CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live ,from the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON!

It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!

Nigel McGuinness, Ian Riccaboni, and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland kicked off Collision!

Copeland: “About a week and a half ago, I finally closed the book on Christian Cage. Now it’s time to start a new chapter and I decided to go back to the Cope Open, only this time the stakes are higher. Because this time I am putting the TNT Championship on the line. I’m not going to run like the Patriarch, I am here to fight!”

The Cope Open Returns! TNT Championship Match!

“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland (c.) vs. “The Deathmatch King” Matt Cardona!

The match opened with a series of hip tosses.

“You can tell they know each other, using the same moves against each other. Cardona is facing his mentor and getting a chance to become TNT Champion,” said Schiavone.

Cardona charged at Copeland outside the ring, and Copeland caught him with a clothesline. Cardona gouged Copeland in the eyes and then shoved him off the apron and into the steel ring steps.

Cardona climbed the turnbuckles but Copeland yanked Cardona’s legs out from under him. Cardona fired back with a chop. Cardona was searching for a superplex, but Copeland countered with a bulldog off the top for a near fall!

Matt Cardona spiked Copeland with the Impaler for a two-count, hitting the champ with his own move!

Cardona slapped Copeland and said, “I’m the self-made superstar!”

Cardona went for the Radio Silence, but Copeland countered with a powerbomb for a near fall! Copeland tried for a spear, but Cardona stunned Copeland with the Radio Silence for a two-count! Cardona ran in for the spear but Copeland lured Cardona in and speared Cardona, scoring the pin and retaining the championship!

“What an absolutely incredible win on many fronts! Adam Copeland is still the TNT Champ,” said Schiavone.

As Copeland was celebrating his victory, the arena went dark! The lights came back on, and Malakai Black appeared in the center of the ring! Black smirked at Copeland and then Buddy Matthews blindsided Copeland. Mark Briscoe sprinted down to the ring to even up the odds, but Black kicked Briscoe and Matthews nailed Briscoe with a knee! Eddie Kingston ran to the ring and stood side by side with Copeland and Briscoe. The lights turned off again and this time Black and Matthews vanished from the ring.

Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview AEW World Trios Champs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass!

Daddy Ass: “I’m a little pissed off. I’m pissed off at Jay White. I can get past you hitting me in the head with a chair, but I can’t get past you coming into my house, where me and my wife live. He also keeps talking about selling out Madison Square Garden. Hell, I’ve done that more times than I can remember. But if I recall, Jay lost that match. And he’s also going to lose next week. Because next week on Dynamite, it’s Jay White against Daddy Ass, and then we’ll see how good you really are.”

Max Caster: “Yo! Listen! This message goes out to Austin and Colten, those ass boys! Wednesday night, while Billy Gunn is beating down Jay White, if you guys believe in your boy Jay White and stay in the back, we’ll stay in the back too. So, if you have faith in Jay White, you’ll have no problem with that.”

Anthony Bowens: “And now a word from the Scissor King. I feel a lot better this week even though I shouldn’t. Billy’s home got invaded and I was proven right. Those three bullet bitches walked into his home and upon seeing Billy Gun, they ran like cowards. Next week the demise of Bullet Club Gold begins. Because they are looking at three different individuals! By the end of this, you are going to be looking at ‘Still the AEW World Trios Champions’ because everyone loves the Acclaimed!”

East Bracket: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match!

FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler

vs.

The Infantry—Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo!

The winning team faces the winner of Top Flight vs. Starks & Big Bill.

Carlie, clearly having done his homework, took Dax off his feet with a couple of dropkicks. Dean came in and the Infantry hit FTR with stereo dropkicks.

Cash rocked Shawn Dean with European uppercuts. Dean body slammed Cash and then dropped an elbow on him. Cash caught Dean in midair and planted him hard on the mat. Dax tagged in and superplexed Carlie Bravo!

The Infantry hit beautiful tandem offense on Dax Wheeler, almost scoring an upset. Dean DDT’ed Cash. Dax inadvertently collided into Cash and Carlie rolled up a dazed Dax for a near fall. FTR recovered with the Shatter Machine on Carlie and scored the pin, advancing to the next round!

TNT Champion Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe, and Eddie Kingston were backstage!

Copeland: “House of Black, I know my championship makes me a marked man! You want to get in my business? I’ve got some backup. Why don’t you face us April 21st at AEW Dynasty!”

Briscoe: “At Dynasty, House of Black, you guys picked the wrong three!”

Kingston: “House of Black, after Dynasty, you’re going to be spitting blood and teeth!”

Kyle O’Reilly vs. The Workhorsemen’s JD Drake!

“This is Kyle’s second match back after neck surgery,” said Schiavone.

Drake drilled Kyle with a dropkick. Kyle dodged a Vader Bomb from Drake. Kyle pummeled Drake with violent round kicks and then swept out Drake’s leg. Kyle smashed Drake with an ax kick. Kyle applied an arm bar and Drake tapped out!

“Now 2-0 on his comeback trail,” said Schiavone.

The Undisputed Kingdom got in the ring, hoisted Kyle on their shoulders, and helped him celebrate his victory.

East Bracket: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match!

Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin

vs.

“Absolute” Ricky Starks & Big Bill!

The winning team faces the winner of FTR vs. The Infantry.

“Boys, Starks and Big Bill are back to reclaim their tag team titles,” said Nigel.

Starks took down Darius with an arm drag. Dante tagged in and crashed into Starks with a clothesline. Big Bill grabbed a tag, but Dante used his quickness and chopped Bill. This only angered the monster, as Big Bill served up a chest chop of his own. Top Flight hit a double dropkick on Big Bill! They followed up with a double dropkick to Starks!

Starks grabbed Darius’ leg from outside the ring, tripping up Darius. Big Bill blasted Darius with a pump kick. Big Bill splashed Dante in the corner. Big Bill tried a second time, but this time Dante dodged it. Dante jumped off the top turnbuckle and wiped out Big Bill!

Darius tagged in and used the turnbuckles for a wallwalk moonsault on Starks. Dante almost scored with a headstand pin on Starks. Darius blocked a spear from Starks. Darius used Dante as a launching pad, spiked Starks with a DDT, and scored the pin!

Top Flight are advancing to the next round!

“What a win! What an incredible win! What a major upset this is!” said Schiavone.

“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels was backstage!

Daniels: “Now I’ve been AEW since day one but in this company, it’s not how long you’ve been here, it’s about who you’ve beat. Malakai Black, are you man enough for a face to face challenge? How about this Friday on Rampage, Christopher Daniels against Malakai Black?”

Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Frost!

Thunder Rosa chopped Lady Frost in the corner. Lady Frost fired back with a quick right hand. Lady Frost stomped Rosa in the corner. Thunder Rosa retaliated with a running lariat. Thunder Rosa used a drop toe hold on Lady Frost. Thunder Rosa blasted Frost with a running dropkick!

The fans chanted “Thunder Rosa! Thunder Rosa! Thunder Rosa!”

Lady Frost rallied back with a Chiller Driller for a near fall, almost scoring a major upset. Thunder Rosa retaliated with a backstabber and a Tijuana Bomb, pinning Lady Frost!

“Thunder Rosa with another win! And she earned that win, as Lady Frost came to fight,” said Tony Schiavone.

Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther!

Renee: “Some breaking news, next week number one and number two in our rankings will be facing off against one another for a future shot at your AEW Women’s World Championship.”

Toni: “And?!”

Renee: “It’s Thunder Rosa and Mariah May.”

Toni: “Was this the plan all along Mariah? Is this what you’ve been plotting for months?”

Toni kissed Mariah on the lips.

Toni: “You magnificent bastard! Genius! I see myself in you and I love me! Thunder Rosa, you should have retired as champion. You will never get to sniff this leather again!”

Main Event Time! Trios Match!

“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer & The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent

vs.

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Katsuyori Shibata!

Shibata jumped on Archer’s back with a sleeper. Archer chucked Shibata to the mat. Shibata ducked a big boot from Archer. Dutch tagged in, and Claudio entered the ring. Claudio powered Dutch into the corner. Dutch kicked Claudio and body slammed Claudio.

Claudio picked up Dutch, slammed him, and then stomped on Dutch. Bryan tagged in and slugged it out with Vincent. Danielson flew to the outside with a tope on Dutch! Danielson jumped off the apron with a diving knee to Archer!

Dutch body slammed Archer on Danielson. Archer body slammed Dutch on Danielson. Dutch planted Danielson with the Bossman slam for a near fall! Danielson tried to fight back with a shotgun dropkick off the top to Dutch. Danielson made the tag to Claudio!

Claudio and Archer traded lariats. Claudio took down Archer with a hurracanrana. Claudio was looking for the Giant Swing on Archer but the Righteous ran in to break it up. Shibata ran in and charged at both members of the Righteous with dropkicks in the corner. Shibata and Claudio hit tandem offense on Archer. Claudio captured Archer in the Giant Swing! Claudio locked Archer in the Sharp Shooter! Dutch jumped in and broke it up.

Shibata dumped the Righteous out of the ring. When Shibata turned around, Archer booted Shibata. Archer planted Claudio with a chokeslam. Vincent smashed Claudio with the Death From Above for a near fall!

Shibata lit up Vincent with forearms. Shibata suplexed Vincent and then applied a cross arm breaker. Dutch broke up the submission. Shibata applied a sleeper on Vincent in the center of the ring. Shibata clocked Vincent with the PK and pinned Vincent!

“Shibata, Claudio, and Danielson win the trios match! This is AEW! Where the best wrestle!” said Schiavone.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from DCU Center in Worcester, MA featuring:

-Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May!

-A Battle of Wills: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Will Ospreay!

-Chris Jericho calls out HOOK!

-AEW World Trios Champ Daddy Ass vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champ Jay White!

-AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals: Young Bucks vs. Best Friends!

-AEW Dynasty Contract Signing: AEW World Champ Samoa Joe & Swerve Strickland sign on the dotted line for their AEW World Championship Match taking place at Dynasty!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/W8bxCukt88k?si=6xxBDXP-MNch9BQ1

This Saturday COLLISION is back to its regular schedule, and with it comes a loaded night of action from the greatest professional wrestlers on the planet! It’s going down in London, ON, Canada at the Budweiser Gardens, and features two East Bracket bouts in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament, each involving a former AEW World Tag Championship duo! Plus Adam Copeland reignites the Cope Open, only now it will be with his newly-won TNT Championship on the line, and fresh off their excursion to CMLL on Friday night, The Blackpool Combat Club will be in Trios action against The Righteous and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer! All that, and plenty more, is coming your way this Saturday night as All Elite Wrestling heads down the road to DYNASTY 2024 in St. Louis!

The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and fans around the world can get prepared by visiting the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to watch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then come join us next Wednesday in Worcester, MA at the DCU Center stacked DYNAMITE featuring The Young Bucks versus Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta in the Semi-Finals of the World Tag Title Tournament!

EAST BRACKET: WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…

FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The Infantry (Capt. Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo)

***FACES WINNER OF TOP FLIGHT VS. STARKS/BIG BILL***

Though they owe a debt of gratitude to Mark Briscoe for helping to facilitate their victory over The House of Black in the Wild Card Round, The Infantry of Carlie Bravo and Capt. Shawn Dean find themselves in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament, and faced with one of the greatest teams in professional wrestling history. It’s the biggest moment in their entire tag team career, and it plays out before the entire world this Saturday on COLLISION.

FTR, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, had a Hall of Fame resume before they debuted for All Elite Wrestling, and since coming into AEW in the fall of 2020, have only bolstered that resume with two AEW World Tag Team Championship reigns, a ROH World Tag Team Championship reign, a AAA World Tag Title reign, and an IWGP World Tag Title reign. They are perpetually in the conversation of which team in AEW is the best, and have been on the hunt for a third AEW World Tag reign since Big Bill and Ricky Starks defeated them last October. 

For both FTR and The Infantry, this Saturday night is a pivotal moment in their careers, and though it’s obvious why that is the case for Carlie Bravo and Capt. Shawn Dean, perhaps it’s less so for the case of FTR. The fact that they’ve already won so many championships in their tag team career doesn’t mean Dax and Cash aren’t always gunning for another run atop the division, it doesn’t make any victory mean less because they’ve been there before, in fact it’s quite the opposite. FTR know how much it means to be hold the AEW World Tag Titles, they know what that experience is like, and they crave having it once again by coming out on the top of this tournament.

