Sunday, November 20, 2016

Weekend 3 Count #WWE #NXT #TNA #ROH #LuchaUnderground #SexyStar #EVOLVE #Vader

By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978

Wrestling Lockup with Brandon, brought to you by Triple Threat CLE brings you the Weekend 3 Count. W3C brings you wrestling news, rumors and recaps from around the wrestling world. You'll find news and recaps involving WWE, NXT, TNA, ROH, Lucha Underground, GFW, NJPW, House of Hardcore and any Indy promotion that I find an interesting story or a cool discovery in. Be sure to check out the W3C every Sunday afternoon at @TripleThreatCLE. 

*** WWE *** 

- New Champion Crowned: If you missed Smackdown Live this past Tuesday night, The Miz defeated Dolph Ziggler and became a 6 Time WWE Intercontinental Champion. 

- The Undertaker Returns: This past Tuesday on Smackdown Live, The Undertaker officially announced that he was back and made it clear that if anyone on Team Smackdown Live failed at tonight's WWE Survivor Series, he'd pay them a visit.

- Cruiserweight Signings: According to PWInsider, WWE have offered contracts to Tony Nese and Drew Gulak. Nese and Gulak were signed for the RAW Cruiserweight Division and for the upcoming 205 Live Cruiserweight show that starts at the end of November.

- More Conor McGregor News: According to WWE officials, they are trying to land an appearance from current UFC Featherweight and Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor. WWE would love to have McGregor appear on a future episode of RAW. Last weekend, Triple H was in attendance for UFC 205 on Saturday night to see McGregor become the first-ever simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history by defeating Eddie Alvarez for the Lightweight Title. McGregor made pro wrestling headlines earlier this year when he took a shot at several wrestlers while doing a UFC 202 Q&A. Triple H spoke to The Telegraph at the event and confirmed that WWE is interested in bringing McGregor in. Triple H stated the following:

"He could come over, he's got it all, he's got the personality, the skills, the talk. He's an entertainer, for sure. What does he walk around at? 180lbs? I have smaller guys now in the WWE. We have 200lb guys who are stars. You don't need to be 300lbs any more. He could do just as well as Floyd Mayweather when he fought the Big Show. That really worked. Conor could do it for sure."

- A McMahon In The White House?: NBC Connecticut reports that future President, Donald Trump, could be considering Linda McMahon for his Secretary of Commerce. Linda supported Donald Trump's bid for the Presidency, and donated $6M to his campaign in August. A spokesperson for McMahon said she would be honored to serve if Trump asks her, but his office has not reached out as of yet.

- Ashley Massaro Files A Lawsuit: Former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro is the most recent former WWE talent to join in a lawsuit against the company, alleging sexual abuse and brain trauma. Massaro claims that she was sexually assaulted while visiting a US base in Kuwait on behalf of WWE in 2006. Massaro claims that company doctors examined her following the incident and reported their findings to WWE executives, who then persuaded Massaro to keep quiet as they handled the situation internally. Massaro also has claimed that she suffered several concussions, while performing for the WWE. One instance, Massaro states that she was at one time unconscious for five minutes and never received any care. Massaro claims that due to the sexual assault and concussions she now suffers from depression, anxiety, memory loss, migraines and has also been led to a subsequent drug addiction, which WWE helped her get past in 2010.

- 4 Nights Of Action: WWE recently announced that starting with Wrestlemania 33 next year, there will be a new package deal for the fans to purchase at one of the "Big 4" pay per views. WWE is planning to run an NXT pay per view, a WWE pay per view, RAW and Smackdown Live all from the same venue and fans can order a package deal to attend all four events. This will be planned for Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series.

- 2017 WWE Survivor Series News: WWE officially announced this week that the 2o17 WWE Survivor Series will take place in Houston, Texas. WWE will also run NXT Takeover, RAW and Smackdown Live all in Houston that weekend.

- WWE Survivor Series: Tonight is the 30th Annual WWE Survivor Series. Be sure to check out my Recap of the results on Monday afternoon if you miss the show.

*** NXT ***

- WWE Superstars That Need NXT: While checking out the Internet this week, I came across a top 5 list of current WWE superstars that would be better off if they went back down to NXT to sharpen their gimmicks or even just to get noticed again. Here was that Top 5, do you agree with the choices?

#5: Neville
#4: Dana Brooke
#3: Tyler Breeze
#2: Enzo and Big Cass
#1: Sami Zayn

- NXT Takeover: Toronto: If you missed last night's great show be sure to check out my Recap of all the results, currently posted on Triple Threat CLE.


