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AEW REVOLUTION PPV REPORT
MARCH 5, 2023
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. AT CHASE CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON PPV
Commentators: Jim Ross, Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone
Tonight after the PPV, join PWTorch columnist Greg Parks reacting to the event with live callers and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (515) 605-9345
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: wnialivecast@gmail.com
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(1) CHRIS JERICHO vs. RICKY STARKS
Starks dove through the ropes and tackled Jericho into the ringside barricade early in the match. A minute later, Jerico took control and rammed Starks into the ringside barricade. Taz said Chris Jericho is a veteran like Tom Brady. Jim Ross said he could see Jericho becoming AEW Champion again. Excalibur said Starks is on that path. Back in the ring, Jericho flipped Starks back-first over his knee.
Starks made a comeback at 7:o0 with a DDT leading to a near fall. He leaped off the top rope, but Jericho caught him out of mid-air with knee to the taped ribs. He followed with a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Excalibur said Starks was in serious trouble. Starks came back with a spear a couple minutes later for a near fall. Ross said this would be a main event anywhere, anytime.
At 11:00, Jericho avoided a Starks top rope move and then applied a sharpshooter. Starks rolled out of it and then shifted Jericho into a single-leg crab. Sammy Guevara ran out. Action Andretti tackled him out of nowhere. With the ref checking on them, Jericho grabbed his bat. When Starks grew frustrated and released the hold, Jericho jabbed him in the ribs with the bat. Starks blocked a Judas Effect. Excalibur said he’s never seen anyone block that move like that. Starks then delivered Roshambo for the clean win. Taz said Starks has Jericho’s number.
WINNER: Starks in 13:00. (**3/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: A big win for Starks. That sends a message to fans that AEW is behind him. Jericho gets credit for giving back to the next generation with match outcomes like this. The match itself was good.)
(2) CHRISTIAN CAGE vs. “JUNGLE BOY” JACK PERRY – Final Burial No DQ match
The bell rang 23 minute into the hour. Christian made his entrance first. Perry followed. The bell rang and Perry went after Christian aggressively right away. They brawled into the crowd and up the ramp early in the match, then back to the ring. A few minutes later they brawled back at ringside. Perry rammed Christain’s head into the ringside steps. Christian swept Perry’s legs and he landed hard on the steps back-first. Christian was bleeding from the forehead at this point. He yanked off Perry’s belt and whipped him with it. Christian yelled at Perry’s sister and then went back to whipping Perry.
Christian choked Perry with a belt on the stage. Christian opened the lid of a casket that was on the stage for this match. He puleld out a chair. Perry recovered and punched Christian, nearly knocking him into the casket. Christian fought back. Perry went for a powerbomb or piledriver, but Christian backdropped out of it. Perry crash landed on dirt that was spread on the stage near the casket. Christain set up a Kill Switch on a chair, but Perry shoved him off the stage. Perry then landed a running flip dive onto Christian on the floor. When Perry wound up with a chair, Christian kicked him between his legs and then threw him into the casket. Christian was about to close the lid when Perry blocked the lid. Christian punched him some more. When Perry fought his way out of the casket, Christian threw dirt in his face.
Perry made a comeback and pulled a shovel handle backwards into Christian’s mouth. Then he bashed Christian across the back of his head with a chair as Christian’s head was resting on another chair. Fans chanted “Holy shit!” Perry dragged him into the casket and appeared to cross his arms over his chest, then kissed his forehead. He paused for a minute and soaked up the situation, then slammed the lid. The casket suddenly dropped out of sight, which was weird. Excalibur said Perry had to go to a dark place to achieve that kind of win, and it’s sunk in emotionally with Perry given how much he looked up to Christian in the past.
WINNER: Perry in 15:00. (***1/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: The intensity and violence of the match fit the build and tone of the overall feud.)
(3) THE ELITE (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) vs. THE HOUSE OF BLACK (Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews & Brody King) – Trios Title match
Don Callis joined the announcers on commentary. The bell rang 46 minutes into the hour. Omega and Matthews battled for a minute. Black then tagged in against Omega. King and Matt Jackson faced off at 4:00. Matt looked intimidated and tried to tag out to Nick. Nick backed away. Nick blind-tagged in seconds later and the Bucks double-dropkicked King. Soon all six were in the ring punching away at each other. Nick did some dazzling moves and then Omega landed a running flip dive onto House of Black at ringside. Nick landed a 450 splash on King, but King kicked out at one.
