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Credit: AEW
The first of three stipulations dealt with Cody on Wednesday night on TNT in the type of 10 lashings, thanks to MJF, as All Elite Wrestling continued its march to Transformation on February 29.
The American Nightmare’s predicament headlined a broadcast that likewise included Jon Moxley fighting The Inner Circle’s Ortiz simply under a month from a prominent champion encounter with Chris Jericho, and a massive Eight-Man Tag Group match pitting Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and The Young Dollars versus The Butcher, The Blade, Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix.
Who emerged victorious from those matches, would Cody have the ability to endure the punishment dealt him for the right to face MJF in Chicago, and to what level of disrespect would Britt Baker sink as she squared off with Yuka Sakazaki?
Discover with this wrap-up of the February 5 broadcast.
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Credit: AEW
A video package chronicling the problems between Jon Moxley and AEW champ Chris Jericho began the broadcast prior to giving way to the opening match of the night, a face-off in between Moxley and The Inner Circle’s Ortiz.
Before the match got underway, Jericho made his existence felt, accompanied by Jake Hager and Sammy Guevara. Le Champ signed up with the commentary team, seeking to get an up-close look at his top contender.
Jericho exposed Ortiz had not contended in a singles match in 583 days, but the tag team specialist did disappoint any indications of rust, taking the fight right to Moxley and sending him crashing into the steel stairs. Ortiz continued to dominate the action up until Moxley used a figure-four from out of no place. A poke of the eye required Moxley to break the hold.
A tope suicida erased Santana on the flooring prior to Moxley sent Ortiz sailing over the guardrail. The heel recuperated and delivered a tope of his own. A big splash from the leading rope followed, and Ortiz almost scored a big upset.
Moxley battled his way back into the match, provided a double-arm DDT and got the hard-fought triumph.
After the match, Moxley turned his attention to Jericho and Co., only to sustain a sneak attack by Santana. Moxley recovered and provided the Paradigm Shift before teasing Jericho with the Ford GT keys from numerous weeks back. He then proceeded to jam among the secrets into the eye of Santana, citing “an eye for an eye.”
Moxley escaped as The Inner Circle hit the ring.
Outcome
Moxley defeated Ortiz
Grade
B
Analysis
Moxley’s revenge made good sense within the context of the story, and the commentary team questioning his actions was a good touch. Jim Ross, Excalibur and Tony Schiavone properly slammed the antihero for his actions after doing the exact same to Jericho 2 weeks back.
The commentary group likewise did a wonderful job of putting Ortiz over as a pitbull of a competitor, a little and solid wrestler who quickly might have scored an upset success. Ultimately, he did not, however he placed on a hell of a showing that advised fans that, while he might be mostly a tag wrestler, he can mix it up with the leading songs rivals when required.
Moxley winning was the only outcome possible, and his attack on Santana essentially eliminated one member of The Inner Circle, decreasing the odds against him ever so slightly.
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Credit: AEW
Previous tag group champions SCU and Best Friends attempted to claw their method back into title contention in the 2nd bout of the night. Obvious by his absence was Christopher Daniels. He sent out Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky into fight against Chuck Taylor and Trent, who had actually “Newly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy in their corner.
Kazarian and Trent paired off early, neither guy gaining the sustained advantage, prior to tagging their particular tag team partners into the bout. Sky rejected a shoulder block by Taylor, dodged a second-rope moonsault and dropped him with a picture-perfect dropkick. Sky followed with a cutter to Taylor but ate a spear at ringside from Trent. Kazarian downed Trent with a German suplex while Taylor provided a turning neckbreaker on the floor.
Back from the break, SCU delivered a helped swinging DDT on Trent for a near-fall. Trent teased a neck injury but really just suckered Kazarian in and unloaded a comeback. A mid-match hug provided simply enough of a momentum killer for SCU to get the win.
After the match, The Dark Order struck the ring and beat down Sky and Kazarian, making good on its hazard from a week ago to target Daniels’ friends.
As The Dark Order stood high, Cassidy rolled into the ring and came face-to-face with the heel faction, unfazed by the enforcing risk the it supplied. He also declined the welcome to sign up with the villains and withstood a whipping of his own until Daniels made the save. The Dark Order retreated regardless of The Fallen Angel challenging the group to bring the battle.
Outcome
SCU beat Buddies
Grade
B
Analysis
SCU, Trent and Taylor have in-ring chemistry that generally leads to a fun, energetic, quality tag team match. They have actually worked with each other countless times before and thus understand each other and their tendencies so well that it is apparently impossible for them to frustration in between the ropes.
