It’s AEW’s final pay-per-view of the year and I’ve final-ly gotten to it. I took it in three chunks which probably colors my opinion. This review is just my notes as I watched through the show, including some digressions which I think are interesting. You’ll see some more move-calling in this review than in previous; this isn’t really to help people figure out what’s going on, it’s really about filling space (figuratively) if I don’t have anything else to say.
Ospreay vs. Fletcher, C2 Semi-Finals
Nice to see Will in the green main event gear; don’t love the feathers but that’s okay. Fletcher adding the chain and the danglies added to the entrance look a lot. Fast and counter-heavy start, a bit loose/sloppy but they covered it over with continuing motion. Fletcher stalls on the floor, back in and stalling more. Fletcher seems to want to slow it down. Ring steps in play again. Ospreay dodges getting whipped in, then shortly eats a powerbomb into the apron. Ospreay blades, suppose it should have been expected. Fletcher is stalling, not being methodical. Bloodplay is a reliable heat getter. Fletcher showing lots of power. Kinda put off by the blood here; it’s too much, came off of kind of a nothing bump, and I know he just bladed so it doesn’t make me feel anything. I know you can’t control it after you cut but still. Ospreay still working well, though. Can’t they just get him a towel? Is that a foreign object? Battles of attrition. What is a clean finish? Is having the ref push a guy into you hitting them a clean finish? Well, it wasn’t the finish. This is “good” but I’ve also checked out. I’m still watching, though. Nice finishing sequence; I like it when the counter series is not too drawn out. Winner: Ospreay. ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Ricochet/Okada video
This is why you pay for guys like Jim Ross, Mark Henry, and Paul Wight, and it’s really something that they rolled out Daddy Magic, Renee Paquette, and Excalibur for this. No shade against them but this is a spot where gravitas & resume mean a lot more than wording and personality, because everybody’s bit was too short for their specific contributions to really shine. You want “legends” who have “done it” or at least recognized “experts” to be in this spot.
Ricochet vs. Okada, C2 Semi-Finals
Seems like the heel turn for Ricochet is already working a bit. Should have a bigger reaction for Okada imo, but that’s the story of AEW. Alright little buzz before the lock-up. Slow start here. Kind of feel like the match could have used a more serious start but Okada’s got undeniable ring charisma, as if people weren’t aware. Crowd is definitely on Okada’s side here. Not sure if it’s just how I’m watching but it feels like there’s a haze in the building. I think one of my issues with Ricochet is that he’s still running a lot of spots that’d probably pop if they were done 1.5x speed but he can’t move at that speed anymore. Here we go, my favorite heel mannerism: “Is this your man?” This match has lost me early. The thing about Ricochet’s spots is that the other guy has to wait a little bit too long to where it’s like why is he standing there like a dope? Nasty looking reversal tombstone from Ricochet, then to the shooting star and a near fall. Okada seems to be working (or selling?) kind of sluggishly, still has snap on the dropkick and a lot of movements but almost not paying attention between? Okay sequence leading into the Rainmaker. Winner: Okada. ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
Swerve/Ricochet segment
Eh. It did its job. Why Ricochet would just stand out there I have no idea but it’s wrestling (derogatory).
Rosa/May video
Family members are useful when presented well. A video on a phone is not being presented well. I mean, why would I give a fuck anyway right, but also, you couldn’t get a film crew out to him or whatever?
