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TJRWrestling AEW Revolution 2022 Preview

aew revolution 2022 preview tjrwrestling

The first AEW pay-per-view of 2022 is called Revolution with several title matches including Adam Page defending the AEW World Title against Adam Cole, plus grudge matches like CM Punk vs. MJF in a Dog Collar Match and Bryan Danielson faces Jon Moxley.

John: Welcome to the TJRWrestling AEW Revolution 2022 preview. There are 12 matches counting the three that are the pre-show (the third pre-show match was added on Rampage on Friday). Most AEW PPVs run 3 hours, 45 minutes or so and if the three matches take up almost all of the hour long pre-show then you’re looking at nearly five hours of action. Since AEW is heavy on workrate and putting on great matches, that’s a nice treat for the fans. I think it’s a very strong lineup for the most part. It could be one of AEW’s best PPVs ever. No doubt about it.

If you need info on how to order Full Gear on PPV, check out AEW’s website for info on how to watch it in your country. It’s different depending on where you live. I’ll be using Fite TV in Canada, most likely.

Joining me for the preview are Joel McIntyre, Alex Podgorski, Marc Madison and Lance Augustine.

Alex: Revolution has the potential to be a great show. The announced card has a nice balance of different things for different fans. If you like intense and personal feuds, there’s CM Punk vs. MJF. If you like demolition derbies involving ladders, there’s a MITB-style six-man free-for-all ladder match. if you like dream matches and stories of redemption, there’s Danielson vs. Moxley. And if you simply like great wrestling, then the main event between Page and Cole and a few of the title matches should be more than satisfactory. I wouldn’t necessarily call it ‘stacked’ since there’s a lot of talent missing from the show. But hey, that’s what happens when the owner signs over 100 wrestlers and only puts on four PPVs per year.

Marc: The week leading up to AEW’s Revolution pay per view has been crazy. While crazy isn’t typically used to describe any company’s week leading into a pay-per-view for AEW, it certainly feels that way. With Tony Khan’s announcement of his impending purchase of Ring of Honor, it certainly feels that fans could anticipate any ROH-related references to be made for this show.

With that looming, twelve matches are also on tap with title matches, grudge matches, and ladder matches. This show feels like brunch with the cantaloupe served at the end of it! Simpson’s references rule!

(Note: All graphics are from AEW.)

Hook vs. QT Marshall (BUY IN PRE-SHOW)

Joel: Hook has been impressive since debuting. Yet, I’ve had zero interest in anything QT Marshall has done since AEW opened its doors. Hook wins. Hopefully it’s short.

Winner: Hook

Alex: AEW’s bookers are doing everything right with Hook. Let his rise to the top be slow and gradual; don’t force it. There’s no need to push him now when the higher spots on the card are all filled and bloated. He can manhandle one small guy after another in short matches until he has collected a solid number of wins. There’s no need to change something when it clearly isn’t broken in any way.

Winner: Hook

Marc: While it’s always unusual where the role of QT Marshall falls in the landscape of AEW, what is known is that he appears committed to the growth of the company’s young talent. So when this match was booked, the idea of who he’d face to warm up the crowd seems like a growing cult-favorite in HOOK made sense. But, of course, we don’t anticipate a Marshall win. We probably don’t even predict it to look competitive, but one can wonder.

Winner: Hook

Lance: Hook has been on fire. He has been booked primarily on Rampage, but the people come up for him and his stuff looks awesome. I have no clue what to say about QT Marshall being in a spot like this except for the fact that he should lose in a convincing fashion. Hook has been impressive and I believe he should be a featured guy on Dynamite.

Winner: Hook

John: Easy call here. The fans love Hook because he’s presented like a star, he’s got that unique hairstyle and laissez-faire/lazy demeanor to him that the fans like. QT Marshall is there to put the young kid over. Hook should win in seven minutes or less. It might even be three minutes or less.

Winner: Hook

Leyla Hirsch vs. Kris Statlander (BUY IN PRE-SHOW)

Joel: I guess they’ve done an OKAY job with this. However, who’s the babyface? Kris mentioned that she knows why Leyla’s parents gave her up but Leyla is acting like a heel? It’s confusing to the average viewer. This seems like a scenario where Kris gets the win but I wish it would’ve been given more time to build.

Winner: Kris Statlander

Alex: Statlander is the bigger star of the two and has a bit more of a connection with the crowd, despite her strange gimmick. She should get the win here to re-establish her as a future title contender, especially since I don’t think AEW does automatic rematches for former champions. A division needs a top title contender and a second one waiting in the wings if the first one fails or can’t make a challenge, which is why I think a win in under ten minutes will benefit Statlander greatly here.

Winner: Kris Statlander

Marc: Their feud has been growing, but easily one of the most minor face thing Statlander could have said was about Hirsch and her being put up for adoption. While I understand if your back is pushed against the wall, you’ll say or do things out of character, but did Hirsch do enough to warrant being told: “That’s why your parents put you up for adoption.”

Really? Did she rob her? Break into her house? Violate her privacy? Boop her nose during her sleep? The answer is likely no to any or all of those meanings; I’m hoping Hirsch wins but don’t anticipate it happening.

