[5.0] "Overall it's...fine. The devils angle really hurts this since it felt a little filler to what we knew the reveal would be after the match which we all know what would happen. The ending was... quite weird."
[4.0] "What a disappointing match, with the post-match being one of the worst, which ultimately killed the company's momentum for almost a year. However, the match with MJF, despite having many weak points, was even worse than their last match. How is the main event of the PPV really undeserving, and did it show MJF is no good as a Face, with too much goofy stuff, good thing they ended it."
[7.0] "This had the biggest fight feel of any match of the show with signs I saw that said "If MJF loses we riot" Joe came out and had insane aura. MJF had a classic MJF entrance with a big time intro. I do prefer the match at Grand Slam this was very good and fun. I like the spots and bumps MJF takes, Joe is a monster. The finish caught me so off guard I was expecting MJF to win. The devil reveal was very well done but after this undisputed kingdom was terrible."
[4.0] "At the time, I enjoyed this match, giving it a 7/10. The more distance that comes from this the more I hate how wasted this all felt. Joe's coronation, the devil reveal, Cole turning on MJF and most importantly, the story Max had been building for years, the bidding war of 2024, being thrown together in this rushed fashion just feels so disappointing."
[7.0] "Der Main Event an sich war gut, mehr hatte ich auch nicht erwartet. Joe als Übergangschamp ist die richtige Entscheidung. Das Match war kein Banger, hatte aber eine konsistente Matchstrory die von Beiden tadellos durchgeführt wurde."
[8.0] "I like it more than the often people, but I understand the reason why people hate this. This is far lower than the first one and the chemistry was kinda strange, but anyway, it's good to see Samoa Joe as a world champ and also see MJF end his story as World Champion. He needs to improve more next time"
[3.0] "I really felt this match a bit dissapointing, despite the angle looking to take care of the injury of MJF. His one of the best World champion runs I have ever seen, I really loved how he built all this area around him, and now how empty will fell this promotion without him. This was not the proper end to his run. The only thing that put some kind of emotion at the end was the angle with Cole and his new faction, that probably will collide again in the end of 2024. Despite this, the match was ok and had not the relevance and intensity it needed. [*1/2]"
[5.0] "Given everyone knew MJF was dropping the belt due to injury, this really shouldnt have gone on as long as it did. These guys are both great workers, and couldve put on a classic under better conditions, but this made Joe less of a monster than he was. The match was fine, the post match angle was terrible and tanked the whole thing. Terrible conclusion to the devil storyline."
[7.0] "This falls a distance short of their Arthur Ashe match, but that much felt decided before the first bell. MJF is obviously banged up coming in and with The Devil business looming over the whole thing, the heat for this was only ever going to climb so high. After all, shenanigans were actively implied which is ironic considering their eventual involvement. With that being said, there's a lot to admire about this, turning in a worthy main event in spite of those factors. From an effort point of view, MJF's shift is impressive if not outright foolish, but this is also very neatly put together. There are some nifty ideas that emerge along the way and Joe's work is noticeably focused, giving this a very coherent in-ring narrative beyond the surrounding shtick. Hilariously, it's a throwback by AEW PPV main event standards, one that I appreciate quite a bit. ***1/2"
[6.0] "[3.0*] Fine match with a strange ending to simbolize exactly what this title reign was. I think MJF lost whatever prize of best champion ever he had on the last four ppvs while he had one mid tag match, one pretty bad handicap match, one DUD main event and other 3.5* good match but with the only memorable thing being the result. Result that I loved though. Samoa Joe is on a pro wrestling S Tier, he is the real fuckin deal, and I am very happy to ser this man holding a world title again."
[7.0] "Not as good as their previous match, but also far from bad. As much as I love MJF, it was pretty cool to see Joe win the title here. It's crazy that he hadn't been a world champion for years up until this point. While you could argue that Jay White should have been the guy to end the reign back at Full Gear, I also think that there's a lot more time to make White the World Champion. Joe, on the other hand, probably doesn't have as much time left in his career. Getting his name in the title lineage is super cool and well-deserved."
