**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO!

Your broadcast team was Excalibur and Taz!

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

AEW World Trios Championship Open Challenge Match!

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

vs.

Brother Zay & The Hardys—Matt & Jeff!

Bowens and Brother Zay locked up and chain wrestled. Bowens hit a shoulder block on Zay. Bowens blocked an arm drag but Zay took down Bowens with a hurracanrana. Bowens spiked Zay on the top of his head with a nasty leg drop.

Jeff tagged in and splashed Caster from the middle rope. Billy Gunn tagged in and hit Matt Hardy with a shoulder tackle. Matt sent Billy into the turnbuckles. Jeff jumped off Matt’s back and splashed Billy in the corner.

The Acclaimed grabbed the upper hand, with Bowens dropping the Scissor Me Timbers on Brother Zay for a near fall. Billy Gunn stomped a mudhole in Brother Zay in the corner. Billy attempted a splash, but Brother Zay dodged it, and Billy collided with the top of the post.

“The winners face TMDK this Sunday as part of WrestleDream: Zero Hour,” said Excalibur.

Jeff Hardy smashed Bowens and Caster with the Whisper in the Wind. Matt clocked Billy with the Twist of Fate. Jeff climbed to the top rope and connected with a Swanton Bomb on Billy, but Bowens was there to break up the pin attempt.

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

Brother Zay took down Billy Gunn with a quebrada. The Acclaimed countered a springboard from Zay. Bowens and Caster planted Brother Zay and scored the win!

ROH World Champion and NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston was backstage!

Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal, Karen Jarrett and Jeff Jarrett confronted Kingston. Jay Lethal interrupted Kingston and said Kingston was unfit to be ROH World Champion. Kingston laughed and walked away. Karen Jarrett said, “No one is laughing on this side.”

NJPW Strong Openweight Championship Match!

Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Rocky Romero!

Rocky grabbed a wrist lock but Eddie reversed it. Rocky kicked Eddie in the midsection. Rocky rocketed outside with a tope suicida on Eddie Kingston. Rocky followed up with a second suicida. He tried for a third, but Kingston countered, catching Rocky and nailing him with a delayed vertical suplex on the arena floor.

Eddie charged at Rocky but Rocky countered with a jumping knee strike. Romero connected with a dropkick double stomp combination for a near fall on Kingston. Eddie hit a lariat and then followed up with machinegun chops. Rocky rocked Eddie with an avalanche sliced bread.

Rocky smashed Kingston with the forever clotheslines. Kingston clobbered Rocky with the spinning backfist and then forced Rocky to tap after applying the stretch plumb.

ROH Pure Champion Katsuyori Shibata walked to the ring after Kingston’s victory. Shibata shook Kingston’s hand, a sign of respect ahead of their match against one another this Sunday at WrestleDream.

Aussie Open were backstage and said they are taking away the titles from AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR this Sunday at WrestleDream, proving they are the best tag team in the world!

The Righteous—Vincent & Dutch

vs.

Gunnar and Caleb Crush!

Dutch bulldozed Gunnar and Crush with double lariats. Dutch served up Bossman Slams to both members of the opposing team. Vincent finished things quickly, grabbing the pin.

Backstage Nick Wayne said he’d be facing Luchasaurus this Sunday during WrestleDream: Zero Hour!

Main Event Time!

Title Tuesday Opportunity Match!

Ruby Soho vs. Hikaru Shida!

The winner will get an AEW Women’s World Championship match on Dynamite Title Tuesday on October 10th.

Ruby pulled Shida’s hair and then peppered her with stiff shots. Shida answered with a strike of her own. Shida sent Ruby face first into the top turnbuckle pad. Shida hammered Ruby with strikes and then followed up with a missile dropkick off the middle rope.

Soho and Shida traded forearms in the center of the ring. Shida rocked Ruby with elbow strikes. Shida struck with a jumping knee and then a brainbuster for a near fall.

Shida launched off the ring steps with a missile dropkick onto Soho on the arena floor. Shida hoisted up Soho, carried her up the ramp, but Ruby escaped. They brawled on the ramp and fought back into the ring. Soho took down Shida with a suplex for a two-count.

Ruby grabbed the kendo stick. The ref saw it and pulled it away. She wanted to get caught, because as the ref turned his back, Ruby pulled out a can of spray paint. Shida tried to pull it away from Ruby, but in the process, they inadvertently knocked ref Paul Turner down. Ruby headbutted Shida and then wiped her out with Destination Unknown.

The ref was outside the ring recovering. Ruby grabbed the kendo stick and swung it, but Shida blocked it and whacked Ruby with it. Shida clobbered Ruby with the katana kick. Shida covered Ruby and ref Aubrey Edwards sprinted to the ring, but Ruby kicked out of the pinfall attempt!

Soho avoided the meteora. Shida hit the mat after a back heel kick from Ruby Soho. Soho sat out with a senton, but Shida got her knees up. Shida blasted Ruby with the Falcon Arrow, but Ruby kicked out before the three-count. Shida caught Ruby flush with the katana kick and scored the pin!

“What a match these ladies had! Awesome stuff!” said Taz.

After the match, AEW Women’s World Champion Saraya walked to the ring and taunted Shida!

Catch the four year anniversary of AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA featuring:

-The Kingdom vs. The Best Friends!

-Andrade El Idolo vs. Juice Robinson!

-Julia Hart in action!

-Gates of Agony vs. Chris Jericho & Kenny Omega!

-All Star 8-Man Tag Match!

Bryan Danielson, Wheeler Yuta, & AEW World Tag Champs FTR

vs.

“Absolute” Ricky Starks, Big Bill, & Aussie Open!

This Sunday, witness history live on pay-per-view and order AEW WrestleDream!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MKk7eFNkqow?si=bwGetmud79t5KQyK

Wednesday night began the final few days before WRESTLEDREAM goes down this Sunday night in Seattle. Fans learned that Adam Cole suffered an injury at GRAND SLAM 2023 that necessitated pulling himself from the ROH World Tag Team Championship match, but as seen above, rather than vacate the belts, MJF will fight The Righteous himself. In addition, through their contract signing, we all witnessed the kind of aggression Hangman Page is bringing to his fight with Swerve Strickland:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6cOQ4haG0Rs?si=S9hg9eCKa_d0cfH6

But that wasn’t all; Rey Fenix defeated Jeff Jarrett to retain his AEW International Championship while Nick Jackson defeated both Claudio Castagnoli and Brian Cage to earn the next shot at said title. Success wasn’t universal for The Young Bucks though as Matt Jackson ate the pinfall in his Four Way PPV preview bout. A lot of the pieces for WRESTLEDREAM fell into their final place, and that will continue this Friday night on RAMPAGE! The bouts begin at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so visit the official AEW YouTube channel before RAMPAGE begins to see highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Eddie Kingston(c) vs. Rocky Romero

It’s been two years since the last time Rocky Romero and Eddie Kingston collided inside the squared circle, a fight won by Kingston, but not one in which any championships were involved. They celebrated July 4th with NJPW STRONG this year, teaming up to fight, and defeat, BULLET CLUB’s KENTA and Gedo in tag action one day before Eddie beating KENTA to earn the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship.

This Friday night on RAMPAGE the circle comes back around as, after being Eddie’s ally two months ago, Rocky steps up as the next challenger for the NJPW STRONG Openweight title, and just two days before Kingston is set to defend both it and the ROH World Championship against Katsuyori Shibata. Should Kingston fall to Rocky, then obviously only the ROH World Championship would be on the line at WRESTLEDREAM, but win or lose, with a foe like Romero gunning for him on Friday, what kind of condition will Eddie be in on Sunday?

AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN CHALLENGE…

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

vs.

Brother Zay & The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)

Ever since defeating The House of Black to claim the World Trios Championship titles, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass have made it a point to be defending champions, taking on anyone willing to step up to the challenge, defending the belts on three occasions in the 33 days since ALL IN: LONDON. This week on RAMPAGE there will be another trio who answers the call to arms, forming a unit for the very first time, Brother Zay and The Hardys will take on the World Trios Champs!

Isiah Kassidy has been under the tutelage of Matt Hardy for quite some time now, both through good and bad, meaning they’ve united on plenty of instances, and there have been a few multi-man instances like The Firm Deletion, but this is the first time it’s just been Matt, Jeff, and Brother Zay.

The Hardys know plenty about being champions, though they’ve yet to achieve that here in All Elite Wrestling which is additional common ground with Zay, but that could all change this Friday night on RAMPAGE! Will the Scissor Party be brought to an end?

TITLE TUESDAY OPPORTUNITY…

Ruby Soho vs. Hikaru Shida

This could have some very interesting ramifications; for the very first time Ruby Soho and Hikaru Shida will lock-up in a one-on-one match and to the victor comes an AEW Women’s World Championship opportunity on DYNAMITE: TITLE TUESDAY on October 10th. So there is a possibility that, for the second time in as many weeks, Saraya will have to defend her title against someone who has stood by her side as an Outcast! Difference between Toni Storm and Ruby Soho though is that Ruby is still loyal to Saraya, making that potential title bout rife with potential drama.

The other possibility is that Hikaru Shida earns the opportunity to become the first 3-Time Women’s World Champion and beat the woman who ended her second reign in the process. Though Saraya may have been the one to leave ALL IN: LONDON as the new champion, it wasn’t the woman defending her title who she pinned but rather Toni Storm. That also makes this fight with Ruby one step away from revenge on Saraya, and one step away from Shida redeeming the indirect loss of her championship.

Will we see the remaining Outcasts have wedge drive in-between them, or will Shida get her shot at redemption for what happened at Wembley?

THE RIGHTEOUS IN ACTION!

After learning that their ROH World Tag Team Championship match at WRESTLEDREAM will now be a handicap match against AEW World Champion MJF, Dutch and Vincent have to be quite ecstatic about their impending Sunday night fight.