So will we see FTR add more accolades to their championship resume, or will The Infantry find another way to upset the apple cart and move on to the Semi-Final round of the East Bracket? The winner of this contest will meet either Top Flight or Big Bill and Ricky Starks in that round, and it’s a safe bet who FTR would want to fight should they advance to the Semi’s!

EAST BRACKET: WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…

Big Bill & Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)

***FACES WINNER OF FTR/INFANTRY***

Big Bill and Ricky Starks have not been seen inside an AEW ring since the February 7th edition of DYNAMITE when Darby Allin and Sting defeated them for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Starks, generally a prolific poster on his social media, hasn’t shared anything since February 25th, while Big Bill has only shared posts about upcoming AEW events. Overall they’ve been quite quiet, leading to a whole lot of speculation about their status in All Elite Wrestling, and their status as a team. They were never a duo made up of best friends, they aren’t brothers or related in any fashion, they were simply allies of convenience who ended up making a tremendous team, and tasted rapid success by claiming the AEW World Tag Titles from FTR in their second fight as a tag team. 

Overall Bill and Ricky went 6-0 as a team prior to losing the titles to Darby and Sting, defeating two different BCC teams, The Dark Order of Reynolds and Silver, Jericho and Guevera, FTR of course, and won the FULL GEAR 2023 Ladder Match over three other tag teams, but one team they never faced during that time was Top Flight. 

So given the silence from Big Bill and Ricky Starks, it came as a bit of a surprise when they were announced as participants in this tournament to crown new champions after Darby vacated the titles in the aftermath of Sting’s REVOLUTION 2024 retirement. But here the former champions are, ready to get back into the hunt this Saturday night on COLLISION, and they kick off this campaign to regain the titles with a first-time bout against Top Flight.

It’s been over a year since the lone AEW World Tag Title opportunity that Dante and Darius ever had, a loss to The Gunns on the 3/22/23 edition of DYNAMITE, and they would love to run the table on this tournament and finally rise to the top of AEW’s stacked tag team division! Will it be the former champions who advance on Saturday, or the two young men who’ve never held a championship in AEW or ROH? The winner of this one faces the winner of the aforementioned FTR/Infantry battle also taking place on COLLISION…

COPE OPEN TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Adam Copeland(c) vs. ????

He was battered and bruised, broken and bloody, but it certainly felt like Adam Copeland had rarely been happier than he was in the aftermath of his TNT Championship victory over Christian Cage. Making his former best friend, a man his children called Uncle, say the words “I Quit” brought a sense of relief and satisfaction to Cope, but also the realization that the work had only just begun. Everything it took to get the TNT Championship, the wear and tear it put on his body, the heartbreak it put on his family, it was all just part one of the journey.

Part two begins this Saturday night on COLLISION when Adam begins The Cope Open anew only now with the TNT Championship at stake! It’s a return to how the TNT Championship was first introduced, and how it was carried by nearly every champion not named Christian Cage. Men like Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara carried on an Open Challenge tradition for that belt, and that is reborn now that the title is around the waist of a stand-up competitor like Adam Copeland!

That question is who will step up to the challenge and try to wrestle the TNT Championship away from Adam in his first defense? Previous Cope Open competitors included Dante Martin and Minoru Suzuki, each pushing Adam in different fashions, so who will it be this time? Will it be another young talent trying to break through to the next level? Will it be a well-established warrior looking for a title they’ve never held? Or maybe someone from outside the auspices of All Elite Wrestling hoping to earn their way in as Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston did in the early days of the TNT Championship? 

It’s an exciting thing to speculate on just who may step up to the plate and take a swing at Adam Copeland’s TNT Championship, but will it be a gamble that blows up in the defending champion’s face?

TROIS BOUT…

“The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) vs.

Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli) and Katsuyori Shibata

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1G7tE_vacoo?si=MTb3dUN6VOtumN2Y

Two weeks ago on COLLISION, Claudio Castagnoli and Lance Archer met in a battle of AEW behemoths, but unfortunately the bout came to an unsatisfying conclusion for all as The Righteous assaulted Castagnoli just as he began to Giant Swing “The Murderhawk Monster”! Bryan Danielson tried to stem the assault, but he got dropped by The Righteous as well. It was only the arrival of Katsuyori Shibata, and the chair he had in hand, that sent Dutch, Vincent, and Archer heading for the hills.

That assist was a tremendous show of respect from “The Wrestler”, stemming from the fight he and Bryan had earlier in the night, and now that sign of respect has blossomed into a full-blown alliance, at least for one night, as he teams with Bryan and Claudio to take on Archer and The Righteous in Trios competition!

The two BCC members are fresh off a fight at Arena Mexico for CMLL’s HOMENAJE A DOS LEYENDAS event, having hopped on a flight to Canada early Saturday morning to get to London for this fight, but there are no excuses when it comes to The Blackpool Combat Club, and they will be ready to throw down on COLLISION! Archer and The Righteous have a slight experience advantage as a Trio, but is it enough to overcome the onslaught that Shibata and The BCC will bring to bear?

FIGHTING LIKE A CHAMPION…

Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Frost

Last time she set foot in the ring, Thunder Rosa accomplished something no one else had done since GRAND SLAM 2023 when she pinned Toni Storm’s shoulders to the mat for a tag team victory. It may not have sat well with Deonna Purrazzo, that forced tag that got Thunder into the match in the first place, but it was a win for their team nonetheless, though Rosa’s “when I win you can have the first shot” comment could be taken as rather condescending.

That’s an issue for another time though, right now is time for Thunder Rosa to prepare for another fight on her road back to the top of AEW’s Women’s Division, not to celebrate her seventh consecutive victory since returning from a near career ending injury. This Saturday she steps into the ring with Lady Frost, a woman she’s never faced in AEW and only encountered once in their careers back in May 2021, and someone who has been on the cusp of breaking out with her incredible combination of heart, skill, and athleticism. She’s gave Kris Statlander two tremendous fights in TBS Championship bouts, and one to Julia Hart as well, not to mention the battles with Mariah May and Serena Deeb this year, but Frost hasn’t quite been able to put it together for a victory quite yet. 

Will Saturday night be the night Lady Frost finds the key to her first AEW win, or will she be another brick in Thunder Rosa’s road a championship fight with “Timeless” Toni Storm?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eRQKx_wWgsE?si=809bOPDqLYhK4Aay

With two AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final bouts, a TNT Championship contest, and The BCC in Trios action against The Righteous and Lance Archer, COLLISION is bringing a wild one to London, ON, Canada and the Budweiser Gardens! The night gets underway 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and fans everywhere can get ready for it all by swinging by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media outlets, to catch highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE and Friday’s RAMPAGE, as well as the CONTROL CENTER with Tony Schiavone! Then meet All Elite Wrestling next Wednesday at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA for a loaded episode of DYNAMITE featuring another Don Callis Family clash, this time between Will Ospreay and Powerhouse Hobbs!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RGrTWzsUELE?si=1TTktPGv-ZapW9VH

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone.

It’s Friday night and you know what that means!

This…is…Rampage!

Grudge Match!

“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. The Butcher!

Butcher escaped a back slide from Dustin. Butcher charged at Dustin, but Dustin used a low bridge to send Butcher out of the ring. Dustin followed up with a running lariat on the arena floor. Dustin wiped out Butcher with a dragon screw leg whip.

Butcher lured in Dustin and yanked Dustin’s arm over the top rope. Butcher kicked Dustin in the midsection. Butcher rammed Dustin shoulder-first into the turnbuckles. Butcher blasted Dustin with a shoulder tackle. Butcher smashed Dustin’s hand on the steel ring steps. Butcher whipped Dustin into the steel ring post.

Butcher planted Dustin with a back breaker. Dustin rallied back with a Code Red for a near fall! Butcher rammed Dustin with headbutts to the shoulder. Dustin retaliated with a running lariat. Dustin dropped to his knees and connected with an uppercut. 

Dustin stunned Butcher with a powerslam! Butcher came back with a cross face submission, but Dustin used his long legs to get his foot on the bottom rope to force the break. Butcher booted Dustin in the left shoulder. Dustin drilled Butcher with the Cross Rhodes! Dustin smashed Butcher with the Final Reckoning and scored the pin!

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Rose!

Deonna backed Rose into the corner. Deonna took Rose to the mat with a side headlock takeover. Deonna wrenched on Rose’s leg and faceplanted Rose into the mat. Deonna picked apart Rose, working on Rose’s arm. 

Rose had Deonna reeling with some strikes, but Deonna rallied back with a Russian leg sweep. Deonna punished Rose with chops. Rose tried for a roundhouse kick, but Deonna ducked it and clobbered Rose with a pump kick! Deonna wrenched back on Rose’s arm and forced Rose to tap out!

“Deonna did not even have to grab the other arm,” said Tony Schiavone. 

“Rose had no choice but to tap out,” replied Excalibur.

Mariah May vs. Nikita!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm walked out with Mariah, along with Luther. 

Toni Storm: “Good evening. My name is ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm and I am your AEW Women’s World Champion. But unfortunately, I have some devastating news. I am not able to compete tonight. I have injured my hamstring, and I won’t dare tell you how. Nevertheless, my place is my protégé, Mariah May. On with the show!”

Mariah May hit a shoulder tackle on Nikita. Mariah yanked Nikita to the mat with a handful of hair. Mariah blasted Nikita with a shotgun dropkick. 

Mariah May punished Nikita with another dropkick to the back. Nikita swung at Mariah with elbow strikes. Nikita chopped Mariah in the corner and followed up with a running bulldog. Mariah May headbutted Nikita for a near fall. 

Mariah May squashed Nikita with a running hip attack in the corner! Mariah planted Nikita with May Day and pinned Nikita!

“Toni Storm is very appreciative of the efforts of her understudy Mariah May,” said Excalibur.

“She should be because at 6-0 Mariah May is a juggernaut in the women’s division,” replied Tony Schiavone. 

Main Event Time!

AEW International Championship Eliminator Match!

The Undisputed Kingdom’s Roderick Strong (c.) (with ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)

vs.

“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard!

Strong took down Menard with an arm drag. Menard shoved Roddy and then rocked Roddy with an elbow strike. Menard followed Roderick outside the ring and swarmed Roderick with strikes. Taven and Bennett tried to distract Menard and as he was fending them off, Roderick snuck in a cheap shot. 

Roderick smashed Menard with a back breaker right on the edge of the ring! Roddy whipped Menard into the barricade. Back in the ring, Roddy stomped on Menard. Roderick continued to target the taped ribs of Matt Menard. 

Daddy Magic rallied back with multiple lariats to Strong, bouncing the champ around the ring! Roddy countered a piledriver with a back drop. Menard slipped behind Strong and cradled him for a near fall. Roderick Strong fired back with a rib breaker on Menard, but Menard kicked out at the two-count!

Menard put Strong in a Boston Crab, taking a page out of Rick Martel’s playbook! Taven jumped on the ring apron to try to distract Menard. Roderick charged at Menard, Menard moved, and Roddy stopped just in time, narrowly avoiding Taven. Menard rocked Roddy with a cutter and covered him, but Roddy got his boot on the bottom rope!

Taven and Bennett jumped on the apron again, and Menard wiped them out! When Menard turned around, Strong was there to take advantage of the distraction and caught Menard on the chin with a jumping knee strike! Roddy covered Menard and pinned him!

“The numbers were too great for Menard,” said Excalibur.

Taven and Bennett continued to assault Menard after the bell! Roderick brought in a steel chair. The Undisputed Kingdom were about to use the chair on Menard when Orange Cassidy and Trent ran down to even up the odds! Trent speared Bennett! Cassidy nailed Taven with the Orange Punch!

Trent and Orange hugged, giving the people what they wanted! And then EVPs Nicholas and Matthew Jackson—the Young Bucks, ambushed Trent and Orange with low blows! The Bucks bashed Trent and Orange with a double EVP Trigger, sandwiching the Best Friends with brutality! 

“Matthew and Nicholas Jackson have gone absolutely made with power,” said Excalibur.

Don’t miss AEW Collision live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON featuring:

–AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight!

-Kyle O’Reilly in action!

-AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: FTR vs. The Infantry!

-Trios Match: The Righteous & Lance Archer vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Katsuyori Shibata!

-The return of the “Cope Open!” TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland will put his championship on the line!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!

This past Wednesday night AEW came to Quebec City for the first time, and what a tremendous night of action came with that debut! Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay kicked off the night with a tremendous fight that truly tested the mettle of “The Aerial Assassin” en route to his victory, and the evening closed with another top shelf contest between Konosuke Takeshita and Swerve Strickland that earned Swerve the #1 Contender position to Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship!

