1.Jericho vs Spears ***
2.Gallows vs Kaz **
3.Yuta vs Darby ***
4.AEW Women's Title: Baker(c) vs Rose ***
5.Orange vs Blade ***1/2
6.IWGP United States Title, Texas Death Match: Mox(c) vs Archer ****1/4
Mox through the damn tables.
Thoughts:
I'm back for another live review. Will we see Bryan and/or Punk?
Refresh as the show progresses.
Jericho's music hits and the crowd chants loudly. Spears next with MJF behind him to join commentary. That should rock. The trial plot here is good shit on paper and I hope it works out just as well in action.
JR sounds like he's calling in on a shaky phone line for a bit.
The gimmick, allowing Spears to utilize a chair throughout while Jericho is required to play it straight is honestly a fun idea as the first trial.
I spot a Dragon Gate shirt in the front row which is badass. MJF tries to put over his unit-mate as being amazing. I can't got that far but he's decent and I've generally been okay with his catalog. He got cocky down the stretch leading to the Walls of Jericho being locked in and a visual victory for Chris during a Tully interference spot. Sammy for the save. Spears gets out with a chair shot, hits the C4, NEAR FALL! Eventually, we get a reversal and a Judas Effect to close it.
MJF is pissed and has a mic. He tells CJ that he passed the first test but warns that he cannot get any further help moving forward. Next week, labor number two is no disqualification rules against NICK FUCKING GAGE!
MDK!!! One step closer to him versus Omega.
The match was good for what it was and a decent start to the angle and the episode. It could have been trimmed down a tad just as easily, though.
Commercial time. Ever make medibutter and mix it with fresh berries? Just curious. I might mix that with cream cheese and a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon for toast.
Miro, in bloodsport gear, promotes a title match in Jacksonville.
Doc Gallows is out next accompanied by Anderson, both wearing the IMPACT Tag straps. Very quiet response and a clip from Dark is shown. The Elite Hunter, Kaz, is his opponent. I'm not sure this is a Dynamite level match to be honest.
Kaz took his B12 but hits a boot like a wall to shift momentum early. To the outside and Karl takes out the first ever PWG Champ with a clothesline while the ref is distracted. PIP commercial time. Why is TNT treating Titans like the show is legit new? I have no issues with the Elite Hunter story but yeah, increasingly I agree with myself that this shouldn't be on Dynamite. A shit finish closes it to cement that opinion completely. Average at best.
Music hits, no reaction. Omega and DC come out to talk shit. This crowd isn't getting a whole lot yet but still is super basic.
They beat down Kaz as Kenny brags. The segment is rather cheap. Save spot?
Yup, here comes Page. A better response it sounds like but still rather weak. Don questions the move considering it's four on one. He hands his drink to Don and the Good Brothers start a beat down. Dark Order for the save. Omega ran off as Karl and Doc are taken out.
Can we get whichever team doesn't tag with Page in the elimination match get an IMPACT Tag shot in AEW?
Cage is here to chat about the Team Taz drama. Ricky promises a celebration for next week. Brian teases a run in.
YUTA out next. Orange walks out with him. Darby, his opponent, is out with bandaged ribs. Sting comes along. This could get the show elevated a bit. I appreciate how Yuta has been used thus far and it's clear he's meant to be a decent hand moving forward.
Orange and Sting had an interesting moment ring-side. Which was just awesome. After that rest spot for the two in the actual match, a quick back and forth at a decent pace finishes things with Allin standing tall. Blade ran out and struck Cassidy with brass knuckles to get an advantage for later.
Good match.
We look at the Archer/Mox match. I would love to see Bryan debut after that one. The Women's strap is on the line next.
I have to run somewhere for just a moment. Should be right back but I might miss something in that time.
I'm back. Missed the introductions but I think that's about it.
This one is rough around the edges for sure. Far below the ceiling for both but the stars are clearly not aligned correctly this week for either. Even the near falls feel iffy. They go with an Eddie Guerrero spot and a near fall that finally landed well. Some trickery leads to Baker taking the W in the end.
Honestly, this was below expectations but I'll admit that the final minute was solid and there were decent moments in between. Fuck, I'll even say it was good but still below regardless.
A backstage debate with Santana and Ortiz, who've apparently lost their tag name, and FTR is next to build up their Fight for the Fallen match next week. Okay stuff.
Andrade and Tony promised for next post-commercial.
Here we go. Tranquilo. He teased a surprise on Twitter. Rush? He mentions it quickly on the mic.....ah, it's Chavo Guerrero. Depending on how he's used this could be okay. I like how they just had Vickie and an Eddie spot in the last match prior. Guerrero with a bigger response than admittedly expected. He leans heavily on cheap pops before being cut off by Death Triangle.
Rush and Dragon Lee should run out. Fully open another door.
Andrade tells Penta and Fenix they now work for him. They tell him to fuck off. Their translator, dressed like a junkie, well...translates. This is running too long. It finally ends and then we get a sight of things that happened earlier, with Cage helping Jurassic Express setting up a multiman next week with HFO.
Orange from behind Blade as the latter asked for his hand to simply be raised to start the next. We get a fake injury spot next which took far too much time. The gutwrench bomb on the turnbuckle was so fucking sick that it brought me back in, though. The PIP stuff was decent and it picked up nicely after.
Kris came out to stop interference from Bunny, leading to a tope and both women being taken down.
They've been testing to see if they can get away with mixed matches. Anyone else notice that?
Alright, this is continuing to build nicely. Bunny throws knuckles in, missed his shot though and eats some knuckles of his own from OC. Honestly, that match was a bit overbooked but very good regardless and my favorite thing on the episode thus far.
Orange hits Blade with an Orange Punch while wearing the brass knucks after.
Jericho is backstage and promises to bring the Painmaker next week! Nice.
The elimination match with The Elite and Dark Order is set for next week. I'm very excited about that one.
We look at the Cody/Black angle so far, which I've loved.
The main event remains. Please, please, let Final Countdown play after the match.
Apparently I am very low on the women's match. That or Mutter is way off.
Alright, time for the main event. A New Japan championship on the line to close a US major wrestling promotion's show is a weird fucking thing if you stop and think about it for a moment.
Apparently Bryan is appearing in Queens. We'll see.
Hot fucking start. Not a lot of time left but it should make this fire.
Ever see a motherfucker use another motherfucker as a weapon?
Snake casually flicking off Mox was gold. We have COLOR. Yeah, this rocks.
Jon has a fork. Run! Too late.
Some shots, two tables, some chairs, and just general plunder, folks. Mox is the Stone Cold of AEW. So damn good is his role. Archer has a pretty nice pool of blood flowing, by the way.
They brawl back and forth. Archer goes for a rainmaker? Nah, my bad. Someone runs out after. I'm sure of it. Mox is bleeding now.
That chokeslam had me POP.
This damn match is insane. I love that heat from Mox just getting a four.
FORKS.
Barbed wire!
FORKS.
Mox through the damn tables.
Oh my fucking god, NEW CHAMPION. That was fan-fucking-tastic. I mean, Jesus Christ on a stick.
I loved that. Hikuleo is in the ring making his intentions clear. Alright, I dig it.
I decided to live review this because of how damn good last week was. This was been a major step down. The magic wasn't there as much and everything felt just a bit off to varying degrees. This is true at least until the majority of the last two matches which fucking rocked. If you missed it live, watch the first half via YouTube clips and find a way to watch the last two matches in full. AEW is a novelty show. And a damn good one.
Overall Ratings: 75/100%
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