UK Wrestling Abroad 2025 – Week 7

Welcome to UK Wrestling Abroad, something of a cross-pollination between the TWIST Network and UK Wrestling Archive. Looking at British and Irish wrestlers overseas.

These will mostly be in the form of results however, it’s been decided to roll a condensed version of the “UK Wrestling Analysis” project into UK Wrestling Abroad. Quite simply, there’s just too much wrestling, easily 10+ hours a week, to be able to cover everything. Where source footage is available, segments featuring UK & Irish wrestlers will be included along with the normal results and see how that works.

Results from 10 February – 16 February 2025

WWE: Monday Night Raw #1655 | 10 February 2025 [bg_collapse view=”link-list” color=”#000″ icon=”arrow” expand_text=”(Click to expand Narrative)” collapse_text=”(Click to Collapse)” ]

WWE: Monday Night Raw #1655 | 10 February 2025 | Bridgestore Arena, Nashville, Tennessee, USA | Source: Netflix

The show opens with a number of wrestlers arriving, including Lyra Valkyria. Before switching to an amazingly inorganic ‘Mid Card’ Jey Uso surrounded by a small crowd of fans chanting ‘Yeet’ while he claps in encouragement. It looks like we’re starting how we have been starting for the past few weeks, counting our blessing that we have a 10-second skip function on Netflix. Thank all that is considered holy for Gunther’s interrupting after a mere several minutes of this tired routine. Neither Gunther nor ‘Mid Card’ are UK or Irish Wrestlers however, and it’s time to move on.

Our first noteworthy match of the night sees Bayley take on Women’s Intercontinental Champion, Lyra Valkyria in a Money In The Bank Qualifying match.
‘Hangman’ Adam Page defeated ‘Freshly Squeezed’ Orange Cassidy in an unremarkable match before a couple of post-match Dead-Eyes (I think?) brings the officials tearing out from the back, to largely ineffectiveness, including Christopher Daniels complaining that he’s Page’s friend, as Page beats on him.

The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) (w/ MVP) defeat The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster). The Hurt Syndicate are polished, The Acclaimed less so, though they are seemingly in the midst of a breakup storyline so that made sense. Hurt Syndicate take the W.

AEW use, at least for this show (I’m not overly familiar with their production) a notably shorter entranceway with 2 tunnels, which I presume is a kayfabe “Face/ Heel” separation McGuffin. Not sold on it but it’s a nice touch, we’ll see if it grows on me.

Jamie Hayter Vs. Julia Hart – Jamie Hayter has what I would call almost a “70’s gimmick”. Not a criticism, merely an opinion-based observation. Julia Hart has a “dark arts” aesthetic. The commentators reference both having time out due to injury and it shows. Both struggled slightly during the match, neither quite being in position a number of times. Julia Hart gets the Pinfall after a very discreet ‘mist to the eyes’ in 5:27.

The former Sasha Banks, Mercedes Moné, has lost so much of that ‘it factor’ which made Sasha Banks a star. The crowd barely cared and why the hell does her entrance theme have a piped ‘CEO’ crowd chant baked in?!

A somewhat awkward ‘Undisputed Kingdom’ promo later and we’re onto a Triple Threat match between Undisputed Kingdom’s Roderick Strong whom the crowd, whether they were sucked of all care by Mercedes Moné or whether they simply don’t care about Roderick Strong were largely indifferent to, Jay White (who I genuinely thought was South African following his promo earlier in the show (he’s not, he’s a Kiwi) and Swerve Strickland, who actually has decent presence but needs to tell Prince Nana to tone it down as it just feels weird when Swerve is being all stoic and Nana looks like he’s at a rave. Unsure if it’s the norm but the crowd just don’t seem to care, staying largely silent throughout. The camera work is odd too, with cameras switching to less optimal angles frequently. Yet another odd moment when a bespectacled Ricochet, from the crowd, hits/ stabs/ somethings, Swerve with scissors and then stares at him for a looooong time, while Jay White gets the Pinfall over Roderick Strong. Worth noting that during and following a considerably more brutal assault than Hangman Adam Page on Orange Cassidy earlier, when AEW officials were there in seconds, eventually only the remaining members of Undisputed Kingdom, who apparently now care about Swerve Strickland (maybe there’s a history i’m unaware of) arrive to chase off the manically laughing Ricochet who, after picking up his scissors and continuing to laugh, slowly leaves through the crowd.

