AEW ELEVATION: May 10, 2021

The PG Era Rant for AEW Elevation Episode 9 (“Watch Out For That Cardboard!!”), May 10, 2021.

TONIGHT! We got Tay Conti looking to climb back up by taking on Madi Wrenckowski! Marko Stunt and Jungle Boy Perry of Jurassic Express face the Chaos Project! The HFO and Dark Order keep at it as Isaiah Kassidy battles Alex Reynolds! And Danny Limelight faces his toughest challenge yet as he faces GYAAAAAAAN MOXLEY!

PLUS: Matt Sydal, Lee Johnson, Leyla Hirsch, Jade Cargill, Hardy teams with Quen, Ethan and Scorpio, Eddie Kingston, Thunder Rosa, and Britt Baker!

From the AEW Arena.

Opening match: David Ali (0-5) vs. Lee Johnson (4-1). Ali gets his own entrance. I’ve reffed matches with him, and I can vouch for Tony saying he’s been good in the independents. Lee Johnson has different music from the last time I’ve seen him.

Lockup, and Ali with a go-behind. Johnson reverses, Ali with an armdrag, and Johnson with headscissors on a kneeling Ali. Ali escapes and they reset. Round two has Johnson with a full nelson into a snapmare into a chinlock, and Ali gets to the ropes to get a break. Johnson gives a butt pat of respect, which I don’t think Ali appreciated. Round Three sees Johnson get a headlock and we go International~!, but Ali kips up after the shoulder block. Code of Honor allows Ali to yank Johnson down and get a soccer kick.

Johnson cuts off Ali with a dropkick to the mouth, then works Ali over in the corner. He goes up and over on a whip, then they exchange go-behinds until Ali sends Johnson to the floor. Johnson pops back up with a right and springboards… into Swiss Death by Ali for two. Johnson with a chop, but Ali corners Johnson and kicks away. Butterfly lock try by Ali, but Johnson fights out only to get a roundhouse kick and butterfly suplex from Ali.

Kip up and flying uppercut, then a Falcon Arrow gets two. Johnson fights his way up, but Ali gets a forearm shiver. Johnson with clotheslines to start the combeack, then a leaping neckbreaker and kip up of his own. Ali escapes a suplex and gets uppercuts, but Johnson catches him with a backslide for two. Ali springboards into a SUPERKICK, and Johnson adds a fisherman’s oshigoroshi for the pin at 4:55. Some good athleticism on display here. *3/4

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone and The 1999 Gold Medal Casket Surfer. They discuss having Baker, Kingston, and Moxley on the show.

Eddie Kingston (4-2) vs. VSK (0-4). In a world where everyone has entrances that call attention to themselves, the fact that Kingston just walks to the ring is really fun. VSK, I believe, was on Impact earlier this week.

Kingston holds a headlock to start, holding on and doing a takedown. He picks VSK up only for VSK to get a shot to the kidneys, so Kingston comes back with kneelifts and a double stomp. Elbowdrop follows for one. Kingston messes with VSK’s head (literally) before adding crossface blows. Stalling suplex follows. Blind charge misses and VSK gets a corner uppercut and running boot in the corner. They exchange elbows, and VSK gets an enzuigiri and oshigoroshi of his own for two.

A pair of kneedrops gets one. Uppercuts by VSK, but Kingston wakes up with chops to floor him. VSK elbows to stop a Saito suplex and ducks Backfist to the Future, getting a SUPERKICK and Backstabber. He goes up top, but the frog splash airballs and Kingston with an Oklahoma Roll to win at 3:45. Man, VSK got a lot in this one. *1/2

Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky (5-0) vs. Fuego Del Sol and Baron Black (0-1). Ah yes, two guys who are due to get their first win and won’t get it here. If SCU win on Wednesday – and that’s a huge if – you have to think these two could be some of the first contenders. Wight mentions how Black took a nasty powerbomb from Nick Comoroto and hopes he’s healed.

