https://www.youtube.com/embed/HdMqDN0dees?si=HLd8ccydWINUKxbu

This Saturday night All Elite Wrestling makes our debut in Bossier City, LA at the Brookshire Grocery Arena with what will surely be an unforgettable edition of COLLISION based on the Cage Match alone. That’s right, six of the best in the world, locked inside a Steel Cage together, The House of Black battling FTR and Daniel Garcia,  and fighting it out under Elimination rules! Plus, “Blue Thunder” Yuji Nagata returns to AEW to take on “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson in their first-ever singles match; they’ve got some New Japan history from two decades back, but never went one-on-one until now! In addition to those two huge bouts, Mariah May will be in action against Lady Frost, Serena Deeb makes her return to in-ring competition, and Orange Cassidy defends his AEW International Championship against Komander!

The night gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW faithful can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting 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 the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

SIX-MAN ELIMINATION STEEL CAGE MATCH…

Daniel Garcia & FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs.

The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black)

Since October, there has been a war going on between FTR and The House of Black, the details of which can be viewed in great detail on this Timeline presentation, and that war has also pulled in Daniel Garcia as an ally on the side of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler. See in their final match of the Continental Classic, Daniel Garcia defeat The House’s Brody King, his second singles victory over Brody in 2023 actually, and Daniel has suffered for that sin against The House repeatedly.

But that hasn’t stopped Garcia from stepping up against The House of Black, from aligning himself with FTR, and fighting them with every ounce of his being. He did it two weeks ago on COLLISION when he and FTR lost in a standard Trios bout to The House of Black, and again last week when he bested Buddy Matthews in their singles bout. FTR has done their part as well, tussling with House of Black as two of the teams in FULL GEAR 2023’s Championship Ladder Match, and beating the Buddy/Malakai combination three weeks ago, but every contest involving these six individuals seems to end up in a fight after the bell. 

That’s why this Saturday night on COLLISION, with AEW’s debut in Bossier City, all six of these competitors will be locked inside a Steel Cage! This will be the first time in AEW’s history a Trios battle will be contested under this circumstances, as well as the first Elimination Rules Cage match, and that could lead to very painful outcome for any one of these six men. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to find one man alone against all three House of Black members, or FTR going 2-on-1 with a House member; the Elimination factor makes this even more an unpredictable battle that it would be as a standard Cage Match. 

This will be a violent affair, of that there is no doubt, but will even this be enough to end the hostilities perpetually erupting between these six combatants? Or will the outcome just be adding more fuel to the burgeoning inferno?

DREAM (MATCHES) DO COME TRUE…

“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. “Blue Justice” Yuji Nagata

The very first time Bryan Danielson stepped into the ring with Yuji Nagata was November 2, 2002 at the tail end of American Dragon’s very first tour with New Japan Professional Wrestling. That night, with Scott Norton and a man named Jack The Bull at his side, Danielson’s team bested Nagata, Masahiro Chono, and Heat (aka Minoru Tanaka). Over the course of the next two years, Bryan and “Blue Justice” would be on opposite sides of the ring a total of nine times, all in tags or trios, with Danielson’s side of the coin winning just twice, that aforementioned first match and their last on July 16, 2004, making Bryan 1-2 in tags and 1-5 in trios all-time against Yuji Nagata. 

What that means in the grand scheme of things is that this Saturday night on COLLISION, when Yuji Nagata returns to All Elite Wrestling nearly three years since he fought Jon Moxley over the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship! In the years since, Nagata reigned as All Japan’s Triple Crown Champion for 133 days during the course of 2023, competed in the NJPW’s 2023 World Tag League as Minoru Suzuki’s partner, fought in AJPW’s Real World Tag League and Royal Road Tournament’s in 2022, competed for DDT Pro Wrestling, GLEAT, ZERO1’s Shinjiro Otani Benefit Show, and even for West Coast Pro here in the United States; Nagata generally made his way across the wrestling landscape, and now the oldest 55 year old returns to AEW for this dream battle with Bryan Danielson!

We know Bryan has his eyes set on ripping that Continental Crown away from Eddie Kingston, a man he clearly does not respect in any fashion, but before that can become reality, “The American Dragon” has to contend with Nagata this Saturday night! 

ONE-ON-ONE…

Mariah May vs. Lady Frost

Several weeks ago, Mariah May made her much anticipated in-ring debut by scoring a victory over Queen Aminata. It wasn’t the easiest of wins, Amanita gave Mariah May a tremendous fight in the process, but it was a win nonetheless. Unfortunately for the former Stardom champion, not only did her idol Toni Storm neglect to watch the match, but Mariah’s moment was crashed by a Deonna Purrazzo more interested in challenging the AEW Women’s World Champion than in Mariah May.

This Saturday night, Mariah will have a second chance to make the night all about her as she gets back into the ring for the first time since January 3rd, and her opponent will be one of the more impressive competitors gunning for a spot at the top of the locker room: Lady Frost! While Mariah may be new to All Elite Wrestling, these two women that are no stranger to one another, each having been a part of a pivotal moment in the other’s career.

For Lady Frost, when she made her first excursion to the United Kingdom in November of 2019, the very first match she competed in was spent working as Mariah May’s partner, and the two were actually victorious in that bout.

For Mariah May, when she traveled to the United States for the very first time in March of 2022, the opponent standing across the ring from her that night in the South Philly’s legendary Arena was in fact Lady Frost! In that singles outing, it was May who came out with the victory, and Frost has been itching for another go for nearly two years.

Well she will have her opportunity this Saturday night on COLLISION when she and Mariah May lock horns under the AEW banner! May is still desperate for the approval and acknowledgment of the AEW Women’s World Champion, so she will be fighting as much for that as for herself, while Frost is fighting for to establish her position within the grand scheme of the Women’s Division. Will this rematch go the same way as the first, or can Lady Frost dim May’s spotlight?

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Komander

https://www.youtube.com/embed/o1ZEZaBEUUQ?si=vCwoWqWBJ5gcZbSS

Last night on RAMPAGE, Komander scored the victory on Kip Sabian in the “Freshly Squeezed Four Way” that also included The Butcher and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo. With that pinfall victory, the AAA World Cruiserweight Champion earned himself a shot at Orange Cassidy’s AEW International Championship this Saturday on COLLISION! This will mark Komander’s first singles opportunity at that title, though he did participate in the 21 Man Blackjack Battle Royale at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, as well as the first one-on-one encounter between he and “Freshly Squeezed”. OC does hold a tag team victory over Komander from the January 17th edition of DYNAMITE, and between a desire to even that score, as well as to earn his first AEW championship, Komander will no doubt go all out on Saturday night!

Something else that no doubt will happen on Saturday night is this bout having the eyes of Roderick Strong all over it. Roddy may have the patience to wait until REVOLUTION 2024 to fight Orange Cassidy, but with that willingness to wait comes the possibility it won’t be OC holding the International Title. That means the former ROH World Champion will also have to keep his eyes on anyone Cassidy faces between now and March 3rd, just to stay prepared for whoever may be standing across the ring from him in Greensboro, NC! For Roderick, that fight does not seem to be about the person, but rather about the prize, and it doesn’t appear to matter who he fights as long as they have what he wants!

ELIMINATOR MATCH…

Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack

If wrestling is a matter of respect earned, then there are few men who’ve fought harder to earn it than Eddie Kingston, and not because he was seeking it out like some individuals may be compelled to do. Instead, that respect came from those who watched Kingston grind it out across the independent landscape for the last two decades before he earned his way into All Elite Wrestling. That respect grew in those who watched Eddie struggle publicly with his demons and his mental health, never denying he had issues to work through, and willing to fail in the process of learning. Eddie is respected by fans and most of his peers because he’s willing to be an open, honest man about himself, as well as those around him, but that kind of honesty can cut when it’s pushed towards someone who refuses to hear it.

That someone is Bryan Danielson, that someone is Claudio Castagnoli, and there is nothing that Eddie Kingston can ever do that will make those two men see him as any other than the street kid they first met twenty years ago. Even though they share the Blackpool banner with Jon Moxley, they will never see Kingston the same way Mox does, but after all these years of being ridiculed and derided by men like Bryan and Claudio, it doesn’t matter to Eddie. His love and respect, his time and energy, it will be reserved for those who have earned it, and that is where Willie Mack comes into the picture.

Just like Eddie, and many of their AEW compatriots, Willie Mack has been through the independent grind of little-to-no pay, long drives, small crowds, and yet he still stands, and yet he too has worked his way into fighting on the AEW stage. That is why Eddie Kingston is giving Willie this Eliminator opportunity on COLLISION; all he’s got to do is beat Eddie and a shot at the Continental Crown will be his! History isn’t on the side of Mack, the only Eliminator match in AEW history that’s gone the way of the potential challengers was actually the night Kingston and Jon Moxley beat then AEW World Tag Champions The Young Bucks, but if there’s anyone who can pull it off, it may just be Willie Mack!

TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH…

Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) vs. 

Shane Taylor Promotions (Lee Moriarty & Shane Taylor)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5OZoqdRXdSY?si=R8LxyloxU__5X606

Short and sweet, after Jon Moxley defeated a very game Lee Moriarty last night on RAMPAGE, the two members of Shane Taylor Promotions did something very few men in All Elite Wrestling had done: left Jon Moxley laying in the middle in the ring. Perhaps it was frustration over both Shane Taylor and Lee taking an “L” from Moxley in the last week, perhaps it’s a bigger picture than just those two matches, either way it marked a new level for Shane Taylor Promotions, and with that leveling up (or down depending on your perspective) comes a whole new level of competition.

That is why this Saturday night on COLLISION, STP will have to answer for this assault and those consequences come in the form of a tag team fight against Blackpool Combat Club! Of the few men Jon Moxley has deemed worthy of partnership in his AEW career, Claudio Castagnoli has been one of his strongest alliances, the two marking an 8-1 record as a team (ironically the same record he holds with Eddie Kingston), whereas Lee and Shane T’s experience working as a team has all been under the ROH banner, but at least they are 4-0 in traditional tag team competition, including a 2/3 Falls victory over The Infantry. 

So will this be Shane Taylor Promotions elevating their game to overcome BCC or will it be, as Robert Southey wrote over 200 years ago, “Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost”?

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION…

459 days; that is how long it has been since Serena Deeb stepped out onto the AEW stage and into an AEW ring to compete in front of the AEW faithful. For 459 days she fought with her mind, body, and soul to get back to a place where she was ready to step back between the ropes and do what she does best: wrestle.

As a former Women’s Champion, many times over, Deeb has made a career out of being spoken of as one of the best technical wrestlers in the game, a woman capable of breaking an opponent’s body down, treating a match like a complete dissection, and making sure her opponent left the match realizing they had a lot left to learn. Serena Deeb is “The Professor of Professional Wrestling”, a woman who teaches lessons in pain and suffering to those hapless enough to be across the ring from her, but one lesson she still has to learn herself is that of an AEW champion.

Despite the accolades she has earned across her career, Serena Deeb has yet to wear a championship around her waist bearing the letters AEW, but with this return to form “The Professor” aims to fix that blemish on her record, to make up for failures against Toni Storm and Thunder Rosa, and show that she herself learned the lessons taught from those championship losses. For all those women in the AEW locker room, and for whoever stands across the ring from Serena Deeb on Saturday night, this fight on COLLISION will be a warning that “The Professor” is back, and she has plenty of lessons to teach the division!

Bossier City, LA and the Brookshire Grocery Arena play host to COLLISION this Saturday night! The House of Black will be locked inside a Steel Cage with FTR and Daniel Garcia, battling one another under Elimination rules, in hopes that this violent affair will bring an end to their rivalry! Danielson versus Nagata, Serena Deeb returns, Mariah May takes on Lady Frost, and so much more in store for your Saturday night fights! The action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the AEW faithful can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting 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 the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and Tony Schiavone.

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

This…is…Rampage!

Jon Moxley vs. Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty (with Shane Taylor)!

Moriarty took Mox down with a snap mare. Lee flexed and posed and let Mox get to his feet. Lee showed off his technical prowess, taking Mox down again with a side headlock. Moxley escaped and trucked Lee with a running back elbow. Moxley had a face off with Shane Taylor on the floor.

Moxley chopped Moriarty. Lee ducked a lariat attempt and rolled up Mox in a Border City Stretch. Moxley lunged toward the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Moriarty and Moxley traded stiff forearms in the center of the ring. Moxley knocked Moriarty’s block off. Moxley charged at Lee in the corner with a lariat and then pummeled him with shots.

Moriarty blasted Mox with a shotgun dropkick off the second turnbuckle. Moxley was looking for a piledriver on the apron, but Lee countered with a hammerlock, using Mox’s own body weight against him, planting Mox hard on the apron. Moriarty connected with a belly-to-belly suplex and then applied a cross arm breaker. Moriarty rocked Mox with a high stack German Suplex for a near fall.

Lee charged at Mox, but Mox wiped him out with a King Kong lariat! Moxley was looking for the bulldog choke, but Moriarty escaped and transitioned into the border city stretch. Moxley reversed and crashed down with hammer and anvil elbow strikes. 

Moriarty fired back with a flurry of offense. Moriarty kicked at Mox’s arm. Lee went for a springboard forearm, but Mox countered with a big right elbow. Mox stomped Moriarty and then spiked him with a piledriver. Moxley locked in a choke and Moxley won via ref stoppage!

“A victory for Jon Moxley but a hell of a match for Lee Moriarty,” said Excalibur.

“No question. I don’t think Moxley expected to go this long with Lee. I’m impressed,” replied Matt Menard.

After the match, Shane Taylor mauled Mox with a cheap shot!

“What a sucker punch that was!” said Tony Schiavone.

Moriarty took advantage of Shane Taylor’s heavy right hand and stomped on Moxley’s injured arm. 

Renee Paquette was backstage with Anna Jay and Angelo Parker!

Parker wanted to know if Anna had anything to do with Harley Cameron kissing him two weeks ago. Anna Jay slapped Cool Hand Ang!

Anna Jay: “I cannot believe you just asked me that! After everything we’ve been through. I am so sick of this. Tonight, I was defending you against your girlfriends. But tonight, I am doing this for me. I am tired of having everyone’s back, and no one having mine. Tonight, I am done!”

“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (with The Don Callis Family)!

Daniels got the jump on Takeshita at the bell. Takeshita walloped Daniels with a massive shot. Takeshita landed the Takeshita Line on CD. Takeshita followed up with a dive on Daniels. Takeshita attempted a superplex but CD headbutted Takeshita, knocking him to the mat. Daniels swung down, driving Takeshita face first into the mat.

Daniels hurled Takeshita with a German Suplex. Takeshita countered the Angels Wings and drove Daniels down on the back of the head. Takeshita finished off Daniels with a running knee strike and pinned Daniels!

“A statement made by Takeshita with that victory,” said Excalibur.

Don Callis: “I have something important to say. The Don Callis Family takes everything. Jericho you took 33 years from me. I can’t get those years back. We took your tag team partner from the Golden Jets. Then we took Sammy. But you keep coming back. Now it’s time to end this. So, Jericho, in two weeks on Dynamite, we challenge you to face the real Alpha of professional wrestling, Takeshita, and this time, there’s going to be nothing left!”

Kyle Fletcher: “Pardon the interruption, Don. Hasn’t Takeshita already had his shot at Chris Jericho? Hasn’t Will Hobbs already had his shot at Chris Jericho? If anybody deserves the next shot at Chris Jericho it’s me!”

Callis: “You’re right. Jericho, you’ve got Takeshita in two weeks. How about next week in New Orleans, you got Kyle Fletcher if you’ve got the guts. And whatever is left at the end of the next two weeks is going to be mine and Jericho, there’ll be nothing left but the tears!”

Renee Paquette was backstage with Top Flight and Action Andretti, and Private Party!

Private Party said they won last time. Action Andretti said next time he’d be in Top Flight’s corner, watching their back!

Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho (with Saraya and Harley Cameron)!

Ruby ambushed Anna Jay, trying to ruin her homecoming. Ruby whipped Anna into the barricade outside the ring. Anna connected with a high boot to Ruby’s face. Anna followed up with the pendulum kick.

Saraya swept out Anna Jay’s leg on the apron. Anna got to her feet and planted Ruby with a DDT for a near fall. Anna was looking for the Queen Slayer, but Harley grabbed Anna Jay’s boot. Saraya held back Anna Jay, but the referee saw it and ejected Saraya and Harley from ringside. 

Anna attempted a backslide, but Ruby escaped and rocked Anna with Destination Unknown. Anna stunned Ruby with a blockbuster and then forced Ruby to tap out with the Queen Slayer!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Continental Champion Eddie Kingston!

Kingston: “Bryan Danielson, you don’t respect me? That’s fine. I don’t respect you at all. I want to be on Collision. I’m going to go against somebody I respect. And if he beats me, he gets a title shot. And said person is Willie Mack. Me and you Willie, we paid our dues, so I want to give you an opportunity. Bryan, good luck with Nagata tomorrow.”

Main Event Time! Freshly Squeezed Four Way Match!

Kip Sabian vs. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Komander vs. The Butcher!

The winner earns an International Championship Match on tomorrow’s Collision.

Butcher turned his back and Sabian rolled him up for a near fall. Vikingo swept out Sabian’s legs, and Komander hit a tope on Kip while Vikingo smashed Butcher with a tope!

Butcher blocked a springboard dropkick from Komander and applied a Texas Cloverleaf. Vikingo rocked Butcher with a thrust kick. Kip dropkicked Vikingo. Kip cannonballed Komander in the corner. Butcher went over the top with a splash on Komander.

Butcher tossed Komander at Kip and Kip nailed Komander with a lung blower. Kip booted Butcher in the midsection. Butcher stunned Sabian with a back breaker. Vikingo staggered Butcher with a corkscrew kick!

Sabian swept out Vikingo’s legs. Komander walloped Sabian with a Spanish Fly for a two-count. Komander climbed to the top rope, but Vikingo tripped him up. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Butcher put Vikingo on his shoulders, while Vikingo had Komander locked in a superplex position. Kip got on his hands and knees behind Butcher, tripped him up, and knocked all three men to the mat!

Komander jumped off Alex Abrahantes’ back like a launching pad and crushed Kip with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor! Vikingo took out both men on the floor with a moonsault. Vikingo tried for a moonsault, but Komander booted him. Butcher power bombed Komander and covered him, but Vikingo broke up the pin attempt. 

Kip snuck in and drilled Komander with a German Suplex. Komander reversed a vertical suplex attempt, grabbed Kip’s legs and pinned him!

“Now we know it’ll be Orange Cassidy defending the International Championship tomorrow against Komander on Collision,” said Excalibur.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, LA:

-AEW International Championship Match! Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Komander!

-Serena Deeb’s First Match Since 2022!

-Mariah May vs. Lady Frost!

-Continental Champion Eddie Kingston vs. Willie Mack!

– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata!

-Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty!

-The Escape The Cage Elimination Match! FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!

Tickets On Sale Now! – www.AEWTix.com

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_zaf_-jQ0KI?si=O4EtHoDLOaX5RchS

Last week as jam-packed with action as new ROH World Six-Man Champions were crowned in BULLET CLUB GOLD, Jon Moxley returned to AEW action, plus Adam Copeland was tested by Dante Martin only to find out he’s got Minoru Suzuki next on his dance card! Did The Bang Bang Scissor Gang became a real thing? How did Thunder Rosa’s return to singles competition go? How did Jeff Hardy respond to losing to Darby Allin? All of that, and more, went down last week, but now our eyes turn to the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA for an all-new DYNAMITE! Copeland versus Suzuki, Jeff Hardy battling Swerve, a battle for the AEW World Trios Championship, “Timeless” Toni Storm and Deonna Purrazzo face-to-face, Hangman and Penta, and so much more on tap for the AEW faithful in attendance, and those watching around the world!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/T1AuRQjQXsY?si=mKNi4UfzTySexNza

The road to REVOLUTION 2024 continues this Wednesday on DYNAMITE beginning at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans! Before showtime, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!  Then it’s time for the Elimination Trios Cage Match on Saturday night in Bossier City, Louisiana pitting The House of Black against FTR and Daniel Garcia!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rXPq2dIAMfQ?si=4jUNKcq8oJy_N67s

AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE…

Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki

https://www.youtube.com/embed/QmYbXArA7us?si=Yx9qIDObCqB8SLUs&start=294

Yes, this is really happening; possibly the most unexpected of all matches thus far in 2024, possibly the most unexpected of either man’s career, Adam Copeland and Minoru Suzuki will do battle on DYNAMITE in the latest of the Cope Open Challenges! This contest will mark the fourth such challenge, but the first one where Adam knows in advance who he’s stepping into the ring to fight.

Griff Garrison, Lee Moriarty, and Dante Martin were all surprise opponents for “The Rated R Superstar”, men who stepped up on the night of the event, giving Copeland no time to prepare for individuals he’d never fought before while they had all spent their lives watching the Hall of Famer compete inside the squared circle. 

That’s not say Copeland didn’t have some awareness of each young man’s abilities, he is someone who watches everything and everyone as much as possible, but a couple years of tape on someone versus a couple decades is a huge difference. That being said, there’s no experience like actually sharing the ring with an opponent, it’s something no amount of tape study can prepare you for, and Dante, Griff, and Lee all learned that first hand.

