Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE: Fight for The Fallen was broadcast from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN!
Yourbroadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone!
Kicking off tonight’s show:Rey Fenix vs. Komander!
There was a bit of a stalemate in the early goings after some excellent chain wrestling.
“Komander with the early lead on points,” said Excalibur.
Fenix ran the top rope and tried for a punt kick, but Komander dodged it. Komander countered with a hurracanrana and then a tope. Excalibur noted that Fenix was an idol of young Komander’s.
Rey Fenix smashed Komander with a big diving stomp for a near fall. Fenix blasted Komander with a sliding thrust kick.
“Rey Fenix in the driver’s seat,” said Excalibur, as the momentum quickly shifted.
It turned into a slug fest. Fenix and Komander punished one another with stiff chops. Komander spiked Fenix with a hurracanrana for a two-count.
“I don’t see how Rey Fenix got out of that one,” said Schiavone.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Komander hit a lung blower on Rey Fenix for a near fall. Rey Fenix nailed Komander with a cutter as Komander. Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli were watching on a monitor backstage.
Rey Fenix performed the tight rope walk into a punt on Komander! Komander came out of nowhere with a crucifix bomb! Komander connected with a hook kick. Fenix came around with a hook kick of his own, and both men were knocked to the mat.
Komander shoved Rey Fenix off the top rope and followed up with a Canadian destroyer! Komander hit the shooting star press after walking the ropes, good for a near fall on Rey Fenix. Komander went for the 450 splash but Fenix dodged it.
“What a battle we are witnessing tonight,” said Excalibur.
“This is what AEW is all about,” added Tony Schiavone.
Rey Fenix planted Komander with a muscle buster in the center of the ring and pinned him!
Renee Paquette interviewed Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. backstage!
Baker: “Renee, I was in the first All In five years ago. I was in the female four way. Then I was the first female signed to All Elite Wrestling. I helped lay brick by brick the foundation that is this women’s division. I can’t think of a better full circle moment than to win for the second time the AEW Women’s World Championship at Wembley.”
ROH World Tag Team Champions Aussie Open—Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis
vs.
Brother Zay & “All Ego” Ethan Page!
Aussie Open ambushed Page and Zay at the start of the match. Aussie Open hit tandem offense on Brother Zay. Brother Zay took down Fletcher with an arm drag. Zay kicked Davis in the head and tagged out to Ethan Page.
Brother Zay flipped off the top turnbuckle and wiped out Aussie Open on the arena floor! Page powerslammed Fletcher in the ring. Aussie Open sandwiched Page and Zay, ramming them into one another.
Page nailed Fletcher with a brainbuster and then tagged to Brother Zay. He took the fight to Fletcher. Zay connected with a springboard cross body press to Fletcher for a near fall.
“When Brother Zay is in the ring everybody has a good time except his opponents,” said Tony Schiavone.
Fletcher cracked Brother Zay with a thrust kick after Zay missed a swanton. Aussie Open neutralized Ethan Page with stereo thrust kicks. Aussie Open connected with double lariats on Brother Zay and then Davis pinned Zay after they hit the Coriolis.
Davis: “Next Sunday at Wembley Stadium, Aussie Open proves they’re the best!”
Fletcher: “MJF and Adam Cole, you’ll never hit a kangaroo kick in your lives!”
The Righteous—Vincent, Dutch, and Grayson, have their sights set on AEW!
The Hardys were watching from the Hardy Compound, and they issued a challenge to Aussie Open for next week on Dynamite: Fyter Fest!
Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Cruz!
Sammy backflipped over Cruz and took down Cruz with a corkscrew dropkick. Sammy flipped over the top rope and crashed onto Cruz on the arena floor, making it look easy.
“Sammy may be the smoothest wrestler in AEW,” said Tony Schiavone.
Sammy cracked Cruz with a knee strike and then finished him off with the GTH, more than enough for the pinfall victory on Cruz.
Main Event Time!
AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida & Skye Blue
vs.
The Outcasts’ Ruby Soho & Toni Storm (with Saraya)!
Skye Blue hammered Ruby with forearms. Skye cracked Ruby with a knee strike. Toni Storm tagged in and she and Ruby stomped Skye in the corner.
The Outcasts double teamed Skye Blue. Toni Storm sent Skye soaring to the floor with a hip attack. Shida tagged in and took the fight to Storm and Soho. Shida hoisted up Ruby and then planted her hard on the mat. Shida caught Ruby with the question mark kick. Skye came in but Ruby planted her with the Saito Suplex.
Shida connected with a knee strike to Ruby. Skye tagged in and followed up with the Code Blue on Ruby. While the ref was trying to separate Toni and Shida in the corner, Saraya slid a can of spray paint into the ring for Ruby Soho. Ruby sprayed Skye Blue in the eyes! Toni rammed into Skye in the corner with the hip attack!
“Skye couldn’t see it coming,” said Excalibur.
Toni Storm covered Skye for the pin, but Shida broke it up!
“Shida keeping her team alive in this match,” said Excalibur.
Shida tagged in and she and Toni Storm traded forearms, a prelude to All In: London. Shida ran into the ropes, but Saraya grabbed her by the boot. Shida turned around and Toni Storm was there with a vicious high kick to the champ.
The Outcasts had Shida up for a powerbomb, but Skye Blue jumped into the ring and rocked Storm with a thrust kick. Shida countered the No Future kick from Ruby Soho with a jackknife and pinned Soho!
The Outcasts mugged Skye Blue after the match. Saraya blindsided Saraya! Dr. Britt Baker sprinted to the ring and began to brawl with Toni Storm! Shida and Saraya slugged it out. Security ran down to try to separate the four women!
“I say stay out of their way and let them go for it,” said Tony Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Fyter Fest on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA!
Don’t miss AEW Collision: Fight For The Fallen on Saturday live on TNT at 8/7c from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Orange and Wheeler traded arm drags. Then they exchanged stiff chops and forearms. Wheeler suplexed but then Orange countered with one of his own.
“These guys are going move for move,” said Taz.
Wheeler blasted the champ with a tope suicida. Orange suplexed Yuta on the arena floor. Yuta spiked Orange on the ramp! Wheeler followed up with a thrust kick to Orange’s head.
Back in the ring Orange blasted Yuta with the Beach Break! Wheeler chomped down on Orange’s hand and then stomped on it, trying to neutralize the hand that Cassidy uses for the Orange Punch.
Orange took flight with a tope suicida. Orange climbed the turnbuckles, but Wheeler kicked him in the head. Wheeler rocked Orange with a massive superplex! Wheeler crashed down onto Orange with a diving splash for a near fall. Cassidy clocked Yuta with the PK and then DDT’ed Yuta.
Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli walked out of the stands and glared at Orange from ringside. Orange looked over at Moxley and nailed Yuta with a Paradigm Shift!
“He looked right at Moxley when he executed the Paradigm Shift,” said Tony Schiavone.
“Moxley’s not too impressed,” replied Taz.
Orange connected with the Orange Punch on Wheeler Yuta. Orange immediately grabbed his hand.
“Oh, man, Orange Cassidy is hurting,” said Tony Schiavone.
Yuta locked up Orange in the seat belt for a near fall. Orange rolled up Wheeler, held onto his jean pockets, and pinned Wheeler!
Immediately after the match, the BCC swarmed Orange Cassidy and began to pummel him!
Best Friends—Trent and Chuck Taylor, sprinted to the ring to even up the odds. But the Best Friends still were not at 100%. The Lucha Bros came down to the ring with Alex Abrahantes. The Lucha Bros dished out stereo thrust kicks to Claudio. Moxley took a powder, leaving the ring before anyone could get their hands on him.
“Moxley got out of town,” said Schiavone.
Claudio and Moxley grabbed steel chairs and were about to enter the ring again when Eddie Kingston’s music hit! Kingston ran to the ring and began to brawl with Claudio!
“This has just broken down!” said Excalibur.
Eddie Kingston: “Hey, guess what? Wembley Stadium, boys. All In, boys! Us against you and whoever you can find! In a Stadium Stampede Match!”
Jim Ross had a sit-down interview with The Elite’s Kenny Omega at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL!
