This week’s show kicks off with Jake Roberts walking into a dark empty room with a chair. He says “tick-tock” as he takes a seat and begin cutting his promo as sadistic / ominous music plays while he talks.
He goes on to list dangerous activities, such as jumping out of an airplane without a parachute, before comparing those activities to the experience of getting in the ring with Lance Archer.
Jake goes on to point to last week’s in-ring debut for Archer, where he manhandled Marko Stunt, as he transitions into a speculative rant about how Cody might lose to Shawn Spears in the quarterfinal TNT Championship Tournament that kicks off tonight.
– Tony Schiavone welcome us to the show. He introduces his special guest announcer for tonight, the former “Le Champion” of AEW and the leader of the Inner Circle — Chris Jericho.
Lance Archer vs. Allen Angels
After that, “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer immediately begins making his way to the ring. His opponent, who Tony and Chris refer to as Allen Angels, is already in the ring.
The bell sounds and here we go. Instantly, Archer starts taking it to his smaller foe, dominating him from the opening bell. The match is nothing more than a showcase performance / squash match for Archer to shine, and that’s just what he did.
When all was said and done, Archer finished Angels with ease after taking him out with his impressive finisher — The Blackout.
Winner: Lance Archer
Britt Baker vs. Hikaru Shida
Now Dr. Britt Baker starts making her way out, as the fast pace of this week’s show continues. Jericho has some fun with Schiavone and his history on AEW Dynamite over the past several weeks with Baker, noting Baker gave him more TV time than he has had in ages.
Baker’s opponent is now out, Hikaru Shida. We have the number four and number one contender in the current official rankings for AEW’s women’s division.
The bell sounds and these two start to go at it. Jericho continues having fun on commentary, although only in quick spots to add humor. He and Schiavone just had some fun proving they are die-hard fans of the rock band KISS.
Meanwhile, Baker has established complete control of the offense in this one. She poses laying on the mat at Austin Gunn, who is among those in the peanut gallery-type audience sitting in the stands near ringside for the show.
While still firmly in control of the offense, Baker continues to gloat and showboat, which leads her to a full-on conversation with Schiavone, with Jericho shouting at her to watch out but her somehow not hearing him. This led to Shida blasting Baker with a high spot and taking over control of the bout.
The action spills out to the ring, where Shida remains in control. On that note we head to a mid-match commercial.
We return from the break and we see Baker stuck in a tight submission from Shida. Baker struggles and eventually makes her way to the ropes to break the hold and keep her chances in the match alive.
Baker fights her way back into the bout, blasting Shida with a double-arm butterfly suplex before going for the Mandible Claw on Shida. Unfortunately for Dr. Britt D.D.S., Shida managed to escape. Chris Jericho puts over this match for the second time, praising the efforts of Baker and Shida.
Jericho now calls a kick to the kidney spot in the match, bringing up that “we have seen top wrestlers get knocked out with kidney shots before” — Anyone remember Alistair Overeem vs. Brock Lesnar?
Now Baker’s nose is pouring blood like a faucet. Baker throws a wicked kick to the face of Shida as she continues to fight despite her face slowly becoming a crimson mask. Shida tries suplexing Baker in the ring from opposite sides of the ring apron, but Baker blocks it and heads to the top rope.
Shida goes up as well and now Shida has Baker laying across her back like a Samoan Drop position, but instead she jumped off the ropes backwards and through Baker’s body up, which crashed down and smashed into the top turnbuckle in awkward fashion. Shida follows up with a running flying knee to the busted face of Baker. 1-2-3.
Winner: Hikaru Shida
Backstage:
We head backstage after the women’s bout and we see Kenny Omega hanging out with Michael Nakazawa. Omega talks about the two being good friends from their DDT days. Omega talks about seeing the lineup for tonight and how they are teaming up against The Best Friends but told Nakazawa that they need a name. Nakazawa suggests they be called The Best Friends. He tries explaining that the name of the team they are facing is The Best Friends. Nakazawa says but we really are best friends and brings up Omega being an Executive Vice President (EVP) at AEW and can change their name if he wants. With that said, Orange Cassidy walks in and opens a door, revealing the fact that Trent and Chuck were behind a wall listening to Omega and Nakazawa. They eventually agree that whoever wins their match tonight will earn the rights to “The Best Friends” tag-team name. We head to commercial break.
– We return from the break and we are treated to a “Countdown to UFC” or “HBO Boxing 24/7” (R.I.P. HBO Boxing) style video that looks at Moxley and Hager training and preparing for their No Holds Barred showdown for the AEW World Championship on next week’s AEW Dynamite. A veteran from season one of UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show, Josh Rafferty, is featured as one of the “talking heads” interviewed for the video package. Hager mentions not only wanting to beat Moxley to win the AEW title, but after he does that, he’s going to go win the Bellator title. They go back to another commercial break.
– Cody talks about the TNT Championship and says that Warner Media was really pushing for it. He and Spears talk about the tournament and their match. Spears says there isn’t a lot of firsts in wrestling anymore but he could be the first TNT Champion. Cody discusses the stipulation of him not being able to challenge for the World Title anymore, so this gives him a chance to get on top with a different title. They also discuss their past.
Best Friends vs. Kenny Omega & Michael Nakazawa
Taylor and Omega start things off. Omega and Taylor chain wrestle for the first couple of minutes until Trent and Nakazawa tag in. Nakazawa pours his stupid baby oil on his chest and Trent’s chops slide off him. Omega tags back in and they take turns stomping on Trent.
Nakazawa hits an Atomic Drop on Taylor followed by a Omega Bulldogging Nakazawa onto Taylor’s crotch. Nakazawa pulls Trent out to the apron and crotches him in the ring post.
