FOX Sports Mexico steps into the ring with All Elite Wrestling • FOX Sports Mexico acquires the multi-region broadcast rights to AEW, one of the hottest professional wrestling brands in the world. • AEW WrestleDream,<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/tomb-raider-the-legend-of-lara-croft-review-2024-netflix/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/tomb-raider-the-legend-of-lara-croft-review-2024-netflix/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
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CONTAINS SPOILERS AEW COLLISION & BATTLE OF THE BELTS X was broadcast live from the Truist Arena in Highland Heights, KY! It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!<a href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/bmf-black-mafia-family-season-3-episode-7-recap-review-get-em-home/">…</a><p><a class="more-link" href="https://biggoldbelt.com/reviews/bmf-black-mafia-family-season-3-episode-7-recap-review-get-em-home/">Continue reading →</a></p>…
All Elite Wrestling presents a thrilling lineup with COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS X this Saturday on TNT. Featured matches include Toni Storm vs. AZM in an Eliminator Match, Blackpool Combat Club vs. Don Callis Family in tag action, and Roderick Strong vs. Rocky Romero. Champions Athena and HOOK defend their titles against Red Velvet and Shane Taylor, respectively. With DYNASTY 2024 approaching, the stakes are high for all competitors. Fans can catch up on the latest AEW action online before Wednesday’s DYNAMITE in Indianapolis.
Tonight’s AEW Rampage featured Orange Cassidy defeating Alex Reynolds amid distractions and interference. Post-match, tension rose among former Best Friends. TBS Champion Julia Hart retained her title against Leyla Hirsch, Zak Knight triumphed over Angelo Parker, and Jay White bested Matt Sydal, celebrating his group, the Bang Bang Gang. Upcoming events include AEW Collision & Battle of the Belts X and AEW DYNAMITE.
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
AEW World Title Eliminator Match!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe vs. “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes!
As Samoa Joe was making his entrance, Swerve Strickland ambushed the champ on the ramp! They brawled onto the arena floor. Swerve speared Samoa Joe through a table that Samoa Joe had propped against a guardrail. Security pushed Swerve back to the locker room. Samoa Joe eventually staggered to his feet and seemed to pursue Swerve.
Renee Paquette was backstage outside Orange Cassidy’s locker room.
Renee said that Orange would have a match on Rampage this Friday, and she was assured by Orange that he’d be addressing the heartless actions of Trent Beretta.
TNT Championship Match!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland (c.)
vs.
Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Penta speared Copeland and then stuck him with a diving double foot stomp for a near fall.
“Shock and awe right out of the box, trying to win the TNT Title,” said Taz.
Penta El Zero Miedo hit Copeland with a clothesline, knocking Copeland to the arena floor. Copeland got back in the ring and Penta greeted him with a chop to Copeland’s chest. Copeland rallied back with flying head scissors. Copeland and Penta El Zero Miedo both had the same idea, fighting fire with fire, clubbing each other with lariats and then high boots.
Penta El Zero Miedo had Copeland rocked after a sling blade. Penta flipped over the top rope with a dive onto Copeland. Back in the ring, Copeland found an opening, planting Penta face first on the mat.
Copeland applied a modified sharpshooter onto Penta El Zero Miedo, but Penta made the crawl to the bottom rope, forcing the ref to break the hold. Penta stunned Copeland with a stalling dropkick. Copeland secured the cross face on Penta, wrenching back, but once again Penta reached the ropes.
Copeland was looking for a Death Valley Driver on the apron, but Penta escaped. Penta charged at Copeland but Copeland power slammed Penta onto the apron! Copeland tried to spear Penta but inadvertently speared Alex Abrahantes. Penta got to his feet and clocked Copeland with a thrust kick.
Penta El Zero Miedo drilled Copeland with an avalanche Code Red! Penta jumped off the middle rope, but Copeland countered with a spear and pinned Penta El Zero Miedo!
After the match, the arena lights went out. The lights came back on, and TBS Champion Julia Hart was standing in front of Copeland. The House of Black’s Brody King blindsided Copeland and began to kick and stomp him. Brody smashed Copeland with a running boot. Brody applied a rear naked choke on Copeland.
Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring and began to ground and pound Julia. Brody pulled Julia out of harm’s way. Copeland got back to his feet and decked Brody, forcing him out of the ring! Brody and Julia retreated, while Brody barked at Copeland.
Renee Paquette was backstage with ROH World Champion Mark Briscoe and “Mad King” Eddie Kingston!
TNT Champion Adam Copeland, Willow Nightingale, and Stokely Hathaway interrupted Renee’s interview.
Copeland said he wanted to make sure Briscoe and Kingston were good for their trios match against the House of Black at Dynasty. Briscoe and Kingston assured Copeland they were ready.
Stokely: “What about next week on Dynamite, you put that TNT Championship on the line against Willow Nightingale!”
Willow: “No, no, that’s not what we were saying Stokely. Brody, I saw you beating up on Adam. Julia, you tried to get me with the mist, but not this time. So Dynamite next week, what do you say we team up Adam?”
Copeland: “I’ve got an idea. Before Dynasty, before the three of us, the Rated Chicken Hawks, I just made that up, before we take out the House of Black, Willow, what do you say, me and you against Julia and Brody, next week on Dynamite?”
Willow: “Yeah!”
The Young Bucks—Nicholas & Matthew Jackson—were in their dressing room to present backstage footage from ALL IN: London 2023!
Matthew told Nicholas to set it up with a little context.
Nicholas said AEW has a massive pay-per-view coming up on April 21st, AEW Dynasty. Taking place at Dynasty will be the finals of the tag team tournament, featuring FTR against the Young Bucks. Nicholas said the last time they wrestled FTR was at All In, and he still has some wounds that haven’t healed.
Matthew said right before the match there was an incident backstage involving two individuals, “the first being the scapegoat in this entire situation, Jack Perry.” Nicholas interrupted Matthew and said the other individual “tried to make this entire show about himself. As a matter of fact, this individual happens to be good friends with FTR. Which got me thinking maybe FTR were the masterminds behind this entire thing.” Matthew said the incident threw them off their game and FTR’s win should come with an asterisk in the history books.
Nicholas said at Dynasty they weren’t shaking hands with FTR and called them pricks. “Be ready,” said Nicholas.
FTR—Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood—came out to the ring!
Cash: “Why are we showing this? What are you two hoping to accomplish other than having a built-in excuse as to why you lost at Wembley. I am sick and tired of hearing about this and talking about this. Everybody back there, us, we are ready to move on and put this in the past. But instead, we’re showing videos from eight months ago because the Bucks can’t let go that they lost to FTR. At Dynasty, we have to beat you. It’s not for legacy or history, it’s because I’m sick of you!”
Dax: “So that’s our bosses. Every interview they have they let us all know that without them, hundreds of people would be out of a job and without them AEW probably wouldn’t exist. The scary thing is I don’t necessarily disagree with them. Without the Young Bucks I might still be shaving Cash’s back.
“But because of the Young Bucks, we have something that makes them sick. We have eclipsed them as the absolute best tag team on this planet. And at one time the Bucks cared about AEW, but somewhere along the way, whether it was greed or jealously, you guys lost that. And now three other letters have taken over. The only thing you care about is what’s best for the EVPs. So, if it takes my last breath, on our backs, we will continue to build this place. We are building it for the future of all professional wrestlers. We are building this for every person who spends their hard earned money on one ticket to get lost in our drama and our action. We are doing this for you.
“And if the Young Bucks don’t want to be part of that AEW, grab your ball, go home, we got this. This ain’t about Wembley. This is about AEW, a company I love, an industry I love. But more importantly this is about the AEW World Tag Team Championships. Two teams walk in, one team walks out as the first ever three time AEW World Tag Team Champions. Young Bucks, you may have built this foundation, but we will put the roof on top of this house, just to blow it right off. Top guys out!”
Renee Paquette interview “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!
Ospreay: “I’ve been thinking about this all week. There’s this rumor going around that I’m afraid of the grind. I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea where this conversation has come from. I travel every single week from the US to the UK and back and I’m delivering some of the best professional wrestling matches this world has ever seen. And normally I wouldn’t take the bait, but since the guy who said it is only in the position he’s in because he was grinding on the boss’s daughter, you are in no position to tell me what the grind is all about because you have no idea what I fight for. So let this be a painful little jab back that you do not throw stones at an assassin with a machine gun.
“Now Bryan, you said I’m stronger and faster than you, which I am. And you said the only way you have a chance at beating me is if you can ground me, but healthier and younger and better men than you have tried and failed. But Bryan Danielson, you are a living legend in this game, and I cannot say I am the best wrestler in the world until I pin you at Dynasty. This is AEW where the best wrestle! It’s my time, Mr. Danielson, to show every single person what I’m about and why I’m the ace of AEW! Bryan Danielson, you find out Sunday, April 21st, why my name is Will Ospreay, and I am on another level!”
Trios Match!
“Lionheart” Chris Jericho, FTW Champion HOOK, & Katsuyori Shibata
vs.
Shane Taylor Promotions— “The Guv’nor” Anthony Ogogo, Lee Moriarty, & Shane Taylor!
Jericho hit Moriarty with a shoulder block and then a lionsault for a near fall. Jericho battered Lee with short clotheslines in the corner. Jericho sent Moriarty for a ride with a hurracanrana off the top turnbuckle.
Shibata tagged in and mauled Moriarty with a forearm and then a round kick to the spine. Shane Taylor entered the match and Hook asked to be tagged in, so Shibata obliged. Taylor clubbed Hook with a lariat. Hook fired back with a German Suplex to Taylor!
Shibata tagged in and cracked Lee with a high boot in the corner. Shibata chopped down Lee and then decimated Lee with a running dropkick in the corner. Shibata went for a running kick to Lee, but Lee dodged it. Shibata inadvertently caught Jericho with the kick.
Shibata tried to tag out to Hook, but Jericho pulled Hook off the apron to prevent the tag. Jericho asked Hook what Shibata’s problem was. Hook and Jericho argued outside the ring, trying to sort things out. Shibata locked Lee in a sleeper. Shane Taylor ran in and clubbed Shibata with his right hand, and Lee grabbed the pin on Shibata!
“The argument between Chris Jericho and Hook left the door open for Shane Taylor to land that big right hand and put him out, setting him up for Lee Moriarty,” said Excalibur.
Tempers were flaring and Hook told Jericho to leave!
AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Christiano Argento!
Okada leveled Argento with a big elbow strike. Okada wasn’t even breaking a sweat. Okada smashed Argento with a dropkick and then the rainmaker to score the pin!
Okada: “Hey Pac, I accept your challenge! I’ll see you at Dynasty.”
“The Bastard” Pac’s music began to play. Pac walked onto the stage and paced back and forth, staring at Okada! Pac walked to the ring to confront Okada, but the Bucks ran out and hit Pac from behind. The Elite triple teamed Pac. The Bucks nailed Pac with superkicks. FTR sprinted into the ring and cleaned house on the Bucks! FTR wanted to hit the Shatter Machine on Matthew, but Okada jumped back into the ring with a steel chair and whacked FTR with chair shots!
The Bucks blasted FTR with superkicks and then the EVP Trigger! Okada cracked Pac in the side of the head with a steel chair!
Backstage we heard from the ROH Six-Man Champions the Bang Bang Gang!
They ran down a list of their recent accomplishments, including “Switchblade” Jay White putting a beating on Billy Gunn. Jay White said he wanted another match on Rampage, but he wanted the Gunns to find him someone besides Billy.
Up Next: AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm hosted a Charleston Championship Champagne Toast for Thunder Rosa!
Renee Paquette was on the ramp and introduced Thunder Rosa first. Renee then welcomed Toni Storm “Toni Storm, the floor is yours, toast away,” said Renee.
Storm threw a glass of champagne into Thunder Rosa’s eyes! Storm cracked Thunder Rosa in the head with a silver tray. Storm smeared Thunder Rosa’s face paint. Deonna Purrazzo ran out to the aid of Thunder Rosa, but Thunder Rosa pushed Deonna away! Deonna stormed off!
Mariah May vs. Anna Jay!
Anna ducked a shot from Mariah and fired back with a chop to Mariah. The two exchanged overhand chops in the center of the ring. Anna nailed Mariah with a neck breaker. Mariah headbutted Anna Jay.
Mariah May scored with a dropkick. Anna dodged a hip attack and rallied back with forearms. Anna charged at Mariah and clobbered her with a kick in the corner. Mariah retaliated with a running hip attack. Mariah rolled up Anna and pinned her!
After the match, Anna applied the Queen Slayer, not taking the loss lightly. Mina Shirakawa from Stardom sprinted to the ring, having the back of her former partner in Japan, Mariah May. Anna Jay retreated to the back. Mina brought in two glasses of champagne, gave some to Mariah, and then kissed Mariah.
Alex Marvez was backstage with “The CEO” Mercedes Moné!
Mercedes: “Double or Nothing! Five years ago, history was made when AEW had their first pay-per-view there. And I’m a history maker. And I decided to make history yet again when I head to Vegas to be the TBS Champion because Moné changes everything.”
Marvez asked if Mercedes would rather face Julia Hart or Willow Nightingale, but before Mercedes could respond, the lights went out! Someone attacked Mercedes in the dark!
Main Event Time! AEW World Title Eliminator Match!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe vs. “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes!
Samoa Joe and Dustin Rhodes traded strikes. Samoa Joe whipped Dustin into the guardrail. Joe jabbed Dustin, but Dustin fired back with a lariat. Dustin Rhodes was taking the fight to the champion. Samoa Joe headbutted Dustin.
Samoa Joe rammed Dustin into the steel ring post! Dustin Rhodes was busted wide open! Samoa Joe bludgeoned Dustin with more strikes in the ring. Dustin turned things around with a powerslam!
Dustin Rhodes walloped Samoa Joe with a Code Red for a near fall. Dustin went for a running bulldog, but Samoa Joe countered with a lariat. Dustin Rhodes grabbed the World title and brought it into the ring. Dustin wanted to use it on Samoa Joe, but ref Paul Turner warned Dustin not to use it. Dustin put the championship belt down. Dustin nailed Samoa Joe with the Cross Rhodes for a two-count!
Dustin Rhodes charged at Samoa Joe, but Joe wiped out Dustin with an STO! Samoa Joe grabbed a steel chain out of the corner and wrapped it around his fist. It was the chain that previously belonged to Swerve Strickland. Ref Paul Turner removed the chain from the ring. As the ref was handing the chain to an AEW ring crew member, his back was turned, and Samoa Joe seized the opportunity to bash the championship belt into Dustin’s head! Samoa Joe covered a knocked out Dustin and pinned him!
Samoa Joe applied a sleeper to Dustin after the match, trying to send a message to Swerve Strickland. Swerve appeared out of nowhere and cracked Joe with the House Call kick! Swerve Strickland grabbed the steel chain and drilled Joe with a chain-wrapped fist!
The locker room emptied and kept both wrestlers apart! Prince Nana handed Swerve Strickland the AEW World Championship, and Swerve held it up, while Joe looked on, seething!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET!
Don’t miss AEW Collision & Battle of the Belts X live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Truist Arena in Highland Heights, KY!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, IN!
DYNAMITE comes to you from the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV, AEW's first time back since August 17th of 2022, and with it comes a loaded night of action! AEW World Champion Samoa Joe faces Dustin Rhodes in an Eliminator contest, the TNT Championship will be at stake when Adam Copeland faces Penta El Zero Miedo, and AEW Women's World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm is apparently planning a Charleston Champagne Toast for Thunder Rosa. In addition, LionHOOK will team with Katsuyori Shibata to do battle with Shane Taylor Promotions while Anna Jay has a rematch with Mariah May, and The Young Bucks have promised to present backstage footage from ALL IN: LONDON! Then for those in attendance who get to experience RAMPAGE before the rest of the world, TBS Champion Julia Hart defends in an Open House match against “Legit” Leyla Hirsch!
All that comes your way this Wednesday night, live on TBS starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but don't forget to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's various social media platforms, for highlights from last week's episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Then join us Saturday night at the Truist Arena in Northern Kentucky for COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS X featuring Rocky Romero facing Roderick Strong in an AEW International Championship Eliminator Match!
ELIMINATOR MATCH…
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe vs. “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes
Aside from both occupying space in a Battle Royal on January 3, 2008, Dustin Rhodes and Samoa Joe have never shared the ring in any traditional match. Not a singles, not a tag or trios, nothing of the sort, but that will change this Wednesday night when the two competitors square off for the very first time! It began with a challenge laid out on the table by “The Natural”, the desire to fight Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, but that challenge was rebuked by a champion who does not see Rhodes as deserving of a title match. Depending on how one views it, that's not an inaccurate response, after all Rhodes is 15-13 in singles matches across his AEW career, 2-1 in 2024, and not grouped in the rankings, but only taking that into account is very much a “what have you done for me lately” approach.
At 54 years of age, “The Natural” has been fighting inside the squared circle for thirty-five years of his life, and has won numerous championships throughout the course of that hall of fame career. He's battled everyone from Toshiaki Kawada to Scott Hall, from Giant Baba to Jeff Jarrett, and from Sammy Guevara to Bryan Danielson; he's been an inspiration and a teacher, a friend and a foe, but one thing he's never been is the World Champion, representing a company, holding the title as the man with a target on his back.
This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, with an AEW World Championship Eliminator opportunity in the palm of his hand, “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes can take the first step towards finally achieving that dream by defeating Samoa Joe. With that victory, as Samoa Joe said in his interview, Dustin Rhodes would become the top contender to the World Championship, jumping the line ahead of Swerve Strickland, who earned his title opportunity at DYNASTY 2024 on April 21st, as well as Bryan Danielson, Will Ospreay, Orange Cassidy, and Eddie Kingston. It's a huge opportunity for Dustin, the closest he has ever been to challenging for the AEW World Championship, but can he take that next step forward and become the top contender? Joe hasn't been beaten in a singles match since GRAND SLAM 2023 when he fell to MJF in their first AEW World Championship match; that's nine consecutive wins, one in a Three Way Match, and eight of those were championship bouts. Rhodes has a tremendous mountain to climb in Charleston; will fans see him step up into the role of challenger after ascending to the summit?
