Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
Trick Williams heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Trick says he has a lot of people he would like to thank, then thanks Ilja Dragunov for pushing him to levels he did not think possible and for everything he has done for his career as well as NXT before telling him to do his thing on Raw. He says that this is now the "Whoop That Era," and that records will continue to be broken and that history will continue to be made before Lash Legend shows up. Lash, who is holding a manila envelope, congratulates Trick before proclaiming him the hottest Superstar in NXT, but Trick says he has not forgotten her slapping him in the face and says that Lash wants a taste now that he is champion. After some candy bar-related banter (and chants), Lash says Trick is not focused and has his head in the the clouds. Lash then addresses the contents of the manila envelope and tells him to enjoy his title reign, as it will all soon come crashing down and things will get really hot.
Gigi Dolin and Arianna Grace are at restaurant. As Arianne tries to explain the art of fine dining, Gigi mentions the top matches for tonight's show.
Oba Femi retains the NXT North American Championship against Ivar. After the match, Wes Lee shows up from out of the crowd for the first time in months and stares down Oba Femi in the middle of the ring.
Backstage, Thea Hail is fired up for her match, and tells Fallon Henley not to let Jaida Parker get in her head before the match begins.
Thea Hail beats Jacy Jayne with a Kimura Lock after Fallon Henley takes the bullet when Jasmyn Nyx gets involved on the outside. After the match, Fallon Henley attacks Thea Hail.
We see Tyson Dupont's strength and Tyriek Igwe's brains on full display before their Wednesday night debut.
Natalya and Karmen Petrovic get ready for tonight's NXT Underground match.
The O.C. (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) beat Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe.
Backstage, General Manager Ava has a big announcement.
We see a video package about the NXT picks from the WWE Draft and the future of NXT.
General Manager Ava is in the ring. Ava says nothing makes her prouder than when NXT talent make their way to Raw and SmackDown, and while they will be missed, NXT must move forward. She then asks who will take their place. She announces that the first-ever NXT North American Women's Champion at Battleground, and that the first champion will be crowned in a Ladder Match. Starting next week, there will be a combine of twelve competitors, and the winning six will compete for the North American Women's title. As she says that NXT has the best women's division and that Battleground will prove it, Jaida Parker shows up and says she is the next history-maker, and she will decimate everyone else in the locker room and holding the title before Sol Ruca shows up. Sol Ruca says she will be at the top of the combine leaderboard and the top of the ladder at Battleground before Arianna Grace shows up and proposes alternative means only to be interrupted by "Michin" Mia Yim. Michin says she has some unfinished business in NXT, and ever since Ava announced the new women's title, the title has been the talk of WWE, and she wants in. Arianna Grace is honored to meet her, but Michin punches her out when Arianna says she is disqualified. The rest of the women's locker room empties out from the back and brawls in the ring.
Backstage, Nathan Frazer and Axiom are met by The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), who says that while tonight's match will hurt, Frazer and Axiom will prove they belong, as they have the heart that The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) do not have.
Lola Vice and "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler get ready for tonight's NXT Underground match.
Ridge Holland beats Shawn Spears. Strange images are seen on-screen during the match.
Backstage, Roxanne Perez wants to know why she was not drafted in the WWE Draft, then blames General Manager Ava and her "weird" vendetta against her. Ava says that she called her to her office for something else, but Roxanne is not having it.
Backstage, Josh Briggs sarcastically thanks Ivar for softening Oba Femi up, but Ivar says he is not done with Oba Femi yet. Wes Lee shows up and gives both men their kudos before saying it is time to throw his hat in the ring. Briggs says this is not five months ago and tells him to pack his bags and leave, but Wes says he is not leaving. Briggs says it will be seen if Wes' back has really healed before he leaves, and Ivar reiterates that he is not done with Oba.
Backstage, Paul Ellering tells WWE that it is living on borrowed time and that The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Akam, Rezar) is coming for all the titles. He says that SmackDown was just the beginning, and tells NXT to get ready.
We hear from The D'Angelo Family (Tony D'Angelo, Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Arianna Rizzo, Luca Crusifino). Tony D'Angelo wants to be ready for a Heritage Cup Match against No Quarter Catch Crew (Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp, Myles Borne).
Nathan Frazer and Axiom retain the NXT Tag Team Championships against The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) after New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne) give Frazer and Axiom a hand as the referee is preoccupied with ejecting Karrion Kross and Scarlett from ringside for getting involved in the match.
Backstage in the trainer's room, Thea Hail wonders why Fallon Henley turned on her. Ridge Holland shows up and says nobody can be trusted in his business, and when Andre Chase asks him if he is all right, Ridge says that he will try to do things the right way.
Backstage, we hear from Meta-Four (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson). Noam Dar says that if Trick Williams wants to know the truth, he can guest on Supernova Sessions and they will reveal all. Meanwhile, Kelani Jordan tries to talk sense into Fallon Henley, who says that it is time to put herself first.
Lola Vice beats Natalya in an NXT Underground Match. During the match, Natalya has Lola in the Sharpshooter when "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler chokes out Karmen Petrovic from behind with a Kirifuda Clutch. Natalya lets go of the hold and goes after Shayna, but that allows Lola to knock Natalya out with a backfist, allowing her to win by knockout.
Backstage, General Manager Ava tells Roxanne Perez that next week, she will be defending the NXT Women's Championship against Chelsea Green, who says that Ava is better than the other two General Managers and that the NXT Women's Championship will look good in her jewelry box. Roxanne gets peeved and leaves, and Chelsea says she will like it in NXT.
Logan Paul, IShowSpeed and Patrick Mahomes meet with The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh). Damian Priest tells Logan that he is impressed with his success, and Logan is confident that Damian will beat "Main Event" Jey Uso tonight.
Becky Lynch heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Becky talks about how tonight's show is the same venue where she stood in the stands with her face bloodied six years ago and how she is Women's World Champion six years later, then addresses the WWE Draft. She says there is a new women's division waiting in the wings and that it has taken her two years to become a champion again, and that she intends to hold on to her championship while also defending it. Becky says she needs a number one contender and that she only gets better by fighting the best, then Liv Morgan shows up. Liv says that if Becky needs a new number one contender, she is here, and while she does not expect to be handed a title opportunity, she cannot help but feel Becky owes her one because she took out Rhea Ripley. Liv also says that this is her revenge tour, and that they both know that she would always be the endgame and that she will not stop until she gets everything that she wants. Becky admits Liv is right, but she says that Liv would be holding the Women's World Championship if not for her. All of a sudden, Nia Jax shows up. Nia says that she dominated both Liv and Becky last week and that she should be should be champion, and the only reason that she is not is because they both teamed up to prevent that. She then says that she has since been drafted to "the superior show" SmackDown and that she will soon be champion there, but since tonight is her last night on Raw, if she has to leave, she will take one of them with her. Liv wastes no time drop kicking Nia off the ring apron and tells her that if she is issuing a challenge, then she accepts.
Stephanie McMahon is seen with the Round 1 Draft picks backstage.
Stephanie McMahon takes the podium for the Round 1 Draft picks. #1 is Imperium (Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser) for Raw. #2 is Jade Cargill for SmackDown. #3 is Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane) for Raw. #4 is Kevin Owens for SmackDown.
Gunther beats Xavier Woods with a half crab into an STF after Kofi Kingston almost throws in the towel to save Woods to keep Gunther from breaking his leg.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews "Main Event" Jey Uso, who says that Damian Priest is getting a "Yeet-down" tonight and that he wishes that the Paul brother with the winning record was the one that was here tonight.
In footage from earlier today, Joey Borgonzi, members of the Kansas City Chiefs and first responders welcome everyone to tonight's show.