But this Wednesday night will be a different experience because, as in response to Adam’s comment that none of the more seasoned fighters have stepped up to the plate, he will get one of the most experienced fighters in the whole of the professional wrestling landscape!

The legendary Minoru Suzuki is coming back to All Elite Wrestling for a fight with Adam Copeland, and is that a sentence anyone thought would ever be written, much less a match that would actually happen?!? In many ways, this is one of the most important fights of Copeland’s historic career, an opportunity to step way outside the wheel house, and take on a man as versed in submissions as he is striking, as willing to choke you unconscious as to knock you out, a champion everyone he’s gone, “The King of Pancrase”, Minoru Suzuki. MiSu has proven himself quite the sadistic, relishing in the pain of his opponents, but fans have absolutely witnessed that in Copeland over the course of his career. Will this one come down to a question of which man can be more wicked than the other? This is not to be missed!

WHO WILL BE NEXT?

Last week, in a hard-won fight against FTW Champion HOOK, Samoa Joe successfully retained the AEW World Championship. There were many moments where it seemed “The Cold-Hearted, Handsome Devil” just could not be put down, but ultimately he had no choice but to succumb to the overwhelming force that is Samoa Joe.

That defeat didn’t stop HOOK from exchanging words with Joe as he recovered from the beating, leading to the FTW Champ getting dropped with a low blow and another Muscle Buster, and even then, with the support of the ropes, HOOK pulled himself to his feet and kept talking at the champ. Luckily for HOOK, before Samoa Joe could inflict even more damage, Adam Page arrived to the ring to ward off the AEW World Champion. So with Swerve Strickland watching on from ringside, Hangman in the ring, and HOOK still conscious despite the beating, Samoa Joe walked away from the ring knowing who had him in their crosshairs.

This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, we will hear from the AEW World Champion about what is next on his agenda, or perhaps that should be who is next!

ONE-ON-ONE…

“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

Given that these two competitors have each been part of All Elite Wrestling since the very beginning, it is astounding that they’ve never once faced off in singles competition. They’ve danced in tag team affairs, a realm where their record is 1-1, and a multi-man affair from February 5, 2020, but no contact save several Battle Royals since their February 19, 2020 AEW World Tag Team Championship bout. Well that all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, for the very first time, these two AEW stalwarts will go one-on-one!

With Rey Fenix on the injured list, Penta has seen a bit more singles competition than usual, but that doesn’t make him a stranger this realm of competition; after all, he’s been a solo champion many times over throughout his career, just never in All Elite Wrestling. As for Hangman, his credential as former AEW World Champion speaks for itself, and he’s rolling into this having won his last three consecutive singles bouts with one goal on his mind: get the championship back around his waist. Clearly there’s a Swerve Strickland issue lingering in Page’s mind, but the end game is becoming 2-Time World Champion, and that means facing everyone he has to in order to get there. If the title is still around Joe’s waist when that time comes, all the better for Hangman, but no matter who is is, Page has a Buckshot Lariat with their name on it…provided he can show no fear and get past Penta El Zero Miedo!

FACE-TO-FACE…

Clearly AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm hasn’t completely parted ways with reality; as evidenced by the video embedded above, Storm actually does recall her history with Deonna Purrazzo, a relationship that dates back to their shared time in Japan’s Stardom promotion. That time together included bouts as both ally and foe, and even featured a championship fight over their SWA Undisputed Women’s World Title, but that wasn’t the end of their interactions.

They’d meet again in their life pre-AEW, but that didn’t stop Toni Storm from pretending like she had no idea who Deonna was when they finally shared space in All Elite Wrestling. So is this all a mind game from The Timeless One? Where does “Timeless” begin? Or should the question be, where does the Toni Storm we all knew for the first period of her AEW tenure end and this “Timeless” persona come into being? It’s certainly not the person that Deonna Purrazzo knew in Japan, or in the United Kingdom, and hopefully she realizes that as this situation continues to escalate towards the inevitable World Championship clash these women are destined for!

This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, we will all see how it unfolds when these two women are face-to-face on TBS! Will shoes be thrown? Will Mariah May and/or Luther be on-hand, and if so what will their presence mean to these proceedings? Tune in Wednesday night to see what else could possibly come out of Toni Storm’s mouth!

WHOSE HOUSE?

Swerve Strickland vs. Jeff Hardy

https://www.youtube.com/embed/E1Rl4SOBpH4?si=TdyL-AF9QIOsLi4E&start=264

As Swerve Strickland and Jeff Hardy prepare to fight for the very first time, take a look at where these two men currently stand in their All Elite Wrestling careers. Swerve is red-hot at the moment, on a mission to become AEW World Champion, and has declared his intentions, not just to the world, but specifically straight to Samoa Joe’s face. He has no fear about standing toe-to-toe with the AEW World Champion, no interest in anything that “Hangman” Adam Page has to say about their issues, but much like the former AEW World Champ, will do anything he needs to do, fight anyone he needs to fight, in order to make his championship aspirations a reality.

Conversely, Jeff Hardy has experienced a great deal of loss over his last year with All Elite Wrestling. With a record of 8-12 across 2023, seven of those losses came over Jeff’s last ten matches, with two singles losses to his 2023 record as well. While Jeff has not competed in a slew of singles matches, he has not won any since that victory over Darby Allin in the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament creeping on two years ago. To add to that, though The Hardys long ago earned consideration as a premiere tag team, they lost six consecutive tag bouts in 2023 before scoring their lone victory in a non-televised match fighting the teams of The Butcher & Blade and Daniel Garcia/Matt Menard. Suffice to say, it’s not been a the best year for the multi-time World Champions, but they’ve declared that changed is afoot, and that was on full display when Jeff Hardy, after losing to Darby Allin on RAMPAGE, bailed out on Darby’s show of respect.

That brings these two competitors to this Wednesday night in Savannah where they will go one-on-one for the very first time! Both men have a goal for their careers, goals certainly at odds with each other, so who will prevail when they lock up on DYNAMITE?

TIME TO FIGHT…

The Undisputed Kingdom’s Wardlow vs. Best Friend’s Trent Beretta

Since unveiling himself as the man behind the devil mask, Adam Cole has repeatedly told the world that Roderick Strong was in pursuit of the AEW International Championship, that ROH World Tag Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett were coming for all the tag teams, and that Wardlow would be AEW World Champion. Of course there’s the comments Cole has made about “The War Dog” handing over the title when the time is rest, though that could also be tongue-in-cheek mocking how MJF used to talk to Wardlow when he was under Max’s thumb, but that’s a situation to be unpacked somewhere down the line.

For now, look at everything Wardlow does as in service of his championship aspirations, and should it be Samoa Joe holding the gold if and when that times comes, all the better given their history with the TNT Championship. The path to title contention has to begin somewhere, with someone, and for Wardlow that person is Trent Beretta, and that somewhere is this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE! This marks Wardlow’s first match under the Undisputed Kingdom banner, and in part it could also be looked at as part of Roderick Strong’s push towards challenging Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship match. After all, this is one of OC’s best friends taking on one of Roddy’s undisputed allies, so there’s more than one layer to this first-ever meeting between Trent Beretta and Wardlow!

AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

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

The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage, & Toa Liona)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ko50hxGfvek?si=TMdNrtum3QC0vLZb&start=264

Last week was quite a big one for both of the trios engaged in this championship fight on Wednesday night, and their moments are rather tied together as both involve BULLET CLUB GOLD. For The Mogul Embassy, it was watching the ROH World Six-Man Championship titles slip from their grasp on DYNAMITE as BC GOLD emerged from their clash as the new champions. The end came when Jay White caught Bishop Kaun with his Bladerunner to score the three count, but that triumphant moment wasn’t the last of the week for The Bang Bang Gang!

Come COLLISION, White and The Gunns had a face-to-face with the AEW World Trios Champions, the latter looking for a response to their proposition to unify forces in opposition to The Undisputed Kingdom. It came as a bit of a shock that the six men actually drew together, but under the circumstances it was likely the best decision for all involved, and certainly puts all three Gunns, Jay White, Max Caster, and Anthony Bowens at an advantage opposite anyone who tries them. It will be interesting to see where Juice Robinson stands on this decision, but at least Rock Card Juice Board is on the same page with everything.

So now all the events of last week come together on DYNAMITE when the recently-dethroned Mogul Embassy come calling on The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass with Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona aiming to fill the void left behind by the loss of their ROH World Six-Man Championship with the AEW World Trios Championship! This is the first time Prince Nana’s monsters have challenged for these belts and clearly, as 2-Time ROH Six-Man Champions, they have what it takes to dethrone the current champions, and disrupt this newly formed Bang Bang Scissor Gang alliance! It would be wonderful revenge for The Mogul Embassy to take these titles from BC GOLD’s new allies, can they pull it off this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE? Or will the BBSG kick off their new alliance with victory?

THE RESPONSE…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ilvU7g2X6w4?si=jomaifj97a108Cc4

The world heard what The Young Bucks had to say last week on DYNAMITE, their words about why they chose to step onto the stage in Jacksonville when Sting was asked who he’d be facing for his final match at REVOLUTION 2024(https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-revolution-2024), but how much stock one puts into what Matthew and Nicholas had to say likely varies from person-to-person. Cataloging all their issues with All Elite Wrestling, and people who’ve come through the locker room, but then saying they don’t see Sting as one of those individuals just reeks of seeking justification for their actions.

Well this week we anticipate hearing from Darby Allin and Sting, and getting their response to what The Young Bucks had to say! Will this be the night that a match is officially made for AEW’s March 3rd  pay-per-view event? Do not miss out on what “The Icon” and Darby have to share with the AEW faithful!

A DYNAMITE RETURN!

Thunder Rosa vs. Red Velvet

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4LGwOH4VI38?si=0HgencDlesevsvP9

After sixteen months away, time spent recovering from injury, joining the Spanish announce team for COLLISION, and generally being unsure if a return to in-ring competition would be the payoff for all the pain, sacrifice, and rehabilitation, Thunder Rosa stepped back between the ropes on the final COLLISION of 2023. That night, on her home field of San Antonio, and with Abadon as her partner, Rosa was victorious in tag team action! It was a sign to the rest of the Women’s Division that “La Mera Mera” was back to claim her place atop the division, but she hadn’t been tested in singles competition since BATTLE OF THE BELTS III on August 6, 2022. 

Her second match back at DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024 didn’t put that muscle to the test either, though that eight-woman tag also ended in victory for Rosa’s team, but four days ago there was no more postponing the inevitable. On last Saturday’s COLLISION, the former AEW Women’s World Champion stepped into the ring with rising star Queen Aminata, a woman who’d impressed in her AEW bouts with Kris Statlander, Mariah May, Hikaru Shida, as well as in ROH competition. Aminata, even in her losses, had proven herself to be a hard-hitting competitor, one not afraid to throw hands with her opponents, and proven herself capable taking former World Champions into rough waters. This was going to be a tough fight for Rosa’s return to singles competition, but in victory the former World Champion felt empowered:

Thunder’s road back to the top continues this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, for the first time, she locks up with Red Velvet in singles competition! Red returned to AEW action last November after her own nine month layoff thanks to injury, coming back with aspirations of ascending to the top of the division, but was frustrated out of the gate by Julia Hart just prior to The House of Black member winning the TBS Championship. She topped Ruby Soho, but fell to Skye Blue in a TBS Title Eliminator match, and was beaten by Deonna Purrazzo two weeks ago on COLLISION. Suffice to say Red needs this victory as much as Thunder Rosa if she wants to get into contention for either of the division’s championships, and she’ aims to give “La Mera Mera” the toughest fight of her comeback thus far!

This Wednesday, AEW returns to the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA for a stacked DYNAMITE, getting underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com (https://www.fite.tv/join/aew-plus/) for international fans, and featuring one huge bout after another! Adam Copeland meets Minoru Suzuki in a match no one could’ve imagined ever happening, the AEW World Trios Title will be at stake, Jeff Hardy locks-up with Swerve Strickland, as well as “Timeless” Toni Storm going face-to-face with Deonna Purrazzo! All that and more is coming to the AEW faithful this week, so before the show gets underway, make a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorte social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest edition of the CONTROL CENTER!  Then join us on Saturday in Bossier City, Louisiana for a COLLISION featuring a Trios Elimination Cage Match between The House of Black and FTR/Daniel Garcia!

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!

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.

Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley 

vs. 

Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor (with Lee Moriarty)!

Taylor jabbed at Moxley, taking the fight right to Mox. Jon Moxley fired back with kicks and chops. Taylor stunned Moxley with a stiff shot to the jaw. Moxley popped back up and both men traded forearms. Taylor whipped Moxley into the corner and then connected with a running lariat, leaving Mox gasping for air.

Moxley was looking for a piledriver, but Taylor countered with a backdrop. They began to brawl outside the ring. Moxley hurled Taylor into the steel ring steps. Taylor got back into the ring, but Lee Moriarty cracked Moxley with a pump kick. Taylor dropped Moxley with a side slam for a near fall. Taylor tried for a splash off the second turnbuckle, but Moxley rolled out of the way.

Moxley rocked Taylor with a cutter out of nowhere. Moxley battered Shane Taylor in the corner. Taylor retaliated with a side suplex, but Moxley came back with a suplex of his own. Moxley nailed Taylor with the King Kong Lariat. Taylor nearly decapitated Moxley with a Western Lariat.

Moxley and Taylor traded headbutts! Taylor planted Moxley but Moxley trapped Taylor in a triangle choke. Taylor deadlifted Moxley and slammed him back down, escaping the choke. It backfired and Moxley started pounding Taylor with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moxley clocked Taylor with a flying knee strike. 

Moxley applied a rear naked choke. Moxley bridged backwards and Taylor was out cold. Moxley won via ref stoppage!

Moxley: “Everybody watching hear this. Right now, I am pissed off. I am pissed off beyond belief. I am hungry beyond belief. From this moment on I am not taking any crap from anyone or anything. In the year of 2024 anyone who wants to step in the ring with me, anyone who calls themselves a colleague or teammate, you only have to do one thing: keep the hell up!”

The “Cope Open” Challenge Match!

“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!

They shook hands before the match, showing mutual respect.

Dante took down Copeland with two big arm drags. Copeland tried for a cross body press off the second turnbuckle, but Dante dodged it. Copeland blocked a kick and then rammed Dante’s head into the turnbuckle. Copeland was trying to take away the equilibrium of Dante, going after Dante’s ear.

Dante clocked Copeland with a reverse question mark kick. Dante was looking for a springboard, but Adam knocked Dante off the top rope. Dante wiped out Copeland with a hurracanrana from the apron. Dante Martin followed up with a tope! Dante followed up with a crossbody press for a near fall on Copeland.

“Dante Martin is pulling out all the stops,” said Kevin Kelly.

Copeland stopped Dante in his tracks with a DDT. Copeland went for the spear, but Dante moved out of the way! Dante retaliated with a moonsault and covered Copeland, but Copeland’s boot touched the ropes, breaking the referee’s count. The crowd was stunned. Dante stunned Copeland with a sunset powerbomb off the top rope, but Copeland managed to kick out at two!

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

Dante springboarded off the top, but Copeland speared Dante midair! Copeland cranked on the Grindhouse and Dante Martin submitted!

“A standing ovation for Dante Martin!” said Nigel.

Tony Schiavone interviewed Adam Copeland in the ring after the match.

Copeland: “Tony, it gets harder and harder every week. What was I thinking with this Cope Open? I have to give all the credit to Dante Martin. I see all these young guys stepping up to take a bite out of me. I am going to keep coming out here, and working hard, and working hard, and working hard, just like Christian Cage said he was going to when he first came to AEW. 

“And Tony, God bless you, I’m going to keep working until I get the TNT Championship and bring it back to TNT. And get in here every Saturday so these people can see their championship, our championship, defended. The next time I set foot in this ring in this great city, I’m going to be your TNT champ.”

Lexy Nair was backstage interviewing Top Flight and Action Andretti when Private Party interrupted!

Private Party started taunting Top Flight because Dante and Darius lost to them when Private Party returned.

Action Andretti: “Sure, you guys got the W, but as far as we saw, Marq Quen grabbed the ropes to get that pinfall!”

Marq Quen: “Nah, I lost my balance. It happens.”

Isiah Kassidy: “Imagine what would happen if we partied with Adam Copeland? We both beat Dante and we’re both Rated R!”

Darius: “If you’re so confident, how about we run it back? I mean, unless you guys are afraid.”

Isiah: “We will, anytime.”

Thunder Rosa vs. Queen Aminata!

“It looks like Top Flight wants another match with Private Party, and I think they deserve it,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Thunder Rosa cracked Queen Aminata with a stiff chop. Thunder Rosa grabbed a side headlock. Thunder Rosa knocked Aminata down with a shoulder tackle. Queen Aminata nailed Thunder Rosa with a back breaker. 

Thunder Rosa rocked Aminata with a running dropkick. Aminata rallied back with a snap mare and then kicked Thunder Rosa in the back. Aminata walloped Rosa with a hip attack. Thunder Rosa dodged a second hip attack and then took the wind out of Aminata with a double knee strike. Thunder Rosa followed up with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. 

Queen Aminata headbutted Thunder Rosa and then blasted her with an air raid crash for a two-count! Queen Aminata climbed up, looking for the double stomp, but Thunder Rosa pulled her down. Thunder Rosa took Queen Aminata off her feet with a shotgun dropkick. Thunder Rosa planted Aminata with the Tijuana Bomb and then scored the pin!

Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White, and the Gunns—Austin and Colten Gunn, came out to the ring!

Jay White: “We feel it, the people feel it, it’s a different vibe, with the Collision Cowboys back on Saturday night. But something is missing still.”

Austin pulled a cardboard cut out of Juice Robinson from beneath the ring and stood it next to them.

AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass stormed onto the stage!

Daddy Ass: “We’re just out here to congratulate you guys over your recent title win. And we are the AEW Trios Champions. But we can do so much more!”

Max Caster: “That’s right, Bang Bang Gang. It’s one thing to get to the top of AEW, but it’s another thing to stay there. Just think if we were a supergroup. Together we’d be unstoppable in the ring, unstoppable in the back, unstoppable where it counts—with all the people. And I know the people want to see Billy Gunn with some singles gold.”

The fans started chanting “Daddy Ass! Daddy Ass! Daddy Ass!”

Max Caster: “I know the people want to see the Gunns with tag team titles, and Jay, I know the people want to see you as the World Heavyweight Champion. Listen! This is not our ceiling.”

The fans now chanted “Bang Bang Scissor Gang! Bang Bang Scissor Gang!”

Anthony Bowens: “The Acclaimed—we’ve been given the runaround before and we’re not going to take it anymore. We want an answer now. You don’t just have to answer to us. You have to answer to St. Louis. Do you want to see the Acclaimed and Bullet Club Gold unite?”

The fans chanted “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Bowens: “Of course you do! Everyone loves the Acclaimed! Scissors up! Guns up! Guys, this could be us every single week! The Bang Bang Scissor Gang!”

The Bang Bang Gang and the Acclaimed scissored with their hands and the crowd erupted!

“The formation of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang!” said Kevin Kelly.

“What a moment and you saw it live on Collision on TNT,” added Tony Schiavone. 

Backstage footage aired from this past week’s Dynamite, with AEW Women’s Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther the Butler addressing “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo!

Toni Storm: “Fine, I know who you are, Ms. Purrazzo. Yes, I remember our time very well, I remember our dojo days in the land of the rising sun. And as for me, I am cursed with this rampant sexuality. I will meet you, I will complete you, and then I will beat you!”

The House of Black’s Buddy Matthews (with Malakai Black & Brody King) 

vs. 

Daniel Garcia!

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

Before the match began, FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, walked down to the ring to corner Daniel Garcia.

Buddy Matthews shoved Garcia to the mat. Buddy followed up with a big shoulder tackle. FTR shouted words of encouragement to Garcia, telling Garcia to outwrestle Matthews. Buddy spiked Garcia with a DDT. Buddy walloped Garcia with a knee strike on the apron. Garcia rallied back with a piledriver on the apron!

“Guys, we may be getting a double count out here,” said Tony Schiavone.

Both men made it back into the ring just in the nick of time before the 10-count. Garcia stormed Buddy with fists of fire and then stepped on Buddy’s head. Garcia applied a figure four around the ring post, shades of the great Bret “the Hitman” Hart! Back in the ring, Garcia applied the sharpshooter! Buddy grabbed Garcia’s head and began bashing it against the mat, escaping the sharpshooter.

Buddy blasted Garcia with knee strikes! Buddy nailed Garcia with a deadlift jackhammer for a near fall! Buddy was looking for a powerbomb, but Garcia slipped out, and scored the surprise jackknife pin!

The House of Black and FTR and Garcia began to brawl! Referees and security tried to separate the two teams. The locker room emptied and rushed to the ring, trying to tear the teams apart! 

“I’m not so sure anyone can stop this! My God what are we watching!” yelled Schiavone.

“Only these six men can settle this!” added Kevin Kelly.

After a commercial break, Lexy Nair caught up with FTR and Daniel Garcia backstage for their comments!

Dax Harwood: “This has been going on for too long! I think we need to end it! Next week, six man tag, elimination style, inside a cage! Top guys out!”

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

vs. 

Matt Sydal!

