Source: All Elite Wrestling
Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur, and Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Friday night, and you know what that means!
Our show tonight kicked off with an MMA Rules Cage Match!
“Mr. Mayhem” Wardlow (cornered by Shawn Spears) of The Pinnacle vs. Inner Circle’s Jake Hager (cornered by Chris Jericho)!
Our rules:
3 Five Minute Rounds;
45 Second Rest Periods Between Rounds;
KO, Referee Stoppage, or Submission Only!
The match took place in a six-sided MMA cage! Wardlow had his back turned to Jake Hager when Hager entered the cage, purposely ignoring him out of disrespect. Hager did a lap around the cage. Hager is 3-0 in his MMA career.
Hager tried to grapple Wardlow to the mat but Wardlow sprawled and fended Hager off. Hager pierced the guard of Wardlow with a jab.
“That seems to have fired up Wardlow,” said Excalibur.
“In a match like this, Hager just knows how to strike,” added Tony Schiavone.
Hager connected with two kicks to Wardlow’s quads. Wardlow countered by slamming Hager to the mat with a suplex. Hager used hammer fists on Wardlow after a double leg takedown. Wardlow blocked a kick from Hager and caught him with a big right hand. Wardlow rushed Hager and pressed the attack, pushing Hager against the cage.
“Hager seems a bit shook right now,” said Taz.
The two big hosses were throwing wild haymakers. Wardlow rocked Hager with a superman punch off the cage! Hager was saved by the bell as the first round ended.
“He had Hager right where he wanted him,” said Excalibur.
Round two began with Hager staggering out of the way from a charging Wardlow. Hager evaded a kick from Wardlow. Hager escaped a crossarm breaker by Wardlow. Hager applied an arm breaker of his own! Hager locked in a triangle, but Wardlow battled out with strikes. Hager transitioned into an ankle lock submission. Wardlow broke Hager’s grip with an up kick. Wardlow powerbombed Hager into the cage and then speared him! Hager locked in a head and arm triangle, trapping Wardlow’s arm. Wardlow slipped out but Hager choke slammed Wardlow! Hager choked out Wardlow, with ref Aubrey Edwards stopping the match!
Hager was going to fist bump Wardlow out of a sign of respect, but Shawn Spears assaulted him from behind. Jericho ran in to even up the odds! MJF entered the cage and went immediately after Jericho’s injured elbow. MJF applied the Salt of the Earth!
Dean Malenko got into the ring to stop MJF, but MJF coldcocked him with a sucker punch! Sammy Guevara’s music played, and he tried to get a piece of MJF, but MJF retreated from the cage!
Taz was backstage with Hook, Ricky Starks, and Powerhouse Hobbs!
Taz acknowledged that there were problems in the group. Taz said the beef between Starks and Brian Cage needs to end now. Taz issued a challenge for next week on Saturday Night DYNAMITE between “Hangman” Adam Page and Powerhouse Hobbs!
Up next was a Handicap Match: Darby Allin vs. “Men of the Year” Scorpio Sky & “All Ego” Ethan Page!
Darby slapped Ethan Page as the match began. Ethan Page backed off and tagged in Scorpio Sky. Page caught Sky in a drop toehold and rolled him up for a near fall. Page and Sky double teamed Darby Allin but Darby countered with a Coffin Drop!
Page knocked Darby down hard after a massive shoulder tackle. Page was about to throw Darby into the front row, but Darby slid down with a sleeper. Page backed him into the corner and then hip tossed him into the turnbuckles!
“Darby is a different kind of guy. He didn’t have to make this a handicap match,” said Schiavone.
Scorpio Sky smashed Darby with a backbreaker. Page tagged in and hit a backbreaker of his own on Darby Allin, punishing Darby’s lower back. Sky tagged back in and hit another backbreaker! Page tagged in but Darby rolled up Page in an inside cradle for a near fall! Darby connected with a Scorpion Death drop on Page!
