Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 6 Recap & Review “Into The Darkness”Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 6 Recap & Review S3E06 *SPOILERS*Power Book 3 Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 6Power…
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC!
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.
“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair walked down the ramp at the start of the show, accompanying Sting and Darby Allin for the opening match!
Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Workhorsemen—JD Drake & Anthony Henry!
Anthony Henry blindsided Darby before the match began. Sting pursued Henry, but JD Drake tried to hit Sting in the back with a chair. Sting turned around and smacked the chair back into Drake’s face, only for Flair to chop Drake! Flair sent Drake ping ponging the other way into a lariat from Sting!
Anthony Henry swept out Darby’s legs on the apron. After wiping out Sting, Henry splashed Darby against the barricade. Henry powerslammed Darby and then Drake splashed Darby off the top turnbuckle for a near fall.
Henry tagged in and nailed Darby with a backstabber. Drake grabbed a tag and chopped Darby. JD Drake cut off Darby from making a tag to Sting. Drake muscled over Darby with a belly to belly suplex. Darby dodged a moonsault and tagged Sting. Drake got splashed by the Stinger. Darby nailed Henry with a Coffin Drop from the top to the arena floor! Sting finished off Drake with a Scorpion Death Drop and pinned Drake!
Continental Crown Championship Match!
Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Trent Beretta!
Kingston chopped at Trent and then battered him with kicks to the spine. Trent fired back with a tornado DDT. Trent snap suplexed Kingston. Eddie charged at Trent and blasted him with rapid fire chops. Eddie chopped Trent in the face and then got an earful from the ref. Trent may have suffered a broken nose as the blood began to pour. Kingston hit a suplex on Trent on the arena floor, not letting up at all.
Trent’s mom, Sue, was sitting in the front row, concerned for her son. Trent stunned Kingston with a jumping knee strike.
“Sometimes the taste of your own blood fires you up,” said Nigel.
Trent smashed Kingston with forearms. Kingston was on wobbly legs. Trent dropkicked Eddie, sending Eddie out of the ring. Trent flew out of the ring with a tope. Trent power bombed Kingston back in the ring for a near fall. Eddie came back with an Exploder and then a DDT for a two-count! The blood was flowing freely down Trent’s face.
Trent rocked Eddie with three consecutive German Suplexes! Trent crushed Eddie with a charging knee strike. Trent spike Kingston with a Gotch style piledriver for a near fall! Trent tossed Eddie with a half-and-half. Eddie retaliated with an exploder suplex. Kingston pinned Trent after a stalling Northern Lights Bomb!
Footage aired from an interview earlier in the day that Tony Schiavone conducted with Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander!
Tony Schiavone asked about the interest that Stokely Hathaway has been paying to them, especially to Statlander.
Willow: “You noticed that too, right, Tony? That was weird. Moving on, let’s focus on what we are excited about. In 2024 I’m only focusing on the hot start we’ve had. We had a victory last night. Let’s keep it rolling!”
Kris: “You’re right! Not only was 2023 huge for the both of us, you won the Owen Hart Cup Tournament, I won the TBS Title, and we’re just gonna keep that going. 2024 is going to be bigger and better than ever because we are two of the best wrestlers in AEW!”
Footage played of FTW Champion HOOK, who was issuing a challenge!
Hook: “My winning percentage in this company is second to none. I think it’s time to get after another championship. Samoa Joe, I’m coming for you and your World Title.”
ROH World Tag Team Championship Proving Ground Match!
Undisputed Kingdom (c.)—Mike Bennett & Matt Taven (with Roderick Strong)
vs.
Komander & “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
Bennett walloped Komander with chops and then rammed him into a turnbuckle. Taven tagged in and crushed Komander with a back breaker. Komander had his first flurry of offense with a hurracanrana to Taven. Bryan Keith tagged in and booted Taven in the face.
Bennett entered the fray and slugged the Bounty Hunter. Bennett and Taven used their tandem offense on Keith. Taven face planted Keith. Taven connected with a leg lariat. Bennett charged at Keith but Keith suplexed Bennett into the turnbuckles. Komander grabbed a tag and rocked Taven with a spinning DDT. Taven climbed to the top but Komander superplexed Taven from on top of Keith’s shoulders!
Keith flipped Komander overhead, with Komander flying over the ropes and landing on the Undisputed Kingdom on the floor! Keith grabbed underhooks on Taven, but Bennett ran and rocked Keith with a lariat. Bennett spiked Komander with a piledriver. Taven smacked Keith with the Just the Tip knee strike! After double teaming Keith, Taven pinned Keith!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Bullet Club Gold— “Switchblade” Jay White and Austin and Colten Gunn!
AEW Trios Champions The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass interrupted the interview!
Billy: “We were walking by, and I couldn’t help but overhear you saying how your dad had to save you again.”
Jay White: “Guys, this is none of your business. The whole thing started with Adam Cole and the Undisputed Kingdom laying their hands on me. So, we’re going to be the ones who handle this and bang bang finish it.”
Caster: “We could put our hands on you right now if you want.”
The Gunns asked how well that worked out for them last time.
Bowens: “First off, don’t say it’s none of our business because they threw me through glass. But everyone calm down. It pains me to say this, and it may be a very crazy idea considering everything we’ve done to each other in the past, but I’ve been thinking about this the last two days. One thing I’ve learned since being in AEW is the only way to get to the top is through factions. I mean, Jay, look what you did with the Bullet Club in Japan. And look at a guy like Billy. Billy knows a thing or two about big factions. All I’m saying is I know it’s crazy. Think about it.”
They all went their separate ways, but not before Austin Gunn looked at Renee and said, “I mean, it made sense.”
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland came to the ring!
Adam Copeland: “So in case all of you missed Worlds End, Christian Cage and I beat the living hell out of each other. And I beat him for the TNT Championship. But this past Wednesday on Dynamite, I saw Christian Cage say that Adam Copeland goes to the back of the line.
“I think he’s forgetting that as former champion, I get an automatic rematch. But it’s okay. For our entire careers, he’s said that I’ve been handed all of my opportunities. I’ve had a rocket strapped to my back. Really what the issue is, I just work harder than him. You should be on your hands and knees kissing Killswitch’s ass. So, he wants me to earn my title shot, right? I am going to start doing that right here tonight. I’ll start from the very back. I don’t care. Because like I said, I work hard. I’m here in my gear. I’m ready for a fight. We’re gonna make this an open challenge. We can call it the Cope Open. I’m going to stand here in the middle of the ring and wait for someone to step up.”
Maria Kanellis walked onto the ramp with Cole Karter and Griff Garrison!
Griff Garrison: “I am Griff Garrison! And a lot of you may be asking who is Griff Garrison. Griff Garrison is a guy that steps up to the plate against a hall of famer! Hey bud, I’m over here. How about you look at me and show me some respect, since I’m the one who accepted your open challenge.”
Copeland: “Griff, you know I like you. You remind me a lot of me when I was your age. I appreciate you coming in here. But dude, you are stepping up below sea level to Mount Everest here.”
Garrison slapped Copeland in the face!
Copeland: “You know what, Griff? Strangely that makes me like you even more. But now I am going to have to beat your ass.”
Garrison was smiling but Copeland booted him right in the kisser! Copeland lit up Griff’s chest with stinging chops. Copeland backdropped Griff. Cope smacked Garrison with a running clothesline. Maria grabbed Copeland’s ankle, distracting him. Cole Karter tripped Copeland. Garrison took advantage of the distraction and cracked Copeland with a boot to his face.
Garrison used a hammer throw, sending Copeland hard into the corner. Garrison suplexed Copeland. Adam Copeland ducked a lariat attempt. Copeland climbed to the top turnbuckle and connected with a big cross body for a near fall. Copeland charged in, looking for the spear, but Garrison countered with a discus shot! Garrison climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Copeland hammered him. Copeland wore out Garrison with repeated head butts. Copeland superplexed Garrison! Copeland applied a submission and forced Garrison to tap out!
Cole Karter dropkicked Copeland from behind. Karter went for a 450 splash, but Copeland moved out of the way! Copeland speared Karter!
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair was backstage with Darby Allin and Sting!
Flair: “Next week, a really big week in Jacksonville! It’s where Sting returned to wrestling. AEW, his first match in six years. It’s where Sting and Darby united and became this entity that’s unbeatable.”
Darby: “26 and 0!”
Flair: “After next week, 27 and 0! Stinger, Darby, and the Nature Boy at Daily’s Place!”
Sting: “Yeah, I’m ready! I’m on my way to Jacksonville, Florida and Daily’s Place, and I’ve got a smack talking guy talking about how he’s gonna take us out! Don’t think, Don Callis and company, that the Stinger is just gonna coast his way through the last few weeks. No! That ain’t the case! I’m coming to Jacksonville and the only thing for sure about Sting is that at Daily’s Place, it’s gonna be showtime!”
Skye Blue vs. Kiera Hogan!
They locked up and Skye tripped Hogan. Skye applied a side headlock. Hogan pushed her off but Blue rammed Hogan’s head into the mat. Skye missed a slap, but Hogan connected with a slap of her own. Hogan hip attacked Skye.
Skye grabbed Hogan by the hair and then cracked her with an elbow shot to the back of the head. Skye stomped on Kiera Hogan, showing off more of her demonic side. Skye jumped off the turnbuckles with Kiera countered with a thrust kick, perfectly timed. Hogan dropkicked Skye. Hogan followed up with a neck breaker for a near fall.
Skye Blue trapped Hogan in the ropes and rocked her with a thrust kick. Blue used a fall away slam and then transitioned into a dragon sleeper, forcing Kiera Hogan to tap out!
A vignette aired showcasing the comeback of Serena Deeb, who is returning imminently!
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Andrew Everett!
Before the match, Claudio challenged “Hangman” Adam Page to a match this Wednesday on Dynamite!
Claudio hoisted up Everett and body slammed him. Claudio choke slammed Everett. Claudio put Andrew in the Giant Swing and hurled him halfway across the ring! Claudio whipped Everett into the turnbuckles.
Andrew sent Claudio to his knees courtesy of a Pele kick. Andrew jumped off the ropes, but Claudio dodged him and spiked him with a piledriver. Claudio clobbered Andrew with a King Kong lariat and pinned Andrew Everett!
“See you on Wednesday Hangman Page!” said Claudio to the camera.
Lexy Nair was backstage with the AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill!
Starks: “I know that everybody at Daily’s Place are waiting for the return of Ricky Starks. And how fitting that I made my debut there. And while I wasn’t successful, I return there as one half of the AEW World Tag Team Champions. And Sammy, all the history that we have, that goes out the window next week when I destroy you and cut the legs out from under you.”
Big Bill: “It’s Saturday night and neither of you are here. Next Saturday night, Norfolk, Virginia, for the AEW World Tag Team Titles, at Battle of the Belts, it’ll be ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks and Big Bill defending against Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho in a street fight! That is, Sammy, if you make it past Wednesday.”
Main Event Time!
FTR—Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood
vs.
House of Black’s Buddy Matthews & Malakai Black!
Matthews pointed at Harwood’s daughter, who was sitting at ringside. Harwood didn’t take this lightly, to say the least! Harwood chopped at Matthews. Dax grabbed a tax and Buddy took him down with a wrist lock.
Dax hit a drop toe hold and tagged in Cash Wheeler. Malakai Black entered the ring. Dax blocked a kick from Malakai. Dax flipped off Black. Malakai connected with a sliding dropkick. Cash came in and clubbed Black with a forearm, and then delivered a European Uppercut to Matthews. Malakai Black moonsaulted off the second turnbuckle and landed on Cash, who was on the arena floor!
Matthews and Black doubled teamed Cash Wheeler in the corner. Cash sent Black hard into Buddy. Cash crawled to make the tag, but Buddy cut him off with a kick! Dax tagged in and cleaned house…on the House of Black! Dax nailed Black with a brain buster for a near fall!
Black back elbowed Dax, after some assistance from Buddy. Black cracked Dax with a knee. Dax pulled Black down hard onto the turnbuckles as Black was climbing. FTR hit the power and glory suplex and splash on Black! Dax covered Black, but Matthews mauled Cash with the meteora, knocking Cash into Dax and breaking up the pin attempt!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Cash went for a tope, but the House of Black blasted him with stereo knees and then hurled him onto the announcer’s desk! Black grabbed a steel chair and brought it into the ring. Black was staring at Dax’s wife and daughter in the front row. While Black was taunting them, Dax drilled Black with a stiff shot, and then hit Matthews! FTR rocked Buddy with the Shatter Machine, but Black broke up the pin attempt they had on Buddy!
