Posted on 5/22/125 by Bob Magee
Hangman and Ospreay Face to Face
We kicked off Wednesday night with the men’s finalists from
the Owen Hart Cup tournament, Will Ospreay and Hangman Adam
Page. With security around the ring, Ospreay made it clear
that he didn’t plan to get physical, to which Page agreed.
So, the Aerial Assassin sent the extra security to the back.
Ospreay then asked Hangman if he still drinks. Not in a bad
way, of course – it’s just that Ospreay had a couple of
brews for himself and Hanger. With that out of the way,
Ospreay made his vision clear: He was out here to petition
Tony Khan to make Ospreay vs. Hangman the main event of
Double or Nothing, even knowing that meant that they’d have
to follow the bedlam that is Anarchy in the Arena.
As Ospreay sees it, what’s on the line on Sunday is more
than even the Owen Hart Cup trophy and a shot at the AEW
World Title. It comes with the responsibility of bringing
back that beautiful gold belt from Jon Moxley’s possession.
Ospreay said he’s done everything right. He lives and
breathes AEW. He flies seven to 15 hours every week to be
here. And he wants nothing more than to bring that
championship home. He wants to wear that belt in London at
Forbidden Door. And he wants nothing more than to walk into
that building in August and have his little son, who he
leaves every week, look up at him as AEW Champion.
Ospreay knows how much Hangman wants this. He just wants it
a little bit more.
Indeed, Hangman agreed. That’s the difference between the
two of them, he said. He knows that feeling, because he has
lived it. For Will, this would be a professional
accomplishment – the biggest that either of them could ever
dream of having. But it is just that for Ospreay: a
professional accomplishment.
But for Hanger, this is personal. He doesn’t want this
opportunity; he needs it, Hangman said, with his voice
cracking. He has wasted two years of his life, filled with
nothing but grief and sorrow and hate. In two years, he has
not won a single tournament or a single championship. And
the worst of it was the times he was at home, like Christmas
morning, when Page’s son was on the floor playing with his
toys and look up to see Hangman staring out the window,
leaving the young boy to realize that the man he knew as his
father was never truly coming back.
Hangman NEEDS this. He needs this for all of the people who
believed in him when he didn’t deserve it. And he needs it
for himself, because he needs to know that there can be some
kind of light at the end of this two-year tunnel through
hell.
So, Ospreay wondered, what is Hangman going to do about it?
Is he going to wrap a steel chair around Ospreay’s head? Is
he going to retire him, like Hangman did to Christopher
Daniels? Because Ospreay isn’t having that. He’s showing up
on Sunday and giving it his best. Sometimes, that hasn’t
worked. But Ospreay hasn’t cut corners. He hasn’t cheated in
the ring. If he has lost, he has lost leaving everything he
had in the ring – while winning people’s respect. And more
importantly, he won their trust.
Hangman shot back – Does Ospreay think that’s enough to go
up against the Death Riders? And Ospreay admitted he doesn’t
know. But Hangman does. So Ospreay asked that Page bring
that fire on Sunday and show him what it takes. He gets why
Hangman has been different. He gets why he’s been focused
elsewhere. But it’s been a year. An entire year has changed
Hangman. Kids don’t look up to him anymore. The boys
backstage have lost respect for him.
So Ospreay is going to bring his best. And his best has been
enough to beat Bryan Danielson, and Chris Jericho, and
countless others — because Ospreay, in his own words, is the
best in the ****ing world. When that bell rings, anything
can happen. And he wants to look Hangman in his eye and tell
him that if he wins, he is happy for Page. And if it is him,
it’s going to take more than one person to bring that belt
back. So if Page needs a friend, Ospreay is there. And he
hopes that if it goes the other way, Hangman feels the same.
All Star Trios Tag: Jon Moxley & the Young Bucks vs. Samoa
Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and Swerve Strickland
It’s time for a brouhaha! Samoa Joe and Jon Moxley started
things off, hammering each other smack dab in the middle of
the ring. Each then went to the corner, where Powerhouse
Hobbs and Matthew Jackson tagged in, as Hobbs laid it in
against Jackson. Swerve and Nicholas Jackson then got in on
the action, with Jackson falling prey to a massive suplex
from Swerve.
As the action spilled out of the ring, Moxley and the Bucks
seized the advantage, with Matthew and Nicholas delivering a
superkick party right on the chin of Joe. He shook it off
after a few moments, however, and took out all three
opponents with a dive to the outside.
Back in the ring, the Bucks and Mox went to work on the
injured left knee of Powerhouse Hobbs. It probably would
have been a good idea to keep at that strategy. Instead,
though, Nicholas Jackson woke Hobbs up by hitting him with
repeated open-hand slaps, giving Hobbs a chance to make the
tag to Swerve. The former AEW World Champion momentarily had
the upper-hand, but when he and Nicholas went to the
outside, the Bucks and Mox were able to turn the tables.
