Sting returns to the the place he had his first AEW match to compete in a Tornado Tag against the Don Callis Family. I would put money on it that Ric Flair will get involved. For the first time ever Orange Cassidy, Adam Copeland, Preston Vance, and the Natural Dustin Rhodes teams against Gates of Agony, Brain Cage, and the Murderhawk Lance Archer. This is one spectacular looking card tonight.
As an outside venue they are subject to weather. When the broadcast started it was 51 degrees Fahrenheit.
The action is starting off hot with Claudio Castagnoli against Hangman Adam Page. Page has a fire lit under his ass. He jumps Claudio. Claudio does not take it lightly and fights back. The crowd is already hot for "Cowboy Shit." At least one loud person things Claudio sucks. Hangman and Claudio started exchanging blows. I was however distracted by the lights on Hangman's pants. A nice quick Death Valley Driver by Page left Claudio selling the daze. Then back to the slugging. Fans erupt for a kip up. Hangman took a drink of a fan's beer throwback to the Second Jericho Cruise. Running stomp by Castagnoli on the ramp. The stomp is a move that I have never likes but it is one that I would not want to have happen outside a wrestling match. A series of discus forearms sent Castagnoli down the ramp. Hangman then backed up and charged Claudio delivering a big lariat. They are not back to exchanging blows for at least the third time. These two men are better than that. Claudio delivers a nice beat down but it stopped as Adam Page is able to reverse a move into the Dead Eye. Back to back Buckshots wins Adam Page the match.
A tribute video to Jon Huber aka Mr. Brodie Lee aka Luke Harper was aired. All of his matches for AEW were in this arena as that is where AEW spent the pandemic. He will forever have an impact on this generation of wrestlers.
This 8 man tag has a 20 min time limit according to Justin Roberts. That gives each man 5 min to shine. While the team of Orange Cassidy, Preston Vance, Adam Copeland and Dustin Rhodes is a really odd combo, having Preston is the weirdest portion. Excalibur almost makes it as if Preston is only included as a tribute to Mr. Brodie Lee. Sidee note of trivia before the match starts you can see Adam Copeland on Disney+ in Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Ares god of War. Nana accompanied his guys and Jake the Snake Roberts accompanied Lance. It is good to see Jake Roberts. All four men feel like powerhouse jobbers. Dustin's powerslam was not as sweet looking as usual when he slammed Toa Leoni. Preston Vance gave a nice pump kick after Copeland did a blind tag. Quick tag on the face team. The face off of Brain Cage against Orange Cassidy is nice. The heel team is showing some dissention early in the match. If Lance walks out or turns on his team it would not be a surprise. When Archer finally gets in he just tosses and punches Orange Cassidy like a rag doll. Archer delivered a large running knee strike that looks impressive just because of the height of Archer. Orange with the kick just angers Archer. Orange is able to hit a DDT after which new legal men would be tagged in. The match breaks down. Here is where everyone gets their moves in. Cassidy also gets a chokeslam in. Friendly fire from Archer breaks down the heel team. This allows Vance to hit his Brodie Lee tribute discuss lariat for the win.
Ass Boys come off as idiots that is par for them. The Acclaimed are really aiming to make a super faction called the Bang Bang Scissor Gang. I would much rather see them battling it out in trios action. Rebuild that and the tag team division.
"Thank you Joe" chants erupt in the amphitheater. Joe announces changes to challenging the champion. Apparently there is now a championship committee that you submit you must submit a request. Swerve Strickland to cut a crap promo. This did get Adam Page back out. Will this get us a triple threat as Joe's first defense? Swerve and Page really took the segment away from Joe. Hook even made an appearance and used a Hooksignal. Hook went nose to nose with Samoa Joe and just repeated one week. That will be a good match. Hook will lose I as don't see Samoa Joe having a short reign like that. Only the TNT and AEW Women's titles have had short reigns like that.
I have heard wrestlers claim to have their best matches against their friends. So, hopefully that will be the case here. Sammy and Ricky are both smooth in their chain wrestling. Ricky is really looking like he is having fun. Dancing while taking off his vest and making a funny face after his pose. Guevara mocks Starks by striking his opponent's pose. Sammy hit Starks with a blow while he (Sammy Guevara) was on the outside and that did not look good. Not sure how that double underhook slam hit Sammy Guevara's head but Sammy was holding his eye. Love the Old School by Ricky Starks. Ricky falling on his bum as Sammy spun out was either an inventive reversal or a nice recovery from a flub. Guevara wins with an inside cradle. Sammy and Starks shows respect but that was a ploy for Big Bill to come out. Jericho comes out for the save.
These teams work better than the earlier 8 person tag. No one is an odd person out like Preston Vance was in the men's match. Quick tag by the face teams. Soho is taking the beating. Thunder Rosa does take a few minutes in the match before tagging WIllow in. Harley Cameron stops the momentum that Willow has by knocking her off the ropes. The heels then take over. As much as I want Saraya and her team to win they won't win. AEW has too much reverence for Mr. Brodie Lee to allow one of his disciples to lose in a match honoring him. Willow makes a hot tag to Kris Statlander shockingly this does not cause the breakdown where everyone hits their moves. Statlander did take out all of the heels. Then all of the ladies joined in for a suplex. This then starts everyone hitting their special spots. A stare down between Julai Hart and Anna Jay stops the spot fest. Queenslayer on Sky Blue secures the victory. While commentary did not drive it home as much that this was another tribute match to Brodie Lee it was yet again another move of not letting his prize picks lose.
Undisputed Kingdom's Roderick Stong faced off against Bounty Hunter Bryan Keith. Bryan Keith does deliver a nice big boot. Not a squash like I was thinking it would be. Exchanging of blows between Roderick and Keith works in this match. Seldom does it work to me anymore. It is overdone. Almost an upset heightens the drama. Roderick Strong scores the win "out of nowhere" according to Excalibur.
Adam Cole cut a promo after the match. He is not worried about the fans. He also hypes up the rest of his new stable. I think Taven and Bennet should get upgraded to the AEW Tag Titles. They are as good as Cole says. I would love if this brings reDragon back to AEW. I know one is injured and Fish is off doing his own thing.
A quick segment with Purrazzo sets up her Collision debut against Red Velvet. Purrazzo hints at injuring Red Velvet's stirring arm.
It was stated earlier that this will be Sting's last match in Dailey's Place. This will be wild. Ric Flair gets his own entrance first. Darby and Sting come out together to Sting's music. Darby has a cool looking trench coat. The Don Callis family all comes out together. Konosuke Takeshita has a cool entrance mask. The bell rings and the men are off. Sting and Hobbs square off. Sting starts the weapons early. Konosuke taunts Ric Flair when he chops Ric Flair. Darby Allin goes for a coffin drop but is caught by Takeshita who turns it into a German Suplex. Sting is down as Hobbs and Takeshita think they are Team 3D and set up some tables. Sting has been essentially take out of the match. The two powerful men of the Don Callis Family are just having their was with Darby Allin. Any time Sting gets up and attacks a bit he is taken down. Ric Flair chops Hobbs and pokes him in they eye. Like foreshadowed in the opening paragraph Ric Flair got involved. Darby delivers a coffin drop off the top of the stage set. Holy Shit chants are deserved. Sting Scorpion Death drops Hobbs off the concrete onto tables for the win. I am in disbeleif that he did that.
The final opponent of Sting will be... We don't know as the Young Bucks make their return. They are looking suave even with those mustaches. Nick all in white and Matt all in black.
Comments