Last week was a week dominated by AEW; this week however, is a little more of a mixed Top 5 Matches. Elimination Chamber did produce more quality matches than expected, Stardom showed No People Gate for free on their YouTube; and ROH even makes a rare appearance!
Now given that it was AEW heavy last week, we all knew one of them was winning. In a bigger run away than I initial foresaw, AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman & Omega vs The Young Bucks, grabbed about 80% of the votes.
That rounds out our February Pool. So let’s take a look, since February had a decent variety.
February Pool:
- NJPW New Beginning in Osaka: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Ryu Lee vs Hiromu Takahashi (c)
- NXT Takeover Portland: North American Championship: Keith Lee (c) vs Dominik Dijakovic
- NJPW New Japan Road: NEVER Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs Tomohiro Ishii
- AEW Tag Team Championship: Hangman & Omega (c) vs The Young Bucks
My vote is going to, NJPW New Japan Road: NEVER Championship: Shingo Takagi (c) vs Tomohiro Ishii. This will be a little more interesting on who decides to vote for the February pool.
Now, on to this week!
Quick Top 5 Matches:
- Kagetsu Retirement Show ~ many face ~: Meiko Satomura vs Kagetsu
Rating: **** 1/4 - ROH TV: The Briscoes vs Flamita & Bandido
Rating: **** - Stardom No People Gate: Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita vs Bea Priestley & Jamie Hayter (c)
Rating: *** 3/4 - WWE Elimination Chamber: Drew Gulak vs Daniel Bryan
Rating: *** 3/4 - WWE Elimination Chamber: United Stated Championship: Andrade w/ Zelina Vega (c) vs Humberto Carrillo
Rating: *** 3/4
Honorable Mentions:
- NXT: Steel Cage Match: Dakota Kai vs Tegan Nox
Rating: *** 1/2 - Stardom No People Gate: Lumberjack Match: Mayu Iwatani vs Saki Kashima Rating: *** 1/2
- IMPACT!: Impact World Championship: Tessa Blanchard (c) vs Taya Valkyrie
Rating: *** 1/2 - Stardom No People Gate: Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita vs Bea Priestley & Jamie Hayter (c)
Rating: *** 1/2 - IMPACT!: The North vs TJP & Fallah Bahh
Rating: *** 1/4 - NXT: Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs Undisputed Era
Rating: *** 1/4 - WWE Raw: Rey Mysterio & Humberto Carrillo vs Andrade & Angel Garza
Rating: *** 1/4 - AEW Dynamite: Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara vs Darby Allin & Jon Moxley
Rating: *** 1/4 - WWE Elimination Chamber: SmackDown Tag Team Championship Chamber: Miz & Morrison (c) vs The New Day vs The Usos vs Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler vs Heavy Machinery vs Lucha House Party
Rating: *** - ROH TV: Andrew Everett vs Alex Zayne
Rating: *** - WWE Raw: Raw Tag Team Championship: Seth Rollins & Murphy (c) vs Street Profits
Rating: *** - AEW Dynamite: The Dark Order vs SCU & Colt Cabana
Rating: *** - WWE Elimination Chamber: Raw Tag Team Championship: Street Profits (c) vs Seth Rollins & Murphy
Rating: *** - NWA Powerrr: Caleb Conley & CW Anderson vs The Dawsons
Rating: *** - NXT: Steel Cage Match: Roderick Strong vs Velveteen Dream
Rating: *** - Stardom No People Gate: Hana Kimura & Jungle Kyona vs Giulia & Maika
Rating: ***
5. WWE Elimination Chamber: United Stated Championship: Andrade w/ Zelina Vega (c) vs Humberto Carrillo
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Almas points and Vega clears off concrete! Speaking of continuing where they left off, Almas throws Carrillo outside and brings him to the concrete. Almas hammerlocks, but Carrillo back drops! Almas lands on mats but Carrillo gets back in the ring. Carrillo builds speed and FLIES onto Almas! Carrillo puts Almas in, goes up top, BIG crossbody! But Alma rolls through, TWO! Carrillo La Magistrol, TWO! Almas runs, Carrillo sunset flips, TWO! Almas sits to a prawn hold, TWO! Carrillo hops up, victory rolls, TWO and Almas has it WITH TIGHTS! Almas wins!!
