AEW Dynamite Results for December 27, 2023

AEW Dynamite Results for December 27, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: New Year’s Smash was broadcast live from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!

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!

Continental Classic League Final Standings:

Gold League

Jon Moxley (12)

Swerve Strickland (12)

Jay White (12)

Rush (6)

Mark Briscoe (3)

Jay Lethal (0)

Blue League

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (10)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (9)

Andrade El Idolo (9)

Brody King (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (6)

Daniel Garcia (3)

Continental Classic: Gold League Final!

Jon Moxley vs. “Switchblade” Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland!

“Here we go! Who is going to go into the final for the Gold League?” wondered Taz.

Swerve was looking for a quick win, rolling up Mox from behind. Mox kicked out and then he and Swerve traded forearms. Moxley delivered some big headbutts. Swerve and Moxley brawled around the ring while Jay White watched on. Swerve and Mox grabbed White and tossed him over the barricade. Mox then chucked Swerve over the barricade!

Swerve put Moxley on a chair and then charged into him with a running knee. The forced pushed Moxley backwards, with Moxley landing on his shoulder. “Switchblade” Jay White snuck up behind Moxley and nailed him with a chop block. Jay White hammered down right hands on the head of Moxley. Jay White suplexed Moxley onto a steel chair.

Back in the ring, Jay White chopped at Swerve and then suplexed Swerve into the corner. Jay White tried to suplex Swerve but Swerve countered with a kick from the apron. Moxley took down Jay White with a pump kick. Swerve was there waiting but Moxley got a boot up and then raked the back of Swerve. Swerve connected with a big lariat to Moxley and then a flying European Uppercut to the back of Moxley’s head and neck.

Swerve backdropped Moxley over the top rope. Swerve climbed to the top and rocked Mox and White with a diving frog splash to them on the arena floor! Moxley retaliated with a tope suicida, driving Swerve back to the barricade. 

Moxley spiked Swerve with a piledriver for a near fall. Moxley followed up with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moxley tried for a superplex, but Swerve fought it way out. Swerve jumped off the turnbuckles, but Moxley countered with a boot and a DDT for a two-count. Moxley cleared off the timekeeper’s table. Mox was looking for a piledriver but Jay White whacked Mox with a chair to the back, and then he hammered Moxley’s leg and left knee with the chair. Jay White jumped back into the ring and Swerve cradled him for a near fall.

Swerve blasted Jay White with a solid right hand shot. Swerve plastered White with the House Call kick! Swerve powerslammed White. Swerve smashed White with a 450 splash, but Mox was there to kick Swerve and break up Swerve’s pin attempt on White!

“We are witnessing a classic,” said Excalibur.

Moxley locked a bulldog choke on Jay White! Swerve rocked Mox with the House Call! Jay White pushed Swerve into Moxley and Moxley defended with a King Kong Lariat. Jay White planted Mox with the Blade Runner and went for the cover but Swerve shoved Mox off White, breaking the pin to protect his own chances at winning the match.

The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”

Jay White smacked Moxley with a steel chair and then cracked Swerve in the ribs. Jay White propped the chair between the turnbuckle pads. Swerve grabbed Jay White and whipped him into the chair. Moxley and Swerve stood there and traded open hand shots in the center of the ring! Swerve caught Moxley with two pump kicks. Swerve walloped Mox with a discus lariat! Swerve was looking for the JML Driver but Mox bit on Swerve’s fingers. Swerve climbed up for the Swerve Stomp, but Jay White knocked him down. Moxley impaled Jay White with the Death Rider and scored the pin!

Jon Moxley is the winner of the Gold League and is going to the finals this Saturday at the Worlds End pay-per-view!

Tony Schiavone was backstage with Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana!

Swerve: “I wanted this so bad. This Continental Classic was bringing life back into this business. I proved I’m one of the best in the industry, if not the best. I didn’t get pinned. Jay White got pinned. Somebody is looking for me on Collision? Keith Lee, yeah? You want me? I got nothing to do this Saturday, I’ll be there at Worlds End!”

Tony Schiavone presented Swerve with a contract to wrestle Keith Lee on Saturday at Worlds End.

Swerve: “We’ll see if he shows up this Saturday,” said Swerve.

Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May on the ramp!

Mariah May: “You’ve all waited so patiently for my debut and I’m here to tell you when it’s going to be. I didn’t feel 2023 had the best energy. Not enough glamour. So, my debut will be next week on the first Dynamite of the new year. Because 2024 is all about Mariah.”

Riho ran out and chased Mariah May to the ring!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm sprinted down, but Riho tripped her up! Riho jumped off the top rope, crashing onto Toni Storm and Luther the Butler with flying crossbody press!

Backstage, Top Flight—Darius and Dante Martin, and Action Andretti had some words after their match last week with the Acclaimed and Daddy Ass!

Dante: “There are plenty of trios for us to fight.”

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, and Trent walked onto the set.

Orange: “We’ll see you guys Friday.”

Rocky: “Honestly, Orange did the same thing to me last week. See you guys Friday.”

Action: “Well, this Friday, Rampage, challenge accepted.”

A highlight package aired of “The Redeemer” Miro, and Miro threw out a challenge to Andrade El Idolo at Worlds End this Saturday!

Tony Schiavone was in the ring for Don Callis Family’s Boxing Week Celebration! 

ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Don Callis came out!

Don Callis: “I have something important to say. As you may or may not know, there’s been a lot of stuff going around outside the wrestling business the past couple of weeks. Family stuff. It’s been a very difficult two weeks for me. And guys you know what I’m talking about and at times like this, you need your family. And I couldn’t have gotten through it without my family by me. And I’ve gotten all of you guys some Boxing gifts to show my appreciation.

Don Callis unveiled a painting of him and Powerhouse. And then one of him with Takeshita. He had one of him and Kyle revealed. 

Don Callis: “Finally, the Don Callis Family feels complete.”

Sammy Guevara’s music hit, and Sammy walked to the ring, making his return!

Don Callis: “What’s up?”

Sammy: “Long time no talk, Don.”

Don: “Didn’t you get the gift I sent for the kid? I’m glad you’re here. To show my appreciation, I got a gift for you. This is a painting just for you I did specially.”

Sammy unveiled the painting, and it was a portrait of Sammy holding his newborn, surrounded by the Don Callis Family.

Sammy: “Don, I have one question for you. Who the hell told you to put my baby on that?”

Don: “No one but look at it again. You’ve got your whole family there supporting you and Sammy, let’s be honest, you’re not exactly mentally capable of being a parent.”

Sammy: “You’re worried about my parenting when you need to be worried about leading this group. You make everything about you. I’ve head people that I would never expect ask me how I was going when I got concussed. But I never got a message from you.”

Don: “You’re disappointed that I didn’t call you? I’m disappointed that you dropped the ball when you got hurt and dropped the ball when you had the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had. I’m disappointed that you were on leave while you were out having a baby. So, you choose the other family, or you choose the Don Callis Family. If you answer wrong, you’re going to be remembered as just as big a failure as a wrestler as you’re about to be as a parent.”

Sammy heard enough and shoved Don Callis to the mat!

Powerhouse Hobbs bulldozed Sammy and the rest of the Callis Family began to stomp on Sammy. Chris Jericho ran to the ring and hit Hobbs and Takeshita with Floyd, his baseball bat. The rest of the Callis family retreated from the ring. Jericho swung at the paintings and smashed them with his bat. For the final painting, he offered his bat to Sammy and invited him to smash it. Sammy swung the bat and shattered the portrait!

Jericho and Sammy hugged. AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill blindsided Jericho and Sammy from behind!

“Where did they come from?” asked Excalibur.

Starks and Big Bill swarmed Sammy and Jericho!

The arena lights went black! When the arena lights came back on, Sting and Darby Allin were in the ring! Sting whacked Big Bill with his baseball bat! Darby dropkicked Starks! Sting and Jericho took turns hammering away at Big Bill with their baseball bats!

“Sting and Darby Allin and they had the back of Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara! What an improbably turn of events,” said Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Roderick Strong!

Roddy: “Renee! Thank you for this time. Me and the fellows have been working on something for the past five days.”

The Kingdom had a bulletin board full of suspects, connected by yarn, trying to decipher who the Devil was.

Roddy: “All roads lead to…Max is the devil. Listen to me, Max. I’m going to prove you’re the devil. You are eventually going to be exposed. Because Max is the devil!”

Continental Classic: Blue League Final!

ROH World & NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston 

vs. 

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!

Danielson was testing Eddie’s patience, but Eddie grabbed Danielson with a suplex and followed up with a tope suicida. Kingston chopped at Danielson outside the ring. Danielson whipped Kingston into the barricade, but Kingston came back with a double sledge.

Danielson gouged at Kingston’s eyes. Danielson connected with round kicks, tenderizing Kingston in the corner. Eddie cracked Danielson with headbutts. Danielson staggered Kingston on the apron with a DDT and then followed up with a flying knee!

Back in the ring, Danielson was looking for the Le Bell Lock, but Kingston scooted away back towards the ropes. Danielson taunted and berated Kingston: “They’re all saying you’re a bum!” Kingston sent Danielson for a ride with an exploder suplex!

Kingston went for the spinning backfist, but Danielson blocked it. Kingston followed up with a DDT and now the fans chanted “Let’s go Eddie!” Kingston wrecked Danielson in the corner with brutal chops. 

“Danielson wanted this aggression from Kingston,” said Excalibur.

“Well, he’s getting it,” replied Taz.

Danielson managed to put Kingston in the Le Bell Lock! Kingston crawled to the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Danielson blasted Kingston with kicks and then a snap suplex. Danielson climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Eddie charged to the corner and chopped Danielson, stalling Bryan’s progress. Danielson slipped between Eddie’s legs and then pulled him backwards in a Tree of Woe. Danielson kicked Eddie, who was tied up in the ropes. Danielson smashed Eddie with a running dropkick. 

Danielson tried to suplex Eddie off the turnbuckles, but Eddie shifted and landed on top of Bryan’s injured eye. Danielson kicked Eddie on the inside of the knee and brought him down. Kingston fired back with more chops, bringing Danielson to his knees! Danielson blocked a chop and hurled Eddie with a shoulder capture suplex for a near fall!

Kingston connected with a lariat and then followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall on Danielson! Bryan found the strength to connect with a running knee strike for a two-count on Eddie! Danielson battered Kingston with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Danielson captured Eddie’s wrists and stomped on Eddie’s head! Eddie flipped off Danielson. Eddie blocked Danielson’s running knee strike with a spinning back fist! Kingston hurled Danielson with a half and half. Danielson caught Kingston with a roundhouse kick! Eddie smashed Danielson again with a spinning backfist! Kingston power bombed Danielson and pinned him!

Eddie Kingston is the winner of the Blue League Division!

“Not only has Eddie finally defeated Bryan Danielson, but he is also one step closer to that Continental Crown,” said Excalibur.

Jon Moxley walked down the ramp and entered the ring to check on Danielson. Kingston sneered at Moxley. 

Moxley: “Eddie, all I’ve ever asked of you, every time I stuck my neck out for you, all I’ve ever asked is for you to give 100%. And for a guy who thinks the whole world is against him, you’ve got a lot of people who love you. Listen to this building, man. Everybody here in Orlando loves Eddie Kingston. AEW fans across the country and the world love Eddie Kingston. 

“Every person in the building on Saturday at Worlds End in New York City is going to love Eddie Kingston. And they don’t care whether you win or lose. But they deserve your very best. They deserve your maximum effort. Problem is, I know you better than you know yourself. I know you can’t beat me, and you know you can’t beat me. So, for my money, you’ve already lost. You’ve already given up. You’re already making excuses, but that’s not going to fly this time. A couple years ago I gave you the shot of your lifetime and I let you off the hook. This time you’re not going to get one single favor. You want to be a Triple Crown Champion just like all your heroes? You’re going to have to earn every inch.”

Kingston: “You talked enough. Let me tell you something. Don’t come out here and treat me like your young boy Yuta. Because I ain’t no young boy. Remember something: I broke in before you. You’re lucky I let you breathe. But I’m going to tell you something. You’re right. I’m one of the most down people. I hate myself more than I hate anybody else. But on Saturday the king of the bums is going to push you. You told me once when I wanted to quit AEW, you said, ‘You are not allowed to quit because we need people like you around to shape the younger guys. So, is that what you want, Jon? I’m going to give you everything I have. You better show your fighting spirit because I’m going to show you mine and I’m going to bust you up and enjoy it.”

Lexy Nair had a sitdown interview with TNT Champion Christian Cage and “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

Lexy introduced the viewers to Shayna Wayne, Nick Wayne, and the TNT Champion Christian Cage. 

Christian Cage: “First of all, it’s Mother Wayne and the ‘Prodigy’ Nick Wayne, and I’ve been sitting here all night waiting for Adam Copeland to show up.”

Copeland stormed the set!

Copeland threw Nick Wayne into a cargo box. Christian and Copeland began to slug it out! AEW Security did their best to pry Copeland off Christian. Copeland fought free while Christian Cage tried to escape through a side door. Adam Copeland caught up with Christian Cage and shoved him against a concrete wall! Wrestlers pried them apart while Copeland yelled, “You’re mine! You’re mine!”

Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue!

Stokely Hathaway joined the broadcast booth for this match.

“Skye Blue has changed. She looks different, she approaches her matches differently,” said Tony Schiavone.

“Well, I think her buddy Julia Hart rubbed off on her,” replied Taz.

Skye slapped Kris in the face. Kris rammed Skye with a shoulder tackle and followed up with a scoop slam. Kris took down Skye with a dropkick.  Kris blocked a suplex from Skye. Kris countered with a delayed vertical suplex.

Skye cracked Kris with a rising knee strike and then a pump kick to the side of the head. Skye planted Statlander on the ring apron, using Kris’ own momentum against her. Kris rolled through with a deadlift German Suplex for a near fall on Skye.

Skye ducked a kick and connected with a thrust kick. Skye hit the Code Blue for a near fall on Statlander. Skye jumped off the top rope looking for a hurracanrana, but Statlander caught her and rocked Skye with a powerbomb for a two-count. Kris kicked Skye and Skye played possum while the ref checked on her. Julia Hart jumped out of nowhere and clocked Kris Statlander with the TBS Championship. The ref didn’t see it! Skye walloped Kris with an avalanche Code Blue and pinned Statlander!

Skye Blue attacked Kris Statlander after the match. Julia Hart and Skye Blue double teamed Statlander. Willow Nightingale ran to the ring to help Kris! Willow dished out clotheslines and Skye and Julia ran from Willow!

As Skye Blue and Julia Hart retreated from the ring, Abadon appeared and stared at Julia! Skye Blue and Julia Hart jumped off the ramp and took a side route away from Abadon!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Ruby Soho and Saraya!

Renee asked Ruby how she felt knowing she’s taking on Marina Shafir this Friday on Rampage.

Saraya: “I’m really excited for you, but I can’t keep this in. I’m so sorry, Ruby, but you know it’s your birthday next month and I’ve been giving you so many gifts. Well, I thought I’d give you something special for Rampage. I got you a little help. C’mon in Harley! Look at her, she’ll do anything.”

Ruby’s phone rang and she apologized but she had to take the call.

Saraya: “Is that Angelo? Tell him I said hi. I love that guy.”

Ruby left to answer the phone. Renee asked how Saraya’s partnership with Harley came together.

Saraya: “Why don’t I show you. Go on.”

Harley pulled a knife from behind her back! 

Saraya: “Whoa, let’s try the other thing. We’ll fill you in next week Renee. Put that knife back. Put that back.”

Main Event Time! Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship Match!

AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF & Samoa Joe

vs.

The Devil’s Masked Men!

The masked men were in the ring. And then MJF was introduced, and he walked down the ramp. When Samoa Joe was introduced by Justin Roberts, he didn’t walk out to the ring. Footage played on the big screen from backstage, where Samoa Joe was on the ground, injured. Samoa Joe was holding his right leg, writhing in pain. 

MJF told the ref, “I’m doing this match!”

MJF took the fight right to the masked men, stomping one of them in the corner. Samoa Joe tried to pull the mask off, but the other masked man pulled MJF’s throat first across the top rope. MJF rammed one of the masked men into the steel ring post. He tried to pull off the mask, but a third masked man crawled out from beneath the ring and clocked MJF with a steel pipe on MJF’s injured shoulder. One of the masked men nailed MJF with the heat seeker and scored the pin while the other masked man held his legs. The Devil’s Masked Men are the new ROH World Tag Team Champions!

More masked men began to swarm MJF in the ring! Samoa Joe hobbled to the ring with a steel chair under his arm! The masked men retreated away from Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe helped MJF to his feet and then the Devil appeared on the big screen. The Devil disappeared but the following words appeared:

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

MJF stared at the message and then Samoa Joe cracked MJF in the back with the steel chair!

“Has Joe been working with the Devil this whole time?” asked Excalibur.

“I think Joe definitely has been working with the Devil,” replied Taz.

“Guys, I agree. He’s in league with the Devil himself,” added Tony Schiavone.

Samoa Joe was walking fine now and picked up MJF. Joe planted MJF with the Muscle Buster in the center of the ring!

Samoa Joe picked up the AEW World Title and held it up overhead!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!

This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE: New Year’s Smash at 10pm ET on TNT!

Don’t miss AEW Worlds End live on pay-per-view on Saturday beginning with Zero Hour at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!

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

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 27th, 2023

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 27th, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/V2wQUTjEBvo?si=8jdkwiqvYAQCyEZ9

The end of the year is upon us, and All Elite Wrestling intends to close 2023 with a bang! The celebration begins this Wednesday night in Orlando with the League Finals of the Continental Classic and a ROH World Tag Team Championship match with huge implications for both the WORLDS END pay-per-view event going down Saturday night, as well this entire Devil mystery that’s been looming over MJF, and by proxy anyone around him, for the last couple months!

The final DYNAMITE of 2023 begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, a wild HEY!(EW) with Danhausen, and more!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC LEAGUE FINALS…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LU3wnm1bPS8?si=0FduJdMmtMZqim86

Final Standings

Gold League

Jon Moxley (12)

Swerve Strickland (12)

Jay White (12)

Rush (6)

Mark Briscoe (3)

Jay Lethal (0)

Blue League

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (10)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (9)

Andrade El Idolo (9)

Brody King (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (6)

Daniel Garcia (3)

BLUE LEAGUE FINALS

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson(10) vs. 

ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston(9)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/j6aos9OJbgM?si=b9CqoTfFE790s3nU

There is a glee quite apparent in Bryan Danielson when he throws insults at Eddie Kingston, when he disrespects the ROH World Champion. It was there when he came out after Kingston’s extremely hard-fought victory over Andrade El Idolo, and it was there when Danielson provided his thoughts on the Finals after event ended. “Bum” is Danielson’s favorite label for the NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT Champion, and he intends to stomp that into the consciousness of the AEW faithful, as well as Eddie’s skull, this week in Orlando…

As for Kingston, he is the underdog, but he’s the one still standing, the one who is still here, and who takes pride in being “the king of the bums”. He is the man Bryan, as well as others, have judged harshly since the beginning of his career, and while some of that judgment has been warranted (Eddie himself is the first one to own up to his own mistakes), what those people have never done is accepted, or acknowledged, his growth as a person. They still see the same Eddie they met twenty years ago, not the man he’s become through his struggles and mistakes and problems, and thus they don’t see the fighter he has become inside the ring either. They don’t see the man who earned the ROH World Championship from Claudio, and won the NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT Championship over KENTA. They don’t see a man who, this year alone, beat Minoru Suzuki, Satoshi Kojima, beat SHINGO while competing in his first G1 CLIMAX tournament, fought in DDT Pro Wrestling alongside Jun Akiyama, and is the man responsible for Jay White being excommunicated from New Japan Pro Wrestling. Eddie Kingston is also the reason the winner of this tournament will walk away a Triple Crown Champion because he was brave enough to put his two championship titles into the mix…

With the Continental Classic Finals taking place as part of WORLDS END, all that remains is to determine the winner of each league, and this massive grudge match is all the remains of the Blue! Bryan Danielson has won all three of their previous singles matches, and was on the winning side of a 2009 Trios match that featured Bryan teaming with Claudio and Dave Taylor to take on Kingston, the late Brodie Lee, and Grizzly Redwood. Coincidentally, the only time the two men ever stood on the same side of the ring, Anarchy in the Arena at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022, they lost the battle when Danielson was choked out by The Jericho Appreciation Society. 

Suffice it to say there is a lot on the line with this battle, some of it going far behind the standard win and loss. It’s a berth in the finals at WORLDS END, it is Kingston’s status as the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, it’s the potential to challenge for the American Triple Crown, it is pride and respect and all the things that make professional wrestling the greatest sport on Earth!

GOLD LEAGUE FINALS

“Switchblade” Jay White(12) vs. Jon Moxley(12) vs. Swerve Strickland(12)

As the Gold League barreled towards its conclusion it became clear that Jon Moxley, due to the 12 points he carried into the last night of the points battle, would be part of the Finals taking place this Wednesday in Orlando. The only question was just who would Moxley be facing in the Gold League Finals, and what condition he would be in for that fight. The elusive concept of momentum was certainly on Mox’s side, he’d won four straight bouts in the tournament not to mention fourteen of his last sixteen one-on-one bouts, with two of those losses coming in AEW International Championship situations while the third was in a Three Way bout where Trent Beretta pinned Penta El Zero Miedo. 

Then the hammer fell in the fifth fight of the tournament, Jay White versus Jon Moxley, with Jay White’s tournament future hanging in the balance. If “Switchblade” lost, he was entirely dependent on Swerve Strickland falling to RUSH in order to have some hope of making it to the Finals, and even then he, Swerve, and RUSH would’ve been locked in a three way tie at nine points that wouldn’t have guaranteed White anything. So the end result of “King Switch” sliding out of a Paradigm Shift attempt to drill Moxley with a Bladerunner and score the pinfall victory was the perfect outcome for Jay White; it insured that he, at least, was tied with Moxley at 12 points while also holding a victory over the man. 

In the remaining match affecting the Gold League Finals, Swerve Strickland was able to rebound from his loss to Moxley the week prior and overcome RUSH, meaning Strickland was also part of the 12-point club, and forcing the League Finals to be contested as a Three Way bout. After all in the head-to-head battles, Moxley beat Swerve, Swerve beat Jay White, and White beat Moxley, meaning no one man had a definitive case for being selected ahead of the other as was the case in the Blue League where while Eddie and Andrade were tied in points, Kingston held the head-to-head victory on El Idolo. 

So that brings us to Orlando where Moxley, Swerve, and “Switchblade” will fight it out in a Three Way Bout to determine who heads to WORLDS END for the Continental Classic Finals! While the Blue League Finals are loaded with the personal issues between Danielson and Kingston, this fight is all about who will be the better wrestler on Wednesday night! It’s about the love of competition, the desire to be the best, and the grit to fight against all odds just to get one step closer to that American Triple Crown Championship awaiting the tournament winner on Saturday! This fight here, this entire tournament, is a testament to what professional wrestling can be and why so many strive to make it their profession. This is heart and love and passion and guts and glory all rolled into one tournament, and as it draws closer to its end, the world sees just who has the deepest well on the deepest roster of talented assembled under one roof!

ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

MJF(c) & Samoa Joe (Substitute for Adam Cole)

vs.

???????

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MfbA8lbQrOI?si=3Mf4nYG_pjOza0aW

For three months a Devil has lurked among the locker rooms of the arenas where All Elite Wrestling has traveled, first announcing their arrival with an assault on Jay White at the close of the September 27th DYNAMITE, and most recently challenging MJF to put the ROH World Tag Titles on the line this Wednesday night in Orlando. The details between those two events is where the Devil’s mystery has lived, making a victim of individuals who align themselves with Maxwell Jacob Friedman (such as The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass) just as much as those who oppose the AEW World Champion (Hangman Page and Jay White), and apparently even MJF himself, though as Samoa Joe pointed out, the assault on Max just happened to be the only one not at least partially captured by cameras.

We’ve heard Roderick Strong and The Kingdom shout at the top of their lungs to all who will listen that it’s all just MJF pulling a ruse, that he himself is The Devil and simply using the tools at hand to pull the wool over everyone else’s eyes. They’ve got a group of masked individuals carrying out the attacks, they’ve yet to stand in the same space as MJF much less breathe the same air, and all interaction between the two has been over a video screen that could just be pre-recorded. It’s not impossible for MJF to pull this off, difficult yes, but not impossible, and the fact he’s spent the vast majority of his time in AEW being generally detestable also makes it a bit more reasonable he could be the man behind the mask.

Yet MJF is answering the challenge for a ROH World Tag Team title fight this Wednesday on DYNAMITE despite the impending AEW World Championship fight with Samoa Joe on Saturday, or perhaps, to be more accurate, that should read Samoa Joe is accepting a fight with The Devil (or his lackeys or both) on MJF’s behalf. Up until that moment last Wednesday, Samoa Joe had tried to be a voice of reason, a cooler head, while the AEW World Champ was running off taking every fight he presented, or picking ones he didn’t need . Yet in that moment, it was Joe who threw rationality out the window and accepted this tag title fight against a pair of unknown opponents, presumably to finally remove it as a distraction from the AEW World Championship fight ahead.

So will we all finally get to see what’s behind the mask of the Devil? Or will this be just another part of the game as it was last time Joe and MJF anticipated fighting their masked men? Will the final DYNAMITE of 2023 bring MFJ’s final night as ROH World Tag Champion, or the final night of The Devil’s games?

