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COMPLETE AEW FYTERFEST BLOG

It's Wednesday night, it's AEW Fyter Fest night one and the show is coming from the HEB Center in Cedar Park Texas. Our announcers and Jim Ross, Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.

Jon Moxley (IWGP US Champion) vs Karl Anderson

Odd that the champion came out first and Tony says he was injured 45 days ago and this is his return. Eddie Kingston starts by attacking Doc Gallows with a pipe and up into the crowd. Mox attacks Anderson as well and we are told this will be under New Japan rules. It's the second show on the road and the crowd is hot, and all in Mox's corner, and they are eating up every move. These two guys have worked together often and they are giving the crowd a good brawl and after Mox's initial burst, Anderson takes control of the match and maintains most of the offense.

After a double clothesline, it becomes a 50/50 match and both guys look strong as they hit each other with power moves.

The match ends after them brawling IN the ring with Mox hitting a Paradigm shift and a pin.

Your winner and still champion: Jon Moxley

Mox now has the record for the most successful IWGP US Championship defenses.

This was a good match to start the show by two professional who know how to work the ring.

We get a backstage promo from Lance Archer who says that he wants his title back. They had a Texas Death Match in Japan, and they should have one next week in Dallas.

Then, we get a pre-tape with Andrade El Idolo, who says he has permission to win championships everywhere. Andrade then says he is looking for Death Triangle.

Brian Cage (FTW Champion) vs Ricky Starks

Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook are at ringside, and Hook still has an unfortunate hairstyle. Taz joins the announcer's booth and he says that brothers sometimes need to fight it out.

The story of the match is that Cage out powers Starks and Starks knows about Cage's past injuries and targets his attacks on his weak points. They go to the picture in picture about two minutes into the match, and Starks keeps control on the small screen. With this being Starks first match match, it's a good way for them to reset him and make him seem more important than he was before the injury.

Taz is pulling for Starks on commentary where there is a near fall, but more balanced when Cage is in control. They brawl a bit outside the ring, and they show their personalities as they use the ring posts, with Cage trying power and Starks outsmarting him. Back in the ring, Cage is going for pins and Starks is able to think of ways out of it. Starks does get a power bomb on Starks that looked impressive, not because of Cage's size, but because Starks looked as if he was struggling to hold him up.

Starks goes to use the belt on Cage, but Hobbs pulls it away and Starks goes full “Home Alone Kevin Putting On Aftershave” until Cage gets a near fall after an F5. Starks struggles to get up and when Cage runs at him, Hobbs nails him with the belt. Starks covers Cage for the three count

Your winner and NEW FTW Champion: Ricky Starks

Taz cheered Starks winning and then joins the rest of Team Taz as they leave Cage in the ring.

Then, we get a recap of Malachi Black's debut last week and Cody comes to the announce booth. Cody comes to the ring and challenges Black. Black shows on the screen and tells a story about how a man had to put his horse down after years of competition, because he had to let the horse go out with dignity. Just like what he saw with Cody and Arn. Cody tells him to come to the ring, and Black says he will. The lights go out and when they come up, e is in the ring and he and Cody attack.

Referees, security, and it looks like Jerry Lynn come to the ring to separate them as we go to commercial.

In the back, Tully runs into Santana and Ortiz and they hold him and hit him with a fake metal rod. They tell him next time it won't be and he needs to get his boys. Tully says he will and just they wait.

In the ring, Tony Schiavone is in the ring to ask his one question to Hangman Adam Page. Page starts his promo and he's interrupted by Don Callis and the rest of The Elite. Matt Jackson, is in a wonderfully obnoxious Shirt/Shorts combo. He says he can't believe he left the Elite for a bunch of losers, and Page still stinks of booze. He says Page is the next great wrestling tragedy. And Page drops him. The Dark Order come to the ring to have Page's back and the Elite back off.

Page says he came for a match and he's not leaving without one.

Kenny Omega says he will not just get him, and the rest of the Elite vs the Dark Order, five on five.

Page says it's not the match he wanted, but if that's what he gets, if they win, he gets a title shot and the Dark Ordr gets a shot at the tag title.

At first Kenny says no, but Callis tells him to accept. Kenny says he will accept, buthe gets nothing from it, so not only do the Dark Order lose their shot at the tag title but Page loses his title shot if his team loses.

The crowd is chanting “Cowboy Shi!t” and Kenny says he will be happy when Cowbot Sh!t becomes Belt Collector.

Page accepts and the crowd erupts.

Backstage Jericho talks about the five labors of Jericho challenge and he says in Mythology, Hercules won and got what he wanted. Jericho says he will do anything to get to MJF. Shawn Spears then nails Jericho in the throat with a chair and MJF says he will face Spears next week. Spears can use a chair and he can't.

 

Matt Hardy vs Christian Cage

 

Hardy sends his team to the back and comes to the ring alone. They don't attack each other and instead have a wrestling match and the announcers explain that they want to show who is the better wrestler. This is how you have announcers put over a story when you would expect two people who hate each other not just brawling all over the place. The work the match in the ring, and Matt takes over as we go picture in picture. The crowd is super hot for this match, and I can't help thinkign that these are the secondary people in their former tag teams, but in AEW, the crowd in embracing them, probably because of that. Both guys have a “They should have gotten more in WWE” feel to them.