Strong and Sydal chain wrestled, going hold for hold. Sydal connected with a spinning kick and then a plancha. Roddy caught Matt Sydal and drilled him with a perfect back breaker. Sydal took Roddy down with a hurracanrana. Sydal staggered Strong with a spinning heel kick. Sydal rocked Roderick with a meteora.

“Fans we have breaking news from Tony Khan! Next week Elimination Trios Steel Cage Match live on Collision! FTR and Daniel Garcia against the House of Black!” announced Tony Schiavone.

Sydal covered Roddy after an air raid crash, but Roddy escaped before the three-count. Roderick retaliated with a big knee lift. Roddy finished off Sydal with the End of Heartache and then pinned Sydal!

“Perfect strategy from Roderick Strong,” said Nigel.

Roddy looked into the camera and said, “Orange Cassidy, you see that?”

Main Event Time!

Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston & Ortiz

vs.

Blackpool Combat Club’s “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli!

Danielson took down Kingston and blasted Kingston in the spine with a kick. Kingston used a snap mare takeover and kicked Danielson in the back! Ortiz tagged in and he and Kingston double suplexed Danielson.

Claudio grabbed a tag and tore off Ortiz’s shirt. Claudio clubbed Ortiz with European Uppercuts. Ortiz fought off Danielson and Claudio until the numbers became too much for him. Claudio drove Ortiz back into the BCC’s corner with his power. Claudio hurled Ortiz around the ring with the Giant Swing!

Danielson tagged in and walloped Ortiz with kicks. Ortiz got to his feet and nailed Bryan with a clothesline.

Tony Schiavone announced he had breaking news from Tony Khan; the ranking system is returning to AEW, so every win is crucial!

Ortiz tagged out to Kingston, and Claudio tagged in. Claudio and Ortiz exchanged chops and forearms in the center of the ring, going back and forth. Claudio slapped Eddie in the face! Eddie answered with machine gun chops to Claudio’s chest! Kingston sent Claudio crashing and burning with an exploder suplex!

Claudio connected with a short arm clothesline for a two-count. Danielson tagged in and cracked Kingston with a flying headbutt, a move made famous by Kansas City’s own Harley Race. Kingston stunned Danielson with a DDT out of nowhere! Ortiz tagged in and he and Kingston dropped Danielson with tandem offense. Ortiz hit a tope on Danielson, and Kingston hit one on Claudio on the other side of the ring!

“Nobody has had the back of Kingston quite like Ortiz,” said Kevin Kelly.

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

Danielson put Ortiz in the LeBell Lock. Ortiz reached the ropes. Danielson captured the wrists of Ortiz and began to stomp on his head. Claudio forced Kingston to watch the assault on Ortiz. Danielson nailed Ortiz with a running knee strike and pinned Ortiz!

After the match, Danielson told Kingston he would not hold his titles long and then spat at him! Danielson left the ring, smirking, while Kingston checked on Ortiz.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!

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

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and Don Callis!

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

This…is…Rampage!

Chris Jericho vs. Matt Sydal!

They started with a collar and elbow tie up. The fans chanted “Jericho! Jericho! Jericho!” Jericho ran the ropes and sent Sydal crashing with a shoulder tackle. Sydal sent Jericho over the top rope with a clothesline. Sydal connected with a meteora knee strike off the apron! Sydal drove Jericho down in the ring with another meteora for a near fall.

“The only thing that would make me happier is if it was one of my guys in the Don Callis Family with their hands around Jericho’s throat,” said Callis.

Jericho regained momentum with knife edge chops. Sydal chopped away at the legs and chest of Jericho with kicks. Jericho countered Sydal and locked in the Walls of Jericho! Sydal used his flexibility and finally reached the bottom rope, forcing the rope break. Jericho dropkicked Sydal from the turnbuckles, and Sydal crashed to the arena floor.

Back in the ring, Jericho jumped off the top rope, but Sydal countered with a kick and then a standing moonsault for a near fall! Jericho fired his shoulder up at the last possible moment. Sydal power bombed Jericho for another near fall.

“What a back and forth matchup this has been,” said Ian.

Sydal jumped off the ropes and Jericho cracked him with the Code Breaker! Jericho played possum and then went for a lionsault, but Sydal got his knees up. Sydal rocked Jericho with an Air Raid Crash for a two-count!

Jericho sent Sydal flying with a hurracanrana from the top rope. Jericho followed up with the Judas Effect and pinned Sydal!

Jericho barely took a step through the ropes and Don Callis ran for the hills!

As Jericho was returning to the back, “The Alpha” Takeshita blindsided Jericho! Security came out along with Christopher Daniels and Takeshita wiped out Daniels before leaving!

Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes) vs. The Workhorsemen’s Anthony Henry!

“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for the rest of the evening.

Penta El Zero Miedo walloped Henry with a stiff kick to Henry’s midsection. Anthony Henry managed to string together a flurry of offense on Penta. Henry charged at Penta, but Penta caught him with a thrust kick. Penta dropped Henry with a spinning Spiccoli Driver for a near fall!

Penta El Zero Miedo was looking for the Made in Japan, but Henry blocked it and hit a double stomp on Penta! Henry tried for a double stomp, but Penta dodged it and fired back with a suplex into the turnbuckles. Penta spiked Anthony Henry with the Fear Factor and pinned Henry!

Renee Paquette was backstage when Ruby Soho and Saraya walked up, arguing with one another!

Renee asked what was going on with them.

Saraya: “I don’t know! She’s paranoid!”

Ruby came back around the corner and this time she was holding Harley Cameron by the throat.

Ruby: “Why him?! Tell me!”

Harley: “To help you!”

Ruby: “To help me!? Are you kidding me?!”

Saraya was motioning to Harley from behind Ruby’s back.

Harley: “It was Anna Jay. She told me to do it.”

Saraya: “Yeah, that makes perfect sense Ruby. Let her go.”

Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Queen Aminata!

Excalibur noticed Willow Nightingale’s absence from Kris’ side.

Queen Aminata took Kris down with an arm drag. They both went for a pump kick and they both blocked each other. Statlander charged at Aminata with a shoulder tackle. Statlander swept out Aminata’s legs and then splashed her with a senton.

Statlander charged at Aminata, but the Queen ducked it. Queen Aminata took the advantage with a diving crossbody through the ropes. Back in the ring, Statlander trucked Aminata with a discus lariat for a near fall!

Queen Aminata rocked Statlander with a running knee. Statlander slipped behind and power slammed Aminata. Statlander planted Aminata, hooked the leg and pinned her!

“Stokely Hathaway seems to think he played a major role in Statlander’s victory,” said Excalibur.

Sonjay Dutt once again commissioned a camera crew to document his attempts to get his gang back on track!

Sonjay was backstage with Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal.

Lethal: “Where the heck is Jeff? I’m glad he’s not here. That way I can talk openly without him interrupting. I want to get back to what this company was built on and that’s great in ring action. I can’t do this in this group.”

Sonjay: “I got it. It’s time to kick Karen Jarrett out of the group.”

Satnam: “Whoa, whoa, we need to keep the best leader of this team. We need to keep Karen and kick out Jeff!”

Jay Lethal: “Guys stop! This is what I’m talking about. We’re arguing after stupid things. I don’t know how much more of this I can take! Maybe it’s singles gold I’m after!”

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Kris Statlander after her huge victory!

Stokely Hathaway was standing beside Statlander.

Willow Nightingale rushed to see Kris. Willow was still in her street clothes. 

Willow: “I missed it! I’m so sorry.”

Kris: “Are you ok?”

Willow: “I’m fine but my flight was cancelled.”

Stokely: “Cancelled?”

Willow: “No, the flight happened. I just couldn’t get on it. Somebody cancelled my trip.”

Stokely: “Oh my, damn. But you know what? If you’re supposed to be her best friend and you love this business so much, you wouldn’t have been hopping on Soul Plane. Maybe if you would have picked a dedicated airline like United or Delta!”

Willow: “I wanted to be in your corner!”

Kris: “We’re going to figure this out.”

Stokely: “You mean we? Oh, so we’re a thing?”

Willow: “You’re giving him a chance?”

Main Event Time! 

Darby Allin vs. Jeff Hardy!

Jeff slapped Darby in the face. Darby fired back with a shotgun dropkick. Darby jumped from the top turnbuckle and crashed onto Jeff on the outside! Jeff Hardy whipped Darby into the announcers’ desk!

“Jeff Hardy showing a real mean streak here,” said Matt Menard.

Jeff hurled Darby into the barricade. Jeff jumped off the ring apron and connected with a big clothesline. Jeff ran and jumped off the steel ring steps, but Darby moved, sending Jeff crashing into the barricade. 

Darby clubbed Jeff with right hands across the jaw. Darby sat Jeff on a metal chair and then charged at him with a tope suicida, but Jeff dodged it! Darby was writhing in pain. Back in the ring Jeff hit a neck breaker. Jeff followed up with two more neck breakers. Jeff face planted Darby and covered him, but Darby kicked out at the two-count.

Both men jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Darby raked Jeff’s back. Darby rocked Jeff with an avalanche Code Red for a near fall!

“How did Jeff Hardy kick out of that one?” wondered Excalibur.

Jeff stopped Darby from doing a Coffin Drop. Jeff countered with a neck breaker on the ring apron, with Darby’s feet elevated on the top turnbuckle! Jeff pulled a table from beneath the ring. Jeff rammed Darby’s head into the steel ring post and then placed Darby on the table. Jeff attempted a Swanton, but Darby dodged it and sent Jeff crashing through the table!

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

Darby rolled Jeff back into the ring. Darby went for the Coffin Drop but Jeff raised his knees right into Darby’s back! Darby escaped a Twist of Fate, jackknifed Jeff and scored the pin!

“He’ll take those risks, but Darby is such a highly technical wrestler as well,” said Excalibur.

Darby tried to fist bump Jeff after the match to show respect, but Jeff wouldn’t reciprocate, simply choosing to leave the ring instead.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO featuring:

-House of Black’s Buddy Matthews vs. Daniel Garcia!

-Thunder Rosa returns to singles action!

-The “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland’s “Cope Open”!

-The Return of Jon Moxley as he goes one on one with Shane Taylor!

-Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Continental Crown Champ Eddie Kingston & Ortiz!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/M98j3dB9SQI?si=foYEnMvQIaUZpdk5

Wednesday night’s edition of DYNAMITE was loaded up with one championship fight after another, capped off with FTW Champion HOOK giving AEW World Champion Samoa Joe everything he had in an attempt to snatch the crown from Joe’s head. HOOK survived more than anyone, even Joe, thought was possible, but ultimately he succumbed to the onslaught of the World Champion. One team that managed to add a championship to their ranks was BULLET CLUB GOLD when they dethroned The Mogul Embassy as ROH World Six-Man Champions, but Dustin Rhodes was not so successful in his bid to take the TNT Championship from Christian Cage. We heard from The Young Bucks, from Swerve and Hangman Page, and watched Roderick Strong challenge Orange Cassidy for REVOLUTION 2024! Now the eyes of the AEW faithful turn to Friday night…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dezY7gSxosA?si=MfQM1Ldf_A3-c_M8

This Friday RAMPAGE airs from North Charleston, SC and the North Charleston Coliseum, getting underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and featuring four tremendous contests! As seen on DYNAMITE, Matt Sydal has challenged Chris Jericho to meet him in singles competition, The Workhorsemen’s Anthony Henry will take on The Lucha Brothers Penta El Zero Miedo, Kris Statlander takes on a fight with Queen Aminata, and your the main event, in a rematch of the 2022 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, Darby Allin will take on Jeff Hardy! Before the show begins, drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Chris Jericho vs. Matt Sydal

On Wednesday night we heard Chris Jericho speak on the events of BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX, and it certainly seemed like the original AEW World Champion was growing increasingly unhinged as he recounted the actions of The Don Callis Family. It was certainly unexpected to find Matt Sydal attempting to be the voice of reason, to talk Jericho down from escalating himself into a frenzy, but it was not a surprise that the end result of their conversation was a fight for this Friday night on RAMPAGE.

Now these two men are no strangers to one another; as a matter of fact, in another life Sydal scored six consecutive singles victories over Jericho, and actually holds an 8-2 record over Chris in their one-on-one encounters! While it has been over thirteen years since their last encounter, the memory remains, and perhaps that’s why Sydal was willing to challenge Jericho to this bout in North Charleston, SC.

Will this help Jericho refocus, to channel his rage into something positive rather than self-destructive, or will it be Sydal finding a way to recapture the magic he had in 2010 to score a seventh straight win over “Le Champion”?

REMATCH!

Darby Allin vs. Jeff Hardy

On May 11, 2022, as part of the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, something of a generational dream match went down, the kind of match no one ever thought they would get to see, but discussed how it would play out if it was ever possible. That bout was Darby Allin versus Jeff Hardy, and it became a reality at UBS Arena in the First Round of the 2022 Owen, one contested under No Disqualification Rules, and ultimately won by Jeff Hardy.

Fast forward twenty months to January 19, 2024 and this Friday’s edition of RAMPAGE; for the second time in their careers, Darby Allin and Jeff Hardy will go one-on-one in the main event of the night! Now the entire wrestling world knows Sting’s end is approaching, but on Wednesday night he and Darby made it clear they have a desire to end that run as AEW World Tag Team Champions, a goal that The Hardys share as they aim to rebound from a rather downward spiral in their tag team career last year. 

Will Darby march towards REVOLUTION 2024 with a victory over Jeff Hardy to his resume, evening the score for 2022, or will Jeff make it a second win over the former 2-Time TNT Champion as he and his brother look to make 2024 their year?

SINGLES MATCH…

Kris Statlander vs. Queen Aminata

Though these two have met in the past, with Kris Statlander holding a June 7, 2021 victory over Queen Aminata, it is abundantly clear that neither woman is the same competitor she was at that point in their careers. Statlander stands before the AEW faithful a more confident competitor than she ever was in the past, a former TBS Champion, the woman responsible for ending the longest title reign in all of AEW history. Aminata, to her credit, has become a more seasoned competitor since that 2021 bout, one of her earliest in All Elite Wrestling. That experience has shown over the last several weeks in the Queen’s fights with Hikaru Shida, Mariah May, and Skye Blue, revealing her to be a particularly hard-hitting wrestler who enjoys going strike-for-strike with her opponents.

That’s the kind of fight Statlander needs, especially as she’s potentially distracted by all this nonsense with Stokely Hathaway and his desire to drive a wedge between Stat and Willow Nightingale. Though all that means this fight may be the perfect moment for Queen Aminata to score her first singles victory in AEW, and over a former champion no less!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Penta El Zero Miedo vs. The Workhorsemen’s Anthony Henry

Though Wednesday night’s tag team battle against AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta did not go as hoped for Penta El Zero Miedo and Komander, the former AEW & ROH World Tag Team Champion has a second chance to make his week a positive one! This Friday night on RAMPAGE, Penta will go into singles competition against another man more conditioned to tag team competition in AEW, The Workhorsemen’s Anthony Henry!

Henry, though generally a tag team competitor alongside JD Drake, has had his share of singles matches under the AEW banner, and though none of them have ended in victory, the experience he’s garnered has been invaluable. Fights with Darby Allin, Trent Beretta, Orange Cassidy, and Miro, just to name a few, have toughened Henry up, and his desire to fight has never waned as a result.

That’s why this Friday night Anthony Henry will wade into battle against this multi-time Tag Team Champion and give Penta El Zero Miedo every ounce of fight in his body. After all, that’s what it means to be a Workhorsemen…

Coming your way from North Charleston, SC, this Friday’s edition of RAMPAGE begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features Darby Allin colliding with Jeff Hardy, former TBS Champion Kris Statlander taking on the impressive Queen Aminata, Anthony Henry stepping up to a singles match with Penta El Zero Miedo, and Chris Jericho answering Matt Sydal’s call for a fight! Before the show begins, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/etz3a_e7uDQ?si=_4TewOETGOBwDi0b

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!

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

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

TNT Championship Match!

“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) (with Nick Wayne & Killswitch) 

vs. 

“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes!

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

Christian Cage hit Dustin with a cheap shot, kicking him in the abdomen. Rhodes fired back with a scoop slam. Christian rolled out of the ring, swept out Dustin’s legs, and was about to pull Dustin by the legs into the ring post. Instead, Dustin pulled back, sending Christian headfirst into the steel ring post. Dustin flew off the ring steps with a clothesline, taking the fight to the champion outside the ring.

Rhodes hit Christian Cage with a haymaker. Christian Cage took a huge risk and jumped off the turnbuckles and landed on Dustin Rhodes outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dustin strung together a flurry of offense and punctuated it with a bulldog for a near fall!

Dustin rocked Christian with a Code Red for a two-count! Christian played possum, begging off Dustin but then pulling him down onto the ropes. Dustin went for a tope, but Christian countered with a stiff strike. Christian connected with a frog splash for a two-count on Rhodes.

Christian grabbed his title from the timekeeper’s table. Christian was about to smash the title against Dustin’s head, but ref Aubrey Edwards grabbed it away. As the ref was distracted, Dustin rolled up Christian in a small package. Nick Wayne jumped in the ring and reversed the cradle attempt, rolling Christian on top of Dustin. “The Natural” managed to kick out!

“That was quick thinking by Nick Wayne. It didn’t work but it was smart,” said Taz.

Dustin slugged Christian. Dustin superplexed Christian Cage as more interference from Nick Wayne backfired. Dustin Rhodes rocked Christian with the Cross Rhodes for a near fall! Nick Wayne grabbed at Dustin’s ankle. Dustin met Wayne outside the ring while Christian distracted the ref. Killswitch diverted Dustin’s attention this time, and Nick Wayne climbed to the top turnbuckle. Nick went for Wayne’s World, but Dustin countered with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor!

Dustin got back into the ring and Christian speared him! Christian smashed Dustin with the Killswitch but Dustin kicked out at the two-count! Dustin got back up, but Christian connected with a second Killswitch and pinned Dustin!

“That spear was a direct message to Adam Copeland,” said Taz.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Swerve Strickland!

Swerve said not only did he have his eyes on the main event, but he also has his eyes everywhere. He said it didn’t matter if it was Samoa Joe or Hook who came out as champion. Swerve said he’s the most dangerous man going after the most coveted prize in the industry. Renee mentioned “Hangman” Adam Page, another man going after that prize. Swerve said, “Like I said, I’ve got eyes everywhere.” Swerve said he’s beaten Hangman twice now and he’s got no reason to prove it again.

Renee Paquette interviewed “The Ocho” Chris Jericho backstage!

Jericho said the Don Callis Family ripped those AEW World Tag Team championship belts out of his and Sammy Guevara’s hands at Battle of the Belts last Saturday. “Takeshita, Hobbs, you caused us to lose, and you injured Sammy. Now, even though I just beat you in Tokyo, Takeshita, suddenly that match doesn’t mean as much anymore. I’m going to seek and destroy your ass!”

Matt Sydal interrupted and questioned why Jericho was losing it over this defeat. “To get over this loss, you have to get back in that ring and you have to fight somebody who’s beaten you before, like me.”

Jericho: “You’re asking for a match? I respect you as a wrestler. Some would even say you’re born to do this. Maybe we need to do this match on Rampage, but I’ve got to warn you, I’ve got a lot of pent up aggression. So be careful what you wish for. I’ll see you on Friday.”

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta (with Chuck Taylor)

vs.

Komander & Penta El Zero Miedo (with Rey Fenix and Alex Abrahantes)!

Orange and Penta El Zero Miedo had a stare down in the center of the ring. Penta blasted Orange with round kicks. Orange attempted a DDT, but Penta countered with a massive thrust kick. Penta was about to fly out of the ring, but Trent cut him off. Komander tagged in and hit a missile dropkick on Trent. 

Trent suplexed Komander with a half-and-half and then returned Orange back to the ring. Orange covered Komander for a near fall. Komander took Trent over the top rope with his legs. Komander up kicked at Cassidy. Penta tagged in and stunned Orange with a sling blade, and then a second sling blade! Penta pulped Orange with the Made in Japan, good for a two-count!

Orange spiked Penta with a DDT. Trent tagged in and pie faced Komander. Trent hammered Komander against the ropes. Komander cradled Trent for a near fall. Trent chopped Komander, backing him up to his corner. Penta tagged in, jumped off Komander’s back, and walloped Trent with an assisted Canadian Destroyer! Komander walked the ropes and splashed Trent. Komander covered Trent for the pin, but Orange jumped in to break it up.

Komander climbed to the top turnbuckle and tried for the Phoenix Splash. Trent dodged it and returned fire with a knee strike! Penta popped up out of nowhere and nailed Trent with a thunderous thrust kick. Penta springboarded off the ropes but Orange jumped in, shoved Trent out of the way, and rocked Penta with the Beach Break! Cassidy cracked Komander with the Orange Punch! Trent hoisted up Komander, hit the Crunchy, and pinned Komander!

After the match, the Undisputed Kingdom walked onto the ramp and down to the ring!

Roderick Strong: “I know you’ve heard me say it to the fans and other people, but I came out here to say it to your face, Orange. So, take off your glasses and look me in the eyes! Orange, take your glasses off now! We can end you right now if we wanted to. 

“Listen, you have been a fighting champion, willing to take on anyone at any time, but tonight you decided to wrestle in a tag match and not defend the AEW International Championship. But why? Is it all becoming too much? Are you afraid you don’t have enough in the tank to keep it? Or are you afraid of me coming for it, and you can’t face it? It belongs to me and I’m coming for it. I’m here to make you face it!”