MARIAH MAY & RENEE…

While “Timeless” Toni Storm may be perpetually unaware of who Mariah May is, it is very clear that the fans of AEW know given their response to Mariah stating she’s medically cleared and her wrestling license is good to go. They are aware of her history with STARDOM, her work put in throughout England, and are eager to see what she brings to the table for All Elite Wrestling’s Women’s Division. It seems it is just a matter of time until Mariah May makes her debut, and maybe Toni Storm will even be in attendance for it, so perhaps there will be some answers to be head when Renee Paquette is joined by the former Goddesses of Stardom (Tag Team) Champion! Will we finally get a date for that debut match?

A FRIENDSHIP FRACTURED…

Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue

They were friends, allies, at one point, but Skye Blue being affected by Julia Hart’s black mist changed all that. She and Kris Statlander have drifted ever since that date, despite efforts Willow Nightingale made to keep fences mended, but perhaps Skye’s failure to capture the TBS Championship on COLLISION, and watching it go to Julia Hart on FULL GEAR 2023, fully broke the woman and turned her to Julia’s side against Abadon.

Now these two former friends will clash once again, but the status quo of their relationship is quite different now, meaning this one is going to be a bit more violent than the others. There is animosity, betrayal, and disappointment, and now they can have it out before the end of 2023!

The last DYNAMITE of 2023 comes to you from Orlando, FL this Wednesday with the Blue & Gold League finals in Continental Classic as well as a ROH World Tag Team Championship match with potential ramifications on the AEW World Championship match at  WORLDS END this Saturday! We will see Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson fight for the top spot in the Blue League while Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, and Jay White battle for leadership of the Gold League! Plus Samoa Joe teams up with MJF one last time to defend the ROH World Tag Titles against…someone…from the Devil’s camp. Could it be the Devil himself? More masked men? We will see this Wednesday in Orlando, and perhaps the mask will finally come off! 

The night’s fights begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, just be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RFklO9-KTv4?si=YjU6p81ZgjjPcdzw

AEW Collision Results for December 23, 2023

AEW Collision Results for December 23, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION: Holiday Bash was broadcast from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX!

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

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

Continental Classic: Blue League Standings-

Andrade El Idolo (9)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (9)

Brody King (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (6)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (6)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Continental Classic: Blue League Match!

“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli!

Danielson and Claudio grappled on the mat, reaching a stalemate. The Blackpool Combat Club teammates know each other very well. Danielson stomped on the back of Claudio’s knees. Claudio fired back with a European Uppercut, stunning Danielson. Claudio slammed Danielson and then dropped an elbow on him. 

Claudio thumbed Danielson in the eye. Claudio tried for the Giant Swing, but Danielson cradled him for a near fall. Claudio rocked Bryan with a lariat for a two-count. Claudio tried again for the Giant Swing, but Danielson countered with the Le Bell Lock. Claudio escaped by grabbing the ring ropes. Danielson jumped off the apron and connected with a high knee to Claudio’s shoulder. Danielson whipped Claudio into the steel ring steps.

Back in the ring, Danielson charged at Claudio with a dropkick, but Claudio caught him and hurled him around in the Giant Swing! Claudio hit Danielson with a headbutt. Claudio followed Danielson out of the ring and ran at Danielson with a running European Uppercut. 

Claudio was perched on the top turnbuckle, but Danielson knocked him down, putting Claudio in a Tree of Woe type position. Danielson kicked Claudio and then walloped him with a belly-to-back suplex off the top rope!

Danielson managed to apply the Le Bell Lock again. Claudio touched the rope with his bottom rope and Danielson held onto the submission lock as long as legally possible. Finally, the ref saw Claudio’s boot and forced Danielson to relinquish the hold. Claudio made Danielson pay with an avalanche superplex from the top rope, and there was less than five minutes remaining.

The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”

Claudio hoisted up Bryan for the Ricola Bomb. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s arm, looking for a triangle choke, but Claudio planted Danielson with the Neutralizer for a near fall! Danielson charged at Claudio with a running knee strike. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s wrists and began to stomp on Claudio’s head. Claudio reversed it and began to stomp on Danielson’s head! They kicked one another until Claudio applied the sharpshooter. There was one minute remaining!

Danielson clawed the mat, trying to reach the ropes. Claudio sat down, making the sharpshooter even tighter! Thirty seconds remained! Fans were on their feet! With ten seconds left, Claudio tried for the Ricola Bomb, but Danielson escaped. Claudio rocked Danielson with a knee and went for the cover but time expired! The match ended in a draw!

Bryan Danielson has advanced to the Blue League Finals!

AEW World Trios Championship Match!

The Acclaimed—Anthony Bowens and Max Caster & Daddy Ass (c.) 

vs. 

Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin, & Action Andretti!

Action went for a backdrop, but Bowens countered with a neck breaker. Bowens blasted Action with a thrust kick. Darius and Action hit the Acclaimed with stereo dropkicks. Daddy Ass tagged in and knocked Action Andretti to the mat. Daddy Ass planted Action with a side slam.

Top Flight used tandem offense on Max, and then Action splashed Max with a standing shooting star press. Dante jumped off the ropes, but Billy waffled him with a stiff uppercut. Billy planted Darius with a tilt awhirl slam!

Top Flight took flight and connected with topes to Daddy Ass and Anthony Bowens. Meanwhile, in the ring, Max Caster rolled up Action Andretti out of nowhere and pinned him!

“Wow, Max Caster saving this match for the Trios Champions, because Top Flight and Action Andretti were seconds away from scoring what some might call an upset,” said Nigel.

“Did Max pull the tights?” asked Kevin Kelly.

“Who cares?” replied Nigel.

FTW Champion HOOK had a message for Wheeler Yuta!

“You want to fight me for my title by my rules? That’s fine by me. Let’s do it next week at Worlds End!”

ROH World-Six Man Champion “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)

vs.

“Limitless” Keith Lee!

Keith Lee and Brian Cage locked up. Keith shoved Cage away and smiled. Keith Lee charged at Cage, but Cage dodged him. Cage whacked Lee with a basement dropkick and then a tornado DDT!

Keith Lee splashed Cage in the corner and then clobbered Cage with body shots. Keith Lee threw Cage over Lee’s head for a two-count. Brian Cage superplexed Keith Lee!

“An incredible collision of man and mat!” said Tony Schiavone.

Cage hoisted up Lee and tossed him down with a faceplant. Prince Nana pulled a cinder block from beneath the ring. He slid it into the mat. Keith Lee headbutted Cage and then finished him off with a jackhammer, scoring the pin on Cage!

Keith Lee: “Almost exactly a year ago someone took me out for almost two months with this cinder block. And I’ve been trying to send a message to him, but he seems to not be listening. So, I guess at Dynamite I’ll come make my message clear. I’ve got a house to tear down and I’ll do it brick by brick!”

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

Renee asked Storm about her upcoming match with Riho at Worlds End. 

Storm acted like she’d never met Mariah May before tonight.

May: “Renee, I have an exciting announcement to make. My wrestler’s license has been approved, I’m medically cleared, and I’m good to go.”

Renee: “Incredible. Do you have any idea when you may be debuting?”

May: “It will be very soon and Ms. Storm, do you have any advice?”

Storm: “Sorry, darling, I wasn’t listening. And Riho, you are very small and very light. But the winter is coming, and I have no problem packing it on for a new role. You will leave me no choice but to gobble you up!”

TNT Champion Christian Cage, along with the “Prodigy” Nick Wayne, walked to the ring!

Christian Cage: “People want to know why Nick’s mom smashed Adam Copeland in the head with my TNT Championship. I can explain it to myself, but why should I when she can do it herself. So, get on your feet and show some respect for Shayna Wayne!”

Shayna Wayne came to the ring and joined Christian Cage and her son Nick Wayne.

Shayna: “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? You all want to know why I did what I did to Adam Copeland? Nick Wayne is my son. He’s my baby boy. My pride and joy. I sat in this ring, and I watched Adam Copeland smash a steel chair into his head and you wonder why I made the choice that I did. I did what any loving mother would do. I protected my son.

“Really? Really? Boo a mother? Something has been made very clear to me. The one person who loves and cares for my son as much as I do is the “Patriarch” Christian Cage.”

Christian Cage: “Adam Copeland is a piece of crap. Shayna worked as a waitress just to put food on her plate and to help make her son’s dream come true to make it as a pro wrestling. But with one swing of the chair, you took that dream away, Copeland. If anyone should know better, it’s you, Copeland, as you grew up with a single mother. I wish your mother were still alive, Adam, so I could watch your mother disown you.

“You’ve never been able to harness your anger. I scored that night, and then scored when I walked out with Mother Wayne. And now that my family is complete, I’ll address the challenge that you made, when you challenge me for Worlds End in a No Disqualification Match. Adam, I’ll accept your invitation for a fight at Worlds End. But I will not accept your challenge because you are no challenger. I already beat you. And I am levels above you. I stand on the mountain top as the very best in this sport. And I am going to take you behind the shed and put you down for the last time!”

Lexy Nair was backstage with the AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill!

Big Bill: “Kenny Omega, apparently you have diverticulitis. First of all, that sounds made up. Let me tell you what I think is really happening here. I think you’re afraid to face us.”

Starks: “Kenny, you don’t have the guts to face us, therefore, you and Chris forfeit your match at Worlds End. And we will go and party in New York City.”

Chris Jericho walked onto the scene and interrupted Starks. 

Chris Jericho: “You know, the Golden Jets are on hiatus, Kenny Omega is out indefinitely, but I’m not forfeiting anything. I’ve got a signed contract for an AEW World Tag Team Championship match against you two. I don’t know when it’s going to be or who my partner is going to be, but I’ll find somebody, and when I do, I’ll take those Tag Team Titles away from you. And that…is the absolute truth.”

Continental Classic: Blue League Match!

Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black’s Brody King!

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

Garcia slapped Brody in the face, making a statement. Brody immediately began to pummel Garcia and then clobbered him with a gigantic cannonball for a near fall. Brody hammered Garcia with forearm shots.

Brody fought off Garcia with boots to Brody’s face. Brody used a sit out senton on Garcia for a two-count. Brody crumpled Garcia with a knife edge chop. 

Brody invited Garcia to chop him, and Garcia obliged. Garcia was fighting like the rent was due. Garcia shocked Brody with a suplex.

“Holy smokes, he got him up! What an effort by Garcia,” said Schiavone.

Brody retaliated with a Death Valley Driver and then a lariat for a near fall. Brody spiked Garcia with the Gonzo Bomb but Garcia kicked out!

“What kind of superhuman is able to kick out of a Gonzo Bomb like that?” asked Kevin Kelly.

Brody picked up Garcia, who was like deadweight. Brody slapped at Garcia, but Garcia jackknifed Brody and pinned him!

“Unbelievable! What did we witness here tonight?” asked Schiavone.

“Garcia ended the Continental Classic for Brody King,” added Kevin Kelly.

The arena lights went dark! When the lights came back on, Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews were standing in the ring, holding Garcia up. Daddy Magic jumped into the ring, but Buddy booted him in the head! Brody yanked at Garcia’s fingers, trying to break them.

FTR—Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood, sprinted to the ring and the House of Black retreated!

Dax Harwood: “I’m tired of the fairy tales. I’m tired of all the magic tricks. If you want us to be in your family, well, damnit, I’ll be your tequila drinking uncle that whoops everybody’s ass! I want it, we want it, first time ever! FTR versus House of Black! Top guys out!”

TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!

Skye Blue stomped on Abadon. Julia tagged in and began to bash Abadon’s head on the mat. Abadon caught Julia and planted her onto the mat. Abadon began to batter Julia on the mat and then connected with a running knee.

Abadon tried to make a tag, but Skye Blue charged in and prevented Abadon from reaching Thunder Rosa. Julia Hart and Skye Blue double teamed Abadon. Abadon double DDT’ed Blue and Hart. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and cleaned house on Julia and Skye!

Thunder Rosa smashed into Skye Blue with a flying lariat and then double knees! Thunder Rosa nailed Skye with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Skye Blue clocked Thunder Rosa with a thrust kick. Julia Hart climbed to the top rope, but Abadon knocked her down. Thunder Rosa hit the Tijuana Bomb on Skye Blue and then pinned her!

Main Event Time! Continental Classic: Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!

Kingston ducked Andrade’s back elbow at the start of the match. Andrade ducked Eddie’s spinning back fist. Kingston did a double foot stomp on Andrade’s abdomen. Andrade came off the ropes, but Kingston turned him inside out with a lariat.

Andrade wiped out Kingston with a dragon screw leg whip. He sent Kingston back down again with a flying forearm. Andrade smoked Kingston when he ran into Kingston in the corner with a double knee strike. Andrade rocked Kingston with the three amigos suplex.

Andrade jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Kingston countered with a boot. In the process, Kingston tweaked his knee. Kingston fired off the Kobashi chops to Andrade and followed up with an Exploder Suplex for a near fall!

Andrade snapmared Kingston through the ropes and to the arena floor. Andrade connected with a moonsault. Andrade went for another moonsault, this time in the ring, but Kingston moved, so Andrade adjusted and crashed onto Kingston with a standing moonsault!

Eddie sent Andrade flying with a belly to back suplex for a two-count. Andrade backed up Kingston into the corner. Andrade starched Kingston with a spinning back elbow but Kingston kicked out at the two-count! Andrade applied the figure four, bridged up for the figure eight, but Eddie grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. Eddie stunned Andrade with two spinning back fists! Kingston hoisted up Andrade and planted him headfirst on the mat and pinned Andrade!

It’ll be Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson on Dynamite this Wednesday!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!

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

AEW Collision Preview for December 23, 2023

AEW Collision Preview for December 23, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9lBY-Tekqu8?si=nthJRciug-DfJhtt

After an exciting pair of nights in Oklahoma City for DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, All Elite Wrestling returns to San Antonio for the first time in a year when the Freeman Coliseum hosted the 2022 Holiday Bash! This time we are coming to San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center and bringing COLLISION to River City with us! With the Gold League coming to a head in a Three Way fight between Moxley, Swerve, and Jay White in next week’s finals, eyes turn to the Continental Classic’s Blue League to see who will advance from this group!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/XVr2C1uv2Jg?si=3NC52TzkurtlvMbu

This Saturday night, the final three matches in the Blue League take place to see whose points total puts them in the finals! The Blackpool Combat Club will be tested against itself when Bryan Danielson takes on Claudio Castagnoli for the first time in AEW, as well as their first bout in nearly three years! Andrade El Idolo and Eddie Kingston fight it out for the first time, and Daniel Garcia attempts to get on the board, and throw a monkey wrench in the works, by beating Brody King! The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the best way to get ready is to visit the official AEW YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFN4JkGP_bVhAdBsoV9xftA/videos), as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE…

Standings

Andrade El Idolo (9)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (9)

Brody King (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (6)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (6)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Bryan Danielson (9) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (6)

For the first time in All Elite Wrestling, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli will go head-to-head in their final match of the Continental Classic’s Blue League! These two members of The Blackpool Combat Club have quite a checkered past with one another, first coming to blows in September 2005 as part of the Ted Petty Invitational Tournament, fighting in multiple independents around the country, but it was their shared time in Ring of Honor that created both a strong rivalry and a mutual respect. Beginning with their June 28, 2008 match at VENDETTA II, the two men could lock-up in four singles matches, culminating in a No Disqualification bout at SOUTHERN HOSTILITY. Danielson won three of those four one-on-one bouts, including that final match, but their rivalry also included tag matches, Three Way fights, and Four Corner Survival matches. One of those Four Corner bouts, a ROH World Championship one, actually saw Claudio try to stomp Bryan’s skull in with a Steel Chair! The two had a few other matches after that No DQ bout, including a memorable Three Way at INSANITY UNLEASHED that also included Kenny Omega, but their final singles match as independent wrestlers actually took place in Germany for wXw on May 1, 2009.

Now that’s not to say their paths didn’t continue to cross over the next several years when the two occupied the same space once again, in fact from 2013-2021 they went one-on-one seven times, five of which were won by Danielson, with the last two going to Claudio. Prior to entering AEW, the two were actually working on the same page, and it’s that, along with the respect forged through their wars together, that likely led Danielson to bring Claudio into The Blackpool Combat Club! 

Since FORBIDDEN DOOR 2022 when Claudio first arrived to replace Bryan in the scheduled match with Zack Sabre Jr., we’ve seen how well the two work together, and how The BCC operates like a well-oiled machine, but this night we will get to see how they operate as foes! Claudio is on a mission to fight his way into the finals, a real possibility if he defeats Danielson, while Bryan is on the precipice of securing his position with a victory. Unfortunately “The American Dragon” may be coming into this as the underdog, not due to skill or ability, but because of the injuries he’s sustained over the last year. We know he’s not 100% recovered from the broken arm suffered at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023, we’ve seen how foes in the Continental Classic have gone after the still-healing orbital bone injury, that eye patch serving as a constant reminder to his opponents of what to target.

So how will this play out? We know the phrase “iron sharpens iron” is embedded in the ethos of the Blackpool Combat Club, but does that mean doing whatever is necessary to win when it is one of your own group who is most vulnerable? Will Claudio follow in the footsteps of Andrade and Brody King and attack the weakest part of Danielson’s anatomy? Or are there some lengths the BCC members won’t go to in order to win? We will find out when Claudio and Bryan lock-up this Saturday night! As for the probable outcomes, let’s save that for a minute…

Eddie Kingston (6) vs. Andrade El Idolo (9)

The start of this tournament was not favorable to ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston. Despite putting both his titles into the mix to form, along with the Continental Championship, a modern American Triple Crown Championship, Kingston dropped his first two  atches to Brody King and Bryan Danielson. Fighting out of a hole heading into this three remaining matches, “The Mad King” rallied with victories over long-time nemesis Claudio Castagnoli and newer rival Daniel Garcia, to notch himself six points in the tournament. Those two victories restored some hope that Kingston could actually win this tournament but, in a tournament filled with the best fighters in the world, Eddie has what may be his toughest fight in this last fight.

Unlike Eddie, Andrade El Idolo started this tournament with three consecutive victories in large part as a result of his willingness to do whatever it took to win. He topped Daniel Garcia to begin his streak, took advantage of Danielson fighting with that eye injury to get his six points, and used an exposed turnbuckle to help defeat Brody King in their fight for nine points. It was only Claudio Castagnoli’s willingness to do the same in their fight that kept Andrade from hitting the 12-point mark, instead putting him in a tie for points lead with Danielson.

So that is what’s at stake here for Andrade, potentially a definitive lead in the Blue League depending on how Bryan/Claudio plays out, but for Eddie it’s a fight for survival, his survival in this tournament, and his survival as a dual champion. If Kingston loses here, he can absolutely say goodbye to his ROH World Title and his NJPW STRONG Openweight as well as he will be mathematically eliminated from any hope of the Blue League Finals, much less the full tournament. This is truly do or die for Eddie Kingston…

Daniel Garcia (0) vs. Brody King (6)

The one man in the Blue League who has no hope of seeing the finals in Orlando is Daniel Garcia, his inability to notch any points in the previous four matches guaranteed that, but there is still the possibility he can play spoiler to the aspirations of one Brody King. It wouldn’t be the first time Garcia surprised the AEW faithful with a victory over this House of Black member, he did it at ST. PATRICK’S DAY SLAM 2023 back in March, so it’s certainly possible for him to repeat that feat. It has to be incredibly frustrating for Garcia to have had this opportunity and get nothing more than experience out of these fights. So is one win redemption for the failures that have come before this Saturday night? Mark Briscoe certainly experienced something akin to an awakening with his lone tournament victory on Wednesday night, perhaps Garcia can have his own moment of clarity, his own personal epiphany about what the future could hold. Then again, he’s got to step inside The House to try and get to that moment…

As for Brody King, victory in this tournament is not yet out of reach despite his loses to Andrade and Bryan Danielson. This current situation putting Brody, Claudio, and Eddie in a three-way tie at six points is rich with possible outcomes, but any hope for making it to the Blue League Finals hinges on Brody winning his fight, as well as requiring either Eddie or Claudio to win their fight. Now this is where things can get complicated, given how close the scores are between the five men still in the race,  there are so many possible outcomes for this tournament.

The simplest outcome is that both Bryan and Andrade win, netting each 12 points, and putting those two in the finals next Wednesday night in Orlando. The outcome of Brody and Garcia is then irrelevant in the grand scheme of things because even with a win, the House of Black member has no choice with only nine points to his name. If Andrade and Claudio win, then El Idolo is the clear top man with 12 points, but the second place spot all depends on the outcome of King/Garcia. We could potentially see Bryan, Claudio, and Brody King all end up with 9 points to close the field, and that same situation plays out with Bryan and Eddie winning, only Bryan takes the top spot, while Andrade, Claudio, and Brody could potentially end with a three way 9-point tie.

There’s even one situation that could end the Blue League in a five-way tie! If Eddie Kingston, Claudio Castagnoli, and Brody King all win their respective fights, then everyone but Garcia ends this with 9 points to their name! It’s the wildest possible outcome, but given that we saw the Gold League end in a Three Way tie, anything is possible when athletes of this caliber are competing against one another. The most likely scenarios end with Bryan and/or Andrade in the top spot, but nothing will be certain until the bell rings at the end of each match! Who will head to Orlando next Wednesday to determine the winner of the Blue League?

A CHAMPION RETURNS…

TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Abadon & Thunder Rosa

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lo7tHbRmRGE?si=4MyJ-pwgkOc6oel8

We haven’t seen Thunder Rosa in action since the August 15, 2022 edition of DARK: ELEVATION where the then-AEW Women’s World Champion was victorious in a Trios match alongside Hikaru Shida and Toni Storm. Coming off a hard-fought title defense at BATTLE OF THE BELTS III against Jamie Hayter, and heading towards ALL OUT 2022, Rosa finally succumbed to a nagging back injury and was forced to relinquish her status as champion. Toni Storm would pick up that crown at ALL OUT 2022 in a Four Way with Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida to begin her first stint atop the division, and from there the landscape has continued to shift in numerous ways in Rosa’s absence from competition.

That’s not to say Thunder has been completely AWOL from AEW, since the beginning of COLLISION she has served as one of the Spanish announcers for the program, but was still quite removed from any in-ring competition. During Thunder’s time away, she watched the title shift from Toni Storm to Jamie Hayter, saw Saraya become a part of All Elite Wrestling and form The Outcasts en route to experiencing her own time atop the division, and she saw Hikaru Shida become the first-ever 3-Time Women’s World Champion. 

Rosa watched Toni Storm become “Timeless”, watched Skye Blue rise up the ranks through hard work and grit, saw Julia Hart transform from cheerleader to Princess of the House of Black, and watched the TBS Championship go from the grips of Jade Cargill to the waist of Kris Statlander to residing inside the walls of The House. That’s not all the Women’s division has experienced during the sixteen months Thunder has been unable to compete, there’s been a great deal of talent who’ve stepped up, some who have departed AEW, and some new faces who have entered the scene. Through it all, Thunder Rosa has had both the luxury of being able to observe it happen while suffering with the knowledge that she was unable to be in the mix herself.

That is until last week; when Abadon fell victim to the somewhat surprising attack of TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue, it was Thunder Rosa who rose up as an ally for “The Living Dead Girl”, saving them from a further beating, and surprising everyone with the later revelation that she would step up as Abadon’s partner in conjunction with AEW’s return to the city Thunder Rosa calls home! The last time Thunder competed for AEW in the River City was the ST. PATRICK’S DAY SLAM 2022 Cage Match where she bested Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D for the AEW Women’s World Championship, but by HOLIDAY BASH 2022 in December, “La Mera Mera” was on the sidelines.

So while the fight of this match is largely about Abadon’s issues with Julie Hart, the TBS Championship, and now Skye Blue, the return of Thunder Rosa in her hometown is a huge moment in her life, and a major moment for the Women’s Division! Once this match is done, win or lose, then the questions can be asked about what plans the former Women’s World Champion has for her return to competition, but for Saturday night at least, there will be at least a moment for San Antonio to celebrate  the return of a champion!

AEW TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) and Daddy Ass(c) vs. Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)

The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, though reigning as AEW World Trios Champions since August 27th, have been out of action since the November 8th edition of DYNAMITE where they were taken out by The Devil’s masked goons in response to their willingness to help MJF. That doesn’t change the fact that with nine defenses they are the most successful Trios Champions to date, but it does mean they may not be quite ready to get back into action with a fight like this against opponents such as these high-flying young men.

That’s right; in their first match in 45 days, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass will put their AEW World Trios Championship on the line against Top Flight and Action Andretti! Though his layoff was much longer than that of the champions’, and the severity of his injuries potentially career-ending, Dante Martin has recently returned to competition alongside his brother and Andretti, and has looked superb in his handful of bouts.

Dante is coming off a strong singles victory during Thursday night’s ROH ON HONOR CLUB presentation, while Darius and Action scored a Three Way Tag Team win of their own, and collectively this trio has picked up two big trios wins in the month since Dante’s return. Stepping up to challenge the champions is a huge undertaking for this young trio, but this may be the perfect time to knock The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass off their throne! Can the champions pick up where they left off before The Devil’s henchmen knocked them off the playing field, or did the time away stall the momentum they’d worked so hard to build and leave them easier targets for their challengers? We shall see this Saturday night on TNT! 

ONE-ON-ONE…

ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage vs. “Limitless” Keith Lee

Following his FINAL BATTLE 2023 victory over former tag team partner Shane Taylor, Lexy Nair interviewed Keith Lee under the assumption that Shane Taylor was the “him” Keith had been referring to, but “Limitless” quickly corrected her. Of course this would lead to speculation just who “him” actually was, but Keith Lee did not let that mystery simmer for very long when, as witnessed in the video above, he confronted The Mogul Embassy on COLLISION, making it abundantly clear that it was Swerve Strickland who he’d been talking about all along.

