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00:00Why do you think this favor is Tekeshta?
00:02Well, because if it didn't have that time limit, then the champion would have that advantage.
00:07Take away the time limit, take away the advantage, therefore the challenger in a much better position.
00:14Alright, let's see if that...
00:17And to Nigel's point, Tony, Tekeshta, as we mentioned, the last man to pin Jon Moxley in a professional wrestling
00:24match.
00:24Tekeshta believes that he was robbed of the Continental Championship
00:30because of that screwdriver employed by Kazuchika Okada in their semi-final round match.
00:38Tekeshta highly motivated as well.
00:42Still a member of the Don Callis family, but was adamant that Don Callis didn't do any more damage to
00:48Jon Moxley recently.
00:49He wanted to prove he could beat him one-on-one without any help.
00:55And their five previous meetings, Jon Moxley has scored three victories.
01:01Tekeshta won, and then the time limit draw in Sydney, Australia.
01:04They spent more than one hour and 20 minutes in the ring together, one-on-one.
01:11And this one could go all night.
01:14There must be a winner here in Los Angeles.
01:16Right, and during that record, Moxley won the first three matches between those two.
01:20So Tekeshta's managed to come back against Moxley tonight would be the crowning jewel for Tekeshta.
01:26Nigel, I would argue that Moxley scored those three victories on Tekeshta.
01:30Well, Tekeshta was still finding his sea legs here in the United States.
01:33He'd established himself in Japan, uproofed his life, moved to the U.S., and was still trying to acclimate to
01:40all elite wrestling.
01:41Moxley succeeded then, but thus far since Tekeshta's acclimated, he's had the champ's number.
01:45Yeah, you could certainly understand why it took a while for Tekeshta to really find his feet.
01:51But he's had a few title reigns under his belt since...
01:56Ooh, that victory.
01:58Oh, wow.
01:59He certainly looks as confident as I've ever seen him.
02:02Hammerfield refers to Tekeshta on the move, ducking under the attack.
02:06Moxley, Tekeshta line connects.
02:14Moxley, the leader of the Death Riders.
02:16We just saw how vicious the Death Riders are, what they're willing to do to maintain an advantage.
02:24And we don't need to talk too long about Moxley's history.
02:29Don Callis has the visible scars of what Moxley is able to do.
02:35Oh, Moxley's got gouged in the eyes of Tekeshta.
02:37Yeah, it's a great way to get out of that, no doubt.
02:40Think about the Death Riders having Ronda Rousey as an associate.
02:45How about a game-changer if Marina Shafir wasn't dangerous enough?
02:50Baddest woman on the planet.
02:53I'll tell you, if Megan Bain and Lena Cross don't take the eight other women's tag team titles tonight,
03:00I could see them become part of the Death Riders very soon.
03:04I agree with that, Nigel, thinking the same thing about Rousey and Marina.
03:08But look at Jon Moxley, just staggers back.
03:13And comes forward.
03:16And this match thus far has been a striking battle.
03:20Tekeshta, ooh, scores, connects, and Jon Moxley staggered.
03:25Oh, yeah, thought twice about staying in there and getting another one.
03:29Again, I mentioned it earlier.
03:31Yeah, close up to Rene Paquette talking to her husband, Jon Moxley, about this match-up.
03:37Moxley talking about how he knew Tekeshta could beat him.
03:43Ooh!
03:44Perhaps Moxley has as much respect for Tekeshta as anyone he's ever faced.
03:50A hell of a kick delivered by Kunosuke Tekeshta into the jaw of Jon Moxley.
03:57Oh, but Moxley!
03:59Hoping to a scene of Tekeshta hard into the barricade.
04:03Jon Moxley taking a big risk there during the Continental Classic, injuring his ankle.
04:09I'm pretty sure it's not 100%.
04:11He certainly had to be very cautious the way he landed on it there.
04:18Now, Moxley, I thought for a moment he would use the chair as a weapon instead.
04:22Seating Tekeshta on the chair, raking the face, and landing a boot of his own into the jaw of the
04:29challenger.
