Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here. It’s time for the first AEW PPV since the inception of Dynamite. The past six weeks have brought us here to a big-time card. It’s AEW Full Gear! And of course I will be giving you the live play-by-play every step of the way. Watch this space!
Pre-show is on! Joining Excalibur and Goldenboy is Taz, nice! He was pretty good on his Dark cameo a few weeks ago, nice to see him getting another shot, I’ve missed him. We see the video of Bea and Britt from Dark this past week, that match is next!
Britt’s got a decent bit of pyro and comes out to a nice enough reception. Walking with a purpose, we’ve got the elevated ramp tonight.
Dr. Britt Baker DMD vs. Bea Priestley
Priestley tosses her jacket at Britt before the bell. As it rings, Britt ducks a shot and sends hands! Whips her to the ropes, Bea escapes from the ring but Britt chases her around, back into the ring, Bea with a kick to the head. Shoots her to the ropes, Britt with a Thesz Press and punches down! Bea escapes, scrambles back into the ropes to get separation. Shoulder thrust from the apron, back n, but Britt with a hair trip, raining down shots. Bea holding the back of her head as she goes to the corner. Bea evades a charge, clothesline ducked, crucifix from Britt, Bea with a kick, Britt ducks, gets her down for the Lock-Jaw but Bea rolls out! Stomp to the back of the head.
Power whip to the corner! Bea to the outside, pulls over to the post. Grinds her back against the steel! Britt evidently has a flu as tweeted out by Cody earlier tonight, fighting anyway. Diving back elbow to the back from Bea, cover for 2. Britt fighting back, tries to take her up but she can’t hold her, Bea escapes, roundhouse kick to the head, cover for 2. Body scissors locked in. Rolls over to try for a pin Britt blocks it. Back elbows, crowd claps her up into it. Britt with forearms, Bea returns. Exchange, Boo/Yay ensues. Britt wins out, but Bea with a kick to the gut. Whips her, Britt ducks a shot, simultaneous clotheslines! Darby Allin watching from ringside.
Exchange continues, Britt avoids a shot, gets some running back elbows. Crowd is into her, Britt with a Pepsi One. Whip to the corner, Bea with a cool spring to the ropes to evade her, Slingblade from Baker! Britt with the swinging Fisherman’s Neckbreaker for a nearfall! Bea evades her in the corner, big elbow in the back. Bea up top, Britt cuts her off. Pursues, superplex! And she holds on, tries to hoist her up but Britt’s back comes into play again and she lets her go. Nonetheless gets a crucifix in for 2.
Bea with a waistlock, German Suplex, and holds on, hooks a leg for a wicked Back Suplex, bridge for 2! Bea gets her into a modified Crossface, Britt fights her way to the bottom rope to force the break! Britt out to the apron for a breather, Bea springs up top, big double footstomp to the spine! Bea back in the ring, drags Britt in, pin for a nearfall! Bea muscles her up onto her shoulders, walks around with her showing off her strength, Britt escapes, Ripcord Elbow, Canadian Destroyer! Nearfall.
Roll-up, Britt kicks out, avoids a shot, Superkick! Paige Turner, Lockjaw attempt but Bea grabs the hair and rolls her over, nearfall! Big thrust kick to the face of the kneeling Bea, Lockjaw locked in this time, grabbing the teeth, forcing the submission!
Winner: Britt Baker
Sick as she was, this may have been the best Britt’s looked. Gotta love the effort, very gutty. Bea seemed very careful and cautious in there, being with someone she injured before and was sick as hell, but eventually turned it up in the last few minutes. Good stuff.
We see candles flash up on the titantron. Gong hits. Menacing new theme hits, Brandi and Kong appear on the stage. Kong seems leaner than the last time I saw her. Bea’s still in the ring and dazed as Kong gets in, Spinning Backfist! Kong takes off a glove, reveals a knife! Hands it to Brandi. Implant Buster, that looked totally effortless. Chant for “Kong”. Brandi grabs the hair of Bea, Kong rips it off with the knife. Mild “You sick fuck” chant as they appear to be preparing for some kind of ritualistic sacrifice.
Video package for Proud-N-Powerful vs. Young Bucks from the AEW Full Gear Countdown special.
Justin Roberts introduces Jim Ross as per usual. Always a sign that we’re getting close to the main card! Here we go!
Main card of AEW Full Gear kicks off with some awesome multi-colored pyro, big chants of “AEW” as always.
And we got quite the opener… big pop for the Bucks of course, Rock ‘N Roll Express in the front row after what happened to them a couple of weeks ago.
The Young Bucks vs. Proud-N-Powerful
Bell rings, Nick and Santana starting out, both with cheap shots. Punch exchange begins, both partners come in, brawl commences already! Matt with a headbutt to Ortiz. Santana evades Nick, Nick dodges a shot, tag to Matt, Santana doesn’t see it. He charges after Nick but gets caught with a big spear! Double brawl continues, P-N-P taken to the floor, stereo tope crossbodies! Outside, Nick throws Ortiz into the front row! Matt and Santana back in the ring, Santana gets a big chop, wants a tag but Ortiz isn’t there. Turns around into a deep arm drag takeover! Quick tags, keeping control of the arm, double footstomp to the elbow! Santana escapes, tag to Ortiz, who runs right into an arm drag. Santana looks to tag the extended foot, Knox doesn’t allow it. Gets some boos, have to establish that it’s not a tag. Ref then gets distracted, tag behind the back, but Knox stops it! Big heat now.
