Rampage
Date: December 30, 2022
Location: 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, Colorado
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Paul Wight

We’ll close out the AEW year with this and as is often the case around here, Orange Cassidy is defending the All-Atlantic Title. This time though, it’s against his friend Trent Beretta. That could go in a few directions and on top of that, we’ll be hearing from Jon Moxley about something. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

In Memory Of Don West.

Opening sequence.

All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta

Cassidy is defending, Chuck Taylor/Danhausen are on commentary and Kip Sabian is on commentary. They shake hands for a good bit to start until Trent misses an armdrag. Back up and they run the ropes until Cassidy is hiptossed outside. Cassidy gets back in and sends him outside as well. Then they switch places again, with Cassidy being sent outside for the second time.

Trent’s dive hits Chuck by mistake but it’s turned into a well timed Big Hug. Cassidy dives onto Trent to take over, setting up a high crossbody back inside. Trent knocks him to the floor again (you might be noticing a pattern emerging here) but this time Cassidy gets whipped into the barricade. A hard charge hits barricade only though and Cassidy dropkicks him into it again as we take a break.

Back with Cassidy hitting the lazy chops, capped off by a regular one. They forearm it out until a Michinoku Driver gives Cassidy two. He can’t bring himself to try the Orange Punch though and instead tries the Beach Break. That’s reversed into a failed piledriver attempt so Trent settles for a running elbow in the corner. A tornado DDT plants Trent again and the top rope DDT gives Cassidy two more.

Trent’s Crunchie attempt is countered but he can hit the tombstone for his own near fall. A piledriver out of the corner gives Trent two and here is Penelope Ford to interrupt. Ford gets up on the apron to distract Trent, allowing Cassidy to hit a quick Beach Break for two. The Orange Punch retains the title at 11:23.

Rating: C+. The action was good enough and they told a nice story of the two friends not wanting to fight each other but having to in the end. The Ford addition seemed to be there to move us towards Cassidy vs. Kip Sabian again, because that is a thing we need to do one more time. Good match here, as Cassidy gets in his traditional Rampage win.

Post match Trent walks away and Cassidy passes Sabian, who is on the way to the ring for his match.

After Dynamite, Tony Schiavone asked Darby Allin about his upcoming TNT Title shot. Allin is glad to get his title shot in his hometown of Seattle. Everyone laughed at him when he was 115lbs at the end of high school and he proved all of them wrong. Then he became TNT Champion but he lost it all. Now he isn’t sure if anyone, including Sting, believes in him. Sting asks what if he says no before saying he knows Joe is going to kill him. We get the big firing up speech and Sting wants Allin to forget what everyone else is saying. Go get your title back! Nice stuff here as they went with what made sense.

Kip Sabian vs. Atifa

I have no idea if that is Sabian’s opponent’s name but it’s the closest I can get. Sabian mocks Orange Cassidy, hits a Cannonball in the corner, and finishes with his own version of the Orange Punch at 1:18.

La Faccion Ingobernable is in the back with Preston Vance mocking the idea of the Dark Order. Vance isn’t happy that he doesn’t know next week’s opponent, but he doesn’t mind mocking Negative One on national TV.

Here is Jon Moxley in the ring for a chat (no entrance this time). He isn’t happy with Hangman Page and knew that there was going to be a showdown coming. There can only be one true ace and last man standing after what happened between them in Cincinnati. Page woke up in the hospital that night but he slept like a baby. The Blackpool Combat Club works harder than anyone else and deserve their praise. Wrestling is a tough business and if Page can make it to January 11, he’ll be ready to show Page how rough things can be. Keep your hands up b****.

Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal are ready to win the Tag Team Titles on Dynamite. Lethal is rather over the top while Jarrett is serious and to the point about wanting to hurt Max Caster.

TBS Title: Kiera Hogan vs. Jade Cargill

Cargill, with the rest of the Baddies, is defending. Hogan small packages her for a fast two and ducks the pump kick. A chokeslam plants Hogan and we take a break. Back with Hogan slipping away but getting caught with the pump kick for two. They head outside where Leila Grey holds Hogan for a slap….which Red Velvet blocks. Back in and Hogan slips out of another chokeslam, setting up a running hip attack on the ropes to rock Cargill. A high crossbody gives Hogan two more bud it’s Jaded to retain the title at 7:33.

Rating: C. And that is the latest Jade Cargill match with no drama about her losing as she absorbs everything and then wins with Jaded in the end. Hogan was going hard here but there was no chance she was going to lose for the first time to Hogan on Rampage. As has been the case for a long, long time now, Cargill desperately needs something new and this wasn’t it.

Post match Red Velvet leaves on her own.

Jamie Hayter is ready for whomever Saraya has for a partner on January 11.

Mark Sterling is tired of Bryan Danielson messing with MJF so next week, Danielson gets to face Tony Nese.

Wheeler Yuta (and company) is ready for Swerve Strickland (and company).

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Swerve Strickland vs. Wheeler Yuta

Non-title and the rest of the Affiliates are here. They go with the grappling to start before trying to run the ropes. Swerve can’t get a leglock so Yuta slams him down to set up a backsplash for less than one. A bow and arrow keeps Swerve in trouble but he slips out, only to get dropkicked down. The Affiliates offer a distraction so Swerve can get in a shot from behind as we take a break.

Back with Yuta knocking him away and going up top for a forearm. A bridging German suplex gives Yuta two but Swerve’s brainbuster gets the same. Yuta is right back with something like an Angle Slam for another near fall but his knee gives out. Swerve unloads in the corner and hits a running dropkick to said knee. The Swerve Stomp is broken up though and Yuta hits a heck of a top rope superplex. Swerve hits the jumping kick to the head but again can’t hit the JML Driver. The referee gets bumped so it’s a low blow and NOW the JML Driver can finish Yuta at 12:40.

Rating: B-. I wasn’t sure on the winner here and it made for an entertaining match. The good thing is that Strickland is off to a nice start on his own, even if the Affiliates are kind of lame as henchmen. Strickland winning on his own here (even with cheating) is a good sign and beating Yuta means something. Yuta will be fine as he’ll get a win whenever Ring Of Honor is back so this was a solid enough main event.

Overall Rating: B-. This show felt a bit more important as some of the developments felt like they were leading towards something else. The action was good enough and you can only get so bored with an hour long show, which is one of the best things about Rampage. Not a must see show, but it does seem like they are addressing some issues.

Results
Orange Cassidy b. Trent Beretta – Orange Punch
Kip Sabian b. Atifa – Orange Punch
Jade Cargill b. Kiera Hogan – Jaded
Swerve Strickland b. Wheeler Yuta – JML Driver

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Rampage
Date: December 2, 2022
Location: Indiana Farmer’s Coliseum, Indianapolis, Indiana
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur

We are eight days away from Final Battle and the card is in need of some work. There are a few matches set but nowhere near enough to carry a full pay per view. Maybe we can get something new added tonight, but you never can tell with this show. At least the wrestling tends to be fun so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Darby Allin vs. Cole Karter

Before the match, Allin beats up Nick Comoroto with the baseball bat to cut him off. With that not being enough, Allin dives onto Karter on the floor but an apron powerbomb cuts him off. Back in and a buckle bomb rocks Allin again as we take a break. We come back with Karter missing a Stinger’s Splash but hitting a jumping knee to the face. Allin goes after the knee though and grabs a Code Red for two, leaving them both down. Karter drops him again and goes up, only to miss a 450. A hammerlock Scorpion Death Drop sets up the Coffin Drop to finish Karter at 7:41.

Rating: C+. Well they certainly did get rid of the loose end from a bad segment from a few weeks ago. Karter is the definition of “I’m not sure why he’s here”, as he has a good physique and nothing else that makes him stand out in any way. He’s certainly ok, but bringing him in felt like just an excuse to sign someone else. Pretty decent match though, as Allin does his signature style and as usual, it works.

Keith Lee is in the back when his former partner Shane Taylor comes in to interrupt. Taylor accuses Lee of always walking away, so let’s do it at Final Battle: Taylor/JD Griffey vs. Lee and whomever he can find. Taylor leaves and a grinning Swerve Strickland comes in. Lee hopes he can trust him. Why Taylor didn’t want to do this one on one isn’t clear, but having Taylor around is a good thing.

We recap 10 turning his back on the Dark Order and joining Rush last week. The Dark Order is crushed and La Faccion Ingobernable is rather pleased.

Here is the Acclaimed, with Billy Gunn, for a chat. After a rap of various topical statements, Bowens talks about how everyone wants a title shot, but there is one team that has been waiting for a very long time to get a chance. The fans think that might be FTR and since the Acclaimed are fighting champions…..and here is the Gunn Club to interrupt. The Gunns don’t think much of the champs but Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh interrupt. The villains argue but Billy cuts them off, saying they want the best. Cue FTR for the handshake with the Acclaimed and a match seems set.

Video on Hikaru Shida vs. the Bunny, who will face off next week for Shida’s Regina Di Wave Title next week.

Private Party vs. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett

Singh, Dutt and Matt Hardy are here too. As commentary reminds us that Jeff Jarrett last wrestled on TNT 21 years ago, Kassidy flips out of Lethal’s headlock and armdrags him down. That earns Kassidy a trip into the corner so Jarrett can come in to stomp away. Jarrett gets taken into the corner as well and it’s time to start in on the arm. As the seconds get in a staredown on the floor, Kassidy is sent into the steps and we take a break.

Back with Quen getting the hot tag to clean house, including a suicide dive to Jarrett on the floor. There’s the Silly String to Lethal but he avoids the 450. Quen is fine enough to grab a rollup but Jarrett makes the save, setting up a Stroke/Lethal Injection combination for the pin at 7:07.

Rating: C. So we have Lethal and Jarrett having a perfectly competent tag match that wasn’t much in the way of interesting and probably drew more TNA chants than AEW would like. I’m still not sure why Jarrett is wrestling on this or any AEW show, but it had been a full 21 years since he had wrestled on this channel and thankfully that has been rectified.

Saraya sits down with Renee Paquette and still can’t believe that she got back in the ring at Full Gear. She was amazed that her brother could be there for the match and will be back in the ring soon. Not much to say here.

Athena vs. Dani Mo

Athena decks her to start and hits Two Amigos into a swinging neckbreaker for two. Mo’s superkick has no effect so Athena forearms her in the face, setting up the over the shoulder backbreaker spun into a Codebreaker for the pin at 1:27. Total squash to get Athena ready for her ROH Women’s Title match at Final Battle.

Post match Athena sends her out to the floor and beats her up some more. This is FAR better from Athena than whatever she was doing before.

Juice Robinson wants Samoa Joe for the ROH TV Title at Final Battle. There’s your “you know this guy and now he’s getting a random title match” random title match.

The Factory is ready for the lumberjack match with Orange Cassidy. The Best Friends, dressed as lumberjacks, seem to be more ready.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows, including FTR vs. the Acclaimed for the Tag Team Titles on Dynamite.

Darby Allin wants the TNT Title and gets a shot on Dynamite, with promises of no Sting.

All-Atlantic Title: Orange Cassidy vs. QT Marshall

Cassidy is defending in a lumberjack match…but the Best Friends and Danhausen can’t bring their axes to the ring. Eh they’re lumberjacks and they’re ok without them. Cassidy starts fast with the dropkick and Marshall is on the floor ten seconds in. The Best Friends throw him back inside, where he throws Cassidy outside too. That earns the Factory some lazy kicks but Marshall pulls Cassidy’s high crossbody out of the air back inside. Some backbreakers drop Cassidy and he gets thrown outside again.

Hold on though as Ethan Page stares at Matt Hardy and then ejects him. Does he have lumberjack rights over Hardy too? We take a break and come back with the lumberjacks coming in and getting cleared out. The distraction lets Marshall hit a handspring enziguri, only to get caught with the Stundog Millionaire.

A pop up right hand rocks Cassidy but he’s fine enough to hurricanrana his way out of a powerbomb. Marshall loads up a powerbomb on the apron but gets cursed by Danhausen. Another lumberjack brawl breaks out on the floor, leaving Cassidy to hit a heck of a springboard dive. Cue Penelope Ford (JR approves) for a distraction so Kip Sabian can push Cassidy into a cutter for two. Not that it matters as the Beach Break retains the title at 9:32.

Rating: C+. Fun match, but nothing that Cassidy hasn’t done before. The stuff with the lumberjacks was the usual for a match like this but I’m not exactly going to get excited over the prospects of Kip Sabian getting a title match. Fine for a Rampage main event, even if it was hardly a classic.

Post match Cassidy goes after Sabian, because it’s his turn to be reheated again. Everyone brawls until the lights go out and the House of Black appears. Carnage ensues and the House stands tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Rampage is an interesting subject, as the wrestling is usually completely watchable, but you need to accept that most of it means absolutely nothing. This show’s goal tends to be to set up things for either Dynamite or the next pay per view, which doesn’t exactly seem to be the best use of one third of your weekly television time. We got some stuff set up for next week’s Dynamite/Rampage/Final Battle and if that is what Rampage is for, good for it. I’m not sure if that’s the best use of the show, but I guess you can call it a direction. Maybe?

Results
Darby Allin b. Cole Karter – Coffin Drop
Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal b. Private Party – Lethal Injection/Stroke combination to Quen
Athena b. Dani Mo – Backbreaker spun into a Codebreaker
Darby Allin b. QT Marshall – Beach Break

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Rampage
Date: November 25, 2022
Location: Wintrust Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

It’s time for the other Chicago show of the week and we have a title match this time around. The Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles are on the line as FTR defends against Top Flight, which has me wondering what is next for them at Final Battle. Speaking of Final Battle, it might be smart to announce something for the show. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Top Flight

FTR is defending. Harwood takes Darius down to start before quickly handing it off to Wheeler for some chops. Darius armdrags him into an armbar and it’s off to Dante, who gets forearmed in the head over and over. It’s back to Darius off a blind tag for a heck of a DDT and a near fall. Top Flight gets in some double teaming to take FTR down and they all brawl to the floor as we take a break.

Back with FTR missing right hands and getting dropkicked down. Stereo clotheslines send the champs outside but they’re right back in to take over. Wheeler gets two off a top rope splash but Top Flight sends him outside. Darius hits a tornado DDT into Dante’s top rope splash for two more. Wheeler is back in to uppercut Darius, who Spanish Flies him down. That just earns him a brainbuster from Harwood, who gets small packaged for two. A blind tag brings in Wheeler and Dante misses the Nose Dive. The Big Rig finishes Dante at 11:15.

