Join 411’s Live AEW Battle of the Belts III Coverage

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What’s good everybody! Lee Sanders here and I’m back almost 24 hours later for a Saturday night special as AEW presents BATTLE OF THE BELTS III. This is without a doubt going to be one fast hour of action! Are you pumped? I know I am! Don’t forget I’ll be doing a live post show covering fallout all throughout social media beginning at 9:30pm ET or sooner, including Youtube so feel free to come hangout and tell me what you thought of this BATTLE OF THE BELTS edition. On that note, let’s go baby!

Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz

Match 1: TNT Championship: Wardlow(c) vs Jay Lethal

Wardlow getting the Goldberg complete intro, chants and all as he comes to the ring. I’m loving this guy as he’s coming along from just a year ago. Satnam and Sunjay are at ringside watching and rooting Lethal on as the match is underway. Lethal gets out the ring for a quick sidebar with Dutt before getting back inside. Dutt distracts Wardlow by getting on the ropes as Lethal attacks Wardlow from behind. Wardlow comes right back with a big boot to the face, followed by a big back-body drop. Lethal gets clotheslined over the ropes as Wardlow is beyond amped up! Wardlow follows Lethal and gets him back in the ring as Dutt and Satnam get in his face. Another distraction capitalized by Lethal as he does a baseball slide to Wardlow’s face, followed by a kick to midsection. Back inside the ring now as Lethal is on the offense with chops and kicks. Lethal off the ropes and connects with a enziguri to drop Wardlow to one knee. Lethal off the ropes again and this time Wardlow gets him in a tilt-a-whirl slam for a near fall. Lethal rebounds with a couple of dropkicks as he clutches his knee on the second attempt as Wardlow looks on puzzled. Satnam and Dutt go to check in one him as Wardlow tries talking to the ref. Lethal was playing possum as he goes in for a cradle pin and it’s a near fall. Wardlow charges at Lethal but misses and hits the ring post as he stumbles outside. Lethal crashes into him with a suicide dive now as he showboats to the fans. Lethal now concentrating on the knee of Wardlow by slamming it into the steel post as he head into our first set of ad breaks. We’re back as Lethal tried looking for a Figure-Four but Wardlow manages to kick Lethal as Lethal comes back with a rolling jacknife cover that gets him a near fall. Lethal tries looking for the Figure-Four / Jacknife cover again but Wardlow counters beautifully and tries to go for a powerbomb. Lethal lays down right hands to Wardlow’s face to get out of the attempt. Lethal looking for Lethal Injection as Wardlow tries looking for a powerbomb again. Lethal gets out and tries going for a right hand as Wardlow headbutts him and delivers a double axel to lay him out. Wardlow finally connects with a powerbomb to end this one.

Winner: Wardlow (9:00)
Rating: **
Decent opener. I could’ve done without all the constant interference but you just knew it was going to happen. Wardlow continues to look like a stud and is becoming more and more relaxed in his role as a future megastar for AEW. He lacked confidence before but now is just oozing with it honestly. Wardlow held his own against Jay Lethal pretty well. By the way can I say once again how Lethal has been the MVP as of late? Seriously when it comes to Year-End Awards, I strongly think that as far as a Underrated Work Horse category goes, Lethal should win it hands down. What you all think?

Post-Match Dutt attacks Wardlow as Satnam gets in the ring and is stomping on Wardlow as he lays his foot on the throat of Wardlow. It is a 3-on-1 beatdown as Lethal applies his Figure-Four on Wardlow as Dutt talks a game of hot trash. Wardlow manages to come to his feet and fights off Dutt and Lethal. He goes toe to toe with Satnam and kicks him in the groin! Wardlow looking for the powerbomb but the numbers game gets the best of Wardlow as a table gets put in the ring. Satnam chokeslams the Hell out of Wardlow as he goes through the table.

Match 1: AEW WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP: Thunder Rosa(c) vs Jamie Hayter

Hayter doesn’t even wait for the bell as she attacks Rosa from behind as the bell rings. Hayter is delivering lefts and rights to Rosa’s face, followed by tossing Rosa in the corner as she’s delivering kicks to the midsection. Referee gets distracted as Britt and Rebel get in a couple of cheap shots. Hayter continues the onslaught as she connects with a back suplex on Rosa. Rosa showing signs of life with a few chops but Hayter is too much as she sends Rosa into the ropes and plants her with a big shoulder tackle. Rosa comes back with a couple of dropkicks to create separation as Hayter is on the floor regrouping. Rosa tries diving through the ropes onto Hayter but Hayter has it scouted as she delivers a right hand to Rosa’s face! Loving this one so far as Toni Storm looks on concerned. Hayter slams Rosa into the barricades as Storm goes to check in on her. Rosa trying to throw in chops onto Hayter, followed by a DDT. Hayter tossed back into the ring as Rosa goes for a cover, and it’s a near fall. Rosa climbs to the top rope as Britt Baker distracts her by grabbing onto Rosa’s championship. Hayter capitalizes and tosses Rosa off the ropes, and plants her with a backbreaker onto the steel steps as we head into a commercial break. And we’re back as both women are in the ring trading big, heavy strikes. Rosa comes back with a series of flurry strikes, followed up with a northen lights suplex for a near fall. Rosa comes off the ropes and delivers one ugly dropkick that almost beheads Hayter as Rosa goes up to the apron. Rosa connects with a senton as Hayter looks dazed and confused. Rosa to the top rope again as she does a top dive bodycross that gets her a two count. Hayter brings up Rosa but Rosa escapes as Hayter counters with a backbreaker for a two count. Hayter follows up with a brainbuster for another two count. Hayter throws Rosa in a corner to deliver strikes as the referee pulls her to the opposite corner. Britt gets in some attacks on Rosa once again as Toni storm has seen enough and attacks her. Storm gets in a DDT on Baker as Rosa and Hayter trade off on rollups as Thunder gets one last attempt with a rollup and barely gets it as this one is over.

Winner: Thunder Rosa (11:00)
Rating: ****
One of the better title defenses for Thunder Rosa since becoming champion honestly. I found this one to be highly entertaining and enjoyable as the other title defenses did nothing for me. So much so I can’t even recall the previous opponents which is kind of sad. I’ve gotta show some love to Jaime Hayter as that girl is pretty much like Wardlow. Her rise in the ranks continues as she’s been crushing it with every opportunity coming her way. For me this was perhaps her biggest challenge to date in hanging with the talented veteran in Thunder Rosa. Hayter delivered a memorable performance that reaffirms for me that she will be a future AEW Women’s Champion and face of the company in the near future. Right now Britt and Jamie are doing their tag team deal but I would love to seen Tony Khan and crew revisit teasing a breakup. Jamie chasing after Britt would be loads fun, title or no title.?

Match 3: ROH WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Claudio Castagnoli(c) Konosuke Takeshita

Ring of Honor announcer Bobby Cruise does the introductions for this main event as Caprice Coleman joins Excalibur and crew for commentary. Bonus! Looks like we get William Regal on commentary as well! Handshake by both men as we start this one off nice and white hot with a series of counters before the men slow down and go for a lockup. Claudio gets Konosuke down on the canvas but Konosuke gets back to his feet as we’re seeing both men jockeying for position with continuous technical holds. Fans are clapping their hands loving what they are seeing as I’m loving it as well. Konosuke is handling his own as Claudio gets an inside trip to get Takeshita down on the ground. Takeshita comes right back with hold of his own but brief as the men are locked up in a hold. Takeshita delivers a hip toss as Claudio looks on frustrated before going in for another lockup as Takeshita counters out with great poise as he gets Claudio down to the ground briefly. Both men are continuing to trade holds when Claudio gets sent into the ropes and meets a dropkick to the face! Claudio trying to reset on the outside as Takeshita tries to launch off the ropes and misses Claudio. Action gets back in the ring as Claudio connects with a shot to the kidneys followed with a tilt-a-whirl kneebreaker as we head into our final commercial break. We’re back as we briefly saw a test of strength from both men as Claudio gets the best of Takeshita as he’s sent to the corner. Strikes to Takeshita as he’s sent to the other corner as Takeshita comes with an elbow, kick to the face, and a leg scissors takedown. Takeshita off the ropes and delivers a clothesline to Claudio! Claudio tries looking for a forearm strike but misses as Takeshita sends him over the top rope. Takeshita heads over the top rope and crashes into Claudio. Konosuke to the tope rope now but Claudio delivers a forearm to the chest as he connects with a gutwrench! Kickout by Takeshita as Claudio looks on frustrated as the fans are loving this still. Claudio connects with the giant swing as he goes for the cover and it’s a near fall! Claudio with a series of uppercuts as Takeshita counters with a kick to the face followed by a blue thunder bomb for a near fall!!! Takeshita and Claudio exchanging strikes yet again as both men appear exhausted. Takeshita climbs to the top as Claudio is fighting him. Takeshita delivers a turnbuckle DDT, followed by a frog splash for a kickout! Takeshita delivers a knee strike but it’s countered by Claudio as both men are exchanging counters as Claudio connects with swinging uppercut for a near fall. Claudio now going for the scorpion deathlock as Takeshita tries rolling through to force Claudio to abandon the hold. Claudio delivers kicks to Takeshita’s face as Takeshita tells him to bring it as he delivers a suplex and clothesline to Claudio for a near fall. Fans are now standing on their feet cheering these men on as man oh man this is a great match! Takeshita tries delivering forearm strikes as Claudio tries connecting with his own strikes and uppercuts. Claudio tries tossing him in the ropes to look for a popup clothesline as Takeshita counters with a backslide for a near fall. Takeshita with a knee strike followed by a brainbuster for a nearfall as the champ is still in this one! Takeshita is looking to end this with a spinning fist to the face! Takeshita tried looking for a powerbomb but doesn’t have enough back strength to see it through as Claudio comes back with a stomp to the chest. Takeshita manages to get in a rollup in the process for a near fall. Claudio connects with a death valley driver on Takeshita after Takeshita tries looking for a knee to the face. Both men now trading strikes once again as Claudio connects with a roling uppercut from the side ropes. Hammer elbows to the face of Takeshita, followed by the ricola bomb to retain the championship does Claudio!

Winner: Claudio (17:00)
Rating: *****
Man oh man oh man! I’ve got to put this as a M.O.T.Y candidate and I am not exaggerating. For those who skipped out on not seeing this event but have it on the DVR, go watch this match at least! This was a coming out party for Takeshita as he proved without a shadow of doubt that he should one day be in the main event scene. Lot of folks been sleeping on this kid but I feel after tonight he’ll be seen in a new light. The overall psychology of this match had me thinking about great technical matches of yesteryear. Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar, CM Punk vs Bryan Danielson just to name a few. To see a nice throwback technical match, let alone from AEW was a nice change of pace and welcomed breath of fresh air as this match was worthy of being in the main event spot. Claudio seemed like a man possessed and on a mission to show that he’s still the man and worthy of being an ROH Champion. I need a rematch with these two please and ASAP!

End of Show