With the beginning of NJPW G1 Climax tournament this Monday, ROH's Death Before Dishonor XIII taking place just yesterday and WWE's Battleground, this week has been a good one for wrestling fans providing something to please everyone.
Here is a look at my three Matches of the Week:
Seth Rollins vs Cesaro (Smackdown, 23/07)
A little watched wrestling show called SmackDown airs every Thursday in the US and Friday in the UK. Formerly home to talent ranging from Brock Lesnar, Edge, The Undertaker and Tajiri. In 2015, SmackDown is the home to seemingly endless RAW replays (not even the good bits of Raw, usually) and feigned crowd enthusiasm for Roman Reigns. Occasionally, an interesting match or two happens on SmackDown to the surprise of the few remaining fans showing faith in the show. This weeks episode threw the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins, and The Swiss Superman, Cesaro together for the first time on WWE television in non-title action.
The ethnically diverse team- although trying to make a point- of Jey Uso, Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton spoke of Cesaro's dedication and workrate as he made his way to the ring to meet the WWE WHC, Seth Rollins. As the bell rings, Rollins flees immediately to ringside before making his way back into the ring. Fresh off defeating Rusev clean on last week's edition of SmackDown, the first wrestler to do so apart from John Cena, The Swiss Superman gorilla presses the champ who lands on his feet. The champ hits a running knee to the back of the head before hitting a suicide dive. The commentators remind viewers that owning a pinfall victory over the champ entitles Cesaro to a WWE WHC opportunity. Unfortunately for J&J, WWE are anything but stringent when it comes to enforcing the rule otherwise we would be seeing J&J team up to face Rollins at SummerSlam for the richest prize in sports entertainment.
As we return from the ad break, Cesaro sends Rollins to suplex city with a belly to belly. Over the past few weeks, Rollins has spent so much time in suplex city he maybe looking into buying to save on letting costs. Sadly for Cesaro, he appears to have a minor brain melt as he makes his way to the top rope to do God only knows what- Cesaro attempts a crossbody which is rolled through into a small package by Rollins for a two count followed up by a backslide for a two count once again.
Great athleticism by both competitors as Rollins hits a buckle bomb before going for a pedigree which is reversed in to a sharpshooter by Cesaro. Rollins desperately claws to reach the ropes but Cesaro notices this, transitioning into a cross face. Rollins finally reaches the ropes, simultaneously deciding enough is enough as he grabs his title from the time keeper before making his way up the ramp. Cesaro tracks him down with a huge European uppercut before tossing Rollins and the championship into the ring before attempting to lock in the sharpshooter one last time. As the ref turns to hand the title back to the time keeper, Rollins pokes Cesaro in the eye before sending him into the steel ring post shoulder first before hitting the pedigree for the three count. Rollins picks up the victory and looks rather pleased with himself as he makes his way up the ramp. Kevin Owens heads down to the ring, talks some trash to Cesaro before delivering a devastating pop up powerbomb to stand tall at the end of the show.
This is one of the better matches WWE has put on in a while that served two purposes; firstly, the match allowed Cesaro to continue building on the momentum he has been gathering week by week with the finish keeping Cesaro strong. Secondly, the match further develops Rollins' as a conniving opportunist who will do anything to win. Additionally, Owens' standing tall at the end alleviated some of the concerns about his position in WWE. Clearly, there are plans for Owens and if they involve Cesaro all the better for it. Something seemed different here in comparison to RAW, there seems to be a more laid back approach to SmackDown that suits the format better than the often over produced RAW. All in all, the match made was a fun way for WWE to end a tumultuous week.
Available Here:
AJ Styles vs Shibata (G1 Climax, Block A, 20/07)
This year's G1 Climax has already thrown produced some fantastic matches. Michael Elgin impressed in his NJPW debut against Okada, Tanahashi put on a a highly entertaining match against Kota Ibushi and Karl Anderson shocked the world by defeating Nakamura and the man that defeated Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Title, Hirooki Goto. My favourite match so far saw AJ Styles, leader of The Bullet Club, face off against Katsuyori Shibata, a man whose facial expression seemingly never changes. Whether you handed him a million pounds or pissed on his grandma on Christmas day his facial expression would remain identical. The man looks like a badass, end of. As a newcomer to NJPW, I had not heard or seen a great deal about Shibata before this year's G1 but his match with AJ on the first day stole the show.
