AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF & Samoa Joe vs. The Devil’s Masked Men!
The masked men were in the ring. And then MJF was introduced, and he walked down the ramp. When Samoa Joe was introduced by Justin Roberts, he didn’t walk out to the ring. Footage played on the big screen from backstage, where Samoa Joe was on the ground, injured. Samoa Joe was holding his right leg, writhing in pain.
MJF told the ref, “I’m doing this match!”
MJF took the fight right to the masked men, stomping one of them in the corner. Samoa Joe tried to pull the mask off, but the other masked man pulled MJF’s throat first across the top rope. MJF rammed one of the masked men into the steel ring post. He tried to pull off the mask, but a third masked man crawled out from beneath the ring and clocked MJF with a steel pipe on MJF’s injured shoulder. One of the masked men nailed MJF with the heat seeker and scored the pin while the other masked man held his legs. The Devil’s Masked Men are the new ROH World Tag Team Champions!
More masked men began to swarm MJF in the ring! Samoa Joe hobbled to the ring with a steel chair under his arm! The masked men retreated away from Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe helped MJF to his feet and then the Devil appeared on the big screen. The Devil disappeared but the following words appeared:
“Pleasure doing business with you.”
MJF stared at the message and then Samoa Joe cracked MJF in the back with the steel chair!
“Has Joe been working with the Devil this whole time?” asked Excalibur.
“I think Joe definitely has been working with the Devil,” replied Taz.
“Guys, I agree. He’s in league with the Devil himself,” added Tony Schiavone.
Samoa Joe was walking fine now and picked up MJF. Joe planted MJF with the Muscle Buster in the center of the ring!
Samoa Joe picked up the AEW World Title and held it up overhead!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: New Year’s Smash was broadcast live from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic League Final Standings:
Gold League
Jon Moxley (12)
Swerve Strickland (12)
Jay White (12)
Rush (6)
Mark Briscoe (3)
Jay Lethal (0)
Blue League
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (10)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (9)
Andrade El Idolo (9)
Brody King (6)
Claudio Castagnoli (6)
Daniel Garcia (3)
Continental Classic: Gold League Final!
Jon Moxley vs. “Switchblade” Jay White vs. Swerve Strickland!
“Here we go! Who is going to go into the final for the Gold League?” wondered Taz.
Swerve was looking for a quick win, rolling up Mox from behind. Mox kicked out and then he and Swerve traded forearms. Moxley delivered some big headbutts. Swerve and Moxley brawled around the ring while Jay White watched on. Swerve and Mox grabbed White and tossed him over the barricade. Mox then chucked Swerve over the barricade!
Swerve put Moxley on a chair and then charged into him with a running knee. The forced pushed Moxley backwards, with Moxley landing on his shoulder. “Switchblade” Jay White snuck up behind Moxley and nailed him with a chop block. Jay White hammered down right hands on the head of Moxley. Jay White suplexed Moxley onto a steel chair.
Back in the ring, Jay White chopped at Swerve and then suplexed Swerve into the corner. Jay White tried to suplex Swerve but Swerve countered with a kick from the apron. Moxley took down Jay White with a pump kick. Swerve was there waiting but Moxley got a boot up and then raked the back of Swerve. Swerve connected with a big lariat to Moxley and then a flying European Uppercut to the back of Moxley’s head and neck.
Swerve backdropped Moxley over the top rope. Swerve climbed to the top and rocked Mox and White with a diving frog splash to them on the arena floor! Moxley retaliated with a tope suicida, driving Swerve back to the barricade.
Moxley spiked Swerve with a piledriver for a near fall. Moxley followed up with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Moxley tried for a superplex, but Swerve fought it way out. Swerve jumped off the turnbuckles, but Moxley countered with a boot and a DDT for a two-count. Moxley cleared off the timekeeper’s table. Mox was looking for a piledriver but Jay White whacked Mox with a chair to the back, and then he hammered Moxley’s leg and left knee with the chair. Jay White jumped back into the ring and Swerve cradled him for a near fall.
Swerve blasted Jay White with a solid right hand shot. Swerve plastered White with the House Call kick! Swerve powerslammed White. Swerve smashed White with a 450 splash, but Mox was there to kick Swerve and break up Swerve’s pin attempt on White!
“We are witnessing a classic,” said Excalibur.
Moxley locked a bulldog choke on Jay White! Swerve rocked Mox with the House Call! Jay White pushed Swerve into Moxley and Moxley defended with a King Kong Lariat. Jay White planted Mox with the Blade Runner and went for the cover but Swerve shoved Mox off White, breaking the pin to protect his own chances at winning the match.
The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”
Jay White smacked Moxley with a steel chair and then cracked Swerve in the ribs. Jay White propped the chair between the turnbuckle pads. Swerve grabbed Jay White and whipped him into the chair. Moxley and Swerve stood there and traded open hand shots in the center of the ring! Swerve caught Moxley with two pump kicks. Swerve walloped Mox with a discus lariat! Swerve was looking for the JML Driver but Mox bit on Swerve’s fingers. Swerve climbed up for the Swerve Stomp, but Jay White knocked him down. Moxley impaled Jay White with the Death Rider and scored the pin!
Jon Moxley is the winner of the Gold League and is going to the finals this Saturday at the Worlds End pay-per-view!
Tony Schiavone was backstage with Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana!
Swerve: “I wanted this so bad. This Continental Classic was bringing life back into this business. I proved I’m one of the best in the industry, if not the best. I didn’t get pinned. Jay White got pinned. Somebody is looking for me on Collision? Keith Lee, yeah? You want me? I got nothing to do this Saturday, I’ll be there at Worlds End!”
Tony Schiavone presented Swerve with a contract to wrestle Keith Lee on Saturday at Worlds End.
Swerve: “We’ll see if he shows up this Saturday,” said Swerve.
Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May on the ramp!
Mariah May: “You’ve all waited so patiently for my debut and I’m here to tell you when it’s going to be. I didn’t feel 2023 had the best energy. Not enough glamour. So, my debut will be next week on the first Dynamite of the new year. Because 2024 is all about Mariah.”
Riho ran out and chased Mariah May to the ring!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm sprinted down, but Riho tripped her up! Riho jumped off the top rope, crashing onto Toni Storm and Luther the Butler with flying crossbody press!
Backstage, Top Flight—Darius and Dante Martin, and Action Andretti had some words after their match last week with the Acclaimed and Daddy Ass!
Dante: “There are plenty of trios for us to fight.”
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, and Trent walked onto the set.
Orange: “We’ll see you guys Friday.”
Rocky: “Honestly, Orange did the same thing to me last week. See you guys Friday.”
Action: “Well, this Friday, Rampage, challenge accepted.”
A highlight package aired of “The Redeemer” Miro, and Miro threw out a challenge to Andrade El Idolo at Worlds End this Saturday!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring for Don Callis Family’s Boxing Week Celebration!
ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher, Konosuke Takeshita, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Don Callis came out!
Don Callis: “I have something important to say. As you may or may not know, there’s been a lot of stuff going around outside the wrestling business the past couple of weeks. Family stuff. It’s been a very difficult two weeks for me. And guys you know what I’m talking about and at times like this, you need your family. And I couldn’t have gotten through it without my family by me. And I’ve gotten all of you guys some Boxing gifts to show my appreciation.
Don Callis unveiled a painting of him and Powerhouse. And then one of him with Takeshita. He had one of him and Kyle revealed.
Don Callis: “Finally, the Don Callis Family feels complete.”
Sammy Guevara’s music hit, and Sammy walked to the ring, making his return!
Don Callis: “What’s up?”
Sammy: “Long time no talk, Don.”
Don: “Didn’t you get the gift I sent for the kid? I’m glad you’re here. To show my appreciation, I got a gift for you. This is a painting just for you I did specially.”
Sammy unveiled the painting, and it was a portrait of Sammy holding his newborn, surrounded by the Don Callis Family.
Sammy: “Don, I have one question for you. Who the hell told you to put my baby on that?”
Don: “No one but look at it again. You’ve got your whole family there supporting you and Sammy, let’s be honest, you’re not exactly mentally capable of being a parent.”
Sammy: “You’re worried about my parenting when you need to be worried about leading this group. You make everything about you. I’ve head people that I would never expect ask me how I was going when I got concussed. But I never got a message from you.”
Don: “You’re disappointed that I didn’t call you? I’m disappointed that you dropped the ball when you got hurt and dropped the ball when you had the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had. I’m disappointed that you were on leave while you were out having a baby. So, you choose the other family, or you choose the Don Callis Family. If you answer wrong, you’re going to be remembered as just as big a failure as a wrestler as you’re about to be as a parent.”
Sammy heard enough and shoved Don Callis to the mat!
Powerhouse Hobbs bulldozed Sammy and the rest of the Callis Family began to stomp on Sammy. Chris Jericho ran to the ring and hit Hobbs and Takeshita with Floyd, his baseball bat. The rest of the Callis family retreated from the ring. Jericho swung at the paintings and smashed them with his bat. For the final painting, he offered his bat to Sammy and invited him to smash it. Sammy swung the bat and shattered the portrait!
Jericho and Sammy hugged. AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill blindsided Jericho and Sammy from behind!
“Where did they come from?” asked Excalibur.
Starks and Big Bill swarmed Sammy and Jericho!
The arena lights went black! When the arena lights came back on, Sting and Darby Allin were in the ring! Sting whacked Big Bill with his baseball bat! Darby dropkicked Starks! Sting and Jericho took turns hammering away at Big Bill with their baseball bats!
“Sting and Darby Allin and they had the back of Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara! What an improbably turn of events,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Roderick Strong!
Roddy: “Renee! Thank you for this time. Me and the fellows have been working on something for the past five days.”
The Kingdom had a bulletin board full of suspects, connected by yarn, trying to decipher who the Devil was.
Roddy: “All roads lead to…Max is the devil. Listen to me, Max. I’m going to prove you’re the devil. You are eventually going to be exposed. Because Max is the devil!”
Continental Classic: Blue League Final!
ROH World & NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston
vs.
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Danielson was testing Eddie’s patience, but Eddie grabbed Danielson with a suplex and followed up with a tope suicida. Kingston chopped at Danielson outside the ring. Danielson whipped Kingston into the barricade, but Kingston came back with a double sledge.
Danielson gouged at Kingston’s eyes. Danielson connected with round kicks, tenderizing Kingston in the corner. Eddie cracked Danielson with headbutts. Danielson staggered Kingston on the apron with a DDT and then followed up with a flying knee!
Back in the ring, Danielson was looking for the Le Bell Lock, but Kingston scooted away back towards the ropes. Danielson taunted and berated Kingston: “They’re all saying you’re a bum!” Kingston sent Danielson for a ride with an exploder suplex!
