Jade Cargill vs Red Velvet

This Jade Cargill versus Red Velvet feud has been, to put it kindly, uneven. And at no time do I ever place it’s shortcomings at the feet of the performers, I thought Jade and Red got the most out of this that they could. This story has been so un-AEW-like, that it leaves me wondering what the plans were that fell through? Of course, I had predicted that this was leading to the debut of Mercedes Monè back in the day and that the “Mystery Opponent” angle & Red Velvet herself were both red herrings but now even that feels farfetched. Regardless, we finally got Jade vs Red with 50-0 on the line which creates for a nice match with stakes.

The Match

Commentary puts over how Jade Cargill & Red Velvet are connected to each other throughout their young careers already. Red jumps Jade before the bell. The match spills to the outside as Red continues on the offensive until Jade turns it around with a massive Wheelbarrow German Suplex from Jade.

Jade delivers a jumping elbow onto Velvet as it goes to commercial break. It’s easy to miss just how much air she gets on this, her athleticism is wild. 

Despite being in picture-in-picture, we get the awesome spot of Jade military pressing Red Velvet over her head before snake-eyeing her on the top rope into the ring. Jade in one fluid motion jumps over the top rope and slides into a pinning combination. The crowd got so behind this. Jade rules. Red is able to make somewhat of a comeback before Jade pump kicks her soul clean from her body.

We get the all the “Baddie Lore” coming together as Kiera Hogan comes out and flattens Leila Grey while Red Velvet does her spinning kick on Jade and pins her but Ref Aubrey is occupied with Hogan as the crowd counts 3. Commentary concludes that Red Velvet had the match won if not for the distraction. This is a clever way of putting over that finisher as able to defeat Jade while not actually defeating Jade. And for her own defence, Cargill, if ever called out on it, can always claim that she would’ve kicked out. A “tidy piece of business” as I like to say.

Red put in the submission move she had won with previously the night before on Dark. I think had this move been put over on a previous Dynamite or Rampage we might have seen the crowd hotter for this spot but as it stood, I don’t think they were familiar with this being a possible finisher.

In her previous singles match against Skye Blue, we saw that Jade, once she has an opponent in her grasp with their feet off the ground, she can maneuver their body into position for the Jaded so in this one as soon as she raises Red up I’m just willing her to do it, almost fearful that it won’t work out because of the degree of difficulty it takes, but ultimately she does it and it looks spectacular again. Jade just feels like a predator at this point where the claws have been sunk in and the rest is elementary. And Red Velvet’s selling during this spot, she looks like she’s already dead. She’s an amazing bumper and seller, I hope Red’s next direction sees her getting over as a babyface.

Who’s Next?

So does this end all storylines between Jade Cargill and her former “Baddies” Red Velvet and Kiera Hogan? It’s unclear. I don’t see a path forward where this feud freshens up but maybe there is, especially if that Bow Wow angle turns into literally anything. I’m hopeful that it is and Jade Cargill’s next program is against a credible threat to her TBS Title and her streak. Some fans say it’s time to end Jade’s streak. In my opinion, it’s time to start her on a run of beating credible threats.