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KELLER’S AEW ALL OUT PPV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 3, 2023
CHICAGO, ILL. AT UNITED CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON PPV
Tonight after the PPV, join PWTorch columnist Greg Parks and Tony Donofrio live reviewing the event with live callers and emails. They’ll be joined by PWTorch’s Javier Machado. Eric Krol will be sharing his on-site perspective, also.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
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[ZERO HOUR PRE-SHOW]
Commentators: Excalibur, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuiness
-Renee Young and R.J. City stood mid-ring and introduced the show.
-A video package aired on the angle with Ricky Starks, Ricky Steamboat, and Bryan Danielson on Collision last night.
-A promo aired with Bryan Danielson talking about his respect for Steamboat as a fan and support he gave him early in his career. He said he saw from home what Starks did to Steamboat, and then he heard about Starks issuing a challenge to Steamboat for a strap match. Danielson said the last time he was in a strap match, it was against someone he loved, “and we beat the shit out of each other!” He said he doesn’t like Starks, so imagine what he’s got planned for him.
(Keller’s Analysis: So can this be a good sign that Danielson will be cast as a babyface now? I know he has “more fun” being a heel, but this company needs this version of him as a straight-up babyface. Fans like him, so any booing is just going to be them “playing along” as if it’s a show. This is much better for him and AEW to cut these types of promos against heels like Starks.)
-Lexi Nair interviewed Prince Nana with his wrestlers backstage. Nana said he’s donating the battle royale winnings to the Embassy Foundation. Lexi pressed him on who would get the money. Nana said, “The people.” She asked which people. He said, “Us people.” He laughed and sang “We’re in the money” as he walked off.
(A) OVER BUDGET CHARITY BATTLE ROYAL
The winner of the battle royale will donate $50,000 to a charity of their choice. The Best Friends, Dalton Castle & The Boys, and the Mogul Embassy made their entrances. Then “Hangman” Adam Page. (It’s sad this is the best role they have for him on this major event.) Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Shawn Spears, Jake Hager, Serpentico, Aussie Open, and Action Andretti were at ringside. Tony Nese entered the ring, accompanied by “Smart” Mark Sterling, and insulted “fan Chicagoans.” When they chanted “Shut the f— up!” he said, “Real mature!” He said the 20 of them should show the fans how athletic they are and do some “group training.” He began doing push-ups. The bell rang and the wrestlers at ringside charged into the ring and eliminated Nese right away. Kommander leaped off the top rope with a shooting star press onto a crowd at ringside. Excalibur said he wasn’t eliminated because he hadn’t officially entered the ring yet.
It came down to Hangman, Beretta, Brian Cage, and Toa Liona. Brian Cage eliminated Beretta. Hangman eliminated Liona. Hangman head scissored Cage over the top rope, but he held onto the top rope. Hangman kicked him in the face on the ring apron. Cage came back and set up a piledriver. Hangman reversed it and eliminated Cage.
WINNER: Hangman in 13:00.
(B) WILLOW NIGHTINGALE & HIKARU SHIDA & SKYE BLUE vs. ATHENA & MERCEDES MARTINEZ & DIAMANTE (w/Billie Starkz)
For the finish, Willow fended off Mercedes at ringside, then tagged in Skye Blue. Blue then pinned Diamante with Code Blue.
WINNERS: Nightingale & Shida & Blue in 9:00.
-A video package aired on the Orange Cassidy vs. Jon Moxley.
(C) THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens) & BILLY GUNN (w/Dennis Rodman) vs. JEFF JARRETT (w/Karen Jarrett) & JAY LETHAL & SATNUM SINGH (w/Sonjay Dutt)
Caster rapped to the ring. He told Jarrett that his wife was checking out Dennis Rodman and called them the 2023 Oddities. Billy revealed before the match that he wanted Aubry Edwards to be the referee. Karen threw a fit. Karen and Aubry argued a few minutes in. Rodman then entered the ring and hit Singh with Jarrett’s guitar. Gunn then gave Lethal a Fameasser. Bowens and Caster finished him with their sequence ending with a Mic Drop.
WINNERS: The Acclaimed & Gunn in 6:00.
-A video package aired on MJF & Adam Cole.
