WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.080 --> 00:00:04.519 Tonight was the post Full Gear episode of AW Dynamite, 2 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.280 coming off of the pay per view from Saturday night. 3 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:10.800 It was also the kickoff for this year's Continental Classic, 4 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:15.320 and that was really the story of tonight's show, and 5 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:19.000 also inserting bigger names into the world title picture, which 6 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:20.839 is something that we saw at the end of Full 7 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:22.760 Gear on Saturday Night. It's one of the things I 8 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:25.239 like the most about the angle they did to close 9 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:27.559 the show. I know a lot of people didn't like it. 10 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:31.600 It was very polarizing. I actually thought that it was 11 00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:33.840 smart for them to do what they did there because 12 00:00:33.960 --> 00:00:37.000 all of a sudden, now beyond just Orange Cassidy and 13 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:39.359 Darby Allen, we have a whole bunch of different people. 14 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:42.399 We're in the conversation when it comes to John Moxley 15 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:44.719 in the AW world title, and we had a little 16 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:46.799 bit more of that on the show tonight. But really 17 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.920 the show was carried by the Continental Classic, and it 18 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:53.840 was very much the same thing a year ago. That 19 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.640 tournament carried Dynamite right on through Worlds and we got 20 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:01.200 some great matches in that tournament, and I have a 21 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:03.359 feeling it's gonna be much of the same, just based 22 00:01:03.399 --> 00:01:05.280 on you know, even just the early matches here and 23 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:07.680 what we saw tonight. It was a good knight for 24 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:10.159 three people. It was a good knight for Shelton Benjamin, 25 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:13.439 it was a good night for Claudio Castingoli, and it 26 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:16.000 was a good night in the main event for Brody King, 27 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:20.920 who picked up a win over Darby Allen, who fucked 28 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:24.239 himself up pretty good on Saturday night when he drove 29 00:01:24.280 --> 00:01:28.480 that car into the pickup truck in the parking lot, 30 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.239 busted himself open, knocked himself silly, probably can cuss himself, 31 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.319 and ultimately the story was it led to his downfall 32 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.400 here on this show. He has nobody to blame but himself. 33 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:44.599 I mentioned Shelton Benjamin. I'm gonna start calling him Benjamin Button. 34 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:48.000 This guy does an age. He looks as good out 35 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.920 there in the ring as he's ever looked. That thought, 36 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:54.120 I'm gonna start calling this guy. But they earned the 37 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:56.599 first points of the tournament tonight. It was not a 38 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:00.159 show without its flaws, which we will get into here, 39 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:04.760 but it was a definite improvement over the garbage that 40 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.479 they spoon fed us last week. A show that a 41 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:12.080 go home show of all things that was no good 42 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.080 and I did not like they were in Chicago tonight. 43 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.680 I should point this out too, because Chicago has really 44 00:02:17.719 --> 00:02:21.159 been like home away from home for AW. You know, 45 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.599 you think of home, you think of Jacksonville, you think 46 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:26.960 of Daily's Place. But when I think of home for AW, 47 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:32.120 I think of Chicago. It's very much like WWE based 48 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.439 out of Connecticut. But for decades, when you would say 49 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:38.520 the home base for WWE, you would think of New York, right, 50 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:40.759 people would call the territory of New York, Oh, you're 51 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:42.919 going to New York, and you would think of Madison 52 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:47.319 Square Garden. With AW, I think of Chicago. Chicago is 53 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.199 where they had their either earliest events. They've had so 54 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:56.120 many shows, big shows in Chicago, and these great crowds, 55 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:59.319 very enthusiastic crowds, and it's kind of sad, you know. 56 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:01.159 When you look now you see that they were at 57 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:04.080 the Windterest Arena in Chicago, which is a building they've run, 58 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.960 you know, many times before, and they've put a lot 59 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.039 more people into the building than they did tonight. For 60 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:13.840 the number of tickets they had the building set up for, 61 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:16.759 which is about forty five hundred, I think they had 62 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:20.680 around four thousand, so they came close to filling their 63 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:23.919 a lotment. But again that even that forty five hundred 64 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:26.159 is a lot, you know, less than what you would 65 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.680 traditionally see here in this building for an aw show. 66 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:32.639 And so even in Chicago, you know, even in their 67 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:37.280 their home market, in effect, you know, you just you 68 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:41.479 