04/10/2023 – Stockton arena – Stockton, CA
4 year Anniversary special
Tony Schiavone, Taz and Excalibur on commentary.
It’s hard to believe AEW has been going for 4 years. Initially the company started with much anticipation that it would be something different and that the WWE would finally have to lift their game as there was some real competition to deal with.
After its initial rating of 1.4 AEW has never been able to achieve this number again and the company has had some high points and low points, but the company is still alive and well and churning out a lot of wrestling, week to week.
The show kicks off l backstage with Renee Paquette interviewing Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho. Chris Jericho says he is going to take down the Don Callis family tonight, later they have a match with Sami Guevara and Takeshita.
Adam Copeland comes into the scene to catch up with his old friend Chris Jericho and tells them to finally take down the Don Callis Family as he never liked Don.
There was a little tease here with Edge and Kenny Omega meeting for the first time, you can definitely see those two getting into a programme in the near future. Kenny said if he needs anything to let him know.
AEW International Championship Match
Rey Fenix (c) (with The Hype Man and Pentagón Jr) vs Nick Jackson (with Matt Jackson)
Going into this match you know your going to see some crazy high flying. Early on they did the same spot that reared its head a lot at Wrestledream. The “you hit me and I’ll hit you” spot that seems to be in nearly every match. I’m not a fan of this especially when you see it so often.
Fenix had some back issues early on that required him to take a time out on the apron. Nick Jackson took advantage of this and attacked him to the outside, taking aim for his offence to the back of Fenix.
Back from the ad break these guys were at full pace. There was a spot where they were kicking each other in the head and Fenix would hit the mat and just pop up after every kick, hugely no selling a making the super kick mean absolutely nothing.
For as athletic and gifted and as these guys are, it’s stuff that is unrealistic and doesn’t make sense that makes me scratch my head and takes me out of the match. Saying that the crowd in attendance clearly love this style and were into it big time.
Both men continued to kick each other in the head and pop back as if nothing happened until Nick landed outside and sold that he twisted his ankle, but he still managed to counter Fenix with a cutter that put both men on their backs on the outside floor.
Inside the ring there was some crazy athleticism to get both men to the top rope that ended with Nick Jackson nailing Fenix with a cutter off the top rope with a kick out at two.
Nick nailed a destroyer and also came up short with a two count once again. Three knee strikes to the face… kick out, in fact Fenix loved those knee strikes to the face so much he was asking for more.
Fenix did an impressive walk across the rope kick to the face followed a frog splash which also came up short for a two count.
All the devastating moves couldn’t get the job done but a reversal sneaky counter from Fenix got him the three count to retain his title in a supremely impressive athletic encounter that lacked logic and realism.
Adam Cole arrives at Roderick String’s house who has The Kingdom (Matt Taven and Mike Bennet) already there with him.
Roderick Strong gifts a modified bike that Cole can put his injured ankle on and they race around the house with Strong using his wheelchair. Cole tries to leave as he said he needs to get surgery on his ankle but Strong says he really needs his help and asks him to move furniture.
Cole ends up moving his furniture while the others sit around and watch.
Cole says he has to seriously go and Strong said he still needs his help. The scene ends.
I find these segments odd and kind of cheesy, I’m not actually sure what is really going on here, there hasn’t been much explaining as to why Cole seems to be at the beck and call of Roderick Strong.
Singles Match
Griff Garrison vs Wardlow
Griff Garrison was already in the ring, so you know straight away that he is enhancement talent. Wardlow hasn’t been on TV for a while, so we knew what was going to happen here.
Wardlow squashed Garrison with 5 power-bombs for a TKO victory. I dug this finish as I haven’t seen a TKO victory in quite some time.
AEW Trios Title Match
The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass (c) vs Butcher and the Blade and Kip Sabian
Haven’t seen Butcher and the blade or Kip Sabian in TV for a while. They had no entrance and were in the ring already so we generally know which way this is going to go.
Big brawl on the outside started this match which was won by the champs, they had time to do a 3 way “scissor me daddy” that the crowd lapped up. After the ad break it wasn’t long until The Acclaimed had the victory with the Scissor me Timbers.
