–Satoshi Kojima, Keith Lee, Athena, and Billie Starkz vs. Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty), Diamante, and Mercedes Martinez – 2/5
–Claudio Castagnoli vs. Josh Barnett – 3/5
–Luchasaurus vs. Nick Wayne – 2.25/5
–AEW Trios Tag Team Championships: The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) and Billy Gunn vs. TMDK (Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls, and Bad Dude Tito) – 2.75-3/5
*Main Card*
–ROH Tag Team Championships: Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch) – The Ross/Ollies version of The Wyatt Family had no business being put in this spot; then again, what do the ROH Tag Titles even mean anymore? MJF was fantastic. The only guy in the business who can get the crowd to care about basic moves from the 80s. – 3/5
–ROH World/NJPW Strong Openweight Championships: Eddie Kingston vs. Katsuyori Shibata – Great brawl with some old school flavor. Wasn’t fought under Pure Rules, per se, so just Eddie’s titles were on the line. Surprised at how physical this was, considering Shibata’s condition. – 3.5-3.75/5
–TBS Championship: Kris Statlander vs. Julia Hart to retain the – Good match, and Julia is so far improved! She’s becoming a star under our eyes. – 3.25/5
–The Young Bucks vs. The Gunns vs. Orange Cassidy and HOOK vs. The Lucha Brothers – Excellent “Fatal 4-Way” tag that was missing…something – perhaps Fenix, who was taken out early in the match due to a rl injury – from being next level, but the double-team action was fast and furious – 3.5/5
–Swerve Strickland vs. “Hangman” Adam Page – I LOVE LOVE LOVED this match. I’ve been begging for Swerve to get a push and, maybe, here it begins (unless he loses to Bryan on Tuesday). This was all the way fantastic and had a really strong build-up. – 4.5/5
–Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta –Good match between two heels that the crowd took a break on; hard to blame them with how epic the prior match was. Should have been saved for TV. – 3.25/5
–Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – An absolute wrestling clinic, as expected. A dream match for hardcores and fans of technical mat-wrestling; we’ve been asking ourselves who’d win between the two for a while now. I’m expected them to run it back a pair of times, in sort of an Omega/Ospreay-esque trilogy, perhaps one more in NJPW and the finale a little less than a year from now at All In – 4.75/5
–Konosuke Takeshita, Will Ospreay and Sammy Guevara vs. Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi – Another banger! Everyone delivered, even Ibushi, who was def the weakest link but still outperformed his sluggish performances in prior AEW appearances. Just SO much talent in this match and pushing Takeshita to the moon again was far from the worst call – 4.25-4.5/4
–AEW Tag Team Championships: FTR vs. Aussie Open – Excellent match that picked up after several minutes thanks to a tired crowd that had already seen WAY too much wrestling. It was gonna be tough to top the last two in terms of heat, but these two teams still gave us a banger regardless. – 4.25/5
–TNT Championship – 2 outta 3 Falls: Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin – The best Christian match by far in AEW and Darby got destroyed a few times. This kid just won’t break. While the surprising main event overachieved, the ending was the talk of the town, with Adam Copeland aka Edge making his first appearance in AEW – 4.25/5
AEW can’t stop having great Pay-Per-Views. But does anyone care? The Rated R Superstar debuted in a premiere spot that made sense, following a great main event that would barely sound like a strong main event on Dynamite or Collision. AEW’s booking is interesting, but mostly works. Once again, it was another AEW PPV that didn’t need to be THIS long and have FOURTEEN matches, which I would have cut down to 3 on the pre-show and 7 on the main card (not to mention there was a 2.5-hour media scrum following this, too!). That said, much like All Out Chicago, the card overachieved wonderfully and gave fans of pro wrestling everything it could’ve asked for.