Sky and Black start (with Sky imitating Sting’s howl). Sky slugs down Black in the corner and adds an uppercut. He grabs a headlock and we go International~!, with Black getting a Manhattan drop and backfist. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN, but Ethan kicks Black in the back to distract him and Sky runs him over. Sky sends Black into Ethan’s boot and tags him in, and Ethan stomps a mudhole in Black before walking it dry. Ethan trash talks Fuego, so Sky gets a choke on Black in the corner and Ethan brings him in to… toy with Black as Ethan holds him up with the boot.

Snapmare and boot scrape by Sky follow. Black fights up with chops, but Sky gets a knee to take him down and tries the TKO. Black slides out the back for an O’Connor Roll for two, hot tag Fuego. He flips out of Sky’s back suplex and moonsaults both guys off the top. TORNADO DDT OF DEATH try on Ethan, but he shoves Fuego off and runs him over. Ego’s Edge finishes it at 3:38. Ethan got some AIR on that move. 3/4*

Paul Wight does a showcase interview with Danny Limelight. Limelight was a fan of pro wrestling back in 1997 and became hooked, but couldn’t start training until 2014 due to military commitments. They show a photo of an active wrestler Wight with Limelight at Camp Pendleton. Limelight joined the military to get out of his bad neighborhood. He made a very bad impression on the Marine Corps recruiting office, but the Army took him in… which made Limelight turn around and demand to join the Corps. He enlisted right out of high school.

Limelight became a Sergeant and was allowed to become a drill instructor, saying he “made” over 350 Marines. Wight asks if his military experience influenced his wrestling training. They credit his discipline, because not everyone can do what they do, but Limelight says he was able to do both Marine work and wrestling training at the same time because of his athleticism from the Marines. (Bumping still sucked, though.)

The hardest part of wrestling is consistency through long drives, but the Corps prepared Limelight to be on the road for a long time, so he was ready for the sacrifices. Limelight left the Corps in 2019 because he was ready to be a wrestler full-time. The pandemic changed a lot of people’s lives, but in Limelight’s case, it hurt him because he was inches away from being in New Japan.

With all of wrestling on a pause, he had to wait until October to be given a chance by AEW, and he made the most of it. Now, a year since the pandemic began, he’s part of AEW full-time. Limelight wants to be known as an innovative, creative, influential talent who inspires those in the military to be able to do more than just be a grunt. Or, influence their kids to know that the military can open doors for the future.

Thunder Rosa (9-2, #2 women) vs. Renee Michelle (0-3). Rosa is out with an Alamo flag. Renee Michelle began her career in Maryland, but no, we didn’t cross paths.

Rosa with a go-behind and waistlock, which Michelle reverses, so Rosa with a single-leg trip and half Boston crab with a twist. Michelle tries to escape, but Rosa falls on top for one before picking her up. Michelle with a hammerlock, but Rosa reverses to one of her own. Michelle takes Rosa down by the wrist and gets a bridging wristlock, but Rosa escapes into a monkey flip and kimura. WRESTLING!

Michelle makes the ropes, so Rosa gets two armdrags and a dropkick. It gets two. Rosa with a big chop, then another one on the crowd’s request, but Michelle goes under a lariat and gets a facecrusher and roundhouse kick for one. Michelle slams Rosa’s head into the mat over and over, so Rosa gives her an elbow to the gut to stop that. Push kick knocks down Michelle, then an uppercut follows. Michelle slides to stop a Hammer Throw and catches a charging Rosa with a prone kick. She hooks the Black Widow or something close to it, but Rosa with a side slam for two.

