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

NXT, 9/2

Tonight on NXT, the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic kicks off, to commemorate the memory of a legend who had such a huge impact on NXT.

The Ascension return to the NXT Zone to take part in the Dusty Classic. The NXT crowd is happy to see them, even though they’ve been nothing but jobbers on the main roster.

They take on Rhyno and Baron Corbin. Rhyno in first with Viktor but Viktor in control. Corbin tags himself in and The Ascension go to work, keeping him on the mat and in their corner. But after Viktor gets run into the corner post, Corbin and Rhyno take over and keep Viktor isolated.

The crowd is really behind the returning Ascension. Or they could really just hate Baron Corbin. Or it could be both. The Ascension line up Rhyno for the Fall of Man but Corbin distracts Viktor and pulls him out of the ring. This lets Rhyno gore Konnor for the win and Rhyno and Corbin move on.

Next, Devin talks to Neville and he’s with Solomon Crowe and it looks like they’ll be teaming in the Dusty Classic. Neville says it’s great to be back and honoring the memory of Dusty and Crowe says he feels pretty good about their chances since he’s teaming with perhaps the greatest NXT champ of all time. Crowe says he’s calling his shots and saying they’re winning this thing.

Alexa Bliss takes on Blue Pants now, still angry over Blue Pants costing Blake and Murphy the tag titles at Takeover Brooklyn.

Blue Pants is very over with the crowd but Alexa Bliss goes right at Blue Pants, beating her down and trash talking the whole time. Bliss has been dominating the whole match, with Bliss being ruthless while working her over.

But ol’ Blue Pants starts to turn it around, hitting a few head kicks and a bridging Northern Lights suplex but Bliss kicks out at 2. But Bliss hits the Glitz Flip and the Sparkle Splash to defeat Blue Pants.

In William Regal’s office, he’s talking to…JOHNNY GARGANO AND TOMMASO CIAMPA?!

Tyler Breeze barges in and says he needs to talk to Regal. He asks who the other two are but then says it doesn’t matter. Breeze says after what happened in Brooklyn, he doesn’t just want to win the Dusty Classic – he needs to win it. He says Regal came through with an important opponent for Takeover, now he needs Regal come up with an important tag partner for him.

Regal says, well, since he just interrupted a meeting with Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa – the two most sought after free agents in their industry (sure, why not) – next week, Breeze and his partner will face Gargano and Ciampa.

Regal racks his brain and comes up with it – Bull Dempsey! Breeze can’t believe that’s who Regal came up with but says it doesn’t matter, he’s still going to win.

Recap of Emma winning the women’s fatal fourway last week then getting her thoughts on the win. Emma says everyone has forgotten the Divas Revolution started at NXT ArRival with Paige vs Emma. And tonight, she reminded everyone there is no Divas Revolution without Emma.

Apollo Crews makes his NXT Zone debut after making his general debut at Takeover Brooklyn. Tonight, Crews takes on Martin Stone.

Crews in control early but Stone turns it around later. The crowd not really into this match but are definitely impressed with Crews’ agility. Crews gets the win with the Crews Combo.

Devin talks to Jason Jordan and Chad Gable about taking on Neville and Solomon Crowe in the Dusty Classic later tonight. Jordan says they will make history when they beat Crowe and Neville to move on tonight.

Gable says history is written by the winners – and that’s gonna be Jordan and Gable. He says Neville is gonna fly too high and they’ll make sure he falls. And Crowe? People will forget he existed.

Devin talks to Finn Balor about the upcoming NXT tour in Texas and Balor says he wants to be there when NXT plants its flag in Texas. She asks about Balor in the Dusty Classic where he will team with…Samoa Joe!

Joe says it’s obvious the NXT title is important to Balor but you know what else is important? The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Joe doesn’t want to just do well – he wants to win it all. And asks Balor – are you ready?

Next – Eva Marie out for a match with her fake Ric Flair robes. She takes on the newly renamed Billie Kay (who I think was Jessie before).

Eva getting lots of boos though there is a loud Eva chant (which sounds like it’s from ladies) which is followed by a Billie chant.

Billie trying to hold her own but Eva is in control for most of this match. Billie starts trying to turn it around and lands a suplex body slam and Eva doesn’t exactly kick out in time and the ref pulls up on hi count as Eva lazily rolls over. The crowd notices this too and lets them hear it. Billie thought she had won too.

