At the conclusion of AEW Dynamite, a familiar face joined the All Elite ranks.
The following is reported by AEW.
The Inner Circle (“Big Hurt” Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz, accompanied by “The Spanish God” Sammy Guevara) vs. The Elite (“The American Nightmare” Cody, accompanied by Arn Anderson, Matt Jackson, and “Hangman” Adam Page, with Kenny Omega at his side)—with the winning team earning the advantage at “Blood & Guts!”
Le Champion Chris Jericho joined the broadcast team for this match.
Santana blindsided Cody at the start of the bout. Cody countered with a powerslam! Matt and Cody utilized quick tags to cut the ring in half and work on Ortiz. Page ran in illegally with a boot to Ortiz.
Matt speared Santana, gaining a bit of revenge for his brother Nick Jackson, who wasn’t medically cleared to be at the event after last week’s brutal assault.
Page got the tag and followed through with a clothesline to Santana.
“You can’t go into a match with the Inner Circle with any animosity amongst your own team, and they’re too stupid to realize that,” said Jericho about the Elite.
Hager handed Cody over to Ortiz for the stalled suplex. Santana whipped Cody into the guardrail. Jackson had seen enough and began nailing Ortiz with stiff shots to the head!
“Cody has got to try to get one of his partners from the Elite into the match-up,” said Taz.
“I don’t like him but I respect him,” added Jericho.
Hager started the ground and pound on Cody. Hager put the pressure on Cody, who was trying to reach for his corner and a tag. Hager rammed Cody into the turnbuckles of the Inner Circle’s corner!
Cody rallied back with the Cross-Rhodes on Ortiz! Cody began crawling to his corner, but Hager tagged in and tried to stop him. Cody flipped Hager over the top rope!
“Hangman” was tagged in finally and cleaned house! He scooped up Santana with the fall away slam, and then went over the top rope onto Hager! Cody connected with a tope suicida onto Ortiz! Cody went after MJF at ringside, but Wardlow grabbed him by the throat. “Nightmare Family” head coach Arn Anderson hit Wardlow with his clipboard!
Back in the ring, Page and Jackson suplexed Hager! Jackson had Santana up and called for the IndyTaker to Page, but Jackson was rolled up after Page was pulled from the ring apron! The Inner Circle won the match and the advantage in “Blood & Guts”!
Chris Jericho took a microphone and celebrated with the Inner Circle at the top of the ramp, rubbing the victory into the face of the Elite. Jericho said at “Blood & Guts,” the Inner Circle would have the Elite outnumbered, since Nick Jackson was out indefinitely with an injury suffered at the hands of the Inner Circle.
There was a loud buzzing, and down came a drone, landing in the center of the ring!
Matt Jackson said he had called in a favor to help the Elite.
Piano music began to play, and there, standing in the balcony of the arena, was MATT HARDY!
