The Young Bucks are preparing to have the biggest match of their career at AEW Revolution.
At the pay-per-view, The Young Bucks will be on the opposite side of the ring for Sting’s retirement match. Sting & Darby Allin are defending their AEW Tag Team titles against The Bucks in a tornado tag match this Sunday (March 3).
It’s a crazy rollercoaster ride we’ve been on the last 20 years. I remember watching Nitro, seeing Sting come down from the rafters to attack the NWO, and how mad I’d be that he’d always beat up Hogan. So to see him still performing at a high level all these years later is amazing. For Matthew and me to be his last match means a lot. It’s the biggest match of our career, and it’s a moment I didn’t think would happen.
The Young Bucks have only faced Sting once before, teaming with El Phantasmo in a loss to Sting, Allin & Shingo Takagi at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2022.
Matt Jackson added that The Young Bucks have always respected Sting, and it’s up to them to help Sting stick the landing to his legendary career:
Forbidden Door was the very first time we’d ever been in a ring with Sting. You can get caught up in moments like that when you’re standing face to face with an icon. It can mix you up and take you off balance because you almost get caught watching yourself, like you’re in a movie or a dream. You have to stop acting like a fan and remember you’re a participant. I remember more about how I felt in that match, and less about what happened.
This match at Revolution, nobody is more emotional about it than my brother and me. Although we usually rooted against Sting when we were kids, we always respected his game. It’s a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. Sting has had a legendary career, and it’s up to us to stick the landing. But this isn’t going to be Kobe scoring 60 points on his final night. We’re looking for a shutout. And I know Sting wouldn’t want it any other way. He mentioned us being in for the fight of our lives. We live for high pressure, high stakes, big fight feel matches. Nobody performs better in those types of situations than us. Sixty-four years of age, performing in his final match or not, we’re not going to take him lightly.
Also in their interview with Sports Illustrated, Nick Jackson discussed The Young Bucks’ friendship with Cody Rhodes. Nick said that, in a weird way, Cody leaving AEW made them grow as friends:
Cody is the face of the WWE now, and it’s cool to see because we always knew how much of a star he was. The founders of AEW will always have a lifetime bond with each other because we all know what we did for wrestling. We talk every week and in a weird way him leaving made us grow more as friends.
He and Darby Allin will defend the AEW Tag Team titles against The Young Bucks on March 3 at the Greensboro Coliseum in North Carolina. Allin accepted the challenge on behalf of Sting after he made the save for Tony Schiavone on Wednesday’s Dynamite, right as Nicholas and Matthew were about to attack.
Allin told The Young Bucks that their original mission statement when founding AEW was about changing the world, but after they re-signed with AEW, all they talked about was how the money and travel schedule were right. He said The Young Bucks had no idea what they were getting into, as Sting is someone that has nothing to lose.
Last month, The Young Bucks returned after taking a leave of absence and have since emphasized their roles as EVPs of AEW, preferring to go by their full names of Nicholas and Matthew Jackson. On last week’s Dynamite, they brutally attacked Sting and Darby Allin, leaving them a bloody mess. On this week’s show, they continued to wear their blood-soaked suits as they defeated Top Flight.
Here is the updated lineup for Revolution:
Sting’s retirement match: Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Young Bucks
AEW World Championship: Samoa Joe defends against Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland
AEW International Championship: Orange Cassidy defends against Roderick Strong
AEW Women’s Championship: Toni Storm vs. Deonna Purrazzo
AEW Continental Crown Championship: Eddie Kingston defends against Bryan Danielson
After Thursday night, Cody Rhodes is officially back in the WrestleMania main event game, but was he ever really out?
On this week’s Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and I discuss this as well as the excellent confrontation between Rhodes, The Rock, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins at the WrestleMania press conference, the Young Bucks’ attack on new AEW Tag Team champions Sting & Darby Allin, and the firing of Scott D’Amore from TNA.
In the new edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer explained how The Young Bucks were chosen for Sting’s final match.
