Post by Joe on Aug 18, 2023 12:05:55 GMT -5
UPW "Saturday Night STORM" Results: 08/19/2023 from Oakland, CA
This show was taped on Thursday, August 17th from the sold out Kaiser Convention Center. The show begins with the opening montage set to the new theme for the show "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" by Panic! at the Disco.
Kevin Kelly and Corey Graves are our commentary team for the evening. They welcome us to the show. Kevin Kelly lets us know that we are here for the first time in Oakland for go home edition of Saturday Night STORM heading into Bad Blood LIVE next Saturday, August 26th, from the Oakland Arena. The main event tonight will feature a three way tag team match that will include the three men set to compete for the X Division title. The champion Shane Strickland, along with his challengers Ricochet and Cameron Grimes, have picked partners to aid them in perhaps gaining the psychological advantage heading into their three way at the Premium Live Event. Corey Graves lets us know that also on this show, we will see Premier Title challenger "Switchblade" Jay White in singles action as he prepares to take on champion Buddy Matthews in the main event of Bad Blood! Kevin Kelly says we will also see a singles match between Bandido and Dragon Lee, a match that has been made after weeks of tension between the two, but that's not all! We have a jam packed show, so let's head to the ring!
Alpha Dogs vs. Air Devils
"All Ego" Ethan Page and "The Alpha Wolf" Eddy Thorpe have formed a team here, and tonight they are taking on the team of Matt Sydal and Justin Gabriel. This was a by the numbers 5 or 6 minute tag team match that saw Page and Thorpe beating on Sydal for most of the early portion of it. Gabriel would get the hot tag, but Page would deliver a low blow behind referee Chris Sharpe's back and deliver a Spinning Rock Bottom to get the pinfall.
Winners: Alpha Dogs
Notable Moments and Observations
• Page and Thorpe make a good team, as they have good size and look and seem like they could have a lot of potential if they continue to work together.
• After the match, Ethan Page got on the microphone and blasted Johnny Gargano, calling him all heart, but no charisma. He said Gargano has always built himself up off the backs of better wrestlers like him and Eddy Thorpe, and that he wasn't going to stand for it. He said that the Alpha Dogs are goin to move up and get noticed, by any means necessary.
Darby Allin Gets Words of Encouragement from CM Punk Heading into Bad Blood
We are backstage where we see Darby Allin preparing for his match up next when his phone begins to go off and he answers it. It's a FaceTime from CM Punk. Darby is pleased to be talking to "The Voice of the Voiceless", who says that he appreciates what he did last week and is glad somebody is there to put Morrison in his place while he's out with this "neck thing". Darby says that he's not going to let Morrison get away with what he's been doing, and win or lose at Bad Blood, he's going to hurt him. Punk says he's sure he's going to do that, and wishes him luck in his match tonight before the call ends and Allin heads to the ring.
Notable Moments and Observations
• We saw the bookers use a similar tactic to get Buddy Matthews on the show when he was out with the concussion, but it seemed to work a little better here, as Punk and Allin had a very natural connection that came through.
• They seem to be trying to pace out how they are using Punk to keep him a special attraction, while also using him to build up other stars, which is probably a good idea given that he is by far the biggest name on the roster. They've resisted the urge to put him in the Premier Title hunt right away, as Freddie Prinze and company seem to understand he doesn't need a title, but it's clear that all roads are leading to Chris Jericho. We know Logan Paul will be at Bad Blood, so we might see an interaction between those two in the future, for better or worse.
Darby Allin vs. Tony Nese
Tony Nese looks very impressive, but this match was all about Darby Allin. Nese was playing the bully in this match, mocking Darby throughout for his physique and stature, much like Morrison did to Nick Wayne last week, but Allin wouldn't stay down. Allin would reverse a Powerbomb attempt from Nese into a Code Red for a two count, followed by a Swinging DDT and then the Coffin Drop for the three count.
Winner: Darby Allin
Notable Moments and Observations
• Darby really connected with this Oakland crowd, as they popped big for him getting the pinfall here.
