Venue: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Fla.

*****

To the Elite arriving earlier today with their belts.  Matt said he loved when Okada flipped off the crowd Sunday.  That makes two of us.

Jack Perry arrived right behind them.  To a huge cheer.  The others had been booed.  Security told Perry he couldn’t come in but the Bucks pulled their EVP status.  Excalibur said Perry had torn up his AEW contract and was a New Japan talent.

Interesting hook to start the show.

*****

Orange Cassidy’s music played, he tumbled through the entrance having apparently been beaten up by Trent.  Off-screen.  Which is becoming a nasty trend.  We’re supposed to be desperate to find out who Chuck’s siding with.

This atmosphere and layout is so flat – lights down, clearly not many people here.

Trent asked Chuck to come out.  And said he was sorry.  Sorry they’d spent years ‘hugging this narcissistic prick.’  Orange made them his lackeys and gave them nothing.  A weak ‘freshly squeezed’ chant started and quickly died.

Trent said he cares about Chuck, loves him.  Asked him to give the people what they want and held out his arms for a hug.  Chuck looked like he was going to hug then stopped short.  ‘You know Trent, I’ve always thought you were a piece of shit.’

So why the F have you teamed with him for like nine years?  What a dumbass.

Chuck hit him with a microphone then said he’s not cleared so he’ll fight Trent in the parking lot.  Starting Dynamite with this following a ppv and everything that happened on it is certainly a choice.

This is doing nothing but dragging down Orange.

*****

To Mox.  He’s confident he’ll retain his title.

We all are Mox. Every single damn one of us.  Because it’s obviously going to happen.

He tried to put over Hobbs and his chances.  And said he knew what the Family were willing to do to win.  He tried to put over tonight’s match as him having to walk through hell and arrows and etc.

Solid because it’s a Mox promo; pointless because the match is.  Possibly confusing to viewers who didn’t watch the pay-per-view and saw Mox talking about defending a title before Swerve was even mentioned.

*****

Now this is how the show should’ve started.  Nana brought Swerve out.  Figured he’d at least get a promo before the match but nope.  It’s another pointless match instead vs a guy who almost literally never wins.  Kyle Fletcher’s music sounds like a CAW theme.

Swerve Strickland vs Kyle Fletcher (Eliminator)

Backstory: NONE

Callis joining on comms as the pair started with mat wrestling till Swerve got the better.  They implied Callis was recruiting guys for the Family.

Swerve got two with a cradle then popped up into a short arm scissors.  They then wrestled to a stalemate.

Swerve avoided a corner charge then hit a spin kick, back elbow in the corner, snapmare out, diving elbow to the spine off the top, stupid dance.  Nice sequence.  Fletcher responded by leg lariating Swerve off the apron, new champ clutching his arm but countering a piledriver outside into a body drop.

Then punting the Aussie down to bring the break.

Ads.

Swerve ducked under into a backbreaker before working the spine with his elbow, Fletcher aimed shots with the wrist captured then landed a thrust kick, Michinoku driver, both down.

They cut away to the Elite going to see Tony Khan.  Perry looked a little wary.

Back to Swerve landing an apron neckbreaker.  Nana is semi-permanently leading ‘Whose house?’ chants in a bid to create some sort of atmosphere.  Strickland hit a Stomp from the top to the apron and seemed to hurt his left ankle.  A weak house call was obviously intended to miss, being snatched into an ankle lock.  So clearly that wasn’t a real injury.  Nice selling.

‘I like Swerve but I would like to see him crippled right now,’ said Callis.  Like you might say ‘I like cheese on my burger.’  Such a heel.

He fought free but Fletcher went to work with kicks to the chest, up into an exchange of rights, Swerve hiptoss through into a brainbuster which was countered, Swerve kicked up then popped up into a flatliner, sweeping through into the brainbuster for two.

Time for the new champ to win now.