Mox took out Joe and Hobbs on the apron, allowing the Bucks
and Mox to triple-team Swerve in the corner. Risky Business
from the Bucks got a near-fall with a two-count on Swerve.
Mox continued to control Swerve with a cinched-in full
Nelson. Swerve escaped and leveled Mox with a headbutt to
finally make the tag to Joe, who came in with fists and feet
flying.
The Opps and Swerve capitalized on the shift in momentum,
culminating in a rare frog splash off the top from Hobbs.
Mox took Joe out with a Paradigm Shift, but Swerve
immediately countered with a stomp to the back of Mox’s
head, then stomps for the Bucks for good measure. Joe sent
Mox to the outside, but the Bucks recovered to take out Joe
with another superkick party. The Bucks then attempted to
hit the EVP Trigger on Swerve, but he ducked out of the way
and scored a roll-up for the three count and the win.
After the bell, however, the Death Riders made their
presence felt, only to be neutralized by a returning
Shibata. The Trios champion went to exact his revenge on
Claudio Castagnoli, but he was taken out by a low-blow by
Marina Shafir. That brought out Willow Nightingale to pounce
Shafir into the next town.
Kenny Omega’s music then hit, as he took out Wheeler Yuta,
Claudio and Matthew Jackson with snap-dragon suplexes. The
Opps and Nightingale set up a table for Omega to send
Jackson crashing through with a One-Winged Angel, but
Castagnoli saved Jackson.
But Joe & Co. weren’t done. The former AEW World Champion
said that he knows he has the Death Riders and the Elite
right where he wants them, but he’s not going to wait until
Sunday. He and his allies will be hunting all night long.
Crossing the t’s and Dotting the i’s
We then joined The Hurt Syndicate and their legal
representation, who were asked how excited they were to have
MJF join the group. As MVP said, though, a more apt question
would be how excited MJF is to join the group. On that note,
Max and his legal representation, Mark Sterling, entered the
room, as The Hurt Syndicate went to get something to eat and
let the lawyers do their thing.
MJF’s Official Contract Signing to Join The Hurt Syndicate
Celebration is in the air! First, The Hurt Syndicate made
their way to the ring, followed shortly by MJF in a brand-
new golden suit. Max’s mom used to tell him the most
important day of his life was when he’d marry the love of
his life. But MJF retorted that she must have never joined
The Hurt Syndicate!
After a bit of interaction with the crowd by MJF and MVP
(suffice it to say, neither is a big fan of New Mexico or
its lack of sports teams), Mark Sterling laid out how this
would go. First, MJF would sign the contract, then MVP, then
Shelton Benjamin, then Bobby Lashley. MJF, MVP and Benjamin
each signed in due time, but Lashley then hesitated. After
appearing to have a brief word with The Hurt Syndicate’s
attorney, Lashley signed, and MJF went to put on a Hurt
Syndicate hat.
But we had an interruption! Sammy Guevara and Dustin Rhodes,
who will face Benjamin and Lashley for the AEW World Tag
Team Championships at Double or Nothing this Sunday, came
out, with Rhodes telling Max to shut his mouth. Rhodes hates
MJF’s guts, and he needed Max to know that right now. Dustin
and MVP go way back, Rhodes said. And he has the utmost
respect for MVP. But he needed to warn MVP that he needs to
watch out for the snake that is MVP. And the Sons of Texas
want more gold. They have earned their tag team title match.
Rhodes knows they like to hurt people. And he dares Lashley
and Benjamin to jump on him and hurt him. There’s nothing
they can do that bigger and frankly better monsters have
already done. Sunday won’t be a walk in the park for The
Hurt Syndicate. Rhodes and Guevara fight with fire, and
passion, and heart, and soul. They’ll see The Hurt Syndicate
on Sunday in Phoenix.
Okada Challenges Speedball at Double or Nothing
Last week, Speedball Mike Bailey called out AEW Continental
Champion Kazuchika Okada. This week, Okada made it clear
that Speedball doesn’t get to call him out – it’s Okada who
does the calling out. And on Sunday, Okada is ready to see
Speedball in the ring at Double or Nothing.
Anthony Bowens vs. Ricochet
Who is the true Scissor King of AEW?! We were about to find
out.
Bowens got the upper-hand early, rocking Ricochet around the
ring with hammer blows and open-hand slaps. But all it took
was Ricochet ramming Bowens into the ring post from the
apron for the Bald One to take control – until Bowens was
able to duck under a kick from Ricochet and rebound off the
ropes for a big Fame-Asser. With both men having taken their
fair share of damage, they squared off in the middle of the
ring, exchanging blow after blow, with Bowens eventually
scoring a two-count.
Ricochet lined Bowens up for a Spirit Gun, but the 5-Tool
Player ducked and countered with The Arrival. He followed up
with the Mollywhop, but Ricochet rolled out of the ring and
sneakily grabbed his golden scissors, jamming them into
Bowens’ forehead, which gave Ricochet the win.
