{"id":81853,"date":"2019-06-23T18:46:27","date_gmt":"2019-06-23T23:46:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=81853"},"modified":"2019-06-23T18:46:27","modified_gmt":"2019-06-23T23:46:27","slug":"6-23-wwe-stomping-grounds-kick-off-show-report-tozawa-vs-gulak-vs-nese-for-cruiserweight-title-plus-panel-discussions-about-key-ppv-match-ups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/06\/23\/6-23-wwe-stomping-grounds-kick-off-show-report-tozawa-vs-gulak-vs-nese-for-cruiserweight-title-plus-panel-discussions-about-key-ppv-match-ups\/","title":{"rendered":"6\/23 WWE STOMPING GROUNDS KICK-OFF SHOW REPORT: Tozawa vs. Gulak vs. Nese for Cruiserweight Title, plus panel discussions about key PPV match-ups"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-803396999\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3>WWE STOMPING GROUNDS 2019 KICKOFF SHOW<br \/>\nJUNE 23, 2019<br \/>\nSTREAMED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK<br \/>\nREPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR<\/h3>\n<p>Kickoff Panel: Jonathan Coachman, Charly Caruso, David Otunga, Booker T<\/p>\n<p>The panel conducted a complete match rundown for tonight\u2019s event, and indicated that the Cruiserweight triple threat match would take place on the Kickoff show. They then threw to a Kofi-Ziggler video package.<\/p>\n<p>After the video, Booker and Charly were shown in the ring, inside the lowered steel cage for the Kofi-Ziggler match. It did not appear their audio was being piped through the house PA, so the fans in Tacoma were treated to the two panelists standing and gesturing in silence.<\/p>\n<p>Back at the announce table, Xavier Woods and Big E had joined the panel. Big E was spread eagled with his feet on the table in a posture reminiscent of a gynecological exam. While Woods and Jonathan discussed Kofi\u2019s match, Big E repeatedly poured water over his head and chest areas. The show then cut to a Rollins-Corbin video package.<\/p>\n<p>Corbin was interviewed backstage by Kayla about the special guest referee for his match. He refused to reveal the secret, and said, \u201cI want to keep Seth Rollins on his toes before I put him on his back for his title.\u201d He appropriately described Rollins as sadistic, referring to his steel chair rampage. Back at the panel, Booker talked about Rollins\u2019s new attitude while footage was shown of Rollins low-blowing Lesnar and decimating the roster with the chair. After the panel briefly discussed the possibility of Brock Lesnar showing up tonight to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, we cut to a Bayley-Bliss video package.<\/p>\n<p>Back at the panel, Booker T used the term \u201ccatfight\u201d to describe the women\u2019s locker room. Charly said, \u201cI know what it\u2019s like to be a woman in general, and yes, there are many different motives women have, so it\u2019s hard to know who to trust in different situations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>(Meyers\u2019s Analysis: That\u2019s right, bitches be crazy! Thanks, WWE.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The panel brought in Ricochet to discuss his match against Samoa Joe. His responses were generic, very sports like &#8211; similar to an experienced athlete being interviewed after a game. Eventually Joe appeared on a side-by-side video screen and called for Ricochet\u2019s attention. Joe indicated that Ricochet is not on his level, in spite of being an amazing athlete. \u201cThat\u2019s not gonna save you from me. Being amazing has never saved anyone from the beating I put on them.\u201d<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2861832191\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>We cut backstage to see Daniel Bryan kicking referee Charles Robinson out of a set of hallway doors. Bryan was incensed that Robinson walked into their shot. Bryan said he and Rowan are trying to save the entire tag team division from Heavy Machinery. Bryan was not pleased with Heavy Machinery\u2019s in-ring antics. \u201cBlue collar solid is no match for champions fighting for the greater good.\u201d We were then shown a Reigns-McIntyre video package.<\/p>\n<p>Shane McMahon was shown backstage with Drew McIntyre. McIntyre said Reigns is too emotional for \u201cfreaking out\u201d at the mere mentioning of his family. He said, \u201cThe truth hurts, but not half as much as what I\u2019m going to do to you tonight,\u201d and stormed off. On the panel, Otunga agreed, and added that when you get emotional you can make bad decisions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(1) AKIRA TOZAWA vs. DREW GULAK vs. TONY NESE (C) &#8211; TRIPLE THREAT MATCH FOR THE WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Announcers: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness, Aiden English<\/em><\/p>\n<p>As Neese entered, he shouted at the camera, \u201cI\u2019m gonna steal the show before the show!