SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
•Ortiz vs. Cody – HIT: It’s always a fun match when Santana and Ortiz are involved. Their antics paired with the super babyface, Cody, have a unique synergy. Jake Roberts made his return revealing his client to be Lance Archer. Archer made big strides in his latest run in New Japan which concluded with a match against Jon Moxley at the Tokyo Dome. Archer doesn’t need Roberts as a mouthpiece, but he brings more legitimacy for the fans who aren’t as familiar with Archer. With Double or Nothing currently scheduled ten weeks away, Cody and Archer may meet sooner unless AEW has major plans for Archer. In the post-match, The Inner Circle attacked Nick Jackson appearing to have written him off while he deals with an ailing injury and spend time with his family in preparation for his forthcoming child.
•Kris Statlander & Hikaru Shida vs. Nyla Rose & Bea Priestley – MISS: Some clunky sequences to start the match, but they captured the crowd by the end. It’s clear that while Kris Statlander, Nyla Rose, and Bea Preistley all need more experience, Hikaru Shida is special. She looked good throughout and elicited “Holy Shida” chants. While it appears Preistley may be the immediate challenger to Rose’s championship, Shida should be the next major match.
•Jurassic Express vs. MJF & The Butcher & The Blade – HIT: A fine six man tag match. Nothing jumped off the page other than the great response to Jungle Boy’s hot tag. He continues to improve and has the foundation for becoming a star. MJF pinned Marko Stunt for the finish then gloated about the win. He’s making his case as a top contender for the AEW Championship with a fluke win over Cody and a trivial victory over Marko Stunt. MJF’s in-ring work doesn’t match with what AEW’s fans have become accustomed to for main events. There’s still 10 weeks until Double or Nothing, but it will take more than a victory over Marko Stunt to buy him as a main event challenger.
•Britt Baker Promo – HIT: Britt Baker sure knows how to get under fan’s skin. She’s a natural heel and looks more comfortable by the week. I’m not sure what to make of her relationship with Tony Schiavone. What started as a hostile pairing with Baker slamming Schiavone for working as a barista is now Baker charming him with cups of coffee. Big Swole finally stood up to Baker telling her she talks too much. Swole has received better than average reactions from the crowd. This will be a major test for her to see if she’s ready for the next level in the women’s division.
•Joey Janela & Private Party vs. Death Triangle – HIT: A while back, AEW had dropped hints of a three-person tag team championship. Death Triangle seems to be a prime candidate to hold those titles if they come to fruition. Pentagon and Fenix hadn’t been a part of a program for some time so Death Triangle will give them some direction pairing with Pac.
•Chris Jericho & Sammy vs. Hangman Page & Dustin Rhodes – HIT: The Final match delivered on the hype for Blood & Guts. As of this writing, it remains unclear whether that match will take place in two weeks. Regardless, The match feels like a fresh feud filled with some of the biggest stars. If it doesn’t happen as planned, it’s something that can be picked up again when things return to some normalcy. Hangman Page feels like he can carry a main event like he did teaming with Dustin Rhodes. In the post-match there were a number of chair shots to the head. It felt like a tone deaf decision given what happened to Cody even after they gimmicked the chair.
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