Happy Holidays!! Has anyone else seen the news?
I was surprised to find that Matt Riddle has joined MLW. At first, I forgot he wasn’t on RAW anymore for reasons I’m not aware of, but I was even more shocked to find him on another promotion I talk about.
Despite how abrupt this feels to me, I think Riddle would be an excellent addition to the MLW roster because his fighting style can fit the sheer unfiltered-ness this brand has to effort. But, be warned, Matt. Major League is indeed ruthless, more so than any other I know of.
Relevant or not, I wanted to mention this real quick.
On other news, AJ Styles is back in a conflicting light after the knockout he put LA Knight through. After reviewing the footage of last week, I can see that Styles punched Knight because the Megastar slightly shoved him aside following the retreat of The Bloodline. Ha! Styles was already angry, so that action didn’t help.
Understand this, Styles believes he’s first in line to get his hands on Roman Reigns, hence the fact that he will trample anyone who comes in his way. AJ wants Roman at the Royal Rumble just like Randy Orton and LA Knight.
They all want Reigns first. That’s why I thought they should have a Fatal 4-Way at the Rumble between Knight, Orton, Reigns and Styles for the Undisputed Championship, but I won’t get my hopes up that officials are listening.
Orton can understand the view point of his fellow wrestlers, however, he was placed on the shelf for 18 long ass months, so the depth of determination runs deeper in the Viper than anyone else… I think. Aldis came up with a solution to allow them to fight for their claim to face Roman.
In two weeks, they’re going to present SmackDown New Year’s Revolution where Randy, AJ and LA Knight will engage in a Triple Threat match to determine who will get Reigns at the Rumble. Hmm. Not exactly what I wanted, obviously I knew that, but I can live with this.
Styles warns Orton and Knight that if anyone interrupts his match with Solo Sikoa later tonight, they’ll get dropped too. Ha!
Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Michin & Zelina Vega vs. Damage Control – Holiday Havoc 8-Women Tag Team match
Oof. I’ve been waiting for this fight for days. Highly anticipated in my books. And let’s not forget to mention that entrance Belair, Vega, Shotzi and Michin did on Shotzi’s tank. Amazing! Yess!
The moment that Damage Control enter the ring, the brawling is underway with haste. I can comprehend the impatience. Ha! Love it. No restrictions. Kairi Sane and Zelina are dealing with each other, while Michin takes on Asuka and Shotzi goes after Bayley as it slips onto the main floor. Belair is inside the ring fighting the WWE Women’s Champion, Iyo Sky.
Bianca delivers an impressive vertical suplex to Iyo, which almost put her away early until Bayley stops that from happening. Shotzi unwraps a chair from a box, ready to use it against Bayley. Unfortunately, Bayley beats her, almost sending her crashing against the very same chair.
Shotzi launches herself off the chair and collides with Bayley’s spine.
While Zelina and Michin are quickly discussing tactics, they weren’t fast enough to realize the incoming threat in Asuka and Kairi with those kendo sticks. Luckily, Bianca and Shotzi flip the switch on them.
Belair and Shotzi were going to use a table revealed from under the stage, yet Iyo and Bayley play a double team utilizing their opponents’ weapon to counter the attack.
While Michin and Bianca suplex Bayley on one side of the ring, Kairi and Asuka do the same to Shotzi on the other side right on top of some empty blue Christmas boxes. Michael Cole calls them “cheap”.
Zelina counters a suplex from Iyo with a DDT on the main floor. Michin powerbombs Asuka, then Sky drop kicks her on her back. Later on, Shotzi and Bianca play a double team on Sky as Shotzi drops her from the top just as Iyo was sitting on Belair’s shoulders.
Sky had a present on her head as she acted like a headless chicken. Ha! Ha! The same woman who came off the cage at War Games with a trash can on her.
Kairi unwraps her gift, it’s a trash can lid. She delivers a swift back-hand strike to Shotzi’s face as it rings across the stadium then follows that up by shoving the ballsy badass into a tree. Zelina helps her teammate out by hitting Sane with a chair. Although it was going momentarily good, Vega received a pumpkin pie in the face by Dakota Kai then some blue mist from Asuka.
Bayley, Kairi and Asuka were ganging up on Bianca near the entryway. Sane thought it a great idea to open some more gifts, but what they didn’t suspect to find were Isla Dawn and Alda Fyre hiding in these two human-sized boxes.
Ha! How long were their asses even in there for? Dawn and Fyre take out Sane and Asuka, weakening Damage Control. Who knows if they were trying to help… somehow.
