AEW Revolution aired live tonight on PPV from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match in the main event. In addition to the takeaways below, Maki Itoh replaced Rebel in the tag match during tonight’s Buy In. AEW Double or Nothing was announced for May 30th.
AEW Revolution Results
- Britt Baker & Maki Itoh def. Thunder Rosa & Riho (Buy In)
- Young Bucks def. Chris Jericho & MJF to retain the AEW Tag Team Championships
- PAC & Rey Fenix won the Casino Battle Royal to earn a future shot at the AEW Tag Titles
- Hikaru Shida def. Ryo Mizunami to retain the AEW Women’s Championship
- Miro & Kip Sabian def. Orange Cassidy & Chuck Taylor
- Hangman Page def. Matt Hardy
- Scorpio Sky won the Face of the Revolution Ladder match & earned a shot at the TNT Title
- Sting & Darby Allin def. Brian Cage & Ricky Starks
- Kenny Omega def. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match to retain the AEW Championship
Here are the takeaways from AEW Revolution 2021:
Young Bucks Retained In A Great Opener
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) defended the AEW Tag Team Championships against Chris Jericho & MJF in the first match of the PPV. Wardlow was ringside for the match.
Chris Jericho and Nick Jackson started off the action. Nick tackled Chris to the canvas and MJF tried to break it up. Matt sent MJF to the outside and beat him down against the barricade.
Jericho and MJF battled back but took a break to pose and it cost them as the Young Bucks hit dueling Suicide Dives. Back in the ring, Matt and Nick locked in stereo Sharpshooters in the middle of the ring. Jericho and MJF held hands for a moment as they screamed in agony.
Nick broke the hold and stomped on Jericho before tagging in Matt Jackson. Matt leveled Jericho with a Spear and unloaded some jabs to the face. Nick knocked MJF off the apron with a Dropkick and then tagged in.
Nick Jackson climbed to the top rope and connected with a Senton but MJF broke up the cover. MJF held up Nick on the ropes and Jericho hit a springboard Dropkick. Jericho booted Nick out of the ring and distracted referee Aubrey Edwards as Wardlow got in some cheap shots.
Jericho planted Nick with a Back Suplex and tagged in MJF. Jericho and MJF slammed Nick to the canvas and took turns walking over him and posing like the Young Bucks. Matt was able to tag in and unleashed some chops on MJF before connecting with a DDT.
Wardlow grabbed the ropes and Matt tumbled out of the ring. Jericho planted Matt with a Suplex on the floor as MJF kept Aubrey Edwards distracted. MJF stomped on Matt’s hand and strutted around the ring.
Jericho tagged in and connected with a vertical Suplex. MJF tagged in and continued to isolate Matt Jackson in the corner. Jericho and MJF lifted up Matt and flipped the camera the middle finger before slamming him with a Suplex. MJF went for the cover and then applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring.
Matt battled to his feet to break the hold but MJF sent him right back to the corner. Matt knocked Jericho off the apron but MJF brought him back down to the canvas with another Headlock. Matt broke the hold with a Northern Lights Suplex but couldn’t make a tag because Jericho bashed Nick off the ring apron.
Le Champion tagged in for a punch to the face before tagging MJF right back in. Matt hit a double DDT that sent MJF and Jericho to the canvas. Nick hopped on the apron and finally was able to tag in. Nick unloaded several punches to Jericho and MJF before sending both wrestlers to the corner.
Nick connected with a Clothesline/Bulldog combo and then booted Jericho out of the ring. Nick hit MJF with a Facebuster and then Moonsaulted on Jericho outside the ring. Nick got back into the ring and connected with a Destroyer on MJF for a near fall.
Young Bucks perched MJF up on the top turnbuckle and delivered a Powerbomb but MJF was somehow able to kick out at the last moment. Jericho tagged in and walked into a Superkick to the face. Nick tagged in and Young Bucks set up for the Meltzer Driver but MJF broke it up. Jericho planted Matt with a Tombstone Pilediver and then locked in the Liontamer on Nick in the center of the ring.
