SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE SPEED
APRIL 27, 2024
AIRED ON TWITTER/X ON WWE SPEED ACCOUNT
Commentator: Corey Graves
OPENING ROUND
AIRED 4/3
RICOCHET vs. DRAGON LEE – First Round – 3 Minute Time Limit
Graves said these two seem custom built for a tournament where speed essential. Graves said this forces wrestlers out of their comfort zone and having to come up with a whole new strategy. Ricochet scored a two count in the first minute and then another two count after standing moonsault. At 1:55 Dragon Lee landed a Poison Rana, but Ricochet popped up and landed a clothesline for a two count at 2:05. Both took a few seconds to get up. Dragon Lee superkicked Ricochet and leveraged his shoulders down for a two count. He power bombed Ricochet for another two count. Ricochet blocked Project Dragon and landed his Recoil for the win.
WINNER: Ricochet at 2:57.
WWE SPEED IS HERE!@KingRicochet battles @dragonlee95 in an intense match in the series premiere of #WWESpeed! https://t.co/y9M9UIxrQv
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2024
AIRED 4/3
BRONSON REED vs. CEDRIC ALEXANDER – First Round – 3 Minute Time Limit
Graves said you might not think this format would cater to Reed’s strengths, but he’s fast for his size. Reed got in some early offense with power move. He went for a flying elbow drop, but Cedric moved. He then landed a knee to Reed’s chin. He followed with a moonsault press for a two count. Reed rolled to ringside. Cedric landed a running flip dive onto Reed at 0:57. Reed grabbed Cedric on the top rope and landed a Death Valley Driver for a two count at 1:28. He landed a senton followed by a top rope Tsunami for the win.
WINNER: Reed in 1:49.
"Big" @BRONSONISHERE and @CedricAlexander go head-to-head in their #WWESpeed debut.
Who will take their first step toward becoming WWE Speed Champion? pic.twitter.com/yoOOPTrq1W
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2024
AIRED 4/10
AXIOM vs. J.D. MCDONAGH – First Round – 3 Minute Time Limit
Axiom landed a back suplex that slammed McDonagh onto his head. Axiom then landed a springboard moonsault press onto McDonagh at ringside. Back in the ring at 1:00, McDonagh dropkicked Axiom out of mid-air for a two count. Axiom came back with a kick. McDonagh fired right back with a lariat. Axiom countered McDonagh into a roll-up for a two count. They hit each other clotheslines and each got up seconds later and exchanges strikes. Axiom scored a two count with a small package and then landed a knee to the jaw seconds later. Axiom went for the Golden Ratio, but McDonagh avoided it and then head-butted Axiom who went down onto his back. McDonagh fell onto him for a three count.
WINNER: McDonagh at 2:25.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1778090564639973795
AIRED 4/17
JOHNNY GARGANO vs. ANGEL GARZA – First Round – 3 Minute Time Limit
Graves referred to Angel with his last name multiple times. Angel got in early offense. Gargano fired back and slingshot speared Angel for a two count at 1:10. They exchanged swings mid-ring at 1:30. Gargano went for a running superkick, but Angel blocked it and then superkicked Gargano. He went for a moonsault, but Gargano moved. Gargano then hit his One Final Beat swinging DDT for the win.
Gargano clutched his knee after the match. Graves said that could cost him later in the tournament. He seemed to walk it off. He told the ringside camera that he is going to thrive in any environment. He called out Bronson Reed, his semi-finals opponent.
WINNER: Gargano in 2:08.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1780627279141323227
SEMI-FINALS
AIRED 4/24
RICOCHET vs. J.D. MCDONAGH – Semi-Finals – 3 Minute Time Limit
Needless to say, they went right at each other. McDonagh scored a near fall. Ricochet fired back with a barrage of offense. He superkicked McDonagh off the ring apron and then landed a running flip dive onto McDonagh. He played to the crowd for a few seconds before throwing McDonagh back into the ring. Ricochet then landed a top rope shooting star press for a two count. Ricochet followed with a Destroyer for the three count.
WINNER: Ricochet in 1:58.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1778090564639973795
AIRING 5/1
BRONSON REED vs. JOHNNY GARGANO – Semi-Final – 3 Minute Time Limit
FINAL
RICOCHET vs. WINNER OF BRONSON REED and JOHNNY CARGANO
ANALYSIS
The matches were all exciting and well-executed with a lot of energy packed into 2-3 minutes. The sense of urgency adds to chance-taking which makes the early finishes more believable. If they established a double-elimination when a match didn’t end within 3 minutes, perhaps as a result of someone not having enough of a sense of energy, might help establish the novel format a bit, but I understand with just seven matches total in the tournament, not wanting to give someone that bye. Perhaps having a wildcard match where the winner is on standby to fill in a match in case another match went to a draw would avoid that issue and add another layer of drama and strategy to the format.
There weren’t big enough names on the losing end where there’s any worry that it defines them down or hurts their credibility much at all.
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