Back inside the ring, Bianca delivers the KOD to Bayley. Iyo sends a Moonsault to Belair. Michin presents Sky with the Eat Your Feet move then squashes the champ with a winning Senton.
Winners: Michin, Bianca Belair, Zelina Vega & Shotzi
Backstage, Jimmy is trying to hype Solo for his upcoming match with Styles, but everyone in that room are stale and dry. Jimmy is too excitable to be remain in such a brooding faction.
Reigns requests that Paul Heyman brings him Nick Aldis after that announcement he made not too long ago. Ooh, someone is in trouble.
Dragon Lee (c) vs. Butch – NXT North American Championship match
I’m so glad that if anyone was going to remove that Championship from Dominik Mysterio’s waist at NXT Deadline, it was Dragon Lee. Who else?
In the early goings of this match, Butch and Dragon Lee are feeling each other on their strengths and possible weaknesses. A few hits and misses, but admirable maneuvers. That right hand by Butch, however, yikes to Lee.
Butch begins to apply his joint manipulation tactics, temporarily putting the champ down. Lee fights through it and follows that up by slinging Butch across the ring.
Lee was looking to fly, but Butch quickly thwarts his efforts with a kick to the top of the champ’s head. Butch continues with his momentum by slamming Dragon’s spine against the apron.
Dragon has been on the receiving end of constant punishment, fortunately, he turns things around by sending Butch crashing on the main floor.
Butch was so close to winning after countering Lee’s powerbomb with one of his own. They start to slug it out in the middle of the mat. Butch may have dislocated Dragon’s fingers, but the champ delivers the stomp from the top anyway. Lee had to snap his limbs back into place, which disturbed Corey Graves.
Butch threw Dragon into the air then punched him hard in the jaw. Things you would see in Marvel movies. Butch wanted the Bitter End, but Lee counters with a Destroyer in mid-air.
Lee retains the Championship with Operation Dragon. Butch has nothing to feel bad about since he did an amazing job trying, and the champ takes note of that.
Winner: Dragon Lee
Back in The Bloodline locker room, Reigns wants Aldis to understand that he’s the head of the table. General Manager Adam Pearce apparently understood that, and Roman prefers that Nick does, too.
Aldis describes Pearce as the middle management type of person whilst Nick is the sharp end of the stick on SmackDown now. His mindset isn’t like Adam. He can see the faults in Roman that Sikoa doesn’t possess. I hate saying this, but Solo took care of John Cena in a way that Reigns hasn’t. Aldis is excited to see the winner of the Triple Threat match face Roman at the Rumble.
Nick intelligently slammed the door in the Tribal Chief’s face just like that. Ha! Ha! Ha! The look of contempt and defeat in Reigns’ eyes is priceless.
Kevin Owens vs. Carmelo Hayes – US Championship Tournament Semi-Finals
In terms of tactical maneuvering, we’re wondering if Carmelo Hayes will target the broken hand of Kevin Owens anywhere in this matchup. It will hurt, but it would be stupid of him if he didn’t.
Owens keeps trying to get a grip around Hayes, which his opponent swiftly manages to escape momentarily. Melo turns things in his favor by flipping Owens onto his backside.
Hayes misses with a drop kick, then Kevin also misses with a Senton. Ha! Melo does hit the mark with his second drop kick. Owens counters with a headbutt then a few kicks to Melo’s midsection. Owens’ second Senton finally connects.
Hayes misses Kevin as he descends from within the ring, and Owens takes advantage by shoving Melo into the stairs. Later on, Hayes manages to plant KO’s face down on the mat for a close win. Owens retaliates with a massive DDT from the top rope.
Melo misses with a crossbody, and Owens quickly defends himself with a right hand, shutting Hayes down. He’s still alive after that Pop Up Powerbomb by KO, something he found shocking.
Owens advances when he beats Melo with a Swanton and a Stunner. Hayes was great as well. Whoever wins in the second Semi-Final match with Santos Escobar and Bobby Lashley, KO is one step closer to getting his hands on Logan Paul.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Oof… AJ is still fuming, even when Michin hugs him warmly. I guess that wasn’t enough to calm his nerves. I don’t blame him though, just don’t take it out on those who did nothing wrong. That’s where the line is drawn for me.
Luckily, we didn’t stay with them too long to witness whether or not Styles chooses to blow up in his teammates’ faces.
