Since winning the then AEW All-Atlantic Championship, Orange Cassidy has been the most active champion in AEW history. He’s achieved 19 title defences, but as this insane pace as champion wears on his body – he faces one of his biggest challenges to date.
After dealing with visa issues, former Ring of Honor World Champion Bandido is back in AEW. He’s hoping to make an impact on this return, and prevent Cassidy from hitting his 20th title defence in the process.
Orange Cassidy Looks For Defense #20
Bandido would showcase his speed as this match began, and would get the crowd behind him as a result. Cassidy would do a slow cartwheel, showing his agility before going after the wrist of Bandido. A series of arm drags would follow from both men, with Bandido winning out.
Cassidy would take down Bandido with the flying headscissor, sending Bandido to the floor before teasing a dive. Instead, he’d put his hands in his pockets – and caught Bandido with a dropkick to send him back to the floor. Cassidy would go for a dive, but was caught in mid-air before being thrown throat first onto the barricade.
Bandido would catch Cassidy in the corner with a stiff kick, before applying a Stretch Muffler in the middle of the ring. Cassidy would struggle to get free, and rolled to the floor – only for Bandido to soar over the top rope and land clean on Cassidy on the way down. Back in the ring, Bandido would keep the pressure on, applying the Surfboard Stretch.
Cassidy would be able to free his arms, but was launched into the mat face first. Bandido would hold Cassidy upside down in a suplex with one hand for nearly thirty seconds, only to take the Stundog Millionaire. Tornado DDT from Cassidy would be blocked, with Bandido able to hit the suplex.
Bandido Counters The Mouse Trap – Falls To The Beach Break
Cassidy would hit a superkick, with Bandido standing tall before being driven into the corners by Cassidy. Diving crossbody would follow, with Bandido trying to the after countering another DDT attempt. Cassidy would catch Bandido with a Michinoku Driver, getting a two count.
Bandido would roll to the floor, and Cassidy kept pressure on with a suicide dive. Cassidy would roll Bandido into the ring, only to take a kick to the face. Pop Up Cutter would nearly see a new champion crowned, but Cassidy kicked out at the last possible second.
Cassidy would be set up for X Marks The Spot – but was able to fight free with some elbow smashes. Bandido would hit a clean shot to the jaw, before catching the crossbody into a one armed press slam. Frog Splash would follow, but Cassidy again found a way to survive.
Bandido would miss the lariat, and Cassidy got the Mouse Trap – with Bandido able to be the first man to ever counter it.
Cassidy would manage an Orange Punch out of the Pop Up Cutter set up – and nailed Beach Break for the win. After the bell, Cassidy & Bandido showed respect, as there’s no shame in losing a hard fought match.
Dax The Axe Looks To Chop Down A Certified Legend
On the latest episode of AEW Rampage, we would see FTR team with Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett – looking to help avenge a beatdown on mutual friend Mark Briscoe.
During that match, Jarrett would throw a punch meant for Tony Nese, but instead caught Harwood. This situation would quickly devolve into a brawl, and tonight – Harwood goes one on one with a professional wrestling legend in Jeff Jarrett.
Jarrett would be forced into the corner as this match began, with Harwood allowing a clean break. A side headlock takeover took Harwood down to the mat, with Jarrett able to block with a headscissor. Jarrett would strut along the back of Harwood, before blocking a lariat with an arm drag.
Harwood would take a hip toss and scoop slam, but Jarrett wasted time taunting and took a series of heavy handed knife edge chops. Jarrett would strike back, stomping Harwood into the corner. Harwood would be pulled to the floor, and whipped hard into the barricade by Jarrett.
Sonjay Dutt Hands The Win To Jeff Jarrett
Jarrett would dare to use a steel chair at ringside, risking a DQ to do more damage. Back into the ring, Harwood was thrown hard into the turnbuckle chest first. Jarrett would hit a kneebreaker and tried for the Figure Four – with Harwood countering to attempt a Sharpshooter.
Harwood would set up and nail a diving headbutt – before hitting a spike piledriver for the two count. Jarrett would flee to the ramp, with Harwood catching him and alternating between chops, jabs, and throwing Jarrett into the barricade.
Harwood would be tripped up by Sonjay Dutt as he tried for the suplex, before running right into a Stroke from Jarrett for the finish.
Will Jarrett & Lethal look for a shot at the AEW World Tag team Championships? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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