Wrasslin' Rainbow: A Journey Into The Best (And Worst) Storylines in Wrestling, Part 1: Katie Vick

Greetings, everyone, and welcome to Wrasslin' Rainbow. Now, you may be wondering what this whole operation is, and it's pretty simple, really. I take a look at wrestling storylines both good and bad and analyze them from beginning to end, highlighting the highs and lows of each one while critiquing the storytelling process a whole. I'm no LeVar Burton, but I do love a good story, so this should be fun.

As for our first subject, uhhh, there's a lot left to be desired, as I take a look at the story of Katie Vick, a feud between Triple and Kane revolving around the deceased eponymous girlfriend of Kane. Look, this isn't going to be an entirely pleasant experience, so give me a break as I loosen the few screws I have left in my head as I take a look at one of WWE's most infamous angles.

Katie Vick: A Tome Of Sex And Death

Our story begins on the October 7th, 2002 episode of Monday Night RAW. Kane and his tag team partner The Hurricane would be defending their World Tag Team titles in a Fatal 4-Way TLC match against the likes of Rob Van Dam & Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho & Christian and The Dudley Boyz (specifically Bubba Ray and Spike) in the main event as per the results of the Raw Roulette. While not ideal for the team, it only got worse for them as Triple H took The Hurricane out backstage, leaving Kane to defend their titles single-handedly in a thrilling main event (link to the match here).

Despite having the deck stacked against him, Kane overcame the odds and successfully defended his teams' straps. The celebration was short-lived as Triple H, accompanied by Ric Flair, came out to cut a promo on Kane, saying that by the end of the episode his life would never be the same and claiming that 10 years ago, he killed a girl named Katie Vick. The episode ends on a close-up shot of a visibly stunned Kane, leaving the Las Vegas crowd and the audience at home in a bewildered state and clamoring for an explanation.

The very next week, Kane addresses the situation after being confronted about it backstage by Terri Runnels. He explains that Katie was a friend of his, and one night they went to party; she drank too much and Kane decided he should drive her home, despite the rainy conditions. A generic animal jumped into the road and Kane swerved to avoid it; he lost control of the vehicle and crashed it in the process. While he managed to escape the wreck with only a broken arm, Katie was killed instantly. Triple H comes out to provoke Kane, revealing his side of the story. He claims that Kane had also been drinking that night, and that doctors found Kane's semen inside Vick during the autopsy; he also says Kane was in love with her, but she didn't reciprocate the same feelings. Triple H closes his promo by suggesting what transpired that evening wasn't so much an act of date rape as it was an act of necrophilia. Similar to last week, we're left with a stunned and silent Kane as the audience reacts in a similar fashion.

The next Monday, Trips is asked why he's doing this, and he explains that it's to expose Kane as a twisted, demented psychopath. He claims to have proof via video tape, which he says is not for the squeamish. Following the ol' "Viewer Discretion Is Advised" treatment, we see HHH entering Katie Vick's funeral (surprisingly unattended) wearing a Kane mask. He addresses the corpse, stating that wants her even more now that she's dead. Vick apparently lets Haitch have her, as he starts groping her corpse. He says he's going to give her what she's always wanted and take what he's always wanted, then climbs into the casket. The Cerebral Assassin proceeds to sexually defile the corpse, accompanied by cutaway shots of candles, flowers and verbal exchanges one might be familiar with after an excursion to Pornhub; this shocking display ends with HHH proclaiming, "I screwed your brains out!" We cut back to him backstage laughing about what we just saw, leaving Jonathan Coachman (and the entire audience) in a state of utter shock and bewilderment, altogether wondering why in the hell he did this and how he didn't get caught. Granted, necrophilia isn't the first thing you're concerned with at a funeral home, but it's probably something that wouldn't hurt the mortician and fellow staff members to be on the lookout for.

Later on in the show, a tag team match is fixed up, pairing Kane & Rob Van Dam against HHH and his Evolution stablemate Ric Flair. The match devolves into a brawl HHH and Kane, who take their brouhaha backstage. The two scrap for a spell, culminating in Kane chokeslamming the world's #1 Motorhead enthusiast onto the hood of a car, then stuffing him into the trunk of the car while uttering, "Now, I'm gonna screw YOU! The only question is, will you still be alive? Or while I just wait until you're dead?" before driving off as the show ends. If you need to take a break from reading this so you can confess your sins to your local spiritual leader, go right ahead.

The following Monday, HHH kicks RAW off by discussing the events that transpired last week. He then explains "the only person's opinion on this matters, we've not heard from yet." He then introduces his special guest, the very same corpse he sexually desecrated last week, Katie Vick. He brings the mannequin into the ring, making dead-themed dad jokes along the way. He props Vick up on his lap and asks the inanimate Vick if she found the video footage last week offensive. In a hackneyed display of ventriloquism, Vick "explains" that she didn't find it offensive and actually found the experience to be quite painful on account of Kane's "burnt little weiner." HHH then addresses the crowd, stating he doesn't give a damn if anyone was offended, no doubt setting some sort of precedence for future edgelords to follow.

He's then interrupted by Kane's tag team partner The Hurricane, who demands to know why The Game is in such a mirthful state after having been stuffed inside the trunk of a car last week. Haitch explains that popped the child safety latch inside the trunk of the car and jumped out. Hurricane then demands him to explain how he acquired footage of HHH in the operating room of a hospital last night. We then cut to footage of unknown man wearing several HHH masks and having several objects removed from his anus, with the man proclaiming at the end of the video, "You...you pulled my head out of my ass?" Enraged, HHH proceeds to attack the mannequin for no other reason other than to continue the frightening madness. Kane comes down and the two scuffle for a bit before RAW GM Eric Bischoff comes out to announce a casket match as the main event of the show. Shawn Michaels is revealed to be hiding in the casket, popping out to attack HHH and assist Kane with the victory.