Meanwhile, Karrion Kross and Scarlett are just getting started on their path to full destruction. They set the hourglass in front of The Bloodline a number of months ago, waiting for their implosion. It happened, and we watched.
Kross took away Drew McIntyre’s temperament, and he spiraled knowingly so. Rey Mysterio’s patience was also dismantled, so much so that he bashed his son. And just for fun, Karrion took away Shinsuke Nakamura’s honor, now look at his boundless nature.
Bobby Lashley vs. Santos Escobar – US Championship Tournament Semi-Finals
The moment the bell rings, Santos charges after Bobby only to collide with a clothesline. Lashley rams Escobar into the corner, nearly cutting him in half. Escobar jumps off from the top, gets caught then tossed onto the main floor.
Santos turns the tide as he drives Bobby into the stairs then follows that up with a suicide dive through the ropes. Lashley is presumed to be hurt, so Santos takes advantage of the situation.
Escobar has Lashley trapped in the corner as he delivers two sets of double knees to the midsection of his challenger. The All Mighty continues to receive attacks from Santos.
Bobby fights back after forcibly shoving Santos off the second rope with viciousness in his eyes like a predator just as Escobar backflips onto his stomach, hitting the mat hard.
Um… for some reason following Lashley’s defense, a man in a Luchador mask was seen sulking around near the commentary deck. A security guard him dragged out. Who the living hell was that?
Anyway, Bobby chock slammed Santos against the mat. Then, once again, the mysterious mask man returned with a friend as they take out the Profits. Lashley wanted help, Santos saw the distraction as his way to take out the knee, rolls Bobby up and wins.
Following the match, it was revealed that those masked individuals were Humberto and Angel. Of course, they would align themselves with this man. Commentary speculate that this was an elaborate plan set by Escobar.
Winner: Santos Escobar
Backstage, Pretty Deadly decide to make fun of the fact that Butch is alone, at least for the moment. This comment enrages Butch to attack Wilson and Prince until officials break them up. Aldis informs Butch that if he wants Pretty Deadly, he’ll have to find himself a partner, so they could fight at New Year’s Revolution.
In two weeks, KO will be facing Santos Escobar in the US Championship Tournament Finals. Also, Michin is getting her first singles WWE Women’s Championship opportunity against Iyo Sky. YAY!!!
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
This is a very different AJ Styles as he makes his entrance in a much darker feeling. He’s wearing black like he did last Friday and earlier tonight. Styles didn’t even do his regular hand logo thing.
Another thought would also be if Sikoa feels any more pressure after being told that he’s the Tribal heir. Taking care of business is what he does, but that doesn’t mean he’s never lost before.
For now, Styles has the upper hand against Solo because of his undivided focus to tear him apart. Sikoa flips the tide with a chop. Styles takes out the leg of Solo then delivers a kick and a knee to the chest.
AJ takes to the skies with a forearm to Solo’s face on the main floor. Sikoa retaliates with a thunderous back drop that leaves me gritting my teeth. Solo connects with a splashing headbutt from the air.
I closed my eyes after I saw Styles’ face harshly collide with the second turnbuckle as he slid too close due to Sikoa. He went for the headbutt again, yet AJ moved in time. Styles delivers a striking Moonsault.
Solo fires back with a Pop Up Samoan Drop that leaves the rest of us with our jaw on the floor in awe. A Phenomenal Forearm by Styles rocks Solo to the floor.
I’m not sure if AJ would have won, but never mind that because Roman materialized out of nowhere to assault Styles. Reigns was looking to do something here, yet AJ manages to get off his shoulders and deliver a pele kick to Roman.
Sikoa soon comes back into the fray as it becomes a 2-on-1 attack until Randy Orton happily shows up. Yay! But I wondered to myself, where’s Jimmy?
Oop, never mind. Here he is, helping Roman in the corner by pursuing Orton. A mistake as LA Knight comes to the rescue. Ha! Y’all say you don’t care about each other, all you care for is getting your hands on The Bloodline, yet you save each other’s asses, too.
But make no mistake, according to Graves, Knight isn’t here to help. Styles reminds them of just that when he said he didn’t need their help, or whatever it is that they were doing. Orton is left in disbelief…
But one thing is clear, their mission in two weeks finally sinks into their heads, so I wasn’t completely shocked when they started fighting amongst each other. Roman let’s them beat the other up.
Winner: No one, sir
TOP PHOTO: A brawl between The Bloodline, Orton, Styles and Knight. Courtesy of WWE