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The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) (AEW Tag Team Champions) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) vs. The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster) w/Billy Gunn
The Acclaimed get the biggest entrancer with a “Scissor me Daddy” song for the crowd to sing along with. Max Raps on the way to the ring like he did during their big run. WIthout that part of their entrance, they are missing something.
The Bucks do classic heel work, not wanting to get into the match and the others chase them into the ring and batter them about until it settles into a match. Matt cuts off a Shiver Me Timbers for even more heat. From here, the story is that the two other teams keep the Bucks in the ring and try not to tag the other team in.
The Bucks have most of their big moves cut off by FTR or the Acclaimed. Dax gets a big suplex of BOTH Bucks at the same time. They also do a great bit where people are doing leaps onto someone on the mat, and when the Bucks do it, the man on the mat gets their knees up.
The Bucks get a big flurry when Matt pulls the ref out of the ring, but it ends when Max and Cash hit Nick with a shatter machine. The Bucks are able to get a superkick party on everyone and we move into near falls. The whole match layout is good at ther Bucks being the guys who get beat around, but have to cheat to get an advantage.
The Bucks bring in the belts. The ref takes one but before the use the other one, Billy Gunn hits a famouser onto the belt. From here we start getting big moves, but in the end, the Bucks get the EVP Trigger on Dax for the pin and the win.
Winners and still AEW Tag Team Champions: The Young Bucks
The Grizzled Young Vets hit the ring to challenge the Bucks. The Bucks leave and they beat down FTR.
Casino Gauntlet Match for a title shot
Orange Cassidy starts with Kazuchika Okada
I love that Cassidy still gets just one firework, and we get to see it from outside the stadium as well.
Cassidy hugs Okada to start the match and Okada starts beating him down. Cassidy blocks the Rainmaker with pockets and we move to a more traditional kind of Cassidy match.
Nigel McGuinness
Holy Cats! I am so happy for Nigel to get to come out for a huge pop in England. He goes face to face with Okada and they throw hands. The announcers say Nigel is wanting to win in case Bryan Danielson wins the title later tonight.
Kyle O’Reilly
Cassidy and Okada are on the floor and we get Nigel and Kyle in the ring. Tax wonders if he has to work Saturdays now. Let’s face it, this match is going to be the best part of the Royal Rumble with entrances and fan service and I am here for it. Cassidy and Okada join as Nigel rolls to the floor.
Zack Sabre Jr.
Winner of the NJPW G1 tournament makes his way to the ring. Kyle and Cassidy are the ones to greet him in the ring. We then get Nigel and Sabre in the ring. Okada breaks it up so that he can confront Sabre. Okada gets to flip off the crowd and Sabre.
Roderick Strong
This is starting to feel like Ring of Honor’s greatest hits, which is a good thing. Much like ECW, it’s become bigger since it faded than it was when it was around. YES I KNOW RING OF HONOR IS STILL AROUND, but it’s not the same.
Mark Briscoe
See what I mean?
Hangman Adam Page
Page gets a ton of fireworks on his way to the ring. Page just starts taking people out as they try to attack him. He nearly pins Cassidy but it;’s broken up at two.
Jeff Jarrett
Jarrett has quietly slipped into the role Sting had as the beloved veteran who is on a farewell babyface tour. He gets to take down everyone who runs at him. He saves his biggest attacks for Page. Page powerbombs Jarrett to the floor and he grabs Karen Jarrett, but he is interrupted by…
Ricochet
Ricochet gets to show up with big flying moves and lots of pyro.
Christian Cage
Ricochet leaps onto Cage, returns to the ring and takes a Buckshot from page. Okada casually breaks up the pin and the Page does the “Slowly I turn….” before attacking. Page sets for the Buckshot but Karen grabs his foot and Jeff hits him with a guitar.
We then get a flurry of near falls and everyone getting their finishing moves.
Luchasaurus
Luchasaurus hits the ring and grabs Cage by the shoulder. Hee then choke slams Kyle and puts Cage on top for the pin and the win.
Winner and getting a title shot: Christian Cage
This was a lot of fun, and the crowd gave everyone a lot of love. The ending was unpredictable and I am excited about Cage going for the title.
