It’s PPV time yet again for AEW! This should be a great show!
MJF vs. Darby Allin
Darby does a weird video of him crashing a car before his entrance. We get an incredible opening exchange as both men try to out wrestle the other. Darby goes for a Coffin Drop on the apron but MJF rolls out of the way. MJF takes over by working the back of Darby. At one point, MJF looks to jam his knee working over Darby, which he keeps selling after every move. What a pro. Darby keeps fighting back and even goes to MJF's knee a few times. MJF locks in the Scorpion Deathlock but Darby punches his knee and then chop blocks the other knee. WRESTLING! Darby is able to lock in a Figure Four but MJF reverses it as they get to the ropes. MJF is able to hit a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER on the apron! But MJF hurts his knees! What a match! Darby just beats the count at 9! We get more close near-falls as the trade roll-ups! This is incredible! Darby goes for the Coffin Drop but MJF rolls to the floor, so Darby hits a Coffin Drop on the floor! Coffin Drop in the ring but MJF gets the knees up! Wardlow and Shawn Spears come out but Sting chases them to the back before they get down the ramp. MJF gets Darby's skateboard and offers it to Darby to hit him. Darby throws it away. MJF gets the diamond ring! Punch! Side Headlock and he pins Darby just like MJF said! FUCK ME! THIS WAS FUCKING INCREDIBLE! That was perfect pro wrestling in every way. Perfect story, selling, near-falls and finish. That was wrestling! *****
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: Lucha Brothers (c) vs. FTR
The Lucha Brothers get a big entrance and are dressed for war. LET'S FUCKING GO! They brawl at the start before we get down to it. We get a classic lucha vs. wrestler match as FTR try to ground and work over the high flyers. The Lucha Brothers are to use their quickness to take over and run wild. FTR isolates and works over Penta and ties his mask to the rope to get some shots in. We get some classic FTR working over the isolated man before Fenix gets the tag. Fenix and Dax exchange near-falls and Dax pushes Fenix into the AAA Tag belt for a HUGE near-fall! FTR uses American Alpha's old finisher for a near-fall. Love it! We get a Three Amigos and Frog Splash combo by the Lucha Brothers for Eddie. Also love it. They trade finishers and near-falls including a Fear Factor/Double Stomp. Cash puts on one of the Super Rana masks and tries to steal but the ref catches it. Lucha Brothers hit the double Piledriver for the win. Great match but lost steam at the end. And the finish was VERY flat. ****
AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament Final Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Miro
Miro refuses the Code of Honor. Miro out powers Danielson's early attempts to wrestle him. Danielson tries to use his strikes and speed but Miro keeps just out-powering him. Miro keeps controlling the match and while Danielson keeps fighting back, Miro keeps cutting him off. Danielson runs Miro into the post and starts to get some momentum. Danielson locks in a knee bar when Miro starts to try and comeback, only for Miro to hit a German Suplex to escape. Miro's knee gives out and Danielson lights him up with kicks and then KICKS HIS FUCKING HEAD IN! But Miro counters the running knee into a powerbomb. Miro locks in Game Over but his leg is uneasy and Danielson gets to the ropes. Miro stomps the back of Danielson and tries to lock it in again. But Danielson rolls out of it and locks in the LeBell Lock! Miro fights out and hammers Danielson with elbows! Danielson gets a Triangle Choke in! Elbows by Danielson but Miro goes to his eyes to break it up! They stand and trade blows with Miro getting the best of Danielson with his power. Miro takes Danielson to the top but Danielson hits a DDT off the top! He locks in a Guillotine Choke and Miro is out! Danielson survives! Really great match that put Miro over like a monster but Danielson survives and finds a way to win. ****
Falls Count Anywhere Match: The Young Bucks and Adam Cole vs. Christian Cage, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus
Bucks out with pink gear and purple facial hair. Cole has black gear with pink trim. Maybe he isn't fully with the Bucks? Babyfaces in jeans because it's Falls Count Anywhere. TECHNICALLY this is Street Gear but I will allow it. Wild brawl starts as everyone pairs off and goes at it. We get chair and trash can spots and Cole gets bloody after a double team move by Jungle Boy and Luchasaurs. Jungle Boy is given a chair by Christian to con-chair-to Cole but the Bucks stop it. Jungle Boy hurricanrana Cole off the apron through a table and Matt Jackson elbow drops Luchasaurus through one. Christian brawls in the crowd with Nick and the henchmen and does an insane dive off the balcony. Everyone battles back to the ring and we get thumbtacks. Tacks in Jungle Boy's mouth as Cole has him in the Camel Clutch. SUPERKICK to Jungle Boy. Sick! Christian breaks up the pin. Bucks introduce a ladder but Christian fights back and DDTs Nick onto the ladder. Luchasaurs runs wild and slams Cole on the ladder and chokeslams Nick on it as well. Luchasaurs chases after Matt up the stage and Jungle Boy cuts him off. Snare Trap but Cole breaks it up. Everyone fights to the ramp. Cole hits a Panama Sunrise on Jungle Boy on the ramp but Luchasaurs saves it. Superkicks to all the babyfaces. Cole brings out kneepads with tacks on them. 3 way BTE Trigger to Luchasaurs but Jungle Boy breaks up the pin! Jungle Boy fights all 3 heels! Christian spears Matt. Cole chokeslammed into his friends off the ramp. Luchasaurus with A SHOOTING STAR PRESS OFF THE RAMP! Jungle Boy hits a con-chair-to on Matt to get the pin. Wild and crazy weapons brawl. Crowd seemed to wake up the more it went on. Jungle Boy gets the big PPV win. ***1/2
Cody Rhodes and PAC vs. Andrade El Idolo and Malakai Black
Slow start as both teams go back and forth. Andrade and Black are on the same page while Cody and PAC don't seem to be. PAC tags himself in which pisses Cody off only to get caught by Black Mass by Malakai Black. Arn takes Jose, the assistant of Andrade. Andrade and Black are able to isolate PAC. PAC finally goes for the tag but Cody is still on the floor recovering. Andrade and Black work over PAC before he can get an opening. Cody finally gets on the apron and makes the tag. Cody runs wild to a LOT of heat. Cody locks in the Figure Four on Andrade but PAC tags himself in. 450 on Andrade in the hold but Andrade gets the ropes. Black pulls Cody into PAC's way on a dive. PAC tries to pin Andrade the same way he beat him before for a near-fall. PAC is able to hit the Black Arrow for the pin. This was a Dynamite TV match. It was good but the main point I think is the eventual Cody heel turn. We will see. ***
Cash and Tully run out and take shots at PAC and Cody before leaving. That was pointless. Maybe a match on TV?
AEW Women's Championship Match: Britt Baker (c) vs. Tay Conti
Tay Conti out with Brazilian color war paint. Nice look. Baker gets the guitarist from Fozzy to play her to the ring. Baker is able to out-wrestle the younger wrestler early. Conti gets some hope spots in but Baker is quick to cut her off. Baker goes for Lockjaw but Conti attacks the hand of Baker to prevent it. Conti unloads strikes to take over. Match gets more back and forth as Conti gets some momentum. Baker hits a sick Air Raid Crash on the apron for a near-fall. Baker goes right to Lockjaw but Conti gets to the ropes before it's locked in. They exchange wrestling holds and Conti hits the Tay-KO for a near-fall. Conti hits a Gotch Piledriver for another near-fall. Conti goes for the DDTay but Rebel distracts the ref and Jamie pulls Conti out the ring. Baker stomps her on the ring steps! Stomp in the ring and Baker locks in Lockjaw! Conti is able to roll to the ropes. Stomp on the apron misses. Conti with a moonsault off the top but she only hits Jamie and Rebel! Conti slams Baker on the floor. DDTay for a big near-fall. I bought it. Goes for DDTay again but Baker wrestles her down and pins her. Honestly a good match but the crowd was dead and never bought into Conti winning. Conti did well here but still isn't ready to be the top woman. **3/4
CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston
Eddie has a different energy walk to the ring tonight. Punk out in shorts looking like his old IWA Mid-South days. Love it! Punk walks right to the ring. No pose or anything. EDDIE CATCHES PUNK WITH A BACKFIST BEFORE THE BELL! Punk with the middle finger! We are on! These two are fighting! Punk goes after Eddie's right hand before Eddie runs Punk into the post and we get some blood! CM Punk hits the John Cena shoulder blocks and teases a 5 Knuckle Shuffle! This is awesome! Punk hits the 3 Amigos! Lots of Eddie Guerrero love tonight. Eddie is able to hit a superplex to even the match up. The two meet in the middle and just start throwing punches! Punk hits a GTS out of nowhere! But he's too tired to pin him. Eddie goes for a backfist but misses. Neither man can barely stand. Knees by Punk and another GTS ends it! WHAT A FUCKING FIGHT! Short match but with how intense it was, it worked! Amazing stuff! ****1/2
Eddie refuses to shake Punk's hand after the match.
