Image Courtesy of AEW
The Inner Circle are seen looking defeated as they talk about the Stadium Stampede match. Adding insult to injury they have to get rid of a truckload of shirts that depict them as the winners.
Matt Hardy and the Young Bucks def. Private Party and Joey Janela
Summary:
The Bucks and Hardy dominate, tagging in and out forcing their opponents to tag out to Isiah Kassidy. Kassidy, with help fom Marc Quen sends Nick Jackson to the outside with a Huricarana from the apron. On the outside, a missed kick from Nick hits Braxton Sutter, The Butcher and the Blade attack and Matt comes to save his brother. Nick battles back and tags Matt Hardy who takes on all three men and tries a triple pin after a moonsault but only gets 2. Kassidy gets triple-teamed and pinned for 3.
Post-match The Butcher and The Blade attack the Bucks but they’re saved by a debuting FTR who then attack the Bucks themselves.
Review:
I missed Private Party their high-flying acrobatic moves are a great addition to AEW, plus they work really well with Janela. While the Bucks and Hardy won, it felt like both teams got in some good offense and looked good in the process.
I’m excited to see where the FTR will go from here. The Bucks have been mocking them for years on the YouTube show Being the Elite and I think we should get some good promos out of it.
4/5
Cage def. Lee Johnson
Summary:
Jon Moxley joins the commentary team for this match. Cage wastes no time beating Johnson down and tossing him around the ring before scoring the pinfall. Post-match Tazz cuts a promo to Moxley pumping up Cage. Moxley is unfazed.
Review:
The only good part about this is Tazz’s promo. Cage is a monster of a man and having someone speak for him adds to his mystique.
Show-wise we knew this was going be a squash to promote Cage and it’s likely he’ll face a few more to pump up his numbers.
3/5
Britt Baker Explains the Conspiracy
Summary:
Britt Baker comes out in a wheelchair explains that she’s the victim of a conspiracy. She goes on to describe how in her previous match with Nyla Rose against Hikaru Shida and Kris Statlander she was intentionally injured. She then finishes claiming that official Aubrey Edwards orchestrated the whole thing.
Review:
Apparently Chris Jericho has been helping Britt Baker, which explains a lot because this has his classic heel-work sown into it. Baker coming back with her injury and using it to amplify her heel persona is some great work by production. Instead of letting her sit at home and recover she does a promo where she’s so narcissistic that she can’t accept her getting hurt as an accident.
4/5
Hikaru Shida def. Christi Jaynes
Summary:
Both women try to rally the crowd behind them while in a stalemate. Jaynes gets a hold of Shida and performs a top-rope arm drag overpowering the champ. Shida gets mad and battles back until Jaynes scores a kick to the head. Jaynes scores a close pinfall but an attempted lionsault gives Shida her momentum back. Shida hits the falcon arrow and wins.
Review:
Jaynes was given a fair fight, there were times when she overpowered the champion and even got in some nice moves. This reminds me of Kenny Omega vs. Alan Angels, where it could have been a squash match but the enhancement talent got a chance to show their skills. I really hope Jaynes comes back because she showed potential and I think could be a great addition to the roster. A solid women’s match that was more than just a squash for the new champion.
3.5/5
Cody announces his weekly challenge
Summary:
Cody delivers a promo talking about his life in the ring and about being a member of the Rhodes family and how it was never enough. He goes on to tell the crowd he will be a working champion and every week will defend the title.
Review:
Cody doesn’t do many promos but when he does they’re always great. He always feels like he’s full of passion and wants to make the company better. He understands that being a part of the backstage production makes it hard to take him seriously. By defending it every week he shows his dedication to the company as a performer as well as a boss.
4/5
Kip Sabian and Jimmy Havoc def. Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian
Summary:
Havoc and Sabian jump SCU but it backfires when Kazarian overpowers them. SCU dominates Sabian until he gets a jawbreaker and tags out to Havoc. No luck for Havoc as he takes over getting his arm twisted while his opponents tag in and out. A few dirty tricks and Havoc tags out. Kazarian is held hostage but manages to break out and get the tag. Sky comes in with fists of fury but their opponents play dirty. It looks like SCU is set for the win until Penelope Ford grabs Kazarian’s foot causing a distraction that Havoc uses to get the pinfall.
Summary:
A solid match that showcases two of the best tag teams in AEW. When Havoc and Sabian started teaming up I didn’t think they’d be this good, but they work so well together as a heel tag team. Good double moves and some great psychology from Havoc and Sabian.
4/5
Jungle Boy wins the Battle Royale
Summary:
Orange Cassidy is stopped from entering by Santana and Ortiz for interrupting Jericho earlier. On the inside, Luchasauraus chokeslams Luther out of the ring. Wardlow eliminates Sonny Kiss and MJF attacks him. Cabana gets chucked out by Billy Gunn and gets offered membership in the Dark Order. Back in the ring, Pete Avalon and Brandon Cutler eliminate each other. Christopher Daniel is eliminated by Marko Stunt who’s then chucked out by Wardlow. MJF and Wardlow then eliminate Gunn and Luchasauras. Cassidy enters and he and Junge Boy eliminate Wardlow and MJF before Jungle Boy eliminates Cassidy to win.
Review:
This is like a Cobb salad. It feels like they just put together everyone who wasn’t doing anything and gave them some extra screen time. Yes, we get a nice back and forth with Wardlow and Luchasauras, but that’s about the only highlight I can think of.
2/5
The Inner Circle holds a pep-rally
Summary:
The Inner Circle comes out to the ring trying to cheer each other up with awful presents and tossing shirts from the opening segment. When Sammy Guevara presents Chris Jericho’s gift it’s gone, consumed by Mike Tyson. Tyson comes down to the ring and a brawl breaks out forcing the Inner Circle and the AEW locker room to break it up.
Review:
A good rule for a post-pay-per-view show is to end it by introducing new wrestlers. It would have been a better choice to end the show with the opening match and introduce FTR. This segment is good for showing the Inner Circle as people who can’t take losing, but it bothers me that they’re still talking about the Elite. The Stadium Stampede match was a great way to end the feud and I can’t see how they could top it. Conversely, while I want them to move on I don’t see them doing much with Tyson. I also wish they had done more in AEW to push the feud instead of referencing it in WWE. A good segment from the Inner Circle but I don’t have much faith in where this is headed.