[6.0] "Not a classic but a satisfying main event to World's End, I'm glad this didn't had a lot of rubbish and was more focused on the wrestling side, although we saw a ref bump and some irritating stuff here and there. The match managed to be very different from the excellent two previous ones, a slow paced build with a lot of smoothness and transitions... Samoa Joe is just an incredible wrestler, and now that is public, MJF clearly downgraded in this past few bouts because of the injuries he has, but he still managed to apply an interesting level of wrestling here, even with some mistakes. The ending was a complete shocker to me, I was rooting for Joe but couldn't even celebrate properly, I was just incredulous and thinking there would be some shenanigans, very weird. This was acceptable but it could've been better, for example, I don't think they explored the MJF hometown thing properly, maybe because of the saturation this devil angle had, wasted potential in some ways. I'm glad Joe won and really liked the fact this devil story came to a simple and good conclusion. The new stable honestly looks great, they have a fantastic heel as a leader, the excellent Roderick Strong as a mid carder/workhorse, an established tag team and the power of Wardlow. MJF expressions were all-timer, very emotional ending and great to see this storyline will continue without the AEW World Title involved - {**3/4}"
[6.0] "Solid match. MJF wasn't really in a condition to Wrestle and I was sure that he was gonna drop the belt so, no surprises in who won. Aside that, it was frustrated that throughout the match, the lingering story about MJF and the Devil felt like a bigger deal than the World Championship match. But Props to Joe for making himself looked like an absolute beast even though it took a while to put MJF down. The Devil reveal was by all means anticlimactic and predictable. Other than that, nothing too bad. ***"
[9.0] "Despite MJF's reign as AEW World Champion ending on a whimper especially with the Devil reveal, this is still a great and a great win for Samoa Joe."
[5.0] "Everyone figured MJF was dropping the title due to mounting injuries so I wish they would have used this as a chance to do something interesting for Joe but they kinda just made it seem like Joe had trouble putting away a weakened opponent. Disappointing way to win the title."
[4.0] "A bad and unfortunate ending to MJF's reign and a bad and unfortunate beginning to Samoa Joe's reign which didn't ever really take off nor did it seemed like it was designed to. Having this go nearly 20 minutes while MJF is injured and Joe is supposed to be a monster was a choice."
[3.0] "I get that MJF was injured and they were trying to go for a main-event sized beatdown here, but this could've been so much more. I don't know why Joe is in the position at this point in his career, he's not anywhere close to his prime and his work on top (which is 80% of this match) was dull. I don't fully put the blame on him as this whole feud has felt like an afterthought to all the devil bullshit along with MJF being the coldest of cold champions, but this is just was just an entirely heatless match. The finish made me feel nothing, which is just a sad way to end MJF's title reign."
[7.0] "This was a pretty good main event. Joe was great here and MJF, despite coming into this clearly beat up, looked good as well. I thought MJF kicking out of the Muscle Buster on the apron maybe felt a bit much and the finish was abrupt. ***1/2"
[7.0] "This was a good main event. The crowd wasnt exactly as good as I remembered it but that doesnt affect most of the match. The match had a slow pace for the most part, I didnt really like how MJF wasnt taking Joe seriously and I dont like the kangaroo kick. Joe choked MJF out to win win the title and Adam Cole was soon revealed as The Devil."
[8.0] "For me the highlight of the match was the F5 that MJF did on Joe, it was really impressive. All in all, I think it was a really good main event and the best part of World's End (one of the least interesting ppv of 2023) and also a fair way for Joe to become the champion."
[4.0] "I never want to see the kangaroo kick again. I hated the approach of MJF, with injury, not taking Joe seriously. It made me want Joe to win without question. It ends up as an awkward match with a finish that did not work the way I think they wanted it to, with the crowd mostly confused as opposed to in disbelief. A poor main event to close an unfortunately underwhelming show."