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Damian Priest) vs. Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso – Michael Cole mentioned Bullet Club. The HHH-era is crazy, y’all. This was an excellent opener. I’m sorta shocked that they’d throw the straps on Cody and Jey, and especially this soon–seeing how that following “the longest reign in WWE history” with the Usos that these Undisputed straps have been hot potatoed to extreme temperatures. That said, this was a super hot opener. – 4/5
-Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. LWO (Rey Mysterio & Santos Escobar w/Zelina Vega) – The whole Lash & Profits saga has been a peculiar one, and just as they had some momentum from SmackDown to become something.. enter a consultant from the old Netflix show GLOW to make them all look like geeks once again. At least Swole-ito looks like a physical phenom. – 3/5
–WWE Women’s Championship: IYO SKY vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair – Lots of good action, and crowd was into it, but not the classic it could’ve been. I’m still waiting for the barnburner IYO/Asuka match we all know they can have, even in WWE. – 3.5/5
–LA Knight & John Cena vs. Jimmy Uso & Solo Sikoa (w/Paul Heyman) – This was the most “WWE style” WWE match of all time. You had Cena in there overselling his own persona, with all the greatest hits, while you have L.. A.. Knight(!!) doing his own greatest hits persona. It’s a sports entertainment match made in heaven, with a way over babyface team going up against a couple of guys from the hottest faction WWE’s had in the past decade. Regardless of what you think of the actual wrestling performed here — and tbh, it was solid — this was mint. Also, Knight’s confidence is through the roof and his in-ring appears to be crisper by the week. YEAH! – 3.5/5
–World Heavyweight Championship – Last Man Standing Match: Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – Nakamura has been so hit and miss in his WWE career, but this was a hit. The build-up has been strange, yet mostly strong, especially when they decided to allow Shin to cut his promos in Japanese. The video packages leading up to this rematch have been cool. There were def moments where I thought it was finally his turn, but keeping the strap on Seth is still the right move. And keeping the World Heavy title, basically a replacement for the three other World Titles we never see on TV, strong is as important. This was also very physical for a WWE PLE match, and Last Man Standing’s have been traditionally solid. That trend continues. – 3.75-4/5
Matches = 3.5/5 Presentation = 3.75/5
Overall = 3.5-3.75/5 McAfee Mules.
Fun show! Fastlane was exactly that: under 3-hours, no pre-show match garbage, not a whole lot of stories or angles shot, but a “TakeOver” style of Premium Live Event that burns through the night in half the time an AEW show does. And, thank god, because this WWE doesn’t half the roster that its rival does, so Kudos to Trips for knowing that and not boring the WWE Universe to death. Will people remember this show at the end of the year? Hell, they probably won’t even remember it after Raw. But I’m OK with it. If you don’t need 4.25-to-5 star matches in your life and just want your squared circle action speedy and SPORTS ENTERTAINING, this was it.
Well, Moody, here we are — another year, another installment of WWE 2K23. The annual wrestling sim made strides in the right direction with last year’s game including the much sought after GM Mode and better hair physics. I’m not the only one that was digging it, right? But at the end of the day it was just the basics with the a shiny coat. What’s your take on 2K23?
Shingo Moody @travmoody
Lauro! Much like its sister television product, WWE 2K23 is immediately so shiny, so glossy. It’s just.. so pretty. The menus, with its massive overlays and giant wrestler visuals smothering each choice. This is a big year for 2K with Big John on the cover and it all has an in-your-face I absolutely have no problem with and no problem SEEING.
LAURO: Starting off with John Cena’s Showcase, the folks at 2K and Visual Concepts have turned the showcase on its head by having the player be the one to beat Cena. Again and again and again… Showcase mode is a who’s-who of Cena’s toughest losses throughout his in ring career, with obvious omissions such as CM Punk at Money in the Bank or Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam. Then there are some head scratchers to boot, such as his loss to Kevin Owens for the US Title.
Aside from the walk down memory lane the matches are full throttle, so much so that half the time you’re spending your time trying to complete the match objectives all the while Cena is trying to finish off the match as quick as possible. Yeah, this was damn annoying after the second or third round.
MOODY: Well, we’re used to some “huh?’s” in Showcase mode due to key matches involving wrestlers either signed to AEW or not signed to Legends contracts (see Rey Mysterio last year missing matches with Chavo, Jericho, Angle), but, overall, I enjoy the nostalgic trip. The fact that 2K allows you to play a diverse cast of characters who’ve defeated Cena (rather than having to time the Attitude Adjustment match after match) was a terrific move.
I always just put the mode to “Easy” and try to reach the objectives as fast as possible while sitting back and enjoying the footage from Peacock. Heh. This year, I’ve only had time to see Cena’s ECW Invasion and the roots of Ruthless Aggression against Kurt. And much like the Mysterio series from last year, the interviews in between are enjoyable.
LAURO: God bless! Suffice it to say the mode is enjoyable and a decent celebration of Cena’s storied career. I, for one, would love to experience a Triple H showcase. Which feels like it’s wicked overdue, wouldn’t you say?
MOODY: Would that also put us at a first ever Showrunner Showcase? Like, take bits and pieces of Mister McMahon’s, Stephanie’s, Mick Foley’s, Shane’s and Paul’s career and give us options to make “What if?” scenarios? Just suggestin’.
But, man, visually, this 2K23’s a looker, eh? By far and away the best looking 2K game, and imagine if they ditch programming for PS4/Xbox One.. it’ll be even extra special. Still, the animations are super clean this year—especially with the new combo system, where the 4th button press will often trigger a sweet-looking move that might show your “sports entertainer” bouncing off the ropes before a running lariato(!), or setting things up before a clean moonsault.
LAURO: I like the Showrunner/GM Showcase idea– it’s innovative. The control scheme is definitely as smooth as a wrestler’s baby oiled bum. The combo system was some getting used in last year’s version but it’s so rewarding when you figure out a new move or pull of something…glorious. The new Payback system it is, with the new ability to call for a distraction when you’re feeling the momentum.