Logan Paul and IShowSpeed head to the podium to announces the Round 2 draft picks. Patrick Mahomes is also seen in the crowd. #5 is CM Punk for Raw. #6 is Bobby Lashley, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and B-Fab, now known as "The Pride," for SmackDown. #7 is Braun Strowman for Raw. #8 is Tiffany Stratton for SmackDown. Afterwards, Logan Paul and IShowSpeed approach the ring, and says Damian Priest will beat "Main Event" Jey Uso because Jey Uso made a mistake leaving The Bloodline and is incapable of becoming the champion on his own, which he says he himself is a master at. Before Logan Paul can say much else, Jey Uso shows up and says he can beat Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship before saying he can beat Logan Paul. Logan Paul says that he has been "yeeting" since 2017 and thinks it is absurd that Jey is trying to outroast him, then JD McDonagh and Finn Balor show up to help Logan surround Jey Uso. After Logan says that the only two words in Jey's vocabulary are "Yeet" and "Uce," Jey Uso tries to fight Finn and McDonagh only to get ganged up on, then Logan gets three Super Bowl rings from Patrick Mahomes to use as knuckles. McDonagh holds down Jey Uso, but Jey Uso dodges and McDonagh gets nailed instead. Jey laughs at McDonagh, but he still gets ganged up on by Finn and Logan. All od a sudden, Braun Strowman shows up for the first time in months. Strowman choke slams Finn Balor, then chases Logan Paul away. He then confronts Patrick Mahomes, but Jey Uso holds him back.
Backstage, R-Truth meets with Chad Gable, having just done business with him. The Miz shows up, and finds out from R-Truth that they could be drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Miz has to tell R-Truth that this is not how the WWE Draft works. After The Awesome Truth leaves, Gable is kicked in the face from out of nowhere by Sami Zayn.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Booker T. As he wants to know what will happen next for The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) and CM Punk, Drew McIntyre shows up and is incensed that CM Punk is drafted ahead of him and that Booker T's opinion of CM Punk has changed.
"Big" Bronson Reed vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship ends with Chad Gable attacking Sami Zayn. Referees have to get Chad Gable off Sami Zayn, and that allows Bronson Reed to hit Sami Zayn with the Tsunami. As Chad Gable taunts Sami Zayn, Bronson Reed lays Gable out and raises the Intercontinental Championship.
Ron Simmons and JBL head to the podium for the Round 3 Draft picks. #9 is The Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz del Toro, Zelina Vega) - including Carlito - for Raw. #10 is Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Humberto Carrillo, Angel Garza, Elektra Lopez) for SmackDown. #11 is Drew McIntyre for Raw. #12 is Shinsuke Nakamura for SmackDown. Drew McIntyre shows up and asks if he is the last sane person around here, and asks who drafts him in Round 3. He calls CM Punk "a corporate arse kisser" and sarcastically congratulates him for breaking his arm before kicking his feet up at home while he still came to work. Suddenly, CM Punk's music hits, and CM Punk is then seen from the skybox, saying "I'm not sitting at home; I'm right here, you little bitch!" McIntyre heads to the back to meet Punk at the skybox. Ron Simmons says "Damn!"
Backstage, Chad Gable chews Maxxine Dupri out for not winning the Women's World Championship and celebrating mediocrity before telling Otis to get it together and threatening to do something to Akira Tozawa if he does his dance tonight. Ivy Nile shows up after Gable leaves to help Maxxine Dupri warm up, leaving just Otis and Akira Tozawa.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Bron Breakker. Bron Breakker says General Manager Adam Pearce knows he is the best pick for Raw and that he is here to take over, then Sheamus shows up and says Breakker reminds him of his younger self before Drew McIntyre runs by.
Candice LeRae beats Maxxine Dupri after Indi Hartwell attacks Ivy Nile on the outside.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews The Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz del Toro, Zelina Vega). Rey says there are a lot of mixed emotions and that they are happy to be on Raw, but they still have some unfinished business with Carlito. Dominik Mysterio shows up to say that The Judgment Day runs Raw, but Rey Mysterio asks Dominik how he can run Raw when he has yet to be drafted before making fun of his moustache.
Backstage, Drew McIntyre is still looking for CM Punk, and he finds out the skybox is empty, save for an autographed photo of Punk. Drew then finds out that Punk is heading to the ring. CM Punk says he will not waste time and cut his promo in less time than McIntyre was World Heavyweight Champion, then says he has McIntyre's attention for quite some time and is like an ex-girlfriend he cannot get rid of. He says that McIntyre has given him purpose, and that he was drafted ahead of him because of pure wrestling economics and that he is the best in the world in the ring and on the microphone. He says that losers hope and wait for things to happen while winners make things happen, and that when he is cleared, he will make McIntyre's life a living hell.
Alundra Blaze and Teddy Long head to the podium for the Round 4 Draft picks. #13 is The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio) for Raw. #14 is Naomi for SmackDown. #15 is Ilja Dragunov for Raw. #16 is Chelsea Green and Piper Niven for SmackDown. (Damian Priest is protected, as with all champions excluding the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, and stays with The Judgment Day on Raw.)
Liv Morgan beats Nia Jax. Tiffany Stratton is seen in the front row during the match, and later in the match, Naomi shows up and attacks Tiffany Stratton. This distracts Nia Jax, allowing Liv Morgan to hit the Codebreaker and Ob-Liv-Ion for the win.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Booker T, who asks who is next from NXT to hit the main roster. General Manager Adam Pearce passes by, and says that he likes his picks before saying that Nick Aldis now has to deal with Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) head to the podium for the Round 5 Draft picks, and bring a table with them as they do. Weird images are shown images as they are introduced. #17 is The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) for Raw. #18 is Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) for SmackDown. #19 is Lyra Valkyria for Raw. #20 is Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell for SmackDown.
The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) retain the World Tag Team Championships against Alpha Academy (Otis and Akira Tozawa).
Backstage, The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) is disappointed that they are a fourth round pick. Damian Priest says it is everyone else's fault that they were drafted in the fourth round, and tells them to leave Jey Uso to him. JD McDonagh reveals the bruise to the face that Logan Paul accidentally gave him.
Backstage, Liv Morgan is met by Becky Lynch. Becky congratulates Liv on her win, and tells her that she has earned her title shot. Suddenly, Damage CTRL shows up and surrounds Becky Lynch, and Dakota Kai tells Becky that they will see her on Monday.
Raw and SmackDown General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis head to the podium for the Round 6 Draft picks. #21 is The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Akam, Rezar, Paul Ellering) for SmackDown. #22 is #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) for SmackDown. #23 is "Big" Bronson Reed for Raw. #24 is Blair Davenport for SmackDown.
"Main Event" Jey Uso, Ricochet and Andrade beat The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, JD McDonagh) in a six-man tag match after JD McDonagh ruins Damian Priest's South of Heaven attempt on Jey Uso by shoving Jey off the top rope.
Note: this episode showcases recent matches from other wrestling companies.
From Reality of Wrestling, Josiah Jean beats Gaspar Hernandez by count-out after Booker T inadvertently knocks Hernandez out with the ring bell hammer. After the match, Hernandez grabs Booker T , and Booker T tries to bribe him. Hernandez lets go and takes the money.
From Explosive Pro Wrestling, "The Don" Michael Morleone beats Taylor King in a steel cage match that sees the ring get partially dismantled. The match ends after Chris J. Lazareth cuts through the fencing of the cage and gets Morleone's feet outside of the cage before Taylor King can climb out of the cage and land on the outside. After the match, Taylor King goes after Lazareth and throw shim around the steel cage, and Lazareth eventually lands in the hole made in the ring during the match.
Note: This episode contains recent matches from other wrestling companies.
From Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, The East Coast Outlaws (Luke Samson and Evan Blackwell) beat The Supastarz (Nikki Eight and Tommy Mars) to become the inaugural Nightmare Factory Tag Team Champions after Samson grabs Tommy Mars' feet near the ropes from the outside so that Blackwell can get the pin.
From Reality of Wrestling, Ryan Davidson retains the ROW Texas Championship against Max Castellanos. During the match, as Castellanos argues with th referee, Davidson cahrges at Castellanos only to hit the ref when Castellanos dodges. Castellanos produces a chair, but Davidson hits him with the Davidson Driver on the chair. The ref soon comes to, and Davidson retains.
We see a video package for Brady Booker (formerly Bodhi Hayward in NXT). He says that what you see is what you get, and if anything involves adrenaline, he is up to it. He says that he believes in working hard and being a good person is what gets one to to the top, and he will run down Elijah Drago for all the fans to see or die trying. Brady admits that Elijah is a one-man wrecking crew, but he never has seen anyone like him.
From Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, Brady Booker beats Elijah Drago. After the match, Drago attacks Booker, and The Diamond Sheik joins in. Suddenly, Ernest "The Cat" Miller shows up and confronts Drago before punching him in the face, hitting him in the throat and tossing him out of the ring. The Cat then hits The Diamond Sheik with a superkick before celebrating with Booker.
