It’s Sunday night, and you know what that means …
All Elite Wrestling returns to the pay-per-view realm with their annual AEW Revolution show, which features the retirement of one of the biggest pro wrestling legends of all-time, “The Icon” Sting.
On tap for tonight’s show is Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Young Bucks for the AEW tag titles, Samoa Joe vs. Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland for the AEW title, “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Deonna Purrazzo for the AEW Women’s title, Christian Cage vs. Daniel Garcia for the TNT title, Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson for the Continental Crown title, as well as Orange Cassidy vs. Roderick Strong for the International title.
Also scheduled is Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita, FTR vs. Blackpool Combat Club, the All-Star Scramble match for a future AEW title shot, Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale, as well as the Bang-Bang Scissor Gang vs. Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, Willie Mack & Private Party.
Featured below are complete AEW Revolution results from Sunday, March 3, 2024. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 6:30pm-12:00am EST.
AEW REVOLUTION RESULTS (3/3/2024)
The Zero Hour pre-show gets underway with our first live shot inside the Greensboro Coliseum. The camera settles on the entrance ramp, where Renee Paquette and RJ City welcome us to the show. They mention 16,000+ fans will be in attendance for tonight’s show to witness the retirement of “The Icon” Sting.
Paquette and RJ run down the lineup for tonight’s show and then send us into our first video package looking at one of the bouts. The first package up looks at the story heading into the Tornado Tag-Team title match tonight pitting current title-holders Sting and Darby Allin against The Young Bucks.
After the package wraps up, Renee and RJ give their thoughts on the recent actions and behavior of AEW EVP duo Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, who are going after their third potential reign as AEW World Tag-Team Championships tonight. They send us over to Tony Schiavone, who is with the legendary David Crockett.
Crockett talks with Schiavone about their old days together in Greensboro and the legendary career of Sting. They also talk about the recent despicable actions of the Bucks leading up to tonight’s match. Schiavone says they’ll be talking again later and then we head back to Paquette and City on the entrance ramp.
Now we head into our second elaborate pre-match video package, which this time looks at the story of former friends turned bitter rivals “Timeless” Toni Storm and “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo heading into their showdown tonight for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
When it wraps up, Paquette and City shift focus to the FTR vs. Blackpool Combat Club match. The video package airs to tell the story leading up to that big tag-team showdown tonight, with Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler slugging it out against Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli. Paquette predicts this will be the most violent bout of the night.
The talk moves on to the highly-anticipated return of Will Ospreay, who kicks off his first full-time run in AEW tonight with a match against fellow member of The Don Callis Family, “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita. We see the in-depth video package now to tell the story heading into this one.
Once the next video package, which looks at the build-up to tonight’s International title showdown between Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong, we return to Paquette and City, who send us into the pre-match package for the Christian Cage vs. Daniel Garcia bout for the TNT title.
Bang-Bang Scissor Gang vs. Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh, Willie Mack & Private Party
RJ City and Renee Paquette start to shift the talk to the pair of pre-show matches scheduled for this “Zero Hour” kickoff for AEW Revolution. But first, we see some more video packages. The next is for the AEW Continental Crown Championship between Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson.
After that, we head to Excalibur and Nigel McGuinness, who set us up for the first match of the evening. The theme for Private Party hits and out comes Marq Quen and Isiah Kassidy. Out next is Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal and Satnam Singh, who also come out with Willie Mack, the final member of their team.
The Bang Bang Scissor Gang come out together next. Max Caster does a good freestyle, but his new gimmick is to continue just stopping half-way through after messing up, which seems to be on purpose ever since the initial live botch. They settle in the ring and the bell sounds to get this one started.
Isiah Kassidy and Austin Gunn kick things off for their respective teams. Gunn jumps into the early offensive lead. Marq Quen tags in and takes over for his team and then tags in Jeff Jarrett, who picks up where Quen left off. Karen Jarrett sneaks in some cheap shots as Jeff ties up the ref.
Jeff then does his strut for some cheap heat. The rest of his team do it at ringside at the same time. Anthony Bowens tags in for his side, but he doesn’t fare much better, as Satnam Singh beats him down and then Jay Lethal comes in and takes over. He hits a big delayed vertical suplex and then tags Jarrett back in.
