It’s ten minutes to eight, my youngest is in bed and my older kids are getting themselves ready for school tomorrow. My buddy comes over at 7:55. We decided to turn on TBS yet again, choosing picture-in-picture over-censored vulgarity and clearer pictures. Anticipation is high as the Pay-Per-View nears, how will AEW Prepare us for Sunday?
Well, some on social media feel that the product has become stale and stagnant. I feel differently as perhaps I don’t hang on every nook and cranny of what’s on my television. Perhaps, I will sit back and enjoy a show full of promos and wrestling action. Maybe I’m not a true wrestling fan at all, being that I don’t hang on and scrutinize every minute detail. Perhaps I do not give up my existence in order to appease those who demand loyalty.
The show begins with what looks like a pre-tape of MJF pacing outside the arena, irate that his opponent, Adam Page is still revered by fans despite all the terrible things he’s done. He promises to make everything Page did look like child’s play. A lot of anger, a lot of venom, it’s boiling over and it’s very likely we’re going to see an implosion long before the Pay-Per-View.
The first segment of the night features “Swerve” Strickland, and Ricochet doing their obligatory contract signing for their match on Sunday. Lots of verbal shots are thrown at each other. What really made this segment important, the visual and appearance of Swerve losing his cool, stuttering with anger, pent-up rage with violent intent being held back. Ricochet acted like a cocky, arrogant jerk but a little too arrogant as he attempted to strike Swerve with his golden scissors only to be impaled with Swerve’s in a shocking counter.
What I’ve definitely noticed as a trend heading towards AEW Revolution, many of these matches have a lot of anger, attention, with intent of ultrviolence. Yes, there will be blood.
Will Ospreay, Powerhouse Hobbs, Mark Briscoe, and Orange Cassidy defeat Bryan Keith, Brian Cage, Lance Archer, and Mark Davis
This was a fun match. I’ve always enjoyed multi-man tag matches, going all the way back to the late ’80s and early ’90s of WWF and WCW shows. I’ve always enjoyed them because on the one hand you get wrestlers who are in current feuds with each other but also others who are thrown in the mix to add to the excitement. What was also fun about this one was there was no clear way to easily predict who would win. That’s why matches like these can be fun. After a series of exchanges, Ospreay manages to take down Keith with the Hidden Blade for the painful victory.
After the match is over everyone from the Don Callis family beats down Ospreay. Kyle Fletcher makes his appearance and contributes to the pre pay-per-view beatdown. However, Mark Davis is very reluctant to allow the carnage to continue, but ultimately he is bullied into wailing away with a chair. Major exclamation point comes when Fletcher drops Osprey with the Brain Buster into the chair, completely destroying it.
Much like the Swerve and Ricochet feud, this one will surely become quite violent and intense in a steel cage. Whether there is blood or not is irrelevant, I expect a potential match of the year candidate.
Everyone else in this match performed superbly. Powerhouse Hobbs honestly was the MVP of the match, laying waste to everyone with some pretty impressive wrestling moves and throws. This is a guy the company needs to continue to push and highlight on television. They’ve been doing a great job since his return, hopefully there will be no signs of slowing down.
Adam Copeland defeats Wheeler Yuta
Not everyone may be a fan of Yuta, however he can generate insane amounts of heel heat any time he shows up on television. This is not the dreaded “go away” heat, but this is legitimate heat you want wrestlers to draw. They had a great match which Copeland inevitably won. In a surprise, Copeland did not immediately try to destroy the youngster and eliminate him from existence. Instead Cope shakes Yuta’s hand, and tells him that’s what respect is supposed to look like. As Yuta is left stunned in the ring, Jon Moxley storms in and berates him for allowing that to happen. Yuta ends up leaving the ring and disgust with Mox giving chase. backstage, Yuta bails and abandons Moxley, leaving the AEW Champion in a crazed state.
I didn’t really care for Mox’s deranged promo but it does give the appearance that the death Riders have been dismantled.
But go figure, one minute you have an arena full of people cursing out Wheeler Yuta, and then minutes later the fans are chanting for him. Now that’s great storytelling.
In anticipation of The Outrunners upcoming championship match against The Hurt Syndicate, we get a hype video apparently from 1987. Looks legit to me.
Renee Paquette catches up with MJF who is outside awaiting the arrival of “Hangman” Adam Page. MJF continues his profanity-laced tirade until a bull-horn mounted truck comes charging in. Page and MJF brawl all the way to the ring where things get real ugly. Hangman is about to charge with the Buckshot Lariat, however MJF counters in the most technically proficient way a wrestler can … with a very well-timed kick to the nuts.
Things get real crazy, as MJF pours lighter fluid all over the place and nearly sets his opponent on fire.
Why do I have the feeling that there will not only be blood come Sunday, but we may really see an inferno.
Backstage, we are with Ash Avildsen and Toni Storm hyping up the new movie, Queen of the Ring — the story of Mildred Burke and her foray into professional wrestling. Apparently Toni Storm was upset with Avildsen for cutting her nude scene from the final film. Oh dear. Avildsen played up his role pretty well too.
Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford defeated Thunder Rosa and Kris Statlander
Damn this match was good. Super enjoyable. A lot of fun. I don’t know if you can tell but I really liked this match! Solid representation of the constant improvement in the Women’s division. Bayne is the best new acquisition for the company. She will have great matches with whomever she shares the ring with. However, the MVP of the match was Penelope Ford. In my Opinion, she stood out the most throughout the match, both offensively and defensively. She is another original member of the roster who has come a long way. Let’s not forget all these women spent a lot of time on the independent scene. They all have a lot of credibility coming into the company at various points in their careers, so it’s really great to see them continue to excel.
My one concern is how fast Bayne gets pushed. I fear if she is pushed towards a championship too fast then the novelty will wear off just as quickly. Let’s have her slowly go through the roster and inevitably build her towards a big championship match.
“Platinum” Max Caster is out for an open challenge, which is answered by Jay White. The Best Wrestler Alive is squashed again. White then cuts a promo gloating about the demise of the Death Riders and intends to be present when Copeland faces Mox for the AEW World Championship.
Yeah, the heel turn is coming. We can see it.
Renee Paquette has a sit down with AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm and challenger Mariah May.
Again, I maintain this feud CAN NEVER END. Pure brilliance through the interview. May, clearly losing her marbles while Storm is calm, collected, and composed as she watches May deteriorate before her very eyes.
You need to watch it.
Main Event: Ricochet & Okada defeat Swerve Strickland & Brody King
This was a colossal match. I absolutely loved it. Brody King is the man. It was unfortunate that it had to end the way it did, but Ricochet seizing the opportunity to cheat in order to get the victory does reinforce that he will do whatever is necessary to claim the number one contendership for the AEW World Championship. Swerve and Brody worked very well together, and despite Okada and Ricochet briefly as Rivals during the Continental tournament, they also seem to compliment each other very well in trying to keep their adversaries down. On more than one occasion it seemed that Brody King clearly was overpowering his opponents and I will say that guy makes everything hurt. He’s going to be a future Champion. I promise that.
Definitely a solid go home show for Dynamite and being the pay-per-view on Sunday there’s opportunity on collision to wrap up any Loose Ends. Having this mental clarity is clearly due to alleviating stress and being able to be optimistic about the future.
