Three title matches will make up tonight’s live edition of AEW Battle of the Belts IV from Kingston, Rhode Island.
New Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions The Lucha Brothers will defend their titles for the first time as they face TNT Champion Powerhouse Hobbs & QT Marshall. The two won the titles at last Friday’s Supercard of Honor.
Hobbs picked up title defenses over Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix in recent weeks with Marshall assaulting Alex Abrahantes both times.
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will look to continue his successful run of title defenses as he faces Dralistico. If he wins tonight, it will be number 17.
After her face-to-face sit-down with Taya Valkyrie on Rampage, TBS Champion Jade Cargill will defend against Billie Starkz. With a win, Cargill will remain undefeated in her two-year career and enjoy her 21st title defense. Starkz will be looking for her first AEW win (0-6).
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AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defeated Dralistico to retain
Dralistico was joined ringside by his brother, Rush, and others. Cassidy appeared with Best Friends at his side.
It took a few moments, but they broke into fast action until OC took a break to cool off on the floor. Cassidy walked the ropes and did an arm drag with one hand in his pocket.
Everyone who came to the ring with both Dralistico and OC, they all ended up brawling with each other to the back because Jose shoved Cassidy off the top rope at one point. It was down to one on one action between Dralistico and Cassidy. The program cut to a short commercial break from here.
When they were back from break, we saw OC hit Dralistico with cross body press and a Michinoku Driver II for two. The crowd started chanting for Cassidy a bit later. Jose was still at ringside, by the way. Dralistico used a springboard codebreaker on Cassidy for two.
OC reversed a suplex into jawbreaker to tip the match in his favor. The two would start fighting on the top ropes next. Dralistico nailed Cassidy with a big headbutt before taking him down with a wild hurracanrana from one rope to the other, launching Cassidy into the ring. He’d lock OC in La Mistica but couldn’t get Cassidy to tap. The crowd chanted more for Cassidy. Cassidy went for the Beach Break but Dralistico reversed it into a Canadian Destroyer for two.
On the floor, Cassidy did the Orange Punch to take out Jose. He’d do the same to Dralistico in the ring moments later, cracking him with a loud Orange Punch that laid Dralistico out for the win. Cassidy retains.
Malaki Black appeared on screen afterwards. He said he thought Cassidy quite talented, but he could tell that losing to House was eating him alive. He said that was good, because the House of Black wasn’t done with him just yet. Buddy Murphy appeared and said that if they put their titles on the line, why doesn’t Cassidy put his title on the line in a match.
A promo package for Jay White aired next. It covered what happened between him and Ricky Starks on the latest episode of Dynamite.
Mark Briscoe backstage interview
Briscoe was asked about his match last week and he said that he wouldn’t be looking to the past but looking forward from now. Jay Lethal then appeared from off screen. He talked with Briscoe about how long they’ve known each other and how connected they’ve been over the years, so Lethal invited Briscoe to join up with him. It sounded like a good deal to Briscoe, so he shook on it with Lethal.
Then, suddenly, Sonjay Dutt, Jeff Jarret and Singh appeared alongside Lethal. They were happy about Briscoe joining them, but it seemed like Briscoe didn’t realize that was going to happen. Lethal used a bait-and-switch technique: Lethal presented the “team” as just he and Briscoe, not Lethal’s entire enterprise. To be continued.
TBS Champion Jade Cargill defeated Billie Starkz to retain
Starkz is just 18 years old, has been wrestling for four years but is also an honor roll student in high school. She wrestled Yuka Sakazaki last year at Korakuen Hall for Tokyo Joshi Pro.
Cargill did not seem impressed with Starkz and got in her face early on. Starkz wouldn’t back down. Cargill took charge and at one point bent Starkz over her knee and spanked her. The champion worked Starkz over as the show cut to commercials.
When the show came back, the crowd was chanting for Starkz as Cargill held her in a headlock. When Cargill went for Jaded, Starkz got up on her shoulders and turned around to do a frankensteiner. She’d then knock Cargill off the apron with a running boot.
Later, back in the ring, Starkz unloaded more offense on Cargill, including a flatliner for two. She went for a swanton bomb off the top but Cargill put her knees up. There was a bit of miscommunication on one of the final spots, but Cargill would clean it up and put Starkz away with Jaded for the win. Cargill retains.
Taya Valkyrie appeared after the match and went for Road to Valhalla (or Cargill’s Jaded), but Cargill escaped and rolled to the floor. Valkyrie taunted Cargill and co. from the ring as the opposite crew went to the back.
Michael Nakazawa & Brandon Cutler segment
Cutler posed a question: What do you do when the people who stood up for bullies aren’t there to stand up for you anymore? He said they have to stand up and be elite. Michael Nakazawa just said “No more!”
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When the show returned from commercial break, The Lucha Bros. and QT Marshall & Will Hobbes spoke with Mark Henry ahead of the match. Pentagon said the Lucha Bros were the best tag team in the world.
ROH’s Bobby Cruise came out to make formal introductions for this Ring of Honor-sanctioned title match.
ROH Tag Team Champions Lucha Bros. defeated Powerhouse Hobbs & QT Marshall
ROH’s Caprice Coleman joined the AEW commentary team for this match.
Fans chanted for Pentagon before action got underway. Penta did CIERO MIEDO in Marshall’s face a few times. The crowd chanted “Q-T SUCKS!” They sounded like they enjoyed booing him. The two had another wobbly exchange before Marshall tagged out to Hobbes, who quickly ate a foot in the face from Rey Fenix on the opposite side of the ring. When Hobbs went for a lariat, he missed and decked Marshall, knocking him to the floor. Fenix caught him with a suicide somersault senton through the ropes.
The crowd got behind the Lucha Bros. later in this, as Hobbs and Marshall took the upper hand and put the boots to Fenix. More chants of “Q-T SUCKS!” broke out.
Fenix nailed Marshall with a super kick and tagged out. Penta and Hobbs traded chops. Marshall and Hobbs then took Penta out with a double shoulder block before the match went to commercials.
Marshall and Hobbs were in control until the commercial break was over. Penta hit an enzuigiri kick but Marshall got involved and neutralized Penta for a moment. Later, Penta laid Marshall out with a sling blade before putting Hobbs down with a backstabber before finally tagging out to Fenix.
Fenix came in and cleaned house. Huge rolling savate kick in the corner before an assisted springboard hurracanrana. He and Penta worked in some double-team offense to try and put Marshall away. Fenix landed a splash onto Marshall but Hobbs broke up the count.
Marshall did a handspring kick and would later take Penta out with a Diamond Cutter. Fenix reappeared with a Code Red. Everyone was sold like they were KO’d for a few moments.
Penta and Hobbs got into it when the guys were back to their feet. They traded hard shots. The Lucha Bros would gang up on Hobbs and take him down before a super-assisted splash on Hobbs and a Canadian Destroyer on Marshall. Fenix only earned a two-count. Hobbs powered up and took the Lucha Bros out with huge lariats.
Fenix rebounded and caught Marshall with a ricochet kick to take Marshall out. The QTV people started jumping up and down, and took Alex Abrahantes out on the floor. Marshall misted Fenix and pinned him with his foot on the ropes but Fenix counted out again. He’d finally score the win with a hurracanrana on Marshall for the win. The Lucha Bros. retain their titles.