FTR spiked Black with a package piledriver on the apron! Brody King walked down the ramp, but Daniel Garcia chased after him, waffling Brody with a steel chair, helping FTR!
“What a standup guy Daniel Garcia is,” said Kevin Kelly.
As Dax was entering the ring, Buddy curb stomped him. Buddy power bombed Dax and went for the cover, but Dax countered with a pin of his own and scored the victory! After the match, the House of Black triple teamed FTR and Daniel Garcia! Buddy curb stomped Cash on the steel chair. Brody held a chair against Dax’s face and Black hit him with a spin kick, right in front of Dax’s family! TBS Champion Julia Hart rang the bell over and over.
“The bell tolls for thee,” said Kevin Kelly.
“That was a ten bell salute from Julia Hart. Is this the death of FTR?” wondered Nigel.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Homecoming on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL featuring:
-AEW World Tag Team Champion “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. Sammy Guevara!
-AEW World Champion Samoa Joe will be in the house!
-Claudio Castagnoli vs. “Hangman” Adam Page!
-Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Sting & Darby Allin!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur, Ian Riccaboni, and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
Trios Match!
Mark Briscoe & The Hardys—Jeff & Matt
vs.
Kip Sabian, The Butcher & The Blade!
Mark Briscoe locked up with Kip Sabian. Mark escaped a wrist lock and then applied a side headlock to Kip. Kip Sabian hit Mark with a shoulder block and then taunted the Hardys. The Hardys double suplexed Kip after a quick series of tags.
Blade ate a boot from Jeff Hardy. Butcher and Matt Hardy tagged in for their respective teams. Matt slugged away at Butcher and then rammed Butcher’s head into the turnbuckles. Matt splashed Butcher from the ropes, but Butcher kicked out at the one-count. Butcher escaped a Twist of Fate attempt with a huge lariat.
Mark Briscoe tagged in and cleaned house on the Butcher and the Blade with his redneck Kungfu. Briscoe scored with a dropkick on the Blade. Butcher swept out Mark’s leg and then planted him face first on the ring apron. Kip followed up with a moonsault onto Mark. Butcher bit down on Matt Hardy’s head. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Mark Briscoe was triple teamed by the opposition.
Butcher blasted Briscoe with a half nelson backbreaker for a near fall! Mark scored a neck breaker on the Blade. Both men tagged out. Jeff Hardy and Kip Sabian came in, and Hardy hit a double leg drop on Sabian. Hardy used a diving splash for a near fall on Sabian.
Matt shocked Sabian with a Side Effect. He was looking for the Twist of Fate, but the Butcher and the Blade blindsided Matt. Mark Briscoe saved Matt Hardy. Matt Hardy smashed Sabian with the Twist of Fate. Jeff followed up with a Swanton bomb. And Mark pinned Kip after the Froggy Bow!
“Tremendous fit for Mark Briscoe and the Hardys,” said Ian.
“If I’m the Acclaimed and Daddy Ass, I’m taking notice of Mark and the Hardys,” replied Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara!
Renee mentioned how they still have the tag team championship opportunity in the future, however, next week, it’ll be Sammy against Ricky Starks one-on-one. Sammy already has a victory over Ricky from Worlds End. Renee was wondering how Sammy felt ahead of this competition.
Sammy: “I feel great. Like you just said, we picked up a big pay-per-view win. That’s the past. Now we look to Dynamite. Myself versus Ricky Starks. This is what AEW is about. This is restoring the feeling. Ricky, you and I are a lot alike. No matter what the world wants to throw at us, we always overcome it. Next week, only one of us can be the winner. So, you might be good, some might say great, but you’re not better than the best ever.”
Jericho: “And Big Bill, if you try and get involved, I’m going to stop you. You’re twice my size, sure, but you’ve got half my brainpower. And if you try and get involved, I’m going to take out my proverbial ax and chop you down inch by inch until we’re face to face. Then I’m going to poke you in the eye and knock your teeth down your throat. And Uncle Joe is going to cry. We’ll see you on Dynamite, boys.”
Next, Renee Paquette interviewed Anna Jay backstage, who was accompanied by Matt Menard, Angelo Parker, and Jake Hager!
Anna Jay said she felt stagnant but that it was a time for a change this year. “This is my year. And tonight, I’m going to beat Shida, and I think I need to do this by myself, ok?”
Harley Cameron interrupted, saying she wanted to introduce herself. She said she wanted to help all of them, and then whispered into Parker’s ear. He replied, “You would actually do that?” Harley made a cat noise and walked off. Menard told Parker that Harley seemed like a nice girl. Parker downplayed it and said it was not what it looked like.
Stokely Hathaway told Justin Roberts that he’d make the ring introductions for this match. Stokely went out of his way to really hype up Kris, and barely put any effort into his introduction for Willow.
Kris and Willow used quick tags to work over Mimi, while Tony Schiavone speculated that Stokely was perhaps smitten with Statlander. Willow double suplexed Hardcastle and Mimi. Kris tagged in and ran over both opponents. Statlander powerslammed Hardcastle and then planted Mimi on top of Hardcastle. Willow scored the pin after a spinebuster!
After the match, Stokely jumped into the ring, but Willow forced him out, and away from her friend Statlander.
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Matt and Jeff Hardy!
Jeff: “We’re feeling great! We just got a huge win on Rampage. Somebody needs to get us on AEW Dynamite so we can boost those ratings, you know what I’m saying?”
Private Party interrupted them!
Isiah Kassidy: “Congratulations, fellas.”
Matt Hardy: “Thank you. We’re very happy to pick up that W, but we’re also very happy for you, and I’m proud of you. Because Marq Quen is back, he’s healthy. You guys got this. Because you have sat underneath the tree of the tag team GOATS. Of the living legends, the Hardys, the greatest tag team to ever do it.”
Marq Quen: “No lies detected.”
Matt Hardy: “They say if you love something, you have to let it go. And it’s time for you guys to be your own men, to be your own team. I was proud of you for calling people out. I heard you call us out there too.”
Matt said he had gifts for Private Party, and they tossed two ring worn Hardy shirts at them. Matt said the Hardys were their childhood, but they’re also going to be their adulthood, and they’re going to see them real soon. The Hardys walked away, and Marq Quen looked at Isiah and said he wanted to kick their asses.
Anna Jay vs. Hikaru Shida!
Shida scored with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. She followed up with a knee lift on Anna Jay. Shida pulled a steel chair from out beneath the ring and set it up. Shida tried to jump off the chair but Anna side stepped it. Anna whipped Shida into the steel guardrail.
Anna Jay rocked Shida with a thrust kick for a near fall. Shida and Anna Jay traded forearms in the center of the ring. Shida battered Anna Jay down to the mat. Shida smashed Anna in the jaw and followed up with a delayed brain buster!
Anna Jay connected with a pendulum kick. Shida rocked Anna with the Falcon Arrow, but Anna countered with the Queen Slayer. Shida rolled out and nailed Anna Jay with a knee for a near fall. Shida climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit the meteora right on target. Shida finished off Anna Jay with the katana kick and pinned Anna Jay!
Sonjay Dutt invited the camera crew into the locker room of Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, and Karen Jarrett.
Dutt: “We need to make sure we get back on the same page, and if it doesn’t happen today, we’ll work every week until we get back on the same page. I got us a big tag team match coming up because I want us to get back to our winning ways.”
Lethal: “A tag match? How does that get us back on the same page?”
Karen: “Start with a name? I’ve been here nine months, and our team doesn’t even have a name.”
Jeff: “Maybe we should involve loser in that name, because of this guy Jay Lethal.”
Lethal: “Who the hell you talking to?”
Jeff: “Jay, just how many matches have you won recently? You know how many I’ve won this past year? I’ve beat Jeff Hardy, I’ve beat Dax, hell, I beat Eddie Kingston in a Memphis Street Fight, and look where that guy is now. He’s on top of the mountain.”
Lethal: “Now wait a minute! You wouldn’t have won any of those matches if it weren’t for me. So, you didn’t win s—t!”
Jeff: “You’re trying to tell me that I need you to win? Why don’t you get out of here and start your own winning streak?”
Lethal got into Jeff’s face!
Karen: “Hey, this is the opposite of what we wanted to happen.”
Dutt: “C’mon, we’ll try it again next week.”
Main Event Time! ROH Pure Championship Match!
ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, and Pat Buck were the judges.
Yuta trapped Komander with a double wristlock. Komander exhausted his first rope break, as Yuta left him with no choice. Komander applied a single leg crab and Yuta used his first rope break.
Komander blocked a lariat with a kick. Yuta clocked Komander with a strike and then drove Komander’s shoulder down on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Komander had an inside cradle for a near fall on Yuta. Komander jumped off the ropes and transitioned into a dropkick to Yuta. Komander spiked Yuta with a DDT for a two-count.
Yuta put Komander in a double wrist lock again, grounding Komander. Komander used his third and final rope break here. Yuta was smiling ear to ear. Komander caught Yuta off guard with a hurracanrana. Yuta nailed Komander with a bridging German Suplex. Yuta pounded Komander with the hammer and anvil elbows. Yuta put Komander in the double wrist lock again, and with no rope breaks remaining, Komander had no choice but to tap!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC featuring:
-FTR vs. The House Of Black!
-Continental Crown Match: Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Trent Beretta!
-Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Workhorsemen!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Karen Pittman Interview by Big Gold Belt Media as apart of the @theaafcachannel2297 Roundtable-Synopsis:“The Morning Show” explores the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the…
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Kicking off the first Dynamite of the new year… “The Devil” Adam Cole came to the ring to explain his shocking betrayal of MJF!
Cole was accompanied by Roderick Strong, Wardlow, and the ROH World Tag Team Champions—The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.
Strong: “Everybody shut up and listen to my best friend Adam!”
Cole: “You guys don’t have sympathy for me? I find it ironic that so many people were shocked by what happened at Worlds End, which means you’re all stupid, and you don’t know right from wrong. You think we’re the bad guys because we betrayed MJF? The guy who has run his mouth about everyone in the locker room and all of you fans? If that makes me the devil, then buy me a first class ticket straight to hell.
“MJF is a narcissist. The only person that MJF cares about is MJF. And he’s had his claws hooked in AEW for far too long. And I think it’s a time for a change. Someday most of that locker room will thank me. Hell, someday Tony Khan will thank me because MJF is gone and he’s never coming back.
“There’s a lot of reasons why I did what I did. MJF would have done the same to me, I just beat him to the punch. Adam Cole never needed MJF. MJF needed Adam Cole. I sacrificed everything for that friendship. That’s how I broke my ankle. I’m the one that lost something! Not him!
“MJF needed Adam Cole. None of you would have been cheering for MJF without Adam Cole. Better Than You BayBay—that’s me. In the beginning this was all about the AEW World Championship. But then it turned out to be something more. This is about ripping out a man’s heart and bringing him to his knees. MJF is dead!
“I’ll tell you who is very much alive. That is the Undisputed Kingdom. And aside from our disdain for the guy who doesn’t work here anymore, that is to win championship gold. We have the ROH World Tag Team Champions The Kingdom. My real best friend Adam Cole who is going to go after the International Championship. And Wardlow, finally with a group who respects him, he will go after the AEW World Championship. And when the time is right, Wardlow will forfeit the AEW World Championship and give it to me.
“And speaking of that, congratulations to Samoa Joe. It was a real pleasure doing business with you. It was a pleasure to take out Hangman Adam Page. And by the time Wardlow is ready, I hope you are not the AEW World Champion, because it would suck to hurt you as a friend. AEW needed change and we gave it to you. The Undisputed Kingdom starts a new era, and the devil is here to stay, baybay!”
“Switchblade” Jay White walked onto the ramp!
Jay White: “My good friend Adam Cole, baybay. Or as we now know you to be, the Devil, huh? I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your edge after all. What I don’t like is being collateral for your cause and for making me the catalyst when you had your friends jump me. And I’m not alone.”
Colten and Austin Gunn came out and the Gunns and Jay White jumped into the ring and began brawling with the Undisputed Kingdom! Bullet Club Gold were outnumbered until The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass charged to the ring! The Undisputed Kingdom retreated!
“The Acclaimed came to the aid of Bullet Club Gold is not how I expected to begin this year,” said Excalibur.
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. Top Flight’s Dante Martin!
Dante and Orange exchanged pinning combinations at the start of the match. They continued to chain wrestle. Dante remained composed despite facing the veteran Cassidy. Dante applied a deep cradle for a near fall, and then Orange slid out of the ring to slow down Dante’s momentum.