Then Eva wins with a terrible Sliced Bread out of nowhere. Man, she really hasn’t gotten much better. X-Pac heat isn’t strong enough to describe how people feel about Eva Marie.

In the main event, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable take on Neville and Solomon Crowe in a Dusty Classic first round match.

Neville gets a big reaction on his return to NXT. Crowe and Gable start off first and working really well together to start the match. Neville tags in and Jordan tags in and they go to work. Big size mismatch here and Jordan is taking advantage of it. Jordan doesn’t know how to counter Neville’s agility and tags out to Gable. Both Gable and Jordan get tossed from the ring and try to regroup.

After a commercial, Jordan and Gable are working over Crowe in their corner, just pounding Crowe into the turnbuckles with repeated shoulder blocks. Jordan and Gable tagging in and out quickly, working over Crowe’s midsection with submission holds.

Crowe eventually gets the hot tag to Neville who is a house of fire, taking out both Gable and Jordan. Neville set up for the Red Arrow on Jordan but Gable pulls him out of the way. Neville readjusts and moonsaults onto Jordan from the corner and Crowe tope onto Gable. Neville rolls Jordan back in and springboards off the top but Jordan catches Neville in mid air and throws him onto the mat face first.

Neville super kick Jordan and Crowe tags himself in. Hits a big running knee on Jordan and throws him into the opposite. Crowe rushes in but Jordan catches him and hits a huge overhead belly to belly suplex. Jordan boots Neville to keep him out then he picks up Crowe, throws him to Gable who brings him down in a bridge for the win.

They show a bracket for the tournament after the match but it’s too small to read the whole thing. There’s 16 teams and two have already advanced – Corbin/Rhyno and Jordan/Gable.

Looks like (and this is bracket order too):

Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs Lucha Dragons

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs Angel Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton

Dash and Dawson vs ??? (I think it say Tucket Knight and someone. So jobber team)

Blake and Murphy vs Vaudevillains

Hype Bros vs Marcus Louis and Alexander Wolfe

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs Neville and Solomon Crowe

Baron Corbin and Rhyno vs The Ascension

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vs Tyler Breeze and Bull Dempsey

Kana officially signed to WWE 
The WWE issued a press release this week officially announcing Kana signing with the company. At Takeover Brooklyn, they showed Kana in the front row with Ric Flair and Sgt. Slaughter (and misspelled her name as Kanna).
There was speculation before whether she was coming in to train or wrestle and it seems she will be an active competitor. The release also said she will report to the Performance Center in late September so it could be a while before we see Kana on NXT. But I hope that when we do, she literally kicks Eva Marie’s head off so we aren’t subjected to “All Red Everything” anymore.

Ring of Honor

ROH, 9/2

Adam Page out first with BJ Whitmer and Colby Corino. He takes on Jay Briscoe who looks kinda annoyed he needs to concern himself with Page.

Briscoe wants to shake but Page yells at him that The Decade doesn't shake hands and then slaps Jay. Briscoe can't believe it and tries to shake again but Page slaps him again. Briscoe beats the shit out of Page when the bell rings. After a tope from Jay, Colby hits Jay with a crutch but it's not very effective.

Briscoe starts to stalk Colby but when he turns around, Page fires a chair right in his face that the ref sees and calls for the bell. They roll Briscoe back in the ring and throw a few more chairs in the ring. Page piles up the chairs and hits Jay with his finisher on them. Mark shows up with even more chairs and throws them in the ring to run off Page and the Decade.

Recap of Dalton Castle beating Silas Young two weeks ago and Young's challenge to Castle for his Boys.

Castle promo about how he stayed silent long enough. He yells about how his Boys are his but if Young really wants the match, if Castle wins, when he wins, Young becomes one of his boys. Castle says he'll make a wonderful ottoman.

Cedric Alexander takes on Caprice Coleman. Cedric gets on the mic and says since he's the only man in ROH to beat Moose twice, beating Coleman does nothing for him so he's just gonna leave.

Coleman says he should talk to the one with more hair on their chest and tells Veda good job on winning matches for Cedric. Veda is furious and tells Cedric to attack.
Caprice controls the early parts of the match and Cedric can stay in it and avoid a few things but doesn't get much offense in. Veda eventually trips up Coleman as Cedric distracts the ref and Cedric takes advantage. Coleman hits a head scissors through the ropes and uses the opening to get a 2 count with a springboard rana. Cedric turns it around and gets a 2 count after a flurry of moves and a Michinoku Driver.

