Something different today, with my latest guilty pleasure on display…

Warning: Spoilers for the show…

Opening Segment: MJF comes out for his “ReBar Mitzvah” where he exudes next-level heel energy (classic Ric Flair vibes with a meta twist… so 2023). But soon it’s crashed by Jungle Boy Jack Perry, Sammy Guevara and Darby Allin? Good setup with the typical mix of “smart mark” / meta jokes from MJF and the inevitable moment someone falls into a cake. It’s great to see the pillars of AEW’s future get showcased but I just don’t buy any of them unseating MJF in the foreseeable future. Still, 4-way for Double or Nothing? Could be entertaining as hell.

Blackpool Combat Club vs Hangman Adam Page & Dark Order.

4 out of 5 stars. Heel BCC works for me, and they were getting a lot of heat. Was skeptical at first with AEW going back to the Jon Mosley / Hangman Page well, because the Texas Death Match at the last PPV was the perfect blow off… but moving BCC to full heels tonight kept it interesting for now.

TBS Women’s Championship: Jade Cargil (c) vs Nicole Matthews

0 star out of 5 stars. Jade’s title run has gotten terribly, terribly stale and taking the potential making an open challenge match into this anti-climactic dud was a waste. Sure, we getting the Taya Valkyrie reveal and build-up but they could given us a little more than a blink-and-you-miss-it squash match.

QTV Segment: S0 Q.T. Marshall’s new gimmick / show is a TMZ-style heel segment? I don’t hate it. The reveal of them breaking into Wardlow’s van was telegraphed a mile off but I’m willing to give this a chance.

International Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett.

3.5 out of 5 stars. I love Cassidy and his gimmick. I’ve loved his title run as the All-Atlantic champion and now with the upgraded title, I was afraid Jarrett would be booked to go over and THANK GOD HE DID NOT. I respect Jarrett’s skills and veteran status but he has never done anything for me as a heel – he’s just annoying,

Outcasts segment. I actually can’t believe Saraya got to say tw*t on television. That was the most impressive thing about this segment as this angle is just pure meh.

World Trios Championship: House of Black (c) vs The Elite vs The Jericho Appreciation Society.

4 out of 5 stars. House of Black go over and have been booked so well. Elite continue to provide amazing in-ring work and Jericho and Omega was a great moment. Guevara put in some solid work, including a great Shooting Star Press (not once but twice). Garcia is still meh for me. Comedy heel coward schtick was fine for me but he feels like the weakest presence in the ring. House of Black looked beastly and I’m looking to seeing more of them. Brody King has that video game final boss energy and I’m here for it.

But come on, you cut the cameras just before Page turns around to face the Elite? What???

Overall (not an average): 4.5 out 5 stars. This show was a banger despite the few missteps and the World Title scene just got interesting again fast. I was greatly entertained and that’s pretty much my metric.