a brick wall. He hits yet another lariat for another 2 count. This is the epitome of "finisher spamming." Hashimoto gets to his feet and knocks Choshu with a series of stiff kicks to the chest, both guys selling the exhaustion that comes with all this bomb-throwing. Hashimoto off the ropes and he hits another big kick. Then its a few more to the chest and another DDT. Hash goes for the cover but only gets a 2. Choshu is clutching his neck in pain. Hash with an elbow drop for 2, the first "new" move in close to 10 minutes. Hashimoto hits the spinning heel kick and both guys collapse to the mat. Hash with another kick roundhouse kick, then another, and then a third DDT. Hashimoto goes to the top rope and hits a nasty elbow drop to the back of Choshu's head to win the match. This wasn't pretty, but it was violent as heck and, with a runtime well under 20 minutes, it doesn't waste any time or ever get boring (though I do wish they'd have maybe thrown in some other offense as, if you made a list of all the actual moves performed, you'd probably reach a grand total of 8). (3/5)

Chigusa Nagayo vs. Dump Matsumoto (08/28/1985, AJW): Super-duper heat in this match. The actual "wrestling" isn't too impressive, but this is not about leglocks and suplexes - this is a violent fight between two arch-rivals with the loser having to have their head shaved. The atmosphere is electric and every strike, every blow gets a massive reaction. There's an awesome moment when Nagayo applies a Sharpshooter while she's sporting a crimson mask that feels like the reverse of the famous WrestleMania XIII spot with Austin and Bret and I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't at least partially inspired by it. For the storytelling and the ridiculously dramatic post-match, I can see why this match is considered an all-time classic but I would've personally liked a smidgen more actual wrestling. (4/5)

Akira Maeda vs. Dick Vrij (05/11/1991, RINGS): Another RINGS match that blurs the line between shoot/MMA and a worked wrestling match with a clear heel and face. Vrij looked the part of a legit ass-kicker and I have no doubt that he one was. Maeda is less impressive in terms of physical appearance, but is supremely tough and was a huge crowd favorite with unparalleled stature in terms of spearheading the MMA/pro-wrestling hybrid style. As I've said before, though, this style isn't one that I'm often in the mood to watch. Its also not a style that I necessarily "understand." Sure, it feels realer than your typical pro-wrestling match, the strikes are super stiff, and there is very little "cooperation" occurring between the wrestler...but because this isn't an MMA fight, it still can end with a submission that doesn't look like it could really lead to someone having a broken leg, which seems to expose the fact that this is a work. (2.5/5)

Genichiro Tenryu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (06/17/1993, WAR): A bit of a "dream match" scenario happening in the promotion that Tenryu started. I really liked Hashimoto targeting Tenryu's knee and how consistent that strategy was over the course of the match. Tenryu showed great fighting spirit and the crowd was super into his various comebacks. That being said, it feels a bit disjointed with Tenryu selling so much damage throughout and Hashimoto controlling but then almost running out of steam and not being able to kickout of Tenryu's powerbombs despite delivering so much offense himself. Speaking of kickouts, there's one towards that end from Tenryu that might be one of the best I've ever seen. All in all, a good match but maybe a hair short of must-see. (3.5/5)

