AEW Battle of the Belts III 8/6/2022

AEW Battle of the Belts III 8/6/2022

 

The last Battle of the Belts is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/10/aew-battle-of-belts-ii-4162022.html

AEW TNT Title Match - Wardlow (c) vs. Jay Lethal

Jay has Singh and Dutt with him. Jay stalls outside to start. Dutt distracts Ward on the apron then Jay hit sWard from behind. Jay suplexes Ward and Ward no sells it. Ward facekicks Jay then back body drops him. Ward lariats him over the top to the floor.

Ward goes after Dutt then Singh gets in his way. Jay dropkicks Ward through the ropes. Jay hits shots in the corner then bangs his head off the buckles. Jay step up enzugiri's him then Ward tilt-a-whirl slams him for 2. Jay hits two dropkicks and Jay holds his leg after. The ref repositions Ward and Jay rolls Ward up. Ward spears the post when Jay moves. Jay topes Ward outside.

Ward's leg is banged off the post. Jay stomps on Ward in the corner. Jay elbow drops Ward's leg and yanks on it hard. Jay jack knifes him and tries to do it again. Ward rolls him into a powerbomb but Jay gets out.

Jay hits kicks to the leg. Ward stops a lethal injection. Ward headbutts Jay then hits a big wind-up lariat. Ward hits a powerbomb and mounts him to pin him.

Thoughts: They should have used the jack knife roll into the powerbomb spot as the finish. It was a cool looking spot. This was fine Jay attacking the leg and Wardlow eventually fighting him off to win. I had no issues with it and it made sense.

Sonjay Dutt attacks Wardlow after. Singh joins in and stands on Wardlow's chest. Jay figure fours Wardlow while Singh stands on him.  Wardlow fights them off and kicks Singh in the nuts. Wardlow goes the powerbomb but gets back body dropped when Jay helps out. A table is brought in and Singh chokeslams Wardlow through it. The heels then pose on Wardlow.

AEW Women's World Title Match - Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Jamie Hayter

Britt Baker and Rebel are with Jamie. Toni Storm is with Rosa. Jamie nails Rosa as she poses on the ropes and hits mounted shots. Jamie boots her and foot chokes her. Jamie chokes Rosa on the ropes.

Jamie suplexes her then stands on her back. Jamie chops up Rosa then chokes her. Jamie shoulders Rosa over. Rosa dropkicks her and sends her out. Rose goes for the dive and gets hit. Rosa is sent into the rails outside.

Rosa ddt's her on the floor. Rosa is on the buckles and Jamie knocks her down to the floor. Jamie uranages Rosa on the steps. Jamie double knees Rosa while she's against the ropes. Rosa hits shots to the gut then hits chops. Jamie chops her back. Jamie suplexes her then does a grounded sleeper.

Rebel chokes Rosa on the ropes and Britt puts a hat on Rosa. Toni Stomr then breaks it up as Jamie sleepers Rosa. We go to break and return. They trade forearms and Rosa northern lights suplexes her for 2. Rosa dropkicks Jamie through the ropes. Rosa cannonballs Jamie off the apron. 

Rosa top rope crossbodies Jamie for 2. Jamie uranage backbreakers Rosa for 2 then Jamie brainbusters her for 2. Jamie hits forearms in the corner. Britt grabs Rosa then Toni fights with Britt to stop her. Britt superkicks Toni. Toni then jumps off the steps and tornado ddt's her. Rosa rolls up Jamie then rolls her up out of the casadora for the win.

Thoughts: I would have had Rosa get the pin on the first attempt on her comeback as it would have pushed the surprise win better. It was a decent match here. The heels cheated all the way through and Jamie's offense looked fine. Rosa then made a quick comeback and won.

ROH World Title Match - Claudio Castagnoli (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Regal is on commentary for this. CC and KT shake hands. CC misses a charge then side headlocks him. CC grabs the ropes and they stand off. CC takes him down and grabs the leg. CC side headlocks him. CC takes him down by the wrist and face.

CC tries to ridge him down with the double knuckle lock but Kt bridges. KT monkey flips him off of it then CC monkey flips him. CC trips him then KT hooks the leg. KT hiptosses him and front facelocks him. CC side headlock takeovers him.

CC shoulders him over then side headlocks him. CC waistlock takedowns him. KT kips up and armdrags him. KT leg lariats him. CC avoids a plancha outside and drives Kt's back into the apron. KT forearms him then CC uranage backbreakers him. CC tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him.

CC backdrops him. CC knells on his back and pulls on the arm. CC dragon sleepers him then does a straightjacket choke variation. KT hits elbows to the gut to escape. KT suplexes CC.

CC running facekicks KT then backbreakers him. CC pulls the arms back. CC hits shots in the corner. KT 2nd rope diving headscissors him. KT forearms him over then flying forearms him. 

KT pulls CC over the top rope then tope con hilos him. CC 2nd rope gutwrench suplexes him for 2. CC giant swings him. CC running euros him in the corners. KT running facekicks him then hits a blue thunder for 2. CC knocks KT to the apron.

CC's head is banged off the buckles. KT turnbuckle ddt's CC then top rope frogsplashes him for 2. KT goes for a flying clothesline and takes a euro in mid-air. CC sharpshooters KT. CC switches to a crossface then KT rolls him up. CC hits some footslaps then KT germans him. CC no sells it and lariats CC. KT pops back up and germans then lariats him.

KT hits forearms and takes a euro. CC pops him up then KT backslides him. KT running knees then brainbusters him for 2. KT spinning forearms him then sunset flips him. CC euros and double stomps him. CC goes for a ricola bomb and KT hurricanrana's him for 2.

KT flies at him and takes a death valley driver. KT hits forearms then CC 2nd rope twisting euros him. CC lariats him over then hits downward elbows. CC ricola bombs him and wins.

Thoughts: CC worked the back for a while early then it went on for 10 more minutes or so with no more back work.  You could maybe claim the ricola bomb followed up on the backwork but more focus on it would have helped this out. KT did a good job as the face here getting sympathy but CC didn't really lean into the heel work. I liked the first half of this a lot more than the 2nd half and thought it went a little longer than needed. All things considered, I would say it's good, but this had potential to maybe be great.

Overall thoughts: We only had 3 matches here. All of the matches were fine with the main being a long but mostly good affair. It was a good shot. I liked this show.