Will Ospreay gets an Assassin’s Creed style entrance.
MJF (US Champion) vs. Will Ospreay
Night is starting to fall, so they are using more pyro and light effects in the entrances. The show has been a lot of fun so far, and this is moving toward more of the Big Spectacle feel. They have a big firework display on the outside of the stadium.
MJF comes out with an over the top USA entrance, including Apollo Creed’s American Flag Top Hat. We are told someone stole his Dynamite Diamond ring from the locker room. I wonder if Britt Baker took it.
I KID, I KID!
They start by throwing hands and brawling. Once MJF goes to the floor, Ospreay hits two big leaps to the floor. When they return to the ring it’s back to brawling both in and out of the ring. Once MJF takes over, the match becomes a gloating heel vs a babyface fighting from underneath.
We get a few instances of Ospreray powering up and MJF cutting him off. Really good old school match style that MJF brings to his work. Another thing MJF is doing is showing he has counters to Ospreay’s big moves. Ospreay starts to sell the neck as MJF keeps working a slow, deliberate style. Ospreay hits oz cutters, and MJF sells it like he’s the Rock taking a stunner in 1999.
Some of the moves these guys are taking are still as hell. They are also using the NJPW style of once we get into the later portions of the match it’s a big move to try to win and then both men recover. The story is known by the crowd as they are chanting for the Tiger Driver. This is the longest match so far, and the pace is working as the crowd noise grows as they set up for the next move.
MJF hits a destroyer on the apron that looked brutal. As the match goes on, Ospreay nails a cameraman so hard his pants drop and we see his quite colorful underpants. MJF grabs the belt to use on Ospreay and nails him with it when the ref isn’t looking for two. MJF is utterly shocked that the shot and the brain buster did not win the match for him. This brings the crowd to their feet.
MJF goes to hit Ospreay with a foreign object and he’s stopped by one of the entrance Ninja.s The ninja is Daniel Garcia and this allows Ospreay to hit a big hidden blade. He then sets for the Tiger Driver. He hits it and the ref is able to get into the ring for the count and Ospr5ready holds MJF for the pin and the win.
Winner and NEW International Champion: Will Ospreay.
Christopher Daniels gets in the ring and gives Ospreay an International Championship belt.
I am not saying this to discount it, but to praise it. This was an old school “Babyface gets revenge” match. Ospreay was able to overcome MJF’s cheating, the man MJF screwed came back to screw him over and it was a fantastic match. Toni Storm may be timeless, but this is a match that works in any era.
Mercedes Moné (TBS Champion) w/Kamille vs. Britt Baker
Mone gets a royal entrance in a literal golden chariot with a pair of Corgis. In the ring, Mone grabs the title from the ref and gives it back to Kamille.
They start with a lot of hold/counter hold to start. Kamille is doing stuff to help Mone right from the beginning. Baker keeps going for the lockjaw over and over again. When they are on top, Mone drops Baker back first onto the top turnbuckle, which cuts off Baker and puts Mone in control of the match.
Mone goes after Baker back with back breakers and other moves to attack that body part. The crowd has quieted as Mone works her over. One thing I really like is how happy Mone looks when she hits a move that hurts Baker. Baker has trouble with her big moves such as the curb stomp. They are working the story hard here.
As Baker starts her comeback, the crowd is still quiet, which is a shame since I think they are doing a solid job in this match. Baxter puts on the glove for the Lockjaw and Mone goes back to work on Baker’s back. Mone is furious every time Baker kicks out. Mone has pulled off the glove and puts it on herself.
Baker is able to get her glove back and reverses a big move off the top. We get Mone caught with the belt and as the ref is dealing with that, Baker grabs the belt from Kamille, tosses it back to her and drops to the mat.
Thank you Eddie.
Kamille is OUTTA HERE!
Baker starts getting near falls after big moves. She then fights and is able to go for the lockjaw, but Mone bites her fingers. “What a great counter” - Taz. Mone hits the money maker for the pin and the win.
Winner and still TBS Champion: Merceds Mone
I am surprised Mone got a clean pin in the middle of the ring, but there it is.
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