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HOUSEKEEPING
• Mìstico is the latest wrestler to get a dual contract with CMLL and AEW. His status was announced immediately following he and JetSpeed capturing the AEW Trios Titles from the Don Callis Family.
INTRO
AEW Revolution is in the books. It was an AEW PPV so it was equal parts long but immensely entertaining. There wasn’t a bad match on the card, although the second to last match felt like it could have been on TV. That said A LOT happened. Old rivalries were reignited. Unexpected new directions were opened up. Dynamite feels must-see tonight just for the fallout as AEW immediately has to jump on the road to Dynasty in Vancouver in April.
The Hangman Got Hanged
Latest Developments
MJF hanged “Hangman” Adam Page with a chain attached to a dog collar, choking him into unconsciousness and ending his ability to ever challenge for the AEW Men’s World Championship again.
Analysis
Before we get to the match, I have to talk about the press conference from last week. Credit to them for trying something new, but it didn’t work. Airing it “live” with the audience’s audible boos coming through was a mistake. It should’ve been aired as a previously recorded segment and set up a closing segment of Hangman and MJF being kept apart by security.
When it comes to the actual match though, I have lots of mixed emotions. Hangman’s trumpet entrance was great. MJF’s pre-match video of him riding a horse and putting on a fake country accent just so he could literally urinate on Hangman’s grave was odd. I did like his Terry Funk poncho and pants though.
The action was brutal, even grotesque at points (see the syringe in Hangman’s cheek or the skewers in MJF’s head). The match was also too long at 46 minutes. Once Hangman introduced the dog collar (MJF’s dog collar PTSD was a great touch), which came back to bite him, there was ten minutes of the match that could’ve easily been shaved off. MJF voluntarily staying attached to the dog collar for that long simply didn’t make sense.
All of that said, the finishing sequence was executed brilliantly. Hangman set up for a second Buckshot Lariat. MJF loaded up with the Dynamite Diamond Ring and blasted him. Hangman fell to the apron. MJF kicked him off, thus hanging him and pulled up on the chain until Hangman was left dangling unconscious. MJF let go, sending Hangman’s limp body forward, his head smashing the camera as he fell. That left blood smeared on the lens leaving the viewing audience to watch through Hangman’s own blood as his future title hopes evaporated.
For a final insult as the show closed, Hangman was loaded onto a stretcher and MJF posed with the title atop his lifeless body.
Hangman losing the match and his ability to ever challenge for the title again the very same way he last won the title was poetic. Hangman asked for a Texas Death Match, voluntarily risked his future title aspirations, and introduced the dog collar into the match and it proved to be his undoing. To paraphrase the end of King Kong, ’twas hubris that brought down the Hangman.
So what happens now? MJF has no shortage of challengers for the next few months, likely ultimately culminating with the newly returned Will Ospreay (more on him later) at All In. As for Hangman, my guess is a couple weeks off to sell his injuries from the match. After that, I’m sure we’ll get a promo with him accepting his fate like the honorable man he is. Beyond that, there are any number of titles he can go after and there’s always his eternal rival Swerve Strickland. If there’s anyone who can make this stipulation work, it’s Hangman.
Grade: B+
What’s Next for Thekla
Latest Developments
Thekla defeated Kris Statlander 2-1 to retain the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Analysis
The moment on Collision where Kris Statlander handing Thekla a belt and giving up her back to allow Thekla to whip her repeatedly just so she could keep getting up was the most effective segment Stat’s been a part of in quite some time. Unfortunately, it didn’t translate to Sunday.
The match was unfortunately pretty flatly received. It wasn’t a bad match by any means. The feud just didn’t necessitate the two-out-of-three falls stipulation. Also unnecessary was all the protection Stat got in the finish which saw a ref bump and the Sisters of Sin providing a distraction before Thekla hit a spear and two stomps. It would have had more impact for Thekla to go over clean, especially if her next opponent is Toni Storm.
Storm recently made clear her desire to reclaim the title, so it certainly feels like that’s the immediate program. Statlander’s future is a little unclear. Honestly it feels like this an opportunity for her to step back, regroup, and just stop trying so hard.
Grade: B-
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Swerve is The Most Dangerous Man in AEW
Latest Developments
Swerve Strickland defeated Brody King in a hard-fought match.