Mariah May thinks the AEW Women’s division is great, almost entirely because she’s in it. Fair.

Jeff Jarrett makes what feels like a Hall Of Fame’ speech as he teases retirement. A notion which he rejects, with the caveat that he wants ‘one more ride’ and has signed his last professional wrestling contract (with AEW).

Backstage promo with former ‘Big Cass’, ‘Big Bill’ and with all due respect to Bryan Keith, what really feels like a stand in Enzo Amore for Bill to bounce off. Bill looks off into the distance to see ‘Cope’ (i’m sorry but truly, truly, awful name. You can’t use Edge and there’s nothing wrong with your given name of Adam Copeland but ‘Cope’?) and FTR (who are seemingly a 3-man stable), standing perhaps 10 feet away. ‘Cope’ proceeds to tell Bill that his face ‘is stupid’. See, it’s funny because Bill looks like a younger (and taller) ‘Cope’.

A taped(!?) MJF promo from last Saturday lets us know ‘a King’ (Jon Moxley) is nothing to ‘a God’ (MJF) whom also refers to himself as ‘a Devil’ so i’m slightly puzzled but it’s fine.

Our main event is up and The Death Riders make their way to the ring (through the crowd) with Moxley simply lobbing a water bottle at a fan because, why not? FTR are next, followed by ‘Cope’ using his ‘Edge’ WWE music, mannerisms and ‘Rated R Superstar’ nickname but the utterly atrocious ‘Cope’.

As the match gets underway, Tony Schiavone references that Sweet Daddy Siki has passed away at 91. Belated condolences to his friends and family. Rest In Peace Sweet Daddy Siki.

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Pro Wrestling NOAH: The New Year 2025 | 1 January 2025 [bg_collapse view=”link-list” color=”#000″ icon=”arrow” expand_text=”(Click to expand Results)” collapse_text=”(Click to Collapse)” ]

Pro Wrestling NOAH: The New Year 2025 | 1 January 2025 | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Battle Royal Match:
Tadasuke defeated Dump Matsumoto, Harutoki, LJ Cleary, Masaaki Mochizuki, Masao Inoue, Saxon Huxley, Shuhei Taniguchi, Titus Alexander, Yu Owada, Yuto Kikuchi and Zozaya

GHC Tag Team Championship Match:
Team 2000X (Jack Morris & Omos) (w/ Yoshitatsu) defeat Naomichi Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura (Champions) *New Champions*

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Big Japan Pro Wrestling: 2025 New Year Battle Begins At Korakuen Hall | 2 January 2025 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Fluorescent Lighttubes Death Match:
AKIRA, Kazumi Kikuta & Ryuji Ito defeat Abdullah Kobayashi, Daiju Wakamatsu & Jack Bennett

Pro Wrestling NOAH: New Year Reboot 2025 | 2 January 2025 | Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Tag Team Rumble Match:
Masaaki Mochizuki & Takashi Sugiura defeat All Rebellion & Black Menso-re, Masa Kitamiya (Alejandro & Kai Fujimura), Go Shiozaki & Mohammed Yone, Hajime Ohara & Shuhei Taniguchi, LJ Cleary & Zozaya, Naomichi Marufuji & Yu Owada and Titus Alexander & Ulka Sasaki

6-Man Tag Team Match:
Team 2000X ((GHC Tag Team Champion) Jack Morris, (GHC Tag Team Champion) Omos & Yu Owada) (w/ Yoshi Tatsu) defeat El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Galeno Del Mal & Saxon Huxley