This week’s episode of Dynamite ended with it being revealed that The Young Bucks will be part of Sting’s retirement match. It was set up that Sting & Darby Allin will be facing Matt & Nick Jackson at AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view this March.
The Young Bucks made their return to AEW television for Wednesday’s angle. Meltzer notes that The Young Bucks were originally supposed to have more time off, but Sting asked them to be his retirement match opponents. Part of the reason for that choice is because Sting loved working with The Young Bucks in the trios match they had at Forbidden Door 2022.
Tony Khan was going to give Sting the option to pick whoever he wanted to face, and that would include pretty much anyone on the AEW roster or most other rosters besides WWE since Khan would have given him any match he wanted that involved talent he could have access to. When he was asked who he wanted to face, they were his choice, as he loved doing the Forbidden Door 2022 match in Chicago (Sting & Allin & Shingo Takagi vs. Bucks & El Phantasmo).
The Young Bucks were originally going to take more time off before returning but Sting asked them and they weren’t about to turn that down.
The Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina is hosting Revolution on Sunday, March 3. Sting’s retirement match is the main focus of the PPV.
The Young Bucks are back, and have already aimed their sights on a team.
At the end of AEW Dynamite, Tony Schaivone asked Sting who he would like to face in his retirement match, which will take place at AEW Revolution on March 3. Before Sting could answer, The Young Bucks’ music hit as they came out, sporting new mustaches. The two stared down both Sting and Allin in the ring as the show went off the air.
Are the Young Bucks calling their shot against Sting and Darby Allin?
The Bucks were last seen in November, when they lost the AEW Tag Team title match opportunity they won at WrestleDream to Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega. After the match, both threw tantrums inside and outside of the ring, which they had also done in the weeks leading to the match.
After Full Gear, it was announced by Brandon Cutler that the long-running Being the Elite show on YouTube had ended. It was reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the team were looking to start a new group with Cutler. Colt Cabana’s name was also discussed for the group.
Our own Dave Meltzer wrote in today’s Daily Update that there are no plans to bring back the popular YouTube series.
“We’ll write more about it this coming week, but BTE is not on hiatus, it’s actually done. As of this point in time, there are no plans to bring it back,” Meltzer wrote.
While videos of Brandon Cutler and Colt Cabana have been uploaded to the BTE YouTube channel in recent weeks, episodes featuring The Young Bucks, Adam Page, or Kenny Omega have not been posted in a month.
Cutler recently posted to social media, “Sources close to Matt and Nick are telling me that they have officially finished up with Being The Elite.”
Sources close to Matt and Nick are telling me that they have officially finished up with Being The Elite. pic.twitter.com/4o7HWV0fKw
Details regarding the future creative direction for The Young Bucks was addressed in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Meltzer noted that the plan is for them to return after some time off as heels and possibly as part of a heel stable with Cutler.
The first episode of BTE was posted in May 2016. The show would play an important part in the pre-AEW popularity of The Elite and helped build storylines taking place in ROH or NJPW at the time. The first official announcement regarding AEW was made on the January 1, 2019, episode of the show.
The Young Bucks’ sabbatical from AEW will likely result in them returning as heels and possibly as part of a heel stable.
Following the Bucks’ loss to Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho at Full Gear, Brandon Cutler announced on social media that the brothers “will be taking some time away from wrestling.” They have not been featured on their own YouTube show in several weeks either. Cutler would later state that the Bucks had “officially finished up with Being The Elite” as well.
“They look to be doing a heel group with Brandon Cutler,” Meltzer wrote. He also noted that Colt Cabana has been talked about for the group but his involvement is not certain.
“The idea is for them to take some time off and come back as heels with major impact,” Meltzer continued. “It’s in the beginning stages and there’s no known time frame on when they will pull the trigger on it and they will return.”
The Bucks recently filed to trademark the terms KTB Wrestling (Killing the Business Wrestling) and Superdick Party, although Meltzer writes that “KTB is not part of the AEW stable idea and right now is for outside AEW projects.”
Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega have earned a future AEW Tag Team title match.
