Tag Archives: Kingston

Entertainment

AEW Full Gear results: Kingston is emotional after Akiyama dream match

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Eddie Kingston’s dream weekend continued tonight (Nov. 19) on the “Zero Hour” pre-show for AEW Full Gear. Eddie’s been talking about taking on one of his heroes, Jun Akiyama — a key player from All Japan Pro-Wrestling in the 1990s, where the King’s Road style Kingston revers was perfected, for years.

Last night on Rampage, he & Ortiz lost to Akiyama and the newly signed Konosuke Takeshita. Tony Khan gave Eddie the singles match he wanted before the PPV, and the two men delivered a good match with an emotional finish as the Mad King survived the best the veteran had to offer, delivering his backfist finisher twice to earn a victory.

The Yonkers native was emotional, making it clear how much the moment meant to him. He and Akiyama exchanged gestures of respect.

Then Kingston got a time check, and thanked the fans, Akiyama & the Japanese stars who inspired him to become a pro wrestler. He also delivered the best PPV sell I’ve ever heard:

“It’s 7:53 and 40 seconds. Order the Goddamn PPV.”

Love ya, Ed.

Get complete Full Gear results and coverage of the entire show here.

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Entertainment

AEW Rampage recap & reactions (June 10, 2022): Eddie Kingston scores upset victory

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AEW Rampage (June 10, 2022) emanated from Cable Dahmer Arena in Kansas City, MO. The show featured Eddie Kingston with a quality win and the debut of NJPW’s Will Ospreay with Aussie Open.

Let’s jump right in with a recap of the show followed by reactions.

Excalibur and Taz were on commentary. Justin Roberts handled ring announcer duties.

Jake Hager vs. Eddie Kingston

Kingston brought the fight, but Hager was too much of a physical specimen. Hager pounded Kingston with a snap suplex on the floor, forearms to the kidney, a belly-to-belly slam, and various other tenderizing methods. Kingston fired up for chops to drop Hager.

As the match progressed, Hager connected on a Vader Bomb. Kingston rallied with an exploder suplex and a Saito suplex. He loaded up a spinning backfist, but Hager ducked to set up a double-leg lift and slam. Hager applied the ankle lock. Kingston grit out the pain for a dramatic rope-break.

Hager mounted Kingston in the corner to throw furious punches. Kingston countered by lifting Hager off the turnbuckles for a powerbomb. Kingston pounced for two consecutive spinning backfists for the win.

Eddie Kingston defeated Jake Hager.

Dr. Britt Baker DMD called out Toni Storm for putting her grubby hands on the AEW Women’s World Championship. She did not appreciate Storm’s attempt to skip the line. If anyone wins that title next, it will be from Team DMD.

Ortiz admitted that he should stop blaming Chris Jericho. He should blame himself for not seeing the writing on the wall. Jericho being a scumbag is one reason why he has been at the top for so long. Ortiz is willing to stoop to Jericho’s low level in the hair versus hair match on Dynamite. Cutting Jericho’s hair will hurt him more than any pain Ortiz can serve.

Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh vs. Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett

Sonjay Dutt was ringside. Singh crushed with a big knee, big chop, and running crossbody onto both opponents. That set up Lethal for a handspring double cutter for the win.

Jay Lethal & Satnam Singh defeated Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett.

Afterward, Singh executed a spinning Razor’s Edge.

Danhausen and Hook celebrated their tag team win by purchasing new automobiles. Danhausen cruised in a trainer’s cart. Hook pulled up in his mini ride, lowered his sunglasses, and flashed a glance at Lexy Nair before zooming off.

Red Velvet vs. Kris Statlander

Jade Cargill, Kiera Hogan, and Stokely Hathaway were seated ringside. Velvet tried a sneak attack, but Statlander caught her for a powerslam onto the floor. The alien lifted Velvet for a military press into the ring. Velvet went low for a chop block to work the knee. That allowed Velvet to gain an advantage with her speed. She came close to victory on a cutter and spinning head kick combo, but the alien was too powerful. Statlander pumphandled Velvet into a Night Fever piledriver for victory.

Kris Statlander defeated Red Velvet.

Afterward, Kiera jumped Statlander. Jade added a pump kick on the floor. Anna Jay ran in to choke Kiera, but the numbers game got her. Athena came out ready for action, however, officials held her back from fisticuffs.

Ethan Page praised Miro’s return prior to their qualifying match for the All-Atlantic Championship on Dynamite. Instead of god, Page prays to himself. He is going to the promised land to win gold.