Minneapolis Street Fight: Inner Circle vs. Men of the Year, Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski and Dan Lambert
Santana and Ortiz got their war paint on while the team is in war gear. Sammy and Sky start it off. For some reason, this has normal tag rules despite being a No DQ match. Santana and Ortiz take over and work over Sky. Hager works with Arlovski and dos Santos before Jericho gets in there. Dos Santos works over Jericho and looks pretty solid. Lambert gets in there and showboats before Jericho gets his hands on him and everyone brawls. Sammy, Santana, Ortiz and Hager all hit dives. Everyone uses weapons that are made in Minneapolis including a Prince logo. That was clever. Men of the Year and Santana and Ortiz match up in the ring. People in and out the ring, using weapons. Sammy goes up a huge ladder and hits a Swanton on Sky. Jeff Hardy would be proud. Baron Von Raschke is the crowd and puts Ethan in the Iron Claw. That was neat. Lambert poses in the ring and Jericho attacks him. Jericho goes for a Lionsault and Junior dos Santos misses his fucking cue by a mile. Botchamania! Lambert tries to lock in the Walls of Jericho but Jericho hits him with a kendo stick. Jericho hits a Frog Splash for Eddie Guerrero to win it. Everyone loved Eddie. This was a trash match that should've been on TV, not PPV. No flow or story. Just a brawl with weapons. Jericho pins Lambert and ends the feud. Move on! **
Tony Schiavone introduces JAY FUCKING LETHAL!!!! HOLY SHIT! Jay Lethal says he is ALL ELITE! This is wild! He challenges Sammy Guevara for the TNT Championship on Wednesday! This is wild! Sammy Guevara comes out and accepts! YES!
AEW World Championship Match: Kenny Omega (c) vs. Adam Page
We get a video package of Page riding a horse through the city. Crowd is chanting "Cowboy Shit"! Page makes his entrance. It's his time! Both men are heated as they lock up and throw shots. Callis interferes to help Omega take over time and time again early on. Omega works over on Page before Page fires up and makes his comeback. Page takes Omega up top but Omega counters into a sunset bomb that folds Page in half! Omega starts working the neck with multiple Snap Dragon Suplex including one on the apron. V Trigger by Omega but Page counters the One-Winged Angel into a roll-up for two. Omega hits a Jay Driller for a near-fall and gets frustrated and starts to bite Page to try and open his cut from Dynamite. Omega up top but Page cuts him off for an Avalanche Blockbuster! Crazy spot! Diving clothesline by Page to the outside and they crash into the timekeeper's table. Page is bleeding from the head now and his knee is hurt from the dive. Omega collapses before Page hits the Buckshot Lariat. Page starts rolling but Omega pulls the referee in front of the Buckshot Lariat! Callis tries to hit Page with the belt but Page punches him! Omega misses with the belt! Dead Eye! New referee is out! Only 2! They trade blows! Omega unloads on Page but Page won't go down! BIG LARIAT BY PAGE!!! The Young Bucks walk out obviously still hurt from earlier. Page goes for the Buckshot but runs into a V Trigger! One-Winged Angel by Omega but Page counters it and hits One of his own for 2! Buckshot Lariat to the back of Omega! Page looks at Matt Jackson and he nods! BUCKSHOT LARIAT! HANGMAN IS THE CHAMPION!!!! THE ERA OF THE COWBOY IS HERE!!! Excellent back and forth match full of drama and emotion as the crowd was desperate to see Page win here. Every exchange and near-fall got a pop. The Bucks standby and walk their former friend beat Omega because they knew what it meant to him. This was story-telling. A 2 year story finally has its conclusion! ****¼
Full Gear was a classic PPV. AEW is nailing just about everything right now. MJF/Darby was a classic for the ages. The tag division continues to deliver. Danielson gets his title match. Jungle Boy gets a big win and shows more of an edge. The interesting Cody storyline continues. He has to turn at some point right? Baker continues to dominate the women’s division. Punk and Kingston have a FIGHT and Kingston continues to be one of the most interesting personalities in AEW while Punk shows a more heel version of himself. Jericho gets his revenge on Lambert. JAY LETHAL IS HERE! And the biggest story of all is Hangman winning the World Title. What a show. Even the worst match had some purpose. Watch this show!
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