[MAIN PPV EVENT]
Commentators: Excalibur, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness, Jim Ross
Ring Announcers: Justin Roberts, Dasha Fuentes
(1) MJF & ADAM COLE vs. THE DARK ORDER (Alex Reynolds & John Silver w/Evil Uno) – ROH Tag Team Title match
Dark Order came out first. MJF and Cole came out second to the remix of their entrance themes. MJF drank beer from a fan at ringside before he entered the ring. A fan held up a sign that said, “Tony Khan just cured cancer.” Kelly touted a crowd of over 10,000 fans in attendance and said it’s been an “amazing seven-day period for AEW.” (What happened starting Monday, seven days ago?) When MJF tagged in against Reynolds, he acknowledged that Reynolds trained him.
MJF started a chant of “Sports-man-ship!” When they shook hands, MJF poked Reynolds in the eyes. McGuiness said he’s a scumbag. MJF strutted and then did hip gyrations. Excalibur said Jackie Fargo was loving that. McGuinness said Rick Rude was too. MJF grabbed his neck after a collision with Reynolds. He dropped to ringside where Cole checked on him. Cole asked the ref to give MJF a second.
Reynolds hit MJF with a chair from behind at ringside. The ref didn’t see it. The ringside doc checked on MJF. Kelly wondered if Dark Order won via stoppage if the titles would go to them. McGuinness explained the fundamental rules to him. Excalibur explained that if MJF couldn’t continue, Cole would actually have to wrestle on his own.
MJF was helped to the back. Cole then entered the ring and faced off against Reynolds and Silver. Cole took a beating for a while. When he made a comeback, he looked to his corner, but Evil Uno stood where MJF should be to mock Cole’s predicament. Dark Order then hit Cole with a double-team sequence leading to a near fall. Fans chanted “Adam Cole!” Reynolds and Silver hit Cole with a double-clothesline for a near fall.
Reynolds grabbed an ROH Tag Title belt at ringside. Silver whipped Cole toward it, but Cole kicked Reynolds off the ring apron. Cole and Silver both went down and were slow to get up. Fans chanted “MJF!” MJF made his return, still holding the back of his neck. Referees tried to stop him. MJF called for Cole to tag him. Cole leaped and tagged him in. MJF beat up Silver and Reynolds at once, including eye pokes before ramming their heads together.
MJF eventually hit the Kangaroo Kick on both Reynolds and Silver. He then shook the ropes. He looked over at Cole as fans chanted, “Double clothesline!” Uno jumped onto the ring apron, but Cole knocked him down. MJF tagged in Cole and they hit Reynolds with the Double Clothesline. Cole scored the three count for the win.
WINNERS: Cole & MJF in 14:00 to retain the ROH Tag Team Titles. (**1/2)
(Keller’s Analysis: The actual action was good. The story of the match, though, was MJF teasing a “fake injury” to leave Cole vulnerable to a loss, but instead the story played out subversibly in a way that suggested MJF really was hurt and yet still came back out valiantly to help him and Cole win after all.)
-As MJF was walking to the back, Samoa Joe made his entrance. He gave MJF a shove and smiled. Cole tried to calm a fuming MJF. MJF charged into the ring and went after Joe. Joe overpowered MJF and applied a guillotine. Security separated them quickly. Kelly said Joe wants to get back on the front page of the newspapers.
(Keller’s Analysis: Are they going to add MJF defending against Joe to this show or is this to set it up for later?)
(2) SAMOA JOE vs. SHANE TAYLOR – ROH TV Title match
The commentators did their best to talk up the largely unknown Taylor to AEW’s larger fanbase. A few minutes in, Joe dove through the ropes and tackled Taylor. Excalibur said Japan wrestling legend Toshiaki Kawada was in attendance. Back in the ring, Taylor kicked out at one and then he took over with some power moves. Joe came back with a sleeper, but Taylor broke it up with a hanging stunner. He followed with a splash for a two count. Joe eventually came back with a barrage of kicks and a Coquina Clutch sleeper for the win.
WINNER: Joe in 6:00 to retain the ROH TV Title. (**)
(Keller’s Analysis: Nothing wrong with this match. It deserves more time to build it so fans would be more invested in Taylor.)
(3) LUCHASAURUS (w/Christian Cage) vs. DARBY ALLIN (w/Nick Wayne) – TNT Title match
Jim Ross joined the commentary table for this match in place of Kelly. Darby went on the attack at the bell. Luchasaurus threw him around ringside a minute in. Darby came up bleeding after being thrown into the steps at ringside. Luchasaurus tipped the ringside steps over Darby’s back. Darby cried out in pain as Luchasaurus walked up the steps to add pressure. Luchasaurus pummeled Darby methodically in the ring for a few minutes. Darby made a comeback and landed a flip dive off the top rope onto Luchasaurus at ringside. It prompted a chant of “Holy shit!” Darby scored a near fall with a crucifix bomb.
