I feel the product has suffered since this Continental Tournament has started and tonight has a bunch more matches. It seems any storylines with the wrestlers involved have gone out the window since this started.
29/11/23 – Target Center, Minneapolis, MIN
Commentary – Excalibur, Taz, Tony Schiavone, Bryan Danielson.
Bryan Danielson comes out with an eye patch and joins the commentary team.
Continental Classic Tournament Gold Match
Jon Moxley vs Jay Lethal
Both men being veterans, this was a highly competitive match as both men took it to each other in and out of the ring.
Moxley went for more a brawl style where as Jay Lethal worked a body part and targeted Moxley’s legs to try submit him with the figure four leg lock.
Moxley played possum like his legs collapsed, sucking Jay Lethal in to hit him with a DDT, a lariat and a piledriver, he then locked in a chokehold and tapped Lethal out.
Eddie Kingston was in a backstage promo next, it was from after his loss from Brody King from Collision. We seen a bit of a different side of Kingston here, seemed like he was a little deflated after his loss amd giving up his belts and maybe some seeds of doubt were setting in with his next match in the tournament being Bryan Danielson.
Back to Commentary, Danielson was full of confidence and says he is coming to win.
Tony Schiavone is backstage with Sting and Ric Flair, they take a trip down memory lane about their match in 1989. Greensboro NC will be the destination for Sting’s last match.
Continental Classic Tournament Gold Match
Marc Briscoe vs Rush
Both men lost their first round match so this was a chance to get a win on the board.
Both men hit hard and don’t hold back. Rush showboated a lot again in this match which I think is something that separates him as not many people in AEW do it.
These two hard hitters scrapped it out on the outside with Briscoe hitting a Cactus Jack like elbow drop onto Rush on the outside.
These two chopped and clotheslined the hell out of one another until both were on their back.
Rush seems to get into a chopping match with every opponent I’ve seen him against. Rush hit a hard forearm that knocked Briscoe to the corner, he then hit his bulls horns running drop kick in the corner to pick up the win.
Just like last match Rush’s chest was welted up.
Toni Storm backstage had Luther and Mariah May with her and RJ City who informed her she had to defend her title next week, she was a little worse for wear from partying after her title acceptance party.
This doesn’t work in the timeline as that was last week, why would she still be hungover a week later?
MJF in ring promo.
He says he respects Samoa Joe, he puts Joe over and talked about his accomplishments. He hyped his match with Samoa Joe at World End PPV.
Suddenly the lights went out and the Devil masked man’s goons were in the ring attacking MJF. Samoa Joe came running down to attack them and defend MJF like he said he would as the devil masked mens henchman retreated.
On the screen it said “Will you face the unknown man in a tag match?” “Are you a hero Max?” MJF accepted the tag match for next week.
I’m glad we are getting something next week as this has been going on a while and just having the unknown man appear on the screen every now and then was getting stale and ramping it up is definitely needed.
Singles Match
Wardlow vs AR Fox.
This match stemmed from a backstage altercation last week. AR Fox surprised Wardlow by jumping over the top rope and hitting Wardlow.
He tried another dive but was caught by Wardow and punished.
AR Fox hit a few highflying moves but his luck ran out as Wardlow clotheslined Fox and began to powerbomb him and even hit a Senton bomb off the top rope followed by another big last ride powerbomb to win by TKO.
In between the next match it showed you how Dante Martin got injured against Pentagon Jr 8 months ago and what a stupid move to take. No wonder it resulted in injury. I’m just surprised it was his foot, which was facing the other way around and that he didn’t break his neck.
Six Man Tag Team Match
The Hardy’s and Brother Zay Vs Top Flight (Darius and Dante Martin) and Action Andretti
I don’t like seeing The Hardy’s in this spot, they just seem so unimportant on the show.
Top flight come across like gymnasts the way they move and wrestle, Brother Zay is cut from the same cloth, both these guys are leaping and prancing all over the ring.
Bring his return, Dante Martin got his moment by pinning Brother Zay after so long out. Hardys were nowhere to be seen after Zay got pinned and I don’t blame them, they deserve a lot better, just look at their peers, Christian and Adam Copeland.
TBS Women’s Championship Match
Emi Sakura vs Julia Heart (c)
I’ve seen Emi Sakura lose week after week, yet here she is getting a title shot, nonsense.
Very predictable match with only one winner, Julia locked in the Heartless lock but apparently you can’t submit in “house rules” for the TBS Women’s title.
Heart went for a moonsalt that Emi botched by trying to move out the way, it looked like it had no impact, Heart got the pin and retained her title.
Backstage it was an awkward scene with Mariah May with RJ City, she came across as flirty with him but he looked uncomfortable with it, she went knocking and then went into Tony Kahn’s office.
Christian Cage In ring promo.
Christian calls Adam Copeland out to talk to him about some of the things he said last week.
Finally Copeland’s comes out, looking like he is going to kill someone, Christian has 5 security gourds in front of to block Copeland from getting to him.
Christian says the security wasn’t his idea it was management’s and he asks them to leave.
Christian says they aren’t going to make it to Montreal for their match because he is sorry.
He said he done some soul searching, he brought up all the memories of them together and when his family took him in, he mentioned he never had a Father which got the crowd to react.
He said he knows Copeland’s mom passing was the hardest thing he went through and that they should tag again together for her.
Just as Copeland was thinking and looking emotional, Christian went to try hit him with the TNT title but Copeland stopped him in his tracks by kicking him in the balls (what is going on, kicks to the balls have been happening on every show)
Edge said he taking the TNT title next week in Montreal and one more thing “Go Fuck Yourself”
Once again this storyline is the best thing on the show and if we get more of this kind of stuff from the rest of the roster the show would benefit greatly.
Continental Classic Tournament Gold Match
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs Jay White.
These guys brawled all over the inside and outside of the ring. Crowd were hot for Swerve, chanting “Swerve’s House”
The guys went back to brawling and we’re going toe to toe slugging it out.
Swerve hit his double foot Swerve Stomp which White narrowly kicking out.
White hit a Bladerunner out of nowhere with Swerve luckily rolling out the ring.
Jay White went for another Bladerunner but was countered into a sneaky pin for Swerve to win the match and add another 3 points to his talley in the match.
Two guys who are prime examples of what I mean with this tournament, Jay White was in a feud with MJF, cutting promos weekly and doing a lot of stuff not just wrestling. His faction Bullet Club Gold have just dissapeared from the show for some reason and he now he is just a wrestler and doesn’t feel as important.
Swerve was doing a blood feud with Hangman now he is just a wrestler. Swerve is a guy that I think needs to be pushed into the main event spot but before he can get there we need to hear some more promo’s from him to really get an idea who he is. I hope AEW realise what they have with him.
It was a big win for Swerve tonight though.
The Christian Cage/ Adam Copeland and MJF/Samoa Joe stuff really helped this show from being just wall to wall wrestling.