Clearly Keith feels like he’s let this unfinished business with this former AEW World Tag Team Championship partner go unresolved, and is ready to bring it to a conclusion, much like he did with the decade-long simmering issues with Shane Taylor. But before Keith can get his hands on Swerve, and while Strickland is still wrapped up in the Continental Classic, The Limitless One has to deal with “The Machine” Brian Cage!

Over the course of their careers, Cage and Lee have gone one-on-one three times, all prior to All Elite Wrestling’s existence, with the last being nearly four years ago. Each of those contests went in favor of Keith Lee, but a pair of Three Way contests they were involved in both went in Cage’s favor. But here in AEW, the only shared ring time these two behemoths have experienced has been mutual participation in the Blackjack Battle Royale at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023 and an 8-Man tag in June won by Keith, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, and Sting.

So thus begins Keith Lee’s road to settle his score with Swerve Strickland, and if every member of The Mogul Embassy is thrown in his path, this is going to be a very rough journey indeed. But if anyone is capable of surviving that grueling gauntlet, it is “Limitless”, and if there is anyone capable of matching the combination of power and speed Lee possesses, it is “The Machine” Brian Cage! Can this ROH World Six-Man Champion stifle Keith Lee’s aspirations at the starting line?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/pQs1-0U0Kes?si=3sXjDcEFj-l-GM7L

All Elite Wrestling is coming back to San Antonio, TX this Saturday night for our debut at the Frost Bank Center, and with it comes an all-new, loaded edition of COLLISION! The Blue League battle for points wraps up this Saturday with Castagnoli versus Danielson, Kingston battling Andrade, and Garcia fighting King! Plus, the AEW World Trios Championship will be at stake when Daddy Ass and The Acclaimed return to action against Top Flight and Action Andretti, while San Antonio’s own Thunder Rosa returns after sixteen months to team with Abadon for a fight with TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue!  COLLISION begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Rampage Results for December 22, 2023

AEW Rampage Results for December 22, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Holiday Bash was broadcast from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “The Ocho” Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone!

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

AEW International Championship Match!

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) (with Trent) vs. Rocky Romero!

Cassidy hit a dropkick but Rocky came back with a step up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with a tope suicida! Rocky jumped off the steps and connected with another hurracanrana on Orange! Rocky connected with two clotheslines, but Orange countered the third attempt with a rollup for a near fall.

Orange charged off the turnbuckles and nailed Rocky with a swinging DDT. Orange connected with a diving crossbody press off the top rope. Rocky rallied back with a vertical suplex. Rocky rocked Orange with a snap suplex on the edge of the ring!

Rocky and Orange exchanged forearms in the center of the ring. Orange clobbered Rocky with a thrust kick and then the Orange Punch out of nowhere! Both men collapsed to the mat, so Orange couldn’t capitalize.

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

Orange began to stomp Rocky and then knocked Rocky for a loop with a running PK kick! Rocky jumped up and landed a sliced bread on Orange Cassidy. Rocky hit a DDT and then a Strong Zero on Orange for a two-count!

“I think there’s a lot of conflict going on in Trent,” said Excalibur.

Orange avoided a knee strike from Rocky. Orange countered with the Orange Punch and then the Beach Break and pinned Rocky!

Orange, Trent, and Rocky hugged after the match! They’ve got to give the people what they want!

Tony Schiavone interviewed former TBS Champion Kris Statlander backstage!

Kris: “Willow and I have been through a lot and whatever might have slightly gone off the rails, we got them right back on track. No hard feelings. We’re a team and we’re stronger than ever. Nothing can come between us.”

Stokely Hathaway walked onto the set and interrupted Kris!

Stokely: “You know what’s crazy? The fact that Willow has been telling everyone that she carried you on Saturday. That if it wasn’t for her, you two would have lost on Collision.”

Kris: “Interesting. Is that what she said?”

Stokely: “Oh yeah. And the other thing that’s crazy about AEW is the fact that everyone feels like they need to be in a group or in a faction. Yeah, that may work temporarily, but long term, it does not. And trust me, I know. So how about tomorrow morning you look in the mirror and I want you to see the Kristen Statlander that I see, the former TBS champion, the woman who could do anything on the roster if she set her mind to it. But listen, if you want to hang out with Willow, Orange Cassidy, and Danhausen, that’s on you. What do I know?”

Tony Schiavone: “Do you believe that?”

Kris: “Did he call me Kristen?”

Tony: “Yeah.”

Kris: “That’s not even my name.”

Prince Nana was backstage with “The Machine” Brian Cage!

Nana: “This Saturday it’s the Vanilla Gorilla going up against that fool Keith Lee!”

Cage: “I’m in a hell of a mood! You know why, Nana It’s Christmas time! And I must have been an extra good Machine because Santa is bringing me a giant-sized gift—Keith Lee! And don’t worry, Keith, it’s better to give than to receive. So, I’m going to return the favor and give you a giant-sized ass-kicking in front of the world on Collision!”

The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with Roderick Strong)

vs.

The Hardys—Jeff & Matt!

Matt Hardy drove his shoulder into Matt Taven in the corner. Hardy backdropped Taven. Jeff tagged in and hit a leg drop and a splash on Taven for a near fall. Matt and Jeff used tandem offense on Taven. Finally, Taven kicked Matt in the back of the head and tagged out to Mike Bennett.

Mike Bennett slugged Matt Hardy, but Matt tagged Jeff. Jeff jumped off Matt’s back and splashed Bennett in the corner. Jeff climbed to the top rope, but after some interference from Taven, Bennett knocked Jeff off his perch.

Matt Hardy tagged in and began to repeatedly send Taven’s face into the turnbuckles. Matt Hardy power bombed Taven out of the corner! Bennett ran in the ring and Matt Hardy retaliated with a Twist of Fate. Matt followed Taven out of the ring and sent Taven flying over the timekeeper’s table! Matt Hardy whipped Bennett into the steel ring steps. Matt Hardy grabbed a chair, but the ref pulled it away. Matt Hardy got back into the ring and began to argue with the ref, but Taven snuck up behind him and rolled up Matt Hardy for the pin!

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Ruby Soho!

Ruby: “I haven’t had any time to speak with Saraya since her loss to Riho.”

Angelo Parker walked onto the set and began flirting with Ruby. 

Parker: “Look, I’ve been trying to get some alone time with you for a really long time. It’s the Christmas season, there’s magic in the air. I know this is the time of year when you just ask for what you want, so, Renee, could you do me a big favor and ask me what I want for Christmas?”

Renee: “What do you want for Christmas?”

Parker: “I would love to take this beautiful lady out for a drink tonight.”

Ruby: “Wow, um…”

Saraya interrupted!

Saraya: “Ruby! I’m wearing my comfy sweater and I’m not here to fight right now. I just want to say I’m so sorry. I am so sorry, Ruby. You are so right. I need you. I absolutely need you. And if that comes with him, then I am all for it. I like this actually. I support this. I love what’s happening. I know you guys have some plans tonight, but I actually have some Christmas gifts for her, if that’s all right. But yeah, it’s in the locker room. And Renee, you too. There’s some gifts in there for you guys. Go ahead. I just want to have a chat with him.”

Renee and Ruby left to go get their presents, leaving Saraya with Angelo.

Parker: “It means a lot that you’re coming around…”

Saraya: “Listen here you piece of crap. She’s my friend. She’s mine entirely. I know what you’re trying to do, and you cannot have her. Do you understand me?”

Parker: “She’s yours for now.”

Saraya: “No. For always. I hate you.”

Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata!

Skye and Aminata traded hard forearms. Aminata headbutted Blue. Aminata cracked Skye with a twisting neck breaker. Skye Blue drove Aminata face first onto the ring apron, looking at the camera with disdain.

Aminata sent Skye flying with a German Suplex. Aminata rammed into Skye with a modified hip attack and then a running boot for a two-count on Skye. Aminata was looking for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Skye avoided it and blasted Aminata with a thrust kick. Skye Blue sat out with a TKO and then forced Aminata to tap out with a dragon sleeper!

“Something more for Thunder Rosa to think about tomorrow ahead of Collision,” said Excalibur.

Main Event Time! AAA Mega Championship Match!

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus!

Vikingo avoided a power bomb attempt early on. Black Taurus applied a side headlock, but Vikingo fought out of it. He charged at Black Taurus, but Taurus rammed Vikingo with a shoulder block. 

The fans chanted “Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!”

Vikingo cracked Taurus with a pump kick. Black Taurus retaliated with a flurry of offense and then put an exclamation point on it with an elevated Samoan Drop! Vikingo hit a springboard dropkick, but Taurus shrugged it off. Taurus blocked a poison rana and followed up with a tope!

“Wow! Deceptively agile,” said Chris Jericho.

Vikingo shoved Black Taurus into the steel ring post! Vikingo flew over the top rope, but Taurus caught him! Vikingo escaped and powerslammed Taurus on the arena floor! Vikingo walloped Taurus with a sky twister press to the floor!

Vikingo performed a rope walk and then followed up with a poison rana on Black Taurus! Vikingo spiked Taurus with a crucifix bomb! Black Taurus found the strength to gore Vikingo! 

Appreciative of the state of the art pro wrestling being displayed in front of them, the fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”

Black Taurus press slammed Vikingo off the top rope for a near fall! Taurus decimated Vikingo with a powerbomb to the knee and then a discus lariat for a two-count! And now the crowd was chanting “Fight forever!”

Vikingo charged off the ropes and flipped over Taurus and transitioned into a power bomb. Vikingo rammed into Taurus with running knees. Vikingo lowered his knee pads and cracked Taurus in the back of the head again! Vikingo splashed Taurus with the 630 senton and pinned Black Taurus!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!

Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:

-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!

– Continental Classic Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!

-AEW World Trios Championship Match!

The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!

– Continental Classic Blue League Match!

Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!

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

AEW Dynamite Results for December 20, 2023

AEW Dynamite Results for December 20, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Holiday Bash was broadcast live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!

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!

Continental Classic: Gold League Standings!

Jon Moxley (12)

Swerve Strickland (9)

Jay White (9)

RUSH (6)

Mark Briscoe (0)

Jay Lethal (0)

Continental Classic Gold League Match!

Mogul Embassy’s Swerve Strickland (9) vs. LFI’s Rush (6)!

Rush and Swerve grappled to the mat, chain wrestling. Rush got to his feet and landed big chops. Both men used arm drags, resulting in a stalemate early on. Rush knocked Swerve out of the ring and followed up with a running flip over the top and down onto Swerve. Rush’s leg was all taped out and he began to limp slightly after landing on Rush.

Out of nowhere, Swerve jumped on Rush and applied an arm bar. Rush escaped but Swerve went to work on Rush’s injured let, pulling him down with a dragon screw leg whip. Ref Aubrey Edwards checked on Rush, who was writhing in pain.

Rush grabbed Swerve’s leg, tripping him up and Swerve landed hard on the edge of the ring. Swerve fired back with a German Suplex on the arena floor, but Rush retaliated with a shotgun dropkick, knocking Swerve into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Rush and Swerve stunned one another with rolling elbow strikes. They each went to boot the other and they knocked the other down to the mat, with both competitors having the same idea. Rush was looking for the Bull’s Horns, but his leg gave out on him. Swerve grabbed Rush’s legs and applied a stretch muffler. Rush countered with a cradle for a near fall.

Rush put Swerve in a straitjacket arm lock and then spiked Swerve with a piledriver for a two-count. They traded chops on the apron. Swerve charged at Rush, but Rush sent Swerve flying with a belly-to-belly suplex. Swerve landed hard on the arena floor, as Rush used Swerve’s own momentum against him. 

Rush struggled to climb to the top turnbuckle. Rush went for a senton, but Swerve moved out of the way. Swerve hit Rush with a 450 splash, but Rush managed to kick out of the pin attempt. Swerve smashed Rush with a brain buster for a two-count. Swerve connected with the House Call kick. Swerve rocked Rush with the Swerve Stomp from the top and pinned Rush!

“Tip your cap off to Rush. He kept it competitive with an injury, but Swerve pulled off the victory,” said Taz.

Chris Jericho was backstage with an important announcement!

Jericho: “Last week, on the Thursday after Dynamite, Kenny Omega ended up in the hospital after suffering the effects of diverticulitis. And as he shared on social media, we now have the news that Kenny Omega is out of AEW indefinitely. 

“We don’t know how long or how short that’s going to be. But one thing that’s affected is the Golden Jets’ opportunity to become the AEW World Tag Team Champions by beating Ricky Starks and Big Bill at Worlds End. And while we decide what we’re going to do in the meantime, the most important thing is Kenny’s health. And I just wanted to let you know. We’re all pulling for you Kenny. 

“We’re pulling for you Kenny, the AEW fans as you can hear, the entire locker room, and most importantly, me. And take as long as you need to get healthy, but when you come back, we’re all going to be here and I’m going to be waiting for you. And the Golden Jets will resume. Goodnight and goodbye, but only for now. We’re pulling for you Kenny. We’ll see you soon.”

Continental Classic Gold League Match!

Jay Lethal (0) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)!

The fans chanted “Dem Boys! Dem Boys!”

Mark used an inside trip into a side headlock on Jay Lethal. Lethal slapped Mark Briscoe in the face. Mark smiled and chopped Jay in the chest. Lethal hip tossed Mark and then dropkicked him in the face. 

Lethal and Mark jockeyed back and forth for position on a vertical suplex, but Lethal won the battle. Jay Lethal followed up with a tope suicida, knocking Mark Briscoe into the safety rail. Lethal tried for another tope, but Mark caught him and countered with a vertical suplex on the arena floor. 

Lethal clocked Mark with the Lethal Combination! Lethal was looking for the King’s Elbow, climbing to the top. Mark met him up there, tried for a superplex, but Lethal brought his base down and rocked Mark with an elbow to the back of the neck. Mark knocked Jay off the turnbuckles with his Redneck Kung Fu. Mark pulled up a steel chair, ran across the ring and used the chair as a launching pad to fly over the top and land on Jay outside the ring!

Lethal hoisted up Mark in a torture rack, transitioning to a back breaker. Lethal dropped an elbow from up top and Briscoe kicked out at the two-count! Mark countered the Lethal Injection. Mark Briscoe nailed Lethal with a fishermen’s buster for a near fall.

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

Mark planted Lethal with a Death Valley Driver. Mark tried for the Froggy Bow but Lethal countered. Jay Lethal spiked Mark with the Jay Driller for a near fall! Briscoe blasted Lethal with a burning hammer, followed up with the Jay Driller, and pinned Jay Lethal!

Reach for the sky, boy!

“Look at this, a standing ovation, deserved for both men,” said Taz.

Footage was shown from earlier of the week of AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF being inducted in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame!

A vignette aired of Wardlow! 

“Max, we are getting closer to your world ender. Soon the world will see you broken. Max, the payment for your sins cannot be delayed any longer. And I will be the one to bring the devil to his knees!” said Wardlow.

Samoa Joe came out to the ring!

The fans chanted “Joe! Joe! Joe!”

Samoa Joe: “My name is Samoa Joe. And once again I have come here seeking answers. Last week I was asking the right questions but maybe I wasn’t asking the right questions. Even though Roderick Strong may be the dimmest bulb on the Christmas tree, he brings up a good point.

“Week after week, we are assaulted by the devil, and it seems are illustrious World Champion isn’t the only victim. As a matter of fact, for some odd reason, Hangman Adam Page was a victim. And then we think back to the malicious attack on our World Champion, and it seems every time the devil attacks someone, we get plenty of footage of them getting stomped out, but our World Champion was just found gingerly laid down in the back passed out. Very conveniently on the ground. So once again I have come asking the right questions, but maybe not to the right people. So MJF, why don’t you come out here right now!”

AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF walked down the ramp to the ring!

MJF: “Cut my music! Joe, let me get this straight. So, I get jumped in the back by a bunch of goons, I get hit in the back by a beer bottle, and you’re out here accusing me of being the man behind the mask. The devil. Is that correct?”

Samoa Joe: “Correct.”

MJF: “That’s really interesting, Joe. I recall that you said you were going to protect me in our main event going out to Long Island for the World Title. Matter of fact, I think you said, ‘From hence forth, MJF, you are my property.’ So ‘No Show Joe’ it’s become pretty clear that you care about your property about as much as you care about your diet. 

“So, if we’re throwing accusations around, Joey, I got some accusations of my own. So, I get jumped in the back, the goons surround the ring, but I don’t recall them laying a finger on you, Joe. So, let’s see. I don’t like you. Now, I don’t trust you. So, why am I waiting until December 30th at Worlds End when I can end your world right now?”

MJF shoved Samoa Joe. A swarm of masked men ran into the ring and Samoa Joe and MJF had to beat them away! MJF and Samoa Joe fought off the masked assailants but even more came over the barricade and surrounded the ring. MJF and Samoa Joe were back to back and had to work as a unit because the entire ring was surrounded by masked men!

The arena lights went dark!

The man in the devil mask appeared on the big screen! There was a graphic scrawled across the screen that read: 

“Where can you go? Who can you trust? Next week, will you accept a challenge…for your ROH World Tag Team Championship? Are you a hero, Max?”

MJF: “Joe, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say no again. But I made a promise to my best friend that I would defend those tag team titles, no matter what, until he comes back.”

Samoa Joe: “We accept! Seems the best way to handle a devil is with our bare hands. Next week we beat his boys’ asses!”

“Allies again for a moment,” said Taz.

“Wow, blockbuster announcement as MJF and Samoa Joe united in the face of this devil. But at Worlds End they will not be partners. Champion MJF, challenger Samoa Joe on pay-per-view, one week from Saturday,” said Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with the Best Friends—Kris Statlander, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Trent, and Rocky Romero!

Rocky: “Renee, I just spent 329 days as a CMLL World Historic Welterweight Champion until last week when I lost it. But I’m just looking for new international opportunities and I just want to bring gold around this waist.”

Orange: “Oh, ok, I get it. Fine. I’ll see you Friday, Rocky.”

Renee: Sounds like it’s official for this Friday on Rampage. Orange Cassidy versus Rocky Romero for the AEW International Championship.”

Saraya vs. Riho!

Winner faces “Timeless” Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Title at AEW Worlds End!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match. 

Ruby Soho was watching the match from backstage.

Riho charged at Saraya, but Saraya rolled out of the ring. Riho followed Saraya and rocked her with her innovated offense. Saraya hid behind an AEW security guard and then hit Riho with a cheap shot. Saraya swung Riho into the ringside barricade, bouncing her off it!

Riho countered a suplex attempt with an inside cradle for a near fall. Riho brought down Saraya with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two-count. Riho jumped off the top rope with a double stomp and followed up with charging double knees, pinning Saraya and becoming the #1 contender for Worlds End!

Luthor carried Toni Storm to the ring. Storm got in the ring and Riho began to clobber her with strikes. Riho blasted Storm with a Tiger Faint Kick but out of nowhere Mariah May smashed Riho with the AEW Women’s World Title Belt!

Tony Schiavone read a prepared statement from TNT Champion Christian Cage!

Tony Schiavone: “Schiavone, you’d better read this statement word for word. As the biggest, hottest, and most talked about star in AEW, I have no double the hole my absence has left in your lives. After my career-defining victory over Adam Copeland, I decided to take my prodigy Nick Wayne on a well deserved vacation. 

“I understand that the Rated R Superstar has challenged me to a No Disqualification Match at Worlds End on December 30th. So just to put all your tiny minds at ease, I want everyone to know that I will make my triumphant return this Saturday live on TNT on Collision, where I will address Adam Copeland and address any lingering questions people may have about what’s transpired a couple of weeks ago on Dynamite in Montreal. I expect nothing less than a hero’s welcome upon my return. Sincerely the TNT Champion, the Patriarch of AEW, Christian Cage.”

AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF was walking backstage!

Max stopped in his tracks when he saw a black mask on the floor. It was right in front of the Mogul Embassy’s dressing room. MJF knocked on their door. Prince Nana opened the door and Max grabbed him!

Max: “Explain this black mask! What the hell is it?”

Swerve walked out into the hallway and Max let Prince Nana go. 

Swerve: “Be careful handling my property. Nice to finally see you out. I feel like you’ve been ducking me my whole time here in AEW.”

MJF: “Shane Strickland! Swerve! Look at you, man. See a lot of people don’t know this but we’ve got a big history. We used to do these long car rides on the road every single week when we were trying to make a name for ourselves on the independents. And now look at you! All grown up! All the momentum in the world, beating some of the biggest stars this company has to offer. Man, I’m so proud of you. However, I haven’t been ducking you.

“The reason you and I haven’t made eye contact in this place is because unfortunately there’s levels to this. And you’re just not on mine. And to make matters worse, I don’t hear your theme music. Therefore, neither is your star power.”

Swerve: “It’s funny you brought up those car rides, those were amazing. You remember that. You were the best chauffeur I ever had in my life. Thank you, man. Let’s go back to the interaction between you and William Regal years ago. Didn’t you bring up an email about a tryout that you just failed at and turned you into the whiny little guy that you are today? Yeah, you’re right, there are levels to this. You do tryouts. I sign contracts. And be careful how you talk to me. Because the last person that did, I hung him outside the ring in front of 13,000 people by a chain.”

MJF: “Solid monologue, bro. You’re starting to get so good at talking. I’m proud of you. But you talk about Hangman an awful lot. It’s almost obsessive. Now it’s funny you’re talking about respect because I’m your World Champion, kid. So, I think you need to check your tone and watch your mouth. But I do have a question for you. I find a couple things odd. Let me run them by you.

“You hate Hangman. More than anything you want to be AEW World Champion. So, putting those things together when I’m really thinking about it, why wouldn’t you frame Hangman with a beer bottle. Why wouldn’t you consistently try to get inside my head? And your goons in the Mogul Embassy are jumping people creating a clear path for you to finally be a world champion, be on top like yours truly. So, are you the devil? A part of me really hopes so. You say this is your house. Well, you’re looking at the Big Bad Wolf of professional wrestling. And when I feel like it, I’ll blow your house down. And then while I’m at it, I’ll break both your arms so you can always swerve while you drive.”

Swerve: “I ain’t the devil you’re looking for, but you keep waving that championship in front of me, I’m gonna be the one to bring you hell.”

Prince Nana opened the door and Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony stood behind Swerve!

 

Samoa Joe walked up to MJF, put his arm around him, and said to Swerve, “Well what is all good on this side of the hood, my friends? My associate and I have business elsewhere.”

Swerve: “Go handle it.”

Roderick Strong (with The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!

Roddy used a leg sweep to trip Komander and grounded him. Roderick smashed Komander with a running knee strike. Roddy rocked Komander with stiff chops to the chest. Komander leveled Roddy with a dropkick. 

Roddy knocked the wind out of Komander with a back breaker. Komander dodged a charging knee from Roddy. Komander cracked Roddy with a round kick. Komander stunned Roddy with elbow strikes. Komander connected with a Phoenix Splash for a near fall on Roddy!

Komander climbed back to the top, but the Kingdom pulled Roderick out of harm’s way to the arena floor. Komander did a backflip and wiped out all three men on the floor! Komander went for a springboard, but Roderick countered with a jumping knee strike to Komander’s face! Roderick finished off Komander with the End of Heartache and pinned Komander!

After the match the Kingdom passed out signs to the fans that said: “MJF is the Devil”!

After the match Renee Paquette interviewed Roderick Strong in the ring!

Roderick Strong: “Oh Renee! I’m so happy you’re here! Samoa Joe, please listen to me! It is so, so obvious now that Max is the devil. I mean look, Hangman mentions Max as the devil, and he gets taken out. C’mon Joe, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to believe me. Samoa Joe is my best friend by proxy. Joe listen to me!”

Main Event Time! Continental Classic Gold League Match!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley (12) vs. Bullet Club Gold’s Jay White (9)!

Jim Ross returned tonight to provide his main event analysis! 

Moxley went for the sleeper right away. Jay White escaped but Moxley nailed him with the hammer and anvil elbows Moxley sat out with a piledriver for a near fall on Switchblade. 

Jay White whipped Moxley into the steel ring steps outside the ring. Jay White stomped on Mox in the corner. Moxley slugged Jay White. Moxley back dropped Jay White on the ramp. Moxley chomped on the head of Jay White. Mox charged at Jay, but Jay dodged it and then clipped Moxley’s legs.

Moxley absorbed forearms from Jay White. Mox set Jay White on the top turnbuckle. Moxley gouged at White’s back, digging his fingers into Jay White’s flesh. Moxley superplexed Jay White. Moxley hit a lariat on White, knocking him over the top rope. Mox followed up with a tope suicida. Moxley may have buckled his knee when he landed, immediately grabbing his knee.

Jay White countered a suplex and planted Moxley across the steel ring steps! Jay White grabbed two steel chairs. The ref admonished White and Jay White tossed one of the chairs in the ring. The ref went to grab the chair in the ring, unbeknownst to him that Jay White had a second chair. Jay White smashed the chair into Moxley’s leg.

Moxley jumped into the ring, barely beating the 10-count. Moxley countered the Blade Runner with a Paradigm Shift for a near fall! Jay White wiped out Moxley with a dragon screw leg whip. Moxley smashed Jay White with a knee strike for a two-count!

Moxley grabbed White and planted him with a cutter! Jay White fired back with a sleeper suplex for a near fall! Jay White spiked Mox with the Kiwi Crusher! Moxley fired up and fired back with a lariat! Moxley curb stomped Jay White! Switchblade escaped the Death Rider! Jay White drilled Mox with the Blade Runner and scored the pin!