Mark Henry interviewed the main event participants. Will Ospreay came to AEW to separate the sheep from the GOATs. Trent never liked him or his nerd boys. FTR introduced themselves as the best tag team in the world and plan to make Ospreay and Aussie Open pay. Enough talk. Henry closed with, “It’s time for the main event!”

Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, & Mark Davis vs. FTR & Trent

Ospreay was a little too feisty for FTR. Trent gained the advantage on Ospreay for a tornado DDT. FTR clotheslined Aussie Open out of the ring. Trent followed for a springboard moonsault to the floor. He tweaked his foot on the landing.

Ospreay took control by yanking Trent off the turnbuckles. Hot tag to Dax Harwood for three German suplexes to Fletcher. FTR found their groove for a powerbomb, German suplex, and jackknife pin combo sequence. The action continued with the United Empire rallying for a teamwork fireman’s carry cutter and a 450 splash from Ospreay.

The match broke down for the finish. Ospreay took out FTR with a springboard plancha. Trent and Fletcher tussled back and forth, then Trent scooped up Fletcher for Strong Zero to win.

FTR & Trent defeated Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher, & Mark Davis.

Eddie Kingston versus Jake Hager was a genuine slobberknocker. When Rampage was first introduced, that was the type of hard-hitting fight I hoped to see on a weekly basis for the program. They went to town on each other. Kingston is good at taking a beating, and Hager is good at dishing one out. That set Kingston up nicely for comebacks. His street fighting tactics were amusing, such as grabbing Hager’s groin and poking him in the eye.

This was a big win for Kingston’s career. With the way AEW has protected Hager, I view this as an upset victory. Sure, odds favored Kingston to win for story reasons, but the fighting spirit needed to topple Hager was impressive. That is the kind of match that elevates Kingston’s aura in the AEW hierarchy.

This was my first time watching Will Ospreay and Aussie Open. I’ve never heard Ospreay speak, and I was not expecting that accent. It adds flavor in a good way, like he came out of a Robin Hood film with a reverse friar’s haircut. Ospreay’s skills in the ring definitely fit the AEW style. Where he stood out was his cocky attitude. I laughed hard at his taunt to do the splits. Ospreay’s various reactions were amusing throughout. Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis were fine but not memorable in any way on this evening.

I’m surprised Trent was given the glory for the winning pinfall. FTR had a chance to make a statement of dominance, but maybe AEW wants to save that for later. Trent on top makes me wonder which direction matches are heading for the Forbidden Door PPV. Ospreay has the star power to be on the card, but a singles match against Trent doesn’t feel big enough. I wouldn’t mind seeing Ospreay & Aussie Open against Adam Cole & reDRagon.

Kris Statlander is a badass. Her power persona is extremely entertaining. The spinning Blue Thunder Bomb and rolling German suplex were awesome. Red Velvet wrestled a good match too by using her speed to break down her stronger opponent. Jade Cargill has her work cut out for her if she plans on keeping the TBS Championship. Athena is the hot new talent, and Statlander is coming hard on the scene lately. Those are going to be exciting title defenses for the champ.

Satnam Singh did well to show his potential. The match was basic and quick, but he did his part as needed. Singh didn’t try to get too fancy. He stayed in his lane as a giant. Just when I was thinking I would have liked to see a powerful slam in that match, Singh pulled out a cool spinning Razor’s Edge in the aftermath. Credit to Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett for selling Singh’s offense effectively.

Jamie Hayter excels at non-verbal expression. Her reactions made me rewind that promo segment to watch again.

Grade: B+

This episode was right in the wheelhouse of Rampage quality. Exciting action and solid promos with a bonus treat of Will Ospreay’s debut.

Share your thoughts about Rampage. How do you rate it? Who stole the show?

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Entertainment

Reminder: WWE nixed ‘perfect’ Mustafa Ali/Kofi Kingston ‘Mania feud

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Over the past several years, I’ve written quite a bit about how great Mustafa Ali is, and how WWE’s inability to figure out a way to utilize his talents bordered on promotional malpractice. So when he requested his release yesterday (Jan. 16), I didn’t think I had much to say other than “YAS KING!”

And really, I still don’t. Because these Kofi Kingston quotes that Alistair McGeorge of Metro republished in the wake of Ali’s request make the point better than anything I could write, anyway.

