Well, fortunately I've been able to solve the issues I was having watching AEW content, so I'm moving forward to do the reviews I wanted to do initially, starting with the Buy In for Fyter Fest 2019. It is weird that they're doing a free pre-show to convince people to watch a show that was also available for free, but I get the idea that AEW is trying to establish this as a consistent business model. And hey, the Buy In for Double or Nothing was really fun, I think AEW really nails how to deliver an hour of content that can be both entertaining and feel like a complete show all on it's own.
- On commentary for this Buy In are Excalibur, Call of Duty caster "Goldenboy" and BBC Radio DJ Logan Sama. Boy that is an eclectic group, and I'm not really sure how to feel about their performance. I mean, there was a lot more genuine enthusiasm then you got out of Alex Marvez, so at least that's an improvement, but there really wasn't much chemistry here, all three guys were talking over each other and Sama was the only one was a noticeably distinguishable voice.
- Our opening contest is a three way tag match, as SCU's Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky take on Private Party and the Best Friends. This is a showcase for Marq Quen of Private Party, who takes his chance and runs with it. Quen is all over the place, with the highlight being his astonishing shooting star press, one of the best versions of that move I've ever seen. I really liked the psychology the guys decided to sprinkle into the match, like Best Friends and SCU ganging up to beat up Private Party, and the really excellent spot later on, when Quen is knocked off the apron and Kassidy is forced to tag in Kazarian. Excalibur smartly brings up the risk that Kassidy is taking with that tag, that Private Party are now out of the match, and Kazarian immediately following up by dropping Kassidy with a cutter was just perfect. All of this is without even mentioning my favorite spot of the match, Kazarian spiking Quen on the floor with a vicious DDT, then stealing Quen's shades to pose like a true heel. All in all, this match was a treat, though there were a few too many near falls, leading to the crowd burning themselves out on each one and not quite popping as big for the actual finish, as Best Friends got the win with the Strong Zero.
- After the match, Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta are once again confronted by the Dark Order, as Evil Uno plays some mind games, turning off the lights to surround the ring with minions, only for them to disappear without attacking. The crowd didn't care, but I do love the aesthetic of Uno's backstage promos, AEW really nailed the "sleazy cult leader" vibe.
- Leva Bates and Peter Avalon's "Librarian" gimmick is already dying a swift death in AEW, as a hostile reception online after their appearance on the Buy In to Double or Nothing has led to a few hecklers in the crowd on this show. Bates having a slow, clumsy match with Allie doesn't help, though there were a few moments of this one that I enjoyed. The early character work of Allie stopping Leva's shushing by stopping on her finger was a good spot, and while Allie is really awkward in the ring for the most part, she does have some convincing chops and forearm smashes. Allie does have some potential with those strikes, but she needs a better finisher than a regular superkick, especially working in a company that sees the Young Bucks utilize like, twenty of those a match.
- Buy In main event time, as Michael Nakazawa faces Alex Jebailey in a Hardcore match. Jebailey is the organizer of the CEO fighting game tournament that takes place yearly here in host city Orlando, and defeated Nakazawa the year prior in a special exhibition match. Now, we get the rematch that at least someone must've been clamoring for, and it's about as ridiculous as you would expect given Nakazawa's character and a non-wrestler. I understand Nakazawa's style can be grating for a lot of fans, but I thought this was fine, some wacky fun featuring Nakazawa breaking out the baby oil, which even gets referee Bryce Remsburg to slip, a brawl around Kenny Omega's kiddie pool (long story), and even some bumps onto gaming accessories. At nine and half minutes long, it definitely starts to get old by the end, as Nakazawa counters a La Magistral into a school boy, scoring the three count by sticking a used thong into Jebailey's face. This was probably about as good as you could hope for, but I seriously doubt it would convince anyone to watch Fyter Fest if they were on the fence, this is purely just Kenny Omega giving one of his buddies in the gaming world a bit of a spotlight.
6/10
Overall, Fyter Fest's Buy In was a definite step down from what Double or Nothing's opening hour presented, the Casino Battle Royale was just a way easier way to get hooked into the action. For a company that was promoting itself as featuring some of the best wrestling on the planet, those last two matches are far below what most would likely have hoped for. Still, there was entertainment value to be found, especially in the opening tag match, the fact that wasn't on the actual show blows my mind.
Next time on Henry's Pay-Per-View Reviews: Fyter Fest 2019, where Jon Moxley and Darby Allin make their in-ring AEW debuts. See you soon.
- Henry
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