Omega hits an Elbow Drop for a nearfall and puts Trent in a chinlock as this match just won’t end. Trent catches a charging Omega with a Lariat. Taylor and Nakazawa tag in. Taylor lays both Omega and Nakazawa out with Running Sledges. Taylor Drop Toeholds Nakazawa into Omega’s nuts.
Trent clotheslines Nakazawa to the floor. Taylor and Trent hit tandem Slingshot Planchas. OC rolls into the ring and Best Friends go to hug him but Omega and Nakazawa trip them. Omega and Nakazaw try to hug him but he avoids them.
Trent and Taylor hit them from behind. Best Friends avoid a Cross Body attempt from Nakazawa and then he squirts oil in their faces. OC hits a Suicide Dive onto Omega and the referee lets all of this to go for whatever reason. Trent hits a Tornado DDT for a nearfall on Nakazawa.
Omega tags in and hangs Trent up in the ropes. Omega then hits a Fireman’s Carry on Chuck followed by a Hanging Backstabber on Trent. Omega hits a Snap Dragon on Trent and runs into a Flying Knee from Taylor. Trent hits a Flying Knee on Omega and then tosses him into a Pop-Up Powerbomb from Taylor for a nearfall.
Omega hits a Buckle Bomb on Trent and Nakamura hits a Super Angle Slam on Taylor off the top. Omega and Nakazawa hit a Doomsday Device on Trent for a neafall before Taylor breaks it up. Nakazawa hits his stupid Ultimate Venom Arm but Taylor breaks up the pin attempt again.
Nakazawa goes for it again but Trent ducks and he hits Omega. Trent hits the Half-and-Half for a nearfall but Omega breaks it up. Taylor drags Omega to the floor and Trent hits a Spike Piledriver on Nakazawa for another nearfall.
Taylor throws Omega into the barricade and Best Friends hit the Strong Zero for the pin.
Winners: Best Friends
– In a vignette, Brodie Lee is shown arriving to meet Dark Order members. Brodie talks about perception to them and asks them why two of them look sloppy, while another member looks nice. Lee says that he is here to make every life he touches extraordinary. Lee tells the sloppy members to get their act together and show him that they want the unlimited power he is offering. He tells the other member that he has an opportunity for him and they walk away. Back to commercial.
– A bloody Britt Baker is interviewed backstage. She says Shida plays dirty and calls her the dirtiest wrestler she has ever stepped foot in the ring with. She says that she better be glad that she didn’t touch Baker’s teeth but even if she did she could fix them herself because she is a dentist.
– Another Hager-Moxley hype package is shown.
– Matt Hardy cuts a promo on the Inner Circle. He says that he calls Proud-n-Powerful “Loud and devourable” and he loves Puerto Rican food so he can’t wait to sink his teeth into them. Hardy says that Jericho has brainwashed Hager. He says that he will not let Inner Circle overtake AEW and tells Vanguard to bring the Inner Circle shirt Jericho tried to give him, but Vanguard burns it. Hardy says that he and The Elite will “delete” the Inner Circle and offers Jericho to come to the Hardy compound and face him in the “Elite Deletion.”
Lee Johnson vs. “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee
Johnson attempts to dropkick Lee as he comes in the ring but gets killed for his troubles. Lee hits a Big Boot and then an Eddie Guerrero-style Slingshot Somersault Senton. Lee hits a Running Elbow in the corner and a Half Nelson Suplex. Lee hits the Black Hole Slam followed by the Discus Lariat for the pin.
Winner: Brodie Lee
TNT Championship Tournment (Quarterfinals)
Shawn Spears vs. Cody
After the two go back-and-forth for the first few minutes Spears rolls out to the floor and shoves Austin Gunn. He then pulls out a chair and throws it in the ring. As Cody reaches out to grab it, Spears slides in but eats a clothesline. Cody hits a Springboard Cutter for a nearfall.
Cody hits a Front Suplex for another nearfall but Spears comes back and rolls Cody up for a nearfall. Cody floats over a charging Spears and hits a Pump Kick for a nearfall. Cody uses his weight to lay on top of Spears’ shoulders with his knees for another nearfall.
Cody goes to the top and attempts a Diving Moonsault but Spears moves and hits a Piledriver. Spears drags Cody to the floor and hits him with a Neckbreaker.
Spears whips Cody into the corner and then Superkicks him outside. Spears grabs a barricade and leans it up against the apron. Spears Suplexes Cody onto the barricade. Back in the ring, Spears gets a nearfall and then attempts a Springboard Frog Splash but Cody gets his knees up!
Cody hits a Snap Powerslam for a nearfall followed by the Beautiful Disaster attempt, but Spears avoids it and hits a Sky High for a nearfall.
Cody hits a Tope Suicida onto Spears on the outside as Spears was pulling out a table at ringside. Cody sets up the table at ringside and tosses Spears back in the ring. Cody climbs to the top but Spears shows off his athleticism by leaping to the top and hitting a Butterfly Superplex.
Spears rips the padding of the top turnbuckle as Brandi climbs up on the apron and yells at him. Cody grabs Spears from behind and goes for the Crossrhodes, but Spears blocks it and goes for the C4. Cody blocks it so Spears tosses Cody over the top rope through the table at ringside! Cody manages to roll back in the ring right before the 10-count.
Spears talks trash to Cody and slaps the hell out of him. Spears attempts the C4 again but Cody counters into a pair of Crossrhodes’! 1…2…NO Spears kicks out and Cody cannot believe it! Cody pulls Spears’ knee off and locks him in the Figure Four. Cody bridges up on his hands and actually pins Spears.
Winner: Cody
PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE:
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
LATEST NEWS var numposts = 7;var showpostthumbnails = true;var displaymore = false;var displayseparator = true;var showcommentnum = false;var showpostdate = false;var showpostsummary = true;var numchars = 100;