Aftermath

Following the casket match, the HHH/Kane feud had all but fizzled out. Following Shawn Michaels' appearance during the match, Triple H quickly jumped back into a feud with the Heartbreak Kid, reviving what they started earlier in the year. HHH never really left the main event scene around this time; losing the World Heavyweight title a few times only to regain it just as soon as he lost it, never losing sight of the Big Gold Belt and altogether ruling the main event scene, with some dubbing it the "Reign Of Terror".

As for Kane, this was unfortunately one of his very few opportunities at the main event scene around this time, falling back into feuds within the midcard and tag team divisions shortly thereafter.

Weighing The Pros and The Cons

Now that we've covered the story from beginning to end, what did we think of it? What were the highs? What were the lows? And what one outweighs the other?

For the positives, there were very few, to say the least. The one that I can think of is that Kane got a main event push, which is cool because the dude's incredibly talented and definitely deserved any big push he got. And technically, I guess, he won the feud? Not sure how, but I think he did.

And as for the negatives...Jesus fucking Christ. Where do I start? Where do I finish? What element of this story made WWE creative think not only should it be incorporated into the professional wrestling zeitgeist, but it should also be broadcast on live TV? Throughout my time watching this story unfold, it didn't feel like I was watching professional wrestling; it was more akin to one of those dime-a-dozen true crime documentaries/features you see floating around Netflix. I'd honestly like to ask whoever came up with this story where they're hiding the bodies, because only a serial killer could conjure something up like this. I mean, was Edmund Kemper employed by WWE around this time?

For starters, it's not told very well. The story is wrapped up too quickly and is never really given an opportunity to develop into anything that can truly engage an audience. If they were going for the soap opera formula of storytelling, they missed the mark by a country mile; as stupid and nonsensical soaps can get, at least they let the stories breathe and develop over a lengthy course of time. Here, it's just sort of throwing lurid subject matter at the audience at a rapid-fire pace, starting and ending the story in the course of only a month.

And as far as characterization goes, it's beyond abysmal. HHH comes as less of a wrestling heel and more of a psychopathic criminal who needs to be thoroughly investigated. It also made Kane look like an absolute moron throughout the whole ordeal, relying on shenanigans to come out on the winning side. Honestly, everyone involved here looked absolutely terrible, and the only reason to root for anybody in this situation is solely rooted in prior bias. Judging by the quality of writing alone, there's no discernible reason to root for anyone in this situation outside of prior bias.

Being a horror/grindhouse fan, the subject matter itself wasn't a problem for me so much as how it was handled. As awful and dark as the story to Last House On The Left is, I at least have a vested interest in watching; the pacing and direction is handled well, providing an entertaining product overall. With Katie Vick, the subject matter was handled so sloppily that there was practically no entertainment value to be had. Personally speaking, it's one of the most physically punishing pieces of wrestling lore to sit through.

As much as I love Kane, it wasn't worth this trash-ass story to see him in the main event here. To say the negatives outweigh the positives here is a big fucking understatement.

Can we fix it?

So what could've been done differently to improve it? Quite simple: to have never fucking done it in the first place. This story should have been snuffed out from the very beginning, because it's clear to me that when it comes to dark stories, WWE handles them about as well as a two-handed prostate exam. The best thing I can say about this whole ordeal is that provided shitposters like myself with a bevvy of meme content. Outside of that, there's nothing positive I can say about my experience watching this. It's my sleep paralysis demon and it's broken me as an individual.

But with that being said, my passion for stories and the critical analysis of them is undeterred. So stay tuned, and I'll see you in the next one.

MLW Fusion Episode 83 Recap and Review: 11/11/19

It's the first episode of Fusion following MLW's PPV debut Superfight. Who walked away victorious? Did we see new champions get crowned? We'll find out all about it and more, so let's waste any more time and dive into what should be an entertaining show.

Contra Unit Opening

The entirety of Contra Unit (Josef Samael, Simon Gotch, Ikuro Kwon and current MLW World Heavyweight Champion Jacob Fatu) come to the ring, much to the surprise of the commentary team, who were expecting to the show to start with Timothy Thatcher and Low Ki. Samael cuts a promo where gloats about Contra Unit dismantling Promociones Dorado following Fatu's successful title defense against L.A. Park, Contra Unit's global reach and a desire to procure all of the gold in MLW.

Samael in particular calls out MLW Middleweight Champion Teddy Hart, who comes to the ring flanked by his Hart Foundation stablemates Brian Pillman, Jr. and Davey Boy Smith, Jr. The two groups scuffle before it gets broken up.

An entertaining enough segment and a decent way to start the show. Samael brought the bombast in his promo and he delivered it well. Kayfabe-wise, it makes sense for the top heel stable to demand all the gold, and it'll be interesting to see how they handle it going forward.

Timothy Thatcher/Low Ki

Unsurprisingly, it's a 100% technical bout from the start as both grapplers trade holds and counters in a effort to gain an advantage. Thatcher gets Ki up on the top rope, who answers back with a hanging triangle armbar. Back in the ring, the two trade Greco-Roman knucklelocks with Thatcher using his size advantage to gain the upper hand. Ki stays on the mat and attempts to ward off Thatcher with some low kicks, only for Thatcher answer back with a single-leg boston crab, then transitioning into a bow and arrow hold.