Rating: B-. They were flying through this and Top Flight continues to be worth looking at most of the time. On the other hand you have FTR, who are worth looking at no matter what they are doing period. It’s nice to see them in the ring, even if it is in one of these thrown together tag matches with no build. Good opener and very fast paced.

Post match the Gunn Club comes in for the staredown.

We see Powerhouse Hobbs in what appears to be his hometown and the places he grew up. Hobbs Hobbs talks about how there is a side of him you don’t know. He’s coming to take something from you.

Here is the Jericho Appreciation Society for a chat. After a bit intro, Chris Jericho talks about how much work and effort he has put into winning the Ring Of Honor World Title. Not even Claudio Castagnoli coming out on stage for a cheap shot can shut him down. So who is going to uncrown the king of the Ring Of Honor?

Cue Castagnoli to say he needs to stop Jericho. That doesn’t work for Jericho, who mocks Castagnoli over the Blackpool Combat Club falling apart. He needs the title shot, so Matt Menard throws out the offer: Claudio gets a title shot, but if he loses, he has to join the JAS. Jericho likes the offer so much that it makes his nipples hard and he repeats the idea. Castagnoli is in. It’s hard to imagine Jericho keeping the title, but Castagnoli losing one more time is never out of the question.

Toni Storm isn’t happy with losing the Women’s Title but she never saw is as the interim anything. She broke her face winning the title and she’ll do it again to get it back. Tony: “I’m glad the interim was stripped from her title reign.” JR: “Bury that title forever.”

Darby Allin vs. Anthony Henry

Sting is here with Allin and JD Drake is here with Henry. Allin gets knocked to the apron to start but comes right back in, setting up the heck of a suicide dive to drop Drake. Back in and Henry drops Allin throat first onto the apron, setting up an STO onto the same apron. We take a break and come back with Henry grabbing a neckbreaker out of the corner for two. Allin is sent outside for a hard lariat from Drake so Sting hits a clothesline of his own. Sting whips him into the barricade but Henry hits a superplex. Allin reverses a suplex into the Scorpion Death Drop though, setting up the Coffin Drop for the pin at 8:13.

Rating: C. I’m still not sure why we need a break in the middle of an eight minute match but that is an AEW staple. Other than that, Allin coming from behind and beating someone else is a nice thing to see almost every time. Henry isn’t exactly a star but Allin beat him without being in any serious jeopardy.

Athena rants about all of the bad things that have happened to her as of late but she isn’t going to apologize to Aubrey Edwards. After scaring the interviewer off, Athena talks about how she was wondering when Mercedes Martinez was showing up. She has beaten trash bag wrestler after trash bag wrestler and now she wants the Ring Of Honor Women’s Title.

Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata

Before the match, Penelope Ford and the Bunny come out to watch, which is enough of a distraction for Aminata to get in a cheap shot. Shida is right back with the Falcon Arrow and the Katana for the pin at 1:18. Well that was quick.

The Dark Order is ready to fight with or without the missing 10. Rush/Butcher/Blade are ready to fight, no matter where 14, 27 or 10 are.

FTR talks about how great their 2022 has been and Harwood challenges….Bryan Danielson for Dynamite. I didn’t have that one coming.

Dark Order vs. Rush/Butcher and the Blade

There is no 10 and Bunny is here with the villains. It’s a brawl to start as the Order is down 3-2 early on. Silver Angle Slams Blade but his dive to Butcher is pulled out of the air. Rush gets in a shot of his own and we take an early break. Back with Silver hitting a standing Sliced Bread but Rush breaks up the hot tag. Cue Negative 1 and 10, the latter of whom charges to the ring to stare down Rush….and then deck Silver. Evil Uno charges to the ring but is held back as Rush hits the Bull’s Horns for the pin at 7:22.

Rating: C. The match was just a backdrop for the angle, which is for some reason about the Dark Order and Rush. 10 has teased jumping for months now and has finally done it, which doesn’t exactly make me care about him all that much more. Maybe they have some twist in the story to make it better, but I’m not exactly getting my hopes up.

Post match 10 blasts Silver with a discus lariat as Negative 1 is distraught. Evil Uno gets beaten up and has his mask ripped open as he is already bleeding from the forehead. Alex Reynolds is put through a table. 10 goes up to Negative 1, takes off his mask, and throws it at Negative 1’s feet. Rush, 10 and company pose, with Negative 1 crushed, to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. FTR being the best thing on the show isn’t a surprise, but other than that we had the pretty obvious Final Battle main event set up and….what else that mattered? That’s Rampage in a nutshell: something kind of big/good starts the show off and then most of the rest of the show feels a few steps down. Not a very good show here, but the opener was the usually solid FTR showing.

Results
FTR b. Top Flight – Big Rig to Dante
Darby Allin b. Anthony Henry – Coffin Drop
Hikaru Shida b. Queen Aminata – Katana
Rush/Butcher and the Blade b. Dark Order – Bull’s Horns to Silver

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Full Gear 2022
Date: November 19, 2022
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone

It’s time for another AEW pay per view and that should be a good thing a the company certainly has the reputation for putting on great ones. The main events here are MJF challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title and Chris Jericho defending the Ring Of Honor World Title in a four way match. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Best Friends/Rocky Romero/??? vs. Factory

The Best Friends are missing a partner to start, though they had advertised a very evil mysterious partner. Chuck shoulders Solo down to start and it’s off to Trent. A knee from the apron cuts Trent off but he’s fine enough to drop Johnson. Everything breaks down and Romero hits the Forever Clotheslines on Johnson in the corner. Marshall gets punched by a variety of people and Cassidy rather slowly joins in.

Cassidy takes so long setting up the big punch that Marshall falls down. The big four way hug is broken up by the rest of the Factory, who do their own hug. Trent gets whipped over the corner and out to the floor but he’s fine enough to get his knees up on Carter’s frog splash. A suplex to Marshall allows the double tag to Cassidy and Comoroto, with the lazy kicks having their intended effect. The annoyed Comoroto gets sent outside and Cassidy sends Marshall face first into the buckle over and over. The tornado DDT is broken up though and a right hand drops Cassidy.

Trent is back in with the tornado DDT and it’s the half and half into the Soul Food. Cassidy penalty kicks Johnson and hits the tornado DDT but Carter is back with a running flip dive….onto his own partners. Back in and Marshall catches the Orange Punch in a Diamond Cutter before loading up a piledriver on the steps. Cue Danhausen with a jar of teeth and a spike to clean house, allowing Cassidy to Orange Punch Comoroto. The teeth are poured into Comoroto’s mouth and a shot to the face gives Danhausen the pin at 11:46.

Rating: C. The wrestling itself wasn’t the point here and the match was nothing overly great. What mattered here was getting a popular act in front of the fans and having them go nuts. This was a great choice to open the night and Danhausen coming in for the pin was fine. It was about having fun and they did that rather well in a smart opener.

Post match Danhausen hits Marshall with the spike, setting up the big hug.

Zero Hour: Full Gear Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Brian Cage vs. Ricky Starks

The winner gets Ethan Page, on commentary, in the finals on Dynamite and Prince Nana is here with Cage. Starks is banged up coming in and the fight is on before the bell. Cage gets the better of the brawl and they fight to the floor with Cage hammering away. Back in and Starks can’t get anything going against the power. Starks is sent face first into the middle buckle (ow) and Cage does it again for good measure. Page is rather pleased with the carnage but wants more beating on both of them.

Starks fights back with a running elbow in the corner and a running clothesline drops Cage again. Cage pulls him out of the air though and a swinging Rock Bottom backbreaker gets two (much to Page’s delight). A springboard tornado DDT gets two more on Cage but the Roshambo doesn’t work. Weapon X is countered as well and Starks hits the spear for another near fall. Cage takes his head off with a discus lariat for two but the top rope elbow misses. Starks hits a Canadian Destroyer into Roshambo for the pin at 9:04.

Rating: C+. David vs. Goliath formula here and it went just fine. Starks, especially a banged up Starks, coming from behind to win over someone like Cage will always work and you have a tournament final that could go either way. It’s a shame that they couldn’t have the final here, but it was good enough action with a better story.

Zero Hour: Jun Akiyama vs. Eddie Kingston

This is Kingston’s dream match and fallout from a Rampage tag match. Akiyama’s jumping knee is blocked and Kingston knocks him into the ropes. A headlock doesn’t get Akiyama anywhere so we’ll go with the tried and true exchange of shouting strikes. Kingston sends him into the corner but charges into a boot. A right hand knocks Akiyama outside but he’s fine enough to grab a DDT on the apron.

Back in and a curb stomp knocks Kingston silly so Akiyama goes up. Kingston is back up to knock him to the floor and the machine gun chops…do very little to Akiyama. They trade suplexes until a knee strike puts both of them down. Kingston is up first with a DDT and the spinning backfist gets two. Another backfist is blocked and a hard knee gives Akiyama two of his own. Back up and another backfist finishes Akiyama at 10:26.

Rating: B-. I’m not sure why this needed to be added to tonight’s card but at least it was rather good. Kingston beating up legends is a way to go for him, but it would be nice if he was doing something a bit more important than living out his wrestling fantasies. Akiyama is a legend and did his thing as usual so it was nice enough for a treat for the fans.

Post match Kingston grabs the mic, thanks various Japanese legends, and tells us to order the pay per view so we can see Jon Moxley beat up MJF.

Luchasaurus vs. Jungle Boy

In a cage with Christian Cage at ringside. Jungle Boy strikes away at the legs to start but his springboard gets caught. The shove into the cage doesn’t work as Jungle Boy grabs onto the wall and a missile dropkick staggers Luchasaurus again. A face first ram into the cage cuts Jungle Boy off though and we’ve got some blood. Commentary talks about how long they have known each other and Luchasaurus him into the cage over and over.

A running powerbomb into the cage leaves Jungle Boy stuck between the wall and the ring. JR wants the match stopped (we’re not even six minutes in), though not so much as Jungle Boy gets an armbar over the top. Luchasaurus plants him again and yells at the referee for only counting two. The distraction lets Christian pull the key away from the outside referee. The door is opened and Christian is ejected, only to have Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy fight to the floor.

A catapult sends Jungle Boy into the cage and it’s table time, because a bloody cage match isn’t complete without a table. The chairs are thrown inside too and it’s a big boot to drop Jungle Boy again. A dropkick puts Luchasaurus down though and Jungle Boy sends him into the cage. That just earns Jungle Boy another ram into the cage and a chokeslam through an open chair gets a rather near fall.

Back up and Jungle Boy manages Sliced Bread before busting out an Undertaker sit up. Luchasaurus headbutts him down but Jungle Boy keeps bouncing up. A piledriver drops Luchasaurus for two so Jungle Boy sets up the table. Luchasaurus grabs a chokeslam attempt before switching into a Tombstone and a reverse powerbomb (cool) for two. Jungle Boy slips out of another chokeslam and grabs a choke, which knocks Luchasaurus out enough to put him on the table. One heck of an elbow from the top of the cage puts Luchasaurus through the table and the Snare Trap finishes him off at 18:51.

Rating: B+. This was a violent, old school fight and that is how it should have gone. Jungle Boy gets his big win in the personal fight and that’s all it needed to be. These guys beat each other up and the big elbow at the end looked great. If the only complaint is them going outside for a nothing spot and the still unnecessary table, they did something quite well.

We recap the Elite vs. Death Triangle. The Elite is back after being suspended and now it’s time for Death Triangle to defend the titles that the Elite next lost.

Six Man Tag Team Titles: Elite vs. Death Triangle

The Elite is challenging and get a special entrance with the lyrics to Carry On My Wayward Son playing on the Titantron….and the song as their entrance music. Eh they’re no Sam and Dean. Don Callis is on commentary as Omega and Pac start things off. Omega kicks the knee out but Pac is back up with a spit in the face. Nick comes in and dropkicks Fenix before avoiding a rolling cutter. It’s off to Penta who charges into a pair of kicks in the corner and the Elite clears the ring, setting up a running dive from Nick (with a fan giving him a drink).

Back in and Pac goes after Omega’s knee, allowing the champs to take turns kicking him in the head. Omega manages to get over to Matt for the tag and the rolling northern lights suplexes take Penta down. Fenix makes the save and it’s the double stomp What’s Up to crush Matt. It’s back to Nick to clean house for a bit before Omega comes in and cleans house on Pac.

Nick’s big dive takes out everyone but it’s a triple Tombstone to knock the Elite silly back inside. Fenix dives off of Penta’s shoulder (with Penta on the middle rope) to crush Omega and Pac (bleeding) hits Omega’s back. The Brutalizer goes on but gets broken up, leaving the Lucha Bros to dive onto the Bucks. Pac throws Fenix the hammer but Omega is back up with a V Trigger.

A Tiger Driver 98 gets two on Fenix and triple superkicks drop Penta. The BTE Trigger hits Fenix for two with Pac making the save. Nick dives onto Pac (with hammer) and Matt moonsaults onto a bunch of people. Omega V Triggers Fenix, who gets the hammer from Pac. The One Winged Angel is broken up with the hammer shot to retain the titles at 18:51.

Rating: B+. As much as I can’t stand the Elite and how they get their heroes’ return after the whole All Out melee, they know how to put on a crazy exciting and entertaining match. I’m glad the Elite didn’t win the titles here, even if it means Fenix goes over to the dark side. Sometimes you need to change things up a bit and if the Elite are going to be presented as the heroes (which is hardly a surprise), this had to be done.

TBS Title: Nyla Rose vs. Jade Cargill

Rose is challenging (despite having the title belt) and gets the Eddie Guerrero low rider entrance. Jade on the other hand is in Thunder Cats gear and sends her into the corner to start. Rose fights up and gets sent outside but manages to send Jade face first into the steps. Some slams drop Jade again and there’s a splash for one.

Back up and Jade gets a boot up in the corner before going up, only to dive onto a raised boot. A neckbreaker gives Rose two and she drapes Jade on the top for the knee to the head and two more. The Beast Bomb is blocked and Jade elbows the heck out of her for a breather. Jade manages a Beast Bomb of her own for two but Rose grabs her own Jaded for two more. The Swanton misses for Rose and Jade kicks her in the face. Jaded retains the title at 7:55.

Rating: C-. Cargill continues to do just about the same stuff that she has done for months now as the lack of development is hurting her a lot. At the same time, this wasn’t exactly a crisp match as the two of them weren’t quite clicking. I don’t know if Rose needed to win here, but Jade needs to lose already because the title/undefeated streak are holding her back from getting much better.

