After traveling the world for almost a year on a journey to rejuvenate his 16-year wrestling career, Jon Moxley arrived at his destination by winning the AEW World Championship from Chris Jericho at Revolution.
“God dammit! I love this s—t! It has been one hell of a year for yours truly. It has been one hell of a long road but this doesn’t belong to me. AEW belongs to you because you, the wrestling fans have been driving AEW forward. You are the energy that fuels AEW,” said a bloody Moxley.
Moxley went on to say AEW is proud to not be “sports entertainment.”
“A year ago, we had a conversation and we said we are bringing pro wrestling — PRO WRESTLING — back to the people and that is exactly what we have done. This doesn’t belong to me. This belongs to everyone here in Chicago and all the AEW fans at home. Most importantly, all of the fans who have been with me from the beginning, through all the ups and downs, all the good and the bad, the fans that have stuck with me moving forward, THIS belongs to you,” said a grateful Moxley holding the belt up for all to see in the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Defeating Le Champion wasn’t easy as the odds were stacked against Moxley before the bell even rang. Not only did it seem like he was still sporting the injury to his eye but champion Chris Jericho was accompanied by Santana and Ortiz as he came out to a gospel choir singing his theme song. Santana and Ortiz would stay at ringside getting in cheap shots whenever they could to give the leader of the Inner Circle an advantage.
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Moxley and Jericho aren’t discussing the weather. Photo: AEW.
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The championship match began with a fired up Jericho and Moxley punching and chopping the crap out of each other. Moxley threw Jericho over the ringside barrier as the fight went into the crowd. Jericho labeled Moxley with a water bottle and belted him with a stanchion as referee Aubrey Edwards admonished them both, demanding they return to the ring.
Moxley dove off the rampway delivering a sledgehammer blow to Jericho sending him staggering.
“THIS is for what you did!” yelled Moxley pointed to his injured eye before biting at Jericho’s stitches from the head butt Moxley gave him at their weigh-in on the last episode of AEW Dynamite.
Edwards once again admonished the pair. Moxley gave her a polite bow.
Jericho hurled Moxley into a steel ring post. When Moxley rose he was bleeding from a cut to the face or head. Descending on a disoriented Moxley, Jericho powerbombed him on the time keeper’s table. When Moxley landed his head and neck actually struck the bell itself.
“Come on you piece of s—t!” yelled Jericho as he rang the ring bell prematurely declaring himself the winner of the match.
The crowd began a “Stupid idiot!” chant. Jericho flipped them off from the ring.
Santana and Ortiz put the boots to Moxley as he landed on the floor.
“You should do something. He is bleeding!” joked Santana to referee Aubrey Edwards. Santana and Ortiz struck again when Moxley went for the Paradigm Shift.
Jake Hager sprinted to the ring clocking Moxley in the face with a haymaker punch. This time Edwards spotted the cheap shot and banned The Inner Circle from ringside.
As Edwards argued with the Inner Circle on the rampway, Sammy Guevara rushed into the ring, hit Moxley in the head with the championship belt and then disappeared into the crowd before Edwards had time to turn around. Moxley kicked out of Jericho’s pin.
A furious Jericho slapped and punched Moxley who stood up slapping Jericho in the face. Jericho retaliated by tearing at Moxley’s injured eye.
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Moxley after being put through the time keeper’s table. Photo: AEW.
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“You cannot see, you blind son of a bitch!” laughed Jericho peppering Moxley with punches. While Moxley staggered around, Jericho readied the Judas Effect.
Moxley blocked the Judas Effect skewering Jericho with the Paradigm Shift.
Moxley stood up tearing off his eye patch revealing that his eye was healed, fine all along. For good measure, he spiked Jericho with another Paradigm Shift to pin him for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.
Moxley’s win capped off another exceptional pay-per-view by AEW that thankfully contained no throwaway one and a half or three minute championship matches like what we saw last Thursday on WWE’s Super Showdown which also had a steel cage match with no blood.
One Revolution match was a slight disappointment. The AEW Women’s World Championship match between Nyla Rose and Kris Statlander just seemed not to flow smoothly like the rest of the bouts on the card but certainly not because of any lack of effort by Rose or Statlander. It seemed like an off night for them both.
It also didn’t help that they followed an off the chart tag team championship match of Kenny Omega and Adam Page versus their friends in The Elite: The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson).
While that 30-minute match was a clinic in tag team wrestling, the other epic match that stole the show besides the main event was the grudge match between Cody and MJF. With such a grand lead-up the actual match between the two had to live up to the hype and it did … and then some.
MJF came down to the ring with his muscle head minion Wardlow and a robe decorated like his Burberry scarf. Cody came out with Downstait playing his theme song live. For those who don’t know, the band also produced Miz’s and Alex Riley’s entrance songs.
Cody was accompanied by an entourage including his wife Brandi, Arn Anderson and Canadian actor, former Arrow star Stephen Amell.
