February 29, 2020, ALL ELITE WRESTLING presented AEW REVOLUTION, live on pay-per-view, from the sold out Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL!
AEW broadcasters Excalibur and Taz kicked off the BUY IN portion of AEW REVOLUTION.
Tony Schiavone interviewed SCU earlier in the day, getting their thoughts on tonight’s match against the Dark Order. Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky told Christopher Daniels they believed it would be best if he didn’t accompany them to ringside tonight.
The Dark Order (Evil Uno and Stu Grayson, accompanied by Alex Reynolds, John Silver, and the minions) vs. SoCal Uncensored (Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian) was the opening contest of AEW REVOLUTION’s BUY IN!
Seasoned vet Frankie tried to cut the ring in half with offense. The Dark Order outmanned Frankie on the outside, and they began stomping a mud hole in him. The crowd was chanting “Spooky perverts!” at the Dark Order. Sky got the hot tag and caught Grayson with the Manhattan drop!
The Dark Order used a combination powerbomb for a two count on Scorpio Sky. Evil Uno hit a blindside shot on Sky, and Grayson hooked the leg for the victory!
Chicago’s own “Boom Boom” Colt Cabana bolted out, and he clobbered the Dark Order’s minions. In the ring, Cabana and Grayson squared off. Cabana was dropping elbows on Grayson, but the minions managed to take Colt down.
Ominous music began to play throughout the arena. Was this the Exalted One? At the top of the ramp, a figure shrouded in black appeared. The person removed the shroud and was revealed to be…Christopher Daniels! The Dark Order stopped in their tracks. Daniels came to bail out SCU and Cabana! Daniels gave Angel’s Wings to John Silver while the rest of the Dark Order retreated. Colt Cabana and all three members of SCU celebrated in the ring!
AEW’s Justin Roberts introduced Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross, who joined Excalibur at the commentary table for the main card of AEW REVOLUTION.
“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes against “Big Hurt” Jake Hager was the first match of the pay-per-view.
Hager and Rhodes engaged in a slugfest in the opening seconds. They brawled outside the ring through the crowd. Rhodes worked over Hager’s arm, ramming it against the ring post. Hager, like the big hoss that he is, wiped out Rhodes with a runaway clothesline, nearly taking off Rhodes’ head. Hager’s wife, sitting at ringside, laughed at the sight, and cheered on “Big Hurt.”
Hager went after Rhodes’ legs with a chop block, and then splashed him with a Vader-bomb. Hager nearly caught Rhodes with a pin after a gut wrench powerbomb. Rhodes began to pepper Hager with right hands! Rhodes hit the Code Red on Hager for a two count! Rhodes put Hager in a cross arm breaker, but Hager countered it with an ankle lock! Rhodes powered out, but Hager’s MMA background was put on display as he locked on a standing arm triangle to submit Rhodes!
“The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allen was next!
Darby skated down to the ring and nailed Sammy with a shotgun dropkick to the outside barricade! Jurassic Express were sitting in the front row, watching the action. Sammy hurled the skateboard at Darby’s head, after Darby crashed and burned on a tope suicida!
“This is a grudge match through and through,” said Excalibur.
Sammy followed up with a spectacular 630 senton from the top rope to the floor through a table, crashing down onto Darby! The match hadn’t even started yet! Finally Darby crawled into the ring and AEW ref Paul Turner called for the bell to begin the match. Darby applied the Fujiwara arm bar to Sammy, showing advanced submission skills.
“The Spanish God” hit the Spanish fly on Darby for a near fall! But Darby lived up to his “relentless” tattoo. After a quick burst of offense, including a cutter, Darby won with the Coffin Drop! Jake Hager rescued Sammy and pulled him out of harm’s way before any more damage could be inflicted.
The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson) challenged for Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Adam Page’s AEW World Tag Team Championship Belts!
“Hangman” taunted the Bucks before the bell rang, and the crowd was chanting “Cowboy s—t!” to encourage him. Nick Jackson and Omega began for their respective teams, and after a tight sequence going toe-to-toe, they gave each other fist bumps to show their mutual respect. Matt Jackson and “Hangman” Page were both tagged in, and after an evenly matched offensive sequence of their own, Matt went to offer his hand to Page, but Page spit at him! Infuriated, the Young Bucks began to double team Page.
