Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially in the “How Did We Get Here?” phase of AEW’s International Title Tournament. After a night of wrestling shenanigans, questionable officiating, and more distractions than a middle school classroom, Ricochet and Mark Davis have advanced to next week’s final on AEW Dynamite.
Ricochet vs. Shibata: Acrobatics vs. Assassination
In the first semifinal match, Ricochet took on Katsuyori Shibata in a clash of human highlight reel vs. silent assassin. While Shibata used his trademark “I have no nerves” technical violence, Ricochet countered with his “Gravity is optional” approach.
As the match neared its end, Shibata locked Ricochet in a sleeper hold, looking to send the high-flyer to dreamland. But Ricochet, ever the opportunist, broke free, landed a sneaky back elbow, and rolled Shibata up for the win—with his feet on the ropes for leverage!
Yes, folks. Our boy cheated. And the referee? About as observant as a WWE ref in a Bloodline match.
Mark Davis vs. Mark Briscoe: One Mark Stands Tall, the Other Gets Robbed
Later in the night, Mark Davis and Mark Briscoe battled for a shot at the final. Just when Briscoe looked poised to win, AEW’s favorite “We Love Interference” duo, Brian Cage and Lance Archer, showed up.
Archer distracted the referee, Cage shoved Briscoe off the top rope, and Davis capitalized with his finisher, the Coriolis Force, for the three-count. Somewhere in the back, Tony Khan probably just sighed and said, “I swear, I book clean finishes sometimes.”
The Final: Ricochet vs. Mark Davis on Dynamite
Next week on AEW Dynamite, Ricochet and Mark Davis will go head-to-head in the tournament final. The winner gets a shot at Kenny Omega’s AEW International Championship at Dynasty. Will Ricochet’s high-flying, borderline-illegal tactics triumph? Or will Davis powerbomb his way to victory with another assist from his meddling buddies?
Final Thoughts
- Ricochet: A hero? A villain? Or just really good at using the ropes?
- Mark Davis: Big dude. Big moves. Bigger distractions.
- Shibata: Somewhere, probably shaking his head in silent disappointment.
- Briscoe: Deserves a rematch, if he can get past all the outside interference.