AEW’s Fight for the Fallen aired live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida on July 13th.
Pre-Show Results:
- Sonny Kiss def. Peter Avalon
- Shoko Nakajima & Bea Priestley def. Britt Baker & Riho
Here are 8 takeaways from the show:
Shawn Spears, MJF & Sammy Guevara Picked Up The Win
MJF, Shawn Spears, and Sammy Guevara battled Darby Allin, Jimmy Havok, and Joey Janela in a 6-man tag team match. Janela started things off with a Hip Toss and a Dropkick to MJF. Shawn Spears mockingly clapped in MJF’s face as Jimmy Havok tagged in.
Havok bit MJF’s finger and then stomped on it. The crowd chanted “f*ck him up Jimmy!” as Havok bent MJF’s finger back. Havok gave MJF the middle finger and rolled him up for a two count. Guevara and Janela tagged in and Sammy connected with an Enziguri.
Guevara went for a Crossbody but Janela got out of the way and planted Sammy with a German Suplex into the bottom turnbuckle. Havok tagged in and Sammy hit him with a knee to the face. Havok hit Spears in the face and turned around into another knee to the face from Guevara.
Shawn Spears tagged in to a chorus of boos and Darby Allin pleaded from a tag. Darby got a tremendous reaction from the crowd as he got into the ring. Spears looked at Allin for a moment but decided to tag Guevara back in and rolled out of the ring.
Darby hit Sammy with an Arm Drag and sent him to the corner. Janela tagged in and bounced Guevara’s face off the turnbuckle. Janela went for a Splash and slammed into the turnbuckle. Janela battled back with a Hurricanrana but Guevara shrugged it off and hit a Dropkick.
MJF tagged back in and was greeted with boos from the crowd. MJF leveled Janela with a forearm that sent Joey tumbling to the floor outside the ring. Spears tagged himself in and stomped the hell out of Janela in the corner. Spears hit a Back Body Drop and tagged Sammy back in.
MJF tagged himself in and argued with Shawn Spears before getting into the ring. MJF mocked Spears’ perfect ten taunt and gave him the finger. Janela capitalized with an elbow to MJF’s face and tagged Havok in. Jimmy Havok sent Guevara into the turnbuckle and then slammed Spears on top of MJF.
Havok sent MJF into Spears in the corner and delivered a Superplex off of MJF’s back that sent Guevara to the canvas. Darby tagged in as MJF sent Janela into the turnbuckle. Havok leveled MJF with the Acid Rainmaker but turned around into a Backstabber from Guevara.
Guevara hit Janela with a Superkick and followed it up with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Sammy planted Allin with a Standing Spanish Fly for a two count as the crowd broke out in an “AEW!” chant. Sammy made his way to the top rope but Janela caught him and slammed him onto the apron. Shawn Spears tagged in and planted Allin with a Backbreaker and followed it up with the Death Valley Driver for the pinfall victory.
Fight for the Fallen started off with a solid 6-man tag match. There were some sloppy moments but the wrestlers overcame it and won the crowd over by the end of it. Shawn Spears looked great again and I’m looking forward to an eventual feud with MJF down the line. Thankfully, AEW also fixed their entrance music issue and it didn’t sound muffled as it did at Fyter Fest and Double or Nothing.
Awesome Kong Helped Brandi Rhodes
Brandi Rhodes faced Allie tonight at Fight for the Fallen. Awesome Kong came down to the ringside area before the match started and Rhodes tried to capitalize with an attack from behind. Allie battled back and connected with a Russian Leg Sweep for a near fall to start off the match.
Allie rolled out of the ring and got in Awesome Kong’s face. Rhodes capitalized with a Dropkick through the ropes and then laughed on the ring apron. Rhodes poured a bottle of water on Allie and bounced her face off the ring apron several times as Awesome Kong laughed ringside.
Rhodes booted Allie in the face and went for the cover but Allie kicked out at one. Brandi connected with a terrible looking kick for a two count and followed it up with a few punches to Allie’s face.
