On Saturday December 2nd, the AEW Continental Classic continues with 3 huge Blue League matchups! Claudio Castagnoli takes on Brody King, Andrade El Idolo has his first match of the tournament against Daniel Garcia and the returning Bryan Danielson faces off with Eddie Kingston!
The action continues SATURDAY NIGHT on AEW Collision LIVE at 8/7c on TNT!
Follow the AEW Continental Classic standings here.
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
Excalibur and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. They were joined by “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson as a guest commentator.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal!
Lethal and Moxley exchanged side headlock takeovers. Lethal slugged Moxley with a right fist. Lethal applied a figure four but Moxley rolled under the ropes and both men tumbled to the arena floor.
Jay Lethal rocketed outside with a tope suicida to Moxley. Jon Moxley fired back with a tope suicida of his own. Moxley was wrestling with a sense of urgency, while Lethal was showboating early on. Lethal retaliated with a knee breaker and a dragon screw leg whip, sensing Moxley tweaked his knee on the tope suicida landing.
Moxley scouted the Lethal Injection, but Lethal countered Moxley’s attempt at a jawbreaker with a knee breaker. Jay Lethal dropped an elbow off the top for a near fall.
“This is the Jay Lethal I want to see,” said Danielson.
Moxley nailed Lethal with a cutter. Moxley tried for a piledriver but Lethal pushed Mox into the turnbuckles. Lethal wrenched Moxley’s knee with a dragon screw off the ropes!
“This is a different Jay Lethal than we saw last week,” added Danielson.
Lethal and Moxley traded forearms. Moxley nearly decapitated Lethal with a King Kong lariat! Lethal blocked the Death Rider with the Lethal Combination. Lethal went to apply the figure four but Mox countered with a small package for a near fall.
Lethal locked on the figure four again. Moxley grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Lethal swiped at Moxley’s knee with a kick. Moxley baited Lethal in and spiked him with a Paradigm Shift! Moxley hit the King Kong lariat and then a stuffed piledriver, but Lethal kicked out. Moxley transitioned into a rear naked choke and Jay Lethal tapped out! Moxley is the first man with six points in the tournament.
Tony Schiavone was backstage and announced Sting’s final match will be Sunday, March 3rd at the Greensboro Coliseum!
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Sting walked onto the set!
Sting: “March 1988, my very first World title match against Ric Flair, and I never would have guessed all these years later, I’d be standing here with Ric. The memories, that night, 45 minutes, draw, commercial free on TV. The big deal to me was I was in the ring with the Nature Boy Ric Flair. Thank you, Ric. He put me on the map. What a fitting place for me to end my career all these years later.”
Ric Flair: “Tony, just like before, the words cannot be spoken to the volume and the emphasis of what’s about to take place in Greensboro. Make no mistake. Sting made himself. I’m 74 years old, I’m lucky. I’m working for Tony Khan. I’m standing next to Sting. I’m honored to be there at your side. This will be one for the ages. Sting and the Nature Boy, and AEW, are coming to Greensboro. Wooooo!”
Sting: “It’s showtime!”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mark Briscoe vs. LFI’s Rush!
Both men charged at one another and began to fight. Rush landed a big strike. Mark followed up with a running dropkick. Mark unleashed rapid fire chops. Rush returned the favor to his opponent.
Rush kicked Mark in the spine. Mark jumped through the ropes with a dropkick, as Rush was playing to the crowd. Rush whipped Rush into the steel barricade. Mark back dropped Rush onto the top of the barricade. Mark dropped the Cactus elbow off the edge of the ring.
Back in the ring, Rush sent Mark flying with a release German Suplex. Mark threw his whole body into a vicious lariat. Briscoe baited Rush in and caught him with an exploder suplex. Rush rallied back with a belly to belly suplex.
Mark speared Rush for a two-count! Mark followed up with a neck breaker. Rush slipped free from the Jay Driller. Mark dropped Rush with a kick to the back of the head. Rush suplexed Mark off the apron and onto the arena floor!
Mark Briscoe smashed Rush with the Froggy Bow for a near fall. Rush fought out of the Jay Driller, backdropping Mark. Rush baited in Mark and suplexed Mark into the turnbuckles. Rush followed up with the Bull’s Horns, right on target, and pinned Mark!
“Rush is on the board!” said Excalibur.
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm was backstage!
Storm: “I’m feeling very fatigued after the championship celebration. I’ll be fine for my match next week!”
AEW World Champion and one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions MJF came to the ring next!
MJF: “December 30th, World’s End, it’ll be Samoa Joe against yours truly for the AEW World Championship. When it comes to Samoa Joe as a person, I don’t like him. But professionally, I respect him. I respect what he’s done for this industry, and because he didn’t come here to line his pockets, but because he believes in AEW.
“Now back in the early 2000s, I remember getting a poster in my mailbox for TNA Wrestling. I tuned in and I couldn’t be happier. I saw the ‘Samoan Submission Machine.’ He looked unconventional, and he didn’t seem to care, and neither did we. Now unfortunately, later on in his career, his talents weren’t fully recognized, and he was not afforded the opportunity to be a world champion in WWE. But what Joe did, for this sport, was bigger than that.
“Samoa Joe proved you don’t have to be a massive, male model body builder to be a top guy in this sport. Samoa Joe broke the mold. He proved alternatives matter. And because of the roads he paved, it has allowed a man like me to stand in the ring in front of you today. Without a guy like Joe, there might not be an AEW. As much as it pains me to admit, thank you.
“I’m not too shabby myself, now am I? I managed to pave a road of my own. I’ve helped build a new alternative and I’ve helped build this place brick by brick. And I did that by defeating some of the biggest names in this industry. Guys like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, but of all the names I have had to face in this squared circle, the one name I look back on and say, not only was I lucky to be victorious, but I was also lucky to survive, that’d be you, Joe. Samoa Joe you are a wrestling legend. But December 30th is not about your wrestling legacy. December 30th is about my mine!
“December 30th is about can Max outlast the final boss of this sport one more time. So now, I’m going to make a promise. I’m going to make a promise to everyone watching at home and everyone in this arena. Joe, on December 30th, I don’t care if you beat me within an inch of my life, because I promise I am going to show the world it is not about the size of the dog in the fight, it is about the size of the fight in the dog! At World’s End, you are going to have to put me down!”
The arena went dark! Lights in the ring began to flicker. Men dressed all in black, their faces in black masks, with the devil logo on their backs, grabbed MJF and held him down. One of the men had a baseball bat and was about to use it on MJF!
Samoa Joe’s music hit! Samoa Joe sprinted to the ring and the men retreated!
A message on the screen read:
“In the shadows, our game begins. Next week, MJF & Samoa Joe…will you face the unknown in a tag match? Are you a hero, Max?”
MJF grabbed a microphone: “I’m so sick of your Scooby Doo BS! Let me explain something to you! I am not dealing with your crap when I’ve got Samoa Joe breathing down my back at World’s End. I am going to take out all of your men one by one. I am going to unmask you, you coward. And next week, you want a tag match? You’re one!”
Samoa Joe tried to calm down MJF and was upset when MJF accepted the challenge for next week.
Up next: Wardlow vs. AR Fox!
Fox jumped over the top rope and landed on Wardlow, but Wardlow seemed to shrug him off. Wardlow caught Fox and slammed him on the ring apron. Wardlow suplexed AR Fox back into the ring. Fox was sent flying from pillar to post!
Wardlow stalked his prey outside the ring. Wardlow threw AR Fox back into the ring. Wardlow tried to press slam Fox, but Fox escaped. Fox hit a 450 splash, but Wardlow kicked out right away! Fox booted Wardlow in the face. Wardlow absorbed it and then walloped Fox with a lariat.
Wardlow powerbombed AR Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox a second time! Wardlow climbed to the top and hit a huge senton on Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox again, and the ref stopped the match! Wardlow won via ref stoppage!
Trios Match!
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin, and Action Andretti
vs.
The Hardys—Matt & Jeff, and Brother Zay!
Jeff and Matt used tandem offense on Action. Darius and Brother Zay tagged in. Zay crashed into Dante with a shoulder tackle. Darius dropkicked Zay. Dante tagged in and Dante splashed Zay with a stalling senton!
Matt Hardy drilled Action with a Side Effect for a near fall. Action countered a Twist of Fate and clipped Matt with a combo of moves, including a kick to the back of Matt’s head. Dante tagged in and springboarded onto Zay for a near fall. Top Flight had a flurry of offense on the Hardys.
The Hardys hoisted up Dante on their shoulders and Zay dropkicked Dante for a two-count. Dante pinned Zay after a German Suplex! Dante is back and better than ever!
After a commercial break, Renee Paquette interviewed Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti!
Penta El Zero Miedo, Komander, and El Hijo del Vikingo interrupted! It appeared Penta challenged Top Flight and Action Andretti to a trios match!
TBS Championship House Rules Match!
House of Black’s Julia Hart (c.) vs. Emi Sakura!
Emi Sakura picked the stipulation: the match cannot be won by submission.
Julia bashed Emi’s head into the turnbuckles, battering her in the corner. Julia charged into the corner with a lariat to Emi Sakura. Emi chopped at Julia.
Julia rocked Emi with a spinning kick to the head. Outside the ring, Emi reversed an Irish whip and sent Julia crashing hard into the ring steps. Emi followed up with a splash, sandwiching Julia against the ring steps!
Emi stunned Julia with a stalling back breaker! Emi applied the surfboard to Julia and then dropped her hard. Julia dodged a moonsault. Julia locked in the Heartless, but there is no victory via submission tonight. Julia clubbed Emi in the back of the head with a lariat. Julia moonsaulted Emi and pinned her!
RJ City interviewed Mariah May backstage!
Mariah May: “I know I’m the new girl, but I just came here from Stardom in Japan. I’m dying to show AEW what I can do.”
Mariah knocked on Tony Khan’s door and walked into his office.
TNT Champion “The Patriarch” Christian Cage responded to Adam Copeland’s challenge for next week’s Dynamite!
Christian Cage was flanked by AEW security in the ring.
Christian Cage: “What I’d like to do right now is go ahead and invite the Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland to this ring right now. Adam, I know you’re back there. I just want to speak to you about a few things about what you said last week. If you don’t mind making your presence felt, it’d be very much appreciated.
“Adam, I would like to speak to you in the ring, if you wouldn’t mind. If the truck can hit his music, something. Maybe I should come back there and speak to him then.”
Adam Copeland’s music hit, and Copeland stormed to the ring!
Christian: “Management wanted me to have this security. It wasn’t my idea. We don’t need security here tonight. So, I’m going to ask you gentlemen to vacate the ring.
“Last week you challenged me to a match to the TNT Championship December 6th on Dynamite. I’m here to tell you that we’re not going to make it to Montreal next week. We’re not going to make it because I’m sorry. Now look, I know what you’re thinking, that I’m only sorry because I’m on an island by myself. Last week you took out the Kill Switch. You took out the “Prodigy” Nick Wayne.
“I was so mad when you hit Kill Switch with two con-chair-tos, I ran out of my house and drove with the windows down. I just needed to think. It turned into a road trip of soul searching, digging down deep, trying to figure out how I became this guy who does and says such unsavory things. And then on that drive, it started to remind me of those times we borrowed my mom’s car.
“We didn’t care where we went. We were broke. We were having the times of our lives on the road, and we were going to make it. And did we ever make it! We went on to become multiple times tag team champions. The greatest tag team that ever lived. We both became multi time World champions. Take the wrestling part of our relationship away and it runs even deeper.
“Everyone knows you grew up with a single mom, Adam. Everyone knows you didn’t have a father figure. Yes, I’m the patriarch of AEW, but I am your brother. You might not have had a father, but in turn, my father became your father. To this day, he’s still your biggest fan. I’m just going to say, we weren’t just two random guys that were thrown together. I love you, man. We are family.
“And listen to me, when your mom passed away a few years ago, that was the hardest time of your life. But sometime before she passed, she said, ‘What I wouldn’t give to see you guys in that ring tagging one last time.’ And on my drive, I thought, let’s do it for her, let’s go on this journey again. For your mom! Let’s do it for her, man.”
Adam Copeland turned around to contemplate what he just heard from Christian Cage. Christian charged at Copeland, trying to strike with a cheap shot. But Copeland saw it coming and kicked Christian with a low blow!
Adam Copeland: “Nice try, dumb ass. Sit up when I’m talking to you. Shine this belt up real nice, because next week, she’s coming home with me! Oh, by the way, I almost forgot, go f—k yourself!”
Main Event Time!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Swerve Strickland vs. Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White!
Jay White went right after Swerve. White whipped Swerve into the steel barricade. Back in the ring, Jay White went after Swerve’s taped out shoulder. Swerve chopped Jay White. Swerve suplexed Jay right onto the top of the barricade.
Swerve jumped off the apron and stomped on Jay White’s spine. As Swerve was entering the ring, Jay White grabbed him and planted him with a DDT. Swerve got dropped on his head after a suplex from Jay White.
Swerve intercepted a chop and countered with a suplex to Switchblade. Swerve blasted Jay with a flatliner and followed up with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Jay White retaliated with a German Suplex. Swerve rallied back with a discus lariat!
“These two men! How incredible are these two men?!” said Danielson.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Jay White chop blocked Swerve’s knee. Jay White nailed Swerve with a uranage. Jay White applied an arm bar. Swerve escaped and blasted Jay with a kill shot to White’s arm. Jay White almost inadvertently collided with the ref. As the ref had his back turned, Jay White went for a low blow, but Swerve had it scouted! Swerve rocked White with a back breaker. Swerve hit the House Call on Jay White. Swerve connected with the Swerve Stomp, but Jay White kicked out at the two-count!
“You have to be impressed with Jay White’s resiliency here,” said Danielson.
Jay White shocked Swerve with the Blade Runner. Swerve was knocked out of the ring, perhaps a saving grace. Back in the ring, Jay chopped at Swerve, and Swerve fired back with his own shots. Jay White planted Swerve with a sleeper suplex! Swerve countered the Blade Runner, rolling up Jay White and pinned him!
“Impressive roll counter right there,” said Taz.
“Cerebral wrestling from Swerve,” replied Excalibur.
“That got him another three points to put him at six,” added Danielson.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/7Dtff41MQe0?si=sU6As6UUClunb6dH
What a week it has been in All Elite Wrestling! Starting with FULL GEAR 2023 this past Saturday, and continuing into DYNAMITE on Wednesday night, the landscape of AEW continues to be the most exciting in all of professional wrestling! We know that Samoa Joe and MJF are scheduled to collide at WORLDS END, providing MJF doesn’t end up in a situation where the belt is at risk, but in addition the culmination of the Continental Classic will go down that night in Long Island as well!
This week in Chicago, as part of AEW’s Thanksgiving Eve tradition, fans witnessed Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, and Jay White each score three points in the Gold League, leaving Mark Briscoe, Jay Lethal, and Rush with zero points to their names, with the first bouts in the Blue League going down in Pittsburgh this Saturday night!
This Saturday night, with three hours of action between RAMPAGE and COLLISION, the Petersen Center on the campus of Pitt will be rocking! The first bouts in the Blue League of the Continental Classic are set to go down with ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston fighting Brodie King and Claudio Castagnoli taking on Daniel Garcia during COLLISOIN. But before that, on a special Satu night edition of RAMPGE, the ROH Pure Championship will be at stake with a SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 rematch between 2-Time champ Wheeler Yuta and the man who dethroned him, Katsuyori Shibata into the mix, and it all begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans. Be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get caught up on the action with highlights from FULL GEAR 2023, as well as recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
RAMAPAGE
ROH PURE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Katsuyori Shibata(c) vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta
Perhaps it’s his experience as a member of the Blackpool Combat Club that has beaten any fear from the former 2-Time ROH Pure Champion, perhaps it is cockiness due to that affiliation, but whatever the reason, it is clear that Wheeler Yuta fears little. Why else would he, all by himself, step the AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK, and ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata ahead of their Trios match on DYNAMITE and talk trash on all three of them? There is plenty of history between Yuta and all three of these individuals; Orange served as a mentor to Yuta for much of his career before The BCC came calling while HOOK’s association with OC led to Yuta holding a pinfall victory over the FTW Champion on the November 15th DYNAMITE, and finally, it was Katsuyori Shibata who ended Yuta’s second reign as ROH Pure Champion earlier this year at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023, a loss that Yuta has certainly not forgotten.
It seems the sting of that memory, and standing just feet away from Shibata hold the title belt, encouraged Yuta to dip his toes back into the Pure Division this past Thursday during ROH ON HONOR CLUB (www.watchroh.com), and score a victory over Shane Taylor Promotions member Lee Moriarty.
Earlier in the night, in a tremendous Pure Championship bout, Shibata retained the title over Trent Beretta, a man quite familiar to Yuta albeit the one member of the Best Friends unit who didn’t care for Wheeler’s presence, and as a result of these respective victories, this Saturday night on RAMPAGE, Wheeler Yuta will get the rematch he’s been waiting for since March 31st! With almost 240 days under his belt as champion, Shibata heads into this ninth title defense as strong as he’s ever been, and as imposing a presence as ever, and the history between these two men does not tilt in Yuta’s favor.
In addition to their SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 fight, there was that ALL OUT 2023 tag team bout that may have been won by The Blackpool Combat Club, but Shibata’s offensive barrage actually put Yuta on concussion protocol for several weeks. So while this is primarily about the Pure Championship, and Yuta’s desire to be the only 3-time Pure Champion (he’s already the only two-timer), there’s also a whole lot of other reasons for Yuta to want this fight on Saturday evening!
The Blackpool Combat Club is woefully lacking any championships at this moment, but with Moxley’s victory in his first Continental Classic match serving as a moral booster to the unit, and Castagnoli’s fight with Garcia following shortly after Yuta’s, this could be a week that shines in the history of The BCC. The question may then be whether Yuta or Shibata will bring the violence needed to emerge from this fight as reigning Pure Champion!
ONE-ON-ONE…
Kris Statlander vs. Diamante
Coming off losing the TBS Championship to Julia Hart at FULL GEAR 2023, Kris Statlander is back in action against one of her long-time rivals, a woman she’s got history with dating back to 2018, but who she’s surprisingly never gone one-on-one with in a televised bout! Diamante and Stat had a pair of singles matches on DARK, in addition to two trios bouts, and they even clashed in a tag on COLLISION back in September, but this Saturday night will be their first televised singles match ever!
Statlander certainly holds upper hand in their rivalry, having been on the winning side for four of their five AEW bouts, but will she be there for it after watching the TBS Championship slip out of her grasp last week in Los Angeles? This may be the prime moment for Diamante to strike and score a huge victory over her rival!
COLLISION
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC TOURNAMENT…
BLUE LEAGUE
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli vs. Daniel Garcia
They were trapped inside the Blood & Guts Cage together 17 months ago, and they fought in tags and trios over the ensuing months once Chris Jericho defeated Claudio Castagnoli to become ROH World Champion, but this Saturday night in Pittsburgh will be the first time that Claudio and Daniel Garcia fight in singles competition, and what stakes there are at hand!
This bout marks each man’s first in the Blue League of the Continental Classic, and Garcia is undoubtedly the underdog, not just in this match, but in the big picture of the entire twelve-man tournament! Though he is a former ROH Pure Champion, and the current PWG Champion, Garcia is absolutely the dark horse of the Blue League. After all this is a bracket consisting of the men involved in this match as well as Bryan Danielson, Andrade El Idolo, Eddie Kingston, and Brody King. That being said, regardless of how they came to be, Garcia’s record book shows victories over Brody and Bryan, though they are balanced by losses to Andrade and Kingston.
So the question is whether or not Garcia can find an amalgamation of his pro wrestler side and his sports entertainer side, because if he can find a balance of the two, he could evolve into the most dangerous wrestler in the whole of All Elite Wrestling. There is not doubt he is one of the most gifted wrestlers in the game today, he is also one of the most entertaining, but he’s yet to find a balance of the two that leads to consistent success.
With so much at stake in each Continental Classic match it becomes imperative that Daniel Garcia find his identity, and decide who he wants to be. Nothing dictates he has to be one or the other, but he has to figure out a balance between his best attributes if he hopes to defeat the complete package that is Claudio Castagnoli. One would be hard-pressed to find a professional wrestler more adept at every style in the game than Castagnoli, or one more powerful than the former ROH World Champion. Though there are several more matches to be fought before WORLDS END comes, that first victory is imperative to setting the town for the Continental Classic; will it be Claudio’s victory in the record books or will it belong to Daniel Garcia
ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston vs. The House of Black’s Brody King
The enhanced stakes of this tournament, the situation where the winner will walk out not only as AEW Continental Champion, but also as ROH World Champion and NJPW STRONG Champion, are a direct result of the fighting spirit that burns in the soul of Eddie Kingston. Call him “The Mad King”, call him “The Last of a Dying Breed”, whatever you call him, you have to call Eddie Kingston a fighter with a respect for professional wrestling above and beyond the call of duty. There is no reason for Eddie to put both his hard-earned championship titles at stake save for his belief that a champion should be defending their title any time they are in a prize fight.
That leads to this situation where Eddie has laid both his championship titles on the line for the ultimate winner of this Round Robin-Style Tournament, thereby creating a modern American Triple Crown Championship, and adhering the Continental Classic winner to three separate promotions. But that’s what comes at WORLDS END for the winner of the entire field, this Saturday night during COLLISOIN, Eddie Kingston will first have to deal with a man he first met in La Boom back in 2018, and first fought in Wilmington, CA one month later: The House of Black’s Brody King!
These two men had issues in All Elite Wrestling earlier this year, problems that created the fissure in the relationship between Ortiz and Kingston that ultimately put those two on opposite sides of the Stadium Stampede at ALL IN: LONDON, but seem quelled based on recent Ring of Honor activity, but the Kingston/HoB issues never put Eddie in the ring with Brody here in AEW.
That all changes this Saturday night on COLLISION when, as part of the Blue League, Eddie and Brody lock horns in singles competition for the first time in AEW, and for the first time time since an AAW title fight in December 2018. These are two men who were inspired to this trade because of their love for Puroesu, because of their love for the concept of Fighting Spirit, and though they’ve traveled very different paths to get to this point, now are engaged in a tournament that owes a great deal of inspiration to those that elevated the men Brody and Eddie love into inspirational figures.
This is going to be a hard-hitting affair, one in which bombs will be thrown from the outset, and neither man will emerge in perfect health. No matter who wins, both Brody and Eddie will know they’ve been through a battle to score their first 3 points, and they will feel the repercussions of the bout throughout the rest of the Continental Classic.
THE CHAMPIONS SPEAK…
After assaulting Chris Jericho following the FULL GEAR 2023 Media Scrum, reigning AEW World Tag Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill will be on-hand this Saturday during COLLISION for an interview with Tony Schiavone.
With that Ladder Match victory under their belt, the duo were already riding high, but putting the boots to Jericho the way they did, and doing more damage to the arm already injured by The Young Bucks has left them even higher on the hog than they were. There’s no doubt Starks and Big Bill will have a lot of gloating to do on Saturday, but eventually they will have to answer for their attack, and given that The Golden Jets are owed a championship match, the champions’ actions may cost them the titles!
“THE RATED R SUPERSTAR” AND THE PATRIARCHY…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/XV-Ds3PTZzA?si=4TaoyiJCOdIKnqTj&start=356
This past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, fans watched in horror as Christian Cage prepared to deliver a One-Man Conchairto to Shayna Wayne. If it wasn’t for the timely intervention of Adam Copeland, one can imagine the kind of damage that would’ve been done to Nick Wayne’s seemingly-estranged mother. Unfortunately for Nick, it was young Mr. Wayne who ended up with his head sandwiched between chairs and felt the cold sting of the steel across his skull, but also unfortunate was the fact this happened right in front of Shayna.
Whether or not “The Rated R Superstar” even realized there was a distraught mother crumbled in the corner crying for a stay of execution is something only Adam can answer, and perhaps that’s what he will address this Saturday night on COLLISION!
