Not giving a damn about the internet trolls, the IWC, or anyone else who hate-watches for the sole purpose of whining. AEW Revolution kicked ass, with the prominent theme tonight is Blood and Bites. Live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, the City of Angels turned into the City of Devils by the night’s end. Championships and career changing stipulations are on the line. Here we go!
Boom & Doom (Big Boom AJ and QT Marshall) defeated The Infantry w/ Shane Taylor
When AJ and QT are involved, it’s going to be a funny, goofball affair with a moderate amount of wrestling thrown in. You know what, for all the crap they get for random appearances, AJ and QT put on a solid match against the Infantry. Let’s talk about Shane Taylor beating up kids, and then getting beat up by one. Look, the Rizzler might have a future by hitting on women three times his height, and when he gets older, maybe have a No DQ with Taylor. Let’s not forget the timely intervention by Wayne Brady to help the baby faces get the win
Willow Nightingale retains the TBS Championship against Lena Kross
This was CLOSE. As it was extremely believable to consider Kross a potential champion, it stands to reason the Women’s Tag Team Championships are in serious jeopardy. For those who have not seen Lena in action, this intro on free television should be easily convinced she is to be taken seriously. Dropping Willow with a twisting TKO got a huge pop. She nearly took the win with a Jackhammer, but Willow managed a counter into a rolling pinfall.
They go with a “Willow is hurt” angle as Megan Bayne and Harley Cameron rush the ring for a brawl. Not looking good for our champs.
“Jungle” Jack Perry wins the AEW National Championship in a 21-Man Battle Royale
What a fun battle royale. What the hell is Lio Rush on? Dude is channeling some sort of inner anime demon. He makes it work! Jack Perry is driven into the arena in a Jurassic Park deco’d bus, with Luchasaurus driving! See! Dinosaurs can evolve!
My one gripe was how it “started” outside the ring, which gave me eerie chills of TNA’s old Reverse Battle Royal Matches. However, this was relieved quickly as gradually wrestlers entered the ring and put on a dazzling display of action. The high fliers did their high flying, the wrestlers did their wrestling, and everyone got their chances to put on their best in front of the live crowd, who I should say, was red hot for it.
Lots of potential winners here, Ciampa, Scorpio, Rush, Shibata, and El Clon too. However, as the major feud featured Jack Perry and Ricochet, it was likely coming down to the two of them, and in a smart move, it came down to the two of them as the free portion ended and the main show began. Perry takes the win by outsmarting Ricochet with a Poisonrana off the apron, sending the now-former champion to the floor. Epic match.
FTR retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships against the Young Bucks
The main show kicks off with the aforementioned blood and bites! Let’s be real here. This could be the 20th encounter and there would still be doubt how good the match would be. Bucks and FTR delivered a match beyond expectations. The rivalry was more than just being “the best” tag team. This got personal. FTR have upped the evil intentions, as the Bucks seek revenge for their family who were attacked by Cash and Dax weeks ago. The Bucks have a very cool video package for their ring entrance, bringing their families to the ring.
Nick Jackson gets busted open after a gnarly looking table spot. Dax gets bloodied later on. Cash gets hungry and starts biting open wounds. The sequence of wrestling was unreal. So many close calls, getting fans on their feet in the opener certainly sends a message about the intent of the show. After a series of superkicks, superplexes, Meltzer Drivers, and one hell of an Avalanche Shatter Machine off the top rope, FTR barely pulls off the win.
Ladies and gentlemen, Match of the Year Candidate. Easily.
But wait! There’s more! The lights go out and Copeland is back? His t-shirt confuses me but there is no confusion to who is with him! Cage and Cope chase away the champs, holding the titles they then face off with the Young Bucks. Could we get C&C vs. FTR? C&C vs. Bucks? C&C vs. Everyone? Yes please to all.
Sorry, I’ll try to condense my excitement.
