All Elite Wrestling comes our way from the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Last week, a non-problematic Wheeler Yuta replaced some other dude to open the show in a one-on-one bout with Jon Moxley. The match was fun, but Jon Moxley won because he didn’t come back better than ever to lose a random match! Perhaps he came back to make questionable (but awesome) alliances with The American Dragon? Perhaps. Dan Lambert and CBO Brandi had a very uncomfortable exchange in the ring where absolutely no one looked good until Paige VanZant came out and shut everyone up. Don’t you love a feud where everyone is the bad guy? *sigh* PAC & Penta El Zero Miedo sought out vengeance from the duo of Black & King, but their plans were thwarted when Penta got an eyeful of black goo. Adam Cole was in a MOOD. Nyla Rose took advantage of a strategic Guerrero distraction to pin Ruby Soho. The Gunn Club threw Jungle Boy into a mound of frigid Chicago snow. Dan Lambert said more offensive nonsensical drivel but thankfully was interrupted by Adam Page and Lance Archer, who don’t need the help of a gross old man to get their program over. Jericho demanded an Inner Circle team meeting! And finally, MJF handed CM Punk his first singles loss in AEW after an impressive showing from both competitors. Oh, and with a bit of help from Wardlow! Why, Wardlow? Why?
This Week’s Headliner:
Tony Khan has a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT tonight. It was teased for Rampage, but Tony Kahn loves drama, and the Rampage announcement was that he had a HUGE announcement for Dynamite. Don’t hate the player and all that.
It looks like whoever it is will wrestle Isiah Kassidy in a Face of the Revolution ladder match qualifier. The question is who will it be?
It’s probably Keith Lee. He’s been cryptic on his socials for months. His main roster WWE run was a disappointment to many (seriously! how did they mess it up so badly??), so an AEW signing would be a balm for our sad indie wrestling souls. Even better if they also sign his BAMF wife, Mia Yim!
There is an outside chance that it could be Jeff Hardy. Technically, his WWE non-compete clause isn’t up yet, but those independent contractor contracts are legally dubious. If anyone is going to be able to go toe-to-toe with Vince in a legal battle, it’s Tony Khan. It’s long overdue for a shakeup in the way WWE handles their talent contractually but does Tony Khan really want that drama? He’s a petty bitch (said lovingly), so it’s not unlikely. It would get him A LOT of brownie points from wrestling fans and wrestlers alike, and Tony Khan loves to be loved. Plus, it would be fun as hell to watch. Both in the courts and in the ring. The Hardy Boyz in AEW? Jeff Hardy vs. Isaiah Kassidy? WONDERFUL.
But it’s definitely Keith “I’m actually on vacation right now” Lee.
The Title Scene:
Hangman Adam Page has made it known since he won The World Championship that he wants to be a fighting champion. Luckily (or unluckily) Lance Archer is here to help the champ fulfill his promise...in a Texas Deathmatch!!! The Texas Deathmatch is Archer’s bread and butter, and while Hangman is no stranger to violence, this will be his most formidable challenge to date. Omega & Danielson are two of the best wrestlers in the world, but Archer is big, brutal, and literally not afraid to do a murder. It’s unlikely that everyone’s favorite cowboy loses his title here, but he’s going to have to fight tooth and nail to hold on to it. As long as Dan Lambert keeps his gross mouth shut, this match should only enhance both competitors’ status within AEW.
So far, the TNT Champion has done an admirable job of staying out of the Inner Circle drama. He hasn’t had the time! He won back his championship and has been focused on making his second title run one to remember. Even Darby Allin approves (we think)! Tonight The Inner Circle is holding a meeting on their future as a wrestling stable, and dare I say, as a family. What does Sammy have to say about his friends fighting? Does he even care? Where is Jake Hager? And more importantly, what does Eddie Kingston think about all this? Because he’s 100% crashing this party!
The highly anticipated match between Mercedes Martinez and Thunder Rosa finally happened on Rampage. It was awesome until Mercedes got disqualified when she hit Thunder Rosa with a pipe. I mean, that was awesome too, but it did end the match. While Mercedes was explaining her actions in a backstage interview, she was interrupted by The World Women’s Champion, Britt Baker, and her crew. It turns out Britt hired Mercedes as a merc to take out Thunder Rosa. Everything about this development rules! Not only does it mean that we’re getting more Mercedes Martinez and Thunder Rosa, but it means that Thunder Rosa is probably going to be Britt’s next challenger for the title. Britt and Thunder Rosa have a brutal and bloody history, and if anyone in AEW can dethrone Britt, it’s her. Also, Mercedes Martinez as badass muscle for hire? Hell yeah.
The Tag Team Champions have been targeted by The Ass Boys The Gunn Club. The Gunn Club has a record of 7-0, and are sick of being relegated to Dark and the parking lot. To express their displeasure, they threw Jungle Boy into the snow last week - the opposite of a habital climate for the champion! Not to mention the beef between Christian Cage and Billy Gunn. We got dad beef and tag beef! Tonight expect a response from the tag champs and also maybe expect Jungle Boy to have the sniffles.
Jade Cargill is kicking ass and not taking names because she doesn’t have the time to make friends! The people she destroys don’t matter to her. All that matters is the TBS Championship and maintaining her That Bitch to status.
Other things to keep an eye on:
-MJF meant it when he said “by hook or by crook.” (No not that HOOK) CM Punk took MJF to the very limit. Both competitors pulled out all the stops (Pepsi Plunge!!) but were shockingly equally matched. MJF could have tried to win with integrity, but why have integrity when you can have infamy? In a heartbreaking twist, Wardlow did not turn face and instead gleefully doubled down on his unwavering support of MJF (looks like someone got a raise). Look, the big giant ring is still dumb as hell, but it has come in handy a time or two! After all, it’s hard to kick out when you’ve been hit in the face with a chunk of ostentatious metal. Tonight MJF gloats. A lot. Presumably, CM Punk interrupts, calls MJF a cheater, and we start this whole ride again!
-Adam Cole is done playing games. He has moved on from his feud with Orange Cassidy. No more time for games. After his win over Evil Uno on Rampage has made it crystal clear that he has a new goal: The AEW World Championship. If there is one thing we know about Adam Cole, it’s that when he puts his mind to something, nothing can stop him. Ruthless Adam Cole is here BayBay. Watch out.
-Leyla blindsided Kris Statlander with a steel chair last week. I don’t know how they do it on her planet, but on this one that’s not a very nice thing to do! Stadtlander isn’t one to stand idly by and let a bully run roughshod on the women’s division. Leyla Hirsh should prepare herself for a galactic-sized ass whopping.
-Dante Martin is a BOLD young man. He has been antagonizing Team Taz for weeks. They’ve mostly ignored his transgressions, but now he’s on Powerhouse Hobbs radar. Hobbs has it out for the upstart and has been taking it out on his poor opponents as a threat. If I were Dante Martin I’d seek high ground and stay there. Or jump from the rafters into the fray. Whatever works.
-Something with Paige VanZant and Brandi. VanZant isn’t a wrestler, and Brandi isn’t good enough to get a non-wrestler over in a match, so this is going to continue to be awkward as hell.
-Does Jon Moxley have an answer for Bryan Danielson? Oh, you know he does.
Tune into AEW on TBS at 8pm ET for the final time to see how all this plays out.
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