5 Things You Probably Don't Remember About AEW Fyter Fest 2019

Though not one of the four pay-per-view pillars of the organization, the first AEW Fyter Fest proved to be highly significant. Without Dynamite on the air yet, the event helped tide curious fans over with fresh content last summer. The show also marked the first AEW match (however unofficial, due to the "unsanctioned" modifier) for incoming star Jon Moxley. And Cody Rhodes' blood loss following that chair shot from Shawn Spears that went awry...well, you don't quickly forget unintended gore like that.

While Fyter Fest 2019 was noteworthy in a few respects, it feels ancient in others, like it may well have occurred a decade ago. Only a year has passed since AEW descended upon Daytona Beach, FL for their second overall event, and the promotion is for sure a much different place today. Roster additions, establishments of championship scenes, and the fleshing out of numerous characters, all followed what was (in name, anyway) a cheeky Fyre Festival parody.

So while AEW gets geared up for its 11 planned matches in this year's two-night Fyter Fest, let's look back at some forgotten tidbits from the original.

Though not one of the four pay-per-view pillars of the organization, the first AEW Fyter Fest proved to be highly significant. Without Dynamite on the air yet, the event helped tide curious fans over with fresh content last summer. The show also marked the first AEW match (however unofficial, due to the "unsanctioned" modifier) for incoming star Jon Moxley. And Cody Rhodes' blood loss following that chair shot from Shawn Spears that went awry...well, you don't quickly forget unintended gore like that.

While Fyter Fest 2019 was noteworthy in a few respects, it feels ancient in others, like it may well have occurred a decade ago. Only a year has passed since AEW descended upon Daytona Beach, FL for their second overall event, and the promotion is for sure a much different place today. Roster additions, establishments of championship scenes, and the fleshing out of numerous characters, all followed what was (in name, anyway) a cheeky Fyre Festival parody.

So while AEW gets geared up for its 11 planned matches in this year's two-night Fyter Fest, let's look back at some forgotten tidbits from the original.

5. It Was Part Of A Video Game Festival

For the event, AEW partnered with Community Effort Orlando (CEO), an annual fighting game tournament held in Daytona Beach. AEW wasn't the first wrestling organization to partner with the group, either: New Japan had done so one year earlier.

The connection is what allowed event organizer Alex Jebailey a moment of wrestling absurdity, as he "wrestled" Michael Nakazawa in a comedy hardcore match on the "Buy In" portion of the card. To put it rather mildly, the match was what it was.

4. Goldenboy Debuted As Commentator

Joining Jim Ross and Excalibur on the call for the evening was Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez, an eSports announcer and a noted wrestling fan. Contrasted to the similarly-named Alex Marvez, who called Double or Nothing a month earlier, Goldenboy was much, much smoother.

Despite the positive reception for Goldenboy's work, and the fact that he was signed to the promotion shortly thereafter, he's been all but invisible from AEW. Outside of calling All Out, and the Buy In for Full Gear, he's become a forgotten man as far as AEW's concerned.

3. It Marked MJF's Only Non-Battle Royal Loss In AEW

Maxwell Jacob Friedman has been built up as undefeated in AEW, and that's kinda true - he's never been pinned or made to submit in a standard match. He has, however, come up short in two battle royals, and failed to win this four-way match.

MJF went up against Adam "Hangman" Page, Jungle Boy, and Jimmy Havoc that night in Daytona Beach, which was won by Page after he pinned Havoc with The Deadeye. To MJF's credit, however, he did get to thoroughly grill the crowd before the bell rang, in true "Salt of the Earth" fashion.

2. Laredo Kid Wrestled As A One-Off

As the roster of AEW began to take shape, fans wondered who might show up to try and fortify the group. Earlier events featured some random appearances from the likes of Brian Pillman Jr, Tommy Dreamer, and Glacier, not to mention the aerodynamic Laredo Kid.

Amid appearances for AAA, and weeks after working Impact, Laredo Kid teamed with Rey Fenix and Pentagon Jr in a loss to Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. As you can imagine, the match was the sort of breakneck array of the leaps and stunts befitting the participants.

1. Joey Janela Main Evented The Second AEW Event Ever

Technically, he "didn't", because the unsanctioned nature of his war with Jon Moxley made it so that the match wasn't official in kayfabe canon. Putting technicalities aside, AEW put "The Bad Boy" on last in their second-ever event, against a former WWE champion.

Since then, Janela's mostly been seen in a midcard capacity, feuding with the likes of Shawn Spears, Kip Sabian, and others. At the time, though, he was just the sort of risk-taking deathmatch vet needed to make brutal magic with Moxley in the former Dean Ambrose's maiden AEW match.