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Welcome to the beginning of the end; the first night in the final week for the legendary in-ring career of “The Icon” Sting! Fans around the world have been dreading this week since October 18th when the man first told us all about his intentions to draw the curtain with REVOLUTION 2024, and now we are only a matter of days away from that monumental night. But there is still a good deal of business to conduct in these next several days, and it begins this Wednesday night in Huntsville, AL!
The last time AEW was in Huntsville was as part of the HOUSE RULES tour last June, but it’s been since February 5, 2020 that this magnificent venue has hosted AEW’s flagship program! So for the final night of live action before REVOLUTION 2024, we make our return to the Von Braun Center for Sting’s final DYNAMITE! Plus, ahead of their respective matches on Sunday night, The Blackpool Combat Club will meet FTR and Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston in Trios action PLUS “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay makes his first appearance on DYNAMITE as an official member of the AEW locker room!
DYNAMITE gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so swing by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join us this Sunday night for REVOLUTION 2024 for AEW’s first pay-per-view of the year, and Sting’s final professional wrestling match!
We are just four days away from REVOLUTION 2024 where FTR will clash with The Blackpool Combat Club and Bryan Danielson is set to challenge Eddie Kingston for the Continental Crown, but before that takes places, this two matches will merge into one for a huge Trios battle!
Last Saturday night we witnessed Bryan Danielson kick Jun Akiyama in the groin after the multi-time World Champion slapped “The American Dragon” across the face in response to Bryan disrespecting Eddie Kingston yet again. The brawl that erupted between Kingston and Bryan brought Claudio to the ring first, but he was followed quickly by Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, sending the two BCC members scurrying, but also forcing the hand of AEW GM Tony Khan to sign this Trios bout before COLLISION even went off the air!
This is one last chance to get an advantage before heading to Greensboro on Sunday, one last match before their respective contests to exert a level of dominance over your foe, and that is such an important aspect of what’s going on between these six men. For the FTR/BCC dynamic, there is a level of respect between the four men for their abilities inside the squared circle, but each team wants to prove themselves the better, and that supersedes all else. Cash or Dax getting the fall on Mox or Claudio heading into Sunday would be a huge statement, as would vice versa, especially after their frustrating time limit draw.
Now Bryan and Eddie is a vastly different story; just listen to the words Danielson spoke prior to his match with Jun Akiyama. There is no respect there flowing from “The American Dragon” to “The Mad King”, not one iota of it, conversely if you listen to the commentary Eddie provided during the match, he has a great deal of respect for Bryan Danielson’s abilities inside that ring. Kingston recognizes that Bryan is one of the greatest competitors to ever lace up a pair of boots, but what Eddie can’t abide is the judgment he feels Danielson has dumped on him over the last twenty years. It seems nothing Kingston does will ever change Bryan’s feelings, but what he can do is pin Bryan’s shoulders to the mat on Wednesday in this Trios match before they head into the fifth singles match of their careers on Sunday. It would serve Bryan right to suffer that fate after his actions on Saturday, but that being said, what would it do to Eddie to take the “L” before the championship fight at REVOLUTION 2024?
This is it; this Wednesday night, 1,183 days since his first appearance at WINTER IS COMING 2020, “The Icon” Sting will make his final appearance on DYNAMITE live from Huntsville, AL and the Von Braun Center! It’s been a decade since the last time Sting set foot in this venue, and nearly thirty-six since his first time when he stepped inside an enclosed Steel Cage alongside Lex Luger, Nikita Koloff, and The Road Warriors to battle The Four Horsemen. Huntsville is a city that has witnessed Sting fight for championships, both singles and tag team, as well as go to battle against men like the late Bam Bam Bigelow and Kurt Angle.
Now, with the AEW World Tag Team Championship around his waist and partner Darby Allin at his side, Sting will return to Huntsville one last time for his final DYNAMITE appearance! It’s sure to be a special moment for the champions, but one has to wonder if EVPs Matthew and Nicholas Jackson will let the moment remain special or if they will attempt to ruin this one as they ruined Darby and Sting’s championship victory several weeks ago!
A LEGACY…
Chris Jericho vs. Atlantis Jr.
It has been almost thirty years since the last time Chris Jericho, then known as Corazon de Leon, faced CMLL legend Atlantis in singles competition. It was on 4/15/94 that Jericho fell to Atlantis in the first round of a one night Gran Prix tournament, but those matches against one another were not their norm. In fact, a great many matches that took place during Jericho’s CMLL tenure actually found him and Atlantis on the same team, often in trios with a rotating cast as their third. The last time on record that Atlantis and Chris Jericho united was September 10, 1995, some three years before Atlantis Jr. was even born, but this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, there will be somewhat of a reunion!
Atlantis Jr, the older of Atlantis’ two wrestling sons, was born in 1998, first began training for his in-ring career at the tender age of 12, and Atlantis Jr. has stated that his first-ever match took place in 2017. During the course of these last seven years, Atlantis Jr. has competed not only in CMLL, but also for NJPW STRONG as well as NJPW proper, not to mention numerous independent promotions around Mexico and in the United States. He currently reigns as the World Historic Light Heavyweight Champion, and up until February 5th was 1/3 of the CMLL World Trios Champions with Star Jr. and Volador Jr.
This Wednesday night, thanks to the partnership between CMLL and AEW, Atlantis Jr will make his way to All Elite Wrestling for the first time, and take on a man quite well known to his family in Chris Jericho; not only that, but Atlantis himself will be in his son’s corner for this bout against his former tag team partner! Now Jericho has been out of action since Konosuke Takeshita beat him back on February 7th while Atlantis Jr. is only recently returned from the CMLL/NJPW joint FANTASICA MANIA 2024 tour in Japan, and coming off a 2/3 Falls Victory on CMLL’s February 26th event in Mexico. Will those factors play a role in the outcome of this generational clash? Will Don Callis and his “family” find a way to insert themselves into Jericho’s life once more for the sole purpose of creating chaos? There are many questions that swirl around this legacy match, but putting those aside, this will be a piece of history watching Atlantis and Atlantis Jr come to AEW for a fight with El Corazon de Leon!
GRUDGE MATCH…
Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue
On the October 14th edition of COLLISION, Skye Blue stepped up to challenge Kris Statlander for the TBS Championship but came up short in her title bid. After the pinfall, the defending champion attempted to shake the hand of her opponent, at the time her friend, and Skye refused the gesture. Willow Nightingale came down to the ring to quell the situation, but it was clear that night something deeper was going on with Skye.
Fast forward to FULL GEAR 2023 and the Three Way championship match where Statlander defended against both Julia Hart and Skye Blue, only to see the title slip away when Hart stole the winning pinfall from Kris and stole her TBS Championship. The changes in Skye were evident that night when, upon her entrance, she threw down her trademark baseball cap, stomped on it, and replaced it with a crown, but the true depth of her transformation wouldn’t reveal itself until a few weeks after that pay-per-view extravaganza.
Heading towards a clash at WORLDS END, TBS Champion Julia Hart and Abadon were in the midst of a fight on the 12/16/23 edition of COLLISION when Skye Blue appeared, seemingly to help Abadon beat down Hart, but it became quickly apparent that Skye was there to assault Hart’s would-be challenger, cementing their unholy alliance at the expense of “The Living Dead Girl”.
On the 12/27 edition of DYNAMITE, Skye Blue and Kris Statlander would clash once again, no championship on the line this time, just the desire to settle a grudge after Skye turning her back on Stat and Willow Nightingale to align with Julia Hart. Unlike their first meeting which was one fair and square by Statlander, this outcome of this bout was directly influenced by the involvement of Julia Hart when she struck the former TBS Champion, leaving Kris vulnerable for Skye to hit an Avalanche Code Blue and score the pinfall victory.
Since that night the tensions between the two pairs of women have only escalated; at DYNAMITE: HOMECOMING 2024, Statlander and Willow were on the winning side of an Eight-Woman Tag that included Julia Hart and Skye Blue on the losing side, and Willow scored a victory over Skye two weeks ago on DYNAMITE, albeit with some unwanted assistance from Stokely Hathaway.
So that brings us to this Wednesday night where, in their rubber match, Kris Statlander and Skye Blue will go head-to-head one more time! During AEW’s last visit to Huntsville, Statlander successfully defended the TBS Championship over Lady Frost while Skye Blue was on the losing end of a Four Way AEW Women’s World Championship match with Toni Storm, Anna Jay, and Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. Will this Wednesday night be a repeat of that June evening for Statlander, or will Skye Blue turn around her fortunes from that summer stop at Von Braun to earn victory? And just where how will the TBS Champion, Willow Nightingale, and Stokely Hathaway play a role in the outcome?
OSPREAY IS ALL ELITE!
As Don Callis mentioned in the interview above from last week’s edition of DYNAMITE, he was personally traveling to England to scoop up Will Ospreay and bring him to the United States in advance of this Wednesday night. Though the AEW faithful have seen Ospreay on DYNAMITE before, this week in Huntsville will mark the first time the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has appeared as an official member of the AEW roster!
Ospreay has made it clear he’s coming to AEW with the intention of blowing away everything he’s already done in his impressive career, and that begins this Sunday night at REVOLUTION 2024 when he takes on fellow Callis Family member Konosuke Takeshita, but what will Ospreay have to say to the AEW faithful in advance of this highly anticipated bout? We will find out when he arrives at the Von Braun Center this Wednesday night for DYNAMITE!
ALSO:
DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER! Then make it a point to join AEW on Sunday night for REVOLUTION 2024 (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/watchrevolution2024) to bear witness to Sting’s final professional wrestling match, multiple championship matches, including Samoa Joe defending his AEW World Title against both Swerve Strickland and Hangman Page, as well as the first match for Will Ospreay as an official member of the AEW locker room!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard and Tony Schiavone.
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
This…is…Rampage!
3-Way Trios Match!
Action Andretti & Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin
vs.
“The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
vs.
Matt Sydal & Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen!
Sydal used a side headlock takedown on Action Andretti. Action fired back with a dropkick, taking Sydal off his feet. Bryan Keith tagged in and booted Darius Martin in the face. Private Party utilized tandem offense on Keith.
Penta El Zero Miedo entered the fray. Dante Martin grabbed a blind tag from Kassidy and then the match broke down with all three teams brawling. Komander paired off with Dante in the ring and took him down with head scissors. Komander hit Dante with an arm drag off the ropes. Penta jumped in and connected with a Sling Blade on Dante.
Bryan Keith nailed Action with a neck breaker. Action used a handspring elbow and rocked both members of Private Party! Keith blasted Darius with a running boot, sending Darius spilling out to the arena floor. Komander locked up Sydal in a flying surfboard on the apron. Sydal escaped and crushed Komander with a meteora! Penta El Zero Miedo was right there to grab Sydal and impale him on the apron with the Fear Factor!
Private Party attempted the Gin & Juice on Penta, but Penta countered with a Destroyer on Kassidy! Keith headbutted Quen, knocking him off the top turnbuckle to the arena floor. Komander flew out of the ring with a tornillo and landed on the pile of wrestlers outside the ring! Penta El Zero Miedo spiked Sydal with the Fear Factor and pinned him!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Saraya and Harley Cameron!
Saraya: I don’t give a s—t about Ruby Soho!”
Harley: “Saraya, breathe with me. Feel better?”
Saraya: “So I have some business I have to talk to you about, Renee. You know how my family is like this big family wrestling royalty in the UK? Well, I have a special announcement I have to make. My brother, Zodiac Zack Knight has just become All Elite! Baby brother, come in here! Yeah, he’s scary, and this could have been yours, Ruby! I was going to set you up with him! You messed it up to go with someone greasy and slimy.”
Harley: “Look at him! He’s hot! Your whole family is hot!”
Saraya: “Anyway, things are about to get really spicy around here, Renee.”
AEW EVPs The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
vs. Jonny Lyons & Cappuccino Jones!
Nick pummeled Lyons with strikes to the back. Matt tagged in and hit Lyons with a running forearm. Cappuccino grabbed a tag and ate a kick from Matt. Matt battered Cappuccino to the mat, shutting him down. Matt planted Jones with a DDT. Nick knocked Jones’ block off with a lariat. The Bucks spiked Jones with the Tony Khan Driver, then Matt pinned Jones!
After the match, the Bucks invited Tony Schiavone into the ring.
Nick: “We’re not going to attack you, Tony. More than a week ago you interviewed us in this ring. I swear to God I tripped on my shoe and accidentally knocked you down. I just wanted to clear the air and apologize to you right here. I am so sorry.”
Matt: “And to show you how sorry we are, we went and got you this $25 Amazon gift card. We love you. We are sorry. That’s not the only thing we’re sorry about. We’re also sorry that we can’t get Darby Allin and Sting’s bloodstains out of our $5000 white suits.
“There are a couple things we’re not going to be too sorry about, Tony. The first thing is going to be beating the hell out of Darby Allin at Revolution for all the trash he talked about us publicly on television. And the thing we’re going to be least apologetic about will be when we take Sting, and we pin him to the mat, and we say goodbye and we say farewell to one of the most legendary careers of all time.
“Stinger, you can call us Father Time. Because just like Father Time, we’re undefeated. And just like Father Time, we’re coming for you.”
In the next segment, Tony Schiavone interviewed Sammy Guevara in the ring!
Sammy: “Last week I got in the ring with my childhood hero, Jeff Hardy. But on the other hand, I’m mad, Will Hobbs put me through a table. Will Hobbs, I always said you had endless potential. But alone. You don’t need Don Callis sucking the life out of your career. But it is too late because I am mad. So enough talking. Get your ass out here now!”
Don Callis walked down the ramp!
Callis: “You’re back at work after nursing the child? The only thing you’ve done of note in the past six months is reproduce and you shouldn’t be proud of that. Dogs do it. Even these people can do it. You used to be a great athlete, Sammy. You used to be a guy I wanted in the Don Callis Family. Now you’ve become like so many. You’ve become weak.”
Powerhouse Hobbs jumped in the ring to ambush Sammy, but Sammy dodged Hobbs and drilled him with a thrust kick! Sammy flew over the top rope and wiped out Hobbs on the arena floor! Sammy smashed a steel chair into the spine of Hobbs! Sammy tried to hoist up Hobbs for the GTH, but Hobbs countered with a spinebuster! Hobbs hit a second spinebuster! Hobbs crushed Sammy with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam!
“The message has been sent and Hobbs will not rest until Sammy is done!” said Excalibur.
Skye Blue was backstage with some strong words!
Blue: “I had that match won if it wasn’t for some sad excuse of a man. I had that match won and I deserved it.”
TBS Champion Julia Hart walked up to Skye to comfort her.
Julia: “Skye, it’s okay. We shall get our comeuppance. And while getting our revenge, I shall dig three graves. One for Willow, one for Statlander, and one for Stokely. Now who do you want first?”
Skye: “I want whoever is going to step up and fight me!”
Mariah May vs. Anna Jay!
Mariah May went for a dropkick but Anna side stepped it and followed up with a neck breaker. Mariah fired back with overhand chops. Mariah rocked Anna with a knee strike! Anna countered the May Day with the Queen Slayer, but Mariah backed up into the corner, escaping the hold.
Mariah sent Anna soaring with a handstand hurracanrana out of the corner! Anna dodged a hip attack from Mariah. Anna nailed Mariah with a back breaker for a near fall. Anna applied the Queen Slayer, but Mariah hit Anna’s arm! Mariah annihilated Anna with the May Day in the center of the ring and pinned Anna!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker, who just returned from their date!
Ruby: “I think the date went really well!”
Parker: “It was incredible. I had a great time with you, Ruby.”
Ruby: “Saraya, you said you didn’t care about me. Here’s the reality of the situation. For the last year, you’ve told me that I needed you. But you needed me. You are sad and unhappy without me. But when you start talking about Angelo, we have a problem. I said I needed space from you. And in that space, I think I found something real in Angelo. Why don’t we invite everyone out next week, bring the crew, and we’ll shove this done your throat.”
Parker: “You’re very hot when you’re mad, by the way. Let’s go grab a drink.”
Roderick Strong (with ROH World Tag Champs Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
vs. Jake Hager!
Strong booted Hager in the jaw. Hager hurled Strong halfway across the ring! Roddy dodged a charging Hager. Roddy battered Hager to the mat. Hager retaliated with a running lariat for a near fall.
Strong planted Hager with a suplex. Taven and Bennett were about to chase Hornsby, the Drillers’ mascot, when International Champion Orange Cassidy came out to even up the odds! Orange pulled out Hager’s purple bucket hat and tossed it to him! Hager put the hat on and walloped Strong with running clotheslines. Hager followed up with a belly-to-belly suplex. Hager splashed Roddy with the Hager Bomb for a near fall.
The numbers advantage was too much for Orange as Taven and Bennett got the upper hand on him. Back in the ring, Roddy connected with a jawbreaker on Hager. Jake Hager planted Roddy with the Doctor Bomb for a two-count. Hager applied the ankle lock, but Taven was distracted by Bennett and Taven, who jumped on the ring apron! Roderick Strong drilled Hager with a jumping knee strike right on the jaw. Hager crumbled and Strong won via pinfall!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, MO featuring:
-Thunder Rosa in action!
-FTR vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty!
-Serena Deeb vs. Kiera Hogan
-Bang Bang Scissor Gang in Trios competition!
– “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. Malakai Black!
– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Propst Arena at Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL featuring:
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Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley
vs.
CMLL’s Esfinge & Star Jr.
Moxley took down Star Jr with a side headlock. Moxley grabbed Star’s hair. Star escaped and put Mox in a submission until Claudio came in and broke up the hold with a boot to Star. Moxley swung at Star, but Star ducked it and smacked Moxley in the mush. Star and Esfinge were about to go for stereo topes, but the BCC walked away. Esfinge and Star pumped the brakes.
Claudio tagged in and hurled Esfinge with the Giant Swing! Moxley grabbed a tag but so did Star Jr. Star shoved Claudio into Moxley. Star jumped off the top rope and took down both Moxley and Claudio. Esfinge and Star jumped out of the ring with a tope and a tope con hiro onto both members of the Blackpool Combat Club.
Star tried for a springboard, but Claudio countered with a European Uppercut. Moxley whipped Esfinge into the steel guardrail. Esfinge clocked Claudio with a thrust kick and then hit a monkey flip on Moxley. Esfinge tried to apply an Indian Death Lock pinning combo on Moxley, but Claudio jumped in to break up the pin. Star wiped out Moxley with a running lariat and then followed up with a tornillo on Claudio!
Moxley nearly decapitated Esfinge with a King Kong lariat for a near fall. Moxley ate a kick and then a risking knee strike from Moxley. Claudio gorilla press slammed Star right into a cutter from Moxley!
Claudio smashed Esfinge with the Ricola Bomb! Moxley put Star in an arm submission and forced him to tap out!
Moxley: “Gracias, amigos. You take that message back to CMLL in Mexico, or anywhere else in the world, and you tell any team that if they want to step up, they get stepped on!”
FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler—came down to the ring!
FTR had a stare down with BCC! It quickly escalated and the two teams traded fists!
“It did not take long for the fisticuffs to fly here,” said Tony Schiavone.
The locker room emptied as wrestlers and security guards tried to separate the BCC and FTR and contain them!
Daniel Garcia vs. Shane Taylor Promotion’s Shane Taylor (with Lee Moriarty)!
Matt Menard accompanied Garcia and then joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Taylor was throwing haymakers, but Garcia dodged them. Taylor knocked down Garcia with a shoulder block. Garcia came back with a dragon screw leg whip on Taylor. Shane Taylor shoved Garcia out of the ring with his leg. Taylor rammed Garcia into the ring apron and then whipped Garcia into the front row guardrail.
Garcia got out of the way of Taylor’s leg drop. Garcia dropkicked Taylor in the legs and then stomped him in the corner. Taylor retaliated with a pop up powerbomb and then a nasty right hand for a near fall.
Garcia escaped a package piledriver when Taylor’s leg gave out. Garcia locked on a kneebar, and Taylor tapped!
“Five in a row on Collision for Daniel Garcia,” said Tony Schiavone.
Lexy Nair interviewed Continental Champion Eddie Kingston backstage!
Kingston: “First off, Young Bucks, what you did on Dynamite was disgusting. You stole Sting and Darby’s thunder. Just like you Bryan Danielson. When you stole the thunder from Bryan Keith. That kind finally got a contract, and you took away his moment to get under his skin. Well, you did, and now I’m going to challenge you to a match at Revolution.
“Me and you, one on one, but I’m going to add a little stipulation. At the end of this match, after I beat you, you’re going to have to shake my hand. Because I know you don’t respect me. So now after I beat you again, you have to shake my hand and act like you respect me. And I know, and I pray, that that legit eats you up inside.”
“The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana) vs. The Outrunners—Turbo Floyd & Truth Magnum!
“Chance”, the mascot of the Vegas Golden Knights, was ringside cheering on the Outrunners.
