Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Greg Coleman and Robert DeFelice review AEW Revolution 2021.
AEW Revolution was a heavily stacked pay-per-view, but despite the show being an overall success, the lasting image of the show will be the lack of a real explosion in the main event. Which match was the standout contest on the card? Is Christian Cage's arrival exciting? And just what is next for Kenny Omega?
Question 1: Which match was the highlight of the night? Which contest was the most disappointing?
ALLSOPP: I really enjoyed the Casino Tag Team Battle Royale, as it was frenetic and off the hook. Whilst most matches delivered, I feel this was the most consistent contest on the card. Although the main event was disappointing from a spectacle point of view, the in ring action was off the hook, so I cannot call it the most disappointing match of the night. The wooden spoon would have to go to Hikaru Shida vs Ryo Mizunami, as I never felt for one second that Shida’s AEW Women’s Championship reign was in jeopardy. It also hurt the match that there was a tonne of hype for this battle, only for it to stumble across the line.
COLEMAN: The Young Bucks vs Chris Jericho and MJF was the best match on the card, as the near falls and false finishes were amazing. The most disappointing contest on the card was the Street Fight, mainly because I wasn’t expecting a cinematic match. I’m not sure if having them fight all over an abandoned warehouse added anything to the match that couldn’t have been accomplished by them fighting all over Daily’s Place.
DeFELICE: The highlight of the night for me was the overall appeal of the Street Fight. In my opinion, this felt like a revitalization of the cinematic match concept. Everyone did their best to make the match feel special, and it definitely came across as a special moment. As for the worst contest, by default, I'm going to say Matt Hardy vs Hangman Adam Page. It seemed like they were wrestling forever, and although I thought it went on just a little too long, it was still a good match.
Question 2: Was the reveal of Christian Cage as the newest member of the AEW roster as impactful as Paul Wight implied it would be? What are your hopes for his upcoming run with the company?
COLEMAN: I didn’t have any expectations for this reveal, but I will say I was pleasantly surprised by it. Christian Cage is a WWE Hall of Famer, so Paul Wight didn’t embellish in describing the new signee. It seems odd that if he was looking to compete full time or part time that he wouldn’t do it in WWE, since Edge is back and the WWE tag team division could use a boost. My hopes for his AEW run are that he contributes and gets featured, but not at the expense of younger, up and coming talent. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if he challenged for the AEW World Championship one day, but he should be a midcarder who helps get younger talent over to give them a victory over a big name on their resume.
DeFELICE: Christian Cage is great. My only issue with this is that WWE did not lock Cage up when they had the opportunity to, as Edge is in the middle of his own comeback. I think he will do great things in AEW, and those that are complaining about his age have to understand that AEW needs these established stars to help build their up and coming talent. I fully expect to see Cage become AEW World Champion and maybe even get inducted into their Hall of Fame.
ALLSOPP: The absolute mark in me hoped it would be CM Punk, but from a realistic perspective, Christian Cage is a fabulous signing. It is clear that he has the desire to wrestle again, therefore AEW could be a great platform for him to enjoy a true end to his career, considering how he was robbed of this within WWE. It has been set up on Dynamite that he will be feuding with Kenny Omega, but I expect this to be a short term endeavour. Long term, I would love to see him add further legitimacy to the AEW TNT Championship by chasing it and having stunning matches with Darby Allin.
Question 3: Was the Exploding Barbed Wire Deathmatch a success? What challenge should Kenny Omega take up next as AEW World Champion?
DeFELICE: The match itself was great. The ending was what it was, and it has been talked about to death at this point. Unfortunate, but I think the company will be able to bounce back from this just fine. From bell to bell, it was a great spectacle, and something that I would definitely watch again.
As for what is next for Kenny Omega, the acquisition of the IMPACT Wrestling World Championship will go a long way for all involved, and in the meantime, he can feud with the incoming Christian Cage on AEW television. This may even lead to an AEW World Championship match for Cage during WrestleMania weekend when Edge is attempting to become WWE Universal Champion for the first time in his career.
ALLSOPP: Overall, yes. Despite the absolute shitshow that was the so called explosion, the violence that preceded that was amazing. Both Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley went hell for leather, which made the match action intense and unmissable. Although Christian Cage is seemingly being prepared as his next opponent, I feel this is a short term feud, with Hangman Adam Page the long term opponent he needs. The rivalry sells itself, therefore I hope this is the direction they go in.
COLEMAN: A lot of people will say the conclusion of the pay-per-view with the weakest so called explosion in history ruined the match, however, I don’t agree with that take as the match was already over. The match itself was brutal, and both Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley were committed to making it work, which they succeeded in achieving. The stories to be told after this match, if done correctly, could pay huge dividends for AEW later this year.
Whilst Moxley certainly is still a viable contender for the AEW World Championship considering how he lost, eventually Eddie Kingston and Omega will feud based on what happened after the match. But I wouldn’t go with him as Omega’s next challenger. If the AEW and IMPACT relationship is going to mean anything, then talent from IMPACT need to be presented as a threat inside of AEW in the same manner that Omega was presented as a threat. That being said, I would have Rich Swann become the next challenger for the AEW World Championship.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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