Posted on 5/18/125 by Bob Magee
Megan Bayne (w/ Penelope Ford) defeated Anna Jay (w/ Harley
Cameron)
Bayne drove Jay back into the corner, attacking with
shoulder blocks and a chop. Jay got distracted by Ford on
the floor and Bayne hit a kick that caused her to fall to
ringside. Bayne hit a back suplex on the apron on Jay while
blowing a kiss to the camera and waving. Bayne hit a belly
to belly suplex out of a bear hug, which was impressive.
Bayne missed a senton on the apron and her and Jay exchanged
strikes until Jay hit a back stabber. Jay low bridged Bayne,
forcing her to fall to the floor, and followed with a
crossbody off the apron onto both Ford and Bayne.
Jay hit a blockbuster off the middle rope, but Bayne
responded by holding onto Jay as she hit the neckbreaker and
rolled into a falcon arrow on Jay. Jay countered Fate’s
Descent with DDT and tried to lock on a sleeper, but Bayne
fought out. Ford pulled a turnbuckle pad off, but Harley
Cameron pulled Ford out of the ring and they brawled to the
back. Jay hit a drop toe hold into the exposed buckle on
Bayne, but Bayne kicked out of the school boy roll up. Jay
locked on the sleeper again, but Bayne drove Jay into the
exposed buckle back first, and then powered Jay up into
Fate’s Descent. This was fine, but the crowd was pretty dead
for the match. A lot of the women are struggling with taking
Fate’s Descent (the F5), so this looked a little rough. Jay
is way better than she was even just a year ago, and Bayne
is very good, and this match was better than the crowd
reaction would dictate.
Kyle Fletcher (w/ Don Callis) defeated AR Fox
Fletcher rushed Fox to start the match, hitting a Yakuza
kick in the corner. Fox hit a jumping kick on Fletcher and
ran up the ropes and did a bunch of springs into a
wheelbarrow bulldog on Fletcher. Fletcher ran back into the
ring before Fox could dive and hit a pop-up eye of the
storm, which was a cool twist on the old James Storm move.
The graphics AEW showed throughout this match were glitched
on screen, and I’m not sure if this was a Triller issue or
something with the file they sent to Triller to air.
Regardless, it was a bit distracting.
While TNT was on break Callis commented that his desire for
the Hangman Page vs. Will Ospreay match was that they both
get injured and Fletcher comes in and wins it. Fox hit a
school boy into a cutter, which was really cool. Fletcher
fought off a piledriver and hit a half nelson suplex. Fox
tripped Fletcher on the apron and hit a stomp to him while
rolling over the ropes, and then hitting a tope con giro to
the floor. That was really cool. Fox missed a 450 splash and
Fletcher picked him up and hit a Michinoku driver for a two
count. Fletcher hit another Yakuza kick, but Fox hit a
cradle for a 2-count. Fox dodged a kick to a great reaction
from the crowd, but Fletcher took control again, hitting the
kick he just missed, and hit a vertical drop brainbuster for
the win. The crowd was getting into this one by the end, and
Fletcher did take most of the match. Good match.
–A short recap video aired for Hangman Adam Page and Will
Ospreay. Good way to drive the story home.
Brody King, Tomohiro Ishii, & Bandido defeated Lance Archer
& Roppongi Vice (Trent Beretta & Rocky Romero) (w/ Don
Callis)
Ishii immediately went after Romero, angry that he betrayed
CHAOS, but Beretta pulled Romero from the ring, allowing
Lance Archer and Brody King battle to the delight of the
crowd. Both big men hit hard strikes, but King hit a big
boot and a tope suicidia to the floor on Archer. Great start
to this match. King tried to hit a running attack on Archer
on the floor but Beretta cut him off with a busaiku knee on
King. Archer hit a chokeslam on King onto the apron and it
broke down into a ringside brawl between everyone.
The graphics continued to be washed out like someone used
the fill function in photoshop to paint them all white while
they advertised several matches before going to break.
Romero and Beretta almost hit Strong Zero, but Bandido
superkicked Beretta to break it. Brody King and Ishii helped
launch a running shotgun dropkick on Rocky Romero, which
almost went through Romero at the speed he hit, and King hit
a cannonball in the corner for the win.
–Lance Archer attacked King after the match and the Don
Callis family started beating on the babyfaces, but the
Outrunners ran down to make the save and cleared the ring.
The Outrunners, sadly, got very little reaction.
–We saw the Paragon talking to Lexy Nair while the Grizzled
Young Veterans walked up to them, and I am having déjà vu as
this angle was almost exactly the same as last week, except
this time, we now have a date for their match – next week on
Collision.