Before they get their though, The Righteous will be in tag team action on RAMPAGE, one final tune-up before their date with destiny on pay-per-view! There has to be a great deal of confidence on their part knowing they’ll have a man advantage in the championship fight, hopefully it doesn’t make them overconfident in this Friday night fight and leave them ripe for an upset.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qdzMHOM-4p0?si=3XTNmlbyHOyEjwR4

RAMPAGE gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel prior to the show for highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DEK-YaX7YNw?si=8s7lz2_PRpgKXarY

Your Big Gold Belt Podcast is LIVE with a busy week in wrestling to discuss including:

-Jade Cargill Signs With WWE: What does the first signing of the TKO Era signal for the future?

-A packed weekend is…

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO!

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

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

AEW International Championship Open Challenge Match!

Rey Fenix (c.) (with Alex Abrahantes) vs. Jeff Jarrett (with Karen Jarrett, Sonjay Dutt, Satnam Singh, and Jay Lethal)!

Rey Fenix hit a high crossbody press to the outside onto Jarrett as Jarrett was making his entrance. Fenix followed up with a moonsault for a near fall. Jarrett DDT’ed Rey Fenix after Satnam tried distracting Fenix.

Jarrett tripped up Fenix and Fenix rolled to the outside. Jarrett ordered his posse to swarm Fenix, but ref Aubrey Edwards stopped them. Rey Fenix fired back with a double foot stomp to Jeff Jarrett for a two-count. Fenix followed up with a thrust kick, trying to fight through the pain. Fenix ran the top rope and punted Lethal. Sonjay distracted the ref while Jarrett hit Fenix with a low blow!

Jarrett spiked Rey Fenix with the Stroke but Fenix broke the count when his boot touched the bottom rope. Jarrett tried to apply the figure four, but Fenix countered with a cradle and pinned Jeff Jarrett!

Footage was shown from Long Island with AEW World Champion MJF taking Adam Cole out on a boat trip to try to cheer up Cole after his recent leg injury.

MJF: “You were on the phone with Roddy a pretty long time.”

Cole: “Yeah, I was worried about him.”

MJF: “So long that you couldn’t come up to the ring with me last week?”

Cole: “Max, you didn’t bring me out here to hit me with the Dynamite diamond ring and then throw me overboard, did you?”

MJF: “No, no,” said Max, as he was hiding the ring behind his back.

Cole: “Having more than one friend is normal.”

MJF: “Plus last time I almost got caught when I was trying to throw someone overboard.”

Footage was shown from earlier in the week of Don Callis and Takeshita hunting for Ibushi in Tokyo!

Renee Paquette was in the ring to interview Don Callis and “The Alpha” Takeshita after their actions last week!

Don Callis: “I have something to say. I am so happy that Sammy Guevara is free of the toxic influence of Chris Jericho that I wanted to bring him out here myself. Ladies and gentlemen, the newest member of the Don Callis Family…Sammy Guevara!”

Sammy Guevara walked down to the ring.

Sammy embraced Don Callis in the ring.

Don Callis: “You want to know about Tokyo now? I said that Ibushi wasn’t safe so the Alpha and I went to Tokyo. I brought my personal camera crew, and we captured it all.”

Footage was shown of Callis and Takeshita invading Ibushi’s dojo. Takeshita attacked one of Ibushi’s students. Ibushi ran in and grounded and pounded Takeshita. Callis hit Ibushi with an umbrella. Takeshita blasted Ibushi in the head with a kettle bell! Callis screamed at Ibushi saying Ibushi wasn’t safe in Tokyo or in Seattle!

Don Callis: “The Don Callis Family has never been stronger with Takeshita, Will Ospreay, and Sammy Guevara going to WrestleDream!”

Sammy: “I’m the hero. Chris Jericho is the villain! For four years he was holding me back. I was champion without him. I did pay-per-views without him. Every time I would start to fly high, he would clip my wings. He was never going to pass me the torch. Chris Jericho is selfish. It is time for me to become the champion and the star I was meant to be.”

Don Callis: “At WrestleDream we are going to take everything from Omega, Jericho, and Ibushi until there is nothing left but the tears!”

Footage was shown from after Collision last Saturday of “Absolute” Ricky Starks!

Starks said he survived against Danielson. Wheeler Yuta approached Ricky and said Ricky was all style and no substance. Yuta challenged Starks to a match on October 1st in Seattle!

It was announced that Tony Khan signed a grudge match for WrestleDream between Ricky Starks and Wheeler Yuta!

3-Way Blind Eliminator Match for an International Title Shot Next Week!

ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Nick Jackson

vs.

“The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)

vs.

Claudio Castagnoli!

Brian Cage tossed Nick Jackson over the top rope and out of the ring! Claudio and Cage locked up for a test of strength. Claudio suplexed Cage! Brian Cage retaliated with a vertical suplex of his own.

Nick Jackson jumped back into the ring and wiped out Claudio and Cage at the same time! Nick then flew over the top rope and knocked both of them down on the arena floor! Nick displayed creative, fluid offense to clean house on both opponents!

Brian Cage planted Claudio with a German Suplex. Nick Jackson blasted Brian Cage with a bulldog. Jackson moonsaulted off the apron but Claudio caught him, and then Nick nailed him with a DDT! Nick Jackson splashed Brian Cage with a 450 for a near fall in the ring!

Claudio whipped Nick Jackson into the steel ring steps. Claudio put Brian Cage in the Giant Swing!

“It’s like he’s swinging a Volvo,” said Taz.

Brian Cage suplexed Claudio from outside the ring to the inside, while Cage was on the second rope! Nick drilled Claudio and Cage with superkicks. Claudio rammed Cage with a European Uppercut. Claudio clocked Cage with a lariat. Claudio transitioned to hammer and anvil strikes, punishing the jaw of Brian Cage. Claudio hit the Ricola Bomb on Cage. Nick springboarded with a hurracanrana onto Claudio and then landed on Cage, with Nick Jackson grabbing the pin fall victory!

Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions Adam Cole & AEW World Champion MJF came to the ring!

Adam Cole was on crutches and his left leg was completely bandaged up.

MJF: “Cut the music! Ladies and gentlemen, the devil has arrived in Colorado. Adam Cole, talk to ‘em.”

Cole: “Who’s ready for story time with Adam Cole baybay? Unfortunately, this is a sad chapter in the story. Last week I got hurt. My ankle broke in three different places, and I tore ligaments last week. I have to go get surgery. There is nothing more soul crushing than hearing this, but I will do everything in my power to get back as soon as possible.

“But me and my good friend Max are the ROH World Tag Team Champions. And because we can’t defend these titles, we will have to relinquish—”

MJF: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn’t wrestle twice in one night to win these and then have to relinquish our titles to the Righteous! Let’s keep it real. You wouldn’t be hurt if I didn’t need your help at Grand Slam. I know how much those ROH World Tag Team Titles mean to you. And I want to make sure that when you come back here, and you will, these will be waiting for you. Righteous, October 1st, I’m going to defend these titles against you in a handicap match and we are going to win!”

The Kingdom rolled Roderick Strong onto the ramp in a wheelchair!

Strong: “Adam! I need you now more than ever! It’s an emergency!”

MJF: “As much as I think Roderick Strong is a simp, I learned on the boat that he is your boy. I may not like him, but I know he’s your boy. Go do what you need to do, Adam, and I’ll be waiting for you when you come back.”

Cole hugged MJF. Adam Cole got on his crutches and walked up the ramp to Roderick Strong and the Kingdom.

MJF: “Everybody give it up one more time for Adam Cole. Now we all know I’m not a big fan of—”

“Switchblade” Jay White and the Bullet Club Gold walked onto the ramp, interrupting the AEW World Champion MJF!

“Switchblade” Jay White sent the Bang Bang Gang to the back and then walked to the ring himself.

Jay White: “Shut up, Max! We’ve all heard you talk enough. Everybody would like to hear this sweet, exotic accent for a change. Don’t worry, I sent everybody to the back. You can have your one on one time with the Switchblade and revel in your moment.”

MJF: “Boy, you must be smoking some strong Colorado grass. That mid mic work ain’t gonna work with MJF. You come at the king you’d better not miss. That first shot was a little hairy. Now Jay hear me out. In my career I’ve been compared to a lot of people. They say, ‘MJF is good but he’s no blank.’ And as my star rose the names got bigger and bigger and the goal posts moved. It never bothered me until I read, ‘MJF is good but he’s no Jay White.’

“It’s become very apparent why it offends me now that I’m standing in the ring with you. I’m like filet mignon. Much like when I’m inside this ring, the show is all about MJF because no one is on the level of the devil. Because I’m a generational talent, babe.

“And then there’s you. You are very talented, however, you’ve managed to convince the fans that you are also filet mignon when in reality you are tofu. Funny thing about tofu. It takes on the flavor of whatever you want it to. But you need to add something to it in order to trick yourself into believing it has taste. And you have been given everything. You were handed the keys to one of the greatest wrestling factions of all time. However, if I pluck it all away, I am left with nothing but boring, bland, tasteless tofu.

“And now here you are, Jay, trying to hop on my plate and trying to steal some of the champ’s flavor. I see through you, Jay. You are all hype. Allow me to give you some advice from a real top guy. If I were you, I would leave this ring and I wouldn’t keep talking smack to my poors. Because if you don’t, for the rest of your career, whenever our names are mentioned in the same sentence, it’ll read as follows: ‘Sure, Jay is good, but he’s no MJF,’ because I’m better than you and you know it!”

Jay White: “That’s what I came out here for, my very own personalized authentic MJF experience. But I have to be honest with you. I’m a little bit let down. Something’s a little bit off about you these days. I don’t know if it’s the injuries, but personally I think you’re distracted by Adam Cole.

“I just don’t think they love you like they love Adam Cole. And you know this whole situation with Adam Cole, it’s kinda my fault. Let me explain. If I didn’t temporarily end Adam Cole’s career after Forbidden Door 1, you wouldn’t have developed a soft spot for him, but I guess you got him back because he broke his ankle and that was your fault. And I’m sure your neck isn’t feeling good after Samoa Joe last week. So, I think I’ve been ruining your life for a little bit now. But I’m here to ruin your life in the flesh.

