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From Cody and Jake Hager's controversial TNT title match to another instance of tag team drama at the end of the show, Night 1 of AEW Fyter Fest 2020 featured many contrasting moments.
Honestly, Night 2 of Fyter Fest 2020 looks stacked, but the first half of AEW's two-night extravaganza underdelivered when it comes to must-see TV.
Aside from a few teases here and there, this event surely lacked some big moments that fans have come to expect of AEW shows. It was still a decent affair, as we look forward to what AEW has in store for us next week.
What were your thoughts on this event? How did NXT's Great American Bash fare against AEW Fyter Fest in terms of quality this week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Here are the five biggest news stories from AEW Fyter Fest 2020 (July 1, 2020).
#5: Taz reiterated that Jon Moxley was afraid of facing Brian Cage and he also fired shots towards WWE
AEW is well-known to fire shots towards their main rival promotion frequently, but Taz did it in a way where lines between fiction and reality were blurred for the moment.
AEW's Fight For The Fallen show will take place two weeks from now, and Jon Moxley's World Championship defense against Brian Cage has been postponed to that event instead of Fyter Fest.
We know what Moxley's situation at home must be like, but Taz was quick to point out that Moxley chose to stay home despite testing negative for COVID not once, but two times.
This helped Taz to reiterate that Jon Moxley was afraid of Brian Cage all along. Cage is on his way to earn a status like Brock Lesnar if AEW pairs Taz and Cage for the long-term. In the meantime, let's hope that Moxley makes his way to TV after things settle down a bit.
#4: A breakup between MJF and Wardlow was teased earlier in the night
MJF continues to be one of the best heels on AEW right now. He teamed up with Wardlow to take on the Jurassic Express during Night 1 of Fyter Fest.
Before the match, MJF called out AEW management for pitting him against the same Superstars despite having already proved that he is better than talent like Jungle Boy. With a "rating war" against NXT on Wednesday Nights, MJF wants to be pushed to the top of the card, or at least that's his point of view here.
Towards the end of the match, there was a slight miscommunication on MJF and Wardlow's part, and that is ultimately what cost them the match. This isn't the first time AEW has teased that things will turn sour between MJF and his prestigious bodyguard, but it reminded viewers at home that management hasn't scrapped this storyline yet.
Also, Chris Jericho's presence on AEW's commentary booth is always a welcome change. Le Champion's lively broadcasting style made AEW Fyter Fest more engaging than it had any right to be.
#3: Kenny Omega disrespected FTR to create more tag team drama after the main event
Before we go any further, it is imperative that I mention how little things matter a lot in AEW, just like how Trent's mother drove Best Friends to the arena when their entrance music hit.
Meanwhile, Kenny Omega & Hangman Page have managed to co-exist better than before, at least that was made clear after the Stadium Stampede match at AEW Double or Nothing.
After a good main event against Best Friends, Omega & Page retained their titles following a highly predictable night. FTR made their way to the ring to offer a couple of drinks to the champions, but Kenny Omega discarded that offering straight away. Things got heated for a while until The Young Bucks came to break it up.
AEW's Tag Team Division continues to be on edge every week, which is a rare accomplishment in 2020. The Young Bucks and FTR also have to co-exist together in an 8-Man Tag Team contest next week, so it will be interesting to see how things shape up after Fyter Fest is over.
#2: Hikaru Shida retained her AEW Women's World Title after a competitive bout against Penelope Ford
Hikaru Shida and Penelope Ford battled in a back-and-forth contest to determine the future Women's World Champion in AEW.
Santana & Ortiz's match against Private Party, along with the main event, rivaled this Women's contest for the title of "Match of the Night".
Kip Sabian was immediately ejected out of the contest by AEW referee Aubrey Edwards before the match got underway. This was to ensure that the bout would be as equally competitive as possible, and that was certainly the case for the most of it. Sabian tried to interfere later in the match, but Shida managed to take him out of the equation to retain her title.
What worked against this match was the fact that most AEW fans know Hikaru Shida to be a top-ranking AEW Women's star, and even though Ford put on a good match, nobody believes she will be the woman to dethrone Shida from the top at this point in time.
Predictability was a persistent problem with title matches during Night 1 of AEW Fyter Fest.
#1: Cody defeated Jake Hager and retained his TNT title in a controversial finish
To their credit, Cody and Jake Hager put on a good bout during Night 1 of AEW Fyter Fest 2020. Many thought it would be slow and methodical, however, both men wrestled in a grueling slugfest that ended controversially.
Hager put Cody into a submission that also placed the former's shoulders down for the three-count. I don't know what you thought about Hager celebrating when he thought he had won, but it was Cody's music blaring throughout the arena, which prompted Hager to assault a referee at the end.
This finish may protect both Superstars for the time being, however, do people really want to see another Hager vs. Cody match, especially when Cody can challenge anyone from AEW's talented roster every week?
One thing that worked about the finish was that it was different and unexpected, which is always a good thing in Pro-Wrestling. But AEW fans have come to expect a lot from Cody's matches, especially when you take a look at those open challenge bouts that occurred before AEW Fyter Fest.