Jim Ross wanted to know about Omega’s plan for All In: London, and he wanted to know how Omega could even consider doing business with Don Callis.
Omega: “Uncle Don was just a friend of my real uncle, Uncle Larry, the Golden Shiek. And whether it was Christmas or my birthday, he was always there. Now that I look back it was really an odd childhood. I didn’t have friends, Don doesn’t like friends. I wasn’t able to have afterschool parties. Don gave me my first weight set. My first tub of protein. He’d say, ‘Take your vitamins.’
“And the way he guided me made me the best athlete possible. I try everyday to remember that version of Uncle Don. You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. And I found myself trying to justify what this guy has done. I’m trying to find a reason not to make my entire existence one of revenge.
“I just want to move on. I don’t want him to get into my head. I don’t want this to all be about Don and the people he chooses to be part of his family. Takeshita and I go way back. I saw a lot of myself in him when I was in DDT in Japan. I thought this is the kind of guy you want to guide the right way.
“As the god of pro wrestling, I have the power to giveth, and I have the power to taketh away. And Don, this new cash cow of yours, that you think means the world to you, I’m going to take him away.”
Don Callis interrupted the interview!
Callis: “Whoa, J.R., I didn’t know you were a psychotherapist now. How is your mental health, Ken, I’m really concerned.”
“Switchblade” Jay White and Juice Robinson ambushed Omega! Takeshita joined in on the beatdown as Don yelled “More! More!”
“Hangman” Adam Page had followed his friend Omega to the hospital.
Adam Page: “If you’re going to drive all the way to Jacksonville to do a beatdown, it’s at least got to be good. It’s got to be longer than two minutes. If you’re going to start a beatdown, you have to finish it.
“I’m outside of the hospital, with Kenny inside of it. It may seem like he is, but Kenny’s not finished. And neither is he friendless. Because in London Kenny will have two of his greatest friends. And not to flatter myself, two of his greatest tag team partners of all time, in ‘Hangman’ and Ibushi. A dream team, if you will, in front of one of the largest crowds in the history of pro wrestling. Juice, Jay, Takeshita, this little beatdown you started, at Wembley, we finish it.”
Don Callis was in the ring!
Callis: “It looks like everyone wants a piece of the Don Callis family. Ladies and gentlemen, we know the world is waiting. Without further ado, we’re going to get the answer. It’s my pleasure to introduce the greatest of all time. And my best friend for 34 years, Chris Jericho!”
Chris Jericho came down to the ring!
Jericho: “What happened last week broke my heart, when all the members of the Jericho Appreciation Society walked out on me, it made me reevaluate myself. It made me reevaluate who I am as a person.
“Like I told you Don, Chris Jericho doesn’t join factions. Chris Jericho creates them. And after what happened last week, it’s obvious what the answer is. So, my answer, if I want to be a part of the Don Callis family, is yes!
“The answer is yes. I’ll tell you why, Don. When the Jericho Appreciation Society walked out on me, I realized I needed to get back to my roots. I need to align with a man who is just as low as I am. The answer is yes!”
Jericho and Callis hugged!
Callis: “This is great! Let’s go drink Broadway dry and beat up some rednecks, just like back in the day.”
Jericho: “Before we go, what’s with the picture there?”
Chris Jericho turned back and looked at a picture set up in the ring that had a black cloth draped over it.
Callis: “Oh, I got another picture of you, me and Bad News. Which one of your houses do you want it sent to?”
Jericho: “No, no, seriously, if you’ve got a painting for me, I want to see it. Let’s check this out.”
Callis: “Chris, Chris…”
Jericho: “If it’s a gift for me, I want to see it.”
Jericho pulled the cloth off the painting, and it was revealed to be a portrait of Don Callis holding up Jericho’s decapitated head!
“No wonder Don Callis was so surprised by Jericho’s answer,” said Excalibur.
Jericho: “What is this?”
Callis: “What do you think it is? It’s a joke. It’s a practical joke.”
Jericho: “Did you think I was going to say no? So, over a business decision you were going to have me assassinated? You were going to have me beheaded if I said no to you?”
Callis: “No, you don’t understand, this is very embarrassing for me. I paid a lot of money for you to have a painting of you, me, and Bad News, and the artist screwed it up.”
Jericho: “Stop, stop, stop! I have known you since 1989. I know when you’re telling the truth and I know when you’re lying. You’re lying to my face right now, Don. For the first time in your life, you scumbag lowlife, be honest with me and tell me the truth. Be a man and tell me the truth!”
Callis: “You want the truth? Okay, you’re right! I did not think in a million years you would say yes to me Chris. I thought you would say no because of your massive ego. I’ve known you for 34 years and it’s always been about you. So yes, I thought you’d make a stupid decision and say no. So, Chris in a business full of egomaniacs, you truly are the greatest at that. You are a narcissistic ego maniac who is too stupid to see what’s good for him and you don’t deserve to be a part of the Don Callis family!”
Jericho: “The Don Callis family? Who the hell is Don Callis? Three years ago, you weren’t even in the wrestling business, and nobody cared. And now because of me you’re in AEW at the top of your career, and compared to me, still, nobody cares! And this is why, Don, you have lost everything. You lost your family, you lost Kenny Omega, you lost your friends because you don’t have me, you have messed up every single personal relationship you’ve had in your life. And you want to know why? Because you’re a low life. You’re a worm. You’re a piece of trash. And Don Callis, you are an a—hole!”
Don Callis slapped Jericho!
Jericho shoved Don Callis against the turnbuckles. Takeshita jumped into the ring with a steel chair, but Jericho cut him off! Will Ospreay jumped into the ring and blindsided Jericho!
“Don Callis called in reinforcements!” said Excalibur.
Will Ospreay cracked Jericho in the skull with the steel chair and busted him wide open! As Takeshita and Ospreay held up Jericho, Don Callis smashed the picture frame over Jericho’s head!
Sammy Guevara ran to the ring with Jericho’s baseball bat and Callis, Takeshita, and Ospreay retreated out of the ring!
Jack Perry said next week on Dynamite he is going to retire the FTW Championship!
Darby Allin & Nick Wayne
vs.
Gates of Agony—Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona!
The Gates of Agony rushed at Darby and Nick as Darby and Nick were making their entrance!
Swerve Strickland and AR Fox walked onto the ramp with steel chairs.
Nick Wayne rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida onto Bishop Kaun! The Gates of Agony hip tossed Nick into the barricade.
The Gates of Agony double teamed Darby Allin. Nick Wayne sent Toa flying off the apron with a hurracanrana. He followed up with a cutter to Bishop. Darby splashed Bishop with a Coffin Drop and pinned him!
Darby and Nick were ready for the fight with Fox and Swerve, as the Mogul Embassy members inched closer to the ring.
Sting appeared on the big screen! “Who’s house?” asked Sting.
Sting: “C’mon, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about. I’m directing movies, yes. Stinger is making movies now and I’ve got a great leading man. And I’m going to get into that in a minute. But first, Fox, this is for you. You better have eyes on the back of your head from this moment forward. Why? Because we have a Coffin Match in nine days at Wembley Stadium. I love it! The red blood cells are already moving. Tell ‘em, leading man.”
Sting pulled Prince Nana into frame!
Prince Nana: “Actually, 11 days away, sir.”
Sting: “Well, I guess the only thing left to say is, ‘It’s showtime!’”
Out next: AEW World Champion MJF and Adam Cole!
MJF: “Cut our music! The Devil has arrived!”
Adam Cole: “We are a week and a half away from the biggest pro wrestling event of all time, I’m talking about All In. And during Zero Hour, Adam Cole and MJF are going to become your new Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions. And we’re going to do it—”
MJF: “With a kangaroo kick, baby!”
Adam Cole: “Max I was going to say we’re going to win with a double clothesline! But that is not the only match taking place that night. Because in the main event we have Adam Cole against MJF for the AEW World Championship. And this is going to go down as the most important match in my entire life. Because nine months ago I was told by multiple doctors that I may never wrestle again. Fast forward and now I’m in the biggest pro wrestling show of all time, challenging for the most prestigious prize in our sport, the AEW World Championship. And I’m doing it with one of my best friends. I’m talking about you Max.
