By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Revolution
Aired live March 6, 2022 on pay-per-view
Orlando, Florida at Addition Financial Arena
AEW Revolution Buy-In Pre-Show Results: Leyla Hirsch beat Kris Statlander in 9:50, Hook defeated QT Marshall in 5:00, and Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews defeated Pac, Erick Redbeard, and Penta Oscuro in 17:20…
Jim Ross, Excalibur, and Tony Schiavone opened the show from their broadcast table. Excalibur hyped the fantasy sports sponsor, and then an ad aired for a game hosted by the sponsor…
Powell’s POV: Is that the quickest anyone has ever cut to an actual ad during a pro wrestling pay-per-view? Anyway, the production team was able to turn up the house lights a bit. The venue took forever getting people in the building, so AEW darkened the arena during the pre-show. It looks like that problem is solved. By the way, I did a full report on the pre-show that is available in a separate report available via the main page.
Ring announcer Justin Roberts handled the introductions. The live crowd sang along with Fozzy’s “Judas” for Chris Jericho’s entrance, and then Eddie Kingston made a quick entrance…
1. Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho. The bell rang. Jericho approached Kingston, who side stepped him and then performed a half and half suplex. The referee checked on Jericho while the crowd chanted “Eddie.” Jericho targeted the orbital bone that Kingston broke and recently returned from. Jericho flipped off the fans for chanting for Kingston.
Kingston and Jericho traded chops. Jericho’s chest was red. A short time later, Jericho threw ten punches at Kingston while mounting him on the ropes, then performed a huracanrana. Jericho covered Kingston for a two count. Jericho removed a turnbuckle pad. Kingston rallied with a suplex.
Both men ended up on the apron. Jericho suplexed Kingston from the apron to the floor. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Back inside the ring, Jericho performed back to back German suplexs on Kingston and then smiled while looking into a camera. Kingston fought back, but Jericho hit him with another German Suplex, then performed a Lionsault.
Kingston came back with a clothesline. Jericho rolled him up and then put Kingston in the Walls of Jericho. Kingston reached the ropes to break the hold. Jericho and referee Aubrey Edwards bickered. Kingston put Jericho down with a suplex, then performed another. Kingston dropped Jericho with a spinning back fist and got a near fall.
Jericho came back with a Codebreaker for a near fall of his own. Jericho jawed at Kingston and went for the Judas Effect, but Kingston ducked it and hit him with a spinning back fist, then followed up with another. Kingston put Jericho in a submission hold.
Eddie Kingston beat Chris Jericho in 13:40.
After the match, smiled and stuck his hand out while Jericho was still seated on the mat. “I respect you, Chris, shake my hand,” Kingston said. Jericho stood up and teased shaking Kingston’s hand, then said he couldn’t do it and left the ring…
Powell’s POV: Man, was that physical. Those suplexes were nasty and hopefully both guys are able to walk away from this without having done any significant damage. The storytelling was really good with Kingston winning, yet Jericho not shaking his hand afterward despite claiming that he would do so if he lost the match. Storytelling aside, Jericho did right by Kingston, and Jericho looks better physically than he has at any point during his AEW run. Good for him.
2. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus vs. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly vs. “The Young Bucks” Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson (w/Brandon Cutler) in a Triple Threat for the AEW Tag Titles. Two men were legal per the rules of the match. Jungle Boy performed an early dive onto a group of his opponents at ringside. At one point, Fish and O’Reilly worked over Jungle Boy. Referee Rick Knox counted to six in a rare enforcement of the tag team rules (only time will tell if it lasts). Jungle Boy was isolated and was on the verge of tagging out when Fish pulled Luchasaurus off the apron. Matt covered Jungle Boy, but O’Reilly broke it up, seemingly ending the alliance. If that didn’t do it, O’Reilly accidentally booting Matt off the apron did.
Luchasaurus took a hot tag and worked over opponents from both teams. He performed a moonsault off the apron onto Fish and O’Reilly after working over the Bucks inside the ring. A short time later, Nick performed a springboard Destroyer on Luchasaurus. Luchsaurus recovered and chokeslammed each of his opponents, then got a near fall on Matt.
Jungle Boy tagged in and joined Luchasaurus in performing a Doomsday Device on Matt for a near fall. Fish tripped Jungle Boy from the floor and held him. Matt tried to superkick Jungle Boy, who moved, causing Matt to kick Fish instead. O’Reilly tagged into the match and traded strikes with Matt. Moments later, there was a triple clothesline spot that popped the crowd big.
