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AEW BATTLE OF THE BELTS III REPORT

It is Saturday, and AEW Battle of the Belts III was recorded after Friday night Rampage in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. Our commentary team is Excalibur, Taz and Tony Schiavone.

Wardlow (TNT Champion) vs Jay Lethal

Jethal bails from the ring to stall. When he comes back in he is able to capitalize on the distraction of the outside to get in a few blows, but Wardlow ends it with a big boot and a back body drop. Lethal tries to recover on the outside, but Wardlow goes after him. Satnam Singh stands between Wardlow and the ring until Sonjay pulls Sarnam away and allows Lethal to hit a kick from inside the ring.

Wardlow goes in the ring and Lethal is able to get chops and blows in the corner. They run the ropes and Lethal gets in an Insigiri. Wardlow is able to get a tilt-a-whirl slam. Wardlow picks up Lethal across his shoulders, and Lethal elbows his way free.  Lethal hits a pair of drop kicks that stagger Wardlow. Lethal tells the ref he has hurt his knee. As the ref pushes Wardlow back, Lethal rushes for a quick roll up and two count. Wardlow leaves the ring and Lethal leaps onto him. Lethal puts Wardlow in the ring and wraps his leg around the ring post as we go picture in picture.

When we return to full screen, Lethal has been working over Wardlow’s knee the entire time. Wardlow kicks him off and he comes off the ropes into a jackknife pin for a two count. Wardlow tries to stand and Lethal keeps kicking it. Lethal goes for a Lethal Injection and Wardlow catches him. Wardlow keeps trying to put him in the power bomb, but Lethal escapes until Wardlow hits him with ahead butt and a clothesline.

Wardlow is able to hit a powerbomb and a pin for the win.

Winner: Wardlow

Dutt and Satnam attack Wardlow. Satnam puts a foot on Wardlow's throat to keep him down and Lethal locks in a figure four. Lethal breaks it on his own and Wardlow tries to fight out, but Satnam goes to attack. Wardlow gets a low blow on Satnam and tries to power bomb him, but Lethal assists with Wardlow being flipped over Satnam. A table is brought into the ring and Satnam choke slams Wardlow through the table.

Lethal stands over Wardlow with the TNT title.

Thunder Rosa (AEW Women’s Champion) vs Jamie Hayter

Hayter attacks before the bell and takes her down with stomps and strikes. They move to the corner where Hayter keeps up the stomps. The ref pulls her off and Baker and Rebel attack behind the ref’s back. Hayter hits a snap suplex and Rosa tries to crawl away. Baker is laughing at ringside as Hayter keeps up the attack. Hayter whips Rosa into the tropes and hits a snap suplex. 

Rosa is able to break free from a grab and hit a pair of drop kicks, knocking Hayter to the outside. Riosa goes for a dive, but Hayter gets a perfectly timed to strike to knock Rosa from the air. Hayter then starts beating down Rosa outside the ring. Rosa is able to get a DDT on the floor, and they go into the ring.

Rosa goes to the top and Hayter knocks her off to the floor where Baker has grabbed the title belt. Hayter follows and hits a backbreaker on the steel steps as we go picture in picture.

When we return to full screen, Rosa slaps down at Hayter, and Hayter retaliates. They keep trading elbow strikes. Rosa gets a Northern LIght suplex for a two count. Rosa hits a drop kick onto Hayter sitting against the ropes. She then hits a senton to drop Hayter to the floor. Rosa goes up top and hits a cross body for a two count.

Rosa tries to pick up Hayter, and Hayter reverses it. Rosa reverses it and Hayter is able to grab her for a back breaker, a stomp to the midsection and a cover for two. Hayter then gets a sheer drop brainbuster for two. Hayter picks up Rosa and takes her to the corner for kicks. The ref pulls her off and Baker chokes Rosa while the ref admonishes Hayter. Toni Storm attacks and pulls Baker off and takes her down. As Hayter looks after Baker, Baker is able to get a two count. She follows with a Casadora and holds on for the three count.

Winner and still AEW Women’s Champion: Thunder Rosa

Claudio Casagnoli (Ring of Honor World Champion) vs Konosuke Takeshita

William Regal and Caprice Coleman join commentary and Tony bows out.

They shake hands so the code of honor is adhered to. They start with a fast paced series of moves where no one gets an advantage. Claudio is able to take him down with a Greco-Roman knuckle lock and they work into headlocks and arm bars. They do a series of chain wrestling moves and then flip each other from those holds.  It’s all incredibly fast and timed. 

Claudio trips Takeshita and they work up holding arm bars until Takeshita can get a hip toss. They then work an arm bar into a side headlock. They go to the mat and Takeshiat is able to roll Claudio onto his back, but Claudio is able to roll out and keeps the headlock. There are a lot of mat wrestling holds and transitions and neither are able to get an advantage. 

They work their way up from the mat and the story is that Takeshita wants to keep standing moves and Claudio wants to have a mat based match.  They run the ropes twice with each ending with a slam. Takeshita is able to get a drop kick and Claudio goes to the outside to reset. Takeshita misses a leap to the floor and Claudio gets a strike on the floor before going into the ring. Claudio hits a pair of Ricola bombs and we go picture in picture.

This match moves so fast it’s not going to be possible to capture just how good it is.  The cliche is “it’s a game of human chess” but this really is. 

When they return to full screen, Claudio has Takeshita in the corner and hits him with standing uppercuts. Takeshita is able to get a series of elbow strikes and a flying forearm. Takeshita tries for a lift and Claudio is able to fight his way out. He is able to get Claudio to the floor with a low bridge and then leaps over the ropes on Claudio. Claudio is rolled into the ring and Takeshita goes to the top and Claudio is able to stop him and slams him to the mat for a two count. 

Claudio waits for Takeshita to get to his feet, and he locks Takeshita into the giant swing. He gets a two count on Takeshita. Claudio hits a series of running uppercuts and Takeshita reverses with a kick and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count.

They trade blows in the middle of the ring and Takdeshita goes into the ropes. They fight in the corner and then go to the top. Takeshita hits a turnbuckle DDT and then a flog splash for a two count. Claudio stops a knee strike and they struggle for a back slide. Takeshita leaps at Claudio into Claudio’s uppercut. Claudio gets the scorpion death lock and they reverse twice. Claudio is able to get kicks to Takeshita’s head. They trade moves until Takeshita gets a clothesline for a two count. 

They get to their feet and trade blows. Takeshita gets a back slide for a two count. Takeshita gets a knee strike and brain buster for a two count. Takeshita hits a spinning elbow.  Takeshita reverses the Ricola bomb for a two count. 

Claudio is able to grab Takeshita in mid air for a death valley driver. They trade blows in the middle of the ring and Claudio hits the flying uppercut and then hits the hammer and anvil elbows. Claudio hits the Ricola bomb for a three and the win.

Winner and still Ring of Honor World Champion: Claudio Castagnoli

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