Trent Beretta beats Chuck Taylor in a Parking Lot Fight with a piledriver on the roof of a car followed by an omoplata. After the match, Trent smashes Taylor in the ankle with a wrench, even as Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander tell him to stop. Meanwhile, Don Callis is watching from backstage.
Backstage, Kyle O'Reilly says that Collision will be coming to Vancouver on May 11th to compete against the best wrestlers the world has to offer in the same building where he decided to be a professional wrestler.
Thunder Rosa beats "The Virtuosa" Deonna Purrazzo after rolling up Deonna as she has her in the Fujiwara Armbar. After the match, Deonna shoves Thunder Rosa onto the ramp from behind and sends her into a guardrail. Thunder Rosa fights back, and this starts a brawl in front of the stands that security has to break up.
Backstage, we hear from Undisputed Kingdom (Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett). Matt Taven says that they care about neck health as he and Mike Bennett wish Tony Khan a speedy recovery and Tony to stay "neck strong." Roderick Strong tells Will Ospreay that he has guaranteed his end at Double or Nothing, and that all his praises will mean nothing when he dismantles him until he falls in front of "The Messiah of the Backbreaker."
Big Bill beats Trevor Blackwell as "The Learning Tree" Chris Jericho watches from backstage.
Anthony Ogogo guests on commentary for the next match.
Katsuyori Shibata and Daniel Garcia beat Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor and "Taiga Style" Lee Moriarty).
Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland head to the ring to start tonight's show. Nana calls Swerve "the boss of bosses" and "the anointed one in professional wrestling," then hands Swerve the microphone. The crowd chants "Thank you, Swerve!" as Swerve states that AEW has had an incredible week, then addresses The Elite's recent actions towards AEW President and founder Tony Khan. Swerve says he has done horrible things in the past, but calls what happened to Tony Khan "a bitch move," which starts a chant, then addresses beating Samoa Joe to become the new AEW World Champion. He says that whoever is holding the World title is the best in the world, and while he fought to win the title, there was some sacrifices. He states that his relationship with his children has suffered and that he cannot make up for lost time. Swerve says that all he can do is set an example and make sure winning the World title was worth it, then says that AEW is throwing people at him and that after beating Kyle Fletcher, he wants to issue an open challenge to anyone who really wants to fight. The open challenge is answered by Claudio Castagnoli, who simply says "You're on." When Swerve says he will see Claudio later tonight, Claudio takes the microphone and says it will be his house.
It is announced that Tony Khan has suffered multiple head and neck injuries, and while he is still able to work, he will not be able to work. Nevertheless, he will be able to run AEW from Jacksonville, Florida.
Bullet Club Gold ("Switchblade" Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn) - now known officially as "The Bang Bang Gang" - retain the United World Trios Championships against Top Flight (Darius and Dante Martin) and Action Andretti in a trios match.
We hear from The House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, Buddy Matthews. Brody King says their match with Adam Copeland went as planned, and now he has two wins against the TNT Championship. Malakai Black says that they accept the Cope Open, but Adam Copeland will only know who he faces when the match starts.
Rey Fenix beats The Beast Mortos with a victory roll in his first AEW match since last October. Fenix celebrates in the crowd after the match.
Backstage, Orange Cassidy says that Trent Beretta has said a lot of things that he is still working through, but what he is thinking about the most is that later tonight, Trent and Chuck Taylor will fight in a parking lot and that he is afraid of what they will do to each other. Kris Statlander suddenly shows up and says "He needs us. Let's go."
Rush beats Martin Stone (formerly known as Danny Burch in WWE). After the match, Rush continues to attack Martin Stone, and hits him with the Bull's Horns a second time.
Backstage, Serena Deeb says that "Timeless" Toni Storm is a great champion, but she is undefeated and #1 contender to her title. After all that she has been through in eighteen months, she has had to fight to get here, and after four years, it is time to prove she is the best and become AEW World Women's Champion, then tells Toni that this is real life, not the movies.
"Timeless" Toni Storm beats Anna Jay after countering the Queenslayer.
Backstage, Chuck Taylor tells Orange Cassidy that he must face Trent Beretta on his own.
The Acclaimed ("Platinum" Max Caster and Anthony Bowens) beat The Grizzled Young Vets (Zack Gibson and James Drake).
Backstage, Katsuyori Shibata says he will chop down "The Learning Tree" Chris Jericho and take the FTW Championship. As for Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor and "Taiga Style" Lee Moriarty), he will fight them alone tonight. Daniel Garcia shows up and says he has nothing but respect for him, and offers his help. Shibata says "Okay. Save the last dance for me."
Swerve Strickland retains the AEW World Championship against Claudio Castagnoli. Both men shake hands after the match.
Dustin Starr interviews The L.A. Hustlers (Notorious Bradley and Ruffshot Lamont) at the announce desk. Lamont says they are tired of being overlooked and that they are tired of Ray Ray Sanders and Derrick Sanders, who he calls overrated cowards, and that they had to take care of the problem. Bradley says they had to do what they had to do and that they will take Ray Ray and Derrick out every chance that they will get. As soon as they find out that they are facing Ray Ray and Derrick in a Tornado Tag match, The L.A. Hustlers are attacked from behind by Ray Ray and Derrick.
Ray Ray Sanders and Derrick King beat The L.A. Hustlers (Notorious Bradley and Ruffshot Lamont) in a Tornado Tag Match by forfeit after Bradley inadvertenly hits Lamont as Lamont holds down Derrick King, which causes The L.A. Hustlers to retreat to the back.
After the commercial break, Dustin Starr interviews Ray Ray Sanders and Derrick King at the announce desk. Ray Ray Sanders calls The L.A. Hustlers (Notorious Bradley and Ruffshot Lamont) for their recent actions and says that it will not happen again, and Derrick King promises that they will beat The L.A. Hustlers one, two, three.
We see a vignette for Mike Anthony, who reflects on his recent losses.
Denzel Rollins gets an upset victory against Mike Anthony.
Backstage, K-Toomer asks Matchmaker King Cobra and Assistant Matchmaker Michael, saying he wants all of The Circuz (Barnabus the Leader, Maurice the Strong, Jacksyn Crowley, Abel Booker). Michael says that he can start with The Twins of Salem (Crowley and Booker), which works for K-Toomer.
"The Problem Child" Aaron Roberts beats Jay Smooth. After the match, Aaron Roberts hits Jay Smooth with a Problem Bomb.
We see backstage footage of Tim Bosby and "The Chosen One" Zay Washington talking about "The Problem Child" Aaron Roberts, agreeing that he has disrespected the Internet Championship and that one of them has to beat Roberts and take the title. Both men share in agreement when it comes to taking Aaron Roberts down. br />
We see footage of someone in a fur coat carrying a walking stick and a trash can coming across a road sign saying "Memphis 300 Miles." We then see the words "Coming soon."
Mackenzie Morgan, Makkari Kandy and Diana Taylor beat Cassandra Golden, Nixi XS and Raven Black in a six-woman tag match after Cassandra Golden walks out of the match.
Before the next match, Barnabus the Leader says that he has two bodies with one wicked brain that shares the name "Crowley," then describes The Twins of Salem as his "gargoyles of the big top" and "the destroyers of K-Toomer."
K-Toomer beats The Twins of Salem (Jacksyn Crowley and Abel Booker) by count-out in a two-on-one handicap match after Maurice the Strong shows up and The Twins of Salem retreat and help Barnabus hold Maurice back. As this goes on, Barnabus proclaims that the Memphis Heritage title is his.
We look back at Ace Austin vs. Acey Romero vs. Tessa Blanchard vs. Daga vs. Jake Crist in a five-way X Division Championship Ladder Match from Bound For Glory 2019.
Gia Miller interviews Havok for Around The Ring. We find out that Gia Miller and Havok are really good friends, as well as how Gia Miller had to room with Havok for several months during the COVID-19 lockdowns as well as when her and "Inevitable" Ace Austin's apartment burned down. Havok also talks about her weekly podcast, her video game streams on Twitch and her three cats and her dog.
We look back on Steve Maclin vs. El Phantasmo vs. Trey Miguel for the vacant IMPACT Wrestling X Divison Championship from Bound For Glory 2021.
Zachary Wentz beats Leon Slater following the distraction by Trey Miguel.
Jakara Jackson beats Arianna Grace following the distraction by Oro Mensah, allowing Jakara to poke Arianna's left eye and drive Arianna into the mat for the win.