Mizline by Rosa in the corner, then the double knees. Michelle is seated, so Rosa gets a three-point stance into a shotgun dropkick. Butterfly suplex follows for two. Thunder Driver try, but Michelle slides out the back into a Chaos Theory for two. Rosa comes back with a rising knee and running boot, then some wacky Mexican submission I’ve never seen before gets the submission at 5:18. These two were at different speeds, which you expect in a showcase match. *1/4

Eddie Kingston is backstage. He can talk about the match, but he’s stuck thinking about what Mox and him are facing (“How ya doin, Renee?”). And the thing that bothers them is the Young Bucks. The Bucks signed him to AEW, and they went around the country on the independents. People hated them, especially when they didn’t shake hands, but before then they were sharing appetizer samplers just to get a meal. Now the Bucks want to change the world? It’s not that easy, is it? So why are you crying about it and joining Kenny Omega and Don Callis (“the biggest piece of shit I’ve met in wrestling, and that covers a lot of ground”)?

Callis is everything the Bucks hated back in the day, but now that the going gets tough, they turn on their word? Kingston believed in them (“and I don’t believe in a lot”), but they embarrassed him, Mox, the fans, and the company. They won’t get rid of Kingston because this is his last stop. If the Bucks will treat AEW like a joke, they’ll have to rip Kingston’s heart out. C’mon, fight them. Try it. Kingston, as always, is AMAZING on the mic.

Bonus Match!: Chuck Taylor (w/the other Best Friends) (7-3) vs. Vary Morales (0-1 singles). As a reminder, Orange Cassidy has a match against PAC on Dynamite to determine who faces Kenny Omega at Double or Nothing.

Lockup, and Taylor sends Morales to the corner and gives a clean break. Taylor with an armlock, but Morales tumbles and reverses, so Taylor switches to a hammerlock. He blocks a snapmare and gets one of his own, then checks in with the corner. Taylor with a waistlock takedown into a front facelock, but Morales with a wristlock, so Taylor gets a drop toehold into a front facelock again into a suplex. Back suplex by Taylor, and he gets a hammerlock only for Morales to get a flying mare and lucha armdrag. Step-up rana and Taylor bails, with Morales following with a senton. Back in, Morales charges right into a rising knee strike, and the Awful Waffle wins it at 2:34. Just a way to get the Friends out before the PAC match for Cassidy. 1/4* AEW then cuts to replays, and then we HUG IT OUT (with Taylor doing Cassidy’s nonplussed look to the camera).

Leyla Hirsch (8-3) vs. Dani Jordyn (0-4). Speaking of people who’ve gotten better over the last year, we have these two. Given they’re building Hirsch up someone with a lightning finish, though, don’t expect this to last too long.

Jordyn humorously hypes up the crowd before their first lockup, where Hirsch gets a side takedown and floats over with arm control for one. They exchange wristlocks, with Hirsch doing a waistlock takedown and getting the amateur ride, followed by a front facelock. They get up and Hirsch keeps the waistlock, but Jordyn with back elbows, a snapmare, and a dropkick. Suplex by Jordyn gets one. More forearms from Jordyn, but a SUPERKICK misses and Hirsch sends Jordyn into the ropes. A second SUPERKICK try is caught, but Jordyn escapes and gets a running uppercut for two. They did enough so it wasn’t obviously repeating the spot, which is critical.

Hirsch ducks a third kick and gets a German suplex and Shining Wizard for two. Saito suplex is escaped and they slug it out, with both landing haymakers to stagger the other. Jordyn tries a spinning back suplex off a right cross, but Hirsch with a flying mare into the armbar to win at 3:22. Felt like a step back for Jordyn. 1/2*

Dasha is backstage with Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky. How do they get chemistry right away? Sky says it’s simple: with the men they are, how could they not? They talk about how great their attacks were during the match, laughing about how easy it was. Sky: “They’re lucky I didn’t heel hook them.” Ethan: “Like you did to Sting! It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” Sky: “Like you did to Darby!” If Darby finds a way to get in the ring with Miro, good luck. They’ll be watching.

Matt Sydal (15-? singles) vs. Manny Smith (debut). Smith is an OVW guy, apparently. I missed Sydal’s record, sorry. I’d go rewind it, but live premieres tend to get wonky when you try.

