SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
HITS
MARK BRISCOE VS. TOMASSO CIAMPA
If you like hardcore matches, this one had it all, including Ciampa using a cheesegrater to bloody the forehead of Briscoe in a spot that was very well executed. Briscoe took a ton of punishment and I can only imagine how difficult it was to fight most of the match with what was likely a bruised tailbone that he suffered going through the table early on. I thought the use of the stuffed chicken was dumb and I was happy most of it was featured during the commercial break.
This match had stapled papers to Briscoe’s head, knee pads full of tacks and screwdrivers to the forehead of Ciampa. Oh, and a Jay-driller through a table which led to Briscoe’s victory. I was watching this with my co-worker who is a big fan of this type of match and he was loving every moment so, for those fans, this was a home run. I would like to see Ciampa win more, but this seemed like a blowoff for these two before they move on to other opponents.
JON MOXLEY VS. KYLE O’REILLY
One of the things I love about AEW is that you can go from a bloody hardcore match, like the one listed above, to a technical, albeit violent match just a short time later and both were terrific.
First, Jon Moxley’s entrance never gets old. From the rest of the Death Riders hyping him up, to the look on Mox’s face as he comes out of the tunnel. It’s as intense as it gets. Renee’s “sideline report” always adds to the importance of what the viewers are about to see.
The way the match was wrestled, combined with the fantastic commentary by Taz, Tony Schiavone and Excalibur, was great story-telling. These two have incredible chemistry and are great sellers which made this match so much more compelling. Sometimes in sports, one team or one player just matches up well with a more successful opponent. This story is a clear example of O’Reilly continuing to step up his game every time he takes on Moxley.
O’Reilly became the first wrestler to go the distance against Moxley, so even though he didn’t win, he once again proved he is a major threat to Mox’s title. The best part of this finish is that we get to see another match between the two on Sunday, though I’m not sure O’Reilly had the right to declare no time limit for their rematch.
DARBY ALLIN VS. SPEEDBALL BAILEY (WITH MJF ON COMMENTARY)
This match was another in a long line of great performances by Darby and his opponent during this run, but this was clearly as safe a match as Darby will participate in to protect him against injury before wrestling in the main event at Double or Nothing. Still, it told a good story and most of it revolved around MJF.
MJF was a joy to listen to on commentary. He is just crushing it right now in every way. He’s made the media rounds this week and I highly recommend finding those appearances. He’s been amazing. Everything he says makes perfect sense for his character. He believes Darby cheated to beat him last month and I love Excalibur attempting to keep him honest, but Max did not care and responded to whether he had ever cheated with, “I love the sanctity of the sport”. So great.
It also made perfect sense for MJF to help Speedball stay alive by putting his foot on the rope. That way, if Speedball won, he would not have had to put his hair on the line.
The postmatch angle was executed perfectly with MJF trying to get the better of Darby with hair clippers but, instead, viewers ended up seeing a preview of what could happen on Sunday. Well done across the board from the moment Darby won the title to building this PPV main event.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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QUICK HITS
– It was another fun opener with The Bucks & Jericho vs. Andrade, Mark Davis, and Ricochet. The opening skit was a little too cute for me, but the match delivered. Jericho held his own with all of the high flyers and successfully set up the Stadium Stampede by utilizing tables, foreign objects, and brawling in the crowd. Andrade was the standout kicking out of the EVP Trigger and the heels got the win via cheating. The saves by the babyfaces after the match didn’t really have a sense of urgency, but that was my only issue.
– The video packages previewing Okada vs. Takeshita as well as Darby Allin vs. MJF were very well done. AEW has always done a good job with video packages, but they’ve stepped up over the past year and most of them are now exceptionally produced and edited. They go a long way in not only previewing the matches, but to educate those who are not watching every show.
– Willow Nightingale delivered one of the better promos of her career in letting everyone know she needed to relinquish the TBS title as well as pull out of the Owen Hart tournament due to an injured shoulder. It’s a tough break, and she will be missed, but the promo is something to remember when she comes back because when she talks to us like a real person, it comes across much more genuine.
– The 8-woman tag match wasn’t the cleanest, but I really think Athena stood out and it’s a crime that she isn’t used more. This is the time to bring her to AEW fulltime and if she loses to Mina Shirakawa on Sunday in the first round of the Owen Tournament, I think that would be a major mistake.
QUICK MISSES
– I certainly wish I missed seeing Prince Nana’s plumber’s crack!
– I would have shown the footage of Kyle O’Reilly defeating Jon Moxley twice last year in order to promote their match. It was mentioned a ton, so why not show it as well.
Look for a comprehensive preview of Double or Nothing this week on the weekly free podcast I’m part of, “The All Elite Conversation Club” that drops on Fridays the PWTorch Dailycast lineup. Joel Dehnel and I have a great time breaking down all things AEW. Search “pwtorch” on your podcast app to subscribe. Send questions and comments to allelitecc@gmail.com.
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