FTR are finally back in AEW, but they weren’t the only team waiting for Adam Copeland and Christian Cage after their successful title defense at All In. The Motor City Machine Guns and newly crowned AEW Trios Champions Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed also confronted the champions, leaving Copeland and Christian surrounded by potential challengers.
Copeland and Christian had just survived the Young Bucks to retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Christian ultimately pinned Nick Jackson after a chaotic match that saw the champions come dangerously close to losing their titles several times.
Christian and Matt Jackson started things off before Copeland tagged in and immediately found himself trading shots with the Bucks. Matt slapped Copeland across the face, which sent the Rated-R Superstar after him with a furious series of punches.
The Bucks eventually found their rhythm with their usual rapid-fire offense. They hit dropkicks, corner clotheslines and bulldogs before connecting with a double hip toss and rolling splash on Christian. Copeland eventually got back into the match and started cleaning house, but the Bucks caught him with a superkick on the outside. Copeland responded by dropping Matt with a jumping piledriver on the apron.
Christian then went after Matt’s neck before the Bucks regained control. Nick even hit Copeland with Christian’s own Unprettier as the challengers started taking over. Nick’s leg became a problem when he attempted a kick against the ring post and missed, smashing his leg into the post. That came back to haunt the Bucks when they tried setting up the Meltzer Driver, as Nick’s leg gave out and prevented them from completing it.
Christian immediately took advantage with a low blow on Matt before dropping Nick with a cutter. Copeland and Christian then connected with a huge vertical suplex from the top rope, only for Nick to come flying back with a 450 splash onto both champions. Things got even crazier when the Bucks set Christian up for the BTE Trigger. Copeland tried saving his partner but accidentally speared Christian instead.
Matt responded by spearing Copeland before the Bucks finally hit the BTE Trigger on Christian. Copeland barely managed to break up the pin, and Christian survived another attempt moments later.
The champions eventually fought their way back. Copeland connected with a spear late in the match, giving Christian the opening to cover Nick for the three-count and retain the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
But that was when the bigger story started. The Motor City Machine Guns came out after the match and confronted Copeland and Christian. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin clearly had their eyes on the champions, but another familiar team quickly joined them.
FTR came out next, marking Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler’s first AEW appearance since Copeland and Christian defeated them for the AEW World Tag Team Championships earlier this year. Then Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed joined the party.
Kofi and Creed had already made a huge statement earlier at All In by debuting as The New Level alongside Swerve Strickland and winning the AEW Trios Championships. Now they were standing across from Copeland and Christian as well.
Copeland and Christian walked into Wembley worrying about the Young Bucks. They walked out still champions, but wih FTR back, the Motor City Machine Guns stepping up and Kofi Kingston and Austin Creed joining the picture, holding onto those titles suddenly looks a lot harder.
What did you think of the wild scene after Copeland and Christian’s title defense, and which of these teams should get the first shot at the champions? Let us know in the comments.
