AEW Fight For The Fallen Night 1 Review – August 16, 2023
International Title Match
Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Wheeler Yuta
Wheeler Yuta dodges an Orange Punch right away as he & Orange Cassidy quickly go to take each other down with headlock takeovers and arm drags. Cassidy teases putting his hands in his pocket but they go right into a chop and forearm exchange.
Cassidy then gets sent to the outside where Yuta meets him with a dive but Cassidy comes right back with a suplex on the outside as they continue fighting up as Yuta hits a piledriver to Cassidy on the ramp.
They eventually make it back inside where Orange hits Beach Break for a two count before they go to picture in picture.
After the break Yuta is working on Cassidy’s injured hand but Cassidy sends Yuta to the outside and hits him with a dive & goes to the top rope but gets stop by Yuta with a kick and a superplex and a diving splash for a two count.
They run the ropes until Orange’s knee gives out but he’s able to hit a Michinoku Driver for a two count followed by a Pele Kick and a spinning DDT then we see Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley appear from the crowd as Cassidy tosses his elbow pad in their direction and hits the Paradigm Shift on Yuta while looking at Moxley followed by the Orange Punch.
Cassidy’s fist bothers him so Yuta tries the Seat Belt but Orange kicks out then a bit more back & forth until Cassidy hooks on the pin for the win.
Winner & Still International Champion: Orange Cassidy (11:49) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 6
After the match Castagnoli & Moxley run in and join in on a beat down to Orange with Yuta, but Best Friends run out to fight off the Blackpool Combat Club as BCC take control the Lucha Bros make their way to the ring as well and take out Castagnoli & Yuta as Moxley escapes. Eddie Kingston makes his return and runs down and takes out Castagnoli as everybody starts fighting until the BCC escapes through the crowd. Kingston gets on the mic and challenges Blackpool Combat Club and whoever they can find against them in a Stadium Stampede match at All In.
We got to a sit down from yesterday between Jim Ross & Kenny Omega as Omega talks about having a weird childhood around Don Callis with Callis handing him vials of things that he didn’t even know the words of as Callis told him to take vitamins. Omega says he wants to move on and not get Callis to be in his head. Ross brings up Konosuke Takeshita replacing him as they show footage from DDT with Omega talking about his history with Takeshita. Omega says he has the power to giveth and take it away and the new cash cow he will take away. Callis walks in and says they might need a 3 hour special because of Omega’s insecurities & as Omega gets up he gets attack from behind by Bullet Club Gold & Konosuke Takeshita.
We then go to a pre tape from Hangman Page outside of the hospital that Omega was sent to as Page says Omega will have himself and Ibushi against Bullet Club Gold & Takeshita in a Trios match at All In. Someone walks in and tells Page he can’t be drinking a beer at a hospital so Page chugs it down and hands the guy the can.
Don Callis is in the ring and introduces Chris Jericho to join him. Callis talks about being betrayed by Kenny Omega and feels for Jericho after what the Jericho Appreciation Society did to him. Jericho said it broke his heart when they all walked out on him and it made him realize that maybe he should reevaluate who he is as a person and maybe change his way. Jericho says Chris Jericho doesn’t join factions Jericho creates them and after what happened last week it’s obvious what the answer is and says yes as the crowd boos. Jericho talks about getting more selfish back to his roots and aligning himself with someone just as low as someone like Callis as they hug each other. Callis talks about them going to celebrate now but Jericho asks what the covered painting is. Callis brushes it off and says they have to go but Jericho insists on seeing it.
As he reveals it it shows Callis holding the head of Jericho. Callis says it’s a rib, as Jericho asks if he was going to have him beheaded for saying no. Callis says he paid a lot of money to get a picture of him, Jericho & Bad News Allen but the painter screwed up. Jericho says he knows when Callis is lying and calls him a scumbag low life and tells him for the 1st time in his life to tell him the truth. Callis admits Jericho would say no because of his massive ego and calls him a narcissistic egomaniac and he doesn’t deserve to be part of the Don Callis Family. Jericho asks who the hell is Don Callis and says three years ago he wasn’t even in the business and nobody cared. Because of him, Callis is in AEW but still nobody cares. Jericho calls Callis a piece of trash a low life asshole but Callis smacks Jericho in the face. Jericho corners Callis as Konosuke Takeshita runs out to try and take out Takeshita. Jericho has the upper hand until Will Ospreay runs out and takes out Jericho. Ospreay takes a chair and takes out Jericho with it as Callis calls Jericho a piece of garbage. Sammy Guevara runs out and stops them from continuing the attack on Jericho.
We get a video from Jack Perry saying that next week he is going to retire the FTW Title next week.
Tag Team Match
Gates Of Agony (Toa Liona & Kaun) vs. Darby Allin & Nick Wayne
Darby Allin & Nick Wayne are making their way out, they get attacked from behind by Gates Of Agony & as soon as the bell rings Swerve Strickland & AR Fox make their way out then hey continue to fight in and out of the ring before going picture in picture.
