We’ve a name from the past this go around on Dojo Pro, as Brandon Cutler’s comeback sees him challenge for the White Belt.
Matt Lott opens the show recapping the last episode, and then throws to a video package highlighting Brandon Cutler, who’d only just made a comeback at the start of 2018 after over six years away from the ring.
Joey Janela’s bragging about beating YUTA in a “straight up wrestling match”, while we get some nice, artsy slow-mo replays of the highlights from that match. He’s still bitter about that number eight ranking, as we segue to B-roll of Brandon Cutler, who grew up with the Young Bucks, which is what they’re using as his claim to fame.
Joey Janela vs. Brandon Cutler
You know, Joey Janela’s got a point here. How is he ranked below a guy who’d spent over half a decade out of wrestling?
We’ve got Seth Rogen Ref back here today, and we start with Janela going for a headlock takedown… and getting one of his own as he declared he was the champion of some moves. Including a grounded leg grapevine as he caught Cutler on the mat… but Cutler’s able to come back in with a dropkick as he looked to mount a comeback, throwing some kicks as Janela was in the ropes before scoring with a leaping forearm.
A dropkick from Joey restores order, as he took Cutler back down to the mat for an armbar, but it’s escaped as Cutler fought back with forearms. Some mounted punches in the corner led to the expected counter, with Janela landing a powerbomb out of the corner, before putting Cutler back in there for some running knees. The see-saw nature continued as a missile dropkick from Cutler’s good for a two-count, but he’s caught up top again as Janela brought him down for a death valley driver. Another comeback sees Cutler score with some gamengiri and a cobra clutch slam, but shockingly Jinder Mahal’s finish didn’t work here. Sensing the tide was shifting, Janela throws Cutler into the turnbuckle and chains together a German suplex, then a package piledriver for a near-fall, before the pair resume strikes, ending with a discus lariat from Janela.
Janela throws in some superkicks to try and wear down Brandon, then a suplex as the crowd figured out that “Sad Boy” was a good taunt for Joey. Two more superkicks dump Cutler as Janela headed up top again, this time to crush Cutler with a double stomp, and that’s it. Technically fine, I struggled to connect with this one – it felt a lot like “you do a move, I do a move”, with little of it feeling of much importance. **¾
Janela faces James Storm in the next round… with the former TNA champion ranked sixth, but he doesn’t get tagged with his ranking for some reason. Perhaps he’s taking offence to it as well? The post-match promo sees Janela take offence at the interviewer, labelling Storm as “relevant in 2003”. I’m off to AOL dot Mail to check on Joey, as he refused to name drop TNA before burying Tennessee… man, that’s a way to try and get heel heat from the local studio crowd!
The promo goes for way too long, straying far far from the original point as I expected a run-in… and sure enough Janela’s music hits as he’s cut-off. We’ve got to wait for James Storm!