WhiteTail Wrestling

We kick things off with babyface Switchblade Jay White newly returned from injury against Hangman Adam Page. White gets a nice welcome with the Hangman receiving a chorus of boos.

Hangman dominates the match early and he gets steadily more frustrated at being unable to put away the Switchblade. Despite being a face Switchblade is still a clever counter wrestler and when Hangman makes a mistake he is dangerous  allowing him to make effective but often brief comebacks in this match.

They’re beginning to hit each other with some major moves now mostly on the outside with Hangman hitting a DVD on the apron and a powerbomb on the steel steps. White comes back with an effective knee breaker on the stage running down to the ring. The Switchblade despite playing a face at least in this match is wrestling his normal style and perhaps is more of a tweener.

Really good sequence of action back in the ring as the damage to the knee effects the Hangman who can’t take advantage after a deadeye and he can’t hit the buckshot either White with the awesome counter into the blade runner for a massive victory. Great opener. ****

Willow Nightingale takes on Mariah May for the AEW Women’s title. Willow gets a good response while the crowd is almost silent for the entrance of May who is struggling as the champion.

Some good action here with some nice moves by both women. May is better in a serious match and is proving that she does have the potential that she showed when she worked in Stardom.

May hits her May day finish but Willow kicks out. They collide and both women go down. A series of flash pin attempts and then Willow gets two after a DVD in the corner. Mariah wins with a Storm Zero the finisher of her former friend and now rival Toni Storm. A great match with an excellent finish. By far the best Mariah May has looked in AEW. ****

Katsuyori Shibata takes on Jack Perry  for Perry’s TNT title. Shibata gets a warm reception and warms up Perry’s chest with the sort of hard strong style chops we have come to expect from the Wrestler. When Perry tries to fight fire with fire he pays for it whereas when Perry plays the heel that he is he can regain control.

Shibata locks in the sleeper hold but Perry lays back enough that Shibata’s shoulders are pinned to give Perry a lucky win. Bad finish brings this match down. *** Perry jumps Shibata after the match. Daniel Garcia runs out to attack Perry but Perry gets out of Dodge. MJF comes out to the ring and then Perry returns to jump Garcia. MJF lays down a beat down on Garcia now he has the opportunity. After an excellent MJF promo and the return of his diamond ring Adam Cole makes his return causing MJF to make his escape. An excellent segment it is a shame it took away from the end of Shibata vs Perry.

Will Ospreay defends his AEW International Championship against Konosuke Takeshita and Ricochet in a three way match. Ospreay and Ricochet work against Takeshita to start the match with some nice sequences but Takeshita takes advantage of showboating to take out both men. More great high flying and action sequences. This is exactly what you would expect and the crowd is getting right into the action.

Some more epic sequences of action from all three men both inside and outside the ring nobody can take advantage long enough to get the pinfall though. Some of these sequences are out of this world I shouldn’t be surprised when a match involves talent like this but I always am. Such a great match particularly for a three way match.

The action is getting to the stage where it is ubdescribable with sequences involving three men executed at break neck pace. Takeshita puts Ricochet through a table with a devastating piledriver. Ospreay has the match won but Don Callis interferes and then Kyle Fletcher jumps his former friend allowing Takeshita to get the win and become the AEW International Champion. *****

Swerve and Prince Nana are joined by MVP and Shelton Benjamin in the ring. MVP wants Swerve to abandon Nana and join him. After teasing joining MVP Swerve sticks with Nana this causes Benjamin to square up to Swerve with only intervention from security preventing an altercation. The Swerve promo was good and overall I thought this was a decent segment.

Hologram who is undefeated in AEW takes on Beast Mortos in a best two out of three falls lucha match. Hologram takes the first fall after some good lucha style sequences. Crowd has been too quiet but they are starting to get into the action slowly. The Beast Mortos responds and takes the second fall. Really solid match so fat. Crowd is still struggling though perhaps they are getting tired as this has been an awesome show so far. Hologram wins a really fun match that was brought down just a little by the crowd. ***1/2

Darby Allin defeated Brody King in a good well worked match. King dominates early with his strength and power with Allin taking some heavy bumps. Allin gets the win ending the match with a crazy coffin drop. ***1/2

The Young Bucks defended their AEW Tag Titles in an excellent match against Private Party. Private Party had defeated the Bucks in the first AEW tag title tournament five years ago and they were looking for another upset five years on. An exciting fast paced match with some excellent sequences and spots. Private Party came close and proved themselves but ultimately fell short. ***

Semi main event as Mark Briscoe defends the ROH World Title against Chris Jericho. A good well worked match some interference but Briscoe had Orange Cassidy and Rocky Romero to prevent Jericho from stealing the match. Briscoe defends his title using his late brother Jay’s Jay driller which Jericho had earlier threatened to use. ***

Bryan Danielson the AEW World Champion has made it clear that when he loses the title he will retire from full time wrestling. He faces his most difficult challenge against Jon Moxley his former colleague in the Blackpool Combat Club. The start of this match was just awesome as The Final Countdown plays Moxley jumps Danielson and they have an epic Brawl before the match even starts the song only ends when the bell rings. This worked so well to start this match.

The tough physical action continues with Moxley brutalising Danielson but Danielson makes his comebacks brilliantly from time to time and this crowd is red hot for it. They exchange forearms which was great but Moxley the Brawl wins out briefly but Danielson uses his speed to win that battle. This match is great.

Danielson is in a strong position but he dives onto Moxley on the outside. Moxley catches Danielson with the Death Rider onto the concrete. Moxley only gets two though and the battle continues as the first drops of blood begin to show. The match continues with some more great action and near falls and then Moxley locks in a sleeper. The referee calls for the bell and the match ends somewhat abruptly for me and I did expect a better finish to this match. The new BCC look to choke Danielson with a plastic bag but Darby Allin and Wheeler Yuta come to make the save but then Yuta turns on Allin and proves his loyalty by choking Danielson. A chair is wrapped around Danielson and a devastating kick from Claudio and the beat down finally ends when enough wrestlers are able to make it to the ring. An injury angle ends the show as everyone is emotional at the end of Danielson’s in ring career as we see Orange Cassidy and Darby Allin in the aisle in an emotional state. Excalibur on commentary is also emotional as is Tony Schiavone but the reaction from Excalibur particularly sounds like he is struggling through the worst moment of his life which while perhaps overdramatic works for this moment. *****

Wow this show was amazing. AEW has its issues particularly with its TV which is no longer must watch. However on PPV AEW almost never misses and this show was no exemption. Two classic matches one featuring awesome ring work and the other was a moment in time which will be never forgotten as we see the end of the full time career of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and before his career has fully wound down and in a brutal unforgettable way which left those who watched it live and even those at home watching on PPV speechless. No other promotion in the world can produce a show with this level of drama and in ring work. A must watch PPV event and perhaps one of best PPV shows of all time.