Deathmatch Darling Digest - first edition
A perfect weekend of pro wrestling - at least not run by TKO - managed to bring us three deathmatches, two of which managed to tell great stories throughout.
(Spoilers ahead for GCW Boss Of All Bosses and AEW ALL IN: TEXAS)
The reason I say two however is as much as I love seeing Matt Tremont and John Wayne Murdoch at GCW Boss Of All Bosses going at it - and giving Muta scale a run for its money while doing so - the story was the usual one with these two of we will fight until one can no longer do so which that’s fine and all but these next two I mention went another level.
In fact Tremont and Murdoch had their show stolen so to speak by KJ Orso (the former Fuego Del Sol) and Sam Stackhouse in an I Quit match where the Blood God had to be pleased immensely with the flow of blood coming off both men - Stackhouse probably being the bloodiest man I had seen in a ring in YEARS possibly ever especially as the blood clots on his face at the end of the match - no doubt a t-shirt’s being made as I type…
The story told of Stackhouse refusing to quit at the punishment his former best friend would do to him as he tried to bring him back from the dark path was heart-breaking but damn it Stackhouse refuses to quit no matter how many moves into thumbtacks was done on him, chair shots being done with superkicks while tying him up in the ropes and you see the mind of KJ begin to snap and his actions become more evil when Sam’s wife steps in to potentially throw the towel… and KJ grabs her.
The moment though when Stackhouse goes from saying Fuego to KJ as he PLEADS for his wife not be harmed and the sadness in his eyes when he realises Orso might be too far gone so he says I Quit in order to hopefully have KJ not lose his last shred of humanity only for him to hit the Character Assassination on Sam’s wife…
No doubt the rematch is going to be bloodier and I’m here for it whenever that may be.
Of course the main event of the entire weekend in Texas - Moxley/Hangman Texas Death Match was going to have to hit story beats that go back as far as two years ago so the question was to me - yes the match was going to be great but was I going to get the extra topping of story beats?
Throughout the show we had little pieces sprinkled - Joe getting taken out by Death Riders following the trios match, Bucks losing their EVP status (AFAIK in character only) and Kenny losing to Okada after multiple attacks in the stomach area.
The match begins and we had fork action to Moxley within the first 5 minutes, we had call backs to Hangman’s previous matches in this style and a war between two generations of hard hitting wrestling until inevitably the Death Riders make their interference.
Ospreay tries to help and suffers the same fate as Joe, the crowd wonders if anyone else is coming and then the screen shows Darby Allin on Mount Everest proclaiming how he was going to take everything away from Mox.
Distraction tactic number 1 executed so while Yuta is putting the boots into Hangman a man in a Blue Panther mask doing a familiar taunt gets into the corner behind him and as Yuta realise that the crowd are saying Yes he gets hit with the busaiku knee as Bryan Danielson returns to exact revenge from last November.
While Mox is distracted by that Darby Allin executes part 2 of the plan taking cues from his mentor Sting and doing an Uncensored 1997 by descending from the top of Globe Lite field and taking out the Death Riders with a Coffin Drop.
The Young Bucks then decide to get involved and hit superkicks on Hangman but with the others all fighting there’s no more back up for Hangman, Mox decides after using a BED OF NAILS to tell Marina Shafir to get the briefcase that contains the AEW Men’s heavyweight Championship, only for Prince Nana to handcuff her to the timekeeper’s area.
The moment where 2 years of hatred and vengeance collide finally hits as Swerve comes down with the chain Hangman had left 3 days prior after having an emotional conversation with him (One of the best wrestling segments I have seen in years - go to AEW’s Youtube and watch) and attacks the Young Bucks.
He then puts the chain in the ring near where Hangman is laying… and I tell you I got emotional at this point because this was the moment you knew the right choice was made by AEW as Moxley has to deal once again with the fate that befell him at Revolution 2023 and he taps out.
Match of the GOD DAMN YEAR right there.
Every beat hit - the game the Death Riders had played for months finally came back to haunt them and the demons of the past TWO YEARS for multiple people - Strickland, Page, hell you could say the company itself after a certain Punk tried to mess with the vision at All Out 2022 finally got exorcised.
I end this first Digest with this… AEW hosting the Dynamite after the Saviour wins the belt back in Chicago - a perfect place to celebrate.