Everyone in the ring, aaaaand I’mma call this double team a Gory Special/Boston Crab/Camel Clutch here? Looks like a dang human centipede, crazy. Tag to Santana double footstomp takes him down as things calm down a bit, suplex, cover for 2. Ortiz tags in, diving headbutt to the gut, tag for 1. Ortiz with the fingernail gouge to the back of Nick. Santana grinds him in the corner, Ortiz charges, Nick with the boots up. Nick flips over out of a back suplex, ducks a clothesline, Matt tags in, double lariato! Matt goes up, crossbody to Ortiz on the floor outta nowhere! Back up top, crisp elbow drop for a nearfall! Nick tags in, WWE Headkick to Santana, Matt holds him on the mat for a double footstomp! Nick onto the apron, wants a running kick to Ortiz, but he ducks it and he kicks the steel post as hard as possible, geeze! And then Ortiz clips the leg and he falls right onto his head!!!
Santana goes out, throws Matt into the Rock ‘N Roll Express in the front row! They rip off the jackets and stand to confront them! Back in the ring, Nick is being worked. Santana with shoulder thrusts in the corner.Santana with a cheap shot to Matt, charging dropkick to Nick! Takes them into the heel corner, tag to Ortiz, each of them hoist him up. Nick with shots to both, knocks them off the top rope, comes off the top, they both catch him, toss him away, Nick lands on his feet but his leg is killing him! Double dropkick to the legs, Santana poses as the crowd jeers!
Chant of “Young Bucks” as Ortiz takes Nick up, Inverted Dragon Screw Legwhip, nearfall. Multiple covers, multiple kickouts. Nick kicks and slaps his way up! Gets a smack back for his troubels. Ducks a few shots, big forearm! Ortiz rolls through, headbutt to the gut! Hits the ropes, KILLER SUPERKICK! Dayam! Crowd rising, Matt wants the tag! Amazing sell from Ortiz! Simultags, Matt with a Northern Lights Suplex, into a deadlift Northern Lights into a third one, Ortiz chaerges in and gets a double! And then another?!? Finally bridges for a nearfall, crazy! Even Ricky Morton is chanting “AEW”! Enziguri/Bucklebomb combo! Nick tags in, slowly climbs up top, Risky Business double team, nearfall! Tags right back out. Ortiz clips Nick from the apron! Goes back in, Matt ducks an enziguri, kicks him away, Ortiz rolls Santana through into a cutter! Ortiz flips Santana into a 450, then hits a Cannonball Tope on Nick! Cover on Matt for a nearfall, “This Is Awesome” chant kicks up!
They want the Street Sweeper, Matt tries his damnedest to punch his way out of it, Santana goes up for it anyhow, Matt counters with a roll through out of the air, slamming him instead! Superkick to Ortiz! Tag to Nick, Ortiz is biting down furiously on the top rope, double superkick to the back of the head! Santana with a springboard moonsault attempt, double superkick to the solar plexus! “Holy Shit” chant as they get Ortiz setup in the corner. Hits the tribute to the MCMG, nearfall! Matt gets him up for the Meltzer, Nick with a springboard but his leg gives out and he falls to the mat! Matt helps him up, gets him up top. Matt hoists Ortiz up onto his shoulders, he escapes, tag to Santana. They kick him backwards the corner, Nick gets back down to the apron. They want the tag to Nick!
Nick accepts it, tags himself in! Nick gets facewashed, spits into Santana’s face! Santana picks up the gum of Nick, sticks it in his mouth! “You Sick Fuck” chant as Nick gets shots to both, Santana spits it into his face now! Nick with a ton of spin kicks, spinning roundhouse! Leg still killing him, double birds to Santana! Running Rising Knee in the corner, dashes back but Ortiz counters with a Spinning Sit-Out Powerbomb, Roundhouse Kick from Santana, cover, Matt tackles Santana into Ortiz to break the count! Matt with a charge, evades, he hits the post and goes to the outside! Ortiz kicks him away! Powerbomb/Blockbuster, and that is that, big upset!
Winners: Proud-N-Powerful
Young Bucks putting over every hot young team they can, gotta love it. And damn what a match! Incredible opener!
As the music fades, Sammy Guevara stalks down the ring watching himself on the phone, Santana is grinding the necks of both Bucks at once with his boots! Sammy in the ring to help celebrate, cheap shots continues. P-N-P takes Nick up, Sammy passes Ortiz a sockful of baseballs! Rock ‘N Roll on the apron now!! Low bridge takes Sammy and Ortiz to the floor! Santana getting pummeled in the ring! RICKY WITH A CANADIAN DESTROYER TO SANTANA! And then a Suicide Dive to Ortiz and Sammy G! Huge ovation, big celebration, what a moment! Chant of “Rock ‘N Roll”! Very deserved chant of “You Still Got It”.
You have to do that match now, right? Gotta get ’em on for a one-off against Santana & Ortiz now!
Next up, the match this show is named after!
PAC vs. Hangman Page
Bell rings, immediate charge from both, Page with a double leg taking him to the corner! Big shots and chops, throws PAC to the floor! Page pursues, hurls him hard into the barrier! And again! PAC with a shot to the gut, tries to whip him but Page reverses, throws him in again! “Cowboy Sh*t” as he’s thrown back into the ring, Hangman counters a crossbody with a Fallaway Slam! Page wants the running Shooting Star, PAC gets the knees up! Wants to send Page up top, but Page counters, dropkicks him from the top rope to the floor! Huge suicide dive wipes him out!
