AEW Revolution
#AEWRevolution
Original Air Date: March 7, 2021
Event Date: March 7, 2021
(aired live on PPV)
City: Jacksonville, FL
Venue: Daily’s Place
Commentary: Excalibur, Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Taz (7), Don Callis (8)
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
<< Read the Recap & Review for the AEW Revolution Buy In! <<
Match 1
AEW World Tag Team Title Match
MJF & “The Demo God” “Le Champion” Chris Jericho w/ Wardlow vs The Young Bucks (AEW Tag Champs)
(referee: Aubrey Edwards)
Result: Matt Jackson pins Chris Jericho after the Meltzer Driver, and the Young Bucks retain the titles in the third defense of their first reign
Time: 17:49
Match Thoughts
Great match. The Young Bucks, still angry after the Inner Circle’s attack on their father, started the match with a bit of brawling. Jericho and MJF absorbed a lot of punches to the head before the match started to settle down and resemble more of a wrestling match. Both teams did what they do best. The Young Bucks had lots of high-speed and high-risk offense, while Jericho and MJF cheated and hit high-impact moves. Wardlow was a factor throughout the match, but more so as a distraction than by doing any real damage directly to Nick or Matt. I began to enjoy the match more and more as it went on, and by the final few minutes the two teams were setting up some nicely tense false finishes. I’m happy with how this went, and the many believable teases for it going the other way made the finish all the more satisfying.
Match 2
Casino Tag Team Royale
(outside referees: Aubrey Edwards, Rick Knox, Paul Turner, Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Rey Phoenix is the lone survivor, Death Triangle win and will challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Titles
Time: 26:48
| Entry Order | Wrestler | Time in Ring | Elimination Order | Eliminated By | Total Eliminations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dustin Rhodes | 14:59 | 16 | The Butcher, The Blade, Luchasaurus, The Bunny | 0 |
| 2 | QT Marshall | 10:24 | 7 | himself | 4 |
| 3 | Dark Order's 5 (Alan Angels) | 2:39 | 1 | QT Marshall | 0 |
| 4 | Dark Order's 10 (Preston Vance) | 14:06 | 15 | The Blade, Jack Evans | 0 |
| 5 | Santana | 11:48 | 12 | Jungle Boy | 2 |
| 6 | Ortiz | 11:10 | 9 | Jungle Boy | 1 |
| 7 | Mike Sydal | 2:01 | 2 | Santana, Ortiz | 0 |
| 8 | Matt Sydal | 3:38 | 3 | Santana | 0 |
| 9 | Stu Grayson | 7:00 | 8 | Bear Bronson, Bear Boulder | 0 |
| 10 | Evil Uno | 9:00 | 13 | Marko Stunt | 0 |
| 11 | Austin Gunn | 3:54 | 6 | QT Marshall | 1 |
| 12 | Colten Gunn | 3:51 | 5 | QT Marshall | 0 |
| 13 | Cezar Bononi | 5:23 | 10 | Luchasaurus | 0 |
| 14 | Peter Avalon | 1:59 | 4 | Austin Gunn | 0 |
| 15 | Brian Pillman Jr. | 4:52 | 14 | The Butcher | 0 |
| 16 | Griff Garrison | 4:03 | 11 | Luchasaurus | 0 |
| 17 | Bear Bronson | 7:01 | 18 | The Butcher | 2 |
| 18 | Bear Boulder | 6:57 | 19 | The Butcher | 2 |
| 19 | Jungle Boy | 14:30 | 29 | Rey Fenix | 4 |
| 20 | Luchasaurus | 5:22 | 17 | Bear Bronson, Bear Boulder | 3 |
| 21 | The Butcher | 6:59 | 23 | Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian | 4 |
| 22 | The Blade | 4:42 | 21 | Rey Fenix | 2 |
| 23 | Marq Quen | 3:09 | 20 | Pac | 0 |
| 24 | Isiah Kassidy | 5:13 | 22 | Alex Reynolds, John Silver | 0 |
| 25 | Frankie Kazarian | 5:34 | 26 | Pac | 1 |
| 26 | Christopher Daniels | 4:46 | 24 | Rey Fenix | 1 |
| 27 | Rey Fenix | 8:28 | WINNER | 4 | |
| 28 | Pac | 6:52 | 28 | Jungle Boy | 2 |
| 29 | John Silver | 4:42 | 27 | Rey Fenix | 1 |
| 30 | Alex Reynolds | 2:06 | 25 | Jungle Boy | 1 |