Winner: Kris Statlander

Lance: Statlander has been impressive at times, but she has also looked green. I feel like she is a solid worker, but in a match like this with no build, I don’t know what the ideas are. Both of these women haven’t been on TV much lately, so it’s anyone’s guess what the finish will be. I assume Statlander comes away with a win here, since she seems to be the one that is on TV a little bit more.

Winner: Kris Statlander

John: What a weird story where Leyla turned heel, so then Kris made fun of her being adopted or something like that. Kris used to be an alien girl, but they have cut out that aspect of the character since it was so stupid. Anyway, they both work hard and should have a decent match here. Kris should win.

Winner: Kris Statlander

House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews) vs. Death Triangle (Pac and Penta Oscuro) and Erick Redbeard (BUY IN PRE-SHOW)

Joel: House of Black got stronger with the additions of Buddy Matthews. I’ve enjoyed the House of Black stuff the last few months. I’m not sure what they’re doing with PAC. Why is Erik Redbeard here? All of the talent you have on that roster and you bring in Erik Redbeard for this spot? No disrespect to the former Erik Rowan but this is about as random of a pairing as I’ve seen. House of Black is on a roll and this is their first real test as a group so I expect them to get the win and it’ll probably continue until Rey Fenix returns.

Winners: House of Black

Alex: This should be very interesting. It doesn’t have to go very long; twelve minutes should be enough. There’s enough talent among these six wrestlers to have a solid enough match in that timeframe. In terms of winners, I’m going with Black and his cohorts. Black has been made to be a big deal since his debut, though I have yet to see anything truly shocking from him beyond his surprise attacks on a few people. If AEW indeed intends on copying New Japan with their never-ending stable warfare concept, then the House of Black needs to not only win here, but do something big and memorable.

Winners: House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews)

Marc: This past Friday, Alex Abrahantes, PAC, and Penta Oscuro all came out and addressed the recent sections of the House of Black on them. To which Alex shared that it would be the three of them against the House of Black. Once Black & company emerged, it was Alex who wouldn’t say he meant that he was the third man but rather a familiar race. “You have your monster, and we have ours.” This brought out Erick Redbeard (the former Erick Rowan in the WWE). It may be his first appearance in AEW since the Brodie Lee tribute show. Upon arrival, Redbeard ran through security and nearly the House of Black. As a last-minute addition, it seems unfair to take steam away from the House of Black this coming Sunday. It would certainly make them appear as an afterthought.

Winners: House of Black

Lance: I have liked most of the things that Malakai Black has done, as hokey as it can be at times. Adding Brody King and a debuting Buddy Matthew’s to the fold Iis a good way to give him some talent to mentor. Erick Redbeard also made his debut on the latest episode of Rampage and has joined forces with Death Triangle for this one. I don’t think this will be that memorable, but there is some talent in the match. It feels like The House of Black will be featured moving forward so I will take them to pick up the dub.

Winners: House of Black

John: It’s disappointing that Malakai Black isn’t more of a singles star in AEW. They booked him like such a killer early on and now he’s just a guy that dresses in black with face paint and somehow has friends. Pac’s days of getting a singles push seem to be in the past too, which is a shame. Penta is a lot of fun. I assume House of Black wins here since it’s a new stable. Bringing in Erik Redbeard on the face team is likely a temporary thing since Rey Fenix is hurt, but maybe Erik has signed with AEW and he’ll turn heel to be part of House of Black. It wouldn’t shock me if they did that because we know AEW loves stables. Anyway, it should be the best of the three pre-show matches.

Winners: House of Black

Face of the Revolution Ladder Match: Keith Lee vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Ricky Starks vs. Wardlow vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Christian Cage

(Note: The winner earns a future TNT Title match.)

Joel: I’m kind of upset Christian Cage defeated Ethan Page to get that last spot. Why? What does Christian gain? Just because he has ladder match experience? Ethan needed it way more. That being said, it should be a great match. I doubt it beats last year’s for the simple fact I think last years had better overall workers. I think Hobbs and Starks will shine. You’ll probably see some cracks in Team Taz here simply because that’s how these things work. Cassidy will be there to provide comic relief and do a few cool moves. I suspect Lee and Cage will get their time. However, I’m going with Wardlow. It seems they’ve set him up to win the match for weeks ever since that initial segment where MJF said if Wardlow wins, he has to give the Title to him. The segment last week where MJF said Wardlow wouldn’t win anyway, which kinda telegraphed it for me. I think Wardlow gets the win and it sets the split between MJF and Wardlow in motion.

Winner: Wardlow

Alex: Christian Cage earned his spot in this match on Rampage, but it didn’t matter if it was Ethan Page or Christian Cage because neither of them was going to win. Cassidy is another guy that’s just in there to pull of his shtick and nothing else. Starks and Hobbs have potential, but they’re still behind the two top contenders here, Lee and Wardlow. Choosing between them is hard since there’s a compelling case for each one. AEW have been doing this slow but gradual push for Wardlow and he’s getting over bit by bit. A win here could give Wardlow considerable momentum; especially since it’s clear he’s also getting a gradual push and will likely split from MJF sooner or later. Then again, Lee is still an absolute unit who had a memorable debut with the biel throw to end all biel throws. One of these two powerhouses (sorry Hobbs) will overcome all the others and earn a future title shot. But while Lee would be a good short-term decision to capitalize on his debut, Wardlow is the better long-term decision since there’s more mileage out of his story and future singles push.

