Xtreme Sports,
Dan flies solo this week to recap WWE’s Clash of Champions card and assess the RAW/Smackdown fallout. In the final segment, he reviews NXT’s initial offering on USA! Listen here:
As always, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, I Heart Radio, or your favorite podcast platform.
Want to be a part of the show? Email us at rynowrestlingreview@gmail.com!
The post Ryno Wrestling Review Episode 97: Clash Recap & Fallout, NXT Debuts On USA! appeared first on ProWrestling.com.
Night Two of Destruction sees another title match, a briefcase defense, and several more Young Lions Cup matches.
Yuya Uemera (0-4, 0) s. Clark Conners (3-1, 6) with a Boston Crab – Uemera is winless and mathmatically eliminated, but he could serve as a spoiler. The match started with traditional holds and takedowns, but escalated to fisticuffs and suplexes. Finally, Uemera hit a double-arm release suplex and locked in a Boston Crab for the submission
Ren Narita (3-1, 6) p. Michael Richards with the Belly-To-Belly Suplex – This match was much faster paced throughout. Narita hit a dropkick and his Belly-To-Belly for the pin.
Manabu Nakanishi, Toa Henare, Karl Fredericks, & Alex Coughlin b. Yuji Nagata Rysuke Taguchi, Shota Umino, & Yota Tsuji when Henare pinned Tsuji with a Uranage – Tsuji erupted at the sound of the bell and went after Coughlin. Umino and Fredericks did likewise. Umino got cut off and worked over until Taguchi tagged in and rallied for his team. Nagata went at it with Nakanishi, and even hit an Exploder Suplex. A multi-man brawl broke out that left Henare and Tsuji as the legal men. They traded blows which saw Henare hit a spear and a Uranage to get the win for his team.
CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI, Sho, & Yoh) b. Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, & Chase Owens w/Jado) when Yoh pinned Tonga – This time around, the babyfaces attacked the heels before the bell. after a multi-man brawl GOD set up Yoh for the Magic Killer. Sho managed to chop block Tonga, and Sho rebounded with a roll-up for a flash pin in a surprising upset.
After the match the heels beat down Roppongi 3K and hit the Magic Killer anyway on Yoh,
Jyushin Thunder Liger, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe, & Tomoaki Honma b. Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, RevPro Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr., Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & DOKI) by DQ – Once again the heels attacked before the bell and the action spilled to the floor. Honma and Kanemaru remained in the ring to become the legal men. Suzuki pummeled Liger in the crowd with the ring barricades. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Sabre and Kanemaru worked over Tanahashi. A double tag out to Makabe and Suzuki gave a good hossfight moment. At last, Liger tagged in to finally be the legal man in the ring with Suzuki. Of course, the heels still tried to cheap shot him. That led to a multi-man brawl where Doki and Liger battled in the ring. Liger tried to lift Doki for a brainbuster when Suzuki blatantly stepped in with a chair. He struck Liger several times with the chair, causing the DQ.
Suzuki then ripped the mask off Liger to gasps from the audience. He held the mask aloft like a severed head. Fortunately all the Young Lions rushed the ring and covered Liger’s face. Liger took the mic, with his face still covered in shirts, and vowed revenge against Suzuki.
CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, & Rocky Romero) b. Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, SANADA, & BUSHI) when Okada pinned BUSHI with a Rainmaker – Goto and Takagi started out by immediately getting in a battle of strikes. The heels cut off Romero and Sanada put him in the Paradise Lock. Okada got the tag and went back and forth with Sanada. BUSHI helped Sanada cut Okada off. Goto and Takagi traded lariats. Okada reversed a Skull End into a Tombstone and still managed to dropkick Bushi. Okada then dropped the elbow and hit the Rainmaker to get the pin
Jay White & Yujiro Takahashi of Bullet Club IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito & EVIL of Los Ingobernables De Japon – Bullet Club tried to attack before the bell, but LIJ was ready for them and everybody brawled into the crowd. Byt the time the match got back in the ring Bullet Club was in control and worked over Naito. EVIL got the tag and rallied against White, who quickly tagged out. He and Takahashi double-teamed Evil. In the ensuing brawl, Naito kept White at bay so Evil could pin Takahashi with Everything Is Evil.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions El Phantasmo & Taiji Ishimori The Birds Of Prey (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay & Robbie Eagles) when Phantasmo pinned Eagles with a CR2 – As expected, the match started off in high gear with some high flying an agility moves. The heels cut off Eagles and double-teamed him until Ospreay got the hot tag and ran wild. Bullet Club hit a variation of the Best Moonsault Ever for a near fall. A four-way broke out that led to Eagles doing a hurricanrana on Ishimori while he was atop ELP’s shoulders. A Tower Of Doom spot saw both Ospreay and Eagles landing on their feet and hitting a top rope Sliced Bread. Phantasmo made the save and brawled with Ospreay on the floor. Eagles used the Ron Miller Special on Ishimori. Ospreay placed Phantasmo in an Octopus Hold to keep from the hold being broken. That failed and Phantasmo powered out and broke the hold. ELP then tagged in and went back and forth with Eagles. Ishimori clobbered Eagles with a title belt but still couldn’t get the pin. An assisted Bloody Cross knocked out Ospreay, leaving Eagles alone. Both Bullet Club members hit their finishers and pinned Eagles. An amazing tag team match where the babyfaces looked strong even in defeat.
Kota Ibushi KENTA – Kenta attacked before the bell and clobbered Ibushi with the briefcase. Kenta cut a promo saying the case is now his. The opening bell rang and Kenta immediately struck again and went for an early pin. Ibushi kicked out, so Kenta repeatedly tossed him to the outside and knocked him around on the floor. Ibushi made his way back into the ring at the 17 count. Back in the ring, Kenta continued his assault. Every time Ibushi tried to make a comeback, Kenta cut him off. Again Kenta took the match to the floor, this time Kenta smashed Ibushi’s knee on the announce table. When the match returned to the ring, he started focusing on Ibushi’s knee. At the 20 minute mark, Kenta slapped on an inverted Figure Four. Ibushi made the rope break and started his comeback. However, Kenta was able to tie up Red Shoes so GOD could interfere. GOD hit a Magic Killer and lifted Ibushi for a Super Powerbomb. Ishii and Hashi ran in to make the save and chase them off. Kenta hit a PK for a near fall. Kenta followed up by hitting a Kamagoye. Ibushi kicked out, so Kenta went for the kill with a GTS. Ibushi escaped and hit a Kamagoye. Kenta kicked out, but before Kenta was able to fight back, Ibushi hit a second Kamagiyefor the pin.
After the match, EVIL came to teh ring and issued a challenged. Ibushi accepted, so presumably that match will be a King Of Pro Wrestling next month.
The conclusion to New Japan’s Destruction tour is here, where the winner of the Young Lions Cup will be crowned. There are also several title matches that will set the stage for next month’s King Of Pro Wrestling Tour.
Karl Fredericks s. Yota Tsuji with a Half Crab – Another battle between dojos. A good opening match between the two lions. the story with Karl Fredericks is that he has an arm injury for which he wears the protective gauze. The finish was Tsuji coming off the ropes into a spinebuster. Fredericks then locked in is half crab for the submission
Shota Umino p. Alex Caufield with a Fisherman Suplex – Back and forth action that saw Umino hit a missile dropkick and his Fisherman Suplex for the win
Ryusuke Taguchi, Yuji Nagata, Ren Narita & Yuya Uemera b. Manabu Nakanishi, Toa Henare, Clark Connors, & Michael Richards when Taguchi submitted Richards with the Oh My And Garakle – You read correctly that Mincael Richards is in this match. No, it is not Kraemer. Narita and Richards began. Uemera got cut off and worked over until Narita got the tag. Narita did a VERY impressive bodyslam to Nakanishi before tagging Nagata in. The veterans had a good exchange but things turned around when Taguchi got tagged in. All four opponents teamed on Taguchi. The pinfalls got broken up though. Nagata rallied his side to keep everybody out while Taguchi applied the Ankle Lock to get Richards to submit.
