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, Impact Wrestling, GFW, ROH, Lucha Underground, NJPW, House of Hardcore, NWA, ICW, CZW, FIP, 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 song of the week goes to a man making a name for himself this past week, Samoa Joe! Joe became the new #1 Contender to the WWE Universal Championship and got the attention of the champion, Brock Lesnar, by choking out Lesnar's agent, Paul Heyman.
*** WWE ***
- New WWE Intercontinental Champion Crowned: Check out my recap of WWE Extreme Rules and see how The Miz became the new WWE Intercontinental Champion.
- New WWE RAW World Tag Team Champions Crowned: Check out my recap of WWE Extreme Rules and see how Sheamus and Cesaro became the new WWE RAW World Tag Team Champions.
- Brock Lesnar Fighting On A Future RAW: WrestleZone has reported that according to local advertisements, WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar is being advertised to face Bray Wyatt for the WWE Universal Championship at the June 26th WWE Raw taping at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The match, however, is being advertised as a possible dark match. This will be the first time in 15 years that Lesnar has wrestled at a RAW show.
- The Hardy Boys Not On RAW: If you were wondering why Matt and Jeff Hardy were absent from last week's RAW, it's due to family obligations. Matt's wife Reby Sky Hardy will soon be giving birth to the couple's second child which will be there second boy. Hardy Boys 2.0 could be coming in about 20 years! As of this past Thursday evening Reby gave birth to their new son Wolfgang Xander Hardy.
- Thea Trinidad Signs With WWE: Thea Trinidad, who was also known as Rosita in Impact Wrestling has officially signed with WWE. Thea will begin training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this month. For those of you that caught NXT this week, Thea made her official NXT debut by confronting Andrade "Cien" Almas and slapping him in the face.
- Other Signees: WWE also officially announced the signings of former Impact Wrestler Gunner, Fabian Aichner, Axel Dieter Jr. and female independent wrestlers Evie and Nixon Newell.
- WWE Resigns UK Wrestlers: WWE officially announced that they have given new contracts to their top United Kingdom superstars Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, Wolfgang and Mark Andrews. The new contracts will allow them to work at the WWE Performance Center, NXT shows and focusing on the United Kingdom Division.
- Kevin Owens Injured: Kevin Owens tweeted out this past week that he currently has a broken thumb. The injury, however, will not cause Owens to miss any ring time.
- RAW Going Back To 2 Hours?: Sources have said that WWE and the USA Network have talked about putting RAW back to 2 hours after their current contract expires with USA Network. The problem is the contract doesn't expire till 2019. So we still have another year and a half of 3 hours of RAW.
- WWE Hall of Famer Injured In Fall: WWE announced that Hall of Famer Harley Race suffered two broken legs after a fall in his home in Troy, Mo. last Tuesday. Race sustained a fracture to his right femur and suffered breaks in his left fibula and tibia, as well as a spiral break of his left ankle. The WWE Hall of Famer required emergency surgery to relieve the swelling in both legs late Tuesday night. He subsequently received four blood transfusions and underwent surgery on Friday to reset the fractures. WWE has wished Race a speedy recovery.
- WWE Hall of Famer Wants Bray Wyatt: This past week WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts tweeted out that he would love to have a one on one match with Bray Wyatt in the near future.
** 205 Live Recap **
This week's main event saw WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville finally defend his title against TJ Perkins.
Winner: Cedric Alexander, by pinfall.
- Backstage, TJ Perkins says it's all about him now, he doesn't care about the fans and plans on getting revenge on Neville tonight for turning on him.
Winner: Mustafa Ali, by pinfall.
- Backstage, Titus O'Neil interrupts Akira Tozawa and Rich Swann. Titus wants to turn Tozawa's HA HA HA chants into CHA CHA CHING chants and make him more money than he could imagine by simply joining The Titus Brand. Tozawa doesn't look like he's buying the offer.
Winner: Neville, by submission, to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
*** NXT ***
- First Female Referee Makes Her Debut: Last month WWE announced that they had hired Independent wrestler Kennadi Brink and planned to use her as their first ever female referee. Kennadi made her debut this past week working under the name Jessika and refereed her very first NXT match.
