This is quite long, so I record me reading it aloud if you’d rather listen or follow along. If, later on, you get confused about moves being done, I have hyperlinked a clip of them being performed for you.

The Backstory:

The NHL (American Ice Hockey) and Cutters Studio did a recent video advertising and hyping the Stanley Cup called "The Cost" link to the video. The video goes into how wanting to win is never enough, it being your dream to win the cup is never enough, and the end of the day there will only ever be one winner after they gave everything they've got. It quickly is one my favourite hype videos about a sport (the only other I can think of would be a Rugby 7s ad back for the Fiji hosted series in like 2016?)

Anyway, around this time, Garcia had joined the Death Riders and in a group promo he spoke about how being a "loser" is less about the wins and loses but the mentality. About how he wakes up every day WANTING to win and that's where it starts. It stood a little in contrast to a promo he cut a month before after a loss to Jon Moxley, shortly before joining him. He had talked about how resilient he has always been, how he always gets back up, and how that's a good thing to be. But ended on "but sometimes good just ain't good enough." It was around the Death Rider group promo my girlfriend remembered the NHL video and linked it to me.

I've always liked Garcia since he first arrived in AEW. He's good as a young hungry lion that's desperate to win and he feeds off the crowds so well. No more evident than when he is down on the ground outside the ring, he will reach out and ask the fans to help lift him up then you'll see several people reach out and lift him to his feet and shouting with the rest of the arena for Garcia to get back in there. You can tell he keeps notice of what fans talk about online and champions certain audience feelings. He was the first AEW wrestler to repeat the "restore the feeling" some fans were feeling. He was the first to call himself a "sicko," a common fan-name AEW fans use to refer to themselves. Daniel Garcia at his best feels like a member of the audience who has stepped into the ring to champion us and desperately wants to win title, accolades, in-ring, and perhaps most of all adoration.

Garcia's current struggles seem to be around his own mindset as a wrestler. He still WANTS those wins. Desperately does he want those wins. But the want isn't translating to anything tangible. Sure, he has gotten wins. Garcia is often one my favourites in the annual C2 (Continental Classic) AEW puts on at the end of the year. Who could forget the upset win against Buddy Matthews? His fued with Yuta over the ROH Pure Title? And him taking a stand for AEW by taking down Jack Perry, the then TNT Champion and who was aligned with the EVP duo, Young Bucks. The three of which were running roughshod over everyone from audience to staff to wrestlers.

Back to where it all started, the TNT Title Run:

Garcia as TNT Champ was great. Loved that run but the hindsight with what's happened now elevates what was a title run that was trying to emulate and live up to the best of that title's runs before his. Garcia was clear about how he wanted to live up to the prestige the greatest title holders before him achieved so he set out for the easiest thing, being a fighting champ. He would approach people for challenges, put out open challenges, and accept all challengers who approached him. A solid run with good matches and a couple heartfelt promos here and there was how it started out. And then came and went the C2. After the C2, Garcia went straight into the new year defending his title as he had done before. Then around the Adam Cole program was when it fell apart. Cole, supposedly a good guy, would start going for Garcia using his faction the Undisputed Kingdom with Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong.

As an aside to explain a little more before we run through the timeline, I say supposedly in reference to Adam Cole being a good guy because he and his faction were heels up until this point but this program with Daniel Garcia was part of a face turn. For Cole first and then the Undisputed Kingdom who would reform their group into "The Paragon" once Adam Cole won the TNT title. When you look at Cole's actions, in my opinion, he was still kind of a dick in this situation.