| Entry Order | Team | Time in Ring | Elimination Order | Total Individuals Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Nightmares | 14:59 | 8 | 4 |
| 2 | Dark Order's 5 & 10 | 14:06 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 | Santana & Ortiz | 11:48 | 4 | 2 |
| 4 | Matt & Mike Sydal | 3:45 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Evil Uno & Stu Grayson | 9:02 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Gunn Club | 3:54 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | Peter Avalon & Cezar Bononi | 5:23 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | Varsity Blonds | 4:52 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | Bear Country | 7:01 | 9 | 2 |
| 10 | Jurassic Express | 14:30 | 14 | 7 |
| 11 | The Butcher & The Blade | 6:59 | 11 | 5 |
| 12 | Private Party | 5:15 | 10 | 0 |
| 13 | SCU | 5:34 | 12 | 1 |
| 14 | Death Triangle (Rey Fenix & Pac) | 8:28 | WINNER | 6 |
| 15 | Alex Reynold & John Silver | 4:42 | 13 | 1 |
Match Thoughts
Very good match with a great ending. There were relatively few eliminations early in the match, so the ring got packed fairly quickly. There were some nice story moments here and there, and every time had at least a few moments to shine. After Jurassic Express entered the match, the eliminations started to happen a lot more frequently, and when it got down to seven men (representing four teams) left, the tension and the excitement was heightened. I was fine with any of those final teams winning, so for me, the enjoyment came from the action itself rather than pulling for one team to win. The final to men put on a fantastic display, and whatever the outcome of the tag title match the winner gets, I hope to see a lot more action from the two teams represented in the final minutes of this match.
Backstage
Dasha asks Paul Wight if he can give any hints about who has been signed, but his hint is pretty vague.
Ring Area
Diamond Dallas Page and Paul Walter Houser are in the crowd, as is Al Snow.
Video
A look at the title match between Ryo Mizunami and Hikaru Shida.
Match 3
AEW Women’s World Title Match
Ryo Mizunami vs Hikaru Shida (AEW Women’s Champ)
(referee: Paul Turner)
Result: Hikaru Shida wins via pinfall after a spinning knee strike and retains the title in the seventh defense of her first reign
Time: 15:10
Match Thoughts
Great match! It started with both women (mostly Mizunami) having some fun, but as Excalibur said, it showed the lack of respect Mizunami has for Shida in the ring. Shida pushed the attack, and that forced Mizunami to get serious. At a certain point this turned into a strong-style affair with both women trading heavy strikes, head-butts, and slams. The action was fairly even, but Shida was piling up strikes that crumpled Mizunami multiple times. Mizunami wouldn’t stay down, and neither would Shida, so it came down to a race to see who could get a knockout blow. This was another very strong title match involving Hikaru Shida, and it was a nice way to pay off the Eliminator Tournament. Lots of drama and great action.
Ring Area
After the match, Nyla Rose runs out with Vickie Guerrero and attacks both Shida and Mizunami. Britt Baker, Maki Itoh, and Rebel come out to join Nyla Rose. After a gang beating, Thunder Rosa runs out, scattering Rose, Itoh, Baker, Rebel, and Guerrero.
Backstage
Alex Marvez welcomes Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy, but Taylor and Cassidy are attacked by Miro and Kip Sabian. Miro runs Chuck head first into a window on a door, shattering the glass. Miro than drags Chuck away and tells the production crew to play his music.