We recap the Ring of Honor World Title match. Chris Jericho is defending and wants to ruin the legacy of Ring of Honor. Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson want to stand up for the promotion, with Sammy Guevara here to even things out. Guevara has made some eyes at the title though and that could give Jericho some problems.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Bryan Danielson

Jericho is defending and it’s one fall to a finish with Ian Riccaboni on commentary. The brawl is on to start with Castagnoli sending Jericho into the barricade as the other two fight inside. Guevara is sent outside so Danielson and Castagnoli can beat up Jericho. Back in and Guevara gets beaten up as well, leaving Danielson vs. Castagnoli. The uppercuts rock Danielson but he pulls it into a cross armbreaker.

Jericho comes back in and gets taken into a double half crab, with Danielson getting to show off the biceps. Guevara gets back in for a double suplex on Danielson and Jericho grabs an AA for two, with Guevara looking conflicted over the break up. Danielson is back up and kicks away, including a big one for two on Guevara. A super hurricanrana is broken up as Guevara flips over and lands on his feet.

The Spanish Fly plants Danielson but Jericho Lionsaults onto both of them. Castagnoli comes back in this time and springboards into a Codebreaker for two with Guevara making the save. Jericho yells at Guevara and the fight is on with Guevara charging into a raised boot in the corner. Guevara grabs a Codebreaker but can’t put on the walls. Instead Jericho gets the real thing so Jericho makes the save.

Castagnoli is back in with the Sharpshooter to Jericho….who crawls over and covers Danielson in a smart idea. That’s broken up and Danielson puts the LeBell Lock on while the Sharpshooter is still on. Guevara makes a save of his own and gets a hug from Jericho….who gets caught with the GTH. The shooting star press gets two on Jericho and everyone is down. Guevara goes for the hammer and anvil elbows on Danielson, who will not have that gimmick infringement.

Castagnoli launches Guevara outside but walks into the running knee from Danielson for a close two. Danielson pulls Guevara into the LeBell Lock but Jericho is back in for the save. Castagnoli is back up to whip Jericho into the barricade over and over, followed by a Neutralizer to Danielson on the floor. Guevara shooting stars onto Castagnoli, who pop up uppercuts him for two back inside. There’s the Swing but Jericho tries a jumping Judas Effect….which crazes Castagnoli in the ribs. Thankfully Jericho hits a better one to retain at 21:42.

Rating: A-. This was all action and that made for one heck of a match. It gave you questions about who was going to win, which says a lot when Jericho losing the title at Final Battle seems to be the most logical option they have. They managed to tell some stories here while also piling on the action in quite the trick. Heck of a match and now we get to see who goes after Jericho in December.

We recap Saraya vs. Britt Baker. Saraya is in her first match in nearly five years after a spine injury and they’ve argued over whose house this is.

Saraya vs. Britt Baker

They fight over a lockup to start until Baker takes her down. That doesn’t last long as Saraya is back up with a boot to the face but Baker knocks her to the floor for the crash. Baker drags it over to the apron for some shouting from Saraya’s brother, followed by a neck crank back inside. A neckbreaker gives Baker two and a neckbreaker gives Baker two as they certainly have a theme here.

Baker sends her outside but gets dropped face first onto the apron. A crossbody off the apron drops Baker as commentary suggests Saraya is working on Baker’s formerly injured nose. Back in and the Night Cap (Paige Turner) gets two but Baker grabs an Air Raid Crash for two more.

A Stomp gives Baker another two and frustration/shock is setting in. Saraya gets a powerbomb out of the corner but Baker sends her face first into the middle buckle. A ripcord right hand sets up a fisherman’s neckbreaker on Saraya, followed by another stomp for two. Back up and a pair of what used to be known as the Rampaige finishes Baker at 13:24.

Rating: C. The main thing keeping this from being a good bit lower is the fact that Saraya has wrestled a handful of matches in six years. She was going to be rusty coming in and there was no way around it. That being said, having her pin Baker clean is pretty questionable when Baker was trying to defend what AEW had built when Saraya basically came in saying “yeah I’m better than all of you”. Well, she was here, and it was clean.

Quick recap of the TNT Title match. Powerhouse Hobbs wants the title, Samoa Joe turned on Wardlow, Wardlow will fight both of them at once.

TNT Title: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Samoa Joe vs. Wardlow

Wardlow is defending. They all go to the floor to start with Hobbs taking over, including sending Wardlow into the steps. Back in and a delayed vertical suplex drops Wardlow but Joe is back in for the chopping. Hobbs suplexes Joe and chokes Wardlow in the corner while shouting DO SOMETHING. Wardlow fights up and busts out a Whisper In The Wind but Joe is back up with the backsplash.

Joe guillotines Hobbs until Wardlow spears him down, causing Joe to DDT Hobbs. They head back to the floor with Hobbs driving Joe hard into the barricade, followed by the spinebuster for two back inside. Wardlow slips out of Town Business and manages a quick powerbomb. Another one connects but Joe comes in to belt shot Wardlow and chokes out Hobbs for the title at 9:56.

Rating: B-. This was a nice power match and all three of them worked hard, but more than anything else it makes me hope that Joe unifies the titles at some point. There is no need to have both of them around, but that’s a point for later. For now, this was the hoss fight that took the show in a different direction and that’s a good thing. Solid stuff, but it’s a shame that Hobbs had to take another fall.

Chris Jericho, with Jake Hager, says that was competitiveness with Sammy Guevara. Orange Cassidy comes in to say Tomohiro Ishii wants Jericho for the ROH Title at Dynamite. Jericho thinks of Ishii as a young boy, so come get your shot. Jericho leaves, so Cassidy offers Hager an All-Atlantic Title shot. Oh and nice hat. Hager: “YOU’RE D*** RIGHT IT IS! I LIKE THIS HAT!”

We recap Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal vs. Sting/Darby Allin. Lethal and Allin have been feuding and Lethal is bringing Jarrett in to help deal with Sting, because the world was waiting for Jarrett being back.

Tony Schiavone replaces JR on commentary.

Sting/Darby Allin vs. Jay Lethal/Jeff Jarrett

No DQ. Jarrett brings out an army of fake Stings for….I guess old times’ sake? Allin comes charging out and fires off skateboard shots to the fake Stings. The real Sting pops up behind Jarrett to start things off and we get a TNA chant (always a good sign). Lethal gets dropped hard onto the apron and everyone fights into the crowd, with the fans chanting OVER HERE.

Allin sets up a ladder and tries a dive off the stage onto Jarrett, but Satnam Singh pulls him out of the air for a drop onto the ramp. Sting is back up with a dive of his own onto Lethal as Jarrett takes Allin back to ringside. We settle down to Lethal and Allin colliding in the ring with the legends on the apron. Allin brings in Sting, who is chokeslammed by Singh to give Jarrett two.

Allin and Lethal slug it out again until Lethal hits a Lethal Combination for two of his own. A double team is broken up but the Coffin Drop is knocked out of the air with a guitar shot. Then Allin pops up and does the Sting beating on his chest until the real Sting comes back in for a Coffin Drop/Scorpion Death Drop combination to Singh. The Lethal Injection is countered into another Death Drop and the Coffin Drop finishes Lethal at 10:55.

Rating: C+. It was an entertaining and wild brawl, but it’s similar to what we’ve seen from Sting and Allin for a long time. Allin seems like he is the same person he was for at least the last year and I don’t know when he is actually going to change. That needs to happen at some point and it wasn’t taking place here. Also, when do Sting and Allin get their Tag Team Title shot? Haven’t they earned one by now?

Quick recap of Jamie Hayter vs. Toni Storm for the Interim Women’s Title. Hayter is on a roll and wants the title, but there’s a personal issue to it as they used to be close friends. Now it’s over the title and a former friendship.

Interim Women’s Title: Toni Storm vs. Jamie Hayter

Hayter is challenging and seems to be the crowd favorite. A headlock has Storm in trouble early but she fights out and takes it to the floor. Storm sends her into the barricade but gets sent into it as well. Various hair pulling ensues as they are sent into various things, with Hayter getting the better of it.

Back in and Hayter slams her face first into the mat before grabbing the chinlock to keep things slow. Hayter stops to yell at the referee, but does offer him a handshake while stepping on Storm’s head. Storm fights up and hits the running hip attack in the corner for two but can’t follow up. They slug it out again but here is Rebel for the belt shot and one heck of a near fall.

Hayter misses the ripcord lariat and gets caught with one from Storm for two. Back up and Hayter sends her outside, where a disguised Britt Baker hits a Stomp on the belt for a very near fall back inside. Hayter hits Storm Zero for two, followed by Storm hitting Storm Zero for two.

The Cloverleaf is loaded up but a Baker distraction breaks it up. The Haytebreaker gets two so Hayter hits a clothesline in the corner. Baker gets up again but is knocked right back down, ripping the turnbuckle pad off in the process. Hayter sends Storm into the buckle and nails the ripcord lariat for the pin and the title at 15:16.

Rating: B-. They went more than a little too far with all of the shenanigans but it was long past time for Hayter to win the title. Storm was trying as hard as she could but there were too many things going against her for the title reign to be a success. You can almost guarantee Baker vs. Hayter coming sooner or later, and that Interim name being dropped (the one that never should have been there in the first place) might be what sends Baker over the edge. For now though, they did it at the right time and it went well enough.

The heels celebrate together.

Swerve In Our Glory is ready to win the titles back. They might not think the same way, but they work well together and both want the belts.

Tag Team Titles: Swerve In Our Glory vs. Acclaimed

Acclaimed is defending and Caster’s rap is about various topical references including Kanye West, Twitter and Donald Trump speeches. Oh and Keith Lee is large. They start fast with Swerve sending Caster into the barricade, leaving Bowens (with a bad shoulder) to strike away at Lee. That doesn’t work so well as Lee knocks him to the floor but stops to yell at Swerve.

Caster gets back up on the apron as Bowens tries some left handed shots. Swerve comes in to work on Bowens’ arm before it’s right back to Lee. A reverse hurricanrana gets Bowens out of trouble though and it’s Caster coming in to pick up the pace. Caster grabs a middle rope hurricanrana to Lee and a top rope Fameasser drops him again. Everything breaks down and Caster goes up for a high crossbody off the apron to send Lee onto the top of the announcers’ table (which was bridged to the apron).

Back in and Swerve hits the rolling Downward Spiral on Bowens and a kick to the head gets two. Swerve kicks him in the head twice more, talks some trash, and hits a fourth kick for a rather near fall. Bowens catches him on top and it’s the Arrival into the Mic Drop for two, with Lee making the save. Swerve brainbusters Caster and Lee runs Bowens over for two as commentary references a fan being ejected.

Lee picks Caster up and swings him into Bowens for a bonus. They head outside with Caster being sent over the table, allowing Swerve to pull out some pliers. Billy Gunn comes out to go after Swerve but gets cut off before making contact. Swerve tells Lee to use the pliers but that’s a no….so Swerve slaps him in the face. That’s enough for Lee to walk out and Bowens rolls Swerve up for a very close two. Caster springboards back in with a missile dropkick and they load Swerve up for what looks like a Magic Killer, only to flip him forward into a double slam for the retaining pin at 19:41.

Rating: B. This got better as it went and the split was telegraphed for the last few months. The Acclaimed had to retain here as there was no need to have them lose the titles back to Lee and Swerve. It probably could have had a few minutes cut off, but they did the right thing and Acclaimed gets a pay per view title defense so it could have been a lot worse.

We recap MJF challenging Jon Moxley for the World Title. MJF wants to do this the right way so he challenged in advance, but Moxley isn’t worried.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF is challenging and, after the Big Match Intros, gets hit in the face to start. As William Regal heads to the back for some reason, MJF fights back but stops for a strut. Moxley is sent outside so MJF teases a dive, only to run the ropes and then pose instead. Back in and Moxley sends him into the corner, followed by a double middle finger to the pro-MJF crowd.

A Falcon Arrow into an armbar has MJF in trouble but he stacks Moxley up for two and the break. They fight outside with MJF slugging away, only to get whipped into the steps. Back in and MJF fires off more right hands, followed by the big left for the knockdown. MJF heads outside to set up a table but comes back in to get pummeled by the champ. They fight to the apron and MJF hits a Tombstone, banging up his knee in the process.

Another piledriver is teased but Moxley reverses into one of his own, sending MJF through the table in a massive crash. Back in and Moxley gets smart by grabbing a Figure Four on MJF’s bad knee. MJF fights out by turning it over so Moxley goes right back to the leg to keep him in trouble. The fans get on Moxley as they head up top, with MJF getting crushed by the hammer and anvil elbows. A super Paradigm Shift gets two with MJF putting his finger on the rope.

Moxley comes up favoring his elbow but tells MJF to take his best f****** shot. The slugout goes to Moxley but MJF pulls the referee into a charge. MJF busts out the Dynamite Diamond, only to have Regal come back and tell him to put it down. For some reason MJF actually does, allowing Moxley to grab a choke. That’s broken up and another referee gets knocked down. Moxley grabs the bulldog choke to make MJF tap (no referee)….and Regal slides MJF the brass knuckles. The knockout shot gives MJF the pin and the title at 23:06.

Rating: B+. They had to go here and the match worked well as a result. Regal turning was fairly telegraphed and that is not a bad thing whatsoever. MJF had to win here and he could be a heck of an evil champion, as he should have been for a long time now. Moxley felt like a transitional champion when he got the belt back and keeping it warm for MJF is a good way to go. Heck of a main event with a great moment to close things out.

MJF limps up the ramp to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. With that many good to great matches in a night, this was another excellent AEW pay per view. You had multiple big moments and nothing that was too awful (though Cargill vs. Rose didn’t work so well), but the show did go on longer than it needed to. Overall though, this is what AEW does well and they did it again. There are some problems with the promotion but pay per view isn’t one of them, which was on display here. Another great major event.

Results
Best Friends/Rocky Romero/Danhausen b. The Factory – Punch to Comoroto
Ricky Starks b. Brian Cage – Roshambo
Eddie Kingston b. Jun Akiyama – Spinning backfist
Jungle Boy b. Luchasaurus – Snare Trap
Death Triangle b. Elite – Hammer shot to Omega
Jade Cargill b. Nyla Rose – Jaded
Chris Jericho b. Sammy Guevara, Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson – Judas Effect to Castagnoli
Saraya b. Britt Baker – Rampaige
Samoa Joe b. Powerhouse Hobbs and Wardlow – Koquina Clutch to Hobbs
Sting/Darby Allin b. Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal – Coffin Drop to Lethal
Jamie Hayter b. Toni Storm – Ripcord lariat
Acclaimed b. Swerve In Our Glory – Double flipping slam to Strickland
Maxwell Jacob Friedman b. Jon Moxley – Punch with brass knuckles

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It’s time for another AEW pay per view and as has been the case for a pretty good while now, things are not exactly feeling the most interesting at the moment. The World Title match doesn’t have the most personal setup and the rest of the show is feeling a bit hit or miss. That being said, the idea of AEW having a bad pay per view seems completely insane so I have quite a bit of confidence in what they are going to do. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: Jun Akiyama vs. Eddie Kingston

This is a match that was added after this week’s Rampage went off the air. In short, this is Kingston’s dream match and….I’m struggling to come up with a reason that should interest me. Akiyama is a legend, but there is no real reason for the two of them to be fighting other than Kingston just saying he wanted it to happen. For some reason this is added to the pre-show and now the night is even longer than it needed to be.