Brian Cage hit a German release suplex on Truth. He double suplexed the Outrunners. Cage stepped on the head of Turbo and Turbo submitted!
Chance did the Swerve dance with Prince Nana after the match. Brian Cage clubbed Chance from behind!
FTW Champion HOOK’s music began to play!
HOOK and Cage brawled on the ramp! The fight continued all the way to the back!
Lexy Nair was backstage with the Undisputed Kingdom and Tomohiro Ishii!
Taven: “I have a bone to pick with this goofy melvin right here. I used to be in Chaos and then one day I get knee surgery and no emails, no texts, no nothing from you Ishii!”
Roderick: “Ishii! None of that matters. The only thing that matters is if you win tonight, March 3rd at Revolution, I’m coming to beat you for the AEW International Title, and I’ve been waiting eight long years for this rematch. And I can’t wait to break you. So good luck.”
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Schiavone: “4-0 in the Cope Open, I want to tell you this, as far as top contenders are concerned, as we know, at Revolution Samoa Joe has the two top contenders to deal with in that three-way match. You’re number three, which means you have your pick. We have the International Championship, we have a TNT Championship. What’s going through the mind of the Rated R Superstar right now?”
Copeland: “First off, if I had been at Dynamite, that wouldn’t have happened to Sting and Darby. So, Nicholas, Matthew, that’s a warning. Now you talked about the other championships that I can challenge for. There’s Christian Cage. There’s that TNT Championship that I won and had ripped out of my hands. So, I think you know where I’m leaning.”
Daniel Garcia’s music began to play, and Garcia came down to the ring.
Garcia: “Adam it sounds to me like you think you deserve a shot at the TNT title because you’ve been getting a lot of wins. And I could not agree with you more. I believe that championship opportunities should be rewarded through wins. But you’re not the only person that’s been picking up a lot of wins. Somebody else right in front of you has been on a hot streak. And I don’t mean any disrespect, but last week when I beat the Patriarchy, I looked at Christian Cage and saw that championship, and I thought maybe, just maybe I deserve a shot at the TNT title. The thing about me is I’ll fight through that line a million times over if it means I get to hold championship gold in AEW.”
Copeland: “Okay, and I can respect that. And you didn’t beat the Patriarchy by yourself. FTR helped you. But the FTR boys speak highly of you. And that’s enough for me. I respect you. But Daniel, if you’re saying you want a shot at the TNT Championship, I want a shot at the TNT Championship, I’ve got a proposal. Wednesday, Dynamite, you and I fight each other and the last man standing fights Christian. What do you say?”
Garcia: “I accept.”
Copeland: “Now I know you had a match tonight and that’s the only reason I’m not taking your face off right now. But make no mistake about it, you’re now threatening to take food off my family’s table, and that does not work for me. So, I am going to beat your ass next week.”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Willow Nightingale, Kris Statlander, and Stokely Hathaway!
Renee said she thought the addition of Stokely was working out for them, especially after their win last night against the Outcasts.
Stokely had words for Skye Blue and Julia Hart and said that there were only two bad asses that he knows in the AEW Women’s Division, and that’s the former TBS champion Kris Statlander and the first ever New Japan Strong Women’s champion Willow Nightingale.
Willow said that she thought Skye would have been right there with them, but Skye chose a different path. Willow said that she and Skye had done a lot together, but they still hadn’t fought one another.
Mark Briscoe vs. The House of Black’s Brody King (with TBS Champion Julia Hart)!
Mark chopped away at Brody, but Brody hoisted up Mark and threw him half way across the ring. Brody blasted Briscoe with a cannonball in the corner. Brody followed up with a running senton for a near fall.
Brody King battered Mark in the corner with a stiff chop and then a boot. Briscoe pulled Brody out of the ring. Mark jumped off the apron and nailed Brody with a neck breaker. Mark used a steel chair and launched himself off it to land on Brody with a tope con hiro!
Mark tried to pull a table out from beneath the ring, but the ref stopped him, admonishing Mark. Mark went for a plancha, but Brody caught him and slammed him onto a steel chair. Back in the ring, Brody planted Briscoe with a Bossman slam for a two-count.
Briscoe kicked Brody in the head, knocking Brody to the floor. Mark climbed to the top turnbuckle and connecting with a twisting moonsault, landing on his feet! Brody blocked a Death Valley Driver and then leveled Briscoe with a lariat!
Mark Briscoe climbed to the top, but Julia Hart jumped on the apron to distract Briscoe. Brody shoved Briscoe and sent Briscoe flying, crashing onto the table on the arena floor! Brody drilled Briscoe with a Gonzo Bomb and pinned Briscoe!
Brody held Mark back while Julia Hart hit Briscoe with a spike on the forehead! Mark was busted wide open!
“The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith was backstage with some strong words!
Keith: “It’s no secret that I’m all about my payday. So, when I came here to AEW, I’m looking to climb the ranks and collect my bounty, whether you’re good, bad, or ugly, you stand across the ring from me, you’d better be ready to pay up, sucker.”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kiera Hogan!
Deonna Purrazzo yanked at Hogan’s arm. Kiera fired back with a hip attack. Deonna dodged a charging Kiera. Deonna went back to working on Kiera’s arm. Deonna drilled Hogan with a backstabber for a near fall.
Hogan caught Deonna with a thrust kick. Deonna blocked a piledriver attempt. Deonna applied the Venus De Milo and Hogan had to submit verbally!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm (with Mariah May & Luther the Butler) vs. Queen Aminata!
Toni had a headlock on Aminata. The Queen fought out of it and taunted Toni. Storm took down Queen Aminata with a Thesz Press. Toni Storm applied a full nelson. Toni Storm kicked Queen Aminata right in the face. Toni charged at Queen Aminata, but Aminata cradled Toni for a near fall!
Queen Aminata walloped Toni with a snap suplex. Toni spiked Aminata with a DDT but the challenger kicked out at the two-count. Queen Aminata retaliated with an Air Raid Crash for a near fall on the champ! “Timeless” Toni cracked Queen Aminata with a hip attack and then crunched Aminata with a piledriver for the pinfall victory!
Toni Storm: “Mister Schiavone, I know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But we’re in Henderson so stop looking at me like that. Darling, did you see that? Another fantastic technical show of brilliance. This week on Dynamite I will be releasing a brand new film!”
Main Event Time! AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. “The Stone Pitbull” Tomohiro Ishii!
Ishii knocked Orange to the floor with a shoulder tackle. Ishii waffled Orange with chops to the chest!
“Orange Cassidy was freshly squeezed,” said Nigel.
Orange came back with a Stun Dog Millionaire and then a twisting DDT! Orange flew out of the ring with a tope suicida to Ishii. Orange spiked Ishii with another DDT for a two-count!
Orange jumped off the top rope and planted Ishii with a diving DDT! Orange stomped Ishii in the corner. Orange connected with a shotgun dropkick, but Ishii popped back up and pounced Orange!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Ishii blasted Cassidy with an avalanche brain buster and covered Orange for a near fall! Orange fired up but collapsed to the mat. Orange got up and went for the Beach Break, but Ishii reversed it and countered with a powerbomb! Ishii went for a sliding lariat, but Orange dodged it and cradled Ishii for a near fall.
Ishii headbutted Orange but Orange caught Ishii with an Orange Punch! Orange drilled Ishii with a Beach Break, but Ishii lifted his shoulder in the nick of time! Ishii nailed Orange with a dragon suplex. Ishii hit the sliding lariat, but Orange kicked out!
Ishii attempted the vertical brain buster, but Orange escaped! Orange decked Ishii with the Orange Punch! Ishii wouldn’t go down! Orange tried for another Orange Punch, but Ishii blocked it! Orange rolled up Ishii in a small package and pinned Ishii!
The Undisputed Kingdom surrounded the ring after the match! Taven and Bennett spiked Orange with a stuffed piledriver! Ishii sprinted back to the ring and the Undisputed Kingdom retreated! Trent came down with a steel chair as reinforcement!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, TX!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard and Tony Schiavone.
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
This…is…Rampage!
Trios Match!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, & Trent Beretta
vs.
Undisputed Kingdom—ROH World Tag Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett, and Roderick Strong (with Adam Cole & Wardlow)!
Best Friends charged at the Undisputed Kingdom as the Undisputed Kingdom made their entrance. They were furious over Undisputed Kingdom for injuring Chuck Taylor.
Bennett booted Trent in the face. Trent jumped on Bennett, squashing him with double knees to the sternum. Taven tagged in and Rocky and Trent rocked Taven with stereo knee strikes. Trent followed up with a sliding knee for a near fall.
Roderick grabbed a blind tag, but Trent tossed Roddy with a German Suplex. Roddy pulled Trent off the turnbuckles and nailed Trent with a backbreaker. Taven and Bennett double teamed Trent in their corner.
“Great tag team continuity by Taven and Bennett,” said Excalibur.
Orange tagged in and cleaned house on Taven and Bennett. Orange planted Taven with a DDT and smashed Bennett with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Bennett blindsided Orange with a spinebuster. Cassidy connected with a thrust kick on Taven. Orange was looking for the Orange Punch, but Taven knocked Orange’s block off with a kick of his own!
Roderick Strong distracted the ref while Bennett blasted Orange with a low blow. Taven jumped off the top turnbuckle while Bennett held Orange and they pulped Orange with a stuffed piledriver.
Rocky was the legal man now, and he took flight, rocketing out of the ring and wiping out Bennett and Taven with a tope suicida. Rocky rocked Bennett with the Sliced Bread! Taven cut off Rocky’s flurry with a boot to the midsection. Romero took Taven down to the mat with a hurracanrana.
Rocky smashed Taven and Bennett with the Forever Clotheslines. Roddy came in with a blindside knee and then decimated Rocky with the End of Heartache backbreaker. Taven covered Rocky and scored the pin!
The Undisputed Kingdom set up chairs in the ring and Roddy planted Rocky right onto the chairs with the End of Heartache! Trent and Orange chased the Undisputed Kingdom out of the ring.
“Adding insult to injury, that was completely uncalled for by Roderick Strong,” said Excalibur.
The Young Bucks—Nicholas & Matthew Jackson vs. Mondo Rox & Robbie Lit!
Matthew seized on Robbie Lit, stomping him in the corner. Matthew bulldozed Robbie with a lariat. Nicholas tagged in and the Bucks used a backbreaker-neck breaker combo on Robbie.
Mondo got a tag and Nicholas kicked Mondo with a low blow as Matthew was distracting the referee. The Young Bucks smashed Mondo with the EVP Trigger and Matthew pinned Mondo!
Nicholas: “I am so tired of the disrespect that each and every one of you fans show us. I heard a heckler in the front row calling us by the wrong name. It’s time to show your EVPs a little more respect! Call us by our God-given names of Nicholas and Matthew Jackson!”
Matthew: “I apologize my brother is a bit of a hothead. Listen! Listen! The reason we’re out here in the first place is to say congratulations to AEW’s new Tag Team Champions Darby Allin and Sting! Incredible match! You’re putting your blood, sweat and tears on the line. You’ll be great champions but there is one caveat. I got an email, an injury report from Doc Sampson and apparently both Darb and Sting are a little bit banged up coming out of their big win. So, we just wanted to say we’re thinking about you guys, we’re praying for you guys, and we hope you’re ok.
“However, boys I want to make one thing clear. Our objective is to get our tag team titles back! And you may be looking at us and saying, ‘Oh, but you’re EVPs and you’re going to politic to do whatever it takes to do that!’ No, no, no. We’re going to play by the rules, climb up the rankings, and have competitive matches just like we did tonight on Rampage! We will get ranked, we will be number one contenders, and we will get our belts! And we’ll continue to climb up those rankings on Wednesday when you see Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, your EVPs in tag team action! We love you guys so much! Let’s have a killer show!”
“Tony Khan has just informed me that on Wednesday night on Dynamite Nicholas and Matthew will have some top flight competition when they face Dante and Darius Martin!” said Excalibur.
CMLL’s Mistico (with Esfinge & Star Jr.) vs. Matt Sydal!
Sydal and Mistico chain wrestled to start the match, exchanging a flurry of offense and going move for move with one another. Mistico hit Sydal with a tope suicida. Sydal jumped back in the ring and caught off Mistico’s momentum with a kick.
Matt Sydal placed Mistico in a bow and arrow submission. Sydal followed up with a senton splash. Mistico caught Sydal off guard with a crossbody press.
“This has been a back and forth battle,” said Excalibur.
Sydal caught Mistico in the face with a jumping knee strike. Sydal landed an Air Raid Crash for a near fall on Mistico. Mistico tried for a moonsault press but Sydal got the boots up, countering it! Sydal charged Mistico but Mistico walloped Sydal with a powerslam! Mistico hit a Spanish Fly on Sydal off the top rope and pinned Sydal!
“That was a desperation move by Mistico but man, it worked!” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Brian Cage: “HOOK thinks he can hit me in the back with a chair and get away with it like a hit-and-run? Not today! I’m looking for HOOK. Where is he? Coincidentally, he’s not here. Of course he’s not here. He doesn’t want to feel the rage of Cage on Rampage.”
Prince Nana: “You know what? I think HOOK is at home reading a book because that’s what he needs to do instead of running around town hitting people with chairs in the back. Prince Nana knows how that feels. It happened to me on Wednesday, Renee.”
Cage: “Big deal, HOOK, you beat two guys the other night. I could beat two guys any day of the week. I could do that tomorrow. As a matter of fact, let’s do that on Collision. Any two sloppy Joes in the locker room that want to face me, come on down.”
The Outcasts—Ruby Soho & Saraya (with Harley Cameron)!
As Ruby was making her entrance on the ramp, she noticed there was a note scribbled on a piece of paper that was inside the pocket of her leather jacket.
Stokely Hathaway joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Kris took down Saraya with a side headlock. Statlander hit a dropkick. Willow and Ruby came in for their respective teams and Willow rocked Ruby with a Russian Leg Sweep. Willow followed up with a fisherman’s suplex. Statlander shoulder tackled Ruby, slammed her, and followed up with a sliding lariat.
Willow splashed Ruby in the corner. Willow climbed to the top turnbuckle. Harley grabbed Willow’s ankle and then Saraya shoved Ruby to the mat! Statlander tagged in and took Ruby off her feet with a powerslam.
Ruby and Saraya double teamed Statlander. Willow charged in to make the save but Saraya grabbed her and shoved her through the ropes. Saraya cracked Kris with a running knee strike and went for the cover, but Willow broke it up just in time.
Statlander clubbed Saraya with a discus lariat. Ruby rocked Statlander with the No Future kick! Ruby held Willow and Saraya went to strike Willow, but Willow escaped, forcing Saraya to inadvertently strike Ruby! Willow walloped Saraya and Ruby with a double clothesline.
Saraya and Kris traded forearms in the center of the ring. Statlander blasted Saraya with a massive roundhouse kick. Statlander planted Saraya with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall! Saraya caught Kris off guard with a jawbreaker. Saraya went for the tag, but Ruby refused, turning her back and jumping off the apron, leaving Saraya in the lurch.
“Tony, I wonder if that note that Ruby was reading had anything to do with this?”
Harley grabbed Ruby and tried to stop Ruby from walking away. Ruby turned around and decked Harley!
“Ruby Soho finally standing up for herself to Saraya,” said Excalibur.
Willow power bombed a shocked Saraya and pinned her!
After the match Stokely celebrated with both Kris and Willow!
Skye Blue appeared in the aisle, smirked, and waved at Kris and Willow. The arena lights went dark!
“What is going on here?” wondered Excalibur.
The lights came back on, and TBS Champion Julia Hart was standing beside Skye Blue! They were staring at Willow and Kris, taunting them as Julia held up her title.
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, NV featuring:
-AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Tomohiro Ishii!
– “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Kiera Hogan!
-We’ll hear from the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm vs. Queen Aminata!
-BCC’s Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli vs. CMLL’s Esfinge & Star Jr.!
& Much, much more!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, TX!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
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!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe kicked off the show, dressed in a business suit, and eager to speak his mind!
Samoa Joe: “I stand before you your undisputed, undeniable AEW World Champion. And tonight is a night of celebration because a new championship endeavor, we embark upon tonight. No more will AEW Championship opportunities be given. No, tonight, they must be earned. That’s why all your favorite AEW superstars are going to battle tooth and nail in this ring, all for an opportunity at my championship gold.
“I come here with a warning. You may think you’re getting an opportunity at a championship. But I’m here to tell you it’s going to be an opportunity to have the worst night of your life. Anyone that comes in here, I’m going to do them like I did Hook last week. I will take everything from you!”
FTW Champion Hook’s music began to play! Hook entered the ring with a microphone.
HOOK: “Last week you won, I lost.”
Hook extended his hand and offered it to Samoa Joe before they embraced.
Hook: “I don’t know when, and I don’t know where, but I will see you again.”
Samoa Joe: “I bet you will. Now if you excuse me, I came here to survey the field, so you can get to the back of the line. Security, get the unworthy out of my ring.”
AEW Security entered the ring but Hook suplexed them until Hook had enough and stormed off, defiantly scowling at Samoa Joe on his way out.
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe joined the broadcast team.
They began with a collar and elbow tie up. Page backed Penta into the ropes and then allowed for a clean break. It quickly escalated as both men brought heavy shots, blistering one another with chops. Penta connected with a thrust kick, but Page returned with a big boot of his own. Penta El Zero Miedo wiped out Hangman Page with a Sling Blade. Hangman retaliated with a fallaway slam and then a standing shooting star press for a near fall.
Penta El Zero Miedo hit a leg drop from off the bottom rope for a two-count on Page. They traded chops again. Hangman landed a thrust kick but then they knocked each other down with clotheslines, both men having the same idea.
Penta flew over the top rope with a tope con hiro and crashed onto Hangman Page outside the ring! Page dodged a double stomp and countered with a Death Valley Driver on Penta El Zero Miedo for a near fall. Penta planted Page in the center of the ring and nearly put away the former AEW World Champion.
Hangman Page stunned Penta El Zero Miedo with a pop up powerbomb. They traded strikes on the ring apron. Hangman went for the Buckshot Lariat, but Penta blocked it and nailed Hangman with the Made in Japan for a two-count!
Hangman Page drilled Penta El Zero Miedo with a Dead Eye on the apron! Page connected with the Buckshot Lariat and pinned Penta El Zero Miedo!
“Boy, that’s a big win as far as rankings go,” said Tony Schiavone.
Page pointed at Samoa Joe and his championship and yelled, “I am taking that away from you!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW International Champion “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy!
Renee wanted to know Orange’s reaction to Roderick Strong’s challenge.
Orange: “My reaction to that is okay. I will wrestle you for my International Championship at Revolution on March 3rd. If you want to wait that long, fine, but I’m not going to wait. I’m going to keep wrestling because that’s what I do. I told Tony to put some of my friends and enemies in a match on Rampage and the winner of that will face me for my championship on Collision. So, I guess Tony is going to do it.”
The Young Bucks—Nicholas and Matthew Jackson, were walking backstage when Alex Marvez approached them, hoping to get a word with them!
Nicholas: “Our first plan of action as executives? Let’s talk about your first plan of action. By showing a little more respect to us. By calling us by our passport names of Nicholas and Matthew Jackson.”
Matthew: “Alex, as the last two remaining, surviving, EVPs, backstage chatter and buzz is through the roof. We fixed the catering problem. Did you have lunch? You’re welcome. Most importantly we’re just here to make sure the show runs smoothly. Let’s have a killer show.”
Top Flight—Dante and Darius Martin were walking down the hall past the Young Bucks.
Nicholas: “Look who’s showing up so late tonight.”
Matthew: “Did you guys just get here?”
Darius: “No, we’ve been here since one.”
Matthew: “Why aren’t you in your gear and where’s your dang credentials?”
Dante: “Credentials? You guys hired us.”
Nicholas: “Next time it’s going to be a fine, but we love you guys.”
Matthew: “Hey, we’re just kidding.”
The Undisputed Kingdom’s Wardlow (with Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, and ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
vs.
Best Friend’s Trent Beretta (with Rocky Romero, Chuck Taylor, & AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy)!
Wardlow sent Trent for a loop with a big shoulder tackle right out of the gate! Wardlow hurled Trent halfway across the ring. Wardlow was looking for the Powerbomb Symphony, but Trent cradled him with a small package for a near fall.
Wardlow charged at Trent, but Trent ducked him and then dropkicked Wardlow through the ring ropes. Trent went over the top rope, but Wardlow countered with a beautiful anti air forearm. Wardlow whipped Trent into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Wardlow headbutted Trent in the chest. Trent countered a lariat with a jumping knee strike. Trent connected with a tope suicida. Trent walloped Wardlow with a steel chair. Trent rocked Wardlow with a half and half suplex in the ring, followed by a DDT. Trent spiked Wardlow with a piledriver for a near fall!
Trent climbed to the top rope and went for a crossbody, but Wardlow caught him and powerslammed Trent! Wardlow power bombed a limp Trent and pinned him! After the match, Wardlow tried to grab Trent again, but the Best Friends saw enough and entered the ring. The Undisputed Kingdom called off the “War Dog”.