They reversed in and out of a tombstone, Fletcher just about pulling off the last one before hitting the move for two.  Callis yelled ‘Melbourne’ like he was calling a play and Fletcher looked for a table but changed his mind to hit a leg lariat in the corner.  Then went for a superplex.

Swerve fought free, Fletcher politely hung on to the middle ropes so Swerve could hit a Stomp.  And then kicked out.  Are you serious?  Swerve then hit the House Call to win.

Good match for the most part but too long vs someone who never ever wins.  Swerve did take the majority of the match, but kicking out of his finish already?

Champions are defined by their opponents.

Winner: Swerve Strickland

They pushed Kenny Omega returning next week in Winnipeg.

*****

Renee with Thunder Rosa.  Renee asked what went wrong Sunday.  Rosa said she could complain but won’t.  But mentioned Deonna.  Who just happened to be nearby.  They got into a shoving match and were separated.

Deonna really seems like someone who would get into a loud argument in a public place.  Which is a great heel trait.

Ads.

Mina Shirakawa vs Anna Jay

Backstory: NONE

They sort of explained Shirakawa as she came out.  Including replaying her kiss with Mariah May a couple weeks back.  May accompanied Mina and held the ropes for her.  And wasn’t dressed like Toni Storm.

We got started as each ducked a lariat and preened until the presumably babyface Jay aimed a cheap shot.  The announcers all but said Mina and Mariah had been/are lovers.  Jay kicked Mina away to block a figure four but took an enziguri off the top for two.

Mariah led a very brief ‘Mina’ chant.  Before Mina landed a Russian leg sweep.  Then went to work with elbows to the inside of the knee.  Before applying the leg lock.  Anna got the ropes.  Then raked the eyes before hitting a draping neckbreaker across the top rope.  She and Mariah had a few words before Jay got two.

Ads.  So… who’s the heel?

Back to a stinging right from Mina, another, exchange until a discus elbow strike then back fist from Mina.  Who the crowd seem to like more than Anna.  Mina blocked a pump kick, dragon screw, back to the figure four.  Jay got right to the ropes again.  Mina hit a missile drop kick and an enziguri for two.

Time to end.

Jay blocked a reverse ddt into Queenslayer but couldn’t quite hook it.  Mina got the win the way anyone in AEW does over someone who isn’t a jobber, with a cradle.

Mariah danced to Mina’s music and brought in champagne.  Anna attacked without provocation from behind.  To boos.  Then tried to get the Queenslayer on May.  Bringing heel champ Toni Storm in to save the day.  She hugged Mariah after running off Anna.  As the crowd cheered.

Serena Deeb came out.  She held the belt which Toni had left on the ramp.  She spoke to the camera and promised that next time she touched the title it would belong to her as the women’s champ.

Could be a good match; will be a sucky feud.  Deeb hasn’t been since for like six weeks and all she’s done this year is beat a couple enhancement talents.

Just rotten booking here btw, the heels were absolutely the babyfaces and vice versa.  Meh match too.

Winner: Mina Shirakawa

Back to Stokely and Statlander in the ring to celebrate Willow.  Stokely said he felt like the Bill Withers song ‘Lovely Day.’  Statlander eulogized Willow via a rhyming poem.  Stokely said with ‘all due disrespect that was two packs of ass.’

Caprice Coleman joined on comms to sing and rap Willow to the ring.  If they were going for obnoxious with a hint of Kurtis Blow… hit the bulls eye.

Stokely and Willow said they hadn’t liked each other at first, compared each other to fungus and stuff.  Willow said in 2020 she was here in the front row trying to get her break.  And tonight she’s a champion.

Mercedes decided to dance and prance through the celebration.  Willow said this is like the fourth time Mone’s interrupted her.  Mercedes sounded very false (presumably deliberately) while saying she came out to congratulate her.  At DoN we’re looking at the new champ.  Crowd booed.

