‘AEW: Revolution 2024’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of 2023’s AEW: Revolution pay-per-view, which emanates from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina and sees not only a bevvy of title defences but also Sting’s final EVER match… Here’s hoping he goes out on top!
ZERO HOUR
Match #1: The Bang Bang Scissor Gang (The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass, and Bullet Club Gold) def. Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Willie Mack and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Caster flubbed his rap at the end and seemed a bit rattled. Caster hit the Scissor Me Timbers on Marq Quen. Lethal interfered and Quen dropkicked Colten. Jeff Jarrett tagged in and did the Fargo strut after Karen choked Colten when the ref had his back turned. Willie Mack walloped Colten with a massive lariat. Satnam Singh sent Bowens for a ride, hurling him halfway across the ring. Lethal followed up with a delayed vertical suplex on Bowens, showing off his strength. Jarrett, as cunning as they come, tagged in and stomped on Bowens. Anthony Bowens bounced back with a neck breaker on Jeff Jarrett. Daddy Ass made the tag and cleaned house until Satnam Singh tripped him from outside the ring. Private Party, Willie Mack, and Jay Lethal blasted Billy Gunn with a flurry of offense. Mack went for the frog splash, but Billy rolled out of the way. The Bang Bang Scissor Gang turned the tables on the opposition. Jay White chop blocked Satnam and Billy followed up with the fame-asser. Jay White drilled Mack with the Blade Runner and scored the pin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale def. Julia Hart & Skye Blue
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Skye Blue took some wild swings at Willow and Kris, but Kris whipped Blue into the turnbuckles. Skye tagged out to Julia, but Statlander body slammed Julia. Willow entered the match and connected with a running crossbody for a near fall on Julia. Kris blistered Julia with stiff chops and followed up with a back suplex. Julia dodged a high boot from Willow. Skye Blue punted Willow in the back. Skye and Julia double teamed Willow in their corner, isolating her with quick tags. Kris tagged in and fired shots to Julia and Skye. She took both of them down with a jumping double elbow. Julia Hart had a blind tag and clubbed Kris from behind with a running lariat. Willow ran toward the corner and nailed Skye with a senton. Willow drilled Julia with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Skye Blue tagged in and walloped Willow with a thrust kick. Willow dropkicked Skye off the middle rope. Kris tagged in and slugged it out with Julia in the center of the ring. Julia connected with a moonsault press to Kris. Julia covered Statlander but Willow ran in to break up the cover. Statlander clobbered Julia and Skye with a double lariat. Willow rocked Skye with the pounce! Willow planted Skye with the Doctor Bomb and pinned Skye Blue!
My Score: 3 out of 5
REVOLUTION
Match #1: TNT Championship Match – Christian Cage def. Daniel Garcia
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Christian Cage crunched Garcia with a perfectly executed neck breaker. Garcia rallied back with swift strikes, backing Christian into the corner. Christian Cage shoved Garcia to the arena floor and the leaped over the ring post, down onto Garcia. Nick Wayne charged at Garcia, but Garcia backdropped him, with Wayne crashing onto the timekeeper’s table. Garcia willed himself back onto the ring apron and landed a series of shots on Christian Cage. Garcia connected with a running forearm. Garcia pulled Christian’s turtleneck over Christian’s head and blasted him with strikes. Daniel Garcia whipped Christian Cage into the steel ring steps. Christian Cage retreated to the relative safety of the ring. Christian went for a diving headbutt, but Garcia dodged it and countered with an ankle lock! Christian escaped but Daniel Garcia planted him with a suplex. Garcia was looking for a piledriver, but Chrisitan Cage countered with a catapult to the corner. Christian had the ref distracted while Killswitch choke slammed Garcia. Christian Cage nailed Garcia with frog splash for a near fall. Killswitch was going to interfere again, but “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard ran down to even up the odds for Garcia! Menard and Killswitch brawled at ringside! Christian attempted the spear, but his leg gave out. Garcia grabbed him and spiked him with a piledriver for a two-count! Garcia almost scored the victory with a jackknife pin, but Christian grabbed the ropes. Mother Wayne jumped onto the apron to distract the ref, while a lurking Nick Wayne rocked Garcia, whiplashing Garcia’s neck on the ropes! Christian Cage smashed Garcia with the Killswitch and pinned Garcia!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Continental Crown Championship Match – Eddie Kingston def. Bryan Danielson