On the outside, Page was going to put Matt Jackson through a table onto the timekeeper’s bell, but Omega stepped in. Omega told his partner to stop and get back inside, wanting this to be a clean fight.
The Young Bucks were showing why they are tag team specialists and worked over Omega’s shoulder, which had been damaged this past Wednesday during DYNAMITE in the Iron Man match against PAC.
Page finally got the tag and was a one-man wrecking crew! Page landed on his feet after a moonsault to the outside, taking out both of the Bucks! Page threw Nick to the Bucks’ corner, and challenged Matt to get in the ring. “This has gotten personal now,” said Tony Schiavone.
The Bucks were able to isolate Page, but Page changed levels, and used a villainous kick and then a chicken wing! Matt Jackson came down with a 450 splash onto Page for a two count!
Kenny got the tag, and hit V-triggers, first on Nick, then on Matt, and then gave two more to Nick! Kenny dropped Nick with a Tiger Driver ‘98, but it was only good for a two count!
“What is it going to take to win this thing?” asked Tony Schiavone.
Matt Jackson went insane and hit three Northern Lights suplexes onto “Hangman” on the ramp! The Bucks then spiked Page using the IndyTaker! Matt and Nick double-teamed Omega with superkicks and then a Golden V-trigger, but Omega kicked out! The arena became unglued!
“With it so close, the Young Bucks are willing to go to any length,” said Excalibur.
Omega and Page nearly decapitated Matt with the Buckshot Lariat V-Trigger combo! Omega tried to use the One-Winged Angel, but his shoulder gave out. Page tagged himself in and used a One-Winged Angel of his own on Matt, but Nick jumped in for the save! Page hit Matt with the Buckshot Lariat at the thirty-minute mark to score the pin on Matt in this epic match!
“This match could have gone either way three or four times, but tonight it was the champions’ night,” said Jim Ross. The Bucks and Omega shook hands, but Page decided against joining them. He grabbed a beer from a fan instead.
Kris Statlander vs. AEW Women’s World Champion “the Native Beast” Nyla Rose for the title was next!
Statlander showed off her agility, with a boot across Nyla’s jaw, followed up with a flipping senton and then a moonsault press! Nyla dished out a big elbow and then boots to Statlander. Nyla avoided a spear from Statlander, displaying acute ring awareness. Nyla ran down the ramp and speared Statlander through the ropes for a two count!
Statlander took Nyla off her feet with a shotgun dropkick, but the Beast was too powerful and kicked out. Statlander tried to get Nyla in position for the Big Bang Theory, but Nyla smothered Statlander with an STF in the center of the ring. Statlander kicked out of a Beast Bomb at the two count!
Statlander used an avalanche brainbuster but it wasn’t enough to stop Nyla! Statlander attempted a top rope hurracarana, but Nyla countered with an avalanche Beast Bomb for the victory!
After months of tension, it was time for MJF (accompanied by Wardlow), against “The American Nightmare” Cody!
At ringside were Brandi Rhodes and Cody’s coach, “The Enforcer” Arn Anderson.
Cody hit an uppercut and then a cutter, but MJF kicked out at one. Cody got a full head of steam down the ramp and clotheslined MJF back into the ring, taking a page out of the Great Muta’s playbook! Cody hit an Alabama Slam on MJF, and then rained fists onto him. Wardlow pulled MJF out of the ring by the legs. Brandi threw a beer into Wardlow’s face, distracting him, giving Cody enough time for a tope suicida!
The momentum shifted when MJF gut wrenched Cody! MJF’s pacing became very methodical here, working over Cody with a double wristlock. MJF was targeting Cody’s shoulder, applying the Salt of the Earth arm bar. Cody crawled desperately and broke the hold by biting onto the bottom rope!
MJF, aware that Cody broke his toe during his recent cage match against Wardlow on DYNAMITE, removed Cody’s wrestling boot. MJF began to chomp down on Cody’s broken toe!
