With only four main pay-per-view events per year, AEW’s PPV week is always big, and the first PPV of 2022 for All Elite Wrestling is no exception. Amidst a flurry of high-profile news, including the sudden departure of Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes and Tony Khan’s purchase of the Ring of Honor promotion, it would be easy for this show to be overshadowed. But Revolution 2022 is undoubtedly the most stacked and most important card in AEW’s short history, and every match looks like it could be a banger, with huge stakes in nearly every one. Biff Bam Pop’s resident superfans, Jeffery X Martin, Sachin Hingoo, and Andy Burns got together to give their predictions for AEW’s big night.
Buy-In: Kris Statlander vs. Leyla Hirsch
Leyla turned heel on Stat a little while ago and the feud has turned pretty nasty, with “The Galaxy’s Favourite Alien” throwing barbs about Leyla’s real-life past and being put up for adoption towards the Russian grappler.
Andy: As much as I’d like to see Kris take this one, just because I’m into her gimmick and I’m getting a little tired of seeing Best Friends lose regularly, I think Leyla is going to stomp the proverbial mudhole in her.
Jeff: Hard call. Statlander has been firing some tremendous promos over Hirsch’s bow, to the point where one would think Stat’s heading towards a heel turn. A full villain reset of Statlander could get her booted out of Best Friends (which would make room for Danhausen once his leghausen fully heals). Hirsch, who is built like a freakin’ tank, has a good moveset but tends to rely more on brute strength than technique. I’m going with Statlander because she’s a bigger fan favorite, but I won’t be surprised if Statlander turns to the dark side sooner than later.
Sachin: This doesn’t have a ton of stakes besides advancing this story a bit, but I’m never not gonna pick my girl Leyla, however problematic it might be to cheer for a Russian heel right now. I still hold out hope that she joins up with Team Taz and trades those Russian colours in for some black and orange. Either way, this match should be a fun powerhouse vs scrappy grappler affair.
Buy-In: HOOK vs. QT Marshall
Everyone’s gaga over Taz’s golden boy Hook since his debut a couple of months ago. Here he goes up against one of AEW’s most prolific douchebags (a real achievement in douchebaggery, considering that this is a company that employs Dan Lambert).
Jeff: Is this a trick question? There’s no way QT Marshall wins over HOOK, the greatest wunderkind since Alex Wright. HOOK is super hot, super over, and according to his hair, Super Saiyan. It’s a perfect match to give away for free, and a HOOK victory should put the crowd in the right mood for the carnage promised on the main card.
Andy: HOOK. Easy. Send next question.
Sachin: No way is our boy HOOK losing this one, and I’m hoping he breaks something, or preferably everything, on QT’s a-hole body. And the dulcet tones of Action Bronson and the ovation of the crowd is the perfect way to kick this card off.
House of Black (Malakai Black, Brody King, Buddy Matthews) vs. Death Triangle (Pentagon Oscuro, PAC, Erick Redbeard)
Andy: This is a toss up, and the sudden appearance of Erick Redbeard adds an interesting, unexpected dynamic. I’m thinking House of Black takes this one.
Sachin: This rivalry came a bit out of nowhere, but it sounds like one of the new storylines that Tony’s talked about developing at Revolution. It’s a little goofy, mostly thanks to Alex Abrehaunted, but the matches should still be pretty good since there’s some great workers in there. And Redbeard. I think the House of Black gets the victory.
Jeff: You could do worse than Erick Redbeard to stand in for the injured Rey Fenix, but the lack of buildup makes it feel like more fodder for the House. Even with only 48 hours notice, the House always wins. Hail thyself.
Face of the Revolution Ladder Match: Keith Lee vs. Wardlow vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Ricky Starks vs. Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Christian Cage
The winner of this one earns a sweet gold donut thing and a future shot at Sammy Guevara’s TNT title, and anyone currently in the running would be a great candidate. Christian won the last spot in the ladder match by beating Ethan Page on Friday (yes, Cage beat Page on Rampage) which bolsters an already strong field.
Jeff: There may be six guys in this match, but there are really only two to keep an eye on. Wardlow is a strong contender because, well, I mean, have you seen Wardlow? That dude is incredible. His penchant for repeatedly slamming competitors into the mat (his crowd-pleasing Powerbomb Symphony) has been a great finishing sequence for his matches. But then, there’s Keith Lee. Lee is a singular and somewhat divisive figure in wrestling. You might not like how he talks, but Lee’s biel on Isaiah Kassidy during his company debut made him an instant AEW icon. Wardlow becoming the Face of the Revolution could feed into his storyline with MJF and cement Wardlow’s face turn. But how does Keith Lee not win this match? How does Lee not throw Ricky Starks into the fifth row ringside? I want the win for Wardlow, but I’m throwing my prediction behind Keith Lee.