see a byproduct of what a lot of people, myself included, 69 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:43.639 have been talking about, which is just a lot of 70 00:03:43.639 --> 00:03:47.439 fans not as invested in the product as they used 71 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:49.520 to be, because if they were, they'd be at the show, 72 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.240 and they weren't. And that's said because Chicago is traditionally 73 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:56.639 their strongest market, although they ran Chicago so many times, 74 00:03:56.759 --> 00:03:58.639 what happens after a while is you kind of run 75 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:00.560 it into the ground. So that may be part of 76 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:03.479 what we're seeing here as well, but that was very 77 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:07.080 noticeable tonight, you know, given where they were. Let's talk 78 00:04:07.080 --> 00:04:12.879 about this show. This is your aw Dynamite Thanksgiving Eve review. 79 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:17.240 I am the Solemn Monster. I want to take a 80 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:19.759 moment here to wish all of you a very happy 81 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:22.800 Thanksgiving as we are heading into the holiday tomorrow. So 82 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:25.639 if you are going to be traveling, as most of 83 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:28.199 you probably will be, if you are celebrating because it 84 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:31.839 is the busiest travel period of the year. I don't 85 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:35.120 remember if they say Thanksgiving Day or Thanksgiving Eve is 86 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.240 traditionally the biggest travel day of the year. It might 87 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:39.399 have been today. But if you're going to be hitting 88 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:41.920 the road, be safe. It's going to be pouring rain 89 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:43.800 here in New York tomorrow, so I'm not looking forward 90 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:47.240 to driving in that. But wherever you may be, be 91 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:50.639 safe and hopefully you have a very happy Thanksgiving. Like 92 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:54.360 and subscribe. Super chats are open. As they come in, 93 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:56.360 you will see them popping up on your screen. I 94 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:58.360 did set a goal in the chat. I don't know. 95 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:00.360 You know again, people are here for the high holiday, 96 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.120 some people aren't. I did set a goal for a 97 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.839 bonus be the booker, so you can take a look 98 00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:07.240 at that in the live chat if you want to 99 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:09.560 try to help us reach our goal for tonight. Well, 100 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:14.120 let's get into this show here and talk about the 101 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:17.600 full gear recap, because they had a full gear recap 102 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:21.160 video to open the show set two Guns n' Roses 103 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:24.480 November Rain, which Tony Kahan did obtain the rights to. 104 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:27.240 And this is the sort of thing that they should 105 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:30.040 do after every pay per view because this was very 106 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:31.720 well done. And it's a good way to kind of 107 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:34.160 bring you up to speed on the key events coming 108 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:37.079 out of the pay per view. But then the show 109 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.279 opened with the Hurt Syndicate. They were the first ones out. 110 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:43.600 It was Bobby Lashley, Shelton, Benjamin who was the only 111 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:47.160 one in gear, you know, dressed for battle because his 112 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:51.560 match was coming up first. But it was Bobby Lashley, Shelton, Benjamin, 113 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:57.839 and MVP coming out. MVP compared his men to Walter 114 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.600 Payton and Michael Jordan. I think he mentioned that Lashly 115 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:05.759 was Michael Jordan. High praise for these two. He talked 116 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:09.120 about how his business card is like a golden ticket 117 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:15.240 an MVP criticized Swerve Strickland for being arrogant. There was 118 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.160 a Swerve's house chant that broke out, and he pointed 119 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:20.600 out that Lashley beat the snot out of Swerve at 120 00:06:20.680 --> 00:06:23.079 full gear. If you don't believe me, take a look 121 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:25.839 at this footage. And he pitched it to some footage 122 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.480 of Lashly just basically toying with him and having his 123 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:31.439 way with him. At the pay per view, he said 124 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:34.040 their mission statement is that they are in aew to 125 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:37.360 take championship titles and leverage them to make more money 126 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:41.240 and gain more power. He said that they are the 127 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:47.519 merchants of misery. Well, Tony Kahn has been a merchant 128 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:49.800 of misery on some weeks with some of these shows. 129 00:06:49.800 --> 00:06:53.000 Thankfully tonight was an improvement. But the Hurt Syndicate are 130 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.560 merchants of misery and they are in the profession of pain. 131 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:00.319 And he said that they hurt people. That's how we 132 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:04.360 ended the promo. Makes sense. I mean, they're the Hurt Syndicates, 133 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:08.240 so they hurt people. Pretty straightforward stuff. And it was 134 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:11.279 in the opening contest Shelton Benjamin one on one with 135 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:15.199 Mark Brisco This was a Blue League match in this 136 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:20.360 year's Continental Classic. And with that, let me show you, 137 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:24.120 hey styles fan, thank you for the super chat. I 138 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:29.079 love you solo. It's one of our new ones. Right there. 