I’ll go with Akiyama winning, as AEW seems to like the idea of doing everything they can to waste Kingston. I don’t remember the last time he had something important to do and while I’m sure he would love to do the honors for Akiyama, it doesn’t make any sense. That being said, I almost can’t picture Kingston winning anything more than a squash at this point so we’ll go with Akiyama here, despite a lack of logic for doing so.

Zero Hour: Best Friends vs. The Factory

Ten man tag and also added on Rampage, but at least there is a bit of a history here. This is a good choice for the Zero Hour as you have fan favorites like Orange Cassidy and Danhausen in there against a bunch of clueless putzes like the Factory. There is almost no way to screw this up and I have every confidence that AEW will do the right thing with this one.

Of course the Best Friends win here, likely with Cassidy Orange Punching let’s say Aaron Solo for the win. The fans can pop for the Best Friends spots, the Factory can get heat on one of them in the corner and Cassidy can come in as the hero. As goofy as it is, this is the kind of fun match that they need to have and it is nearly impossible to mess up, as it is almost a science at this point. Best Friends win a fun match.

Zero Hour: Full Gear Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Ricky Starks vs. Brian Cage

This is the semifinal instead of the final due to Starks being banged up last week, meaning things had to be changed up a bit (fair enough). The good thing is that there is a bit of history here as these two used to be part of Team Taz together so it isn’t a completely fresh match. Starks is going to be banged up because it’s a rather effective way to build towards a David vs. Goliath style match, but that might not be enough.

I’ll take Starks here, as I can’t imagine Cage vs. Ethan Page in the finals. Starks is a much more natural fit and after he gets the fire beaten out of him by Cage, we can get to the important part where he wins to move on to Dynamite. That is a formula that will work well and I think it is what we are going to get here, after what should be a better than expected match.

TNT Title: Wardlow(c) vs. Samoa Joe vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

This was added this week on Dynamite but it has been building for a good while. Wardlow is the monster at the moment but is up against a submission master and a literal powerhouse so this could be quite the issue. The match comes after Wardlow has been dealing with both of them, as Joe doesn’t like the idea of Wardlow getting multiple titles. Hence why his ROH TV Title isn’t on the line.

Wardlow retaining here makes the most sense so we’ll go with that, though I could absolutely go with Hobbs winning his first title here. Other than that, there is a good chance that this sets up the Wardlow vs. Joe showdown, which has a bit more of a background. For now though, this is going to be a hoss fight and that is a good thing to have on any show. We should be in for a fun one here though and if Wardlow wins, things are that much better.

Trios Titles: Death Triangle(c) vs. The Elite

Let’s get this one over with early. The Elite is back, so far with no explanation for where the heck they have been or what the vanishing videos meant (to be fair, we haven’t actually heard from them yet) but it’s already back to the title picture. There are going to be some fans who are mad about the Elite being back and vice versa, but they are in a title match and that is what we are going to be seeing.

I’ll go with what the result should be here, which would be Death Triangle retaining. I would hope that AEW wouldn’t look at their biggest scandal in history, shrug, and move right back to what they were doing before the Elite were suspended. That being said, the Elite is the reason the titles were around in the first place so them winning the titles back wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. I’ll go with Death Triangle retaining, but with absolutely no confidence.

Luchasaurus vs. Jungle Boy

We’re in a cage here and that should be an obvious ending, but that isn’t often how things work around here. Jungle Boy’s focus continues to be on ultimately getting his hands on Christian Cage, who isn’t ready to get back in the ring just yet. Therefore, we get a big showdown with the monster instead, which could make quite a nice moment for Jungle Boy, assuming it is done right.

Jungle Boy winning here would be the right call so we’ll go with that, as it should clear him out to get Jungle Boy ready for Cage (not the cage, but Cage) down the line. The question now is how far down the line, but even still, this feud has already been stretched out quite a long time already. Cage turned on Jungle Boy four months ago so it would be nice to get to the point, but for now, Jungle Boy wins.

Jeff Jarrett/Jay Lethal vs. Sting/Darby Allin

There are two things that come to me as I think about this match. First: someone watched Ric Flair’s match, looked at the team that Flair BEAT, and thought “yeah I want them here two”. Second: Allin has completely stopped developing or evolving. How long has he been Sting’s partner or at the same level in AEW? It feels like years at this point, which isn’t good when the company isn’t four years old.

Of course this is Sting and Allin’s match to win, as I believe they are still undefeated as a team and aren’t about to lose their first match to Lethal and Jarrett. Bringing Jarrett in is one thing but I don’t think even AEW is insane enough to have him go out and win a match on pay per view in his debut. That being said, having him IN a match on pay per view is enough of a sign of insanity that it has me wondering about everything else. But yeah, Sting and Allin win here.

Britt Baker vs. Saraya

Here is your terrifying match of the show, as Saraya lasted what, a month or two in her last return to the ring? This has already become the top feud in the women’s division as Toni Storm sheds another tear for her completely dead in the water title reign. The interesting thing about this match though is they seem to be doing a double turn with Saraya becoming a heel to Baker’s face, and that could shake things up a bit.

As much sense as it would make for Baker to stand up for AEW and win here as a face after so much awesomeness as a heel, I’ll go with Saraya to win. It would be almost insane to bring her in and have her lose after several years away, but letting her say some of the things she has said is questionable enough. Saraya wins here, but it is going to be interesting in a confusing and terrifying way at the same time.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill(c) vs. Nyla Rose

Even though Rose has the title itself. I have a bad feeling that I know what this is going to be and that makes me rather sad. There is little to no reason for Cargill to be having the same matches she has been doing for a year plus now, but that is what AEW seems to have her doing time after time. At some point she needs to be able to do something else and that has not come just yet. At least now Rose has been doing something different with Cargill for a bit, they have to take the next step.

As much as I would love for Rose to win here so Cargill can FINALLY move on to something else, I think they’ll have Cargill retain here and get the title back so we can get back into what she has been doing for months on end. Cargill badly needs to evolve at least a little bit because the undefeated streak is killing her growth at this point, but she keeps the title here, even if she shouldn’t.

Tag Team Titles: Acclaimed(c) vs. Swerve In Our Glory

It’s almost weird to see a trilogy match in AEW but that is where we are with this one. It isn’t a bad idea for the most part as there is a story behind it, but with so many good teams in AEW, it is a little rough seeing the same match so many times. That being said, the Acclaimed is so crazy popular that you need to have them doing something and they should be in for another good one here.

Acclaimed retains here, as there is no reason for them to lose here as they are still crazy popular. This needs to end the feud though, as Swerve In Our Glory has gotten everything they can out of the feud already. I’m not sure what is next for the Acclaimed, but as long as they keep getting this kind of a reaction, they shouldn’t be anywhere close to losing the titles anytime soon.

Interim Women’s Title: Toni Storm(c) vs. Jamie Hayter

Poor Storm. She came here to get away from nonsense in WWE and now she not only gets stuck behind (at least) Saraya vs. Baker and Cargill, but she has to be the INTERIM champion, just rubbing in the idea that she isn’t the first choice. Since Tony Khan is incapable of letting the interim deal go, this is what we get here, even if Thunder Rosa is STILL gone with nothing to indicate she will be back soon.

In addition to all of her problems, I think Storm loses the title here, as Hayter is on a roll right now and it would give her a boost to the next level. Storm is dead in the water at the moment and there is no reason for her to keep the title. Give it to Hayter and drop the interim thing so we can move on and have a decent reign, because Hayter (and Storm) is good enough to get such treatment.

Ring Of Honor World Title: Chris Jericho(c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Bryan Danielson vs. Sammy Guevara

The Ring Of Honor obsession continues as we have the match that has gotten more focus on TV in recent months. I’m as shocked as you are that Jericho is still one of the top stars around but here we are. This is at least a Ring Of Honor style match and it should be action packed. Unfortunately it should also be the end of the story, but I don’t think that is where we are going.

Instead I’ll take Jericho to retain here, likely to set up the big savior of Ring Of Honor (possibly Castagnoli or Danielson) at Final Battle. There is also the chance that Guevara turns on Jericho to win the title, only to reunite with him for the 49^th or so time a month later, but for now I’ll say Jericho retains, setting up his big loss in a few weeks, which will totally happen. For sure. No question about it.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

So here we are, with the other match that has gotten some serious focus, though the match still feels like it isn’t that personal. Again, that is the problem with what is more or less a Money In The Bank briefcase title shot: there is no reason for the match to happen other than the challenger saying “we’ll do it then”. That doesn’t leave things feeling personal and the build has been a bit off as a result.

As for a winner….they have to put it on MJF here right? If they don’t, I don’t know what else there is to do. That being said, there is a rather strong chance that it happens at the hands of William Regal turning on Moxley, setting up a heck of a promo down the line. If nothing else, that is the kind of storyline shakeup that they need. We can worry about things after that later, but MJF needs to walk out of here as a villainous champion and they have set the stage perfectly.

Overall Thoughts

The show does have a lot of potential because of the talent involved, but it also has a lot of matches, which tends to be an issue for AEW shows. I still don’t need this thing to be close to five hours, but that is probably where we are going. They need to stick the landing with some stuff here and there are a lot of problems that the company needs to solve in the grand scheme of things. The good news it that AEW knows how to nail pay per views and there is a strong chance they’ll do it again here.

Dynamite
Date: November 16, 2022
Location: Total Mortgage Arena, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commentators: Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone, Ian Riccaboni

It’s the go home show for Full Gear and that means the card could still use some work. If nothing else, we need to have some more matches in the Contenders tournament as the finals are still set for Saturday. Other than that, odds are we’ll be hearing from MJF and Jon Moxley. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Bryan Danielson/Claudio Castagnoli vs. Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara

It’s a brawl to start with the Club elbowing away at Guevara and Jericho, followed by a surfboard to Guevara. Back up and Guevara hits a dropkick to take over, allowing Jericho to come in for the chops in the corner. Danielson fights out and scores with the running dropkicks to Guevara but tries once too often. Jericho gets in a cheap shot from the floor and we take a break.

Back with Danielson getting double suplexed but managing to get over for the hot tag to Castagnoli. House is cleaned and a running clothesline gets two on Jericho. Danielson breaks up the Walls to Castagnoli with a top rope missile dropkick, allowing Castagnoli to make the tag this time.

Everything breaks down again and Danielson reverses the GTH into the LeBell Lock. Jericho comes back in and stereo crossbodies put he and Danielson down. Back up and Jericho goes for the bat, only to have Castagnoli grab him for the Swing. The Sharpshooter makes Jericho tap at 17:30.

Rating: B-. This one got the time that it needed for people this talented, but at the same time it doesn’t give me much hope for Castagnoli’s chances on Saturday. I’m not sure who leaves as champion, but the more I think about it, the more likely Jericho seems. Either way, they had a good one here, with everyone working hard to make it go well.

Video on Jon Moxley vs. MJF.

Video on Darby Allin being pulled out of the grave in a body bag and put in the back of a car. Sting is driving and they’re coming to Full Gear.

Jeff Jarrett and company are ready to end Sting and Darby Allin.

We get the new Acclaimed music video, complete with Paul Wight reprising his role as Captain Insano from the Waterboy. The gist of the song: they don’t like Swerve In Our Glory and no one else does either.

Swerve Strickland vs. Anthony Bowens

Everyone else is ejected so we can start the brawl on the floor, with Swerve being send face first into the steps. They head inside for the opening bell and then fight back to the floor, with Swerve knocking him over the barricade as we take an early break. Back with Bowens sending him into the corner for a kick to the head. A suplex drops Swerve for two more but he’s right back with a snap to the arm. The Swerve Stomp gets two in a bit of a surprise kickout but the JML Driver puts Bowens away at 9:33.

Rating: C. Strickland winning here makes sense as it isn’t like Bowens has any real history as a singles star. I also like the lack of shenanigans at ringside, as it is something that has been done to death in AEW. There’s a little too much going on in a match like this and they went with the simpler version here. Saturday should be a fun match and they did a fine enough job to set things up.

Video on Nyla Rose vs. Jade Cargill, complete with the talking heads.

Here is Samoa Joe for a chat. He was tired of Wardlow overstepping his bounds but here is Powerhouse Hobbs to interrupt. Hobbs says Joe is late to the party because Hobbs is the one who has been beating up Wardlow for the last few weeks. The fight is almost on but here is Wardlow to take Joe down. The big fight is on now with security and wrestlers having to come in to break it up.

Britt Baker talks about how Saraya has stared her down time after time. No, Baker has never wrestled in Madison Square Garden but she wrestled in Daily’s Place for years to keep this place going. The fans say her catchphrases with her and she is happy to walk the roads that Saraya helped pave. She isn’t going to have Saraya talk down to everyone though because she is stuck in the past. This is Baker’s house. And this was a 100% face promo, as they’re looking really close to a double turn.

Trios Titles: Death Triangle vs. Top Flight/AR Fox

Death Triangle is defending and Dante knocks Penta to the floor to start as commentary talks about Fox’s career (as they should, as he might not be known to the audience). Fox comes in and ducks Pac’s clothesline, setting up a jumping enziguri to knock him into the corner. Top Flight launches Pac into a cutter from Fox but stereo dives are cut off by kicks to the face from the champs. The Bros kick all three challengers down and we take a break.

Back with the challengers fighting back and sending Death Triangle outside, setting up a big springboard inverted dive from Fox. Back in and a 450 gives Fox two with Pac having to make a save. The Bros are back up for a spike Fear Factor and the double flip dive onto Top Flight. The Black Arrow finishes Fox at 11:31.

Rating: C+. They went with the insanity here, which tends to be the case with these matches. Fox and Top Flight could be a decent team, but it isn’t like there is anything involving any teams other than Death Triangle and the Elite. Just get us to the title rematch on Saturday, which should be all set up by the end of the night.

Post match Pac asks the fans if they think Death Triangle is stupid. They know some people are coming back, and that trio (who he never names) can come see them at Full Gear. Those three know who they are and we get the Death Triangle vs. Elite graphic for Saturday. Pac is pleased.

