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Both “Jokers” were revealed in their respective Owen Hart Foundation Tournament matches on AEW Dynamite last night. Former WWE star Johnny Elite, known as John Morrison in WWE, made his AEW debut to face Samoa Joe in a first-round match in the men’s tournament. Japanese wrestling star and former pop idol Maki Itoh made her AEW return to challenge Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. in a women’s first-round match. Both Jokers lost their debut bouts.
Johnny Elite put on a crowd-pleasing performance with multiple death-defying moves, most of which he didn’t botch, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Samoa Joe. What was enough to overcome Joe was a post-match beatdown by Jay Lethal’s heel stable, however.
Maki Itoh’s schtick was also appreciated by the crowd, if not by opponent Britt Baker.
In addition, Kyle O’Reilly defeated Rey Fenix to advance in the men’s tournament and set up a possible future bout with Adam Cole… if he can get through Samoa Joe.
And Adam Cole beat Jeff Hardy to advance in the tournament as well.
The finals of the Owen Hart Foundation men’s and women’s tournaments will take place at AEW Double or Nothing, airing out of Las Vegas on Sunday, May 29th. That event will also feature an AEW World Championship match between champion Hangman Adam Page and challenger CM Punk. Thunder Rosa will put the AEW Women’s Championship on the line against Serena Deeb. Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus will defend their AEW Tag Team Championships against the team of Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland and the team of Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs in a triple threat match. The Jericho Appreciation Society will take on an alliance of the Blackpool Combat Club, Eddie Kingston, and Santana and Ortiz. MJF will take on Wardlow, with Wardlow’s future on the line. Plus, Hook and Danhausen will team up against Tony Nese and Mark Sterling on the pre-show. Double or Nothing can be purchased on PPV or streamed on Bleacher Report or Fite, depending on region.
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