Speaking of which, that new pin kick-out is all types of intuitive and entertaining. Just like the real life thing, you flick up on the right joystick and depending on the stamina, your character will kick out with force or lethargic. Another thing, stamina is really a treat to behold. In my time grappling I’ve had some bangers that started as spot fests which devolved to sluggish back and forth offense.
MOODY: I’m almost wondering if 2K gave this year’s entry a more “arcadey” feel with AEW Fight For Never in the wings (or, is that caught in a One-Winged Angel?). Speaking of which, WWE 2K almost NEVER comes out in the Spring, and this year they decided to. Sure, they avoid the Call of Duty’s, NBA 2K’s and other massive AAA’s of the world with a Spring release, but funny how AEWFF was supposed to drop around this same time – with a wrestling title that promises a more relaxed, arcade-like “WWF No Mercy” inspired take. Then, we receive a sequel that has button mashed glory, especially with the pins.
That said, WWE 2K23 is still a great sim. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t jump right into Universe Mode this year. Sure, the glorious spontaneity of the mode is now all but gone, as players can choose their rivals and now choose their cutscenes, which the A.I. chooses the 50% outcome for you. But at least now you’re under control of what goes on in your Universe, and then there is that new trick that allows us to edit rivalry scenarios for any match. Turn off “automatic rivalries” and leave one empty rivalry slot. This workaround allows us to now select cutscenes for any match involving any superstars involved. That’s a game-changer (if Visual Concepts doesn’t patch it), since now this allows us to – *Rock voice* FINALLY – create our own custom storylines/rivalries.
I do have some issues with Universe Mode, still, sadly, but I’ll bounce back off the ropes with those once you get your shit in.
LAURO: I have devoted an uncomfortable amount of time into Universe Mode. Honestly it’s my go to. Always has been. The new rivalry actions is an honest to goodness game changer. I even discovered that that you can continue rivalries up to 4 levels. With this much booking power you can be your own TK or Papa H. Aside from small technicalities in UM, 2K has clotheslined several jobbers over the top rope with this mode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fc819wHw6I
MOODY: Oh, dude, I definitely appreciate that they even did anything to improve Universe Mode – which has been the forgotten bastard stepchild for years now. TBH, nothing will ever touch the random wonder that was WWE 12 – but that was an entry from Yukes and not VC. I’ll never ever have as much fun playing a wrestling game as I did that year; the Universe was so amazing that I even blogged my entire year-long run out on the Operation Sports message forums. That said, Universe needs a whole boatload of things to further spark the flames (i.e. promos with actual voice acting like MyRise; maybe combining GM Mode with Universe; adding another 100 cutscenes, etc.), but I’m happy it’s worth diving into.
My biggest issue so far with the mode is Pay-Per-Views. I went ahead and played WrestleMania Backlash (which I just made into a condensed one-day Hollywood Mania) and there were zero cutscenes – despite almost every match having a Rivalry implication. That’s a major bummer. I get not doing a DQ finish, or handshake, or something you’d see on TV, but at least give us something major after a few of the matches to further the story or put a stamp to it.
LAURO: There are definitely some kinks to be worked out. Now, speaking about red headed bastard stepchildren — MyFaction mode. 2K/VC is at it again trying to make Faction a thing and honestly it doesn’t get as much love. Reminiscent to MyTeam in NBA2k or FIFA, you create a stable from card packs you gain with VC or challenges completed. Kind of like Homer having an addiction to eating flowers (season 5 episode 18, peak Simpsons), MyFaction was my secret shame.
Sure, it’s one player for the most part but there’s a certain dopamine release when you open packs and get a good wrestler or foil type. The mode also opens up your technical skill with different talents building on your familiarity with the roster — as opposed to playing as Cody Rhodes every single time, unless that’s just me. I also like the limited live events and spontaneous 2K codes. It helps to turn to this mode if I ever get burned out on controlling everything and just want to kick back and take on towers a la Mortal Kombat.
YOU CAN CREEP ME!
MOODY: I haven’t touched it. The only intrigue in the mode for yours truly Moody is the – you guessed it! – Mattel action figure skin of Ruthless Aggression John Cena. Crazy that I preordered that figure twice, but waited for a sale from Wally World, only to witness the character sell out and be sold on the scalper market. I may have to take a look-see for it next time I’m near a Walmart, and there aren’t too many of those nearby (at least none where I wouldn’t feel the need for a bulletproof vest).