- Hideo Itami Leaving?: This past week, Hideo Itami stated that his NXT contract will be expiring this summer and he probably will not resign with NXT. Itami signed with NXT in 2014, but a series of injuries and the signing of Shinsuke Nakamura sidelined all of his momentum as the WWE's Japanese breakout star. Itami said he plans on moving back to Japan to be closer to his family.
*** Impact/Global Force Wrestling ***
** Impact TV Recap **
This week's Impact had their first set of TV tapings from India. Tonight's show featured both Bobby Lashley and Alberto El Patron defending the Impact World Championship and GFW Global Championship against mystery opponents.
- Bruce Prichard warns Josh Mathews and Jeremy Borash that they can not physically fight with each other until Slammiversary or they'll both be fired.
- Alberto El Patron Promo: El Patron says he's won many titles all over the world, but the one title he wants is the Impact World Championship. Bobby Lashley interrupts says he's sick of El Patron, El Patron isn't the only one winning titles everywhere, he doesn't care about El Patron's family heritage and he's hurting El Patron so bad that he'll send him back to Mexico. Bruce Prichard interrupts and announces that both men will defend their titles tonight against mystery opponents, with the winners main eventing Slammiversary.
- Backstage, an Indian team known as The Mumbai Cats want a shot at Alberto El Patron. Bruce Prichard says he'll take it under consideration but doesn't look impressed.
- "Impact X Division Championship Match": Low Ki (c) vs. Caleb Konley: During the match, Low Ki gets busted open right by his eye, but continues. The match closes out with Konley attempting a cradle suplex, but Low Ki counters and hits a running double foot stomp. Low Ki hits Warriors Way and scores the pinfall to retain the title.
Winner: Low Ki, by pinfall, to retain the Impact X Division Championship.
- Sonjay Dutt Promo: Before Low Ki can leave Sonjay Dutt arrives, talking to his native Indian fans in their language. Dutt reminds Low Ki of the eye injury he currently has caused by Low Ki. Dutt talks about their history together and demands Low Ki to put his title on the line against him for next week. Low Ki accepts the challenge.
- A video plays of Swoggle promising revenge on Rockstar Spud for attacking him.
- Davey Richards vs. Vikas Kumar: The match closes out with Kumar putting up a hell of a fight on Richards and getting in good offense. Richards finally punts Kumar in the head and then makes Kumar tap out to the ankle lock submission. After the match, Ethan Carter hits the ring and starts whipping Kumar with a strap until James Storm hits the ring and makes the save.
Winner: Davey Richards, by submission.
- Backstage, Eli Drake demands a shot at one of the world titles tonight. Bruce Prichard says he'll think about it.
- Out in the crowd, Swoggle and Rockstar Spud are both spotted. Swoggle starts chasing Spud throughout the arena.
- A video is shown of Mahabali Shera talking about growing up in India and loving his home country.
- A video is shown of Joseph Park and Jeremy Borash working out and getting ready for their Slammiversary match against Scott Steiner and Josh Mathews.
- "Impact World Championship Match": Bobby Lashley (c) vs. ????: Moose is announced as the mystery opponent. The match closes out with Lashley getting a near fall superplex on Moose. Moose counters the spear with a bicycle kick. Moose plants Lashley with Go To Hell and gets a near fall. Lashley counters Moose's finisher and drills him with the spear to score the pinfall and retain his title.
Winner: Bobby Lashley, by pinfall, to retain the Impact World Championship.
- LAX is shown at their headquarters and bragging that they hold all the power being Impact and GFW World Tag Team Champions.
- "Impact Knockouts Championship Match": Rosemary (c) vs. Laurel Van Ness: The match closes out with Rosemary in control, forcing Sienna to try to distract Rosemary. Rosemary shoves Laurel into Sienna and then rolls Laurel up for the pinfall to retain her title. After the match, Rosemary gets attacked and beat down by Sienna and Laurel. Allie hits the ring with a kendo stick and helps Rosemary chase off Sienna and Laurel.
Winner: Rosemary, by pinfall, to retain the Impact Knockouts Championship.