Page throws him to the corner, rebound, lariato for a nearfall! PAC tries to fight out with a kick, enziguri ducked, Hangman with a Pumphandle Deadlift! Bridging Fallaway Slam, nearfall! Page wants the Deadeye, PAC escapes to the apron, slings the top rope into Page’s face! Vicious kicks to the head! Rushes in for more shots, Page seems to have actually taken a shot to the eye here, some bruising around it! Power whip to the corner from PAC! Grinds the boot against Page’s face, gets into the face of the official. Snapmare, dropkick to the back of the head! Cover for a 1 count. Reverse Chinlock grounds Hangman now. Running uppercut to Page in the corner! Cover for 2. PAC grinds Page against the middle rope. Pump kick to Page in the corner! And another! Page goads him for another, third shot! PAC accidentally kicks the camera as he grinds against his head!
Snapmare, chinlock! Hop and stomp to the face, PAC taunts the audience, big jeers. Page chops him a few times, but eats a spinning kick to the gut, running dropkick to the head! PAC with a side headlock, Page’s head is turning red here. PAC pulls him up, elbow strikes, Page reverses a whip to the corner, charge, eats a boot. PAC drags him in position, slowly treks up to the middle rope. Phoenix Splash, Page rolls away and PAC crashes and burns! Page with running elbows! PAC whips him into the corner, but Page rebounds right into another lariat! Big chops now! Chant of “Cowboy Sh*t”. Whip to the ropes, PAC ducks a clothesline, Pump Kick! Hits the ropes, Page does as well, PAC turns around into a Double A Spinebuster for the nearfall! Loud dueling chant now. PAC bails to the apron, Page pursues, Black Hole Slam takes PAC against the apron! Throws him into the railing! Triangle Moonsault to the floor wipes him out!
Tosses him into the ring, Page hits the ropes, running big boot! Nearfall! Wants the Buckshot Lariat now, PAC wants none of it, leaves the ring to avoid it. Page pursues, PAC sitting on a chair… playing possum, kick to the gut, Brainbuster onto the chair!!! Jesus Christ! Page struggling to break the count here, just barely makes it before the ten! PAC bickering with the ref, welts all over both men here this has been a battle. PAC up top, Page stumbles to his feet. PAC with a precise missile dropkick, cover for a nearfall. Wow, you can just see the lining of the top of the chair imprinted into Page’s back, ugly stuff. PAC with roundhouse kicks to the chest! Vicious! PAC poses, big jeers! PAC throws him to the corner, Page with a back body drop to the apron, WWE Headkick from PAC! Goes up top, wants the Black Arrow to the back, but Page manages to crotch him onto the top rope!
Page pursues him up top, Avalanche Fallaway Slam sends him all the way across the ring! Page on the apron now, crowd is on their feet. Dueling chant though Page is winning it. Page tries for the Buckshot but springs right into a superkick! Release German Suplex! Hits the ropes, but Page with a Pop-Up Powerbomb! Unreal! Page hooks him for the Deadeye, but PAC counters into an Octopus Stretch variation of the Brutalizer!!!! Page is fading now! Drops to a knee… struggles back up, just enough to scramble to the bottom rope for the break! First time anyone’s escaped it, but Page looks out. PAC pulls him to the corner, goes up top now for the Black Arrow! Page weakly rolls out of the way, crash and burn! Page from the apron, Buckshot Lariat, PAC ducks, Page with a waistlock thrust, callback spot to Week 1 of Dynamite as PAC wants the back kick Lowblow but Page blocks it!!! Discus elbow, Deadeye!!! And that is that!
Winner: Hangman Page
That absolutely ruled, they finally had the match they wanted to have back on May 25th! Great stuff, great win for Page, finally finishing off this near year long feud. Love it.
Lights out, we see Spears appear on the stage with his usual chair entrance. Got some decent heat. Janela’s earned himself some pyro tonight, moving up in the world.
Shawn Spears (w/ Tully Blanchard) vs. Joey Janela
Janela going in quick, not even bothering to take off his sunglasses and jacket as he throws elbows. Trying to tear off his shirt chiding garbage wrestling, Spears bails, chest already red from chops. Janela strips off the jacket and glasses. Janela seems to be distracted by Tully, but he turns and clobbers Spears on the apron. Janela with a running headscissors taking him to the floor. To the apron, kick to the face, charges off, Spears counters with a mid-air powerslam, brutal stuff! Forearms to the small of the back of Janela in the ring, working over the back now. Chops in the corner. Chant of “Bad Boy”, chop exchange, both ruthless. Spears reverses a whip, Janela hits the corner hard. Spears drags him to the floor, back suplex slams the small of the back into the apron!
Pendulum Backbreaker, 2 count. Drives the knee into his back and gets a chinlock in, just grinding him away. Janela fights out, hits the ropes, Spears tosses Joey out and he nails the ring apron! As usual, Janela fully willing to take crazy bumps at will. Spears takes him to the corner, loudest knife edge chop yet! Goes up, rips off the covering of the turnbuckle! Uses a tag rope to tie Janela’s hair! Shot to the face, Earl bickers with him, Spears charges a couple times but eats boots! Joey tries to charge but his hair is caught! Climbs to the apron, just keeps yanking as hard as he can, I think actually loses some hair but he gets free! Springs in, Spears evades, locks him into the Sharpshooter! Janela struggling, people trying to clap him up, Janela makes the ropes! Spears keeps it locked in until he gets to the 4. Janela with a superkick! Still struggling to make it to his feet after though. Body shots, elbows to the face, driving him into the corner, pummeling him. Takes his head and rams into an adjacent turnbuckle, slams him into the pad again and again, rushes for a running knee to the face!
