WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:05.440 It was a night where AW Dynamite officially passed WCW 2 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:08.800 Monday nightro in terms of total episodes. This was the 3 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:13.439 two hundred and eighty ninth episode of AW Dynamite, beating 4 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:16.000 out Nitros two hundred and eighty eight episodes. Where even 5 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:20.039 Eric Bischoff tried to be magnanimous and issued a comment 6 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:25.760 congratulating Tony Kahan and his staff on their milestone. AW 7 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:30.160 puts on the best episode of Dynamite all year. They 8 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:32.759 were in Boston. I love that venue that they were 9 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:35.079 in tonight. They were in the MGM Music Hall at 10 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:39.320 Fenway in Boston, and this crowd all night long. They 11 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:42.200 were hot for everything. They were a loud They were 12 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.840 loud and they were hot and it helped. But it 13 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.000 wasn't the only reason that the show was so enjoyable. 14 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.600 Because we got some great in ring action up and 15 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:52.799 down the card. We had some couple of great moments 16 00:00:52.840 --> 00:00:55.880 here on the show tonight. The great matches, though, were 17 00:00:55.960 --> 00:00:59.079 really what stood out on this show, and the big 18 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:01.439 moment at the end of the show, the death Riders. 19 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:03.439 At least for one night only, the death Riders have 20 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:09.159 been dethroned. We have brand new AW Trio's champions, and 21 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:13.879 they are Samoa, Joe, Katsiori, Shabata and not Hook but 22 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:18.159 Powerhouse Hobbs replacing Hook, who unfortunately, and I didn't notice 23 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.560 it when I was watching the show last week, but 24 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:22.840 I did see the video that went around after Dynamite. 25 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.040 Poor Hook laying in the ring at the end of 26 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:27.920 the main event last week, puking his guts up in 27 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:30.239 the ring, which is never a good sign. And I 28 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:32.319 think there were some reports out that, you know, claiming 29 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:35.159 he didn't have a concussion, But you know, when you're 30 00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:37.439 laying in the ring and you start vomiting in the 31 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.200 middle of a match, and then conspicuously this week you're 32 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.079 not on the show. You put two and two together 33 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:46.680 and you can kind of figure out that he's probably 34 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.159 not in great shape. So hopefully nothing too serious. Bys 35 00:01:50.280 --> 00:01:52.560 he was not on the show, and he was not 36 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:55.159 the only member of that main event trios match that 37 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:59.719 needed to be replaced, because unfortunately, Pack did suffer a 38 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:01.879 legit him an injury on Dynamite last week on that 39 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:05.159 bucklebomb spot in the match with Swerve Strickland. We don't 40 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:06.959 know the severity of the injury. We don't know if 41 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:08.520 it's a foot injury. We don't know. If it's an 42 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.719 ankle injury, We'll have to wait and see. They're not 43 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.879 usually forthcoming when it comes to that type of information. 44 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:17.439 But he was replaced by the AW World champion in 45 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:20.439 this main event, John Moxley, taking his place as one 46 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.360 third of the Trios champions. And so when I saw this, 47 00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:26.599 I said, well, surely John Moxley, if they do lose 48 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.919 the titles, which I kind of expected they would, is 49 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:30.800 not going to be the one to take the losing fall. 50 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:33.759 That's what you have Wheeler Youda in the match for. 51 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:36.439 But boy was I surprised when I saw that it 52 00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:40.159 was in fact John Moxley, the unbeatable John Moxley. There 53 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:43.560 were a couple of people who were deemed unbeatable who 54 00:02:43.800 --> 00:02:46.960 were beaten on the show tonight. John Moxley is the 55 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.759 one who goes ninety nine as Samoa Joe puts him 56 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:53.520 to sleep and beats John Moxley to win the AW 57 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:58.840 Trios titles. And then it was a huge celebration in Boston. 58 00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:01.759 You had members of the locker room come out. I 59 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.240 saw the dork order where you know they were out there. 