Daniel Garcia, Matt "Daddy Magic" Menard, and Angelo "Cool Hand" Parker were aiming for the AEW Trios Titles held by the Death Riders. Around this time the Death Riders were in full swing terrorising the Men's division and had recently beaten The Undisputed Kingdom in a title defence. So in their climb to the trios titles Garcia, Daddy Magic, and Cool Hand would wrestle The Undisputed Kingdom to a loss. Despite the loss, Garcia & Co were okay to shake hands with The Undisputed at the end. This led to a "Three Way Nine Man" match with Garcia & Co, The Undisputed Kingdom, and Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Charlie Bravo, and Shawn Dean) wrestling to another Undisputed Kingdom win. Despite these losses, the Death Riders would accept a challenge from Garcia & Co for the trios titles. Claudio Castignoli, PAC, and Wheeler Yuta would however win, retaining their titles, then delivering a post-match attack on Garcia & Co. It would be The Undisputed Kingdom who would make the save and again both groups seemed to get along with each other. Cole and Garcia would fist bump and give the nod.

I don't recall and I can't find if Daddy Magic and Angelo Parker were injured but Garcia would begin trios wrestling with FTR. He had aligned with them in the past and the three, despite FTR's new hot-head antics, would get along once again. Garcia & FTR would wrestle The Undisputed Kingdom to yet another win for Cole's faction. FTR got quite heated in the post-match but Garcia and Cole would try to calm their respective team members down as it was announced on commentary that Adam Cole would be granted a TNT Title match the following week. That episode, in the opener, FTR would lose against the Undisputed Kingdom's combo of Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong. Immediately, FTR began to complain to the referee and demanding for a match reset. They claimed all kinds of shenanigans were pulled but it was all to no avail, those sore losers did not achieve their goal that day.

Later on would come the TNT Title match. The match was decent at first and building into good until there was a call. "Five minutes remaining," the voice rang out. As pressure was on for them both to finish the match, Shane Taylor Promotions would come down and jump both men. The match was ruled no contest as a result. FTR & Garcia and The Undisputed Kingdom would hash their stances out in a backstage segment. FTR were still in a huff over their match against O'Reilly & Strong. Cash Wheeler would admited to getting heated and apologised but Dax Harwood however would refuse and would demand a rematch. Despite the mixed messages FTR were sending, O'Reilly & Strong would agree and the two tag teams would then depart. This left Cole and Garcia to talk about a rematch of their own. There was a little tension on the part of Cole but he ultimately was willing to wait until Garcia defended his title against Lee Moriarty, a member of Shane Taylor Promotions. After that, Garcia would team with The Undisputed Kingdom (Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) against all four members of Shane Taylor Promotions on that year's Revolution PPV to a victory. With the detractors dealt with, Adam Cole and Daniel Garcia then set to their rematch.

24th of March 2025, AEW Collision. The Rematch:

Everyone was banned from ringside. Daniel Garcia, Adam Cole, and AEW itself wanted a clean and clear match. The two men would shake hands as the bell wrang and immediately set into a series of wristlock transitions. As a slow start that would build as the match went on. Daddy Magic on commentary would note that while their previous match also had a slow start, that this was slower. The rest of his time on commentary would be spent hyping up his boy Garcia and talking about his six title defences prior to this match. Daddy Magic clearly picked his side. The crowd, however, was split. Just as many who were cheering for their champ were eager to see Adam Cole finally achieve a title run in AEW. To my ear, it sounded like the majority were on Cole's side but it didn't seem to deter Garcia neither did Cole's mind games. Adam Cole would do his signature "Adam Cole Bay-Bay" to play to the crowd where I'm sure many of Garcia supporters found themselves unable to not join in. Garcia saw what he was doing and seemed amused but after a shoulder charge that knocked Garcia on his back, Cole would dust off his shoulder. This too would not affect the TNT champ who remained focused. The two would continue their grappling back and forth. Some shoving began as the two were getting heated at each other and Garcia would shift into strikes.

A chop to the chest then dropkick would bring momentum Garcia's way. Only Garcia immediately wasted it. He stared into the crowd looking for approval as Cole crawled into the corner to brace himself. Garcia would return his attention to Cole and leap up onto the middle ropes in the corner to deliver a series of punches to his head. Before he started he again looked to the crowd for their approval. Garcia's knew Cole was playing mind games by involving the crowd and while Garcia was clearly unaffected at first, it did bother him. Perhaps even at this point, Garcia himself did not fully realise this. Now Cole would start targetting Garcia's knee in a series of moves that started swinging the match's momentum Cole's way.