Sydal and Smith go nose-to-nose at the bell, and Sydal gets a pair of headlock takedowns. Smith with the leg scissors, then a headlock takedown of his own. Sydal reverses to a chickenwing and side chinlock, then into a camel clutch like hold. Snapmare by Sydal gets one, then another gets one again. Sydal with a hammerlock and he grinds it in before getting a flying mare and soccer kick. Sydal with a bow and arrow on Smith, then double stomps the back.

Smith fights back with some tired punches, but when Sydal ducks one Smith just keeps running and gets a big tackle for a double-down. Smith tries something only to get hit with an enzuigiri, kneedrop, and legdrop in rapid succession. Lightning Spiral wins at 3:11. Commentary mentioned the shots from Sydal winded Smith, and if that’s the case, that’s not a good sign. Smith looked like he was blown up early. 1/4* Schiavone helps out by mentioning it’s Sydal’s 16^th win.

Jade Cargill (4-0) vs. Reka Tehaka (0-2). Okay, Jade, I’ve heard the buzz and they’re making a big thing out of you, let’s see what you got. And a reminder, Jade – you’re going against a Samoan, so no headbutts. Cargill gets pyro, which you almost never see on the YouTube shows.

Lockup, and Cargill gets a knee and throws Tehaka down. Tehaka with forearms on a cocky Cargill, then a headbutt, but instead of going down, Cargill recovers enough to get a pop-up Samoan Drop. Well, that’s rubbing it in. Tehaka slugs back but misses a pump kick, and Cargill gets one of her own. Cargill taunts the crowd before landing the Glam Slam to win at 1:29. Yeah, that’s about how long those two deserve. NR

And after the match, Mark Sterling return with a microphone. He’s represented MJF and made him AEW’s highest paid athlete, and he offers his services to Cargill. He says it’s a business, and that as good as Elevation is, there’s more money being on Dynamite. He offers a quick chat in the back to Cargill and gives her his business card. Cargill is willing to listen.

AEW Casino app ad. Even in a five-second cutaway, the Dark Order remain the best thing AEW has here and Silver and Reynolds steal the show.

Dean Alexander and Dillon McQueen (first time teaming) vs. Matt Hardy (8-2) and Marq Quen (8-3). If that team seems weird, Isaiah Kassidy has a date with Alex Reynolds later tonight. Quen is in street clothes for this one, which even the announcers note. Alexander’s fur coat vs. McQueen’s tiara – which one looks more outrageous?

McQueen and Quen start. Actually, no, McQueen wants Hardy, and Quen obliges. They circle, and Quen gets a cheapshot on McQueen that leads to the Side Effect by Hardy. Blind charge knees are caught, and Hardy works the back before bringing in Quen to splash a hung-up McQueen. Quen clubs away on McQueen and toys with him, but McQueen fights back and tries an Orton neckbreaker. Quen shoves him off and gets a dropkick, and Hardy returns with an elbow to McQueen’s back with Quen holding him. Hardy works McQueen in the corner, but a charge eats elbow. Hardy keeps hin in the corner, though, and gets a sleeper. McQueen breaks with a jawbreaker, but Quen cuts off the hot tag… enzuigiri, there it is.

Alexander slugs down Quen, but Hardy with a fist from the apron and Quen nails the Pele, McQueen saves. Hardy dumps McQueen and tags in, and Quen does Poetry in Motion on Alexander. Hardy clotheslines him out, and Quen dives onto both men with a senton bomb. Back in, the Leech ends Alexander at 4:12. Too long for not being competitive. 1/4*

DOCTOR Britt Baker (with Rebel, despite what Tony would have you believe) (#1 women, 9-1) vs. Raychell Rose (0-1). Baker is next up at Hikaru Shida at Double or Nothing. Rebel’s bangs are an interesting look, though I’m not sure if they’re what I’d suggest.