04:30Yeah, Jon Moxley is unbelievable.
04:32The violence that he can throw out, the things that he can do.
04:35You know, we were heading to this event, and Jon was talking to TV Insider and said,
04:40there is no end to a point in this.
04:42I'm realizing that more and more, as time goes on, you just keep getting better and learning and involving, or
04:49you die.
04:51And now he's got to be upset.
04:52Moxley as committed to pro wrestling as anything else in his life.
04:58Now, Moxley taking the high ground, raining the right hands down on the head.
05:02I'll be off of Kanosuke Tekeshta.
05:07Now, Tekeshta went to gouge the eyes of Moxley for the escape on Moxley.
05:12Showing he's better at playing this game than Tekeshta is.
05:15I think that was right above the eye.
05:20But it is the previously damaged eye.
05:22I don't know if you've caught it.
05:23Slight mouse or a bit of a black eye.
05:26The left eye, I think, from Tekeshta's match with Castagnoli.
05:31Oh, and Tekeshta came down, hobbled on that ankle, and now Moxley seizing on it.
05:37Well, kind of ironic after I mentioned Moxley suffering damage to his leg.
05:43And Tekeshta, it doesn't take much to go on an ankle to jam a knee.
05:47Whatever it was, Jon Moxley sensed the opportunity.
05:53Now, a variety of options available for the champion.
05:56You mentioned the damage, the shiner on the eye of Tekeshta, created by Claudio Castagnoli.
06:02Now, Moxley attacking the limb, the left leg of Tekeshta.
06:08Right now, Moxley's in complete control of this.
06:11Look.
06:13And he knows it.
06:14You can see the face of Moxley.
06:16Moxley enjoying his handiwork.
06:20He said that Tekeshta has challenged him more than anyone before.
06:24It's the core of his pro-wrestling soul.
06:29Moxley, when he got to the ropes, he dropped you.
06:31He said, come on, get up.
06:33There's nobody like Jon Moxley, gentlemen.
06:36Jon Moxley, of course, won the 2025 Continental Classic.
06:39But Kenosuke Tekeshta made history finishing the group stage undefeated.
06:46Four wins and a time limit draw.
06:49He was not beaten in group stage.
06:51He's the highest point total of any competitor thus far in the Continental Classic.
06:55You see that dragon screw coming a mile away.
06:59Tekeshta unable to avoid it nonetheless.
07:02Tekeshta!
07:04Simple single-leg Boston crap.
07:07The knees planted in the lower back of Tekeshta, anchoring the challenger to the mat.
07:12Tekeshta trying to bow up on the elbows.
07:15But Moxley steps over now.
07:19Finally stepping the whole way through.
07:22Oh, and that's the reason why his version of the horse collar with the foot instead of the neck.
07:32Right now, Tekeshta desperately reaching out for the bottom right because the knee got to be some kind of ligament
07:39damage, perhaps.
07:41Maybe the meniscus, I'm not a doctor, I'm going to pretend to be one.
07:44The lunge to the bottom rope relief for Kenosuke Tekeshta.
07:49But Moxley now feeling that this match may be in hand.
07:54The commanding presence of Moxley.
07:59The archetypal predator.
08:04Tekeshta looking, perhaps, for some kind of piledriver.
08:09Interesting strategy, though.
08:10He had been focusing on the leg.
08:12Now the head or neck.
08:13Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
08:15Tekeshta using his legs, using his core to reverse Moxley.
08:18But Moxley hung on.
08:19Sunset flip.
08:20Tekeshta!
08:21Oh, knee!
08:22Intercepted.
08:23Moxley had it.
08:25He was prepared.
08:26And now the figure four leg lock center of the ring.
08:31That's what you call doing your homework, gentlemen.
08:33Every match that Tekeshta's had in AEW, every match John Moxley's had in AEW,
08:39is there for the opponent to scout and watch and look and learn.
08:43And John Moxley did that time.
08:45No question that John Moxley, as a student of the game, will always remain such.
08:50We talked about him training earlier.
08:53The former UFC heavyweight champion, Josh Barnett, picking up some nuance.
