Source: All Elite Wrestling
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Jim Ross were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Tonight’s show opened with a party…Private Party—the team of Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy—(accompanied by Matt Hardy) challenging AEW World Tag Team Champs Kenny Omega & “Hangman” Adam Page, with the titles at stake!
Private Party beat Santana and Ortiz last week to earn the shot at the champs tonight. Kenny and Hangman are 9-0 going into tonight’s match.
Quen and Kenny squared off with Quen taking Kenny off his feet with head scissors. He tried for a standing moonsault but Kenny got his knees up.
Hangman was tagged in and he and Kenny ping ponged Quen with stiff chops. The seasoned vets used tandem offense on Quen, but Quen has plenty of experience himself. He displayed this when he countered a Kotaro Crusher from Kenny!
“Great scouting by Marq Quen,” noted Tony Schiavone.
“But now you have to follow up,” added Jim Ross.
And follow up they did, connecting with Silly String on Omega! On the outside, though, Hangman powerbombed Marq Quen over the barricade into the crowd! Isiah Kassidy used a baseball slide on Hangman who then spilled into the audience too!
Kassidy used the middle rope to springboard and cannonball onto Hangman!
“He took a hell of a chance!” said Jim Ross.
Kassidy went for a senton atomico into the ring on Kenny, but again Kenny lifted his knees. Kenny followed up with a fierce snapdragon suplex on Kassidy! Quen ran in but Hangman stopped him in his tracks with a thunderous boot, the force turning Quen inside out!
Hangman connected with the discus elbow on Quen and then the assisted suplex!
“The champions are back in the driver’s seat, but just as I say that, Isiah Kassidy goes over the top of Omega,” exclaimed Excalibur.
Private Party managed to hit a double Spanish fly on Kenny! Kassidy covered Kenny for the two-count.
“It’s innovative moves like that that have made Private Party one of the top tag teams in all of AEW. And now you can hear Matt Hardy coaching them on, trying to get them to win the world tag team championship here at FYTER FEST,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Private Party believe they can win. They have no ceiling in their hearts, in their guts,” added Jim Ross.
Kassidy and Kenny slugged it out, standing toe to toe. Kassidy charged in but walked into a chop from Kenny. Kassidy used the On the Rocks backbreaker to drop Kenny for another near fall.
Kenny was staggering and tried to make the tag, but Hangman had been knocked to the floor. Somehow Kenny managed to rally back and monkey flipped Quen onto Kassidy, and in the process, Hangman grabbed the tag. Hangman hoisted up Marq Quen and powerbombed him onto Kassidy for a near fall! Hangman had Quen at his mercy with knife-edged chops. Private Party used the youth and speed, though, and Quen kicked Hangman in the back of the neck!
“The Hardy influence here on Private Party is prominent,” noted Jim Ross.
Quen attempted a 450 splash onto Hangman, but Hangman dodged it and Quen landed on his feet and rolled. Hangman tried to flip over the top rope for the Buckshot Lariat but Kassidy ran in and blocked it. Kassidy planted Hangman with a rolling DDT onto the ramp!
Marq Quen took flight from the top rope with a majestic shooting star press onto Hangman! Kenny Omega was able to break up the pin on his partner just before the three count!
Private Party tried to finish off the night with Gin & Juice, but Kenny blasted Kassidy with the V-trigger knee, and Hangman smashed Quen to the mat with the avalanche Ligerbomb! The champs used their Last Call combo and Hangman scored the pin on Kassidy!
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lancer Archer (with Jake “the Snake” Roberts) vs. “The Bad Boy” Joey Janela was next!
“Janela is never one to back away from a challenge but I think he’s going to have his hands full here tonight with Lance Archer,” said Excalibur.
Archer came out to the ring carrying a battered and dazed Sonny Kiss on his shoulders. He threw Sonny Kiss into the ring at Joey Janela, wiping Janela out! Jake Roberts stood by laughing deviously, a large canvas bag slung over his shoulder. Archer immediately began the assault on Joey, chopping him on the outside of the ring.
Janela fired up with a baseball slide, and then followed up with a diving crossbody block from the top onto Archer on the floor! Janela pulled a table out from under the ring. He clubbed Archer with sledgehammer fists. Janela grabbed a chair and tried to use it but ref Paul Turner pulled it away. As this transpired, Archer knocked a distracted Janela off the top rope.
Archer pounced Janela with a massive shoulder tackle! Archer began stomping on Janela’s spine. Archer whipped Janela into the corner turnbuckles.
“The velocity of that Irish whip…great impact,” said Jim Ross.
Janela tried to fight back with palm strikes to Archer’s face, but Archer dropped Janela with one giant paw strike!
“Joey Janela is fighting for his damn life here against Lance Archer,” observed Jim Ross.