“This match is so important for my legacy. For 15 years I’ve been at the top of every wrestling promotion I have ever worked for. I’ve broken records with my championship runs, and this match with Max, that solidifies my legacy in AEW. But not just being in the match but winning the match. Because Max, I love you, but I need to win this match more than you could ever imagine. And I’m just telling you this out of love, but the second that bell rings, I will do anything and everything to win that AEW World Title.”
MJF: “That was a great story. Too bad mine is better. When I first got into this sport, on my first day at wrestling school, we were told to write down dream opponents. I wrote down two names. Cody Rhodes. And Adam Cole, baybay. Fast forward, the year is 2018, I for one year have had a brand new Dodge Ram truck and in that one year I put 90,000 miles on it, because I busted my ass trying to make a name for myself on the independent circuit.
“And then a little birdie tells me in 2018 there’s going to be a show in Chicago, a show that would be the biggest show in wrestling outside of the WWE in decades, and that show was called All In. So, I shot my shot. I DM’ed Cody Rhodes and I said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me all that well and you don’t owe me a damn thing, but if you give me an opportunity, I promise you I will not disappoint. Some time went by, the show was getting closer and closer, and my hopes of getting on it were getting thinner and thinner until I got a response from Cody Rhodes. He said to me, ‘Kid, you’re all in.’
“That was the biggest night of my career and I got to open a pay-per-view I had no right being on. And yes, I may have lost that night, however, I managed to turn some pretty important heads. One of them being a man by the name of Tony Khan. After that match Tony Khan offered me a contract to a company called All Elite Wrestling.
“The fact of the matter is, if there’s no All In, there’s no MJF, and that’s a fact. Fast forward the year is 2023 and I went from being an unknown and I scratched, and I clawed my way up from the undercard and I grew up in front of your very eyes. I became a generational talent. I became the devil himself. I became the AEW World Champion!
“And now once again I’m looking at the opportunity to be on a show called All In and it will be in front of the biggest crowd in the history of this sport and I’m going to be in the main event with a guy who on day one was my dream opponent, and who I can proudly say has become my best friend. This means so much to me, you have no idea. However, it doesn’t mean everything to me. There is only one thing that means everything to me and that is the Triple B. This is not simply just a title. This symbolizes all my blood, sweat, tears, countless hours training in the gym. All so I could obtain this! And if you think just because I’m your bud I’m going to lay down on August 27th, you’re out of your mind. I love you like a brother but a win in Wembley will make me legendary and I’m going to win Adam, because nobody is on the level of the devil!”
Adam Cole: “Well Max, may the best man win.”
MJF: “I have a feeling the best man is going to win because I’m MJF and I’m better than you and you know it!”
Adam Cole: “That’s interesting because I’m pretty sure your new AEW World Champion’s name is Adam Cole baybay!”
ROH World Tag Team Champions Aussie Open emerged from the crowd and attacked MJF and Adam Cole!
Adam Cole and MJF turned the tables and got the upper hand on Aussie Open! They tried for the double clothesline on Mark Davis, but he jumped out of the ring and pulled Kyle Fletcher with him.
Roderick Strong as watching on a monitor backstage with the Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven.
Chris Jericho was backstage being stitched up!
Jericho: “Ospreay, at Wembley Stadium, your home turf, you want a piece of Chris Jericho. Jericho versus Ospreay at All In! I’m going to make you bleed and drink your blood. I’m going to get inside your head and embarrass you. You don’t know what you got into, but you’ve opened hell and the Ocho is coming for you!”
Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deathmatch!
“The Last Outlaw” Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy!
Absolutely anything goes and the only way to win is by pinfall.
Jeff Jarrett ambushed Jeff Hardy. Hardy whipped Jarrett into the wall and then bludgeoned Jarrett with a crutch.
Satnam Singh grabbed Jeff Hardy by the neck and hoisted him up against the wall. Matt Hardy, Brother Zay and Ethan Page came out to even up the odds.
“This is one of the most bizarre matches we’ve seen in All Elite Wrestling,” said Excalibur.
Jeff Hardy dropkicked Jarrett on the ramp. Smoke began to billow out from beneath the ring. Hardy smacked Jarrett with a kendo stick. Jeff Hardy connected with a swanton, crushing Jarrett through a table! Jay Lethal jumped into the ring to break up the pin attempt.
Ethan Page blasted Lethal with a shoulder tackle. Matt Hardy hit the Twist of Fate on Lethal! Karen Jarrett hit Matt Hardy from behind with a cheap shot. Jeff Jarrett grabbed his guitar, but Jeff Hardy pulled it away and smashed it over Jarrett’s head!
Leatherface came to the ring and kicked Jay Lethal in the midsection. Leatherface chased Karen Jarrett to the back! Satnam Singh grabbed Jeff Hardy and then Jay Lethal cracked Jeff Hardy in the back with a hammer! Satnam Singh choke slammed Jeff Hardy! Lethal placed Jeff Jarrett on top of Jeff Hardy and then Jarrett scored the pin!
All In: London Women’s Championship Qualifier Match!
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. vs. The Bunny (with Penelope Ford)!
Bunny charged at Britt, but Britt rolled up Bunny for a near fall. The Bunny stomped on Britt’s hand. She followed up with a knee lift to Baker.
Penelope Ford jumped on the ring apron and distracted Britt long enough for the Bunny to hit a lariat. Britt fired back with forearms. Britt battered Bunny with elbow strikes. Britt hit the Sling Blade.
Britt nailed Bunny with a swinging neck breaker for a near fall. Baker landed a thrust kick and then the curb stomp and she pinned the Bunny!
“She punched her ticket!” said Taz.
The Acclaimed—Max Caster & Anthony Bowens
vs.
…
Before the Acclaimed’s opponents were introduced by Justin Roberts, the arena lights went dark!
When the lights came back on, the AEW World Trios Champions the House of Black were standing behind the Acclaimed in the ring!
The House of Black ran over the Acclaimed like a freight train! Brody had a chain wrapped around his hand and he clocked Max Caster with it! Brody planted Bowens in the center of the ring!
Julia Hart had Billy Gunn’s wrestling boots. They were handed over to Malakai Black!
Main Event Time!
The Young Bucks—Matt & Nick Jackson
vs.
The Gunns—Austin & Colten Gunn!
The Bucks superkicked the Gunns as the Gunns were making their entrance! The Bucks double suplexed Colten in the ring. They hip tossed Austin.
The Bucks cleaned house with a flurry of offense. The Gunns gained some traction, working over Matt Jackson with tandem offense.
Matt Jackson rallied back and tagged Nick. Nick took down the Gunns with a huge double crossbody. Nick superkicked Austin! Nick punt kicked Colten!
Matt Jackson tagged in and he superkicked Austin. Nick smashed Austin with a knee strike. Colten saved his brother from the Bucks. Colten tagged in, but Matt rolled him up for a near fall. The Gunns hit Matt with the 3:10 to Yuma but Nick used an elbow drop to break up the pin attempt.
Matt German Suplexed Austin Gunn. Matt pinned Austin with some leverage from his brother. Juice Robinson and Jay White jumped into the ring after the match and began to ground and pound the Young Bucks! They placed Matt Jackson’s injured arm between a steel chair, and they were about to crush the arm when FTR’s music hit! FTR jumped in the ring, and they cleaned house on Bullet Club Gold! The Bucks and FTR cooperated to clear out the ring of Bullet Club Gold!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday live on TNT at 8/7c from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY featuring!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
The biggest event in All Elite Wrestling history, ALL IN: LONDON, is so close and it is already quite the stacked event, but there’s still more road to travel before we get there, and the next stop on that road is a return to Nashville for AEW’s debut at the Bridgestone Arena!
