**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, and Excalibur were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Our opening match was former AEW World champion Jon Moxley vs. “The Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth!
“This is a good opportunity for “The Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth,” said Jim Ross.
“Tonight, I’m going for the starring role—the winner!” said Nemeth in a pre-taped interview.
“Nemeth is in there with one of the most dominant pro wrestlers in the world,” said Excalibur.
The bell ran and Ryan Nemeth immediately tried for the pendulum DDT but Moxley blocked it. Moxley greeted Nemeth with a slap to the mouth, knocking him right to the mat.
“Jon Moxley just paint brushed ‘The Hollywood Hunk,’” said Excalibur.
“As Gordon Solie might say, ‘Un-ugh,’” added Jim Ross.
Jon Moxley hammered down on Ryan Nemeth with cross faces.
“We are seeing the number one ranked wrestler in the world Jon Moxley absolutely brutalizing ‘The Hollywood Hunk,’” said Excalibur.
Nemeth ducked a clothesline and followed up with driving knees to Mox’s midsection. The former champ got behind him and blasted him with a backdrop suplex! Mox stomped on Nemeth’s fingers!
“This is one role the ‘Hollywood Hunk’ probably wishes he never got,” remarked Tony Schiavone.
“Tony I don’t see this having a sequel,” replied J.R.
Mox hit a clothesline but Ryan Nemeth caught him off guard with a beautiful dropkick. It was enough to catch Moxley’s attention, too, as he quickly spiked Nemeth with the Paradigm Shift and pinned him for the victory!
“He wants the title back. He was robbed of it. We all know that,” said Jim Ross.
After the match Jon Moxley grabbed a chair and sat in the middle of the ring with a microphone:
“From the moment that I woke up in the morning without the AEW World championship I knew I would do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes…I will crawl through the mud, I will crawl through barbed wire landmines, whatever it takes to get back to the top and take the hill. It turns out that’s exactly what I’m going to have to do.
“What comes your mind, what images come to your mind…when you hear the words ‘exploding barbed wire deathmatch’? What images come to your mind? Fire, blood, burns, torture, agony, vintage Japanese wrestling magazines? How do these images make you feel? Disgusted? Revolted? Do your palms sweat? Do your hands shake or do you get a sick thrill? I’m an addict. I’m addicted to this. I’m addicted to being in this ring. I’m addicted to coming out to this ring, all the blood, sweat and tears, from the bottom of my soul, bare in the ring, it’s a feeling I can’t get enough of!
“So the idea of the exploding barbed wire deathmatch—it’s too attractive, it pulls me in. I can’t resist it, even if it is some kind of trap by Kenny Omega and his boys. Kenny, you are not the first in a long, sad line of guys to try to take me out. Win, lose, or draw, everybody in this building, everybody watching at home, everybody’s who’s been with me, who stuck by me through everything, you will know that when it’s all said and done, that I gave you everything that I had. And if it does come to an end at REVOLUTION, live on pay-per-view, in an exploding barbed wire deathmatch, that feeling that I can’t get enough of, that seems like a perfect way, a hell of a way to go out.”
Up next: Team Taz’s “Absolute” Ricky Starks & “The Machine” Brian Cage vs. Varsity Blonds—Griff Garrison & Brian Pillman, Jr.!
Taz joined the commentary team for this match.
Starks and Pillman began for their respective teams, with Pillman wrenching Starks’ entire arm with a wristlock. Starks reversed it but Pillman clocked Starks in the face with a cartwheel kick! Garrison tagged in and continued to work over Starks’ arm. Pillman tagged back in and connected with a dropkick out of the ring onto Starks. Pillman attempted to springboard from the top rope but Ricky pushed him, forcing Pillman to crash land on the arena floor. Outside of the ring, Cage hoisted up Pillman and powerbombed him on the edge of the metal ring steps and ring post!
Starks and Cage worked over Pillman’s back and neck. Cage rammed Pillman into the turnbuckle and then chopped him, following up with a rough pump kick. Cage connected with a backdrop supelex for a near fall on Pillman. Cage did biceps curls using Pillman’s body. Starks tagged back in and hit a middle rope dropkick on Pillman. Finally Pillman dodged Starks long enough to get the fiery tag to Garrison, who cleaned house on Starks and Cage with clotheslines and forearms. He dropped Brian Cage with a high boot. Cage rolled to the outside.
“Garrison running over Team Taz here,” said Excalibur.