In backstage footage from earlier today, Sarah Schreiber interviews Dante Chen and Dion Lennox. Dion Lennox says it is early days for him and that he want to learn and grow, and with Dante as the gatekeeper of NXT, he wants to learn with him and not against him. Dante says he has his eye on everyone in NXT, and Dion has impressed him with his strength, agility and the ability to gain knowledge. Both of them agree that they need to focus on film study.
Jaida Parker beats Carlee Bright.
Malik Blade and Edris Enofe beat Dante Chen and Dion Lennox.
Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Paul Heyman, who announces that Roman Reigns has voluntarily withdrawn from eligibility from the 2024 Draft, saying that this is a positive and not a negative after everything Roman has done and that Roman will not be returning in the immediate future so as not to hog the number one draft kick. He says that the first two draft picks will make history, and that he is intrigued as to who they will be. Meanwhile, back in the Performance Center, Jackie Redmond announces that NXT Superstars are eligible to be drafted.
Corey Graves moderates the contract signing between AJ Styles and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes for their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash. Styles arrives first, followed by Cody. Styles says that "two Georgia boys are about ready to mix it up for the biggest prize in the game," and that he does not respect LA Knight for getting under his skin and it caused him to lose at WrestleMania. He after getting his composure back, he realized he was phenomenal and beat Knight to get to this moment, then says that he respect Cody as they traveled down the same roads to end up in WWE. He says that the same person who gave him advice a long time ago also gave Cody that advice, and that person is Cody's father, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes. He says that he learned a lot from Dusty and that Dusty was a good man, as he taught him how to carry himself and be a champion, and at Backlash, he and Cody will see if Cody can carry the gold. Styles signs the contract. Corey Graves hands the contract to Cody, then Cody says there is not a single locker room where everyone respects AJ Styles, and while he respects Styles and what he has done, that respect goes out the window at Backlash. He says that Styles has been in this position before and is not fit to carry the championship, then says it is not about winning the title, but keeping it, and as soon as he signs, it is not a dream match, but a "must win." Cody signs the contract. Both men stand up, and as Cody extends his hand, Styles says that while it was great to see Cody finish his story, his reign will end at Backlash. Cody looks back at Styles leaves the ring, ignoring the attempt at a handshake. Cody leaves, then WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque shows up, raises Cody's hand, and announces the first round draft picks. Triple H has Cody read the SmackDown picks while he reads the Raw picks, with SmackDown going first. #1 is Bianca Belair for SmackDown. #2 is "Main Event" Jey Uso for Raw. #3 is Carmelo Hayes for SmackDown, making him the first NXT Superstar to ever be drafted in the first round. #4 is Seth "Freakin'" Rollins for Raw. Carmelo Hayes shows up and introduces himself, saying that when they talk about who the hottest out it, they call him "Carmelo Hayes," and warns Cody that when he shoots, he does not miss, and as a first-round draft kick, he wants to shoot his first shot at him. Cody says fortune favors the bold, then asks if the fans want to see him tonight, then says he has his gear and tells Carmelo that he is on. Both men shake hands.
The Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) beat Legado del Fantasma (Humberto and Garza). After the match, Santos Escobar and Elektra Lopez show up, and Escobar says that while he is many things, he is not a liar, and that he meant it when he said he did not attack Dragon Lee. He says Elektra has tracked down the security footage and has found it, and says Rey will find it very interesting. The footage reveals that Carlito attacked Dragon Lee, and when Carlito realizes he is found out, Carlito attacks Dragon Lee again before fleeing through the crowd.
Bron Breakker quickly beats Cedric Alexander. Strange images are shown during the replay.
Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis is met by Tiffany Stratton, who brags about what she did to Naomi and Bayley and asks where her title shot is. Aldis says somebody convinced her not to send her to the back of the line, and puts her in a match with Naomi where the winner gets a shot at the title. Tiffany asks whose idea this was, and Bayley shows up and says it was hers. Bayley says that if Naomi wins, she gets he rematch, and if Tiffany wins, she will see what it is like to step up to her. Tiffany says she will beat Naomi, then leaves.
Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson head to the stage for the Round 2 draft picks.
Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson head to the podium for the Round 2 draft picks. #5 is Randy Orton for SmackDown. #6 is Bron Breakker for Raw. #7 is Nia Jax for SmackDown. #8 is Liv Morgan for Raw.
Backstage, Paul Heyman apologizes to Solo Sikoa, who wants to know if The Bloodline have been drafted, then asks for all the details about Roman Reigns withdrawing from the Draft. Heyman gives him that, then says both sides not knowing what they will get when The Bloodline (Heyman, Solo, Tama Tonga) is drafted due to Solo adding new members. Tama Tonga shows up, and when Solo asks Heyman to repeat himself. Heyman runs away when he notices Kevin Owens going for a cheap shot from behind, and referees have to break up the ensuing brawl.
Kayla Braxton interviews Bianca Belair on the stage. Bianca says that she hopes that Jade Cargill is drafted with her to SmackDown, as she wants to put an end to everything Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane) has done and Jade is the perfect person to help her with that. She says Damage CTRL is falling apart, and when she and Jade have the women's tag team titles, they will have no reason to return to SmackDown. Solo Sikoa shows up and security and officials show up to try to break up the brawl, and security is quickly laid out. Randy Orton shows up and fights off both Solo and Tonga, and officials and security are able to move into place to break up the brawl. Owens hugs, then tries to get another piece of Solo and Tonga.
The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) head to the stage for the Round 3 draft picks.
The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) head to the podium for the Round 3 draft picks, with Bubba Ray covering SmackDown and D-Von Dudley covering Raw. The Dudleys put on their signature glasses before naming the picks. #9 is LA Knight for SmackDown. #10 is Ricochet for Raw. #11 is The Bloodline (Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga) for SmackDown. #12 is Sheamus for Raw.
Bayley guests on commentary for the next match.
Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton to decide a #1 contender for the WWE Women's Championship ends when Nia Jax shows up and attacks Bayley before throwing Naomi into the ring post. After the match, Tiffany gets Naomi and Bayley back into the ring to hit them both with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and B-Fab. B-Fab says it does not matter where they get drafted, as The Street Profits will win the WWE Tag Team Championships and earn a one-way ticket back to SmackDown. Grayson Waller and Austin Theory butt into the interview, and Grayson says the Cincinnati Bengals know nothing about championships to get Angelo's goat for wearing a Bengals jersey. Grayson and Theory run away when Bobby Lashley sneaks up on them.
Teddy Long and JBL head to the stage for the Round 4 draft picks.
Backstage, Karrion Kross and Scarlett reveal that The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) have attacked New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne), and Kross says that regardless of where they are drafted, the violence will not stop until The Final Testament (Kross, Scarlett, Akam, Rezar, Paul Ellering) gets what they want.
Teddy Long and JBL head to the podium for the Round 4 draft picks. #13 is AJ Styles for SmackDown. #14 is Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa) for Raw. #15 is Andrade for SmackDown. #16 is Kiana James for Raw. After a vignette for Kiana James, Jackie Redmond interviews Kiana, who says that she is filled with gratitude and that all her decisions have been made to lead to this moment and she hopes to prove that she is the "one percent" on Raw.
Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews General Manager Nick Aldis, who says that he is happy with his draft pick and hopes that the SmackDown roster will show out. He also announces that Tiffany Stratton, Naomi and Bayley will face each other in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Women's Championship at Backlash. Teddy Long shows up and announces that The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga) will take on Kevin Owens and Randy Orton, also at Backlash.
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beats Carmelo Hayes. After the match, AJ Styles shows up and has a staredown with Cody Rhodes in the ring to end the show.