Contra Unit interrupts the match as Samael addresses the new Tag Team Champions The Von Erichs, promising he has an offer The Von Erichs "will be unable to refuse." Back to the match, Thatcher is still solidly in control, grounding Low Ki and wearing him down. Ki fights back with a series of hard chops, which Thatcher responds with a european uppercut. He then slams Ki to the mat then hits him with an elbow drop. After a knee strike/suplex combo, Thatcher sends Ki to the outside with an uppercut.

The two trade chops and uppercuts before Ki attempts a springboard maneuver; Thatcher responds with another uppercut and sends Ki back to the outside once again. Ki manages to avoid both a countout and a pinfall attempt, then counters a catapult with a second-rope double stomp. Gaining some momentum, Ki hits Thatcher with a couple of shoot kicks. He attempts for more offense, only for Thatcher to respond with a side belly-to-belly suplex, then a double underhook suplex.

Thatcher attempts another suplex, only for Ki wriggle out and chop-block him. Ki then attempts a dragon sleeper, only for Thatcher fight out and get Ki upon his shoulders. Unfortunately for Thatcher, Ki manages to lock in a triangle choke of sorts in this position and submits Thatcher for the victory.

If you like technical wrestling, you'll get a kick out of this match. The holds were crisp and superbly delivered, and you really felt the weight of each strike delivered. The counters were beyond impressive, and I'm really impressed how innovative they became as the match went on. Thatcher looked like an absolute beast, and Ki managed to keep his badass credibility while still managing to be vulnerable and plausibly vincible in the process. A damn fine match through and through.

Myron Reed vs. Teddy Hart (c), MLW World Middleweight Championship match

Hart starts the match out in a technical manner, applying various holds before going to the outside to fight the other members of Reed's stable Injustice (Kotto Brazil and Jordan Oliver). Back in the ring, Hart eats a superkick from Reed, who follows up with a slingshot leg drop. Hart is back on the outside fighting Brazil and Oliver, only for Reed to take advantage of the distraction with consecutive tope suicidas through the second and over the top rope.

Back in the ring, Reed springboards only for Hart to avoid it; Reed handsprings out of a clothesline attempt and hits Hart with a springboard cutter/falcon arrow combo. Hart dodges a springboard 450 splash attempt from Reed and drills him with a canadian destroyer. Gaining control for the time-being, Hart then hits Reed with a straight-jackhonoret backstabber, then a split-legged corkscrew senton. Hart then connects with a moonsault, which Reed kicks out of. Hart then plants him with a powerbomb/backstabber combo, only for Reed to kick out of that as well.

Hart then pulls out a hammerlock DDT, then ascends to the top rope to drill Reed with a diving DDT. Oliver and Brazil distract the referee, prompting Hart to toss Reed onto them, then connect with an asai moonsault. Back in the ring, Hart drills Reed with a top-rope canadian destroyer. Oliver and Brazil pull the referee out of the 3-count once again, and during this distraction, Josef Samael hits Hart with a fireball. Reed connects with the springboard 450 splash to become the new MLW Middleweight Champion.

A great match with an odd finish. It was a well-executed spotfest, with both competitors displaying breathtaking agility and pulling out some damn good sequences. Don't get me wrong, I like Reed and he definitely deserves the W, but I'm wondering why it came from the assistance of Contra Unit's Josef Samael, who explicitly said he's coming after Hart and his Middleweight title. It wholly contradicts what he said at the beginning of the show, so I'm wondering if Reed's reign will be short-term and will just serve as a platform to a Hart Foundation/Contra Unit rivalry. Time will tell, I guess. Anyways, a great match and a solid way to end the show.

This was a damn good episode, all things considered. Despite the wonky ending, I still dug the hell out of the main event, and Thatcher/Ki was athletikino, definitely garnering MOTN honors from me. If I were you, I'd definitely check this episode out ASAP.

MLW Fusion Episode 79 Recap/Review: 10/14/19

In MLW's first show in Mexico, the Tag Team Titles are on the line in the main event tonight as current champions The Dynasty take on Los Parks. Aside from that, we should have a bevvy of excellent content here, so let's not waste any more time and dive right into it.

Oraculo vs. Black Danger vs. Ricky Marvin

Marvin and Danger start the match out with an alliance of sorts as they team up on Oraculo with a variety of double-team maneuvers. Oraculo tries to fight back, trading blows with both of his opponents before getting a pin attempt on Marvin, who counters with one of his own before planting him with a DDT. Danger then sends Oraculo to the outside with a basement dropkick; the brawl for a spell before getting back in the ring.

Marvin and Danger continue their double-team, only for it to backfire when Oraculo dodges Marvin's running enzuguiri. He then hits Marvin with a springboard cutter, then sends Danger to the outside with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. After hitting Danger with an asai moonsault, Oraculo gets back in the ring and nails Marvin with a springboard hurricanrana. Marvin kicks out, then proceeds to put both of his opponents in a double gedo clutch. Marvin then sends both of his opponents in the corners. He hits Oraculo with a rope-hung dragon screw whip, then Danger with a rope-hung springboard stomp to the leg.

Marvin counters Oraculo's headscissors attempt with a variation on the TKO. Marvin breaks up the pinfall as Oraculo attempts a tilt-a-whirl stunner; Danger fights out and hits Marvin with a rope-assisted piledriver. Oraculo then attempts a springboard thesz press of sorts, only for Danger to fight out and hit him with a double underhook piledriver. Danger attempts for more offense only for Oraculo to fight out and hit him with a canadian destroyer, then dropkicks Marvin before drilling Danger with a poisoned hurricanrana.