Coming off a tremendous Cope Open TNT Championship defense against Matt Cardona, Adam Copeland was issued a challenge by former AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo for a TNT Title fight! Cope is certainly not going to walk away from any challenge, definitely not turning one down, one can't help but wonder if he knows what he's getting himself into with this fight?
Though most of Penta's All Elite Wrestling tenure has been in the tag team or trios divisions, he's had his fair share of championship challenges in the singles ranks. He last fought for the TNT Title March 25th of last year, falling to Powerhouse Hobbs on that edition of RAMPAGE, but he's also challenged Orange Cassidy for the International Championship, Jon Moxley for the AEW World Title, as well as been involved in multiple contender's matches over the last five years, and that's just in AEW!
Step outside of the realm of All Elite Wrestling, and one will see that Penta El Zero Miedo has had thirteen singles champion reigns across the wrestling landscape! Be it in the United States or Mexico, Penta has proven himself as singles competitor many time over, and depending on what homework Adam Copeland has done, that may come as a surprise to the defending TNT Champion. Now these Cope Opens have forced Adam to stretch himself as a professional wrestler, with fighting a wide range of styles from Minoru Suzuki to Cardona to Dante Martin one doesn't have much choice, and Penta El Zero Miedo represents another way Copeland will have to adapt his game.
Can the former AEW World Tag Champion win his first singles title since 2018, and his first-ever All Elite Wrestling one? Or will this fight demonstrate that Adam Copeland may be the most resilient, adaptable competitor on the AEW roster?
CHARLESTON CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPAGNE TOAST…
We know that former AEW Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa will face current AEW Women's World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm at DYNASTY 2024 on April 21st in St. Louis, but what we don't know is just what Storm has planned with this Charleston Championship Champagne Toast. It's clear that this is a heated issue, the words exchanged between Storm and Rosa have been less than complimentary to say the least, so there's zero chance this toast will be a celebration of “La Mera Mera”, more likely the champion giving herself a toast ahead of her next title fight. But how will that play out on Wednesday night at the Charleston Coliseum? Is it going to break down to fisticuffs between Thunder Rosa and Toni Storm?
TRIOS MATCH…
LionHOOK (Chris Jerisho, FTW Champion HOOK, & Katsuyori Shibata) vs.
Shane Taylor Promotions (Anthony Ogogo, Lee Moriarty, & Shane Taylor)
Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty may have lost the fight to LionHOOK last week, but it certainly did look like it in the aftermath of the match, not when “The Guv'nor” Anthony Ogogo was throwing fists alongside the members of Shane Taylor Promotions. Having been absent from the AEW landscape for eleven months, Ogogo made a return to AEW screens during the ZERO HOUR prior to ALL IN: LONDON, but disappeared for another seven months until the tremendous impact Ogogo made upon Chris Jericho's face with this return following the LionHOOK victory over STP on last week's COLLISION. It was quite a shock to see “The Guv'nor” back in All Elite Wrestling after he'd been utterly silent for so long, but he wasn't just sitting at home doing nothing during his time away.
In fact Ogogo was doing the best thing possible for his career and putting in ring work outside of All Elite Wrestling. He's put in the work with RevPro and PROGRESS in England, competed for Southern Honor Wrestling in Atlanta, as well as several other United States independents, all to keep himself in prime fighting condition and garner more experience until the time came to return to AEW action. Well that call came from Shane Taylor ahead of this past COLLISION, and we will see if it pays off this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when Ogogo, Shane Taylor, and Lee Moriarty take on LionHOOK and their surprising third man, Katsuyori Shibata!
Now this will mark Ogogo's first match on DYNAMITE in nearly three years, as well as his first time uniting with STP in a match, but so too is it Shibata's first outing with Jericho and HOOK as his partners, though not his first time standing side-by-side with the FTW Champion. That took place last November when he, HOOK, and Orange Cassidy were victorious over Jericho's former JAS allies of Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jake Hager.
As much of a statement as STP made last COLLISION, Shane Taylor Promotions is definitely in need of a statement victory and one over LionHOOK and Shibata certainly fits that bill! Can they accomplish that this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE?
Coming off a tremendous victory over Stardom's Momo Kohgo at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 this past Friday, but still quite frustrated from her loss to Thunder Rosa last week, Mariah May comes to DYNAMITE looking for another fight, and it looks like she's got one waiting from Anna Jay!
It was only two months ago on the February 23rd edition of RAMPAGE that Mariah May defeated Anna Jay in their first meeting, so the memory is still quite fresh in the mind of both competitors. The question is which one will rise to the occasion Wednesday to take home the victory? Will it be Mariah May redeeming herself for the loss to Thunder Rosa, or will it be Anna Jay bouncing back from three straight AEW losses?
ALL IN: LONDON REVISITED…
This Wednesday night, All Elite Wrestling returns to the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV for the first time since August 17th of 2022, and with it comes a huge night of action and drama! AEW World Champion Samoa Joe fights Dustin Rhodes in an Eliminator Match, The Young Bucks are promising to show never-before-seen footage from ALL IN: LONDON, AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm is promising a Championship Champagne Celebration for Thunder Rosa, and her understudy Mariah May will face Anna Jay in a rematch of their April encounter! All that and more comes to you this Wednesday night live on TNT starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but don't forget to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's various social media platforms, for highlights from last week's episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Then Saturday night, from the Truist Arena in Northern Kentucky, AEW presents a huge night of action with COLLISION and BATTLE OF THE BELTS X including AEW International Champion Roderick Strong fighting an Eliminator Bout against a man he called ally many years ago: Rocky “Azucar” Romero!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Semi Final Match!
FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler
vs.
Top Flight—Darius & Dante Martin!
The winning team faces The Young Bucks at AEW Dynasty 2024.
Top Flight used tandem offense on Cash, but Cash used his veteran experience, quickly rolling out of the ring. Dante used an arm drag to takedown Dax. Dante hit a sunset flip for a two-count on Dax.
Darius tagged in but Dax was ready for him. Dax tagged Cash and they rammed Darius with a double shoulder tackle. Dante was able to reach to Darius for a tag, but Cash chopped away at Dante. Then Dax hoisted up Dante, placing him on the top turnbuckle. Dante escaped and rolled up Dax for a near fall. Dante rocked Dax and Cash with dropkicks.
Dax lured Dante outside so Cash, who was lying in wait, could smash Dante with a clothesline. FTR catapulted Dante throat first into the bottom rope. Dax drilled Dante with a spinebuster for a two-count. Dax went for a superplex, but Dante transitioned midflight, landing on top of Dax!
Darius tagged in and went for a cross body press but Cash shoved Dax out of the way, sacrificing himself for his partner Dax. Darius got slugged by Dax, driving him to his knees. Darius cradled Dax in a small package for a near fall.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Darius planted Dax with a flatliner for another near fall! Dante went for a frog splash, but Dax countered by raising his knees right into Dante’s ribcage. Cash rocked Darius with a brain buster. FTR blasted Dante with the Shatter Machine and Cash pinned Dante!
“The winner between FTR and the Young Bucks at Dynasty will be the first ever three time tag champs,” said Tony Schiavone.
“The Bastard” Pac vs. Encore Moore!
Pac rocked Encore with a pump kick and then stomped him in the corner. Pac brutally assaulted Encore Moore in the ring. Pac snapped Encore with vertical suplexes and then hit a brainbuster on him. Pac wanted to make a statement, locking the Brutalizer on Moore and forcing Moore to tap out!
Pac: “All Elite Wrestling, I told you, I warned you, I am done waiting for opportunities that I deserve. So now, now I take matters into my own hands. Make no bones about it, I am on a mission. A mission to remind everybody exactly who I am: the best wrestler on the face of planet Earth. Therefore, Okada, Japanese superstar, champion, I’m calling you out, lad. Do you think you can survive the Bastard, because I don’t. I will eagerly await a response.”
“Pac has officially called out the Continental Champion Okada,” said Tony Schiavone.
LionHOOK— “Lionheart” Chris Jericho
& FTW Champion HOOK
vs.
Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty!
Taylor muscled Jericho into the corner and jabbed at him. Taylor splashed Jericho in the other corner. Jericho tagged Hook and they double suplexed Shane Taylor!
Lee Moriarty tagged in, but Hook sent Moriarty flying with an overhead suplex. Hook tagged Jericho in, and Jericho lit up Lee with chops to the chest. Hook came back in and tossed Lee around with Judo throws. Hook jumped off the top with a double ax handle to Shane Taylor outside the ring.
Lee locked Jericho in the Border City Stretch! Jericho escaped and applied the Lion Tamer on Moriarty! Hook entered the ring and managed to suplex Shane Taylor! Finally, Lee tapped out to Jericho!
Anthony Ogogo sprinted to the ring and ambushed Jericho and Hook! Ogogo pounded away on Hook. Ogogo turned his attention to Jericho and stomped on him in the corner. Hook got to his feet, but Shane Taylor came in and knocked Hook down.
“There’s some kind of allegiance here,” said Nigel.
Lee and Shane held Jericho and then Anthony Ogogo knocked out Jericho with a devastating punch!
“What a blockbuster acquisition for Shane Taylor Promotions!” said Nigel.
Trios Match!
House Of Black—Malakai Black, Brody King, & Buddy Matthews
vs.
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal,
& “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
Keith cracked Malakai with forearms. Keith rocked Black with an exploder suplex. Black fired back with a rising knee strike. Matt Sydal and Brody King tagged in for their respective teams. Daniels came in and he and Sydal tried to chop down Brody with their kicks. Brody bulldozed them with a double lariat. Brody followed up with another lariat to Daniels, the legal man.
Matt Sydal tagged in and took down Buddy with a hurracanrana. Sydal rolled up Buddy for a near fall. Buddy hoisted up Sydal and caught him in the jaw with a knee lift! Brody drilled Sydal with Dante’s Inferno! Bryan Keith ran in to make the save. Brody nearly decapitated Bryan with a lariat! The House of Black triple teamed Keith in the corner.
The House of Black surrounded Christopher Daniels. Black blasted Daniels with a roundhouse kick. Matthews staggered Keith with a jumping knee strike and then pinned him after a pump handle slam!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland’s music began to play. Black walked up the ramp, looking for Copeland. But Copeland blindsided Matthews and Brody from behind. Black sprinted back to the ring to attack Copeland. Mark Briscoe and FTR ran down to the ring to come to the aid of Copeland!
The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson—came out, but FTR met them on the ramp and the two teams brawled! Back in the ring, Copeland speared Brody! Briscoe whipped a chair into Buddy’s head and Copeland speared Buddy!
Copeland, backed by FTR and Briscoe, had Malakai Black cornered. Black retreated, seeing the numbers were against him. Nicholas pulled Matthew out of the ring, saving his brother from being beaten at the hands of FTR.
The Infantry’s Trish Adora vs. Yuka Sakazaki!
Trish took down Yuka with a shoulder tackle. Sakazaki used a forward roll takedown and then a sliding lariat on Trish Adora. Trish grabbed Yuka and nailed her with the Blackhole back breaker.
Trish applied a cross face, but Yuka got to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Yuka rattled Trish with a dropkick from the top rope. Trish suplexed Yuka, countering an attempt by Yuka. Trish and Yuka traded forearms in the center of the ring.
Yuka planted Trish with a high angle drop. Trish rallied back with a full nelson sit out for a near fall. Yuka hoisted up Trish, spun her around and dropped her face first! Yuka splashed Trish from off the ropes and scored the victory!
“Yuka returns to AEW for the first time in almost 14 months with a win,” said Tony Schiavone.
“The Professor” Serena Deeb walked onto the stage, smiled and applauded Yuka.
“Deeb likes what she sees, but very soon school will be in session,” said Nigel.
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli
vs.
The Butcher!
Both men locked up. Butcher chomped on Claudio’s head. Claudio fired back with a shoulder tackle and a scoop slam. Claudio squashed Butcher with a double stomp. Butcher blasted Claudio with a back breaker and a suplex.
Butcher battered Claudio with forearms shots. Butcher applied a cross face submission on Claudio. Claudio got to his feet, with Butcher on his back! Claudio drilled Butcher with a Death Valley Driver. Claudio walloped Butcher with European Uppercuts. Claudio hurled Butcher around with the Giant Swing! Claudio planted Butcher with the Neutralizer and pinned Butcher!
“Another win for a member of the BCC,” said Tony Schiavone.
Main Event Time!
Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes) vs. Komander!
“Penta will have a chance to become the TNT Champion when he faces Adam Copeland in the ‘Cope Open’ this Wednesday on Dynamite,” said Tony Schiavone.
Penta El Zero Miedo and Komander exchanged a flurry of offense, countering one another to a stalemate at the start of the match. Komander chopped Penta and then cracked him with a kick. Komander went for a handstand elbow but Penta followed him and wiped him out before Komander complete the move.
Komander took down Penta with a hurracanrana. Komander jumped out of the ring with a tope, but Penta caught him and pressed him, dropping Komander hard onto the steel ring steps! Penta clocked Komander with an overhand chop. Komander rocketed out of the ring with a tope to Penta El Zero Miedo!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Komander jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Penta caught him flush in the throat with a thrust kick! Penta stunned Komander with a Sling Blade and then a Destroyer for a near fall! Komander rocked Penta with a Spanish Fly out of nowhere! Penta retaliated with a Destroyer on the apron! Komander had plenty of fight left in him and back dropped Penta on the ramp!
Back in the ring, it became a war of attrition, with both men trading strikes. Penta planted Komander with the Made in Japan, but somehow, Komander kicked out before the three-count! Komander splashed Penta with a tornillo for a near fall!
“What is it going to take to win this thing?” wondered Schiavone.
Komander moonsaulted off the ropes and onto Penta on the arena floor! Komander walked the top rope and flipped but Penta was waiting for him with a lung blower! Penta finished off Komander with the Fear Factor and pinned Komander!
“Penta wins it but there were no losers in this match,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Standing ovation here and both these men deserve it,” added Nigel.
TNT Champion Adam Copeland walked onto the ramp and smirked at Penta El Zero Miedo. Copeland and Penta had a stare down ahead of their match this Wednesday, with neither man backing down.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV!
DYNASTY 2024 is getting closer, and after this past Wednesday night the AEW World Championship was made official with Swerve's blood, one-half of the finals of the AEW World Tag Tournament were set when The Young Bucks beat Best Friends, Thunder Rosa earned her way into an AEW Women's World Championship match with “Timeless” Toni Storm, and that was just DYNAMITE! RAMPAGE brought The House of Black's Malakai Black topping Christopher Daniels, AEW International Champion Roderick Strong victorious in an Eliminator Bout, Serena Deeb taking home another win, and Daniel Garcia scoring a huge victory in that Final Four Elimination battle!
That brings us to this Saturday night for a loaded edition of COLLISION that gets underway at a special start time of 11:30pm ET on TNT! It features The House of Black in Trios action, the return of Yuka Sakazaki, Penta El Zero Miedo taking on Komander, and perhaps most importantly, the other Semi-Final match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament between FTR and Top Flight! Fans around the world can get prepared for all the action with a visit to the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's various social media platforms, to catch highlights from this week's DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then come join us next Wednesday in Charleston, WV at the Charleston Coliseum featuring a TNT Championship bout between Adam Copeland and former AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo!
AEW WORLD TAG TEAM TITLE TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINAL…
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
It's been more than sixteen monthssince the last time FTR and Top Flight locked horns in tag team competition, and in that match Dax and Cash were in the midst of their ROH World Tag Team Championship reign. In fact, that victory over Dante and Darius Martin was the final defense of FTR's title run before they were defeated by Jay and Mark Briscoe at FINAL BATTLE 2022's unforgettable Double Dog Collar Match. It was one of the many championship accomplishments that FTR has achieved over their careers, accomplishments that included the AEW World Tag Titles two times over, but now their mission is to make it a historic third time around, but they've got to get past Top Flight this Saturday night!
Now the career of Top Flight has been wrought with difficulties, Darius fell to an injury in February 2021 that kept him on the shelf for thirteen months, and then a month after his return, Darius fell to another injury that kept him out of action for seven months of 2022. Then, just as Top Flight seemed to be getting back into their groove, just four months after Darius' return, Dante suffered a near career ending injury at ROH's SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 event that ultimately put him out of action eight months! Yet they keep bouncing back, stronger than they were before, hungrier than ever, and now the Martin brothers are ready to take that next step towards becoming AEW World Tag Champions for the first time.
TAG TEAM BOUT…
Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty) vs.
LionHOOK (Chris Jericho & FTW Champion HOOK)
Chris Jericho may have once again adopted his “Lionheart” moniker, but FTW Champion HOOK is still wary of the original AEW World Champion because of his track record within All Elite Wrestling. Jericho may be doing his best to try and get HOOK to sit under his learning tree, to believe in Jericho as much as Jericho believes in HOOK. The 2-Time FTW Champ is on guard, but he is still willing to see what “Lionheart” has to teach, and set-up a match for their LionHOOK team this Saturday on COLLISION!
It's not going to be an easy night for Jericho and HOOK though because they've got a fight on their hands when it comes to Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty! STP is always primed for a fight, and though they are quite the imposing force once the bell rings, they've yet to get on the kind of roll a team needs to truly make an impact on the division. Knocking Chris Jericho down a peg while also topping the FTW Champion are certainly moves to build that kind of momentum, and that's what STP aims to do this Saturday night on COLLISION!
SINGLES MATCH…
Penta El Zero Miedo vs. Komander
As we heard this past Wednesday night, former AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo is on the hunt for his first singles championship in All Elite Wrestling, and as such he's set his sights on answering the Cope Open Challenge! That's right, next week on DYNAMITE, live from Charleston, WV, Penta meets Adam Copeland in a TNT Championship match, but before he gets to the Charleston Coliseum, Penta has to step into the ring with a man he's called partner many times over the last year, the high-flying Komander!
Well they've fought in a couple of Four Way contests (both for championship opportunities coincidentally), as well as a Three Way contest, this will mark the first time the two Luchadors have met in a singles bout. They've teamed in All Elite Wrestling, they've teamed in Ring of Honor, they even teamed up on the Jericho Cruise, but somehow they've never gone one-on-one prior to this late night Saturday COLLISION. With Penta stepping up to challenge for the TNT Championship for the first time since the March 25, 2023 edition of RAMPAGE, this fight with Komander has an added importance as a win here serves to build momentum while a loss puts the man fighting out of a hole at the worst possible time.
