This is a professional wrestling blog that includes reviews, recaps, some news and any wrestling-related discussions of my choosing. Companies span from WWE to New Japan Pro Wrestling to AAA in Mexico. Don't just read recaps... watch them!
1.Pre-show: Jado won the New Japan Rumble. Accompanied to the ring by singer Momoka Ariyasu, the New Japan co-booker entered last and was the last man remaining in the ring.
2. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match: The Young Bucks defeated reDRagon (c), Forever Hooligans, and Matt Sydal and Ricochet. The Bucks hit More Bang For Your Buck to unseat Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, becoming the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions.
3. NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship Match: Toru Yano and the Briscoes defeated the Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale, and Tama Tonga). Jay and Mark Briscoe hit a Doomsday Device to become inaugural NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.
4. Ring of Honor World Championship Match: Jay Lethal (c) defeated Michael Elgin. After interference from his manager Truth Martini, Lethal hit the Lethal Injection to retain his title.
5. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: KUSHIDA defeated Kenny Omega (c). Ryusuke Taguchi was at ringside to fight off interference from the Young Bucks. Omega attempted the One-Winged Angel, but KUSHIDA rolled through and pinned him to become the new Junior Heavyweight Champion.
6. IWGP Tag Team Championship Match: Great Bash Heel (Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma) defeated the Bullet Club (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) (c).After a top-rope Kokeshi headbutt from Honma and a King Kong Knee Drop from Makabe, GBH became the new IWGP Tag Team Champions.
7. Hirooki Goto defeated Tetsuya Naito. Goto fought off interference from Los Ingobernables and hit the Shouten Kai for the victory.
8. NEVER Openweight Championship Match: Katsuyori Shibata defeated Tomohiro Ishii (c).Shibata hit the PK (Penalty Kick) to end Ishii’s reign as Openweight Champion.
9. IWGP Intercontinental Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) defeated A.J. Styles.Nakamura secured the win with two Boma Ye knee strikes to retain his IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
10. IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi. Okada hit multiple Rainmaker clotheslines and pinned Tanahashi to retain the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Stephanie McMahon shows up to start the show, but she doesn't even make it down the entrance ramp when Roman Reigns' music hits. Stephanie makes her way to the ring and looks for Roman while Roman makes her way to the ring. She finds him, and the two stare down before they both enter the ring. Roman calls out Vince McMahon, but Stephanie says he's not here yet but will be there in time to referee his WWE World Heavyweight Championship defense against Sheamus. Roman makes it clear that nobody will take the World Heavyweight title from him, as if he loses it, he loses his job and can't provide for his family. Stephanie laughs, saying nobody competes against Vince and wins, that charges against Vince have been dropped, and that "she's the boss and he's the help." Stephanie then says she plans to use him until he can't be used anymore once he loses the title, just like Vince used his father, but Roman tells her to worry about Vince, because if he is screwed out of the title tonight, Stephanie will be picking Vince up from a hospital instead of a jail cell.
Dean Ambrose guests on commentary for the next match.
Kevin Owens beats Neville. After the match, Kevin Owens attacks Neville, but Dean Ambrose goes after Owens. Owens quickly gets the upper hand and is about to put him through the announce table, but Ambrose reverses, places Owens on the table, then leaps from the guardrail to the table with an elbow drop. He then tells Owens "You want a title shot? You know where to find it."
Vince McMahon arrives. Jojo interviews him immediately. Vince calls this week "ironic" compared to last week, because this time, he is the law.
We see the second half of the Superstars and Divas we love to hate in celebration of the latest theatrical release, H8ful Eight.
Titus O'Neil beats Stardust.
Becky Lynch meets up with Charlotte backstage. Charlotte isn't thrilled with tonight's rematch, but Becky is. They do it anyway out of the spirit of friendly competition. Ric Flair shows up soon afterward.
Becky Lynch beats Charlotte after Ric Flair grabs Becky's foot and Charlotte tries to get a schoolgirl pin, only for Becky Lynch to roll her up and grab the tights. Charlotte attacks Becky after the match, cementing her heel turn.
Vince McMahon tells Sheamus to keep the fight fair and to obey his commands.
Total Divas returns to E! on January 19th at 9 PM Eastern/8 PM Central on E! Network.
Ryback vs. Big Show comes to a quick end with The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Braun Strowman) surrounding and attacking Ryback. They then get into the ring and lay waste to Big Show.
The League of Nations (Alberto Del Rio and Rusev) beat The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso).
In a shocking upset, Heath Slater - with the help of Adam Rose, Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel - beats Dolph Ziggler. After the match, Slater, Rose, Dallas and Axel call themselves the "Social Outcasts."
This Thursday on SmackDown: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte for the WWE Divas Championship!
Vince McMahon tells Roman Reigns the same rules of the match that he told Sheamus.
The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) show up and say that 2016 will be "the most magical year of our lives" when they beat Kalisto and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) tonight faster that Mike Tyson fell of his hoverboard, which they make fun of. Kofi reminds them that Tyson is a WWE Hall of Famer, but they continue to laugh anyway. They then have a surprise...Chris Jericho, who interrupts their countdown and makes an appearance. He says he's hear to save the WWE, but The New Day don't want any of this as Jericho continues to say that WWE needs a boost and a shot in the arm of Y2J. He then makes fun of The New Day, calling them "Rooty tooty booty." He then announces he is entering the Royal Rumble match, and has every intention of winning it and getting another shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) beats Kalisto and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley).
This Thursday on SmackDown: Dean Ambrose defends the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kevin Owens!
Despite favoritism and an extreme bias towards Sheamus by special guest referee Vince McMahon and senior refeee Scott Armstrong, who is in the McMahons' back pocket, Roman Reigns retains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Sheamus. After the match, Vince punches out referee John Cone for counting the pinfall for Roman Reigns and making the call for the official results. Vince then announces at that the Royal Rumble match, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is on the line, and if Roman loses the Royal Rumble match, he loses the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to the winner of the Rumble.