The biggest event in All Elite Wrestling history, ALL IN: LONDON, is so close and it is already quite the stacked event, but there’s still more road to travel before we get there, and the next stop on that road is a return to Nashville for AEW’s debut at the Bridgestone Arena! This Wednesday night Chris Jericho will give his answer to Don Callis, the AEW World Champion and his ALL IN: LONDON challenger will discuss their bout, and The Young Bucks will battle The Gunns in the perpetual debate of who is the best brother tag team! Plus, Dr. Britt Baker and the returning Bunny will fight it out for the fourth spot in the AEW Women’s World Championship match going down at Wembley, Darby Allin and Nick Wayne will be in tag team action against The Gates of Agony, and Orange Cassidy will defend his AEW International Championship against Wheeler Yuta!
DYNAMITE: FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN 2023 begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to get caught up on highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER, and more! This year we are supporting those affected by the devastating fires in Hawaii, and encourage everyone to support the Maui Food Bank.
Six months ago Wheeler Yuta stepped into the ring with his former trainer, his former friend, Orange Cassidy and attempted to wrest the then-AEW All-Atlantic Championship from Cassidy’s grasp. It was a bout months in the making, the result of Wheeler turning his back on The Best Friends unit and aligning with The Blackpool Combat Club, and it would end in Cassidy’s favor. To this day, with 28 championship defenses to his reign, there are many who still consider this the best bout of Cassidy’s title run.
But being the opponent who took the champion to their limit doesn’t actually mean anything if you don’t win said championship, and that is where Yuta was at following their title fight. Each moved on with their life, at least for a short period of time, The BCC went to war with The Elite at Anarchy in The Arena and inside Blood & Guts, but along the way Yuta and company tangled with Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta in Trios matches. Orange continued to build his legacy, making history as the most prolific champion AEW has seen to date, defeating every single challenger that stepped up, no matter the cost to his body along the way.
But inevitably the paths intertwined once again as, in the aftermath of Claudio Castagnoli’s ROH World Championship match against PAC at DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2023, The Best Friends’ issues with Death Triangle would bring Orange Cassidy into the fray, and lead to issues between The BCC, Death Triangle, and The Best Friends. Escalation, there is always escalation, and it came with The Luchas winning a three way tag bout over their foes, then Trent pinning Penta in a Three way with Moxley, and then the epic Parking Lot Fight between Best Friends and BCC in Jacksonville. In that last one, Cassidy and Yuta would have that moment where a showdown felt inevitable, but instead it was a group assault by The BCC on Cassidy that left the International Champion, as well as Trent and Chuck Taylor, battered on the concrete at Daily’s Place.
It’s also why Orange was all alone when Wheeler, Moxley, and Claudio surrounded the ring following Cassidy’s championship victory over Johnny TV last Friday on RAMPAGE, but instead of assaulting the man 3-on-1, the former 2-Time ROH Pure Champion issued a challenge to Cassidy to face him this Wednesday night in Nashville, and put the International Championship on the line!
Through his reign as International Champion, Orange Cassidy has found a way to beat opponents of all shapes, styles, and sizes, but few of his foes have come with such a personal edge as Wheeler Yuta. Cassidy may have beaten Yuta six months ago in Phoenix, but OC has had 16 defenses since then, not to mention numerous other fights, that have taken their toll on his body. Yuta has been through Anarchy, he’s been through Blood & Guts, he’s been to battle with Kenny Omega, and he’s been banged up himself. But one thing these two men have in common, maybe something born out of how their careers began, is that they seem to grow stronger through this adversity. It doesn’t matter the pain they’ve experienced, or how they are hurting, both Yuta and Orange persevere.
Who will be the one to persevere through this championship fight on Wednesday night?
TAG TEAM BOUT…
Darby Allin & Nick Wayne vs. Gates of Agony (Bishop Kaun & Toa Liona)
This dynamic between Darby Allin and Swerve Strickland has become brutally personal, something beyond the wins and loses, something now soaked in blood and betrayal. AR Fox stabbed Darby in the back, apparently because of how he viewed Darby’s support of Nick Wayne, and throwing his lot in with Swerve and the Mogul Embassy was the best way to make Darby feel the pain.
Apparently the best way to share that pain with Nick Wayne was to visit his training facility and leave him a bloodied, battered mess, but what The Mogul Embassy didn’t count on was the return of “The Icon” Sting to the AEW landscape, nor the Casket Match that would be set-up for ALL IN: LONDON. So now Prince Nana’s men are on the offensive ahead of that Wembley date and trying to hurt Darby, and his allies, in any way they can. Brian Cage stepped up last Friday night in a losing effort against the 2-Time TNT Champion, and now his ROH World Six-Man Championship partners will take their stab at Darby and the returning Nick Wayne, the latter certainly with revenge on his mind after the assault at his school.
Can Darby and Nick Wayne keep the momentum building as AEW approaches ALL IN: LONDON? Or will The Mogul Embassy throw a speed bump on the path and get an upper hand before the Casket lids are opened?
The Bunny has been out of action since February when she faced then-AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter in an Eliminator Bout, but this Wednesday night she returns to the AEW stage with one of the biggest opportunities of her career! There is one spot left in the AEW Women’s World Championship Four Way at ALL IN: LONDON, and The Bunny has an opportunity to fight in her first AEW championship bout in front of the largest crowd in All Elite Wrestling history!
All she has to do is defeat a former Women’s World Champion, another individual whose been a part of the fold since the very beginning, Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D! Now these two women have only faced off one time in singles competition, a match that took place on the 2020 Jericho Cruise, and was won by The Good Doctor.
Aside from bragging rights, that was a fight with very little stakes, but this one has some of the highest stakes possible save the title actually being on the line. Can The Bunny make her return to competition a triumphant one, or will it be spoiled by Dr. Britt Baker’s mission to become a 2-Time champion like Shida and Toni Storm?
THE BEST BROTHERS…
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. The Gunns (Austin & Colten)
Aside from the 2022 Battle Royales that shaped the REVOLUTION 2022 AEW World Tag Team Championship bout, The Young Bucks and The Gunns have had little interaction, but Austin and Colten’s insistence that they’re the best brother tag team is about to put them on a collision course. It won’t be the first time those claims have gotten The Gunn boys into a fight, they beat Top Flight and The Hardys to bolster their bragging, and now they’ve got the Brothers Jackson to tussle with on DYNAMITE.
The Young Bucks have a huge date with destiny on their plate at ALL IN: LONDON with the FTR rubber match, and their return to tag team competition last week, after months embroiled in Trios bouts and wars with The Blackpool Combat Club, proved quite successful when the bested The Hardys.
So for Matt and Nick it’s now about keeping the momentum going as they head to Wembley for one of AEW’s most historic events, and possibly the most important match of their careers. There’s a bit of irony here that The Young Bucks attempt to build momentum could be cut short by a team with BULLET CLUB affiliation, or that, should Juice Robinson and Jay White be on hand, the Jacksons could be cut off at the knees by the same actions they themselves once employed as part of that unit.
It could be a huge night for Colten and Austin Gunn, an opportunity to actually bolster their claims to be the best brother tag team in AEW, but it’s hugely important to The Young Bucks morale that they don’t acquire an “L” in tag team action before making the trip to Wembley Stadium.
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE DEATHMATCH…
Jeff Jarrett vs. Jeff Hardy
In conjunction with the release of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre game, dropping August 18th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox, AEW presents the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Deathmatch this Wednesday night in Nashville! Pitting Jeff Jarrett against Jeff Hardy, it has been twelve years since the last time these two clashed in a singles match, and their only AEW interaction took place when Jeff and his brother lent an assist to The Elite following their Trios Bout with Jeff, Jay Lethal, and Satnam Singh.
Now Jeff and Jay will rekindle their rivalry in this special bout, a match where anything goes, and who knows what kind of chaos will result from that! Only 20 miles from Double J’s hometown of Hendersonville, will he put that guitar to use across Jeff’s head, or will Hardy put away Double J like he has so many times before?
After last week, AEW World Champion MJF and Adam Cole are now set to pull double duty at ALL IN: LONDON, first taking on Aussie Open in a ROH World Tag Team Championship bout during the ZERO HOUR, and then colliding with each other during the pay-per-view proper with Max’s title on the line.
It was an idea laid out by Cole, an opportunity to claim a championship he never held during his seven year Ring of Honor tenure as well as add his name to the ROH Triple Crown list, and for MJF to get his first ever bout under the auspices of ROH. Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis were more than happy to accept the challenge last Friday on RAMPAGE, and that makes the situation for Wembley’s AEW World Championship match even more intriguing.