“Jay White beats Jon Moxley! What a hell of a match!” said Jim Ross.

“And now we know one week from tonight in the Gold League Finals it’ll be a three-way match! Jay White and Swerve Strickland and Jon Moxley! There’s no man with a clear tiebreaker win over the other so it’ll have to be a three-way match one week from tonight,” added Excalibur.

After the match, Swerve Strickland walked onto the ramp and stared at Moxley and Switchblade in the ring! Moxley managed to get to his feet, but Jay White clipped him from behind!

“That changed the game,” said Jim Ross.

“This could be disastrous for Jon Moxley,” replied Excalibur.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!

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

Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:

-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!

– Continental Classic Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!

-AEW World Trios Championship Match!

The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!

– Continental Classic Blue League Match!

Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!

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

AEW Collision Results for December 16, 2023

AEW Collision Results for December 16, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION: Winter Is Coming was broadcast from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX!

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

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

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo (9) vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli (3)!

Claudio Castagnoli locked up with Andrade and back him into the corner. Andrade powered out and rammed Claudio with a shoulder block. Claudio fired back with a standing clothesline. Andrade connected with a crossbody for a two-count. 

Andrade jumped over the top rope to Claudio on the arena floor, but Claudio countered with a European uppercut. Andrade used two dragon screw leg whips, but Claudio couldn’t be contained and blasted Andrade El Idolo with a pop up European uppercut.

Claudio hurled Andrade around the ring with the Big Swing! Claudio applied the sharpshooter. Andrade escaped and reversed the sharpshooter into a figure four!

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that!” said Tony Schiavone.

Claudio used his upper body strength to reach the bottom rope and force the ref to break the hold. Andrade climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Claudio met him up there. Andrade took down Claudio with a sunset flip powerbomb. Andrade charged at Claudio and crashed into him with a running knee strike. Andrade exposed the top turnbuckle but Claudio superplexed him. Andrade rallied back with two suplexes of his own. Andrade blasted Claudio with a pump kick and then a spinning back elbow for a near fall!

The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W!”

Claudio knocked Andrade off the top turnbuckle and Andrade landed hard on the exposed turnbuckle. As the ref turned his back to put the turnbuckle pad back on, Claudio cracked Andrade with a low blow. Claudio followed up with a Gotch style piledriver and pinned Andrade!

“Claudio stays alive, and this tightens things up in the Blue League!” said Kevin Kelly.

Abadon vs. Jazmin Allure!

Abadon grounded and pounded Allure. Jazmin retaliated with a thrust kick, but Abadon absorbed it. Abadon ended things with the Black Dahlia and pinned Allure.

The arena lights went out! Julia Hart appeared in the ring and dangled the TBS Championship in front of Abadon. 

Abadon lunged at Julia and then nailed Julia with a running knee strike. Abadon picked up the TBS Championship. Skye Blue ran into the ring and attacked Abadon! Skye Blue held Abadon while Julia hit Abadon.

Thunder Rosa charged into the ring and hit Skye Blue! Julia Hart and Skye Blue retreated out of the ring. Rosa offered her hand to Abadon and Abadon accepted!

AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass were backstage with Renee Paquette!

Daddy Ass: “You know, Renee, I don’t mean to cut you off, but we have the problem. The problem is Daddy Ass and the Acclaimed are now pissed off. You might have knocked us down, but the problem is we got back up!”

Max Caster: “Calm down. What Billy means is we’re coming for whoever’s under that Devil mask. And MJF, we’re friends, but now I want nothing to do with you. Because you put us in danger, and you didn’t care.”

Anthony Bowens: “What it boils down to is there’s a group of individuals that tried to end our careers. So, consider this the Acclaimed’s search and destroy mission because we’re going to beat your goofy asses the second we figure out who you are! And on top of that, Renee, we’re going to get back to being the best damn Trios in all of AEW history because everyone loves the Acclaimed!”

Top Flight and Action Andretti interrupted them! They said they wanted to clarify that they weren’t the ones who attacked the Acclaimed. They issued a challenge to the Acclaimed. Bowens said he appreciated it, but “wrong place, wrong time. Challenge accepted for next week on Collision. Be ready to fight.”

AEW International Title Match!

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!

Orange tried mind games, but Keith chopped at Cassidy. Orange ran off the ropes, but Keith countered with a boot to Orange’s head. Orange Cassidy fired back with a tornado DDT and then a tope suicida to Bryan Keith!

Bryan Keith headbutted Orange and followed up with an exploder suplex off the top rope. Orange countered a gut wrench suplex attempt with a Beach Break for a near fall on Bryan Keith! The Bounty Hunter fired back with a stunner for a near fall on the champ. Cassidy rolled up Keith out of nowhere and pinned him!

Orange offered his hand, but Keith slapped it away. Bryan Keith then tipped his hat at Orange out of respect. 

A vignette aired of “The Redeemer” Miro!

“I am the Redeemer. I don’t want to fight Andrade because he is my wife’s client. I want to fight him because he is an a——! His losing to Claudio in this tournament brings him one step closer to being eliminated. I am done avoiding people to please my wife. I am ready to kill everyone to please myself. I fought the light for so long that I let my darkness consume me. This is the word of the Redeemer.”

Lexy Nair was backstage with Komander to interview him!

They were interrupted by Roderick Strong and the Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven!

Roderick Strong: “Hey, despite all the good things she’s saying about you, you didn’t win last night, and that’s not good. You see, I am a former Ring of Honor Television Champion. And a Survival of the Fittest winner.”

Matt Taven: “I won the TV Title my very first night under contract.”

Roderick Strong: “So I just wanted to let you know this. I myself am looking to get back on the horse, pun intended. And fellas, I think I found my next victim: Komander!”

FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler came down to the ring!

Cash Wheeler: “House of Black, let me say first and foremost, if you have a problem with us, no more magic, no more sneak attacks. Come out here and speak to us face to face. I’ll tell you I think your problem is you’ve seen the success we’ve had in the past three years here in AEW. We came here and we’ve had the best run of our careers. 

“We have been the Ring of Honor, the Triple A, the New Japan, and two-time AEW World Tag Team Champions. And you two, you’re still just unrealized potential. I think you’re mad at yourselves. I think you see the success that Brody has had in the Continental Classic and you’re jealous of that. I think you’ve seen the success that Julia has had and you’re jealous of that. But you’re not going to take your anger out on yourselves. You’re not going to direct it at yourselves. You’re going to direct it at the living legends.”

Dax Harwood: “You can say we’re not the best looking, and that’s ok. You can say we’re not the flashiest. I’ve even heard we’re hard to do business with. But there’s one thing that you can’t say about FTR and that’s we’ll back down from a fight.

“I don’t mind taking an ass whooping. Half of my life I’ve fought men for money. And that’s ok but I do have a problem with a sucker punch from behind. And I’m going to lay out a challenge, first time ever. House of Black—”

Dax’s microphone went dead and then the arena lights went dark!

The House of Black appeared on the big screen. Buddy Matthews told FTR that they were here to prove a point that no one in the back has FTR’s back. “Mark Briscoe, he won’t save you. Dax, your wife, your kid, they won’t save you. Everyone you love won’t save you. But I want to direct this question to Cash. Who loves you? All these people love Dax, but who loves you? I’ll tell you who loves you. We love you. We embrace you. We welcome you. We welcome both of you. Be in our family.”

Malakai Black: “See there’s this thing, this constant here, that this is personal. It’s not personal. No, this is what happens when we have to prove a point so aggressively that it even hurts us. Because this is love. Because let me ask you this question. When we attacked you, who came to save you? No one. So, did we lie? No, we did not lie.

“And if I were to make it personal, I would have a picture of you, of your wife, and your daughter, and I would do this to it.”

Buddy held up the picture while Malakai lit it on fire. 

Malakai Black: “Symbolic. Like it or not, we’re your family now.”

Texas Street Fight Match!

Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Martinez & Diamante!

Mercedes smashed a bottle over Willow’s head! Kris spiked Diamante with a DDT onto a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. Kris and Willow rammed Mercedes with a metal step ladder!

Mercedes cracked Willow with a crowbar across the back. Mercedes booted Willow in the head. Willow pounced Diamante and then smashed a board against Diamante’s back. Statlander rocked Mercedes with Saturday Night Fever for a near fall!

Diamante cracked Kris with a briefcase. Diamante opened the briefcase and dumped the contents all over the mat—shards of glass and thumbtacks! Mercedes dug Kris’ face into the tacks. Mercedes power bombed Willow off the apron and through a table on the arena floor!

Kris Statlander had her hand wrapped with a steel chain. Statlander hit the knockout blow on Diamante and then pinned her!

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

Renee said whoever won between Saraya and Riho would face Storm at World’s End, and she asked Storm if she had a preference of who she faced.

Storm: “Not really.”

Renee asked Mariah if there was any update on who were debut opponent might be.

Mariah May: “Well Tony Khan helped me apply for my American wrestling license so very soon and Miss Storm you were sensational on commentary on Dynamite. And I was hoping you could commentate my first match.”

Toni Storm: “Darling, I am very busy.”

Mariah May: “That’s okay. Maybe you could check it out and offer some pointers.”

Toni Storm: “Darling, I am very busy but next time I hold a seminar you’ll be the very first to know. And as for Riho and Saraya, go ahead and go out there and slap each other around. Rip each other’s hair out. And at Worlds End I’ll be facing either one of two bland baldies. 

ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)

vs.

Kerry Wright!

Cage clobbered Kerry right out of the gate! Cage German suplexed Wright. Cage power bombed Kerry and then crushed him with the Drill Claw, scoring the pin!

“Who’s going to stop that monster?” asked Kevin Kelly.

Lexy Nair interviewed Brian Cage, the Gates of Agony, and Prince Nana backstage!

They said they were on a roll, this was Swerve’s house, but they were living in it.

“Limitless” Keith Lee interrupted.

Keith Lee: “Congratulations are in order. However, to celebrate, you can tell him, my patience runs thin, and time is running out.”

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

ROH World Champion/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)

vs.

Daniel Garcia (0)!

Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match. 

Daniel Garcia and Eddie Kingston traded chops. Eddie used a back heel trip on Garcia. Daniel Garcia stunned Kingston with a dragon screw leg whip off the apron. Kingston fired back with a belly to belly suplex. Kingston nailed Garcia with a DDT.

Kingston blasted Garcia with machine gun rapid fire chops. Kingston was like a man possessed. Garcia mocked Kingston. Garcia got his second wind and broke through the defense of Kingston. Garcia applied a kneebar on Kingston, but Kingston managed to reach the ropes.

Garcia put Kingston in a leg lock, but Eddie grabbed the ropes and escaped one more time. Garcia charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with an exploder and then a spinning back fist for a two-count!

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

Garcia rocked Kingston with a suplex. Kingston’s leg gave out and Garcia grabbed him and hurled him with another stiff suplex for a near fall. Kingston fired back with a half and half suplex and then a spinning back fist and scored the pin on Garcia!

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

House of Black’s Brody King (6) vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson (6)!

Danielson kicked at Brody’s legs. Brody went after Bryan’s surgically repaired eye. Brody chopped Danielson in the throat! Brody splashed Danielson in the corner with a cannonball!

Brody smashed Danielson’s head across the announcers’ desk. Brody whipped Danielson into the steel barricade. Brody put Danielson on a chair and then splashed him, sandwiching Danielson between himself and the barricade!

Danielson was able to regain some momentum with a diving knee off the apron. Danielson hit a missile dropkick. Danielson returned to kicking Brody and inflicting damage to Brody’s knee. Brody retaliated with a lariat off the second turnbuckle.

Brody was looking for a cannonball, but Bryan tripped up Brody and applied a single crab. Brody kicked himself free, stunning Danielson. The American Dragon chopped away at big Brody with round kicks. Danielson grabbed Brody’s wrists and began stomping on him. Danielson switched to the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Brody mustered the strength for a Death Valley Driver on Danielson for a near fall. 

Danielson used his trademark knee strike on Brody, but Brody kicked out at one! Brody smashed Danielson with a lariat for a near fall! Danielson smacked Brody in the face with the running knee and then caught him in the back of the head with another knee strike, finally scoring the pin on Brody King!

“What a battle,” said Tony Schiavone.

“Bryan Danielson has inched forward to nine points,” added Kevin Kelly. 

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!

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

AEW Collision Preview for December 16, 2023

AEW Collision Preview for December 16, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/T1dOgrFCT34?si=vXjA5D6qaLe7-lxq

All Elite Wrestling returns to Garland, TX and our home for the last four years at the Curtis Culwell Center! It’s the first time COLLISION has emanated from this great venue, and with WORLDS END fast approaching, that means more Continental Classic action in the Blue League! We saw Brody King take his first loss in the tournament on DYNAMITE, falling to Andrade El Idolo in each man’s third League bout, and boosting El Idolo up to the top spot with 9 points.

This week the Blue League continues with Claudio Castagnoli taking on Andrade, ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston fighting an old rival in Daniel Garcia, and Bryan Danielson facing the immense challenge of Brody King! The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the best way to get ready is to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE…

Standings

Andrade El Idolo (9)

Brody King (6)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (3)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Daniel Garcia (0) vs. Eddie Kingston (3)

The Continental Classic is getting down to the wire, we’ve passed the halfway point, and unfortunately for Daniel Garcia there is no way for him to win the Blue League on points, nor even come in second in order to battle it out with the points leader for that spot in the Continental Classic Finals at WORLDS END. All Garcia can do now is play spoiler to those with hope in their hearts, and with enough points to potentially get them to the Blue League Finals.

One of those men who has to hold onto hope right now is Eddie Kingston, an opponent Garcia has battled many times over the last two years, because after dropping his first two Blue League bouts, Kingston finally scored his first three points last week over Claudio Castagnoli.

But with Bryan Danielson, as well as Brody King, at six points and Andrade El Idolo at nine points, Kingston finds himself with two must-win bouts left in the league, and also dependent on the failings of others. Save the possibility of a draw, either Danielson or King will walk out of Saturday with nine points to their name, and Kingston has lost to both of them already. With the other bout pitting Castagnoli against Andrade, either Claudio walks with six or Andrade with 12, the latter result puts that top spot in the league totally out of Kingston’s reach, with only a hope of second place to hold onto.

Now this is where things get very interesting, the possibility of ties and what draws could potentially do to shake up the entire Blue League, but the bottom line for the ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion is that he must defeat Daniel Garcia to have hope, he must defeat Andrade El Idolo in his next match to have hope, otherwise Kingston’s gamble with his two championship titles will have failed. 

But is it a failure to risk it all in order to achieve something greater? Is that willingness to fail actually what makes a person great? Is it brave or foolhardy for an athlete to look at their future and be willing to gamble everything at the risk of walking away with nothing? Only at the end of this road will Eddie Kingston be able to answer that question for himself…

Bryan Danielson (6) vs. Brody King (6)

In his first two matches in the Continental Classic, Brody King showed the world just how dangerous an individual he can be. Generally competing in tags and trios with his fellow House of Black devotees, Brody took it to Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli with a fierceness. That first match with Kingston kind of shook up the competition as many thought Eddie, as the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, would come into the tournament strong. Instead Brody dropped “The Mad King”, and moved onto Claudio Castagnoli, who was coming off a strong win on Daniel Gacris. Just as he did with Kingston, Brody King handed Castagnoli his first loss in the tournament, shocking the world once more with his dominance in singles competition, and with eyes on his third bout against Andrade El Idolo.

But Brody’s power and capacity for violence were no match for Andrade’s cunning as El Idolo took advantage of an exposed turnbuckle, cracked Brody’s head against the steel, and ended up with the victory of The House’s behemoth. Every man coming into this tournament did so knowing loss was a possibility, if not an inevitability, so King will take the defeat as a lesson and move forward with no excuses into his last two fights. For better or worse, Brody King has to meet former multi-time World Champion and Blackpool Combat Club member Bryan Danielson in his next fight.

Bryan has been through a bit of hell during 2023; from the litany of injuries sustained after REVOLUTION 2023’s Iron Man Match with MJF to his broken arm from FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 against Okada to the fractured orbital bone suffered at the hands of both Okada and Orange Cassidy, the body of “The American Dragon” has gone through the ring.

And yet he never stops, Bryan Danielson never yields, and that is why he is a part of this tournament in spite of how much his body has endured. It seems with Danielson that no matter what his body may feel, his mind is strong, his will is iron, and his drive to compete is inevitable. That’s why he went through three Continental Classic matches in a week against Eddie Kingston, Daniel Garcia, and Andrade El Idolo. The first two were victories for Dragon, hard-fought, still victories nonetheless, but then came Andrade and his willingness to do something that the other two competitors did not: attack the eye.

With a relentless aggression, Andrade went after Danielson’s eye to the point that many wondered if Dragon would even be able to fight the match through to its end, but anyone who questioned that clearly doesn’t know the heart of Bryan. He fought through to the bitter end, taking the pain and punishment Andrade dished out, never stopping his fight, but ultimately succumbing. So now that the man who many thought would run the table with a perfect bracket has tasted defeat, what is his road to the finals? What is Brody King’s?

Obviously for both victory here is the goal, putting the winner at nine points in the Blue League, and potentially tied with Andrade El Idolo depending on how his battle with Claudio sways. If that’s the case, it comes down to the final match of the League for each, for Bryan that is actually fellow BCC member Claudio Castagnoli while for Brody King it is Daniel Garcia, someone who holds a victory over Brody from earlier this year. Win or lose, both men are still in the fight to win the Continental Classic, but whoever walks out of this with hand raised will be just a bit more comfortable in their position…that is if anyone is in position to walk away from this fight. Add in the fact that Bryan Danielson had a Fight Without Honor war last night at ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2023 that ended with Mark Briscoe dropping “The American Dragon” with a Jay Driller to win the match, and it’s really questionable how Danielson is even capable of walking into this one, much less expecting to walk out the winner!

Claudio Castagnoli (3) vs. Andrade El Idolo (9)

Though some may have questioned whether or not Andrade El Idolo was wise to take on CJ Perry for his management, it’s hard to question the results as El Idolo is undefeated thus far, with victories over Daniel Garcia, Bryan Danielson, and Brody King just this past Wednesday on DYNAMITE. In each case Andrade has looked strong, dominant even, and as evidenced in both the Danielson and Brody King matches, willing to do anything it takes to secure that victory. In Bryan’s case it meant attacking that eye injury, and in King’s making use of the exposed turnbuckle, either way it ended with points for Andrade, enough to put him at the top of Blue League with just two matches left.

As for Claudio, he had a great first outing against Daniel Garcia to score his three points, but then ran into the brick wall of Brody King, and stumbled once more in his DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023 rematch with Eddie Kingston. The latter likely stung greater than the former given the ill will between Kingston and Castagnoli, but the Brody loss is still a loss and Castagnoli finds himself in the same hole as Kingston.

Claudio’s path to possibly make the cut for League Finals means defeating Andrade and, in his final match, his own Blackpool Combat Club brother Bryan Danielson. Even that would only net him nine points, leaving The Swiss Superman also dependent on the outcome of other matches in order to be one of the last two men standing for the Gold League Finals in Orlando on December 27th. Andrade is obviously in the Gold League driver’s seat, but he could end up fighting for that second place spot if he drops this match and his final bout with Eddie Kingston. No one in this Blue League should let themselves get too comfortable…especially considering four of these six men fought at ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2023 event last night. All but Andrade El Idolo and Brody King went through a fight, so it will be very intriguing to see how those may effect these three bouts!

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy(c) vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith

Last night at FINAL BATTLE 2023, Bryan Keith came into ROH for the very first time with nothing more than an opportunity to qualify for the ROH World Television Championship Survival of the Fittest Elimination bout. “All” Kieth had to do was beat Jack Cartwheel on the ZERO HOUR to get there.

Well he did that, and in the span of the seven minutes that fight lasted, Bryan also won over the ROH faithful in Garland, TX. Then “The Bounty Hunter” stepped into the Survival of the Fittest Finals and hung in there for seventeen minutes, eliminating Lee Moriarty in the process before Kyle Fletcher took him out, and Bryan Keth solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with anywhere he goes.

Obviously someone took notice because Orange Cassidy, the 2-Time AEW International Champion, actually stepped up to “The Bounty Hunter” and offered him an opportunity to challenge for the title this Saturday night on COLLISION! Now Orange is coming into this off a fight of his own, teaming up with The Von Erichs on RAMPAGE to beat Cool Hand Ang, Daddy Magic, and Jake Hager, but that took far less a toll on the champion than FINAL BATTLE 2023 did to his challenger!

Can Bryan Keith upset the defending champion this Saturday night in Garland, and continue to show the world what he brings to the table inside that squared circle? Will OC’s own challenge backfire on him come COLLISION?

All Elite Wrestling has called Garland, TX and the Curtis Culwell Center home since 2019, and for the first time we are bringing COLLISION action to town! The Blue League tournament action heads into its fourth round with Castagnoli versus Andrade, Kingston battling Garcia, and Danielson tackling King! COLLISION begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/iU2f9k6xFo8?si=It9RW9st5dq1vkI_

AEW Dynamite Results for December 13, 2023

AEW Dynamite Results for December 13, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Winter Is Coming was broadcast live from the College Park Center in Arlington, TX!

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!

Continental Classic: Gold League Standings—

Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley (9)

Swerve Strickland (9)

Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White (6)

LFI’s Rush (3)

Mark Briscoe (0)

Jay Lethal (0)

Continental Classic: Blue League Standings—

House of Black’s Brody King (6)

Andrade El Idolo (6)

Blackpool Combat Club’s “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)

Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli (3)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Samoa Joe walked to the ring to kick off the show!

Samoa Joe: “I have come here tonight looking for answers. Not a long time ago I made a promise to MJF that I would keep him whole until World’s End when I would dismantle him myself. Last week I was made into a liar when I came out here to the machinations of a devil. I looked up at that screen and saw MJF laying in the back, potentially jeopardizing my AEW World Championship opportunity.

“Now one can’t stand on the tracks of destiny and not get run over. So let me explain to you what’s going to happen tonight. You see when I walked in the back last week with MJF laying on the ground, I saw a beer bottle, a certain beer brand, that a certain cowboy likes, busted over MJF’s head.

“And then as I got closer, I noticed a certain scent of Stetson and disappointment. And I said to myself, I’ve smelled this before. And then as I walked around the building, searching high and low for this cowboy, it seemed like a certain Hangman was missing.”

“Hangman” Adam Page’s music hit, and Page came down to the ring!

“What if someone is trying to frame ‘Hangman’ Adam Page? What if MJF is trying to frame Adam Page?” asked Excalibur.

“Hangman” Adam Page: “Joe if there’s something you want to accuse me of, why don’t you just say it like the man I thought you were. If you think it’s me, if you think I have anything to do with it, if you think I give a damn about the Devil, you’d be so wrong, because I don’t care.”

Samoa Joe: “Hangman you may not care, but you see you made the mistake of thinking I came out here like a detective. I’ve already made up my mind. I’m an executioner.”

Hangman Page: “Well Joe, if there’s something you want to do about it, why don’t you do it?”

Roderick Strong walked onto the ramp with the Kingdom, and he was screaming “Samoa! Samoa Joe, you are so lucky that they didn’t hurt you last week. But I hate to say this, you gotta listen to Hangman. I mean he is my young boy and all. I never forgot about that.

“And listen, have you seen the things that have been happening, Joe? Jay White asked for a World title match, he gets attacked. The Acclaimed lose a tag match for Max and they get attacked. The goons attack Max on November 29th, but they don’t lay a single shot on him, and you come to his aid.

“And then last week, we never saw them physically touch him. We just saw him lying there. C’mon, Joe, think! It’s obviously Max. Max is the devil. C’mon, Joe, I wouldn’t like to you. I’m not talking to you Adam, I’m talking to my best friend by proxy, Samoa Joe!”

Adam Page swung at Roderick Strong and knocked him to the mat!

Roderick Strong (with The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) 

vs.

“Hangman” Adam Page!

Samoa Joe left the ring and pointed at Adam Page as he was exiting. As Page had his back turned, Roderick Strong blindsided Page! Strong stomped on Page in the corner. Hangman retaliated with stiff chops to Roderick Strong.

Page sent Strong flying with an overhead slam. Page hit a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Roderick connected with a back breaker. Page blasted Roddy with a high cowboy boot to the face.

Roddy used a single leg takedown and then drove his knee into Page’s chest. Roddy charged at Page, but Page flipped him over the top rope and followed up with a tope, crashing down on Roddy on the arena floor. Page climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Matt Taven grabbed a hold of Page’s boot. Mike Bennett distracted ref Aubrey Edwards while Roddy kicked Page in the head. 

“The opening was there, Roderick took advantage of it, the referee couldn’t see it,” said Taz.

Roderick Strong nailed Hangman Page with a backbreaker on the turnbuckles! Roddy grabbed a top wrist lock. Page escaped and exchanged forearms with Roderick. Both men went for rolling elbows and they collided with one another, each being knocked down.

Adam Page got a second wind and began to stomp a Texas mudhole in Roddy. Hangman planted Roddy with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Adam Page chomped on Roddy’s forehead. Page went for a moonsault press, Roddy dodged it, but Page landed on his feet! Roddy charged at Page, but Page took him down with a pop-up powerbomb for a near fall!

Page was looking for the Dead Eye, but Roddy broke free and pancaked Page for a two-count. Roderick followed up with a suplex and then a Tiger Driver for a near fall. Roderick locked on the Strong Hold, but Page reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold.