After being busted open by Cody, MJF hit the heatseaker. Wardlow held down Cody’s legs from the ring apron as MJF tried for the pin, but ref Paul Turner saw the interference. Brandi Rhodes jumped onto Wardlow but the giant caught her, barely budging. Cody demanded that Wardlow put Brandi down without hurting her. Wardlow obliged. Cody went for a thrust kick to Wardlow, but Wardlow moved. Cody inadvertently connected with Arn Anderson instead!
MJF planted Cody with the Double Cross-Rhodes! He removed Cody’s weight belt, but before he could whip him with it, the ref pulled it away. Cody grabbed the belt and gave MJF a taste of his own medicine! MJF began groveling at Cody’s feet, begging for forgiveness. MJF then spit in Cody’s face. Cody gave MJF two Cross-Rhodes, but MJF knocked out Cody using the Dynamite Diamond Ring for the pin fall victory!
Next was “the Bastard” PAC vs. “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (accompanied by the Best Friends, Chuck Taylor and Trent)!
Orange kept his hands in his pockets and the “King of Sloth Style” took down PAC with a dropkick! Orange reversed a hip toss but PAC smashed Orange with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. PAC bounced Orange’s head off the ring post! PAC hit a missile dropkick onto Cassidy, and then dropped him with a Liger Bomb for a two count! PAC followed up with an avalanche brainbuster, but pulled up Orange’s shoulders before the ref counted three. He wanted to inflict punishment onto Orange Cassidy. PAC went up top for the Black Arrow but Orange…rolled away. PAC climbed to the top turnbuckle and again Orange…rolled away. PAC grew incensed, and while he was distracted, Orange flew out with a tope suicida, then a crossbody block off the top, and then nailed a DDT for a near fall!
Orange ducked a lariat from PAC and countered with a superman punch! Orange climbed to the top and hit a diving DDT onto PAC! Orange almost scored the pin with an Air Raid Crash! The Lucha Brothers stormed the ring and began brawling with the Best Friends. While this was transpiring, PAC popped on the Brutalizer and submitted Orange Cassidy!
It was time for the main event with the AEW World Championship at stake—challenger Jon Moxley vs. Le Champion Chris Jericho!
Moxley made his entrance from the cold streets of Chicago. Jericho walked down to the ring with Inner Circle members Santana and Ortiz, as the “Inner Circle” choir was on stage, singing an acapella version of Fozzy’s “Judas.”
Mox clotheslined Jericho over the top rope to the outside of the ring. The two men brawled through the fans, up the arena steps. Jericho tossed a steel barricade at Mox!
“There’s blood on the battlefield,” said Excalibur, as Mox was busted wide open!
Jericho powerbombed Mox onto the timekeeper’s table, the back of Mox’s head crashing down on the steel ring bell!
Jericho talked trash to Mox and slapped him. Mox exploded with some offense, but the flurry met a dead end as Jericho whipped him into the corner turnbuckles. Jericho distracted ref Aubrey Edwards while Santana and Ortiz stomped on Mox.
Jericho tried to superplex Mox off the top rope, but Mox pushed Jericho down hard on the mat. Moxley followed up with a diving elbow from the top rope! Jericho and Mox began exchanging strikes! Mox went for a shotgun dropkick, but Jericho stepped back and countered with a Lion Tamer. Mox’s training with Randy Couture paid off as Mox was able to reverse the Lion Tamer! Ortiz wacked Mox with the mad ball when ref Aubrey Edwards was distracted. Jericho crashed onto Mox with the Lionsault for a near fall!
Jericho went for Walls of Jericho, but Mox escaped and applied a Boston Crab in the center of the ring! Jake Hager ran down and distracted Mox, and Jericho used the opportunity to knee Mox. Jericho put the Boston crab on Mox, but the challenger reached the ropes. Jericho pushed the ref, attempting to get himself disqualified.
Hager blasted Mox with a haymaker; Aubrey Edwards saw this and ejected the Inner Circle from the ringside area! While she was doing this, Sammy G. ran down on the opposite side and smashed Jericho’s championship belt into Mox’s head. But Mox kicked out at two!
Mox tried for the Paradigm Shift but Jericho gouged Mox in his one good eye! Jericho taunted Mox and then starched him with a right hand. Mox pulled off his eye patch—he could see this entire time! Mox hit the Paradigm Shift on Jericho for the three count!
And new AEW World Champ…Jon Moxley! The Mox era has begun!