If you had asked fans earlier this year, Ricky Starks & Powerhouse Hobbs were destined to become the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Instead, Hobbs decided that when Starks wanted his moment – he’d steal the spotlight. Hobbs crushed Starks, and has gone solo – officially ending Team Taz. Tonight, we get the grudge match – as Starks takes on Hobbs in singles action.
Powerhouse Hobbs Crushes Ricky Starks
Starks hit the ring with reckless intent, rushing into Hobbs with a forearm smash – before being taken down by Hobbs. Hobbs would focus on the previously injured neck of Starks, before taking a jawbreaker. Starks went for the spear, but Hobbs would side step – and Starks hit the ring post instead.
Hobbs would set up a powerslam in the ring, but Starks would slip free… only to be taken down to the mat. Starks would be lifted by his head and slammed into the mat, after Hobbs cranked on the neck. Sleeper Hold would be applied, before Starks broke free.
Hobbs would be run into the corner and hit with a jumping back elbow before a tornado DDT. Starks would hit the ropes, and ran right into the Spinebuster – ending this match just like that. Powerhouse Hobbs stunned the crowd and Starks with that one, and it might be hard to stop him after a statement victory.
The Crowd Is Hot For The Acclaimed
Swerve In Our Glory still needs to prove themselves as the top tag team in AEW, despite being the AEW World Tag Team Champions. A strong string of title defenses would do a lot towards that goal, and that started by defeating Private Party. However, tonight – they gave a title shot to The Acclaimed, who are quickly becoming the most well rounded team on the AEW roster. This could be their breakout moment – but Keith Lee & Swerve Strickland will not go down without a fight.
Swerve & Bowens would start this match up, with Bowens getting a series of mat return as the crowd had a “Scissor Me Daddy Ass” chant going, and Caster gave them what they wanted. Swerve would look for the armbar in the ring, but Bowens was able to fight to freedom. Bowens would have his ankle picked, and Keith Lee hit the ring.
Caster would tag in and try to cut Lee down to size, but Lee would match the speed of Caster. He doesn’t go full gear often, but when he does – he takes everyone off guard. Caster would strike and move, before Bowens came in and The Acclaimed took him down together. The Acclaimed would scissor with Daddy Ass (Billy Gunn) once again, and the crowd went wild.
Lee would beat Caster into the mat to shut this down, before a crossbody to the back. We’d see Swerve & Lee corner Caster, and Grizzly Magnum would try to cave the chest in. Caster would get to the top rope and came down with a cutter, opening up the chance for a tag.
Swerve In Our Glory Show Killer Instinct
Bowens would meet Swerve in the ring, and hit the brainbuster for a two count. Swerve was dropped with the knee lift, but Bowens would have some issues with that previously injured knee. Bowens would go the floor, and Swerve would take him down with a dropkick.
The crowd didn’t like it, but Swerve is a champion – and winning is everything at that point. Lee joined in for a double kneebreaker, before splashing onto the knee. Bowens would be hit with Grizzly Magnum, before a Beil Throw across the ring. He’d fire up and hit the flipping neckbreaker, and got the tag to Caster.
Swerve would meet Caster but was sent from the ring, with Lee being more stubborn. Lee would be used to pounce Swerve, before a chopblock and knee strike from The Acclaimed. Bowens would get kicked in the knee, before Lee would look for the top rope. Caster would stop him, but Lee took them down.
Swerve would get the tag and hit the Swerve Stomp, but Bowens kicked out. Caster would hit the dropkick, before Lee would look to control the ring once again. Lee was dropped with an FU, before Bowens would slam Swerve down. Caster hit the Mic Drop, but Lee broke the pinfall up.
Swerve hit the backbreaker, and Lee would get the blind tag. A miscue would lead to Lee being kicked in the head and rolled up for two. Bowens kept Swerve down with a DDT. Swerve Stomp and Spirit Bomb combo would land, and this one was over.
Should The Acclaimed have won the belts tonight with the crowd on their side? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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