Later, O’Reilly hit Jungle Boy with one of the tag title belts while Knox was distracted. O’Reilly went for the pin, but Jungle Boy kicked out. Fish and O’Reilly hit a high/low move on Jungle Boy and had him beat, but Luchasaurus broke up the pin. Luchasaurus dragged Jungle Boy to their corner, but the Bucks pulled Luchasaurus to the floor and shoved him into the barricade.
Back in the ring, the Bucks hit double team moves on Jungle Boy and O’Reilly. They took out Fish on the floor, then hit a BTE Trigger on Jungle Boy and had the win, but O’Reilly broke it up. The Bucks took out O’Reilly. They set up for More Bang For Your Buck, but Jungle Boy came back to live. Luchasaurus took out the others with a dive to the floor. Luchasaurus flipped Matt into a powerbomb from Jungle Boy, who covered him and got the pin before Nick could break it up…
Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus defeated The Young Bucks and Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly in a Triple Threat in 18:55 to retain the AEW Tag Titles.
Powell’s POV: The wild three-way match one would expect from these teams. As expected, the tag rules were essentially forgotten at different points in the match, which will drive some fans nuts and won’t bother others even a little bit. I really enjoyed this match and appreciate both styles, but I hope we’ll start to get a more of the traditional tag team style mixed in, especially with teams such as FTR and Fish and O’Reilly working for AEW.
An ad aired for AEW Double Or Nothing week in Las Vegas… A video package set up the ladder match, and then entrances for the match took place…
3. Keith Lee vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Wardlow vs. Ricky Starks vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Christian Cage in a Face of the Revolution Ladder match for a future shot at the TNT Championship. Taz sat in on commentary. Excalibur hyped Sammy Guevara vs. Scorpio Sky for the TNT Title for Dynamite, and said the winner of the ladder match would go on to challenge the winner of that match. Sky, Dan Lambert, Ethan Page, and Paige VanZant were shown watching from a luxury box.
The action spilled to ringside early on. Cage hit some of the other entrants with a ladder. He brought it into the ring with him, but Starks kicked the ladder into him. Starks made a play for the giant brass ring, but Cassidy cut him off. Cassidy climbed the ladder with his hands in his pockets, but Cage returned to stop him and ended up dumping him and Starks to ringside.
Cage set for a move in the corner of the ring. Lee showed up behind him and grabbed him. Lee performed a double cross body block on Cage and Starks. Cassidy dove from the ropes at Lee, who caught him and then swung him into the other entrants. Lee set up a ladder and went for the ring, but Wardlow cut him off and motioned for Lee to join him in the ring. Lee climbed down the ladder and pushed it over.
Lee and Wardlow squared off. Hobbs picked up the ladder and rammed both men with it and knocked them to ringside. Hobbs set up the ladder. Starks joined him in the ring. They shook hands and then raced up opposite sides of the ladder, but Cassidy shoved it over. Cassidy did a slow helicopter with the ladder until Lee and Wardlow stopped him. They pressed the ladder over their hands with Cassidy still hanging on. Cassidy pulled himself on top of the ladder and made an unsuccessful play for the ring.
A short time later, the fans chanted Wardlow’s name in Goldberg style as he climbed the ladder with Cassidy on his back and Hobbs climbing up the other side. Lee set up another ladder and then climbed it along with Starks and Cage. Cassidy and Cage were knocked off. Wardlow and Hobbs knocked Lee’s ladder over. Wardlow and Hobbs both had hands on the ring. They fought and eventually knocked each other off the ladder, leaving all six men down.
Lee, Wardlow, and Hobbs ended up in the ring with Cassidy lying on the mat. Lee tossed Cassidy onto Cage and Starks. Wardlow ended up sending Lee and Hobbs to the floor, then decided to follow them rather than make a play for the ring. Wardlow and Hobbs took turns hitting Lee as they all made their way up the entrance ramp. Wardlow and Hobbs looked at one another, then went to the stage and pulled apart a ladder. Wardlow walked toward Lee, but Hobbs hit him from behind with his half of the ladder. Hobbs worked over Wardlow and Lee with the ladder.
