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Four pieces of housekeeping this week..
•Jon Moxley retained his IWGP Heavyweight Championship, defeating Ren Narita at Dontaku last Friday night.
•Ethan Page has left AEW. He started the year in ROH but in recent months had disappeared from ROH TV. Behinds the scenes he was reportedly frustrated and this week he received his release. Best wishes to him in whatever he decides to do next.
•Julia Hart successfully underwent shoulder surgery. There’s currently no timetable for her return. Perhaps the most important piece of business, though: Wendi Richter finally responded to Toni Storm’s repeated call-outs! During a virtual signing with Highspots, the Hall of Famer was asked about what the AEW Women’s Champion has been saying about her for months to which she responded: “I didn’t know she’d been calling me out…Well you, know, money does talk. If they could cough up enough money, I’d take her on. I’d even give her the first swing. Bring it on, Toni. You think you can beat me, I’d like to see it.” I have no interest in seeing the 63 year old legend who hasn’t wrestled since 2005 have an actual match, but Tony Khan should absolutely cough up enough money to make a cameo happen to pay off this story. It’s certainly the most I’ve ever cared about Wendi Richter. Make it happen, Tony.
There’s a contingent of detractors who claim that AEW is devoid of stories, but coming into this week AEW is teeming with stories, stories of revenge, stories of betrayal, stories of championship aspirations. There’s even an umbrella story, one that’s pulling from the best parts of two of the most famous stories of all time, that has tentacles throughout the canvas. That umbrella story is likely to carry AEW through the summer which means it must continue to deliver or else it can take AEW down with it. In a lot of ways AEW is entering its hottest season as goes from Double or Nothing to its biggest event of the year All In and its twin, All Out. To quote “Apollo 13” flight director Gene Kranz, “Failure is not an option.”
Elite Hostile Takeover
AEW needed a strong follow-up to the attack on Tony Khan and the Hostile Takeover by the Elite and I’d say they did that and then some. The show opened with Tony Khan in his neck brace addressing the audience from Jacksonville, Fla.
While I prefer Tony never speak on television, I think this 20 seconds or so was necessary to set up how The Elite can logically run AEW. I said Tony only spoke for 20 seconds because he was interrupted by the Bucks who cut his feed. They proceeded to explain that they had ironclad contracts with founder’s clauses and couldn’t be fired and as the next highest ranking executives they would be running the show in Tony’s absence.
From there, they played an Elite-centered opening video intro. They interacted with Swerve Strickland, Willow Nightingale, and Renee Paquette throughout the night. Jack Perry cut a brief but good backstage promo.
The Elite’s big moment came at the end of the night with the return of Kenny Omega. Omega came out wearing a suit and a very serious demeanor. He explained in sometimes graphic detail the severity of his battle with diverticulitis and what the doctors told him his prognosis would be if he elected to have surgery. He recounted how doctors told him any blunt force trauma to his abdomen could kill him (a not-so-subtle setup for what was to come), but he promised everyone that if there was even a 10 percent chance he could wrestle again, he’d make it happen.
He then turned his attention to the Elite, specifically the Bucks, reminding them that he was also an EVP and informed them that he intended to exercise his EVP power, effectively signing his death warrant. Okada interrupted, leading to a surreal face-to-face.
Interestingly, Kenny told Okada to give him a couple months and they could run it back one more time. That’s when Jack Perry pounced, attacking Omega from behind. Kenny was able to fight off Kazuchika Okada and Perry briefly, even hitting a Snap Dragon Suplex on Perry before the Hollywood scion struck him in the gut with a steel chair. Kenny dropped and a hush came over the crowd before they erupted into boos. The Bucks came down the ring and hit an EVP Trigger on their former friend. FTR finally came to Kenny’s aid before Okada could hit a Rainmaker.
The attack didn’t stop there, however. Kenny was strapped to a stretcher and rolled out of the arena to a waiting ambulance. Before he could be loaded up, however, The Elite struck again, taking the medics out before tipping over the stretcher leaving a defenseless Omega to slam into the concrete.
This angle was brilliant. It effectively removed the last person who could impede The Elite’s ascent to full control. It put a ton of heat on the group and it set up Omega for an epic return potentially at the end of the summer leading to a match with Okada at Wembley… or so it seemed.
It was announced yesterday that Kenny would be making a “important announcement” on Dynamite. What could that be? What’s next for The Elite. How will they throw their weight around and abuse their power? The idea of a heel authority figure is polarizing given how overdone they’ve been since the Attitude Era, but this is set up as something with a clear ending as opposed to the typically more open-ended heel authority figure scenarios WWE employed throughout the years. Unlike, say, the NWO, there actually seems to be a plan in place as to how this story will end with Kenny Omega maybe being the Sting of this angle. I’m certainly willing to let it play out for a while.
Grade: A+
“Swerve” Strickland vs. Christian Cage
The Elite’s first act of business running the show was to strike back at the man who called their attack on a Tony Khan “a bitch move,” AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland. They interrupted Swerve’s opening promo via video to announce that Swerve’s opponent at Double or Nothing would be Christian Cage.
Christian was last seen losing the TNT Title to Adam Copeland on Dynamite in Toronto in mid-March. Failing upwards is normally something that bothers me, but in this case The Bucks gave Christian this match. On top of that, Christian and Swerve have history stemming back to last August when they teamed up to face Darby Allin and Sting in a Coffin Match. Swerve took the fall in that match.
