Photo courtesy of AEW
The show opens up with The Inner Circle getting out of a limo and telling Alex Marvez they have a surprise for The Elite.
Jon Moxley def. 10
Summary:
Before the match Brodie Lee delivers a promo boasting about The Dark Order and knighting 10 before bringing up his match with John Moxley Double or Nothing.
Moxley starts the match with a high-knee. Then Moxley beats 10 into a corner and stomps him before Aubrey gets in the way. 10 uses the distraction to knock Moxley out of the ring and continues the assault.
Back in the ring, 10 continues the beatdown but a DDT changes that. Moxley switches between attacking 10 and calling out Mr. Lee, with no sign of Lee Mox hits the Paradigm Shift and gets the pinfall.
Post-match Moxley puts 10’s arm in a folding chair and demands Mr. Lee show. If he doesn’t he’ll break 10’s arm. Mr. Lee appears on the jumbo screen. And refuses instead berating Mox and telling him he’ll see him at the PPV and leaves with the rest of the Dark Order. Mox keeps his promise and hits the chair wrapped around 10’s arm with another.
Review:
This match was meant to sell the PPV and both promos show that. The wrestling was okay at best. Nothing about it really sticks out. 10 does get in some offense as it wasn’t one-sided contest but for someone who’s not just a nameless goon in The Dark Order, you’d think he’d do more.
Hopefully being abandoned by Brodie Lee will be part of a later storyline and we’ll see him betray the group. Maybe the group will dissolve.
3/5
MJF def. Marko Stunt
Summary:
MJF mocks Marko and after giving him a fighting chance he bodyslams him. MJF continues to dominate and distracts the ref while Wardlow chokes Marko with the bottom rope. Marko fights back and sends MJF into the bottom turnbuckle. Fighting back Marko sends MJF outside the ring and tries to slide out but gets caught in the apron skirt but avoids an axe handle smash. Marko gets back in the ring and tries to go after MJF again but gets punched for his efforts. Inside the ring MJF hits the shoulderbreaker and salt of the earth forcing Marko to tap out.
Post-match MJF taunts Marko and forces him to kiss the ring via a punch to the face. Afterwards the rest of Jurassic Express comes to his aid while MJF and Wardlow slip out of the ring.
Review:
A few weeks ago we reviewed a MJF vs. Marko Stunt match on Match Exchange Mondays. That match was way better than this. Marko was tossed around and used as a human wrestling buddy. This match was a solid match that also bares a resemblance to the previous match. In both matches the two victors called out their demands and included a post-match beat down. A serviceable match with some creative use of the apron but nothing too exciting.
3/5
Jake Roberts and Arn Anderson trade words
Summary:
Sitting across the table from each other Jake and Arn brag about their clients. Arn starts explaining Jake Roberts and saying that he’s always been the one to fear and the snake was a distraction. We also learn that Mike Tyson will have free reign in the arena. It’s gets suggested that Archer wants a piece of Tyson. Both men trade more insults before the table is flipped and the refs need to separate them.
Review:
Two legends in the ring trading words in a promo that I wish happened years ago. The good and evil in this story are well represented here with Arn’s polite yet stern style of conversation, while Jake has a dirty and ruthless tone. With Tyson having free reign it makes me wonder if he’ll be involved in the match especially since Archer wanting a fight. I wish that the ref’s made more of an effort to restrain them. I’d have loved to see both men fight.
3.5/5
Rey Fenix Def. Orange Cassidy
Summary:
Fenix looks to repeat the devastating kick from last week but Cassidy steps out the way. In the ring, we get classic Cassidy who in-between dodging and performing with his hands in his pockets takes control causing Fenix to roll out and reassess.
Back in the ring both go at it until a stomp to the back puts Fenix in charge. Fenix continues to dominate Cassidy until one strike too many sends him over the edge. Cassidy battles back with fury and anger but Fenix regains control and hits him with a musclebuster. Kip Sabian comes out with a ladder. This Distracts Cassidy who gets a low-blow and a cutter. Fenix pins him and gets the win.
Post-match Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky come out and toss Sabian off the ladder. Chaos breaks out as Havoc joins in and all men end up on the outside. Fenix dives onto all of them followed by Orange Cassidy. But neither man was properly caught.