“You call yourself the devil. You need to find another level to stop me from taking that title away from you. You don’t seem so elite when compared to me. I’m the catalyst of professional wrestling. And I will be a truly elite champion when I pull that title away from your carcass!

“Don’t worry, Max, you will have your fans, they will have you, and I will have the Triple B, and you can all breathe with the Switchblade, because it’s still my era. This is the Switchblade Era because you’ve gone soft, and you know it!”

MJF: “You don’t have a clue what I’m capable of so why don’t I show you!”

Jay White tried to lure MJF in with mind games and then Jay White rolled out of the ring after getting under MJF’s skin!

Ahead of their 2/3 Falls Match for the TNT Title at WrestleDream, Jim Ross had a sit down interview with Darby Allin and new TNT Champion Christian Cage!

Christian Cage: “I’ve been the TNT Champion for months now and I proved I’m far superior to Darby Allin this past Saturday when I wrestled on Collision. I will walk out of Seattle as the TNT Champion because I know in my heart, Darby, that you’re nowhere near the man I am. You’re nowhere near the wrestler I am. I asked for this 2 out of 3 match because I want to see what you can do when you actually have to wrestle.

“Is your uncle going to be in attendance? What happened to him?”

Darby: “He’s dead. You think I’m afraid of dying? You think I’m afraid of losing? You cannot beat me. I’m going to win this Sunday.”

Christian Cage: “Why don’t you bring all the family. Bring Nick, bring Nick’s mother—”

Darby: “You want me to bring Nick so you can take advantage of him. I’ll tell him not to show up. If you had the balls, you’d tell Luchasaurus not to show up.”

Christian Cage: “He needs a man! I will always be the face of TNT! Get used to it!”

Four-Way WrestleDream Preview Match!

Austin Gunn

vs.

Matt Jackson

vs.

Orange Cassidy

vs.

Penta El Zero Miedo!

Partners were banned from ringside.

Austin sent Orange hard into the barricade. Matt Jackson DDT’ed Penta El Zero Miedo. Austin rolled up Orange from behind for a near fall. Penta connected with a thrust kick to Matt Jackson. Penta blasted Orange with a thrust kick. Austin ambushed Penta! Austin dropped Orange with a big right hand shot!

Orange peppered Austin with elbow strikes. Austin countered a hip toss with a neck breaker to Orange Cassidy. Penta nailed Orange with a destroyer. Matt Jackson hit a destroyer on Penta. Orange rocked Matt with a destroyer! Orange smashed Austin with a destroyer!

“All four men are on roller skates and all four men go down!” said Excalibur.

Matt Jackson wiped out Orange with the locomotion Northern Lights suplexes. Matt followed up with a double Northern Lights to Penta and Austin!

The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W!”

Penta blocked the BTE Trigger from Matt. Penta took down Austin with a sling blade. Austin smashed Orange with the fame-asser from a near fall, almost stealing a victory. All three men superkicked Austin. Penta and Matt traded kicks. Orange pulped Matt Jackson with the Orange Punch and pinned him!

“Timing is everything and Orange’s timing was perfect,” said Taz.

The House of Black’s Julia Hart (with Brody King) vs. Willow Nightingale!

Willow’s left eye was bandaged up, a result of the mist attack last week from Julia.

Willow poured on the punishment, charging at Julia Hart and hitting her with a flurry of offense. Julia jumped on Willow’s back and grabbed at the bandage over Willow’s eye.

“Willow is fighting for purpose, not just for revenge,” said Excalibur.

Willow grounded and pounded Julia Hart. Willow body slammed Julia. Julia retreated out of the ring and crawled under the ring. Julia snuck up behind Willow and chop blocked her.

Julia locked in Heartless, but Willow reached the ropes, forcing the break. Willow pounced Julia out of the corner! Willow hoisted up Julia and placed her upside down in the corner. Julia dodged the cannonball splash. Julia hit the moonsault press and pinned Willow!

Julia placed Willow in the Heartless submission after the match! TBS Champion Kris Statlander sprinted to the ring to save her friend. Julia hid behind Brody King and laughed.

It was time for the contract signing between “Hangman” Adam Page & Swerve Strickland ahead of their match at WrestleDream!

The Elite and the Mogul Embassy were banned from ringside.

Renee Paquette was in the ring to help officiate the contract signing.

Swerve and Page sat across from each other at a table in the ring.

Swerve: “Before you sign that paper, I gotta admit I’ve been impressed with the fire you’ve been showing the past few weeks. But it’s a little too late for that. We are four days out from our match. Do you understand what you’re walking into? The lion’s den. This is unlike anything you’ve ever dealt with. We are two competitors who couldn’t be more opposite from one another. You are not the wrestler I am, and I am never going to be the wrestler you are. What’s a buckshot to a kill shot?”

Hangman: “It sounds like you’re fired up for this, and good, you should be. You said a few things to me a few weeks ago that stung. And I’ve had time to think about it. For a year and a half, every day that I came to work I felt there was a little dark cloud hanging over my head that I could not get rid of. And sure, the sun would shine. I beat Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match. I reunited with my friends in the Elite. It felt like I should have been the happiest man in the world but every time I started to smile, that little cloud came back, and it started to rain.

“And I couldn’t do anything about it. I had a little umbrella next to me and as long as God let it rain on me, I didn’t open it. But that’s over with. I weathered the storm. And I am still here! And through that downpour it washed something out of me. I don’t know if it was hope, or passion, but it washed out of me. But I recognized it, and these people deserve more of me. They deserve the best of me. And I deserve it for myself. So, Swerve that’s what you’ll get in Seattle at WrestleDream. You’ll get the best of Hangman!”

Swerve: “That was quite beautiful, but it was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. This isn’t a personal thing. It could have been anyone in the position that I want. Truth be told, I might have mental health problems because I make an enemy every single day. I am going to take this position from you at WrestleDream. And by the way, it rains an awful lot in Seattle.”

Hangman: “You tell me you want this spot. You’re telling me you want a main event spot? Swerve, I don’t know, we could sit here and go back and forth about whether these opportunities were handed to me, but for every opportunity I’ve had, I knocked it out of the park!

“So, Swerve, you tell me you want this spot? You’re damn right, you should want this spot. But you don’t have what it takes to fill my boots!”

Swerve slapped Hangman and then went to sign the contract! Hangman stabbed Swerve in the hand with the pen! Security had to keep the two men separated!

Backstage, camera crews filmed a gang of men dressed in black from head to toe, wearing masks, swarming “Switchblade” Jay White and attacking him! One of the attackers looked into the camera and cocked his head to the side. He was wearing a devil mask!

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

Catch the four year anniversary of AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, CA!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA!

And this Sunday, witness history live on pay-per-view and order AEW WrestleDream!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/oU382Ti67w4?si=pJ1KFUl9U2_1nVkt&start=168

It’s the final DYNAMITE before WRESTLEDREAM, and it’s coming to you from the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, CO just north of Denver, and home to AEW since the March 4, 2020 edition of AEW’s flagship, the first DYNAMITE of the Jon Moxley era!

It’s been nine months since our last visit to Broomfield, and this time we are coming to kickoff the home stretch to WRESTLEDREAM with the exciting action fans expect from AEW! In a preview of the Four Way Tag Fight for an AEW World Tag Title shot, one member of each team will collide in a Four Way Singles match, plus as Julia Hart continues her hunt for the TBS Title, she has to answer for her crimes when she faces Willow Nightingale in a head-to-head fight!

Plus, we will hear from the ROH World Tag Champions Better Than You BayBay ahead of their PPV clash with The Righteous, Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland will sign the contract for their fight on Sunday night, and Jim Ross will sit down with TNT Champion Christian Cage and Darby Allin ahead of their 2/3 Falls Bout!

DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to catch the highlights from last week’s DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the CONTROL CENTER, and more!


FOUR WAY WRESTLEDREAM PREVIEW…

Austin Gunn vs. Matt Jackson vs. Orange Cassidy vs. Penta El Zero Miedo

On Sunday night at WRESTLEDREAM all four of these men will be locked in combat with a future shot at the AEW World Tag Team Championship on the line, difference being that in Seattle they will all have a partner sharing the ring, whereas in Colorado each will go it alone! Akin to a preview of that impending pay-per-view match, what makes this especially intriguing is what the AEW singles career has looked like for each of these men. Two of them have engaged in a fair deal of singles combat, particularly Orange Cassidy with his historic AEW International Championship reign, while two have barely been tested in those waters. Matt Jackson, though a 2-Time AEW World Tag Team Champion, 2-Time AEW World Trios Champion, and reigning ROH World Six-Man Champion, has only competed in one singles match, ironically against Rey Fenix back in March of 2021, and it was a match where he fell in defeat. The other man lacking in strong singles experience is Austin Gunn, crediting but one win in his three outings, the last of them being on the Jericho Cruise in October 2021. Penta, while not racking up the numbers of OC, stands 18-14 in his singles rows, including fights with Kenny Omega, Orange Cassidy, Jon Moxley, Samoa Joe, and even getting bloody with his own brother.

As for the former AEW International Champion, well he’s number three in the Men’s Division in terms of singles wins, just one behind Powerhouse Hobbs, and he’s tied with Moxley for the most overall wins with 122. With 156 matches, Cassidy is also the most prolific competitor in All Elite Wrestling, and his 31 match winning streak is the longest in Men’s Division history as well. Of course there’s the fact that Cassidy defended the International Championship more times than any champions in AEW across all divisions to add to the equation, all facts that would seem to tilt the balance of this four way fray in his favor. But what is his physical condition? Heading into his ALL OUT 2023 loss to Jon Moxley, Cassidy seemed held together by K-Tape and willpower, his body ravaged by the effects of the schedule he’d kept as International champion, barely able to stand without the assistance of his Best Friends after the loss. So how can he be ready for this return to action just a few weeks removed from that painful experience?

We will all find out this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when Orange, Penta El Zero Miedo, Matt Jackson, and Austin Gunn all aim to get a leg-up before their Four Way Tag Team clash on Sunday night!