Garrison elevated himself over the top rope and smacked into Cage on the outside with a crossbody block. Garrison pancaked Starks and went for the cover but Cage jumped in to break up the ref’s count. Cage ate a springboard clothesline from Pillman. The Blonds used a dropkick-powerbomb combo on Starks for a near fall!
“Ricky Starks kicked out with a half a second to go or less,” said Jim Ross.
Cage got the blind tag and nearly took off Pillman’s head with a discus lariat! Cage spiked Pillman center of the ring with the drill claw for the victory!
“Sting, wherever the hell you are, pay attention my friend. And Darby Allin, well, we know where he is—nowhere to be found,” said Taz.
The arena went dark!
A video played of Sting rescuing TNT Champ Darby Allin from the confines of a body bag in the desert.
The arena lights came back on and it began to snow in Jacksonville! Sting was dragging a body bag onto the stage. Sting unzipped the body bag and it was revealed that Taz’s son Hook was inside! Sting pointed to the rafters and Darby Allin ziplined down to the ring with his skateboard, hitting Starks and Cage in the process! Sting exacted revenge to Cage with kicks after the powerbomb that Cage nailed him with last week! Darby dropped stiff punches to Starks on the outside of the ring! Sting smacked Cage with swift strikes!
“Darby Allin and Sting are taking the fight to Starks and Cage ahead of REVOLUTION and their street fight on pay-per-view,” said Excalibur.
Sting ran and squashed Cage with the Stinger splash! He followed up with the scorpion death drop on Cage!
“Sting and Darby Allin return fire to Team Taz! The street fight will go down on Sunday, March 7th at REVOLUTION on pay-per-view but a shot across the bow has been fired tonight by Sting and Darby Allin,” said Excalibur.
Earlier in the day, Tony Schiavone interviewed Miro and the newlyweds—Kip Sabian and Penelope Ford:
“This is a very uncomfortable interview, I’m going to be honest with you,” said Tony Schiavone looking into the camera.
“Why is it uncomfortable?” asked Miro.
“Because of what happened during the wedding,” answered Schiavone.
“Tony the fact that we’re even having this interview is a joke. BEACH BREAK was supposed to be the best day of our lives. But what happened, Tony?” asked Kip.
“Well it was destroyed,” replied Tony.
“Who was it destroyed by Tony?” asked Kip.
“It was destroyed by Charles ‘the Butler’ and Orange Cassidy,” replied Tony.
“They couldn’t even go to a honeymoon because of Orange Cassidy and Charles ‘the Butler.’ And trust me I’m going to destroy Orange Cassidy in no time. But caving Charles’ head in is a different story. Not because he can match me in the ring, it’s just the fact that I like Charles. He’s a nice man. He’s very organized. I want to take this opportunity to tell Charles he can come back. Come home,” said Miro.
As Miro was pleading to the camera, someone handed Tony Schiavone a note.
Tony read the note: “Will you wrestle us at REVOLUTION?”
“This is exactly what I’m talking about. It’s childish, you associating yourself with Orange Cassidy is childish. Charles, be a man. I’ll teach you how to be a man,” said Miro, and then he crumbled up the paper, put it in his mouth and spit it at Schiavone.
This was followed by Brandon Cutler (who is 8-1 in his past 9 singles matches) vs. Inner Circle’s Jake Hager!
Cutler tried a big right hand at Hager but Hager ate it for lunch and then chucked Cutler into the turnbuckles! Cutler dodged Hager’s charge and dropped fists on him! Hager had none of it and planted Cutler with a wheelbarrow German suplex! Hager deadlifted Cutler and dropped him with another suplex! Hager placed Cutler in the corner and slugged away at his rib cage.
“Talk about text book on how to work on a body…the body blows by Hager on Cutler right there,” said Schiavone.
Hager caught Cutler with a massive boot! He followed up with the Hager Bomb! Cutler used his quickness, pulled the top rope down and sent Hager spilling to the outside. Cutler shot at Hager with a tope suicida! Cutler took flight again with a tope con giro!
“Hager is getting hit with all kinds of angles here,” said Jim Ross.
Cutler jumped off the top rope but Hager caught him and planted him hard! Hager rag dolled Cutler with a big, running clothesline and pinned Cutler!
“Jake Hager making short and impressive work of Brandon Cutler,” said Excalibur.
The Inner Circle (Wardlow, Santana, and Ortiz) joined Hager in the ring and continued the assault on Cutler. The Young Bucks hit the ring and superkicked Santana and Ortiz! They aimed for Hager but he got out of the way and left the ring.
“Hager dodged the bullet,” said Jim Ross.
