Iron Moose

Despite being a low voter on Giulia so far (and at risk of making a false consciousness type of argument) I think some of this might have been intentional. I saw the arc of the match as Stephanie and Giulia not having ever teamed before, and both warily new to NXT with a big tag on the horizon, while Fatal Influence know each other better, outnumber them, and while picking up a win would be a huge belt-notch, they [FI] also want to survive relatively unscathed to get to Kelani. Stephanie also had some very polished little moments; positioning herself between the opposing corner during Giulia's pin attempts, her half-sell of Fallon's corner boot, and making sure to pull Jacy out from under the rope at the end -- the latter improved by Giulia's impromptu headlock on Fallon trying to get back in.

From an extremely small sample size (this match from April against Jordynne Grace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHrpcvpKLDw) she's got potential. Reminds me a bit of Edge in not really playing up her size. I actually think the NXT camerawork undersold her - she's a good few inches taller than Jordynne and looks entirely plausible shoulderblocking her down and/or ignoring a shoulderblock from her.

If we're sticking to Raw, My best guess is Rhea + Sky Pirates + Dakota if she's healthy + ... Zelina or Lyra? Liv + Raquel + (PFC, or Lash + Jakara + plus 1/3 of PFC) Smackdown will probably have Bianca and Jade defending against Chelsea and Piper, because leaving Chelsea off the card in Vancouver would be moronic. Unsure about where that leaves Tiffy/Nia and Bayley/Naomi.

... I have this weird feeling that Lash and Jakara might end up in War Games and I really would not have called that a month ago.

Lainey Reid and Layla Diggs had another solid outing on LVL UP, but Lainey's character work hasn't fully clicked for me yet (but she's working at it) and Diggs could be a great hero for kids ... but a bit of her look and moveset overlap with Kelani? Oh, and over on Impact, Brinley went up against Ash, by Elegance (fka Dana Brooke). It's an intriguing match on paper but the execution didn't do a lot for me. Brinley's attire was very reminiscent of those teal and purple paper cups.

It's even better - that was Paxley's mother, watching her wrestle for the first time. Kali was also susprisingly polished, I thought. (Also Tatum seems to be going a bit more Wednesday Addams in her presentation, and the crowd played along by chanting the Addams Family theme at her. )

Really fun but bizarre Sol v Tatum on Main Event this week, where they both step right up to the line of comically overselling dizziness.

Ruca feels like she's in the 'pare down the moveset in preparation for the main roster' zone right now. She's also got a few narrative threads dangling: she had a segment backstage talking admiringly of Vaquer's debut from the Mexico house show; she recently debuted on Main Event with a loss to Alba (via Isla interference, which feels like it's setting up a tag rematch), she popped up on TNA teaming with Jordynne against Rosemary and Wendy, and she seems to have been quietly moved away from the Lola-Jaida/Fallon-Jacy-Jazmyn arc. Of note - this felt like both were holding back, which I think makes sense because they've fairly consistently been friendly. Ruca's been mixing in some harder-edged power moves that were nowhere to be seen in this one (a fireman's carry-powerbomb that looked vicious in the gauntlet, and a kip-up into a straight right hand), which I think bodes well for her versatility going forward. Dani's on her third match back from major hip/back surgery - loss to Jazmyn, struggle-win over Lainey (with a questionable promo beforehand - branding youself "daredevil" means more than saying "I dare you" to people) and this friendly loss to Sol, so it feels like she's being set up a bit for a tag run or eventual heel turn, but with her style I have no idea how that works.

LVL UP gives us Kendal Grey v Tyra Mae Steele this week, and for this we are grateful.

has been announced for the next TNA PPV, Lyra/Tatum v Wendy/Rosemary is set for next week. Impromptu six-man with Grace and Jessicka? Leaves Sol out in the cold a bit unless they want to run Parker/Vice/Ruca v Fatal Attraction, but that drops Karmen. (These are good problems to have)

They also seem to be building to Bron/Braun/Bronson and I am HERE FOR IT

The only thing we can guess for sure about the TNA Open Challenge on tonight's NXT is that it's probably not Karmen Petrovic, since Jordynne successfully defended against her on Impact. (In the same taping, Ariana Grace was announced as an NXT-TNA liaison, which could end up being a lot of fun. )

LVL UP had an iffy Izzy/Layla Diggs outing, a weirdly pedal-to-the-metal Dani Palmer/Lainey Reed number, and Dante Chen over Drake Morreaux. Dani is getting up there with Sol in the 'gymnasts who wrestle like they hate their ligaments' division.

Perfectly fine NXT last night. Kind of wondering if the mystery person at the end of the Jaida/Roxy promo was Rosemary, rather than being one of the impending Big Three Women's Signings. Have never seen her before, seemed interesting enough. Fraxiom got real dickish. I think the tag going a few minutes longer might have been a good call, it felt like the crowd was really into it and it was on the verge of building into something special. The bit with Dunne talking to the camera at the end was interesting, and the positioning of Trick as special guest ref feels like it points to Page retaining, which is a bit of a letdown.

