As the year starts AEW has released a video package about the Elite despite their high hopes for gold and glory last year things have been a rough with a terrible win-loss records, multiple beatings, strained relationships, and the Dark Order and the Inner Circle posing a threat one has to wonder are they still the Elite?
Cody Rhodes Def. Darby Allin Via Pinfall
Cody offers a turn the tide for the Elite with his victory but at what cost? throughout the match we see Cody’s left arm being targeted odds are this will come up in his match against MJF or Wardlow. Though they start off exchanging holds and reversing them the match starts to see high spots and a lot of back and forth trying to outsmart each other. Darby is a future star and this match is one of the best examples despite the physical difference he makes it work to his advantage by using his size to maneuver and reverse everything Cody does making it a battle to land anything. A good warm up match which shows the potential of Darby Allin and gives Cody a much needed win.
Rating 3.5/5
Riho def. Nyla Rose, Britt Baker, and Hikaru Shida via pinfall
Her first match back since her suspension Nyla Rose is quick to tear into her competition but is shorted out when Hikaru Shida hits her with a kendo stick, from there the match escalates a little too quickly with Rose quick to pull out the table and put Shida through it as soon as she can but if she’s the powerhouse we’re led to believe why does she rely on tables? Shida quickly becomes the favourite in the match but with anybody being able to pick up the victory it could go anyway, eventually Riho sneaks in a scores the pinfall on Britt Baker after an almost pinfall and afterwards is promptly put through a table by Nyla. Hopefully Shida gets her day cause this match was a mess and Nyla needs something more than putting people through tables because between set up and actually putting someone through the table the momentum gets lost quickly.
Rating 2/5
Jon Moxley Def Trent? via pinfall
With Moxley being the number one contender it would be easy to have him squash Trent and move onto the next segment but Trent is given a fair shake and puts his best foot forward in this match, although it’s a given he won’t win Trent puts on a show and makes you believe he could win, maybe one day Trent and Chuck Taylor will have their day higher up on the roster, but until then we see Trent can hold his own as a solo competitor. I do need to mention that watching Orange Cassidy standing up to Moxley was comedic gold and makes me hope we will see more of this in the future against other tough guys on the roster, maybe Orange Cassidy vs. Jake Hager?
Rating 3.5/5
Will Jon Moxley join the Inner Circle?
Sammy Guevara comes down to the ring through the crowd to set up a video by Chris Jericho in which Chris offers Moxley some corporate goodies a fancy title and a ford GT for joining the Inner Circle, of course without Jericho being there in person we get told next week Moxley will make his choice. At this point it feels like the answer is going to be no but the question is what will happen to that car? if we’ve learned anything in wrestling it’s that showing off a car is a great way for it to end up being demolished and with Moxley’s scorched earth style it’s likely to happen.
Rating 1/5
Sammy Guevara Def. Dustin Rhodes via pinfall
What could have been a well deserved beating gets sidetracked when Jack Hager shows up but far be it from these two men to just phone it in till there’s interference, performing a senton from the apron and keeping on top of Guevara Dustin shows that he’s nowhere close to settling down and is still in great shape when the tides turn Guevara wastes no time reminding us he’s more than just a great heel performing backflips and high risk moves and getting busted open in the process. Jake Hager’s role in the match maybe setting himself up for a future fight with Dustin but his presence as a bruiser takes a beating when Guevara ends up falling on him, helping to make him seem like less of an unstoppable machine. A good match by both men but the ending become obvious once Hager showed up.
Rating 3.5/5
MJF picks his stipulation for Cody Rhodes match
More great heel work by MJF mocking the Jacksonville crowd and sneering at the camera for the people at home. Although it’s unlikely Cody will take the ten lashes by choice with MJF’s specific demands odds are he’ll collect his pound of flesh and make good use of the no touching rule with the help of his bodyguard, and speaking of MJF’s bodyguard it should be interesting to see Wardlows debut in AEW’s first steel cage match. A great promo that offers to show us the darker side of MJF and his new bodyguard and a reminder of how he redefines the rich heel.
Rating 4/5
Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks Def. The Lucha Bros. and PAC via pinfall
The Lucha Bros. and the Young Bucks are two of the greatest tag teams in the world when they work together and this match is proof, with doubles spots, high spots, near falls, and reversal after reversal it feels like it could be anyone’s game when they get together and with Pac and Omega everyone there has someone they’re gunning for making this match feel like a preview of what’s to come in the future. A great end for the first show of 2020 with the Elite standing in the ring victorious but one must wonder what’s to become of Adam Page in the group?
Rating 5/5