Anyway, speaking of skins or cosmetic appearances, how ‘bout them CAWs this year, eh? Gotta feel for Fight Forever; the CAWs in this title look way better than any of the character models from that (delayed) game. I’d argue that this year’s Create-A-Wrestlers are the best yet, as Creation Suite legends Dre41, Defract, and WhatsTheStatus have set a standard that, now, some are even living up to. Weird that — as of this publishing — Iconic2K has a “Bronze” status when he seems to be the top dog for me (then again, he does mostly AEW CAWs, so I could understand some trolled ratings there). There are some dynamite creations and by a whole slew of creators, some veteran and many new.
LAURO:Dynamite! I see what you did there! It is amazing what some of these creators are putting out. I’ve downloaded Christian, Mox, MJF, Jericho and Omega. With the sole intent of running Omega through the gamut of MyRise mode and see if he is truly…Tough Enough. The models are a beauty to behold and looking a whole lot better than what’s been shown on AEW: Release Never.
Perfect segue into MyRise, essentially the player’s story as they climb the mountain top that is WWE — a mode I’ve sadly yet to dive into. Your thoughts?
MOODY: MyRise has, once again, been MyMode this year because of – wait for it – MyMax! MyMJF! Broseph, this mode was made for Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Not only is my CAW from DXCAWs (@DX4LIFEE) just the best (and there are a slew of incredible MJCAWs this year), but his likeness and interaction with HBK, RKO, MVP, HHH – hell, anyone else with 3-letter dubs – is just the best. Of course, I’ve only chosen the most obnoxious choices, and some are on-point. While he’s never as utterly outrageous in this mode as he is on TBS, my man does who voices the main male character in MyRise does, at points, sound like Max when he whispers or talks very calmly. It’s maddening.
Beyond the ability to select a CAW for MyRise, definitely one of the best damn decisions in WWE 2K history, the mainline story is a treat — no longer having to work your way up through the PC (Performance Center) and this time starting off your career with a title match. Yeah, that’s very much something that could happen if Max decides to go home to New York and rock that Burberry for the ‘E. The writing in MyRise has improved, too. You get to decide on joining The Hurt Business 2.0 (with Carmelo Hayes and Omos) or Randy’s Evolution 2.0 (with a generic side character, Randy and yourself). OFC my Whoo Flair-inspired MyRise character chose Evolution and shenanigans ensue. The side missions don’t appear to be more than what they were last year – some comedic or b/c-list programs that start with backstage banter or twitter shit-talk. So far, I’ve really enjoyed my time with MyRise, much like last year before my save data went kapoof for the zillionth time in the series.
LAURO: Yes! Previous MyRise have felt like slots as you had to try in the PC make your way up the ranks in NXT and eventually main event the show of shows. I just downloaded a wicked Will Ospreay and cannot wait to put the roster through its paces.
Finally last year, 2K gave the frothing fans what they wanted when they brought back GM Mode. Albeit it was basic with a set number of weeks, a top singles and tag championships, and a limited set of match types. But they brought it back. With 2K23 the developers have opened the books to the players. You now have top, singles, tag championships and a multitude of match types and stipulations in GM Mode, as well as a laundry list of achievements to be completed over the course of your managerial reign.
Once more, you’ll face off talent that mesh well with their heel/face alignment and fighting types (fighter/bruiser/technical/high flyer/giant). Although it can be frustrating at times when you think you have a decent match up but the virtual crowd cannot get behind and they’ll let you have it with their Twitter fingers. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve tried to make LA Knight (YEAH!) happen only to be relegated to mid card. Same with Zoey Stark and I pushed her hard only for her to tell me she thought she was not being used correctly, so she asked for her release. But it is incredibly rewarding once you perfectly book a card and get the famed 5 stars, sans Meltzer. This mode is intoxicating and cannot wait to see the improvements to come.
MOODY:Since I haven’t tried MyGM yet – mostly due to my disdain for the mode last year – those sound like some significant improvements. I’m happy that the booking has improved, but I wish we had the option to mesh both MyGM & MyUniverse. A lot of players are clamoring to see that.
Other than that, how you feeling about the presentation? While far from the commentary we hear in 2K’s sister NBA title, it’s once again far more acceptable. Although, during cutscenes they refer to everyone as “they” and not because of a politic pronoun issue (they/them), but because programming something like “I can’t believe Rousey just went THERE!” would be too difficult or time costly. As far as the overlays and entrances, everything is a WrestleMania football stadium level sight to see.
LAURO:2K23‘s presentation is nominal. At times I do wish they had different commentary teams just to mix it up; I mean how hard can it be to get Barrett and McAfee in the booth to spit some audibles?
Settings are usually background fodder but can sometimes dip into the silliness when a high school gym has all of Cody Rhodes pyro going off next to some bleachers. But that’s just nitpicking.
MOODY: I agree. Now that they’ve made a great well-rounded edition in terms of gameplay and modes, it’s time to change the guard and bring in some fresh voices. Add more dialogue lines in Universe Mode – especially from the Superstars themselves. As I mentioned earlier, they got rid of the laborious text promos from the previous entries, but promos are a BIG part of pro wrestling, especially in Sports Entertainment. Time to use some real life audio clips from TV for the game and allow us to promo with the best of ‘em.