Billy Gunn eventually gets the hot tag for his team. The crowd goes wild as he beats down every member of the opposing team one-by-one, as they keep running at him like bad guys at the bar in a Steven Seagal movie. Willie Mack slows Billy down. He heads to the top for a Six-Star Frog splash, but Gunn avoids it and tags in his son.
Both members of The Gunns, Austin and Colten Gunn, fire up and hit back-to-back double team spots. Anthony Bowens hits his finisher. Max Caster looks for his but then we see all hell break loose. Everyone ends up on the floor except Jay White and Satnam Singh, who go nose-to-chest.
Billy Gunn steps in for Jay and is still shorter, but closer. They brawl and Gunn and White work together to chop Satnam down to size. Gunn hits a Fame-Asser. Willie Mack comes back in but White hits the Bladerunner on him for the pin fall victory. Fun opener to get the crowd going for tonight’s lengthy show.
Winners: Bang-Bang Scissor Gang
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs. Julia Hart & Skye Blue
After the bout wraps up, Jay White gets on the mic for a post-match promo. He takes a playful jab at Max Caster and then makes a tease for the AEW Big Business special in Boston coming up. We then shoot to Lexy Nair, who is with Dr. Sampson, as well as Orange Cassidy and The Best Friends.
The doc says he has to tape his back up or he isn’t getting cleared. Cassidy then tells his friends to stay in the back during his match tonight. Once that wraps up, we return to Renee Paquette and RJ City, who run down the lineup again. They send us to a video package for “The Bastad” PAC, who is back in AEW after another hiatus.
Once that wraps up, we shoot back to Tony Schiavone and David Crockett. Crockett stammers and stutters his way through the segment, calling The Young Bucks by the wrong name and trying to play it off. The fans chant “We can’t hear you!” in the background. Presumably some technical issues? They pop randomly shortly after, so it likely got fixed quick.
Back inside the arena, the theme for Willow Nightingale hits and out she comes, along with Kris Statlander, for our next match of the evening. Their manager Stokely Hathaway settles in on special guest commentary. Their opponents, TBS Women’s Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue are out next. The bell sounds and off we go.
We see some early back-and-forth action and then Statlander starts to take it to Skye Blue. Blue tags in Hart, who doesn’t fare much better. Willow tags in for her team, and picks up where Kris left off, taking it to the TBS Women’s Champion. Hart and Blue take over. Blue taunts Stokely on commentary while beating down Nightingale.
Stokely yells at Nigel McGuinness and Excalibur for not sticking up for him. Willow hits Julia with a chop at one point that pops the entire crowd. Willow keeps fighting back against the legal woman, Blue, as the fans rally behind her in the background. Statlander finally gets the hot tag and helps shift the momentum back in her team’s favor. Nightingale ends up getting the win shortly after.
Winners: Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale
TNT Championship
Christian Cage (C) vs. Daniel Garcia
Renee Paquette and RJ City once again run down the lineup for tonight and then send us into an emotional video package looking at Sting’s retirement match alongside Darby Allin against The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag-Team Championships in tonight’s PPV main event. That wraps up the Zero Hour pre-show.
Once the pre-show wraps up, we shoot back inside the Greensboro Coliseum where the fireworks and pyro erupt on the stage as the commentators welcome us to the show. We head down to the ring for our first match of the evening, which is one of many title contests scheduled for the show. Daniel Garcia makes his way out to challenge for the TNT Championship in our opener.
Next out is his opponent, the reigning and defending TNT Champion and leader of The Patriarchy, Christian Cage. He settles in the ring. The ref holds the TNT title up high in the air and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne, Killswitch and Mrs. Wayne are all at ringside in Cage’s corner for this one. The fans chant for Garcia early on.
Garcia gets the better start of the two, throwing Cage down to the mat off of a lock-up, resulting in Cage rolling out to the floor to re-group with the rest of The Patriarchy. Back in the ring, Cage fakes an injury in the corner, which allows him to cheap shot his way into the offensive lead for the first time in the contest. The fans boo while Nigel McGuinness makes every excuse on Cage’s behalf on commentary.