60 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:05.960 Of course they got their asses kicked at the very 61 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:09.199 beginning of all this by the Death Riders, Speedball, Mike Bailey, 62 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:12.000 Kevin Knight. Here they come. They're popping bottles and everyone's 63 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.560 having a big celebration, and I realize in this moment, 64 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:17.080 what does this remind me of? And it was actually 65 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:20.000 very appropriate because of this big milestone they were celebrating 66 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:23.120 tonight where they had surpassed Monday Nitro. It was the 67 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.039 one hundredth episode of Nitro back in nineteen ninety seven, 68 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:29.560 one of the more memorable moments from the Monday Night War. 69 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.400 And let me just say, I am by no means 70 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.840 comparing these two in terms of this being on the 71 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:37.840 same level, or this being you know, in the same 72 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:39.879 league or better than what we got back then. I'm 73 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:43.439 just saying it was hard not to notice the similarities 74 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:45.680 between what they did then and what they did on 75 00:03:45.719 --> 00:03:49.599 this show tonight, where you have the unbeatable Heel Faction 76 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:53.719 taking a huge loss, a title loss at the end 77 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:56.560 of the show, and the champion actually is the one 78 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:00.280 who gets beat and then everybody is celebrating, and half 79 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:05.039 the locker room pours out and they're drinking champagne. A 80 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:08.360 lot of similarities between Luger racking Hogan on that nightro 81 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:11.120 back in ninety seven and what Tony Khan was going 82 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:13.199 for with the angle they did at the end of 83 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.680 this show tonight and in front of this audience on 84 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:18.240 this night. It worked and they were very happy to 85 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:22.319 see Samoa Joe holding a championship again. Powerhouse Hobbs holding 86 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:25.600 a championship again. It's been a while, right, Hobbs was 87 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:29.399 TNT champions some time ago. Joe's been TNT Champion, AW 88 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:33.240 World Champion, but he hasn't held gold for quite some time. 89 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:36.759 So it makes me wonder if they are setting up 90 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.800 a singles match for double or nothing next month with 91 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:43.680 Joe challenging John Moxley for the AW World title. And 92 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.079 of course Samoa Joe is not going to win the 93 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:51.639 AW World Championship, but between now in Texas, they certainly 94 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:57.360 need people who you know, can challenge for the championship 95 00:04:57.399 --> 00:04:59.079 unless Moxley's going to be a part of you know, 96 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:03.000 Anarchy and the Arena or something like that. It feels 97 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.839 like that's what they set up on this show tonight, 98 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:08.079 a possible main event for the title on the next 99 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:09.920 pay per view. So that was the big moment at 100 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:11.519 the end of the show, but at the beginning of 101 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.399 the show. They opened the show with a first time 102 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:18.240 ever match big match in the Owenhart Foundation Tournament between 103 00:05:18.279 --> 00:05:23.879 Mercedes Monet and Athena. Athena the forever Champion and Ring 104 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:27.399 of Honor and Mercedes seemingly the forever champion here in 105 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:31.439 aw as she is rapidly approaching one year as the 106 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:36.160 TBS champion. I was holding out hope that maybe maybe 107 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:39.800 we would get some like a draw, you know, first 108 00:05:39.800 --> 00:05:43.120 of three, let him draw, you run it back again, 109 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.519 you do a whole series. And I am still hopeful 110 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:49.279 that there will be a series between these two women. 111 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:52.079 But when I look at the brackets in this tournament 112 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.279 and how much time we have between now and double 113 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.879 or nothing, it seemed unlikely, which meant that somebody had 114 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.639 to win, and somebody had to lose. Somebody was going 115 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:03.199 to lose. It was not going to be Mercedes Monette, 116 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:07.480 and she did not lose. She is now going to 117 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:10.279 the finals of the Owens. She will meet the winner 118 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:13.839 of Chris Statlander against Jamie Hayter and whoever it is. 119 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.879 And I figure it's gonna be Jamie Hayter, but whoever 120 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.160 it is. We've seen matches before, great matches between Mercedes 121 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:24.160 and Statlander. We know what those two can do. Mercedes 122 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:26.199 and Hater is a match we haven't seen yet. I'm 123 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:28.759 looking forward to eventually seeing it. I think we're gonna 124 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:32.560 get it at double or nothing next month. I am 125 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:37.000 still hopeful that the direction for Texas is not simply 126 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:41.560 to do Champion versus Champion and have Mercedes challenging for 127 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:45.120 the aw women's World title. I just don't think that's 128 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:47.279 the right move to make. It might be in their 129 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:49.759 mind it might be the biggest possible match. We could 130 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.680 do champion versus champion, which is probably what we're getting 131 00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:55.839 with Kenny Omega and Okada. Okay, not even probably we 132 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:59.680 are getting that barring injury. We're already getting Champion against champion, 133 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:02.120 hopefully the title for title on that show. I just 134 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:04.720 don't think it's necessary, and I think you could set 135 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:07.439 up two big women's matches, one for the world title, 136 00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:09.360 one for the TBS title on that show, and I 137 00:07:09.439 --> 00:07:11.519 hope that is the direction that they are going in. 138 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:16.199 But with Mercedes going to the finals and her unblemished 139 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:19.199 records so far in this company, anything as possible but 140 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:21.639 they went out there tonight and they had a great match. 