Toni Storm defeated Marina Shafir
Shafir dominates, but Storm turns tough with her own strikes and suplexes. Storm selling like death itself came for her, being thrown around the ring, one would have to imagine the match should have been one-sided. But no. While Shafir looked menacing and dominant, however the scrappy Storm would not give in, fighting back against the imposing Shafir. Ultimately, her antics of insanity prevail as Storm counters the Mother’s Milk by biting Shafir in the place we’re all thinking of, rolls her up with the Large Package for the win.
Can’t help but laugh when Storm opted to gnaw on Shafir’s feet to slow her down and reduce the impact of her strikes.
After the match Rhonda Rousey arrives and the IWC crumbles.
Toni Storm appears to continue her evolution. I never pictured her to be one among the shoot fighters and brawlers, but perhaps this is a new direction for the Timeless One. This is the only reason why I can see Rousey being brought in. This will certainly be a polarizing decision, but this also means fans will be tuning in to see exactly what her role will be.
Jon Moxley retains the AEW Continental Championship against Konosuke Takeshita
This bloodbath is the second Match of the Year Candidate of the night (yes, there is another). A true strong-style of match, Mox and Takeshita outperformed their previous encounters. The series of chain suplexes from each wrestler was an outstanding visual, certainly helps when the volume of the live crowd goes up with each slam. Takeshita got busted open, and of course Mox just had to start biting the wound. Too close to call, but ultimately Mox trapped Takeshita with the sleeper choke, forcing the challenger to pass out.
While disappointing Takeshita did not win the Continental Championship, he does not look like a loser by any means. Mox showing respect to him, if anything, continues to elevate the young wrestler. Takeshita has grown exponentially since joining AEW.
Before the segment ends, we see a crazy video, something out of Arkham Asylum, as Will Ospreay returns, unleashed and seeking vengeance on Mox. He rushes the ring and fights off the Death Riders. Perhaps this is where Mox will slide back into a full-heel role with Ospreay chasing him.
The Divine Dominion (Megan Bayne & Lena Cross) defeated The Babes of Wrath (Willow Nightingale & Harley Cameron) to become the NEW AEW Women’s World Tag Team Champions.
This was short and decisive. Willow was too hurt to mount a consistent offensive, and Harley could do only so much against the two Amazon-like women. Ultimately, it was Willow who took the pinfall loss following a tandem powerslam. Sad to see the reign end with more whimper than a bang, but Willow being “injured” can be the reasoning behind the loss. While not completely clean, but still a definitive win for a certainly dominant team.
Shame it wasn’t Penelope Ford holding one of the championships. Hopefully we can see some other babyface teams challenge for the championships.
Swerve Strickland defeated Big Bad Brody King
Bigtime fight. Swerve just too focused and enraged to stay down. Brody unleashed his inner cruiserweight at points which took Swerve, and everyone else by surprise. While Brody asserted dominance, Swerve’s attacks continued to be too much, too fast, too overwhelming for Brody to overcome. Both took some serious bumps on the exposed arena floor, but Brody got the worst of it as Swerve, proving to be the most dangerous, dropped Brody with a Vertebreaker. Stomp, after multiple House Calls, got Swerve the pinfall.
After the match, Swerve brought out a cinderblock, but Kenny Omega saved Brody from potential harm. The Swerve/Omega match is coming soon!
Thekla retains the AEW Women’s World Championship against Kris Statlander in a Best 2-out-of-3 Falls Match
Excellent match, excellent example of the consistent delivery of great women’s wrestling. Statlander, with or without a championship will always be considered main event level. Thekla has ascended to this level quite quickly, one has to wonder for how long. She is great with manipulating the crowd, making it appear she is fearful and coward-like, but will go a 180-turn and suddenly fool us all into thinking she’s been foiled. She gained the first fall in clever fashion, a roll up with the ref on one side, unable to see her holding the ropes. The fired up the former champ who responded with an absolute onslaught, culminating with the Staturday Night Fever Driver for the second fall. Unfortunately, Thekla needed assistance for the final fall, as with the ref down, The Sisters of Sin provided the necessary distraction to allow Thekla to gain the third and final pinfall.