While not thought of as a singles competitor in the auspices of All Elite Wrestling, Penta is highly decorated in that role in his non-AEW endeavors, and just wants to add some more singles gold to that resume!
SINGLES BATTLE…
The Butcher vs. Claudio Castagnoli
Two tags, a Three Way Tag, and a Trios bout; that's how many times The Butcher and Claudio Castagnoli have stood opposite the ring from one another in non-Battle Royal matches, and in all but the Three Way Tag, it was The Blackpool Combat Club that came out victorious (that honor went to Top Flight). Yet in the nearly two years since “The Swiss Superman” made his All Elite Wrestling debut, the two combatants have never locked horns in a singles match, that is until this Saturday night on COLLISION!
When two of the biggest, most powerful men in the AEW locker room butt heads, you know it's going to be, as Jim Ross would say, a slobberknocker of a match! Who will win out in this battle of the big, bald, and bad?!?
AEW fans have not seen Yuka Sakazaki in action since the 2/13/23 edition of DARK: ELEVATION, but “The Magical Girl” returns to All Elite Wrestling this Saturday night on COLLISION! From the moment she made her debut at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2019, Yuka has left quite the impression on the All Elite Wrestling fans, and the women she's fought inside the squared circle. She holds victories over Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, Penelope Ford, Mei Suruga, Emi Sakura, and Billie Starkz, to name a few, boasts a 10-4 record in singles matches, and is 14-7 overall, but she's never had a championship opportunity in AEW, and isn't that the fight is ultimately all about?
Well with this return to AEW action, after taking a few months off from competition to heal from nagging injuries, perhaps Yuka can work her way towards a title opportunity, but first she must contend with the hard-hitting challenge of The Infantry's Trish Adora! Adora comes into this fight having just gone through it with Serena Deeb on RAMPAGE, but is ready to bounce back from that loss to spoil Yuka's return to All Elite Wrestling!
ALSO FEATURING…
-The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black) vs. Christopher Daniels, Matt Sydal, & “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Ketih
The Semi-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament come to a close this week on COLLISION when FTR meets Top Flight, Penta El Zero Miedo battles Komander as he heads towards a TNT Championship contest with Adam Copeland, and the BCC's Claudio Castagnoli meets The Butcher in singles competition. As if that wasn't enough, Yuka Sakazaki returns to AEW competition to meet Trish Adora, LionHOOK battles Shane Taylor Promotions, and The House of Black will be in Trios competition!
The night gets underway a little later than usual, kicking off at 11:30pm ET on TNT, and fans around the world can get ready for it all at the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's assorted social media outlets! There fans can watch highlights from Wednesday's edition of DYNAMITE and Friday's RAMPAGE episode, as well as the CONTROL CENTER with Tony Schiavone! Then join All Elite Wrestling in Charleston, WV at the Charleston Coliseum for a TNT Championship bout pitting Adam Copeland against former AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo!
After this past Wednesday, the paper is signed (in blood), sealed, and delivered for our AEW World Championship match at DYNASTY 2024 in St. Louis on April 21st, and we also know that The Young Bucks will be competing in the AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Finals against the winner of FTR and Top Flight. In addition, we learned that AEW Women's World Champion Toni Storm will have to face Thunder Rosain a title fight on that pay-per-view extravaganza, and we bore witness to Will Ospreay surviving Powerhouse Hobbs as his April 21st bout with Bryan Danielson draws near!
This Friday the action continues, first with ROH's SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT, and then we continue our loaded week of events with an all-new RAMPAGE at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT! We've got a very intriguing first-time for AEW match between “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels, “The Professor” Serena Deeb in action as she continues to climb the rankings, AEW International Champion Roderick Strong in action, and a big Final Four Elimination bout pitting Action Andretti, Bryan Keith, Daniel Garcia, and Komander against one another!
Before the action gets underway, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel , as well as AEW's assorted social media platforms, to see highlights from Wednesday night's DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then be sure to tune into TNT this Saturday night beginning at 11:30p ET/10:30p CT for a loaded COLLISION featuring FTR versus Top Flight in the second Semi-Final bout of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament!
A CHALLENGE ISSUED…
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Malakai Black
After seeing Malakai Black confront Adam Copeland after his Cope Open TNT Championship Match against Matt Cardona, “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels elected to make a challenge of his own to the master of The House of Black. This may be the first singles match in All Elite Wrestling between the two men, but it is not their first match against one another. In fact it was only four months ago that Malakai and Buddy Matthews topped Daniels and Matt Sydal in tag team action, but two years prior to that, on a Northeast Wrestling event in Poughkeepsie, NY, Malakai actually bested “The Fallen Angel” in singles competition.
So not only is this Friday night on RAMPAGE an opportunity for Daniels to test the mettle of Malakai in a head-to-head bout, it's also a chance to even the score with Black for that bout January 2022 meeting, and perhaps to catch the attention of the TNT Champion as well. After all, it was very clear from what happened on COLLISION that Malakai Black has eyes on Adam Copeland and that title, so if “The Fallen Angel” can get one over on Malakai this Friday, perhaps he can also work himself into a position to challenge for Copeland's hard-earned TNT Championship!
FINAL FOUR ELIMINATION BOUT…
Action Andretti vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith vs. Daniel Garcia vs. Komander
This is going to be a wild one Friday night as AEW offers up a little March madness of its own in the form of a Four Way Elimination bout featuring a quartet of the best young athletes in All Elite Wrestling! It's a combination of hard-hitting striking, tough as nails grappling, high-flying maneuvers, and good old fashioned wrestling when Andretti, Keith, Garcia, and Komander lock-up on RAMPAGE! A bit of an outlier for AEW multi-man bouts, this one is being fought under Elimination Rules rather than first pinfall, meaning there is no urgency in breaking up every pinfall that takes place because it behooves each man to let another get eliminated from the fray.
There are quite a few interesting dynamics at play in this Final Four Elimination as well, ones that could factor into how the game is played and how alliances may be formed to help whittle it down to two men. Take Komander and Bryan Keith, they have served as tag partners both in ROH, as well as in AEW on several occasions, and both were involved in the Elimination Survival of the Fittest contest at ROH's FINAL BATTLE 2023 event last December. Komander has been on opposite sides of several Trios matches against Action Andretti, while this will be the only time he's shared a ring with Daniel Garcia outside of Battle Royal situations. Speaking of Garcia, he was actually beaten by Action Andretti in January 2023, but this will mark the first time he's ever been inside a ring with “The Bounty Hunter” in any fashion.
So with all those little threads wrapping these men together, who will be the one to survive the Final Four and be the last one standing to cut the proverbial net?
SINGLES MATCH…
(5)Serena Deeb vs. Trish Adora
“The Professor of Professional Wrestling” Serena Deeb has defeated Lady Frost, Robyn Renegade, and Queen Aminata since returning to in-ring competition on the January 27th edition of COLLISION, with each victory in service of accomplishing a goal that eluded her prior to her 15-month absence: an AEW Championship. Those victories earned Deeb the number five spot in the March 27th Rankings update, but that spot isn't good enough, that spot isn't what “The Professor” came back for, she wants the spot Thunder Rosa occupies, she wants what Thunder Rosawon on Wednesday night, and Serena Deeb will break apart every woman in the AEW locker room in order to get there.
The work towards that goal continues this Friday night on RAMPAGE when Serena meets The Infantry's Trish Adora in their very first singles match! Like so many other young competitors, it feels like Adora is on the cusp of breaking through to that next level as an athlete, that she is just missing one little thing that enables her to get those big wins that get her noticed, get her into the rankings, and get her into conversations about championship fights. While Trish may have looked great in her 2024 fights with Mariah May and Riho, and while she may have given Julia Hart a run for her money in a TBS Championship match, the reality is Adora was only in that title fight because Julia made it an Open House Challenge. Trish Adora was not in a championship situation because of a stellar win percentage, or because she'd won a contender's bout, she was there because she was one with enough guts to enter The House of Black and fight its Queen on her terms.
Saying all that is no discount to Trish's abilities inside the ring, in fact it's meant as a credit to the fire in her belly, but also to illustrate that she has to find that element that makes her a contender because she earned her way into that spot with wins, by beating top competition, and showing that she's got what it takes to wear an AEW Championship around her waist. Facing “The Professor of Professional Wrestling” is a big step in the right direction, there are few women who can give Trish Adora that on-the-job learning experience like Serena Deeb, and if Adora can find a way to victory, it will be because she earned it the hard way.
So will Trish Adora be the next woman Serena Deeb steps on the climb up the rankings, or will she be the first woman in 2024 to put Deeb down for a three count?
ELIMINATOR MATCH…
AEW International Champion Roderick Strong vs. London Lightning
Last week in Quebec City, it was “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard who stepped up to the International Title Eliminator Challenge and faced Roderick Strong in a one-on-one contest, or at least on paper it was a one-on-one contest, with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett lurking at ringside the reality was more like a three-on-one situation. That numbers advantage directly led to Menard's defeat at Roderick's hands, and could've ended in a much worse assault had Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta not been on the spot to run The Undisputed Kingdom off.
Well this week on RAMPAGE, another individual is stepping up to the International Challenge in hopes of earning himself a title opportunity against “The Messiah of the Backbreaker”, a young man by the name of London Lightning. London is taking a huge leap in accepting this Eliminator Match, he's a kid with barely a year of experience under his belt, coming off a pair of losses in Ring of Honor to Lee Johnson and Evil Uno, but who is brave enough to take this unbelievable opportunity to score an AEW International Championship match!
There's no doubt Roderick has every conceivable advantage here, but any given night a match can wildly swing in unexpected directions, and that is what London Lightning is hoping to experience this Friday on RAMPAGE! If he can earn himself an International Championship match by beating Roderick Strong, it'll be an upset rivaling Action Andretti's over Chris Jericho, and a situation that immediately puts London Lightning's name in headlines!
This jam-packed week of AEW/ROH action continue Friday night on TNT beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT with an all-new RAMPAGE featuring four tremendous contests! AEW International Champion Roderick Strong will be in action, as well “The Professor” Serena Deeb, and we kick the night off with “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels taking on The House of Black's Malakai Black in singles competition! As if that wasn't enough, there's also the Final Four Elimination contest where Action Andretti, Bryan Keith, Daniel Garcia, and Komander do battle to see who the last man standing will be!
Prior to bell time, make a point to check out the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's numerous social media outlets, to watch highlights from this past Wednesday's edition of DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER! And don't forget, this Saturday night COLLISION gets underway at 11:30p ET/10:30p CT on TNT with a stacked card highlighted by LionHOOK versus Shane Taylor Promotions and the second Semi-Final Match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!
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!
TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland came to the ring to kick off the show!
Copeland: “I came out here to talk to all of you. I didn’t bring out my TNT Title. There’s been a lot of negative B.S. that has been spewed this week. Screw that! I want to talk about positives, and if you’re a fan of pro wrestling, it is a great time to be a fan of pro wrestling.
“If you’re sitting here, if you’re watching at home, you’re a fan of pro wrestling. I am a fan of pro wrestling. I grew up on WWF. I watched NWA. I watched Stampede. I devoured it all because I love professional wrestling. I know you’ve heard this before but for nine years I had this torn away from me, but I worked to get it back because I love it so damn much.
“When I thought about my career, because I’m closer to the end than to the start, I knew I needed to end my career in AEW. I will put our locker room against anybody. I can face Will Ospreay. I can face Kenny Omega. Hangman, Swerve, Joe, Moxley, Darby, I can face FTR, the Young Bucks, The House of Black, and by the way, those are all first time ever matches. How crazy is that? That happens in AEW.
“I’ve got a lot of friends in the industry. They call me and say, ‘Hey, it looks like you’re having a blast there.’ It’s because I am. This is the most fun I’ve had in my 32 year professional career. So, I celebrate AEW. I celebrate the men who started AEW. That means the Bucks, that means Kenny, that means Cody, that means Tony Khan. These guys are all fans, just like all of you. We love this! AEW has pushed this industry into a better place! It has gotten more people to do what they love for a living, and that should be celebrated. AEW makes pro wrestling better. AEW makes wrestling more fun. And AEW is where the best wrestle!
“Thank you for hearing me out. I had to get that off my chest. I asked for this time out here, so thank you. So now it’s time to move forward. AEW is walking into the future. There’s a reason Okada, Mercedes, Ospreay, and I came here! So let me introduce to you a man that symbolizes everything AEW is going forward. I give to you “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!”
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay!
Don Callis joined the commentary team for this match.
Ospreay charged at Hobbs when the bell rang but Hobbs blocked Ospreay with a shoulder tackle. Will Ospreay fired back with a standing moonsault press onto Hobbs. Powerhouse Hobbs clubbed Will with a lariat.
Ospreay hit Hobbs with a clothesline, knocking Hobbs over the top rope. Will followed up by jumping over the top rope with a cross body press onto Hobbs on the arena floor. Ospreay tried for a springboard off the barricade, but Hobbs countered by grabbing him and nailing Will with a vertical suplex onto the steel ring steps!
Hobbs bashed Ospreay repeatedly into the apron with the World’s Strongest Slam. Hobbs flung Ospreay backwards, crashing onto the announcers’ desk! Back in the ring, Ospreay came back with a corkscrew kick, taking down Hobbs for the first time in the match.
Ospreay connected with a springboard flying forearm to Hobbs for a near fall. Will chopped at Hobbs’ chest, but Hobbs shrugged them off. Hobbs launched Will with a belly to belly suplex. Ospreay rallied back with a Stun dog Millionaire, but Hobbs cut the renewed momentum short with a powerslam.
Hobbs went for a frog splash, but Will dodged it. Will nailed Hobbs with an Os Cutter for a two-count! Ospreay connected with a heel kick, but Hobbs blasted Ospreay with a lariat!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Hobbs smashed Will with an avalanche powerslam for a near fall! Ospreay was clutching his midsection. Will hit a DDT on Hobbs and then crashed onto Hobbs with a Sky Twister! Ospreay wiped out Hobbs with the Hidden Blade and pinned Hobbs!
After the match, Callis had to hold Hobbs back from attacking Ospreay. Callis whispered something into Hobbs’ ear and Hobbs backed off.
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson!
Archer ambushed Danielson as Archer entered the ring, before the bell. Danielson was just trying to survive early on, as Archer battered Bryan with stiff shots and then whipped Bryan into the turnbuckles. Archer charged at Danielson in the corner, but Danielson dodged him and countered with a dragon screw leg whip.
“Great strategy taking the big man off his feet,” said Schiavone.
Danielson stomped on the back of Archer’s knees and then kicked Archer in the hamstrings. Danielson dropkicked Archer on the inside of the knee, going after the base of Archer. Danielson attempted a tope to the outside on Archer, but Archer caught Danielson and choke slammed Danielson onto the ring apron! Archer grabbed an AEW crew member at ringside and body slammed him onto Danielson!
Danielson showed the fire, bringing the fight back to Archer in the ring. Danielson charged at Archer, perhaps looking for the running knee strike, but Archer countered with a massive cross body press!
“This is brutality by the MurderHawk Monster,” said Taz.
Archer grabbed Bryan’s wrist and was walking the top rope, but Danielson shoved Archer, forcing the Lance to lose his balance. Danielson applied the Le Bell Lock, but Archer reached the bottom rope with his legs, forcing the ref to break the hold. Danielson jumped off the apron with a knee strike to Archer’s head! He got Lance back into the ring, knowing Lance was rocked. Danielson knocked Archer to the mat with a missile dropkick from the top turnbuckle. Danielson lit up Archer’s chest with round kicks. Archer choke slammed Danielson out of nowhere for a near fall!
Archer was looking for the Black Out, but Danielson knocked Archer away with hammer and anvil strikes. Danielson dropped Archer to his knees with a running knee strike. Danielson drilled Archer with three roundhouse kicks to the head. Danielson smashed Archer with the running knee strike and pinned Archer!
“What a battle right there!” said Taz.
Renee Paquette was on the ramp to interview “Lionheart” Chris Jericho!
Jericho: “Renee, last week I told Hook I had a proposition for him where I offered to be his mentor. And even though he agreed, he said something to me that’s been sticking in my head all week. That’s why I want to talk to him right now. Hit the Hook signal!”
FTW Champion Hook came out and was clearly skeptical of Jericho.
Jericho: “Last week you said you’d love by advise by ‘I know who you are.’ And I understand that but when you play the game at the highest of levels like Chris Jericho does, the rules are different. It’s true. And once you understand that you’re going to understand what I’m trying to teach you. I’m not asking you to trust me 100% right now, but I’m asking you to believe in me as much as I believe in you.”
Hook: “Yeah, Chris, I believe in you. I believe in you so much that I got us a match on Collision. But Chris, I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”
Shane Taylor Promotions’ Shane Taylor and Lee Moriarty were backstage!
Lee said one surefire way to jump straight to the top in one night is to beat the golden child and the first World Champion in AEW. Taylor said on Collision, all they have to do is knock out “the Ocho” and Hook!
“On Collision, LionHook gets their ass beat by STP!” said Taylor.
AEW World Trios Champion Billy Gunn vs. ROH World Six-Man Champion Jay White!
Billy Gunn decked Jay White as Jay White was making his entrance! Billy Gunn whipped “Switchblade” Jay White into the barricade, not wasting anytime. The Acclaimed were backstage watching the match on a monitor. The Gunns were also watching backstage on a different monitor.
Billy went after Jay White through the crowd, ramming White into a trash can. Jay White hid behind one AEW security guard. Billy found him and bashed him into one of the hockey boards in the arena. Billy trounced Jay White all around the ringside area. Jay just could not escape the grasp of Billy.
Jay White escaped a vertical suplex attempt and shoved Billy into the guardrail. Billy hit Jay White back, dominating Jay White, nailing White with a lariat. Footage was shown of The Acclaimed backstage, who had been attacked!
Billy blasted White with the Fame Asser! Billy didn’t go for the cover, instead opting to inflict more damage on White.
“Jay White came in looking for a match. Billy didn’t want a match. He wanted retribution,” said Tony Schiavone.