Hobbs and Lee ended up on the broadcast team’s platform. Wardlow showed up and shoved them both off the platform onto the floor below. In the ring, Cage wedged a ladder between an upright ladder and leaned the other side on the middle rope. Starks returned and sent Cage to ringside. Starks climbed the ladder.
Danhausen showed up and pointed at Starks, then pulled him off the ladder. Danhausen left the ring. Cage climbed the ladder, but Starks cut him off. Wardlow returned to the ring and powerbombed Cage, then jumped onto the ladder behind Starks and powerbombed him awkwardly onto the ladder that was draped over the ropes. “Is this train wreck almost over?” Ross asked. Wardlow pulled the ring down to win the match.
Wardlow defeated Ricky Starks, Christian Cage, Keith Lee, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Orange Cassidy in 17:20 to win the Face of the Revolution ladder match.
Powell’s POV: A mixed bag. There were some really cool spots along with some rough moments. The worst came at the end when Starks took that powerbomb onto the other ladder. He put his hands behind his head before taking the move, so hopefully that was enough to spare him from injury. I thought they might go with Lee, but I like that Wardlow went over, as now we’ll see whether MJF sticks to his word about letting Wardlow keep the title shot that came with this win.
Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and waved around a contract that clearly had “Swerve” printed on it. Oops. Schiavone said he called his matches in the past. Shane “Swerve” Strickland was introduced. He walked out dressed in a suit and had shades on. He took off the shades and looked at the crowd while a “Swerve” chant broke out. Strickland signed the contract and Schiavone welcomed him to AEW.
“Hey, yo, the real is back,” Strickland said. He said he could go on and on about the dream matches he’ll have and championships he’ll take. He said he had a question. Strickland asked “Whose house?” and the fans responded with “Swerve’s house.” Strickland told the fans he loved them too, then put his shades on again…
Powell’s POV: I’m all for realism and I like the signing, but did they really need to have “Swerve” printed on the contract? Oh, and I’m guessing Chaka Khan charges too much for Strickland’s old entrance theme since it wasn’t used her.
4. Jade Cargill (w/Mark Sterling) vs. Tay Conti (w/Anna Jay) for the TBS Championship. Anna Jay and Negative One came out and hugged Conti before she headed to the ring. Conti looked like Malakai Black applied her makeup. A guitar player played Cargill to the ring. Cargill and Conti went face to face when the bell rang. Cargill grabbed Conti and kissed her on the lips to taunt her. Cargill went for Jaded early, but Conti rolled out of it.
Later, Conti returned the favor with a kiss and then DDT’d Cargill for a near fall. Cargill came back with a twisting slam for a near fall. Cargill performed a top rope frog splash for a near fall. Conti rolled to the floor. Jay checked on her. Conti regained offensive control at ringside.
Back in the ring, Conti performed a piledriver for a near fall, then flashed a cartoonishly shocked face even though the audience wasn’t nearly as surprised by Cargill kicking out as she was. Conti went to the ropes. Cargill recovered and hit her legs out from under her. Cargill hit Jaded and scored the pin. A graphic on the big screen listed Jade as 29-0…
Jade Cargill defeated Tay Conti in 6:50 to retain the TBS Championship.
Powell’s POV: Cargill continues to improve and add new offensive moves. That said, this match didn’t really need to be on the pay-per-view. The build to the match was rushed and this easily could have been a Dynamite or Rampage.
A video package set up the dog collar match. Entrances for the match took place. CM Punk’s music played to start, but it stopped and then MJF’s music played and he made his entrance first. Punk had different lighting and entered to “Miseria Cantare” by AFI from his ROH days. He also wore old school themed gear to go along with his throwback entrance…
5. CM Punk vs. MJF in a Dog Collar match. Justin Roberts introduced both men once they were inside the ring and then a loud CM Punk chant started. Paul Turner was the referee for the match. Excalibur noted that Turner had officiated some of the most notable dog collar matches in recent years.
MJF tried to take an early powder, but Punk pulled him back by the collar. MJF pulled Punk’s throat over the top rope. Punk recovered and draped the chain over the ring post, then pulled on it to send MJF into the corner. MJF begged off and offered a handshake. Punk kicked him and then stomped his hand. Punk mounted MJF in the corner and threw ten punches at him. Punk wrapped the chain around his hand, but MJF slipped under him and ended up powerbombing him for a two count.
