Post by sethisthegoat on Nov 7, 2023 10:56:58 GMT -5
AEW Battle of the Belts -
Oct. 15, 2023
It’s a special intro for the Battle of the Belts, highlighting tonight’s big card - then UWA Men’s Universal Champion Chris Jericho’s music hits and the champ walks out to a nice ovation from the crowd. He says he and Goldberg have some history, and he looks forward to settling it tonight.This brings out Goldberg to the ring, who says he’s ready to put Jericho away. To make him pay for his mouth. He’s going to become UWA Universal Champion and reset his sights on defeating Cody Rhodes again. Before Goldberg can leave, Jericho says he’s got a surprise for him. He calls out Duane Gill, dressed in full Gillberg gear. He goes through the full entrance and gets into the ring. Goldberg responds with a spear to Gillberg. As he stands, Jericho wallops him on the back of the head with the championship belt and stands over Goldberg, holding it high. As Goldberg stirs, Jericho scampers away.
—
Match 1 - AEW International Championship match: Brian Cage © (20-3) w/ Cesar Duran vs. UPW’s Shinsuke Nakamura
Brian Cage is defending his International Championship against UPW Paramount Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, after Nakamura eliminated Cage as a surprise entrant during the Casino Battle Royale in September.
Cage overpowers Nakamura and pushes him to the corner. Cage unleashes a series of punches and chops, followed by a suplex for a near fall. Nakamura fights back with kicks and knees, targeting Cage’s legs and midsection. Nakamura hits a running knee in the corner and a snapmare, setting up for his signature Kinshasa. However, Cage dodges the move and catches Nakamura with a clothesline, turning him inside out.
Cage then lifts Nakamura for a powerbomb, but Nakamura counters with a hurricanrana, sending Cage crashing to the outside. Nakamura hits a diving knee off the apron, taking Cage down. Nakamura rolls Cage back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Cage kicks out at two. Nakamura then tries to lock in a triangle choke, but Cage powers out and slams Nakamura with a sit-out powerbomb for another near fall.
Cage climbs to the top rope, looking for a frog splash, but Nakamura gets his knees up and blocks the impact. Nakamura then hits a reverse exploder suplex, and nails Cage with the Kinshasa for the 1…2…no! Cage just gets his shoulder up! Nakamura complains to the referee, and Cage recovers and grabs Nakamura to hit the Drill Claw! 1…2…3! Cage retains the AEW International Championship after a 20-minute match.
After the match, unfamiliar music hits…and out walks the AWA’s Dynamite Kid! He tells Cage that, while he’s focused on tag team wrestling right now, his rivalry with Lou Thesz earlier this year made him hungry for more singles gold. He says that there’s a big UWA show coming up in November, and he’s tossed his name in the ring for a shot at AEW’s International Championship. As Cage glares at the Kid, Nakamura kips up and hits him with the Kinshasa before leaving the ring.
—
An angry Goldberg is storming through the hall backstage, looking for Jericho’s dressing room, when he passes Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Omega says what Jericho did was brutal…but smart. He’d do the same thing in his position.
Goldberg gets in Omega’s face and tells Omega that they’ve got some unfinished business. He blames Omega for not taking care of Cody Rhodes earlier in the year; and blames Omega for Cody taking the AEW World Championship. Goldberg says Omega is lucky he’s got bigger fish to fry tonight.
—
Match 2 - UWA Women’s Champion Jade Cargill © (33-0) vs. Paige VanZant (16-6)
Paige VanZant has faced Jade Cargill previously, but the undefeated UWA Women’s Champion has had her number. Cargill is also upset that VanZant took the AEW Women’s Title from her without actually pinning Cargill. This is Cargill’s chance for revenge and VanZant’s shot at immortality.
The match starts with a tense staredown, the two talk trash back and forth, and Cargill shoves VanZant back.. VanZant rebounds and takes down Cargill with a headlock takedown and a dropkick. She then tries to apply a rear-naked choke, but Cargill powers out and slams her to the mat.
Cargill uses her strength and size advantage to overpower VanZant. She hits her with a series of strikes, suplexes, and slams. Cargill mocks VanZant’s appearance on Dancing with the Stars by doing a dance move and then kicking her in the face.
VanZant refuses to give up and fights back with some of her MMA and boxing skills. She lands some punches, kicks, and elbows, and even hits Cargill with a spinning back fist that stuns her. She then climbs to the top rope and hits a diving crossbody, but Cargill kicks out at two. VanZant then attempts a flying armbar, but Cargill counters with a powerbomb.
The match reaches its climax when Cargill lifts VanZant for her finishing move, the Jaded. VanZant, however, reverses it into a guillotine choke, and tries to choke out Cargill. Cargill, however, shows her resilience and lifts VanZant again, this time successfully hitting the Jaded. She then pins VanZant for the three count, and retains her title at 14 minutes.
—
Harley Race is backstage lacing up his boots as AEW World Champion Cody Rhodes and his brother Dustin walk up. They tell Race that they have his back and will make sure the Young Bucks don’t interfere. Race stands and thanks Cody, adding that he can take care of himself. He’s having the most fun he’s had in years, and he’s going to shorten Omega’s career a little bit tonight. Race looks at Rhodes’ championship belt and says he might decide to come after Cody once he’s done with Omega. Cody says he’d be honored to face Race. They shake hands and walk off.
