Wednesday Wrestling Minutes - Your Weekly Source for NXT, Lucha Underground, Ring of Honor and Independent Wrestling News

NXT, 7/29

Enzo and Big Cass out first to a big reaction. They have Carmella with them as usual. They seem like they’re trying out some new lines or routines in front of the crowd, perhaps polishing them for the main roster (which they are allegedly working).

They take on Dash and Dawson (who have new theme music as well as unique lighting which tells me they could see a big push soon. Their NXT Briscoes gimmick seems to be toned down or gone.

Enzo in first against Dawson and gets the best of him until Dash comes in but Big Cass steps in to even the odds. Big Cass gets tagged in and takes control of Dash easily.

During this match they show an ad for NXT in Houston on Sept. 17 and Austin on Sept. 18 and in San Antonio on Sept. 19 (ROH has shows in San Antonio on Sept 18-19). Those tickets go on sale on August 1 at 10 am.

Enzo gets run into the corner post then Dawson takes control of Enzo, working his arm. Dash and Dawson tag in and out, keeping Enzo on the mat. But when Cass gets tagged in, he easily takes control of both Dash and Dawson with ease.

Carmella picks up Enzo and smacks him around to wake him up as Big Cass calls for the rocket launcher splash but Dash pulls Cass out and throws him into the steps. Enzo leaves the ring to chase but Dawson cuts him off with a big clothesline then Dash and Dawson hit Enzo with an assisted codebreaker for the win.

Devin catches up with Jason Jordan and Chad Gable.

Jordan talks about why they mesh. He says they may not see eye to eye on some things but they get the job done. No nonsense and then it’s onto the next.

Gable says they’re all business, not Enzo and Cass who ooze sleeze. They don’t need to talk in nursery rhymes or pump their fist to get their point across. Or the Hype Bros – stay hype? More like struggle to stay awake. He says no one compares to them because they are ready, willing and…he holds up a towel with his name and goes to Jordan “Say it…come on, say my name” but Jordan not on board with that much of it yet.

Video package of Dana Brooke being annoyed that they chose Charlotte for the Tap Out campaign instead of her, the Total Diva.

Brooke says that Charlotte copies all her training and eating habits but Charlotte gets the Tap Out deal.

Basically just hyping their dislike for each other and their upcoming match and that Dana will run Charlotte out of NXT.

Baron Corbin out next to squash another jobber. People still cheering for him though, must be because they never aired that promo during the show or let him cut any promos on the air.

Corbin squashes Jesse Sorenson this week. Jesse Sorenson? Isn’t he the guy who broke his neck in TNA, was told he’d always have a job in TNA but then got fired and his mom went bankrupt from his medical bills?

Anyway, Corbin squashes him in seconds with the End of Days.

Tyler Breeze barges into William Regal’s office. Regal is annoyed but Breeze says he’s been trying to get in touch via every sort of social media and Regal says he sent a carrier pigeon and laughs to himself about it.

Breeze wants to know his Takeover opponent. Regal says he has someone very special. He’s gone to the ends of the earth to find his opponent and tells Breeze to be very careful, flower.

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable out next. They are in tag team action against Elias Sampson and Levis Valenzuela Jr.

Never seen this Valenzuela before but he’s a big dude. Has size even on Jordan.

Was even a Jason Jordan chant to start the match. Jordan outquicks Levis early then Sampson tags in a says he wants Gable. Gable tags in and uses his superior grappling to ground Rallis.

Rallis and Valenzuela use their size to swing momentum their direction. But Gable uses his moves to evade them and tag in Jordan who powers through both Rallis and Valenzuela and lets them hit their finisher for the win.

Devin talks to Dana Brooke and Emma. Brooke says Charlotte is lucky she’s on Raw now because she will be serving Charlotte an eviction notice from NXT.

Video package on getting #BullFit. Bull sat around eating chips and chocolate until Regal told him he was a disgrace. So he dropped the junk food and turned his life into an early 90s workout video, going from wearing neon color work out clothes and Zubaz pants to a trash bag type plastic outfit, trying to get in shape. He’s basically Bobby Dempsey getting bullied by Chris Hero in Sweet and Sour Incorporated in Ring of Honor.

