‘AEW: Battle of the Belts 3’ Review
We’ve got a bonus show from AEW this week, the quarterly Battle of the Belts 3 on TNT, which this time emanated from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Let’s get to it!
Match #1: TNT Championship Match – Wardlow def. Jay Lethal
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Lethal ambushed Wardlow as Dutt distracted Wardlow from outside the ring. Wardlow popped right back up with a big boot to Jay Lethal, following up with a back body drop. Lethal took advantage of another distraction from Dutt and Satnam, hitting Wardlow with a sliding kick. Wardlow slammed Lethal with a tilt-a-whirl. Jay Lethal dropkicked Wardlow but Wardlow swatted him away. Lethal went down clutching a knee but he was playing possum. Lethal clocked Wardlow with a tope suicida. Lethal concentrated on Wardlow’s left knee, smacking it against the steel ring post. Wardlow, somehow able to stand, tried for a powerbomb but Lethal escaped. Lethal tried for the Lethal Injection but Wardlow dodged it and then headbutted Lethal in the jaw! Wardlow powerbombed Lethal, covered him and then pinned him!
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: AEW Women’s World Championship Match – Thunder Rosa def. Jamie Hayter
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Hayter rocked Rosa from behind with a shot and then dropped rights and lefts. Hayter stomped a mudhole into Thunder Rosa in the corner. Hayter hit Thunder Rosa with an explosive snap suplex. Thunder Rosa fought back with two consecutive dropkicks, creating some separation. She tried for a tope suicida but Hayter clocked Thunder Rosa, countering it. Hayter whipped Thunder Rosa into the steel guardrail. Thunder Rosa blocked a suplex and then DDT’ed Jamie Hayter on the arena floor. Britt Baker distracted Thunder Rosa, holding up Thunder Rosa’s championship. Jamie Hayter slammed Thunder Rosa on the steel ring steps with a back breaker. Thunder Rosa rallied back with a Northern Lights Suplex on Hayter for a near fall. Thunder Rosa walloped Hayter with a dropkick and then a senton, crushing Hayter on the floor. Thunder Rosa connected with a diving cross body but Hayter kicked free. Hayter hoisted up Thunder Rosa and flattened her with a back breaker and then a sheer drop brainbuster for a two-count! Britt Baker began to interfere in the match as the ref had her back turned, but Toni Storm pulled Baker back. Toni planted Baker with a DDT on the floor! Thunder Rosa cradled Jamie Hayter and pinned her!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: ROH World Championship Match – Claudio Castagnoli def. Konosuke Takeshita
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Caprice Coleman joined the commentary team for this match. William Regal also joined the broadcast booth for the main event. The Code of Honor was observed before the bell rang. The champ charged at Takeshita at the start of the match. Claudio muscled Takeshita to the mat but Takeshita bridged up, using his savvy to compete with Claudio’s strength. Takeshita used a hip toss on the champ. Takeshita connected with a leg lariat on Claudio. Outside the ring, Takeshita cracked Claudio with a stiff forearm. Back in the ring, Claudio singled out Takeshita’s lower back, working it over with a back breaker. Takeshita surprised Claudio with an El Generico-esque dive. Claudio rallied back with a gut wrench off the turnbuckles. The fans were on their feet cheering on Claudio, wanting to see the Giant Swing. Claudio obliged the fans. Takeshita surprised Claudio with a Blue Thunder Bomb out of nowhere for a near fall! Claudio and Takeshita battled on the second turnbuckle and then Takeshita drilled Claudio with a turnbuckle DDT! Takeshita tried to finish Claudio with a frog splash but Claudio kicked out of the pin attempt. Claudio intercepted a knee strike attempt by Takeshita. Claudio rocked Takeshita with a European Uppercut. Claudio placed Takeshita in the Scorpion Death Lock but Takeshita rolled through. Takeshita nailed Claudio with two German Suplexes and then a jumbo lariat for a near fall on Claudio. Takeshita walloped Claudio with a brainbuster for a (very) near fall! Takeshita was looking for the Cinnabomb but Claudio countered and then stomped onto Takeshita. Claudio attempted the Ricola Bomb but Takeshita countered with a hurracanrana with a near fall. Claudio plucked Takeshita out of the air as Takeshita was trying for the jumping knee and then Claudio countered with the Death Valley Driver! Claudio planted Takeshita with the Ricola Bomb and then pinned him!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
Wow. Just wow. This was a HUGE improvement over the last Battle of the Belts special, with an opening match that cemented Wardlow as the TNT champ – having him stand-up to Jay Lethal and defeat the veteran (although he did take a beating post-match from Lethal, Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh). Then we got the best title defence from Thunder Rosa since she became women’s champ – and that was all down to the UK’s own Jamie Hayter, who countered everything Rosa brought to the match and showed just why she will be one of AEW’s biggest stars. She just needs, as I’ve said before, to show some of her own personality that was so infectious during her appearance on Ethan Page’s toy vlog months ago. Then we got the main event… A match that, for me, is easily up there with THE best matches of the year. Takeshita impressed from the very first match he had in AEW and this title match only cemented how good the guy is. He went toe-to-toe with Claudio Castagnoli and even in defeat he looked good. I read online that this match saw Claudio go over but Takeshita got over, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve dug Takeshita since day one of his AEW run but I think this match put him over in the eyes of pretty much every AEW fan! Such a shame that Takeshita is only on an excursion to the US… If he was staying I’d say AEW needs to throw as much money as possible to snag him!