LAURO: Safe to say that expectations were met, with positive feedback coming in. Could it be better? Yes. Are there improvements to be made? Always. Is it a good time? Oh, hell yeah. This years’ installment is a leap in the right direction and is taking all my attention away from adult responsibilities.
LAURO = 3.75/5 Slammy Awards
MOODY: I’m with you, fam. Maybe it’s just the pride in me working Toy Fairs for WWE Mattel and the mark in me loving the Triple H regime in the past 8-10 months. I’m no longer embarrassed to be a fan of the WWE, and hopefully Vince keeps it that way by staying out of the way. It doesn’t seem like he had a lick of anything to say here about this video game that would be a chore for the old man to understand, so I’m gonna mark out for that too.
While a seemingly “safe” follow-up to a game that was indeed a major upgrade, the improvements run across the board and have given both critics and fans alike hardly anything to nitpick about. Universe Mode is more than playable, and MyRise including superstars from the Creation Suite is a massive win. It might not be “The GOAT” as WWE has proclaimed my dude Cena to be, but it deserves a Top Five Knuckle Shuffle.
It’s 100, baby! A feat so good we decided to celebrate twice. Here on Part 1, Moody, Ryan and Erick discuss “The Toys That Made Us” with our guests of honor Xazyl (from Sgt. Slaughter’s Slaughterhouse) and Ken (from Toy Kennections). Expect ALL the nostalgic feels, going through the most important toys of our childhood all the way to what action figures mean most to us now.
It’s going to be a great conversation and trip down memory lane, so don’t miss this one and stay tuned for Part 2 with the rest of the ATKM gang and more special guests!
Of course, please don’t forget to like and subscribe.
It’s been a long time but after tons of requests (by me) we’re finally back with another Flashback Friday. I had to get the Waybach Machine a tune-up. Gas prices are ridiculous but whatever.
Let’s get this show on the road. We’re going all the way back to October 22, 1995. Fantasy by Mariah Carey is the number one song on the charts. Ironically, Christopher Lloyd is celebrating his 57th birthday. And where we’re going, we don’t need roads!! ..OK. Actually, we need roads in 1995, but you get the joke…
The show starts out with some up-and-coming Canadian singer doing, of course, the Canadian National Anthem. Whoever she was, I bet she wasn’t up-and-coming after that horribly off-key performance.
Fatu vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Rikishi was lucky that they evolved this gimmick into what it became. Why does it say, “Just Say No” on Fatu’s trunks? There is definitely a “crack kills” joke in there somewhere. Anyway. … Fatu superkicked Helmsley into the Attitude Era!!! Of course, Hunter wins. I’m not surprised at all. Lawler interviewed him after. Helmsley does a horrid British accent or whatever that was supposed to be. A snobby aristocrat maybe? After that vomit-inducing promo, Henry Godwinn chased Hunter away with a bucket of slop. Cool story. – 2.5/5 Molsons
TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: Smoking Gunns (c) vs. Razor Ramon & 1-2-3 Kid
So Razor is on double duty? Really? Well, that’s fucking stupid. You couldn’t put anyone else in that spot? I get that they have matching gear for the first time but FFS! To start, I got distracted by the two guys in the front row trying to find their seats. I’m relieved they figured it out and he even gave the kid that was in his seat his Canadian Tuxedo back. Razor and the Kid look like they’ve been teaming for years. Billy & Bart are sloppy as fuck. Are you sure these two are brothers? Wait… So 1-2-3 Kid hot-shotted to get the pin, wasted time, pinned sloppily, and got rolled up? Wow. Talk about a fuck finish. Then the Kid attacked the Gunns after the match. It was a decent match until the end ruined it. – 2.25/5
Doc Hendrix does a WWF Shop promo and awkwardly suggests you could wake up to Bret Hart standing over you. No thanks.