Matt Jackson grabbed a microphone: “Yo Chris Jericho…MJF…hey boys we don’t have to wait until REVOLUTION, how about you get your stupid asses down to this ring right here, right now!”
Jericho and MJF replied on the big screen! Jericho asked, “We ran into someone wandering around backstage. Does this belong to you?” He held up a bloodied and unconscious Papa Buck! Jericho rammed Papa Buck into the AEW semi-truck, right smack against Nick Jackson’s graphic! MJF picked him up and this timed he shoved Papa Buck headfirst into Matt Jackson’s graphic!
“He looks pretty rough. You’d better call a doctor. Or better yet, come back here and pick up your trash,” said Jericho.
“See you boys at REVOLUTION,” said MJF, and then he and Jericho did The Bucks’ famous pose.
MJF and Jericho peeled away in an SUV as Matt Jackson chased after them by foot! Papa Buck was taken away in an ambulance.
A hype package aired for next week’s episode of DYNAMITE: THE CROSSROADS—featuring Shaq & Jade Cargill vs. “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes & Red Velvet (with Arn Anderson)!
Private Party’s Isiah Kassidy (with Matt Hardy and TH2—Jack Evans & Angelico) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page was next!
Page punched Kassidy as the bell rang! He stomped away at Kassidy! Page followed up by tossing Kassidy across the ring. Kassidy kicked Page as Page rolled back into the ring. Page answered with a hard lariat out of the corner! Page stared at Hardy who was taunting him on the outside of the floor.
Page jumped over the top rope and came down like a ton of bricks on Kassidy! He shoved Kassidy into the steel barricade and then clotheslined him, knocking him over into the front row. Page chopped away at Kassidy, grounding the high flyer! Kassidy escaped a powerbomb and jumped back into the ring. TH2 distracted ref Aubrey Edwards and Matt Hardy pulled Page off the ring apron before he could execute the buckshot lariat! Hardy rammed Page shoulder and arm first into the steel ring post!
Alex Reynolds and John Silver of the Dark Order sprinted down the ramp to get Aubrey Edward’s attention, pointing out Hardy’s interference to her. She ejected Matt Hardy from the match!
Kassidy didn’t allow this to distract him as he kept the pressure on Page with stomps in the corner. Kassidy focused on Page’s arm with a submission hold. Page rallied back as Reynolds and Silver shouted words of encouragement. Page was about to go for the Buckshot Lariat when Kassidy clobbered him with another elbow strike. “Hangman” jumped back in with a rolling elbow strike, but Kassidy kicked out at the two-count!
Kassidy connected with a step-up kick. Page improvised with a death valley driver! Kassidy dodged a sliding lariat but Page followed up with a brain buster in the center of the ring! After hitting Page with a poison rana, Kassidy found a crossarm breaker but Page grabbed the bottom rope! Kassidy was looking for the destroyer but Page countered with the dead-eye in the center of the ring, pinning Kassidy!
“Page scratched out a hard-fought victory here tonight,” said Excalibur.
“You chose the Dark Order over Big Money Matt Hardy. I wanted to give you the world but you betrayed me. And now I’m going to hurt you in more ways than you can imagine. And I’m also going to hurt every single member of the Dark Order that you love so much,” said Matt Hardy over the loudspeaker. From the entrance tunnel, Hardy took #5 Alan Angels and tossed him off, sending him crashing through a table! The Dark Order and Page chased Hardy to the back!
Alex Marvez caught up with Kenny Omega and Don Callis in their private work space. Kenny Omega was welding something.
“We’re constructing what we call the ‘Moxley Extermination Chamber,’” said Don Callis.
“Look Marvez, you want something done right, sometimes you just gotta do it yourself,” added Omega.
Up Next: The Semifinal—United States Bracket of the AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Tournament—Dr. Britt Baker (with Rebel not Reba) vs. “The Native Beast” Nyla Rose!
They locked up and Nyla pushed Britt to the mat. They locked up a second time and Britt hung on with a side headlock. She tried to shoulder tackle Nyla but Nyla didn’t budge. She scooped up Britt with two slams!
Britt began throwing a temper tantrum at ringside and began kicking trashcans over. She returned to the ring but Nyla caught her with a Samoan drop, flattening Britt! Nyla was about to break Britt’s leg again with a cannonball senton but Rebel pulled Britt out of the way. Nyla overpowered Britt and pancaked her on the mat! Britt rolled to the outside and lured Nyla down, pulled her directly into the steel ring post!