Nick crawled to the corner and tagged in Matt but Jericho quickly applied the Liontamer again in the center of the ring. Matt broke free and slammed Jericho into the turnbuckle. MJF tagged in and rolled up Matt for a two count. MJF caught Matt in midair and slammed him down with a Powerbomb for another near fall.
MJF booted Matt in the face and did the “suck it” sign over and over again.Young Bucks went for the Meltzer Driver again but Jericho caught Nick with a Codebreaker. Wardlow distracted the referee and Jericho hit Matt with Floyd the bat. MJF followed it up with the Heatseeker Piledriver for another two count.
Young Bucks sent MJF out of the ring and climbed up to opposite turnbuckles. Matt hit MJF with a Crossbody outside the ring as Nick hit Jericho with one for a two count. Jericho accidentally hit Wardlow with the Judas Effect and Nick capitalized with a roll-up for a two count.
Jericho went for the Lionsault but the Young Bucks hit him with stereo Superkicks. Young Bucks followed it up with the BTE Trigger but MJF broke up the cover. MJF put on the Dynamite Diamond ring but couldn’t use it because Young Bucks hit him with about a dozen Superkicks. Young Bucks leveled Jericho with a Superkick and then the Meltzer Driver for the pinfall victory. The Young Bucks are still the AEW Tag Team Champions.
PAC & Fenix Won The Casino Battle Royal
Dustin Rhodes & QT Marshall and Dark Order’s #5 
 started off the Casino Battle Royal. The winning team will earn a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championships. Dark Order controlled the action early but the Natural Nightmares battled back. Dark Order isolated QT Marshall and beat him down. Dustin Rhodes connected with a Bulldog as Santana & Ortiz entered the match next.
Santana and Ortiz leveled Rhodes and stomped on 10 in the corner. QT hit Angels with a Diamond Cutter and sent him over the top rope. Matt and Mike Sydal entered the match next and connected with some Dropkicks. Mike hit a Meteora off the top rope and connected with a boot to 10’s head.
Dark Order’s Evil Uno and Stu Grayson entered the Battle Royal and beat Dustin Rhodes down. Santana & Ortiz eliminated Mike Sydal but Ortiz turned around into a Spinebuster from 10. Santana leveled 10 with a Clothesline as Gunn Club made their way to the ring.
Gunn Club hit some Clotheslines and Dropkicks before 10 leveled Austin with a Spear. Santana and Ortiz eliminated Matt Sydal as Peter Avalon & Cezar Bononi entered the match next. Cezar and Avalon beat the hell out of Colten Gunn in the corner of the ring.
Varsity Blondes were the next team in the match and Pillman entered the ring with a Splash. Griff Garrison hit Cezar with a Splash but responded with a powerful Suplex. Austin hit Peter Avalon with a Fameasser and eliminated him. Colten hit Bononi with a Fameasser but QT Marshall eliminated the Gunn Club from behind. QT then eliminated himself and left Dustin Rhodes behind.
Bear Country (Bronson & Boulder) made their way to the ring. Boulder caught Evil Uno and planted Griff Garrison with a Powerbomb at the same time. Bear Country then sent Stu Grayson over the rope for the elimination. Jurassic Express were the next team in the Casino Battle Royal.
Luchasaurus planted Varsity Blondes with a Chokeslam as Jungle Boy hit Ortiz with a Hurricanrana. Jungle Boy Clotheslined Ortiz over the top rope for the elimination and then Luchasaurus eliminated Bononi & Griff Garrison. Jungle Boy then sent Santana and Evil Uno to the floor.
The Butcher & Blade entered next and quickly eliminated Brian Pillman Jr. Jack Evans interfered and pulled 10 over the top rope to eliminate Dark Order from the match. Boulder sent Dustin to the apron and then Butcher & Blade eliminated him. Private Party entered the Casino Battle Royal next as Luchasaurus leveled Bear Country with a Clothesline.
Private Party hit Jungle Boy with some kicks and stomped Boulder down in the corner of the ring. SCU (Kazarian & Daniels) entered next and slammed Isiah Kassidy tot he mat. Bear Country eliminated Luchasaurus but were then eliminated by Butcher. PAC & Rey Feniz entered the match next.