If this turns into Bull being a motivational speaker or personal trainer while still being lazy and fat, I’m totally on board.

Charlotte out now to take on Dana Brooke.

Dueling “Let’s go Dana/Charlotte” chant which surprises me that people actually like Dana Brooke. I mean, I like Emma a lot and I think Dana has potential but I wouldn’t be chanting for her.

Brooke showing off a mean streak, taking advantage of Charlotte’s misteps and rubbing it in. Brooke is in control for a surprising amount early on, keep Charlotte in the corner and on the mat and getting a few 2 counts. She also is doing a good job of trash talking almost the whole time and using what the crowd is giving her.

But Charlotte reverses a submission into a cover then takes out Emma when she tries to interfere. Charlotte hits Natural Selection for the win.

Samoa Joe faces Rhyno next week. He says he’s in NXT for the NXT Championship and also says Rhyno is there for the same reason. Joe says next week, Rhyno’s future ends and Joe will beat him down and choke him out.

Kevin Owens apologizes for hitting William Regal during the contract signing last week. He says it’s been a rough couple days, he hasn’t slept much but that he’s sorry. He got into fight or flight mode and didn’t mean for that to happen (hitting Regal in the melee).

Regal nods his head in acceptance but once Owens leaves, Regal says he can’t wait to see him get beaten in Brooklyn.

Kevin Owens out now to take on some jobber named Martin Stone. Owens looks like he wants to rip up a Finn Balor poster on his way to the ring but he doesn’t.

Brennan says Owens was fined an undisclosed amount for hitting Regal last week. Owens is easily taking control of Stone in this match. After a cannonball and a swanton, Owens wins with a pop up powerbomb.

After the match, Owens powerbombs Stone on the ring apron then does the Balor pose on the turnbuckle to mock Finn Balor.

The Vaudevillains out next to face Blake and Murphy for the tag team titles in the main event. Alexa Bliss accompanies Blake and Murphy.

Back and forth early, trading holds in the middle of the ring. The Vaudevillains get a slight advantage as Blake and Murphy take a moment to regroup in their corner.

But after Murphy tags in, things begin to turn around for the champs and they control Aiden English in their half of the ring. But once Gotch tags in, he starts to turn things around for the challengers. Gotch uses his interesting offensive maneuvers get beat down Murphy and fend off Blake.

Gotch tags in English and they set up for the Whirling Dervish. They hit part of it but when English hits the rope for the neckbreaker, Alexa grabs his leg and trips him up. Murphy rolls him up while Blake distracts Gotch and the champs retain.

The Vaudevillains attack the champs as they celebrate and hit Blake with the Whirling Dervish and hold up the tag title belts. Alexa moves to slap English but realizes she’s cornered by both of them with Blake and Murphy nowhere to be seen. They walk around like they are going to do something to her, but then both hold open the ropes for her. She smiles at them and calls them pathetic and then slaps both of them. And the Vaudevillains just kinda take it as Alexa walks out with Blake and Murphy.

NXT will be running head to head against ROH AGAIN. In Sept, ROH is hosting All Star Extravaganza on Sept 19 in San Antonio and NXT just announced a show that night in SA about 17 miles away (ROH is in Shrine Auditorium and NXT in Aztec Theater). NXT will also be in Houston on 17 Austin on 18.

Lucha Underground, 7/29

Ultima Lucha starts this week. Looks like it’s gonna be Cage/Mack, Hernandez/Drago and Trios Titles match.

Dario Cueto in a tuxedo visits Black Lotus in her cell. He offers her champagne but she flips him off. He says he hoped spending all this time near his brother would give her a change of heart. Cueto says pitbulls got a reputation for being vicious because they were pushed to being violent – and his brother is the same way. Their father made his fortune in fighting pits and made a lot of money off his little pitbull, “The Monster” Matanza Cueto.

But Cueto says Matanza didn’t kill her parents – it was El Dragon Azteca. Her father was the head of the Black Lotus Triad and were at war with El Dragon and his army of mercenaries and Dragon killed her parents and blamed Matanza. Then to have the last laugh, he took his archrivals daughter as his apprentice. Cueto says Matanza may be a pitbull, but El Dragon Azteca is a snake.