141 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.160 We had will Osprey and Kenoski Takeshta, two of the 142 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:28.560 very best right now at this moment, as I sit here, 143 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:32.240 I always sing their praises. They certainly haven't done anything 144 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:35.079 to make me think otherwise or let me down. They 145 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.160 went out there tonight and tore the house down. They 146 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:40.199 actually found a way to top the match they had 147 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.680 at Revolution last year, which I didn't think was possible. 148 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.360 Was there a lot of you know, kicking out of 149 00:07:47.399 --> 00:07:49.879 big moves, you know, one too many times and no 150 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:53.000 selling moves? Yes, there was, but they made it work. 151 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:56.199 They made it work and they had an exciting match. 152 00:07:56.279 --> 00:07:58.759 They had a very, very fun twenty minutes that was 153 00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:02.040 never boring. Will Ostbury is going to the finals of 154 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:06.120 the owen Hart Tournament. Most people probably expected him to 155 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:08.120 at the very least go to the finals. I still 156 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:11.120 say it's his to lose. So he punched his ticket 157 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:14.600 to the finals after a fucking awesome match tonight with 158 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:18.240 Kenoski Takeshta. And then we had hangman Adam Page, who 159 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:21.399 was scheduled to go one on one against the wild card. 160 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:25.519 The wild card who would the wildcard entry be. Would 161 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:28.839 it be MJF, would it be Jack Perry, would it 162 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:33.879 be Solo Monster? As if who would the wildcard entry be? 163 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:37.000 And as it turns out, the wildcard entry was this 164 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:42.279 man right here who is officially all Elite, the Walking Weapon, 165 00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:47.759 the former Impact World Heavyweight Champion, Josh Alexander is officially 166 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:51.799 all Elite. It's not official until you get the graphic, 167 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:55.679 So there it is. It is indeed official. This is 168 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:59.279 I mean, this is a move that was expected because 169 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:03.360 the talk has been that it was just the formality 170 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.399 of when he would debut in AW and I think 171 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:09.600 it's probably, you know, the best fit for him, honestly. 172 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:13.120 I know some people probably wanted to see him in WWE, 173 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.840 maybe get a reunion going with Ethan Page and NXT. 174 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:20.399 That probably would have been the best option for him 175 00:09:20.440 --> 00:09:22.960 if he went to WWE as opposed to the main roster. 176 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:25.840 But I felt the same way about him that I 177 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:29.159 feel about Mike Bailey, where this is probably the best 178 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:33.120 fit for him right now. He certainly felt that way. 179 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:35.039 I think he honestly, I think he was looking for 180 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:38.080 the best possible deal, and Tony Kahn is the one 181 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:41.360 who gave him the best possible deal. So he made 182 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.440 his debut tonight against Hangman in the Owen. It was 183 00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:47.320 not a successful debut, although it was a fine match, 184 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:51.919 it was not It was not a win for Josh Alexander. 185 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:53.639 But they did something at the end of the match 186 00:09:53.679 --> 00:09:58.320 that I liked. It's not necessarily official that he's going 187 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:01.440 to be going in this particular direction. We'll talk about 188 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:03.919 what that is. And then they had a segment with 189 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.960 the Hurt Syndicate MJF. I mean, out of everything on 190 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:08.960 the show, was the weakest part of the entire show. 191 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.240 But they are continuing to build intrigue on you know 192 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:15.159 where that story is going. Bobby Lashley is still not 193 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:17.320 fond of MJF, does not want him to be a 194 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.279 part of the group, but he appears to be softening. 