Genichiro Tenryu & Takashi Ishikawa vs. Shinya Hashimoto and Riki Choshu (04/02/1993, WAR): Four badass dudes in one match here so you know this one is going to be stiff as all hell. Hashimoto and Tenryu start thing soff, much to the crowd's delight, with Hashimoto landing some kicks early but Tenryu fighting back with clubbing blows. Choshu tags in and then so does Ishikawa. Ishikawa applies a headlock on the mat and then tags Tenryu in, who hits some chops that sends Riki to the corner to tag in Hashimoto. We get a staredown between the two rivals. Hashimoto goes after Tenryu's knee, blasting him with kicks and then applying a leglock. Ishikawa tags in and breaks up the submission with a legdrop before applying a headscissors. Once they're back on their feet, though, Hashimoto takes over with more kicks and then applies a wristlock, which doesn't make for the most exciting couple minutes and the crowd goes quiet. Hashimoto tags in Choshu who hits a vertical suplex. Ishikawa fights back and sends Choshu to the outside. He misses a splash to the outside but Tenryu goes after Choshu on the floor and the ref loses control. Tenryu and Ishikawa brutalize Choshu, busting him open with kicks. Ishikawa hits a clothesline that looks like it catches Choshu in the jaw. Then Tenryu hits another in the corner and then kicks him repeatedly in the head. The ref tries to stop him but gets tossed aside. Ishikawa back in to deliver another stiff clothesline as Hashimoto is forced to watch from the apron. Choshu manages to hit a brilliant suplex (a bit like a Tazzplex) and, soon after, tags in Hashimoto, who comes in with a ton of fire and blasts both guys with kicks, including a huge spinning kick to Tenryu! Hashimoto is relentless with his strikes but Ishikawa breaks things up and stops his momentum. Choshu comes in to get some shots in. Ishikawa comes in and hits a DDT and then another stiff clothesline, but Hashimoto is too close to the ropes for him to get the pin. Ishikawa with a bodyslam and Tenryu hits an elbow from the top (and is now the legal man? I don't think I saw a tag). Tenryu with some kicks but Hash is back on his feet. Clothesline to the back of the head. Ishikawa comes in briefly before Tenryu returns to deliver a heel kick to the back of the head and then a powerbomb. Tenryu goes for the cover but Choshu breaks it up. Ishikawa comes in to deliver a chokeslam, but again Choshu breaks up the pin. Ishikawa goes for a piledriver but leaves himself vulnerable to a clothesline from Choshu. The match goes off the rails here, but Hashimoto manages to hit a huge DDT and cover Ishikawa, bloody mouth and all. Hashimoto isn't able to celebrate much as Tenryu attacks him and out come all the ring boys and trainers to separate the rivals. A very good match that felt extra intense and "real" wrestled in front of a hot, hot crowd. (3.5/5)

Takao Omori vs. Kenta Kobashi (04/15/2000, AJPW): Love Omori's heel work early, jawing at Misawa on the outside, slapping Kobashi in the face, his facial expressions - all great. Good strike exchange to start followed by an Omori dropkick and then a chinlock. Back on their feet, Kobashi hits some nasty chops to the side of Omori's head and then lands a stalling standing suplex. Kobashi brings Omori to the outside and launches him into the guardrail before blasting him with a chop that sends him all the way over it. Cool. Back in the ring, Kobashi applies an abdominal stretch. Omori makes something of a comeback with a shoulder tackle and then we get a stalemate as both guys try to suplex the other. Omori goes after Kobashi's knee with a low dropkick and then another kick as Kobashi sells the agony. Omori wraps Kobashi's leg around the post a couple times and then whips him into the guardrail. Omori lifts him up and drops him through a table on the other side of the guardrail! Omori goes a chair but the ref denies him. Omori applies a leglock on the floor, continuing to go after Kobashi's knee. Back in the ring, Omori continues his targeted attack. Omori applies a figure four and Kobashi sells the heck out of it. Back to the floor they go and Omori hooks Kobashi's leg over the guardrail before hitting a running stomp on it. In the ring, Omori applies a Sharpshooter! Kobashi struggles to power out, but manages to make it to the ropes. Omori's focus on Kobashi's knee is masterful. Kobashi comes back with some chops and forearms, but Omori counters with a swinging neckbreaker. Omori lands a dropkick from the top rope for 2. Kobashi goes for a big reverse chop, but Omori counters it into two dragon suplexes! Wow! Incredible! Omori is the clear heel but the crowd clearly loved that. Kobashi hits a big german suplex of his own and the crowd chants his name. Kobashi follows it up with a running clothesline and then a T-Bone Suplex for 2. Kobash hits a bodyslam and goes to the top but Omori brings him down with a sit-out powerbomb! Omori removes his knee pad and goes to the top, landing a huge knee drop from the top rope for 2. Omori signals for a lariat but Kobashi kicks his arm, this leads to another nifty sequence with Omori hitting a heel kick and then a pair of lariats, one to the back of Kobashi's head and the other to the front of his chest, for another nearfall. Omori tries for a lariat but Kobashi catches him in a sleeper! Kobashi with another suplex, dropping Omori on his head. Kobashi tries for a powerbomb but Omori escapes - only to get hit by a clothesline for 2! Kobashi manages to get Omori up, dropping him with a rather ugly powerbomb. I'm not sure what happened there but it looked painful. Kobashi picks up Omori again and powerbombs him into the top turnbuckle! He goes for the cover but Omori gets his foot under the bottom rope. Omori gets in some slaps but Kobashi chops him back and Omori looks completely spent. Kobashi hits another half-nelson suplex but doesn't go for the cover. Omori hits a clothesline but Kobashi no-sells it and then knocks him out with two absolutely brutal clothesline, the second one being strong enough to practically flip Omori out of his boots. The crowd erupts into a "Kobashi" chant following the match as the trainers look over Omori. I was not surprised to read that this is considered Omori's "career" match because he was excellent in this, but Kobashi was obviously no slouch either and also gave a top notch performance. This is almost a flawless match, but its maybe a bit too straight-forward and "simple" of a layout to be considered a masterpiece. (4/5)

