27 STAR SHOW
I don’t care if ratings are limited. This must have been the best goddamn PPV ever… Until the next best goddamn PPV.
I apologize in advance, nothing I say will be enough to describe AEW Revolution 2022. If you didn’t watch, then shame on you!
From Orange Cassidy being Uncle Phil’d, to Eddie Kingston channeling his inner Minoru Suzuki, to CM Punk taking us on a ride down nostalgia lane, to the completely out-of-nowhere debut of William Regal, this pay-per-view was absolutely outstanding.
Of course, there’s also the matches which doused us in buckets of blood.
The pre-show was fantastic. The opening match saw “Legit Leyla Hirsch defeat Kris Statlander, then HOOK get his revenge over QT Marshall.
The “main event” of the pre-show was The House of Black defeating Death Triangle and Erick Redbeard in a fantastic match. I could not believe how over Redbeard was with the live crowd. Damn when stood up against Malakai or King, those encounters were brutally fierce. Some super-sick combos.
But before the main show starts, we hear from a special guest… and the music of Kenny Omega hits!!! But… we get… Don Callis. He puts over Adam Cole as someone who will “make a great transitional champion.”
If that’s not some foreboding…
The opening of the PPV will be my Match of the Year in 2022 when we write that column… features Eddie Kingston defeating Chris Jericho in one hell of a suplex-fest. Eddie opens the match by LAUNCHING Jericho with a T-Bone Suplex ON HIS HEAD. Two of the best in facial story-telling, some of the best wrestling with a barrage of suplexes and submission holds throughout. I can’t recall the last time I have seen Jericho toss and get tossed with so many german suplexes. Kingston took Jericho over with the back drop drivers twice, plus an exploder or two. Then came the exchanges of super-stiff chops and open palm strikes, lighting each other up. When those failed, they turned to straight up forearm shots. Kingston manages to evade a Judas Effect, and scores not once, but twice with the spinning backhand. Kingston is not done, traps Jericho in the Stretch Plum submission, with some huge torque on Jericho’s arm to earn the victory.
Post match, Eddie offers Jericho the handshake of respect, but Jericho refuses and takes off, breaking his promise.
Finally, Eddie Kingston gets his first pay-per-view victory.
Eddie made this match. From the picture-perfect suplexes thrown, to his mannerisms, his trash-talking… Eddie Kingston proves to be World Champion material. I don’t know when, and I don’t care, but it better be sometime soon, give this man a world championship.
Next up, in a phenomenal three-way dance, Jurassic Express retains the AEW Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks and ReDragon.
Again, another incredible match. I’m giving the MVP of this match to Luchasaurus. Gotta give it to the dinosaur. We saw the breakdown between the Bucks and ReDragon. A fantastic, fast-but-well paced match where everyone got to showcase everything and then some. Jungle Bot with an insane Shooting Star Press, which was followed by a 450 from Nick Jackson. Luchasaurus had some insane offense throughout the match.
The story going forward will be how The Elite/Super Elite can co-exist. Damn.
Next up, the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match
Wardlow wins the ladder match following some of the craziest stuff. Orange Cassidy is a special guy. From delivering his trademark kicks to the big men, being lifted off the ground and nearly grabbing the ring by standing across the ladder. Keith Lee, Wardlow, and Hobbs were all astounding with their offensive during this match. Not every day you see big men act like cruiserweights or do some pretty impressive stuff. Christian did great to add some veteran style to the match, Rick Starks is one cool dude I’ll tell you. He brings so much personality in the ring. At one point, everyone managed to stand atop two ladders fighting over the brass ring. Later on, Keith Lee is pinned in a corner with a ladder, while Hobbs suplexes Cassidy off it to the mat.
In the end, Starks is nearly at the top, but Wardlow LEAPS up the ladder after powerbombing Christian, he powerbombs Starks off the ladder onto another ladder! Starks clearly KO’d, as Wardlow grabs the ring to win.
What a match!
Jade Cargill retains the TBS Championship against Tay Conti
Not a bad match, but this was definitely a “cool down” match after three consecutive barnburners. It seemed pretty clear from the get-go Jade would win, but Conti had a fair showing. Lots of near-falls, but I didn’t feel a vibe where Conti could have realistically defeated Cargill.
Who could it be though? Who will be the one chosen to dethrone her?
Shane “Swerve” Strickland is officially signed to AEW.
The next portion of the PPV enters into violence territory. CM Punk defeats MJF in one Bloody of a Dog Collar Match. MJF comes to the ring first. However, we don’t get the usual “Cult of Personality” – Instead it’s going old school with Miseria Cantare by AFI, his Ring Of Honor theme, wearing his ROH entrance and ring gear, and oh boy, MJF has no idea what he’s in for.
He was in for a fight for survival. Punk has early advantage, however later on MJF is able to gain control, ultimately busting Punk wide open with the chain. Now a bloody mess, MJF gets on the mic and trash talks Punk and the live crowd, only to earn an “eat s***t” comment. Punk is able to fight back, but at this point it’s anyone’s match, it’s a constant back and forth with no clear one individual in control. The chain is used frequently and creatively by both, with sinister intent and increased damage with each move.
