We are live from the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas… which just happens to be Thunder Rosa’s hometown! We’re not wasting any time so let’s get right to the action!
The Undisputed Para-Era guys are out first to a HUGE reaction, and the good guys follow to the same. Jungle Boy and Cole to start and the crowd is READY for tonight. Jungle Boy with a hurricanrana and a dropkick early and Cole makes the tag to Bob Fish. Luchasaurus isn’t here for it as he’s chopping the life out of everyone. Fish smartly chops out the legs of the Dino as he faceplants on the apron. reDRagon making quick tags back and forth as they’re chopping down Luchasaurus. Luchasaurus fights out of the corner and makes the tag to Page who delivers boots to Fish and KO, and an apron lariat to Cole. Dives everywhere! Page is on fire and the crowd is pumped for it. Page with a pop up powerbomb to Fish for a long two count! Page looks to set up the Buckshot but Fish rolls out of the way. Tag to Jungle Boy who takes out the entire UE (?) on the outside. Page and Jurassic Express are all on the same turnbuckle and they all moonsault to a different direction! KO distracts the referee and Cole delivers an enziguiri to Jungle Boy. Back breaker into a knee drop by reDRagon that gets a two count. Top wrist lock by KO and they’ve effectively isolated Jungle Boy. JB into the ropes and HUGE rebound lariat to KO!Hot tag to Luchasaurus and he cleans house. Release German suplex to KO, super kick to Cole, choke slam to KO, then choke slam to Fish ON KO! Cole comes in to make the save and we’ve got a donnybrook. Tags on both sides and we have Page and Cole face to face! Double pump kicks by Adam Cole but Page nails the Deadeye! Fast and furious offense with everyone hitting their finisher. Jungle Boy with a DOUBLE DOOMSDAY DEVICE to KO and Cole! Bob Fish makes the save and he’s the legal man with Jungle Boy. Blind tag by Cole but Fish lands the High/Low with KO! Cole lowers the knee pad, BOOM! That will do it! Wow what a fast and furious match, and Jungle Boy doesn’t get pinned very often.
Winners: Adam Cole & reDRagon
Rating: ***1/2
In the back, Team Taz tells Keith Lee if he shows up to Rampage on Friday, he’s getting his ass kicked. Lee says the last time he hit Ricky Starks, he stayed down like a little bitch. Yikes.
Kris Statlander is shown removing her face paint in the back room.
William Regal has joined the commentary team, and he’s already taking shots at Excalibur which is hilarious. “Pre tell man with the mask, who is the demon boy?” Regal is on another level. Danielson attacks Yuta early with chops and a kitchen sink. Tag to Moxley and a big suplex. Frequent tags back and forth but Yuta is eating strikes from all sides. Yuta with an arm drag to Danielson and a hot tag to Chuckie T. Taylor is a house of fire here and locks in a single leg crab to Danielson, but Moxley makes the tag. Fast tags between Danielson and Moxley and they’re firmly in control of Taylor. Indian Death Lock by Danielson who tells Moxley “kick his head off! That’s exactly what Moxley is doing. Super plex by Moxley and a kimura from side control… with great form, by the way. Taylor is in dire straits as Moxley is looking to lock in the bulldog choke, but they’re in the ropes. Danielson in and delivers a snap butterfly suplex. Danielson misses a knee in the corner but doesn’t let Taylor make the tag. Moxley runs directly into Taylor’s knee and Yuta is in. Atomic drop by Yuta who quickly follows it up with an enziguiri. German suplex by Yuta for a two count. Yuta with HEAVY strikes to Moxley but Moxley with an Ace Crusher out of nowhere! Tag to Danielson and HART ATTACK by he and Moxley! YES kicks to Yuta who begs for more! Yuta up and elbows to both Danielson and Moxley! Regal Plex by Danielson and that’s got to be.. no! Two count! Danielson with wrist control and he’s stomping on Yuta’s face. Moxley is in and he locks in the bulldog choke to a nearly unconscious Yuta.. and that’s all she wrote. I am LOVING Danielson and Moxley. This was a tremendous match and while Best Friends didn’t get the win, they looked great in defeat, especially Yuta.