Cole would then hit a Backsabber, using it to get a two count. Cole clearly frustrated wanted to up the ante and set up for the Panama Sunrise only for a temporary comeback from Garcia to stop him. Adam Cole's temper was so clear even in his body language now, he would strike then drag Garcia's legs around the ringpost where he would slam his knee repeatedly. Cole would return to the ring and talked to Garcia, asking him, if that was "all you got?" Daniel Garcia's own temper would flare as he got two his feet where they would strike each other back and forth. Their striking now louder than before as each angrily tried to get the better. Garcia even tried to choke Cole but he would reverse it and they would continue their strikes and then moved into slamming each other around the ring. Then Garcia grabs Cole and hits two Swinging Neckbreakers. Before he hit the second, he tries firing himself up. Something wrestlers do by feeling the energy of the crowd, using their support to fuel a rush of adrenaline. No matter what happens, Garcia doesn't want to lose the crowd. His fans. His supporters. After the Swinging Neckbreakers, he'd throw Cole through the ropes and onto the apron, dragging him by the head and into a Hanging Swinging Neckbreaker. A cover by Garcia, grabbing the leg closest to the rope, getting a two count. Members in the crowd would try to start a "DC" chant only for the other half to counter with "Adam Cole" chants.

Adam Cole eager to snatch momentum back would hit a Kneecap Brainbuster and then another two count pin. Garcia just as eager to not lose the momentum would throw Cole over the ropes again and then ran, lept, and kneed Cole in the head as both would spill out onto the floor outside the ring. Garcia looks up and sees the crowd leaning over the baricade to look back at him. Wordlessly, he reaches out a hand as two men start to lift him up. Another nearby can be heard saying "Come on! You got this!" to him and cheers ring out for Garcia. Garcia feels the energy, his fellow sickos willing him on as he does a running dropkick to Adam Cole who was trying to catch his breath. Garcia drags Cole back into the ring and grabs him, planning some kind of slam before Cole reverses it into another Kneecap Brainbuster and two count pin. Again Adam Cole would try for the Panama Sunrise only for Garcia to strike back. As Garcia climbs the ropes with Adam Cole in a headlock "5 minutes remaining" echoes out. Almost mocking both Cole and Garcia for their previous match as Garcia's knee wobbles, then gives out. Garcia falls to one knee on the matt as Cole moves back into position. Garcia, clutching his knee, knows he can't stop and looks back just in time for Adam Cole to leap off the middle rope corner and finally hit him with the Panama Sunrise. Cole moves into pin Garcia, grabbing a leg. 1! 2! Then Garcia reaches his arm out and grabs the rope, killing the pin count. Cole not detered moves to the middle rope of the nearest corner, ready to hit another as the crowd begins another dueling "DC!" "ADAM COLE!" chant. Garcia sees Cole's setup as he tries to return to his feet but allows himself to collapse, rolling out onto the floor outside the ring.

Cole steps onto the apron for a Panama Sunrise from there but Garcia ducks him, knees him in the gut, fails to hit what was likely a piledriver because of his knee so he transitions into a German Suplex. Garcia returns Cole into the ring, fires himself up once again, and delivers that piledriver but it was slow and Garcia needs to compose himself after it. The delay is enough where Cole returns to his feet and we get another Panama Sunrise. 1! 2! NO! Cole is pissed. He grabs Garcia's legs and moves into a Figure-Four Leg Lock in the middle of the ring. But Garcia's arms are still strong. He drags them both to the rope for the rope break. Firing himself up again, Garcia wraps up Cole's legs this time in a sharpshooter that Garcia calls the Dragon Tamer. But due to his knee, he cannot sit deep enough so Cole is able to drag himself to the ropes. The crowd now, rather than picking a side instead chants "Fight Forever!” Both are sucking wind and Cole, still holding the rope, drags himself under and out to the apron. Garcia follows him as the two strike each other's chests. Blow for blow once again but there's a pause between each blow as fatigue and pain are clearly well and truly set in for both men.