As Cody turns, he runs into Goldberg, who gets in his face. Goldberg tells Cody his days as champion are numbered. Cody replies that Goldberg should really concentrate on Jericho tonight instead.
—
Match 3 - Steel Cage match: Harley Race (3-1) vs. Kenny Omega (4-1)
Omega defeated Race at All Out thanks to some help from the Young Bucks. That match followed Race inserting himself into the Elite’s feud with Cody and Dustin Rhodes. Omega and Race have a history, too, dating back to Omega’s initial tryout for the WWE, when Race said he was an unsafe worker and cost him a job. Now they’re facing off in a steel cage, where the win can come by pinfall, submission or escape.
Race goes straight for Omega, who to his credit doesn’t back down at all. The competitors exchange haymakers back and forth, but Race is able to get control as he whips Omega into the side of the cage, following up with a German suplex. He slows things down a bit with a side headlock, putting a lot of pressure on Omega’s neck.
After a couple minutes of Race holding Omega to the mat, Omega rakes Race’s eyes to break the hold. They stand and Omega hits a variety of kicks, ending with a knee to Race’s face that knocks him down.
Later in the match, Race reverses an Irish Whip to send Omega into the cage again. He then turns Omega around and smashes his face into the cage repeatedly, eventually breaking Omega open! Race spins him around and hits a brutal piledriver, going for a pin. Omega kicks out at 2!
Omega is able to get the upper hand following a low blow and a missile dropkick; he hits a V-Trigger and a springboard moonsault, but instead of going for the pin, he goes for the escape. Before he gets to the top, Race recovers and climbs after him. They eventually climb to the top, where both men are straddling the top of the cage and exchanging punches. Eventually, Race smashes Omega’s face into the cage and he sends Omega crashing back to the mat. Race stands tall on top of the stage and looks down at Omega laying on the mat…and he dives off for the Diving Headbutt, which connects! Both men are down. Race crawls over and gets his arm on Omega, scoring the pinfall victory in 24:39.
—
Match 4 - UWA Tag Team Championship match - FTR © vs. AEW Tag Team Champions Razor Ramon and Diesel (10-3)
As Ramon and Diesel are on their way to the ring, Natural Selection (Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander) run out and attack them, eventually putting Ramon through an announce table. FTR comes running down to come to the AEW Tag Team Champions’ rescue, and Natural Selection runs off.
Ramon gets loaded onto a stretcher. The ref asks Diesel if he wants to continue, and he does. He puts up a good fight, but FTR is just too much and they hit the Shatter Machine for the win in 7 minutes.
After the match, Diesel gets on the mic and tells Benjamin and Alexander that he and Ramon will be 100 percent by the time Full Gear rolls around. Natural Selection can get exactly what they’re after — a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championships, where they will get embarrassed.
—
Prior to the main event, the Bloodline comes out for a chat. Roman Reigns mentions that they’ve been fighting with the Apex since coming to AEW, and it’s time for it to end. At Full Gear, it’s time for the end of the Apex or the Bloodline. And nothing will break the family apart.
The Apex comes to the stage, and Jarrett agrees to the match. But if they’re going to blow off this feud and end a faction, then it should be in the grandest way possible — Blood and Guts!
—
Match 5 - UWA Champion Chris Jericho vs. Goldberg (11-1)
Goldberg tries to start fast, but Jericho keeps moving around, staying a step ahead of the bigger man. Jericho is wearing a shirt, which is unusual.
He eventually catches Goldberg with a surprise Judas Effect out of nowhere, stunning the challenger, before rolling him up for a 2-count.
The match continues, with Goldberg trying to hit the spear and Jericho dodging out of the way. Eventually, Goldberg grabs Jericho and hits a Gorilla Press Slam; then a Jackhammer! Jericho just gets his foot on the bottom rope in time.
Now Goldberg sets up for a spear and blasts off to hit it as Jericho rises. He hits it! And both men are down! Goldberg is motionless, while Jericho writhes in pain. The UWA Champion stands with a smile on his face. He locks in the Walls of Jericho and tells the ref that he’s made Goldberg pass out. The ref lifts Goldberg’s arm 3 times and the challenger doesn’t respond. He awards Jericho the win after a 9-minute match.
During his celebration, Jericho takes off his shirt, revealing a metal plate underneath, which draws some boos from the pro-AEW crowd. Goldberg stirs and stares at Jericho in anger.
—
Next PPV: November 12, 2023 - Full Gear
Card -
World Title - Cody Rhodes © vs. Goldberg
Blood and Guts - The Bloodline vs. The Apex
Jeff Cobb vs. Matt Riddle
AEW Tag Titles - Natural Selection vs. Diesel and Razor Ramon ©
Sammy Guevara and Tay Melo vs. Mick Foley and Britt Baker
Harley vs. Kenny Omega III - Last Man Standing
AEW Women’s Championship - Ronda Rousey © vs. ??
Alexa Bliss vs. Beth Phoenix