#1: Bianca Belair (SmackDown)
#2: "Main Event" Jey Uso (Raw)
#3: Carmelo Hayes (SmackDown)
#4: Seth "Freakin'" Rollins (Raw)
#5: Randy Orton (SmackDown)
#6: Bron Breakker (Raw)
#7: Nia Jax (SmackDown)
#8: Liv Morgan (Raw)
#9: LA Knight (SmackDown)
#10: Ricochet (Raw)
#11: The Bloodline (Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga) (SmackDown)
"The Wanted Man" Nic Nemeth heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Nemeth admits he thought he would return to Las Vegas as TNA World Champion, and while he left it all in the ring, it may have been his only opportunity and the title, and he failed. He even mentions his family cheering him on from the front row only to still fail to come through, and he is now at a loss as to what to do next. As he states that he feels broken inside, "Broken" Matt Hardy shows up and heads to the ring. Matt Hardy says that he had a premonition that after the main event, the lights go out and he would appear with the world champion, which ended up being Moose and not Nemeth like he had hoped. He says that he has seen the footage and that the fans may have seen what he saw: Nemeth's left shoulder was up as the referee counted to three. Matt admits that while he does not know what is next for Nemeth, he knows what is next for him, and that is becoming World Champion. He says Nemeth can get another shot down the line, but it may be against him and not Moose. Suddenly, The System (Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, Brian Myers, Moose) shows up, and Moose says it is funny that Matt Hardy is back in TNA thinking he is "the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders," which explains why they suck. He says this is wrestling, not football, and that Nemeth and Matt cannot challenge the play and he is still champion. Nemeth dares The System to say what they have to say to their faces, but Eddie says he knows what Nemeth is doing and is coming off as desperate. He says that Nemeth sounds pathetic, even though he knows that Nemeth came to TNA for good, and while he expected to become "the next Kurt Angle," he may not even become "the next Eric Angle." Nemeth threatens to beat the hell out of Eddie Edwards tonight, the idea of which Matt Hardy likes.
We see Director of Authority Santino Marella, Mustafa Ali and The Good Hands (John Skyler and Jason Hotch) near a ballot box. The Good Hands cast their votes, but find out that Mustafa Ali cannot become #1 contender to his own championship. Jordynne Grace shows up and casts her vote, then has a conversation with Santino.
Backstage, Gia Miller interviews Jordynne Grace. Jordynne admits that her match at Rebellion was a wild match, but she is glad that she had PCO on stand-by. She also admits she is surprised that Sami Callihan is back and that everything worked out. She also mentions what she brought up with Director of Authority Santino Marella: she has made her match next week a Knockouts Championship match. Suddenly, Miyu Yamashita shows up and says she will beat Jordynne and take her title.
Mike Santana beats Myron Reed. After the match, Steve Maclin shows up and tells The Rascalz to surround the ring, but when they do, The Rascalz drop off the ring apron, leaving Maclin on his own against Santana. Maclin dives out of the ring before Santana hits Spin The Block.
We hear from Steph de Lander and Kon. Steph de Lander says that what happened at Rebellion was insane and a screwjob and that Jordynne Grace could not beat her fair and square. She then challenges Jordynne and PCO to a mixed tag match against herself and Kon. Kon says that he will finish what he started at Under Siege, and that is breaking necks.
"The Walking Weapon" Josh Alexander heads to the ring. Alexander says today is a good day, especially when he steps into a TNA ring, as he bleeds for TNA. He says that he proved that he bled for TNA after his match with Hammerstone and became last man standing, and regardless of what everyone calls him, he has not been called one thing in some time: TNA World Champion. Before he lays out his plans, Frankie Kazarian shows up and calls Alexander "entitled" for thinking he is deserving of the World title after one match, then says he won his match at Rebellion, and if anyone is qualified, it is him. Alexander proposes that they have a match to see who the number one contender, but Kazarian says he can barely walk and his arm is severely injured and he expected better from Alexander. After Alexander says nobody sees him complaining after his match and that Kazarian might as well back down from a challenge so he can become number one contender, but Kazarian says "That doesn't work for me, brother!" As Kazarian leaves the ring, a referee shows up and tells Kazarian to get back in, and it is announced that a #1 contender's match for the TNA World Championship is happening right now.
"The Walking Weapon" Josh Alexander beats Frankie Kazarian with an ankle lock to become #1 contender for the TNA World Championship. During the match, Kazarian grabs a metal folding chair and introduces it to the ring, and the referee takes it away. While this is going on, Kazarian produces a chain, but Eric Young shows up and takes it away. Kazarian falls down and feigns being hurt by Eric Young, which causes Eric Young to get ejected. This distraction allows Alexander to put Kazarian in an ankle lock and grapevine it, and Kazarian taps, making Alexander #1 contender to the World title.
Backstage, Jake Something talks with Director of Authority Santino Marella, and Cody Deaner also shows up. Hammerstone shows up wanting to talk to Marella regarding Rebellion, and Jake Something tells him to show some respect. This leads to an argument and Hammerstone shoving Jake Something into the wall, and Santino telling the two of them to settle it in the ring. In the background, The Rascalz take part in some ballot stuffing.
First Class (AJ Francis and Rich Swann) and hip hop recording artist Bun B are seen entering the arena.
Gia Miller interviews First Class (AJ Francis and Rich Swann) and hip hop recording artist Bun B on the stage. AJ Francis says that Bun B came here for First Class just like DJ Whoo Kid and Shawne Merriman, and Bun B says all of his accomodations have been first class. Rich Swann says everyone saw him whup Joe Hendry's ass up and down the casino, and ever since First Class has dealt with Hendry, Hendry has been disrespectful, and that Hendry has learned to put respect on their name. When Gia Miller asks AJ Francis if he will show the same respect when he says Joe Hendry's name, Joe Hendry suddenly shows up next to Gia. AJ Francis says that he and Rich Swann may have to teach him another lesson, but Hendry says he is not here to fight, especially after Swann beat him and he suffered a groin injury. He says it humbled him and that he owes him an apology, and that he will do it the right way in the ring next week.
Xia Brookside beats Ash By Elegance with a schoolkid pin after Ash is caught with jeweled knuckles given to her by her conceirge George Iceman, giving Ash her first TNA loss.
Backstage, Trey Miguel is considered the winner of the ballot box vote "by a suspicious amount" of 60 votes. Everyone gets angry, but it is revealed that the second-biggest winner is Ace Austin. Mustafa Ali says that there should be no number one contender due to voter fraud, but Director of Authority Santino Marella puts Austin and Trey in a match where the winner faces Mustafa Ali for the X Division Championship at Under Siege.
Before the next match, John Skyler says that The Good Hands (John Skyler and Jason Hotch) have demanded a match with Sami Callihan after Sami's return at Rebellion. After it is revealed that Sami wants to face them both, he says that his luck has run out and that his death wish is coming in the form of these good hands.
Sami Callihan beats The Good Hands (John Skyler and Jason Hotch) in a two-on-one handicap match.
Backstage, Frankie Kazarian is met by Steve Maclin, but Kazarian tells Maclin he does not like him or trust him after what he did to him when he won the X Division Championship. Maclin says he has every right not to trust him, either, but he says Eric Young, "The Walking Weapon" Josh Alexander and Mike Santana have become problems, and propose that they help each other with their enemies.
Ryan Nemeth is seen in the crowd.
Eddie Edwards beats "The Wanted Man" Nic Nemeth. During the match, Brian Myers takes a shot at Ryan Nemeth onat ringside, and that distracts the referee so that Moose can nail Nemeth with the TNA World Championship. Eddie then hits the Boston Knee Party for the win. After the match, The System (Eddie Edwards, Alisha Edwards, Brian Myers, Moose) attacks Nic Nemeth, and Ryan Nemeth is held back by security as The System wraps a chair around Nemeth's neck before Moose smacks the chair into his throat with another chair. The System leave the ring as Speedball Mountain ("Speedball" Mike Bailey and Trent Seven) rush in.
In backstage footage from Dynasty, we hear from Bullet Club Gold ("Switchblade" Jay White, Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn). "Switchblade" Jay White says that Bullet Club has fulfilled their destiny, and Austin Gunn says that the extra weight on their shoulders prove that they run the trios division. Colten Gunn says they are three of the world in the world.
Top Flight (Darius and Dante Martin) and Action Andretti beat The Dark Order (Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, John Silver) in a six-man tag match.
Anna Jay beats Allysin Kay with the Queenslayer.
Backstage, Athena holds an Minion Empowerment Meeting with Billie Starkz and Lexy nair. Athena says that Red Velvet and Queen Animata took her moment at Battle of the Belts X and proved that she is just a piece of "hot porcelain hussy garbage." Billie Starks says that Red Velvet is mad that she has yet to beat her. After Lexy Nair says that they have unfinished business, Athena challenges Red Velvet and Queen Aminata to a tag team match.
Johnny TV beats Will Austin.
Brian Cage, Toa Liona and Bishop Kaun - no longer called The Mogul Embassy - beat Manders and Beeftank (Beef and Calvin Tankman) in a six-man tag match.