Excalibur announced that this Saturday on Collision it’ll be the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs Yuji Nagata!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm went face-to-face with “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo during an interview on the stage with Renee Paquette!
Luther the Butler and Mariah May joined Toni on the stage.
Toni: “I will speak first. Deonna, I believe you were recently body shamed. Which I think is ridiculous because there is so much more to shame about you. Yes, we do have history, but that doesn’t mean you can just waltz in here to get yourself a title shot! I have had many friends and all of them less talented than me. You may be the greatest technical wrestler in the world today but let me make one thing clear. If you step into that ring with me, I will twist your lips so hard you will need an epidural!”
Deonna: “This is insane. I didn’t come to AEW to make friends. I came to become the AEW Women’s World Champion. It just so happens, Toni, that the champion used to be my friend. But I have no problem earning a title opportunity and winning arm by arm. This isn’t the Toni Storm that I want to wrestle, this delusional sham.
“I want to wrestle the Toni Storm that lived on dojo floors with me, that moved to America and lived in my house. That Toni Storm was arguably one of the best in the world. And that Toni Storm is the one I want to beat for the AEW Women’s World Championship. So, I’m begging you, dig down deep inside yourself and find that version of yourself. And if you need a reminder, take a look at your ankle, because I’m sure it looks a lot like mine.”
Deonna revealed she and Toni had matching ankle tattoos.
Deonna: “You might have everyone here fooled, Toni, but not me.”
Toni: “You know what, Deonna You can take your little tattoo and blow it right out of your bumhole!”
Toni whipped a shoe at Deonna and Deonna threw a shoe right back at Toni! Deonna attempted to put Toni in the Venus De Milo but Mariah May grabbed Toni by the leg and yanked her away from Deonna’s grasp! Deonna pump kicked Luther in the face! Mariah May and Toni Storm were fleeing when Deonna took Toni’s World championship and hoisted it into the air!
“Could this be a vision of the future?” wondered Excalibur.
Jon Moxley was backstage!
Mox: “Since you first heard the words ‘Blackpool Combat Club’, do you know how many matches we’ve won. I don’t keep track, but trust me, it’s a lot. Do you know how many victory parties we’ve had? Zero. We don’t spend a lot of time patting each other on the back because we don’t have the time. There’s always another match around the corner. And that’s what it takes to be the best, to be elite.
“A lot of people come here, and they don’t know what elite means. In 2024 I will maim and torture anyone that can’t keep up in the ring! I’m going to do it every single time!”
Excalibur announced this Friday on Rampage it’ll be Jon Moxley against Shane Taylor Promotions’ Lee Moriarty!
Taya Valkyrie and Johnny TV requested a moment of our time!
Taya: “Let me reintroduce ourselves. I am Taya Valkyrie, and this is Johnny TV. The most TV-ready couple in AEW. Now I’ve been watching, and some things are really starting to piss me off. That girl that’s trying to jump to the head of the line? Deonna Listen, I’m not one of those girlies that don’t know who ‘the virtuosa’ is. I know her very well. So, I challenge you to a little match next week on Dynamite. And then after that you can get to the back of the line.”
Up next: Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Jeff Hardy (with Matt Hardy)!
Swerve used a side headlock takeover, looking to make a quick end to this, but Jeff escaped. Hardy rolled up Swerve, grabbing a handful of tights, but Swerve kicked out. Swerve nailed Jeff with a nasty back breaker. Swerve was going for an arm breaker, but Matt jumped on the apron and pointed at Swerve. As Swerve was distracted by Matt, Jeff kicked upwards at Swerve.
Jeff dropkicked Swerve in the back. Jeff used a Russian Leg Sweep. Jeff rammed Swerve into the top turnbuckle. Swerve swept out Jeff’s legs and then kicked him in the jaw. Swerve blasted Jeff with a neck breaker from the apron, as Jeff’s legs were hung up in the ropes. Swerve set up a folding chair and put Jeff on it. But Jeff got up and swept out Swerve’s legs. Jeff ran and leaped off the steel ring steps, crashing onto Swerve who was on the barricade!
Jeff knocked Swerve off the turnbuckles with a headbutt. Swerve climbed back up and clubbed Jeff with forearms. Jeff fought back, took flight and landed on Swerve! Jeff connected with a sling blade and then a Manhattan Drop. Jeff dropped an elbow, but Swerve kicked out at the two-count.
Swerve shoved Jeff Hardy over the top rope. Swerve pulled Jeff into the steel ring post! Swerve pulled Jeff onto the steel ring steps but Jeff countered with a Twist of Fate, driving Swerve’s forehead into the steps! Jeff climbed to the top turnbuckle and went for the Swanton, but Swerve rolled out of the way. Swerve blasted Jeff with the House Call for a near fall!
“What a kick out! I thought he had Hardy dead right there,” said Taz.
Swerve was looking for a Twits of Fate of his own, but Jeff reversed it with a cradle for a near fall. Jeff stunned Swerve with a series of jawbreakers. Swerve lured Jeff in and planted him with a flatliner. Swerve nailed Jeff with a delayed vertical suplex. Swerve crushed Jeff with the Swerve Stomp and pinned Jeff Hardy!
After a commercial break, Renee Paquette interviewed “Hangman” Adam Page backstage!
Renee congratulated Hangman on being 3-0 in 2024, which, in her opinion, should be putting him pretty close to the top of the rankings once they drop at the end of the month.
Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland interrupted Renee.
Swerve: “Why are you interviewing this man? Did you see what I just did out there to Jeff Hardy? I’m undefeated in 2024 as well. Another fun fact. Who is the last person that beat you, Hangman?”
Hangman: “It’s New Year, New Me, dumbass. So, I’m 3-0, and if I were a betting man, I would bet that someone is going to come along and knock you down these rankings before you get a whiff of the World title.”
Renee had some breaking news! “Next week on Dynamite both of you will be in Dealer’s Choice matches, choosing each other’s match,” Renee said.
“Well, they choose each other’s opponent,” added Tony Schiavone on commentary.
Thunder Rosa used a gator roll on Red Velvet until they reached the ropes. They got to their feet and traded arm drags. Red Velvet swept out Thunder Rosa’s legs on the ring apron. Red Velvet rocked Rosa with stiff chops.
A slug fest broke out in the ring. Thunder Rosa connected with a running clothesline in the corner, and they drove her knees into Red Velvet. Thunder Rosa hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Red Velvet stomped on Thunder Rosa’s midsection. Red Velvet followed up with a knee strike to the back of Thunder Rosa’s head.
Thunder Rosa blasted Red Velvet with a shotgun dropkick. Thunder Rosa finished off Red Velvet with the Tijuana Bomb and pinned her!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Darby Allin and Sting!
Darby Allin: “I want to take a few seconds to talk about a few things. Everyone always asks me what it’s like to tag with “the Icon” Sting. I want to talk about the impact that Sting has had on my career. It started back in 2015 in my first year in professional wrestling, when I saw this man’s career essentially end early from a neck injury. I thought to myself, ‘What if that was me? What if my life’s work was cut short?’
“And then all these years later I hear that Sting is coming to AEW. And I don’t know exactly what for because I heard he’d never wrestle again. And you remember this part, Sting. I flew to your house in Texas, you had a wrestling ring in your garage, and we were rolling around in the ring. And within five minutes I looked at you and what did I say to you? I looked you right in the eyes and I said, ‘You’ve still got it.’ And I’m not lying to you.”
The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were showing backstage, wearing headsets and watching monitors!
Darby: “And I told you to get back in this ring and finish the career on your own terms! And now look at us, 27-0, undefeated. And the rankings are back so I think that puts us in the top spot as number one contenders against Big Bill and Ricky Starks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. And we’d be kind of dumb asses not to take the opportunity. So, I’m going to look you in the eyes and say this one more time: ‘You’ve still got it.’ But I’m not alone this time. I think the fans agree that you’ve still got it!”
The fans chanted “You still got it! You still got it!”
Darby: “So what do you say, Sting? Do you want to end your career as AEW World Tag Team Champions? It’s all you, man.”
Sting: “Alright, I’m all in.”
After a commercial break, AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill responded to Sting and Darby Allin backstage!
Big Bill: “Sting and Darby Allin, thank you for finally having the respect to address us by name. Thank you for having the respect to address us as the AEW World Tag Champions. And as far as your challenge goes, we accept your challenge.”
Starks: “It’s kind of fitting, Sting, that you started your career with me and a partner of mine in your very first match back after six years. And it’s very fitting that now and the best partner I have will be the end of you. You are not making it to Revolution, so you might as well pay us the proper respect that we deserve. Lay down so we can walk right over you and Darby Allin.”
AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed—Anthony Bowens & Max Caster and Daddy Ass (c.) (with ROH World Six-Man Champions Bullet Club Gold)
vs.
The Mogul Embassy—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Brian Cage rammed Caster in the corner with his shoulder. Caster dropkicked Cage. Bowens grabbed a tag and chopped Brian Cage. Bowens pounded Cage with elbows to the back of the head.
Toa and Kaun doubled teamed Bowens in the Mogul Embassy’s corner, utilizing rapid tags. Bowens tried for a tag, but Kaun and Toa pulled Daddy Ass and Max Caster off the apron. Toa ate an elbow strike from Bowens. Daddy Ass finally got a tag and cleaned house on the Mogul Embassy!
Daddy Ass got pounced by Toa. Bowens rocked Toa with a thrust kick. Caster struck Brian Cage with a backhand. Kaun nailed Caster with a shotgun dropkick. Prince Nana slid a steel chair into the ring. The ref was distracted by Prince Nana. Bishop Kaun was about to whack Billy with the chair, but “Switchblade” Jay White yanked the chair out of Kaun’s hand!
“The Bang Bang Scissor Gang, they’ve got each other’s backs,” said Excalibur.
The Gunns power bombed Prince Nana through the timekeeper’s table!
“They were right, perhaps there is strength in numbers. Bullet Club Gold the difference makers tonight,” said Excalibur.
Billy Gunn rocked Bishop Kaun with the Fame-Asser! Bowens blasted Bishop with the Arrival! Caster hit the Mic Drop and finished off Bishop Kaun for the pinfall victory!
Main Event Time!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Minoru Suzuki!
Copeland and Suzuki slugged it out in the center of the ring. Copeland got his bell rung and collapsed to the mat. Copeland got back up and Suzuki crumbled him again with a solid forearm on the jaw. Copeland backdropped his way out of an attempted piledriver.
Copeland booted Suzuki through the ropes. Suzuki pulled Copeland onto the floor, but Copeland shoved Suzuki through the barricade. Copeland and Suzuki barely made it back into the ring, but they were able to break the ref’s count just in the nick of time.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Suzuki and Copeland were on their knees but exchanged stinging elbows. They got to their feet and traded open hand palm strikes, both men knocking one another down.
Tony Schiavone announced breaking news from Tony Khan! Two weeks away in Phoenix on Dynamite it’ll be AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill defending their titles against Sting and Darby Allin!
Suzuki had Copeland on spaghetti legs after more open palm strikes. Copeland spiked Suzuki with the Impaler! Copeland tried for a spear, but Suzuki countered with an arm bar! Copeland reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break up the hold.
Copeland speared Suzuki but Suzuki kicked out at the two-count! Suzuki locked in a rear naked sleeper! Copeland was fading fast. Copeland got to his feet and smashed Suzuki into an exposed turnbuckle corner. Copeland cracked Suzuki with the Killswitch, sending a clear message to Christian Cage! Copeland covered Suzuki and scored the pin!
TNT Champion Christian Cage was seen watching on a monitor backstage.
“Christian Cage looks discussed seeing that,” said Taz.
Copeland asked for a microphone.
Copeland: “I’ve never been hit that hard in my life. Suzuki, respect.”
Copeland offered his hand to Suzuki. Suzuki growled and walked away, not taking the loss easy.
Copeland: “I would have been disappointed if he did shake my hand. That was a war. The kind of war that Christian Cage knows nothing about. Christian, I am still coming for you!”
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, LA!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT featuring:
-Anna Jay vs. Ruby Soho!
-Konosuke Takeshita vs. Christopher Daniels!
-Jon Moxley vs. Lee Moriary!
-Freshly Squeezed 4-Way! Kip Sabian vs. Komander vs. The Butcher vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo! Winner gets a shot at the AEW International Championship this Saturday on Collision!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, LA:
-AEW International Championship Match! Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Winner of Freshly Squeezed 4-Way on Rampage!
-Serena Deeb’s First Match Since 2022!
– “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Yuji Nagata!
-Mariah May vs. Lady Frost!
-The Escape The Cage Elimination Match! FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley
vs.
Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor (with Lee Moriarty)!
Taylor jabbed at Moxley, taking the fight right to Mox. Jon Moxley fired back with kicks and chops. Taylor stunned Moxley with a stiff shot to the jaw. Moxley popped back up and both men traded forearms. Taylor whipped Moxley into the corner and then connected with a running lariat, leaving Mox gasping for air.
Moxley was looking for a piledriver, but Taylor countered with a backdrop. They began to brawl outside the ring. Moxley hurled Taylor into the steel ring steps. Taylor got back into the ring, but Lee Moriarty cracked Moxley with a pump kick. Taylor dropped Moxley with a side slam for a near fall. Taylor tried for a splash off the second turnbuckle, but Moxley rolled out of the way.
Moxley rocked Taylor with a cutter out of nowhere. Moxley battered Shane Taylor in the corner. Taylor retaliated with a side suplex, but Moxley came back with a suplex of his own. Moxley nailed Taylor with the King Kong Lariat. Taylor nearly decapitated Moxley with a Western Lariat.
Moxley and Taylor traded headbutts! Taylor planted Moxley but Moxley trapped Taylor in a triangle choke. Taylor deadlifted Moxley and slammed him back down, escaping the choke. It backfired and Moxley started pounding Taylor with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moxley clocked Taylor with a flying knee strike.
Moxley applied a rear naked choke. Moxley bridged backwards and Taylor was out cold. Moxley won via ref stoppage!
Moxley: “Everybody watching hear this. Right now, I am pissed off. I am pissed off beyond belief. I am hungry beyond belief. From this moment on I am not taking any crap from anyone or anything. In the year of 2024 anyone who wants to step in the ring with me, anyone who calls themselves a colleague or teammate, you only have to do one thing: keep the hell up!”
The “Cope Open” Challenge Match!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!
They shook hands before the match, showing mutual respect.
Dante took down Copeland with two big arm drags. Copeland tried for a cross body press off the second turnbuckle, but Dante dodged it. Copeland blocked a kick and then rammed Dante’s head into the turnbuckle. Copeland was trying to take away the equilibrium of Dante, going after Dante’s ear.
Dante clocked Copeland with a reverse question mark kick. Dante was looking for a springboard, but Adam knocked Dante off the top rope. Dante wiped out Copeland with a hurracanrana from the apron. Dante Martin followed up with a tope! Dante followed up with a crossbody press for a near fall on Copeland.
“Dante Martin is pulling out all the stops,” said Kevin Kelly.
Copeland stopped Dante in his tracks with a DDT. Copeland went for the spear, but Dante moved out of the way! Dante retaliated with a moonsault and covered Copeland, but Copeland’s boot touched the ropes, breaking the referee’s count. The crowd was stunned. Dante stunned Copeland with a sunset powerbomb off the top rope, but Copeland managed to kick out at two!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Dante springboarded off the top, but Copeland speared Dante midair! Copeland cranked on the Grindhouse and Dante Martin submitted!
“A standing ovation for Dante Martin!” said Nigel.
Tony Schiavone interviewed Adam Copeland in the ring after the match.
Copeland: “Tony, it gets harder and harder every week. What was I thinking with this Cope Open? I have to give all the credit to Dante Martin. I see all these young guys stepping up to take a bite out of me. I am going to keep coming out here, and working hard, and working hard, and working hard, just like Christian Cage said he was going to when he first came to AEW.
“And Tony, God bless you, I’m going to keep working until I get the TNT Championship and bring it back to TNT. And get in here every Saturday so these people can see their championship, our championship, defended. The next time I set foot in this ring in this great city, I’m going to be your TNT champ.”
Lexy Nair was backstage interviewing Top Flight and Action Andretti when Private Party interrupted!
Private Party started taunting Top Flight because Dante and Darius lost to them when Private Party returned.
Action Andretti: “Sure, you guys got the W, but as far as we saw, Marq Quen grabbed the ropes to get that pinfall!”
Marq Quen: “Nah, I lost my balance. It happens.”
Isiah Kassidy: “Imagine what would happen if we partied with Adam Copeland? We both beat Dante and we’re both Rated R!”
Darius: “If you’re so confident, how about we run it back? I mean, unless you guys are afraid.”
Isiah: “We will, anytime.”
Thunder Rosa vs. Queen Aminata!
“It looks like Top Flight wants another match with Private Party, and I think they deserve it,” said Tony Schiavone.
Thunder Rosa cracked Queen Aminata with a stiff chop. Thunder Rosa grabbed a side headlock. Thunder Rosa knocked Aminata down with a shoulder tackle. Queen Aminata nailed Thunder Rosa with a back breaker.
Thunder Rosa rocked Aminata with a running dropkick. Aminata rallied back with a snap mare and then kicked Thunder Rosa in the back. Aminata walloped Rosa with a hip attack. Thunder Rosa dodged a second hip attack and then took the wind out of Aminata with a double knee strike. Thunder Rosa followed up with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall.
Queen Aminata headbutted Thunder Rosa and then blasted her with an air raid crash for a two-count! Queen Aminata climbed up, looking for the double stomp, but Thunder Rosa pulled her down. Thunder Rosa took Queen Aminata off her feet with a shotgun dropkick. Thunder Rosa planted Aminata with the Tijuana Bomb and then scored the pin!
Ring of Honor World Six-Man Tag Team Champions Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White, and the Gunns—Austin and Colten Gunn, came out to the ring!
Jay White: “We feel it, the people feel it, it’s a different vibe, with the Collision Cowboys back on Saturday night. But something is missing still.”
Austin pulled a cardboard cut out of Juice Robinson from beneath the ring and stood it next to them.
AEW World Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass stormed onto the stage!
Daddy Ass: “We’re just out here to congratulate you guys over your recent title win. And we are the AEW Trios Champions. But we can do so much more!”
Max Caster: “That’s right, Bang Bang Gang. It’s one thing to get to the top of AEW, but it’s another thing to stay there. Just think if we were a supergroup. Together we’d be unstoppable in the ring, unstoppable in the back, unstoppable where it counts—with all the people. And I know the people want to see Billy Gunn with some singles gold.”
The fans started chanting “Daddy Ass! Daddy Ass! Daddy Ass!”
Max Caster: “I know the people want to see the Gunns with tag team titles, and Jay, I know the people want to see you as the World Heavyweight Champion. Listen! This is not our ceiling.”
The fans now chanted “Bang Bang Scissor Gang! Bang Bang Scissor Gang!”
Anthony Bowens: “The Acclaimed—we’ve been given the runaround before and we’re not going to take it anymore. We want an answer now. You don’t just have to answer to us. You have to answer to St. Louis. Do you want to see the Acclaimed and Bullet Club Gold unite?”
The fans chanted “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Bowens: “Of course you do! Everyone loves the Acclaimed! Scissors up! Guns up! Guys, this could be us every single week! The Bang Bang Scissor Gang!”
The Bang Bang Gang and the Acclaimed scissored with their hands and the crowd erupted!
“The formation of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang!” said Kevin Kelly.
“What a moment and you saw it live on Collision on TNT,” added Tony Schiavone.
Backstage footage aired from this past week’s Dynamite, with AEW Women’s Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther the Butler addressing “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo!
Toni Storm: “Fine, I know who you are, Ms. Purrazzo. Yes, I remember our time very well, I remember our dojo days in the land of the rising sun. And as for me, I am cursed with this rampant sexuality. I will meet you, I will complete you, and then I will beat you!”
The House of Black’s Buddy Matthews (with Malakai Black & Brody King)
vs.
Daniel Garcia!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Before the match began, FTR—Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, walked down to the ring to corner Daniel Garcia.
Buddy Matthews shoved Garcia to the mat. Buddy followed up with a big shoulder tackle. FTR shouted words of encouragement to Garcia, telling Garcia to outwrestle Matthews. Buddy spiked Garcia with a DDT. Buddy walloped Garcia with a knee strike on the apron. Garcia rallied back with a piledriver on the apron!
“Guys, we may be getting a double count out here,” said Tony Schiavone.
Both men made it back into the ring just in the nick of time before the 10-count. Garcia stormed Buddy with fists of fire and then stepped on Buddy’s head. Garcia applied a figure four around the ring post, shades of the great Bret “the Hitman” Hart! Back in the ring, Garcia applied the sharpshooter! Buddy grabbed Garcia’s head and began bashing it against the mat, escaping the sharpshooter.