139 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:33.279 Let's take a look at the Blue League standings here. 140 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:35.240 If you want to know who is in the Blue 141 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:40.759 League this year. Here it is the current Continental Champion. 142 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:44.800 As you can see, Kazushka Okada is obviously in the tournament. 143 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:48.839 We also have Kyle Fletcher. We have Daniel Garcia who 144 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:52.959 declared the other night. I didn't know you can declare 145 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:57.120 for the Continental Classic. Why everybody else didn't declare. I 146 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:00.480 don't know, but he did. So the new TNT champion 147 00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:04.439 has had two champions here in this group, Mark Brisco, 148 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:09.120 Shelton Benjamin and the Beast Mortos. You know what that means. 149 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:13.240 It means we're gonna get a Beast Mortos Kazuchka Okata match. 150 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:17.120 I'm actually looking forward to that. Actually, Beast Morteos against 151 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.079 Shelton Benjamin sounds pretty badass too. So that is the 152 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:24.680 Blue League standings for you coming into this tournament. Ex 153 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.959 Caliber did talk about the format and some changes that 154 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:32.480 they have made this year. So like last year, everybody 155 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:36.480 is barred from ringside. The only people who are allowed 156 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.120 at ringside for this are the two men in the 157 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.919 ring and the referee and that's it. So when this 158 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.320 started MVP and Bobby Lashley they had to go to 159 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:49.679 the back twenty minute time limits for every match and 160 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.879 similar to last year, three points for a win, one 161 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:58.000 point for a draw, obviously no points for a loss. However, 162 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.840 this year, instead of just having the Blue League winner 163 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.120 go to World's End and wrestle the Gold League winner, 164 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.360 the Gold League winner will now face the Blue League 165 00:09:06.679 --> 00:09:10.919 runner up and the Blue League winner at World's End, 166 00:09:11.480 --> 00:09:15.559 will face the Gold League runner up, and the winners 167 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:17.919 of those matches will go on to wrestle each other 168 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.480 later that same night at World's End in the finals 169 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:25.320 to crown the new Continental Champion and this year's winner. 170 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:28.440 So basically, if you're gonna win this thing, you're gonna 171 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:31.440 have to wrestle twice in one night at World's End. 172 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:35.120 And you know, one thing that I like about that 173 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:38.559 is the fact that you know, in my predictions when 174 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:41.960 I talked about this the other day, I mentioned that 175 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.840 I think the finals will be Will Osprey against Kyle Fletcher, 176 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:50.240 and that is still my prediction for how the tournament 177 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:54.759 will will end. And honestly, you know, if you're going 178 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:57.200 to really go all in on Kyle Fletcher because he 179 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.519 got a huge win, the biggest win of his career 180 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:03.960 at Full they put him over Will Ospray, if Tony 181 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:07.159 Kann is serious about going all in on this guy, now, 182 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:08.960 what I would do is not only would I send 183 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.559 Fletcher and Osprey to the finals against each other, but 184 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:15.519 I would have Fletcher beat him again, because what's better 185 00:10:15.559 --> 00:10:18.799 than beating will Ospray once beating him twice to prove 186 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:21.799 that it wasn't a fluke the first time, and I 187 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:24.519 would make Kyle Fletcher the winner of the Continental Classic. 188 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.279 But this with these rule changes here, what this means 189 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:30.240 is that, you know, we could potentially get a match 190 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:34.440 like Osprey against the Kata at World's End and then 191 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:38.879 later that same night get Osprey Fletcher two. So it 192 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:43.039 opens up some more options for some big, big matches 193 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.919 in the tournament to take place at the World's End. 194 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:49.679 So I kind of like the change, but that's my prediction. 