[8.0] "I'm happy that MJF had a fantastic reign as the world champion, but post All In, the deflation kicked in with the introduction of The Devil's story. It looked great on the storyboard and should've been the same when executed. But Adam Cole's injury and the evident predictability of the cohorts of the United Front acted as the vital parts of the staleness that resulted in a dire need for the wrap-up. Joe was a fantabulous choice to claim the throne from the favorite 'scumbag' of Long Island since it was a very, very long time the fans saw him as a primary champion in a noteworthy promotion. Coming back to the match, it was as enticing as the encounter from Dynamite but with more essence of the story. The methodical pace served well for both men to develop great chemistry, especially at the finish. It was naturally pulled off for Joe over one of the hottest acts AEW has ever articulated. Again, the post-match reveal was finely executed but failed to etch a lasting impact. 4 out of 5 stars!"
[6.0] "Well... It wasn't as bad as the Maxwell vs. Jay White match. A standard fight, which was not particularly memorable. There wasnt anything outright disastrous about it, but on the positive side it wasnt memorable. The only thing that was remembered was the result, and the disappointment of exposing the identity of the Devil. it was so boring and banal... ***"
[7.0] "This was pretty much the match they had to have considering how banged up Max was coming into the match, although the storyline perspective was a bit confusing and didn't help Tony fend off criticism of his booking."
[8.0] "I thought this match was very well-formatted (i.e., clear strategies from both wrestlers, MJF credibly sold the shoulder injury throughout the match, the finish was new/welcome), and the stories inside the match were clever. The F5 and muscle buster (on the apron) spots were highlights here. As too were the submission reversals. Letting Joe win in a clean manner was a refreshing change too."
[7.0] "Not on the level of their first bout back in September but still pretty enjoyable. MJF's selling of the shoulder was good and Joe's offense looked great. MJF's comebacks were well done and the action was entertaining altough a bit boring at times. The muscle buster on the apron was a crazy spot, really liked it. MJF hitting a F5 on Joe was great, too. I liked the ending where Cole losses the ring for a moment before giving it to MJF but it's too late and Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch and MJF passes out. Really unexpected ending that even left me stunned for a bit. Joe winning is the right choice, a bit sad MJF's reign is over because it started very well but lately, with the whole Devil storyline, it got really boring. The post-match angle with the Devil revealed to be Adam Cole, was great. It was extremely predictable but it doesn't mean it's a bad choice. Cole makes totally sense and so are the goones who are Taven, Bennett, Strong and Wardlow. Also I fucked loved the cut to Cole sitted on the chair with the goones behind him, cinema. It doesn't save a terrible storyline but it's at least a good ending. 7/10 - 3.5*/5*"
[6.0] "Interesting match with MJF being injured going into it. It turned out to be a lot more than I thought it would but still kind of weird because they were still trying to protect MJF in a loss despite him being shot."
"The match wasn't bad, but it wasn't what it could've been, mostly due to MJF clearly working injured. However, the devil storyline payoff was beautiful and despite the obstacles, Joe and MJF were able to pull a main event worthy match out."
[8.0] "This match was very tight, unlike the previous main event, and it helps that the storyline stuff was saved for afterwards. My congratulations to Samoa Joe on becoming World Champion."
[8.0] "There was something missing here. I can only assume it had to do with MJF's injury, but there was something significantly worse than their previous TV encounter. That's not to say it was bad at all, and there was some crazy spots if MJF is as injured as reported, but it still didn't fit the feel of a PPV main event. Ending and aftermatch was predictable but made sense, so neutral feelings there. 7.5 would probably be closer to my feelings...... That musclebuster though."
[7.0] "A very fun match to end MJF's reign. I'm so glad for Samoa Joe to be that much considered by AEW, really cool. I liked the finish where even Remsburg can't believe MJF is out, it looks flat but it is actually very cool. I believe Joe's reign will be very cool."
