Post by sethisthegoat on Jan 29, 2023 20:44:40 GMT -5
Battle of the Belts
Live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., and streaming live on HBOMax
Jan. 28, 2023
Pre-show matches that aired on YouTube -
Jurassic Express (8-5) def. The Butcher & The Blade (2-7) in 5:32
Riho (5-9) def. Tay Melo (9-2) in 8:53
Max Caster (0-0) def. L.A. Park Jr. (1-2) in 9:04
Regular broadcast -
Tony Khan welcomes fans in the arena and around the world to the first AEW Battle of the Belts. He says that, for the next 2-plus hours — there are no time limits on any matches tonight — we will see four great matches. Tonight is all about the in-ring action. And we will be crowning two new champions tonight — the inaugural FTW Champion, and either the UWA or AEW Women’s Championship will be changing hands. Plus maybe a surprise or two.
Match 1 - UWA Men’s World Championship: Chris Jericho © vs. Jon Moxley (3-2)
Jericho starts the match by extending his hand. Mox glares at it for a moment, then shrugs and shakes before they circle each other. Both competitors fight hard and clean throughout. Mox tries to keep a hold of Jericho for a brawl, while Jericho stays slippery. The first nearfall comes about 10 minutes in after Jericho hits a lionsault for 2.
Moxley fights back and hits a vertical suplex into a powerbomb, then whips Jericho and hits a spinebuster before locking in a Fujiwara armbar. The champ got to the ropes. Later, Jericho would lock in the Walls of Jericho. He wrenched back, causing a lot of pain to Mox, but Mox eventually turned it over and caught the champ in a small package for a 2-count. They stood and Mox hit a European uppercut, followed by a knee lift and locked in a Regal Stretch. Jericho fought out of it, then stood up and ran toward Mox, who hit a Paradigm Shift! Pinfall attempt, but Jericho kicks out at 2! Both of them stand and Mox goes for another Paradigm Shift, but Jericho slips out of it and hits a missile dropkick.
Mox stands and goes for a clothesline, but Jericho spins and hits a spinning elbow to the face (Judas Effect) that knocks Mox down. Jericho hits another Lionsault and goes for the pin, getting the 1…2…3! Jericho retains the UWA Championship in 26:24. He extends his hand toward Mox, who looks dejected, but shakes his hand and walks off as Jericho celebrates.
The Apex emerges from the crowd and slides into the ring, surrounding Jericho. JBL grabs him from behind and Jeff Jarrett kicks him in the gut. Shawn Spears hits the C4…and Mox comes running back down the ramp, carrying a chair! He slides in the ring and takes out James Storm and Spears before the rest of the group slides out and pulls their compatriots with them.
—
Kevin Nash and Scott Hall come to ringside to watch the next match. Hall says they aren’t here to start any trouble.
Match 2 - UWA Tag Team Championship: FTR © vs. Steiner Bros. (10-1)
The match starts with Scott Steiner and Dax Harwood of FTR in the ring. Scott and Dax lock up, with Scott quickly gaining the upper hand and pushing Dax into the corner. Rick Steiner enters the ring and starts attacking Dax, but Dax is able to fight back and take control of the match.
The Steiners continue to double team Dax, using quick tags to keep him isolated in their corner. However, Dax is able to make the hot tag to Cash Wheeler, who comes in with a fury and takes out both Steiners with a series of clotheslines and dropkicks.
The Steiners are able to regroup and take control of the match again, but Cash and Dax continue to battle back. Cash hits a big spinebuster on Rick, and Dax follows up with a big clothesline. Cash goes for the pin, but Scott breaks it up.
Cash and Dax continue to work together, hitting a series of double team moves on the Steiners. Dax hits a big powerbomb on Rick, and Cash follows up with a frog splash. Cash goes for the pin, but Scott breaks it up again.
Finally, Dax and Cash hit the Goodnight Express on Rick for the win in 13:58. FTR glares at the Outsiders while they celebrate their victory.
—
Ronda Rousey’s music hits after the break, and she comes out to address Paige VanZant’s comments from a couple weeks ago.
“Paige VanZant, you want to talk about coming back and getting revenge on me? Well, let me tell you something, while you’ve been rehabbing your injury, I've been grinding and training every day, getting stronger. You think you're ready to step into the ring with me? You think you're ready to face the Baddest Woman on the Planet? Let me tell you, sweetheart, you're not ready. You're not even close. You’re a flash in the pan, a one-hit wonder. You’ve never faced anyone like me. And after facing me, your short career will be over.” She looks intensely at the camera, then drops the mic and walks off.
—
Before the Hook/Black/Raven match, we get a video previewing the bout, rewinding to last August when Raven challenged Hook to a match; it covered Raven’s falls count anywhere match against Taz, then his efforts to mentor Hook. Raven and Malakai Black both vied to be Hook’s mentor, but each was rebuffed. Hook rebelled against his dad and expressed a desire to make his own name and not build off his dad’s. At Full Gear, Hook interfered in the Raven vs. Black match and knocked both men out. He later gave Raven the REDRUM after Raven’s cage match win over Black. Tonight, he gets the chance to make a statement by winning the FTW Championship against his two rivals.