A Toni Storm vignette was next, continuing on from last week. These are filmed like she is acting in a movie. She is now called “Timeless” Toni Storm and she debuts tonight.
The Bang Bang Gang of Juice Robinson and the Gunns came down to the ring. The accused MJF of attacking Jay White last week as the the Masked devil man. They called out MJF. MJF came out to respond, he played to the crowd saying “the devil had arrived in Stockton California”. He got the crowd to chant “Ass boys” and “talentless Tate”. MJF listed all the bad things he has done in AEW.
He denied being the one who took out Jay White and challenged them to a Stockton street fight and made his way to the ring. Jay White came from nowhere and attacked MJF, took the AEW world championship and left the ring to the top of the ramp.
Jay said that MJF’s games aren’t going to work. He challenged MJF for a title match at the Full Gear PPV. MJF in a rage accepted the challenge.
Rene Paquette interviews Orange Cassidy and Hook backstage. Hook said Orange Cassidy should be challenging Fenix next week instead of Moxley, they didn’t seem all that bothered, as they both ate Lays chips…..riveting stuff.
Tag Team Match
Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega vs Kyle Fletcher and Konosuke Takeshita with Don Callis
Cold reception for the Don Callis family team, crowd seemed to not care. Jericho and Omega dominated the match early not letting the Don Callis family team get much offence.
A few super kicks and flying kicks gave Takeshita and Fletcher and bit of momentum, but it was short lived. The you hit me then I’ll hit you spot reared its head yet again in this match with Jericho and Fletcher.
Coming back from the break it was Fletcher and Omega now doing the “you hit me with a forearm and I’ll hit you with a forearm” spot.
Jericho hit his code breaker on Fletcher and Kenny nailed his “One Winger Angel” to pick up the victory.
After the bell Hobbs made his return out of nowhere and jumped Jericho and Omega. It looks like Hobbs was now part of the Don Callis family as he choked Omega with the steel steps and continued to beat him down.
Callis duct taped Omega’s arms to the top rope but Jericho took the chair shot bullet from Hobbs to save Omega. Callis then called for the chair and hit Omega with a chair shot to the head unprotected as both Omega and Jericho were looking worse for wear.
Rene Paquette interviewed MJF who is in the trainers room getting his neck worked on.
The Acclaimed come into the room behind MJF and Max Caster starts massaging MJF’s neck. MJF says he is a stalker and a weirdo and tells home to leave. MJF calls Adam Coles phone, it’s unanswered and goes to voice mail.
Singles Match
Skye Blue vs Toni Storm
Toni Storm comes out as “Timeless” Toni Storm. Accompanied with a black and white entrance, she is definitely going for 50’s movie star gimmick.
The bell rings and Storm goes nuts and attacks Skye Blue, her character is unhinged with her smeared lipstick and crazy look. Sky Blue gets back in the match and hits a nice top rope crossbody, she nearly steals the match with a super kick and pin but comes up short.
Storm had enough and hits another gear hitting Blue with a hip attack and then a storm zero for the win.
Adam Copeland (Edge) is next with a in ring interview with Tony Schiavone. He gives his reasons why he is in AEW, said the AEW title would look good around his waist. He lists the people he could face for the first time. He calls out Christian Cage to tell him the real reason he is here.
Christian comes out and comes to the ring.
A “Holy Shit” chant erupts from the crowd. Adam said he couldn’t watch him beat up Sting and that was why he got involved. He said Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus will drop him like a bad habit once they have sucked all the information out of his brain. He said he was here because it was “time”. Time to team together once again.
Show the new generation what they can do. After an endearing hug, Christian says “Go **** Yourself” and leaves the ring. Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne come out to the top of the the ramp and stare Adam Copeland as the show goes off the air. Thoughts – Another great segment from Christian.
I’m surprised the “Go **** Yourself” wasn’t bleeped (editor: AEW is very Edgy)
I’m noticing way too many super kicks and forearms in matches and they all become quite similar. I seen that this Episode didn’t draw a good rating and was down from last week, I believe that if the show was written and presented more along the lines of how Christian’s character and story were presented it would be a hell of a lot better. A lot of segments and matches that didn’t really achieve much, onto the next.
