WRESTLING REPORT
Clash of Champions is shaping up to be a great event.
Sep 4, 2019, 7:07 am
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Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio, Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio shows www.nerdthugradio.com!
Raw started off strong with a contract signing between Seth Rollins and Brawn Strowman getting interrupted by AJ Styles and the rest of the OC. Ziggler and Roode came out and helped The OC beat down Rollins and Strowman after the match which was actually some smart writing. Lacey Evans and Natalya put on a great match, although there wasn't any story built from it, so it was a curious pairing. A Sasha vs Becky Lynch match looks promising they are both great wrestlers but the rivalry feels rushed a little bit. After all of that build up of how tough Cedric Alexander is supposed to be, he then loses to Baron Corbin? That's confusing at best. Is anyone else over the Viking Experience? The end to the Samoa Joe and Ricochet match was confusing but portrayed well, setting up a triple threat match into the finals of the King of the Ring on the Raw side. The Bayley heel turn at the finale was a great move that while they've been hinting at it, they haven't over sold it and it was a great moment.
Smackdown also came out strong with Bayley reminding everyone she's fighting Charlotte Flair for the title at the upcoming pay per view. Thankfully Elias eliminated Ali in the King of the Ring tournament, Ali is just one of those guys who keep getting a push that feels undeserved and this run in the King of the Ring was no different. Aleister Black asking people to come fight him during a King of the Ring tournament kind of feels like a missed opportunity, doesn't it? The tag match between Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross against Fire and Desire was exciting and a great preview for a potential rematch at Clash of Champions. I feel like the Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston rivalry has dragged on forever and am ready for it to be over. As happy as I was Ali was eliminated, I'm equally disappointed Chad Gable remains in the King of the Ring tournament. I'm so over the 24/7 title, at this point it's a massive joke and while sometimes it's fun, it's also never going to be taken seriously. The finale to Smackdown finally paid off the Roman Reigns lameness that they've been running for awhile and while Eric Rowan comes out of this great, I'm not sure if this is a good enough payoff.
Clash of Champions is setting up as an exciting pay per view with a lot of the rivalries building up rather well and potentially a lot of titles could change hands with most of them on the line.
Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office email me for details or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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Late fireworks flip the script in thrilling All-Star showdown
Jul 16, 2025, 10:57 am
The Houston Astros entered the 2025 MLB Draft with limited capital but a clear objective: find talent that can help sustain their winning ways without needing a full organizational reboot. With just under $7.2 million in bonus pool money and two forfeited picks, lost when they signed slugger Christian Walker, the Astros needed to be smart, aggressive, and a little bold. They were all three.
A swing on star power
With the 21st overall pick, Houston selected Xavier Neyens, a powerful left-handed high school bat from Mt. Vernon, Washington. At 6-foot-4, Neyens is raw but loaded with tools, a slugger with plus power and the kind of bat speed that turns heads.
He’s the Astros’ first high school position player taken in the first round in a decade.
If Neyens develops as expected, he could be the next cornerstone in the post-Altuve/Bregman era. Via: MLB.com:
It’s possible we’ll look back at this first round and realize that the Astros got the best power hitter in the class. At times, Neyens has looked like an elite hitter who’d easily get to that pop, and at times the swing-and-miss tendencies concerned scouts, which is why he didn’t end up closer to the top of the first round. He was announced as a shortstop, but his size (6-foot-4) and his arm will profile best at third base.
Their next big swing came in the third round with Ethan Frey, an outfielder/DH from LSU who was one of the most imposing college hitters in the country.
He blasted 13 home runs in the SEC and helped lead the Tigers to a championship.
Filling the middle
In the fourth round, the Astros grabbed Nick Monistere, an infielder/outfielder out of Southern Miss who won Sun Belt Player of the Year honors.
If Kendall likes the pick, I like the pick. https://t.co/NQKqEHFxtV
— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) July 14, 2025
He doesn’t jump off the page with tools, but he rakes, hitting .323 with 21 home runs this past season, and plays with a chip on his shoulder.
They followed that up with Nick Potter, a right-handed reliever from Wichita State. He projects as a fast-moving bullpen piece, already showing a mature approach and a “fastball that was regularly clocked in the upper-90s and touched 100 miles per hour.”
From there, Houston doubled down on pitching depth and versatility. They took Gabel Pentecost, a Division II flamethrower, Jase Mitchell, a high school catcher with upside, and a host of college arms, all in hopes of finding the next Spencer Arrighetti or Hunter Brown.
Strategy in motion
Missing multiple picks, Houston leaned into two things: ceiling and speed to the majors. Neyens brings the first, Frey and Monistere the second. And as they’ve shown in recent years, the Astros can develop arms with late-round pedigree into major league contributors.
The Astros didn’t walk away with flashy headlines, they weren’t drafting in the top 10. But they leave the 2025 draft with a clear direction: keep the farm alive with bats that can produce and arms that can fill in the gaps, especially with the club managing injuries and an aging core.
If Neyens becomes the slugger they hope, and if Frey or Monistere climbs fast, this draft could be another example of Houston turning limited resources into lasting impact.
You can see the full draft tracker here.
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