• After the match, John Morrison made his way out to the stage with a microphone in hand, sort of slow clapping and smirking as he prepared to address the crowd. "Johnny Sucks!" chants abound from the audience. Morrison says that Allin looked pretty good beating the Wish.com version of John Morrison tonight, but he's not ready for the real thing. He said he saw Darby's touching little chat with Punk earlier, encouraging him to face Morrison at Bad Blood, and Morrison remarks that with friends like Punk, you sure as hell don't need enemies, but everybody knows that... just ask Colt Cabana. Corey Graves has a good chuckle at that, as the fans boo Morrison louder now (there's a contingent that are applauding this remark.) Morrison says that Darby is a loser and will always be a loser, and that at Bad Blood, if he wants to mix it up with weapons and get down and dirty, Johnny Hollywood is ready for a serious turn, and is prepared to make his life more miserable than it already is.
• Allin grabs a microphone and says he's heard enough. He says at Bad Blood, Morrison is going to get sent packing back to Hollywood, where he can be safe doing shitty B-movies where the stuntmen take all of the risks and he gets all of the credit, just how he likes it. Morrison says Darby is going to be the only one packing his shit and heading home... oh, right, Darby doesn't have a home, he sleeps in a car. Morrison laughs and said that's convenient, because after he beats him at Bad Blood, he can get in his "home", drive it all the way to Chicago and let CM Punk know what's waiting for him when he gets back. Morrison drops the mic and his music hits, and we cut to backstage.
TMDK Ready Themselves for War
We go backstage where Buddy Matthews, Shane Thorne, and Mikey Nicholls are all huddled up. Matthews says that Bad Blood will be the crowning moment of TMDK, as they stand, three kings ruling over their domain. He says tonight Mikey Nicholls strikes the first blow to British Strong Style, and says no matter what, TMDK never bends the knee, and they will show the world who the most powerful team in professional wrestling is today! Oi Oi!
Mikey Nicholls vs. Tyler Bate
Nicholls has his tag team partner Shane Thorne in his corner, while Bate has his fellow Tag Team champion Pete Dunne backing him up at ringside. Nicholls is much bigger and more experienced, but Bate is deceptively strong and Kevin Kelly notes that everything he does has a lot of velocity behind it. Bate finds himself rocking Nicholls and attempts to hit the Rebound Lariat, but Nicholls ducks it and then delivers a Lifting Spinebuster for a two count. Nicholls lifted Bate up, but Bate countered with a Discus Lariat, also for a two count. Bate attempts to hit the Tyler Driver '98, but Nicholls reversed and attempted a Death Valley Driver, but Bate broke free. After a back and forth, Nicholls would manage to deliver his devastating Master Blaster finisher and got the three count!
Winner: Mikey Nicholls
Notable Moments and Observations
• This was a very competitive match, which served as a nice preview of the type of action we can expect to see from these two teams at Bad Blood.
• It seemed like Thorne and Dunne both were thinking about getting involved in this, but ultimately just allowed this to be a straight match, which was for the better. We didn't need this to get muddied up with either team turning heel, as it's intriguing enough from a straight competitive stand point. British Strong Style and TMDK are two of the best teams in the world, and the bookers seem to be able to read the room here and know we just want to see a great match from them for the titles at Bad Blood.
"Swerve" Looks to Add "Finesse" to His Game Tonight
Backstage, interviewer Blake Howard is standing in with X Division champion Shane "Swerve" Strickland, along with his partner for the night, Chris Bey. Strickland says he wants to show Ricochet and Grimes that he makes the moves and calls the shots, and he wants to show them he can win with finesse. He says Chris Bey has shown throughout his time he knows all about finesse, and he sees a bright future for him, and he's going to help him put Ricochet and Cameron Grimes in their place tonight.
CatchPoint vs. The Foundation
The team of Oney Lorcan and Drew Gulak took on the team of Josh Woods and Jonathan Gresham, with Timothy Thatcher and Jay Lethal in their corners, respectively. This was a good, technical contest from both teams. Lethal would call for him team mates to up the aggression mid-way through, but the younger and more inexperienced Woods would make a mistake and get caught in a Boston Strangler from Lorcan, who would get the submission win for his team.