MJF struck Punk with the chain. Punk bled. MJF wrapped the chain around Punk’s mouth, then raked it over his bloody forehead. MJF barked at the ring announcer to give him the “f—ing mic.” MJF brought the mic inside the ring and called Punk old time. He told Punk to let the crowd hear him quit, just like he quit on him. “Eat shit, Max,” Punk responded. MJF mocked the crowd while standing on the middle rope, but Punk pulled him off and took offensive control.
Punk, who had a crimson mask, hit MJF with a high knee in the corner. He wrapped the chain around MJF’s head and then bulldogged him. Punk whipped MJF with the chain. Punk wrapped the chain around the right hand of MJF and then dropped his knee on it repeatedly. MJF caught Punk from behind in a sleeper and grapevined him. Turner checked Punk’s arm, which fell twice and stayed up the third time. Punk pushed off the ropes with his foot and rolled onto MJF, which resulted in a near fall.
MJF sold right hand pain from the earlier attack. PUnk went for the GTS, but MJF stuffed it and put him in the Salt of the Earth armbar. Punk rolled MJF into a pin to break the hold. Punk put MJF in the Anaconda Vice. MJF pulled Punk by his hair into a pin to force him to break the hold. MJF sent Punk to the apron and went for his pendulum piledriver, but Punk slipped out and slammed MJF to the mat.
Punk hit MJF with a running knee that sent him to ringside. Punk ended up following and threw repeated punches to the head of MJF while he was seated on a chair against the barricade. Punk used the chain to whip MJF into the ring steps. MJF was also bleeding. Punk wrapped the chain around his fist and punched MJF. Punk wrapped the chain around his knee and tried to strike MJF, who moved, causing Punk to slam the chain wrapped knee into the ring steps.
Punk tossed MJF back inside the ring and followed. Punk sold knee pain and signaled for his finisher. Punk hoisted up MJF for the GTS, but his knee gave out. MJF took Punk to the apron and set up for a tombstone, but Punk reversed it and hit the move instead. Punk fell to the floor and held his bad right knee. One of the broadcast team members noted that there was so much blood that the referee actually put on a fresh set of gloves.
With MJF back inside the ring, Punk climbed up top and yelled, “Best in the World.” Punk went for an elbow drop, but MJF moved. MJF covered Punk for a near fall. MJF rolled to the floor and pulled a bag out from underneath the ring. MJF poured thumbtacks in the middle of the ring. MJF drilled Punk with a knee in the corner. MJF went for a bulldog, but Punk bit his hand before he could execute it. MJF kicked Punk to free himself. MJF punched Punk three times and Punk wobbled in front of the tacks. Punk kicked MJF, then set him up for a suplex or a brainbuster, but his knee gave out. MJF went for a suplex or a brainbuster, but he couldn’t keep Punk up.
Punk caught MJF with a roundhouse kick. Punk brought MJF to the ropes for the Pepsi Plunge. MJF avoided it and crotched Punk on the ropes. MJF superplexed Punk onto the thumbtacks. MJF covered Punk for a near fall. MJF called for Wardlow while holding his hand out.
Wardlow walked to ringside. Wardlow checked his pockets and acted like he couldn’t find the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Punk pulled MJF by the chain and hit him with the GTS onto the thumbtacks. Punk looked at Wardlow, who smiled and pulled out the Dynamite Diamond Ring, which he placed on the apron before heading to the back. Punk smiled and grabbed the ring. Punk pulled MJF to his knees and showed him the ring. MJF spat a Punk, who then knocked him out with the ring and pinned him.
CM Punk defeated MJF in 25:45 in a dog collar match.
After the match, Punk whipped the chain over his head. The broadcast team compared it to the late Bruiser Brody. Punk celebrated his win while the broadcast team ran through extended highlights of the match…
Powell’s POV: As much as Punk has delivered some fun throwbacks, he’s done so much more than simply play the greatest hits since he returned to the ring. This was the bloody war that it was built up to be. I loved it. The ROH callbacks were a treat for longtime fans, they weren’t anything that would take a younger or unfamiliar fan out of the moment. It will be interesting to see what’s next for Punk’s character, and the next chapter of MJF and Wardlow should be interesting. By the way, was Punk paying tribute to Brody or emulating the way Roddy Piper swung the chain over his head following his classic dog collar match with Greg Valentine?
