With a returning Excalibur joining Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone on commentary, Santana & Ortiz open the show, facing off with the Best Friends in a match that they've been boiling up to for the last month. The match doesn't begin right away as the Best Friends attack Santana and Ortiz as they were making their entrance.
The Best Friends got the worse end of the deal trying to attack the Inner Circle members: Trent getting choked out by a t-shirt and Chuck Taylor getting thrown off the ramp through the steel chair structure that he had set up.
The bell finally tolls, the match starting with Trent and Santana in the ring. Chuck Taylor wasn't there for the tag, which put a lot of pressure on Trent who held his own for the most part. Once Chuck is up for the tag, he's able to pull off a Tope Con Giro to the outside where he threw Santana and Ortiz. Chuck is able to keep on the offensive until he tags Trent back in.
The match takes a turn when Santana keeps Trent standing on the apron and Ortiz knocks him off onto the steel steps below. Santana gets Trent back in the ring quickly, but Chuck pulls Ortiz off the apron to prevent a tag. Trent takes advantage of this, hitting a Crunchie on Santana. Trent goes for the pin, but there's a very questionable rope break that occurs.
The match continues with Ortiz throwing Chuck Taylor into the crowd where he stays for the remainder of the match. Ortiz goes back to the ring and grabs a metal baton from underneath, hitting Trent with it in the back after Santana pushes him to the ropes. This shot was just out the ref's eyesight, but gives them an advantage. Santana makes the tag and the team hits their finisher, the "Street Sweeper" for the 3 count.
Aside from the botched rope break, the match was beautifully conducted and they made this match feel as personal as they did outside of the ring. Proud & Powerful got a much needed win over the Best Friends. How soon do one of these teams become AEW Tag Team Champions? Hopefully soon!