It’s finally here on Wednesday night, the match fans have waited a year to experience is coming to fruition LIVE and it will be one talked about for some time to come! BLOOD AND GUTS, two rings, one massive steel cage, and ten men enclosed inside its confines; it is going to be one historic evening on TNT! The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle are going to war, and not a one of these men will be the same in the aftermath.
In addition to that steel spectacle, the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega will be in tag team action (whether he likes it or not) against Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston. Nakazawa will be standing by his side as partner, but one has to assume the rest of The Elite will be watching closely. Plus #1 Ranked Dr. Britt Baker will be in action, four of the top ranked teams in AEW will collide to see who gets the next shot at The Young Bucks titles, and former best friends will lock horns when QT Marshall has to answer to Cody Rhodes for his crimes!
It comes to a head starting at 8pm EST/7pm CST on TNT, or on AEWPlus.com for our International fans, but the excitement begins on our official YouTube channel (Watch Here) with DARK: ELEVATION, ROAD TO… BLOOD AND GUTS, and AEW DARK, as well as loads of other content for the full Elite Experience!
BLOOD AND GUTS…
The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Ortiz, Santana, Sammy Guevara)
Vs.
The Pinnacle (Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, MJF, Shawn Spears, Wardlow w/ Tully Blanchard)
*Two men start
*After 5 minutes, the 3rd man enters
*After that, every 2 minutes a new man enters
*The Pinnacle has the advantage
*Match can only end when all competitors have entered the cage
*Match can only end by submission or surrender
The time is upon us; time for violence unparalleled and for ten men to unleash hell upon one another. Time for a massive steel structure to completely enclose two rings and trap The Pinnacle and The Inner Circle within its confines. It is time for fans to finally witness a war they anticipated a year ago, albeit not with the same exact combatants, but certainly with a ferocity unrivaled by anything seen before in AEW.
From the moment MJF began pursuing membership within The Inner Circle, fans began speculating just what his ulterior motives may be, and it was not just those on the outside of the guardrails questioning just what Mr. Dynamite Diamond Ring had cooking. Every single member of The Inner Circle wondered just what Chris Jericho was thinking by even considering MJF’s membership as a possibility. He was not wanted by Santana or Ortiz, and Sammy Guevara was by far the most vocal opposition to Max’s bid for consideration. Hager, to no surprise, was not the most vocal but certainly gave Wardlow his fair share of death stares.
MJF would earn his way into the group by defeating Le Champion at FULL GEAR 2020, and would do everything in his power to endear himself to the most of other members of the group. A trip to Vegas that Max paid for, offering a shoulder to lean on to the other men at times of need, it certainly felt like MJF was trying to secure acceptance in The Inner Circle and it seemed to work, with varying degrees of success, with everyone but “The Spanish God”. In truth though, it seemed Max was doing all he could to alienate Sammy from Chris at every turn and purposefully poking the bear with little things like gifting Guevara the wrong sized coat, telling him the wrong time to meet up, or, in the final moments, attempting to record Sammy saying incriminating things about Jericho.
Throughout all of it, MJF just sat back and tried to hide a sly smile, thinking he was pulling one over on Jericho and, it appeared, angling to take over The Inner Circle as his own. As can be seen in this video below, Max certainly thought he had it all in the bag…
…and while he was wrong in that moment, it still turned out that Chris Jericho and The Inner Circle underestimated that machinations of Max and just what games he’d been playing behind the scenes with other men on the AEW roster:
With the in-ring prowess of Shawn Spears, Cash Wheeler, and Dax Harwood, and the riches of a lifetime of experience in Tully Blanchard, not to mention the fact he already had a beast in Wardlow in his corner, in turned out MJF had amassed a supergroup of his own behind Chris Jericho’s back. Their goal: the complete eradication of The Inner Circle and claiming their spots atop Mount AEW. The Pinnacle is truly a perfect nomenclature for this collection of men.
The violence erupted immediately with The Pinnacle absolutely decimating Chris Jericho, Santana, Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager. MJF’s crew would even take over The I.C locker room, albeit briefly, because when Jericho and the boys returned, well things got quite bloody for The Pinnacle. Even Tully Blanchard felt the wrath:
The heat was most definitely on, and would only escalate from that vicious assault! Jericho would end up battered by The Pinnacle with his broken body carried out to the ring while the rest of The Inner Circle remained barricaded in that aforementioned locker room. It was only the timely arrival of “Iron” Mike Tyson that saved the former AEW World Champion from a gruesome fate, and the boxing champion would again prove a crucial element a week later when he served as ringside enforcer for Jericho’s bout with Dax Harwood. Intended to be a match where only Wheeler and Guevara accompanied their respective stablemates to the ring, it broke down into chaos and Cash would be the one paying the stiffest price thanks to a knockout blow from Tyson.