A video package set up the AEW Women’s Championship match, and then entrances for the match took place…
6. Britt Baker (w/Rebel, Jamie Hayter) vs. Thunder Rosa for the AEW Women’s Championship. There was a new apron for the match. There were dueling chants for both wrestlers while Baker was on the offensive early. Baker tied up Rosa’s arms and legs around the bottom rope in front of Rebel and Hayter, who taunted Rosa.
Rosa came back and dropkicked the back of Baker, who was kneeling in front of the ropes. Rosa followed up with another dropkick and then performed a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Rosa went for a Fire Thunder Driver, but Baker avoided it and then put Rosa down with a pendulum suplex for a two count. Baker got her glove from Rebel in preparation of going for her Lockjaw finisher.
Rosa dropkicked Baker in the corner. Rosa followed up with a superplex, then hoisted her up and performed a neckbreaker onto her knee. Rosa ran the ropes and clotheslined a kneeling Baker, then covered her for a two count. The dueling crowd chants started up again with Rosa chants winning out. Baker came back with an elbow to the face and a couple of neckbreaker. Both women fought on their knees, then traded pin attempts.
Rosa powered up Baker for a side suplex and got a near fall. Rosa went to the ropes and Baker followed. Baker executed a move from the ropes that resulted in a near fall. Rosa came back with a sunset flip and rolled through. Rosa went for a Tombstone, but Baker reversed it, and then Rosa rolled her into a pin for a two count.
Rosa landed the Tombstone piledriver and got a visual pinfall while the referee was distracted by Rebel. Baker rolled up Rosa for a near fall. As the referee checked on Rebel, Baker had Hayter slide the AEW Women’s Championship belt inside the ring. Baker stomped Rosa onto the belt and then covered her for a good near fall. Baker went for the Lockjaw.
Rosa rolled to the ropes, but then used her feet to push off and put Baker in her own Lockjaw move. Baker rolled onto her and got a two count. Rosa applied a straight jacket submission hold and Baker tapped, but the referee was distracted by Rebel again. Rosa released the hold and speared Rebel off the apron. Hayter ran over and Rosa clotheslined her. Rosa returned to the ring and took a Stomp from Baker, who pinned her…
Britt Baker beat Thunder Rosa in 17:25 to retain the AEW Women’s Championship.
Powell’s POV: These two had the unenviable task of following the dog collar match. It took some time for the crowd to get fully engaged, but the wrestlers did a good job. I really expected a title change in this match, so I’m surprised to see Baker leave with the championship. AEW doesn’t do a lot of quick turn around rematches (we waited just under a year for this one), but I wonder if the idea behind all of the interference was to create the need for another match, perhaps when AEW goes to Rosa’s hometown of San Antonio for Dynamite in ten days.
A video package set up the Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson match, and then entrances took place…
7. Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson. Moxley threw an early slap, then put his hands behind his back to invite Danielson to return the favor. They did a knuckle lock instead. Danielson stomped Moxley’s foot and then slapped him. Danielson threw a kick to the back of Moxley, who stood up while Danielson did jumping jacks and then ducked through the ropes when Moxley approached him. In the middle of the ring, Moxley invited a chop and received it, then returned fire with a stiff one of his own.
Danielson took control and threw a series of kick at Moxley. Danielson worked over Moxley in the corner. Moxley invited him to bring it, then spun Danielson around and returned the favor briefly. Danielson cut him off with a kick in the corner to regain offensive control again. Danielson went for a top rope headbutt that Moxley avoided. Danielson came right back with a couple of running kicks in the corner.
Moxley rallied with a Saito suplex. Danielson blasted Moxley with a kick and then applied a grapevine guillotine choke that Moxley was able to escape. Moxley got pissed and slapped Danielson a few times. Moxley dumped Danielson to ringside. He wet up for a move, but Danielson returned to the ring. Danielson went for a dive, but Moxley caught him and they ended up brawling at ringside and appeared to butt heads.
Both men bled from the head as they returned to the ring. Danielson ended up on the ropes. Moxley joined him and clawed his back. Danielson ended up suplexing Moxley and covered him for a two count. Danielson applied a dragon sleeper. Moxley reached the bottom rope with his foot to break it. Bryan went for another submission hold, but Moxley avoided it and blasted him with repeated elbows to the head. Moxley put Danielson in a cross arm breaker.
