Jon Moxley is still the AEW Continental Champion after forcing Nigel McGuinness to tap out at All In. McGuinness pushed Moxley to the limit in the Continental Cup Challenge Final at Wembley Stadium, but his injured left ankle ultimately became too much to overcome.
The match started slowly, with McGuinness trying to outwrestle Moxley on the mat. Both men battled for wrist control before Nigel worked through a wristlock and headlock, while Moxley looked for ways to escape.
Moxley eventually found the obvious weakness and went straight after McGuinness’ injured left leg. He stomped on the ankle, but Nigel responded with a series of hard uppercuts that sent the champion outside.
Once they returned to the mat, McGuinness started manipulating Moxley with different holds. He caught him in a hammerlock and twisted his body before the two eventually abandoned the technical wrestling and started chopping each other.
Moxley went back to the ankle, but things got interesting when he suddenly pulled out Bryan Danielson’s LeBell Lock. McGuinness managed to escape and responded by putting Moxley in a LeBell Lock of his own.
Moxley eventually powered free with a shoulder block before connecting with a cutter. He followed by driving Nigel into the corner and unloading with chops and stiff punches to the head.
McGuinness caught Moxley in a body scissors, but Moxley responded by ripping the protective tape away from Nigel’s injured ankle. Nigel got creative and wrapped the loose tape around Moxley’s face to temporarily blind him.
That gave McGuinness another opening, and he connected with the Tower of London for a close two-count. Moxley immediately went back to the injured ankle and stomped on it, leaving Nigel screaming in pain. McGuinness still dragged himself back up and yelled, “Let’s do this!” before the two started trading huge elbows in the middle of the ring.
Nigel eventually dropped Moxley with a massive lariat that left both men down. Moxley then looked for a Gotch-style piledriver, but McGuinness countered with another lariat before Moxley transitioned into the Bulldog Choke.
Nigel escaped and locked in the London Dungeon, putting serious pressure on Moxley’s shoulder. Moxley came dangerously close to tapping, and when he tried escaping, Nigel dragged him right back into the submission.
But Moxley eventually found his way out—and once again went after the ankle. The champion transitioned into an ankle lock and cranked away at Nigel’s already injured leg. McGuinness managed to counter into a two-count and fired back with several open-handed palm strikes, but Moxley tripped him and immediately locked the ankle lock back in.
Moxley then hit a curb stomp before applying the ankle lock one final time. Nigel desperately crawled toward the ropes and came within inches of reaching them, but he couldn’t make it. With Moxley continuing to wrench on the injured ankle, McGuinness finally had no choice but to tap out.
McGuinness came frighteningly close to making Moxley submit in front of his home crowd, but Moxley found the one weakness Nigel couldn’t fight through. Wembley wanted the hometown victory, but Moxley walked out with the Continental Championship still in his hands.
What did you think of Jon Moxley vs. Nigel McGuinness at All In, and should Nigel get another shot at the Continental Championship? Let us know in the comments.