 

The match itself is professionally done and put together, bringing the crowd on the ride, and no crazy dangerous stipulations to make it matter. When we get to the near falls at the end of the match, the crowd is counting along and want Cage to win. The announcers talk about the time limit of twenty minute, possibly foreshadowing the ending. Hardy grabs the ref so he can give a low blow mule kick and the crowd was booing as the count went, but it was another near fall.

 

Hardy locks on his new submission move, The Leech on the outside of the ring, and I love the name of that move with him being the “evil agent”. Cage maes it back into the ring, hits the Killswitch and covers for the three.

 

Your winner: Christian Cage

The Hardy family runs to the ring, but Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy show up to drive them off. As Luchasaurus puts Cage on his shoulders, Jungle Boy look on a bit confused.

Not a splashy match, but a good, solid midcard match that kept the crowd hot through the whole thing. I like that they built to it over the last few weeks, didn't just rush through it immediately, and let both guys show that they are workhorses who can still get it done. I just simply liked this match a lot.

We then go to a video and promo from Miro, he talks about how he was lost because he wasn't being himself. He then heard a voice from above to told him to be himself. He made himself God's Favorite Wrestler and the TNT title was his reward and now he is The Redeemer.

Wheeler Yuta vs Sammy Guevara

Wheeler comes to the ring under Orange Cassidy's music and with the Best Friends minus Trent. Bunny and The Blade are at ringside. Sammy comes to the ring with a huge pop.

This is a high flying match as a showcase for Sammy, and he shows off a lot of leaps and flips. There is a sequence why Yuta goes to the top and Sammy's not in position to take the splash and looked awkward moving to the right. He wins with a GTS and a pin, and it was a fast match.

Your winner: Sammy Guevara

Odd that they would have a guy attached to Cassidy be the job guy, but again, this was a match for Sammy to work as a babyface, and the crowd is all into it.

QT is interviewed by Tony, and then he pours drink over Tony's head. Kind of a waste...

Penelope Ford vs Yuka Sakazaki

Yuka is called “Magical Girl” which is a specific character type in Japanese animation, and she shows that persona in her previous matches. She tarts with a lot of leaping moves and Ford spends the start of the match selling for her. They fight on picture in picture where Ford si in control, but when we come back, Yuka takes over.

She is able to do some lifting of Ford which looking impressive with Ford being much lerger than her, and she wins the match with her Magical Girl Leap and a three count.

Your winner: Yuka Sakazaki

Yuka's role is the ever smiling baby face and the announcers put over that she has won her last four matches and is excited to be back in the US. I hope this win is the start of a run for her rather than a one shot, since Ford was pretty much hung out to dry in the match. Ford did help her look good, and I think she can appeal to a young audience.

We get a run down of next week's card, and a prmo for Rampage and next is the main event...and I am confused. Didn't they say that Kenny isn't getting out o here without a match tonight?

No, it's:

Ethan Page vs Darby Allin in a coffin match

His best line in the promo?

"There was once a man who was rich. And had a hot wife who could do the splits."

Tony is back in the ring to ask his one question to Britt Baker. He asks about her well being, and she talks about how how she was able to heal from all of the beatings in her past with chairs, thumb tacks, tables and more. The hard thing to to keep Nyla Rose relevant. She says Nyla needs the title to be relevant, but it's not going anywhere.

Great promo and the crowd is WAY into her. We then cut to the back when Vickie and Nyla respond by yelling at Baker.

We then get Jon Moxley's answer to Lance Archer. He accepts the match and cuts a grat promo and we go to commercial.

Coffin Match: Darby Allin vs. All Ego Ethan Page

I guess we're not getting that elimination match tonight.  A series of black clad men bring out the casket.  No Sting, No Scorpio Sky, it's mano y mano (for now).  Allin attacks Page with away with a running elbow.  Allin has a steel plate attached ton his back and hits a coffin drop and a tope suicida. Scorpio Sky emerges from the coffin and nails a clothesline and send Allin into the post.  Here comes Sting and he beats Sky to the back through the crowd.  THE JESUS GUY IS HERE.  Allin sends Page into the crowd as we go to commercial.

We're back and Page sends Allin back into the ring.  The steps are in the ring and Page sends Allin face first into them. Shoulderblock by Page, the bottom rope is now detached and Page hooks it around Darby's neck. Page calls for the coffin to be opened but Darby punches him and fishhooks him with the ropes hook.  Allin throws Page into the coffin but Page pulls him in.  They exchange punches.  Page with open palm strikes to the ear but Darby bits his hand. Both men are out of the coffin.  Allin is bleeding slightly.  Chop block into a stunner by Darby.  Darby goes for the coffin drop but Page blocks him and hits the Ego's Edge on the steps. 

Page drags him to the apron but Allin gouges the eyes.  Darby pulls out the skateboard and and slams it into Page's back.  Page slumps into the coffin and Allin closes the lid.

WINNER: Darby Allin

Allin celebrates as he glares down at the coffin.  For good measure, he nails a coffin drop through the coffin, further damaging Page.

We go to credits.

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