Match 4
Chuck Taylor & Orange Cassidy vs Miro & Kip Sabian w/ Penelope Ford
(referee: Bryce Remsburg)
Result: Miro submits Chuck Taylor with Game Over
Time: 7:54
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Chuck Taylor was in a bad way before the match, and Orange Cassidy was still backstage, but Taylor told the referee to start the match. Taylor was essentially in a handicap match for a while, but Orange Cassidy eventually made his way to the ring and into the match. Miro and Sabian still had a distinct advantage, but Taylor and Cassidy were able to hit some high-impact moves to keep some tension in the proceedings. Miro was focused though, and he was difficult to handle for everyone involved. There was a shove from Miro that ended up knocking Penelope Ford hard to the floor, and the commotion around that led into an interesting, though not unexpected, finish.
Backstage
Alex Marvez asks Jericho and MJF (with Santana and Ortiz) what is next for the Inner Circle. Jericho says they lost tonight, but they will regroup and keep fighting. Wednesday on Dynamite will be the Inner Circle War Council where they will reveal what changes need to be made going forward. MJF agrees that the Inner Circle needs a change.
Match 5
Big Money Match
Matt Hardy vs “Hangman” Adam Page
(referee: Rick Knox)
Result: Adam Page wins via pinfall after the Buckshot Lariat
Time: 15:00
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This was a fun, straightforward match from two great wrestlers. Matt Hardy had a clear strategy and executed it well. Hardy attacked Page’s right hand in an attempt to minimize his striking ability and the Buckshot Lariat. Hardy got dirty in his attacks, using the ring, ring steps, and even his teeth to try to destroy Page’s hand. Page had to rely on things besides strikes for a while, but at times he would just puch through the pain and use his hurting hand anyway. Private Party showed up late in the match as Hardy continued to have trouble putting Page away, but that brought out Dark Order to eliminate Private Party. That allowed Hardy and Page to settle things (mostly) one on one, and it led to a satisfying finish.
Ring Area
After the match, Dark Order celebrates with Adam Page. Dark Order hugs Page from behind, and he kind of pushes them off. After a second to think about it though, Page calls for a group hug. Everyone hugs, and Colt Cabana brings out a couple of beers for Page. Now Adam Page is rich in money and in friends.
Video
A look at the Face of the Revolution Ladder Match.
Match 6
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match
“Platinum” Max Caster vs “Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer w/ Jake Roberts vs Scorpio Sky vs Penta El Zero Miedo vs “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes w/ Arn Anderson vs “All Ego” Ethan Page
(outside referees: Aubrey Edwards, Bryce Remsburg, Paul Turner, Rick Knox)
Result: Scorpio Sky wins
Time: 23:17
Match Thoughts
Very good match. It felt like the match took a little while to get going, but once the action started to pick up, I really enjoyed it. About the first third of the match seemed like they were just kind of moving from spot to spot with a lot of time in between. You could see the wrestlers working their way into specific situations, and it didn’t feel completely natural to me. At a certain point though, the pace picked up considerably and everyone started to interact a lot more. Everyone looked good tonight, giving and taking some huge and painful moves, and the second half of the match was great. I really wasn’t sure who was going to win, but in my view it came down to Scorpio Sky, Penta El Zero Miedo, and Lance Archer. They seemed to have the best chances towards the end, but the match was still wide open up until the final few seconds.
Ring Area
A podium is set up on the stage, and the man Paul Wight was alluding to earlier comes out. That man is Christian Cage! Christian signs his AEW contract without saying a word.