Billy dropped another Fame Asser on Jay White. Billy grabbed a steel chair from outside the ring. Billy returned to the ring with the chair, but the Gunns jumped into the ring, shielding Jay White, pleading with Billy to show some mercy. Jay White used the opportunity to hit a low blow on Billy! Ref Aubrey Edwards called for the disqualification, awarding the match to Billy Gunn!
The Gunns held Billy down while Jay White was going to bash a chair against Billy’s head, but the Acclaimed’s music hit! The Acclaimed sprinted to the ring! The Acclaimed cleaned house on the Gunns! Jay White begged off the Acclaimed and retreated. Jay White tripped outside. The Acclaimed threw Jay White back into the ring. The Gunns were waiting, but the Acclaimed grounded and pounded the Gunns. Billy decked Jay White with a stiff right hand!
The Acclaimed set up the steel ring steps by the announcers’ table. The Acclaimed were about to suplex Jay White off the steps and onto the table when the Gunns grabbed White, pulled him down, and ran off through the crowd!
“This is far from over between these two teams,” said Excalibur.
We heard from Willow Nightingale, who will challenge TBS Champion Julia Hart at AEW Dynasty on Sunday, April 21st on pay-per-view.
Willow came out with Stokely Hathaway and Kris Statlander.
Renee Paquette asked Willow how it felt to have earned a championship match in a few weeks.
Willow: “I am feeling motherfluffin’ great! I really love this city because for years and years I was busting my butt in this town. Kris and I would wrestle in this town at a little place called the White Eagle. So many of us have had great nights there. This is like a home away from home. This is where I learned who Willow Nightingale is, where I figured myself out.
“Your cheers reassured me. This applause is what helped blossom me into the woman standing in front of you today, this woman who will be challenging Julia Hart for the TBS Championship at Dynasty. And I know I will be the smiling face of TNT!”
Stokely: “Last week Willow had a banger and knocked it out of the park. Week after week she impresses me and impresses the entire world!”
“The CEO” Mercedes Moné walked onto the ramp!
Moné: “Now Willow, I can’t wait to watch you tear it up with Julia at Dynasty. Because whoever is going to be the TBS Champion at Double or Nothing, I get next. Because in Vegas, Moné means everything!”
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Semi Final Match!
At AEW Dynasty 2024 the winning team faces the winner of FTR vs. Top Flight.
Matthew suplexed Trent across the ring with Northern Lights Suplexes. Trent retaliated with a double knee strike. Nicholas swept out Trent’s legs, wiping out Trent on the apron. Orange attempted a tope suicida, but the Bucks blocked it! The Bucks power bombed Orange on the apron! Then they power bombed Trent on the apron!
Nicholas ripped the top turnbuckle pad off the corner. Orange tried for a double hurracanrana, but the Bucks blocked it. Matthew spiked Orange with a DDT. The Bucks were looking for the EVP Trigger on Orange, but Orange dodged it and the Bucks collided. Orange rocked the Bucks with separate DDTs, fighting through the pain. Orange blasted Nicholas with a diving DDT for a near fall!
Trent and Orange pulped Matthew with a modified TK Driver for a near fall. Nicholas was there to break up the pin attempt. Trent was looking for the crunchy on Nicholas but Matthew superkicked Trent, the momentum allowing for Nicholas to plant Trent with the Code Red! Matthew superkicked Chuck Taylor outside the ring, and then threatened Sue with a superkick but she spotted him, stopping him in his tracks!
“He was going to kick Sue! What’s wrong with that man?” yelled Schiavone.
Sue slapped Matthew and then Orange followed up with the Orange Punch! Trent rammed Matthew with a knee strike inside the ring! Orange wiped out Nicholas with a tope suicida! Trent had Matthew set up for the crunchy and Orange stomped down, adding impact to the move! Trent had Matthew tied up for the pin, but Nicholas jumped in to break it up in the nick of time!
“Wow, what a massive save by Nicholas,” said Taz.
Orange rocked Nicholas with an Orange Punch! Once again Orange hit a tope to Nicholas outside the ring! Matthew catapulted Trent into the exposed turnbuckle, grabbed Trent’s tights, and stole the pin!
“The Young Bucks have made it to the finals at Dynasty!” said Excalibur.
“What a victory for the Bucks. Like it or not, it was impressive,” replied Taz.
After the match, the Best Friends were about to give the people what they wanted with a hug, but Trent betrayed his partners and smashed into Orange with a running knee strike!
“What the—? What did we just see?” asked Taz.
“Chuck has no idea either,” said Schiavone.
Trent walked out on Orange, Chuck, and Sue!
Thunder Rosa (#1 ranked) vs. Mariah May (#2 ranked) (with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and Luther)!
Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Thunder Rosa chopped Mariah May in the corner. Rosa charged at May but May dodged her. Mariah May smashed Thunder Rosa with a hip attack in the corner! Thunder Rosa took down Mariah with a hurracanrana onto the arena floor. Thunder Rosa used a diving cross body on Mariah May against the barricade.
“I am getting worried here,” said Toni Storm.
Thunder Rosa jumped off the top looking for the foot stomp but Mariah May rolled out of the way. Thunder Rosa reversed the May Day for a near fall. Mariah May hit Thunder Rosa with a knockout shot. Rosa escaped the May Day with a backstabber. Thunder Rosa flattened Mariah May with the Tijuana Bomb and scored the pin!
“Thunder Rosa is the number one contender for ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm’s title,” said Excalibur.
Penta El Zero Miedo was backstage with Alex Abrahantes!
Penta El Zero Miedo challenged Adam Copeland to a match for the TNT Championship next week on Dynamite!
Up next: The AEW World Championship Contract Signing between Champ Samoa Joe & challenger Swerve Strickland!
It was time to make their AEW World Championship Match for AEW Dynasty official!
Samoa Joe sat down at a table that was set up in the ring. Swerve paced on his side of the ring. The World Champion signed the contract first.
Samoa Joe: “Now Swerve, we’re out here in front of a lot of people who seem to care about you. I think you’re working on bad information. I’ve watched your rise in AEW. How else could this fairy tale end but with a big victory and everybody celebrating a new champion? See Swerve, that’s the bad information you’ve been working on.
“I’m about to tell this man the truth. Signing this contract is a big mistake. Let me put into terms that maybe a rapper can barely understand. I’m going to beat you so bad, it’s going to make it seem like maybe you left the party too late. So now that you have the right information, why don’t you do the right thing?”
Swerve: “Before I sign this contract Joe, just know I’ve wanted this moment my entire life. My destination was full of a lot of obstacles, but when I arrived, that journey was sweet. It took me all the way to Dynasty. And we’ve built a Dynasty in AEW with signings like Okada, Mercedes, and Will Ospreay. Joe, I understand this championship is bigger than the both of us. I understand the dangers of facing you for it. You are the definition of a killer. But so am I. April 21st at Dynasty, I show you that I am every bit of that man! I grab the keys to the Dynasty, and I turn AEW into who’s house?”
The crowd answered: “Swerve’s house!”
Swerve: “Now run the fade on that, bitch!”
Samoa Joe shoved Swerve from across the table! Swerve answered with a devastating right hand strike! Swerve wrapped his steel chain around Joe’s neck! Samoa Joe turned around and headbutted Swerve! Samoa Joe wrapped the chain around his fist and walloped Swerve in the head. Samoa Joe rocked Swerve with more strikes, and Swerve was busted open! The refs ran out and tried to pull Samoa Joe off Swerve.
Samoa Joe began to walk to the back. Swerve grabbed the microphone, laughed and said, “I love this. That’s all you got? Then I’m taking this championship from you.”
Swerve took the pen, dipped in the blood and signed the contract. Samoa Joe jumped back into the ring, grabbed Swerve, and smashed Swerve through the table! Samoa Joe held his championship above Swerve and taunted him!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET featuring:
-Serena Deeb vs. Trish Adora!
– “Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. House of Black’s Malakai Black!
-AEW International Championship Eliminator Match: Roderick Strong (c.) vs. London Lightning!
-Final Four Elimination Match: Daniel Garcia vs. Action Andretti vs. Komander vs. “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith!
Special Start Time This Saturday don’t miss AEW Collision on TNT at 11:30/10:30c!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV!
This Wednesday night, DYNAMITE hails from Worcester, MA and the DCU Center and we will witness AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland sign their DYNASTY 2024 contract, The Young Bucks face Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta in the Semi-Finals of the World Tag Title Tournament, Thunder Rosa and Mariah May vie for the next shot at Toni Storm's AEW Women's World Champions, and The Don Callis Family continues to test itself with Will Ospreay facing Powerhouse Hobbs! All that and more comes to you this Wednesday night live on TNT starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but don't forget to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's various social media platforms, for highlights from last week's episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Then join Ring of Honor's Philadelphia homecoming this Friday night for SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/roh-supercard-of-honor-2024), live from the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University, and available exclusively on Honor Club (www.watchroh.com)! Eddie Kingston faces Mark Briscoe with the ROH World Championship at stake, ROH Women's World Champion Athena puts her title on the line against 3-Time AEW Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida, the first-ever ROH Women's World TV Champion will be crowned when Billie Starkz faces Queen Aminata, Stardom will be in the house, and so much more coming your way this Friday night in Philly!
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Semi Final…
The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta
After escaping their Quarter-Final match against Private Party with a suspect victory, The Young Bucks made sure to be on the spot at the first opportunity to take a shot at Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta ahead of their Semi-Final encounter. Leave it to Matthew and Nicholas to take those two Best Friends lending a hand to another individual, in this case “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard, and turning it into something terrible with their underhanded tactics.
Thankfully Orange and Trent don't have to wait long to even the score with The EVPs since this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE features their Semi-Final contest in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament! Now Trent Beretta is extremely familiar with fighting The Young Bucks, between AEW, ROH, NJPW, and PWG, they've fought countless times, but OC has only ever met Matthew and Nicholas in tag team action one time, and that was with HOOK serving as his tag team partner. This is a rather unfamiliar experience for the former 2-Time AEW International Champion, but that's part-and-parcel of being a professional wrestler, one won't always have experience with your foes, but that just means learning as you go, and that feels like a situation where Orange Cassidy can thrive.
History shows how strong a team The Young Bucks are, and recent history shows how low they will stoop to come out on top, but recent history also shows how strong a duo Trent and OC have quickly become, unbeaten in five straight matches, and coming into this tournament arguably with more momentum than any other pair. Can this Best Friends pairing continue to roll that momentum forward into a spot in the tournament final at DYNASTY 2024, or will The Young Bucks continue to dig down into new depths in order to get their much-coveted third AEW World Tag Team Championship reign?
Sign On The Dotted Line…
Last week on DYNAMITE, with his victory of Konosuke Takeshita, Swerve Strickland cemented himself as the challenger at DYNASTY 2024 for ROH World Champion Samoa Joe. It's the position Swerve has been fighting for ever since ALL IN: LONDON, that he went through vicious clashes with Hangman Page to acquire (including that unforgettable Texas Death match), and now has finally earned without having to worry about a third party as he did at REVOLUTION 2024.
This Wednesday night in Worcester, Swerve Strickland and Samoa Joe make their April 21st championship fight official when they sign their names on the contract, but professional wrestling contract signings are notorious for turning into chaos. Just look at the last time Swerve was involved in one of them, and how he got stabbed in the hand with the very pen Hangman used to sign the deal! Will this contract signing see a similar breakdown in decorum, or will professionalism actually be the rule of the night with Samoa Joe and Swerve?
One-On-One…
(1)Thunder Rosa vs. (2)Mariah May
Intruder Alert…
AEW World Trios Champion Billy Gunn vs. ROH World Six-Man Champion Jay White
It wasn't all that long ago that a Gunn family reunion could be looked at as a joyous occasion; after months and months of Billy, Austin, and Colten being at odds with one another, the union of the Bang Bang Scissor Gang seemed like a way for fences to be mended, for a father and his sons to become a family once again.
Well that idea went to hell the moment The Bang Bang Gang decided that assaulting Darby Allin, that putting him on the shelf for an undetermined amount of time, was more important than keeping their six-man power group together. Perhaps it was a group destined for failure from jump street, given the egos and attitudes involved, but if there's life there is hope, and there's nothing wrong with hoping for the most favorable outcome.
Unfortunately that's not what The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass got for their time, for the willingness to trust the Bang Bang Gang, in fact Daddy Ass got a home invasion for his hopes of long-term reconciliation with his sons, so as a consequence of that, Billy Gunn has got a beating in mind for “Switchblade” Jay White!
Gunn doesn't often dabble in singles matches at this point in his career, preferring to ride in trios action with Max Caster and Anthony Bowens, but he's got decades worth of experience in that role to pull from when it comes to teaching Jay White a lesson in respect and humility! This is just the beginning of what is sure to be several heated battles between these two dominating trios…
A Battle Of Will(s)…
Powerhouse Hobbs vs. (4)Will Ospreay
For better or worse, Don continues to pit members of his family against one another inside the squared circle under the belief that the only way to get better is to fight the best, and that since his family is the best, they just have to fight one another to get better. While there may be some merit to Callis' thinking, we've already witnessed tension within the ranks with Ospreay fighting ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher on DYNAMITE and Takeshita at REVOLUTION 2024, and now he's signed up to facing the monster of The DC Family, the strongest man in all of All Elite Wrestling, Powerhouse Hobbs!
Ospreay's schedule since fully devoting his time to AEW has been rather mad; in addition to those two matches, he's heading into this fight with Hobbs after just having faced Katsuyori Shibata last Wednesday on DYNAMITE and he's got the impending bout with Bryan Danielson at DYNASTY 2024! That's just the in-ring portion of his last couple weeks, it says nothing of his travel schedule back-and-forth between the UK, Canada, and the United States. That being said, Ospreay does have some experience with demanding travel schedules from his time in NJPW and weeks consisting of, as an example, five matches in seven days.
Ospreay's been through it, but fighting a foe like Powerhouse Hobbs is such a unique endeavor; the former TNT Champion possesses such a rare combination of power and speed, as well as strength and agility, plus a sheer ruthlessness to back it all up, that makes him one of the most dangerous men in All Elite Wrestling. He's a man who can throw around any individual in the company like they are rag dolls, just look at how he treated Paul Wight in the Like a Dragon Gaiden Street Fight last November, and while it takes a tremendous feat of strength to even rock Hobbs much less get him off his feet.
They may both be part of The Don Callis Family, but that doesn't mean Ospreay or Hobbs are going to take it easy on one another, in fact it seems the hope from Callis is that the exact opposite be true. He wants to see his men go to war with one another, to sharpen each other's iron so to speak, and to get one another at the peak of their game. Well, he will certainly get that this Wednesday night when Will Ospreay clashes with Powerhouse Hobbs as we continue down the road to DYNASTY 2024!
JERICHO CALLS OUT HOOK!
After falling to FTW Champion HOOK in singles competition two weeks ago, “Lionheart” Chris Jericho extended the offer to essentially serve as a mentor for the young man. Jericho himself pointed out he's never been a trainer, never ran a wrestling school, never been a manager, but yet he was willing to try to be those things for “The Cold-Hearted, Handsome Devil”. Now HOOK may be young, both in life and in terms of time as an active competitor, but he's not a stupid human being, as HOOK said, he knows who Jericho is. He knows the leader of the Inner Circle who caused Sammy Guevara to walk away from the group, and who tossed aside Ortiz and Santana as soon as they questioned how Jericho operated. He knows the Jericho who built his own Appreciation Society, but was ultimately abandoned by all of those associates because of his behavior as their leader. HOOK knows “The Ocho” and “Le Champion”, but what Chris seems to want to show him is the “Lionheart”, a man of integrity and worth who actually cares about the future of AEW, who knows it's bigger than just Chris Jericho, and who actually wants to see it grow beyond Chris Jericho.
So what is it that Jericho intends to call out HOOK for this week on DYNAMITE? Is it for a public workout? A training match? A lesson in technique? There are a great many lessons that a man with the tenure of the original AEW World Champion can teach to a young competitor like the FTW Champion, but what will that be this Wednesday night?
This Wednesday night, DYNAMITE hails from Worcester, MA and the DCU Center and we will witness AEW World Champion Samoa Joe and Swerve Strickland sign their DYNASTY 2024 contract, The Young Bucks face Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta in the Semi-Finals of the World Tag Title Tournament, Thunder Rosa and Mariah May vie for the next shot at Toni Storm's AEW Women's World Champions, and The Don Callis Family continues to test itself with Will Ospreay facing Powerhouse Hobbs! All that and more comes to you this Wednesday night live on TNT starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, but don't forget to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW's various social media platforms, for highlights from last week's episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Then, this Friday night, Ring of Honor returns home to Philadelphia for SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024, available exclusively on Honor Club, and featuring ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston battling Mark Briscoe, ROH Women's World Champion Athena and 3-Time AEW Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida locking horns, Billie Starkz and Queen Aminata going one-on-one to determine the first-ever ROH Women's World TV Champion, Kyle Fletcher defending the ROH World TV Title against Lee Johnson, the women of Stardom coming to blow the roof of Liacouras Center, and plenty more in store for ROH's homecoming!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live ,from the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON!
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Nigel McGuinness, Ian Riccaboni, and Tony Schiavone were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland kicked off Collision!
Copeland: “About a week and a half ago, I finally closed the book on Christian Cage. Now it’s time to start a new chapter and I decided to go back to the Cope Open, only this time the stakes are higher. Because this time I am putting the TNT Championship on the line. I’m not going to run like the Patriarch, I am here to fight!”
The Cope Open Returns! TNT Championship Match!
“The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland (c.) vs. “The Deathmatch King” Matt Cardona!
The match opened with a series of hip tosses.
“You can tell they know each other, using the same moves against each other. Cardona is facing his mentor and getting a chance to become TNT Champion,” said Schiavone.
Cardona charged at Copeland outside the ring, and Copeland caught him with a clothesline. Cardona gouged Copeland in the eyes and then shoved him off the apron and into the steel ring steps.
Cardona climbed the turnbuckles but Copeland yanked Cardona’s legs out from under him. Cardona fired back with a chop. Cardona was searching for a superplex, but Copeland countered with a bulldog off the top for a near fall!
Matt Cardona spiked Copeland with the Impaler for a two-count, hitting the champ with his own move!
Cardona slapped Copeland and said, “I’m the self-made superstar!”