It boils down to a tale of two wrestlers hating every fiber of being, bashing until both are bloody messes. MJF resorts to further vile tactics by pouring out thumbtacks in the middle of the ring. They both wind up eating tacks, and it’s just fantastic.
The match takes a turn after MJF can’t keep Punk down, so he beckons for Wardlow over and over. The newly minted “Face of the Revolution” in his suit struts to ringside, where MJF demands the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Wardlow, clearly unable to locate which pocket, and doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest. MJF panics, realizing this is THE MOMENT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, turns right into a Go To Sleep from Punk. Suddenly, Wardlow finds the ring, oh silly him, and places it within Punk’s reach. One shot to the skull later, Punk puts MJF to bed.
This was a violent one folks. Bad blood is shed, and new a rivalry is beginning.
Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. retains the AEW Women’s Championship against Thunder Rosa
This was not at all close to their epic “Lights Out” match. I don’t think anything would have come close. Baker and Rosa traded off their arsenal of holds, with Rosa inching closer to victory the longer the match progressed. However, with each near-triumphs came an increase in distractions from Jamie Hayter and Reba Not Rebel. RebaRebel pulled off the same interference spot twice within minutes, which looked sort of awkward to see the ref be fooled again so easily.
While this was a decent match, it just didn’t pack the punch many expected it to have. Again, their unofficial bloodbath was borderline epic, so anything in comparison would be difficult to make.
Jon Moxley defeats Bryan Danielson via pinfall
More wrestling violence into a bloody brawl.
It’s like bundling ROH, NJPW, and AEW all together. Mox and Danielson’s match could headline any and all of these promotions. Mox starts off with the brawling and stiff shots, while Danielson counters by taking Mox down to the mat over and over, until Mox is set up for a barrage of stiff kicks. Do these kicks faze Mox? No they don’t, and he wants more. They transition seamlessly from striking to grappling to suplexing and back to striking. Mid-way through a brawl on the floor results in blood. Imagine a wrestling match with the intensity of a street fight. We got overhead suplexes, submissions, and I’m sure the kitchen sink was included.
Insane finish with Mox locking Danielson in the Bulldog Choke, which is countered into a Triangle hold. Mox fading, but gets the strength to float over, trapping the American Dragon into a pinfall victory.
There was no handshake, instead the fight continues until WILLIAM REGAL storms out and separates them. He seems to calm both, forcing the handshake by slapping the taste out of both of them. Holy crap folks! Regal is back and smacking the veterans like they were rookies.
Something tells me we have something big on the horizon. Regal, managing Moxley and Danielson perhaps? Leading a new stable?
Sting, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara defeated Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, and Andrade El Idolo
Tornado is the perfect word to describe this Tornado Trios Tag Match. Brawling all over the area, weapons, insane dives, you name it you got it.
But I am willing to bet no one named Sting jumping off a balcony through a pile of tables on the 2022 bingo card.
Chaotic action all over the place. It was just crazy. Sammy taking Isiah Kassidy off the top of a ledge through tables on the entrance way with a Spanish Fly. Damn scary and damn lucky.
Darby gets the win via Scorpion Death Drop and a Coffin Drop which was just shy of a full impact, but the pace of this match left it forgivable.
A “cool down” match to prep for the main event wound up keeping the crowd insanity.
“Hangman” Adam Page defeated Adam Cole (Bay! Bay!) to retain the AEW World Championship
The best part of the match? The live crowd chants!!
“Let’s go Adam/Adam Sucks!”
“This is Adam! (Clapclapclap)”
“F*** ‘em up Adam, f*** ‘em up!”
Any other variation of a chant inserting “Adam” in there.
What a brilliant crowd.
A one-hundred pecent championship main event match. Page and Cole stuck the landing after months of hype. Page took the match with early offense, emphasizing the point he is no second-string champ. Page shows lots of frustration, emotion, and intensity – Getting the point across he does not want to be taken lightly. Cole is caught off-guard by the viciousness of Page’s onslaught, and is nearly taken out of action with a powerbomb on the ring apron. Cole took some more punishment with a Deadeye and a Tombstone piledriver.
Through all of this, Cole would not stay down. Hangman’s frustration cost him momentum, Cole taking over, assaulting with numerous superkicks, knee strikes, and some heavy slams of his own. When Page started a comeback, ReDragon, rushed out to successfully help Adam Cole regain control of the match, hitting a Panama Sunrise on the outside of the ring, and a second one on the floor, but neither could put the champ down for three. After Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly interfered some more, The Dark Order rushed down to chase them away. Back one-on-one, Cole threw everything he could, but Hangman would not be denied. Overcoming all onslaughts, he scores not one, but two Buckshot Lariats for the decisive pinfall victory.
What a damn match, what an incredible pay-per-view. In all seriousness, this might be PPV of the year. Even the pre-show matches were good, the trios match being the best. From the start of the main show, almost every match had the “big fight feel” and some matches were ten times better than expected.
My favorite match, Eddie Kingston defeating Chris Jericho. It was all about Kingston. He made the match.
Welp, I’m exhausted.
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