Spears bails, senton off the top wipes him out! Janela takes him into the ring, up top, Spears surprises him, jumping up to the top, Overhead Belly To Belly damn near spikes him onto the canvas! Nearfall, Janela with an inside cradle, quick kickout, sends Spears to the outside, Suicide Dive takes him against the barrier! Throws him into the ring, kick to the face, round house to the chest, another to the back of the head! Hits the ropes, clothesline to the back of the head, vertical suplex! Cover for 2. Spears grabs at Joey’s leg, but Joey grabs the wrists, stomps onto his face! Tully up onto the apron, Janela yells him down. Janela goes up top, Spears gets enough time from Tully to recover, cuts him off. Pursues, hoists him up, Sidewalk Slam, Janela’s back crashing into the turnbuckle!
Spears dashes to the opposite corner, Tully distracts the ref as Spears rips off the top turnbuckle pad! Earl has to fix it, Spears takes him outside, Tully hops off the steps to aid in a Spike Piledriver onto the floor!!! Spears drags him into the ring, Running DVD, that’s that!
Winner: Shawn Spears
Another really good match, fun story, awesome visual with that Spike Piledriver from Tully. Spears gets some cred and Joey gets a little more sympathy.
Goldenboy backstage with Kip Sabian, Kip finds it funny to think Goldenboy’s employed. Goldenboy asks why the sudden change? Kip says when he joined the company he wanted to see the lay of the land, found alliances here and there, ran into two guys in TH-2, and it may not have worked out the first times they tried but name one rock band who the first time they came together made their greatest hits! Goldenboy starts to name some but Kip cuts him off. Introduces Penelope Ford as his new ally, calling themselves the Superbad Squad. Penelope says why be bad when you can be Superbad?
Oh boy, this will be a tough one to do play-by-play on… first title match of the night!
AEW World Tag Team Championships: SCU (c) vs. Lucha Bros vs. Private Party
Frankie and Quen starting us off. Waistlock from Frankie, takedown. Quen with an arm wringer escapes, but Frankie with a side headlock takedown. Quen escapes, springs up for a moonsault, Frankie avoids, lands on the feet, legsweeps, Kazarian kips up, staredown for applause. Fenix tags in, Quen has to leave the ring. Frankie ducks a clothesline, roll-up for 2, Fenix counters a whip with a tiger feint, shoves him, big kick to the face! Roundhouse kick clips Scorpio Sky! Private Party rush in, Lucha Bros in to get ’em with a Stereo Superkick! Fenix with a big vertical suplex and float-over for 2. Fenix tags to Penta, double whip, shot to midsection kick to the face, Fenix ranas Kazarian into the lifted boots of Pentagon! Cover for 2.
Pentagon with a scything leg kick! Cero Miedo taunt to a huge singalong. Body shot, Frankie escapes a Package Piledriver, charging forearm against the ropes, double clothesline in the middle! Fenix with a cheap shot taking out Scorpio, Kazarian has to tag to Kassidy. Hits a facebuster on Penta, Wheelbarrow Bulldog/Legdrop combo! Cover for 2. Tag to Quen, atomic drop and dropkick to the head, camel clutch/double footstomp for a nearfall! Kassidy takes Pentagon up top, Penta slips out, kick to the booty, Quen screeches in agony! Tag to Fenix, springs up, Doomsday Dropkick nailed! ANother loud Cero Miedo, Fenix forces the referee to do it as well! Kassidy in, gets Military Pressed into a mid-air superkick! Regal Roller into the corner to Quen, nearfall.
Applause to try and get Quen into it, Fenix pulls him away from his corner, tag to Penta. Pentagon wants their usual finishing combo, Quen escapes, takes him to the corner, Pentagon escapes with a floatover into the Backstabber! Kazarian into the ring, throws Kassidy out onto the ramp! He’s trying to make Quen tag SCU in, interesting story. And indeed he has no choice, tag to Scorpio! Clotheslines, dropkick to the face of Fenix! Fenix tries a roll-through, kick to the face. Scorpio with a springboard cutter, into a Dragon Sleeper! Kazarian in to stop Kassidy on the interference, but Penta in to break up the hold with vicious kicks to the head! Quen throws him to the apron, Kazarian with a springing legdrop to the back of his head, flying headscissor off the apron! Quen with a Fosbury Flop wiping everyone out! Scorpio hits the ropes for a dive, but Fenix runs the top rope to kick him right in the face! Kassidy ducks a Fenix clothesline, Tornilo onto the entire group!
Fenix left alone, springs springs to the middle rope then back to the top for a huge corkscrew splash onto the whole lot! Incredible. Fenix circles the ring for no particular reason. Back into the ring, Scorpio throws him out, Fenix with an enziguri kick. He gets some space, runs up from the middle of the ramp for a springing spinning cutter for a nearfall! Chant of “Lucha Brothers”, charge, Scorpio takes him up top, tag to Kazarian, incredible Tornado DDT off the top! Pentagon with a kick to the face to break the pin! Quen throws him out of the ring, drags Fenix to the corner, Quen tags himself in! Enziguris nailed! Thrust kick to the gut from Kassidy, combo Sliced Bread! Quen with a gorgeous Shooting Star, nearfall!
They want Gin & Juice, Scorpio hooks Kassidy, Frankie holds firm on the top rope to send Quen to the mat. They rip him down, SCU Later, titles retained.