195 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.960 He has his reservations about this man. He doesn't trust 196 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:26.159 this man, and for good reason. Lastly, is a man 197 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:29.759 of logic, but he is being coerced into making a 198 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:32.480 decision that I think he's going to regret. Where the 199 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:36.080 storyline ultimately ends up, I don't know. I have my theory, 200 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.519 but that was probably the weakest thing on the entire show. 201 00:10:39.559 --> 00:10:42.639 Everything else I thought it just hit. It hit in 202 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:45.159 a way that Dynamite has not been hitting for a 203 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:47.440 while now. It's been a while since we've had a 204 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.440 show like this. It's just the energy and the vibe 205 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:54.399 of the show top to bottom has been as effective 206 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.879 as it was here tonight, where it just felt like, Okay, 207 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:00.159 they're firing on all cylinders. I wish they could it'd 208 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:02.320 all be like this. They can't be, they won't be. 209 00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:05.639 But for tonight, I thought it was an excellent show 210 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:08.440 and it was the best episode of Dynamite all year, 211 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:10.399 and it just so happened to be the big milestone 212 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:14.279 episode where they did pass WSW Nitro in terms of 213 00:11:14.919 --> 00:11:19.919 total episodes. This is your aw Dynamite spring Breakthrough. That's 214 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:23.120 what they called it. Spring breakthrough episode of Dynamite here 215 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.519 for Wednesday, April sixteenth, twenty twenty five. I am the 216 00:11:26.600 --> 00:11:30.879 solid monster. They were in Boston at the MGM Music 217 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:33.559 Hall at fen White. Like I said, cool little venue here. 218 00:11:33.720 --> 00:11:35.360 I don't know what the capacity was. I mean, they 219 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.919 had it packed in. It's not a huge venue. But 220 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.240 I like the look of it. I just like the 221 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:42.120 look of it, the aesthetics of it. Running these smaller 222 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:45.320 venues they've had the chance to run some that have 223 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:50.360 a very unique look and kind of a vibe all 224 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:53.360 unto itself as opposed to just, you know, like a 225 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:57.240 normal arena where they would try to fit three thousand 226 00:11:57.240 --> 00:11:59.960 people at a building that fits, you know, seventeen thousand, 227 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:02.879 and that's just never a good thing to do. So 228 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:04.960 there is something to be said when you run these smaller, 229 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:07.600 more intimate venues, they do tend to make for more 230 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:09.320 fun shows. I mean, that's how I felt when they 231 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:12.840 ran Hammerstein. You know that Hammerstein was not rocking the 232 00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:15.279 way the Boston was tonight, But I felt the same 233 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.039 way about those shows too. There is something to be 234 00:12:17.080 --> 00:12:19.600 said for that. But they were in Boston, and so 235 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:23.120 they opened the show with the hometown girl, the undefeated 236 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:27.360 TBS champion Mercedes Manet, making her way out to the 237 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:31.120 ring for her semi final match in the owen Hart 238 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:35.720 Foundation Tournament against the Ring of Honor Forever champion Athena. 239 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:38.960 It's a big match. I thought they might close the 240 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:40.840 show with it. Seeing what they did. I know why 241 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:44.159 they didn't, but being in Boston and everything, first time 242 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.679 ever match when they came out, I said, okay, interesting 243 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:50.639 to me. It just made a title change at the 244 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:53.480 end that much more obvious. But they did open the 245 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.320 show with this yere So we had Athena coming out 246 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.000 and she got a strong reaction too, not as strong 247 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:04.240 is Mercedes did, but they both got strong reactions. She 248 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:08.600 got CEO chants from the hometown faithful, so there were 249 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.840 some holy shit chants and dueling chants. Again, it was 250 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:14.759 a match that you could tell the people in this 251 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:18.279 building were excited to see. This is a match that 252 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:20.960 many of them came to see, which is a good sign. 253 00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:23.000 You know that they saw it as a big match here. 254 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.480 So they get started here quick series of lock ups. 255 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:29.679 They end up tumbling out to the rim. They had 256 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:33.639 a short ramp to the ring and they're not letting 257 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.679 go of each other, so they're wrestling around. Mercedes got 258 00:13:36.679 --> 00:13:40.279 a reverse wastelock spilled back into the ring and so 259 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.200 they're trading pen attempts and some rolling cradles. We come 260 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:45.440 to a stalemate and again the people are going nuts 261 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:49.200 for it. Mercedes lands a tilta whirl into a statement maker, 262 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:53.399 but Athena rolls to the ropes she falls outside. Only 263 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:56.279 Mercedes kept the submission apply she did not let go, 264 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:58.519 So now They're on the floor outside right in front 265 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.039 of the announced desk, and she still has the submission 266 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:03.759 hold locked on. Aubrey Edwards puts the count on, so 267 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:08.080 they weren't out there for too long. After a commercial break, 268 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:11.559 they come back to a slugfest. Mercedes initially wins it. Athena, 269 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:15.279 though kicked up into a thrust kick. She wanted a tombstone, 270 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:19.279 