09:01And Tekeshta through gritted teeth.
09:05Second time.
09:07Makes a dive.
09:08The AEW GP heavyweight champion has had to touch the ropes to break a hole.
09:14Both of these men, former IWGP World Heavyweight Champions in New Japan Pro Wrestling,
09:23Tekeshta, wants to show tonight that not only is he the better man,
09:28not only can he defeat John Moxley for the Continental Championship,
09:33but he wants to also show that he has surpassed the Rainmaker, Kazuchika Okada.
09:38Strong rivalry between two of the Japanese contingent and the Don Callis family.
09:44Moxley was looking for the death rider, perhaps the paradigm shift,
09:47but Tekeshta, he put the damage on to his knee.
09:54Goes over and drives.
09:57Moxley down.
09:59Right on the left knee and following up here.
10:02This isn't going to help.
10:04Tekeshta undombed it.
10:05The wheelbarrow German suplex.
10:07Moxley up to his big shotgun dropkick, but Tekeshta, boom!
10:13The knee into the jaw of the champion.
10:15And Moxley invited Tekeshta in.
10:17He said, come on, give me your best.
10:18And Tekeshta laid him out.
10:22But the challenger, slow to follow up.
10:27Take a look here.
10:29First of all, Moxley did everything he could to protect his neck.
10:33At the same time, Tekeshta did everything he could to protect his knee,
10:37but there was no way of protecting her best.
10:39That impact or stay tuned, incoming that.
10:46And now back to live action.
10:48Champion and challenger alike.
10:50To a vertical position.
10:52This is how this match began, Tony.
10:55A striking battle in the center of the ring,
10:57but Tekeshta feeling the effects of all the punishment.
11:01Yeah, that last strike, Nigel, was the one.
11:05We've got Tekeshta flush.
11:08Spaghetti legs, but somehow.
11:10Whoa!
11:11The challenger back to the feet.
11:12Here we go!
11:14Jon Moxley, no one can take a punch or a bow like Jon Moxley.
11:18It's almost as if Nigel motivates him.
11:22Well, it's motivated him to duck underneath one here.
11:25Rear naked shot, but here he comes!
11:28Who's on the ball?
11:30To go!
11:34Yeah, you can certainly think the damage to the left knee of the challenger had a part
11:39in being unable to get deeper on that pinfall attempt.
11:43But as it makes, I would take a look.
11:45The champion has rolled to the apron.
11:47He's hurt.
11:48He's aware that his title is in jeopardy.
11:51Tekeshta's best chance yet tonight.
11:55But Moxley more than equal to the task.
11:59But now the challenger with the advantage.
12:04Moxley once again returns to the eye.
12:06And now stomping on the fingers.
12:09And...
12:11Tekeshta!
12:13Oh, God.
12:15Oh, boy.
12:16He looked back at the steps.
12:19Oh, Moxley.
12:22Escapes to the relative safety of the ring.
12:23But Moxley has stomped straight to the knee.
12:29Now Moxley...
12:30It drives Tekeshta face-first into the apron.
12:37The ankle holding up pretty well
12:39for the continental champion, John Moxley.
12:42Earlier, I caught him adjusting some kind of strap.
12:45And this, perhaps, one of the reasons why
12:49driving the foot down the head of his opponent.
12:52And Tekeshta, surreptitiously
12:56crawling to the outside for a little bit of respite.
12:59Referee Paul Turner delivering the ten count.
13:02And now the floor.
13:03I saw that adjustment to that boot.
13:06He's doing it again right now.
13:09Moxley, he will retain the championship
13:11in the event of a count-out on Tekeshta.
13:14As Tekeshta holding that left eye.
13:17Well, yeah.
13:20It wouldn't surprise me.
13:22Oh, Tekeshta bleeding.
13:24From that left eye.
13:28That's nasty.
13:29The impact with the apron.
13:31Good God.
13:32Tekeshta right into it.
13:34The jaws of the lion.
13:36John Moxley, the pile driver.
13:39One, two, three.
13:41No!
13:43Into the jaws of death.
