SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
Another week of the Continental Classic is in the books. AEW is showing signs of moving in the right direction as they go north of the border this week. Hopefully the censor isn’t asleep at the switch again. To quote everyone’s favorite scheming cartoon mouse The Brain, dear reader, “Are you pondering what I’m pondering”?
MJF vs. Samoa Joe; MJF vs. The Devil
MJF cut the most serious, to the point promo he’s cut in quite some time and it was refreshing. He put over Samoa Joe as the wrestling legend that he is and made it clear that he understands the task ahead of him at Worlds End. At the conclusion of his promo, the lights dimmed and Devil’s masked assailants attacked him and lined up to take him out with a baseball bat.
Samoa Joe intervened chasing off the assailants. A message then appeared on the tron challenging MJF and Joe to a tag match which Max accepted much to Joe’s chagrin. I thought this all worked well to further the Devil storyline. It’ll be interesting to see whether the assailants wrestle generically so as not to give away their identities.
While the absence of the Devil could be because Adam Cole is injured, I still believe that’s it more likely because it’s Britt Baker and her being there in person or even speaking would tip it off. It’ll be interesting to see when, where, and how the reveal happens but one thing is for sure – it’s got to be executed near flawlessly.
Grade: A+
Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage
Christian attempted to use their past and Adam Copeland’s deceased mother to try and con his former best friend into believing he was sorry and wanted to reform their team. The crowd who chanted “bullshit” the minute he started speaking and, most importantly, Copeland didn’t buy it at all. He saw the sneak attack coming and cut it off with a low blow.
Copeland then told Christian to “go f— himself” fully un-bleeped. I got a kick out of it, but I’m sure the network didn’t. I expect the match between these two to very good and still expect Shayna Wayne to go full Chyna and low blow Copeland to allow Christian to pick up the win.
Grade: A+
Toni Storm vs. Skye Blue
Toni Storm had a brief but hilarious segment this week in which she was reclined on a couch, feet propped on R.J. City, talking about wild weekend of partying with the Kennedys, and having “a touch of the gout.”
R.J. informed her she would be defending her title next week and even though he didn’t specify it was clear that Skye Blue is the opponent. That was confirmed on Rampage. Toni cut a highly entertaining promo on Collision that melded her whackadoodle starlet persona with reality better than any of promos thus far.
Skye Blue cut a promo. She seems to have backpedaled from some of the darker elements of her character change i.e. the makeup. The promo itself was adequate, nothing more.
The match should be fine. I hope Toni figures out a way to wrestle like her Collision promo, more serious but still fully out of her mind. Her match with Emi Sakura proved it can be done. I’m also glad this isn’t a PPV match. I just hope Toni is over her gout by match time.
Grade: A
Julia Hart
For the second week in a row Julia didn’t establish a feud, but she was featured again. On Dynamite she had match with Emi Sakura. Julia took a beating from her more experienced foe before turning things around and winning with her beautiful moonsault. Unfortunately there was a miscommunication between competitors and the finish was mucked up.
Abadon had a seemingly random match with Kiera Hogan on Collision that they won. Afterwards the lights went out and Julia Hart appeared briefly before disappearing again.
It seems like Julia has a new recruit for her coven. Let’s face it – Abadon is a much better fit than Skye Blue. They’ve worked hard to improve in the ring and deserve this opportunity to see if they can make this push work.
Grade: A
FTR vs. House of Black
House of Black dispatched of Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal in relatively short fashion. The match didn’t overstay its welcome at least. Afterwards, FTR used the HOB’s trick against them by turning the lights off and on before storming the ring. Unfortunately, the grizzled Carolinians were both overwhelmed.
Malakai cut on promo on them mid-beatdown about how nobody was going to come to their rescue before laying out both Dax and Cash with brutal The End kicks. Much improved over last week. My only quibble is with Brody preoccupied with the C2; it’s two-on-two, so FTR doesn’t really need any help. The match, presumably at World’s End, will be fantastic.
Grade: B+
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs Mercedes Martinez & Diamanté
We got a short video package chronicling the history between Willow and Mercedes recently and pre-AEW to setup their forthcoming match on Collision. I’m glad to see effort being put into giving context for an AEW Women’s Division match. I have no doubt both of these women will deliver in-ring on Saturday.
Miro & C.J.
Following Andrade’s victory in the C2, Miro was seen approaching his locker room. C.J. cut him off and made him promise not to lay a finger on her client. Miro gave his wife his word. Now we have to how long he’s able to keep it.
Grade: B
Ruby Soho & Angelo Parker
Not much of this story last week. All we got was brief moment of them silently flirting with each other during Saraya, Ruby, and Anna Jay’s pre-match promo on Rampage before Saraya dragged Ruby away.
I really think we need a scene backstage where Ruby and Angelo can have a short conversation so we can understand where Ruby’s head is at. If we’re supposed to invest in them as a couple, we need some incentive besides Saraya and Daddy Magic don’t want them together.
Grade: B
Golden Jets vs. Ricky Starks & Big Bill
We got zero movement on this story. Chris Jericho is off selling his injuries. Kenny Omega wasn’t on TV but he was challenged to a match by Ethan Page to determine the “King of Canada.” Omega accepted. I’m never going to complain about getting a Kenny Omega match on free TV, but I hope at least Ricky Starks is on commentary.
Grade: N/A
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Chris Jericho on CM Punk returning to WWE, Vince McMahon, the first five years of AEW and something the AEW roster should learn, his lack of interest in a WWE Hall of Fame induction
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