At Saturday’s Full Gear, The Golden Jets (Jericho and Omega) defeated The Young Bucks after Omega hit the One Winged Angel on Matt Jackson. As a result, Jericho and Omega won a future AEW Tag Team title match at any time they want, something that The Young Bucks had earned at WrestleDream last month.
After the match, Nick Jackson threw a tantrum at ringside, clearly unhappy about the loss. After Matt recovered, he too began throwing a tantrum.
The Young Bucks won a four-way match at WrestleDream, defeating The Gunns, The Lucha Bros., and Orange Cassidy & Hook. In the weeks following their win, they have grown hostile towards Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho’s new association, accusing Omega of focusing on his relationship with Jericho rather than with The Elite.
The AEW Tag Team titles are currently held by Ricky Starks and Big Bill. They successfully retained the titles at Full Gear in a four-way ladder match that involved FTR, Rush & Dralistico of LFI, and Brody King & Malakai Black of The House of Black.
Tony Khan announced that the Young Bucks will face Penta El 0 M and Komander. He noted that Petna’s usual tag team partner, Rey Fenix, was unable to be cleared by the doctors for the bout.
“As AEW doctors cannot clear @ReyFenixMx for a rematch vs his rivals, Penta + @ontheairalex will bring Komander as Penta’s partner vs Young Bucks TOMORROW!” he wrote on Tuesday.
On last week’s Dynamite, The Young Bucks challenged Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho to a tag team match at Full Gear. Both appeared resentful of Omega focusing more on teaming with Jericho than spending time with The Elite.
Also added to Wednesday’s show is a match between Red Velvet and Skye Blue. The winner will face Kris Statlander and Julia Hart in a three-way match for the TBS title at Full Gear this coming Saturday.
Here is the lineup for Wednesday’s Dynamite:
Like a Dragon street fight: Kenny Omega, Chris Jericho, Kota Ibushi, and Paul Wight vs. Brian Cage, Powerhouse Hobbs, Kyle Fletcher, and Konosuke Takeshita
The Young Bucks vs. Penta El 0 M and Komander
TBS title eliminator match: Red Velvet vs. Skye Blue
Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta vs. Orange Cassidy and Hook
MJF had a special message for Kenny Omega in the opening moments of Being the Elite this week.
The AEW World Champion visited Omega and The Young Bucks backstage and appeared to be very complimentary to everyone. However, MJF also leaned in and whispered in Omega’s ear, “26 days you f—ing b**ch.”
The 26 days comment could be a reference to how much longer MJF needs to be champion for to pass Omega’s 346-day reign with the AEW World Championship. At the time the scene was recorded on Wednesday, MJF was 26 days away from breaking Omega’s record. As of this writing, he’s been champion for 324 days.
Jon Moxley has held the AEW World Championship for more combined days than anyone else. He’s spent 347 days with the belt across three reigns.
Footage of the Bucks taking a private jet to Dynamite this week was shown. Brandon Cutler, Colt Cabana, and Matt Sydal teamed up for this week’s BTE dark match as well. They were defeated by The Dark Order.
Former UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson was also shown this week. He was involved in a trash talking segment, of sorts, with Omega.
Cutler cam footage of Nick Jackson vs. Fenix from Dynamite aired.
Cabana also debuted a new “Colt on the Street” segment and Matt Jackson posed for Tumblr again.
The Young Bucks are the new number one contenders to the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
The Bucks defeated The Lucha Bros, The Gunns, plus the duo of Orange Cassidy & Hook at Sunday’s WrestleDream pay-per-view in Seattle to earn a future Tag Team title shot. As stated in the promotion of the match, The Young Bucks can now challenge for the titles “at any time.”
The Bucks are now next in line to challenge the winners of Sunday’s AEW Tag Team Championship match between title holders FTR and their challengers Aussie Open.
Aside from the Young Bucks victory, the biggest news coming out of the four-way was an injury angle involving Rey Fenix.
