By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Battle of the Belts IX
Norfolk, Virginia at Chartway Arena
Aired live January 13, 2024 on TNT
The show picked up where Collision left off with Ricky Starks and Big Bill brawling with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara outside the venue near a production truck… The broadcast team carried over from Collision with Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, and Nigel McGuinness…
1. Ricky Starks and Big Bill vs. Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara in a street fight for the AEW Tag Team Titles. Schiavone said the match was underway as all four men fought outside the venue. Starks battered Guevara with a trashcan lid.
Bill chokeslammed Jericho over a small embankment. Starks and Bill celebrated until Guevara drove a golf cart into them. Guevara covered Starks for a two count. Guevara ran Bill into the side of the satellite truck. Jericho returned and went after Bill, who ended up with a backpack that he bashed both opponents with.
Bill opened the backpack and dumped out bricks. Bill grabbed a small piece of broken brick and threw it at Guevara, who moved, causing the brick to smash through the rear passenger’s side window of a car.
Jericho and Guevara teamed up to suplex Bill on top of the same car, which shattered the front windshield. Rhett Titus showed up and told Jericho it was his car. Jericho dropped Titus with a Judas Effect. Starks returned with a pipe and hit Jericho with it a couple of times. Jericho ran Starks into the side of the building and then brought him inside.
Jericho slammed a “wet floor” sign over Starks’ back and then tossed him inside a laundry bin, which he shoved into a production crate. Starks fought back and pressed a plunger on Jericho’s face. Starks threw a Christmas decoration at Jericho, who then shoved a mop in Guevara’s face. Starks whipped Jericho into a garage door and covered him for a two count.
Jericho placed Starks’ head on a printer and pulled the top down. Jericho showed the camera the printed image of Starks’ head and then held it against his face and punched him. Jericho grabbed a pylon and put it over his own head and mugged for the camera before hitting Starks with the pylon.
Guevara choked Bill with a tablecloth as all four men fought into a concourse area. The brawl continued going into a picture-in-picture break. [C] Bill choked Guevara with a table cloth. Bill ran Guevara toward a wall, but Guevara ran up the wall and did a flip off it. Guevara ended up spraying Bill and then Starks with a fire extinguisher.
All four men fought into a catering area. Jericho sprayed mustard at Bill. Jericho ended up with a kendo stick and used it as a weapon while following Bill into the actual arena in front of fans. Guevara and Starks followed and continued to brawl.
Jericho set up a couple of tables next to one another. Jericho pulled Bill onto a platform next to the tables. Bill fought back and tried to chokeslam Jericho, who slipped away and punched him in the balls. Jericho played to the crowd.
Konosuke Takeshita showed up and hit Jericho with a kendo stick. Bill powerbombed Jericho through the tables and both men stayed down. The broadcast team pointed out that there were no disqualifications. Guevara had Starks down on a platform next to the stage. Guevara climbed some scaffolding and played to the crowd before performing a Swanton. Powerhouse Hobbs pulled Starks out of the way. Starks covered Guevara and scored the pin… [C]
Ricky Starks and Big Bill defeated Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara in a street fight in roughly 18:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: Damn. This was one hell of a brawl. All four men worked their asses off and performed some crazy spots in addition to the brawling. I’m happy they didn’t crank up “Judas” again once they started brawling in front of the live crowd. The Rhett Titus spot was silly, but I got a kick out of it.
A Serena Deeb vignette aired. It showed her training while she did a voiceover and claimed to be the best women’s wrestler in the world. She said she is ready to return…
The broadcast team recapped some of the key moments from the match. The camera crew didn’t get great live shots of Takeshita and Hobbs’s interference, so they replayed both of those moments from better angles…
2. Julia Hart vs. Anna Jay for the TBS Championship. Both entrances were televised. Jay had her right shoulder taped. Jay jumped out to a fast start, but Hart came back by pulling Jay’s bad shoulder into the turnbuckle. Hart ran Jay into the barricade and then rolled her back inside the ring and covered her for a two count heading into a partial PIP break. [C]
Jay put Hart down with a Backstabber for a two count. Hart came back by slamming Jay to the mat and covering her for a two count. Hart sold her own right shoulder injury. Jay targeted Hart’s shoulder. Jay went for a Queen Slayer, but Hart rolled onto her in a pin position to break it. Hart came back with her own sleeper, which Jay escaped. Hart ended up applying her Hartless finisher and getting the submission win…
Julia Hart defeated Anna Jay in 10:15 to retain the TBS Championship.
Powell’s POV: A decent match. These two had a tough assignment in following the six-man tag team main event from Collision and the wild tag team title brawl. The crowd was quiet, yet the fans seemed to be engaged.
Footage aired from “earlier today” of Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, Jay Lethal, and Sonjay Dutt arguing in their locker room. Karen said she sent multiple texts, but they don’t have a photo shoot, merch, or a team name. Dutt said he’s the reason Lethal has a job. Jeff told Lethal to leave. Satnam Singh showed up with food and accidentally smeared some on Lethal’s face… [C]
Powell’s POV: Yawn. I think we’re supposed to feel sympathy for Lethal, but I really just want them all to go away.
Orange Cassidy made his entrance for the main event followed by Preston Vance and Jose. Before the referee could call for the bell, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett came out and sat down on chairs at ringside. Cassidy jawed at them.
3. Orange Cassidy vs. Preston Vance (w/Jose) for the AEW International Championship. The bell rang and when Cassidy turned around, Vance hit him with a discus lariat. Cassidy came back with an Orange Punch.
A short time later, Vance hit Cassidy with a shoulder block from the middle rope. Vance executed a slingshot German suplex and then booted Cassidy to ringside in front of The Undisputed Kingdom trio. Cassidy returned to the apron and was pulled back inside the ring by Vance, who performed a vertical suplex and covered him for a two count going into a PIP break. [C]
Cassidy hit Vance with a suicide dive coming out of the break. Vance came back with a spinebuster and was booed when he looked to the crowd. Cassidy annoyed Vance with some light chops. Vance charged Cassidy, who moved and then worked him over with real punches and kicks, which got a rise out of the crowd.
Vance rallied with a ripcord stunner. Cassidy came right back with Stundog Millionaire and a DDT for a near fall. Cassidy went up top, but Vance rolled to the floor in front of the Undisputed Kingdom.
Cassidy dove at Vance, who caught him. Vance looked at the approving Undisputed Kingdom trio and then performed a fallaway slam that sent Cassidy crashing into Taven and Bennett. Vance flipped off Strong and returned to the ring.
Vance put Cassidy in a Full Nelson, which Cassidy escaped and eventually hit the Orange Punch. Cassidy the Beach Break on Vance and pinned him.
Orange Cassidy defeated Preston Vance in 11:20 to retain the AEW International Championship.
After the match, Strong, Taven, and Bennett entered the ring and looked at Cassidy, who was seated in a corner of the ring. Strong applauded Cassidy. Jose removed his jacket and spun around Strong, who dropped him with a knee strike. The heel trio tossed Jose and Vance out of the ring and turned their focus back to Cassidy. All three men applauded Cassidy, who held up his title belt in front of Strong to end the show…
Powell’s POV: The main event was well worked, but I don’t think anyone thought Vance had a chance to win. I didn’t know what to make of Vance starting shit with Strong, Taven, and Bennett, nor do I have a clue why Jose suddenly went after Strong afterward. While that sailed over my head, it did seem like they are working toward Cassidy vs. Strong for the AEW International Championship, but nothing was made official.
Overall, the opening brawl was really well done and stole the show. I will have more to say about Collision and BOTB when I fill in for Will Pruett on this week’s audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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