- Backstage, KM assumes he's the challenger for Alberto El Patron tonight because he's undefeated. Bruce Prichard says no and KM isn't undefeated. KM asks Prichard if he's calling him a liar. Prichard says no but he's also not calling KM the #1 Contender tonight.
- "GFW Global Championship Match": Alberto El Patron (c) vs. ????: Chris Adonis is announced as the mystery opponent. The match closes out with El Patron locking in the cross arm breaker submission, but Adonis reaches the ropes. Adonis plants El Patron with a Sky High sit down power bomb for a near fall. El Patron counters the Master Lock submission, gets Adonis in the tree of woe and hits the double foot stomp for the pinfall to retain his title. After the match, Eli Drake attacks El Patron. Bobby Lashley arrives, but just watches El Patron get beat down. Moose finally hits the ring and helps El Patron chase off Drake and Adonis.
Winner: Alberto El Patron, by pinfall, to retain the GFW Global Championship.
- Impact Wrestling 2017 Hall of Fame Inductee Announced: This past week Impact Wrestling announced that James Storm will be the next Impact wrestler to enter the Impact Hall of Fame. Storm will join Sting, Kurt Angle, Team 3D, Jeff Jarrett, Earl Hebner and Gail Kim in the hall of fame.
- Cody Rhodes Done With Impact Wrestling: Cody Rhodes hasn't been seen or heard from on Impact Wrestling in quite awhile. According to Cody's wife Brandi Rhodes, Cody is finished with Impact Wrestling and has dedicated his time to ROH and NJPW as of now.
- Jesse Godderz Done With Impact Wrestling: Impact Wrestling officially announced this week that Jesse Godderz is finished with Impact Wrestling. It's unknown where Godderz is headed next at the moment.
Impact Slammiversary will be live on pay per view on July 2nd. The following are the announced matches for the event.
- "Winner Takes All Title Unification Match": GFW Global Champion Alberto El Patron vs. Impact World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley.
- "Winner Takes All Title Unification Match": GFW Women's Champion Sienna vs. Impact Knockouts Champion Rosemary.
- "Impact X Division Championship, 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match": Sonjay Dutt (c) vs. Low Ki.
- Full Metal Mayhem Match": Angelina Love and Davey Richards vs. Alisha and Eddie Edwards.
- "Strap Match": James Storm vs. Ethan Carter.
- "Battle Of The Announcers Tag Team Match": Scott Steiner and Josh Mathews vs. Joseph Park and Jeremy Borash.
- Moose and DeAngelo Williams vs. Eli Drake and Chris Adonis.
*** Ring Of Honor ***
** ROH TV Recap **
This week's main event saw Adam Cole battle Hangman Adam Page.
- War Machine vs. Cheeseburger and Will Ferrara: The match closes out with Cheeseburger unloading Shotei strikes on Rowe. War Machine regains control and destroys Cheeseburger with the Pop Up Power Slam. Hanson hits a suicide dive on Ferrara as Rowe scores the pinfall on Cheeseburger.
Winners: War Machine, by pinfall.
- War Machine Promo: War Machine hypes Philadelphia for being War Machine's team birthplace and winning their first ROH World Tag Team Championship here. War Machine send out a warning to The Young Bucks that they're coming after their tag team titles next.
- Backstage, Christopher Daniels says he'll continue his dream by ending the nightmare Cody Rhodes at ROH Best In The World.
- "Eight Man Tag Team Match": Bully Ray, Dalton Castle and The Briscoes vs. Los Ingobernables De Japan (Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA): The match closes out with Bully yelling for The Briscoes, Castle and The referee to get the tables. BUSHI shuts this down by spitting green mist into their eyes. The Boys shove Castle out of the way and Jay Briscoe gets mist in the eyes. Naito rolls up a blinded Jay and scores the pinfall. After the match, The Briscoes blame The Boys for the loss. Castle tries to calm Mark and Jay down as The Boys run and hide under the ring.
Winners: Los Ingobernables De Japan, by pinfall.
- Backstage, Hangman Adam Page says he's kicking Adam Cole out of ROH the same way Cole was kicked out of The Bullet Club.
- Backstage, Roppongi Vice state that they are going to go get a partner and then challenge The Young Bucks and Hangman Adam Page to a match. The Bucks and Page interrupt, super kick Romero and Beretta and then beat them down.