Kingston went for the spinning backfist, but Danielson blocked it. Kingston followed up with a DDT and now the fans chanted “Let’s go Eddie!” Kingston wrecked Danielson in the corner with brutal chops.
“Danielson wanted this aggression from Kingston,” said Excalibur.
“Well, he’s getting it,” replied Taz.
Danielson managed to put Kingston in the Le Bell Lock! Kingston crawled to the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Danielson blasted Kingston with kicks and then a snap suplex. Danielson climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Eddie charged to the corner and chopped Danielson, stalling Bryan’s progress. Danielson slipped between Eddie’s legs and then pulled him backwards in a Tree of Woe. Danielson kicked Eddie, who was tied up in the ropes. Danielson smashed Eddie with a running dropkick.
Danielson tried to suplex Eddie off the turnbuckles, but Eddie shifted and landed on top of Bryan’s injured eye. Danielson kicked Eddie on the inside of the knee and brought him down. Kingston fired back with more chops, bringing Danielson to his knees! Danielson blocked a chop and hurled Eddie with a shoulder capture suplex for a near fall!
Kingston connected with a lariat and then followed up with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall on Danielson! Bryan found the strength to connect with a running knee strike for a two-count on Eddie! Danielson battered Kingston with the hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Danielson captured Eddie’s wrists and stomped on Eddie’s head! Eddie flipped off Danielson. Eddie blocked Danielson’s running knee strike with a spinning back fist! Kingston hurled Danielson with a half and half. Danielson caught Kingston with a roundhouse kick! Eddie smashed Danielson again with a spinning backfist! Kingston power bombed Danielson and pinned him!
Eddie Kingston is the winner of the Blue League Division!
“Not only has Eddie finally defeated Bryan Danielson, but he is also one step closer to that Continental Crown,” said Excalibur.
Jon Moxley walked down the ramp and entered the ring to check on Danielson. Kingston sneered at Moxley.
Moxley: “Eddie, all I’ve ever asked of you, every time I stuck my neck out for you, all I’ve ever asked is for you to give 100%. And for a guy who thinks the whole world is against him, you’ve got a lot of people who love you. Listen to this building, man. Everybody here in Orlando loves Eddie Kingston. AEW fans across the country and the world love Eddie Kingston.
“Every person in the building on Saturday at Worlds End in New York City is going to love Eddie Kingston. And they don’t care whether you win or lose. But they deserve your very best. They deserve your maximum effort. Problem is, I know you better than you know yourself. I know you can’t beat me, and you know you can’t beat me. So, for my money, you’ve already lost. You’ve already given up. You’re already making excuses, but that’s not going to fly this time. A couple years ago I gave you the shot of your lifetime and I let you off the hook. This time you’re not going to get one single favor. You want to be a Triple Crown Champion just like all your heroes? You’re going to have to earn every inch.”
Kingston: “You talked enough. Let me tell you something. Don’t come out here and treat me like your young boy Yuta. Because I ain’t no young boy. Remember something: I broke in before you. You’re lucky I let you breathe. But I’m going to tell you something. You’re right. I’m one of the most down people. I hate myself more than I hate anybody else. But on Saturday the king of the bums is going to push you. You told me once when I wanted to quit AEW, you said, ‘You are not allowed to quit because we need people like you around to shape the younger guys. So, is that what you want, Jon? I’m going to give you everything I have. You better show your fighting spirit because I’m going to show you mine and I’m going to bust you up and enjoy it.”
Lexy Nair had a sitdown interview with TNT Champion Christian Cage and “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Lexy introduced the viewers to Shayna Wayne, Nick Wayne, and the TNT Champion Christian Cage.
Christian Cage: “First of all, it’s Mother Wayne and the ‘Prodigy’ Nick Wayne, and I’ve been sitting here all night waiting for Adam Copeland to show up.”
Copeland stormed the set!
Copeland threw Nick Wayne into a cargo box. Christian and Copeland began to slug it out! AEW Security did their best to pry Copeland off Christian. Copeland fought free while Christian Cage tried to escape through a side door. Adam Copeland caught up with Christian Cage and shoved him against a concrete wall! Wrestlers pried them apart while Copeland yelled, “You’re mine! You’re mine!”
Kris Statlander vs. Skye Blue!
Stokely Hathaway joined the broadcast booth for this match.
“Skye Blue has changed. She looks different, she approaches her matches differently,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Well, I think her buddy Julia Hart rubbed off on her,” replied Taz.
Skye slapped Kris in the face. Kris rammed Skye with a shoulder tackle and followed up with a scoop slam. Kris took down Skye with a dropkick. Kris blocked a suplex from Skye. Kris countered with a delayed vertical suplex.
Skye cracked Kris with a rising knee strike and then a pump kick to the side of the head. Skye planted Statlander on the ring apron, using Kris’ own momentum against her. Kris rolled through with a deadlift German Suplex for a near fall on Skye.
Skye ducked a kick and connected with a thrust kick. Skye hit the Code Blue for a near fall on Statlander. Skye jumped off the top rope looking for a hurracanrana, but Statlander caught her and rocked Skye with a powerbomb for a two-count. Kris kicked Skye and Skye played possum while the ref checked on her. Julia Hart jumped out of nowhere and clocked Kris Statlander with the TBS Championship. The ref didn’t see it! Skye walloped Kris with an avalanche Code Blue and pinned Statlander!
Skye Blue attacked Kris Statlander after the match. Julia Hart and Skye Blue double teamed Statlander. Willow Nightingale ran to the ring to help Kris! Willow dished out clotheslines and Skye and Julia ran from Willow!
As Skye Blue and Julia Hart retreated from the ring, Abadon appeared and stared at Julia! Skye Blue and Julia Hart jumped off the ramp and took a side route away from Abadon!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Ruby Soho and Saraya!
Renee asked Ruby how she felt knowing she’s taking on Marina Shafir this Friday on Rampage.
Saraya: “I’m really excited for you, but I can’t keep this in. I’m so sorry, Ruby, but you know it’s your birthday next month and I’ve been giving you so many gifts. Well, I thought I’d give you something special for Rampage. I got you a little help. C’mon in Harley! Look at her, she’ll do anything.”
Ruby’s phone rang and she apologized but she had to take the call.
Saraya: “Is that Angelo? Tell him I said hi. I love that guy.”
Ruby left to answer the phone. Renee asked how Saraya’s partnership with Harley came together.
Saraya: “Why don’t I show you. Go on.”
Harley pulled a knife from behind her back!
Saraya: “Whoa, let’s try the other thing. We’ll fill you in next week Renee. Put that knife back. Put that back.”
Main Event Time! Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship Match!
AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champion MJF & Samoa Joe
vs.
The Devil’s Masked Men!
The masked men were in the ring. And then MJF was introduced, and he walked down the ramp. When Samoa Joe was introduced by Justin Roberts, he didn’t walk out to the ring. Footage played on the big screen from backstage, where Samoa Joe was on the ground, injured. Samoa Joe was holding his right leg, writhing in pain.
MJF told the ref, “I’m doing this match!”
MJF took the fight right to the masked men, stomping one of them in the corner. Samoa Joe tried to pull the mask off, but the other masked man pulled MJF’s throat first across the top rope. MJF rammed one of the masked men into the steel ring post. He tried to pull off the mask, but a third masked man crawled out from beneath the ring and clocked MJF with a steel pipe on MJF’s injured shoulder. One of the masked men nailed MJF with the heat seeker and scored the pin while the other masked man held his legs. The Devil’s Masked Men are the new ROH World Tag Team Champions!
More masked men began to swarm MJF in the ring! Samoa Joe hobbled to the ring with a steel chair under his arm! The masked men retreated away from Samoa Joe. Samoa Joe helped MJF to his feet and then the Devil appeared on the big screen. The Devil disappeared but the following words appeared:
“Pleasure doing business with you.”
MJF stared at the message and then Samoa Joe cracked MJF in the back with the steel chair!
“Has Joe been working with the Devil this whole time?” asked Excalibur.
“I think Joe definitely has been working with the Devil,” replied Taz.
“Guys, I agree. He’s in league with the Devil himself,” added Tony Schiavone.
Samoa Joe was walking fine now and picked up MJF. Joe planted MJF with the Muscle Buster in the center of the ring!
Samoa Joe picked up the AEW World Title and held it up overhead!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE: New Year’s Smash at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Worlds End live on pay-per-view on Saturday beginning with Zero Hour at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
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!
On December 27th, Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson will face off to determine of the Continental Classic Blue league. The winner will go on to face the Gold League winner at AEW Worlds End!
The Continental Classic League Finals take place Wednesday December 27th on AEW Dynamite LIVE at 8/7c on TBS!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION: Holiday Bash was broadcast from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Kevin Kelly and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
Continental Classic: Blue League Standings-
Andrade El Idolo (9)
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (9)
Brody King (6)
Claudio Castagnoli (6)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (6)
Daniel Garcia (0)
Continental Classic: Blue League Match!
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli!
Danielson and Claudio grappled on the mat, reaching a stalemate. The Blackpool Combat Club teammates know each other very well. Danielson stomped on the back of Claudio’s knees. Claudio fired back with a European Uppercut, stunning Danielson. Claudio slammed Danielson and then dropped an elbow on him.
Claudio thumbed Danielson in the eye. Claudio tried for the Giant Swing, but Danielson cradled him for a near fall. Claudio rocked Bryan with a lariat for a two-count. Claudio tried again for the Giant Swing, but Danielson countered with the Le Bell Lock. Claudio escaped by grabbing the ring ropes. Danielson jumped off the apron and connected with a high knee to Claudio’s shoulder. Danielson whipped Claudio into the steel ring steps.
Back in the ring, Danielson charged at Claudio with a dropkick, but Claudio caught him and hurled him around in the Giant Swing! Claudio hit Danielson with a headbutt. Claudio followed Danielson out of the ring and ran at Danielson with a running European Uppercut.
Claudio was perched on the top turnbuckle, but Danielson knocked him down, putting Claudio in a Tree of Woe type position. Danielson kicked Claudio and then walloped him with a belly-to-back suplex off the top rope!
Danielson managed to apply the Le Bell Lock again. Claudio touched the rope with his bottom rope and Danielson held onto the submission lock as long as legally possible. Finally, the ref saw Claudio’s boot and forced Danielson to relinquish the hold. Claudio made Danielson pay with an avalanche superplex from the top rope, and there was less than five minutes remaining.
The fans chanted “Fight forever! Fight forever!”
Claudio hoisted up Bryan for the Ricola Bomb. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s arm, looking for a triangle choke, but Claudio planted Danielson with the Neutralizer for a near fall! Danielson charged at Claudio with a running knee strike. Danielson grabbed Claudio’s wrists and began to stomp on Claudio’s head. Claudio reversed it and began to stomp on Danielson’s head! They kicked one another until Claudio applied the sharpshooter. There was one minute remaining!