Cassidy baited Dante to the outside and then followed up with an elbow suicida. Orange rammed Dante into the steel barricade. Cassidy ran towards Dante Martin and dropkicked him. Dante reversed a suplex attempt and nailed Orange with a snap suplex onto the arena floor. Dante flew at Cassidy with a tope suicida, pushing the pace. Dante followed up with a springboard crossbody press for a two-count.
“When Dante gets up in the air it’s almost like time stops for a moment,” said Taz.
Dante began to play mind games with the champ, brushing him with light kicks and strikes. Cassidy had enough and connected with a thrust kick. Cassidy stomped at Dante in the corner, the intensity picking up with each subsequent strike. Cassidy spiked Dante with a DDT for a near fall!
“That was a crazy landing on that DDT! Talk about an exclamation point,” said Taz.
Orange blasted Dante with a diving DDT, driving Dante’s head down into the mat, good for another near fall. Dante ducked an Orange Punch. Dante escaped the Beach Break and then rocked Orange with a knee strike to the face! Dante hit a senton to Orange’s back. Dante climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Cassidy rolled, trying to get out of the ray. Dante walked the ropes and flew across the ring, splashing Orange! The champ moved out of the way of a senton. Orange crushed Dante with the Orange Punch and then pinned Dante!
FTW Champ Hook and Danhausen came down to check on Orange Cassidy, while Action Andretti and Darius Martin came to collect Dante. Orange offered his hand to Dante and shook it, showing good sportsmanship.
Private Party—Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen made their returns!
Marq Quen: “Allow me to reintroduce ourselves! We’ve been keeping tabs on the tag division. The tag division has been missing some flavor! And most importantly the tag division has been missing Private Party!”
Isiah Kassidy: “We’re putting every tag team on notice. That means all of you, FTR, the Young Bucks, and the Hardys. We say new year, new champs!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther the Butler!
Toni: “This isn’t New York. This is New Jersey. I belong on Broadway. So, I’m going to call it a night. I’m not going to watch Mariah May’s debut. She needs to pay her dues, and what better way than wrestling in New Jersey!
Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews accepted FTR’s challenge!
The House of Black said if they beat FTR, Cash and Dax would need to disown their family and walk back with their new family—the House of Black! It’s set for this Saturday live on Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Prince Nana and Swerve Strickland!
Prince Nana: “Daniel Garcia is a respected competitor, but does he know he’s getting into the ring with the boss of bosses?”
Swerve: “Earlier tonight Daniel was talking about big pressure. It’s not about making diamonds with us, it’s about making pain. And in 2024 I’m looking for championship gold. So, I guess it’s up to you, Samoa Joe, so be ready!
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata!
Mariah May blasted Queen Aminata with an open palm strike. Mariah chopped at Aminata. Mariah followed up with a solid dropkick. Aminata was tied up in the ropes and Mariah May blasted her from behind with another running dropkick!
Queen Aminata fired back with a few slaps to Mariah’s face. Aminata kicked Mariah in the spine and then followed up with a running knee strike. Mariah May exploded out of the corner with a sling blade. Mariah finished off Queen Aminata with the May Day and pinned Aminata!
Renee Paquette interviewed Mariah May in the ring after the match.
Mariah May: “I can’t believe it! I won my AEW debut! I’ve wanted to be a wrestler since I was a little kid, so the fact that I’m in this ring on AEW is surreal to me. And I hope Miss Toni Storm is watching wherever she is. This is the first Dynamite of the New Year and it’s all about Mariah. But my only regret is we had to do this in New Jersey.”
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo walked down to the ring, upstaging Mariah May!
Deonna: “Renee, I’m sure you know this but I’m from New Jersey! And if Toni Storm doesn’t want to be here, then trust me, we all don’t want her here either. But Mariah, I have a message that you can pass along to Miss Storm. It doesn’t matter where she runs or hides, I will find her because Mariah I am All Elite! And we are in the Age of the Virtuosa!”
Mariah May: “Okay, well, Deonna, I’m not the messenger so tell her yourself!”
Mariah May slapped Deonna and Deonna slapped back, knocking Mariah off her feet!
2x TNT Champion Christian Cage gave his 2024 State of The Union!
Christian Cage came to the ring with Shayna Wayne, “the Prodigy” Nick Wayne, and Killswitch!
Shayna Wayne took the microphone from Tony Schiavone and addressed the fans. “You boo me? You boo a mother? How dare you? I demand you people get on your feet right now and pay respect to the greatest TNT Champion that ever lived, our father, “the Patriarch” Christian Cage.”
Christian Cage: “Tony, it has been 200 days since I won this championship on the very first episode of Collision. It has been an historic run for sure. And if you interrupt me again, I’m going to have Mother Wayne put you across her knee and discipline you.
“I went through a war at Worlds End and there are a few people I need to thank. First of all, Mother Wayne, for understanding the vision. A mother’s work is never done. Secondly, I’d like to thank my pride and joy, the apple of my eye, Nick Wayne, who put his body on the line. Adam Copeland tried to put Nick’s career to an end at the age of 18. I just want to say I love you, Nick.
“And lastly, I’d like to thank the man that sealed the victory at Worlds End, the man that put the final nail in the coffin that is Adam Copeland. I would like to thank myself!”
The fans chanted “Luchasaurus! Luchasaurus!”
Christian Cage: “I’d like to address Adam Copeland for the final time. I’ve beaten you twice. It’s to the back of the line and there’s no more title shots for you. I could make fun of you and say you grew up without a father. Or I could mention how your mother is no longer with us. But all I need to say is Christian Cage is superior to you. I’d like to think we left a little bit of our souls in the ring at Worlds End, but the difference is, one of us doesn’t have a soul. And that’s why I stand before you as the TNT Champion.
“So, this is a warning for anyone that has eyes for my TNT Championship. What happened at Worlds End is just a glimpse at what I’ll do to hold onto my title! This is the most important championship in this company. And I will remain the TNT Champion for as long as I want until I decide to hand off this title to Nick Wayne to carry on my legacy. We are the faces of AEW, now and forever!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Harley Cameron, Saraya, and Ruby Soho!
Ruby thanked Harley for her help this past Friday.
Harley: “I’ll do anything!”
Saraya: “I said she’d do anything. I didn’t say she’d be sane.”
Saraya warned Harley to cool it. Renee wondered what was going on before the Outcasts walked off.
Darby Allin vs. The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Takeshita grabbed Darby and planted him hard on the mat. Takeshita went for a wheelbarrow suplex, but Darby landed on his feet. Takeshita hit Darby with a big back body drop, with Darby arcing high into the air before crashing hard.
Darby rocketed out of the ring with a tope, but Takeshita countered with a wicked knee strike! Takeshita nailed Darby with a rolling German Suplex on the ramp! Darby managed to get to his feet and fly out of the ring with a tope like a human battering ram at Takeshita!
Takeshita countered the Code Red, planting Darby for a near fall. Takeshita was looking for a running knee strike in the corner, but Darby escaped the ring. Takeshita charged at Darby, but Darby dodged it, sending Takeshita crashing into the guardrail. Darby connected with a Coffin Drop on the outside!
“Darby will throw caution at the wind. He doesn’t care,” said Taz.
Darby was waiting for Takeshita as Takeshita entered the ring. Darby blasted Takeshita with a Code Red for a two-count. Darby went for another Coffin Drop but Takeshita lifted his knees, blocking the move and punishing Darby at the same time. Takeshita made Darby eat a lariat, dropping Darby. Don Callis signaled for Takeshita to finish it. Takeshita rocked Darby with a running boot in the corner. Takeshita hoisted Darby up on the top rope and followed up with an avalanche German Suplex! Takeshita connected with the power drive knee and then pinned Darby!
“A statement victory for the ‘Alpha’ to start the New Year,” said Excalibur.
After the match, Don Callis made a challenge! Callis invited Sting and Darby Allin to face Takeshita and Hobbs at Daily’s Place!
Continental Title Eliminator Match!
Trent Beretta vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion Brian Cage vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. AAA Mega Champion El Hijo Del Vikingo!
The winner fights Eddie Kingston on Collision.
Danhausen was watching from ringside.
Brian Cage plowed into Trent and Bryan. Vikingo connected with a tope suicida to Cage. Keith clobbered Trent with forearms. Keith connected with a high boot to Trent’s jaw. Vikingo used a big arm drag on Bryan Keith.
Brian Cage blocked a hurracanrana from Vikingo and then Cage hurled Vikingo overhead. Trent jumped over the top rope and landed on Cage with a cross body on the arena floor. Cage stunned Trent with a brain buster on the floor!
Vikingo dropkicked “the Machine” from the top rope. Vikingo climbed to the top, but Bryan Keith stopped him with a jumping headbutt. Cage kicked Keith in the midsection. Trent threw Cage with a release German Suplex from the top and then connected with a running knee strike.
Cage power bombed Trent for a near fall. Danhausen jumped into the ring and cursed Cage. Brian Cage picked up Danhausen but Keith and Vikingo landed thrust kicks and took down Cage. Keith charged at Trent with the diving battering ram head butt for a two-count on Trent. Keith was looking for a Tiger Driver, but Trent countered, planted Keith and pinned him!
Trent has earned a shot at Kingston’s Continental Crown Championship this Saturday at Collision!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Daddy Magic to interview him when they were interrupted by “Hangman” Adam Page!
Adam Page: “A few weeks ago Samoa Joe had a bunch of goons put me through a car windshield. So, I am here tonight to beat somebody’s ass! And if I can’t find the World Champion, it’ll be Adam Cole. If it’s not Adam Cole, it’ll be you. I dare somebody to give me a reason!”
Main Event Time!
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. Daniel Garcia!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the broadcast team for this match.
Swerve knocked Garcia to the mat with a shoulder block. Swerve rolled up Garcia for a near fall. Garcia sent Swerve spilling to the outside with a jumping knee strike. Garcia whipped Swerve into the barricade. Garcia and Prince Nana had a dance off! Garcia heard Swerve coming up from behind, but Garcia was waiting for him and rammed him into the ring post.
Prince Nana grabbed Garcia’s boot. Swerve booted Garcia and then drilled Daniel Garcia with a Death Valley Driver on the ring apron! Swerve created distance with a European Uppercut. Garcia pounded Swerve down to the mat. Garcia dropkicked Swerve. Garcia grabbed a near fall after a stalling suplex on Swerve.
Swerve nailed Garcia with a back breaker. Swerve got into Daddy Magic’s face. Garcia bulldozed Swerve. Garcia put Swerve in the sharpshooter on the announcer’s table. Swerve managed to escape as they both rolled off the table and onto the floor.
Garcia superplexed Swerve back into the ring. Swerve hung on and served up a suplex of his own! Swerve had the upper hand, but just barely. Garcia grabbed Swerve by the wrists and yanked him right into a knee strike. Swerve lured Daniel into a flatliner! Swerve connected with the House Call, but Garcia kicked out at the two-count!
Swerve climbed to the top and crushed Garcia with the Swerve Stomp for another near fall! Garcia rolled up Swerve with a crucifix for a near fall. Swerve cracked Garcia with the House Call and finished off Garcia with the JML Driver, pinning Garcia!
“Is 2024 going to be the year of Swerve Strickland? He put AEW World Champion Samoa Joe on notice,” said Excalibur.
Swerve offered his hand to Garcia, and as Garcia went to accept, Prince Nana clocked Garcia with a low blow! Daddy Magic had enough! Daddy Magic began to bludgeon Swerve with strikes until Swerve kicked him low. “Hangman” Adam Page stormed to the ring with purpose! Page struck Swerve and they began to brawl, both men throwing bombs! Security tried to separate the two men! Page broke free and jumped on Swerve! Page was peeled off Strickland. Then Swerve broke free and lunged at Page until they were pried apart again!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
WORLDS END proved to be exactly that for Maxwell Jacob Friedman as, in front of his hometown audience, he saw the AEW World Championship slip away to Samoa Joe and witnessed his best friend Adam Cole reveal himself as The Devil. Flanked by The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett, Roderick Strong, and Wardlow, Cole watched as his associates demolished the dethroned champion. Why Cole and these men have traveled this path remains to be learned, though it’s been clear for months Wardlow’s wanted Max’s head, and perhaps we will find out more soon.
In addition, the bums around the world rejoiced as Eddie Kingston defeated Jon Moxley in the finals of the Continental Classic to not only retain his ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Titles, but to also become the first Continental Champion, and the holder of the Continental Crown! It was one of the most emotional moments in AEW’s history, and likely the biggest in the career of Eddie Kingston. WORLDS END was also a night that saw the wildest TNT Championship situation imaginable, including the shortest title reign in history, and Killswitch make a surprising decision in the heat of the moment. Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s World Championship, as did Julia Hart with the TBS Title, and so much more went down on AEW’s final PPV presentation of 2023!