They’re from an interview McGeorge did with Kofi last summer where he asked about the WrestleMania 37 program Kingston & Ali were setting up on television before WWE changed gears in favor of having New Day put over AJ Styles & Omos in Tampa. It was a great angle based on the real-life injury Ali suffered that opened the door for KofiMania back in 2019, and the company just decided not to do it, leaving Ali to play out the string on a RETRIBUTION gimmick everyone but the talent had long since given up on.

Kingston’s story covers two big points of fan (and wrestler) frustration with WWE creative, namely changing plans — especially when it comes to New Day, it seems — and wasted talent:

“It was perfect! It was written, you didn’t even have to go out of your way to creatively write anything else, it was perfect! But alas, that’s not the direction that ‘the office’, I guess, wanted to go in… I was told a few things, and we start working towards those things that we’re told, and then all of a sudden it’s not those things. But that’s really kind of standard fare for us.

“It was really disappointing, man, because I think he’s so amazing in the ring and such an innovator. He finds ways to do the littlest things in such a different way, but he puts his own spin on it. He has a great mind for the business and a great mind for storytelling…

“I would love to get in there and mix it up with him. I thought it would’ve been the perfect opportunity to do so, but again things change, and that’s the nature of the beast. Not to say I wasn’t upset about it, but I wasn’t really surprised that they did change.”

We probably won’t get to see Kofi work with Ali, at least not for the foreseeable future. For fans, however, this story is another reminder that leaving WWE is the only way we’ll ever get to see what Mustafa Ali can really do.

Something it seems he knew, too.

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World

Jamaica faces marijuana shortage as farmers struggle

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KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Jamaica is running low on ganja.

Heavy rains followed by an extended drought, an increase in local consumption and a drop in the number of marijuana farmers have caused a shortage in the island’s famed but largely illegal market that experts say is the worst they’ve seen.

“It’s a cultural embarrassment,” said Triston Thompson, chief opportunity explorer for Tacaya, a consulting and brokerage firm for the country’s nascent legal cannabis industry.

Jamaica, which foreigners have long associated with pot, reggae and Rastafarians, authorized a regulated medical marijuana industry and decriminalized small amounts of weed in 2015.

People caught with 2 ounces (56 grams) or less of cannabis are supposed to pay a small fine and face no arrest or criminal record. The island also allows individuals to cultivate up to five plants, and Rastafarians are legally allowed to smoke ganja for sacramental purposes.

But enforcement is spotty as many tourists and locals continue to buy marijuana on the street, where it has grown more scarce — and more expensive.

Heavy rains during last year’s hurricane season pummeled marijuana fields that were later scorched in the drought that followed, causing tens of thousands of dollars in losses, according to farmers who cultivate pot outside the legal system.

“It destroyed everything,” said Daneyel Bozra, who grows marijuana in the southwest part of Jamaica, in a historical village called Accompong founded by escaped 18th-century slaves known as Maroons.

Worsening the problem were strict COVID-19 measures, including a 6 p.m. curfew that meant farmers couldn’t tend to their fields at night as is routine, said Kenrick Wallace, 29, who cultivates 2 acres (nearly a hectare) in Accompong with the help of 20 other farmers.

He noted that a lack of roads forces many farmers to walk to reach their fields — and then to get water from wells and springs. Many were unable to do those chores at night due to the curfew.

Wallace estimated he lost more than $18,000 in recent months and cultivated only 300 pounds, compared with an average of 700 to 800 pounds the group normally produces.

Activists say they believe the pandemic and a loosening of Jamaica’s marijuana laws has led to an increase in local consumption that has contributed to the scarcity, even if the pandemic has put a dent in the arrival of ganja-seeking tourists.

“Last year was the worst year. … We’ve never had this amount of loss,” Thompson said. “It’s something so laughable that cannabis is short in Jamaica.”

Tourists, too, have taken note, placing posts on travel websites about difficulties finding the drug.

Paul Burke, CEO of Jamaica’s Ganja Growers and Producers Association, said in a phone interview that people are no longer afraid of being locked up now that the government allows possession of small amounts. He said the stigmatization against ganja has diminished and more people are appreciating its claimed therapeutic and medicinal value during the pandemic.

Burke also said that some traditional small farmers have stopped growing in frustration because they can’t afford to meet requirements for the legal market while police continue to destroy what he described as “good ganja fields.”

The government’s Cannabis Licensing Authority — which has authorized 29 cultivators and issued 73 licenses for transportation, retail, processing and other activities — said there is no shortage of marijuana in the regulated industry. But farmers and activists say weed sold via legal dispensaries known as herb houses is out of reach for many given that it still costs five to 10 times more than pot on the street.

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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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