A short time later, Danielson grabbed the arms of the fallen Moxley to set up for his stomps. Moxley pulled Danielson to the mat and they traded kicks from a seated position. Moxley got the better of it and ended up applying a choke. Danielson escaped and then put Moxley down with a wicked suplex. Danielson followed up with a running knee. Danielson grabbed the arms of Moxley and stomped his head. Danielson applied a triangle sleeper. Moxley grabbed Danielson’s beard. Danielson fired elbows and then punches to the face of Moxley, who flipped onto Danielson and scored the pin.
Jon Moxley defeated Bryan Danielson in 21:05.
After the match, Danielson shoved the referee while Excalibur explained that Danielson didn’t want to let go of the triangle and ended up taking the pin. Danielson threw a kick at Moxley, who fired back. Security ran out and pulled them apart briefly.
William Regal walked out to a massive pop and ordered Moxley off of Danielson. Regal looked back and forth at both men. Regal stopped Moxley from going after Danielson and then slapped him across the face and gave him a soft headbutt, which Danielson applauded. Danielson opened his arms for a hug only to have Regal slap him across the face. Regal brought the two of them together and made them shake hands. The crowd erupted with a “yes” chant, and then Danielson and Moxley shook hands while Regal watched…
Powell’s POV: A good match that lacked the level of intensity from the crowd that I anticipated. I was ready to speculate that the crowd was burning out from a long night, but they followed the match with the pop of the night (and maybe even the year) for Regal. I enjoyed the match and the surprise appearance of Regal was fantastic. I hope they put Regal to work behind the scenes in AEW too because he can certainly help out in so many areas.
Tony Schiavone stood on the stage and announced Sammy Guevara vs. Scorpio Sky for the TNT Championship, and Leyla Hirsch vs. Thunder Rosa for a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship for Wednesday’s Dynamite. He said Wardlow will challenge the winner of the TNT Title match, and Baker will defend her AEW Women’s Championship against the Hirsch vs. Rosa winner on the St. Patrick’s Day Slam show on March 16 in San Antonio…
Entrances for the tornado mach took place with the heel trio coming out first. A black and white Darby Allin video aired prior to his entrance…
8. Darby Allin, Sting, and Sammy Guevara vs. Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy (w/Jose) in a tornado trios match. Ross explained that everyone was allowed in the ring at the same time. Jose got involved early, but Sting caught him and ran him into the barricade and then slammed his head on a table. The Butcher and The Blade showed up and helped out his faction mates during a brawl in the crowd.
Guevara and Kassidy fought onto a platform on the stage. Guevara performed a Spanish Fly off the platform and through a couple of tables that were set up on the main stage. A short time later, Andrade was on top of three tables. Sting leapt from a balcony and put Andrade through the tables. A “you’ve still got it” chant broke out. In the ring, Allin Scorpion Death Dropped Hardy onto a chair, then hit him with a Coffin Drop and pinned him…
Darby Allin, Sting, and Sammy Guevara beat Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy in 13:20 in a tornado trios match.
Powell’s POV: I didn’t even try to keep up with the insanity of this train wreck style brawl in my match coverage. Everyone worked hard and the crowd was engaged in the brawl. Still, I feel the show would have been better without this match and the TBS Championship match. It’s not a knock on anyone involved in the matches. I’m just a believer in leaving fans wanting more rather than going with marathon shows. All of that said, this was fun for the big brawl that it was.
A video package set up the AEW World Championship match and then entrances took place…
9. “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Adam Cole for the AEW World Championship. Justin Roberts delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Bryce Remsburg was the referee. Ross wondered whose side the crowd would be on. A “Let’s Go Adam” chant broke out. The crowd followed with “Let’s Go Adam” and “Adam Sucks” chants. Funny.
Page was in control early. With Cole’s head hanging over the apron, Page hit him with a running boot from the floor. Page went for a piledriver that Cole escaped. Page swung at Cole, who ducked, causing Page to hit the ring post. Cole ran Page into the ring steps. Cole had a prolonged stretch of offense back inside the ring. Cole told Page that he will never be him. Page fired up briefly, but Cole cut him off with a kick. Cole went to the ropes and dove into a kick from Page, which left both men down briefly.
Later, Page came back and went for a moonsault from the top rope, but Cole caught him with a kick in mid-air and then covered him for a two count. Cool spot. Cole stomped the mat to tune up the band, which drew boos from the crowd. Page ducked the superkick attempt and then hit the Deadeye for a near fall. The crowd chanted “This is Adam.”