Winners: CacthPoint
Notable Moments and Observations
• Both teams looked pretty good, but Woods is noticeably greener than the rest, and it was pretty obvious going in that he'd be the one taking the fall tonight.
• Lethal would pat his team on the back as they left, and he was talking to Woods specifically about what he did wrong as they headed to the back, trying to use this as a teachable moment.
• Oney Lorcan would get on the microphone and say he's glad Ilja Dragunov finally accepted his challenge, as he's going to enjoy getting another opportunity to choke him out at Bad Blood, just like he did Josh Woods tonight and just like he would have at Extreme Heat had the time not run out.
• Out to the ring came Ilja Dragunov, and he stormed the ring. CatchPoint stood their ground. Dragunov gets right up into the face of Lorcan, and they are both smiling, nose to nose, forehead to forehead, talking trash. The fans are cheering and chanting for both men as officials enter and pull them apart. Dragunov turns and walks down the ramp, before turning again to face the ring and yelling that he's going to eat Lorcan alive at Bad Blood!
Ricochet Looks to "Swerve's" Past to Help Him Tonight
We go backstage, and this time it's Ricochet and AR Fox standing in with Blake Howard. Ricochet says that he knows he can beat Grimes, but he has yet to get a win over "Swerve". He says he's enlisted the help of a man who knows Strickland well, who's fought him and beaten him all over the world, and that man is AR Fox. He says tonight, they are going to help pop that inflated ego of Strickland's and bring him down to Earth, or even lower, cause they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty to get the job done if that's what it takes.
Bandido vs. Dragon Lee
If lucha libre acrobatics and chorreographed kicks and flips are your thing, then you probably loved this match. The crowd seemed to be into it for what it was, as these two did bring a certain level of intensity and banter, as they have been at each other's throats for around a month now. Dragon Lee would manage to get the pinfall after reversing a top rope Powerbomb in mid-air into a Huracanrana for the three count.
Winner: Dragon Lee
Notable Moments and Observations
• For a heated rivalry, I know I would have liked to have a seen a little fire and vitriolic violence. This seemed like more of an aggressive dance routine than a "fight". You got the sense they didn't like each other, but never the sense that they were really trying to hurt one another.
• After the match, Dragon Lee's brother, Rush, would get on the microphone and say that at Bad Blood, Brody King is going down just like Bandido and Los Ingobernales will "gobernar UPW!" Rush is a guy who likes to hurt people and lay his shit in, so I am much more excited to see him fight Brody King.
Jay Lethal Rallies with The Foundation
We go backstage, where Jay Lethal is standing in over Josh Woods and Jonathan Gresham, who are sitting in chairs with towels over their necks, icing down their legs. Lethal says he saw skill, heart, and potential, but it's time that The Foundation started getting results! He says he's putting it on himself, and he's got to lead by example. He says Shinsuke Nakamura mocked him last week, laughed right in his face, but at Bad Blood, he's going to pay for it in gold.
"Switchblade" Jay White vs. Nathan Frazer
Nathan Frazer is a young guy out of Jersey, England, and he may be the fastest moving individual on the entire roster. Kevin Kelly was truly taken aback by just how fast this guy can go, while Corey Graves said all that speed wasn't going to do him much good once Jay White manages to punch him in the face. And, though he is a jerk, Graves was ultimately right. Jay White, who had Lance Archer in his corner on the outside, would eventually catch Frazer with a big shot to face, and would pick him apart from there. White would toss Frazer out of the ring like trash at one point and then grab referee Adrian Butler by the collar, arguing with him and distracting him so that Archer could lift up the diminutive Frazer and Lawn Darts him like a ragdoll into the ringpost to get a massive boos from the crowd. Archer sends Frazer back into the ring, where "Switchblade" proceeds to hit the Blade Runner and get the three count.
Winner: "Switchblade" Jay White
Notable Moments and Observations
• Jay White and Lance Archer look like they are having a blast getting heat with the Oakland crowd.
• UPW has a lot of small, flippy guys around, but Frazer did stand out a bit, as he may be the fastest of all of them.