After the break Gates Of Agony are in control of Allin but Wayne is able to break up the pin attempt. Allin & Wayne dodge them in the corners before Wayne takes Toa Liona to the outside with a hurricanrana. Wayne hits a moonsault to Liona on the outside as Darby hits the Coffin Drop on Kaun to get the win.
Winners: Darby Allin & Nick Wayne (6:27)
Rate: 5
After the match we see Sting on the tron and talks about how he is directing movies now and says he has a great leading man before saying this is for AR Fox and he better have eyes on the back of his head because they have a Coffin Drop in 9 days at Wembley Stadium for All In. We cut to Prince Nana who’s sitting next to Sting who says it’s actually 11 days away as Sting says it’s Showtime and screams scaring Nana away and sings the na na na na goodbye song’ saying he needs Nana to come back as he needs someone to talk to.
We see AEW World Champion MJF telling Adam Cole that they need to get in their enemy’s minds as they are at an Outback Steakhouse. We see a montage of them ordering food as after MJF says that’s the best food they ever had in their lives but Cole slaps MJF as he’s screaming about the bloomin’ onion. Cole says they have movies to prepare and shows a DVD of Crocodile Dundee part 1 & 2. MJF starts showing Cole a video of kangaroos fighting and says that’s how they can beat Aussie Open and starts doing a kangaroo kick. Cole says that’s a dumb idea they then start hunting blown up crocodiles as someone is screaming about them being there. Cole & MJF double clothesline the guy as Tony Khan starts yelling at them in his office but MJF says Khan will start regretting that in 2024. Khan pops out of his office and asks what MJF says and MJF says everything is okay.
We see a red Ferrari pull up as Cole & MJF get out of it. MJF tells Cole he has to take a dump as Roderick Strong comes in a bit too late yelling for Cole and kicks the tire of the Ferrari hurting himself as The Kingdom console him.
After the break Adam Cole & MJF make their way to the ring. Cole says if you have a ticket for All In to make sure you are in your seats by 5pm as he and MJF will become your new ROH World Tag Team Champions on the Pre Show as MJF says they will do it with a Kangaroo Kick and get the crowd to chant it. Cole says he was going to say double clothesline and brings up that not being the only match as they are wrestling in the main event for the AEW World Title. Cole talks about him being told he could never wrestle again to being in the main event challenging for the most precious prize in their sport and he’s doing it with one of his best friends. Cole talks about breaking records in his championship runs but winning the match with MJF will solidify himself and says he needs to win this match for himself and he will anything and everything to win the AEW World Title.
MJF says that was a great story but too bad his story and asks Nashville who’s ready for story time with MJF and says when he first got into this sport on his 1st day at CAP Academy he was handed a sheet of paper to write down his dream opponents and he wrote Cody Rhodes & Adam Cole. MJF talks about putting 90,000 miles on his truck trying to make a name for himself on the independent circuit but in 2018 a little birdie told him about a show in Chicago run by The Elite and that show was called All In. MJF says he sent a DM to Cody Rhodes about giving him an opportunity and promising he wouldn’t disappoint & as the show got closer and closer, he got a response from Cody & said kid you’re All In and that was the biggest night and opportunity in his career and got to open a Pay Per View he had no right to. Even though he lost he got offered a contract by Tony Khan for All Elite Wrestling and if there’s no All In there is no MJF and that’s a fact. Fast forward to 2023 where he became a generation talent and one of the best to have ever done it as the AEW World Champion. And once again, he will be on All In against someone who went from his dream opponent to his best friend and this means so much to him. MJF says only one thing means everything to him and holds up his AEW World Title and talks about all the sacrifices he made to obtain it. He says he loves Cole but a win in Wembley will make him legendary and he will win because no one is on the level of the Devil as he holds the AEW World Title up.
Cole says May the best man win as MJF says his catchphrase before Cole does his. As they are giving each other props Aussie Open shows up from behind them and starts attacking them but MJF & Cole get the upper hand but fail to hit the Double Clothesline on Aussie Open as they left the ring & as MJF is holding his AEW World Title up Cole teases a superkick but doesn’t do it as MJF turns they end up hugging it out.
We go backstage as Renee Paquette is with Chris Jericho as he is getting treated. Jericho tells Will Ospreay if he wanted a match he didn’t have to attack him. Jericho says Ospreay had the match guaranteed in 2021 but now a pandemic won’t stop him and if he wants a piece of Chris Jericho they can have a match at All In and he will make Ospreay bleed and drinks his blood at Wembley and he will get inside his head and embarrass him in front of his family and countrymen and he is coming for Ospreay.
Texas Chainsaw Masscare Death Match
Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy quickly heads to the back where he gets attacked by Jeff Jarrett then Satnam Singh shows up and starts attacking Jeff before Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy & Ethan Page show up to take out Singh and attack Jarrett. Matt pours fake blood all over The Jarretts before they get rid of Singh. Jarrett starts escaping before they head to picture in picture.
After the break Jeff Hardy jumps off the equipment onto Jarrett and everybody else before Jay Lethal & Sonjay Dutt have joined in the battle then everybody starts making their way down the ringside as smoke is starting to come out from under the ring. The Hardys, Kassidy & Page all start ganging up on Jarrett inside the ring as they set up a table and put Jarrett on it.