[8.0] "This match was a bit weird, but by the end wound up being a lot more fun than I would've expected. I have high hopes for Joe as a world champion, I've wanted it for so long and he's looked like a killer in all his matches lately, with this being no exception. He threw everything he got at MJF, and it was great. The muscle buster on the apron was OUCH. Really fun stuff, I hope Joe has a good run. *4*"
[6.0] "MJF vs Samoa Joe. Kind of a typical MJF match, but I understand he's hurt. Gets points for the Joe win and ending MJF's lackluster title reign and ending the god-awful devil storyline. 6/10, or ***."
[6.0] "Match ok without more. Not a big fan of the story told about this match and even less of the final which arrives much too fast and abruptly. Joe wins the title and breaks without celebration, its a pity after the reign of madness that MJF offered us. In the end, only the revelation of the Devil brought something to this game, and still the fact that Adam Cole is hiding under the mask had become almost logical and unsurprisingly. Whats next for Maxell now? Feud with the gang? Deserved rest or Royal Rumble? Surprise"
[7.0] "Mehr als 7 Punkte sind von mir nicht drin. MJF ging auch mit eine bösen Schulterverletzung ins Title Match. Er wollte es, jetzt ist er erstmal raus. Er ist kaputt, müde, fertig und dann erfahren wir auch wer ist der Devil. Ich gebe (***)."
[7.0] "This was a good match, about as it could be knowing how banged up MJF was. I'm glad they pulled the trigger on a Samoa Joe championship reign -- the man deserves it after his run last year. I loved the finish with MJF's arm dropping three times, a rarity these days. ***1/2"
[6.0] "Mjf was clearly hurting like hell here so thankfully they had Samoa Joe beat him up for most of the match, and cutting Mjf off at every chance he got. MJF sold well obviously here and the crowd rallied behind him when he made his comeback. The finish to me shouldve just been Joe pummeling MJF, but what we got was good and Joe as champ is a great move.***1/4"
[7.0] "Good match, especially knowing that MJF was working with a shoulder injury for a while now. Hope now he take a time to recover, and come back 100%. Great to see Joe winning the big prize, hope he got 2 or 3 good defenses before dropping the belt, he deserves it. (***1/2)."
[7.0] "This was really well laid out - like a Lawler vs. Monster Heel of the Week main event in the Mid-South Colosseum (albeit minus the red hot crowd). Great to see the title moved away from MJF's goofball schtick in such a decisive manner. Ending the show with a bunch of comedy midcarders suddenly deciding to get serious had major Dork Order 2.0 vibes ***1/2"
[3.0] "I really enjoy MJF and I think, despite his booking taking a slide in the last several months, he's still generally done a great job. But he's clearly banged up to hell and I thought it really showed here. Joe is a legend but also way past his prime. No way this should have been a PPV main event. I've seen worse but this didn't do much for me. The post match reveal was even worse, an extremely lame stable with the nonsensical goal of NOT helping Adam Cole win the title, instead just wanting to screw around with MJF. Oh well."
[7.0] "Pretty good match. Big fan of both of these guys and felt like they did what they were supposed to do. Nothing extraordinary, but all around pretty good. Ending absolutely shocked me. Cole being the devil was not a shock but he did look really cool sitting on the chair. Wanted a full UE reunion but I guess the other guys couldn't do it."
[9.0] "This was a fantastic match. The selling of MJF's injuries throughout the match was very well done, as was the integration of Adam Cole egging MJF on to do more and more spots that could hurt him. In the end, MJF goes to Cole for the Dynamite Diamond Ring, and Cole delays giving it to him for just long enough for Joe to pounce and put MJF in the Cocina Clutch. Using the Chekhov's Gun set up in the previous match, referee Bryce Remsburg checks MJF's arm three times and confirms he has passed out - and Joe wins the belt in a shocking finish. The after-match reveal that The Devil wasn't ever wearing a mask but was standing there the entire time, egging Max on into these worse and worse situations? Very well executed. 5/5."
[7.0] "This was a fun match. Joe gave out most of the offense forcing MJF to fight from under and almost beat Joe at a few points. Ultimately, Joe would win the title and it was revealed that Adam Cole was The Devil."