Orange Cassidy: “Alright, you know what. You got it. Let’s do it, right here, right now.”

Roderick Strong: “No, no, not right now. You, you’re going to have to wait until March 3rd, live on pay-per-view on Revolution. Because I want you for the next six weeks to live with that, to accept that, to wake up every day knowing that you’re just keeping my title warm for me.”

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview “Hangman” Adam Page!

Page: “If you think back on the past five years, you will not find another soul on the planet who cared more about the AEW World Championship than I have. Who treated it with reverence. Who needed it. But in 2024, not only will I win it, but I will also put my name on it and keep it there for as long as I can.

“Swerve seems to think about me a lot. I don’t think about him at all. If he says he can beat me, I would say it doesn’t matter. Because he’s not the World Champion. Samoa Joe is. I’ll be watching tonight. And if Hook wins, God be with you.”

Mark Briscoe walked onto the ramp to honor his brother, Jay!

The Briscoe family was in the front row.

Mark Briscoe: “I come to you tonight representing the baddest tag team in the history of this planet, the Briscoe Brothers. Tragically, one year ago tonight, my brother passed on in a car accident. He moved onto the next level of existence. My nieces were in the truck with him, and tragically they told my oldest niece she’ll never walk again. However, damn it, God is on the throne! We won’t stop because we can’t stop!”

Mark’s niece walked onto the stage!

Mark Briscoe: “We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!”

A tribute package aired honoring Jay Briscoe.

#Demboys

Renee Paquette had a sit down interview with the Young Bucks—Nick and Matt Jackson!

Nick: “I’m sorry to cut you off, but can you show us some respect and call us by our God-given names, Nicholas and Matthew? We’re executive vice presidents around here, and it’s time to take this job a little more seriously.”

Matt: “Good point.”

Renee: “We’ve heard about the public tantrums, the rumors…”

Matt: “Rumors, you want to go there? I think I know which rumor you’re talking about. You don’t believe the things they say or write about us, do you? None of those are true. Let’s say hypothetically some of those things were true. What would you do to preserve and protect your life’s work? What would you do to protect your baby? I know what I would do. So just think of that the next time you come at us with rumors again. And again, this is all hypothetical, but what would you be willing to lose?

“Also, would you be willing to lose your relationship with coworkers and your friends? How about your legacy and reputation, out the window. If you knew all that in hindsight, would you do all that if it meant there’d be a healthy, sustainable company called AEW? I’ll answer that. Hell yeah. And speaking of there being a company around, you got your paycheck this week, right? You’re welcome.”

Renee: “Switching gears, let’s talk Sting.”

Matt: “When we started AEW there in the beginning, you weren’t there, so you wouldn’t know. But we used to say, ‘Change the world.’ We were disrupters. We were changing the world and somewhere along the way, we lost our way. It’s like the culture shifted and toxicity crept into the locker room. It was just different. I think I know why. I think it’s because we started to lean on yesterday’s self-serving, cancerous superstars. 

“And you mentioned Sting. This isn’t about Sting. Sting is none of those things. Sting is great. Sting is a role model employee. I’m envious of the way they talk about Sting. Maybe they’ll talk about us like that one day. However, it’s what Sting represents. Sting is the last of that dying breed. And the image of Sting isn’t in line with what we wanted to do with AEW. We wanted to change the world. Unfortunately for Sting, we’re going to have to say goodbye to Sting and everybody like Sting. And we would never ask anybody to do anything that we weren’t willing to do ourselves.”

Nick: “Good point.”

Renee: “Is that an official call out to Sting at Revolution for his final match?”

Nick: “As EVPs, we’ll pull some strings.”

ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!

The Mogul Embassy (c.)—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage

vs.

Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White, and The Gunns—Austin & Colten!

Toa backed up Jay White. Toa tried for a chop, but Jay ducked it. Jay blistered up Toa’s chest with chops of his own. Toa retaliated with a heavy chop and then multiple knee strikes to Jay’s lower back. 

Bishop Kaun tagged in and continued the assault on White. Jay White landed a dragon screw leg whip and tagged out to Colten. Colten stomped on Kaun and then Austin tagged in. Cage grabbed a tag but ate some right hands from Austin. Brian Cage retaliated with a German Suplex. The Gates of Agony double teamed Austin, double teaming him.

Colten tagged in and cleaned house on the Mogul Embassy! Colten nailed Cage with a neck breaker. Toa ran in and sent Colten for a ride with a wicked pounce! The Gates of Agony hurled Colten into Cage and Cage power bombed Colten! Kaun connected with an Air Raid Crash, but Austin and Jay ran in to make the save and break up the pin.

Jay White shoved Cage into the steel ring post! Jay White lit up Bishop with heavy chops, sending thunderous echoes throughout the arena. The Gunns blasted Cage with the 3:10 to Yuma! Bishop Kaun split leg dropkicked the Gunns. Kaun distracted the ref while Prince Nana tripped up Jay White. Kaun hit a lung blower on Jay White for a near fall. Prince Nana jumped in the ring with the belt, ready to hit White while Kaun distracted the ref. Anthony Bowens sprinted to the ring and pulled the belt away from Prince Nana! Jay White rocked Kaun with the Blade Runner and pinned him!

And new ROH World Six-Man Champions…Bullet Club Gold!

AEW Trios Champs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass came out onto the ramp and saluted Bullet Club Gold with the scissor hand gesture. 

“Could we be seeing the genesis of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang?” wondered Excalibur.

The Undisputed Kingdom’s Adam Cole and Wardlow were backstage!

Cole: “Wardlow hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he’s capable of, but now with the Undisputed Kingdom, this man will be unbeatable. This man will go down as the most dominant AEW professional wrestler of all time, I promise you that. And just wait and see until Wardlow continues to run over opponent after opponent after opponent until there is nothing left but the AEW World Championship, which will then be the property of the Undisputed Kingdom. Ain’t that right, big man?”

Wardlow: “Boom!”

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay!

AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the commentary team for this match. She was flanked by Mariah May and Luther the Butler. 

Deonna hit an uppercut to Anna’s arm. Anna fired back with a neck breaker over the ropes on Deonna. Deonna rocked Anna with clotheslines. Deonna pump kicked Anna for a near fall. Anna cracked Deonna with a backstabber for a two-count.

Anna tried to lock in the Queen Slayer, but Deonna rolled through. They traded forearms. Deonna flattened out Anna, locked on the Venus de Milo, and Anna was forced to submit!

Renee Paquette interviewed Deonna Purrazzo in the ring!

Renee: “Toni Storm said she’d like to meet with you, but the champ is right there. Is there anything you’d like to say to her?”

Deonna: “Absolutely. Toni, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. We’ve known each other for a long time. We used to be like sisters. And it’s clear since I arrived at AEW that you’ve changed. But you know what? So, have I. You might have been friends with Deonna Purrazzo, but you have never met the greatest technical wrestler in the world, ‘the Virtuosa.’”

Toni: “Technical? You’re technical? Well technically speaking, you’re an artificially tanned hack. My past is none of your concern. I aught to march right in that ring and sock you right in that box! But we must go to commercial. So, chin up, t-ts out, and watch for the shoe!”

Mariah May threw a shoe at Deonna! Deonna threw it back!

Toni: “You’re toast! You’re going down!”

Luther carried Toni away on his shoulders.

Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin vs. Private Party—Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy!

Kassidy and Darius exchanged a flurry of offense, each countering the other, going hold for hold! Dante and Marq grabbed tags. Marq Quen went after Dante’s ankle. Kassidy hit a big springboard crossbody on Dante. 

Marq Quen hit two planchas on both members of Top Flight! Quen went to the top turnbuckle and connected with a 450 splash, but Dante managed to kick out! Top Flight rocked Marq Quen with a quick combination. Dante cracked Quen in the nose with a knee strike. Isiah stunned Dante with a step over kick.

Private Party served up Gin & Juice on Dante! Darius ran in to make the save but Marq Quen rolled him up, and with the help of the ropes, scored the pin!

“Whoa a little highway robbery there,” said Taz.

Excalibur wondered if it was intentional or if it was just instinct. 

“Either way, Top Flight feeling like they were wronged here tonight,” said Excalibur.

A Sting and Darby Allin video package aired!

“This story is going to end with me and Sting as AEW World champions,” said Darby.

Sting: “It’s showtime.”

Main Event Time! AEW World Championship Match!

Samoa Joe (c.) vs. FTW Champion HOOK!

Hook charged into battle, peppering the champ with shots. Samoa Joe immediately sent Hook to the outside. Samoa Joe whipped Hook at the barricade, but Hook jumped onto the barricade and then jumped back at Joe with a shot!

Back in the ring, Samoa Joe sent Hook into the ropes and then drove him hard to the mat with a running back elbow. Samoa Joe jabbed at Hook with right hands! Samoa Joe pummeled Hook in the corner with more strikes. 

Samoa Joe walloped Hook with a kick and then an elbow drop for a two-count. Hook was looking for a T-bone suplex, but Samoa Joe stopped him with an elbow strike. Hook tripped Samoa Joe and then clobbered him with a wild ride hand from off the apron! Samoa Joe spiked Hook onto the announcer’s desk, and it collapsed under Hook!

Hook flipped off Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe power bombed Hook onto the ring apron! The ref had Doc Sampson examine Hook at ringside. Hook wouldn’t stay down; he shoved the doctor away and got back into the ring. Samoa Joe powerslammed Hook for a near fall!

“What is this man made of?” wondered Excalibur.

Samoa Joe nailed Hook with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Hook was still alive, despite being put through hell! Samoa Joe planted Hook with a muscle buster and Hook kicked out at the one-count!

Hook blasted Samoa Joe with three consecutive lariats. Hook sent Samoa Joe for a ride with a T-bone suplex! Hook tried to lock in the Red Rum, but Samoa Joe blocked it! Samoa Joe countered with his own submission. The ref raised Hook’s arm three times, but Hook didn’t respond. The ref ended the match, declaring Samoa Joe the winner.

“Hook wrestled the match of a lifetime. The good news for Hook is this is only the beginning. Hook has quite a career ahead of him,” said Ian. 

As Samoa Joe was leaving with his title, Hook yelled, “Is that all you got?”

Samoa Joe jumped back into the ring and kicked Hook between the legs! Samoa Joe planted Hook with another muscle buster! 

“Not after this match! Joe didn’t need to do this,” said Excalibur.

Hook was undaunted and got back to his feet, pointing at Samoa Joe who was outside the ring! Samoa Joe got back into the ring. “Hangman” Adam Page sprinted to the ring, having seen enough out of Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe finally left the ring, glaring at Hangman Page. Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana appeared in the front row! Swerve was smirking at Page and Samoa Joe. Hangman helped Hook to his feet.

“Hook put up a hell of a fight, but he came up short. That’s all right. He will be a world champion. That will happen,” said Taz.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!

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

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!

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

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX was broadcast live from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, VA!

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.

Open Challenge Match!

“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Shane Taylor Promotion’s Lee Moriarty!

Collision kicked off with the “Cope Open”!

Copeland whipped Moriarty into the turnbuckles. Copeland clubbed Lee with forearms. Copeland swept out Lee’s legs. Moriarty wrenched Copeland’s arm over the top rope and followed up with a dropkick.

Moriarty went for the Border City Stretch. Copeland powered himself to the ropes, reaching out and grabbing the bottom rope, forcing the ref to break the hold. Moriarty climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Copeland knocked Moriarty off balance. Copeland tossed Lee with an avalanche fallaway slam. Copeland was contemplating a spear, but Shane Taylor distracted him from the arena floor. Moriarty capitalized and booted Copeland. Copeland went outside and speared Taylor and, in the process, Moriarty torpedoed Copeland with a tope!

Back in the ring, Copeland pummeled Lee with stiff shots. Copeland cracked Lee with a backbreaker. Copeland applied the Grindhouse and made Moriarty tap out!

Copeland: “Just in case he forgot, Christian Cage I’m still coming for your scrawny ass!”

ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!

The Mogul Embassy—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage (c.)

vs.

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

Archer and Cage shoved one another. Cage took down Archer with a vertical suplex. Archer wiped out Cage with a lariat. Cage came back with a German Suplex. The Gates of Agony used tandem offense on Vincent. Toa splashed Vincent after a drop toe hold. 

Bishop Kaun and Vincent slugged it out in the center of the ring. Things broke down quickly with both teams brawling around ringside! Archer choke slammed Kaun. Cage entered the ring and drilled Archer with a Death Valley Driver. Vincent jumped in but Toa hit a Samoan Drop. Vincent grabbed Toa and nailed him with the Bossman Slam and then flipped over the top rope, wiping out the champs!

Archer was looking for the Black Out on Kaun, but Prince Nana grabbed Archer’s boot. Jake “The Snake” Roberts knocked out Nana with one punch! The fans chanted “You still got it!” Archer was mad at Roberts for getting involved. 

Toa pounced Vincent in the ring! The Gates of Agony double teamed Vincent but Archer ran in to make the save. Cage nailed Archer with a twisting neck breaker. Bishop Kaun used his finisher and flattened Vincent for the pinfall victory!

Prince Nana: “Ladies and gentlemen, you’re looking at the greatest ROH Six-Man Champions of all time! And you know what? The boss, Swerve and I, we were watching those guys from the Bang Bang Gang complain about how they need more titles in their collection. More specifically, the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. But you have a boss who couldn’t beat Swerve in the Continental Classic! But since we’re such great guys, this Wednesday, live on Wednesday, it’s Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony challenging you guys in the Bang Bang Gang!”

Lexy Nair was interviewing Preston Vance backstage when…

Roderick Strong and the Kingdom interrupted Preston. Preston Vance said this was his time, but after he was done with his match tonight, he’d beat Roddy next week!

“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. Willie Mack!

Dustin arm dragged Mack to the mat. Dustin staggered Willie with a strike to the face. Willie Mack cracked Dustin in the head with a kick. Willie splashed Dustin with a standing moonsault for a near fall.

Willie Mack climbed to the top and went for the six-star frog splash, but Dustin dodged it. Dustin followed up with a Canadian Destroyer and then a power slam! Dustin planted Mack with the Cross Rhodes and pinned him!

“I think he’s catching lightning in a bottle. Message sent!” said Kevin Kelly.

Bullet Club Gold were backstage with an answer for Prince Nana and the Mogul Embassy!

“Switchblade” Jay White said the ROH Six-Man Titles would be going home with him and the Gunns after their match on Dynamite this Wednesday!

FTW World Champion Hook was shown arriving at the arena!

Renee Paquette tried to interview Dustin Rhodes backstage!

TNT Champion Christian Cage interrupted Rhodes and said he didn’t like the company that Rhodes kept. Dustin challenged Christian Cage to put his title on the line this Wednesday on Dynamite!

“Hangman” Adam Page vs. The Workhorsemen’s JD Drake (with Anthony Henry)!

Tony Schiavone mentioned how Page made a challenge to AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, but Hook has the first shot this Wednesday on Dynamite. 

Hangman used a side headlock takeover on Drake. Hangman chopped Drake in the corner. Hangman connected with a running moonsault. Page dropkicked Drake into Anthony Henry. JD Drake blasted Page with a big blow!

Hangman landed a top rope plancha on Drake. Page followed up with a crossbody press from the top rope for a near fall. Hangman hoisted up Drake and drilled him with a Death Valley Driver! JD Drake fired back with a belly-to-belly suplex and then a cannonball splash! JD Drake went for a moonsault, but Hangman got out of the way. Hangman blasted Drake with the Buckshot Lariat and pinned JD Drake!

“His first Collision match is a victory, and he earned it, too!” said Tony Schiavone.

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet!

Red Velvet was looking for a thrust kick, but Deonna put the brakes on. Red Velvet snuck in a dropkick though. Deonna grabbed Red Velvet in a Fujiwara armbar, but Velvet grabbed the ropes. Deonna cracked Red Velvet with a baseball dropkick. 

Red Velvet shocked Deonna with a Japanese style arm drag. Red Velvet continued to work over Purrazzo’s arm. Deonna rocked Red Velvet with a big pump kick! Deonna grabbed Red Velvet’s arms and pulled back, forcing Red Velvet to tap out to the Venus de Milo!

FTW Champion HOOK vs. Kevin Matthews!

Matthews charged at Hook, trying to blindside him. Hook saw him coming and suplexed Matthews all over the ring. Hook hurled KM on the ramp with another suplex! Hook locked on the Red Rum and Kevin Matthews tapped out!

“Hook has momentum going into Wednesday!” said Tony Schiavone.

Hook looked into the camera and said, “Samoa Joe, I’ll see you Wednesday!”

Collision Main Event! Trios Match!

Daniel Garcia & FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood

vs.

The House of Black—Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black!

Matt Menard joined the commentary team for this match.

Dax smashed Buddy with a guillotine leg drop. FTR hit a double catapult on Buddy. Cash followed up with a brain buster. Garcia tagged in but ate a boot from Buddy.

Malakai Black tagged in and took down Garcia with a big arm drag. Garcia ducked a roundhouse kick from Black. Black and Garcia taunted one another. Brody King entered the fray and FTR knocked him over the top rope with a lariat. The House of Black gathered outside the ring to rethink their strategy.

Back in the ring, big bad Brody and Dax the ax battled it out! Brody power bombed Dax. Malakai tagged in and Malakai and Buddy Matthews double teamed Dax, cutting the ring in half, preventing him from making the tag. The House of Black were relentless in their assault on Dax Harwood.

Harwood finally managed to make the tag to Garcia. Daniel Garcia had fists of fire, taking the fight right to Buddy and Malakai! Garcia held the ropes open and Cash flew out with a tope suicida onto the entire House of Black! Garcia spiked Black with a brain buster for a near fall!

FTR picked up Brody and Garcia jumped off the top rope and they spiked Brody with a triple team piledriver! Black rocked Garcia with a roundhouse kick!

The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W! A-E-W!”

Garcia put Black on his shoulders and Dax jumped off the top with a big bulldog for a two-count! Dax superplexed Black and Garcia jumped for the splash, but Black raised his knees in defense. Matthews tagged himself in. Matthews power bombed Dax twice for a near fall. Dax crunched Buddy with a piledriver for a two-count!

“This is incredible!” said Matt Menard.

Brody distracted the ref from the apron and Black nailed Dax with a round kick. Buddy curb stomped Dax and scored the victory.

“What we have seen tonight has been incredible and the House of Black rises to the top,” said Tony Schiavone.

“You know what they say. The House always wins,” replied Nigel.

Brody blindsided Matt Menard after the match! The House of Black had Daddy Magic surrounded. Black mauled Menard with a roundhouse kick. Garcia and Cash jumped into the ring with steel chairs. The House of Black were forced to retreat, despite winning. FTR and Garcia made a final statement by taking out Brody with the Shatter Machine!

The Battle Of The Belts IX portion of the night began!

AEW World Tag Team Championship Street Fight!

Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks (c.)

vs.

Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara!

Both teams were brawling outside the arena! Jericho cracked Starks in the head with a garbage can. Big Bill choke slammed Jericho onto the dirt. Sammy rammed into the champs with a golf cart!

Big Bill had a backpack with bricks inside. Big Bill threw a brick at Sammy, but Sammy moved. The brick broke a car windshield.  Jericho and Sammy suplexed Big Bill onto the hood of the car. Rhett Titus was outside with a crowd watching the fight. Titus yelled at Jericho, “That’s my car!” Jericho answered with a Judas Effect to Titus!

Starks and Jericho fought backstage. Starks put a plunger on Jericho’s face! Jericho retaliated with a traffic cone! Sammy and Big Bill traded strikes. Sammy sprayed Big Bill in the face with a fire extinguisher. He sprayed Ricky next!

Starks cracked Jericho in the back with a kendo stick. Jericho had a kendo stick of his own and began to whack Big Bill with it. Jericho picked up a table from ringside. He put two tables side by side. Jericho and Big Bill brawled on top of a crew case. Takeshita smashed Jericho with a kendo stick from out of nowhere. Big Bill power bombed Jericho off the crew case and down through the tables below!

Sammy climbed a lighting truss. Sammy was thirty feet in the air and went for a senton. Powerhouse Hobbs pulled Starks out of the way, and Sammy crashed and burned on the senton! Starks put his arm over Sammy and pinned him!

TBS Championship Match!

Julia Hart (c.) vs. Anna Jay!

Anna Jay stunned Julia with a running snap mare. Julia ducked a round kick. Julia yanked on Anna’s arm, and Anna’s shoulder collided with the turnbuckle. Anna was doing her best to fight with one injured arm. Anna connected with a backstabber for a near fall.

Anna applied the Queen Slayer, but Julia rolled out and put a choke of her own on Anna. Anna escaped and wiped out Julia with a flatliner. Julia locked on Heartless out of nowhere and made Anna Jay tap out!

Footage was shown from earlier in the day of Sonjay Dutt in a locker room with Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, and Jay Lethal!

Sonjay told them they needed to get on the same page. Jeff told Jay he had to leave the team. Satnam Singh entered the room and offered food to Jay Lethal, but Lethal shoved it away.

Main Event Time! AEW International Championship Match!

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. LFI’s Preston Vance (with Jose the Assistant)!

The Undisputed Kingdom walked down the ramp and sat on chairs watching from ringside.

