The points portion of the Gold League came to a conclusion this past Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, and surprisingly, the finals will be a Three Way between Jon Moxley, Jay White, and Swerve Strickland! That takes place next week in Orlando, as will the Blue League Finals once they are set in San Antonio this Saturday! We also saw Riho earn the right to face “Timeless” Toni Storm at WORLDS END for the AEW Women’s World Championship, and the mystery of The Devil’s identity continued as they issued a challenge for the ROH World Tag Titles to MJF and Samoa Joe!
This Friday night RAMPAGE is coming from Oklahoma City and gets underway at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features quite an array of bouts! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy puts his title on the line against CHAOS ally Rocky Romero, The Kingdom clash with The Hardys, Skye Blue will be in action, and AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo clashes with Black Taurus in a rematch of their amazing FINAL BATTLE 2023 title bout! Before the show starts, swing by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
Orange Cassidy(c) vs. Rocky Romero
Well it certainly did not seem like Rocky Romero intended to challenge his own friend for a title, but his innocent usage of the world “international” seemed to indicate otherwise to reigning AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, and now we have ourselves a championship fight this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
For two years now, Rocky Romero has been both friend and ally to OC, their mutual connection in Trent Beretta effectively making Cassidy and Chuck Taylor members of CHAOS, and as partners in several trios and multi-man matches, they’ve been quite successful together! But this is the first time the two men have ever stood on opposite sides of the ring, and though Romero may not have intended to end up in this situation, that doesn’t mean he’s going to let a championship opportunity slip away! Having recently had his CMLL Historic Welterweight Championship reign ended by Mascara Dorada, Rocky is hungry to put gold back around his waist, it’s just unfortunate that it might have to be at the expense of his own friend’s title run. Still, it’s not the first time Orange has been in that position, he did fight Trent Beretta over the International Championship during his first reign and their relationship survived the fray, no doubt the same will be true for that of Cassidy and Romero…
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The Kingdom (Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. The Hardys (Jeff & Matt)
2023 has been a rather frustrating year for The Hardys; the multi-time championship duo have won just one tag team bout, a non-televised Three Way with The Butcher & The Blade and Angelo Parker & Matt Menard, but have yet to get a televised victory in 2023 with just one more week to go. They’ve had some success in Trios and Multi-Man matches, but the thing that has always been their bread and butter has eluded them this year.
It what could be their last chance this year to get back on track, Matt and Jeff will go head-to-head with The Kingdom of Matt Taven and Mike Bennett this Friday night on RAMPAGE! There’s plenty of history between The Kingdom and Matt Hardy, Matt was actually one of the founding fathers of the group in Ring of Honor back in 2014, but this will be their first traditional tag team clash here in All Elite Wrestling! Back in September, as part of RAMPAGE: GRAND SLAM 2023, both teams took part in the ROH World Tag Title #1 Contender’s match won by The Righteous, but that’s been their only interaction here. May 2022 saw the two teams collide outside of AEW, a bout won by The Hardys, and until this Friday night, it’s their only fight!
So will this be the chance for The Hardys to get it together, or will The Kingdom add another win to their five consecutive victories?
AAA MEGA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus
At FINAL BATTLE 2023, El Hijo del Vikingo successfully defended his AAA Mega Championship against Black Taurus in one of the most amazing spectacles to ever take place inside a ROH ring, and given the 20+ year history of the company, that’s saying quite a lot!
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, in the main event of the evening, Black Taurus will have a second chance at dethroning Vikingo and ending this epic reign as it draws closer to breaking Kenny Omega’s 765-day record. This bout comes just 24 hours after Vikingo and Komander competed in tag team action during ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and his fourth match in just one week for AEW/ROH. For as amazing an athlete as El Hijo del Vikingo is, eventually even the greatest runs come to an end, and taking into consideration how often the man competes, it is amazing he’s continued to reign for as long as he has! Will this Friday night be the end of the road for Vikingo, or will he find another way to put down Taurus like he did at FINAL BATTLE 2023?
Much to the shock of the AEW faithful, Skye Blue has apparently sided with TBS Champion Julia Hart in opposition to “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon. Everyone knew that Skye had been somewhat changed by her previous encounters with the Princess of the Black Throne, that her exposure to Hart’s mist fundamentally shifted something within the young woman, but Skye’s previous actions seemed to indicate that she remained on the side of the angels.
Last week, as seen in the video above, that all fell to the wayside when Skye interrupted Abadon’s attack on Hart not to join in on the situation, but rather to turn the tables on Abadon at the side of the TBS Champion. This Saturday on COLLISION, Skye and Hart will have to face the wrath of Abadon and the returning Thunder Rosa, but Friday night, Skye will be in singles action as she prepares for whatever war may come to San Antonio!