Ricochet mocked Bowens on his way back up the ring, but he
wasn’t about to get away with it. Mark Briscoe, who will
face Ricochet in a Stretcher Match Sunday at Double or
Nothing, cut Ricochet off with a stretcher in tow. He got
Ricochet onto the stretcher and climbed the turnbuckle, but
Ricochet escaped at the last second before Briscoe could
come crashing off the top.
Jamie Hayter and Mercedes Moné Come Face to Face
Renee Paquette was in the ring to mediate this meeting of
the two Owen Hart Cup Tournament women’s finalists. And she
started with a simple question: Is Hayter the underdog?
If so, the former AEW Women’s World Champion said, then so
be it. She doesn’t walk around here acting like she’s the
best thing since sliced bread. This means more to her than
it does to Mercedes, Hayter said. It’s not about a title
shot anymore, not to her. This is about not being forgotten.
This is about her proving that she’s good enough. That she
was right to come back. That people still care. Because this
is what she does: She laces up her boots and hits hard.
That’s who she is.
So, Renee wondered, does all that worry Mercedes?
“Do you know who the hell I am?” Moné replied. Hayter might
think she has Mercedes all figured out, but she doesn’t know
who she’s messing with. She’s not looking past Hayter; she’s
looking through her like a glass doll. Mercedes gets what
she wants in her reality. And her reality is that she’s
going to win Sunday in Phoenix and head to All In to win the
AEW Women’s World Championship. She’s 25-0 in singles
competition in AEW. She didn’t get there by luck. She got
there with hard work and dedication. And at Double or
Nothing, she’s going to call Hayter why she calls herself
the CEO. Double or Nothing won’t be where Hayter’s story
begins. It’s where this chapter ends.
Mercedes can talk about destiny all she wants. Hayter
watched her lose the NJPW Strong Women’s Title. And Hayter
says that’s Mercedes’ destiny: Losing. That made Moné snap,
as she put her hands on Hayter. And that ended poorly for
the TBS Champion, who decked Mercedes right before
“Timeless” Toni Storm came out to the commentary desk for
Julia Hart vs. Mina Shirakawa.
Julia Hart vs. Mina Shirakawa
Collar-and-elbow tie up to kick this one off, followed by
both women trying to run the other off the ropes into a
series of counters. Hart gained wrist control and went to
walk the top rope, only for Shirakawa to send her tumbling
to the mat. Shirakawa then showed the younger wrestler how
it’s done, going to the top herself and planting a knee
right into Hart’s chest.
Shirakawa then made her way to the commentary desk and
gestured toward her waist in Storm’s direction, making it
clear that the AEW Women’s World Championship is on her
mind. That gave Hart a window to ambush Shirakawa, rolling
her back into the ring, mounting her and slamming her skull
into the canvas.
After a near-fall, Hart locked in a reverse chin-lock on
Shirakawa, landing a jawbreaker when she attempted to
counter. A kick to the gut by Shirakawa stopped Hart in her
tracks, followed by a rolling elbow and a huge clothesline.
A spinning back fist left Hart vulnerable to a crucifix bomb
by Shirakawa, but Hart kicked out at two. Hart countered a
Glorious Driver but missed on her swan dive moonsault.
Shirakawa immediately attacked Hart’s knee and went for an
in-step figure four, but Hart rolled Shirakawa up for a two-
count. Hart managed to fend off another Glorious Driver and
roll Shirakawa up for another two-count, but Shirakawa
reversed the roll-up into a crucifix pin of her own for the
win.
Following the bell, Hart took out her frustrations over the
loss on Shirakawa and was joined by her protege, Skye Blue.
But Timeless Toni Storm ran off the two women, saving her
AEW Double or Nothing opponent from further violence.
Shirakawa didn’t seem particularly grateful, though, as
after a brief tug of war over the AEW Women’s World
Championship, the challenger tied Storm up in a figure-four
around the ring post.
ANARCHY!
As Dynamite wrapped up, Renee Paquette caught up with the
Young Bucks as they looked to leave the arena. Matthew
Jackson pointed out that Samoa Joe and his crew hadn’t
caught up with them, which must make Joe a pathological
liar. Just seconds later, Joe came through a nearby curtain
wielding a trash can, as he, the Opps, Kenny Omega and
Willow Nightingale dismantled the Bucks and the Death Riders
– until Gabe Kidd emerged from the crowd, smashing Samoa Joe
with the briefcase. The Bucks set Kenny Omega and Swerve
Strickland up on tables outside the ring then splashed down
on both as Dynamite came to a close.
Really, though, that was just the start! Anarchy in the
Arena will be LIVE this Sunday from Glendale, AZ, as AEW
Double or Nothing comes to you on pay-per-view at 8 p.m.
ET/5 p.m. PT!
Catch AEW Collision on a special night and time tomorrow at
8/7c on TBS and streaming on MAX from the Rio Rancho Events
Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico!
And remember… We are AEW—Where The Best Wrestle!