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All Elite Wrestling is putting on their first PPV of the year tomorrow (Sun., Mar. 7, 2021) at Jacksonville’s Daily’s Place - Revolution!
After a free streaming pre-show which starts an hour earlier, the event starts at 8PM Eastern, and can be purchased on B/R Live (and traditional PPV) here in the U.S. & Canada, or internationally on Fite.
Last year’s show took place in Chicago, but the pandemic will keep this one in Tony Khan’s backyard. This one is a little different than past AEW events, as it’s happening on a Sunday. Regardless of those of changes, the company has booked a solid looking show, with lots of story twists and plenty of bad blood in store for us. Plus, you know, exploding barbed wire.
We’re assembling our motley crew to give thoughts & predictions on each bout on the card.
Let's get to it.
AEW REVOLUTION PREDICTIONS
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch for the AEW World title
Sean Rueter: Just when we all expect Mox to pack up and head off to transition into dadhood for a while, he keeps... not being written out of things. It feels possible that’s the case here, too. Or I’m as crazy as he is. But if the current Booker & Promoter of the Year embraces the same hot shot approach to his top belt that won Vince McMahon those awards three years in a row at the end of last century, the Death Rider could get a victory lap before taking paternity leave this summer. Pick: Jon Moxley
Kyle Decker: This doesn’t feel like the time to hot potato the title back to Moxley. Kenny is probably going to hold the strap as their top heel for a while. Mox may have some paternity time in his future. Pick: Kenny Omega
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: This is Moxley’s home turf, y’all. We’re talking about a man who has had his forehead sawed at with a live reciprocating saw in a match that he’d go on to win. It is absolutely his match to lose, and I don’t see him losing when he’s so fighting mad. The Best Bout Machine is a great wrestler, and I’m sure he has a plan, but all your plans evaporate when you land on an exploding barbed wire board. Pick: Jon Moxley
Cain A. Knight: No sane person would sign up for an Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch against Jon Moxley, so Kenny Omega must have a dirty plan in mind. I hope the plan is deeper than “Good Brothers interfere yet again,” because it’s about time that Moxley stops falling for that one. Pick: Kenny Omega
Manolo H. Pizzazz: It will be very tough to put down Moxley, but Omega did it once before with help from Don Callis. Also, Omega has a couple of Good Brothers on his side to help tenderize Moxley before the pain game escalates. To add extra motivation, Omega needs that champion’s paycheck in order to buy more fancy fashion boots. Pick: Kenny Omega
Stella Cheeks: Kenny Omega picked this gimmick match for a reason. He knew crazy pants Jon Moxley couldn’t resist and therefore would walk willing into a trap. JON IT’S A TRAP. Like a really cool exploding trap, but a trap none the less. Pick: Kenny Omega
The Young Bucks (c) vs. Chris Jericho & MJF for the AEW Tag Team championship
Sean Rueter: Jericho didn’t win on PPV all year last year. I know he’s here to put over the next generation, but (a) that requires him to be a threat, and (b) Matt & Nick are already over. Getting Max his first AEW title feels more in line with his mission statement. Pick: Chris Jericho & MJF
Kyle Decker: This is a good time for Sammy G to cost Chris and Max a chance at tag gold. That way he can feud with MJF and even get a match against Jericho. That is if Sammy likes the creative. Pick: The Young Bucks
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: If Jericho and MJF can stay on the same page the entire match, the titles will be theirs, but the cracks are showing, the Bucks are as good as they’ve ever been, and I don’t think the Inner Circle has the juice to stay on the same page long enough to pick up the belts. Pick: Young Bucks
Cain A. Knight: The angle with Papa Buck taking a beating was very fun, but this is where Sammy Guevara returns to ruin things for MJF. Pick: Young Bucks
Manolo H. Pizzazz: The Inner Circle travels in a pack, and they will find a way to tip the scale in their favor at the most opportune moment. Pick: Chris Jericho & MJF
Stella Cheeks: Ya reap what you sew and MJF sewed a lot of discord into the Inner Circle. Sunday is going to be a rough one for Maxwell. Pick: Young Bucks
Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Ryo Mizunami for the AEW Women’s championship
