Angie returns to PV and family and friends throw her a welcome home party. After informing Jake that she might take a longer maternity leave than planned, Angie and Jesse ask Jake and Amanda to be their baby’s godparents. Amanda overhears Tad telling Jake that she needs to grow up. Amanda asks what she can do in order to finally be forgiven. Jake and Amanda both agree that they’d like to get back to the loving couple that they were while Tad and Cara share a close moment as he tries to learn Spanish. Madison admits to Ryan that he’s right; he is the baby’s father. Madison claims she didn’t mean to hurt Ryan by not telling him. Ryan wants to do right by Madison and offers his thanks for her help with Emma. After learning from Madison that Ryan now knows the truth, Scott says he still wants to be involved with her. Greenlee doesn’t tell Ryan that she already knew about the baby and promises to always be there for him. Madison calls Greenlee out on trying to steal her idea for how to fix the unhealthy product problem at Fusion. When Madison claims she feels she’s being taken advantage of, Greenlee caves to the pressure, and not wanting her to feel underappreciated, offers to allow Madison to sit in on a phone meeting with Wall Street analysts and explain her idea. Uncomfortable with Madison’s living conditions, Ryan expresses his feelings. Greenlee tells Ryan that she understands Madison doesn’t have complete say on whether or not he can be near his baby. Erica makes it clear to Caleb that she is committed to Jackson. Their conversation is interrupted when Asher shows up with a delivery from JR. Father and son wind up in an argument over Asher working for JR. Erica insists Caleb must make up with Asher and says that path is through Colby since Asher likes her. Liza continues to try and call Colby but all she gets is her daughter’s voicemail. When she confronts JR he tells her that Colby’s “real family” will help her through these tough times. Erica gives Colby the following advice; own your mistakes and be unafraid of who you are. Ava, the new young, Chandler maid thanks Colby for being herself and admires her honesty, something she wishes she had more of growing up. Colby sends out another video from her webcam about how she will call out the wrong behavior as she sees it in her life.
Kendall, Bianca and Marissa bond over being mothers. After an altercation with JR, Marissa admits to the girls that she’s worried she’s a bad mother. Bianca tells JR to leave Marissa alone. JR tries to get his family back together and tells Marissa how much AJ misses her but she refuses to feel guilty. Amanda confides in JR that things between her and Jake aren’t as great as they used to be. David tells Liza that he will encourage Iris to keep Liza on board as long as she is on his side in helping him get back his medical license. David insists he and Liza must support each other and pulls her into a kiss. A drunken Liza approaches Tad and blurts out to the whole bar that they can judge her all they want but she is who she is. Colby overhears Liza and later uploads a video on Pine Valley’s ‘YouTube’ of Liza’s rant. Learning from Angie that the hospital board doesn’t want Cara, Jake passionately defends her. Jake tells Cara that he got her a job but she must apologize to the parents of the sick child she lashed out on. Jake congratulates Amanda on her new job working with JR. Before heading out of town to try and dig up some more information about Zach’s casino partners Griffin checks Kendall out and deems her healthy. Kendall forces Griffin and Ricky to “make up” after she picks up on some tension between them. Ricky notices Zach’s crumpled letter in Griffin’s bag. Griffin tells a worried Cara that he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if there was a possibility Kendall could get hurt and that’s why he’s searching for more information concerning Zach. Using a cover story, Ricky tries to get information out of Kendall regarding the painkillers coming from Pine Valley. Tad’s upset when Krystal says she is going to move out to avoid putting Cara in danger with immigration and wonders if trying to save Cara is worth the price of losing his girls. After Cara begs Krystal not to leave, Krystal tells Tad his wife changed her mind and they’re not going anywhere. After shoving a man in the park (she realizes he’s not Scott), Annie steals his wallet and keys. Brot alerts Ryan of the incident since it was reported to the cops and Ryan speaks with the man. After Emma calls Madison to tell her that they’re in PV and staying at the man in the park’s room, Madison relays the information to Ryan. Emma escapes after she goes into the bathroom to shower. Ryan finally finds Annie who feels betrayed that he brought Greenlee along. Ryan questions Annie’s mental state when she can’t find Emma. After Madison turns down another living arrangement offer from Ryan she tells Scott she enjoys his company since he doesn’t tell her what to do or try and control her like the other men in her life have done. Scott kisses Madison.