As Cage continues to dominate on offense, we see him look for the Killswitch for the finish, but Garcia avoids it and hits a chop-block to the back of his knee. On the floor, we see Nick Wayne charge at Garcia, who elavates him into the timekeepers table with authority. As the action continues, Garcia bounces Cage off the steel steps with authority.
In the ring, Cage tries begging off before sneaking a Killswitch attempt, which Garcia avoids. Garcia then gets the TNT Champion down on the mat and slaps him in an ankle lock. Cage escapes and kicks Garcia low. Garcia hits a back suplex for a close near fall attempt. Cage slingshots Garcia face-first into the turnbuckle. Cage distracts the ref while Killswitch hits a chokeslam on Garcia on the apron.
Cage hits a top-rope frog splash after that for a close pin attempt, but Garcia kicks out. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard runs out and attacks Killswitch from behind as he attempts to get involved again moments later. Nick Wayne’s mom goes to slap him, but he avoids it.
He and Killswitch fight up the ramp as the crowd roars. Back in the ring, we see Cage go for a Spear but Garcia counters with a pile driver for a close two count. Seconds later, Nick Wayne hits a cutter on Garcia from the apron, which Cage follows up with his Killswitch finisher for the pin fall victory. With the win, Christian Cage retains the TNT Championship.
Winner and STILL TNT Champion: Christian Cage
AEW Continental Crown Championship
Eddie Kingston (C) vs. Bryan Danielson
Backstage, Lexy Nair is in the locker room with Bryan Danielson, who is stretching behind her as she talks about the next match of the evening, with “The American Dragon” taking on “The Mad King” Eddie Kingston for the AEW Continental Crown Championship. We then head inside the arena where Bryan Danielson makes his way to the ring.
We see Renee Paquette backstage talking about tbe match as Eddie Kingston is warming up beside her. He heads to the ring looking for another successful defense of his AEW Continental Crown Championship, as well as the forced respect acknowledgement and handshake from Danielson. The commentators point out the special rules for Continental Crown title bouts, with everyone banned from ringside during the bout.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our second title tilt of the evening. The fans are loudly behind Kingston early on with thunderous “Eddie! Eddie!” chants. They turn into dueling chants, as half the crowd chants “Let’s go Bryan!” and the other half chants “Let’s go Eddie!” The two begin to get after it with some back-and-forth action.
Now the two start trading absolutely vicious chops in back-and-forth fashion. Kingston and Danielson end up on the floor and we see a big suicide dive spot. After some more chops, we see a big suplex from the apron down to the floor. The fans react with a “Holy sh*t!” chant. Kingston is selling his knee. The fans get into a “This is Awesome” chant as they return inside the ring.
Danielson works over the hand of Kingston, which he has also been selling a lot since “The American Dragon” smashed it into the steel ring post on the floor moments ago. The commentators point out how Danielson is focusing on the arm/hand of Kingston to take away his spinning back-fist finisher and overall dominant striking attack.
Kingston hits an exploder, ala Jun Akiyama, and the fans break out in “Eddie! Eddie!” chants again. “The Mad King” looks for another exploder, but Danielson avoids it. Kingston hits a big DDT for a close two count. Kingston slaps a submission on a grounded Danielson after that. Danielson fights back and takes over. He gets Kingston in a triangle and Kingston goes out, but comes back to life.
Danielson voluntarily lets go and looks at Kingston in awe. After some more back-and-forth action, the crowd all gets on their feet at the same time and just randomly starts giving this a thunderous, well-earned standing ovation. A few minutes later it was all over. “The Mad King” got it done. The fans chant for Eddie after, who is now ready for his handshake and acknowledgement of respect.
Kingston waves him off and walks away, assuming he’s not going to do it. Danielson stops him and sticks his hand out. Kingston hesitates but walks forward. Danielson pulls his hand away. Kingston goes to leave again. Again Danielson stops him. This time he does shake his hand, and raises it and does a circle around the ring with him. He walks off acknowledging him again and heads to the back, leaving Kingston the ring for his celebration. Really good match here. Really, really good.