TAG TEAM BOUT…
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)
FTR were within moments of claiming the AEW World Tag Team Titles at FULL GEAR 2023 but Ricky Starks played spoiler to their moment of redemption, and instead pulled down the titles to keep them around the waists of himself and Big Bill. Frustrating as that may be, it’s not the first time Cash and Dax have been on the losing end of a fight and it certainly won’t be the last, and that loss is not going to stop them from getting right back into the hunt for a third reign as champions!
The road that hopefully ends in another title opportunity begins tonight on COLLISION when FTR faces The Righteous for the very first time! Dutch and Vincent recently took up with Jake Roberts, a match certainly made in the most devilish of fires, pooling a wealth of knowledge with a bent towards wickedness that could certainly lead The Righteous towards championship success.
Will Dutch and Vincent be able to blaze that trail at the expense of FTR, or will Dax and Cash rebound from their PPV heartbreak and set their sights right back on the AEW World Tag Titles?
SINGLES BOUT…
“Limitless” Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty
The issues between Shane Taylor and Keith Lee date back over a decade to the earliest days of the wrestling careers, into their time in Ring of Honor as The Pretty Boy Killers, even spilled over into the New Era of Honor with their fight at FINAL BATTLE 2022 last December, and into AEW with their Mixed Tag Team bout during the ZERO HOUR for WRESTLEDREAM 2023. Now, with Shane Taylor having recruited Lee Moriarty into his fold, it looks like Pittsburgh’s own is taking up the fight on his mentor’s behalf!
It was just a little over two years ago that Moriarty wrestled his first match for AEW, losing to Dante Martin on the August 17, 2021 edition of DARK, and his drive to become one of the best in the game led him to championship bouts with Orange Cassidy, HOOK, Wardlow, and Katsuyori Shibata, to mention a few, and caught the attention of Shane Taylor.
Stepping up this Saturday to fight Shane’s former tag partner, will Lee Moriarty come to regret his choice of partnering with STP, or will that association be the thing that bolsters the master of #TaigaStyle to the level he has been striving for since coming into AEW?
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The House of Black (Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black) vs. Gravity & Komander
FULL GEAR 2023 was not an ideal night for the men of The House of Black, though Julia Hart did bring the TBS Championship into their fold, all three of the men honoring The House were unsuccessful in their respective fights. Buddy Matthews fell to Claudio Castagnoli during the ZERO HOUR, while The Kings of the Black Throne came up short in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Ladder Match.
Thankfully for all three of them, today is a new day for a fresh fight, and while Brody King is embroiled in the Continental Classic Tournament and his opening fight with Eddie Kingston, Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews will team for the first time to take on the high-flying duo of Gravity and Komander! The Luchador duo have been sporadically tagging up for several years, though this will be there first time working as a team in All Elite Wrestling, and what a challenge they face in this House pairing!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/FVdoH-SWzUc?si=SeoMoJ_l3HERzdR7
FULL GEAR 2023 saw two new champions crowned with Julia Hart claiming the TBS Championship from Kris Statlander, albeit by pinning Skye Blue, and Toni Storm kicking off her third reign as AEW Women’s World Champion at Hikaru Shida’s expense, as well as MJF, against all odds, officially completing one full year as AEW World Champion! Now with WORLDS END just over a month away on Long Island, all eyes turn towards AEW’s Thanksgiving Eve tradition and our return to Chicago for DYNAMITE!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jZg8HMK656U?si=TE3bRGxjONR9btef
This year the focus falls on the kick-off of the Continental Classic, AEW’s first-ever Round Robin Tournament, with some seriously high stakes thanks to Eddie Kingston putting both the ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Title into the mix, and it all begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans. Be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get caught up on the action with highlights from FULL GEAR 2023, as well as recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bJEF8Wp4etk?si=81rLmqVhlVwZ7DUE
Earlier today, in the above embedded video, AEW/ROH President Tony Khan, along with Tony Schiavone and ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, announced the field of 12 for the Continental Classic Tournament! There are two groups, Blue and Gold, with six competitors each, competing in a Round Robin Style Tournament that begins Wednesday night in Chicago, and will continue until the finals at WORLDS END on December 30th!
Already quite the intriguing situation with Bryan Danielson, Mark Briscoe, and Andrade El Idolo putting their names into the hat prior to the Selection Special, with a competitive fire burning strong in his heart, Eddie Kingston further amplified the prestige of the tournament by putting both the ROH World Champion and NJPW STRONG Championship at stake thus, along with the AEW Continental Championship, creating a new Triple Crown Championship awaiting the winner of this tournament.
Now as for the rules of this tournament, matches will be contested with a 20 minute time limit, there will be no seconds allowed at ringside, and outside interference will not be tolerated, which may throw a monkey wrench in how many of the competitors generally handle their business. In addition, the scoring system for the Continental Classic will be very straight forward and simple, with points being awarded as follows: 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. Here is how the two groups break down:
Blue Group
Andrade El Idolo
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
Brody King
Claudio Castagnoli
Daniel Garcia
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston
Gold Group
Jay Lethal
Jay White
Jon Moxley
Mark Briscoe
Rus
Swerve Strickland
The first matches of the tournament will go down at Wintrust Arena as part of AEW’s Thanksgiving Eve tradition, and continue Saturday night in Pittsburgh!
THE GOLD GROUP…
Swerve Strickland vs. Jay Lethal
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Continental Classic Tournament is going to be the opportunity to see several first-time matches, and three of them are going down this Wednesday night with the opening bouts of AEW’s first-ever Round -style Robin Tournament!
Coming off a brutal, bloody Texas Death Match victory over Hangman Page at FULL GEAR 2023, Swerve Strickland will be in action for his first bout of the Continental Classic this Wednesday night in Chicago. Though there is not way he’s feeling anywhere near 100%, Swerve will have to find a way to be at the top of his game because his opponent in this first night of action will be “The Franchise of ROH”, a former 2-Time ROH World Champion and the second-longest reigning ROH World TV Champion in history thanks to Samoa Joe’s recent run, Jay Lethal! Lethal is no doubt coming into this bout far healthier than Swerve, and that may make the crucial difference in this contest, but another game changer for both these individuals, given how each generally approaches their matches, is that ban on seconds and outside interference. How many times have fans seen Jeff Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, and Karen Jarrett play a deciding factor in Jay Lethal’s matches? On how many instances have The Gates of Agony, Brian Cage, or Prince Nana been involved in swaying Swerve Strickland’s matches? With this tournament, none of that will fly, leaving these two stellar athletes to rely solely on their skill inside the squared circle? Which of these men will notch their first points in the Continental Classic?
LFI’s Rush vs. BULLET CLUB GOLD’s Jay White
Just like Swerve, both “El Toro Blanco” Rush and “Switchblade” Jay White went through their own bit of hell at FULL GEAR 2023. In the case of Rush, it was the Four Team Ladder match for the AEW World Tag Titles and the punishment that sort of bout entails while for Jay White it was his bid for the AEW World Championship against MJF, although he and BC GOLD did their best to make sure it wasn’t MJF defending The Triple B.
While neither man was victorious in their efforts to become a champion in All Elite Wrestling, a new road to that goal begins this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE with the opening bouts in the Continental Classic. Another first-time bout, this head-to-head fight between the leaders of LFI and BC GOLD may be the show stealer given the skills of each involved, but as with the Lethal/Swerve bout, this is another contest between two men who often rely on their respective units to help determine the outcomes of a bout.
But unlike most outings with these two, there will be no Jose the Assistant, Preston Vance, or Dralistico at Rush’s side to interfere, nor a Juice Robinson, Austin Gunn, or Colten Gunn in Jay White’s corner to stick their nose in the business at hand. This continental classic is about putting the focus on the wrestling, and the fight between the two individuals vying for points, not the assorted seconds, managers, and stablemates polluting the competition with shenanigans.
With those elements removed, this is a bout between two elite level competitors and it will be quite intriguing to see who nets the three points in their first Continental Classic clash!
The BCC’s Jon Moxley vs. Mark Briscoe
Now this is going to be a fight between two men who love to throwdown inside the squared circle, and unlike the other two first-time bouts, this first-timer does not involve a competitor reliant on interference, managers, or seconds. Both Jon Moxley and Mark Briscoe are men who want the victory on their own merit, they want the win on their own skills, and not because someone else lent a hand.
For Mark Briscoe, a 13-time ROH World Tag Team Champion with his late brother Jay, this tournament is an opportunity to not only firmly stake his status in the singles division but also to claim the first singles championship (or rather championships) of his entire career! He’s challenged for the ROH World Title and the ROH World Television Championship several times during his twenty-plus years in ROH, but never captured those, nor any other singles title, and if he comes out of this tournament on top, he could claim three in one shot! He just may have the most difficult first match of the tournament by fighting Jon Moxley!
A 3-Time AEW World Champion, a former International Champion, and former 2-Time IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion, just to name a few of his accolades, Moxley is certainly a favorite to win this tournament and add three more championship to his name with the Triple Crown of the ROH World, NJPW STRONG Openweight, and AEW Continental Championships. With three members in the field, The Blackpool Combat Club are absolutely odds-on favorites to bring a tournament victory to their camp, and Jon Moxley is the first of the three to shoot for the three points.
These are two of the most unpredictable men in all of professional wrestling, and it is going to be a wild night when the two of them meet inside the squared circle for the very first time!
TONI STORM’S ACCEPTANCE SPEECH…
Last Saturday night at FULL GEAR 2023, fans witnessed as Toni Storm dethroned Hikaru Shida to reclaim the AEW Women’s World Championship for the third time. It was a fitting end to Storm’s Hollywood Homecoming, at least for her, and she did share some words with the AEW cameras following the bout:
Unfortunately, for those who had hoped she’d join the FULL GEAR Media Scrum following the conclusion of the pay-per-view, that would not be the case as Toni had other commitments to attend, but she very kindly gave Tony Khan a letter explaining her absence, one which RJ City was kind enough to provide for everyone to read:
Storm’s lack of appearing during the Media Scrum simply meant her adoring public just had to wait until this Wednesday night in Chicago, during AEW’s DYNAMITE Thanksgiving Eve tradition, to hear her Championship Acceptance Speech! Who will she thank? Who will she be wearing? Will the band have to play her off stage if she goes on too long? Tune into TBS this Wednesday night to hear what will surely be the most unforgettable acceptance speech in championship history from “Timeless” Toni Storm!
RECHRISTENING?
After falling to Darby Allin, Sting, and Adam Copeland at FULL GEAR 2023, TNT Champion Christian Cage has stated that this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, he is going to rechristen Nick Wayne and Luchasaurus.
So rechristen simply means “to rename” or “to change the name of”, which means Christian Cage has the intention of changing the names of his Patriarchy followers. What could he possibly hope to gain from this? And what names could he possibly choose for Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne?
On the heels of FULL GEAR 2023 AEW’s first-ever Round Robin Tournament, the Continental Classic, gets underway and will run from Wednesday night in Chicago through WORLDS END on December 30th. Tonight will see Mark Briscoe versus Jon Moxley, Swerve versus Lethal, and Rush/Switchblade kick off the tournament, with more to come this weekend in Pittsburgh, and it kicks off at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS! International fans can catch the action at AEWPlus.com, and everyone needs to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, to get caught up on the action with highlights from FULL GEAR 2023, as well as recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/3P-p5lEqdhs?si=Of6MmM_xF1yKwKik&start=153
All Elite Wrestling returns to pay-per-view this Saturday night, November 18th, for FULL GEAR 2023 live from the fabulous KIA Forum in Los Angeles, CA! AEW’s return to the West Coast has already been an exciting endeavor, and now it comes to a head with multiple championship bouts, epic grudge matches, strained friendships, and the top shelf professional wrestling the world has come to expect from the athletes of All Elite Wrestling! Click here for all the details on how the AEW faithful around the world can watch our November tradition, then sit back, strap in, and get ready for a rocket ship of a ride in Cali!
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
MJF(c) vs. “Switchblade” Jay White
https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9_OyE5_z-E?si=IqJsvOfoNbN6znCY&start=61
On November 1st, just four days after beating Kenny Omega on COLLISION, Maxwell Jacob Friedman became the longest reigning AEW World Champion in AEW’s history, surpassing the 346-day marker set by “The Cleaner” between WINTER IS COMING 2020 when he beat Jon Moxley and FULL GEAR 2021 when he lost to Hangman Page. One week later, on the November 8th DYNAMITE in Portland, MJF defeated Daniel Garcia in a World Championship defense, thereby tying the mark of 9 successful defenses set by Moxley during his reign from REVOLUTION 2020 where be bested Chris Jericho to the aforementioned WINTER IS COMING 2020 loss.
These are two huge milestones in the history of All Elite Wrestling, as well as in the professional career of Maxwell Jacob Friedman, not to neglect his fifth consecutive victory where the Dynamite Diamond Ring is concerned, but unfortunately MJF has had to celebrate both this championship milestones without his precious Triple B, the AEW World Championship title. For weeks now “Switchblade” Jay White has been parading around with the physical title belt and using his possession of it to proclaim himself the real AEW World Champion. While White is certainly championship material, his status as a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion is testament to that, he is not the AEW World Champion regardless of his physically holding the title belt.
While he’s not champion, what “King Switch” has been is a thorn in MJF’s side that he’s been unable to remove, a foe Max has been unable to get a leg up on, and man surrounded by three other men willing to get their hands dirty in order to lend “Switchblade” an assist when it is need. Jay White is also one of just two people who’ve pinned MJF’s shoulders to the mat since he returned to the fold at ALL OUT 2022, the other being Dax Harwood the night Better Than You BayBay challenged FTR for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. To say Jay White has the psychological edge heading into this fight would be an understatement, and though initially it seemed the Devil-masked individual, and their gang of black clad thugs, that have encircled this bout was MJF’s balance to everything White had done, it became clear after White’s victory over Mark Briscoe that they (a) The Devil was not MJF and (b) they were not on the side of the World Champion either. Even though their initial arrival on the scene was at the expense of Jay White, this time around they left The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass laying, even chucking Anthony Bowens through a window.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZONwtE0-V0A?si=N9e5Wy2pB2R6UoEU&start=201
So after everything that has gone done between MJF, his allies, Jay White, and BULLET CLUB GOLD, the two men will finally go one-on-one for the AEW World Championship! It’s MJF’s chance to become the most successful champion in AEW history by breaking Mox’s record, it’s Jay White’s opportunity to ascend to the throne in All Elite Wrestling just as he did in New Japan, and it plays out this Saturday night live on pay-per-view from the legendary KIA Forum!
AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Hikaru Shida(c) vs. Toni Storm
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bm5ZuEKY_S8?si=c-rfPF4V4B66t-JG&start=79
Though it’s been a little more than ten years since the very first time Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida stepped into the ring with one another, that fight from the REINA promotion is their lone fight away from All Elite Wrestling and a tag team one won by Storm and her partner.
It would be nine years before Storm and Shida saw each other inside the squared circle again, only now they were working as partners on DARK: ELEVATION #74, teaming with Willow Nightingale as their third to top Emi Sakura, Marina Shafir, and former AEW Women’s World Champion Nyla Rose. The two women would actually team up several more times in 2022, actually proving quite successful both as a team and a trio, but the AEW Women’s World Championship would enter the picture.
At ALL OUT 2022, with the title having been vacated as a result of Thunder Rosa’s injury, Toni Storm bested Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, Jamie Hayter, and Shida to win her first title, acquired by pinning Hayter, and since she was not the woman pinned, lining up Shida for a title fight of her own. That first singles bout between the women would go down on TITLE TUESDAY 2022, and end with Toni Storm still the reigning champion.
The two women would go their separate ways, reconnecting in May 2023, but unlike Shida who had stayed true to the side of angels, Toni Storm had aligned herself with Ruby Soho and Saraya to form The Outcasts. The alliance-turned-rivalry would blossom into a Women’s World Championship match at the 200th episode of DYNAMITE and that fight would end with “The Shining Samurai” becoming a 2-Time World Champion. Sadly it was a short-lived title reign as Saraya would bring it to an end just 25 days later at ALL IN: LONDON, though not by pinning Shida, but rather by putting down Toni Storm to claim the victory. That pinfall on Toni would prove a breaking point for Storm’s role in The Outcasts as she began to spiral out into the woman we see now, and the Women’s World Champion defeating Toni at GRAND SLAM 2023 completely broke the camel’s back.
The Women’s World Championship would end up back in Shida’s possession after TITLE TUESDAY 2023, making her the first 3-Time champ in the division, but as for Toni Storm, a week prior to Shida’s win at DYNAMITE: 2023 ANNIVERSARY, we all witnessed Toni spiral out on RJ City before making her “Timeless” declaration.
Now lost in this “Timeless” Hollywood starlet delusion, Toni has declared this year’s FULL GEAR event as her “Hollywood Homecoming” and “Quest for the Gold”, heaping a great deal of the blame for her woes on Shida’s lap despite it being The Outcasts, Toni’s former friends, who caused much of that misfortune. As for Shida, while Toni has been experiencing this break from reality, she has posted three successful title defenses against Ruby Soho, Willow Nightingale, and that unforgettable Fright Night Fight with Abadon on COLLISION. Meanwhile Storm has not been inside the ring since an October 7th victory over Kiera Hogan, which means she may be well-rested and healed up from any nagging issues, but heading into FULL GEAR 2023 is she ready for a fight, especially the type of fight Hikaru Shida will undoubtedly bring?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tVMDFAAaJkI?si=d_KMbv2CNEzXCz_5&start=201
The defending Women’s World Champion does not want this third reign to end as abruptly as the second, and thus she will throw every bit of her arsenal at “Timeless” Toni Storm to insure this go-round isn’t a repeat of the second. While she may hold the spot as longest-reigning Women’s World Champion of all-time at 372 days, so too does Shida hold the position for shortest with that 25 days reign, and if Toni beats her on Saturday night, she’ll also have the second shortest time with the title as well. That’s not the history Shida intends to make…
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Jon Moxley
https://www.youtube.com/embed/OtJlr9pU-cw?si=IXvunlHsxf70l7ki&start=135
After 326 days and 31 championship defenses, Orange Cassidy had the AEW International Championship ripped from his waist by former 3-Time AEW World Champion Jon Moxley at ALL OUT 2023. It was a violent bout, one in which Cassidy was brutalized like never before in his career, but it was a beating that earned him the respect of Mox, not an easy thing to acquire by any means.
Unfortunately for Moxley, his time as International Champion did not come close to touching the records set by Cassidy during his reign because on his fourth defense of the title, just 17 days in, Rey Fenix dropped Moxley hard, and wrested the championship from The BCC member’s grasp. It was a shock to be certain, a win many considered an upset despite Fenix’s championship pedigree, and one that actually put Mox on the injury list for several weeks as far as AEW was concerned, though that didn’t stop the man from fighting for OTT in England and Ireland, for NJPW in Osaka, and at NJPW STRONG’s event at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, the home of FINAL BATTLE 2023.
Meanwhile, during the month that Moxley was kept on the sidelines before his OTT trip, Orange Cassidy had the opportunity to challenge Fenix for the International Championship, a one-on-one rematch of their 11/2/22 Three Way title fight early in Orange’s reign, and just like that fight, it ended with “Freshly Squeezed” getting his hand raised in victory. So not only was OC the longest-reigning International Champion in that title’s short life, not only is he the most successful champion in all of AEW history with those 31 defenses, but now he is also the only 2-Time Champion in the history of the International Title.
Seeming somewhat lost after losing the title to Mox, Cassidy seems rejuvenated by his reclamation of the championship, as if it helped salve the lingering injuries he’d sustained over those 326 days, and reinvigorated him for this second run atop the division. He’s already bested John Silver and Mox’s BCC brother Claudio Castagnoli in championship defenses, but this Saturday night at The KIA Forum, he’s got to get back into the fight with the man who battered him not that long ago.
It’s obvious that Cassidy wants this fight, why else would he have shoulder-bumped Mox after the show of respect Moxley gave him after their fight, provoking the man, almost rubbing it into his face that OC had taken the belt back from the man who beat Moxley. The situation began to blow up this past Wednesday on DYNAMITE as The BCC of Moxley and Yuta met Cassidy and HOOK in a tag team battle, and not only did The BCC defeat championship pair when Yuta pinned HOOK, but Moxley ate a straight shot from an Orange Punch and did not even go down to a knee! It very clearly shook OC to see his primary weapon have no effect on the man he’s got to fight on Saturday night; will we see the same reaction if Cassidy scores with an Orange Punch in the championship match, or can it actually put the 3-Time AEW World Champion and former International Champion down?
Moxley says FULL GEAR 2023 will be a course correction, a moment where he shows the world that Cassidy is actually who Jon Moxley says he is, and he puts the 2-Time International Champion back in his place. Will this be the case when the final bell rings, or will Cassidy do what he has done repeatedly since coming to All Elite Wrestling and show Jon Moxley he is as real as The BCC?
TEXAS DEATH…
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jh3N9P-YOMQ?si=vzX6o3gxVyyvefob
Swerve Strickland came into this entire ordeal with former AEW World Champion Hangman Page with the intent of proving he was worthy of a top spot in the AEW pantheon. A former AEW World Tag Champion, just like Hangman, Swerve has relentlessly pursued that top tier status ever since violently parting ways with Keith Lee and nothing has deterred those aspirations, not even being locked in a coffin by Darby Allin and Sting.
So when Page and Swerve went into battle at WRESTLEDREAM, Strickland viewed it as his opportunity to snatch the spot while Hangman saw it as his moment to get back on track with his own career after spending a great deal of 2023 wrapped up in Elite business with Blackpool Combat Club and then, surprisingly, winning the ROH World Six-Man Titles from Swerve’s allies in The Mogul Embassy. But instead of Swerve proving his merits on his own, he resorted to an assist from Prince Nana and his crown to defeat Hangman, and shortly thereafter, when the opportunity arose to fight Bryan Danielson for a shot at TNT Championship, Swerve tried the same tactic. Thankfully Hangman was on the spot to stop that crime from being committed, but that only served to escalate the issues, and next thing Hangman knew, Swerve and Prince Nana were breaking into Page’s house.
That disturbing scenario is best left untouched, suffice to say that Swerve committed the heinous sin of dragging family into this issue that started as a professional jockeying for position, making it as personal as any issues experienced in All Elite Wrestling. We heard Hangman speak his mind about this, tearing Swerve down to the core with every bit of personal drama Strickland has experienced, and capping it all off by assaulting Nana since the two Texas Death combatants were forbidden from any physical content on DYNAMITE.
But that rule doesn’t extend beyond the borders of AEW…
At Pro Wrestling Revolver’s UNREAL event, as Swerve and Nana stood in the ring talking about the FULL GEAR 2023 fight, Hangman attacked out of nowhere, and promised that he would beat Swerve’s ass this Saturday night. Swerve chose to make this personal, messing with a man’s family, so much so that it led others like Penta El Zero Miedo to fight the him, but once Hangman chose to oblige Swerve and join him in the muck and mire, it was bound to get ugly. Fans have seen the former AEW World Champion in Texas Death before, he’s undefeated in that stipulation here in AEW, and that’s because he’s willing to get uglier and dirtier than anyone else when the fight comes.
Swerve led this into ugliness by his actions outside the ring, will he be able to get that ugly when the bell rings on Saturday night?
TRIOS MATCH…
Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, & Sting vs. TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, & Nick Wayne
https://www.youtube.com/embed/juHc9XJTbo4?si=L6rDvnovRBbJpaKn&start=153
It was a huge moment at WRESTLEDREAM when “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland arrived on the scene in All Elite Wrestling and stood side-by-side with Sting and Darby Allin in opposition to TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and sadly also Nick Wayne. In the weeks since then, we have heard Sting announce to the world that he would bring his legendary career to its end at REVOLUTION 2024, we heard Copeland repeatedly say he would not fight his best friend, we saw Ric Flair come into the equation to ride this home stretch out with “The Icon”, and we’ve watched Christian Cage continue to be a horrible human being.