Winners: SCU
Afterwards, Lucha Bros attack SCU… until the lights go out! Another Pentagon is in the ring! They Cero Miedo, but then the new one hits an STO. Fenix runs in, Angel’s Wings Fenix onto Pentagon! Pentagon Tres unmasks and it’s Christopher Daniels – with the old cross symbol painted onto his face! Chant of “Fallen Angel” as the reunited SCU celebrates.
That match wasn’t quite as wild as I expected, but it had a fun story to it. Rare that I find myself liking four corners rules matches but they played with it really well there, never didn’t make sense.
Video for Riho/Sakura plays, talking up their lengthy history.
Before the bell rings, Emi already tearing up about this match even happening. Gotta be proud of her girl.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Riho (c) vs. Emi Sakura
Top wrist lock, test of strength to start. Emi with the strength advantage, gets her down, Riho struggling to keep her shoulders up. Sakura gets the knees to the body a couple of times, gets back up and kicks her in the head. Hair toss sends her cross the ring a few times. Riho tries to charge into a crossbody, gets tossed down. Emi pins, Riho matrixes out but eats a running dropkick. Emi with a chop, hits the ropes, Riho with a back body drop taking her to the apron. Emi with a shoulder thrust, Riho and her trade places on the apron, Emi with a running start, crossbody press takes her to the floor! Dayam.
Emi taunts, goes up top, Riho makes it to the apron, cuts her off. Gets her into Tree of Woe above the apron, double foot stomp to the chest slams her into it, brutal! Running double knee to the back of the head in the corner, Riho hooks the leg, Emi kicks out but Riho hangs on for the single leg crab! It’s in pretty deep until Emi gets to the ropes. Riho hooks her, Emi fights out, Swinging Flatliner! Emi gets the We Will Rock You clap going but gets some boos. Emi charges, crossbody into the corner! Romero Special time now, Emi just won’t stop posing before every move. Surfboard lifts, once, twice, three times! Riho being ripped in half! Emi tosses her away.
Emi with a kick to the face. Loud chant of “Let’s Go Riho”. Riho tries to fight back with a forearm, Emi just kicks her down. Pulling her up, scoop slam, Riho escapes behind her, waistlock, Emi squirms and back elbows her way out. Hits the rope, drop toe hold slings her onto the second rope, Tiger Feint Kick nailed! Riho up top, crossbody for a nearfall. Charging kicks in the corner from Riho, but then Emi counters with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Another, wild one nailed! Emi springs off the second rope, vicious stomp right to the face! Inverted Vader Bomb, twisting in mid-air, nearfall! Emi grabs her by the hair, drags her to the center.
Tiger Bomb, Riho rolls through the cover into a Double Foot Stomp to the chest! Both are laid out now, Standing 10 count. Emi up at 7, big chop. Riho strikes back, Emi with an elbow. Exchange of shots. Riho with some fire, sending shot after shot! Gets her to the mat! Emi with some slaps though, big chop. Riho with a wheelbarrow cover, into a double footstomp! Drags her by the wrist to her feet, Northern Lights Suplex, crisp bridge for a nearfall! Springs to the second rope, yet another double footstomp! Up top for the biggest one yet, nearfall, Sakura bridges up to kick out!
Emi grabs an ankle, won’t let Riho leave. Riho hammers her, but gets pulled into a Backdrop Driver!!! Spinning Double Underhook Suplex for a nearfall! Tries to hook her again, but Riho with a double knee strike out of the air! La Magistral from Emi, Riho escapes, chain wrestling sequence, she tries another, but RIho escapes and gets a big double knee to the side of the head! Riho charges, spinning headscissor turned into a sunset flip, and that is that!
Winner: Riho
Good stuff, nice pure wrestling at the end there.
Both of them quite emotional after that.
Now, video package playing for Cody and Jericho… let’s see how this goes down.
We’re introduced to the judges at ringside. Dean Malenko, Arn Anderson and the Great Muta are our panel! Very cool.
Most dramatic entrance yet for Cody here. Fire and smoke and fireworks everywhere. MJF is out with him, oh boy… is tonight the night the turn happens? Cody’s mom is at ringside. Comes out to give her a hug.
Jericho out with an even bigger spout of pyro, and Jake Hager backing him up. Chant of “Happy Birthday” before the bell rings, Jericho with the double birds as a response. Now a chant of “F*ck Your Birthday”.
AEW World Championship: Chris Jericho (c) (w/Jake Hager) vs. Cody (w/ MJF)
Bell rings. Jericho has a weight belt of his own now. Lock-up. Jericho shoves him away. Lock-up, Cody with an arm wringer. Hammerlock, takes Cody to a knee. Cody picks a leg, Jericho escapes into the ropes. Cody with a cartwheel for the hell of it, pop. “Cody” chant, lock up once again. Cody charges, Jericho bails to the ring. Goes over to Hager, whispers instructions. Jericho slowly makes his way into the ring, Cody with a waistlock, Jericho escapes into a side headlock. Cody throws him to the ropes, shoulder block takedown. Jericho poses, big heat. Hits the ropes, leap from from Cody, chop from Jericho. And another. Cody with a kick to the gut, Dustin Uppercut!
Jericho bails to the outside, goes to the barrier and bickers at Dean, who he has a ton of history with! Yells at the judges, goes up to the apron, very slow paced match unsurprisingly here. Cody with a waistlock, Jericho reverses. Another reversal, Jericho with a back elbow to take it. Cody punching at the hands, hammerlock now. Jericho into another waistlock, Cody grabs the hand, hammerlock countered again, Cody bridges Jericho the outside, suicide dive! Throws him into the ring, goes up top, missile dropkick for a 1 count. Cody chops him into the corner, attacks the arm. MJF yells at him, “Use the Judas Effect now!” as Cody keeps working it over, singling out the elbow and stomping on it!