Cardona went for the Radio Silence, but Copeland countered with a powerbomb for a near fall! Copeland tried for a spear, but Cardona stunned Copeland with the Radio Silence for a two-count! Cardona ran in for the spear but Copeland lured Cardona in and speared Cardona, scoring the pin and retaining the championship!
“What an absolutely incredible win on many fronts! Adam Copeland is still the TNT Champ,” said Schiavone.
As Copeland was celebrating his victory, the arena went dark! The lights came back on, and Malakai Black appeared in the center of the ring! Black smirked at Copeland and then Buddy Matthews blindsided Copeland. Mark Briscoe sprinted down to the ring to even up the odds, but Black kicked Briscoe and Matthews nailed Briscoe with a knee! Eddie Kingston ran to the ring and stood side by side with Copeland and Briscoe. The lights turned off again and this time Black and Matthews vanished from the ring.
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview AEW World Trios Champs The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass!
Daddy Ass: “I’m a little pissed off. I’m pissed off at Jay White. I can get past you hitting me in the head with a chair, but I can’t get past you coming into my house, where me and my wife live. He also keeps talking about selling out Madison Square Garden. Hell, I’ve done that more times than I can remember. But if I recall, Jay lost that match. And he’s also going to lose next week. Because next week on Dynamite, it’s Jay White against Daddy Ass, and then we’ll see how good you really are.”
Max Caster: “Yo! Listen! This message goes out to Austin and Colten, those ass boys! Wednesday night, while Billy Gunn is beating down Jay White, if you guys believe in your boy Jay White and stay in the back, we’ll stay in the back too. So, if you have faith in Jay White, you’ll have no problem with that.”
Anthony Bowens: “And now a word from the Scissor King. I feel a lot better this week even though I shouldn’t. Billy’s home got invaded and I was proven right. Those three bullet bitches walked into his home and upon seeing Billy Gun, they ran like cowards. Next week the demise of Bullet Club Gold begins. Because they are looking at three different individuals! By the end of this, you are going to be looking at ‘Still the AEW World Trios Champions’ because everyone loves the Acclaimed!”
East Bracket: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match!
FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler
vs.
The Infantry—Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo!
The winning team faces the winner of Top Flight vs. Starks & Big Bill.
Carlie, clearly having done his homework, took Dax off his feet with a couple of dropkicks. Dean came in and the Infantry hit FTR with stereo dropkicks.
Cash rocked Shawn Dean with European uppercuts. Dean body slammed Cash and then dropped an elbow on him. Cash caught Dean in midair and planted him hard on the mat. Dax tagged in and superplexed Carlie Bravo!
The Infantry hit beautiful tandem offense on Dax Wheeler, almost scoring an upset. Dean DDT’ed Cash. Dax inadvertently collided into Cash and Carlie rolled up a dazed Dax for a near fall. FTR recovered with the Shatter Machine on Carlie and scored the pin, advancing to the next round!
TNT Champion Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe, and Eddie Kingston were backstage!
Copeland: “House of Black, I know my championship makes me a marked man! You want to get in my business? I’ve got some backup. Why don’t you face us April 21st at AEW Dynasty!”
Briscoe: “At Dynasty, House of Black, you guys picked the wrong three!”
Kingston: “House of Black, after Dynasty, you’re going to be spitting blood and teeth!”
Kyle O’Reilly vs. The Workhorsemen’s JD Drake!
“This is Kyle’s second match back after neck surgery,” said Schiavone.
Drake drilled Kyle with a dropkick. Kyle dodged a Vader Bomb from Drake. Kyle pummeled Drake with violent round kicks and then swept out Drake’s leg. Kyle smashed Drake with an ax kick. Kyle applied an arm bar and Drake tapped out!
“Now 2-0 on his comeback trail,” said Schiavone.
The Undisputed Kingdom got in the ring, hoisted Kyle on their shoulders, and helped him celebrate his victory.
East Bracket: AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match!
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin
vs.
“Absolute” Ricky Starks & Big Bill!
The winning team faces the winner of FTR vs. The Infantry.
“Boys, Starks and Big Bill are back to reclaim their tag team titles,” said Nigel.
Starks took down Darius with an arm drag. Dante tagged in and crashed into Starks with a clothesline. Big Bill grabbed a tag, but Dante used his quickness and chopped Bill. This only angered the monster, as Big Bill served up a chest chop of his own. Top Flight hit a double dropkick on Big Bill! They followed up with a double dropkick to Starks!
Starks grabbed Darius’ leg from outside the ring, tripping up Darius. Big Bill blasted Darius with a pump kick. Big Bill splashed Dante in the corner. Big Bill tried a second time, but this time Dante dodged it. Dante jumped off the top turnbuckle and wiped out Big Bill!
Darius tagged in and used the turnbuckles for a wallwalk moonsault on Starks. Dante almost scored with a headstand pin on Starks. Darius blocked a spear from Starks. Darius used Dante as a launching pad, spiked Starks with a DDT, and scored the pin!
Top Flight are advancing to the next round!
“What a win! What an incredible win! What a major upset this is!” said Schiavone.
“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels was backstage!
Daniels: “Now I’ve been AEW since day one but in this company, it’s not how long you’ve been here, it’s about who you’ve beat. Malakai Black, are you man enough for a face to face challenge? How about this Friday on Rampage, Christopher Daniels against Malakai Black?”
Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Frost!
Thunder Rosa chopped Lady Frost in the corner. Lady Frost fired back with a quick right hand. Lady Frost stomped Rosa in the corner. Thunder Rosa retaliated with a running lariat. Thunder Rosa used a drop toe hold on Lady Frost. Thunder Rosa blasted Frost with a running dropkick!
The fans chanted “Thunder Rosa! Thunder Rosa! Thunder Rosa!”
Lady Frost rallied back with a Chiller Driller for a near fall, almost scoring a major upset. Thunder Rosa retaliated with a backstabber and a Tijuana Bomb, pinning Lady Frost!
“Thunder Rosa with another win! And she earned that win, as Lady Frost came to fight,” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette was backstage with AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm, Mariah May, and Luther!
Renee: “Some breaking news, next week number one and number two in our rankings will be facing off against one another for a future shot at your AEW Women’s World Championship.”
Toni: “And?!”
Renee: “It’s Thunder Rosa and Mariah May.”
Toni: “Was this the plan all along Mariah? Is this what you’ve been plotting for months?”
Toni kissed Mariah on the lips.
Toni: “You magnificent bastard! Genius! I see myself in you and I love me! Thunder Rosa, you should have retired as champion. You will never get to sniff this leather again!”
Main Event Time! Trios Match!
“The MurderHawk Monster” Lance Archer & The Righteous—Dutch & Vincent
Shibata jumped on Archer’s back with a sleeper. Archer chucked Shibata to the mat. Shibata ducked a big boot from Archer. Dutch tagged in, and Claudio entered the ring. Claudio powered Dutch into the corner. Dutch kicked Claudio and body slammed Claudio.
Claudio picked up Dutch, slammed him, and then stomped on Dutch. Bryan tagged in and slugged it out with Vincent. Danielson flew to the outside with a tope on Dutch! Danielson jumped off the apron with a diving knee to Archer!
Dutch body slammed Archer on Danielson. Archer body slammed Dutch on Danielson. Dutch planted Danielson with the Bossman slam for a near fall! Danielson tried to fight back with a shotgun dropkick off the top to Dutch. Danielson made the tag to Claudio!
Claudio and Archer traded lariats. Claudio took down Archer with a hurracanrana. Claudio was looking for the Giant Swing on Archer but the Righteous ran in to break it up. Shibata ran in and charged at both members of the Righteous with dropkicks in the corner. Shibata and Claudio hit tandem offense on Archer. Claudio captured Archer in the Giant Swing! Claudio locked Archer in the Sharp Shooter! Dutch jumped in and broke it up.
Shibata dumped the Righteous out of the ring. When Shibata turned around, Archer booted Shibata. Archer planted Claudio with a chokeslam. Vincent smashed Claudio with the Death From Above for a near fall!
Shibata lit up Vincent with forearms. Shibata suplexed Vincent and then applied a cross arm breaker. Dutch broke up the submission. Shibata applied a sleeper on Vincent in the center of the ring. Shibata clocked Vincent with the PK and pinned Vincent!
“Shibata, Claudio, and Danielson win the trios match! This is AEW! Where the best wrestle!” said Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from DCU Center in Worcester, MA featuring:
-Thunder Rosa vs. Mariah May!
-A Battle of Wills: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Will Ospreay!
-Chris Jericho calls out HOOK!
-AEW World Trios Champ Daddy Ass vs. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champ Jay White!
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals: Young Bucks vs. Best Friends!
-AEW Dynasty Contract Signing: AEW World Champ Samoa Joe & Swerve Strickland sign on the dotted line for their AEW World Championship Match taking place at Dynasty!
This Saturday COLLISION is back to its regular schedule, and with it comes a loaded night of action from the greatest professional wrestlers on the planet! It’s going down in London, ON, Canada at the Budweiser Gardens, and features two East Bracket bouts in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament, each involving a former AEW World Tag Championship duo! Plus Adam Copeland reignites the Cope Open, only now it will be with his newly-won TNT Championship on the line, and fresh off their excursion to CMLL on Friday night, The Blackpool Combat Club will be in Trios action against The Righteous and “The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer! All that, and plenty more, is coming your way this Saturday night as All Elite Wrestling heads down the road to DYNASTY 2024 in St. Louis!
The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and fans around the world can get prepared by visiting the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to watch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then come join us next Wednesday in Worcester, MA at the DCU Center stacked DYNAMITE featuring The Young Bucks versus Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta in the Semi-Finals of the World Tag Title Tournament!
EAST BRACKET: WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…
FTR (Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood) vs. The Infantry (Capt. Shawn Dean & Carlie Bravo)
***FACES WINNER OF TOP FLIGHT VS. STARKS/BIG BILL***
Though they owe a debt of gratitude to Mark Briscoe for helping to facilitate their victory over The House of Black in the Wild Card Round, The Infantry of Carlie Bravo and Capt. Shawn Dean find themselves in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Team Championship tournament, and faced with one of the greatest teams in professional wrestling history. It’s the biggest moment in their entire tag team career, and it plays out before the entire world this Saturday on COLLISION.
FTR, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, had a Hall of Fame resume before they debuted for All Elite Wrestling, and since coming into AEW in the fall of 2020, have only bolstered that resume with two AEW World Tag Team Championship reigns, a ROH World Tag Team Championship reign, a AAA World Tag Title reign, and an IWGP World Tag Title reign. They are perpetually in the conversation of which team in AEW is the best, and have been on the hunt for a third AEW World Tag reign since Big Bill and Ricky Starks defeated them last October.
For both FTR and The Infantry, this Saturday night is a pivotal moment in their careers, and though it’s obvious why that is the case for Carlie Bravo and Capt. Shawn Dean, perhaps it’s less so for the case of FTR. The fact that they’ve already won so many championships in their tag team career doesn’t mean Dax and Cash aren’t always gunning for another run atop the division, it doesn’t make any victory mean less because they’ve been there before, in fact it’s quite the opposite. FTR know how much it means to be hold the AEW World Tag Titles, they know what that experience is like, and they crave having it once again by coming out on the top of this tournament.
So will we see FTR add more accolades to their championship resume, or will The Infantry find another way to upset the apple cart and move on to the Semi-Final round of the East Bracket? The winner of this contest will meet either Top Flight or Big Bill and Ricky Starks in that round, and it’s a safe bet who FTR would want to fight should they advance to the Semi’s!
EAST BRACKET: WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL…
Big Bill & Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin)
***FACES WINNER OF FTR/INFANTRY***
Big Bill and Ricky Starks have not been seen inside an AEW ring since the February 7th edition of DYNAMITE when Darby Allin and Sting defeated them for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Starks, generally a prolific poster on his social media, hasn’t shared anything since February 25th, while Big Bill has only shared posts about upcoming AEW events. Overall they’ve been quite quiet, leading to a whole lot of speculation about their status in All Elite Wrestling, and their status as a team. They were never a duo made up of best friends, they aren’t brothers or related in any fashion, they were simply allies of convenience who ended up making a tremendous team, and tasted rapid success by claiming the AEW World Tag Titles from FTR in their second fight as a tag team.
Overall Bill and Ricky went 6-0 as a team prior to losing the titles to Darby and Sting, defeating two different BCC teams, The Dark Order of Reynolds and Silver, Jericho and Guevera, FTR of course, and won the FULL GEAR 2023 Ladder Match over three other tag teams, but one team they never faced during that time was Top Flight.
So given the silence from Big Bill and Ricky Starks, it came as a bit of a surprise when they were announced as participants in this tournament to crown new champions after Darby vacated the titles in the aftermath of Sting’s REVOLUTION 2024 retirement. But here the former champions are, ready to get back into the hunt this Saturday night on COLLISION, and they kick off this campaign to regain the titles with a first-time bout against Top Flight.
It’s been over a year since the lone AEW World Tag Title opportunity that Dante and Darius ever had, a loss to The Gunns on the 3/22/23 edition of DYNAMITE, and they would love to run the table on this tournament and finally rise to the top of AEW’s stacked tag team division! Will it be the former champions who advance on Saturday, or the two young men who’ve never held a championship in AEW or ROH? The winner of this one faces the winner of the aforementioned FTR/Infantry battle also taking place on COLLISION…
COPE OPEN TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Adam Copeland(c) vs. ????
He was battered and bruised, broken and bloody, but it certainly felt like Adam Copeland had rarely been happier than he was in the aftermath of his TNT Championship victory over Christian Cage. Making his former best friend, a man his children called Uncle, say the words “I Quit” brought a sense of relief and satisfaction to Cope, but also the realization that the work had only just begun. Everything it took to get the TNT Championship, the wear and tear it put on his body, the heartbreak it put on his family, it was all just part one of the journey.
Part two begins this Saturday night on COLLISION when Adam begins The Cope Open anew only now with the TNT Championship at stake! It’s a return to how the TNT Championship was first introduced, and how it was carried by nearly every champion not named Christian Cage. Men like Cody Rhodes, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara carried on an Open Challenge tradition for that belt, and that is reborn now that the title is around the waist of a stand-up competitor like Adam Copeland!
That question is who will step up to the challenge and try to wrestle the TNT Championship away from Adam in his first defense? Previous Cope Open competitors included Dante Martin and Minoru Suzuki, each pushing Adam in different fashions, so who will it be this time? Will it be another young talent trying to break through to the next level? Will it be a well-established warrior looking for a title they’ve never held? Or maybe someone from outside the auspices of All Elite Wrestling hoping to earn their way in as Ricky Starks and Eddie Kingston did in the early days of the TNT Championship?
It’s an exciting thing to speculate on just who may step up to the plate and take a swing at Adam Copeland’s TNT Championship, but will it be a gamble that blows up in the defending champion’s face?
TROIS BOUT…
“The Murderhawk Monster” Lance Archer & The Righteous (Dutch & Vincent) vs.
Blackpool Combat Club (Bryan Danielson & Claudio Castagnoli) and Katsuyori Shibata
Two weeks ago on COLLISION, Claudio Castagnoli and Lance Archer met in a battle of AEW behemoths, but unfortunately the bout came to an unsatisfying conclusion for all as The Righteous assaulted Castagnoli just as he began to Giant Swing “The Murderhawk Monster”! Bryan Danielson tried to stem the assault, but he got dropped by The Righteous as well. It was only the arrival of Katsuyori Shibata, and the chair he had in hand, that sent Dutch, Vincent, and Archer heading for the hills.
That assist was a tremendous show of respect from “The Wrestler”, stemming from the fight he and Bryan had earlier in the night, and now that sign of respect has blossomed into a full-blown alliance, at least for one night, as he teams with Bryan and Claudio to take on Archer and The Righteous in Trios competition!
The two BCC members are fresh off a fight at Arena Mexico for CMLL’s HOMENAJE A DOS LEYENDAS event, having hopped on a flight to Canada early Saturday morning to get to London for this fight, but there are no excuses when it comes to The Blackpool Combat Club, and they will be ready to throw down on COLLISION! Archer and The Righteous have a slight experience advantage as a Trio, but is it enough to overcome the onslaught that Shibata and The BCC will bring to bear?
FIGHTING LIKE A CHAMPION…
Thunder Rosa vs. Lady Frost
Last time she set foot in the ring, Thunder Rosa accomplished something no one else had done since GRAND SLAM 2023 when she pinned Toni Storm’s shoulders to the mat for a tag team victory. It may not have sat well with Deonna Purrazzo, that forced tag that got Thunder into the match in the first place, but it was a win for their team nonetheless, though Rosa’s “when I win you can have the first shot” comment could be taken as rather condescending.
That’s an issue for another time though, right now is time for Thunder Rosa to prepare for another fight on her road back to the top of AEW’s Women’s Division, not to celebrate her seventh consecutive victory since returning from a near career ending injury. This Saturday she steps into the ring with Lady Frost, a woman she’s never faced in AEW and only encountered once in their careers back in May 2021, and someone who has been on the cusp of breaking out with her incredible combination of heart, skill, and athleticism. She’s gave Kris Statlander two tremendous fights in TBS Championship bouts, and one to Julia Hart as well, not to mention the battles with Mariah May and Serena Deeb this year, but Frost hasn’t quite been able to put it together for a victory quite yet.
Will Saturday night be the night Lady Frost finds the key to her first AEW win, or will she be another brick in Thunder Rosa’s road a championship fight with “Timeless” Toni Storm?
With two AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final bouts, a TNT Championship contest, and The BCC in Trios action against The Righteous and Lance Archer, COLLISION is bringing a wild one to London, ON, Canada and the Budweiser Gardens! The night gets underway 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and fans everywhere can get ready for it all by swinging by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media outlets, to catch highlights from Wednesday’s DYNAMITE and Friday’s RAMPAGE, as well as the CONTROL CENTER with Tony Schiavone! Then meet All Elite Wrestling next Wednesday at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA for a loaded episode of DYNAMITE featuring another Don Callis Family clash, this time between Will Ospreay and Powerhouse Hobbs!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!
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!
“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata!