Analysis
There was nothing fancy about the match between these two. They just took it to one another, each looking to prove that they are the most dangerous man in AEW. At one point, Brody barely beat the ten count back into the ring after taking a Vertebreaker on the exposed hard court. He was immediately met with a Swerve Stomp which he kicked out of at one. Swerve intercepted an attempted clothesline with a House Call and then another both of which Brody ate like L.A. street tacos.
The third House Call however felled the big man and gave Swerve the win. To demonstrate just how dangerous he can be, Swerve had Prince Nana bring a cinderblock into the ring. Before he could stomp Brody’s head into it, Kenny Omega made his return sending Swerve scurrying away from the ring. Other opportunities will continue to come Brody’s way. Right now though, the focus is on Kenny getting even with the man who tried to take him out.
Grade: B+
RANDOM QUESTIONS
– Takeshita’s getting jumped out of The Family right?
Konosuke Takeshita and Jon Moxley had a hell of a match at Revolution. They hit each other with everything each had. Takeshita survived not one, but two Death Riders including an avalanche Death Rider from the second rope. Mox kicked out of the Raging Fire at the last possible millisecond, the person to ever survive that move. In the end, Mox pinned Takeshita’s arms behind his back and choked him out. Takeshita failed to bring the Continental Championship back to the Don Callis Family. Not only did he fail he did so honorably, he refused to use underhanded tactics ahead of the match and shook Mox’s hands after it was over. That seems like it would be enough for Callis to expel him from the Family. The separation has been brewing for some time now. It’s time to make it official.
– Is Will Ospreay Wolverine?
I ask that question, not just because of the awesome pre-return video package in which he popped out of a tank a la Wolverine in Stryker’s lab in X2:X-Men United, but because he seems to have superhuman recuperative abilities. He had neck surgery six months ago, and he’s back doing sky twister presses like it’s nothing. Not only is the Billy GOAT back, he’s got his eyes firmly locked on Jon Moxley and the Death Riders.
There’s been a lot discussion over whether or not this muddies how people are supposed to respond to Mox. I don’t think it does. Mox has been a better version of himself despite still hanging with the Death Riders. Still, Will Ospreay has a legitimate reason to want revenge. I think fans are sophisticated enough to cheer for Ospreay getting even while still understanding that Mox is a reformed sinner still paying for some of his past sins.
– Ronda Rousey? Seriously?
Toni Storm and Marina Shafir had exactly the match they needed to have. Marina looked like a fearsome fighter with her stiff strikes and judo throws. Toni used her unorthodox approach to wrestling to her advantage most notably by biting Marina’s boob to get out of Mother’s Milk. Toni won by pulling out her Big Package. The real story came after the match.
While Toni was lying on the ramp celebrating, Ronda Rousey walked into the ring, took off her jacket, and challenged her to come back to the ring. Toni gleefully accepted, power walked to the ring, and went face to face with the MMA legend. Before any blows could be thrown, the ring filled with security to separate the two women. Marina used this opportunity to sucker punch Toni.
Objectively, this angle was executed practically perfectly. It was designed to make this feel like a big deal and it did that. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have reservations about Ronda Rousey in AEW, though. Not only has she said some rather problematic things in the past, her last run in WWE was underwhelming at best and a debacle at worst. Ronda doesn’t always take wrestling seriously and that attitude is the antithesis of AEW.
If Tony Khan’s plan is to leverage Rousey’s remaining cache and star power to get one big match out of her at All In against Toni, I can get behind that. Ronda has her big fight with Gina Carano on May 16, so there’s unlikely to be any mutual physicality between now and then. If this is played out properly, fans will be clamoring to see these two square off. The immediate question is does Ronda show up tonight in Fresno when Marina fights Toni in a no holds barred match.
– Are We Getting a TLC match?
FTR and The Young Bucks had an incredible match at Revolution, complete with Celtics vs. Lakers motif. Unlike their previous encounters, this was the grittiest and most personal. The avalanche Shatter Machine was quite the finish. After the match Adam Copeland and Christian Cage finally made their return to AEW with FTR directly in their sights. They laid FTR and Stokely out and then picked up the title belts thus making their intentions clear.
We are obviously getting a Copeland & Cage vs FTR rematch. The question is will it be a TLC match or similarly named equivalent. There was also a moment between Copeland and Christian and the Bucks portending an eventual match between those teams.
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