We hear from "Smart" Mark Sterling, who talks about how Ari Daivari - now known as Ariya Daivari - spent his money on only the best in order to become the best. Backstage, we hear from "Smart" Mark Sterling and The Premier Athletes. Sterling says Phase 2 is a success and that the message has been sent, but he did not think it would be sent to some of the best in ROH and that it would take six men to face off with them. He says that The Premier Athletes are at their best, and while it was not personal with The Embassy, they were in the line of fire and part of a long list of people who were not deserving of opportunities that belonged to them.
Yuka Sakazaki beats Leila Grey.
Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews Cole Karter and Griff Garrison. Garrison is holding Serpentico's mask. Karter says they keep getting opportunities, but they keep failing. Maria Kanellis-Bennett shows up and says they could have done better, then says every loss is an opportunity and that both of them gained experience. He says that everyone is jealous of what Karter and Garrison's good looks, but they will eventually be jealous of what they do in the ring and they will win the ROH World Tag Team Championships.
Undisputed Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) beat The Outrunners (Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd) in a Proving Ground Match for the ROH World Tag Team Championships.
Backstage, we hear from Red Velvet and Queen Aminata. Red Velvet says Athena is stirring up the pot and that she is done with her, and dares Billie Starkz to bring it on if she wants to hang with the big girls and handle big girl business, saying she has beaten her twice and will beat her again like her mother never did, as she rolls with royalty, not minions. Aminata says she feels sorry for Athena after saying she will drop her on her head again and again because she does not respect her as a champion. She says Athena has no honor and that nobody known more about onor than her. Red Velvet says she is looking for a fight and asks Aminata if she is looking for the same, then the two of them proclaim that it is time to cook, eat, leave no crumbs and take out the trash.
Taya Valkyrie beats Laynie Luck by submission.
Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews The Infantry ("The Captain" Shawn Dean, "Bad News and Tattoos" Carlie Bravo, Trish Adora). Shawn Dean says that since they have been in ROH, there have been targets on their back. As Carlie Bravo brings up the teams they have been facing, The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd and Truth Magnum) show up and brag about the roll they have been on lately, saying that they may not have targets on their backs, but they do have scud missiles. The Infantry notice that The Outrunners are wearing camoflauge and accuse them of gimmick infringment again, and this leads to a match between the two teams.
Lance Archer and The Righteous (Vincent and Dutch) beat Jon Cruz, GPA and Ren Jones in a six-man tag match.
Abadon beats Nova.
Backstage, Lexy Nair interviews Johnny TV and Taya Valkyrie. Johnny and Taya talk about the success of Johnny Loves Taya on All Elite Wrestling's YouTube channel and the potential awards they will win when Aaron Solo shows up and says they would win more awards if he was on the show, and Johnny TV accuses Aaron Solo fo not supporting the show when Taya reminds him that he did retweet them. Aaron Solo brings up their time in QTV, saying that "Johnny loved Solo" before he loved Taya, but Taya says Solo is a loser and that they do not associate with losers. Johnny TV brings up Aaron Solo's name being spelled "Solow" before telling him to win a match. Solo says he will win a match next week to prove that he is "TV ready." Johnny and Solo then try to literally get in the last word.
The Beast Mortos beats AR Fox and "All Heart" Blake Christian in a three-way match.
Before the show begins, The Elite (Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada) speak as they wait for Jack Perry, who shows up in a separate vehicle. The four of them make their way to the building, and when security tries to stop Jack Perry from entering, Matthew vouches for him.
As Orange Cassidy is about to make his way to the ring, he tumbles through the entrance while being attacked by Trent Beretta. Trent Beretta then demands that Chuck Taylor head to the ring. Chuck enters the ring from the stands, and Trent says that he should have done this a long time ago and that they should not have hugged "this narcissistic prick." Trent says that Orange became their mascot and that they did so much for him only to get nothing, and that Orange is not Chuck's friend. He says that he cares for Chuck and that he loves him, and tells him to do the right thing and give the people what they want. Chuck and Trent go for the hug, but Chuck stops and tells Trent that he always thought he was a piece of shit before hitting him with the microphone. After Trent retreats, Chuck says he wants to fight Trent not in the ring, but in the parking lot.
Backstage, we hear from Jon Moxley. He says that he knows what Powerhouse Hobbs is capable of and that he is aware of what is on the line tonight, and that The Don Callis Family put a hit on his friend just to get an edge to win. He says that he knows what it takes to get to the top and stay there, and while tonight will be a match through Hell, there is no place he would rather be and no better way to feel alive, and tonight, he will remind the world who he is. Moxley then says that when all the air leaves Hobbs' lungs and Hobbs hits the mat, it will be felt from Jacksonville to Tokyo.
Don Callis guests on commentary for the next match.
Swerve Strickland beats Kyle Fletcher in an AEW World Championship Eliminator Match. During the match, The Elite (Matthew Jackson, Nicholas Jackson, "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada) and Jack Perry are seen entering Tony Khan's office backstage.
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Thunder Rosa. Thunder Rosa says she can complain or she can evolve. As she talks about her next move and mentions "The Virtuosa" Deonna Purrazzo in the process, Deonna shows up and confronts Thunder Rosa. Deonna shoves Thunder Rosa, and security has to step in.
Mina Shirakawa beats Anna Jay with a stack-up pinfall. After the match, Anna Jay attacks Mariah May and Mina Shirakawa as they both celebrate in the ring, and this leads to "Timeless" Toni Storm rushing into the ring and chasing Anna Jay out. As Toni checks on Mariah, Serena Deeb shows up and looks at the AEW Women's World Championship, which Toni has left on the entrance step with her shoes. Serena promises on camera that the next time she touches the Women's World title, she will be the champion.
Backstage, Jack Perry, "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada and Nicholas Jackson refuses to answer Alex Marvez on Jack Perry's AEW status. Matthew Jackson says things are uncertain and that Tony Khan has agreed to meet Jack Perry live in the ring tonight.
Will Ospreay wins the Casino Gauntlet Match following a Hidden Blade to Komander. After the match, Undisputed Kingdom (Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett) shows up, and Roderick Strong and Will Ospreay have a staredown in the middle of the ring.
"The Learning Tree" Chris Jericho heads to the ring. Jericho says that "FTW" has a lot of negative connotations, then proclaims that "FTW" means "For The World" and that he won it for the world. Jericho says that he is only doing God's work by teaching the next generation and taking it to new heights, then thanks Terry Funk as well as Hook, saying Hook was a great champion and a tough competitor but still has a lot to take from the learning tree. He says that Hook has a lot to learn about removing dead weight such as Tazz and Katsuyori Shibata and that Hook should listen to him when he tells him to stay down, as he had to hit him with a baseball bat to beat him. He also says a lot of people have been drawn into "the Jericho vortex" and have come out as bigger and better stars before Big Bill suddenly shows up. Big Bill says he has been listening in the back and that he has only one thing to say: he needs the guidance of The Learning Tree. Bill calls Jericho "the Socrates of professional wrestling" who is always willing to lend advice, lend a hand and raise a less established guy to the top with him. He says there is a long line of guys chomping at the bit to be part of the learning tree, but there is nobody bigger than him and better fit than he is. Jericho says he has been watching Big Bill for a long time and that he will think about what he said, and that he will be watching him to see if what he says is true. Bill tells him to do that, as he will show him.
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Will Ospreay, Don Callis and Kyle Fletcher. Don Callis says he is happy for Ospreay because he will finally get championship gold. When the Tiger Driver '91 is brought up, Ospreay says that the move has to go due to the injuries it can cause, especially after what happened with "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson. As Fletcher says Ospreay will win, Callis tells him to shut up, saying that Fletcher is the absolute last person who should be talking about winning after tonight, before putting his faith in Ospreay.
Jon Moxley retains the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Powerhouse Hobbs with a sleeper. After the match, "The Alpha" Konosuke Takeshita shows up and calls out Jon Moxley for the title. (The match is the first time that New Japan Pro Wrestling's top title has been defended on a Turner network since November 1998.)
Collision and Rampage air back to back after the NBA playoffs this Saturday night!
Backstage, Renee Paquette interviews Katsuyori Shibata, who says that next week, he will damage Chris Jericho in his hometown and become FTW Champion after chopping down the learning tree under FTW Rules.