As the opponents meet in the ring, chants of Shibata echo around the arena. AJ, unimpressed, waves away the chants with disdain. Shibata attempts a stiff kick to the chest and misses before grounding AJ with a sideheadlock followed by an early attempt at the Penalty Kick and missing. AJ and Shibata lock up for the first time in the match, AJ breaks and slaps Shibata-whose facial expression still hasn't altered from the "I'm gunna fuck you up real bad" face he has been pulling since the beginning, Nice back and forth between the two before AJ hits a huge dropckick, challenging Okada for the prize of best in the world. AJ looks to work over Shibata's leg, locking in the calf killer before Shibata powers out, taking more slaps to the face by AJ. As AJ learnt to his detriment, you don't want to get in a slapping match with Shibata-it only ends one way. Shibata hits some stiff shots of his own before irish whipping AJ into the turnbuckle followed by a huge running dropkick. Shibata picks up AJ and hits a vertical suplex as the fan's support of Shibata continues to grow.
Styles finds some energy from somewhere allowing him to get to his feet, attempted Styles Clash reversed but AJ follows it up with a pele kick before going for the Styles Clash for a second time which is reversed again! AJ locks in the calf killer, Shibata looks to be struggling this time but he eventually reaches the ropes but AJ isn't willing to let him off just yet, looking for the Styles Clash again but is reversed into a death valley driver by Shibata. Shibata locks in the sleeper hold as AJ struggles for air desperately pulling the fingers of Shibata in an attempt to escape, Shibata proceeds to lock in the hold tighter by biting his fingers! AJ is grounded as Shibata attempts a huge Penalty Kick but misses, AJ pops up and hits a beautiful pele kick before hitting the Bloody Sunday brainbusterrrrrr! AJ pulls the trigger on his gun to signal the end before hitting the Styles Clash for the three count.
What a match this was and what a great way to be introduced to Katsuyori Shibata. AJ, perhaps the best American wrestler on the planet, picks up the win and the points here but it was Shibata who impressed. I would love to see ROH use Shibata for one of their cross promotional PPV's with NJPW; Shibata vs O Reilly, Shibata vs Strong and Shibata vs Adam Cole all have potential to be great matches but ROH seems intent on always bringing the same guys each time. Not that I'm complaining, just it would be nice to see a few other NJPW faces in ROH.
Available here
Jay Lethal (C) vs Roderick Strong (Death Before Dishonor XIII, 24/07)
This week's match of the week and, to be fair, probably the match of most weeks, is Jay Lethal's first ROH World Championship defence against Mr ROH himself, Roderick Strong. Strong receives a huge ovation from the Baltimore crowd demonstrating his ability to seamlessly transition between heel and face depending on which promotion he is wrestling for. Jay Lethal arrives with the House of Truth members Truth Martini, Jay Diesel and winner of the 2015 Top Prospect tournament, Donovan Dijak.
Lethal enters the ring and the two competitors stare each other down before, surprisingly, Jay Lethal complies with the code of honor. As the bell rings, Lethal slides out under the bottom rope to talk some last minute tactics with Truth Martini. Lots of history between these two men, it was Roderick Strong that ended Lethal's first Television Championship reign three and a half years ago. Lethal, now ROH World Champion as well as Television Champion, returns to the ring succeeding in landing a few blows before hitting a well executed snap suplex. Strong manages to gain some of the control in the match, hitting a belly to belly as Lethal flees once again on landing. This time, the challenger chases the champion out the ring, dropping Lethal on to the barricade.
The crowd are divided in their support with half chanting Roddy and the other half chanting for Lethal, Lethal hits an inverted atomic drop (how is this legal but a low blow isn't???) followed by a body slam, followed by a body slam which is followed by a third body slam. Lethal tosses Strong outside as the House of truth members administer a viscous beat down as Lethal continues to dictate the pace in the sweltering heat. Strong manages to break free before being thrown back out to meet the fist of this year's top prospect, Donovan Dijak- how the referee has not dismissed the members of House of truth by now is beyond me. Lethlal goes to join in the beat down, ushering the House of truth members away before going for a bodyslam reversed into a reverse ddt. This is the opening Roddy has been looking for as he tosses Lethal back into the ring, hitting a dropkick, attempted pinfall only 2.