Allie connected with a Neckbreaker and both wrestlers crashed to the canvas. Allie sent Rhodes to the corner and hit a sliding forearm for a near fall. Allie connected with a Bulldog and went for the cover but Brandi kicked out at two. Rhodes hit a Suplex and went for the cover but this time Allie was able to kick out at the last moment.
Brandi charged at Allie but caught a Superkick to the face. Allie followed that up with a Death Valley Driver and went for the cover but Awesome Kong dragged Brandi to the apron. Rhodes tried to capitalize with a roll-up but Allie kicked out. Allie locked in a Dragon Sleeper and Rhodes tapped out but the referee was distracted by Awesome Kong. Rhodes then hit the Bionic Spear for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Rhodes attacked Allie and Awesome Kong joined in. Aja Kong came down to the ring and had a staredown with Awesome Kong as AEW officials rushed the ring.
This match was absolutely atrocious and the ending of this match highlighted that. Rhodes had to stop mid-sprint because Allie wasn’t in position to take the Spear. Brandi then ran to the ropes again and hit the Bionic Spear but it looked terrible. Aja Kong versus Awesome Kong has the potential to be great, but the staredown doesn’t make up for how bad this match was.
The Dark Order Advanced To All Out
Jack Evans and Angelico faced Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus and The Dark Order in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match. The winning team will advance to AEW All Out for an opportunity at a first-round bye in the tag team tournament starting when AEW arrives on TNT in October.
Grayson and Jack Evans started the action off. Grayson dominated and Angelico tagged in. Uno and Jungle Boy then tagged in and Jungle Boy connected with a Hurricanrana. Uno planted Jungle Boy with a Neckbreaker and Luchasaurus tagged in as the crowd chanted his name.
Uno retreated and tagged Jack Evans back into the match. Evans went for a chop but Luchasaurus blocked it and launched Jack across the ring. Jungle Boy tagged in as Luchasaurus hit a German Suplex. Grayson tagged in and Jungle Boy lit him up with a couple of chops.
Grayson shoved Jungle Boy to the outside and Uno slammed him on the apron. Uno went for the cover but Jungle Boy kicked out at one. Uno climbed to the top rope and connected with a Cannonball for a near fall. Luchasaurus and Stu Grayson tagged in and Luchasaurus booted him to the canvas. Luchasaurus hit Jack Evans with a Moonsault and the crowd erupted.
Luchasaurus grabbed Evans by the throat and Chokeslammed him onto Angelico outside the ring. Jungle Boy hit Best Friends with a Shooting Star Press as Luchasaurus and Uno battled in the ring. Evans hit Jungle Boy with a 450 Splash for a near fall.
Marko Stunt hit Jack Evans with a Hurricanrana and the referee kicked him out. Luchasaurus launched Marko onto Angelico outside the ring. Luchasaurus launched Evans in the air and Jungle Boy planted him with a Powerbomb but Uno broke up the pinfall. The Dark Order isolated Jungle Boy in the ring and Uno lifted him onto his shoulders. Grayson leaped off the top rope and hit a Neckbreaker on Jungle Boy for the pinfall victory.
I thought this match was very entertaining. I can’t wait for AEW to arrive on television every week so we can learn more about these teams during the tournament to crown the first AEW Tag Team Champions.
Chris Jericho Attacked Hangman Page
Hangman Adam Page faced Kip Sabian tonight at Fight for the Fallen. Sabian and Page traded punches to start things off. Page got the better of the exchange and Clotheslined Kip to the outside.
Back in the ring, Hangman Page connected with a Fallaway Slam for a two count. Sabian knocked Page to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Sabian smooched a fan that was taunting him and connected with a Dropkick off the top rope for a near fall.
Sabian connected with a Double Stomp off the top rope and went for the cover but Hangman was able to kick out. Hangman battled back with a Belly to Belly Suplex that sent Kip flying into the turnbuckle. Hangman connected with a Standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall.