Cedric gets the wrench from somewhere but as he does, Stokely Hathaway shows up, grabs Veda off the apron, who was distracting the ref, and drops her on the floor! At the same time, Moose appears and takes the wrench away from Cedric. Caprice surprises Cedric with a Rough Ryder for the win. Cedric and Veda are in disbelief in the ring. Cedric is incensed and rushes at Moose but gets hit with his own wrench. Prince Nana then walks down and shakes hands with Stokely and Moose and hands an envelope (looks full of money) to Coleman, who looks as surprised and confused as we are.

Brutal Bob Evans vs Cheeseburger now. As Cheeseburger hits the ring, Brutal Bob is on the outside near the announcers and covers his mouth to yell something at Cheeseburger and pisses him off enough to chase Bob immediately. Kelly and Corino say they won't say it back...did Bob call Cheeseburger the N-word?

Bob yelled at him from the outside so the match wouldn't start. He kicks Cheeseburger low and goes to hit him with a chair but misses and Cheeseburger kicks it into Bob then flips off the guardrail onto the chair on Bob.

Cheeseburger rolls Bob in and the bell rings. Bob begs off, backing into the opposite corner, then throws Cheeseburger into it. Cheeseburger trying to wrestle a clean match, but Bob is taking cheap shots left and right. Bob hits him with like a body slam into a neckbreaker and then picks Cheeseburger up at 2. Cheeseburger tries to fight back but Bob has too much size and experience.

Cheeseburger kicks out of a big shoulder block and starts to fight back. He gets a 2 count off a school boy and Bob levels him with a lariat. Bob gets a table from under the ring and sets it up outside. He grabs Cheeseburger and pulls him to the apron and screams I hate you in his face, but Cheeseburger escapes as Bob lifts him up and lands a palm strike which sends Bob through the table. Bob tries to answer the 20 count but can't do it and Cheeseburger defeats Brutal Bob!

Main event time - Hanson out first (without Rowe - bad idea, he'll need backup against HoT) to challenge Jay Lethal for the TV title. Bobby Fish is on commentary, since he has the next TV title shot at All Star Extravaganza.

Surprisingly, Lethal is only accompanied by Truth Martini. Donovan Dijack and J. Diesel are nowhere to be seen. Perhaps, only for now?

(Next week, championship edition - Roderick Strong vs Jay Lethal for the World title rematch and Addiction vs Young Bucks for the tag titles)

They shake hands before the match but before they lock up, Lethal starts jawing with Fish at ringside. Lethal goes at Hanson first, but Hanson turns the tide and is in control.

And this is why ROH commentary is better than WWE - Kevin Kelly explains that a few years ago, doctors told Hanson he had to stop wrestling but he worked through a back and a shoulder injury which took over 12 months of rehab but got into the best shape of his life and he's been a consistent worker for ROH, after he won the Top Prospect Tournament.

Hanson continues to be dominant but gets distracted when Truth grabs his leg, letting Lethal hit a great springboard dropkick followed by three big topes, the last one sends Hanson to the floor. After a commercial, Lethal is still in control, but Hanson starts to turn it around. Hanson uses his strength to turn the tide then cartwheel and a huge lariat but only gets a 2 count.

Hanson runs in on Lethal in the corner for a Bronco Buster but Lethal puts his foot up and gets Hanson low. Ref warns him and Lethal and Truth say it was an accident. They start slugging it out and Lethal calls for Lethal Injection but Hanson hits him with a back handspring elbow! Hanson goes up top for a moonsault but Lethal gets the knees up. Lethal hits two Lethal Injections and pins Hanson to retain the TV title.

Afterward, Lethal and Fish trash talk and Kyle O'Reilly shows up. ReDRagon holds the ropes open as Roderick Strong runs in and Lethal gets out of the ring before Strong can get his hands on him.

Next week, Championship Edition of ROH TV

-Jay Lethal defends ROH World title against Roderick Strong rematch

-The Addiction defends ROH World tag team titles against The Young Bucks

ASE 7 TV Tapings, 9/19

-Jay Briscoe vs Adam Page, no holds barred

-Takaaki Watanabe vs TV Champ (Bobby Fish or Jay Lethal - Fish has shot on 9/18)

New Japan Pro Wrestling

The Destruction tour is underway but so far, I think only the show from Sept. 4 is on NJPW World and it’s split into matches instead of an upload of the whole show.