Sonny Kiss momentarily distracted Lance Archer from the apron, and Janela seized the opportunity and smashed Archer with a rolling elbow strike! Janela tried to take Archer off his feet, but Archer nodded his head and shrugged off Janela’s strikes.
Archer grabbed Janela by the throat and muscled him over the top rope. Archer attempted his Black Out finisher but Janela countered it! He hooked Archer’s legs but Archer kicked out of the pin!
Janela dropped Archer to his knees with a thrust kick. Janela knocked Archer to the mat with a bicycle knee strike! Jake Roberts got up on the apron with his canvas bag and ref Paul Turner got in Jake’s face. As the ref was distracted, Janela splashed Archer off the top, and then “The Concrete Rose” Sonny Kiss connected with a 450 splash onto The MurderHawk Monster! Archer just barely kicked out in time before the three could be counted.
“Using the snake almost backfired on Jake Roberts,” noted Tony Schiavone.
Archer was playing possum as Joey climbed to the top rope. Archer dazed Janela with a big right hand. Archer lifted up Janela and nailed the Black Out to the outside, smashing Janela’s body right through a table! He was bouncing Janela’s skull off the broken table like a basketball.
Archer rolled Janela back into the ring and pinned The Bad Boy for the victory!
“That’s enough for anybody. Lance Archer is a bona fide threat to win any championship in AEW,” said Jim Ross.
A clip aired of Darby Allin practicing coffin drops at Travis Pastrana’s ranch. Darby noted it’s been about a month since he’s been out of the ring, but he added, “Brian Cage, don’t think I’ve forgot about you. You’re the one who put me out.”
Tony Schiavone interviewed “The Machine” Brian Cage and his mentor Taz in the ring.
Cage will be challenging AEW World Champ Jon Moxley next week on DYNAMITE at FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN!
“Tonight, Jon Moxley was supposed to defend his title against The Machine. That’ll happen next week and Brian Cage will be crowned the new AEW World Champion. But that’s what brings me to what’s in my hands,” said Taz, who was holding a black bag.
“What’s in my hands is something I created decades ago. What’s in my hands is basically something that is my full body of work. What’s in my hands was created with my blood, my sweat, my tears. What’s in my hands is the FTW World Championship,” continued Taz, as he pulled the gold FTW belt out of the bag.
“This is a championship that no promotion has ever recognized, but wrestling fans worldwide—they recognize the respect for the man who holds this championship, because the man who holds this championship is the baddest son of a b—- in wrestling! And that man is no longer uncrowned! And that man is no longer going to go to FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN without a championship because that man is ‘The Machine’ Brian Cage,” said Taz, as he handed the belt to Cage.
Brian Cage held the FTW Championship high above his head for everyone to see.
“You’re looking at some renegade s—t right here! That’s what this is right here. Hey Mox, your ass is done! Who better than The Machine!?” said Taz.
Up next was an 8-man tag team match, with The Bucher & The Blade and Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr. & Rey Fenix) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) and #FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood!
The Butcher and The Blade and the Lucha Bros pulled up riding in #FTR’s lowrider that was hijacked last week.
“The Young Bucks and #FTR have two dueling philosophies in pro wrestling. Will they be able to coexist as partners?” wondered Excalibur.
Pentagon and Nick started things off for their teams. Pentagon removed his glove and threw it at #FTR, challenging one of them to step in the ring. Nick obliged and tagged in Dax Harwood of #FTR. Dax wrenched on Pentagon’s arm, but Pentagon slapped him in the mush. The two men traded hard chops and then Dax rocked Pentagon and dropped a leg on him. He tagged in Cash Wheeler who slapped Pentagon in retribution for earlier.
Tully Blanchard and Shawn Spears were seen scouting #FTR.
Pentagon kicked Dax, who likely had his quad knotted up from that. Pentagon tagged in Fenix and they double-teamed Dax with some high risk (and highly effective) tandem offense, including a double foot stomp! Harwood finally caught Fenix and nailed him with a mean ol’ clothesline!
Matt Jackson got a blind tag and entered the match. Fenix dodged a clothesline and tagged out to Blade, who was quickly grounded. Nick Jackson tagged in and they double teamed Blade with a flipping backbreaker combo. The Bucks then used double dropkicks on Rey Fenix and The Butcher!
Blade managed to connect with a pump kick on Nick, who walked right into The Butcher. Nick was went flying by The Butcher onto The Blade’s knee! Blade planted Nick Jackson with a Doctor Bomb for a two count! The Butcher and Pentagon worked together to isolate Nick Jackson. Fenix tagged in and he and Nick Jackson battled on the top rope, until Nick Jackson used a hurracanrana on Fenix from up top!
“Nick Jackson may be the greatest pure athlete in all of AEW,” said Jim Ross.
Cash Wheeler and Nick Jackson worked together to hit tandem offense on Rey Fenix.