ONE-ON-ONE…

The House of Black’s Julia Hart vs. Willow Nightingale

https://www.youtube.com/embed/J6mL9WL4cgE?si=sBtG3M-y_autQs-D

Julie Hart is officially set for a TBS Championship fight with Kris Statlander this Sunday at WRESTLEDREAM, her first shot since challenging Jade Cargill back on January 28th of 2022, and three months before Julia’s last loss in All Elite Wrestling. That defeat was at Kris Statlander’s hand, taking place on DARK: ELEVATION #60 on April 25th , and along with The House of Black entering her life, was a transformative experience for the young woman. She’s remained undefeated since, and that streak has blossomed in truly violent fashion as Julia’s targeted anyone friendly to Statlander. Skye Blue felt the wrath last week on RAMPAGE, Willow Nightingale was going to step up to the fight on COLLISION but was attacked earlier in the night and taken to a local medical facility for observation, which left Kiera Hogan to step up in her stead, and she too was put down by The House’s Black Hart.

If the attack on Willow was intended to put her on the shelf then it failed, because all it did was postpone the inevitable by a matter of days. Instead of Julia having to face the music last Saturday night in Grand Rapids, she has to do so this Wednesday night in Colorado! Willow Nightingale will be back in action on DYNAMITE and looking to even the score, not just for herself, but also for the friends Julia Hart has left in the wake of her destructive path to the TBS Champion.

Can Willow humble Julia before her championship fight on Sunday night, or will she end up a repeat victim of that black mist that once served to change Hart’s entire life?

CONTRACT SIGNING…

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Swerve Strickland laid it all out for Hangman Page the Wednesday following ALL OUT 2023, a night where Page, a former teacher himself, won the Over The Budget Charity Battle Royal and in turn saw to it $50,000 was donated to the Chicago Public Education Fund(https://thefundchicago.org/), but come Wednesday on DYNAMITE, Swerve verbally tore down Hangman for everything he’d done, or hadn’t done, since losing the AEW World Championship.

Strickland verbally poked and prodded at the former champion, initially driving Hangman to leave the ring, but ultimately provoking him to return, only to be waylaid be a trap Swerve set, a trap in the form of “The Machine” Brian Cage. From there, Page and Cage had their third dance in AEW, a dance won by Hangman, and The Hung Bucks would in turn take the ROH World Six-Man Championship from The Mogul Embassy. Well certainly a blow to Swerve and Prince Nana’s organization, Strickland seemed unfazed by how those weeks unfolded, as if he anticipated Hangman rising to the occasion.

So with their head-to-head clash just a few days away, this Wednesday night Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland will publicly put pen-to-paper when they sign their contract in the middle of the ring. These situations are often a powder keg waiting to explode, sometimes filled with an exchange of words that lead to violence, while sometimes no words are shared and its just violence before the ink even dries. Either way, both The Young Bucks and The Mogul Embassy are banned from the area during the course of this contract signing, so whatever happens is going to take place between Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page, only Swerve and Hangman Page.

THE ROH TAG CHAMPS ADDRESS THE RIGHTEOUS…

It was just a week ago on DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023 that MJF went through hell and back and back to hell again with ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe, and though Maxwell had to dip into his devilish bag of tricks in order to get the job done, the defending AEW World Champion did exactly as promised when he choked Joe out. The guile it took, the willingness to do whatever necessary to win, it earned MJF the respect of Samoa Joe, and with that came a rather surprising handshake.

And while he may have been running a bit late after having swung by Roderick Strong’s hospital bed to check on his condition, Adam Cole was right there when it was needed the most, motivating MJF (who had just survived a Muscle Buster mind you) to fight out of Joe’s choke. Cole also provided the distraction to Joe that allowed MJF to use that chain…string…tape…whatever the object was that helped Max keep true to his promise.

The Brochachos celebrated together, but their jubilation came knowing that a ROH World Tag Title defense was awaiting them WRESTLEDREAM, it was merely a matter of waiting until Friday night’s edition of RAMPAGE to see which of four teams came out on top. Though Best Friends, The Hardys, and The Kingdom all fought valiantly, it was The Righteous of Vincent and Dutch who came out on top, and earned their very first ROH World Tag Team Championship match. Though former Six-Man Champs with Bateman, this duo has never challenged for the gold made so coveted through the work of teams like The Briscoes, The Kings of Wrestling, Steen & Generico, The Havana Pitbulls, and so many others over the last 20+ years.

We heard from Vincent and Dutch with their rather unique video embedded above, and this Wednesday night we will hear from AEW World Champion MJF and Adam Cole, the defending ROH World Tag Champs, about their fight coming up Sunday night in Seattle! What shape is Max in after his war with Joe? Is Cole okay after we all saw him hobbling a bit at ringside? Are these two bruised and battered men heading into the fight on pay-per-view? We shall have to wait and hear what they say on DYNAMITE!

FACE-TO-FACE…

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Set for a Two Out Of Three Falls contest this Sunday night, one with the TNT Championship at stake, new champion Christian Cage and challenger Darby Allin will sit down with Jim Ross for a face-to-face…conversation…before their Seattle title bout. Jim Ross may be in quite the predicament here, sitting between these two, as Cage will no doubt do his best to raise the ire of his challenger. Christian has never let decorum be the rule of the day, never bothered to hold his tongue when the worst possible words drift into his mouth, instead actively choosing to say the most disgusting comments to his foes in hopes of garnering that psychological edge.

But after all these months dancing with Christian and Luchasaurus, not to mention everything else he’s been through in his wrestling career, its doubtful there’s anything left for Cage to say that Darby hasn’t heard before. So is there an edge for Cage to find before this title fight in Darby’s hometown? If there is, and if it’s something horrid, rest assured that the TNT Champion will find it, speak it into the world, and sit back completely proud of just how awful he can be.

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DYNAMITE starts at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so be sure to check out the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!

“AEW: WrestleDream” PPV Available in Select Out-Of-Home Establishments this Sunday, October 1

Sept. 26, 2023 – AEW and Joe Hand Promotions will bring AEW’s highly-anticipated “AEW: WrestleDream” pay-per-view event to select out-of-home establishments across North American this Sunday, October 1 starting at 7 p.m. ET. The inaugural “AEW: WrestleDream” event will honor New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s (NJPW) founder, Antonio Inoki, on the one-year anniversary of his passing. To locate a participating establishment, fans in North America can check the Joe Hand Promotions website HERE. The card for “AEW: WrestleDream” includes the following exciting match-ups:

  • AEW World Tag Team Title Match: FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) (c) vs. Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis)
  • AEW TNT Championship (Two Out of Three Falls): Christian Cage (c) vs. Darby Allin
  • AEW TBS Championship: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Julia Hart
  • ROH World Tag Team Championship: Better Than You Bay Bay (Adam Cole & MJF) (c) vs. The
    Righteous (Vincent and Dutch)
  • ROH World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship: Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata
  • Dream Match: Bryan Danielson vs Zach Sabre Jr.
  • Swerve Strickland vs Hangman Adam Page
  • Chris Jericho and The Golden Elite (Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi) vs. Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, and Will Ospreay)
  • The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. The Gunns (Austin Gunn and Colten Gunn)
    vs. Lucha Brothers (Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo) vs. Orange Cassidy and HOOK

*Card subject to change
“Through our collaboration with AEW to deliver these historic events for fans to enjoy in social settings,
we are committed to keeping the wrestling community connected throughout the year. We aim to foster
a collective love for the sport, forging enduring memories that will last a lifetime,” said Joe Hand, Jr.,
President of Joe Hand Promotions. AEW consistently orchestrates thrilling gatherings that unite fans in communal atmospheres. Enthusiasts
can anticipate witnessing this event at handpicked Dave & Buster’s and Tom’s Watch Bar venues. “AEW:
WrestleDream” will also illuminate screens in numerous esteemed movie theaters across the United
States.

ABOUT AEW
Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television. The fight-forward “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and the new “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW
ABOUT JOE HAND PROMOTIONS

Joe Hand Promotions brings fan communities from mainstream sports and entertainment into the top corporate and independently owned bars and restaurants, theaters, casinos, and other commercial establishments to provide the best viewing experience outside of the arena.
As the commercial content partner for some of the nation’s top live-sports media properties, Joe Hand Promotions is the leader in the out-of-home live sports and entertainment media distribution industry. For over 50 years, Joe Hand Promotions has seamlessly connected commercial establishments with live sports and entertainment, which has successfully driven traffic and increased revenues, time and time again. The Joe Hand Promotions team is more than the distributor, but also the advisor in this fast-growing industry.

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI!

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

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/5fMp3nkDkW4?si=fdCUfoBcPzRU34TW

After a huge pair of GRAND SLAM 2023 events at Arthur Ashe Stadium, All Elite Wrestling comes to Grand Rapids and the Van Andel Arena for a huge edition of COLLISION! The AEW World Tag Team Championship will be on the line as The Workhorsemen of Anthony Henry and JD Drake answer FTR’s Open Challenge and the TNT Championship will be at stake in a Three Way between champion Luchasaurus, his “mentor” Christian Cage, and 2-Time former champ Darby Allin!

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Grand Slam was broadcast from Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, NY!

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

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

Darby Allin (with Nick Wayne) & Sting

vs.

TNT Champion Luchasaurus & Christian Cage!

Both teams started the match brawling. Darby dropkicked Luchasaurus out of the ring and onto the ramp. Darby threw his body at Luchasaurus. Sting and Christian brawled outside the ring. Luchasaurus whipped Darby into the steel ring post!

Luchasaurus worked Darby over, bodyslamming him and then sending him into the turnbuckles. Christian tagged in but Darby connected with a springboard press. Luchasaurus spiked Darby with a chokeslam. Christian attempted a diving headbutt, but Darby dodged it, rolling out of the way.

Sting tagged in and wiped out Christian with two lariats and a spinebuster. Sting blasted Luchasaurus with right hands and then delivered a Stinger splash to Christian and Luchasaurus in the corner. Sting and Darby hit Luchasaurus with a Scorpion Death-Coffin Drop combo!

Darby blasted Christian Cage with a shotgun dropkick. Nick Wayne jumped up on the apron and Christian turned toward him. Darby rolled up a distracted Christian Cage and pinned him!