There’s also the small matter of Swerve breaking into Nick Wayne’s garage and the leaving The Prodigy to bleed out on the floor. Christian and the Patriarchy attacked Swerve and Prince Nana before Christian cut a promo going over that aforementioned history.
The segment ended with Christian instructing Killswitch to rip out one of Swerve’s dreads. This week Swerve has vowed to call out Christian but said he’s not coming alone. It feels like he’s really separated from the Mogul Embassy, so I don’t if Brian Cage or the Gates of Agony are who he’s referring to. At the same time, I don’t know who else he could be referring to.
As far as the PPV match goes, it’s not going to be a 5-star classic. It’ll be a good match, but it’s much more about the story surrounding it, specifically the Bucks throwing opponents at Swerve. I think that’s fine especially for Swerve’s first opponent. He can beat a strong heel and stick it to the Bucks all at the same time.
Grade: A
Toni Storm vs. Serena Deeb
Serena Deeb battled Mariah May in a hard-hitting match. Serena’s transitions into submissions were fantastic. Mariah’s shotgun dropkick from the top was great.
In the end, Serena locked Mariah in a half Boston Crab. Mariah struggled in the hold until Toni Storm, unable to continue watching her understudy suffer any longer, threw in the towel. Toni’s concern for Mariah May superseded her own interests as by virtue of the win Serena Deeb earned her match against Toni.
The story of the relationship between Toni and Mariah is the best women’s story in wrestling right now. We’ve seen it go from Toni barely acknowledging Mariah’s existence to being either maternal or romantic towards her; I’m not sure which. It’s really good stuff and it’s going to make Mariah’s eventual betrayal that much more painful.
When it comes to the match against Serena, this should be Toni’s stiffest challenge. She cut a very fun if slightly NSFW promo on The Professor on Twitter. I can’t wait to see Serena respond to and play off the very offbeat champion.
Grade: A+
Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné
For the first time since her debut, Mercedes Moné was not on the show. Instead there was a backstage segment which featured Kris Statlander apologizing to Willow for causing Mercedes to slap her. There was something off about the apology and Willow seemed to pick up on it although she gave her friend the benefit of the doubt. This is when the Bucks interjected themselves in Willow’s business.
Skye Blue had challenged Willow to a TBS Title match. Willow accepted but the Bucks banned Stat and Stokely Hathaway from ringside (his reaction was hilarious) and made the match a Manitoba Massacre.
The match itself was a chaotically fun hardcore brawl that culminated in Willow hitting the Doctor Bomb off the apron through a table with a barbed wire board on top.
Clearly the point of all of this was to build Willow up as a tough champion and in that vein, it was successful. The lack of Mercedes was conspicuous though. Her promos aren’t great – I understand that – but there should’ve more than just Willow mentioning her. Hopefully Mercedes is cleared for physical activity before Double or Nothing because we need some kind of physical interaction between the two to lift this match up a level.
Grade: B+
Adam Copeland vs. House of Black
If you paid attention to this column last week, I said there was Option A and Option B. Well, it looks like it’s going to be Option A, Adam Copeland working his way through the HOB. He started with Buddy Matthews.
The match overstayed its welcome, but it was never bad. There was a gnarly mid-air collision when both men went for a crossbody. Copeland won with a spear. After the match he began exhibiting erratic behavior. He snapped for seemingly no reason, assaulting Buddy and set him up for a Conchairto.
Lights off, lights on, Malakai Black appeared and tried to prod Copeland into following through with the attack. Lights off, lights on, HOB disappeared. Later in the night Copeland was once again erratic during an interview with Renee in which Kyle O’Reilly offered to help Cope if he needed it. Clearly the mystical power of the mist is having an effect on Copeland.
As much as Prowrestling.net’s Jason Powell might roll his eyes at the mystical mist, I’m glad they’re at least consistent. It’s had a effect on everyone who’s been sprayed; Copeland should be no exception. It’s just a matter of whether he’s able to fight off the mist as he battles each member.
This week he goes one-on-one with Brody King. I fully expect him to win, but the match should be physical.
Grade: B+
Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Baretta
Orange Cassidy came out uncharacteristically but appropriately serious for his promo. He announced that Chuck Taylor’s career had been ended by Trent’s post-match assault which meant that he’s alone. Before he could complete his next sentence, Trent came out to the stage and it was on sight from there.
OC removed his jacket and charged up the ramp. The two fought until security came out to separate them. Don Callis came out and, to the surprise of everyone, approached OC rather than Trent. Even more surprising, OC walked out with Callis.
It seems unlikely that OC is really buying whatever Callis is selling. This week he gets a match with Trent. I’m surprised the match is happening now, but I sense a screwy finish coming. Trent’s probably picking up this first win to set up a rematch at the PPV. I just hope OC sees the double-cross from Callis coming.
Grade: B+
Will Ospreay vs. Roderick Strong
There wasn’t much build for this one last week, just a brief promo from the Undisputed Kingdom. Strong is a perfectly fine worker, but I continue to feel like he’s not a PPV-worthy opponent for Ospreay. I hope they do something to change my mind, but I’m not optimistic. I still don’t really have enough to properly grade this one.
Grade: Incomplete
Deonna Purrazzo vs. Thunder Rosa
The build for this feud last week consisted of a sole Deonna promo. I will say this: This was the most comfortable Deonna has come across in a promo since her arrival. Being a babyface never felt like it really suited her, so all her promos had a certain amount of awkwardness. This promo, where she essentially told Rosa she’s going full Jersey on her, felt much more natural. It’s nice to have a real non-title feud in the women’s division for a change.
Grade: B+
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