13:45You're not kidding.
13:47Surge of energy.
13:48Tekeshta staying away from the light.
13:52Nigel, it could have been that the pooling of the blood
13:55on the left eye of Konosuke Tekeshta,
13:58that may have ruptured when Tekeshta's face
14:01was driven in by that stomp.
14:03That's certainly a possibility again.
14:04And I want to play.
14:05Oh, vicious.
14:06Headbutt.
14:07Right to the damaged body part.
14:10And John Moxley has shown over a storied career
14:12how dangerous he is exactly for this reason.
14:16He finds an injury and he focuses on it.
14:19He picks a body part apart.
14:25Or something sadistic.
14:29It's hard to tell where the blood is coming from,
14:31but the DNA evidence is all over the face of the challenger.
14:35Repeated fist and then repeated headbutts.
14:38And Moxley, like, turns around slowly
14:40and almost gesturing for him to get up.
14:43Moxley lives for that taste of iron.
14:46Tekeshta, former Olympic-level decathlete here,
14:51starting to lose a little bit of blood.
14:55But finding some motivation,
14:58some of that Bushido fighting spirit.
15:05Woo!
15:08Tekeshta, though, very unsteady on his feet
15:10as he delivers those elbows.
15:12Moxley, a left, a right.
15:14Tekeshta, trying to cover up
15:16and just a hockey fight breaking out.
15:18Oh, good body shot that time.
15:22By Mox.
15:24Time for it a second time.
15:28Oh, go to style.
15:30Laces the hands through the legs.
15:32Even more downward impact on the head and neck.
15:34One, two, Tekeshta!
15:39A potent kickout by Tekeshta,
15:41but Moxley immediately into position for the crossface.
15:46Oh, a bridging submission of sorts.
15:50A neck crank, perhaps.
15:52Again, he could have learned some very effective submissions
15:55from Josh Barnett earlier today.
15:59But Tekeshta, perhaps Moxley's hand slicked with the blood of the challenger.
16:04He was able to extricate himself.
16:07Yeah, that is a very good point, Escobar.
16:09I thought the same thing.
16:10Just slipped it out.
16:12It turns around.
16:14Moxley now is going to get a head of steam.
16:16Whoa, you heard that impact.
16:19Tekeshta failed it.
16:21Tekeshta, just do it again.
16:23Tekeshta absorbs the impact.
16:26Whoa!
16:27Yes.
16:28Now, Tekeshta on the move.
16:31Moxley baited him in.
16:33Tekeshta...
16:34Tekeshta!
16:36He got that Lariat down on one knee.
16:39It was a Lariat as he ducked at the same time to avoid Jon Moxley's.
16:44That was thinking ahead.
16:56Now, Tekeshta...
16:57...by Jun Akiyama, who in turn...
17:00...had it passed down to him by the master, Jumbo Saruta.
17:04Whoa, look at this.
17:06Way up there.
17:07And now Tekeshta!
17:11Unleasing his ferocious side on Jon Moxley.
17:17Now...
17:17...high angle Moxley clinging on for dear life!
17:25The jumping knee, perhaps not the only thing passed down by Jun Akiyama.
17:29The exploder from the ropes is Tekeshta.
17:32Lines off.
17:33Moxley power!
17:34Drive knee!
17:36One!
17:36Two!
17:37No!
17:39Moxley!
17:42I'd like to see a replay of that.
17:46That was as close.
17:47But wait a second.
17:48Just watch first of all.
17:50Super exploder.
17:51But back inside, the action continues.
17:54Tekeshta.
17:55Perhaps looking for raging fire.
17:57Moxley was ready for it.
17:59Answers with the cutter.
18:02That picture tells a thousand stories.
18:06Does it ever?
18:10Tekeshta!
18:11Here he goes.
18:12The elbow strike.
18:13The lariat Moxley weaves under.
18:15And he's paranoid shift!
18:16Great counter by Moxley.
18:18Wow!
18:20Jon Moxley.
18:22Man, what an individual.
18:25What a wrestler.
