🎆 Wrestling Apex XVII: “Warpath”
A night where alliances are tested, vengeance is forged in steel, and the warpath to Show 20 begins.
Opening Segment: “Bulletproof Arrogance”
Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Finn Bálor, and Bronson Reed (all draped in gold) enter with smug grins. Omega mocks AJ Styles for holding them back during their brief reunion. The Bucks call themselves the “last real tag team.” Finn flaunts the North American Title, saying he made it relevant, while Reed declares he’s the final boss of any division.
Omega insults LA Knight, calling him a catchphrase with no substance. Before they can continue, Will Ospreay storms out to a huge pop, holding his Show 20 Title Shot briefcase, and makes it crystal clear: “I’m cashing in at Apex XX. And I don’t care if you’re Omega, Balor, or Satan himself holding the title.”
DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) sprint out to back Ospreay up, followed by Randy Orton, but Bullet Club gains the upper hand.
“Phenomenal” music hits. AJ Styles returns with fire, clearing the ring with a steel chair, issuing a challenge for tonight’s main event:
10-Man War: Bullet Club vs. AJ Styles’ Resistance
🩸 Match 1: Swerve Strickland vs. Kevin Owens – First Blood Match
These two brawl before the bell even rings. Owens is aggressive, slamming Swerve into steel steps early. Swerve targets KO’s hands and head with surgical precision. Brutal chair shots and even a kendo stick are used.
Late match: KO hits a Pop-Up Powerbomb on the apron. Swerve counters a Stunner with a back heel kick and pulls brass knuckles from his boot. He strikes KO across the eyebrow, busting him open.
Winner: Swerve Strickland
Swerve wipes KO’s blood on his chest, sending a message to the locker room. He wants a title shot next.
🛡️ Match 2: Rey Mysterio, Ricochet & Speedball Mike Bailey vs Chad Gable & American Alpha – Trios Championship Match
This is a masterclass in speed, precision, and technique. Gable and Alpha isolate Rey early, grounding the legend. Ricochet flips the momentum with a spectacular handspring dive. Speedball Bailey lights up the ring with rapid kicks.
Climax: Gable tries an Ankle Lock on Bailey, but Rey hits a 619, Ricochet connects with a springboard 450, and Bailey finishes Gable with Ultima Weapon from the top.
Winners: Mysterio, Ricochet & Speedball – Retain Trios Titles
🔥 Match 3: #1 Contender for Intercontinental Title
LA Knight vs Malakai Black vs Adam Cole vs Damian Priest vs Sammy Guevara
This match is chaos and star power. Sammy flips all over. Cole tries to pick his spots. Priest and Black go full strike war. LA Knight, playing to the crowd, hits BFTs on everyone.
Finish: Knight and Malakai are left standing. Malakai goes for Black Mass, but LA ducks and hits a BFT, only for Cole to superkick LA and attempt the steal. Priest throws Cole out but gets caught in a second BFT from LA Knight.
Winner: LA Knight – NEW #1 Contender for IC Title
Knight grabs a mic post-match: “Yeah! Takeshita, polish that belt, ‘cause I’m coming for gold!”
🌀 Match 4: Konosuke Takeshita (c) vs Karrion Kross – Intercontinental Title – 2 Out of 3 Falls
Fall 1: Kross overpowers early and chokes Takeshita out with a Saito Suplex and Doomsday Saito. 1-0 Kross.
Fall 2: Takeshita fires back with knee strikes, lightning dropkicks, and an Avalanche Blue Thunder Bomb. He hits a Zahi Knee for the pin. 1-1.
Fall 3: Slower pace. Both men are spent. Kross locks in the Kross Jacket, but Takeshita powers out. He lands back-to-back Zahi Knees and a brutal Jumping DDT to win the fall.
Winner: Konosuke Takeshita – Retains Intercontinental Title
⚔️ Match 5: Cody Rhodes vs Drew McIntyre – Strap Match
This is ugly and personal. Cody is bruised early after Drew chokes him with the strap outside the ring. Drew tries to humiliate Cody, whipping him across the back.
Cody hulks up, channeling Dusty. He hits a Disaster Kick, then Cross Rhodes, but Drew kicks out. Drew hits a Future Shock DDT, but Cody survives. Finally, Cody wraps the strap around Drew’s throat and hits three consecutive Cross Rhodes before touching all four corners.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
Post-match, Cody collapses, the welts on his back visible. He motions for the World Title belt around his waist.
⚙️ Match 6: Tag Team Gauntlet Match – #1 Contenders to Tag Titles
Order of Entry:
- Creed Brothers vs War Raiders – War Raiders win after Ragnarok on Julius.
- War Raiders vs New Day – New Day eliminate War Raiders with Midnight Hour.
- New Day vs Motor City Machine Guns – Guns win with Skull & Bones.
- MCMG vs Aussie Open – Aussie Open win with Corealis.
- Aussie Open vs Brody King & Buddy Matthews – House of Black eliminate Aussie Open with Dante’s Inferno.
- House of Black vs Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly – ReDRagon take a beating, but Kyle locks Matthews in a cross-armbreaker and Strong knees Brody off the apron.
Winners: Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly – #1 Contenders
💥 Match 7: 10-Man Mega Main Event
Kenny Omega, Finn Bálor, Bronson Reed & The Young Bucks
vs
AJ Styles, Will Ospreay, Randy Orton & DIY
Pure mayhem. Buckshot Lariats. V-Triggers. Slingblades. RKOs. Moonsaults. Brawling all over the arena.
AJ and Omega go toe-to-toe mid-match, crowd going nuclear. DIY double-team Matt Jackson with Meet in the Middle. Orton RKO’s Balor. Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade on Nick Jackson.
Climax: Omega sets up One Winged Angel on AJ, but Ospreay springboards in with an OsCutter! AJ recovers and hits Styles Clash on Omega for the win.
Winners: AJ Styles, Will Ospreay, Randy Orton & DIY
Post-match: Tension builds. Ospreay holds the briefcase high, staring at Omega. Randy stares at Finn’s title. The crowd knows it’s all leading to war at Show 20.
🔥 Main Event: CM Punk vs Hangman Page – Hell in a Cell
Blood, violence, and unresolved hatred. Punk smirks as Hangman brings barbed wire wrapped around his wrist. Early, Hangman throws Punk into the cell. Punk chokes Hangman with a chain. They brawl on top of the cell.
Hangman hits a Dead Eye through a table off the apron. Punk survives. Punk counters a Buckshot Lariat into a GTS, but can’t cover fast enough. Punk tries a second GTS, but Hangman low blows him and hits a Buckshot Lariat into a barbed-wire board.
Final moment: Hangman looks at the barbed wire again… wraps it around his arm… and hits another Buckshot Lariat.
Winner: Hangman Page
Post-match: Hangman screams, “I’m DONE with you!” Punk bleeds on the mat, possibly written off for weeks.
Closing Scene
Ospreay stands on the ramp with his briefcase, eyes locked on Omega. AJ and Hangman stand tall in the ring, battered but victorious. Apex Show 20 is looming — the warpath is clear.