El Phantasmo vs. Konosuke Takeshita (05/03/2025, NJPW) - This is the first El Phantasmo match I've ever seen. Takeshita hits a crazy somersault dive to jump start the match before even taking his jacket off. He follows it up with a flying shoulder off the ropes before attempting a suplex. Some good back-and-forth follows with Phantasmo hitting a Lionsault a hurricanrana before Takeshita was able to regain control on the outside. Back in the ring, Takeshita maintained control with a nasty chop and then stomped on Phantasmo's gut before whipping him into the corner and then applying a chinlock. Not the most exciting "heat" segment ever, but things picked up once Phantasmo started flying to the outside, first with a dive that pushed Takeshita over the guardrail and then a huge splash from the top rope to the floor. Takeshita fought back with a forearm on the apron and then a running knee before getting shoved into the post and piledriven. Takeshita nearly got counted out, scrambling to get into the ring before the 20 count. I hate that even when somebody I generally enjoy does it. We got a strike exchange and then a really great series of big moves and counters and momentum shifts building to ELP calling for a superkick but ending up hit by Takeshita's signature cradle piledriver (which, I just learned, is not so much his signature as a move that was/is somewhat widely used in NJPW by Kenny Omega, Ibushi, and others). Up to the top they go and down ELP brings Takeshita with a powerbomb before hitting an insane pedigree-esque maneuver for a 2 count. Takeshita barely hits his Blue Thunder Bomb moments later but gets 2 with it. ELP executes  a reverse hurricanrana and then Takeshita hits one too! The two men clothesline each other and both hit the mat at the same time as the match nears the 20-minute mark. ELP hits a hurricanrana and we get a nifty series of nearfalls as the match ends via time limit. These two guys had obvious chemistry, but the lack of a clear finish prevents this from being something I'd strongly recommend. A good match, but not a great one, with some elements that I'm just not a fan of ever. (2.5/5)

Jaguar Yokota vs. La Galactica (05/07/1983, AJW): This one is all about Yokota's performance, which is rather incredible. Her agility is fully on display, as is her fighting spirit and technical skill. Unfortunately, Galactica isn't nearly as impressive and the fact that there is so much interference - from Yokota's longtime rival Monster Ripper - and the referee allowing it gets distracting. Obviously, in AJW, interference and weapons and whatnot were par for the course, but it gets tiresome. This was a Hair vs. Mask match that was also for Yokota's WWWA World Title so the stakes were very high, but it is booked the same as so many other joshi matches from this era and feels more like a chapter in the Yokota/Ripper feud more than any sort of achievement or victory for Galactica. Nothing really special here save for an awesome missed crossbody to the floor towards by the end by Yokota and the aforementioned athleticism on display (again, Yokota's and not Galactica's). I'm guessing the historic performance is why some people consider it "must see." (2.5/5)