Jericho reverses a whip to the corner, Cody with a floatover, Jericho turns and charges right into a powerslam! Clothesline takes Jericho to the elevated ramp. Hits the ropes, torpedo dive, Jericho dodges and Cody seems to fall right onto his head on the ramp! Jesus, he’s bleeding now, was that a hardway? Man that’s some serious bleeding there. Aubrey stops Jericho from pursuing. Jericho poses as they have to try and wipe the blood away. Cody demands that he’s okay. He clearly is not!
Rolls into the ring, Hager takes a chair into the ring. Jericho sits it down and just takes a seat, mocking Cody. Kick to the face! Hooks both arms, now targeting the wound with punches! Throws him to the floor. Heat rising. MJF ‘accidentally’ distracts the ref, Hager with an explosive shot at ringside! Cody says he’s not stopping to save his life! Jericho stops him on the apron, stun gun, suplexing him onto the top rope! Heat is rising, chant of “Cody” as he tries to fight up. Jericho with shots, stops to talk trash to the crowd, Cody firing back up, hits the ropes, Kitchen Sink knee flips him over, brutal shot! Cover for 2.
Jericho with the boot to the back of his head grinding him against the bottom rope. Pulls him up, kick to the gut, shoulder thrusts in the corner. Chops. Whip to the opposite corner, Cody with the boot up on a charge. Twisting Moonsault Press, missed, Cody crashes and burns, Jericho with a nearfall! Commentary makes the point that the judges couldn’t possibly rule against the champion right now, Cody is far behind thus far. Cody bridges up off a chinlock, but Jericho muscles him back down. Cody fights to his feet again, body shot. Right hand, Jericho with a knee to the gut, abdominal stretch! Shot to the ribs. Grinds the elbow into the side now. Cody fights up, arm drag from Cody. He’s so winded now, dropkick from Jericho! Jericho smacking the back of his head.
Gets him into a chinlock, knee to the back now. Crowd trying to will Cody up. Body shot, blows to the face. Whip to the ropes, Jericho holds onto them to stop, Lionsault, Cody gets the knees up! Cody with the springboard Cutter! Cover, nearfall! Cody to his feet, crowd rising as he fires up… running clothesline, pump kick! Loud chant along with the Corner Ten Punches! Beautiful Disaster Kick takes him to the floor! Jericho wants another breather, Cody pursues, eats a kick to the gut. Jericho with knees to the ribs, hoists him up, slams his back into the post! Poses in the ring, big heat. Jericho gets in the face of Cody’s mom… eats a big slap! He bickers, Cody spears him into the barrier, and his mom gets another slap in! Cody gives her a hug, throws Jericho in the ring!
Cody throws him to the corner, Jericho tries to get a floatover headscissor, Cody catches him – Alabama Slam! Nearfall. Cody hooks the legs, gives a “Woo”, Figure Four Leglock! Chant of “Tap”, Jericho squirming! Jericho trying to roll… makes it happen, pressure reversed! Cody rolls back into position though… ref checking on Jericho, Hager with a cheap shot to Cody breaking the hold! Hager to the apron, Jericho charges, Cody sends Jericho into him taking him to the apron! Cody with a roll-up, Jericho kicks out, sending Cody to the ropes where Hager gets another shot in to the face! Aubrey spots him, ejects him from the match! MJF gets in hsi face, sings the Goodbye song, Hager with a kick to the gut and throws him to the barrier. Makes his leave up the ramp.
As Aubrey Edwards has to deal with this, Jericho grabs the title! Nails Cody right in the face with the belt, throws it away and shoots to his back, a few faux tilts of his head to check, a little Eddie tribute. Covers, nearfall! Jericho wants the Judas Effect, COUNTERED INTO THE CROSS RHODES! Narrow, narrow nearfall, dayam! “This Is Awesome” chant. Punches exchanged now, big Boo/Yay spot. Cody wins out, blocks a shot, combo of strikes now! American Dream action, Bionic Elbow! Cover for a nearfall. Chant of “Dusty” as he gets a few kicks, goes for the Beautiful Disaster, CODEBREAKER OUT OF THE AIR! Another very close nearfall, that was one of the best Codebreakers in years. Chant of “AEW”, Jericho with stomps now. Mocking kicks. Knee to the gut. Takes off the weight belt now, holds it up, smacks it across the back of Cody! A second time, and the third is absolutely ruthless! After a fifth, Aubrey finally rips it out of his hands! Throws it away.
Jericho rams Cody into the top turnbuckle, up top, Cody cuts him off, superkick! Goes up top with him, wants a Rana, but Jericho blocks, takes him to the mat in dangerous fashion, transitions into the Walls Of Jericho! Crowd is raucous as Cody struggles up! Desperate to grab for the ropes… chant of “Cody” willing him on. Makes the grab! Jericho now targeting the cut with strikes yet again. Gets into Aubrey’s face, shvoes her, Aubrey shoves her back, Cody with an inside cradle!!! Barely kicks out! Jericho now wants the Walls again, looking to turn it into a Liontamer, stomping the head – MJF has a white towel ready and is crying Cody’s name! Jericho turns it back deep! MJF THROWS IN THE TOWEL!