[7.0] "7.5 - Thrilled about this, it was exactly what it needed to be - a showcase of Samoa Joe's offence and stage prescence. He looked as good as ever, incredibly crisp in and out of transitions. MJF was decent but this wasn't about him. His F5 spot was a very cool highlight."
[8.0] "Good match, perfect to end the show since now we know who is the Devil and the action itself was good; a lot of drama about MJF's arm and satisfying David vs Goliath action. The finish was a bit cold but anyway I'm happy for Joe, he deserved to win the AEW title one day. ***3/4"
[5.0] "MJF's title reign ended with a whimper of a match and angle unfortunately. Joe did good work and has an aura but I don't think MJF matches it as a babyface, even in his hometown. It didn't service the story. The Devil stuff barely mattered and the reveal was not surprising."
[6.0] "Predictability itself isn't bad. It can be an indicator that the twist made sense on some level. I don't know if that's entirely true for this twist but it makes more sense than having someone with no connection to the story appear out of nowhere and be the devil. The problem with the match and the angle, for me, was that the angle was built up to be so big that I thought it would be part of the match itself. So when the match ended with no sign or mention of the devil stuff (outside of Cole dressed in black), I felt as though it had ended when it was still warming up. It fell flat, so flat I almost expected some kind of restart angle out of nowhere."
[7.0] "Pretty good despite the post-match angle and the kayfabe injuries. Wish Joe and MJF were allowed to just have a regular match, but this was nowhere near as egregious as Jay White/MJF in terms of super-Cena-ing it. There was some fun stuff here like the muscle-buster on the apron and MJF f5-ing Joe. The whole beatdown made Joe look pretty strong in the face of MJF's stupidly high kayfabe power level. I'm stoked that Joe won and we're moving away from MJF for awhile. We need a break."
[7.0] "This was very good considering how injured MJF was going into the match. It didn't hit the level of their last outing, but that was to be expected. I'm glad they held off on the Devil stuff long enough to give Joe a clean win."
[5.0] "Both guys entrances were cool, the crowd cared a more about that match so at least it didn't feel dead and completely cold. Joe is alright for his age and MJF can work well depending on his opponent but that match felt off. Like it was just there, and the end felt anticlimactic. I don't quite get all that Devil shit, it just looks silly and kinda took the moment away from Joe winning the title. If that is supposed to make your top title feel important then that's some very awkward and bad booking."
[7.0] "Although the ending is a bit anticlimactic, I liked the match and it was really good, even if inferior to their previous one at Grand Slam. Great post match and it was very well done! 3.75 stars."
[5.0] "Would have loved it if Joe just Lesnar'd MJF, especially since he really seems to want to be playing Super Cena these days. The finish really wasn't good and the devil stuff was such a non-factor that they look like even bigger idiots than before, but just forgoing all that was probably the best way to go anyway."
"The ending was awkward but the match itself was good, and it was so good seeing Joe win a major world title. Wish they could have built up to a more climactic end, but the fumbling with the ring kind of interfered with that."
[5.0] "It felt like these 2 were both wrestling completely different matches. I suppose in some respects that's the point or whatever to show the differences between Joe and Max but it felt super disjointed and wasn't for me at all. The finish was fun at least, and I enjoy that Joe won. Match felt too long too because in the build up it felt like MJF wasn't going to be able to survive this long with his injuries but did the classic babyface fighting through in the match which didn't work for me much. Wasn't for me."
[7.0] "Normally I would have given this match a 6, but I understand that MJF's injury prevented him from being fully active, but this was still a decent match. I will say that this match for a world title belt was a little disappointing but still acceptable. I am glad Joe is given another opportunity to be a world champ, and that Cole is back to being a heel instead of a bromance baby face. Regarding MJF, time will tell whether he stays with AEW or jumps ship to WWE. Regardless, I hope he takes the needed time to heal up his injuries. *** 1/2"
[7.0] "Not a firework ending to MJF's long reign, but given his obvious injuries and the fatigue surrounding the Devil story due to Cole's injury it felt unavoidable. The revel of the Devil as Cole I thought was well done under the current restrictions, he looked quite sinister when the lights came back up and he was sitting in the chair. Sometimes the obvious answer is the correct answer. Happy for Joe, he deserves a run."