Jyushin Thunder Liger, Sho, & Yoh b/ Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, & DOKI) when Sho pinned DOKI after a 3K – Of course, the heels attacked before the bell and immediately took the fight to the floor. Everybody brawled through the crowd. When the match finally got back in the ring, they got the heat on Yoh. Liger got the hot tag and ran wild, clearing the ring before motioning to Suzuki. Suzuki tagged in and almost immediately tried to unmask Liger. The two fought to a double-down before tagging out. Sho and Yoh hit the 3K on Doki and got the pin.
After the match, Suzuki continued to go after Liger. He again tried to unmask Liger until some Young Lions came to the ring to break it up. Liger took the mic and challenged Suzuki, only for Suzuki to walk to the back.
Bullet Club (NEVER Openweight Champion KENTA, Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi, and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Champions El PHantasmo & Taiji Ishimori) b. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay, Robbie Eagles, Kota Ibushi, Togi Makabe, & Tomoaki Honma) when KENTA pinned Honma with a GTS – Bullet Club rushed at the babyfaces, resulting in a brawl right off th bat. The babyfaces got the shine early on until the heels managed to cut off Eagles. Makabe got the hot tag and ran wild. Kenta and Ibushi tagged in next and kicked each other to a double-down. Honma got the tag but missed a Kokeshi. This put the heels back in control where they ganged up on Honma. The obligatory multi-man brawl broke out where each man hit some of their big moves. KENTA dodged another Kokeshi and hit the GTS on Honma for the pin.
Los Ingobernables De Japon (Shingo Takagi, SANAD, & BUSHI) b. CHAOS (IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, & Rocky Romero when SANADA submitted Romero with a Skull End – The babyfaces managed to cut off Bushi until Sanada tagged in and went toe to toe with Okada/ The match went back and forth with Sanada launching Okada up and hitting a Cutter. before applying the Skull End on Romero for the submission.
Los Ingoblernables De Japon (IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Nait & EVIL) b. Bullet Club (Jay White & Chase Owens w/Gedo) when Naito pinned Owens with Destino – With both teams being heels it was no surprise the match started with a cheap shot. Bullet Club rushed when Naito and EVIL did a fistbum. However, LIJ soon found themselves in control. They cut off EVIL and worked him over until a double tag out. White and Naito went at it only for White to tag out as soon as the going got rough. Evil hit Darkness Falls on White, effectively taking him out of the match. Naito pointed to White before hitting Destino on Owens and pinning him.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Champions The Guerrillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa w/Jado) b. Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS when Tonga pinned HASHI with a roll-up – The heels cut off Ishii and worked him over. Ishii kept fighting back only to get beaten back down two-on-one. Yoshi finally got the tag and turned the match around. Ishii and Loa traded dueling strikes. Tonga and Hashi got the double-tag at the 15-minute mark. Hashi somehow managed to kick out of a Magic Killer. GOD lifted Hashi for the Super Powerbomb but Ishii made the save, which allowed Hashi to reverse into a Butterfly Lock. Loa tried to interfere, only for Ishii to get him in a submission as well. Jado broke the pin with his shinai. Hashi countered and knocked Jado out. Ishii delivered his own powerbomb to Tonga but Hashi only got a two-count. KENTA made his way to the ring and distracted Hashi, Tonga managed to then pin Hashi with the most danfgerous move in all of sports-entertainment, the roll-up.
Zack Sabre Jr. p. RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi with a roll-up to win the title – Tanahashi managed to outwrestle Sabre for the first several minutes, which surprised and frustrated Zack. Finally, Sabre managed to catch Tanahashi’s leg on the apron. They traded several submissions with neither man getting the upper hand. Tanahashi managed a High Fly Flow. But instead of a pin, he went for a submission which Sabre managed to break with the ropes. Tanahashi managed two straight Twist And Shot Neckbreakers before Sabre countered with a Zack Driver. The match really picked up at the 25 minute-mark where each man hit their big moves, but in the end Sabre managed to counter into a roll-up to get the pin.