Buddy blasted Garcia with knee strikes! Buddy nailed Garcia with a deadlift jackhammer for a near fall! Buddy was looking for a powerbomb, but Garcia slipped out, and scored the surprise jackknife pin!
The House of Black and FTR and Garcia began to brawl! Referees and security tried to separate the two teams. The locker room emptied and rushed to the ring, trying to tear the teams apart!
“I’m not so sure anyone can stop this! My God what are we watching!” yelled Schiavone.
“Only these six men can settle this!” added Kevin Kelly.
After a commercial break, Lexy Nair caught up with FTR and Daniel Garcia backstage for their comments!
Dax Harwood: “This has been going on for too long! I think we need to end it! Next week, six man tag, elimination style, inside a cage! Top guys out!”
The Undisputed Kingdom’s Roderick Strong (with ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett)
vs.
Matt Sydal!
Strong and Sydal chain wrestled, going hold for hold. Sydal connected with a spinning kick and then a plancha. Roddy caught Matt Sydal and drilled him with a perfect back breaker. Sydal took Roddy down with a hurracanrana. Sydal staggered Strong with a spinning heel kick. Sydal rocked Roderick with a meteora.
“Fans we have breaking news from Tony Khan! Next week Elimination Trios Steel Cage Match live on Collision! FTR and Daniel Garcia against the House of Black!” announced Tony Schiavone.
Sydal covered Roddy after an air raid crash, but Roddy escaped before the three-count. Roderick retaliated with a big knee lift. Roddy finished off Sydal with the End of Heartache and then pinned Sydal!
“Perfect strategy from Roderick Strong,” said Nigel.
Roddy looked into the camera and said, “Orange Cassidy, you see that?”
Danielson took down Kingston and blasted Kingston in the spine with a kick. Kingston used a snap mare takeover and kicked Danielson in the back! Ortiz tagged in and he and Kingston double suplexed Danielson.
Claudio grabbed a tag and tore off Ortiz’s shirt. Claudio clubbed Ortiz with European Uppercuts. Ortiz fought off Danielson and Claudio until the numbers became too much for him. Claudio drove Ortiz back into the BCC’s corner with his power. Claudio hurled Ortiz around the ring with the Giant Swing!
Danielson tagged in and walloped Ortiz with kicks. Ortiz got to his feet and nailed Bryan with a clothesline.
Tony Schiavone announced he had breaking news from Tony Khan; the ranking system is returning to AEW, so every win is crucial!
Ortiz tagged out to Kingston, and Claudio tagged in. Claudio and Ortiz exchanged chops and forearms in the center of the ring, going back and forth. Claudio slapped Eddie in the face! Eddie answered with machine gun chops to Claudio’s chest! Kingston sent Claudio crashing and burning with an exploder suplex!
Claudio connected with a short arm clothesline for a two-count. Danielson tagged in and cracked Kingston with a flying headbutt, a move made famous by Kansas City’s own Harley Race. Kingston stunned Danielson with a DDT out of nowhere! Ortiz tagged in and he and Kingston dropped Danielson with tandem offense. Ortiz hit a tope on Danielson, and Kingston hit one on Claudio on the other side of the ring!
“Nobody has had the back of Kingston quite like Ortiz,” said Kevin Kelly.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Danielson put Ortiz in the LeBell Lock. Ortiz reached the ropes. Danielson captured the wrists of Ortiz and began to stomp on his head. Claudio forced Kingston to watch the assault on Ortiz. Danielson nailed Ortiz with a running knee strike and pinned Ortiz!
After the match, Danielson told Kingston he would not hold his titles long and then spat at him! Danielson left the ring, smirking, while Kingston checked on Ortiz.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and Don Callis!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
This…is…Rampage!
Chris Jericho vs. Matt Sydal!
They started with a collar and elbow tie up. The fans chanted “Jericho! Jericho! Jericho!” Jericho ran the ropes and sent Sydal crashing with a shoulder tackle. Sydal sent Jericho over the top rope with a clothesline. Sydal connected with a meteora knee strike off the apron! Sydal drove Jericho down in the ring with another meteora for a near fall.
“The only thing that would make me happier is if it was one of my guys in the Don Callis Family with their hands around Jericho’s throat,” said Callis.
Jericho regained momentum with knife edge chops. Sydal chopped away at the legs and chest of Jericho with kicks. Jericho countered Sydal and locked in the Walls of Jericho! Sydal used his flexibility and finally reached the bottom rope, forcing the rope break. Jericho dropkicked Sydal from the turnbuckles, and Sydal crashed to the arena floor.
Back in the ring, Jericho jumped off the top rope, but Sydal countered with a kick and then a standing moonsault for a near fall! Jericho fired his shoulder up at the last possible moment. Sydal power bombed Jericho for another near fall.
“What a back and forth matchup this has been,” said Ian.
Sydal jumped off the ropes and Jericho cracked him with the Code Breaker! Jericho played possum and then went for a lionsault, but Sydal got his knees up. Sydal rocked Jericho with an Air Raid Crash for a two-count!
Jericho sent Sydal flying with a hurracanrana from the top rope. Jericho followed up with the Judas Effect and pinned Sydal!
Jericho barely took a step through the ropes and Don Callis ran for the hills!
As Jericho was returning to the back, “The Alpha” Takeshita blindsided Jericho! Security came out along with Christopher Daniels and Takeshita wiped out Daniels before leaving!
Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes) vs. The Workhorsemen’s Anthony Henry!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for the rest of the evening.
Penta El Zero Miedo walloped Henry with a stiff kick to Henry’s midsection. Anthony Henry managed to string together a flurry of offense on Penta. Henry charged at Penta, but Penta caught him with a thrust kick. Penta dropped Henry with a spinning Spiccoli Driver for a near fall!
Penta El Zero Miedo was looking for the Made in Japan, but Henry blocked it and hit a double stomp on Penta! Henry tried for a double stomp, but Penta dodged it and fired back with a suplex into the turnbuckles. Penta spiked Anthony Henry with the Fear Factor and pinned Henry!
Renee Paquette was backstage when Ruby Soho and Saraya walked up, arguing with one another!
Renee asked what was going on with them.
Saraya: “I don’t know! She’s paranoid!”
Ruby came back around the corner and this time she was holding Harley Cameron by the throat.
Ruby: “Why him?! Tell me!”
Harley: “To help you!”
Ruby: “To help me!? Are you kidding me?!”
Saraya was motioning to Harley from behind Ruby’s back.
Harley: “It was Anna Jay. She told me to do it.”
Saraya: “Yeah, that makes perfect sense Ruby. Let her go.”
Kris Statlander (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Queen Aminata!
Excalibur noticed Willow Nightingale’s absence from Kris’ side.
Queen Aminata took Kris down with an arm drag. They both went for a pump kick and they both blocked each other. Statlander charged at Aminata with a shoulder tackle. Statlander swept out Aminata’s legs and then splashed her with a senton.
Statlander charged at Aminata, but the Queen ducked it. Queen Aminata took the advantage with a diving crossbody through the ropes. Back in the ring, Statlander trucked Aminata with a discus lariat for a near fall!
Queen Aminata rocked Statlander with a running knee. Statlander slipped behind and power slammed Aminata. Statlander planted Aminata, hooked the leg and pinned her!
“Stokely Hathaway seems to think he played a major role in Statlander’s victory,” said Excalibur.
Sonjay Dutt once again commissioned a camera crew to document his attempts to get his gang back on track!
Sonjay was backstage with Satnam Singh and Jay Lethal.
Lethal: “Where the heck is Jeff? I’m glad he’s not here. That way I can talk openly without him interrupting. I want to get back to what this company was built on and that’s great in ring action. I can’t do this in this group.”
Sonjay: “I got it. It’s time to kick Karen Jarrett out of the group.”
Satnam: “Whoa, whoa, we need to keep the best leader of this team. We need to keep Karen and kick out Jeff!”
Jay Lethal: “Guys stop! This is what I’m talking about. We’re arguing after stupid things. I don’t know how much more of this I can take! Maybe it’s singles gold I’m after!”
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Kris Statlander after her huge victory!
Stokely Hathaway was standing beside Statlander.
Willow Nightingale rushed to see Kris. Willow was still in her street clothes.
Willow: “I missed it! I’m so sorry.”
Kris: “Are you ok?”
Willow: “I’m fine but my flight was cancelled.”
Stokely: “Cancelled?”
Willow: “No, the flight happened. I just couldn’t get on it. Somebody cancelled my trip.”
Stokely: “Oh my, damn. But you know what? If you’re supposed to be her best friend and you love this business so much, you wouldn’t have been hopping on Soul Plane. Maybe if you would have picked a dedicated airline like United or Delta!”
Willow: “I wanted to be in your corner!”
Kris: “We’re going to figure this out.”
Stokely: “You mean we? Oh, so we’re a thing?”
Willow: “You’re giving him a chance?”
Main Event Time!
Darby Allin vs. Jeff Hardy!
Jeff slapped Darby in the face. Darby fired back with a shotgun dropkick. Darby jumped from the top turnbuckle and crashed onto Jeff on the outside! Jeff Hardy whipped Darby into the announcers’ desk!
“Jeff Hardy showing a real mean streak here,” said Matt Menard.
Jeff hurled Darby into the barricade. Jeff jumped off the ring apron and connected with a big clothesline. Jeff ran and jumped off the steel ring steps, but Darby moved, sending Jeff crashing into the barricade.
Darby clubbed Jeff with right hands across the jaw. Darby sat Jeff on a metal chair and then charged at him with a tope suicida, but Jeff dodged it! Darby was writhing in pain. Back in the ring Jeff hit a neck breaker. Jeff followed up with two more neck breakers. Jeff face planted Darby and covered him, but Darby kicked out at the two-count.
Both men jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Darby raked Jeff’s back. Darby rocked Jeff with an avalanche Code Red for a near fall!
“How did Jeff Hardy kick out of that one?” wondered Excalibur.
Jeff stopped Darby from doing a Coffin Drop. Jeff countered with a neck breaker on the ring apron, with Darby’s feet elevated on the top turnbuckle! Jeff pulled a table from beneath the ring. Jeff rammed Darby’s head into the steel ring post and then placed Darby on the table. Jeff attempted a Swanton, but Darby dodged it and sent Jeff crashing through the table!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Darby rolled Jeff back into the ring. Darby went for the Coffin Drop but Jeff raised his knees right into Darby’s back! Darby escaped a Twist of Fate, jackknifed Jeff and scored the pin!
“He’ll take those risks, but Darby is such a highly technical wrestler as well,” said Excalibur.
Darby tried to fist bump Jeff after the match to show respect, but Jeff wouldn’t reciprocate, simply choosing to leave the ring instead.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO featuring:
-House of Black’s Buddy Matthews vs. Daniel Garcia!
-Thunder Rosa returns to singles action!
-The “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland’s “Cope Open”!
-The Return of Jon Moxley as he goes one on one with Shane Taylor!
-Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli vs. Continental Crown Champ Eddie Kingston & Ortiz!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!
Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
TNT Championship Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) (with Nick Wayne & Killswitch)
vs.
“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes!
The fans chanted “Let’s go Dustin! Let’s go Dustin! Let’s go Dustin!”
Christian Cage hit Dustin with a cheap shot, kicking him in the abdomen. Rhodes fired back with a scoop slam. Christian rolled out of the ring, swept out Dustin’s legs, and was about to pull Dustin by the legs into the ring post. Instead, Dustin pulled back, sending Christian headfirst into the steel ring post. Dustin flew off the ring steps with a clothesline, taking the fight to the champion outside the ring.
Rhodes hit Christian Cage with a haymaker. Christian Cage took a huge risk and jumped off the turnbuckles and landed on Dustin Rhodes outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dustin strung together a flurry of offense and punctuated it with a bulldog for a near fall!
Dustin rocked Christian with a Code Red for a two-count! Christian played possum, begging off Dustin but then pulling him down onto the ropes. Dustin went for a tope, but Christian countered with a stiff strike. Christian connected with a frog splash for a two-count on Rhodes.
Christian grabbed his title from the timekeeper’s table. Christian was about to smash the title against Dustin’s head, but ref Aubrey Edwards grabbed it away. As the ref was distracted, Dustin rolled up Christian in a small package. Nick Wayne jumped in the ring and reversed the cradle attempt, rolling Christian on top of Dustin. “The Natural” managed to kick out!
“That was quick thinking by Nick Wayne. It didn’t work but it was smart,” said Taz.
Dustin slugged Christian. Dustin superplexed Christian Cage as more interference from Nick Wayne backfired. Dustin Rhodes rocked Christian with the Cross Rhodes for a near fall! Nick Wayne grabbed at Dustin’s ankle. Dustin met Wayne outside the ring while Christian distracted the ref. Killswitch diverted Dustin’s attention this time, and Nick Wayne climbed to the top turnbuckle. Nick went for Wayne’s World, but Dustin countered with a Canadian Destroyer on the arena floor!
Dustin got back into the ring and Christian speared him! Christian smashed Dustin with the Killswitch but Dustin kicked out at the two-count! Dustin got back up, but Christian connected with a second Killswitch and pinned Dustin!
“That spear was a direct message to Adam Copeland,” said Taz.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Swerve Strickland!
Swerve said not only did he have his eyes on the main event, but he also has his eyes everywhere. He said it didn’t matter if it was Samoa Joe or Hook who came out as champion. Swerve said he’s the most dangerous man going after the most coveted prize in the industry. Renee mentioned “Hangman” Adam Page, another man going after that prize. Swerve said, “Like I said, I’ve got eyes everywhere.” Swerve said he’s beaten Hangman twice now and he’s got no reason to prove it again.
Renee Paquette interviewed “The Ocho” Chris Jericho backstage!
Jericho said the Don Callis Family ripped those AEW World Tag Team championship belts out of his and Sammy Guevara’s hands at Battle of the Belts last Saturday. “Takeshita, Hobbs, you caused us to lose, and you injured Sammy. Now, even though I just beat you in Tokyo, Takeshita, suddenly that match doesn’t mean as much anymore. I’m going to seek and destroy your ass!”
Matt Sydal interrupted and questioned why Jericho was losing it over this defeat. “To get over this loss, you have to get back in that ring and you have to fight somebody who’s beaten you before, like me.”
Jericho: “You’re asking for a match? I respect you as a wrestler. Some would even say you’re born to do this. Maybe we need to do this match on Rampage, but I’ve got to warn you, I’ve got a lot of pent up aggression. So be careful what you wish for. I’ll see you on Friday.”
Komander & Penta El Zero Miedo (with Rey Fenix and Alex Abrahantes)!
Orange and Penta El Zero Miedo had a stare down in the center of the ring. Penta blasted Orange with round kicks. Orange attempted a DDT, but Penta countered with a massive thrust kick. Penta was about to fly out of the ring, but Trent cut him off. Komander tagged in and hit a missile dropkick on Trent.
Trent suplexed Komander with a half-and-half and then returned Orange back to the ring. Orange covered Komander for a near fall. Komander took Trent over the top rope with his legs. Komander up kicked at Cassidy. Penta tagged in and stunned Orange with a sling blade, and then a second sling blade! Penta pulped Orange with the Made in Japan, good for a two-count!
Orange spiked Penta with a DDT. Trent tagged in and pie faced Komander. Trent hammered Komander against the ropes. Komander cradled Trent for a near fall. Trent chopped Komander, backing him up to his corner. Penta tagged in, jumped off Komander’s back, and walloped Trent with an assisted Canadian Destroyer! Komander walked the ropes and splashed Trent. Komander covered Trent for the pin, but Orange jumped in to break it up.
Komander climbed to the top turnbuckle and tried for the Phoenix Splash. Trent dodged it and returned fire with a knee strike! Penta popped up out of nowhere and nailed Trent with a thunderous thrust kick. Penta springboarded off the ropes but Orange jumped in, shoved Trent out of the way, and rocked Penta with the Beach Break! Cassidy cracked Komander with the Orange Punch! Trent hoisted up Komander, hit the Crunchy, and pinned Komander!
After the match, the Undisputed Kingdom walked onto the ramp and down to the ring!
Roderick Strong: “I know you’ve heard me say it to the fans and other people, but I came out here to say it to your face, Orange. So, take off your glasses and look me in the eyes! Orange, take your glasses off now! We can end you right now if we wanted to.
“Listen, you have been a fighting champion, willing to take on anyone at any time, but tonight you decided to wrestle in a tag match and not defend the AEW International Championship. But why? Is it all becoming too much? Are you afraid you don’t have enough in the tank to keep it? Or are you afraid of me coming for it, and you can’t face it? It belongs to me and I’m coming for it. I’m here to make you face it!”
Orange Cassidy: “Alright, you know what. You got it. Let’s do it, right here, right now.”
Roderick Strong: “No, no, not right now. You, you’re going to have to wait until March 3rd, live on pay-per-view on Revolution. Because I want you for the next six weeks to live with that, to accept that, to wake up every day knowing that you’re just keeping my title warm for me.”
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview “Hangman” Adam Page!
Page: “If you think back on the past five years, you will not find another soul on the planet who cared more about the AEW World Championship than I have. Who treated it with reverence. Who needed it. But in 2024, not only will I win it, but I will also put my name on it and keep it there for as long as I can.
“Swerve seems to think about me a lot. I don’t think about him at all. If he says he can beat me, I would say it doesn’t matter. Because he’s not the World Champion. Samoa Joe is. I’ll be watching tonight. And if Hook wins, God be with you.”
Mark Briscoe walked onto the ramp to honor his brother, Jay!
The Briscoe family was in the front row.
Mark Briscoe: “I come to you tonight representing the baddest tag team in the history of this planet, the Briscoe Brothers. Tragically, one year ago tonight, my brother passed on in a car accident. He moved onto the next level of existence. My nieces were in the truck with him, and tragically they told my oldest niece she’ll never walk again. However, damn it, God is on the throne! We won’t stop because we can’t stop!”
Mark’s niece walked onto the stage!
Mark Briscoe: “We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!”
A tribute package aired honoring Jay Briscoe.
#Demboys
Renee Paquette had a sit down interview with the Young Bucks—Nick and Matt Jackson!
Nick: “I’m sorry to cut you off, but can you show us some respect and call us by our God-given names, Nicholas and Matthew? We’re executive vice presidents around here, and it’s time to take this job a little more seriously.”
Matt: “Good point.”
Renee: “We’ve heard about the public tantrums, the rumors…”
Matt: “Rumors, you want to go there? I think I know which rumor you’re talking about. You don’t believe the things they say or write about us, do you? None of those are true. Let’s say hypothetically some of those things were true. What would you do to preserve and protect your life’s work? What would you do to protect your baby? I know what I would do. So just think of that the next time you come at us with rumors again. And again, this is all hypothetical, but what would you be willing to lose?
“Also, would you be willing to lose your relationship with coworkers and your friends? How about your legacy and reputation, out the window. If you knew all that in hindsight, would you do all that if it meant there’d be a healthy, sustainable company called AEW? I’ll answer that. Hell yeah. And speaking of there being a company around, you got your paycheck this week, right? You’re welcome.”
Renee: “Switching gears, let’s talk Sting.”
Matt: “When we started AEW there in the beginning, you weren’t there, so you wouldn’t know. But we used to say, ‘Change the world.’ We were disrupters. We were changing the world and somewhere along the way, we lost our way. It’s like the culture shifted and toxicity crept into the locker room. It was just different. I think I know why. I think it’s because we started to lean on yesterday’s self-serving, cancerous superstars.
“And you mentioned Sting. This isn’t about Sting. Sting is none of those things. Sting is great. Sting is a role model employee. I’m envious of the way they talk about Sting. Maybe they’ll talk about us like that one day. However, it’s what Sting represents. Sting is the last of that dying breed. And the image of Sting isn’t in line with what we wanted to do with AEW. We wanted to change the world. Unfortunately for Sting, we’re going to have to say goodbye to Sting and everybody like Sting. And we would never ask anybody to do anything that we weren’t willing to do ourselves.”
Nick: “Good point.”
Renee: “Is that an official call out to Sting at Revolution for his final match?”
Nick: “As EVPs, we’ll pull some strings.”
ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!
The Mogul Embassy (c.)—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage
vs.
Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White, and The Gunns—Austin & Colten!
Toa backed up Jay White. Toa tried for a chop, but Jay ducked it. Jay blistered up Toa’s chest with chops of his own. Toa retaliated with a heavy chop and then multiple knee strikes to Jay’s lower back.
Bishop Kaun tagged in and continued the assault on White. Jay White landed a dragon screw leg whip and tagged out to Colten. Colten stomped on Kaun and then Austin tagged in. Cage grabbed a tag but ate some right hands from Austin. Brian Cage retaliated with a German Suplex. The Gates of Agony double teamed Austin, double teaming him.
Colten tagged in and cleaned house on the Mogul Embassy! Colten nailed Cage with a neck breaker. Toa ran in and sent Colten for a ride with a wicked pounce! The Gates of Agony hurled Colten into Cage and Cage power bombed Colten! Kaun connected with an Air Raid Crash, but Austin and Jay ran in to make the save and break up the pin.
