AEW Grand Slam Night 1 Review – September 20, 2023
Winner Takes All Match
Eddie Kingston (NJPW Strong Openweight) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (ROH World)
Claudio Castagnoli goes to take down Eddie Kingston but they go right into a chop & strike exchange. They end up taking it to the outside where Kingston whips Castagnoli into the barricade and starts chopping away.
Back inside Castagnoli hits a gutwrench suplex but Kingston comes back with a slap in the face and a German suplex to send Castagnoli to the apron then they struggle a bit on the apron until Castagnoli grabs Kingston and sends him onto the ramp with a back suplex.
Castagnoli stays in control until Kingston dodges a diving headbutt but Castagnoli comes right back with an uppercut for a two count as we go to picture in picture break.
After the break Castagnoli is kicking away at Kingston as he is asking for more until Kingston ends up reversing into a backslide for a two count. Kingston stays in control by hitting an exploder and a Saito Suplex to get a two count.
Kingston starts hitting Machine Gun Chops but Castagnoli eats them up and asks for more until Kingston knocks Castagnoli out with a big hook.
They have a bit of a face off and trade words before going into another chop & strike exchange that ends when Castagnoli hits a headbutt and a short armed lariat. Castagnoli starts dropping elbows and a Ricola Bomb but Kingston reverses into a two count.
Castagnoli continues and eventually does hit Ricola Bomb as Kingston kicks out at two. Kingston comes back with 3 back 2 back Urakens and a Northern Lights Bomb but Castagnoli kicks out at two before Kingston hits another Uraken and a powerbomb to get the win.
Winner & Still NJPW Strong Openweight Champion & New ROH World Champion: Eddie Kingston (15:15) (STILL CHAMPION!!!! & NEW CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
After the match they shake hands.
We see footage from last week where The Kingdom is attending to Roderick Strong at the hospital & Matt Taven reads words of encouragement from a card as Adam Cole’s voice wakes up Strong. Cole tells Strong to open up his eyes as The Kingdom asks Cole where he’s been. Mike Bennett says it’s convenient as he shows up when they have to go and get ready for Grand Slam. Cole says he’s glad Strong is doing okay but he has to get going also and go make sure MJF is okay. Strong is upset but tells Cole to just freaking go.
Backstage Renee Paquette is with Christian Cage & TNT Champion Luchasaurus as Christian talks about being ready to move on from Darby Allin and makes a proposition for Allin to face himself & Luchasaurus in a Triple Threat match for the TNT Title on Collision but if Allin wants the TNT Title shot Sting can’t be at ringside. Cage slips calling it a Handicap match and says Allin has as much chance of winning this Saturday as the Yankees & Mets do with a championship and tells Allin to bring the boy.
Chris Jericho vs. Sammy Guevara
Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara starts this match off by trading chops before Guevara is able to dodge Jericho and knock him down with a dropkick before they do their Le Sex Gods pose.
There is a bit of back & forth until Jericho hits a double underhook into a backbreaker but springboards off the corner and misses as he crashes to the outside where Guevara meets him with a corkscrew dive.
Guevara goes to the top rope and hits a crossbody for a two count then Jericho comes back with a Codebreaker but Guevara rolls to the apron where a suplex sends them both to the outside as we go to picture in picture.
After the break Guevara hits a Spanish Fly for a two count but Jericho comes right back with a back 2 back lariats for a two of his own. Guevara comes back with his own Codebreaker for a two count before sending Jericho off the apron onto the commentary table. Guevara heads to the top rope & takes out Jericho with a moonsault and sends Jericho back inside but Jericho meets Guevara with a dropkick upon entering.
We get some sequence on the apron with Guevara trying to kick Jericho down but he follows by jumping off the top rope with a cutter for a two count then Jericho puts on Walls Of Jericho but Guevara is able to fight his way out.
They head to the top rope where Guevara hits Jericho with a cutter and rolls over for the cover but Jericho kicks out at two. Guevara tries a Lionsault but Jericho gets his knees up and hits a running bulldog before hitting the Lionsault himself for a two count.
They go back & forth before Guevara hits GTH goes to the top rope and tries the Shooting Star Press but Jericho counters with Codebreaker to get the win.
Winner: Chris Jericho (16:10)
Rate: 7
After the match they shake hands and hug but Guevara ends up kicking Jericho down low and pushing him down then Don Callis heads to the ring and aligns himself with Guevara.
We see footage from earlier today of Better Then You Bay Bay arriving at the stadium as AEW World Champion MJF says tonight he takes the chip from Samoa Joe’s shoulder and bashes his skull in. MJF says Joe is trying to take away his AEW World Title and hurt Cole but tonight he will choke him out in front of his own people and the last thing Joe will hear is an MJF chant. As MJF is about to do his catchphrase Cole gets an alarming phone call from Roderick Strong. MJF asks if Cole still has his back but Cole says this is an emergency and screams Roddy you’re not going to die dude.
Backstage Renee Paquette tries to ask Guevara if he’s aligned himself with The Don Callis Family but Callis says it’ll all be revealed on Rampage this Friday. Daniel Garcia gets in Guevara’s face but Callis holds Guevara back and says This kid is money.
International Title Match
Jon Moxley (c) vs. Rey Fenix
Rey Fenix goes right after Jon Moxley on the outside before the bell rings and takes him out with a running dive off the ramp to Moxley. Fenix starts chopping Moxley on the barricade before sending him inside the ring as the match officially starts.
They start trading pin attempts before Moxley stops a rolling Fenix with a forearm and a stomp for a two count then they end up on the outside where Moxley tosses Fenix into the crowd and pushes him off the guard rail as he is trying to run it followed by a DDT to the outside.