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak b. Lice Dorado & Humberto Carillo when he pinned Dorado to retain the title – The usual high-flying with the story where one guy gets knocked out at a time, leaving the other two in the match. Dorado missed a Shooting Star on Carillo, who responded with an Aztech Press. Gulak ran in and shoved Carillo into the ringpost. Gulak then quickly pinned Dorado.
WWE US Champion AJ Styles p. Cedric Alexander with a Styles Clash – It was a bit shocking to see AJ on a pre-show match. Hopefully, it’s not a sign of anything. Still, this was a very good match and these two worked very well together. AJ hit a Styles Clash on the floor. Cedric made it back into the ring and mounted a brief comeback before AJ cut him off. A second Styles Clash got the win for AJ.
After the match Gallows & Anderson ran out and the trio bet up Alexander.
RooDolph (Bobby Roode & Dolph Ziggler) b. WWE Raw Tag Champions Seth Rollins & The Braun Strow Man when Roode pinned Rollins with a Glorious DDT to win the titles – Strowman dominated in the opening minutes. The heels managed to cut off Seth and work him over until Strowman got the hot tag. Strowman rammed through the heels like Ram-Man, but before long Rollins tagged himself back in. Rollins ran wild for a bit before a multi-man brawl broke out. Strowman and Ziggler fell to the floor, leaving Roode and Rollins back in the ring. Roode then got the pin with the Glorious DDT.
Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley p. Charlotte Flair with a roll-up to retain the title – Charlotte got major shine and dominated the match. However, Bayley managed to remove a lower turnbuckle pad and used leverage to smack Charlotte’s head into it. Bayley was then able to roll up Charlotte for the win. She grabbed the title belt and sprinted to the back.
The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson) b. Smackdown Tag Champions The New Day (Xavier Woods & Big E) when Dawson submitted Woods with an inverted Figure Four – The heels cut off Big E, which was a little awkward because the big man had to play Babyface in Peril. Woods got the hot tag and ran wild. The heels broke up a pin which led to a four-way brawl. E got hit with a Shatter Machine on the floor. This left Woods alone in the ring with both heels. They hit Woods with a Shatter Machine as well, but instead of going for the pin, Dawson put Woods in an inverted Figure Four. Still, it got a submission and a title win.
After the match, Dash and Dawson gloated about their victory and how the old school beat the new school. They also declared Orton would win the title tonight as well.
Backstage Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross were interviewed. The camera panned back to reveal R-Truth holding a boom mic. Alexa yelled that the 24/7 Champion was here, prompting all the midcard masses to chase him away.
WWE Women’s Tag Champions Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross b. Fire & Desire (Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose) when Cross pinned Rose with a neckbreaker – The midcard masses chased R-Truth around the ring during the match. Bloss and Rose battled to a double-down, which led to a double tag out to Cross and Deville respectively. Rose and Deville double-teamed Bliss. Cross broke up the pin. Deville got tossed to the floor, leaving Cross able to hit her elevated Neckbreaker for the pin.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura (w/ Sami Zayn) p. The Miz with a Kinshasa to retain the title – Zayn camera to the ring with a neckbrace, complaining that Undertake injured his neck last week. I’ve said before the Miz makes for a terrible babyface, but he could be the 21st Century Bobby Heenan. During the match, Zayn kept taunting Miz on the mic. Maybe he’s trying to be the 21st Century Jimmy Hart. Anyway, the mic eventually got cut and Miz threw it all the way to the stage. Nakamura took advantage of this distraction and blindsided Miz with a kick. Miz made a comeback and used the Figure Four. Nakamura made the rope break and avoided a second Figure Four attempt. Zayn distracted Miz so Nakamura could again strike from behind. Miz dodged a Kinshasa and hit a Skullcrushing Finale. However, Zayn had the referee distracted, so there was no count. Miz chased Zayn around the ring. Nakamura was able to send Miz into the ringpost. Miz then got rolled back into the ring where Nakamura could finish him off with a Kinshasa.