Lockup, and Raychell gets a headlock. Baker fights out and reverses, getting a takedown. Raychell with legscissors, but Baker escapes only to run into a headlock takedown. Baker with legscissors of her own, and she rolls with Raychell until the latter bridges out. Raychell taunts Baker, who yanks her down by the hair for her insolence. Big kick and Saturn Driver follow. Baker toys with Raychell before getting the curbstomp for the pin at 1:47. So don’t taunt Happy Action Fun Britt Baker. NR

The next episode of Outside the Ring with Lexy Nair will be with Anthony Ogogo.

Madi Wrenckowski (3-3) vs. Tay Conti (#3 women, 13-4). Both women need bounce-back matches, given Conti lost to Hikaru Shida and Madi was run over by Nyla Rose. Madi now has a faux-fur coat that she leaves on the stage. Conti steps over it before bowing to Madi.

Conti offers Code of Honor, then ducks a Madi shot and takes her down with a Calf Crucsher. From there, a kneebar, but Madi makes the ropes. Conti walks into a forearm, but floats over Madi into a standing armbar. Madi stacks her for one and gets a knee smash before dropping Conti with a Hotshot. Axe kick on the middle rope follows, and Madi rolls in to an elbowdrop for one. Madi with ground-and-pound on Conti, who elbows away to try to recover. Madi sends Conti into the corner (from an odd angle), and Conti says enough of this and gets clotheslines for the comeback.

A series of judo arm throws follows, then a release German suplex. Running pump kick in the corner, then another one from the side, and Conti hangs Madi on the corner ropes before giving a senton to the back off the top. Madi leverages Conti into the corner, though, then a back heel kick and X Factor gets two. Madi with a forearm, but Conti catches her into a swinging facecrusher (sort of) and pump kick. DDTay ends it at 3:37. Both women looked off their game. 1/4*

Alex Marvez interviews Thunder Rosa, who calls her submission finisher the Halavera Choke. She says she’s been adding new moves through her MMA training. Whoever faces her has to be ready, because she can win so many different ways. Marvez asks about Baker/Shida, which is happening despite Rosa beating Baker. Rosa shrugs, saying the match was unsanctioned so there’s not much she can do. Fine, Baker earned the spot by beating everyone (but her). That said, whoever wins that match will have to face Rosa next. Marvez asks about the NWA Women’s World Title, and Rosa is ready to face Serena Deeb for that, but Deeb has business elsewhere. But when the time comes, she’ll be double champion. Rosa is more than ready for anyone who will step in front of her.

Chaos Project (Luther and Serpentico) (9-12) vs. Jurassic Express (Jungle Boy Jack Perry (11-5, #2 team with Luchasaurus) and Marko Stunt (1-6)). With Fuego Del Sol beaten earlier, it would appear last week’s angle on Dark won’t be followed up on. No sign of Luchasaurus during the entrance. Of note: this is the first time I’ve heard of a men’s tag team having a combined weight under 300 pounds.

Perry and Luther start. The crowd is still singing “Tarzan Boy”, so Luther asks them to shut up. He slugs away on Perry, grabbing a headlock, but Stunt tags himself in and gets an enzuigiri on Luther. Serpentico also tagged himself in, but Perry dropkicks him and the Express get a senton/legdrop combo. Serpentico grabs Stunt in a headlock to cut off the tag to Perry and we go International~!, with Serpentico getting another shoulderblock. Stunt trips Serpentico from the floor, though, and gets an arm trip by sliding through. Low cross-body and headscissors follow, then a running dropkick in the corner.

He flips off Luther, but Serpentico dodges a blind charge. Stunt escapes to the top rope and gets a diving bulldog for two. Perry in, and it’s a Manhattan Drop/enzuigiri/jack-knife combo by Jurassic Express for two. Perry chops down Serpentico and slams him down, and Stunt is thrown onto Serpentico in a senton. He tries to knock Luther off the apron, so Serpentico catches him in a Michinoku Driver. Luther in, but Stunt tries to fight both off only for Luther to toss Stunt into the corner. Stunt sticks and moves, but Luther no-sells a couple of dropkicks and catches Stunt to give him a buckle bomb. Serpentico in, and Luther launches him into Stunt’s gut, after which Serpentico sends Luther into an avalanche. Serpentico gets two off of it.