• Lance Archer hits the ring with a microphone and yells that the clock is ticking and Chris Dijak's day of execution is near! He tells Dijak to say his prayers, because August 26th, he meets his maker! Jay White gets on the microphone after the match and says that Oakland is looking at the uncrowned champion, and on August 26th, everything will be right in UPW. He said he will take his rightful spot at the top and send Old Buddy back to obscurity where he belongs!
• Buddy Matthews steps out onto the stage with the Premier Championship over his shoulder and microphone in hand. Matthews says that Jay White is nothing but a coward. He says the last time they met in the ring, Matthews smashed him into oblivion. That should have been the end of it. He says White, though, is not just a coward, but a jealous coward, and he's the only one who's been living in obscurity. Matthews says he's been all over the world, and most notably, the United States, while Jay has been hiding over in Japan for years. He said he believed the hype and thought he'd come here and take over and be some big star, but he didn't count on running into Buddy Matthews. Matthews says he's fought long and hard to get to where he is, and he isn't going to let some leather wearing wanker like White steal his shine now. Not a chance. He said Jay White tried to take him out with a pair of brass knuckles behind his back, but at Bad Blood, he is going to look in Jay White's eyes as he crushes his hopes and dreams, and beats him to a bloody pulp.
The Undisputed Era Have Arrived in Oakland to Conquer
We go backstage, where The Undisputed Era of Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, and Bobby Fish are standing in with Blake Howard. Blake says they have a big night ahead of them at Bad Blood, but Roderick Strong says it's all light work for the Undisputed Era. Strong says that he and Fish are ready to knock off Tyson Kidd and Mike Bailey, no problem. He says they've been toying with these guys for too long, but it's time to stop playing with their food and devour them, once and for all. Bobby Fish says they didn't come to Oakland to lose, they've arrived to conquer, and at Bad Blood, they are only going to get marks in with the win column. Kyle O'Reilly says that he's not just going to win, and he's not just going to take the Pure title from Josh Alexander, but he is going to prove what he has been saying for weeks, and that's Kyle O'Reilly is the only Canadian of relevance in UPW.
AR Fox & Ricochet vs. Cameron Grimes & Luke Harper vs. Shane Strickland & Chris Bey
Ricochet and Strickland make their way out with their partners of choice they introduced earlier in the night, but it's Cameron Grimes who has the ace up his sleeve, bringing out the 6'06" wildman from the backwoods in Luke Harper! And Harper was certainly a difference maker in this match, as he stood out a great deal and made the most of this opportunity. This match was as chaotic as you might expect, with referee Chad Patton struggling to keep any semblance of order in tact throughout. We go the flips and spots and multi-man moves you would expect from the usual suspects, but it was even more impressive when big Luke Harper launched himself through the ropes for a dive onto his opponents at one point. The match would come to an end with Harper holding up Strickland in a Hart Attack position and allowing Grimes to fly off the top and crush him with a version of the Cave In to get the three count!
Winners: Cameron Grimes & Luke Harper
Notable Moments and Observations
• Luke Harper really looked great here, but one has to wonder where he goes from here. Will the bookers be able to follow up on this momentum?
• Corey Graves points out that the line probably just shifted on who the favorite is going into the X Division title three-way, as Cameron Grimes just pinned the champion flat in the middle of the ring.
• We get a close up on "Swerve" looking beside himself with rage and frustration while holding his chest on the mat and then cut to Cameron Grimes obnoxiously celebrating with Harper on the ramp, saying the title is all his at Bad Blood.
This show was taped on Thursday, August 17th from the sold out Kaiser Convention Center. The show begins with the opening montage set to the new theme for the show "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" by Panic! at the Disco.
Kevin Kelly and Corey Graves are our commentary team for the evening. They welcome us to the show. Kevin Kelly lets us know that we are here for the first time in Oakland for go home edition of Saturday Night STORM heading into Bad Blood LIVE next Saturday, August 26th, from the Oakland Arena. The main event tonight will feature a three way tag team match that will include the three men set to compete for the X Division title. The champion Shane Strickland, along with his challengers Ricochet and Cameron Grimes, have picked partners to aid them in perhaps gaining the psychological advantage heading into their three way at the Premium Live Event. Corey Graves lets us know that also on this show, we will see Premier Title challenger "Switchblade" Jay White in singles action as he prepares to take on champion Buddy Matthews in the main event of Bad Blood! Kevin Kelly says we will also see a singles match between Bandido and Dragon Lee, a match that has been made after weeks of tension between the two, but that's not all! We have a jam packed show, so let's head to the ring!