Darby went for a Coffin Splash, but Luchasaurus caught him and overhead suplexed him onto his head. Yikes. Ross said Darby was lucky he didn’t break his neck. Luchasaurus applied a torture rack. Christian told Wayne to throw in the white towel. Wayne turned down the offer and yelled back at Christian. Darby escaped and then dove through the ropes and tackled Christian into the ringside barricade. Darby bit Luchasaurus’s hand and then landed a top rope Code Red for a very near fall. (It looked like three.)
At ringside, Christian hit Wayne with a chair. Darby saw Christian with a chair in hand and was torn on whether to hit the Coffin Drop or go after Christian. Luchasaurus attacked Darby and landed two tombstone piledrivers and then a snake eyes and a lariat from behind for the win.
WINNER: Luchasaurus in 12:00 to retain the TNT Title. (***1/4)
-Afterward, Christian set up a Conchairto to Darby. Wrestlers ran out from the back to stop him including Shawn Spears.
(3) MIRO vs. POWERHOUSE HOBBS
They went at each other with punches, stomps, and power moves in the opening minutes. Hobbs overhead tossed Miro at 4:00. Miro took over with a running flip dive off the ring apron onto Hobbs on the floor. Fans chanted, “Slap that meat!” at Miro. Hobbs grounded Miro back in the ring. They traded clotheslines and strikes mid-ring. Neither went down for a while. Miro finally knocked Hobbs to the mat. Miro pounded Hobbs’s chest in the style of Sheamus these days.
Miro superplexed Hobbs at 12:00. Both were slow to get up. Miro stomped the mat and signaled for the Machka Kick and then connected. Miro barely moved and then he powerslammed Miro for a two count. The crowd chanted, “Meat forever!” Miro put on his full Game Over camel clutch a minute later. Hobbs powered out and lifted Miro on his back and drove him into the corner. Miro leaped at Hobbs off the second rope, but Hobbs caught him and turned it into a spinebuster for a near fall. Hobbs stomped on Miro’s back and went for a Game Over. Miro slipped free and landed a spinebuster, then applied Game Over on Miro.
WINNER: Miro in 16:00. (***)
-Afterward, Hobbs attacked Miro from behind. Miro’s wife, C.J. Perry (a/k/a Lana) came out. That distracted Hobbs long enough for Miro to recover and clear the ring of Hobbs with a chair. Miro and Perry circled each other. Miro then rolled out of the ring. Perry seemed crestfallen that Miro wasn’t happy to see her. Excalibur said he Miro has said he has forsaken everything in the pursuit of glory.
(Keller’s Analysis: The match dragged a bit. It was never bad and often very good, but just too much of the same thing for long stretches. The crowd chants added a different element that helped give it a boost compared to a silent crowd.)
(4) KRIS STATLANDER vs. RUBY SOHO – TBS Title match
Soho took it to Statlander at ringside a minute and then scored a two count in the ring. Ruby then methodically went on the attack in the ring. When Ruby hit No Future and Destination Unknown, Ruby scored a very near fall. Ruby went after the ref in the corner. Saraya coached her from ringside. Ruby then grabbed spray pain as Saraya distracted the ref. Toni Storm yanked the paint can away from Ruby. Statlander then caught a distracted Soho with Sunday Night Fever piledriver for the win. Ross said, “A hell of a match, ladies.”
WINNER: Statlander in 13:00 to retain the TBS Title.
(5) RICKY STARKS vs. BRYAN DANIELSON
Ricky Steamboat came out to the ring before the match to join the commentators. Starks then made his way to the ring with a strap in hand. Danielson came out to “Final Countdown” with no hint of being in the Blackpool Combat Club. Steamboat talked about Danielson sleeping in his car at indy shows early in his career. Starks rolled out of the ring before getting attached to the strap. He jogged around ringside and checked his pulse in his neck as he warmed up. He then entered the ring and charged at Danielson before being attached to the strap. He went on the attack at ringside and whipped Danielson with it. He punched Danielson with his fist wrapped in the leather strap. He celebrated at ringside. Danielson sat up bleeding from his forehead. As soon as Starks put the strap on his wrist, the ref called for the bell.