195 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:52.080 I'm sticking with that that we get Osprey and Fletcher 196 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:53.759 in the final, and like I said, I would have 197 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:59.679 Fletcher go over. And again I look ahead. So I'm 198 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:05.679 looking ahead to twenty twenty five and very much in 199 00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:09.399 the camp of will Osprey will win the aw World 200 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:12.720 Championship at some point in twenty twenty five. I'm looking 201 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:16.200 at that Texas show at Globalife Stadium all In in 202 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:20.039 July that very well could be where it happens. But 203 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:22.240 I think he will win the title next year. And 204 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.559 just think about this, like Kyle Fletcher goes in their 205 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.440 full gear and he beats Will Ospray. If he goes 206 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:30.799 in there in the finals of the Continental Classic and 207 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.399 he beats him for a second time, and then six 208 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.120 months from now, eight months from now, will Osprey is 209 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:39.960 the AW World champion. Kyle Fletcher has already made case 210 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.799 for why he should be first in line for a 211 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:44.600 shot at the AW World title. You run it back 212 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.000 again in six eight, nine months, a year from now, 213 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:49.799 whenever it is, Kyle Fletcher is gonna be right there 214 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:52.320 banging on his door saying, hey, brother, I didn't just 215 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:56.080 beat you once, I beat you twice. I'm basically the 216 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:59.039 uncrowned world champion. And now you've got a whole program 217 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:03.440 out of it down the road. So to me, if 218 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:07.440 you're serious about pushing this guy, show it, prove it. 219 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:09.879 Prove to me that you're serious about Kyle Fletcher. You're 220 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.759 all in on Kyle Fletcher. You see dollar sides in 221 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:19.279 Kyle Fletcher. Let him beat will Osburg for a second time. Now, 222 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:23.600 Mark Briscoe here again, Shelton Benjamin. Mark Briscoe was in 223 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.519 last year's Continental Classic and he didn't do very well. 224 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:31.120 He didn't do very well. He only got three points, 225 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.559 so that's one win, and that win came over Jay Lethal, 226 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:38.799 who got no wins in the Continental Classic. He was 227 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:41.559 a loser and that was about as good as it 228 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.879 got from Mark Briscoe. I would have preferred that they 229 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:48.320 find some different people who were not in the tournament 230 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.559 last year. I understand why you have people like Briscoe, 231 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:56.399 Juice Robinson, for example, in the Gold League. They want 232 00:12:56.399 --> 00:12:58.799 to have people in the tournament who can lose, which 233 00:12:58.840 --> 00:13:01.759 is exactly what happened with Mark Briscoe tonight. They need 234 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:03.639 to have at least a couple of people in this 235 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:07.120 thing that can safely put over the other bigger names 236 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:10.039 in this tournament. And if it isn't gonna be Mark Briscoe, 237 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:12.000 then it would be somebody else on that level. It 238 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:14.360 would be a Mark Davis or we know somewhat along 239 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:17.919 those lines. So I get why they have him in 240 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:21.879 the tournament and Juice and the need to have people 241 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:23.440 like that. It just would have been nice to mix 242 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:24.759 it up a little bit more because there are a 243 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:27.159 whole bunch of names that were in it last year, 244 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:31.679 Daniel Garcia and Brody King who are in the tournament 245 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:34.519 again this year. And there's so many people, you know, 246 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:37.360 like I look at both of the groups, the Blue 247 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.919 and the Gold, and I'll show you the Gold a 248 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:42.879 little bit later. One name that's missing from this tournament 249 00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:47.159 is Kenoski Takeshta. So you know, we have the TNT champion, 250 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:50.360 Daniel Garcia is in this thing, but the international champion 251 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:54.080 is not, and so down in flames goes my hope 252 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:59.080 of you know, possibly having Okata and Takeshta meeting in 253 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:01.360 the tournament. That's why I'm going with Osprey and Fletcher 254 00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:04.159 because takesh is not in the damn thing. So that's 255 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:07.240 disappointing and kind of surprising. But also, you know, I 256 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.000 look at Full Gear on Saturday and they had a 257 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:16.519 four way match on the pre show and Buddy Matthews 258 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:18.919 won that match. It was Buddy Matthews. I want to 259 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:22.919 say it was Dante Martin, it was the Beast Mortas 260 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.840 and I forgot who the other person was now their 261 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:29.120 name just popped out of my head. But it was 262 00:14:29.159 --> 00:14:32.000 a good match and Buddy went over in the match, 263 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:34.840 and actually he was very over in New Jersey for 264 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.600 whatever reason on Saturday night. Yet Brody King is in 265 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:42.519 this then I got nothing against Brody King, right, and 266 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:44.799 he was great tonight. He's going to have a great 267 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:47.159 match with Claudio next week. I'm looking forward to that. 268 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:49.919 But if You're only going to have one member of 269 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.879 the House of Black in this tournament. Would it not 270 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.559 make more sense, especially because Brody was already in it 271 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:57.480 last year? Would it not make more sense to have 272 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:01.559 Buddy Matthews in that spot? Brody King did not win 273 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.559 a four way match on Saturday. Buddy Matthews did. Buddy 274 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:09.120 Matthews four days ago one a match at full gear 275 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:12.440 beat three other people. Why is he not in this tournament? 