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 rumors and recaps involving WWE, NXT, GFW, ROH, Lucha Underground, NJPW, House of Hardcore, NWA, ICW, CZW, FIP, PWG, AAW, EVOLVE, PROGRESS, SHINE, SHIMMER 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
** Theme Song Of The Week **
This week's theme goes to the new #1 Contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Shinsuke Nakamura.
*** WWE ***
- Emma and Nia Jax Join Sasha Banks As #1 Contender: This past week on RAW, Emma and Nia Jax defeated Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss to make the WWE RAW Women's Championship Match at WWE No Mercy a Fatal Four Way Match.
- Shinsuke Nakamura Becomes #1 Contender: This past week on Smackdown Live, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Randy Orton to become the new #1 Contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Nakamura will face Jinder Mahal at WWE Hell In A Cell.
- Big Show Getting Surgery: WWE announced this past week that Big Show is undergoing surgery for a slight hip issue soon. It appears WWE may have written Show off TV with Braun Strowman putting him through the side of the steel cage after their RAW main event.
- Donovan Dijak Arrives: WWE officially announced the signing of Donovan Dijak this week. Dijak will report to the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
- Holiday RAW's: WWE announced this past week that both the Christmas and New Year's Day Monday Night RAW's will be live.
- Ric Flair Posts About Recovery: Ric Flair went to social media this past week to let us know that he's fine and looking to make a full recovery in the near future. I'm really digging Ric Flair's shirt in the video. Woooooooooooooo
- JBL Leaving Smackdown Live: This past week, JBL announced that he would be stepping away from Smackdown Live as an announcer to help at risk youth and communities in the Bermuda. JBL says he'll continue to call marquee pay per view's for WWE, but will no longer be apart of the broadcast team.
- Corey Graves and Nigel McGuinness Get Switched: According to WWE, Graves will take over JBL's Smackdown Live duties and continue his RAW duties. McGuinness will take Graves' 205 Live and Main Event duties as well as still call NXT with Mauro Ranallo.
- Nikki Bella On Dancing With The Stars: WWE announced this week that Nikki Bella will be a contestant on this season's Dancing With The Stars show.
- Dolph Ziggler Leaving Soon: According to many wrestling sites, Dolph Ziggler's contract with WWE expires at the end of October. Ziggler has already made it very vocal that he's never been happy with the direction WWE used him in the past couple years and he definitely will not be resigning with the company. Rumors have begun that Ziggler may be either Ring of Honor or New Japan Pro Wrestling bound in 2018.
- WWE 2K18 News: The following article was released this past week showing which WWE/NXT superstars won't be in the new WWE 2K18 video game. You can check that out here.
** 205 Live Recap **
This week's show saw a Fatal Five Way Elimination Match to determine who would face Neville at WWE No Mercy for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
- TJ Perkins vs. Ariya Daivari: The match closes out with Daivari wasting too much time watching Rich Swann who's at the commentary table watching TJP. TJP takes advantage of the distraction and hits the Detonation Kick for the pinfall.
Winner: TJ Perkins, by pinfall.
- After the match, Swann informs TJP that they're going one on one next week.
- Drew Gulak vs. Akira Tozawa: The match closes out with Tozawa missing the first senton off the top rope, but rolls through and drops Gulak. Tozawa back to the top rope and nails the senton for the pinfall.
Winner: Akira Tozawa, by pinfall.
- Backstage, Enzo says he's 3-0 in 205 Live because he's working smarter not harder. Neville interrupts and says Enzo can't be taken serious and shouldn't even be in any title picture.
- "#1 Contenders Fatal Five Way Match": Tony Nese vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Brian Kendrick vs. Enzo vs. Gran Metalik:
** First Elimination: Nese lands a hard elbow on Metalik and tosses him back into the ring. Alexander surprises Nese with a Lumbar Check and scores the pinfall.
** Second Elimination: Metalik tries to take control of Alexander with offense. Alexander isn't having it and lays out Metalik with a Lumbar Check for the pinfall.
