AEW Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 3: Thank Goodness It’s Almost Saturday
IMG Credit: AEW
Women’s Tag Team Tournament Episode 3
Date: August 10, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Veda Scott
We’re down to the semifinals this week and that means we should be in for some more interesting matches. It almost hast o be better than last week’s show, which really did not live up to the hype. Hopefully this one is an improvement, but you never know what you might get around here. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
The announcers recap and preview.
Semifinals: Nightmare Sisters vs. Big Swole/Lil Swole
Brandi and Allie have the Natural Nightmares with them and we also get to meet Lil Bran Bran (the action figures), which dive to the floor (to Dustin Rhodes) before we’re ready to go. Lil and Brandi trade rollups for two each and it’s Allie coming in to work on Lil’s arm. It’s off to Big to take Allie into the corner for dancing and stomping. The Swoles hit a double stomp and a northern lights suplex connects. Lil dives onto Marshall, sending Brandi over to check out the action figure.
Back in and Brandi stomps on Lil in the corner, followed by some knees and shoulders to the ribs. Brandi scores with a superkick and has to be pulled off from the mounted right hands. Lil gets in a snap suplex but Brandi takes her back over for the tag to Allie. Choking in the corner ensues and we get a Paisan elbow for two.
The pump kick misses for Brandi and a butterfly suplex allows the tag to Big. Brandi stops to check on her action figure as Big hits a side slam for two. Everything breaks down and Brandi is sent outside, where we see Britt Baker yelling at Big. That’s enough to allow Allie to hit her reverse DDT to pin Lil at 8:31.
Rating: D. Well it was an improvement over last week as the most obvious push to the finals (and likely the win) ever continues. Brandi has a bunch of things to push so they needed the tournament to serve as a big commercial for both Heels and her action figure, so it’s not like they had another choice. Not a good match of course, but at least Lil looked good in short doses.
Semifinals: Anna Jay/Tay Conti vs. Diamante/Ivelisse
The Dark Order is here with Anna and then walk away before the bell. Conti and Ivelisse strike it out to start with Ivelisse taking her out to the apron. That earns her a choke from Conti and it’s quickly off to Jay for a dropkick on Diamante. Jay is sent face first into Ivelisse’s raised boots and a flapjack gets two. Ivelisse hammers away with right hands and Diamante feeds her into a kick to the face.
A suplex sets up the cravate and it’s back to Ivelisse for a double underhook crank. Jay finally fights up and hits a dropkick, allowing the tags to Conti and Diamante. A Widow’s Peak spun into a knee to the face rocks Diamante with Ivelisse making the save. Everything breaks down and it’s a spinning DDT/Stunner from Diamante and Ivelisse. Jay is sent outside and an assisted Sliced Bread finishes Conti at 7:21.
Rating: D+. It was slightly better than the previous match but that might be due to the lack of hype about the action figures. Ivelisse making the finals is a good sign for her future, but it would be better if she had anyone better than Diamante as her partner. The match wasn’t terrible, but it was another meandering match that was hardly interesting in the first place.
Brandi takes credit for saving Allie, who brings up that she got the pin. Brandi admits that she remembered it wrong and praises Allie for their success. We hear more about the action figures and Brandi is off to do some Instagram influencing.
Ivelisse and Diamante talk about their combined history and say they have to do it for their people.
Overall Rating: D. I’ve been very impressed by AEW in their early work but this tournament has been a mess. They’re not even hiding the fact that it’s a glorified commercial for Brandi, the action figures and Heels and the wrestling just isn’t very good. It’s watchable at best and horrible sub-indy level work at worst, making it a pretty bad mark on AEW’s limited history. AEW’s women’s division started off pretty terrible and made a nice comeback, but this has been a pretty terrible downgrade and I can’t wait for the whole thing to just end. Another bad show and thank goodness the finals are on Saturday.
Results
Nightmare Sisters b. Big Swole/Lil Swole – Reverse DDT to Lil
Ivelisse/Diamante b. Tay Conti/Anna Jay – Assisted Sliced Bread to Conti
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