The action once again spills out of the ring as Lethal and Strong slug it out before Strong manages to send Lethal jaw first into the barricade. Roddy piks up the dead weight of Lethal, rolling him under the ropes just before the referee reaches the count of 20. As Lethal gets to his feet, Roddy hits a combination of running knees and elbows followed by a double knee gutbuster only for 2. Roddy drags Lethal to his feet, hitting a snap suplex once again.
What a match this has been, already clocking in at over 30 minutes with no end in sight.
Roddy sets up Lethal for the superplex but Lethal has it scouted before attempting a tornado ddt transitioning into a guillotine choke hold. Lethal applies the wrist tape for extra leverage, concealing his underhanded tactics from the ref with his arm before referee Todd Sinclair forces Lethal to break the illegal hold. Martini is hiding underneath the ring apron as Roddy is sent to the outside again, Martini grabs the boot of Strong allowing Lethal to hit a running dropkick followed by three consecutive suicide dives by the champion. Content to take the count out victory, Lethal returns to the ring for a break. Roddy, still willing, gets to his feet- somehow- and makes it back into the ring at 19.
Roddy is welcomed back with a crossface but makes it to the ropes in time. The heat has encouraged Truth Martini to lose his jacket, who continues to urge Lethal on. Strong gets what now must be his 6th wind and chops the living shit out of Lethal in the corner, quite a different reaction than he usually gets in front of a PWG crowd. Lethal manages to escape and land some shots of his own before attempting the Lethal Injection but Roddy has it scouted and hits a huge suplex. Strong Hold locked in now as Lethal's title reign looks like it could be over before it even started but he eventually reaches the ropes after nearly tapping on a number of occasions. Strong hoists Lethal up top again looking for that superplex but Lethal counters before hitting a big elbow drop from the top rope followed by the Lethal Combination transitioned into the Koji Clutch-reversed by Roddy into a roll up for a two count!
Both men make it to their feet seemingly just having exited the shower, the pair trade tired strikes as Lethal grabs the Book of Truth, swings and misses as Roddy hits the double knee gutbuster but somehow Lethal makes his way to his feet and hits a huge superkick and a kick out at 2 by Roddy! What a match this has been! Lethal is the first to his feet and makes his way up to the top rope looking for that elbow again but Roddy gets to his feet, finally hitting his superplex followed by the double knee gutbuster before a huge sick kick. Kick out at 2 and Truth Martini celebrates as though Lethal had just retained his gold. Chants of ROH echo around the arena as the fans of Baltimore witness what has got to be one of the best ROH World Title matches of all time. The crowd are firmly in Strong's corner now as The End of Heartache is reversed by Lethal who hits the Lethal Injection for what must be the win. Strong somehow manages to find a way to kick out at two, though, as this match continues still! Lethal blasts the referee for a slow count but he can barely stand up straight. What an effort by these two men.
Roderick Strong and Jay Lethal trade blows again in the centre of the ring with both men landing a blow at the same time that sends them both to the floor. Again, both men get to their feet as Roddy hits a big jumping knee followed by a forearm smash but Lethal somehow manages to summon enough strength to hit a superkick as both men tumble in a heap to the floor. The bell rings and that is it. Ring Announcer Bobby Cruise declares that the match is a 60 minute time limit draw as streamers flow over two broken down bodies strewn in the centre of the ring to end the PPV.
Wow. What a match that was. Roderick Strong and Jay Lethal are at their peak as wrestlers and produced a magic performance that will go down as one of the best ROH World Title matches of all time. The endurance on display from both athletes ensured the pace did not drop and if it wasn't for Bobby Cruise ringing the bell as the clock struck 60 minutes, I think they would still be at it now. This match is not only match of the week but in place to be considered as one of the top matches of the year in all promotions. If Lethal's run as champion is going to produce matches like that, long may it continue.
Available Here.
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