Marty Jannetty vs. Goldust
This is Goldust’s in-ring debut. It’s dark and the arena is quiet because nobody knows how to react to what the hell they’re seeing. He actually looks like he fucking hates his life and this gimmick right now. Jannetty looks like he’s wearing one of the Ultimate Warrior’s armbands. For the record, Vince calling Goldie “androgenous” was pure gold. This character would get canceled today in 3.5 seconds. It would be labeled both transphobic and homophobic and probably three other types of phobic on top of that. Who the hell was that “Son of the Undertaker” looking weirdo in the crowd? That was an uneventful ending. And his finisher is a version of One Man Gang’s 747 suplex? What a flop. – 2.25/5
King Mabel vs. Yokozuna
Who booked this shit? Seriously. And who signed off on that this was a good idea? It hasn’t even started yet and I can imagine how slow, plodding and sloppy this is going to be. A few moves and someone rolls out of the ring so they can both catch their breath. The fans love this– I don’t know why. They did an entire segment of missed drops and splashes and the fans ate it up. Fuckin’ Canadians, eh? The ref called a double count-out. Then we got a way too long stare down followed by a hug and both men holding each’s hand up after Mo & Cornette talked them into it. – 1/5
Now Vince is confused as to where Doc Hendrix is. Doc Hendrix. Why does WWF have to change people’s names that are already established? Speaking of which, Dean Douglas? Really? Anyway, Gorilla Monsoon is in the ring and they bring Shawn Michaels out to relinquish the Intercontinental Title. In case you don’t know, HBK got his ass beat by a Marine outside of a bar so he couldn’t wrestle and Vince made him give the title up. Definitely more so because he picked a fight and got his ass beat. Douglas is named the champ and immediately defends it against… Razor Ramon.
INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Razor Ramon vs. Dean Douglas (c)
This match went on way longer than it ever needed to. I can’t figure out why. Were they trying to not totally bury the guy that they just made the definition and picture of a transitional champion? And THEN, after all that, they have a fuck finish to crown Razor the champ? Really? Who booked this shit?!? – 2.25/5
Bret Hart comes out with a hockey sweater tucked into his jeans and goes after Jerry Lawler. Hart chases him away and takes his spot at the announce position.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x88jqnx
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP: British Bulldog vs. Diesel (c)
I know they wanted to emphasize Bret being the next man up, but Bret does not belong in the booth. Vince is great because he has no problem just talking right over Bret. Bulldog took out Diesel’s leg early and the match just plodded on from there with Smith working the leg. This match works with a Bret Hart, but certainly not with a British Bulldog. I feel like they wanted Bret in this match but settled for Bulldog because they even had him attempting a sharpshooter.
Bulldog slaps Hart, who jumps up and pummels the Bulldog. This costs Diesel the match but not the title. OH BOY!! Another fuck finish!! I never would have guessed. Diesel was pissed so he started fighting with Bret. Officials and other wrestlers came out to try to separate them and we go off the air to this image. The biggest pop of this match came when Bret interfered. Ouch. – 2/5
OVERALL
Talk about lackluster. Too many fuck finishes. Too much shit that doesn’t make any sense. Too many long matches. I’m glad it was a short show. My favorite part was when they put the production graphic up to signify it being over. Yeah, it was that type of night. Good thing gas is only $1.14 a gallon in 1995 because I’m filling up and getting the hell out of here. 2/5 Molsons.
And in the main event of our SDCC 2022 coverage, ATKM shoot for the 6-man tag straps with a recap of our favorite wrestling figures revealed and shown off at Comic-Con…
Moody, Ryan and Fabster run down everything we caught in the Mattel and Jazwares booths– be it the Elite or Unrivaled/Unmatched Collections, Supreme and Ultimate Editions, the Legends, Ringside Collectibles exclusives, Comic-Con pick-ups and more!
We also “break the walls downnn” of both the amazing WWE Elite Squad panel (featuring Cody and The Undertaker!) and the terrific All Elite Wrestling: Heroes & Villains (featuring CM Punk, Jade Cargill, and Chris Jericho!) presentation. What was our fav reveal? Best/Worst in show? Most slept on release? Don’t miss us in A Wrestling Figure Kinda Mood.
SHAWN PUFF: Holy shit. It’s been a long time! I don’t think we’ve done one of these since COVID. I thought I got us canceled!! Anyway, it’s that time of the year again. Beach weather is upon us and it’s time for the “Biggest Party of the Summer” … wait, since Vince is gone, do we have to use the silly catch phrases and can we finally call them belts again and “drop some E” … I just made that up. … But what’s a party without the RETURN of The Sean & Shawn Show BAY BAY!!!!
SEAN FARRELL: “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon“ to quote The Cerebral Assassin himself. It’s time to play the game!