Preston walloped Orange with a discus lariat. Orange fired back with an Orange Punch! Preston blocked the Beach Break. Preston shoulder tackled Cassidy from off the ropes. Preston connected with a pump kick, sending Orange spilling outside the ring, right in front of the Undisputed Kingdom.

Orange got his hands in his pockets and dropkicked Preston. Orange followed up with a tope suicida. Preston planted Vance with a spinebuster. Preston stomped on Orange in the corner. Orange rallied back with a thrust kick and stomps of his own, pummeling Preston to the mat. Cassidy drilled Preston with the Stun Dog Millionaire and then a spinning DDT for a two-count!

Orange jumped from the top turnbuckle, out of the ring, but Preston caught him! Preston used Orange as a weapon, throwing him overhead with a fallaway slam, taking out the members of the Undisputed Kingdom! Preston flipped off Roderick. 

Back in the ring, Preston locked on the full nelson. Cassidy stomped on Preston’s foot and broke free. Orange cracked Preston in the face with the Orange Punch! Orange pulped Preston with the Beach Break and pinned him, retaining the championship!

The Undisputed Kingdom got into the ring after the match. They stared at Cassidy. Jose the Assistant grabbed Roderick, but Roderick retaliated with a jumping knee strike. The Undisputed Kingdom threw Preston and Jose out of the ring. They turned their attention back to Orange Cassidy. Roderick pointed at Orange and said the clock was ticking for him. 

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/mHMcD0SIGZs?si=eFbCxasLF_YC69Eg&start=323

Saturday night is loaded up with All Elite Wrestling action as we present three loaded hours of the best professional wrestling action on the planet between two back-to-back programs! For the first time since October 26, 2022, AEW returns to Norfolk’s Chartway Arena and with it comes both COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX! The former will feature “Hangman” Adam Page coming back to Norfolk for the first time since November 2021 where he arrived the new AEW World Champion, Adam Copeland laying out another Open Challenge as he fights towards another TNT Championship opportunity, The Mogul Embassy defending the ROH World Six-Man Championship against Lance Archer and The Righteous, and Deonna Purrazzo making her COLLISION debut against Red Velvet!

For the ninth edition of BATTLE OF THE BELTS, Chris Jericho will use the title opportunity he earned at FULL GEAR 2023 when he teams with Sammy Guevara to challenge Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship titles! Plus, after Anna Jay’s team defeat Julia Hart’s on DYNAMITE this past Wednesday night, “The Queen Slayer” will face “The Princess of the Black Throne” for her TBS Championship title, and Orange Cassidy will put his AEW International Championship on the line against LFI’s Preston Vance!

The night begins with COLLISION at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, followed immediately by BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX, and fans can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting 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 the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

COLLISION

OPEN CHALLENGE…

Adam Copeland vs. ???

https://www.youtube.com/embed/06o3F4wbp0c?si=AJXBTu4VjO1UiyyC&start=217

After being robbed of his TNT Championship triumph by Killswitch at WORLDS END, and then having to watch that monster turn his moment over to Christian Cage rather than capitalize on it himself, Adam Copeland is a very angry man. But as someone who understands taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves, Copeland can’t fault the former Luchasaurus from trying to seize his moment, but he can look towards Christian Cage as the target of his rage. Copeland may be able to claim a rematch as the former champion, but he’s chosen to play the game “The Patriarch” has laid out, start from scratch, and work his way back towards another shot at Christian and the TNT Championship.

It began last week when a brave Griff Garrison slapped Copeland across the face in response to Adam’s first Open Challenge, and although it ended with Griff tapping out, it showed a more aggressive side to the young man than we’ve seen in the past. This week on COLLISION, Copeland will lay out another Open Challenge and wait to see just who answers the call for a fight! There are plenty of men in the AEW locker room who dream of using the Hall of Famer as their own personal stepping stone, but all they have to do is ask Griff Garrison just how different that dream can be from the reality!

ROH WORLD SIX-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

The Mogul Embassy (Bishop Kaun, Brian Cage & Toa Liona)(c) vs. Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) 

What an unexpected treat this fight is going to be! Six of the roughest, toughest competitors in professional wrestling locking horns with the ROH World Six-Man Championship titles at stake this Saturday night on COLLISION! The Mogul Embassy are in the midst of their second reign with the titles, having defeated The Elite back on the November 1st edition of DYNAMITE, and sending The Gates of Agony off to New Japan’s World Tag League Tournament on a high note. 

Upon their return, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona reunited with Brian Cage at ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2023 event to make their first successful defense of this second reign over TMDK representatives Bad Dude Tito, Kosei Fujita, and Shane Haste. The trio were back in action together this past Wednesday night during DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024, only this time joined by a fourth man in Lance Archer, as they faced Preston Vance, Adam Copeland, Dustin Rhodes, and AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy. Communication broke down, Archer accidentally hit Toa Liona, which in turn led to Brian Cage and Lance Archer coming to blows, and the whole thing falling apart until Bishop Kaun got pinned by Vance.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6mjKFVojJ_A?si=O8tYddTNOovq1YQW&start=232

So this Saturday night on COLLISION, the ROH World Six-Man Champions look to even the score with Lance Archer, but in order to do so they’ll have to put those titles on the line against the nascent team of The Righteous and “The Murderhawk Monster”! Under the guidance of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, they are a dangerous trio who could easily bring an end to The Mogul Embassy’s grip on this Six-Man Championship titles! Vincent and Dutch are familiar with them, having held the belts with Bateman for 224 days from FINAL BATTLE 2021: END OF AN ERA to DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2022, and would love to have them in their possession once again, especially with a behemoth like Lance Archer at their side!

THE VIRTUOSA COMES TO COLLISION…

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet

It was just over a week ago that “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo crashed the in-ring debut of Mariah May, declared herself to be All Elite, and made it clear her sights were set on “Timeless” Toni Storm’s AEW Women’s World Championship! It was the first time Purrazzo had been in an AEW ring since her ROH Women’s World Title fight with Mercedes Martinez on May 4, 2022, but back then she was not a part of the AEW roster. This Saturday night on COLLISION, when she steps into the ring against Red Velvet, Purrazzo will be an official member of All Elite Wrestling, and thus beginning her own march towards the title coveted by all the women under the AEW banner. 

Eleven times in her career Deonna has worn a championship around her waist, including that ROH Women’s World Title and the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship, but her aim to make the AEW crown her twelfth could very well be stifled by Red Velvet with their mutual COLLISION debut! In November, Red returned from a nine month injury layoff hungry to get back into a title picture, but she has instead been frustrated by the competitors she has faced. This moment that Deonna Purrazzo aims to make her own could be the one Red Velvet steals to put the spotlight back on her own quest to become the top women in AEW.

It’s a tremendous opportunity for Red Velvet, but the pressure is certainly on Deonna Purrazzo to deliver in her debut as an official member of the All Elite Wrestling roster! Purrazzo has the experience advantage, ten years already under her belt at just 29 years of age, but AEW has been Red Velvet’s home for nearly four years, and she intends to remind everyone just who stirs it up around here!

TRIOS GRUDGE MATCH…

Daniel Garcia and FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WooHNQJeWd8?si=aDg2BT3jUP2cYkbz&start=323

Last week FTR defeated The House of Black, as honored by Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black, in their very first tag team contest, but the meatier story was all that surrounded Dax’s pinfall on Buddy. Prior to the end, Brody King made his way to ringside to help his brothers, but was instead cutoff by a chair-wielding Daniel Garcia, the young man serving as equalizer for The House’s attempt to tip the scales in their favor.

What followed was an all-out assault by The House perpetrated on Dax, Cash, and Garcia, while TBS Champion Julia Hart rang the bell in what can only be likened to a ten bell salute. The message was clear, as was The House’s intent to bury these three individuals, and it looks like the former AEW World Trios Champions will have their opportunity this Saturday night on COLLISION! Aside from a common foe, the only crossing of paths between Daniel Garcia and FTR was a superb HOUSE RULES: TUPELO fight between Garcia and Dax Harwood back in June. They are an inexperienced trio fighting former Trios Champions who hold the record for longest reign in the history of the titles; there’s no doubt FTR and Daniel Garcia are at a disadvantage from the standpoint of working together, but their hunger for a fight, and for revenge after last week, may just be the x-factor that carries them to victory in Saturday night’s fight!

BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX

AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP STREET FIGHT…

Big Bill & Ricky Starks(c) vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara

https://www.youtube.com/embed/UV3EB0jr7ZI?si=IkKODBEKCD9uUHOt&start=217

Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara are no strangers to tag team competition, they netted their very first tag team victory on the second episode of DYNAMITE way back on 10/9/19, and unsuccessfully challenged for the AEW World Tag Titles a month later against Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian. All told, the pair are 7-5 as team since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, but this championship bout on Saturday night comes after a strained relationship turned to betrayal which in turn led to a reunion only a few weeks ago. Jericho and Sammy lived through The Inner Circle together, through the Jericho Appreciation Society together, and even after The J.A.S. fell apart, it seemed Guevara would at least be the one who remained a Jericho-supporter. Yet shockingly, “The Spanish God” did betray Jericho to ally himself with Don Callis and even fought Jericho at WRESTLEDREAM 2023 with Takeshita and Will Ospreay as his partners.

But that match would ultimately tell Guevara everything he needed to know about the poor choice he had made in picking Don Callis, not to say that Jericho himself was a saint over the course of AEW, but neither was Guevara. See “The Spanish God” suffered a serious concussion over the course of that Trios fight in Seattle, and while he was absent from AEW competition, so too was he absent from the mind of Don Callis. No contact, no care, Callis showed not the least bit of concern for Guevara’s health, and that became abundantly clear when Guevara did finally return to AEW during Callis’ self-congratulatory Boxing Day Celebration.

Guevara ended up on the wrong end of an assault from The Don Callis Family, not that it was a surprise Callis sicced his dogs on “The Spanish God”, but what was a shock was Chris Jericho rushing to the aid of his former friend. An even bigger shock was the two men hugging after the fact, Sting and Darby Allin helping them out when an Ricky Starks and Big Bill launched an attack of their own, and the foursome actually beating Starks, Bill, Takeshita, and Powerhouse Hobbs at WORLDS END. 

With that victory it was clear that Guevara and Jericho were back on the same page, and that in turn led Chris Jericho to choose Sammy as his partner for this AEW World Tag Team Championship bout! The title shot came about from Jericho and Kenny Omega defeating The Young Bucks at FULL GEAR 2023, but when Omega was forced to step away from AEW to handle his diverticulitis, that left Jericho without a partner to take advantage of the championship opportunity. After all, given everything he’d done to the men in AEW, who would possibly want to team up with “Le Champion” even with a guaranteed title match as part of the deal?

To look towards the future, Jericho certainly had to repair the past, and apparently make amends for what he’d done to Sammy Guevara, and presumably “The Spanish God” also making his apologies for those actions taken several months ago. So now that they’re back on the same page, now that the bond of friendship has been reignited, can they topple Big Bill and Ricky Starks? Unlike Jericho and Guevara, the defending champions are not friends, their relationship is not contingent on being best friends, in fact sometimes it seems like they barely know one another outside of the time they spend fighting side-by-side. The important part to Big Bill and Ricky Starks isn’t a personal relationship, but rather a professional one that keeps the AEW World Tag Team Championship in their possession as long as humanly possible, and if the day comes that it ends, the two men will bid each other farewell and head back onto their own paths. 

So in some ways, this fight is a question of which method of conducting your business proves better? Is it the bonds of friendship that make for stronger tag team success, or the bond of business? Will the history of Sammy and Chris be their key to ending the reign of Big Bill and Ricky Starks, or will all their drama over the last five year be their undoing? We will see this Saturday night during BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX!

TBS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Julia Hart(c) vs. Anna Jay

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cj6GocblbIw?si=fQ34jXmVlB3Ksm6o&start=217

This past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, TBS Champion Julia Hart and Anna Jay were on opposite sides of an Eight-Woman Tag, with the latter competing in memory of her late-mentor Mr. Brodie Lee. Perhaps it was Lee’s memory, perhaps it was being back in Jacksonville at Daily’s Place, whatever the case may be, it motivated Anna Jay’s team towards victory, with “The Queen Slayer” herself scoring the deciding pinfall over Julia Hart!

Clearly it was a very emotional situation for Anna Jay, but that victory has catapulted her into this championship situation on Saturday night during BOTB IX! Riding on the motivation of that Wednesday night victory, Anna Jay has to remember that Julia Hart holds two decisive victories over her, one in a wild No Holds Barred Match back on May 10th of 2023. Conversely, Anna Jay has no wins over Julia, not directly at least, just this multi-man pinfall over a member of Hart’s team on Wednesday night. In addition, this match marks Anna Jay’s fifth TBS Championship bid since the title’s inception at the beginning of 2022, will it be the night she finally claims it as her own?

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Orange Cassidy(c) vs. LFI’s Preston Vance

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6mjKFVojJ_A?si=tkhRQc6Pu3aML1Ga&start=323

On Wednesday night, as part of DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Preston Vance were on the same side of an eight-man tag bout, a match won by Vance when he pinned Bishop Kaun. As a reward for that victory, Orange Cassidy has offered Preston Vance an opportunity to vie for the International Championship this Saturday night during BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX, coincidentally also the last championship Vance challenged for back in October 2022. That night it was as part of a Three Way bout with RUSH and then All-Atlantic Champion Orange Cassidy, with Cassidy in the earliest days of his historic championship reign, making his first defense after defeating PAC a week prior.

Fast forward some 15 months and these two competitors will meet again, only now in a singles bout, their first since September 30, 2020, and with the International Championship at stake! Can Vance take that next step in his career and rise to championship status? Or will Cassidy continue on in his goal to surpass the records he set with his previous title run?

The night begins with COLLISION at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, followed immediately by BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX, and fans can get prepared for the action-packed evening by visiting 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 the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more! Between the two events, we’ve got an AEW World Tag Team Championship match, a ROH World Six-Man Championship Match, a TBS Championship fight, Adam Copeland in action, Hangman Page returning to Virginia, and so much more! Do not miss out on this loaded night featuring the premiere professional wrestlers of All Elite Wrestling!

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Homecoming was broadcast live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone!

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

Continental Crown Championship Match!

Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta!

Yuta and Kingston chain wrestled at the start of the match. Yuta applied pressure to Eddie’s wrist and arm. Yuta kicked Eddie in the head, taunting him. Eddie got to his feet and smacked Yuta in the face with an open palm strike. Yuta fired back with a tope, driving Eddie into the barricade.

Yuta connected with a big cross body press. Yuta charged at Kingston in the corner, but Kingston moved out of the way. Kingston used his rapid fire chops to Yuta’s chest. They brawled outside the ring. Yuta drove Kingston shoulder first into the barricade. Yuta focused his attack on Kingston’s right arm, stomping on it.

Back in the ring, Wheeler Yuta dropkicked Eddie Kingston. Yuta planted Kingston shoulder first onto the mat. Yuta slapped Kingston in the face. Eddie had enough and hit Yuta with a capture suplex. Kingston followed up with an exploder suplex. Both men were hurting, and both men were down.

Yuta charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with a DDT for a near fall. Kingston blistered the chest of Yuta with more chops. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle and Yuta spiked Kingston with a diving DDT. Kingston escaped the pin attempt by touching the bottom rope with his boot!

Wheeler Yuta smashed Eddie with hammer and anvil elbows. Yuta applied a cross arm breaker. Yuta wrenched up on the wrist of Kingston. The champ grabbed the bottom rope to force the ref to break the hold. Yuta nailed Eddie with a German Suplex for a close near fall. Yuta climbed to the top and splashed Eddie for a two-count!

Wheeler shoved the ref out of the way and booted Eddie in the face. Eddie got to his feet and cracked Yuta with a spinning back fist. Eddie blasted Yuta with a half and half suplex, followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb, and pinned Yuta!

Renee Paquette was backstage with The Hardys and Mark Briscoe!

Renee asked if the fans could expect to see more of the Hardys and Mark teaming up as a trio.

Briscoe: “Renee, the Hardy Boys and Big Chicken himself kicked ass and took names and I have a feeling we’re not done!”

Jeff: “Not only did we kick ass in the ring, but we also kicked ass in the ratings. Viewership, demos, all categories.”

Matt: “Myself and Jeff, we want to win the AEW World Tag Team Titles, but I could see some Trios gold in the future of this combination. You know why we have so much respect for you? Because when we fought you and your brother, you brought it to us like no one else! We were meant to be a trio. And I see great things in our future!”

Jeff Hardy put a Hardys Boys necklace around Mark’s neck.

Matt: “As of right now, you’re one of us!”

Swerve Strickland vs. Matt Sydal!

Sydal tried to score a pin early on. Swerve answered with a back breaker, showing off his mean streak. Swerve cracked Sydal with a flying European Uppercut. 

“There’s sheer confidence on Swerve’s face,” said Excalibur.

“There should be,” replied Tony Schiavone.

Sydal took down Swerve with a rana and then a rising knee strike. Swerve came back with a back breaker once again. Sydal connected with an Air Raid Crash for a near fall. Swerve rallied back with a rolling flatliner and then a vertical suplex. Sydal dodged the Swerve Stomp. Swerve came back with a JML Driver and pinned Sydal!

“A very impressive victory,” said Jim Ross.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Top Flight and Action Andretti!

Private Party interrupted them! Dante Martin took issue with Private Party interrupting them for a second time. Private Party challenged any two of them to a match, and Top Flight and Action Andretti seemed up to the task!

Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata!

Shida shoved at the Queen and then took her down with a shoulder tackle. Aminata slipped out of the corner and rocked Shida with a hip attack and then a running boot to the side of Shida’s head. Aminata kicked Shida in the small of the back. 

Shida invited Aminata to kick her and Aminata answered. Aminata tried for a running knee, but Shida intercepted it and countered with a dragon screw leg whip. Aminata headbutted Shida to the sternum and followed up with a German Suplex. Shida dazed her opponent with a short arm lariat. 

Shida stunned Aminata with a jumping knee. Shida spiked Aminata with a Falcon Arrow with a near fall. Shida finished off Aminata with the katana and pinned the Queen! They hugged after the match.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Ruby Soho and Saraya!

Renee wished Ruby a happy belated birthday. Renee said it seemed like the addition of Harley Cameron has been great for them.

Saraya: “Yeah, there’s a reason why she’s not here. I mean, Ruby, I have to show you something, and I’m sorry, this is going to break your heart. The only reason I’m going to show you this is because I love you. And I’m sorry it’s on your birthday.”

Saraya pushed play on a remote control and hidden footage aired of Harley backstage, approaching Angelo Parker. Harley grabbed Parker by the face and pulled him in for a kiss. Saraya paused the footage.

Saraya: “Yeah, I don’t want to say I told you so Ruby, but…”

Angelo Parker walked onto the set singing Happy Birthday, holding a birthday cake. Ruby shoved the cake in Angelo’s face and told him to go to hell! She stormed off!

Saraya looked at Angelo and said, “I always in.”

Parker: “It’s not what it looks like!”

Parker hit play on the remote control and the footage continued, and it was clear he was pushing away from Harley, not wanting her kiss. But Ruby, Saraya, and Renee had already left.

Main Event Time!

The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver (with -1)

vs.

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

Angelo Parker came out with the cake still on his face. Excalibur noted that Parker never kissed Harley, but Ruby didn’t see that part of the footage play out. 

Hager was fired up and rocked John Silver with a stiff shot. Menard tagged in and rammed Silver into the turnbuckle. Alex Reynolds grabbed a blind tag and connected with a flying uppercut to Menard. 

The Dark Order triple teamed Menard in the corner with a flurry of offense. Evil Uno planted Parker with a neck breaker. Uno splashed Parker with a senton from the top for a near fall. Silver booted Parker in the back of the head. The Dark Order hit the pendulum bomb on Parker but Menard broke up the pin just in time!

Menard swept out the leg of Silver. Menard and Parker nailed Reynolds with a double DDT. Hager splashed Reynolds with the Hager Bomb for a near fall. Negative One pulled out Jake Hager’s hat and distracted Hager. Hager grabbed the hat out of Negative One’s hand. Silver and Reynolds rocked Hager with tandem offense as Hager had been scolding Negative One. After a jackknife, Reynolds pinned Hager!

“A very special win for Dark Order to cap off our return to Daily’s Place,” said Excalibur.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!

Special Programming Note: Don’t miss AEW Collision and Battle Of The Belts IX on Saturday on TNT beginning at 8/7c from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, VA featuring:

-ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match: Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony (c.) vs. Lance Archer & The Righteous!

-Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet!

– “Hangman” Adam Page making his return to Norfolk!

– “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland in an Open Challenge!

-Trios Match: FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!

-TBS Championship Match: Julia Hart (c.) vs. Anna Jay!

-AEW International Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Preston Vance!

-AEW World Tag Team Championship Street Fight: “Absolute” Ricky Starks & Big Bill (c.) 

vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/j1e5Rf4r3Ns?si=bIUiDqbq-6u9abm-&start=217

DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024 continued an amazing start to the new year for All Elite Wrestling. From the wild fight between Hangman Page and Claudio Castagnoli to AEW World Champion Samoa Joe being confronted by three different men gunning for his title to The Young Bucks returning to lock eyes with Sting and Darby Allin, it was a remarkable return to Daily’s Place!