Match 7
Street Fight (cinematic)
Ricky Starks & Brian Cage (FTW Champ) vs Darby Allin (TNT Champ) & Sting
(referee: Frank Gastineau; outside referee: Mike Posey)
Result: Sting pins Ricky Starks after the Scorpion Death Drop
Time: 13:53
Match Thoughts
I’m not the biggest fan of cinematic matches, but this was pretty great. The match took place at an “undisclosed location” which was a rundown multi-level warehouse. There was a ring set up on the first floor, a big pit to the side of it, and all sorts of weapons and furniture set up all over the place. The mood was dark and ominous, and it felt as close to black and white as it could get without actually being shown in black and white.Sting and Darby Allin definitely dominated the mood, but the action was pretty even for a while. Sting paired up with Starks, and Allin paired up with Cage. Cage completely dominated Allin as they took a walk through the warehouse, but Sting began to dominate Starks in and around the ring.
After a while the fight became two on one as Sting joined Allin to battle Cage as Starks recovered. That was, of course, when Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook showed up. Hobbs and Hook joined Cage and the mostly recovered Starks, and Team Taz dominated. That went on for a while, but a crazy dive from Allin and some smart use of Sting’s bat caused the match to make it back into the ring with just Sting and Starks left standing. Some actual wrestling moves ended the match, and I quite enjoyed. I thought this whole thing was really well done. The biggest takeaways for me are two things that we already knew but beared repeating: Cage is a monster, and Allin is a maniac.
Video
A look at the exploding barbed wire death match.
Match 8
AEW World Title Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match
Jon Moxley vs Kenny Omega (AEW World Champ) w/ Don Callis
(referee: Bruce Remsburg)
Result: Kenny Omega wins via pinfall after the One-Winged Angel on a chair and retains the title in the second defense of his first reign
Time: 25:12
Match Thoughts
Great match! This was everything I’d hoped/expected it to be. Both men started out wrestling a very defensive and, at times, tentative match. The barbed wire was teased for a good amount of tie before it was actually used, and when it was used it looked good. Clothes were caught, cuts were opened, and it looked quite painful. Some camera angles were better than others when it came to the explosions, but they all fired when they needed to. The side of the ring facing the stage didn’t have any wire or explosions on it, so that allowed Omega and Moxley to use the stage for a bit, but most of the action took place in the ring. This was a very even fight… up until the point the Good Brothers showed up. It wasn’t a surprise, and I don’t think their presence hurt the match. This was still a brutal-looking battle. I’m glad this went well, because there’s always the chance of a spectacular failure in a match with this many gimmicks going on. Omega and Moxley pulled it off, and this was another highly memorable (and nostalgic in a lot of ways) match from AEW.
Ring Area
After the match, Omega an the Good Brothers beat up Moxley. Moxley is handcuffed and continually beaten as the commentators talk about the time bomb aspect of the ring still ticking. Omega attacks Moxley with a barbed wire bat as the time continues to tick away. As a one minute countdown clock appears on the stage, Omega and the Good Brothers decide to take their leave. As they leave, Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, The Blade, and The Bunny run out from the back. Kingston runs into the ring as the rest of his family heads backstage. Kingston tries to get Moxley to his feet so he can escape the ring, but as the clock continues to count down, Kingston decides to shield Moxley with his own body as the bombs around the ring go off. The bombs are, unfortunately, not very impressive, but the idea is that Kingston sacrificed himself to save Moxley. Kingston and Moxley are both attended to as the show goes off the air.
Show Impressions
This was a great show. I enjoyed every match, and the big matches delivered, more or less, in big ways. It’s too bad the final explosions of the night weren’t bigger, because that did take away from the big story at the end of the night. Regardless of the time bomb though, having Eddie Kingston choose to help Moxley in that way, even if he didn’t actually need the help, still gets the point across. I like the idea a lot, and I’m interested to see where it goes.
I didn’t expect Omega to lose the title yet, but I though the title match was still great. The women’s title match was also great, and the tag title match and street fight surprised me a bit in the end with how much I enjoyed them. Also, seeing Maki Itoh on PPV and finding out Christian Cage is in AEW were two other big highlights of the night for me.
Match of the Night
Jon Moxley vs Kenny Omega
If AEW tries something like this again I expect they might try to rework the placement and size of some of the explosions (especially the ones at ringside), but for a barbed with death match it was still great.