A Grand Slam was hit in New York City, tonight, and I’m not talking about Aaron Judge. For the second year in a row, AEW is running Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. And do we have a loaded card. Every single match has a championship on the line. Let’s get to the action before the pitch clock runs out. (I know Grand Slam is in reference to tennis, but baseball references just come easier.)
Chris Jericho (challenger) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (champion) – Ring of Honor World Championship Match
Jericho refuses to adhere to the code of honor; are we really surprised. Claudio hits the running uppercuts and then dumps Jericho onto the ropes. Jericho is kicked to the floor, where Castagnoli nails with an uppercut to the back of the head. Jericho hides behind Cary Silkin and then pushes him into Claudio. Chris with a cheap shot. Back in the ring, Claudio uppercuts Jericho out of mid air. The two trade shots on the apron. Jericho rakes the eyes and hits a suplex to the floor.
After a commercial break, Jericho chops Claudio atop the turnbuckle. Castagnoli blocks the hurricanrana. Jericho counters a powerbomb into a hurricanrana. Claudio catches the Codebreaker and slams Jericho to the mat for a two count. Castagnoli looks for the swing, but instead hits a double stomp. He locks in a Sharp Shooter. Jericho gets to the ropes to break the hold. Claudio blocks a low blow and hits the Ricola bomb. Jericho kicks out at two. Claudio delivers knee strikes to the mid-section. Jericho counters Castagnoli coming off the ropes with a Code Breaker, but only gets a two count. Jericho locks in the Walls. Castagnoli rolls through and lays in elbow strikes. He steps through a stomps away at Jericho. He calls for the giant swing, taking Jericho for a ride. Claudio catapults Jericho into the turnbuckle and takes him down with a lariat. Jericho kicks out at two. Jericho grabs his bat, but Castagnoli catches the strike. Jericho with a back body drop, but Claudio lands on his feet, nearly hit the ref. With her back turned, Jericho kicks Castagnoli below the belt. He hits the Judas Effect and covers to get the three count.
Winner…and new ROH World Champion…via pinfall: Chris Jericho
After the match, the JAS celebrates on the ramp, although Daniel Garcia looks less than enthused.
Swerve in their Glory (champions) vs. The Acclaimed (challengers) w/Billy Gunn – AEW World Tag Team Championship Match
WOW! The pop for the Acclaimed was deafening! Lee swats Bowens across the ring. Bowens with a head lock and a shoulder tackle that does nothing. Lee with a hurricanrana. Caster tags in. Max tries to lock up with Lee and gets pushed into the corner. Lee blocks on arm drag, but Caster counters getting tossed across the ring. Swerve tags in and drop kicks the Acclaimed while they were scissoring.
After a commercial break, Caster hits a powerslam on Swerve and follows with a vertical suplex on Lee. Bowens gets the tag, taking Strickland for a ride and drops Lee with a super kick. Swerve kicks Bowens in the knee and then the back of the head. Strickland goes up top but misses the stomp. Bowens hits a buckle bomb. Lee head butts Anthony; shutting him down. Lee tosses Bowens onto the ramp and then slams Caster to the mat. Lee goes to the second turnbuckle, but comes up empty on the moonsault. Swerve leaps to the apron with the boombox, but accidently clocks Lee with it. Bowens goes up top and hits the flipping neck breaker. Caster wants the mic drop, but lands very badly. Lee kicks out of a pin from Bowens. Caster pulls himself up to the apron. Caster is kicked into the corner by Swerve. Max hits a back suplex and goes up top. Swerve catches him up top. Lee picks up Caster and tosses him into a powerbomb; Swerve can’t get the pin. Bowens pulls Caster out of the ring, only to have Swerve hit them with a 450 splash. Swerve gets in Gunn’s face. Bowens with a rolling elbow strike to Swerve, who then gets hit with a Famouser by Gunn. Swerve is rolled back into the ring for the Mic Drop. Max covers and gets the three count.
Winners….and new AEW World Tag Team Champions…by pinfall: The Acclaimed
FTR congratulates the new champs and they want their shot at the AEW Title. Austin and Colton Gunn interrupt and make fun of them. Let’s see how this works out.
Tony Schiavone talks with Wheeler Yuta, but is immediately interrupted by MJF. Maxwell runs down Yuta; pointing out the New York crowd loves him no matter what he does or says. Yuta agrees that MJF is a generation talent, but his also the king of low hanging fruit. Wheeler talks about MJF’s fiancé, which probably won’t end well. MJF wanted to wish Yuta’s buddies good luck tonight, because they are fighting for the right to lose to him for the AEW title. Yuta hears enough and slaps MJF. Max head butts him and then takes a shot at Schiavone. Yuta takes MJF down, only to have W Morrisey pull him off. MJF decks Wheeler with the Dynamite Diamond ring. AEW officials break it up.
Jade Cargill says she will do things on her time, but on Friday Diamante will have Trina in her corner.