Winner: Andrade via Roll-Up
4. WWE Elimination Chamber: Drew Gulak vs Daniel Bryan
Snippet from Mitchell’s Coverage:
Gulak CHOPS and whips Bryan, but Bryan goes up and over! Bryan keeps moving, dodges and hits a leaping lariat! Both men are down and Philly fires up! Bryan reaches up and the fans are shouting, “YES! YES!” Gulak and Bryan slowly stand, and Gulak throws haymakers. Bryan gives European Uppercuts and bumps Gulak off a buckle. Bryan unleashes the YES Kicks! He hoists Gulak up top and climbs to join him, but Gulak drops down to trip Bryan up! Gulak climbs back up, INVERTED SUPERPLEX!! And roll through, to the GuLOCK!!
Bryan endures being bent backwards but Gulak grinds harder. Gulak elbows over and over and over into Bryan’s shoulders, goes for the GuLock, but Bryan rolls and counters! The LeBelle isn’t quite in, but Bryan elbows and elbows and elbows! LeBelle Lock ON!! Gulak is fading out, Bryan wins!!
Winner: Bryan via Yes Lock
3. Stardom No People Gate: Goddesses of Stardom Championship: Momo Watanabe & Utami Hayashishita vs Bea Priestley & Jamie Hayter (c)
This all stemmed from Bea betraying Momo and Queen’s Quest (Io Shirai’s old stable); to join Oedo Tai and her British buddy Jamie Hayter. Being betrayed, Momo and Utami have taken to trying to rebuild Queen’s Quest; while trying to get revenge.
Our evil British champions toy with and smack around the QQ duo. Causing distractions and double teaming Momo gave Oedo Tai a very heavy early advantage. Utami and Momo are no slouches; but each time they almost got a win, the Brits would find a way around it. Breaking out of Momo’s Peach Sunrise and Utami’s Torture Rack Bomb; Bea finishes off Momo with Queen’s Landing.
Winner: Bea via Queen’s Landing
2. ROH TV: The Briscoes vs Flamita & Bandido
ROH isn’t exactly in the best position to provide tolerable entertainment. But this match was actually received well; so it peaked my interest. Briscoes may not be the current champions, but they are still the measuring stick of ROH tag teams.
The clash of styles with the two teams helped to make the interactions interesting. The Briscoes do their chair assisted Senton, and run it back again when the crowd chants for another. As for the luchadors, it was a pretty solid effort. Flamita did have one sloppy looking attempt at a running Frankensteiner; but generally the match was solid.
Mexiblood kicked out of the Redneck Boogie and Froggy Bow. Bandido looked to hit his 21plex, but Jay Briscoe stops it; and they manage to toss one out and hit the Doomsday Device for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Briscoes via Doomsday Device
1. Kagetsu Retirement Show ~ many face ~: Meiko Satomura vs Kagetsu
Kagetsu’s retirement has been a topic of conversation since Bushiroad’s Stardom purchase seems to have rubbed some people the wrong way. This self produced retirement show fulfilled one finally teacher versus student encounter for Meiko and Kagetsu.
We see Kagetsu revert back to her blue attire, more reminiscent of her Sendai Girls time. Meiko dominated a good bit of the match; but Kagetsu pulled off some of her later career, Oedo Tai classics. Blue Mist, Green Mist and Oedo Coaster didn’t get Kagetsu the victory. Both her and Meiko traded dozens of Death Valley Drivers, and great fast paced striking. Each woman shows great resolve and keeps kicking out, so Meiko ends it with Scorpio Rising.
Winner: Meiko via Scorpio Rising
Thoughts:
So even if these aren’t my highest rated matches ever; all of these were quite enjoyable. Personally, I’m torn between a few of these matches, but, Daniel Bryan vs Drew Gulak, will get my vote.
People who love Joshi wrestling should enjoy the retirement match; and The Briscoes had a great match; but Daniel Bryan and Drew Gulak had something special.