RAMPAGE is coming to you from the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder this Friday night beginning at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy defending his title against Rocky Romero, El Hijo del Vikingo putting his AAA Mega Championship on the line in a FINAL BATTLE 2023 rematch with Black Taurus, Skye Blue in action, and The Kingdom taking on The Hardys! Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Holiday Bash was broadcast live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic: Gold League Standings!
Jon Moxley (12)
Swerve Strickland (9)
Jay White (9)
RUSH (6)
Mark Briscoe (0)
Jay Lethal (0)
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mogul Embassy’s Swerve Strickland (9) vs. LFI’s Rush (6)!
Rush and Swerve grappled to the mat, chain wrestling. Rush got to his feet and landed big chops. Both men used arm drags, resulting in a stalemate early on. Rush knocked Swerve out of the ring and followed up with a running flip over the top and down onto Swerve. Rush’s leg was all taped out and he began to limp slightly after landing on Rush.
Out of nowhere, Swerve jumped on Rush and applied an arm bar. Rush escaped but Swerve went to work on Rush’s injured let, pulling him down with a dragon screw leg whip. Ref Aubrey Edwards checked on Rush, who was writhing in pain.
Rush grabbed Swerve’s leg, tripping him up and Swerve landed hard on the edge of the ring. Swerve fired back with a German Suplex on the arena floor, but Rush retaliated with a shotgun dropkick, knocking Swerve into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Rush and Swerve stunned one another with rolling elbow strikes. They each went to boot the other and they knocked the other down to the mat, with both competitors having the same idea. Rush was looking for the Bull’s Horns, but his leg gave out on him. Swerve grabbed Rush’s legs and applied a stretch muffler. Rush countered with a cradle for a near fall.
Rush put Swerve in a straitjacket arm lock and then spiked Swerve with a piledriver for a two-count. They traded chops on the apron. Swerve charged at Rush, but Rush sent Swerve flying with a belly-to-belly suplex. Swerve landed hard on the arena floor, as Rush used Swerve’s own momentum against him.
Rush struggled to climb to the top turnbuckle. Rush went for a senton, but Swerve moved out of the way. Swerve hit Rush with a 450 splash, but Rush managed to kick out of the pin attempt. Swerve smashed Rush with a brain buster for a two-count. Swerve connected with the House Call kick. Swerve rocked Rush with the Swerve Stomp from the top and pinned Rush!
“Tip your cap off to Rush. He kept it competitive with an injury, but Swerve pulled off the victory,” said Taz.
Chris Jericho was backstage with an important announcement!
Jericho: “Last week, on the Thursday after Dynamite, Kenny Omega ended up in the hospital after suffering the effects of diverticulitis. And as he shared on social media, we now have the news that Kenny Omega is out of AEW indefinitely.
“We don’t know how long or how short that’s going to be. But one thing that’s affected is the Golden Jets’ opportunity to become the AEW World Tag Team Champions by beating Ricky Starks and Big Bill at Worlds End. And while we decide what we’re going to do in the meantime, the most important thing is Kenny’s health. And I just wanted to let you know. We’re all pulling for you Kenny.
“We’re pulling for you Kenny, the AEW fans as you can hear, the entire locker room, and most importantly, me. And take as long as you need to get healthy, but when you come back, we’re all going to be here and I’m going to be waiting for you. And the Golden Jets will resume. Goodnight and goodbye, but only for now. We’re pulling for you Kenny. We’ll see you soon.”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Jay Lethal (0) vs. Mark Briscoe (0)!
The fans chanted “Dem Boys! Dem Boys!”
Mark used an inside trip into a side headlock on Jay Lethal. Lethal slapped Mark Briscoe in the face. Mark smiled and chopped Jay in the chest. Lethal hip tossed Mark and then dropkicked him in the face.
Lethal and Mark jockeyed back and forth for position on a vertical suplex, but Lethal won the battle. Jay Lethal followed up with a tope suicida, knocking Mark Briscoe into the safety rail. Lethal tried for another tope, but Mark caught him and countered with a vertical suplex on the arena floor.
Lethal clocked Mark with the Lethal Combination! Lethal was looking for the King’s Elbow, climbing to the top. Mark met him up there, tried for a superplex, but Lethal brought his base down and rocked Mark with an elbow to the back of the neck. Mark knocked Jay off the turnbuckles with his Redneck Kung Fu. Mark pulled up a steel chair, ran across the ring and used the chair as a launching pad to fly over the top and land on Jay outside the ring!
Lethal hoisted up Mark in a torture rack, transitioning to a back breaker. Lethal dropped an elbow from up top and Briscoe kicked out at the two-count! Mark countered the Lethal Injection. Mark Briscoe nailed Lethal with a fishermen’s buster for a near fall.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Mark planted Lethal with a Death Valley Driver. Mark tried for the Froggy Bow but Lethal countered. Jay Lethal spiked Mark with the Jay Driller for a near fall! Briscoe blasted Lethal with a burning hammer, followed up with the Jay Driller, and pinned Jay Lethal!