We HIT THE CHINLOCK, with Stunt elbowing out only to dive into a Strongest Slam for two. Luther in, and he stomps away on Stunt before slamming him down. He brings in Serpentico and slams him onto Stunt, then drop toe holds Serpentico into a headbutt on Stunt’s gut. It gets one. Luther tags back in, as Stunt DESPERATELY NEEDS A TAG (Tony’s emphasis, not mine) but is tossed to the outside instead. Luther knocks Perry off the apron, and Serpentico sends Stunt into the apron only to get backdropped into the crowd. Hotshot to Luther, but Luther recovers with a big boot. Stunt tries a sunset flip, but Luther picks him up by the hair and gets a belly-to-belly suplex for two (covering with one hand). Serpentico is tagged back in and sent to the top rope, but Le Cannonball airballs. Stunt ducks under a Luther chop, HOT tag to Perry.

Dropkicks to everyone! Big chops to Serpentico in the corner, but Luther throws him aside only for Perry to get a running forearm smash. Serpentico reverses a suplex to a small package for two, but Perry suplexes him the second time, Luther saves. Powerbomb by Luther on Perry, but Stunt with an enzuigiri to send Luther packing. Stunt dives onto Luther as Serpentico goes up top, and the Swanton gets two. Perry with a back elbow and rolling forearm, and he holds Serpentico up as Stunt does a flip neckbreaker off the top to get the win at 9:02. This acutally rocked, with both teams doing great double-teams and a fun heat segment. **3/4

Britt Baker and Rebel talk about how Baker spent more time lacing up her boots than wrestling. But hey, it’s all right, because finally it’s Shida vs. Baker for the Women’s Title at Double or Nothing. Get ready, champ, because she is. “Shida later.”

Isiah Kassidy (w/Marq Quen and Matt Hardy) (no chyron, oddly) vs. Alex Reynolds (w/John Silver and Colt Cabana) (9-4). Kassidy, much like Quen, will wrestle in his finest street clothes. Evil Uno makes sure the numbers are even at ringside.

Lockup, and they tussle in the corner before the ref orders a clean break. Kassidy doesn’t comply, so Reynolds fires back and staggers him before getting a back elbow. Reynolds steps on Kassidy to keep him down before adding a suplex for two. Kassidy with a knee to the gut, then kicks Reynolds to stop a back body drop. Reynolds trips Kassidy into the middle rope and gets the Roman Reigns kick. He goes up top and gets the cross-body for two. (Something’s weird about Schiavone’s mic; it’s messing with his voice).

Reynolds with a corner uppercut and he tries to go up-and-over, but Kassidy drapes him on the top rope and shoves him outside, where Hardy runs him into the apron and Quen steps over him. Reynolds is tossed into the guardrail, and when he returns, Kassidy stomps away. Kassidy with the Eddie Guerrero senton atomico for two. He works over Reynolds in the corner, but Reynolds fights back with forearms. Kassidy stops him with a sledge to the back, but runs into a boot. Blind charge by Kassidy misses, but Kassidy cathes Reynolds with a boot charging in and sends him out of the ring.

He suplexes Reynolds onto the guardrail, but the Dark Order slows the count so Reynolds can get back to ringside. Reynolds rolls in at 8, so Kassidy covers for one, with Reynolds flipping him over for two. Kassidy goes for a surfboard, but Reynolds backs him into the corner. Kassidy recovers to toss Reynolds into the corner, but he charges into an elbow and Reynolds fights back. Lariat by Reynolds, and he catches Kassidy in the corner with a running elbow before adding a flying uppercut and dropkick.