“Christian’s eyes are locked on Nick Wayne,” said Excalibur.

Mixed Trios Match!

TBS Champion Kris Statlander, FTW Champion HOOK, & Orange Cassidy

vs.

“Cool Hand” Angelo Parker, Anna Jay, & “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard (with Jake Hager)!

Angelo Parker and Matt Menard played mind games with Hook, tagging in and out at the start of the match. Anna Jay tagged in so Kris Statlander entered the ring. Anna Jay connected with a kick in the corner on Kris. Statlander nailed Anna Jay with a delayed vertical suplex.

Parker snap suplexed Hook. Menard tagged in and he and Parker rocked Hook with tandem offense. Orange Cassidy came in and cleaned house on Parker and Menard with a dropkick. Cassidy hit Hager with a tope suicida. Hook, Cassidy, and Statlander triple suplexed Menard, Parker, and Jay!

Hook hurled Parker and Menard with T-bone suplexes. As the ref was distracted, Hager hit Hook. Orange Cassidy rocked Hager with a punch. Hook locked in the RedRum on Daddy Magic. Cassidy pulped Parker with the Orange Punch and pinned him!

Up next: Tony Schiavone interviewed Don Callis in the ring!

Takeshita walked down to the ring with Callis.

Callis: “I just want to say one thing. A few weeks ago, the wrestling world was abuzz at my so-called pursuit of Chris Jericho. I didn’t end up with Jericho, but I ended up with the man I really wanted, the newest member of the Don Callis Family, Sammy Guevara!”

Sammy Guevara joined Callis and Takeshita in the ring!

Sammy: “You know, Don, believe it or not, I hated you. I hated you for a long time. I hated you almost as much as the audience hates you. I thought you were trying to rip apart my family but really you were just showing me I never had one until now.

“So why did I do that to Chris Jericho on Wednesday? The reason I turned on Jericho is because for the past four years he’s been holding me back, taking me for granted, just like all of you! I don’t need the fans. I’m done trying to earn your love. I have a hot wife at home, a beautiful baby girl, and a fat, fat paycheck.

“Chris Jericho is dead to me, and I never want to see him again!”

Chris Jericho’s music began to play and out walked the Ocho!

Jericho charged into the ring and dished out shots to Takeshita and Sammy! Jericho turned his attention to Callis, but Takeshita battered Jericho with a steel chair. Sammy took the chair and swung it at Chris Jericho, punishing his former mentor!

Callis punched Jericho as Jericho was held back by Takeshita and Sammy. Don pulled out a screwdriver and was about to use it on Jericho when out ran Kenny Omega!

Kenny Omega, steel pipe in hand, came to the aid of Chris Jericho! The Don Callis Family retreated!

“Did Omega do it to thwart Callis or to save Jericho?” wondered Ian.

Alex Marvez interviewed Kenny Omega backstage!

Jericho interrupted Omega.

Jericho: “Jericho and Omega united to take out Callis. His worst nightmare is coming true. And Sammy, you are a true Judas. So, let’s unite and take out the Don Callis Family at Wrestledream?”

Omega: “Don, your Wrestledream on October 1st is going to be more like a nightmare.”

Best Friends—Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta

vs.

The Hardys—Jeff & Matt

vs.

The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett

vs.

The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent!

The winner earns an ROH World Tag Title Match at Wrestledream.

A donnybrook broke out at the start of the match. Bennett rammed Taylor into the barricade. Taven went over the top with the Flight of the Conqueror. Best Friends jumped over the top and crashed onto the pile!

Jeff Hardy splashed Vincent. Dutch charged in but the Hardys sent him into Vincent in the corner. Dutch dropped Jeff Hardy with the Bossman slam. The Righteous went to work on Mike Bennett and then Matt Hardy.

Trent suplexed Dutch but Taven was there with a pump kick. Taylor caught Taven with a thrust kick. The Kingdom planted Taylor with the Hail Mary after a low blow from Bennett to Taylor. Jeff Hardy splashed Taylor with a Swanton bomb, but Vincent grabbed a blind tag. Vincent landed on Taylor with the Death From Above and pinned Taylor!

Taven and Bennett attacked the Best Friends with steel chairs after the match!

“They are unhinged!” said Ian.

AEW World Trios Championship Match!

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

vs.

The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver!

Caster used a shoulder tackle to take down Reynolds. Caster followed up with a deep arm drag. John Silver tagged but Caster hoisted him up and rammed him into the Acclaimed’s corner. Daddy Ass tagged in, and he and Bowens dropped elbows on Silver. Daddy Ass scoop slammed Silver. Bowens was looking for the Scissor Me Timbers, but Reynolds knocked him to the arena floor.

Evil Uno stomped a mudhole into Caster in the corner. Reynolds raked the eyes of Max Caster. Reynolds rocked Caster with a short arm clothesline for a two-count. Caster made the tag to Daddy Ass and Daddy Ass threw haymakers at the Dark Order! Reynolds side stepped the Fame Asser, but Billy Gunn tagged out to Bowens.

Bowens nailed Reynolds with the Arrival. Caster hit the Mic Drop. John Silver broke up the pin. Evil Uno cracked Caster in the head with one of the Trios belts as ref Aubrey Edwards was distracted. Bowens planted Reynolds and scored the pin!

“A huge defense of the AEW World Trios Championships! Dark Order pulled out all the stops,” said Excalibur.

Skye Blue vs. The House of Black’s Julia Hart (with Brody King)!

Skye Blue nailed Julia with a knee strike. Skye followed up with a snap suplex for a near fall. Blue charged at Julia, but Julia dodged it and grounded and pounded Skye Blue!

Skye Blue fired back with a flurry of offense. Julia dazed Skye on the top turnbuckle. Julia superplexed Skye Blue and followed up with a standing moonsault press.

Julia countered the Skyefall and then clocked her with a shot to the back of the head. Julia forced Skye Blue to tap out after Julia applied the Heartless submission!

“Julia Hart remains undefeated in 2023,” noted Excalibur.

Julia Hart wouldn’t release the hold. Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring to come to the aid of Skye Blue. Ian and Excalibur wondered if perhaps this was Julia’s plan all along, to lure Willow out.

Mike Santana vs. Iron Savages’ Bronson!

Bronson hit Santana with a cheap shot. Mike Santana fired back with big chops to Bronson’s chest. Santana dazed Bronson with a cutter and followed up with a discus lariat. Santana rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida to Bronson!

Mike Santana splashed Bronson with a cannonball senton. Santana drilled Bronson, spiking him headfirst into the mat, and then pinned Bronson.

Ortiz walked onto the ramp and he and Santana had a stare down.

Main Event Time!

ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!

The Mogul Embassy (c.)—Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, & Toa Liona (with Prince Nana)

vs.

The Elite— “Hangman” Adam Page, & The Young Bucks—Matt & Nick Jackson!

Hangman unleashed a series of strikes on Brian Cage. Hangman followed up with a shooting star press off the apron onto Kaun! Nick hit a destroyer on Brian Cage. The Elite were about to hit the BTE Trigger on Brian Cage when Swerve Strickland walked out onto the ramp and had a stare down with Adam Page.

Brian Cage suplexed Nick Jackson into the ring. Bishop blasted Matt Jackson with a backstabber.

“Great teamwork,” said Tony Schiavone of the Gates of Agony.

Matt Jackson jumped off the turnbuckles and hit a crossbody press on the Gates of Agony outside the ring. Matt tagged Hangman and Hangman hit a moonsault on Brian Cage for a near fall!

“So explosive is Hangman,” said Tony Schiavone.

The Bucks flew to the outside with topes to the Gates of Agony. Brian Cage smashed Page with a waterwheel drop for a two-count! The Bucks invited the Gates to a superkick party!

The Mogul Embassy wiped out the Elite with triple firemen’s carries. Toa splashed Hangman and Cage covered Hangman, but Nick was there to make the save. The Bucks blasted the Gates with superkicks. Hangman rocked the Gates with a double Buckshot Lariat! Page spiked Cage with a Dead Eye for a near fall.

Swerve distracted Page on the apron. Cage tried to finish Page with the Drill Claw, but Page countered, rolled up Brian Cage and pinned him!

And new ROH World Six-Man Champions…The Elite!

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI featuring:

-Andrade El Idolo vs. “Switchblade” Jay White!
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (c.) vs. The Workhorsemen!

-RVD in action!

-Julia Hart vs. Willow Nightingale!

-3-Way match for the TNT Title: Luchasaurus (c.) vs. Christian Cage vs. Darby Allin!

-Texas Death Match: “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!

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

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DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023 was as exciting a night as it gets here in All Elite Wrestling, featuring two championships changing hands to the detriment of The Blackpool Combat Club, but also MJF overcoming all the odds to not only defeat Samoa Joe in their AEW World Championship match, but also earn a handshake from the respected (and feared) ROH World TV Champion. In addition, Saraya retained the AEW Women’s World Championship, Chris Jericho relived a piece of his own history when Sammy Guevara betrayed him to Don Callis, and now RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023 continues the excitement for two hours this Friday night!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/aai5io9JX28?si=S3pMu11TPj9McyFv&start=226

The Ring of Honor World Six-Man titles will be on the line as The Mogul Embassy, one day removed from a successful defense on Honor Club, will put the titles on the line against The Elite of Hangman Page and The Young Bucks! Plus, the AEW World Trios Championship will be at stake between The Acclaimed and The Dark Order, Mike Santana returns to action, a big Mixed Trios match is going down, and the next contenders for the ROH World Tag Titles held by Adam Cole and MJF will be determined! Also, ahead of their three way championship match on COLLISION in Grand Rapids, Darby Allin and Sting will take on Christian Cage and TNT Champion Luchasaurus in tag team competition.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/DUxv24_Po6A?si=OtZC7-JCKnve1DFS&start=73

The night begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so be sure to check out the official AEW YouTube channel prior to RAMPAGE to catch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

ROH WORLD SIX-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

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

The Elite (Adam Page, Matt Jackson, & Nick Jackson

With Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland set to do battle at WRESTLEDREAM in less than two weeks time, The Elite and The Mogul Embassy will lock horns this Friday night on RAMPAGE, and the ROH World Six-Man Championship will be at stake! Brian Cage, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona come into this fight having held the titles since FINAL BATTLE 2022, some 286 days, and turned away nine challenges to their crowns, including one Thursday night on Honor Club (www.watchroh.com).