Kendall covers with Ricky, saying she doesn’t know anything about stolen drugs, then tells Griffin that there are people suspicious of the missing painkillers. Ricky reports back to Diane that he’s planted seeds of doubt about Griffin in Kendall’s mind. Diane gets a call informing her that Griffin wants to meet with her regarding the casino owners. As Griffin gets dressed for his meeting, Kendall shows up and says wherever he’s going she’s coming. Annie almost attacks Greenlee and is restrained by the cops and read her rights. Scott is unsuccessful in calming Annie down and just as she’s about to be sedated JR shows up and asks for a moment alone. After talking with JR, Annie agrees to go with the men (from the hospital) but as she’s being taken away she thinks she’s off to her and JR’s wedding. Ryan meets up with Madison and Scott in the park; after seeing Emma’s stuffed animal he calls out to his daughter and she comes out of hiding. Greenlee shows up with news about Annie and when Emma hears that her mommy is going to the hospital she lashes out, upset she’s going to the very place she’s scared of. Emma tells Ryan she hates him. David tries to reestablish himself in PV. First, Griffin puts in a good word with the medical board, and then David asks JR to do the same. David wonders when he and Marissa will be able to get to a good place.
AEW ‘Double or Nothing’ 2023: MJF Retains, Takeshita Turns Heel, Kris Statlander and Toni Storm New Title Holders
May 29, 2023
Sunday’s AEW Double or Nothing live on pay-per-view emanating, once again, from Las Vegas, had a stacked double main event, which saved the show after a lackluster beginning.
There were some title changes, major spots, a heel turn, blood and guts and tables, that kept it entertaining for AEW wrestling fans.
Let’s break down some of the key matches:
MJF vs. Darby Allin vs Jack Perry vs, Sammy Guevera – The Four Pillars four-way for the AEW Championship
Photo: AEW
AEW has developed these four wrestlers and more into stars in their own right. When the bell rang, all four delivered high-flying maneuvers with clever storytelling along the way. Selling their in-ring personas, mixed with real-life emotion.
Guevera is still, to us, the one with the most exciting moves, while MJF stands as the complete package, getting the fans riled up, while showing his in-ring prowess. Allin is one of the hardest working wrestlers out there and ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry has come so far.
In a key moment in the bout, when Perry had the championship belt in hand and could have ‘legally’ used it on Allin to secure the victory, in a moment of conflicted emotion, tossed it out of the ring.
.@boy_myth_legend in a moral dilemma over how to win the #AEW World championship.
That allowed MJF to eventually plant the world championship belt on Perry’s chest while Allin went for his signature ‘coffin drop’ off the top rope ring corner. However, Allin landed on the belt in pain. That opened the door for MJF to seize the opportunity to secure the win with a head-lock takeover to retain the title.
Tay Conti and Sammy Guevera Expecting a Baby
Courtesy/AEW
Before the match, Tay Conti and Guevera emerged on the entrance ramp. Sammy brought along his old gimmick of poster boards with messages on them. The surprise message was for all of AEW and the fans in attendance. Conti and Guevera, who are married in real life, revealed that Conti is pregnant with their fist child!
The Blackpool Combat Club vs. The Elite – Anarchy in the Arena
Photo: AEW
Imagine a wrestling match all over the T-Mobile Arena going down while a band plays The Troggs, “Wild Thing” the entire time! That’s what happened during the capper to Double or Nothing. AEW fans know that Jon Moxley’s entrance theme song is that track. So, this year, why not play it live? The lead singer wore a disturbing black mask, where he eventually received a boot to the head from The Elite for his troubles of aligning himself with the BCC.