*** TNA ***

- TNA Recap:
-- Eddie Edwards cuts a promo. Edwards says he's always been a stand up guy, doesn't appreciate James Storm and his DCC buddies jumping him from behind and isn't leaving till he gets a face to face. The DCC arrive and Edwards goes after Storm. Eddie Kingston jumps Edwards from behind. Edwards fights back, hits a clothesline, a running elbow and then ground and pounds Kingston. The DCC three on one attack Edwards and beat Edwards down. Jeff Hardy hits the ring, drops Bram with a punch, hits a Twist of Fate on Kingston and then chases off Storm.
-- Aron Rex vs. Jesse Godderz: The match closes out with Godderz hitting a leg lariat on Rex for a near fall. Rex counters a back suplex and chop blocks Godderz. Godderz counters the Royal Arch, applies the Adonis Lock and makes Rex tap out.
-- TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim announces that due to injury she is vacating the title. A new champion will be crowned in the near future.
-- Sienna and Laurel Van Ness vs. Brandi Rhodes and Madison Rayne: The match closes out with Brandi hitting a rolling back elbow on Sienna and a knee strike for a near fall, as Laurel breaks up the pinfall. Madison takes out Laurel with a leg lariat and tosses her outside. Brandi counters the AK47 and hits a reverse STO on Sienna to score the pinfall. 
-- At the Hardy Estate, Reby Sky is disappointed with Broken Matt Hardy because he's eating candy and deleting emails instead of helping his brother fight. Matt says communication solves problems not violence. Reby wants to show Matt some videos to try to make him remember his life. 

-- "Fatal Four Way Match, To Determine A #1 Contender": Bobby Lashley vs. Ethan Carter vs. Trevor Lee vs. Mike Bennett: The match closes out with Lashley hitting a spinebuster on Bennett. Lee hits the Collision Course on Lashley and then boots Bennett. Lee hits a running punt on EC3, sending him outside and then follows up with a plancha on EC3 and Lashley both. Lee gets shoved off the ropes by Bennett, but Bennett gets blasted in the face by EC3. EC3 hits the TK3, traps Lee in a rear naked choke submission and makes Lee tap out to become the new #1 Contender.
-- At the Hardy Estate, Reby Sky shows Matt the Final Deletion video. Matt asks how much did Max's birthday cost, why did he destroy Jeff's front yard lawn and why would he ever shoot fireworks at his own brother. Matt gets disgusted with the violence and leaves the room.
-- Fact Of Life with Eli Drake: Drake's guest is Ethan Carter. Drake is annoyed that EC3 gets another TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match. Drake reminds EC3 that he choked the last two times he got title shots and wants to save EC3 from further embarrassment. Drake challenges EC3 to a match with EC3's #1 Contendership on the line and wants EC3 to prove that he's a real man. EC3 declines Drake's offer and walks out. Drake says he'll include that if Drake loses he is out of a world title shot for a whole year. EC3 says it's tempting, but again declines the match because Drake isn't ready to become a champion. EC3 challenges Drake to a match and if Drake loses, then he has to shut his mouth for a whole year. Drake accepts the match.
-- Basille Baraka vs. Mahabali Shera: The match closes out with Shera hitting a body slam on Baraka and then making Baraka tap out to the Camel Clutch submission. After the match, Baron Dax attacks Shera from behind. Dax hits the Final Judgment on Shera and Baraka lands a low blow. Al Snow hits the ring, but The Tribunal tell Snow to get lost. Snow unloads on Baraka and Dax and chase them from the ring. Snow and Shera shake hands.
-- Jade will battle Rosemary for the vacant TNA Knockouts Championship next week.


-- The DCC vs. Eddie Edwards and Jeff Hardy: The match closes out with Bram hitting a running clothesline on Edwards and then puts Edwards through a table at ringside with the Brighter Side of Suffering. Storm and Hardy trade shots until Hardy drops Storm with the Twist of Fate. Storm falls into the ropes, so Hardy goes for a second Twist of Fate. Storm counters, hits the Last Call and scores the pinfall to end the show. 