Winner: Wardlow

Marc: Christian Cage winning on Rampage to gain entry into this match makes sense. He helps those in the ring with him and is the veteran talent that this match would genuinely benefit from. Now, while Cassidy & Starks will bring the likeliness of bigger bumps taking place in this match, it is really the battle of the three agile big men that are getting my attention.

Lee, Hobbs, and Wardlow are sure to show glimpses of dominance throughout the match. What feels like the most organic choice to win this match is based on how he’s been presented lately and the response from the crowd with Wardlow. So, that’s it. That’s the pick to click.

Winner: Wardlow

Lance: This match features three of the biggest guys in the company and they are all featured in a ladder match. Wardlow is a star. I am already hitching my wagon to that horse. Keith Lee had an impressive debut with the company a couple of weeks ago and Powerhouse Hobbs has a lot of potential. I think those three paired with the smaller guys could be a good dynamic, but the writing is on the wall with this one, at least for me. Wardlow has had the people behind him recently, and I am looking for a big pop when he pulls down whatever is hanging in the balance.

Winner: Wardlow

John: The weird thing about this match is that AEW will randomly give a wrestler a TNT Title match all the time whether they are ranked highly or not because the champion is willing to take on all comers, yet these guys have to break their bodies in a ladder match to earn a title shot. It’s not really fair, but that’s AEW. It should be a good match that is put together well and since there aren’t a lot of gimmick matches on the show, it will stand out due to the ladders being involved. I like Ricky Starks a lot even though they don’t use him that well (he should be in a higher profile match), Christian Cage is there for veteran experience, Orange Cassidy always gets pushed to a decent level and Powerhouse Hobbs definitely has a bright future.

The two choices that make the most sense are to put over the newcomer Keith Lee in his first AEW PPV match or to push Wardlow, who is obviously getting over with the crowd to a lot of squash wins over the last few months. I’m going Wardlow since the split with MJF is obviously coming soon. Lee will probably win a lot of matches in the coming months, but I think Wardlow is the better choice in this match. I also think Wardlow will become TNT Champion whenever he gets the title match.

Winner: Wardlow

TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Tay Conti

Joel: The build to this has been lackluster mostly because of AEW’s resistance to have more than one Women’s match on Dynamite. Tay just randomly got put in the match. Jade has been dominant for over a year. This is her first PPV title defense so I don’t see her losing the title this soon.

Winner/STILL TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

Alex: AEW created this title a few months ago and they treat their titles quite seriously. It wouldn’t make sense for a title so new to change hands so soon. Doing so diminishes its prestige and importance. Plus, they have something in Cargill. She had an impressive debut year in 2021, and I think that positive momentum will continue here. It probably won’t be the most exciting match on the card, but it doesn’t need to be. As long as Cargill keeps getting over and impressing people, she can win in under ten minutes and there won’t be any issues with that.

Winner and STILL TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

Marc: While this past week’s Dynamite had exciting promos from CM Punk and MJF, it is, without a doubt, one line by Jade Cargill that had me laughing the most. ‘No one cares about that Karate sh*t.’ Even if you aren’t a fan of Jade and love Tay, that line was laugh-out-loud funny. But, promos aside, the Cargill train just keeps rolling. She’s been said to be training with Bryan Danielson, suggesting she’s getting mentoring from one of the greatest technicians in wrestling today.

It’s hard to bet against ‘that b*tch,’ so we won’t. It won’t even matter if Anna Jay gets involved; Jade may wipe them both out.

Winner: AND STILL Jade Cargill

Lance: Jade Cargill has been pushed since the day she walked in the door. She hasn’t lost the match yet in the company and when the TBS Championship was announced, everyone knew who was going to win it. I like Cargill, but she has looked lost at times. I give her the benefit of the doubt because she hasn’t been around long, but she will have to put it together eventually. Tay Conti has had a nice little push lately, but I can’t see her beating Cargill. That will be saved for someone who is a top woman’s star if I had to guess.

Winner and STILL AEW TBS Champion: Jade Cargill

John: The main card match that interests me the least is this one. I just don’t care that much about this title and there’s barely a story here. Tay will put up a fight. Cargill will win in dominant fashion in about ten minutes. Don’t go too long. Cargill is still learning.

Winner: Jade Cargill

Tornado Trios Match: Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin & Sting vs. Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy

Joel: The Triple Threat that took place on Rampage should have taken place here. I’m not sure why there’s a trios match other than just finding a way to get Sting on the card. Why is Sammy Guevara still carrying around two titles? Anyway. The match will be awesome. What Sting can do at 62 years old is truly amazing when you think about it. The split with Matt Hardy and AHFO is coming soon. I see Matt or Kassidy taking the pin here to further that story.