18:28But Moxley, you can see the fatigue, the physical toll of this match on Moxley.
18:34He was not able to capitalize on the paradigm shift with a pinfall attempt.
18:41The jump of AEW erupts around the arena.
18:49A show of respect winning both champion and challenger.
18:53Back to their feet.
18:54Back into this fight.
18:59And of course, with no time limit in this Continental Championship match.
19:03It could go on.
19:04It will go on.
19:05For as long as it takes.
19:07But as Tekeshta continues to lose blood, his body loses oxygen.
19:12And without oxygen, the challenger cannot fight.
19:17It behooves him to end this as quickly as possible!
19:24Moxley gets right back on the shoes.
19:32Back and forth they go!
19:34Backdrop driver from Moxley.
19:36Elbow strike.
19:38Lariat takes Tekeshta down.
19:40Moxley floats over.
19:41Oh, one count!
19:43The one count kickout!
19:45That was Tekeshta showing Moxley what he's made of.
19:50One count after that exchange?
19:52Are you kidding me?
19:59We have just passed the 20-minute mark of this match.
20:05And normally that would be it, right?
20:07On a TV show, but on the pay-per-view, it's a little bit different.
20:11No time limit.
20:12And typically 60-minute time limit on pay-per-view for Continental Championship matches.
20:17Tonight, that is out the window.
20:19The champion takes aim of the challenger.
20:25Moxley, maybe you think of Deathrider here, Tekeshta.
20:28Oh, vaults out, rolls through.
20:32Rattles the jaw of the champion.
20:33Now Tekeshta!
20:35Regents!
20:36Fire!
20:37He did it!
20:38He did it!
20:40One!
20:41Two!
20:42Three!
20:45By the narrowest of margins,
20:49Jon Moxley
20:50escapes the raging fire.
20:53The first man
20:55to ever
20:56do so.
20:59Oh, one for one, both champion and challenger with an extremely near full there.
21:07Tekeshta's got to be wondering what it's going to take.
21:10Tony, Tekeshta is stunned by that, but Los Angeles, the world is stunned by that.
21:16The resilience, the fortitude of Jon Moxley.
21:24Tekeshta lowering that knee pad like that wagamama.
21:27The running knee strike with the...
21:29Oh, Tekeshta!
21:32Moxley, the stop to the patella, and now turning him around, the double earner, look!
21:38Down!
21:39Oh, the rider's sheer drop!
21:41Moxley!
21:42One, two,
21:43Oh, Tekeshta's turn
21:46to shock the world!
21:48Oh, my God!
21:50Oh, yeah!
21:51Look at the fans!
21:52Look at the shout-out crowd!
22:00There is nothing like an AEW pay-per-view,
22:04and there is nothing like Jon Moxley.
22:07We will gladly sell you the whole seat,
22:09but you will only need the edge.
22:11Jon Moxley!
22:14Undaunted continues!
22:16Moxley!
22:17Moxley!
22:17Avalanche Deathrider!
22:19Yep!
22:19Yes!
22:20It is!
22:21That's gotta be it, man!
22:22It has gotta be it!
22:24Yeah, just roll over here.
22:25One, two!
22:27No!
22:29Koley homeless!
22:33Oh, my God!
22:35What is gonna...
22:35What's...
22:36How's this gonna end?
22:38How is this thing going to end?
22:45At this ring, we could be here well after midnight,
22:48and Moxley and Tekeshta could still be battling.
22:51Moxley navigating for the back,
22:53looking for some kind of choke.
22:57Tekeshta doing his best to hand fight
22:59to prevent the rear naked choke.
23:04And if Moxley can get the right arm under the...
23:07Oh, defiant Tekeshta!
23:11Gotta trap the right arm with his leg.
23:13It's exactly the way to do it.
23:14And now the neck.
23:17Clearly game.
23:19Completely exposed.
23:20The head and neck of Konosuke Tekeshta.
23:22He is fading.
23:23He's making over.
23:24It's over.
23:28Oh, look at the expression.
23:29The face is slacking.
23:30Tekeshta goes out.
23:32Moxley retains!
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