Alpha Dogs vs. Air Devils
"All Ego" Ethan Page and "The Alpha Wolf" Eddy Thorpe have formed a team here, and tonight they are taking on the team of Matt Sydal and Justin Gabriel. This was a by the numbers 5 or 6 minute tag team match that saw Page and Thorpe beating on Sydal for most of the early portion of it. Gabriel would get the hot tag, but Page would deliver a low blow behind referee Chris Sharpe's back and deliver a Spinning Rock Bottom to get the pinfall.
Winners: Alpha Dogs
Notable Moments and Observations
• Page and Thorpe make a good team, as they have good size and look and seem like they could have a lot of potential if they continue to work together.
• After the match, Ethan Page got on the microphone and blasted Johnny Gargano, calling him all heart, but no charisma. He said Gargano has always built himself up off the backs of better wrestlers like him and Eddy Thorpe, and that he wasn't going to stand for it. He said that the Alpha Dogs are goin to move up and get noticed, by any means necessary.
Darby Allin Gets Words of Encouragement from CM Punk Heading into Bad Blood
We are backstage where we see Darby Allin preparing for his match up next when his phone begins to go off and he answers it. It's a FaceTime from CM Punk. Darby is pleased to be talking to "The Voice of the Voiceless", who says that he appreciates what he did last week and is glad somebody is there to put Morrison in his place while he's out with this "neck thing". Darby says that he's not going to let Morrison get away with what he's been doing, and win or lose at Bad Blood, he's going to hurt him. Punk says he's sure he's going to do that, and wishes him luck in his match tonight before the call ends and Allin heads to the ring.
Notable Moments and Observations
• We saw the bookers use a similar tactic to get Buddy Matthews on the show when he was out with the concussion, but it seemed to work a little better here, as Punk and Allin had a very natural connection that came through.
• They seem to be trying to pace out how they are using Punk to keep him a special attraction, while also using him to build up other stars, which is probably a good idea given that he is by far the biggest name on the roster. They've resisted the urge to put him in the Premier Title hunt right away, as Freddie Prinze and company seem to understand he doesn't need a title, but it's clear that all roads are leading to Chris Jericho. We know Logan Paul will be at Bad Blood, so we might see an interaction between those two in the future, for better or worse.
Darby Allin vs. Tony Nese
Tony Nese looks very impressive, but this match was all about Darby Allin. Nese was playing the bully in this match, mocking Darby throughout for his physique and stature, much like Morrison did to Nick Wayne last week, but Allin wouldn't stay down. Allin would reverse a Powerbomb attempt from Nese into a Code Red for a two count, followed by a Swinging DDT and then the Coffin Drop for the three count.
Winner: Darby Allin
Notable Moments and Observations
• Darby really connected with this Oakland crowd, as they popped big for him getting the pinfall here.
• After the match, John Morrison made his way out to the stage with a microphone in hand, sort of slow clapping and smirking as he prepared to address the crowd. "Johnny Sucks!" chants abound from the audience. Morrison says that Allin looked pretty good beating the Wish.com version of John Morrison tonight, but he's not ready for the real thing. He said he saw Darby's touching little chat with Punk earlier, encouraging him to face Morrison at Bad Blood, and Morrison remarks that with friends like Punk, you sure as hell don't need enemies, but everybody knows that... just ask Colt Cabana. Corey Graves has a good chuckle at that, as the fans boo Morrison louder now (there's a contingent that are applauding this remark.) Morrison says that Darby is a loser and will always be a loser, and that at Bad Blood, if he wants to mix it up with weapons and get down and dirty, Johnny Hollywood is ready for a serious turn, and is prepared to make his life more miserable than it already is.