“This train has almost completely gone off the rails,” said Excalibur, as the action broke down in and out of the ring between all eight men!
Cash Wheeler was backed into the corner by Blade and Fenix tagged in. He used a stalling right hand on Wheeler and then tagged The Blade back in.
“We are seeing eight sensational athletes going at it right here,” said Tony Schiavone.
Dax reluctantly tagged in Matt Jackson who came flying off the ropes onto The Lucha Bros. Matt ducked under a double clothesline and hit the standing sliced bread on Pentagon!
“Matt Jackson is a one-man wrecking crew,” said Excalibur, as Matt cleaned house on his opponents.
Matt jumped off the top rope to the outside of the ring onto The Butcher and The Blade! Matt climbed back up and dropped a flying elbow onto Rey Fenix in the center of the ring for a two count! Matt Jackson and Dax Harwood began working together, cooperating to decimate their opponents. Fenix came off the top rope with a double missile dropkick aimed at Matt and Dax! Nick and Cash teamed up and used the Goodnight Express on Fenix! Then Nick Jackson and Dax Harwood combined forces for a spiked piledriver onto The Blade!
“Look at how smooth they’re working together,” noted Tony Schiavone.
The Young Bucks and #FTR worked seamlessly together and hit double suplexes and top rope splashes on The Blade! Nick covered The Blade but Fenix saved Blade and broke up the pin!
Matt Jackson hoisted Pentagon for More Bang for Your Buck but Rey Fenix walked the tightrope and kicked Nick Jackson down! Rey Fenix followed through and jumped off Pentagon’s back from the inside to the outside of the ring, holding Nick Jackson and landing with a Canadian Destroyer to the arena floor!
“Never in my life have I seen anything like that!” yelled Excalibur.
Back in the ring, Matt tried to superkick Pentagon, but Pentagon ducked and Matt inadvertently hit Dax Harwood! Pentagon and Fenix grabbed a shocked Matt Jackson, double teamed him with a driver, and Pentagon scored the pin!
Alex Marvez greeted Big Swole outside as she approached the entrance of the arena. Marvez informed Big Swole that she was banned from the building tonight. Swole was served a letter and was then outraged upon opening it, learning she was suspended for kidnapping and harassment. She stormed off and said she knew Dr. Britt Baker was behind this.
“The Native Beast” Nyla Rose was up next in a 2-on-1 match against Kenzie Paige and Kilynn King!
Out in the audience, AEW Women’s Champ Hikaru Shida and Penelope Ford were both staring closely at the #1 ranked Nyla Rose.
Nyla clotheslined Kenzie, headbutted her, and then dropped a leg. Nyla tossed Kenzie halfway across the ring! King tagged in and jumped on Nyla’s back, trying to choke her out, but Nyla backed her right into the corner. Nyla walloped King with a dynamic spear! She picked up Kenzie and planted her with a fallaway slam!
“Total dominance by Nyla Rose,” said Jim Ross.
Nyla powerbombed Kenzie onto Kilynn and pinned both of them for the victory!
Nyla grabbed the microphone after the match: “I believe actions speak louder than words and I think my actions here tonight spoke for themselves. I look in the back and I see all these great wrestlers with managers. So, I’ve taken it upon myself to hire a manager. I’m not ready to tell you who it is. I can promise you one thing though: All these people in the back with managers have something in common—they’re champions. So my manager will ensure that I leave AEW one day very soon, Shida, once again, as the AEW Women’s Champion.”
From earlier in the day, there was an update about the condition of Colt Cabana. One of the AEW trainers informed us that Colt has severe rib trauma that he suffered last week after being thrown into a railing backstage at DYNAMITE. The medical staff said he was still cleared to wrestle tonight.
Mr. Brodie Lee said that he wasn’t sure who was behind the attack, but he can assure Colt that with The Dark Order watching his back, these kinds of mishaps won’t happen again.
“You got it, Mr. Brodie,” replied Cabana.
Up next was Mr. Brodie Lee, Stu Grayson, and “Boom Boom” Colt Cabana vs. SoCal Uncensored—“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky!
Colt tried to talk to SCU before the bell rang, but Mr. Brodie led Colt back to The Dark Order’s corner.
Daniels took Grayson down with an arm drag. Grayson quickly gained the advantage as he hit a shoulder block and dropkick on Daniels. Kazarian got the tag and stomped on Grayson and then hit him with a release German suplex!
Colt was tagged in and was met with a knee from Scorpio Sky. Colt was in a tremendous amount of pain because of his injured midsection and was hunched over near the turnbuckle. When Colt had his back turned, Mr. Brodie suplexed Sky!
“It’s amazing how he can change a match that quickly,” said Tony Schiavone about Mr. Brodie Lee.