Since that brawl, there has almost been a forced cooling off period. Each group had interviews in separate locations and with their own interviewers, JR with The Pinnacle in a remote location and Tony Schiavone with The Inner Circle in the ring, and then the Parley and its ceasefire last week to set the terms of engagement. It was very evident that restraint was not an easy thing for either unit to abide by, but they all managed to keep it together to set the rules, but one man in particular made sure he was just as vocal here as he was during everything that led to this moment.
Sammy Guevara proudly declared he would start the match, that the Inner Circle would give The Pinnacle the man advantage, and that he would fight everyone from the popcorn guy on up in order to decimate MJF and his crew. Guevara even took to an old favorite communication method to further press the point…
Now we stand on the precipice of violence with BLOOD AND GUTS coming Wednesday night. Men who have experienced this kind of hell and speak from experience have pressed the point that this kind of match changes a man, and his career, irrevocably. Arn Anderson likely stated it best in that there are no winners here, just survivors, thus all individuals involved have had to come to some sort of peace with themselves before entering this match.
It is likely to be a match beyond any scope of violence or pain we have witnessed in AEW thus far, and for those who survive, the question is what will be left of them? Join us this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE as we all experience BLOOD AND GUTS!
TAG TEAM CONTEST…
AEW World Champion Kenny Omega & MT Nakazawa (w/ Don Callis)
Vs.
Jon Moxley & Eddie Kingston
Since December, when he beat Jon Moxley at DYNAMITE: WINTER IS COMING, the AEW World Champion Kenny Omega has perpetually tried to make life hellish for the former champ. Many thought it would come to a head at REVOLUTION 2021 with the infamous Exploding Barbed Wire Match, but it actually served as yet another moment to not only elevate the hate between the two men, but also shockingly pull Eddie Kingston into the fray. After all the pain and punishment Mox and Kingston inflicted upon one another during 2020, “The Mad King” experienced a moment of clarity and quite literally threw himself into the mix to help a man who had been a dear friend before the AEW World Title came between them.
It was a needed addition for Moxley, because despite his willingness to forge ahead on his own against all odds, the truth of the matter is that he needs assistance. When dealing with not just Mr. Belt Collector Omega, but also The Good Brothers, Don Callis, and even MT Nakazawa, Moxley was perpetually at a disadvantage. It was not an alien scenario, Jon essentially went at it solo against The Inner Circle prior to winning the World Title from Chris Jericho at REVOLUTION 2020, but it is not an ideal way to prolong your career nor reclaim that championship when you’re being assaulted at every turn.
Kingston did suffer for the crime of helping Moxley when Omega and his Elite entourage used a chair to nearly break Eddie’s ankle. They left Kingston hurt yes, but the mistake wasn’t in attempting to injure Kingston, but rather in leaving him breathing. “The Mad King” has proven that as long as there is breath in those lungs, he will fight, and clearly from the fact he has had plenty of words for Omega and his allies, Eddie still has breath to spare.
Still, King’s injury forced Moxley to do something he has only done sparingly in AEW and that is accept help, in this instance in the form of The Young Bucks. Considering they were facing men who Matt and Nick Jackson have long considered friends, it was certainly a hesitant alliance for Mox but for the majority of the match, the AEW World Tag Team Champions competed as if they were facing any other foes. Yet when it came down to brass tacks, to driving that proverbial final nail in the coffin and winning the match, The Young Bucks chose friendship and superkicked their boots into the face of Jon Moxley. In that moment, the numbers in opposition to Moxley and Kingston grew by two (three really since Brandon Cutler has been dragged into the mix by the brothers Jackson), but as with Kingston, The Elite made another horrendous decision by leaving Moxley breathing.
The Elite suffered for that decision, or rather their fancy new trailer did since the men inside smartly fled, when Jon and Eddie drove a truck right into the side of it. Then, as seen in the video embedded above, Nakazawa nearly paid for his allegiance to Omega in the same fashion as Kingston. Kenny was willing to sacrifice not only Nak, but also Brandon Cutler, rather than get into the ring with Kingston. The two men should be grateful for Moxley as he made sure that neither Cutler nor Nakazawa ended up the lamb here, drilling Kenny from behind and tossing him into the ring.