In addition, fans watched both The Young Bucks and the Orange Cassidy/Trent Beretta tandem advance in the West Bracket of the AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, and Willow Nightingale earn a TBS Championship fight at DYNASTY 2024 on April 21st!

Back on TNT at 10pm ET/9pm CT, RAMPAGE goes down this Friday night in Quebec City, and features the Undisputed Kingdom in action as AEW International Champion Roderick Strong takes on Quebec’s own “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard in an Eliminator bout, and Dustin Rhodes battles The Butcher, while both Mariah May and “The Virtuosa” will be in singles action! Before the fights begin, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media sites, to catch highlights from Wednesday night’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then be sure to join AEW this Saturday night in London, ON for COLLISION’s return featuring the The BCC & Shibata versus Lance Archer & The Righteous!

ELIMINATOR MATCH…

AEW International Champion Roderick Strong vs. “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard

At REVOLUTION 2024 Roderick Strong ended the second AEW International Championship reign of Orange Cassidy, but in the weeks since has not been in a championship situation. He, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett took down Action Andretti and Top Flight a few weeks ago, but Roddy has not been a situation where his title has been in the balance. That changes this Friday night on RAMPAGE when, in an Eliminator bout, Roderick Strong takes on Quebec’s own “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard!

An Eliminator bout means that if Menard can defeat Strong he will earn a future International Championship match, a first for his AEW career as Menard has never challenged for an AEW singles championship. That’s not to say he hasn’t been in this position before, he last fought in an Eliminator Match against Jon Moxley on the 10/28/22 edition of RAMPAGE, but he’s never managed to secure a title match in the singles field.

But with a strong home field advantage over Roderick, with Quebec City rallying behind him, this Friday night could be the night that “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard gets closer to achieving his own championship dreams! 

ONE-ON-ONE…

“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. The Butcher

Dating back to the earliest days of All Elite Wrestling, there have been issues aplenty between The Butcher and “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes. They first stepped into the ring opposite one another 1/15/20 edition of DYNAMITE, a Trios match uniting Butcher and Blade with MJF as they defeated Dustin, QT Marshal, and Diamond Dallas Page, but that wasn’t their last encounter. Butcher and Blade would fall to The Natural Nightmares in a Bunkhouse Match on the 11/11/20 DYNAMITE, and they would cross paths many times over the next three-plus years in Battle Royals, and even a wild eight-man tag from the 12/16/22 edition of RAMPAGE. 

Yet in all that the two men never met in singles competition, but that changes this Friday night on RAMPAGE when the challenge made on DYNAMITE culminates in a head-to-head clash between “The Natural” and Butch! Rhodes, in many ways, is as good as he’s ever been, the vast experience and knowledge he’s gained over thirty-five years balancing out the things that age inevitably takes away, making Dustin just as dangerous a foe as he was twenty-five years ago!

As for Butcher, his experience level pales in comparison to “The Natural”, but he’s spent his entire tenure in AEW learning, growing, and honing his body into a crumb-crippling machine. Whether it’s in tag team competition with The Blade, or in his occasional singles bouts, The Butcher continues to grow by leaps-and-bounds with every fight, and his power may just be the key ingredient to pulling out a victory over “The Natural” in RAMPAGE’s opening contest!

ALSO FEATURING:

  • MARIAH MAY (W/ TONI STORM & LUTHER) IN ACTION! 
  • “THE VIRTUOSA” DEONNA PURRAZZO IN SINGLES COMPETITION!!
  • AND MORE!!!

This Friday night RAMPAGE is back at its regularly scheduled time and network, 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, and what an hour of action AEW has in store for its faithful fans. AEW International Champion Roderick Strong steps into the ring to face “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard in an Eliminator Match, meaning if Menard wins than he will get a future title match with Roddy! Plus, as we saw in their confrontation on Wednesday night, Dustin Rhodes and The Butcher renew their old rivalry in a one-on-one fight, and both Mariah May and Deonna Purrazzo will be in singles competition! 

Before the bell rings, drop on by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch highlights from DYNAMITE, plus previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join All Elite Wrestling this Saturday night in London, ON for an all-new COLLISION featuring the East Bracket Quarter-Finals in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament!

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!

Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!

“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata!

Will shot in for a single leg but Shibata defended and mounted Will. Shibata grounded Will on the mat and went for a cross arm breaker, but Will got to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Ospreay and Shibata chain wrestled, British style. Shibata went for the PK, but Will dodged it!

Shibata cracked Will with forearms, but Will charged at Shibata with a dropkick, taking Shibata off his feet. Will battered Shibata with forearms and then dropkicked Shibata in the corner, taking pages out of Shibata’s playbook. Ospreay jumped over the top rope and connected with a crossbody press to Shibata on the floor. 

As Ospreay was getting back into the ring, Shibata caught Ospreay flush in the face with a running front kick! Shibata suplexed Will on the arena floor and then blasted Will with a brutal round kick to Will’s back!

Shibata applied a figure four leg lock on Ospreay, but Ospreay was able to counter it and escaped. They got to their feet and Will chopped Shibata. Shibata answered with a suplex.

“This is a rematch seven years in the making,” said Excalibur.

Shibata whipped Will into the barricade. Will springboarded off the barricade and connected with a forearm shot to Shibata. Will followed up with another springboard forearm into the ring. Shibata nailed Will with a forearm and Will crumbled into a heap on the mat. Shibata jabbed and chopped Will, breaking him down in the corner. Shibata rocked Will with his trademark running dropkick in the corner. 

Ospreay connected with a thrust kick. Shibata anticipated Will’s next move and countered with an STF. Will reached to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the submission. Ospreay intercepted Shibata’s PK. They traded forearm strikes in the center of the ring. Ospreay had a surge of adrenaline and smashed Shibata in the back of the head with a jumping high round kick! 

Shibata locked Will in a sleeper and then suplexed Will. Shibata put the sleeper back on, but Ospreay fought out of it and stomped Shibata on the back of the head! Will smashed Shibata with the Os-Cutter but Shibata kicked out at the one-count!

Will hit a back drop suplex and then wiped out Shibata with a back elbow uppercut. Will walloped Shibata with a Tiger Driver and then finished Shibata off with the Hidden Blade, pinning Shibata!

“What a war we witnessed here tonight,” said Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson!

Matthew said they had some goals when they returned to AEW. The first was to retire Sting, and the second was to restructure the Elite, and they did that by bringing in Okada. Matthew said his biggest goal is to get their AEW World Tag Team Championships back. And they’re going to beat Private Party tonight to get one step closer to getting their titles back. 

The Continental Champion “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada pulled up in an exotic sports car for the next match!

AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!

The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson

vs.

Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen!

Private Party wiped out the Bucks with stereo tope suicidas. Matthew whipped Zay over the barricade. Private Party fired back with the Silly String off the barricade onto Matthew. Nicholas planted Quen with a Falcon Arrow off the barricade! The Bucks were trying to win by count out.

Zay helped Mark Quen back into the ring, breaking the ref’s count. Nicholas suplexed Quen onto Matthew’s knees. Brother Zay got the hot tag, scored with a thrust kick to Matthew and then did a moonsault onto Nicholas who was on the arena floor!

Nicholas nailed Quen with a German Suplex. Nicholas planted Quen with a suplex on the edge of the ring. Private Party rallied back with the Gin & Juice on Nicholas!

“Perfection by Private Party,” said Taz.

Private Party hit the More Bang for Your Buck on Matthew, but Nicholas jumped in to break up the pin attempt! Nicholas grabbed the ring bell and brought it into the ring, but the ref pulled it out of Nicholas’ hands. As the ref was distracted, Nicholas kicked Zay with a low blow! Quen took one of the title belts off the podium and cracked Matthew in the head with it. Zay went to pin Matthew, but Nicholas grabbed Matthew’s leg and put Matthew’s foot on the rope to break the pin.

Quen attempted a 630 splash on Matthew, but Matthew dodged it. Nicholas tagged in and they blasted Quen with the EVP Trigger and pinned him!

“The Bucks move on, boys,” said Taz.

A video aired of Darby Allin with Tony Hawk, talking about how much skateboarding meant to them growing up, and the impact it had on their lives. Visit skatepark.org for more information on how you can help out.

Renee Paquette was backstage with FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho!

Jericho said he’s never been in the ring with anyone quite like Hook. Jericho, with 33 years of experience in the ring, said he’d be happy to help Hook sharpen his skills and become the World Champion that he knows Hook can be. 

“If you want my advice, I’m here for you,” said Jericho.

Hook: “I appreciate your praise, Chris. And of course I’ll take advice from you, you’re Chris Jericho. But you are Chris Jericho. I know who you are.”

Jericho: “Okay, and I know who you are. But more importantly, I know who you can be.”

Hook: “Let’s get it.”

Jericho: “Let’s get it.”

TBS Championship #1 Contender Match!

Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay

“The CEO” Mercedes Moné was on commentary for this match.

Skye Blue caught Kris out of the gate with a thrust kick. Anna caught Willow with a kick to the chin. Willow splashed Anna in the corner and followed up with a lariat. Skye Blue planted Willow with a DDT.

Statlander body slammed Blue and rocked her with a sliding lariat. Statlander went for a body slam on Anna, but Anna escaped. Statlander knocked Anna down with a shoulder tackle. Skye Blue tripped up Kris from outside the ring, but Willow was there to pounce Skye!

“A blindside pounce!” said Excalibur.

Willow was right in front of Mercedes when she pounced Skye. Mercedes and Willow locked eyes. Mercedes smirked at Willow, neither backing down.

Back in the ring, Kris fought off Skye Blue and Anna Jay. Anna Jay superplexed Kris and covered her but Willow hit Anna with a senton to break up the pin. Skye blasted Willow with the Code Blue, but Statlander broke it up. Kris cracked Blue with a back breaker. Willow walloped Anna Jay with a shotgun dropkick. 

Skye shoved Kris into Willow. Willow countered a dragon suplex attempt by Skye on the apron by drilling Skye with a Death Valley Driver on the apron! Willow power bombed Anna Jay and pinned Anna Jay!

TBS Champion Julia Hart jumped into the ring, blindsiding Willow by smacking Willow with Julia’s championship belt! Julia held her belt high, and she and Mercedes had a stare down!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview the legendary Dustin Rhodes! 

Dustin said he’s started 2024 off with a bang. Dustin said at 55 years old, he’s just as passionate about wrestling as he’s ever been.

The Butcher interrupted Dustin! Butcher challenged Dustin to a match for Friday’s Rampage! Dustin accepted, saying Butcher will find out why Dustin is a “Natural born legend!”

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm paid a visit to the studios of Turner Classic Movies and Ben Mankiewicz, the host of Turner Classic Movies!

Toni told Mankiewicz to watch out for the shoe and then tossed it over her head as she walked off the set.

AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!

The Undisputed Kingdom—ROH World Tag Team Champs Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with International Champion Roderick Strong)

vs.

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta (with Chuck Taylor)!

Orange decked Taven! Bennett took Trent off his feet with a lariat. Trent flew out of the ring with a tope and took out Taven. Bennet jumped out of the ring and wiped out Trent. Orange took to the skies and jumped off the top turnbuckle, his hands in his pockets, and crashed onto Taven and Bennett!

Trent drove Bennett down with a double knee strike. Taven rocked Trent with a thrust kick. Bennett spiked Trent with a piledriver on the apron!

Orange Cassidy grabbed a tag and hit Bennett with a cross body press. Orange served one up for Taven! Orange blasted Bennett with the Stun Dog Millionaire! Taven came in and pulped Orange with a running knee strike! Taven and Bennett hit the Proton Pack, with Bennett covering Orange for a near fall!

Trent spiked Taven with a DDT! And Orange followed up with a DDT on Taven! Trent nailed Taven with a running knee strike! Strong jumped on the ring apron but Chuck Taylor pulled him back down! Roddy wiped out Taylor with his right hand! Roddy jumped into the ring to get away from Orange, dropped his title in the process, and jumped out. Orange chased after Roddy and connected with an elbow suicida!

The ref was removing the International Title from the ring when Taven and Bennett had Trent set up for their finisher. As the ref was distracted, Chuck knocked Taven off the turnbuckles. Trent rolled up Bennett with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!

“What a win!” said Schiavone. 

“Interesting turn of events but congrats to Cassidy and Trent,” said Taz.