Schiavone on commentary calls out there is one minute left. By AEW rules, a time limit counts as a draw and titles do not change hands on a draw. A fact Daddy Magic points out with an audible panic in his voice while Garcia goes for a piledriver. Adam Cole punches the knee he had been working all match as his head is locked in Garcia's legs. And it works. Garcia releases Cole, whincing and barreled over in pain. Cole kicks the knee out from under Garcia and then drags him back up for a Panama Sunrise on the apron. Just ragdolling from the blows and only one leg to stand on, Garcia spills onto the floor outside the ring. A frustrated huff from Cole can he heard from the camera leaning over to film Danny, as Cole picks him up and throws him into the ring. He rolls in the ring and feels the crowd's energy. This awakens something in Danny who was just a moment ago sprawled out. As Adam Cole drops his kneepad around his ankle, planning to hit his finisher, "The Boom," Garcia grabs his foot. Cole strikes the back of his head until Garcia lets go. Adam Cole runs to the rope, bouncing off of it and he runs towards Danny. He's ready to hit The Boom and the bell rings. Time limit reached. We have a draw so Garcia retains. Cole starts telling Danny he had him beat but Garcia replies that he didn't, he lost to the time. And we fade out.

Intermission, The Promo:

Obviously Adam Cole wouldn't accept that result. A week later in a backstage promo he would double down on what he told Garcia post-match. "I had you beat," and "The only thing that saved you was the time limit." He would then say a he wants a rematch, for AEW's event Dynasty. Once again everyone is banned from ringside but this time, there will be no time limit. His temper flares the longer he talks but he stops talking soon after that, leaving the final note to be, "I promise you, you are looking at the next TNT champion." In the same segment, O'Reilly & Strong would talk about wanting a third match with FTR thanks to the latter's cheating scoring them the win. While this was going on, FTR had also been teaming with Adam Copeland and they were coming into some disagreements with him. I won't go too into because there's so many tangents as is, but basically FTR was getting on everyone's nerves that they were associated with. They would later turn against Copeland and attack him.

Cole and Garcia would later have a chat in-ring. Cole would speak first and starts by telling Danny that he respects him for both being a fighting champ and for fighting so hard against him. He says he sees Daniel Garcia as "the future of All Elite Wrestling." Cole then attempts some humility by admiting he didn't get the job done in their last match but has to drag Garcia with him by adding "neither did you," to the sentiment. He then starts goading him. Attacking his pride as a fighting champ and boasting that the fact that he couldn't beat Adam Cole must keep him up at night. He wants this match. He wants them to prove who is the better man but cannot help adding that he thinks that man is him. Garcia smiles. He sees the mind games once again. Garcia's turn to talk. He says he "appreciates the kind words" but he truly did enjoy testing himself against someone he sees as one of the best in the world. He then admits he's frustrated he couldn't beat him but then Daddy Magic grabs the mic. He wordlessly asks to speak. Garcia nods. Daddy Magic looks to Cole then focuses on Danny. He hypes his boy up. "You're the TNT champ!" Daddy Magic bellows, "How many opportunities is this guy going to get?" He continues by cautioning Danny to not get goaded into a third match. "It's HIS job to beat YOU! And you," he points at Cole, "Couldn't do it!" The crowd now chants "Danny!" Garcia speaks again. He knows he doesn't have to. He WANTS to. Roderick interjects, trying to hype his boy up. Along the way he insults Danny, saying he doesn't have what it takes so Daddy Magic gets offended. The groups argue save for Danny who uses the mic to shout over them. He's tired of noise. He agreed to the match. Stipulations and all. It's one last match between Garcia and Cole over the belt. His final note is that he wants that win over Cole.