“How in the hell can Darby muster the strength to execute that excellent counter,” wondered Jim Ross.
Darby blasted Sky with a shotgun dropkick, and then followed up with a Code Red, but Page broke up Darby’s pin attempt. Page picked up Darby and slammed him. Darby zip tied Ethan Page’s feet together and then tossed him to the outside of the ring! Sky charged at Darby, but Darby rolled him up for a two-count! Darby used a stunner and then a Coffin Drop on Sky! Ethan Page pulled Darby out, breaking up the pin attempt on Sky!
Page freed himself of the zip ties and then rammed Darby face-first into the steel ring post!
“Can Darby defend himself after that brutal shot?” asked Jim Ross.
Ethan Page hoisted Darby Allin up to the top turnbuckle. Page set up a stalling vertical suplex but Darby bit Page’s hand. Sky knocked Darby down, allowing enough time for Ethan Page to hit the Ego’s Edge on Darby! Ethan Page covered Darby and scored the pin!
“Mercifully, it’s finally over,” said Jim Ross.
“Darby Allin walked into the lion’s den here tonight,” replied Excalibur.
“Darby was his own man, that’s what he wanted, but he got beat by two men. Let’s not lose count of that,” added Jim Ross.
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (with Best Friends & Kris Statlander) vs. Cezar Bononi (with The Wingmen)!
Bononi grabbed Cassidy by the lapels and tossed him into the turnbuckles. Bononi tore Cassidy’s jean jacket off him. Bononi hoss-tossed Orange across the ring. Outside the ring, Ryan Nemeth used spray tan on Orange, attempting to give him a make-over. Back in the ring, Orange ate a big boot from Bononi!
Peter Avalon and Ryan Nemeth brushed Orange Cassidy’s hair on the outside of the ring. They placed Ryan’s jacket on Orange. The Best Friends saw enough! As Kris Statlander distracted the referee, The Best Friends rocketed Orange Cassidy over the top rope, sending him crashing down onto The Wingmen!
“That was great! How about the hangtime on that one, guys?” asked Schiavone.
Cassidy tried for a diving DDT but was caught by Bononi. Cassidy countered with the Stundog Millionaire and then a spinning DDT. After the Orange Punch, Orange Cassidy pinned Cezar Bononi!
“Never count out Orange Cassidy,” said Excalibur.
Alex Marvez was backstage at Daily’s Place, attempting to get a few words with Jungle Boy before his match against AEW World Champion Kenny Omega that’ll be taking place next week Saturday on a very special DYNAMITE.
Don Callis, Michael Nakazawa, and Kenny Omega interrupted the interview.
“Last week you embarrassed me by tarnishing my image. So this week, I’m going to give you a change to prove just how tough you are. I doubt you’ve been in a street fight. So now let’s see what you’ve got Jungle Jack,” said Omega.
“I’d personally rather beat you in the ring next week for the championship,” replied Jungle Boy.
“First one is free,” said Omega.
“You want me to hit you right now?” asked Jungle Boy.
Michael Nakazawa smacked Jungle Boy from behind with a laptop. Omega hit Jungle Boy with some cheap shots before jumping on a golf cart and driving away with Don Callis!
Alex Marvez interviewed “Big Money” Matt Hardy!
“I had a contract, a handshake with Christian Cage, and he breached that deal, so now he’s paying the repercussions. That’s going to keep on happening if he keeps on coming down this road. If he keeps coming for me—” said Matt Hardy.
Christian Cage charged at Matt Hardy, but he was pushed inside a cage and locked up.
“I’m giving you a check now and you can go retire and spend time with your daughter,” said Hardy.
“Let me out,” growled Christian Cage.
“That’s not going to happen. If you keep coming after me, I’m going to end your career permanently,” replied Matt Hardy.
“The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes & Brock Anderson (accompanied by “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson) vs. The Factory’s QT Marshall & Aaron Solow (with Nick Comoroto)!