Fenix was removed from the match shortly after it began. Our Bryan Alvarez reports that the decision was made to take Fenix out of the match early to protect him for his International Championship defense against Nick Jackson set for this Wednesday’s Dynamite Anniversary episode.
Alvarez noted that Fenix is “banged up.”
AEW’s Tony Khan posted on social media last week that Fenix was injured in his International title match at Dynamite Grand Slam against Jon Moxley in a match where Moxley was also injured. Fenix was cleared to return to action on last week’s Dynamite, while Moxley has yet to return to the ring.
Moxley did make multiple appearances at the commentary desk on Sunday’s WrestleDream show.
A frequent criticism about AEW is that they have too much talent with too few ideas on how to use them. What is depth to one person is bloat and excess to another.
It’s shows like Sunday’s AEW WrestleDream (8 PM EST from Seattle, Washington’s Climate Pledge Arena on PPV) that show the incredible fountain of talent at Tony Khan’s disposal and remind us that yes, depth is important.
Sunday is a card, much like September’s All Out, that has neither of the biggest championships defended. It’s a card with no clear, definitive main event, but that still offers a compelling product. There are no duds (unless you count The Righteous) and all the matches either offer intrigue or the promise of an incredible in-ring product. It might not have your favorite flavor of ice cream, but the thing about ice cream is that regardless of the flavor, it’s always good.
The biggest attraction Sunday, and for however long he chooses to keep wrestling, is Bryan Danielson: a man responsible for so many modern wrestling fans falling in love with, or rekindling a lost love of, pro wrestling. There’s a much longer piece about his tremendous impact on wrestling and his historical greatness, but that is for another day.
Whenever he decides to hang up his boots to happily live off the grid and be the best weird dad he can be, his absence will be glaring. A man who influenced an entire generation cannot be replaced, nor should anyone try. He is a one-of-one talent, and has my vote as the greatest wrestler of all time.
So join me, friends, as we venture to the idyllic Pacific Northwest, resplendent as it is, and preview the inaugural WrestleDream. This is everything announced as of Saturday morning prior to Collision.
Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
There are moments of magic in the world and we don’t have to look that hard to find them. Picture sitting outside at a restaurant on a late May evening. You sit close enough to the street to hear car engines idling at stop lights, but not close enough to smell the gasoline. A graveyard of nearly empty glasses flecked with condensation lines amidst the small, slatted table with uncomfortable chairs. Your partner’s cheeks are flushed and so are yours. You lean over to kiss them. Their lips are soft and warm. You can feel them smile as you do it. The world gets quiet and starts to move at half-speed. You part your lips and see their eyes open a moment before yours. You can’t imagine anything ever feeling this good.
That is all to say that this match is a reminder that true beauty does exist.
These are two perfect pro wrestlers, drawn to each other by a shared love of stretching limbs and crushing joints. These are two delightful weirdos with their own idiosyncrasies: ZSJ’s meandering promos and nicknames and Bryan Danielson’s, well, everything. This is a match years in the making and one sure to be a feast for our eyes. If this really is the beginning of the last act of the American Dragon, there are a few better ways to kick it off than having a dream match in front of his home crowd. A genius-level artist of the purest and silliest form, each moment with Danielson should be treasured. There is only so much time left.
Prediction: Danielson
Ricky Starks vs. Wheeler Yuta
Back-to-back PPVs with Big Rick Starks on them? We are blessed and I will not let the opportunity to sing his praises slip by. Starks emits a smoldering, stylish ember in a sea of normalcy, a beacon of charisma that lights up a room, a crowd, and televisions like the first rays of spring sunshine after a long winter. His excess charisma could light even the furthest reaches of our universe. Starks’ ascension up the card cannot, and should not, be stopped. What’s working for him is what has always worked: everything. His current feud with Danielson should forever establish him as not just someone with potential, but as someone who has realized it. He should be closing shows. Whether it’s promos or matches, he is in the position to be the person who sends the crowd home happy for years to come. He is now and forever, absolute.