Winner and STILL AEW Continental Crown Champion: Eddie Kingston
All-Star Scramble Match
Chris Jericho vs. Magnus vs. HOOK vs. Brian Cage vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Lance Archer vs. Wardlow vs. Dante Martin
The ring clears out, Taz substitutes in for Nigel McGuinness on commentary, and then we hear the sounds of Action Bronson, as FTW Champion HOOK makes his way out to the ring. It’s time for the All-Star Scramble Match to determine who gets a future opportunity at the AEW World Championship.
After HOOK, the theme for Powerhouse Hobbs hits and out comes The Don Callis Family member. From there, “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer comes out. CMLL star Magnus is out next. “The Machine” Brian Cage from The Mogul Embassy is out after that. Wardlow comes out to a big pop as Adam Cole and the rest of The Undisputed Kingdom come out with him. Dante Martin comes out and then “The Ocho” Chris Jericho comes out last to the sounds of “Judas.”
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. We see everyone splinter off into pairs of two, and begin brawling. They each head to the top rope in all four corners of the ring. They each hit a big super-plex spot. Jericho and Magnus hit stereo Lionsaults off the middle ropes on the same guy. We see HOOK lock in Red Rum on Wardlow while Jericho turns them both over into the Walls of Jericho.
We see virtually everyone get a chance to shine, and in most cases, hit their respective finishers, in a nice sequence. In the end, however we see things come to an end when Wardlow hits his massive Powerbomb Symphony on Dante Martin for the win. With the win, Wardlow has earned a future AEW World Championship opportunity.
Winner and earning future AEW World Championship opportunity: Wardlow
AEW International Championship
Orange Cassidy (C) vs. Roderick Strong
It’s time for more championship action here on this title-heavy AEW Revolution 2024 lineup. The pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading up to tonight’s AEW International Championship showdown between Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong.
After the package wraps up, The Undisputed Kingdom theme hits and out comes Roderick Strong accompanied by Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. The theme for Orange Cassidy hits next and as the catchy tune plays, the “Freshly Squeezed” one makes his way to the ring for his latest defense of the AEW International Championship.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. Strong immediately goes for his finisher, but Cassidy avoids it and quickly rolls Strong up. Strong kicks out. The commentators remind us that Cassidy asked The Best Friends to promise they would stay in the back tonight during this match, because he’s tired of seeing his friends get hurt trying to help him.
Strong settles into the early offensive lead. The action spills out to the floor, where Strong sends Cassidy into the barricade. He hits a big back-breaker and is focusing his attack on the back and ribs of Cassidy, which were the focus of a Zero Hour pre-show segment with Dr. Sampson. Cassidy has heavy taping on his lower back and ribs as well.
We see some more good back-and-forth action and then Cassidy starts to settle into the offensive lead. He hits a Beach Break for a close near fall, but moments later, Strong hits his finisher for the pin fall victory. With the win, Roderick Strong is now the new AEW International Champion.
Winner and NEW AEW International Champion: Roderick Strong
Kyle O’Reilly Makes His Return, Turns Down The Undisputed Kingdom
Once the match wraps up, we see the shocking, unexpected return of Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly hits the ring with his hair grown out quite a bit. He looks at The Undisputed Kingdom group, who offer him a shirt. He turns it down and walks off on his own. The Undisputed Kingdom theme plays again as Roderick Strong resumes his title celebration in the ring.
FTR vs. Blackpool Combat Club
The pre-match video package airs next to get us ready for the highly-anticipated showdown between the FTR duo of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, and the Blackpool Combat Club team of Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli.
After the package wraps up, we return inside the Greensboro Coliseum where we hear “Wild Thing.” Out comes the BCC duo of Mox and Claudio, who are wearing the spiked shoulder pads like the Road Warriors. Didn’t “The Machine” Brian Cage already use up the one Road Warrior gimmick infringement allotment for the evening already?
The BCC duo settle into the ring to a big pop and their music dies down. Now we hear the familiar sounds of the old Midnight Express-sounding entrance music for FTR, and out comes the decorated tag-team tandem of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
We see some slow back-and-forth action early on and then the BCC duo settle into the early offensive lead. Mox works over Wheeler for a while, controlling him on the mat. Dax comes in and kicks Mox to free Wheeler from a submission he was stuck in for a while.