Orange, Trent, and Chuck were about to give the people what they want—the big hug, when The Bucks’ music hit! Nicholas and Matthew Jackson walked onto the ramp and stared at Orange and Trent! 

Next week on Dynamite it’ll be the Young Bucks against the Best Friends in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Kyle O’Reilly!

Kyle said it felt good to rip the band-aid off with his return match and victory against “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith. Kyle said AEW has a deep roster and there’s no such thing as an easy match. He said he loves the Undisputed Kingdom but he’s going to prove he can do it without them again this week on Collision. 

Main Event Time!

“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (with Don Callis) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!

Swerve rolled up Takeshita for a near fall. Swerve was looking for the short arm scissors, but Takeshita got to the ropes. Takeshita connected with the Takeshita-line!

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe was watching the match on a monitor backstage, obviously having a keen interesting in this number one contender’s match.

Swerve blasted Takeshita with a diving European uppercut to the back of Takeshita’s neck. Swerve rocked Takeshita with a neck breaker over the middle rope. Swerve followed up with a backbreaker, but Takeshita fired back with a brain buster on Swerve!

Swerve nailed Takeshita with a German Suplex, but Takeshita got right to his feet and knocked Swerve’s block off with a devastating forearm! Swerve launched into a hurracanrana over the top rope and onto Takeshita on the floor!

Swerve followed up with a big diving cross body, but Takeshita kicked out at the one-count. Takeshita smoked Swerve with a knockout shot! Takeshita nailed Swerve with a running knee strike. Takeshita flipped over the top rope and landed hard on Swerve!

Takeshita hoisted up Swerve for a brain buster on the top turnbuckle, but Swerve fought out of it. Takeshita headbutted Swerve in the ribs. Swerve chopped out the legs out Takeshita with swift kicks. Swerve drilled Takeshita with a DDT off the turnbuckles! Swerve splashed Takeshita with a sky twister for a near fall!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Takeshita fired back with a reverse hurracanrana and followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall on Swerve! 

“Takeshita can’t believe Swerve kicked out of that,” said Taz.

Swerve clobbered Takeshita with a straight right hand! Takeshita stunned Swerve with a jumping knee strike! Swerve planted Takeshita on the crown of his head! Swerve squashed Takeshita with the Swerve Stomp on the apron! Swerve returned to the top, jumped at Takeshita, but Takeshita countered with a powerbomb! Swerve escaped a brain buster attempt, but Takeshita was prepared with a wheelbarrow suplex to Swerve. Takeshita flattened Swerve with a Power Drive Knee, but Swerve kicked out at the two-count!

Takeshita was looking for an avalanche blue thunder, but Swerve knocked Takeshita down to the mat. Takeshita avoided the Swerve Stomp. Swerve countered a blue thunder bomb attempt, sending Takeshita into the corner turnbuckles. Swerve rocked Takeshita with the House Call kick! Swerve hit the Swerve Stomp, but Takeshita kicked out! Takeshita blasted Swerve with a jumping knee strike. Swerve countered a pop-up power bomb attempt with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve planted Takeshita with the Big Pressure and pinned Takeshita!

“Well, if that isn’t a 5-star match, I don’t know what is,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Renee Paquette interviewed AEW World Champion Samoa Joe after the match, asking for his thoughts about facing Swerve Strickland. 

Samoa Joe: “You should ask him how he’s feeling right now. Next week, Swerve, when you walk down to that ring and sign onto that dotted line, I am going to make sure that you understand what you are asking for. You think you’re ready. No, no, you’re not that man.”

“Swerve Strickland will face Samoa Joe at Dynasty for the AEW World Championship on Sunday, April 21st, live on pay-per-view!” said Excalibur. 

This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET!

Don’t miss AEW Collision live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON featuring:

–AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight!

-Kyle O’Reilly in action!

-AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: FTR vs. The Infantry!

-Trios Match: The Righteous & Lance Archer vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Katsuyori Shibata!

-The return of the “Cope Open!” TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland will put his championship on the line!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/8ZcTzn-Y46s?si=UVZGy95wdSvAtFQy

Last Wednesday night was jam-packed with three hours of AEW programming, starting with our traditional two hours of DYNAMITE, then immediately followed by RAMPAGE as it aired on a special night! During those three hours, the AEW faithful witnessed Adam Copeland earn back the TNT Championship by going through a hellacious “I Quit” match with Christian Cage, and saw Kazuchika Okada defeat Eddie Kingston to claim the AEW Continental Championship! In addition, Skye Blue and TBS Champion Julia Hart beat Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale in a Street Fight,  Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta won their Wild Card bout in the Tag Title Tournament, and FTW Champion HOOK defeated Chris Jericho!

This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, live from Quebec City, QC and the Centre Videotron, we will witness a rematch seven years in the making, one that many thought would never come to pass, when Katsuyori Shibata takes on Will Ospreay! Plus, Konosuke Takeshita will go head-to-head with Swerve Strickland, and the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament begin when The Young Bucks meet Private Party!

Then join All Elite Wrestling in London, ON for Saturday’s COLLISION, live from the Budweiser Gardens,  for The Infantry versus FTR in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, and so much more!

SEVEN YEARS IN THE WAITING…

“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata

https://www.youtube.com/embed/3dQBznYxdtE?si=rrep4c1E74Wt3uSb&start=91

Eleven matches; that is how many times Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay stepped into the ring between January 5th and February 11th of 2017. Seven of those times it was Shibata who came out on top, but only one of those victories came in the form of a singles match, the very last one at NJPW’s THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA 2017 event. The other ten matches were all fought in trios and multi-man bouts, all save that RevPro British Heavyweight Championship fight on February 11th won by Shibata, but unfortunately a rematch never came to pass as Shibata’s career came to an end just two months later after an IWGP Heavyweight Title fight with Kazuchika Okada at SAKURA GENESIS 2017. 

Then the unimaginable happened; four years and six months later, during the G1 CLIMAX 2021 tour, Shibata shocked the world when he stepped into the ring with Zack Sabre Jr. for a five minute Grappling Rules contest! Two and a half months later, at WRESTLE KINGDOM 16, Shibata would get back into the ring with Ren Narita for a full-blow professional wrestling match, then ten months later, on the 11/4/22 edition of RAMPAGE, Shibata would make his in-ring debut for AEW in an International Championship loss to Orange Cassidy. Given the time between those two matches, it was reasonable to question whether or not Shibata was returning to full-time competition or if those were just a couple matches to test his own limits. The answer came on March 31, 2023 when, at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 event, Shibata won the ROH Pure Championship from Wheeler Yuta, and spent the next eight months tearing it up on both AEW and ROH events, as well as traveling to RevPro for their 11TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yw0msvngt1U?si=cIJ-TtOxcPT0q3Aa&start=91

After losing the Pure Championship back to Yuta last November, Shibata returned to Japan, but made a monumental return to AEW action on the March 16th COLLISION when he battled Bryan Danielson in a certified Dream Match. Here were two men that both thought their in-ring careers finished at some point in the years prior, two men who defied the odds and the expectations of medical professionals, two men who were now fighting better than they had at any previous point in their careers, and they were going to war for the AEW faithful. Danielson ultimately won the fight, and there was another man watching on who took what happened as a test he needed to take upon himself.

That man was Will Ospreay, and with his own bout against Bryan Danielson set for AEW DYNASTY on April 21st, he felt the need to test himself against Katsuyori Shibata, to see if he could succeed in 2024 where he did not in 2017, and thus made a challenge to “The Wrestler” for the fight going down this Wednesday night! Can Ospreay follow in Danielson’s footsteps and score a victory over Katsuyori Shibata in Quebec City? Or will Shibata repeat history in this monumental rematch seven years in the making?

ONE-ON-ONE…

“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita vs. Swerve Strickland

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qR0t_UoUs-U?si=hRYjIUi8py8SqwpY&start=281

Thus far in 2024, Konosuke Takeshita holds a record of 5-1 in singles matches, and 10-2 over the last twelve months in that field. That’s a run that includes victories over Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Kenny Omega, Kyle Fletcher, as well as Rocky Romero this past Wednesday night, and has shown the world that “The Alpha” is one of the most fearsome competitors in All Elite Wrestling today. 

Over the course of his last eleven one-on-one match-ups Swerve Strickland lost exactly one time, his Continental Classic Gold League fight with Jon Moxley on 12/13/23, and was taken to a 30-Minute time limit draw by Hangman Page on 2/7/24. It’s been an incredible run for Strickland as well, and even if you factor in his two Three Way losses in the Gold League Finals and at REVOLUTION 2024, it doesn’t change that run because wasn’t the man who took the fall in either of those matches. There are few men who’ve been on a hotter streak that Swerve Strickland, and that run has put Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship in Swerve’s crosshairs.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GtANpzbdjU4?si=TtA3PYbwiij2rnUr

For the very first time these two men, each at the top of their game, will lock horns this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and there is certainly the possibility that the future of the AEW World Championship hinges on the result of this match! Both Takeshita and Swerve have reasonable claims to being the next challenger for Samoa Joe, based on their respective records and, in the case of Swerve, the fact he wasn’t defeated in the Three Way at REVOLUTION ’24. 

As announced Tuesday night by AEW GM Tony Khan, this match will determine the next challenger for Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship! With that added factor, there is no doubt Samoa Joe will have his eyes on this contest as his next contender is determined!

AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…

The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen

On October 9, 2019, in the very first match of the original AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, Private Party shocked the world when they defeated The Young Bucks to advance out of the Quarter-Finals. Though Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen would fall to The Lucha Brothers in the Semi-Finals, the impact was made, and the world had been forced to stand up and recognize Private Party.

A year later The Young Bucks would even up the score, pinning Isiah Kassidy to win a Four Way #1 Contenders match on 10/21/20, and would follow that up with a traditional tag team victory over Private Party on November 4th a few weeks later. Since that bout over three years ago, the two teams only met in one Trios match, though Isiah has a little more experience fighting the brothers Jackson with other partners during Marq Quen’s injury recovery, but not one other tag team match between Private Party and The Young Bucks since 2020.

That all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament, The Young Bucks and Private Party meet again! Since Marq Quen’s return to action in 2024, Private Party is 2-2 in tag team action, though one of those losses came in a Three Way tag with Top Flight and Bryan Keith/Komander where neither Quen nor Kassidy were the ones pinned to lose the match.  As for The EVPs, in 2024 they are 3-1 in tag team action, but to be honest about their record, two of those victories came over local competitors who frankly had no chance at actually beating the former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions. 

The Young Bucks have a mission of becoming the first 3-Time AEW Tag Champions while Private Party have one to capture those belts for the very first time, and only one team can get closer to their objective. Will it be The Young Bucks or Private Party who advances to the Semi-Finals? And will it be The Undisputed Kingdom or the Orange Cassidy/Trent Beretta tandem who meets them there?

AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…

The Undisputed Kingdom (ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs.

Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta

https://www.youtube.com/embed/bsFXxqC8zjA?si=4pUUfuAsKg3si0vS

The AEW World Tag Title Tournament kicks off in full-force this Wednesday night with the aforementioned Young Bucks/Private Party match, and this Quarter-Final match pitting ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett against Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta!

Though OC and Trent have never faced this Undisputed Kingdom tandem in a tag match, Cassidy’s fight with Roderick Strong have made them all quite familiar with one another, in fact the former 2-Time International Champion beat both Taven and Bennett in singles matches on the road to REVOLUTION 2024. But on that same road, as part of their mission to remove Cassidy’s support system, The Undisputed Kingdom put a hurting on Trent Beretta, so that makes this tag team encounter as much a method of revenge as it is an opportunity to move forward in the tournament to face the winner of the Private Party/Young Bucks bout!

TBS CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER MATCH…

Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay

***Mercedes Moné on commentary***

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4G3EGtMKy5I?si=-JS3-Wqqpa1E5_3d

The TBS Championship is a prize greatly coveted by the women of All Elite Wrestling, and this Wednesday night four competitors will clash to see who moves on to DYNASTY 2024 to face Julia Hart! All four of these women have plenty of story with Julia Hart, especially Statlander, Nightingale, and Skye Blue given their months of battle since FULL GEAR 2023, but Anna Jay has her own reasons for wanting another fight with Julia Hart.