Jay White shoved Cage into the steel ring post! Jay White lit up Bishop with heavy chops, sending thunderous echoes throughout the arena. The Gunns blasted Cage with the 3:10 to Yuma! Bishop Kaun split leg dropkicked the Gunns. Kaun distracted the ref while Prince Nana tripped up Jay White. Kaun hit a lung blower on Jay White for a near fall. Prince Nana jumped in the ring with the belt, ready to hit White while Kaun distracted the ref. Anthony Bowens sprinted to the ring and pulled the belt away from Prince Nana! Jay White rocked Kaun with the Blade Runner and pinned him!
And new ROH World Six-Man Champions…Bullet Club Gold!
AEW Trios Champs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass came out onto the ramp and saluted Bullet Club Gold with the scissor hand gesture.
“Could we be seeing the genesis of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang?” wondered Excalibur.
The Undisputed Kingdom’s Adam Cole and Wardlow were backstage!
Cole: “Wardlow hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he’s capable of, but now with the Undisputed Kingdom, this man will be unbeatable. This man will go down as the most dominant AEW professional wrestler of all time, I promise you that. And just wait and see until Wardlow continues to run over opponent after opponent after opponent until there is nothing left but the AEW World Championship, which will then be the property of the Undisputed Kingdom. Ain’t that right, big man?”
Wardlow: “Boom!”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Anna Jay!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the commentary team for this match. She was flanked by Mariah May and Luther the Butler.
Deonna hit an uppercut to Anna’s arm. Anna fired back with a neck breaker over the ropes on Deonna. Deonna rocked Anna with clotheslines. Deonna pump kicked Anna for a near fall. Anna cracked Deonna with a backstabber for a two-count.
Anna tried to lock in the Queen Slayer, but Deonna rolled through. They traded forearms. Deonna flattened out Anna, locked on the Venus de Milo, and Anna was forced to submit!
Renee Paquette interviewed Deonna Purrazzo in the ring!
Renee: “Toni Storm said she’d like to meet with you, but the champ is right there. Is there anything you’d like to say to her?”
Deonna: “Absolutely. Toni, I don’t know what’s gotten into you. We’ve known each other for a long time. We used to be like sisters. And it’s clear since I arrived at AEW that you’ve changed. But you know what? So, have I. You might have been friends with Deonna Purrazzo, but you have never met the greatest technical wrestler in the world, ‘the Virtuosa.’”
Toni: “Technical? You’re technical? Well technically speaking, you’re an artificially tanned hack. My past is none of your concern. I aught to march right in that ring and sock you right in that box! But we must go to commercial. So, chin up, t-ts out, and watch for the shoe!”
Mariah May threw a shoe at Deonna! Deonna threw it back!
Toni: “You’re toast! You’re going down!”
Luther carried Toni away on his shoulders.
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin vs. Private Party—Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy!
Kassidy and Darius exchanged a flurry of offense, each countering the other, going hold for hold! Dante and Marq grabbed tags. Marq Quen went after Dante’s ankle. Kassidy hit a big springboard crossbody on Dante.
Marq Quen hit two planchas on both members of Top Flight! Quen went to the top turnbuckle and connected with a 450 splash, but Dante managed to kick out! Top Flight rocked Marq Quen with a quick combination. Dante cracked Quen in the nose with a knee strike. Isiah stunned Dante with a step over kick.
Private Party served up Gin & Juice on Dante! Darius ran in to make the save but Marq Quen rolled him up, and with the help of the ropes, scored the pin!
“Whoa a little highway robbery there,” said Taz.
Excalibur wondered if it was intentional or if it was just instinct.
“Either way, Top Flight feeling like they were wronged here tonight,” said Excalibur.
A Sting and Darby Allin video package aired!
“This story is going to end with me and Sting as AEW World champions,” said Darby.
Sting: “It’s showtime.”
Main Event Time! AEW World Championship Match!
Samoa Joe (c.) vs. FTW Champion HOOK!
Hook charged into battle, peppering the champ with shots. Samoa Joe immediately sent Hook to the outside. Samoa Joe whipped Hook at the barricade, but Hook jumped onto the barricade and then jumped back at Joe with a shot!
Back in the ring, Samoa Joe sent Hook into the ropes and then drove him hard to the mat with a running back elbow. Samoa Joe jabbed at Hook with right hands! Samoa Joe pummeled Hook in the corner with more strikes.
Samoa Joe walloped Hook with a kick and then an elbow drop for a two-count. Hook was looking for a T-bone suplex, but Samoa Joe stopped him with an elbow strike. Hook tripped Samoa Joe and then clobbered him with a wild ride hand from off the apron! Samoa Joe spiked Hook onto the announcer’s desk, and it collapsed under Hook!
Hook flipped off Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe power bombed Hook onto the ring apron! The ref had Doc Sampson examine Hook at ringside. Hook wouldn’t stay down; he shoved the doctor away and got back into the ring. Samoa Joe powerslammed Hook for a near fall!
“What is this man made of?” wondered Excalibur.
Samoa Joe nailed Hook with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Hook was still alive, despite being put through hell! Samoa Joe planted Hook with a muscle buster and Hook kicked out at the one-count!
Hook blasted Samoa Joe with three consecutive lariats. Hook sent Samoa Joe for a ride with a T-bone suplex! Hook tried to lock in the Red Rum, but Samoa Joe blocked it! Samoa Joe countered with his own submission. The ref raised Hook’s arm three times, but Hook didn’t respond. The ref ended the match, declaring Samoa Joe the winner.
“Hook wrestled the match of a lifetime. The good news for Hook is this is only the beginning. Hook has quite a career ahead of him,” said Ian.
As Samoa Joe was leaving with his title, Hook yelled, “Is that all you got?”
Samoa Joe jumped back into the ring and kicked Hook between the legs! Samoa Joe planted Hook with another muscle buster!
“Not after this match! Joe didn’t need to do this,” said Excalibur.
Hook was undaunted and got back to his feet, pointing at Samoa Joe who was outside the ring! Samoa Joe got back into the ring. “Hangman” Adam Page sprinted to the ring, having seen enough out of Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe finally left the ring, glaring at Hangman Page. Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana appeared in the front row! Swerve was smirking at Page and Samoa Joe. Hangman helped Hook to his feet.
“Hook put up a hell of a fight, but he came up short. That’s all right. He will be a world champion. That will happen,” said Taz.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Enmarket Arena in Savannah, GA!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX was broadcast live from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, VA!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Open Challenge Match!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland vs. Shane Taylor Promotion’s Lee Moriarty!
Collision kicked off with the “Cope Open”!
Copeland whipped Moriarty into the turnbuckles. Copeland clubbed Lee with forearms. Copeland swept out Lee’s legs. Moriarty wrenched Copeland’s arm over the top rope and followed up with a dropkick.
Moriarty went for the Border City Stretch. Copeland powered himself to the ropes, reaching out and grabbing the bottom rope, forcing the ref to break the hold. Moriarty climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Copeland knocked Moriarty off balance. Copeland tossed Lee with an avalanche fallaway slam. Copeland was contemplating a spear, but Shane Taylor distracted him from the arena floor. Moriarty capitalized and booted Copeland. Copeland went outside and speared Taylor and, in the process, Moriarty torpedoed Copeland with a tope!
Back in the ring, Copeland pummeled Lee with stiff shots. Copeland cracked Lee with a backbreaker. Copeland applied the Grindhouse and made Moriarty tap out!
Copeland: “Just in case he forgot, Christian Cage I’m still coming for your scrawny ass!”
ROH World Six-Man Championship Match!
The Mogul Embassy—Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, & “The Machine” Brian Cage (c.)
vs.
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer, & The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent!
Archer and Cage shoved one another. Cage took down Archer with a vertical suplex. Archer wiped out Cage with a lariat. Cage came back with a German Suplex. The Gates of Agony used tandem offense on Vincent. Toa splashed Vincent after a drop toe hold.
Bishop Kaun and Vincent slugged it out in the center of the ring. Things broke down quickly with both teams brawling around ringside! Archer choke slammed Kaun. Cage entered the ring and drilled Archer with a Death Valley Driver. Vincent jumped in but Toa hit a Samoan Drop. Vincent grabbed Toa and nailed him with the Bossman Slam and then flipped over the top rope, wiping out the champs!
Archer was looking for the Black Out on Kaun, but Prince Nana grabbed Archer’s boot. Jake “The Snake” Roberts knocked out Nana with one punch! The fans chanted “You still got it!” Archer was mad at Roberts for getting involved.
Toa pounced Vincent in the ring! The Gates of Agony double teamed Vincent but Archer ran in to make the save. Cage nailed Archer with a twisting neck breaker. Bishop Kaun used his finisher and flattened Vincent for the pinfall victory!
Prince Nana: “Ladies and gentlemen, you’re looking at the greatest ROH Six-Man Champions of all time! And you know what? The boss, Swerve and I, we were watching those guys from the Bang Bang Gang complain about how they need more titles in their collection. More specifically, the ROH Six-Man Tag Titles. But you have a boss who couldn’t beat Swerve in the Continental Classic! But since we’re such great guys, this Wednesday, live on Wednesday, it’s Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony challenging you guys in the Bang Bang Gang!”
Lexy Nair was interviewing Preston Vance backstage when…
Roderick Strong and the Kingdom interrupted Preston. Preston Vance said this was his time, but after he was done with his match tonight, he’d beat Roddy next week!
“The Natural” Dustin Rhodes vs. Willie Mack!
Dustin arm dragged Mack to the mat. Dustin staggered Willie with a strike to the face. Willie Mack cracked Dustin in the head with a kick. Willie splashed Dustin with a standing moonsault for a near fall.
Willie Mack climbed to the top and went for the six-star frog splash, but Dustin dodged it. Dustin followed up with a Canadian Destroyer and then a power slam! Dustin planted Mack with the Cross Rhodes and pinned him!
“I think he’s catching lightning in a bottle. Message sent!” said Kevin Kelly.
Bullet Club Gold were backstage with an answer for Prince Nana and the Mogul Embassy!
“Switchblade” Jay White said the ROH Six-Man Titles would be going home with him and the Gunns after their match on Dynamite this Wednesday!
FTW World Champion Hook was shown arriving at the arena!
Renee Paquette tried to interview Dustin Rhodes backstage!
TNT Champion Christian Cage interrupted Rhodes and said he didn’t like the company that Rhodes kept. Dustin challenged Christian Cage to put his title on the line this Wednesday on Dynamite!
“Hangman” Adam Page vs. The Workhorsemen’s JD Drake (with Anthony Henry)!
Tony Schiavone mentioned how Page made a challenge to AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, but Hook has the first shot this Wednesday on Dynamite.
Hangman used a side headlock takeover on Drake. Hangman chopped Drake in the corner. Hangman connected with a running moonsault. Page dropkicked Drake into Anthony Henry. JD Drake blasted Page with a big blow!
Hangman landed a top rope plancha on Drake. Page followed up with a crossbody press from the top rope for a near fall. Hangman hoisted up Drake and drilled him with a Death Valley Driver! JD Drake fired back with a belly-to-belly suplex and then a cannonball splash! JD Drake went for a moonsault, but Hangman got out of the way. Hangman blasted Drake with the Buckshot Lariat and pinned JD Drake!
“His first Collision match is a victory, and he earned it, too!” said Tony Schiavone.
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet!
Red Velvet was looking for a thrust kick, but Deonna put the brakes on. Red Velvet snuck in a dropkick though. Deonna grabbed Red Velvet in a Fujiwara armbar, but Velvet grabbed the ropes. Deonna cracked Red Velvet with a baseball dropkick.
Red Velvet shocked Deonna with a Japanese style arm drag. Red Velvet continued to work over Purrazzo’s arm. Deonna rocked Red Velvet with a big pump kick! Deonna grabbed Red Velvet’s arms and pulled back, forcing Red Velvet to tap out to the Venus de Milo!
FTW Champion HOOK vs. Kevin Matthews!
Matthews charged at Hook, trying to blindside him. Hook saw him coming and suplexed Matthews all over the ring. Hook hurled KM on the ramp with another suplex! Hook locked on the Red Rum and Kevin Matthews tapped out!
“Hook has momentum going into Wednesday!” said Tony Schiavone.
Hook looked into the camera and said, “Samoa Joe, I’ll see you Wednesday!”
Collision Main Event! Trios Match!
Daniel Garcia & FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood
vs.
The House of Black—Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black!
Matt Menard joined the commentary team for this match.
Dax smashed Buddy with a guillotine leg drop. FTR hit a double catapult on Buddy. Cash followed up with a brain buster. Garcia tagged in but ate a boot from Buddy.
Malakai Black tagged in and took down Garcia with a big arm drag. Garcia ducked a roundhouse kick from Black. Black and Garcia taunted one another. Brody King entered the fray and FTR knocked him over the top rope with a lariat. The House of Black gathered outside the ring to rethink their strategy.
Back in the ring, big bad Brody and Dax the ax battled it out! Brody power bombed Dax. Malakai tagged in and Malakai and Buddy Matthews double teamed Dax, cutting the ring in half, preventing him from making the tag. The House of Black were relentless in their assault on Dax Harwood.
Harwood finally managed to make the tag to Garcia. Daniel Garcia had fists of fire, taking the fight right to Buddy and Malakai! Garcia held the ropes open and Cash flew out with a tope suicida onto the entire House of Black! Garcia spiked Black with a brain buster for a near fall!
FTR picked up Brody and Garcia jumped off the top rope and they spiked Brody with a triple team piledriver! Black rocked Garcia with a roundhouse kick!
The fans chanted “A-E-W! A-E-W! A-E-W!”
Garcia put Black on his shoulders and Dax jumped off the top with a big bulldog for a two-count! Dax superplexed Black and Garcia jumped for the splash, but Black raised his knees in defense. Matthews tagged himself in. Matthews power bombed Dax twice for a near fall. Dax crunched Buddy with a piledriver for a two-count!
“This is incredible!” said Matt Menard.
Brody distracted the ref from the apron and Black nailed Dax with a round kick. Buddy curb stomped Dax and scored the victory.
“What we have seen tonight has been incredible and the House of Black rises to the top,” said Tony Schiavone.
“You know what they say. The House always wins,” replied Nigel.
Brody blindsided Matt Menard after the match! The House of Black had Daddy Magic surrounded. Black mauled Menard with a roundhouse kick. Garcia and Cash jumped into the ring with steel chairs. The House of Black were forced to retreat, despite winning. FTR and Garcia made a final statement by taking out Brody with the Shatter Machine!
The Battle Of The Belts IX portion of the night began!
AEW World Tag Team Championship Street Fight!
Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks (c.)
vs.
Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara!
Both teams were brawling outside the arena! Jericho cracked Starks in the head with a garbage can. Big Bill choke slammed Jericho onto the dirt. Sammy rammed into the champs with a golf cart!
Big Bill had a backpack with bricks inside. Big Bill threw a brick at Sammy, but Sammy moved. The brick broke a car windshield. Jericho and Sammy suplexed Big Bill onto the hood of the car. Rhett Titus was outside with a crowd watching the fight. Titus yelled at Jericho, “That’s my car!” Jericho answered with a Judas Effect to Titus!
Starks and Jericho fought backstage. Starks put a plunger on Jericho’s face! Jericho retaliated with a traffic cone! Sammy and Big Bill traded strikes. Sammy sprayed Big Bill in the face with a fire extinguisher. He sprayed Ricky next!
Starks cracked Jericho in the back with a kendo stick. Jericho had a kendo stick of his own and began to whack Big Bill with it. Jericho picked up a table from ringside. He put two tables side by side. Jericho and Big Bill brawled on top of a crew case. Takeshita smashed Jericho with a kendo stick from out of nowhere. Big Bill power bombed Jericho off the crew case and down through the tables below!
Sammy climbed a lighting truss. Sammy was thirty feet in the air and went for a senton. Powerhouse Hobbs pulled Starks out of the way, and Sammy crashed and burned on the senton! Starks put his arm over Sammy and pinned him!
TBS Championship Match!
Julia Hart (c.) vs. Anna Jay!
Anna Jay stunned Julia with a running snap mare. Julia ducked a round kick. Julia yanked on Anna’s arm, and Anna’s shoulder collided with the turnbuckle. Anna was doing her best to fight with one injured arm. Anna connected with a backstabber for a near fall.
Anna applied the Queen Slayer, but Julia rolled out and put a choke of her own on Anna. Anna escaped and wiped out Julia with a flatliner. Julia locked on Heartless out of nowhere and made Anna Jay tap out!
Footage was shown from earlier in the day of Sonjay Dutt in a locker room with Jeff Jarrett, Karen Jarrett, and Jay Lethal!
Sonjay told them they needed to get on the same page. Jeff told Jay he had to leave the team. Satnam Singh entered the room and offered food to Jay Lethal, but Lethal shoved it away.
Main Event Time! AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. LFI’s Preston Vance (with Jose the Assistant)!
The Undisputed Kingdom walked down the ramp and sat on chairs watching from ringside.
Preston walloped Orange with a discus lariat. Orange fired back with an Orange Punch! Preston blocked the Beach Break. Preston shoulder tackled Cassidy from off the ropes. Preston connected with a pump kick, sending Orange spilling outside the ring, right in front of the Undisputed Kingdom.
Orange got his hands in his pockets and dropkicked Preston. Orange followed up with a tope suicida. Preston planted Vance with a spinebuster. Preston stomped on Orange in the corner. Orange rallied back with a thrust kick and stomps of his own, pummeling Preston to the mat. Cassidy drilled Preston with the Stun Dog Millionaire and then a spinning DDT for a two-count!
Orange jumped from the top turnbuckle, out of the ring, but Preston caught him! Preston used Orange as a weapon, throwing him overhead with a fallaway slam, taking out the members of the Undisputed Kingdom! Preston flipped off Roderick.
Back in the ring, Preston locked on the full nelson. Cassidy stomped on Preston’s foot and broke free. Orange cracked Preston in the face with the Orange Punch! Orange pulped Preston with the Beach Break and pinned him, retaining the championship!
The Undisputed Kingdom got into the ring after the match. They stared at Cassidy. Jose the Assistant grabbed Roderick, but Roderick retaliated with a jumping knee strike. The Undisputed Kingdom threw Preston and Jose out of the ring. They turned their attention back to Orange Cassidy. Roderick pointed at Orange and said the clock was ticking for him.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Homecoming was broadcast live from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Jim Ross, and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
Continental Crown Championship Match!
Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta!
Yuta and Kingston chain wrestled at the start of the match. Yuta applied pressure to Eddie’s wrist and arm. Yuta kicked Eddie in the head, taunting him. Eddie got to his feet and smacked Yuta in the face with an open palm strike. Yuta fired back with a tope, driving Eddie into the barricade.
Yuta connected with a big cross body press. Yuta charged at Kingston in the corner, but Kingston moved out of the way. Kingston used his rapid fire chops to Yuta’s chest. They brawled outside the ring. Yuta drove Kingston shoulder first into the barricade. Yuta focused his attack on Kingston’s right arm, stomping on it.
Back in the ring, Wheeler Yuta dropkicked Eddie Kingston. Yuta planted Kingston shoulder first onto the mat. Yuta slapped Kingston in the face. Eddie had enough and hit Yuta with a capture suplex. Kingston followed up with an exploder suplex. Both men were hurting, and both men were down.
Yuta charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with a DDT for a near fall. Kingston blistered the chest of Yuta with more chops. They jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle and Yuta spiked Kingston with a diving DDT. Kingston escaped the pin attempt by touching the bottom rope with his boot!
Wheeler Yuta smashed Eddie with hammer and anvil elbows. Yuta applied a cross arm breaker. Yuta wrenched up on the wrist of Kingston. The champ grabbed the bottom rope to force the ref to break the hold. Yuta nailed Eddie with a German Suplex for a close near fall. Yuta climbed to the top and splashed Eddie for a two-count!
Wheeler shoved the ref out of the way and booted Eddie in the face. Eddie got to his feet and cracked Yuta with a spinning back fist. Eddie blasted Yuta with a half and half suplex, followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb, and pinned Yuta!
Renee Paquette was backstage with The Hardys and Mark Briscoe!
Renee asked if the fans could expect to see more of the Hardys and Mark teaming up as a trio.
Briscoe: “Renee, the Hardy Boys and Big Chicken himself kicked ass and took names and I have a feeling we’re not done!”
Jeff: “Not only did we kick ass in the ring, but we also kicked ass in the ratings. Viewership, demos, all categories.”
Matt: “Myself and Jeff, we want to win the AEW World Tag Team Titles, but I could see some Trios gold in the future of this combination. You know why we have so much respect for you? Because when we fought you and your brother, you brought it to us like no one else! We were meant to be a trio. And I see great things in our future!”
Jeff Hardy put a Hardys Boys necklace around Mark’s neck.
Matt: “As of right now, you’re one of us!”
Swerve Strickland vs. Matt Sydal!