Winner: Chris Jericho
Huge, huge heat! Cody is dead as hell as Jericho gets up, MJF slides in to check on him. MJF looking emotional now. Jericho to the stage, Inner Circle celebration, hoisting Jericho up for a pop of the bubbly! Ortiz howling, “THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST!”
Cody finally coming to, on his knees now, has no idea what happened. Heat comes in as MJF tries to explain what happened. “Bullshit” and “Asshole” chants begin to come up. “You Fucked Up”, MJF is crying as Cody stands. Chant of “Fuck Him Up, Cody, Fuck Him Up”… Cody takes him up to his feet. Cody takes a hand to his shoulder… MJF WITH A LOW BLOW! Cody crumples as MJF is beaming! Shoves him to the mat! The heat slowly rises to a huge crescendo, chant of “Asshole”, loudest yet. MJF shouts at him, telling him it’s his time. MJF wipes his feet off the mat and makes his leave.
MJF goes up the ramp, gets utterly doused in soda thrown at him by a fan. Smirking as he makes his way out. Cody is utterly stunned in the ring.
What an iconic moment. One of the big turning points of AEW’s early days, this will be remembered forever.
Video package for Omega/Mox now.
And now, the lights go down… Unsanctioned match is all we have to do…
Kenny is out with taped up fists, first time I’ve seen him do that. Moxley is out through the crowd tonight, and it looks like he’s finally wrestling in the jeans!
Unsanctioned “Lights Out” Match: Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley
Bell rings and we’re right off to a brawl, trading shots. Chop from Kenny, Mox reverses a whip, Omega ducks a clothesline, Yakuza Kick takes him down. Whips him to the corner, charges, back elbow from Mox. Omega with a chop, hits the ropes, Mox surprises him with a Black Hole Slam! Moxley outside, says “Unsanctioned huh? Time for some f*cking Garbage Wrestling”. Throws a trash can and the lid inside the ring. Kenny grabs the can but Mox nails him with the lid. Sits the can down, but Omega spears him through the ropes to the floor! Throws him over the barrier, Kenny gets some distance, huge charge, flying dropkick over the top rope! Smacks him through the crowd, grabs a can of beer and smashes it into Mox!
Kenny takes a trash can, legit one, slams it onto him! Kenny climbs up into a higher row, comes off a railing with a big double foot stomp onto the can, grinding it against his abdomen! Drags him through the crowd, slams the beer into his back again! Throws him over to the ringside area, stands at the top of the barrier and poses, but Mox cuts him, shoves him off. Throws him to ringside, keeps him from getting back into the ring and hits a snap suplex to the floor! Chant of “We Want Tables”, but Mox has more in mind than that… pulls out the barbed wire baseball bat! Threatens the camera with it, takes it into the ring. Poke to the gut with the bat! Savoring the first real shot with it, Omega with a chop, but another poke leads to him slamming it into his back! And another! And a third! Close-up shows the punctures in the back of Omega! Slams it into him again! Grabs the hair, raking the back, grinding it against his flesh with the boot, stomps it onto his back!
“You Sick Fuck” chant as Mox seems to be getting off on it. Mox pulls him up, wants to rake the face with the barbed wire but Kenny blocks it! Gouges the eyes back, chops, whip, reverses, Moxley swings the bat, Kenny ducks, shoots behind him, rakes the hell out of the staph infected arm! Grabs up a trash can, slams it into his face! Kenny’s back is absolutely mutilated. PILEDRIVER ONTO THE TRASH CAN! Kenny looks at the bat… but tosses it away, goes outside and pulls out a table instead! Places it against the barrier. And now here it comes, the barbed wire broom! Kenny about to go back in the ring, Mox throws what’s left of the can into his face! Mox hits the ropes, wants a suicide dive, but Omega gives him a shot of barbed wire to the face to block it! Shot to the back, and now Mox is bleeding profusely!!!
Omega rakes it against the back, double footstomp to the broom?! This is unbelievable, some of the worst bleeding I’ve ever seen in a match! Kenny grinds his neck against the second rope, grings the barbed wire bat against his forehead!! Shoots him to the ropes, drop toe hold onto the broom! And now for the Leap Frog Bulldog onto the barbed wire! This is stunning. Cover for a nearfall. Kenny outside, throws a trash can into the ring. Sets it up atop the ringpost. Kenny hoists him onto his shoulders, YOU CAN’T ESCAPE, Kenny grabs the can for the moonsault, crashes the steel against him! Nearfall! Very creative. Kenny out now… pulls out a board of mouse traps?!
Takes it into the ring… Mox cuts him off. Trading forearms and elbows! Mox hits the ropes, chop, V-TRIGGER! Hits the ropes, Mox with a lariat flipping him inside out! Mox pulls the Mouse Trap board over, X-PLEX TAKES HIM RIGHT ONTO IT! MOUSE TRAPS SNAPPING ONTO HIS SKIN! Damn, one of them ripped into a finger! This is intense… Mox on the outside, looking for something else now… takes out a box, full of golden chains? Just a huge, huge length of it, creates a pile of steel with it. Sidewalk Slam right onto the chains, cover with the forearm in his face for 2! Mox brings him up, spinning neckbreaker onto the chains! Cover, KICKOUT AT 1! Moxley almost seems happy about it!
