Csonka Reviews Free Matches With Joey Janela, Tessa Blanchard, & More

Csonka Reviews Free Matches With Joey Janela, Tessa Blanchard, & More

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Kip Sabian defeated Michael Nakazawa @ 8:10 via pin [**¼]
– Joey Janela defeated Fenix @ 11:05 via pin [***¼]
– From Impact Unbreakable 2019: Sami Callihan defeated Tessa Blanchard @ 17:50 via pin [***¾]

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Kip Sabian vs. Michael Nakazawa: This is a bonus free dark match from Miami on January 15th. Penelope Ford is at ringside. Sabian stalls and they then lockup, he grounds Nakazawa until Nakazawa counters out with the baby oil to slip out. Sabian picks up the pace, hits a leg lariat and Sabian attacks on the floor as Ford takes the ref. Nakazawa gets slammed into the sand on the set, Sabian gets a surfboard, but Nakazawa counters with a dropkick and ride the board on his back and follows with a senton. Back to the ring and Nakazawa heads up top, hits the shoulder tackle and covers for 2. Ford tries to cut off Nakazawa but he uses the oil to escape. Sabian cuts him off and the missile dropkick gets 2. Sabian whips him to the buckles, Nakazawa fires back until Sabian hits the anarchist suplex for 2. Nakazawa counters deathly hallows, Ford blinds him with the oil, sprays it is him mouth, he mists Sabian and hits an Angle slam. He gets his thong and Sabian cuts off the mandible thing claw, but he gets it on Ford. Sabian cuts him off, but Nakazawa cradles him for 2. Sabian hits deathly hallows for the win. Kip Sabian defeated Michael Nakazawa @ 8:10 via pin [**¼] This was a perfectly ok and harmless comedy match that had its moments.

Joey Janela vs. Fenix: This was also taped in Miami. Fenix looks to attack, they work into counters and end in a standoff. Fenix fires back, dumps Janela and follows with the suicide cannonball. He follows with kicks, but Janela fires back and he hits a suicide dive. Fenix cuts him off and spike DDTs him onto the apron. Back in and Fenix follows with chops. Janela fires back, Fenix cuts him off and lays in more chops. He works over Janela in the corner, slaps him and follows with strikes. Janela counters back with rights, kicks by Fenix follows and Janela cuts him off with a lariat for the double down. Back to the feet and Fenix fires away with kicks, but Janela counters into a Michinoku driver for 2. Fenix begs off, and shoves him into the ref for a distraction and the eye poke and superkick follows for 2. Fenix delivers strikes, follows with the run up cutter and that gets 2. He follows with chops, heads up top, Janela cuts him off but Fenix counters into a Spanish fly for 2. They work up top and Janela counters into an air raid crash onto the apron. Back in and Janela fires up, and the corkscrew package piledriver follows for 2. Janela up top and the elbow drop follows for the win. Joey Janela defeated Fenix @ 11:05 via pin [***¼] With no disrespect intended to Janela, I hated seeing Fenix lose here. I know that Janela has an ongoing program with Sabian right now, but Fenix & Pentagon continue to be horribly underutilized in AEW thus far. But at least the match was good.

#1 Contender’s Match: Tessa Blanchard vs. Sami Callihan: They take their time and then trade strike and brawl. Tessa hits cutter and then charges down the ramp and hits a spear through the ropes. Tessa hits another cutter and dropkicks him to the floor. The suicide dive follows and then Sami cuts off the RANA and slams Tessa repeatedly to the barricade. He starts attacking the knee, which Tessa hurt in their tournament win to get here. Tessa struggles to make it back in the ring, but Sami posts the knee of Tessa a few times. He then slams her legs off the ropes, continuing to focus on the knee. The STF follows by Sami, but Tessa fights and makes the ropes. Sami continues to attack the knee, Tessa kicks him to the floor and then slowly fires back with chops and strikes. Sami cuts her off with body shots, and follows with chops. Tessa fires back and hits a tornado DDT and complete shot for 2. Tessa fights to climb the ropes, but Sami catches the magnum and hits a knee beaker and the figure four follows. Tessa rolls the hold and Sami makes the ropes. They trade strikes form their knees, and Tessa pulls herself up and lays in more. Sami spits in her face, but Tessa keeps throwing and Sami drops her with a big right. Tessa counters back and hits a Samoan drop. She fires up, heads up top and magnum is cut off. Sami follows her up top and Tessa fights him off and Sami fights off the sunset bomb once but Tessa keeps fighting and gets it covering for 2, the crossface follows and Sami fades, the ref checks the arm but he powers up and Tessa cradles him for 2. The superkick and code breaker follows, The magnum connects. Back up and Jake arrives for the distraction but Tessa hits magnum but the ref is distracted. Sami hits Tessa with the x-division title for 2. The cactus special follows for the win. Sami Callihan defeated Tessa Blanchard @ 17:50 via pin [***¾] This was really good stuff, they played well off of their first match, and it was refreshing to see Sami work a composed match and work a body part which allowed Tessa to deliver a great babyface performance.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 87. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook break down the WWE management woes, the latest roadblocks for NXT Japan (DDT/NOAH), hit more news & notes and then talk TNA There’s No Place Like Home. Finally, Larry reviews NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo. The show is approximately 142-minutes long.

* Intro
* Corporate WWE/Management Woes: 3:35
* NXT Japan Road Blocks/DDT & NOAH: 34:45
* News Roundup (Beyond Wrestling to TV?, Harper Potentially to AEW, NJPW Back to US TV?, More): 48:45
* TNA There’s No Place Like Home Wish List: 1:05:35
* TNA Stars That Would Have Been Better Off Never Leaving For WWE: 1:41:55
* Larry’s NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo Reviews: 1:57:11

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Today’s collection of free matches was an overall good offering, clocking in at around 36-minutes; not a bad way to kill some time.