For weeks now, Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal have had a steady focus on a simple goal. They want the AEW World Tag Team Championships, and made that clear when they beat down The Acclaimed. After defeating Anthony Bowens & Billy Gunn, it became hard to deny the challenge – and while The Acclaimed responded with a rap video, tonight – they get to start 2023 with a title defense. Jarrett is a 20+ time tag team champion with more years wrestling than Bowens & Caster have been alive, and Lethal is no slouch either. This is not a match The Acclaimed can take easy.
The Acclaimed Have Arrived In 2023
Bowens & Jarrett would start this match, with Jarrett going after Caster on the apron with a stiff punch – a receipt for bringing up his wife in the recent rap video. Lethal would be tagged in, but was quickly cut down by Bowens. Caster would come in and apply a brief Ankle Lock, before the Scissor Me Timbers with Bowens out of The Acclaimed corner. Jarrett would rush the ring, but fell to a body slam and the Scissor Me Timbers.
Lethal would provoke Billy Gunn at ringside, leading him to being sent to the back. Bowens would be hit with some downward punches in the corner from Lethal, before Jarrett hit the rope leg drop and did the Fargo Strut. Jarrett would drop Bowens with a lariat, before Lethal hit the neckbreaker – with no tag between, meaning the referee would not count the pinfall.
Lethal would waste time talking trash with Caster, allowing Bowens to miss the flying elbow drop. Caster wanted the tag, but was run off the apron by Jarrett. Bowens would stay in the fight long enough to get another chance at the tag, and Caster would drop Jarrett with a superkick. He’d make a rare dive to the floor onto Lethal, before some clubbing blows to the face of Jarrett in the ring.
Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal Nearly Steal The AEW World Tag Team Championships
Lethal would avoid The Arrival as Jarrett shoved Caster down to the floor. A double team slam from Jarrett & Lethal got a two count, as Lethal applied the Figure Four leg lock. While the referee watch that, Satnam Singh would throw Caster into the steel steps – and he’d be kicked out by a hoard of referees.
Bowens would block the Lethal Injection, before Jarrett hit the Stroke. Bowens succeeded in getting his foot on the bottom rope, Dutt would knock it off – leading to the three count. Jarrett & Lethal would celebrate this massive victory, and already planned their year long reign – but it wouldn’t last.
Aubrey Edwards noticed the involvement from Dutt from the floor as she helped to try to eject Singh, and after some conversation with the main referee of the match? This match would continue – allowing Bowens to get a roll up on Lethal to retain their belts after some serious drama. They had a very close call,
Homegrown Stars Will Always Beat Ex-WWE Talent Claim Jamie Hayter & Britt Baker
After this match, we’d catch up with Jamie Hayter & Britt Baker. They meet Saraya in a tag team match next week, with her partner still a mystery. However, they simply think that no matter how much Saraya does for AEW, she will never be as big as the two homegrown stars that they are.
Saraya is surrounded by some top talent, yet still hasn’t made the choice yet. Baker would put emphasis on her being “The Boss” of the AEW women’s division, an interesting word choice given even more rampant rumours of Saraya teaming with Mercedes Mone, the former Sasha Banks in WWE – who just made her New Japan Pro Wrestling debut last night at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Will Saraya bring Mercedes Mone to AEW next week? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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