276 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:16.279 And Brody King gets It's just stuff like that that 277 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:18.039 doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me. 278 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:20.759 I kind of wish he got that spot. But otherwise, 279 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.200 I mean, you look at some of the names in there, 280 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:24.639 and again, you can't complain about some of the names. 281 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:27.559 We're gonna get some great matches in this tournament, but 282 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:30.000 it did leave me with a few questions like that. 283 00:15:31.559 --> 00:15:34.279 So in the match here, Briscoe went up top, Benjamin 284 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:37.799 sprung to his feet, scaled the ropes, and hit a 285 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:40.519 super plex that took us into our first commercial. Break 286 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:44.720 Up top again, brisco successfully hit the froggy bow, but 287 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:49.639 he clutched his own ribs after landing. Benjamin rolled outside. 288 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:52.799 Briscoe hit an elbow drop from the apron back inside. 289 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:55.480 Briscoe wanted another one, but Benjamin got the knees up 290 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.039 on the way down. It a series of German sup 291 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:01.279 plexes and then avoided the jade driller, hit a step 292 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:04.360 up corner knee strike and a thrust kick. Benjamin hit 293 00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:08.840 one more kick flush before hitting the t bone soup 294 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:12.879 plex and getting the win. So Shelton Benjamin first on 295 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:18.159 the board here in the Continental Classic, picks up three points, 296 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:21.440 and as has been the case with his other matches 297 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:24.120 on TV so far, in his brief run, I mean, 298 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:26.120 he hasn't even been a full two months yet, I 299 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:29.440 don't think so. But in the last let's say six weeks, 300 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:33.759 seven weeks, whatever it's been, he's looked great and so 301 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.919 this match was no different. He looked great here too, 302 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:39.519 very impressive, A good match to kick off the tournament. 303 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.080 I don't expect Mark Briscoe to rack up many more points, 304 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:46.080 if any more points, If any points, I should say 305 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:49.559 he had three last year. Three might be the best 306 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.600 he could hope for this year. I'm not expecting much different, 307 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:57.600 And same with Juice Robinson in the Gold League. Tony 308 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:01.120 Schavani was out on stage two, introduced to us the 309 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:06.720 TBS champion Mercedes Money successfully defending her title on Saturday 310 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:12.559 against Chris Statlander without the assistance of Camille, or as 311 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:16.759 I call her, Camille the Klutz specifically told Camille on 312 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:20.880 the pre show, you're useless. You stay in the back tonight. 313 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:25.400 And what happened. Mercedes went out there for her match 314 00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:29.880 and she won without any assistance from Camille, thus proving 315 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:33.039 that she doesn't need Camille. Camille truly is useless to her. 316 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:38.480 She proved herself right. But now they come out together 317 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:42.359 and Camille is poor Camille. I mean, she just looks 318 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:49.319 so beaten down here walking out. And Tony says, the 319 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:53.240 match between Mercedes and Chris Statlander was the longest women's 320 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:58.079 match in AW history, which I had not realized, and 321 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:02.000 also some are calling at the greatest women's match in 322 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:06.160 AW history. It was definitely the greatest AW match of 323 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:09.160 Mercedes career. I would go so far as to say 324 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:12.440 it probably was the best AAW match of Chris statlanders career, 325 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.759 certainly top three. Was it the best women's match in 326 00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:20.319 AW history? Probably not, I feel like probably not, but 327 00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:23.480 it's up there. It's definitely up there. They had a 328 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:27.640 quality match on Saturday, no doubt about that. So Mercedes 329 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:29.960 said that Statlander gave her one of the hardest fights 330 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:32.720 of her entire career, proved that she is one of 331 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:35.359 the very best in the ring, but she is the 332 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:38.480 greatest TBS champion of all time, and at full gear, 333 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:41.680 she showed the world how a real woman gets the 334 