What a night, man.  Special.  Verrry special.  The culmination of years of hard work which saw me go eight for nine in the predictions!  Woooooo!

So this isn’t going to touch on every match, just some general thoughts about a very enjoyable show.

Kingston/Danielson

Loved everything about this, starting with having the reporters documenting how each was feeling then showing them heading out.  This feud felt real-er than any other and this added to that.

As did Bryan Danielson doing what a real fighter would – targeting Kingston’s punching arm since he’s at a disadvantage there.  Building to a nice tease of Eddie passing out as he did Wednesday, lots of twists and turns drawing real emotion from fans desperate to see their guy retain.  Until a finish which came a little out of nowhere but did nothing to spoil a fantastic fight.

Capped by a hush coming over the audience as the announcers did a great job explaining the significance of the handshake in ROH, and thus Danielson’s, history.  And when he finally did shake, he looked Eddie in the eye like he respects him before leaving the champ to his moment, even pumping his arms in time to an ‘Ed-die’ chant.

Couldn’t have done more for the guy here.

And Kingston couldn’t have done more for realism in wrestling, even insisting the Dragon raise his left arm since his right was beat to shit.  Loved it all.

RKO out of nowhere – the no-one at ringside, no interference rules do scream ‘The hell don’t you do that all the time!?’

8-man Scramble

Why on earth did Dante take the pin?

Orange Cassidy vs Roderick Strong

The crowd were silent as Strong worked over Orange, which was most of the match.  If you like backbreakers…

And after a year of pushing through everything, against all odds, always fighting back, Cassidy lost cause he stopped to pose???  Eyebrows up.

Kyle O’Reilly then returned.  And looked rough – bags under his eyes on some CM Punk ish.  And was very emotional – mouthing ‘thank you’ to fans as they chanted ‘Welcome back!’.  Guy’s had a rough time so glad to see he’s doing better.

Though it won’t stop me making the joke that he then turned down joining the Undisputed Kingdom because he and Strong in the same faction would just be too much charisma.

They left that angle open btw, UK dudes weren’t mad.

BCC vs FTR

The BCC boys came out in Road Warrior spikes.  There was indeed a time limit – thirty mins.  And Tony Schiavone compared Mox’s ‘cool’ with… Dean Martin.  ‘Dean Martin was drunk half the time!’ interjected Taz.

Excalibur then started trying to cover for Mox murdering the out-of-ring count and just gave up half way through.

And this one was an awful lot of – dudes standing still mid-fist fight and beckoning the other guy to bring it.  But also included cool spots like Claudio countering a domesday device into a powerslam and inventing the domesday uppercut.

And got great near the end as big moves were hit and countered, lots of teases and near falls until Mox put Dax to sleep.

They didn’t win a match in this feud.  So where does that leave FTR?

Will Ospreay vs Konosuke Takeshita

Didn’t take a single note during this; didn’t want to miss a thing as twenty-five minutes zoomed by.  These two are amazing in the truest – mouth agape – sense of the word.  The things they’re able to do – the explosion, no-one moves like them, no-one had the crowd absolutely frenzied like they did.

Until the new boy nailed a gnarly Tiger Driver ’91 and the Hidden Blade.

They bowed to one another at the end, we should be bowing to them after this.  The best thing AEW have done in 2024 so far.  Must watch.

Will Ospreay was an absolute megastar here.

And is facing Kyle Fletcher Wednesday* as announced by a new Dynamite graphic with new lettering in purple and yellow, the announcers telling the story of Callis pitting his guys against one-another.  Interesting…

*That one’s now dubious after the gnarly contusion on Ospreay’s back

Hangman vs Swerve vs Joe

With a tough act to follow, these guys smartly started fast.  It was a testament to them and the good storytelling here that the fans were so into this.

Beginning with a fun sequence when Page took out the ref to stop Swerve winning, but as a result saw no-one around to count the fall after nailing Joe with two Buckshots.  Strickland then turned down the belt from Nana as he (hopefully) continues moving toward true babyface status.

And walked right into the Kokina after the distraction, Page cackling from the mat until seeing Swerve counter into a pin.  So took out another ref and this crowd were FURIOUS.

He then almost Punk’d a Buckshot but just managed to retain his footing before Swerve clocked him with one.  And then tapped cleanly to Joe.  So really put over the champ here as he apparently heads for a sabatical.

Excalibur did ask if Page had tapped to prevent Swerve winning but there wasn’t really any danger of it at the moment he did so.  Joe then taunted Strickland with the title.  Swerve on the brink of tears.

More nice storytelling.

Sting & Darby vs the EVP’s

First off, I screwed up in the preview and forgot this was tornado rules.  So apologies.

Second off, this pre-match package was killer; everything I’ve been moaning about for a month.  And the pre-entrance clip of Sting watching highlights of his career in an old movie theatre was even better.

Flair came out, Steamboat was the timekeeper, Darby out, Sting’s sons out as Surfer and Wolfpac Sting respectively.  Before Seek & Destroy blared and the crowd went ape.

AEW definitely did him right here, the kind of sendoff Kurt Angle would’ve killed for.

Things started when Darby launched his bullet tope at the Bucks in front of the announce desk, causing an audible ‘shit’ from the booth.  Stinger splashes followed, including from his sons, one of whom certainly has his father’s spring.

The real story started when Matt suplexed the vet off the stage through a table.  From hereon, they always had a man advantage.  And Darby Allin responded to this constructively, by hurling himself off a very tall ladder through a pane of glass propped up on six chairs.  Guess he thought if he was going to be taken out it was going to be believable.

Sting now alone fighting the odds.

And man these three played the crowd like fiddles (or even a more creative simile).  Sting popped up after a powerbomb off the ladder through a table, Matt kept stealing his signature spots, the Bucks playing total buffoons, Flair and Steamboat invited to superkick parties, Sting turned his down by refusing to sell this too.  Or be pinned: belt shot – out, EVP Trigger – out, a second – out.

By which time Darby had finally recovered, caked in blood, all leading to Sting readying a Deathlock – working the crowd like it was the last time he’d ever do it – before the fan frenzying tap.

And man this dude could not have come across as more humble in the few minutes he spoke before we left the air.  Worth every cheer.