May vs. Rosa, AEW Women’s World Championship
This cutesy shit suuuuuuuucks. Fuckin pinata. Joker. Can everybody stop cosplaying, please. Slow-ish start but hard hitting. Walking from spot to spot, a few of them looking a bit too contrived for my taste. Thunder Rosa screaming “You are not gonna be my mommy, bitch!” is a moment I really didn’t need to see. My life is worse for having seen it. I’m not really getting into this plunder match; I like connection between spots and this has almost zero. Rosa’s got the pinata which was just thumbtacks, would have preferred if opening the pinata was a more creative spot. Match ended with May hitting the piledriver through a table. Winner: May. ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
MJF vs Cole, Dynamite Diamond Ring
MJF’s music is still the most annoying in wrestling, and this is a compliment. Cole’s music in the conversation, and this is an insult. Fuck, man. Blading again huh. I’m gonna go take a shit, and I’m only telling you this because I have the chance to pause so I’m gonna do that now directly after the bullshit blading spot. If I was running a company one of my main rules would be “do not antagonize fans”. Everybody looks stupid doing it. Stop bucking at them or whatever, they’re not scared. Trying not to prejudge the rest of the match by the opening. This is all theater wrestling: melodramatic set-ups (dragging Cole by the hair), big spots, lots of space left after spots so everyone can gurn at the crowd. Of course we have to have the big leg sell when Cole fucks up the Panama Sunrise; big enough or too big? Limb matches are hugely overrated. Ultra melodrama with the leg focus, not enough for it to just slow Cole down. Right now Cole just pulled MJF into the corner post, and now MJF bladed as well. What’s the over/under on someone else blading on this show? I love Cole’s punches where he just stands square and swings; I’m being sarcastic, they look bad. I really hate how often the “just-in-time collapse” is used in matches. Of course yes, the audible shouts with emotion and the listless looking hockey fight. MJF is good here but Cole seems like he’s never been in a fight? Or only ever lost? Zero push from the back foot, it does not look good. MJF locks in the figure four here. Who showed the other guy the finger more times? That’s the real story of this match, in my opinion. What’s… the point of having Taven and Bennett there if the ref doesn’t even trust them enough to do their job? What if MJF tried to push past them, what were they expected to do? Doesn’t make sense. And then we get to the finish, which I won’t bother recounting. It was fine, I guess. Winner: MJF. ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
Everyone beats up MJF
I hate these types of segments. In very few situations do I want to see them. If a guy just lost a match, he shouldn’t just get his heat back later. If you wanted the person to look good, they should have won. If they lost, they should end the night as a loser and then get it back another day. Plus, instead of anything happening in this stupid story, just nothing happened. Nobody’s allegiances changed, the Dynamite Ring didn’t even change owners, nothing was settled. Geez.
Takeshita vs. Hobbs, AEW International Championship
Slow start to the match, then we have the real open with Takeshita hitting the knee breaker on the apron edge. This is the difference between being methodical and stalling. Takeshita is taking his time but he never creates a lot of separation, he also doesn’t take his eyes off of Hobbs for long. Callis isn’t being the cleverest guy of all time on commentary but Schiavone is not keeping up; Schiavone should spend less time being antagonistic in my opinion. Hobbs doing some good selling of the knee even as he takes back over. I like that Takeshita tried to fight his arms through for the reverse package piledriver, Hobbs I don’t think was fully on board but good acting. Big pimple on Takeshita’s nose. If Hobbs can stay healthy I think he’s got a real future. This is heavyweight wrestling baby. A bit too melodramatic still but getting very fun. Hobbs going up top, I think this is taking the foot off the pedal but it’s expected. The fall, was that planned? Hopefully. Cool superplex. I hope Hobbs isn’t hurt again, looks like no cause he’s standing. Avalanche powerslam. Pace has really slowed down. I don’t think Hobbs’s knee is that hurt. I’ll look at a report after. Great spinning falcon arrow there. I’m gonna call it 4 but there were definite flaws. Winner: Takeshita. ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Moné vs. Statlander, AEW TBS Championship