Yuta is great in his role as the whipping boy of the Blackpool Combat Club, but he is punching out of his depth here. Starks is leagues beyond him as a performer and he’s going to show that on Sunday.
Prediction: Starks
ROH Tag Team Champion MJF defends against The Righteous (Vincent & Dutch) in a handicap match
I was told to expect less Ring of Honor on AEW TV moving forward. I was promised, in fact. Is this really all AEW had for Adam Cole and MJF? The Righteous? In this economy?! But Mike, you’ll say, it’s all in service of something bigger!
To you, dear reader, I’ll politely respond that I understand. I’ll remind you that I deeply love you and always will, but this is still unfortunate. The number of good, available tag teams stretches longer than the highway to eternity. There is no end to worthy contenders for these titles — both on the roster and otherwise. Contenders that would actually provide intrigue and could provide, at least, a great in-ring product. Alas, this is all we have. On Dynamite this week, Excalibur said, “The Righteous have exploded onto the tag team scene in AEW” and that certainly is a statement to make on live television.
Adam Cole could wrestle this match with his leg in a boot and win this match. MJF on two legs is more than enough to get it done against two men.
Prediction: MJF retains for Better Than You Babay
The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson) vs. The Gunns (Austin & Colten) vs. Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero Miedo) vs. Orange Cassidy & Hook for a future AEW Tag Team title shot
Cassidy went from main eventing All Out with Jon Moxley to this. There are two reasonable explanations for this and neither of them good. Either this is keeping him on TV but giving his body a much-needed break, or, more likely, AEW had no real plan post-title reign. One or both can be true, but neither are acceptable.
I assure you, and am imploring Tony Khan to understand that it is possible to have plans for wrestlers after they drop a title. Darby Allin almost always has something to do and MJF always had a major program even before he won the big belt. OC was, and hopefully still is, one of the more popular acts in the company. He should always have something of substance to do.
This looks like the multi-team PWG tribute match that seems to find its way onto most AEW shows: a crazy sprint filled with high spots, gif-able moments, all done in service of heating up the crowd. Sounds like the perfect opener to me. It’s going to be a whole bunch of fun and can go a number of ways. The only outcome that doesn’t make sense would be the Bucks winning. It seems like the Bucks/FTR book is closed, at least for now. The Lucha Brothers are the freshest matchup for FTR and they’ll take this one.
Prediction: Lucha Brothers
TNT Champion Christian Cage defends against Darby Allin in a two-out-of-three falls match
The king, Josh Nason, had me on his podcast in the week leading up to All In where we talked (bemoaned, really) about the state of the TNT Championship and what it currently means. Calling it a secondary title does a great disservice to the International title – the actual secondary title. It’s become tertiary, at best. But Christian is doing his best to change that. The belt sitting on his shoulder gives it more meaning than it’s had in years. A polished champion doing must-see TV every week has elevated the belt to heights not seen since the pandemic era of AEW.
I know this is kind of “Darby’s title” and the show is in his hometown, but taking it from Christian would be a massive mistake. Christian is in a position to continue elevating the belt and can use it to help make a new star. What does winning the TNT title for a third time really do for Darby? He’s already the guy who hangs out with Sting; how much more of a rub can he possibly need? Against all odds, Christian has made us care about a title that was floundering. He deserves the chance to keep doing it.
Prediction: Cage retains
Ring of Honor World Champion & New Japan Strong Champion Eddie Kingston defends against Katsuyori Shibata
When the referee’s hand slapped the mat for the third time declaring Kingston the new ROH World Champion, Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted. It was the sound of dreams realized, the audible embodiment of years spent grinding in the shadows. A story that almost quietly ended many times had its fitting conclusion. Kingston, once the perennial underdog, finally reached the summit. It was a victory not just for Kingston, but for every heart that beats to the rhythm of perseverance, resilience, and an unconquerable spirit.