Hart has been the bane of Anna Jay’s AEW existence, in three bouts it has been Julia who’s won each one, including a TBS Championship fight at BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX back in January. Statlander is the woman that Julia Hart took the TBS Championship from, though technically she did not defeat Kris to win in, but Statlander has yet to be granted a rematch. Coincidentally, Julia earned that title fight at FULL GEAR 2023 by defeating Willow Nightingale in an Eliminator Bout, and of course there’s the relationship between Hart and Skye Blue that’s blossomed since Hart misted Skye many months ago. At first they were at odds, but over time the two women became thick as thieves, and have come to operate as quite the fearsome tag team, actually beating Stat and Willow in a Street Fight last Wednesday night on RAMPAGE!

This is quite the intriguing Four Way, and it will be interesting to see how TBS Champion Julia Hart responds to the outcome of the fight, especially if it is Skye Blue who earns herself the DYNASTY 2024 title match!

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Join us Wednesday night for DYNAMITE, hailing from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC, and featuring the first Quarter-Final match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament between The Young Bucks and Private Party, Takeshita versus Swerve, and a rematch years in the making between Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay!!!

The meets us this Saturday in London, ON at the Budweiser Gardens for the return of COLLISION featuring former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions FTR taking on The Infantry in a Quarter-Final match-up of the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament!

AEW Returns to Las Vegas for Memorial Day Double Header:  

AEW: DOUBLE OR NOTHING and AEW: Collision

— MGM Grand Garden Arena Hosts DOUBLE OR NOTHING on Sunday, May 26 and AEW: Collision on Saturday, May 25

 

— AEW: Dynamite returns to Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 29,

and AEW: Collision debuts at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs for a special taping —

March 27, 2024 – Five years ago, AEW’s inaugural DOUBLE OR NOTHING pay-per-view event in Las Vegas revolutionized the professional wrestling industry, and propelled AEW on its meteoric rise around the world.  Today, AEW CEO Tony Khan announced that Las Vegas will once again host the marquee DOUBLE OR NOTHING event on Sunday, May 26, live from MGM Grand Garden Arena.  

As part of DOUBLE OR NOTHING weekend, TNT’s “AEW: Collision” will also be held at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, May 25.  In addition, TBS’ “AEW: Dynamite” will emanate from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Wednesday, May 29, followed by a special taping of “AEW: Collision” on Thursday, May 30, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif.

Tickets for the upcoming Las Vegas and Los Angeles events go on sale this Saturday, March 30, via AEWTix.com, AXS.com and Ticketmaster.com.  On sale information for “AEW: Collision” in Palm Springs will be announced soon.  Fans interested in exclusive presale opportunities can register to become an AEW Insider by visiting www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-insider.  

About AEW

Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is a red-hot professional wrestling promotion featuring a world-class roster that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS, “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW

The Big Gold Belt Podcast is back talking the latest in pro wrestling including:-The State of WrestleMania: What’s Working? What’s Not Working? What’s Still Missing?-WrestleMania Minneapolis may be a lock-Is the PG Era of WWE over?-Is…

TNT Championship I Quit Match!

“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

Copeland was looking for the spear right away, but Christian bailed out of the ring. Copeland blasted Christian with a sliding dropkick. Copeland chased Christian through the crowd, and they began to brawl in the penalty box.

Copeland propped a ladder across the guardrail and the announcers’ desk. Copeland pulled Christian down hard on the ladder!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Copeland inverted the ladder in the ring and then slammed Christian against it stomach first! Copeland rammed Christian shoulder first into the steel ring post. Cope pulled a table out from under the ring. Copeland placed the ladder against the guardrail. Cope went to spear Christian through the table, but Christian leapfrogged over Copeland and then rammed Copeland into the ring post! Copeland was busted wide open!

Christian jumped off the top turnbuckle and splashed Copeland through the table outside the ring! Christian catapulted Copeland into a ladder that was placed on the turnbuckles. Copeland dodged a frog splash. Copeland locked in a cross face submission but Christian gouged Copeland in the eyes. Both men went for the spear and collided into one another!

Shayna Wayne ambushed Copeland, hitting him with a hockey stick for a low blow! Christian Cage cracked the hockey stick across Copeland’s back! Christian grabbed a barb wire wrapped chair from beneath the ring. Christian set Copeland’s head across one chair and tried for the con-chair-to with the barb wire chair, but Copeland moved out of the way in the nick of time!

Copeland hit Christian with the hockey stick across the face. Copeland pulled the drawstring from his pants and wrapped it around Christian’s throat, pulling back. Killswitch and Nick Wayne jumped into the ring and began to stomp Copeland!

Mother Wayne entered the ring and slapped Copeland as Nick Wayne and Killswitch held him back. Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia ran to the ring and cleaned house of Nick Wayne and Killswitch, evening the odds for Copeland!

Copeland climbed the ladder and splashed Killswitch and Nick Wayne outside the ring! Garcia had handcuffs. Garcia and Menard handcuffed Killswitch to the ropes while Copeland handcuffed Nick Wayne in the opposite corner. Mother Wayne retreated from the ring!

Garcia and Menard pinballed Christian Cage with strikes and then Copeland speared Christian! Copeland handcuffed Christian in the corner. Copeland pulled the case containing Spike from beneath the ring. Copeland swung Spike at Christian, cracking him between the legs! Copeland went to hit Christian again, but this time Christian said, “I quit!”

And new TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

AEW Continental Championship Match!

“Mad King” Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!

“The world is ready for this one,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Kingston hit Okada with a flurry of offense, and then blistered the challenger with chops. Okada hammered back with an elbow to the back of Kingston’s head. Okada spiked Kingston with a DDT on the arena floor!

Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were watching backstage, wearing headsets and producing the match. 

Okada nailed Kingston with a neck breaker. Okada followed up with a dropkick to the side of Kingston’s head. Kingston fired back with a double over hook suplex and then a back heel trip. Kingston blasted Okada with machine gun chops in the corner. Kingston rocked Okada with a German suplex and then a sliding forearm. Okada rallied back with a dropkick.

Eddie stunned Okada with a spinning back fist for a near fall. Okada attempted to hit the Rainmaker, but Kingston got his arms up to block it. Okada gouged Kingston’s eyes. Okada planted Kingston on the mat and rocked Eddie with the Rainmaker, scoring the pin!

New AEW Continental Champion… “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!

“History was made here tonight,” said Taz.

“Okada wasting no time,” replied Excalibur.

“The Bastard” Pac’s music hit! Pac walked onto the ramp and stared a hole into Okada, making his presence known to the Rainmaker!

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s double header episode of AEW DYNAMITE & AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast live from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON!

Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!

Tony Schiavone kicked off the show in the ring to interview “The CEO” Mercedes Moné!

The fans chanted “CEO! CEO! CEO!”

Mercedes: “Toronto, please say hello to your new CEO. I am still on such a high since last week at Big Business. I missed you guys. I missed all of this! I am so excited to be her in AEW. A lot of you guys don’t know this, but all of this almost got taken away from me 10 months ago. I almost had a career ending injury in a match against Willow Nightingale. 

“I know this is in the past and I’m in a new home of AEW. A lot of people may not know who Mercedes Moné is, so I asked the production truck to play a highlight video so you can get a taste of your new CEO.

“As you see, I was rocking and rolling, I was kicking butt all over the world but then it got taken away from me. But I knew I needed to be back, and I needed to be here. Minor setbacks make for major comebacks and now I’m here as your CEO. I am not here to lead a women’s evolution. I’ve done that before. I am here to lead a women’s global revolution. I can here to face the very best women in AEW and all over the globe. 

“About last week when Julia Hart and Skye Blue attacked Willow, they must not have heard that I have unfinished business with Willow. And anybody that messes with my business will get bankrupt. There’s a price you pay when you mess with Mercedes Moné.”

The arena lights went dark!

The lights came back on, and Julia Hart was standing in the aisle, smirking at Mercedes. Skye Blue tried to ambush Mercedes, but Mercedes dropped Blue! Julie Hart jumped in, and Mercedes hoisted up Julia for the Money Maker, but Skye Blue pulled Julia to safety!

Skye Blue and Julia Hart pulled steel chairs out from beneath the ring. They were about to enter the ring to attack Mercedes with the chairs, but Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander sprinted to the ring with chairs of their own, coming to the aid of Mercedes!

The lights went dark again! When they came back on, Willow had a chair, and it appeared she was set to whack Mercedes with it, but she put it down.

“I think she was going to hit Mercedes with it,” said Schiavone. 

Mercedes pointed at Willow and said she had her eyes on her.

AEW Continental Championship Match!

“Mad King” Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!

“The world is ready for this one,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Kingston hit Okada with a flurry of offense, and then blistered the challenger with chops. Okada hammered back with an elbow to the back of Kingston’s head. Okada spiked Kingston with a DDT on the arena floor!

Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were watching backstage, wearing headsets and producing the match. 

Okada nailed Kingston with a neck breaker. Okada followed up with a dropkick to the side of Kingston’s head. Kingston fired back with a double over hook suplex and then a back heel trip. Kingston blasted Okada with machine gun chops in the corner. Kingston rocked Okada with a German suplex and then a sliding forearm. Okada rallied back with a dropkick.

Eddie stunned Okada with a spinning back fist for a near fall. Okada attempted to hit the Rainmaker, but Kingston got his arms up to block it. Okada gouged Kingston’s eyes. Okada planted Kingston on the mat and rocked Eddie with the Rainmaker, scoring the pin!

New AEW Continental Champions… “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!

“History was made here tonight,” said Taz.

“Okada wasting no time,” replied Excalibur.

“The Bastard” Pac’s music hit! Pac walked onto the ramp and stared a hole into Okada, making his presence known to the Rainmaker!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Swerve Strickland!

Renee said that Swerve went after AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, and wanted to know what his intentions were.

Swerve: “The AEW World Championship, Renee. Samoa Joe attempted to embarrass me by choking me out. Unfortunately for him I have a history of choking people out myself. I want to fight so I’m going to offer an open challenge tonight.”

Next Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale ahead of tonight’s street fight!

Mercedes Moné walked onto the scene and interrupted them. 

Kris: “You know, I’ve been meaning to say this. Thank you for having Willow’s back last week.”

Mercedes: “Of course. That’s what a CEO does. You see, a CEO stands up for what she believes in. And I’m excited to watch your street fight tonight. Because you know what they say: payback’s a bitch. And thanks for having my back out there tonight, Kris. It was nice meeting you.”

Willow: “Mercedes, I just wanted to say—”

Mercedes: “You’ve done enough!”

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK!

Hook dumped Jericho on the back of his head with a T-bone suplex right out of the gates!

“I don’t think Jericho expected that,” said Schiavone.

Hook battered Jericho in the corner. Jericho fired back with chops. Hook sent Jericho for a ride once again with another T-bone suplex. Hook dodged Jericho and planted Jericho with two more suplexes. Hook folded Jericho in half with another suplex!

“We are witnessing a lopsided affair. Hook is dominating Chris Jericho,” said Excalibur.

Jericho booted Hook in the face and rammed Hook with a shoulder block. Jericho jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Hook caught him and suplexed him. Jericho tried to rally back with a lionsault for a near fall.

Hook charged at Jericho, but Jericho countered by throwing Hook. Jericho put Hook on the top turnbuckle, looking for a top rope hurracanrana, but Hook managed to apply the Red Rum on Jericho! Chris Jericho broke the grip and was looking for the Walls, but Hook countered by rolling up Jericho and pinning Jericho!

“What an inside cradle out of nowhere!” said Taz.

“That might be the biggest victory of Hook’s career thus far. Hook just pinned the first ever AEW World Champion,” said Excalibur.

Jericho fist bumped Hook after the match, both men displaying mutual respect for one another.

We heard from the Undisputed Kingdom’s Adam Cole!

Cole: “I hate the feeling of being disappointed. Last week Wardlow you disappointed me. You challenged Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, and you failed. Wardlow, you had one damn job and you failed. And right now, I should be—you should be—the AEW World Champion. 

“Instead, you have a new goal and that’s to make sure the Undisputed Kingdom hangs onto the gold that we have. You’re going to make sure that Taven and Bennett keep those Ring of Honor World Tag Team titles. You are going to make sure that Roderick Strong keeps the AEW International Championship. And then maybe we’ll forgive you.

“Wardlow I’m not saying this out of anger. I’m saying this because I care about you. I want what’s best for you. I want you to reach your true potential. So don’t screw it up.”

Renee Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho backstage!

Jericho: “Last week I said I wanted to face Hook one on one for a reason. I was hoping he did what he did tonight. Hook, you showed me something I haven’t seen in a long time. You are a future World Champion. You are every bit of a bad, bad man as everyone says you are. And after tonight you’ve got my respect. And next week, Hook, on Dynamite, I’ve got a proposition for you.”

