AEW Revolution Op-Ed

 

Best Match - Ospreay vs. Takeshita/Sting and Darby vs. Young Bucks

Worst Match - All-Star Scramble

Sting had the greatest final match anyone could ever ask for in every way and he used it to pay homage to just about anyone he physically could. Flair and Steamboat got moments to shine in the Carolinas one last time, nearly 50 years from their first go-arounds in the territory.  Darby got moments to shine and the Bucks, EVPs who will be there tomorrow, lost. Sting could have been a Hulk Hogan, who pouted when asked to do anything that made him look weak over 30 years. 

Or HHH, who pouted at anything making him look weak over 20 years but he was selfless even on his last night. Mere weeks after his father died, he turned the match into a celebration of the Borden family as a whole giving his sons a chance to shine right alongside him on the stage and in the ring - giving their grandfather a chance to see them all from the best seat in the house.

Takeshita vs. Ospreay was the technical match of the might and terrifying in different ways thanks to the corner brainbuster gone awry, but nothing topped the emotion of every single cover on Sting in the main event. The double superkick callback to Forbidden Door was perfect and played into Sting having one last chest-beating comeback and it's kind of crazy that even in just three short years, he did so much new stuff and tried so many new things that this run feels longer and more impactful than it was in theory. 

The drama of the main event was impossible to touch for any match on the card, but both Danielson vs. Kingston and Takeshita vs. Ospreay were outstanding, with the latter outpacing the former a bit. The former was a better storytelling match, while the latter was among the best matches Will Ospreay has had in a 12 month period more full of fantastic matches than any time I can recall. Danielson vs. Kingston almost felt like the start of a new team for Danielson to split off from Claudio and Moxley with or just add Kingston to the mix since he has history with everyone else in the group anyway and he's gone to war with all of them in AEW.

The women's title match never got much in the way of drama behind it, and the same held true for FTR vs. the BCC, which had great entrances but was in first gear forever. It's a shame Tully Blanchard couldn't get out of his own way again because if he'd still been with the company and come out with FTR, that would have been a nice moment that could have helped FTR feel on-par with the BCC entrance-wise. The all-star scramble was disjointed and hurt by sloppiness and Dante Martin having a few things go awry in a very short period, but was a clear sign of way too many guys in a single match to really make a good match. 

The triple threat World title match was a far more focused story-heavy multi-man match and in the upper-echelon of matches on the show, but didn't quite reach the heights of  Danielson/Kingston, the tag title match, or Ospreay/Takeshita. They told a few stories in the mach with Hangman doing everything he could to prevent Swerve from winning - including being willing to lose just so Swerve didn't have a chance to win. It told a four-star story tonight to maybe tell another five-star story later - so that's fine.

The TNT Title match was a good choice for an opener and I think it worked to the match's advantage because the crowd was hotter for it than they would have been if you switch this and Danileson/Kingston around in the match order. Garcia shined brighter here than he has yet in a singles match and his new gear really helps him look like a star instead of just a gimmick - although the dancing gimmick does hurt him a bit in terms of it overshadowing how great a worker he is between the ropes.

Similarly, Roderick Strong vs. Orange Cassidy was a good match in a lot of ways that felt like it was lacking something. It could have been hurt by having the heels have folks out there and OC not, but it never felt as dramatic as it should have been until the beach break using the ropes - then it clicked a bit. Kyle O'Reilly's return was a nice surprise and they're definitely playing up that he is Roddy's friend forever, but may not be down with the Undisputed Kingdom and then you have Roddy and Kyle in a battle of what's more important - friendship with KOR or the Kingdom/the title.

As a show, Revolution was certainly an all-time great from a company that puts on incredible events regularly. This was the first AEW PPV I've purchased live since Forbidden Door 2022 and this was $50 well-spent for the sheer amount of emotion it brought out of me and how fun it made pro wrestling. In a year with so much turmoil and so much horrific activity being exposed, it was nice to have an event where I don't feel dirty watching it and I can just enjoy a 64 year old man going out on his shield in victory with his two sons cheering him on and know that there are great human beings in pro wrestling - and some are even great promoters too.

Tony Khan allowed Sting to go out on his terms and whether Sting wanted to or not, he made sure he retired a champion. He allowed Will Ospreay to be under his contract and not only do several dates with TNA, but lose on their stage after having him go over on his own biggest stage at All In. Like Sting and Terry Funk, he's unselfish in selfish times and while they were a credit to pro wrestling as legends in the ring, the work he has done to celebrate wrestling history and treats its legend with respect is something that all companies can benefit from. 

Presser 

Toni Storm - We should start these even later so we can all have breakfast!
Renee - How are you feeling?
Toni - SHIT, RENEE! IF YOU MUST!

Toni - I would like to thank Mr. Tazmaniac and Sean "Excalibur" Mooney! Deonna, I hope you go back to Impact.

Toni - I'm tired of all the cryptic hints! Wendi Richter, I'M GOING TO FUCK YOU UP AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO WANTS A SHOT - FUCK OFF THERE'S A RANKING SYSTEM!