Tony Schiavone interviews Jack Perry in the ring. Perry takes the microphone and says he has had some of the greatest nights of his life in Jacksonville, Florida, but tonight, he has some business to handle and he wants to handle it right here, right now, face-to-face with Tony Khan. AEW President and founder Tony Khan shows up and heads to the ring. Perry says it has been a long road, and that AEW has gone on to change the world in the five years since the first Double or Nothing. He admits that he and Tony have had their ups and downs and have not always seen eye-to-eye, but he has always wanted what was best for AEW, and asks Tony Khan to shake his hand and reinstate him so they can continue to change the world together. Tony shakes his hand, and both men hug before Perry raises Tony Khan's hand. He then punches Tony Khan in the ribs while still raising his hand, and The Elite show up and confront Jack Perry. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson seem to tend to Tony Khan at first, and tease an EVP-Trigger in the process, but Okada gives the signal and Matthew and Nicholas hit Tony with the Meltzer Driver instead. Referees and medical check on Tony Khan before Matthew congratulates the fans in Jacksonville for showing up as the referees tell The Elite and Jack Perry to get out of the ring. The Elite and Jack Perry celebrate on the stage before heading to the back, and the locker room - and Tony's father, Shahid - soon shows up to check on Tony Khan as the show ends.
Backstage, General Manager Ava meets with Raw and SmackDown General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis regarding the WWE Draft. Nick congratulates Ava on a job well done so far and that he will be paying attention. Ava says everyone will be on their A-game and that after tonight, NXT will never be the same.
Roxanne Perez retains the NXT Women's Championship against Tatum Paxley and Lyra Valkyria after Tatum hits Lyra with a top rope 450 and Roxanne pins Tatum with a jackknife pin as Tatum pins Lyra.
We hear from WWE Superstars on Twitter/X regarding Spring Breakin'.
Backstage, Thea Hail meets with Fallon Henley and Kelani Jordan regarding Andre Chase and Jacy Jayne. As Thea is happy that she has a lot of people who have her back, Jaida Parker tells Thea that she should focus on herself, and she nearly comes to blows with Fallon when she does.
We see a vignette for Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont, who are debuting on Wednesday nights next week.
Backstage, Kelly Kincaid interviews Diamond Mine (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, Ivy Nile). They say that they could not miss tonight's show for the world and that Trick Williams will win the NXT Championship.
The D'Angelo Family (Tony D'Angelo, Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Luca Crusifino) beat No Quarter Catch Crew (Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp, Myles Borne) in a six-man tag match.
In backstage footage from yesterday, Baron Corbin is doing an interview when Lexis King provides Corbin with a going away basket and accepts being Corbin's next tag team partner after saying Bron Breakker is having the time of his life on SmackDown.
Jaida Parker beats Fallon Henley.
Backstage, we hear from Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx. Jacy says that Thea Hail is ungrateful after all that she gave her and all that she did for her after she took her under her wing and that she should be kissing the ground she walks on. She says that next week, she will end Thea Hail, and Thea will learn that gratitude is not an option, but a debt that she will repay to her.
We see a video package for Lola Vice vs. Natalya in an NXT Underground Match.
Backstage, Kelly Kincaid interviews JD McDonagh. McDonagh says that to beat Ilja Dragunov, one must hospitalize him, and that Trick Williams will not be the man to do it tonight. New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne) shows up after McDonagh leaves, and both Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne are mixed on who will win.
General Manager Ava is in the ring. She says that part of her job is pushing further into a new era and breaking glass ceilings, and she will do just that with the first-ever female NXT Underground Match. Natalya and Karmen Petrovic show up first, and Natalya signs the contract. Lola Vice shows up second, and she also signs the contract. Natalya tells Lola she has sealed her fate and asks who she has in her corner, but Lola says Natalya should be worried about herself and that just because she can shake her ass, that does not mean she can't kick her ass. She says that they will be making history next week and that she will break her. Natalya says Lola has an ego that needs to be kept in check, and while she respects where Lola came from, Lola does not respect her. She says that she respects the Superstars of the past and presents and if Lola is to lead the future, then she will have to beat some respect into her. Natalya tells Lola to bring everything she has in their match next week, because she will tap her out. Lola says Natalya can try, but when the lights dim, her fate is in the fastest hands in the division and her training partner will make them faster. Lola's training partner is none other than "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler, who heads to the ring. Shayna says Natalya is smart enough to realize her odds have gone from slim to none, and that when it comes to fighting, the baddest woman in NXT is aligned with the baddest woman in WWE. She tells Natalya that she still has time to leave the match gracefully and tear the contract up, especially if Petrovic is her training partner. When Shayna shoves Petrovic, Petrovic kicks her in the face, and Natalya soon shoves Lola out of the ring.
In footage from earlier today, Ridge Holland says it has been a rought few months, but it is time to start racking up wins and earn success the right way. Shawn Spears shows up, but Ridge tells him to leave him alone. Spears says Ridge knows what he is capable of, as does he, and tells him to let his demons out. Ridge tells Spears that he cannot rile him up, and that he will be seeing him.
We hear from The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Akam, Rezar, Paul Ellering). Karrion Kross says they are taking everyone back to the good old days where everyone was left beaten and broken. Paul Ellering says The Authors of Pain's (Akam and Rezar) destiny is clear and that The Final Testament is coming for all of the gold. Akam and Rezar say they are bringing destruction back to NXT, and tell Nathan Frazer and Axiom to prepare.
Backstage, Nathan Frazer and Axiom have seen this vignette backstage, and the two of them vow that they will beat The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) . Malik Blade agrees with their energy, and Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows show up, with Gallows saying they are tired of people coming in and trying to take the NXT tag titles. When Malik confronts them, he inadvertently breaks a nearby mirror.
Sol Ruca beats Blair Davenport in a Beach Brawl.
Backstage, Trick Williams is on the phone with his mother. After the phone call, Trick is met by Johnny Gargano. Trick talks about his match and says that the pressure is truly on, but Gargano says "no pressure, no diamonds," and that Trick must use everything that has brought him to this moment as a weapon. He says that the NXT Championship changed his life, but he had to give everything for that moment and that Trick must do the same.
We see a Tiktok video of Meta-Four's (Noam Dar, Oro Mensah, Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson) ride to the NXT live event in Orlando, during which Lash and Jakara manage to fix their car.
Lexis King beats Baron Corbin with a low blow followed by the Coronation after nearly ramming Corbin into the ref in the corner.
Diamond Mine (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed, Ivy Nile), New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne) and Johnny Gargano are seen in the crowd.
Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews Ilja Dragunov before the next match. Dragunov says he respects Trick Williams, but he has his family to fight for and he is "forever unbeseigbar." Damian Priest shows up and wishes Dragunov good luck.
Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Trick Williams, who says that he either wins and becomes champion, or he busts and leaves NXT forever, but he fears no man and he will be able to live with tonight regardless of what happens.
Trick Williams beats Ilja Dragunov to become NXT Champion after hitting the Trick Shot as Dragunov goes for Torpedo Moscow. (Had Trick lost the match, he would have been forced to leave NXT.) After the match, Dragunov personally hands the NXT Championship to Trick Williams and hugs him in a sign of respect.
Michael Cole and Pat McAfee are in the ring to start tonight's show. They announce that there will be a battle royal to determine a new Women's World Champion in tonight's main event, then we see a video package of Rhea Ripley being forced to vacate the Women's World title due to injury last week.
"Main Event" Jey Uso heads to the ring. He says that Backlash is in two weeks and he has a lot to prove, and as he says that he to prove himself and beat Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship, Priest shows up and heads to the ring. Priest compliments Jey Uso on his presentation, then brings up the one night that Jey whupped him so bad that he went up to him in the locker room and told him that he earned his respect, and then the two of them went out for drinks. He almost mentions Jey telling him "We next, Uce," and tells him that he was right and that he is proud to stand in the ring with him. He then corrects himself, saying Jay was half-right and that he ended up being next with the World Heavyweight Championship proving it and showing why he is "now." Priest says that Jey is the first person thrown in the machine to make him look good with the World Heavyweight Championship, as well as the first to lead the fans into rising for "Le Campeon." As Priest leaves, Jey tells him to wait, then asks if Priest sees him as "just another tag team guy" before saying Priest is only leader of The Judgment Day because Rhea Ripley got hurt. He also calls Priest "Dominik Mysterio's bitch" before saying Priest did what he did to become World Heavyweight Championship, and that Priest is being fed to him and that he will be the next World Heavyweight Champion. All of a sudden, JD McDonagh tries to attack Jey Uso from behind, but Jey sees him coming and tries to superkick him only to hit Priest.