[8.0] "You could tell MJF was working through injury here, but his talent and Joe's experience meant they could still put on a great match. It was a little slow, but that fits with Joe's style. The "devil" reveal was somewhat predictable, but still very well done. The story went on too long and I'm glad it's done - or at least this phase is - but that didn't affect the quality of this match. A fine finish to a very good show."
[7.0] "Good to see Joe get a clean title win and be a world heavyweight champion. The devil bullshit after the match was so predictable and felt lazy after how long they dragged this out."
"Good match, not particularly special in my opinion. Capped off a great reign for MJF passing the world title to a pro wrestling legend who can still go. I enjoyed Samoa Joes suplexes & loved the muscle buster on the apron. I also really liked MJF struggling through the carry of the F5 to the middle of the ring and nails it perfectly. Match did what it needed to do."
[7.0] "After more than a year, the reign of MJF comes to the end. It had a lot of ups and downs and we can defiantly say it got to its lowest near the end of the reign. Just like his last defense, this match focused on him being injured. I didn't watch his last defense, but judging from people's reaction, this was miles better than what he did last time. And I felt that it was fine too, as it resulted in a logical conclusion, with Maxwell just being unable to pick up a win against a monster that is Joe. Even after a great show of strength, Max didn't have enough in his and got choked out in rather surprising finish. Samoa Joe becomes the World Champion which is wonderful and Maxwell can finally take a rest after a tough year he had."
[7.0] "MJF is a rock-solid babyface, and Joe worked a helluva monster performance - making this quite the sweet PPV main event. Simple stuff with most of Joe's attack being focused on MJF's banged up shoulder/arm, which MJF sold really well, and the champ coming back with a gameplan of his own."
[8.0] "Good match after 2 steller matches. Did the things it needed to do, didn't disappoint. A fine main event, that finished the storyline, while having Samoa Joe win the championship. The questions for me are where do we go from here, and that we will find out in 2024."
[8.0] "This was a really good match. Not as good as their Grand Slam one but it's understandable as Max is injured. Love the title change, it was needed and Joe more than deserves it. Good finish to the middest PPV they're ever done."
[8.0] "That was a very good title match to close out the show, miles better than MJF vs. White from Full Gear. Joe looked like a beast with his offence and moves that can hurt the viewer even from watching itself, like Muscle Buster on the apron or Senton right on the champ's injured shoulder. Max also did a solid job and besides the not so believable F5 spot (although it was very cool), he sold the pain in a solid fashion. With that being said, I'm very happy for Joe as he finally did something he failed to accomplish in WWE: winning a world title to establish himself as a top force in the company. I'm guessing Hangman/Swerve will be his first big feud. Post-match shenanigans weren't really that surprising to me as all the signs led to Cole revealing himself to be "The Devil". Looking forward to both Joe's and MJF's road in the upcoming months."
[5.0] "A weird match because in the lead up it seemed like MJF wouldn't be able to have a full match but he did here. This was veering close to the kind of lame match he had with Jay White last PPV but it never got that bad. Still, the ending was pretty awful. Met with silence and it was just kind of whatever. That's how you end a year long title reign?"
[9.0] "Joe! Joe! Joe! Joe! I thoroughly enjoyed this match and the obvious Devil teases throughout (such as Adam Cole struggling to find the Dynamite Diamond Ring). Some of the spots were absolutely brutal (apron Muscle Buster! ? ). The finish was just... kind of surprising? But maybe not in a good way. I think it was a moment that went exactly as planned, but kind of played out like one of those moments where changes are made on the fly. Bryce Remsburg's long pause and visible shock when Max's arm fell for a third time were likely planned to sell the moment, but in practice it kind of made the moment feel like something went wrong. You know, kind of like when a ref counts a 3-count when it obviously wasn't the intended finish. For some reason, it sort of felt like that, despite the fact I don't think that's what happened. But the awkward moment didn't last long as the long-awaited Devil reveal came next and didn't disappoint. All hail the world champion, Somoa Joe."
