Bryan Danielson Retains, Moxley Attacks After

AEW World Championship
Bryan Danielson (c) vs. Jack Perry

It's main event time (part one)!

We see the pre-match video package for our final sanctioned match of the evening, the first of our two main events scheduled for tonight. With that said, the road to TNT Champion "The Scapegoat" challenging "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson for the AEW World Championship is shown.

Once it wraps up, we get a cool cops-style scenery shot with a C.B. scratchy-sounding cop voice talking about looking for "The Scapegoat." It finally wraps up, and we see Perry arrive in a big truck. He steps out and is greeted by The Young Bucks. He hands them his TNT title and ring entrance helmet.

Inside the NOW Arena in Chicago, where Perry should be the devil himself to the home of CM Punk's hometown army of fans, "The Scapegoat" graphic flashes on the screen. Fire pyro explodes and out comes Perry with The Bucks and security in helmets, who line the entrance ramp as he heads to the ring.

Europe's "Final Countdown" hits next and out comes reigning, defending AEW World Champion "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson to a sustained roar from the crowd. Jim Ross joins the gang on special guest commentary and pokes fun at Taz upon being introduced.

The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. The two lock up and Perry sends Danielson down, mocking him to some boos from the crowd. Perry goes back after the champ, taking him down which draws a smile from Danielson as he gets back to his feet.

Bryan gets a side headlock on the challenger before taking to the ropes, only for Perry to catch him with an arm drag, posing before leaving the ring. Perry finally steps back into the ring as the two lock up, with Danielson getting the upper hand before catching the leg of the challenger.

This leads to the champ locking in a surfboard stretch, pulling back on Jack before going after the face and eventually dropping him to the mat. Perry back to his feet until Bryan drops him, grabbing him by the wrists, but Perry rolls to the floor to avoiud it.

Danielson heads to the floor after him, but Perry takes over. He sets the champ onto the apron before dropping him to the floor. Perry has a smile on his face as the crowd show their disapproval. Jack sets the champ up against the barricade, getting a running start before charging at him.

He brings Danielson back into the ring for a cover, but the champ kicks out. He brings Bryan to the corner now, taking a bite at the champ before dropping him to the canvas once more for a near fall. Jack brings Danielson to his feet for a chop into the corner.

The champ responds with some of his own, until Perry cuts him off, blocking the mouth and nose of the champ to break free. He hits a chop on Danielson, mocking the fans as he sets Bryan up in the corner, but Danielson breaks free, eventually landing some hard elbows to the head of Perry. He climbs up, taking the challenger on a one-way trip to the mat with a massive back super-plex.

Danielson slowly makes his way back to his feet, laying into Perry with kicks to the chest until Jack responds by taking the champ down hard for a near fall, but Danielson manages to catch him with a LeBelle Lock. Perry ends up getting to the ropes to break the hold.

Danielson has Perry set up for the Buisuke Knee after fighting back into the offensive lead. Perry avoids it, however, and locks Danielson into the Snap Trap submission. He cranks away until Danielson finally makes it to the ropes. Fans chant-sing "Oh...cry me a river!" as Perry yells at Danielson, getting his verbal Roman Reigns skills going as he controls the offense.

Danielson goes to hit the running knee again, but this time Perry pulls the referee in his way. Danielson knocks out the ref. The Young Bucks come down and join Perry in beating down Danielson. The Bucks hit a spiked TK Driver with Perry on Danielson that sends him into the mat in dangerous fashion. Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta of BCC run out to make the save.

Perry hits a running knee to the side of Danielson's head. He covers him, but Danielson kicks out. Perry calls for a GTS to taunt the CM Punk-loving Chicago crowd. Danielson ends up hitting his running knee finisher instead. Perry survives the pin attempt and when he gets up he starts smacking the crap out of Danielson over and over again.

This only angers Danielson, who fights back and hits his running knee finisher. He immediately follows up with a cover, but somehow Perry kicks out. Danielson looks surprised by that. Perry hits a running knee to the side of Danielson's head. He covers him, but Danielson kicks out. Perry calls for a GTS to taunt the CM Punk-loving Chicago crowd. Danielson ends up hitting his running knee finisher instead. Perry survives the pin attempt and when he gets up he starts smacking the crap out of Danielson over and over again.

This only angers Danielson, who fights back and hits his running knee finisher. He immediately follows up with a cover, but somehow Perry kicks out. Danielson looks surprised by that. Danielson ends up hitting it again for the win. After the match, things get crazy.

We see Killshot in the ring with Perry. Fans react. Christian Cage's theme hits and he comes out with The Patriarchy and his contract in-hand for a guaranteed title shot at any time. Before he can cash it in, however, Danielson's friends from the BCC, Castagnoli, Yuta and Jon Moxley, with Marina Shafir and PAC, stand in front of them, blocking them from the ring.

Fans love it. Danielson does, too. The BCC guys back off The Patriarchy guys. The BCC guys join Danielson in the ring to celebrate. Or so it seemed. Instead, they beat down Danielson and put a plastic bag around his face. They hold Yuta back from helping and PAC, Mox and the rest of the crew hold Danielson down and try and suffocate him with the plastic bag as fans chant "This is murder!"

Winner and STILL AEW Champion: Bryan Danielson