Winners: Sammy/Darby/Sting

Alex: I’m going with a coin toss prediction on this one. Guevara, Allin and Sting are among the most consistently pushed acts in AEW’s midcard while guys like Andrade are barely used. Personally, I would rather see Andrade’s team get a big win here to prove that his signing wasn’t done just for shock and awe. And whoever scores the fall for the AFHO team should do so by pinning Sting. Allin and Guevara are obvious future top stars and will thus be protected. But Sting is here as both a nostalgia act and to help elevate these younger guys. And what better way to do that than to take a clean and decisive pin from some younger guys on the opposing team?

Winners: Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy & Isiah Kassidy

Marc: Much like the Page/Cage match listed above, the result of the triple threat match from the TNT Championship match involving Guevara/Allin and Andrade has yet to take place. But if I predicted what likely happened in that match, it would be chaos! Several variables can get involved in that match, with the fallout happening in this match and unknown variables as well.

Could this be the night we see Jeff Hardy come face to face with his younger self in Darby Allin? The sheer crossing of paths suggests that Allin would be starstruck. But, even if the Charismatic enigma doesn’t get involved, a win by AHFO feels more likely out of sheer numbers alone.

Winners: Andrade El Idolo, Matt Hardy, and Isiah Kassidy

Lance: A “Tornado Match” is usually slang for “this match will be out of control”. There are no tags in a Tornado match, so this will probably go all over the building and have a bunch of big spots. I love the Sting and Allin pairing and has gone well since they started doing it. Sting has had a couple of matches and he has been protected and worked his ass off. I don’t understand the HFO stuff, but everything has its place. I can’t see the heels winning here.

Winners: Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin, & Sting

John: Poor Andrade. Another guy that was supposed to be a big deal in AEW that gets booked like such a loser. He didn’t have a TV match for three months and now he just loses to Sammy Guevara repeatedly. Matt Hardy’s jobber stable is probably ending soon because brother Jeff is coming to WWE within a week or two, so look for a babyface Hardy Boys reunion. Even though Sting is in his 60s, he remains undefeated in AEW. Does that seem right to you? Shouldn’t the oldest guy on the show be losing matches to put over younger talent? You’d think so, but I doubt that happens here. Kassidy is there to take the pin. Sting’s team wins.

Winners by pinfall: Sammy Guevara, Darby Allin & Sting

AEW Women’s Championship: Dr. Britt Baker (c) vs. Thunder Rosa

Joel: This match should have main evented Double or Nothing. Instead, it is probably going to be the middle of the card with a lackluster build. Britt has been a good Women’s Champion, but her reign has suffered since the TBS Title was introduced due to the fact that AEW won’t have more than one women’s match on Dynamite. This match has the potential to steal the show if given the time. I think Britt’s time as champion should end here. Give Thunder Rosa the title and let her run with it.

Winner/NEW Women’s Champion: Thunder Rosa

Alex: This match is probably the hardest to predict. We have two talented competitors here, both with solid backgrounds and compelling cases for why either could win. Baker has been carrying the women’s division for some time now, even when she wasn’t champion. She has been solid in the ring and has run through many challengers. Rosa, meanwhile, is a better-rounded athlete and has more wrestling experience overall. I think that advantage will work in Rosa’s favor this Sunday. As for length, if this gets twelve to twenty minutes, it has the potential to be truly great. Anything shorter than that would be a disappointing misfire.

Winner and NEW AEW Women’s Champion: Thunder Rosa

Marc: This match is a little peculiar here. For some reason, it hasn’t felt as though a Thunder Rosa win is a foregone conclusion. Despite Baker being pinned this past week, the Baker train doesn’t feel like it still doesn’t have fans eating out of the palm of her hand. That said, her backstage segments with Hayter and Rebel by her side haven’t been longer, and without the title, does it force her to have to do anything she needs to do as the hungry challenger?

We aren’t sure, so a Baker win may be possible at this time, even if there is speculation that Thunder Rosa is injured going into this match. If that is the case, then the doctor will have the lockjaw primed and ready to help her win.

Winner: AND STILL Dr. Britt Baker

Lance: There have been reports that Thunder Rosa is hurt and could be less than 100% coming into this match. Rosa has denied it, but I guess we will find out. Britt Baker is coming into her own and is one of the top women’s stars in the industry. This will be competitive, and I am excited to see it. With all that being said, this match is indicative of how soft the AEW women’s division may be. I love both women, but Baker is going to have to have someone new step up to challenge her. This will be a battle and I feel like Baker has some time left with the title.

Winner and STILL AEW Women’s Champion: Britt Baker

John: The talented dentist Dr. Britt Baker has held the title since Double or Nothing last May, so it’s been over nine months at this point. It seems like the right time for a title change with AEW purposely keeping Rosa out of the title picture for as long as they could until they decided it was the right time to have her feud with Baker, who Rosa feuded with last year. That match they had last year was amazing, but it was also a brawl with weapons while this is just a regular match. I’m going with a title change just because it makes sense based on the long term history between these two women. It just feels like the right time, but I should add that I don’t think it’s obvious.

