Mission 023 – A Shot Across the Bow
Hello fellow fans of professional wrestling! I am back with THE most reliable commentary section on the business and this week we are going to talk about the top ten things that we saw via our competition over the course of the last week!
Number Ten: HBP Mayhem
We didn’t know what to expect when WWE drafted the former 8-time world champion, the Heartbreak Punk, but what we’ve seen since this new season began has far exceeded expectations! Honestly, it has been comedy gold!
From being the chauffeur of the D’Angelo Family, playing drunken cards with APA as the Street Profits enter the room, to witnessing Bret Hart getting his head taken off by Goldberg, HBP has been featured more on television this past week, and over the past month, more than he has since the Fourth Era!
Moreover, he has been ratings gold. Look, I have low expectations regarding Shaun Michaels (no actual relation to HBK, as a reminder) having an in-ring career resurgence, but what we’ve seen so far has been homerun after homerun ever since he left ULW’s Legends Exemptions thanks to Giant Gonzales beating him back in May.
I can’t wait to see what he gets into next!
Number Nine: Setting Up for Becky v. Toni
After, as I predicted, Toni Storm defeated Zelina Vega and retained her Knockout’s prize, we saw her take to the mic and “bury” the Knockouts Division for being insufficient in toppling her. The woman is a bona fide megastar in the making, and it is hard to disagree with her point of view here.
Enter the former two-time women’s champion, Becky Lynch! Becky was traded to AEW (alongside another then-exempted Damian Priest) in exchange for AJ Styles (and we will talk more about him later), and AEW is wasting no time getting to work on capitalizing on the potential that they have with her.
Many people forget these days, but Becky had twice been contracted by BWM Inc. during the Sixth Era. Yet, they NEVER utilized her since it was during EWA’s disappointing no-show phase. The first time they had her she was relatively absent at the era’s start up until PWI traded Sasha Banks for her. Then, they regained her in a later draft only to lose her the next go-around.
In the interim, Becky made the most of her time in PWI and (to a lesser degree) ULW. Capturing the PWI Women’s Title on two separate and celebrated occasions, and being heavily featured opposite the rising star of AJ Lee. Yet, now she is in a new home for the first time in years, with new competition, and her first stop is deservedly challenging for the Knockout’s title!
Look, I am not going to sit here and type out the Eulogy for Toni’s title reign just yet, but Becky will be the first major test for the young champion. This is going to be excellent!
Number Eight: Brock Lesnar loses twice to the Rock and has thoughts
The Number One overall draft pick, Brock Lesnar, had the world buzzing about the havoc he was going the wreak against the Rock; starting with his appearance at Starrcade, wherein he left the Rock out cold.
So far, he has been great in WWE, but some are questioning how much of a beast he really is after he lost to the Rock twice in the span of as many days. I am not going to sit here and join some amongst the IWC by saying that Lesnar has been “buried”, but I will say that he has been derailed a tad by these losses.
Now, though, Brock has been teased (via an intense Smackdown segment) for an announcement tonight on Raw, and he has the wrestling world buzzing a little again. What can we expect from the Beast Incarnate? Is he going to try for the Rock for a third time? Is he going to meddle in Cena and Priest’s affairs? Will he have a sex change and look to slay the women’s division Vinnie Mouse-style?
I don’t know (and I take that last one back, I am a tenth of Lesnar’s size and don’t plan to be sent into the stratosphere when I see him next year at the Draft), but I am excited to hear what he has to say tonight. What’s next for the one-time “Next Big Thing”?!
Number Seven: LA Knight becomes TV Champion
So, all but two of my predictions for Dynamite came true last week. Though, one of the predictions where I was wrong was only due to a cash-in (which we will address later), and the other I had actually and openly given a better chance of being wrong on. The latter is the one we will discuss now, as LA Knight holds mid-card gold once again!
First, let me explain once more why I had doubted Knight last week. It was more about the Hurt Syndicate’s momentum than it was about anything wrong with Knight. Hell, LA was the second overall draft pick, and it has been a poorly-kept secret that he was high on EVERYONE’s radar this year and every year since he debuted and became HCW Extreme Champion in the waning days of the Sixth Era!
Knight will be a world champion before this era concludes, and I think it will happen either two or three times, to be frank. There was a lot of irritation in the Cash Mouse Entertainment board room for not exempting Knight, but the call ultimately belonged to the acting head of the company, and Lenny reportedly felt that losing Knight was worth the risk considering the key components of this new season that he had in mind.
Still, Knight is quickly making waves in AEW, and you have to know that this victory over Hurt Syndicate’s Benjamin will have the new World Champion and Syndicate Boss, Lashley eyeing the number one threat to their superiority with a fresher sense of urgency.
That man believes that this is his game now and that everyone will soon be saying his name loud and proud: L-A-KNIGHT!
Number Six: Karrion’s Revival
Karrion Kross has had new life injected into his veins since the Draft and after the Rock decided to bring NXT back alongside his title reign which had gone unchallenged and unacknowledged since late last year when Russo purged the champions for his idea of a cleanse.