Danielson clawed the mat, trying to reach the ropes. Claudio sat down, making the sharpshooter even tighter! Thirty seconds remained! Fans were on their feet! With ten seconds left, Claudio tried for the Ricola Bomb, but Danielson escaped. Claudio rocked Danielson with a knee and went for the cover but time expired! The match ended in a draw!
Bryan Danielson has advanced to the Blue League Finals!
AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed—Anthony Bowens and Max Caster & Daddy Ass (c.)
vs.
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin, & Action Andretti!
Action went for a backdrop, but Bowens countered with a neck breaker. Bowens blasted Action with a thrust kick. Darius and Action hit the Acclaimed with stereo dropkicks. Daddy Ass tagged in and knocked Action Andretti to the mat. Daddy Ass planted Action with a side slam.
Top Flight used tandem offense on Max, and then Action splashed Max with a standing shooting star press. Dante jumped off the ropes, but Billy waffled him with a stiff uppercut. Billy planted Darius with a tilt awhirl slam!
Top Flight took flight and connected with topes to Daddy Ass and Anthony Bowens. Meanwhile, in the ring, Max Caster rolled up Action Andretti out of nowhere and pinned him!
“Wow, Max Caster saving this match for the Trios Champions, because Top Flight and Action Andretti were seconds away from scoring what some might call an upset,” said Nigel.
“Did Max pull the tights?” asked Kevin Kelly.
“Who cares?” replied Nigel.
FTW Champion HOOK had a message for Wheeler Yuta!
“You want to fight me for my title by my rules? That’s fine by me. Let’s do it next week at Worlds End!”
ROH World-Six Man Champion “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)
vs.
“Limitless” Keith Lee!
Keith Lee and Brian Cage locked up. Keith shoved Cage away and smiled. Keith Lee charged at Cage, but Cage dodged him. Cage whacked Lee with a basement dropkick and then a tornado DDT!
Keith Lee splashed Cage in the corner and then clobbered Cage with body shots. Keith Lee threw Cage over Lee’s head for a two-count. Brian Cage superplexed Keith Lee!
“An incredible collision of man and mat!” said Tony Schiavone.
Cage hoisted up Lee and tossed him down with a faceplant. Prince Nana pulled a cinder block from beneath the ring. He slid it into the mat. Keith Lee headbutted Cage and then finished him off with a jackhammer, scoring the pin on Cage!
Keith Lee: “Almost exactly a year ago someone took me out for almost two months with this cinder block. And I’ve been trying to send a message to him, but he seems to not be listening. So, I guess at Dynamite I’ll come make my message clear. I’ve got a house to tear down and I’ll do it brick by brick!”
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, who was with Mariah May and Luther!
Renee asked Storm about her upcoming match with Riho at Worlds End.
Storm acted like she’d never met Mariah May before tonight.
May: “Renee, I have an exciting announcement to make. My wrestler’s license has been approved, I’m medically cleared, and I’m good to go.”
Renee: “Incredible. Do you have any idea when you may be debuting?”
May: “It will be very soon and Ms. Storm, do you have any advice?”
Storm: “Sorry, darling, I wasn’t listening. And Riho, you are very small and very light. But the winter is coming, and I have no problem packing it on for a new role. You will leave me no choice but to gobble you up!”
TNT Champion Christian Cage, along with the “Prodigy” Nick Wayne, walked to the ring!
Christian Cage: “People want to know why Nick’s mom smashed Adam Copeland in the head with my TNT Championship. I can explain it to myself, but why should I when she can do it herself. So, get on your feet and show some respect for Shayna Wayne!”
Shayna Wayne came to the ring and joined Christian Cage and her son Nick Wayne.
Shayna: “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? You all want to know why I did what I did to Adam Copeland? Nick Wayne is my son. He’s my baby boy. My pride and joy. I sat in this ring, and I watched Adam Copeland smash a steel chair into his head and you wonder why I made the choice that I did. I did what any loving mother would do. I protected my son.
“Really? Really? Boo a mother? Something has been made very clear to me. The one person who loves and cares for my son as much as I do is the “Patriarch” Christian Cage.”
Christian Cage: “Adam Copeland is a piece of crap. Shayna worked as a waitress just to put food on her plate and to help make her son’s dream come true to make it as a pro wrestling. But with one swing of the chair, you took that dream away, Copeland. If anyone should know better, it’s you, Copeland, as you grew up with a single mother. I wish your mother were still alive, Adam, so I could watch your mother disown you.
“You’ve never been able to harness your anger. I scored that night, and then scored when I walked out with Mother Wayne. And now that my family is complete, I’ll address the challenge that you made, when you challenge me for Worlds End in a No Disqualification Match. Adam, I’ll accept your invitation for a fight at Worlds End. But I will not accept your challenge because you are no challenger. I already beat you. And I am levels above you. I stand on the mountain top as the very best in this sport. And I am going to take you behind the shed and put you down for the last time!”
Lexy Nair was backstage with the AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill!
Big Bill: “Kenny Omega, apparently you have diverticulitis. First of all, that sounds made up. Let me tell you what I think is really happening here. I think you’re afraid to face us.”
Starks: “Kenny, you don’t have the guts to face us, therefore, you and Chris forfeit your match at Worlds End. And we will go and party in New York City.”
Chris Jericho walked onto the scene and interrupted Starks.
Chris Jericho: “You know, the Golden Jets are on hiatus, Kenny Omega is out indefinitely, but I’m not forfeiting anything. I’ve got a signed contract for an AEW World Tag Team Championship match against you two. I don’t know when it’s going to be or who my partner is going to be, but I’ll find somebody, and when I do, I’ll take those Tag Team Titles away from you. And that…is the absolute truth.”
Continental Classic: Blue League Match!
Daniel Garcia vs. House of Black’s Brody King!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Garcia slapped Brody in the face, making a statement. Brody immediately began to pummel Garcia and then clobbered him with a gigantic cannonball for a near fall. Brody hammered Garcia with forearm shots.
Brody fought off Garcia with boots to Brody’s face. Brody used a sit out senton on Garcia for a two-count. Brody crumpled Garcia with a knife edge chop.
Brody invited Garcia to chop him, and Garcia obliged. Garcia was fighting like the rent was due. Garcia shocked Brody with a suplex.
“Holy smokes, he got him up! What an effort by Garcia,” said Schiavone.
Brody retaliated with a Death Valley Driver and then a lariat for a near fall. Brody spiked Garcia with the Gonzo Bomb but Garcia kicked out!
“What kind of superhuman is able to kick out of a Gonzo Bomb like that?” asked Kevin Kelly.
Brody picked up Garcia, who was like deadweight. Brody slapped at Garcia, but Garcia jackknifed Brody and pinned him!
“Unbelievable! What did we witness here tonight?” asked Schiavone.
“Garcia ended the Continental Classic for Brody King,” added Kevin Kelly.
The arena lights went dark! When the lights came back on, Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews were standing in the ring, holding Garcia up. Daddy Magic jumped into the ring, but Buddy booted him in the head! Brody yanked at Garcia’s fingers, trying to break them.
FTR—Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood, sprinted to the ring and the House of Black retreated!
Dax Harwood: “I’m tired of the fairy tales. I’m tired of all the magic tricks. If you want us to be in your family, well, damnit, I’ll be your tequila drinking uncle that whoops everybody’s ass! I want it, we want it, first time ever! FTR versus House of Black! Top guys out!”
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!
Skye Blue stomped on Abadon. Julia tagged in and began to bash Abadon’s head on the mat. Abadon caught Julia and planted her onto the mat. Abadon began to batter Julia on the mat and then connected with a running knee.
Abadon tried to make a tag, but Skye Blue charged in and prevented Abadon from reaching Thunder Rosa. Julia Hart and Skye Blue double teamed Abadon. Abadon double DDT’ed Blue and Hart. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and cleaned house on Julia and Skye!
Thunder Rosa smashed into Skye Blue with a flying lariat and then double knees! Thunder Rosa nailed Skye with a Northern Lights Suplex for a near fall. Skye Blue clocked Thunder Rosa with a thrust kick. Julia Hart climbed to the top rope, but Abadon knocked her down. Thunder Rosa hit the Tijuana Bomb on Skye Blue and then pinned her!
Main Event Time! Continental Classic: Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!
Kingston ducked Andrade’s back elbow at the start of the match. Andrade ducked Eddie’s spinning back fist. Kingston did a double foot stomp on Andrade’s abdomen. Andrade came off the ropes, but Kingston turned him inside out with a lariat.
Andrade wiped out Kingston with a dragon screw leg whip. He sent Kingston back down again with a flying forearm. Andrade smoked Kingston when he ran into Kingston in the corner with a double knee strike. Andrade rocked Kingston with the three amigos suplex.
Andrade jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Kingston countered with a boot. In the process, Kingston tweaked his knee. Kingston fired off the Kobashi chops to Andrade and followed up with an Exploder Suplex for a near fall!
Andrade snapmared Kingston through the ropes and to the arena floor. Andrade connected with a moonsault. Andrade went for another moonsault, this time in the ring, but Kingston moved, so Andrade adjusted and crashed onto Kingston with a standing moonsault!
Eddie sent Andrade flying with a belly to back suplex for a two-count. Andrade backed up Kingston into the corner. Andrade starched Kingston with a spinning back elbow but Kingston kicked out at the two-count! Andrade applied the figure four, bridged up for the figure eight, but Eddie grabbed the bottom rope to break the hold. Eddie stunned Andrade with two spinning back fists! Kingston hoisted up Andrade and planted him headfirst on the mat and pinned Andrade!
It’ll be Eddie Kingston vs. Bryan Danielson on Dynamite this Wednesday!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
After an exciting pair of nights in Oklahoma City for DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, All Elite Wrestling returns to San Antonio for the first time in a year when the Freeman Coliseum hosted the 2022 Holiday Bash! This time we are coming to San Antonio’s Frost Bank Center and bringing COLLISION to River City with us! With the Gold League coming to a head in a Three Way fight between Moxley, Swerve, and Jay White in next week’s finals, eyes turn to the Continental Classic’s Blue League to see who will advance from this group!