The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) retain the World Tag Team Championships against #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa). Tommaso Ciampa refuses to shake hands after the match in the post-match sign of respect.
Backstage, as Damian Priest is irritated with JD McDonagh, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio shows up wearing a sling, stating that he has asked Santos Escobar, who is with him, to take his place in tonight's tag team match. Priest tells Santos to handle his business before Santos leaves, then demands that Dominik and McDonagh do the same.
Shawn Michaels announces that Battleground will take place to UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) heads to the ring. Gunther says he took some time away to digest what happened at WrestleMania, and states that for 666 days, he elevated the WWE Intercontinental Championship to heights never seen before and became the greatest champion in its history. He says that his name will forever be embedded in the history of the Intercontinental Championship, but that also means that for almost two years, he walked around with a big target on his back while living up to high expectations. Gunther says that weight has been lifted off his shoulders before he thanks Sami Zayn, then says that he is not a target and is going from being the hunted to being the hunter and being able to do whatever he wants. He says that this is a brand new era, and whatever happens, he will embed his name into this new era. As a result, he has declared his participation in the King of the Ring Tournament. Gunther then says that after this, it is up to him to decide which title to take next in WWE, then gives fair warning that the champions of WWE will be hunted and challenged by someone who is able to win titles, but hold them longer than anybody else. He says that he is already general of the ring, and soon to be King of the Ring. Suddenly, The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) shows up, and while Kofi agrees with Gunther that it is a new era, there is nobody better than The New Day to usher it in. Xavier Woods mentions that he is the reigning and defending King of the Ring, which makes Gunther a usurper and pretender to his throne, and that he plans to cement his legacy by becoming two-time King of the Ring. Gunther says that after he wins King of the Ring, he will re-establish the image of the tournament, and Xavier Woods will be remembered for pretending to be a champion as well as a king. Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston remind Gunther that he used to be champion and make fun of him for it. Gunther says this is beneath him, and sics Kaiser and Vinci on them. Woods says they have already fought so many times, but if the fans want it, they will gladly beat them. Gunther then watches the next match from ringside.
The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) beat Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci). Gunther gets angry and walks off after the match, disappointed in Kaiser and Vinci. Kaiser helps Vinci up and out of the ring, and when both of them are out of the ring, Kaiser shoves Vinci into the LED board of the ring and spits on him before taking out his anger out on him and attacking him further. Officials eventually show up to stop Kaiser from attacking Vinci on the ring steps, and Kaiser is escorted to the back. Kaiser soon turns around, makes a beeline back to Vinci, and drop kicks him. When Kaiser makes his way back to the back, Gunther is waiting for him, and he is pleased with Kaiser's results.
We see a vignette for Andrade. He says to be careful when you hear about somebody, as you may hear it from the problem. He says that he is not somebody's fool, then asks how you can pressure someone when they were not loyal from the beginning. He says The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh) did not want a business partner; they wanted a servant, and nobody tells him what to do. Andrade says that he is now The Judgment Day's biggest problem.
Drew McIntyre heads to the ring. McIntyre shows irritation with the fans chanting for CM Punk every time he comes out, saying that CM Punk actually hates the fans and hates himself more than he hates them. After making fun of the fans' love lives, he refrains from complaining about what happened at WrestleMania and the Raw afterwards, even though he calls everyone involved "cowards," and says he will come back swinging and become King of the Ring. Before he can say much else, Sheamus shows up and calls McIntyre out for not taking accountability for his own mistakes, saying it makes McIntyre a coward. He says that McIntyre finally got his live WrestleMania moment in front of fans and family only to blow it over some social media spat, and that McIntyre should be standing in the ring as World Champion, but threw it all away over a meme and a spat. Sheamus says they are friends and have been up and down the road together, then tells him the hard truth: a one-armed CM Punk kicked his arse. McIntyre says Sheamus knows better than anybody what CM Punk did to him, but Sheamus tells him that his obsession is destroying his career and he needs to get it out of his head. McIntyre says that before Sheamus got injured, it was banger after banger, but since he has returned, it looks like "burger after burger after burger" in reference to Sheamus' appearance during his return last week. Sheamus laughs and admits McIntyre has been getting good with the one-liners, and says that while he can lose the weight, McIntyre "can't lose stupid." He tells McIntyre to stop blaming everyone else for his mistakes, but McIntyre says it is everybody else and that they were joking about his weight while he stuck up for him as a friend. He says that he is past fighting over a couple of pints and would rather fight over something worthwhile, and that this is not worthwhile. He then says he will watch Sheamus' back in the next match from ringside.
Sheamus beats Shinsuke Nakamura.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Sami Zayn. Sami says he is angry and hurt, and while he has a lot to say right now, he is holding his tongue, as Chad Gable is showing up to explain his actions from last week. Suddenly, "Big" Bronson Reed shows up behind him and tells him to forget Gable, as he has bigger problems to deal with. Sami says that if he wants a shot at the Intercontinental Championship, he can have it any time and any place. When Sami continues his interview, Bronson Reed blindsides him. Officials back Bronson away from Sami, but Bronson gets the last word by attacking Sami again.
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable, Otis, Maxxine Dupri, Akira Tozawa) heads to the ring. Chad Gable says that after what happened to Sami Zayn backstage, it is safe to say that Sami has had a rough couple of weeks. He also says that what he did to Sami was justified. He says that what happened last week was good enough for him, but not for Sami, and when Sami placed the Intercontinental Championship, he took it on the chin and gave Sami his moment, but it was not enough, and he had to celebrate with his wife. Gable says that Sami knew that should have been his moment and it should have been him celebrating with his daughter at WrestleMania, but he was wasting his time training Sami Zayn and "a bunch of freakin' losers." Gable dares Tozawa to say something if he has a problem, as he has a problem with him doing his dance and racking up losses. He also calls Maxxine "pretty as a princess, but dumb as a box of rocks" as he gave her everything and got nothing in return. He then chews out Otis, saying that he has proven himself beyond a shadow of a doubt to be the biggest disappointment of them all. He then says that they signed up for honest feedback and cannot be upset with him for this. Gable then says that they will all win his Intercontinental Championship and that they will all help him no matter what. Otis says "No matter what" when forced to by Gable, with little conviction.
Backstage, Ricochet is met by "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, who says that he is lucky that he is not cleared tonight. Ricochet says there is nobody more upset than him not being cleared than him, and that he and Andrade have to settle for Santos Escobar and JD McDonagh. Ricochet then mentions their Speed match this Wednesday where he proves to embarrass him again. Dominik mocks Ricochet as he leaves, then runs into Liv Morgan.
Backstage, we hear from Nia Jax, who says that "thirteen females and one monster" will be in tonight's battle royal, and that she is the monster. She says she will terrorize every single one of them and eliminate them one by one until she is the last woman standing and Women's World Champion.
Ricochet and Andrade beat Santos Escobar and JD McDonagh. After the match, Damian Priest attacks Andrade and Ricochet from behind, with Ricochet getting the Razor's Edge before Andrade gets South of Heaven. Afterwards, Priest gets angry with Dominik and McDonagh, saying they need him, not the other way around.
We hear from Zoey Stark, who says it has been a year since she was drafted to Raw, but instead of staying in the corner and being patient, she beat Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch, came close to winning Money In The Bank and the Women's World Championship. She says that it has been a hell of a year, and that she is just getting started.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae. Candice says they are not here to defend their victories before a brawl been Nia Jax and Liv Morgan explodes nearby and has to be stopped by officials. Becky Lynch shows up and thanks Jackie for covering things before taking over her job, then gets the fans fired up for the women's battle royal for the World Women's Championship, and stops to tell Maxxine Dupri to prove that her first battle royal will not be her last. She says that when Rhea Ripley is ready, she will be waiting, then says she is here for a fight before heading to the ring.
Becky Lynch last eliminates Liv Morgan in a fourteen-woman over-the-top battle royal to become the Women's World Champion! After the match, Becky celebrates in the crowd to end the show.
This week on Raw Talk: "Big" Bronson Reed! Sheamus! Chad Gable!