Winner AND NEW AEW Women’s Champion: Thunder Rosa

Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Jericho

Joel: This has been pretty good. Playing off the history between Eddie Kingston and Proud ‘n Powerful is great stuff. It seems Jericho is going the heel route by calling himself a Sports Entertainer and using the AEW fanbase’s disdain for WWE to his advantage. Chris has gotten himself in tremendous shape over the last several months. This match has the makings to be awesome if given the time. Eddie gets these highlight spots against guys like Moxley, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and he always loses. It’s time to give him a win. Chris doesn’t need it.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

Alex: Eddie Kingston is a star on the rise. Jericho is not. Kingston gains something by beating his opponent here. Jericho does not. Kingston likely has many years left to contribute to AEW in many ways. Jericho’s career has reached a point of repetition and he has expanded more into other ventures and roles that don’t involve actually wrestling. It makes all the sense in the world for Kingston to beat a huge and respected veteran and use that momentum to achieve further success.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

Marc: This should be a fun match. It’s like to be an entertaining match for a couple of reasons. First, physically, the transformation that Chris Jericho has made is fantastic. With each time that he talks down to Eddie Kingston, he doesn’t look like a hypocrite in saying so. Second, Eddie Kingston once again steps in the ring with another star with a massive history behind him. So while it likely won’t hurt him in a loss, the need to elevate him is a win.

With that said, if Kingston’s desire is to fight and persevere, is him contending for a title something that works for the character? A win here for Jericho, possibly with the help of Ortiz and Santana, would certainly cement a double-cross on their part and a unification once again of the Inner Circle.

Winner: Chris Jericho

Lance: Jericho has gotten himself into fantastic shape and hasn’t been unbearable on TV like he had been previously. I have never been the biggest Jericho fan, but his contribution to the industry is legendary. Eddie Kingston is just so different than everything else in wrestling that it’s hard not to get behind him. I don’t think this will be a technical classic, but I believe both of these guys can go out and have a very solid match. Jericho can take a loss, and Kingston would really benefit with a big win over an established veteran. I feel like they may be going that way.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

John: I’ve enjoyed the build here thanks to the promo work of two of the best talkers in pro wrestling. Eddie has won over the crowd as this guy is an indy lifer that finally got a big break on national TV in AEW and now he’s trying to prove he belongs. It’s an easy story to tell and a likable character. Jericho has done a nice job of being a bit heelish without going all the way heel again. I’m also happy that Jericho is in great shape again and still performing at a high level at 51 years old. Jericho has always been willing to put over somebody if it’s the right thing for the story. The story has been about Eddie being unable to win the “big one” since he’s lost to high profile names in AEW as well as title opportunities. This time, Eddie will get the big win.

Winner: Eddie Kingston

AEW Tag Team Championships: Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus (c) vs. ReDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)

Joel: This is basically a backdrop for the ReDragon/Young Bucks feud. The Jungle Express are just part of it because they’re the Champions. The feud between The Young Bucks/ReDragon has been built up great. They’ve not done the best job at including Jurassic Express. I think Jurassic Express will retain due to a miscommunication between The Bucks and ReDragon.

Winners/STILL World Tag Champions: Jurassic Express

Alex: The Young Bucks are in this match for the sole purpose of doing their trademark crazy s**t and flying around. The other two teams will throw them around like lawn darts to get over with the audience. That leaves two potential winners here. Personally, I think that ReDRagon should win. They’re a more serious and credible team whereas Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus come across as kitschy and comedic. I know a lot of people like AEW for exactly that, but I still think that champions in any division should take being champion seriously. Boy and Luchasaurus had their moment of glory and I think they should fall to a more cohesive and credible tag team.

Winners and NEW AEW Tag Team Champions: ReDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)

Marc: This match has double cross written all over it. The problem with that is if a match is too apparent, then it may be teased and ultimately not come to fruition. If the Jackson’s and O’Reilly and Fish do come to blows, it could be after the match and not after. It doesn’t even feel like Adam Cole will play the role of peacekeeper in this one as he’s likely preoccupied himself with his upcoming title match.

The title reign of Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus has felt somewhat anticlimactic, though. Personally, the feel-good moment of Jungle Boy capturing the title as he looked above to his late father Luke Perry hasn’t felt capitalized upon. That said, a win here is crucial for this team and their reign as they face two world-class tag teams with multiple championships behind them. Additionally, the tension between reDRagon and the Young Bucks may be precisely what the champions need in order to retain.

Winners: AND STILL AEW Tag Team Champions, Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus

Lance: Jurassic Express winning the titles was a big moment for them, but they haven’t done much since. AEW loves tag team wrestling unless it involved the tag team titles, in which case we never see them on Dynamite. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly have been effective since making the jump from NXT, and The Young Bucks are who they are. This will be out of control too, because when Rick Knox is the referee, you know every match is no holds barred. This will be fast-paced and all over the place, but when the dust settles, it feels like the Dinos will get more time at the top with the titles. If ReDRagon comes out with the titles, though, it wouldn’t stun me.

Winner(s) and STILL AEW Tag Team Champions: Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus

John: This should be chaotic in a fun way. The Young Bucks don’t really care about following tag team matches with rules, so I find that oftentimes they are in multi-man matches or gimmick matches where they can let loose and here they are again. It was a cool moment when Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus won the titles since they were contenders for a long time. However, I don’t know if they need to hold them for that much longer. I think this will be a wild match with dozens of nearfalls and guys breaking up pins at the last month. I also smell a title change.

