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The Big News: QT Marshall is no longer winless after teaming with Dustin Rhodes against Shawn Spears & Peter Avalon in this week’s main event. Joey Janela also defeated Kip Sabian in their falls count anywhere match.
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There was a cold open this week as Excalibur and Taz started the show and ran down the matches before we got going.
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Jimmy Havoc defeated Marko Stunt (w/ Luchasaurus and Jungle Boy)
The fans popped for Stunt. Taz said he’ll never make fun of anyone for being small. Stunt hit two suicide dives at the start. Instead of doing a third, he hit a tornado DDT onto the pretty black mats. Havoc caught Stunt on a hurricanrana attempt and hit a buckle bomb to take over. Dr. Luther and Mel came out to the ramp to stare down Havoc.
Havoc slapped on a crossface, but Stunt was able to get a foot on the ropes. Onto the apron, Havoc yanked Stunt by the hair, causing Stunt to smack the back of his head on the ring post.
Stunt fought out of a Rude Awakening and began making a brief comeback. He also ducked an Acid Rainmaker. Stunt hit an enzuigiri and a running knee strike, so Havoc rolled to the outside. Stunt went for a suicide dive, but Havoc stepped out of the way. Back in the ring, Havoc hit an Acid Rainmaker for the win.
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We were magically whisked away to Tony Schiavone and the returning Dasha Gonzalez high above the arena to introduce the rest of the show.
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The Dark Order (Evil Uno & Stu Grayson w/ John Silver and Alex Reynolds) defeated Strong Hearts (CIMA & T-Hawk)
Strong Hearts took part in the tag team battle royal on Dynamite last week and also did battle with The Dark Order on AEW Dark. Not sure how the winless Silver & Reynolds were in a top contender’s match while Evil Uno & Grayson weren’t, but that’s for The Exalted One to figure out.
I’ve complained about this before, but The Dark Order is supposed to be this super serious group and at times they will just randomly do Three Stooges comedy. Evil Uno ordered CIMA to put the brakes on while coming off the ropes, so CIMA chopped him. He went for a chop seconds later, but Uno got an eye poke. All that was missing was for this to be in black and white.
T-Hawk chased Uno around the ring and Grayson cut him off with a uranage. The heat on T-Hawk lasted just long enough for it to mean something when he made the hot tag to CIMA.
CIMA sent his foes packing and he and T-Hawk did stereo suicide dives onto all four Dark Order members. The Dark Order hit a pair of unique moves, including Grayson doing a springboard over the top rope giving CIMA a DDT on the ring apron, which is the hardest part of the ring. Finally, Uno pinned T-Hawk with Fatality.
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Falls count anywhere match: Joey Janela defeated Kip Sabian (w/ Penelope Ford)
Janela ran out and low blowed Sabian on the ramp and probably would have won with the ensuing roll-up, but Ford broke it up. Speaking of Ford, Sabian gave Janela an airplane spin and Janela’s legs hit Ford in the head. Sabian and Janela fought down the ramp and onto the floor in front of the stage, so Ford recovered and gave her ex a crossbody.
The match slowed down as they wrestled into the ringside area. Sabian crawled down the front row, for some reason, and as soon as he crossed the barricade Janela gave him a running strike and put him back into the audience.
Sabian finally stopped Janela by swinging a chair like a baseball bat at him. The advantage didn’t last long and Janela used a fan’s prosthetic leg to kick Sabian in the head. Do I really have nothing better to do on Tuesday nights?
Sabian used a half-and-half suplex on the ring apron and then hit a twisting neckbreaker/suplex off the apron and through a table. Sabian and Ford set up two tables side by side. Janela started making a comeback, so Ford gave him a diving hurricanrana. She went for a flying crossbody, but Janela caught her, threw her into Sabian, and they fell backwards. Sabian somehow bounced off the tables and they had a nasty bump to the floor.
Janela finally pinned Sabian with a kendo stick to the side of the face.
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Backstage, Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall were interviewed about their main event match against Shawn Spears & Peter Avalon. Dustin promised to have a secret weapon.
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Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall (w/ Brandi Rhodes) defeated Shawn Spears & Peter Avalon (w/ Tully Blanchard and Leva Bates)
Literally last week I wrote “Speaking of tag teams, where is Shawn Spears? Has he stopped looking for a partner?” Spears was back this week and maybe he’s found his second half with The Librarian? Brandi Rhodes, of all people, was in the babyface’s corner. Tully Blanchard made a motion to attack Dustin before the bell, but got caught and backed away.
Marshall and Avalon teamed last week and were not terribly successful in any way, so I am sure Marshall felt good when he hit Avalon with an uppercut. Spears did the cartwheel he used to do in WWE and was so tempted to do the 10 hand sign, but had to fight the desire to do it. A few fans started chanting 10, but most didn’t care
They did care when Dustin used the 10 punches of doom. Bates eventually grabbed Marshall’s boot to get his attention, which allowed Avalon to get the advantage.
Spears took a water break just so he could spit it in Marshall’s face. That ended up being a bad idea as Marshall hit an enzuigiri and made the hot tag. A four-way broke out and Spears backdropped Marshall over the top rope, but Dustin gave him a Code Red for a near fall.
Spears hit Dustin with a book and hit a very nice frog splash for a super near fall. Avalon blind tagged himself in, which pissed off Spears. Spears punched Avalon and then walked out. Someone give him a heads up that Brandi speared Bates and Dustin pinned Avalon with a double-team maneuver. It was a combo Dominator/Diamond Cutter.
The streak is over! QT Marshall picked up his first win in AEW!
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That does it for tonight. You might recall that before Full Gear they aired Dark on the Friday before the PPV. So I’ll either be back Friday or next week. Either way, have a great week!