Sachin: Gotta go with Lee here, despite the bevy of beef on display. I’m expecting a great match with Starks and OC getting yeeted all over the place. Christian earned the last spot in this match and ain’t a damn body on earth that can put together a ladder match like he can. This should be a star-making moment for Lee but I’m keeping my eye out for great performances from everyone in this match, especially Wardlow and Hobbs.
Andy: This is going to be one of the hardest ones of the night to predict, I think. I’m thinking an “accidental” chair shot from Shawn Spears could be what we need to keep Wardlow from the win and advance his eventual turn. All signs point to Keith Lee making an impact and winning this one in the end.
TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Tay Conti
Tay Conti came up short in her Women’s World title shot at Britt Baker at Full Gear, but she’s been quietly becoming a huge threat to just about anyone in the division. Jade continues to dominate as champion, though.
Jeff: It’s hard to believe Cargill has been in the business for fewer than five years. She has dominated during her championship run. Jade isn’t the smoothest worker out there, but her wins have been decisive. Conti is adorable, even when she’s throwing Penelope Ford through a table. In this case, that’s a problem. Conti has the moves and the martial arts background, but she never seems like a credible threat. That table spot with Ford didn’t do much to make her seem more formidable. I have no doubts it will be a fine match but when it’s all said and done, it’s still going to be That Bitch Show. Cargill retains.
Andy: I know people really love Tay, and the ability is there, but I am 100% Team Jade all the way. I’m guessing we’ll see a little more back and forth than the usual Cargill match, but she’s on an incredible roll and there’s no way she’s losing here.
Sachin: I love me some Tay and she put up a great fight against Britt at Full Gear while also laying a legitimate claim to being one of the most improved performers in the company and possibly the industry as a whole. But Jade is a steamroller that shows no sign of stopping. #ThatB isn’t letting go of that belt this soon, or this easily. Jade’s matches have been hit and miss in terms of quality and this is the match on this card with the biggest chance to be sloppy, but if both women stick to their strengths it could be great.
Bryan Danielson vs. Jon Moxley
Danielson’s been on a streak of violence since his two outstanding matches against Hangman Adam Page on Dynamite in the early weeks of 2022, and he’s made overtures to the freshly-returned Moxley to join up and run roughshod over the company. Mox brought up his storied history with Bryan and the fact that he’s never beaten the American Dragon before, which is something he needs to address before any sort of team-up happens. Before he fights alongside Bryan, Mox needs to “bleed with him” and this match should give him ample opportunity.
Jeff: This is a dream match in every conceivable way. Danielson is a technician, a submission master that has torn his way through practically every challenger that has faced him in an AEW ring. Mox’s brawling style is close to being the polar opposite of Danielson’s. There will be blood and violence, the likes of which the two never produced during the years with WWE. Danielson and Mox seem to respect each other, but they may not after Mox hands Danielson another L in this match. As fun as it would be to see Mox and Danielson take younger workers under their collective wing, a feud between Mox and Danielson would be money.
Sachin: This is one of the toughest to call for me, but I’m picking Mox. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that a Mox/Bryan stable of killers would be in the cards and the possibility of it has enchanted me completely. I expect this to be a war, with Mox finally getting his win and slaying the Dragon, then they shake hands and form the unholiest alliance this side of the House of Black. Put it right into my veins.
Andy: Another tough call here, but I’m going to go with Mox. Bryan is one of those guys that looks amazing whether he’s winning or losing, and I think Mox winning a high-profile PPV match makes sense. This could be more of the long-term storytelling we love about AEW, where Bryan admires his opponent in defeat and still wants to work with him and the youngsters, only to seek vengeance later.
Tornado Trios Tag Match: Sting, Darby Allin, & Sammy Guevara vs. Matt Hardy, Andrade El Idolo, & Isiah Kassidy
Things are not all right with the Andrade-Hardy Family Office, and discord has been fomenting between the two headstrong leaders of the faction, Matt Hardy and Andrade El Idolo. Their antics have earned the ire of Sting, Allin, and TNT Champion Guevara over the past month or so, especially with Andrade’s desire to take Sammy’s title and his aggressive recruitment attempts with Darby. Does this mean the end of the long-running AHFO? There’s also the twist that two members of Team Sting – Darby and Sammy – participated in a triple-threat match with Andrade for Sammy’s title on Rampage, so things aren’t exactly peachy on that side either.
Jeff: Tornado tag matches are fun because all the workers are permitted to be in the ring at the same time. That makes for a lot of opportunities for pinfalls. Kassidy is still green, Hardy has a tendency to stop and wait for spots to happen, and I won’t be surprised if El Idolo ends up carrying his entire team. Even El Idolo’s best efforts won’t be enough, though. Guevara, Allin, and Stinger will take this match easily. If we’re lucky, the AHFO will fade away and classify themselves as obsolete. Look forward to that final glorious run of the Hardy Boyz in AEW.