Jeff Hardy heads to the top rope and hits a Swanton to Jarrett through the table then goes for the cover but Lethal breaks up the pin. Kassidy runs in but Lethal takes him out. Page takes down Lethal but Sonjay Dutt stops an Ego’s Edge attempt.
Matt Hardy goes after Dutt but Karen hits him with a low blow. Jarrett tries to hit Jeff Hardy with a guitar but he takes it away and hits Jarrett with it instead. We start hearing chainsaw noises as we see Leatherface come down to the ring and chase Karen to the back.
Back inside Singh goes after Jeff but as Hardy fights back Lethal hits him in the back of the head with a hammer. Singh follows with a chokeslam as they put Jarrett on top of him for the win.
Winner: Jeff Jarrett (10:04)
Rate: 2
Semi Final Match Of The Women’s Title Tournament
The Bunny vs. Britt Baker
The Bunny goes right after Britt Baker by taking her down with a knee lift but Baker comes right back with a neckbreaker. Penelope Ford distracts Baker on the apron as The Bunny takes down Baker with a clothesline. Baker blocks Down The Rabbit Hole before Bunny puts on head scissors on Baker while on the ropes before they go to picture in picture.
After the break Baker is in control hitting a double under hook suplex for a two count then Baker tries to set up for Lockjaw but Ford takes away her glove as The Bunny tries to take control. Baker takes her down with a kick and a Curb Stomp to put The Bunny away.
Winner: Britt Baker (7:31) (She joins Hikaru Shida, Saraya & Toni Storm in the Finals)
Rate: 5
Tag Team Match
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) vs. 2 Local Jobbers
As The Acclaimed are in the ring the lights go out and when they come back on we see Trios Champions House Of Black is in the ring instead of The Acclaimed’s opponents and they attack The Acclaimed. Brody King wraps a chain around his fist and takes out Max Caster followed by Dante’s Inferno on Anthony Bowens. We see Caster is bloody as Buddy Matthews takes him out with a stomp. Julia Hart takes Billy Gunn’s boots and hands them to Malakai Black to hold up.
Winners: No One (Match Never Got Started) (0:00)
Tag Team Match
The Gunns (Austin & Coleton) vs. Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
Young Bucks attacks The Gunns from behind as they are making their entrance and start to brawl outside a bit until Colten Gunn & Nick Jackson officially start the match. Nick quickly tags out to Matt Jackson as Young Bucks hits 10 punches to The Gunns in the corners followed by a double dropkick.
The Gunns eventually take control with Colten keeping Matt Jackson in their corner with kicks. Austin Gunn tags in and goes for the pin for a two count before they go to picture in picture break.
After the break The Gunns are still in control until Matt is able to roll away and make the hot tag to Nick who comes in with a double crossbody on The Gunns. Nick takes them down again and dodges a Fameasser from Austin before taking him down with a superkick before taking out The Gunns on the outside.
Young Bucks start double teaming on Austin but Colten breaks up the BTE Trigger then both teams go at it until The Gunns hit 3:10 to Yuma on Matt then goes for the pin but Nick breaks it up with a diving stomp.
Austin hits Fameasser on Nick but Matt dodges him and hits a German suplex and tries to pin Matt with Colten’s help but Nick breaks it up so instead Matt rolls up Austin as Nick assists him to get the victory.
Winners: Young Bucks (9:40)
Rate: 6
After the match Bullet Club Gold run out and attack Young Bucks as the Bullet Club Gold tease breaking Matt Jackson’s arm with a chair until AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR’s music hits. Juice Robinson waits for them with a chair but FTR comes from behind and attacks The Gunns. FTR takes out Robinson with the Shatter Machine as Young Bucks tease superkicking Jay White but he gets saved. FTR teases attacking Young Bucks but both teams have a face off to close out Night 1.
Night 2 Card (August 18th)
Rey Fenix vs. Komander
ROH World Tag Team Titles Match
Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) (c) vs. Ethan Page & Brother Zay
Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Cruz
Tag Team Match
Women’s Champion Hikaru Shida & Skye Blue vs. The Outcasts (Ruby Soho & Toni Storm)
Night 3 (August 19th)
Darby Allin vs. Christian Cage
Diamante vs. Willow Nightingale
All In Card (August 27th)
AEW World Title Match
MJF (c) vs. Adam Cole
AEW World Tag Team Titles Match
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. Young Bucks (Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
Finals Of The Women’s Title Tournament
Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Saraya vs. Britt Baker vs. Toni Storm
Tag Team Coffin Match
Mogul Embassy (Swerve Strickland & AR Fox) vs. Darby Allin & Sting
ROH World Tag Team Titles Match
Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) (c) vs. AEW World Champion MJF & Adam Cole (Pre Show)
12 Man Tag Team Stadium Stampede Match
Best Friends (International Champion Orange Cassidy, Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor), Lucha Bros (Pentagon Jr & Rey Fenix) & Eddie Kingston vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta) & 3 TBD
Chris Jericho vs. Will Ospreay
Trios Match
The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi & Hangman Page) vs. Bullet Club Gold (Jay White & Juice Robinson) & Konosuke Takeshita