First match of the night – The Mack vs The Machine in a falls count anywhere match. As Mack makes his entrance, Cage attacks him from behind at the top of the stairs and the match gets going quickly.

Cage throwing the Mack around but Mack shows his power and suplex Cage over his head on the wooden bleachers. Mack speared Cage through a door into the room where Fenix got powerbombed but Cage finds a fire extinguisher and stuns Mack. He hammers Mack with a stop sign then a DDT on it for a 2 count.

Mack hits Cage with a cooler full of beers and cracks a few open in Cage’s face and hits him with a stunner but only gets a 2. It seems like Cage is just getting more angry and shrugs off a bottle to the back of his head. Cage sets up a table under the turnbuckle on the floor and Mack powerbomb Cage through the table from the turnbuckle to the floor but Cage kicks out!

They fight up on top of Cueto’s office and Cage deadlift suplex over the railing onto the ceiling for 2. Cage grabs a cinder block and hits a Super Dragon curb stomp sending Mack’s face through the cinder block for the win.

Next match, Catrina leads the Disciples of Death into the ring. The Disciples have new masks on now and look really creepy now. They also each wear different colors so maybe now I’ll be able to tell them apart.

The champs head to the ring and Ivelisse is still on crutches. The champs are also being referred to as Team Havoc now Match is going to be tornado rules which means no tags.

The Disciples take out Ivelisse early and use the numbers game to beat down Angelico and Havoc. And whenever Ivelisse tries to get back in it, they beat her down and keep her on the outside.

One of the Disciples work over Ivelisse’s good leg and the others mock her until Havoc breaks it up to help her out. The fight starts spilling into the crowd with Angelico and one of the Disciples. Angelico uses his position outside the ring to leap off the room and land on all the Disciples of death to give his teammates some room to breath.

But Catrina starts stalking around the ring and seems to have her sights set on Ivelisse. Catrina gets in the ring with the stone and seems to be rallying the Disciples until Ivelisse sneaks up on her. She throws away her crutches and calls Catrina a bitch and when Catrina chokes her, Ivelisse arm drag and starts dropping punches. Catrina hips up and reverses her over and nails Ivelisse in the face with the stone.

Catrina calls a Disciple into the ring to make the pin while the other two hold back Havoc and Angelico and the Disciples become the new Trios champions. Catrina gives Ivelisse the lick of death and it’s even more beautiful than it was in my dreams.

They bring out the believers for the Believer’s Backlash and they surround the ring. DaShawn “The Hot Tub Guy” is pointed out amongst the many with leather straps.

Striker says the insurance has been squared away and waivers signed so Hernandez is allowed to hit back. Hernandez tosses Drago out first but the believers help him up instead of whip him and Hernandez is pissed. He jumps out to push Drago but starts getting whipped by everyone around.

Hernandez tries to call time out and run up the steps but still the whipping doesn’t stop until he jumps back in the ring where Drago uses the opportunity to stomp on Hernandez.

Hernandez has had enough of the whipping and steals one of the straps from a believer. Hernandez starts to turn the tide against Drago, using his power to slam Drago down with a powerbomb but doesn’t cover.

Drago tries for the Dragon’s Lair pin but Hernandez is so big he can’t lock it in completely and only gets a 2.  Hernandez powerbombs Drago over the top rope onto three of the believers! Then Hernandez tries to follow it up with a dive of his own, but Drago sidesteps and hits him with the dragon’s breath in the face. The believers gang up on Hernandez as Drago sets up a table and pulls out nunchucks! They drive Hernandez toward Drago and Drago literally breaks the nunchucks on Hernandez face and Drago sets him up on the table. Drago dives off the top rope and puts Hernandez through the table.

Drago hits another splash on Hernandez after Drago rolls him back in and gets the pin!

El Dragon Azteca walks up to the temple but is stopped by a guard. They exchange a few punches and the guard tells Dragon “you know the prophecy – you cannot enter the temple”. But Dragon wants to save Black Lotus, that she is a prisoner because of him.

The guard says he’ll tell Prince Puma, he brought Black Lotus to him once, he can do it again. But Dragon says Puma has a different path this time and he doesn’t want to put him in more danger. The guard says he will go but Dragon says no, this is his fight.