He choked Danielson at ringside. Then he stomped Danielson’s head against the ringside steps. Excalibur said that even though Danielson was cleared medically, it doesn’t mean he’s 100 percent. Starks scored a two count in the ring. Danielson eventually surged with a headbutt to stop Starks. Starks backdropped a charging Danielson over the top rope, then hung him with a strap. Danielson came back a minute later and nailed Starks hard with a strap. Starks’s ankle was caught in the top turnbuckle as Danielson yanked him backwards and choked him with the strap. With Starks hanging upside down, Danielson then shifted to whipping him hard in the chest and face. (I suspect we’ll see photos of Starks on social media later with welts all over his chest.)
Starks swung the strap into a diving Danielson as he went for a dive. Starks yelled at Steamboat, “This should’ve been you, old man!” Steamboat told him to go for it. Danielson yanked on Starks’s arm with the strap over and over, sending him into the ringpost each time.
They whipped each other viciously mid-ring, taking turns. Starks was bleeding from his forehead by this point, too. Danielson got the better of Starks and landed a barrage of Yes! kicks. The crowd stood and cheered when Starks went down. Big Bill attacked Danielson from the ring apron. Steamboat got up and approached Bill. He yanked him down from the apron and blocked a Big Bill punch. He threw some chops. Big Bill grabbed his throat. Danielson threw Starks at Bill to break his grip. Steamboat took a phantom bump. Danielson leaped off the top rope with a crossbody onto Bill and Starks. Steamboat stood, but looked off balance and disheveled. Back in the ring, Danielson signaled for a Psycho Knee, but Starks countered with a spear and a near fall.
Starks mounted Danielson and threw a barrage of punches. He set up Roshambo, but Danielson slipped free and hit a Psycho Knee for a near fall. Fans chanted, “This is awesome!” Steamboat got back on commentary. Danielson yelled that he was going to bash his f—ing head in. He stomped on Stark’s head over and over while holding Starks’s arms up. He then shifted into a LeBell Lock. Danielson put the strap around Starks’s neck and cinched it on. Starks shook his head no, but he began to fade and then he passed out. Steamboat raised Danielson’s arm on the stage.
WINNER: Danielson in 17:00. (****1/2)
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a lot of brutality in that one and they’ll be feeling that all week. The crowd ate it up and it earned the time it got. That was a career-boosting match for Starks to have on his resume and there’s no shame in losing to Danielson. Excalibur noted Starks didn’t quit.)
-As Danielson celebrated to “Final Countdown,” Excalibur plugged AEW WrestleDream for Oct. 1 in Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena.
-They went to Excalibur and Nigel at ringside. They recapped Hangman’s battle royale win earlier. Nigel said Hangman was giving the donation to the Chicago Public Education Fund.
(6) KATSUYORI SHIBATA & EDDIE KINGSTON vs. CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI & WHEELER YUTA
Taz joined in on commentary at this point. He said he liked the Kingston and Shibata team. The announcers discussed the differences in Claudio and Kingston, including different attitudes on the indy scene and different approaches to training. A few minutes in, when Kingston tagged in, Claudio immediately tagged out. Excalibur said Claudio says he’s not scared of Kingston, but wants to get in his head and rattle him. Kingston went after Claudio at ringside. Yuta leaped over the top rope and crashed into Kingston. He came up slight short and it was a bit awkward. Claudio then picked up Kingston and rammed him into the ringside barricade.
Claudio went on an extended, methodical attack on Kingston. The announcers talked about Kingston having his dream come true by competing in the New Japan G1 tournament in the summer. Kingston eventually tagged out to Shibata. He grounded Yuta after a hard strike. Claudio tried to break up his leglock with a chop, but Shibata told him to bring it on. Shibata then put Claudio in a leglock at the same time that he had Yuta in one.
Kingston tagged back in and chopped Yuta and then landed a DDT mid-ring. Claudio interfered, but Shibata fended him off. Kingston and Shibata double-teamed Yuta. Claudio broke up a cover after a Saito Suplex by Kingston. Claudio and Shibata exchanged uppercuts. Yuta and Kingston went back and forth with suplexes. Yuta showed fire and went after Kingston rapid-fire with strikes. Kingston took Yuta down with one big strike. Claudio entered and got in a slap exchange with Kingston. Claudio took Kingston down with a lariat for a near fall. He followed with a Neutralizer for a near fall.
Kingston hit a Northern Lights Bomb a minute later for a near fall, with the cover broken up by Yuta. Shibata put Yuta in a sleeper. When Kingston turned around to get Claudio, Claudio caught him with a sudden European Uppercut for the three count.