All three women accused the others of attacking each other since Willow got attacked last week.  She asked Mercedes if she thought she deliberately injured her last year.  Mercedes sounded like she was reading from a script as she asked ‘Do I blame you for taking the one thing I love the most (away from her) for a whole year?  You don’t want the truth Willow.’

This acting is dreadful.

Willow said she felt terrible after the match last year and couldn’t even enjoy the title.  She wondered whether she could’ve beaten Mercedes at 100%.  That title had an asterisk next to it.  But this right here (she held up her belt), there is no asterisk next to this.  So she wants Mercedes at 100% so she can show why she’s the TBS champ.

Mercedes said to enjoy it while she can cause Willow knows she can’t beat her.  Crowd seem split now.  Statlander grabbed Mercedes who thought it was Willow so slapped her.  Mercedes then left.

Mercedes is adding nothing else to AEW.  Robotic, obviously rehearsed lines that don’t sound like things a human being would say and are delivered in overdramatic fashion.  Such a let down after such a positive start.

*****

‘Al Scoops’ (eugh) was outside Khan’s office and asked Perry if he was reinstated.  He asked the same question to all four Elite.  They all ignored him until Matt said that Kahn had just agreed to meet with Perry tonight in the ring.

It’s a decent hook but what’s the storyline reason for that when they were just in the same room?

They finally showed Perry costing FTR the belts Sunday.

Casino Gauntlet Match (For a shot at the International Title @DoN)

Participants: Jay White, Dante Martin, Penta, Kyle O’Reilly, Will Ospreay, Lance Archer, Komander

The gimmick here is even the announcers don’t know who’s in it.  It’s sudden death rules.  First pin wins.

So Jay and Dante are pretty damn good.  White took a pasting as usual.  Until avoiding a Dante vault to the outside.  But only got a couple chops in before Dante took back over.  At this point I can only assume Tony Khan is genuinely irritated with White who apparently has been unhappy with how he’s been used.  Particularly in his feud with MJF.

Penta out before the break.

Ads.  No pin attempts as yet.  In a sudden death rules match.

Back to Kyle O’Reilly coming out.  Then Will Ospreay!?  So that’s Wembley then.  He’s going to rename it the UK Title or whatever like he did in New Japan.  But what a weird way to just throw him out there after not mentioning him all show.  Piss poor promotion.  And got a nice pop but boy it was a comedown after the size of that crowd Sunday.

He hit an AJ forearm to Kyle, took out Penta and Kyle with a corkscrew kick, then had a standoff with White after White tried a cheap shot.  Crowd chanted holy shit.  White suckered him in then teed off with chops, Ospreay quickly hit back, White bailed outside.

Most of the wrestlers are spending most of their time waiting outside.  In a sudden death rules match.

Lance Archer out now.  They keep doing stuff you need to have watched New Japan to understand here.  He and Ospreay went face to face before Archer ran through everybody until Kyle grabbed a guillotine.  Until being flung away.

Ospreay got the boots up in the corner but took Archer’s step-up knee, Blackout coming but Archer flung Ospreay at the other guys outside instead.  In a sudden death rules match.

Ads.  Be nice if guys tried to win.

Komander out.  Okay, this is my pick.  This guy’s a winner.  He rana’d Archer off the apron through a table.  Then used Ospreay as a climbing frame into a ddt.  White uranage from behind for two.  God bless you Jay White.

Bladerunner countered by Ospreay into a Liger Bomb for two.  And god bless you Will Ospreay.

He was readying a Hidden Blade when the biggest star in the company was interrupted by Jay Lethal.  Who smashed him and sent him outside.  That shouldn’t happen if Ospreay’s on a fucking drip at the hospital, let alone if he’s healthy.

White hit a sleeper suplex but Dante hit a shotgun from the top.  Everyone took out everyone until Ospreay got two on Kyle via cross body after an excellent exchange of counters.  He was going to hit a tiger driver but hesitated, Excalibur mentioned he’d injured Danielson which is the first time they’ve mentioned it all night?