His counterpart in determination and spirit is his opponent on Sunday. Shibata’s return to a somewhat regular wrestling schedule is a miracle. From nearly dying in a ring to being the Ring of Honor Pure Champion is a story befitting the wrestling industry. An industry where people have survived plane crashes, lightning strikes, and multiple broken necks gets another reminder of the power of the resolute mind. Shibata’s comeback stands as a reminder that the fighting spirit knows no bounds and that sometimes, miracles can happen.
This is the match I’m looking forward to most. Two men with tremendous respect for wrestling and each other. I can’t wait.
Prediction: Kingston retains
AEW Tag Team Champions FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) defend against Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis)
A very good tag team match with two very good tag teams will happen on Sunday. FTR will continue their year-long run of having sensational matches with everyone but, somehow, the Young Bucks. They have incredible chemistry with any team and any style. The living legend moniker is fitting; equally well-earned and deserved. They are historically great and will continue to be until they decide to go do something else. I hope they never do.
These two teams have done it before – exactly a year ago at New Japan’s Royal Quest II. It was a match that received near universal praise and certainly played a part in Aussie Open getting signed with AEW. The bar is awfully high and we know FTR is up to the challenge. But are the Aussies? This is their biggest match on the biggest stage with the wide eyes of the wrestling world on them. The stage might not be too much, but their opponents happen to be just that.
Prediction: FTR retains
Chris Jericho & The Golden Lovers (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) vs. The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara and Will Ospreay) (w/ Don Callis)
Leading into All In, I was sitting on my sad Ibushi take. Just wait, I said to my empty office. Wait until after All In before reacting. See how our beautiful son performs. All In has long since passed my thought remains the same. The Kota Ibushi we all fell in love with, the craziest diamond that ever did shine, is probably gone forever. He’s just not the same. The brightest light in the sky has begun to dim. Years of an impossibly physical style combined with such an extended absence have taken their toll on a man who is one of the most gifted wrestlers of the 21st century.
Ibushi in his prime was a force of nature — an athletic marvel that seemed to be unbound by the traditional laws of human biology. Hands, feet, and knees made of cinderblocks, but a neck somehow made of either rubber or adamantium. But physics and Father Time remain irritatingly undefeated. Plenty of wrestlers have reinvented themselves after their bodies began to fail them. I hope Ibushi can do the same. A wrestling world without him just won’t be as bright. Given the chance to write about Ibushi, I will take every opportunity.
Getting to do that instead of having to write some combination of ‘Jericho and Guevara’ over and over again is a welcome privilege. There is simply no reason for this to still be happening. The audience has made their feelings on Guevara very clear. He’s a mid-card heel who can get heat and make a babyface look great. You know what’s wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. That is the type of performer that has belonged on a televised wrestling program since the advent of wrestling and television. And that’s where he should stay. How many opportunities to be more is he going to get?
In the past month, Takeshita has pinned Omega twice. Since June, Ospreay has beat Jericho and Omega clean as a sheet. There is no way they lose on Sunday.
Prediction: The Don Callis Family
TBS Champion Kris Statlander defends against Julia Hart (w/ Brody King)
Hart is a rising star. She has become fully comfortable with her character and it has allowed her natural charisma to shine through. Anyone can put on black, wear a cool hat, and look spooky. It’s one thing to have a gimmick, but it’s another to have presence — something she has in spades. Yes, the mist helps (because who doesn’t love the mist?), but this is a performer who is coming into their own at a frighteningly young age. Having this much comfort as a performer at 21 is staggering. At 21, I thought a wispy goatee was the pinnacle of facial hair and could barely exist on my own. Hart has the owner of the company openly singing her praises. Big, big things are ahead.
As bright as Hart’s star is, she is not quite ready for the former (?) alien in Statlander. Statlander dethroned the dearly departed Jade Cargill and beat her again in a hell of a rematch. The time for a change is not now. The only argument for her losing is if there are imminent big plans for her like World title plans. Either way, she, like the two men I’ll talk about next, is a performer they should be building around, and getting her ready for a run at the top of the women’s division.