Tony Schiavone interviewed “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay in the ring!

Ospreay: “I’ll clear the air right now. Last time I was here I was a little bit of a naughty boy. I’ve changed. I’m here for the betterment of AEW. I am here to give you guys Elite levels of professional wrestling. 

“I said what I wanted to say about Bryan Danielson until I saw Collision. I hope all the lads studied his match against Shibata on Collision. That was pro wrestling. Bryan in one breath you said you were grateful to be stepping into the ring with me, but in the other breath you said I couldn’t walk in your shoes.

“Maybe he’s right because when I would go over to Japan, I’d see his shoes and there’s no way I could fit into them, because they’re too small for me. What I did in Japan was elevate professional wrestling. But apparently, I can’t walk in your shoes? Want me to prove it? All right, Shibata, long time no see. Seven years ago, I wrestled Shibata and he beat the piss out of me. But the 23-year old me is different than the 30-year old me because I’ve got a point to prove. So next week on Dynamite, Shibata, meet me in this ring. Danielson, sit home and watch and let me show you what I’m all about.”

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May

vs.

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa!

Deonna and Thunder Rosa sprinted toward the ring and took the attack to Toni and Mariah, swarming them. Mariah grabbed Deonna by the hair and yanked her to the mat. Mariah followed up with a dropkick. 

Deonna turned the tables with a double clothesline to Toni and Mariah. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and launched off the bag of Deonna to splash Toni in the corner with a lariat. Thunder Rosa followed up with a running lariat. Luther tried to take a swipe at Thunder Rosa. As Thunder Rosa was distracted by Luther, Toni Storm knocked Rosa to the floor with a running hip attack!

Deonna grabbed a tag and punted Mariah in the face with a pump kick. Thunder Rosa tagged herself in and Deonna didn’t seem happy about it. Thunder Rosa drilled Mariah with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring! Toni Storm grabbed Thunder Rosa from behind and nailed Rosa with a German Suplex!

Toni Storm cracked Thunder Rosa in the corner with a hip attack! Toni tried for a piledriver, but Thunder Rosa countered with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!

Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. The Butcher!

Swerve headbutted Butcher, catching Butcher by surprise. Swerve booted Butcher in the face. Butcher blasted Swerve with a strike to the face. Swerve double stomped Butcher on the back. 

Swerve rocked Butcher with the House Call kick! Swerve crunched Butcher with the Swerve Stomp right on target. Swerve applied a submission hold and forced Butcher to tap!

“That may be Swerve’s first submission victory in an AEW ring,” said Excalibur.

Swerve: “Samoa Joe before I met you, I had nothing but respect for you. But then when I got to know you, I felt a little indifferent. Then after awhile I started disliking you. And now I’m getting close to hating you. And as I stand with this chain in my possession, every day I think about wrapping it around your neck and hanging it from the post, but I don’t have enough chain for that big ass neck.

“Every week you’re going to keep sending security to watch your back. Every week I’m going to take them out until you give me what I want!”

AEW World Champion Samoa Joe walked down to the ring!

Samoa Joe: “Well what to do with someone like you, Swerve. Logic should dictate that I ignore you completely because contrary to what you believe, I beat you at Revolution and you’ve been shoved down the championship ladder. 

“You still believe that the impossible is possible. You still believe that if you stand toe to toe with me that you can box with a god. And the problem with that belief is it becomes infections. And then all these people believe they can be great too. And that’s all find and dandy until someone like me shows up and smashes you in the face and takes everything you have. And it was at that realization that I knew exactly what to do with someone like you. And that is to give you exactly what you want!”

Don Callis: “Whoa, whoa, whoa guys. It strikes me, Swerve, that I guess when you’re in Swerve’s House, you can just put yourself in a World title match. And Swerve, it strikes me that you and Takeshita have the same amount of wins. The difference is Takeshita is undefeated outside the Don Callis Family. So, Swerve I’m thinking maybe Takeshita needs to show you what it tastes like to lose to the family. 

“And if you’re feeling good about that Swerve, I’m happy to teach you a lesson that I’ve taught many people. This is not Swerve’s House. This is the Don Callis House!”

Swerve: “If I had more time and I wasn’t distracted by what I’ve got going on, I’d burn the Don Callis Family Tree down to a crisp. But you know what? I accept. I will take on Takeshita. And when I’m done with him, I’m coming for you again Joe.”

Excalibur: “I’ve been informed that next week on Dynamite, it is official: Konosuke Takeshita against Swerve Strickland!”

TNT Championship I Quit Match!

“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

Copeland was looking for the spear right away, but Christian bailed out of the ring. Copeland blasted Christian with a sliding dropkick. Copeland chased Christian through the crowd, and they began to brawl in the penalty box.

Copeland propped a ladder across the guardrail and the announcers’ desk. Copeland pulled Christian down hard on the ladder!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Copeland inverted the ladder in the ring and then slammed Christian against it stomach first! Copeland rammed Christian shoulder first into the steel ring post. Cope pulled a table out from under the ring. Copeland placed the ladder against the guardrail. Cope went to spear Christian through the table, but Christian leapfrogged over Copeland and then rammed Copeland into the ring post! Copeland was busted wide open!

Christian jumped off the top turnbuckle and splashed Copeland through the table outside the ring! Christian catapulted Copeland into a ladder that was placed on the turnbuckles. Copeland dodged a frog splash. Copeland locked in a cross face submission but Christian gouged Copeland in the eyes. Both men went for the spear and collided into one another!

Shayna Wayne ambushed Copeland, hitting him with a hockey stick for a low blow! Christian Cage cracked the hockey stick across Copeland’s back! Christian grabbed a barb wire wrapped chair from beneath the ring. Christian set Copeland’s head across one chair and tried for the con-chair-to with the barb wire chair, but Copeland moved out of the way in the nick of time!

Copeland hit Christian with the hockey stick across the face. Copeland pulled the drawstring from his pants and wrapped it around Christian’s throat, pulling back. Killswitch and Nick Wayne jumped into the ring and began to stomp Copeland!

Mother Wayne entered the ring and slapped Copeland as Nick Wayne and Killswitch held him back. Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia ran to the ring and cleaned house of Nick Wayne and Killswitch, evening the odds for Copeland!

Copeland climbed the ladder and splashed Killswitch and Nick Wayne outside the ring! Garcia had handcuffs. Garcia and Menard handcuffed Killswitch to the ropes while Copeland handcuffed Nick Wayne in the opposite corner. Mother Wayne retreated from the ring!

Garcia and Menard pinballed Christian Cage with strikes and then Copeland speared Christian! Copeland handcuffed Christian in the corner. Copeland pulled the case containing Spike from beneath the ring. Copeland swung Spike at Christian, cracking him between the legs! Copeland went to hit Christian again, but this time Christian said, “I quit!”

And new TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

AEW Rampage began!

“Switchblade” Jay White and The Gunns had strong words for Darby Allin from poolside in Florida!

Jay White mocked Darby’s broken foot. “Switchblade” showed off Sting’s bat, which he had painted gold. They taunted The Acclaimed and Darby.

Trios Champs The Acclaimed walked onto the ramp!

Caster said Billy Gunn wasn’t cleared to travel after what happened to him last week at the hands of Jay White. Caster offered Jay White a one-way first class ticket to anywhere he wanted to go, as long as it wasn’t here. But he knows Jay White is too stupid to take him up on that offer. “When you bring your stupid ass back here with your ass boys, we’ll be here to hunt you down.”

Bowens said he was pissed off because The Gunns and Jay White didn’t show up tonight. Bowens said Jay White was not a catalyst, he is a coward. 

AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Wild Card Match!

Best Friends— “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Trent

vs.

The Don Callis Family’s Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher!

Matt Menard was on commentary for Rampage.

Hobbs spiked Orange with a spinebuster, and Trent ran in to break up the pin attempt! Hobbs planted Orange onto the apron repeatedly. Orange dodged a splash from Hobbs. Trent tagged in and drove Fletcher down with double knees. Trent wiped out Hobbs and Fletcher on the floor with a swan dive!

Hobbs and Fletcher stunned Trent with a pendulum bomb! Trent fired back with a DDT on Fletcher. Orange tagged in and connected with a crossbody to Fletcher and then he knocked Hobbs with an elbow suicida. Cassidy pumped Fletcher with a DDT and tried to cover Fletcher, but Hobbs broke it up.

Hobbs put Orange in a torture rack. Trent freed up Orange, ramming a knee into Hobbs so Orange could roll up Hobbs for a near fall! Hobbs bulldozed Orange to the mat! Orange rallied back with a Stun Dog Millionaire on Fletcher while Trent followed up with a half and half!

Hobbs pulped Orange and Trent with a double shoulder tackle. Hobbs rag dolled Orange into the LED lights. Trent stomped Hobbs so Orange could crush Hobbs with a Beach Break! Fletcher avoided the Orange Punch and countered with a spinning tombstone for a near fall on Orange!

Trent nailed Fletcher with an avalanche half and half! Orange drilled Fletcher with a diving DDT! Orange rocked Fletcher with the Orange Punch and pinned Fletcher!

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kevin Matthews!

Shibata pounded Matthews into the corner and followed up with a running dropkick! Shibata took Matthews over the top with a suplex for a near fall. Matthews fired back with a lariat. Shibata went behind, locked in a sleeper, but Shibata released it. Shibata cracked Matthews with the PK and pinned Matthews!

The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita vs. Rocky Romero!

Rocky chopped Takeshita in the chest. Rocky rocked Takeshita with a strike to the face. Rocky wiped out Takeshita with a step up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with the forever clotheslines. Takeshita countered with a boot and then a running basement dropkick!

Takeshita swung at Rocky but Rocky ducked and Takeshita struck the steel ring post! Rocky followed up with a tope suicida! Rocky hit the running sliced bread for a two-count on Takeshita! Rocky wrenched back on Takeshita’s arm. 

Don Callis jumped on the ring apron to distract the ref. Rocky turned his attention to Don Callis and Takeshita seized the moment to boot Rocky in the face! Rocky avoided a power drive knee, but Takeshita spiked Rocky with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall!

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Takeshita decimated Rocky with a forearm strike. Takeshita followed up with a Falcon Arrow and pinned Rocky!

Street Fight!

Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale 

vs.

TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue!

Kris clocked Julia with a drop toe hold on a chair. Willow dropkicked Julia as Julia was wedged between the chair. Willow pulled a table out from beneath the ring and slid it into the ring. Skye Blue came to Julia’s aid. Skye wiped out Kris and Willow. 

Skye held Kris back while Julia pulled out a steel spike. Julia charged at Kris with the spike, but Kris moved out of the way, causing Julia to inadvertently hit Skye in the face with the spike!

“Absolute carnage!” said Excalibur.

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Willow tried to power bomb Skye on the announcers’ desk, but Sky countered with a Code Blue! Skye Blue emptied a bag of thumbtacks into the ring. Statlander had her own bag and emptied thumbtacks in the ring too!

Skye Blue power bombed Statlander into the tacks, but Statlander kicked out at the two-count! Skye put the tacks in Kris’ mouth and then rocked Kris with a thrust kick! Skye covered Kris but Kris kicked out! Skye climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Willow jumped onto the apron, grabbing Skye and planting her through two tables on the arena floor with a Death Valley Driver!

Statlander attempted a 450 splash from the top, but Julia rolled out of the way! Julia locked in Heartless and Statlander tapped out!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VSfvUEeKUL0?si=-9NCMxcQ_nErYUPC

We are on the road to DYNASTY live on PPV April 21st, hailing from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO, and we already know Bryan Danielson will go to battle with Will Ospreay in a dream match for the ages! We also know that the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament will culminate that night, and on COLLISION fans witnessed The Infantry score a huge upset over House of Black to move past the Wild Card round. This Wednesday night in Toronto, All Elite Wrestling returns to the Coca-Cola Coliseum and with that comes another red-hot edition of DYNAMITE! We’ve got Adam Copeland and Christian Cage in an “I Quit” match for the TNT Champion, the Continental Championship on the line with Kazuchika Okada challenging Eddie Kingston, HOOK and Chris Jericho going one-on-one, and AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm teaming with Mariah May to battle Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CUPx87_E4Vk?si=zZ8fDCElkpNEb8zG

But wait, there’s more! Not only will the AEW faithful in Toronto get to experience AEW’s flagship, the whole world will also get to see RAMPAGE live, as it happens, immediately following DYNAMITE on TBS! That’s right, AEW is bringing three huge hours of action to TBS this Wednesday, and RAMPAGE will feature another Wild Card match in the Tag Title Tournament, as well as a Street Fight pitting Statlander and Willow against the TBS Champion and Skye Blue!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RSKxGjmvZKE?si=zQIKHTWSgheJdS1s&start=201

The show starts at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join us next Wednesday night for DYNAMITE’s debut in Quebec, City and the Centre Videotron! 