Not much else going on in NJPW until the end of the tour with Destruction in Okayama on Sept. 23 and Destruction in Kobe on Sept. 27. The next big event following the Destruction tour is King of Pro Wrestling on October 12.

Chikara

King of Trios results, Night 1

-The United Nations (Juan Francisco de Coronado, Mr. Azerbaijan and The Proletariat Boar of Moldova) defeated Team Attack! (Mark Andrews, Morgan Webster and Pete Dunne)

-Team Fight Club: Pro (Daniel Moloney, Trent Seven and Tyler Bate) defeated Team BDK (Jakob Hammermeier, Nøkken and Soldier Ant)

-Arcane Horde (Kodama, Obariyon and Oleg the Usurper) defeated Crown & Court (El Hijo del Ice Cream, Ice Cream Jr. and Princess Kimber Lee)

-Devastation Corporation (Blaster McMassive, Flex Rumblecrunch and Max Smashmaster) defeated Team bWo (Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie and Hollywood Nova)

-Battleborn (Kevin Condron, Lucas Calhoun and Missile Assault Man) defeated Dasher's Dugout (Dasher Hatfield, Icarus and Mark Angelosetti)

-The Bullet Club (AJ Styles, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) defeated Battle Hive (Amasis, Fire Ant and Worker Ant)

-Nightmare Warriors (Frightmare, Hallowicked and Silver Ant) defeated Snake Pit (Eddie Kingston, Ophidian and Shynron)

-Team AAA (Aero Star, Drago and Fénix) defeated The Gentleman's Club (Chuck Taylor, Drew Gulak and the Swamp Monster)

King of Trios results, Night 2

-Jaka defeated Ashley Remington

-Team Fight Club Pro (Daniel Moloney, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate) defeated The United Nations (Juan Francisco de Coronado, The Bloc Party)

-Shynron defeated Matt Cross, 2 Cold Scorpio and Madjai Amasis in a Rey de Voladores semi-final

-Team AAA (Drago, Fenix & Aero Star) defeated The Nightmare Warriors (Hallowicked, Frightmare & Silver Ant)

-3.0 and NRG defeated Flying Francis, Arctic Rescue Ant & Orbit Adventure Ant

-Team Bullet Club (AJ Styles & The Young Bucks) defeated Battleborn (Kevin Condron, Lucas Calhoun & Missile Assault Man)

-Mark Andrews defeated Mascara Purpura, Pinkie Sanchez and Ophidian in a Rey de Voladores semifinal

-The Devastation Corporation (Max Smashmaster, Blaster McMassive & Flex Rumblecrunch) defeated The Arcane Horde (The Batiri [Obariyon & Kodama] & Oleg the Usurper)

King of Trios results, Night 3

-Team AAA (Drago, Fenix and Aero Star) defeated The Devastation Corporation (Max Smashmaster, Blaster McMassive and Flex Rumblecrunch)

-The Bullet Club (AJ Styles and The Young Bucks) defeated Team Fight Club Pro (Daniel Moloney, Trent Seven and Tyler Bate)

-Crown & Court (Princess Kimberlee, El Hijo del Ice Cream, Ice Cream Jr. and Jervis Cottonbelly) defeated The Gentleman's Club (Chuck Taylor, Orange Cassidy, Drew Gulak and The Swamp Monster)

Tag Team Gauntlet Match:

- The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield and Mr. Touchdown) eliminated Bee Boy & Genetic Grasshoper

- The Throwbacks eliminated Argus and Purpura

- Blue Meanie and Simon Dean eliminated The Throwbacks

- 3.0 eliminated The bWo

- Pete Dunne & Morgan Webster eliminated 3.0

- Osirian Portal eliminated Dunne & Webster

- Ole Juke Joint and Missle Assault Ant eliminated Osirian Portal

- Orbit Adventure Ant and Arctic Rescue Ant eliminated Ole Juke Joint and Missile Assault Ant

- Nokken and Pinkie Sanchez eliminated Orbit Adventure Ant and Arctic Rescue Ant to win

-Heidi Lovelace defeated Boar of Moldova to retain in the Young Lion's Cup

-Mark Andrews defeated Shynron to win the 2015 Rey de Voladores

-Team AAA defeated The Bullet Club in the King of Trios finals when Fenix hit a springboard 450 on Nick Jackson and pinned him. Team AAA dedicated their win to Perro Aguayo

Also in Chikara news - they are co-promoting “Battle Wars 2: A Battle Beyond The Stars” with Inspire Pro in Austin, TX this Saturday, Sept. 12. IP recently broke away from the NWA to run the promotion on their own. Not listed on Chikara’s site but at IP’s site - http://inspireprowrestling.com/events/

The LAST King of Trios?

