Quite possibly my busiest month for some reason, Wrestling was difficult to follow there was a lot of it as usual. October had history making moments, a new network for NXT, The vanquishing of Bryan Danielson, and two Halloween themed shows.
October was kicked off with NXT's debut on the CW network, their first show off the USA network had a lot of hype behind it. It's biggest advertised match was the first encounter between the defending NXT Champion Roxanne Perez and the newly arrived Giulia. I am confused as to why this opened the show since the boring ending of the main event. Rox and Giulia locked horns and battled back and forth until Rox needed an assist to win. Cora Jade returned! Perez hit her Pop Rox finisher for a victory over Giulia. The former tag team champions are back together.
Wes Lee competed in a pretty entertaining street fight. Jaida Parker and Lola Vice challenged Fatal Influence. Which ended in Lola and Jaida imploding and leaving the other in the dust. Following the match Fatal Influence called out North American Champion Kelani Jordan, as the walls began to close in on Kelani, The Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill make a surprise appearance to even the odds!
The main event of this show was fine, I desperately want Trick to be away from Ethan Page. This time around had CM Punk as the special guest referee. Punk's presence in the match felt forced, through out the match Ethan would test Punk to see what he can get away with. Trick became champion once again, but I couldn't help but be frustrated as this should be a moment for Trick yet Punk is standing in the ring and hitting a GTS on Ethan after the bell. Trick deserves the spotlight to himself.
For the 5th anniversary of Dynamite, Jon Moxley issued a warning to Yuta and Danielson. For the first time in seven years, Will Ospreay and Ricochet faced off one on one. The lightning blitz match ended in a draw. Which myself and the audience watching didn't like. Tony Khan suddenly approved the match to be restarted, except Konosuke Takeshita almost immediately interfered causing the match to be thrown out. Takeshita stood tall holding the International Title high above his head.
Hangman Adam Page collided with Juice Robinson, where they brawled all over and eventually ended with a buckshot lariat. Following the bell, Jay White returned and dropped Hangman through a table.
Danielson placed his title on the line as did Kazuchika Okada. The asterisks on this title for title match was: the Continental Championship was only on the line for the first 20 minutes. In typical Dynamite fashion, the main event was beginning with 5 minutes left in the scheduled broadcast, but we were promised a big overrun. At the 19 minute mark, Danielson had Okada tied up in a Labell Lock, Which he narrowly escaped with 30 seconds left with his title on the line. Danielson immediately followed up with his Busaiko Knee Strike, the impact knocked Okada out of the ring, as he spent the last 10 seconds of his title on the line outside the ring on the floor. Just shy of 12 minutes later, the fight looked to be in Okada's hands. Moxley and Gang have closed in on the ring, and wait for their moment. Okada attempts to hit the Rainmaker Lariat, which Danielson reverses into a backslide pin for the victory. an agitated Okada hits the Rainmaker post match cutting off Bryans celebration. He flips off Moxley's gang and leaves Danielson to the vultures. PAC and Claudio hold Danielson's body up and away from Mox. Wheeler Yuta attempts to make the save, the crew backs out... except for Mox, He knows Yuta can't do it. This disrupts into a brawl. The show ends with a challenge, Danielson and Yuta against PAC and Claudio.
For a 5th anniversary show, three great matches were put on, each with their own unique styles, and a variety of segments that I think captured AEW really well.
The go home Smackdown leading into Bad Blood had several tragedies, a newly returning AJ Styles immediately suffered a Lisfranc injury, Chelsea Green was tossed into a dumpster, and Tanga Loa is still a tag team champion.
For the first time in 20 years, WWE put on Bad Blood, this time from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. For some reason the show opened with their biggest hyped match, A hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. This was their third and final encounter. This match quickly became coated in crimson as both men were bleeding pretty seriously early on. Drew confirmed later on that he needed 16 stitched in his head following the match. All thanks to getting hit in the head with a tool box. Punk crashed into a table outside from a suplex. McIntyre pulled out a velvet bag, if you have ever watched wrestling you might know the thumbtack bag that we so commonly see, to my surprise as the bag was poured out and hundred of friendship bracelet beads spilled onto the canvas. This didn't work out for Drew as this only encouraged Punk to fight on, The chaos finally ended when Punk wrapped a steel chain around his knee and hit Drew with a GTS. Finally sealing their feud away. A perfect ending to this feud.
The rest of Bad Blood rode a high from its opening contest. Bayley attempted to regain the WWE championship, but thanks to the distractions of Tiffany Stratton, who teased cashing in the Money in The Bank Briefcase once more. However before she could Nia caught her and scared her off. Jax finished the match with an Avalanche Samoan Drop and an Annihilator to retain her championship.