But after hearing Cage after being attacked by Cage’s “sons”, after hearing Christian threaten to break his neck, Adam Copeland has agreed to ride into battle alongside Sting and Darby Allin this Saturday night at FULL GEAR 2023! We witnessed these three men get their first reps in as a trio against The Righteous and Lance Archer, and though they looked very solid in action, they are still new to the idea of working with one another. In truth, it’s not all that different from the situation with Christian’s Patriarchy, much like Darby and Sting, Christian and Luchasaurus have spent a great deal of time together and formed their own dynamic, and much like Adam Copeland, Nick Wayne is a new ingredient to that formula. Unlike the Darby/Sting/Copeland trio though, The Patriarchy all fall under the direction of Christian Cage, they do not think for themselves, they follow the direction of their erstwhile father figure, and only his direction.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/hGfLifmY6z0?si=HFu6-Iscu1i8Vz4F&start=201
Their opponents are individuals, allies, friends; it’s not a case of Darby falling into a subordinate role just because of Sting and Copeland’s seniority or being led by their direction. This will be a trio operating on the same page but making use of their varied levels of experience, pooling their assorted resources and knowledge, and applying each other’s best attributes to the fights. There is obviously a concern about the history between Christian Cage and Adam Copeland, how all that friendship, those roads traveled together, those championships held as a team, the time spent with each other’s families, how will all that play into this Trios fight at FULL GEAR 2023? All of it has to be nagging at the back of Copeland’s skull, but will it effect his ability to fight? We will all see this Saturday night…
TAG TEAM BATTLE…
The Golden Jets (Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)
***TAG TEAM TITLE OPPORTUNITY VS. TAG TEAM BREAK-UP***
https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3hoOkxd5YQ?si=b-NQTJ04s3kP99tB&start=61
It was at WRESTLEDREAM that The Young Bucks earned a future shot at the AEW World Tag Team Titles at a moment of their choosing; they did so by defeating The Lucha Brothers, The Gunns, as well as the team of HOOK and Orange Cassidy. Since that PPV event, we’ve seen Nick Jackson lose to AEW International Champion Nick Jackson, The Young Bucks & Hangman Page lose the ROH World Six-Man Championship back to The Mogul Embassy after just one successful defense, and watched The Young Bucks completely lose their cool after that championship defeat.
Over the last few months we’ve also seen Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho form one of the most unlikely pairings in AEW’s history, brought together by their mutual issues with Don Callis and his Family, putting aside their own sordid history in order to fight against Callis’ relentless onslaught. Clearly this is not a situation that sits well with the brothers Jackson; call it jealousy over the relationship with Jericho or call it caution given that the history between Jericho and The Elite created Stadium Stampede, either way it is driving a rift between Omega and The Young Bucks.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/nC_dQ89iNi0?si=AnpJRE7S0EgkGe8u&start=381
Now we now from history that The Young Bucks do not deal well with their friends having other friends, we witnessed it many moons ago with Adam Cole and reDRagon, but when it’s a man such as Jericho with whom there was so much bad blood from the first year of AEW, it’s got to be infinitely worse. That is why this match is going down, after all when there’s an issue between professional wrestlers the best place to settle it is inside the squared circle, and why not amp up the stakes when both teams have something to lose?
And what are those stakes? If The Young Bucks win, then the existence of The Golden Jets comes to an end. There will be no more team of Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho, no more fighting the good fight together against a common foe, they will just be quits as soon as that bell rings. But if The Golden Jets win, then Matt and Nick will have to say goodbye to the World Tag Team Championship match they earned at WRESTLEDREAM! That opportunity will belong to The Golden Jets, no Young Bucks championship match on the horizon, just Jericho and Omega maintaining their dynamic to challenge whoever wins Saturday night’s Ladder Match. And what of the relationship between Omega and The Young Bucks? Well it has survived a great deal, and it has endured, but they haven’t been at this point before where so much hostility has put them at odds.
Previously that was Hangman with Omega trying to keep the peace as best he could for as long as he could; only now there is no cooler head trying to prevail, just four men looking to fight, and we shall see if the friendship between The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega can survive the ordeal.
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Kris Statlander(c) vs. Julia Hart vs. Skye Blue
Kris Statlander is a breakneck pace as the TBS Champion; in the span of 174 days, Stat has successfully defended the title on 16 occasions against fourteen different women. For perspective, by that point in her historic TBS Championship reign, the longest title reign in AEW history across all divisions, Jade Cargill had only defended the title eight times while Orange Cassidy, the most successful champion across all divisions in AEW, was also heading towards his 17th defense against Dralistico.
This Saturday at FULL GEAR 2023, Statlander heads into her 17th defense against two foes she’s already beaten in one-on-one contests, but who she now must contend with in a Three Way situation. To make matters more intriguing, there is an entire other dynamic between Julia Hart and Skye Blue that has little to do with Statlander. Ever since Hart misted Skye, the latter has taken a turn towards the dark, so much so that there was absolutely a concern she’d walk through the doors of The House of Black and be lost to her friends forever. Though Skye would repeatedly rebuke the handshake of help of the TBS Champion, when the moment came between choosing between Willow Nightingale and Julia Hart, Skye turned and sprayed her own blue mist into the face of The House of Black’s Hart.
So with each woman’s position set, the light of Statlander, the dark of Julia, and the chaotic middle of Blue, they will now collide on Saturday night with the TBS Championship on the line! This will mark the first defense for Stat that’s involved multiple challengers, will that be the ticket to ending this potentially historic reign? Or will the strife between Julia Hart and Skye Blue be the key to the champion retaining her championship?
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP LADDER MATCH…
Big Bill & Ricky Starks(c) vs. FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. LFI (Dralistico & Rush) vs. The House of Black (Brody King & Malakai Black)
A Ladder Match, only one other time in the history of AEW have the World Tag Team Titles been at stake in a Ladder match, and that was the night The Young Bucks beat Jurassic Express to start their defenseless 28-day second reign, as well as the night Christian Cage first stabbed Jack Perry in the back.
But four teams fighting to climb the rungs to championship status? That is a whole new ballgame, and one likely to end up in plenty of pain, suffering, and punishment! Just yesterday the AEW faithful witnessed the chaos that erupted between these eight men, especially Dax and Rush as they battled to a No Contest, now put that into a situation with no rules, the freedom to use weapons, and with a title at stake. This will be an intensely physical situation, and even though Ricky Starks is the one who laid the stipulation on the table, not necessarily the best one for the champions to retain their titles. They may not have to worry about a pinfall or submission happening to someone else to lose their status, but Big Bill and Ricky Starks constantly have to be concerned about stopping someone else climbing the ladder. There are six bodies besides theirs all with the same goal, but only one has to ascend to the top of the ladder and pull down the belts.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MJWEFWa96Xo?si=Y6I9IAqzW7_FxyFT
Can the defending champions survive six other opponents, as well as the Ladder itself, or will they be hoisted on their own petard?
FULL GEAR: ZERO HOUR
ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Eddie Kingston(c) vs. Jay Lethal
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
MJF(c) & Samoa Joe vs The Gunns (Austin & Colten)
ONE-ON-ONE…
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli vs. House of Black’s Buddy Matthews
https://www.youtube.com/embed/mIUYRmccbWw?si=9neyQvr0H6nC-USo&start=326
All Elite Wrestling is back on pay-per-view this Saturday night with FULL GEAR 2023 coming to you live from the KIA Forum in Los Angeles! This PPV experience is loaded with multiple championship bouts, including a Four Way Ladder Match for the AEW World Tag Titles, as well as huge grudge matches, and all the elite class professional wrestling fans expect from an All Elite Wrestling pay-per-view! All the details on how to watch FULL GEAR 2023 can be found here, so if you can’t be there in-person, you have to join us through your preferred method for the greatest PPV experience professional wrestling has to offer! And don’t forget to join us for the FULL GEAR: ZERO HOUR prior to the start of the PPV where the ROH World Title and the ROH World Tag Team Titles will be defended!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/dtmF8EmydgE?si=mKnW65FrncexeWag&start=201
https://www.youtube.com/embed/dbxc9mSnOTU?si=Lv8BplAZgxGeYaCB
This is it, the last stop before FULL GEAR 2023, and it’s going to be a loaded FOUR hours of action on TNT! All Elite Wrestling is coming to you live with the first of two nights from the Fabulous KIA Forum for back-to-back-to-back COLLISION, RAMPAGE, and COUNTDOWN TO FULL GEAR! This past Wednesday’s edition of DYNAMITE was wild, topped off with the LIKE A DRAGON GAIDEN Street Fight and MJF being decimated by BULLET CLUB GOLD, and Friday night promises to be more of that vibe!
Friday night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT with a COLLISION featuring Miro battling Daniel Garcia, the Women’s World and TBS Champions teaming up against The Outcasts, and Dax Harwood battling Rush on the eve of their PPV World Tag Team Title challenge! Then we roll straight into RAMPAGE where “Timeless” Toni Storm goes head-to-head with Emi Sakura, and after the events of DYNAMITE, we will hear from both AEW World Champion MJF and his FULL GEAR challenger Jay White! So before the night begins swing over to the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
COLLISION
REDEMPTION;WHETHER IT’S WANTED OR NOT…
“The Redeemer” Miro vs. Daniel Garcia
Daniel Garcia is at a bit of a crossroads after losing to AEW World Champion MJF on DYNAMITE; for the first time in a long time Garcia referred to himself as a professional wrestler, a huge step towards becoming the man fans wanted him to be when “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson extended a hand, but he is still associated with Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, Jake Hager, and Anna Jay. Daniel’s bond with his former J.A.S. allies appears to be holding Garcia back from being the man he strives to be, an amalgam of the professional wrestling and the sports entertainer, but he’s got to set that all aside and focus on being just one thing this Friday night: a survivor. That’s because on COLLISION Daniel Garcia will step into the ring with “The Redeemer” Miro for a one-on-one bout, a situation that may make Garcia regret every doing this towards CJ Perry:
Action Andretti learned the hard way about approaching CJ, so did Ryan Nemeth, and it seems inevitable that Andrade El Idolo and Miro will clash now that CJ Perry has taken Andrade on as her first client. Will Daniel Garcia suffer the same fate as Nemeth and Action, or will he somehow find a way to survive Miro’s redemption?
ONE-ON-ONE…
FTR’s Dax Harwood vs. LFI’s Rush
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GFj1esqgl8c?si=EkAJ1cHkMfyYT8iW&start=321
As FTR and LFI prepare for their shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championship this Saturday during FULL GEAR 2023, both are being haunted by the members of the fourth team challenging Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the gold, that being The House of Black. Malakai Black and Brody King, oft referred to as The Kings of The Black Throne, will join Dax, Cash, Rush, and Dralistico in a Four Way title fight this Saturday, a situation that does not play in favor of the defending champions, but before that comes to fruition, Rush and Dax The Axe will go to war against one another for their first-ever singles match!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/w0K0701MWw8?si=Ei9t_s86ADYgjkEZ&start=153
These are two of the hardest hitting fighters on the AEW roster, two very proud men who are at the top of their game right now, and want to head into Saturday with the edge a victory here will bring. As always, fighting so close to a title bout is an inherent risk, but one both Dax and Rush are willing to take in order to have that psychological advantage over one of the other men in the bout. Dax will have to have eyes in the back of his head, and Cash at his side, not only to balance out the LFI numbers advantage but also to keep eyes open for The House and the defending champions.
Regardless of which competitor wins this bout, both of them are going to feel it afterwards, but at least the fans watching at the KIA Forum, live on TNT, and around the world will be winners knowing they witnessed a good fight.
TAG TEAM CLASH…
AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida & TBS Champion Kris Statlander
vs.
The Outcasts (Ruby Soho & Saraya)
The night before the AEW Women’s World Champion and the TBS Champion defend their respective belts at FULL GEAR 2023, they will be in tag team action against a pair of women looking to find their footing in AEW once again. After losing the Women’s World Championship back to Hikaru Shida, and Ruby failing to claim either title after receiving shots at each in the past few months, The Outcasts are a bit out of the loop, and could certainly use a victory here to get back into a championship picture. Surely scoring a pinfall on either Kris Statlander or Hikaru Shida would go a long way towards putting the victor into contention, just as being put down by one of the champions could harm the losers future championship hopes.
The Outcasts are certainly a dangerous entity when focused on the task at hand, but the question that encircles Ruby Soho is whether or not her head will be elsewhere during the fight. Can she set aside the distraction of Angelo Parker, and of gifts like the flowers that certainly cost her a match? This is a huge opportunity for Soho and Saraya, potentially a detrimental one for the champions who have to fight twenty-four hours later, so will The Outcasts rise to the occasion? Or will the championship duo use this bout as their tune-up for what Saturday night will bring?
RAMPAGE
A TUNE-UP YOU SAY…
“Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Emi Sakura
After meeting former Goddess of Stardom Champion Mariah May for the very first time, and being rather dismissive of the woman who’s clearly a big fan and inspired by her own career journey, Toni Storm directed Luther to contact Tony Khan and get her a “tune-up match” for Friday night; a little something to get Toni ready for her AEW Women’s World Championship fight at FULL GEAR 2023.
It’s doubtful that Toni anticipated this tune-up would be against a woman who gave her some of the hardest hitting minutes she’s had in All Elite Wrestling to date! Though both bouts have been losses for Emi Sakura, the two fights between her and Toni Storm have been some of the most physical the Women’s Division has seen, particularly their Women’s World Title Eliminator bout on the 10/11/22 edition of DARK.
Toni Storm should be thankful that her shot at the Women’s World Title is not at stake in this so-called “tune-up” because she is certainly in for another tough night stepping back into the ring with Emi Sakura! Is this the wisest move for The Timeless One, or was she anticipating a far easier opponent standing across the ring this Friday night?
RENEE PAQUETTE CHATS WITH CHAMP & CHALLENGER…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/K9_OyE5_z-E?si=WgN575EvS2pUZZUI&start=296
On Wednesday night, AEW World Champion MJF stood alone in the middle of the ring, knowing anyone in the locker room who honestly supported him was not there, knowing the offer of help from Samoa Joe was contingent on giving him a championship match, and he let BULLET CLUB GOLD know that though he was afraid of a great many things, he wasn’t going to back down from any fight.
That refusal to just lay down and die unfortunately led to Maxwell Jacob Friedman being left for dead by Jay White and his ilk, not exactly the way the champion wanted to head into FULL GEAR 2023 this Saturday night, but at least there was some moral victory to be had for this man who’d been so amoral for most of his adult life.
This Friday night during RAMPAGE, twenty-four hours before they are scheduled to clash with the AEW World Championship at stake, both MJF and “Switchblade” Jay White will sit-down with Renee Paquette to discuss their mutual looming fate. This is not a joint interview, that’s certainly not something that could be done safely after what happened on DYNAMITE, but rather both men talking with Renee on their own.
What will champion and challenger have to say on the eve of their greatest night together? After all that has gone down between MJF, Jay White, BULLET CLUB GOLD, The Devil-Masked individual, the gang of black-clad thugs doing their dirty work, and the Triple B thievery, what will each man have to share about this pay-per-view clash?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PFMbIErSAHk?si=tClKkAcznMocU68M&start=296
Friday night is loaded with three hours of AEW action getting underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT beginning with COLLISION! This edition pits Miro against Daniel Garcia, Shida and Statlander against Saraya and Soho, and FTR’s Dax Harwood fighting LFI’s Rush just 24 hours before they take part in an AEW World Tag Team Championship fray! Then it’s time for a RAMPAGE where Emi Sakura will answer “Timeless” Toni Storm’s call for a “tune-up match, though fighting Sakura is hardly that, plus after what happened on Wednesday night, both the AEW World Champion MJF and “Switchblade” Jay White will sitdown with Renee Paquette! Before the night gets started, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episode of DYNAMITE, as well as all the moments leading up to FULL GEAR 2023, as well as the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, then stick around after RAMPAGE for the COUNTDOWN TO FULL GEAR 2023 special that follows!
https://video.wixstatic.com/video/815952_37e10d152aa642818337e3bd5a50b45c/1080p/mp4/file.mp4
Just announced by AEW CEO & GM Tony Khan
The AEWC ontinental Classic, a round-robin tournament featuring 12 of AEW’s top stars, kicks off on AEW Dynamite LIVE on 11/22 in Chicago!
The first entrant?
The American Dragon Bryan Danielson
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bEDFsRk3pVU?si=lHNOZvyJm0KfjvFN
After an impactful RAMPAGE Friday night in Oakland, All Elite Wrestling is right back at it this Saturday with a tremendous edition of COLLISION also emanating from The Oakland Arena! Friday we saw AEW World Tag Champ Ricky Starks conquer Preston Vance, albeit with a little help from his partner Big Bill, which brought Rush to the rescue. Plus, Ruby Soho got a surprise gift during the midst of her match with Red Velvet, a gift that very well may have cost her the match, and is clearly creating some issue within The Outcast members and the former J.A.S. To top it all off, FTR were victorious in a must-see classic against two of AAA’s finest champions in El Hijo Del Vikingo and Komander!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GFj1esqgl8c?si=DDs-iGokywdzlUTv&start=210
Now on Saturday night, we’ve got a huge Trios match pitting two nascent units against one another: The Righteous and Lance Archer clash with Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, and Sting as the latter trio prepare for their FULL GEAR 2023 battle! COLLISION is coming to you this Saturday night on TNT, beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT, so before the night begins swing over to the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
TRIOS BOUT…
Adam Copeland, Darby Allin, & Sting vs.
The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer
https://www.youtube.com/embed/AL-tv2XIWKk?si=NV0jKRB9cx3t7kNm&start=210
In a week’s time, the trio of Darby Allin, Sting, and Adam Copeland will lock horns at FULL GEAR 2023 with TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and young Nick Wayne. Though that bout is rife with history, some of it dating back decades, this trios match taking place on Saturday night has history just over a week old.
Last Saturday night, after Darby found a way to best “The Murderhawk Monster”, Jake “The Snake” Roberts brought out The Righteous of Dutch and Vincent as his newest pieces of “artillery”, leaving Darby distracted and vulnerable for Archer to drop him with a Blackout. Still, ever resilient, Darby bounced back on Wednesday night to team with Sting for a victory over The Outrunners, looking battered and bruised but still quite game.
Still, between everything he’s gone through since Christian Cage’s merciless assault at WRESTLEDREAM 2003, particularly the fight with Lance Archer last week, Darby has to be feeling perpetual pain throughout his body. That doesn’t mean he’s going to stop the fight, after all Darby has friends to rely on, friends to count on, and friends to fight alongside both this Saturday night on COLLISION and next Saturday at FULL GEAR 2023 as well!
This Saturday will give everyone a taste of what this Copeland/Allin/Sting trio looks like in action, but so too will it give the world a look at the devastation that the Dutch/Vincent/Archer/Roberts quartet can unleash upon the world! Come to think of it, given the Jake Roberts and Sting dynamic involved here as well, this is a battle with roots thirty-plus years old, roots that ironically first grew in the Jacksonville Coliseum down in Florida…
ONE-ON-ONE…
Daniel Garcia vs. Andrade El Idolo
He’s been frustrated by the last several months of not getting to demonstrate his full potential, but last Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, when Daniel Garcia had the opportunity to fight MJF for the AEW World Championship, he finally got a chance to be the professional wrestler that fans have wanted to see for quite some time. The sports entertainer died, making way for one of the best technical wrestlers in the game today, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to bring Garcia the AEW World Title.
But Garcia isn’t crying over spilled milk; he allowed himself that privilege in the immediate aftermath of the loss to MJF, but clearly Daniel is ready to get right back on the horse and ride it straight into the toughest fights he can find.
So for this first foray back into the fray Garcia has picked himself quite the challenge; one of the hardest-hitting men in AEW, one of the most complete professional wrestlers competing today, none other than Andrade El Idolo! Andrade is coming off a classic fight with Bryan Danielson, albeit one he lost, and certainly looking to redeem himself from that defeat, but so too is he coming into the fight with the specter of CJ Perry hanging over his head.
Andrade has promised to answer Perry’s offer of managerial services, but will that pull the attention of “The Redeemer” Miro as it did when Ryan Nemeth and Action Andretti tried to acquire CJ’s services over the last few weeks?
IS HE CLEARED?
Roderick Strong vs. Darius Martin
Lexy Nair asked a perfectly reasonable question; is Roderick Strong even cleared to compete in All Elite Wrestling?After all, he’s been wearing this neck brace for a ridiculous amount of time and though the last nights have seen Roddy miraculously rip off the brace to do some damage to The Kingdom’s foes, he still wants to claim injury as much as possible.
Yet, when The Kingdom were confronted by Darius Martin and Action Andretti, it wasn’t Matt Taven and Mike Bennett who jumped up to fight foes who’d previously bested The Kingdom, but rather Roddy Strong who put himself out there for the fight!
Apparently, neck brace or not, this fight is going to take place on Saturday night’s COLLISION, Strong’s first bit of combat since his September 13th fight with Samoa Joe! Is Roderick Strong up for the task, or will Darius rise up and prove himself the better man?
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP FUTURE…
Willow Nightingale vs. Julia Hart
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vo0MBHRjMzw?si=MYVi1DG9UxLDGPHq&start=210
The future of the TBS Championship hangs in the balance of this of this rematch from the September 27th edition of DYNAMITE! Their last fight took place just a few days after Julia assaulted, and misted, Willow prior to COLLISION on the 24th, and then when Willow Nightingale and Julia Hart collided on AEW’s flagship, it was The House of Black member who scored the victory with her impressive moonsault.
Unlike Skye Blue, Willow Nightingale was not changed by her exposure to Julia’s poison, but that doesn’t mean the former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion doesn’t want revenge for all that’s been done to her and her friends. The fact that a future TBS Championship match hangs in the balance is icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae, the prize awaiting the winner of this one-on-one fight!
Will Julia Hart get her rematch with Kris Statlander and put the fight with Willow to rest on Saturday night? Or will it be Nightingale who gets another shot at the TBS Championship, another opportunity to finally score that AEW championship victory that’s alluded her thus far?
TAG TEAM ACTION…
LFI (Dralistico & Rush) vs. The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/K3_yffcEbR8?si=4UqQlybg914LXrLk&start=210
It’s very clear that many forces are amassing to challenge Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships, and despite the loss Preston Vance sustained at the hands of “Absolute” Ricky Starks on Friday night’s RAMPAGE, La Faccion Ingobernable are chief among those potential challengers. Whether it’s Rush and Vance, Rush and Dralistico, or Dralistico and Vance, LFI has designs on the titles, and nothing is going to stop these paragons of violence from getting what they desire.
With that in mind, the Dralistico/Rush pairing will be in tag team action against The Workhorsemen, a duo who had their brush with greatness several months ago the night they almost eked out a World Tag Team Championship victory over FTR. JD Drake and Anthony Henry have been craving that feeling ever since, and hope to get near to it once again by scoring a victory over LFI this Saturday night on COLLISION!
ALSO FEATURING:
-POWERHOUSE HOBBS IN ACTION!
-DALTON CASTLE VS. NICK WAYNE!!
-AND MORE!!!
Before the evening gets underway, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/EsV-iRW6TTk?si=S-oTV5YMUO87UXV8
Last week was another exciting one in the world of All Elite Wrestling, and it all began with AEW World Champion MJF teaming with AEW World Trios Champions Daddy Ass & The Acclaimed to take on BULLET CLUB GOLD in a wild eight-man tag! Unfortunately for the World Champ, the bout ended with Jay White pinning his shoulders to the mat, but at least it bonded the one Max with the other, and garnered the World Champ with some friends besides Adam Cole. Then on Saturday night at COLLISION, the World Trios Champs got to celebrate 69-Day in a fashion only they could, and capped off their 69th day as champions with a record-setting victory over Dalton Castle & The Boys!
We also saw FTR and LFI defeat the AEW World Tag Champions and The Gates of Agony in their own 8-Man Tag on COLLISION, watched Darby Allin and Lance Archer go to battle in a fight lost by Archer, but one in which he and Jake “The Snake” Roberts garnered new allies in The Righteous. Willow Nightingale defeated Emi Sakura, The Kingdom continued to deliver their #NeckStrong message with a “miracle” for Roderick Strong, and much more as AEW barrels towards the Fabulous Forum for FULL GEAR 2023!