With Omega now at their mercies, Kingston and Moxley got what they wanted out of Don Callis, this tag match right here, and a chance to level some revenge at The Elite. What will be interesting to see is if the AEW, AAA, and IMPACT Champion will actually step foot into the ring willingly or if he will leave MT Nakazawa to the tender mercies of their foes. And of course, there is always the wonder of just what the other members of The Elite will be doing when this match goes down and if they’re just waiting in the wings for their chance to strike!
GRUDGE MATCH…
“The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes (w/ Arn Anderson) vs. QT Marshall (w/ The Factory)
Over a year ago, as Cody Rhodes stood in the ring before the fans in Colorado, as well as those watching around the globe, to address his recent loss to MJF at REVOLUTION 2020, Jake Roberts surprised the wrestling world when he emerged to confront “The American Nightmare”. That night, “The Snake” referred to Cody as “Mighty Caesar” and Roberts said he was not there to praise Cody but rather to slay him. As history tells us, the arrival of Roberts into AEW would ultimately lead to “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer crashing onto the scene and leaving many a body in his wake.
But the words Roberts chose referencing Julius Caesar, the immortal lines paraphrased from Shakespeare’s play, they continue to resonate within the life of the former 2-Time TNT Champion as he has suffered one betrayal after another from those he thought closest to him. MJF stood as one, now QT Marshall stands as another, but just as Brutus was not alone in the conspiracy to assassinate Caesar, neither was Marshall a lone wolf in this plot to put down Cody and co-opt The Nightmare Factory for his own purposes.
Anthony Ogogo, Nick Comoroto, and Aaron Solow made a choice to side with QT in his violent coup that also claimed the members of The Gunn Club, as well as Dustin Rhodes and Lee Johnson, and spit on the FAMILY part of The Nightmare Family. Look at how it all unfolded, with QT challenging an already injured Cody to an Exhibition bout a few weeks back, and it is clear as crystal that Marshall had been sliding his pieces into place for some time now. His treatment of other Nightmare Family members, his attitude towards Dustin Rhodes at REVOLUION 2021, it all points towards QT slowly finding his path to the Senate and gathering co-conspirators to slide the knives into the bodies of Cody and any who took up his side.
Dustin Rhodes, Billy Gunn, and Lee Johnson have all felt the wrath of QT’s Factory. Even this past Monday on DARK: ELEVATION, one of the most promising students of The Nightmare Factory, Dillon McQueen was put down when he tried to stand up to QT in response to Marshall’s betrayals. The number of men who have stepped up in defense of The Nightmare Factory is testament to the kind of loyalty Cody Rhodes engenders from those without jealousy in their hearts, but this Wednesday night it is time for the figurehead himself to return to the fray!
Unlike Julius Caesar however, Cody Rhodes is not going to hide his face and resign himself to the fate QT Marshall intended. That was more than evident last week on DYNAMITE when the two former friends fought their way to the top of the Nightmare Family bus, with referee Aubrey Edwards valiantly following in an attempt to rein in the chaos. That fight showed Rhodes is more than ready for the battle, and it will go down on Wednesday night as part of the loaded DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS edition on TNT!
Does QT Marshall have the courage of his convictions to actually go toe-to-toe with Cody Rhodes without some conspiratorial element surrounding the match? Can QT rise out of the Rhodes shadow he believes he was trapped in and defeat his former friend? We shall see this Wednesday night…
4-WAY TAG TEAM ELIMINATOR MATCH…
***WINNER EARNS A FUTURE TAG TITLE MATCH***
(#1) SCU (Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian) vs. (#2) Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy/Luchasaurus) vs. (#3) Varsity Blonds (Brian Pillman Jr/Griff Garrison) vs. (#4) The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens/Max Caster)
Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian, owning the top spot in the tag team rankings, may be hot on the heels of the AEW World Tag Team Champion Young Bucks but they aren’t the only ones in pursuit of the brothers Jackson. The entire division would love to be the ones to knock the champions of their perch, the Sydal Brothers, for example, tried to earn that last week in a World Tag Team Title Eliminator Match but, as can be seen in the video above, were unsuccessful. As a team outside of the rankings, they were trying to earn a a championship match by beating the champs, but the four teams entering the ring in this match are already in contention.
This week on DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS, it’s not a matter of earning a shot, but rather laying claim to the next title opportunity! SCU, JurEx, Varsity Blonds, and The Acclaimed are all solidified in the top five rankings and each has their own reason to believe they deserve the next opportunity.
SCU, after declaring they would dissolve their team with another loss, have (obviously) not felt defeat since December 16th when The Acclaimed upset them on DYNAMITE. With a victory on DARK last night, that means Daniels and Kazarian have won thirteen straight tag team matches going into this four way elimination affair, have a 17-5 tag record overall, and own that top spot with an unbeaten 2021 at 12-0.