PAC hit Blade with a boot to the face and then eliminated him. Marq Quen was eliminated as well. John Silver and Alex Reynolds of Dark Order were the next team in the match. Silver planted Daniels with a Powerbomb as Reynolds planted Jungle Boy with a Piledriver.
Silver and Reynolds spiked Kassidy with a DDT and then eliminated him. SCU sent Butcher over the top rope with a Back Body Drop. Silver & Reynolds, SCU, PAC & Fenix, and Jungle Boy were the remaining wrestlers in the match. Fenix eliminated Daniels as Reynolds and Jungle Boy battled on the ring apron. John Silver and SCU then were quickly eliminated.
PAC and Silver traded punches in the middle of the ring. PAC sent Silver to the apron and Fenix hit him with a forearm to the face but John was able to hold to the ropes to avoid elimination. Silver unloaded a flurry of kicks but PAC shut him down with a German Suplex. Rey Fenix walked across the top rope and booted Silver in the face on the ring apron for the elimination.
It was now down to Pac & Rey Fenix versus Jungle Boy. Jungle Boy ducked under a charging PAC and he flew over the top rope for the elimination. It was now down to Fenix and Jungle Boy. Fenix hit Jungle Boy with a Superkick and Clotheslined him over the top rope. Pac & Rey Fenix won the Casino Battle Royal and earned a shot at the AEW Tag Team Championships.
Hikaru Shida Retained
Hikaru Shida defended the AEW Women’s Championship against Ryo Mizunami tonight at Revolution. Ryo controlled the action early and leveled Shida with a shoulder tackle. Ryo connected with a Splash and a series of chops in the corner of the ring.
Mizunami hit several more chops and danced around before connecting with a big chop to the AEW Women’s Champion. Ryo danced around some more and got a knee to her face for her troubles. Shida hit another knee to the face and grabbed chair from under the ring. Shida went for a Running Knee off the chair but Ryo caught her and sent Hikaru flying into the crowd at Daily’s Place.
Back in the ring, Ryo connected with a Leg Drop and followed it up with three more for a near fall. Shida slammed Ryo’s face into the turnbuckle and then connected with a Dropkick off the top rope for a two count. Ryo sent Shida out of the ring with a Clothesline but Hikaru shrugged it off.
Shida slammed Ryo on the entrance ramp and brought her back into the ring with a Suplex for a two count. Ryo hit some headbutts and leveled Shida with a Clothesline. Ryo followed it up with a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Shida hit a knee to the face but Ryo responded with a Clothesline.
Hikaru hit another knee to the face and both wrestlers fell to the mat. Ryo connected with a Uranage and followed it up with a Spear. Ryo made her way to the top rope and hit the Guillotine Leg Drop but Shida was able to kick out at two. Shida hit a German Suplex but Ryo hopped right up and connected with a Clothesline.
Hikaru connected with a Falcon Arrow and went for the running knee but Ryo locked it. Shida hit a knee to the back of the head and another Falcon Arrow but Ryo kicked out at two. Ryo leveled Shida with a Clothesline and went for another but Hikaru hit a knee to the face. Ryo rolled up Shida for a two count and then Hikaru hit an Enziguri for another near fall. Shida followed it up with a knee to the face for the pinfall victory. After the match, Nyla Rose attacked Ryo but Shida broke it up. Britt Baker and Maki Itoh then joined in on the attack. Thunder Rosa rushed the ring and the heels retreated.
Miro & Kip Sabian Dominated
Miro & Kip Sabian faced Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy tonight. Before the match, Miro and Sabian attacked Chuck & Cassidy backstage. They then brought Chuck to the ring and beat him down as commentary wondered where Orange Cassidy was.
Orange Cassidy eventually stumbled down the entrance ramp and dropped to the floor. Cassidy was faking and hit Miro with the Orange Punch. Cassidy tagged in and hit Sabian with a Suicide Dive. Cassidy hit Sabian with a diving DDT and went for the cover but Kip was able to kick out at two.
Sabian connected with a Gutbuster and kick to the face for a two count. Kip followed it up with a Falcon Arrow for another two count. Cassidy hit a DDT and tagged in Chuck Taylor. Cassidy hit the Beach Break and Taylor followed it up with a Piledriver but Miro broke up the cover.