Now no disrespect intended to their other challengers thus far, but this is unquestionably the toughest challenge Prince Nana’s unit has faced to date, despite the long layoff in their competing as a trio. See it’s only been a few weeks since this particular Elite group reformed as a trio, but they’ve experienced success in their reunion, scoring victories over both The BCC and Dark Order, and their past resume reinforces they danger The Elite represents.

See long before The Mogul Embassy was a gleam in the eye of Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana, BULLET CLUB reigned supreme over Ring of Honor, and with that came a 201 day reign as ROH World Six-Man Champions for Hangman Page and The Young Bucks. Sixth on the all-time list, this trio racked up eight championship victories over The Kingdom, CHAOS, and SCU, just to name a few, before losing to SCU in a rematch at the 16TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW.

Now, with the Seattle collision between Hangman and Swerve looming, The Elite aim to pick up their second run with the titles at the expense of Strickland’s crew. Fans have already seen one ROH championship change hands on AEW programming this week, will they bear witness to another on RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023?

TAG TEAM CONTEST…

Darby Allin & Sting vs. TNT Champion Luchasaurus & Christian Cage

Christian Cage made the challenge for Saturday night on COLLISION, a Three Way TNT Championship bout between he, Darby Allin, and Luchasaurus, but in order to get there, he and his Right Hand of Destruction still have to through Friday night’s tag team battle against Darby Allin and “The Icon” Sting.

At ALL IN: LONDON, Darby and Sting shut down the tag team challenge of Christian and Swerve Strickland, in a Coffin Match no less, but that fight, in addition to everything he’s gone through since, has left Allin battered and bruised without giving himself time to heal up in the slightest. Christian may have gone through that battle as well, but he came out less the worse for wear, letting Swerve end up with much of that beating, and he’s got Luchasaurus on his side to throw in the way of the punishment as well.

Thankfully Darby has Sting to support him, genuine support not just the…human…shield who actually earned the TNT Championship that Christian Cage has been carrying around, and pick him up when the going gets rough, usually meaning when Darby is at the wrong end of the numbers game or his physically battered body needs a moment of rest.

Whoever comes out of RAMPAGE with the victory will have a distinct advantage heading into COLLISION in Grand Rapids, the kind of momentum that’s hard to fight, but when the numbers are essentially two-on-one in favor of the defending champion, the real one not Cage, a tag team victory may not amount to much. Still, every victory helps momentum, every victory helps psychologically, and every victory helps get Darby one step closer to bringing that TNT to his side in time for AEW’s WRESTLEDREAM return to his hometown!

WRESTLEDREAM OPPORTUNITY…

Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Beretta) vs. The Hardys (Jeff & Matt) vs. The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent)

***WINNER EARNS ROH WORLD TAG TITLE MATCH AT WRESTLEDREAM***

WRESTLEDREAM is less than two weeks away, and with this bout here, four teams are jockeying for the right to challenge Better Than You BayBay, Adam Cole and AEW World Champion MJF, for the ROH World Tag Team Championship! Of the four teams in contention, The Hardys and The Kingdom can both lay claim to previous status as champions, while The Best Friends have never held a championship of any kind together, and The Righteous can only claim status as former ROH World Six-Man Champions.

All have motivation to press on to Seattle on October 1st and try to claim the throne upon which Cole and Friedman sit, but which pair will be able to see through the chaos that is this sort of affair and find their way to victory? It’s going to be a wild time in Queens with this one come Friday night; which men will come out with their eyes on the prize?

AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

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

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLHEBER-nG8?si=cxrmZc8nWtPNQDg1&start=73

Last time AEW was at Arthur Ashe Stadium for GRAND SLAM 2022, The Acclaimed captured the AEW World Tag Team Championship from Swerve Strickland and Keith Lee. This year they enter that same hallowed ground as the defending World Trios Champions, and the aim to walk back out the same way they come in: titles around their waist, and surrounded by a sea of scissors.

All that Max Caster, Daddy Ass, and Anthony Bowens have to do is survive The Dark Order’s onslaught, something that Bowens proved unable to do last week when he fell to John Silver (not without some trickery from The Dark Order mind you). Alex Reynolds, Silver, and Evil Uno have proven quite the competent competitors, 8-2 on the year and 11-3 overall as a trio, with a huge victory over The Elite included in that 2023 total. But after all this time in AEW, championship success has continued to allude the group ever since Mr. Brodie Lee lost the TNT Championship back to Cody Rhodes several years ago. No tag team or singles title has found a home in The Dark Order, and this will mark The Dark Order’s second attempt to claim the titles, albeit the first for this particular unit, the only three left standing to hold up the claw.

Can The Dark Order finally find their way to being called champion? Or will Arthur Ashe Stadium continue to be Acclaimed territory as it was in 2022?

ALSO FEATURING:

-TBS Champion Kris Statlander, FTW Champion HOOK, & Orange Cassidy

vs. “Cool Hand” Angelo Parker, Anna Jay, & “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard

-Mike Santana vs. Bronson

-Skye Blue vs. The House of Black’s Julia Hart

This Friday night, on a stacked two hour edition of RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, the AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed will defend against The Dark Order, The Elite will challenge The Mogul Embassy for the ROH World Six-Man Titles, we will see the return of Mike Santana to singles action, and a new #1 Contender for the ROH World Tag Team Titles will be set! All that and more is coming to fans this Friday night at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences! Be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel ahead of time for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!

The Big Gold Belt Podcast is LIVE & jam packed with major wrestling news to discuss!

-SmackDown is set to return to USA Network in 2024

-A look at the latest round of WWE releases and where they…

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Grand Slam was broadcast live from Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, NY!

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!

Title vs. Title Match!

ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli (with Wheeler Yuta)

vs.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston!

Ian Riccaboni joined the broadcast booth for this match.

Claudio rushed at Eddie and booted him in the face. They traded chops and forearms. The fight spilled outside of the ring! Eddie whipped Claudio into the steel guardrail. Eddie headbutted Claudio but Claudio fired back with a lariat.

Back in the ring Claudio gut wrenched Eddie nearly into a doctor bomb, planting him hard on the mat. Eddie German suplexed Claudio. Eddie tried for a backfist, but Claudio countered with the crown of his head. Claudio back suplexed Eddie Kingston onto the ramp!

Claudio clotheslined Eddie over the top rope and back into the ring. Claudio double stomped down onto the left arm of Claudio. Eddie moved out of the way of Claudio’s diving headbutt.

Claudio battered Eddie in the corner turnbuckles. Claudio nailed Eddie with a TKO for a near fall. Claudio blasted Eddie with boots to the face. Kingston baited Claudio in and nailed Claudio with two suplexes for a two-count. Eddie fired off a straight right to Claudio’s jaw, knocking Claudio to his knees. Claudio answered with a right hand of his own.

Claudio staggered Eddie with European uppercuts. Claudio headbutted Eddie and followed up with a short arm lariat. Claudio went for the ricola bomb, but Eddie reversed it for a near fall. Claudio hit the ricola bomb, but Eddie kicked out at the two-count!

“This crowd coming unglued in support of their own Eddie Kingston,” said Excalibur.

Eddie clocked Claudio with three back fists and followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall on Claudio. Kingston fired off another backfist and then powerbombed Claudio for the pinfall victory!

And new Ring of Honor World Champion Eddie Kingston!

Claudio extended his hand and Eddie accepted. The Code of Honor was adhered to.

“It’s a great moment in the long history of Dynamite,” said Tony Schiavone.

Footage was shown from earlier of the Kingdom watching over an ‘injured’ Roderick Strong in a hospital bed.

Adam Cole came to visit.

“Where have you been?” asked Matt Taven.

Cole said he got there as fast as he could.

Cole: “I’m glad you’re doing okay, but I have to go. Max has a huge match against Samoa Joe.”

Roderick Strong: “Just go. Just friggin’ go.”

Renee Paquette was backstage with Christian Cage and TNT Champion Luchasaurus!

Christian Cage: “Rampage: Grand Slam, we are going to walk through Sting and Darby Allin. And Darby I am ready to move on. I am bored with you. I have a little proposition for you Darby. This Saturday on Collision how about you step in the ring for a three-way match for the TNT Championship against me and Luchasaurus. If you want this shot, Darby, then Sting isn’t allowed at ringside.”

Chris Jericho vs. Sammy Guevara (with Monteasy)!

Monteasy rapped Sammy to the ring. Sammy was wearing a light up vest, an homage to Chris Jericho when he faced Shawn Michaels 21 years ago.

Sammy and Jericho exchanged chops right out of the gate. Jericho tripped and Sammy seized the moment with a corkscrew dropkick. Jericho hoisted up Sammy with an underhook and then hit a backbreaker. Sammy fired back with a corkscrew tornillo over the top rope onto Jericho on the arena floor.

Jericho countered a GTH attempt with the Codebreaker. Jericho suplexed Sammy off the apron and down onto the arena floor! Back in the ring Sammy lured in Jericho for a Spanish Fly for a near fall. Jericho retaliated with two nasty lariats.

Sammy grabbed Jericho and smashed his face with the Code Breaker for a two-count! Sammy charged at Jericho, knocking Jericho off the apron and onto the front of the announcer’s desk. Sammy jumped off the top rope with a moonsault onto Jericho. Sammy connected with a cutter.

“Both of these men have gone through a lot in a short amount of time,” said Tony Schiavone.

Jericho countered the GTH with the Walls! Sammy twisted his hips and escaped. Sammy cracked Chris with a rising knee strike. Sammy and Jericho jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Sammy got the upper hand with a cutter off the top rope!