Will shot in for a single leg but Shibata defended and mounted Will. Shibata grounded Will on the mat and went for a cross arm breaker, but Will got to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold. Ospreay and Shibata chain wrestled, British style. Shibata went for the PK, but Will dodged it!
Shibata cracked Will with forearms, but Will charged at Shibata with a dropkick, taking Shibata off his feet. Will battered Shibata with forearms and then dropkicked Shibata in the corner, taking pages out of Shibata’s playbook. Ospreay jumped over the top rope and connected with a crossbody press to Shibata on the floor.
As Ospreay was getting back into the ring, Shibata caught Ospreay flush in the face with a running front kick! Shibata suplexed Will on the arena floor and then blasted Will with a brutal round kick to Will’s back!
Shibata applied a figure four leg lock on Ospreay, but Ospreay was able to counter it and escaped. They got to their feet and Will chopped Shibata. Shibata answered with a suplex.
“This is a rematch seven years in the making,” said Excalibur.
Shibata whipped Will into the barricade. Will springboarded off the barricade and connected with a forearm shot to Shibata. Will followed up with another springboard forearm into the ring. Shibata nailed Will with a forearm and Will crumbled into a heap on the mat. Shibata jabbed and chopped Will, breaking him down in the corner. Shibata rocked Will with his trademark running dropkick in the corner.
Ospreay connected with a thrust kick. Shibata anticipated Will’s next move and countered with an STF. Will reached to the ropes, forcing the ref to break the submission. Ospreay intercepted Shibata’s PK. They traded forearm strikes in the center of the ring. Ospreay had a surge of adrenaline and smashed Shibata in the back of the head with a jumping high round kick!
Shibata locked Will in a sleeper and then suplexed Will. Shibata put the sleeper back on, but Ospreay fought out of it and stomped Shibata on the back of the head! Will smashed Shibata with the Os-Cutter but Shibata kicked out at the one-count!
Will hit a back drop suplex and then wiped out Shibata with a back elbow uppercut. Will walloped Shibata with a Tiger Driver and then finished Shibata off with the Hidden Blade, pinning Shibata!
“What a war we witnessed here tonight,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with The Young Bucks—Matthew and Nicholas Jackson!
Matthew said they had some goals when they returned to AEW. The first was to retire Sting, and the second was to restructure the Elite, and they did that by bringing in Okada. Matthew said his biggest goal is to get their AEW World Tag Team Championships back. And they’re going to beat Private Party tonight to get one step closer to getting their titles back.
The Continental Champion “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada pulled up in an exotic sports car for the next match!
AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!
The Young Bucks—Matthew & Nicholas Jackson
vs.
Private Party—Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen!
Private Party wiped out the Bucks with stereo tope suicidas. Matthew whipped Zay over the barricade. Private Party fired back with the Silly String off the barricade onto Matthew. Nicholas planted Quen with a Falcon Arrow off the barricade! The Bucks were trying to win by count out.
Zay helped Mark Quen back into the ring, breaking the ref’s count. Nicholas suplexed Quen onto Matthew’s knees. Brother Zay got the hot tag, scored with a thrust kick to Matthew and then did a moonsault onto Nicholas who was on the arena floor!
Nicholas nailed Quen with a German Suplex. Nicholas planted Quen with a suplex on the edge of the ring. Private Party rallied back with the Gin & Juice on Nicholas!
“Perfection by Private Party,” said Taz.
Private Party hit the More Bang for Your Buck on Matthew, but Nicholas jumped in to break up the pin attempt! Nicholas grabbed the ring bell and brought it into the ring, but the ref pulled it out of Nicholas’ hands. As the ref was distracted, Nicholas kicked Zay with a low blow! Quen took one of the title belts off the podium and cracked Matthew in the head with it. Zay went to pin Matthew, but Nicholas grabbed Matthew’s leg and put Matthew’s foot on the rope to break the pin.
Quen attempted a 630 splash on Matthew, but Matthew dodged it. Nicholas tagged in and they blasted Quen with the EVP Trigger and pinned him!
“The Bucks move on, boys,” said Taz.
A video aired of Darby Allin with Tony Hawk, talking about how much skateboarding meant to them growing up, and the impact it had on their lives. Visit skatepark.org for more information on how you can help out.
Renee Paquette was backstage with FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho!
Jericho said he’s never been in the ring with anyone quite like Hook. Jericho, with 33 years of experience in the ring, said he’d be happy to help Hook sharpen his skills and become the World Champion that he knows Hook can be.
“If you want my advice, I’m here for you,” said Jericho.
Hook: “I appreciate your praise, Chris. And of course I’ll take advice from you, you’re Chris Jericho. But you are Chris Jericho. I know who you are.”
Jericho: “Okay, and I know who you are. But more importantly, I know who you can be.”
Hook: “Let’s get it.”
Jericho: “Let’s get it.”
TBS Championship #1 Contender Match!
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay
“The CEO” Mercedes Moné was on commentary for this match.
Skye Blue caught Kris out of the gate with a thrust kick. Anna caught Willow with a kick to the chin. Willow splashed Anna in the corner and followed up with a lariat. Skye Blue planted Willow with a DDT.
Statlander body slammed Blue and rocked her with a sliding lariat. Statlander went for a body slam on Anna, but Anna escaped. Statlander knocked Anna down with a shoulder tackle. Skye Blue tripped up Kris from outside the ring, but Willow was there to pounce Skye!
“A blindside pounce!” said Excalibur.
Willow was right in front of Mercedes when she pounced Skye. Mercedes and Willow locked eyes. Mercedes smirked at Willow, neither backing down.
Back in the ring, Kris fought off Skye Blue and Anna Jay. Anna Jay superplexed Kris and covered her but Willow hit Anna with a senton to break up the pin. Skye blasted Willow with the Code Blue, but Statlander broke it up. Kris cracked Blue with a back breaker. Willow walloped Anna Jay with a shotgun dropkick.
Skye shoved Kris into Willow. Willow countered a dragon suplex attempt by Skye on the apron by drilling Skye with a Death Valley Driver on the apron! Willow power bombed Anna Jay and pinned Anna Jay!
TBS Champion Julia Hart jumped into the ring, blindsiding Willow by smacking Willow with Julia’s championship belt! Julia held her belt high, and she and Mercedes had a stare down!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview the legendary Dustin Rhodes!
Dustin said he’s started 2024 off with a bang. Dustin said at 55 years old, he’s just as passionate about wrestling as he’s ever been.
The Butcher interrupted Dustin! Butcher challenged Dustin to a match for Friday’s Rampage! Dustin accepted, saying Butcher will find out why Dustin is a “Natural born legend!”
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm paid a visit to the studios of Turner Classic Movies and Ben Mankiewicz, the host of Turner Classic Movies!
Toni told Mankiewicz to watch out for the shoe and then tossed it over her head as she walked off the set.
AEW World Tag Title Tournament Quarter-Final Match!
The Undisputed Kingdom—ROH World Tag Team Champs Matt Taven & Mike Bennett (with International Champion Roderick Strong)
Orange decked Taven! Bennett took Trent off his feet with a lariat. Trent flew out of the ring with a tope and took out Taven. Bennet jumped out of the ring and wiped out Trent. Orange took to the skies and jumped off the top turnbuckle, his hands in his pockets, and crashed onto Taven and Bennett!
Trent drove Bennett down with a double knee strike. Taven rocked Trent with a thrust kick. Bennett spiked Trent with a piledriver on the apron!
Orange Cassidy grabbed a tag and hit Bennett with a cross body press. Orange served one up for Taven! Orange blasted Bennett with the Stun Dog Millionaire! Taven came in and pulped Orange with a running knee strike! Taven and Bennett hit the Proton Pack, with Bennett covering Orange for a near fall!
Trent spiked Taven with a DDT! And Orange followed up with a DDT on Taven! Trent nailed Taven with a running knee strike! Strong jumped on the ring apron but Chuck Taylor pulled him back down! Roddy wiped out Taylor with his right hand! Roddy jumped into the ring to get away from Orange, dropped his title in the process, and jumped out. Orange chased after Roddy and connected with an elbow suicida!
The ref was removing the International Title from the ring when Taven and Bennett had Trent set up for their finisher. As the ref was distracted, Chuck knocked Taven off the turnbuckles. Trent rolled up Bennett with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!
“What a win!” said Schiavone.
“Interesting turn of events but congrats to Cassidy and Trent,” said Taz.
Orange, Trent, and Chuck were about to give the people what they want—the big hug, when The Bucks’ music hit! Nicholas and Matthew Jackson walked onto the ramp and stared at Orange and Trent!
Next week on Dynamite it’ll be the Young Bucks against the Best Friends in the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Semifinals!
Renee Paquette was backstage with Kyle O’Reilly!
Kyle said it felt good to rip the band-aid off with his return match and victory against “Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith. Kyle said AEW has a deep roster and there’s no such thing as an easy match. He said he loves the Undisputed Kingdom but he’s going to prove he can do it without them again this week on Collision.
Main Event Time!
“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita (with Don Callis) vs. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana)!
Swerve rolled up Takeshita for a near fall. Swerve was looking for the short arm scissors, but Takeshita got to the ropes. Takeshita connected with the Takeshita-line!
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe was watching the match on a monitor backstage, obviously having a keen interesting in this number one contender’s match.
Swerve blasted Takeshita with a diving European uppercut to the back of Takeshita’s neck. Swerve rocked Takeshita with a neck breaker over the middle rope. Swerve followed up with a backbreaker, but Takeshita fired back with a brain buster on Swerve!
Swerve nailed Takeshita with a German Suplex, but Takeshita got right to his feet and knocked Swerve’s block off with a devastating forearm! Swerve launched into a hurracanrana over the top rope and onto Takeshita on the floor!
Swerve followed up with a big diving cross body, but Takeshita kicked out at the one-count. Takeshita smoked Swerve with a knockout shot! Takeshita nailed Swerve with a running knee strike. Takeshita flipped over the top rope and landed hard on Swerve!
Takeshita hoisted up Swerve for a brain buster on the top turnbuckle, but Swerve fought out of it. Takeshita headbutted Swerve in the ribs. Swerve chopped out the legs out Takeshita with swift kicks. Swerve drilled Takeshita with a DDT off the turnbuckles! Swerve splashed Takeshita with a sky twister for a near fall!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Takeshita fired back with a reverse hurracanrana and followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall on Swerve!
“Takeshita can’t believe Swerve kicked out of that,” said Taz.
Swerve clobbered Takeshita with a straight right hand! Takeshita stunned Swerve with a jumping knee strike! Swerve planted Takeshita on the crown of his head! Swerve squashed Takeshita with the Swerve Stomp on the apron! Swerve returned to the top, jumped at Takeshita, but Takeshita countered with a powerbomb! Swerve escaped a brain buster attempt, but Takeshita was prepared with a wheelbarrow suplex to Swerve. Takeshita flattened Swerve with a Power Drive Knee, but Swerve kicked out at the two-count!
Takeshita was looking for an avalanche blue thunder, but Swerve knocked Takeshita down to the mat. Takeshita avoided the Swerve Stomp. Swerve countered a blue thunder bomb attempt, sending Takeshita into the corner turnbuckles. Swerve rocked Takeshita with the House Call kick! Swerve hit the Swerve Stomp, but Takeshita kicked out! Takeshita blasted Swerve with a jumping knee strike. Swerve countered a pop-up power bomb attempt with the Swerve Stomp! Swerve planted Takeshita with the Big Pressure and pinned Takeshita!
“Well, if that isn’t a 5-star match, I don’t know what is,” said Tony Schiavone.
Renee Paquette interviewed AEW World Champion Samoa Joe after the match, asking for his thoughts about facing Swerve Strickland.
Samoa Joe: “You should ask him how he’s feeling right now. Next week, Swerve, when you walk down to that ring and sign onto that dotted line, I am going to make sure that you understand what you are asking for. You think you’re ready. No, no, you’re not that man.”
“Swerve Strickland will face Samoa Joe at Dynasty for the AEW World Championship on Sunday, April 21st, live on pay-per-view!” said Excalibur.
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET!
Don’t miss AEW Collision live on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Budweiser Gardens in London, ON featuring:
–AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Big Bill & “Absolute” Ricky Starks vs. Top Flight!
-Kyle O’Reilly in action!
-AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Quarterfinal Match: FTR vs. The Infantry!
-Trios Match: The Righteous & Lance Archer vs. Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, & Katsuyori Shibata!
-The return of the “Cope Open!” TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland will put his championship on the line!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from DCU Center in Worcester, MA!
Last Wednesday night was jam-packed with three hours of AEW programming, starting with our traditional two hours of DYNAMITE, then immediately followed by RAMPAGE as it aired on a special night! During those three hours, the AEW faithful witnessed Adam Copeland earn back the TNT Championship by going through a hellacious “I Quit” match with Christian Cage, and saw Kazuchika Okada defeat Eddie Kingston to claim the AEW Continental Championship! In addition, Skye Blue and TBS Champion Julia Hart beat Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale in a Street Fight, Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta won their Wild Card bout in the Tag Title Tournament, and FTW Champion HOOK defeated Chris Jericho!
This Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, live from Quebec City, QC and the Centre Videotron, we will witness a rematch seven years in the making, one that many thought would never come to pass, when Katsuyori Shibata takes on Will Ospreay! Plus, Konosuke Takeshita will go head-to-head with Swerve Strickland, and the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament begin when The Young Bucks meet Private Party!
Then join All Elite Wrestling in London, ON for Saturday’s COLLISION, live from the Budweiser Gardens, for The Infantry versus FTR in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, and so much more!
SEVEN YEARS IN THE WAITING…
“The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Eleven matches; that is how many times Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay stepped into the ring between January 5th and February 11th of 2017. Seven of those times it was Shibata who came out on top, but only one of those victories came in the form of a singles match, the very last one at NJPW’s THE NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA 2017 event. The other ten matches were all fought in trios and multi-man bouts, all save that RevPro British Heavyweight Championship fight on February 11th won by Shibata, but unfortunately a rematch never came to pass as Shibata’s career came to an end just two months later after an IWGP Heavyweight Title fight with Kazuchika Okada at SAKURA GENESIS 2017.
Then the unimaginable happened; four years and six months later, during the G1 CLIMAX 2021 tour, Shibata shocked the world when he stepped into the ring with Zack Sabre Jr. for a five minute Grappling Rules contest! Two and a half months later, at WRESTLE KINGDOM 16, Shibata would get back into the ring with Ren Narita for a full-blow professional wrestling match, then ten months later, on the 11/4/22 edition of RAMPAGE, Shibata would make his in-ring debut for AEW in an International Championship loss to Orange Cassidy. Given the time between those two matches, it was reasonable to question whether or not Shibata was returning to full-time competition or if those were just a couple matches to test his own limits. The answer came on March 31, 2023 when, at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023 event, Shibata won the ROH Pure Championship from Wheeler Yuta, and spent the next eight months tearing it up on both AEW and ROH events, as well as traveling to RevPro for their 11TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW.
After losing the Pure Championship back to Yuta last November, Shibata returned to Japan, but made a monumental return to AEW action on the March 16th COLLISION when he battled Bryan Danielson in a certified Dream Match. Here were two men that both thought their in-ring careers finished at some point in the years prior, two men who defied the odds and the expectations of medical professionals, two men who were now fighting better than they had at any previous point in their careers, and they were going to war for the AEW faithful. Danielson ultimately won the fight, and there was another man watching on who took what happened as a test he needed to take upon himself.
That man was Will Ospreay, and with his own bout against Bryan Danielson set for AEW DYNASTY on April 21st, he felt the need to test himself against Katsuyori Shibata, to see if he could succeed in 2024 where he did not in 2017, and thus made a challenge to “The Wrestler” for the fight going down this Wednesday night! Can Ospreay follow in Danielson’s footsteps and score a victory over Katsuyori Shibata in Quebec City? Or will Shibata repeat history in this monumental rematch seven years in the making?
ONE-ON-ONE…
“The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita vs. Swerve Strickland
Thus far in 2024, Konosuke Takeshita holds a record of 5-1 in singles matches, and 10-2 over the last twelve months in that field. That’s a run that includes victories over Chris Jericho, Darby Allin, Kenny Omega, Kyle Fletcher, as well as Rocky Romero this past Wednesday night, and has shown the world that “The Alpha” is one of the most fearsome competitors in All Elite Wrestling today.
Over the course of his last eleven one-on-one match-ups Swerve Strickland lost exactly one time, his Continental Classic Gold League fight with Jon Moxley on 12/13/23, and was taken to a 30-Minute time limit draw by Hangman Page on 2/7/24. It’s been an incredible run for Strickland as well, and even if you factor in his two Three Way losses in the Gold League Finals and at REVOLUTION 2024, it doesn’t change that run because wasn’t the man who took the fall in either of those matches. There are few men who’ve been on a hotter streak that Swerve Strickland, and that run has put Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship in Swerve’s crosshairs.
For the very first time these two men, each at the top of their game, will lock horns this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and there is certainly the possibility that the future of the AEW World Championship hinges on the result of this match! Both Takeshita and Swerve have reasonable claims to being the next challenger for Samoa Joe, based on their respective records and, in the case of Swerve, the fact he wasn’t defeated in the Three Way at REVOLUTION ’24.
As announced Tuesday night by AEW GM Tony Khan, this match will determine the next challenger for Samoa Joe’s AEW World Championship! With that added factor, there is no doubt Samoa Joe will have his eyes on this contest as his next contender is determined!
AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…
The Young Bucks (Matthew & Nicholas Jackson) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen
On October 9, 2019, in the very first match of the original AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament, Private Party shocked the world when they defeated The Young Bucks to advance out of the Quarter-Finals. Though Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen would fall to The Lucha Brothers in the Semi-Finals, the impact was made, and the world had been forced to stand up and recognize Private Party.
A year later The Young Bucks would even up the score, pinning Isiah Kassidy to win a Four Way #1 Contenders match on 10/21/20, and would follow that up with a traditional tag team victory over Private Party on November 4th a few weeks later. Since that bout over three years ago, the two teams only met in one Trios match, though Isiah has a little more experience fighting the brothers Jackson with other partners during Marq Quen’s injury recovery, but not one other tag team match between Private Party and The Young Bucks since 2020.
