AEW fans finally got to see Adam Copeland take on Christian Cage for the TNT Championship during tonight’s AEW Dynamite, but it did not go the way some expected. Cage pulled out some of his biggest tricks to try and take Copeland down, and at every turn, Copeland would cut him off and turn those moves against him. After Copeland seemed to run into the referee though, Cage pounced, hitting the referee with a low blow to keep him down and attacking Copeland. Then Shayna Wayne came to the ring, but instead of helping Copeland, she turned on him and hit him with the Title. That allowed Cage to get the win, retaining his Title and taking down his former best friend.
Cage and Copeland didn’t even lock up before they went on the attack, and Copeland was aggressive to start the match, knocking the Champ for a loop with big punches to the chest before throwing him out to the floor. Copeland slammed Cage’s face into the announce table twice, waved to Taz, and then slammed Cage’s face into the table three more times. Copeland threw Cage into the ring and Cage tried to plead his case, but it was a setup for a low blow, which Copeland cut off. Copeland then punished Cage by stomping on his hand before mangling it, following that up by slamming Cage into the barricade.
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Copeland threw Cage into the barricade again before running with the Champ and throwing him into the safety rail. Cage would soon find his way back into the match, and from this point out the Champ would steer the ship. Cage had his former best friend on his heels, keeping Copeland from gaining any space or momentum. Copeland would turn the tide however with a well-placed bite to the hand, which allowed him to slam Cage down to the mat.
Cage came back with a kick to the chest, only to get hit with a kick from Copeland between the ropes. Copeland then hit a lariat from the top rope and brought down Cage on the ring apron, which sent both to the floor. Cage hit a top rope move next, connecting with a frog splash on Copeland, but Copeland kicked out of the cover attempt. Copeland went for a pin of his own on Cage, but the Champ managed to kick out.
Copeland went up top again but took too long to get the move off, and Cage knocked him down on the ropes and turnbuckle.Copeland and Cage battled it out up top and then ended up back on the mat, trading holds and finishers. Copeland reversed the Killswitch into a cover, but Cage kicked out. Then Copeland locked in a submission but Cage got his foot to the bottom rope.
Copeland set up for a spear but missed and Cage countered with a killswitch, though the challenger was able to kick out. Cage went for his own spear but missed and hit the turnbuckle Then Copeland looked as if he ran into something and Cage kicked the referee with a low blow. Then Cage grabbed his Title and tried to attack Copeland but he dodged it and both stars collided with spears.
Then Shayna Wayne came out and picked up the Title, and while she looked as if she would be hitting Cage with it, she turned at the last second to hit Copeland, knocking him out. Cage then picked up Copeland and hit the killswitch, and followed up by stomping on Copeland’s neck. The referee was finally up and crawled over to hit the three count, giving Cage the win.
What did you think of the match and the big swerve? Let us know in the comments, and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!
