Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Next up is Shane Taylor Promotions vs. Keith Lee and Shane Strickland.
Bog moment for Shane Taylor and JD Griffey as this bout could go a lot towards their future trajectory in AEW and ROH. Swerve blew off Lee from the start. So, why the hell are you teaming with him?
Some solid back and forth early. Taylor nearly crushed Swerve with a big legdrop on the apron. There was some nice intensity from Taylor. When Lee tagged in to face his former partner, there was a big pop as the Texas fans were familiar with their past. They began slugging it out. Swerve and Taylor continued to have issues and Lee let Swerve eat a hanging cutter from Taylor. Griffey nailed some strikes and kicks at Swerve but they were just OK looking. Swerve caiught him with a backbreaker. Griffey went for a triangle choke.
Taylor nailed Lee on the floor to keep him from tagging in. So, Lee attacked Taylor and hit a moonsault on Griffey that looked insanely evil. Swerve and Lee continued to have issues and Swerve abandoned him, which honestly, who can blame him since Lee did that to HIM against the Acclaimed? Lee was left to be beaten down but came back to smash Griffey and score the win. Lee vs. Swerve will continue in AEW obviously. From a "story" perspective, this was the strongest thing on the PPV thus far.
Next up is the ROH Six Man Tag Team title bout. I believe Prince Nana and The Briscoes will be the only talents who were at the first Final Battle also on this show, except for referee Paul Turner. Cage wore a mask in tribute to the late Chris Kanyon. I was actually at Kanyon's first-ever match, which was the first-ever independent match I ever saw live. Dalton Castle's entrance never gets old. Completely stands out from everyone else in wrestling. Sometimes, you just need some fun silly pomp and circumstance. There were some good shenanigans with Castle and the Boys throwing Brian Cage off early.
The Embassy beat down one of the Tate Twins for awhile but he made the desperation tag to Castle. Castle looked good throwing all the suplexes. Big power spot for Toa as he nailed a double Samoan Drop on the Twins. I thought they killed one of the Twins with an insane Alabama Slam. Nana tried to interfere and got grabbed. One of the Tates was tossed into Dalton and he was KO'd. The Gates of Agony destroyed one of the GarciaTates and that was it. New Champs.
Backstage, Top Flight and Parker and Menard got into a backstage fight. They brawled into the arena., which set up Dante hitting a huge flip dive off the stage to the floor. Angelo Parker asked the fans if they were feeling nostalgic. He asked why ROH died if it was so great. He said it's always been full of garbage flippy-floppy wrestlers like Top Flight and only Chris Jericho could resurrect it. Matt Menard promised Claudio would join the JAS tonight and be known as "The Hat Trick." Oh God, that's why they trademarked that name? Wheeler Yuta came out. He got a nice pop. That felt like a promo that should have been on Zero Hour to push PPV sales.
Pure Wrestling Championship time. Wheeler Yuta challenging Daniel Garcia. Despite the Pure Rules, tempers were flaring and they battled on the floor. Yuta had tape on his arm. Garcia forced Yuta into the ropes during a submission and Yuta gripped it, so they ruled it a rope break. Garcia was then put in a surfboard through the ropes and the referee called that as a rope break as well. The idea is he'd taking away Yuta's breaks so he'll be at the advantage. Yuta made a comeback but was snatched in a Dragon Sleeper and used the third and final break just 7 minutes in.
Yuta finally mounted a comeback and hit a flying clothesline. Some really nice wrestling and reversals here. Garcia trapped Yuta in a Sharpshooter with zero rope breaks left. Yuta turned it into a crossface submission, which I've never seen before. That was a pretty cool counter. Garcia went back to the Sharpshooter but Yuta had zero breaks and pulled himself through the ropes, snatching Garcia in a move. They ended up crashing to the floor. They returned to the ring where Yuta elbowed Garcia to death and won via KO.
Yuta NEEDED that win and it was a great moment for him. The announcers did great job with this call, really adding to the match and this was already easily the best "Pure" match in a LONG time. This was absolutely the spirit of ROH here bell to bell. I'm curious what this all means for Garcia's direction coming out of the show.
Double Dog Collar Time! The Briscoes and FTR brawled as the crowd chanted "Holy sh**." I don't think I am alone in saying the interest in this show EXPLODED when this was announced. They brawled all over ringside and there was blood early. Dax and Jay brawled into the stands. This has a good big-time fight feel to it and you can just tell the audience is so ready for a war, reacting to everything. Mark, busted open hardway by his eyes, hit a flip dive off the entrance stage onto Cash. The crowd is loving the hell out of this chaos and physicality.
The Briscoes double-teamed Dax, beating him with the chain. FTR came back and used the chain to accentuate the Doomsday Device, wiping out Mark with his own finisher. They are all busted open and fighting as the crowd chanted, "This is wrestling." Wheeler used a Gori Guerrero Especial on Mark choking him with the chain at the same time. Dax whipped him with the other chain. Jeeez.
This has been absolutely an awesome fight and not for the squeamish. A bunch fo chairs were tossed in by Mark and he then grabbed a ringside table. Jay and Dax battled on the top. Dax knocked him into the ring and wrapped the chain around his head several times for a flying headbutt. Yeah, these guys are all insane. Dax kept beating on Jay and drilled referee Mike Posey, who was busted open. Quintuple blood, folks. Paul Turner took Posey's place.
The insanity continued. The crowd chanted "Fight Forever." Somehow, no AEW video game plug was made! Cash slammed Mark on the apron and dragged him by his neck onto the table on the floor. Mark battled back to the apron and they beat the hell out of each other. The Briscoes went for The Doomsday Device on Dax but Cash yanked Mark off the top and he crashed down to the floor on the pile of chairs. JEEEZ!
Jay nailed the Jay Driller on the chain on Dax, who somehow kicked up. This is freaking awesome and insane. It's like every insane Memphis brawl you've ever heard about rolled into one. FTR tossed a bunch of chairs in the ring. Dax wanted to top rope piledrive Jay onto the pile. They said he'd kill Jay and they were right. Jay fought his way out and nailed a superplex into the pile. Jay came back to choke out Dax with the chain as Mark held Cash at bay. NEW TAG TEAM CHAMPS!
This was just f***ing madness. These are four men who gave of their souls for the fans tonight. Some will hate the blood for sure, but this was an absolutely spellbinding war of attrition and a FIGHT. A legitimate FIGHT. They are going to be hurting tomorrow but they should also be damn proud.
The Gunns hit the ring and attacked FTR and beat them after The Briscoes exited. Mark and Jay returned to make them back out of the ring.
Dax cut a promo and said their mission after this is to take The Gunns out.
There is no way in hell anyone short of Terry Funk in his prime can follow this. Good luck to everyone else on the show. The bar was absolutely set here. You can absolutely argue that with just three matches on PPV, they stole the entire year.
More thoughts on Page 3!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