Mr. Brodie hit Sky with a big lifting uppercut! He followed up with a slingshot with Sky’s throat meeting the bottom rope!
“Scorpio Sky has endured a lot of damage at the hands of The Dark Order and Colt Cabana,” noted Excalibur.
“Sometimes Colt looks out of place there with The Dark Order, and sometimes he looks comfortable,” said Jim Ross.
Colt was tagged in and Mr. Brodie ordered him to punch Scorpio Sky’s midsection repeatedly, and Colt followed the commands.
Frankie Kazarian was tagged in and started lighting up Mr. Brodie with fists and then a DDT! Daniels got the tag but Mr. Brodie destroyed both of them with big kicks! Daniels rallied back and used the Best Moonsault Ever on Grayson, but Colt ran in to break up the count and save Grayson. Daniels questioned Colt and Colt replied, “I had to.” As CD was busy with Colt, Mr. Brodie blindsided CD with a discus lariat! They ordered Colt to get back in the ring. Colt obeyed and then he pinned Christopher Daniels for The Dark Order! Colt smiled after the victory.
Big Swole was wearing a disguise and snuck into the building. She balled up the letter she had received earlier in the night and threw it at Dr. Britt Baker. “The Role Model” screamed in outrage and disbelief!
And now it was time for our main event!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (accompanied by Best Friends—Trent and Chuck Taylor) vs. Le Champion Chris Jericho (with Santana and Ortiz)!
Orange sent Best Friends to the back before the match began. Jericho had “Floyd” the baseball bat with him.
The bell rang and Orange put his hands in his pants, taking Jericho down with a dropkick! Orange launched himself to the outside onto Jericho with a tope suicida! Jericho was thrown into the barricade and immediately grabbed his elbow in pain.
Jericho reversed a swinging DDT and applied the Lion Tamer! Orange grabbed the ropes and ref Aubrey Edwards pulled Jericho off Orange. When Edwards had her back turned, Ortiz swung the loaded sock madball at Orange Cassidy’s lower back!
Then Jericho started to target Orange’s lower back. Le Champion used a backbreaker, and then ran Orange into the turnbuckles with an Irish whip. Orange floated over Jericho and used an inside cradle for a near fall.
“Orange knows how to use his momentum very well,” said Tony Schiavone.
“That’s his lucha libre background,” noted Excalibur.
Jericho avoided the Superman punch from Orange. He hit a baseball slide on Orange, and the force sent Orange into the barricade. Santana and Ortiz taunted a fallen Cassidy on the outside of the ring with jugs of orange juice. Jericho brought Cassidy back into the ring with a vertical suplex. Orange tried to fight back but Jericho shut him down right away with a lariat and then another backbreaker.
“I admire Orange Cassidy for wanting to win this without his friends in his corner, but I question his decision,” said Jim Ross.
Jericho grabbed a rope and wrenched Cassidy in an abdominal stretch. Cassidy powered out and he duked it out with Jericho. He checked Orange off the ring apron and sent him flying into the barricade outside!
Jericho brought Orange back in and started punching his ear, trying to bust open the stitches from last week. This woke up something inside Orange! “Freshly Squeezed” fought back with elbows and forearms!
“The strategy of Orange Cassidy is starting to come to the forefront,” said Jim Ross.
Cassidy took down Jericho with head scissors from the second rope!
“He’s got Jericho in trouble,” said Schiavone.
Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and superkicked Jericho for a near fall!
“Two and a half!” screamed Jim Ross.
Jericho may have been playing possum a bit, and he met Orange on the top rope. Orange shifted his weight and countered Jericho with palm strikes! Jericho crashed to the mat! Orange Cassidy jumped and landed onto Jericho with a top rope splash for another near fall!
“Second near fall that was almost a three count,” said Tony Schiavone.
Orange Cassidy planted Jericho with the diving DDT! Jericho kicked out! Cassidy removed his elbow pad, setting up for the Superman shot, but Jericho ducked it and stepped over. Jericho had Cassidy down, wrenching on his back in the middle of the ring. Cassidy rolled up Jericho, then nailed him with a thunderous right hand! Santana and Ortiz threw the orange juice into Cassidy’s eyes! Best Friends ran down to even up the odds! Aubrey Edwards turned to see what happened, and as her back was turned, Jericho swung the baseball bat at Orange Cassidy! Jericho followed up with the Code Breaker and Orange Cassidy kicked out!
Jericho went for the Lion Sault but Orange Cassidy moved. Orange dropped Jericho with the Michinoku Driver for a near fall. “Freshly Squeezed” rocked Jericho with multiple forearms! Cassidy connected with a Stundog Millionaire stunner and then a swinging DDT for another near fall on Jericho! Cassidy attempted a Superman punch but Jericho caught him with the Judas Effect elbow out of nowhere for the pin!
