Despite it being Wednesday (again) already, I’m sure many of us are still riding the high from All In this past Saturday. “Hangman” Adam Page is AEW Men’s World Champion once again and Jon Moxley and the Death Riders are obviously not happy with how things went down for the group.
Have they ever been happy on-screen, though?
Page has friends in the locker room, and Mark Briscoe and AEW Men’s Trios Champion Will Hobbs join him tonight against Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta in Chicago. This should be an exciting match with a ton of fallout from this Saturday!
So grab a comfy seat, an ice cold drink, and your favorite cowboy hat. It’s going to be a good one!
Tony Schiavone is in the ring and immediately introduces new AEW Men’s World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page!
The crowd roars for their new Men’s World Champion and chants of “you deserved it!” ring out. He says fans might have missed the point. He says that he needs to say something to the fans. THEY deserve this, not him. “We deserve this!” chants ring out.
He thanks the fans who attend and watch from home, all AEW fans that support a “grassroots” approach to wrestling. The fans are the reason for AEW even existing. He says the wrestlers don’t just do what they do for the titles, they do it for the fans. “Thank you, Hangman!” chants ensue. This crowd loves chanting!
“You deserve to see this championship… and someone who has more gratitude for you than you could ever know.”
There were 100 battles around the roster and the Death Riders. He thanks Orange Cassidy, Jay White, Adam Copeland, Will Hobbs, Katsuyori Shibata, Samoa Joe, Bryan Danielson, and Darby Allin all by name. A fan can be heard saying “Whose House?” He singles out Will Ospreay. He hesitates before chants ring out of “Whose House? Swerve’s House!” Page isn’t sure of the reason Swerve Strickland but he thanks his 2024 rival.
Earlier today, The Young Bucks arrived in a Nissan, a far cry from their Founding Fathers limo.
1. “Protostar” Kyle Fletcher vs. Mascara Dorada
Fletcher runs right at Dorada and lands a High Boot, immediately taking control. The crowd is not amused.
Shown ringside is the one and only Don Callis. The chant everyone loves to chant rings out.
After a number of dodging moves by both, Dorada uses the ropes to his advantage, culminating with a Missile Drop Kick from the top turnbuckle. Fletcher gets right back with a boot to the jaw, sending Dorada to the floor. Dorada comes back with a Tornado over the top rope.
Back from a commercial break, Fletcher is in control and taunting his opponent as he’s got his high-flying opponent grounded. As I typed that, Dorada almost scored a shock victory.
Shooting Star Press from the top rope onto the floor. Fletcher gets flattened.
After a back-and-forth, Dorada gets another close call as Fletcher kicks out at two with a massive 450 Splash. Dorada hits a massive chin kick and counters Fletcher. Fletcher catches him and launches him face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Brainbuster.
Winner: Kyle Fletcher via pinfall.
He speaks to the camera, he says he’ll see Dustin Rhodes very soon. He’s big mad.
Renee Paquette tried to catch up with the Young Bucks earlier today. She asks them how they feel about them losing. They don’t care for the disrespect. Marina Shafir also blows them off. An extra changes the sign on their door. Ricochet and the Gates of Agony get a laugh in.
Don Callis is here to make peace with them. The Bucks are not interested but the segment ends with a hug. There is common ground.
The Hurt Syndicate are backstage. MVP isn’t celebrating their Tag Team defense. He’s begging someone to take the titles from them. MJF has a bone to pick with Page. He has everything to prove against the Cowboy. He calls himself the “physical embodiment of [Hangman’s] depression.”
2. Hechicero, Josh Alexander, and the Young Bucks vs. JetSpeed, Bandido, and Brody King
The Young Bucks wait for pyro during their intro.The disrespect continues. Their intro video switches to Comic Sans in neon green on a black background of just “Matt and Nick”.
Brody King starts against Josh Alexander.
Alexander tries lariats but King doesn’t move. King drops him to his knees with a massive Back Chop.
Bandido and Hechicero tag in for their teams. “Lucha Libre!” chants ring out as the two get going. Diving Huricanrana before he tags in JetSpeed. They get Hechicero with a Double Hip Toss before he tags in “Matt and Nick”. The chaos continues as the Don Callis Family and the Jacksons take control.
Back from commercial, Kevin Knight is trying to fight back but Hechicero neutralizes his athleticism.
The Bucks go for the EVP Trigger but they hesitate. They can’t call it that anymore. Knight finally gets away and tags “Speedball” Mike Bailey. He avoids a Corkscrew kick from Nick and drops onto Matt. He lands a Missile Dropkick.
He stacks the Jacksons up and flips himself onto them. King tags in but is met by Hechicero and Alexander. Deadlift into a Back Suplex to Alexander sends him outside. Cannonball in the corner for Hechicero. Tope Suicida onto the Jacksons and Alexander. Bandido lands on top of them from the top rope.
Bandido drops Hechicero but the Bucks break up the pinfall. Bandido later gets caught by all four opponents. He gets knocked out.
Winners: The Jacksons and The Don Callis Family via submission.
Adam Copeland comes out to a rousing applause. The crowd takes over as his music cuts.
They thank him but he returns the acknowledgment, saying the reactions he gets even at this point are why he still does it. He didn’t come out to save Christian Cage at All In when he came out.
He lists some of Cage’s brilliant moves that didn’t pan out. Cope says his former best friend has always been jealous. He says that he told Cage that the events at All In would happen. Cope is back to get his “hands on FTR”.
FTR were the first people Cope called when he first got cleared to wrestler again five years ago. They talked about teaming up even before Cope came to AEW. “Megalomaniacs don’t wanna look in the mirror, they blame everyone else.”