\u201d The bell rang and the wrestlers took multiple shots at one another, but Gulak was the first to be out of the action, allowing Tazawa and Neese to go at it. The action spilled outside of the ring: Neese super kicked Gulak, but Tazawa leveled Neese with a spear through the ropes, then got back onto the apron to take out Gulak with a tumbleweed senton against the barrier.<\/p>\n<p>Back in the ring, Tazawa took down Neese with a missile dropkick, but his cover was busted up by Gulak, who was immediately thrown back out of the ring by Tazawa. Tazawa climbed the top ropes again, but was knocked down with a palm strike by Neese. Neese pinned Tazawa but once again Gulak broke up the count.<\/p>\n<p>Neese and Gulak countered one another\u2019s suplexes, then Gulak suplexed an interfering Tazawa into the bent-over Neese. We cut to a split-screen video package of Lynch and Evans while Gulak applied a side headlock to Tazawa. Tazawa hoisted Gulak into a fireman\u2019s carry, but eventually collapsed. Tazawa ran the ropes and latched a head scissors \/ arm bar submission to the upright Gulak. Neese got back into the ring and disassembled the submission and tossed Tazawa against Gulak, knocking down both men.<\/p>\n<p>Gulak turned Neese inside out with a big clotheslines, then locked a submission on Neese on the canvas. Neese flailed wildly, and Tazawa landed a senton on both opponents from out of nowhere &#8211; a replay revealed his attack coming from the top rope. Tazawa tried the fireman\u2019s carry again, this time successfully, as he face planted Gulak. When Tazawa ran at Gulak in the corner, he was lifted and tossed out to ringside. Neese knocked down Gulak with a roundhouse kick and went for the pin, but this time Tazawa broke it up.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3576053463\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Tazawa and Neese exchanged big chops in the middle of the ring. The two maneuvered into a corner, and Neese set up for a superplex but Tazawa defended against the move. Gulak rushed in and executed his own superplex on Tazawa. Neese scrambled back to the top rope and attempted a 450 splash on Gulak, but Gulak rolled out of harm\u2019s way. Tazawa broke up a Neese pin with a shining wizard. With all three men down, the crowd began to heat up.<\/p>\n<p>There was an intense flurry of offense among all three wrestlers, culminating with Neese dead lifting Tazawa and firing him back-first into the bottom turnbuckle. Neese German suplexed Gulak into the turnbuckle, but his follow-up running attack was blocked. Tazawa drop kicked Neese off the ring apron. Gulak then caught Tazawa with the torture rack neckbreaker, and covered for the pin and victory.<\/p>\n<p>WINNER: Drew Gulak by pinfall.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Meyers\u2019s Analysis: Stunning non-stop action was what everyone should have expected, and these guys delivered. The ten seconds of downtime when all three men were prone allowed the crowd to catch their breath and prepare for the endgame. Gulak wins the belt, but Neese was protected by not taking the loss. Stand by for the rivalry to continue.)<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-1121221246\"><div id=\"pwtor-2490690532\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>WWE STOMPING GROUNDS 2019 KICKOFF SHOW JUNE 23, 2019 STREAMED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK REPORT BY MIKE F. MEYERS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR Kickoff Panel: Jonathan Coachman, Charly Caruso, David Otunga, Booker T The panel conducted a <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2019\/06\/23\/6-23-wwe-stomping-grounds-kick-off-show-report-tozawa-vs-gulak-vs-nese-for-cruiserweight-title-plus-panel-discussions-about-key-ppv-match-ups\/\" title=\"6\/23 WWE STOMPING GROUNDS KICK-OFF SHOW REPORT: Tozawa vs. Gulak vs. Nese for Cruiserweight Title, plus panel discussions about key PPV match-ups\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":81851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,18,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-tvshowsandevents","category-results_wweppvs"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2019\/06\/WWEStompingGroundsPPV_3x2_600.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81853"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81854,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81853\/revisions\/81854"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}