Photo Courtesy of All Elite Wrestling/Lee South
Brian Cage wins the Casino Ladder Match
Summary:
Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky are the first two to competitors to fight til Kip Sabian enters. Jimmy Havoc hits Kazarian and Sky with a ladder, Havoc tries to take Kazarian while Sabian and Sky go outside. Havoc gets hit with a German suplex. Darby Allin enters and is on the warpath and takes out all four competitors, he sets up a ladder across the barricade and ring apron. He gets Kazarian on it, then jumps from the top of a ladder but misses. Allin is lying on the ground as the timer runs out.
Orange Cassidy goes over to commentary to learn the rules. Cassidy tries to set up the ladder but Colt Cabana shows up and chucks Cassidy out before going up the ladder. Sabian, Sky, and Kazarian stop him and Cassidy comes back hits them with a suicide dive. Joey Janela runs out attacking Cassidy, Kazaraian, Sky, Sabian, and Havoc before dropkicking Cabana in the ring. Luchasauraus joins in and takes everyone out then battles Darby Allin before the last man comes out.
The final competitor is Brian Cage who wipes the floor with everyone until they all team up and put him under a pile of debris. Back to normal, everyone goes back and forth trying to get to the top. Cage breaks out and attacks Luchasauraus and then Allin who he throws out of the ring on a ladder. Cage then climbs the ladder and wins the match.
Review:
This ladder match had some great spots involving Darby Allin who took some major bumps. The problem is that there were too many competitors and it diluted the quality of the match. For Brian Cage’s debut it might have been better to cut it short once he entered and have him destroy everyone. An okay match to start the show but less would have been better.
3/5
MJF def. Jungle Boy
Summary:
Both men lock up and neither one can seem to get an advantage which frustrates MJF. They continue to exchange reversals and outdo each other until Jungle Boy maneuvers into a ground and pound position and is stopped by the referee. Back on their feet MJF fakes a knee injury and attacks from behind. MJF briefly dominates but Jungle Boy battles back and hits three moves to the outside on MJF. Back in the ring, Jungle Boy is holding his left arm and MJF takes advantage, but can’t gain control. Jungle Boy tries a roll-up but MJF reverses it and gets the win.
Review:
These two are future stars and this match showed why. Impressive maneuvers, great back and forth, and some amazing storytelling. Best of all the ending leaves room for another match because it was a roll-up victory.
4/5
Cody def. Lance Archer for the TNT Championship
Summary:
Archer tries to end it early but Cody reverses. Sticking and moving Cody gets Archer out of the ring and looks to have the advantage but gets choke slammed from the stands. Archer ragdolls Cody but a chat with Arn Anderson and he tries to battle back. Cody looks done for and with the ref’s back turned Arn trips up Lance and gets booted out. Archer takes an Avalanche Reverse Suplex but can’t be stopped. Not wanting to lose Jake Roberts brings out a bag but Mike Tyson stops him. Archer is about to hit the black out but Cody reverses into a two cross Rhodes for a 3-count.
Review:
They did a good job making Archer seem like an unstoppable machine, Cody had an uphill battle that seemed insurmountable and like no matter what he couldn’t win. Cody’s win came at a cost and it’s likely to come up later. On the downside, we need to talk about Mike Tyson and his part in the match. From being caught on camera yawning to snitching on Arn, Tyson felt so out of place and like he wasn’t enjoying himself.
3.5/5
Kris Statlander def. Penelope Ford
Summary:
It’s Statlander to start using her size and strength to control the match. Ford heads to the outside and Kris follows getting in a confrontation with Kip Sabian. Back in the ring Ford gets the advantage but after missing a chop ends up on the outside where Statlander hits a suicide dive on her and Sabian. In the ring, they battle back and forth before Statlander hits the big bang theory for the win.
Review:
Britt Baker was supposed to be in this match but they had to replace her last minute. With that being said this match was pretty good for what it was. Ford has been doing much more recently and we’ve been seeing her put on a show. Statlander is her usual acrobatic self and puts on a good show.
3.5/5
Dustin Rhodes def. Shawn Spears
Summary:
Spears comes out and starts mocking Dustin before his music hits, but this is a ruse and he continues to mock Dustin before the music hits a second time. This time Brandi comes out and Dustin sneak attacks Spears. We’re treated to Spears being stripped down to his boxers and beaten till Rhodes hits the final reckoning for the pinfall.
Review:
This was a squash match with some attitude-era comedy thrown in. This is the worst for two reasons, first, this is a squash match on a Pay-per-view meaning people paid money to see this. Second, what exactly was the point of stripping Spears down to his boxers?
1/5
Hikaru Shida def. Nyla Rose for the AEW Women’s Championship
Summary:
Both women waste no time. Rose gains an early advantage with the kendo stick but Shida fights back. They end up on the outside and Rose throws Shida through a poker table set up at ringside, but Shida gains the upper hand and hits Rose with a running knee strike into a giant poker chip. Back in the ring Rose demolishes Shida who just won’t stay down. Shida goes on the offense hitting Rose with the kendo stick before landing the running knee and scoring the victory.
Review:
I’m really grateful that this match was no-holds barred. Shida and Rose throw everything at each other and this match is one of the best the women’s division has had in a while. Hikaru Shida takes quite a beating and when she finally pulls out the victory it’s well earned. Nyla Rose is a powerhouse and watching her it felt almost impossible for her to be defeated.
4/5
Jon Moxley def. Brodie Lee for the AEW Heavyweight Championship
Summary:
Moxley charges at Lee but is overpowered and tossed around the arena before slammed into a barricade. Moxley starts to mount an offense and puts Lee through the timekeeper’s table. Lee’s got control as Moxley staggers out of the ring and pulls a paradigm shift on the entrance way which sends both men through the stage. An angry Moxley throws everything he has left at Lee before using a rear-naked renders him unconscious and wins the match.
Review:
This was an emotional match for Moxley. Lee poses a real threat and feels like a powerhouse that could have walked away champion. Despite not being booked as a no-holds-barred match it basically is. We see some amazing bumps taken by both men and when they went through the stage I was on my feet.
4.5/5
The Elite def. The Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede Match
Summary:
The Elite and Inner Circle brawl on the field and Adam Page is missing giving Inner circle the advantage. Page comes out on a horse and chases after Sammy Guevara. The match starts to break off into different segments as everyone goes their separate ways. Kenny Omega and Matt Hardy fight with Santana and Ortiz. Santana and Ortiz try to drown Hardy in a nearby pool, but Hardy regenerates and battles back defeating the two men and locking Santana in a freezer.
Jake Hager finds Page at a bar and the two brawl with Hager gaining the advantage, but Omega arrives and they gain the upper hand before knocking Hager over the bar. Out on the field, Sammy Guevara gets suplexed down the field to the end zone by Matt Jackson while Nick battles Jericho. Matt and Nick join forces and take care of Jericho. Guevara gets chased into the stands by Hardy and Omega who catch him. Omega takes Guevara and heads to the top of the field entrance ways and hits the one-winged angel onto a supply shed for the win.
Review:
We get probably the best match this year out of AEW. Each member of the Inner Circle and Elite get a moment to shine and make great use of the stadium to try new things and include some comedy in the match. Honestly I feel like this would be the perfect place to end the Inner Circle/Elite feud. They did everything they could and there’s no way they could top this.