With that said, this was less about highlighting the tag group department and more about continuing the story involving SCU and The Dark Order. The heels made good on their pledge from a week earlier, made themselves some additional heat by beating down Cassidy and bailed when Daniels made the conserve.
Which raises concerns: Why were they so hesitant to beat down Daniels, why is he so important to them and what is the real endgame here?
A storyline that can keep fans hooked with that numerous questions is an effective one, even if The Dark Order trick still has not struck with fans in the way management most likely hoped it would.
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Credit: AEW
Yuka Sakazaki returned to AEW for the very first time considering that Fyter Fest last June, seeking to develop some momentum for herself in the business’s ladies’s division. To do that, she would need to beat the No. 4-ranked rival, the unexpectedly attitudinal Dr. Britt Baker.
An early assault by Baker gave way to Sakazaki providing a Magical Lady Splash on the arena floor and a huge clothesline back inside for a near-fall. Sakazaki unloaded with a series of lower arms and a rolling elbow.
Baker dropped her, however, and looked to apply the Lockjaw. She grabbed the hair in a moment of disrespect and ended up spending for it as the babyface shifted her weight and scored the pinfall victory.
After the match, a troubled, frustrated and vengeful Baker used the ring bell to drop Sakazaki. She delivered a stomp to the back of her challenger, driving her head and mouth into the ring ropes. Her mouth bloodied, Sakazaki exposed she had a few of her teeth knocked out.
Unrelenting, Baker used the Tetanus as boos rained down from the stands.
Result
Sakazaki beat Baker
Grade
A
Analysis
In regards to getting Baker over as a heel, this was so much more effective than any of the promos she had delivered in recent weeks. Whereas the promotions exposed her weak points, the loss and post-match attack conveyed the aggravation Baker has actually experienced.
Expert dissatisfaction has actually taken her to a dark place within herself and manifested as bold privilege in those abovementioned discounts and raw violence after this loss.
This is a lot more intriguing Baker than the inspirational medical professional ever was and one that will benefit both her and the females’s department in the long term as that specific part of the roster continues to find its feet.
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Credit: AEW
The Butcher and The Blade chose The Lucha Bros as their tag team partners Wednesday night for a massive Eight-Man Tag Group match that pitted them against The Young Dollars and AEW tag team champs Kenny Omega and Hangman Page.
The babyfaces rolled early, Omega and the Bucks delivering a triple dropkick as the crowd erupted into chants of “be elite!” As the show headed to break, however, the daredevil Rey Fenix skyrocketed through the air and wiped out the whole Elite with a top-rope plancha.
The heels separated Nick Jackson throughout the business break, cutting the ring off and keeping him from making the tag. Back from the timeout, Jackson finally created separation, securing Fenix and Pentagon Jr. at ringside and tagging bro Matt into the match.
The action broke down as the babyfaces asserted their dominance. That is, until Fenix took out the hamstring of Omega. As they had Nick, the heels isolated The Cleaner, aiming to divide and dominate their opposition.
Omega broke devoid of the heels’ grasp and tagged Page into the match. Hangman unloaded on the competition, erasing all 4 of his challengers with a top-rope moonsault. A discus lariat put Pentagon down for a near-fall back within.
The action broke down, and the heels gained back the benefit. The Butcher nearly put Nick away with a powerbomb, however Omega made the save. The former IWGP heavyweight champ unloaded with a couple of snapdragon suplexes but might not down The Butcher. The Bucks secured the enforcing big male, but prior to they could finish things off, Page tagged himself into the match.
Hangman missed the Buckshot Lariat on The Butcher however turned The Blade inside out minutes later.
Page’s left knee, damaged earlier in the match, slowed him. His refusal to tag in the Bucks enabled Pentagon to deliver the Penta Motorist for the win.
After the break, Pac goaded Omega into accepting his challenge for a rubber match in between the two by threatening females’s champ Riho. When The Cleaner did, Pac left the picture in the nick of time for Nyla Rose to powerbomb Riho on a table.
Outcome
The Butcher, The Blade and The Lucha Bros beat The Elite
Grade
A
Analysis
The dissension between Omega and Page has actually given way to dissension in between the AEW tag group champs and The Young Dollars. It was on complete screen late in the match as Page refused to tag his Elite teammates in and then afterward when Omega came to the defense of his partner.
Even throughout the break, cams caught Omega attempting to smooth things over, which he did, but not prior to writing the latest chapter in Page’s upcoming heel turn.
The match was continuously action, and while it might have been careless in areas, it kept fans invested and handled to inform the designated story.
The crowd’s reaction to Hangman suggests he is one of the most over stars in all of AEW right now. His growing appeal will only make the ultimate heel turn that much more efficient. If dealt with properly, Page might be the rebellious breakout star in the very same vein as Steve Austin circa1997 That the character has numerous prospective instructions it might possibly enter is a testament to the creative work that has been put into it, not to point out the performances of Page himself.