This match (if you can call it that) was literally all over the arena and in the parking lot. Jon Moxley, Wheeler Yuta, Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Kenny Omega, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson brought out the barbed wire, forks, screwdrivers, tables, thumbtacks, and anything else you could find lying around the arena or under the ring, as weapons.
It finally came to a conclusion when Omega’s trader-of-a-former manager, Don Callis, distracted Kenny Omega and his new protégé Konosuke Takeshita emerged disguised as a camera man and kicked and attacked Omega. Next, Yuta hit Omega with the actual screwdriver (the latest favorite weapon of the BCC) and pinned Kenny.
Now, questions remain. Are Callis and Takeshita aligned with the BCC? Why did Takeshita who was a fan favorite turn heel? With the Forbidden Door pay-per-view coming up shortly, it would seem this turn was to infuse a main event featuring Omega and a few of his friends! After the show went off the air Kenny previewed he may have one or two buddies on the way to help him out.
Jade Cargill vs. Taya Valkyrie – Jade Cargill vs. Kris Statlander
Photo: AEW
The best ring entrance of the night belonged to Cargill. The Women’s TBS Champion came down to the ring accompanied by a performance by Big Boss Vette of her track ‘Pretty Girls Walk’. Along with her A.K.A. sorority sisters, Cargill also busted out some dance moves.
Putting her amazing 60-0 streak on the line, many thought Taya Valkyrie who has the size and the moves to give Cargill a run for her money, would win the title on her second attempt against Jade. That was not meant to be. Cargill pinned Valkyrie. Then, getting too big for their britches, Jade’s manager, Mark Sterling took to the mic and offered up an open challenge. Shocking everyone, Kris Statlander came out from the back and ran in the ring and quickly defeated Cargill to win the belt. It should be noted, Statlander was out of commission from her ACL surgery, following a previous surgery on her other knee. The crowd went nuts. Cargill was an outstanding champion though, by her own design. What a great story to have Statlander comeback and win a title! She shared her emotions and emotional story during the AEW post show media scrum.
Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter
Photo: AEW
We kind of saw this one coming, did you? AEW Women’s champion, Jamie Hayter, was obviously hurt, so taking the belt off of her to heal up was the move … but, this also seem to be the move to have Hayter win back the belt in front of her hometown crowd in August when AEW has its first live show in London, England at Wembley Stadium.
In the storyline, Toni Storm, who previously held the belt as ‘interim champ” when she was a babyface, defeated Hayter. Her win comes with the help of her bff’s The Outcasts (Saraya and Ruby Soho). During the post-show media scrum, Storm stayed in character, defiant, and related how this title reign will be much different than when she was more innocent and let people walk all over her.
Chris Jericho vs. Adam Cole
Courtesy/AEW
The worst match of the night, unfortunately, belonged to Chris Jericho and Adam Cole in their unsanctioned duel. The crowd was dead during it, the action just felt forced, Sabu’s appearance was useless, and all of it led to a fireball in the face to some guy in the back post-match, setting up a mixed tag match for Jericho and Saraya vs. Cole and Britt Baker D.M.D, this week on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
In Other Bouts …
Courtesy/AEW
Orange Cassidy finished off Swerve Stickland to retain his AEW International Championship in a 21-man battle royale,
FTR defeated Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal to retain the AEW Tag Team belts after special referee Mark Briscoe had enough of Double J’s antics.
The House of Black retained their Trios championship titles against the The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn.
Wardlow defeated Christian Cage to retain the TNT championship.
So, what did you think about the double main event at Double or Nothing 2023? What are your thoughts on who kept their titles and who was crowned new champs? What was the best and worst part of the PPV? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
The Bold and the Beautiful’s Scott Clifton Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
May 28, 2023
The character of The Bold and the Beautiful’s Liam Spencer (Scott Clifton) has been on the receiving end of plenty of shade over the years on social media, in part, due to his often seemingly wishy-washy back and forth nature when it comes to the loves of his life, Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) and Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood).