With a successful title defense under his belt since the new season began, Karrion is poised to put the strap up against a newcomer in the form of Trick Williams. Little is known about Trick outside of the fact that he has taken the Indy scene by storm in recent years, and that his fans oddly chant “whoop that Trick” in support of him. (Yes, I know it is an homage to “Hustle and Flow”, just let me make fun of this in peace)
If I may be frank here: I love the new life that WWE brought to the new feud this past week (with a very cool set of video packages for Karrion to open and close NXT), but I see Trick coming to NXT and taking that gold off of Karrion. There may be a little bit of a back and forth rivalry to come, but make no mistake: this is a changing of the guard meant to send Karrion to the main roster where he belongs!
I am definitely here for the ride, but we all should be aware of the destination by now. It is long past time for Karrion to ascend.
Number Five: Sami released with a tape
Dynamite started out last Monday with footage from the night of Exodus. In that footage, we see Sami Zayn – beaten down by the attacks at the end of that show – taken to an undisclosed location by the increasingly sinister Harlem Turtles.
Upon arriving, Stevie R and Booker D equip Sami with a dusty old VHS tape and tell him to watch the tape to get the answers he needs before they leave him behind. I will admit to being a little confused by this only because I always initially expect the Mouse Brothers to hold their enemies captive. Then again, I am used to that madness after having worked under Mickey and now Lenny. Just saying.
I am intrigued by whatever it is that is on that tape, though. Does it involve the information that Splidder had? Is it pertinent to the collapse of Megan Mouse’s psyche? Who knows? But what I do know is that this phase of the Sami/Benny saga is only just beginning and I am beyond excited for it!
Number Four: Benny and Molly Meet
Speaking of the Benny Saga, the very next scene that we saw in the two-part cold open for Dynamite was the reunion of Benny with his ex-wife Molly. Molly was pleading for an audience with Benny…alone, but Danhausen and Benny would have none of it.
After Benny initially mocked the possibility that it may be about their alimony agreement, he soundly put her in her place and left her disturbed by the things that have notable changed about him.
We keep hearing from Benny and AEW that Benny is “sharper” than he has ever been, but I can’t help but think that his once-failing mind became an empty vessel for Danhausen to take over with his mastery of manipulation.
After Benny departed the conversation, Danhausen warned Molly that she would never again speak with her ex-husband, and she looked genuinely concerned about the exchange. There’s far more to this than what we are seeing, and there’s a reason it remains one the top non-wrestling story in the business. Except for…
Number Three: Murrey Drafts a Will
In the latest “episode” of Jeff Murrey’s “Life and Legacy” excerpts, we see an emotional Pete the Ref begging for his newfound father’s life as he is awkwardly comforted by Nikki Bella. Murrey is drafting a last will and testament, and this reeks of ominous foreshadowing just as much as it oozes comedy material.
The reality show snippets have been hilarious to see during WWE programming, but this latest installment has me wondering whether Murrey wants to sacrifice himself the way that his arch nemesis Mickey did last year.
What is he planning? Is there something wrong with him? Well, we know there’s SOMETHING wrong with him, but I am talking about terminal illnesses here. We need answers!
Number Two: Bobby Lashley Becomes A World Champion
If it weren’t for the earth-shattering nature of the top story (as you’ll soon see), Lashley’s shocking cash-in of his Gold Rush briefcase to depose Brandon Lee rocked the IWC to their core! I never doubted that the man would successfully cash in, but I never once pondered him doing so on the season premiere! This really is the “Prime Era”, isn’t it?!
AEW’s new champion ended the seconds-long reign of Adam Page (which itself was due to chaotic interference and the shocking arrival of Sean Olson) and hoisted Lashley to his first world title prize in professional wrestling!
I know, I know. It really is a crime that Lashley has never been world champion before. Much like Lesnar, he is a beast who deserves to dominate the business, but now is his time, and we may well see him become the longest reigning world champion in AEW thus far. (I would say in BWM Inc., but he would have to top Duxen’s two-year de facto reign, which doubles as the longest world title reign ever…and the Rock is the only one who is likely to come close to that)
Outside of LA Knight, as mentioned earlier, I don’t see anyone posing an immediate threat to the new world champion. Logan Paul and MJF are sidelined (more on that in a sec), Will Ospreay is trying to find himself after losing to Page at Starrcade, Page will not get back to the gold before the New Year, and Brandon Lee’s fluke championship reign was essentially just thrown away by way of his revived rivalry with his brother.
This incredible moment will be hard to top, in my opinion, but we have seen stranger things in this business before.
Number One: Jade Cargill Jumps Ship
That brings me to the unquestionable top story of this past week: Jade Cargill being traded to WWE!