Ricky Starks was taken out by Lance Archer last week but now they’ll do it for real on Rampage. This time though: let’s just start backstage so Starks can hurt him all the way to the ring.

Full Gear Contenders Tournament Semifinals: Bandido vs. Ethan Page

Page has Stokely Hathaway with him. Bandido spins around to start and shows him the finger guns. It’s never a good sign when a wrestler is threatening to shoot on you fifteen seconds in. Page knocks him down and takes over as we go to an early break. Back with Page missing a charge into the corner and getting sent face first into the middle buckle.

Bandido kicks him down but the 21 Plex is blocked, allowing Page to hit a springboard cutter for two. Back up and Bandido hits the one armed gorilla press (that’s insane) setting up a frog splash for two. The super fall away slam is broken up and the Ego’s Edge finishes Bandido at 9:05.

Rating: C+. This Page push continues to elude me. He is by no means bad but it would seem that there are several other stars on the roster who would be ready for a push. They are at least trying with someone new though and that is a good thing, even if it means Bandido losing another match.

Video on Luchasaurus vs. Jungle Boy in a cage.

Saraya is tired of talking about Britt Baker and wants to just do this.

Video on Eddie Kingston/Ortiz vs. Jun Akiyama/Konosuke Takeshita on Rampage.

Anna Jay vs. Toni Storm

Non-title. They go to the mat to start for a bit before Storm gets caught in the corner. A Backstabber brings her back out and we take a break. Back with Storm fighting out of trouble and hitting the running hip attack to knock her off the apron. Jay is back with her not so great looking roll into a kick but the Queenslayer is broken up. Storm hits another running hip attack in the corner, setting up the Texas Cloverleaf for the tap at 6:49.

Rating: C. Storm gets a win before Saturday, as I try to get my head around this being a match for Jay to possibly become #1 contender to the Interim title. This whole thing has fallen so far down that they need to reset a lot of pieces to make it work. Not that they will, but Storm losing the title might be the way to go, just for the sake of getting away from this mess.

Post match Jamie Hayter comes out for the staredown with Toni Storm.

Full Gear rundown.

Here is Jon Moxley with William Regal for the big push towards the World Title match. Moxley talks about how he is the champ and talks trash but backs it up. He loves to fight because he is sick in the head but it has gotten him this far today. Last week he asked who MJF is and has found out some things about him. It turns out MJF is a good singer who took a vacation after dealing with Brian Pillman Jr. before coming back as the devil and winning a poker chip in the worst ending to a ladder match he’s ever seen.

Moxley is ready to beat him but here is the Firm to beat Moxley and Jericho down. Cue MJF for the save and he grabs a mic. MJF makes it clear: he did this so Moxley has no excuses on Saturday and gets in Regal’s face as a bonus. After a quick Pipebomb quote, MJF talks about how he needs to win the title because he needs it more than air.

MJF says that yeah he’s the devil, and the greatest trick he ever pulled is convincing the world that he doesn’t exist. Moxley cuts off the catchphrase though and says he never saw the big deal with MJF. At Full Gear, he’ll find out if MJF has it, but if not, on Sunday (Moxley: “Is the show Saturday or Sunday? Saturday.”), the training wheels come off. Not a great promo, but there is no reason for these two to be mad at each other, so Moxley has little more to say besides “yeah I’m going to beat him” over and over.

Overall Rating: C+. For a regular show this was pretty good but it did very little to make me want to see Full Gear. There wasn’t anything overly noteworthy and the stuff that was added to the show did very little for me. AEW is in a pretty solid funk right now and Full Gear isn’t looking like the show that will get them out of it. This week was another instance of the wrestling bailing out weak almost everything else, but that is only going to last so long. Not a great show, especially by Dynamite standards.

Results
Claudio Castagnoli/Bryan Danielson b. Chris Jericho/Sammy Guevara – Sharpshooter to Jericho
Swerve Strickland b. Anthony Bowens – JML Driver
Death Triangle b. Top Flight/AR Fox – Black Arrow to Fox
Ethan Page b. Bandido – Ego’s Edge
Toni Storm b. Anna Jay – Texas Cloverleaf

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Rampage
Date: September 24, 2022
Location: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York City, New York
Commentators: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho

It’s the biggest Rampage of the year as we are in New York City for a stacked two house show. The card is headlined by a battle royal (shocking I know) for the #1 contendership as we have a title shot to get through before Full Gear. Other than that, there are a bunch of grudge matches so let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

House Of Black vs. Sting/Darby Allin

No DQ and Sting/Allin pop up behind the House (Brody King/Buddy Matthews with Julia Hart) during their entrances to start the fight on the stage. The bell rings and they fight to the ring with the House taking over without much trouble. Sting gets surrounded but manages to fight them both off, only to be driven hard into the corner. A super Code Red gives Allin two on King but a suicide dive (and a fast one at that) is cut off by a raised knee.

Sting goes up but gets shoved through a table, with his head hitting part of another one, because that’s something you want to see happen. Hart gets back up and handcuffs Sting’s arms behind his back as we take a break. Back with Allin slipping out of Dante’s Inferno on the stage and climbing the set, which can’t end well. The Coffin Drop off the set takes out a standing Matthews but King pulls another one out of the air into the sleeper.

The two of them crash off the stage and through some tables, leaving Matthews to grab Sting’s bat and go after the still handcuffed Sting. Matthews sits Sting in a chair, where he laughs a lot until the lights go out. Normally that would be a bad thing…..but the GREAT MUTA comes out and slowly makes his way to the ring, where he dragon screw legwhips Matthews (still looks great). The mist hits Matthews, which knocks him into Hart, sending her through a ringside table (or part of it as that was a nasty landing). Sting breaks the handcuffs and Death Drops Matthews for the pin at 11:01.

Rating: C+. This was all the Muta appearance and that is not a bad thing. The rest of the match though, which was pretty much little more than a bunch of brawling and table spots, was something that you’ve seen done around here quite a few times. At least they had a reason to continue to feud, even if it was for a one off cameo. Now find something else for everyone to do.

Hook/Action Bronson vs. Jericho Appreciation Society

Bronson raps the team to the ring. Parker kicks Hook in the face to start but Hook spins out of a hiptoss and gutwrench suplexes him down. Bronson comes in for the shoulders and corner splash before handing it back to Hook. This time doesn’t work as well as the Society takes him into the corner to stomp away. Hook pretty easily suplexes his way out of trouble and hands it back to Bronson for a running powerslam for two on Parker. Everything breaks down and stereo Redrums finish the Society at 5:07.

Rating: C-. What were you expecting here? Bronson is a big guy and not a wrestler so they put him in there against a couple of goofs who are there to do nothing but lose. The match wasn’t supposed to be anything competitive and it was never going to be, but at least they kept it short so it didn’t drag on too long.

Samoa Joe/Wardlow vs. Tony Nese/Josh Woods

Mark Sterling is here with the villains. Wardlow and Woods slug it out as the other two brawl on the floor. A spinebuster plants Woods and a Cactus Clothesline sends them both outside. Joe hammers Nese down in the corner before avoiding his moonsault. The MuscleBuster finishes Nese at 2:24. Well that was nothing, but at least Nese got his weekly appearance in.

Post match the beatdown is on for Joe but Wardlow comes in for the save (which favoring his leg a bit). Sterling jumps Wardlow with a title belt, earning himself a three movement Powerbomb Symphony. If Wardlow was hurt, you wouldn’t know it based on that.

Jungle Boy is ready to move on from Christian Cage.

Jungle Boy vs. Rey Fenix

Fenix rolls at him to start and tries an early Black Fire Driver, only to get caught with a dropkick. It’s already time to strike it out until Fenix kicks him to the floor and we take a break. Back with Jungle Boy hitting a clothesline to cut off a comeback attempt. A brainbuster gives Jungle Boy two and there’s the suicide dive to drop Fenix again.

They get back in with Jungle Boy nailing a superkick into the poisonrana. That’s not enough to even put Fenix down, as he is right back up with a rolling cutter for a double knockdown. Jungle Boy gets another fast two before they fight out to the apron. Fenix knocks him to the floor but dives into a superkick to put them both down again.

We take another break and come back with Fenix getting the better of a slugout and hitting a Gory Bomb swung into a cutter for two. Jungle Boy pops back up and huts a running elbow to the back of the head for two, meaning it’s another double breather. Fenix hits Two Amigos but the third is countered into a Samoan driver to give Jungle Boy two of his own. Jungle Boy gets kicked down again, setting up a good frog splash to give Fenix two more. The springboard spinning kick to the head in the corner sets up the Black Fire Driver but Jungle Boy reverses into a small package for the pin at 17:47.

Rating: B. Take two guys who are capable of working this fast paced and exciting style and let them do their thing for the better part of twenty minutes. That’s a great way to fire up the crowd and it worked well here. Jungle Boy gets a win to boost him back up after losing to Christian Cage at the pay per view and Fenix is bulletproof so this went rather well.

Respect is shown post match but Christian Cage, with his arm in a sling, is back. It’s a ruse though as Luchasaurus pops up behind Jungle Boy and the beatdown is on. Christian blames Jungle Boy for the arm injury so he’s introducing him to the right hand of destruction. Christian wishes Jungle Boy’s mom and sister were here watching this, as Luchasaurus hits a chokeslam. That’s still a long time before Jungle Boy gets to Christian again.

We look at the Jericho Appreciation Society’s celebration for winning the Ring Of Honor World Title. The REAL celebration is on for Dynamite though, even if Daniel Garcia doesn’t seem convinced.

Eddie Kingston vs. Sammy Guevara

Tay Melo is here with Guevara, who calls Kingston fat to make them start fast. They fight around the ring with Kingston getting the better of it without much trouble. A poke to the eye rocks Sammy and they head to the apron, where Sammy backdrops him to the floor. The kick to the chest drops Kingston again and we take a break.

Back with Sammy in trouble until a Melo distraction lets him hit a running knee to the face. The double springboard cutter gets two on Kingston but the GTH is broken up with elbows to the head. The rapid fire chops in the corner rock Sammy again and there’s a suplex to make it worse. Sammy is right back with a superkick but Kingston half and half suplexes him. The spinning backfist sets up a spinning backfist which sets up a spinning backfist which sets up the Stretch Plum to give Kingston the win at 7:23.

Rating: C+. This was a match that was set up for a few weeks now and then they finally paid it off. After all of the drama. Kingston gets a win back to make up for some of his recent losses and it isn’t like Guevara losing is going to hurt him. Perfectly fine match and they gave Kingston the win that he needed.

Post match Kingston won’t let go so Jerry Lynn comes in to try reasoning with him. Security pleading with him doesn’t work either, so the referee reverses the decision to give Sammy the win. The frustrated Kingston beats up security. Fair enough, and Kingston won the match definitively in the first place so this doesn’t really hurt him.

Quick Dynamite recap.

TBS Title: Diamante vs. Jade Cargill

Diamante, with Trina, is challenging and goes right at her to start. Some chops in the corner set up some left hands and some rollups give Diamante two. Jade kicks her in the face but gets kicked down again. A baseball slide sends Cargill outside but she pulls a dive out of the air. An F5 onto the apron plants Diamante and Jaded retains the title at 2:34. Of all of Jade’s dominant wins, this was the most recent. Please find something interesting for her to do already because this is getting old.

Post match Trina turns on Diamante, ending their…..five minute on-screen relationship?

Golden Ticket Battle Royal

Evil Uno, 10, Rush, Jay Lethal, Lance Archer, Penta El Cero Miedo, Hangman Page, John Silver, Butcher, Isaiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Danhausen, Chuck Taylor, Trent Baretta, Brian Cage, Ari Daivari, Matt Hardy, Daniel Garcia, Jake Hager, QT Marshall, Blade, Kole Carter, Dalton Castle, Dante Martin, Lee Moriarty

For the World Title shot on October 18. Page gets jumped from behind during his entrance so we take a break to restore order. Back with Penta superkicking Daivari out and Danhausen curses Carter, allowing Trent to throw him out. Marshall gets cursed and then clotheslined out before Hager is out. Cage dumps Chuck and knocks Castle off the apron, right onto the Boys. The Boys offer a distraction so Castle can dump Cage and Archer knocks out Chuck. There goes Castle, with Garcia and Moriarty following him out.

We take a break and come back with Private Party saving themselves with the Silly String. Then Butcher and Blade jump them from behind but Hardy gets to hit everyone. Blade, Private Party and Hardy are all tossed, with Uno and Butcher following them. We’re down to Silver, Rush, Page, Penta, Archer and Lethal but Rush dumps Silver. Penta kicks Archer out and we’re down to four.

Lethal gets tossed over the top but Satnam Singh catches him (Dalton and the Boys did it better). That’s enough for Lethal to toss Penta but Page tosses him out, leaving us with Rush vs. Page. They fight to the apron and the Deadeye knocks out Rush to give Page the win at 13:14.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t the most thrilling battle royal and Page was one of the only viable options for the win. That being said, Page vs. Moxley for the title in Cincinnati works well for me (the fact that I have a ticket to the show is a detail I assure you) and will be perfectly acceptable as the big TV main event before we get to the major pay per view build. Not much of a battle royal here though as AEW continues to run these far too often.

Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs are ready to fight.

Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

Lights Out, meaning anything goes. Starks gets a special video entrance about how absolute he really is. Starks goes right at him to start and hammers away, sending Hobbs bailing out to the floor. A clothesline drops Hobbs again and Starks sends him into the steps. Back in and Hobbs hits White Noise onto a knee to take over, meaning it’s already time for a table. Instead of setting it up, Hobbs just throws it at him before tossing in some chairs.

We take a break and come back with Starks hitting a DDT for two but Hobbs hits him low (Jericho freaking out about how unfair that was is good for a laugh). Hobbs sets up two chairs but Starks kicks him low to break it up. Starks turns the chairs back to back but gets backdropped onto the edges, because that’s a spot we need in wrestling.

A running powerslam onto the chairs gets two on Starks and they fight up the ramp. Starks misses a charge into the set so Hobbs breaks off a piece of the set. That takes too long though and they fight back to the ring, where Starks hits him in the face with the set pipe. Roshambo onto the chairs (at least Hobbs’ feet touched them) finishes Hobbs at 11:47.

Rating: B. This was a fight and Starks won in the end to avenge the All Out loss. That’s how this should have gone and they did a very nice job of making Starks feel like a star again. Other than that, this was all about violence and they did that well enough to make it work for a main event.