King charged into Matt against the barricade at ringside. Callis said he’s not used to seeing his guys in this much jeopardy. Omega took control against King back in the ring. He delivered a Death Valley river into a moonsault, but King lifted his knees. Black had Ometga in a kneebar, but Matt broke it up with a flying elbow. A series of moves took place with everyone takjing turns. It came down to Omega and Black in the ring again.
Omega and Black stood mid-ring and exchanged strikes. When Black had Omega down, Matt made the save. Black threw Matt into the crowd. King, Black, and Matthews surrounded Omega. The Bucks recovered and yanked Matthews and King out of the ring by their legs. They joined Omega in the ring and delivered superkicks to everyone. Matt officially tagged in. All three hit Black wtih a BTE Trigger. Matthews broke up the cover. House of Black came back with Dante’s Inferno for the clean three count on Matt. An upset Callis went to ringside to check on his guys.
WINNERS: The House of Black in 16:00 to capture the AEW Trios Titles. (***3/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: A stream of highspots that the crowd ate up. I’m curious if this somewhat early end of The Elite as Trios Champions means the Bucks are going back to the regular tag division and Omega will be back in a singles feud or going after the AEW World Champion.)
-Ross signed off at this point and welcomed Tony Schiavone. They went to the announcers on camera. Excalibur said it only gets bigger from here.
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(4) JAMIE HAYTER (w/Britt Baker) vs. SARAYA (w/Toni Storm) vs. RUBY SOHO – AEW Women’s Title match
The bell rang 8 minutes into the second hour. All three were brawling in the crowd early in the match. When Soho got control of Hayter in the ring, Saraya re-entered the ring and broke up her hold. Hayter suplexed both Soho and Saraya at once and scored two counts on both.
When Storm stood on the ring apron at 10:00, Hayter knocked her down. Baker then distracted the ref, so Hayter recovered and knocked Saraya down. Soho made the cover and scored a two count. Hayter then leveraged Soho’s shoulders down. After several reversals, Hayter got a clean pin.
WINNER: Hayter in 10:00 to retain the AEW Women’s Title. (**1/2)
-Storm and Baker entered afterward. Storm and Saraya stomped away at Hayter afterward. Baker made the save. Ruby threw Baker and Saraya to the floor. “You don’t run this place,” she said. “This is our home, bitches.” Soho then raised Hayter’s arm and smiled, but then caught her with a No Future kick. She then gave Baker a Destination Unknown. Taz congratulated her. Storm threw down a cameraman at ringside and slammed the camera on the ground. Saraya offered Soho a spray can. Soho then sprayed a green “L” on the chests of Hayter and Baker. Soho smiled as she stood with Storm and Soho in the ring. Taz said Soho wasn’t an AEW original. Schiavone said while true, she had been around so long it felt like she was.
(Keller’s Analysis: The match itself was fine. The match was more about getting to the post-match angle. Soho’s tease of siging against Storm and Saraya before turning hard against Baker and Hayter felt like an unnecessary step. Why not show an allegiance earlier and work together to beat Hayter during the actual title match. I’m curious to see Soho’s chemistry as a heel with Saraya and Storm.)
(5) “HANGMAN” ADAM PAGE vs. JON MOXLEY – Texas Death match
Hangman came out to “(Ghost) Rider in the Sky”by The Outlaws. Moxley came out second to “Wild Thing.” They brawled into the crowd at the start when Hangman jumped Mox.
Back in the ring, Hangman used barbed wire. Mox began bleeding from the forehead. Hangman wrapped barbed wire around his foot and tried to stomp on Mox. Moxley blocked the stomp and punched away at Hangman. Mox wrapped his legs around Hangman’s head and then jabbed him with a steel spike and then ground it into his forehead. Fans reacted in various ways, but most craned their neck to get a good view. Mox wedged a barbed wire chair in the corner and then sent Hangman head-first into it. Moxley rolled Hangman onto the barbed wire wrapped chair and applied a single leg crab. Fans chanted, “You sick fuck!”
