It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
Tony Schiavone, Chris Jericho, Excalibur and Jim Ross greet the audiences at home as Lance Archer and Ricky Starks brawl backstage. Archer sends Starks’ head repeatedly into a garage, then tosses him into it. He throws him on a stage case, then into a pile of chairs. Starks hits Archer with a garbage can as the two men head into the audience. Starks hits Archer with a steel garbage can, but Archer throws Starks over the barricade and delivers a forearm. The two men climb up the stairs through the crowd. Starks delivers a crossbody to Archer off the stairs, then delivers a right hand. Starks returns the favor, but Archer tackles him and the pair enters the ring.
MATCH #1: Quarter-Final Match in the AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament:
Ricky Starks vs. Lance Archer
The bell rings to officially start the match and Starks delivers a chop in the corner. He delivers a boot to Archer’s face, then clotheslines him out of the ring. Archer chokeslams Starks into the ring apron.
Back from the break, Archer delivers a right hand to Starks in the corner. He looks for Blackout, but Starks fights his way out with right hands. He delivers a diving shoulder tackle, then hits a lariat. Archer returns the favor, but Starks manages to hit a Tornado DDT. He goes for a pin, but Archer kicks out. Starks wraps Archer’s braid around his hand and looks for Roshambo, but Archer escapes. Starks hits a Spear for the win.
Winner: Ricky Starks
After the match: Brian Cage and Prince Nana head to the ring. Cage and Starks stare one another down before Archer clocks Starks from behind and turns the ring steps on its side. He chokeslams Starks on top of them. Starks grips his arm to indicate that it’s injured.
We then head to a video hyping up the match between Jon Moxley and MJF for the AEW World Championship tomorrow night.
BACKSTAGE: Tony Schiavone is with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara and Schiavone asks them about their upcoming Fatal Four-Way Match for the Ring of Honor World Championship at Full Gear. Jericho says that Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson will take one another out sooner or later, and the Championship will stay within the Jericho Appreciation Society and more specifically with him. Guevara says they’ll see about that.
Back at ringside, Lee Moriarty and Stokely Hathaway head down, followed by HOOK.
MATCH #2: FTW Championship Match:
HOOK © vs. Lee Moriarty
The bell rings and the pair lock up. HOOK plants Moriarty on the mat before the two exchange submissions. HOOK delivers a Northern Lights Suplex, then delivers another suplex. Moriarty delivers a big boot, then delivers several stomps and right hands. HOOK delivers a right hand to Moriarty’s midsection.
Back from the break, Moriarty delivers several right hands to HOOK’s head. HOOK fires back with a lariat, then delivers several lefts and rights to Moriarty’s midsection. He delivers a hip toss to Moriarty, followed by a back heel trip and a Fisherman’s Throw. Moriarty delivers a flatliner into the middle turnbuckle, followed by a diving knee off the top. Moriarty locks in the Border City Stretch, but HOOK reverses it into the Redrum for the win.
Winner: HOOK
We then head to a video of highlights from the match between Bandido and Rush.
BACKSTAGE: Tony Schiavone is with John Silver, Preston “10” Vance, Rush and Jose The Assistant. Jose tells Silver everything is funny to him but tells 10 that he’s serious. Silver challenges Rush to a match on 10’s behalf, but 10 says he doesn’t speak for him and walks off. Rush and Silver then stare down one another and Rush says he will beat him one-on-one again.
Back at ringside, Athena heads down, followed by Madison Rayne.
MATCH #3: Women’s One-On-One Match:
Athena vs. Madison Rayne
The bell rings and Athena delivers a drop kick to Rayne’s back as she poses on the middle rope. Rayne fires back with a big boot, then sends her into the middle turnbuckle and delivers an elbow strike. The two women spill to the outside before Athena whips Rayne into the barricade. She tosses Rayne into the ring, then delivers a chop and mocks Rayne. She looks for a delayed vertical suplex, but Rayne counters it into a DDT. Rayne hits a pair of back elbows, followed by an elbow to her face. Athena delivers a Stunner to Rayne, followed by an elbow to her jaw and the Wrath of the Goddess for the win.
Winner: Athena
After the match: Athena continues to beat down Rayne. The referee tries to pull Athena off her, but Athena clocks her and locks in a crossface. Mercedes Martinez’s music hits and she heads to the ring to make her surprise return! Martinez stares down Athena and Athena retreats.
BACKSTAGE: Orange Cassidy, The Best Friends and The Factory. Cassidy says that they want to fight The Factory five on five at Full Gear tomorrow night. Marshall says there’s only three of them and Rocky Romero walks in. Marshall says there’s still only four of them and Trent Beretta throws it over to a video from Danhausen. Marshall accepts their challenge.
We then head to a video hyping up The House of Black.
Back from the break, Jun Akiyama and Konosuke Takeshita head to the ring, followed by Eddie Kingston and Ortiz.
MAIN EVENT: Tag Team Match:
Jun Akiyama and Konosuke Takeshita vs. Eddie Kingston and Ortiz
Takeshita and Kingston begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. They exchange submissions before Kingston delivers a chop and a belly-to-belly suplex. Ortiz tags in and Takeshita delivers a right hand. Akiyama tags in and delivers a chop to Ortiz. He hits a piledriver, then goes for a pin but Ortiz kicks out. Takeshita tags back in and clocks Ortiz with a right hand. Akiyama tags in and Ortiz delivers a chop to him.
Back from the break, Takeshita delivers several rights and lefts to Kingston. Kingston fires back with a DDT, then pulls down his singlet and tells Takeshita to take his shot. Takeshita delivers a chop and Kingston returns the favor. The two go back and forth before Takeshita delivers a clothesline. He tags in Akiyama as Ortiz tags in. Ortiz delivers a pair of right hands, but Akiyama delivers a couple of big boots. Akiyama hits the Jumping Knee, then looks for the Exploder. Kingston gets in the ring and delivers several chops to Akiyama. Ortiz takes advantage and hits a drop kick. Akiyama and Kingston go at it with one another before Kingston delivers an Exploder. Akiyama delivers a knee to Kingston’s face, then delivers a knee to the back of Ortiz’s head followed by an Exploder for the win.
Winners: Jun Akiyama and Konosuke Takeshita