All Japan Pro Wrestling: New Year Wars 2025 – Day 2 | 3 January 2025 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

ELPIDA (Ren Ayabe & Ryuki Honda) defeat Hokuto-gun (Hartley Jackson & Jack Kennedy)

DDT Pro Wrestling: New Year Dream Parade 2025 ~ Answers Will Be Given In A Year ~ | 3 January 2025 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Calamari Drunken Kings (Chris Brookes & Masahiro Takanashi) & Hikaru Sato defeat Keigo Nakamura, Shinya Aoki & Yuki Ueno

WWE: Friday Night Smackdown | 3 January 2025 | Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona, USA | Source: Netflix

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Andrade

Michin defeated Piper Niven (w/ Chelsea Green)

WWE Tag Team Championship Match:
#DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) (Champions) The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) ended in No Contest

WWE Women’s Championship Match:
Nia Jax (w/ Candice LeRae) (Champion) defeated Naomi (w/ Bianca Belair)

WWE Women’s Championship (Money In The Bank) Match:
Tiffany Stratton defeated Nia Jax (Champion) *New Champion*

The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga) defeat The OG Bloodline (Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso & Sami Zayn)

Awesome Championship Wrestling: Poughkeepsie Rumble | 4 January 2025 | MJN Convention Center, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA | Source: CageMatch.net

NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship Match:
Tommy Dreamer defeated Thom Latimer (Champion) by Disqualification

Marvelous That’s Women Pro Wrestling: Happy New Year’s Marvelous | 4 January 2025 | Shin-Kiba 1st RING, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

AAAW Championship Match:
Takumi Iroha (Champion) defeated Nightshade

New Japan Pro Wrestling: Wrestle Kingdom 19 In Tokyo Dome | 4 January 2025 | Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Zack Sabre Jr. (w/ Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Ryohei Oiwa) (Champion) defeated Shota Umino

Superior Italian Wrestling: System Sword Tournament III – Part 1 | 4 January 2025 | Centro Invictus, Cascina, Tuscany, Italy | Source: CageMatch.net

SIW Sword Tournament III (Opening Round) Match:
Sid Scala defeated Alessio Moro

Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling: Tokyo Joshi Pro ’25 | 4 January 2025 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Kaya Toribami, Ryo Mizunami & Yoshiko Hasegawa defeat Ivy Steele, Kira Summer & Matcha

Unlimited Wrestling: Into The Unknown 2025 | 4 January 2025 | Apollo, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Germany | Source: CageMatch.net

Mark Haskins defeated Fast Time Moodo

All Elite Wrestling/ Consejo Mundial De Lucha Libre/ Ring Of Honor/ New Japan Pro Wrestling/ World Wonder Ring Stardom: Wrestle Dynasty | 5 January 2025 | Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Kenny Omega defeated Gabe Kidd (w/ Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney)

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Match:
Zack Sabre Jr. (w/Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Ryohei Oiwa) (c) defeats Ricochet

Big Japan Pro Wrestling: Deathmatch King Death | 5 January 2025 | Shin-Kiba 1st RING, Tokyo, Japan | Source: CageMatch.net

Barbed Wire Board Death Match:
Jack Bennett & Yuko Miyamoto defeat Ludark Shaitan & Masaya Takahashi

German Wrestling Federation: Strike First, Strike Hard 5 | 5 January 2025 | Festsaal Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany | Source: CageMatch.net

GWF World Championship Match:
Peter Tihanyi (Champion) defeated Mark Haskins

This was a longer first edition than expected however given the date(s) it can only be expected that these will grow in size. Formatting tweaks will happen, content will be tightened and content will generally be tidied or expanded upon.