Reach for the sky, boy!
“Look at this, a standing ovation, deserved for both men,” said Taz.
Footage was shown from earlier of the week of AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF being inducted in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame!
A vignette aired of Wardlow!
“Max, we are getting closer to your world ender. Soon the world will see you broken. Max, the payment for your sins cannot be delayed any longer. And I will be the one to bring the devil to his knees!” said Wardlow.
Samoa Joe came out to the ring!
The fans chanted “Joe! Joe! Joe!”
Samoa Joe: “My name is Samoa Joe. And once again I have come here seeking answers. Last week I was asking the right questions but maybe I wasn’t asking the right questions. Even though Roderick Strong may be the dimmest bulb on the Christmas tree, he brings up a good point.
“Week after week, we are assaulted by the devil, and it seems are illustrious World Champion isn’t the only victim. As a matter of fact, for some odd reason, Hangman Adam Page was a victim. And then we think back to the malicious attack on our World Champion, and it seems every time the devil attacks someone, we get plenty of footage of them getting stomped out, but our World Champion was just found gingerly laid down in the back passed out. Very conveniently on the ground. So once again I have come asking the right questions, but maybe not to the right people. So MJF, why don’t you come out here right now!”
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF walked down the ramp to the ring!
MJF: “Cut my music! Joe, let me get this straight. So, I get jumped in the back by a bunch of goons, I get hit in the back by a beer bottle, and you’re out here accusing me of being the man behind the mask. The devil. Is that correct?”
Samoa Joe: “Correct.”
MJF: “That’s really interesting, Joe. I recall that you said you were going to protect me in our main event going out to Long Island for the World Title. Matter of fact, I think you said, ‘From hence forth, MJF, you are my property.’ So ‘No Show Joe’ it’s become pretty clear that you care about your property about as much as you care about your diet.
“So, if we’re throwing accusations around, Joey, I got some accusations of my own. So, I get jumped in the back, the goons surround the ring, but I don’t recall them laying a finger on you, Joe. So, let’s see. I don’t like you. Now, I don’t trust you. So, why am I waiting until December 30th at Worlds End when I can end your world right now?”
MJF shoved Samoa Joe. A swarm of masked men ran into the ring and Samoa Joe and MJF had to beat them away! MJF and Samoa Joe fought off the masked assailants but even more came over the barricade and surrounded the ring. MJF and Samoa Joe were back to back and had to work as a unit because the entire ring was surrounded by masked men!
The arena lights went dark!
The man in the devil mask appeared on the big screen! There was a graphic scrawled across the screen that read:
“Where can you go? Who can you trust? Next week, will you accept a challenge…for your ROH World Tag Team Championship? Are you a hero, Max?”
MJF: “Joe, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say no again. But I made a promise to my best friend that I would defend those tag team titles, no matter what, until he comes back.”
Samoa Joe: “We accept! Seems the best way to handle a devil is with our bare hands. Next week we beat his boys’ asses!”
“Allies again for a moment,” said Taz.
“Wow, blockbuster announcement as MJF and Samoa Joe united in the face of this devil. But at Worlds End they will not be partners. Champion MJF, challenger Samoa Joe on pay-per-view, one week from Saturday,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with the Best Friends—Kris Statlander, AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, Trent, and Rocky Romero!
Rocky: “Renee, I just spent 329 days as a CMLL World Historic Welterweight Champion until last week when I lost it. But I’m just looking for new international opportunities and I just want to bring gold around this waist.”
Orange: “Oh, ok, I get it. Fine. I’ll see you Friday, Rocky.”
Renee: Sounds like it’s official for this Friday on Rampage. Orange Cassidy versus Rocky Romero for the AEW International Championship.”
Saraya vs. Riho!
Winner faces “Timeless” Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Title at AEW Worlds End!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Ruby Soho was watching the match from backstage.
Riho charged at Saraya, but Saraya rolled out of the ring. Riho followed Saraya and rocked her with her innovated offense. Saraya hid behind an AEW security guard and then hit Riho with a cheap shot. Saraya swung Riho into the ringside barricade, bouncing her off it!
Riho countered a suplex attempt with an inside cradle for a near fall. Riho brought down Saraya with a Northern Lights Suplex for a two-count. Riho jumped off the top rope with a double stomp and followed up with charging double knees, pinning Saraya and becoming the #1 contender for Worlds End!
Luthor carried Toni Storm to the ring. Storm got in the ring and Riho began to clobber her with strikes. Riho blasted Storm with a Tiger Faint Kick but out of nowhere Mariah May smashed Riho with the AEW Women’s World Title Belt!
Tony Schiavone read a prepared statement from TNT Champion Christian Cage!