With a new year upon us, and a new AEW World Champion at the helm, All Elite Wrestling embarks down a new path but starting on familiar territory. The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ will host the first DYNAMITE of 2024 and with it comes an AEW International Championship Match where Orange Cassidy will defend against Top Flight’s Dante Martin! In addition, after two months of anticipation, Mariah May will finally make her in-ring debut this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE!
The first AEW event of 2024 begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from WORLDS END, as well last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!
At WORLDS END this past Saturday, the longest reigning ROH World Champion and ROH World Television Champion of all-time added another accolade to his resume: AEW World Champion. Samoa Joe, after eighteen minutes of a tremendous fight, choked Maxwell Jacob Friedman unconscious to end the longest and most successful AEW World Championship reign experienced since Chris Jericho first won the crown at ALL OUT 2019.
While the way the remainder of the evening played out for MJF will haunt him for some time, knowing that he is no longer the champion will likely linger the longest, especially as he watches DYNAMITE this Wednesday night, healing up from the various injuries sustained over his championship run, and sees Samoa Joe walk to the ring with the AEW World Championship over his shoulder. The added knowledge that the Triple B is in a dumpster somewhere on Long Island may just make it even more painful…
But that’s MJF’s burden to handle; the question at hand is where does Samoa Joe go from here? He made it abundantly clear in the Media Scrum that anyone can try to step to the champ, that he’d fight Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland and anyone else who wants a piece of the action. So who will be brave enough to be the first? We already witnessed Hangman and Joe have a confrontation in recent weeks, will it be him? Will it be Swerve who said his road to the title started December 31st? We will find out soon enough if anyone is willing to put it all on the line for a shot at greatness…
THE DEVIL REVEALED…
Why Adam? Why? That’s the question on everyone’s mind after seeing Adam Cole sitting in that chair Saturday night, surrounded by Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, Wardlow, and Roderick Strong, with The Devil’s Mask tossed on the broken body of former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman. After spending months tolerating Max’s behavior, helping him grow into a legitimately better version of himself, and seemingly driving a wedge into his relationship with Roderick Strong, why did Adam Cole put in all that effort to drive a knife between the shoulder blades of MJF? Has this been the plan since the Blind Eliminator Tournament over the summer? Since after ALL IN: LONDON? Or maybe after Cole got hurt at GRAND SLAM 2023 trying to help MJF in his first match with Samoa Joe?
It’s all speculation at the moment, but tonight on DYNAMITE, we expect to get some answers from Adam Cole about why he donned The Devil mask and betrayed Maxwell Jacob Friedman!
The last time Dante Martin challenged for a singles championship was on the June 3, 2022 edition of RAMPAGE when he challenged Scorpio Sky for the TNT Championship. Obviously that was not his night to claim a singles title, but it was one of many nights that proved with getting experience under his belt, Dante was destined for success with his brother, as well as on his own. Unfortunately a freak injury at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 derailed Dante’s career for months on end, but in truth he’s fortunate the injury didn’t flat out end his wrestling journey.
But since returning from that injury with a November 29th Trios victory on DYNAMITE, Dante has looked superb both in AEW and ROH action. He’s racked up victories in five of the six matches he’s been involved in, the only loss coming to Daddy Ass and The Acclaimed in an AEW World Trios Championship bout, and seemingly hasn’t missed a step. Dante’s confidence is high, something that can often be lacking when returning from injury, and that helped boost his trio to a victory last Friday night on RAMPAGE over Roppongi Vice and AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy.
It may not have been a pinfall on Orange Cassidy, but it was still Dante scoring the pinfall win over his OC’s team, and as such the fighting International Champion is willing to give this half of Top Flight an opportunity to end the run! Can Dante begin the new year by marking the first title change of 2024? Or will “Freshly Squeezed” ground the man’s dream and move forward into the year with the title still in his backpack?
THE DEBUT…
Mariah May vs. Queen Aminata
November 8th; that is the day All Elite Wrestling officially announced the signing of Mariah May. May, a standout from the Japanese promotion Stardom reigned as a Goddesses of Stardom Champion alongside Mina Shirakawa during her tenure with the company, with her primary motivation for touring there being to follow in the footsteps of Toni Storm. See “The Timeless One” called Stardom home from 2016 until 2019, and even reigned as the World of Stardom Champion for 258 days, so being thus inspired by the path of Toni Storm, it was an experience Mariah May had to take.
After wrapping up in Stardom on September 30th, May showed up in AEW with aspirations of meeting Toni Storm, becoming friends with Toni Storm, and just being in the proximity of the current AEW Women’s World Champion. Mariah’s even asked Toni to be at ringside for this debut match, but it seemed like “Timeless” couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge the request being made by a woman whose name she couldn’t be bothered to remember.
Still, even if Toni Storm can’t remember her name, it’s clear from the reaction of the AEW faithful in the arenas, as well as those online, that they know who Mariah May is and have been patiently waiting for her in-ring debut. Well that day is finally upon us, so it’s all on Mariah to make it a memorable one and leave an impression on the AEW Women’s World Champion, otherwise it will be Queen Aminata who makes her mark by spoiling the AEW premiere of “The Glamour”!
ONE-ON-ONE…
Swerve Strickland vs. Daniel Garcia
The last several months in the careers of these two men could not be more different; since WRESTLEDREAM, Swerve Strickland has been on an absolute tear in All Elite Wrestling, winning nine of his last twelve bouts, including that unforgettable Texas Death Match with Hangman Page at FULL GEAR 2023, and had the best pinfall ratio in the Continental Classic. After scoring three straight victories in the Gold League, Swerve experienced his first pinfall loss at the hands of Jon Moxley. Still, with a victory in his final points match-up, Strickland managed to work his way into a Three Way League Final with Mox and Jay White, only to see Moxley pin White to advance to the overall Finals. But with Moxley losing to Eddie Kingston in the tournament finals, that means Swerve was the only man in the entire Continental Classic to only be pinned one time, and he capped off his year with a win over Dustin Rhodes in lieu of Keith Lee being unable to compete.
As for Daniel Garcia, he’s experienced just three victories in his last twelve matches with two of those coming over the course of the last week. It’s been a rough road for the man as of late, a frustrating one that’s often put him at odds with friend Matt Menard, but when he pinned Brody King in their final Blue League match, it felt like perhaps it had all been worth it. That feeling was further amplified at WORLDS END where, as part of the All-Star Eight-Man Tag, Garcia actually scored the winning pinfall for his team, a unit consisting of Blackpool Combat Club members Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli, as well as Mark Briscoe.
It was a triumphant way to end the year for both men, but DYNAMITE marks the beginning of a new one for All Elite Wrestling, and that means nose right back to the grindstone. Swerve stated in the WORLDS END Media Scrum that his mission of becoming World Champion began the day after the pay-per-view, and that means a fight with Daniel Garcia on his plate for Wednesday night! For both men this is the kind of fight that can shape the rest of the year, and neither wants to let 2024 start on a bad foot. This will be two men fighting with every thing they’ve got in their body and soul; may the best one win…
CHRISTIAN CAGE’S 2024 STATE OF THE UNION…
What on Earth just happened? That had to be the thought spiraling through the mind of Adam Copeland after seeing the TNT Championship ripped away just minutes after he pinned Christian Cage to claim it for himself. From the moment Paul Turner’s hand counted three to end Cage’s first TNT Championship run to the second it hit three to begin his second, just three minutes and thirty-two seconds had passed, officially making Copeland the shortest reigning champion in AEW history. It should have been a moment of triumph for Adam, putting to rest the toxic relationship with Christian Cage, but ever the opportunist, “The Patriarch” managed to take Killswitch’s moment and make it his own. Whatever Cage whispered to the former Luchasaurus was enough to make the monster surrender the TNT Championship match he’d earned earlier in the night into Christian’s hands after Killswitch had done all the dirty work to incapacitate Copeland.
So now Christian Cage walks into DYNAMITE as a 2-Time TNT Champion, and it looks like we will all have to suffer through him delivering a State of the Union-style address to the AEW faithful. It will undoubtedly be filled with heaping of self-praise, with little credit given to Killswitch for doing the actual work, and likely little acknowledgment of the fact Adam Copeland beat him in the middle of the ring at WORLDS END. The question Christian Cage should be asking himself as he prepares to deliver this speech is whether or not Adam Copeland will be watching, listening, waiting, for his opportunity to deliver much-deserved retribution?
A new era is upon us with 2023, the era of AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, and it begins when All Elite Wrestling returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ for the first DYNAMITE of 2024! On tap is an AEW International Championship Match pitting Orange Cassidy against challenger Dante Martin, as well as the greatly anticipated in-ring debut of Mariah May, and so much more!
It all begins again at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from WORLDS END, as well last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, the newest CONTROL CENTER, and more!
AEW presented Worlds End live from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!
It’s Saturday and you know what that means!
The Zero Hour portion of the show kicked off!
Your announce team for Zero Hour was Excalibur, Taz, and Nigel McGuinness.
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale!
Stokely Hathaway joined the commentary team for this match.
Willow connected with a crossbody press off the middle rope for a near fall. Willow followed up with a running clothesline and then flipped off the apron, landing on Statlander. Back in the ring, Statlander applied the pressure with body scissors. Willow got to her feet and scored with a kick to Kris. Willow nailed Kris with a massive spinebuster for a two-count.
Kris hoisted Willow up on her shoulders and planted her on her face. Willow fired back with a running pounce! Willow cannonballed Kris in the corner and followed up with a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Kris blasted Willow with a scissor kick across the spine. Willow grabbed Kris off the top turnbuckle and power bombed her onto the apron!
Willow reversed Saturday Night Fever will a roll-up for a near fall. Kris tried for a 450 but Willow dodged it. Willow hit the Doctor Bomb and pinned Statlander!
A vignette aired showcasing the impending return of Serena Deeb!
TNT Championship #1 Contender’s Battle Royale!
The winner of this 20-man battle royale will earn a shot at the TNT Championship anytime, anywhere.
Lance Archer and Killswitch were buried under tables while the other competitors whacked away at them with steel chairs. Trent whipped Serpentico over the top rope and eliminated him. Kip Sabian charged at Dalton Castle and knocked him to the arena floor.
Danhausen kicked Johnny TV out of the ring as Johnny was trying to pull Trent out. Lee Johnson connected with a body press to Kip Sabian. Angelo Parker eliminated Lee. Dark Order tossed out Cool Hand Ang. Kip cannonballed Alex Reynolds and then eliminated Reynolds.
Butcher sent John Silver packing. Trent and Rocky rocked Kip with a double knee strike. Bryan Keith kicked Kip out. Danhausen tried to curse Keith, but Butcher cut him off. Keith suplexed the Butcher. Blade charged at Keith and rammed him out to the floor. Lance Archer escaped the pile of lumber and entered the match. Daddy Magic chopped at Archer. The MurderHawk Monster clubbed Daddy Magic and made him vanish from the match. Archer eliminated Christopher Daniels.
Archer picked up Rocky and threw him over the top and sent him crashing onto Daniels. Darius Martin and Action Andretti worked in tandem on Archer. Killswitch emerged and choke slammed Darius and Action. Archer and Killswitch threw Action and Darius out of the ring. Blade ate a big boot from Archer before being tossed out. Killswitch booted Blade out of the match.
Trent and Danhausen grabbed Lance Archer and flipped him over the top and to the floor. Trent and Danhausen hugged, but then Trent eliminated Danhausen. Trent charged at Killswitch with a running knee strike. And then a second, and then a third knee strike! Killswitch caught Trent and planted him with a chokeslam. Killswitch clobbered Trent with a European Uppercut on the apron and then won the match!
FTW Championship Match/FTW Rules!
HOOK (c.) vs. ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta!
Yuta charged at Hook as Hook was making his entrance. Hook pounded away with strikes at Yuta in the corner. Hook headbutted Yuta. They brawled onto the ramp. Hook sent Yuta for a ride with a suplex. Yuta grabbed a trash can lid from under the ring and swung for the fences, clocking Hook in the head.
Yuta whipped Hook into the steel barricade. Yuta was grinding his boot into Hook’s head. Hook jumped into the ring, but Yuta was waiting for him. Yuta had a stop sign and slammed it into Hook’s back. Yuta sat out with a senton for a near fall on Hook.
Hook suplexed Yuta with a Northern Lights throw for a near fall. Yuta countered the Red Rum with a release German Suplex. Yuta chomped on Hook’s forehead and then connected with a fisherman’s suplex. Hook caught Yuta and suplexed him into the trash can with a high cradle. Hook tried for the Red Rum, but Yuta sat back and smashed Hook onto the trash can. Yuta spiked Hook with a DDT on the stop sign for a two-count.