AEW is returning to Portland, OR but this time it’s with DYNAMITE and marking our debut at the Moda Center, the home of the Portland Trailblazers! We’ve got MJF, with FULL GEAR 2023 getting closer, defending his AEW World Championship against Daniel Garcia as well as ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe acecpting the challenge of “Limitless” Keith Lee! Plus Swerve versus Penta, Julia Hart versus Red Velvet, and Mark Briscoe battling Jay White; the action begins at at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, and at AEWPlus.com for international fans. Be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER, plus so much more!
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
MJF(c) vs. Daniel Garcia
Prior to last Friday night’s edition of RAMPAGE, Daniel Garcia had not competed in an AEW match that wasn’t a tag, trios, or multi-man since the Four Way International Championship match at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023, with his last one-on-one encounter being in a top-shelf fight with Dax Harwood only seen by those in attendance for HOUSE RULES: TUPELO on June 2, and his last televised being a loss to Roderick Strong on the May 24th edition of DYNAMITE. As a man whose AEW resume includes victories over Brody King, Ricky Starks, and Bryan Danielson, it has clearly been frustrating for the former ROH Pure Champion, and the interpersonal issues he and his friends have been experiencing since walking away from The Jericho Appreciation Society have not helped matters.
Perhaps that is why Garcia, after his victory over Trent Beretta, chose to grab the microphone and shoot his shot by challenging Maxwell Jacob Friedman to put his AEW World Championship on the line. Clearly Garcia is tired of fighting with his friends, both inside and outside the ring, and tired of feeling overlooked despite being one of the best technical wrestlers in the game today. In Daniel’s eyes this is a fight that should’ve happened a long time ago, not MJF specifically but rather a World Championship opportunity, and he just had to take it upon himself to breath it into existence.
To MJF’s credit (it still somewhat bristles to write that), despite coming off that COLLISION clash with Kenny Omega and the 8-Man bout on DYNAMITE that saw him pinned by Jay White, he still plans to face Daniel Garcia this Wednesday night and to put the AEW World Championship on the line! That means, by the end of DYNAMITE, fans could see the entire face of the FULL GEAR 2023 championship match change! We could end up with Mark Briscoe taking on MJF, or Mark Briscoe versus Daniel Garcia, as well as the possibility of Jay White versus Daniel Garcia, in addition to the scheduled White/MJF bout. There could be a shake-up on the horizon for All Elite Wrestling, but should MJF survive the night with the championship still…well…not in his possession…but at least attached to his name, then he will tie the 9-defense record set by Jon Moxley during his first reign, making FULL GEAR 2023 the night Maxwell could add “most successful” to the “longest reigning” credit in his championship bio.
Can Garcia step up to that next level of competition and conquer AEW’s own devil? Or will Maxwell Jacob Friedman survive another day as champion and be able focus his sights on the KIA Forum, Jay White, and FULL GEAR 2023? The challengers are circling all-around…
ROH WORLD TV CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Samoa Joe(c) vs. Keith Lee
When the calendar turned from Wednesday November 1st to Saturday the 2nd, Samoa Joe officially became the longest-reigning World Television Champion in Ring of Honor history, surpassing Jay Lethal’s record that had stood since October 23, 2015, and with no seeming end in sight. When Samoa Joe walks into Portland on Wednesday night, he will stand with 575 days as champion to his resume, a number that actually puts the ROH Legend just 71 days away from breaking his own 645-day record as ROH World Champion, maintaining Joe’s status as the longest-reigning champion across all titles in ROH’s nearly 22-year history only now with the Television Championship rather than the World.
Though Samoa Joe felt he’d cleared out all challengers after putting down former TV Champion Rhett Titus on the October 28th COLLISION, and has thus devoted a good deal of his focus on MJF’s AEW World Championship, there was a man willing to step up to that challenge this past Saturday night, someone with a bit of ROH experience of their own, but who has never shared the ring with Samoa Joe: “Limitless” Keith Lee!
Though he’s only made one ROH appearance in the new era of honor, that being at FINAL BATTLE 2022, Keith Lee first competed in Ring of Honor, alongside Shane Taylor, on the May 29, 2015 event known as ROAD TO BEST IN THE WORLD 2015: NIGHT 1. Though never title holders, The Pretty Boy Killers (as Keith and Shane were known) did face top teams like The Briscoes, War Machine, and the All Night Express before Keith Lee left Shane Taylor in February 2017 following UNDISPUTED LEGACY. That’s a whole other issue, one Taylor and Lee still need to sort between each other, merely brought up to show that ROH is not unfamiliar territory to Keith Lee.
That bring multiple questions to bear regarding this fight set for Wednesday’s DYNAMITE: will we see Keith Lee return to Ring of Honor as a champion? Can Samoa Joe continue his run as the “King of Television” and press own towards breaking his own championship record come January 19, 2024? Though both men have issues beyond this title fight, Joe with MJF and Keith with Shane Taylor, they will no doubt be focused on the battle at hand, a battle pitting two of the biggest behemoths in All Elite Wrestling or Ring of Honor against one another!
ONE-ON-ONE…
Jay White vs. Mark Briscoe
***FULL GEAR 2023 TITLE SHOT ON THE LINE***
Once upon a time in 2016, a young lion named Jay White left the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo and traveled to the United States on excursion. This is a common happening among the young men coming out of the NJPW Dojo, though the destination is not always the same, and in the case of Jay White it was a year-long voyage to Ring of Honor. Yes he spent time in promotions like RevPro in the UK, fought in American indies like PWG, IWC, and House of Glory, but Ring of Honor was his home until October 28, 2017.
During that time, Jay White would find allies in a group known as Search and Destroy that consisted of White, The Motor City Machine Guns, Lio Rush, and Jonathan Gresham, and with that unit would end up in a several battles with two pillars of Ring of Honor: Jay and Mark Briscoe. One of White’s earliest matches in ROH was a 20-Minute draw with Jay Briscoe, and he would first collide with the brothers from Sandy Fork on the 9/3/16 edition of ROH WRESTLING with Lio Rush at his side. Though that S&D team was unsuccessful, Jay White would find success against The Briscoes at ALL-STAR EXTRAVGANZA VIII when he, ACH, and KUSHIDA defeated Jay, Mark, and Toru Yano in the inaugural World Six-Man Title Tournament and again when he, Lio, Sabin, and Shelley bested Jay, Mark, Silas Young, and Jay Lethal in an 8-Man tag.
As the young lion in those situations, Jay White took his beatings even in victory, and it all helped him prepare for the inevitable birth of “Switchblade” that came with his return to NJPW in November 2017. Jay and Mark would clash with White on one more occasion in May 2022, after “King Switch” had ascended to the head of BULLET CLUB and brought a young man named Chris Bey into the fold, but as it was in their only other straight-up tag match, The Briscoes claimed victory over Jay White and his partner.
All that being said, with that history lesson on the relationship between Mark Briscoe and Jay White, it’s a brand new day and both men are now members of the All Elite Wrestling family. Jay White and his BULLET CLUB GOLD brethren have absconded with MJF’s AEW World Championship title belt, leaving “Switchblade” to walk around AEW and claim himself the true champion. The old saying goes “possession is 9/10ths of the law”, but it’s tantamount to “finder’s keepers, losers weepers” here with Jay White, and Mark Briscoe has decided to put his foot down on the shenanigans he’s watched unfold over the last several weeks.
That is what has led the former 13-Time ROH World Tag Champion to challenge Jay White to this fight on DYNAMITE, a fight in which White’s FULL GEAR 2023 World Championship opportunity will also be on the line! Mark Briscoe’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain with this one, and in just his second match back from injury he could be the next challenger to either MJF or Daniel Garcia. Mark will likely have to contend with the full Bang Bang Gang contingent in Jay’s corner, but perhaps someone in the back with their own BC GOLD issues will be watching Briscoe’s back.
PARA LA FAMILIA…
Swerve Strickland vs. Penta El Zero Miedo
Alex Abrahantes could not have made it more clear; this fight is about something greater than just the match itself. Much like Mark Briscoe standing up for what he sees as wrong, this challenge made to Swerve Strickland on Penta El Zero Miedo’s behalf is also about what the latter sees being done wrong by the former.
After watching what Swerve did at “Hangman” Adam Page’s home, that complete violation beyond the pale of professional wrestling, Penta was disgusted and as a man who cherishes his family, decided to do something about it. So for the first time in AEW, and for the first time since December 2018, Swerve Strickland and Penta El Zero Miedo will go one-on-one on DYNAMITE! History tilts in the favor of Strickland, three previous meetings and all won by the boss of The Mogul Embassy, but this week Penta fights with his family in mind, with Hangman’s family in mind, and that’s the kind of motivation that will push a man to some dark deeds.
Then again, Swerve seems to thrive in those dark deeds as well based on his invasions of both Nick Wayne’s and Hangman Page’s private spaces, and clearly has no issues about crossing the lines decent human beings won’t, and certainly not in the name of a professional wrestling contest. Whose darkness is going to win out in this one-on-one clash?
SINGLES MATCH…
Julia Hart vs. Red Velvet
The last time Julia Hart was inside the squared circle was a month ago at WRESTLEDREAM 2023 after Kris Statlander bested her in their TBS Championship bout. Not only was that night a championship loss for The House of Black member, it was also the loss that snapped a 28-match win streak that Julia had built since May 2, 2022. The other night when The House of Black returned to the COLLISION stage in full force, so too did Julia Hart arrive, and with them the AEW landscape shuddered.
The last time Red Velvet appeared inside an AEW ring was on the February 1st edition of DYNAMITE when she fell to Jade Cargill in their TBS Championship bout, suffering an injury in the process that has kept her out of action for the last nine months.
That marks two things these women have in common, a TBS Championship loss in their last match, and some time off following that fight. Obviously for Velvet it was a far less of a choice to remain away from the ring, where as with Hart it was more of a regrouping alongside The House.
This Wednesday night the path of these two women will intertwine once more, the first time since their bout on the July 19, 2021 edition of DARK: ELEVATION, a match won by Red Velvet on her road to fighting Dr. Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s World Championship on the very first episode of RAMPAGE.
While Velvet has never contended with this dark, twisted version of Julia Hart, neither has Hart dealt with the Red Velvet of today who learned so much from her time as a Baddie, her challenges for the TBS and Women’s World Titles, and the motivation of long-term injury recovery. What will each bring to the table this Wednesday evening, and whose eyes will be watching it go down?
TAG TEAM TUSSLE..
Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Outrunners (Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/AL-tv2XIWKk?si=poR8ke5FEWiRhekU
Ahead of their COLLISION trios bout where Adam Copeland will join Darby Allin and Sting to fight Lance Archer and The Righteous, Darby and “The Icon” will be in tag team action against a team who’s been very impressive in their AEW outings to date: The Outrunners!
The Outrunners, Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd, have been in the ring with The Acclaimed, Butcher & Blade, The Kings of The Black Throne, Aussie Open, and The Gunns, just to name a few of their AEW opponents, and they’ve managed to impress in their losses.
This Wednesday night they’ve got a huge opportunity when they square off with Darby Allin and Sting on the home stretch of The Icon’s career! This could be the biggest night in the lives of The Outrunners, can they take advantage of the situation, particularly all the damage done to Darby by Lance Archer?
HAVE A SEAT WITH TONY, TONI, & SHIDA..
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UVOiTX_eaQc?si=jzUDbIiju8IVbFAp&start=263
Last week, following Hikaru Shida’s AEW Women’s World Championship defense against Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm made her way to the DYNAMITE stage and stole the spotlight from the champ for the third time. This time Shida had had enough, and as Storm rolled about on the stage, the 3-Time Champion came charging up the ramp, knocking down Luther, and delivering a solid knee strike to Toni’s face.
Storm went scurrying away with Shida in pursuit, but there will be no running this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when both women, ahead of their FULL GEAR 2023 title fight, sit with Tony Schiavone for a chat! Will tempers flare up and turn this interview into a disaster not seen since THE ROOM?
AEW is back in Portland, OR this Wednesday night for DYNAMITE and our debut at the home of the Portland Trailblazers: the Moda Center! The AEW World Championship will be on the line, as well the ROH World Television Title, plus Swerve Strickland takes on Penta El Zero Miedo, Red Velvet is back in action for the first time in nine months to take on Julia Hart, Mark Briscoe and Jay White clash, and plenty more on top for AEW’s flagship! The night gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, and at AEWPlus.com for international fans so make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel to catch-up on highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
Following the Massive Success of “AEW: All In London,” AEW Returns to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, August 25
— Tickets for “AEW: All In London” On Sale Friday, Dec. 1; Pre-Registration Available for Early Access —
November 1, 2023 – During tonight’s live episode of “AEW: Dynamite” from Louisville, Ky., AEW CEO Tony Khan announced that tickets for the second “AEW: All In London” will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Dec. 1, at 9 a.m. BST via Ticketmaster.co.uk. The highly anticipated event will take place at iconic Wembley Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024.
Fans can pre-register now for early access to purchase tickets for AEW’s return to Wembley Stadium by visiting www.ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley2024. Pre-registered access and priority presales will take place beginning Monday, Nov. 27 just prior to the general on sale. Ticket information will be sent via email to registered fans only.
AEW’s return to the UK comes on the heels of its spectacular debut of “AEW: All In London” this past August, when more than 80,000 fans from over 70 countries converged on Wembley Stadium to witness a thrilling night of match-ups featuring the biggest names in wrestling today. With 81,035 tickets sold, the epic show shattered the world record for the largest ever paid attendance at a professional wrestling event.
“‘AEW: All In London’ permanently etched AEW in the history books, setting the world record for most tickets sold for any show in the history of professional wrestling,” said Tony Khan. “Wembley Stadium also holds a special place in my heart as I’ve now been there as part of three different sports properties, and have witnessed over 80,000 fans in the stands for all three. In addition to Fulham earning two promotions with playoff wins at Wembley Stadium, and the Jaguars winning our ninth ‘home’ game there a few weeks ago, I’ll remember the thunderous cheers from the crowd during ‘AEW: All In’ for the rest of my life.
“Stay tuned for more updates this month ahead of the general public on sale on December 1, and reminder to pre-register on November 27 for access. I can’t wait to return to Wembley Stadium for our second London show next August, which will be even bigger and more spectacular for fans in attendance and those watching around the world.”
“AEW: All In London” will feature the biggest names in professional wrestling from a roster that includes stars such as Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Claudio Castagnoli, Jon Moxley, “Hangman” Adam Page, Adam Copeland, Saraya, Christian Cage, Adam Cole, FTR, Bryan Danielson, Kris Statlander, Orange Cassidy, Miro, Dr. Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs and many more. Additional information and matches will be announced in the near future. The event will be produced in conjunction with Live Nation Entertainment.
“AEW: All In London” continues the legacy of Khan family properties enjoying signature moments in the iconic venue. Shahid Khan is Chairman of Fulham Football Club, which earned promotion to the English Premier League with playoff wins at Wembley Stadium in both 2018 and 2020. He is also owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have regularly hosted a home game at the stadium since 2013 and will return once again in 2024 for the franchise’s tenth home game overall at Wembley.
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 “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
About Live Nation Entertainment
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/83MiJcWtEOc?si=ZTlIs0hiMA7ELgqv&start=168
Saturday night’s edition of COLLISION brought the AEW faithful an epic World Championship match between Kenny Omega and Maxwell Jacob Friedman that saw the defending champion top his challenger to not only retain, but to also cement his status as the longest-reigning AEW World Champion of all time. As of Wednesday November 1st MJF has officially hit the 347-day mark of his reign atop the mountain, thus surpassing Kenny Omega’s record, and leaving him with one World Championship record left to break, that being Moxley’s nine successful defenses. A win over Jay White at FULL GEAR 2023 would tie that marker, but Max still has a ways to go before he gets to The KIA Forum, and part of that is his fight with The Bang Bang Gang on DYNAMITE!
Also last Saturday, Hikaru Shida continued her third reign as AEW Women’s World Champion by defeating Abadon in a Fright Night Fight, the aforementioned BULLET CLUB GOLD was successful in picking up two victories in their Saturday night fights, and Samoa Joe continued his march towards breaking Jay Lethal’s 567-day record reign as ROH World TV Champion with his victory over Rhett Titus!
DYNAMITE is stacked for AEW’s debut in Louisville, KY at the KFC YUM! Center with MJF possibly taking on the entirety of BULLET CLUB GOLD by himself, Hikaru Shida facing Willow Nightingale’s challenge, the AEW International Championship on the line, and more! The night begins at at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so swing by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, an unforgettable COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
EIGHT-MAN TAG MATCH…
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF, ???, ???, & ???
vs. BULLET CLUB GOLD (Austin Gunn, Colten Gunn, Jay White, & Juice Robinson)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qlIAH9PxiTo?si=mI0WGdh9CfXavtxo&start=168
As of Wednesday, after topping Kenny Omega in their epic COLLISION bout, Maxwell Jacob Friedman has officially become the longest-reigning AEW World Champion in history, surpassing Omega, with the only record associated with that championship left to break being the most championship defenses. That record is currently held by Jon Moxley during his first title reign, holding steady at nine, with MJF having the potential to tie it at FULL GEAR 2023 when he faces “Switchblade” Jay White in his next title defense. The fact that Jay has physical possession of the MJF’s prized Triple B is meaningless to the actual lineage, just merely a tool for “King Switch” to use to antagonize the actual champion as long as the belt sits in the BC GOLD camp.
Clearly the issue is getting to Max as he attempted, despite having that match with Omega on his plate later in the night, to reclaim the title belt following Jay White’s victory over AR Fox. Once again unsuccessful in his attempt, MJF now has to take on the whole of The Bang Bang Gang this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE if wants to get the Triple B back from Jay White. There’s only one problem, Max has essentially told everyone willing to help him out to kick rocks, not The Kingdom, not Roderick Strong, not The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, and as far as Samoa Joe’s offer, well Max didn’t scream Joe’s name for help, but he didn’t say no either.
So who will it be? Will it even be anyone? Is there anyone MJF will accept help from, or who will even be willing to stick their neck out for him? After all, despite his recent titling towards the side of the angels, this man is still The Devil who perpetrated a great deal of pain and suffering on many individuals throughout All Elite Wrestling, and why anyone would trust him is generally beyond logic. Yet here is Joe offering a hand, albeit with that championship caveat, and Max Caster searching for friendship based on their shared history at the Create A Pro Academy, while The Kingdom and Roderick Strong are doing it to stay in Adam Cole’s good graces.That’s a lot of firepower that could be on Max’s side, but he doesn’t want a part of any of it, even with the full power of BULLET CLUB GOLD standing in front of him. There’s brave, and then there is foolhardy, and it is very clear which of the two that the AEW World Champion is choosing…
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Claudio Castagnoli
On Wednesday night in Philadelphia, Claudio Castagnoli pinned AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy to win the bout for the Blackpool Combat Club. Unfortunately that victory came at a cost to “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson as Claudio detailed Saturday night on COLLISION. Whether it was The Rainmaker Clothesline or The Orange Punch, the end result was Danielson suffering a fracture to his orbital bone. So while Claudio had the thrill of pinning a champion, he also had the agony of knowing his BCC brother was down at the hands of their opponents.
For Claudio, there can at least be some solace knowing that he can get revenge for Danielson in short order because, as a result of pinning Cassidy on DYNAMITE, the former 2-Time ROH World Champion will challenge for the AEW International Championship! This marks the first time Castagnoli, a former 2-Time ROH World Champion, will challenge for a singles title in All Elite Wrestling, with that recent AEW World Tag Title loss to Big Bill & Ricky Starks being Claudio’s only other AEW title fight.
Orange has proven he won’t back down from any fight, he even had the gumption to shoulder into Jon Moxley unprovoked which nearly led into a brawl of its own at BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII, and he has stated his intention to move forward in his second reign as International Champion just like he did with the first. That means defending at every opportunity against every opponent who wants an opportunity, despite the physical and mental toll it took on the man. It was obvious, and OC didn’t hide it, that losing the title shook him to the core and he lost some sense of identity without it around his waist. Reclaiming it, albeit from Rey Fenix rather than Mox, restored some of that identity, but it is not a reach to assume Cassidy wants another fight with Moxley; why else purposefully run into the man? But before that’s even a possibility, Cassidy has to survive the onslaught of The Swiss Superman in his next championship defense! Will the AEW International Championship return to The Blackpool Combat Club this Wednesday night in Louisville?
TAG TEAM CHALLENGE…
Daddy Magic & Cool Hand Ang vs. Golden Jets (Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega)
Much to the chagrin of Daniel Garcia, and the utter annoyance of Anna Jay, last Friday on RAMPAGE Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and maybe even Jake Hager, seemed buy into the garbage that Don Callis was selling to them. It certainly took some of the focus of Anna’s attempts to earn that COLLISION title match with Shida, in fact she was the one that Abadon defeated to take the title match, and perhaps knowing that some of her friends were focused on other business kept her from focusing 100% on her own.
Disappointingly, Menard and Parker have decided to take Don Callis up on his offer and this Wednesday night in Louisville, they will face Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho in tag team action! The Golden Jets, as Jericho dubbed them, are coming into this one with Omega fresh off a hard-fought AEW World Championship bout with MJF this past Saturday night and Chris Jericho hopefully recovered from the assault he suffered at the hands of Powerhouse Hobbs!
Will Callis’ newfound allies be successful against the two former AEW World Champions, or will the unlikely allies be victorious and frustrate Callis?
AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Hikaru Shida(c) vs. Willow Nightingale
https://www.youtube.com/embed/eWSobRJB5-E?si=7F-yVW4geE6YxNqq&start=168
Coming off a COLLISION’s Fright Fight with Abadon, the AEW Women’s World Champion is right back in action defending her title against all-comers, and the next one to step up to the plate is fan favorite Willow Nightingale!
As of late Willow has invested her time in whatever is going on with Skye Blue since both were misted by Julia Hart’s “spooky dust” (as Willow dubbed it), and we’ve all seen it bring some changes to Skye while Nightingale has remained true to herself. TBS Champion Kris Statlander tried to bridge the gap on COLLISION to no avail, and now with this opportunity on her table, Willow Nightingale is really going to have to put Skye on the back burner and focus on the task at hand. This is just Willow’s second opportunity at the title, the first coming back at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 against Toni Storm, and her second ever match with Hikaru Shida with the first actually taking place on the Jericho Cruise earlier this year.
Will Willow be frustrated by Shida in this championship bid, or can the first-ever NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion add an AEW title to her trophy case as well? Tune in Wednesday night to see how it all goes down!
DYNAMITE comes your way with AEW’s Louisville, KY debut hailing from the KFC YUM! Center. We will see AEW World Champion MJF, and perhaps some partners, taking on the whole of The Bang Bang Gang, Hikaru Shida defends her title against Willow Nightingale, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy fights The BCC’s Claudio Castagnoli, and much more in store! The show kicks off at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, and at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel to catch highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
AR Fox vs. “Switchblade” Jay White (with Bullet Club Gold)!
Jay White grappled Fox to the mat with a side headlock takedown. Fox came back with a cutter. Fox followed up with a swift kick to Jay White, knocking White out of the ring. Fox nailed Jay White with a shooting star press, posting off the turnbuckles and landing on White on the arena floor.
Back in the ring, Jay White threw Fox into the turnbuckles with a half and half suplex. Jay White spiked AR Fox with a DDT. AR Fox regained momentum, hitting Bullet Club Gold with a tope con hiro, and then he hit one on Jay White! AR Fox smashed Jay White with a twisting vertical suplex and then a 450 splash off the top for a near fall on “Switchblade”!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Jay White rocked Fox with a half and half suplex and then finished him off with the Blade Runner, scoring the pin.
“You make one mistake against Jay White, and he will make you pay every single time,” said Kevin Kelly.
After the match, MJF snuck to the ring in a hoody and tried to steal his world title back from Jay White. He was outnumbered by Bullet Club Gold and had to leg go of the title, discretion being the better part of valor.
AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass said next week on Collision they’re going to celebrate 69 days as champs!