Review:
One of the better matches of the night. We’re starting to see a different kind of Orange Cassidy, relying less on his style from the indies and more on being a full-blown performer. Fenix as always in on point with his high-flying acrobatic style. Both men put on a great match that sees a lot of back and forth action. It keeps you guessing throughout the whole match.
A solid match but again we’re seeing the match end in a fight to promote the Pay-per-view for a third time. Also, the dives both competitors took look really bad as no one caught them.
3.75/5
Britt Baker and Nyla Rose Def. Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander
Summary:
Nyla Rose attempts to swing at Shida with the Kendo stick but misses. Shida and Rose start the match but Statlander’s tagged in and they try to double team Rose. Rose hits Statlander with a huge tackle and proceeds to dominate the match. Rose goes for the tag but Baker refuses as we go to a commercial.
Back from commercial, Baker and Statlander are the legal competiors. Statlander battles back gets the tag. Shida dominates both women sending Rose to the outside. Back in the ring Shida is running the show on Baker. Shida tags out, her and Statlander take turns striking Baker in the corner before moving out of the way as Rose charges in. Both women put Rose into a firemen’s carry and throw her onto hero own partner. Baker seems to be hurt so Rose drags her partner to the corner and tags herself in. Statlander is able to get Rose into a face-first drop before tagging Shida.
A flying dropkick greets Rose as Shida enters the ring. Shida goes for a suplex but it’s a big mistake. Shida and Statlander try to battle back while it looks like Baker is getting checked on by doctors. Rose hits a powerbomb on Shida for the 3-count.
Post-match Nyla Rose attempts to put Shida through a table but Statlander interferes and Shida superplexes Rose through the table.
Review:
This is a really good women’s match. Even with Britt Baker possibly injured during the match they still managed to work around it. We got some nice double team moves out of Shida and Statlander. Meanwhile, Rose looked like a beast performing that huge tackle and sending Statlander flying. This is probably one of the best matches the women’s division has had in weeks.
Unfortunately again we have a post-match brawl for the PPV and at this point, it’s a little too repetitive.
4/5
Matt Hardy Def. Sammy Guevara
Summary:
Sammy Guevara comes in cocky but Matt Hardy makes short work of it. Hardy goes on the warpath throwing Guevara around in and outside the ring. Back in the ring Hardy goes for the twist of fate but Guevara puts his hands up and breaks out of it. Guevara takes the lead and starts hitting him with strikes but gets cocky trying to do the twist of fate. Hardy ends up on the outside and Guevara flips over the top rope landing on him. Both men are on the floor as we head to commercial.
Back to the show Hardy is full of steam slamming Guevara everywhere before hitting the side effect. Sammy battles back and starts to gain momentum which ends with a superkick for a 2-count. Going up to the top rope Guevara tries a shooting star press but Hardy moves out of the way. Matt Hardy hist twist of fate for only a 2-count and Hardy is bleeding, unhappy he takes Guevara’s shoe off and starts biting hit foot.
The ref distracts Hardy and he ends up getting a top rope cutter for a near fall. A Frustrated Guevara goes up to the top again for the shooting star press but he takes knees to the chest. One more twist of fate and it’s Hardy for the win.
Afterwards, Hardy attempt to attack Guevara with a chair but is stops when Jericho appears on the jumbotron. Jericho and the rest on Inner Circle Kenny Omega tied to a field goal post. Hardy goes after them but before Omega can be hurt the Young Bucks appear and stop the Inner Circle. Hardy joins in the fight but momentum changes and the Inner Circle and is dominating. Adam Page comes running in from the other side of the stadium to save the day. We leave on a shot of Adam Page walking off as the Elite stand tall.
Review:
Going into this match Hardy seemed legitimately angry at Guevara which made no sense since it was Jericho who smashed Vanguard one. As usual, Guevara puts on a show with his high-athletic, high-flying style. He also pulls off one of the most creative reversals to the twist of fate. Speaking of the twist of fate having Guevara take multiples felt like it had diminishing returns.
This is the only real post-match brawl that needed to happen. The Elite vs. Inner Circle has been a major feud for some time now and it makes sense. I like where this is taking their match for the PPV it feels like it’s not just a match but a war that’s coming.