This Saturday night, the final three matches in the Blue League take place to see whose points total puts them in the finals! The Blackpool Combat Club will be tested against itself when Bryan Danielson takes on Claudio Castagnoli for the first time in AEW, as well as their first bout in nearly three years! Andrade El Idolo and Eddie Kingston fight it out for the first time, and Daniel Garcia attempts to get on the board, and throw a monkey wrench in the works, by beating Brody King! The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the best way to get ready is to visit the official AEW YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFN4JkGP_bVhAdBsoV9xftA/videos), as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE…
Standings
Andrade El Idolo (9)
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (9)
Brody King (6)
Claudio Castagnoli (6)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (6)
Daniel Garcia (0)
Bryan Danielson (9) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (6)
For the first time in All Elite Wrestling, “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli will go head-to-head in their final match of the Continental Classic’s Blue League! These two members of The Blackpool Combat Club have quite a checkered past with one another, first coming to blows in September 2005 as part of the Ted Petty Invitational Tournament, fighting in multiple independents around the country, but it was their shared time in Ring of Honor that created both a strong rivalry and a mutual respect. Beginning with their June 28, 2008 match at VENDETTA II, the two men could lock-up in four singles matches, culminating in a No Disqualification bout at SOUTHERN HOSTILITY. Danielson won three of those four one-on-one bouts, including that final match, but their rivalry also included tag matches, Three Way fights, and Four Corner Survival matches. One of those Four Corner bouts, a ROH World Championship one, actually saw Claudio try to stomp Bryan’s skull in with a Steel Chair! The two had a few other matches after that No DQ bout, including a memorable Three Way at INSANITY UNLEASHED that also included Kenny Omega, but their final singles match as independent wrestlers actually took place in Germany for wXw on May 1, 2009.
Now that’s not to say their paths didn’t continue to cross over the next several years when the two occupied the same space once again, in fact from 2013-2021 they went one-on-one seven times, five of which were won by Danielson, with the last two going to Claudio. Prior to entering AEW, the two were actually working on the same page, and it’s that, along with the respect forged through their wars together, that likely led Danielson to bring Claudio into The Blackpool Combat Club!
Since FORBIDDEN DOOR 2022 when Claudio first arrived to replace Bryan in the scheduled match with Zack Sabre Jr., we’ve seen how well the two work together, and how The BCC operates like a well-oiled machine, but this night we will get to see how they operate as foes! Claudio is on a mission to fight his way into the finals, a real possibility if he defeats Danielson, while Bryan is on the precipice of securing his position with a victory. Unfortunately “The American Dragon” may be coming into this as the underdog, not due to skill or ability, but because of the injuries he’s sustained over the last year. We know he’s not 100% recovered from the broken arm suffered at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023, we’ve seen how foes in the Continental Classic have gone after the still-healing orbital bone injury, that eye patch serving as a constant reminder to his opponents of what to target.
So how will this play out? We know the phrase “iron sharpens iron” is embedded in the ethos of the Blackpool Combat Club, but does that mean doing whatever is necessary to win when it is one of your own group who is most vulnerable? Will Claudio follow in the footsteps of Andrade and Brody King and attack the weakest part of Danielson’s anatomy? Or are there some lengths the BCC members won’t go to in order to win? We will find out when Claudio and Bryan lock-up this Saturday night! As for the probable outcomes, let’s save that for a minute…
Eddie Kingston (6) vs. Andrade El Idolo (9)
The start of this tournament was not favorable to ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston. Despite putting both his titles into the mix to form, along with the Continental Championship, a modern American Triple Crown Championship, Kingston dropped his first two atches to Brody King and Bryan Danielson. Fighting out of a hole heading into this three remaining matches, “The Mad King” rallied with victories over long-time nemesis Claudio Castagnoli and newer rival Daniel Garcia, to notch himself six points in the tournament. Those two victories restored some hope that Kingston could actually win this tournament but, in a tournament filled with the best fighters in the world, Eddie has what may be his toughest fight in this last fight.
Unlike Eddie, Andrade El Idolo started this tournament with three consecutive victories in large part as a result of his willingness to do whatever it took to win. He topped Daniel Garcia to begin his streak, took advantage of Danielson fighting with that eye injury to get his six points, and used an exposed turnbuckle to help defeat Brody King in their fight for nine points. It was only Claudio Castagnoli’s willingness to do the same in their fight that kept Andrade from hitting the 12-point mark, instead putting him in a tie for points lead with Danielson.
So that is what’s at stake here for Andrade, potentially a definitive lead in the Blue League depending on how Bryan/Claudio plays out, but for Eddie it’s a fight for survival, his survival in this tournament, and his survival as a dual champion. If Kingston loses here, he can absolutely say goodbye to his ROH World Title and his NJPW STRONG Openweight as well as he will be mathematically eliminated from any hope of the Blue League Finals, much less the full tournament. This is truly do or die for Eddie Kingston…
Daniel Garcia (0) vs. Brody King (6)
The one man in the Blue League who has no hope of seeing the finals in Orlando is Daniel Garcia, his inability to notch any points in the previous four matches guaranteed that, but there is still the possibility he can play spoiler to the aspirations of one Brody King. It wouldn’t be the first time Garcia surprised the AEW faithful with a victory over this House of Black member, he did it at ST. PATRICK’S DAY SLAM 2023 back in March, so it’s certainly possible for him to repeat that feat. It has to be incredibly frustrating for Garcia to have had this opportunity and get nothing more than experience out of these fights. So is one win redemption for the failures that have come before this Saturday night? Mark Briscoe certainly experienced something akin to an awakening with his lone tournament victory on Wednesday night, perhaps Garcia can have his own moment of clarity, his own personal epiphany about what the future could hold. Then again, he’s got to step inside The House to try and get to that moment…
As for Brody King, victory in this tournament is not yet out of reach despite his loses to Andrade and Bryan Danielson. This current situation putting Brody, Claudio, and Eddie in a three-way tie at six points is rich with possible outcomes, but any hope for making it to the Blue League Finals hinges on Brody winning his fight, as well as requiring either Eddie or Claudio to win their fight. Now this is where things can get complicated, given how close the scores are between the five men still in the race, there are so many possible outcomes for this tournament.
The simplest outcome is that both Bryan and Andrade win, netting each 12 points, and putting those two in the finals next Wednesday night in Orlando. The outcome of Brody and Garcia is then irrelevant in the grand scheme of things because even with a win, the House of Black member has no choice with only nine points to his name. If Andrade and Claudio win, then El Idolo is the clear top man with 12 points, but the second place spot all depends on the outcome of King/Garcia. We could potentially see Bryan, Claudio, and Brody King all end up with 9 points to close the field, and that same situation plays out with Bryan and Eddie winning, only Bryan takes the top spot, while Andrade, Claudio, and Brody could potentially end with a three way 9-point tie.
There’s even one situation that could end the Blue League in a five-way tie! If Eddie Kingston, Claudio Castagnoli, and Brody King all win their respective fights, then everyone but Garcia ends this with 9 points to their name! It’s the wildest possible outcome, but given that we saw the Gold League end in a Three Way tie, anything is possible when athletes of this caliber are competing against one another. The most likely scenarios end with Bryan and/or Andrade in the top spot, but nothing will be certain until the bell rings at the end of each match! Who will head to Orlando next Wednesday to determine the winner of the Blue League?
A CHAMPION RETURNS…
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Abadon & Thunder Rosa
We haven’t seen Thunder Rosa in action since the August 15, 2022 edition of DARK: ELEVATION where the then-AEW Women’s World Champion was victorious in a Trios match alongside Hikaru Shida and Toni Storm. Coming off a hard-fought title defense at BATTLE OF THE BELTS III against Jamie Hayter, and heading towards ALL OUT 2022, Rosa finally succumbed to a nagging back injury and was forced to relinquish her status as champion. Toni Storm would pick up that crown at ALL OUT 2022 in a Four Way with Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida to begin her first stint atop the division, and from there the landscape has continued to shift in numerous ways in Rosa’s absence from competition.
That’s not to say Thunder has been completely AWOL from AEW, since the beginning of COLLISION she has served as one of the Spanish announcers for the program, but was still quite removed from any in-ring competition. During Thunder’s time away, she watched the title shift from Toni Storm to Jamie Hayter, saw Saraya become a part of All Elite Wrestling and form The Outcasts en route to experiencing her own time atop the division, and she saw Hikaru Shida become the first-ever 3-Time Women’s World Champion.
Rosa watched Toni Storm become “Timeless”, watched Skye Blue rise up the ranks through hard work and grit, saw Julia Hart transform from cheerleader to Princess of the House of Black, and watched the TBS Championship go from the grips of Jade Cargill to the waist of Kris Statlander to residing inside the walls of The House. That’s not all the Women’s division has experienced during the sixteen months Thunder has been unable to compete, there’s been a great deal of talent who’ve stepped up, some who have departed AEW, and some new faces who have entered the scene. Through it all, Thunder Rosa has had both the luxury of being able to observe it happen while suffering with the knowledge that she was unable to be in the mix herself.
That is until last week; when Abadon fell victim to the somewhat surprising attack of TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue, it was Thunder Rosa who rose up as an ally for “The Living Dead Girl”, saving them from a further beating, and surprising everyone with the later revelation that she would step up as Abadon’s partner in conjunction with AEW’s return to the city Thunder Rosa calls home! The last time Thunder competed for AEW in the River City was the ST. PATRICK’S DAY SLAM 2022 Cage Match where she bested Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D for the AEW Women’s World Championship, but by HOLIDAY BASH 2022 in December, “La Mera Mera” was on the sidelines.
So while the fight of this match is largely about Abadon’s issues with Julie Hart, the TBS Championship, and now Skye Blue, the return of Thunder Rosa in her hometown is a huge moment in her life, and a major moment for the Women’s Division! Once this match is done, win or lose, then the questions can be asked about what plans the former Women’s World Champion has for her return to competition, but for Saturday night at least, there will be at least a moment for San Antonio to celebrate the return of a champion!
AEW TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens & Max Caster) and Daddy Ass(c) vs. Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, though reigning as AEW World Trios Champions since August 27th, have been out of action since the November 8th edition of DYNAMITE where they were taken out by The Devil’s masked goons in response to their willingness to help MJF. That doesn’t change the fact that with nine defenses they are the most successful Trios Champions to date, but it does mean they may not be quite ready to get back into action with a fight like this against opponents such as these high-flying young men.
That’s right; in their first match in 45 days, The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass will put their AEW World Trios Championship on the line against Top Flight and Action Andretti! Though his layoff was much longer than that of the champions’, and the severity of his injuries potentially career-ending, Dante Martin has recently returned to competition alongside his brother and Andretti, and has looked superb in his handful of bouts.
Dante is coming off a strong singles victory during Thursday night’s ROH ON HONOR CLUB presentation, while Darius and Action scored a Three Way Tag Team win of their own, and collectively this trio has picked up two big trios wins in the month since Dante’s return. Stepping up to challenge the champions is a huge undertaking for this young trio, but this may be the perfect time to knock The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass off their throne! Can the champions pick up where they left off before The Devil’s henchmen knocked them off the playing field, or did the time away stall the momentum they’d worked so hard to build and leave them easier targets for their challengers? We shall see this Saturday night on TNT!