Claudio tags in and the two hit a vicious double-team spot before Castagnoli continues to work over Wheeler. We see Mox tag back in and take over. The fight spills out to the floor, where Mox taunts him, telling him, “I don’t think you’re sh*t!” as he continues to pummel him.
Harwood finally gets the hot tag and he helps FTR take over control of the offense. After being down for a while, Wheeler is finally back up. Harwood is turned inside-out from a big shot from Castagnoli in the ring, while Mox blasts Wheeler on the floor again. Harwood is shown bleeding on the floor as Wheeler comes back to life in the ring.
We see FTR go for the Doomsday Device on Castagnoli, but he hits a counter power slam in mid-air on the way down. Wow. Officials come in to check on Dax, who is bleeding so much it’s a damn joke, even by AEW standards. It’s dripping all over the place drawing huge gasps from the 16,000+ inside the Greensboro Coliseum as Mox works him over.
Moments later we see a successful Doomsday Device from the BCC duo. Wheeler comes off the top-rope to break up the follow-up pin attempt. Dax, meanwhile, is still bleeding profusely like a stuck pig. Fans are roaring and breaking out in a loud “AEW! AEW!” chant as all four men from both teams start to go to war at the same time in the ring.
The referee Paul Turner struggles to regain order in this one. We see Claudio hit the Giant Swing on a bloody-ass Harwood. He swings his bloody dome into a big drop kick from Mox, who goes for the cover. Somehow Harwood still finds it in him to kick out before the count of three. Mox bites at the bloody head of Harwood in the corner. Dax spits at him.
FTR hit a modified Doomsday Device off the top-rope in the corner. They go for the cover, but only get two. They immediately follow that up with a double-team Shatter Machine finisher, but Claudio breaks up the pin attempt. We see Cash dive through the ropes to a European uppercut from Claudio on the floor. Claudio hits a Neutralizer after that. Dax hits a pile driver on Claudio.
Mox looks for the Paradigm Shift on Dax, who counters it. Mox ends up hitting the Death Rider, but Dax kicks out. Mox slaps in a rear choke on Dax and squeezes as blood spews out of his head like crazy. Wheeler runs in to try and make the save, but Claudio runs in and chokes him right next to Mox, as Mox chokes Dax. BCC get the win on that note. Another great match in a show full of them.
Winners: Blackpool Combat Club
AEW Women’s World Championship
“Timeless” Toni Storm (C) vs. Deonna Purrazzo
The pre-match video package airs to tell the story leading up to our next match of the evening, which features the AEW Women’s World Championship on-the-line, as former longtime personal friends turned bitter rivals “Timeless” Toni Storm and “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo go to war.
After the package wraps up and return inside the Greensboro Coliseum, where Excalibur, Taz and Tony Schiavone buy some time as the ring crew cleans up the blood from Dax Harwood in the previous match. No, seriously. Purrazzo makes her way out and settles inside the ring for her big title opportunity.
Out next in her typical custom black-and-white screen style is the reigning and defending AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, accompanied by Luther the Butler and Mariah May. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
“The Virtuosa” does well early on, controlling the action until Storm starts pulling cheap heel tactics like pulling hair, etc. We see Luther the Butler trying to help Storm on the floor, but Purrazzo hits a baseball sliding drop kick to keep her momentum going.
After some more back-and-forth action, we see Storm connect with a big running hip attack in the corner and then a follow-up spot for a close pin attempt. Purrazzo kicks out and starts to fight back. Storm has an ankle lock on Purrazzo, who screams in pain as Storm shouts at her and taunts her.
Luther the Butler tries to get involved again, but this time Purrazzo takes out Storm and Luther on the floor. Back in the ring, Purrazzo slaps on a Fujiwara armbar on the champ. As Storm starts tapping, Luther the Butler distracts the ref. Purrazzo lets go to take out Mariah May on the other side of the ring, but she turns around and Storm finishes her off for the win to retain.
