Prior to last night’s show, the countdown to Revolution 2021, and the one hour pre-show to the event featured a number of well produced promos dedicated to all wrestlers involved in each match tonight.
The opening match on the AEW Revolution 2021 Buy-In featured Dr. Britt Baker DMD with a mystery partner against Thunder Rosa and Riho.
Due to a storyline angle with “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose attacking Reba (Rebel) earlier in the day Brit Baker was left without a partner. In a complete surprise her partner turns out to be Maki Itoh. That was an awesome, incredible, completely unexpected surprise.
Thanks to interference by Reba hitting Thunder Rosa with a crutch, Dr. Britt Baker and Maki Ito pick up the victory.
This was the correct match to have open up even before the main pay-per-view started. Constant back and forth, seeing Ito frequently using her Kokeshi headbutt.
These four women are the present and future of AEW women’s wrestling.
We kick off the AEW Revolution 2021 proper with our AEW World Tag Team Championship match, featuring challengers Chris Jericho and Maxwell Jacob Friedman against Matt and Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks.
This match went from being competitive over the titles and became personal very quickly when the inner circle attacked the Jacksons’ father.
As Referee Aubrey Edwards raises the titles before the Bell rings Chris Jericho decides to grab one in parade with it. Brilliant moment. He knows how to keep it entertaining.
The Bucks take it to the challengers in the early goings of the match. This starts as a brawl in and out of the ring. Nick Jackson keeps the match in-hand until some sly double team allows MJF and Jericho to gain the advantage, keeping it in their favor as Wardlow gets in a few cheap shots on the outside.
Some high spots include an over the ropes destroyer by Nick Jackson, Jericho locking on the lion tamer on both Nick and Matt Jackson consecutively, everyone’s signature moves being countered such as Jericho hitting a code breaker. Later, a Jackson flew off the ropes for a Meltzer driver, followed by the Young Bucks handing out super kicks like they’re hosting the Oprah show. MJF ate about 10 in a row until Jericho ate a double super kick followed by the BTE trigger, with the Melter driver to end it.
The Young Bucks defeated Chris Jericho and MJF to retain the AEW World Tag Team championships.
We roll right into the Tag Team Casino Battle Royale, winner earning a shot at the Tag Team championships. the match begins with The Natural Nightmares and Dark Order’s 5 and 10. Every 90 seconds another team enters. Third in our Santana and Ortiz. After a brief rally Alan Angels is first to be eliminated just as Matt and Mike Sydal enter.
The brothers go to town until Mike is targeted by the incoming Dark Order members of Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, resulting in an elimination by Santana and Ortiz. Santana and Ortiz start to take over the ring as the Gunn Club enters, just as Matt Sydal is eliminated. “Pretty” Peter Avalon and Cesar Bononi enter next, followed by The Varsity Blonds.
Drama begins to unfold as the Gunn Club tries to eliminate Bononi, but QT Marshall winds up eliminating the Gunn brothers, allowing Bononi to return. Dustin doesn’t seem happy with Marshall eliminating members of The Nightmare Family. A brief arguement which results in QT eliminating himself in protest. If you have been following Dark and even Sammy Guevara’s vlog, the seeds of the inevitable turn were planted.
Bear Country and Jurassic Express enter the match, boths teams cleaning house, eliminating Dark Order, Bononi, as well as Santana and Ortiz. Thanks to the appearance of Butcher and Blade with an assist by Bunny, Dustin Rhodes is eliminated.
Private Party and SCU are the next entrants. Bear country wind up eliminating Luchasaurus only for Butcher to sneak up from behind and eliminate both members of Bear Country. Death triangle enter the ring, quickly eliminating Mark Quen and The Blade.
The final team is John Silver and Alex Reynolds. After a few minutes of brawling we’re down to four men. PAC, Rey Fenix, John Silver, and Jungle Boy. Death Triangle manages the advantage eliminating John Silver much to the disappointment of the live crowd and the millions watching at home. Jungle Boy manages to outmaneuver PAC’s speed using it against him for an elimination.
There is no slowing down as Jungle Boy and Fenix hit the accelerator. Jungle Boy hitting a reverse Frankensteiner and a super kick but could not get the elimination in time. Ultimately Fenix is able to gain advantage and eliminate Jungle Boy.
The closing minutes of this battle royale was one of the most fast-paced smoothly finessed endings I have ever seen in Battle Royal history. Jungle Boy is going to be one of the biggest superstars in wrestling in the future. Fenix is already there. John Silver, get the rocket pack strapped because you’re heading to the moon this year. It’s a lock.
I could not believe the number of counters and reversals in those closing moments I’ve never seen anything like that before.
Death Triangle wins the Casino Battle Royale.
After brief promo we move on to the AEW Women’s World Championship. Ryo Mizunami challenges Hikaru Shida.