Page went for a lariat, but Cole countered into a crossface that Page broke by reaching the bottom rope. A short time later, both men traded elbow strikes from their their knees, then broke into throwing punches at one another. Page headbutted Cole, who stood up and kicked him. Page fired back with a shot, then Cole kicked him.
Page suplexed Cole, who then performed a backbreaker on his knee for a near fall. Cole went to the ropes. Page got up and cut him off. Page joined Cole on the ropes. Cole slammed Page’s head onto the turnbuckle pad. Page headbutted Cole, then performed a fallaway slam into a moonsault for a near fall.
Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly ran out. Cole performed a Panama Sunrise from the apron. Back in the ring, Cole covered Page for a near fall. Fish and O’Reilly distracted the referee while Cole kicked Page below the belt. Cole performed a Panama Sunrise and then hit the Boom knee. Cole covered Page for a near fall. The crowd finally stopped humoring themselves and had a legit dueling chant.
Cole ran the ropes and ate a lariat. Page went for a Buckshot Lariat, but Cole superkicked him. Cole hit two more superkicks. Cole went for The Boom again, but Page fell to the mat and avoided it. Fish and O’Reilly set up a table next to the ring. Cole set up for a move on the apron, but Page ended up hitting a Deadeye from the apron through the table.
The Dark Order ran out and checked on Page, who shoved Alex Silver into Fish and O’Reilly. Dark Order brawled to the back with Fish and O’Reilly. Page threw Cole inside the ring. Page hit Cole with a Buckshot Lariat and covered him, but Cole reached out and grabbed the bottom rope.
Page removed his belt to tie Cole to the top rope, then superkicked him a few times. There were some boos. Cole fired back one of his own and freed himself, but Page hit him with another superkick. Page lowered his kneepad and blasted Cole with his own Boom finisher. Page followed up with a Buckshot Lariat and scored the three count.
“Hangman” Adam Page defeated Adam Cole in 25:45 to retain the AEW World Championship.
Page celebrated his win afterward. He grabbed Cole’s hand a shook it while Cole was down in the ring. Page went back to celebrating while Ross closed out the show on commentary…
Powell’s POV: A good main event. The crowd chants were fun to start and then started to take away from the match as they went on, but the fans eventually settled down and got into the match. I would have gone with the dog collar match in the main event slot, but I also won’t complain about the decision to put the AEW Championship match on last. There were some fans who wanted the AEW Women’s Championship match to close the show, but that finish had to remove that match from consideration.
Overall, a very good show. This live crowd seemed to experience a similar lull to the AEW Full Gear crowd in terms of fading out around three-quarters in, but both crowds came back to life. If Tony Khan doesn’t want to cut back on the length of his pay-per-views, then he would be wise to start them earlier on Sunday nights. It was approaching midnight on the east coast by the time this show concluded. It’s one thing to do that on a Saturday night, but it’s asking a lot of the viewers to do this heading into the work week. Again, though, AEW continued its streak of delivering top notch pay-per-view events.
Jake Barnett and I will team up for a same night audio review of AEW Revolution coming up shorty for Dot Net Members. Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below and by voting for the best match in our post event polls. Thanks for watching along with me. Join Colin McGuire and I for Pro Wrestling Boom Live on Monday at 1CT/2ET at PWAudio.net. We’ll be taking your Revolution and other pro wrestling calls.
As a meager line cook I laugh at the jokes toward tag rules. I do like my job, and I do like aew – but bot can it be silly.
Who’s John Bennett?
Better than I expected. Dog Collar was the best match, by far, but I wouldn’t have given MJF his first pinfall loss here. Too long by a lot, and several matches that didn’t belong on PPV, but still a solid C/C- level effort.
> By the way, was Punk paying tribute to Brody or emulating the way Roddy Piper swung the chain over his head following his classic dog collar match with Greg Valentine?<
You know as well as everyone else it was the latter, but we also realize why you can't just come out and say that…
Tony Khan, if you only ever let one person help you with booking, please let it be William Regal.
If Thunder Rosa doesn’t win the title in San Antonio then I give up.
If ROH is really going to be developmental, then Regal should be handed the reigns to it. AEW needs someone to teach fundamentals of every aspect of things (work for the camera, build logical matches, cut meaningful promos, etc.) and he seems like he’d be just the right guy to better prepare the indy/wrestling school people they want to look at.