** Third Elimination: Kendrick hits Sliced Bread #2 on Alexander for a near fall. Alexander then escapes the Captain's Hook submission from Kendrick, hits the Lumbar Check and scores the pinfall.
** Final Elimination: Enzo grabs Alexander for the rollup with a handful of tights and scores the pinfall to win the match.
Winner: Enzo, to become the new #1 Contender to the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
*** NXT ***
- Asuka Vacates NXT Women's Championship: In case you missed NXT this past Wednesday, Asuka officially vacated her NXT Women's Championship due to her collar bone injury. Asuka finished undefeated for 523 days with the title.
*** GFW ***
** GFW Impact Recap **
This week's main event saw GFW Undisputed Champion Eli Drake defend his title against Matt Sydal.
- Caleb Konley and Trevor Lee vs. Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt: The match closes out with Williams hitting the Canadian Destroyer on Konley and then Dutt follows with a top rope splash to score the pinfall.
Winners: Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt, by pinfall.
- LAX (Santana and Ortiz) vs. Jon Bolen and Zachary Wentz: The match closes out quickly with LAX hitting the Street Sweeper and scoring the pinfall.
Winners: LAX, by pinfall.
- After the match, oVe interrupt, state that they're the best tag team in the world and will beat LAX to prove it. Konnan tells oVe that if they want title shots then they have to come to Tijuana, Mexico to the Crash Wrestling promotion and challenge for the titles there. oVe accept the challenge.
- Taryn Terrell and Sienna vs. Gail Kim and Allie: The match closes out with Allie getting a near fall Slice Bread #2. KM tries to distract Allie, but Braxton Sutter makes the save and brawls with KM. Allie hits a Cross body block on Sienna, but Sienna rolls through and scores the pinfall on Allie.
Winners: Taryn Terrell and Sienna, by pinfall.
- After the match, Taryn and Sienna beat down Allie and Gail. Rosemary hits the ring, but she gets beat down as well. Taya Valkyrie makes her GFW debut and hits the ring. Taya goes after Sienna and Taryn, but then stops and ends up attacking Rosemary instead. Taya lifts Rosemary and plants her face first into the mat.
- Jim Cornette Promo: Cornette hypes tonight's main event as Johnny Impact interrupts. Impact wants to face the winner of Eli Drake and Matt Sydal for the GFW Undisputed Championship. LAX interrupts next and blames favoritism if Impact gets a title shot before Low Ki does. Low Ki demands to be first in line and calls Impact a bitch. LAX and Impact start brawling as Security try to break things up. Cornette orders everyone to leave or else face suspension to end the segment.
- Backstage, Jim Cornette announces Low Ki vs. Johnny Impact next week with the winner becoming the #1 Contender.
- Backstage, Grado breaks off the marriage with Laurel Van Ness because Laurel being from Canada won't save Grado from not being deported. Laurel flips out and starts smearing makeup all over her face.
- Highlights and interviews from last weekend's AAA TripleMania 25 are shown.
- Dezmond Xavier talks about his Super X Cup Tournament win and plans on focusing on the X Division Championship now.
- "GFW Undisputed Championship Match": Eli Drake (c) vs. Matt Sydal: The match closes out with Sydal hitting double knees on Drake and gets a near fall. Chris Adonis slides the GFW Undisputed Championship into the ring. Adonis then tosses a steel chair into the ring to distract the referee. Drake swings the title at Sydal, but misses. Sydal hits a knee on Drake and gets a near fall. Sydal takes out Adonis and then goes to the top rope. Adonis gets back up and distracts the referee. Drake grabs the title and nails Sydal, knocking Sydal out. Drake hits his finisher and scores the pinfall to retain the title.
Winner: Eli Drake, by pinfall, to retain the GFW Undisputed Championship.
- Jeff Jarrett Steps Down: GFW announced this week that GFW COO Jeff Jarrett is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the company to focus on personal matters. It was also noted in the announcement that Jarrett will be available to the company on a consultative basis as needed. Jarrett stated that he knew nothing of the leave and PWInsider reports that Anthem's Ed Nordholm actually made the decision after personally meeting with Jarrett in Nashville, Tennessee. Regarding on what led to the leave, the feeling is that unhappiness with Jarrett involving his erratic behavior was a driving factor in Nordholm's decision. It appears they were not unhappy with the company's creative direction with Jarrett as Chief Creative Officer. The situation had been building for months and the final tipping point was AAA's TripleMania event in Mexico last week.
