We are LIVE in ATL and we’re starting hot with a Tag Team Battle Royal for a title shot at Revolution. The teams start outside the ring and run in at once to begin the match.
Tag Team Battle Royal
The tag team rules (teams are eligible until BOTH members are eliminated) made this hard to track for a bit, but eventually the first team eliminated as SCU is thrown out by the Dark Order after some ominous messages. The Bucks take advantage of the chaos to eliminate the order. After some time, Luchasaurus eliminates Cima’s team. Evil Uno offers Cima a Dark Order mask and he takes it without a definite reply.
The Butcher and Luchasaurus have a fun big-man exchange that the crowd is very into, even with a botched clothesline spot at the end. The Final Four are Best Friends, Santana/Ortiz, Butcher and Blade, and The Young Bucks, but only Matt Jackson is left to represent the Bucks. Best Friends are nearly eliminated as Chuck is sent out, but when Trent is tossed, Orange Cassidy is there to nonchalantly hold the Friend on his shoulders for the save.
Trent and Matt work together for a bit, even giving the people what they want with a big center ring hug, but the numbers are too much as the Butcher, Santana, and Ortiz begin to dismantle them. Butcher eliminates Trent, quickly followed by Matt eliminating the Butcher.
Santana and Ortiz are left to face Matt as Sammy Guevara watches at ringside. The odds are tough, but Matt is able to overcome and win the match for the title shot at Revolution, which presents an interesting possibility if Page and Omega are still champs.
Tony, JR and Excalibur tell us the night is stacked with the first ever Steel Cage match on Dynamite as Cody and Wardlow meet to satisfy the last stipulation before Revolution.
Shanna vs. Kris Statlander
Britt Baker is on commentary for the match and she continues her assault on Tony, giving him a coffee with his face on the cup. Nice. Kris boops the ref before the team tries to explain her gimmick. The action goes back and forth until Statlander channels Bam Bam Bigelow with some cartwheels and a leg scissors. This leads to a boopfest. The match is bordering on ridiculous as the announcers spend it making snappy comments while no real momentum is happening on either side. Back from a commercial, Statlander seems to be getting an advantage, but Shanna is able to counter a bit, eventually spiking Kris with a BIG DDT. Statlander’s power is too much though as the Big Bang Theory gives the alien the win. Tony thanks Britt for being with them, and she reminds him to go to the dentist.
We get a recap from last week of Nyla Rose making history by winning the Women’s title.
After the break, Tony talks to Nyla Rose live. Lots of boos in the crowd, and I fear they aren’t just because she is a heel. She plays up the heel role well, though. I just hope she has some time as a face down the road. After running down the crowd and the rest of the division, Kris Statlander comes out and fakes a boop, only to point at the belt. Big Swole also comes out to confront the champ, calling her “brother” in the process. Whoa. That’s not cool.
Last week, Jericho introduced Jeff Cobb as his bounty hunter. Tonight, he takes on Moxley.
Jon Moxley vs. Jeff Cobb
Taz is at ringside for this match which seems appropriate for the type of match we’re getting. Jericho comes out to observe the match as well, along with other Inner Circle members. Cobb starts strong, using his power to throw Moxley around. Mox finally gets an advantage as he hurts Cobb’s knee and starts to build some momentum. Cobb recovers and they start to go back and forth with heavy blows. Cobb is able to deliver a huge superplex, but Moxley turns the impact into a small package and gets the win. The Inner Circle attacks, which brings out Dustin Rhodes. The Inner Circle is too much though and Rhodes goes down, until the lights go out. Darby Allin returns to AEW and takes out Guevara. Cobb tries to level him but Allin counters and Mox hits the Paradigm Shift. Allin leaves Moxley to deal with Le Champion in the ring, but Jericho bails.
During the break, Allin delivers his own cue card message to Sammy, promising to end him at Revolution.
Lucha Bros. vs. Page/Omega – Tag Team Championship Match
The champs start hot as Fenix takes the majority of the damage, but soon enough the Luchas are able to dominate Omega. Finally Page comes in with authority, but his offense doesn’t last long. The teams begin to fight back and forth with a flurry of offense that ends with Pentagon delivering a Destroyer on Omega. Omega fights off the Luchas for a while, until Fenix delivers a Flying Rana from the apron to the floor. Page and Kenny are beat up and the Luchas appear to have this in the bag, especially after Omega gets nailed by an errant Buckshot from Page. But Omega is able to counter Pentagon with a Snapdragon Suplex, hit a mid air V trigger on Fenix for a near fall. Seconds later, Page and Omega hit a Buckshot/V Trigger combo on Fenix to finally get the win and retain the titles. This means the Elite EXPLODES at Revolution when the Bucks take on Omega and Page for the belts.
OMG, AEW toys!!! I’m legit stoked about that. My wife, probably not so much. Sorry, honey.
The cage is coming down and that thing looks wicked. Cody/Wardlow is next.
Cody vs. Wardlow – Steel Cage Match
Cody wore the proverbial Crimson Mask as he took on Wardlow in a Steel Cage.
Cody takes it to Wardlow right away, but it doesn’t take long for the big man to take over and deal some serious punishment as MJF looks on with delight. Back from break and Cody is already busted open. He is able to get some offense in as the blood flows, but a low blow is enough to stop that. Cody takes some more damage, but is able to throw Wardlow into the cage and hit a powerslam for two. Wardlow is just too much though, and he is able to drop Cody then nail a huge Swanton. MJF tries to interfere and Brandi and Arn deposit him into the crowd. Cody hits CrossRhoades but it’s not enough. He climbs to the top of the cage and delivers an insane moonsault for the win.
This was an impressive night of build up to Revolution. I’ll be back to cover next week’s final go-home show.
UNTIL NEXT WEEK!