The Boys—Brandon & Brent (with Dalton Castle)
vs.
The Gunns—Austin & Colten (with Bullet Club Gold)!
The Boys showed off their quickness, getting in some great tandem offense on Austin. The Gunns fired back with the 3:10 to Yuma and won in decisive fashion.
The Gunns will be facing MJF and a yet-to-be-named partner at AEW Full Gear: Zero Hour, on Saturday, November 18th for the ROH World Tag Team Championship.
Lexy Nair was backstage with “Hollywood Hunk” Ryan Nemeth!
Ryan: “I have a huge surprise. Big movie coming out next month. National comedy tour. But I want the success I’m having in Hollywood translate to success in AEW, which is why I brought you here.”
Nemeth turned and pointed to the dressing room door of “Hot And Flexible” CJ Perry.
Nemeth knocked on the door and “The Redeemer” Miro answered! Miro invited him in, the door closed, and Miro mauled Nemeth!
Fright Night Fight!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
Hikaru Shida (c.) vs. Abadon!
Shida and Abadon locked up. Abadon was looking to bite Shida, but Shida kicked her away. Abadon grabbed a skeleton bone and swung it at Shida, but Shida countered with a dropkick.
Abadon hid under the ring and tried to pull Shida under the ring. Abadon snuck up from the other side and ambushed Shida. Abadon cracked Shida across the back with a trash can lid.
Abadon and Shida collided against each other with double clotheslines, both having the same idea. Abadon found a baseball bat, but Shida got behind Abadon and choked her with it. Abadon cracked Shida with a kick in the face. Abadon poured out a bucket of candy and smashed Shida with a blockbuster on the candy!
Shida rocked Abadon with a shot from the kendo stick. Shida placed a pumpkin on top of Abadon’s head and smashed her with the katana kick, scoring the pinfall victory!
“What a win for Shida,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Timeless” Toni Storm came out and pranced around the ring.
ROH World Television Championship Match!
Samoa Joe (c.) vs. Rhett Titus!
Rhett wrenched on Samoa Joe’s wrist. Samoa Joe bulldozed his way right through Titus. Samoa Joe drove Titus down with jabs in the corner. Samoa Joe chopped at Titus. Rhett Titus jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Samoa Joe simply walked out of the way.
Rhett Titus ran into Samoa Joe with two big boots. He went for a third time, but Samoa Joe planted Titus and then forced Titus to tap out!
“Domination made flesh!” said Kevin Kelly.
Footage aired from last night’s Rampage of Renee Paquette interviewing the QTV crew!
QT Marshall said that when he won the AAA Latin American Title, he told the world he was going to defend it with honor and prestige across the world. “I’m back in AEW and I plan on defending it against some of the luchadores because I’m told AEW has the best luchadores in the world.”
Up Next: An Injury update on the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Claudio Castagnoli said Danielson had a broken orbital bone and it was either from the Orange Punch or the Rainmaker. “I don’t know, and I don’t care because I’m going to make both of you pay for what you’ve done for my friend. Okada, be it in the Unites States or Japan, I am coming for you. I will find you and I will make you pay.
“Orange, you and me on Wednesday on Dynamite for your International Championship. I know what I’m going to do and what I’m capable of and it frightens me. You hurt one of the Blackpool Combat Club and now I’m going to hurt you. See you on Wednesday. Good luck.”
FTR’s Dax Harwood (with Cash Wheeler)
vs.
AEW World Tag Team Champion “Absolute” Ricky Starks (with Big Bill)!
Before the match began the lights in the arena went dark.
The lights came back on, and The House of Black were seen scouting the match.
Dax and Starks chain wrestled. They traded arm drags. Dax grabbed a side headlock takeover.
“What is the House of Black’s motivation for being here?” wondered Tony Schiavone.
Dax tried for a diving headbutt, but Ricky moved out of the way. Starks nailed Dax with a leg drop across the throat while Dax was on the edge of the ring. Dax went for a baseball slide, but Starks trapped him in the ring skirt. Starks started to pummel him with shots and then nailed him with a suplex on the ramp.
Dax rallied back and superplexed Ricky Starks. Both men hit the mat hard! Ricky rammed Harwood with a lariat. Dax clobbered Ricky with strikes. Dax grabbed an inside cradle for a near fall.
Dax blocked a tornado DDT and countered with a brainbuster for a near fall on Starks. Starks went for the spear, but Dax cracked him with a rising knee. Dax spiked Ricky with a piledriver. Dax went for the cover, but Big Bill pulled Dax out of the ring by the boot. Back in the ring, Ricky crushed Dax with a piledriver and pinned him!
“That’s the door closing on FTR, at least for the time being,” said Kevin Kelly.
“I’m not so sure about that,” replied Tony Schiavone.
The arena went dark again. This time when the lights returned on, Julia Hart was standing on the ramp surrounded by a shroud of fog. The lights went back out and this time when the came back on, the House of Black were in the ring, circling Ricky Starks and Big Bill!
“They’ve surrounded the champions,” said Kevin Kelly.
The House of Black then turned their attention to FTR!
La Faccion Ingobernable stormed down to the ring!
“It’s LFI!” said Tony Schiavone.
“Who are they looking at?” asked Kevin Kelly.
LFI helped FTR and began to slug it out with the House of Black! Big Bill and Ricky Starks retreated!
“LFI and FTR together in the ring! Incredible! Who would have thought this?” said Schiavone.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Andrade El Idolo!
Lexy asked about Andrade’s dealings with CJ Perry, as well as the return of LFI.
Andrade El Idolo: “I am a businessman. This is my business. Nobody else.”
TBS Champion Kris Statlander was backstage with Lexy Nair.
Statlander asked for some time to speak with Willow Nightingale and Skye Blue. Statlander said whatever was going on between Willow and Skye needed to be settled now.
Willow: “Skye, I felt this tension between us, and it’s growing stronger. And ever since we both got misted from Julia, something is getting worse with you.”
Skye: “Anything that I have to say with Julia is between her and I.”
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli
vs.
“Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams!
Claudio Castagnoli clobbered Tracy Williams with repeated European Uppercuts! Claudio clubbed Tracy with lariats. Claudio finished off “Hot Sauce” with a European Uppercut and then pinned him.
MJF was seen getting warmed up backstage.
MJF was approached by Samoa Joe.
Samoa Joe: “I could be your friend, Max. You just need to give me a rematch at your championship. If you find yourself in a bad way tonight, you just gotta scream my name and I’ll be your friend. Good luck. Dangerous opponent. I’ll keep my ears pricked up.”
Main Event Time!
AEW World Championship Match!
MJF (c.) vs. Kenny Omega!
Jim Ross joined the broadcast booth to provide his main event analysis.
Both men had each other scouted out early in the match, going hold for hold with one another. MJF offered his hand to Omega as a sign of good sportsmanship. Omega accepted and then MJF poked Omega in the eyes.
Omega backdropped MJF out of the ring. Omega hit the Terminator Dive on MJF! The champ fired back, jumping over the top rope and flipping onto Omega!
Omega jumped off the top rope with a cross body press to MJF. Omega tried for a hurracanrana, but MJF countered with a powerbomb back breaker combo. MJF planted Kenny with a stuffed DDT, good for a near fall.
Omega nailed MJF with a snapdragon suplex. Omega dropkicked MJF’s kneecap. Omega wiped out MJF with a lariat, sending MJF to the arena floor. Omega followed up with a moonsault to MJF. Omega rocked MJF with a missile dropkick from the top rope to the back of the head. Omega went for a moonsault, but MJF countered by raising his knees!
MJF chomped down on Omega’s forehead. MJF arm whipped Omega into the turnbuckles. MJF cracked Kenny with the kangaroo kick.
Omega connected with a sliding baseball kick, sending MJF into the broadcast booth. Kenny pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Back in the ring, they exchanged cradles. Kenny buckle bombed MJF, but the champ came out of the corner with a massive lariat to the Cleaner!
They battled on the ring apron. Kenny drilled MJF with a snapdragon suplex on the edge of the ring! Omega powerbombed MJF off the apron and through the table on the floor!
“My God what a main event here on Collision!” said Jim Ross.
Back in the ring, Kenny connected with a knee strike. MJF countered the One Winged Angel with a Poison Rana! Omega fired back with a Poison Rana of his own!
“Back and forth, back and forth!” said Jim Ross.
The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”
MJF hit a double stomp on Omega’s arm. Omega rallied back with a jumping knee strike. MJF planted Omega with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
“State of the art pro wrestling,” said Nigel.
MJF stunned Omega with a thrust kick. Omega came back with a piledriver, but MJF got his boot on the rope to stop the ref’s count. Omega powerbombed MJF on the guardrail. Omega removed the protective guard from the rail. He threw MJF back into the ring, so they didn’t get counted out.
Kenny was on the top turnbuckle, but MJF charged into the ropes, knocking Omega down. MJF climbed to the top, but Omega countered with a snake eyes from the top. Omega drove his knee into the back of MJF’s head. Omega blasted MJF with a snap dragon suplex and a running knee strike for a near fall! Kenny smashed MJF with the V Trigger. He followed up with another V Trigger. Omega hoisted up MJF for the One Winged Angel, but Don Callis ran to the ring. Omega put MJF down when he saw Callis.
As Omega was distracted by a screwdriver wielding Callis, MJF rolled up Omega from behind. Omega countered by reversing the rollup. MJF kicked out but Omega came back with a running knee strike! MJF kicked out of the pin attempt!
Don Callis climbed the ring steps. Ref Paul Turner ejected Don Callis. Omega hoisted up MJF for the One Winged Angel again, but MJF rolled forward for a pin. Omega rolled back to counter. It was another stale mate.
MJF caught Kenny in the Heat Seeker, but Kenny kicked out at the two-count! MJF went for the Panama Sunrise on Kenny and Kenny ended up countering with a pin attempt, but MJF kicked out! MJF kicked Kenny in the face and drilled Kenny with the Panama Sunrise. MJF finally finished off Omega with another Heat Seeker, pinning the Cleaner!
Samoa Joe was shown watching the match from backstage. Wardlow was also seen scouting the match from backstage. Powerhouse Hobbs was watching the match too. Jay White and Bullet Club Gold were taking mental notes as well.
“Everybody gunning for MJF,” said Tony Schiavone.
Kenny Omega and MJF hugged after the match.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/K39Ydjjcr64?si=uoRCSUWCXF2TIRV_
This Saturday night, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, All Elite Wrestling presents the biggest edition of COLLISION thus far as AEW World Champion MJF puts his title on the line against former champion Kenny Omega in their very first meeting inside the squared circle! But it’s more than just the championship at stake, with 343 days as champion to his reign, MJF is just four days away from breaking Omega’s 346 day record as longest reigning champion of all-time. This is history in the making, but it’s not all that’s going down on Saturday night! Abadon will challenge Hikaru Shida for the AEW Women’s World Championship, Jay White will take on AR Fox, and The House of Black are back in action after all the damage they caused a week ago!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/BGr0kaLSExY?si=18FCnOAuiy3tGw7H&start=415
COLLISION is coming to you this Saturday night on TNT, beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT, so before the night begins swing over to the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
MJF(c) vs. Kenny Omega
https://www.youtube.com/embed/wl2_9Gokt7M?si=7w1VQvwUdAEkbDY9
343 days; for 343 days Maxwell Jacob Friedman has reigned over All Elite Wrestling as the World Champion, just three weeks shy of completing a full year as the top guy in the company, and three days away from breaking the current record of 346 days held by Kenny Omega. That record, and MJF’s egotistical need to be viewed as the greatest champion of all-time, is why these men are heading for a collision on COLLISION this Saturday night!
It wasn’t Kenny Omega who came seeking Maxwell Jacob Friedman, it wasn’t Kenny who first broached the subject when they two men hadn’t so much as shared the same room over the past four years much less the same ring, it was MJF who sought out Kenny. It was MJF who whispered “13 days” into Kenny’s ear, as if to rub it in Omega’s face that he was going to break the record, and perhaps even thinking Kenny would do nothing about it.
If that was MJF’s thought, well he was dead wrong, because Omega stepped onto the stage following MJF’s fight with Juice Robinson this past Wednesday, and laid the challenge on the table. Would MJF be the kind of champion who would risk it all, knowing he’s got a title fight with Jay White already lined up at FULL GEAR 2023, and give Omega an opportunity to defend his streak? MJF may be a scumbag, but he’s also got an ego that would not allow the moment to pass him by, that wouldn’t let the opportunity to cement himself as the greatest AEW World Champion just slip away. If Max hadn’t accepted the challenge, when Wednesday morning came and he woke up as the longest reigning AEW World Champion in history, he would know there’s an asterisk because he didn’t fight Kenny Omega.
Once MJF made the choice to whisper into Kenny Omega’s ear, he made the choice to take on a fight with Kenny Omega, and risk seeing his title reign end before the 346-day streak was broken. In confronting Kenny, MJF added yet another target on his back, joining those already placed there by Jay White, The Gunns, Juice Robinson, Samoa Joe, and Wardlow. The World Champion is always the most wanted man in any sport, but MJF may have more on this plate than he can possibly eat, and that was before “The Cleaner” was heaped on there as well.
This is the biggest match in COLLISION’s short history, one of the biggest in All Elite Wrestling history, and it is happening on TNT this Saturday night! For the very first time, Kenny Omega and MJF, the AEW World Championship on the line, Omega’s 346-day record at stake, and it’s going down at the Mohegan Sun! History will be made if MJF survives this title fight, with but one World Championship record let to chase, that being the nine successful title defenses Jon Moxley accomplished during his first reign. An Omega victory would make eight for MJF, but regardless of who walks out of Connecticut as AEW World Champion, “Switchblade” Jay White will be waiting at the KIA Forum come FULL GEAR 2023!
AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Hikaru Shida(c) vs. Abadon
https://www.youtube.com/embed/7E6suZ6N2_E?si=j4n8s9ttCB1_c3eX
This past Friday night on RAMPAGE Abadon made her return to AEW competition for the first time since June 14th, and did so against some pretty stiff competition with seriously high stakes. Abadon, Willow Nightingale, Skye Blue, and Anna Jay went to battle with a shot at Hikaru Shida on the line, and when the final bell rang, it was Abadon who scored the victory! Luckily for both women, they don’t have to wait long for the championship fight because it is going down this Saturday night live on COLLISION!
This won’t be the first dance for Abadon and Shida, as a matter of fact their very first battle on the March 10, 2020 edition of AEW DARK was also Abadon’s first match in All Elite Wrestling. Unfortunately for her, Abadon’s first match also took place just days before the world shut down, and it would be several months before “The Living Dead Girl” returned to the AEW stage. When she did, Abadon would win six straight matches, positioning herself for a championship opportunity, and thus a rematch with Hikaru Shida with much greater stakes than their first encounter.
Abadon was unsuccessful in this second attempt at conquering Shida, and at claiming her first AEW championship, but it clearly served as a motivational tool because the woman would rack up 18 consecutive victories en route to facing Dr. Britt Baker in a bloody Trick or Treat match. Though Baker was the champion at the time, the title was not on the line, but given how hard the two women fought, one would never have known.
That fight with Baker was the last time Abadon competed on AEW TV before this past Friday, her fights largely taking place on DARK or DARK: ELEVATION, but now she is back in the mix, healed up and hungry, with the opportunity to be champion once more at her feet. It just feels appropriate that it is once again Hikaru Shida who will stand across the ring from Abadon this Saturday given their connection, and the fact that she is the only woman in AEW to hold two victories over Abadon.
Will this night be different than their previous encounters? Can Abadon take everything she’s learned since their last encounter in January of 2021 and put it together to end the 3rd championship reign of Hikaru Shida The pressure is on Abadon in this Fright Night Fight, will she unleash the monster on Shida
ONE-ON-ONE…
AR Fox vs. “Switchblade” Jay White
After the night the Bang Bang Gang had on Wednesday, with Juice being beaten but The Gunns getting their ROH World Tag Team Championship match at FULL GEAR 2023, it’s time for Jay White to step into the ring and fight on Saturday night! His opponent on this explosive edition of COLLISION will be a man in need of finding himself once again, someone who has been out of action since early September, the high-flying AR Fox!
Fox was last seen on the receiving end of a Jon Moxley beating on the September 6th edition of DYNAMITE, his first match after being excommunicated from The Mogul Embassy, and an opportunity to right his ship by winning the International Championship. Unfortunately Fox did not claim the title, leaving him without a championship, and with a great deal of doubt hanging over his head. Darby Allin seemed willing to forgive Fox’s transgressions, Nick Wayne less so, and perhaps that feeds into why Nick chose TNT Champion Christian Cage over his relationship with Darby.
Now that he’s back in action, it’s time for AR Fox to prove he deserves that forgiveness from Darby, and that he’s willing to do the work rather than take another Mogul Embassy type shortcut. Taking on the next challenger to the AEW World Champion is a tremendous way to begin that quest, and a victory over “King Switch” would be a huge boon to Fox’s career moving forward.
Jay White will obviously have one eye on the Omega/MJF match as it shapes White’s FULL GEAR 2023 future; will that distraction give Fox the opening he needs to score the upset victory?
THE HOUSE OF BLACK IN ACTION!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/VFoeiLUKzFY?si=EHhYic6Y9DQO6_5i&start=415
A week ago The House of Black returned to AEW in full force, laying waste to Bryan Danielson after his fight with Andrade El Idolo, taking out FTR before they could even finish their tag team fight, and coming after the rest of the Blackpool Combat Club following their championship loss to Big Bill and Ricky Starks. The chaos that resulted brought Jon Moxley back to the fight for the first time since his AEW International Championship loss to Rey Fenix, and left Ricky Starks laid out by the combined efforts of FTR and BCC.
This Saturday on COLLISION, The House of Black will be back in trios action, but no doubt the men they assaulted a week ago will have a close eye on the situation, and have to have some form of retribution in mind!
This Saturday night AEW returns to the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT for the biggest episode of COLLISION to date with Kenny Omega challenging MJF for the AEW World Championship, Shida defending her AEW Women’s World Championship against Abadon, Jay White in action against AR Fox, The House of Black, and more! Prior to the night getting started, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s special episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA!
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!
Renee Paquette kicked off the show interviewing AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF!
MJF dialed Adam Cole on his iPhone. Cole answered, but before MJF could get a word in, The Kingdom—Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, and Roderick Strong (in a wheelchair and neck brace) interrupted.
“Adam!” screamed Roddy.
“Is that you Roddy?” asked Cole on speakerphone.
“Yeah, it’s me,” replied Roddy.
“Max, I gotta get going, but I’ll call you later,” said Cole.
“Roddy, what the hell do you want?” asked MJF.
Roddy: “Listen, I’ve been thinking. You’re obviously the man behind the devil mask. But say we live in a world where we pretend you’re not. And for the sake of our mutual best friend Adam, I’ll take pity on you, and I’ll help you with Bullet Club Gold.”
Max replied, mockingly, “You’re going to help me? Dude, thank you so much.” Max pushed the wheelchair that Roddy was in backwards.
MJF: “Jay White, tonight I send you a message in blood! Tonight, I got a bullet with your name on it, Juice Robinson!”
The screen went black and then a man in a devil mask appeared!
Dynamite Diamond Ring Match!
AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF
vs.
Bullet Club Gold’s “Rock Hard” Juice Robinson (with Austin & Colten Gunn)!
A very motivated MJF took down Juice Robinson and then stomped him in the corner! MJF whipped Juice into the steel guardrails. MJF flipped Juice over the timekeeper’s table. MJF charged at Juice and nailed him with a knee strike!
MJF smacked Juice’s head into the steel ring steps. Juice was busted wide open! The Gunns distracted MJF and Juice pulled MJF headfirst into the ring steps. Colten distracted the ref, so Juice was able to choke MJF with MJF’s scarf.
“Switchblade” Jay White walked onto the ramp, holding the AEW World Championship, to scout the match! Jay White joined the broadcast booth for the match.
MJF hit a lariat on Juice and followed up with a body slam. MJF chomped down on Juice’s head. MJF rocked Juice Robinson with the kangaroo kick! The Gunns swept out the legs of MJF and Juice cracked MJF with a leg lariat to the jaw.
MJF poked Robinson in the eyes. Juice spat at MJF and then cracked MJF with the Left Hand of God! Juice powerbombed MJF for a near fall!
“Juice’s frustration evident after that powerbomb,” said Excalibur.
MJF tried for the Heat Seeker, but Juice blocked it. Juice charged after MJF, but MJF tied up Juice in the ring apron. As MJF was getting back into the ring, Juice kicked the ropes and then nailed MJF with the Juice Is Loose for a near fall!
The Gunns were distracting the ref while Juice put on his fake ring. In the meantime, MJF put his Dynamite Diamond Ring on. Juice swung but MJF ducked it and countered with a loaded shot of his own, knocking Juice to the mat! MJF smashed Juice with the Heat Seeker and pinned him.
The Gunns swarmed MJF after the match!
The Kingdom rolled Roderick Strong down the ramp to the ring in a wheelchair!
Roddy ordered the Kingdom to get into the ring, and they did! Taven and Bennett jumped in and slugged it out with the Gunns!
“I can’t believe what we’re seeing!” said Excalibur.
Jay White ran into the ring. The Gunns held up MJF and Jay White was about to hit him with the AEW World Championship but then The Acclaimed’s music hit!
The AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass jumped into the ring and forced Bullet Club Gold to retreat!
Jay White: “Hey! Max, listen, focus, follow the sound of my sweet, exotic accent. Forget about Kenny, forget about Samoa Joe, forget about Wardlow, forget about the devil mask, and your gimp squad, and focus on the only thing that matters and that’s the man standing right here with the Bang Bang Belt! Max, I’m telling you that you will never get your grubby little hands on it again because at Full Gear I will pummel your face into the ground, and you will breathe with the Switchblade!”
Colten Gunn: “And you have something me and Austin want, and that’s the ROH World Tag Team Titles! So Max, what do you say, November 18th, Full Gear, MJF versus the Gunns.”
Austin Gunn: “Whether it’s MJF that shows up that night or the devil himself, it doesn’t matter because we’ve got two guns, one for each of ‘em.”
MJF: “Shut the hell up! You want a shot at the ROH Tag Titles at Full Gear, you got ‘em. And Jay White, I will see you at Full Gear. But I’m not waiting that long to get my hands on you. Next week in the main event of Dynamite, I take you up on your offer. You four versus me and three tag partners of my choosing, and when I win, you will give me back the Triple B because nobody is on the level of the devil!”
Roderick Strong: “Max! Max! Listen to me. You’re obviously going to pick us, right?”
MJF: “You three do me a favor. Get those two big boys on your lap and use that wheelchair to roll off a cliff!”
Max Caster: “Hey so that means you’re going to pick us, right?”
MJF: “Listen very carefully Caster. I’ve known you since I was 18 years old. I never liked you. And if you think I’m going to tag with you, you’ve got another thing coming. I would never tag with you. You understand me?”
Caster: “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”
Bowens: “Don’t you know that everyone loves the Acclaimed!?”
Caster: “Ok, but at least do me one favor. Scissor me!”
MJF walked away and said, “Not a shot.”
As MJF was walking up the ramp, Kenny Omega’s music began to play and out walked Omega!
Omega and MJF had a stare down.
Omega: “Hey Max, you seem to have a lot going on here. You have something that I want. But I’ve got something that you want. Even though I have no right to ask, and if you’re the type of scumbag that I think you are, you’ll laugh in my face. But if you are the champion that I think the fans want you to be, you’re gonna hear me out. I want that belt, Max, and I deserve the right to defend my streak. And if you are truly better than me and you know it, then Max, don’t be afraid to show it, pal.”
MJF: “Ok, how about the Cleaner versus the Devil, this Saturday night, for the AEW World Championship! May the best man win. And Kenny, he will, because my name is MJF and I’m better than you and you know it!”
Omega: “And I supposed on that note, we must bid these people adieu. Good night, and goodbye. And Max, three days, bitch.”
Footage aired of Wardlow!
He said he had to watch MJF while Wardlow was at home. The devil’s claws are in him, and now he’s going to take away everything MJF has!