7th of April 2025, AEW Dynasty. The Final Match:

The bell rings and the two stare. Then they step forward and talk to each other. There is no handshake this time as they step back then charge into a lock up. As they move into striking each other, Nigel McGuinness remarks on commentary that these two could well be in for a long night. Dropkick by Garcia. Cole moves into the corner for some space and Garcia persues once again. He twists Cole up in the ropes, steps up onto the middle rope and looks to the crowd before delivering several blows. Before delivering the 10th he looks to the crowd again, hits the 10th, and looks to the crowd again. They cheer for him each time but once Garcia resumes the punches this time, Cole has untangled himself and shoves Garcia off and onto the apron. A Superkick drops Garcia outside the ring as he moves to do a Panama Sunrise off the apron. Garcia dodges and Cole drops to the floor grabbing his ankle. (Adam Cole some time before jumped off the ring apron and shattered his ankle to the point of needing surgery. If it went wrong, it could have ended his career.) Garcia shows no concern and drop kicks him then starts kicking at his knee and ankle as he is on the floor. The referee breaks it up to check on Cole while also moving him back to the ring. Garcia continues, attack both knee and ankle. Tying him up in the corner again and striking that knee, using the rope to stand on the knee, and then moves Cole to set up the Surfboard Stomp. Just before he does, with his legs still locked in, Garcia does his Dance before completing the Surfboard Stomp. Another dropkick then pin and it is BARELY a two count.

Cole punches Danny in the gut but Garcia keeps the pressure on by doing a Dragon Screw Leg Whip one direction then the other. Cole again tries to fight back but Garcia hits two Swinging Neckbreakers. Garcia takes a moment to look into the crowd, clearly proud of himself. He goes to grab Cole but is reverse into a Kneecap Brainbuster. A small chant for Cole starts as he moves to the corner where Garcia gives chase, so Cole puts a foot up to stop him. Panama Sunrise attempt that is countered into a Dragon Tamer setup that is countered into a roll over pin attempt. 1! 2! Garcia hits a running lariat! Then he again, looks to the crowd even more proud than before. Garcia then hits a Twisting Gotch Piledriver. "Fuck 'em up Danny! Fuck 'em up!" chants ring out as Cole rises. Garcia looks him in the eye and drops his kneepad as if to do The Boom. Cole strikes first but Garcia strikes back. We go blow for blow once again before Garcia hits a Backdrop Driver. Then the strikes resume.

Cole steps back to give himself room to let off a Superkick but Adam Cole is so fatigued he drops first allowing Garcia to fall on top of him after the superkick. We get a two count before Cole realises what's going on and drags Garcia into a crucifix pin and gets a two count of his own. The two take a moment which Cole tries to sieze. He goes for another Superkick but Garcia catches him and transition into an Ankle Lock. Screaming in pain, Cole crawls to the rope and clutches it for dear life but Garcia does not let go. The referee counts, if he hits 5 he can disqualify Garcia for not allowing the rope-break, but Garcia lets go at 4. Cole retreats to the outside but Garcia follows. He throws Cole into the steel steps then with Cole heaving for air below him, he steps to the top step and does Cole's "Bay-Bay" gesture. Mocking him and the crowd boos. We see Garcia do the cross prayer across his chest and go for presumably a piledriver on the steel steps but Cole chops at Garcia's legs. Kneecap Brainbuster by Cole on Garcia and the two collapse. Then we get the faintest "Let's go Danny" chant of the night so far as Cole gets his own loudest "Adam Cole" thus far. Cole throws Danny into the ring, drops his kneepad and moves to hit The Boom but Garcia collapse just before the final moment. Through fatigue he avoids the attack so Cole sucks more wind. When he finally moves toward Danny, Garcia pounces. He grabs him and tries an inside cradle pin. Two count! Garcia hits The Boom and pins for another two. He's angry now and strikes at the knee.

