Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
We are 30 seconds into tonight's show and the Young Bucks have already made their presence felt. Arrive. Superkick the referee. Leave. Jurassic Express v FTR kick us off amidst chaos. FTR is the perfect opposition here and I'm convinced Jack Perry is a major star in the making. Tully Blanchard at ringside really completes the FTR package. The smart move here is for FTR to take the win, bucking the normal trend of having the champs lose a non title match. There's plenty of time for Jurassic Express to get ranked and get title shots, now might not be the time as I don't think this is the right space for FTR to lose their first tag team match. I swear there is not one era in pro wrestling where FTR wouldn't have been a top tag team.
Perry is a selling machine, and he's doing it expertly here. Eventually the day is going to come where they're going to have to let him loose. That'll come when he's in singles and gets a little more experience. FTR just cuts the ring off so well, like classic tag teams of the past. Big time chops by Cash and Dax immediately cuts the ring off. If there was a crowd (full, I mean) they'd be going nuts for Luchasaurus' hot tag. I love Luchasaurus' work but the mask needs to be adjusted. It looks too gimmicky. I KNOW it works for him, I absolutely do, but it looks amazingly restrictive, to the point where he has to be really careful.
Jungle Boy just tagged himself him in, which is an odd trend in tag team wrestling these days. Perry has been out of the ring less than 90 seconds and took a hell of beating earlier. It's an issue in wrestling all around where a guy comes back at full strength way too soon. This isn't just limited to AEW. Luchasaurus should've kicked some serious tail a lot longer. I love the near falls these 2 teams are scoring. Even without the belts at stake, FTR is going all out here. Dax gets the pin with an assist. Very nice way to kick off tonight's show.
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur have tonight's call.
Matt Hardy is laid out in the back, favoring his knee. I thought he was going home for awhile. Jericho and Hager show up to "console" him, obviously telegraphing that they were the culprits.
Kenny Omega joins us on commentary as Frankie Kazarian takes on Adam Page. This is kind of the first time were getting Omega on commentary. I'd love to see some real character development from him. Kaz has one of the best unsung records in AEW. I know the story dictated he and Scorpio Sky lose to Omega and Page, but the entire SCU faction has been pushed so far down, you almost forget they were once on top. Page with long pants gives him more of a star look I'll give him that. Omega is not calling this as a heel this far as we go to commercial. Excellent of JR not to push that picture in picture is coming.
We are back and it's been a competitive match so far. Again, the issue at hand is that AEW has done nothing in the last 7 months to build Frankie Kazarian as anything special. Useless trivia: I was in Lowell, MA back in 2017 for the ROH PPV where Hangman and Kazarian had an EXCELLENT last man standing match, won by Kazarian. Omega is not being ambiguous at all regarding his future, almost denying his and Page's #1 contenders status. They are absolutely pushing the time limit here. Is this too competitive for for the presumptive next big star in AEW. The audience is chanting "this is awesome" and make no mistake, this is a really good match, but it doesn't necessarily elevate Page. Page finally nails the Buckshot Lariat for the pin. Good match, don't get me wrong. This wasn't the time to push Page to his limit. Omega leaves the booth without any meeting with Page.
MJF time! Wardlow is with him as usual. Somewhere, I hope, Nina is smiling. MJF taking his sweet time getting to the ring, mocking the wrestlers at ringside with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Opponent Shawn Dean is already in the ring and by the time I wrote "Shawn Dean", MJF had the win with the armbar. Promo time for MJF (YES!). He correctly reminds us that Dictator Jon Moxley cheated. Henceforth, MJF demands to be introduced as the "Undefeated, Undisputed, Uncrowned World Champion of All Elite Wrestling". MJF tells us that he is forming a stable since that's the only way anyone gets ahead in AEW.
Taz returns with breaking down the move set of Ricky Starks. I really dug these back when he began doing these.
Eddie Kingston and Company are in the ring. Always good to hear from him. He reminds us that he never lost the battle royal at All Out. Butcher and Blade, prompted by Kingston, beat the crap out of a couple of ringside wrestlers, one of which I recognize as Griff Garrison. Kingston tells Blade that it's time he got his house in order. I am so glad they're addressing the elephant in the room of his wife being "in love" with QT Marshall.