- Adam Cole vs. Hangman Adam Page: The match closes out with Cole hitting an Exploder power bomb on Page off the apron and to the floor, laying out both men. Cole tosses Page back in the ring and goes to the top rope. Page countered the aerial assault with Rite of Passage on Cole for a near fall. Page turns Cole inside out with a lariat and then hits another Rite of Passage to score the pinfall. After the match, Page grabs the referees belt and whips Cole with it. Kazarian hits the ring and chases off Page to end the show.
Winner: Hangman Adam Page, by pinfall.
** ROH Windy City Excellence **
- Jay Lethal vs. Caprice Coleman: The match closes out with Lethal hitting Lethal Combination and Hail to the King, but Coleman somehow kicks out of the pinfall attempts. Lethal finally hits a couple Lethal Injections on Coleman and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Jay Lethal, by pinfall.
- "Street Fight Match": Bully Ray vs. Matt Taven: The match closes out with Vinny Marseglia getting involved and helping Taven. Bully Ray gets the referee to help him out in hitting Whazzz Up and getting a table. Bully hits the Bully Bomb through the table on Taven and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Bully Ray, by pinfall.
- Vinny Marseglia talks trash to the Chicago crowd, stating he'd rather be in Milwaukee than a dump like Chicago. This angers Chicago native Colt Cabana, who's doing commentary. Cabana says he's going to put his ring gear on and teach Marseglia a lesson.
- Colt Cabana vs. Vinny Marseglia: The match closes out with Cabana scoring the pinfall on Marseglia and teaching him a Chicago lesson.
Winner: Colt Cabana, by pinfall.
Winners: The Rebellion, by pinfall.
- "ROH World Tag Team Championship Match": The Young Bucks (c) vs. Will Ferrara and Cheeseburger: The match closes out with The Bucks hitting the Meltzer Driver and score the pinfall to retain their titles. After the match, Ferrara has had enough, turns heel and beats down Cheeseburger.
Winners: The Young Bucks, by pinfall, to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championship.
Winners: Christopher Daniels and Kazarian, by pinfall.
- Dalton Castle Contract Update: Last week it was made public that Dalton Castle's contract with ROH was expiring and Castle was interested in making the jump to WWE. This week ROH and Castle both announced that Castle would be signing a new contract and staying in ROH.
*** Lucha Underground ***
** Lucha Underground TV Recap **
This week Johnny Mundo defended his Lucha Underground World Championship against The Mack in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. The main event saw Prince Puma battle Mil Muertes in a Boyle Heights Street Fight Match.
- Backstage, Prince Puma gets advice from Rey Mysterio to stay away from Vampiro. Puma says Mysterio isn't his master and walks off. Mysterio sees a vision of Vampiro standing behind him. Vampiro tells Mysterio to stay away from Mysterio. Vampiro disappears and Mysterio punches a mirror.
Winner: Johnny Mundo, by pinfall, to retain the Lucha Underground World Championship.
- Dario Cueto Promo: Cueto calls himself the Lucha Underground Genius and announces a soon to begin 32 Lucha tournament for the newly created Cueto Cup Trophy and a shot at the Lucha Underground World Championship. Cueto then announces that the night of the tournament's finals we'll also see Johnny Mundo defend his Lucha Underground World Championship against Rey Mysterio.
Winners: Kobra Moon, Vibora and Drago, by pinfall, to win the Lucha Underground Trios Championship.
- Backstage Johnny Mundo is informed by Taya that he'll defend his title against Rey Mysterio during the Finals of the Cueto Cup. Mundo decides that he needs to train harder.
- "Boyle Heights Street Fight Match": Mil Muertes vs. Prince Puma: The match closes out with both men fighting at ringside and then into Dario Cueto's office. Cueto is backed in the corner and using a stuffed bulls head as a shield. Back in the ring, Puma unloads on Muertes with a wrench and a trash can. Puma sets up Muertes in the corner with the trash can in place and hits the Coast To Coast top rope drop kick. Puma hits Muertes with the 630 Splash, but Katrina gets involved and hits Puma with a stone, laying Puma out. Both men come to as Vampiro suddenly leaves the commentators table and slides Puma a brick. Puma blasts Muertes in the head with the brick and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Prince Puma, by pinfall.