Brock ducked a punch from Aaron Solow. Brock Anderson used a back heel trip on Aaron Solow. Brock wrenched Solow’s wrist and then stomped on it. QT tagged in but made a hasty retreat when Cody tagged in. Cody found him with a bigtime tope suicida on QT Marshall!
Back in the ring, Solow and Marshall double-teamed Cody with some sharp tandem offense. Brock Anderson tagged in and rammed his shoulder into QT in the corner turnbuckles! Brock connected with a gut wrench suplex on Aaron Solow. QT grabbed Brock and caught him off guard with a spinebuster!
“QT and Aaron are using every dirty trick in the book to keep Brock Anderson off his game,” noted Excalibur.
QT tried for a splash in the corner, but Brock Anderson moved out of the way and got the hot tag to Cody Rhodes! Paul Turner didn’t see the tag, so he forced Cody out of the ring. So QT continued the assault on young Brock Anderson. QT almost hit the Cross Rhodes, but Brock countered with a DDT! Brock crawled to his corner and tagged in Cody!
“Business picked up when Cody got that tag,” said Jim Ross.
Cody cleaned house on The Factory! Cody applied the figure four leglock on Solow, but Solow grabbed the ropes to break the hold. Cody shocked QT with a Canadian Destroyer! Solow rocked Cody with a corkscrew dropkick!
As Cody neutralized QT Marshall on the outside ramp, Brock Anderson tagged in and surprised Solow with a pin for the victory!
“Brock Anderson just outwrestled Aaron Solow and got the 1-2-3 for his team. This is a very proud moment for his father Arn Anderson,” said Jim Ross.
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer and Jake “The Snake” Roberts were in a dilapidated warehouse.
Roberts said that Archer had no patience, and that he tried to tell Archer that sometimes you have to be a tiger and then pounce at your opponents! Archer was pacing back and forth in the background and then Roberts said they had no choice and had to go—because Archer is ready to take what is his.
Earlier in the day, Jim Ross had a sit-down interview with Andrade El Idolo!
J.R. asked Andrade El Idolo why he chose AEW:
“For many reasons. Here, may talent, many stars, but I am…superstar. My next goal…I want, no I deserve opportunity. For the TNT Title and the AEW World Title. It’s my next step.
“Vickie Guerrero understands many things. She understands the business. She is very smart. I’m a third-generation wrestler. She came up with Eddie Guerrero. She knows his family which is full of even more wrestlers. The same holds true for my family. This is why we have a great connection. But you need to wait because Vickie and Andrade El Idolo have surprise.
Alex Marvez interviewed “Hangman” Adam Page, who was with Dark Order.
Page said he accepted the match against Powerhouse Hobbs for next week’s DYNAMITE. Marvez said that Page should be watching the Omega-Jungle Boy match closely next week since Page is a top-ranked singles wrestler in AEW, but Page changed the subject.
Julia Hart (with Varsity Blonds) vs. Penelope Ford!
They locked up and Julia rolled out of the wrist lock from Penelope. She applied a wrist lock too, but Ford took her down with a side headlock. Hart dropkicked Ford and followed up with a crossbody press. Ford retreated to the outside of the ring. Hart got too close, and Ford caught her with a double knee drop!
“They are engaged in a back-and-forth battle,” said Excalibur.
Julie Hart connected with a clothesline. Penelope rolled through, escaped to center, and followed up with a lariat. Ford slapped Hart in the mouth. Ford smashed Hart with a gut buster! Penelope attempted a moonsault press but Hart moved out of the way. Julia went for a splitting leg drop but Ford moved. Ford applied a bridging Indian death lock and left Hart no choice but to tap!
“Penelope Ford’s mean streak on full display here,” said Excalibur.
TNT Champ Miro walked out and asked where Kip Sabian was. Miro attacked Griff Garrison! Brian Pillman, Jr. used a springboard clothesline on Miro and then the AEW officials tried to break up Miro and Pillman!