After sending Marvin to the outside, Oraculo connects with the 450 splash to Danger for the W.

A good match and a decent way to start the show, albeit being a bit sloppy in spots. Oraculo was the clear crowd favorite here, and he did a good job of playing to the reactions. But with that being said, some parts felt dragged on, especially the Marvin/Danger team-up; not only that, but there were a couple of sequences that seemed to be mistimed and looked messy in the process. Despite the negativity, I still liked the match. It provided a couple of cool spots and was a nice way of warming the crowd up.

Rey Horus (The Crash Heavyweight Champion) vs. Alexander Hammerstone (MLW National Openweight Champion), Champion vs. Champion Match

Using his power advantage from the get-go, Hammerstone goes to town on Horus, punishing him in and out of the ring. Fighting back, Horus connects with a calf kick to Hammerstone on the ring apron, then hits him with a suicide dive. After the two tool around for a bit between the ropes and the outside, Horus connects with a second-rope leg drop. Horus tries to follow-up, but Hammerstone responds with a pop-up drop then a clubbing lariat.

After being worked over for a bit, Horus fights back and sends Hammerstone to the outside then follows up with a somersault tope over the ring post. Back in the ring, Horus throws a slingshot splash then a diving crossbody at Hammerstone; he then ascends to the top rope, only for Hammerstone shove him off, then hit him a bicycle kick/german suplex combo. He then doubles down on Horus with a sit-out powerbomb, but Horus kicks out.

The two trade blows before Horus connects with a springboard tornado DDT; the referee gets momentarily knocked out as Hammerstone knees Horus then drills him a burning hammer. Hammerstone then hits Horus with a chair, only for Horus to kick out. After Horus counters a powerbomb attempt with a yoshi tonic, he then drop toe-holds Hammerstone into the corner before following it up with a 450 splash. Hammerstone's Dynasty mates MJF and Richard Holliday come in to drag Horus outside the ring, breaking up the pinfall and resulting in a DQ win for Horus.

Another pretty good match here. Hammerstone and Horus played off each other well, providing some good spots and sequences in the process. I always enjoy a good powerhouse/high-flyer bout, and this was no exception. Weird finish aside, this was an entirely enjoyable match featuring two capable competitors whose polarizing styles meshed quite well. This was definitely better than the opener and might be MOTN depending on what happens in the main event.

Los Parks (L.A. Park & El Hijo De L.A. Park) vs. The Dynasty (MJF and Richard Holliday) (c), MLW Tag Team Championship Match

MJF and Hijo start the match out, and there's a lot of teasing and plodding in the process. MJF then tags in Holliday, who works Hijo over for a spell. Following a backstabber to Holliday, Hijo and L.A. manage to get some double-team offense in with a series of dropkicks to Holliday. After distractions from MJF and the referee, it seems as though The Dynasty are in control here, continuing punishment to Hijo.

Hijo fights back with chops to the backs of his opponents, then he and L.A. execute another series of dropkicks to their opponents, culminating in Hijo flapjacking L.A. onto Holliday. They follow it up with a samoan drop/corkscrew neckbreaker combo to Holliday, then stereo suicide dives to The Dynasty. Despite this, The Dynasty manages to overcome it as MJF tosses L.A. into the guardrails as Holliday plants Hijo with a gutwrench powerbomb for the win.

This was fine, I guess. Lots of plodding with a fair amount of okay spots thrown in here and there. Not really sure why this was the main event, as the middle match had more stakes to it. But I don't book the show, so what do I know? Anyways, it's an alright match, but not one you need to immediately seek out.

This was a pretty decent show that was exceptionally highlighted by Hammerstone/Horus. The opener was decent albeit a bit sloppy in parts and the main event was just sort of there, to be honest. You can watch the first and last matches, but especially focus on Hammerstone/Horus.

MLW Fusion Episode 78 Recap/Review: 10/7/29

Apologies for being so lazy on this blog. Depression's been kicking my ass and I've just been finding it hard to enjoy things nowadays. With that being said, I'd like to remedy that and try to get back into the swing of things. While normally I cover ROH, this time around I'd to try something a little and start covering one of my new favorite promotions, MLW. So let's get to it.

Magnus & Septimo Dragon vs. Los Parks (L.A. Park & El Hijo Del L.A. Park)

Los Parks attack their opponents just as the bell rings, getting the advantage right from the start, clubbing them with strikes in the corner then continuing the carnage outside. After a couple chair shots and tosses into the guard rail, we're back in the ring as L.A. Park whips Dragon and Magnus with a weight belt, Dragon taking a majority of the damage. Trying to mount some momentum, Magnus superkicks Hijo then takes down L.A. with a headscissors. With both Parks on the outside, Magnus takes advantage with a slingshot corkscrew plancha.

Dragon follows it with a springboard corkscrew crossbody. The action gets back in the ring as L.A. ascends to the top rope only for Magnus hang him up and send him crashing down. Dragon hits Hijo with a standing spanish fly while Magnus connects with a swanton bomb to L.A.; both Parks kick out. L.A. blocks attack from both of his opponents as he sets Dragon upon the top rope. Hijo hits a super spanish fly on Dragon while L.A. spears Magnus; both tecnicos kick out as the action spills out to the outside once again.

Los Parks deliver dual diving crossbodys to the outside before L.A. and Magnus eventually end up back in the ring. The two trade strikes before L.A. plants Magnus with a DDT; Dragon breaks up the pinfall attempt with a double stomp as he and Hijo make their way back into the ring. Dragon peppers in some elbows on Hijo, who halts his momentum with a superkick then sets him up on the second rope for a super codebreaker.