Orange Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and hit Miro with some lazy kicks. Cassidy connected with the Stundog Millionaire and then the Orange Punch. Penelope Ford distracted Cassidy but Miro accidentally shoved Orange onto her. Miro leveled Taylor with a Clothesline and then a kick to the face. Miro locked in the Game Over for the submission victory.
Hangman Page Won The Big Money Match
Matt Hardy battled Hangman Page in a Big Money Match tonight. The winner of the match will get the loser’s first quarter earnings in AEW. Page controlled the action early and set up for the Buckshot Lariat but Hardy rolled out of the ring to regroup.
Hangman sent Hardy over the barricade and leaped onto him. Page tried to bring Matt back into the ring but he continued to retreat. Matt slammed Hangman into the ring post and started bending back his fingers.
Matt slammed Hangman’s face off the steel steps and then booted them into Page’s injured hand. Hardy started biting Hangman’s hand and continued to bend his fingers back. Hardy launched Hangman into the turnbuckle and posed in the ring.
Page connected with a Clothesline and sold his hand injury after hitting a punch to the face. Hardy went for the Side Effect but Hangman countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Hangman followed it up with a Death Valley Driver for another near fall.
Hangman threw Matt to the apron and knocked him to the floor with a Clothesline. Page went for a Crossbody but Matt got out of the way and hit the Twist of Fate on the floor outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Matt demanded the referee start counting and Page made it back in at the count of nine. Matt connected with a German Suplex for a two count. Hangman hit a Clothesline that sent both competitors out of the ring.
Page climbed to the top rope and hit Matt with a Moonsault. Hangman went back to the top rope and hit Matt with a Crossbody for a two count. Hardy slammed Hangman to the mat and climbed to the middle turnbuckle. Hardy connected with a Powerbomb for another near fall.
Hangman hit the Dead Eye but Private Party hopped on the apron for a distraction. Hangman booted them to the floor and hit Kassidy with a Suicide Dive. Page went for the Buckshot Lariat but Matt was ready and countered with the Side Effect.
Hardy followed it up with the Twist of Fate and went for the cover but Page kicked out. Dark Order rushed the ring and beat down Private Party. Matt knocked Hangman off the apron but Dark Order caught him. Dark Order put Hangman on the apron and Page connected with the Buckshot Lariat for the pinfall victory. After the match, Hangman Page shared a hug with Hangman and drank some beers.
Scorpio Sky Earned A Shot At The TNT Title
Cody Rhodes, Pentagon, Scorpio Sky, Lance Archer, Max Caster & an unknown competitor battled in the Face of the Revolution Ladder match tonight. A brass ring was suspended above the ladder and the winner of the match will become #1 contender for the TNT Championship. Ethan Page was revealed to be the mystery wrestler in the match.
Lance Archer grabbed a ladder and launched it onto Ethan Page. Archer hit Pentagon in the midsection with the ladder a few times but Pentagon battled back and hit a Slingblade. Scorpio Sky planted Pentagon with a German Suplex but turned around into a Dropkick from Max Caster.
Jack Evans ran to the ring with a boom box but 10 from Dark Order hit him with a Spinebuster. Cody started climbing but Archer brought him back down. Page and Cody sent Archer flying into the ladder.
Ethan trapped Lance in the ladder and slammed it on him several times. Page then Powerbombed Scorpio on top of the ladder while Archer was still trapped inside. Pentagon started climbing but Cody caught him with a Dropkick.
Pentagon went for a Piledriver but Cody blocked it. Pentagon then planted Cody with a Destroyer on top of a ladder. Scorpio Sky hit Page with a Suplex onto the floor as Cody was helped backstage. Scorpio started climbing as Cody stopped on the entrance tunnel.
Caster set up another ladder and traded punches with Scorpio. Lance and Ethan Page joined the party as Cody finally went backstage. Scorpio almost won but Pentagon brought him back to the mat.
Pentagon leveled Scorpio with a kick to the face and posed for the crowd. Pentagon started climbing but Scorpio stopped him. Sky bit Pentagon and slammed him to the mat in an odd exchange.