This controversial moment (which I will leave to AEW to comment on whenever they feel the need to) ended last Monday’s Raw in dynamite fashion as Jade arrived just hours after defeating nine other women in a gauntlet match in the main event of a ULW live show. At that ULW Live show, Jade grabbed a microphone and spoke defiantly against Abigail Mouse and her protection of Alexa Bliss. She declared that she will be Women’s Champion again, but she apparently knew something that most of the wrestling world hadn’t: she was going to circumvent Abby entirely to do so.
It is too early to tell if Jade will become the WWE Women’s Champion at Summerslam, but she dominated in PWI and ULW for a reason. She is a genuine star in the mold of LA Knight and Toni Storm. It is not a question of “if” she becomes Women’s Champion again, but “when”.
Asuka ruled the business last era. This may well be Jade’s to rule. Just wait and see!
Honorable Mention: MJF and Logan Paul sidelined
Very quickly, I want to comment on the fact that Maxwell Jacob Friedman and Logan Paul have been reportedly put on the injured list until either late-summer or mid-fall. Splinter’s announcement about their conditions had the IWC up in arms regarding the fate of two of the industry’s top draws. But make no mistake about it: they will each have at least one more world title reign before this era ends. Just not before they have one actual one-on-one go at each other!
Awesome Aggression 3: What’s on Tap?
Now, we move on to discuss tonight’s card for the third installment of “Awesome Aggression”. The opening bout will pit Adam Cole – defending his Premier Championship – against the newly-ascendant to the Extreme League: Sammy Guevara. Yes, I know, Sammy is challenging for a different title than what leads his league, but there was an agreement between now-former League Commissioners Keibler and Perry about representatives of their league challenge for the opposing championships tonight. That agreement was made before they were each removed from their posts, mind you, but it still stands, per the decision of the acting Vice Commissioner, Vince Russo.
Next, Io Shirai defends the International Championship against Dakota Kai. Kai had been drafted to AEW, but she was traded back to ULW alongside FTR in exchange for Randy Orton. This decision remains controversial as many in upper management did not want to lose Orton, but Lenny was insistent that his regime will mark a change of pace for the fledgling company. Kai is a remarkable talent, and Io hasn’t been on television since last season. Both are set to tear the house down!
Following that match, Ricky Starks is set to defend his Extreme Championship against a mystery opponent. From what I have been told, this match was arranged initially by the aforementioned agreement between CJ Perry and Stacy Keibler, but it was modified slightly after the change of the guards as Vince McMahon found the ear of League Commissioners Scott Nash and William Regal. This will be something to keep an eye on!
For the Women’s Championship, Ronda Rousey defends against the woman she toppled for the prize back in May; AJ Lee. Lee is “fired up and ready to go” from all the reports that I have been hearing, but Rousey remains as confident as ever. She is beyond determined to keep her title and has apparently been warning the locker room that she will make an example out of Lee tonight!
Finally, in the Main Event, Chris Jericho defends his Undisputed Championship against Jerry “the King” Lawler. Jericho is a menace of a champion, and he has thus far survived two top notch challengers in the form of two former world champions: Dragonfly and Bray Wyatt. After shocking the world at Starrcade when he won the gold over CM Punk and the Giant Gonzales, Jericho now prepares to look across the ring at his challenger…Jerry Lawler?
I have a great relationship with the Lawler family which extends back to the Second Era, but I have to be honest here: the betting odds are not in Jerry’s favor. He stunningly earned this shot after getting Ryback to attack the Ultimate Warrior last week, and now he looks to be the first Lawler to become world champion since his son Jerry “the Prince” Lawler was USWA champion for two days from August 10th, 1998 to August 12th, 1998. Note: The “Prince” lost the prize to Mr. Moody, of all people.
We’ll see how things shake out, but I 100% understand the IWC for hesitating to believe in the elder Jerry.
Closing Thoughts
As we come to the close of the 23rd Mission, I want to comment on a couple things that need cleared up, but first I want to report that the ULW Magazine will be ready for your reading pleasure no later than this coming weekend!
Regarding the things that need cleared up: first and foremost, I feel it necessary to defend AJ Styles against this perception by his former friend with an axe to grind left behind in AEW; Mr. Danielson. Bryan whined about AJ supposedly acting like he was always aiming for ULW (or PWI/UWA, for that matter). From what I have gathered since Styles arrived here, he has nothing but pride for his time with BWM Inc., as well as in WWE. I believe that his excitement as exuded during his first arrival in a ULW ring was for the fans of ULW and their ability to finally see what he is made of.
Secondly, I need to correct the AEW commentary team on a couple of mistakes that they made: 1) Starrcade was in Charleston, West Virginia this year, and 2) I am, in fact, a veteran of this business, not some keyboard warrior who talks about things with no personal experience.
Granted, most of my experience was in WPW, but I did wrestle a tad in USWA Lightheavyweight Division. Yes, I was outshined – alongside my brother Space Quest – by my brother Cool Quest in USWA, but I was part of the business, and more recently so than Arn Anderson: the world’s most overrated jobber in history.
Good day.
Until our next Quest, this has been Johnny with yet another mission!
World Of Wrestling: Murrey Universe 