*** RING OF HONOR ***
- ROH TV Recap:
-- "ROH Six Man Tag Team Championship Tournament Match": Team CMLL vs. The Addiction: The match closed out with Kamaitachi in control, but Daniels tagged himself in and ended up getting pinned by Ultimo Guerrero. Disgusted, Kamaitachi walks out on Daniels and Kazarian for costing him a shot at the titles. Daniels apologizes, but Kamaitachi doesn't want to hear it.
-- Dalton Castle and Colt Cabana vs. Keith Lee and Shane Taylor: The match closes out with Castle and Cabana not on the same page as they have problems teaming. Castle accidentally hits Cabana with a boot that was meant for Lee. Cabana gets dropped with a power bomb and a middle rope splash from Taylor for the pinfall.
-- ROH Television Championship Match": Bobby Fish (c) vs. "Hangman" Adam Page: The match closes out with Fish countering the Rite of Passage and trapping Page in a knee bar submission and forcing Page to tap out, retaining the title. After the match, ROH World Champion Adam Cole hits the ring to attack, but Jay Lethal and Kyle O'Reilly make the save and chase off Page and Cole to end the show. 

- New Champion Crowned: This past Friday night, Will Ospreay made his ROH debut at a live show in Liverpool, England. Ospreay went on to defeat ROH Television Champion Bobby Fish to win the championship.  Ospreay had just signed a deal with ROH last week.




*** Lucha Underground ***

- Lucha Underground TV Recap: This week's whole show focused on the Lucha Underground Championship being defended in Aztec Warfare 3.
-- Johnny Mundo confronts Dario Cueto and promises to be the first ever Lucha Underground Gift of the Gods Champion and Lucha Underground Champion both at the same time. Mundo also says that if he fails tonight he will cash in his Gift of the Gods title next week for a Lucha Underground Championship Match. Cueto calls Mundo an arrogant son of a bitch and says Mundo will enter Aztec Warfare at #2 instead of #12 and will need to fight for his life because Matanza Cueto is #1.
-- "Aztec Warfare 3 for the Lucha Underground Championship": The match features 20 Lucha Underground wrestlers and will be contested just like the WWE Royal Rumble, one entering every 90 seconds. The last person standing will win the Lucha Underground Championship.

** Order of Entrants **
Matanza Cueto
Johnny Mundo
Son of Havoc
Jeremiah Krane
Pentagon Dark
PJ Black
Mariposa
Rey Mysterio
Dr. Wagner Jr
Marty The Moth Martinez
Jack Evans
Sexy Star
Ricky Mandel
Mascarita Sagrada
Famous B
The Mack
Joey Ryan
Mil Muertes
Kobra Moon
Drago

** Order of Eliminations **

- Matanza eliminates Jeremiah Krane with a German suplex into a bridge pinfall.
- Matanza eliminates Mariposa by pinfall with a choke slam.
- Jack Evans eliminates Son of Havoc by pinfall with a corkscrew moonsault.
- Johnny Mundo eliminates Pentagon Dark, by pinfall, after Pentagon Dark gets jumped by Black Lotus and two Asian women.
- PJ Black eliminates Ricky Mandel, by pinfall,  after Pentagon Dark gave Mandel a package piledriver before he was jumped by Black Lotus' crew.
- Matanza eliminates Sagrada, by pinfall, with a spinning Wrath of the Gods.
- Rey Mysterio eliminates Famous B, by pinfall, with the 619 and West Coast Pop.
- Rey Mysterio eliminates Marty The Moth, by pinfall.
- Mil Muertes eliminates Joey Ryan, by pinfall, with the Flatliner.
- Matanza eliminates Dr. Wagner Jr, by pinfall, with the Wrath of the Gods.
- The Mack eliminates Jack Evans, by pinfall, with a stunner.
- The Mack and Sexy Star eliminate PJ Black, by double pinfall, after Mack hits a pop up stunner on Black.
- Drago eliminates Kobra Moon, by pinfall, with the Dragon Slayer.
- Matanza eliminates Drago, by pinfall, with the Car Bomb Slam.
- Rey Mysterio eliminates Matanza, by pinfall, after a sunset flip power bomb. Dario Cueto is pissed and stunned that his brother has been eliminated. We will be guaranteed a new Lucha Underground Champion.
- Johnny Mundo eliminates Rey Mysterio, by pinfall, after Matanza snaps and viciously attacks Rey for eliminating him. Matanza tosses Rey repeatedly into the outside barricade and then hits Wrath of the Gods on Rey. Dario Cueto tries to get his brother to stop, but Matanza shoves Dario down, as Rey is stretchered out of the Temple.