Sean Rueter: Should be fun despite the complete lack of suspense. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Kyle Decker: If there was any doubt, AEW removed it when they chose a challenger who was on Dynamite for the first time this week. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: I’m writing a placeholder pick before the actual tournament finals happen, and I’ll probably change my tune if Nyla’s in the match, but I really don’t see Shida getting dethroned at this time. [Narrator voice: Nyla is not in the match] Pick: Hikaru Shida
Cain A. Knight: I think Britt Baker will be the woman who takes the championship from Shida, and Britt Baker is not in this match. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Shida has done too much work to lose the title now. Mizunami will be a road bump on Shida’s path to being AEW’s greatest champion to date. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Stella Cheeks: It’s a shame that they had a whole ass tournament to pick a finalist that has no chance of defeating Shida. Don’t get me wrong. Ryo Mizunami is awesome, but the likelihood of them beating Shida is very small. Especially since the AEW writers probably haven’t even thought about this match once. It’s still WILD to me that this isn’t Britt Baker. Pick: Hikaru Shida
Darby Allin & Sting vs. Ricky Starks & Brian Cage in a Street Fight
Sean Rueter: Cinematic match or no, 61 year old Steve Borden isn’t bumping around with cervical spinal stenosis so his AEW record can be 0 - 1. Pick: Darby Allin & Sting
Kyle Decker: I can see Team Taz winning if they want Darby to have to defend his title against a member of that crew. But that’s very ‘been there/done that’ right now. Brian Cage couldn’t get it done. I wouldn’t expect Rick Starks or Powerhouse Will to fare any better. And we’re already crowning a #1 contender on this show. They’ll have to come up with a way to neutralize the numbers advantage with Hobbs likely a factor (maybe a save from a certain big man from the WCW days), but Sting will win his first match since he and John Cena won a tag match in 2015. Pick: Sting & Darby Allin
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: This one’s a little frustrating, because Team Taz could really use a signature win and it’s not like Sting needs the shine, but also do you want to bring Sting in, team him up with your babyface midcard champion, and then have them lose? I think it probably hinges on exactly how much more gas the Stinger has left in his tank, and I’m betting they have a plan for a followup where Cage or Starks can put him down, so... Pick: Skateboard Sting and Sting Classic
Cain A. Knight: Sting isn’t going to lose in his comeback match. That’s why Ricky Starks is here to take the fall. Pick: Darby Allin & Sting
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Sting! The Icon will call his pal RoboCop for insider information about how to malfunction the machine known as Brian Cage. Pick: Darby Allin & Sting
Stella Cheeks: It’s bring your child to work day at AEW Revolution. The Stinger and his angsty teen are going to win, no contest. I mean one of them carries a baseball bat and one of them likes to throw themselves off bridges. They are street fight material. Pick: Darby Allin & Sting
Matt Hardy vs. Hangman Page in a Big Money Match
Sean Rueter: Not that you should ever put much stock in my picks, which are usually a blend of contrarianism, fantasy booking, and snark. But I’ll throw in an added disclaimer here, as I don’t think there’s a wrestler/performer/character currently on television I’m currently a bigger mark for than the angsty millennial cowboy. Have you gone to his website? Pick: Hangman Page
Kyle Decker: This seems like a small program to get Hangman a PPV win as they bide their time to do whatever their long term plan is. Maybe eventually beating Kenny for the title? Pick: Hangman Page
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: Bigtime babyface Hangman Page is gonna cash some checks and celebrate with his Dark Order buddies, baby! Pick: “Hangman” Adam Page
Cain A. Knight: Watching Matt Hardy go from big money to no money should be fun. Pick: Hangman Page
Manolo H. Pizzazz: I’m not sure if Hardy’s knees would be able to click fast enough to dodge a buckshot lariat. Pick: Hangman Page
Stella Cheeks: Being a cowboy is expensive. Do you know how much food horses eat?? Hangman can’t afford to lose this match. Pick: Hangman Adam Page
Cody Rhodes vs. Scorpio Sky vs. Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Lance Archer vs. Max Caster vs. TBA in the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match for a TNT title shot