I’m going with new champions with Kyle & Fish winning gold together in yet another wrestling company. I feel like a heel team has to be holding the titles going forward because they are probably going to have The Hardy Boys win tag team gold this year as a babyface team, so it’s important to get the titles on some heels now. It could easily be the Young Bucks too, but I think Kyle & Fish makes more sense.

Winners AND NEW AEW Tag Team Champions: ReDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)

Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson

Joel: Jon Moxley has looked great since he returned to AEW. The prospect of Danielson and Moxley as a team is intriguing. I don’t think Moxley turns heel yet, though. I think Bryan must look elsewhere for a partner. The match will be bloody. It will be violent. I feel like it will be great. Moxley’s first PPV back should be a victorious one. I think it will be.

Winner: Jon Moxley

Alex: Many people think and want Moxley to win this match. There’s good reason for this; he returned recently following a publicized struggle with personal demons and wants to duplicate that success in his professional life. And it would also make sense to capitalize on that by giving him a feel-good win in his first match back. However, I don’t think he should win. If Moxley were facing a lowly jobber then yes, a win here would make sense. But he’s facing Bryan Danielson here. While Moxley was off dealing with his personal issues, Bryan came to AEW and had perhaps the best run of his career since 2006. He’s in much better shape than Moxley, both physically and likely mentally as well. While it would be emotionally-satisfying to have Moxley win here, that would be too easy of a route to take. It would be a much better story for Moxley to think he’s won only to lose and then to actually take fans on a journey from the bottom to the top. That’s much more relatable and more believable. After all, overcoming substance problems is anything but easy and Moxley’s return should reflect that.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

Marc: If the word violence could be used to describe a match, it is this one. But, for all the words these two shared with one another, it is their actions that will be most focused on. From where this match may be slated on the card, it may be the first of three consecutive matches where blood will be spilled. If at the least one of back-to-back matches where we will see blood. The sheer ferocious nature of the bold American Dragon and the ‘no f**ks given’ nature of Jon Moxley certainly suggest that these two grind, torque, and twist one another as they both scream in pain.

While we aren’t sure the number of countless boots, strikes, and submission attempts, we will see. We’re assured that both men will compete until complete exhaustion is evident on both competitor’s face. Remember, Moxley didn’t say he needs to win; just bleed with someone before he walks with them.

Winner: No Contest – both men are rendered incapacitated, unable to continue.

Lance: Danielson has seriously been at the top of my “best wrestlers in the world” list for some time now, but since his heel turn in AEW, he has been the gold standard. He has been making people tap out while hitting the double bicep pose and is quite the heel. I always said that Bryan Danielson is Bret Hart with personality. Jon Moxley thankfully returned from rehab to a massive pop and getting involved with Danielson right away is a great move. These guys are going to beat the hell out of each other, and it had a chance to be really good. Danielson had only lost to Adam Page, and I don’t know if it’s time for Moxley to go over. I think Danielson stays on track and comes out on top.

Winner: Bryan Danielson

John: This is my favorite match on the card just because Danielson is my favorite in AEW while I’m so happy Moxley being healthy mentally and physically. They told us there will be blood in this match so at least one of them will bleed. Maybe both guys will. I don’t think there’s an obvious winner here, nor is there a bad choice. They are two of the best and most talented guys in AEW that made their names working in WWE where they wrestled eachother plenty of times. Now they get to have the kind of physical, violent style of match that they probably enjoy.

What I think is going to happen is Moxley is going to win a very close matchup with both guys bleeding and then they do a handshake after that. In the weeks that follow, they’ll recruit younger wrestlers to be part of this group they will form. I don’t think it’s going to be a face or heel group. It will just be something of a “shooter” type group. I think this will go around 20 minutes with Moxley getting the win, but I’m not that sure about it.

Winner: Jon Moxley

aew revolution march 6 cm punk mjf

Dog Collar Match: CM Punk vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

Joel: This is probably my favorite feud in AEW right now. It started off a little slow but it has really picked up over the last month. The segment last week on Dynamite was phenomenal. I think this is probably the match of the night. I just hope they don’t go the usual route of having MJF win the match on Dynamite and lose the rematch on PPV. MJF should beat CM Punk clean. If the feud between Him and Wardlow is going to kick off soon, MJF needs to look strong.

Winner: MJF

Alex: I like the stipulation for this match. MJF has been dodging and avoiding Punk for so long and now he’ll have no escape. And just like the collar match between Cody and Brodie Lee, this’ll be a bloodbath. It wouldn’t surprise me if both Punk and MJF savage themselves so badly that they break the Muta scale. That’s how deep the hatred runs in this feud.

Of course, the magic question is who will win? While I think many of my friends here might go for a Punk win, I don’t think that’s necessary. This feud is white hot now as it is and a win for Punk would be both too predictable and unnecessary. Punk winning would necessitate the required tie-breaker. But MJF needs to move on to bigger and more important feuds. He needs to start beating more top stars in the company instead of just talking trash. He presents himself as the most important person and biggest villain in AEW. What better way to prove that than by beating Punk a second time and taking something away from Punk’s devoted fans?