The saga of The Terror Twins and The Judgement day carried on. Damian Priest faced his former tag team championship partner Finn Balor. There has been great tension building so I was expecting a great match. This ended up being just good, not as great as I had hoped. Judgement Day got involved, and let Balor get the upper hand. After two successful Coup De Graces, Balor climbed up the turnbuckle for a third. Priest caught Balor and dropped him with the South of Heaven for the victory.
The Rhea/Dominick/Liv plot raged on in a one on one match between the women, with Dominick hanging in a Shark cage. Which we are told Dominick is afraid of heights, because of course he is. Dominick was able to pick the lock to the cage, but was too afraid to get down. As the fight spilled to ringside, it caused Dom to fall out of the cage except his ankle is caught by a chain! Leaving him hung upside down a few feet off the ground. Ripley took the opportunity to get a few dozen swings of a kendo stick on the helpless Dom. The match was thrown out as someone appears and attacks Rhea. It is revealed to be Raquel Rodriquez who hasn't been seen in several months. The Judgement Day now even stronger and more annoying than it was before.
The main event was stupid. A waste of time. Quite literally everything we have seen before. Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes defeated The Bloodline, thanks to the help of the returning Jimmy Uso. As the three celebrated their victory, The Rock showed up for some reason, with his own silly little fake championship, all just to stare at Cody and Roman as the show fades to black.
Bad Blood was a fun show, but the structure was incredibly frustrating opening with a match that intense and impactful made the rest of the show feel "easy". A card should be escalating as it goes on. This show sort of did the opposite all so The Rock can be the last thing on the screen.
On the same evening, STARDOM put on their Nagoya Golden Fight show. The Wonder of Stardom title was put on the line by Natsupoi against Thekla. Days prior Clark Connors of NJPW speared Natsupoi in half. Thekla determined to get revenged for Natsupoi betraying DDM a few years back. Somehow someway Poi was able to retain here.
Following the loss of the AEW Womens World Championship, Timeless Toni Storm made an excursion to STARDOM, She challenged Mayu Iwatani for the IWGP Women's Title. One of Toni's more fast paced matches in recent memory. Toni always can and always will be able to hang in Japan. The main event was a 23 minute war for the World of Stardom Title between the defending Tam Nakano and Suzu Suzuki. This was a caution to the wind contest with both women truly putting their bodies on the line. Nakano walked out the champion, to defend another day.
RAW, NXT, and Dynamite all featured one or two stellar matches each. RAW featured: Jey Uso and Xavier Woods, and Gunther and Sami Zayn. NXT had Randy Orton against Je'von Evans who at such young age proved he can keep up with a legend. Dynamite had Hologram against Komander, and Mercedes Moné against Emi Sakura.
In Washingston State, was AEW's WrestleDream. Every match on the card turned out great. Despite all of the stakes, only two championships changed hands. The international Title changed hands thanks to the Betrayal of Kyle Fletcher who cost his former mentor Will Ospreay the championship allowing his faction member Konosuke Takeshita to become the International Champion.
Finally it came time for Jon Moxley to enact what he has been preaching for weeks. Dethrone Bryan Danielson. Throughout the match, Mox said "Don't make me do this". To him this is a mercy killing, he doesn't want Danielson to suffer. The American Dragon as always was defiant, spitting at Mox and slapping him. This enraged Moxley, so he dropped Danielson on his head with a Gotch Piledriver, followed by a sleeper hold for the ref stoppage victory.
The full time career of Bryan Danielson has come to an end.
There was no celebration here, violence continued, PAC, Claudio and Marina showed up and stowed away the AEW Championship and pulled out a plastic bag. Wheeler Yuta finally made his choice and joined Moxley, and choked the vanquished Danielson with the bag. Private Party attempted to make the save, but were simply outnumbered. They wrapped a steel chair around the neck of Danielson, Claudio stomped the chair, crushing Danielson neck. This was the final straw, the entire locker room poured out alongside the medical team. The show came to an end with the former champion Bryan Danielson on a stretcher.
A few days later, at NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling event. The G1 Climax winner Zack Sabre Jr. chose to challenge Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship not at Wrestle Kingdom but at this event. So when he wins, he can walk into his own country as champion. Zack is only the second ever British IWGP Champion, second to Will Ospreay. ZSJ has been going for this title for eight years in NJPW, and to see him finally reach this peak warms my heart. However in NJPW, it isn't lonely at the top, there is always someone reaching for that spot. In this case, Sanada, Shota Umino and Shingo Takagi all made claims for their opportunity at Zack's title.