Before Cody even entered the ring, the crowd was shouted the old ECW chant: F—k ’em up, Cody. F—k ’em up!
MJF evaded a Cody Cutter fleeing the ring. When fans got on his case calling him a coward MJF flipped them off and poured beer on one fan at ringside.
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Rhodes escapes by the skin of his teeth. Photo: AEW.
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A Rhodes Uppercut and a Cody Cutter had MJF scrambling out of the ring again. Gaining a head of stream, Cody ran from the entrance way, down the ramp to clothesline MJF over the ropes and back into the ring. Cody could have pinned him after and airplane spin but pulled MJF’s head off the mat with a smile ready to inflict more pain and suffering.
Brandi threw a beer into Wardlow’s face. He chased her around the ring. Cody crashed into him with a suicide dive taking him out in what the announcers guess was a plan conceived by coach Arn Anderson. Wardlow got his revenge by wrapping Cody’s arm around a steel post minutes later.
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MJF chows down on Cody’s foot. Photo: AEW.
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Cody escaped MJF’s submission hold by biting the bottom rope as his arms and legs were tied up. MJF tore off Cody’s wrestling boot exposing his broken toe. Much to the crowd’s dismay and anyone who was eating at home MJF bit and chewed on Cody’s toe. Arn Anderson got up on the ring apron complaining to the official.
Eewww!
MJF ends up being busted open as Cody trolls Randy Orton with his signature taunt and DDT off the ropes. Brandi pulls a dumb move and tries to splash Wardlow. He catches her in the air. Cody begs Wardlow to put Brandi down. Cody accidentally gives a big boot to Arn Anderson.
Cody whips MJF with his weightlifting belt. The official thinks about reprimanding Cody and then just throws his hands up in the air. MJF cowers in the corner. He hugs Cody, says he is sorry then spits in Cody’s face.
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MJF is busted open. Photo: AEW.
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Cody nails the Cross Rhodes twice and things look bad for MJF. MJF slips on the Dynamite Diamond Ring, punches Cody in the face for the pinfall.
Afterwards, Cody shuffled up the rampway stunned and heartbroken as Arn and Brandi tried to console him over the loss.
SoCal Uncensored (Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky) (with Christopher Daniels) vs. The Dark Order (Evil Uno and Stu Grayson) (with Alex Reynolds and John Silver)
A brawl between both teams erupts before the bell even rings. SCU works over Grayson until he is so pissed off that he snatches up Kazarian and slams him into his corner. Once Evil Uno is tagged in they bash Kazarian on the floor, throwing him into a ring post as the Dark Order minions stomp him into the ground.
With Uno in the ring, the fans start chanting: Spooky pervert! The Dark Order cuts Kazarian off until he makes the hot tag to Scorpio Sky. Uno escapes to the outside and Kazarian gives him the finger from inside the ring. Scorpio Sky monkey flips Kazarian who then clotheslines both Uno and Grayson. Uno tosses Kazarian head-first into the steel steps. While Kazarian lies on the arena floor, Uno clocks Scorpio from behind. Grayson pins Scorpio.
The Dark Order minions swarm Scorpio but out of nowhere comes….Colt Cabana! The trio of faces is overwhelmed by the Dark Order.
Suddenly, a robed figure looking much like The Emperor from Star Wars comes down the ring. He throws off the robe revealing Christopher Daniels! Daniels and the other faces team up to drive the heels from the ring.
Winners: The Dark Order at 9 minutes and 32 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10
Jake Hager vs. Dustin Rhodes
QT Marshall comes out with Rhodes, sending him off to the ring with a pat on his back. Hagar is roundly booed as he walks out. He stops in his tracks before getting to the ring staring a hole through Dustin.
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Hagar has Rhodes in this clutches. Photo: AEW.
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Hagar gives his wife Catalina White a long kiss before entering the ring. She is at ringside to cheer him on.
Dustin’s t-shirt reads: I’m here to fight Jericho’s bitch!
Rhodes and Hagar tee off on one another immediately. Hagar gains the advantage by shoving Rhodes into a corner and just pounding on him relentlessly.
The fight goes to the floor where Rhodes throws Hagar over the security barrier. Rhodes slams Hagar’s hand into a steel railing. Dustin wraps Hagar’s arm around the steel post over and over as Hagar’s concerned wife looks on.
Hagar throws kisses to his wife from inside the ring after brutally clotheslining Rhodes on the floor. A number of knees to the stomach has Rhodes winded and staggering around the ring. Hagar bounces Rhodes off the rail and then the ring. Hagar walks over to his wife to get some counseling and reassurance. Rhodes punches Hagar and steals a kiss from Hagar’s wife. Disgusted, she wipes Rhodes make-up off her face with a tissue.
Hagar spears Rhodes’ knee. Rhodes kicks out of Vader Bomb. Hagar clotheslines Rhodes over and over, licking his face.