Page was searching for the Buck Shot Lariat, but Taven grabbed Page’s boot. Bennett distracted the ref on the other side. Page wiped out Taven with a moonsault. Page went back up top and tore down the Kingdom with another moonsault, this time from the ring post!

Hangman went for the Buck Shot, but Roddy had it scouted and went to apply the Strong Hold. Page countered with a roll-up, but Roddy kicked out. Page hit the Dead Eye on Strong and pinned him!

“Both these guys left it all in the ring,” said Taz.

“A great return to form for ‘Hangman’ Adam Page,” replied Excalibur.

Continental Classic Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo vs. House of Black’s Brody King!

Brody back up Andrade into the ropes. Andrade applied a headlock and took Brody down to the mat. Brody escaped and squashed Andrade with a senton. Big Brody pummeled Andrade in the corner with chops and then landed a solid elbow strike. 

Andrade connected with a big cross body press, but Brody kicked out at the one-count. Brody rolled out of the ring, but Andrade followed up with a moonsault on the middle turnbuckle to Brody on the arena floor.

Andrade dropkicked Brody in the knee and Brody’s momentum sent him crashing into the turnbuckles. Andrade nailed Brody with two dragon screw leg whips. Andrade took Brody down with a flying elbow strike. Andrade El Idolo body slammed Brody. Andrade followed up with a split legged moonsault for a near fall!

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

Brody rocked Andrade with a lariat for a two-count! Brody connected with a cannonball splash in the corner on Andrade El Idolo. Brody and Andrade exchanged chops. Brody stunned Andrade with a forearm, but Andrade answered with a spinning back elbow!

Andrade El Idolo climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Brody got to his feet. Brody knocked Andrade down with an elbow strike. Both men jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Andrade pulled Brody’s head down, spiking it on the exposed turnbuckle! Andrade followed up with a hammerlock DDT and pinned Brody King!

“Andrade has picked up three crucial points in the Blue League,” said Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with the legendary Von Erichs—Kevin Von Erich, and his sons, Marshall and Ross Von Erich—who made their return to Dallas!

Kevin Von Erich: “Renee, I love AEW. The style, and I’ve got so many friends here, too.”

Danhausen walked onto the scene, interrupting, along with International Champion Orange Cassidy and Trent!

Orange: “Hey, I got a match on Rampage this week, and I need two partners. How about you two guys tag up with me on Rampage?”

Danhausen: “Hey, you’re betraying us.”

Orange: “What? No, we’re in Texas. So, what do you guys say?”

Marshall and Ross Von Erich agreed, saying they’d gladly have Orange’s back!

Out next: The Golden Jets—Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho!

Jericho: “Dallas, welcome to the return of the Golden Jets! I think that was the first ever Golden Jets chant,” Jericho said with a smile. 

Jericho: “The reason why it’s been a while since we’ve been here is because of Big Bill and Ricky Starks. They attacked me after Full Gear, pretty much dislocated my elbow, put me out for three weeks. Last week after Kenny’s great match with Ethan Page, Big Bill kicked Kenny in the face and put him down to the ground. I spent three weeks thinking of what I was going to say to Big Bill and Ricky Starks. It’s pretty simple: Hey boys, get your sorry asses out here!”

AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill walked onto the ramp!

Starks: “Wow, did you miss me? Point proven, Chris. I find this whole situation to be funny. I have no problem with you Kenny. I want to thank you for this great place we have called AEW. And you, Chris, there’s nothing to really thank, because you just suck the life out of every single thing. And it makes me question, you, though, Kenny, because do you really think you can trust a guy like Jericho? I mean, look at the Inner Circle. Look at JAS. Look at what he’s done to those people in the past.”

Big Bill: Kenny, look at the things that Chris has actually done to you. If Chris attacked you randomly on the drop of a dime, me, Ricky, nobody here, would actually be surprised. Just saying.”

Kenny Omega: “So you’re basing this off of my trust between myself and Chris Jericho? Do I trust Chris Jericho? Chris, you know I don’t trust you. Look, Big Bill, you’re talking about track records. Let’s take a look at something from your past, the Firm, for example. Everyone remember the Firm? I can’t say that I do.

“I would say that that Firm angle you had with MJF is more like the flaccid, looking less firm and a little more up your alley, something say, I don’t know, soft. But hey, when it comes to beatdowns, I’m pretty much the king of receiving them. So hey, you guys think you can talk a big game, that’s fine. We’ve earned ourselves a tag team title shot down the road, and guess what? On December 30th at World’s End, we’re thinking maybe the Golden Jets can maybe take those two titles off of your waist and place them firmly around ours. What do you say to that?”

Ricky Starks: “That’s all well and good and we understand you two are the number one contenders and I’m going to speak for both of us and say, hey, guess what, you’re on! But before we even get to World’s End, let me just remind you Chris, I hope you remember January. Because back in January, I actually beat you on Dynamite.”

Big Bill: “Correction. You actually beat him twice. You beat him on a pay-per-view also.”

Starks: “So as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already done half of the work. I know you in and out and I know what you’re all about. We are the best tag team that there is because we are the AEW Tag Team Champions, without a name!”

Chris Jericho: “It’s funny, Starks, you keep bragging that you don’t have a name. I think you need a name. How about this? The Absolute S—ts? I got it! How about we take his first name and then his last name, ladies and gentlemen, AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Billy Starks!”

Starks: “Well that one fell flat.”

Jericho: “Kinda did.”

Starks: “I can excuse the name, but I cannot excuse the outfit where you went to a local Hot Topic and said, ‘Hey, give me the best stuff that you’ve got!’”

Jericho: “Listen, you said I’m a clown vampire, believe me, if I was going to suck my fangs into somebody, I’d do it with somebody with a lot more clout than you. Because from where I’m standing, all I see is a better dressed, less charismatic version of Enzo Amore.”

Omega: “Hey, let’s give Enzo credit. At least he would hype up Big Bill and not take all the spotlight.”

Starks: “Well I think you guys have taken the spotlight a little too far in my opinion, but regardless, I want you to know something. You talk about the way I dress. You talk about Big Bill. Chris Jericho, no one cares anymore. I am sick and tired of you. And Kenny, you’re starting to piss me off, brother. You want the war? Bring it! World’s End, me and Big Bill will take you two on, because we are the best damn tag team there is. Bar none! Nobody better! And if you think you’ve got something better than me and Big Bill, prove it, you two Winnipeg scumbags!”

Omega: “Well, now that you’ve brought out the big guns, I might need to sit and stew on that for a minute. So, much like those tag team belts on December 30th, I must bid you good-bye, bang!”

Jericho: “We’ll see you on December 30th Starks and Big Bill!”

The Outcasts’ Ruby Soho vs. Riho!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match. She was accompanied by Mariah May. 

Ruby stomped Riho in the corner. Ruby body slammed Riho, but Riho followed up with a dropkick. Riho suplexed Ruby and then squashed her with a double foot stomp. Riho climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Ruby knocked her off balance. Riho managed to secure herself and then crashed down on Ruby Soho like a bolt of lightning, double stomping her!

Riho connected with a big cross body press for a near fall. Ruby rocked Riho with a kick to the side of the head. Riho planted Ruby with a crucifix bomb for a near fall! Ruby fired back with the No Future Kick, but Riho kicked out at the two-count! Riho stunned Ruby with a dragon suplex and then pinned Ruby after a running knee strike!

Continental Classic Gold League Match!

LFI’s Rush vs. Jay Lethal!

Rush splashed Lethal in the corner. Lethal fired back with a basement dropkick and the did his strut. Rush hit a German suplex and followed up with a knee strike. Rush whipped Jay Lethal into the steel guardrail outside the ring. 

Lethal chopped Rush off the turnbuckles. Lethal shocked Rush with the Lethal Combination. Lethal tried to apply the figure four but Rush rolled him up for a near fall. Lethal countered Rush’s discus lariat with a kick to the head. Lethal charged at Rush but Rush nailed Lethal with a belly to belly suplex in the turnbuckles. Rush countered the Lethal Injection with a sleeper and Lethal tapped out!

“Rush has not forgotten how Jon Moxley put him to sleep one week ago,” said Excalibur.

Continental Classic Gold League Match!

Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White vs. Mark Briscoe!

Briscoe wasted no time, going right after Jay White! Briscoe hit a Death Valley Driver!

The fans chanted “Dem Boys! Dem Boys! Dem Boys!”

Briscoe climbed to the top and smashed White with the Froggy Bow. White rolled out of the ring. Mark chopped at Jay White back in the ring. Briscoe chomped on Jay White’s head. Jay White hurled Mark out of the ring, and Mark’s shoulder collided on the ring apron. 

Mark blocked the Blade Runner with redneck Kung Fu. Jay White hit a basement dropkick and then a DDT on Mark Briscoe. Mark Briscoe wiped out White with a massive lariat! Mark employed the redneck Kung Fu once again. Mark nailed Jay with the Cactus elbow drop off the ring apron!

Jay White escaped Mark’s attempt at Splash Mountain. White connected with elbow strikes. Mark signaled for the Jay Driller but White countered with a dragon screw leg whip out of nowhere. Briscoe was clutching his knee. White walloped Mark with a sleeper suplex. White served up a second sleeper suplex on Mark! Mark countered the Blade Runner with a side suplex. Mark went for a Froggy Bow, but Jay White countered by raising his knees into Mark’s ribcage. White pinned Mark Briscoe after planting him with the Blade Runner!

Main Event Time! Continental Classic Gold League Match!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland!

The fans were on their feet as the match began, chanting “A-E-W! A-E-W!”

Mox applied a hammerlock. Swerve escaped and taunted Moxley. Both men were playing mind games early on. Moxley and Swerve traded strikes in the center of the ring. Swerve kicked out Moxley’s legs and then spiked Mox with a DDT off the turnbuckles!

Swerve rammed Mox into the steel ring post. Mox retaliated with a lariat out of the corner. Mox planted Swerve with a stalling piledriver for a near fall. Moxley trapped Swerve in the apron skirt and then crotched him on the apron skirt cord. Moxley launched Swerve into the steel ring steps!

Back in the ring, Mox clocked Swerve with a clothesline at the halfway mark. Swerve smashed Mox with a back breaker. Swerve accelerated off the ropes with a back elbow. Moxley nailed Swerve with a cutter, but Swerve kicked out of the cover. Mox spiked Swerve with a Gotch style piledriver for a two-count!

Swerve and Mox exchanged headbutts. Swerve rocked Mox with a flatliner. Swerve connected with a high boot right on target for a near fall. 

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

Swerve used hammer and anvil elbow strikes on Moxley. Swerve followed up with the House Call kick. Swerve was looking for the Swerve Stomp, but Mox knocked Swerve off the top turnbuckle. Swerve fell to the arena floor! Moxley mauled Swerve with a curb stomp as Swerve rolled back into the ring!

Moxley applied a cross arm breaker on Swerve’s injured right arm. Swerve managed to reach the ropes with his boot to force the ref to break the hold. Moxley grabbed a steel chair from outside the ring, but Swerve jumped over the top rope and crashed onto Moxley. Swerve landed on Moxley with a Swerve Stomp outside the ring!

Swerve climbed to the top rope and hit the Swerve Stomp on Mox, but Mox kicked out at two! Moxley countered a JML Driver with a roll thru cradle and he pinned Swerve!

“Jon Moxley, I think he may have even grabbed the belt for that added leverage,” said Excalibur.

“He sure did! He grabbed it with both hands,” replied Tony Schiavone. 

“Jon Moxley stealing a victory and stealing three crucial points. Jon Moxley now sits at the top of the table with 12 points, the highest overall total,” said Excalibur.

Outside the arena, four masked assailants with the Devil’s mask logo on the back of their hoodies, attacked “Hangman” Adam Page! 

“He’s outnumbered four to one,” said Excalibur.

“Someone’s in that car,” added Taz.

The person in the Devil mask exited the car and nodded at the assailants. The masked men power bombed Adam Page through the glass windshield of the car!

“The devil and his goons just destroying ‘Hangman’ Adam Page,” said Excalibur, as Page was writhing in pain.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!

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

Witness history by watching ROH: Final Battle 2023, this Friday, December 15th, exclusively for subscribers on Ring of Honor HonorClub at WatchROH.com!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX!

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

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 13, 2023

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 13, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lvEbPwNhroU?si=zOY43tJl6sK2-Nh7

Winter is coming to Arlington, TX this Wednesday night when All Elite Wrestling debuts at College Park Center! All roads lead to Long Island for WORLDS END on December 30th, but the way there is increasingly fraught with peril for everyone in the Continental Classic, as well as AEW World Champion MJF, his scheduled challenger Samoa Joe, and anyone else around the champ!

Three more matches in the Gold League will go down on Wednesday night with Rush facing Jay Lethal, Mark Briscoe battling Jay White, and the two unbeatens, Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland, putting that on the line in their first-ever meeting! Plus Ruby Soho takes on the returning Riho, Roderick Strong gets back in action with a fight against “Hangman” Adam Page, and we will hear from the #1 Contender to MJF’s AEW World Championship, Samoa Joe! DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to watch highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: GOLD LEAGUE..

https://www.youtube.com/embed/goyQaKfWv1o?si=8XBYDQZvl6NqZ81a&start=7

Standings

Jon Moxley (9)

Swerve Strickland (9)

Jay White (6)

Rush (3)

Mark Briscoe (0)

Jay Lethal (0)

Jon Moxley (9) vs. Swerve Strickland (9)

One would be hard-pressed to find a man on a bigger role right now than Jon Moxley, he’s won 13 of his last 15 singles matches, including that Steel Cage Match with Kenny Omega and being the one to end Orange Cassidy’s historic first AEW International Championship reign. His two losses were quite painful to be honest, losing that same championship to Rey Fenix and failing to reclaim it from “Freshly Squeezed” in their rematch, but Mox has rebounded spectacularly with this three victories in the Continental Classic: Gold League thus far. RUSH, Mark Briscoe, and Jay Lethal have all fallen at the hands of the 3-Time AEW World Champion and even though we’ve all heard it from the horse’s mouth just how he is hurting, Mox is going to keep fighting until there’s no breath left in his lungs.

Swerve is also on quite a roll of his own, winning nine of his last ten singles bouts, the loss in that situation coming at the hands of Bryan Danielson and there is absolutely no shame in losing to “The American Dragon”. Now Strickland might put that loss squarely on the shoulders of Hangman Page, but the reality is that all the former AEW World Champion did was prevent Swerve from cheating to win. Now the nature of this tournament removed the Prince Nana factor from the equation, but rather than be a hindrance, it has instead allowed Swerve to prove just how good he is without the assistance of The Mogul Embassy. Victories over Mark Briscoe, Jay White, and Jay Lethal have bolstered Swerve already massive go, but also demonstrated that he’s got the ability to be truly great on his own. And now it will be put to the test this Wednesday night when the only unbeaten men in the Gold League go head-to-head for the very first time!

Swerve Strickland and Jon Moxley are both on the precipice of winning the Gold League, the only man that can possibly match them is Jay White, but he requires a lot of pieces to fall into place in order to make that happen, not the least of which is beating Moxley in their final League match. That’s a story for another week though, and another fight, this one will either set a definitive top dog in the Gold League with a three point victory, or leave things all tied up with a one point draw. One will have twelve points, or both will have ten, those are the only two ways this can go, and all eyes will be watching to see how it plays out.

Rush (3) vs. Jay Lethal (0)

With just three points to his name, “El Toro Blanco” is one of three men in this tournament on the outside looking in; mathematically speaking, there is no way for the head of La Faccion Ingobernable to move to the front of the line save both Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland forfeiting their last two matches. Even if two current leaders of the field went to a draw in their bout this Wednesday, and Moxley lost in his last bout to Jay White while RUSH beat Swerve in theirs, the best he could hope for is nine points to their ten. Still, stranger things have happened, and “El Toro Blanco” is fighting with the hope that one of those things takes place between now and the finals of the Gold League!

As for Jay Lethal, the “Franchise of ROH”, he has taken his zero point total very hard, and there was obviously not a whole lot for Jeff Jarrett or Sonjay Dutt to say about the matter. So while Lethal is eliminated from any possibility of winning this tournament, he can still score some sort of moral victory by winning at least one of his remaining battles, and in the case of Rush, he can do it with a win over a man he’s never beaten in RUSH. Their only singles encounter, a ROH World Championship match at the 19TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW in March 2021 ended with a RUSH victory, their one Four Corner Survival ended with neither as the victor, and their Eight-Man Tag ended with LFI having the upper hand. 

Coincidentally, before any of their matches against one another, there was a period of time in 2019 where the two men actually fought side-by-side, and even challenged for the ROH World Six-Man Titles together with Jeff Cobb. Yet now they stand as foes once again, Lethal’s first chance to redeem that 2021 championship defeat, and his second-to-last opportunity to put any points on the board before the Continental Classic comes to a close. Will Lethal be able to overcome his disappointing run so far, or will this be another night that drives him further towards the edge?

Jay White (6) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)

One month ago, just ten days before “Switchblade” Jay White fought MJF at FULL GEAR 2023 for the AEW World Championship, he went one-on-one with Mark Briscoe for the very first time. Now the two had some history dating back to Jay’s NJPW excursion spent with Ring of Honor, and even fought in a tag team affair as recently as June 2022, but that evening was their first singles bout, and after fourteen minutes, it went the way of Jay White. That sent “King Switch” to his championship match on a high note, not one that led to him claiming the title as his own, but a loss that has perhaps served to stoke White’s fires with this Continental Classic. 

With two victories under his belt, and two matches still to go, the possibility exists that Jay White could actually end up in a tie for the Gold League crown. He just needs to win out in this match, as well as in his final bout with Jon Moxley, and hope that, regardless of the Swerve/Moxley outcome, Strickland also blows his final match in the tournament against RUSH. The situation is possible, but it all hinges on “Switchblade” beating Mark Briscoe.

So knowing he’s completely eliminated from the tournament, what does Mark Briscoe stand to gain from these last two matches with Jay White and Jay Lethal? Well right here, with this “Switchblade” rematch, Mark has the opportunity to redeem his loss a month ago, and play spoiler for any hopes the head of BULLET CLUB GOLD has at winning the Gold League. If White loses this Wednesday night, all hope he had of snaking into a tie for the top spot will be so much dust in the wind thanks to the 13-Time ROH World Tag Team Champion! Can Mark do that? Can he find it within himself to score a win even though nothing is a stake save personal redemption? If there’s anyone in this tournament who has that heart, it’s Mark Briscoe!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE…

Standings

Brody King (6)

Andrade El Idolo (6)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (3)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Andrade El Idolo (6) vs. Brody King (6)

This Wednesday night the Blue League of the Continental Classic will come to DYNAMITE for the first time, and with it comes a battle of the two top men in standings! On paper there may be a three tie between Brody King, Andrade El Idolo, and Bryan Danielson, but the reality is that Bryan’s six points are the result of three matches in the Blue League while King and El Idolo have had just two thus far. That changes on Wednesday night when those two warriors collide in their third Blue League match, the halfway point of the tournament, and a rematch of their June 24th COLLISION bout that ended with a DQ victory for Andrade El Idolo after Buddy Matthews interfered on Brody’s behalf.

That will not be the case on Wednesday since, as we all know by now, outside interference in the Continental Classic will not be tolerated, a rule that thankfully has been obeyed by all parties involved thus far. That leaves the powerhouse of The House to deal with the man who had him dead to rights back in June when Buddy’s involvement was the only thing that saved Brody from tapping to the Figure Eight. Will DYNAMITE see Andrade finish the job that was so rudely interrupted at the beginning of the Summer, or will Brody King continue his monstrous run through the Blue League competition to ascend to the top of the mountain with nine points?

ONE-ON-ONE…

Roderick Strong vs. “Hangman” Adam Page

https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvJIgsR3Xb4?si=ao2NdrD3gtcsoHRt&start=7

Hangman hasn’t stepped into the ring since his unforgettable Texas Death match against Swerve Strickland, a fight he lost, but will forever be etched onto Adam’s soul as one of the most life changing he’s ever had. Where does he go now? It seems his mission is to insure Swerve never achieves his own championship dreams, but now there’s also a little bit of MJF in the mix because, quite frankly, the AEW World Champion is seeing the devil in everyone…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CaXu6XTFPZQ?si=sAhvoclUmKc4vbeX&start=7

Roderick Strong, since being (questionably) injured by Samoa Joe in the Grand Slam Eliminator Tournament finals back in September, has only fought twice, both just about a month ago, and spent most of his time being wheeled around by The Kingdom while yelling quite unnecessarily. One of those matches, the fight with Action Andretti, saw Strong land rather painfully on that neck that he’s been nursing for three months, giving him further excuses to not fight, but it looks like Roddy is finally putting himself back in the mix!

There’s a rich history between Roderick Strong and Adam Page, one dating back to the earliest years of Hangman’s career, and even saw Page serve as Roddy’s young boy in Ring of Honor when Strong was part of a group known as The Decade. It has been nine years since their last one-on-one fight, ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2014 event to be exact, and seven-plus years since they last shared at ring at ROH/NJPW GLOBAL WARS 2016. So much has changed for both men, especially for Hangman whose stock has risen so much from those young boy days to that of a former AEW World and World Tag Team champion.

This Wednesday night their paths merge once more as each forges ahead with their careers into the great unknown. Is their future the AEW World Champion? Is it something else neither has found yet? Page still has Swerve in his focus, Roderick is still rather obsessive where it comes to anything around Adam Cole, but is that all there is for them?

VENGEANCE…

Ruby Soho vs. Riho

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WZZrFjUAxS4?si=aN91IEfpK7Br_e14&start=166

When we last saw Riho inside an AEW ring it was as another victim of The Outcasts, when they were a united trio, after they’d already beaten her and Skye Blue in a tag team bout. Following the match, Riho was assaulted, spray painted, and dropped with a Triple Powerbomb, never getting a chance to even the score with her assailants.

This past week on DYNAMITE though, after Toni Storm’s victory over Skye Blue, Riho returned to the AEW stage and went straight for the AEW Women’s World Champion! Though Toni may longer have an affiliation with The Outcasts, she was still part of the scenario that put Riho out of AEW action, and the fact Toni’s the reigning champion furthers the incentive for Riho to target her first.

But that doesn’t mean the other women involved are in store for their own comeuppance as well, and that begins this Wednesday night in Arlington when Riho goes one-on-one with Ruby Soho! It’s the first time these two warriors have gone to battle since Ruby eliminated Riho from the 2022 Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament, given Riho even more incentive to even the score with this Outcast! Will Riho manage to do that this Wednesday night, or will Ruby have Saraya at her side to tip the scales?

JOE! JOE! JOE!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwmpZ6s4s8I?si=B2n_MeC_QDSZnzZa&start=7

Samoa Joe had promised to keep Maxwell Jacob Friedman intact heading into their AEW World Championship bout, but it’s hard to do that when the champion is doing nothing to keep himself safe. He’s already banged up from his title fight against Jay White at FULL GEAR 2023, but that hasn’t stopped MJF from continuing to pursue a fight at every opportunity, especially where this Devil and his masked men are concerned. 

That’s what led to Samoa Joe standing in the ring waiting for the arrival of his temporary partner, saw him stuck in the ring while a group of masked men surrounded it, and then just as abruptly left all by himself to watch a video of MJF laid out, apparently with bottle smashed across his head based on the wreckage left around him.

So where is Samoa Joe’s head at after all that, knowing he’s only a couple weeks away from WORLDS END, and MJF constantly in jeopardy of not being up for the fight? We will hear from the most dangerous man in professional wrestling this Wednesday in Arlington!

THE GOLDEN JETS…

Coming off a hard-fought victory over “All Ego” Ethan Page, Kenny Omega was laid out by Big Bill and left for dead on the COLLISION stage, a message to Omega and Chris Jericho as they sit with a guaranteed AEW World Tag Team Championship match in their pocket. Both Jericho and Omega have paid physical prices for earning that shot, though Omega may have paid a more personal one given that it came at the cost of beating his supposed best friends at FULL GEAR 2023, and this week on DYNAMITE we will hear from the #1 Contender’s regarding Ricky Starks and Big Bill! Will this be the day they call their shot, and name the site of their title match?

DYNAMITE debuts in Arlington, TX this Wednesday night at the College Park Center featuring three more bouts in the Gold League of the Continental Classic! We’ve got a battle of the 9-Pointers in Swerve Strickland and Jon Moxley, the winless Mark Briscoe fighting Jay White, and Rush taking on Jay Lethal as the latter tries to stay in contention! In addition, former ROH Women’s World Champion Riho returns to action against Ruby Soho, Roderick Strong is back in the fight opposite Hangman Page, and Samoa Joe will be in the house after watching his WORLDS END foe get laid out apparently by AEW’s Devil.

The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, just be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Collision Results for December 9, 2023

AEW Collision Results for December 9, 2023

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!

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

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

Continental Classic Blue League Standings:

Brody King (6)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (3)

Andrade El Idolo (3)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (0)

Daniel Garcia (0)

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli 

vs. 

ROH World Champion/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston!

Kingston cracked Claudio with a spinning backfist. Claudio left the ring and Eddie followed up with a tope suicida. Things were intense right out of the gates, with Kingston trying to finish Claudio early. Claudio pancaked Kingston, his face slammed into the mat, good for a two-count.

Claudio clotheslines Kingston, who was on the apron of the ring. Claudio connected with a big double stomp on the sternum of Kingston. Claudio ducked a chop and put Kingston in the Giant Swing! Claudio transitioned into the sharpshooter. Kingston reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold.

Claudio battered Kingston in the corner with vicious forearms. Eddie was dazed. Claudio blasted Kingston with a short arm lariat. 