Dynamite these next two weeks was hectic. Adam Cole returned with the intent of getting to MJF. Shelton Benjamin is back in full force defeating Lio Rush and Sammy Guevara. Mercedes Mone had an amazing title defense against Queen Aminata. Mark Briscoe lost the ROH World Title to The Learning Tree. Jay White and Christian Cage absolutely popped off. Kyle Fletcher explained his actions, that when he arrived in AEW, people called him "the next big thing", but when Ospreay arrived, that changed to "the next Will Ospreay". Fletcher shaved his head in the middle of the ring, to prove he is nothing like Will. Moxley and crew basically assassinated the retired Chuck Taylor, crushing his neck between a chair just like they did Danielson. All to goad Orange Cassidy into this conflict.
NXT continued to put on really strong shows since their CW debut, this time their Halloween Special, Halloween Havoc! Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia against Team 20o1: Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez. This was by far the most intriguing match on the card, that was second on the show? The pacing of the show felt really hot at its start. Opening with a ladder match between Tony D'Angelo and Oba Femi, followed by this star studded tag match, I was expecting that pace to continue, instead the show carried on with Andre Chase and Ridge Holland in a match that wasn't exactly bad, but did not have the same energy as its previous match. Following this was a Gauntlet match with Kelani Jordan defending her North American Championship against Fatal Influence in a Gauntlet match. A match that on paper I was pretty excited about. All four of these women have been putting out great work, but the heel antic left me confused at who was actually still in the match, and when the match ended suddenly I completely forgot that this was for the championship. Fallon Henley is now the North American Champion. However this could be short lived as ZARIA, finally arrived in NXT, laying out all of Fatal Influence. I just wish there was a more definitive moment for Fallon who has been improving so much over the past year or so. Hopefully for the final time, Ethan page challenged Trick Williams, this time in a Devils Playground Match. Overall the match was fine, I can't say I am invested in this feud any longer. Especially following the match when Ridge Holland attacked Trick and Bubba Ray Dudley made the save.
October comes to a close with Fright Night Dynamite! Orange Cassidy opened the show by cutting off a taped promo from Jon Moxley. Orange doubts his abilities as a leader, but still opposes Mox's hostile takeover. Orange laid out a challenge for Full Gear against Mox for the title. "I will do it alone, by myself, to protect everyone."
Adam Cole faced Buddy Matthews in a standard match for these two, disappointing as I know both are capable of better, Cole overcame Matthews and shook hands with Malakai Black after the match. Aussie Open's Mark Davis returned to confront Kyle Fletcher. Fletcher was unbothered by this return, warning Davis that he needs to make a choice very soon, or Fletcher will make it for him. Adam Page had a simple message for Jay White
"... I Will leave you behind."
The following segment was a bit confusing, as Moxley and crew came out to address Cassidy's challenge. Mox threatened to give Yuta the same fate as his former Best Friend Chuck Taylor. They wrapped a chair around Yuta's neck. Cassidy couldn't help but come out to try and save Yuta, a clear trap for him. The heels beat down on Orange, including Yuta. The brawl was interrupted by the Young Bucks making their entrance. It was their spotlight, so they took it. The young Bucks put their tag team titles on the line again against Private Party only 2 weeks removed from their previous defense. This time it was all or nothing for Isiah Kassidy and Marc Quen, if they failed to become tag team champions, they would no longer team together. This was a fantastic match from start to finish, so many dramatic near finishes that had me slumping in my chair thinking "well that's it, goodbye Private Party." I was so happy to be wrong. Private Party are FINALLY Tag Team Champions.
Kris Statlander and Kamille faced off in a match that was... okay. Kamille was never beating Statlander, however it does seem that we will be seeing the Kamille and Mercedes split soon. The show closed with Swerve Strickland and Shelton Benjamin one on one. If you thought this match would be anything less than great, I'd tell you to never watch wrestling again. Strickland squeezed out the victory after an athletic master class. As the bell rang, MVP picked up a phone to make a call, seconds later Bobby Lashley debuted in AEW! Lashley laid out Swerve in the center of the ring. The hurt Syndicate is in business.
October was an incredible month filled with more history making moments that will stay in our memories for a long time. I'm certain 5 years from now at the 10th anniversary of Dynamite they will relive Private Party first championship, the arrival of Bobby Lashley and so much more. Bad Blood began the build to War Games for The Bloodline. November is shaping up to be even bigger somehow. I know I say this every month at this point, but its truly been a magical year for professional Wrestling.
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