Match 3 - FTW Championship: Falls Count Anywhere: Hook (10-3) vs. Malakai Black (10-2) vs. Raven (5-3)
The three men exchange punches to start the match, before Black gets the upper hand with a kick to Raven’s knee and knee to Hook’s face. The early match sees all three getting in offense — Hook suplexes Raven; Black dropkicks Hook; Raven whips Black into a back-body drop — that continues until Black clotheslines Hook out of the ring. He turns into an Evenflow DDT, and Raven gets a nearfall. They stand and Black sprays Raven with some mist, then hits a snap suplex. He prepares for the Black Mass, but Hook slides in and locks in the REDRUM! Black looks like he’s about to tap, but Raven breaks it up.
Hook shoves Raven, who shoves back. Black intervenes and gets hit with another Evenflow DDT, then Raven and Hook spill to the outside and brawl. Raven hits a Piledriver on the floor and then grabs a chair from under the ring. He smashes it against Hooks back, then sets it up for another move. Taz gets up from the announcer’s desk and pleads with Raven to spare Hook. Raven snaps and drop-toe holds Taz into the chair! As he stands, Black is launching himself over the ropes and into a cross-body block onto Raven. Hook stands and catches the Black Mass. Raven and Black exchange punches and start heading up the ramp to the stage as medics attend to Taz.
Black with a vertical suplex onto Raven on the stage and gets a nearfall. He pulls Raven over to the edge of the stage and tries for another suplex, but Raven reverses it and shoves Black off the stage and crashes through a table. Before Raven can go after him, Hook is behind him and locks in the REDRUM! Raven resists, but Hook eventually drags him down and locks in the hold further. Raven taps and Hook is the winner and FTW Champion, with a match time of 16:25. Hook celebrates with the championship, then walks to the back to check on his dad. Raven eventually walks off, too. While Black is stirring below, the lights flicker and “failure” appears on the big screen in red.
—
We get a video package on the Title for Title match, highlighting Sasha Banks’ year-plus reign and her myriad opponents. We also see Jade Cargill earning a shot at the UWA Women’s Championship; then her earlier match against Banks, which ended in a no contest after Beth Phoenix interfered. Cargill and Banks have been orbiting each other for the last few months, and now they’re facing off for all of the gold. Banks wants to assert her dominance in her new promotion; while Cargill wants to stay undefeated and take the next step toward immortality.
Main Event - Title vs. Title: UWA Women’s Champion Sasha Banks (5-0) vs. AEW Women’s Champion Jade Cargill (15-0) (No Submissions)
Thunder Rosa — WCW’s number 1 contender for the UWA Women’s Championship who will face the champ at next week’s WCW Starrcade — joins Coach on commentary for this match. She talks up both women and says she gets a chance to do something historic next weekend no matter who wins tonight. Either she beats Banks and ends one of the longest reigns in UWA history; or she becomes the first woman to defeat Cargill and end her UWA reign at an embarrassingly short period of time.
The match starts with a test of strength that Cargill goads Banks into. Cargill forces Banks to the mat and violently drives her knee into her face. Cargill keeps up the offensive by pulling Banks into repeated clotheslines, then a bodyslam and a leg drop. She goes for a powerbomb, but Banks punches her way out of it, then hurricanranas Cargill into the corner, where she hits a running high knee into Cargill, then rolls her up for 1. Banks hits an arm drag, then tosses Cargill back into the corner. She puts her up to the top rope and goes for another hurricanrana, this time off the top rope. But Cargill catches her, stands and delivers a devastating powerbomb from the top rope. She pins Banks. 1…2…Banks kicks out a 2.9! Cargill goes to pick Banks up, but gets pulled into a small package for a 2-count.
Cargill loses her cool and lunges for Banks, who ducks and hits a roundhouse kick onto Cargill, which stuns her. Banks hits the Bank Statement backbreaker! Then she locks in the crossface. The ref informs her that submissions aren’t allowed. She knows, but keeps the hold locked in. Banks finally lets go, then stomps on Cargill. She goes up to the top rope and hits a Frog Splash! Banks pins Cargill. 1…2…NO! Cargill kicks out.
Banks hits the Bankrupt (straight jacket neckbreaker slam) and goes for another pinfall, but Cargill kicks out again. Now Banks starts to lose her cool. She goes to remove the pad from a turnbuckle, as the ref tries to warn her to stop. Banks shoves the ref away, then goes after Cargill. She whips the younger competitor to the corner, but Cargill reverses it and sends Banks chest first into the exposed turnbuckle. As Banks stumbles away, Cargill lifts her up into position for the Jaded Finisher. She backs into the corner and climbs up to the second turnbuckle, holding Banks in position. She hits the finisher from the second turnbuckle, then goes for the pin. 1…2…3! Jade Cargill wins the UWA Women’s Championship at 18:21, and is the dual UWA/AEW Women’s Champion.
She celebrates as confetti comes down from the rafters. Cargill holds both belts high above her head, then looks at Thunder Rosa at ringside. She glares at Rosa and raises both belts higher as the show comes to an end.
Next week on Dynamite:
AEW World Championship: Cody Rhodes © vs. Sammy Guevara
Jeff Cobb, Matt Riddle, Hurricane & Mick Foley vs. Beer Money, Shawn Spears & JBL
AEW Rampage debut (Feb. 3)
Dean Malenko vs. Peter Avalon
Abadon’s in-ring debut
AEW Tag Titles: Natural Selection © vs. New Day
Next PPV: Revolution, on Feb. 19, 2023
AEW World Championship? Cody Rhodes vs. Bill Goldberg