• Allin grabs a microphone and says he's heard enough. He says at Bad Blood, Morrison is going to get sent packing back to Hollywood, where he can be safe doing shitty B-movies where the stuntmen take all of the risks and he gets all of the credit, just how he likes it. Morrison says Darby is going to be the only one packing his shit and heading home... oh, right, Darby doesn't have a home, he sleeps in a car. Morrison laughs and said that's convenient, because after he beats him at Bad Blood, he can get in his "home", drive it all the way to Chicago and let CM Punk know what's waiting for him when he gets back. Morrison drops the mic and his music hits, and we cut to backstage.
TMDK Ready Themselves for War
We go backstage where Buddy Matthews, Shane Thorne, and Mikey Nicholls are all huddled up. Matthews says that Bad Blood will be the crowning moment of TMDK, as they stand, three kings ruling over their domain. He says tonight Mikey Nicholls strikes the first blow to British Strong Style, and says no matter what, TMDK never bends the knee, and they will show the world who the most powerful team in professional wrestling is today! Oi Oi!
Mikey Nicholls vs. Tyler Bate
Nicholls has his tag team partner Shane Thorne in his corner, while Bate has his fellow Tag Team champion Pete Dunne backing him up at ringside. Nicholls is much bigger and more experienced, but Bate is deceptively strong and Kevin Kelly notes that everything he does has a lot of velocity behind it. Bate finds himself rocking Nicholls and attempts to hit the Rebound Lariat, but Nicholls ducks it and then delivers a Lifting Spinebuster for a two count. Nicholls lifted Bate up, but Bate countered with a Discus Lariat, also for a two count. Bate attempts to hit the Tyler Driver '98, but Nicholls reversed and attempted a Death Valley Driver, but Bate broke free. After a back and forth, Nicholls would manage to deliver his devastating Master Blaster finisher and got the three count!
Winner: Mikey Nicholls
Notable Moments and Observations
• This was a very competitive match, which served as a nice preview of the type of action we can expect to see from these two teams at Bad Blood.
• It seemed like Thorne and Dunne both were thinking about getting involved in this, but ultimately just allowed this to be a straight match, which was for the better. We didn't need this to get muddied up with either team turning heel, as it's intriguing enough from a straight competitive stand point. British Strong Style and TMDK are two of the best teams in the world, and the bookers seem to be able to read the room here and know we just want to see a great match from them for the titles at Bad Blood.
"Swerve" Looks to Add "Finesse" to His Game Tonight
Backstage, interviewer Blake Howard is standing in with X Division champion Shane "Swerve" Strickland, along with his partner for the night, Chris Bey. Strickland says he wants to show Ricochet and Grimes that he makes the moves and calls the shots, and he wants to show them he can win with finesse. He says Chris Bey has shown throughout his time he knows all about finesse, and he sees a bright future for him, and he's going to help him put Ricochet and Cameron Grimes in their place tonight.
CatchPoint vs. The Foundation
The team of Oney Lorcan and Drew Gulak took on the team of Josh Woods and Jonathan Gresham, with Timothy Thatcher and Jay Lethal in their corners, respectively. This was a good, technical contest from both teams. Lethal would call for him team mates to up the aggression mid-way through, but the younger and more inexperienced Woods would make a mistake and get caught in a Boston Strangler from Lorcan, who would get the submission win for his team.
Winners: CacthPoint
Notable Moments and Observations
• Both teams looked pretty good, but Woods is noticeably greener than the rest, and it was pretty obvious going in that he'd be the one taking the fall tonight.
• Lethal would pat his team on the back as they left, and he was talking to Woods specifically about what he did wrong as they headed to the back, trying to use this as a teachable moment.
• Oney Lorcan would get on the microphone and say he's glad Ilja Dragunov finally accepted his challenge, as he's going to enjoy getting another opportunity to choke him out at Bad Blood, just like he did Josh Woods tonight and just like he would have at Extreme Heat had the time not run out.
• Out to the ring came Ilja Dragunov, and he stormed the ring. CatchPoint stood their ground. Dragunov gets right up into the face of Lorcan, and they are both smiling, nose to nose, forehead to forehead, talking trash. The fans are cheering and chanting for both men as officials enter and pull them apart. Dragunov turns and walks down the ramp, before turning again to face the ring and yelling that he's going to eat Lorcan alive at Bad Blood!
