Wrestle Review: DON, Dark Side and other Musings Submitted by Andy Sullivan on 05/23/2020 at 12:49 PM
This past week was the season finale of Dark Side of the Ring and it featured the tale of the late, great Owen Hart. I knew this was going to be a difficult watch and it was. A few immediate thoughts I had after watching the show: only one of which I can print here. Martha will never allow his name on a WWE Hall Of Fame plaque. In fact, she'll never allow his name on anything to do with WWE ever again. What I didn't know was that Owen wasn't cool with that stunt. I didn't know that the rigger asked Owen if he wanted to do a practice run and that Owen refused. The whole thing was just heartbreaking. Having been 20 when it happened, it's something I'll always remember. Oh what could've been....
The Intercontinental Championship Tournament final four is set! The semifinal matches next Friday night will be Jeff Hardy, who shocked Sheamus last night, facing Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles vs Elias. I'd love a Styles/Hardy final at Backlash! I think that would be a, pardon the pun, phenomenal match! That said, I'm thinking Sheamus will screw Hardy and Bryan will move onto the final. This will set up Sheamus vs Hardy again at Backlash. Though if they really wanted to make the Sheamus/Hardy feud hot, they'd have Jeff advance to the final and Sheamus screw him there.
In order for my scenario of a Hardy/Styles final to come to fruition, AJ will have to defeat Elias. That should be pretty easy, right? I wouldn't be surprised to see Corbin cost Elias the match, thus setting up Corbin vs Elias again at Backlash. That match would line up with the old "Backlash is the WrestleMania rematch show". At least that's how it used to be a lot.
AEW Double Or Nothing is tonight and I'm pumped! The show starts with the Buy In featuring Best Friends vs Private Party. The winners will be the #1 contenders for the tag team championship. For a company that supposedly focuses on tag team wrestling, there is not one traditional tag match on the official card. Anyway, I choose Private Party to win.
Dustin Rhodes was challenged Wednesday night on Dynamite by Shwan Spears. Didn't Dustin say the next match he lost would be his final match? Well, he lost the TNT semifinal to Lance Archer a few weeks back. If you're keeping count, that's two things(that I can recall) that AEW has reneged on. The first being that ratings system they started keeping but dropped soon. Shawn Spears is winning this match. Dustin is in the position of pushing newer talent.
Penelope Ford is taking the spot of the injured Britt Baker vs Kris Statlander. I wouldn't be surprised to see Penelope win. I think Kris needs to, though.
MJF will flatten Jungle Boy like a pancake. I wouldn't be surprised if this didn't kick off the show. I'm looking forward to the Stadium Stampede match between the Inner Circle and the Elite. :Hangman: Adam Page and Nick Jackson finally returned on Dynamite this past week. Do people still wonder where his allegiances lie? I think it'll always be a question. And when it's not, that's when the turn will happen(if it does). I think the Elite needs this win, though.
The Casino Ladder Match with the winner receiving a world title shot(AEW's Money In The Bank, basically) features Darby Allin, Colt Cabana, Orange Cassdy, Joey Janella, Scorpio Sky, Kip Sabian, Frankie Kazarian, Luchasaurus and a mystery participant will be involved. Who is the mystery participant? Lots of people are thinking it'll be a recent WWE castoff. Count me among those. Perhaps the former Zack Ryde? He and Cody are buds. We shall see.
Cody and Lance Archer wil battle to determine the first TNT Champion. Mike Tyson will present the title to the winner and will knock someone out. Okay, that last part is my thinking. No matter which man wins this, the feud will go on after tonight. I'm thinking Cody becomes the first champion. I'm also thinking Jake gets in Brandi's face and Arn intercedes. Maybe Mike knocks Lance out? Or Jake?
Nyla Rose and Hikaru Shida for the women's championship in a no dq/no count-out match should be a wild one. That might be the only way Shida wins the championship. I'm still inclined to pick Nyla, though. Much like Charlotte and the NXT championship, I don't know if the woman who dethrones her is in AEW right now.
Jon Moxley defends the AEW World Championship against Brodie Lee. I love how AEW has made Lee out to be a mastermind, a real bad-a$$. That said, this is just Jon's second title defense. I know a lot of people are saying Lee will come away the champion but I don't think so. Lee might leave with the title but not as the official champion.
Stardom wrestler Hana Kimura has died. This comes after posts appearing to show self-mutilation. Anytime that anyone commits suicide it's a terrible situation. The rumor going around was that it was the result of online bullying. Be better, people.
Enjoy Double Or Nothing tonight if you're watching. Enjoy whatever wrestling you choose to watch. Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