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Kingston headbutted Danielson and hit a backdrop driver early on. Kingston followed up with a tope suicida. Kingston chopped Danielson on the apron but after luring Kingston in, Kingston inadvertently struck the ring post with his hand! Danielson suplexed Kingston off the apron and onto the arena floor. Danielson began to punish Kingston’s right arm with kicks. Danielson’s gameplan was clear: take away Kingston’s ability to chop and strike. Danielson jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Kingston caught him and countered with an exploder suplex. Danielson retaliated with a dragon suplex, Kingston landing high on his neck. Danielson employed chops and kicks on Kingston in the corner. Kingston knocked Danielson back with a headbutt. Danielson climbed back up the turnbuckles and stunned Kingston with a butterfly suplex off the turnbuckles. Kingston played possum and wrecked Danielson with a spinning backfist. Kingston followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall on Danielson! Somehow Danielson found the energy to smash Kingston with a running knee strike. Danielson covered Kingston but Kingston found the energy deep down to survive and kicked out at the two-count! Danielson captured the wrists of Kingston and stomped Kingston. Danielson locked Kingston in the triangle sleeper. Eddie managed to reach the ropes with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Kingston taunted Danielson, inviting him to strike him. Danielson kicked at Kingston. Danielson sent Kingston flying with a suplex, but Kingston got right back up! This time it was Kingston who dished out the pain, suplexing Danielson. Kingston and Danielson traded rapid fire strikes. Danielson was dazed. Kingston drove his knee into the head of Danielson. Kingston power bombed Danielson and pinned him!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #3: All-Star 8-Man Scramble Match – Wardlow def. HOOK, Brian Cage, Chris Jericho, Lance Archer, CMLL’s Magnus and Powerhouse Hobbs
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Wardlow and Hobbs joined forces to beat down Jericho. Cage press slammed Hook over the top rope and to the floor. Wardlow looked at the Tron and began to flex. Archer clocked Cage with a big boot. Wardlow and Archer exchanged strikes. Archer walked the top rope and backflipped onto Wardlow. Archer tried a second time, but this time Hobbs spiked him with a spinebuster. Magnus and Dante paired off, while Hook and Jericho tangled with one another. Jericho jumped over the ring post and crashed onto Hobbs on the arena floor. Dante flew through the ropes with a tope to Wardlow. Hook climbed to the top and took flight, landing with a double sledge to Cage on the floor. Dante connected with a crossbody to Jericho for a near fall. Magnus clocked Dante with a cutter for a two-count. Archer hip tossed Magnus off the ropes. Archer planted Magnus with a chokeslam for a near fall. Jericho and Magnus double suplexed Archer and they both followed up with stereo lionsaults on Archer. Hobbs bulldozed Archer with a running powerslam. Brian Cage hurled Hobbs with a backdrop suplex. Wardlow rocked Cage, Archer, and Magnus with German Suplexes. Hook jumped on Wardlow’s back, looking to lock on Red Rum. Jericho came in and put Wardlow in the Lion Tamer while Hook still had Red Rum locked in. Cage broke up the submissions but Hook German Suplexed Cage for his efforts. Hobbs massacred Jericho with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam on the arena floor! Hobbs charged at Jericho but Jericho blinded Hobbs with a canister of liquid fog from the fog machine. Wardlow took Cage down with a lariat. Wardlow power bombed Cage. Meanwhile Dante planted Magnus on the mat. Hook went back for the Red Rum on Wardlow, but Wardlow escaped and headbutted Hook. Wardlow clobbered Dante with a power bomb and pinned Dante Martin!