Kip planted Page with a Tornado DDT for another two count. Hangman leveled Sabian with a Lariat and Kip rolled to the ring apron. Page followed him there and planted him with a Backbreaker on the apron. Hangman climbed to the top rope and hit Sabian with a Moonsault.
Page grabbed his knee in pain as it was announced that there were five minutes left in the match. Hangman Page launched Sabian onto the entrance ramp with a Powerbomb as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t”. Hangman brought Sabian to the top rope and delivered a Neckbreaker for a two count.
Sabian battled with a Dragon Screw and both men fell to the canvas. Sabian connected with a Hurricanrana but Page battled back with the Dead Eye for the pinfall victory with less than 60 seconds remaining in the match.
After the match, Chris Jericho attacked Hangman Page and hit him with a Codebreaker. Jericho followed it up with the Judas Effect that busted Hangman open. Jericho will battle Hangman Adam Page at AEW All Out to crowd the first AEW Champion.
Lucha Brothers Challenged The Young Bucks To A Ladder Match At All Out
SCU faced the Lucha Brothers at AEW Fight for the Fallen. Christopher Daniels was ringside from the match. Both teams killed the first few minutes of the match by trading taunts.
Pentagon and Fenix isolated Kazarian in the ring and hit him with double Superkicks. Lucha Brothers hit Daniels with Superkicks as well and then hit him with a chop that echoed throughout the arena. Daniels hit Lucha Brothers with a Moonsault and then rolled Fenix back into the ring.
Christopher Daniels hopped on the apron and referee Aubrey Edwards ejected him. Kazarian charged at Fenix but ran into a Superkick. Pentagon tagged in and planted Frankie with a Slingblade. Lucha Brothers took out Scorpio with a couple of kicks and tied him up in the Tree of Woe.
Pentagon hit him with a Senton and followed it up with a Double Stomp off the top rope for a two count. Kazarian hit Fenix with a German Suplex and then hit Pentagon with a Backstabber. Frankie perched Pentagon on the top turnbuckle and planted him with a DDT for a two count. Pentagon hit Scorpio Sky with the Canadian Destroyer for a two count. Lucha Brothers followed it up with a Piledriver/ Double Stomp for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Lucha Brothers brought a ladder into the ring and bashed Daniels and Kazarian in the face. Pentagon asked for a microphone as Fenix climbed the ladder. Pentagon joined him on the ladder and challenged The Young Bucks to a Ladder Match at AEW All Out.
While I enjoyed this match, there were a couple of head-scratching moments. Christopher Daniels wasn’t involved in the match, but interfered right in front of the referee and SCU wasn’t disqualified. Fenix either had a brain fart in the middle of this match or the timing was off with Kazarian.
Fenix bounced off the ropes and completely stopped in the middle of the ring. He then did that again, shook his head in disgust, before finally flipping onto Kazarian on the outside. Botches happen in wrestling all the time, but it had to be pointed out because it completely took me out of the match for a bit. Having said that, this was still a fine match and the Ladder Match at All Out will likely be special. AEW’s tag team division is already miles ahead of WWE.
Kenny Omega And Cima Stole The Show
Kenny Omega battled Cima at Fight for the Fallen. Cima controlled the match early and hit a couple of Arm Drags before a Double Stomp. Omega battled back with a Belly to Back Suplex and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring.
Cima battled to his feet and hit Omega with a chop that echoed throughout the arena. Omega hit a Hurricanrana that sent Cima to the outside. Cima got back inside and Omega planted him with a DDT for a two count.
Cima got back up and hit Omega with a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Omega connected with an Enziguri to the back of Cima’s head and followed it up with a knee strike in the corner of the ring.
Omega perched Cima up on the top turnbuckle and lifted him up in the Electric Chair. Cima countered into a Powerbomb and went for a Meteora but Omega got out of the way. Omega stomped on Cima’s knee and went for a Moonsault off the second rope but Cima got his knees up.