Ethan set up a ladder as Cody slowly made his way back to the tunnel. Page and Caster traded punches on top of the ladder. Caster slammed Page to the canvas with a Powerbomb.
Scorpio slammed Caster on the ladder and made his way to the top rope. Sky hit a massive Frog Splash on Caster on top of the ladder. Archer hit Sky with a knee to the face and Scorpio fell onto a ladder outside the ring.
Pentagon perched Page on the top turnbuckle and sent Caster onto him with an Exploder Suplex. Ethan and Pentagon climbed the ladder and traded punches. Page shoved Pentagon to the floor as Cody came back to the ring. Cody set up a ladder in the corner and climbed to the top.
Lance joined Cody on top of the ladder and planted him with a Superplex. Caster followed it up with an Elbow Drop off the top off the ladder to Cody’s back. Pentagon and Caster then traded punches on top of the ladder. Lance Archer shoced the ladder over and delivered a Chokeslam tp Cody, Page, and Pentagon.
Max went for a punch but Archer knocked him on his ass with a forearm to the face. Archer then planted Caster with the Blackout on top of the ladder. Lance started climbing but Ethan brought him back down. Page hit a low blow and then a Razer’s Edge. Jake Roberts got into the ring and decked Page with a Clothesline.
Pentagon hit Jake Roberts with a Clothesline and then battled with Cody. Rhodes then followed it up with a terrible Cutter off the top rope. Cody started climbing but Pentagon hit him with a steel chair on Cody’s injured arm. Pentagon started climbing again but Scorpio Sky hit him with a chair multiple times.
Scorpio and Cody traded punches on top of the ladder. Cody grabbed the brass ring but Sky shoved him to the canvas. Sky then grabbed the brass ring to win the Face of the Revolution Ladder match. Scorpio Sky will face Darby Allin for the TNT Championship at a future date.
Christian Cage Made His AEW Debut
Christian Cage made his AEW debut tonight and was the wrestler that Paul Wight was talking about. Christian came down to the ring with his AEW contract and signed it. Christian then opened his jacket to reveal a shirt reading “out. work. everyone”.
Opinion: This would have been a much more effective debut if Tony Khan hadn’t overhyped it. While it will be cool to see Christian end his career on his own terms, I thought this was executed poorly. It would have been much better if Christian just showed up. In the long run, I think Christian will provide much more value behind the scenes if he sticks around.
Sting & Darby Allin Picked Up A Win
Sting & Darby Allin faced Ricky Starks & Brian Cage in a pretaped Street Fight. Sting and Allin came to a ring in a warehouse with a bunch of people in Sting masks. Darby leaped but Cage caught him and hit a German Suplex. Starks stomped Sting to the canvas as Cage beat up the extras that came to the ring.
Sting hit a Splash on Starks in the corner of the ring as Cage launched Darby into a door. Sting slammed Starks onto a brick wall and unloaded several punches. Brian Cage walked up a flight of stairs with Darby lifted up for a Suplex and dropped him on the concrete.
Allin hit Cage with a Dropkick and Darby joined in on the beatdown. Starks attacked Sting and hit him with some punches before throwing him into a barrel. Darby climbed up a pole and hit a Coffin Drop. Powerhouse Hobbs showed up with Hawk and beat Darby down.
Cage and Hobbs threw Darby through a glass door as Hawk beat Sting down. Darby hurled the bat to Sting and he hit Hawk with it. Sting broke the bat over Cage’s back and hit him with a shovel. Darby then hit a ridiculous Elbow Drop onto Cage. Sting got into the ring with Starks and Ricky hit him with an elbow. Sting went for a Splash but Starks got out of the way and hit a Spear for a two count. Sting then planted Starks with the Scorpion Death Drop for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: I thought this match was fun and it was awesome to see Sting back in action. I don’t mind the cinematic matches but the commentary over it was distracting. It was obvious that this wasn’t live and I would have preferred no commentary for the match. Other than that nitpick, this was entertaining for what it was and Sting was presented very well. As for cinematic matches, the Boneyard Match between Styles & Undertaker is still my favorite.