All In was a lot to process, so this will be very truncated - meanwhile, on LVL UP: Dani Palmer is back! With a loss to Jazmyn Nyx featuring some square-dancing distraction from Jacy and Fallon. She was out for quite a while with hip or back surgery, but moves quite well regardless. Not sure I dig the look of her shoes; kickpads or boots or something would look more complete - I kept thinking she was at risk of ankle injury, either from her opponent or an errant landing. Dani has a locker-room promo after where she leans a bit on a new 'Daredevil' personal branding. Stacks and Luca defeat Tyriek Igwe and Tyson Dupont - didn't have the time for this, but I think the win was via Shatter Machine.

In relatively immature hindsight, this feels like a show that shines spotlights on production oversights. Not having a video screen over the ring facing the crowd that were facing the ramp is a huge problem - fans having to turn their backs to the ring to watch on the screen behind them is the kind of thing that can sour a lot of people on the event. Brian Cage and Sammy Guevara on opposite teams, each in blue and yellow Wolverine attire, shouldn't happen -- and Sammy's pairing with Dustin's Deadpool is regrettably able to be overlooked because they have people from their team entering between them. Lengthy cuts to the long shot of the VIP box during entrances, implying someone coming down from above, with no one ever actually doing so. As above, the streamers dangling from mid-show onwards. Also -- remember how, when Styles debuted in the Rumble, they kept the camera on Roman looking confused, we heard the crowd roar, and *then* we cut to Styles? And then they uploaded "alternate angles" to youtube in like three separate places, and seem to be trying to do long shots to let the at-home audience see who the entrant is? AEW has not learned that lesson. There were many moments of confusion during entrances during the Gauntlet. With that said: I'm burned out on multi-team chaos matches, but the Casino Gauntlet was fantastic right up to the end. Stat and Mercedes each hit their limits of carrying entire matches. Mariah's in a precarious place but hopefully sticks the landing. International and World title matches were all-timers. TNT was saved by the very ending, although I wish we got a bit more emotion out of the reunion. A great afternoon in-ring, which makes the production issues all the more agonizing.

... we don't disagree. I'm not saying that I think a shock Grey win is a good idea, I'm saying that it's not impossible given the story ties around all the other people in the match. At minimum I'd expect whoever ends up on the PLE to have established a finishing move. The bits I went through are all going to be things on my mind as the match happens, and part of the appeal is in wondering how they'll be handled, if at all. For actual outcome I think Ruca* and Parker are the favorites, then Wren and something wonky to make it a multi-person, and then Petrovic, Kendal and Rizzo. * with the caveat that Ruca might be hurt more than Parker by losing to Roxy.

Meanwhile, on LVL UP: Mark Coffey d. Cutler James, the former being One Of Gallus and the latter being ... a neighbor? He's got "Hi neighbor!" on his trunks, and at one moment he gets Coffey in a wheelbarrow, and mimes pulling a cord as if starting a lawnmower, the crowd dutifully joining in with a "mow his lawn" chant. The match is unremarkable but competent the whole way through. Promo segment with Cutler in the locker room; promo segment with Leyla Diggs and Rizzo being interrupted by Izzi Dame, with a fun bit of Rizzo telling Dame to "pick on someone your own size" and then gesturing for Diggs to stand behind her and lift her up. Adriana Rizzo d. Izzi Dame, laid out very smartly to let Rizzo look plausible working around Dame's size advantage. I'm not going to say Rizzo is a secret superworker but she does a lot of little things well, implying a thoughtfulness surprising given her relative inexperience. For the upcoming women's gauntlet... it's tough to call, but I think we're up for Sinclair/Rizzo being mutually eliminated to keep NQCC/Family beef simmering, Parker following to pull OTM into either the NQCC or Family orbit, and then... both Petrovic and Ruca are occupied with Fallon/Jacy/Jazmyn, so a shock Grey win? Or a non-finish to get it into a 3-way...

"It took me two months but I finally got dinner reservations at Pure Fusion Collective." That sounds really fancy. For some reason I think they'd rather eat at the Y.

Over in the other promotion this would lead to a mixed tag. Which, while it would be fascinating -- I am not sure it's a better step than keeping Mariah and Toni formally apart until Wembley?

WWE Vault youtube channel uploads Bayley/Meiko from ringside. Really really great fundamentals here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fRAer_-75Y

the bit where Sol catches Karmen in mid-double suplex and then they both try to superkick the other team is lifted from Rockers-Brainbusters, except Sol is too tall and they had to scramble to get back into position. (This is one of my favorite spots so I was jazzed to see it coming back. )

Fancam of Bayley/Meiko:

ah, the Dakota Kai War Games precedent.

I anticipate a Stephanie Vaquer / Lola Vice match. Following the inevitable taunt, it would be absolutely delightful if Stephanie could look confused for a moment, and then deadpan to the camera "I am also a Latina. "