AEW Revolution Review - March 3, 2024

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Zero Hour: Bang Bang Scissor Gang (AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn and ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club Gold) def. Willie Mack, Jeff Jarrett, Jay Lethal, Satnam Singh and Private Party

I know Tony Khan likes to get as many people on these pay-per-view cards as possible, but this was a waste of time. It was meant to serve as a reminder that Bang Bang Scissor Gang is a thing, but I'd rather not be reminded that Jay White is being wasted in this crap. Hey, at least he scored the win for his team. The match was a mess and didn't need as much time as it got. Per Tony Khan at the post-show press conference, White will face Darby Allin at the Big Business edition of Dynamite.

Zero Hour: Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander def. AEW TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue

With Nightingale and Statlander teasing tension on Wednesday's Dynamite, I assumed they'd lose again here ahead of an imminent split, so Nightingale pinning Hart was certainly surprising. She's obviously next in line for a shot at the AEW TBS Championship. The match was well worked and I'm glad there was at least one other women's match on this card that received some time.

AEW TNT Champion Christian Cage def. Daniel Garcia

This was a smart choice as the opener because the crowd was into the action and were especially hot down the stretch, but I'm already tired of there being so many Patriarchy shenanigans in Christian's matches. Matt Menard attempted to even the odds for Garcia, but I was hoping Adam Copeland would also show up and cost Christian the title, which Christian no longer needs (nor does their rivalry need it). Oh well. This was good stuff and there were some suspenseful nearfalls down the stretch.

AEW Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston def. Bryan Danielson

It's always been a battle of respect between these two, so the idea that Danielson had to shake Kingston's hand if he lost was more intriguing than the belt being up for grabs. This was the fourth match these two have had in AEW and it was on par with their other encounters. It was hard-hitting and highly physical. Danielson doesn't need a title in the remainder of his run with the company (though I wouldn't complain about him having a brief reign as AEW World Champion before he calls it quits) and this was huge for Kingston. Hopefully Kingston doesn't go back to only facing lower-level talent for his title. 

Wardlow def. Dante Martin, Magnus, Chris Jericho, FTW Champion Hook, Powerhouse Hobbs, Lance Archer and Brian Cage in an All-Star Scramble Match to Earn an AEW World Championship Opportunity

This replaced the originally advertised Meat Madness match, though we ended up getting Meat Madness anyway early on with all of the big guys. This was fast-paced and never boring, but there were also plenty of awkward moments and sloppy spots. I would've preferred to see this slotted on the pre-show, but you have to know Jericho wouldn't have been too happy about that. I'm all for Wardlow picking up a big win, but I'm not fond of him being fed to the AEW World Champion so quicky. And if he wins, that also seems premature.

Roderick Strong def. Orange Cassidy to Win the AEW International Championship

Cassidy has proven he can hang with anyone on the roster, but I've long grown tired of seeing him as AEW International Champion. Nothing against the guy, but he desperately needed to move on to something different and the title changing hands accomplishes that. This was the quality contest you'd expect from these two. Kyle O'Reilly returning afterward was a shocker yet a logical development given his history with Strong and Adam Cole. It's awesome to see him back after almost two years away.

Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli) def. FTR

Even without anything at stake, this was a strong tag team affair that the crowd was invested in. The blood from Dax Harwood was unnecessary (unless it was legitimate), but otherwise, this was another terrific piece of business from these two teams. Does Blackpool Combat Club going over mean they'll be setting their sights on the AEW World Tag Team Championship next? Or could Cash Wheeler's ongoing legal issues been a factor?

AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm def. Deonna Purrazzo

Storm hasn't wrestled the same style that she used to since starting the "Timeless" shtick, but she's found a rhythm that works. That said, I was hoping for something slightly more special for Purrazzo's AEW pay-per-view debut. She and Purrazzo had a solid match, but for as well wrestled as it was, I don't know if Purrazzo's performance was stellar enough to protect her in defeat (and to ensure she doesn't get lost in the shuffle post-Revolution). As for Storm, she has plenty of potential opponents waiting in the wings.

Konosuke Takeshita def. Will Ospreay

This had all the makings of absolute banger on paper and they did not disappoint. Holy hell, this was tremendous. AEW fans should already be aware that Ospreay is the real deal based on other matches he's had in the company in the past two years, but that was extra evident here. Same goes for Takeshita, who hasn't been consistently showcased on his own since beating Kenny Omega back at All Out last September. Needless to say, this will go down as an early Match of the Year contender.

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe def. "Hangman" Adam Page and Swerve Strickland in a Three-Way Match

This was never going to be better in the ring than Ospreay vs. Takeshita or more emotional than the main event, so they made the most of their situation by delivering a top-notch match with an emphasis on the storytelling. The hated between Strickland and Page runs so deep that they basically cancelled each other out, which is why I thought the finish was perfect with Page tapping out to Joe. Excalibur teased on commentary that Page did that solely to ensure Strickland wouldn't win, but they could have done a slightly better job of getting that across in execution. Strickland's time is coming, and when it does, it should be in the main event of a pay-per-view. Perhaps at Dynasty next month or Double or Nothing.

AEW World Tag Team Champions Sting and Darby Allin def. The Young Bucks in a Tornado Tag Team Match

Everything about this sendoff for Sting was wonderful. The video package was phenomenally produced, his sons cosplaying as different versions of him from over the years was an amazing touch, and the Metallica entrance song was badass. Of course, the match itself was a total spectacle. I'm well aware that not everyone is going to love it because of how much no-selling there was from Sting and how a guy about to turn 65-years-old kicked out of some pretty ridiculous stuff, but it merely reinforced that Sting is a living legend. Props to the Bucks for playing their roles better than I could have imagined and to Allin for taking that insanely stupid bump through the glass on the outside. He's his own worst enemy with that stuff. Was this overbooked? You're damn right it was, and typically, that would bother me, but it worked here and it allowed Sting to close out his career on the highest of notes, complete with a win that I was not expecting. AEW did Sting justice these last few years and that includes the quintessential wrestling retirement.

Overall Show

Best AEW pay-per-view ever? I don't think I'd go that far, but I can see it being considered in the conversation as this was still a strong show from start to finish. I had high hopes and was left satisfied with what we got. It was all about the last three matches and those alone made this pay-per-view worth purchasing, but the undercard was enjoyable in its own right. Sting took center stage as he should have and it was a special night with an electric atmosphere. With Big Business on the horizon, I have faith AEW can keep this momentum rolling.

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