ONE-ON-ONE…
ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage vs. “Limitless” Keith Lee
Following his FINAL BATTLE 2023 victory over former tag team partner Shane Taylor, Lexy Nair interviewed Keith Lee under the assumption that Shane Taylor was the “him” Keith had been referring to, but “Limitless” quickly corrected her. Of course this would lead to speculation just who “him” actually was, but Keith Lee did not let that mystery simmer for very long when, as witnessed in the video above, he confronted The Mogul Embassy on COLLISION, making it abundantly clear that it was Swerve Strickland who he’d been talking about all along.
Clearly Keith feels like he’s let this unfinished business with this former AEW World Tag Team Championship partner go unresolved, and is ready to bring it to a conclusion, much like he did with the decade-long simmering issues with Shane Taylor. But before Keith can get his hands on Swerve, and while Strickland is still wrapped up in the Continental Classic, The Limitless One has to deal with “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Over the course of their careers, Cage and Lee have gone one-on-one three times, all prior to All Elite Wrestling’s existence, with the last being nearly four years ago. Each of those contests went in favor of Keith Lee, but a pair of Three Way contests they were involved in both went in Cage’s favor. But here in AEW, the only shared ring time these two behemoths have experienced has been mutual participation in the Blackjack Battle Royale at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2023 and an 8-Man tag in June won by Keith, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, and Sting.
So thus begins Keith Lee’s road to settle his score with Swerve Strickland, and if every member of The Mogul Embassy is thrown in his path, this is going to be a very rough journey indeed. But if anyone is capable of surviving that grueling gauntlet, it is “Limitless”, and if there is anyone capable of matching the combination of power and speed Lee possesses, it is “The Machine” Brian Cage! Can this ROH World Six-Man Champion stifle Keith Lee’s aspirations at the starting line?
All Elite Wrestling is coming back to San Antonio, TX this Saturday night for our debut at the Frost Bank Center, and with it comes an all-new, loaded edition of COLLISION! The Blue League battle for points wraps up this Saturday with Castagnoli versus Danielson, Kingston battling Andrade, and Garcia fighting King! Plus, the AEW World Trios Championship will be at stake when Daddy Ass and The Acclaimed return to action against Top Flight and Action Andretti, while San Antonio’s own Thunder Rosa returns after sixteen months to team with Abadon for a fight with TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue! COLLISION begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Holiday Bash was broadcast from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, “The Ocho” Chris Jericho, and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) (with Trent) vs. Rocky Romero!
Cassidy hit a dropkick but Rocky came back with a step up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with a tope suicida! Rocky jumped off the steps and connected with another hurracanrana on Orange! Rocky connected with two clotheslines, but Orange countered the third attempt with a rollup for a near fall.
Orange charged off the turnbuckles and nailed Rocky with a swinging DDT. Orange connected with a diving crossbody press off the top rope. Rocky rallied back with a vertical suplex. Rocky rocked Orange with a snap suplex on the edge of the ring!
Rocky and Orange exchanged forearms in the center of the ring. Orange clobbered Rocky with a thrust kick and then the Orange Punch out of nowhere! Both men collapsed to the mat, so Orange couldn’t capitalize.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Orange began to stomp Rocky and then knocked Rocky for a loop with a running PK kick! Rocky jumped up and landed a sliced bread on Orange Cassidy. Rocky hit a DDT and then a Strong Zero on Orange for a two-count!
“I think there’s a lot of conflict going on in Trent,” said Excalibur.
Orange avoided a knee strike from Rocky. Orange countered with the Orange Punch and then the Beach Break and pinned Rocky!
Orange, Trent, and Rocky hugged after the match! They’ve got to give the people what they want!
Tony Schiavone interviewed former TBS Champion Kris Statlander backstage!
Kris: “Willow and I have been through a lot and whatever might have slightly gone off the rails, we got them right back on track. No hard feelings. We’re a team and we’re stronger than ever. Nothing can come between us.”
Stokely Hathaway walked onto the set and interrupted Kris!
Stokely: “You know what’s crazy? The fact that Willow has been telling everyone that she carried you on Saturday. That if it wasn’t for her, you two would have lost on Collision.”
Kris: “Interesting. Is that what she said?”
Stokely: “Oh yeah. And the other thing that’s crazy about AEW is the fact that everyone feels like they need to be in a group or in a faction. Yeah, that may work temporarily, but long term, it does not. And trust me, I know. So how about tomorrow morning you look in the mirror and I want you to see the Kristen Statlander that I see, the former TBS champion, the woman who could do anything on the roster if she set her mind to it. But listen, if you want to hang out with Willow, Orange Cassidy, and Danhausen, that’s on you. What do I know?”
Tony Schiavone: “Do you believe that?”
Kris: “Did he call me Kristen?”
Tony: “Yeah.”
Kris: “That’s not even my name.”
Prince Nana was backstage with “The Machine” Brian Cage!
Nana: “This Saturday it’s the Vanilla Gorilla going up against that fool Keith Lee!”
Cage: “I’m in a hell of a mood! You know why, Nana It’s Christmas time! And I must have been an extra good Machine because Santa is bringing me a giant-sized gift—Keith Lee! And don’t worry, Keith, it’s better to give than to receive. So, I’m going to return the favor and give you a giant-sized ass-kicking in front of the world on Collision!”
The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with Roderick Strong)
vs.
The Hardys—Jeff & Matt!
Matt Hardy drove his shoulder into Matt Taven in the corner. Hardy backdropped Taven. Jeff tagged in and hit a leg drop and a splash on Taven for a near fall. Matt and Jeff used tandem offense on Taven. Finally, Taven kicked Matt in the back of the head and tagged out to Mike Bennett.
Mike Bennett slugged Matt Hardy, but Matt tagged Jeff. Jeff jumped off Matt’s back and splashed Bennett in the corner. Jeff climbed to the top rope, but after some interference from Taven, Bennett knocked Jeff off his perch.
Matt Hardy tagged in and began to repeatedly send Taven’s face into the turnbuckles. Matt Hardy power bombed Taven out of the corner! Bennett ran in the ring and Matt Hardy retaliated with a Twist of Fate. Matt followed Taven out of the ring and sent Taven flying over the timekeeper’s table! Matt Hardy whipped Bennett into the steel ring steps. Matt Hardy grabbed a chair, but the ref pulled it away. Matt Hardy got back into the ring and began to argue with the ref, but Taven snuck up behind him and rolled up Matt Hardy for the pin!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Ruby Soho!
Ruby: “I haven’t had any time to speak with Saraya since her loss to Riho.”
Angelo Parker walked onto the set and began flirting with Ruby.
Parker: “Look, I’ve been trying to get some alone time with you for a really long time. It’s the Christmas season, there’s magic in the air. I know this is the time of year when you just ask for what you want, so, Renee, could you do me a big favor and ask me what I want for Christmas?”
Renee: “What do you want for Christmas?”
Parker: “I would love to take this beautiful lady out for a drink tonight.”
Ruby: “Wow, um…”
Saraya interrupted!
Saraya: “Ruby! I’m wearing my comfy sweater and I’m not here to fight right now. I just want to say I’m so sorry. I am so sorry, Ruby. You are so right. I need you. I absolutely need you. And if that comes with him, then I am all for it. I like this actually. I support this. I love what’s happening. I know you guys have some plans tonight, but I actually have some Christmas gifts for her, if that’s all right. But yeah, it’s in the locker room. And Renee, you too. There’s some gifts in there for you guys. Go ahead. I just want to have a chat with him.”
Renee and Ruby left to go get their presents, leaving Saraya with Angelo.
Parker: “It means a lot that you’re coming around…”
Saraya: “Listen here you piece of crap. She’s my friend. She’s mine entirely. I know what you’re trying to do, and you cannot have her. Do you understand me?”
Parker: “She’s yours for now.”
Saraya: “No. For always. I hate you.”
Skye Blue vs. Queen Aminata!
Skye and Aminata traded hard forearms. Aminata headbutted Blue. Aminata cracked Skye with a twisting neck breaker. Skye Blue drove Aminata face first onto the ring apron, looking at the camera with disdain.
Aminata sent Skye flying with a German Suplex. Aminata rammed into Skye with a modified hip attack and then a running boot for a two-count on Skye. Aminata was looking for the Best Moonsault Ever, but Skye avoided it and blasted Aminata with a thrust kick. Skye Blue sat out with a TKO and then forced Aminata to tap out with a dragon sleeper!
“Something more for Thunder Rosa to think about tomorrow ahead of Collision,” said Excalibur.
Main Event Time! AAA Mega Championship Match!
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus!
Vikingo avoided a power bomb attempt early on. Black Taurus applied a side headlock, but Vikingo fought out of it. He charged at Black Taurus, but Taurus rammed Vikingo with a shoulder block.
The fans chanted “Lucha! Lucha! Lucha!”
Vikingo cracked Taurus with a pump kick. Black Taurus retaliated with a flurry of offense and then put an exclamation point on it with an elevated Samoan Drop! Vikingo hit a springboard dropkick, but Taurus shrugged it off. Taurus blocked a poison rana and followed up with a tope!
“Wow! Deceptively agile,” said Chris Jericho.
Vikingo shoved Black Taurus into the steel ring post! Vikingo flew over the top rope, but Taurus caught him! Vikingo escaped and powerslammed Taurus on the arena floor! Vikingo walloped Taurus with a sky twister press to the floor!
Vikingo performed a rope walk and then followed up with a poison rana on Black Taurus! Vikingo spiked Taurus with a crucifix bomb! Black Taurus found the strength to gore Vikingo!
Appreciative of the state of the art pro wrestling being displayed in front of them, the fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Black Taurus press slammed Vikingo off the top rope for a near fall! Taurus decimated Vikingo with a powerbomb to the knee and then a discus lariat for a two-count! And now the crowd was chanting “Fight forever!”
Vikingo charged off the ropes and flipped over Taurus and transitioned into a power bomb. Vikingo rammed into Taurus with running knees. Vikingo lowered his knee pads and cracked Taurus in the back of the head again! Vikingo splashed Taurus with the 630 senton and pinned Black Taurus!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:
-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!
-AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
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time and time again. The Joe Hand Promotions team is more than the distributor, but also the
The points portion of the Gold League came to a conclusion this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and surprisingly, the finals will be a Three Way between Jon Moxley, Jay White, and Swerve Strickland! That takes place next week in Orlando, as will the Blue League Finals once they are set in San Antonio this Saturday! We also saw Riho earn the right to face “Timeless” Toni Storm at WORLDS END for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and the mystery of The Devil’s identity continued as they issued a challenge for the ROH World Tag Titles to MJF and Samoa Joe!
