SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
KELLER’S AEW BATTLE OF THE BELTS
JANUARY 13, 2024
NORFOLK, VA. AT CHARTWAY ARENA
AIRED ON TNT
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcers: Dasha Fuentes
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
(1) BIG BILL & RICKY STARKS vs. CHRIS JERICHO & SAMMY GUEVARA – Street Fight for the AEW Tag Team Titles
The match was joined in progress in the parking lot. Bill threw Jericho into a truck in the parking lot. Kelly and Schiavone noted that they’re brawling amongst millions of dollars of equipment. Guevara went after Starks and Bill with a speeding golf cart. They brawled onto the nearby street where random people stopped to watch. Bill pulled out bricks to use as a weapon. “Shade of Missy Hyatt!” said Kelly. Bill threw a brick at Guevara which smashed a side window of a car that he was leaning on. Next, Guevara and Jericho suplexed Bill onto the car. Rhett Titus yelleda t them that it was his car they ruined. Jericho hit him with a Judas Effect.
They brawled back to the arena back parking lot and then into the arena. Jericho dragged Starks into the back hall. Starks plunged Jericho’s mouth and then bashed him with a Christmas decoration. Jericho used a Swiffer as a weapon on Starks. Schiavone said it was “bonkers.” Starks threw Jericho into garage door and scored a two count. Jericho jammed Starks’s head on a copy machine and then produced a photocopied sheet of paper with Starks’s face on it. (The sheet of paper he held up with Starks’s face was already on the tray, so that sequence was very phony.) Jericho held it up and then put a traffic cone on his head and let out a silly sinister laugh before hitting Starks with it. “We knew it’d be crazy,” said Schiavone. Kelly said they didn’t think they’d actually go in the street.
They battled in the back hallway near catering. They cut to a double-box break at 11:00. [c/db]
Back from the break, they brawled into the arena at 15:00. Jericho and Guevara played to the crowd. They did not start playing “Judas” even though Jericho was finally in front of a live crowd. Bill went for a chokeslam off a platform at ringside. Jericho blocked it and then Takeshita bashed Jericho with a kendo stick. Bill powerbombed Jericho off the platform through a table. Both Bill and Jericho were down and slow to get up. Meanwhile, Starks and Guevara were climbing a support truss. Guevara knocked Starks down and then climbed to the top rope. He smiled as Schiavone said they were about to see one of the craziest moves a wrestler has ever attempted. Guevara leaped and flipped, but Powerhouse Hobbs moved Starks out of his path. Guevara crashed through the stage onto presumably a landing pad. Starks draped his arm over Guevara’s chest for the win.
WINNERS: Starks & Bill in 18:00 to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a very high starting point for Guevara. Some aspects of the street fight were corny and it went on too long, but there was some creativity that worked and overall it certainly pleased a segment of the audience.) [c]
-A vignette aired on Serena Deeb.
-They aired the truss leap by Guevara again.
(2) JULIA HART vs. ANNA JAY – TBS Title match
The bell rang 27 minutes into the hour. They fought back and forth early and then cut to a partial double-box break after a two count by Julia. [c/db]
Anna landed a Flatliner at 10:00 for a near fall. The announcers discussed that Anna’s injured and taped shoulder was affecting her covers. Julia then put Anna in her finisher for the win.
WINNER: Julia in 11:00 to retain the TBS Title.
-Backstage, Sonjay Dutt chewed out Jay Lethal, Karen Jarrett, and Jeff Jarrett. Karen was upset they don’t have merch. Jay stood up for Karen. Dutt said they’re best friends and he’s the only reason Jay has a job. Jeff told Jay to hit the road. Satnum Singh walked in and everyone acted happy to see him. He brought in some food and shoved something in Jay’s face. Jay wasn’t pleased. They cut away.
(Keller’s Analysis: What was all that?) [c]
(3) ORANGE CASSIDY vs. PRESTON VANCE (w/Jose the Assistant) – AEW International Title match
Cassidy came out first. Vance came out second. As the match was about to begin, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett came out with chairs and sat at ringside to watch. Cassidy told them to sit and watch. The bell rang 47 minutes into the hour. Vance landed a discus lariat at the bell. Cassidy rolled to the floor. Vance threw him back into the ring. Cassidy caught Vance with a quick Orange Punch. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00 with Vance controlling Cassidy. [c/db]
Vance landed a spinebuster and then played to the hard camera. Cassidy began soft-slapping Vance at 8:00. Vance shrugged. Cassidy then kicked him hard and stomped away at him in the corner. Vance ducked a Cassidy running lariat. Cassidy landed some signature spots and scored a near fall. Cassidy leaped off the top rope at Vance at ringside but Vance caught him. Vance overhead tossed Cassidy into Strong, Taven, and Bennett. Strong yelled at him. Vance gave him a middle finger gesture. Back in the ring, Vance put Cassidy a full nelson. Cassidy powered and stomped his way out of it and then landed an Orange Punch and a Beach Break for the win.
WINNER: Cassidy in 12:00 to retain the AEW International Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid match, but lacked any drama over who was going to win.)
-Afterward, Strong, Bennett, and Taven approached Cassidy who was exhausted in the corner. When Jose approached them, they attacked him and threw him and Vance out of the ring. Cassidy stood and the pointed threatening at him and his belt. Fans chanted “Freshly squeezed!” Schiavone signed off with a plug for Joe vs. Hook on Dynamite.
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