But that’s not all that’s complicating the situation, there is the entire matter of Roderick Strong and whatever is going on with The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett. Clearly the former multi-time ROH World Tag Champs are in the ear of Roddy, offering Strong a shoulder to lean on as he watches his best friend repeatedly make terrible choices in this dynamic with MJF. Cole may be insistent that Roderick trust him, but it’s hard to do that when the man asking for trust keeps making questionable choices.
Well this Wednesday night, the AEW World Champion and his challenger will be on hands to discuss ALL IN: LONDON and the situations they are facing. Can these two new-found “brochachos” continue to bond with so much at stake in less than two weeks?
KENNY OMEGA AND JIM ROSS…
Kenny Omega has been through a lot in the last few months; he and The Young Bucks lost the World Trios Championship at REVOLUTION 2023, he was betrayed by Don Callis and quite literally stabbed by a man he considered family, betrayed by Konosuke Takeshita, and went through hell with Anarchy In The Arena and Blood & Guts. In the midst of all that, Kenny also lost the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Will Ospreay at FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023; The Elite may have come out of Blood & Guts the victors, but Omega lost more personally than anyone else involved in the BCC war.
With all that in his heart and mind, Kenny Omega will sit-down with Jim Ross this Wednesday to discuss what the future may hold for the former AEW World Champion. Will he be in London? Will he look for vengeance against Don Callis? Where is Omega’s head at and what will it mean for All Elite Wrestling?
And speaking of Don Callis, another of his pet projects watched as his unit disintegrated before his very eyes this past Wednesday night. Chris Jericho, after being propositioned by Callis to join his family, never gave a definitive answer one way or the other, and that was something that sat ill with the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society. Then when Jericho teamed up with Takeshita, another of Callis’ projects, to actually fight Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia, it infuriated The J.A.S, and to make matter worse, the way Jericho conducted himself in that fight, it essentially drove the final nail in the coffin of The Jericho Appreciation Society, leading to the mandatory meeting called to order by “Daddy Magic” Matt Menard rather than Jericho himself. So when every member of The J.A.S walked away from “The Ocho”, it left him, for the first time since the premier episode of DYNAMITE birthed The Inner Circle, utterly alone…except for Callis’ offer.
So what will it be? Will Jericho actually traverse the AEW landscape by himself, or will he surround himself with Callis, Takeshita, and whoever else may comprise this family Don is trying to surround himself with? Can Chris do it by himself, or is he afraid of standing among a locker room full of men he’s spent four years infuriating without a multitude of people insulating him?
All Elite Wrestling returns to Nashville for a debut at the Bridgestone Arena and with it comes loaded up edition of DYNAMITE: FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN 2023, with donations being made to support the Maui Food Bank and those affected by the fires. On tap, The Young Bucks and The Gunns will meet in tag team action, as will The Gates of Agony battle Darby Allin and Nick Wayne. Plus, The Bunny returns to action to face Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D for the final spot in the AEW Women’s World Championship bout at ALL IN: LONDON, Wheeler Yuta challenges former friend Orange Cassidy for the AEW International Championship, and we will find out Chris Jericho’s decision regarding Don Callis’ offer!
DYNAMITE begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT LIVE on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international fans, so drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to get caught up on highlights from last week’s episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus the newest edition of THE CONTROL CENTER, and more!
Tonight’s AEW COLLISION was broadcast live from the historic Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC!
Nigel McGuinness and Ian Riccaboni were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview “Absolute” Ricky Starks!
Tony Schiavone informed Ricky Starks that he has been banned from wrestling for AEW for 30 days due to his attack on Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat last week on Collision.
Ricky Starks: “You have to have consequences for your actions. And I’m not talking about myself. I’m talking about Steamboat. Steamboat cost me the match, so I had to whoop his ass. Every single parent here understands.
“The other thing I want to touch on…yeah, I figured you guys would suspend me. All you people backstage want to play in my face like I’m some type of joke. So, I went and got a manager’s license. I’m still going to be on this show each and every week because this is my show!
“You don’t have to like me, but you don’t have to love me, but guess what, you will respect me. I’m unhinged right now. CM Punk, I want you to know one thing. Blood is on your hands, brother. You brought that man into this ring, and you are the reason that he got 10 lashes. So, my question to you is, you got the W, and I got the L, but guess what? I can live with mine, can you? No. You aren’t Superman, you aren’t bulletproof, and you damn sure ain’t ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks.
“Right here, right now, I am proclaiming that I am going to set this whole damn company on fire and I’m going to start next week. You want a war? Guess what? I’m going to bring a war to your front door and I’m going to make sure your mommy, your daddy, and your sister all understand that I am ‘Absolute’ Ricky Starks and there ain’t nobody like me on Dynamite and on this damn show!”
The Acclaimed—Max Caster & Anthony Bowens
vs.
Iron Savages—Bronson & Boulder!
Bowens traded forearms with Bronson. Bowens got the upper hand, and then tagged out to Max. Boulder got chopped by Max. Boulder held up both members of the Acclaimed and hurled them overhead and to the mat.
Bowens cleaned house on the Iron Savages. Boulder and Bronson planted Bowens. Caster ran in to break up the pin attempt on Bowens. Caster springboard dropkicked Bronson off the shoulders of Boulder.
Jack Jameson jumped into the ring and Bowens nailed him with Scissor Me Timbers. The Acclaimed hit double FameAssers on their opponents and scored the victory.
Caster: “Yo! Yo! Yo! Listen! Tonight, the best two man team in this sport has returned because the Acclaimed is back! This Wednesday on Dynamite we’re wrestling again baby. And even though Billy’s not with us, we’ve got the spirit of Billy with us always.”
Bowens: “And in the spirit of Billy Gunn, last week Max and I got to say goodbye, but you guys didn’t get to say goodbye. I know Billy is at home watching. So, Greensboro, throw those scissors in the air and make some noise for the legend that is Billy Gunn. We love you, Billy! The world loves you, Billy! And everyone loves the Acclaimed!”
Lexy Nair was backstage with Bullet Club Gold!
Jay White: Lexy you need to be smiling a bit. Because you’re hanging out with the Bang Bang Gang! Not only are we the best, this is the most elite version of Bullet Club ever. I know there’s a handful of guys that like to call themselves the Elite, but they don’t have the right to.
“Two of those guys walk around calling themselves the best brother tag team ever. They also don’t have the right to do that. That right is reserved for a couple of top guns.”
The Gunns said they would ride into Dynamite this Wednesday and show the Young Bucks why the Gunns are the best brother tag team in AEW.
TBS Champion Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale
vs.
Diamante & Mercedes Martinez!
Diamante and Statlander slugged it out. Willow tagged in and splashed Diamante for a near fall. She booted Diamante in the face.
Martinez and Diamante double dropkicked Willow after placing her in the Paradise Lock. Willow rallied back by choke slamming Diamante onto a prone Martinez. Statlander grabbed the hot tag and dished out clotheslines to the opposition.
Kris and Willow hit their opponents with double sentons. Diamante rocked Kris with a cutter. Martinez threw Diamante over the top rope and out onto her opponents outside the ring. Willow came back with a pounce onto Martinez. Kris smashed Diamante with a fisherman busterman spin driver. Martinez rolled up Willow and pinned her, with the help of Diamante giving leverage to Martinez.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Toni Storm!
Storm: “Listen, I don’t know who you are, but I demand a little respect. I’ve been a little depressed since losing my title but today I’m feeling a little better because not only do I have my rematch at Wembley Stadium but also because my girl Saraya will be in the match. Which means no funny business. That means I’m finally going to get a fair fight because these other girls are trouble, and everybody knows it.”
Ring of Honor World TV Champion Samoa Joe vs. Andrew Everett!
Samoa Joe jabbed at Everett. Joe crushed Andrew in the corner with a splash. Samoa Joe rocked Everett with a lariat and then locked in his submission to force the tap out!