This Friday night RAMPAGE is coming from Oklahoma City and gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features quite an array of bouts! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy puts his title on the line against CHAOS ally Rocky Romero, The Kingdom clash with The Hardys, Skye Blue will be in action, and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo clashes with Black Taurus in a rematch of their amazing FINAL BATTLE 2023 title bout! Before the show starts, swing by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Rocky Romero
Well it certainly did not seem like Rocky Romero intended to challenge his own friend for a title, but his innocent usage of the world “international” seemed to indicate otherwise to reigning AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, and now we have ourselves a championship fight this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
For two years now, Rocky Romero has been both friend and ally to OC, their mutual connection in Trent Beretta effectively making Cassidy and Chuck Taylor members of CHAOS, and as partners in several trios and multi-man matches, they’ve been quite successful together! But this is the first time the two men have ever stood on opposite sides of the ring, and though Romero may not have intended to end up in this situation, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let a championship opportunity slip away! Having recently had his CMLL Historic Welterweight Championship reign ended by Mascara Dorada, Rocky is hungry to put gold back around his waist, it’s just unfortunate that it might have to be at the expense of his own friend’s title run. Still, it’s not the first time Orange has been in that position, he did fight Trent Beretta over the International Championship during his first reign and their relationship survived the fray, no doubt the same will be true for that of Cassidy and Romero…
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)
2023 has been a rather frustrating year for The Hardys; the multi-time championship duo have won just one tag team bout, a non-televised Three Way with The Butcher & The Blade and Angelo Parker & Matt Menard, but have yet to get a televised victory in 2023 with just one more week to go. They’ve had some success in Trios and Multi-Man matches, but the thing that has always been their bread and butter has eluded them this year.
It what could be their last chance this year to get back on track, Matt and Jeff will go head-to-head with The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett this Friday night on RAMPAGE! There’s plenty of history between The Kingdom and Matt Hardy, Matt was actually one of the founding fathers of the group in Ring of Honor back in 2014, but this will be their first traditional tag team clash here in All Elite Wrestling! Back in September, as part of RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, both teams took part in the ROH World Tag Title #1 Contender’s match won by The Righteous, but that’s been their only interaction here. May 2022 saw the two teams collide outside of AEW, a bout won by The Hardys, and until this Friday night, it’s their only fight!
So will this be the chance for The Hardys to get it together, or will The Kingdom add another win to their five consecutive victories?
AAA MEGA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus
At FINAL BATTLE 2023, El Hijo del Vikingo successfully defended his AAA Mega Championship against Black Taurus in one of the most amazing spectacles to ever take place inside a ROH ring, and given the 20+ year history of the company, that’s saying quite a lot!
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, in the main event of the evening, Black Taurus will have a second chance at dethroning Vikingo and ending this epic reign as it draws closer to breaking Kenny Omega’s 765-day record. This bout comes just 24 hours after Vikingo and Komander competed in tag team action during ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and his fourth match in just one week for AEW/ROH. For as amazing an athlete as El Hijo del Vikingo is, eventually even the greatest runs come to an end, and taking into consideration how often the man competes, it is amazing he’s continued to reign for as long as he has! Will this Friday night be the end of the road for Vikingo, or will he find another way to put down Taurus like he did at FINAL BATTLE 2023?
Much to the shock of the AEW faithful, Skye Blue has apparently sided with TBS Champion Julia Hart in opposition to “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon. Everyone knew that Skye had been somewhat changed by her previous encounters with the Princess of the Black Throne, that her exposure to Hart’s mist fundamentally shifted something within the young woman, but Skye’s previous actions seemed to indicate that she remained on the side of the angels.
Last week, as seen in the video above, that all fell to the wayside when Skye interrupted Abadon’s attack on Hart not to join in on the situation, but rather to turn the tables on Abadon at the side of the TBS Champion. This Saturday on COLLISION, Skye and Hart will have to face the wrath of Abadon and the returning Thunder Rosa, but Friday night, Skye will be in singles action as she prepares for whatever war may come to San Antonio!
RAMPAGE is coming to you from the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder this Friday night beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defending his title against Rocky Romero, El Hijo del Vikingo putting his AAA Mega Championship on the line in a FINAL BATTLE 2023 rematch with Black Taurus, Skye Blue in action, and The Kingdom taking on The Hardys! Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Holiday Bash was broadcast live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic: Gold League Standings!
Jon Moxley (12)
Swerve Strickland (9)
Jay White (9)
RUSH (6)
Mark Briscoe (0)
Jay Lethal (0)
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mogul Embassy’s Swerve Strickland (9) vs. LFI’s Rush (6)!
Rush and Swerve grappled to the mat, chain wrestling. Rush got to his feet and landed big chops. Both men used arm drags, resulting in a stalemate early on. Rush knocked Swerve out of the ring and followed up with a running flip over the top and down onto Swerve. Rush’s leg was all taped out and he began to limp slightly after landing on Rush.
Out of nowhere, Swerve jumped on Rush and applied an arm bar. Rush escaped but Swerve went to work on Rush’s injured let, pulling him down with a dragon screw leg whip. Ref Aubrey Edwards checked on Rush, who was writhing in pain.
Rush grabbed Swerve’s leg, tripping him up and Swerve landed hard on the edge of the ring. Swerve fired back with a German Suplex on the arena floor, but Rush retaliated with a shotgun dropkick, knocking Swerve into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Rush and Swerve stunned one another with rolling elbow strikes. They each went to boot the other and they knocked the other down to the mat, with both competitors having the same idea. Rush was looking for the Bull’s Horns, but his leg gave out on him. Swerve grabbed Rush’s legs and applied a stretch muffler. Rush countered with a cradle for a near fall.
Rush put Swerve in a straitjacket arm lock and then spiked Swerve with a piledriver for a two-count. They traded chops on the apron. Swerve charged at Rush, but Rush sent Swerve flying with a belly-to-belly suplex. Swerve landed hard on the arena floor, as Rush used Swerve’s own momentum against him.
Rush struggled to climb to the top turnbuckle. Rush went for a senton, but Swerve moved out of the way. Swerve hit Rush with a 450 splash, but Rush managed to kick out of the pin attempt. Swerve smashed Rush with a brain buster for a two-count. Swerve connected with the House Call kick. Swerve rocked Rush with the Swerve Stomp from the top and pinned Rush!
“Tip your cap off to Rush. He kept it competitive with an injury, but Swerve pulled off the victory,” said Taz.
Chris Jericho was backstage with an important announcement!
Jericho: “Last week, on the Thursday after Dynamite, Kenny Omega ended up in the hospital after suffering the effects of diverticulitis. And as he shared on social media, we now have the news that Kenny Omega is out of AEW indefinitely.
“We don’t know how long or how short that’s going to be. But one thing that’s affected is the Golden Jets’ opportunity to become the AEW World Tag Team Champions by beating Ricky Starks and Big Bill at Worlds End. And while we decide what we’re going to do in the meantime, the most important thing is Kenny’s health. And I just wanted to let you know. We’re all pulling for you Kenny.
“We’re pulling for you Kenny, the AEW fans as you can hear, the entire locker room, and most importantly, me. And take as long as you need to get healthy, but when you come back, we’re all going to be here and I’m going to be waiting for you. And the Golden Jets will resume. Goodnight and goodbye, but only for now. We’re pulling for you Kenny. We’ll see you soon.”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Jay Lethal (0) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)!
The fans chanted “Dem Boys! Dem Boys!”
Mark used an inside trip into a side headlock on Jay Lethal. Lethal slapped Mark Briscoe in the face. Mark smiled and chopped Jay in the chest. Lethal hip tossed Mark and then dropkicked him in the face.
Lethal and Mark jockeyed back and forth for position on a vertical suplex, but Lethal won the battle. Jay Lethal followed up with a tope suicida, knocking Mark Briscoe into the safety rail. Lethal tried for another tope, but Mark caught him and countered with a vertical suplex on the arena floor.
Lethal clocked Mark with the Lethal Combination! Lethal was looking for the King’s Elbow, climbing to the top. Mark met him up there, tried for a superplex, but Lethal brought his base down and rocked Mark with an elbow to the back of the neck. Mark knocked Jay off the turnbuckles with his Redneck Kung Fu. Mark pulled up a steel chair, ran across the ring and used the chair as a launching pad to fly over the top and land on Jay outside the ring!
Lethal hoisted up Mark in a torture rack, transitioning to a back breaker. Lethal dropped an elbow from up top and Briscoe kicked out at the two-count! Mark countered the Lethal Injection. Mark Briscoe nailed Lethal with a fishermen’s buster for a near fall.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Mark planted Lethal with a Death Valley Driver. Mark tried for the Froggy Bow but Lethal countered. Jay Lethal spiked Mark with the Jay Driller for a near fall! Briscoe blasted Lethal with a burning hammer, followed up with the Jay Driller, and pinned Jay Lethal!
Reach for the sky, boy!
“Look at this, a standing ovation, deserved for both men,” said Taz.
Footage was shown from earlier of the week of AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF being inducted in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame!
A vignette aired of Wardlow!
“Max, we are getting closer to your world ender. Soon the world will see you broken. Max, the payment for your sins cannot be delayed any longer. And I will be the one to bring the devil to his knees!” said Wardlow.
Samoa Joe came out to the ring!
The fans chanted “Joe! Joe! Joe!”
Samoa Joe: “My name is Samoa Joe. And once again I have come here seeking answers. Last week I was asking the right questions but maybe I wasn’t asking the right questions. Even though Roderick Strong may be the dimmest bulb on the Christmas tree, he brings up a good point.
“Week after week, we are assaulted by the devil, and it seems are illustrious World Champion isn’t the only victim. As a matter of fact, for some odd reason, Hangman Adam Page was a victim. And then we think back to the malicious attack on our World Champion, and it seems every time the devil attacks someone, we get plenty of footage of them getting stomped out, but our World Champion was just found gingerly laid down in the back passed out. Very conveniently on the ground. So once again I have come asking the right questions, but maybe not to the right people. So MJF, why don’t you come out here right now!”
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF walked down the ramp to the ring!
MJF: “Cut my music! Joe, let me get this straight. So, I get jumped in the back by a bunch of goons, I get hit in the back by a beer bottle, and you’re out here accusing me of being the man behind the mask. The devil. Is that correct?”
Samoa Joe: “Correct.”
MJF: “That’s really interesting, Joe. I recall that you said you were going to protect me in our main event going out to Long Island for the World Title. Matter of fact, I think you said, ‘From hence forth, MJF, you are my property.’ So ‘No Show Joe’ it’s become pretty clear that you care about your property about as much as you care about your diet.
