Following Jon Moxley’s submission defeat to Kyle O’Reilly at Full Gear over the weekend and the subsequent promo video shared on social media, I expected tonight’s episode to further explore the conflict between Moxley and the rest of the Death Riders. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Moxley, who nearly submitted against Mascara Dorada in the Continental Classic first round, managed to secure a victory.
The promo featured an angry Moxley, highlighting the growing doubt within the group about their once fearless leader, especially noticeable on Marina Shafir’s face, though no one voiced it. This promo is important to keep in mind as Moxley currently leads with three points in the “C2” tournament, and there were no signs of discord between him and the team tonight.
I personally thought Moxley would lose and spiral further into madness, especially since this was Dorada’s first tournament match. Still, Moxley made Dorada pass out rather than tapping out, which looked strong despite Dorada’s defeat. From a storytelling perspective, it makes more sense for Moxley to win against Dorada rather than going 0-5 in the tournament, though I was sure he would tap out this time.
O’Reilly is out of the tournament due to injury, so I originally didn’t think this would affect his two submission wins over Moxley. But after reflecting, I realized if O’Reilly’s injury is just a storyline to remove him from “C2,” the plot might struggle to progress. Given O’Reilly’s history with neck problems, AEW could potentially address that angle, though it might come off as distasteful. If O’Reilly is genuinely sidelined and Moxley is moving towards dissolving the Death Riders, continuing Moxley’s losing streak might actually work well.
Moxley is set to face Claudio Castagnoli on next week’s Dynamite, leaving room for various outcomes such as a win by either Death Rider or a timed draw, which would split points. While I remain interested in this storyline, I expected AEW to push the narrative a bit further tonight.
Fan Take: This storyline is crucial for AEW fans because it deepens character development and sets the stage for potential major shifts within the Death Riders faction. How AEW handles Moxley’s trajectory could redefine his character and inject fresh excitement into the tournament, making it a pivotal moment for the promotion.