Winner: MJF

Marc: Four to five months. This match has been four months in the making. I’ve said it before, but to me, it’s a ‘generational matchup’ two of the biggest or emerging names of the last quarter-century facing each other while paying homage to a match that became infamous in the past. Somewhere Roddy Piper is looking down and smiling. If the family of the late Hot Rod is watching this match should make them smile.

For this to come full circle, the wife and children of Hot Rod should be in attendance for this match. As for the match itself? It must be brutal. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster between both of these highly captivating talents. Their exchanges have been nothing short of perfect. One exchange almost feels better than the last. That said, one will walk away victorious. The response here reads though of being reminiscent of the MJF/Chris Jericho feud. For all that MJF did during their feud, he lost to Jericho in their blowoff match.

While I’d love to have MJF win here as a way of passing of the torch, Punk will get some modicum of retribution for what has happened to him.

Winner: CM Punk (but I want MJF to win it!)

Lance: It doesn’t get any better than the buildup this feud has had. MJF has cut the promos of his life and this is how he should have been elevated in the Jericho feud. CM Punk might be my number one guy in wrestling right now and the stuff these two have been doing has been off the chain. MJF cut an emotional promo a few weeks ago and it really showed his range as a character. He turned around and beat the hell out of the Punk (including a fantastic blade job) the next week, but it was nice to see what a babyface MJF might look like. To be honest, I think this match should go on last because the build has been the best out of any of the other matches on the show. MJF did beat Punk on TV, twice depending on who you ask, and I have this feeling he might go over again. Punk has been so money in this and taking a loss wouldn’t hurt his stock much. A win for MJF puts him at the top tier in the industry.

Winner: Maxwell Jacob Friedman

John: There will be blood. Oh yes, there will be a lot of blood. I think this is the most interesting match for a lot of people based on the story. Two weeks ago on Dynamite when MJF poured his heart out about his challenges as a youth that looked up to CM Punk really worked in terms of getting people to actually show sympathy to him. Then on Dynamite this past Wednesday, MJF did a cheap attack on Punk and bloodied him to remind us that MJF is the most evil bastard in AEW. Excellent build to this match. I’m excited to see what happens.

While it makes a lot of sense for the younger guy MJF to get the win here, he won their last match on Dynamite. I think Punk is going to come out the winner in this bloodbath after what MJF did to him on the last Dynamite. If MJF wins then it might be because they plan to elevate him to AEW World Title contender for Double or Nothing in May. However, I think CM Punk winning makes more sense based on the story.

Winner: CM Punk

aew revolution 2022 hangman page adam cole

AEW World Championship: “Hangman” Adam Page (c) vs. Adam Cole

Joel: This feud has been pretty good. My only issue is taking Adam Cole seriously as a contender when he lost a match to Orange Cassidy right before because he couldn’t escape a hug. I know that “it doesn’t count toward his record” based on the Lights Out stipulation. I still saw him lose on my television. I could care less if the match counted or not. I think this match will be awesome. I don’t see Adam Page’s title reign ending just yet. I could see Kenny Omega returning to screw Adam Cole. Only time will tell.

Winner/STILL AEW World Champion: Adam Page

Alex: Page needs this win desperately. Not only that, he needs to make a statement in this match. He needs to show the world why he’s AEW World Champion. I say that because, unfortunately, Page comes across as a complete afterthought when people talk about AEW these days. Much of the discussion around the company centers on Tony Khan’s announcements, the new signees, and the MJF/Punk storyline. And where’s the World Champion in all of this? Somewhere in the background. It shouldn’t be that way. If this guy’s supposed to be the top wrestler in the company, he really needs to show that on Sunday. To that end, I predict an extremely bloody and brutal match here. Cole will try his best and will hit Page with every single move he’s got, including both the Last Shot and the Panama Sunrise. But neither of those moves will be enough to keep Hangman down. This needs to be an emphatic and memorable win for Page so that people can pay more attention to him.

Winner and STILL AEW World Champion: “Hangman” Adam Page

Marc: The battle of the Adam’s hasn’t been without its criticisms. Their feud hasn’t been built long enough; there haven’t been enough exchanges between them for fans to care. All of that makes sense especially considering some of the other matches on the card. Of course, fans will recall that this began immediately after Page defeated Lance Archer, but the question is, why couldn’t it have been more?

If the title is the focal point and past accolades and resumes speak for themselves, this match should have had a more significant build. This match is sure to be a highly competitive contest, and its place on the card shows that Tony Khan has faith in both of these men to carry the show home. But this could also involve other variables such as reDRagon, The Young Bucks, and possibly even Jay White or other Bullet Club members and Dark Order members.

The fear is that too many of those elements could take away from the match, execution, and finish. I can’t see Page’s title reign ending here, but instead setting the stage for his next challenger.

Winner: AND STILL AEW World Champion, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page

Lance: The build for this match has been so-so mostly because I don’t see Cole as someone who deserves a shot at the title just yet. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is main event-level talent, but what has he done in AEW thus far to deserve a shot here? Either way, I am sure this match will be fine. Both of these guys can work, although Page hasn’t wrestled much since winning the title. This will be back and forth and in typical AEW fashion, I could see it getting a lot of time. Cole has had big matches in NXT and ROH so the spotlight won’t be too big for him. The build for this has been lacking and I can’t see Page losing the title yet. I don’t know where Cole will go from here, but hopefully the booking will be a little bit better.