- Anthem Selling GFW: One day removed from the announcement of Jeff Jarrett stepping away, Anthem announced that they don't see GFW in their future any longer and plan on selling the company to any bidders interested. Vince McMahon might be getting that check book ready as we speak.
*** RING OF HONOR ***
** ROH TV Recap **
This week's main event saw ROH World Heavyweight Champion Cody Rhodes and Hangman Adam Page battle Mark Briscoe and Bully Ray.
- "No DQ Match": Jay Lethal vs. Beer City Bruiser: The match closes out with Silas Young arriving, but being held back by security. Lethal placed a beer keg on Brusier's leg and smacked it hard with a steel chair twice. Lethal unloads more steel chair shots on Brusier's leg and then gets the tap out win with the Figure Four submission.
Winner: Jay Lethal, by submission.
- After the match, Lethal reapplies the Figure Four submission for more punishment. Lethal then goes after Silas Young, but security holds both men back.
- Cody Rhodes promises to bring Minoru Suzuki to his knees at Death Before Dishonor and make Suzuki admit that Cody is the better man.
- At a meet and greet, Cheeseburger gets attacked and beat down by Will Ferrara who was disguised as a fan wanting a picture with Cheeseburger.
- Coleman's Pulpit Show, With Special Guests The Addiction: Coleman is irritated at the get go because his set is incomplete and he had to earn this segment. The Addiction are introduced as the guests. Kazarian and Christopher Daniels declare war on respect and are sick of being disrespected by the ROH fans. The Addiction state that they interfered in last week's ROH World Tag Team Championship Match because they can't stand the fans and felt they didn't deserve that match. The Addiction promise to continue to ruin everything about ROH that the fans love.
- Will Ferrara vs. Howie Timberche: The match closes out with Ferrara landing a low blow and then a tornado DDT for the pinfall.
Winner: Will Ferrara, by pinfall.
- After the match, Cheeseburger hits the ring and challenges Ferrara to a match next week. Ferrara accepts the challenge.
- Jay Briscoe is pissed that doctors still won't clear him to wrestle after suffering a concussion two weeks ago. Jay doesn't care and says he's in the building tonight to back up Mark Briscoe and Bully Ray.
- Mark Briscoe and Bully Ray vs. Cody Rhodes and Hangman Adam Page: The match closes out with TK O'Ryan of The Kingdom hitting the ring and knocking Mark off the ropes with a baseball bat. Cody hits Cross Rhodes on Mark and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Cody Rhodes and Hangman Adam Page, by pinfall.
- After the match, O'Ryan nails Bully Ray with the baseball bat, as Matt Taven and Vinny Marseglia of The Kingdom arrive. The Kingdom beat down Bully Ray as Jay Briscoe hits the ring. The Kingdom attack Jay next and lay him out with Rockstar Supernova to end the show.
- The RING of Honor: In an interesting twist in Ring of Honor this week, ROH World Heavyweight Champion Cody Rhodes threw down the title. Cody then introduced an actual ring that he will now wear on his hand to represent the World Heavyweight Championship. Cody then stated that instead of using the Code of Honor handshake, he will demand people to kiss the ring instead.
*** Lucha Underground ***
** Lucha Underground TV Recap **
- "Aztec Medallion Match": Drago vs. The Mack: The match closes out with Dragon Moon distracting The Mack, allowing Drago to unload kicks and then hit the Dragon's Tail cradle for the pinfall.
Winner: Drago, by pinfall, to win Aztec Medallion #5.
- After the match, The Mack hits the Stunner on Drago. Mack gets jumped and beat down by the rest of The Reptile Tribe.