TNT Championship I Quit Match…

Christian Cage(c) vs. Adam Copeland

https://www.youtube.com/embed/G3Ga4qjCgfM?si=bEYUbphrY2HcbzAs

Three minutes and thirty-two seconds; that is how long Adam Copeland could claim to be TNT Champion after beating Christian Cage at WORLDS END. Then Killswitch, having earned a guaranteed TNT Championship during the ZERO HOUR, struck down the new champion to try and capitalize on the situation. Sadly it was Christian who got to take advantage of it all, convincing Killswitch to bequeath his title shot to “The Patriarch”, and ending Copeland’s TNT Title reign just 212 seconds after it began. 

Copeland had every reason to demand a rematch, despite Cage’s insistence that he go to the back of the line, but instead Adam began his “Cope Open” to earn another shot, and took on every person who stepped up to the plate. Griff Garrison, Lee Moriarty, Dante Martin, and the legendary Minoru Suzuki all put Copeland to the test in their own fashion, but Adam beat each one, leading to a confrontation with another man in pursuit of Cage’s title, Daniel Garcia. Like true sportsmen, Copeland and Garcia agree to meet in singles combat with the next TNT Championship match going to the winner, but like a true scumbag, Christian Cage and his Patriachy stuck their nose into the fight, causing a No Contest result, and allowing Cage to put Copeland on the shelf with a Con-chair-to.

But they left Garcia intact, and though he didn’t claim the TNT Championship at REVOLUTION 2024, it’s really only because Nick Wayne and the Patriarchy were there to make sure Christian Cage survived Greensboro as champion. Take them out of the equation, and the AEW faithful would’ve been calling Daniel Garcia the new TNT Champion. It would’ve been quite fascinating to see how Copeland would’ve responded to someone else being the one to knock Christian off the TNT mountaintop, but that’s not how the hand played out, instead Cage has to actually deal with the repercussions of his assault on Adam Copeland with the future of the TNT Championship hanging in the balance!

Furthermore, the future of the championship won’t be decided in a regular match, not after everything that’s taken place between these two men since Copeland first arrived in AEW, the TNT Championship will be contested in an “I Quit” match this Wednesday night in Toronto! This is just the second such bout in the history of All Elite Wrestling, the first taking place at FULL GEAR 2020 between Eddie Kingston and then-AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, and coincidentally that too was a fight between friends-turned-enemies. That is about where the similarities end, neither Moxley nor Kingston threatened violence with a nail-embedded 2×4 for one, and though their bond had history, it isn’t thirty-plus years deep.

That’s what makes this entire scenario so painful, yet so intriguing; the careers of Adam Copeland and Christian Cage have played out before the world for the last twenty-five years, their lives have unfolded before the eyes of wrestling fans, their triumphs and tragedies have been public consumption, and a vast majority of it took place with them supporting one another. Even at the times they were on opposing sides, it wasn’t as ugly as situations have gotten here in AEW, it never seemed past the point of no return as it does now.

With AEW’s return to Toronto, one of these two competitors will be forced to say “I Quit” in front of the entire world. One man will have to capitulate to the others onslaught and give up their TNT Championship dream, but more than that, give up on the hope of reconciling differences with one another. Either Christian Cage or Adam Copeland will leave the Coca-Cola Coliseum as TNT Champion, that is certain, but what is uncertain is what the future of the relationship between these two men could possibly look like after the hell that’s been traversed over the last several months.

Continental Championship Match…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. Kazuchika Okada

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0fxRuwgjok0?si=K0bITgzbf-0Pxukd&start=201

Five months ago, at NJPW’s RUMBLE ON 44th STREET event, Eddie Kingston and Kazuchika Okada stood inside the ring as allies, a tag team facing down the BULLET CLUB GOLD tandem of Jay White and Juice Robinson, though their ending came with “Switchblade” pinning “The Mad King”. Skip ahead to March 6, 2024 and Kingston confronting The Young Bucks in the middle of the ring as the two found a way to gloat about their loss to Sting and Darby Allin at REVOLUTION 2024 a few days prior. The two EVPs made a choice to assault the Continental Crown Champion, teaming up on Kingston after a low blow neutralized him for a moment, but it seemed that the arrival of Kazuchika Okada would bring an end to the attack.

Turned out it was all a ruse at Eddie’s expense, and Okada chose that moment to show the world that not only was he officially All Elite, but he was also now one of The Elite alongside Matthew and Nicholas Jackson! To say that choice by Okada was disappointing would be a gross understatement, but it certainly proved a successful alliance as this new unit managed to defeat Kingston, PAC, and Penta El Zero Miedo in Trios competition, with Okada pinning Eddie to secure the victory. Sure it took another low blow from Matthew to allow Okada to hit The Rainmaker lariat, but with the win secured, it set Okada up for an immediate shot at the AEW Continental Championship. 

That title fight goes down this Wednesday night in Toronto, and it actually marks the first defense of the Continental Championship separate from the rest of Continental Crown, meaning it will be fought under Continental Rules, meaning absolutely no interference will be tolerated. Coincidentally, Kingston is also set to defend the ROH World Championship at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 event on April 5th, a match separate from the rest of the Crown as well.

This bout is also Kazuchika Okada’s first singles match as an official member of the AEW roster, though not his first in All Elite Wrestling; in fact he’s 0-2 in one-on-one matches over his limited AEW experience, meaning he may see this as the match to make a statement to the rest of the AEW locker room, as well as an opportunity to claim his first AEW championship in rapid fashion. After overcoming Bryan Danielson at REVOLUTION 2024, after getting “The American Dragon” to actually shake his hand and acknowledge respect for “The Mad King”, it seemed Eddie had found a way to channel his inner fury into a positive, controlled fashion, but this situation with Okada and The Young Bucks seems to have shaken that resolve.

The Kingston who got in The EVPs faces was not restrained, the man who fought in that Trios match was not as focused as he was in Greensboro; could that be his undoing this Wednesday night when the Continental Championship is at stake? Will we see Okada add another championship to his resume? Will it be Kingston who adds another victory to this impressive run of nine consecutive singles matches, a run that includes Claudio Castagnoli, ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, Bryan Keith, and two over Bryan Danielson?

Singles Match…

FTW Champion HOOK vs. Chris Jericho

FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho recently found themselves with a common foe in The Mogul Embassy; in HOOK’s case it was Brian Cage in pursuit of the FTW Championship and for Jericho it was putting himself in the middle of that situation. When the original AEW World Champion elected to help HOOK when The Gates of Agony attacked him, Jericho became another target for Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona, and they didn’t wait long to let him know. It was only a few days between the attack on HOOK and the one on Jericho, and just as “Lionheart” helped “The Cold-Hearted, Handsome Devil”, so too did HOOK assist Chris. 

That led the two men to actually team up against The Gates of Agony; not only did they team up, the unlikely pair actually won the bout over Kaun & Toa, but that was not to be the end of their association, in fact Jericho himself made the challenge for this bout taking place on Wednesday night! Now one need only look at Jericho’s history in AEW for enough reason to question the man’s motivations for wanting this bout, but his desire to test HOOK does seem legitimate, not like a cover for ulterior motives. 

Interestingly it was just over 28 years ago that Jericho fought HOOK’s father Taz for the first time, actually scoring a DQ victory over “The Human Suplex Machine” that night in Philadelphia, so it is rather wild that Jericho is now fighting HOOK almost three decades later. It’s a testament not only to the longevity of Jericho’s career and how he’s operated at the highest levels, but also his willingness to mix it up with the younger generations when he could very well use his status to avoid ever having to lose face should he lose a bout like this.

It’s almost as if Jericho wants to make sure the landscape of wrestling is in good hands when the time comes for him to step away from in-ring competition, and perhaps that’s why the fights with Atlantis Jr, Titan, and now HOOK. It’s going to be interesting to see how this one plays out, will it be Jericho’s experience that lead to victory or will we see the youth of HOOK lead him to the biggest victory of his career? The FTW Champion tested Samoa Joe like few others in AEW have, can he do the same to Jericho?

Tag Team Grudge Match…

AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa

At one point during their REVOLUTION 2024 championship match, “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo had “Timeless” Toni Storm dead to rights, tapping out to her Venus de Milo submission hold, but the official was not in position to make the call thanks to Mariah May. Still, the world saw the AEW Women’s World Champ giving up even if the referee did not, and though it may not mean Purrazzo stands as the World Champion at this moment, it certainly gives her a viable claim to a rematch, and every justification to refer to herself as the “uncrowned champion” if she so chose. It’s quite clear Toni Storm wants to avoid a championship rematch with Deonna at this juncture, but unfortunately for Storm, she can’t dodge the tag team match scheduled for this Wednesday evening, a match she agreed to without even knowing who Deonna’s partner would be!

Turns out there’s another woman with some unfinished Toni Storm business, though it may be more accurate to say it’s unfinished World Title business, and that is “La Mera Mera” Thunder Rosa! Unfortunately for Rosa, due to injury she had to vacate the AEW Women’s World Championship in September 2022, a vacancy that was filled by Toni Storm at ALL OUT 2022 when she beat Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida in a Four Way bout. It was the first of Storm’s three championship reigns, and though it lasted just 76 days before Hayter dethroned her, it fueled the fire (and possibly the personality break) that has led “Timeless” to where she is today. In the time Rosa missed, the landscape of the AEW Women’s Division shifted quite a bit and now she finds herself fighting for a shot at the title she never lost, and perhaps this tag team contest is a way to that end game. A victory over Storm could put Rosa into contention, after all she’s won six straight matches since her return to action, four of those in singles competition, and if she could pin Toni in this fight, well it would have to put her name into the running for the next title fight. 

And that’s what makes this pairing of Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo quite interesting, they are two women with the goal of claiming the AEW Women’s World Championship from Toni Storm, but does that put them at cross-purposes as partners? Mariah May is obviously all in on supporting Toni and doing whatever she needs, can the same be said for “La Mera Mera” and “The Virtuosa”?

The CEO Comes to Ontario…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tgaNUI5rGmM?si=FhGI7B3ZnY6YZF_J&start=367

Last week on DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS, Mercedes Moné made a huge impact with her arrival in All Elite Wrestling! It wasn’t just the words she spoke at the top of the program, but also her actions at the end of the night when Moné lent a helping hand to Willow Nightingale as TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue assaulted her. She dropped Skye Blue, planted Julia Hart, and actually shared a moment of respect with Willow Nightingale despite the fact Willow beat her to become the first NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion last year.

Now we will hear from “The CEO of AEW” this Wednesday night live on DYNAMITE, and you know the ears and ears of Julia Hart and Skye Blue, as well as the rest of the AEW Women’s locker room, are going to be fixed on what Mercedes Moné has to say!

But that’s not all…

That’s right; immediately following the conclusion of DYNAMITE, we will roll right into RAMPAGE on TBS, for three straight hours of the greatest professional wrestling on the planet! The second Wild Card Match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament is set to go down pitting The Don Callis Family against Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta, and it’s Street Fight time when Willow and Kris Statlander meet the TBS Champion and Skye Blue! Those two tremendous bouts, and a whole lot more, are coming to the AEW faithful immediately after the conclusion of DYNAMITE, making for one huge night of professional wrestling in Toronto!

AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Wild Card Match…

The Don Callis Family (ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs)

vs.

Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta

***WINNER FACES TAVEN/BENNETT IN QUARTER-FINALS***

https://www.youtube.com/embed/p1e0m2uJ_MI?si=71hfGFOxLZNQHxQu&start=201

Last Saturday night on COLLISION, fans witnessed a tremendous upset when The Infantry defeated House of Black in the first Wild Card match, albeit with a little help from a revenge-seeking Mark Briscoe, meaning Capt. Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo move on to face FTR in the Quarter-Finals.

This Wednesday night during RAMPAGE the second Wild Card contest will take place when The Don Callis Family, represented by Powerhouse Hobbs and ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher, take on former 2-Time AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta! As odd as it may be, especially with the OC/Trent pairing, neither of these teams are particularly experienced as a duo. The Callis crew have only teamed up once other time at RAMPAGE: WINTER IS COMING 2023, while the Cassidy/Beretta team only have 3 AEW matches and 1 ROH match under their belts this year, though to be fair OC and Trent have a wealth of experience working together in multi-man matches over the history of AEW.