Kenny Omega Retained The AEW Championship
Kenny Omega defended the AEW Championship against Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match in the main event of this year’s Revolution. Don Callis joined commentary for the title match. Referee Bryce Remsburg was essentially dressed like a beekeeper and Moxley took a shot from a flask before the match.
Moxley went on the attack right away and tried to shove Omega’s face into the barbed wire. Omega applied a Headlock but Moxley broke the hold with a Suplex. Omega quickly regrouped and applied the Headlock once again.
Jon escaped and tried to slam Kenny onto a barbed wire wrapped board but the AEW Champion escaped. Omega hit a big boot but Moxley responded with a Clothesline that sent Kenny to the outside.
Moxley threw some steel chairs into the ring and grabbed a barbed wire bat. Moxley hit Omega with the bat and connected with a Russian Leg Sweep on the entrance ramp. Moxley hit Omega with a kendo sticks a couple times before the action returned to the ring.
Omega threw powder in Jon’s eyes and threw him into the barbed wire ropes and an explosion went off that caused the crowd to chant “holy shit!”. Omega started bashing Moxley with the kendo stick and then slammed him onto a garbage can for a two count.
Moxley was busted open and Kenny locked in a Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Jon grabbeda barbire wrapped chair and scraped it across Omega’s knees to break the hold. Kenny slammed Moxley onto the barbed wire board in the corner of the ring as the blood poured down the challenger’s face.Omega connected with a Moonsault and went for a lazy cover but Moxley easily kicked out at two. Moxley sent Kenny to the ropes twice and two explosions went off.
Omega went for a Snap Dragon but Moxley countered into an Exploder Suplex onto the other barbed wire board in the corner of the ring. Jon went for the Paradigm Shift but Omega escaped. Moxley hit a German Suplex on top of the bat and followed it up with a Side Slam onto the barbed wire chair.
Jon wrapped barbed wire around his own arm but Omega hit him with some jabs to the face. Omega ducked under a Clothesline and hit a Snap Dragon Suplex. Omega followed it up with the V-Trigger but Jon shrugged it off and hit a Clothesline.
Moxley went for the Paradigm Shift but Omega shoved him to the ropes causing another explosion. Jon and Omega then battled on the ring apron with a giant barbed wire board beneath them. Moxley connected with a Paradigm Shift onto the board and an explosion went off underneath them.
The action returned to the ring with both wrestlers pouring blood down their faces. Moxley hit Omega with several punches with barbed wire wrapped around his fist. Moxley connected with a Piledriver and went for the cover but Omega kicked out at two.
Omega hit Moxley with a low blow and followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Kenny connected with another V-Trigger and lifted Moxley up in the Electric Chair. Omega hit the One Winged Angel and went for the cover but Moxley got his booted on the ropes to cause an explosion to break it up.
Gallows and Anderon (Good Brothers) rushed the ring but Jon beat them down. Omega leveled Moxley with an exploding barbed wire bat for a two count. Omega then planted Moxley with the One Winged Angel on top of a chair for the pinfall victory. Kenny Omega is still the AEW Champion.
After the match, Good Brothers attacked Moxley again and brought out some handcuffs. Good Brothers cuffed Moxley’s hands behind his back as the clock ticked down until the ring explodes. Excalibur shouted at Callis that this is bullshit because Omega cannot win on his own.
Omega hit Moxley several times with the barbed wire bat as a one minute countdown began. Eddie Kingston ran to the ring and laid on top of Moxley to protect him. A pretty weak explosion went off that spawned some scattered boos. They then laid there fo a while until officials came to the ring to end the show.
Opinion: I enjoyed the match but most are going to be talking about the terrible ending. There is no way to spin it, the ending to tonight’s show was brutal. The explosion was pathetic and it was laughable to watch Moxley and Kingston sell it. They were trying but nothing was going to fix how anticlimactic the explosion was.
Revolution was a good show but several mistakes were made. I’m hoping the ending was a massive botch and the pyro didn’t go off correctly. Either way, that was a remarkably bad way to end the PPV. AEW Revolution had all the hype in the world but unfortunately it fell short of being a memorable event. If you overhype to get PPV buys, you have accept fans feeling disappointed if the show doesn’t deliver.
