It's the day before Thanksgiving! Let's have some wrestling!
CM Punk returns to Chicago! It's Clobbering Time! But MJF interrupts his entrance! He has a mic. Crowd ain't happy about Punk's entrance being cut short. MJF isn't happy Punk interrupted him last week. He insults Punk by calling him a one trick pony and mocking him for being straight edge. He says Punk didn't name him as a potential opponent because he's afraid of him. MJF is going to end Punk on the mic quicker than his UFC career. Very good line.
Punk gets the mic and says he is disappointed in him. Punk gives out his own insults and calls MJF a fanboy and wanted to disrespect him last week. Calls MJF a less famous Miz. WHAT A LINE!
MJF's turn and he calls Punk nothing more than nostalgia. He talks about how Punk has struggled to beat anyone or say anything special since he got in AEW. He calls him "robotic pucker up Punk" and calls him PG Punk. Compares him to John Cena. This is fantastic! MJF questions if Punk can truly be the top guy. Says Punk hates MJF because he is everything he isn't and says Punk has always been 2nd best. This is a great promo segment!
Punk says MJF is kinda right. Punk was scared to be back and wondered if he could still go. Punk says MJF talks too much and can't back it up. Says Britt Baker replaced him as one of the 4 pillars of AEW. WOW!!! This is a highlight reel of one liners. Says MJF will only be the #1 guy if Tony has a daughter for MJF to marry. Punk threatens to punch MJF and the two stare down before MJF walks off.
Words will not do this segment justice! Watch it! One of the best promo segments in years! Punk and MJF are on a different level when they are on the mic. This was special.
CM Punk vs QT Marshall
We return from commercials as the bell rings. Very basic wrestling match at the start. Comoroto and Solo pull at Punk's feet and the ref ejects them. QT gets a few shots in on Punk and mocks the crowd. Match is already going WAY too long. Punk takes over as we go to commercials. This match got a fucking commercial break.
For some reason, we come back and QT is in control. Commentary says it is because MJF got in Punk's head. That's still questionable. Punk fires up and takes over as QT is posing. Top rope elbow by Punk and a GTS ends it. Crowd was into Punk's comeback but I REALLY question going so long and letting QT control a lot of the match. **
Tony Schiavone with Christian Cage, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus. They talk about their momentum with their recent wins. Christian says that Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus are #1 ranked tag team in AEW and will be getting a title match soon. Looking forward to that.
Eddie Kingston at a table in catering sends a message to Moxley. 2.0 and Daniel Garcia join him and talk about his recent article he wrote. They insult and spill a drink on him. People rush in to stop the fight as Kingston flips the table. This was pretty fun.
Billy Gunn and Colton Gunn vs. Bear Country
Gunn Club as shit music. Bear Country is in the ring. Gunn Club attacks Bear Country from behind. They run Boulder into the steps and he hurts his arm. Bronson starts to run wild but Austin Gunn trips him and Colton hits Colt 45 to end it. Quick and harmless squash. Didn't need to be on TV. N/A
Sting comes out. Austin runs up the ramp to attack him but Darby Allin DRILLS him! Looked incredible! Sting and Darby enter the ring as Billy and Colton ducks out. They all stare down at each other.
We got a promo for Battle of the Belts! Love that AEW is doing a Clash of the Champions like event!
Adam Cole and Bobby Fish are backstage. They are annoyed at their recent losses and mention they are best friends. Best Friends enter and they go back and forth. Cole and Fish were really fun here. Looks like Cole and Fish vs. Orange Cassidy and Wheeler Yuta either tonight or on Rampage.
Tony Schiavone with Team Taz, Dante Martin and Leo Rush in a meeting room. Team Taz has a contract for Dante to sign. Leo says Dante doesn't want to sign it but he does! Dante Martin leaves with Team Taz. Interesting turn in the storyline.
AEW TBS Championship Tournament Quarterfinals Match: Jamie Hayter vs. Thunder Rosa
Jamie enters with Team DMD as we get a split screen promo as Britt is looking forward to Jamie beating Rosa and having two champions in their team. Physical lock up to start! Both start throwing nice stuff shots as they battle to the floor and back in.
Jamie works over Rosa before she catches Jamie in the ropes to get some shots in. Rosa goes for a crossbody off the apron but Jamie catches her and slams her into the post and to the floor.
Back from commercial and the women are battling on the top rope. Rosa hits a big dropkick to start her comeback. Jamie goes back to the back and hits a backbreaker before the match breaks down into a hockey fight. Rosa is able to get a choke on Jamie but Rebel distracts the ref. Britt Baker pulls Rosa off but misses the superkick and hits Jamie. Rosa runs Baker into Rebel. Rosa gets a roll-up on Jamie to win. Very good match. These two had some great chemistry and down the road could have a great rematch. ***1/2
After the match Jamie is pissed about Baker hitting her and leaves without the rest of the team. The seeds are planted for her turn right there.