SHAWN: OK. Let me start by saying this… Now that Vince is gone, we need to get rid of two brands and two women’s champions. There aren’t even enough females on the roster for that. And if you’re going to stick with that two title idea, at least make it a world and intercontinental championship. But I digress. This was a great opener. I don’t know why Becky wants to be an anime character, but if you really look at it, it’s kind of funny that her eccentric style is, in essence, female Seth Rollins. These two went out there and set the tone and put on a great match to open the show. Bayley returns at the end and then Dakota Kai returns and joins her and then Io Sharai — now called Io Sky — comes up and joins her. … Holy shit. THAT IS HOW YOU OPEN A SHOW. If this is what the Helmsley-McMahon Era is going to look like, I’m in. – 4/5
SEAN: Bianca put a statement on the one-year anniversary of her 26-second loss to Becks the last SummerFest. It never shoulda happened. This show started strong and hot. Becky took her loss and reminded everyone who the real workhorse of the Horsewomen is/was. Bianca has it. Dusty saw it, Hunter saw it, and now y’all can see it. For someone who never got a title run in NXT, she’s shown that she can carry that belt and be a champion. And then we got Bayley, looking like an Oompa Loompa with pants pockets fetish from the 90s X-Men. I kid, I kid. Mostly. Bayley automatically helps increase the quality of the women’s wrestling on both shows and I’m glad she’s back. Buuuuut she Isn’t alone! It’s CONTROL! Io & Dakota?!? I had prognosticated about who would come back to WWE with HHH at the helm. Totally didn’t see this happened. I don’t care what you call Io, she is magic in that ring. Dakota never should have been let go. – 4/5
SHAWN: I don’t want to open each match by saying holy shit, but HOLY SHIT. Logan Paul has had two matches and he’s better than half of either roster. I’m sold. This kid is the real deal and going to make a big impact. I know some people hate this feud, but come on–it writes itself. The new reality star comes in and — of course! — Miz is going to take exception to him. It’s perfect. Does Logan Paul count as a celebrity wrestler anymore since he has a contract now, or is he the hands-down celebrity wrestler of the year once again already?? Oh yeah… and let’s not forget that I’m pretty sure we just saw the setup for Ciampa versus AJ Styles. Thank you, Hunter. – 4/5
SEAN: Well…. Paul got over as a babyface by the end of this match. Good for him. That shows just how damn great The Miz truly is. He understands someone like Paul coming from outside fame and trying to make it in the WWE. Miz did that. Miz climbed the mountain from jabroni dressing in the hallway to beating Cena at Mania for the belt. Logan put in the work and did the right moves. Now let’s see what he can actually do.. wrestling to me is more than just doing moves; tell a story, make me believe. And let’s get Ciampa in the ring now okay? Heard his ol buddy might be looking for work. – 3/5
SHAWN: And another thing, can we please stop dropping names and bring them back actually? I’m referring to him as Austin Theory and not just Theory. Fucking Vince. Also this was the most obvious outcome of the night since Austin Theory has the Money In The Bank briefcase and doesn’t need to win. I actually expected Dolph to get involved or Austin Theory to get disqualified. Don’t get me wrong; it wasn’t a bad match and all, and I’ll say until I’m blue in the face that Austin Theory is the future of the business. – 3/5
SEAN: Short and to the point. Lashley is a monster and Austin didn’t need to be going after two belts. A smart way of getting this done and over with. – 3/5
SHAWN: I’m not gonna say it.. I’m not gonna say hit.. How about, yes, Rey looked young again! I actually enjoyed a Rey Mysterio match, and I didn’t even hate Edge showing back up. Okay… Maybe I did hate that. I wanted the Mysterios to lose and Dominic to turn heel already!! Damn you, Hunter!! – 3.25/5
SEAN: Rey wrestled like he was 20, not like he has been here for 20! Dom still looks like he needs 2-3 years of NXT before coming back to the majors. But that horse is outta the barn and we’ll see if he can rise up to the challenge. Put the mask on kid, that might actually help sell you as an adult. Edge big return, is the…third time he’s done this since his last…big return? I’m sure the IWC is mad it wasn’t Bray/Fiend …. But Edge is always welcomed on my rasslin’ shows. – 3.5/5
SHAWN: Oh Bum-Ass Corbin. Always good for a good laugh. I know people hate him but this guy can turn shit into shitake bacon. Seriously. This was entertaining to start with the “Bum-Ass Corbin Choir”. Pat McAfee is pretty nasty, too, huh? I know he’s good on the stick but get this guy in the ring more. I’m sure they can find someone to take his place– or hire me. Just a thought. Next year, give me McAfee versus Paul for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam, please. – 3.75/5
SEAN: Let’s have Corbin be off tv for a while and return as the Lone Wolf. No more goofy-ass mid-card shenanigans. The dude is a big mobile safe-to-work-with guy who doesn’t deserve to be stuck in the mid-card for as long as he has been. He was miscast since his NXT call-up, but now that Daddy is home things should be changed for the better. Pat is someone who I’ve always found to be super entertaining. The law of diminishing returns will catch up to him if he keeps making these infrequent matches, but he never disappoints. Still a better wrestler than Logan Paul, Bad Bunny and Snoop combined. – 3.75/5