Yuta grabbed a two-by-four, but Hook found a hockey stick. Hook cracked the hockey stick over Yuta’s back. Hook used the remnants of the stick, applied Red Rum, and made Yuta tap out!
The pay-per-view portion of the night kicked off with…
All Star 8-Man Tag Match!
Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, Mark Briscoe, & Daniel Garcia
vs.
Brody King, Jay White, Jay Lethal, & Rush!
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard joined the commentary team for this match.
Rush and Claudio started shoving one another. It escalated to stiff chops and forearms. Claudio booted Rush but Rush retaliated with a German Suplex. Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe tagged in for their respective teams.
Lethal dropkicked Mark but Mark answered with some redneck kung fu. Danielson and Jay White grabbed tags. The crowd came alive at the sight of these two competitors entering the ring to square off. Danielson tried for the Le Bell Lock, but Jay White quickly grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. The “Switchblade” chopped Danielson in the chest, lighting him up. Danielson whipped White into the turnbuckles and then walloped White with round kicks.
Danielson took down Jay White with a hurracanrana. Bryan fired off more round kicks and then Daniel Garcia grabbed a blind tag. Danielson wasn’t happy. Brody King entered the ring and Garcia tried to use his quickness against Brody. Brody blasted Garcia with a Bossman Slam! Brody got in Matt Menard’s face and taunted him.
Garcia’s nose was busted, and Jay White body slammed him. Garcia finally reached the corner and tagged Mark Briscoe. Mark took down Jay White with a flying forearm. Briscoe dropped a Cactus elbow off the apron onto Rush. Back in the ring Briscoe planted Jay White with a fisherman’s bomb for a near fall!
Jay Lethal tagged in and superplexed Mark Briscoe from the top! Brody King and Claudio Castagnoli tagged in. Claudio hit a vertical suplex on Brody! Rush charged at Danielson’ with the Bull’s Horns while Brody cannonballed Claudio. But Claudio answered with the Giant Swing, and then Danielson punctuated it with a dropkick to Brody’s head!
“We’ve got bodies flying everywhere!” said Matt Menard.
Garcia got rocked by Jay’s Lethal Combination. Jay Lethal applied the figure four on Garcia. Briscoe stunned Lethal with the Froggy Bow off the top. Claudio sent Jay White flying with a pop up uppercut. Garcia bypassed the Lethal Injection and folded up Lethal for the pin!
“Garcia said he thinks he fits in, and boy did he prove it here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Brody King blindsided Daddy Magic. Sonjay Dutt came out to give Lethal a talking to.
“The Redeemer” Miro vs. Andrade El Idolo (with CJ Perry)!
Miro bulldozed Andrade from behind as Andrade was entering the ring. Andrade tried for a tope suicida, but Miro cut him of at the pass with a stiff shot. Miro turned Andrade inside out with a suplex overhead, throwing him with ease.
Miro shouted at CJ Perry, “Is this what you wanted?!”
Andrade shoved Miro and Miro went flying over the commentary team’s desk. Andrade whipped Miro into the ring steps. They both got into the ring and traded stiff chops. Andrade used a dragon screw leg whip out of nowhere and followed up with a crossbody off the top turnbuckle. Andrade moonsaulted out of the ring and onto Miro on the arena floor. Andrade connected with another moonsault, this time in the ring, for a near fall on Miro.
Andrade charged at Miro, but Miro made him pay with a massive boot to the face! Miro was feeding off his fury. Miro stomped on Andrade’s back and then applied Game Over. CJ Perry yelled at Andrade, “Do not tap!” Andrade managed to reach the ropes and forced the ref to break the hold. Miro shouted at CJ Perry, “You should cheer for your husband!”
Andrade rocked Miro with the spinning back elbow for a two-count. Andrade applied the figure four leg lock. Andrade transitioned into the figure eight but Miro countered, reversing it. Andrade turned it back over, applying the pressure to Miro. Andrade bridged up, but CJ Perry swept out Andrade’s arms while the ref wasn’t looking! Miro scored with a kick for a near fall on Andrade. Miro trapped Andrade in the Game Over submission and forced Andrade to tap out!
CJ Perry blew a kiss at Miro after the match!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c.) (with Luther the Butler) vs. Riho!
Toni body slammed Riho and covered her, but Riho bridged right out of it. Riho used a bulldog out of the corner, but Toni kicked out at the one-count. Riho jumped off the apron, but Luther caught her, and then Luther handed Riho to Toni. “Timeless” Toni body slammed Riho on the arena floor.
Riho tried to body slam Toni, but Riho’s back seized up. Toni spotted it and went to work on Riho’s lower back. Toni applied the Texas Cloverleaf, punishing Riho’s lower back. Riho tried to reach the ropes, but Luther pulled the ropes back. The ref saw this and ejected Luther from ringside.
Riho connected with the area code shot! Riho body slammed Toni Storm. Riho jumped off the top and crashed down on the champion with a diving cross body! Riho double stomped Toni on the apron. Riho nailed Toni with a dragon suplex!
Toni Storm retaliated with the Storm Zero, but somehow Riho kicked out! Riho climbed the turnbuckles, but Toni yanked her down. Toni spiked Riho with a DDT and pinned Riho, retaining her championship!
Mariah May came to the ring with a bucket of rose petals. Mariah poured the petals over Toni, helping her idol celebrate her victory tonight.
Lexy Nair was backstage to interview Dante Martin!
Dante: “I’ve been doing good, but good’s not good enough. Last night I got the pin on Rampage.”
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy walked onto the set. Orange told Dante to try to take his title his Wednesday on Dynamite!
Dustin Rhodes vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!
Dustin was taking the place of Keith Lee, who wasn’t cleared by the doctor to wrestle today due to injury.
Prince Nana set up a cinder block and put Dustin’s ankle on it. Swerve jumped off the apron with a double stomp, smashing Dustin’s ankle and the cinder block! The match hadn’t even officially started. The AEW medical staff and referees help Dustin up, trying to walk him to the back. Dustin couldn’t put any weight on his ankle. Dustin refused to give up and forced his way back to the ring!
“This is ill advised by Dustin Rhodes tonight,” said Excalibur.
Dustin told the ref to ring the bell. Swerve came in hot with a kick to Dustin’s head! Swerve dropkicked Dustin in the knee. Swerve set up Dustin for a superplex. Dustin headbutted his way out of it, knocking Swerve down to the mat. Dustin connected with a crossbody press for a near fall.
Dustin stunned Swerve with a Canadian Destroyer and then a snapping powerslam for a two-count. Prince Nana looked panicked. Dustin blasted Swerve with the UnNatural Kick. Dustin spiked Swerve with a piledriver and then the Cross Rhodes for a two-count!
“If Dustin wins this, what a comeback it would be,” said Tony Schiavone.
Swerve rolled through with a flatliner! Swerve applied a single leg crab on Dustin. Swerve transitioned to a stretch muffler and then stomped on Dustin’s head. Dustin made it to the ropes, showing off his mat sense and toughness. Dustin popped middle fingers at Swerve and then spat at Swerve! Swerve was infuriated and nailed Dustin with the House Call! Swerve wrecked Dustin with a second House Call kick! Swerve finished off Dustin with the Double Stomp from the top rope and pinned Dustin!
“Swerve is victorious but not a happy expression on his face,” said Excalibur.
“I will not have my time wasted anymore,” Swerve said, as he looked into the camera.
8-Man Tag Match!
Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Sammy Guevara, & Sting
vs.
AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks, and The Don Callis Family—Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs!
Takeshita dropped Sammy with a headbutt. Sammy tagged Jericho in, and Jericho ate a Takeshita line. Starks grabbed a tag and Starks flipped off Jericho. Hobbs tagged himself in and Starks wasn’t happy. Hobbs rammed into Jericho with a shoulder tackle.
Big Bill tagged in and battered Jericho with clubbing shots. Darby jumped in with a dropkick to Big Bill. Takeshita entered the fray, but Darby connected with a lateral press. Darby drilled Takeshita with a Code Red for a near fall! Darby climbed the top for a Coffin Drop but Don Callis distracted him from the apron. Takeshita hoisted up Darby and decimated him with an avalanche helicopter blue thunder bomb!
Hobbs and Big Bill grabbed Darby and swung him across the ring like a sack of potatoes! Starks entered the match and went for a Stinger Splash, but Darby dodged it. Sting tagged in and threw haymakers all over the ring!
Starks walked the rope and dropped an elbow on Sting’s arm. Sting drove Sting to the mat and stomped him. Sammy tagged himself in. Sammy came off the turnbuckles with a cutter. Big Bill jumped in the ring and planted Sammy with a Bossman Slam. Jericho came to even up the odds and smashed Big Bill with a Code Breaker. Hobbs wrecked Jericho with a spinebuster from behind. Hobbs pancaked Jericho with the World’s Most Dangerous Slam. Darby splashed Jericho into Hobbs! Darby impaled Hobbs with a Scorpion Death Drop!
Takeshita suplexed Darby and Sammy with a German Suplex! Sting swept out Takeshita’s leg and applied the Scorpion Death Lock! Callis jumped into the ring with Sting’s baseball bat, forcing Sting to let go of the hold. Callis backed off when Sting saw him. Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho to Hobbs. Starks popped Jericho in the face with a thrust kick.
Darby rocketed out of the ring at Big Bill like a human battering ram! Starks speared Sammy for a near fall! Sammy rocked Starks with a thrust kick and then the GTH! Sammy climbed to the top and walloped Starks with a shooting star press, scoring the pin on Starks!
TBS Championship Match! House Rules Match!
Julia Hart (c.) vs. Abadon!
Abadon chose the stipulation to have biting made legal for this match!
The crowd chanted “This is spooky! This is spooky!”
Abadon hit a cutter out of the gate! Abadon battered Julia in the corner with lariats.
“Those shots will wear Julia out,” said Taz.
Julia fired back, ramming Abadon’s head into the mat! Julia grabbed Abadon in a crucifix for a near fall. Julia hurled Abadon through the ropes and onto the arena floor. Julia suplexed Abadon onto the cold arena floor. Abadon chomped down on Julia’s arm, taking a bite out of the champion!
Abadon followed up with a lung blower for a near fall. Julia came back with a superplex. Julia blindsided Abadon with a running lariat to the back of the head. Abadon caught Julia in the side of the head with a running knee strike. Abadon bit Julia’s forehead. Skye Blue crawled out from beneath the ring and hit Abadon while the ref was distracted. Skye hid back under the ring, but Abadon pulled her out and cracked Skye with a jumped knee strike! Julia Hart blindsided Abadon again, bashing Abadon’s head into the steel steps. Julia Hart scored the victory after a backflipping knee strike from the top rope onto Abadon’s chest!
TNT Championship No Disqualification Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) (with Mother Wayne & Nick Wayne)
vs. “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland charged at Christian Cage as Christian was making his entrance. Cope hammered Christian Cage with fists. Copeland sent Christian flying into the barricade. The fans chanted “We want tables!” and Copeland smiled. Christian Cage retreated from the ring. Copeland followed him but Cage was waiting with a thrust kick.
Adam Copeland whipped Christian into the steel ring steps. Christian tried to escape, walking up the arena steps. Copeland followed him. Copeland jumped off the top of the 100 section with a crossbody press onto Christian Cage!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland ran across the barricade, jumped off, and clotheslined Christian Cage! Copeland tried to spear Christian, but Christian dodged it and sent Copeland flying into the steel ring post. Christian stomped on Copeland’s neck on the ring steps! Copeland’s eye began to swell up, blood trickling down his face.
Christian Cage grabbed a kendo stick. Christian cracked Copeland in the back over and over with the kendo stick! Christian was using the kendo stick to choke Copeland. Nick Wayne tossed a couple of chairs to Christian. Christian put the chair across Copeland’s back, sat on it, and applied a Boston Crab. All of Christian’s body weight was on the chair, punishing the back of Copeland.
Christian had a metal rod, swung it at Copeland, but Copeland ducked it. Copeland planted Christian onto the mat and then bashed him with the kendo stick! Copeland applied the cross face in the center of the ring, putting the metal rod in Christian’s mouth and pulling back! Christian managed to grab the bottom rope and pull himself free. Copeland pulled a ladder from beneath the ring!
Copeland catapulted Christian Cage face-first into the ladder, which was wedged between the ropes. Christian swung the kendo stick at Copeland. Christian Cage climbed the ladder. Copeland got to his feet and climbed the other side of the ladder. Christian whiplashed Copeland with a sunset powerbomb from the top of the ladder for a near fall!
