AEW Battle of the Belts 2 Results – April 16, 2022
Once again coming to you from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas on a special Saturday night! In what I consider AEW’s equivalent to the NWA Clash of the Champions, we’ve got Battle of the Belts 2 with three title matches. Once again, we’ve only got sixty minutes so we’re getting right to the action!
Match #1. TNT Title: Scorpio Sky(c) w/ Dan Lambert vs. Sammy Guevara w/ Tay Conti
Scorpio Sky hasn’t lost in over 400 days and the crowd is kind of split for Sammy. I take that back; the crowd is now booing Sammy. Sammy starts hot but Scorpio hits a big double leg and delivers some ground and pound. Back suplex by Sammy in the middle as the crowd hits them with “Let’s Go Sammy/Sammy Sucks” dueling chants. Sky looks for a TKO but Sammy wiggles out and they’re exchanging some more chops in the middle. Leap frog, back flip, diving dropkick combination by Sammy. Both men roll to the outside and Sky drops Sammy throat first on the guard rail and lands a big body slam on the outside. Sky throws Sammy into the steel steps but Sammy moonsaults off and catches Scorpio clean. Both men are on the apron now as Scorpio picks Sammy up and lands a TKO that LOOKS LIKE Sammy should have wound up on the ring with his throat over the rope, but somehow, they both land on the apron and that looked like it hurt. Sky locks in a Thai clinch and delivers some knees and body strikes to Sammy in the corner. Love the nuance of Sky incorporating some more MMA into his arsenal under the tutelage of Dan Lambert. BIG back breaker by Sky. And another. “One more time” pleads the crowd. Sky obliges. Sky looks for a fourth but Sammy hits an enziguiri and both men are down. Clotheslines from Sammy and a standing Spanish Fly get a two count. Leaping mule kick off the top rope by Sammy, and he’s looking for the 630! Ethan Page is here but so is Tay Conti! Sammy with a Shooting Star Press to the outside! Back on the inside, double jump cutter by Sammy! One, two, no! Sammy is looking for a roll up on the inside but Sky is holding the ropes, but Tay Conti rips Sky’s hands off the ropes! Roll up gets a two count! Dan Lambert is signaling to the back… here comes Paige VanZant! Paige and Conti brawl on the entrance way! Low blow by Sammy… GTH! One, two, three!
Winner and NEW TNT Champion: Sammy Guevara
Rating: ***. AEW saw the writing on the wall and turned Sammy heel ASAP. I don’t like Scorpio Sky losing, but kudos to them for reading the room. Does this make Dan Lambert and crew the good guys? He hasn’t lied yet, I’m just saying.
Guevara and Conti make out with a lot of tongue on the entrance ramp.
Match #2. Ring of Honor World Championship: Jonathan Gresham (c) vs. Dalton Castle w/ The Boys
The Boys are here! Wild to see Dalton Castle on AEW TV but it’s great. Bobby Cruise is also here and I’m loving this. JONATHAN GRESHAM. THE OCTOPUS. YOU LOVE TO SEE IT. Code of Honor is adhered to, and we’re off! Arm ringer by Castle to start but Gresham rolls through and hits a headlock takeover. Dalton takes a powder and the boys are here to fan him off. Castle rolls back in and hits a low single leg followed by a gut wrench suplex. Leap frog, drop down, step up hurricanrana by Gresham. Gresham feigns a right hand and then kicks Castle in the shins. Arm ringer by Gresham as Castle rolls through and grabs a waist lost. Gresham ducks under and locks in a kimura with a wrist lock. Gresham shoots for a low ankle pick and traps both Castle’s arms behind his back with his legs as we head to a commercial break. Back from commercial and Castle is on the outside as Gresham comes to the outside, but Castle hits a rebound hurricanrana on the bottom rope. Both men trade about twenty missed elbows in the corner but Castle gets the upper hand and hits a side salto throw. And another. Deadlift overhead toss by Castle gets a two count. Gresham looks for a sunset flip but Castle teases the Bang-A-Rang but Gresham rolls through. Both men trade rolling cradles, roughly eight of them. Back up, Gresham hits an enziguiri but Castle responds with a lariat. Gresham pops up and stomps on Castle’s foot, and jumps in to an octopus hold! Castle is trying to fight it off but ultimately falls to the ground as Gresham syncs it in even tighter! Castle is forced to tap!