Overall Rating: B. The good was good and the bad (minus the battle royal) was short, making this one of the better Rampages in a long time. This felt like a Dynamite as they had a lot going on and it felt important. I have no reason to believe that AEW will do it again for Rampage going forward, but I’ll take it for a one off. The crowd was clearly getting tired in the end, but even a tired AEW crowd is better than most fans elsewhere.

Results
Sting/Darby Allin b. House Of Black – Scorpion Death Drop to Matthews
Hook/Action Bronson b. Jericho Appreciation Society – Stereo Redrums
Samoa Joe/Wardlow b. Tony Nese/Josh Woods – MuscleBuster to Nese
Jungle Boy b. Rey Fenix – Small package
Sammy Guevara b. Eddie Kingston via reversed decision
Jade Cargill b. Diamante – Jaded
Hangman Page won the Golden Ticket Battle Royal last eliminating Rush
Ricky Starks b. Powerhouse Hobbs – Roshambo onto chairs

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

Rampage
Date: September 16, 2022
Location: MVP Arena, Albany, New York
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Chris Jericho, Tony Schiavone

The road to normalcy continues this week but there might not be as much to get hyped about with this show. The problem is that with no tournament matches for this week, there is only so much that can be done to bring in the interest. Rampage has a tendency to not feel the most important but maybe they can pull it off. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Matt Hardy vs. Darby Allin

They shake hands to start and it’s Allin grabbing a headlock takeover. Hardy fights up so Allin crucifix bombs him for two. With Hardy on the floor, Allin’s dive is cut off but he drives Hardy into the steps to knock him silly again. Allin goes Jeff/PCO by trying a Swanton, which only hits apron because people like him never learn.

We take a break and come back with Hardy hitting a Side Effect out of the corner for two. The Twist of Fate is countered and a suplex is as well, with Allin grabbing a Scorpion Death Drop to put them both down. Allin loads up the Coffin Drop but gets powerbombed out for two. Hardy misses a moonsault and gets Code Reded for two, followed by the Last Supper to give Allin the pin at 10:00.

Rating: C. Well at least Hardy didn’t go over. If Hardy can go at a pace like this then he’s fine to keep around, as long as he isn’t given a story to go with it. Allin winning is of course the only way to go here, even if he doesn’t have much going on. They didn’t exactly go extreme here, which was the point, but it could have been worse.

Post match Allin leaves so the lights go out. Cue Brody King and Julia Hart to run Hardy over, with King calling out Allin and Sting. The challenge is on for a No DQ match next week, so King chokes Hardy (playing off Sting’s longtime association with Matt) until the lights go out again and King disappears. This is a feud that was wrapped up and is continuing, which is rarely a good idea.

Eddie Kingston wants Sammy Guevara next week in New York. The match is already made.

Here is Claudio Castagnoli, flanked by Wheeler Yuta, for a chat. Claudio says the title represents what he can do and the Blackpool Combat Club represents the new symbol of excellence. Last week, Yuta lost the Pure Title to Daniel Garcia but you learn the most by losing. Then last week, Castagnoli defended his title against Dax Harwood, who was one of the toughest opponents he ever faced.

Next week is a great week for the Club though as it’s two members of the team fighting for the AEW World Title. Next week, the Club will have two World Champions in its ranks….but Chris Jericho interrupts. Jericho wants to talk about the Jericho Appreciation Society’s great week, including how he should be fighting for the World Title. Castagnoli reminds Jericho for tapping so the fans get on him, with Jericho saying he wishes he was in Albany, Georgia. Jericho brags about his World Title wins and now he wants #8 to be the Ring Of Honor World Title. Castagnoli was hoping for that so it’s on.

Jade Cargill and the Baddies were cut off by Diamante, who challenges her for the title. Note that Excalibur said Diamante was “red hot”, despite that she has lost her last two matches.

Penelope Ford vs. Willow Nightingale

Kip Sabian is here with Ford, who sees to have caught JR’s eye. Ford slugs away to start but gets caught in a headlock for her efforts. Nightingale takes her down for some rollups and we pause for Excalibur to rapid fire the matches for next week. A basement crossbody lets Nightingale get a rather smiley two, only to miss a Pounce. Some middle rope knees crush Nightingale and we take a break.

Back with Nightingale getting fired up and hitting a spinebuster for two. Ford is fine enough to Matrix away from a clothesline and hit a jumping cutter for two of her own. A kick to the face rocks Nightingale and something like a Stroke sets up a Muta Lock for the tap at 8:27 (as Sabian talks to the box helmet).

Rating: C. Ford is being reheated after her long absence but dang it is depressing to see Nightingale lose so often. She has so much charisma and is rather fun to watch every time she’s out there, but I do get why AEW wants to push Ford so much more. Decent enough match too, as Ford gets her footing back.

Hangman Page and the Dark Order are ready for the Golden Ticket Battle Royal at Grand Slam for, say it with me, a future World Title shot. La Faccion Ingobernable comes in to glare and shout.

Danhausen vs. Ethan Page

Stokely Hathaway is here with Page, who isn’t having anything of this being cursed. A big boot and running shoulder sets up the Ego’s Edge for the pin at 1:27.

Ricky Starks tells Powerhouse Hobbs to think about everything that is about to happen to him because Hobbs has his undivided attention. They’ll see each other in New York.

Josh Woods and Mark Sterling are ready to send Samoa Joe on a permanent vacation. Joe doesn’t buy it.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

Ring Of Honor TV Title: Samoa Joe vs. Josh Woods

Joe is defending and drives him into the corner to start for an exchange of grins. Woods cranks on the arm so Joe reverses into a cravate. With that not working, it’s time for the big forearm exchange, because that’s what so many AEW matches become. Joe sends him outside but Tony Nese snaps Joe’s arm across the top as we take a break.

Back with Joe rolling him up for two but not being able to get the Koquina Clutch. Joe puts him down and hits a backsplash for two but his arm is giving out. Nese and Sterling offer distractions so Woods can escape the rollup. A knee to the face rocks Joe and a pin into another knee to the face gets two more. Back up and the Rock Bottom out of the corner cuts Woods off, followed by the MuscleBuster to retain at 10:09.

Rating: C+. This felt like a Ring Of Honor match with Joe doing his usual stuff to win. I can go with more and more Joe so this was one of those fun matches that will work almost every time. It worked for a Rampage main event, even if the ROH TV Title feels like it has no value whatsoever.

Post match the triple teaming is on but Wardlow comes in for the save. Sterling escapes the Powerbomb Symphony and we get a Wardlow/Joe staredown to end the show. Unify some titles and I’m thrilled.

Overall Rating: C. The main thing that this show did was prove how easy it would be to have a regular Ring Of Honor show. This week featured two Ring Of Honor champions, including a title defense in the main event. There’s no reason to have Dark and Dark Elevation, so turn one of them into a Ring Of Honor show and keep all that stuff there. As for the show itself, this was little more than the final table setting show for Grand Slam, which is going to be huge. Not a must see show, but it gets us to the must see shows.

Results
Darby Allin b. Matt Hardy – Last Supper
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All Out 2022
Date: September 4, 2022
Location: Now Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz

It’s time for the big night and in this show’s case, that means really big, as we have a whopping fifteen matches on the card. That alone is going to make this a busy night, but the question becomes what happens in the main event. CM Punk is challenging Jon Moxley despite having a bad foot as of last week. This could go in a few ways, and I’m not sure how well it is going to wind up. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: AAA Mixed Tag Team Titles: Sammy Guevara/Tay Melo vs. Ruby Soho/Ortiz

Sammy and Tay are defending and get jumped during their entrance at the Red Carpet. Soho and Ortiz chase them down with a golf cart and beat them into the ring, where we officially start with Sammy and Tay in street clothes. I have no idea what street, but they’re street clothes. Sammy gets kicked in the face to start and is busted open but manages a shot of his own.

Tay comes in and kisses a downed Soho on the cheek before putting Soho on top. The guys come in so Sammy launches Tay at Ortiz for a Canadian Destroyer. A Swanton gives Sammy two but Soho missile dropkicks Melo and lands on Sammy in the process. Cue Anna Jay for a failed save attempt, leaving Soho to hit No Future and Ortiz to hit a clothesline for stereo near falls. Back up and Melo catches Soho on top for a superplex onto the guys on the floor. They head back inside where the TayKO finishes Soho to retain the titles at 6:04.

Rating: C. So now Tay gets jumped before the match, wrestles in street clothes, and still pins Soho? At what point should she just move on to a trade school? The match was the usual collection of rapid fire spots as we have now seen this match three times in ten days. That is more than enough but hopefully everyone can move on from this feud, as it has been rather overdone in short order.

Zero Hour: FTW World Title: Hook vs. Angelo Parker

Hook is defending and Matt Menard is here with Parker. Hook takes him down to start but gets poked in the eye, allowing Parker to send him throat first into the ropes. Parker: “I’M EXPOSING HOOK!” That earns him a shot to the face but Menard grabs the foot for a distraction. Granted it doesn’t matter as Hook throws him down and an exploder suplex. Another suplex drops Parker again and Redrum makes him tap at 3:38.

Rating: C. They kept this short, as tends to be the case for Hook matches. As usual, it’s the idea of getting him in and out before anything can go badly, which is the right way to go for him. I’m sure Hook will get to beat up Menard next before moving on to whatever his next goofy match is, as it isn’t like this title matches whatsoever.

Post match Menard runs in to jump Hook but Action Bronson, who performs Hook’s music, comes in for the save.

Zero Hour: All-Atlantic Title: Kip Sabian vs. Pac

Sabian, with the box on his head, is challenging and yeah I still have no idea what the deal is supposed to be with that thing. Pac starts fast and kicks away at Sabian but it’s too early for the Black Arrow. Sabian gets shoved off the top but is right back with a springboard kick to the head.

That’s enough to knock Pac outside, setting up a springboard moonsault to drop him again. Pac is fine enough to hit a suplex on the floor and they head back in for some kicks to the unboxed head. A pop up knee to the head sets up a dragon suplex for two on Pac but he snaps off a German suplex for the double knockdown. The Black Arrow is loaded up again but Sabian rolls away before it can launch. Pac chokes him down again and stomps away, setting up the Red Arrow for the pin to retain at 10:20.

Rating: C+. I for one totally get why we waited six months to set this up with Sabian sitting in the crowd without being acknowledged in any way. Pac winning and getting this over with is the right way to go because there wasn’t much to the story anyway, and I’d much rather not have to figure out what the point of Sabin was supposed to be. Nice enough match as Pac was there, but Sabian is still his old self.

Post match Pac says he needs a new challenger so here is Orange Cassidy. Pac: “NO!” Cassidy is a joke instead of a wrestler and he can get to the back of the line.

Sabian yells at his box hat.

Zero Hour: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Eddie Kingston

Rematch from a New Japan match earlier this year, with Ishii winning. The chop it out to no avail to start with Ishii getting the better of things until Kingston drops him with a hard clothesline. Back up and Ishii unloads on him in the corner with Kingston being knocked down for a change. Kingston can’t hit a belly to back suplex so Ishii hits a vertical suplex but they’re both banged up.

Ishii misses a charge in the corner so Kingston hits, you guessed it, more chops. A DDT plants Ishii and a sliding forearm gives Kingston two. Ishii gets up and is more serious so he stands there while Kingston chops him. A kick to the back frustrates Kingston for a change so this time they slap it out.

Kingston hurts his shoulder on a suplex attempt and Ishii is back with a German suplex. One heck of a clothesline staggers (but doesn’t drop) Kingston so they hit each other for a double knockdown. Back up and Kingston hits a hard lariat for two before Ishii runs him over for the same. Ishii’s brainbuster is blocked and Kingston hits the spinning backfist for a VERY near fall. Another spinning backfist is shrugged off and Kingston grabs a northern lights bomb for the pin at 13:28.

Rating: B-. This is a good example of a match that might not be everyone’s taste and that was the case for me as well. The chopping part was more than a bit repetitive but eventually they started beating the fire out of each other and that made up for a lot of it. Kingston winning the match made sense, but there is only so much that you can get out of these two hitting each other with such similar stuff over and over.

Casino Ladder Match

Rey Fenix and Wheeler Yuta start things off and Fenix is right there with the first ladder, which he leans over the barricade. That takes too long so Yuta takes him down and goes up. Rush is in at #3 and shoves both of them down to take over. Andrade El Idolo comes in at #4 and this is not going to go well for everyone not named Rush. A ladder is set up in the middle and it’s a super sunset bomb to drop Martin hard onto the bridged ladder.

Claudio Castagnoli is in at #4 and pushes the double ladder, with Andrade on it, over for the big crash out to the floor. Dante Martin is in at #5 and has a ladder fall on him as he hits the ring. Martin kicks away at Castagnoli before getting shoved from one ladder to another. Penta El Cero Miedo is in at #6 and Canadian Destroys Martin on the ramp and another one drives Andrade onto a bridged ladder.

Fenix frog splashes Rush through a table at ringside and….we’ve got a bunch of masked men to wreck everyone else. One of them goes up to pull down the chip and it’s Stokely Hathaway. Apparently that doesn’t count because he’s not a wrestler, so whoever get the chip wins the title shot. Cue the Joker, another masked man, and it’s…well we don’t know as he doesn’t unmask but he wins at 14:12.

Rating: B-. It’s another wild ladder match and there are only so many things that you can see in one of these things. They were doing all of their crashes and dives but what matters most is having the Joker as a wild card. That could be a lot of people and odds are we’ll be finding out in a few weeks at the most. Good stuff here, but these ladder matches completely run together.

We recap the Trios Titles tournament, which should make for a big final.

Trios Titles: Elite vs. Hangman Page/Dark Order

For the inaugural titles and Don Callis is on commentary. Reynolds and Matt Jackson start things off and neither gets anywhere of note. That means a lot of glaring as we recap the issues among Page and the Elite over the years (and there are a lot of them). Matt gets knocked down by Silver and his back seems to be messed up, which is enough for Page to call off the Order. It’s off to Omega vs. Page and the fans are WAY into this.

They lock up and go into the Order corner, where Silver comes in, much to some booing. Omega’s recently repaired shoulder gets cranked on but Page doesn’t like that either. A big boot and fall away slam connect for Page but his springboard is superkicked out of the air. The Bucks start taking turns on Page before Omega tells him that HE CAN’T ESC….ok I guess Page can as he slips out and gets Silver back in.

Everything breaks down and the Order hits a suicide dive/brainbuster combination to Nick on the floor, giving us a rare ALEX REYNOLDS chant. Matt suplexes both of them but hurts his back again, as tends to be the case with him. Omega gets caught in the corner for the running lariats and the German suplex into a jackknife rollup gives Reynolds two. The Bucks are back in with the superkicks to set up the V Trigger to send Silver outside.