Christian Cage pulled two tables from beneath the ring. Christian and Nick Wayne set up a table near the ring. Copeland went for a spear, but Nick Wayne pulled Christian away. Copeland cracked Christian with a chair across the spine. Copeland nailed Christian Cage with an Impaler on the chair!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland was going for the conchairto, but Nick Wayne pulled the chair out of Copeland’s hands. Christian Cage blindsided Copeland with a low blow. Nick Wayne pushed a table into the ring. Christian Cage propped up the table against the turnbuckles. Christian tried to spear Copeland, but Copeland avoided it. Copeland answered with a spear of his own, putting Christian through the table! Copeland went for the cover, but Shayna Wayne pulled the ref out of the ring!
Nick Wayne rammed the TNT Title into Copeland’s head. Nick Wayne followed up with the Wayne’s World, bashing Copeland’s head onto the arena floor. Cage used the Killswitch for a near fall!
Christian Cage and Nick Wayne poured lighter fluid on a table! Nick Wayne lit the table on fire! Copeland speared Cage! Copeland put more lighter fluid on the table! Copeland power bombed Nick Wayne off the apron and through the burning table!
Christian tried to hit Copeland with the title belt, but Copeland blocked it and stopped Christian in his tracks with a low blow! Copeland smashed Christian with the Killswitch and pinned him!
New TNT Champion…” The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Killswitch appeared out of nowhere! Killswitch choke slammed Copeland! Killswitch set up a chair and then choke slammed Copeland on it! Killswitch had his TNT Title contract and was about to hand it to the ref. Christian Cage jumped in between Killswitch and the ref. Christian demanded the contract from Killswitch. Christian made Killswitch surrender the contract after whispering into Killswitch’s ear. Christian signed the contract, handed it to the referee. The ref rang the bell, and we had another TNT Title Championship Match! Christian Cage speared Adam Copeland and pinned him!
And new TNT Champion… “The Patriarch” Christian Cage!
Continental Classic Championship Finals Match!
Gold League Winner Jon Moxley vs. Blue League Winner Eddie Kingston!
The “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson joined the commentary team for this match.
Moxley took down Eddie with a drop toe hold. Eddie went into the guard and blew a kiss to Moxley. Eddie kicked Moxley, forcing Moxley to take a few steps back. Moxley used a snap mare and then kicked Kingston in the lower back.
Kingston and Moxley traded chops in the center of the ring. Kingston caught Moxley with a kick to the back of the head. Kingston followed up with a tope suicida, but Eddie landed hard on his neck and shoulder.
Moxley baited Kingston and then German Suplexed him. Moxley spiked Kingston with the Paradigm Shift on the floor. Moxley punished Kingston with kicks to the chest. Kingston got to his feet and chopped at Moxley. Moxley blocked one of the chops with his forearm and Kingston felt pain right away. Moxley drove Kingston down on his neck with a piledriver for a near fall.
“Kingston is the hometown favorite, but Moxley just let the oxygen out of the arena,” said Excalibur.
Moxley applied an STF, but Kingston bit Moxley’s hand. Moxley began to get frustrated. Kingston chopped Moxley and brought Moxley down to his knees with it. They traded more chops. Moxley went to the ropes and Eddie tossed him with an exploder suplex! Eddie followed up with a spinning backfist. Both men went down.
Kingston dropped Mox with a DDT. Moxley retaliated with a cutter. Kingston connected with a second spinning backfist, but Moxley answered with a lariat. Kingston smashed Mox with a Northern Lights Bomb for a near fall. Kingston put Mox in a bulldog choke. Kingston transitioned to hammer and anvil elbows. He went to the bulldog choke on Moxley again. Moxley escaped and put Kingston in a bulldog choke of his own!
Kingston escaped and cracked Mox with a spinning backfist. Kingston planted Mox with another Northern Lights Bomb for a two-count! Mox wrecked Kingston with a lariat. Moxley was clutching his arm afterwards. They traded headbutts from their knees. They got to their feet and traded open palm strikes. Eddie spun around with the backfist and pinned Moxley!
“Oh man, Eddie Kingston did it!” said Taz.
The referee handed the three belts to Eddie Kingston and the crowd chanted “You deserve it! You deserve it!”
Moxley and Kingston hugged after the match.
“Eddie Kingston is the first ever Continental Crown Champion,” said Excalibur.
Tonight’s Main Event! AEW World Championship Match!
MJF (c.) vs. Samoa Joe!
The sold out arena chanted “He’s our scumbag! He’s our scumbag!”
MJF pointed to the entrance ramp and Adam Cole’s music hit, baybay! Adam Cole came down to the ring on crutches. Cole stood in his best friend’s corner, and MJF smiled.
MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eye and then kicked him. MJF charged at Samoa Joe, but Joe grabbed him and slammed him to the mat. MJF clutched his arm. Samoa Joe punched MJF in the shoulder and then stomped a mudhole into him. Samoa Joe hit a leg drop on MJF’s arm. Samoa Joe put a tight grip on MJF’s shoulder. MJF fought out of it with a series of chops. Samoa Joe booted the champ in the face!
“Max is in deep you know what right now,” said Taz.
Samoa Joe went for the muscle buster, but Max escaped. MJF grabbed an inside cradle for a near fall. MJF tried to schoolboy Samoa Joe and Joe kicked out of it. MJF went for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe anticipated it and blocked it. MJF went to skin the cat, but as MJF was inverted, Samoa Joe kicked MJF in the head. Samoa Joe dived out of the ring with an elbow suicida and mowed down MJF.
Samoa Joe planted Max with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring. Joe nailed MJF with a German Suplex and then a dragon suplex. Samoa Joe followed up with a straitjacket suplex! Samoa Joe decimated MJF with a muscle buster on the ring apron! MJF landed directly on his injured left shoulder. Joe covered MJF but MJF managed to kick out at two.
MJF headbutted Joe. MJF connected with a rolling elbow strike to the back of Joe’s head. MJF chomped on Samoa Joe’s forehead. MJF tried for the kangaroo kick, but Samoa Joe booted Max out of the air. MJF thumbed Samoa Joe in the eyes. MJF tried to hoist up Samoa Joe, but MJF collapsed under the weight. MJF ran into Samoa Joe, throwing his body at Joe. MJF landed the heat seeker on Samoa Joe for a two-count! MJF applied the Salt of the Earth armbar on Samoa Joe. The challenger escaped and put MJF into an arm bar. Samoa Joe wrenched upwards. Adam Cole cheered on MJF, and MJF was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold.
Samoa Joe applied a sleeper. MJF pushed backwards, inadvertently shoving Samoa Joe into the referee. The ref collapsed. MJF smiled. MJF stunned Samoa Joe with a low blow. MJF hoisted up Samoa Joe and pancaked him! The ref finally turned around and began to count the pin, but Samoa Joe kicked out at two! MJF signaled for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. Adam Cole had trouble finding it, and in the meantime, Samoa Joe grabbed Max from behind. Samoa Joe wrapped MJF in a deep submission. The referee lifted up MJF’s arm three times and MJF didn’t respond. MJF was choked out!
And new All Elite World Champion Samoa Joe!
Adam Cole got into the ring to console MJF. The Devil’s masked men surrounded the ring. They swarmed MJF and Adam Cole!
Adam Cole said, “Hey, hit me!”
One of the masked goons had a steel chair. MJF yelled, “No, don’t hit him! Hit me!”
The masked goon with the chair turned around and raised the chair, about to swing it at Adam Cole.
The arena lights went dark!
When the lights returned, Adam Cole was free, and he was sitting in the chair! The masked goons stood behind Cole. The masked goons removed their masks—it was Roderick Strong, Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, and Wardlow!
MJF, with tears streaming down his face, in complete disbelief, yelled, “How could you do this, man?”
Roderick Strong rammed into MJF with a jumping knee strike! Taven and Bennett began to pound MJF with fists. Wardlow power bombed MJF! Adam Cole sat on the chair the entire time. Cole pulled the Devil mask out from behind his jacket. Adam Cole dropped the mask onto MJF and laughed!
“Why? The question is how long have they been planning this!” wondered Tony Schiavone.
“The world of MJF has ended,” added Excalibur.
Missed what the entire wrestling world is buzzing about? Order the replay of the historic AEW Worlds End 2023! It’s available on all traditional cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada, Bleacher Report, Fite International, PPV.COM, and more! See AEW Worlds End 2023 for yourself!
Catch the fallout from Worlds End on AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: New Year’s Smash was broadcast from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
Your broadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
Rampage kicked off with Chris Jericho coming down to the ring!
Jericho: “We had a huge night on Dynamite last Wednesday when Sammy Guevara quit the Don Callis Family, and of course they had to gang up and attack him. So, I came down to help out Sammy, and then Sting and Darby came out to help us. Which leads to the huge eight-man tag at Worlds End tomorrow, and I’ll be tagging with Sting for the first time ever.
“Sting told me he would have my back. And he was a man of his word. And I’ve got a lot of respect for Sting too. Now before we can go to Worlds End, I need to figure out a few things with Sammy Guevara. So, Sammy, come on out and let’s discuss a few things in this ring now.”
Sammy Guevara’s music hit, and he joined Jericho in the ring.
Excalibur wondered if time healed all wounds.
Jericho: “They love you here tonight in Orlando. And I’ve always been a fan of yours. A few months ago, we had a great match on Dynamite, and instead of celebrating that match together, you turned on me and joined the Don Callis Family. I want to ask you man to man, why?”
Sammy: “Chris, it’s hard being in your shadow man. Name any accolade, you’ve done it all. And maybe somewhere along the line I started blaming you for why I wasn’t where I needed to be. I felt like you were holding back but really, I was just holding myself back. It’s time I stop blaming others and I become the man that I know I am.
“I was at home reflecting, and I know I’m that man. I should have been the good friend that you were to me. So really, all I can offer you is, I’m sorry.”
Jericho: “Well Sammy, I accept your apology and I want to say the same to you. I’m sorry, too, and I want to tell you why. Maybe sometimes I’m a little controlling, but I’ve always been one of your biggest fans. I brought you here to AEW. I had you in the Inner Circle, the JAS, and here right now. I’ve always believed in you, and I always will, okay? So let me ask you this: we have the eight-man tag at Worlds End, but after that, I still have a tag team opportunity for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. And I need a partner. So, I want to ask you, will you reunite with Chris Jericho and reunite Le Sex Gods?”
Sammy looked at Jericho and hugged him!
Jericho: “Le Sex Gods are back, baby!”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Daniel Garcia and Matt Menard!
Matt Menard: “How about the biggest win of Garcia’s career last Saturday night, taken away by the House of Black!”
Garcia: “House of Black, I’m absolutely sick of people like you thinking you can walk in here and walk all over people like us. We’re not having it anymore. We’re gonna fight back. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but we’re gonna get you back. I promise you that. Pay up.”
Ruby Soho (with Saraya & Harley Cameron) vs. “The Problem” Marina Shafir (with Nyla Rose)!
Ruby dodged a kick from Marina and then grabbed Marina by the hair, pulling her down to the mat. Marina fired back with vicious kicks. Harley grabbed at Marina’s leg and Ruby tripped Marina, taking advantage of the distraction.
Marina smashed Ruby with a running lariat. She followed up with a backbreaker to Ruby. Marina dropkicked Ruby. Saraya jumped onto the ring apron, but Nyla yanked her down. Harley flung herself onto Nyla’s back, but Nyla powered her to the arena floor. Saraya jumped over the guardrail and ran away. Nyla chased after her through the fans. Ruby blasted Marina with the No Future kick for a near fall.
Marina grabbed Ruby but once again, Harley tried to get involved and popped up onto the ring apron. Marina swung at Harley, but Harley avoided it. Ruby rolled up Marina from behind, hung onto Marina’s tights, and pinned her!
Backstage, the Don Callis Family, along with AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Bill and Absolute Ricky Starks had some choice words for Chris Jericho, Sammy Guevara, Sting, and Darby Allin ahead of their match at Worlds End tomorrow!
Callis: “Your world ends tomorrow!”
Powerhouse Hobbs: “Look at this team. Tomorrow night the four of you find out why I’m big, black, and jacked.”
Kyle Fletcher: “Hell yeah, tomorrow night on pay-per-view, you’ll find out why the Don Callis Family is the top of the food chain. Along with our new friends Big Bill and Ricky Starks.”
Big Bill: “Tomorrow night, in my backyard, in front of my friends and family, us four are going to whoop all four of your asses.”