Winner and STILL AEW Champion: “Hangman” Adam Page

John: This is Adam Page’s first PPV title defense, so I doubt very much he is losing. If we have learned anything from AEW’s booking in the first three years of the company it’s that booker Tony Khan strongly believes in long title reigns for the AEW World Champion. We saw Chris Jericho (182 days), Jon Moxley (277 days) and Kenny Omega (346 days) all have long title runs. Why would you cut the legs out from underneath Page? I don’t see it happening. There might be some point where there is not a long term AEW World Champion although I doubt we are at that point right now.

It should be an excellent match between two talented athletes in the prime of their career. They have wrestled in the past, they know eachother well and I think they will get plenty of time to have an outstanding main event level match. Cole should get plenty of nearfalls, the fans will be really into it (even after 4+ hours of action before this match counting the pre-show) and I think Page will put him away clean with a Buckshot Lariat. If this gets 17-25 minutes it could be definitely a match of the night contender.

Winner: “Hangman” Adam Page

BONUS TOPICS!

The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most

Joel: CM Punk vs. MJF.

Alex: Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley.

Marc: CM Punk vs. MJF. From their exchanges, the images floating of the past, the build-up to the match, and all the obstacles presented before CM Punk while trying to help MJF too at one point, how can I not?

Lance: CM Punk vs. MJF.

John: It’s hard to pick one, but I’ll go Jon Moxley vs. Bryan Danielson. I’d say Punk/MJF and Page/Cole are close too.

The Match I Care About The Least

Joel: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

Alex: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

Marc: Trios Match (Allin/Guevara/Sting vs. Andrade/Hardy/Kassidy). While all six men are talented, I can’t see how it sets the stage for anything moving forward enough to care. There is nothing at stake, so the risk of loss doesn’t interest me enough to care.

Lance: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

John: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

Longest Match

Joel: Tag Team Title Match.

Alex: “Hangman” Adam Page vs. Adam Cole (30-35 minutes)

Marc: CM Punk vs. MJF.

Lance: Face of the Revolution Ladder Match.

John: It’s AEW, so I expect plenty of matches to go over 20 minutes. I’ll go Adam Page vs. Adam Cole around 27 minutes.

Shortest Match

Joel: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

Alex: Hook vs. QT Marshall (if including Buy-in)

Marc: Hook/Marshall overall and Cargill/Conti on the main show.

Lance: Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti.

John: Hook vs. QT Marshall should be the shortest. For the main PPV, Jade Cargill vs Tay Conti right around ten minutes or a bit less than that.

Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)

Joel: 7/10. The matches should be awesome. My issue again has been the build. You only have four pay per views a year seemingly so you have enough time to build stories and yet the Tag Title Match was built over the last two weeks. Same with Jade and Tay. The Trios match had a month even though they’ve barely interacted. Rosa and Baker had the most anticipation but the build has suffered. I love the matches. I just wish you would take more time to build these to epic matches instead of just throwing great matches on the card and thinking everybody is supposed to forget the lack of a story. I’m still looking forward to watching it as there are at least 6 matches that have potential to be 4 stars or higher. It should be a good show.

Alex: 8 – I get the feeling that AEW will try to book this as their version of WrestleMania X-Seven, i.e. a big show with something for everyone. They have the tools and the matches to satisfy different fan tastes, from those wanting pure wrestling to those wanting crazy acrobatics to those wanting brutal violence. I doubt it’ll be as great as that 21-year-old classic show but we can only hope they’ll shoot for the moon.

Marc: 7.5 – Lots of exciting matches interest me enough to want to purchase this event. But at nearly $60 Canadian, it is simply too expensive for me. I hope those that watch are able to enjoy it!

Lance: I am going with an 8.5 here. Usually, AEW delivers on these shows and I can’t see why they wouldn’t here. It isn’t the strongest card they have put together, but some of these matches have the potential to be special.

John: I’ll go 8 out of 10 with potential for this being a 9 out of 10 type show. The lineup is really strong with at least five or six matches likely to hit the four-star level when I review the show and I think there’s a potential for a surprise or two. By that I mean maybe we see Claudio Castagnoli (former Cesaro) or Samoa Joe or somebody like that show up during the show. I figure there has to be one or two names that make their debut since AEW has done that kind of thing in the past. It’s hard to pick just one match that I’m looking forward to the most because they are offering a lot of different kinds of matches that are easy to get excited about. My main concern is that when you go 3 hours, 45 minutes on PPV with three pre-show matches, it’s a lot to ask fans to stay hot and loud for nearly five hours of action. Sometimes overdoing it is a bad thing. That’s all. I’m still looking forward to it especially Bryan vs. Mox, Punk vs. MJF and the two Adam’s in the main event. Bring it on.

In Closing

John: I’ll be back with a review of AEW Revolution on TJRWrestling.net during the show. Check that out during the show or after it’s over.

You can also tweet me @johnreport, Joel is @GiftedMoney, Marc is @themarcmadison, no Twitter for Alex and Lance is @Collectiveheel with any comments as well.

If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com as well. Thanks for reading.