However, this past week on the CBS daytime drama series, in the more than capable hands of three-time Daytime Emmy winner Scott Clifton, you kind of found yourself rooting for Liam, when, after confronting his wife Hope on her feelings for Thomas (Matthew Atkinson), she out and out lied to him in an attempt to smooth over her now rocky marriage.
This past Friday’s episode, saw the continuation of the confrontation scene where Liam, drinking at the cabin, asks his wife for the truth. Does she have feelings for the one man he told her to stay away from? This man also happens to be the man that kept their child, Beth, away from them for months (which he points out). Part of the problem is that Liam learned about Hope’s feelings for Thomas from Steffy, because she witnessed it. When Liam asks Hope about her feelings, she gets defiant and says she is feeling ‘ambushed’ and tries to spin it; that this is all Steffy’s interpretation.
Courtesy/CBS
Liam says he truly wants to believe her, but Hope cannot seem to say the word he needs to her. Liam thinks she may be in denial. Hope says she finds it insulting that both he and Steffy know her feelings better than she does.
It is then Liam points out that the one thing that he asked her to do was to keep Thomas out of their lives. Hope goes on to say that her fashion line needs Thomas as a part of it. Liam can’t comprehend why Hope is not seeing that this is about their marriage, not her career.
Courtesy/CBS
At this point, and in emotional moments, Liam firmly and angrily tells Hope that he cannot have Thomas living rent free in his head anymore. Hope says he always trusts whatever everybody else says about her. Fed up with her denial, he asks again, if she has feelings for Thomas or not.
Courtesy/CBS
Hope, then in tears, tells her husband “No.” She loves only him. As she is telling these lies, Liam breaks down in tears. They end up in an embrace, but the damage is done. How can Liam not trust his gut on this? How can Hope go on denying her feelings for Thomas?
In this soap opera version of “Scenes from a Marriage”, acting counterpart to the always great, Annika Noelle, it was the levels of Scott Clifton’s performance that illustrated to us, once again, that when given the material, he rises to the occasion every single time. For these reasons, Michael Fairman TV gives the ‘Power Performance of the Week’ honors to Scott.
What did you think about the scenes between Liam and Hope? Do you agree with our pick for Scott’s work as ‘The Power Performance of the Week’? Comment below.
WWE Night of Champions 2023: The ‘Bloodline’ Breaks Down as Roman Reigns is Left Shocked, Seth Rollins & Asuka Win Title Belts
May 27, 2023
The demise of the ‘Bloodline’ is now truly underway, after the closing bout at WWE Night of Champions streaming Saturday on Peacock.
The WWE returned to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for this event which featured numerous titles on the lines and the crowning of the winner for the new WWE championship.
Let’s recap what went down for the triple main event.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
The crowd was firmly behind Zayn and Owens, in particular because Sami is a wrestler of Syrian descent and he has never taken part in any of the WWE’s Saudi Arabian shows, due to the relationship between Syria and Saudi Arabia. With the tensions died down between the two countries, Zayn got the opportunity to wrestle in front of family and in the Middle East. When his entrance music played, Sami entered dressed for the culture he was performing for in all white.
While the crowd was red hot for Zayn and Owens, they also jeered Roman Reigns who has now held the WWE Universal Championship for 1000 days. The uber-villain played right along with the fans, egging them on, as only he can.
Courtesy/Peacock
As the teams went back and forth, the referee got knocked out, when Reigns speared him by mistake. With no official, the Usos appeared and went on the attack of Owens at ringside. Later in the ring, the brothers and former tag champs, set Zayn up for a double superkick, but the kicks landed on their younger brother, Solo Sikoa, by mistake. Not seeing what had fully transpired, The Tribal Chief was losing his temper and started pushing Jey and Jimmy around.