Kip up doesn’t work due to the back, but Reynolds recovers with a right cross and suplex for two. Reynolds can’t lift up Kassidy on his back, so Kassidy elbows out and gets an enzuigiri and Sling Blade for two. Kassidy goes up top, but the Hardy legdrop misses. Reynolds tries an O’Connor Roll for two, but Hardy trips Reynolds, and Kassidy gets a small package for two. Pump kick by Kassidy and he removes his belt as everyone argues on the outside, but Reynolds catches Kassidy coming in with a cradle for the pin at 8:17. The HFO beat up everyone after the match, trying to re-injure Silver and Reynolds, as Hardy gets the Leech on Reynolds while Silver is forced to watch. (Colt was sent into the crowd by Hardy and Quen before this started.) Hardy then taunts Silver before the HFO leave. These two were not even in the same library, let alone the same page. *1/2

Moxley/Nagata preview. Death Rider! Blue Justice! It’s on!

MAIN EVENT: Danny Limelight (3-5) vs. Jon Moxley (32-2-1, #3 men, IWGP US Champion). Not that there was any doubt, but this is non-title. We have a bunch of time before the two-hour mark, so this one ought to be real good. Moxley of course enters through the crowd entrance, as Limelight wisely bows out of the ring to wait for the bell.

Lockup, and Moxley gets a hammerlock. Limelight reverses into a headlock, but Moxley steps him down to get one of his own. Limelight escapes to wrist control and a chickenwing, then cradles Moxley for one. Moxley with a single-leg trip as a receipt, and he lets Limelight get up. Limelight gets a wristlock out of the lockup and tries to power Moxley down, but Moxley is much bigger and throws him into the ropes. Limelight with a floatover armdrag and dropkick and he dances. Moxley isn’t sure what to make of that.

Round 3 lockup, and Moxley with a snapmare and soccer kick before he dances back at Limelight. Suplex by Moxley follows, getting one, and Moxley gets an armbar. He does some SMALL JOINT MANIPULATION on Limelight before floating over to a leglace and hooking the nostrils. Moxley with a Yes Kick to Limelight and he begs Limelight to get up before kicking him down again. A third Yes Kick follows as Moxley taunts Limelight, but #4 is caught and Limelight gets to his feet to slug him down. Moxley returns fire, winning the slugfest, then getting a forearm shiver and Steinerline. Moxley puts Limelight up top, raking the back, but Limelight holds his own and takes Moxley down.

He walks the middle rope to escape Moxley and lands the double jump Meteora for a double-down. Limelight ducks a lariat and gets a pump kick to stagger Moxley. Moxley fires back and we slug it out, with Moxley having a big advantage. He staggers Limelight, but the big boot misses and Limelight knots the hamstring before getting a rising knee strike. Moxley is sent out, and Limelight follows with a twisting Fosbury flop!

Back in, Limelight lands on his feet on a German attempt and gets an enzuigiri. Up top, and the Buff Blockbuster gets two. Moxley with a sleeper out of nowhere, but Limelight escapes only to charge into an uppercut. Moxley goes up, but Limelight leaps up with a knee to the chin before following up. This time Moxley bites the nose to stop him, and a Paradigm Shift off the ropes ends this at 7:24. Moxley was never not winning, but he made Limelight look like he had a future. That’s what you have to do as the bigger star in a semi-competitive match. **1/2

DYNAMITE!

• SCU vs. Young Bucks!
• Yuji Nagata vs. Jon Moxley!
• Miro vs. Darby Allin!
• THREE TITLES!

A couple of big-name matches didn’t deliver, but again, we’re in and out in two hours. I was thrilled with how much Limelight got against Moxley even in a foregone conclusion match like that. And the Chaos Project is two wily veterans looking different and doing different offense, which when put against good sellers like Stunt make for a fun experience. Throw in an incredible Kingston promo, and there’s things to see on this show.

STATS

BELL-TO-BELL: 62:31 over fourteen matches (average time 4:28)

MATCH OF THE NIGHT: Chaos Project vs Jurassic Express

FIVE STARS:

1. Danny Limelight
2. Eddie Kingston
3. Serpentico
4. Marko Stunt
5. Jon Moxley

See you tomorrow for more!