Komander missed something off the top and Ospreay hit the Hidden Blade to win.  Damn it, was sure Komander had this.  Might have booked Ospreay to run through everybody here rather than having a ‘good match’.  And this was fun.  But considering they blathered on about sudden death rules, no-one was in a rush to win.

The Undisputed Kingdom came out, Strong went face to face with Ospreay.  The whole way he was used here was just baffling.  No hype, no mention he was on the show.

Winner: Will Ospreay

‘The Learning Tree’ Chris Jericho came out.  With new music.  Which is a massive upgrade on his Lionheart theme but that’s a low bar.  They showed him cheating to beat Hook.  He got droning boos rather than actual heat.

He played to the crowd in a deliberately babyface way.  He said FTW means ‘For the World, because it’s for all of you.’  That’s some good heel ish.  He said Terry Funk told him years ago it was his job to teach the next generation.  He asked to hear it for Hook.  Who had a great effort but still has things he needs to learn.

Like getting rid of dead weight like Taz & Shibata.  And needs to listen to Jericho.  Like when he tells him to stay down.  He forced Jericho to use the baseball bat.  ‘So that’s on you.’

He’s excited about Hook and the rest of the Jericho Vortex who came out bigger stars.  Big Bill interrupted to almost zero reaction.  ‘He’s a massive man,’ said Schiavone.  As Excalibur pointed out it was kinda in the name.

Bill came out and pretended to be a babyface then predictably kissed Jericho’s ass.  Swerve Bro!  He called Jericho the ‘Socrates of Professional Wrestling.’  Always willing to help and bring guys with him.  Bill asked to be one of Jericho’s guys.  Jericho took credit for him being in AEW (in one of those genuinely egotistical moments which has turned fans against him).  And said he’d be watching.  Bill left.

He still probably needs to go away for a bit.  But if he must be on tv, this was a big improvement.  Jericho seems to have found a fresher character he’s comfortable with.

*****

Renee with Ospreay, Callis and Fletcher.  Callis said he was very happy with Ospreay but he’d told Ospreay to use the tiger driver.  Will complained that he didn’t want to use it.  Callis said he didn’t care about injured necks.  Fletcher tried to stick up for Ospreay, Callis said he didn’t want to hear from somebody who’d lost and had to leave to manage Hobbs.

Fletcher told Ospreay he was sorry.

This is more like it.  This is the sort of Callis Family stuff that should be happening every week.  Especially now Ospreay’s a part of it.  What are the relationships?  There’s lots to play with.  And featuring a heat magnet who can promo like Callis is never a bad thing.

Jon Moxley vs Will Hobbs (IWGP Title)

Backstory: Mox challenged Hobbs last week since the Fam attacked Danielson, lord knows why the title’s on the line

So they’re closing with Khan/Perry.  Excalibur explained what IWGP means and some of the history.  Which is all well and good.  But between Mox and Jericho, there are lots of established names with title belts.  None of which does a thing for Swerve.  Whose new moniker should be ‘the Afterthought.’

They wrestled back and forth till Hobbs popped up out of a German and hit a throw.  Mox bailing outside, Hobbs following, they brawled back and forth, introducing one another to the barricade.

They continued brawling around ringside for a while till Hobbs slammed Mox on the apron.

Ads.

Hobbs still slowly dominating Mox.  Until a boot up in the corner.  Hobbs though shoved him clear to block a cutter but again missed a corner charge.  And bailed outside.  Mox following via tope.  It’s so damn quiet.  Sounds like the old covid days.

Back inside, Hobbs limping now having hurt his knee on that corner charge.  Hope he’s okay.  Presumably Perry’s just going to lay out Khan since they’re not leaving long for that angle.

Mox hit ten punches, Paradigm Shift, Hobbs kicked out, Mox went right to the Choke.  Hobbs went night night.  Eventually.  The most boring Moxley match I can remember.  Not helped by a dead atmosphere.