WINNER: Claudio & Yuta in 16:00. (***1/2)
(Keller’s Analysis: A good, hard-hitting match, but a bit long given the overall length of the show and the storyline build for this match. The crowd wasn’t super into it, which hurt. They popped nicely at times, but nothing felt like the crowd was really really into this.)
(7) KENNY OMEGA vs. KONOSUKE TAKESHITA (w/Don Callis)
A minute in, Takeshita back suplexed Omega onto the top of his head. The crowd gasped and loked scared for Omega. Omega brushed off the ref. The reverse angle showed Kenny doing that thing where he rolls onto the side of his head and takes the impact on his shoulder, but wants it to look like he compressed his neck and crushed his skull. It worked. Takeshita went to work on Omega at ringside. Omega made a comeback and landed a moonsault off the ringside barricade. Fans chanted, “Kenny! Kenny!”
Back in the ring, Omega hit a series of moves including a Dunk Lariat for a two count. Omega settled into a leglock mid-ring. A few minutes later, Takeshita landed a brainbuster suplex at ringside. Takeshita pulled chairs out from under the ring. The ref yanked it from his hands and told him to bring the match inside the ring. As the ref admonished Takeshita, Callis stacked chairs onto Omega’s abdomen. Takeshita landed a running flip senton onto Omega at ringside.
Back in the ring, Takeshita landed a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Omega teased a comeback with some chops, but Takeshita took control back quickly. He went for a top rope senton, but Omega lifted his knees. Omega landed a running flip dive onto Takeshita at ringside. He played to the crowd, then landed a top rope missile dropkick to the back of Takeshita. Omega then hit three Snap Dragon suplexes. He followed with a huracanrana for a near fall.
Takeshita landed on his feet on a back suplex attempt by Omega, but Omega fired back with a high knee. Takeshita fired back with a hard clothesline as Omega rebounded off the ropes. Both were down and slow to get up. They went into a series of big moves back and forth with near falls. Takeshita landed a German into a bridge and Omega barely kicked out. Omega looked 90 percent out of it. Omega headbutted backwards to escape the next German suplex attempt. Omega took some wild swings at Takeshita, but they didn’t have a lot on them.
Omega set up a One Winged Angel off the second rope. Takeshita broke free. The announcers framed that as a move that would have sealed the win for Omega. Takeshita then shifted Omega and landed a top rope Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Callis whispered something to Takeshita. Takeshita distracted the ref as Callis tried to stab Omega with a screwdriver seconds later. Omega moved and the screwdriver got stuck in the canvas. Omega landed a knee strike and a V-Trigger. Takeshita picked up the screw driver and was about to use it when the ref saw it and yanked it away from him. Omega then rolled up Takeshita for a two count. Takeshita gave Ometga a wheelbarrow suplex and then a running knee strike for a dramatic near fall. “How tough is Omega?” asked Taz.
Takeshita lowered his kneepad and landed a running knee for the win.
WINNER: Takeshita in 23:00. (****1/2)
(Keller’s Analysis: The match started good and just picked up steam in every five minute segment, including an extended beating by Takeshita on Omega, until they peaked with tons of hard-hitting moves and believable near falls.)
(8) BULLET CLUB GOLD (Jay White & Colten Gunn & Austin Gunn & Juice Robinson) vs. THE YOUNG BUCKS (Matt & Nick Jackson) & FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler)
Various pairings took place in the opening ten minutes without anything too sustained. Both teams of four squared off mid-ring and they went did a big coordinated sequence. The action then spilled to ringside where Juice got the better of Dax, then tagged Colten back in. The heels isolated Dax and got in extended offense against him. Excalibur said FTR and the Bucks showing hesitation to tag in a member of the other team has hampered them, while Bullet Club are working as a unit. Juice lured Nick and Matt into the ring. As the ref was distracted, the other three heels attacked Dax.
Dax avoided a charging Juice cannonball into the corner. Dax finally tagged out to Nick. The Bucks went on a flurry. FTR eventually joined in to help, although there was nearly an errant superkick to change their growing trust. Nick overshot Juice on a moonsault at ringside, but Juice bumped anyway. Excalibur said they might’ve hit heads on the way down. Back in the ring, Matt helped Dax spike piledriver Austin for a near fall, broken up by several partners.
All four faces mounted different corners of the ring. Dax superplexed Austin. Cash landed a frog splash. Matt landed an elbow. Nick then landed a 450 splash. Dax made the cover, but Juice yanked him out of the ring. Matt leaped off the top rope onto Colten and Juice. Austin surprised Dax with a roll-up for a two count. Dax and Austin then clotheslined each other. Both were down and slow to get up. Fans chanted, “AEW!”