Cole is so tired he struggles to fight back as Garcia puts him into the corner, dragging him up to the top rope. A chant for Adam Cole and nothing for Garcia as Garcia tries to do something off the top rope but Cole is striking harder and more often now. It's too much for Garcia and he falls to the ground now Cole can pull off his Panama Sunrise! Then a second! Cole gets fired up by the crowd and uses the energy to hit The Boom! He moves into the pin. 1! 2! 3! Adam Cole is TNT Champion. Danny's idea of using Cole's own plan from their match prior was smart. He could have won but he also wanted to hurt Cole. To truly prove he was better. And he kept trying to feed off the crowd. His focus on inflicting pain lost him the crowd, the match, and his title.

In the post match, Danny sits on the rope visibly frustrated and you can see on his face that Adam Cole feels bad. He reaches out to shake Danny's hand and once Garcia notices, he stands up and shakes it back. Then as a show of sportsmanship, Garcia raises Cole's hand in victory and then leaves the ring.

Being the Bigger Man:

From here we don't really need to focus on each match or even wider fueds. Daniel Garcia tries his best to be the bigger man and focus on doing the right thing. You can hear in his voice every time he gets on the mic that he is angry but he never calls out Cole. Never talks about the TNT title. He does his best to get back up and move on. So now FTR becomes his focus. He wants answers about their behaviour and they dodge him a little. During commentary on FTR matches and others, Nigel McGuinness points out what assholes FTR have been. A remark they take personally. They even threaten Schiavone when McGuinness isn't around to make sure McGuinness shows up next time so they can have a word.It all rolls into one another but ultimately when FTR attack McGuiness, Garcia comes to his defence. When FTR attack Garcia, McGuiness comes to his defence. Eventually the two agree to a match against FTR at AEW's Double or Nothing event. FTR and their manager Stokely cheat a bunch but it doesn't end the match or deter McGuinnes and Garcia. However the match ends with Garcia getting put in a sharpshooter until Garcia falls unconscious from the pain. Garcia is asked by The Paragon (Formerly known as The Undisputed Kingdom) to help them against the Don Callis family to which he accepts. They win. Then they lose. The Paragon tries to help Garcia with his FTR problem and they lose too. Garcia's frustrations at losing is evident. He is sick of it. And then the challenge goes out.

Being the Man with a Belt:

Adam Cole puts out an open challenge for a special 100th episode of AEW Collision and Garcia puts his name forward. Tired of the losses and doing the right thing, he wants the belt back. But Don Callis put forth an argument that Kyle Fletcher has been getting wins and while he lost to Adam Cole a little bit ago, it was through disqualification. It's decided that Fletcher and Garcia will fight and the winner, goes on to fight Adam Cole. Garcia puts on a great effort against Fletcher but any time things start to shift Garcia's way, Fletcher hits him with something big and kills all momentum in his offence. Fletcher mentions in a promo before the Garcia match and after that he is hungry for a title win.

Unfortunately for Cole, due to a serious injury he can no longer wrestle and is forced to vacate the title. He announces that there will be a match that night for the vacant title. Dustin Rhodes vs Sammy Guevara vs Kyle Fletcher vs Daniel Garcia. Rhodes and Guevara are the joint Ring of Honor Tag Team Champs so they have some friction during the match while Garcia's attempts to get the win over Fletcher specifically put him at odds with Fletcher's confidence he can beat Garcia again and get that belt. Naturally there can only be one winner and it's Dustin Rhodes.

Garcia instead shifts his belt aspirations to the upcoming Forbidden Door event where AEW clashes with a variety of other promotions; primarily NJPW (New Japan Pro Wrestling), CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre), RevPro (A British promotion), and Stardom (A Women's promotion in Japan). Zack Sabre Jr, the at the time holder of the IWGP World Heavyweight Title, puts out a challenge. Being a technical wrestler, he wants the best technical wrestlers to fight for the opportunity to challenge for his title. Hechicero, Lee Moriarty, Nigel McGuinness, and Daniel Garcia each step forth. Each try to prove themselves but as I said before, we know there's only one winner. And it is Nigel McGuinness, making Lee Moriarty tap as Garcia is locked in with Hechicero. Danny is pissed the second the bell rang. Almost mirroring Adam Cole, you can see McGuinness feels bad for Garcia. He tries to shake his hand, which Danny returns, and then asks Danny to be in his corner when he challenges Zach Sabre Jr for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title. You can tell McGuinness means it because he sees potential in Garcia and respects him as both Garcia's mentor and as his friend. You can also see Garcia is upset. Perhaps he wants to lash out, perhaps the request feels like a twisting of the knife, or maybe something else is weighing on his mind. Whatever it is, Garcia does struggle with it for a moment then agrees.

