Which Titles Changed Hands At AEW Battle Of The Belts III?
Three titles were on the line at AEW's latest TV special.
With AEW's Battle of the Belts III taking place last night, fans were wondering if the promotion would switch any of the three titles that were being defended at this TNT special.
For those looking to see a title change, they may have been left disappointed as all three belts were successfully defended by their respective champions. Still, that doesn't mean that Battle of the Belts III wasn't a fun show with some great action - particularly a barn-burner of a main event for the Ring of Honor World Championship.
Taped on Friday from Grand Rapids, Michigan's Van Andel Arena, this special opened with Wardlow retaining the TNT Title against Jay Lethal. Despite interference from Sonjay Dutt and Satnam Singh, the War Dog would score the 1-2-3 after hitting a powerbomb in what was a solid bout. A post-match beatdown of Wardlow from the three heels suggest this rivalry is only just getting started.
Next up, AEW Women's Champion Thunder Rosa held off the challenge of Jamie Hayter in a snug back-and-forth affair. The physicality both women always bring to the table means they're perfect dance partners, and this match certainly involved its fair share of heavy hits, with Hayter even reportedly breaking her nose during this contest. The finish came when La Mera Mera scored a roll-up for the victory after Toni Storm had thwarted interference from Britt Baker.
With Caprice Coleman and William Regal joining the commentary team for the main event, Claudio Castagnoli retained the ROH World Title against Konosuke Takeshita. A phenomenal TV match that could've easily taken place on PPV, it was the beginning of the end for Takeshita when Claudio caught him mid-air from a diving knee, turned that into a Death Valley Driver, which soon led to the hammer and anvil elbows before Castagnoli hit the Ricolo Bomb for the win.