and this right here was the This was the shakiest 271 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:22.639 part of the match here, because she wanted a tombstone, 272 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:27.879 and they traded a series of tombstone reversals. One would 273 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:30.240 fall backwards and try to lift the other one up, 274 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:34.639 and it didn't look good. It did not look good 275 00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:36.919 because at first I think it was Mercedes. She tried 276 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:40.399 to do the reversal and lift up Athena and she 277 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:42.559 couldn't really get her, so they had to try again, 278 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.200 and then she did it, but it still looked kind 279 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:48.159 of awkward. But in the end Mercedes hit a lung 280 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:51.480 blower into the double down. The fans were loud for 281 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:54.480 both women, so it didn't really take them out of 282 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.000 the match, but there was some sloppiness there. They recovered 283 00:14:58.039 --> 00:15:01.159 well enough. They never lost the crowd. Mercedes hit a 284 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:05.440 tornado DDT variation followed by a tilt to whirl into 285 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:09.279 another DDT spiked Athena right on her head. She hit 286 00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:12.440 three amigos. She went for a fourth. Athena, though, spun 287 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:16.440 out into a power bomb, and then another, and then another, 288 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:20.399 and she tried for a fourth. Mercedes just barely countered 289 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:23.799 into a backstabber, so we got dueling chance again for 290 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:28.360 both women. Athena fired off a corner uppercut and Mercedes 291 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:32.639 ducked another one hit a wild meteora and she sends 292 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:35.600 Athena out to the apron. She follows her. She wants 293 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.279 a German suplex off the apron. She's tried to pull 294 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.919 her backwards and Athena is just holding on for dear 295 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:44.879 life to the ropes. Mercedes switches positions. She's gonna try 296 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:49.200 for an apron bomb instead, so she's going to power 297 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:51.799 bomb her onto the floor instead, though Athena stomps on 298 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:55.919 her repeatedly. After this, Mercedes wanted a monet maker on 299 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.519 the apron. Athena got free hit a kick and then 300 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:00.600 a snap power slam on the edge of the ring, 301 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.440 so Athena sinks in a statement maker of her own 302 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.399 Mercedes escapes into one of her own. It's her own 303 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:13.039 fucking move. Athena gets out of that. Mercedes rolls to 304 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.440 the floor and Athena goes out after her. She charges 305 00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:19.480 in and Mercedes sidesteps her. Athena crashes head first into 306 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.559 the barricade. Both women end up standing on top. They 307 00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.759 have the LED barricades out there. They got the spring 308 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.799 breakthrough logo on it, so they're standing on top of 309 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:32.320 the barricade. They start slapping each other until Athena missed 310 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:37.080 a diving lariat she rolled through, and then she followed 311 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:39.799 up with the shotgun dropkick. That shotgun dropkick had sent 312 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:43.320 Mercedes flying backwards into the barricade, and as soon as 313 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:47.320 she hit the barricade, it shorted out and we didn't 314 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:51.039 have our LED display anymore. It went black. Back inside, 315 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.720 Athena tried for her O face finish off the top. Mercedes, though, 316 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:58.120 held onto her on the way down and then countered 317 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:02.080 into a cradle for the one two, and they zoomed 318 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:05.839 in on Athena's face and she was shocked. She had 319 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:08.880 her O face on. She was shocked and caught off 320 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.200 guard by that. So was I in a way again, 321 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:15.079 I would have expected Mercedes to win if somebody had 322 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:18.039 to win. As the match was going on, though, because 323 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.960 it got some time, I was wondering, like, is there 324 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:22.880 a time limit here? Is it a thirty minute time 325 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:25.599 limit for the semi final round? Like I wasn't sure 326 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:29.319 if Justin Roberts announced it at the beginning, I missed it. 327 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:33.960 So she pins her. She's shocked. When the match is over, 328 00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:37.759 we hear timeless Tony Storms music, and then we look 329 00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:40.200 up and on the next level up she's in the 330 00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:43.720 crowd and Luther is with her, and she's standing there 331 00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:47.319 and she's applauding Mercedes, and Mercedes is looking up at 332 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:50.279 her and giving her a wave, and she's got all 333 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:54.119 of her titles. I really enjoyed this. I thought this 334 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.160 was a really good match here from these two was 335 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:59.799 not always the smoothest. There were some awkward moments for sure, 336 