Sydal tried to score a pin early on. Swerve answered with a back breaker, showing off his mean streak. Swerve cracked Sydal with a flying European Uppercut.
“There’s sheer confidence on Swerve’s face,” said Excalibur.
“There should be,” replied Tony Schiavone.
Sydal took down Swerve with a rana and then a rising knee strike. Swerve came back with a back breaker once again. Sydal connected with an Air Raid Crash for a near fall. Swerve rallied back with a rolling flatliner and then a vertical suplex. Sydal dodged the Swerve Stomp. Swerve came back with a JML Driver and pinned Sydal!
“A very impressive victory,” said Jim Ross.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Top Flight and Action Andretti!
Private Party interrupted them! Dante Martin took issue with Private Party interrupting them for a second time. Private Party challenged any two of them to a match, and Top Flight and Action Andretti seemed up to the task!
Hikaru Shida vs. Queen Aminata!
Shida shoved at the Queen and then took her down with a shoulder tackle. Aminata slipped out of the corner and rocked Shida with a hip attack and then a running boot to the side of Shida’s head. Aminata kicked Shida in the small of the back.
Shida invited Aminata to kick her and Aminata answered. Aminata tried for a running knee, but Shida intercepted it and countered with a dragon screw leg whip. Aminata headbutted Shida to the sternum and followed up with a German Suplex. Shida dazed her opponent with a short arm lariat.
Shida stunned Aminata with a jumping knee. Shida spiked Aminata with a Falcon Arrow with a near fall. Shida finished off Aminata with the katana and pinned the Queen! They hugged after the match.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Ruby Soho and Saraya!
Renee wished Ruby a happy belated birthday. Renee said it seemed like the addition of Harley Cameron has been great for them.
Saraya: “Yeah, there’s a reason why she’s not here. I mean, Ruby, I have to show you something, and I’m sorry, this is going to break your heart. The only reason I’m going to show you this is because I love you. And I’m sorry it’s on your birthday.”
Saraya pushed play on a remote control and hidden footage aired of Harley backstage, approaching Angelo Parker. Harley grabbed Parker by the face and pulled him in for a kiss. Saraya paused the footage.
Saraya: “Yeah, I don’t want to say I told you so Ruby, but…”
Angelo Parker walked onto the set singing Happy Birthday, holding a birthday cake. Ruby shoved the cake in Angelo’s face and told him to go to hell! She stormed off!
Saraya looked at Angelo and said, “I always in.”
Parker: “It’s not what it looks like!”
Parker hit play on the remote control and the footage continued, and it was clear he was pushing away from Harley, not wanting her kiss. But Ruby, Saraya, and Renee had already left.
Main Event Time!
The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds, Evil Uno, & John Silver (with -1)
Angelo Parker came out with the cake still on his face. Excalibur noted that Parker never kissed Harley, but Ruby didn’t see that part of the footage play out.
Hager was fired up and rocked John Silver with a stiff shot. Menard tagged in and rammed Silver into the turnbuckle. Alex Reynolds grabbed a blind tag and connected with a flying uppercut to Menard.
The Dark Order triple teamed Menard in the corner with a flurry of offense. Evil Uno planted Parker with a neck breaker. Uno splashed Parker with a senton from the top for a near fall. Silver booted Parker in the back of the head. The Dark Order hit the pendulum bomb on Parker but Menard broke up the pin just in time!
Menard swept out the leg of Silver. Menard and Parker nailed Reynolds with a double DDT. Hager splashed Reynolds with the Hager Bomb for a near fall. Negative One pulled out Jake Hager’s hat and distracted Hager. Hager grabbed the hat out of Negative One’s hand. Silver and Reynolds rocked Hager with tandem offense as Hager had been scolding Negative One. After a jackknife, Reynolds pinned Hager!
“A very special win for Dark Order to cap off our return to Daily’s Place,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC!
Special Programming Note: Don’t miss AEW Collision and Battle Of The Belts IX on Saturday on TNT beginning at 8/7c from Chartway Arena in Norfolk, VA featuring:
-ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match: Brian Cage & The Gates of Agony (c.) vs. Lance Archer & The Righteous!
-Deonna Purrazzo vs. Red Velvet!
– “Hangman” Adam Page making his return to Norfolk!
– “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland in an Open Challenge!
-Trios Match: FTR & Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black!
-TBS Championship Match: Julia Hart (c.) vs. Anna Jay!
-AEW International Championship Match: Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Preston Vance!
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Street Fight: “Absolute” Ricky Starks & Big Bill (c.)
vs. Chris Jericho & Sammy Guevara!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Kicking off the first Dynamite of the new year… “The Devil” Adam Cole came to the ring to explain his shocking betrayal of MJF!
Cole was accompanied by Roderick Strong, Wardlow, and the ROH World Tag Team Champions—The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.
Strong: “Everybody shut up and listen to my best friend Adam!”
Cole: “You guys don’t have sympathy for me? I find it ironic that so many people were shocked by what happened at Worlds End, which means you’re all stupid, and you don’t know right from wrong. You think we’re the bad guys because we betrayed MJF? The guy who has run his mouth about everyone in the locker room and all of you fans? If that makes me the devil, then buy me a first class ticket straight to hell.
“MJF is a narcissist. The only person that MJF cares about is MJF. And he’s had his claws hooked in AEW for far too long. And I think it’s a time for a change. Someday most of that locker room will thank me. Hell, someday Tony Khan will thank me because MJF is gone and he’s never coming back.
“There’s a lot of reasons why I did what I did. MJF would have done the same to me, I just beat him to the punch. Adam Cole never needed MJF. MJF needed Adam Cole. I sacrificed everything for that friendship. That’s how I broke my ankle. I’m the one that lost something! Not him!
“MJF needed Adam Cole. None of you would have been cheering for MJF without Adam Cole. Better Than You BayBay—that’s me. In the beginning this was all about the AEW World Championship. But then it turned out to be something more. This is about ripping out a man’s heart and bringing him to his knees. MJF is dead!
“I’ll tell you who is very much alive. That is the Undisputed Kingdom. And aside from our disdain for the guy who doesn’t work here anymore, that is to win championship gold. We have the ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kingdom. My real best friend Adam Cole who is going to go after the International Championship. And Wardlow, finally with a group who respects him, he will go after the AEW World Championship. And when the time is right, Wardlow will forfeit the AEW World Championship and give it to me.
“And speaking of that, congratulations to Samoa Joe. It was a real pleasure doing business with you. It was a pleasure to take out Hangman Adam Page. And by the time Wardlow is ready, I hope you are not the AEW World Champion, because it would suck to hurt you as a friend. AEW needed change and we gave it to you. The Undisputed Kingdom starts a new era, and the devil is here to stay, baybay!”
“Switchblade” Jay White walked onto the ramp!
Jay White: “My good friend Adam Cole, baybay. Or as we now know you to be, the Devil, huh? I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your edge after all. What I don’t like is being collateral for your cause and for making me the catalyst when you had your friends jump me. And I’m not alone.”
Colten and Austin Gunn came out and the Gunns and Jay White jumped into the ring and began brawling with the Undisputed Kingdom! Bullet Club Gold were outnumbered until The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass charged to the ring! The Undisputed Kingdom retreated!
“The Acclaimed came to the aid of Bullet Club Gold is not how I expected to begin this year,” said Excalibur.
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!
Dante and Orange exchanged pinning combinations at the start of the match. They continued to chain wrestle. Dante remained composed despite facing the veteran Cassidy. Dante applied a deep cradle for a near fall, and then Orange slid out of the ring to slow down Dante’s momentum.
Cassidy baited Dante to the outside and then followed up with an elbow suicida. Orange rammed Dante into the steel barricade. Cassidy ran towards Dante Martin and dropkicked him. Dante reversed a suplex attempt and nailed Orange with a snap suplex onto the arena floor. Dante flew at Cassidy with a tope suicida, pushing the pace. Dante followed up with a springboard crossbody press for a two-count.
“When Dante gets up in the air it’s almost like time stops for a moment,” said Taz.
Dante began to play mind games with the champ, brushing him with light kicks and strikes. Cassidy had enough and connected with a thrust kick. Cassidy stomped at Dante in the corner, the intensity picking up with each subsequent strike. Cassidy spiked Dante with a DDT for a near fall!
“That was a crazy landing on that DDT! Talk about an exclamation point,” said Taz.
Orange blasted Dante with a diving DDT, driving Dante’s head down into the mat, good for another near fall. Dante ducked an Orange Punch. Dante escaped the Beach Break and then rocked Orange with a knee strike to the face! Dante hit a senton to Orange’s back. Dante climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Cassidy rolled, trying to get out of the ray. Dante walked the ropes and flew across the ring, splashing Orange! The champ moved out of the way of a senton. Orange crushed Dante with the Orange Punch and then pinned Dante!
FTW Champ Hook and Danhausen came down to check on Orange Cassidy, while Action Andretti and Darius Martin came to collect Dante. Orange offered his hand to Dante and shook it, showing good sportsmanship.
Private Party—Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen made their returns!
Marq Quen: “Allow me to reintroduce ourselves! We’ve been keeping tabs on the tag division. The tag division has been missing some flavor! And most importantly the tag division has been missing Private Party!”
Isiah Kassidy: “We’re putting every tag team on notice. That means all of you, FTR, the Young Bucks, and the Hardys. We say new year, new champs!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther the Butler!
Toni: “This isn’t New York. This is New Jersey. I belong on Broadway. So, I’m going to call it a night. I’m not going to watch Mariah May’s debut. She needs to pay her dues, and what better way than wrestling in New Jersey!
Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews accepted FTR’s challenge!
The House of Black said if they beat FTR, Cash and Dax would need to disown their family and walk back with their new family—the House of Black! It’s set for this Saturday live on Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland!
Prince Nana: “Daniel Garcia is a respected competitor, but does he know he’s getting into the ring with the boss of bosses?”
Swerve: “Earlier tonight Daniel was talking about big pressure. It’s not about making diamonds with us, it’s about making pain. And in 2024 I’m looking for championship gold. So, I guess it’s up to you, Samoa Joe, so be ready!
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata!
Mariah May blasted Queen Aminata with an open palm strike. Mariah chopped at Aminata. Mariah followed up with a solid dropkick. Aminata was tied up in the ropes and Mariah May blasted her from behind with another running dropkick!
Queen Aminata fired back with a few slaps to Mariah’s face. Aminata kicked Mariah in the spine and then followed up with a running knee strike. Mariah May exploded out of the corner with a sling blade. Mariah finished off Queen Aminata with the May Day and pinned Aminata!
Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May in the ring after the match.
Mariah May: “I can’t believe it! I won my AEW debut! I’ve wanted to be a wrestler since I was a little kid, so the fact that I’m in this ring on AEW is surreal to me. And I hope Miss Toni Storm is watching wherever she is. This is the first Dynamite of the New Year and it’s all about Mariah. But my only regret is we had to do this in New Jersey.”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo walked down to the ring, upstaging Mariah May!
Deonna: “Renee, I’m sure you know this but I’m from New Jersey! And if Toni Storm doesn’t want to be here, then trust me, we all don’t want her here either. But Mariah, I have a message that you can pass along to Miss Storm. It doesn’t matter where she runs or hides, I will find her because Mariah I am All Elite! And we are in the Age of the Virtuosa!”
Mariah May: “Okay, well, Deonna, I’m not the messenger so tell her yourself!”
Mariah May slapped Deonna and Deonna slapped back, knocking Mariah off her feet!
2x TNT Champion Christian Cage gave his 2024 State of The Union!
Christian Cage came to the ring with Shayna Wayne, “the Prodigy” Nick Wayne, and Killswitch!
Shayna Wayne took the microphone from Tony Schiavone and addressed the fans. “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? I demand you people get on your feet right now and pay respect to the greatest TNT Champion that ever lived, our father, “the Patriarch” Christian Cage.”
Christian Cage: “Tony, it has been 200 days since I won this championship on the very first episode of Collision. It has been an historic run for sure. And if you interrupt me again, I’m going to have Mother Wayne put you across her knee and discipline you.
“I went through a war at Worlds End and there are a few people I need to thank. First of all, Mother Wayne, for understanding the vision. A mother’s work is never done. Secondly, I’d like to thank my pride and joy, the apple of my eye, Nick Wayne, who put his body on the line. Adam Copeland tried to put Nick’s career to an end at the age of 18. I just want to say I love you, Nick.
“And lastly, I’d like to thank the man that sealed the victory at Worlds End, the man that put the final nail in the coffin that is Adam Copeland. I would like to thank myself!”
The fans chanted “Luchasaurus! Luchasaurus!”
Christian Cage: “I’d like to address Adam Copeland for the final time. I’ve beaten you twice. It’s to the back of the line and there’s no more title shots for you. I could make fun of you and say you grew up without a father. Or I could mention how your mother is no longer with us. But all I need to say is Christian Cage is superior to you. I’d like to think we left a little bit of our souls in the ring at Worlds End, but the difference is, one of us doesn’t have a soul. And that’s why I stand before you as the TNT Champion.
“So, this is a warning for anyone that has eyes for my TNT Championship. What happened at Worlds End is just a glimpse at what I’ll do to hold onto my title! This is the most important championship in this company. And I will remain the TNT Champion for as long as I want until I decide to hand off this title to Nick Wayne to carry on my legacy. We are the faces of AEW, now and forever!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Harley Cameron, Saraya, and Ruby Soho!
Ruby thanked Harley for her help this past Friday.
Harley: “I’ll do anything!”
Saraya: “I said she’d do anything. I didn’t say she’d be sane.”
Saraya warned Harley to cool it. Renee wondered what was going on before the Outcasts walked off.
Darby Allin vs. The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Takeshita grabbed Darby and planted him hard on the mat. Takeshita went for a wheelbarrow suplex, but Darby landed on his feet. Takeshita hit Darby with a big back body drop, with Darby arcing high into the air before crashing hard.
Darby rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Takeshita countered with a wicked knee strike! Takeshita nailed Darby with a rolling German Suplex on the ramp! Darby managed to get to his feet and fly out of the ring with a tope like a human battering ram at Takeshita!
Takeshita countered the Code Red, planting Darby for a near fall. Takeshita was looking for a running knee strike in the corner, but Darby escaped the ring. Takeshita charged at Darby, but Darby dodged it, sending Takeshita crashing into the guardrail. Darby connected with a Coffin Drop on the outside!
“Darby will throw caution at the wind. He doesn’t care,” said Taz.
Darby was waiting for Takeshita as Takeshita entered the ring. Darby blasted Takeshita with a Code Red for a two-count. Darby went for another Coffin Drop but Takeshita lifted his knees, blocking the move and punishing Darby at the same time. Takeshita made Darby eat a lariat, dropping Darby. Don Callis signaled for Takeshita to finish it. Takeshita rocked Darby with a running boot in the corner. Takeshita hoisted Darby up on the top rope and followed up with an avalanche German Suplex! Takeshita connected with the power drive knee and then pinned Darby!
“A statement victory for the ‘Alpha’ to start the New Year,” said Excalibur.
After the match, Don Callis made a challenge! Callis invited Sting and Darby Allin to face Takeshita and Hobbs at Daily’s Place!
Continental Title Eliminator Match!
Trent Beretta vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo!
The winner fights Eddie Kingston on Collision.
Danhausen was watching from ringside.
Brian Cage plowed into Trent and Bryan. Vikingo connected with a tope suicida to Cage. Keith clobbered Trent with forearms. Keith connected with a high boot to Trent’s jaw. Vikingo used a big arm drag on Bryan Keith.
Brian Cage blocked a hurracanrana from Vikingo and then Cage hurled Vikingo overhead. Trent jumped over the top rope and landed on Cage with a cross body on the arena floor. Cage stunned Trent with a brain buster on the floor!
Vikingo dropkicked “the Machine” from the top rope. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Bryan Keith stopped him with a jumping headbutt. Cage kicked Keith in the midsection. Trent threw Cage with a release German Suplex from the top and then connected with a running knee strike.
Cage power bombed Trent for a near fall. Danhausen jumped into the ring and cursed Cage. Brian Cage picked up Danhausen but Keith and Vikingo landed thrust kicks and took down Cage. Keith charged at Trent with the diving battering ram head butt for a two-count on Trent. Keith was looking for a Tiger Driver, but Trent countered, planted Keith and pinned him!
Trent has earned a shot at Kingston’s Continental Crown Championship this Saturday at Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Daddy Magic to interview him when they were interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page!
Adam Page: “A few weeks ago Samoa Joe had a bunch of goons put me through a car windshield. So, I am here tonight to beat somebody’s ass! And if I can’t find the World Champion, it’ll be Adam Cole. If it’s not Adam Cole, it’ll be you. I dare somebody to give me a reason!”
Main Event Time!
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast team for this match.
Swerve knocked Garcia to the mat with a shoulder block. Swerve rolled up Garcia for a near fall. Garcia sent Swerve spilling to the outside with a jumping knee strike. Garcia whipped Swerve into the barricade. Garcia and Prince Nana had a dance off! Garcia heard Swerve coming up from behind, but Garcia was waiting for him and rammed him into the ring post.
Prince Nana grabbed Garcia’s boot. Swerve booted Garcia and then drilled Daniel Garcia with a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron! Swerve created distance with a European Uppercut. Garcia pounded Swerve down to the mat. Garcia dropkicked Swerve. Garcia grabbed a near fall after a stalling suplex on Swerve.
Swerve nailed Garcia with a back breaker. Swerve got into Daddy Magic’s face. Garcia bulldozed Swerve. Garcia put Swerve in the sharpshooter on the announcer’s table. Swerve managed to escape as they both rolled off the table and onto the floor.
Garcia superplexed Swerve back into the ring. Swerve hung on and served up a suplex of his own! Swerve had the upper hand, but just barely. Garcia grabbed Swerve by the wrists and yanked him right into a knee strike. Swerve lured Daniel into a flatliner! Swerve connected with the House Call, but Garcia kicked out at the two-count!
Swerve climbed to the top and crushed Garcia with the Swerve Stomp for another near fall! Garcia rolled up Swerve with a crucifix for a near fall. Swerve cracked Garcia with the House Call and finished off Garcia with the JML Driver, pinning Garcia!
“Is 2024 going to be the year of Swerve Strickland? He put AEW World Champion Samoa Joe on notice,” said Excalibur.
Swerve offered his hand to Garcia, and as Garcia went to accept, Prince Nana clocked Garcia with a low blow! Daddy Magic had enough! Daddy Magic began to bludgeon Swerve with strikes until Swerve kicked him low. “Hangman” Adam Page stormed to the ring with purpose! Page struck Swerve and they began to brawl, both men throwing bombs! Security tried to separate the two men! Page broke free and jumped on Swerve! Page was peeled off Strickland. Then Swerve broke free and lunged at Page until they were pried apart again!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
AEW presented Worlds End live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!
It’s Saturday and you know what that means!
The Zero Hour portion of the show kicked off!
Your announce team for Zero Hour was Excalibur, Taz, and Nigel McGuinness.
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale!
Stokely Hathaway joined the commentary team for this match.
Willow connected with a crossbody press off the middle rope for a near fall. Willow followed up with a running clothesline and then flipped off the apron, landing on Statlander. Back in the ring, Statlander applied the pressure with body scissors. Willow got to her feet and scored with a kick to Kris. Willow nailed Kris with a massive spinebuster for a two-count.
Kris hoisted Willow up on her shoulders and planted her on her face. Willow fired back with a running pounce! Willow cannonballed Kris in the corner and followed up with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Kris blasted Willow with a scissor kick across the spine. Willow grabbed Kris off the top turnbuckle and power bombed her onto the apron!
Willow reversed Saturday Night Fever will a roll-up for a near fall. Kris tried for a 450 but Willow dodged it. Willow hit the Doctor Bomb and pinned Statlander!
A vignette aired showcasing the impending return of Serena Deeb!
TNT Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royale!
The winner of this 20-man battle royale will earn a shot at the TNT Championship anytime, anywhere.
Lance Archer and Killswitch were buried under tables while the other competitors whacked away at them with steel chairs. Trent whipped Serpentico over the top rope and eliminated him. Kip Sabian charged at Dalton Castle and knocked him to the arena floor.
Danhausen kicked Johnny TV out of the ring as Johnny was trying to pull Trent out. Lee Johnson connected with a body press to Kip Sabian. Angelo Parker eliminated Lee. Dark Order tossed out Cool Hand Ang. Kip cannonballed Alex Reynolds and then eliminated Reynolds.
Butcher sent John Silver packing. Trent and Rocky rocked Kip with a double knee strike. Bryan Keith kicked Kip out. Danhausen tried to curse Keith, but Butcher cut him off. Keith suplexed the Butcher. Blade charged at Keith and rammed him out to the floor. Lance Archer escaped the pile of lumber and entered the match. Daddy Magic chopped at Archer. The MurderHawk Monster clubbed Daddy Magic and made him vanish from the match. Archer eliminated Christopher Daniels.