- Dario Cueto Promo: Cueto hypes next week's 100th episode and then calls out Rey Mysterio. Cueto orders Rey to leave the building tonight because Matanza Cueto will be here fighting The Rabbit Tribe. Cueto tells Rey that if he doesn't leave the building then he will fire Rey's student Dragon Azteca Jr. Rey promises to end the Cueto Legacy next week when he takes down both Matanza and Dario.
- Aztec Medallion, 5-0 Street Fight Match": Joey Ryan vs. Cortez Castro: The ring is surrounded with police cars, police tape, police weapons and Swat guards used as lumberjacks. The match closes out with both men brawling to the coffee and doughnuts table where Castro dumps coffee down Ryan's pants. Castro grabs a police taser and tases Ryan below the belt. Ryan super kicks a box of doughnuts into Castro's face. Back in the ring, Castro maces Ryan in the eyes and then hits the Michinoku Driver on top of a pile of riot shields to score the pinfall on Ryan.
Winner: Cortez Castro, by pinfall, to win Aztec Medallion #6.
- "Handicap Match": Matanza Cueto vs. The Rabbit Tribe: The match closes out with Paul London getting a near fall on Matanza with the Shooting Star Press. Matanza finally had enough and finishes The Rabbit Tribe quickly. Matanza suplexes London and then hits the Wrath of the Gods on Saltador to score the pinfall.
Winner: Matanza Cueto, by pinfall.
- Prince Puma Promo: Puma gets interrupted immediately by Johnny Mundo. Mundo promises victory on Puma at Ultima Lucha Tres. Puma reminds Mundo of their history with Puma winning alot. Mundo suggests a Title vs. Mask Match for their showdown and Puma accepts. Dario Cueto interrupts and hates the idea because there is already a Mask vs. Mask Match on that show. Cueto instead makes it a Title vs. Career Match. Puma attacks and lays out Mundo before accepting Cueto's match to end the show.
*** NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING ***
- Kazuchika Okada Voted #1 On PWI 500: PWI announced their Top 500 wrestlers of 2017 last week. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada came out on top and finished as 2017's #1 wrestler in the world. Congratulations to Kazuchika Okada!
- Kenny Omega Suffers Injury: NJPW reported this week that Kenny Omega suffered a minor knee injury that kept him off of a few live shows this week. Omega should be back at 100% shortly.
** Road To Destruction Recap **
- Shota Umino and Tetsuhiro Yagi went to a time limit draw.
- Yuji Nagata and Katsuya Kitamura defeated Manabu Nakanishi and Tomoyuki Oka, after Nagata hit a backdrop driver on Oka.
- Killer Elite Squad, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi and Taka Michinoku defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Ricochet, Togi Makabe, David Finlay and Hirai Kawato, after Kanemaru hit the Deep Impact DDT on Kawato.
- Bad Luck Fale, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Baretta, after Takahashi hit the Pimp Juice DDT on Baretta.
- Juice Robinson and War Machine defeated Guerrillas of Destiny and Leo Tonga, after Juice hit Pulp Friction on Tonga.
- Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Takashi Iizuka defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin and KUSHIDA, by DQ, after Elgin was DQ'ed for shoving the referee.
- EVIL, Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI and SANADA defeated Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, Rocky Romero, Toru Yano and Will Ospreay in a Ten Man Tag Team Elimination Match.
*** PWG ***
- Battle of Los Angeles 2017 Crowned: Last weekend, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla held their yearly Battle of Los Angeles tournament. The Finals came down to Ricochet vs. Keith Lee vs. Jeff Cobb in a Triple Threat Match. The match ended with Ricochet catching Cobb in a rollup and scored the pinfall to win his second career Battle of Los Angeles tournament. Congratulations to Ricochet!
*** AAA ***
- Sexy Star Stripped Of Title: AAA announced this week that Sexy Star has been stripped of her AAA Reina De Reinas Championship after the incident that happened at TripleMania 25. Sexy Star locked an arm bar submission in on Rosemary and refused to release the hold after Rosemary tapped out, popping Rosemary's elbow out of place. Sexy Star recently commented on the incident and has posted no apology, stating that she did nothing wrong.
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!