Andy: This “should” be the last hurrah for the AHFO, with Jeff Hardy’s anticipated AEW arrival any day now, so look for them to break up on their backs. Pick: Team Sting.
Sachin: This one may not have the highest stakes, but I think most of us are ready for the AHFO to end. Jeff Hardy is set to debut any day now and Matt’s ‘erratic’ behaviour recently has got to be a catalyst to get to the Hardy Boyz factory and for us to finally be rid of this boat anchor of a stable. Every member of the AHFO will be better off with this yoke off their necks. I’m calling a big win for Team Sting (Stink?) and Isaiah should fill the yeet quota for the night if the Ladder Match doesn’t.
Chris Jericho vs. Eddie Kingston
El Champion and Eddie Kingston have been on a collision course for some time, and it’s pretty clear that the two don’t like each other. Eddie seems to have driven a wedge into Jericho’s Inner Circle and Santana and Ortiz, so it’ll be interesting to see if they’ll make themselves part of this battle for respect between the two veterans.
Jeff: Here’s how stacked Revolution 2022 is. This match between Chris Jericho and Eddie Kingston is the one I care the least about. And it’s Jericho vs. Kingston! That would be a main event in practically every other company! I’m just not invested in this contest, which has seemingly been slapped together within the last two weeks. If Jericho wins, then he’ll continue to verbally berate Kingston for months. That’s going to grow tiresome fast. As much as I love Kingston, this match feels like an obstacle to the inevitable reformation of LAX. Can we move past this please? Let Kingston win and then pull Santana, Ortiz, and Diamante together to take on another faction.
Andy: Eddie Kingston is one of the few talents like a Bryan Danielson who can look good even when he’s losing. BUT he’s also a guy who never wins the big one. Jericho can take a loss and still smell like roses, so I do believe Eddie needs to take him down, while also officially uniting with Santana and Ortiz in AEW.
Sachin: This one might as well be for custody of Santana and Ortiz, and i expect them to be watching this one intently if not getting actively involved. Eddie is the least likely to be hurt booking wise from a loss so I don’t think he wins here, but it’ll be a Pyrrhic victory for Jericho if he loses influence over the best team in the company. This could also be an interesting stylistic battle. Eddie comes off as a brawler, and he is, but he’s also a student of 90s Japanese wrestling while Jericho actually came up in that scene. I think this could be a sleeper great match which Jericho wins, but at great cost and possibly hammering the final nail in the coffin for the beleaguered Inner Circle.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: Jurassic Express (c) vs. The Young Bucks vs. reDRagon
AEW is replete with amazing tag teams, and the Bucks and reDRagon didn’t have an easy road into this match with both teams having to win separate battle royals to earn their spots. While this should be a stacked deck against the champions since they’re facing four members of the Elite, it might not be so simple as there’s clearly some tension afoot between Cool Kyle/Bobby Fish and the Bucks.
Jeff: This one is shaping up to be a clinic. With the three-way combination of high flyers, technical workers, and the cartoonish overselling of Kyle O’Reilly, this could be the most flat-out entertaining match of the whole card. I’m also looking for a title change. I think the Bucks and ReDRagon will conspire to take out Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus before turning on the Bucks and taking the title. I smell a long-term plan that probably won’t pan out until Double or Nothing in May. Regardless, I believe ReDRagon will be #AndNew when this match is over.
Andy: I think its too early for Jungle Boy Jack Perry and Luchasaurus to lose those hard-earned belts, but everything seems stacked against them here. However, the ongoing tension between the Young Bucks and ReDRagon could definitely be the cause of both those teams losing here. I’m going with Jurassic Express to retain.
Sachin: This one’s a tough call too, with Redragon and Jurassic Express both being strong candidates to pull it out. I’m going with Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus, with the wedge between the two Elite teams driven further and accelerating the explosion of that unit.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. (c) vs. Thunder Rosa
This one’s been brewing for some time and would be a contender to main event this show, if not for the other high-profile matches on this card. Rosa and Britt faced off in one of the most violent matches in AEW’s history, with Rosa coming out on top. Can La Mera Mera repeat that performance this time, with the gold on the line?
Jeff: Say it with me: THUNDER. ROSA. It’s her time! No one is saying Baker isn’t a great wrestler, because she is. But La Mera Mera has been hot on DMD’s trail, slowly wearing Baker down. We may get some interference from Rebel (Not Reba) and Jamie Hayter on Baker’s side, but Mercedes Martinez should put a stop to that on Rosa’s behalf. [When does that Hayter/Martinez feud begin in earnest?] Let the stars align and bring this wish to fruition. Thunder Rosa will be your new AEW Women’s World Champion.