Ricochet Looks to "Swerve's" Past to Help Him Tonight
We go backstage, and this time it's Ricochet and AR Fox standing in with Blake Howard. Ricochet says that he knows he can beat Grimes, but he has yet to get a win over "Swerve". He says he's enlisted the help of a man who knows Strickland well, who's fought him and beaten him all over the world, and that man is AR Fox. He says tonight, they are going to help pop that inflated ego of Strickland's and bring him down to Earth, or even lower, cause they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty to get the job done if that's what it takes.
Bandido vs. Dragon Lee
If lucha libre acrobatics and chorreographed kicks and flips are your thing, then you probably loved this match. The crowd seemed to be into it for what it was, as these two did bring a certain level of intensity and banter, as they have been at each other's throats for around a month now. Dragon Lee would manage to get the pinfall after reversing a top rope Powerbomb in mid-air into a Huracanrana for the three count.
Winner: Dragon Lee
Notable Moments and Observations
• For a heated rivalry, I know I would have liked to have a seen a little fire and vitriolic violence. This seemed like more of an aggressive dance routine than a "fight". You got the sense they didn't like each other, but never the sense that they were really trying to hurt one another.
• After the match, Dragon Lee's brother, Rush, would get on the microphone and say that at Bad Blood, Brody King is going down just like Bandido and Los Ingobernales will "gobernar UPW!" Rush is a guy who likes to hurt people and lay his shit in, so I am much more excited to see him fight Brody King.
Jay Lethal Rallies with The Foundation
We go backstage, where Jay Lethal is standing in over Josh Woods and Jonathan Gresham, who are sitting in chairs with towels over their necks, icing down their legs. Lethal says he saw skill, heart, and potential, but it's time that The Foundation started getting results! He says he's putting it on himself, and he's got to lead by example. He says Shinsuke Nakamura mocked him last week, laughed right in his face, but at Bad Blood, he's going to pay for it in gold.
"Switchblade" Jay White vs. Nathan Frazer
Nathan Frazer is a young guy out of Jersey, England, and he may be the fastest moving individual on the entire roster. Kevin Kelly was truly taken aback by just how fast this guy can go, while Corey Graves said all that speed wasn't going to do him much good once Jay White manages to punch him in the face. And, though he is a jerk, Graves was ultimately right. Jay White, who had Lance Archer in his corner on the outside, would eventually catch Frazer with a big shot to face, and would pick him apart from there. White would toss Frazer out of the ring like trash at one point and then grab referee Adrian Butler by the collar, arguing with him and distracting him so that Archer could lift up the diminutive Frazer and Lawn Darts him like a ragdoll into the ringpost to get a massive boos from the crowd. Archer sends Frazer back into the ring, where "Switchblade" proceeds to hit the Blade Runner and get the three count.
Winner: "Switchblade" Jay White
Notable Moments and Observations
• Jay White and Lance Archer look like they are having a blast getting heat with the Oakland crowd.
• UPW has a lot of small, flippy guys around, but Frazer did stand out a bit, as he may be the fastest of all of them.
• Lance Archer hits the ring with a microphone and yells that the clock is ticking and Chris Dijak's day of execution is near! He tells Dijak to say his prayers, because August 26th, he meets his maker! Jay White gets on the microphone after the match and says that Oakland is looking at the uncrowned champion, and on August 26th, everything will be right in UPW. He said he will take his rightful spot at the top and send Old Buddy back to obscurity where he belongs!
• Buddy Matthews steps out onto the stage with the Premier Championship over his shoulder and microphone in hand. Matthews says that Jay White is nothing but a coward. He says the last time they met in the ring, Matthews smashed him into oblivion. That should have been the end of it. He says White, though, is not just a coward, but a jealous coward, and he's the only one who's been living in obscurity. Matthews says he's been all over the world, and most notably, the United States, while Jay has been hiding over in Japan for years. He said he believed the hype and thought he'd come here and take over and be some big star, but he didn't count on running into Buddy Matthews. Matthews says he's fought long and hard to get to where he is, and he isn't going to let some leather wearing wanker like White steal his shine now. Not a chance. He said Jay White tried to take him out with a pair of brass knuckles behind his back, but at Bad Blood, he is going to look in Jay White's eyes as he crushes his hopes and dreams, and beats him to a bloody pulp.