This Friday RAMPAGE comes to the AEW faithful from our home at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL and gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans! The Continental Crown will be on the line when Eddie Kingston defends against 3-Time ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, plus Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Jake Hager take on The Dark Order in Trios action! In addition, former 3-Time AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida will be in action, and Swerve Strickland competes at Daily’s Place for the first time! Before the show begins, drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

CONTINENTAL CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta

Wheeler Yuta is a supremely egotistical human, one whose status within the Blackpool Combat Club and stature as a 3-Time ROH Pure Champion has driven his self-importance to astounding levels. There’s no doubt he’s a gifted professional wrestler, particularly in the realm of pure wrestling, but still a person in denial about how he’s gotten to the status he’s achieved. Just ask Katsuyori Shibata what actually went down the night Yuta won the belt; regardless, that ego is now driving Wheeler Yuta to challenge Eddie Kingston to fight him this Friday night on RAMPAGE. The audacity it takes for Yuta to say “you beat Moxley, Bryan, and Claudio, but you won’t beat me” is astounding, putting young Wheeler into an extraordinary position where he could leave Daily’s Place with four championships around his waist, or remain strictly the Pure Champion. There is no risk for Yuta, only reward, but for Kingston, it’s the possibility of losing everything he fought so hard to achieve just to satisfy the challenge of the loudest mouth in the room.

But that’s what Eddie is…a fighter…and he’s going to answer any challenge thrown in his direction. Kingston holds one singles victory over Yuta to date, a NJPW STRONG Openweight Title defense back on August 30th of last year, but RAMPAGE has been good to Yuta over the course of 2023. He’s won nine straight matches on the program dating back to the February 10th edition of RAMPAGE, and is banking on that streak helping to lead him to victory over “The Mad King”, as well as enjoying a new status as the Continental Crown Champion!

TRIOS CONTEST…

The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver)

vs.

Cool Hand Ang, Daddy Magic, & Jake Hager

Daily’s Place is the spot where The Dark Order grew from a group of individuals into a true family, in part due to the guidance from Mr. Brodie Lee during his life, and in part to honor him after his passing. And though their ranks have changed in the years since, the core unit of Evil Uno, Alex Reynolds, and John Silver have remained together through thick and thin, and are set to return to Jacksonville for Trios action against another unit who have maintained in the face of their own adversity.

Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Jake Hager were brought together under the auspices of The Jericho Appreciation Society, and maintained membership in the group for quite some time, until they could no longer stand being under his thumb. In some cases, the members of a group may go their separate ways in this situation, but those three individuals have kept it together in the months since, and though their success rate has not been consistent, at least they have remained together through their trials and tribulations.

Now these two units, groups that have become family by choice rather than blood, will lock horns on RAMPAGE in trios competitions! In a non-televised bout on December 20th, The Dark Order group took the loss to Parker, Menard, and Hager, but perhaps a trip to the place that shaped The Dark Order will lead them to victory, and net this trio their twelfth trios win!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata

https://www.youtube.com/embed/gCa36s6EizQ?si=2MyUipAJ9zHkslzB

As was the case with so many others in All Elite Wrestling, Daily’s Place was where Hikaru Shida was shaped into the world class competitor we know today. She was always talented, always one of the best women in professional wrestling, but the Jacksonville experience honed her edge, made her AEW Women’s World Champion for the first time, and introduced her to the worldwide audience. This Friday night Shida gets to return a former 3-Time AEW Women’s World Champion, in front of a packed Daily’s Place, and compete against one of the most promising young women to set foot in AEW as of late.

A week ago Queen Aminata stood opposite the debuting Mariah May, and rather than let the former Stardom champion run right over her, Aminata gave as good as she got, hit as hard as she got hit, and gave Mariah May a fight she certainly didn’t expect. Queen Aminata made Mariah earn that first AEW win, and there’s no doubt she’s going to give the same to Hikaru Shida on RAMPAGE! Will Shida have a triumphant homecoming, or will Queen Aminata hand her an upset?

SINGLES MATCH…

Swerve Strickland vs. Matt Sydal

Swerve Strickland is riding high heading into 2024; not only did he have the best pinfall record in the Continental Classic with his shoulders only put to the mat one time, he also experienced a giant swell in fan support coming out of his fights with Hangman Page, particularly the Texas Death Match at FULL GEAR 2023. Now he has his eyes set on the biggest prize in all of AEW, the World Championship now in the hands of Samoa Joe, and showed no fear when he confronted Joe during DYNAMITE. Swerve wants to be the champion, the first African-American AEW World Champion, and has stated that goal repeatedly; this Friday night on RAMPAGE that journey continues when Swerve goes into singles competition against Matt Sydal! Swerve holds a victory over Sydal from their lone singles bout six years ago during a DEFY event in Seattle, and now they go for round two this Friday night! Can Sydal throw a roadblock in Swerve’s path to a championship challenge?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7rLm_KrMas?si=mrw8nMtdh36-tEdX&start=217

Hailing from Jacksonville, FL and AEW’s home at Daily’s Place, RAMPAGE:HOMECOMING 2024 begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta challenging Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown, Hikaru Shida taking on Queen Aminata, Swerve Strickland fighting in Daily’s Place for the first time, and The Dark Order in Trios action against Parker, Menard, and Hager! Before the show begins, drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

Mean Girls review by Big Gold Belt MediaBASED ON THE STAGE MUSICAL “MEAN GIRLS”-Synopsis:From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice)…

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Homecoming was broadcast live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, 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!

Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli vs. “Hangman” Adam Page!

Page charged at Claudio and booted him in the face as Claudio was entering the ring. Page and Claudio brawled outside the ring. Claudio sent Hangman hard into the barricade. He followed up with a running European Uppercut to Hangman. 

Back in the ring, Claudio thumbed Page in the eyes. Claudio hit a double stomp on Hangman’s chest for a near fall. Claudio nailed Page with a headbutt in the corner. Hangman absorbed forearms from Claudio. Claudio pulled Page down by the hair and then hurled Hangman in the Giant Swing! Claudio applied a sharpshooter and then transitioned into a cross face. Hangman escaped and blasted Claudio with a Death Valley Driver!

Page countered a European Uppercut with a backslide for a near fall. Hangman clobbered Claudio with a plancha over the top and to the arena floor! Claudio press slammed Page out of the ring and onto the ramp!

Hangman ate a boot from Claudio. They fought on the ramp. Page created some distance, charged down the ramp and sent Claudio back into the ring with a lariat. Claudio countered the buckshot lariat with a popup European Uppercut for a two-count. 

Claudio and Page paint brushed one another in the ring. Both men went hard over the top rope, as Page hit a lariat and the momentum toppled them. Hangman went for a moonsault, but Claudio caught him. Hangman spiked Claudio with a DDT on the arena floor. Hangman moonsaulted off a concrete wall!

The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W!”

Hangman reversed a tombstone piledriver with one of his own, drilling Claudio’s head into the mat! Claudio reversed a Dead Eye attempt and sent Hangman flying face first into the turnbuckles. Claudio battered Hangman with stiff shots in the corner. Hangman escaped the hammer and anvil strikes with a Deadeye for a two-count on Claudio.

Claudio clocked Page with an uppercut. Claudio climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Hangman stunned him with a kick. They jockeyed for position up top. Hangman countered an avalanche Ricola bomb with a hurracanrana. Hangman followed up with two consecutive buckshot lariats and scored the pin on Claudio!

“Great match by both athletes. Outstanding! Could have gone either way,” said Taz. 

“Two of the best in AEW right there,” replied Tony Schiavone.

A highlight package aired paying tribute to Mr. Brodie Lee!

Eight-Man Tag Match in Honor of “The Exalted One” Mr. Brodie Lee!

AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Adam Copeland, Dustin Rhodes, & LFI’s Preston Vance

vs.

“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer & the ROH World Six-Man Champions The Mogul Embassy—Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, & Toa Liona!

Dustin Rhodes scoop slammed Toa. Toa cracked Dustin with a headbutt. Preston Vance tagged in, but so did Brian Cage. Preston dodged a splash and then landed a solid shot. Copeland tagged in and used a drop toe hold. Cassidy jumped in and was looking for a chokeslam on Cage. Cage shrugged off Orange, but Orange crushed Cage with a Stun Dog Millionaire!

Lance Archer splashed Cassidy and then rocked Orange with a rising knee strike. Jake Roberts struck Jose the Assistant outside the ring! Orange countered the Black Out from Archer with a DDT! Preston Vance and Bishop Kaun tagged in for their respective teams. Preston hit shoulder tackles on Kaun and Liona! Vance brought Kaun down with a cutter, but Toa broke up the pin attempt.

Brian Cage hoisted up Dustin Rhodes and planted him. Copeland came in and nailed cracked Cage with the Impaler. Orange clobbered Kaun with the Orange Punch and then choke slammed Kaun. Archer attacked Orange with a Bossman Slam! Toa held Vance while Archer moved in. Vance escaped and Archer inadvertently connected with Toa. Copeland speared Cage! Preston Vance smashed Kaun with the discus lariat and pinned him!

“Great win, and a great win for Preston Vance,” said Tony Schiavone. 

Renee Paquette was backstage with the Bullet Club Gold!

Jay White said the Undisputed Kingdom are going after all the gold, but whatever they can do, Bullet Club Gold can do better. The AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass interrupted. The Acclaimed made an offer to combine forces again. 

“Bang Bang Scissor Gang! Super faction. Think about it,” said Anthony Bowens.

Jay White: “First off, we’re not a faction, we’re a gang. But we’re going to need a little bit more time to ponder that. You guys sit by your phones, alright?”

The AEW World Champion Samoa Joe came to the ring!

Samoa Joe: “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Samoa Joe and I stand here before you tonight as your AEW World Champion. I was destined for this. And in light of that, tonight we make some changes to the championship challenge protocol. When you’re champion, you become a marked man. I heard even a devil who makes a bad deal is looking for Samoa Joe.

“Here are the changes we’re making to the championship protocol. No more will you have to come out and whine on this mic about your poor misfortune. You bring your record and your reputation, and you submit it to the championship committee, and if you’re deemed worthy, you walk out and have me stomp your ass in front of anyone who’s ever cheered for you. For the new championship era is here. And for all of you who want a piece of me, your champion will be waiting.”

Swerve Strickland onto the ramp with the Mogul Embassy and Prince Nana!

Swerve: “A couple months ago, I told Hangman Page it wasn’t personal. I was just after his spot. And look what happened. I took it. So, I’m going to reiterate the same thing to you, Joe. It’s not a personal thing. I just want that AEW World Championship and I’m going to take it. However, after I take that title and you choose to make this a person thing, I mean, I’d be more than happy to.”

“Hangman” Adam Page approached the ring and stood in there with Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland!

Page: “Well boys, if we’re making New Year’s Resolutions, I’ll go ahead and make mine. I beat Jon Moxley. I reunited with the Elite. And as much as you found me, Swerve, I found you. But the one thing I lost sight of last year was the AEW World Championship. And in 2024 I will make it mine! I see you smirking, Joe, but I haven’t forgotten what you did to me. And I’m going to take that title for it!”

Samoa Joe was alone in the ring when FTW World Champion HOOK’s music hit!

Hook entered the ring and he and Samoa Joe stared at each other. Hook pointed at Joe’s title and said, “One week.”

“Whoa! One week!” said Tony Schiavone.

“Well Samoa Joe is a marked man,” replied Excalibur.

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

Mariah asked if Toni watched her match. Toni said she was sent a screener, but she didn’t see a single frame. Renee asked Toni about Deonna Purrazzo showing up on Dynamite last week.

Toni: “That name does sound familiar. All these women coming after my title, I feel like the prettiest girl at the dance. Luther, set me up meeting with this Deonna. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

AEW World Tag Champion “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. Sammy Guevara!

Sammy and Ricky locked up. Sammy grabbed a headlock, but Starks escaped. Ricky hit a shoulder block on Sammy. Starks chopped Sammy in the corner. Sammy tripped up Starks. Sammy moonsaulted off the ring post and wiped out Starks on the arena floor. 

Starks and Sammy traded shots on the ring apron. Starks rocked Sammy with a roshambo on the ring apron! Sammy managed to fire back with a thrust kick. Sammy ascended to the top turnbuckle. Starks grabbed Sammy’s right ankle. Starks ate a big back elbow from Sammy. Sammy went for a moonsault, but Ricky countered with boots to the face. Starks power bombed Sammy for a near fall!

Sammy dodged a spear! Sammy landed a kick under Starks’ chin. Sammy followed up with a second thrust kick! Sammy rolled up Starks with an inside cradle and scored the pin!

“Sammy is building important momentum ahead of Battle of the Belts this Saturday,” said Excalibur.

Sammy offered his hand to Ricky after the match, showing a sign of good sportsmanship. Ricky accepted. Big Bill blindsided Sammy as Starks had Sammy distracted with the handshake! Starks stomped on Sammy. Chris Jericho ran to the ring and rocked Big Bill with a Code Breaker! Ricky and Sammy continued to brawl!

“There will be no rules this Saturday night. A huge street fight at Battle Of The Belts,” said Excalibur.

Eight-Woman Tag Match in Honor of “The Exalted One” Mr. Brodie Lee!

Anna Jay, Kris Statlander, Thunder Rosa, & Willow Nightingale 

vs.

TBS Champion Julia Hart, Skye Blue, Ruby Soho, & Saraya!

Stokely Hathaway was in the front row holding a sign to support Kris Statlander. 

Anna Jay and Ruby Soho began for their respective teams. Anna Jay connected with a solid shot. Statlander tagged in and slammed Soho. Statlander tagged to Anna who hit a flipping neck breaker. Willow walloped Soho. Thunder Rosa tagged in and blasted Ruby Soho.

Julia Hart tagged in and she and Skye Blue double teamed Thunder Rosa. Ruby was taken off her feet with a drop toe hold from Thunder Rosa. Willow grabbed a tag and charged at Ruby and splashed her in the corner. Willow climbed to the top rope, but Harley Cameron swiped Willow off the top rope.

Willow dropped Skye and Julia with a double clothesline. Kris tagged in and cleaned house on the opposition! Kris planted Saraya for a near fall! Skye Blue was looking for Code Blue, but Kris shrugged her off. Willow pounced Skye. Thunder Rosa ate a thrust kick from Saraya. Statlander nailed Saraya with a rolling German Suplex. 

Anna Jay and Julia Hart clubbed each other. Skye Blue tagged in, but Anna applied the Queen Slayer and made Skye Blue tap out!

“That’s an impressive victory because Skye Blue has had a plethora of momentum as of late,” said Taz.

ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta had words for Eddie Kingston!

Yuta: “Eddie, you did not beat me in the Continental Classic because I was busy on Rampage. Eddie, the Continental Crown is something I want. So, bring it, on Rampage!”

Roderick Strong (with the Undisputed Kingdom) vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!

Strong and Keith chain wrestled. Roderick got the upper hand. Roddy hit a shoulder tackle but then Keith came in with a big boot. Keith chopped at Strong. Both men traded shots on the apron. Roderick picked up Keith and planted him hard on the apron!

Back in the ring, Strong continued the assault on Bryan Keith. The Bounty Hunter applied pressure with boxing elbows. Roderick countered with a suplex for a near fall. Keith headbutted Strong and then came over the top with Diamond Dust. Keith was trying for a Tiger Driver, but Roderick powered out. Roddy cracked Keith with the End of Heartache and scored the win!

“A dominant victory here tonight for Roderick Strong,” said Excalibur.

Adam Cole pulled up a chair while the Undisputed Kingdom flanked him.

Cole: “When I said this place was going to change, I meant that. So many people are so concerned with earning your respect. We are not worried about you at all. We don’t want to earn anything from you because we deserve it. Roderick Strong is a 20-year veteran. As far as I’m concerned, the AEW International Championship has Roddy’s name on it!

“And then Taven and Bennett, not only the greatest ROH World Tag Teams of all time, but your current ROH Tag champions. They have never gotten the credit they deserve! And of course, the monster, the dominator, one of the most physical, vicious mean in AEW, I’m talking about Wardlow. Now that Wardlow is surrounded by people who respect him, when the time is right, we are going to win the AEW World Championship. Boys and girls, say hello to your new home. Or should I say, your new kingdom. And get comfortable because we are going to be here for a very long time.”

Renee Paquette was backstage with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo!

Deonna: “I am still on cloud nine, but I set my sights on the AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm, and if she wants to pretend she doesn’t know who I am, that’s fine. She’ll be reminded when I make my Collision debut this Saturday.”

Red Velvet walked onto the set to interrupt!

Red Velvet: “I will be making my AEW Collision as well! I say you get in the ring with me, and we can stir it up!”

Main Event Time! Tornado Tag Match!

Darby Allin & Sting 

vs. 

The Don Callis Family—Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs (with Don Callis)!

Jim Ross joined commentary for the main event!

“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair walked out first to accompany Sting and Darby Allin!

“They’re all standing for Sting!” said Tony Schiavone. 

Darby Allin jumped on Takeshita’s back! Sting went right after Powerhouse Hobbs on the outside! Sting whacked Hobbs with a steel chair. Hobbs headbutted Sting. Darby whipped a chair at Takeshita.

Takeshita pointed at Flair and then chopped Darby Allin. Darby dropkicked Takeshita and followed up with a Coffin Drop. Takeshita blocked the Coffin Drop and countered with a German Suplex on the floor!

Takeshita and Hobbs double teamed Sting in the ring. They went after Darby next and swung him around like a sack of flour. Sting fired up and splashed Hobbs. Takeshita rocked Sting with a jumping knee strike. Ric Flair got into the ring and chopped Hobbs and then poked Hobbs in the eyes. Darby rocketed out of the ring at Takeshita. Sting planted Hobbs with a spinebuster!

Darby dodged a running knee from Takeshita. Darby climbed the set to the top of the bleachers and Coffin Dropped onto Takeshita! Hobbs picked up Sting, but Sting escaped and nailed Hobbs with a Scorpion Death Drop off the stage and down through the tables at ringside! Sting covered Hobbs and pinned Hobbs for the victory!

Tony Schiavone interviewed Sting, Darby Allin, and Ric Flair after the match!

The fans chanted “Thank you Sting! Thank you Sting!”

Tony Schiavone: “Sting, I have one question, for your final match, who will your opponent be?”

The Young Bucks’ music hit, and they walked onto the ramp!

“Are they calling out ‘The Icon’ Sting for his final match?” asked Excalibur.

Darby dared the Bucks to get in the ring!

“Sting is taking all this in. The plot continues to thicken,” replied Jim Ross.

“The Young Bucks essentially calling out Sting and Darby Allin for Revolution!” said Excalibur. 

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!

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

Special Programming Note: Don’t miss AEW Collision and Battle Of The Belts IX on Saturday on TNT beginning at 8/7c from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, VA!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/v9x8utAq7iU

Coming out of ,,WORLDS END and kicking off 2024, All Elite Wrestling began a new chapter with Samoa Joe taking the helm as AEW World Champion and the revelation that Adam Cole had been The Devil in MJF’s life the whole time. Those two elements changed the landscape of AEW moving into the new year, and then there was the arrival of Deonna Purrazzo on the heels of Mariah May’s in-ring debut, but at least some things remain the same, like Orange Cassidy still AEW International Champion after his fight with Dante Martin Wednesday night, and Wheeler Yuta still ROH Pure Champion after Friday’s fight with Komander.

The new era for AEW continues this Saturday with 2024’s first COLLISION, but it comes with a mix of something old and something new! The rivalry between The House of Black and FTR has been simmering for months, and will explode in tag team warfare this Saturday night while Eddie Kingston defends his Continental Crown for the very first time against Trent Beretta! It comes with AEW’s return to the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC this Saturday night for COLLISION, live on TNT, begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT! Get prepared for the night’s festivities by visiting 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 moments from WORLDS END 2023, plus the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

TAG TEAM GRUDGE MATCH…

FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The House of Black (Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black)

On the October 7th edition of COLLISION, Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood were decimated by Big Bill and Ricky Starks resulting in the loss of the AEW World Tag Team Championship. It was a heartbreaking, physical dissection of the defending champs, one that left FTR still feeling the bruises on October 21st when they returned to in-ring competition. Just a minute into that tag team match the lights in the arena went out, and when they returned Malakai Black stood opposite Cash and Dax. Before either could react, the lights were doused once again, and this time when they flared back to life, it wasn’t just Malakai standing there, he’d been joined by Buddy Matthews and Brody King, leading to a 3-on-2 assault on FTR.

It seemed a similar scenario would play out a week later when, after Starks defeated Dax in singles competition, the lights went out once more and The House of Black, who’d been watching the bout from a distance, appeared inside the ring. It was only the arrival of LFI that balanced the scales, leading  to the most unlikely of temporary alliances between FTR and LFI, but one that was destined to be short-lived as FULL GEAR 2023 put FTR, LFI of RUSH and Dralistico, as well as Brody King and Malakai Black, in a Ladder Match against Big Bill and Ricky Starks with the AEW World Tag Titles hanging in the balance.

Starks and Bill would retain, the end coming when Starks smashed one of the hanging belts into the skull of Cash Wheeler, but that did nothing to quell the fires burning between FTR and The House. Malakai and company were on the spot to make verbal allusions after FTR beat The Righteous, and when FTR came to fight The House after they defeated Matt Sydal and Christopher Daniels, Cash and Dax were instead subjected to, first, an offer to join The House, and then a brutal assault they left both unconscious in the ring.