They took four months away from him, four months that he doesn’t have. He came back “to end FTR”. Their music hits. Stoke and AEW security come to the ring. Stoke says FTR read Cope like a book… As he talks, Cope leans back against the ropes as the crowd drowns out Stoke.
Stoke says Cope’s weapon “Spike” is a liability. AEW apparently got three anonymous emails about Cope’s behavior. Stoke says Cope will be fired if he tries any funny business against FTR. Stoke says Cope should “go ffffffind a hobby”.
Cope says he looks like an “angry Oompa-Loompa”. Cope says Stoke didn’t say anything about getting his hands on Stoke. He spears Stoke as AEW security runs away and vos to end FTR.
Mark Briscoe is ticked at MJF. He wanted to be done with MJF by now but it’s just getting started.
3. $100,000 Four-Way: Thekla vs. Queen Aminata vs. Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale
This quickly gets into Thekla vs. Statlander. Soon enough, Aminata takes advantage from the outside, turning the tables on Thekla. Nightingale lands a Senton onto Statlander, but was aiming for Aminata as she had Statlander pinned.
Queen Aminata gets a Snap Mare into Chocolate Kisses for Nightingale. Thekla lands a kick to Aminata’s ribs.
Nightingale gets a Backbreaker on Thekla. Aminata headbutts Nightingale on the outside of the ropes. Thekla lands a Cross-Body onto Nightingale.
Statlander Suplexes Aminata on the floor outside the ring. Aminata and Thekla end up on the ropes. Thekla hits a Spider Suplex. Thekla hits a Spear on Statlander. Aminata headbutts Thekla. Nightingale drops Aminata. Statlander nails Aminata with a big shot but she comes right back with a headbutt. All four end up on the mat.
Aminata hits and Air Raid Crash on Statlander. Nightingale drops Thekla and goes for the pin. Statlander pulls referee Aubrey Edwards away!
The chaos continues. Chicago’s own Skye Blue distracts Aubrey Edwards. Julia Hart spits mist into Aminata’s face.
Winner: Thekla via pinfall.
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, fresh off her title defense against “The CEO” Mercedes Mone at All In Saturday, comes out to a standing ovation. “This tramp is still the champ!”
She thanks Mone for going “All In” with her but notes that her opponent made a mistake and she capitalized on it. She invites Mone back for seconds. “This buffet is always open”. Luther has been injured in the line of the duty. The crowd chants his name.
She says she has to be careful because a lot of people want the “big one”. She gets interrupted by Billie Starkz and Athena on the video screen. She says Mina Shirakawa is also injured. She notes that she has the contract for a title shot. Storm is unamused. She welcomes any challenge.
She takes on Billie Starkz next week on Dynamite.
Kip Sabian, Nick Wayne, and Shayna Wayne are backstage and they make it clear that they no longer needed Christian Cage. Nick Wayne points out that he’s just getting started. He puts the AEW roster on notice. He says he is the face of AEW.
4. AEW Unified Champion “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada vs. Quintero
Okada debuts new entrance music.
Too easy. Missile Dropkick into Rainmaker. This one’s over as quickly as it starts.
Winner: Kazuchika okada via pinfall.
He calls out Swerve Strickland for costing the Jacksons their EVP titles. He and Prince Nana don’t need to be told twice to come to the ring.
Strickland says he did do that and asks Okada what he’s going to do about it, never looking away.
5. Death Riders vs. “Hangman” Adam Page, Will Hobbs, and Mark Briscoe
Hobbs starts against Castagnoli, getting some early revenge for Samoa Joe.
For lack of a better word, Hobbs gets to ragdolling Castagnoli. He tags in the AEW Men’s World Champion and he tees off. Castagnoli is able to get a tag but brings in Wheeler Yuta. The action breaks down a bit and Moxley gets in the ring but doesn’t engage Hobbs. Page enters and Moxley backs out again.
Through the commercial break, Hobbs continues the ragdolling, this time putting the beatdown on Yuta. Back from commercial, Yuta looks to gain some momentum. Moxley ducks out and The Death Riders take control as Hobbs is on the outside and Marina Shafir stops Hobbs. Finally, Moxley gets involved, showing a different, more timid and anxious side that we previously have not seen from the leader of the Death Riders.
The crowd lets their feelings be heard loud and clear. The Death Riders take control, picking apart Hobbs in their corner. He finally escapes and tags in Briscoe. He takes on Moxley and Castagnoli.
Shafir again inserts herself, gouging Briscoe’s eyes as he gets up to the rope. Moxley hits him with a Paradigm Shift on the floor.
Briscoe gets worked over and Moxley lands a cheap shot on Page on the side. Hobbs breaks up the pinfall and gets rushed by Castagnoli and Yuta. Moxley gets Briscoe up on the second rope. He bites and fights his way out, landing a Drop Kick. He rolls and tags in Page who starts unloading on all his opponents. Page gets a Pop-Up Powerbomb on Yuta but Castagnoli breaks up the pinfall attempt.
Page fights out, getting Rolling Elbows on Castagnoli and Yuta. Page’s limp knee doesn’t stop him from flying off the top rope.
Castagnoli counters the Buckshot, but Page counters the counter with a Buckshot.
Winners: “Hangman” Adam Page, Will Hobbs, and Mark Briscoe via pinfall.
The Death Riders drive Hobbs and Briscoe out of the ring, laying a beatdown on Page. Darby is up high and Moxley gets psyched out. Page lands a Buckshot.