That all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE when, in the Quarter-Finals of the AEW World Tag Title Tournament, The Young Bucks and Private Party meet again! Since Marq Quen’s return to action in 2024, Private Party is 2-2 in tag team action, though one of those losses came in a Three Way tag with Top Flight and Bryan Keith/Komander where neither Quen nor Kassidy were the ones pinned to lose the match. As for The EVPs, in 2024 they are 3-1 in tag team action, but to be honest about their record, two of those victories came over local competitors who frankly had no chance at actually beating the former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions.
The Young Bucks have a mission of becoming the first 3-Time AEW Tag Champions while Private Party have one to capture those belts for the very first time, and only one team can get closer to their objective. Will it be The Young Bucks or Private Party who advances to the Semi-Finals? And will it be The Undisputed Kingdom or the Orange Cassidy/Trent Beretta tandem who meets them there?
AEW WORLD TAG TITLE TOURNAMENT QUARTER-FINAL MATCH…
The Undisputed Kingdom (ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs.
The AEW World Tag Title Tournament kicks off in full-force this Wednesday night with the aforementioned Young Bucks/Private Party match, and this Quarter-Final match pitting ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett against Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta!
Though OC and Trent have never faced this Undisputed Kingdom tandem in a tag match, Cassidy’s fight with Roderick Strong have made them all quite familiar with one another, in fact the former 2-Time International Champion beat both Taven and Bennett in singles matches on the road to REVOLUTION 2024. But on that same road, as part of their mission to remove Cassidy’s support system, The Undisputed Kingdom put a hurting on Trent Beretta, so that makes this tag team encounter as much a method of revenge as it is an opportunity to move forward in the tournament to face the winner of the Private Party/Young Bucks bout!
TBS CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER MATCH…
Kris Statlander vs. Willow Nightingale vs. Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay
The TBS Championship is a prize greatly coveted by the women of All Elite Wrestling, and this Wednesday night four competitors will clash to see who moves on to DYNASTY 2024 to face Julia Hart! All four of these women have plenty of story with Julia Hart, especially Statlander, Nightingale, and Skye Blue given their months of battle since FULL GEAR 2023, but Anna Jay has her own reasons for wanting another fight with Julia Hart.
Hart has been the bane of Anna Jay’s AEW existence, in three bouts it has been Julia who’s won each one, including a TBS Championship fight at BATTLE OF THE BELTS IX back in January. Statlander is the woman that Julia Hart took the TBS Championship from, though technically she did not defeat Kris to win in, but Statlander has yet to be granted a rematch. Coincidentally, Julia earned that title fight at FULL GEAR 2023 by defeating Willow Nightingale in an Eliminator Bout, and of course there’s the relationship between Hart and Skye Blue that’s blossomed since Hart misted Skye many months ago. At first they were at odds, but over time the two women became thick as thieves, and have come to operate as quite the fearsome tag team, actually beating Stat and Willow in a Street Fight last Wednesday night on RAMPAGE!
This is quite the intriguing Four Way, and it will be interesting to see how TBS Champion Julia Hart responds to the outcome of the fight, especially if it is Skye Blue who earns herself the DYNASTY 2024 title match!
Join us Wednesday night for DYNAMITE, hailing from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC, and featuring the first Quarter-Final match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament between The Young Bucks and Private Party, Takeshita versus Swerve, and a rematch years in the making between Katsuyori Shibata and Will Ospreay!!!
The meets us this Saturday in London, ON at the Budweiser Gardens for the return of COLLISION featuring former 2-Time AEW World Tag Champions FTR taking on The Infantry in a Quarter-Final match-up of the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament!
Tonight’s double header episode of AEW DYNAMITE & AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast live from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, ON!
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!
Tony Schiavone kicked off the show in the ring to interview “The CEO” Mercedes Moné!
The fans chanted “CEO! CEO! CEO!”
Mercedes: “Toronto, please say hello to your new CEO. I am still on such a high since last week at Big Business. I missed you guys. I missed all of this! I am so excited to be her in AEW. A lot of you guys don’t know this, but all of this almost got taken away from me 10 months ago. I almost had a career ending injury in a match against Willow Nightingale.
“I know this is in the past and I’m in a new home of AEW. A lot of people may not know who Mercedes Moné is, so I asked the production truck to play a highlight video so you can get a taste of your new CEO.
“As you see, I was rocking and rolling, I was kicking butt all over the world but then it got taken away from me. But I knew I needed to be back, and I needed to be here. Minor setbacks make for major comebacks and now I’m here as your CEO. I am not here to lead a women’s evolution. I’ve done that before. I am here to lead a women’s global revolution. I can here to face the very best women in AEW and all over the globe.
“About last week when Julia Hart and Skye Blue attacked Willow, they must not have heard that I have unfinished business with Willow. And anybody that messes with my business will get bankrupt. There’s a price you pay when you mess with Mercedes Moné.”
The arena lights went dark!
The lights came back on, and Julia Hart was standing in the aisle, smirking at Mercedes. Skye Blue tried to ambush Mercedes, but Mercedes dropped Blue! Julie Hart jumped in, and Mercedes hoisted up Julia for the Money Maker, but Skye Blue pulled Julia to safety!
Skye Blue and Julia Hart pulled steel chairs out from beneath the ring. They were about to enter the ring to attack Mercedes with the chairs, but Willow Nightingale and Kris Statlander sprinted to the ring with chairs of their own, coming to the aid of Mercedes!
The lights went dark again! When they came back on, Willow had a chair, and it appeared she was set to whack Mercedes with it, but she put it down.
“I think she was going to hit Mercedes with it,” said Schiavone.
Mercedes pointed at Willow and said she had her eyes on her.
AEW Continental Championship Match!
“Mad King” Eddie Kingston (c.) vs. Kazuchika Okada!
“The world is ready for this one,” said Tony Schiavone.
Kingston hit Okada with a flurry of offense, and then blistered the challenger with chops. Okada hammered back with an elbow to the back of Kingston’s head. Okada spiked Kingston with a DDT on the arena floor!
Matthew and Nicholas Jackson were watching backstage, wearing headsets and producing the match.
Okada nailed Kingston with a neck breaker. Okada followed up with a dropkick to the side of Kingston’s head. Kingston fired back with a double over hook suplex and then a back heel trip. Kingston blasted Okada with machine gun chops in the corner. Kingston rocked Okada with a German suplex and then a sliding forearm. Okada rallied back with a dropkick.
Eddie stunned Okada with a spinning back fist for a near fall. Okada attempted to hit the Rainmaker, but Kingston got his arms up to block it. Okada gouged Kingston’s eyes. Okada planted Kingston on the mat and rocked Eddie with the Rainmaker, scoring the pin!
New AEW Continental Champions… “The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada!
“History was made here tonight,” said Taz.
“Okada wasting no time,” replied Excalibur.
“The Bastard” Pac’s music hit! Pac walked onto the ramp and stared a hole into Okada, making his presence known to the Rainmaker!
Renee Paquette was backstage to interview Swerve Strickland!
Renee said that Swerve went after AEW World Champion Samoa Joe, and wanted to know what his intentions were.
Swerve: “The AEW World Championship, Renee. Samoa Joe attempted to embarrass me by choking me out. Unfortunately for him I have a history of choking people out myself. I want to fight so I’m going to offer an open challenge tonight.”
Next Renee Paquette interviewed Kris Statlander and Willow Nightingale ahead of tonight’s street fight!
Mercedes Moné walked onto the scene and interrupted them.
Kris: “You know, I’ve been meaning to say this. Thank you for having Willow’s back last week.”
Mercedes: “Of course. That’s what a CEO does. You see, a CEO stands up for what she believes in. And I’m excited to watch your street fight tonight. Because you know what they say: payback’s a bitch. And thanks for having my back out there tonight, Kris. It was nice meeting you.”
Willow: “Mercedes, I just wanted to say—”
Mercedes: “You’ve done enough!”
“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. FTW Champion HOOK!
Hook dumped Jericho on the back of his head with a T-bone suplex right out of the gates!
“I don’t think Jericho expected that,” said Schiavone.
Hook battered Jericho in the corner. Jericho fired back with chops. Hook sent Jericho for a ride once again with another T-bone suplex. Hook dodged Jericho and planted Jericho with two more suplexes. Hook folded Jericho in half with another suplex!
“We are witnessing a lopsided affair. Hook is dominating Chris Jericho,” said Excalibur.
Jericho booted Hook in the face and rammed Hook with a shoulder block. Jericho jumped off the top turnbuckle, but Hook caught him and suplexed him. Jericho tried to rally back with a lionsault for a near fall.
Hook charged at Jericho, but Jericho countered by throwing Hook. Jericho put Hook on the top turnbuckle, looking for a top rope hurracanrana, but Hook managed to apply the Red Rum on Jericho! Chris Jericho broke the grip and was looking for the Walls, but Hook countered by rolling up Jericho and pinning Jericho!
“What an inside cradle out of nowhere!” said Taz.
“That might be the biggest victory of Hook’s career thus far. Hook just pinned the first ever AEW World Champion,” said Excalibur.
Jericho fist bumped Hook after the match, both men displaying mutual respect for one another.
We heard from the Undisputed Kingdom’s Adam Cole!
Cole: “I hate the feeling of being disappointed. Last week Wardlow you disappointed me. You challenged Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship, and you failed. Wardlow, you had one damn job and you failed. And right now, I should be—you should be—the AEW World Champion.
“Instead, you have a new goal and that’s to make sure the Undisputed Kingdom hangs onto the gold that we have. You’re going to make sure that Taven and Bennett keep those Ring of Honor World Tag Team titles. You are going to make sure that Roderick Strong keeps the AEW International Championship. And then maybe we’ll forgive you.
“Wardlow I’m not saying this out of anger. I’m saying this because I care about you. I want what’s best for you. I want you to reach your true potential. So don’t screw it up.”
Renee Paquette interviewed Chris Jericho backstage!
Jericho: “Last week I said I wanted to face Hook one on one for a reason. I was hoping he did what he did tonight. Hook, you showed me something I haven’t seen in a long time. You are a future World Champion. You are every bit of a bad, bad man as everyone says you are. And after tonight you’ve got my respect. And next week, Hook, on Dynamite, I’ve got a proposition for you.”
Tony Schiavone interviewed “The Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay in the ring!
Ospreay: “I’ll clear the air right now. Last time I was here I was a little bit of a naughty boy. I’ve changed. I’m here for the betterment of AEW. I am here to give you guys Elite levels of professional wrestling.
“I said what I wanted to say about Bryan Danielson until I saw Collision. I hope all the lads studied his match against Shibata on Collision. That was pro wrestling. Bryan in one breath you said you were grateful to be stepping into the ring with me, but in the other breath you said I couldn’t walk in your shoes.
“Maybe he’s right because when I would go over to Japan, I’d see his shoes and there’s no way I could fit into them, because they’re too small for me. What I did in Japan was elevate professional wrestling. But apparently, I can’t walk in your shoes? Want me to prove it? All right, Shibata, long time no see. Seven years ago, I wrestled Shibata and he beat the piss out of me. But the 23-year old me is different than the 30-year old me because I’ve got a point to prove. So next week on Dynamite, Shibata, meet me in this ring. Danielson, sit home and watch and let me show you what I’m all about.”
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm & Mariah May
vs.
“The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa!
Deonna and Thunder Rosa sprinted toward the ring and took the attack to Toni and Mariah, swarming them. Mariah grabbed Deonna by the hair and yanked her to the mat. Mariah followed up with a dropkick.
Deonna turned the tables with a double clothesline to Toni and Mariah. Thunder Rosa grabbed a tag and launched off the bag of Deonna to splash Toni in the corner with a lariat. Thunder Rosa followed up with a running lariat. Luther tried to take a swipe at Thunder Rosa. As Thunder Rosa was distracted by Luther, Toni Storm knocked Rosa to the floor with a running hip attack!
Deonna grabbed a tag and punted Mariah in the face with a pump kick. Thunder Rosa tagged herself in and Deonna didn’t seem happy about it. Thunder Rosa drilled Mariah with a Death Valley Driver in the center of the ring! Toni Storm grabbed Thunder Rosa from behind and nailed Rosa with a German Suplex!
Toni Storm cracked Thunder Rosa in the corner with a hip attack! Toni tried for a piledriver, but Thunder Rosa countered with a jackknife pin and scored the victory!
Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) vs. The Butcher!
Swerve headbutted Butcher, catching Butcher by surprise. Swerve booted Butcher in the face. Butcher blasted Swerve with a strike to the face. Swerve double stomped Butcher on the back.
Swerve rocked Butcher with the House Call kick! Swerve crunched Butcher with the Swerve Stomp right on target. Swerve applied a submission hold and forced Butcher to tap!
“That may be Swerve’s first submission victory in an AEW ring,” said Excalibur.
Swerve: “Samoa Joe before I met you, I had nothing but respect for you. But then when I got to know you, I felt a little indifferent. Then after awhile I started disliking you. And now I’m getting close to hating you. And as I stand with this chain in my possession, every day I think about wrapping it around your neck and hanging it from the post, but I don’t have enough chain for that big ass neck.
“Every week you’re going to keep sending security to watch your back. Every week I’m going to take them out until you give me what I want!”
AEW World Champion Samoa Joe walked down to the ring!
Samoa Joe: “Well what to do with someone like you, Swerve. Logic should dictate that I ignore you completely because contrary to what you believe, I beat you at Revolution and you’ve been shoved down the championship ladder.
“You still believe that the impossible is possible. You still believe that if you stand toe to toe with me that you can box with a god. And the problem with that belief is it becomes infections. And then all these people believe they can be great too. And that’s all find and dandy until someone like me shows up and smashes you in the face and takes everything you have. And it was at that realization that I knew exactly what to do with someone like you. And that is to give you exactly what you want!”
Don Callis: “Whoa, whoa, whoa guys. It strikes me, Swerve, that I guess when you’re in Swerve’s House, you can just put yourself in a World title match. And Swerve, it strikes me that you and Takeshita have the same amount of wins. The difference is Takeshita is undefeated outside the Don Callis Family. So, Swerve I’m thinking maybe Takeshita needs to show you what it tastes like to lose to the family.
“And if you’re feeling good about that Swerve, I’m happy to teach you a lesson that I’ve taught many people. This is not Swerve’s House. This is the Don Callis House!”
Swerve: “If I had more time and I wasn’t distracted by what I’ve got going on, I’d burn the Don Callis Family Tree down to a crisp. But you know what? I accept. I will take on Takeshita. And when I’m done with him, I’m coming for you again Joe.”
Excalibur: “I’ve been informed that next week on Dynamite, it is official: Konosuke Takeshita against Swerve Strickland!”
TNT Championship I Quit Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland was looking for the spear right away, but Christian bailed out of the ring. Copeland blasted Christian with a sliding dropkick. Copeland chased Christian through the crowd, and they began to brawl in the penalty box.
Copeland propped a ladder across the guardrail and the announcers’ desk. Copeland pulled Christian down hard on the ladder!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Copeland inverted the ladder in the ring and then slammed Christian against it stomach first! Copeland rammed Christian shoulder first into the steel ring post. Cope pulled a table out from under the ring. Copeland placed the ladder against the guardrail. Cope went to spear Christian through the table, but Christian leapfrogged over Copeland and then rammed Copeland into the ring post! Copeland was busted wide open!
Christian jumped off the top turnbuckle and splashed Copeland through the table outside the ring! Christian catapulted Copeland into a ladder that was placed on the turnbuckles. Copeland dodged a frog splash. Copeland locked in a cross face submission but Christian gouged Copeland in the eyes. Both men went for the spear and collided into one another!
Shayna Wayne ambushed Copeland, hitting him with a hockey stick for a low blow! Christian Cage cracked the hockey stick across Copeland’s back! Christian grabbed a barb wire wrapped chair from beneath the ring. Christian set Copeland’s head across one chair and tried for the con-chair-to with the barb wire chair, but Copeland moved out of the way in the nick of time!
Copeland hit Christian with the hockey stick across the face. Copeland pulled the drawstring from his pants and wrapped it around Christian’s throat, pulling back. Killswitch and Nick Wayne jumped into the ring and began to stomp Copeland!
Mother Wayne entered the ring and slapped Copeland as Nick Wayne and Killswitch held him back. Matt Menard and Daniel Garcia ran to the ring and cleaned house of Nick Wayne and Killswitch, evening the odds for Copeland!
Copeland climbed the ladder and splashed Killswitch and Nick Wayne outside the ring! Garcia had handcuffs. Garcia and Menard handcuffed Killswitch to the ropes while Copeland handcuffed Nick Wayne in the opposite corner. Mother Wayne retreated from the ring!
Garcia and Menard pinballed Christian Cage with strikes and then Copeland speared Christian! Copeland handcuffed Christian in the corner. Copeland pulled the case containing Spike from beneath the ring. Copeland swung Spike at Christian, cracking him between the legs! Copeland went to hit Christian again, but this time Christian said, “I quit!”
And new TNT Champion “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
AEW Rampage began!
“Switchblade” Jay White and The Gunns had strong words for Darby Allin from poolside in Florida!
Jay White mocked Darby’s broken foot. “Switchblade” showed off Sting’s bat, which he had painted gold. They taunted The Acclaimed and Darby.
Trios Champs The Acclaimed walked onto the ramp!
Caster said Billy Gunn wasn’t cleared to travel after what happened to him last week at the hands of Jay White. Caster offered Jay White a one-way first class ticket to anywhere he wanted to go, as long as it wasn’t here. But he knows Jay White is too stupid to take him up on that offer. “When you bring your stupid ass back here with your ass boys, we’ll be here to hunt you down.”
Bowens said he was pissed off because The Gunns and Jay White didn’t show up tonight. Bowens said Jay White was not a catalyst, he is a coward.
AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Wild Card Match!
Best Friends— “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy & Trent
vs.
The Don Callis Family’s Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher!
Matt Menard was on commentary for Rampage.
Hobbs spiked Orange with a spinebuster, and Trent ran in to break up the pin attempt! Hobbs planted Orange onto the apron repeatedly. Orange dodged a splash from Hobbs. Trent tagged in and drove Fletcher down with double knees. Trent wiped out Hobbs and Fletcher on the floor with a swan dive!
