Jake Roberts Opens the show
Summary:
Lance Archer comes out beating up somebody and is followed by Jake Roberts who cuts a promo. He talks down about Brandi being in wrestling and telling Cody how Lance is going to destroy him.
Cody comes out in an F-150 and storms the ring. Both men go back and forth on the outside and inside of the ring. The promo ends in a standstill with Jake tellin Archer “not now” as they walk to the back.
Review:
This feels like a weaker promo for Jake Roberts with him suddenly being sexist for no reason. It would have been a better promo if he had kept with the “Ceaser” narrative this storyline started with.
Cody and Lance finally fighting is good because it leaves us with a stalemate and tries to get us asking who could win?
3.5/5
Jurassic Express Def. Best Friends
Summary:
Chuck Taylor and Jungle Boy start off going back and forth ending with Taylor gaining the advantage. Jungle boy tags out. Luchasauraus tosses Baretta into the corner but Trent trades chops with Luchasauraus and gets knocked down. Trent tries to battle back but Luchasauraus is in control and hits him with a tailwhip. Jungle Boy gets tagged and goes to the top rope but Baretta counters with a side suplex. Baretta gets Jungle Boy onto the top turnbuckle. Taylor lifts him up for an attempted superplex but Jungle Boy hits Baretta with a dropkick and Luchasuaraus joins the action.
The Best Friends roll out and Jurassic Express tries to capitalize only for Chuck and Trent to get Luchasauras in a double suplex. The best friends try to celebrate but are stopped by Jungle Boy with a big dive. All four men are on the floor as we cut to commercial.
Back from commercial and Luchasuaurus is in control. A spear from Baretta sends them into a hot-tag situation. Both men get the tag it’s Chuck and Jungle Boy who trades blows this time Taylor getting the upper hand. Jungle Boy gets whipped into the corner and tries to come back only for Trent to come in with a knee strike taking him out. Luchasaurs hits Trent with a kick and goes for a body drop but gets a swinging DDT reversal.
Orange Cassidy heads to the front of the entrance ramp and tries to fire up Baretta and gets a kick out of nowhere from Ray Fenix. In the confusion, MJF sneaks in and attacks Jungle boy and rolls him back in the ring. Taylor hits the awful waffle and gets the 3.
Post-match Wardlow slams Marko Stunt into the barricade and is confronted by Luchasauras.
Review:
This was a really good match. Both teams got in a lot of offense and pulled off some impressive moves. It felt like this could have been anyone’s match and I feel like each member got a moment to shine with the double suplex being my favorite. Not bad for an opening match.
The ending was a little bit screwy though and I’m sad about that. Hopefully, we’ll get another match between these two teams with a clean ending.
4/5
Hikaru Shida Def. Britt Baker, Kris Statlander, Penelope Ford
Summary:
Penelope Ford and Kris Statlander start off at one side while Shida and Baker start at the other. Statlander goes after Baker and Shida helps her for a double backbreaker. Shida and Baker are left in the ring as Statlander and Ford brawl on the outside. Shida and Baker go back and forth. Baker looks to perform the lockjaw on Shida but Statlander saves the day. Statlander gets Baker on her shoulders but Ford kicks her sending her to the ground. Baker gains control and beats down Statlander until Shida takes her out of the ring. Shida stops a pin and gets Baker on the second rope for a suplex but Statlander gets in and makes it a suplex/powerbomb combo. She takes out Ford before getting a knee strike from Shida. All four women are lying in the ring and we cut to commercial.
Back from commercial Statlander and Shida are fighting. But Baker breaks it up and hits Statlander with a Canadian Destroyer. Ford hits Baker with a cutter for a pinfall attempt and Shida tries to interrupt. Shida gets a stunner from Ford, who gets a corkscrew from Baker, who gets a falcon arrow from Statlander for a 2 count. The fight continues and Statlander and Baker rolling out leaving Ford and Shida, Ford hits her with a top rope dropkick for a 2. Kip Sabian enters the match and holds back Shida for a strike only for him and Ford to end up making out. Shida takes advantage as Statlander comes back in the match before going back out after a poisonrana. Ford tries another handspring cutter but gets caught and gets a backbreaker and a knee strike from Shida who takes the victory with a 3 count.
Review:
This is how a women’s match should be! I felt like all the women get their moment to shine and I was excited to see who would come out on top. the match built tension as no one competitor felt dominant for too long. I also loved how Kip Sabian was used and rather than have Ford accidentally hit him they subverted the trope.
On the downside it seems like this was never really a four-way as two competitors were usually on the outside of the ring. It also feels repetitive that this and the previous match cut to commercial right as all competitors are on the floor.
A better match that hopefully will be an upturn in women’s matches.