Tony Schiavone: “Schiavone, you’d better read this statement word for word. As the biggest, hottest, and most talked about star in AEW, I have no double the hole my absence has left in your lives. After my career-defining victory over Adam Copeland, I decided to take my prodigy Nick Wayne on a well deserved vacation.
“I understand that the Rated R Superstar has challenged me to a No Disqualification Match at Worlds End on December 30th. So just to put all your tiny minds at ease, I want everyone to know that I will make my triumphant return this Saturday live on TNT on Collision, where I will address Adam Copeland and address any lingering questions people may have about what’s transpired a couple of weeks ago on Dynamite in Montreal. I expect nothing less than a hero’s welcome upon my return. Sincerely the TNT Champion, the Patriarch of AEW, Christian Cage.”
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF was walking backstage!
Max stopped in his tracks when he saw a black mask on the floor. It was right in front of the Mogul Embassy’s dressing room. MJF knocked on their door. Prince Nana opened the door and Max grabbed him!
Max: “Explain this black mask! What the hell is it?”
Swerve walked out into the hallway and Max let Prince Nana go.
Swerve: “Be careful handling my property. Nice to finally see you out. I feel like you’ve been ducking me my whole time here in AEW.”
MJF: “Shane Strickland! Swerve! Look at you, man. See a lot of people don’t know this but we’ve got a big history. We used to do these long car rides on the road every single week when we were trying to make a name for ourselves on the independents. And now look at you! All grown up! All the momentum in the world, beating some of the biggest stars this company has to offer. Man, I’m so proud of you. However, I haven’t been ducking you.
“The reason you and I haven’t made eye contact in this place is because unfortunately there’s levels to this. And you’re just not on mine. And to make matters worse, I don’t hear your theme music. Therefore, neither is your star power.”
Swerve: “It’s funny you brought up those car rides, those were amazing. You remember that. You were the best chauffeur I ever had in my life. Thank you, man. Let’s go back to the interaction between you and William Regal years ago. Didn’t you bring up an email about a tryout that you just failed at and turned you into the whiny little guy that you are today? Yeah, you’re right, there are levels to this. You do tryouts. I sign contracts. And be careful how you talk to me. Because the last person that did, I hung him outside the ring in front of 13,000 people by a chain.”
MJF: “Solid monologue, bro. You’re starting to get so good at talking. I’m proud of you. But you talk about Hangman an awful lot. It’s almost obsessive. Now it’s funny you’re talking about respect because I’m your World Champion, kid. So, I think you need to check your tone and watch your mouth. But I do have a question for you. I find a couple things odd. Let me run them by you.
“You hate Hangman. More than anything you want to be AEW World Champion. So, putting those things together when I’m really thinking about it, why wouldn’t you frame Hangman with a beer bottle. Why wouldn’t you consistently try to get inside my head? And your goons in the Mogul Embassy are jumping people creating a clear path for you to finally be a world champion, be on top like yours truly. So, are you the devil? A part of me really hopes so. You say this is your house. Well, you’re looking at the Big Bad Wolf of professional wrestling. And when I feel like it, I’ll blow your house down. And then while I’m at it, I’ll break both your arms so you can always swerve while you drive.”
Swerve: “I ain’t the devil you’re looking for, but you keep waving that championship in front of me, I’m gonna be the one to bring you hell.”
Prince Nana opened the door and Brian Cage and the Gates of Agony stood behind Swerve!
Samoa Joe walked up to MJF, put his arm around him, and said to Swerve, “Well what is all good on this side of the hood, my friends? My associate and I have business elsewhere.”
Swerve: “Go handle it.”
Roderick Strong (with The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett) vs. Komander (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Roddy used a leg sweep to trip Komander and grounded him. Roderick smashed Komander with a running knee strike. Roddy rocked Komander with stiff chops to the chest. Komander leveled Roddy with a dropkick.
Roddy knocked the wind out of Komander with a back breaker. Komander dodged a charging knee from Roddy. Komander cracked Roddy with a round kick. Komander stunned Roddy with elbow strikes. Komander connected with a Phoenix Splash for a near fall on Roddy!
Komander climbed back to the top, but the Kingdom pulled Roderick out of harm’s way to the arena floor. Komander did a backflip and wiped out all three men on the floor! Komander went for a springboard, but Roderick countered with a jumping knee strike to Komander’s face! Roderick finished off Komander with the End of Heartache and pinned Komander!
After the match the Kingdom passed out signs to the fans that said: “MJF is the Devil”!
After the match Renee Paquette interviewed Roderick Strong in the ring!
Roderick Strong: “Oh Renee! I’m so happy you’re here! Samoa Joe, please listen to me! It is so, so obvious now that Max is the devil. I mean look, Hangman mentions Max as the devil, and he gets taken out. C’mon Joe, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to believe me. Samoa Joe is my best friend by proxy. Joe listen to me!”