Hangman made a comeback and powerbombed Mox onto a barbed wire chair. Two chairs were set up back to back, but Moxley’s bump was onto the seat of just one of them. The announcers said that saved him from a catastrophe. Hangman wrapped barbed wire around his chest and then landed a moonsault press off the top rope onto Moxley on the floor. Mox and Hangman were both bleeding from the forehead. Schiavone said they’ll both need downtime after this match.
Mox put Hangman’s hand between two bricks and stomped on it. Next he wrapped a chain around Hangman’s leg and applied an modified STF. Hangman fought out of it. Mox rolled to ringside and bridged a barbed wire wrapped board across two chairs on the floor. Mox returned to the ring and set up a piledriver, but Hangman slipped free. Mox put a sleeper on Hangman, but Hangman suplexed out of it and then landed a lariat. A “This is awesome!” chant rang out. Hangman fallaway slammed Mox onto a barbed wire wrapped chair and then landed a Dead Eye on the chair. Both were down and slow to get up. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!”
Mox rolled to the floor. Hangman flung himself onto Mox, sending him onto a barbed wire wrapped table. Back in the ring, Hangman raked Mox’s back with his fingernails. Mox grabbed some barbed wire and scraped the back skin of Hangman with it, tearing it up. Hangman grabbed the barbed wire and raked it across Mox’s forehead. Mox fell back onto a chair in a sitting position. Hangman stood on the top rope. Mox popped up and shoved Hangman to the floor. Hangman tucked his head and crashed onto the table. The fans and announcers gasped. Hangman got up just before the ref counted to ten.
Mox hit Hangman with a King Kong Lariat in the ring. The ref began counting him down again. Mox stomped Hangman’s head on the bricks and then applied a sleeper. He let go and Hangman collapsed. The ref began another count. Mox picked up a chain and waited for Hangman to stand. Hangman lunged at Mox and clotheslined him. He then sat up and put the bricks on their side standing up. He went for a Dead Eye,m but Mox slipped free. Hangman applied a sleeper and then grabbed the chair to try to use it. Mox resisted and then mule kicked Hangman. Fans booed. Schiavone said it’s legal so why not use that move. Hangman rose and hit Mox with a brick. Hangman hit a Buckshot Lariat and then hung Mox over the top rope with his neck wrapped in the chain. Mox tapped out.
WINNER: Hangman in 26:00. (****1/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: That’s a pretty big win for Hangman in a match that would seem to be Mox’s home turf. It was either the perfect amount of violence or too much violence depending on your preferences, but it certainly delivered what the hype promised. It was pushing it length-wise, but they kept introducing new types of violence to keep things from feeling at all repetitive.)
Tonight after the PPV, join PWTorch columnist Greg Parks reacting to the event with live callers and emails.
•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.
(6) SAMOA JOE vs. WARDLOW – TNT Title match
The match began 57 minutes into the second hour. After some ringside brawling a couple minutes in, Joe landed a running flying forearm through the ropes onto Wardlow at ringside. Back in the ring, Joe punched away at Wardlow in the corner and then smiled and raised his arms. Wardlow made a comeback at 2:00 and got in sustained offense. When Wardlow charged in the corner at 5:00, Joe caught him with a uranage. They showed Powerhouse Hobbs reacting.
Joe took over and applied a sleeper. Wardlow reached the ropes. Joe slammed Wardlow and scored a two count at 9:00. When Joe mounted Wardlow in the corner, Wardlow powerbombed him to the mat. Joe popped up with a lariat. Some fans chanted “Joe! Joe!” Joe set up a powerbomb and mocked Wardlow leading a symphony. Wardlow powered out and put Joe in a sleeper on the mat. Joe’s arm dropped three times and the ref called for the bell. Excalibur said he couldn’t believe Wardlow put Joe to sleep with Joe’s signature sleeper move. He said Wardlow first challenger will be Hobbs and thus this could be the shortest reign of a TNT Champion yet. Hobbs stood from his club seat and stared down at Wardlow and then held up the golden ring. Wardlow signaled to him as his music played and he celebrated his win.
WINNER: Wardlow in 11:00 to retain the TNT Title. (**1/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: Not a ton to it, but it was a statement win for Wardlow.)