*** New Japan Pro Wrestling ***
* Best Of The Super Juniors Recap *
After a grueling thirteen night event, the Best of the Super Juniors Tournament has come down to Will Ospreay battling KUSHIDA in the Finals to crown the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors Winner. Another big advertised match was newly added Bullet Club member Marty Scurll teaming up with Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega to battle Gedo and IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada.
- "Six Man Tag Team Match": Syota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka and Yuji Nagata vs. Tetsuhiro Yagi, Katsuya Kitamura and Manabu Nakanishi: The match closes out with everything breaking down and both teams start brawling. Oka traps Yagi in a crab submission and makes Yagi tap out for the victory.
Winners: Syota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka and Yuji Nagata, by submission.
- "Six Man Tag Team Match": Hirai Kawato, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Togi Makabe vs. Jado, Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii: The match closes out with Kawato and Ishii trading strikes with each other, which ends with Kawato getting a near fall rollup. Ishii ends up hitting a huge lariat that turns Kawato inside out to score the pinfall.
Winners: Jado, Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii, by pinfall.
- "Six Man Tag Team Match": Volador Jr., Tiger Mask IV and Jushin Thunder Liger vs. TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru: The match closes out with Tiger Mask and Liger taking out Kanemaru and Desperado. Volador hits a Spanish Fly off the top rope on Michinoku and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Volador Jr., Tiger Mask IV and Jushin Thunder Liger, by pinfall.
- "Eight Man Tag Team Match": War Machine, David Finlay and ACH vs. The Bullet Club (Guerrillas of Destiny, Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi): The match closes out with ACH hitting a suicide dive on Fale into the announcers table. Hanson leaps off the top rope to the floor and cross bodies a pile of bodies. Finlay gets laid out by Fale, allowing Takahashi to hit Pimp Juice for the pinfall.
Winners: The Bullet Club, by pinfall.
- Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI vs. Minoru Suzuki and Taichi: The match closes out with Hashi getting beat down and double teamed. Desperado and Kanemaru are at ringside. Desperado distracts the referee as Kanemaru mists whiskey, but it accidentally goes into the face of Taichi. Hashi hits Karma on Taichi and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI, by pinfall.
- "Ten Man Tag Team Match": Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi vs. Satoshi Kojima, Juice Robinson, Ryusuke Taguchi, Ricochet and Dragon Lee: The match closes out with all ten men brawling. Kojima gets a series of drop kicks unloaded on him. More back and forth action as Kojima hits the Koji Cutter on Naito and follows up with a lariat. EVIL makes the save for Naito. Kojima gets laid out with the Destino and pinned to end the match.
Winners: Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL, BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi, by pinfall.
- Tanahashi confronts Tetsuya Naito, promises him that he will be ready and he will defeat Naito at NJPW Dominion.
Winners: Kenny Omega and Marty Scurll, by submission.
Winner: KUSHIDA, by pinfall, to win the Best of the Super Juniors Trophy.
As usual I'll have the full recap for you in next week's Weekend 3 Count.
- Shota Umino, Tomoyuki Oka and David Finlay vs. Tetsuhiro Yagi, Katsuya Kitamura and Hirai Kawato.
- Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W, Yuji Nagata and Togi Makabe vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
- Gauntlet Match for the NEVER Openweight 6-man Championship: Los Ingobernables (c)(BUSHI, EVIL and SANADA) vs. Taguchi Japan (Ricochet, Juice Robinson and Rysuke Taguchi) vs. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii) vs. The Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi, Hangman Adam Page and Bad Luck Fale) vs. Suzuki-Gun (Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Zack Sabre Jr.).
- Cody Rhodes vs. Michael Elgin
- Roppongi Vice (c) vs. The Young Bucks for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
- War Machine (c) vs. Guerrillas of Destiny for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
- Horomu Takahashi (c) vs. KUSHIDA for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
- Lumberjack Death Match for the NEVER Openweight Championship: Minoru Suzuki (c) vs. Hirooki Goto.
- Tetsuya Naito (c) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
- Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
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!
