It’s the penultimate show of 2019 for AEW, and even though next week’s broadcast is going to be loaded up with title matches, this one should also be good as the Young Bucks face off with Santana and Ortiz in a Texas Street Fight. How is that different than any other street fight? Let’s uncover the answer together, as we go live on TNT.
We’re not wasting any time tonight, as we’re going to see Mox in action right off the bat.
Match 1 – Jon Moxley vs. Local Talent
Well, a little bit of action, anyway. The poor jobber gets hit with the Paradigm Shift and is quickly pinned. John Silver tries to jump in on his behalf and fares about the same. Before Moxley can leave the ring, however, Chris Jericho and the Inner Circle come down the ramp and start heading his way. Despite having his henchmen surround the ring, Le Champion says he just wants a one-on-one conversation. Jericho goes through a bit of their history, from giving Moxley advice to becoming adversaries. He also claims credit for steering Mox to AEW when his passion for the business was low, only to be paid back for it with a beating at Double or Nothing. If you suspected this was a lengthy recruiting pitch for the Inner Circle, you’re absolutely correct. After making the offer, Jericho says he doesn’t even need an answer right now. Go home, talk it over with your wife and mother, Mox.
A video package gets us hype for Santana and Ortiz vs. the Young Bucks in a Texas Street Fight. The winner gets a title shot against SCU next week.
Match 2 – The Butcher and The Blade (with The Bunny) vs. Cody and QT Marshall
MJF appears to be one step ahead of Cody, because as the mastermind behind the arrival of BBB, he got to choose Cody’s tag team partner for this match. But hey, it’s not like Marshall is going to wrestle much of this, right? Uh, actually he gets to work quite a bit as he’s isolated by the heels and Cody has to resort to inspiring the crowd to inspire QT. Kind of some fun, old-fashioned tag team flavor. Marshall gets his chance to shine, but Butcher and Blade need this win, and they get it. After the bell, a dejected Cody gets helped to his feet by Darby Allin, suggesting that maybe he has at least one friend in AEW.
With Wardlow by his side, MJF decides to embarrass a crew member he says was laughing at him last week when Cody criticized his version of the Cross Rhodes. MJF gives him a chance to kiss the ring by way of apology, except that doesn’t save him from a Cross Rhodes of his own. That physical harm is nothing compared to the venom MJF unleashes toward Cody in his promo, getting awfully personal and causing the crowd to chant something that TNT has to blank out. Somewhat surprisingly, MJF agrees to a match against Cody, but with stipulations that he isn’t going to reveal tonight.
Match 3 – Big Swole vs. Emi Sakura
This is the first AEW match for Big Swole, who the announcers say just signed this week. This isn’t a fantastic match as this women’s division goes, but Swole does get plenty of time to work in her debut and even nabs the victory to boot. Not too shabby.
Speaking of shabby, that’s how PAC treats his backstage interviewer before whining about how he wants his rubber match with Kenny Omega. Be careful what you wish for, PAC.
Match 4 – Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford) and Shawn Spears vs. “Hangman” Adam Page and Kenny Omega
No Tully Blanchard tonight, though he appears in a short video while Spears is making his ring walk. And for the love of Pete, will someone please tell J.R. which commercial breaks are going to be side by side? The poor guy obviously is getting left off the email chain. It occurs to me that this is probably the longest match we’ve seen for Sabian, and Ford gets some of the spotlight too. Eventually, Joey Janela intervenes and scraps with Spears to the back. Sabian has no chance on his own, succumbing to a Buckshot Lariat.”
Brandi Rhodes aims some insults at pretty much every prominent member of the women’s division. Why so angry Brandi?
Match 5 – Luchasaurus vs. Sammy Guevara
Jericho joins the announcers to help call this one, but it ends in disappointment as Guevara is pinned. When the Inner Circle tries piling on Luchasaurus after the bell, it’s the rest of Jurassic Express to the rescue, with Jungle Boy pinning Jericho (as Marko Stunt makes the count) ahead of their match next week.
Feb. 29 is the date for the next AEW PPV, AEW Revolution. Because Leap Day is for wrestling.
Main Event – The Young Bucks vs. Santana and Ortiz – Texas Street Fight
The heels take the no disqualification part of this match to its logical extreme, attacking the Bucks on the ramp with assistance from Guevara, and powerbombing Brandon Cutler off the stage when he nobly tries to make the save. Nick Jackson comes off the top of the entrance tunnel to send Ortiz through a table as SCU watches from the first row, popcorn in hand. Matt Jackson finds a Dallas Cowboys helmet is good protection against weapons, multiple tables get broken on the outside, and Dustin Rhodes makes an appearance to counter Jake Hager. In the end, the Bucks prevail through all the craziness, and will face SCU for the belts next week. Naturally, the champs climb in the ring with their challengers for a few pleasantries, and this time, J.R., we really are leaving because we’re out of time. See you in seven!
Nick Tylwalk has been with SLAM! Wrestling since the dawn of time, or at least since before the turn of the century. He spends his days doing PR things, but he’ll always make time to sneak away for some wrestling.