The fans chanted “Let’s go Eddie! Let’s go Eddie!”

“Eddie may be out here. He can’t even get his hands up,” said Tony Schiavone.

Claudio pulled Eddie to his feet and hoisted him up onto the top turnbuckle. Claudio dug his fingernails into Eddie’s back and then superplexed Eddie! Claudio grabbed a waist lock suplex for a two-count on Eddie.

“Claudio just toying with Eddie, asking him to fire up,” said Schiavone.

Eddie responded with two exploder suplexes on Claudio for a near fall.

“It looks like Eddie has flipped the switch,” said Kevin Kelly.

Kingston fired off machine gun chops to Claudio. Kingston rocked Claudio with a lariat for a two-count. Claudio countered a knee strike with a suplex. Claudio applied an STF on Kingston at the 15 minute mark. Kingston crawled to the ropes and forced the ref to break the hold. 

Claudio went for the Ricola bomb, but Kingston tried to counter with a spinning backfist. Claudio ducked it and hit a clothesline for a two-count on Kingston. Eddie hit the half-and-half and then two spinning backfists for a near fall on Claudio! Claudio used a hurracanrana, but Eddie rolled up Claudio, pinning him with a cradle!

“Eddie Kingston stays alive! An incredible gut check win for Kingston,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Renee Paquette interviewed FTW Champion HOOK backstage about the consistent issues he’s been having with Wheeler Yuta!

Paquette: “What’s going on with you two?”

ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta walked onto the set and interrupted Renee before HOOK could answer.

Wheeler Yuta: “Renee, I’ll tell you what’s up. Hook you are a paper champion. Renee you shouldn’t be wasting your time with amateurs like this when you could be interviewing honorable guys like myself.”

Hook: “Yeah, real honorable. You kicked Shibata in the balls.”

Wheeler: “Hook, I pinned Shibata in the middle of the ring to become a record-setting three-time Ring of Honor Pure champion. I can do it under Pure rules, but I can do it under your rules too. And I am tired of dealing with you. You’re the one who started this. I’m ready to put you out. So, let’s do it under FTW Rules.”

Hook: “All right.”

Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Martinez (with Diamante)!

Willow clocked Martinez with a clothesline. Willow clubbed Martinez with repeated shots and then a shoulder block. Willow splashed Martinez with a senton. Willow followed Martinez to the floor and Martinez rammed Willow into the edge of the ring. Martinez whipped Willow into the steel barricade.

“That is one vicious lady right there,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Martinez spiked Willow with a draping DDT off the timekeeper’s table! Back in the ring Martinez hit Willow with two vertical suplexes, but Willow countered with her own suplex and then face planted Martinez for a near fall. 

Willow smashed Martinez with a cannonball splash in the turnbuckles. Diamante jumped onto the apron, but Willow knocked her to the arena floor. Martinez used the distraction to her advantage and stunned Willow with a fisherman’s bomb for a two-count. Martinez followed up with a backdrop driver, and then another. Martinez hoisted up Willow and planted her, but Willow managed to roll up Martinez with a small package and pin her!

“How did Willow do it?” asked a shocked Kevin Kelly.

Martinez and Diamante attacked Willow after the match. Diamante pulled a ladder out from beneath the ring and slid it to Martinez, who used it on Willow. 

Kris Statlander ran to the ring with a chain wrapped around her fist! Martinez and Diamante retreated while Statlander checked on Willow.

Renee Paquette interviewed Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jake Hager backstage!

Hager was outraged that Danhausen had stolen his purple bucket hat. “I got bad hat fever!” said Hager.

Ruby Soho showed up and began to smile at Cool Hand Ang. Saraya and Anna Jay walked onto the set. Saraya ordered Daddy Magic to handle the situation. 

Saraya: “We’ve been looking for you all day. What are you hiding?”

Ruby: “Nothing. It’s cold.”

Saraya pulled Ruby’s jacket open and saw she was wearing a Cool Hand Ang t-shirt underneath. 

Saraya: “You’re an evil witch. You’re going to leave me just like her! You haven’t been there for me and I’m not going to be there for you next week when you face Riho, unless you prove to me that you still want to do this.”

Up next: Wardlow vs. Willie Mack!

“Willie Mack is AR Fox’s friend, but you’ve got to be some kind of friend to want to fight Wardlow,” said Kevin Kelly. 

Willie hammered Wardlow with some strikes but then Wardlow dropkicked Willie. Wardlow rocked Willie with uppercuts in the corner. Wardlow headbutted Willie Mack. Willie fired back with a standing moonsault, but Wardlow kicked out at the one-count. Wardlow caught Willie in midair and powerbombed him!

Wardlow powerbombed Willie Mack again and then walloped Willie with a lariat. Wardlow devastated Willie Mack with another powerbomb, and the ref stopped the match! Wardlow was victorious via ref stoppage!

The House of Black had a message for FTR!

Malakai Black: “So your best friend is gone. And the only people that truly seem to care about you, well, it’s us. 

“All Ego” Ethan Page vs. “The Cleaner” Kenny Omega!

“Ethan Page is not 100% right now, after being put through a table by Tony Nese,” noted Tony Schiavone.

Omega charged into Page with a shoulder tackle. Page wailed away at Omega in the corner with stiff shots. Tony Nese was seen scouting the match backstage. 

Ethan Page jumped through the ropes with a cutter on Omega out of nowhere! Omega immediately rolled to the outside, clearly hurt from the cutter. Page followed Omega and whipped Omega into the guardrail. Kenny put the brakes on and then hit a moonsault off the guardrail onto Ethan Page!

Back in the ring Page scoop slammed Omega. Kenny lured Page in and suplexed Page over the ropes and both men spilled out onto the arena floor!

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

Omega powerbombed Page and then targeted him with a V-trigger for a near fall. Page brought down Omega with an Iconoclasm and then a DDT for a near fall. Omega retaliated with a snapdragon suplex. Omega hit a second snapdragon on Ethan Page. 

Page rocked Omega with an avalanche slam off the top rope for a near fall. Omega tried for the One-Winged Angel, but Page countered with a cradle for a near fall. Kenny smashed Page with two V-triggers and then finished him off with the One-Winged Angel, scoring the victory over Page!

“Standing ovation here in Montreal,” said Nigel.

After the match, Big Bill blindsided Kenny Omega with a big boot to the head!

“So now the World Tag Team Champions have put both the Golden Jets down,” noted Kevin Kelly. 

Lexy Nair interviewed CJ Perry backstage when “The Redeemer” Miro interrupted!

Miro: “I am your husband, and I’m trying to figure out when was the last time you said so many good things about me, like you do about Andrade El Idolo? Why are you so mad because I told you to stay home? I am the bread earner and you’re my queen.”

CJ Perry: “Are you really that delusional Miro? I mean, you told me to stay home and cook, clean and listen. And then you denounce me. Make up your mind.”

Miro: “A lady needs to get her hands dirty every now and again. When my dad goes fishing, my mom cleans the fish. When my dad kills bull with his bare hand, my mom guts them. When I hunt, you clean. But don’t worry. I’m not going to touch your client Andrade in this tournament. But once it’s finished, so is he.”

Penta El Zero Miedo & Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)

vs. 

“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard & “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker!

The hometown crowd chanted “Daddy Magic! Daddy Magic!”

Penta El Zero Miedo punted Daddy Magic in the face. Menard offered his hand to Penta, shook it, and then blindsided him. Komander and Parker tagged in for their respective teams. Komander took down Parker with two arm drags and a dropkick. 

Komander and Penta used tandem offense on Parker. Menard charged in and was staggered but stereo thrust kicks. Penta monkey flipped Komander into Parker and Menard! Komander and Penta went for double dives but Menard and Parker crashed the party with stereo forearms.

Penta rallied back with sling blades to Menard and Parker. Komander and Penta connected with double thrust kicks to Parker and Menard. 

“The fans are chanting ‘This is awesome!’ and I would agree,” said Schiavone. 

Menard applied a Montreal Crab to Penta, but Komander charged in and broke it up. Penta picked up Parker for the Fear Factor and then Komander walked the ropes and crashed onto Parker, more than enough to score the pin on Cool Hand Ang!

Main Event Time! Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Bryan Danielson vs. Andrade El Idolo!

“The crowd seems to be evenly split with respectful chants for both Andrade and Danielson,” said Kevin Kelly. 

Andrade had a tight side headlock on Danielson, putting pressure on Danielson’s surgically repaired orbital socket. Andrade shoulder blocked Danielson but Danielson came back with a suplex. 

Danielson kicked Andrade but Andrade countered with a dragon screw leg whip. Andrade tried to smash into Danielson with the double knees, but Danielson dodged it. Danielson rocketed out of the ring with a dive to Andrade. 

Andrade ripped off Danielson’s protective mask and nailed him in the eye with a forearm! Danielson was busted open. Andrade El Idolo applied a figure four to Danielson in the center of the ring. Danielson rolled and managed to reach the ropes. 

Andrade headbutted Danielson on the top turnbuckle. Andrade put his thumb in Danielson’s eye socket. They hit one another with open palm strikes. Danielson slapped Andrade off the turnbuckles. Danielson connected with a missile dropkick!

Bryan Danielson punished Andrade El Idolo with round kicks. Danielson tried for the LeBell Lock, but Andrade fought it off. Both men went down after they collided into one another with clotheslines. 

The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”

Andrade superplexed Danielson at the 15 minute mark. Andrade grabbed a near fall after the three amigos suplex. Andrade climbed to the top turnbuckle, looking for a moonsault, but Danielson countered with an avalanche belly to back suplex for a two-count. Danielson applied the LeBell Lock and screamed for Andrade to tap!

Andrade escaped and caught Danielson with a spinning back elbow for a near fall! Danielson’s eye was swelling up. Both men peppered one another with stiff shots to the face. Andrade smashed Danielson with another spinning elbow and then rocked him with double knees in the corner. Andrade spiked Danielson with an arm bar DDT and pinned the American Dragon!

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have seen an unforgettable match here tonight,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Claudio Castagnoli and Wheeler Yuta ran to the ring to check on Danielson. Claudio shoved Andrade away, but Andrade was merely trying to check on Danielson.

“The concern right now is the condition of Bryan Danielson,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Winter Is Coming on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the College Park Center in Arlington, TX!

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

AEW Collision Preview for December 9, 2023

AEW Collision Preview for December 9, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-GAJk5UbvqM?si=VnTaEho-5PATJejt

As we reach the halfway point, things are heating up with the Continental Classic in both the Gold and Blue League with both Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal eliminated from victory in the Gold, Daniel Garcia (depending greatly on Saturday night) stands on the precipice of suffering the same fate in the Blue following his loss on RAMPAGE, and Eddie Kingston could end up in the same position depending on his COLLISION contest! We are heading full speed toward WORLDS END on December 30th, but there’s a lot of story to be told before All Elite Wrestling gets onto Long Island, and Montreal plays host to the next chapter!

In a clash of Canadians, “All Ego” Ethan Page goes head-to-head with Kenny Omega in their first-ever contest, Willie Mack steps up to defend his friend AR Fox against Wardlow, an old rivalry renews between Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Martinez, and the Blue League continues with Claudio versus Kingston and Danielson versus Andrade!  The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to best get prepared for it, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, to catch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE

Standings

Brody King (6)

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)

Claudio Castagnoli (3)

Andrade El Idolo (3)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (0)

Daniel Garcia (0)

ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Eddie Kingston (0) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (3)

The history between these two men is well-documented; former training partners, as well as former roommates, whose bad blood blossomed long ago and spilled all over the independent wrestling landscape in the years before Castagnoli left that landscape to ply his trade elsewhere. It was never laid to rest, never settled, and the truth was, even after Eddie Kingston finally defeated Claudio Castagnoli at GRAND SLAM 2023 to win the ROH World Championship, that animosity wasn’t going to fade away even if the two men planned on never fighting each other again. 

Unfortunately for Kingston and Castagnoli, their plan to never have to fight one another again became impossible as soon as the brackets were set for the Continental Classic and both were positioned in the Blue League. That made a conflict inevitable, whereas if they’d been kept in separate leagues then the finals would’ve been their only possible meeting place. Instead this Saturday night on COLLISION, in their third tournament matches, the ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion will fight the man he dethroned for the former, only this time no title will be at stake, rather three points in the league and the potential for Kingston to be mathematically eliminated from tournament victory. That loss would be a blow more devastating than any other he’s experienced thus far because not only would it mean Kingston is out of contention in the Continental Classic, it also means that he has effectively lost both the ROH World Championship and the NJPW STRONG Openweight Title. 

He may have the championship sobriquet attached to his name until December 29th, but if Kingston is eliminated from this tournament before WORLDS END, its a meaningless distinction and he’ll only have himself to blame for putting both titles into the mix to create this modern North American Triple Crown! Can Kingston ward off elimination with a second consecutive victory over Claudio Castagnoli? Or will “The Swiss Superman” bounce back from his loss to Brody King with yet another victory over “The Mad King”?

Bryan Danielson (6) vs. Andrade El Idolo (3)

The last time these two men met in combat was on the October 21st edition of COLLISION, and also the last singles match Bryan Danielson had before the orbital bone injuries he sustained just four days later in that DYNAMITE tag team bout against Okada and Orange Cassidy. It took nearly 19 minutes of fierce battle, but “The American Dragon” managed to topple Andrade on that night to emerge the victor. Now this Continental Classic tournament has given Andrade an opportunity to even their score…

It’s common knowledge that Bryan Danielson comes into this fight still healing from that eye injury, but it didn’t stop him from defeating Eddie Kingston last week in Bryan’s first tournament bout, it didn’t stop him from beating Daniel Garcia on RAMPAGE less than 24 hours ago, and it isn’t going to prevent Danielson from giving it his all against Andrade either. Much like how Danielson had to be wary of Kingston’s spinning back fist when it came to protecting the eye, this time around he needs to be cognizant of that deadly spinning back elbow Andrade employs to knock his opponents senseless. If that connects, not only could it mean the end of Danielson’s bid for three more points, it could mark the end of his participation in this tournament as a whole thanks to another re-fractured orbital bone…

A CANADIAN CHALLENGE…

“The Cleaner” Kenny Omega vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page

For the very first time in their careers, “All Ego” Ethan Page and “The Cleaner” Kenny Omega will go one-on-one after Ethan challenged AEW’s only Triple Crown winner to see who was the better Canadian! Back in June, when AEW came to Hamilton, Ontario for the first time, Ethan stepped up to give AEW World Champion MJF a run for his money in an impromptu title bout, and now he’s making another stand in the Great White North by calling out one of the most influential athletes of this generation!

Omega has had a rough 2023, losing four of his last six singles matches beginning with the night Don Callis stabbed him in the head inside a Steel Cage, and constantly being on the wrong end of an assault from Callis’ Family, but he’s now won three straight in tag team and multi-man affairs, including beating his own best friends The Young Bucks to steal their guaranteed AEW World Tag Title match while apparently sending them off to lick their wounds.

In Montreal, will Omega continue to get himself back on track or will it be Ethan Page’s time to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park?

FOR A FRIEND…

Wardlow vs. Willie Mack

Willie Mack and AR Fox have ties that run deep, back some ten years to shows in Mexico, even include the two men reigning as champions together as part of a trio back in 2015, and those ties have led Wardlow to putting himself in the path of “The War Dog”! For Wardlow, the path ends at MJF’s grave, but the AEW World Champion has a whole lot on his plate and his former bodyguard is going to have to get in the queue. Until then, every one who slows Wardlow down from getting to his goal is going to suffer, and he intends to make Willie Mack the next victim!

TIME FOR A FIGHT…

Mercedes Martinez vs. Willow Nightingale

Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Martinez have a rivalry that has spanned a half-decade, crossed across multiple companies, and across the United States. It began in 2018 in the Berwyn Eagles Club and picked back up in 2022 at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR event when the two competed for the Interim ROH Women’s World Championship. Both those singles matches were won by Martinez, as was their first AEW bout, a tag team match on COLLISION in August where Martinez and Diamante topped Willow and Kris Statlander. A Trios bout on the ZERO HOUR of ALL OUT 2023 finally saw Nightingale, with Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue as her partners, get that first victory over Mercedes who had ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and Diamante as her allies, and she would score another win over Martinez in a tag match for the Kitsune Women’s Wrestling promotion a few weeks later.

But nothing has brought an end to this rivalry, and the insistence of Mercedes and Diamante to engage with the woman Willow calls friends has kept them in each other’s lives as well. So it comes to blows once again this Saturday night on COLLISION in the third singles match between Nightingale and Martinez! After scoring the last two victories in their rivalry, can Nightingale finally get her first one-on-one win over Mercedes Martinez?

The Blue League tournament action continues, Mercedes Martinez and Willow Nightingale clash, Wardlow goes into battle with Willie Mack, and in a first-ever battle, Ethan Page meets Kenny Omega! COLLISION gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Rampage Preview for December 8, 2023

AEW Rampage Preview for December 8, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q_Z4gJPwYjg?si=pm4daG2ss5oskV4A&start=300

This past Wednesday on DYNAMITE the AEW faithful in Montreal, and those watching worldwide, witnessed the Gold League reach its halfway point, putting Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe on the cusp of elimination while both Moxley and Swerve Strickland shot for their ninth points. While the last two men achieved their goal of nine points, the first two sadly found themselves on the outside looking in with two matches in the tournament still to go. Moxley did it at Rush’s expense, Swerve did it a Jay Briscoe’s, and Jay White gained his 6th point by knocking Lethal out of contention. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CaXu6XTFPZQ?si=HzF78OKSsQcODZMj

In addition, AEW World/ROH World Tag Champion MJF was laid out, apparently with a broken bottle, while Samoa Joe stood in the ring awaiting their tag bout against The Devil’s Masked Men, Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s World Championship over Skye Blue only to be confronted by Riho, and TNT Champion Christian Cage managed to defend his title over Adam Copeland in no small part due to the involvement of Shayna Wayne. 

This Friday night RAMPAGE comes to you from Montreal starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features a Continental Classic match in the Blue League between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia, Abadon in action against The Infantry’s Trish Adora, and The Don Callis Family in Tag Team action, plus we will see AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, with Danhausen in his corner, in action against Angelico stemming from ROH ON HONOR CLUB Thursday night! Beforehand, be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!

Continental Collision Blue League…

Bryan Danielson (3) vs. Daniel Garcia (0)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VrhcnljbWP0?si=JqjG7kuJJocB8XRN&start=336

Last Saturday night Bryan Danielson, with one eye concealed due to his orbital bone injury, defeated ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston in The American Dragon’s first Continental Classic bout. It was hard-hitting, draining, pushed Danielson to his limit, and yet here he less than a week later competing in his second Blue League bout, with his third scheduled for COLLISION opposite Andrade El Idolo!

And just who will “The American Dragon” face this Friday night on RAMPAGE? Why it’s the man who dubbed himself “The Dragon Slayer” after beating Bryan back on the July 27, 2022 edition of DYNAMITE. Danielson might hold the overall advantage over Daniel Garcia in their series of matches, including a 2 of 3 Falls victory on the 8/17/22 edition of DYNAMITE, but the man once called “Red Death” knows what it feels like to be the ROH Hall of Famer. 

Garcia is coming into this fight without a point to his name in the Continental Classic, just two painful losses to Andrade El Idolo and Claudio Castagnoli, and certainly considered the dark horse of the Blue League. He still has Brody King, he still has Eddie Kingston, but this Friday night he must remain focused on Bryan Danielson and take the rest of this tournament one fight at a time. Garcia needs to get on the board with this match, his halfway point of the tourney as the first man to compete in his third bout, otherwise he could end up in the same position as Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe.

But if Daniel Garcia can find a way to another victory over Bryan Danielson, this one without the helping hand of Jake Hager, it may very well be the launching point he needs to rebound from those two painful losses and run the table the rest of the way to a nine point showing! Playing spoiler to Bryan Danielson’s pursuit of Blue League superiority is a tremendous resume builder, and if Garcia can be that guy, Kingston and King better take notice and be prepared.

On the other hand, if it’s Danielson who comes out with the victory, he better hope it’s a fast victory with minimal damage to his person because less than 24 hours later, “The American Dragon” will be right back in Continental Classic action with a fight against Andrade El Idolo! For someone who’s freshly back from injury, is it wise taking two fights of this caliber in just one day’s time?

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (w/ Danhausen) vs. Angelico (w/ Serpentico)

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Danhausen were just trying to do the right thing by Christopher Daniels, help someone out when their foe was taking advantage of a numbers situation, and that has now brought the champ into direct conflict with The Spanish Announce Project this Friday night on RAMPAGE!

Though not endeavoring into quite the hectic schedule he kept with his first International Championship reign, Orange Cassidy still aims to defend his title against anyone brave enough to step up to the challenge, and it looks like Angelico will be the next individual to try “Freshly Squeezed”!

This encounter will mark their third since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, with OC taking the victories in 2020 and 2021, but their first with a championship on the line. Will Angelico be able to parlay his unique pro wrestling style, with maybe a little help from Serpentico, to his first AEW championship title? Or will Orange Cassidy continue the success he experienced in his first International Title reign?

TAG TEAM BOUT…

The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs) 

vs. Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vmle0p2f5II?si=on0FRvc1iTgokIVv&start=336

As witnessed last week, Don Callis’ Family is on a roll and this Friday night on RAMPAGE they aim to continue elevating their dominant presence inside the squared circle. This weekend they will do so in a tag team encounter when Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita, two of the most powerful men in All Elite Wrestling, unite for the first time to create a team that could be the most terrifying in the locker room.

Their foes on RAMPAGE will be former ROH Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal who, though their reign took place some 17 years ago, have set their sights on finding that magic once again. They’ve been frustrated thus far, losing four consecutive bouts in AEW, but with careers as rich as theirs and 53 years of combined experience in the mat wars, Daniels and Sydal are not about to lay down and give up. They want to face the best competition, the hungry young faces looking to take the top places in the game, and one would be hard-pressed to find two hungrier individuals than Takeshita and Hobbs!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Abadon vs. Trish Adora

https://www.youtube.com/embed/E_UuH_f5_Cw?si=rAIQjezEQwrsiR-X&start=336

The TBS Championship is clearly on the mind of “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon, but it is just as evident that reigning champion Julia Hart is not the least bit spooked by what Abadon brings to the table. That makes the potential of an Abadon/Julia Hart showdown quite intriguing, two people who live in the shadows and darkness, but before that potentiality becomes reality, Abadon will be in action this Friday night on RAMPAGE against The Infantry’s Trish Adora.

Adora has been building her name on Ring of Honor each week, and now she aims to bring that to the AEW stage as well, but with one of the most fearsome entities in the Women’s Division standing across the ring from her, can Adora rise above any fears and put “The Living Dead Girl” back in the ground?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/uvJIgsR3Xb4?si=AffTbxbboM50fxz-

RAMPAGE comes to you at 10pm ET/9pm CT from Montreal’s Bell Centre this Friday night on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and it is one stacked event! Sadly Don Callis’ “Family” will be in action to spoil the party, but thankfully the Continental Classic will continue with Blue League action between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia! Plus, Orange Cassidy will defend his AEW International Championship against Angelico after their encounter following ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and Abadon will be in action! Before the show begins, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Announces Eight Canadian Shows Throughout 2024

AEW Announces Eight Canadian Shows Throughout 2024

— Latest Canadian Tour Runs from March through July, Including Debut Shows in Four New Markets —

December 6, 2023 – During tonight’s live episode of “AEW: Dynamite” from Montreal, AEW CEO Tony Khan announced that the red-hot promotion will make eight separate stops across Canada in 2024 for its shows “AEW: Dynamite,” “AEW: Rampage” and “AEW: Collision.”

After drawing the then-largest gate in AEW history with “AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door” this past June at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto as part of an eight-show tour that concluded at the iconic Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, AEW will make return stops throughout Canada next year in March, April, May and July. In addition, AEW’s 2024 Canadian tour will include market debuts in Ottawa and London, Ontario, Quebec City, Quebec, as well as Vancouver, British Columbia.

AEW’s eight Canadian shows in 2024 are as follows:

• Saturday, March 16: “AEW: Collision” live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

• Wednesday, March 20: “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” live from the Coca- Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario.

• Wednesday, March 27: “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” live from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec.

• Saturday, March 30: “AEW: Collision” live from the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario.

• Wednesday, April 10: “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” live from the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

• Wednesday, May 8: “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

• Saturday, May 11: “AEW: Collision” live from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.

• Wednesday, July 10: “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Rampage” come to the Calgary Stampede live from the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta.

Tickets for all eight shows go on sale Friday, December 15 at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets make great holiday gifts and can be purchased at AEWTix.com.“I think that the global successes of 2023, especially our historic ticket sales record set at ‘AEW: All In London’ at Wembley Stadium and our foray into Canada where we saw incredible moments such as ‘AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door’ in Toronto and the crowning of the second Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winners in Calgary, helped make this a banner year for AEW,” said Tony Khan. “We’re in a great position going into 2024, and I can’t wait to plant AEW’s flag in four new markets across Canada, and revisit some of the amazing cities we debuted in last summer. Everyone at AEW is proud to continue paying homage to Canada’s rich wrestling heritage, and serving the great Canadian fans with massive shows across the country in the new year.”