They at least did a nice job on comms making Callis seem, well, callous about his guys’ injuries.

Mox talked trash to Ren Narita into the camera.  Takeshita then appeared on the ramp, making the belt gesture.  Then left.

Winner: Jon Moxley

To Renee with Shibata.  Who used his phone app to call Jericho out in Winnipeg for the FTW Title.  He added a comment about Renee’s outfit like he did last time.

*****

Schiavone introduced Jack Perry.  Who came out to no music.  The crowd were singing ‘Oh Cry Me a River’.  It occurred to me that they literally haven’t shot the crowd all night.

Perry said he’s had some of the best nights of his life here.  But there’s business to handle.  Face to face with Tony Khan.

Khan came out to the ring.  Perry said it’s been a long road.  Five years ago was the first Double or Nothing.  He and Khan have had their ups and downs.  But from the bottom of his heart the only thing he’s ever wanted is what’s best for AEW.  Like real glass (he didn’t really say this).

So he asked Khan to please shake his hand, reinstate him ‘and go on to change the world together.’  Khan offered a handshake and a hug.  Perry smirked to the camera like he’d hoodwinked Khan

Then nailed him in the gut with a mic.  To cheers.  The Elite ran out to ask what he was doing.  The Bucks then helped Khan up but into an EVP Trigger position.  Like they did with Schiavone.  But instead gave him an Indytaker.  Could have been a Tony Khan Driver, though it was from the buckle rather than a springboard.  A spike tombstone anyway.  This got some boos.

The Elite stood over Khan as refs ran out and yelled at them.  They posed on the ramp, Matt said ‘It’s time to change the world baby.’  Then thanked fans for a great show.  Love this character.

A bunch of lower card babyfaces then came out to check on Khan.  And his dad came with them.  The announcers laid out during the last few minutes and the show just left the air.  Making things seem real and serious.

That’s a hell of an interesting angle.  Could make for must-see tv.  Could also be something we look back at as a major negative turning point.  Have they got the story to follow-up and explain it?  For a start, Khan should be out for a long time after a move like that.  So presumably the Elite are going to run things for a bit.  So Kenny’s getting the shit beaten out of him next week isn’t he.

For the first time in a long time, I can’t wait to see the next step in an AEW storyline.

_________________________________________________________________________

Next Collision (it and Rampage are just whenever the NBA finishes Saturday):

• BCG vs Top Flight & Andretti
• Toni Storm vs Anna Jay

Next Dynamite:

• Kenny Omega returns
• Find out who Swerve faces at DoN (Excalibur sort of tried to suggest Kenny coming back was linked to this.  Can’t imagine he’s ready to go yet though)
• Shibata vs Jericho (FTW Title)

Double or Nothing:

• Will Ospreay vs Roderick Strong (International Title)

Thumbs Up/Down

• Got right into lots of angles, starting with Perry and continuing with the Best Friends and Rosa/Deonna
• Callis Family developments – wrestlers throughout show and actual storyline and relationship developments
• Swerve/Fletcher had nice moments
• Gauntlet match was entertaining (if you can get past no-one actually trying to win)
• And a hell of an intriguing finish to the show, still dubious they’ve got the follow up, but I’m also hooked
• Entertaining show with lots happening but also frustrating because of…

 *****

• Same old problems: they don’t hype what they should, don’t make clear who the real top guys are
• Beginning with the new champ who came out here to wrestle then disappeared. No celebration, no mission statement, no feud.  He should be defined by what he says, does and who he wrestles, but was almost an afterthought
• Flat atmospheres like this help nobody, AEW showed Sunday they can draw crowds when matches matter
• But this was a show full of predictable finishes, pointless title matches & eliminators vs guys who’ve done nothing but lose
• They have so many belts they didn’t even get a chance to mention Okada retaining or really focus on any of them

Appreciate you reading.  Hope you’re having a good week.