The guard says but the prophecy, it says Dragon will die. He says that he may die but El Dragon Azteca will live on forever. And the dude lets Dragon in. And that’s where it ends.

Ring of Honor

ROH DA 7/29

Moved to 11 pm from 9 for some reason

First out is The Kingdom with Maria. They face Corey Hollis and Jonathan Gresham.
Taven and Bennett shake hands then blindside Hollis and Gresham with super kicks. Taven and Bennett beat them down outside the ring while Corino tries to make Maria annoyed with Kelly for asking about Cole and problems in Kingdom. Jobbers get a comeback but Kingdom win with spike piledriver in the end.

Next, Caprice Coleman vs Brutal Bob Evans vs Silas Young vs Cheeseburger vs Moose vs Dalton Castle. Prince Nana also on commentary. 

Castle starts with Moose but Evans tags Moose out. Cheeseburger wants in and Castle tags him but Evans tags in Young who takes control of Cheeseburger. Castle getting beat down for a while by Silas until he tags in Moose and things start to break down. Moose dives onto everyone and sets up Cheeseburger for the spear but Castle climbs in and knees him in the face as he runs in. Castle sets up for a German suplex but Silas hits him from behind.

After a melee with Coleman taking out Young and Cheeseburger palm strike to Evans, Castle actually hits the stalling German suplex on Moose but no bridge. Castle misses Bob and goes flying. Bob rolls up Moose with his feet on the ropes but Cheeseburger tells the ref pushes his feet down which distracts Bob letting Moose spear him for the win.

The Decade are out next. Whitmer talks about how Colby Corino has matured in the last few months and how he's shown more than anyone in the locker room or at ringside, a slight at Steve Corino. Whitmer talks about how Colby almost beat Moose and War Machine all by himself, even though Colby got destroyed by those guys. Whitmer says he comes to think of Colby as a son and hopes he can be the father Colby never had. He then says he has a surprise for Colby - a gauntlet match!

Whitmer brings out the four guys who are all way bigger than Colby and Steve leaves announce table to eye them up and gets in the ring. BJ says Steve abandoned Colby and will abandon his pretty little wife and new kid which pisses Steve off and he  wants to fight but Nigel and security stop him as Whitmer mocks him.

Next the main event, ACH vs Bobby Fish. Nigel on commentary, talking about how Steve Corino should know better than to put his hands on the wrestlers and Corino isn’t at the table.

ACH using his quickness to try and get something going but Fish staying a few steps ahead through the early parts of the match. ACH gets a few 2 counts and Kelly says next week, Adam Cole vs Kyle O'Reilly and War Machine vs Young Bucks and I can't wait for next week.

ACH hits a few big moves but misses a high risk move and Fish takes advantage. Fish gets the knees up on a 450 and hits a hard combo, targeting the knee of ACH and get a heel hook in he calls the Fish Hook but ACH reverses into a pin. ACH goes up top but Fish kicks his leg out and wins with a super falcon arrow.  And they shake hands after.

ROH’s next big show is the Aftershock tour in Philadelphia on Aug. 21

Some big matches signed for that so far:

ROH World Title Rematch

Jay Lethal (c) vs Roderick Strong

Adam Cole vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Non-title match

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champ KUSHIDA vs Matt Sydal

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and RPG Vice vs The Briscoes and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hirooki Goto

Dalton Castle vs. Cedric Alexander (w/ Veda Scott)

Michael Elgin vs Silas Young

Also to appear:

ROH Tag Team Champs The Addiction

The Kingdom

New Japan Pro Wrestling

Get the standings so far for the G1

(As of 8/6)

Block A

Tetsuya Naito – 8

AJ Styles – 8

Katsuyori Shibata – 8

Bad Luck Fale – 8

Hiroshi Tanahashi – 8

Kota Ibushi – 6

Togi Makabe – 6

Toru Yano – 4

Hiroyoshi Tenzan – 2

Doc Gallows – 2

Block B

Kazuchika Okada – 8

Tomohiro Ishii – 8

Karl Anderson – 6

Hirooki Goto – 6

Shinsuke Nakamura – 6

Michael Elgin – 6

Yujiro Takahashi – 4

Satoshi Kojima – 4

Yuji Nagata – 2

Tomoaki Honma – 0

Shinsuke Nakamura is back in the tournament with a heavily bandaged elbow. He’s been putting on good performances since returning but you know people will be focusing on his injured elbow going forward.