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: AEW International Championship Match – Roderick Strong def. Orange Cassidy
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Strong targeted Orange’s back, nailing Orange with repeated back breakers. Roddy chopped away at Orange in the corner. Orange retaliated with elbow strikes. Roderick picked up Orange Cassidy and gut wrench power bombed Orange onto the top turnbuckle and ropes! Roddy grabbed Orange by the arms and began to wrench back against the ring post, making it difficult for Orange to breathe. Roderick countered Orange’s swinging DDT with a rib breaker! Roddy put Orange in the Strong Hold! Orange willed himself to the bottom rope and grabbed it. Strong put Orange back in the Strong Hold! Cassidy escaped and this time connected with a DDT to Strong. Orange Cassidy followed up with a diving DDT for a near fall! Orange rocked Roderick with the Panama Sunrise for a near fall! Roderick dodged the Orange Punch and countered with a back breaker. Orange fired back with the Orange Punch! Orange blasted Roddy with the Beach Break, but Roddy escaped the pin by touching the bottom rope with his boot. Orange got to his feet, but Roderick was there, pulping Orange with the End of Heartache and pinning Orange!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #5: The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) def. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Claudio and Dax traded cradles and pinning combinations at the start of the match, both going for the win early on. They exchanged open palm strikes. Claudio decked Dax with a European Uppercut. Mox grabbed a tag, as did Cash. Cash Wheeler ran into Mox with a shoulder tackle. Moxley fired in chops, but Cash came back with a big back body drop to Moxley. Dax took down Claudio with a drop toe hold and Cash hit an elbow drop on Claudio, FTR putting their famous tandem offense on display. Moxley and Cash brawled in the front row! Moxley returned Cash to the ring and Claudio came in with a gut wrench to Cash. Claudio hammered Cash with a clothesline. Dax was busted wide open as he collided with the steel ring post, courtesy of Claudio. Claudio hoisted up Dax for an Air Raid Crash and Moxley jumped off the top rope, spiking Dax. Dax and Moxley swung at each other with wild forearms and then right hands! Dax power bombed Moxley. Dax held up Moxley for a piledriver while Cash stuffed him from the top rope! Cash connected with a tope to Claudio! Dax was looking for the power plex on Moxley, but Claudio knocked Cash down. Moxley put Dax on his shoulders and Claudio rocked Dax with a European Uppercut Doomsday Device. FTR went for the Shatter Machine, but Claudio blocked it! Moxley clocked Cash with a cutter while Claudio put Dax in the Giant Swing! Moxley dropkicked Dax as Claudio was swinging Dax. FTR finally nailed Mox with the Shatter Machine. Dax had Moxley covered but Claudio pulled Dax off Moxley and out of the ring! Cash flew out of the ring with a tope, but Claudio countered with a European Uppercut! Claudio nailed Cash with a Neutralizer on the arena floor. Dax was right there, though, and hit Claudio with a piledriver. Back in the ring, Moxley drilled Dax with a Death Rider for a near fall! Moxley applied a rear choke. Cash jumped in to try to break up the submission, but Claudio grabbed him and put Cash in a rear naked choke! Moxley sat back with his submission and put Dax to sleep! The BCC won the match via ref stoppage!
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #6: AEW Women’s World Championship Match – Toni Storm def. Deonna Purrazzo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Deonna and Toni chain wrestled at the start of the match. Deonna baited in Toni and tried for an arm bar, but Toni got to the ropes. Deonna hit Toni with a shoulder tackle. Toni rolled to the outside, trying to collect her thoughts. Deonna caught Toni off guard with a sliding dropkick. Toni mule kicked Deonna as the ref had her back turned. Toni headbutted Deonna, her confidence growing as she gained more control over her challenger. Deonna slapped Toni across the cheek. Toni fired back. Deonna hammered the jaw of her former friend with elbow strikes. Deonna pump kicked Toni in the face. Toni tripped Deonna in the corner. Toni smashed Deonna with the running hip attack and followed up with a DDT for a near fall! Toni tripped Deonna and was looking for the Break A Leg submission. Deonna rolled out of it. Deonna pump kicked Toni and Toni fell into Luther’s arms. Deonna jumped off the ropes and wiped out both of them on the outside! Deonna applied the Fujiwara arm bar. Toni was tapping to the Venus De Milo, but Luther distracted the ref. Mariah May jumped on the ring apron and distracted Deonna. When Deonna turned around, Toni drilled Deonna with a piledriver and pinned her.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #7: Will Ospreay def. Konosuke Takeshita