(7) COLTEN & AUSTIN GUNN vs. THE ACCLAIMED (Max Caster & Anthony Bowens w/Billy Gunn) vs. DANHAUSSEN & ORANGE CASSIDY vs. JEFF JARRETT & JAY LETHAL (w/Sonjay Dutt, Satnum Singh) – AEW Tag Team Title match
When The Gunns came out first, Excalibur said usually champions come out last, but it’s a champion’s prerogative when they come out and they wanted to come out first. Taz said he liked that. The Gunns had new ring gear that upped their game. Caster rapped his way to the ring. He took a dig at Jeff Jarrett needing Cialis. He said they’re in San Francisco, but they’re going Oakland on their opponents. He also made fun of The Gunns’ new ring gear and compared it to a single-mom in cheetah pants. the bell rang 15 minutes into the third hour.
Jarrett blew off Cassidy’s early mind games and did his strut. Cassidy then mocked Jarrett’s strut like a zombie running out of steam. Cassidy dropkicked Jarrett and the backdropped Lethal with his hands in his pockets. Danhausen entered and clotehslined Lethal a few times as Cassidy wound up in sl0-mo his first clothesline. Jarrett and Lethal went after Danhausen. Danhausen took Lethal down with a head scissors and then landed a Northern Lights Suplex on Lethal. Jarrett broke up the cover.
Taz said he couldn’t believe he is seeing Jarrett and Danhausen in a match at the same time. The announcers touted Jarrett’s physical condition and said his first match was nearly 37 years ago. As Caster had Jarrett on his back for a move, Lethal superkicked him. The Gunns knocked Jarrett out of the ring. Satnum didn’t like that, so he entered the ring and shoved them both by their throats over the top rope. Danhausen tried to curse Satnum. Taz said, “He’s too big to curse!” Dutt entered the ring and got in Danhausen’s face. Satnum grabbed Danhausen by the throat, but Danhausen used a low blow to break free. Billy Gunn then attacked Satnum. Colten and Billy then attacked Billy.
Bowens and Caster double-teamed Colten. Austin charged into the ring,m but Bowens gave him a sideslam and then Caster landed the Mic Drop. Colten broke up the cover. Jarrett brought a guitar into the ring and swung at Caster. Caster blocked it and threatened Jarrett with the guitar. The ref pulled the guitar away from him. Dutt hit Caster with a Golden Globe. Jarrett hit the Stroke. Caster kicked out. Jarrett complained emphatically to the ref. He shoved her. She shoved him back. Austin blind-tagged in and threw Jarrett out of the ring onto Lethal. Danhausen entered and went after Austin, landing a German suplex. The Gunns made a comeback and gave Danhausen their finisher for the win.
WINNERS: The Gunns to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles in 13:00. (*3/4)
(Keller’s Analysis: The crowd seemed deflated by the finish and didn’t react much. The Gunns’ unlikely reign continues. The match itself was a bunch of zaniness.)
-Renee Paquette interviewed The Gunns in the ring. Austin said, “I only have one question: Who’s an ass boy now?” Colten said they’ve defeated everybody and are the best team in the world. FTR’s music played and they walked to the ring with serious looks on their faces. Dax was bleeding from his temple after a brief scuffle with the g=Gunns. They gave the Gunns their Shatter Machine and then grabbed the AEW Tag Team Title belts.
-A video packaged aired on the main event.
(8) MJF vs. BRYAN DANIELSON – 60 Minute Iron Man match for the AEW World Hvt. Title
Danielson made his entrance first. He looked borderline jovial as he playfully teased yanking off Justin Roberts’s bow tie. MJF came out to a different theme song which was darker and sounded sinister. Schiavone said, “Music apropos for a terrible human being.” A string orchestra came out onto the stage and played MJF’s usual theme song. Then his regular music kicked in and he walked out, wearing a black hood with a white mask. He entered the ring and took off the hood and snarled. Danielson leaned in the corner and smiled at the whole production. Roberts then did formal ring introductions. The bell rang 40 minutes into the third hour, so the entire PPV will end well before the four hour mark.
MJF bailed out early. Back in the ring, he tossed Danielson down and then flexed his bicep and kissed it. Excalibur said the longest match of MJF’s career was 38 minutes whereas Danielson has wrestled a 74 minute match and many one hour matches. After a few minutes of crisp and smooth mat exchanges a two count, they both kipped up. Fans stood and applauded. An “AEW” chant broke out. After Danielson turned down an MJF handshake offer, MJF dropped to ringside and yanked a drink from a woman’s hands and threw it into a kid at ringside. MJF said into the ringside cam, “Oh, will this cost me a star, Dave? Maybe I won’t get the Bryan Danielson Award.”