Tony Schiavone’s interview with AEW Women’s Champion Dr. Britt Baker was interrupted by Vickie Guerrero.
“I want that title around my client Nyla Rose’s waist,” said Vickie.
Vickie said Tony Khan owed her a favor for bringing Andrade El Idolo into the AEW mix. On the June 30th edition of DYNAMITE, it’ll be AEW Women’s World Champion Dr. Britt Baker and Rebel vs Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero!
Also announced for the June 30th DYNAMITE:
TNT Champion Miro vs. Brian Pillman, Jr. (with Griff Garrison & Julia Hart)!
Plus, for the first time ever, MJF vs. Sammy Guevara!
Earlier in the day, “Smart” Mark Sterling and his client Jade Cargill had an announcement to share.
Sterling said they had a partnership with a luxury hotel—the Toronto Four Seasons has joined the Jade brand.
Tonight’s Main Event was a Trios Match!
Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes), Eddie Kingston & Frankie Kazarian vs. AEW World Tag Team Champion Matt Jackson of The Young Bucks (with Brandon Cutler), & The Good Brothers (with Don Callis)!
Frankie Kazarian charged at Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson! He rolled up Karl for a two-count! He followed up with a lariat and then tagged in Penta El Zero Miedo!
Matt Jackson was tagged in but Penta El Zero Miedo used sling blades on Matt and Karl! Kingston tagged in, held Matt Jackson back, and Penta El Zero Miedo nailed Matt with a thrust kick to the head!
Kingston chopped Matt Jackson’s chest. Doc Gallows tagged in but was knocked off his feet by a shoulder tackle from “Mad King” Eddie Kingston!
“This match is spilling all over the place on the floor of Daily’s,” said Excalibur.
Kingston battled against Gallows, Anderson, and Jackson, as they all took turn on him. Matt Jackson punched Kingston in the head with closed fist strikes. Eddie Kingston got to his feet and tossed Matt overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex! Kaz tagged in and he connected with a flying forearm to Karl Anderson. “Machine Gun” was going for the spinebuster, but Kaz countered with a cross face chicken wing. Gallows ran in to break it up! Anderson rocked Kaz with the spinebuster!
Penta El Zero Miedo and Matt Jackson tagged in for their respective teams. Penta El Zero Miedo took Matt Jackson off his feet after a diving cross body block! He followed up with a backbreaker on Matt! Penta El Zero Miedo launched himself over the top rope and onto The Good Brothers with a tope con giro!
“He can do so many things,” said Tony Schiavone about Penta El Zero Miedo.
“He’s putting on a clinic,” concurred Jim Ross.
Kingston tagged in and all three men on his team worked over Matt Jackson—Penta El Zero Miedo nailed Matt with the Fear Factor package piledriver first. Then Kingston hooked him and planted him with the backdrop driver! Finally Frankie spiked Matt with the Angel’s Wings! Kingston covered Matt but Gallows broke up the pin attempt! Gallows carried Matt-o across the ring and allowed him to make the tag to Karl Anderson.
Penta El Zero Miedo was seeking the Fear Factor on Anderson, but Anderson countered with a neck breaker! Gallows tagged in and splashed Penta El Zero Miedo in the corner! Matt Jackson dropped an elbow onto Penta El Zero Miedo! The Good Brothers were about to use the Magic Killer on Penta El Zero Miedo, but Frankie Kazarian ran in to make the save! Kingston entered the fray, blocking a superkick from Matt Jackson and then sending Matt flying with the half and half! Karl Anderson clobbered Kingston with a high boot! Penta El Zero Miedo was there with the backstabber on “Machine Gun.”
Suddenly Nick Jackson ran down with the cold spray and blinded Penta El Zero Miedo with it! Karl Anderson pinned Penta El Zero Miedo after a super cutter!