Winner and STILL Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion: Jonathan Gresham
Rating: **3/4. Good win here for Gresham, but I can’t help but feel like these two didn’t click on the level I think we were all expecting. Castle was an interesting choice for Gresham’s introduction to the AEW fan base, but I’m glad to see they’re taking Ring of Honor seriously.
Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal, and Sonjay Dutt are here! Satnam choke slams both Boys on the outside! Castle flies over the top rope and Satnam catches him, and then tosses him into the steps. In the ring, Singh distracts Gresham and Lethal hits the Lethal Injection. Lee Moriarty is here but he gets disposes of. Matt Sydal is here and hits Singh with his crutch, to no avail. Singh breaks the crutch in half. DUN DUN DUN. Here’s Samoa Joe! Lethal and Dutt don’t let Singh get to Joe. Joe’s got a pipe and he’s looking for vengeance. Joe and Gresham stand tall and cheers their respective title belts.
Match #3. AEW Women’s World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Nyla Rose
Nyla attacks early and throws Rosa to the outside. Big chops to Rosa who pleads for help from the fans in the front row. Rosa grabs a headlock, walks up the ring post, and hits a variation of the Acid Drop! Rosa is back in control and pounding on Nyla. Sliding lariat by Rosa but a one count. Nyla fights up and delivers some body shots to Rosa in the corner. Nyla runs at Rosa who pulls down the top rope and dumps Nyla to the outside. Rosa with a running attack but Nyla catches her and powerbombs her on the apron! Nyla isn’t done as she throws Rosa into the steps on the outside. Back inside the ring and Rosa runs at Nyla who grabs her and hits some sort of shoulder breaker? That did not look great. Rosa hits the ropes and hits a head scissors into a Russian leg sweep for a two count. Nyla catches Rosa in mid-air and hits a running Death Valley Driver for another two count. Single leg Boston Crab by Nyla, but she gives up on it early to deliver some strikes. Rosa fights back with a few big clotheslines followed by a dropkick and a Stone Cold Stunner! Rosa finally on her feet and hits a running lariat in the corner followed by the double knees off the top to a seated Nyla. Running dropkick to Nyla who was seated in the corner. Nyla is resting on the bottom rope but Rosa hits another dropkick. Nyla retreats to the outside and Rosa follows with a baseball slide. Thunder Rosa up to the top rope… tornillo to the outside! Back on the inside, Rosa attempts a cross body but gets caught by Nyla. Nyla drapes Rosa on the top rope and Nyla is going up top! Guillotine knee drop from Nyla misses! Rosa up top, Nyla catches her again! Beast bomb attempt… Rosa counters with a Code Red! One, two, no! Nyla fights back up and hits a pair of short arm clotheslines for a two count. Choke slam by Nyla and she’s going up to the middle rope. Miscommunication here as Nyla misses the senton but lands on her feet? Jackhammer by Nyla gets a long two count. Rosa’s head is exposed on the apron and Nyla misses a leg drop. Rosa looks for a cradle but gets two. Rosa runs at Nyla but Nyla catches her with a power slam. Nyla picks up Rosa, Rosa rolls through with a hurricanrana and traps the leg… she get’s the three count!
Winner and STILL AEW Women’s World Champion: Thunder Rosa
Rating: **1/2. Similar to the Gresham and Castle match, I think I went into this match expecting a bit more. This match had its moments, but overall, it felt a little clumsy and like we were lacking any real urgency. That being said, a win over Nyla Rose is great for Thunder Rosa.
Credit: WrestlingHeadlines.com