Winner and STILL AEW Women’s World Champion: “Timeless” Toni Storm
Will Ospreay vs. Konosuke Takeshita
It’s time for the match that Don Callis has vowed will steal the show tonight at AEW Revolution. It’s a battle of The Don Callis Family members next, as the pre-show package airs now to get us ready for the showdown between Will Ospreay and “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita.
After the package wraps up, the theme for Konosuke Takeshita hits and out in his red devil mask comes “The Alpha” of The Don Callis Family. Meanwhile, Don Callis joins the gang on special guest commentary for this featured match. The theme for Will Ospreay hits next and out comes “The Aerial Assassin.”
The Greensboro crowd is hip to Ospreay, as they are doing his ring entrance routine with him when he hits the ring. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with one of our final three matches of the evening. Ospreay hits some impressive spots early on, including a wild hurricanrana after hitting the ropes.
We hear the commentators sing the praises of Ospreay for his ability to hit the ropes like nobody else in AEW. Maybe Bron Breakker could give him a run for his money in that department? Takeshita slows Ospreay down, as “The Alpha” grounds “The Aerial Assassin” and shifts the offensive momentum in his favor. The crowd boos like crazy along the way.
Now we see Ospreay fire up for some crazy moves that are hard to even describe, let alone name. He goes for a springboard Os-cutter, but Takeshita catches him and spins him for a seated power bomb into a pin attempt. Ospreay kicks out. Ospreay goes for Storm Breaker, but Takeshita avoids it.
Ospreay hits a Stundog Millionaire after a scary brainbuster spot from Takeshita in the corner. From here we see crazy high spot after crazy high spot for more near falls than any other match in history. Finally, Ospreay hits the Hidden Blade it sounded like they called it, for the win in an absolutely epic match. Ospreay is next-level impressive as always.
The match wraps up and the fans give Ospreay a standing ovation. One that is well-deserved, by the way. Don Callis heads to the ring to check on both of his guys. Kyle Fletcher, another member of The Don Callis Family, celebrates with Ospreay after the match. The commentators announce Ospreay vs. Fletcher for Wednesday’s Dynamite in another Don Callis Family member showdown.
Winner: Will Ospreay
AEW World Championship
Samoa Joe (C) vs. Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland
The package for our co-main event airs to get us ready for the AEW World Championship triple-threat match pitting reigning and defending title-holder Samoa Joe against top ranked contenders Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland. After it wraps up, Jim Ross replaces Taz on commentary, joining Excalibur and Tony Schiavone on the call for our final two matches of the evening.
Now the theme for Swerve Strickland hits and out comes The Mogul Embassy leader and emerging new top star in AEW, accompanied by Prince Nana, who does his always-entertaining, goofy-ass dance. They settle in the ring for a “Who’s House?” / “Swerve’s House!” call-and-response with the Greensboro crowd.
Hangman Page’s theme hits next and out comes the purveyor of “Cowboy sh*t” as fireworks and pyro erupts. He makes his way to the ring and settles inside. His music dies down and the theme for the reigning, defending AEW World Champion hits. Out comes Samoa Joe to chants of “Joe! Joe! Joe!”
The bell sounds and it’s time for our AEW World Championship co-main event. Page and Strickland get face-to-face, and then Joe slams their heads together. Joe sends them to the corners, and then drops Page with a clothesline and an enzuigiri. Strickland delivers a shot to Joe and goes for a diving uppercut, but Joe walks out of the way.
From there, the champ connects with shots to Page in the ring, and then dives onto Swerve on the floor at ringside. Joe kicks Page in the head on the apron, and then chops him in the corner a few times. Page comes back and shoves Joe toward the ropes, and Strickland low-bridges him to the outside. Strickland and Page exchange shots, and then Page delivers a fall-away slap.
Swerve gets right back and delivers a kick to the face and stomps Page down in the corner. Strickland takes Page down and delivers a back uppercut in the corner. Strickland follows with the diving uppercut and follows with one to Joe on the outside as well. Joe gets laid out on the floor and remains out there for a while as Swerve and Hangman duke it out in the ring.
Page hits an impressive fall-away slam and does an even more impressive kip up, but without realizing it, Swerve no-sells the landing and kips up behind him as well. Hangman turns around into a big boot from Swerve. Joe is starting to come back to life on the floor. Back in the ring, the champ starts to take over on offense as he blasts Hangman with chops in the corner that echo throughout the building.
Strickland goes for a piledriver on Page, but Page gets free and delivers a back elbow. Page delivers a Tombstone Piledriver and goes for the cover, but Joe breaks it up. Joe goes to slam Page, but Page counters and kicks him in the face. Page goes for Deadeye on Strickland, but Strickland counters with body shots and a power bomb.
Swerve slams Page again and follows with a vertical suplex. Strickland goes for the cover, but Joe breaks it up again. Joe delivers jabs to Page and Strickland, and then follows with elbow strikes and chops. Joe delivers the Muscle Buster to Page, but Strickland drops Joe with the Swerve Stomp. Strickland delivers the House Call to Joe, and then delivers one to Page.
Now Swerve goes for the cover on Page, but he kicks out at two. Joe comes back with shots to Strickland, but Strickland delivers an up kick. Joe comes back with a back elbow, but Strickland kicks him in the face again. Strickland drops Joe with a DDT in the corner and connects with a 450 splash to Joe’s back.
We see Swerve connect with the Swerve Stomp and goes for the cover, but Page grabs the referee to stop the count. Page delivers a shot to Strickland and brings the title belt into the ring. Page hits Strickland in the head with the belt, and then does it again to knock Strickland to the floor. Page delivers the Buckshot Lariat to Joe, and then follows with a second, but there is no referee to make the count.
Another referee finally gets into the ring, but Joe kicks out at two. Page goes to the apron and takes off his elbow pad. Page goes for a third Buckshot, but Joe ducks and locks Page in a Coquina Clutch. Strickland comes back with a Skytwister Press to break it up and keep this match alive. Meanwhile, the crowd is going nuts in the background sensing a finish coming soon.
Prince Nana ends up getting involved, handing the crown to Swerve, who throws it back at him. Joe slaps a rear naked choke on Swerve, but Swerve counters with a roll-up. Hangman breaks it up. Hangman takes out the second referee and throws him out of the ring. Swerve works over Hangman and throws him over the ropes. Hangman lands on the apron and takes Swerve down.
Joe hits a Muscle Buster on Swerve. Page hits a Buckshot Lariat on Joe, but then Swerve takes Hangman out with a Buckshot Lariat of his own. Swerve hits a JML Driver on Page, but then Samoa connects with a half-and-half suplex. Joe follows that up with a Coquina Clutch. The original referee gets back in the ring as Hangman taps out. Samoa Joe retains the AEW World Championship with the win.
Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: Samoa Joe
AEW World Tag-Team Championships
Sting & Darby Allin (C) vs. The Young Bucks
It’s main event time!
The pre-match video package airs to set the stage for our AEW World Tag-Team Championship tornado match, which is the retirement match for one-half of the reigning and defending title-holders “The Icon” Sting, who along with Darby Allin, defend against AEW EVPs The Young Bucks — Nicholas and Matthew Jackson.
Out first come the challengers, The Young Bucks. They settle in the ring and then the lights go out. A video plays and out comes Darby Allin. He stops and the lights go out. A lengthy cinematic experience-style video intro plays to set the stage for Sting’s ring walk. In the arena again, we see three Sting’s come out.
The first two are Sting’s sons. One is dressed up like nWo Wolfpack black-and-red Sting. The other is the blond-top “Surfer” Sting. Finally, Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy” plays and out comes “The Icon” himself with his sons. Darby joins them and they all head to the ring as Tony Schiavone, for the final time ever, yells, “It’s STINGGGG!!!”
Now the bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this Tornado tag-team match with the AEW World Tag-Team Championships on-the-line with Sting, in his retirement match, and Darby Allin defend against former two-time tag-team champions, The Young Bucks. The crowd is white-hot for this one. Not red hot. White hot.
Darby Allin dives onto the Bucks as the bell rings, and then gets them into the ring. Allin and Sting deliver splashes to the Bucks in the corners, and then Sting’s sons get into the ring and deliver Stinger Splashes to the Bucks. Allin follows with Coffin Splashes and Sting delivers Stinger Splashes of his own.