Then it got personal; three weeks ago, the December 16th edition of COLLISION, Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black put Dax’s wife and child into the conversation, burning a picture of the three of them, and telling FTR that The House was their family now. The challenge for this tag team fight was finally made when Cash and Dax came to the aid of Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard following Garcia’s victory over Brody King. 

So it all comes down to this Saturday night as former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions FTR meet The House of Black as honored by Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews; the tension, the animosity, the vitriol between these two units has reached a fever pitch, and it will explode live on COLLISION come Saturday night! With as personal as their issue has gotten, the AEW official tasked with maintaining order is going to have their hands full… 

AEW CONTINENTAL CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. Trent Beretta

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MjBqv_m4wKQ

This is a match full of firsts; not only is it the first defense of the Continental Crown since its creation at WORLDS END last Saturday night, it is also the first time Eddie Kingston and Trent Beretta will step into the ring for a fight! They stood on the same side of the ring at ALL IN: LONDON in Stadium Stampede, and both were part of the ALL OUT 2020 Casino Battle Royale, but this will be the first time they’ve ever been foes in a traditional match.

But this isn’t just a match is it? This is Eddie Kingston fighting for his life’s work, something he already put at risk when he laid the ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Title on the line to create, along with the AEW Continental Title, this Continental Crown. Every fight Kingston had during the Continental Classic Tournament put his status as a double champion at risk, but “The Mad King” persevered through adversity and loss to win the Blue League, capping it off with a victory over Jon Moxley in the Finals at WORLDS END.

There is no way Kingston will let this crown slip off his head easily, Trent Beretta is going to have to utterly incapacitate Eddie in order to win this match, but there’s just something about Beretta as of late that makes it seem like he’d be willing to go to such lengths. Fans have seen the man get down and dirty in Parking Lot Brawls before, so they know Trent Beretta is capable of the violence it may take to put Eddie Kingston down.

The thing with Eddie though is that he knew the second he beat Jon Moxley, he’d become a target for any individual striving for championship success. It’s not a matter of shattering a dream, Kingston isn’t a dreamer, he’s a fighter and one who knows that as long as he laces up the boots, the fight will never end. Every day someone will be gunning for him, after all he’s a man hoarding three different championships from three different companies, making him a target for people from every single one. Trent Beretta just happens to be the first, and even if Kingston makes it past him, there will be another and another and another waiting to take their shot at the Continental Crown upon The Mad King’s head!

STING’S FINAL CHARLOTTE APPEARANCE!

Darby Allin & Sting vs. The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake)

Ahead of their fight with The Don Callis Family on ,,DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024 in Jacksonville, Darby Allin and “The Icon” Sting will be in tag team action this Saturday night! It’s a huge opportunity for The Workhorsemen of Anthony Henry and JD Drake, facing Darby and Sting, given the amount of respect and admiration the pair have for “The Icon”, but it’s also so much more than that. See this night at Bojangles Coliseum will be Sting’s last fight in Charlotte, a wrestling city synonymous with his career, where he’s fought Eddie Gilbert, battled inside War Games, as well as fought the likes of Sid Vicious, Cactus Jack, and yes, Ric Flair, for championship gold!

In fact, the last match Sting had in Charlotte took place at the Bojangles almost five years ago to the day, and featured him defending a World Championship! So now he returns to Charlotte, with both Darby Allin and Ric Flair at this side, to bid farewell to the fans of the Queen City, and give The Workhorsemen the kind of wrestling lesson that can only be given by someone with his experience! Join AEW this Saturday night in Charlotte as we continue on the Road to ,,REVOLUTION 2024 and Sting’s final professional wrestling match.

ADAM COPELAND RESPONDS…

At WORLDS END 2023 Adam Copeland managed to experience ultimate triumph and catastrophic tragedy within minutes of one another. In a vicious No DQ Match with Christian Cage, Copeland defeated “The Patriarch” to become the new TNT Champion but taking advantage of the situation, Killswitch brutally assaulted Copeland in hopes of using the TNT Championship match contract he’d earned during ZERO HOUR. Unfortunately for the former Luchasaurus, he was convinced by Christian to hand over the contract, and the ex-champion took back the TNT Championship he’d lost only moments earlier.

Well the world heard what Christian Cage had to say about the situation this past Wednesday on DYNAMITE, basically denying he ever lost the title and this is one continuous run, so this Saturday night we will hear from the other half of that equation! Adam Copeland has to have a lot on his mind about this situation, and we will get a piece of it on COLLISION!

All Elite Wrestling is back in Charlotte, NC at the ,,Bojangles Coliseum this Saturday night with the first COLLISION of 2024! In one of the most anticipated tag matches in recent memory, FTR will finally fight The House of Black as honored by Buddy Matthews and Malakai Black, and Eddie Kingston will defend his Continental Crown for the very first time against Trent Beretta after that Best Friend won DYNAMITE’s Four Way bout! Those two stellar contests, and more, are set to come your way when COLLISION kicks off at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT. All you need to do is get prepared by dropping in on the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from WORLDS END 2023, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/88BC1eIW23k

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and Tony Schiavone!

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

Trios Match!

Mark Briscoe & The Hardys—Jeff & Matt

vs.

Kip Sabian, The Butcher & The Blade!

Mark Briscoe locked up with Kip Sabian. Mark escaped a wrist lock and then applied a side headlock to Kip. Kip Sabian hit Mark with a shoulder block and then taunted the Hardys. The Hardys double suplexed Kip after a quick series of tags.

Blade ate a boot from Jeff Hardy. Butcher and Matt Hardy tagged in for their respective teams. Matt slugged away at Butcher and then rammed Butcher’s head into the turnbuckles. Matt splashed Butcher from the ropes, but Butcher kicked out at the one-count. Butcher escaped a Twist of Fate attempt with a huge lariat. 

Mark Briscoe tagged in and cleaned house on the Butcher and the Blade with his redneck Kungfu. Briscoe scored with a dropkick on the Blade. Butcher swept out Mark’s leg and then planted him face first on the ring apron. Kip followed up with a moonsault onto Mark. Butcher bit down on Matt Hardy’s head. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Mark Briscoe was triple teamed by the opposition. 

Butcher blasted Briscoe with a half nelson backbreaker for a near fall! Mark scored a neck breaker on the Blade. Both men tagged out. Jeff Hardy and Kip Sabian came in, and Hardy hit a double leg drop on Sabian. Hardy used a diving splash for a near fall on Sabian. 

Matt shocked Sabian with a Side Effect. He was looking for the Twist of Fate, but the Butcher and the Blade blindsided Matt. Mark Briscoe saved Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy smashed Sabian with the Twist of Fate. Jeff followed up with a Swanton bomb. And Mark pinned Kip after the Froggy Bow!

“Tremendous fit for Mark Briscoe and the Hardys,” said Ian.

“If I’m the Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, I’m taking notice of Mark and the Hardys,” replied Excalibur.

Renee Paquette was backstage with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara!

Renee mentioned how they still have the tag team championship opportunity in the future, however, next week, it’ll be Sammy against Ricky Starks one-on-one. Sammy already has a victory over Ricky from Worlds End. Renee was wondering how Sammy felt ahead of this competition.

Sammy: “I feel great. Like you just said, we picked up a big pay-per-view win. That’s the past. Now we look to Dynamite. Myself versus Ricky Starks. This is what AEW is about. This is restoring the feeling. Ricky, you and I are a lot alike. No matter what the world wants to throw at us, we always overcome it. Next week, only one of us can be the winner. So, you might be good, some might say great, but you’re not better than the best ever.”

Jericho: “And Big Bill, if you try and get involved, I’m going to stop you. You’re twice my size, sure, but you’ve got half my brainpower. And if you try and get involved, I’m going to take out my proverbial ax and chop you down inch by inch until we’re face to face. Then I’m going to poke you in the eye and knock your teeth down your throat. And Uncle Joe is going to cry. We’ll see you on Dynamite, boys.”

Next, Renee Paquette interviewed Anna Jay backstage, who was accompanied by Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Jake Hager!

Anna Jay said she felt stagnant but that it was a time for a change this year. “This is my year. And tonight, I’m going to beat Shida, and I think I need to do this by myself, ok?”

Harley Cameron interrupted, saying she wanted to introduce herself. She said she wanted to help all of them, and then whispered into Parker’s ear. He replied, “You would actually do that?” Harley made a cat noise and walked off. Menard told Parker that Harley seemed like a nice girl. Parker downplayed it and said it was not what it looked like. 

Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs. Notorious Mimi & Kennedi Hardcastle!

Stokely Hathaway told Justin Roberts that he’d make the ring introductions for this match. Stokely went out of his way to really hype up Kris, and barely put any effort into his introduction for Willow.

Kris and Willow used quick tags to work over Mimi, while Tony Schiavone speculated that Stokely was perhaps smitten with Statlander. Willow double suplexed Hardcastle and Mimi. Kris tagged in and ran over both opponents. Statlander powerslammed Hardcastle and then planted Mimi on top of Hardcastle. Willow scored the pin after a spinebuster!

After the match, Stokely jumped into the ring, but Willow forced him out, and away from her friend Statlander. 

Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Matt and Jeff Hardy!

Jeff: “We’re feeling great! We just got a huge win on Rampage. Somebody needs to get us on AEW Dynamite so we can boost those ratings, you know what I’m saying?”

Private Party interrupted them! 

Isiah Kassidy: “Congratulations, fellas.”

Matt Hardy: “Thank you. We’re very happy to pick up that W, but we’re also very happy for you, and I’m proud of you. Because Marq Quen is back, he’s healthy. You guys got this. Because you have sat underneath the tree of the tag team GOATS. Of the living legends, the Hardys, the greatest tag team to ever do it.”

Marq Quen: “No lies detected.”

Matt Hardy: “They say if you love something, you have to let it go. And it’s time for you guys to be your own men, to be your own team. I was proud of you for calling people out. I heard you call us out there too.”

Matt said he had gifts for Private Party, and they tossed two ring worn Hardy shirts at them. Matt said the Hardys were their childhood, but they’re also going to be their adulthood, and they’re going to see them real soon. The Hardys walked away, and Marq Quen looked at Isiah and said he wanted to kick their asses.

Anna Jay vs. Hikaru Shida!

Shida scored with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. She followed up with a knee lift on Anna Jay. Shida pulled a steel chair from out beneath the ring and set it up. Shida tried to jump off the chair but Anna side stepped it. Anna whipped Shida into the steel guardrail. 

Anna Jay rocked Shida with a thrust kick for a near fall. Shida and Anna Jay traded forearms in the center of the ring. Shida battered Anna Jay down to the mat. Shida smashed Anna in the jaw and followed up with a delayed brain buster!

Anna Jay connected with a pendulum kick. Shida rocked Anna with the Falcon Arrow, but Anna countered with the Queen Slayer. Shida rolled out and nailed Anna Jay with a knee for a near fall. Shida climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit the meteora right on target. Shida finished off Anna Jay with the katana kick and pinned Anna Jay!

Sonjay Dutt invited the camera crew into the locker room of Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, and Karen Jarrett.

Dutt: “We need to make sure we get back on the same page, and if it doesn’t happen today, we’ll work every week until we get back on the same page. I got us a big tag team match coming up because I want us to get back to our winning ways.”

Lethal: “A tag match? How does that get us back on the same page?”

Karen: “Start with a name? I’ve been here nine months, and our team doesn’t even have a name.”

Jeff: “Maybe we should involve loser in that name, because of this guy Jay Lethal.”

Lethal: “Who the hell you talking to?”

Jeff: “Jay, just how many matches have you won recently? You know how many I’ve won this past year? I’ve beat Jeff Hardy, I’ve beat Dax, hell, I beat Eddie Kingston in a Memphis Street Fight, and look where that guy is now. He’s on top of the mountain.”

Lethal: “Now wait a minute! You wouldn’t have won any of those matches if it weren’t for me. So, you didn’t win s—t!”

Jeff: “You’re trying to tell me that I need you to win? Why don’t you get out of here and start your own winning streak?”

Lethal got into Jeff’s face!

Karen: “Hey, this is the opposite of what we wanted to happen.”

Dutt: “C’mon, we’ll try it again next week.”

Main Event Time! ROH Pure Championship Match!

ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!

Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, and Pat Buck were the judges.

Yuta trapped Komander with a double wristlock. Komander exhausted his first rope break, as Yuta left him with no choice. Komander applied a single leg crab and Yuta used his first rope break.

Komander blocked a lariat with a kick. Yuta clocked Komander with a strike and then drove Komander’s shoulder down on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Komander had an inside cradle for a near fall on Yuta. Komander jumped off the ropes and transitioned into a dropkick to Yuta. Komander spiked Yuta with a DDT for a two-count.

Yuta put Komander in a double wrist lock again, grounding Komander. Komander used his third and final rope break here. Yuta was smiling ear to ear. Komander caught Yuta off guard with a hurracanrana. Yuta nailed Komander with a bridging German Suplex. Yuta pounded Komander with the hammer and anvil elbows. Yuta put Komander in the double wrist lock again, and with no rope breaks remaining, Komander had no choice but to tap!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC featuring:

-FTR vs. The House Of Black!

-Continental Crown Match: Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Trent Beretta!

-Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Workhorsemen!

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

CONTAINS SPOILERS

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!

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!

Kicking off the first Dynamite of the new year… “The Devil” Adam Cole came to the ring to explain his shocking betrayal of MJF!

Cole was accompanied by Roderick Strong, Wardlow, and the ROH World Tag Team Champions—The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.

Strong: “Everybody shut up and listen to my best friend Adam!”

Cole: “You guys don’t have sympathy for me? I find it ironic that so many people were shocked by what happened at Worlds End, which means you’re all stupid, and you don’t know right from wrong. You think we’re the bad guys because we betrayed MJF? The guy who has run his mouth about everyone in the locker room and all of you fans? If that makes me the devil, then buy me a first class ticket straight to hell.

“MJF is a narcissist. The only person that MJF cares about is MJF. And he’s had his claws hooked in AEW for far too long. And I think it’s a time for a change. Someday most of that locker room will thank me. Hell, someday Tony Khan will thank me because MJF is gone and he’s never coming back.

“There’s a lot of reasons why I did what I did. MJF would have done the same to me, I just beat him to the punch. Adam Cole never needed MJF. MJF needed Adam Cole. I sacrificed everything for that friendship. That’s how I broke my ankle. I’m the one that lost something! Not him!

“MJF needed Adam Cole. None of you would have been cheering for MJF without Adam Cole. Better Than You BayBay—that’s me. In the beginning this was all about the AEW World Championship. But then it turned out to be something more. This is about ripping out a man’s heart and bringing him to his knees. MJF is dead!

“I’ll tell you who is very much alive. That is the Undisputed Kingdom. And aside from our disdain for the guy who doesn’t work here anymore, that is to win championship gold. We have the ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kingdom. My real best friend Adam Cole who is going to go after the International Championship. And Wardlow, finally with a group who respects him, he will go after the AEW World Championship. And when the time is right, Wardlow will forfeit the AEW World Championship and give it to me.

“And speaking of that, congratulations to Samoa Joe. It was a real pleasure doing business with you. It was a pleasure to take out Hangman Adam Page. And by the time Wardlow is ready, I hope you are not the AEW World Champion, because it would suck to hurt you as a friend. AEW needed change and we gave it to you. The Undisputed Kingdom starts a new era, and the devil is here to stay, baybay!”

“Switchblade” Jay White walked onto the ramp!

Jay White: “My good friend Adam Cole, baybay. Or as we now know you to be, the Devil, huh? I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your edge after all. What I don’t like is being collateral for your cause and for making me the catalyst when you had your friends jump me. And I’m not alone.”

Colten and Austin Gunn came out and the Gunns and Jay White jumped into the ring and began brawling with the Undisputed Kingdom! Bullet Club Gold were outnumbered until The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass charged to the ring! The Undisputed Kingdom retreated!

“The Acclaimed came to the aid of Bullet Club Gold is not how I expected to begin this year,” said Excalibur.

AEW International Championship Match!

“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!

Dante and Orange exchanged pinning combinations at the start of the match. They continued to chain wrestle. Dante remained composed despite facing the veteran Cassidy. Dante applied a deep cradle for a near fall, and then Orange slid out of the ring to slow down Dante’s momentum. 

Cassidy baited Dante to the outside and then followed up with an elbow suicida. Orange rammed Dante into the steel barricade. Cassidy ran towards Dante Martin and dropkicked him. Dante reversed a suplex attempt and nailed Orange with a snap suplex onto the arena floor. Dante flew at Cassidy with a tope suicida, pushing the pace. Dante followed up with a springboard crossbody press for a two-count.

“When Dante gets up in the air it’s almost like time stops for a moment,” said Taz.

Dante began to play mind games with the champ, brushing him with light kicks and strikes. Cassidy had enough and connected with a thrust kick. Cassidy stomped at Dante in the corner, the intensity picking up with each subsequent strike. Cassidy spiked Dante with a DDT for a near fall!

“That was a crazy landing on that DDT! Talk about an exclamation point,” said Taz.

Orange blasted Dante with a diving DDT, driving Dante’s head down into the mat, good for another near fall. Dante ducked an Orange Punch. Dante escaped the Beach Break and then rocked Orange with a knee strike to the face! Dante hit a senton to Orange’s back. Dante climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Cassidy rolled, trying to get out of the ray. Dante walked the ropes and flew across the ring, splashing Orange! The champ moved out of the way of a senton. Orange crushed Dante with the Orange Punch and then pinned Dante!

FTW Champ Hook and Danhausen came down to check on Orange Cassidy, while Action Andretti and Darius Martin came to collect Dante. Orange offered his hand to Dante and shook it, showing good sportsmanship. 

Private Party—Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen made their returns!

Marq Quen: “Allow me to reintroduce ourselves! We’ve been keeping tabs on the tag division. The tag division has been missing some flavor! And most importantly the tag division has been missing Private Party!”

Isiah Kassidy: “We’re putting every tag team on notice. That means all of you, FTR, the Young Bucks, and the Hardys. We say new year, new champs!”

Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther the Butler!

Toni: “This isn’t New York. This is New Jersey. I belong on Broadway. So, I’m going to call it a night. I’m not going to watch Mariah May’s debut. She needs to pay her dues, and what better way than wrestling in New Jersey!

Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews accepted FTR’s challenge! 

The House of Black said if they beat FTR, Cash and Dax would need to disown their family and walk back with their new family—the House of Black! It’s set for this Saturday live on Collision!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland!

Prince Nana: “Daniel Garcia is a respected competitor, but does he know he’s getting into the ring with the boss of bosses?”

Swerve: “Earlier tonight Daniel was talking about big pressure. It’s not about making diamonds with us, it’s about making pain. And in 2024 I’m looking for championship gold. So, I guess it’s up to you, Samoa Joe, so be ready!

Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata!

Mariah May blasted Queen Aminata with an open palm strike. Mariah chopped at Aminata. Mariah followed up with a solid dropkick. Aminata was tied up in the ropes and Mariah May blasted her from behind with another running dropkick!

Queen Aminata fired back with a few slaps to Mariah’s face. Aminata kicked Mariah in the spine and then followed up with a running knee strike. Mariah May exploded out of the corner with a sling blade. Mariah finished off Queen Aminata with the May Day and pinned Aminata!

Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May in the ring after the match.

Mariah May: “I can’t believe it! I won my AEW debut! I’ve wanted to be a wrestler since I was a little kid, so the fact that I’m in this ring on AEW is surreal to me. And I hope Miss Toni Storm is watching wherever she is. This is the first Dynamite of the New Year and it’s all about Mariah. But my only regret is we had to do this in New Jersey.”

“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo walked down to the ring, upstaging Mariah May!

Deonna: “Renee, I’m sure you know this but I’m from New Jersey! And if Toni Storm doesn’t want to be here, then trust me, we all don’t want her here either. But Mariah, I have a message that you can pass along to Miss Storm. It doesn’t matter where she runs or hides, I will find her because Mariah I am All Elite! And we are in the Age of the Virtuosa!”

Mariah May: “Okay, well, Deonna, I’m not the messenger so tell her yourself!”

Mariah May slapped Deonna and Deonna slapped back, knocking Mariah off her feet!

2x TNT Champion Christian Cage gave his 2024 State of The Union!

Christian Cage came to the ring with Shayna Wayne, “the Prodigy” Nick Wayne, and Killswitch!

Shayna Wayne took the microphone from Tony Schiavone and addressed the fans. “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? I demand you people get on your feet right now and pay respect to the greatest TNT Champion that ever lived, our father, “the Patriarch” Christian Cage.”

Christian Cage: “Tony, it has been 200 days since I won this championship on the very first episode of Collision. It has been an historic run for sure. And if you interrupt me again, I’m going to have Mother Wayne put you across her knee and discipline you.

“I went through a war at Worlds End and there are a few people I need to thank. First of all, Mother Wayne, for understanding the vision. A mother’s work is never done. Secondly, I’d like to thank my pride and joy, the apple of my eye, Nick Wayne, who put his body on the line. Adam Copeland tried to put Nick’s career to an end at the age of 18. I just want to say I love you, Nick. 

“And lastly, I’d like to thank the man that sealed the victory at Worlds End, the man that put the final nail in the coffin that is Adam Copeland. I would like to thank myself!”

The fans chanted “Luchasaurus! Luchasaurus!”