Kenny hit Cima with a Snap Dragon Suplex and lifted him up in the Electric Chair again. Cima escaped and delivered a Backstabber to Omega. Cima then Dropkicked Omega to the outside and went after him. Omega slammed Cima’s knee into the ring apron and grabbed the timekeeper’s table.
Omega tried to slam Cima’s knee onto it but Cima escaped hit a Suplex. Cima climbed up onto the stage and hit Omega with the Meteora on top of the table. Back in the ring, Cima hit Omega two more Meteoras and went for the cover but Omega kicked out at the last moment.
Cima went for another Meteora but Omega caught him and hit a Dragon Suplex. Kenny followed it up with the V-Trigger for a two count. Kenny hit a Neckbreaker across his knee and then another V-Trigger. Omega went for the One-Winged Angel but Cima escaped.
Cima planted Omega with a DDT and both men fell to the mat. Omega and Cima traded shots in the middle of the ring. Cima got the upper-hand and hit another Meteora. Cima then brutally slammed Omega onto the ring apron and climbed to the top rope as the crowd chanted “you killed Kenny!”. Cima hit another Meteora and went for the cover but Omega got his foot on the bottom rope.
Justin Roberts announced that there was 10-minutes remaining in the match as Cima smacked Omega in the face. Omega and Cima traded shots once again in the middle of the ring. Kenny connected with the Tiger Driver and went for the cover but Cima kicked out. Omega hit Cima with the V-Trigger and followed it up with the One-Winged Angel for the pinfall victory.
Omega and Cima put on a terrific wrestling match at Fight for the Fallen. This was by far the best match of the night so far.
Hangman Page Got Some Revenge On Jericho
Chris Jericho came down to the ring and said that he was looking at the blood of Hangman Adam Page on his hand. Jericho added that he was looking for a thank you from AEW and the crowd started to chant “thank you!”. Jericho told them to shut up and then called a fan a fatso.
Jericho referred to Jacksonville as “Jerksonville” and mocked the crowd for booing him. He vowed to get his thank you by beating the crap out of every single person in All Elite Wrestling.
Chris claimed that he was the only reason that AEW got a TV deal and boasted about defeating Kenny Omega at Double or Nothing. Jericho said that Hangman Page was one of the best performers he has seen in years and that he has been staying awake at night worrying about his match against him at All Out.
Jericho stated that if he lost to Hangman, it is the beginning of the end of AEW and his career. He noted that he simply has to beat Hangman and vowed to become the AEW Champion at All Out. Jericho added that Hangman was nothing more than a little bitch as Page got in the ring behind him.
Hangman attacked Jericho as AEW officials rushed the ring. Several wrestlers from the locker room rushed the ring to separate the two but Hangman broke free. Page got in a couple of shots before Jericho escaped out of the ring.
The Young Bucks Defeated Cody & Dustin Rhodes
The Young Bucks battled Cody and Dustin Rhodes in the main event of the show. Cody and Dustin controlled the match early and Clotheslined Matt Jackson out of the ring.
Matt climbed up to the top rope and hit Cody and Dustin with a Crossbody. The Young Bucks mocked the Rhodes brothers by pretending to cry and hugging in the ring. Matt connected with a Dropkick as Nick Moonsaulted off the apron and onto Cody outside the ring.
Nick and Matt isolated Dustin in the ring and took turns beating him down for the next few minutes. Dustin battled back with a Double Back Body Drop but couldn’t tag out because the Young Bucks had knocked Cody off the apron.
Nick Jackson hopped on the apron and jokingly asked Dustin to tag him in. Dustin responded with a punch to the face and then an elbow to Matt’s face. Dustin climbed to the top rope and hit Matt and Nick with a Crossbody.
Cody tagged in and leveled Nick with a Clothesline. Cody connected with a Moonsault off the top rope on Matt and followed it up with a Suicide Dive onto Nick as the crowd went crazy. Back in the ring, Cody took off his weight belt and whipped Matt across the back with it.