Main Event Time! Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley (12) vs. Bullet Club Gold’s Jay White (9)!
Jim Ross returned tonight to provide his main event analysis!
Moxley went for the sleeper right away. Jay White escaped but Moxley nailed him with the hammer and anvil elbows Moxley sat out with a piledriver for a near fall on Switchblade.
Jay White whipped Moxley into the steel ring steps outside the ring. Jay White stomped on Mox in the corner. Moxley slugged Jay White. Moxley back dropped Jay White on the ramp. Moxley chomped on the head of Jay White. Mox charged at Jay, but Jay dodged it and then clipped Moxley’s legs.
Moxley absorbed forearms from Jay White. Mox set Jay White on the top turnbuckle. Moxley gouged at White’s back, digging his fingers into Jay White’s flesh. Moxley superplexed Jay White. Moxley hit a lariat on White, knocking him over the top rope. Mox followed up with a tope suicida. Moxley may have buckled his knee when he landed, immediately grabbing his knee.
Jay White countered a suplex and planted Moxley across the steel ring steps! Jay White grabbed two steel chairs. The ref admonished White and Jay White tossed one of the chairs in the ring. The ref went to grab the chair in the ring, unbeknownst to him that Jay White had a second chair. Jay White smashed the chair into Moxley’s leg.
Moxley jumped into the ring, barely beating the 10-count. Moxley countered the Blade Runner with a Paradigm Shift for a near fall! Jay White wiped out Moxley with a dragon screw leg whip. Moxley smashed Jay White with a knee strike for a two-count!
Moxley grabbed White and planted him with a cutter! Jay White fired back with a sleeper suplex for a near fall! Jay White spiked Mox with the Kiwi Crusher! Moxley fired up and fired back with a lariat! Moxley curb stomped Jay White! Switchblade escaped the Death Rider! Jay White drilled Mox with the Blade Runner and scored the pin!
“Jay White beats Jon Moxley! What a hell of a match!” said Jim Ross.
“And now we know one week from tonight in the Gold League Finals it’ll be a three-way match! Jay White and Swerve Strickland and Jon Moxley! There’s no man with a clear tiebreaker win over the other so it’ll have to be a three-way match one week from tonight,” added Excalibur.
After the match, Swerve Strickland walked onto the ramp and stared at Moxley and Switchblade in the ring! Moxley managed to get to his feet, but Jay White clipped him from behind!
“That changed the game,” said Jim Ross.
“This could be disastrous for Jon Moxley,” replied Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision: Holiday Bash on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX featuring:
-TBS Champ Julia Hart & Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa & Abadon!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. ROH World Champ/NJPW Openweight Champ Eddie Kingston!
-AEW World Trios Championship Match!
The Acclaimed & Daddy Ass (c.) vs. Top Flight & Action Andretti!
– Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Daniel Garcia vs. Brody King!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
All Elite Wrestling returns to Garland, TX and our home for the last four years at the Curtis Culwell Center! It’s the first time COLLISION has emanated from this great venue, and with WORLDS END fast approaching, that means more Continental Classic action in the Blue League! We saw Brody King take his first loss in the tournament on DYNAMITE, falling to Andrade El Idolo in each man’s third League bout, and boosting El Idolo up to the top spot with 9 points.
This week the Blue League continues with Claudio Castagnoli taking on Andrade, ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston fighting an old rival in Daniel Garcia, and Bryan Danielson facing the immense challenge of Brody King! The bouts begin at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and the best way to get ready is to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, for highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, the latest CONTROL CENTER, and so much more!
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE…
Standings
Andrade El Idolo (9)
Brody King (6)
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)
Claudio Castagnoli (3)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)
Daniel Garcia (0)
Daniel Garcia (0) vs. Eddie Kingston (3)
The Continental Classic is getting down to the wire, we’ve passed the halfway point, and unfortunately for Daniel Garcia there is no way for him to win the Blue League on points, nor even come in second in order to battle it out with the points leader for that spot in the Continental Classic Finals at WORLDS END. All Garcia can do now is play spoiler to those with hope in their hearts, and with enough points to potentially get them to the Blue League Finals.
One of those men who has to hold onto hope right now is Eddie Kingston, an opponent Garcia has battled many times over the last two years, because after dropping his first two Blue League bouts, Kingston finally scored his first three points last week over Claudio Castagnoli.
But with Bryan Danielson, as well as Brody King, at six points and Andrade El Idolo at nine points, Kingston finds himself with two must-win bouts left in the league, and also dependent on the failings of others. Save the possibility of a draw, either Danielson or King will walk out of Saturday with nine points to their name, and Kingston has lost to both of them already. With the other bout pitting Castagnoli against Andrade, either Claudio walks with six or Andrade with 12, the latter result puts that top spot in the league totally out of Kingston’s reach, with only a hope of second place to hold onto.