“So, if we’re throwing accusations around, Joey, I got some accusations of my own. So, I get jumped in the back, the goons surround the ring, but I don’t recall them laying a finger on you, Joe. So, let’s see. I don’t like you. Now, I don’t trust you. So, why am I waiting until December 30th at Worlds End when I can end your world right now?”
MJF shoved Samoa Joe. A swarm of masked men ran into the ring and Samoa Joe and MJF had to beat them away! MJF and Samoa Joe fought off the masked assailants but even more came over the barricade and surrounded the ring. MJF and Samoa Joe were back to back and had to work as a unit because the entire ring was surrounded by masked men!
The arena lights went dark!
The man in the devil mask appeared on the big screen! There was a graphic scrawled across the screen that read:
“Where can you go? Who can you trust? Next week, will you accept a challenge…for your ROH World Tag Team Championship? Are you a hero, Max?”
MJF: “Joe, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say no again. But I made a promise to my best friend that I would defend those tag team titles, no matter what, until he comes back.”
Samoa Joe: “We accept! Seems the best way to handle a devil is with our bare hands. Next week we beat his boys’ asses!”
“Allies again for a moment,” said Taz.
“Wow, blockbuster announcement as MJF and Samoa Joe united in the face of this devil. But at Worlds End they will not be partners. Champion MJF, challenger Samoa Joe on pay-per-view, one week from Saturday,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with the Best Friends—Kris Statlander, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Trent, and Rocky Romero!
Rocky: “Renee, I just spent 329 days as a CMLL World Historic Welterweight Champion until last week when I lost it. But I’m just looking for new international opportunities and I just want to bring gold around this waist.”
Orange: “Oh, ok, I get it. Fine. I’ll see you Friday, Rocky.”
Renee: Sounds like it’s official for this Friday on Rampage. Orange Cassidy versus Rocky Romero for the AEW International Championship.”
Saraya vs. Riho!
Winner faces “Timeless” Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Title at AEW Worlds End!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Ruby Soho was watching the match from backstage.
Riho charged at Saraya, but Saraya rolled out of the ring. Riho followed Saraya and rocked her with her innovated offense. Saraya hid behind an AEW security guard and then hit Riho with a cheap shot. Saraya swung Riho into the ringside barricade, bouncing her off it!
Riho countered a suplex attempt with an inside cradle for a near fall. Riho brought down Saraya with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two-count. Riho jumped off the top rope with a double stomp and followed up with charging double knees, pinning Saraya and becoming the #1 contender for Worlds End!
Luthor carried Toni Storm to the ring. Storm got in the ring and Riho began to clobber her with strikes. Riho blasted Storm with a Tiger Faint Kick but out of nowhere Mariah May smashed Riho with the AEW Women’s World Title Belt!
Tony Schiavone read a prepared statement from TNT Champion Christian Cage!
Tony Schiavone: “Schiavone, you’d better read this statement word for word. As the biggest, hottest, and most talked about star in AEW, I have no double the hole my absence has left in your lives. After my career-defining victory over Adam Copeland, I decided to take my prodigy Nick Wayne on a well deserved vacation.
“I understand that the Rated R Superstar has challenged me to a No Disqualification Match at Worlds End on December 30th. So just to put all your tiny minds at ease, I want everyone to know that I will make my triumphant return this Saturday live on TNT on Collision, where I will address Adam Copeland and address any lingering questions people may have about what’s transpired a couple of weeks ago on Dynamite in Montreal. I expect nothing less than a hero’s welcome upon my return. Sincerely the TNT Champion, the Patriarch of AEW, Christian Cage.”
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF was walking backstage!
Max stopped in his tracks when he saw a black mask on the floor. It was right in front of the Mogul Embassy’s dressing room. MJF knocked on their door. Prince Nana opened the door and Max grabbed him!
Max: “Explain this black mask! What the hell is it?”
Swerve walked out into the hallway and Max let Prince Nana go.
Swerve: “Be careful handling my property. Nice to finally see you out. I feel like you’ve been ducking me my whole time here in AEW.”
MJF: “Shane Strickland! Swerve! Look at you, man. See a lot of people don’t know this but we’ve got a big history. We used to do these long car rides on the road every single week when we were trying to make a name for ourselves on the independents. And now look at you! All grown up! All the momentum in the world, beating some of the biggest stars this company has to offer. Man, I’m so proud of you. However, I haven’t been ducking you.
“The reason you and I haven’t made eye contact in this place is because unfortunately there’s levels to this. And you’re just not on mine. And to make matters worse, I don’t hear your theme music. Therefore, neither is your star power.”
Swerve: “It’s funny you brought up those car rides, those were amazing. You remember that. You were the best chauffeur I ever had in my life. Thank you, man. Let’s go back to the interaction between you and William Regal years ago. Didn’t you bring up an email about a tryout that you just failed at and turned you into the whiny little guy that you are today? Yeah, you’re right, there are levels to this. You do tryouts. I sign contracts. And be careful how you talk to me. Because the last person that did, I hung him outside the ring in front of 13,000 people by a chain.”
MJF: “Solid monologue, bro. You’re starting to get so good at talking. I’m proud of you. But you talk about Hangman an awful lot. It’s almost obsessive. Now it’s funny you’re talking about respect because I’m your World Champion, kid. So, I think you need to check your tone and watch your mouth. But I do have a question for you. I find a couple things odd. Let me run them by you.
“You hate Hangman. More than anything you want to be AEW World Champion. So, putting those things together when I’m really thinking about it, why wouldn’t you frame Hangman with a beer bottle. Why wouldn’t you consistently try to get inside my head? And your goons in the Mogul Embassy are jumping people creating a clear path for you to finally be a world champion, be on top like yours truly. So, are you the devil? A part of me really hopes so. You say this is your house. Well, you’re looking at the Big Bad Wolf of professional wrestling. And when I feel like it, I’ll blow your house down. And then while I’m at it, I’ll break both your arms so you can always swerve while you drive.”
Swerve: “I ain’t the devil you’re looking for, but you keep waving that championship in front of me, I’m gonna be the one to bring you hell.”
Prince Nana opened the door and Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony stood behind Swerve!
Samoa Joe walked up to MJF, put his arm around him, and said to Swerve, “Well what is all good on this side of the hood, my friends? My associate and I have business elsewhere.”
Swerve: “Go handle it.”
Roderick Strong (with The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Roddy used a leg sweep to trip Komander and grounded him. Roderick smashed Komander with a running knee strike. Roddy rocked Komander with stiff chops to the chest. Komander leveled Roddy with a dropkick.
Roddy knocked the wind out of Komander with a back breaker. Komander dodged a charging knee from Roddy. Komander cracked Roddy with a round kick. Komander stunned Roddy with elbow strikes. Komander connected with a Phoenix Splash for a near fall on Roddy!
Komander climbed back to the top, but the Kingdom pulled Roderick out of harm’s way to the arena floor. Komander did a backflip and wiped out all three men on the floor! Komander went for a springboard, but Roderick countered with a jumping knee strike to Komander’s face! Roderick finished off Komander with the End of Heartache and pinned Komander!
After the match the Kingdom passed out signs to the fans that said: “MJF is the Devil”!
After the match Renee Paquette interviewed Roderick Strong in the ring!
Roderick Strong: “Oh Renee! I’m so happy you’re here! Samoa Joe, please listen to me! It is so, so obvious now that Max is the devil. I mean look, Hangman mentions Max as the devil, and he gets taken out. C’mon Joe, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to believe me. Samoa Joe is my best friend by proxy. Joe listen to me!”
Main Event Time! Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley (12) vs. Bullet Club Gold’s Jay White (9)!
Jim Ross returned tonight to provide his main event analysis!
Moxley went for the sleeper right away. Jay White escaped but Moxley nailed him with the hammer and anvil elbows Moxley sat out with a piledriver for a near fall on Switchblade.
Jay White whipped Moxley into the steel ring steps outside the ring. Jay White stomped on Mox in the corner. Moxley slugged Jay White. Moxley back dropped Jay White on the ramp. Moxley chomped on the head of Jay White. Mox charged at Jay, but Jay dodged it and then clipped Moxley’s legs.
Moxley absorbed forearms from Jay White. Mox set Jay White on the top turnbuckle. Moxley gouged at White’s back, digging his fingers into Jay White’s flesh. Moxley superplexed Jay White. Moxley hit a lariat on White, knocking him over the top rope. Mox followed up with a tope suicida. Moxley may have buckled his knee when he landed, immediately grabbing his knee.
Jay White countered a suplex and planted Moxley across the steel ring steps! Jay White grabbed two steel chairs. The ref admonished White and Jay White tossed one of the chairs in the ring. The ref went to grab the chair in the ring, unbeknownst to him that Jay White had a second chair. Jay White smashed the chair into Moxley’s leg.
Moxley jumped into the ring, barely beating the 10-count. Moxley countered the Blade Runner with a Paradigm Shift for a near fall! Jay White wiped out Moxley with a dragon screw leg whip. Moxley smashed Jay White with a knee strike for a two-count!
Moxley grabbed White and planted him with a cutter! Jay White fired back with a sleeper suplex for a near fall! Jay White spiked Mox with the Kiwi Crusher! Moxley fired up and fired back with a lariat! Moxley curb stomped Jay White! Switchblade escaped the Death Rider! Jay White drilled Mox with the Blade Runner and scored the pin!
“Jay White beats Jon Moxley! What a hell of a match!” said Jim Ross.
“And now we know one week from tonight in the Gold League Finals it’ll be a three-way match! Jay White and Swerve Strickland and Jon Moxley! There’s no man with a clear tiebreaker win over the other so it’ll have to be a three-way match one week from tonight,” added Excalibur.
After the match, Swerve Strickland walked onto the ramp and stared at Moxley and Switchblade in the ring! Moxley managed to get to his feet, but Jay White clipped him from behind!
“That changed the game,” said Jim Ross.
“This could be disastrous for Jon Moxley,” replied Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:
-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!
-AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
— Tonight’s “AEW: Dynamite” Continental Classic Matches Benefit the Tournament for Tots, Helping Families in Need This Holiday Season —
December 20, 2023 – During tonight’s live episode of “AEW: Dynamite,” AEW, Jazwares and TBS are celebrating their partnership with Toys for Tots, where during the holiday season, more than 50,000 AEW toys – valued at more than $1 million – were sent to families in need. The first-ever Tournament for Tots, as part of tonight’s Gold League matchups in the AEW Continental Classic, will highlight the charitable efforts by AEW, Jazwares, TBS and Toys for Tots to reach families ahead of the holidays.
Fans can still get involved and contribute to the campaign by making a donation at toysfortots.org. Last week, AEW Together brought members of the roster to Dallas to hand out toys to families in person, and several Marine families are visiting Oklahoma City tonight to enjoy “AEW: Dynamite” and help celebrate the partnership.