Dragon rolls out of a double stomp attempt from Hijo, then hits him with a Go 2 Sleep, followed up by a PK. He tries for a split-legged moonsault, only for Hijo to catch him then drill him with a running Canadian Destroyer. The two men spill to the outside as Magnus and L.A. enter in once again. Magnus dodges a spear and L.A. is sent shoulder-first into the corner; Magnus attempts a cover, only for the referee to be pulled out by the manager of Los Parks, Selina De La Renta.

Magnus superkicks L.A., only to be met with one from Hijo, who then goes on to deliver a flurry of strikes to Dragon before hitting the Backstabber. After being met with a headbutt, Hijo dodges another Dragon attack before landing a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Magnus and L.A. have an exchange. L.A. shoves Magnus into the referee, then ascends to the top rope for a twisting frog splash. Magnus rolls out of the way while the referee takes the brunt of the attack. De La Renta low-blows Magnus while the referee is down; L.A. rolls Magnus up for the win.

I really didn't expect this match to go on for that long, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was paced well, and we got to see some impressive sequences from both teams. Los Parks gave a good heel performance, and I can say something similar of Magnus & Dragon, who performed their role well as the babyfaces who get ambushed in the beginning, then fight back in the middle only to succumb to dirty tricks in the end. A well-told story and a damn good way to start the show off.

Dominic Garrini vs. Ariel Dominguez

It's a technical affair from the start as Garrini and Dominguez trade holds in an effort to gain advantage. Garrini quickly takes it with a hip toss, then a gutwrench toss; following a quick slam, Garrini submits Dominguez with a cross armbreaker, debuting in MLW with a lightning-quick victory.

A quick match, but one that builds Garrini as a feared mat technician in MLW. It's practically a guarantee we're going to see him square up against Filthy Tom Lawlor and Timothy Thatcher, and I for one am looking forward to both of those matches.

Austin Aries vs. Brian Pillman, Jr. 

Pillman eggs Aries on at the start, baiting him in and catching him with a series of hard chops and knee strikes, getting him to the outside. Back in the ring, Aries gets Pillman on the ring apron, then attempts a knee strike only for Pillman to counter with a shoulder tackle, then a sunset flip. Pillman clotheslines Aries to the outside, then attempts a slingshot plancha. Aries dodges it as Pillman lands on the ring apron; Pillman leaps over a chop block attempt from Aries, then hits him with a back kick/double axe-handle combo.

Aries blocks a springboard attempt from Pillman, then connects with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Aries connects with a missile dropkick, then pounds Pillman with a slew of strikes. Aries then attempts a brainbuster on the ring apron, but Pillman blocks and the two trade suplex counters. Aries ends it with a shoulder block into a second-rope neckbreaker. Aries attempts to work Pillman over further, only for Pillman to answer back with a series of uppercuts then a snap scoop powerslam.

Pillman attempts his straight-jacket neckbreaker finisher, only for Aries to counter with a northern lights suplex, then a transition into his Last Chancery finisher. Pillman gets to the rope as Aries attempts another brainbuster on the ring apron. Pillman fights out and hits Aries with a superkick, then attempts a suicide dive; Aries blocks with a headbutt, then gets back in the ring to plant Pillman with a brainbuster for the win. After the match, Aries calls out Teddy Hart, who he attacked last week with a brainbuster on the ring apron. Hart answers and the two brawl as the show ends.

Shorter than I expected it to be, but a damn good match regardless. Both men were in tip-top shape here, trading rapid-fire sequences and telling a good in-ring story in the process. It also furthers the feud between Aries and Teddy Hart, and rest assured, they'll put on an absolute barnburner. I really can't complain on any side here, as everyone involved look strong in the process.

An excellent episode, to say the least. We had an absolute banger of a lucha-style tag team opener, plus the superb main event. I honestly prefer the opener, but not by much. Honestly, one of the best episodes they've had in a while, and I'm excited to see what they pull out next.

ROH Wrestling Episode #411 Recap/Review: 8/5/19

In this week's episode, Ring Of Honor highlights their return to New York City for Manhattan and gears up for Summer Supercard. Some of ROH's biggest stars are featured tonight, including Jay Lethal, RUSH, Dalton Castle and of course World Champion Matt Taven, among others. It should be a jam-packed show, so let's not waste any more time and get on with it.

Matt Taven opener

Well into almost four months in his reign as ROH World Champion, Matt Taven enters Hammerstein Ballroom clad in a Red Sox jersey and addresses his reign, highlighting his victory at Supercard as well as the multiple successful defenses he's had so far. Taven vows to put an end to his near 7-year rivalry with Lethal tonight, only for Kenny King to come out and demand a title shot, as per the stipulation of his Honor Rumble victory. Taven agrees, only to be met with an upset Lethal and the two trade blows before security breaks them up.

A decently executed segment, and definitely a match I'm looking forward to later in the evening. Lethal's a future wrestling god, Taven is fantastic and King is super underrated. With enough time provided, they should definitely be able to put on a great showing.

Briscoes/Guerrillas Of Destiny Video Package

This segment highlights the current rivalry between The Briscoes and G.O.D over the ROH World Tag titles. G.O.D defended their titles against the brothers at War Of The Worlds, only for the Briscoes to reclaim the titles later in Manhattan. G.O.D attacked the Briscoes post-match following a successful title defense against The Bouncers at Mass Hysteria. The challenge was laid out by G.O.D, and the two teams will face off in a Ladder War for the Tag Titles at Summer Supercard.