Now this is where things get very interesting, the possibility of ties and what draws could potentially do to shake up the entire Blue League, but the bottom line for the ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion is that he must defeat Daniel Garcia to have hope, he must defeat Andrade El Idolo in his next match to have hope, otherwise Kingston’s gamble with his two championship titles will have failed.
But is it a failure to risk it all in order to achieve something greater? Is that willingness to fail actually what makes a person great? Is it brave or foolhardy for an athlete to look at their future and be willing to gamble everything at the risk of walking away with nothing? Only at the end of this road will Eddie Kingston be able to answer that question for himself…
Bryan Danielson (6) vs. Brody King (6)
In his first two matches in the Continental Classic, Brody King showed the world just how dangerous an individual he can be. Generally competing in tags and trios with his fellow House of Black devotees, Brody took it to Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli with a fierceness. That first match with Kingston kind of shook up the competition as many thought Eddie, as the ROH World and NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion, would come into the tournament strong. Instead Brody dropped “The Mad King”, and moved onto Claudio Castagnoli, who was coming off a strong win on Daniel Gacris. Just as he did with Kingston, Brody King handed Castagnoli his first loss in the tournament, shocking the world once more with his dominance in singles competition, and with eyes on his third bout against Andrade El Idolo.
But Brody’s power and capacity for violence were no match for Andrade’s cunning as El Idolo took advantage of an exposed turnbuckle, cracked Brody’s head against the steel, and ended up with the victory of The House’s behemoth. Every man coming into this tournament did so knowing loss was a possibility, if not an inevitability, so King will take the defeat as a lesson and move forward with no excuses into his last two fights. For better or worse, Brody King has to meet former multi-time World Champion and Blackpool Combat Club member Bryan Danielson in his next fight.
Bryan has been through a bit of hell during 2023; from the litany of injuries sustained after REVOLUTION 2023’s Iron Man Match with MJF to his broken arm from FORBIDDEN DOOR 2023 against Okada to the fractured orbital bone suffered at the hands of both Okada and Orange Cassidy, the body of “The American Dragon” has gone through the ring.
And yet he never stops, Bryan Danielson never yields, and that is why he is a part of this tournament in spite of how much his body has endured. It seems with Danielson that no matter what his body may feel, his mind is strong, his will is iron, and his drive to compete is inevitable. That’s why he went through three Continental Classic matches in a week against Eddie Kingston, Daniel Garcia, and Andrade El Idolo. The first two were victories for Dragon, hard-fought, still victories nonetheless, but then came Andrade and his willingness to do something that the other two competitors did not: attack the eye.
With a relentless aggression, Andrade went after Danielson’s eye to the point that many wondered if Dragon would even be able to fight the match through to its end, but anyone who questioned that clearly doesn’t know the heart of Bryan. He fought through to the bitter end, taking the pain and punishment Andrade dished out, never stopping his fight, but ultimately succumbing. So now that the man who many thought would run the table with a perfect bracket has tasted defeat, what is his road to the finals? What is Brody King’s?
Obviously for both victory here is the goal, putting the winner at nine points in the Blue League, and potentially tied with Andrade El Idolo depending on how his battle with Claudio sways. If that’s the case, it comes down to the final match of the League for each, for Bryan that is actually fellow BCC member Claudio Castagnoli while for Brody King it is Daniel Garcia, someone who holds a victory over Brody from earlier this year. Win or lose, both men are still in the fight to win the Continental Classic, but whoever walks out of this with hand raised will be just a bit more comfortable in their position…that is if anyone is in position to walk away from this fight. Add in the fact that Bryan Danielson had a Fight Without Honor war last night at ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2023 that ended with Mark Briscoe dropping “The American Dragon” with a Jay Driller to win the match, and it’s really questionable how Danielson is even capable of walking into this one, much less expecting to walk out the winner!
Claudio Castagnoli (3) vs. Andrade El Idolo (9)
Though some may have questioned whether or not Andrade El Idolo was wise to take on CJ Perry for his management, it’s hard to question the results as El Idolo is undefeated thus far, with victories over Daniel Garcia, Bryan Danielson, and Brody King just this past Wednesday on DYNAMITE. In each case Andrade has looked strong, dominant even, and as evidenced in both the Danielson and Brody King matches, willing to do anything it takes to secure that victory. In Bryan’s case it meant attacking that eye injury, and in King’s making use of the exposed turnbuckle, either way it ended with points for Andrade, enough to put him at the top of Blue League with just two matches left.
As for Claudio, he had a great first outing against Daniel Garcia to score his three points, but then ran into the brick wall of Brody King, and stumbled once more in his DYNAMITE: GRAND SLAM 2023 rematch with Eddie Kingston. The latter likely stung greater than the former given the ill will between Kingston and Castagnoli, but the Brody loss is still a loss and Castagnoli finds himself in the same hole as Kingston.