Winners: Jon Moxley & Bryan Danielson
Rating: ***1/2
After the match, Yuta heads back to the ring. Crowd is chanting “Yuta! Yuta! Yuta!” Yuta extends his hands to Regal… overhand slap to the face! Yuta goes right back at Regal but Moxley and Danielson are here to make sure he’s not feeling froggy. Regal tells Yuta to run along right now.
FTR is in the back with Tony Schiavone and they had to fire Tully… but they didn’t want to. Dax is wearing a Miracle Violence Connection shirt and holy cow. Here are the Young Bucks! Matt tells FTR they will always be number two, and they need a new stylist.
The Chris Jericho Appreciation Society Commencement is next!
Chris Jericho has successfully completed his transition into Sebastian Bach and it’s awesome. 2point0 say Jericho deserves to be praised and idolized for his contributions to wrestling and as a human being. The earth has been around for 4.5 billion years and we’re lucky enough to be alive during the Chris Jericho era. Jericho is the greatest performer in the history of the business, and nobody appreciates him. The roster doesn’t appreciate him. The Inner Circle doesn’t appreciate him. The JAS is nothing like the rest of the AEW roster, the JAS are sports entertainers. Absolutely tremendous. Daniel Garcia steals the mic from Jericho. Garcia says if Jericho is going to stand there and call himself a sports entertainer, then Garcia is an entertainer too. Daniel Garcia was in a car accident in 2019 where he broke his tibia and he needed help. Jericho donated thousands of dollars to him. 2point0 were given an opportunity by Jericho to be on his podcast thanks to Kevin Owens, and Jericho knew they needed to be hired by AEW. Jake Hager saved Chris Jericho’s life. “The Era of the Sports Entertainer” has now begun in AEW.
THIS. IS. WARDLOW. This entrance rules. Sky is flanked by Austin Vanderford, Dan Lambert, and Paige VanZant. Wardlow shrugs off Sky to start. Sky attacks with some strikes but Wardlow puts him in the corner and delivers some heavy shoulders. VanZant gets in the face of Wardlow on the outside but Vanderford gets in his face… and then makes out with VanZant. I guess I could see that. Wardlow isn’t impressed but Sky delivers a baseball slide to the face and he’s back in control. Sky is in control the entire time we’re in commercial break here. Wardlow with a wrist capture and an overhead release belly to belly. And another. Sky fights out of powerbomb position but gets caught with a choke slam. POWERBOMB SYMPHONY ON TAP. ONE! TWO! THREE! Lambert is up on the apron and Sky barely escapes to the outside. Shawn Spears has arrived, chair in hand. MJF from behind and posts Wardlow face first! Sky with the roll up from behind.. one, two, three! Sky needed to win to continue the momentum, and I think we all saw the MJF coming. That being said, it’s not a bad thing if it works. Sky needs some more convincing wins going forward, however.
Winner: Scorpio Sky
Rating: **1/2
Vanderford jumps in and delivers some elbows! MJF is in now too, as he holds Wardlow prone for Spears. Wardlow fights out and big boot to Spears.. he’s got MJF! Spears with a chair shot from behind to Wardlow as Vanderford locks in a rear naked choke. Wardlow is on his knees, chair shot to the head by Spears. MJF has the Dynamite Diamond Ring on his hand and he levels Wardlow in the center of the ring.
“Smart” Mark Sterling wants to know who’s ready to get the kiss of doom? Jade is tired of the questions, who wants to be number 30 on her record?