Mike Bailey defeated Blake Christian (w/ Lee Johnson)
As one would expect with these two, it did not start slow,
with Blake Christian hitting a lowpe on Bailey, followed by
a 450 double stomp on Bailey. That had to suck. Christian
and Bailey exchanged kicks in the middle of the ring until
Christian went for a springboard until Baily hit a superkick
on the incoming Christian that dropped him. Christian and
Bailey exchanged chops in the middle of the ring, ending
with Bailey firing up and demanding Christian chop him.
Christian stomped his foot instead, but Bailey hit a crane
kick and a triangle moonsault to the floor on Christian.
Lee Johnson distracted Bailey on the floor, allowing
Christian to hit his fosbury flop through the middle rope.
However, this did not last long, and Bailey hit a top rope
hurricanrana and a spinning heel kick for the win. This was
very fast, both in time, and actual moves done in such a
short period of time.
–Mike Bailey grabbed a mic and challenged Kazuchika Okada to
come out and fight him. Okada’s music hit and he made his
way to the ramp. As Okada was talking, Rush and Dralistico
came in from the crowd and laid Bailey out. Rush eyed Okada,
and Okada feigned great sadness at Bailey getting beat down.
It seems we’re heading for a multi-man match for Double or
Nothing.
–A short recap video aired for The Gates of Agony vs. The
Learning Tree for their street fight that is coming up next.
–A post match promo from Dynamite with Jon Moxley aired, as
he was still covered in blood, as he said that no one will
ever make him flinch, and that Gabe Kidd worked for him now.
Kidd ended the promo with the words, “Abandon all hope.”
Truly awesome promo from Moxley here. One of the best he has
done in awhile.
The Learning Tree (Big Bill & Bryan Keith) defeated The
Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
As expected, this was a wild brawl. Keith was driven through
a table in the corner by Kaun hitting a spear. Toa Liona Big
Bill went into the middle of the ring, and Liona broke a
pool cue over his own head, tossed the other half to Bill,
and then they started wailing on each other with the broke
pieces of the pool cues. That was awesome. Eventually they
got tired of doing that, dropped the broken cue, and started
charging at each other repeatedly without falling.
Bishop Kaun started choking out Bill with a cut cable of
sorts, and smashed him with a garbage can. Keith hit Liona
with the broken pool cue and Liona smacked Keith with a
garbage can lid. Kaun and Liona started getting over in this
match with their violence against Bill and Keith. There is
definitely something they could do with these two.
Liona and Kaun put a garbage can over Keith’s head and put
him in a tree of woe, hitting dropkicks in the corner. Liona
then hit a Banzai Drop on Keith but Bill ran in and laid him
out to make the save. Bill grabbed a backpack from ringside
that was filled with bricks, and a fan in the front row
audibly yelled “Oh man! Bricks!” That was hilarious. Bill
went to hit Kaun with the brick against the ringpost, and
Kaun ducked and Bill broke the brick against the ring post
with an awesome loud sound. Liona dumped Bill over the
announce table, taking out some of the crew, as Nigel jumped
into the front row to avoid getting hit.
Keith hit Liona with a garbage can lid but Liona no sold it
and hit Keith before hitting a crossbody over the barricade,
onto Keith, who was propped up on the barricade, and they
destroyed the timekeeper’s area. Liona picked up Keith and
attempted to put him through two tables at ringside, but
Keith countered out of it. Big Bill ran in and hit a big
boot that sent Liona crashing through the tables. Keith
grabbed a piece of drywall and broke it over Kaun’s head,
who just laughed about it. Keith hit a knee and Big Bill hit
a chokeslam as the fans chanted “We want drywall!” a chant I
never expected to hear. Bill pinned Kaun in this wild brawl
that was tons of fun.
–A hype video aired for Mina Shirakawa and Toni Storm, with
Shirakawa saying that her time was now, and she was going to
take Toni Storm’s title.
–The tribute for Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael was next, with his
widow, Misty, and Dean Malenko there. Tony Schiavone ran
down the story of Mongo’s football career and his start in
wrestling, being on TNT on Monday Nitro as a commentator,
and joining the Four Horsemen. Flair said a lot of very nice
things about Mongo here, talking about the six year battle
Mongo faced with ALS, and the fans started chanting Mongo’s
name. Flair thanked all the fans as Schiavone announced AEW
working with an ALS charity. This was really nice.