Yes, the obvious question can be asked: Where were ANY babyfaces? Thunder Rosa? Harley Cameron? Maya World? Ana Jay?
Jetspeed & Mistico defeat The Don Callis Family to win the AEW World Trios Championships
In a very surprising outcome, the Trios Championships changed hands once again. A phenomenal fast paced and high-impact match. The L.A. crowd absolutely loved and sang along with Mistico’s theme. Jetspeed donned similar masks to Mistico, but were ripped off by Fletcher. Thankfully we’ve already seen their faces. The action was delivered at a Breakneck Pace yet it was surprising to realize how long of a match this was. Typically fast-paced matches have a threshold, but these six wrestlers surely broke it. Okada and Mistico squared off, and then the Dunkzilla took control, dominating a good chunk of the match. Kyle Fletcher is going to be huge in the next few years. He’s already proven that he’s Main Event material, this trios championship match felt like a showcase of future main eventers in the pro wrestling industry. Mistico trapped Fletcher in his submission hold, while Knight scored the UFO Splash on Davis for the win.
As they celebrated, a graphic showed Mistico is All Elite. Huge signing.
Andrade defeated Bandido
Believe it or not, this is the third entry tonight for Match of the Year Candidate. The last time there were so many contenders on a PPV, was the 2025 Full Gear.
Awesome bout. Andrade looks and feels like a completely different person. Perhaps his ping-pong between companies gave him a new perspective and new motivation. He absolutely is in the best shape of his career, and has been performing better than recent memory serves. Some high risk maneuvers spread out, but mostly a grappling and wrestling-based match with a number of holds and some impressive looking suplexes. Bandido tossed Andrade with a sick German suplex, and later did a deadlift 21 Plex with Andrade out on the mat. Andrade had some impressive suplexes of his own, trading the Three Amigos with Bandido’s German suplexes. A top rope DM driver sealed the win for Andrade.
Darby Allin, Orange Cassidy, and Roderick Strong defeated The Dogs (Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, David Finlay)
A fast paced broughaha, demolition derby, train wreck, use all the catchphrases you want to describe this mix of brawling and wrestling. Strong looked super solid. While Darby never disappoints in the “holy crap” department, Roddy is the MVP of the match. This match was exactly what it needed to be. The gap between the last match and the main event. Fans stay invested while being able to recover from the intense series of matches.
Surprised to see The Dogs lose. Still relatively new as a unit in AEW, one would have thought a win would make sense. It’s hard to take them seriously as a vicious unit if they can’t win big matches. I’m sure this will change before the next PPV.
“Big Hebrew” Maxwell Jacob Friedman retains the AEW Men’s World Championship against “Hangman” Adam Page in aTexas Death Match
Score one for MJF, sporting trunks in homage to the legend, Terry Funk. Texas Death indeed. Blood. Blood. More Blood. This would fit right in with the prime days of ECW. Calling Ian and Axl Rotten! There was some wrestling, bodyslams onto glass, barb-wire lariats.
The real nasty stuff took off when Page stapled a “Happy Birthday” card to Max’s chest, or perhaps when MJF shoved a syringe through Page’s mouth! Sickening but can’t turn my eyes away. Light tubes used later. For Page being the Texas Death guy, MJF sure worked his tuchas off, bumping, selling, and when on the offensive, was sinister as hell. Facial expressions from both men were brilliantly delivered.
The final moments saw Page bring out a chain with dog collars attached to each side. MJF freaked out when locked in. However, after minutes of more destructive action, MJF managed to end the match the same way Page won the championship, by hanging him over the ropes until he passed out.
MJF retains in one of the bloodiest affairs to date.
AEW delivers jam-packed PPVs. There is no denying for all the great Dynamite and Collision episodes we are spoiled with, we are truly spoiled when it comes to their PPV production. Revolution 2026 will go down as one of the greats. Every match was well-paced, booked solid, and left fans satisfied with the results while also guessing what would come next.