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Will took Takeshita down with a hurracanrana. Takeshita fired back with the Takeshita Line! Takeshita hit a delayed vertical suplex off the ropes. Ospreay rallied back with a corkscrew kick and then jumped over the top rope, landing on Takeshita on the floor mats. Ospreay hit Takeshita with Kawada kicks to the face. Takeshita retaliated with a dive over the top rope and onto Will with all of his body weight! Takeshita tried for a senton off the top, but Will countered by raising his knees into Takeshita’s back. Takeshita wasted no time, though, wiping out Will with a German Suplex. Takeshita charged at Will, but Will countered with a Spanish Fly. Will took down Takeshita with a spinning kick to the face. Will Ospreay had Takeshita in trouble with a rolling elbow strike. Takeshita rocked Ospreay with a shot of his own! Will planted Takeshita with a Tiger Driver for a near fall! Takeshita countered an Os Cutter with a Blue Thunder Bomb! Ospreay dodged a flurry of strikes and landed the Os Cutter on Takeshita. Will attempted the Hidden Blade but Takeshita had it scouted and countered it with his own strike for a near fall.Takeshita blocked a hurracanrana from the top and countered with a brutal brain buster off the top rope! Ospreay found his footing somehow and took down Takeshita with a Poison Rana. Takeshita trucked Will with a running lariat. Ospreay countered a jumping knee with a Styles Clash. Ospreay nailed Takeshita with a Tiger Driver 91, smashed Takeshita with the Hidden Blade, and pinned Takeshita!
My Score: 4.5 out of 5
Match #8: AEW World Championship Match – Samoa Joe def. “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Samoa Joe took the fight to Page and Strickland. Hangman hit a fallaway slam on Swerve, but Swerve popped right up and hit Hangman with a high boot. Samoa Joe power bombed Hangman and transitioned to the STF. Samoa Joe was looking for a muscle buster on Swerve, as Joe had Swerve in the ropes. Samoa Joe headbutted Swerve and knocked him to the arena floor. Hangman and Swerve teamed up and double power bombed Samoa Joe off the top turnbuckle. Hangman Page and Swerve tore each other apart with strikes in the middle of the ring. Swerve developed a mouse under his eye. Swerve laughed at Hangman. Page was looking for Dead Eye, but Swerve countered with a sunset flip until Samoa Joe broke up the pin attempt. Hangman hoisted up Swerve with a tombstone piledriver. Once again Samoa Joe jumped in to break up the pin attempt. Hangman booted Samoa Joe, catching him flush on the chin. Swerve snatched up Hangman in a vertical suplex and went for the cover, and Samoa Joe was there to break up the pin attempt once again. Samoa Joe planted Hangman with the Muscle Buster. Swerve connected with the Swerve Stomp on Samoa Joe and followed up with the House Call. Instead of going for the cover on Samoa Joe, Swerve rocked Page with the House Call to the back of the head for a two-count. Swerve squashed Samoa Joe with a 450 splash! Samoa Joe was clutching his ribs. Swerve nailed Joe with the Swerve Stomp! Samoa Joe kicked out, and then Page pulled the ref out of the ring! Hangman grabbed the World title and smashed Swerve in the head with it. Hangman connected with the Buckshot Lariat on Samoa Joe! Hangman hit Joe with a second Buckshot Lariat and went for the pin. Another ref ran down to make the count, but Samoa Joe kicked out at the two-count. Samoa Joe grabbed Hangman in a submission, but Swerve jumped off the top rope with a sky twister press, throwing his body onto the pile to break it up. Prince Nana handed Swerve Nana’s crown. Swerve threw it back, saying he didn’t need it. Samoa Joe grabbed Swerve in a rear naked choke, but Swerve countered, rolling up Joe. Hangman Page jumped into the ring and began to hammer the referee in the back of the head, and then threw the ref out of the ring. Samoa Joe was looking for the Muscle Buster on Swerve but Page smashed Joe with the Buckshot Lariat. Swerve served up one of his own Buckshot Lariats to Page! Swerve drilled Page with the JML Driver! Samoa Joe jumped in and put the half and half on Hangman, trapping Page. Hangman Page tapped out!