I'm just sort of "eh" on this. It's probably going to be a good match and I'm definitely hype for it, but I'm not really sold on the rivalry. The Briscoes are at their best when they're working straight heel, and this isn't the case here. Coupled with the fact G.O.D really don't like ROH, I'm honestly kind of baffled they're still actively working with them. That aside, I'm definitely looking forward to Summer Supercard.

RUSH/Dalton Castle Package

Following Briscoes/G.O.D, we get a video package unfurling the RUSH/Dalton Castle rivalry. After RUSH embarrassed him in mere seconds at G1 Supercard, Castle grew bitter and vowed revenge. He took it out on RUSH's younger brother Dragon Lee at Best In The World, then attacked RUSH post-match at Manhattan Mayhem. The two had a match at Mass Hysteria, only for Castle to garner a disqualification via a low blow, they'll square off at Summer Supercard.

Both guys are excellent workers and this should prove to be a great match. This is really the first time RUSH has shown any semblance of vulnerability in his ROH tenure, and it's honestly surprising it's at the hands of Castle. But this is a good thing, because having a superman schtick for too long can get boring, so it's interesting to see some vulnerability in RUSH. Why it's against Castle is anyone's guess, but regardless, this should be a damn good showing and I'm just twiddling my thumbs until it happens.

Tracy Williams/Shane Taylor Package

From the highlights provided, Williams won the proving ground match at Manhattan Mayhem and earned a shot at Taylor's World TV title. Following his victory, Williams cuts a promo how he's going to win the TV Title from Taylor in front of his friends and family in Toronto. Conversely, Taylor cuts a promo how he seeks to destroy Williams and completely embarrass him in front of his friends and family come Summer Supercard.

So, am I pissed Bandido didn't win it at Best In The World? Yes. Am I a fan of Shane Taylor and his reign as TV Champion? Yes. Would it be satisfying to see Williams leave Summer Supercard with the World TV title? Yes. Confusing questions aside, I'm definitely hype for this match, as it's clash of styles to the fullest (Williams' technical acumen vs. Taylor size/power game). Looking forward to this one and really hoping it's more than just a squash.

Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King vs. Matt Taven (c), ROH World Championship match

As soon as the bell rings, Taven sits on the outside and lets his two opponents go at it. King and Lethal taunt each other's signature moves before Taven grabs Lethal off the ring apron; the two trade punches before King lands a corkscrew plancha onto both of them. Back in the ring, King lands a series of kicks on Taven, sending him to the outside. Afterwards, King plants Lethal with a backbreaker/lariat combo.

Watching on the outside, Taven finally makes his move in the ring as he dropkicks King, then hits Lethal with a rope-assisted enzuguiri, culminating in a discus clothesline to King. Taven tosses King aside for a bit as he tussles with Lethal, hitting a swinging neckbreaker/springboard moonsault combo in the process. King tries to stop the momentum, only for Taven to answer back with a DDT. The three trade punches for a brief spell before Taven dodges a enzugiri attempt from Letal and redirects it to King before superkicking him.

Taven and Lethal try to go through the motions before King takes both of them out with a double lariat. King and Lethal duke it out on the apron for a brief spell before Taven connects with a springboard enzguiri to King, then lays out his competition with a suicide dive. Taven tries for an over the top rope tope suicida, connecting on King but Lethal and responding with one of his own. Lethal then hits King one of his signature dives and hits one more, finalizing his trio of dives.

Lethal tries to apply the Figure Four to King, only for Taven to break it up with a frog splash. Taven goes for one of his own on King; Lethal tries to respond, only for King to reverse the pressure and get Taven out of harm's way. Lethal then locks in the crossface, but King breaks it up; he then hits Lethal with a Chin Checker, only for Taven to plant King with his Kick Of The King. Taven and Lethal throw hands before King plants them both with a double blockbuster.

Taven and King trade pin attempts before Taven drills King with a knee; Lethal connects with a Lethal Injection to Taven, who kicks out. King hits Lethal with a Lethal Injection of his own, then a Royal Flush. Taven drills King with a Climax and then pins Lethal to retain.

This was a fantastic match and a great way to end the show. The spots were well-executed by each performer, who fulfilled their role to an absolute tee. The overall MVP of the match is Taven, as he blended his opportunistic heel character work with (insert spot monkey reference here). While he isn't booked the smartest, Taven is one hell of a worker, and matches like this one prove it. I'm beyond hype for his match with Alex Shelley at Summer Supercard, because I know those two can tear the house down if given the opportunity.

While essentially a recap show with one match, I will say it was put together well, and definitely got me hype for Summer Supercard. If you're looking for a real wrasslin' experience, skip to the last 20 minutes or so of the episode. Regardless, a fun and engaging watch.

ROH Wrestling Episode #409 Recap/Review: 7/22/19

In what should prove to be an absolute barn-burner, Lifeblood seeks vengeance as they take on Villain Enterprises in a 6-man main event. This should prove to be pretty damn good, but let's see how the rest of the show pans out.

Jeff Cobb vs. Jonathan Gresham vs. Dalton Castle vs. Kenny King

Castle and Cobb start the match with a quick technical exchange, highlighting their amateur wrestling experience. They run the ropes before Cobb dropkicks Castle; Gresham and King are subsequently tagged in. Gresham attempts some mat-based trickery, but King's size advantage gets the better of him as he responds with a series of kicks to ground Gresham. King and Castle exchange tags, attempting to further break Gresham down.