Sammy attempted a top rope lionsault, but Jericho countered by raising his knees. Jericho hit a running bulldog on Sammy. Jericho nailed Sammy with the lionsault for a near fall. Sammy caught Jericho with a GTH! Sammy went for the shooting star press, but Jericho countered with the Code Breaker and scored the win!

Jericho and Sammy hugged after the match. Sammy kicked Jericho with a low blow!

“What have you done, Sammy?” asked Excalibur.

Don Callis walked down the ramp and into the ring! Don Callis patted Sammy on the shoulder and the two men left the ring together.

Earlier in the day MJF pulled up to the arena in his exotic sports car with Adam Cole!

MJF had strong words for Samoa Joe. Adam Cole’s phone rang and when he answered, it was Roderick Strong. Cole told Strong to calm down and walked away from MJF to console Roddy.

Renee Paquette tried to interview Sammy Guevara and Don Callis backstage!

Don said all would be revealed this Friday on Rampage.

Daniel Garcia got in Sammy’s face, but Callis insisted they walk away.

AEW International Championship Match!

Jon Moxley (c.) vs. Rey Fenix!

Fenix met Moxley on the ramp and they began to brawl before the bell even rang. Fenix jumped off the ramp, over the cameraman, and onto Moxley on the arena floor!

Moxley rocked Rey Fenix with a forearm and then stomped him face first into the mat. Moxley grounded and pounded Rey Fenix. Moxley tossed Rey Fenix over the barricade. Moxley drilled Rey Fenix with a draping DDT onto the arena floor!

“Fenix is in a world of hurt right now from Mox,” said Taz.

Rey Fenix caught Mox flush in the face with a kick and then followed up with a cutter. Rey Fenix frog splashed Moxley for a near fall! Rey Fenix charged at Moxley, but Moxley wiped him out with a King Kong Lariat!

Fenix propped Moxley onto the steel barricade, draping him over it. Rey Fenix jumped off the top rope and landed on Moxley with a leg drop to the back of the head! Back in the ring Moxley regained momentum with a Gotch style piledriver. But Rey retaliated with a diving double foot stomp for a two-count.

Moxley curb stomped Rey Fenix on the stage ramp! Moxley spiked Rey Fenix with a piledriver for a two-count. Rey Fenix hit Moxley with a senton atomico and then a piledriver. Fenix hit a second piledriver and pinned Moxley!

And new AEW International Champion Rey Fenix!

AEW Women’s World Championship Match!

Saraya (c.) (with Ruby Soho) vs. Toni Storm!

Saraya slapped Toni in the face. Toni Storm smiled and chopped at Saraya. After a distraction from Ruby, Saraya capitalized with a thrust kick to Toni.

Toni swept out the leg of Saraya. As the ref was distracted, Toni Storm cracked Saraya in the head with a high heel shoe for a near fall!

Toni Storm pulled off the bottom turnbuckle pad. Toni had a can of spray paint, but Ruby grabbed it out of Toni’s hands and tossed it to Saraya. Saraya sprayed it in Toni’s eyes and went for the pin after a DDT, but Toni kicked out. Saraya grabbed Toni to ram her head into the exposed turnbuckle, but Saraya didn’t have the heart to do it.

Toni Storm grabbed Saraya, kissed her on the mouth, and then spiked her with the Storm Zero for a two-count! Saraya dodged the Hip Attack and nailed Toni with the Knight Cap, grabbing the pinfall victory!

Main Event Time!

AEW World Championship Match!

MJF (c.) vs. ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe!

The fans chanted “He’s our scumbag! He’s our scumbag!”

MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eye. MJF jumped on the back of Samoa Joe, but Joe shrugged him to the mat. Tony Schiavone pointed out that Adam Cole was not ringside for Adam Cole’s match, despite Adam Cole promising MJF he’d be there for him tonight.

Samoa Joe began to work over MJF’s neck. MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eyes again. Joe ran MJF over with a boot to the head. Samoa Joe attempted the muscle buster, but MJF escaped. MJF staggered Samoa Joe with three short arm lariats. MJF went for a fourth, but Samoa Joe swung for the fences and nearly decapitated MJF with a lariat.

Samoa Joe headbutted MJF but MJF fired up and raked Samoa Joe’s back! MJF hammered Samoa Joe with punches to the head. MJF bit down on Samoa Joe’s forehead. MJF connected with the kangaroo kick!

MJF ran for a tope, but Samoa Joe countered with a kick. Samoa Joe spiked MJF with a Death Valley Driver on the apron!

“That’ll change your career, man,” said Taz.

Samoa Joe pulled a table out from beneath the ring. Samoa Joe pulled MJF out of the ring and planted him through the table!

“Samoa Joe can feel the AEW World Championship in his grasp,” said Excalibur.

Samoa Joe pulled the padding off the floor, exposing the concrete beneath it. Samoa Joe was looking for a piledriver, but MJF bit him. MJF attempted a piledriver, but he had to let go because his injured neck began to spasm. Samoa Joe stuck MJF with a piledriver on the exposed concrete!

Samoa Joe told MJF to give up, but MJF spat at Samoa Joe. MJF pulled out a Liger Bomb out of nowhere on Samoa Joe for a near fall!

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

Samoa Joe and MJF traded strikes in the center of the ring. Samoa Joe applied a sleeper. MJF pulled the ref in close and while the ref was distracted, MJF kicked back with a low blow to Samoa Joe. MJF pulled out the Dynamite Diamond Ring from his trunks.

MJF was about to clock Samoa Joe with the Dynamite Diamond Ring, but Samoa Joe pulled the ref in front of him, and the ref spotted the illegal object! As ref Paul Turner threw the diamond ring to the outside, Samoa Joe kicked MJF with a low blow!

Samoa Joe nailed MJF with the muscle buster but somehow MJF kicked out at the two-count! Samoa Joe applied a sleeper. Adam Cole sprinted down to the ring and tried to motivate MJF! MJF got to his feet! MJF applied the sleeper on Samoa Joe, but Joe shoved MJF into the corner. Adam Cole jumped onto the ring apron. Samoa Joe tried to take a swing at Adam Cole. As Samoa Joe and the ref had their backs turned, MJF used his wrist tape around Samoa Joe’s neck! MJF choked out Samoa Joe and the ref stopped the match, with MJF retaining! MJF dropped the evidence and Adam Cole quickly picked it up and hid it in his pocket.

Samoa Joe got to his feet, and he shoved Adam Cole. MJF jumped in between them, acting as a human shield. Samoa Joe offered his hand to MJF. Samoa Joe shook MJF’s hand, giving the devil his due.

Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO!

This Friday tune in to a stacked two-hour episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Grand Slam beginning at 10pm ET on TNT featuring:

-Mixed Trios Match!

Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK, & TBS Champion Kris Statlander

vs.

Anna Jay, Daddy Magic, & Cool Hand Ang!

-Mike Santana in action!

-Skye Blue vs. Julia Hart!

-The Kingdom vs. The Hardys vs. The Righteous vs. Best Friends!

The winner gets an ROH World Tag Team Championship Match at Wrestledream!

-AEW World Trios Championship Match!

The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Dark Order!

-Darby Allin & Sting

vs.

Christian Cage & TNT Champ Luchasaurus!

-ROH World 6-Man Championship Match!

The Mogul Embassy (c.)

vs.

“Hangman” Adam Page & The Young Bucks!

Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI!

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

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Krcoz00WgVI?si=_ELsftS9TtAwOwwS

The night is upon us; for the third consecutive year, All Elite Wrestling descends upon the historic Arthur Ashe Stadium for GRAND SLAM, and with it comes two hours of the greatest professional wrestling in the world live on DYNAMITE this Wednesday! After winning the Grand Slam Eliminator Tournament, ROH World TV Champ Samoa Joe will challenge MJF for the AEW World Championship while Toni Storm takes on her former Outcasts’ ally Saraya with the AEW Women’s World Championship on the line!

Plus, the long-standing grudge between Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston comes to the forefront when both men put their respective championships on the line in a title versus title fight, and two long-time friends collide for the first-time when Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara lock horns! And in his fourth championship fight in seventeen days, Jon Moxley will meet Rey Fenix in an International Championship fight!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WrX8VoFCEkg?si=gByaLBlLVmx4LymP

DYNAMITE gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so be sure to check in on the official AEW YouTube channel and watch the highlights from last week’s action during DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the CONTROL CENTER, and more!

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

MJF(c) vs. ROH World TV Champion Samoa Joe

https://www.youtube.com/embed/b06LD-IYgSQ?si=w8psb5FxoBfqPvKS&start=237

In the span of five days from 9/8 to 9/13, the ROH World Television Champion conquered three of the toughest competitors in All Elite Wrestling on path through the Grand Slam World Championship Eliminator Tournament. It began with Jeff Hardy on the 9/8 edition of RAMPAGE, continued with Penta El Zero Miedo the following night on COLLISION, and culminated in a 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament rematch with Roderick Strong. Nearly thirty-five minutes of battle was what it took to get Samoa Joe to the precipice of the AEW World Championship, now he just has to complete the mission by taking Maxwell Jacob Friedman down this Wednesday night at DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023.

For Joe, this is an issue that became more than just the desire to be AEW World Champion after MJF chose to attack Joe at ALL OUT 2023 following the ROH World TV Champion giving him a little shove as they crossed paths between matches. Given that MJF was coming out of a ROH World Tag Team Championship defense with a hurt neck, perhaps attacking the guy whose primary moves consist of either choking a man out or dropping them on their head with a Muscle Buster may not have been the brightest idea, but for Max it was about the insult of that moment, as well as an insult buried in their history.

As MJF tells it, and as video shows it, one day many years ago, long before Maxwell Jacob Freidman was a name on anyone’s lips, Samoa Joe showed him the kind of disregard that can often befall a rookie when engaging with their seniors. For Joe it was a moment he likely forgot about until MJF began to make his name thus leading the internet to incessantly share the clip, especially once Joe and Max came to share the same space here in AEW. But for MJF, much like his interactions with William Regal many years ago, it was not something that ever left his head space, and in truth something that helped to motivate Max to the heights he’s reached today. It’s pretty clear by now that MJF has had a career fueled by a mix of anger, self-loathing, a need for retribution, and false bravado.