Kenny fighting his way up, gives him shots to the face, Mox knocks him back down. Grabs the chain, grinds it against his mouth now! Trying to make him eat the chain now! Kenny fights across the mat, grabs a trash can lid and just tosses it into his face. Mox right back though with shots to the back of his head! Rear naked choke from Mox, Kenny with the lid again just slams it into his face over and over and over! They both fight out, Uranage from Moxley! Mox to the floor, wants yet another weapon. He has an ice pick now?! Omega with a handful of chain, punches him in the gut with it! Mox knocks him away, goes to stab him, Kenny evades and we see the pick gouging through the turnbuckle! Omega tries to fight back but Mox with a back suplex onto the chains! And now, he wraps the chain around the neck of Omega! Omega fights back, Snap Dragon Suplex! Throws the chain from around his neck, second Snap Dragon!
Wants a third onto the chains now, Mox counters, bites the face, hits the ropes, Kenny slips behind him, nails the third Snap Dragon! Kenny now wrapping the golden chains around his neck, and locking it off it seems. Tosses him over the rope and now he’s being hung by the chain! Kenny doing everything he can to strangle him! Mox is dazed, Kenny’s grip slipped because of the blood on his hands. Mox in front of the table now… Kenny starts the Terminator Clap. Hits the ropes twice, TERMINATOR DIVE TAKES HIM RIGHT THROUGH THE TABLE! Destructive!
Chant of “Both These Guys” as Kenny throws Moxley into the ring. Searching under the ring now, pulls out a bag. That can’t have anything good in it. It’s glass! He picks up a huge chunk of broken glass! It’s from the table Mox put Kenny through?! Kenny wants to gouge his eye out with the glass! Mox blocks it, so he gouges through his hand instead!! Jesus! “You Sick Fuck” chant starts now. Kenny stomps the bag, smashing up the glass. Picks the glass up and empties it, you can just hear it, the shards of glass. Mox with a kick to the gut, Kenny reverses a whip, SITOUT SPINEBUSTER ONTO THE GLASS!!!! Poor ref gets glass in his hand counting for the nearfall. You can see glass in Moxley’s elbow, let alone his back… Kenny grabs the ankle, drags him, grinding him across the glass! Sharpshooter locked in, Moxley has to crawl through glass to get to the ropes!
Moxley’s back is destroyed… using the ropes to pull himself upright and break the hold. Omega just picking up some pieces of glass in the palm of his hands. “This is awesome” chant starts. Kenny staring at the glass, shows it to the camera. He is looking deranged. He’s putting them into Moxley’s mouth?! Hits the ropes, V-Trigger ducked, GERMAN SUPLEX ONTO THE GLASS! Kenny just ignored it, V-Trigger nailed! And another! Moxley sent onto the ramp. Omega grabs the pick from the turnbuckle pad now. Terminator Clap now as Omega walks out onto the ramp, Moxley is fleeing. TAKES THE PICK TO HIS FOREHEAD, GOUGING IT ACROSS HIS HEAD! “You sick fuck” kicks up again, my God. Kenny calling for something now, calling out to the Bucks and Page. The three of them come out and they don’t want to go through with it. Kenny is pleading his case. They walk off.
But now they’re coming back… with a huuuuuge bed of barbed wire! Dear God. KENNY HOISTS MOXLEY ONTO HIS SHOULDERS… he wanted a One Winged Angel off the ramp through the barbed wire but Moxley escapes, Kenny wants a V-Trigger but it’s blocked, Mox hooks him, SUPLEX OFF THE RAMP BRINGS THEM BOTH THROUGH THE DAMN SPIDERWEB OF BARBED WIRE!!!!
Medic and the Bucks have to help Mox and Kenny out of the barbed wire, they’re absolutely stuck to it. They escape, to a round of applause. They struggle to their feet. Moxley just punches out a stagehand! They’re in front of a setpiece, Mox wants to drive Kenny onto it, Kenny escapes, slams a stage light into his face, charges with a huge V-TRIGGER THAT TAKES THEM BOTH RIGHT THROUGH THE SPOTLIGHT!
Referee wants to stop the match it seems but he really can’t. Moxley the first to emerge. Kenny finally makes it to his feet to. Chant of “Fight Forever”, then “Kenny”. Kenny knocks Moxley up through the crowd. Kenny knocks him around, takes him into the ring. Takes up a piece of wood, into the ring, MOXLEY WITH THE DOUBLE ARM DDT ONTO THE GLASS! And some how Kenny kicks out!!! Moxley out there now, steps on a few mouse traps and doesn’t even care as he undoes the covering of the ring. Yanking out the ties and I think using the pick to help rip them off. Moxley tears the covering off… padding goes too, just the solid hardwood now!
Kenny still struggling to his feet here. Moxley pulls him up… wants a Piledriver?! Kenny with a back body drop counter, sending him onto the wood! V TRIGGER into the corner! Hoists him up, Mox escapes, wants the Paradigm Shift, but Kenny escapes, hits the Double Arm DDT! Nearfall! You gotta lift to make it the full Paradigm Shift dammit, it won’t work otherwise! Chant of “AEW”. Kenny slowly ascends up top. Phoenix Splash, but Moxley avoids it, Kenny crashes and burns into the hardwood! Moxley crawls over, cover for a nearfall! Hooks both arms now as he slowly pulls him up. PARADIGM SHIFT ONTO THE HARDWOOD! And that is finally that. Holy crap.
Winner: Jon Moxley
Hooollllllly crap. Holy crap! Damn! That’s kind of all I can say.
I don’t know if there’s ever been a more brutal match in all of mainstream wrestling. That was like a half hour deathmatch, violent from the word go. Good God. I’m glad they both survived this one.
(Refresh the page for up-to-the-minute updates!)