Chris Jericho and Matt Hardy meet face to face
Chris Jericho was in the ring first and Vanguard 1 soon met him there. Jericho called out Vanguard 1 hilariously before asking it to join the Inner Circle, adding that the finest of Instagram drones would check him out after that.
Vanguard 1 turned his back on Jericho and ended up flying away. Matt Hardy's music hit at this point. Matt Hardy appeared in the rafters before making his way down to the ring to confront Chris Jericho.
Hardy told Jericho that the latter "knew" he would come. Hardy then said that he was magic before Jericho stopped him in his tracks. Jericho said that he was AEW, so Hardy needed to align himself with the Inner Circle instead of The Elite.
Hardy replied that the Inner Circle was creating tyranny in AEW and he couldn't allow them to ruin "paradise". Jericho once again asked Matt Hardy to join The Inner Circle.
Hardy told Jericho that even though he recognized his vessel, he was a different person inside. He added that his Damascus persona was nearly 3000 years old. Hardy then told Jericho that he was evil and rotten to the core.
Jericho took a shot at Hardy after this, saying that he had never quite reached the top and was always in someone's shadow.
Hardy then claimed that the arena was full of essences including Abraham Lincoln. Jericho then tried to smack Matt Hardy's entity out of him with a right hand.
Sammy Guevara jumped Matt Hardy at this point but Cody and Kenny Omega came out to drive The Inner Circle away.