White chopped Dax in the chest mid-ring. Dax absorbed a few chops, then chopped back. Dax and Cash set up Shatter Machine on Jay, but Juice broke it up. Nick helped Dax give Colten a Shatter Machine. Nick then leaped onto Juice at ringside after springboarding the ropes. Dax and Matt worked together for a BTE Trigger. Colten broke up the cover. Colten landed a Fameasser on Matt at ringside. Cash and Dax set up Shatter Machine, but again it got broken up. Jay hit Cash with a Blade Runner and Colten made the cover for the win.
WINNERS: Bullet Club Gold in 22:00. (****)
(Keller’s Analysis: Exciting match with some distinct chapters to give it some structure, from the opening series of exchanges with various pairs facing off, to all eight in the ring at once, to Dax’s extended selling, to the big moves including FTR and the Bucks switching partners for signature spots, and then the closing series of big spots and near falls.)
-Excalibur plugged Aussie Open vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara on Dynamite on Wednesday.
(9) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. JON MOXLEY – AEW International Title match
Taz said Mox coveting the International Title shows the level of prestige it has reached. Cassidy leaned in his corner at the start and had the casual demeanor. Excalibur said Cassidy leans into mind games. Cassidy began to put his hands in his pockets and Mox just attacked him, not humoring him for a second. He pummeled Cassidy in the corner. The announcers gushed about what Cassidy has done for the International Title to perhaps make it the most important in the sport. (Is MJF listening and fuming? At least the so-called “Real World Championship” belt isn’t around anymore.)
Mox beat up Cassidy on the announced desk. Cassidy was bleeding from the forehead. Mox bit into his forehead and raked his eyes. He extended his arm while standing on the desk as fans chanted, “You sick f—!” Cassidy began to fight back at 10:00. He was covered in his own blood. Cassidy raked Moxley’s back and bit his head, which popped the crowd. He landed a top rope DDT and then a tornado DDT running the ropes.
Cassidy went for a Beach Break, but Mox countered. He hit an Orange Punch a minute later for a near fall. Mox turned another Beach Break attempt into a Gotch-style piledriver for a two count. Mox shifted into a Bulldog Choke. Cassidy eventually draped his boots on the bottom rope. The ref forced Mox to break the hold.
Mox stripped away the padding at ringside. Cassidy reversed his piledriver attempt and then sent Mox into the ringside steps. Back in the ring he hit two Orange Punches. The crowd cheered. Cassidy played to the crowd and then went fopr a third, but Mox caught him mid-air with a cutter followed by an attempted Paradigm Shift. Cassidy blocked it and landed an Orange Punch and a spear for a near fall.
Cassidy started doing his slo-mo-routine, but suddenly turned it up to full speed and then double-speed, which popped the crowd. Mox popped up and hit Cassidy with a lariat. Cassidy popped up, but Mox hit a second lariat followed by a forearm to the side of Cassidy’s head for a near fall. Mox then hit Death Rider for a near fall, which Cassidy making a casual but effective kickout.
When Cassidy stood, he called on Moxley to come at him. He did, but Mox gave him a Death Rider for the three count.
WINNER: Moxley in 20:00 to capture the AEW International Title. (****1/2)
-Afterward, Danielson, Claudio, and Yuta came out to celebrate with Mox. Mox was too exhausted to stand as Cassidy was out on his back in the ring. Mox returned to the stage where the ref raised his arm. Fans chanted “Freshly Squeezed” waiting for Cassidy to stand. When he sat up on his knees, fans chanted, “Thank you, Orange!” Cassidy stood and held up his fist as Excalibur signed off.
(Keller’s Analysis: Excellent match. This elevated the International Title by having a wrestler with the momentum of Cassidy defending against an established top tier star in Moxley. Cassidy is a bigger star because of this match. The rematch will be anticipated for sure.)
Tonight after the PPV, join PWTorch columnist Greg Parks and Tony Donofrio live reviewing the event with live callers and emails. They’ll be joined by PWTorch’s Javier Machado. Eric Krol will be sharing his on-site perspective, also.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (515) 605-9345
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wnialivecast@gmail.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, SEARCH “PWTORCH” ON YOUR PODCAST APP TO SUBSCRIBE AND THEN DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW TWO HOURS OR SO AFTER THE TV SHOW ENDS.
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