DCU Center, Worcester, MA
Commentary – Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, Taz
Adam Copeland comes out to the ring to begin the show, he talks about the negativity surrounding pro wrestling this week, this seems like a response to CM Punks interview this week.
Copeland says this is the most fun he has had in his career being in AEW. Copeland seems to go on a tangent about how good AEW is and where the best wrestle here.
This promo was lame and I don’t think it helped the cause, I’m not sure why they decided this was a good idea.
Copeland introduces Will Ospreay to the ring for the first match of the night.
The problem with what Copeland is saying is AEW isn’t what Copeland says it is, the show needs a lot of work and the ratings reflect this.
Singles Match
Will Ospreay vs Will “Powerhouse” Hobbs
The commentary team speak of Ospreay being in the Don Callis family, nothing on TV has suggested he is actually in the faction.
These guys battle on the outside with Hobbs showing amazing strength picking Ospreay up in a suplex and throwing him on the steel steps.
Hobbs then uses the fall away slam on Ospreay to throw him on the announce table as the show goes to an ad break.
Hobbs really dominated this match, tossing the smaller Ospreay around the ring. Ospreay in my opinion needs to remove the forearms that he probably learnt in NJPW from his repertoire, they don’t look anywhere as good as a good punch does.
Every time Ospreay got some offence in this match Will Hobbs cut him off with a power move. Out of nowhere Ospreay hit a flying corkscrew off the top rope then landed his back elbow to pin Hobbs
Winner – Will Ospreay
After the match Powerhouse Hobbs looked pissed, he went after Ospreay with Don Callis trying to break the two up.
As Ospreay made his way up the ramp, Bryan Danielson came up the ramp passed Ospreay
Hobbs seems like he is stuck in the same spot he has been for years with him seeming unable to climb the card anymore than where he is.
Singles Match
Bryan Danielson vs Lance Archer
The problem with Archer is he has been booked horribly, he is always in a state of stop start and is never made to feel as important on TV.
Archer went straight for Danielson as soon as he came in the ring. Even though Archer dominated Danielson and threw him around the ring, I didn’t feel at any point that Archer would win this match.
Danielson finally got in control of this match as he worked on the big man Lance Archers legs, they brawled to the outside with Archer slamming Danielson on the hard part of the ring apron, randomly Archer kicked one of the AEW crew members and slammed him on top of Danielson.
Back from the break Archer had been dominating Danielson around the ring, finally Danielson made a comeback and hit a bunch of flying leg drops and then locked in a cross face on Archer.
Danielson hit his flying knees to Archer but had little to no effect, he tried it again with Archer on his knees and connected to pin the big man.
Winner – Bryan Danielson
Renee has Chris Jericho at the top of the ramp with him still using the “Lionheart” gimmick.
Jericho calls out Hook as he had something in his head from their confrontation last week.
Jericho asks Hook to believe in him like he believes in Hook. Hook says he believes in Chris and that’s why he got them a match this Saturday on Collision, Hook said he will be keeping an eye on Chris as the two fist bump.
Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty are backstage with Moriarty telling Taylor that the fastest way to the top is to beat the golden child, it turns out it will be Taylor and Moriarty vs Jericho and Hook on Collision.
We already know that these two are losing, especially against Hook and Jericho, at some point you have to make these mean something otherwise it’s always going to be a waste of time.
Singles Match
Jay White vs Billy Gunn
Jay White comes out for his entrance but Billy Gunn is right behind him and sucker punch’s White.
Gunn lays in some great looking punches all the way down the ramp pressing White against the guardrail.
Gunn chases White into the crowd laying some more punches in.
Referee Aubury Edward’s pleads with Gunn to take the match back to the ring but is ignored.
After an eternity with no count out Gunn throws White into the ring.
It wasn’t long until Gunn clotheslined White back to the outside.
On the monitor it is shown the Acclaimed had been jumped in the back and we’re laying on the floor.