Sting slams Nicholas with a spine-buster, and then slams Matthew onto top of Nicholas. Sting applies a double Scorpion Death lock, but they get free and roll to the outside. Sting slams Nicholas into the barricade a few times, and then does the same to Matthew. Sting hits Matthew with a chair, and then slams Nicholas over the barricade.
“The Icon” tosses Matthew over the barricade as well as his sons set up tables on the outside. Allin sets up a ladder, but Nicholas comes back with a shot to Sting. Sting comes right back with a press slam, but Matthew kicks Sting in the midsection. Sting comes back with a back-body drop, and then Allin drops the Bucks with a Coffin Drop from the top rope.
Sting pulls panes of glass from under the ring. One gets propped on some chairs by the ramp, and Allin slams Matthew into the steps. Allin slams Nicholas into the ring steps and Sting swings the bat, but Matthew dodges it. Sting swings the back at Nicholas against one of the panes of glass, but Nicholas dodges it and the bat shatters the glass.
The Young Bucks escape into the crowd, but Allin and Sting follow them and they brawl onto the stage. Nicholas comes back with a shot to Allin and they crash through tables on the floor. Matthew delivers a few shots to Sting, but Sting comes back for a Scorpion Death Drop. Matthew rakes at Sting’s eyes, and then suplexes him through some tables off the stage.
Nichols brings Allin to the ring and props the ladder in the corner. Another massive ladder is set up in the ring. The commentators point out that Sting hasn’t moved in a while. Darby Allin comes off the enormous ladder and crashes through the pain of glass, which shatters everywhere. We see blood all over Allin’s body from the glass cuts.
Sting is finally mobile in the ring again, and the Bucks are working him over. Matthew delivers shots to Sting and The Bucks go for a double suplex through a table, but Sting fights them off. The Bucks send Sting to the corner and Matthew goes for a Stinger Splash and Nicholas goes for an enzuigiri, but Stick dodges and Nicholas kicks Matthew in the face.
Now Sting delivers shots to Matthew and puts him onto the table. We see all hell break loose as The Bucks go out to the floor for weapons. They grab the title belts and look to use them, but Ricky Steamboat stops one of them, only to be attacked by the other. Ric Flair comes into the ring and throws himself over Sting’s body.
He covers him and yells “No!” as he protects him from further punishment from the Bucks, who blast Flair with stereo super kicks. They do the same to Steamboat seconds later. They blast Sting in the face with a belt shot and go for the cover, but Sting again finds a way to kick out before the count of three to keep this match alive and going.
“Good God, what are we watching?!” says Tony Schiavone as fans again break out into a “Sting! Sting!” chant. “We’re not sorry, we hate you!” says The Young Bucks, to do the opposite of Shawn Michaels’ goodbye shot to Ric Flair in his retirement match, as they go for stereo super kicks on Sting. Sting avoids them, pounds his chest and starts to take over.
Sting goes for another Scorpion Death Drop, but The Young Bucks avoid it and counter with an EVP Trigger on Sting. They go for the cover, but Sting gets the shoulder up just before the count of three. The Bucks complain to the ref afterwards. They shake a lifeless Sting’s hands and say, “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you,” before going for another EVP Trigger.
This time Sting avoids it and he hits double low blows. He laughs but the Bucks hit stereo super kicks to him again. Now the two set Sting up for the Tony Khan Driver, but Sting avoids it and hits a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby Allin, covered in blood all over his back, hits a top-rope Coffin Drop. Sting follows up with a Scorpion Death Lock. The crowd roars. Jackson taps out.
After the match wraps up, Sting and Darby Allin celebrate the win in the ring as fireworks explode and confetti falls from the ceiling, as Metallica’s “Seek And Destroy” plays. We see Darby get on the mic with his back still badly covered in blood. He says there’s three minutes left on the PPV broadcast and let Sting hear it.
Sting thanks the crowd and says he wanted tonight to be a night of pro wrestling fans never forget. “Wait, I’m getting cues,” says Sting a few seconds later, as the show abruptly cuts off the air on that note. Thanks for joining us!
Winners and STILL AEW World Tag-Team Champions: Sting & Darby Allin
