‘AEW: Battle of the Belts XI’ Review
We’ve got a bonus show from AEW this week, the eleventh instalment of the quarterly Battle of the Belts, which – as per the last couple of specials – followed directly from this week’s episode of Collision. Let’s get into it…
Match #1: AEW Women’s World Championship Eliminator Match – Toni Storm def. Taya Valkyrie
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Ian Riccaboni joined Tony and Nigel on commentary for Battle of the Belts. Toni took down Taya with a Thesz Press and grounded and pounded her with left and right fists! Storm smashed Taya with a running hip attack. Outside the ring, Taya lured Toni into the steel ring steps and charged at Toni with the meteora. Storm rallied back with a hip attack in the ring. Toni spiked Taya with a DDT for a near fall. Taya slid beneath Storm and the bottom rope and nailed Toni with a German Suplex. Taya connected with Shania Pain and covered Toni, but Toni was too close to the ropes and put her boot up to break the pin. Toni stunned Taya with the Storm Zero and picked up the pinfall victory!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: CMLL World Women’s Championship Eliminator Match – Willow Nightingale def. Deonna Purrazzo
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
Willow picked up Deonna with ease and body slammed her. Willow followed up with a running cross body for a near fall. Deonna lured Willow in and attacked Willow’s arm. Willow fired back with a power bomb for a near fall. Willow hit a snap suplex. Willow climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Deonna pulled her down hard. Willow drilled Deonna with a Death Valley Driver, but Deonna kicked out at the two-count. Willow put Deonna on the top turnbuckle and superplexed Deonna. Willow walloped Deonna with a running lariat! Taya Valkyrie walked down the ramp to the ring. Taya tried to hand Deonna a turnbuckle, but Thunder Rosa sprinted down and grabbed Taya by the waist! Taya and Thunder Rosa brawled around ringside. The champ pounced Deonna! Willow planted Deonna with the Babe with the Powerbomb and pinned Deonna!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships Match – Dustin Rhodes & The Von Erichs (Ross & Marshall) def. The Undisputed Kingdom (Roderick Strong & Mike Bennett & Matt Taven)
The following is courtesy of allelitewrestling.com:
OH Board of Directors member Paul Wight joined commentary for this match. Marshall hip tossed Mike Bennett. Taven tagged in and Marshall hip tossed him too! The Von Erichs hit tandem offense on Taven. Marshall connected with a standing moonsault and then a dropkick to Taven. Ross rocked Roddy with a sling blade. Dustin tagged in and drilled Bennett with lariats. Dustin power slammed Roddy. Dustin drilled Taven with a bulldog! Dustin followed up with a Canadian Destroyer on Taven! Dustin nailed Bennett with the Cross Rhodes and then a pile driver. Dustin went for the cover, but Roddy and Taven broke up the pin attempt. The Undisputed Kingdom triple teamed Dustin with a flurry of offense! Roddy and Matt grabbed the title belts. Ref Aubrey Edwards intercepted them, but as she was distracted by that, Taven smashed the cowbell into Dustin’s skull for a near fall! Shibata ran to the ring and applied the Iron Claw on Taven. Kevin put Roderick in the Iron Claw! Marshall and Ross battered Bennett with a knee strike and a discus lariat! Dustin planted Bennett and scored the pin!
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: /5
I am shooketh! Each and every time I review a Battle of the Belts special I mention the fact there never seems to be any tension to the matches as we know titles aren’t going to change hands on this show but… then they go and have a title change ELEVEN episodes in! OK, so it was the Ring of Honor titles that changed hands but still… AND the champs are the Von Erichs, who don’t have an AEW contract! Though to be fair AEW are apparently having a run of shows across Texas, THE home of the Von Erichs. So having them as champs for this run makes a whole lot of sense! Altogether this was one of the better Battle of the Belts specials.
