Madison Rayne vs Leila Grey

This is interesting, it’s like, the two newest members of AEW’s women’s division, although Leila Grey isn’t “officially” on the roster page… Hmmmm… Anyway, this is Madison Rayne’s–the “Head Coach of the Women’s Division”–first match in AEW. Leila Grey, as an interim-Baddie, is accompanied by Stokely Hathaway.

Grey opens the match by pushing Rayne into the corner off the lock up. As the ref breaks them apart, Leila sneaks a quick punch in to Madison’s face which pisses her off but she composes herself. A bunch of standing switches leading to some chain wrestling. Overall some pretty… let’s call it… ‘fine’ wrestling. We’d get a moment where Rayne is on the apron, looking to do maybe an aerial attack on Grey and Stokely gets up on the steel steps and starts jumping up and down like a child. It was an effective distraction for Rayne however as she got caught looking and Grey would run in and knock her from the apron.

During PIP, Lelia attacked Madison on the floor, delivering a suplex and throwing her into the barricade. Grey would bring Madison back into the ring for a two count. Grey choked Rayne on the rope for a 4-count. Snapmare, into a chin lock until we come back from PIP.

Madison breaks free. Hits a dropkick. A series of chops. And then a Northern Lights Suplex for two. Leila comes back with a Side Slam for two. The two exchange punches. Grey fails to hit a face buster to which Rayne comes back with the “Cross Raynes” (a Cross Rhodes) for the win.

Post-match, Jade Cargill comes out and challenges Madison Rayne to a match at Quake By The Lake (which I will be at live!). To be honest, I’m not sure what’s going on. It seems like we’ve completely side-stepped the Jade Cargill vs Athena and/or Kris Statlander storyline. I didn’t know who Madison Rayne is or is supposed to be in AEW. The match was fine but it was hard to feel anything. And now Madison Rayne, who went 8:27 with Leila Grey is challenging Jade Cargill, who disposed of Grey in 1:55? I feel like there must be a function to this match but I’m not sure what. Maybe I’ll see at Quake By The Lake!

Watch the Highlights on YouTube