BANDIDO'S MYSTERY OPPONENT!

We had the displeasure of seeing Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox and now Ronda Rousey make their entrance to open up this week’s episode. By not winning the title, Ronda Rousey was forced to join Team Kick and Kai is making her pay for it, forcing her to wear the most ridiculous outfit in all of GAW. Kai explained Team Kick is on top of the world and flexed her control over Rousey by putting her in an impromptu match against Marina Shafir. Rousey performed at a high level as she always does, locking Shafir in the armbar and tapping her out, but it was clear Rousey’s head (and heart) were not in it. 

Damian Martinez makes it official: he has challenged Jay White to a one on one match at Northern Lights in three weeks!

Backstage, Rey Mysterio catches up with Hernandez and finally makes the point so many of us have been thinking: cheating to win is not the LAX way. But Hernandez brushed him aside, bragging he and Rosita brought more gold to LAX and that’s what the group has always been about.

Ruby Riott has quickly become a fan favorite but today she was the crowd’s second favorite wrestler in the ring. That’s because the universally-admired Ember Moon made her GAW debut tonight! Moon strode out to battle Ruby Riott and she was at her athletic best. She withstood a vicious Riot Kick, hit the Eclipse and got the victory. After the match, we announced Moon has signed a long term contract with GAW.

Kofi Kingston battles Matt Riddle in the first qualifier for the Challenger Briefcase ladder match at Northern Lights. Kingston competed last year and came close to grabbing that briefcase so he was extra motivated to do the same this year. It took two Trouble in Paradises to keep Riddle down but the second did do the job; Kofi Kingston is going back to the ladder match.

Backstage, interviewer Nick Grey caught up with Conor McGregor and asked the question that was on all our minds: will Bobby Lashley be the one that challenges Bandido in the main event? McGregor brushed off the question with his normal degree of arrogance and assured us he and Lashley are waiting for a bigger payday.

It was only a minute later we found out who would be challenging Bandido: the 20 year veteran Shelton Benjamin. To the roar of the Omaha crowd, Benjamin came to the ring to challenge the elite luchador. While Benjamin’s style seemed to be exactly the sort to stop a high flier like Bandido, the champ is on far too much of a roll to be stopped. After a hellacious battle, Bandido withstood a super kick from Benjamin and hurled him headfirst into a turnbuckle pad with the vicious 22-Plex to retain. Next week, the Lucha Brothers will return to action after challenging the Usos last week PLUS Will Ospreay battles PAC in a ladder match qualifier!