Sasha Banks b. RAW Womens Champion Becky Lynch via DQ when Lynch used a chair -The match kicked of with some pretty fast action. Banks climbed to the top rope and looked to be trying a double axhandle. Lynch countered with a Codebreaker. Lynch got several near-falls but couldn’t get the pin. Banks hit the double knee from the second rope. Lynch still kicked out, so Banks hit two more knee strikes in the corner. Lynch made her comeback but still the two battled to a double-down. When both women got to their feet, Sasha hit a Codebreaker and a Backstabber before putting her in the Bankstatement. Banks used a chair behind the referee’s back, only for Lynch to still kick out. Banks, showing a lot of frustration, got another chair. The referee grabbed the chair. Lynch got her own chair and swung it Banks, who ducked and cased Becky to hit the referee. The two took the battle to the floor and brawled through the crowd for several minutes. Back in the ring, Sasha grabbed another chair. Lynch kicked her in the gut and used the chair instead. Somehow the announcers claimed that there was a DQ over the chair, but I don’t think there was ever a bell.
Randy Orton WWE Champion Kofi Kingston p/ Randy Orton with Trouble In Paradise to retain the title – Randy stalked Kofi in the ring . Kofi managed to knock Orton to the outside and hit a dive over the top. The offense was short-lived because Orton was able to cut off Kofi when they got back into the ring. Kingston kicked out of a powerslam. Orton hit the elevated DDT and positioned himself for an RKO. Kofi escaped the RKO and tried to rally. Orton then hit an RKO, only for Kofi’s leg to be on the ropes. Kingston dodged a punt and hit the Trouble In Paradise to get the pin.
The Street Profits di their usual talking skit. Booker T walked in with his King Booker cape and crown.
Erick Rowan p. Roman Reigns with an Iron Claw – It was made clear the this was a No DQ Match. Reigns attacked Rowan while he was still making his way to the ring. The two then brawled through the crowd. Rowan gained control of the match when it got back in the ring. When he couldn’t get a pin, Rowan brought the steel stairs into the ring. Reigns dodged the stairs and hit a Samoan Drop for a two-count. Reigns grabbed the stairs and used them himself. He followed up immediately with a Superman Punch. Rowan managed to kick out. The match again went to the outside where Rowan put Reigns through a table. I guess it wouldn’t be a WWE PPV if somebody didn’t go through a table. They brawled into the crowd again and Rowan put Reigns through a second table. Rowan carried Reigns to the stage. For some reason, Rowan tried to use a camera mount as a weapon. That backfired because Reigns dodged and hot Rowan with it. Reigns hit a second Punch which sent Rowan to the floor by the ring. When Reigns ran to the ring, he got blindsided by the returning Luke Harper. The two double-teamed Reigns, and Rowan used the claw to get the pin.
WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins p. The Braun Strow Man with a Curbstomp – Strowman dominated early. Seth used his speed and agility to make his comeback. He knocked Strowman to the floor and hit several dives. Rollins went to the top rope for presumably another dive. Strowman met Rollins at the top and tossed him to the mat. Strowman then hit a top rope splash, which was pretty scary looking. Rollins still kicked out and put Strowman in a sleeper. Braun powered out, so Rollins hit a curbstomp. Strowman kicked out at one. Then he kicked out of a second stomp at 2. And a third one right before the three count. For some reason, Rollins did not follow up for a good minute or two. When Rollins went for a fourth curbstomp, Strowman caught him and lifted him for a powerslam. However, Strowman’s knee went out, which allowed Rollins to counter with a Pedigree and a fourth curbstomp to finally get the win.
After the match, Rollins celebrated his victory. We even got the corner logo that shows at the end of each show. Then the lights went out and The Fiend appeared. He hit Rollins with Sister Abigail on the floor to end the show.