MJF yanked on Danielson’s hair. At ringside, MJF got into it with some fans in the front row. He told them to clear some space as if he was going to throw Danielson into their area, but instead he threw Danielson into the ring. He laughed at the fans. Danielson then leaped at MJF, but MJF side-stepped. MJF landed a package DDT for a two count at 13:00. Danielson rallied at 16:00 with three running dropkicks in the corner and then a top rope hurancanrana for a two count.
Danielson got the better of MJF at ringside, but MJF came back with a Salt of the Earth and then a package driver for a leverage two count. Excalibur noted that Taz reacted to the move in a way he usually doesn’t. They replayed it in slo-mo and Taz noted that he’s suffered a broken neck in the ring and Danielson landed on the back of his neck. Both were down and slow to get up, so the ref began counting to ten. Excalibur noted that if one wrestler stayed down for ten and the other got up, it’d be quite a way for the first fall to be achieved. They both rose and exchanged a series of leverage two counts with a variety of techniques. They rolled around the ring in a small package position where MJF eventually got a near fall. The crowd applauded after their series ended.
Danielson landed the Psycho Knee a minute later for the first fall at 25:30 to take the 1-0 lead.
MJF dropped down to avoid a charging Danielson and then gave him a low-blow. He was issued a DQ. Then MJF covered Danielson for a three count to make it 2-1. He covered Danielson a second time and got another three count to even the score 2-2. He went for a third cover, but Danielson kicked out. MJF drank some water.
When MJF set up a Heat Seeker, Danielson blocked it and then landed a top rope shotgun dropkick. MJF went rolling to the floor. Danielson pursued him. They fought at ringside. Danielson got the better of MJF. Back in the ring, he focused on MJF’s injured leg and applied a figure-four leglock. MJF sat up and yelled, “I hate you, you son of a bitch.” He slapped Danielson several times. Danielson smiled and then punched him while still cinching on the figure-four. MJF tried to reverse the figure-four by rolling over. Danielson resisted. Danielson gave in and then used the momentum to roll through.
They fought on the ring apron where they each blocked attempts at moves onto the ring apron. MJF put Danielson on a table and then leaped off the top rope with a flying elbow drop. The announcers said that was outside of his wheelhouse, but it worked. Both were down and slow to get up as fans chanted, “Holy shit!” MJF returned to the ring. The ref nearly counted Danielson out, but he made it back in the ring just in time at 38:00.
MJF leaped onto a table leaning up at ringside with a tombstone piledriver. Danielson stayed down a while as the ref and medic checked on him. MJF clutched his knee in pain. MJF stood first and went over and pulled the cut on Danielson’s forehead open. Back in the ring, he landed a Heat Seeker piledriver for a three count to take a 3-2 lead.
MJF worked over Danielson’s arm. He then leaned down and yelled: “Best in the world? You f—ing suck!” He raked at Danielson’s bloodied face and then addressed Danielson’s kids. He leaned into the camera and said, “I’m the best in the world. Me!” Taz said he seems to be unraveling. MJF challenged Danielson to give him his best shot. Danielson slapped him hard. MJF absorbed the blow and knocked Danielson down. At 45:00, Danielson reverse-whipped MJF into the ringpost. He then leaped off the ring apron with a flying knee. Danielson leaped off the top rope onto MJF at ringside. He threw MJF back into the ring.
Danielson superplexed MJF into the ring, but then ended up hanging upside down in the corner. He pulled himself up and then stood on the top rope and landed a flying headbutt to MJF’s shoulder and arm area. MJF was bleeding heavily at this point, supposedly from the headbutt. MJF’s face was just covered in blood quickly. The crowd gasped when they saw the image. MJF gasped and crawled to the corner to pull himself up. Danielson charged with a Psycho Knee. Instead of a cover, he turned MJF over and applied an STF for a tapout win. That made it 3-3 at 49:00.