Sachin: I’ve been annoying this group chat for a long time with my unwavering fandom of Thunder Rosa, La Mera Mera, the best wrestler in this division and that’s not stopping now. It’s long past time for her to climb to the top of the women’s division and claim what’s hers, and I’m hoping for a breakthrough match and Rosa to stand tall. On top of being a great performer, she’s the platonic ideal of a babyface champion and face of the company, and like Jeff says, it’s her time. #AndNew
Andy: This is a hard one. Seriously hard. Rosa won their previous, bloody encounter, but as Britt said, all anyone talked about after it was her. I think this feud still has some legs to it, so I’m going with DMD for this encounter, so there will have to be a rubber match.
Sachin: Andy, you’re banned.
Dog Collar Match: CM Punk vs. MJF
There’s no match on this card – even the main event – with a more compelling build than this rivalry between two of the best talkers to ever do it. This one is intensely personal and has featured not one but two of the best promos the industry has ever seen while already boasting one of the bloodiest segments AEW has produced and we’re not even at the match yet. Calling back to “Piper in Portland”, you can bet that this dog collar match will be a violent spectacle to behold.
Jeff: The Punk/MJF program has been the most compelling story in years, an intensely personal blood feud that reaches back decades for its foundation. The historical depth and the promo work between Punk and Friedman have been way above par. Placing this match on the same level as “Piper in Portland?” Man, there are so many levels to that. As a long-time fan, the very idea of this match gives me goosebumps. MJF is psychotic. Punk is a legend. There’s so much riding on this match! It’s going to be brutal, but I’m choosing Punk to win. I don’t even have a rational reason for that decision. My thoughts are clouded by emotion and a long-abiding love for the Best in the World.
Andy: If we hadn’t have seen MJF get the best of CM Punk on Dynamite, I’d have said it was a sure thing that he’d be going over again. But Punk needs to get some vengeance, and if he was going to go soft on the kid after his origin story/promo, that’s now off the table. I expect to see a bloody mess in the ring, with CM Punk standing tall at the end of it.
Sachin: This is a tough call too, and could go either way to continue the most compelling storytelling in this or any wrestling company right now. These dudes will have to really turn out to top this build, and it almost doesn’t matter who wins. That being said, I think Max is primed for a title program and this is the exact feud to put him over the top and make him into a true main event player and the strongest of the “four pillars.” I’m going MJF here.
AEW World Championship: Hangman Adam Page (c) vs. Adam Cole
Some of these matchups are pretty divisive, but I think we can all agree that Adam is 100% walking away with the title after this encounter.
Jeff: It feels like we just got finished with Page’s two-year arc that culminated with Page winning the title at Full Gear 2021. Page has had a couple of outstanding matches since then against Bryan Danielson and Lance Archer. He’s a great champ. He’s the main one my wife looks forward to seeing on AEW. It’s fun to hear her say “Oh, is it time for cowboy shit?” out loud. Adam Cole? Love that guy. Cole’s a skeevy character, Machiavellian and manipulative, and he is bound to grab that title. But not yet. Page is going to retain this time around, but I have a feeling that’s going to be a short-lived victory. I predict that at Double or Nothing, Cole is going to get the title. Then, we’ll have Cole as AEW champ and ReDRagon as the tag champs. That scenario sounds undisputedly familiar, but I think that’s where things are headed. Nonetheless, Page will win the match at Revolution.
Andy: This will make me unpopular with my chums, I think, but I’m going with Adam Cole, BayBay. He’s is on a serious roll, and I think makes for a compelling champion. That doesn’t mean Page isn’t a great wrestler or an interesting character, and he’s performed well as champion. But a face champ can get boring after a while, and I think Cole as an undefeated world champion and possibly even trading the title back and forth with Page could make for an interesting detour from the expected long title reigns AEW fans have come to expect. Him and Brit as AEW champs would make them a cool power couple. Sorry fellas, I think Cole is laying the BOOM on Page this weekend.
Sachin: Unlike a lot of these matches, I think this is a pretty easy call. Hanger is hanging onto that title but I’m expecting a strong showing from Cole, just like he’s used to doing in a big match situation in every company he’s ever been in. I expect some Elite (or is it Undisputed?) shenanigans here, and maybe even a surprise return from a certain Cleaner to kick off the dissolution of the group. I think there’s still a lot for Hangman to accomplish as a babyface champion and don’t see him dropping Big Plat to anyone other than (maybe) MJF, and even that would be many months away.
That’s all the matches, but we all agree that there’s plenty of room for surprises on this show. Will we see any talent repping Tony Khan’s newly-acquired Ring of Honor? Perhaps a newly-liberated Swiss Superman? Anything’s possible, and you can bet that the three of us will be watching intently.
Let’s fucking go!
AEW Revolution 2022 is live on PPV (on traditional PPV, BR Live and FITE) from Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, March 6, 2022 at 8pm EST, with the Buy-In preshow starting at 7pm EST on YouTube.