The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds & John Silver
vs.
FTW Champion HOOK & Rob Van Dam!
Hook grappled Reynolds to the mat and then applied a side headlock. RVD tagged in and used a nice deep arm drag on Reynolds. Dark Order ambushed RVD with cheap shots.
RVD monkey flipped John Silver. Hook flipped Reynolds with a fireman’s carry. Hook tossed Silver with a Northern Lights. RVD blasted Silver with a leaping leg drop. RVD crushed Silver with the Rolling Thunder for a near fall.
Hook was looking for Red Rum on Silver, but Reynolds ran in to break it up. RVD leveled Reynolds with a kick. RVD smashed Reynolds with the five star frog splash Hook grabbed Silver in the Red Rum and forced him to tap out!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to introduce Darby Allin and Sting!
Sting: “I’m glad to be here right now because I want to thank some people that I forgot last week. I want to thank Philadelphia. It’s been a great run, and a lot of that run was right here in front of you. I also want to thank my tag team partner Darby Allin. I could not have come this far without Darby by my side.
“Darby is the man. Secondly, I want to thank somebody who made this happen. Tony Khan. Tony, I want to thank you for making that phone call to allow me to wrestle a little longer. And Tony is asking for the microphone so here you go.”
Tony Schiavone: “Speaking on behalf of Tony Khan, it is Tony Khan who should thank you for what you’ve met to AEW. You arrived on the scene early in 2021. Your first match was at Revolution 2021, and now your final match will be at Revolution 2024. And we are proud to be a part of Sting’s great career.
“Fans, it was 35 years ago that on this network, TBS, Sting put it on the map. He put professional wrestling on the map on TBS. It elevated him to the icon that he is now. And you heard about it earlier this week that Tony Khan had a special gift for Sting. And I’m proud to bring out that special gift right now.”
“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair walked out to the ring!
“Royalty is in the house,” said Taz.
Sting and Ric Flair hugged in the ring.
Ric Flair: “You know that in life there are moments that are magical. There are few and they are far between. And that’s the magic of the chemistry of whatever you do that makes you the best. 35 years ago, Sting and I made history on TBS. Brother, I’ve told him this, to go 55 minutes in a match 35 years ago or tonight is hard. He never took a deep breath. He is not only one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of this business, but damnit, he’s probably the nicest guys I’ve ever known.
“So, when I got an invitation from Mr. Khan to be a part of this, time flies, but I want to ride this out with you man. Woooo!”
TNT Champion Christian Cage, Luchasaurus, and Nick Wayne walked onto the ramp!
Christian Cage: “So Tony Khan is a billionaire, and this is the gift that he gets Sting for his retirement? So, he basically gave you a suit, some gold chains, and a black liver. Relax, people, I know Ric Flair is not dead. The real reason I’m out here is because last week Sting and Darby Allin decided to stick their nose in my business yet again.
“Darby, how is your arm feeling? You still have some sour grapes that I beat you in your hometown at WrestleDream, huh? I’ll give you one more chance. So go ahead and take a look at something you’ll never be: a champion. Now it’s obvious that this situation isn’t going to go away until I make it go away. So, this is my proposition to you two: I know, Sting, you have this beautiful dream in your head that you want to make it to Revolution because you started with AEW at Revolution in 2021. You’ve got this beautiful picture painted for yourself.
“But I don’t want to wait until Revolution for you to be gone. I want you to be gone right now! So, I’m saying there’s three of us, and when I look in the ring, I see the two of you and I see Ric Flair. I mean, hey, you can take Ric Flair as a partner if you want, but he’s one superkick away from his pacemaker kicking out. At Full Gear, get yourselves a partner, and your retirement is going to come early. And it’s not going to be a celebration. It’s going to be more like a funeral.”
Sting: “Hold on! First of all, Darby and I, we’re going to find a partner, and second, we accept your challenge. See you there!”
Earlier in the day, Renee Paquette had a sitdown interview with Chris Jericho!
Jericho: “As a pro wrestler for 33 years, I can’t ever remember having a beat down like I did at the hands of Powerhouse Hobbs. The thing that is hurting the most for me is my ego. As an athlete, you’re always self-reflecting. One thing I’ve always had is immense self confidence in myself. Last week I didn’t see it coming. Hobbs came at me right out of the gate. I couldn’t get out of the hole that he continued to dig with my body.
“I have to wonder if I still have what it takes to beat Will Hobbs. Is it time to step back or should I get even stronger and know that I’m Chris Jericho. Is it time to get some sort of revenge? Don Callis has a whole family. He’s got a lot of friends in that family. Chris Jericho has a lot of friends too. And some of those friends are even bigger than Will Hobbs. Maybe it’s time to give them a call.”
ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!
The Elite (c.)— “Hangman” Adam Page, & The Young Bucks—Matt and Nick Jackson
vs.
The Hardys—Jeff & Matt, & Brother Zay!
Nick knocked down Zay with a shoulder tackle. Nick nailed Zay with a neck breaker. Hatman hit a forearm off the top rope to Brother Zay.
Matt Jackson tagged in and slapped Adam Page in the face. Matt Jackson and Matt Hardy shoved one another. Matt Hardy hit the Side Effect after a blind side knee from Jeff Hardy to Matt Jackson. Brother Zay wiped out Page and Nick Jackson with a tornillo.
Matt Jackson threw Matt Hardy and Brother Zay overhead with a Northern Lights Suplex. Hangman tagged in and cleaned house. Hangman hit the Death Valley Driver on Zay for a near fall. Brother Zay spiked Page with a DDT after an assisted Silly String from Jeff Hardy!
Matt Hardy rocked Matt Jackson with the Twist of Fate. Jeff splashed Matt Jackson with the Swanton Bomb, but Nick was there to break up the pin attempt! Hangman stunned Zay with the Buckshot Lariat. The Elite finished off Zay with the BTE Trigger and Matt Jackson pinned Brother Zay!
Live footage played on the giant screen above the entrance ramp. It was Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland “visiting” Hangman Page’s house!
They walked around Page’s house. They went to a baby crib. “You owe me a debt, Hangman, and since you’re not here, is it Hangman Jr. who will owe me something. You will. Just not today.”
Swerve Strickland tossed a Mogul Embassy shirt into the crib of Hangman Jr. and said he’d never forget that this was his father’s fault!
Renee Paquette was backstage with the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland said he still wasn’t going to face Christian Cage. Copeland said his friendship was more important than anything that’s ever happened within this business.
Darby Allin and Sting interrupted.
Darby: “Adam, I know you came to AEW to ride off into the sunset with your best friend, but that’s not the type of world we’re living in. Do you think last week I wanted to break Nick Wayne’s face? No. But it’s kill or be killed here.”
Copeland: “Darby, you know how much I respect you.”
Sting: “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation right now. I know what it’s like to have the blinders on. I was up and down the road with Lex Luger, and I had the blinders on. You know the legend out there? I learned from him. I see right through guys like Christian. I can see right through him. You need to open your eyes up before it’s too late. Are you hearing me? Listen to what I’m saying before it’s too late! We go way back. Don’t mess it up now! Get with it!”
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
Hikaru Shida (c.) vs. Ruby Soho!
Ruby chopped at Shida. The champ hit a crossbody and then slammed Ruby.
Soho connected with a back heel kick. Shida blasted Soho with a missile dropkick. Soho caught Shida with the No Future outside the ring!
Shida landed an elbow strike. She hoisted up Soho in a torture rack. Shida followed up with a sliding elbow for a near fall on Ruby Soho. Ruby pulled the middle turnbuckle pad off. The ref pulled it away from her, but Ruby grabbed the can of spray paint and tossed it to Shida, setting her up for when the ref turned back around. Ruby acted like she’d been sprayed in the eyes.
“All the ref has to do is look at Ruby’s face. There’s no spray paint on it,” said Excalibur.
Ruby jumped back into the ring with the title belt, but Shida went to defend herself by spraying the paint, but instead she sprayed the title belt! The ref took the belt away and as she had her back turned, Ruby unwrapped her wrist tape, choked Shida, and then stunned her with Destination Unknown! Shida was able to kick out at two!
“That was super close,” said Taz.
Shida fired back with the katana kick. Ruby kicked out! Shida nailed Ruby with a knee strike and then the Falcon Arrow! Shida went to cover Ruby, but Ruby reversed it for a pin attempt. Shida shoved her away, sending Ruby right into the exposed turnbuckle! Shida finished off Ruby with the katana and pinned her!
After the match “Timeless” Toni Storm walked onto the ramp! We learned earlier tonight that Timeless Toni Storm will have her Hollywood Homecoming: The Quest for Gold at Full Gear, live on pay-per-view on Saturday, November 18th!
Renee Paquette interviewed MJF backstage ahead of his match this Saturday on Collision against Kenny Omega!
Samoa Joe interrupted!
Samoa Joe: “Congratulations! You’re a man who suffers from a severe lack of friendship. You need people watching out for you. So, I come here with a simple offer. I will be that person and I will be your friend.”
MJF: “Sounds good to me!”
Samoa Joe: “On one condition. You give me my rematch for the AEW World Championship. You don’t have to answer me now, but with the way things are going, I’m sure I’ll have my answer soon enough.”
Main Event Time!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & Kazuchika Okada
vs.
Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli!
Danielson had wrist control on Orange Cassidy. Claudio tagged in and body slammed Orange.
Okada tagged in and locked up with Claudio. Okada and Claudio exchanged forearms and uppercuts in the center of the ring. Orange tagged in and splashed Claudio from the top rope.
Danielson tagged in and dropped a knee on Orange for a near fall. Claudio’s gut wrench was countered by Orange with a DDT. Okada and Danielson tagged in for their respective teams.
Danielson and Claudio traded chops. Danielson connected with round kicks. Okada came back with a running back elbow and then he spiked Danielson with a DDT for a near fall. Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock to Okada, but Okada escaped. Danielson countered the rainmaker with chops.
Orange tagged in and went for a DDT on Claudio, but Claudio countered, but then Orange countered with a Stundog Millionaire and then a DDT. Claudio put Orange in the Giant Swing! Claudio sat back in the Scorpion Death Lock. Okada jumped in to break it up. Okada slammed Claudio and then smashed Claudio with an elbow drop from the top rope. Okada and Orange hugged but Danielson jumped from the top with a dropkick to them both!
Okada cracked Danielson with a dropkick. Cassidy hit the Orange Punch and Okada followed up with the Rainmaker to Danielson! Claudio entered the fray with a diving European Uppercut to Okada. Claudio dished out an uppercut to Orange Cassidy and pinned him!
After the match, Danielson was clutching the side of his face. Moxley, Yuta, and Claudio checked on him. Best Friends, Rocky Romero, and Hook came to the ring to check on Orange too.
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_9VrmRqRfDM?si=1BlI598LbYO71Hq2
After a jam-packed week of action with three events, All Elite Wrestling returns to one of DYNAMITE’s first homes at the Liacouras Center on the Philadelphia campus of Temple University! With it comes the Dynamite Diamond Ring clash between AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF and BULLET CLUB GOLD’s Juice Robinson ahead of Max’s scheduled clash with “Switchblade” Jay White at FULL GEAR 2023! In addition, Hikaru Shida will put her AEW Women’s World Championship on the line against Ruby Soho, Rob Van Dam and HOOK will clash with The Dark Order, and we will hear from Chris Jericho as he sits down with Renee Paquette!
But that’s not all: we will also see a huge dream team match-up as AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy brings Kazuchika Okada back to AEW for a tag team clash with Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli of The Blackpool Combat Club! In addition, AEW President Tony Khan has a gift for “The Icon” Sting after his stunning announcement last week, and The Elite will put their ROH World Six-Man Championship on the line against The Hardys and Brother Zay!
DYNAMITE is loaded for AEW’s return to Philadelphia, and the action gets underway beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans! Before the night starts, visit the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
DYNAMITE DIAMOND RING MATCH…
AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF vs. “Rock Hard” Juice Robinson
https://www.youtube.com/embed/h7YT96gSsEY?si=aEdUS4wRjsySHB6j&start=113
As of this moment, AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman is set to clash with BULLET CLUB GOLD’s “Switchblade” Jay White at FULL GEAR 2023 (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-full-gear-2023) on Saturday November 18th, and with that on the horizon, The Bang Bang Gang has done everything they can to make Max’s life hellish. They’ve attacked him, stolen his Triple B championship belt, mocked the Dynamite Diamond Ring MJF has managed to keep in his possession since 2019, and now after Juice Robinson won the Battle Royale last week, they aim to rob him of that accessory as well.
Sure Max, or at least someone wearing his signature devil mask, and a gang of other disguised individuals fired back at Jay White by assaulting him backstage, but circumstantial evidence aside, and taking the man’s word with a grain of salt, MJF claims the mask was stolen from his bags. Now historically speaking Maxwell Jacob Friedman has not been the most trustworthy individual, but his somewhat matured attitude towards everything lends him a credibility he didn’t have earlier this year.
But MJF is going to have to put all that aside, everything BC GOLD has put him through the last several weeks and the distractions of everything surrounding Adam Cole’s surgery, and focus on the task at hand with Juice Robinson. With Cole’s out, and MJF clearly not interested in the help offered by Max Caster, the AEW World Champion is quite alone in a situation where Juice and The Bang Bang Gang will absolutely use their numbers to further break MJF down before FULL GEAR 2023.
Will “Rock Hard” be the first person not named MJF to lay claim to the Dynamite Diamond Ring? Max won the Battle Royale, and the subsequent singles match, three years running while last year defended the AEW World Title, as well as possession of the ring, in a match versus Ricky Starks. So while history is on MJF’s side, the other side has four men on it who will conspire together to insure the current holder of the Dynamite Diamond Ring doesn’t spend another night with it on his finger…
A DREAM TEAM…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & Kazuchika Okada
vs.
Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli)
Four months ago to the day, at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023, Bryan Danielson defeated “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada with a broken arm. It was the culmination of a hard-hitting twenty-eight minute fight, one fans had dreamed about seeing for years finally coming to fruition, that far exceeded expectations, and left people clamoring for more. Okada, for one, was certainly game for a rematch, quoted as saying “If there is a time to have a rematch, I’d like to win even if I have to break both of Danielson’s arms next time.”!
Well, as Orange Cassidy announced to the world after winning his BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII International Championship defense against John Silver, “The Rainmaker” will have that chance this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when he returns to AEW for this tag team dream match! The multi-time IWGP Champion will team with the 2-Time AEW International Champion to take on The Blackpool Combat Club of Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli!
This match marks the first time Okada has been in Philadelphia since ROH WRESTLING Episode #209, available on Honor Club now, was taped in August 2015! It’s been over eight years since “The Rainmaker” graced the City of Brotherly Love, and now he’s back for this huge tag team collision that’s as much about OC and Jon Moxley as it is Danielson/Okada. Moxley may not be cleared for combat quite yet, but clearly he and “Freshly Squeezed” are on a collision course revolving around that AEW International Championship. What Orange did when he purposefully shoulder bumped Moxley was way outside the norm for the 2-Time International Champion, as was the manner in which he lofted the belt overhead as Mox was pulled away by his BCC brethren, as if Orange was challenging the man who beat him for the belt back at GRAND SLAM 2023.
So while OC and Mox may not get their hands on one another quite yet, Cassidy is more than happy to fight the other members of The Blackpool Combat Club this week, and no matter who the victor is when the final bell rings, the AEW faithful are all winners! This is Danielson and Okada in the ring once more, this is Danielson and OC fighting for the first time, Claudio and Okada for the first time, and it goes down this Wednesday night on TBS! Dreams do come true…
AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Hikaru Shida(c) vs. Ruby Soho
It is clear as day that Ruby Soho is beyond frustrated with her championship situation, or rather lack thereof, in All Elite Wrestling: frustrated at GRAND SLAM 2021 by Dr. Britt Baker in their AEW Women’s World Championship fight, and beaten by Jade Cargill in the finals of the TBS Championship Tournament on January 5, 2022. Then it was the loss at REVOLUTION 2023 in a Three Way World Championship fight with Jamie Hayter and Saraya, the defeat at Kris Statlander’s hands in their TBS Championship bout at ALL OUT 2023, and the loss to Hikaru Shida in their #1 Contender’s match on the 9/29/23 edition of RAMPAGE, a victory that Shida parlayed into her third reign as champion at Saraya’s expense.
So with all that piled on her head, not to mention everything that’s gone down with “Timeless” Toni Storm, Ruby is hellbent on finally becoming a champion in All Elite Wrestling, to the point where she made this challenge to Hikaru Shida despite having ate that loss a month ago. Ruby wants what she feels she deserves, and given her temperament when she delivered those words on COLLISION, she may be willing to do anything to make it happen.
For Shida, this is a possibly a chance to move past The Outcasts, to add a championship win over Ruby Soho to that of her recent one over Saraya and her DYNAMITE #200 one over Toni Storm. It’s also the opportunity to celebrate this third championship reign the way Shida couldn’t with the second when Saraya stole it from her at ALL IN: LONDON, by pinning Storm, after just twenty-five days. Can Ruby bring Shida’s third championship reign to an even shorter conclusion than her second and finally achieve what she’s craved since her first day in AEW?
ROH WORLD SIX-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
The Elite (Hangman Adam Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson)
vs.
Brother Zay & The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)
The Elite of Adam Page and The Young Bucks captured the ROH World Six-Man Championship titles from The Mogul Embassy at RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, beginning their second reign as champions some five and a half years after the conclusion of their first. While all three men have been distracted with other business in the months since that victory, none have forgotten about their responsibility as champions and how that entails actually defending the titles.
It is with that in mind that Hangman and the brothers Jackson laid out an Open Challenge for this Wednesday night in Philadelphia, leaving the door open for any three individuals to walk through and try to claim the titles for themselves. Well it looks like two men men named Hardy heard the call, and found their third in another named Brother Zay who’s grown quite close to Matt and Jeff over the last couple years. Now The Hardys and Zay have only gone the trios route on two instances, once to challenge Daddy Ass and The Acclaimed for the AEW World Trios Titles and another to face Garcia, Parker, and Menard, and have lost on both occasions, but that isn’t going to stop them from taking the gamble when there’s a championship at stake.
The Hardys do know a thing or two about beating The Young Bucks, while Matt, Hangman, and Brother Zay have some history of their own here in AEW; which trio will walk away dominant and which will be despondent?
TAG TEAM CHALLENGE…
The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. FTW Champion HOOK & Rob Van Dam
The Dark Order are quite unhappy with the outcome of John Silver’s AEW International Championship fight with Orange Cassidy that took place at BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII. Though Silver fought the good fight, “Freshly Squeezed” left with the championship still in his backpack, but for John and Alex Reynolds the deal isn’t over yet.
As they said, since they can’t get their hands on OC this Wednesday seeing as how he’s got that tag match already on his plate, they’ve elected to target a pair of his friends in Rob Van Dam and the FTW Champion HOOK. This being Philadelphia, the home of the promotion where RVD really made his name in professional wrestling, it’s akin to a homecoming for the multi-time World Champion, a return to a city he hasn’t competed in since December 2022, and only six times in the last decade at that. Together, though it’s only been that one match thus far, RVD and HOOK have gelled quite well as a tag team, but they will be put to the test by Alex Reynolds and John Silver on Wednesday night.
Those two Dark Order members are one of the most experienced pairs in All Elite Wrestling, having worked as a team since 2011, and captured multiple championships together before their entry into AEW. Though they’ve been frustrated as team, only challenging one time for the AEW World Tag Titles and once for the ROH tag belts, that doesn’t change the fact they are a dangerous duo with a chip on their shoulder and a reborn malice in their hearts.
Orange Cassidy may be the target of their animosity, but it’s Cassidy’s friends potentially taking stray bullets this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE. Obviously The Dark Order doesn’t care who feels their wrath, as long as it hurts Orange Cassidy in the process…
A GIFT FOR STING…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/BeVv8BbZIEk?si=c2n2DBRp2siILr9C
A week ago we heard “The Icon” Sting tell the world that REVOLUTION 2024, wherever that may take place and on whatever date it may take place, will be his last day competing as a professional wrestler. Though he has often used the line “The only for certain about Sting is that nothing is for certain”, “The Icon” made a point to say that this was for certain. Exactly what shape that final night will take remains to be seen, and luckily we all still have several months to show the man our appreciation for everything he’s meant to professional wrestling, and to so many lives around the world.
One man who intends to show his appreciation for Sting this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE is AEW’s CEO Tony Khan, and he apparently has a gift for “The Icon” he intends to present right here in Philadelphia. It’s a city Sting’s quite familiar with, a place where’s he’s won and lost championships, and a city whose wrestling history he’s been a part of since 1987; what will this next trip to Philly mean to “The Icon” as he heads towards the end of the road next year?
CHRIS JERICHO & RENEE PAQUETTE…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tiONqBXsIq0?si=egBFwcBeOQRqlZpf&start=59
Powerhouse Hobbs decimated Chris Jericho like no man has done since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, and possibly like no man has ever done to Chris in the whole of his career. It was an explosion of so much pent-up within the former TNT Champion, years and years of emotion and rage, and though it was Don Callis who harnessed those emotions to unleash upon Chris Jericho, it was Powerhouse who did the damage.
Now, after the AEW faithful being subjected to Don Callis and his ilk last week, it is time for Chris Jericho to share his thoughts with the world, something he will do when he sits down with Renee Paquette this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE. How is Jericho feeling? What is running through his head after Callis’ latest affront and after hearing Powerhouse Hobbs’ words? The AEW faithful will find out Wednesday night on TBS!
SWERVE’S GOT WORDS…
https://www.youtube.com/embed/OoV7KNa-A7c?si=PZgIyda3-BvDh-Vr
This Wednesday night in Philly Swerve Strickland has some thoughts to share regarding “Hangman” Adam Page and his involvement in Strickland’s match with Bryan Danielson. In the mind of Swerve, if Page hadn’t inserted himself into the fracas it would’ve been Strickland challenging Christian Cage for the TNT Championship instead of “The American Dragon”, and Swerve would’ve won the title whereas Danielson lost.
The reality is that Hangman, despite having an upcoming match with Jay White on his plate, chose to put himself into that fight to stop Swerve Strickland from cheating the same way he did at WRESTLEDREAM to defeat Page. Hangman was only there to make sure it was fair, and that is what played a part in costing Swerve his TNT Championship opportunity.
So on DYNAMITE, in the City of Brotherly Love, Swerve Strickland aims to address the former AEW World Champion about this situation, and we shall see what that leads to, especially considering Hangman has a ROH World Six-Man Championship title defense already on his plate for the evening.
This Wednesday night, DYNAMITE comes back to Philadelphia’s Liacouras Center with a jam-packed night of action beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans! Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale winner Juice Robinson takes on AEW World Champion MJF with his prized Dynamite Diamond Ring at stake, Kazuchika Okada returns to AEW to team with Orange Cassidy for a tag team bout with The BCC, Hikaru Shida defends the AEW Women’s World Championship against Ruby Soho, and so much more set to go down! Be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, BATTLE OF THE BELTS, and COLLISION, as well as the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER to get prepared!
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION & Battle of the Belts VIII was broadcast live from the FedExForum in Memphis, TN!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Dream Match!
Andrade El Idolo
vs.
Blackpool Combat Club’s “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
They chain wrestled to start the match, both men having a feeling out process. Bryan wrenched Andrade’s neck with a bow and arrow type submission. Andrade escaped and smiled at Danielson.
Andrade was looking for the figure four, but Danielson kicked him away. Danielson and Andrade traded chops. Bryan began switching it up with kicks to Andrade. And then a headbutt. Danielson jumped off the apron with a running knee strike to Andrade.
Andrade connected with a flying forearm. Andrade sent Danielson outside with a springboard dropkick. Andrade moonsaulted out of the ring and onto Danielson.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Andrade smashed Danielson with a split legged moonsault for a near fall. Danielson headbutted Andrade and followed up with a dropkick from the top rope. Andrade came back with a dragon screw leg whip. Andrade had Bryan in the Tree of Woe and squashed him with a double stomp from the top.