Time for Private Party vs. Chris Jericho and Jake Hager. This should be another learning tree moment for Private Party as you know the veterans aren't going to spend 10 minutes flipping around. Private PArty starts out fast, which I have no problem with as they have to establish some offense against the veterans. Jericho and Hager slow it down real nicely now, exactly as this match should be. It proves to me that Private Party are VERY teachable, an excellent quality for a young wrestler to have. Hot tag to Kassidy and he picks up the pace, exactly the right time to do it. Inner Circle gets the advantage back. Hager nails a Vader Bomb and doesn't go for the pin. Perfect since that move, with a guy that size, shouldn't be kicked out of so readily.
Earler, I lamented how long the Kazarian v Page match went. This one is of pretty decent length as well but the difference here is that Quen and Kassidy have been an established team since Day 1 in AEW. Jericho and Hager are still getting used to this tag team thing. Kassidy tags in way too soon after getting the tag off from Quen. Jericho is taking some very close pin attempts here. Finally, Jericho nails the Judas Effect on Kassidy for the pin. Good match.
And now for what I've personally looked forward to the most: NWA World Women's Title Match between Thunder Rosa and Ivelisse. Rosa and Shida stole the show at All Out and has a big title defense next Tuesday night against Priscilla Kelly in UWN's second show. Interesting that Hikaru Shida is at ringside watching. I'd LOVE to see a rematch. Ivelisse with a hard slap. This is probably the biggest profile match Ivelisse has had, a world title match on National TV. Thunder Rosa was a recent guest on Talk is Jericho. I highly recommend checking it out. Ivelisse has a great AEW pedigree, being one-half of the winners of the Women's Tag Team Cup, which barely gets mentioned in passing.
We're back from commercial (again, PROPS to the announce team for not telling us way in advance that picture in picture is coming). These to are having a hard fought title match here. Seems unlikely that Rosa is losing here but I can see Shida costing her, if that's the manner they want to go. The action, I have to say, was pretty hard hitting. We're told there's a special one hour Dynamite next week after NBA playoff action, in addition to our regular Wednesday night. Not sure what that means for Dark. Ivelisse going tooth and nail here, pushing Thunder Rosa to her limit. Series of close, near falls by Ivelisse, the champ is really getting pushed here but a tombstone piledriver ends the challenger's night. Excellent match and Ivelisse established herself as a real player. Diamante with a post match attack, save made by Hikaru Shida and it looks like Shida may want the NWA World Championship. I'll take that.
Kip Sabian and Miro are working out. Miro, doing his job as Best Man, vows to throw the best bachelor party ever. I will never compare to mine
Lance Archer is out for a promo. Luckily stange hands are safe this week but the ringsiders are not. Archer beats the hell out of someone. Roberts with a promo on Moxley. There is a six man tag next week where Moxley and Archer will team up. Looks like Roberts wants one of Taz's men. I'm wrong, Moxley and Archer will be on opposite sides. They have to pick 2 partners. Brian Cage and Ricky Starks will join Archer. I'm guessing Darby Allin will be with Moxley. Speaking of Mox, here he is and he gets jumped by Cage and Starks. Didn't see it coming. Will Hobbs comes out to make the save. I am loving Hobbs. It'll be Hobbs for sure as Moxley makes the announcement and Mox says he'll call Darby Allin. EXCELLENT angle to set up the match.
Main Event time as Santana and Ortiz and the Best Friends are in the parking lot surrounded by cars (think the recent Velveteen Dream vs Adam Cole Takeover match but without the ring. These care are going to take a beating. As a former insurance agent, I hope the cars all have comprehensive business insurance. Ortiz is bleeding from the elbow. I normally never see Best Friends as fighters but they are throwing out the comedy for this, particularly Chuck Taylor, who I've had my issues with for his excessive comedy skits in the past. Jeez! Trent takes a flat back through the windshield. These guys are going to feel this tomorrow. Trent is bleeding from several places on his back. ORANGE CASSIDY emerges from the trunk of one of the cars and an Orange Punch to Santana. Best Friends get the win in a hell of a fight. Both teams deserve a hell of a bonus check for this one.
Nice touch, Trent's mom drives them away (hopefully to an emergency room).
I have ti admit, I was prepared to not like this show given the matches seemed predictable, but this was a solid outing from AEW tonight.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