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Credit: AEW
Driven by revenge, Joey Janela unloaded on Kip Sabian early and often in their match while Penelope Ford, his former significant other and Sabian’s existing sweetheart, enjoyed from ringside. The Bad Kid punished Sabian, and when Superbad unloaded on him with a wicked kick to the back, he appeared nonplussed by the strike.
Prior to the break, Ford interjected herself in the procedures, slamming Janela’s head into the steel stairs and enabling her brand-new beau to take control of the bout. Back from the industrial, Sabian provided a twisting neckbreaker for a near-fall. Janela dodged a springboard, however, and provided a tope suicida that erased Sabian at ringside.
Not able to harness his feelings, he allowed Ford to provide another distraction. This one, however, showed ineffective, as Janela caught Sabian and provided a German suplex on the flooring. Back in the ring, Sabian endured a thrust kick and provided a backstabber. The Bad Young boy responded to with a Death Valley Motorist for a near-fall of his own.
Ford leapt up on the apron and provided Superbad a little added motivation with a big kiss, however a charging Janela knocked her off the apron. Sabian took advantage and scored the win with a school child roll-up and a handful of leggings.
Outcome
Sabian defeated Janela
Grade
C
Analysis
This was a quality match that would have taken advantage of a clearer story.
Longtime fans of the entertainers involved understand Janela and Ford had a very genuine relationship. They also know their breakup paved the way to an extremely genuine relationship between Ford and Sabian. Fans of AEW do not necessarily know that due to the fact that the company has actually not taken the time to inform the story from an innovative viewpoint. Had it, the crowd would have been more into this one and the entertainers included.
It is something the company really must shore up because Janela, Sabian and Ford have a ton to provide AEW both now and in the future. Little mean a rivalry here and there, and after that a big television match with little to no reaction, is hardly a storytelling formula that will benefit anybody.
The surface insinuates this program is far from over. Hopefully that is the case since this seems like a fight that is just scratching the surface area.
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Credit: AEW
Cody made his method to the ring in Huntsville, Alabama, prepared to endure 10 penalizing, excruciating lashings from his resented enemy as one of the three stipulations MJF laid forth for Cody to face the entitled young star at Revolution.
MJF, aiming to add insult to injury, demanded Cody’s own belt instead of staining his own. The American Nightmare handed it over, extended his arms and dared his former buddy to bring it on.
Following the very first lashing, heels from the AEW locker space poured onto the phase, all looking for a closer look at the procedures. The 2nd lashing brought a bold Cody in person with his opponent. The 3rd brought him to his knees.
Arn Anderson made his method to the ring to provide support to his buddy and student. The fourth brought more agony to the face of the AEW EVP as MJF berated him. After the 5th, Dustin Rhodes appeared and came in person with the massive Wardlow up until MJF purchased him out of the ring due to the fact that just Cody might take the punishment.
The heel included Nos. 6 and 7 as The Young Dollars made their way to the ringside area, all while MJF continued to urge his former mentor to stop. Chants of “Cody” spilled from the stands after No. 8 as The American Problem addressed his rival defiantly. MJF handed the belt over to Wardlow, who unloaded on Cody for No. 9.
Reduced to crawling, Cody fed off the cheers of the fans and tried to eliminate back to his feet. He failed, collapsing to the mat as Brandi Rhodes concerned ringside. She motivated her other half and held his hand, providing him the motivation required to return to his feet and endure one last blow, this one to the exposed chest.
Brandi, Dustin, and the Bucks examined Cody, but MJF got one last cheap shot in prior to escaping through the crowd.
Grade
A
Analysis
Cody’s facial expressions, body movement and capability to get the fans to sympathize with him made this whole sector. His ability to convey his emotions drew the audience in and put it right there in the ring with him, sharing the misery of every lashing. With every fracture of the belt throughout his back, shoulders and chest, fans wanted to rip MJF apart. They wanted to conserve their hero.
They wanted to end his suffering.
That is the indication of the ideal fumbling angle. The fans purchased it, they responded appropriately and they now want to invest their hard-earned cash in seeing Cody beat the unholy hell out of that spoiled pain-in-the-ass Maxwell Jacob Friedman come February 29 in Chicago.
This was the epitome of professional fumbling done right and the kind of angle that was produced Cody and Cody alone. Anyone else on the roster would have overacted or failed to generate the exact same feelings he did. It remains in sectors like this, in which feelings are high and the fans are asked to invest their own, that he prospers.
He did, and the main event section benefitted considerably as an outcome.