Ricky Starks: “Congratulations Chris Jericho. You found four other idiots. This is my retirement gift to you, Sting. You will not make it to Revolution after tomorrow night.”
Renee Paquette was backstage with Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale!
Renee said Willow asked for this time to address some of the rumors going around at the hands of Stokely Hathaway.
Willow: “Honestly, I just want to make sure you and I are cool, Kris. He’s trying to say I’m taking all the credit for the Street Fight. You yourself are an amazing wrestler. I was kinda thinking, I’m from Long Island, you’re from Long Island, and we’ve got Worlds End coming up in Long Island. I’d really love to share the ring again.”
Stokely Hathaway interrupted!
Stokely: “Share the ring together? I think that’s a great idea. But I have a question for you. What took you so long to save your so-called bestie on Dynamite? How about you two share the ring against each other one on one at Worlds End?”
Statlander: “I’d really like that, actually. I really respect you as a wrestler and as a friend, and so, Worlds End?”
Willow agreed to the match for tomorrow!
ROH Pure Championship Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta (c.) vs. Matt Sydal!
Your judges were Jimmy Jacobs, “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, and Sarah Stock.
They began the match with some incredible chain wrestling. Sydal escaped a crucifix pin attempt, and then nearly caught Yuta himself. Yuta chopped Sydal but Sydal answered with a chop of his own.
Sydal nailed Yuta with a roundhouse kick. Yuta retaliated with a suplex, hit a snap mare, and then dropped a knee on Sydal. Yuta dropkicked Sydal and covered him for a near fall. Sydal connected with the air raid crash for a two-count on Yuta!
Yuta slipped behind Sydal and rocked him with a bridging German suplex for a near fall. Yuta tied up Sydal in a submission, but Sydal managed to reach the ropes with his boot, utilizing his first rope break.
Yuta smashed Sydal with hammer and anvil elbow strikes. Yuta transitioned to putting Sydal into the seatbelt and pinned Matt Sydal!
Danhausen walked onto the ramp after the match!
Danhausen: “Yuta, it is Danhausen, the ROH legend myself, and I have decided to appoint myself the fourth judge. I noticed you’re wrestling my good friend and sometimes tag team partner Hook at Worlds End. I’ve been keeping a close eyeball on you. You cheated and therefore I have to disqualify you. You lost!”
Wheeler Yuta decked Danhausen! Yuta spiked Danhausen with a DDT. Yuta hammered Danhausen with elbows until FTW Champion Hook headed straight to the ring to even up the odds. Yuta bailed right away!
Main Event Time! Trios Match!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Rocky Romero, & Trent Beretta
vs.
Action Andretti & Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin!
Cassidy rolled up Andretti with a crucifix for a near fall. Orange put his hands in his pockets and dropkicked Action. Trent tagged in and hit an elbow on Action Andretti. Darius grabbed a tag and put Trent in a side headlock. Trent and Darius traded chops to the chest.
Dante tagged in and splashed Trent with a stalling senton over the top. Top Flight and Action Andretti connected with a triple tope suicida on their opponents! Back in the ring, Rocky and Andretti slugged it out. Action took Rocky off his feet, jumping off the top rope with a cross body press.
Dante and Trent tagged in for their respective teams. Dante connected with a big crossbody press for a near fall. Top Flight used their tandem offense and Darius nailed Trent with a flatliner but Orange broke up the pin attempt. Orange crushed Darius with a Stun dog Millionaire. Action hit a 450 springboard on Trent but Rocky and Orange broke up the pin attempt.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Trent drove Darius down with a suplex. Andretti wiped out Trent with a moonsault to the floor. Rocky climbed to the top, but Action kicked Rocky in the head, stunning him. Trent came up from behind and hurled Action with a release German suplex off the top turnbuckle!
Orange went for the Orange Punch, but Dante countered! Rocky tagged in but Dante planted him and scored the pin!
“This was the win that Top Flight and Action Andretti were looking for,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ!
Don’t miss AEW Worlds End live on pay-per-view on Saturday beginning with Zero Hour at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, NY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
First recorded in 1944 by The Mills Brothers in 1944, the song bearing the title of this retrospective has been covered by Connie Francis, Fats Domino, Ringo Starr, Michael Buble, and even Ryan Gosling in the heartbreaking film “Blue Valentine”. The lyrics include lines such as “You always break the kindest heart with a hasty word you can’t recall, so if I broke your heart last night, it’s because I love you most of all.”
It’s a song very easily projected onto a romantic relationship, but that’s just one type of love, and if nothing else, since the two men first became entangled in All Elite Wrestling, it’s been pretty clear that there is a lot of love between Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley. Love built on shared experiences, on treading common grounds, on time spent together both inside the ring and out, knowing each other’s families, not to mention spilling blood along similar roads en route to the promised land of AEW.
Moxley got here first, making his impact on as grand a scale as possible in the closing moments of DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2019, taking out both Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, and beginning the path that led him to his first AEW World Championship at REVOLUTION 2020, just weeks before the wrestling landscape as we knew it, as well as the world at large, became a different place under pandemic restrictions.
That’s the world in which Eddie Kingston was birthed into AEW, a world where fans were only able to watch from the safety of their own homes, a world where the hard-traveled Kingston was forced to sell his wrestling boots in order to make rent. So with nothing left to lose, and then-TNT Champion Cody Rhodes holding an Open Challenge for his title, Kingston took his shot and called out Cody during one of the few independent wrestling shows running at the time. This led to Eddie walking out on the stage on the July 22, 2020 DYNAMITE, no pomp or circumstance, and fighting Cody in a No DQ match for that championship. Eddie failed to become the champion, but he made such an impact on the AEW landscape that nine days later, Kingston got his “…IS ALL ELITE” graphic.
While Moxley went about building the AEW World Championship up with one of the most impressive streak of defenses amassed to date, Kingston drew men like Butcher, Blade, and The Lucha Brothers to his side, and when the opportunity opened up to take his shot again, Kingston didn’t hesitate to take aim at a man who had been his friend for years…
That fight did not go the way of “The Mad King”, but the aftermath of it set the table for the violent affair that would result at FULL GEAR 2020, a match that would turn out to by Moxley’s final successful title defense before losing to Kenny Omega at DYNAMITE: WINTER IS COMING 2020. Suffice it to say, the “I Quit” bout was twenty minutes of two men hurting the one they love, and came to an end with Kingston failing to claim the crown he’d risked destroying his friendship over…
Shockingly, despite how that fight came to its conclusion, when Moxley fought Kenny Omega in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match at REVOLUTION 2021, it was Eddie Kingston who came to the aid of Jon Moxley. That moment of sacrifice, Kingston’s choice to put his own safety at risk to protect his brother, that was a defining example of the core relationship between Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley. They were brothers, two men who cared about and supported one another, whose passion for pro wrestling bonded them, and whose capacity for violence mirrored one another’s. This reunion led Eddie and Mox into tag team competition, and a march towards The Young Bucks and the AEW World Tag Team Championship…
Though that DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2021 championship bout did not go in favor of Kingston and Moxley, it solidified their bond before the AEW faithful, and created a duo that continued on throughout the remainder of 2021, including a wild Lights Out fight with Minoru Suzuki and Lance Archer at RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2021. Then the FULL GEAR 2022 Eliminator Tournament began, and though the layout of the brackets meant Moxley and Kingston could collide in the finals, Mox having to pull out of the field ended that possibility, and Eddie losing to Danielson in the Semi-Finals nixed his hopes of challenging for the title.
Moxley would return to the fold in January 2022, refreshed and ready for the fight, a return that would lead him into battle with Bryan Danielson at REVOLUTION 2022, and then into the formation of The Blackpool Combat Club alongside “The American Dragon” and William Regal. At the same time, Kingston was in the midst of battle with Chris Jericho, a battle he actually won at REVOLUTION 2022, but would only be the precursor to much greater wars as Jericho abandoned The Inner Circle in the aftermath and formed The Jericho Appreciation Society. The paths of Kingston, Santana, Ortiz, and The Blackpool Combat Club would converge at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2022 when they and The J.A.S. went to battle under Anarchy In The Arena rules. Perhaps it should have been clear before the unit even stepped into Las Vegas that the inherent strife between Kingston’s side and Mox’s side would make success unlikely…
Still, the attempt was made, Kingston tried to work with Bryan Danielson as best he could, but in one of the most horrifying visuals in AEW history, it ended up with Eddie dumping gasoline on Bryan, as well as his foes, in a failed attempt to actually light them all on fire! Perhaps it was fate that Danielson got injured during the course of Anarchy in the Arena and was unable to compete in the Blood & Guts cage match that followed, but much to the chagrin of Eddie Kingston, his friend Jon Moxley would ally himself with yet another of Kingston’s hated foes, perhaps the most hated of them all, Claudio Castagnoli.
The history between Kingston and Claudio has been well-documented since “The Swiss Superman” came into AEW, suffice it to say that it took everything Kingston had in him to fight alongside Castagnoli rather than rip his head off and chuck him off the top of the cage. The fact that Castagnoli, in Eddie’s eyes, stole the victory for their team from him did not help matters, and it sent Kingston back on his own path, completely separate from Moxley, as Jon and The BCC pursued theirs.
But those paths would once again intertwine, as friendships often too, only this time the circle had come back around to their AEW beginning, and Kingston was standing alongside Moxley’s enemies in The Elite, men he himself could not stand and did not respect, but his hate for Claudio burned far hotter. Strange bedfellows indeed…
This animosity put Eddie opposite his brother-by-choice at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 and during the course of that match, in unarguably the most emotional portion of the fight, the two actually came to blows. The scene would repeat two months later at ALL IN: LONDON, albeit with a twist, as Kingston allied himself with The Best Friends, Orange Cassidy, and Penta El Zero Miedo to fight Moxley, Yuta, Claudio, Ortiz, and Santana in Stadium Stampede! Eddie’s team actually won the fight, though he and Moxley would throwdown with one another yet again, and it certainly left a question as to the status of their relationship moving forward.
For Eddie moving forward meant finishing his issues with Claudio Castagnoli once and for all, and that meant facing him at DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023 with both Kingston’s NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship and Claudio’s ROH World Championship on the line. In front of his hometown, his family, and his loved ones, Kingston put the final nail in the coffin of his rivalry with Claudio Castagnoli, and became the holder of both the NJPW STRONG title and the ROH one!
For Moxley moving forward meant capturing a championship of his own, one he’d never held before, the AEW International Championship held by Orange Cassidy. That came to be at ALL OUT 2023, though the triumph turned to tragedy quite quickly when Rey Fenix dethroned him just 17 days later, and putting Moxley on the injured list for the next few weeks. Moxley’s return to AEW competition meant failure in regaining the AEW International Championship, once again held by OC who’d beaten Fenix himself in Jon’s absence, but then finding a new focus as the Continental Classic was announced. Another man who found focus in the tournament was Moxley’s brother Eddie, only he chose to up the ante on the entire game, putting both of his championship belts in the mix, to create an American Triple Crown Championship…
Thus on November 22nd, with the field split into two groups dubbed the Gold League and the Blue League, twelve men began their trek towards WORLDS END, the Continental Championship, and now both the ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Title. For Moxley the road began with Mark Briscoe, and was followed in successive weeks with fights against Jay Lethal, RUSH, and Swerve Strickland. Four consecutive victories meant 12 points for the 3-time former AEW World Champion, and berth in the finals of the Gold League, all that remained was his final match with Jay White to either solidify his spot atop the Gold, or to turn the League Final into a more complex situation with a “Switchblade” victory. But that’s exactly what Jay White did, he squeezed out a victory to tie up Moxley at 12 points, then Swerve did the same against RUSH in their fifth bout, thus leaving the Gold League with a three way tie to determine the victor. As we witnessed this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, Moxley would get his back on Jay White, and earn his spot in the Continental Classic finals this Sunday night!
With Kingston slotted into the Blue League, there was a possibility that he and Jon Moxley could end up in the finals together, but the road to get there would be long and arduous for “The Mad King”. Though his two championship titles were not at stake in each of his five matches, each loss brought him closer to losing hold of them without technically being beaten for them in a title bout, but that was the risk Kingston took when he threw them into the pot for the Continental Classic. Unfortunately for Eddie, he started the tournament off on bad footing by dropping matches to Brody King and Bryan Danielson in his first two bouts, the latter especially stinging given the dismissive rhetoric Danielson has long used towards Eddie.