Archer picked up Rocky and threw him over the top and sent him crashing onto Daniels. Darius Martin and Action Andretti worked in tandem on Archer. Killswitch emerged and choke slammed Darius and Action. Archer and Killswitch threw Action and Darius out of the ring. Blade ate a big boot from Archer before being tossed out. Killswitch booted Blade out of the match.
Trent and Danhausen grabbed Lance Archer and flipped him over the top and to the floor. Trent and Danhausen hugged, but then Trent eliminated Danhausen. Trent charged at Killswitch with a running knee strike. And then a second, and then a third knee strike! Killswitch caught Trent and planted him with a chokeslam. Killswitch clobbered Trent with a European Uppercut on the apron and then won the match!
FTW Championship Match/FTW Rules!
HOOK (c.) vs. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta!
Yuta charged at Hook as Hook was making his entrance. Hook pounded away with strikes at Yuta in the corner. Hook headbutted Yuta. They brawled onto the ramp. Hook sent Yuta for a ride with a suplex. Yuta grabbed a trash can lid from under the ring and swung for the fences, clocking Hook in the head.
Yuta whipped Hook into the steel barricade. Yuta was grinding his boot into Hook’s head. Hook jumped into the ring, but Yuta was waiting for him. Yuta had a stop sign and slammed it into Hook’s back. Yuta sat out with a senton for a near fall on Hook.
Hook suplexed Yuta with a Northern Lights throw for a near fall. Yuta countered the Red Rum with a release German Suplex. Yuta chomped on Hook’s forehead and then connected with a fisherman’s suplex. Hook caught Yuta and suplexed him into the trash can with a high cradle. Hook tried for the Red Rum, but Yuta sat back and smashed Hook onto the trash can. Yuta spiked Hook with a DDT on the stop sign for a two-count.
Yuta grabbed a two-by-four, but Hook found a hockey stick. Hook cracked the hockey stick over Yuta’s back. Hook used the remnants of the stick, applied Red Rum, and made Yuta tap out!
The pay-per-view portion of the night kicked off with…
All Star 8-Man Tag Match!
Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Mark Briscoe, & Daniel Garcia
vs.
Brody King, Jay White, Jay Lethal, & Rush!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the commentary team for this match.
Rush and Claudio started shoving one another. It escalated to stiff chops and forearms. Claudio booted Rush but Rush retaliated with a German Suplex. Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe tagged in for their respective teams.
Lethal dropkicked Mark but Mark answered with some redneck kung fu. Danielson and Jay White grabbed tags. The crowd came alive at the sight of these two competitors entering the ring to square off. Danielson tried for the Le Bell Lock, but Jay White quickly grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. The “Switchblade” chopped Danielson in the chest, lighting him up. Danielson whipped White into the turnbuckles and then walloped White with round kicks.
Danielson took down Jay White with a hurracanrana. Bryan fired off more round kicks and then Daniel Garcia grabbed a blind tag. Danielson wasn’t happy. Brody King entered the ring and Garcia tried to use his quickness against Brody. Brody blasted Garcia with a Bossman Slam! Brody got in Matt Menard’s face and taunted him.
Garcia’s nose was busted, and Jay White body slammed him. Garcia finally reached the corner and tagged Mark Briscoe. Mark took down Jay White with a flying forearm. Briscoe dropped a Cactus elbow off the apron onto Rush. Back in the ring Briscoe planted Jay White with a fisherman’s bomb for a near fall!
Jay Lethal tagged in and superplexed Mark Briscoe from the top! Brody King and Claudio Castagnoli tagged in. Claudio hit a vertical suplex on Brody! Rush charged at Danielson’ with the Bull’s Horns while Brody cannonballed Claudio. But Claudio answered with the Giant Swing, and then Danielson punctuated it with a dropkick to Brody’s head!
“We’ve got bodies flying everywhere!” said Matt Menard.
Garcia got rocked by Jay’s Lethal Combination. Jay Lethal applied the figure four on Garcia. Briscoe stunned Lethal with the Froggy Bow off the top. Claudio sent Jay White flying with a pop up uppercut. Garcia bypassed the Lethal Injection and folded up Lethal for the pin!
“Garcia said he thinks he fits in, and boy did he prove it here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Brody King blindsided Daddy Magic. Sonjay Dutt came out to give Lethal a talking to.
“The Redeemer” Miro vs. Andrade El Idolo (with CJ Perry)!
Miro bulldozed Andrade from behind as Andrade was entering the ring. Andrade tried for a tope suicida, but Miro cut him of at the pass with a stiff shot. Miro turned Andrade inside out with a suplex overhead, throwing him with ease.
Miro shouted at CJ Perry, “Is this what you wanted?!”
Andrade shoved Miro and Miro went flying over the commentary team’s desk. Andrade whipped Miro into the ring steps. They both got into the ring and traded stiff chops. Andrade used a dragon screw leg whip out of nowhere and followed up with a crossbody off the top turnbuckle. Andrade moonsaulted out of the ring and onto Miro on the arena floor. Andrade connected with another moonsault, this time in the ring, for a near fall on Miro.
Andrade charged at Miro, but Miro made him pay with a massive boot to the face! Miro was feeding off his fury. Miro stomped on Andrade’s back and then applied Game Over. CJ Perry yelled at Andrade, “Do not tap!” Andrade managed to reach the ropes and forced the ref to break the hold. Miro shouted at CJ Perry, “You should cheer for your husband!”
Andrade rocked Miro with the spinning back elbow for a two-count. Andrade applied the figure four leg lock. Andrade transitioned into the figure eight but Miro countered, reversing it. Andrade turned it back over, applying the pressure to Miro. Andrade bridged up, but CJ Perry swept out Andrade’s arms while the ref wasn’t looking! Miro scored with a kick for a near fall on Andrade. Miro trapped Andrade in the Game Over submission and forced Andrade to tap out!
CJ Perry blew a kiss at Miro after the match!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c.) (with Luther the Butler) vs. Riho!
Toni body slammed Riho and covered her, but Riho bridged right out of it. Riho used a bulldog out of the corner, but Toni kicked out at the one-count. Riho jumped off the apron, but Luther caught her, and then Luther handed Riho to Toni. “Timeless” Toni body slammed Riho on the arena floor.
Riho tried to body slam Toni, but Riho’s back seized up. Toni spotted it and went to work on Riho’s lower back. Toni applied the Texas Cloverleaf, punishing Riho’s lower back. Riho tried to reach the ropes, but Luther pulled the ropes back. The ref saw this and ejected Luther from ringside.
Riho connected with the area code shot! Riho body slammed Toni Storm. Riho jumped off the top and crashed down on the champion with a diving cross body! Riho double stomped Toni on the apron. Riho nailed Toni with a dragon suplex!
Toni Storm retaliated with the Storm Zero, but somehow Riho kicked out! Riho climbed the turnbuckles, but Toni yanked her down. Toni spiked Riho with a DDT and pinned Riho, retaining her championship!
Mariah May came to the ring with a bucket of rose petals. Mariah poured the petals over Toni, helping her idol celebrate her victory tonight.
Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Dante Martin!
Dante: “I’ve been doing good, but good’s not good enough. Last night I got the pin on Rampage.”
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy walked onto the set. Orange told Dante to try to take his title his Wednesday on Dynamite!
Dustin Rhodes vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!
Dustin was taking the place of Keith Lee, who wasn’t cleared by the doctor to wrestle today due to injury.
Prince Nana set up a cinder block and put Dustin’s ankle on it. Swerve jumped off the apron with a double stomp, smashing Dustin’s ankle and the cinder block! The match hadn’t even officially started. The AEW medical staff and referees help Dustin up, trying to walk him to the back. Dustin couldn’t put any weight on his ankle. Dustin refused to give up and forced his way back to the ring!
“This is ill advised by Dustin Rhodes tonight,” said Excalibur.
Dustin told the ref to ring the bell. Swerve came in hot with a kick to Dustin’s head! Swerve dropkicked Dustin in the knee. Swerve set up Dustin for a superplex. Dustin headbutted his way out of it, knocking Swerve down to the mat. Dustin connected with a crossbody press for a near fall.
Dustin stunned Swerve with a Canadian Destroyer and then a snapping powerslam for a two-count. Prince Nana looked panicked. Dustin blasted Swerve with the UnNatural Kick. Dustin spiked Swerve with a piledriver and then the Cross Rhodes for a two-count!
“If Dustin wins this, what a comeback it would be,” said Tony Schiavone.
Swerve rolled through with a flatliner! Swerve applied a single leg crab on Dustin. Swerve transitioned to a stretch muffler and then stomped on Dustin’s head. Dustin made it to the ropes, showing off his mat sense and toughness. Dustin popped middle fingers at Swerve and then spat at Swerve! Swerve was infuriated and nailed Dustin with the House Call! Swerve wrecked Dustin with a second House Call kick! Swerve finished off Dustin with the Double Stomp from the top rope and pinned Dustin!
“Swerve is victorious but not a happy expression on his face,” said Excalibur.
“I will not have my time wasted anymore,” Swerve said, as he looked into the camera.
8-Man Tag Match!
Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara, & Sting
vs.
AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks, and The Don Callis Family—Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs!
Takeshita dropped Sammy with a headbutt. Sammy tagged Jericho in, and Jericho ate a Takeshita line. Starks grabbed a tag and Starks flipped off Jericho. Hobbs tagged himself in and Starks wasn’t happy. Hobbs rammed into Jericho with a shoulder tackle.
Big Bill tagged in and battered Jericho with clubbing shots. Darby jumped in with a dropkick to Big Bill. Takeshita entered the fray, but Darby connected with a lateral press. Darby drilled Takeshita with a Code Red for a near fall! Darby climbed the top for a Coffin Drop but Don Callis distracted him from the apron. Takeshita hoisted up Darby and decimated him with an avalanche helicopter blue thunder bomb!
Hobbs and Big Bill grabbed Darby and swung him across the ring like a sack of potatoes! Starks entered the match and went for a Stinger Splash, but Darby dodged it. Sting tagged in and threw haymakers all over the ring!
Starks walked the rope and dropped an elbow on Sting’s arm. Sting drove Sting to the mat and stomped him. Sammy tagged himself in. Sammy came off the turnbuckles with a cutter. Big Bill jumped in the ring and planted Sammy with a Bossman Slam. Jericho came to even up the odds and smashed Big Bill with a Code Breaker. Hobbs wrecked Jericho with a spinebuster from behind. Hobbs pancaked Jericho with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam. Darby splashed Jericho into Hobbs! Darby impaled Hobbs with a Scorpion Death Drop!
Takeshita suplexed Darby and Sammy with a German Suplex! Sting swept out Takeshita’s leg and applied the Scorpion Death Lock! Callis jumped into the ring with Sting’s baseball bat, forcing Sting to let go of the hold. Callis backed off when Sting saw him. Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho to Hobbs. Starks popped Jericho in the face with a thrust kick.
Darby rocketed out of the ring at Big Bill like a human battering ram! Starks speared Sammy for a near fall! Sammy rocked Starks with a thrust kick and then the GTH! Sammy climbed to the top and walloped Starks with a shooting star press, scoring the pin on Starks!
TBS Championship Match! House Rules Match!
Julia Hart (c.) vs. Abadon!
Abadon chose the stipulation to have biting made legal for this match!
The crowd chanted “This is spooky! This is spooky!”
Abadon hit a cutter out of the gate! Abadon battered Julia in the corner with lariats.
“Those shots will wear Julia out,” said Taz.
Julia fired back, ramming Abadon’s head into the mat! Julia grabbed Abadon in a crucifix for a near fall. Julia hurled Abadon through the ropes and onto the arena floor. Julia suplexed Abadon onto the cold arena floor. Abadon chomped down on Julia’s arm, taking a bite out of the champion!
Abadon followed up with a lung blower for a near fall. Julia came back with a superplex. Julia blindsided Abadon with a running lariat to the back of the head. Abadon caught Julia in the side of the head with a running knee strike. Abadon bit Julia’s forehead. Skye Blue crawled out from beneath the ring and hit Abadon while the ref was distracted. Skye hid back under the ring, but Abadon pulled her out and cracked Skye with a jumped knee strike! Julia Hart blindsided Abadon again, bashing Abadon’s head into the steel steps. Julia Hart scored the victory after a backflipping knee strike from the top rope onto Abadon’s chest!
TNT Championship No Disqualification Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) (with Mother Wayne & Nick Wayne)
vs. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland charged at Christian Cage as Christian was making his entrance. Cope hammered Christian Cage with fists. Copeland sent Christian flying into the barricade. The fans chanted “We want tables!” and Copeland smiled. Christian Cage retreated from the ring. Copeland followed him but Cage was waiting with a thrust kick.
Adam Copeland whipped Christian into the steel ring steps. Christian tried to escape, walking up the arena steps. Copeland followed him. Copeland jumped off the top of the 100 section with a crossbody press onto Christian Cage!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland ran across the barricade, jumped off, and clotheslined Christian Cage! Copeland tried to spear Christian, but Christian dodged it and sent Copeland flying into the steel ring post. Christian stomped on Copeland’s neck on the ring steps! Copeland’s eye began to swell up, blood trickling down his face.
Christian Cage grabbed a kendo stick. Christian cracked Copeland in the back over and over with the kendo stick! Christian was using the kendo stick to choke Copeland. Nick Wayne tossed a couple of chairs to Christian. Christian put the chair across Copeland’s back, sat on it, and applied a Boston Crab. All of Christian’s body weight was on the chair, punishing the back of Copeland.
Christian had a metal rod, swung it at Copeland, but Copeland ducked it. Copeland planted Christian onto the mat and then bashed him with the kendo stick! Copeland applied the cross face in the center of the ring, putting the metal rod in Christian’s mouth and pulling back! Christian managed to grab the bottom rope and pull himself free. Copeland pulled a ladder from beneath the ring!
Copeland catapulted Christian Cage face-first into the ladder, which was wedged between the ropes. Christian swung the kendo stick at Copeland. Christian Cage climbed the ladder. Copeland got to his feet and climbed the other side of the ladder. Christian whiplashed Copeland with a sunset powerbomb from the top of the ladder for a near fall!
Christian Cage pulled two tables from beneath the ring. Christian and Nick Wayne set up a table near the ring. Copeland went for a spear, but Nick Wayne pulled Christian away. Copeland cracked Christian with a chair across the spine. Copeland nailed Christian Cage with an Impaler on the chair!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland was going for the conchairto, but Nick Wayne pulled the chair out of Copeland’s hands. Christian Cage blindsided Copeland with a low blow. Nick Wayne pushed a table into the ring. Christian Cage propped up the table against the turnbuckles. Christian tried to spear Copeland, but Copeland avoided it. Copeland answered with a spear of his own, putting Christian through the table! Copeland went for the cover, but Shayna Wayne pulled the ref out of the ring!
Nick Wayne rammed the TNT Title into Copeland’s head. Nick Wayne followed up with the Wayne’s World, bashing Copeland’s head onto the arena floor. Cage used the Killswitch for a near fall!
Christian Cage and Nick Wayne poured lighter fluid on a table! Nick Wayne lit the table on fire! Copeland speared Cage! Copeland put more lighter fluid on the table! Copeland power bombed Nick Wayne off the apron and through the burning table!
Christian tried to hit Copeland with the title belt, but Copeland blocked it and stopped Christian in his tracks with a low blow! Copeland smashed Christian with the Killswitch and pinned him!
New TNT Champion…” The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Killswitch appeared out of nowhere! Killswitch choke slammed Copeland! Killswitch set up a chair and then choke slammed Copeland on it! Killswitch had his TNT Title contract and was about to hand it to the ref. Christian Cage jumped in between Killswitch and the ref. Christian demanded the contract from Killswitch. Christian made Killswitch surrender the contract after whispering into Killswitch’s ear. Christian signed the contract, handed it to the referee. The ref rang the bell, and we had another TNT Title Championship Match! Christian Cage speared Adam Copeland and pinned him!
And new TNT Champion… “The Patriarch” Christian Cage!
Continental Classic Championship Finals Match!
Gold League Winner Jon Moxley vs. Blue League Winner Eddie Kingston!
The “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson joined the commentary team for this match.
Moxley took down Eddie with a drop toe hold. Eddie went into the guard and blew a kiss to Moxley. Eddie kicked Moxley, forcing Moxley to take a few steps back. Moxley used a snap mare and then kicked Kingston in the lower back.
Kingston and Moxley traded chops in the center of the ring. Kingston caught Moxley with a kick to the back of the head. Kingston followed up with a tope suicida, but Eddie landed hard on his neck and shoulder.
Moxley baited Kingston and then German Suplexed him. Moxley spiked Kingston with the Paradigm Shift on the floor. Moxley punished Kingston with kicks to the chest. Kingston got to his feet and chopped at Moxley. Moxley blocked one of the chops with his forearm and Kingston felt pain right away. Moxley drove Kingston down on his neck with a piledriver for a near fall.
“Kingston is the hometown favorite, but Moxley just let the oxygen out of the arena,” said Excalibur.
Moxley applied an STF, but Kingston bit Moxley’s hand. Moxley began to get frustrated. Kingston chopped Moxley and brought Moxley down to his knees with it. They traded more chops. Moxley went to the ropes and Eddie tossed him with an exploder suplex! Eddie followed up with a spinning backfist. Both men went down.
Kingston dropped Mox with a DDT. Moxley retaliated with a cutter. Kingston connected with a second spinning backfist, but Moxley answered with a lariat. Kingston smashed Mox with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall. Kingston put Mox in a bulldog choke. Kingston transitioned to hammer and anvil elbows. He went to the bulldog choke on Moxley again. Moxley escaped and put Kingston in a bulldog choke of his own!
Kingston escaped and cracked Mox with a spinning backfist. Kingston planted Mox with another Northern Lights Bomb for a two-count! Mox wrecked Kingston with a lariat. Moxley was clutching his arm afterwards. They traded headbutts from their knees. They got to their feet and traded open palm strikes. Eddie spun around with the backfist and pinned Moxley!
“Oh man, Eddie Kingston did it!” said Taz.
The referee handed the three belts to Eddie Kingston and the crowd chanted “You deserve it! You deserve it!”
Moxley and Kingston hugged after the match.
“Eddie Kingston is the first ever Continental Crown Champion,” said Excalibur.
Tonight’s Main Event! AEW World Championship Match!
MJF (c.) vs. Samoa Joe!
The sold out arena chanted “He’s our scumbag! He’s our scumbag!”
MJF pointed to the entrance ramp and Adam Cole’s music hit, baybay! Adam Cole came down to the ring on crutches. Cole stood in his best friend’s corner, and MJF smiled.
MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eye and then kicked him. MJF charged at Samoa Joe, but Joe grabbed him and slammed him to the mat. MJF clutched his arm. Samoa Joe punched MJF in the shoulder and then stomped a mudhole into him. Samoa Joe hit a leg drop on MJF’s arm. Samoa Joe put a tight grip on MJF’s shoulder. MJF fought out of it with a series of chops. Samoa Joe booted the champ in the face!
“Max is in deep you know what right now,” said Taz.
Samoa Joe went for the muscle buster, but Max escaped. MJF grabbed an inside cradle for a near fall. MJF tried to schoolboy Samoa Joe and Joe kicked out of it. MJF went for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe anticipated it and blocked it. MJF went to skin the cat, but as MJF was inverted, Samoa Joe kicked MJF in the head. Samoa Joe dived out of the ring with an elbow suicida and mowed down MJF.
Samoa Joe planted Max with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring. Joe nailed MJF with a German Suplex and then a dragon suplex. Samoa Joe followed up with a straitjacket suplex! Samoa Joe decimated MJF with a muscle buster on the ring apron! MJF landed directly on his injured left shoulder. Joe covered MJF but MJF managed to kick out at two.
MJF headbutted Joe. MJF connected with a rolling elbow strike to the back of Joe’s head. MJF chomped on Samoa Joe’s forehead. MJF tried for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe booted Max out of the air. MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eyes. MJF tried to hoist up Samoa Joe, but MJF collapsed under the weight. MJF ran into Samoa Joe, throwing his body at Joe. MJF landed the heat seeker on Samoa Joe for a two-count! MJF applied the Salt of the Earth armbar on Samoa Joe. The challenger escaped and put MJF into an arm bar. Samoa Joe wrenched upwards. Adam Cole cheered on MJF, and MJF was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold.
Samoa Joe applied a sleeper. MJF pushed backwards, inadvertently shoving Samoa Joe into the referee. The ref collapsed. MJF smiled. MJF stunned Samoa Joe with a low blow. MJF hoisted up Samoa Joe and pancaked him! The ref finally turned around and began to count the pin, but Samoa Joe kicked out at two! MJF signaled for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Adam Cole had trouble finding it, and in the meantime, Samoa Joe grabbed Max from behind. Samoa Joe wrapped MJF in a deep submission. The referee lifted up MJF’s arm three times and MJF didn’t respond. MJF was choked out!
And new All Elite World Champion Samoa Joe!