Rhodes backdrops Hagar over the top rope and Hagar cracks his head on the steel stairs on the way down.
Hagar low blows Rhodes while Aubrey Edwards’ back is turned after they almost collided in a corner. Hager puts Rhodes to sleep.
Winner: Jake Hagar at 13 minutes and 33 seconds.
Match Rating: 7.5 / 10
Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara
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Guevara puts Allin through a table. Photo: AEW.
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Darby doesn’t even wait for the bell to ring. He dives right of the ring onto him. Darby shotgun drop kicks Guevara into the steel barricade.
Guevara is laid out over the barricade. Allin dives through the ropes but his heel catches the top rope on his way over. Allin crashes and burns on the floor totally missing Guevara.
Guevara throws Allin’s skateboard at Allin hitting him in the head. Guevara hits a 630 splash from the top rope driving Allin through a table. Guevara rolls in the ring as Darby lays motionless on the floor. Guevara demands the official start the match.
Chants from the crowd will Allin to his feet as the match officially begins. Guevara slaps Allin in the face. A double stomp drives Darby into the ring apron. A Spanish Fly from the Spanish God from the top rope. Guevara tears off one of the turnbuckles. Guevara is monkey flipped into buckle. A stunner, Coffin Drop and Guevara is pinned. Allin is ready to injure Guevara with his skateboard just like he did to him. Jake Hager saves Guevara.
Winner: Darby Allin at 4 minutes and 58 seconds.
Match Rating: 8.5 / 10
Kenny Omega and Adam Page (c) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) AEW World Tag Team Championship match
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Hangman is set up for the Indy Taker. Photo: AEW.
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The crowd treats the Young Bucks as heels booing them constantly and cheering Hangman.
Omega stops Hangman from powerbombing one of the Bucks through a table. Matt gives Omega and Hangman the finger as he bulldogs them both.
Omega is super kicked in the head as sets up The Terminator Splash. Hangman suffers the Locomotion on the ramp. The Bucks then hit the Indy Taker on Hangman on ramp. The crowd pitches a fit.
Omega is the victim of a super kick party and the crowd pours on the boos. Omega kicks out at one when The Bucks laid him out with The Golden Trigger. The crowd gets on Matt’s case as he stomps on Omega’s injured, taped up shoulder. Matt rips the tape off completely.
Hangman tried a One Winged Angel but it is broken up at the last minute. Hangman clobbers Nick on the ramp with the Buckshot Lariat and Matt with one in the ring Matt for the pin.
Hangman refuses to make nice with the Bucks and leaves the ring. Hangman teases giving Omega a Buckshot Lariat but holds the ropes open for him instead.
Winners: …and still AEW Tag Team Champions…Kenny Omega and Hangman Adam Page at 30 minutes and 43 seconds.
Match Rating: 9 / 10
Nyla Rose (c) vs. Kris Statlander – AEW Women’s World Championship match
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Rose is ready for the Beast Bomb. Photo: AEW.
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Rose wears a Deathstroke mask to the ring. An elbow knocks Rose out of the ring and onto the rampway. Rose dodges Statlander’s spear. Statlander crashes and burns on the ramp.
Elbows and a kick from Statlander put Rose down. Rose rolls out of the ring. Statlander dives through the ropes twice driving Rose into the security fence.
Rose drapes Statlander over the ropes and climbs to the top rope. Statlander just handstands her way off the ropes and across the ring.
Rose eventually pins Statlander with her Beast Bomb off the top rope.
Winner: …and still AEW Women’s World Champion…Nyla Rose at 12 minutes and 52 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10
MJF (with Wardlow) vs. Cody (with Arn Anderson)
Winner: MJF at 24 minutes and 42 seconds.
Match Rating: 8.5 / 10
Pac vs. Orange Cassidy
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Pac is not amused. Photo: AEW.
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A decent comedy match between the two. Cassidy hails from “Wherever” and weighs “Whatever”. His entrance graphics are just his name written in black marker. His pyro are two puffs of smoke.
Pac and Cassidy deliver those weak kicks to each other. A pissed off Pac bounces Cassidy off a steel post. Pac takes over with wrestling.
Later on, Pac goes for The Black Arrow but Cassidy keeps rolling out of the ring, really slowly. At one point, he is laughing.
Cassidy lets loose with swinging DDT, a Superman Punch, a Stun Dog Millionaire and a diving DDT from the top rope. Pac rolls out of the ring as Cassidy goes for his top rope splash. Trent rolls Pac back into the ring. The Lucha Brother blindside Best Friends. They fight to the back. Cassidy is distracted by the brawl. An arm wrench and a Brutalizer has Cassidy tapping out.
Winner: Pac at 13 minutes and 22 seconds.
Match Rating: 7 / 10
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Jon Moxley – AEW World Championship match
Winner: …and new AEW World Heavyweight Champion…Jon Moxley at 22 minutes and 20 seconds. Match Rating: 9 / 10
Total Event Rating: 9 / 10