If you made is this far, consider leaving a comment. Constructive feedback is always welcome and it needn’t be positive. Don’t like something? Let me know. If you’re looking for more of my ramblings, a more in depth argument, or just want to berate me in a more public setting, consider joining the Infinite Realities Discord server where you can engage with members of the community and follow the general happenings.

Opinions are my own. I am in no way affiliated with/ or incentivised by, any of the promotions or wrestlers referenced. I have no bias towards any single promotion and any suggestion to the contrary is made insincerely, in bad faith, and in ignorance of this stated fact. Any and all links were valid at the time of writing.

UK Wrestling Analysis: WWE Royal Rumble 2025

It’s ~~Satu~~… Sunday, which means it’s time for the UK Wrestling Analysis of WWE Royal Rumble 2025! Previously live from Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

The UK Wrestling Archive, as the name suggests, is UK Wrestling-centric however in conjunction with the TWIST Network, we will also be offering reviews of major events which feature UK and Irish wrestlers.

Show opens with Cody Rhodes arriving to the building carrying the Undisputed WWE Championship, which is curious because the whole point was that both he, and Kevin Owens, had handed over their titles to be hung over the ring for their ladder match. I hope this is not a sign of things to come. Next Kevin Owens arrives, sans Title. All the more odd because he was previously extremely possessive of ‘his’ title. We won’t dwell on it though as Gunther is shown next, carrying his World Heavyweight Championship. Some more big names are shown, Seth Rollins in particular simply looking lost.

Back to the Arena though and Stephanie McMahon is out, immediately mis-speaking but quickly regaining her composure.

Alicia Taylor is our ring announcer and it’s time for the Women’s Royal Rumble match, with the winner ‘going on main event Wrestlemania’. I’m going to struggle to keep up with this but we’ll see. The participants in order, each with their own ‘lower third’ stats row;
*Side note, the entrance way is loooong

1. Iyo Sky (3rd Career Royal Rumble/ 5 Eliminations in 2023) from Japan (0:00 – )
2. Liv Morgan (8th Career Royal Rumble/ Runner Up each of the previous 2 years) from USA (0:00 – )
3. Roxanne Perez (2nd Career Royal Rumble/ Former NXT Women’s Champion) from USA 2:07/2:37 – )
4. 4:14

04:15:59

Not suggesting the crowd noise is piped (yet) but there was a rather loud ‘Giulia’ chant while the camera just happened to be panning the crowd who did not look especially chant-y.. To be fair, a short time later there was a ‘This Is Awesome’ chant and the crowd were actually looking like they were legitimately doing it. Booker manages to mix up Cora Jade and Corey Graves which was amusing. All credit to Shawn Michaels, as much as I appreciate that Bailey and Giulia are not Shawn Michaels projects, the NXT women look as smooth as their main roster male counterparts, which is not always something which can be said for many of the main roster women’s roster.

Bailey & (NXT Women’s Champion) Giulia defeat Cora Jade & Roxanne Perez by Pinfall (Bailey over Cora Jade)

Up next we have the Grayson Waller Effect with special guest Oba Femi. Waller puts the Atlanta crowd down saying they have to use the initials ATL because they cannot spell Atlanta. Oba Femi holds his own for the most part before challenging either of A-Town Down Under to a match. We don’t have a conclusive answer though as Ava interrupts to remind Oba Femi that he doesn’t make the matches, she does. During this though we’ve gone to a split screen showing Trick Williams becoming increasingly agitated and he makes his way out to confront Femi. Theory tries to blindside Williams but is fought off and dumped over the top rope, as is Waller, Williams however turns around into a Powerbomb by Oba Femi. The announcers are concerned because Williams is supposed to be in action against Wes Lee, next.

We return from break to Izzi Dame being interviewed by Sarah Schreiber, discussing her (Dame) involvement with the D’Angelo family. Ridge Holland interrupts to question Dame’s motives only to also be interrupted by Channing Lorenzo.