Hobbs and Fletcher stunned Trent with a pendulum bomb! Trent fired back with a DDT on Fletcher. Orange tagged in and connected with a crossbody to Fletcher and then he knocked Hobbs with an elbow suicida. Cassidy pumped Fletcher with a DDT and tried to cover Fletcher, but Hobbs broke it up.
Hobbs put Orange in a torture rack. Trent freed up Orange, ramming a knee into Hobbs so Orange could roll up Hobbs for a near fall! Hobbs bulldozed Orange to the mat! Orange rallied back with a Stun Dog Millionaire on Fletcher while Trent followed up with a half and half!
Hobbs pulped Orange and Trent with a double shoulder tackle. Hobbs rag dolled Orange into the LED lights. Trent stomped Hobbs so Orange could crush Hobbs with a Beach Break! Fletcher avoided the Orange Punch and countered with a spinning tombstone for a near fall on Orange!
Trent nailed Fletcher with an avalanche half and half! Orange drilled Fletcher with a diving DDT! Orange rocked Fletcher with the Orange Punch and pinned Fletcher!
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kevin Matthews!
Shibata pounded Matthews into the corner and followed up with a running dropkick! Shibata took Matthews over the top with a suplex for a near fall. Matthews fired back with a lariat. Shibata went behind, locked in a sleeper, but Shibata released it. Shibata cracked Matthews with the PK and pinned Matthews!
The Don Callis Family’s Konosuke Takeshita vs. Rocky Romero!
Rocky chopped Takeshita in the chest. Rocky rocked Takeshita with a strike to the face. Rocky wiped out Takeshita with a step up hurracanrana. Rocky followed up with the forever clotheslines. Takeshita countered with a boot and then a running basement dropkick!
Takeshita swung at Rocky but Rocky ducked and Takeshita struck the steel ring post! Rocky followed up with a tope suicida! Rocky hit the running sliced bread for a two-count on Takeshita! Rocky wrenched back on Takeshita’s arm.
Don Callis jumped on the ring apron to distract the ref. Rocky turned his attention to Don Callis and Takeshita seized the moment to boot Rocky in the face! Rocky avoided a power drive knee, but Takeshita spiked Rocky with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Takeshita decimated Rocky with a forearm strike. Takeshita followed up with a Falcon Arrow and pinned Rocky!
Street Fight!
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale
vs.
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue!
Kris clocked Julia with a drop toe hold on a chair. Willow dropkicked Julia as Julia was wedged between the chair. Willow pulled a table out from beneath the ring and slid it into the ring. Skye Blue came to Julia’s aid. Skye wiped out Kris and Willow.
Skye held Kris back while Julia pulled out a steel spike. Julia charged at Kris with the spike, but Kris moved out of the way, causing Julia to inadvertently hit Skye in the face with the spike!
“Absolute carnage!” said Excalibur.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Willow tried to power bomb Skye on the announcers’ desk, but Sky countered with a Code Blue! Skye Blue emptied a bag of thumbtacks into the ring. Statlander had her own bag and emptied thumbtacks in the ring too!
Skye Blue power bombed Statlander into the tacks, but Statlander kicked out at the two-count! Skye put the tacks in Kris’ mouth and then rocked Kris with a thrust kick! Skye covered Kris but Kris kicked out! Skye climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Willow jumped onto the apron, grabbing Skye and planting her through two tables on the arena floor with a Death Valley Driver!
Statlander attempted a 450 splash from the top, but Julia rolled out of the way! Julia locked in Heartless and Statlander tapped out!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, QC!
We are on the road to DYNASTY live on PPV April 21st, hailing from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO, and we already know Bryan Danielson will go to battle with Will Ospreay in a dream match for the ages! We also know that the AEW World Tag Team Championship Tournament will culminate that night, and on COLLISION fans witnessed The Infantry score a huge upset over House of Black to move past the Wild Card round. This Wednesday night in Toronto, All Elite Wrestling returns to the Coca-Cola Coliseum and with that comes another red-hot edition of DYNAMITE! We’ve got Adam Copeland and Christian Cage in an “I Quit” match for the TNT Champion, the Continental Championship on the line with Kazuchika Okada challenging Eddie Kingston, HOOK and Chris Jericho going one-on-one, and AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm teaming with Mariah May to battle Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo!
But wait, there’s more! Not only will the AEW faithful in Toronto get to experience AEW’s flagship, the whole world will also get to see RAMPAGE live, as it happens, immediately following DYNAMITE on TBS! That’s right, AEW is bringing three huge hours of action to TBS this Wednesday, and RAMPAGE will feature another Wild Card match in the Tag Title Tournament, as well as a Street Fight pitting Statlander and Willow against the TBS Champion and Skye Blue!
The show starts at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, for highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as the latest CONTROL CENTER! Then join us next Wednesday night for DYNAMITE’s debut in Quebec, City and the Centre Videotron!
Three minutes and thirty-two seconds; that is how long Adam Copeland could claim to be TNT Champion after beating Christian Cage at WORLDS END. Then Killswitch, having earned a guaranteed TNT Championship during the ZERO HOUR, struck down the new champion to try and capitalize on the situation. Sadly it was Christian who got to take advantage of it all, convincing Killswitch to bequeath his title shot to “The Patriarch”, and ending Copeland’s TNT Title reign just 212 seconds after it began.
Copeland had every reason to demand a rematch, despite Cage’s insistence that he go to the back of the line, but instead Adam began his “Cope Open” to earn another shot, and took on every person who stepped up to the plate. Griff Garrison, Lee Moriarty, Dante Martin, and the legendary Minoru Suzuki all put Copeland to the test in their own fashion, but Adam beat each one, leading to a confrontation with another man in pursuit of Cage’s title, Daniel Garcia. Like true sportsmen, Copeland and Garcia agree to meet in singles combat with the next TNT Championship match going to the winner, but like a true scumbag, Christian Cage and his Patriachy stuck their nose into the fight, causing a No Contest result, and allowing Cage to put Copeland on the shelf with a Con-chair-to.
But they left Garcia intact, and though he didn’t claim the TNT Championship at REVOLUTION 2024, it’s really only because Nick Wayne and the Patriarchy were there to make sure Christian Cage survived Greensboro as champion. Take them out of the equation, and the AEW faithful would’ve been calling Daniel Garcia the new TNT Champion. It would’ve been quite fascinating to see how Copeland would’ve responded to someone else being the one to knock Christian off the TNT mountaintop, but that’s not how the hand played out, instead Cage has to actually deal with the repercussions of his assault on Adam Copeland with the future of the TNT Championship hanging in the balance!
Furthermore, the future of the championship won’t be decided in a regular match, not after everything that’s taken place between these two men since Copeland first arrived in AEW, the TNT Championship will be contested in an “I Quit” match this Wednesday night in Toronto! This is just the second such bout in the history of All Elite Wrestling, the first taking place at FULL GEAR 2020 between Eddie Kingston and then-AEW World Champion Jon Moxley, and coincidentally that too was a fight between friends-turned-enemies. That is about where the similarities end, neither Moxley nor Kingston threatened violence with a nail-embedded 2×4 for one, and though their bond had history, it isn’t thirty-plus years deep.
That’s what makes this entire scenario so painful, yet so intriguing; the careers of Adam Copeland and Christian Cage have played out before the world for the last twenty-five years, their lives have unfolded before the eyes of wrestling fans, their triumphs and tragedies have been public consumption, and a vast majority of it took place with them supporting one another. Even at the times they were on opposing sides, it wasn’t as ugly as situations have gotten here in AEW, it never seemed past the point of no return as it does now.
With AEW’s return to Toronto, one of these two competitors will be forced to say “I Quit” in front of the entire world. One man will have to capitulate to the others onslaught and give up their TNT Championship dream, but more than that, give up on the hope of reconciling differences with one another. Either Christian Cage or Adam Copeland will leave the Coca-Cola Coliseum as TNT Champion, that is certain, but what is uncertain is what the future of the relationship between these two men could possibly look like after the hell that’s been traversed over the last several months.
Five months ago, at NJPW’s RUMBLE ON 44th STREET event, Eddie Kingston and Kazuchika Okada stood inside the ring as allies, a tag team facing down the BULLET CLUB GOLD tandem of Jay White and Juice Robinson, though their ending came with “Switchblade” pinning “The Mad King”. Skip ahead to March 6, 2024 and Kingston confronting The Young Bucks in the middle of the ring as the two found a way to gloat about their loss to Sting and Darby Allin at REVOLUTION 2024 a few days prior. The two EVPs made a choice to assault the Continental Crown Champion, teaming up on Kingston after a low blow neutralized him for a moment, but it seemed that the arrival of Kazuchika Okada would bring an end to the attack.
Turned out it was all a ruse at Eddie’s expense, and Okada chose that moment to show the world that not only was he officially All Elite, but he was also now one of The Elite alongside Matthew and Nicholas Jackson! To say that choice by Okada was disappointing would be a gross understatement, but it certainly proved a successful alliance as this new unit managed to defeat Kingston, PAC, and Penta El Zero Miedo in Trios competition, with Okada pinning Eddie to secure the victory. Sure it took another low blow from Matthew to allow Okada to hit The Rainmaker lariat, but with the win secured, it set Okada up for an immediate shot at the AEW Continental Championship.
That title fight goes down this Wednesday night in Toronto, and it actually marks the first defense of the Continental Championship separate from the rest of Continental Crown, meaning it will be fought under Continental Rules, meaning absolutely no interference will be tolerated. Coincidentally, Kingston is also set to defend the ROH World Championship at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2024 event on April 5th, a match separate from the rest of the Crown as well.
This bout is also Kazuchika Okada’s first singles match as an official member of the AEW roster, though not his first in All Elite Wrestling; in fact he’s 0-2 in one-on-one matches over his limited AEW experience, meaning he may see this as the match to make a statement to the rest of the AEW locker room, as well as an opportunity to claim his first AEW championship in rapid fashion. After overcoming Bryan Danielson at REVOLUTION 2024, after getting “The American Dragon” to actually shake his hand and acknowledge respect for “The Mad King”, it seemed Eddie had found a way to channel his inner fury into a positive, controlled fashion, but this situation with Okada and The Young Bucks seems to have shaken that resolve.
The Kingston who got in The EVPs faces was not restrained, the man who fought in that Trios match was not as focused as he was in Greensboro; could that be his undoing this Wednesday night when the Continental Championship is at stake? Will we see Okada add another championship to his resume? Will it be Kingston who adds another victory to this impressive run of nine consecutive singles matches, a run that includes Claudio Castagnoli, ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta, Bryan Keith, and two over Bryan Danielson?
Singles Match…
FTW Champion HOOK vs. Chris Jericho
FTW Champion HOOK and Chris Jericho recently found themselves with a common foe in The Mogul Embassy; in HOOK’s case it was Brian Cage in pursuit of the FTW Championship and for Jericho it was putting himself in the middle of that situation. When the original AEW World Champion elected to help HOOK when The Gates of Agony attacked him, Jericho became another target for Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona, and they didn’t wait long to let him know. It was only a few days between the attack on HOOK and the one on Jericho, and just as “Lionheart” helped “The Cold-Hearted, Handsome Devil”, so too did HOOK assist Chris.
That led the two men to actually team up against The Gates of Agony; not only did they team up, the unlikely pair actually won the bout over Kaun & Toa, but that was not to be the end of their association, in fact Jericho himself made the challenge for this bout taking place on Wednesday night! Now one need only look at Jericho’s history in AEW for enough reason to question the man’s motivations for wanting this bout, but his desire to test HOOK does seem legitimate, not like a cover for ulterior motives.
Interestingly it was just over 28 years ago that Jericho fought HOOK’s father Taz for the first time, actually scoring a DQ victory over “The Human Suplex Machine” that night in Philadelphia, so it is rather wild that Jericho is now fighting HOOK almost three decades later. It’s a testament not only to the longevity of Jericho’s career and how he’s operated at the highest levels, but also his willingness to mix it up with the younger generations when he could very well use his status to avoid ever having to lose face should he lose a bout like this.
It’s almost as if Jericho wants to make sure the landscape of wrestling is in good hands when the time comes for him to step away from in-ring competition, and perhaps that’s why the fights with Atlantis Jr, Titan, and now HOOK. It’s going to be interesting to see how this one plays out, will it be Jericho’s experience that lead to victory or will we see the youth of HOOK lead him to the biggest victory of his career? The FTW Champion tested Samoa Joe like few others in AEW have, can he do the same to Jericho?
Tag Team Grudge Match…
AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm & Mariah May vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Thunder Rosa
At one point during their REVOLUTION 2024 championship match, “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo had “Timeless” Toni Storm dead to rights, tapping out to her Venus de Milo submission hold, but the official was not in position to make the call thanks to Mariah May. Still, the world saw the AEW Women’s World Champ giving up even if the referee did not, and though it may not mean Purrazzo stands as the World Champion at this moment, it certainly gives her a viable claim to a rematch, and every justification to refer to herself as the “uncrowned champion” if she so chose. It’s quite clear Toni Storm wants to avoid a championship rematch with Deonna at this juncture, but unfortunately for Storm, she can’t dodge the tag team match scheduled for this Wednesday evening, a match she agreed to without even knowing who Deonna’s partner would be!
Turns out there’s another woman with some unfinished Toni Storm business, though it may be more accurate to say it’s unfinished World Title business, and that is “La Mera Mera” Thunder Rosa! Unfortunately for Rosa, due to injury she had to vacate the AEW Women’s World Championship in September 2022, a vacancy that was filled by Toni Storm at ALL OUT 2022 when she beat Dr. Britt Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Hikaru Shida in a Four Way bout. It was the first of Storm’s three championship reigns, and though it lasted just 76 days before Hayter dethroned her, it fueled the fire (and possibly the personality break) that has led “Timeless” to where she is today. In the time Rosa missed, the landscape of the AEW Women’s Division shifted quite a bit and now she finds herself fighting for a shot at the title she never lost, and perhaps this tag team contest is a way to that end game. A victory over Storm could put Rosa into contention, after all she’s won six straight matches since her return to action, four of those in singles competition, and if she could pin Toni in this fight, well it would have to put her name into the running for the next title fight.
And that’s what makes this pairing of Thunder Rosa and Deonna Purrazzo quite interesting, they are two women with the goal of claiming the AEW Women’s World Championship from Toni Storm, but does that put them at cross-purposes as partners? Mariah May is obviously all in on supporting Toni and doing whatever she needs, can the same be said for “La Mera Mera” and “The Virtuosa”?
Last week on DYNAMITE: BIG BUSINESS, Mercedes Moné made a huge impact with her arrival in All Elite Wrestling! It wasn’t just the words she spoke at the top of the program, but also her actions at the end of the night when Moné lent a helping hand to Willow Nightingale as TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue assaulted her. She dropped Skye Blue, planted Julia Hart, and actually shared a moment of respect with Willow Nightingale despite the fact Willow beat her to become the first NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion last year.
Now we will hear from “The CEO of AEW” this Wednesday night live on DYNAMITE, and you know the ears and ears of Julia Hart and Skye Blue, as well as the rest of the AEW Women’s locker room, are going to be fixed on what Mercedes Moné has to say!
But that’s not all…
That’s right; immediately following the conclusion of DYNAMITE, we will roll right into RAMPAGE on TBS, for three straight hours of the greatest professional wrestling on the planet! The second Wild Card Match in the AEW World Tag Title Tournament is set to go down pitting The Don Callis Family against Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta, and it’s Street Fight time when Willow and Kris Statlander meet the TBS Champion and Skye Blue! Those two tremendous bouts, and a whole lot more, are coming to the AEW faithful immediately after the conclusion of DYNAMITE, making for one huge night of professional wrestling in Toronto!
AEW World Tag Team Title Tournament Wild Card Match…
The Don Callis Family (ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs)
vs.
Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta
***WINNER FACES TAVEN/BENNETT IN QUARTER-FINALS***
Last Saturday night on COLLISION, fans witnessed a tremendous upset when The Infantry defeated House of Black in the first Wild Card match, albeit with a little help from a revenge-seeking Mark Briscoe, meaning Capt. Shawn Dean and Carlie Bravo move on to face FTR in the Quarter-Finals.
This Wednesday night during RAMPAGE the second Wild Card contest will take place when The Don Callis Family, represented by Powerhouse Hobbs and ROH World TV Champion Kyle Fletcher, take on former 2-Time AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Trent Beretta! As odd as it may be, especially with the OC/Trent pairing, neither of these teams are particularly experienced as a duo. The Callis crew have only teamed up once other time at RAMPAGE: WINTER IS COMING 2023, while the Cassidy/Beretta team only have 3 AEW matches and 1 ROH match under their belts this year, though to be fair OC and Trent have a wealth of experience working together in multi-man matches over the history of AEW.
The winner of this contest moves on to face ROH World Tag Team Champions Matt Taven and Mike Bennett in the Quarter-Final round, and it’s quite difficult to pick a winner in this tag team affair. The power and precision of The Don Callis Family team versus the top tier all-around game of the OC/Trent pair; it’s quite the pick’em for the Wild Card round!
Street Fight…
TBS Champion Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale
As mentioned already, Willow Nightingale was the victim of an assault by TBS Champion Julia Hart and Skye Blue following her victory over Riho last Wednesday night. It was only the efforts of Mercedes Moné that saved the former NJPW STRONG Women’s Champion from serious injury, but it certainly left a question of where Kris Statlander was to help out her friend.
We would find out after the fact that the former TBS Champion was assaulted backstage, preventing her from assisting Nightingale, but on this Wednesday’s special edition of RAMPAGE it’s time for Julia Hart and Skye Blue to pay the piper in the form of a Street Fight! Willow and Statlander have already proven successful in that field, defeating Diamante and Mercedes Martinez last December under that stipulation, and now they’re prepared to bring the fight to the TBS Champion and her ally! This has been raging in one form or another since Julia Hart claimed the TBS Championship for herself at FULL GEAR 2023, will this be the night the scores are finally settled?
AEW’s three hour block of the best wrestling on the planet begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, in addition to AEWPlus.com for international fans, so visit the official AEW YouTube channel before showtime, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch highlights from previous editions of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the latest CONTROL CENTER with Tony Schiavone! Then join AEW next Wednesday night for our debut in Quebec, City at the Centre Videotron for an all-new live DYNAMITE!