Samoa Joe: “My name is Samoa Joe. I stand here as your now and forever king of television. And your king came here tonight looking for the answer of a champion. But as I stand in the ring right now, I’m met with the deafening silence of a coward. And as far as I’m concerned, your Real World Champion is acting like a real b—tch right now!
“I gave you the courtesy of asking. I gave you the mercy of letting you know what would happen. And since you don’t seem very talkative tonight, allow me to say this. I began coming out here by asking you for what I want. But now Punker, I’m going to convince you.”
Next Christian Cage and TNT Champion Luchasaurus came out to the ring!
Christian Cage: “I know there’s a lot of second bests to come out of North Carolina. We all know that Michael Jordan isn’t the greatest basketball player of all time. And as far as professional wrestling goes, everybody knows that I am far superior to Ric Flair or any other wrestler from North Carolina for that matter.
“As the TNT Champion, I, we, don’t expect, we demand respect. Lately I felt a little disrespected by Darby Allin. Now Darby, I’ve already told you this, as long as this TNT Championship is in my possession, you will never touch it again. Do you understand me?
“I heard you say that you paint half your face because you’re 50% dead inside. I’m building a legacy. Do you understand me? If you keep pursuing my TNT Championship, I’ll give you the other 50%.”
Arn Anderson walked out with Brock Anderson!
Arn: “That’s about enough. This is not Darby Allin. We’re the Andersons. They know us around here. This is hallowed ground in professional wrestling. This is horsemen country. Before we get too much further into this, I would like to point something out to the sea monster to your left. Breaking news: you’re the champion, not him!
“If this was 20 years ago, I’d slide into the ring and I’d spinebuster you and I’d walk out with that title. I’ll tell you what. You didn’t think this was over did you? Go get him, son.”
Brock Anderson jumped into the ring and the match began!
Luchasaurus booted Brock in the face. He followed up with another thrust kick. Luchasaurus planted Brock hard onto the mat!
Brock battled back with right hands to Luchasaurus. The champ choke slammed Brock. Luchasaurus plowed into Brock with a lariat from behind and then pinned him!
Darby Allin jumped into the ring with a skateboard! Darby wasted no time, jumping off the turnbuckle with his skateboard and landing right onto Luchasaurus’ back!
Darby: “You’re a dinosaur, right? You’ve been around for 65 billion years. In that whole time have you ever had a skateboard up your ass?! And Christian, I’m getting really sick of you talking. Don’t you want to be a fighting champion? Next week on Collision, Darby Allin against Christian, what do you say?!”
Christian Cage: “You’re on!”
Darby Allin: “And when I’m done with you, at All Out, Luchasaurus, I’m going to put some respect back on that championship’s name when I become the new face of TNT!”
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Powerhouse Hobbs!
Hobbs: “So last week an opportunity presented itself. Chicago, the United Center, All Out. The very place where Collision began. Now Schiavone, you know over the last few months I haven’t found any peace. So, what did I do? I took myself back to the Bay and I found the one thing that means something to me. That’s the Book of Hobbs.
“Like I said last week, I don’t want anyone’s help and I don’t need anyone’s help. The next chapter is entitled ‘Redemption.’ I’ll tell you how I’m going to redeem myself. I need to call out the Redeemer. So, Miro, bring your ass out!”
“The Redeemer” Miro’s music began to play!
Miro walked onto the ramp! Miro walked to the ring and was glaring at Hobbs. Out of nowhere, Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto ran out and ambushed Miro! They rammed Miro into the steel ring steps! They threw Miro into the ring. Hobbs planted Miro with a spinebuster!
Main Event Time!
AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The House of Black—Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black
vs.
CMFTR—AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR & “Real World Champion” CM Punk!
Jim Ross joined the commentary team for this match!
Buddy backed Punk into the turnbuckles. Buddy blasted Punk with a shoulder block. Cash Wheeler tagged in. Cash used an arm drag on Buddy and tagged in Dax Harwood.
Dax suplexed Buddy Matthews and followed up with a leg drop. Brody King grabbed a tag and chopped Dax in the chest. Dax used some smash mouth tactics to bring Brody to his feet.
FTR dropkicked Brody, knocking him to the arena floor. Malakai Black tagged in. Punk ducked a roundhouse kick from Black. Both teams entered the ring and began to brawl!
Brody King helped isolate Dax into the House of Black’s corner. Harwood DDT’ed Malakai Black! Dax tagged out to CM Punk. Punk nailed Buddy with a running knee strike. Punk hoisted up Buddy for the GTS, but Buddy escaped. Punk rocked Buddy with a clothesline. Punk climbed to the top turnbuckle. Julia Hart distracted the ref just long enough for Malakai Black to knock Punk down.
Brody tagged in and ran into Punk with a cannonball in the corner! Brody followed up with a snap suplex. Punk was caught in the wrong corner. Punk came back out of nowhere with a GTS on Buddy Matthews!
Punk tagged out to Wheeler. Cash cut Brody King down to size. He caught Black with a powerslam. FTR sent all three members of the House of Black out of the ring. Wheeler flew out, through the ropes and right at the House of Black!
Cash nailed Brody with a bulldog off the top rope. Brody rallied back with a double DDT on FTR! Dax and Cash cut off his momentum with a superplex! Punk dropped an elbow off the top rope and onto Brody for a near fall!
CMFTR blasted Brody with a Super Shatter Machine! But Buddy hit a meteora on Cash! Harwood got nailed with a running knee from Black. Punk and Black dropped one another with massive kicks!
Punk drove Black into the barricade with a tope suicida! Harwood hit a diving headbutt on Brody King! Out of the shadows, Samoa Joe grabbed CM Punk and locked on a sleeper in the front row! Julia Hart jumped onto the ring apron and distracted the referee. Brody wrecked Dax with a spinning lariat and pinned him!
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Fight for The Fallen on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Last week on COLLISION, fans witnessed CM Punk retain his “Real” World Championship over Ricky Starks, in part thanks to Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat having a keen eye for Starks’ cheating, and stepping in when referee Stephon Smith was knocked out of commission. Still, it didn’t save Steamboat from getting attacked by Ricky after the match, of course after Punk had already left the ring, necessitating Punk to come in with chair in hand to chase the 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winner away.
In addition, FTR retained their AEW World Tag Team Championship over Big Bill and Brian Cage in a hard-fought battle while Kris Statlander bested Mercedes Martinez in their TBS Championship clash only to fall victim to an assault from both Martinez and Diamante! The House of Black retained their World Trios Champions titles, Samoa Joe challenged CM Punk to meet him at ALL IN: LONDON, and Jay White was back in action as well!
This week all of those champions will be in action once again, six of them in the same match, as The House of Black defends their AEW World Trios Championship against the team collectively known as CMFTR! On top of that, TBS Champion Kris Statlander will team up with Willow Nightingale to face Mercedes and Diamante in tag team action, and speaking of tag teams, The Acclaimed will be back in the mix this Saturday night when COLLISION comes to Greensboro, NC and the historic Greensboro Coliseum! The show begins at 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for AEW’s international fans, so make it a point to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest edition of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
AEW WORLD TRIOS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
The House of Black (Brody King, Buddy Matthews, & Malakai Black)
vs.
CMFTR (AEW World Tag Team Champions FTR & CM Punk)
It was far from an off-week for all the men involved in this bout as all six defended their titles on COLLISION. The House of Black, unarguably, had the easiest night of them all, and that’s meant as no slight to Action Andretti, Lee Johnson, or Darius Martin, it’s just that they were a trio fighting in their first outing together, and while they pushed The House for nine minutes, ultimately they were left decimated by Brody, Buddy, and Malakai. Now the CMFTR side of this coin, they put in 35 minutes of ring time between their two respective matches:
Now Dax and Cash may have been facing a team rather inexperienced in working together, but who have been quite the destructive force in their limited outings as a pair. Big Bill and Brian Cage ran the table on the Eliminator Battle Royale to earn this shot, and that was after several impressive outings in the Blind Eliminator Tag Team Tournament that earned MJF and Adam Cole their title opportunity. So while they may have successfully defended their AEW World Tag Team Championship against Big Bill and Brian Cage, Dax and Cash took quite a beating from the monsters in the process, and that was after facing MJF and Cole the week prior, going nearly an hour with Juice and Jay White two weeks before that, and nearly thirty minutes with that BULLET CLUB GOLD duo the week before that. Suffice it to say FTR has been putting in the work since the debut of COLLISION, as well as making their presence known on DYNAMITE several times, and thus they are feeling it coming into this Trios bout.