(But in looking at comments, apparently it is a running joke that every year Chikara announces that was the last KOT ever)

Ultramantis Black to retire

Smash Wrestling

Smash is hosting the annual CANUSA Classic on September 13. This is an all female show, similar to AIW’s Girls Night Out, but with the twist of it being Canada vs America. The card for the 2015 CANUSA Classic is:

(CAN)Canadian Ninjas vs (USA) Kimber Bombs

(CAN) Courtney Rush vs (USA) Jessicka Havok

(CAN) Vanessa Kraven vs (USA) Heidi Lovelace

(CAN) KC Spinelli vs (USA) Veda Scott

(CAN) Jennifer Blake vs (USA) Candice Lerae

(CAN) Jewels Malone vs (USA) Sassy Steph

(CAN) Xandra Bale vs (USA) Allisyn Kay

Nick Gage Invitational results

I was planning on attending the Nick Gage Invitational deathmatch tournament last Saturday in Warren, NJ but I didn’t end up going. The people I was going with pulled out and I realized Warren is about 2 hours from Philly and I wasn’t feeling that drive.

And thankfully we didn’t go because Nick Gage no-showed. Rumor was that there were or are issues with his parole and wasn’t able to make the show. I saw on the former CZWFans forum that Brett Lauderdale, the guy who runs Gage’s Twitter, posted on Facebook he isn’t sure if it’ll be one month or one year before he sees Gage again. Other speculation (and I call it that because I don’t know for sure) was that Gage had 9 months or so left on his sentence when he was paroled and if he violated it, he could have to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison.

I don’t have complete results but I know Lowlife Louie Ramos replaced Nick Gage and Masada won the tournament (beating Danny Havoc in the finals, I think).

CZW and WSU this weekend

Down With The Sickness

8 pm on September 12

Chri$ Ca$h Memorial Ladder Match

“Speedball” Mike Bailey vs AR Fox

CZW World Tag Team Championship

Team Tremendous vs Tabernak de Team

Team MDK (Nick Gage and Biff Busick) vs Amazing Gulaks (Drew and Rory Gulak)

(Gage is still advertised for this show even though it’s known that Gage wasn’t at the NGI and that AIW announced Gage won’t be at their show on Sept. 11)

Matt Tremont and Sozio vs TV Ready (Blk Jeez and Pepper Parks)

Greg Excellent vs Mia Yim

Lio Rush vs Joey Janella

OI4K (Dave and Jake Crist) vs The Dub Boys (Nate Carter and Dave McCall)

OI4K (Eric Ryan and Alex Colon) vs Nation of Intoxication

Joey Gacy and Frankie Pickard vs CZW Wired Champ Tim Donst and Poseidon

WSU’s Excellence

4 pm on September 12

WSU Championship

Cherry Bomb vs Candice LeRae

WSU Tag Team Championship

Chicks Using Nasty Tactics (Annie Social and Kimber Lee) vs The Dollhouse (Marti Belle and Mia Yim)

Leva Bates defends WSU Spirit Championship for the first time

Athena vs Sumie Sakai

Tess Blanchard vs Hania the Huntress

Solo Darling and Brittany Blake vs Veda Scott and Angel Dust

AIW

Faith No More

Sept. 11, Cleveland, Ohio

Originally advertised:

Nick Gage vs Bob “Hardcore” Holly

AIW Tag Team Championship

To Infinity and Beyond (c) vs Colt Cabana and Cliff Compton

Hot Sauce Entertainment (Tracy Williams and Tyson Dux) vs Nation of Inoxication (Danny Havoc and Lucky tHURTeen)

AIW stated on Twitter that Cabana will be choosing a new partner and Holly will make a statement Friday (since Gage is MIA and Compton is having health issues)