Fenix goes at it with Moxley with kicks before hitting a cutter for a two count then heads to the top rope and hits a Frog Splash for another two count. Moxley stops Fenix with a King Kong Lariat but Fenix kips up and sends Moxley to the outside. Fenix places Moxley on the guardrail and takes him out with a top rope leg drop as we head to picture in picture.
After the PIP break Moxley hits Gotch Style Piledriver then they are now on the top rope together before Fenix headbutts Moxley off and hits a diving foot stomp before they head outside where Moxley hits Fenix with a Curb Stomp.
Back inside, Moxley hits a stalled piledriver but Fenix kicks out at two then Fenix pushes Moxley off the top rope and hits a senton followed by Fenix Driver and gets the visual 3 count that the referee doesn’t count so Fenix hits a 2nd Fenix Driver to get the win.
Winner & New International Champion: Rey Fenix (11:35) (NEW CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 6 (I’m only rating the match before the injury spot)
We go to Samoa Joe backstage who says tonight is a night of consequences and MJF has been running his mouth but tonight he will smash MJF in front of his hometown and people and tonight it won’t be MJF’s future that gets taken away but his AEW World Title.
Excalibur says that Jon Moxley avoided any serious injury and left the ring on his own during the break.
We get a video from The Hardys, The Righteous, The Kingdom & Best Friends hyping up their #1 Contenders match on Rampage this Friday.
Women’s Title Match
Saraya (c) vs. Toni Storm
Toni Storm starts trying to back off of Saraya only to get a couple of slaps in the face before Saraya continues screaming that Storm needs her but she just smiles back and starts slapping back. Storm gets distracted by Ruby Soho on the apron as Saraya kicks Storm down and keeps screaming at her.
Saraya kicks Storm to the outside and Storm trips up Saraya on the apron right on her neck and rolls under the ring. Soho pulls Storm out & she comes out with a bunch of shoes that she uses on Soho & as the referee takes away a shoe from her Storm uses another hidden shoe to take out Saraya but only gets a two count as we head to picture in picture.
After the break Storm is raging on Saraya’s back with punches before taking off the bottom turnbuckle pad and grabbing a spray paint. Soho takes it away from Storm and tosses it to Saraya & she uses it on Storm as Soho is distracting the referee and hits Knight Cap for a two count.
Saraya starts knocking Storm into the turnbuckles but stops short of hitting her on the exposed corner. Storm then puts Saraya’s foot down kisses her and hits Storm Zero for a two. Storm sets up Saraya against the exposed turnbuckle but misses the hip attack. Saraya follows with another Knight Cap off the ropes for the win.
Winner & Still Women’s Champion: Saraya (8:30) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!)
Rate: 6
AEW World Title Match
MJF (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe starts kicking away at MJF before knocking MJF off his back who goes right to his neck. Joe stays in control and hits a kick and a senton for a two count before they go to picture in picture.
After the break MJF takes control and tries to clothesline Joe down but Joe comes back with a hard clothesline himself for two. Joe rips up MJF’s shirt which only gets MJF all riled up & he starts attacking Joe in the corner with a back rake then sends Joe into the turnbuckle ten times, and follows with 10 punches in the corner and a bite. Joe flips MJF off but he comes back with a Kangaroo Kick sending Joe to the outside.
Joe stops MJF on the apron and sends him onto it with a Death Valley Driver then Joe takes a table from under the ring sets it up against the barricade and sends MJF through it with a uranage then sends him back inside as MJF kicks out at two.
Joe takes the mat off on the floor exposing the wood and tries to powerbomb MJF on it but he bites his way off and fails to piledriver Joe onto it. Joe comes right back and hits a piledriver to MJF on the exposed floor. The medical team goes to check on MJF, but he starts tossing them off and sends MJF back inside for the pin but MJF kicks out at two.
MJF is able to counter a running Joe and hits a Liger Bomb to get a two count then they start going back & forth as Joe puts on a sleeper hold but MJF low blows Joe and grabs the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Joe puts the referee in front of him as the referee takes away the ring. Joe hits a low blow then Muscle Buster but MJF kicks out at two.
Joe puts on the Coquina Clutch as Adam Cole runs out to try and get MJF to wake up from it MJF hulks up when the referee is trying to lower his arm for the 3rd time.
They keep going at it with the referee being taken out as Cole gets on the apron to distract Joe & MJF uses a wire to choke out Joe then the referee runs back in and checks on Joe & call for the bell.
Winner & Still AEW World Champion: MJF (18:40) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!!)
Rate: 7
After the match MJF distracts the referee as Cole hides the object used to win then Joe extends his hand to MJF & he shakes it.
Grand Slam Night 2 (Sept 22nd)
Mike Santana vs. Boulder
6 Person Tag Team Match
TBS Champion Kris Statlander, FTW Champion Hook & Orange Cassidy vs. Anna Jay, Matt Menard & Angelo Parker
Tag Team Match
TNT Champion Luchasaurus & Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin & Sting
Trios Titles Match
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) & Billy Gunn (c) vs. Dark Order (Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds & John Silver)
Julia Hart vs. Skye Blue
ROH World Tag Team Titles #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way Match
The Hardys (Matt & Jeff) vs. The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Best Friends (Trent Beretta & Chuck Taylor)
ROH 6 Man Tag Team Titles Match
Mogul Embassy (Brian Cage, Toa Liona & Kaun) (c) vs. Hung Bucks (Hangman Page, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson)
Saturday’s Collision
Texas Death Match
Ricky Starks vs. Bryan Danielson
AEW World Tag Team Titles Match
FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) (c) vs. The Workhorsemen (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)
Rob Van Dam vs. TBD
Jay White vs. Andrade El Idolo
TNT Title Triple Threat Match
Luchasaurus (c) vs. Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin
