00:00Earlier that Jon Moxley has arrived, of course, from the owners of the Death Riders, and Brian, you were awfully a lot of part of that rhetoric that we heard moments ago.
00:09Yeah, it was a little disheartening, actually, to hear my name being invoked as one of the reasons why Darby is fighting this war.
00:20You know, it brings back a lot of painful memories involving Jon Moxley, but also this man, Claudio Castagnoli.
00:30And the conglomeration which Roderick Strong wants no affiliation with, it's seemingly so.
00:53I've been fighting quite a bit of battles with the Don Callis family, but battling the Death Riders here tonight, this should be a fantastic one-on-one contest.
01:03But as you mentioned, Tony, the specter of Jon Moxley looming large over the proceedings here tonight.
01:08It's kind of looming large over AEW, if you think about it, and it has been, ever since he formed the Death Riders.
01:18I mean, let's take a look at the guys and lady girls, or women, that he has in the Death Riders.
01:24Some of the most powerful, most dangerous people in all of AEW.
01:28As you, unfortunately, found out one year ago, Brian, that wrestling ring, 2024.
01:33Yeah, Claudio was the first person to turn his back on me.
01:38I thought I could trust him.
01:39I've known both of these men, actually, for 20-plus years.
01:42But right now, Claudio Castagnoli contending with Roderick Strong.
01:49Straight-up grappling start to this match, and before this match gets too far underway,
01:54I want to send our best wishes to Taz, who earlier today went under the knife.
01:59A successful shoulder replacement surgery.
02:01Get well soon to our broadcast colleague.
02:03Perhaps you can now, finally, with that new shoulder, Tony, can be in the Mets bullpen,
02:08giving a little bit of relief off the bench.
02:09Do they probably need it?
02:10Take back, and it's with, two, three.
02:14Referee Paul Turner calling for the clean break in the ropes.
02:17Finally gets it with Claudio Castagnoli.
02:19Snaps off the uppercut, but Roderick Strong seems primed to deliver the knife-edged chop.
02:25Roderick just popped back up.
02:26You know, one thing we've talked about, how familiar many of these athletes are,
02:31Roddy and Claudio know each other from the battles of Ring of Honor years ago.
02:35No strangers at all, and tag-teaming singles.
02:37There's a lot of similarities between Roderick Strong and Claudio Castagnoli.
02:44Roderick Strong has one of the hardest chops in all professional wrestling.
02:48Claudio Castagnoli has one of the hardest European uppercuts in all professional wrestling.
02:53They've both been Ring of Honor world champions.
02:56They've both been Ring of Honor tag champions.
02:58I mean, the list goes on and on and on, but we see Claudio here with a, he's got a great side headlock.
03:08Rubbing that forearm bone right against Roderick Strong's cheekbone.
03:11Brian, you've spent quite a bit of time in that side headlock of Claudio Castagnoli.
03:15I spent a lot of time in that headlock.
03:18As Roderick Strong delivering the chops to the chest.
03:20Now the elbow strike in front of back of Castagnoli, but Castagnoli getting the better of that exchange.
03:24Another uppercut rocking the jaw.
03:26Roderick Strong's side headlock takeover.
03:28Roderick tried to scissor the head, but Castagnoli, great grip, great defense on Roderick Strong.
03:34It's so difficult to get out of Claudio Castagnoli's headlock because not only is he so strong physically in his arms and everything,
03:42but his grip strength is one of the strongest in all of AEW.
03:48Shoulder tackle there takes Roderick Strong down.
03:52Oh, nice catch.
03:54Oh, nice backbreaker by Claudio Castagnoli.
03:57That is superhuman strength.
04:00Cover and still to come tonight.
04:05We will see the champion and challenger headed into WrestleDream.
04:10It will be Hangman Adam Page and Samoa Joe one-on-one this Saturday on pay-per-view via HBO Max.
04:20You can visit hbomax.com slash AEW to find out more.
04:23The AEW World Championship on the line this Saturday.
04:25Coming up tonight, Samoa Joe, his partners in the off, the eight of the world trios champions.
04:30Claudio Castagnoli going for a cover here.
04:32The leg is hooked.
04:32The Ops will put their AEW World Trios championships on the line against Roosh,
04:38Charlistico, and the Beast Mortis Le Faction in Gobernable with Hangman Adam Page,
04:43AEW Men's World Champion, joining us here at the commentary desk.
04:46It's already been a hard-hitting night at Skyliver and Bryan Danielson.
04:49Take a look at what we got later on.
04:51See, it's going to get even harder.
04:53Yeah, Jamie Hayter, Sky Blue.
04:54And remember, we are only in the first of three hours live tonight on TBS and HBO Max.
05:01Another trios battle.
05:03Don Callis family taking on Jurassic Express and the Uneasy Alliance with Kenny Omega.
05:08Roderick Strong into the ropes.
05:10A lunging boot by Claudio Castagnoli.
05:13Drops strong.
05:14Oh, Roderick Strong.
05:18I don't think he was prepared for the length of Claudio Castagnoli there.
05:24Strong to the outside, trying to collect himself to put some distance between his aggressor.
05:30But you see the reach of Castagnoli bringing Roderick Strong up to the apron.
05:33I thought Castagnoli was going to go outside with him, but nope.
05:36Oh, look at this, just trying to just...
05:38I thought so, too, Tony.
05:40You know, Roddy, he can't let himself be put in a position to be overpowered.
05:44Right.
05:45His challenge is to hit hard, move fast in and out, get away from Claudio's power,
05:52which is harder than it sounds.
05:54And Gary catches Castagnoli, and Claudio caught all of the ring apron there
05:59on the backbreaker from Roderick Strong.
06:02Great move by Roddy there.
06:05Very well could be the opening Roderick Strong needs.
06:08He returns to the ring, but...
06:10Don't make a mistake here, Roddy.
06:12A strong that loves him, took through the ropes.
06:14Claudio anticipated it.
06:16And now...
06:17Calamitous giant swing into the barricade for Roderick Strong.
06:23Claudio Castagnoli with the advantage as this match continues live.
06:29You know, I hate to say I saw that coming, but he had Claudio on the apron,
06:35had him reeling, and then decided to try to dive on him, and you saw the mistake.
06:40Took a little bit too much time.
06:42I agree, Tony.
06:43And you can't take too much time when you're in the...
06:45Claudio Castagnoli.
06:46Look at him!
06:48Just tossed him over the barricade.
06:50Into the timekeeper's table.
06:53Roderick Strong in a very difficult position as Claudio Castagnoli returns to the ring.
06:57Referee Paul Turner delivering the count to Roderick Strong on the floor.
07:02Already up to six now.
07:04Seven.
07:05Yeah, let's keep in mind that this all happened only two minutes after Roddy had the...
07:10Had the advantage.
07:11Roderick Strong laboring back to the ring.
07:17Beats the count, but right back into the Lions.
07:20Ten!
07:21The Corollan lift, the cover, two, and...
07:24Roderick Strong able to kick out.
07:30Claudio Castagnoli content to slow the pace of this match down.
07:33But, Tony, a lot of questions surrounding this trios match still to come tonight.
07:40Kenny Omega, I mean, the history between himself and Jack Perry.
07:45Jack, when he was aligned with the Young Bucks, they targeted Kenny Omega.
07:48They made Kenny's life hell.
07:50That's right.
07:51But Kenny, I guess, realized that on the other side, the Don Callis family,
07:56and realizing what happened to Kota Ibushi a week ago.
07:59But, really, a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
08:05Or, so we shall see later on tonight.
08:11There we see the rapid-fire uppercuts in the corner, Brian.
08:15Roderick Strong trying to cover up to little avail.
08:18Roderick has got to stay away from those uppercuts.
08:21One of the things that you can do with the uppercut is you can counter it into a backslide,
08:27or you can just try to duck under.
08:30But in the corner, it's really difficult.
08:33But you see Claudio keeping it the same game plan that he's had from the start.
08:38Going back to that side head Glock.
08:40Really applying a lot of pressure, not just to the head, I mean, but the neck, the spine,
08:51the upper body of Roderick Strong.
08:53Action continues live on this three-hour special broadcast.
09:05AEW in the shadows of Kansas City, Missouri.
09:08Roderick Strong, perhaps, with the opening, a desperately needed opening,
09:12scoring that dropkick on Claudio Castagnoli.
09:15Let's see who gets to their feet first here.
09:17That's going to be a very, very important point to this match.
09:20We'll take another look at it.
09:24Roderick Strong, always with perfect accuracy on that dropkick, Brian.
09:29Beautiful dropkick by Roderick.
09:31Oh, my goodness.
09:32But Claudio, he was ready for right there.
09:34The cover, the leg is good.
09:36Roderick Strong kicks out, and Claudio immediately into the submission.
09:39Beautiful transition.
09:41Talk about accuracy.
09:42That clothesline was right in the draw, right in the jaw,
09:45and then straight into this cross face.
09:48Yeah, and twice Claudio has the advantage by Roddy kind of making a mistake,
09:52jumping earlier on the outside,
09:54and then trying too many times to hit the turnbuckle pads.
09:58You notice the expertise of Roderick Strong, though.
10:00He pulled Claudio's hands from off his eyes,
10:02so he could get a sense of where he was in the ring.
10:05Once he found out that the ropes were so far in front of him,
10:08he knew that he could back up to the bottom rope behind him
10:10and get the rope break.
10:11Great point, Excalibur.
10:13This is the second time we've seen those uppercuts from Claudio.
10:17Now, just hoisting Roderick up,
10:21plants him down the cutter to it.
10:26That is unbelievable raw power.
10:29That is amazing what Claudio can do.
10:33Yeah, pound for pound,
10:34one of, if not the strongest man in professional wrestling,
10:38Claudio Castagnoli
10:39has now could be looking for the giant swing.
10:43Roderick Strong knows it,
10:45trying to keep Claudio's grip from off his feet.
10:48Now, no kick at the knee
10:49and dropping Claudio down to a level
10:51where he could hit the up kick,
10:53and now the...
10:54Roderick flying in the lariat.
10:59Now leaps, hits Castagnoli
11:01with a back heel kick.
11:03Roderick getting up awfully slow,
11:05but now he's got the momentum here.
11:08Hammer throw into the ropes, reversed.
11:10Strong hangs on high boot, nobody home.
11:13Claudio strung up in the rope,
11:14trying to extricate himself,
11:15and sent over the top out to the floor.
11:19And Roderick Strong on the move,
11:21a kick through the horse.
11:23Castagnoli clicking the back of his head
11:25on the barricade on the floor.
11:26Roderick wanted to do earlier,
11:28which didn't work,
11:29but that time it did work,
11:30kicking to the ropes.
11:31Yeah, he had Claudio damage.
11:33And up, oh!
11:34And the Messiah of the Bathraiser does it again.
11:37And Claudio Castagnoli feeling the sting
11:40of the barricade twice in short succession.
11:43Roderick Strong stringing together
11:45this offensive series.
11:47Returns Castagnoli to the ring,
11:48looking to press the advantage.
11:50But Roderick Strong, I mean,
11:52he's been on the receiving end
11:53of some considerable punishment
11:55as all the knee in the corner blocked
11:58or intercepted by Claudio,
12:00a leaping uppercut.
12:04Staggers.
12:05Roderick Strong in the ropes.
12:06Now the gut wrench out of the ropes.
12:11Made a bit more difficult, Brian,
12:12by Roderick Strong's feet being on the inside.
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