The Jurassic Express pair of Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus have had their own tremendous track record in tag team action with an overall record of 23-6, and 16 consecutive wins since a loss to FTR back in September of 2020. With seven of those victories having come in 2021, including that titanic GODZILLA VS. KONG battle with Bear Country, JurEx has more than earned their spot in the rankings.
The Varsity Blonds come into this contest with a 10-2 record on the year after DARK on Tuesday night, and are looking to shock the world by winning this battle of the best. Pillman and Garrison have been grinding it out since the day they became a team, building off the experience their 4-7 record garnered in 2020, to become a worthy contender for the Young Bucks championship. Their only defeats this year came at the hands of the Chris Jericho/MJF duo and the Team Taz pairing of Brian Cage and Ricky Starks, but otherwise Brian and Griff have gelled into a prime duo and this is their chance to firmly establish their spot by beating three other top teams for that title opportunity.
And last, certainly not least, would be the fourth ranked pair of Anthony Bowens and Max Caster: The Acclaimed. Although the team only just reentered the foray with Anthony Bowens return from injury, they picked up right where they left off 2 ½ months ago and have added another trio of wins to their resume following this week’s edition of DARK. Holding a 6-1 record in 2021 after those, The Acclaimed want another crack at The Young Bucks and those World Tag Team Titles, especially after failing to claim the belts in December of last year from Matt and Nick. Max and Anthony will have to outlast three of the best teams in AEW to have a hope at getting that shot, but more so than their foes, The Acclaimed have demonstrated a willingness to cut corners if need be in order to get the win.
Which duo will rise to the occasion and challenge The Young Bucks in their fifth championship defense? Tune into DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS to find out!
TOP OF THE WORLD…
Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D has achieved her goal of claiming the top spot in the Women’s Rankings as her own, which of course means that after weeks of declaring them fraudulent or biased, Baker now heralds them as “profound, respected, and logical”. Regardless of the transparent inconsistencies in her statements, it is unarguable that Baker deserves her spot sitting atop the division.
She stands at 8-1 in the singles division for 2021, her one official loss coming at the hands of Nyla Rose during the Women’s World Title Eliminator Tournament, and Britt has been victorious in five of her last six singles bouts. She is spot on when talking about her merchandise, her general effect on viewing numbers, and thus her insistence on being the face of the women’s division holds merit. The only thing missing from the Good Doctor’s portfolio is the AEW Women’s World Title that Hikaru Shida has now held for almost 350 days, and clearly that is the next mountain she looks to climb. Baker has already gone above and beyond operating as both doctor and wrestler, so her aims to add champion is consistent with this drive to be at the top of everything she does. Baker’s path to challenging Shida will continue this week on DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS, and no doubt the AEW Women’s World Champion will have a close eye on this match!
BE AFRAID…
Last week Miro surprised everyone, but no doubt Kip Sabian the most, when he absolutely destroyed “Superbad” in what appeared to be a demonstration of tough love. It was frightening, disturbing, and quite questionable, as Kip repeatedly said “I’m sorry” while the beating continued. Possibly the most disturbing facet of this onslaught was that, when it ended, after Miro slammed Sabian’s arm in the door, Miro told Kip he forgave him.
Miro would then unleash his wrath on Will Allday during DARK: ELEVATION this past Monday night, and we anticipate hearing from him on Wednesday night during DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS! We know he is hungry for championships, any and all of them, but what will Miro have to say about his actions last week? Tune into TNT to find out!
A structure anticipated for the last year, two bloodthirsty factions who crave dominance in AEW, and two men in MJF and Chris Jericho who will lead the charge for their units; this Wednesday night it comes to a head at DYNAMITE: BLOOD AND GUTS on TNT and AEWPlus.com! Plus Cody and QT, a huge tag team battle for a title opportunity, the World Champion in tag team action against two men who want his head, and more! This is the most can’t-miss edition of AEW DYNAMITE yet, and with all the landmark moments that have happened, that is saying quite a lot!
Prepare for all the action by visiting our official YouTube channel (Watch Here) for the ROAD TO…BLOOD AND GUTS, DARK: ELEVATION, AEW DARK, and all the other top shelf content on that platform! And don’t forget that next week, May 12th, the legendary Yuji Nagata (Read Here) returns to TNT for the first time in over 20 years to take on Jon Moxley with the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title at stake! Combo tickets for BLOOD AND GUTS and 5/12 are on-sale now, with tickets for 5/12 becoming available on 5/7!
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