The Sons of Texas (Sammy Guevara & Dustin Rhodes) defeated
Cru (Action Andretti & Lio Rush)
Nigel McGuinness said that he never saw a team look so
sharp, referring to the points on Rush and Andretti’s
jackets, and I laughed. I do love a good pun. However, them
wearing actual spikes instead of stuffing filled ones on a
jacket would have made it better. Andretti mocked Rhode’s
old Goldust gimmick, and Rhodes quickly made him pay for
that, then tagged out to Guevara who hit a standing
moonsault. Guevara hit a dive onto Cru, and Guevara then
asked Rhodes to do it, and the fans cheered him on. He hit
the ropes, told them to suck it, then did a spinaroonine.
Not sure what I expected, as it wasn’t that, but it was
hilarious.
Rush worked over the bigger Rhodes while he was grounded,
and it reminded me of how good Leo Rush actually is, as he
was so smooth in everything he did, right down to clipping
the knee of Rhodes, letting Andretti tag in and continue the
heat. I liked how they did this, as they are significantly
smaller than Rhodes, but were able to make it seem
believable as they cut down the bigger man. Rhodes got the
foot up on a corner charge, hit a classic Rhodes style
powerslam on Rush, and tagged in Guevara for the hot tag.
Guevara flew over the ropes onto Andretti, hit a crossbody
into the ring on both, and hit Rush with a cutter.
Guevara hit a second cutter on Andretti for a 2-count.
Guevara called for a top rope move, but missed a 450 splash.
Andretti and Rush then hit a seamless series of moves. Rush
taunted Guevara, and Cru both hit kicks and a suplex on
Guevara for a 2-count as Rhodes broke it up. Rhodes hit a
Canadian Destroyer on Rush, but Andretti hit a superkick on
Rhodes and dropped him. Guevara flipped out of a burning
hammer and hit a GTH on Andretti and pinned him before Rush
could come in to make the save. The finish seemed a little
weird, like Rush was late getting there, but regardless, The
Sons of Texas will face the Hurt Syndicate at Double or
Nothing. Good match, though we spent weeks watching Cru in
the crowd for nothing, it seems.
–Willow Nightingale & Kris Statlander were arguing
backstage, and both of them said “When you’re done with the
Death Riders, you know where to find me,” with Willow
insinuating that Statlander was joining them and Statlander
was commenting on Willow’s ongoing feud with them.
–Tony Schiavone ran down a few of the matches we will see
over the next week, including a stretcher match being added
to Double or Nothing between Ricochet and Mark Briscoe. That
seems a little out of nowhere for the stip, but not for the
match, at least. I list the full announcements below the
main event! Schiavone noted that we should see the promo
that Ricochet did on social media. While I have no problem
watching a promo on social media, the majority of fans that
watch the show do not watch social media promos, so a clip
of it would have been nice here.
Powerhouse Hobbs defeated Wheeler Yuta
Yuta hit some forearms that Hobbs no sold, but got Hobbs
necked on the ropes. It didn’t do much good though, as Yuta
ran into Hobbs and nearly killed himself as Hobbs hit a
shoulder tackle. Yuta poked Hobbs in the eyes and went for a
crossbody, but Hobbs caught him and hit an Oklahoma
Stampede. Hobbs slammed Yuta repeatedly on the apron then
hit a massive superplex. Hobbs looked insulted that Yuta had
the audacity to kick out.
Yuta slipped out of another middle rope move attempt from
Hobbs, and hit a dropkick to the knee of Hobbs. Yuta ripped
the kneepad off Hobbs’ right knee, screamed “What is all
this tape for?” before stomping Hobbs and announcing he had
to five, echoing Bryan Danielson in ROH, as the referee
tried to break the hold and resuming stomping the knee. Yuta
was incredible in this match as a heel.
Hobbs refused to give up, as he and Yuta ended up back on
the ropes again, and Yuta bit Hobbs and shoved him from the
ropes and hit a big splash for a 2-count. Yuta mocked the
‘Yes’ chants of Danielson, going for a busaiku knee, but
Hobbs hit a clothesline and a powerslam to cut him off, and
the fans chanted, “Meat!” for Hobbs. Yuta ended up caught in
the corner, and he ate several lariats which McGuiness
dubbed a series of t-bones and a ribeye. Yuta went to the
knee again, and for the busaiku knee once more, but Hobbs
popped up and hit a big spinebuster to pin Yuta. The crowd
was not overly hot for this match, but Yuta was an
incredible heel.
–Marina Shafir ran down to the ring from the crowd and hit a
chopblock on Hobbs. Willow Nightingale ran down to make the
save, hitting Shafir with a spinebuster. Yuta grabbed Willow
by the hair to stop her beating on Shafir, but Willow shoved
him into a forearm from Hobbs. Nightingale went to hit a
powerbomb on Yuta, but Shafir pulled him from the ring, and
the camera showed Statlander at the entrance tunnels
watching the events as the show went off the air.