And the same could be said for their partner, the self-proclaimed “Real” World Champion, CM Punk. Coming off a tremendous victory over Ricky Starks in which he put in 22 minutes of ring time, Punk has to walk around knowing what happened to Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat in the aftermath of the match, a match he was responsible for bringing Steamboat into in the first place. On top of that, though he may have been off the week prior, two weeks earlier he and Darby Allin were topped by Ricky Starks and Christian Cage, the week before that he lost in the finals of The Owen Hart Foundation Tournament to Ricky Starks, and the week before that he took an absolute beating from Samoa Joe en route to squeaking out a win over the ROH World TV Champion. So yeah, Punk is feeling it too coming into this Trios Championship contest.
Perhaps that is where CMFTR is most dangerous, when they are worn out, tired, and exhausted from their fights, perhaps that is where they are most likely to risk it all to end this House of Black reign, but that is what they will have to do in order to have hope in winning. Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Malakai Black have far more experience working as a trio, and their seven championship defenses are testament to that resume. In fact, in all of AEW, The Elite and Death Triangle are the only active threesomes with more matches under their proverbial belt, and no active trio has more victories, though The House and Elite are tied with 17 wins each. So it is going to take every ounce of fight CMFTR has left in their body after these last two grueling months if they hope to dethrone The House of Black and head into Wembley Stadium holding the AEW World Trios Championship Titles.
Of course, both Punk and FTR have other ALL IN: LONDON issues to worry about, FTR with an officially scheduled World Tag Team Championship match against The Young Bucks and CM Punk with a challenge laid out by ROH World Television Champion Samoa Joe, so they’ve already got plenty to worry about without even adding these championship titles to their plate! Should they win, would these six men pull double duty at Wembley as MJF and Adam Cole appear set to do? And even if they do not win, the question remains who will step up to fight The House of Black should they too make the excursion on August 27th?
Perhaps Diamante took to heart the words Athena shared with her after their ROH World Championship fight, telling her fallen foe that she has what it takes, but she’s missing something, and needed to step it up to reach championship level. It certainly seems likely given that, just two days later, Diamante joined Mercedes Martinez in assaulting TBS Champion Kris Statlander following her title victory over “The OG Badass”.
Prior to that moment, there was little common ground between the women other than both had multiple losses to Kris Statlander on their resume, and that both had fallen to Athena when the ROH Women’s World Championship was at stake. Well after the events that took place following Mercedes loss to Stat, these two women can add another commonality, an enemy named Willow Nightingale!
Now both are familiar with the 2023 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament winner; her and Diamante have split a pair of singles matches in AEW while Mercedes bested Willow for the Interim ROH Women’s World Championship at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2022. But now “The Babe with the Power”, after her epic collision with Athena at DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR 2023, is primed to prove that she’s a dominating force in AEW, and siding up with Kris Statlander in this confrontation is quite the way to do just that.
Two top shelf athletes from Long Island facing two of the baddest women in pro wrestling today; it goes down this Saturday night on COLLISION and will no play a part in the future of the TBS Championship!
With Daddy Ass leaving his boots in the ring and apparently retiring from in-ring competition, The Acclaimed of Anthony Bowens and Max Caster will be stepping back into tag team action this Saturday night on COLLISION! As former AEW World Tag Team Champions, they know what it takes to get back to the top of the division, and although they’ve not been in a traditional tag team bout since the March 25th edition of RAMPAGE, they still have the most victories of any team in All Elite history with 54, and with 66 tag matches they’ve fought in more tag team bouts than any team in AEW history.
Will this Saturday mark the start of another climb towards the World Tag Team Championship for The Acclaimed? Or will their time spent in trios competition leave them a little out of practice from working the game from this angle.
AEW swings into Greensboro, NC and the historic Greensboro Coliseum for an all-new COLLISION featuring one massive AEW World Trios Championship bout pitting The House of Black against CMFTR, a tag team grudge match with TBS Champion Kris Statlander being joined by Willow Nightingale to face Mercedes Martinez and Diamante, and the return of The Acclaimed to tag team action! The night kicks off at 8:00pm ET/7:00pm CT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for AEW’s international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from last week’s COLLISION, this week’s episodes of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as the latest edition of CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH!
Yourbroadcast team was Excalibur, Tony Schiavone & “The Ocho” Chris Jericho.
It’s Friday night and know what that means!
Darby Allin vs. The Mogul Embassy’s “The Machine” Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)!
Darby Allin attempted a tope suicida right away, but he just bounced off Brian Cage, who shrugged him off.
“He just swatted him off,” said Tony Schiavone.
Cage whipped Darby into the steel barricade. Cage brought Darby into the ring the hard way, suplexing him off the ropes. Brian Cage stomped on Darby in the corner.
Darby chomped down on Brian Cage’s hand. This angered Cage, who rammed Darby into the edge of the ring. Cage charged at Darby, but Darby dodged him, with Cage’s momentum sending him crashing into the steel ring steps. Darby was on top of Cage’s back and Cage ran toward the timekeeper’s table. Cage sacrificed himself by throwing Darby through the table.
Darby rallied back with a tornado scorpion death drop and then a double foot stomp onto Cage. But Brian Cage nailed Darby with two powerbombs for a near fall.
“Darby bounced like a ball on that one,” said Chris Jericho.
Darby pulled off his belt and used it to sweep Cage off his feet. Darby nailed Cage with a Coffin Drop! Darby connected with Code Red for a two-count.
“Cage fighting for his life. The tides have changed!” said Jericho.
Darby was on the top rope when Prince Nana jumped onto the apron to distract him. Cage tripped up Darby and then sent Darby for a ride, slamming him hard onto the mat. Cage hoisted up Darby, but Darby held on, cradled Cage, and pinned him!
TNT Champion Luchasaurus ambushed Darby after the match and spiked him headfirst onto the mat! A smug Christian Cage watched the devastation on a monitor from backstage.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., to discuss her upcoming match with the Bunny to determine a spot in the 4-way at All In: London!
Baker: “I consider the Bunny a friend. Unfortunately, I have to be the big bad bully and rain on Bunny’s parade. Because no one is getting in my way of the historical event that is All In: London.”
AEW International Championship Match!
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (c.) vs. QTV’s Johnny TV (with QT Marshall, Aaron Solo, & Harley Cameron)!
Cassidy ducked a roundhouse kick from Johnny TV. Orange kept his cool…and his hands in his pockets. Harley jumped on the apron and distracted the ref. QTV tried to sneak in, but the referee caught them and ejected them.
Wheeler Yuta snuck out and distracted Orange long enough for Johnny TV to kick Cassidy in the head. The ref ejected Wheeler Yuta, but this created a crucial distraction, allowing Johnny TV to continue to batter Orange Cassidy.
Johnny TV dropped Cassidy by sweeping his legs out from beneath him. Orange fired back with an elbow suicida. Orange connected with a diving cross body. Johnny countered a DDT with a swinging neck breaker on Orange.
Johnny TV attempted the Superstation, but Orange Cassidy moved out of the way. Orange spiked Johnny with a diving DDT! He planted Johnny with a second DDT! Orange blasted Johnny with the Orange Punch and then finished off Johnny TV with the Beach Break, scoring the pin!
“19-0 in 2023 for Orange Cassidy,” said Tony Schiavone.
Orange Cassidy challenged Wheeler Yuta to come to the ring. Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley surrounded the ring like jackals.
Wheeler Yuta: “Orange you know just as well as I do that the BCC could get in that ring right now and make sure you leave Columbus in an ambulance. But I think that’s beneath us at this point. I just don’t want to hurt you physically, I want to hurt you mentally. I want to take the only thing you actually care about. So next week in Nashville, put that International Championship on the line, and I’ll walk out with it.”
