By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Revolution – The Buy-In Pre-Show
Streamed live March 6, 2022 on social media
Orlando, Florida at Addition Financial Arena
Excalibur and Tony Schiavone checked in on commentary and ran through the pay-per-view lineup… Ring announcer Justin Roberts handled the introductions for the first pre-show match…
1. Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander. The Best Friends faction walked onto the stage with Statlander but did not accompany her to ringside. Statlander went for an early handspring move, but Hirsch kicked her left arm out from under her. Hirsch targeted the arm. Statlander performed a powerslam for a two count, then went back to selling her arm.
Statlander went up top and was cut off by Hirsch, who positioned her in a tree of woe. Hirsch performed a dropkick on the good arm, then went back to work on the bad arm. Statlander threw some chops. Hirsch took her down and put her in a cross arm breaker. Statlander rolled on top and got a two count, which forced Hirsch to break the hold.
Hirsch went for a springboard move and stumbled, but they recovered quickly and ended up trading elbows in the middle of the ring. Statlander performed a nice combination move into a backbreaker. Statlander threw a kick at Hirsch and then hit her with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count.
Statlander performed a running uppercut in the corner and followed with a running knee strike. Both wrestlers ended up on the apron where Hirsch tripped up Statlander, who came right back and set up for her finisher, but Hirsch avoided it. Hirsch took Statlander to the floor with a huracanrana. Statlander beat the referee’s count and was immediately hit with a running knee.
Hirsch followed up with a couple of suplexes for a near fall. Hirsch put Stalander in the cross arm breaker. Statlander reached the ropes with her foot to break the hold. Hirsch went for double knees, but Statlander tossed her over the top rope onto the apron, then pulled her onto the ropes where they fought for position.
Statlander ended up putting Hirsch in the electric chair position and then fell forward from the middle rope. Statlander performed a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Hirsch went to ringside and grabbed the turnbuckle wrench. When Statlander reached over the ropes, Hirsch hit her with the wrench unbeknownst to the referee. Hirsch followed up with a moonsault and scored the pin.
Leyla Hirsch beat Kris Statlander in 9:50.
After the match, Red Velvet came out to check on Statlander…
Powell’s POV: A solid opening match with a finish that extends the feud. The lights in the arena are turned down so that it’s tough to make out the crowd. Dot Net staffer Colin McGuire is at the show and noted that a lot of fans are stuck outside the building. He wrote on Twitter that the main entrance is the only way to enter the venue, meaning there are plenty of ticked off people.
A CM Punk vs. MJF video package aired…
Tony Schiavone stood in the ring and announced that he had a special guest. Kenny Omega’s entrance played, but Don Callis walked out alone. Callis blame the fans for sucking the blood out of Omega, who is sidelined by injuries. Callis complained about the violence on the show, but he said it would be a great night for The Elite. Callis said Adam Cole will be a “fantastic transitional champion” until Omega returns…
A video package spotlighted the Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson match…
QT Marshall made his entrance with the other members of The Factory, who joined him on the stage before heading to the back. Marshall cut a promo as he walked to the ring. He said he would show one of his prized students what being coldhearted is really about. Hook made his entrance…
2. Hook vs. QT Marshall. Taz sat in on commentary for the match. Hook performed an early suplex and cleared Marshall to the floor with a clothesline. Marshall returned to the ring and hit Hook with a cheap shot to the throat while the referee was between them. Marshall tossed Hook to the floor. Marshall joined him on the floor and took a suplex before Hook threw him back inside the ring.
Hook followed and approached Marshall, who pulled Hook into a turnbuckle. Marshall followed up with a vertical suplex and then dropped an elbow on Hook before covering him for a one count. Hook rallied with a suplex into a bridge for a two count. Marshall raked Hook’s eyes and suplexed him.
Marshall went to the top rope. Hook hit the ropes to knock Marshall back inside the ring. Hook performed another suplex. Marshall caught him with an elbow, then went for a Diamond Cutter, which Hook stuffed. Hook caught Marshall in Redrum and got the submission win…
Hook defeated QT Marshall in 5:00.
Powell’s POV: Another solid pre-show match. The fans were hot for Hook, and Marshall drew good heat.
A video package aired on the AEW World Championship match between Hangman Page and Adam Cole…
3. “House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews vs. Pac, Erick Redbeard, and Penta Oscuro (w/Alex Abrahantes). Redbeard received his own entrance. A couple minutes in, King and Redbeard tagged in and threw back and forth shots at one another with neither man gaining an advantage. Black and Matthews ran in and went after Pac and Penta, and the four wrestlers fought to ringside.
Redbeard and King also ended up on the floor where Redbeard performed a running cross body block. All six wrestlers returned to the ring. A short time later, Matthews caught Pac with a DDT and then tagged in King, who worked over Pac. Black tagged in and put Pac in a head-scissors. Pac reached the ropes twice, but the referee was distracted by King and Matthews.
Pac eventually tagged in Penta, who performed a cross body block dive onto Black and Matthews. Penta worked over both men and hit a cool Destroyer on Matthews for a near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Black and Redbeard both tagged in. Redbeard hit a cutter and covered Black, but it was broken up by Black’s teammates.
Black blasted Redbeard with a knee to the head. The various wrestlers took turns hitting rapid fire big spots. Redbeard and King squared off again with elbow strikes. King headbutted Redbeard and then ran into a big boot. Eventually, King was able to put Redbeard down with a Death Valley Driver. All six wrestlers were down for a moment.
King and Redbeard got to their feet. King tossed Redbeard to the floor and then hit him with a suicide dive. In the ring, the other four wrestlers crawled toward one another, then stood up and traded strikes. Pac and Penta got the better of it. Pac put Black down with a release German suplex. Pac ended up diving onto Matthews at ringside, where Redbeard tossed King into the barricade.
Black and Penta ended up on the apron together. Black caught Penta with a knee to the head. Penta came right back with a kick and then followed up with a Penta Driver on the apron. Penta rolled Black back inside the ring and covered him, but the referee didn’t count because Black wasn’t the legal man. Matthews put Penta down and covered him, but Pac broke it up.
Pac set up for a move on Matthews, but Black took out Pac with a kick to the head. Redbeard returned to the ring. Black and Matthews both went at him. Redbeard caught Matthews going for a move from the ropes. Black put Redbeard down with a kick to the head. Redbeard pulled himself up and went for a chokeslam, but Black sprayed mist at him. Matthews hit Redbeard with a knee to the head. King followed with an inverted piledriver, and then Black covered Redbeard and got the three count…
“House of Black” Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews defeated Pac, Erick Redbeard, and Penta Oscuro in 17:20.
Powell’s POV: The live crowd enjoyed all of the action. It was tough to follow and I think the referee was the only person who realized that Black wasn’t the legal man at one point. Everyone worked hard and Redbeard losing was logical given that he’s not a Death Triangle regular. I’m sure they will end up running this back once Rey Fenix is healthy enough to rejoin Pac and Penta.
The broadcast team ran through the pay-per-view lineup again. Excalibur said Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston would open the main show. A video package aired on the Jericho vs. Kingston feud…
Jim Ross made his entrance to a good ovation and joined the broadcast team. They spoke for a moment and then wrapped up the pre-show…
Join me for my live review of the AEW Revolution pay-per-view in a separate report available via the main page.
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