Their chemistry breaking down, King and Castle begin to squabble following a few surprise tags. Gresham takes advantage and tags in Cobb, who flies in like a bat out of hell as he takes Castle and King for a ride of suplexes. Cobb is distracted as Gresham tags himself back in; Castle takes advantage and takes Cobb down with a spinning bulldog. Gresham takes Castle down with a jumping enzuguiri; King responds to this with an inverted backbreaker, then heads to the top rope.

Castle drops King to a seated position to set up his signature knee lift, but is met with a lariat from Cobb. King recovers and hits a blockbuster on Gresham. He tries the same on Cobb, who catches him and plants him with a jackhammer. Following a kick-out, King goes on a tear as he spinebusters Cobb, clothesline Castle out of the ring then plants Gresham with a blue thunder bomb. King exits the ring to grab a foreign object (the time-keeper's high heel), but Cobb sees it and King enzuguiris him out of the ring in the process. Castle gets back in the ring only for King to send him back out via a forced/assisted suicide dive to Cobb.

With the referee distracted, Gresham grabs the high heel hits King with it, rolling him up and getting the victory to start out the show.

A pretty damn good match with a rather surprising finish. King and Cobb were the overall MVPs of this match, getting in the most offense and providing the most impressive spots. What really grabbed me, though was the ending. Akin to his victory at Best In The World, Gresham used dirty tactics to get a W; definitely apropos of his character, and I'm thinking this is signaling a heel turn, which is something I'm not sure how to feel about just yet. Regardless, a good match and a great way to kick the show off.

Soldiers Of Savagery (Moses & Khan) vs. Primal Fear (Matthew Toro & Soriano)

SOS lays waste to their opponents as a pair of elevated double chokeslams puts them way to garner a W for Moses & Khan.

It's a meh from me here. I've seen a thousand squashes, and this one was just like the rest. The finisher is pretty alright, but that's about it. Let's get to the main event now.

Lifeblood (Tracy Williams, Mark Haskins & Bandido) vs. Villain Enterprises (Marty Scurll, PCO & Brody King)

The match begins with Haskins diving onto Scurll before every member of both teams start throwing hands. Williams connects with a sliding dropkick to PCO and Bandido hits King with a fosbury flop: Scurll and Haskins continue to duke it out on their own as the rest of the both teams continue to brawl on the outside. Back in the ring, Williams sets up a chair; PCO attempts to wriggle out of his grasp only for Bandido to assist Williams in tossing him into the corner.

Scurll and King send Williams and Bandido to the outside; Haskins responds by sending Scurll to the outside and throwing rapid-fire strikes and kicks at King, who asks for more. Haskins tries to oblige only to be met with a chair shot from Scurll, which prompts King to plant him with a spinning side slam onto said chair. Bandido hits King with a corkscrew crossbody as Williams attempts a diving kendo stick shot to Scurll, who dodges only for Williams to connect the second time around.

Williams then hits King with two shots of the kendo stick before wrapping his left arm up with it in a bastardized cobra clutch of sorts. PCO enters the ring to give Williams and Bandido each a chair, begging them to hit him. Williams and Bandido get a couple shots in before PCO clotheslines both to the outside. King hits them with a cannonball off the apron, then PCO follows up with one of his own. Back in the ring, Scurll and PCO hit Haskins with a boston crab/leg drop combo; King joins in with a kendo stick shot before following it up with a dual Scurll/chair-assisted jumping senton to Haskins.

Bandido and Williams come to aid Haskins, pelting PCO and Scurll with kendo stick shots. With an assist from Haskins, Williams and Bandido powerbomb King off the top rope through multiple set-up chairs. Scurll comes in to crack both of them with a kendo stick, then fires up PCO before setting up Haskins on an outside table. Bandido blocks the attempt, allowing Haskins to scurry away before driving PCO through the table with a super hurricanrana.

Back in the ring, Scurll is alone with Williams and Haskins, who dodges a kendo stick shot and puts Scurll in a sharpshooter; Williams aids Haskins with a kendo stick-assisted crossface on Scurll. King breaks it up and sends both Haskins and Williams to the outside. He connects with a somersault tope onto his opponents, followed by PCO. Bandido sneaks into the ring to superkick Scurll, then ascends to the top rope to hit a corkscrew plancha of sorts to the outside. Back in the ring, Bandido hits PCO with a chair-assisted shotgun dropkick.

After hanging PCO up on the ropes with a Go 2 Sleep, Bandido sets up a chair in an effort to spice up his 21-Plex finisher. He connects, but is unable to follow up with a cover as PCO rolls out of the pin attempt. Scurll and King set up a table in the corner, only for Williams and Haskins to come at them with a flurry of kendo stick shots. Scurll responds with his umbrella and unloads upon Lifeblood; he then sets Bandido on the table and ascends to the top rope. Bandido comes back and puts Scurll through the table with a moonsault fallaway slam to secure the victory for Lifeblood.

An excellent match, probably one of the better matches ROH has put on this year. Ever since its inception, Villain Enterprises has proven it excels in chaotic, no-rules brawls, and this one was no exception. But don't leave Lifeblood out of the conversation, as they proved they can get just as dirty. It's hard to pick an overall MVP of the match, as seemingly every participant got their fair shot in. To make it easy, I'll say Bandido. He provided the best spots while simultaneously taking as much damage as his Lifeblood counterparts, proving his endurance. While not the exact definition of tag-team wrestling, it was nonetheless an immensely entertaining brawl with one of ROH's rising stars going over in a big way. I don't really see a downside to this, in all honesty.

A great show hampered by a nothing-ass middle. The fatal 4-way was a nice way to kick off the show, and the main event was an exceedingly fun brawl from start to finish. The only thing that really hampered this show was the SOS, but that's just me being nitpicky. Trust me when I say seek this one out ASAP.