Good grief this is a hard-hitting match. Mizunami with a number of big big slams and bomb drops. At one point amazing headbutt almost knocked out Shida. Plus throwing the champion clear into the crowd was another high spot. Later on Shida catches Mizunami and hits a destructive crunchy on the entrance ramp.
If that punishment wasn’t enough the two just decide to trade blows, punches, and forearms in the middle of the ring. However the top look guillotine leg drop is unable to win the title.
Following an exchange of some hard-hitting knees and clotheslines, Shida managed one final knee strike to retain the championship.
Hikaru Shida retains the AEW World Women’s championship
After the match Nyla Rose, Britt Baker, and Maki Ito came out to ambush both women after the match was over, but was chased off by Thunder Rosa.
I wished Mizunami would have won the title but it was an excellent match and I am happy with the outcome and how it happened.
Up next, our cool down following a series of fast-paced high impact matches.
Miro and Kip Sabian versus Orange Cassidy and Chuckie T. Prior to the match they attacked Cassidy backstage and bloodied Chuckie by throwing him through a glass window. This match was good and well paced. After so many high-profile matches a good selling match to help us catch a breath was welcomed.
Intrigue is when Penelope Ford jumps up onto the ring apron and Miro intentionally pushes Chuckie into her. Despite this mirror and Sabian work together to force Chuckie to tap out via Game Over.
Miro and Kip Sabian defeated Orange Cassidy and Chuckie T
One has to wonder what will happen when Sabian looks at the instant replay. This was a good match, helped me catch my breath after the series we just had.
Up next is a singles match with in my opinion one of the most enjoyable story lines in recent memory. You have the down on his luck anxious millennial cowboy pulling the old switcheroo on the Big Money carney, playing him at his own game.
Hangman Adam Page has become a standout in both wrestler and as character. He’s enjoyable to watch in the ring his promos and the backstage segments are Grade A performances. Matt Hardy embracing a character of raking in the big bucks doing the least amount of work for the biggest payoff, stealing victories where he can l, is such a classic villain maneuver. You love to see it and you love to see it more when he fails. I can’t wait for the day where he shouts at the camera, “Curses! Foiled again!”
This was a great match with Hardy taking shortcuts where he could even having Private Party try to assist in gaining the advantage. I’ll admit it was funny with Hardy trying to damage Hangman’s hand in order to neutralize The Buckshot Lariat considering it is really the use of his whole arm. Ultimately the Dark Order came out to save the day and cheer on their new best friend in scoring The Buckshot and the pinfall victory.
Hangman Adam Page defeated “Big Money” Matt Hardy
Sure, there was a financial stipulation on the line but the real big picture, is Hangman Adam Page, once again rising up, overcoming odds, earning a hard fought victory, and most important of all, continues to show that he will always be a presence in AEW regardless if he is chasing a title or not. He’s at a level where a championship belt is not required around his waist to elevate. His character is beloved by all fans, his character inside the ring and social media garners a lot of adoration and respect.
Up next is our “Face of the Revolution” ladder match featuring “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Scorpio Sky, Penta El Zero Miedo, “The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer, and “Platinum” Max Caster.
Caster cuts a very current rap promo on newsworthy events.
Our mystery sixth participant is none other than “All Ego” Ethan Page!!
I would love to give a detailed play-by-play for this match but there was so much action happening all over the ring it’s hard to keep up. Some significant spots feature Lance Archer just throwing people around and Penta nearly taking Cody out of the match with a destroyer on a ladder.
At one point Archer was pinned on the ground inside a ladder and Ethan Page lobbed Scorpio sky with a crucifix bomb right on top. Penta inflicted a lot of damage on everyone with a lot of close calls going up the ladder. At one point Archer just completely no sold everything, choke slams to everyone. Cody Rhodes had been walked out of the match but then returned to continue fighting only to be superplexed off the top of the ladder by Archer and then crushed with the Macho Man elbow from Caster.
Ultimately it came down to Scorpio Sky and Cody climbing the ladder, but sky clearly overpowered the former TNT Champion to grab the brass ring for the hard fought and well-earned victory.
This will likely keep Cody off television for some time. I also believe this is the beginning of a well-deserved singles push for Scorpio Sky. I think prior to the pandemic he was slated to have a singles run but perhaps the pandemic derailed that and now we are in a moment where Scorpio can get that opportunity that he’s deserved for over a year.
Scorpio Sky wins the “Face of the Revolution” Ladder Match
We get our cinematic match of the evening as Team Taz takes on Sting and Darby Allin. Taz joins on commentary. This one is a fight plain and simple, in a warehouse, in an undisclosed location. Sting gets the advantage over Ricky Starks early, well Brian Cage and Darby Allen fight all over the place. We get an interesting sequence where cage throws Darby through double doors, then holds him up in a vertical suplex while WALKING UP THE FREAKING STAIRS!!