Orange Cassidy (challenger) vs. PAC (champion) – AEW All-Atlantic Championship
Cassidy tosses his sunglasses at PAC. Orange gets a near fall with an inside cradle and Pac narrowly avoids the Orange Punch. Pac encourages the soft kicks, until Cassidy nails him with a drop kick. Pac answers with one of his own. Pac abuses Orange on the floor, whipping him off the ring post. Pac goes up top as Orange rolls back to the floor. Pac flies over the top rope and wipes out Cassidy. Pac connects with a shotgun drop kick in the ring.
After a commercial break, Cassidy is down. He gets to his knees to give the thumbs up. Pac kicks him in the corner. Pac goes up top, so Orange sticks his legs straight up in the air. Orange suckers him in and almost gets a pin with a roll up. Pac blocks a DDT, but gets hit with the Stun-dog Millionaire. Orange with a suicide dive to the floor and then a diving DDT in the ring. Cassidy with another DDT, but can’t get the pin. Cassidy wants the Orange Punch, but Pac counters with an overhead throw. The Orange Punch connects, but Pac is able to grab the rope. Pac goes to the floor and falls on the time keepers table. Pac strikes Cassidy with the ring bell hammer and the ref doesn’t see it. He rolls Cassidy into the ring and covers to get the three count.
Winner…and still AEW All-Atlantic Champion…via pinfall: Pac
Dr. Britt Baker, DMD (challenger) w/Rebel vs. Serena Deeb (challenger) vs. Athena (challenger) vs. Toni Storm (champion) – AEW Interim Women’s World Champion Four-way Match
Storm and Athena take out Baker and Deeb to face off with each other. Storm with a backslide and Athena just gets a shoulder up. Deeb locks Storm in a cloverleaf and suplex Athena. Baker with a sling blade to Deeb. Storm drop kicks Britt and goes up top. Deeb cuts her down. She is joined by Baker. Athena gets involved and slams all three to the mat.
After the commercial break, Toni has Britt in a single leg crab while Deeb also has Athena in one. The two are face to face and slap each other. They let go of the holds. Storm knocks Deeb to the mat and hits Athena in the corner with a hip attack. Baker nails Storm with a neck breaker. Deeb hits a neck breaker on Baker through the ropes. She hits the champ with a neck breaker. Deeb locks in the Serenity Lock, but Baker kicks her to break the hold. Athena picks up Baker and Deeb, hitting a suplex. Athena hits Storm with a modified powerbomb; Baker breaks the pin. Baker is busted open. Storm hits Athena with a DDT. Baker with a crucifix pin, but Storm reveres the pin and gets the three count.
Winner…and still AEW Interim Women’s Champion…via pinfall: Toni Storm
After the bell, Baker attacks Storm. Jamie Hayter runs down and helps Baker with the assault. Athena is jumped by Deeb and then gets stomped by Baker. Britt pulls out the glove for the lockjaw. Music hits. It’s Saraya! (FKA Paige) She walks down to the ring and everyone clears out.
Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson – AEW World Championship Tournament Final
MJF watches from a suite, clutching that poker chip. The two lock up and trade holds. Danielson with a cross face strikes. Mox counters into an armbar. The two trade chops. Bryan connects with the running knee in the corner. Danielson chops away at Mox, until Jon starts to beat him down in the corner. Danielson responds with more kicks and strikes. Danielson with kicks to the back. Mox dodges a charge in the corner and kicks away at Danielson. Mox with a body slam. Danielson connects with an uppercut and slams Mox into the corner. He sets Mox up on the turnbuckle and kicks him to the floor. Danielson hits a diving knee strike off the apron. Back in the ring, Danielson hits the shotgun drop kick. Moxley takes a German suplex on the apron.
After a commercial break, Bryan is driving knees into Mox’s back. Bryan ducks a clothesline and hits the Pshycho Knee. Danielson goes up top again. Mox counters Danielson coming off the top by slamming him to the mat. Moxley locks in a single leg crab. Danielson gets to his feet only to take a release suplex. Jon with a lariat and sets Bryan up on the top turnbuckle. He rakes the back and then head butts Bryan. Danielson slips out and Moxley gets crotched on the turnbuckle. Bryan with a superplex and both men are down. Bryan stacks Moxley up. Jon counters with a Lebell lock. Danielson breaks free, laying shots into Mox. With legs locked together, both men fight upside down. Danielson rains down elbow strikes. Bryan connects with a roundhouse kick, but Mox responds with a King Kong lariat. Bryan hits another Pshycho Knee, but still can’t get the pin. Bryan unloads the kicks, but Moxley chops down a kick. He takes Danielson to the mat and hits a stomp. He follows with the Death Rider, but can’t get the pin. The two trade elbow strikes. Bryan takes down Mox and hammers his jaw with stomps. The two trade stomps. Bryan locks in a triangle sleeper and transitions into the Lebell Lock. Mox breaks free.
The two fight on the ramp. Mox hits a Death Rider and Danielson rolls into the ring. Mox covers, but Bryan kicks out. Moxley locks in a sleeper. Danielson tries to flip off the turnbuckle to break the hold, but Moxley locks it in deeper. Danielson is fading. The ref calls for the bell.
Winner…and new AEW World Heavyweight Champion…via submission: Jon Moxley
After the match, Williams Regal joins both men in the ring. See you in seven!
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