[6.0] "Fine match with a few crazy spots (muscle buster on the apron) but this was all about the devil angle and everyone knew it. Surprised and happy with the match outcome, MJF needs time away and Joe has great aura to hopefully rebuild the title. Match was ok itself. **""
[8.0] "Cole was obviously going to be The Devil. The goons also were quite easy to recognize earlier. Samoa Joe is the champ and this was the best thing to do here. That procrastinates Swerve's shot at the title, but I'm indifferent to it. Joe was all about ripping MJF apart and he did just that"
[5.0] "MID. seriously though I am completely apathetic to MJF at this point and the result here was basically a foregone conclusion. The ending felt flat to me and it seems like MJFs injury couldve played some part, but boy this wasnt it. Happy for Samoa Joe."
[6.0] "It was alright if you forget about a stupid Muscle Buster spot on the apron, which almost killed the match for me. The crowd was hot for Max and booed Joe, so at least face and heel dynamic was present here. They didn't do anything silly and were depending strongly on the crowd's reaction which is a good thing, plus the submission finish was really unexpected. I don't know if it was main event worthy, but it was alright given MJF's injury."
[7.0] "Loved this match. MJF and Joe pulled through with some amazing character-based pro wrestling, knowing they wouldn't be able to top the spectacle of Copeland vs Christian or the slugfest that was Kingston vs Moxley. I absolutely loved the story they were telling throughout this match, and while I went in pulling for a Joe win, by the end I would have been content with MJF retaining... Until the finish. I was watching this show with some non-fan friends, and as Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch on MJF and Remsburg began to check his arm I began explaining to them the 'Wrestler hulks up at 2 spot'. How smart did I feel lording my vast pro-wrestling knowledge over these no-nothing marks, until Remsburg dropped MJF's arm a final time for the 3 with the same shocked expression I had. Beyond having my ego wounded, I do legitimately think that this finish fell a little flat, seemingly coming out of nowhere as the story of the match was Joe attacking the arm and I really thought that would play into the finish."
[3.0] "[2.0*] MJF's kayfabe (and real life) injury limited the potential of this match, which ended up being ridiculously short, with little emotion or in-ring action. MJF was disappointing as champion, exaggerating a lot with his overbooking or bump refs, Joe has the chance to restart the AEW main event scene by bringing back the good times of the company."
[7.0] "This was a fine final match to MJF's title reign. He wasn't superman levels of strong here, he was just fighting through while injured but not borderline incapacitated, which is the big difference between this match and his match with Jay White. He reined in his worst tendencies in this, and apart from the idiotic kangaroo kick he keeps pushing to pop the crowd there was little nonsense or pandering here. Joe looked like a killer and takes a well deserved win after some nicely handled shenanigans from Adam Cole "losing" MJF's ring for a moment. I thought the devil reveal was serviceable and well done. Does it all make sense? Probably not. At this point, I just want to move forward and don't really care."
[10.0] "I have a very simple rule when it comes to wrestling match: If a match can have me out of my chair and on my feet, it is most often an instant 10. The latter stretch of this match and the following drama(which is very much part of the match) had me standing hands clasped above my head in awe. At points this watched like a squash and that's because, in part, it is; Joe couldn't look more reputable coming out of this match, and combined with the post-match, Max has lost virtually everything. And a small note but, the ref as well ascting shocked when the outcome was decided added so much."
[5.0] "This match was symbolic of what the MJF reign had become in the second half: boring, tired, cold. The match had some good spots with MJF doing a F5, the muscle buster on the apron was good, but their were all those sports entertainement elements that ended up being heavily associated with MJF matches. The tape unraveled, the diamond ring was pulled, there was an extended ref bump, and it again, was more shenanigans that were out of place for an AEW World Title match. Joe winning was a great moment and his reign will be the change AEW needs."