Prediction: Statlander retains
Swerve Strickland vs. Hangman Adam Page
Along with the aforementioned Ricky Starks and Kris Statlander, these are two performers AEW should be building around. Swerve, 33, and Page, 32, check every box anyone could ever want in a performer. Wrestling ability, microphone skills, presence, easy and natural charisma: both have it all and both have been desperate for something meaningful to sink their teeth into.
Page has been seemingly adrift since he lost the World title last summer and I’m sorry, but winning the ROH Six-Man titles does not count as meaningful. Strickland has overcome the AEW trademarked momentum stops and starts since he joined the company, all while being saddled with two of the more worthless stables in the company. He is a singular star that can stand on his own. Pairing him with other talents that can’t come close to matching his ability only drags him down. Prince Nana forever, though.
The promos leading up to this have been some of the better non-Eddie Kingston promos in recent AEW. It speaks to the talents of both Page and Strickland that they had almost no interaction leading up to this program and so quickly made it mean something. More of Page stabbing people with writing utensils, and less of meandering Chris Jericho vanity projects. Give guys (and girls) with main event ceilings the space to reach them. That’s how you wind up with a galaxy of stars.
This week’s episode of Being the Elite featured The Young Bucks, Hangman Page, Brandon Cutler, Matt Hardy, and more backstage at AEW Grand Slam.
Matt Jackson, Hardy, and Christopher Daniels were talking about how they used to be the young guys in the business but are now veterans. Hardy and Daniels spoke about how they’ve both been wrestling for over 30 years and have only wrestled each other twice.
Mark Sterling aired a commercial on BTE this week. He announced that he doesn’t just represent wrestlers but also former MTV celebrities. Mark Long, of MTV’s Road Rules, gave a testimonial of Sterling’s services.
Backstage after winning the ROH Six Man Tag Team Championships, the Elite are all celebrating when Matt notices the members of The Dark Order peering into their room. John Silver then texts Matt and tells him that the Dark Order has now purchased Arthur Ashe Stadium with the money they’ve made off owning the Hung Bucks IP. Silver told Matt they had to “Get the duck out” of their building but then texted back to say he didn’t mean to type “duck.”
Matt convinces Hangman and his brother to leave Arthur Ashe by promising Hangman he “would do alcohol” with him at the hotel.
For the first time since 2018, The Young Bucks & Hangman Page can call themselves Ring of Honor Six-Man Tag Team Champions.
The trio won the titles in the main event of Friday’s AEW Rampage Grand Slam by defeating The Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun). The end came when Page countered a Cage Drillclaw attempt with a roll-through for the pin and win, staring down AEW WrestleDream opponent Swerve Strickland on the apron afterward.
It’s the second reign for the combo of Matt & Nick Jackson and Page who held the titles for over 200 days in 2017-18. The Jacksons & Cody Rhodes held the titles for 100 days in 2018.
The loss ends the 284-day run for Cage, Liona & Kaun that started at last December’s ROH Final Battle with their win over Dalton Castle & The Boys. They had nine title defenses, all of which took place on either ROH TV or an ROH pay-per-view.
The Young Bucks and company were in Cincinnati for this week’s episode.
Last week, Matt Jackson’s own thoughts were angry with him for having messed up the Hung Bucks IP rights deal, which he sold to The Dark Order for an amount of money far lower than he thought. This week, Matt was obsessed with finding out what other members of The Elite are thinking. However, it turns none of them was thinking about anything important at all. Nick Jackson was really enthusiastically daydreaming about eating a steak and Hangman Page wondered if he could still do a cartwheel.
Footage from Brandon Cutler & Colt Cabana vs. Johnny TV & Aaron Solo was also featured on the show.
Will Washington was back on the episode this week too. Kip Sabian had no idea who he was.
The Dark Order approached Matt in the locker room and thanked him for making them rich. They bragged about all the money they’ve been spending from a sponsorship deal they signed with both Chili’s and Wendy’s. They also mentioned they bought Starbucks and renamed it to Hung Bucks Coffee. They gave Matt a sample of their new coffee but the scene ended abruptly when Silver revealed a special ingredient he put in the beverage.