** Final Four **
Johnny Mundo, Sexy Star, The Mack and Mil Muertes.

- Sexy Star eliminates Johnny Mundo, by pinfall, after Angelico returns and helps Star, as she was being attacked by Mundo, PJ Black and Jack Evans.
- Mil Muertes eliminates The Mack, by pinfall, with The Flatliner.

** Final Elimination **
Muertes drags Sexy up to the top rope with him and goes for a choke slam through a table. Sexy fights back and sends Muertes crashing through the table below. Sexy hits a double stomp on Muertes, covers, scores the pinfall and wins the Lucha Underground Championship.




*** NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING ***

- King Haku Returns: This past week at an NJPW charity event in New Zealand, the wrestling legend known as King Haku returned and teamed up with his sons Tama Tango and Tanga Roa in a Six Man Tag Team Match. King Haku received a great reaction as the father/sons team defeated Juice Robinson, Hooligan Marcus Kool and Nasty Nate.


*** EVOLVE Wrestling ***

** EVOLVE 72 Recap **
-- Fred Yehi vs. Jason Kincaid: The match closes out with Kincaid hitting the coast to coast drop kick and then the double stomp on Yehi. Yehi comes back with a vertabreaker on Kincaid and then a flatliner. Yehi locks in the Koji Clutch submission and makes Kincaid tap out.
-- Darby Allin and Tony Nese vs. Jaka and Chris Dickinson: The match closes out with Nese tossing Dickinson into Jaka and then hitting a suicide dive on both. Nese goes for the 450 Splash, but Allin tags himself in. Jaka pulls Nese outside as Dickinson hits a dragon suplex on Allin. Jaka and Dickinson hit Total Elimination on Allin and score the pinfall.
-- Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ethan Page: Page spent most of the match going after Sabre's injured arm. The match closes out with Sabre countering the Spinning Dwayne, but Page connects with a Buckle Bomb. Sabre unloads slaps on Page, but gets planted with a Page power bomb, that trapped his injured arm underneath. Sabre counters the RKEGO, but Page hits the Spinning Dwayne on Sabre to score the pinfall.
-- Chris Hero vs. Tracy Williams: The match closes out with Hero hitting a rolling elbow, but Williams hits a german suplex. Hero counters a sunset flip and hits a Gotch Piledriver on Williams for a near fall. Hero unloaded a series of elbows and Williams fired back with a series of strikes and two big boots. Williams hits a lariat on Hero for a near fall. Williams hits another lariat and then traps Hero in a crossface submission. Hero tries to fight out, but eventually taps out.
-- "The Squared Circle Of Survival Match, For The EVOLVE World Championship": Timothy Thatcher (c) vs. Drew Gulak: The rules for this match were simple, you could only win by pinfall, submission or knocking out your opponent. In an unbelievable sight, one that I've never seen before, Thatcher and Gulak tore the whole ring apart while wrestling. Ripping down the ropes, pulling up the canvas and wrestling on top of the exposed wood panels underneath. The match closes out with Thatcher and Gulak trading punches. Thatcher gets a near fall gut wrench suplex on Gulak after hitting three head butts. Gulak hits a series of suplexes and Thatcher falls into the hole that was created in the middle of the wood panels, falling underneath the ring. Thatcher gets pulled out of the hole, but he unloads more head butts on Gulak. Thatcher counters the piledriver and plants Gulak with a backdrop suplex to score the pinfall and retain the title.
-- Drew Gulak and Catch Point cut a promo and meet face to face with Drew Galloway and DUSTIN to end the show. Galloway and Matt Riddle trade verbal shots at each other, setting up a possible future match once Galloway is cleared to wrestle again.