Danielson moved in for another submission hold, but MJF caught him with a Salt of the Earth armbar. Danielson rolled out of it and wentfor a LeBell Lock. MJF teased tapping, but then slipped free (due to being covered in blood) and countered into his signature armbar. Danielson struggled to get to the bottom rope. MJF pulled Danielson back to mid-ring. Dnaielson held on. Both were down as fans chanted, “This is awesome!” a few times.
MJF and Danielson slowly sat up as Schiavone said this match proves what AEW is all about. They exchanged strikes. Danielson got the better of MJF. He wanted MJF to stand, but MJF was down. Danielson lifted him, then charged. MJF side-stepped him and sent Danielson onto the ring apron. Then he hit a Heat Seeker for a two count. MJF grabbed a water bottle and took a sip. Fans chanted “H2O!” MJF then lifted Danielson onto the top rope and met him up there. He dropped some elbows on MJF. MJF countered with a tombstone piledriver off the second rope. MJF sold a knee injury and clutched it in pain rather than going for the pin. A “Fight forever!” chant rang out with both men down and slow to get up with two minutes left.
MJF crawled over and made the cover. Danielson kicked out and then applied a single leg crab. Fans stood. The clock read 1:05 left. Danielson torqued the leg as much as he could. KJF powered up and crawled toward the bottom rope, but Danielson pulled him back to the center. “Oh the frickin’ drama!” said Schiavone. MJF teased tapping, but didn’t. Excalibur said there were just 15 seconds left. Then 10. Danielson hooked his arm. MJF held on until the bell rang. MJF tapped immediately after the clock expired. Roberts announced that because the score was tied 3-3, the match was a draw and MJF retained the title.
Trainers checked on Danielson in one area. Other trainers entered and put an oxygen mask on MJF. Schiavone said he was getting a message in his headset. He smiled and said he’d be glad to head to the ring. Danielson stood. Fans cheered. They noticed Schiavone walking to the ring. Schiavone told Roberts that Tony Khan said he won’t let the match end this way. Roberts then announced that Khan won’t allow the match to end in a draw, so it will continue for one more fall under sudden death rules.
MJF looked around in shock as the bell rang. Danielson smiled. MJF was still sitting, clutching his sore knee. He stood and shoved the ref. The ref shoved back. Danielson rolled up MJF for a near fall. Danielson went for a roll-up, but MJF grabbed the ref and mule kicked Danielson for a near fall. MJF sat up and appeared to be nearly in tears. MJF grabbed his title belt. The ref ordered him to put it down or he’d lose the match. The ref then told him to try him and “be my guest.” MJF gave it to the ref and tried to hit Danielson with his ring. Danielson ducked and took MJF down with a reverse huracanrana. Danielson landed a running Psycho Knee for a dramatic near fall.
Danielson applied another single leg crab. MJF teased tapping. He grabbed the bottom rope to force a break, but also tapped afterward to trick Dnaielson into thinking he just won. MJF then dropped to the floor and pulled out the oxygen tank. Danielson went looking for MJF. MJF banged Danielson in the head with the tank and then rolled it back under the ring. Excalibur said the ref didn’t see the weapon. MJF then applied the LeBell Lock and Danielson was out. The ref dropped his hand twice, but Danielson lifted his arm on the third try about 6 minutes into overtime.
MJF reapplied the submission and this time Danielson tapped. Fans looked deflated as MJF’s music played the referee handed him the belt.
WINNER: MJF in 66:00 by a 4-3 score to retain the AEW World Hvt. Title. (*****)
(Keller’s Analysis: That was a hell of a journey and so well done. Like any match of this length, it challenges fans to adjust their expectations in terms of the pace the match. I can see mixed opinions with some saying it was a very good but overly ambitious match in terms of the length or people seeing it as a five-star classic Match of the Year contender. I’m in the category of thinking this was more than a very good match and that they put on a classic match and pulled off their ambition effectively. The only hesitation is that it didn’t seem they had the entire crowd as engaged as a classic should be during the first 40 minutes, but that’s almost built into a match that lasts this long that it won’t be for everyone all the way through. As the match built toward the climax(es), there were so many effective twists and turns and dramatic turning point, the emotions rose and built and pulled the crowd into so many key moments. This wasn’t a lock for me to give five stars to, especially 40 minutes in, and I still have some reservations, but I think it hit that threshold.)
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