Slow start, trading headlocks and short charges, Mercedes taking a lot of reset breaks. Not sure what Statlander wanted leading to her armdrag to the floor. Would love to have a match that didn’t go to the floor but here we are. Nice show of power with the walking bodyslam. Statlander could add some snap to her movements. Jungle gym match here, like most are. Immersion-breaking set-up here because Statlander is not going to suplex to the floor, leads to the Moné powerbomb to the apron. Statlander catches the Meteora and counters with a powerbomb. Very nice Chaos Theory out of the corner. I think that’s 7 Amigos. Not a great looking frog splash from Mercedes. Three jawbreakers from Mercedes was fun, haven’t seen that before. They’re going for their epic, the crowd isn’t quite with them in my opinion. Mercedes breaks the count on the floor just to put more torture on Statlander, giving a Meteora. After the long count-out tease, they’re back in the ring, Statlander with the F-5 for the near fall. Big piledriver on the apron and we’ve got another tease, broken. Bank Statement or whatever it’s called, into the STF, Statlander breaks. We get the “fight forever” chant, which I prefer to “this is awesome” (but “this is awesome” has to remain because “fight forever” is the level up). Lariat from Statlander, went for some piledriver thing, Mercedes countered, sloppiness into a technical pin and a Mercedes win. Fun match but a lot of moments where sloppiness led to deflating, including the finish. Winner: Moné. ★★★🞯☆ (3½ stars)
Ospreay vs. Okada, C2 Finals
Ospreay walking out all busted up is so goofy. Clean yourself up, you’ve had like an hour man. Not a big fan of Schiavone editorializing for the ref. Would have liked to see a more big deal robe from Okada for this one; it’s a good robe but it’s like a traveling robe. Schiavone could shut up about “AEW moments” at any time and I wouldn’t be mad. Here we go, nice movement at the outset leading up to the slingshot plancha to the floor. DDT on the floor from Okada. Unfortunate voice crack from Turner. Okada also showing methodical control. After a bit of action, Ospreay up top and comes off with the flying forearm, near fall. Been fun so far if measured. Okada dropkicked Ospreay off the top and to the floor. This feels like the eighth count out tease of the night. Oscutter, near fall. Thinking of adding in an “enjoyment rating” as what I’ve been doing so far with stars is more about “performance rating”. Ospreay’s standing shooting star is countered by Okada’s knees. Ospreay gets the Styles Clash, obvious near fall. He wasn’t going to get that twice in the night, not at this stage. Rainmaker, obvious nearfall. Okada should close his mouth, he’s faced Ospreay in a big deal match before. Second fight forever of the night. Yikes on that front elbow from Okada. A detail that I think is overlooked (except among commentators of course) is type of analysis. Ospreay whiffs a haymaker and Okada gets the German suplex, Rainmaker reversed into a Spanish fly (I think), near fall. Feels like we’re picking up. Blood flowing from Ospreay. Oscutter reversed with a dropkick. Ospreay Rainmaker. Stormbreaker. Don’t think that’s it, it isn’t. Stormbreaker feels like it’s made to be kicked out of. We’re looking for the Tiger Driver, improbable exit by Okada and a lariat. Okada’s got wrist control and we’re looking for the Rainmaker. Crowd buzzing. Series of counters, a bit too long for my taste, Rainmaker, that’s it. Felt like it would be a bit more. So they had a guy break the tournament on the second time out, interesting but Okada’s the guy to do it. Excalibur trying to put the C2 on the level of the G1 is laughable; it’s his job but it makes him look goofy. Winner: Okada. ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
Omega presents the belt to Okada
Nice to see him, still over. Looks like we’re getting Omega/Okada for the Continental belt soon. JR shilling for newer people sounds so forced but that’s unkind of me.
AEW World title video
lmao they cut out the “Fatal” of Mox’s “Fatal Four-way” that’s funny. So so video.
Moxley vs. Cassidy vs. Page vs. White, AEW World Championship
Alright here we go, everybody attacking Moxley to start off. Crowd is on board for this. Death Riders trying to bail Moxley out. I don’t think there are count-outs in four-way; I cannot believe Excalibur and JR just laid out for that. Just correct him, you’re all adults. Alright so this is essentially a five on three fight now. Okay, security gets the excess Riders out. Mox dominating Cassidy, Page and White are back, Orange Punch and then Page powerbombs Mox through the table. We’re in a classic “nothing matters until They come in”: we’re waiting on Mox to get up and get back in it. A look at Christian Cage whoopty doo. Hook’s here. Page fighting White on the floor. Page beating up both White and Cassidy. If Mox is this incapacitated after being slammed through the announce table, why is doing that legal? And here’s Mox. Damn, back of Mox’s head is bloody. Could have been a third blading, you know what it probably was, but it’s the best done of the three I think. Hell yeah, trading schoolboy rollups (being sarcastic). Pavlov for the quadruple down. Mox sleepwalks into the Deadeye, Orange Punch to Page, Cassidy in control, Orange Punches for everybody. Cassidy for the pin, Page pulls the ref out. Page takes control, Death Riders try interfering, Page with the lariat, but there’s no ref. White takes over, Yuta comes in to attack ref Turner. Extremely checked out at this point. White hit the Blade Runner on Shafir to a pop, Yuta knees Page, Moxley hits the Paradigm Shift on Page and pins for the win. Whatever. Wiinner: Moxley. ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
FTR/Death Riders segment
We’re getting this next. Not much else to say about it.
Overall Thoughts
A fine show. If I had to pick a favorite match I suppose it’d be the C2 Finals? I’d say Hobbs/Takeshita clicked with me more as far as personal taste but the work needed work. This did give me thoughts about clean finishes but this is something I might try to work up independently.