Claudio’s path to possibly make the cut for League Finals means defeating Andrade and, in his final match, his own Blackpool Combat Club brother Bryan Danielson. Even that would only net him nine points, leaving The Swiss Superman also dependent on the outcome of other matches in order to be one of the last two men standing for the Gold League Finals in Orlando on December 27th. Andrade is obviously in the Gold League driver’s seat, but he could end up fighting for that second place spot if he drops this match and his final bout with Eddie Kingston. No one in this Blue League should let themselves get too comfortable…especially considering four of these six men fought at ROH’s FINAL BATTLE 2023 event last night. All but Andrade El Idolo and Brody King went through a fight, so it will be very intriguing to see how those may effect these three bouts!
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy(c) vs. “The Bounty Hunter” Bryan Keith
Last night at FINAL BATTLE 2023, Bryan Keith came into ROH for the very first time with nothing more than an opportunity to qualify for the ROH World Television Championship Survival of the Fittest Elimination bout. “All” Kieth had to do was beat Jack Cartwheel on the ZERO HOUR to get there.
Well he did that, and in the span of the seven minutes that fight lasted, Bryan also won over the ROH faithful in Garland, TX. Then “The Bounty Hunter” stepped into the Survival of the Fittest Finals and hung in there for seventeen minutes, eliminating Lee Moriarty in the process before Kyle Fletcher took him out, and Bryan Keth solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with anywhere he goes.
Obviously someone took notice because Orange Cassidy, the 2-Time AEW International Champion, actually stepped up to “The Bounty Hunter” and offered him an opportunity to challenge for the title this Saturday night on COLLISION! Now Orange is coming into this off a fight of his own, teaming up with The Von Erichs on RAMPAGE to beat Cool Hand Ang, Daddy Magic, and Jake Hager, but that took far less a toll on the champion than FINAL BATTLE 2023 did to his challenger!
Can Bryan Keith upset the defending champion this Saturday night in Garland, and continue to show the world what he brings to the table inside that squared circle? Will OC’s own challenge backfire on him come COLLISION?
All Elite Wrestling has called Garland, TX and the Curtis Culwell Center home since 2019, and for the first time we are bringing COLLISION action to town! The Blue League tournament action heads into its fourth round with Castagnoli versus Andrade, Kingston battling Garcia, and Danielson tackling King! COLLISION begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
DYNAMITE was absolutely action-packed this past Wednesday with three Gold League bouts, one Blue League contest, and several other exciting bouts as AEW heads towards WORLDS END on December 30th! Jon Moxley took the top spot in the Gold League with 12 points after his victory over Swerve Strickland, while Rush added three more points to his total after beating Jay Lethal, and Jay White also scored another trio of points after topping Mark Briscoe. Meanwhile, in the Blue, Brody King fell to Andrade El Idolo to put the latter competitor on top of that bracket with every man now having competed in three bouts.
We also learned that The Golden Jets will take on AEW World Tag Champions Big Bill and Ricky Starks at WORLDS END, fans witnessed Adam Page have a heated confrontation with Samoa Joe and then best Roderick Strong in the opening match of the night, only to be laid out in the parking lot during the closing moments of DYNAMITE.
This Friday night RAMPAGE hails from Arlington, TX and begins at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features an intriguing collection of matches! AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy teams with The Von Erich’s to take on Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager in Trios action while Anna Jay and Red Velvet go head-to-head for the first time since 2020! Plus, The Don Callis Family will be in tag team action and, in the main event, Top Flight and Action Andretti will finally lock up with Penta, Vikingo, and Komander in their much anticipated Trios bout!! Before the show begins, make a point to drop in on the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s various social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
TRIOS MATCH…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy & The Von Erichs (Marshall & Ross) vs. Angelo Parker, Jake Hager, & Matt Menard
The history of the Von Erichs in Texas is well known to wrestling fans around the world, and the newest generation of the fabled grappling family is set to make their first in-ring appearance for All Elite Wrestling this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
The issues between AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and the former J.A.S. members have been growing for several weeks, in fact it was only a couple weeks ago that he teamed with HOOK, Danhausen, and Trent Beretta to defeat Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and The Dark Order, and on the Thanksgiving Eve DYNAMITE that he, Shibata, and HOOK bested Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jake Hager.
But like a bad penny, they keep turning up in OC’s life, and this time the AEW International Champion is bringing some hometown help from Ross and Marshall Von Erich! The sons of Kevin Von Erich, Ross and Marshall have been competing for eleven years, learning from their father as well as the legendary Harley Race, and spending time in the Pro Wrestling NOAH Dojo under Naomichi Marufuji. They are multi-time tag champions over the course of their career, certainly experienced competitors, and strong partners for “Freshly Squeezed” in this Trios bout.