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. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 6, 2023

AEW Dynamite Preview for December 6, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Si4lxrwy2NI?si=-Y3Jm9Fq2y8jxZck

Last week on DYNAMITE the AEW faithful bore witness to the next round of Gold League bouts in the Continental Classic, including Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland raising their point total to six as “El Toro Blanco” Rush scored his first three, leaving Jay White with three, while Jay Lethal, as well as Mark Briscoe, have zero to their name. In addition, AEW World Champion MJF was challenged by the devil-masked individual to unite with Samoa Joe for a tag team bout, and Toni Storm was informed she’d be putting AEW Women’s World Championship on the line in Montreal!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/pap7Jhl7xZ8?si=_GilxT19zHKIygmT

This Wednesday night, as AEW brings DYNAMITE to the Bell Centre in Montreal for the very first time, we will see the next three bouts in the Gold League, as well as two huge championship matches! Swerve battles Mark Briscoe, Jon Moxley takes on Rush, and Jay Lethal goes head-to-head with Jay White as some jockey for the top spot while others attempt to stave off mathematical elimination! “Timeless” Toni Storm will put her championship on the line for the first time in this third reign as she faces one of her most persistent foes in Skye Blue, and, in the face of 40-plus years of friendship, TNT Champion Christian Cage will face “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!

DYNAMITE kicks off at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get catch up on highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

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

It has been more than thirteen years since the last time Christian Cage and Adam Copeland stood across the ring from one another waiting for the first bell to ring that signifies the start of their one-on-one clash. The site of that fight was the Air Canada Center in Toronto, and it came to a conclusion with an Adam Copeland victory, just as it had sixteen other times over their twenty-six singles bouts on record. Though the two men would find their way back to a partnership for a handful of matches in 2011, the neck injuries that should’ve ended Adam’s career, and actually kept him out of the ring for nine years, ended their tag team bond.

Despite Copeland grinding through a grueling recovery, struggling and fighting to get back into the ring in January 2020, the two life-long friends only stood in the ring during a match one more time prior to WRESTLEDREAM in Seattle, and somewhat ironically that was a one night only affair as Christian Cage was forced to step away from in-ring activity in 2014 due to his own medical concerns, and not resuming his in-ring career until that first match for AEW on March 31, 2021.

So in addition to the friendship that begun some 40 years ago, in addition to all the wars they’d fought together as friends, as partners, and even as foes, Adam and Christian were also bonded by the pain of nearly losing their dream as a result of their bodies betraying them. But so too were they bonded by overcoming all odds and fighting their way back to making that dream a reality when there was no rationale reason for either man to still be competing, much less doing so at the highest of levels they are still doing at this point in their careers.

And yet here they are, despite all that connective tissue, standing as far apart as they have ever been with an seemingly insurmountable gap between their desires for AEW. Copeland came here with the dream of standing side-by-side with his best friend and finishing out their careers showing the world why they’ve long been considered one of the best tag teams of their generation, why they were such a game-changing force in tag team wrestling, and just being able to enjoy everything they’d worked so hard to accomplish.

Christian, on the other hand, came to AEW to get as much distance as possible between he and Adam and to establish himself as far away from any notion of the team they used to be once upon a time. He came to be his own individual, and Copeland coming to AEW only served, in Cage’s mind, to cast that shadow over his accomplishments since REVOLUTION 2021, not that great deal of Christian’s accomplishments deserves accolades. He betrayed Jack Perry and Luchasaurus, then turned Luchasaurus on Perry and made the former World Tag Champion into his lapdog, and even though he helped lead Luchasaurus to the TNT Championship, he didn’t even the man to hold his own championship while simultaneously claiming himself as the true TNT Champion. Then, when the opportunity came, Cage robbed Luchasaurus of the TNT Championship to officially make it his own.

He turned Nick Wayne against Darby Allin, as well as his own mother, humiliated Luchasaurus, robbed him of his name, rechristened the man Killswitch as an homage to himself, and threatened to break the neck of his supposed best friend after Adam Copeland came to AEW with a hopeful reunion in his mind. Christian disrespected Copeland’s family, a family that Adam considered him a part of, and has sacrificed both Killswitch and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne in order to save his own skin. The fact that Christian Cage is proud of those accomplishments goes to show just what kind of man he’s devolved into since his arrival in AEW, it just took Sting shaking some sense into him for Adam Copeland to realize just who his supposed best friend truly was at heart.

So now this Wednesday night in Montreal, they will fight, and Christian’s prized TNT Championship will be on the line! Interestingly enough, though Copeland leads Cage in victories in their one-on-one collisions, it is Cage who has a razor thin edge when titles at stake. Nineteen times on record they’ve fought one-on-one over a championship, ten of those have been won by Christian Cage, but the last four by Copeland, although it has been a dozen years since the last of those championship contests.

While these men may be more familiar with each other than anyone else in AEW could hope to be, neither is dealing with the same man with whom they captured seven tag team titles together. Each has been changed by their experiences, experiences that should’ve brought them closer together than ever, but instead have seen them driven further apart than ever before. If there was ever any hope for this friendship to find a place of healing, it will likely be dashed Wednesday night on DYNAMITE. Some bridges can’t be rebuilt after the fire, some sins are not forgivable…

AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

“Timeless” Toni Storm(c) vs. Skye Blue

While “Timeless” Toni Storm may still be basking in the glow of becoming a 3-Time AEW Women’s World Champion, apparently recovering from Hollywood parties and hobnobbing with stars, the rest of the division has had their eye on being the first challenger to her throne, and it looks like Storm will have to deal with a familiar foe for her first defense!

Skye Blue has been a consistent thorn in the side of Toni Storm since the beginning of 2023, and there’s not a woman in AEW the defending champion has faced more in one-on-one matches. Five times they have gone head-to-head inside the squared circle, two of those in championship matches, and all five have gone in favor of Toni Storm. Even the Four Way Title match at HOUSE RULES: HUNTSVILLE over the summer, a bout that also involved Anna Jay and Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, came to an end with Storm pinning Sky. In fact, in the nine total fights these woman have been involved in, Toni holds a 7-2 lead on her challenger, with both of Skye’s victories coming in tag team bouts, though neither conclusion saw Skye pin Toni to get the victory.

The last fight between the two woman went down two months ago on DYNAMITE, and once again it was Skye who fell in defeat, but her transformation over the last several months may be the key to Skye finally claiming, not just a victory over Toni Storm, but also her first AEW Women’s World Championship! Will fans see another Storm/Blue sequel laid out by “The Timeless One”, or will Skye Blue rewrite the script for a whole new take on their franchise? Tune in Wednesday night to see who claims the crown as best lead in the AEW Women’s Division! And just announced as a special guest:

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: GOLD LEAGUE…

STANDINGS:

Jon Moxley (6)

Swerve Strickland (6)

Jay White (3)

Rush (3)

Mark Briscoe (0)

Jay Lethal (0)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DezZSrkPAGE?si=7Vv15MYnamJfe5Fg

Mark Briscoe (0) vs. Swerve Strickland (6)

One is a man riding high with two consecutive victories and six points to his Continental Classic tally while the other is a man who has twice tasted defeated, meaning zero points on his record for this tournament. The former is Swerve Strickland, the latter Mark Briscoe, and this Wednesday night in Montreal, they will meet in their first-ever singles match and for just the second time in their careers!

That one previous clash between these two men took place a lifetime ago, and a continent away, when Shane Strickland teamed up with the late Ryan Smile at RevPro’s SUMMER SIZZLER 2017 event in a losing effort against Jay & Mark Briscoe. So much has changed for both these men in the six years since, especially for Mark as he forges forward into the world of singles wrestling after the tragic loss of brother Jay back on January 17th of this year.

Singles wrestling isn’t a foreign concept for Mark, after all he has been in the game for 23 years, years that including some hellacious singles matches against his own brother for one, but doing singles work exclusively, now that is uncharted territory for “The Sussex County Chicken” and perhaps why he is taking the losses as good as he can. Mark knows competing in this tournament isn’t the easiest path, that he’s faced with five of the best in the world in this Gold League, but that doesn’t mean he’ll back down or fold up shop. It’s motivation to get better, to keep pushing, and to continue fighting on for the Briscoe name.

Between Mox and Rush, Mark has already thrown down with two of the heaviest hitters in the Gold League, and now he’s got the red-hot Swerve on his plate who proved unquestionably with that Texas Death Match that he’s got the same grit as Mark’s previous two opponents. Getting those first three points out of this one is going to be a grind for Chicken, but that’s what he does and Swerve best not underestimate as he pursues nine points. After all, Mark is a cornered animal now, a loss here mathematically eliminates him from the competition, and you know what they say about cornered animals…

Jon Moxley (6) vs. Rush (3)

This one is going to hurt, and going to hurt both men involved even more than they are already hurting. We all heard it straight from Moxley himself in the interview embedded above, he is aching and sore and sick and tired, but sick and tired of being sick and tired but fighting is what he does, what he knows, and it’s Moxley’s way through the pain wracking his body.

Similarly, the AEW faithful witnessed Rush gut out a victory over Mark Briscoe last week despite clearly going through some intense leg pain throughout the contest. For a minute it seemed as if the doctor might stop the match, but “El Toro Blanco” fought to his feet, threw down with Mark, and found the way to his first three points in the Continental Classic.

Now these two hard-hitting forces will collide in a rematch of their AEW Interim World Title Match that took place at FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN 2022 on July 27th, as well as the Texas Tornado Tag from the 2/15/23 DYNAMITE that saw The BCC of Mox and Claudio defeat Rush and Preston Vance. Everyone knows the kind of fight these to men bring to the table, and how each seems to feed off getting hit by their foes, but as this tournament gets deeper, as their bodies break down further, and WORLDS END gets closer, will their strategies change? A win for Rush will tie him up with Mox at three points, one for the former 3-Time AEW World Champion could potentially put him at the top of the heap with nine depending on how Swerve’s fight plays out. Every win is crucial, but this week marks the halfway point, and no one can afford to take an “L”…

Jay Lethal (0) vs. Jay White (3)

This is one part Continental Collision contest and one part rubber match as, over the course of their careers, Jay Lethal and Jay White each hold a singles victory over the other. For Lethal, his victory over the future “Switchblade” came at ROH’s GLOBAL WARS 2017, NIGHT 2 event during Jay’s stateside excursion from the New Japan Dojo. There were other bouts involving the two, eight-mans and Three Way’s and Four Corner Survivals, even a trios bout in Korakuen Hall, but that October 13th fight in Pittsburgh was their lone singles until “King Switch” came calling five years later.

From December 2021 through April 2022, Jay White held what he called “The U.S. of Jay Open Challenge Series” during NJPW STRONG broadcasts, a five match series where he first battled Swerve, as well as Christopher Daniels, Chris Sabin, and “Speedball” Mike Bailey. In the second match of the series Jay Lethal answered the call, and on 2/19/22, fell before “Switchblade”.

That bring us to this Wednesday night, the halfway point of the Continental Classic with two matches in the rear view mirror and two waiting down the road, but only one of these two men is on the scoreboard. With a shady victory over Rush, but a loss to Swerve, “Switchblade” Jay White sits with three points while Lethal, following losses to Moxley and Swerve, has a zero beside his name.

So not only are these men fighting for the next three points, they are also fighting for dominance in their series of matches, and in the case of Jay Lethal, desperation to get on the board at all. Should Lethal lose again here, and if Moxley and/or Swerve win, well “The Franchise of ROH” will mathematically be eliminated from winning the bracket.

WHAT IS MJF THINKING…

AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF and Samoa Joe

vs.

The Devil’s Masked Men

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6xW-341p1Y4?si=hirMWkgfh3WPV12j&start=50

Given his physical condition, the face that he’s got to fight Samoa Joe at WORLDS END in twenty-four days, and that he’s still carrying the ROH World Tag Team Titles on behalf of himself and Adam Cole, is it wise for MJF to enter into a fight this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, especially when he has no idea who whose foes actually are?

And what good is Samoa Joe’s promise to keep MJF intact for their fight on December 30th if the AEW World Champion isn’t taking care of himself? Perhaps that’s why Maxwell feels emboldened to take up this tag team fight against an unknown entity, perhaps he’s just lost the ability to use his common sense, whatever the case, this is certainly not the same MJF who spent most of his AEW career avoiding the fight as much as possible. After all, this is the guy who skated by with just six matches in 2019, two of those being Battle Royales, and may see more ring time this year than in the last two combined! Now MJF is running towards the fight, his physical health be damned, and it may fall on Samoa Joe to protect the man from himself if the former AEW World TV Champion hopes to actually see their scheduled World Title Fight in a few weeks.

If not underneath the guise of The Devil, will we all see who’s under the black masks this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE? Or will that be a mystery that continues to haunt Maxwell Jacob Friedman as struggles to keep the AEW World Champion in his grasp?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/E_UuH_f5_Cw?si=U9iMEtBCDrI9AkEt

DYNAMITE comes to Montreal’s Bell Centre for the very first time, and with it comes two massive championship fights, as well as the next three fights in the Gold League! We will see Swerve Strickland take on Mark Briscoe, Jon Moxley throw down with Rush, and Jay Lethal fight Jay White, plus “Timeless” Toni Storm defends her AEW Women’s World Championship against Skye Blue! And in one of the most anticipated fights in All Elite Wrestling, TNT Champion Christian Cage will fig “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland with his coveted title on the line!

The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Collision Results for December 2, 2023

AEW Collision Results for December 2, 2023

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!

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

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

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

The House of Black’s Brody King

vs.

The Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli!

Brody and Claudio, both known for their power, began the match by blasting one another with forearms. Brody hit Claudio with a lariat, not afraid to utilize the cast on his injured arm.

“I don’t know if this is for pride or what, but neither man is going down,” said Tony Schiavone.

Brody pump kicked Claudio, taking down Claudio with a big boot to the face. Claudio came back with a body slam and then knocked Brody over the top rope and to the arena floor with a clothesline. Claudio followed up with a running European Uppercut.

Claudio whipped Brody into the steel barricade. Brody charged back with a lariat and then removed the steel padding on the barricade. Brody hurled Claudio back into the exposed barricade. Back in the ring, Brody clobbered Claudio with a scoop slam and a running senton splash.

Claudio rallied back with European Uppercuts to Brody in the corner. Claudio went for the Giant Swing, but Brody pushed him away. Claudio shot back with a double foot stomp for a near fall. Claudio rocked Brody with a pop up European Uppercut!

“He lifted him a good two feet off the mat!” said Nigel.

Claudio grabbed Brody in the Giant Swing! Claudio applied a sharpshooter. Brody crawled to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Brody managed to German Suplex Claudio and followed up with a running cannonball in the corner. He covered Claudio but Claudio kicked out at one! Claudio hit a Canadian Destroyer on Brody and covered him, but Brody kicked out at one!

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

Brody spiked Claudio with a piledriver for a near fall! Brody leveled Claudio with a massive lariat and pinned Claudio!

“I’m wondering if it may have been that cast on the forearm shot,” said Kevin Kelly.

Abadon vs. Kiera Hogan!

Hogan hit a shotgun dropkick on Abadon. Abadon battered Hogan in the corner. They charged at Hogan, but Hogan moved and connected with a thrust kick. Kiera Hogan followed up with a dropkick for a near fall. Abadon used a sidewalk slam on Kiera Hogan. Abadon stunned Hogan with a cutter!

Kiera Hogan nailed Abadon with a neck breaker. Abadon fired back with a knee strike. They planted Hogan hard on the mat with the Black Dahlia and pinned Hogan!

The arena lights went dark. When they came back on, TBS Champion Julia Hart was in the ring, smiling at Abadon. The lights went dark again, and this time, when the arena lights turned on, Julia had vanished!

Alex Marvez interviewed Samoa Joe backstage!

Samoa Joe was interrupted by Roderick Strong and the Kingdom!

Roderick Strong: “Joe, listen, I’m willing to forgive you for trying to end my career by trying to break my neck, not once, but twice. I know you have that World title match with Max, but this is clearly a trap. Max is the devil. But listen, my best friend Adam says he likes you, and you’re a good friend of his. So, it’s his best friend that makes you my best friend by proxy. Listen, Wednesday is just a set up. His goons are going to beat the crap out of you. He’s not even here right now. He’s probably plotting exactly how they’re going to do it. Will you listen to me?”

Samoa Joe smirked and walked off.

Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

Andrade El Idolo vs. Daniel Garcia!

Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Andrade applied a side headlock. Garcia shoved him off, but Andrade came off the ropes with a shoulder block. Andrade hit a big cross body press on Garcia. Andrade jumped over the top with a plancha to Garcia.

Garcia used a pair of dragon screw leg whips on Andrade. Garcia rammed Andrade into the barricade. Garcia climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Andrade shoved him off the perch. Garcia tumbled hard onto the arena floor.

Garcia rallied back, tying Andrade into the Tree of Woe and then hammering on Andrade’s knee. Garcia blasted Andrade with a running dropkick and then a brain buster for a near fall! Garcia missed a lariat and Andrade countered with two suplexes. Garcia escaped a third attempt from Andrade, jumping on Andrade’s back with a sleeper. Andrade climbed to the top rope with Garcia on his back. Andrade superplexed Garcia! Andrade followed up with a series of suplexes, an homage to Eddy. Andrade finished off Garcia with the flatliner and pinned him!

“Andrade cracks the scoreboard,” said Tony Schiavone.

Willie Mack was backstage with some words for Wardlow!

Willie: “See Wardlow, I know you’ve been going through a lot of things these past few weeks. But you don’t put your hands on my friends. So, I’m going to have to reach out and touch you. So next week, we’re going to have to do the damn thing in the ring. So, pack your lunch because I’m a big boy!”

Roderick Strong came to the ring with the Kingdom—Matt Taven and Mike Bennett!

Roderick Strong: “I just wanted to say something to Samoa Joe. Listen to me dude. Everything I said back there was true. Max is the devil, and you are going to find out very soon. Those three dweebs in the ring, Matt and Mike are going to beat their ass. And I want to dedicate this to my best friend, Adam, whether he wants me to or not!”

The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett

vs.

The Iron Savages— “Sauce Boss” Beefcake Boulder & “Dirty Bulk” Bronson!

Boulder knocked down both members of the Kingdom with a cross body. He choke slammed Bennett on the apron. Taven cracked Bronson with a thrust kick. Boulder tried for a moonsault, but Taven rolled out of the way.

Bennett nailed Bronson with a Death Valley Driver and Taven followed up with Just the Tip of the Knee strike! They spiked Bronson with a piledriver, and Taven scored the pin. Roderick Strong jumped into the ring after the match and wiped out the manager of the Iron Savages!

Lexy Nair was backstage with “All Ego” Ethan Page!

Ethan Page: “Ever since losing to MJF in my home nation of Canada, I have had to regroup. I have gotten into the best physical condition of my life. I’ve been in Ring of Honor racking up wins. I want to be the king of Canada. But right now, that crown is sitting on someone else’s head. I want you, Kenny Omega, next week on Collision!”

Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal

vs.

House of Black’s Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews!

Sydal jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Buddy grabbed him and nailed him with an elbow. Sydal fired back with a high kick to Buddy’s head. Daniels tagged in and they exhibited great tandem offense on Buddy.

Malakai wiped out Daniels with a moonsault to the floor! Sydal tagged in and connected with a missile dropkick on Black. Malakai cracked Sydal with an elbow to the back of the head. Buddy blasted Daniels with a meteora, and Sydal had the same idea, taking down Black with a meteora of his own!

Black swept out Daniels’ legs, and then Buddy curb stomped CD! Black ended it with a high roundhouse kick to Daniels’ head and pinned Daniels!

“That kick rocked the jaw of Christopher Daniels!” said Tony Schiavone.

The arena lights went out! They came back on and FTR’s music was playing! Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler walked to the ring!

Malakai Black: “Before you both do anything, I assume that the both of you are here because you joining the House of Black. The only people that have been here for the both of you is the House of Black. I have done a lot of things, but not once have I told a lie.”

Dax Harwood went to pick up the microphone and Buddy rushed in and kicked him. Dax was curb stomped. It was all a ruse by the House of Black. Buddy held down Dax, so he was forced to watch as Malakai Black cracked Cash with a roundhouse kick!

Malakai Black: “You see not one single person is coming for you. Boy, were my predictions right last week. No one is coming for you.”

Dax flipped off Black, and then Black rocked Dax with a devastating spin kick to the head!

Renee Paquette had an exclusive Collision interview backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm!

Toni Storm: “Skye Blue, if I have any advice for you, it would be for you to walk backwards. Because the only time they have anything nice to say about you is when they are taking pictures of your bottom. You can be the first challenger for my belt!”

After a commercial break, Skye Blue responded to “Timeless” Toni Storm!

Skye Blue: “Toni, I have met you through every one of your phases, but this midlife crisis is the most pathetic one by far. But you haven’t met this Skye Blue. So, bring your little butler, bring your little blonde bimbo, and whatever 1940s crap you’ve got up that robe, because nothing is going to stop me from taking that championship.”

AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Kip Sabian!

Vikingo shocked Sabian with a kick and then an arm drag off the ropes. Vikingo went for a tope, but Sabian had an answer, drilling Vikingo with a stiff kick to the face. Kip followed up with an Arabian moonsault.

Vikingo connected with a spinning kick to Kip. He followed up with a torture rack knee lift strike to Sabian. Vikingo came off the ropes with a 360 phoenix splash from the other side for a near fall on Sabian!

Sabian climbed to the top turnbuckle and jockeyed for position with Vikingo. Sabian took down Vikingo with a hurracanrana. Vikingo rallied back with a tornillo from the top and then a running knee strike! Vikingo pinned Sabian after a 630 splash!

Lexy Nair was backstage with “Limitless” Keith Lee!

Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty interrupted Keith Lee.

Shane: “I know you’re not dumb enough to look past me. Last year’s tag match didn’t solve anything for me. So, I say this year we give the people the fight they really want to see. Shane Taylor versus Keith Lee one on one at Final Battle!”

Keith Lee: “Challenge accepted. And I’ll see you later, too, Lee Moriarty.”

Lexy Nair interviewed CJ Perry!

“The Redeemer” Miro interrupted, trying to walk past CJ and into the locker room of her client, Andrade El Idolo.

CJ Perry: “Miro, you can’t go in there. I know you think bad things will happen. I need to do this. You picked your god. And now I have to prove myself. By winning this tournament, I will start to be on that path that will help me. If you want to go in there, I can’t stop you, you’re a grown man. But please, if there’s any love that you have for me, please let me do this and find my own way. And if I mean anything to you, don’t lay a hand on my client. Can you please do that?”

Miro: “My god is gone. If he was still with me, I’d be in this tournament ripping the spine out of Andrade. But I promise you I won’t lay a hand on your client. You have my word.”

Main Event Time! Continental Classic Tournament: Blue League Match!

The Blackpool Combat Club’s “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson

vs.

ROH World/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston!

Danielson fired off a chop to Kingston’s chest. Kingston retaliated, knocking Danielson off his feet! Danielson’s view was limited as he was wearing an eye patch over his injured eye. Danielson pulled back on Kingston’s arm, driving his knee into Kingston’s back.

Danielson German Suplexed Kingston. Danielson booted Kingston in the face. Danielson slid out of the ring but Kingston back suplexed Danielson on the arena floor! Danielson headbutted Kingston and dropped Kingston with a missile dropkick.

Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock. Kingston escaped, mounted Danielson, and began to ground and pound Danielson. Kingston cracked Danielson with a spinning back fist for a near fall! Kingston grabbed a two-count on Danielson after a vertical suplex. Danielson stunned Kingston with a round kick to the top of the head.

Danielson battered Kingston with a barrage of kicks. Eddie tossed Danielson with a half and half suplex. Danielson blocked a spinning backfist and then dumped Kingston on his head with a suplex!

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

Danielson grabbed Kingston’s wrists and began to stomp Kingston’s head! Kingston flipped off Bryan Danielson. Bryan nailed Kingston with the running knee strike and pinned Kingston!

“Beautiful in its brutality,” said Kevin Kelly.

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

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

AEW Collision Preview for December 2, 2023

AEW Collision Preview for December 2, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/O0Jut3DVWls?si=HfakuNnyXkJUXZYu

Between an action packed edition of RAMPAGE Friday night, and the Gold League bouts that went down Wednesday during DYNAMITE, this has already been quite the exciting week for All Elite Wrestling! Add in impending TNT Championship clash between Christian Cage and Adam Copeland now set for Montreal at the Bell Centre, and it would be a satisfying week in AEW action if it ended now.

But thankfully it isn’t over yet, because this Saturday night, when AEW makes their Erie, PA debut at the Erie Insurance Arena, the Continental Classic continues with action in the Blue Blue, including the first bouts for Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo as they take on ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston and Daniel Garcia respectively! Plus, in a battle of unbeatens, Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli will lock up with The House of Black’s Brody King after the former scored a huge victory over Kingston last week.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DKV-oD9KQ4I?si=zIv0ZNg7ijMWmfUz

The Blue League tournament action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, to catch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC TOURNAMENT: BLUE LEAGUE…

The BCC’s “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson(0) vs. ROH World/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston(0)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kjfkyl_ZGfA?si=DzCe_JXQILC1XLRN

This may very well be the most intriguing match-up taking place on Saturday night; Eddie Kingston is coming off a loss to Brody King last week in their first tournament bouts, while “The American Dragon” is coming into this one having suffered a fractured orbital bone just over a month ago. The loss to Brody was certainly a rough pill to swallow, not because King is a lesser opponent in any way, but because of the fact Kingston put both his ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship into the mix for the winner of the Continental Classic. It is not a good first step for the reigning champion to lose out the gate, but from watching his post-match interview, Kingston is trying to be a better version of himself than he would have been in the past. He knows his flaws, he publicly acknowledges them, and is telling the world he will not follow that path to self-destruction again.