The winner of this contest moves on to face ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett in the Quarter-Final round, and it’s quite difficult to pick a winner in this tag team affair. The power and precision of The Don Callis Family team versus the top tier all-around game of the OC/Trent pair; it’s quite the pick’em for the Wild Card round!

Street Fight…

TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale

As mentioned already, Willow Nightingale was the victim of an assault by TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue following her victory over Riho last Wednesday night. It was only the efforts of Mercedes Moné that saved the former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion from serious injury, but it certainly left a question of where Kris Statlander was to help out her friend.

We would find out after the fact that the former TBS Champion was assaulted backstage, preventing her from assisting Nightingale, but on this Wednesday’s special edition of RAMPAGE it’s time for Julia Hart and Skye Blue to pay the piper in the form of a Street Fight! Willow and Statlander have already proven successful in that field, defeating Diamante and Mercedes Martinez last December under that stipulation, and now they’re prepared to bring the fight to the TBS Champion and her ally! This has been raging in one form or another since Julia Hart claimed the TBS Championship for herself at FULL GEAR 2023, will this be the night the scores are finally settled? 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rnkg5Ae00QE? si=7eXgHTb30sYR8d-K&start=367

AEW’s three hour block of the best wrestling on the planet begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, in addition to AEWPlus.com for international fans, so visit the official AEW YouTube channel before showtime, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch highlights from previous editions of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the latest CONTROL CENTER with Tony Schiavone! Then join AEW next Wednesday night for our debut in Quebec, City at the Centre Videotron for an all-new live DYNAMITE! 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/q2Fcpjkh-t8?si=hi9jGiQdWsJemFL8&start=367

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON!

It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!

Nigel McGuinness and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Katsuyori Shibata!

Danielson and Shibata chain wrestled at the start of the match. Danielson bridged his way out of wristlock. Shibata tried to keep his distance from Danielson’s kicks. They locked up and traded kicks. Danielson stomped on the back of Shibata’s knees, targeting the hamstrings. Danielson kicked Shibata in the spine.

Shibata rocked Danielson with forearms, but Danielson countered with a butterfly suplex. Danielson put Shibata in a surfboard submission, but Shibata escaped. Danielson and Shibata traded chops until Danielson went low and dropped Shibata with a single leg takedown.

Shibata suplexed Danielson out of the ring and followed up with a running PK from the apron. Danielson rallied back with a running dropkick, but Shibata chased after Danielson and clocked the American Dragon with a running boot in the corner.

Danielson tried for a discus elbow, but Shibata countered and planted Danielson hard with a trip. Shibata and Danielson clinched one another and exchanged knee strikes. Shibata drilled Danielson with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. 

The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Danielson rocked Shibata with a running knee strike. Danielson applied the LeBell Lock. Shibata managed to reach the ropes with his boot, forcing the ref to break the hold. Shibata taunted Danielson, inviting Danielson to kick him. Danielson obliged, and then Shibata served up straight pump kicks to Danielson. Shibata blistered Bryan with kicks to the chest. Now Danielson taunted Shibata and invited Shibata to kick him. 

They both sat down and slapped one another with open palm strikes! Danielson caught Shibata in the back of the head with a kick. Shibata dodged Danielson’s charging knee strike and put Danielson in the Iron Octopus. Danielson escaped after putting his boot on the ropes. They grappled until Danielson was able to cradle Shibata and score the pin!

“Take a look at the fans standing up, loving what they see from Danielson and Shibata,” said Schiavone.

“A hell of a match,” replied Nigel. 

After the match, they hugged one another as a sign of mutual respect.

TBS Championship Match!

The House of Black’s Julia Hart (c.) vs. The Infantry’s Trish Adora!

This match took place under “House Rules.” The loser will be banned from ringside during their respective team’s match later tonight. 

Trish knocked down Julia with a shoulder block. Julia escaped a body slam attempt and rammed Adora headfirst into the steel ring steps. Julia whipped Trish into the ringside barricade. Trish retaliated with a shoulder breaker back in the ring.

Julia dodged a pump kick and then blasted Trish with a running lariat. Trish rocked Julia with a German Suplex from her knees for a near fall on Julia. The champ fired back with a thrust kick. Julia nailed Trish with a moonsault and pinned Trish, racking up another win.

Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Harley Cameron and Zak Knight!

Zak: “Angelo Parker wants to fight me? I’ll give you a fight, but I’m not doing it here in Canada. You want to fight? I’ll fight but it’ll be on my terms!”

Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor Promotion’s Lee Moriarty (with Shane Taylor)!

“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Garcia blasted Moriarty with a shotgun dropkick. Shane Taylor distracted Garcia on the arena floor, long enough for Lee to rocket out of the ring with a tope suicida to Garcia. 

Lee Moriarty swung at Garica, but Garica answered with strikes and then stomped Moriarty in the corner. Moriarty cracked Garcia in the back of the head with a jumping kick. Moriarty hit a double foot stomp on Garcia. Moriarty went for the Fang, but Garcia countered and locked in a vicious heel hook, forcing Moriarty to tap out!

“The Bastard” Pac vs. Aaron Solo!

Solo came out of the gates strong, with a flurry of offense on Pac! “The Bastard” stomped on Solo.

The fans chanted “Welcome back!” at Pac.

Pac’s quick feet knocked Solo to the mat. Pac rocked Solo with a shotgun dropkick off the top rope. 

“Seamless offense. No wasted motion,” said Nigel about Pac.

Pac splashed Solo with the Black Arrow! Pac, wanting to make a statement, put Solo in the Brutalizer submission and won via ref stoppage!

Pac: “Tony, Tony, Tony. I told you, the Bastard’s back and I am looking for trouble. But you see, Aaron Solo is not exactly what I had in mind. Tony Khan, I am looking for trouble, so find me some, or I will find it myself.”

Bryan Danielson was backstage meditating. 

Danielson: “I’m grateful that I was about to have a match with Shibata tonight. I’m grateful that I have a match with Will Ospreay coming up at Dynasty on Sunday, April 21st. He said when he gets in the ring it’s live or die and he doesn’t plan on dying. He can’t walk in my shoes. Shibata and I were told we would never be able to wrestle again. But we banged on death’s door. Say what you want about what you’re willing to do. I know what I’m willing to do. And I don’t think you’re ready for that.”

Claudio Castagnoli vs. “The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer!

They rammed each other with shoulder blocks, neither man budged. Claudio scoop slammed Archer, but Archer got right up! Claudio and Archer slugged it out, two battling bulls in the ring. Claudio clocked Archer with a lariat, knocking Archer over the top rope. 

Claudio attempted a running European Uppercut on the floor, but Archer blocked it. Archer followed up with a cannonball senton off the apron and onto Claudio! Archer nailed Claudio with a side slam in the ring. 

Archer signaled for a DDT, but Claudio reversed it and stunned Archer with a big vertical suplex. Archer tried to walk the ropes, but Claudio pulled him down and cracked him with a European Uppercut!

Claudio climbed up the turnbuckles, but Archer blasted him with a rising knee strike. Archer choke slammed Claudio for a near fall! Claudio came back with a Death Valley Driver on Archer! Claudio hit a cutter on Archer from the top turnbuckle for a near fall. 

The fans chanted “Swing! Swing! Swing!”

Claudio got Archer in the Giant Swing but The Righteous—Vincent and Dutch—sprinted down the ramp and ambushed Claudio in the ring!

The Righteous attacked Claudio until Bryan Danielson came down to even up the odds for his fellow Blackpool Combat Club teammate! The numbers were too many, and they swarmed Danielson! Shibata sprinted to the ring with a chair, and Archer and The Righteous retreated!

“This match has been thrown out, but what a match it was,” said Tony Schiavone.

“This one is far from over,” replied Nigel.

Lexy Nair was backstage with Ruby Soho and “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker!

Parker: “This is a second home to me, and I was ready for a fight tonight. Zak is a coward. He doesn’t want to have a match. He’ll have a fight tonight!”

Ruby: “If you go looking for a fight, you’ll have to do it without me.”

Parker: “You’re right. I’ll leave it alone for tonight.”

Kyle O’Reilly vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!

Kyle cracked Keith with a forearm. Keith baited Kyle in and connected with a spinning kick. Keith put O’Reilly in an abdominal stretch. Keith transitioned with a DDT, spiking Kyle right on his head and neck!

Kyle put Bryan Keith in a triangle choke. Kyle gave up the submission attempt in search of something else. Keith battled back with a double underhook power bomb, though. Kyle fired back with a lariat, a brain buster, and then the Armageddon submission hold, forcing Bryan Keith to tap out!

The Undisputed Kingdom came out to help Kyle celebrate.

“What a return to action!” said Nigel. 

Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Deonna Purrazzo and Thunder Rosa!

Lexy said Deonna and Thunder Rosa have never teamed before, but they’re scheduled to face Toni Storm and Mariah May next week on Dynamite.

Thunder Rosa: “Toni and Mariah want drama We are going to give you drama. We are going to stop all the games and all the jokes. We have a mission. It is TV time.”

AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Wild Card Match!

The Infantry—Carlie Bravo & Captain Shawn Dean

vs.

The House of Black’s Brody King & Buddy Matthews!

The winning team faces FTR in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

The House of Black wasted no time pummeling the Infantry outside the ring, seeking and destroying. 

“This match may not even happen,” said Nigel.

“You’re right, this match hasn’t even started, but the House of Black have decimated their opponents on the floor,” replied Schiavone.

The ref asked the Infantry if they could compete, and the Infantry wouldn’t back down!

Shawn Dean splashed Brody and Buddy in the corner. Brody fired back with a monstrous lariat! The House of Black took turns battering Carlie. They hit Dante’s Inferno on Dean, but Carlie broke up the pin attempt. The House of Black circled the Infantry, stalking them in the ring.

Brody spiked Carlie Bravo on the announcers’ desk! Buddy curb stomped Shawn Dean! Julia Hart whispered into Buddy’s ear, and he smiled. Buddy climbed to the top turnbuckle. The ref had his back turned on Buddy, as he was admonishing Julia Hart on the apron. Mark Briscoe ran down to the ring and whacked Buddy in the head with a steel chair! Brody King followed Briscoe up the arena steps, leaving Buddy in the ring. Shawn Dean crawled over and covered Buddy, scoring the pin!

“I can’t believe it! The Infantry won!” said a shocked Schiavone. 

“The Infantry didn’t win it. Mark Briscoe won it,” replied Nigel.

Malakai Black stormed down to the ring, furiously staring at Mark Briscoe!

Ahead of this Wednesday’s TNT Championship “I Quit” Match against champion Christian Cage, we heard from the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

Adam Copeland carried the case with the words “Spike” stenciled on it. 

“I have no idea what is in the box, but it really scared away Christian Cage last time,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Adam Copeland: “This Wednesday, it’s fitting that I fight a guy who I thought for 40 years was my best friend. So Christian Cage, I’m talking to you now. I’m not going to call you Jay. Jay’s dead. You’ve become Christian Cage. The ego is out of control. 

“We used to talk about chasing our dreams and crushing our dreams. We did that! And then I fast forward to now. We had talked about me coming to AEW. You were on board. I came here to retire with you. I didn’t come here to take away your shine. At World’s End, I failed, and I’m not used to repeated failures. I picked myself up and walked forward.

“I earned that title shot. You and the Patriarchy took me out with the con-chair-to, a move we created. So maybe that’s fitting too. But when I was out, I got a call from a man who in the past has had to remind me of who I am. And he called again to remind me of who I am. So, I created Spike.”

Copeland opened the box and pulled out a 2×4 with nails sticking out of it!

Copeland: “Spike is hungry. She wants to take a bit out of you, Christian Cage. So that phone call from Mrs. Foley’s baby boy worked, because I remember who I am! I have kept it bottled up. I am the Rated R Superstar. This Wednesday you’re going to be in the hospital. Spike and I are going to take away your pride and make you say two words. And those two words are ‘I quit!’ 40 years after this started in our hometown, it ends!”

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON, featuring:

-AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa!

– “Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK!

-We’ll hear from Mercedes Moné!

-AEW Continental Championship Match: Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!

– Christian Cage (c.) vs. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland for the TNT Championship in an I Quit Match!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!