ROH World Tag Team Champions Aussie Open—Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis
vs.
The Outrunners!
Aussie Open wasted no time going after the Outrunners. They sent Truth Magnum for a ride, sending him crashing down hard. Aussie Open picked up the Outrunners and sandwiched them.
Aussie Open nailed their opponent with a double lariat and then pinned him after the Coriolis.
Mark Davis grabbed a microphone after the match and questioned MJF and Adam Cole calling themselves a tag team. Kyle Fletcher said Aussie Open accepted MJF and Adam Cole’s challenge for All In: London.
“The Last Outlaw” Jeff Jarrett said there’d be a Texas Chain Saw Massacre Deathmatch between him and Jeff Hardy this Wednesday on Dynamite, in conjunction with the Texas Chain Saw Massacre Game!
Main Event Time!
Saraya (with The Outcasts) vs. Skye Blue!
The winner advances to All In: London and the AEW Women’s Championship 4-Way Match!
Skye Blue pushed Saraya into the turnbuckles. Skye used an inside cradle for a near fall. Saraya booted Skye in the midsection.
Blue connected with a cross body press onto Saraya. Skye jumped off the apron, but Toni saved Saraya, pushing her out of harm’s way. Skye Blue crashed and burned, hitting the arena floor hard!
Saraya charged at Skye with a knee strike. Saraya whipped Skye to the mat by pulling Skye’s hair. Skye Blue fired back with a kick to Saraya’s head. Saraya connected with a thrust kick.
Skye scored with a thrust kick and then the Code Blue. The Outcasts jumped on the ring apron. Toni distracted the ref on one side while Ruby sprayed Skye in the eyes with the green paint! Saraya DDT’ed Skye Blue and pinned her!
“With a massive assist from the Outcasts, Saraya will join Toni Storm and AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida in the AEW Women’s World Championship 4-Way Match at All In: London,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Fight for The Fallen on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday live on TNT at 8/7c from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC featuring:
Wednesday night’s edition of DYNAMITE saw so much of ALL IN: LONDON fleshed out as the AEW World Tag Team Championship bout between FTR and Young Bucks became official, as a Tag Team Coffin Match pitting Darby and Sting against AR Fox and Swerve was signed, and as Hikaru Shida defeated Anna Jay to insure her position in the AEW Women’s World Championship match! We also witnessed the end of The Jericho Appreciation Society, the apparent end of a friendship between Roderick Strong and Adam Cole, BCC defeating Lucha Brothers, and Jack Perry escaping RVD with the FTW Title still in his possession!
The push towards Wembley will continue this Friday night on RAMPAGE when AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defends his title against Johnny TV, Darby Allin fights Brian Cage, ROH World Tag Champions Aussie Open are in action, and Saraya fights Skye Blue over the third spot in the AEW Women’s World Championship Four Way! The night starts at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so drop by the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
These are two men quite familiar with one another; Darby Allin and Brian Cage have history dating back to The Machine’s arrival at DOUBLE OR NOTHING 2020 where Cage won the Casino Ladder Match, and actually injured Darby in the process. That led to tag matches, Darby getting dumped from the Casino Battle Royale at ALL OUT 2020 by Cage, their TNT Championship match in January 2021, and ultimately the unforgettable Street Fight at REVOLUTINO 2021 that pit Darby and Sting against Cage and Ricky Starks.
It had been several years since the two men had butted heads, but then came the merger of Swerve Strickland’s Mogul Affiliates and Prince Nana’s Embassy, and suddenly Cage was back in the life of Darby Allin by way of his long-standing issues with Swerve. That is why this Friday night on RAMPAGE, with Darby and Sting heading for a Coffin Match at ALL IN: LONDON against Swerve and AR Fox, Brian Cage will head into battle with the former 2-Time TNT Champion on behalf of The Mogul Embassy!
Darby needs this victory ahead of Wembley, a bit of momentum for he and Sting going into such a historic evening, whereas Cage needs nothing more than to hurt Darby on behalf of his associates. For Darby it’s about victory ahead of one of the biggest nights in AEW, as well retaliation for what was done to Nick Wayne, whereas for “The Machine” it’s about suffering and pain and perhaps a little revenge for what went down between the two men in 2020 and 2021.
AEW International Championship Match…
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Johnny TV
He’s already made history by becoming the most successful champion in AEW history, across all divisions, with his twenty-seven title defenses, but there will always be records to chase and Orange Cassidy seems intent on topping them all! With 303 days as International Champion under his belt, he’s already the longest reigning current champion in All Elite Wrestling, but Orange is just over forty days away from eclipsing Kenny Omega’s 346-day World Championship reign to become the longest reigning male champion in AEW history as well! The Young Bucks had 302 as World Tag Champions, Darby’s 186 days still stands as the longest TNT Championship run, leaving only Kenny’s stand as the last milestone on the men’s side to surpass. After that, the chase is on to surpass Hikaru Shida’s 372 days as Women’s World Champion, and then finally Jade Cargill’s 508 days as TBS Champion. There is a lot of road to travel before either of those is possible, and a lot of potential foes, one of them being Cassidy’s challenger this Friday night on RAMPAGE: Johnny TV!
As a man who has traveled the world honing his craft for the last twenty years, and with the backing of the QTV contingent, Johnny TV is a certified threat to end Orange’s pursuit of history. Now the likelihood Orange is even aware, or cares, about his history making International Championship reign is debatable, but Johnny, Aaron Solo, QT Marshall, and Harley Cameron certainly know the importance of being the one to end it, and what it would mean for QTV as a whole to have a champion on their side.
Will Johnny TV be the one to end this epic championship run, or will “Freshly Squeezed” be the one to take the International Championship international and possibly defend it at ALL IN: LONDON? And regardless of who walks away from RAMPAGE as champion, who, if anyone, will step up to challenge at Wembley?
Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) in action!
We all heard the challenge laid out by AEW World Champion MJF and Adam Cole, a ROH World Tag Team Championship bout during the ZERO HOUR of ALL IN: LONDON, pitting Better Than You Bay Bay against champions Aussie Open. This Friday night on RAMPAGE, Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis will be in action so perhaps we will get a response to that challenge from the United Empire representatives! Cole is the only 3-Time ROH World Champion, and a former TV Champion, but having challenged for them once in 2011 and once in 2015, he never claimed the ROH World Tag Titles. MJF, on the other hand, has never seen one bit of Ring of Honor competition, and although it’s quite clear he came up watching the product, Max has never been complimentary towards its existence.
But now that the challenge has been laid out, the possibility is there for both MJF and Cole to achieve something they’ve never done before, but will Aussie Open accept?
Winner Advances to ALL IN: LONDON Championship Match…
As seen in the clip above, AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida successfully retained her title against Anna Jay this past Wednesday on DYNAMITE, thereby securing her position as defending champion at ALL IN: LONDON in a Four Way that we also know will include Toni Storm. With two other spots to fill in the match, fans will see Dr. Britt Baker take on The Bunny this coming Wednesday night when DYNAMITE returns to Nashville, but first, this Friday on RAMPAGE, Saraya will be in action against Skye Blue!
Not only is Skye looking to advance to historic Wembley Stadium as challenger, but she is also aiming to even the score for a February 22nd loss to Saraya on DYNAMITE. As one of the women who has stood up to The Outcasts since they began their reign of tyranny over the Women’s Division, for Skye this is a fight with a whole lot of layers; it’s those two aforementioned items, it’s also keeping The Outcasts’ numbers down in the championship fight, diminishing the likelihood the title falls back into their clutches. Toni Storm already has her spot secured as the former champion, so a Saraya victory would make The Outcasts two-thirds of the challengers.
Can Skye Blue even the score with Saraya and thus secure her spot on one of AEW’s most historic nights? We shall see this Friday on RAMPAGE!!
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, with ALL IN: LONDON drawing closer, the AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy will fight Johnny TV with the title on the line, Brian Cage takes on Darby Allin, and we will see ROH World Tag Champions Aussie Open in action, as Skye Blue takes on Saraya with a trip to Wembley Stadium at stake! The bouts begin at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for our international audiences, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, plus THE CONTROL CENTER, and much, much more!