Back at ringside, Trick Williams is struggling to his feet as Wes Lee makes his entrance. The match starts and Lee rushes Williams, dropkicking him into the turnbuckles. Williams fights back though it’s not long before Lee takes control again. Match ends when Lee’s entourage Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont interfere, only be fought off but when the referee tries to restore order, Williams also throws him across the ring prompting a Disqualification.

Wes Lee defeated Trick Williams by Disqualification

Backstage Ava again reminds Oba Femi that she makes the matches before letting him know he faces both Austin Theory and Grayson Waller at Vengeance Day. She then heads out in search of Trick Williams.

It’s time for the NXT Women’s North American Championship match as Shotzi challenges Fallon Henley. A fun match with lots going on. Fallon Henley, who I did not know going into the match, is better than I expected. Both competitors’ entourages brawl to the back leaving just Fallon and Shotzi.

WWE NXT North American Women’s Championship Match:
Fallon Henley (w/ Fatal Influence Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx) defeated Shotzi (w/ Gig Dolin & Tatum Paxley) by Pinfall

We are back with the faces in the crowd though thankfully the awkward lingering shots are not a thing in NXT.

Match #3 pits ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page against Cedric Alexander. Alexander punches Page before even getting in the ring so we’re off to a flyer. Alexander is all over Page in the opening few minutes of the match. Alexander dominates throughout but Page takes the win with a RKO (he almost certainly has his own name for it but I don’t know what it is and the announcers didn’t call it, mainly because Vic Joseph is trying to decipher just what the hell Book is talking about 90% of the time.

‘All Ego’ Ethan Page defeated Cedric Alexander by Pinfall

Following a rundown of the card for Vengeance Day, we’re on to the main event of the evening. Meta-Four (Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend) are out first. The yellow and green spotlights are a nice touch, gives them an almost superhero vibe. The Tag Champs are next. As much as I dislike the spelling out of N-A-O-M-I for Naomi’s entrance, I dislike more the cutting off her theme in order to play Bianca Belair’s. Either give them a new theme or just pick one or the other… I’m amazed it hasn’t happened before now but Belair’s looooong braid is becoming more of a hindrance and get in the way. It could be half as long, look just as impressive and be much less of a nuisance. Lash Legend is a big girl, with several inches on Belair. We get a quick split screen, of Cora Jade demanding Ava’s attention. I don’t want to call nepotism but Ava is so young and ill-suited to the roll of GM. She very rarely, if ever, shows actual authority. Anyway, back to the match. The more I (re)watch NXT the more obvious it is that the quality of the women’s wrestling is a level above that of the main roster. It’s not so noticeable with the male roster though. The champs take the win by Pinfall.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match:
Bianca Belair & Naomi (Champions) defeat Meta-Four Meta-Four (Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend) by Pinfall (Bianca Belair over Jakara Jackson)

Post match, McIntyre attacks Zayn, prompting Cody Rhodes to run down for the assist. He and McIntyre trade blows but Kevin Owens emerges from the crowd to attack Rhodes. Rhodes turns the tables on him before McIntyre drags Rhodes off Owens and into the corner. Them for the second week in a row, the man who just does not learn, Sami Zayn, opts to attempt the Helluva Kick, bearing in mind that he best he could hope for is kicking both McIntyre AND Rhodes, instead only kicks Rhodes when McIntyre dodges out the way. All bar Rhodes vacate the ring and CM Punk makes his way out. A overly long, honestly not particularly interesting, and largely unnatural feeling exchange between Rhodes and Punk follows to close the show.

There’s just so much wrestling… It’s Saturday as I write this, I still have Smackdown AND AEW Dynamite/ potentially Collision. A minimum of 8 hours weekly WWE content. At least 2 hours, probably 4 AEW. 2 Hours TNA (IF I can find reliable means to regularly watch) not including PPVs. All now have UK and Irish wrestlers. I do enjoy doing these reviews though I may have to trim the fat as it were. Like everything else, it’s a work in progress.