In fact, it would be reasonable to say that it’s only through this friendship with Adam Cole that MJF has found a semblance of motivation based on more than just those things, based on discovering actual self-worth, and an appreciation for those who have supported him despite his massive shortcomings as a decent human being. So the fact that Joe chose to attack Adam Cole as his last statement to MJF prior to this fight, well that is something sure to push Maxwell back into his darkest places, deep into the devil inside, and to add those actions to the ones Samoa Joe committed in 2016 to further motivate his desire to smash the Samoan monster.

There’s just one problem: MJF’s neck, and that it represents a huge target for a man as merciless as the ROH World Television Champion. He will look to suplex Max on that weakened neck until MJF looks like a bobblehead, Joe will look to wrap his arms around that stem and squeeze it until no breath remains in the lungs of Maxwell Jacob Friedman, and he will aim to hoist Max from the top rope, his neck flush against Joe’s shoulder, and to drop the AEW World Champion down with a Muscle Buster to end the misery. Be it the Choke, the Muscle Buster, his signature Island Driver, a massive lariat, or even his underrated Brainbuster, Samoa Joe has a million ways to grind that injured neck of MJF’s to dust.

MJF is going to have to dip into every dirty trick he has in his book to survive this fight with the AEW World Championship still in his possession. Max’s devil will have to come out in all its wretched glory, and even then, it may not be enough to stop Samoa Joe from claiming his first AEW championship title. Just as was the case when he claimed the Ring of Honor Title on March 2003, it would be appropriate if Joe’s first AEW championship was the AEW World Championship, and at this point, in his condition, there may not be anything Max can do to stop Joe’s ascension.

TITLE VS. TITLE…

ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli vs.

NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston

https://www.youtube.com/embed/jzamizcxVu8?si=Q0f1r7in6hNcn3Da

This is a journey that has encompassed the last two decades in the lives of Claudio Castagnoli and Eddie Kingston, a journey that started during the dawning days of their wrestling careers, and with their first time sharing the ring somewhere in Indiana back in October 2004. They trained together, lived together, fought together, and most importantly, fought each other both inside the ring and out. From their first singles match back in January 2006, through eleven bouts across five different wrestling promotions, up to March 13, 2011, the scales tipped heavily in favor of Claudio with nine wins to Kingston’s two.

One of those bouts was a Respect Match where, upon losing, Eddie was supposed to tell Claudio he respected him, but instead Kingston told the man he did not respect him, and then leveled him with a spinning backfist. As Claudio lay there unconscious, Kingston’s last words to him as he left the ring were “I know you”, and later that night Double C proved Eddie right when he betrayed the entire promotion they were working for at the time, but this is why several weeks ago, Claudio claimed Kingston still owed him a handshake.

There certainly wasn’t going to be respect shown after what ended up being their last one-on-one bout for twelve years, not after the match ended with Claudio beating Eddie thanks to a chain-assisted European Uppercut, and then proceeding to whip him with a belt. Sadly for Kingston, there was a chance to rectify the situation as Claudio departed for “the land of make-believe” as Eddie called it, and did so in a fashion that only served to further infuriate “The Mad King”.

Thus when Claudio came to All Elite Wrestling to join The Blackpool Combat Club, making him an immediate ally of Kingston’s in the second Blood & Guts Cage Match, it infuriated Eddie and it was only due to his relationship with Jon Moxley that Eddie played nice throughout the bout. Still, the hate burned strong, the kind of hate that not time nor distance can quell, the kind of hate that follows both men wherever they go, even to ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 event where Kingston failed once more to defeat Claudio when the ROH World Championship was at stake.

It was a fight Kingston took injured, an injury that kept him on the shelf for three months, but the hate brought him back for FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 and even united him with The Elite, men he despises but strange bedfellows and all that, to defeat The Blackpool Combat Club. Just like that, the war with Claudio picked up right where it left off, just as it had after a dozen years apart, and now it has brought them to this point, on Eddie Kingston’s home turf, in front of his family and loved ones, where he will put his NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship on the line against the ROH World Championship of Claudio Castagnoli. Two titles are on the line, but after two decades, this is a fight that means so much more than words can encapsulate, they can only hope to convey a fragment of what it all means.

Will this be the end? Can there ever be an end with hate that runs this deep, with disrespect this ingrained in their dynamic, and bonds shattered so completely? Are Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli destined for mutually assured destruction, or will Arthur Ashe Stadium finally be the place where their demons are exorcised?

AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Saraya(c) vs. Toni Storm

https://www.youtube.com/embed/0uZ6toXepEE?si=Yhm1xBttW-UtMkRW

Speaking of demons, just what has possessed Toni Storm in the weeks since she lost the AEW Women’s World Championship to Hikaru Shida, and had her psyche further fractured by the actions of her fellow Outcasts? Since their formation, it’s always been a lingering question of what may happen should multiple members of The Outcasts find themselves in contention for the AEW Women’s World Champions, and while Saraya, Ruby Soho, and Toni Storm all insisted that things would be fine between them, the reality reared its ugly head as ALL IN: LONDON drew closer.

Then that night, when both Saraya and Toni Storm were in the title match aiming to end Shida’s second reign as champion, it became clear as crystal just what mattered most, and that was getting the championship title around the waist of Saraya. It didn’t matter that Toni striking Saraya’s mother was completely accidental, a fight still broke out between the two Outcasts, and it didn’t matter that Ruby had done nothing in that moment but try to quell the situation, she still got laid out by Toni for her efforts, and it all ultimately led to Saraya pinning Toni to claim the AEW Women’s World Championship.

And then the wheels fell off, though The Outcasts seemed to keep it together for a few days prior to ALL OUT 2023, but that was clearly not the case as Toni Storm cost Ruby Soho the TBS Championship, or rather it be said, prevented Soho from cheating to defeat Kris Statlander, and instead made sure the playing field was a bit more level. That choice made it clear that Toni Storm was an Outcast no more, and her winning the Four Way Eliminator Match to earn this championship fight absolutely solidifies Toni’s excommunication from the group.

But what has Toni become in the last several weeks? She’s clearly not in the same head space she was prior DYNAMITE #200 when she lost the belt to Shida, but just what is this space Toni occupies now? Is this all a mind game? Is it something Saraya and Ruby Soho can even prepare for heading into GRAND SLAM 2023 for the champ’s first title defense? One has to figure that no one knows Saraya like Ruby and Toni, but do Ruby and Saraya know this Toni Storm? After working so hard to come back from a career-ending injury, and having the fans embrace her a year ago at GRAND SLAM 2022 only to turn their backs on what she brought to the table, walking out of Arthur Ashe still champion is essential to Saraya. Can Toni Storm crush that dream and become the first 3-Time AEW Women’s World Champion? Or will Saraya find a way to not only top her old friend, but also rub it in the face of all those who turned away from her since last year?

AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…

Jon Moxley(c) vs. Rey Fenix

This Wednesday night, in a first-ever match-up, Jon Moxley will defend his AEW International Champion against one-half of the Lucha Brothers, a former AEW & ROH World Tag Team Champion, the incomparable Rey Fenix! As much as this is about the title, it’s also about revenge for Rey Fenix for what went down on the 8/9/23 edition of DYNAMITE between The Blackpool Combat Club and The Lucha Brothers, what was done to his brother in that match, and the injury that kept Fenix from competing in Stadium Stampede at ALL IN: LONDON.

Fenix has never held a singles championship in AEW, though he’s challenged Kenny Omega for the World Title, Hobbs for the TNT Title, Orange Cassidy for the All-Atlantic prior to its leveling up, even taking part in the Blackjack Battle Royale for the International Title at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023, but has yet to achieve that singles success to rival his tag team accolades.

So right here, this fight with Jon Moxley, it’s a chance to kill those two proverbial birds, Fenix can get his revenge for that Mox and The BCC did to him and his brother and claim his first AEW singles championship at the same time! Though Fenix prefers his competition honorable, he’s shown in the past a willingness to get down and dirty, even spilling blood in a fight with his own brother several years ago, so Moxley best be prepared for a man as willing to go there as he.

It is clear the defending International Champion intends to keep the same pace as the man he dethroned, likely aiming to surpass the lofty standard set by Orange Cassidy during his reign, but just like it did with “Freshly Squeezed”, eventually it will catch up to Moxley, the question is whether it will be sooner or later, and just who the man will be to lay him low? Will it be Rey Fenix this Wednesday night at GRAND SLAM 2023? Tune into TNT starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT to find out!

ONE-ON-ONE…

Chris Jericho vs. Sammy Guevara

https://www.youtube.com/embed/lvPQY-8xU7s?si=3WLD6dZfifFB7uu-

With a history dating back to the very first episode of DYNAMITE, looping from The Inner Circle to The Jericho Appreciation Society, Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara have been through a great deal together, most of it standing side-by-side. They went through the introduction of concepts like Stadium Stampede and Blood & Guts together, competed for the AEW World Trios Championship and were early challengers to the AEW World Tag Team Championship together, and even fought each other over the ROH World Championship at FULL GEAR 2022.

Though Sammy walked away from Jericho and The Inner Circle when it was needed for his own well-being, he came back to the fold when The Jericho Appreciation Society was born, and even spoke of his allegiance to “The DemoGod” when all the others in The J.A.S. abandoned the man for how they felt he took them for granted.

But even with the closest of friends, between the dearest of partners, there comes a time when not all is right, and when even brothers come to blows. That is what is about to happen this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, for the first time, Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara collide in singles competition! Though they’ve expressed their desire to unite and pursue tag team success, their egos, and pershaps even some ill will for recent events, has made it difficult for the two men to stay on the same page, even in victory. Perhaps Jericho feels that Sammy is more underling than equal, perhaps Guevara feels the student has surpassed the teacher, whatever the case may be, these two brothers came to the conclusion that the only way past their issues is to confront them with violence done unto each other.

So like a pair of Cain’s without an Abel in sight, Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara will lock horns inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, and we shall see if either survives to pursue their supposed tag team aspirations!

DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel and catch up on highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!