Danielson countered Andrade’s moonsault by raising his knees. He stomped on Andrade’s head and then applied the LeBell Lock. Andrade escaped and trapped Danielson in the figure four. Danielson grabbed the ropes to force the ref break. Danielson and Andrade traded cradles and pin attempts, with Danielson ultimately getting the win!
“Both men wanted the best, and they got the best. But it was Bryan Danielson who got lucky tonight with a quick rollup of Andrade El Idolo,” said Nigel.
The arena lights went dark!
They turned back on, and Malakai Black was in the center of the ring! Black knocked out Danielson with a spin kick! The BCC ran to the ring, but the lights went out again. When the lights returned, Malakai Black had vanished.
Skye Blue vs. Hollyhood Haley!
Skye Blue shoved Haley. Blue knocked Hollyhood off her feet, mounted her, and grounded and pounded her. Skye connected with a thrust kick and followed up with a running powerbomb. Skye Blue rolled up Haley and pinned her.
Bullet Club Gold’s The Gunns—Austin & Colten Gunn (with “Switchblade” Jay White)
vs.
Outrunners!
Turbo used an arm drag on Colten. Colten fired back with a stiff strike and then he stomped Turbo in the corner of the ring.
Austin tagged in and rammed the Outrunners together. The Gunns finished things off with the 3:10 to Yuma and pinned Turbo.
“Mission statement from the Gunns tonight, they want gold,” said Kevin Kelly.
After the match, the lights in the arena went dark! A man in a Devil mask was watching on from somewhere in the arena.
“Man, Jay White looks spooked,” said Kevin Kelly.
The fans chanted “MJF! MJF! MJF!”
Memphis Street Fight!
ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston
vs.
Jeff Jarrett (with Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, and Jay Lethal)!
If Jeff Jarrett wins, Jay Lethal get a Ring Of Honor World Championship Match.
Legendary Memphis announcer Dave Brown joined commentary for this match.
Jarrett swung a trash can lid at Kingston and Kingston blocked it. Kingston whacked Jeff with a kendo stick. Jarrett blasted Eddie with a cooler. Jeff rammed Eddie into the guardrail.
Kingston squeezed ketchup and mustard on Jarrett. Karen distracted Eddie and then Jay Lethal rocked Eddie with a cutter off the ramp and then through a table!
Back in the ring, Jeff cracked Eddie with a lead pipe on the leg. Jarrett went to work on Eddie’s leg and knee with a trash can! Jarrett bashed Eddie with a bar tabletop. Jarrett locked in the figure four in the center of the ring. Eddie flipped off Jeff!
Kingston reversed the figure four. Jay Lethal jumped off the top rope but Eddie rolled out of the way. Eddie chopped Lethal and Jarrett in the chest. Kingston fired off machine gun chops. Karen got in the ring and distracted Eddie, but Eddie cracked Jeff with a spinning back fist for a near fall.
Jeff Jarrett went for the Lethal Injection, but Eddie countered with a half and half. Kingston wiped out Satnam with a guitar shot. Jeff smashed Eddie with the Stroke for a near fall! Satnam choke slammed Eddie and then Jarrett hit another Stroke. Lethal connected with the Lethal Injection. Jarrett covered Eddie and pinned him.
“This is an absolute mugging,” said Nigel.
Action Andretti vs. “The Redeemer” Miro!
“Hot and flexible” CJ Perry came down to the ring before the match started, taking a ringside seat to scout things.
Miro battered Action in the corner. Andretti dropkicked Miro as Miro came rushing in. Miro clubbed Andretti with a lariat. Action came back with a jawbreaker to Miro.
Miro ate a kick from Andretti. Action rocked Miro with shots in the corner, but Miro shoved him away. Action flipped over the top rope with a tope con hiro and landed on Miro, right in front of CJ Perry on the floor.
Miro countered a cross body by planting Andretti. Miro went for the Game Over, but Action slipped out and then spiked Miro with a DDT! Action followed up with a shotgun dropkick! Action hit a springboard 450 but Miro kicked out immediately. Miro stunned Action with a thrust kick and then applied the Game Over. The ref stopped the match and awarded the victory to Miro.
Eddie Kingston was backstage getting stitched up.
Kingston: “Jay Lethal, do you know why I made you jump through hoops to earn this title shot? It’s because you call a man who’s not your blood ‘uncle.’ The Jay Lethal I knew used to love pro wrestling, until you started hanging out with Jeff Jarrett. You are not a pro wrestler anymore, Jay. You are Jeff Jarrett’s bitch. You’ve lost your way. Get your title shot. Go ahead, congrats, but you better find your way before you come at me again.”
FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler
vs.
Bad Thad Brown & Darian Bengston!
Bad Thad took advantage of Cash having his back turned but Cash came right back with a press slam.
The arena lights went out again! When the lights returned, Malakai Black was standing in the ring!
“It’s Malakai Black again!” said Tony Schiavone.
The lights went back out. This time when the lights came back on, the House of Black were standing there, and they ambushed FTR! Brody King cracked Cash with the cast on his wrist!
“The House of Black returning to Collision tonight with authority,” said Kevin Kelly.
Main Event Time!
AEW World Tag Team Championship Match!
Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks (c.)
vs.
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta!
Jim Ross joined the broadcast team to provide his main event analysis.
Big Bill mauled Yuta with overhead chops. Wheeler fought back but after being distracted by Starks, Big Bill shoved Yuta off the apron. Starks whipped Yuta into the guardrail.
Big Bill planted Yuta with a Big Bossman slam! Bill hammered Yuta with an elbow drop. Claudio tagged in and cleaned house on Starks with European Uppercuts! Claudio clubbed Starks with lariats in the corner, shot after shot stinging Starks. Claudio dropkicked Starks after a single ax handle off the ropes.
Claudio had a full head of steam and ran around the ring and cracked Starks with a European Uppercut, and then dished out a massive uppercut to Big Bill! Claudio connected with a running lariat on Starks in the center of the ring.
Claudio put Starks in the Giant Swing! Yuta dropkicked the head of Starks. Big Bill ran in and tried to chokeslam Claudio and Yuta at the same time, but the BCC fought out of his grip. Yuta climbed to the top of Claudio’s back for the Fast Ball Special, but the House of Black ran to the ring and knocked Claudio down. Starks speared Yuta and pinned Yuta after the Rochambeau!
The House of Black circled the tag champs after the match. The House of Black triple teamed Wheeler Yuta. Danielson sprinted down but Starks and Brody stomped on him. FTR intervened, trying to even up the odds, but the House of Black had them outnumbered with the assistance of Big Bill and Ricky Starks.
Jon Moxley returned! He entered the fray, and he threw Buddy Matthews out of the ring! The FTR and the BCC teamed up, forcing the House of Black and Starks and Big Bill to retreat! Starks entered the ring again, thinking the House of Black were behind him, but they left him on his own. FTR hit Starks with the Big Rig!
“The House of Black have made their statement tonight!” said Nigel.
Battle Of The Belts VIII began…
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.)
vs.
Dark Order’s John Silver (with Alex Reynolds)!
As Orange Cassidy was making his entrance, Moxley was leaving the ring. They bumped into each other on the ramp and then had to be pulled apart. Moxley had to be held back.
John Silver cracked Cassidy with kicks on the ring apron. Orange climbed to the top turnbuckle. Silver grabbed him and planed him face first across the ring apron! Back in the ring, Orange tried for a backslide, but Silver escaped. Orange came back with the Stun Dog Millionaire and then the Beach Break for a near fall!
Alex Reynolds grabbed the title belt and cracked Cassidy in the head with it. Silver rolled up Orange for a near fall. Silver nailed Orange with an airplane spin type maneuver for a two-count. Orange pulped Silver with the Orange Punch and pinned Silver!
Lexy Nair interviewed Andrade El Idolo backstage!
Andrade was interrupted by CJ Parker. She said with a little guidance, he could become the biggest wrestling star in the world.
Tony Nese (with “Smart” Mark Sterling)
vs.
ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe!
Samoa Joe jabbed at Nese. Tony Nese kicked Joe and back elbowed him. Nese went for a moonsault, but Joe stepped out of the way. Samoa Joe steamrolled right over Tony Nese! Samoa Joe finished off Tony Nese with the Muscle Buster and pinned him!
Samoa Joe: “MJF…tonight I bring you a gift, my friend. The gift of foresight and what you foresee is that I am coming for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship. Now Max, what you do with this gift is very, very important.
“You can give me what I want, or Max, I can put you in a position where you are forced to give me what I want. Because I am Samoa Joe, the one true king of television, and I will be the next AEW World Heavyweight Champion!”
TBS Championship Match!
Kris Statlander (c.) vs. Willow Nightingale!
Kris leapfrogged Willow and then knocked her down with a shoulder tackle. Outside the ring, Willow rammed Kris into the steel post. Willow followed up with a cannonball against the steel steps.
Willow cracked Kris with rapid fire headbutts. Willow hurled Kris across the ring. She caught Kris in the corner and clocked her with rapid fire lariats. Kris swept out Willow’s legs and connected with a somersault senton. Kris dazed Willow with a Saturday Night Fever Blue for a near fall.
Willow charged at Kris with a big pounce! Kris spiked Willow with a DDT for a near fall! Willow hoisted up Kris and planted her with an avalanche Death Valley Driver off the top for a two-count!
Willow choked Kris and crashed into Kris with a cannonball in the corner. Willow climbed to the top, but Kris got up and powerbombed Willow! Kris splashed Willow with a 450 and pinned Willow!
Kris offered her hand to Willow but Skye Blue ran down and told Willow to refuse. Willow thought about it and then accepted Kris’ hand. Willow walked away without Skye Blue.
Skye Blue looked disgusted as Willow walked away from her.
Lexy Nair interviewed AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy backstage!
“Jon Moxley, you got in my face. Your friends, Claudio, Bryan, they got in my face. I don’t care about Yuta. How about Bryan and Claudio meet me and Okada in Philadelphia this Wednesday on Dynamite. And then we can fight.”
Main Event Time!
AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed—Anthony Bowens and Max Caster, & Daddy Ass (c.)
vs.
Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, & Daniel Garcia!
Anna Jay jumped into the ring to stop Garcia from doing his dance. The ref ejected Anna Jay from the ring. Matt Menard seized the moment and blindsided Bowens.
Bowens fought back with strikes to Menard and Parker. Daddy Ass tagged in, and he and Bowens dropped a double elbow on Menard. Caster hit a double ax handle from the top rope on Menard. Garcia tagged in and put the boots to Caster.
Bowens was triple teamed in the corner. Daddy Ass tagged in and cleaned house on all three members of the competition. He scoop slammed Menard. Bowens smashed Menard with the Scissor Me Timbers.
Garcia went to do his dance, but Caster rolled him up from behind for a near fall. Garcia clotheslined Caster and then danced. Daddy Ass smashed Garcia with the Fame Asser. The Acclaimed planted Garcia and Bowens pinned him!
“He shouldn’t have danced,” said Tony Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Article source: allelitewrestling.com
https://www.youtube.com/embed/SfEVsM9X5_M?si=BsJ3z3u
After two huge nights on DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, All Elite Wrestling is right back at it this Saturday night with two massive events in a single evening! COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII come to you this Saturday night from the FedEx Forum in Memphis and kick off on TNT starting at 8pm ET/9pm CT! Between the two events, four championships will be at stake, including The Blackpool Combat Club challenging Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Titles, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass defending the AEW World Trios Championship, Kris Statlander facing Willow Nightingale for the TBS Title, and Orange Cassidy making the first defense of his second AEW International Championship reign against John Silver! Plus Action Andretti tries to survive Miro and Jeff Jarrett meets Eddie Kingston in a Memphis Street Fight where a potential championship match for Jay Lethal is at stake!
Before the night begins, make a point to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
COLLISION
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Big Bill & Ricky Starks(c) vs. Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/1i-Na4CO3l8?si=vGnIPugzedjOBY2z
The hostilities between The Blackpool Combat Club and the new AEW World Tag Tag Champions has been relentless over the last several weeks. Originally born as an issue between Ricky Starks and Bryan Danielson, it has grown into something bigger and now the entire BCC is involved in the scenario.
Now, with Big Bill and Ricky Starks decimating FTR to claim the tag championship, there are titles involved as well and after their dominating performance on RAMPAGE, Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta will challenge for the gold! This BCC duo are 11-2 in tag team competition, have won their last four bouts following that win Friday night, and have far greater tag team experience than the champs.
That being said, in their wins over Danielson/Claudio and FTR, Big Bill and “Absolute” Ricky Starks have looked tremendous, complimenting each other as a team, and clearly doing something right with how they handled Dax and Cash to win the belts. In their time in AEW, no team has beaten down FTR the way Bill and Ricky did, and hopefully Claudio and Yuta were paying close attention to how that went down.
COLLISION has the potential to be a huge night for the Blackpool Combat Club, will it include the crowning of new AEW World Tag Team Champions?
DREAM MATCH…
Andrade El Idolo vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
The other reason it could be a huge night for BCC is right here: the first AEW clash between “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo, a dream match between two of professional wrestling’s greatest competitors, each who want little more than to test themselves against the best from around the world!
It’s been five years since their last one-on-one fight took place, and both have grown tremendously as competitors, each traversing their own paths of championship success, heartbreaks and loss, paths that ultimately led both men to All Elite Wrestling where they debuted just a few months apart from each other. Andrade has been on a tear since the launch of COLLISION, the only blemish on his record being a loss to Jay White, giving him five wins over the last six bouts. On the other side, Bryan has six wins over his last seven matches, that loss being the TNT Championship bout with Christian Cage last week, and that includes defeating New Japan’s Kazuchika Okada with a broken arm.
So in this clash of the world’s finest, will it be a triumph for Danielson and The Blackpool Combat Club, or will it be Andrade El Idolo with the victory?
ONE-ON-ONE…
Action Andretti vs. “The Redeemer” Miro
Miro is not a happy man; despite his successes since the premiere of COLLISION, he finds himself unhappy with the AEW arrival of his wife CJ Perry, and her intentions to launch a management company. “The Redeemer” made it clear he renounced his wife, his god, essentially everything he felt was holding him back from being a true destroyer, so much so that when she did arrive at ALL OUT 2023, in the moment it seemed Miro didn’t even believe she was real.
Clearly that has changed, and Miro seems intent on stopping CJ from gaining any traction with any potential clients, as Action Andretti found out the hard way after he showed interest in CJ’s services:
So this Saturday night on COLLISION, in a fight he may live to regret, Action Andretti will go head-to-head with Miro after the events of last week. It’s clear Miro wants no other man anywhere near his wife, even in a professional situation, though he doesn’t want her involved in his career either, and Action Andretti may be used as the example to any others looking to CJ Perry for managerial guidance.
MEMPHIS STREET FIGHT…
ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston
vs. Jeff Jarrett
***IF JARRETT WINS, JAY LETHAL GETS A ROH CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH***
Jay Lethal wants a shot at the ROH World Championship, he wants to join the Adam Cole Club as a 3-Time holder of the title, but apparently he doesn’t want to earn it himself through hard work in the ring, he just wants it handed to him because of past accomplishments. Now Eddie Kingston will gladly fight anyone and accept any challengers, but it is clear that Lethal and his contingent have a plan in mind as Lethal’s title opportunity is now married to this Memphis Street Fight between the ROH World Champion and Jeff Jarrett!
If Jarrett wins, Lethal will get his championship match with Eddie Kingston, and given the nature of a Street Fight, there has to be plans in motion between Jarrett, Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, and Karen Jarrett. There’s no doubt Eddie will have to contend with all of that in order to survive this scenario on Saturday, and given the path Kingston has chosen in his travels through AEW and ROH, he will likely have to do it alone.
BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII
AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens/Max Caster) & Daddy Ass(c)
vs.
Angelo Parker, Daniel Garcia, & Matt Menard
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Kris Statlander(c) vs. Willow Nightingale
https://www.youtube.com/embed/33EamAZEk2I?si=FWTYAXB7hvRH5IYe&start=384
Though this is a match that Kris Statlander requested, a championship opportunity she wanted to offer Willow Nightingale, it may prove to be Stat’s last if she can’t get her focus on the task at hand. Based on what went down on RAMPAGE, and Kris getting involved in the aftermath of Skye Blue’s fight with Ruby Soho, it seems the TBS Champion is a bit distracted by attitude Skye has adopted since being misted by Julia Hart several weeks ago.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/mxvwseefsKY?si=sDXIeosvyv22xo_U&start=258
Interestingly enough, following Statlander and Skye’s championship match last Saturday on COLLISION, it was Willow Nightingale who came to the ring following the match to quell what seemed a potentially combustible situation. As Skye swatted away the helping hand of Statlander, it was Nightingale who seemed to say she had it under control and encouraged Statlander to back off.
Will this ongoing situation affect the TBS Championship match going down during BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII on Saturday night? Where will the focus of Statlander and Nightingale be when they lock up? This will be the first clash between these two women in AEW, and the fourth singles match of their career with the first going down in September 2017. Historically speaking, Willow has dominated their match history, winning all three of their previous encounters, so will that history repeat itself on Saturday and give us a new TBS Champion?
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. John Silver
https://www.youtube.com/embed/2BKkT49PjxE?si=G527Tk0T7W4hGsIM
Friday night on RAMPAGE, John Silver scored a victory over Brother Zay and Kip Sabian to earn this title fight with Orange Cassidy, his first singles championship match since March 24, 2021 when he challenged Darby Allin for the TNT Championship and just his second overall. Though he’s been in the mix for Trios and Tag championships over the years, the singles ranks have largely been untouched by Silver, having competed in just twenty singles matches, and carrying a record of thirteen wins and seven losses in those fights.
One of those losses, the first loss as a matter of fact, took place nearly three years ago at FULL GEAR 2020 and the man who had his raised in victory that night in Jacksonville was none other than “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy. Fast forward to 2023 and Cassidy has enjoyed great success in the singles ranks, standing as the only 2-Time International Champion and holding the record for most successful championship defenses of any title in the whole of AEW. In addition, at 326 days in that first run, he’s also one of the longest reigning champions of any AEW title holder, with only Jade Cargill, Hikaru Shida, MJF, and Kenny Omega holding titles for a longer.
Conversely John Silver has not held any championships, and neither has any member of The Dark Order since the late-Mr. Brodie Lee lost the TNT Championship back to Cody Rhodes in their vicious Dog Collar Match on the October 7, 2020 edition of DYNAMITE. That’s three years without a title for Silver and his kin, and he aims to end that drought this Saturday at BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII!
COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS VIII come to you this Saturday night on TNT starting at 8pm ET/9pm CT, and feature four championship matches between the events, as well as a Memphis Street Fight with a potential title match at stake there as well! It all goes down at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8W6bTyL6Rrs?si=luORsMTh2u4KTS0o
After witnessed two championships change hands last Tuesday during DYNAMITE: TITLE TUESDAY, AEW’s flagship returns to its regular time for our debut at the Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, TX! With that debut comes the 2023 Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale, the winner facing MJF for that Dynamite Diamond Ring, as well as a first-time encounter between Penta El Zero Miedo and Jay White, Kenny Omega answering Kyle Fletcher’s challenge, Toni Storm’s next blockbuster, “The Icon” Sting, and so much more!!!
This Wednesday night DYNAMITE is back in home time slot, beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans! Before the night begins, nake sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
DYNAMITE DOZEN BATTLE ROYALE…
Including: Dustin Rhodes, Juice Robinson, and more!!!
The first three years of the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale the format was such that the last two men standing would move on to a singles match the following week to determine ownership of the Dynamite Diamond Ring. 2019 Battle Royale result put MJF opposite Hangman Page in their only singles match to date, ultimately leading to Max becoming the inaugural holder of the pricey accessory. 2020’s winners would be MJF and Orange Cassidy, and that too would result in MJF retaining possession of the ring in their lone head-to-head clash. 2021’s Battle Royale took place in front of MJF’s hometown Long Island crowd, and resulted in he and Dante Martin meeting in their only one-on-one fight, as well as MJF once again keeping the ring on his finger.
2022 would be a different story though; with MJF having defeated Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship at FULL GEAR a few weeks prior, it was decided that the winner of the Battle Royale would face Max at WINTER IS COMING 2022 with both the ring and the title at stake. “Absolute” Ricky Starks would last eliminate Matt Hardy and Ethan Page to earn his shot, but unfortunately he would leave the match with MJF, their only singles meeting as well, with an empty finger and an empty waist. No ring, no championship, just MJF keeping the ring for the fourth straight year as well as making his first successful championship defense.
Now here we are nearly one year later with MJF still the AEW World Champion, and that ring still adorning his finger, although it hasn’t been put to nefarious use nearly as much over the last few months as it has in the past. This Wednesday night in Rosenberg, TX, when AEW debuts at the Fort Bend Epicenter, someone will earn an opportunity to give the Dynamite Diamond Ring its first new home, and we know that both Juice Robinson and Dustin Rhodes have claimed their spot in the Battle Royale. For the latter it’s about legacy, for the former its about taking something from MJF before he defends the AEW World Championship against “King Switch” Jay White at FULL GEAR 2023. But before anyone looks to the fight with Max, they’ve got to win the Battle Royal first, and that is never an easy feat!
SINGLES MATCH…
Penta El Zero Miedo vs. “Switchblade” Jay White
Speaking of Jay White, though he will likely have an eye on the outcome of the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale, he will have his own hands full in Texas when he meets Penta El Zero Miedo in singles combat! This first-time meeting of these two men comes as a result of Jay White and BC GOLD interrupting Renee Paquette asking Penta for an update on his brother Rey Fenix after Rey lost the AEW International Championship to Orange Cassidy.
White and company had no skin in that game, no stake in the status of Fenix, OC, or Penta, but yet there they were en masse choosing to insert their voice into the conversation and mock The Lucha Brothers for their lack of championship belts. Of course Jay White persists in his claim that he earned the Triple B rightfully belonging to Maxwell Jacob Friedman, a claim that in his heart even Jay knows is false, but it doesn’t stop him from running off at the mouth, and ending up in fights like the one he’s about to enter on Wednesday night.
Unlike Jay, Penta El Zero Miedo has earned multiple championships in All Elite Wrestling, posting status as a former AEW World Tag Team Champion with his brother, as well as a former AEW World Trios Champion with Rey and “The Bastard” PAC, but this fight will obviously not be held with anyone standing in Penta’s corner waiting for a tag. Nor will anyone be in White’s corner for a tag, but there’s a good chance the rest of the Bang Bang Gang will be there up to no good.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR…
Kyle Fletcher vs. Kenny Omega
Kyle Fletcher is a brave man, possibly foolish, but absolutely brave, and on a mission to be, in his words, “…in the conversation of the best to ever do it”. Stepping into the ring with FTR twice, Bryan Danielson twice, Chris Jericho, and Kenny Omega in the span of the week between September 30th and October 7th is certainly one way to work the mission. Calling out the only former AEW World, Tag, and Trios Champion is absolutely another way to do it, and that’s exactly what Fletcher did on COLLISION following his victory over The Iron Savage’s Boulder when he challenged Kenny Omega to a fight!
The only way to become the best is to beat the best, and the only way to make that possible is to be in the ring with them in the first place, so kudos to the former ROH World Tag Champion for his gumption, but this Wednesday night Kyle has to put his proverbial money where his mouth is and actually fight “The Cleaner” one-on-one! Unlike their previous tag team encounter where Fletcher was a last minute substitute for the injured Sammy Guevara, both men have now had several days to prepare for this contest so we shall see if that opportunity shifts the outcome either way. Fletcher no doubt will spend those days with Don Callis in his ear pointing out Kenny’s supposed flaws and weak spots, and possibly with Don, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Takeshita in his corner during the match as well.
After the beating Omega took from Hobbs two weeks ago, is he anywhere near 100% and ready for a fight? And after they were there at Omega’s side during his recovery time last week, will The Young Bucks be at his side to balance the scales?