Being the Bigger Man, The Return:

The Death Riders are still causing trouble and Danny remembers something. Way back when The Death Riders first formed, he was one of the first guys to stand against The Death Riders to protect AEW. He asked other guys he saw as stronger than him to help but they were all obsessed with their own fueds, titles, or weren't interested. Garcia tried and often got beaten for his efforts. When The Death Riders started collaborating with the EVP Young Bucks, Jack Perry, and Kazuchika Okada, Garcia decided he would go for the guy he thought he had the best odds of beating. Jack Perry. Who was at that time the TNT Champion. It was how he got the TNT title and once he did, he figured if others were allowed to leave The Death Riders' be then he was too. It also helped that some of the people he had asked earlier to help him had finally sorted out their own problems and came to fight The Death Riders.

Even though The Death Riders lost all their titles, they didn't stop being the menaces they were all along. Frustrated and eager to prove himself this time around, he called out The Death Riders' leader, Jon Moxley. Garcia gave his best but ultimately lost once again. The next week, because the tag team "The Swirl" (Blake Christian and Lee Johnson) had been causing problems for others, Garcia would fight Blake Christian. Before the match started, Moxley appeared and gave Garcia some advice. We have no idea what he said but it might have been a strategy because what got Garcia the win was a seatbelt pin. A move favoured by Wheeler Yuta, a member of The Death Riders. Garcia would once again challenge Moxley and lost. After the match Garcia cut a promo. He told everyone about how resilient he has always been, how he always gets back up, and how that's a good thing to be. But ended on "but sometimes good just ain't good enough."

No Longer the Bigger Man, The Turn:

Moxley had been fueding with Darby Allin. Darby would attack Moxley constantly, determined to put Moxley down for good. After a match between The Death Riders (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castinoli) and the Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson) against Brodido (Brody King and Bandido) and The Opps (Samoa Joe and Katsuyori Shibata) a hooded figure, who was Darby, would attack Jon Moxley. Then a hooded figure would step into the ring and attack Darby. This one was Daniel Garcia. He had allied himself with The Death Riders now. He had a new look, a new attitude, and more aggression in his wrestling than ever before. The coming weeks, several of Garcia's former friends would try to get answers and/or knock some sense into him. Most importantly of all he would ignore Daddy Magic,a man who had his back for more years than anyone else at AEW, for weeks. Daddy Magic eventually tried to join in a trios match along with Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong against Daniel Garcia & The Death Riders to get answers but even then. Garcia ignored him until he finally snapped. He asked Daddy Magic how he "still hasn't got the message yet," and told him to his face he doesn't want to be a loser any more and so that meant he needed to "stop hanging around losers" like Daddy Magic.

The problem with this new alignment is it was getting wins for Garcia. Even McGuinness on commentary would make such a remark. He sympathised with Garcia's frustrations but couldn't agree with his actions. Though he would not step out of commentary and into the ring to deal with Garcia. At least, so far he has not. Another friend and mentor however, Katsuyori Shibata, would. He and Garcia prior to their third match had a single win each. And perhaps it was Shibata's desire to both bring Garcia back to the right path and to teach him a lesson that would cost him that match.

The Cost and Conclusion:

Right now this saga is still ongoing. What I've typed and tried to summarise in my version of "The Cost" is approximately 11 months of Garcia's story thus far. Garcia now knows what it takes to win. Wanting it isn't enough. Having something to prove isn't enough. Having all your friends at your back is not enough. To win it all will take everything to get there and Garcia knows that now. He's starting with a shift in allegences and mindset. Now, all that matter is the win. No matter the cost.