Christian Cage: “I’d like to address Adam Copeland for the final time. I’ve beaten you twice. It’s to the back of the line and there’s no more title shots for you. I could make fun of you and say you grew up without a father. Or I could mention how your mother is no longer with us. But all I need to say is Christian Cage is superior to you. I’d like to think we left a little bit of our souls in the ring at Worlds End, but the difference is, one of us doesn’t have a soul. And that’s why I stand before you as the TNT Champion.

“So, this is a warning for anyone that has eyes for my TNT Championship. What happened at Worlds End is just a glimpse at what I’ll do to hold onto my title! This is the most important championship in this company. And I will remain the TNT Champion for as long as I want until I decide to hand off this title to Nick Wayne to carry on my legacy. We are the faces of AEW, now and forever!”

Renee Paquette was backstage with Harley Cameron, Saraya, and Ruby Soho!

Ruby thanked Harley for her help this past Friday. 

Harley: “I’ll do anything!”

Saraya: “I said she’d do anything. I didn’t say she’d be sane.”

Saraya warned Harley to cool it. Renee wondered what was going on before the Outcasts walked off.

Darby Allin vs. The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita!

Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.

Takeshita grabbed Darby and planted him hard on the mat. Takeshita went for a wheelbarrow suplex, but Darby landed on his feet. Takeshita hit Darby with a big back body drop, with Darby arcing high into the air before crashing hard.

Darby rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Takeshita countered with a wicked knee strike! Takeshita nailed Darby with a rolling German Suplex on the ramp! Darby managed to get to his feet and fly out of the ring with a tope like a human battering ram at Takeshita!

Takeshita countered the Code Red, planting Darby for a near fall. Takeshita was looking for a running knee strike in the corner, but Darby escaped the ring. Takeshita charged at Darby, but Darby dodged it, sending Takeshita crashing into the guardrail. Darby connected with a Coffin Drop on the outside!

“Darby will throw caution at the wind. He doesn’t care,” said Taz.

Darby was waiting for Takeshita as Takeshita entered the ring. Darby blasted Takeshita with a Code Red for a two-count. Darby went for another Coffin Drop but Takeshita lifted his knees, blocking the move and punishing Darby at the same time. Takeshita made Darby eat a lariat, dropping Darby. Don Callis signaled for Takeshita to finish it. Takeshita rocked Darby with a running boot in the corner. Takeshita hoisted Darby up on the top rope and followed up with an avalanche German Suplex! Takeshita connected with the power drive knee and then pinned Darby!

“A statement victory for the ‘Alpha’ to start the New Year,” said Excalibur.

After the match, Don Callis made a challenge! Callis invited Sting and Darby Allin to face Takeshita and Hobbs at Daily’s Place!

Continental Title Eliminator Match!

Trent Beretta vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo!

The winner fights Eddie Kingston on Collision.

Danhausen was watching from ringside. 

Brian Cage plowed into Trent and Bryan. Vikingo connected with a tope suicida to Cage. Keith clobbered Trent with forearms. Keith connected with a high boot to Trent’s jaw. Vikingo used a big arm drag on Bryan Keith.

Brian Cage blocked a hurracanrana from Vikingo and then Cage hurled Vikingo overhead. Trent jumped over the top rope and landed on Cage with a cross body on the arena floor. Cage stunned Trent with a brain buster on the floor!

Vikingo dropkicked “the Machine” from the top rope. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Bryan Keith stopped him with a jumping headbutt. Cage kicked Keith in the midsection. Trent threw Cage with a release German Suplex from the top and then connected with a running knee strike. 

Cage power bombed Trent for a near fall. Danhausen jumped into the ring and cursed Cage. Brian Cage picked up Danhausen but Keith and Vikingo landed thrust kicks and took down Cage. Keith charged at Trent with the diving battering ram head butt for a two-count on Trent. Keith was looking for a Tiger Driver, but Trent countered, planted Keith and pinned him!

Trent has earned a shot at Kingston’s Continental Crown Championship this Saturday at Collision!

Renee Paquette was backstage with Daddy Magic to interview him when they were interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page!

Adam Page: “A few weeks ago Samoa Joe had a bunch of goons put me through a car windshield. So, I am here tonight to beat somebody’s ass! And if I can’t find the World Champion, it’ll be Adam Cole. If it’s not Adam Cole, it’ll be you. I dare somebody to give me a reason!”

Main Event Time!

Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia!

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

Swerve knocked Garcia to the mat with a shoulder block. Swerve rolled up Garcia for a near fall. Garcia sent Swerve spilling to the outside with a jumping knee strike. Garcia whipped Swerve into the barricade. Garcia and Prince Nana had a dance off! Garcia heard Swerve coming up from behind, but Garcia was waiting for him and rammed him into the ring post. 

Prince Nana grabbed Garcia’s boot. Swerve booted Garcia and then drilled Daniel Garcia with a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron! Swerve created distance with a European Uppercut. Garcia pounded Swerve down to the mat. Garcia dropkicked Swerve. Garcia grabbed a near fall after a stalling suplex on Swerve.

Swerve nailed Garcia with a back breaker. Swerve got into Daddy Magic’s face. Garcia bulldozed Swerve. Garcia put Swerve in the sharpshooter on the announcer’s table. Swerve managed to escape as they both rolled off the table and onto the floor. 

Garcia superplexed Swerve back into the ring. Swerve hung on and served up a suplex of his own! Swerve had the upper hand, but just barely. Garcia grabbed Swerve by the wrists and yanked him right into a knee strike. Swerve lured Daniel into a flatliner! Swerve connected with the House Call, but Garcia kicked out at the two-count!

Swerve climbed to the top and crushed Garcia with the Swerve Stomp for another near fall! Garcia rolled up Swerve with a crucifix for a near fall. Swerve cracked Garcia with the House Call and finished off Garcia with the JML Driver, pinning Garcia!

“Is 2024 going to be the year of Swerve Strickland? He put AEW World Champion Samoa Joe on notice,” said Excalibur.

Swerve offered his hand to Garcia, and as Garcia went to accept, Prince Nana clocked Garcia with a low blow! Daddy Magic had enough! Daddy Magic began to bludgeon Swerve with strikes until Swerve kicked him low. “Hangman” Adam Page stormed to the ring with purpose!  Page struck Swerve and they began to brawl, both men throwing bombs! Security tried to separate the two men! Page broke free and jumped on Swerve! Page was peeled off Strickland. Then Swerve broke free and lunged at Page until they were pried apart again!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!

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

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/iLhfgLwLuDs?si=mz5nydv2Mg7xBoii

WORLDS END proved to be exactly that for Maxwell Jacob Friedman as, in front of his hometown audience, he saw the AEW World Championship slip away to Samoa Joe and witnessed his best friend Adam Cole reveal himself as The Devil. Flanked by The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow, Cole watched as his associates demolished the dethroned champion. Why Cole and these men have traveled this path remains to be learned, though it’s been clear for months Wardlow’s wanted Max’s head, and perhaps we will find out more soon.

In addition, the bums around the world rejoiced as Eddie Kingston defeated Jon Moxley in the finals of the Continental Classic to not only retain his ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Titles, but to also become the first Continental Champion, and the holder of the Continental Crown! It was one of the most emotional moments in AEW’s history, and likely the biggest in the career of Eddie Kingston. WORLDS END was also a night that saw the wildest TNT Championship situation imaginable, including the shortest title reign in history, and Killswitch make a surprising decision in the heat of the moment. Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s World Championship, as did Julia Hart with the TBS Title, and so much more went down on AEW’s final PPV presentation of 2023!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kd_y2aHDV8U?si=6pkvtfqY9T7IXOX9&start=196

With a new year upon us, and a new AEW World Champion at the helm, All Elite Wrestling embarks down a new path but starting on familiar territory. The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ will host the first DYNAMITE of 2024 and with it comes an AEW International Championship Match where Orange Cassidy will defend against Top Flight’s Dante Martin! In addition, after two months of anticipation, Mariah May will finally make her in-ring debut this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE! 

The first AEW event of 2024 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 WORLDS END, as well last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!

THE CHAMP IS HERE!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eq-EqNtsEBg?si=BEIPdt-m66293ecS

At WORLDS END this past Saturday, the longest reigning ROH World Champion and ROH World Television Champion of all-time added another accolade to his resume: AEW World Champion. Samoa Joe, after eighteen minutes of a tremendous fight, choked Maxwell Jacob Friedman unconscious to end the longest and most successful AEW World Championship reign experienced since Chris Jericho first won the crown at ALL OUT 2019. 

While the way the remainder of the evening played out for MJF will haunt him for some time, knowing that he is no longer the champion will likely linger the longest, especially as he watches DYNAMITE this Wednesday night, healing up from the various injuries sustained over his championship run, and sees Samoa Joe walk to the ring with the AEW World Championship over his shoulder. The added knowledge that the Triple B is in a dumpster somewhere on Long Island may just make it even more painful…

But that’s MJF’s burden to handle; the question at hand is where does Samoa Joe go from here? He made it abundantly clear in the Media Scrum that anyone can try to step to the champ, that he’d fight Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland and anyone else who wants a piece of the action. So who will be brave enough to be the first? We already witnessed Hangman and Joe have a confrontation in recent weeks, will it be him? Will it be Swerve who said his road to the title started December 31st? We will find out soon enough if anyone is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at greatness…

THE DEVIL REVEALED…

Why Adam? Why? That’s the question on everyone’s mind after seeing Adam Cole sitting in that chair Saturday night, surrounded by Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Wardlow, and Roderick Strong, with The Devil’s Mask tossed on the broken body of former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman. After spending months tolerating Max’s behavior, helping him grow into a legitimately better version of himself, and seemingly driving a wedge into his relationship with Roderick Strong, why did Adam Cole put in all that effort to drive a knife between the shoulder blades of MJF? Has this been the plan since the Blind Eliminator Tournament over the summer? Since after ALL IN: LONDON? Or maybe after Cole got hurt at GRAND SLAM 2023 trying to help MJF in his first match with Samoa Joe? 

It’s all speculation at the moment, but tonight on DYNAMITE, we expect to get some answers from Adam Cole about why he donned The Devil mask and betrayed Maxwell Jacob Friedman!

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CdGgD0Sl6cI?si=L4B9Vy3vdvQ8qfOW&start=110

The last time Dante Martin challenged for a singles championship was on the June 3, 2022 edition of RAMPAGE when he challenged Scorpio Sky for the TNT Championship. Obviously that was not his night to claim a singles title, but it was one of many nights that proved with getting experience under his belt, Dante was destined for success with his brother, as well as on his own. Unfortunately a freak injury at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 derailed Dante’s career for months on end, but in truth he’s fortunate the injury didn’t flat out end his wrestling journey.

But since returning from that injury with a November 29th Trios victory on DYNAMITE, Dante has looked superb both in AEW and ROH action. He’s racked up victories in five of the six matches he’s been involved in, the only loss coming to Daddy Ass and The Acclaimed in an AEW World Trios Championship bout, and seemingly hasn’t missed a step. Dante’s confidence is high, something that can often be lacking when returning from injury, and that helped boost his trio to a victory last Friday night on RAMPAGE over Roppongi Vice and AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy.

It may not have been a pinfall on Orange Cassidy, but it was still Dante scoring the pinfall win over his OC’s team, and as such the fighting International Champion is willing to give this half of Top Flight an opportunity to end the run! Can Dante begin the new year by marking the first title change of 2024? Or will “Freshly Squeezed” ground the man’s dream and move forward into the year with the title still in his backpack? 

THE DEBUT…

Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata

November 8th; that is the day All Elite Wrestling officially announced the signing of Mariah May. May, a standout from the Japanese promotion Stardom reigned as a Goddesses of Stardom Champion alongside Mina Shirakawa during her tenure with the company, with her primary motivation for touring there being to follow in the footsteps of Toni Storm. See “The Timeless One” called Stardom home from 2016 until 2019, and even reigned as the World of Stardom Champion for 258 days, so being thus inspired by the path of Toni Storm, it was an experience Mariah May had to take.

After wrapping up in Stardom on September 30th, May showed up in AEW with aspirations of meeting Toni Storm, becoming friends with Toni Storm, and just being in the proximity of the current AEW Women’s World Champion. Mariah’s even asked Toni to be at ringside for this debut match, but it seemed like “Timeless” couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge the request being made by a woman whose name she couldn’t be bothered to remember.

Still, even if Toni Storm can’t remember her name, it’s clear from the reaction of the AEW faithful in the arenas, as well as those online, that they know who Mariah May is and have been patiently waiting for her in-ring debut. Well that day is finally upon us, so it’s all on Mariah to make it a memorable one and leave an impression on the AEW Women’s World Champion, otherwise it will be Queen Aminata who makes her mark by spoiling the AEW premiere of “The Glamour”!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Swerve Strickland vs. Daniel Garcia

The last several months in the careers of these two men could not be more different; since WRESTLEDREAM, Swerve Strickland has been on an absolute tear in All Elite Wrestling, winning nine of his last twelve bouts, including that unforgettable Texas Death Match with Hangman Page at FULL GEAR 2023, and had the best pinfall ratio in the Continental Classic. After scoring three straight victories in the Gold League, Swerve experienced his first pinfall loss at the hands of Jon Moxley. Still, with a victory in his final points match-up, Strickland managed to work his way into a Three Way League Final with Mox and Jay White, only to see Moxley pin White to advance to the overall Finals. But with Moxley losing to Eddie Kingston in the tournament finals, that means Swerve was the only man in the entire Continental Classic to only be pinned one time, and he capped off his year with a win over Dustin Rhodes in lieu of Keith Lee being unable to compete.

As for Daniel Garcia, he’s experienced just three victories in his last twelve matches with two of those coming over the course of the last week. It’s been a rough road for the man as of late, a frustrating one that’s often put him at odds with friend Matt Menard, but when he pinned Brody King in their final Blue League match, it felt like perhaps it had all been worth it. That feeling was further amplified at WORLDS END where, as part of the All-Star Eight-Man Tag, Garcia actually scored the winning pinfall for his team, a unit consisting of Blackpool Combat Club members Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli, as well as Mark Briscoe. 

It was a triumphant way to end the year for both men, but DYNAMITE marks the beginning of a new one for All Elite Wrestling, and that means nose right back to the grindstone. Swerve stated in the WORLDS END Media Scrum that his mission of becoming World Champion began the day after the pay-per-view, and that means a fight with Daniel Garcia on his plate for Wednesday night! For both men this is the kind of fight that can shape the rest of the year, and neither wants to let 2024 start on a bad foot. This will be two men fighting with every thing they’ve got in their body and soul; may the best one win…

CHRISTIAN CAGE’S 2024 STATE OF THE UNION…

What on Earth just happened? That had to be the thought spiraling through the mind of Adam Copeland after seeing the TNT Championship ripped away just minutes after he pinned Christian Cage to claim it for himself. From the moment Paul Turner’s hand counted three to end Cage’s first TNT Championship run to the second it hit three to begin his second, just three minutes and thirty-two seconds had passed, officially making Copeland the shortest reigning champion in AEW history. It should have been a moment of triumph for Adam, putting to rest the toxic relationship with Christian Cage, but ever the opportunist, “The Patriarch” managed to take Killswitch’s moment and make it his own. Whatever Cage whispered to the former Luchasaurus was enough to make the monster surrender the TNT Championship match he’d earned earlier in the night into Christian’s hands after Killswitch had done all the dirty work to incapacitate Copeland.

So now Christian Cage walks into DYNAMITE as a 2-Time TNT Champion, and it looks like we will all have to suffer through him delivering a State of the Union-style address to the AEW faithful. It will undoubtedly be filled with heaping of self-praise, with little credit given to Killswitch for doing the actual work, and likely little acknowledgment of the fact Adam Copeland beat him in the middle of the ring at WORLDS END. The question Christian Cage should be asking himself as he prepares to deliver this speech is whether or not Adam Copeland will be watching, listening, waiting, for his opportunity to deliver much-deserved retribution?

A new era is upon us with 2023, the era of AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, and it begins when All Elite Wrestling returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ for the first DYNAMITE of 2024! On tap is an AEW International Championship Match pitting Orange Cassidy against challenger Dante Martin, as well as the greatly anticipated in-ring debut of Mariah May, and so much more! 

It all begins again 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 WORLDS END, as well last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wPjE6ABMmpQ?si=cJ0JRUsSCBbX9kTD&start=110

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!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/N2yy0eMgi9Q?si=PyBM9Svy-17OKER_&start=321

The points portion of the Gold League came to a conclusion this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and surprisingly, the finals will be a Three Way between Jon Moxley, Jay White, and Swerve Strickland! That takes place next week in Orlando, as will the Blue League Finals once they are set in San Antonio this Saturday! We also saw Riho earn the right to face “Timeless” Toni Storm at WORLDS END for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and the mystery of The Devil’s identity continued as they issued a challenge for the ROH World Tag Titles to MJF and Samoa Joe!

This Friday night RAMPAGE is coming from Oklahoma City and gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features quite an array of bouts! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy puts his title on the line against CHAOS ally Rocky Romero, The Kingdom clash with The Hardys, Skye Blue will be in action, and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo clashes with Black Taurus in a rematch of their amazing FINAL BATTLE 2023 title bout!  Before the show starts, swing by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Rocky Romero

Well it certainly did not seem like Rocky Romero intended to challenge his own friend for a title, but his innocent usage of the world “international” seemed to indicate otherwise to reigning AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, and now we have ourselves a championship fight this Friday night on RAMPAGE!

For two years now, Rocky Romero has been both friend and ally to OC, their mutual connection in Trent Beretta effectively making Cassidy and Chuck Taylor members of CHAOS, and as partners in several trios and multi-man matches, they’ve been quite successful together! But this is the first time the two men have ever stood on opposite sides of the ring, and though Romero may not have intended to end up in this situation, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let a championship opportunity slip away! Having recently had his CMLL Historic Welterweight Championship reign ended by Mascara Dorada, Rocky is hungry to put gold back around his waist, it’s just unfortunate that it might have to be at the expense of his own friend’s title run. Still, it’s not the first time Orange has been in that position, he did fight Trent Beretta over the International Championship during his first reign and their relationship survived the fray, no doubt the same will be true for that of Cassidy and Romero…

TAG TEAM BOUT…

The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)

2023 has been a rather frustrating year for The Hardys; the multi-time championship duo have won just one tag team bout, a non-televised Three Way with The Butcher & The Blade and Angelo Parker & Matt Menard, but have yet to get a televised victory in 2023 with just one more week to go. They’ve had some success in Trios and Multi-Man matches, but the thing that has always been their bread and butter has eluded them this year. 

It what could be their last chance this year to get back on track, Matt and Jeff will go head-to-head with The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett this Friday night on RAMPAGE! There’s plenty of history between The Kingdom and Matt Hardy, Matt was actually one of the founding fathers of the group in Ring of Honor back in 2014, but this will be their first traditional tag team clash here in All Elite Wrestling! Back in September, as part of RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, both teams took part in the ROH World Tag Title #1 Contender’s match won by The Righteous, but that’s been their only interaction here. May 2022 saw the two teams collide outside of AEW, a bout won by The Hardys, and until this Friday night, it’s their only fight!

So will this be the chance for The Hardys to get it together, or will The Kingdom add another win to their five consecutive victories?

AAA MEGA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus

At FINAL BATTLE 2023, El Hijo del Vikingo successfully defended his AAA Mega Championship against Black Taurus in one of the most amazing spectacles to ever take place inside a ROH ring, and given the 20+ year history of the company, that’s saying quite a lot!

This Friday night on RAMPAGE, in the main event of the evening, Black Taurus will have a second chance at dethroning Vikingo and ending this epic reign as it draws closer to breaking Kenny Omega’s 765-day record. This bout comes just 24 hours after Vikingo and Komander competed in tag team action during ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and his fourth match in just one week for AEW/ROH. For as amazing an athlete as El Hijo del Vikingo is, eventually even the greatest runs come to an end, and taking into consideration how often the man competes, it is amazing he’s continued to reign for as long as he has! Will this Friday night be the end of the road for Vikingo, or will he find another way to put down Taurus like he did at FINAL BATTLE 2023?

ONE-ON-ONE…

Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lo7tHbRmRGE?si=MWVX8GowONfHtBgX&start=117

Much to the shock of the AEW faithful, Skye Blue has apparently sided with TBS Champion Julia Hart in opposition to “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon. Everyone knew that Skye had been somewhat changed by her previous encounters with the Princess of the Black Throne, that her exposure to Hart’s mist fundamentally shifted something within the young woman, but Skye’s previous actions seemed to indicate that she remained on the side of the angels.

Last week, as seen in the video above, that all fell to the wayside when Skye interrupted Abadon’s attack on Hart not to join in on the situation, but rather to turn the tables on Abadon at the side of the TBS Champion. This Saturday on COLLISION, Skye and Hart will have to face the wrath of Abadon and the returning Thunder Rosa, but Friday night, Skye will be in singles action as she prepares for whatever war may come to San Antonio!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/H8X_GYxefog?si=yPsKgoNVSPCF_zWA&start=321

RAMPAGE is coming to you from the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder this Friday night beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defending his title against Rocky Romero, El Hijo del Vikingo putting his AAA Mega Championship on the line in a FINAL BATTLE 2023 rematch with Black Taurus, Skye Blue in action, and The Kingdom taking on The Hardys! Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!

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!