Commentary – Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuiness, Kevin Kelly
Continental Classic Blue League Match
Daniel Bryan vs Claudio Castagnoli
Stablemates from The Blackpool Combat Club took on each other in this one, the last couple of weeks Danielson has been taking a beating in his matches where as Castagnoli has shown shades of turning heel with some less than sportsman like tactics to pick up wins.
The question in this match would be if Castagnoli would take it easy with his friend in the injured Danielson. We seemed to get that answer when Castagnoli nailed Danielson with a hard European uppercut and even more so while in the corner Castagnoli jabbed Danielson in his injured eye.
Both men grappled and reversed each other’s submissions and pins for a majority of this match in a highly competitive affair.
Danielson nailed his drop kicks in the corner but went to well too many times with Castagnoli catching him and turning it into “The Big Swing” onto the Sharpshooter which Danielson broke with the rope.
Danielson had his “Labelle Lock” on Castagnoli who had his legs on the rope for what seemed like an eternity before the referee seen it to break the hold.
5 mins remained in this one as both men lifted the intensity, a “Neutralizer” for Castagnoli wasn’t enough as Danielson kicked out. Danielson blasted Castagnoli with his running knees but that wasn’t enough either with another kick out.
1 minute remained as Castagnoli locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring with Danielson hanging on for a whole minute to save himself to advance on points over Castagnoli.
Result – Draw with Danielson advancing by points.
Trios Titles Championship Match
Top Flight and Action Andretti vs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass (c)
The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass have been off TV for a number of weeks, I’m assuming it was to sell the attack from The Devils henchman. Was this a wise thing to do? considering The trios champs are one the most popular acts on the show and the highest merch sellers.
Andretti and Top Flight are a team that wrestling like they are in the circus, it’s highly acrobatic and at a pace where it’s hard to keep up with what’s going on.
This match was a quick action packed contest with Max Caster stealing the win with a reverse roll up pin on Andretti to retain the Trios Titles.
A Hook segment was next with him accepting Wheeler Yuta’s challenge at Worlds End for his FTW Championship. This tough guy act that Hook has just doesn’t suit him with the way he looks. I’ve said before that Hook is very different from his ECW legend father Taz and I feel there is a disconnect with Hook on how is presented.
Singles Match
Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) vs Keith Lee
Two heavyweights collided in this one, both men tried hurricanranas in the early goings which I find odd from men their size, we see all that stuff in all the other matches weekly on AEW programming so this was a chance to be different.
Cage wrestles like a cruiserweight at times which I find is a bit of disconnect from his appearance. He hit a huge superplex on Lee from the top rope that looked like it could have broke the ring.
Cage showed incredible strength picking Lee like he was nothing. For reasons unknown Prince Nana grabbed a cinder block and put it in the ring for Cage to use but it ended up costing him the match with Lee hitting a big power slam to win.
Winner – Keith Lee
Lee after the match said he was going to make his message clear to Swerve on Dynamite.
Renee is backstage with Tony Storm, Storm pretends she doesn’t know Mariah May who Storm introduces herself like they haven’t met. Storm addresses Riho and says she is going to gobble her up.
Christian Cage with Nick Wayne in ring promo
This was the response from Christian for Adam Copeland’s challenge for a match at Worlds End.
Christian brings out Nicks mom Shayna to address why she hit Copeland with the TNT title.
Shayna says she did what any mother would do after Copeland smashed a steal chair over her son’s head and realized that the only other person that cares for her son is Christian Cage.
Christian said Copeland was a despicable human being and a piece of crap. He said that Shayna has been doing crappy, loser jobs for years to put food on the table for her son and said that he thought if anyone would have empathy it would be Copeland who also had a single mother doing crappy loser jobs. This was a great line that got the crowd booing.
He said he scored big time after his match in Montreal against Copeland and said he scored in other ways looking at Shayna implying he had sex with her.
Christian accepts Copeland’s challenge for the no DQ match at Worlds End PPV.
Lexi is backstage with Big Bill and Ricky Starks, they make fun of Kenny Omega’s health situation insinuating he is scared to face them. Chris Jericho enters the scene and said he is going to take their titles with a partner of his choosing, he doesn’t even know who it will be.
Continental Classic Blue League Match
Daniel Garcia vs Brody King
Matt Menard on commentary.
Garcia is already eliminated from the Tournament and was just fighting for pride, he starts the match giving King a hard slap which didn’t go well for him as King starting to kick his ass badly.
King choked Garcia over the top rope looking at his friend Matt Menard as Garcia was gasping for air.
Garcia continued to get his ass kicked all over the ring as King toyed with him to the point where he looked like he was enjoying it.
Garcia started to make a little comeback but he couldn’t get King down to the mat. King continued to destroy Garcia and just when you think it was over somehow Garcia kicked out.
King went for a powerbomb but Garcia reversed it into a pin and sneaked a pin to finally break his losing streak.
Winner – Daniel Garcia
The lights go off and on and House of Black are all in the ring with Garcia, Matt Menard tries to come in to save his friend but gets pummeled by Buddy Matthews.
FTR come out and save Garcia from a beat down and challenge House of Black to face them in a match.
Tag Team Match
Skye Blue and Julia Heart vs Abadon and Thunder Rosa
Thunder Rosa had been out injured for quite some time, this was her first match back after a lengthy layout.
Skye Blue seemly joined Julia Heart overnight, it seems to be an odd build up where the champion in Heart has sought out her challenger in Abadon, stalking her weekly.
Heart and Skye Blue took turns dishing punishment on Abadon for majority of this match until she made the hot tag to Thunder Rosa who took it to Heart and Blue.
Thunder Rosa ended up getting the pin on Sky Blue after nailing her with the Tijuana bomb.
Winner: Thunder Rosa and Abadon
Continental Classic Blue League Match
Eddie Kingston vs Andrade El Idolo
Nothing against the competitor’s but I’m ready for this Tournement to be over, when there is 3 matches on one telecast it gets to be too much.
Both men had a hard hitting competitive contest that got the crowd chanting “this is awesome”
Andrade got the figure eight submission locked in but Kingston got to the rope.
Out of nowhere Kingston hit Adrade with his spinning back fist twice before hitting him with a suplex to get the win and advance to face Bryan Danielson.
Danielson came out and the show went off the air with Kingston and Danielson face to face.
Kevs thoughts – a show with too much Continental classic matches for my liking, once again Christian Cage’s segment is the highlight of the show for me. Too many key members of the roster are once again missing from the broadcast.
