Christian Cage vs Daniel Garcia
Christian is somehow having a career level run at the age of 50. He just has such a grasp of wrestling that gets the best out of what could easily be a dumb and bad wrestling character, and while Garcia got slightly overshadowed by that he still more than played his role as the underdog. The interference bordered on excessive by the end but was pretty much all well executed and didn't require the ref to come across blind to make it work.
***1/2
Bryan Danielson vs Eddie Kingston
This was some Pro Wrestling. Just an amazing showcase by the GOAT and another guy who isn't too far behind. Danielson coming in with a laser focused strategy and taking so much of the match with some nasty looking offence only to lose it all by the end as everything unravelled around him. Every wrestling show just needs a mean and cool match like this, sensational stuff.
****1/2
The "All-Star" Scramble
This was ... not as good as the two openers. Just felt over-scripted and somehow still sloppy. Nothing to see here, but at least Wardlow looked okay
**
Roderick Strong vs Orange Cassidy
Roddy's back! And I am so happy to see it. Just a collection of some insane backbreakers while Orange showed some of his world class selling to piece the match together around it. It's a shame that Roddy has been lost as a comedy character for so long now because you start to forget he can put on some of the best heat segments in the world, and I really hope he just gets a long reign and a lot of fresh opponents to show what he can still do.
****
Blackpool Combat Club vs FTR
I was super hyped for this and for the first half it just was not landing with me, it felt like they just couldn't quite get the crowd on board. But from when Dax just opened himself up and got some fire into the match it just started rocking. BCC are still probably the best stable going now and I hope that this leads to Mox and Claudio carrying the tag belts to the promised land
***1/2
Toni Storm vs Deonna Purrazzo
bad. Toni's character is just not good and not over, and Deonna cannot get the crowd with her at all. This was boring and nobody cared apart from the brief moment when Toni teased she might me good again with the Mariah May Fake Entrance.
**
Will Ospreay vs Konosuke Takeshita
This rocked. A great showcase for Will to show off what he can do and a pretty much perfect debut in AEW for him. Though coming out of this I was actually more impressed by Takeshita. Everything about his physicality was so perfect for this, and every strike looked incredible. This dipped slightly too far into "my turn your turn" style pacing for my personal tastes, even though it made sense in the story of the match it just lost me enough to keep this from the Big Five.
****1/2
Samoa Joe vs Hangman Page vs Swerve Strickland
I think this wasn't there to be a 'great match', but more to just kind of move the Page/Swerve rivalry along and reaffirm everyone's characters. Swerve properly started his face turn (for like the third time), turning down Nana's assistance, Hangman settled in as a true heel, beating up referees and cowardly tapping to stop Swerve winning. And Joe is just the coolest man and did well putting himself above this story and keeping the belt feeling important. I'm so happy to see that man getting his flowers at the end of such a great career.
***1/2
STING/Darby Allin vs The Young Bucks
This was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Insanely perfect. An easy Match of the Year and the greatest retirement match ever. There's not even much I can add to this, just go watch it. It was a wonderful and joyous 20 minutes with Sting turning everything up to 11 one last time to go out as the legend he is. I also just want to praise the Bucks, they feel forgotten in the wider story (because of course) but I don't think any other team (maybe ever?) could have delivered better in that spot. They were the perfect stooging heels to take all the bumps and stitch everything together, while also not losing any of their own heat.
Also Darby took what might actually be the dumbest bump ever on a PPV and I adore him for it. What a man.
*****