Adam Cole got into the ring to console MJF. The Devil’s masked men surrounded the ring. They swarmed MJF and Adam Cole!
Adam Cole said, “Hey, hit me!”
One of the masked goons had a steel chair. MJF yelled, “No, don’t hit him! Hit me!”
The masked goon with the chair turned around and raised the chair, about to swing it at Adam Cole.
The arena lights went dark!
When the lights returned, Adam Cole was free, and he was sitting in the chair! The masked goons stood behind Cole. The masked goons removed their masks—it was Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, and Wardlow!
MJF, with tears streaming down his face, in complete disbelief, yelled, “How could you do this, man?”
Roderick Strong rammed into MJF with a jumping knee strike! Taven and Bennett began to pound MJF with fists. Wardlow power bombed MJF! Adam Cole sat on the chair the entire time. Cole pulled the Devil mask out from behind his jacket. Adam Cole dropped the mask onto MJF and laughed!
“Why? The question is how long have they been planning this!” wondered Tony Schiavone.
“The world of MJF has ended,” added Excalibur.
Missed what the entire wrestling world is buzzing about? Order the replay of the historic AEW Worlds End 2023! It’s available on all traditional cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada, Bleacher Report, Fite International, PPV.COM, and more! See AEW Worlds End 2023 for yourself!
Catch the fallout from Worlds End on AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
The sold out arena chanted “He’s our scumbag! He’s our scumbag!”
MJF pointed to the entrance ramp and Adam Cole’s music hit, baybay! Adam Cole came down to the ring on crutches. Cole stood in his best friend’s corner, and MJF smiled.
MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eye and then kicked him. MJF charged at Samoa Joe, but Joe grabbed him and slammed him to the mat. MJF clutched his arm. Samoa Joe punched MJF in the shoulder and then stomped a mudhole into him. Samoa Joe hit a leg drop on MJF’s arm. Samoa Joe put a tight grip on MJF’s shoulder. MJF fought out of it with a series of chops. Samoa Joe booted the champ in the face!
“Max is in deep you know what right now,” said Taz.
Samoa Joe went for the muscle buster, but Max escaped. MJF grabbed an inside cradle for a near fall. MJF tried to schoolboy Samoa Joe and Joe kicked out of it. MJF went for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe anticipated it and blocked it. MJF went to skin the cat, but as MJF was inverted, Samoa Joe kicked MJF in the head. Samoa Joe dived out of the ring with an elbow suicida and mowed down MJF.
Samoa Joe planted Max with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring. Joe nailed MJF with a German Suplex and then a dragon suplex. Samoa Joe followed up with a straitjacket suplex! Samoa Joe decimated MJF with a muscle buster on the ring apron! MJF landed directly on his injured left shoulder. Joe covered MJF but MJF managed to kick out at two.
MJF headbutted Joe. MJF connected with a rolling elbow strike to the back of Joe’s head. MJF chomped on Samoa Joe’s forehead. MJF tried for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe booted Max out of the air. MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eyes. MJF tried to hoist up Samoa Joe, but MJF collapsed under the weight. MJF ran into Samoa Joe, throwing his body at Joe. MJF landed the heat seeker on Samoa Joe for a two-count! MJF applied the Salt of the Earth armbar on Samoa Joe. The challenger escaped and put MJF into an arm bar. Samoa Joe wrenched upwards. Adam Cole cheered on MJF, and MJF was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold.
Samoa Joe applied a sleeper. MJF pushed backwards, inadvertently shoving Samoa Joe into the referee. The ref collapsed. MJF smiled. MJF stunned Samoa Joe with a low blow. MJF hoisted up Samoa Joe and pancaked him! The ref finally turned around and began to count the pin, but Samoa Joe kicked out at two! MJF signaled for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Adam Cole had trouble finding it, and in the meantime, Samoa Joe grabbed Max from behind. Samoa Joe wrapped MJF in a deep submission. The referee lifted up MJF’s arm three times and MJF didn’t respond. MJF was choked out!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: New Year’s Smash was broadcast from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
Rampage kicked off with Chris Jericho coming down to the ring!
Jericho: “We had a huge night on Dynamite last Wednesday when Sammy Guevara quit the Don Callis Family, and of course they had to gang up and attack him. So, I came down to help out Sammy, and then Sting and Darby came out to help us. Which leads to the huge eight-man tag at Worlds End tomorrow, and I’ll be tagging with Sting for the first time ever.
“Sting told me he would have my back. And he was a man of his word. And I’ve got a lot of respect for Sting too. Now before we can go to Worlds End, I need to figure out a few things with Sammy Guevara. So, Sammy, come on out and let’s discuss a few things in this ring now.”
Sammy Guevara’s music hit, and he joined Jericho in the ring.
Excalibur wondered if time healed all wounds.
Jericho: “They love you here tonight in Orlando. And I’ve always been a fan of yours. A few months ago, we had a great match on Dynamite, and instead of celebrating that match together, you turned on me and joined the Don Callis Family. I want to ask you man to man, why?”
Sammy: “Chris, it’s hard being in your shadow man. Name any accolade, you’ve done it all. And maybe somewhere along the line I started blaming you for why I wasn’t where I needed to be. I felt like you were holding back but really, I was just holding myself back. It’s time I stop blaming others and I become the man that I know I am.
“I was at home reflecting, and I know I’m that man. I should have been the good friend that you were to me. So really, all I can offer you is, I’m sorry.”
Jericho: “Well Sammy, I accept your apology and I want to say the same to you. I’m sorry, too, and I want to tell you why. Maybe sometimes I’m a little controlling, but I’ve always been one of your biggest fans. I brought you here to AEW. I had you in the Inner Circle, the JAS, and here right now. I’ve always believed in you, and I always will, okay? So let me ask you this: we have the eight-man tag at Worlds End, but after that, I still have a tag team opportunity for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. And I need a partner. So, I want to ask you, will you reunite with Chris Jericho and reunite Le Sex Gods?”
Sammy looked at Jericho and hugged him!
Jericho: “Le Sex Gods are back, baby!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard!
Matt Menard: “How about the biggest win of Garcia’s career last Saturday night, taken away by the House of Black!”
Garcia: “House of Black, I’m absolutely sick of people like you thinking you can walk in here and walk all over people like us. We’re not having it anymore. We’re gonna fight back. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but we’re gonna get you back. I promise you that. Pay up.”
Ruby Soho (with Saraya & Harley Cameron) vs. “The Problem” Marina Shafir (with Nyla Rose)!
Ruby dodged a kick from Marina and then grabbed Marina by the hair, pulling her down to the mat. Marina fired back with vicious kicks. Harley grabbed at Marina’s leg and Ruby tripped Marina, taking advantage of the distraction.
Marina smashed Ruby with a running lariat. She followed up with a backbreaker to Ruby. Marina dropkicked Ruby. Saraya jumped onto the ring apron, but Nyla yanked her down. Harley flung herself onto Nyla’s back, but Nyla powered her to the arena floor. Saraya jumped over the guardrail and ran away. Nyla chased after her through the fans. Ruby blasted Marina with the No Future kick for a near fall.
Marina grabbed Ruby but once again, Harley tried to get involved and popped up onto the ring apron. Marina swung at Harley, but Harley avoided it. Ruby rolled up Marina from behind, hung onto Marina’s tights, and pinned her!
Backstage, the Don Callis Family, along with AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Bill and Absolute Ricky Starks had some choice words for Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Sting, and Darby Allin ahead of their match at Worlds End tomorrow!
Callis: “Your world ends tomorrow!”
Powerhouse Hobbs: “Look at this team. Tomorrow night the four of you find out why I’m big, black, and jacked.”
Kyle Fletcher: “Hell yeah, tomorrow night on pay-per-view, you’ll find out why the Don Callis Family is the top of the food chain. Along with our new friends Big Bill and Ricky Starks.”
Big Bill: “Tomorrow night, in my backyard, in front of my friends and family, us four are going to whoop all four of your asses.”
Ricky Starks: “Congratulations Chris Jericho. You found four other idiots. This is my retirement gift to you, Sting. You will not make it to Revolution after tomorrow night.”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale!
Renee said Willow asked for this time to address some of the rumors going around at the hands of Stokely Hathaway.
Willow: “Honestly, I just want to make sure you and I are cool, Kris. He’s trying to say I’m taking all the credit for the Street Fight. You yourself are an amazing wrestler. I was kinda thinking, I’m from Long Island, you’re from Long Island, and we’ve got Worlds End coming up in Long Island. I’d really love to share the ring again.”
Stokely Hathaway interrupted!
Stokely: “Share the ring together? I think that’s a great idea. But I have a question for you. What took you so long to save your so-called bestie on Dynamite? How about you two share the ring against each other one on one at Worlds End?”
Statlander: “I’d really like that, actually. I really respect you as a wrestler and as a friend, and so, Worlds End?”
Willow agreed to the match for tomorrow!
ROH Pure Championship Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta (c.) vs. Matt Sydal!
Your judges were Jimmy Jacobs, “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, and Sarah Stock.
They began the match with some incredible chain wrestling. Sydal escaped a crucifix pin attempt, and then nearly caught Yuta himself. Yuta chopped Sydal but Sydal answered with a chop of his own.
Sydal nailed Yuta with a roundhouse kick. Yuta retaliated with a suplex, hit a snap mare, and then dropped a knee on Sydal. Yuta dropkicked Sydal and covered him for a near fall. Sydal connected with the air raid crash for a two-count on Yuta!
Yuta slipped behind Sydal and rocked him with a bridging German suplex for a near fall. Yuta tied up Sydal in a submission, but Sydal managed to reach the ropes with his boot, utilizing his first rope break.
Yuta smashed Sydal with hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Yuta transitioned to putting Sydal into the seatbelt and pinned Matt Sydal!
Danhausen walked onto the ramp after the match!
Danhausen: “Yuta, it is Danhausen, the ROH legend myself, and I have decided to appoint myself the fourth judge. I noticed you’re wrestling my good friend and sometimes tag team partner Hook at Worlds End. I’ve been keeping a close eyeball on you. You cheated and therefore I have to disqualify you. You lost!”
Wheeler Yuta decked Danhausen! Yuta spiked Danhausen with a DDT. Yuta hammered Danhausen with elbows until FTW Champion Hook headed straight to the ring to even up the odds. Yuta bailed right away!
Main Event Time! Trios Match!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, & Trent Beretta
vs.
Action Andretti & Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin!
Cassidy rolled up Andretti with a crucifix for a near fall. Orange put his hands in his pockets and dropkicked Action. Trent tagged in and hit an elbow on Action Andretti. Darius grabbed a tag and put Trent in a side headlock. Trent and Darius traded chops to the chest.
Dante tagged in and splashed Trent with a stalling senton over the top. Top Flight and Action Andretti connected with a triple tope suicida on their opponents! Back in the ring, Rocky and Andretti slugged it out. Action took Rocky off his feet, jumping off the top rope with a cross body press.
Dante and Trent tagged in for their respective teams. Dante connected with a big crossbody press for a near fall. Top Flight used their tandem offense and Darius nailed Trent with a flatliner but Orange broke up the pin attempt. Orange crushed Darius with a Stun dog Millionaire. Action hit a 450 springboard on Trent but Rocky and Orange broke up the pin attempt.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Trent drove Darius down with a suplex. Andretti wiped out Trent with a moonsault to the floor. Rocky climbed to the top, but Action kicked Rocky in the head, stunning him. Trent came up from behind and hurled Action with a release German suplex off the top turnbuckle!
Orange went for the Orange Punch, but Dante countered! Rocky tagged in but Dante planted him and scored the pin!
“This was the win that Top Flight and Action Andretti were looking for,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
Don’t miss AEW Worlds End live on pay-per-view on Saturday beginning with Zero Hour at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
The end of the year is upon us, and All Elite Wrestling intends to close 2023 with a bang! The celebration begins this Wednesday night in Orlando with the League Finals of the Continental Classic and a ROH World Tag Team Championship match with huge implications for both the WORLDS END pay-per-view event going down Saturday night, as well this entire Devil mystery that’s been looming over MJF, and by proxy anyone around him, for the last couple months!
The final DYNAMITE of 2023 begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, a wild HEY!(EW) with Danhausen, and more!
There is a glee quite apparent in Bryan Danielson when he throws insults at Eddie Kingston, when he disrespects the ROH World Champion. It was there when he came out after Kingston’s extremely hard-fought victory over Andrade El Idolo, and it was there when Danielson provided his thoughts on the Finals after event ended. “Bum” is Danielson’s favorite label for the NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT Champion, and he intends to stomp that into the consciousness of the AEW faithful, as well as Eddie’s skull, this week in Orlando…
As for Kingston, he is the underdog, but he’s the one still standing, the one who is still here, and who takes pride in being “the king of the bums”. He is the man Bryan, as well as others, have judged harshly since the beginning of his career, and while some of that judgment has been warranted (Eddie himself is the first one to own up to his own mistakes), what those people have never done is accepted, or acknowledged, his growth as a person. They still see the same Eddie they met twenty years ago, not the man he’s become through his struggles and mistakes and problems, and thus they don’t see the fighter he has become inside the ring either. They don’t see the man who earned the ROH World Championship from Claudio, and won the NJPW STRONG OPENWEIGHT Championship over KENTA. They don’t see a man who, this year alone, beat Minoru Suzuki, Satoshi Kojima, beat SHINGO while competing in his first G1 CLIMAX tournament, fought in DDT Pro Wrestling alongside Jun Akiyama, and is the man responsible for Jay White being excommunicated from New Japan Pro Wrestling. Eddie Kingston is also the reason the winner of this tournament will walk away a Triple Crown Champion because he was brave enough to put his two championship titles into the mix…
With the Continental Classic Finals taking place as part of WORLDS END, all that remains is to determine the winner of each league, and this massive grudge match is all the remains of the Blue! Bryan Danielson has won all three of their previous singles matches, and was on the winning side of a 2009 Trios match that featured Bryan teaming with Claudio and Dave Taylor to take on Kingston, the late Brodie Lee, and Grizzly Redwood. Coincidentally, the only time the two men ever stood on the same side of the ring, Anarchy in the Arena at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022, they lost the battle when Danielson was choked out by The Jericho Appreciation Society.
Suffice it to say there is a lot on the line with this battle, some of it going far behind the standard win and loss. It’s a berth in the finals at WORLDS END, it is Kingston’s status as the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, it’s the potential to challenge for the American Triple Crown, it is pride and respect and all the things that make professional wrestling the greatest sport on Earth!
GOLD LEAGUE FINALS
“Switchblade” Jay White(12) vs. Jon Moxley(12) vs. Swerve Strickland(12)
As the Gold League barreled towards its conclusion it became clear that Jon Moxley, due to the 12 points he carried into the last night of the points battle, would be part of the Finals taking place this Wednesday in Orlando. The only question was just who would Moxley be facing in the Gold League Finals, and what condition he would be in for that fight. The elusive concept of momentum was certainly on Mox’s side, he’d won four straight bouts in the tournament not to mention fourteen of his last sixteen one-on-one bouts, with two of those losses coming in AEW International Championship situations while the third was in a Three Way bout where Trent Beretta pinned Penta El Zero Miedo.
Then the hammer fell in the fifth fight of the tournament, Jay White versus Jon Moxley, with Jay White’s tournament future hanging in the balance. If “Switchblade” lost, he was entirely dependent on Swerve Strickland falling to RUSH in order to have some hope of making it to the Finals, and even then he, Swerve, and RUSH would’ve been locked in a three way tie at nine points that wouldn’t have guaranteed White anything. So the end result of “King Switch” sliding out of a Paradigm Shift attempt to drill Moxley with a Bladerunner and score the pinfall victory was the perfect outcome for Jay White; it insured that he, at least, was tied with Moxley at 12 points while also holding a victory over the man.
In the remaining match affecting the Gold League Finals, Swerve Strickland was able to rebound from his loss to Moxley the week prior and overcome RUSH, meaning Strickland was also part of the 12-point club, and forcing the League Finals to be contested as a Three Way bout. After all in the head-to-head battles, Moxley beat Swerve, Swerve beat Jay White, and White beat Moxley, meaning no one man had a definitive case for being selected ahead of the other as was the case in the Blue League where while Eddie and Andrade were tied in points, Kingston held the head-to-head victory on El Idolo.
So that brings us to Orlando where Moxley, Swerve, and “Switchblade” will fight it out in a Three Way Bout to determine who heads to WORLDS END for the Continental Classic Finals! While the Blue League Finals are loaded with the personal issues between Danielson and Kingston, this fight is all about who will be the better wrestler on Wednesday night! It’s about the love of competition, the desire to be the best, and the grit to fight against all odds just to get one step closer to that American Triple Crown Championship awaiting the tournament winner on Saturday! This fight here, this entire tournament, is a testament to what professional wrestling can be and why so many strive to make it their profession. This is heart and love and passion and guts and glory all rolled into one tournament, and as it draws closer to its end, the world sees just who has the deepest well on the deepest roster of talented assembled under one roof!
For three months a Devil has lurked among the locker rooms of the arenas where All Elite Wrestling has traveled, first announcing their arrival with an assault on Jay White at the close of the September 27th DYNAMITE, and most recently challenging MJF to put the ROH World Tag Titles on the line this Wednesday night in Orlando. The details between those two events is where the Devil’s mystery has lived, making a victim of individuals who align themselves with Maxwell Jacob Friedman (such as The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass) just as much as those who oppose the AEW World Champion (Hangman Page and Jay White), and apparently even MJF himself, though as Samoa Joe pointed out, the assault on Max just happened to be the only one not at least partially captured by cameras.
We’ve heard Roderick Strong and The Kingdom shout at the top of their lungs to all who will listen that it’s all just MJF pulling a ruse, that he himself is The Devil and simply using the tools at hand to pull the wool over everyone else’s eyes. They’ve got a group of masked individuals carrying out the attacks, they’ve yet to stand in the same space as MJF much less breathe the same air, and all interaction between the two has been over a video screen that could just be pre-recorded. It’s not impossible for MJF to pull this off, difficult yes, but not impossible, and the fact he’s spent the vast majority of his time in AEW being generally detestable also makes it a bit more reasonable he could be the man behind the mask.
Yet MJF is answering the challenge for a ROH World Tag Team title fight this Wednesday on DYNAMITE despite the impending AEW World Championship fight with Samoa Joe on Saturday, or perhaps, to be more accurate, that should read Samoa Joe is accepting a fight with The Devil (or his lackeys or both) on MJF’s behalf. Up until that moment last Wednesday, Samoa Joe had tried to be a voice of reason, a cooler head, while the AEW World Champ was running off taking every fight he presented, or picking ones he didn’t need . Yet in that moment, it was Joe who threw rationality out the window and accepted this tag title fight against a pair of unknown opponents, presumably to finally remove it as a distraction from the AEW World Championship fight ahead.
So will we all finally get to see what’s behind the mask of the Devil? Or will this be just another part of the game as it was last time Joe and MJF anticipated fighting their masked men? Will the final DYNAMITE of 2023 bring MFJ’s final night as ROH World Tag Champion, or the final night of The Devil’s games?
MARIAH MAY & RENEE…
While “Timeless” Toni Storm may be perpetually unaware of who Mariah May is, it is very clear that the fans of AEW know given their response to Mariah stating she’s medically cleared and her wrestling license is good to go. They are aware of her history with STARDOM, her work put in throughout England, and are eager to see what she brings to the table for All Elite Wrestling’s Women’s Division. It seems it is just a matter of time until Mariah May makes her debut, and maybe Toni Storm will even be in attendance for it, so perhaps there will be some answers to be head when Renee Paquette is joined by the former Goddesses of Stardom (Tag Team) Champion! Will we finally get a date for that debut match?
A FRIENDSHIP FRACTURED…
Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue
They were friends, allies, at one point, but Skye Blue being affected by Julia Hart’s black mist changed all that. She and Kris Statlander have drifted ever since that date, despite efforts Willow Nightingale made to keep fences mended, but perhaps Skye’s failure to capture the TBS Championship on COLLISION, and watching it go to Julia Hart on FULL GEAR 2023, fully broke the woman and turned her to Julia’s side against Abadon.
Now these two former friends will clash once again, but the status quo of their relationship is quite different now, meaning this one is going to be a bit more violent than the others. There is animosity, betrayal, and disappointment, and now they can have it out before the end of 2023!
The last DYNAMITE of 2023 comes to you from Orlando, FL this Wednesday with the Blue & Gold League finals in Continental Classic as well as a ROH World Tag Team Championship match with potential ramifications on the AEW World Championship match at WORLDS END this Saturday! We will see Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson fight for the top spot in the Blue League while Jon Moxley, Swerve Strickland, and Jay White battle for leadership of the Gold League! Plus Samoa Joe teams up with MJF one last time to defend the ROH World Tag Titles against…someone…from the Devil’s camp. Could it be the Devil himself? More masked men? We will see this Wednesday in Orlando, and perhaps the mask will finally come off!
The night’s fights begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, just be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
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