Bryan Danielson, on the other hand, is clearly full of piss and vinegar, coming in as confident as ever despite his injury costing him the last month of his career. It’s the first injury that’s kept Bryan out, hopefully his last, and certainly not the first time his eye was the problem. Credit for that goes back to 2007’s series of matches with former ROH World & GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima, particularly ROH’s MANHATTAN MAYHEM II event. Yet as he did then, Danielson is determined to fight on, taking whatever precautions he is required by medical staff, but still game for the fight to come each and every night. Best be wary though when he’s fighting a man like Kingston whose signature is a spinning back fist liable to crack that orbital bone into powder if it connects; yet Danielson seems to see the ROH World Champion as the same individual he first one-on-one with in Taylor, MI back in 2010. Despite everything Eddie has accomplished in the last 13 years, Bryan Danielson clearly does not respect the man, that much Bryan made clear when he joined commentary on Wednesday night.

And while Bryan may also hold an AEW win from RAMPAGE #12 when both entered the 2021 World Title Eliminator Tournament, that does not mean he’s fighting an Eddie with the same mindset he had then. Danielson know faces a man who has achieved his dreams, he’s fought in NJPW’s G1 Climax, he’s claimed two championship titles this year, and he knows the responsibility on his shoulders as a result. Eddie, despite “Mad” being part of his sobriquet, is not crazy or unhinged or out of control, he knew the risks when he threw his titles into the mix, and after feeling the sting of loss a week ago, he’s not about to fall deeper into that hole.

If he does, eventually he won’t be able to climb out, and that’s not just a statement on his points total…

The House of Black’s Brody King(3) vs. The BCC’s Claudio Castagnoli(3)

The two victors from last week’s Blue League bouts are set to meet in singles competition this Saturday night for the very first time! Never a tag, never a trios, certainly not a one-on-one, this will mark the first time The House of Black’s Brody King and the Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli ever share the ring, and that is an exciting prospect!

Not only are there implications for their respective units, the issues raised between The House and The BCC that began when Malakai attacked Bryan Danielson weeks ago, but it also means one man in the Blue League is going to hit six points while, potentially, two individuals remain at zero and two others gain their first three points.

On paper this is a battle of two of the biggest men in AEW, but they are not big in the same way; where Claudio is strength, muscle, and finesse, Brody King is power, size, and brutish. Claudio is schooled in various disciplines of professional wrestling from his years traveling the globe while King is akin to a Bruiser Brody ripped into the 21st Century, and unleashed upon hapless foes. Yet within that brutish offense, is a speed unexpected from a man looking like Brody King, a true “don’t judge a book” situation for professional wrestling, though the same could’ve been said for Claudio prior to his BCC entry. Most assumed him a devotee of a more pure approach to the fight, but his time with Mox and company has shown how adept “The Swiss Superman” is at violence.

In this battle of The House versus The BCC, for leadership in the Blue League, who will fold?

Andrade El Idolo(0) vs. Daniel Garcia(0)

It was only a few weeks ago that Daniel Garcia and Andrade El Idolo had their first right as CJ Perry watched on from ringside, but now that the Continental Classic has begun, their rematch has a much greater wrinkle than the management of Perry. Both Andrade and Garcia enter into this fight with zero points to their name, but in the case of the former, that’s because it is also his first fight in the Blue League whereas the latter fell to Claudio Castagnoli a week ago.

As heard from Garcia’s own mouth, the young man is struggling with that loss and how it makes him feel. The word “loser” kept falling off his tongue as he spoke, and though he did lose, that does not make Garcia a loser. Eddie Kingston lost, Jay White lost, Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe have lost twice, given how many fights a man goes through in this tournament, losing is nearly unavoidable but it seems as if that is weighing on Daniel Garcia’s mind. It’s similar to Eddie’s struggle, but perhaps the experience difference is allowing Kingston to push through while Garcia seems on the precipice of getting stuck in that mindset.

If he allows that to become the case, Andrade El Idolo will run all over Daniel Garcia this Saturday on COLLISION and earn his first three points in the Continental Classic, but if the man once called “Red Death” can find the confidence he had before entering the fray, before the losses to MJF, Miro, and Andrade dampened his fighting spirit, he will be deadly. The man who once slayed “The American Dragon” could become the man who raises AEW’s Triple Crown comes WORLDS END (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-worlds-end) or he could be the man who ends the Continental Classic with a goose egg next to his name…

ONE-ON-ONE…

Abadon vs. Kiera Hogan

It’s been a little over a month since Abadon clashed with Hikaru Shida in that memorable “Fright Night Fight” over the AEW Women’s World Championship, and this Saturday night “The Living Dead Girl” is back in action on COLLISION!

Her opponent this evening is one which she’s never competed against before, “The Girl on Fire” Kiera Hogan! It’s also been a couple months since Hogan has been inside the AEW ring, though she’s done well for herself with ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and is looking to make an impact to get into the title hunt.

It’s a battle of two athletes looking to break through to that next level and earn their first championship here in All Elite Wrestling. Add up those wins and soon that opportunity will come…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/nMvyXZGi_Rc?si=6ALkhQBgLVp0AJNd

This Saturday night All Elite Wrestling makes their Erie, PA debut at the Erie Insurance Arena with three huge Continental Classic: Blue League match-ups, featuring a clash of three-pointers in Claudio Castagnoli and Brody King, as well as two men in Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo fighting in their first tourney bout. The former will take on Eddie Kingston while the latter meets Daniel Garcia in a rematch of their recent COLLISION confrontation.

The Blue League tournament action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ch3nwSFhahM?si=G9CCRpcSK03Y9Do1

AEW Dynamite Preview for November 29, 2023

AEW Dynamite Preview for November 29, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0dMoHH3AjE?si=SEYLat8bJWTF71x2&start=128

Last Wednesday night the AEW faithful bore witness to the beginning of the 2023 Continental Classic with three first-time matches against six of the greatest athletes in AEW. In the Gold League, 3-Time former AEW World Champion and former International Champion Jon Moxley scored his first three points at the expense of 13-Time ROH World Tag Champion Mark Briscoe, former ROH World Champion Rush fell to former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White, and former AEW World Tag Champion Swerve Strickland topped ROH Grand Slam Champion Jay Lethal to get his three.

Then in the Blue League, House of Black’s Brody King beat ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion while former ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli beat former ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia. This Wednesday night in Minneapolis, with AEW’s return to the Target Center, the Gold League continues with three big-time singles matches, including one first-timer, and we will also hear from TNT Champion “The Patriarch” Christian Cage! And as a special bonus:

The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans so 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 recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

CONTINENTAL CLASSIC GOLD LEAGUE:

Standings As of 11/29/23

Swerve Strickland (3)

Jay White (3)

Jon Moxley (3)

Mark Briscoe (0)

Rush (0)

Jay Lethal (0)

Mark Briscoe(0) vs. Rush (0)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_u8ILqLTEJc?si=E9hPaCZsqujziZnq&start=128

Though both competed in Ring of Honor at the same time, though they actually worked together in CMLL, and fought one another in tags and multi-man bouts under the ROH banner, never before have “El Toro Blanco” and “The Sussex County Chicken” locked horns in a singles bout!

That all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE as both men come into this fight having zero points to their name in the Continental Classic! In the case of Mark Briscoe, his loss came at the end of a hard-fought and bloody contest with Jon Moxley, one where Mark survived a nasty Paradigm Shift and came so close to scoring his first three points at the expense of the 3-Time former AEW World Champion. As for Rush, his loss also came at the end of a hard-hitting contest with “Switchblade” Jay White, but it came to an unfortunate end as a result of White’s underhanded tactics, proving he doesn’t need the rest of BULLET CLUB GOLD to find a way to cheat a victory.

This Wednesday night, in their first singles bout, one of these two men will likely lose their zero, and score their first three points of the tournament, although there’s that possibility of a draw and both leaving the Target Center with a single point..

Jon Moxley (3) vs. Jay Lethal (0)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/LohL-zvbw0Q?si=-NMDrD_FwqMovmP5&start=160

In a rematch of their 3/30/22 DYNAMITE clash, Jon Moxley and Jay Lethal will lock-up in their second bouts of the Continental Classic! Mox is coming into this fight with a strong win over Mark Briscoe, one that did not come easy, but a win nonetheless, while Lethal heads to Minneapolis with a loss to Swerve Strickland on his record for the tournament.

So for Moxley it’s an opportunity to add to his point total, possibly ramping it up to six points with a victory over Lethal, at the very least to four with a draw, while it is Lethal’s moment to actually get on the board with a victory or draw. Between he and Claudio, The Blackpool Combat Club has started off this tournament with two victories, so can Moxley continue that streak for his unit, or will he be the first BCC member to taste tournament defeat?

Swerve Strickland(3) vs. “Switchblade” Jay White (3)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/JcS9VT4O0jA?si=xKc4qyl4He-gF8sJ&start=260

This one is quite intriguing as it is the first Continental Classic bout pitting two of last week’s victors against each other. As mentioned, Jay White got his in large part due to a low blow on Rush while Swerve, coming off that brutal Texas Death match with Hangman at FULL GEAR 2023, got his over Jay Lethal in a tremendous back-and-forth.

Wednesday night the two competitors will clash in their first AEW singles bout, a rematch of a March 12, 2022 NJPW STRONG battle won by “Switchblade”, and it either ends with one man having six, or both remaining tied with four. Swerve is certainly on the bigger role coming into this following his pair of victories over Adam Page, as well as those over Lethal, AR Fox, and Penta El Zero Miedo, while Jay White came up short in his bid to become AEW World Championship prior to finding a way to steal one from “El Toro Blanco” last Wednesday night. It’s going to be a fight for six, that much is for sure, will it be the leader of BC GOLD or the head of The Mogul Embassy who gets this one?

“THE PATRIARCH RESPONDS”…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9rHW3UA_JdM?si=UZgsTgDA7uWq6Z_2

The world heard Adam Copeland’s challenge this past Saturday on COLLISION, he wants a match with TNT Champion Christian Cage on December 6th in Montreal and Adam wants the TNT Championship on the line so he can take Cage’s most prized possession away. It’s been more than 13 years since the last time these two lifelong friends got into the ring as opponents, with a vast majority of their singles matches won by Copeland, so will Christian Cage be willing to step into that ring once more, especially if it means putting the TNT Championship up? We will find out what he has to say this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE!

TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Julia Hart(c) vs. Emi Sakura

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rOznO9YXvUY?si=o45BfsHDD2ZnpAdF

Just a few days ago on COLLISION Lady Frost attempted to dethrone newly crowned TBS Champion Julia Hart in a House Rules match, and she was shut down in five minutes by the viciousness of the defending champ. This Wednesday on DYNAMITE, just four days after turning back Lady Frost, Hart will once again open the doors of The House to welcome a new challenger to her dark reign.

What woman is brave enough to cross the House’s threshold this Wednesday in Minneapolis? None other than the Queen herself, Emi Sakura! The two women have only ever stood on the opposite sides once before, during a Trios match that took place exactly two years ago on the 11/29/21 edition of DARK: ELEVATION and saw Julia on the losing side of the contest.

The Black Hart of the House is an utterly transformed woman from who she was at that point, but Emi Sakura brings an experience to the table unlike any other competitor Hart has faced in her AEW tenure. Can she find a way to overcome that major disadvantage, along with whatever House Rule is concocted by The Queen? The defending champ does have a bit of home field advantage in Minnesota, but is that a balance for the decades Sakura has on her inside the squared circle?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/bWacqGq_RUs?si=8eKUXigVm5ub1EIm&start=128

AEW returns to the Target Center in Minneapolis for DYNAMITE, featuring the continuation of the Continental Classic’s Blue League with three big matches! Plus, TNT Champion Christian Cage will be in the house to address Adam Copeland’s challenge for Montreal, and so much more!

The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans so 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 recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!

AEW Rampage and Collision Results for November 25, 2023

AEW Rampage and Collision Results for November 25, 2023

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s AEW RAMPAGE & AEW COLLISION shows were broadcast live from the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA!

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

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

FTW Champion HOOK vs. Rocky Romero!

Rocky escaped a suplex and both men ran across the ring, delivering lariats, knocking one another down. Hook was first back to his feet. Hook hurled Rocky with a bigtime German Suplex. Rocky struck Hook with a rising knee strike and then a vertical suplex on the apron! Rocky followed up with the forever clotheslines back in the ring.

Hook rallied back with a vicious exploder suplex on Rocky. It was a high impact match in a very short time. Hook hit Rocky with body blows in the corner. Hook headbutted Rocky and got a near fall after a Northern Lights Suplex.

Rocky stunned Hook with Sliced Bread #2. Hook employed a leg sweep on Rocky. Hook countered a second attempt at the Sliced Bread with RedRum, and Hook won via ref stoppage!

Kris Statlander vs. Diamante!

Diamante tried to outpower Statlander, but once she realized she couldn’t, Diamante slapped Statlander. Kris knocked down Diamante with a shoulder block. Statlander powerslammed Diamante for a near fall. Mercedes Martinez walked out onto the ramp to scout Statlander.

Statlander was rolled up by Diamante for a two count. Diamante charged at Statlander, but Statlander was waiting for her with a powerslam. Diamante covered Kris after a cutter, but Kris kicked out. Diamante charted at Statlander, but Statlander countered with a discus lariat and scored the pin on Diamante!

Mercedes jumped in the ring and she and Diamante began to double team Kris. Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring to even up the odds, coming to the rescue of the former TBS Champ Statlander!

The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven came out, asking the audience if they wanted to celebrate #NeckStrengthNovember!

Bennett said that Roderick Strong wasn’t here tonight because he was recovering from the match last week against Action Andretti, but luckily, Roddy is #neckstrong. Taven said MJF was the devil. Taven told MJF they are coming back for what’s theirs.

Duke Davis and Danny Jones got blindsided by the Kingdom, and the match began! Taven hit the Climax on Jones. Bennett spiked Davis on the ramp with a piledriver! Taven then connected with the aurora borealis for the pin!

Rampage Main Event Time!

ROH Pure Championship Match!

Katsuyori Shibata (c.) vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta!

Jerry Lynn, Jimmy Jacobs, and Christopher Daniels were the judges.

The fans chanted “Shi-ba-ta! Shi-ba-ta!”

Shibata applied the bow and arrow submission to Yuta. Wheeler escaped and Shibata followed up with strong knee strikes. Shibata applied a leg submission and Wheeler grabbed the ropes, utilizing his first rope break of the match. Yuta was immediately issued a warning after a closed fist to Shibata’s face.

Shibata dropkicked Yuta’s head against the turnbuckle. Shibata applied the STF and Wheeler managed to reach the ropes, utilizing his second rope break of the match. Shibata put a sleeper on Yuta, but Yuta shucked him off. Wheeler fired himself out of the ring with a tope suicida to Shibata!

Yuta whipped Shibata into the guardrail. Shibata returned the favor, whipping Yuta into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Yuta ducked a PK from Shibata. Yuta knocked Shibata into the ref, hit a low blow while the ref had his back turned, and DDT’ed Shibata right on his head to score the pin!

And new ROH Pure Champion…Wheeler Yuta!

Shibata tried to shake Yuta’s hand after the match, but Yuta nailed Shibata with another low blow and then DDT’ed him.

FTW Champion Hook came down to the ring to check on Shibata. Yuta left, scowling at Hook and holding up the ROH Pure Championship.

The RAMPAGE portion of the evening kicked off!

Continental Classic Match—The Blue League!

Daniel Garcia vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli!

Claudio Castagnoli quickly hit Garcia with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Claudio followed up with a body slam. Garcia lunged at Claudio with a guillotine, but Claudio muscled his way out of it. Garcia chopped at Claudio, but Claudio fired back with a European Uppercut.

Garcia charged at Claudio, knocking Claudio out of the ring with a running knee. Daniel hammered Claudio with stiff shots to the head. Garcia ran at Claudio, but Claudio caught him and swung him into the steel guardrail.

Claudio applied a sharpshooter in the ring. Garcia managed to trap Claudio and cradle him for a near fall. Claudio blasted Garcia with a European Uppercut. Claudio rocked Garcia with the Ricola Bomb and pinned him, earning three points!

Representing the Patriarchy…Killswitch vs. The Boys—Brent & Brandon Tate!

Brent was thrown overhead by Killswitch with a wheelbarrow suplex. Killswitch choke slammed Brandon over the top rope and down onto the edge of the ring! Killswitch clobbered Brent with a lariat to the back of the head and pinned him!

Killswitch grabbed two chairs and placed them into the ring. Killswitch choke slammed Brent onto the chair! Killswitch grabbed Brandon but then the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland jumped into the ring and cracked a chair over the back of Killswitch! Copeland smashed Killswitch with the con-chair-to!

Killswitch tried to get to his knees but Copeland curb stomped Killswitch onto the chair! Copeland nailed Killswitch with another con-chair-to!

After a commercial break, Lexy Nair interviewed Adam Copeland backstage.

Copeland: “Lexy, I like you, but go. You know what I have to say? I’m coming straight down the barrel to you, Jay. Or should I call you Christian Cage? Or better yet should I call you the Patriarch now? All of this, what just happened to Nick Wayne on Wednesday, what just happened to Killswitch, it’s all because of your insecurity!

“You couldn’t get past your own ego, could you, man? The night I got here, you were about to con-chair-to Sting. Last Wednesday, you were about to have Killswitch con-chair-to Nick Wayne. You know I’ve got a short fuse. You said you were going to break my neck while my children looked at me. You’re not just threatening me and my future, you’re threatening theirs. Now I’m hunting you. I’ve already got two heads on my wall. I’m going to change your soul. I’m going to kick your face in. I am going to take your TNT Title because it’s the most important thing in your world.

“I am challenging you. Dynamite, December 6th, Montreal, Adam Copeland versus Christian Cage for the TNT Championship. And I am going to go places you can’t go, and you haven’t been to because you don’t have that dog in you. I am going to take your TNT Title!”

The House of Black’s Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews

vs.

Komander & Gravity (with Alex Abrahantes)!

Buddy punted Gravity in the face and tagged out to Black. Malakai had a flurry of strikes for Gravity. Komander had a blind tag and caught Black off guard with a hurracanrana. Black planted Komander with a German Suplex for a near fall.

Komander connected with a shotgun dropkick off the top to both House of Black members. Komander nailed Black with a gut buster for a near fall. Gravity took flight with a tope con hiro but Black and Matthews caught him and blocked it. Komander walked the ropes from one turnbuckle from another and then springboarded off the top, taking out Black and Matthews on the arena floor!

Komander and Gravity each jumped off turnbuckles, but Black and Matthews countered by raising their knees. Black cracked Gravity with a knee lift, and Matthews smashed Komander with a knee lift!

Black ravaged Komander with a spinning back elbow and then sat on the mat, waiting for Komander to crawl to him. It was a trap. Buddy curb stomped Komander and then pinned him!

TBS Championship Match! House Rules Match!

Julia Hart (c.) vs. Lady Frost!

Lady Frost chose no count-outs for this match.

Julia Hart whipped Lady Frost into the steel guardrail. The rules were favoring Julia Hart here. Julia picked up a steel chair and placed it on the ground after being admonished by the ref. Lady Frost tried for a moonsault off the ring steps, but Julia dodged it. Lady Frost landed on her feet, but Julia was one step ahead with a thrust kick to the challenger.

Julia propped Lady Frost on the steel chair. Julia ran down the ramp and clotheslined a prone Lady Frost. Back in the ring, Julia applied the Heartless Submission and forced Lady Frost to tap out!

“Julia Hart’s first title defense is a successful one,” said Tony Schiavone.

Lexy Nair was backstage with Don Callis and Powerhouse Hobbs!

Don Callis: “I can’t figure out the calculation that got the Golden Jets—Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega—a tag team title shot. I can’t figure out how you make that calculation when the last time Hobbs had his hands on Jericho and Omega, he broke them, sent them to the hospital. And as Will would say, anyone can get got. And Kenny and Chris, we don’t need two guys to beat the Golden Jets. Hobbs is a one man wrecking crew.”

Powerhouse Hobbs: “It’s simple. I’m big, I’m black, and I’m jacked, and anybody can get it.”

FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler

vs.

The Righteous—Vincent & Dutch!

Dax used a lariat to knocked Dutch over the top rope. Dax backdropped Vincent out of the ring, and Vincent landed on Dutch. Back in the ring, Dutch splashed Dax for a two-count. Dutch was looking for a senton off the turnbuckles, but Dax dodged it. Vincent grabbed a tag, but Dax used a baseball slide through Vincent’s legs to tag out to Cash!

Cash cleaned house on the Righteous. Dutch grabbed a blind tag and planted Cash with a bossman slam! Dax tagged in and FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Vincent, allowing Dax to score the pin.

Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews walked toward the ring.

Black: “If we would come to the ring right now there would be no one coming to save you. No Claudio, no Yuta. See the misconception is that this place is not the brotherhood that you two think it is.”

The arena went dark. When the lights came back on, FTR were alone in the ring, but the House of Black had vanished.

Action Andretti and Darius Martin were backstage!

Action Andretti: “Eight months, that’s how long it’s been since Darius, and I have been teaming together. Darius, these past eight months, I feel like we’ve grown such a bond together. We’ve had so many great opportunities and I’ve heard that this Wednesday Dynamite is returning to your hometown in Minneapolis.”

Darius Martin: “Yeah, man, we have been building a lot of chemistry. But it seems like there’s something just a little bit off and I think I know what that might be.”

Dante Martin walked onto the scene!

Darius turned to Dante and said, “You ready to step up? It’s time to take flight.”

Dante Martin: “I’m back!”

Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill!

Ricky Starks: “We thought there was going to be more of a fight from Jericho.”

Big Bill: “These two guys call themselves the Golden Jets. To us you look more like the Golden Girls.”

Starks: “Nice. I like that. They traveled up and down the roads together. Me and Bill don’t even know each other that well. Bill, when’s my birthday?”

Big Bill: “No idea.”

Starks: “Exactly. But what I do know is that you two aren’t built like him.”

Big Bill: “Four years ago when I was in and out of the emergency room having seizures from alcohol withdrawal, I always knew I’d make it back to the top. When I couldn’t get out of bed and I was at the lowest point of my entire life, I always knew I’d make it back to the top! And when nobody believed in me and they counted me out, they said he’s washed, he’s done, I always knew I’d make it back to the top!

“And standing in this ring with this guy, with these titles, I’d say I was right. I made it back to the top. Now Chris and Kenny, we know all about you. We’re very aware of all of the accolades. And you two are two of the best to ever do this. But I don’t think you two realize what you’re dealing with. We are angry, we are motivated, and we’re not only going to beat the living hell out of you, we’re going to embarrass you. When I look at you two, I don’t see Jordan, I don’t see Pippen. When I look at you two, all I see are the dudes that hand Michael Jordan his Bazooka Joe bubble gum before starting lineups are introduced.”

Starks: “I don’t even watch basketball and I know all those people are really good. And I also know two things: one guy tells everybody he’s the best, and the other actually is. After you are done with me and Big Bill, I’m going to let you know one thing. Ricky Starks likes his gum minty fresh and Big Bill likes his Big Red, baby.”

“Limitless” Keith Lee vs. Lee Moriarty!

Lee Moriarty kicked Keith Lee on the thigh. Keith fired back with a kick of his own, but Moriarty ducked it. Keith Lee came back with a pounce on Moriarty!

Lee Moriarty grabbed an arm bar, but Keith Lee pulled him up with a bicep curl. Keith Lee walloped Moriarty with a lariat. Moriarty stunned Keith with a bulldog from the top rope. Moriarty springboarded but Keith countered with a headbutt and then finished him off with a powerslam for the pin!

After commercial break, Lexy Nair interviewed Keith Lee!

Keith Lee: “Initially I planned to come in here and tell you about how good and talented Lee Moriarty is. He is that damned good. But he’s no Keith Lee. And I’m tired of the misrepresentation and the lack of opportunity given to me. And now I’m here to take it. And when I say take it, that means him. You are who I want. And you know who you are.”

Nigel: “Smart money has got to be on Shane Taylor.”

Tony: “That’s the question for us to ponder.”

Main Event Time!

Continental Classic Match—The Blue League!

ROH World Champion & NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston

vs.

House of Black’s Brody King!

Brody and Eddie traded shoulder blocks. Then they exchanged chops in the center of the ring. Brody battered Kingston in the corner with a running cannonball. Outside the ring, Brody pummeled Kingston with more chops and then whipped Kingston into the steel ring steps. Brody charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with a drop toehold, sending Brody colliding into the steps.

Brody rallied back, splashing Kingston against the barricade. Back in the ring Brody body slammed Kingston and then connected with a senton splash. Brody tried to whip Kingston into the turnbuckles, but Kingston’s legs gave out and he crumbled to the mat.

Kingston collected himself and out of nowhere, in a desperate move, Kingston clubbed Brody with a lariat. Eddie went for an exploder suplex, but Brody countered with a German Suplex. Kingston shocked Brody with a spinning backfist for a near fall!

They traded chops again! Brody switched to forearms. Eddie spiked Brody with a DDT for a near fall! Eddie charged at Brody King, but Brody planted Kingston. Brody was looking for a lariat, but Eddie countered with an exploder and then a half-and-half suplex. Kingston followed up with a third suplex for a two-count on Brody!

Brody nailed Kingston with a piledriver for a two-count. Eddie ducked a lariat and cracked Brody with a spinning backfist! Brody decimated Kingston with Dante’s Inferno and then pinned him! Brody has earned three points!

“Holy smokes! What have we just seen? This is what the Continental Classic is all about,” said Tony Schiavone.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!

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

AEW Rampage and Collision Preview for November 25, 2023

AEW Rampage and Collision Preview for November 25, 2023

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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…

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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!

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