Back in ring Billy Gunn hit his “One and Only” finisher but took too long to make any sort of pin. He then hit his “Fameasser” followed by a second with the crowd chanting for a third.
Gunn then went to the outside and grabbed a chair but Billy Guns sons Austin and Colt were shielding Jay White.
White used the distraction to low blow Billy Gunn with him winning by DQ.
Winner – Billy Gunn
Jay White and The Gunns looked like they were going to triple team Billy Gunn but The Acclaimed made the save with them laying a beat down until The Gunns and Jay White retreated.
Renee calls out Willow Nightingale who comes out with Kris Statlander and Stokley Hathaway.
Willow puts over the city as a home away from home where she cut her teeth going up and down the road with Kris Statlander.
Stokley puts over Willow and says she has impressed him week after week.
Mercedes Mone comes out and says she can’t wait to see Willow tear it up with Julia Heart and says whoever wins she has next as Mone dances down the ramp.
AEW Tag Team Title Tournement Semi Final
The Young Bucks vs Best Friends (Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta ) with Chuck Taylor and Trent’s Mom
The Young Bucks continued to use underhanded tactics which has been a theme since they have returned.
Behind the referees back they have been using low blows and tonight they removed the turnbuckle pads to try throw Cassidy into it.
The were double teaming Cassidy and imitated his slow lazy kicking style he does, this was a mistake as when they finally went for the EVP trigger the missed which allowed Cassidy to go on a flurry of offense.
Best Friends almost won the match with The Bucks own move the “TK Driver”
All four men went at it with it spilling to the outside, Matt Jackson super kicked Chuck Taylor and almost did the same to Beretta’s senior citizen mom which got the crowd booing.
Matt Jackson catapulted Trent Beretta into the exposed turnbuckle, grabbing the tights to get the victory to advance to the final.
Winner – Young Bucks
The Bucks after the match taunted and made fun of Beretta’s mom. In the ring The Best Friends were about to do a three way hug but Trent Beretta clotheslined Orange Cassidy, turning on him as he left to the back with the crowd shocked.
Number 1 Contenders Match
Thunder Rosa vs Mariah May
Tony Storm joins the commentary team.
Mariah May started this match super aggressive hitting some Toni Storm style offense.
Thunder Rosa fought her way back in this one brawling on the outside and smashing Mariah up against the guardrail.
Both these women went for it, with some really aggressive offense with both hitting some brutal back suplexes with the referee checking that either wasn’t concussed.
Mariah went for her finisher the Mayday but it was reversed into a backstabber then Rosa’s finisher the Tijuana Bomb for the win.
Winner – Thunder Rosa
Toni Storm was speechless on commentary with Rosa screaming at her that she is going to take her title.
Backstage Penta is with Alex Abrahantes who says what the people want is Penta with gold around his waist so next week it will be Penta vs Adam Copeland for the TNT title.
Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe contract signing
Tony Schiavone is the host of the contract signing. Joe signs first and says he has some advice before Swerve signs
He says that signing the contract is career altering decision and that he would beat him so severely.
Swerve responds with saying that Joes title rain he has been a killer but so is he as he punches Joe and goes to wrap the chain around Joes neck, Joe headbutt’s Swerve and grabs the chain which he uses to repeatedly punch Swerve until he is a bloody mess.
Joe leaves but Swerve grabs a mic and said he “loves this shit” as he laughs like a crazy man with him grabbing a pen that he uses his own blood to sign the contract.
Joe runs back into the ring and slams Swerve through the table, he puts one foot on him and holds the title up above his head as the show goes off the air.
Kevs thoughts –
I thought the closing segment was a good way to make the feud between Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland more personal and its setup that the match will be an intense one.
I thought Adam Copeland’s opening promo was almost like Tony Kahn asked him to go out and say these things to shine positivity on AEW. I thought this segment was a bit lame.
Trent Beretta turning on Orange Cassidy was an interesting swerve. But apart from those things the show kind of just plodded along with not really a lot happening.