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.680 job done right. So that was a little dig at Camille, 335 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:50.160 who hasn't been doing a very good job of doing 336 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:53.640 her job over the last few weeks. So Mercedes was 337 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:57.240 about to fire her. She was about to fire Camille 338 00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:59.480 here on this show. Camille knew it, and she cut 339 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:03.000 her off and told her to shut up, and the 340 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:06.920 people cheered, and she asked her, are you stupid or 341 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:10.440 are you just dumb? Which is exactly what Mercedes said 342 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:15.200 to her several weeks ago when Camille was showing off 343 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.200 her driving her poor driving skills. So she threw it 344 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:22.079 right back in Mercedes' face, and she said, you can't 345 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:28.880 fire me because I quit. Only she was saying that 346 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:32.960 to Tony Kahan. She was saying that to Mercedes, and 347 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:36.599 the fans cheered, and Camille left and Mercedes threw a fit, 348 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:41.440 and the fans chanted, you deserve it. At her. I 349 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.000 told you that when this moment finally came, the people 350 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.440 are gonna pop. I didn't know how they were gonna 351 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.759 do it. I didn't know if Camille was gonna get 352 00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:53.039 physical and punch her, shove her down, hit a finishing 353 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:55.039 move of some kind, or just walk off the way 354 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:57.839 she did. Hear, But when the day came that she 355 00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:02.079 finally had enough and she quit and she walked away 356 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:04.720 from this woman, everybody would cheer and it would be 357 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:08.680 a nice moment. But what has happened over the last 358 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.680 several weeks has done so much damage to Camille that 359 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.559 I'm not sure she can recover fully from it. I'm 360 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.960 not saying that people won't get behind her a little bit, 361 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.720 they won't cheer for her and take to her as 362 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:22.799 a babyface. I really feel like when she came in 363 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:25.319 as compared to the way she is now, and it's 364 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:29.720 only been four months, people now have seen Camille in 365 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:32.000 a different light, not in a good way. She just 366 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.039 doesn't have that same feeling about her as we saw 367 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:37.279 when she first debuted. I don't know that you can 368 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:40.519 get that back. I don't know that I trust them 369 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:44.640 enough in booking her and doing whatever it is that 370 00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:47.359 they're gonna do with her to restore that feeling. I 371 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:50.720 think that feeling is gone. I think it's dead. And 372 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:55.680 this pairing, there's no really other way to look at it. 373 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:57.960 But you look at this pairing, and this pairing can 374 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:03.519 be describe as an epic fail. It's exactly what it was. 375 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:08.079 It will go down as an epic fail. Four months, 376 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:13.920 four months. It took four months for Tony Kahn to 377 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:16.920 mess this entire thing up. The way that they rushed 378 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:22.160 through this story is mind boggling to me. Truly is 379 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:26.119 it truly is a head scratcher, And I really feel 380 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:30.119 you know that right there. I talked about the reaction 381 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:33.079 in Chicago tonight as compared to past shows they've had 382 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:36.519 in Chicago, and how it wasn't as enthusiastic you know 383 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.240 at moments at times it is, but just not the 384 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:41.720 same level of enthusiasm that you would normally get in 385 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:44.359 the city when they've run shows there before. And that's 386 00:21:44.440 --> 00:21:48.039 just one example of the problem that I think AW 387 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:51.880 has in that people just aren't as invested as they 388 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:54.440 used to be in some of these stories, in some 389 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:58.079 of these individuals. You can you can cherry pick people 390 00:21:58.119 --> 00:22:02.240 who are over right now, Will Osprey and you know, 391 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:05.359 certain people MJF even some of the heels like fans 392 00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:07.880 react to them in a major way. They're over you know, 393 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:12.519 quote unquote. But it's just that that level of commitment 394 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:14.559 that people have, I feel like to some of these 395 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:19.720 these characters and these stories, the level of investment, it 396 00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.680 just isn't there. It's not there in the way that 397 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:26.480 you would see it on on some other shows. And 398 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.559 big reason for that is stuff like this where you 399 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:35.240 can you can cultivate a story over a period of time, right, 400 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:37.440 you take your time with something. I'm not saying it 401 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:40.799