Scott, we have to start with the most dominant, and frankly arrogant, display of power I’ve seen in years. Joshua Breedlove assembled his entire faction, now dubbed the Empyrean Forge, at a literal Round Table like he's King Arthur. And the worst part? He’s got the hardware to back it up.

It was a pure power play, Dutch. He had the camera pan across the table to show every single championship in SHOOT Project. His World Title, Izzy Sia's two belts, the Collins Twins' Tag Team Titles... it was a wall of gold. He’s not just claiming they run the show; he's providing visual proof.

And he officially welcomed his biggest acquisition, Laura Seton, to the table. She looked right at home, saying it was a "privilege" and she doesn't "intend to disappoint." The woman who was the heart of this company has fully bought in to the Empire's "hard work and talent" motto.

The dynamic was fascinating. Izzy Sia was her usual self, calling Breedlove a "large diameter dickhole" while simultaneously toasting their success. It shows Breedlove's confidence: he doesn't need blind obedience. He just needs them to hold the gold and stay loyal to the Forge, not necessarily to him personally.

And that set up our main event! Madison Seton confirmed she’s challenging her own stablemate, Izzy Sia, for the Empire State Championship. Breedlove’s dream scenario: a main event where The Empire cannot possibly lose. It's an iron-clad grip on the entire company.

His final speech was the most telling part. He said they win with "No spooky bullshit. No mind control weirdness. No culty weird shit." That was a direct, arrogant shot at The DeMONSTRance and the UCA. He's positioning The Empire as the legitimate, athletic power against the "freak shows." He’s not just a champion, Dutch, he's a king holding court.

And let's not forget Dan Stein interrupting Breedlove's private meeting. Stein isn't playing games; he's forcing a face-to-face "appointment" next week between Breedlove, Laura Seton, and X-Calibur. He's tired of the headaches and is forcing them to talk. That's a powder keg waiting to explode.

If The Empire is about cold calculation, the Kelser Covenant is about pure, unfiltered rage. After the Triple Threat match, we saw the full, four-person unit—Chance, Hannah, Sapphire, and Velour—descend on a defenseless Corey Lazarus.

But this time, Thunderwolf was ready. He interrupted the beatdown via the Tron, live from the parking lot. No music, no bullshit. Just a father telling his kids, "That's enough." He called them out, saying this was "Family business" and to stop hiding behind their "backup dancers."

And they went! They met him and Misty Starks in the parking lot, and what we saw was one of the most raw, uncomfortable, and real confrontations I have ever seen. This was 25 years of pain boiling over. Chance accusing them of abandonment, Misty admitting she was "drowning" in her sickness, and Hannah coldly stating, "So were we."

My god, Scott. Chance SPAT in his father's face. And Thunderwolf just stood there, arms open, and took it. He just absorbed all that hate. But then Hannah slapped him... and that's when Misty Starks snapped.

She grabbed Hannah's wrist with a grip that looked like it could shatter bone. The look on her face... that was pure, protective mama bear rage. She threatened to "shatter every bone in your body and nurse you back to health my goddamn self." That's a level of terrifying love I don't even know how to process.

That was the moment. The Kelsers saw a side of their mother they never knew existed. She wasn't the victim anymore; she was the protector. The kids backed off, but this isn't over. Thunderwolf made it clear: "Next time, I won't hold back." This family is just getting started, and it is going to be a war.

While the family drama unfolded, we had a literal monster match. Holden Nobody showed more guts than brains, taking on the 7-foot Sammy Rochester in a No DQ match. He got choked out with a chain and absolutely brutalized, but he survived.

And his reward for survival? The Real Deal himself showed up backstage, handed the kid an envelope, and said, "sign this contract." Holden Nobody just earned his spot and "real healthcare" through sheer, stubborn toughness. What a moment for that kid.

Then we had the "miracle" return of NC-17. The "Cream of Obscene" press conference was a total sham, and tonight he faced his protege, Scottie Barnes. But the real story was backstage, where this new, cryptic figure Austin Anderson confronted him.

Anderson is a problem. He's a philosopher. He told NC-17 his "novelty" will fade and warned him about Emiko Fujimoto, saying, "Some players don't move pieces. They move the board." He's essentially calling NC-17 a pawn and Emiko a queen. NC-17 is too arrogant to see the target on his back.

And let's not forget the Pigpen/Peaknuckle feud. Their Ladder Match was just... disturbing. That rivalry is pure, grotesque theater, and I'm honestly just glad it's escalating so maybe it can finally end.

We saw the debut of Aaron Dearinger, who lost to Johnny Napalm but looked tough as nails. Backstage, he and Josh Kaine bonded over being two "hillbillies" in New York. A new alliance might be forming there.

Good thing, too, because King Homewrecker immediately targeted him again, harassing him about his wife. Dearinger had enough and challenged him for next week. That's a personal fight, and Kaine had to physically restrain Aaron from starting it early. Homewrecker is a menace, but he just poked a bear.

Finally, I want to talk about The Punch Line. Harv Norris and Rick Hull came out, no titles, no horn, no bravado. Just pure humility. They apologized to the fans for failing, for losing the belts. It was the most human I have ever seen them.

That was a massive character moment, Scott. Harv said, "We're down, but we ain't OUT!" They promised to earn their way back to the top. They lost their titles and their swagger, but they might have just found the respect of the entire arena. A new chapter is starting for The Punch Line, from the bottom up.