My Score: 4 out of 5
Match #9: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tornado Tag Match – Darby Allin & Sting def. The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair came to the ring! Next came the special guest timekeeper, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Sting’s sons were by his side, each representing a different era of Sting’s career. The match started off with a bang! Sting hit the Stinger splash on the Bucks while Darby connected with Coffin Splashes. Sting’s sons got in the ring and delivered Stinger splashes on the Bucks, getting retribution for when the Bucks attacked them on Dynamite! Sting applied a double Scorpion Death Lock on the Bucks, but they managed to escape. Sting whipped Matthew and Nicholas into the barricade. Sting smacked the Bucks with a steel chair. Sting’s sons set up tables around the ring, and Darby brought out a ladder. Matthew went for a piledriver on the floor but Sting countered with a back drop. Darby jumped off the ring post with a Coffin Drop to the Bucks on the floor. Sting pulled a pane of glass out from beneath the ring. Sting pulled out another pane of glass. Sting’s sons and Darby placed the panes of glass across chairs at ringside. The Bucks tried to retreat through the crowd, but Darby and Sting chased after them. Nicholas walloped Darby with a Falcon Arrow off the stage and through tables. Matthew Jackson gouged at Sting’s eyes. Matthew suplexed Sting off the stage and through tables on the side of the stage. Nicholas propped up a ladder on the turnbuckles. Matthew Jackson power bombed Darby against the ladder! Darby drilled Nicholas with a stunner and then nailed Matthew with a Code Red! Darby rammed Nicholas’ head into the steel ring steps. Darby climbed up and jumped off the top of the ladder that was set up in the ring, but Matthew pulled Nicholas out of the way just in time. This proved to be extremely costly for Darby, as his body crashed through the pane of glass below! The Bucks double teamed Sting in the ring as Doc Sampson checked on Darby on the outside. Sting fought off the Bucks and set Matthew on a table. Sting climbed the ladder, but Matthew met him up there and power bombed him down through a table! Sting popped right up. The Bucks grabbed Sting and whipped him into a pane of glass that was propped against the turnbuckles, sending shards of glass everywhere! Matthew Jackson kicked Sting with a low blow. Matthew planted Sting with the Scorpion Death Drop for a near fall. Nicholas Jackson went to grab one of the Tag Championships so he could use it as a weapon. Ricky Steamboat saw what was about to happen and yanked it away from Nicholas. Matthew Jackson clocked Steamboat with a steel chair! Ric Flair rolled into the ring to check on Sting. Matthew grabbed one of the tag belts and was about to blast Sting with it, but the “Nature Boy” acted as a human shield and begged Matthew not to do it. The Young Bucks blasted Ric Flair with superkicks. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat jumped onto the ring apron, but the Bucks rocked him with stereo superkicks too. Matthew Jackson smashed the tag belt in Sting’s face. Matthew covered Sting but Sting kicked out! The Bucks dished out a pair of superkicks to Sting but Sting did not leave his feet! Sting beat his chest and bulldozed the Bucks with clotheslines. Sting drilled Matthew with a Scorpion Death Drop! Sting went for the cover, but Nicholas broke up the pin. Sting tried for another Scorpion Death Drop but Matthew countered, pulled Sting down with a snap mare. The Bucks eviscerated Sting with the EVP Trigger! Matthew covered Sting but Sting kicked out at the two-count! The Bucks nailed Sting with another EVP Trigger. Matthew covered Sting but Sting kicked out at the one-count and laughed! The Bucks set up Sting for the TK Driver, but Darby appeared out of nowhere and shoved Nicholas off the top rope! Nicholas crashed through ringside table! Sting planted Matthew with the Scorpion Death Drop but Matthew managed to kick out somehow! Sting held onto Matthew while Darby nailed Matthew with the Coffin Drop! Sting applied the Scorpion Death Lock and Matthew tapped out!
My Score: 5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 4.5/5
This was one hell of a pay per view, one that promised a lot and delivered. There wasn’t a single bad match in the entire bunch, some matches were better than others, some WAY better and the main event gets a full five stars just for what it represented AND the fact it was a damn good main event. Honestly, this final run of Sting’s has been truly memorable, topped off by some sheer insanity in this final outing for the Stinger. The fact that we got the triple of Ospreay versus Takeshita, Joe/Swerve and Page and then Sting’s final match really made this year’s Revolution something to remember. Where AEW goes from here remains to be seen but with Big Business on the horizon hopefully the only way is up!