3.5/5
Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy Def. Santana and Ortiz
Summary:
Santana and Ortiz assault Omega before Hardy even hits the ring. Hardy comes out and Santana tries to attack him on the stage but ends up being bitten. The match gets started with Ortiz and Omega. Ortiz gets control before tagging in Santana. Omega gets thrown into the ropes as they try to double team him but he hits them with a low dropkick and a crush before tagging Hardy in. Sanatana and Ortiz get handled before Hardy pins Santana for a two count. Omega gets the tag and beats Santana down til Ortiz distracts him. Omega ends up getting clotheslined to the outside. Ortiz continues to attack on Omega, throwing him into the guardrail as we go to commercial.
After the commercial Kenny is Omega in the ring with Santana. The tag is made as Omega is in a Boston crab and it’s modified into a combo Camel Clutch. Santana continues before tagging Ortiz back in. A striking contest ensues but when Ortiz goes to pose he gets a snap dragon suplex. Both men tag their partners and Hardy comes in full of steam. Hardy attempts a twist of fate but Santana and Ortiz get him outside of the ring. Sanatana follows up with a suicide dive. Santana and Ortiz go for the street sweeper but Omega gets out and tags Hardy in. Hardy takes the fight to the and gets Ortiz in a butterfly hold but Sammy Guevara comes out.
Guevara walks out with a chair and tries to use the chair but it’s no use, as his neckbrace hinders his movements. Ortiz tries to take advantage but gets met by Omega and Hardy with a V-trigger and a twist of Fate from the top rope. Ortiz ends up pinned for the three.
Review:
What should feel like the better match out of the last three, falls short in that way. We’ve seen so much of The Inner Circle vs. The Elite it feels repetitive. We know all their moves and we see a lot of back and forth but it’s what we’ve come to expect from them. I will say this is an okay match and I appreciate no post-match assault but they really need more variety.
3/5
MJF Def. Lee Johnson
Summary:
MJF goes for a cheap shot as Johnson is talking with Referee Aubrey. Friedman continues by hitting a German suplex and tossing Johnson around. Johnson eventually gets in a chop of his own but it’s all for nothing as he gets slapped down. Johnson is thrown out of the ring as Friedman continues the assault and taunts watchers to help him. Throwing Johnson back in the ring Friedman hits him with a shoulder breaker before moving into an armbar for a submission win.
MJF then cuts a promo on Jungle Boy for their upcoming match at Double or Nothing.
Review:
With more members of the roster back, having a squash match feels so out of place. There’s nothing really to write here because it doesn’t show off MJF’s prowess as Johnson doesn’t get in any offense. Honestly this feels like a filler match and with all the matches that were on AEW Dark this week I’m sure they could have put one of them on instead.
1.5/5
Chris Jericho Def. Pineapple Pete/ Promo
Summary:
Pete comes at Jericho with a ton of energy hitting him with several blows in the corner. But this is all for nothing as Jericho hits Pete with a Judas Effect Elbow and scores the win.
Chris then cuts a promo taunting the Elite and explaining that they will wrestle in a stadium stampede match and explains the rules.
Vanguard one appears and lets The Inner Circle know they accept and returns the shirt it was offered. Jericho then smashes the drone with a bat.
Review:
Calling this a match is a travesty. Honestly they should have just cut Pete out and saved him for Guevara or some other segment. I will give credit for actually letting Pete have that burst out energy instead of just tossing him around.
The decision to destroy Vanguard is what makes this promo interesting because it takes one of the few things long associated with “Broken” Matt Hardy. This should result in an interesting match maybe even something similar to the deletion matches from TNA.
2/5
Brodie lee Def. Christopher Daniels
Summary:
Christopher tries to attack Brodie Lee but it’s no use as Lee is unfazed by all of his attacks. Brodie hits Christopher with a big powerslam and throws him outside the ring. Brodie comes to where SCU is standing and gets distracted giving Chris a chance to attack and follow up with a suicide dive. Chris continues to capitalize back in the ring but Brodie battles back with a big boot. Brodie corners the ref as he tries to stop but the ref just back into the corner. Brodie continues and hits Chris with a sidewalk slam for a 2 count before commercial.
Back from commercial and Chris gets his chance when he manages to get Brodie into a big DDT. Chris comes back with running strikes and starts to build momentum and hits Brodie with a Frankensteiner. Pres10 gets on the apron but SCU stops him and as more Order devotees try to stop the match a fight ensues between them and SCU. Chris gets the Angel’s Wings but only gets a one count. Brodie tries to do the Angels wings but Chris escapes and pulls off a moonsault for a two count. Back on the top ropes Chris launches at Lee but it turns into a powerbomb and a 3 count for Brodie.
Post-match Moxley comes down to the ring and beats down Dark Order goons before cutting a promo as Brodie Lee has escaped with the belt. Jon cuts a promo about being disrespected.
Review:
While the outcome was obvious I was amazed near the end. I was surprised to see Brodie perform a superplex and try things other than just be a big man with power moves. With that being said I’m a little sad this match wasn’t more hyped up. SCU had been victims of The Dark Order for some time and this should have been their big chance to get revenge.
Of all the times to have this end in a big brawl I’m disappointed because it would have felt right this time.