Moxley moves to V4 with first defense in an AEW ring

Wednesday May 12 saw AEW’s Dynamite broadcast kick off with the first ever defence of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship in an AEW ring, Jon Moxley facing challenger Yuji Nagata, cornered by Ren Narita. 

Champion and challenger wasted no time at the bell, each attacking with forearm shots before a kitchen sink and boot from Nagata, Moxley spilling to the floor as the challenger took an early advantage. It was out on the floor though, that Moxley took control of the match, a running knee off the apron before Mox piled on the pressure back inside. 

Mox would keep control of Nagata with strikes and a rear chinlock, but would be caught coming off the second ropes, and met with a barrage of mid kicks. A boot into the corner, and an exploder suplex would get two for Blue Justice, before Nagata went down to the knees to open the champion up to more strikes. 

As the match became a slugfest, Moxley and Nagata traded shots before Moxley found a German suplex and then a lariat to get a nearfall. Nagata would lower his center of gravity on a piledriver attempt however, and connected with the Justice Knee in the corner before a top rope Exploder would get two. 

Nagata wanted a backdrop suplex to finish the champion, and though Moxley maneuvered into a choke, Nagata would counter into an armbreaker, showing the whites of the eyes to the TNT audience. As momentum built, Nagata landed heavy strikes and a hard enzuigiri which would open up Moxley under the eye, but a sliding lariat came in response, and Moxley tried for the Bulldog Choke. Though Nagata evaded the hold, Moxley would drive short knees to the head of Nagata, and followed up with Death Rider for the three. Moxley bowed in a show of mutual respect after the match as the United States Heavyweight Championship had seen another step in its elevation.