Those losses also put Kingston in a position where each match became a must-win situation if he hoped to have a shot at keeping the two titles in his camp, and gaining the Triple Crown he’d created with his choices. The third match of Kingston’s journey put him opposite Claudio Castagnoli, a man he’d only ever beaten once in their careers, and somehow Eddie found a way to make it two straight wins over this Blackpool Combat Club member. It was as if somewhere along the way, possibly the night he first held the ROH World Championship overhead in front of his mother and father, Eddie learned how to best handle his demons. He knew they were creeping up behind him, just waiting for him to slip up and stumble into their waiting arms, but instead of slipping, Eddie Kingston kept moving forward “humble in victory, humble in defeat”, and that made the difference as he rattled off a second victory in the tournament over Daniel Garcia, and secured himself a spot in the Blue League finals with a win over Andrade El Idolo.
That set Kingston versus Danielson as the match, and put Eddie in a situation where he had to do something he’d never done before: beat Bryan Danielson. Without a twenty-minute time limit hanging over their heads, the two warriors brutalized each other for nearly twenty-five, absorbing blow-after-blow, suplex-after-suplex, and surviving multiple submission attempts, before it came down to Kingston dropping Bryan with the same Kawada-style Folding Powerbomb that defeated Claudio at GRAND SLAM 2023 some months earlier.
With their respective wins in the Gold and Blue Leagues, for the first time since FULL GEAR 2020’s “I Quit” match, Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley will go one-on-one at WORLDS END in the Continental Classic Finals with the winner walking away as a Triple Crown Champion, simultaneously holding the ROH World Championship, the NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship, and the Continental Championship! It also means, if Eddie doesn’t want to see his last day as champion of the first two titles, he has to do something else he’s never done before: beat Jon Moxley.
This Saturday night on pay-per-view, as part of AEW’s WORLDS END presentation, Eddie Kingston and Jon Moxley will do to each other what they’ve done for years now, hurt the one they love, and in the end they will either embrace one another as brothers, happy for the success of the other, or they will see the rift in their friendship gutted even deeper. For as important as the championship aspect of this fight is, for as historic a contest as it is, this is undoubtedly the most personal fight of either man’s career…
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!
Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 5 Recap & Review “Brothers and Keepers”Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 5 Recap & Review S3E05 *SPOILERS*Power Book 3 Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 5Power…
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!
Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 4 Recap & Review “In Sheep’s Clothing”With Special Guest – Keemie Cakes – Host of The Chronicles of Power Podcast over at @pvtlstdPower Book III Raising Kanan Season…
— 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!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians review by Big Gold Belt Media-Synopsis:Percy Jackson is on a dangerous quest. Outrunning monsters and outwitting gods, he must journey across America to return Zeus’ master bolt and stop an all-out…
DYNAMITE was absolutely action-packed this past Wednesday with three Gold League bouts, one Blue League contest, and several other exciting bouts as AEW heads towards WORLDS END on December 30th! Jon Moxley took the top spot in the Gold League with 12 points after his victory over Swerve Strickland, while Rush added three more points to his total after beating Jay Lethal, and Jay White also scored another trio of points after topping Mark Briscoe. Meanwhile, in the Blue, Brody King fell to Andrade El Idolo to put the latter competitor on top of that bracket with every man now having competed in three bouts.
We also learned that The Golden Jets will take on AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks at WORLDS END, fans witnessed Adam Page have a heated confrontation with Samoa Joe and then best Roderick Strong in the opening match of the night, only to be laid out in the parking lot during the closing moments of DYNAMITE.
This Friday night RAMPAGE hails from Arlington, TX and begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features an intriguing collection of matches! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy teams with The Von Erich’s to take on Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager in Trios action while Anna Jay and Red Velvet go head-to-head for the first time since 2020! Plus, The Don Callis Family will be in tag team action and, in the main event, Top Flight and Action Andretti will finally lock up with Penta, Vikingo, and Komander in their much anticipated Trios bout!! Before the show begins, make a point to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
TRIOS MATCH…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & The Von Erichs (Marshall & Ross) vs. Angelo Parker, Jake Hager, & Matt Menard
The history of the Von Erichs in Texas is well known to wrestling fans around the world, and the newest generation of the fabled grappling family is set to make their first in-ring appearance for All Elite Wrestling this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
The issues between AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and the former J.A.S. members have been growing for several weeks, in fact it was only a couple weeks ago that he teamed with HOOK, Danhausen, and Trent Beretta to defeat Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and The Dark Order, and on the Thanksgiving Eve DYNAMITE that he, Shibata, and HOOK bested Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jake Hager.
But like a bad penny, they keep turning up in OC’s life, and this time the AEW International Champion is bringing some hometown help from Ross and Marshall Von Erich! The sons of Kevin Von Erich, Ross and Marshall have been competing for eleven years, learning from their father as well as the legendary Harley Race, and spending time in the Pro Wrestling NOAH Dojo under Naomichi Marufuji. They are multi-time tag champions over the course of their career, certainly experienced competitors, and strong partners for “Freshly Squeezed” in this Trios bout.
But not being one of OC’s regular partners like Trent Beretta, Danhausen, Chuck Taylor, or even HOOK, how will they gel on this first outing? Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Jake Hager have been together virtually every week of their life for the last year and a half, but their current situations have not led to a great deal of success for any of the men. Can they take advantage of the inexperience of Orange Cassidy’s trio to get back on track?
ONE-ON-ONE…
Anna Jay vs. Red Velvet
It has been over three years since the last time Anna Jay and Red Velvet locked up as foes. That night, the September 1, 2020 edition of AEW DARK, it was Anna Jay who scored the victory and the two women would not share the ring again until last year on the 2/21/22 edition of DARK: ELEVATION, only that night it would be as partners in a Trios match, scoring victory alongside Tay Melo.
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, these two women, each looking to get their career back on the right track, will lock up in a rematch of that 2020 bout! Anna Jay is trying to focus on her career while dealing with her friends problems, Red Velvet is freshly returned from a long injury layoff and trying to get back in the mix, that makes this a must-win bout for both!
TRIOS MATCH…
Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
This one stems from a challenge made by Penta El Zero Miedo, his way of welcoming Dante Martin back to the fight it seems, and perhaps a reminder that The Lucha Brothers were responsible for the gruesome injury he suffered at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023. Top Flight and Action Andretti were more than willing to accept the challenge, and fans will be the ones lucky enough to experience it this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
Just look at the six competitors involved in this battle and one can predict the kind of insanity coming to TNT with this Trios bout! This is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of battle featuring six of the best high-flyers in professional wrestling today, and the kind of action you can only get with All Elite Wrestling!
ALSO FEATURING:
-The Don Callis Family of Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs!
RAMPAGE comes your way from Arlington, TX this Friday night starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and will bring the legendary Von Erich family to AEW where Ross and Marshall will united with AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy for Trios action against Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager! We will also see The Don Callis Family in tag team action, Red Velvet take on Anna Jay, and, the trio of Top Flight and Action Andretti fighting with Penta El Zero Miedo, El Hijo del Vikingo, and Komander in a highly anticipated Trios bout!!
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!
Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 2 Recap & Review “Flipmode”Power Book III Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 3 Recap & Review S3E03 *SPOILERS*Power Book 3 Raising Kanan Season 3 Episode 3Power Book III…
This past Wednesday on DYNAMITE the AEW faithful in Montreal, and those watching worldwide, witnessed the Gold League reach its halfway point, putting Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe on the cusp of elimination while both Moxley and Swerve Strickland shot for their ninth points. While the last two men achieved their goal of nine points, the first two sadly found themselves on the outside looking in with two matches in the tournament still to go. Moxley did it at Rush’s expense, Swerve did it a Jay Briscoe’s, and Jay White gained his 6th point by knocking Lethal out of contention.
In addition, AEW World/ROH World Tag Champion MJF was laid out, apparently with a broken bottle, while Samoa Joe stood in the ring awaiting their tag bout against The Devil’s Masked Men, Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s World Championship over Skye Blue only to be confronted by Riho, and TNT Champion Christian Cage managed to defend his title over Adam Copeland in no small part due to the involvement of Shayna Wayne.
This Friday night RAMPAGE comes to you from Montreal starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features a Continental Classic match in the Blue League between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia, Abadon in action against The Infantry’s Trish Adora, and The Don Callis Family in Tag Team action, plus we will see AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, with Danhausen in his corner, in action against Angelico stemming from ROH ON HONOR CLUB Thursday night! Beforehand, be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
Last Saturday night Bryan Danielson, with one eye concealed due to his orbital bone injury, defeated ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston in The American Dragon’s first Continental Classic bout. It was hard-hitting, draining, pushed Danielson to his limit, and yet here he less than a week later competing in his second Blue League bout, with his third scheduled for COLLISION opposite Andrade El Idolo!
And just who will “The American Dragon” face this Friday night on RAMPAGE? Why it’s the man who dubbed himself “The Dragon Slayer” after beating Bryan back on the July 27, 2022 edition of DYNAMITE. Danielson might hold the overall advantage over Daniel Garcia in their series of matches, including a 2 of 3 Falls victory on the 8/17/22 edition of DYNAMITE, but the man once called “Red Death” knows what it feels like to be the ROH Hall of Famer.
Garcia is coming into this fight without a point to his name in the Continental Classic, just two painful losses to Andrade El Idolo and Claudio Castagnoli, and certainly considered the dark horse of the Blue League. He still has Brody King, he still has Eddie Kingston, but this Friday night he must remain focused on Bryan Danielson and take the rest of this tournament one fight at a time. Garcia needs to get on the board with this match, his halfway point of the tourney as the first man to compete in his third bout, otherwise he could end up in the same position as Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe.
But if Daniel Garcia can find a way to another victory over Bryan Danielson, this one without the helping hand of Jake Hager, it may very well be the launching point he needs to rebound from those two painful losses and run the table the rest of the way to a nine point showing! Playing spoiler to Bryan Danielson’s pursuit of Blue League superiority is a tremendous resume builder, and if Garcia can be that guy, Kingston and King better take notice and be prepared.
On the other hand, if it’s Danielson who comes out with the victory, he better hope it’s a fast victory with minimal damage to his person because less than 24 hours later, “The American Dragon” will be right back in Continental Classic action with a fight against Andrade El Idolo! For someone who’s freshly back from injury, is it wise taking two fights of this caliber in just one day’s time?
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (w/ Danhausen) vs. Angelico (w/ Serpentico)
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Danhausen were just trying to do the right thing by Christopher Daniels, help someone out when their foe was taking advantage of a numbers situation, and that has now brought the champ into direct conflict with The Spanish Announce Project this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
Though not endeavoring into quite the hectic schedule he kept with his first International Championship reign, Orange Cassidy still aims to defend his title against anyone brave enough to step up to the challenge, and it looks like Angelico will be the next individual to try “Freshly Squeezed”!
This encounter will mark their third since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, with OC taking the victories in 2020 and 2021, but their first with a championship on the line. Will Angelico be able to parlay his unique pro wrestling style, with maybe a little help from Serpentico, to his first AEW championship title? Or will Orange Cassidy continue the success he experienced in his first International Title reign?
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs)
As witnessed last week, Don Callis’ Family is on a roll and this Friday night on RAMPAGE they aim to continue elevating their dominant presence inside the squared circle. This weekend they will do so in a tag team encounter when Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita, two of the most powerful men in All Elite Wrestling, unite for the first time to create a team that could be the most terrifying in the locker room.
Their foes on RAMPAGE will be former ROH Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal who, though their reign took place some 17 years ago, have set their sights on finding that magic once again. They’ve been frustrated thus far, losing four consecutive bouts in AEW, but with careers as rich as theirs and 53 years of combined experience in the mat wars, Daniels and Sydal are not about to lay down and give up. They want to face the best competition, the hungry young faces looking to take the top places in the game, and one would be hard-pressed to find two hungrier individuals than Takeshita and Hobbs!
The TBS Championship is clearly on the mind of “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon, but it is just as evident that reigning champion Julia Hart is not the least bit spooked by what Abadon brings to the table. That makes the potential of an Abadon/Julia Hart showdown quite intriguing, two people who live in the shadows and darkness, but before that potentiality becomes reality, Abadon will be in action this Friday night on RAMPAGE against The Infantry’s Trish Adora.
Adora has been building her name on Ring of Honor each week, and now she aims to bring that to the AEW stage as well, but with one of the most fearsome entities in the Women’s Division standing across the ring from her, can Adora rise above any fears and put “The Living Dead Girl” back in the ground?
RAMPAGE comes to you at 10pm ET/9pm CT from Montreal’s Bell Centre this Friday night on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and it is one stacked event! Sadly Don Callis’ “Family” will be in action to spoil the party, but thankfully the Continental Classic will continue with Blue League action between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia! Plus, Orange Cassidy will defend his AEW International Championship against Angelico after their encounter following ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and Abadon will be in action! Before the show begins, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