RATED R REBUTTAL…
JIM ROSS SITS DOWN WITH NICK AND HIS MOM…
When last we saw Nick Wayne he was on the receiving end of a spear from Adam Copeland to close out COLLISION, but that may feel like a walk in the park on a crisp Autumn day compared to what’s in store for the young man this Wednesday night. For the first time since watching Nick betray Darby Wayne at WRESTLEDREAM, the AEW faithful will hear from Nick Wayne’s mother Shayna when she and her son sit-down with Jim Ross on DYNAMITE!
Given everything that Darby has meant to Nick and his family over the years, and what that family has in turn met to the former 2-Time TNT Champion, one can only imagine the disappointment Shayna feels about her son choosing Christian Cage over Darby Allin, especially given the way Christian has talked about Nick’s mother over the last several weeks!
STING RETURNS!
And speaking of that betrayal, another man victimized by Nick Wayne’s betrayal was “The Icon” Sting and it was only the timely arrival of Adam Copeland at WRESTLEDREAM that saved him from suffering a worse fate at the hands of Wayne, Christian Cage, and Luchasaurus.
Now we have not heard from Sting since that night in Seattle, but this Wednesday in Texas “The Icon” will be back in the house to address the AEW faithful! What will Sting have to say about the events that unfolded at WRESTLEDREAM, about AEW’s newest arrival Adam Copeland, and about what the future holds for him?
A TIMELESS BLOCKBUSTER!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/T5Ed8zotgp0?si=PDvG9MpA820BwhQS
Last week the AEW faithful witnessed the premiere of Toni Storm’s “Lover’s Lament”, a silent feature in two acts, that wrapped up shortly after a title screen that read “Miss Storm you are needed on set” came across the screen. Coincidentally, or not, it was shortly thereafter that the former 2-Time AEW Women’s Champion entered the scene during Shida’s title fight with Saraya to chase off Ruby Soho.
This week on DYNAMITE, it appears we are all invited to the premiere of “Timeless” Toni Storm’s next cinematic masterpiece! How can she possibly follow-up “Lover’s Lament”? Tune in Wednesday night to TBS to witness the next blockbuster added to Storm’s resume!
This Wednesday night, DYNAMITE returns to its regularly scheduled start of 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, and brings to the Fort Bend Epicenter the Dynamite Dozen Battle Royale, “Switchblade” versus Penta, Aussie Open versus Elite, “The Icon”, “Timeless” Toni, and so much more! Be sure to check out the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER to get prepared for AEW’s debut in Rosenberg, TX!
**CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Huntington Center in Toledo, OH!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
The “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland came out to the ring to kick off the show!
Adam Copeland: “This week on Dynamite, Christian Cage had a whole lot of things to say. In his deluded mind, I think he actually believes them. I had to come out here and address what he had to say…”
Christian Cage’s music began to play!
The TNT Champion walked onto the ramp with Nick Wayne, Luchasaurus, and a team of AEW security!
Christian Cage: “You gotta lot of nerve and you really proved my point. You really think you’re that special, huh? You just walk out here on Collision, my show, by the way, take up this opening segment while I’m in the main event. That doesn’t sit right with me, so I brought my security detail out here because I’m sure you’re upset with what I said. But this security is for your protection, not mine.
“I’m just going to cut to the chase here. Why don’t you nicely step out of that ring, walk back up that ramp, and hit the bricks, because you see what’s going to happen if you stick around much longer here in AEW? It’s going to be like you’re from Toledo, Ohio, because it’s like you’ll be known for nothing.
“So, get to stepping or I’ll have my security team remove you. Just like I had the BCC escorted from the arena so there won’t be any funny business tonight with Bryan Danielson. I want a straight up fight with Bryan Danielson, and I know that’s not going to happen if you’re here and they’re here. I’m going to prove what I have known all along, as the TNT Champion, I am without a doubt the best wrestler in the world.”
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson walked down the ramp!
Danielson: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You know, Christian Cage, I’m happy to hear that you want a fair fight because I’ve got some news for you. I’ve talked to Tony Khan and in the interest of having a fair fight, Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne have been banned from ringside.
“And now we’re going to find out between you and me, who is the better man and who deserves to be the TNT Champion!”
“Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill—the AEW Tag Team Champions, walked down the ring next!
Ricky Starks: “No, no, no. I’m looking at a bunch of guys who are taking up my time, and Big Bill’s time. So, excuse me for breaking up this little bash here but I’ll be damned if I let it go any longer. And truthfully speaking, I have no respect for you Adam Copeland, I have no respect for you Bryan. But I have respect for you, Christian, the only AEW Champion who stands in this ring until, well, right now.”
Ricky Starks stepped into the ring.
Ricky Starks: “Bryan Danielson, don’t think I forgot about the things I had to do to deal with you and the BCC and all this other crap. The difference between you and me, Bryan, is I’m actually a real AEW champion. So, if you two don’t like what I said, how about you guys get with me and my friends and we can do the damn thing right now, if it’s a fight you’re looking for.”
FTR—Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood—walked to the ring next!
Cash Wheeler: “Seven days ago AEW medical gave us an option. They said we didn’t have to go out and defend the titles because we are banged up. But the show must go on, so we said we’d defend the titles. Obviously, that was the wrong choice. But that doesn’t make you, Ricky and Big Bill, the best tag team on the planet. That is reserved for FTR.
“So maybe we don’t get an immediate rematch. That’s fine. We will earn a rematch. But titles or not, you gotta now we’re coming for those necks.”
Dax Harwood: “Everybody is banged up. We all gotta work and we made a decision and last week, one night only, you were better than FTR. And I heard you and your friends wanted a fight. And Saturday night’s alright for a fight, Toledo.”
Danielson: “And speaking of that, Christian Cage, why don’t you and I do our match right now!”
Security charged at Danielson, Copeland, and FTR! Luchasaurus, Nick Wayne, and Christian Cage high tailed it out of the ring and Danielson, Copeland, and FTR cleaned house on the security!
Ring Of Honor World TV Championship Match!
Samoa Joe (c.) vs. Willie Mack!
Willie tried a shoulder block on Samoa Joe and Joe didn’t budge. Samoa Joe rammed into Willie Mack and knocked him off his feet! Samoa Joa jabbed at Willie Mack in the corner turnbuckles.
Willie Mack fired off the ropes with a leg lariat. He connected with a plancha on Samoa Joe!
Willie crushed Samoa Joe with a cannonball in the corner! Samoa Joe booted Willie and then splashed him with a running senton for a near fall.
Samoa Joe powerslammed Willie Mack for a two-count. Willie nailed Joe with a cutter in the center of the ring for a near fall. Willie climbed to the top for the 6-star frog splash, but Samoa Joe countered with a muscle buster! Samoa Joe covered Willie and pinned him!
Lexy Nair was backstage with “the hot and flexible” CJ Perry!
CJ Perry: “I would ask my future clients if they ever sat on the side and felt like someone else was getting the spotlight? If you feel that way, I know exactly how you feel. That’s the story of my life and I am here to help guide people in AEW. So, if you’re in the locker room and you want to become champion, come find the woman that helps make men.”
Action Andretti walked onto the set.
Action: “CJ, I’ve gotta say, I feel like I could really benefit from having someone like you guide and manage me. And I’m just one phone call away. And if you don’t know, now you know I’m Action Andretti.”
CJ: “Nice to meet you. Can’t wait to get a call.”
Juice Robison (with Bullet Club Gold)
vs.
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels!
Daniels took down Juice with an arm drag. CD applied the pressure on Juice.
Juice rocketed Daniels into the ropes, throat first. Juice charged at Daniels with a stiff elbow shot. Juice jabbed at the Fallen Angel. Juice followed up with a standing senton for a near fall. Christopher Daniels suplexed Juice and hit Juice with an STO.
Daniels smashed Juice with a high angle Death Valley Driver. Daniels tried for the Angels Wings, but Juice shoved Daniels into the turnbuckles. Juice crushed CD with a running cannonball. Juice planted Daniels and pinned him.
“The juice is loose. Juice Robinson now sets his sights on Wednesday night as part of the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royale to see who will go on to face MJF for the Dynamite Diamond ring,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Jay White versus Penta El Zero Miedo as well,” added Kevin Kelly.
After the match, “Switchblade” Jay White placed a ring on Juice’s finger. The Gunns held up Christopher Daniels and Juice clocked Daniels with the lethal left hand!
Juice Robinson: “MJF, you think you’re the only man in the world who can knock a guy out with a ring on his fist? I’ve been knocking losers out like you for years with nothing on this hand. In fact, this ring right here, I got from TJ Maxx. It ain’t the ring when it comes to the Stray Bullet. It’s the left hand I got, and I don’t need anything on it. Wednesday after I win your little battle royal, I’m gonna take that ring from you Max and then we’re gonna take a trip to the local pawn shop. And we’re gonna pawn that and the Bang Bang Gang will go on a vacation.”
“Switchblade” Jay White: “Look Max, when you wonder why this is all happening to you, you have one boy to blame and that is MJF. You see, MJF, you brought this all on yourself when you jumped me from behind in your devil mask with your paid off gimp squad because we all know you have no friends.
“So now your world is falling apart, and it starts when Juice takes your precious little ring, and it culminates at Full Gear when your world crumbles for good when I am officially crowned the AEW World Heavyweight Champion! Guns up!”
A vignette aired for Dustin Rhodes!
Dustin Rhodes: “Well Houston, we have a problem! Because I am the storm. ‘The Natural’ Dustin Rhodes is coming back to Texas where he belongs. And Dustin Rhodes today, in 2023, is as good as he’s ever been. And this Wednesday, I am coming to win the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal. And then MJF, I’m coming for that diamond ring, but more importantly, a chance for a lifelong dream of mine—to become the AEW World Heavyweight Champion. My path to glory starts this Wednesday night on TBS where it all began and where legends live forever!”
Lexy Nair was backstage with Nick Wayne! Lexy informed him that this Wednesday he would have a sit down interview with Jim Ross and Nick Wayne’s mom!
Nick Wayne: “A sit down interview? With my mom? For what? The whole world wants to know what I did to Darby Allin and apparently my mom wants to know? Then I guess they can find out on Dynamite.”
Aussie Open’s Kyle Fletcher vs. Iron Savages’ Boulder!
Boulder shoved Fletcher to the mat. Fletcher applied a side headlock. Fletcher clubbed Boulder with forearms. Boulder press slammed Kyle Fletcher.
Fletcher rocked Boulder with a leg lariat, knocking Boulder to the arena floor. Fletcher flew over the top rope with a dive onto Boulder!
Kyle Fletcher powerbombed Boulder from the top rope. Fletcher locked on the dragon sleeper and made Boulder tap out!
“Interesting with the dragon sleeper,” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette was backstage with the AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass!
Billy Gunn: “We have been Trios Champs for 48 days!”
Max Caster: “I just hope MJF sees all the hard work we’ve been putting in.”
Billy Gunn: “We have to work on your relationship skills because they’re absolutely rotten.”
Anthony Bowens: “The Twitter stuff, it’s all a bit aggressive. We can make friends and we can help you make friends.”
Billy and Anthony coached Caster with a few pointers and told him to try them on Renee for practice. Caster asked Renee about the “Oral Sessions” and totally offended her.
Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, Daniel Garcia and Jake Hager crashed the interview.
Menard: “Real smooth, idiot.”
Parker: “MJF thinks you’re an absolute loser.”
Menard: “How about Memphis, you put those titles on the line. We’re getting a taste of the title.”
Caster: “We’ll see you in Memphis!”
TBS Championship Match!
Kris Statlander (c.) vs. Skye Blue!
Skye Blue’s demeanor has changed since Julia Hart blew mist in her eyes. Blue grabbed a handful of Kris’ hair. Skye Blue cracked Kris with a back elbow.
Skye Blue nailed Kris with a neck breaker across the ropes. Kris fired back with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Blue planted Kris with a satellite DDT for a two-count.
Blue hit an avalanche powerbomb. Blue jumped off the top rope with a crossbody, but Statlander countered with a powerslam. Blue rocked Kris with thrust kicks. Statlander caught Blue with Saturday Night Fever and pinned Skye Blue!
Statlander tried to help up Skye Blue after the match. Skye Blue slapped away Kris’ hand. Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring to try to talk some sense into Skye.
Kyle Fletcher was backstage!
Fletcher: “First off, I want to send some well wishes to Mark Davis. But saying that, Davis being out gives me an opportunity to prove that on my own two feet, I am one of the best professional wrestlers in this world. There is a man in this company that I consider to be the measuring stick. This Wednesday I am calling you out, Kenny Omega, and I will prove I am one of the best, with or without someone in my corner!”
“Limitless” Keith Lee vs. The Outrunners’ Turbo Floyd!
Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty of Shane Taylor Promotions had a vested interest, watching this match on a monitor backstage.
Keith Lee threw Floyd over his head! Lee pounced on Turbo Floyd! Keith Lee powerbombed Floyd and pinned him!
“The Redeemer” Miro was backstage with some thought provoking words…and actions!
Miro: “The last few weeks have been testing with my wife being around. But I know what’s going to happen now that she’s here. Because evil seduces you under bright lights. So now she’ll be surrounded by all the things she loves. Let this be a warning, I am willing to destroy every man to protect the one woman. This is the promise of the Redeemer!”
Miro threw Action Andretti to the ground!
Main Event Time!
TNT Championship Match!
Christian Cage (c.) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Jim Ross joined the broadcast booth to provide main event analysis.
Danielson worked over Cage in a bow and arrow submission move. Danielson whipped Christian Cage into the steel barricade. Danielson followed up with a running dropkick. Danielson threw Christian Cage back into the ring and worked on Christian Cage’s knee.
Christian Cage charged at Danielson, but Danielson back dropped Cage out of the ring. Danielson sprinted at Christian Cage, looking for a tope suicida, but Christian Cage countered with a massive uppercut!
“What a smart move by the TNT Champion,” said Jim Ross.
Danielson tried to suplex Christian off the ring apron, but Christian kicked Danielson and shoved him into the ring post. Chrisitan Cage planted Danielson with a hammerlock slam on the apron, right on Danielson’s surgically repaired arm!
They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Danielson headbutted Cage, knocking him off the turnbuckles. Bryan rocked Cage with a diving headbutt. Christian Cage was busted wide open!
Danielson clobbered Christian Cage with toxic round kicks. Danielson jumped onto Christian with a tope suicida.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Christian Cage poked Danielson in the eye. Christian followed up with a frog splash for a near fall! Christian was looking for the Kill Switch, but Danielson countered with kicks to Cage’s sternum. Danielson missed a round kick and Christian planted him on his face! Christian Cage charged at Danielson, looking for the spear, but Danielson countered with a knee! Danielson blasted Christian with a stiff kick for a near fall!
Danielson captured Christian’s wrists and stomped on his head. Danielson ran towards Christian, ready to hit with his knee strike, but Christian Cage countered with a spear! Christian planted Bryan with the Kill Switch but somehow Bryan kicked out at two!
Christian ran at Danielson with another spear, but Danielson dodged it! Danielson hit the running knee on Christian Cage! Danielson covered Cage but Cage kicked out! Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock! Christian reached the ropes with his boots. Danielson pulled Christian back to the center of the ring and tried for the Le Bell Lock again, but his damaged arm wouldn’t allow him to complete the hold and lock it in.
Big Bill came to the ring and distracted the ref! Ricky Starks jumped into the ring and blasted Danielson in the head with his tag team title belt! Christian covered Danielson and pinned him!
“It took three guys to get it done,” said Jim Ross.
After the match, Luchasaurus, Nick Wayne, Big Bill, and Ricky Starks stomped and kicked Danielson! FTR rushed down to help even up the odds for Danielson! Adam Copeland hit the ring and hit anything that moved! Copeland was going toe to toe with Luchasaurus! FTR clobbered Big Bill, knocking him out of the ring! Big Bill pulled Starks out of the ring before FTR could inflict anymore punishment. Copeland booted Luchasaurus right in the face and out of the ring! Copeland speared Nick Wayne!
“You asked for it, kid, you got it,” said Tony Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, TX!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/agb0ZK1xtG4?si=dpib56vvebzJ5MYR
All Elite Wrestling has made it abundantly clear that Saturday night’s alright for fighting, and this Saturday on COLLISION will be no different! With AEW’s debut at Toledo’s Huntington Center, there are three championship fights on tap with the TBS, the TNT, and ROH World TV Championships at stake. The first contested between Kris Statlander and Skye Blue with the second between defending champion Christian Cage and challenger Bryan Danielson, the man who defeated Swerve Strickland on DYNAMITE: TITLE TUESDAY to earn the opportunity! As for the latter, as Samoa Joe nears a championship record currently held by Jay Lethal, he welcomes the challenge of Willie Mack! These two hard-hitting big men are looking forward to throwing down in Toledo, and we know Joe also has his eye on the prize currently around MJF’s waist: the AEW World Championship!
COLLISION is back at its normal start time of 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT on TNT, so make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Christian Cage(c) vs. “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
https://www.youtube.com/embed/J2A8-uKBmio?si=UBRAusKhonnFbIkV&start=513
When last we saw Christian Cage he was trapped in Bryan Danielson’s LaBell Lock, with best friend Adam Copeland looking on, as DYNAMITE:TITLE TUESDAY faded to black. The efforts of Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne to bring harm to Adam after he bested Cage’s “Right Hand of Destruction” were ultimately for naught as a scene also involving Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta, The Gates of Agony, Swerve Strickland, and Hangman Page played out until it was just Bryan, Copeland, and Christian left inside the squared circle.
Though there is clearly a level of respect between The BCC and Adam Copeland, the primary reason for Danielson’s involvement in this entire scenario is the TNT Championship. Earlier in the night, in the opening match of DYNAMITE, Bryan Danielson survived the fight with Swerve Strickland, with a little help from Hangman to prevent Swerve’s cheating, to earn this shot at the TNT Championship. Danielson, coming off victories over Swerve, Zack Sabre Jr. Ricky Starks, and Kyle Fletcher, not to mention defeating Kazuchika Okada with a broken arm, is operating on a level unlike any he has before. Perhaps it’s the knowledge that this is his last full-time year in professional wrestling that is driving him to that next echelon, perhaps it’s because he chose to share that information with the world that is really causing him to push himself harder than ever before.
Whatever the case may be, Christian Cage has to be prepared to deal with a version of Danielson unlike any with which he is familiar, and these two are rather familiar with one another. Though it’s been since February 17, 2014 that they last went one-on-one, they shared the ring here in All Elite Wrestling as friends on October 2021, and before either called AEW home, they’d been on opposite sides of the ring as far back as May 12, 2006 at Ring of Honor’s HOW WE ROLL event.
But just as this Danielson is unlike any version of the man Christian Cage has faced, so too is this TNT Champion version of Christian a far worse, far more vile, far more despicable man than “The American Dragon” has dealt with previously. Cage’s list of crimes and insults has been well documented, the official AEW YouTube Page even has a playlist detailing his despicable act, and his (ab)use of Luchasaurus and Nick Wayne has only made it even clearer how low Christian Cage will stoop to claim he is the greatest wrestler in the world.
Given that Bryan is frequently labeled with that G.O.A.T tag, Cage might consider this a battle of the greatest to do it, but that would require the TNT Champion to actually recognize anyone else as being close to his level, and the AEW faithful know that Christian gives credit to no man or woman other than himself. So on Saturday night, when COLLISION comes to Toledo for the very first time, can Bryan Danielson defy the odds and Cage’s willingness to cut any corners and finally capture his first championship in All Elite Wrestling? He was unable to do so at REVOLUTION 2023 when faced with MJF, unable to do so when he twice challenged Adam Page, and unable to do it when he fought Jon Moxley in the 2022 Grand Slam Tournament of Champions. With this being his first chance at claiming the TNT Championship, will it be the American Dragon’s night, or will Christian Cage somehow find another way to escape seeming certain demise with the TNT Title still in his possession?
ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Samoa Joe(c) vs. Willie Mack
Ten years ago; that was the one and only time Samoa Joe and Willie Mack ever shared a ring prior to this coming Saturday night, and on that November night in California’s City of Commerce, it was Samoa Joe who emerged triumphant. By that point Joe had already been a multi-time World Champion, had helped establish Ring of Honor as the most influential wrestling promotion of the 21st Century, had traversed the globe, and become one of the most feared competitors in pro wrestling. Willie Mack, six or seven years into his career at that point, was really building steam in places like PWG, APW, CWFH, and had begun to branch out beyond the West Coast in tournaments like CZW’s Best of the Best and AIW’s JT Lightning Invitational, but California would generally remain his home base.
Fast forward a decade later and the two men find themselves inside the same circles once again, competing for Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling, with Joe the dominant champion once again. With 549 days spent as ROH World TV Champion, Joe is just 19 days away from surpassing his former protege Jay Lethal as the longest reigning TV Champion of all-time, a feat that would give Samoa Joe that designation with two different Ring of Honor championships. While Lethal’s 36 successful defenses are likely a number that will remain forever out of reach, Joe has absolutely asserted himself with a dominance that no other Television Champion has before him.
Shane Taylor may be a close second in that regards, but the victory Samoa Joe has over him puts Joe on top of that comparison. So can Willie Mack be the one to step up to the throne and knock the King of Television off? Mack is a hard-hitting man just like the TV Champion, has no problem throwing down with fists and elbows, and it very well may be the biggest night of his wrestling career if Willie can actually be the one to end Joe’s reign. It is clear that, in addition to his duties as ROH World TV Champion, Joe still has designs on the AEW World Championship held by MJF, but before he concerns himself with Max, Joe best keep his eye on Willie Mack this Saturday night lest he find himself leaving Toledo short a championship title.
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Kris Statlander(c) vs. Skye Blue
https://www.youtube.com/embed/qo-MnTn5GuY?si=88vvGx-DFY-80p3O
After defeating Emi Sakura Friday night on RAMPAGE, Skye Blue will get what she’s been chasing, a championship opportunity, this time in the form of a TBS Championship challenge against friend Kris Statlander! Though Skye has been a bit…off…since her encounter with The House of Black’s Julia Hart got her misted, it did lead to that victory, and now she’ll face Statlander for the very first time!
Despite their friendship, these two have never shared a ring with one another as friend or foe prior to Saturday night. Whether or not that is beneficial to either woman’s goal of being champion remains to be seen; neither has first-hand knowledge of each other’s capabilities making it a bit harder to prepare counters and counters-to-counters, leaving tape study as the best way to prepare for this bout, also the fact each has had barely 24 hours to game plan leaves both on something close to equal footing.
Will Statlander continue to push towards her goal of surpassing Jade Cargill as the most dominant TBS Champion in AEW history? Or will Skye Blue claim her first AEW title and begin to build her legacy?
THE RATED R SUPERSTAR HAS ARRIVED!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PvXJ_H5VnCA?si=07F5Pb3CI2_YCiwb
Tuesday night on DYNAMITE fans witnessed Adam Copeland make his AEW in-ring debut with a victory of “The Right Hand of Destruction” Luchasaurus. While that moment was triumphant, Nick Wayne and TBS Champion Christian Cage did their best to make the remainder of the night a terrible one for “The Rated R Superstar”. Luckily Copeland had some support in the form of The Blackpool Combat Club, and even though the situation ended in chaos also involving Adam Page and The Mogul Embassy, ultimately Christian Cage ended up in Bryan Danielson’s LaBell Lock while Adam stood on and witnessed it.
This Saturday on COLLISION Adam Copeland will be back in the house to address what went down on Tuesday, and perhaps lay out what his next steps will be! Copeland made it clear that he initially came to AEW to reunite with his best friend Christian, but with the events that have gone down since his debut at WRESTLEDREAM, is that still Copeland’s goal?
ALSO FEATURING:
-AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Bill & Ricky Starks in the house!
-AAA Cruiserweight & AAA World Tag Champion Komander vs. “The Machine” Brian Cage!
COLLISION debuts in Toledo, OH at the Huntington Center this Saturday night and brings three titles fights to the dance! The ROH World TV Title is at stake between Samoa Joe and Willie Mack while Christian Cage puts his TNT Championship on the line against “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and TBS Champion Kris Statlander defends against Skye Blue! The bouts begin at a our regular time of 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT on TNT, so make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, the latest editions of CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