SHAWN: Can we acknowledge the Usos are dirty? I mean good dirty. They’re different than FTR and arguably the best high-flying tag team in history. Yeah. I said it. I don’t think I’m ever disappointed with an Usos match and this match was amazingly produced on top of that. Are we gonna see the Street Profits break up because they’re basically just the New Day 2.0 at this point? I guess it’s whatever. They’re just gonna push that clown Montez and his dancing ass. – 4.25/5
SEAN: I think I’m well past this feud. They all work super hard and do all that they can, but ya can’t keep this up forever. SPs shouldn’t split up, and the Uso’s can’t lose until after Roman does. Why are they still carrying both sets of belts? If you’re gonna unify them, unify them. Otherwise, we need/deserve two sets of champs. – 4.25/5
SHAWN: Holy s… Dammit, I almost said it again. But Matt Riddle is here and he’s not medically cleared and he’s calling out Seth!!! I wasn’t expecting this to happen. And Riddle gets curb stomped and that puts a quick end to that. I wonder how long it’s going to put Riddle on the shelf. Brooooooooo… – 3/5
SEAN: I was wondering what was to become of Seth. Was he pulled as backup *break Incase of Brock BooBooFace and doesn’t show*? Was this match cut just to save time for a show that nearly went 4-hours? Got a ton more heat on Seth and Riddle starting the shed that goof skin and hopefully less Orton mannerisms too. – 3.25/5
SHAWN: I guess you can’t go an entire night without a single fuck finish. At least this one made sense. Ronda got screwed. She turned heel, which was very much needed. Liv gets a successful title defense. It’s a win/win. This wasn’t the greatest match of the night but it told a story and it did a good job doing that. – 2.5/5
SEAN: Liv does nothing for me. She always looks scared, and overwhelmed and comes across as a 16-year-old trying to pass herself off as 21. But at least she wants to be there. Rousey is lousy. She’s been a one-trick pony her entire career. Now in two professions. The finish was creative but didn’t really do Liv any favors. Yes she won, yes she tapped, but it got the job done. – 2.25/5
So y’all thought it was a good Idea, in an open air arena, with thunderstorms threatening all day to delay the show, to send DREW out ….. carrying a giant metal sword to promote a PPV 5 weeks away. Well, the promo was solid. Thankfully it wasn’t …. Shocking!
SHAWN: This is the one that nobody was waiting for. Had it been a five-star match it still would go unnoticed because people are sick of Brock versus Roman. What is this, Brock/Roman XXVII?? Fuck. The addition of the tractor was intriguing and you knew it was going to be used somehow. On the other hand, I’d be pissed if I paid ten large to sit front row and have the end of the main event blocked by the ring half lifted in the air. PISSED. Haha — but they gave us the whole shebang. Theory almost cashed in but got knocked the fuck out instead. The Usos get involved and get manhandled for a bit. Brock gets put down about five times and somehow gets back to his feet each time, but the numbers game is eventually too much. You know the drill. Now acknowledge your tribal chief. – 4.25/5
SEAN: Then. Now. Together. Forever. It feels like every time these two clash everyone is mad they’re doing it again. Not me. I loved this. It was bonkers. Brock driving the tracker, doing his own mic introduction, Roman nonchalantly catching said mic, and then BANG A GONG it was on! Instead of one move and standing around and gawking Brock was going 100 mph right from the get-go and Roman did all that he could to survive the Alpha male. Once Roman got his time he took it to the Beast and they literally beat each other from pillar to post. Brock and that ring destruction were hilarious and I sorta feel bad for those ringside seats. But it is what it is. Heyman got F5’ed! The ending was great. If this was Brock’s legit swan song, what a hell of a way to end a career. The only way he was stopped was by dropping the damn building on him. – 4.75/5
SHAWN: This was a really good show. Probably the best WWE pay-per-view since sometime Pre-COVID. The rumors are swirling as to who’s going to be brought back into the fold and what’s going to happen to NXT now that the regime has changed. But if last night is any sign of what the future of this company is going to be about then I’m in and I’m sure by this time next year WWE will be the place to be again. I can’t wait to see what happens this week and move forward. I think the future is bright in the E. And let’s not forget that we’re calling the WRESTLERS again. Michael Cole was actually good tonight! In fact, that whole announce team was good. Sean, I’m sure you appreciated that.
Matches = 3.5/5, Entertainment = 4.5/5, Overall =4/5 Whiskeys
SEAN: Everything about this show was great. You can’t change everything overnight. It’s an aircraft carrier, not a sailboat. Start with the verbiage, and have the announcers announce! Cole was a fanatic! Saxton was great! Corey got to be Corey again! Wrestlers getting more say in what they say and how they say it! “Banned moves” back because the 700-year-old man isn’t around anymore. This should have happened 10-years ago not 10 days. I’m excited about the future of this company. Everything is changed. As the man in the black hat likes to say “Business, is about to pick up !”
Matches =3.5/5, Entertainment = 5/5, Overall = 4.25/5 Whiskeys.
A WWE PPV with 4-4.25 Whiskey Bibles… When was the last time that happened?!
It’s been a long time but after tons of requests (by me) we’re finally back with another Flashback Friday. I had to get the Waybach Machine a tune-up. Gas prices are ridiculous but whatever.