Omega hits the big running flip dive to the floor but Silver is back in with a Backstabber. Page moonsaults onto Nick on the floor and the Pendulum Bomb gets two on Matt. The Bucks and the Order trade clotheslines and a four way superkick puts all of them down. That leaves us with Page vs. Omega….and the referee actually says they need to tag in. With that idiocy out of the way, Omega hits a V Trigger into the Jay Driller for two but Page is able to catch him on top.

A super fall away slam into a cover gives Page two of his own and there’s a Buckshot Lariat to the back of Omega’s head. Matt teases grabbing Page’s leg ala when Page won the World Title but the delay lets Nick hit his own Buckshot Lariat to drop Page. The BTE Trigger gets two with Silver making the save but a V Trigger cuts him down. The One Winged Angel is countered into a rollup to give Silver two but a Buckshot Lariat accidentally knocks Silver silly, with Omega stealing the pin at 19:47.

Rating: B+. Heck of a match as you knew it would be, but there is something amusing about the Elite winning again and setting up even more Bucks/Page/Omega melodrama. What we got here was another pretty awesome match though and that is the point of these belts. Just let them get in their car crash, all action stuff and pop the crowd, which I’ll take over it being the focal point of the show. Very good stuff, even if I’m not at all into the never ending Elite story.

We look at Jade Cargill and Athena yelling at each other on Rampage.

TBS Title: Jade Cargill vs. Athena

Cargill is defending and is painted green for a She-Hulk look. Athena starts fast and hits the O Face in less than a minute, but the Baddies pull Athena out (a second late as the referee had to slow his count). That earns the Baddies a beating but Jade runs Athena over for two back inside. A big toss sends Athena flying until she’s back up with a springboard spinning crossbody for her own two. The fans get behind Athena as she goes up but Kiera Hogan grabs her leg again. Another springboard is pump kicked out of the air and Jaded retains the title at 4:25.

Rating: C-. So remember every big match that Cargill has had? This was the latest one as Athena gets beaten down and added to the list. I’m not sure who is next for Cargill but she continues to be the most pushed woman in AEW, which does make sense given how oddly charismatic she is, but it is going to be very interesting to see what happens when she loses.

CM Punk arrived earlier and put over Chicago again as the live crowd gets more love.

FTR/Wardlow vs. Jay Lethal/Motor City Machine Guns

Satnam Singh and Sonjay Dutt are here, with the latter’s shirt mocking Dax Harwood’s daughter. Harwood one ups that by bringing out his daughter for a sweet moment. Lethal and Wardlow start things off but it’s way too early for a powerbomb. Harwood and Sabin come in, with the latter slapping him in the face. Everything teases breaking down before Harwood runs Sabin over again.

Shelley gets knocked off the apron but it’s time to chase Dutt, allowing Sabin to get in a cheap shot back inside. Harwood chops his way out of trouble though and it’s Wardlow coming in to clean house. A double suplex drops the Guns and Harwood comes back in (rather quickly) for a chop off with Lethal.

Harwood fights his way out of the corner and hands it off to Wheeler to pick up the pace. Sabin is sent outside, leaving Shelley to kick Wheeler’s leg out. The villains take turns wrapping Wheeler’s leg around the post, leaving Lethal to grab a Figure Four. With that broken up, Wheeler gets over to Wardlow for the tag, setting up the house cleaning.

Everything breaks down and Singh punches Wardlow in the face for two, leaving Wardlow to be tied in the Tree of Woe for the series of baseball slide dropkicks. Lethal is back up with the double Lethal Injection to FTR. That’s enough time for Wardlow to fight up and start wrecking everyone, including a four movement Powerbomb Symphony on Lethal at 16:36.

Rating: C+. Good enough match here as Wardlow gets some momentum back after a few weeks of nothing. That doesn’t really help FTR, but maybe we can get a regular tag match against the Guns sooner than later. This match never felt important from the moment it was announced and this didn’t help, though of course it was at least pretty good.

Post match Samoa Joe returns and goes after Sonjay Dutt. Cue Harwood’s daughter Finlay so Harwood decks Dutt, allowing Finlay to get the pin for a feel good moment.

We recap Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks. They were friends and partners, but then Hobbs got sick of Starks’ singles success. Fighting ensued and here we are, as Starks wants revenge.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks

Starks charges straight at him to start and is promptly powered down without much trouble. Hobbs goes into the slow power beating as Starks realizes he might be in over his head. The neck crank goes on as Hobbs is working on the recently injured neck. Starks fights up and strikes away in the corner, setting up a DDT for two. Back up and Starks charges into a spinebuster to give Hobbs the sudden win at 5:13.

Rating: C. This feels like the match that was cut down due to time but the ending made up for it. Hobbs winning is a fine way to go (and Starks would have been as well) because AEW is giving someone young and talented a win. We could be in for something from Hobbs and I could certainly go for that kind of a push, as he seems like he could be a breakout star.

We look back at Acclaimed and Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee arguing on Rampage.

Tag Team Titles: Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee vs. Acclaimed

Acclaimed, with Billy Gunn, is challenging. Bowens takes Swerve down to start as the fans chant OH SCISSOR ME DADDY at Billy. Thankfully they are smart enough to let the fans get it out of their system before handing it off to Lee vs. Caster. For some reason Caster tries to go with power vs. Lee but gets about as far as you would expect. A middle rope hurricanrana works a bit better as Lee is taken down before all four come in at once.

The champs are sent outside, meaning it’s time for the big scissoring, much to Billy’s delight. We settle down to Lee taking over on Caster, despite the fans letting Lee know that HE CAN’T SCISSOR. Caster fights out of the corner and hits a middle rope cutter to put Lee down. It’s back to Bowens to hit a running neckbreaker on Swerve, followed by a discus forearm.

A shot to the leg cuts Bowens down though and Swerve throws him over the top, with the leg being banged up again. Lee adds a splash to the knee but misses a charge, allowing the hot tag off to Caster for the house cleaning. For some reason Caster tries a fireman’s carry on Lee, which works as well as you would expect. Lee Pounces over by mistake and a knee gets two on Lee.

Back up and Lee kicks out Bowens’ bad knee but gets caught up top. Swerve makes the save and hits the Swerve Stomp for a VERY close two on Bowens. A half crab goes on but Caster makes the save with a missile dropkick. Swerve’s running kick to the head gets two on Caster, leaving Bowens to break up Swerve’s springboard. With Bowens holding Swerve over the floor, Caster hits a Mic Drop, only to hurt Bowen’s knee in the process. Back inside and Lee chops away, until Billy gets up for a distraction.

Somehow Caster uses the distraction to hit an FU on Lee and it’s the Arrival to Swerve setting up the Mic Drop for a VERY close two with Lee making the save (and the fans aren’t pleased). A Death Valley Driver onto the apron plants Caster and Bowens gets pulled into a backbreaker back inside. Bowens has to fight off both champs but his knee gives out, causing Swerve to kick Lee by mistake. A rollup gets a VERY close two on Lee but Bowens gets caught on Lee’s shoulders. Swerve adds the Stomp to make it a sitout powerbomb for the pin to retain at 22:18.

Rating: B+. Oh I’m not sure about that result, as the fans were BEGGING for the Acclaimed to win here. I get why they didn’t do it and I get why they want Swerve and Lee to retain, but egads if there was ever a reason to call an audible, that might have been it. Either way, at least they had a big pick up match that got a lot of time, with some of those near falls being too close to believe.

Post match Lee and Billy scissor, much to the fans’ uncertainty.

All of the Women’s Title match participants want the title.

Interim Women’s Title: Jamie Hayter vs. Britt Baker vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Toni Storm

For the vacant title, Rebel is here too and the fans seem to like Hayter. It’s a big brawl to start and we get an exchange of rollups. With that not working, Hayter half crabs Storm to leave her in trouble. Baker and Shida trade some rollups before Baker is back up with a Sling Blade. Hayter suplexes Shida and Storm at the same time before being sent outside. Storm dives onto Hayter but gets Sling Bladed by Baker.

With Baker taken down, Shida and Storm face off back inside with Storm being shouldered down but nipping right back up. Rebel tries to come in and gets double headbutted down, which is good for a flat back fall and a lot of laughter from commentary. Hayter carries Shida up the ramp and Baker follows for a Stomp to Shida. That’s enough to get Shida taken out, leaving us with three for the moment.

Storm is double teamed inside and the fans think Hayter is better, which has JR talking about….a sale in a department store? And now here is Shida, complete with two kendo sticks, because KENDO STICKS ARE COOL. Shida gets to clean house and suplexes Baker into Hayter in the corner. Everyone is back up for an exchange of strikes and the villains get a double rollup for two on Shida.

Now it’s Shida with a Falcon Arrow for two on Hayter, with Storm making the save. Hayter breaks up a German suplex with a Tombstone to Storm (that was cool) but Shida makes a save of her own. Baker is back up with a Stomp to Shida for two but Storm breaks up a Lockjaw attempt. There’s a ripcord lariat from Hayter to Shida, causing baker to pull the referee out at two. Storm hits Storm Zero on Hayter but Baker steals the cover for two more. Back in and Storm gives Baker and Hayter a jumping DDT each, with the latter being enough to make Storm champion at 14:41.

Rating: B-. There were some plot points in there, as Baker costing Hayter is going to come back and bite her in the near future. Storm needed to win here as you can only go so far with the losses before she stops mattering. Good match here with the right result, so I’ll take what I can get.

We recap Christian Cage vs. Jungle Boy. Christian claims that Jungle Boy cost him money by losing the Tag Team Titles so he started insulting the memory of Jungle Boy’s dead father. Jungle Boy is out for revenge.

Jungle Boy vs. Christian Cage

Hold on though as Jungle Boy can’t find Luchasaurus, who comes up from behind and chokeslams Jungle Boy onto the lighting grid. Jungle Boy is taken to ringside and beaten down again, but insists on the bell ringing. A spear gives Christian two and the Killswitch finishes for Christian at 21 seconds.

Death Triangle is ready for the Best Friends on Dynamite, though Pac still doesn’t like Orange Cassidy.

We recap Chris Jericho vs. Bryan Danielson, which is about who is the better professional wrestler/sports entertainer.

Chris Jericho vs. Bryan Danielson

William Regal is on commentary and it’s Lionheart here as the 17 Faces Of Jericho continues. Danielson is sung to the ring by someone named Elliott Taylor. They go technical to start until Danielson takes him down for the stomping. With that broken up, they stare at each other a bit in the corner and Jericho hits a hard chop. Danielson goes with a hammerlock but lets him go instead of firing off the palm strikes.

Jericho takes him down on the mat for a change, which is reversed into a double knee stomp. A cross armbreaker is blocked and Jericho reverses up for some elbows to the head. Danielson reverses that and ties up the legs before asking if the fans want some entertainment. That means a Rick Rude hip swivel, which has Jericho angry enough that he chops away in the corner.

Jericho sends him to the apron and hits the triangle dropkick to the floor, but the dive is knocked away to give Danielson a breather. Back in and Danielson hits a missile dropkick, setting up the YES Kicks. A super hurricanrana is countered into the Walls though but Danielson slips out and sends Jericho outside.

That means a suicide dive through the ropes in the corner, only to miss the Swan Dive back inside. Jericho takes his time following up though and Danielson tries the LeBell Lock, which is reversed into a catapult. Naturally Danielson skins the cat so Jericho hits a Tombstone into the Lionsault for two. Back up and the Judas Effect misses and Danielson kicks him in the head.

Danielson stomps away at Jericho, setting up the LeBell Lock. It’s rolled into the middle for better position but Jericho reverses into the Walls again. That’s reversed into a triangle choke but Jericho gets him into the ropes for the break. They chop it out from their knees with Jericho getting chopped into the corner. The backflip over into the clothesline is countered with the Codebreaker for two, setting up a Liontamer to make it even worse.

Another rope is grabbed so Jericho goes primal by hammering away at the head. Danielson gets up again though and it’s the running knee for two. Cattle Mutilation goes on but Jericho rolls out again. That works for Danielson, who fires off the hammer and anvil elbows. Cattle Mutilation goes on again but this time Jericho makes the rope with his foot. More kicks stagger Jericho until Danielson is backed away from the rope. Instead it’s a rolling forearm to rock Jericho and more hammering and elbowing ensues. Jericho manages a low blow though and the Judas Effect finishes Danielson at 23:31.

Rating: A-. They were having a classic and a low blow brought it down a bit. Otherwise, this was a heck of a wrestling match, but I’m really not sure on having Danielson lose again. I’m sure this will be more about Daniel Garcia on the end than anything else, but could we get Danielson a big win for a change? He’s a made man for the rest of his career, though I’m still not sure how many more losses he needs.

The House Of Black is ready to end Sting, Darby Allin and Miro.

House Of Black vs. Sting/Darby Allin/Miro

Miro and Black start things off with Miro taking him into the corner. King comes in for the power brawl with Miro until Allin has to tag himself in. Allin counters Matthews’ Murphy’s Law into a cradle for two but a Code Red is countered (Allin: “Oh s***.”) by Black’s kick to the head. King throws Allin into the corner and Black comes in for the chinlock. Allin fights up and goes over to the corner but Julia Hart distracts the referee, meaning no tag.

The tag goes through a few seconds later, allowing the tag brings in Sting. Some Stinger Splashes connect and it’s time for the staredown with Black. The brawl is on and we hit the Scorpion Deathlock, with the rest of the House not being able to break it up. Sting is finally staggered enough to let Black reverse into a kneebar, with Miro having to make a save.

Allin hits a Coffin Drop for two but Matthews gets in a bat shot to send Miro crashing into the steps. Allin is back up with a flipping Stunner and a suicide flip dive, only to come up holding his shoulder. Back in and Sting mists Black, setting up Allin’s Last Supper for the pin at 12:09.

Rating: C+. This didn’t get crazy for Sting but at least he got to get in there and do his thing while Allin got the glory in the end. I’m still not sure what AEW is doing with Black and Miro, but neither of them did much of anything here. What we got was a fun match, but it is coming near the end of a FAR too long show and that hut things a lot.

Chris Jericho asks Daniel Garcia where he was. As a result, Garcia is challenging Wheeler Yuta for the Pure Rules Title without the Jericho Appreciation Society.

We recap the AEW World Title match. CM Punk came back from his injury and lost to Jon Moxley in three minutes. Now he is motivated by his friends and family and wants to win the title back for Chicago.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley vs. CM Punk

Moxley, with William Regal in his corner, is defending. They stall to start until Moxley starts hammering away in the corner. Punk gets in a kick to the head with the bad foot, setting up the running knees in the corner. Some Hammer and Anvil elbows rock Moxley and the GTS gets two. They fight into the crowd with Punk unloading as Moxley seems to be covering up.