Sean Rueter: The mystery guy is probably gonna be like Crazzy Steve or some such (no offense Steve). Penta vs. Darby could be fire, but deserves a bigger build than the three days between now and Wednesday’s title match. They’ll go with Scorp so they can say how important he is to their plans and not be lying, since their plans call for him to be a guy who makes the guys they really see as stars look good. Pick: Scorpio Sky
Kyle Decker: It feels like they’re building up Lance Archer lately. While Penta would be the favorite choice, I think Archer gets another shot at the TNT gold. Pick: Lance Archer
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: Penta vs. Darby sounds like a lot of fun, sure why not? Pick: Penta el Zero M
Cain A. Knight: Cody won’t win because he needs a longer break from Darby Allin. Archer won’t win because they don’t want him to be pinned by Darby. Max Caster is too low on the card to win. That leaves Scorpio Sky or Penta, but it’s been like three months since either guy has wrestled on Dynamite. I guess that means I’m going with the mystery guy. Pick: TBA
Manolo H. Pizzazz: A man with zero fear will have no problem going to extremes to reach his goal. Pick: Pentagon
Stella Cheeks: The only person in this match that deserves to win is Scorpio Sky. Pick: Scorpio Sky
Miro & Kip Sabian vs. Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor
Sean Rueter: Throw the newlyweds a frickin’ bone, let the Best Man pin the Kentucky Gentleman before he gets beat by the license-to-print-money that is OC. Pick: Miro & Kip Sabian
Kyle Decker: The result of this will probably set up OC vs. Miro, which seems like the final stop of their fairly long program. I assume whomever the plan to win that final match will lose tonight. Since I think Miro needs to win in the end, I say Kip Sabian takes a pin from OC tonight to set that up. Pick: Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: Much like the street fight this is a little rock and a hard place because you’d kind of think that Miro should start picking up some steam eventually, but he’s the only great part of a lame duck act and should break off on his own sooner rather than later, so let’s pop some dogs and talk some hogs for our dear, hurt pal Trent? Pick: Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy
Cain A. Knight: On the one hand, it would be strange for Miro to be on the losing end of his first PPV match in AEW. On the other hand, Sabian being pinned here could lead to a breakup with Miro. That’s probably better for Miro in the long-term than a win in this match. Pick: Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor
Manolo H. Pizzazz: Destruction! Pick: Miro & Kip Sabian
Stella Cheeks: This feels like the natural end to the team of Miro & Sabian. Sabian takes the pin, embarrasses Miro and Miro leaves to start his solo career in AEW. Chuck Taylor and OC look very cool. It’s a win/win. Well, not for Sabian, but you get the picture. Pick: Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor
Casino Tag Team Royale
Sean Rueter: Because it goes along with my pick in the Tag title match, and could lead to the former EYFBO finally getting to break out on their own and really entertain our funky butts off. Pick: Santana & Ortiz
Kyle Decker: Seems like Death Triangle is being positioned for a shot. Pick: PAC & Fenix
Rev. Claire Elizabeth: AEW love tag team battles royal, don’t they? I kinda hate it, as your friendly neighborhood liveblog lady, but whatcha gonna do? Anyway, lemme look up who exactly is in this... OH HELL YEAH BEAR COUNTRY LET’S GO! Pick: Bear Country
Cain A. Knight: It feels like the Young Bucks have beaten almost all of these teams, so why not try something new? And how can they really pass up on PAC and Fenix challenging the Bucks? Pick: PAC & Rey Fenix
Manolo H. Pizzazz: The PPV’s feel-good moment will come in the form of John Silver going cuckoo for a tag title shot. Pick: Alex Reynolds & John Silver
Stella Cheeks: Still mad Fenix isn’t in the ladder match. Pick: PAC & Rey Fenix
Riho & Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker & Reba
Sean Rueter: The best women’s feud in AEW history hits the pre-show? Sounds about right. Pick: Riho & Thunder Rosa
Kyle Decker: This match has to go to Riho & Rosa. Reba can take the pin and Britt won’t be hurt at all. Pick: Riho & Thunder Rosa
Cain A. Knight: Britt Baker can easily blame this loss on her partner, and it will probably be a valid excuse. Pick: Riho & Thunder Rosa
Manolo H. Pizzazz: One of these four is not like the others. Pick: Riho & Thunder Rosa
Stella Cheeks: No shade to Reba, but Reba literally exists in this match to take the pin. It’s been a bad couple weeks for Britt. Pick: Riho & Thunder Rosa
That's who we've got. Who are you taking, Cagesiders?