** EVOLVE 73 Recap **
-- Stokely Hathaway announces that EVOLVE World Champion Timothy Thatcher is not here tonight as planned due to a concussion.
-- Darby Allin challenges Jaka to a match tonight, Jaka accepts and that match kicks off the show. 
-- Darby Allin vs. Jaka: The match closes out with Jaka in full control and beating down Allin. Jaka drops Allin on the top rope with a hot shot and then planted Allin with a German suplex. Allin tries to fight back and tries to pull off a series of different pinning combinations on Jaka. Jaka finally counters Allin's attempts, lands a spin kick on Allin and scores the pinfall.
-- Icarus vs. Jason Kincaid: The match closes out with Kincaid planting Icarus with a sunset flip bomb into the corner and follows that up with a coast to coast drop kick. Icarus hits a wheelbarrow German suplex on Kincaid and gets a near fall. Icarus and Kincaid fight out to the floor, where Kincaid hits a blockbuster on Icarus. Back in the ring, Kincaid hits a double stomp on Icarus and scores the pinfall.
-- Ethan Page vs. Chris Dickinson: The Gatekeepers were in Page's corner as Jaka was in Dickinson's corner. The match closes out with Dickinson unloading a series of clotheslines and then pounds on Page in the corner. Dickinson connects with an enziguri on Page and gets a near fall. Page goes to the apron, Dickinson charges, but Page counters with the RKEGO for a near fall. Dickinson counters a package piledriver and gets another near fall enziguri. Dickinson goes for a lariat, but Page counters, hits the Spinning Dwayne and scores the pinfall.
-- Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr.: The match closes out with Sabre attacking Gulak's arm he worked on throughout the match. Sabre counters an arm bar submission attempt by Gulak, Gulak counters a guillotine submission attempt by Sabre and goes ground and pound on Sabre. Sabre counters a sunset flip and plants Gulak with a sitdown bulldog. Gulak returns and traps Sabre in the Dragon Sleeper submission and makes Sabre tap out.
-- Chris Hero vs. Matt Riddle: The match closes out with Riddle unloading kicks on Hero. Riddle hits Bro To Sleep, but Hero also hits the rolling elbow and both men are down. Hero is up first and unloads elbows on Riddle. Hero and Riddle counter tombstone attempts until Riddle plants the jumping tombstone piledriver on Hero. Riddle unloads punches on Hero, forcing Hero to retreat to the ropes. Hero counters the springboard knee, plants an elbow and then drops Riddle with a piledriver. Hero hits the Gotch Piledriver on Riddle and scores the pinfall.
-- Drew Galloway and DUSTIN appear and make fun of Matt Riddle for losing. Galloway says he's sold his soul for his career and is here to save EVOLVE. Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams arrive and want their tag title rematch. Galloway agrees, but says Chris Hero will substitute for Galloway since he's still not cleared to wrestle. Drew Gulak and Tony Nese arrive, as does The Gatekeepers and they all want included in this EVOLVE World Tag Team Championship Match too.
-- "EVOLVE World Tag Team Championship, Fatal Four Way Elimination Match": DUSTIN and Chris Hero (c) vs. Tony Nese and Drew Gulak vs. Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams vs. The Gatekeepers:
* First Elimination: Hero is in control and unloading strikes on both Gatekeepers. The Gatekeepers grab Hero and plant him with a double chokeslam. Allin runs in and attacks one of The Gatekeepers as DUSTIN also runs in, rolls up the other Gatekeeper and scores the pinfall.
* Second Elimination: Nese suplexes Williams and gets a near fall. DUSTIN and Hero run in and attack Nese in the corner. Nese fights back and Hero accidentally cracks DUSTIN with an elbow. Williams traps DUSTIN in the crossface submission and forces DUSTIN to tap out, insuring us that there will be new tag team champions tonight. Drew Galloway has a temper tantrum at ringside knowing he just lost his tag team championship.
* Final Elimination: Williams hits a drop down off the ropes into a DDT for a near fall on Nese. Nese comes back and hits a Michinoku Driver on Williams, but Yehi stops the pinfall attempt. Yehi unloads a series of forearms on Nese and then traps Nese in the Koji Clutch submission. Nese taps out, making Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams the new EVOLVE World Tag Team Champions to end the show.

- Joey Styles Fired From EVOLVE: EVOLVE president Gabe Sapolsky announced last weekend that they have fired former ECW and WWE announcer Joey Styles, for making a joke about the future president of the United States, Donald Trump. Styles was on commentary with Joanna Rose and made the remark to Joanna that she looked great and if Donald Trump was present he'd want to grab her by the p*ssy. Styles tweeted out an apology to everyone in EVOLVE on the following day.

- Timothy Thatcher Injured: PWInsider reported that Evolve World Champion Timothy Thatcher suffered a concussion at EVOLVE 72 during his match against Drew Gulak. Due to the injury, Thatcher was forced to drop out of EVOLVE 73, where he was set to face Tony Nese.


*** Other News ***

- Vader News: Former WCW and WWE wrestler Big Van Vader (Leon White) announced some sad news on Twitter this week. Vader stated that he visited two different doctors this week and both are giving Vader 2 years left to live. Vader's doctors stated that due to football and wrestling, Vader is suffering from terminal congestive heart failure and has only 2 years left to live.

And that's this week's W3C! Join me every Sunday afternoon as I bring you news, recaps and rumors all around the wrestling world!

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