Cody planted Matt with a Reverse Superplex for a two count. Matt charged at Cody in the corner but he got out of the way and Matt crashed into the ring post. Dustin tagged in and went to work on Matt’s injured arm and shoulder. Cody tagged back in and sent Matt into the turnbuckle.
Dustin Rhodes tagged back in and hit Matt with a headbutt and continued to attack Matt’s injured arm for the next few minutes. Cody got back and Matt hit him with a Northern Lights Suplex. Matt went for another one but Cody countered into an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring.
Matt Jackson escaped the hold and Cody went right after him. Matt hit Cody with a Back Body Drop that sent Cody onto the entrance ramp. Back in the ring, Matt connected with a Spear and both wrestlers fell to the mat as Nick pleaded for a tag.
Nick Jackson tagged in and unloaded a series of kicks to Cody’s face. Nick leveled Dustin a Double Stomp and then delivered a Backstabber to Cody in the corner of the ring. The Young Bucks in a couple of Sharpshooters in the middle of the ring but Dustin and Cody escaped. Dustin and Cody trapped Matt and Nick in a Figure Four for a few moments before both teams took each other out with a couple of Clotheslines.
The crowd chanted “this is wrestling” as Cody and Nick got to their feet. Dustin tagged himself in and hit Matt and Nick with two Powerslams. Dustin hit Matt with a Senton as Cody connected with a Crossbody on Matt. Back in the ring, Dustin set up Nick in the corner of the ring.
Dustin hit Nick with a punch to the face but didn’t realize Matt tagged in. Young Bucks were going to go for the Meltzer Driver but Cody broke it up with a knee to Nick’s face. Cody and Dustin planted Nick with the Cross Rhodes and went for the cover but Nick broke it up with a Senton off the top rope.
Both teams traded punches in the middle of the ring and the referee accidentally got blasted during the exchange. Cody and Dustin set up Matt and Nick in opposite corners of the ring and hit dueling knees to the groin as the referee was recovering. The Young Bucks rolled out of the ring to regroup and Cody went for a Springboard Crossbody. Matt and Nick were ready for it and took him out with a Superkick.
Nick hit Dustin with a Superkick and Matt followed it up with an Elbow Drop for a two count. Cody tagged in and went for Cross Rhodes on Matt but Nick broke it up with a Superkick. Matt and Nick hit Cody with another Superkick to the back of his head and Matt went for the cover but Dustin broke it up.
Cody and Dustin hit Young Bucks with a couple of Superkicks and then Nick planted Cody with the Cross Rhodes. Matt went for the cover but Cody kicked out at two. Nick hit Dustin with a Crossbody outside the ring and then hopped up on the apron. The Young Bucks then hit Cody with the Meltzer Driver for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Matt said that Cody and Dustin were one of the best teams they have ever been in the ring with. Shad Khan and several performers awkwardly interrupted and Matt pointed out that they must be short on time. Shad held up a check of $150,000 for the victim assistance advisory council. Cody took a jab at WWE and said that you cannot counter program what All Elite Wrestling is doing. The crowd chanted “AEW!” as Cody asked the crowd if they are coming with them when they go to TNT and the crowd chanted “yeah!”. Kenny Omega thanked the crowd for their contributions and wished the crowd goodnight.
AEW once again put on a very good show tonight and All Out is shaping up to be a must-watch show on August 31st. There are definitely some things AEW has to iron out before they are on TV every week. The commentary wasn’t good enough on tonight’s show and didn’t add much to the show. Alex Marvez brings zero energy and often times simply just makes noises during a match. The women’s matches were not that good at all tonight. Britt Baker actually tagged Shoko Nakajima instead of Riho during the Pre-Show and it was incredibly embarrassing.
There were several times during the show where the wrestlers seemed to have their timing off and that trend continued as the closing promo had to be rushed at the end of the show. WWE might be putting on lackluster shows every week, but we rarely see them rush through a segment due to timing issues. I’m sure AEW will continue to get better and will have everything sorted out once they reach television every week. Overall, Fight for the Fallen was still a very good show for a great cause.