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:05.079 especially on the tombstone reversals, but I still feel the 337 00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:07.319 same way I felt coming in. Hopefully this is the 338 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:11.759 first in a series, whether it's two matches total, three 339 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:15.119 matches total, I hope that this is the beginning of 340 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:18.160 a series of matches that culminates in Texas at all. 341 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:22.799 It because to me, it just works better that way, 342 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:26.359 And as a first outing, I thought that these two 343 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:29.720 more than delivered. Like I said, the crowd traded it 344 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.279 like a really big deal. I'm not the biggest fan 345 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:35.519 of that finish, the way they did that, but that 346 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:38.480 was their way of protecting Athena from having to take 347 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:42.359 a more decisive loss. Here. It's the same exact thing 348 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:45.400 they just did at Dynasty with Tony Storm and Meghan Bain. 349 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:50.000 They pushed Meghan Baine so hard, so fast, and she 350 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:54.000 ran through so many different people and within what two months, 351 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:57.680 three months, it felt like here she is already challenging 352 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:00.440 for the Women's World Championship and it's like, well, they 353 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:02.640 could put the belt on her and really just give 354 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:06.160 her the monster push, but I really just don't see 355 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.759 them taking that title of Tony's Storm before Texas, so 356 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:13.079 she's probably gonna lose, and she did. But they did 357 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:16.799 that finish. It was like a fucking roll up. It 358 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:20.200 was a fucking roll up. And that was because they 359 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.920 wanted to beat her, but not like beat her. They 360 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.920 wanted to beat Megan Bain in a way that still 361 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:28.599 protected her, where it wasn't like she got decisively beaten 362 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:32.400 same exact thing they did here. They had to have 363 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:35.880 somebody go on to the finals. It wasn't going to 364 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:39.960 be Athena, who, like Mercedes, has been unbeatable for so long. 365 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.839 It's like, well then, what do you do? Right? What 366 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:45.880 are you gonna do? Well? You do what they did 367 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:48.200 where she kind of caught her with the flash pin 368 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:51.480 and it's like, well, it was her night tonight, but 369 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:53.000 it could have been anybody's night. It could have gone 370 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:56.160 either way, and that was the finish that they chose 371 00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:00.559 to do. So Mercedes advances now to the finals double 372 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:03.319 or nothing. May twenty fifth, She is going to meet 373 00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:06.079 the winner of the match coming up between Chris Statlander 374 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:09.279 and Jamie Hater, which should be Jamie Hayter. There is 375 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:13.880 a lot of history between Mercedes and Statlander. There is Statlander, 376 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:19.079 though has already lost twice to Mercedes. If they send 377 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:21.599 both of them to the finals, and this time Statlander 378 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:25.200 gets her win back, that would be huge for Chris Statlander. 379 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:28.240 But let me ask you a question. Whoever goes to 380 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:32.079 the finals, whichever one it is, and they wrestle Mercedes. 381 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:36.519 If they beat Mercedes, and I'm hoping they do, does 382 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:38.839 it not then make more sense for that person to 383 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:43.920 be challenging Mercedes for the TBS title in Texas As 384 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:46.119 opposed to going on to challenge Tony Storm for the 385 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:50.160 Women's World Championship. There's like there's a disconnect here. It's 386 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:53.920 almost like Mercedes either has to win or the other 387 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:56.599 person wins. But you have this thing that's sort of 388 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:59.720 hanging there where her very first loss in this company 389 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:01.559 come to at the hands of somebody who wasn't even 390 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:05.279 going on to challenge her for her championship, which is 391 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:07.319 what has me a little worried that they may well 392 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.000 send Mercedes to Texas to challenge Tony Storm, because they 393 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:12.880 certainly teased it here at the end of this match. 394 00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:21.440 But I just think Athena and Mercedes TBS title, Jamie Hayter, 395 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:26.680 Tony Storm aw Women's World title, those should be your 396 00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:29.839 two big women's title matches at all in on your 397 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:32.599 biggest show of the year. I just don't see the 398 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:35.519 need to combine the two champions into one match. So 399 00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:39.000 call me naive. I'm still hopeful that they'll find a 400 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:41.960 way to make that work. How they get there, you know, 401 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:45.039