The Undisputed Era Have Arrived in Oakland to Conquer
We go backstage, where The Undisputed Era of Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly, and Bobby Fish are standing in with Blake Howard. Blake says they have a big night ahead of them at Bad Blood, but Roderick Strong says it's all light work for the Undisputed Era. Strong says that he and Fish are ready to knock off Tyson Kidd and Mike Bailey, no problem. He says they've been toying with these guys for too long, but it's time to stop playing with their food and devour them, once and for all. Bobby Fish says they didn't come to Oakland to lose, they've arrived to conquer, and at Bad Blood, they are only going to get marks in with the win column. Kyle O'Reilly says that he's not just going to win, and he's not just going to take the Pure title from Josh Alexander, but he is going to prove what he has been saying for weeks, and that's Kyle O'Reilly is the only Canadian of relevance in UPW.
AR Fox & Ricochet vs. Cameron Grimes & Luke Harper vs. Shane Strickland & Chris Bey
Ricochet and Strickland make their way out with their partners of choice they introduced earlier in the night, but it's Cameron Grimes who has the ace up his sleeve, bringing out the 6'06" wildman from the backwoods in Luke Harper! And Harper was certainly a difference maker in this match, as he stood out a great deal and made the most of this opportunity. This match was as chaotic as you might expect, with referee Chad Patton struggling to keep any semblance of order in tact throughout. We go the flips and spots and multi-man moves you would expect from the usual suspects, but it was even more impressive when big Luke Harper launched himself through the ropes for a dive onto his opponents at one point. The match would come to an end with Harper holding up Strickland in a Hart Attack position and allowing Grimes to fly off the top and crush him with a version of the Cave In to get the three count!
Winners: Cameron Grimes & Luke Harper
Notable Moments and Observations
• Luke Harper really looked great here, but one has to wonder where he goes from here. Will the bookers be able to follow up on this momentum?
• Corey Graves points out that the line probably just shifted on who the favorite is going into the X Division title three-way, as Cameron Grimes just pinned the champion flat in the middle of the ring.
• We get a close up on "Swerve" looking beside himself with rage and frustration while holding his chest on the mat and then cut to Cameron Grimes obnoxiously celebrating with Harper on the ramp, saying the title is all his at Bad Blood.
@ UPW
Saturday, August 26th is going to be intense, as #UPW heads to the Oakland Arena for "Bad Blood"!
■ MATCH CARD ■
● Undisputed Era vs. "Speedball" Mike Bailey & Tyson Kidd
● Oney Lorcan vs. Ilja Dragunov
● Brody King vs. Rush
● Chris Dijak vs. Lance Archer
● UPW Pure Title: Josh Alexander © vs. Kyle O'Reilly
● UPW Tag Team Title: British Strong Style © vs. TMDK
● No DQ Match: Darby Allin vs. John Morrison
● UPW Paramount Title: Shinsuke Nakamura © vs. Jay Lethal
● UPW X Division Title: Shane "Swerve" Strickland © vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Ricochet
● UPW Premier Title: Buddy Matthews © vs. "Switchblade" Jay White
Watch all the action on @ ParamountNet August 26th, 2023 7 PM PT!
Saturday, August 26th is going to be intense, as #UPW heads to the Oakland Arena for "Bad Blood"!
■ MATCH CARD ■
● Undisputed Era vs. "Speedball" Mike Bailey & Tyson Kidd
● Oney Lorcan vs. Ilja Dragunov
● Brody King vs. Rush
● Chris Dijak vs. Lance Archer
● UPW Pure Title: Josh Alexander © vs. Kyle O'Reilly
● UPW Tag Team Title: British Strong Style © vs. TMDK
● No DQ Match: Darby Allin vs. John Morrison
● UPW Paramount Title: Shinsuke Nakamura © vs. Jay Lethal
● UPW X Division Title: Shane "Swerve" Strickland © vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Ricochet
● UPW Premier Title: Buddy Matthews © vs. "Switchblade" Jay White
Watch all the action on @ ParamountNet August 26th, 2023 7 PM PT!