The rest of Team Taz arrives, but in the end it wasn’t enough. Darby Allin puts cage through a would-beam crashing into nothingness, as sting finished off Ricky Starks with the scorpion death drop.
A very well done cinematic match. Sting remained protected with minimal physical work, Darby got to do some crazy stunts, and despite the loss, Team Taz still looked formidable.
This feud is presumably now over, and it appears Darby Allin will be at a disadvantage with his upcoming title defense this Wednesday. The cinematic route was the perfect way to go to culminate the Apex of this feud.
Sting and Darby Allin defeated Team Taz
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
Order #AEWRevolution now on all major providers, @brlive, and @FiteTV (international fans) pic.twitter.com/mKFPmQjanx— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 8, 2021
We finally get the announcement of the newest signee of Hall of Fame caliber… CHRISTIAN CAGE!
I knew it was him before they said his name. If you could listen closely, the theme music sounded very familiar to his entrance theme in TNA.
Let’s be honest. Many of us saw this coming. Not quite the “big” surprise, at least confirms the suspicions that he was on his way. Before anyone jumps thinking he’s going to take a wrestling spot keep in mind he may also take an advisory role much like Paul Wight will be. I expect both to get in the ring at some point but I do not expect either to have any lengthy feuds or frequent in-ring action at all.
THE MAIN EVENT – AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, EXPLODING BARBED-WIRE DEATH MATCH – JON MOXLEY CHALLENGES KENNY OMEGA
A lot of tense moments begin this match each man trying to push the other into the barbed wire ropes. Both very well done, with their facial expressions, as they try to avoid the ropes, inevitably each one teasing the other with a sadistic smile on their faces.
In addition to the ropes and the triple hell landmine traps there are weapons all wrapped and barbed wire such as chairs and baseball bats.
Moxley’s first into the barbed wire bombs, as Omega maintains the advantage you can hear Don Callis on commentary laughing like the villainous sinister deviant that he is. Omega drives Moxley’s head down into a garbage can landing awkwardly where Mox’s head is sliced open.
The carnage just gets worse as Moxley powers out of a Snapdragon attempt, Omega manages to turn his momentum against him throwing Moxley into a barbed wire covered table and Mox becomes tangled and has to peel himself out.
Omega locks in a figure four only for Moxley to grab a chair wrapped in barbed wire and rake it like a cheese grater over Omega’s legs. Omega tries again only to be pushed face first into an exploding barbed wire.
This is not for the faint of heart folks.
Moxley’s face is nothing but blood as he decides to wrap a thread of barbed wire around his own arm either out of sheer amusement or intend to inflict mortal pain. Moxley endures two snapdragons and then powers up to clothesline Omega with the barbed wire.
At this point there is 15 minutes left.
Both Mox and Omega drive each other into the barbed wire bombs with disastrous results.
On the ring apron, Moxley and Omega fight until Moxley gets an advantage, driving Omega head first with the paradigm shift right into the triple hell barbed wire trap!!!! OH MY LORD! Hard to tell who took the brunt, as Moxley’s back goes right against the barbed wire while Omega comes full weight crashing down on his head.
It just gets worse as Omega hits the One-Winged Angel but Moxley kicks out using the barbed wire bombs on the bottom ropes to break up the count!!!! For the love of everything good and holy can somebody check on Bryce Remsberg!!!
The Good Brothers rush in and Omega hits Moxley with an exploding barbed wire bat!!!! Omega hits a second running One-Winged Angel onto a steel chair with the help of the Good Brothers to retain the AEW World heavyweight Championship.
WINNER AND STILL AEW WORLD CHAMPION, KENNY OMEGA
An exploding barbed wire bat to the face of @JonMoxley!
Order #AEWRevolution now on all major providers, @brlive, and @FiteTV (international fans) pic.twitter.com/8Qq7sjEXBl— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 8, 2021
Oh, but we’re not done. Omega, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows continue to beat down Jon Moxley, as were told the countdown to the exploding ring is still on. Max is being beaten down with barbed wire relentlessly. Well if they’re going to write somebody off TV this is one hell of a way to do it.
Unfortunately, the very end may not have ended as planned. Eddie Kingston rushed out to save Mox when the bombs were to go off…except the bombs fizzed out.
Look, duds happen, but the show overall was fantastic. I’m sure the internet will tear up that finish as horrible but let’s not forget the four plus hours of incredible wrestling we got tonight.
We had some great Championship matches, some really impressive showings from everyone on the roster. I’m going to be that guy and say forget about the dud at the end because Moxley and Omega put on one hell of a main event match.
Don’t let the one mishap at the end take away from over four hours of some of the best wrestling that AEW has put on.
AEW Revolution 2021 is now streaming on B/R Live.
https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1368796933989539840
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