[7.0] "In a perfect world, MJF wouldn't have wrestled tonight. But with the PPV structured as a homecoming and the inevitable end of his championship reign, Max was selfless in working the match hurt as a hometown hero even though nobody would have blamed him for pulling out. If it wasn't for the Pillmanizing at Full Gear, I might have given this a better rating, but as it stands, the psychology from Joe walking through the curtain to the end of the show was still well done, and that goes a long way to salvaging the event. Rest up well, Max."
[4.0] "Borinngggg rarely watch AEw but decided to watch the last two matches of this show and I liked the edge and Christian match but found myself really bored watching this one. Simple story of Mjf fighting the shoulder injury and it just didnt really work. The crowd was pretty dead for most of this match. The flat finish didnt help things either. While Im not mad at all at Joe winning he deserves it and its time to get the belt off Mjf. Baby face Mjf is boring and lame if Im being honest. Average match quite boring not worth a watch. 2.75/5"
[9.0] "If I have one complaint, that sickening Muscle Buster on the apron should not have been kicked out from. If they needed it as a false finish, MJF's foot should have reached for a rope, it was so devastating that MJF shouldn't have been able to kick out and then wrestle half the match after taking it. It felt a bit artificial in inflating MJF's resilience. Apart from that, this was booked exactly how it needed to be, Joe looked as good as he has in the last decade, with pitch-perfect offence and rabid intensity. The performance of a champion. The finish was spectacular, sudden and shocking, and Joe becoming AEW's figurehead (even if its for a short reign) is an absolutely wonderful story, especially considering how his time in WWE ended. So glad that he's valued here, he's absolutely earned that championship. Even liked the post match angle!"
[8.0] "I was ready for this to suck in spite of Joe's best efforts to make the wrestling part of the match good. Color me surprised that they kept this match very grounded bell to bell and kept Joe's title win separate from the melodrama post-match. Shaky build aside, Joe & Max have very good chemistry together, and this match was much more built on Max working from underneath in front of his home crowd, which Joe's work on top elevated greatly. Some excellent moments of brutality and strength from Joe here, the kick straight to the head on MJF's attempt to skin the cat was especially sick, only outdone by the Muscle Buster to the apron. Solid selling from MJF for the arm, better than his leg overselling he's done too often. Max does his usual ref bump into ring shenanigans but besides a low blow to set up a move he didn't actually do a lot of cheating, and his own ref bump lead to Bryce not counting fast enough to give him the win off of it anyway. Ultimately Max fights and fights but he passes out in Joe's clutches to the surprise of even the ref, which despite the awkward beat of pause before the bell was a great way to bring him to his low point before the Devil reveal. Joe as champ is the best place to go so that the fallout of the Cole angle doesn't hold the belt hostage, and Joe can put someone younger over big at Revolution (read: Swerve). Not as good as the prior two matches but a good end to this PPV that sorely needed some good things on it. ***3/4"
[8.0] "Had Samoa Joe not won I think it'd be giving this a 2, but they had a fantastic match with the correct winner, plenty of selling from MJF of his very real injuries, giving him a few hope spots infront of a red hot home town crowd, and Samoa Joe feeling absolutely perfect final boss shit, next level kinda shit, a damn good shock victory which I think we all needed, some sick bumps from MJF aswell when we know he's injured as fuck, yeah this match was really good, the last 3 matches of this show delievered highly."
[10.0] "One of the most exciting matches I've seen this year, Samoa Joe looked like a threat and this is one of his best performances in the last couple of years. MJF's work was sometimes ridiculously caricatured, but I don't care if a paradigm is being built within which it works, and when selling never disappears, and I definitely can't blame the former champion for this now. I don't like all this nonsense with the Devil, I hate this storyline, I'm not a fan of the fact that the amazing Bromance was destroyed so that Adam Cole returned to the role he was in throughout his career, but they didn't dirty the match with all this, Samoa Joe won with dignity and left like a real champion, taking advantage of the moment. Everything from gong to gong turned out to be phenomenal (****3/4)."