Back at ringside and Moxley manages to post him, which busts Punk open. They get back inside where Moxley licks the blood off of his hand before kicking away at Punk again. Back up and Punk hits the running knee in the corner but the knee gives out, allowing Moxley to hit a shinbreaker. We hit the leglock, followed by a half crab, which Moxley switches into an STF and then a Figure Four.

Some middle fingers fire Punk up enough to roll over to freedom and Moxley gets beaten up on the floor. Back in Punk grabs the Anaconda Vice but Moxley slips out and stomps away. The clothesline misses though and Punk hits a dropkick but the top rope elbow is pulled into a bulldog choke.

That’s broken up and Punk hits a kick to the head, only to be taken down for more Hammer and Anvil elbows to knock Punk silly. The bulldog choke goes on again but that’s muscled up as well. The GTS attempt is countered and Moxley hits the Death Rider for two. Moxley isn’t having that and grabs the choke again, only to get GTS’d for the third time and the title at 19:43.

Rating: B. This was more of a fight than anything else, though it does feel like they spent a long time setting up this one moment when they could have cut out a lot of stuff in the middle. Anyway, Punk got to get his big hometown moment (as it had been…four days since the last one) and is champion again, but now he needs something else to do as we start to close out the year. Heck of a match here, but I really don’t think it was worth the effort they put in to make it happen.

Then the lights go out and we hear a voiceover from Tony Khan, talking about how someone is gone over and over and keeps screwing the fans. Show up at All Out and everything is forgiven, with whoever it is being put in the Casino Ladder Match, plus get a big bonus. We see a clip of Punk in the old ROH days talking about the devil. Then we see the devil from earlier….and he’s wearing a scarf. MJF is back and comes into the arena and the fans are VERY happy to see him. MJF motions that he wants the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. It was a show where the high points were very good, but there is enough stuff here that REALLY needs to be cut or just dropped altogether. The biggest problem as always with these shows it he length, but at least we had some very good action in there as well. The big ending should set up Grand Slam where MJF gets the World Title, but other than that, you also have Jericho vs. Danielson in a great one and the far better than expected Tag Team Title match.

This was another awesome AEW pay per view, but if they want to really make them all timers, enough with the Wrestlemania lengths. It doesn’t work there and it doesn’t work here, as I was sitting around wondering how in the world there were so many matches left on the show, despite how good they might be. Anyway, certainly check this out, but have a fast forward button loaded up, or at least take a break in the middle.

Results
Tay Melo/Sammy Guevara b. Ortiz/Ruby Soho – TayKO to Soho
Hook b. Angelo Parker – Redrum
Pac b. Kip Sabian – Black Arrow
Eddie Kingston b. Tomohiro Ishii – Northern lights bomb
The Joker won the Casino Ladder Match
Elite b. Hangman Page/Dark Order – Buckshot Lariat to Silver
Jade Cargill b. Athena – Jaded
FTR/Wardlow b. Jay Lethal/Motor City Machine Guns – Powerbomb Symphony to Lethal
Powerhouse Hobbs b. Ricky Starks – Spinebuster
Swerve Strickland/Keith Lee b. Acclaimed – Sitout powerbomb/Swerve Stomp combination to Bowers
Toni Storm b. Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker and Hikaru Shida – Jumping DDT to Hayter
Christian Cage b. Jungle Boy – Killswitch
Sting/Miro/Darby Allin b. House Of Black – Last Supper to Black
CM Punk b. Jon Moxley – GTS

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For the first time in a good while, we are getting a full scale AEW pay per view rather than AEW and some other promotion mixing together to make a big special. As tends to be the case on AEW pay per views, the card is absolutely loaded, even to the point of being WAY too big. There are fifteen matches between the Zero Hour (better than Buy In) show and the main card, all of which are absolutely necessary. Let’s get to it.

Zero Hour: FTW Title: Hook(c) vs. Angelo Parker

You know, because we needed to get Hook onto this thing. Or is it that we needed to get the “Sports…..Innderdainers”? Either way, this is the kind of a match that is not likely to take very long because Parker has never been treated as anything serious and Hook runs over everyone. I don’t know what else anyone is really expecting here, but at least Hook should pop the crowd.

Of course I’ll take Hook to win here, as there is no reason for it to go any other way. Hook is one of those unique stars that just works for some reason and it would be nuts to have him lose to one half of a comedy due. I’m sure Matt Menard will get his chance to be destroyed later, but for now, this will be Hook crushing Parker and going off to find some more chips.

Zero Hour: AAA World Mixed Tag Team Titles: Tay Melo/Sammy Guevara vs. Ruby Soho/Oritz

If anyone can explain why this match is on the card, you’re smarter than I am. This is the third time that these teams have fought in ten days and that isn’t exactly my idea of interesting. The first two matches weren’t good but now we’re seeing them again after a second match this week on Rampage. But at least they’re on the shwo and something is on the line, so points for that I guess?

There is almost no reason to believe that the titles are going to change here so we’ll go with Melo and Guevara retaining. If I had to guess, maybe Soho can even get pinned again to keep the titles where they already are. This feels completely out of the norm for AEW and I’d like to believe that it isn’t something they are going to do regularly. Either way, this isn’t something I’m interested in seeing but we’re getting it anyway, because something about a trilogy.

Zero hour: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Eddie Kingston

So these two fight back at a New Japan event in May and this it he rematch, which AEW is hosting so I guess they can fight each other once on equal footing? This is another match that was added on to the card and the story seems to be that Kingston is wanting to prove that he has become a better man since Ishii beat him the first time. I’m not sure how interesting that is but you know AEW will take a New Japan star when they can.

I’ll go with Kingston here, even if it is a match with virtually no build or reason to exist other than to get the two of them on the show. Much like the previous match, it is one of the first matches I would cut from the card, but it should at least be a heck of a fight with two guys hitting each other really hard. Ishii is getting up there in years but he can still do his thing well enough to get by.

Zero Hour: All Atlantic Title: Pac(c) vs. Kip Sabian

After several months of sitting in the front row with a box over his head, commentary just said “yeah that’s Kip Sabian” and now he is getting a title match against Pac. Why that is supposed to be interesting isn’t clear, as it’s still Sabian, who has never been much more than just ok during his time in AEW. It should be nice to see Pac defend the title on AEW TV for once, even under these circumstances.

Despite having no idea what they’re going for with the whole box thing, I’ll go with Pac to run through Sabian without much trouble. Pac is on a higher level and I don’t see the point in messing with the title on someone so far out of Pac’s league. Maybe commentary can explain something about Sabian’s deal, but for now, this is just a weird story that came out of nowhere and leaves me wondering why it’s happening.

Interim Women’s Title: Britt Baker vs. Toni Storm vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter

Yes we’re still doing the Interim Champion deal and no I don’t quite get it either. This is the thing they’re doing rather than just vacating the title and moving on and it’s still not exactly a great way to go. This time Thunder Rosa has suffered a back injury and will not be able to defend the title, so this is what we’re getting instead. At least there are some options to win here, which always helps.

I’ll take Storm to win, even if the signs seem to be pointing to Baker. If nothing else, it would be nice for Storm to win and give us something fresh, as Baker and Shida have both been champion for so long. Hayter would be interesting as well and is a dark horse to win the thing, but I’ll go with Storm here, if nothing else to set up the Storm vs. Rosa match when she gets back.

Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs

For the life of me I don’t get why it took so long for these two to have something significant to do but at least they’re finally getting some kind of a match here. Both of them have the potential to be break out stars and that could very well start with this match. This is the result of a tag team split and that is as good of a reason as any for two young stars to be fighting.

I think I’ll take Hobbs here, even if Starks seems more ready to move up to the next level. The good thing here is there is no bad choice for a winner, as long as AEW picks someone and moves forward with them. Hobbs is a monster and Starks is more of a complete package, which opens up several possibilities no matter which choice they make. I’ll flip a coin and go with Hobbs though in what should be a fine match either way.

Jungle Boy vs. Christian Cage

We’ll stick with the grudge match theme here as Jungle Boy finally gets his hands on Cage after a lot of horrible things were said about him. These two have been on a collision course for several weeks now and we should be in for something good when they finally get to face off. There is a major wild card in the background though and that could be the big factor in the whole thing.

I think I’ll go with Cage here, as Luchasaurus has been so notorious in his absence for the last few weeks. If nothing else, it seems a bit too easy that Luchasaurus was Cage’s heavy and then stepped aside while Jungle Boy got to Cage. Maybe that is a red herring, but I have a feeling that Luchasaurus turns on Jungle Boy to let Cage get the win, which would set up even more between these three going forward.

Bryan Danielson vs. Chris Jericho

Hey, did you know that Jericho calls himself a Sports Entertainer and is a bad guy in a company that focuses on wrestling? I wasn’t sure if AEW had hammered the idea in enough just yet. This is a match that has been set up for a few weeks and should be a good one if they do it right. Jericho has a hit or miss track record, but Danielson seems incapable of having a bad match no matter what he does in AEW, meaning I have a lot of hope.

Danielson needs the win more than Jericho so we’ll go with what makes sense here and pick Danielson to go over. Jericho seems to be bringing back the Lionheart as he continues his own version of the 3 Faces Of Foley, but Danielson wrestling him down and then beating him, likely with Daniel Garcia not helping Jericho when he needs it, is the way to go. This needs to be Danielson’s to give him a win over a bigger name and that is what they’ll do here.

TNT Title: Jade Cargill(c) vs. Athena

Well it’s about time. This is a story that has been built up for the last few months and I cannot bring myself to care after so many months of Athena getting beaten up by Cargill and the Baddies. They have to have the match at some point though and this is as good for a place as any, even if it is something that should have happened at least a few weeks ago when the interest was still there.

Of course Cargill retains here and there is no reason for this to be anything else. Cargill is someone who is going to need a special opponent to finally take her down and as good as Athena is, I can’t picture that being the case. Athena will probably hit the O Face for a near fall, but ultimately it’s going to be Jaded to keep Cargill undefeated, as she should be at the moment.

House Of Black vs. Sting/Darby Allin/Miro

This is another match that feels like it was forgotten until the last few days and now it is taking place on the show. That isn’t the best way to go but there are a lot of names in here who should probably be on the pay per view. Miro vs. the House Of Black alone should be good and Sting/Allin already have issues with the team. Now just let them all go nuts and it should be fun.

This should be fun and I’ll go with Miro making Matthews tap to win. Sting and Allin can do their wacky things and Sting can probably have his showdown with Black, but with all of the reported personal issues for Black, I can’t imagine his team winning here. This is a way to redeem Miro a bit and that is the way they should go, as it’s almost easy to forget he is even in AEW half of the time.

Casino Ladder Match

A few weeks ago, I was wondering when AEW was going to announce another ladder match and here we are. This is the latest future World Title opportunity on the line and so far we have seven names, plus more to come. In other words, this is all about the Joker, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see a big name return in that spot, as he is certainly overdue to do so.

In short, I’m going with MJF making his triumphant return, likely setting up the title match in New York City later this month. MJF has been gone for several months now and it is long past time to get him back so he can continue his reign of amazing. If nothing else, seeing him come in at the very end and win the thing without having to put in much, if any, work, would be a heck of a troll job and something I can see him doing.

Wardlow/FTR vs. Jay Lethal/Motor City Machine Guns

And here we have the weirdest match on the card, as I still don’t know why this is the best thing that they can offer. The match has felt thrown together since it was announced and for a very good reason: it is a thrown together match for the sake of getting the people involved on the show (you might be noticing a pattern emerging here). It’s nice to have them here, but Harwood’s speech explaining why the match matters didn’t quite sway me.

Give me FTR and Wardlow to win here, which is the only logical way this can go. At the end of the day, they both REALLY need something to do and this isn’t likely to lead anywhere. While I could go for FTR vs. the Guns later on, Wardlow vs. Lethal has already been done. I’m not sure why this match is taking place, but hopefully it isn’t AEW giving up on the three of them so soon, as that would be incredibly stupid.

Tag Team Titles: Keith Lee/Swerve Strickland(c) vs. Acclaimed

Now this one intrigues me and I’m not sure about where it is going to go. On one hand you have the champs, who have not exactly been given a major run yet and have only held the titles for a few weeks. On the other hand though, you have the Acclaimed, who are on fire and the fans absolutely love them, meaning there has to be some temptation to pull the trigger here. That makes this a little complicated and I’m not sure what they are going to do.

I’ll take the champions to retain though, as it just isn’t like AEW to take someone who is getting their big break and just cut them off so soon. The Acclaimed has come a long way but I don’t know how much they need the titles. Caster’s raps alone, or with Bowens’ nutty charisma, are going to keep them over for a very long time so why bother with giving them titles that they don’t really need yet? The champs keep the belts.

Trios Titles: Hangman Page/Dark Order vs. Elite

Yeah I don’t think there is any real shock that this is where we wound up after the whole tournament was announced. Even if Page wasn’t involved in the tournament in the first place, I don’t think there was any shock in the fact that he wound up in the finals anyway. These titles feel more and more like a vanity deal for the Elite anyway, and that is where things get screwy.

I’m actually taking Page and the Dark Order to win here, as it is more of a feel good story for the lovable goons to FINALLY win something than for the Elite to get another title on their resume. Throw in Omega possibly being blamed for the loss, Page redeeming himself, and whatever else the Bucks are going to talk about and the underdogs winning is the much more interesting way to go.

AEW World Title: Jon Moxley(c) vs. CM Punk

CHICAGO! Ok there now we can move on. For some reason this feels like it is designed to be a match for the live crowd than everyone else watching. I get the idea of keeping a crowd hot, but this story has been so all over the place and I’m still not sure I get why we’re getting things going this way. At the very least, this is the kind of story that needs to end so everyone can move on to something else, and in theory that is what they’ll be doing.

I’ll take Punk to win here, again going off of the idea of MJF getting his title shot in New York later this month. MJF vs. Moxley doesn’t have the history to it and Punk winning the title back to set up the big loss to MJF is a better way to go. This really doesn’t feel like a main event though and I wouldn’t be hurt if they went with the Trios Titles headlining instead (The heck am I saying?). Oh and one more time: CHICAGO!

Overall Thoughts

Long. That’s the overall thought for this show: it sounds really long. There are so many matches crammed into this card that I’ve been dreading it more and more eveyr week. I’m still not sure why AEW insists on doing this but for some reason this is what we get with their regular pay per views anymore. I’m sure people will be burned out by the end, but why let that get in the way of what they want to do?

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