Back in the ring, Nyla superplexed Baker off the top rope! She tried for a second suplex but Britt suplexed Nyla into the corner, right into an exposed turnbuckle! Nyla responded with clotheslines and a forearm! Nyla climbed to the top turnbuckle but Rebel stopped her. Rebel got planted on the ring apron for her trouble! Goodnight! Nyla connected with a nasty hanging neck breaker on Britt Baker! Nyla was about to Beast Bomb Baker but Baker dropped down to one knee. Rebel handed her the surgical glove but when Baker turned around, Nyla grabbed her with an authoritative chokeslam! Nyla shoved Rebel and squashed her with a cannonball senton. The distraction cost Nyla, though, because when she turned around Britt was there waiting for her, attempting to apply the lockjaw submission hold! Nyla powered out and smashed Britt down onto the mat! Britt kicked out at the two-count!
Nyla turned around to grab the turnbuckle pad but Baker hit her with a thrust kick, and then rocked her with a second thrust kick! Nyla pounded her way out of the lockjaw again! Nyla clobbered Britt with a powerful right hand! Britt kicked out after a Beast Bomb! Finally after another Beast Bomb, Nyla Rose pinned Britt Baker!
“She shook the floor with that Beast Bomb,” said Jim Ross.
Next week on AEW DYNAMITE we’ll hear from Paul Wight for the first time!
And now it was time for tonight’s main event!
In a FACE OF THE REVOLUTION Ladder Match Qualifier—Rey Fenix vs. “The MurderHawk” Monster Lance Archer (with Jake “The Snake” Roberts)!
“Who’s hotter than Rey Fenix? In many circles, fans will tell you Rey Fenix is the best in the world. And they may be right,” said Jim Ross.
Archer shoved Rey Fenix and Rey Fenix slapped him back! Rey Fenix started to chop away at Archer’s legs with kicks. Archer blocked a hook kick from Rey Fenix! Rey Fenix did a handspring off the ropes and Archer just moved and knocked him down.
Rey Fenix exploded out of the ring with a tope onto Lance Archer, landing onto his feet! Rey Fenix climbed to the top rope and Jake Roberts grabbed his ankle, sending him down onto the ramp. Rey Fenix went airborne, elevating over the back of Jake Roberts onto Lance Archer!
Rey Fenix returned Archer to the ring and connected with a big springboard frog splash! Archer kicked out and whipped Rey Fenix into the corner turnbuckle. Rey Fenix, unsteady on his feet, was clubbed back down by Archer. “The MurderHawk Monster” attempted a chokeslam but Rey Fenix escaped. Archer decked Rey Fenix with a lariat, knocking him to the floor. Archer whipped Rey Fenix into the steel guardrail!
“These two guys are having a phenomenal match. It’s an early match of the year contender!” said Tony Schiavone.
Archer nailed Rey Fenix with a flipping senton against the steel barricade! He tossed Rey Fenix back into the ring and suplexed him halfway across the ring! Rey Fenix fought out of the Black Out! He dropped the double foot stomp onto Archer’s head!
“He has dropped the monster!” said Excalibur.
Rey Fenix tried to pick up Archer but Archer countered with a release German suplex! Archer was slow to get to his feet. Both men were feeling the toll of this extremely physical contest. Archer walked the ropes and dropped a moonsault onto Rey Fenix!
“Look at Archer’s expression. What is it going to take to put away Rey Fenix?” remarked Excalibur.
Rey Fenix fought his way out of the corner with knife edged chops, but Lance Archer rammed him back into the corner with an elbow right to the face. Rey Fenix countered the second elbow and Rey Fenix hit a kick to the side of Archer’s head after the tight rope walk! Rey Fenix hit a rolling cutter on Archer for a two-count!
“Rey Fenix is trying with all his might to wear Archer out but Archer is a bull,” said Jim Ross.
Lance Archer smashed Rey Fenix with a fishermen’s buster for a near fall! They climbed to the top rope and Rey Fenix took Lance Archer down with the Spanish fly! Archer powered out at the two-count! Archer collided with Rey Fenix with the pounce, stopping Rey Fenix in his tracks. Archer choke slammed Rey Fenix but Rey Fenix kicked out again! Archer finished off Fenix after the black out!
“What a collision this was,” said Tony Schiavone.
After the match, Archer and Rey Fenix fist bumped as a sign of mutual respect.
Be sure to join us next week as AEW DYNAMITE: THE CROSSROADS is broadcast live on TNT! And be sure to order AEW REVOLUTION, airing less than two weeks from now live on pay-per-view, on Sunday, March 7th at 8PM ET!