MJF needed sudden death, but he was able to submit Bryan Danielson to reclaim his AEW Heavyweight Championship in the main event at AEW Revolution.
Over the first 20 minutes of the match, we saw a little bit of everything — mat wrestling, MJF wasting time, and Danielson taking risks. MJF tweaked his knee on a moonsault to the outside, which would come back to hurt him later.
After a series of false pins, the challenger earned the first fall with the Busaiku Knee. Immediately after, Danielson went for another Busaiku Knee, but MJF hit him with a low blow for a disqualification to give him a 2-0 advantage. MJF then rolled up Danielson for a pin, then pinned him again to draw level at 2-2.
Danielson and MJF went back and forth at the midway point of the match, with the challenger attacking the champ’s injured knee. He slammed it against the ring post and held him in a figure four leg lock until MJF could escape. On the ring apron, Danielson chipped away at leg kicks to MJF, while the champ attacked his injured shoulder. MJF dragged Danielson over to the table and ringside, then dropped an elbow on him from the top rope through the table. Danielson made it into the ring before the 10 count to keep the match level.
MJF brought Danielson back out to the broken table and tombstoned him through the remnants of the table, opening up a gash on his head. MJF then landed the Heat Seeker for the pinfall and the 3-2 advantage. MJF taunted Danielson, yelling about his kids, claiming to be the best in the world, and demanding some fight from the challenger.
With 15 minutes remaining, MJF looked to be in cruise control. Danielson reversed a toss into the ring apron, then hit two springboard attempts onto MJF. Back in the ring, Danielson dropped MJF with the spider suplex, then landed a diving headbutt that opened up MJF. With 10 minutes to go, Danielson landed another Busaiku Knee and then put together the LeBell Lock and earned the submission to draw level at 3-3.
MJF worked his way into Salt of the Earth, but Danielson was able to roll out and attempt the LeBell Lock again. MJF reversed into a pin attempt and after a two count, Salt of the Earth again. Danielson was dragged away from the rope as he neared, then barely got a foot on the rope as MJF stretched him.
On their knees in the middle of the ring, Danielson and MJF traded blows. They worked their way to their feet, continued to trade shots, then fell to their knees again. With five minutes remaining, both Danielson and MJF got to their feet and exploded into shots and chest slaps. MJF then poked Danielson in the eyes. On the apron, MJF landed the Heat Seeker again for the two count.
With less than three minutes remaining, MJF landed a top rope tombstone, but the champ took over a minute to crawl for the pin, only getting the two count. Danielson then reversed into the single leg crab with one minute remaining. He crawled to the rope, but couldn’t get it. Danielson dragged him to the middle of the ring and sat down on the single leg crab as the clock counted down and MJF submitted after the 60 minute timer had expired.
After it was announced the match had ended in a draw, Tony Schiavone came down to the ring to announce the match would go to sudden death as Danielson hyped the crowd and MJF was administered oxygen.
MJF pushed the referee to open the extended bout and got an illegal low blow with the ref distracted to get the two count. MJF tried to hit Danielson with the belt, and with the ref’s back turned, pulled the Dynamite Diamond Ring out of his trunks. Danielson then dropped him with the Busaiku Knee for the two count. Danielson then locked in the single leg crab. MJF inched his way to the ropes, then tapped. Danielson then went looking for MJF, and MJF hit him with the oxygen tank and locked in the LeBell Lock to a passed out Danielson.
Danielson began to fight out before ultimately tapping out.