ROH Wrestling Episode #407 Recap/Review: 7/8/19

After taking some time off, we're back to covering ROH week to week (probably). Tonight should prove to be a good show as Matt Taven defends his ROH World Championship against Tracy Williams in the main event. We'll have lots of hopefully great content coming our way, so let's not waste any more time and get right into it.

The Kingdom (TK O'Ryan & Vinny Marseglia) vs. The Bouncers (Brian Milonas & Beer City Bruiser)

The match starts out with Milonas pummeling O'Ryan, dishing out plenty of heavy-duty punishment. O'Ryan tries to wear Milonas down by running the ropes, but's it all for naught. Bruiser and Marseglia are tagged in and Marseglia immediately tries to cut down his larger opponents with a series of well-placed knees and bicycle kicks. They little to no effect, however, as The Bouncers go to work on their opponents with some tag-team offense, culminating with a Bruiser cannonball to the outside.

Bruiser tries to get Marseglia back in the ring, but Marseglia counters and tosses Bruiser into the ring post, then the barricade. Back in the ring, Marseglia grounds Bruiser and taunts him for a bit before hitting him with a series of running elbow strikes, then a spinning shiranui off the second rope. Bruiser blocks a double flapjack attempt then connects with a double sidewalk slam. Milonas gets the hot tag and makes quick work of O'Ryan & Marseglia. Milonas attempts a second-rope superplex, but Marseglia sneaks around to push Milonas' legs out from under him. O'Ryan lands on top to get the pin and secure the W.

A decent way to kick off the show with an interesting finish. Both teams played their roles well (The Bouncers being lovable hosses and The Kingdom being opportunistic heels), and played off each other well, creating some pretty good sequences. I love that Bruiser and Milonas are getting over with the crowd, and I especially love how they're being booked (despite other objections I have with ROH's booking, but that's another story for another time). Both teams looked strong (both in-ring and character-wise), and the finish added the proverbial cherry on top of the overall story being told. Not too much more to say here.

Brian Johnson vs. Josh "The Goods" Woods

Johnson puts up a surprising fight against Woods, using trickery in an effort to halt the momentum of Woods, who's been absolutely dominant as of late. After a quick clothesline, Johnson manages to ground Woods and works the left arm. Woods fights back with a bevvy of forearms, then a jumping corner knee strike followed up by an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Countering a snapmare, Woods hits Johnson with a running knee strike, then his Seismic Toss finisher to pick up the victory.

Surprisingly longer than most Woods matches as of late. About the same quality, though. A fun squash and I like Woods' finisher. That's about it.

Tracy Williams vs. Matt Taven (c), ROH World Championship match

It's a battle for leverage from the beginning as Taven and Williams exchange a series of holds and counters, with Taven taunting Williams throughout. Williams manages to get the early advantage with a combination of holds, throws and strikes. Taven attempts a comeback, but Williams answers back with a corner 619, then a wrecking ball dropkick. Williams works Taven over for a bit on the outside, then tries to get him back in the ring, only for Taven to respond by tossing him into the ring post, then the barricade (holy deja vu, Batman).

Taven tries to leave the match but Williams refuses, throwing more hard strikes before delivering a jumping elbow smash off the entrance ramp. Back in the ring, Williams attempts some top-rope offense; Taven counters and delivers a super russian legsweep to Williams, then a wrecking ball dropkick of his own. Taven tries some trickery back in the ring as he removes the padding from the corner. Williams attempts a top-rope double stomp and Taven dodges, cinching in a sleeper hold attempt.

Williams fights out and answers back with a attempt of his own. He ascends to the top rope once again, only for Taven to hit him with an enzuguiri. Taven attempts a backpack stunner, only for Williams to wriggle out and go to the top rope again. Taven connects with another enzuguiri, then perches Williams up on the top rope before delivering a stiff chop. Williams counters a superplex attempt with a single-arm DDT on the turnbuckle, then follows up with a diving DDT.

Taven then counters a sunset flip attempt with a running knee. After a brief rest, the two go right back at it as Taven hits Williams with a step-up enzuguiri and Williams answers back with a discus clothesline, transitioning into a crossface shortly after. Taven tries to get to the ropes as Williams tries to pull him back with an ankle lock then an STF attempt. The two men exchange sunset flip and finisher counters, then Williams dodges another Taven knee strike. Taven manages to connect with his Climax finisher, only for Williams to kick out.

Taven goes to the top rope for a frog splash attempt, only for Williams to block then hit Taven with a one-armed piledriver. After a referee distraction, Taven tosses Williams into the exposed turnbuckle, then plants him the Climax to retain his title.

A great match and an excellent way to end a show. Both men gave it their all from bell to bell, trying and succeeding at giving us a great title match. The styles presented from both men (Taven's flashy flamboyance with Williams' no-nonsense ring dedication) blended smoothly, giving us superb chemistry and well-executed sequences and counters throughout. Both men looked strong throughout this whole match, and got in their fair share of offense. As far as I'm concerned, this is a win-win from both sides. Taven gets another worthy challenger and Williams proves his worth with another excellent in-ring performance. Both wrestler's stock rises as performers, and we as an audience get treated to an excellent main event. Needless to say, this was a damn good match.

Given that I've missed the past two weeks of ROH TV, I'm probably not as good of a judge as I could be. But given what I've recently seen, this is probably one of their better episodes. The matches were good (if not great) and the booking was intelligent (which is surprising, given the BITW results). I'd definitely recommend giving this a watch ASAP.