Honma still hasn’t gotten a win yet. Even Elgin has been well, earning two wins on his own (in addition to two points from a forfeit from Nakamura).

Block A is still pretty crowded at the top. Five guys (Naito, Styles, Shibata, Fale and Tanahashi) all have the same amount of points.

And the next Block A matches (on 8/8), Ibushi has a chance to get into the running and stall Fale’s run when they face off. I’d be surprised if Naito loses to Yano. Styles is getting two points from Tenzan. Makabe is most likely gonna beat Doc Gallows. And Tanahashi vs Shibata is legit too close to call but I’m going with Shibata.

In Block B, Okada and Ishii both have 8 points but Anderson, Goto, Nakamura and Elgin are all right there with 6 points.

And in the next Block B matches (on 8/7), Okada and Ishii will face off so someone will be the undisputed leader after 8/7. Elgin faces Nagata in what should be a good match but Elgin will focus on Nagata’s ribs for the win. Anderson faces Honma and I can’t see Honma winning here either. Goto should be able to beat Kojima to stay in the running. And if Nakamura loses to Takahashi I will be very surprised.

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla

Battle of Los Angeles 2015 matches announced

BOLA N1

Aero Star vs Brian Cage

Andrew Everett vs Biff Busick

Will Ospreay vs Mark Andrews

Trevor Lee vs Trent?

Drago vs Pentagon Jr.

Matt Sydal vs Fenix

Non-tournament

Tommy End, Marty Scurll and Zack Sabre Jr. vs The Young Bucks and Roderick Strong

Inner City Machine Guns vs Jack Evans and Angelico

BOLA N2

Rich Swann vs Marty Scurll

Chris Hero vs Timothy Thatcher

Drew Gulak vs Tommy End

Angelico vs Jack Evans

Mike Bailey vs Drew Galloway

Ricochet vs Zack Sabre Jr.

Non-tournament

Andrew Everett, Trevor Lee and Biff Busick vs The Young Bucks and Super Dragon

Fenix and Aero Star vs Drago and Pentagon Jr.

-Definitely going to have some crazy second and third round matches

-Pick em:

N1

Cage

Everett

Ospreay

Lee

Pentagon

Fenix

Bucks/Strong

Angelico/Evans

N2

Swann

Hero

Gulak

Evans

Galloway

Ricochet

Bucks/Dragon

Fenix/Aero Star

Beyond Wrestling

Battle of New England Returns

August 30

Fete Music, Providence, Rhode Island

WWA4 Showcase

AR Fox vs Jonathan Gresham

Last Time Ever

Nick Gage vs Sugar Dunkerton

Lick of Death vs Blowpop

Karlee “Catrina” Perez vs Joey Ryan

First Time Ever

The Kingdom vs Beaver Boys

Battle of New England Challenge Match #1

Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson and Jaka) vs ???

Battle of New England Challenge Match #2

EYFBO (Mike Draztik and Angel Ortiz) vs. ???

Battle of New England Challenge Match #3

Pinkie Sanchez vs ???

Scheduled to compete:

-Anthony Stone

-Da Hit Squad

-Da Hoodz

-Dan Barry

-David Starr

-Donovan Dijack

-“Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams

-JT Dunn

-Kimber Lee

-Matt Tremont

-Shynron

Combat Zone Wrestling

Retribution, Aug. 8

Flyer’s Skate Zone, Voorhees, New Jersey

Pre-show, 6:30 p.m.

Joey Janela vs JT Dunn

Sozio vs Ryan Galeone

Marvelous Puroresu USA Showcase Match-ups

Brittany Blake and Tahumo Broha vs Sumie Sakai and Penelope Ford

DVD Security vs Chigusa Nagayo and Takaaki Watanabe

Main show begins at 8 pm

Tim Donst vs. Frankie Pickard

Pepper Parks vs Matt Tremont

Dick Justice vs Greg Excellent

Jake Crist vs Danny Havoc

Dave Crist vs Conor Claxton

-With just a few days left before the show, this card feels really weird and incomplete. So basically, par for the CZW course.