Fed up, Jimmy landed a superkick on Reigns which knocked him down to the mat. Jey was conflicted by the actions of his brother, but Jimmy landed a second superkick on Reigns. That left Owens open to deliver a stunner to Sikoa. Then, Zayn followed it up with a Helluva kick. A new referee showed up in time and counted 1, 2, 3 as Zayn pinned Sikoa. As the Usos walked back up the ramp and backstage, Jimmy was trying to assure Jey, that they did the right thing, while Roman Reigns was left stunned as Sami and Kevin celebrated retaining their belts. The storytelling in this match was brilliantly executed by all involved.
Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins vs. AJ Styles
Courtesy/Peacock
The finals of the new World Heavyweight Championship Tournament were on tap for the opener of Night of Champions featuring two of the best wrestlers in the world, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins and AJ Styles. Who would win the new belt?
As Seth and AJ battled back and forth, ultimately it was the Visionary who was battling his ‘injured knee’ sustained in who hit Styles with a Pedigree before ultimately delivering a Stomp for the pin and the win. Triple H came to the ring and presented Rollins with the belt as the newest of champs for the organization. If anyone deserves a belt around their waist it’s Rollins, who has not held a title for over four years. Just how this title will remain relevant is yet to be seen.
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
Courtesy/Peacock
The third piece of the triple main event included the question of just how would Rhodes wrestle the ‘beast incarnate’ with one arm having supposedly been broken during a beatdown by Lesnar on RAW?
Throughout the match, Rhodes had his arm wrapped with a brace, which he eventually used to hit Lesnar with. However, in the end, as many predicted, the WWE creative team had to find a way in the storytelling to even up the series between Cody and Brook to 1 win each. How did they do it?
Late in the match, Lesnar put Rhodes in a Kimura Lock. However, in the first attempt, Cody was able to escape it. The second time Brock applied it, Rhodes eventually passed out and the referee called for the bell and named Brock the winner. Look for the rubber match in this feud to be forthcoming.
Bianca Belair vs. Asuka
Courtesy/Peacock
In their match at Wrestlemania 39, it was clear that Asuka was the crowd favorite, even though she was the heel going up against Belair. Now, in a rematch at Night of Champions, Asuka has become even more heinous with her ‘mist’ than ever before. Going into the match, Belair held the RAW Women’s Championship for a record 420 days, but her title reign was about to come to an end.
At first, Asuka tried to mist Belair in the face, but she missed her target. Avoiding that calamity, Belair continued to fight back, while Asuka played dirty. Then in a clever move, Asuka blew the mist from her mouth on to her fingers, while the ref’s back was turned and she was on the ropes. When Bianca hoisted Asuka over her head, the challenger rubbed her misted-fingers in the champ’s eyes and down she went. After kicking the EST in the head, Asuka was able to secure the pin, ending Belair’s incredible reign. While Asuka celebrated, Belair was left outside the ring with ‘stinging’ eyes, and no medical attention to help her. Will we see a heel turn by Bianca Belair, coming out of Night of Champions? Stay tuned.
In other bouts …
Rhea Ripley defeated Natalya (on her birthday no less) which amounted to nothing more than a squash match. Ripley showed her strength and easily won over the birthday girl in a few minutes to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
Gunther retained his Intercontinental Championship defeating Mustafa Ali, as the crowd rooted for Ali who is of Pakistani and Indian descent.
Trish Stratus, with the help of Zoey Stark, got the victory over Becky Lynch. Stratus reminded us of her in-ring skills, while this story has been hard to swallow. Adding Stark to the mix, gives Stratus a pal, so we can only assume she will tag team with Trish … or Stark will be the next to feud with “The Man” Becky Lynch.
Courtesy/Peacock
Overall, nothing topped the final match of the night featuring Reigns, Zayn, and the Bloodline, for the pure theater of it all.
So, what did you think of WWE Night of Champions 2023? Share your thoughts and favorite matches via the comment section. But first, take a look at what went down when Jimmy Uso kicked Roman Reigns.