Crowd goes WILD for the Hardy Boys and it’s so crazy to hear their WWE music right here. Quen and Matt to start but the crowd is itching for Jeff… and here he is! Springboard off of Matt by Jeff to Quen in the corner… VINTAGE HARDY BOYS! Hardy back in with Quen after some double teaming. Quen responds with a jumping enziguiri and the tag has made to Kassidy. Kassidy is caught going up top but Quen pulls Matt Hardy to the outside and crotches him around the post! Slingshot senton by Quen and Matt is in trouble. Side Effect attempt by Matt but Quen counters with a dropkick. Kassidy on the outside with Matt and he eats a right hand, but Quen comes over the top! Matt gets out at two. Rude Awakening/diving foot stomp combo by Private Party for a long two count. Kassidy in the ring mocking Jeff Hardy and I have to say, he’s got the mannerisms down. HOT TAG to Jeff Hardy and the crowd has been waiting all match for this! Russian leg sweep and leg lock cover for a two count. Sit out gordbuster by Jeff Hardy and he’s going up top! Quen is there and he crotches Jeff on the top. Private Party are looking for Gin & Juice but Matt catches Quen with the Side Effect! Hardy lands a big splash off the top! Private Party are looking for the Silly String but Matt makes the save, in stereo Twist of Fate! Jeff goes up top, Swanton Bomb! 1, 2, 3, that’s it! The nostalgia effect in this match was real, that’s for sure. Matt and Jeff haven’t team in a long time so I can only assume they’ll get smoother, but the crowd enjoyed it and that’s what matters.
Winners: The Hardy Boys
Rating: **1/2
The Andrade Family Office have arrived and the Hardy’s are outnumbered.. but here comes Darby Allin and Sting! The AFO again think better of it and decide it’s in their best interest to take a walk.
Thunder Rosa gets a legitimate hero’s welcome in her hometown, and this feels special. Baker tries to escape the cage early, but Rosa isn’t having it. Rosa sends Baker HARD into the cage face first. Baker is bloody and Rosa is using the cage as a cheese grater and Baker’s forehead as some mozzarella. Rosa now slamming Baker’s face against the cage on the outside of the ring. Baker finally gets some offense in as she returns the favor. Baker with some boots in the corner now and Rosa is also a bloody mess. Baker tosses Rosa from the ring to the cage. Baker heads under the ring and finds a few chairs. You know what should be under there right now? Danhausen. Three chairs. Four chairs. Five chairs. All the chairs. Baker misses a shot with the chair and eats a clothesline, and now Rosa is in control. Rosa with a stunner followed by a big clothesline in the corner. Double knees and a corner dropkick, with a pin to follow, but Baker kicks out at two. Baker with a few back elbows and she inadvertently super kicks referee Paul Turner! Turner is out… Fire Thunder Driver by Rosa… but there’s no referee! Rosa puts a chair on top of Britt and goes up top, but Baker is up and delivers some chair shots to Rosa on the top rope. Baker now setting up all of the chairs in the center of the ring. Baker goes up top… Air Raid Crash off the top on the bed of chairs! No referee.. but here comes ref Aubrey! One, two, no! Baker sets up Rosa in the corner and unfolds some chair in front of her. Four chairs, to be exact. Make that six. Britt Baker is not only a dentist, but a contractor. Baker and Rosa battle at the top and Baker takes a fall backwards into all the chairs! BRUTAL landing! Somehow Baker kicks out at two! Baker then lands a superkick on Rosa. Baker goes under the ring and gets the thumbtacks! Baker spreads them out in the center of the ring and Rosa is back body dropped into the tacks! Baker goes for the lock jaw but Rosa slams her hand into the tacks! Rosa with a powerbomb on the tacks! Baker rolls outside, grabs a chair, hits Baker in the head with a chair! Back in the ring and the women are trading strikes, Rosa gets the better of the exchange and gets Baker up for the Fire Thunder Driver… nails it! One, two, three! That’s it! I think everyone saw this coming, but it doesn’t make the moment any less special. It’s a great win for Thunder Rosa who’s had a hell of a twelve months. That being said, something about this match felt a little… off. The finishing sequence from the powerbomb spot on looked a little off, but all in all, the women worked incredibly hard, and we had some great moments.
Winner: Thunder Rosa
Rating: ***1/2
Final Thoughts: There was a lot on tap for this show, and everything delivered. The wrestling was very strong throughout, and I think it’s time that AEW develops a trios title. The talent pool is there and we have plenty of three man teams. The beginning of the physical MJF/Wardlow feud, Young Bucks and FTR, there’s a lot of meat on the bone going forward.8.25/10.