Alex Marvez with Chris Jericho and asks what's next for him. 2.0 and Daniel Garcia walk in and celebrate them attacking Kingston. Jericho insults them and makes dumb dad jokes. They leave but tell him to watch his mouth. This was a segment.
Backstage Britt Baker is with Rebel and Tony Schiavone for her Friends-giving. Baker says she is sorry that Rosa advanced in the TBS Tournament but she is grateful to be still the AEW Women's Champion. Tony shows Britt video of Riho not being eliminated from the Casino Battle Royal, so on Rampage Riho vs. Baker for a title shot. Baker is pissed and Thanksgiving is ruined. Tony is not invited to Christmas. I enjoyed this.
Bryan Danielson vs. Colt Cabana
Cabana doesn't get as big a pop as Punk for his hometown. Mixed reaction for Danielson. Colt chants at the bell. We get nice wrestling holds back and forth until Cabana gets fancy and Danielson just starts striking him hard! Danielson misses a corner dropkick and Cabana takes over until Danielson counters a Flying Apple into a German Suplex to take back control. Cabana is able to counter an attempt at a top rope back suplex and hits a beautiful moonsault for 2. Multiple elbows by Colt as he holds Danielson's wrist. Danielson grabs both of Cabana's wrists and takes him to the ground. Cabana is in position! He gets his fucking head kicked in! Danielson rolls him into the LeBell Lock and Cabana is out! This was excellent! Danielson is at such a different level right now! Cabana looked great before becoming another victim in Danielson's quest. ***1/4
Tony Schiavone heads to ringside to talk to Danielson as we go to a commercial break. Danielson seems to find a piece of Cabana's tooth in the ring. VIOLENCE!
Tony Schiavone with Danielson and mentions how his actions aren't making many friends. Danielson says he was popular last time he was here. The fans are fickle. He shows the fans that he DID indeed kick Cabana's tooth out. Next week AEW is in Atlanta and offers any Dark Order member from Atlanta to accept his challenge. Danielson says it's all leading to him vs. "Hangman" Adam Page. And here comes The Hangman!
Page is dressed to wrestle. Page says Danielson made his point. He is ready to defend the belt right here and now. Danielson says he has already wrestled. Calls it "Coward Shit". Page wants a fight tonight. Offers Danielson the first shot. Danielson says not to insult him before slapping Page! They go at it! Page goes for the Buckshot Lariat but Danielson rolls out the ring. Another great segment. This match is going to be awesome!
Commentary runs down the card for Rampage including Cole and Fish vs. Cassidy and Yuta.
We get a video package for Ruby Soho vs. Kris Statlander next week in the final Quarterfinals Match. Ruby is a really good promo and Statlander hold her own well too.
Malakai Black, Andrade El Idolo and FTR vs. Cody Rhodes and Death Triangle
I was really hoping Tony was going to make this elimination so we got a true Survivor Series match the day before Thanksgiving. Massive boos for Cody again. Cody and Dax start and we get some phenomenal classic pro wrestling to start. Cody tosses the weight belt before tagging out to PAC. And the fan throws the belt back! Huge pop! And then Andrade takes the belt and tosses it under the ring. Fantastic!
PAC and Dax go at it as a ringside guy gets Cody's belt back. When he puts it back on, the crowd boos big time. Cody is a heel. Back to the match, Cash and Penta are in and go at it before Andrade and Fenix get in next. Lots of back and forth action as everything looks great in the ring.
Death Triangle triple teams Andrade to take over. Cody tags himself in as the heels gang up on him to a huge pop wheel the referee is distracted. Fenix runs wild on everyone! Crowd is hot for the babyfaces. Tully distracts Fenix and Black takes over as we go to break.
We come back with Cash ripping at Fenix's mask and going for a 619. He misses and Fenix lays him out. Penta in and runs wild and then PAC runs wild! Everyone in and lays out everyone! Cody misses a superkick and hits PAC! Andrade and PAC take each other out.
Tully and Arn get in the ring, face to face! Jose the assistant tries to get involved but both men take him out. FTR backs Arn down before the Lucha Brothers take them out. PAC goes for the Black Arrow but Black hits him with the mist. Andrade with the Hammerlock DDT ends it! What a match! All action to a hot crowd. This was a ton of fun to watch. Didn't need the Arn and Tully spot but the crowd liked it. Hell of a way to end the show! ***3/4
A fantastic show tonight. The opening 20 minute segment with Punk and MJF needs to be seen by everyone. On top of that, we got more heel Danielson and Adam Page build up, a really good women's match and a great TV main event. Sprinkled in between all that was some backstage segments and build up to storylines. Only down sides were QT going WAY too long with Punk and The Gunn Club for some reason being on TV. But even those don't ruin the overall show. Thanks for the pre-Thanksgiving wrestling, AEW!
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