To learn more about upcoming community activations and how to partner with AEW Together, please visit AEWTogether.org.
For the first time in AEW history, All Elite Wrestling heads to Oklahoma and the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City! With WORLDS END just ten days away, the last bouts of the Continental Classic Gold League will go down Wednesday night, setting up the Finals in Orlando next Wednesday on DYNAMITE!
Jon Moxley versus Jay White, Swerve Strickland versus RUSH, and Jay Lethal versus Mark Briscoe are all on tap for this Wednesday with the potential for some intriguing results to be explored shortly. Suffice to say, while Jon Moxley may not be as comfortable as his twelve points would make it seem. In addition, Roderick Strong goes one-on-one with Komander, Saraya faces Riho for the right to challenge Toni Storm on the line, and we will hear from both AEW World Champion MJF and his WORLDS END challenger Samoa Joe!
DYNAMITE gets underway 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 various social media platforms, to catch highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the newest CONTROL CENTER, and don’t forget to check out one of the best professional wrestling events of the year FINAL BATTLE 2023 over at ROH Honor Club (www.watchroh.com)!
For the last week, Moxley has been on top of the Continental Classic’s Gold League with 12 points, but as soon as the night begins on Wednesday, there’s the possibility that he will not get any higher and could even end up sharing the top spot depending on how RUSH/Swerve plays out. It’s a sure thing that Jon Moxley will end up in the Finals of the Gold League next week in Orlando, it’s just a matter of what things will look like once the former 3-TIME AEW World Champion gets there. The man who could stop Moxley from being the undisputed points king of the Gold League is none other than “Switchblade” Jay White!
Now White has managed, on his own merit and without BULLET CLUB GOLD involvement, to bounce back from his loss to Swerve Strickland and win his last two tournament bouts to net a total of nine points. Those wins have put him on the precipice of tying up the top spot with Moxley at twelve points, all “Switchblade” has to do is repeat the performance he had against Moxley in their 2019 G1 Climax bout for New Japan. That night, in the first and last singles match between the two prior to this Wednesday, it was White who took home the victory en route to his loss in the tournament finals against Kota Ibushi, and helped stifle Moxley’s strong push towards winning the B Block that year.
Will this Wednesday be a repeat of that outcome with a “Switchblade” Jay White victory? Or will we see Moxley run the table, net 15 points, and head to Orlando to meet one of the several possibilities that await him in the Gold League Finals? What are those possibilities? Read on to see how this half of the Continental Classic could play out…
Swerve Strickland(9) vs. RUSH(6)
Undaunted; that is what Swerve Strickland appears to be following his loss to Jon Moxley last week, a loss that kept him from claiming the position as points leader in the Gold League, at least for the time being. Strickland seems to garner motivation from loses such as that one, loses he can learn from to become a better competitor, loses that push him to improve and come back stronger. When that loss comes against one of the best in the game, well there is a great deal to take away form it but it call comes down to if a competitor is capable of seeing their flaws and getting better, or if they’re only capable of placing blame elsewhere. In this instance, Swerve seems completely capable of seeing where he went wrong to insure he doesn’t make the same mistake when he and Moxley meet again, and the possibility is very real they could fight against next week in the Gold League Finals.
The match of it breaks down like this: Moxley is at the top of the field with 12 points but both Jay White and Swerve Strickland could move up to into a tie with the former 3-Time AEW World Champion, and “Switchblade” would be doing so at the expense of Moxley. Should Moxley lose to Jay White, and Swerve beat RUSH, then we have ourselves a three-way tie at the top with each man sporting 12 points. Should Moxley win, he is the undisputed points winner of the Gold League and it’s just a matter of whether Swerve or RUSH wins this fight. See RUSH saved himself last week with that victory over Jay Lethal, staying alive for another week, but entirely dependent on how others perform in these last matches to make it to the second spot in the finals, and even then he won’t be alone.
As stated, a Moxley win nets 15 and makes him the king of the Gold League in terms of points, whereas a “Switchblade” victory ties them up at 12. Should Swerve win to get 12, he’s either tied with Jay White at 12 or there’s a three way tie at 12, but if RUSH wins to bump to 9 points, then both he and Swerve sit at 9 with the potential that Jay White could also end up at 9, creating a three way tie for the second spot in the Gold League Finals. Either that or, worst case scenario for the two men in this match, White wins and RUSH wins, tying “Switchblade” up with Moxley at 12 points, and insuring a rematch between the two in the Finals. That’s just scratching the surface of what could happen without looking at the possibility of draws in either match!
There are a multitude of ways this could go down, but nothing will be for sure until the final bell rings on the last Continental Classic match of the night! The only thing we know for certain at this moment is that neither of the men involved in the third Continental Classic bout of the night will be a factor in the Gold League Finals…
Mark Briscoe(0) vs. Jay Lethal(0)
Here we have two men with, on paper, nothing left to fight for in the Continental Classic. They both lost their previous four matches, have scored zero points despite their best efforts, and yet in the face of what could be a depressing, heartbreaking situation leading either man to throw in the towel, Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe have found something to fight for: honor.
The history of these two men dates back twenty years to the formative days of each man’s career, and even saw The Briscoes face the Special K duo of Lethal (then Hydro) and Deranged as part of a Gauntlet Match for the ROH Tag Team Titles at GLORY BY HONOR II in 2003. The two would have their first singles match of record at GATEWAY TO HONOR 2011, a Proving Ground match during Lethal’s 1st ROH World TV Title reign, and would go one-on-one several more times in ROH, with Lethal getting the victory in all but one situation, and only because that one time ended in a No Contest.
In AEW they’ve had one match, back on the January 25th edition of DYNAMITE, a bout to honor the late Jay Briscoe, and one of the most emotional matches ever presented on AEW television. Mark finally got a victory over Jay Lethal on that night, and as sweet as that may have been, ultimately the fight was about honoring the memory of our fallen brother more than about who actually won the contest.
Though they’ve had their issues, primarily stemming from Lethal’s choice to associate with The Jarretts, Sonjay Dutt, and Satnam Singh, Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe are still bonded, through shared history, through the fights they’ve had together, and through their experiences with Ring of Honor. There’s something unique to those men and women who came through the ROH ranks during the first twenty years, especially those who were there in 2002 when The Murphy Rec Center in Philly was the home of honor. Mark and Jay are two such competitors, and it seems they found their reason to fight this Wednesday night by looking back to that history, focusing on those letters, and putting Honor before everything else.
ONE-ON-ONE…
Roderick Strong vs. Komander
Roderick Strong is clearly just picking fights now that he’s decided to get back into active competition; he did it with Action Andretti and now he’s doing it with Komander, a man who did nothing more than have the audacity to show up and show out at both FINAL BATTLE 2023 (www.watchroh.com) and on last week’s RAMPAGE. Komander may not have been on the winning end of either Survival of the Fittest 2023 or that epic Trios Match, but he absolutely showed he’s got the tools to be a top tier player in AEW or ROH, as well as add more titles to a mantle already holding the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship.
So it will be this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE that Roderick Strong and Komander go head-to-head in their first meeting, and there’s little doubt that The Kingdom will be close at hand. Wherever Roderick goes, so too do Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, and Komander might want to bring some back-up of his own to even the odds lest he fall victim to a piledriver and a…groin…punch from Bennett to soften him up for Roddy!
WORLDS END OR BUST…
Riho vs. Saraya
***WINNER FACES AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPION TONI STORM AT WORLDS END***
When she last stepped onto the AEW stage Riho back in April, it was with the dual purpose of fighting for the AEW Women’s World Championship held at the time by Jamie Hayter and in defense of the AEW Women’s locker room in the face of The Outcasts. Unfortunately the former AEW Women’s World Champion failed in both missions, losing to Hayter on the April 5th edition of DYNAMITE, and being decimated by The Outcasts one week later following a tag match loss to Ruby and Toni Storm.
So it came as no surprise that, upon her return to the fold, Riho’s first order of business was last week’s match with Ruby Soho, a match that ended in Riho’s favor, and now this week it continues with a bout against Saraya. Not only is it a fight with the Outcast member, but it is also one upon which the future of the AEW Women’s World Championship hangs!
See to the winner of this contest on Wednesday night go the spoils of fighting “Timeless” Toni Storm at WORLDS END with the AEW Women’s World Championship at stake! So there is still the possibility for Riho to achieve one of the goals she first set for herself last Spring; as for the other one, well The Outcasts did a grand job of imploding all by themselves, starting with Toni Storm being blackballed from their stage, and continuing with this separation of Saraya and Soho:
So that will be the question this Wednesday won’t it? Can Saraya pull off this all-important victory by herself, without Ruby Soho in her corner, or has she pulled Anna Jay into her corner based on their mutual issues with the entire Cool Hand Ang/Ruby situation? After all, Anna was Saraya’s side a week ago when she interrupted Parker and Menard’s words before their tag match in Montreal…
When last we saw AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF, he was face down on the concrete after apparently being struck in the head with a beer bottle. The conclusion was made by Samoa Joe that the presence of the beer bottle meant Hangman Page was responsible, and the confrontation earlier in the night between the former AEW World Champion and the current further reinforced Joe’s beliefs.
Well the last time we saw Samoa Joe, he was standing face-to-face with that former World Champion and telling Page straight up that he knows Hangman was responsible for the attack on Max and thus, presumably, was also the man behind the devil’s mask that’d been stolen from MJF’s bags weeks ago.
At the end of the night last Wednesday, fans all witnessed Hangman end up another victim of The Devil’s masked men, this time in the parking lot outside the arena, and essentially eradicating any notion that Page was still a suspect. After all, if it’s possible to believe Hangman staged his own assault, than one must accept the possibility that MJF staged his own, or Jay White staged his, or that even The Acclaimed and Billy Gunn stage theirs. Occam’s Razor would suggest removing any victim of The Devil or his ilk from suspicion, and looking elsewhere for suspects.
So perhaps this Wednesday night, when we hear from both champion and challenger, we will all get fresh illumination on the subject. Perhaps MJF saw something or heard something during his attack that points a finger in the right direction, any clue would help unravel this tangled web, and perhaps allow MJF to focus solely on this impeding fight with Samoa Joe.
DYNAMITE debuts in Oklahoma City, OK this Wednesday night Paycom Center and we’ve got the three final bouts in Continental Classic: Gold League on tap! Jay White and Jon Moxley, the winless Mark Briscoe versus the winless Jay Lethal, and RUSH fighting Swerve! Plus former ROH Women’s World Champion Riho battles Saraya for the right to move on to a WORLDS END championship fight with Toni Storm, Roderick Strong will be in action against Komander, and we will hear from both AEW World/ROH World Tag Champion MJF and Samoa Joe!
The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, just be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