But not being one of OC’s regular partners like Trent Beretta, Danhausen, Chuck Taylor, or even HOOK, how will they gel on this first outing? Angelo Parker, Matt Menard, and Jake Hager have been together virtually every week of their life for the last year and a half, but their current situations have not led to a great deal of success for any of the men. Can they take advantage of the inexperience of Orange Cassidy’s trio to get back on track?
ONE-ON-ONE…
Anna Jay vs. Red Velvet
It has been over three years since the last time Anna Jay and Red Velvet locked up as foes. That night, the September 1, 2020 edition of AEW DARK, it was Anna Jay who scored the victory and the two women would not share the ring again until last year on the 2/21/22 edition of DARK: ELEVATION, only that night it would be as partners in a Trios match, scoring victory alongside Tay Melo.
This Friday night on RAMPAGE, these two women, each looking to get their career back on the right track, will lock up in a rematch of that 2020 bout! Anna Jay is trying to focus on her career while dealing with her friends problems, Red Velvet is freshly returned from a long injury layoff and trying to get back in the mix, that makes this a must-win bout for both!
TRIOS MATCH…
Action Andretti & Top Flight (Dante & Darius Martin) vs. El Hijo Del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
This one stems from a challenge made by Penta El Zero Miedo, his way of welcoming Dante Martin back to the fight it seems, and perhaps a reminder that The Lucha Brothers were responsible for the gruesome injury he suffered at SUPERCARD OF HONOR 2023. Top Flight and Action Andretti were more than willing to accept the challenge, and fans will be the ones lucky enough to experience it this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
Just look at the six competitors involved in this battle and one can predict the kind of insanity coming to TNT with this Trios bout! This is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of battle featuring six of the best high-flyers in professional wrestling today, and the kind of action you can only get with All Elite Wrestling!
ALSO FEATURING:
-The Don Callis Family of Kyle Fletcher & Powerhouse Hobbs!
RAMPAGE comes your way from Arlington, TX this Friday night starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and will bring the legendary Von Erich family to AEW where Ross and Marshall will united with AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy for Trios action against Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang, and Jaker Hager! We will also see The Don Callis Family in tag team action, Red Velvet take on Anna Jay, and, the trio of Top Flight and Action Andretti fighting with Penta El Zero Miedo, El Hijo del Vikingo, and Komander in a highly anticipated Trios bout!!
Prior to the start of the show, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to catch up on highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as previous episodes of RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Your Big Gold Belt Podcast is LIVE talking the latest news in pro wrestling including: -Rumors swirl regarding WWE & Warner Brothers -CM Punk’s 2024 Roadmap: As Punk plots out his plans for the new...
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE: Winter Is Coming was broadcast live from the College Park Center in Arlington, TX!
Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic: Gold League Standings—
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley (9)
Swerve Strickland (9)
Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White (6)
LFI’s Rush (3)
Mark Briscoe (0)
Jay Lethal (0)
Continental Classic: Blue League Standings—
House of Black’s Brody King (6)
Andrade El Idolo (6)
Blackpool Combat Club’s “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)
Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli (3)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (3)
Daniel Garcia (0)
Samoa Joe walked to the ring to kick off the show!
Samoa Joe: “I have come here tonight looking for answers. Not a long time ago I made a promise to MJF that I would keep him whole until World’s End when I would dismantle him myself. Last week I was made into a liar when I came out here to the machinations of a devil. I looked up at that screen and saw MJF laying in the back, potentially jeopardizing my AEW World Championship opportunity.
“Now one can’t stand on the tracks of destiny and not get run over. So let me explain to you what’s going to happen tonight. You see when I walked in the back last week with MJF laying on the ground, I saw a beer bottle, a certain beer brand, that a certain cowboy likes, busted over MJF’s head.
“And then as I got closer, I noticed a certain scent of Stetson and disappointment. And I said to myself, I’ve smelled this before. And then as I walked around the building, searching high and low for this cowboy, it seemed like a certain Hangman was missing.”
“Hangman” Adam Page’s music hit, and Page came down to the ring!
“What if someone is trying to frame ‘Hangman’ Adam Page? What if MJF is trying to frame Adam Page?” asked Excalibur.
“Hangman” Adam Page: “Joe if there’s something you want to accuse me of, why don’t you just say it like the man I thought you were. If you think it’s me, if you think I have anything to do with it, if you think I give a damn about the Devil, you’d be so wrong, because I don’t care.”
Samoa Joe: “Hangman you may not care, but you see you made the mistake of thinking I came out here like a detective. I’ve already made up my mind. I’m an executioner.”
Hangman Page: “Well Joe, if there’s something you want to do about it, why don’t you do it?”
Roderick Strong walked onto the ramp with the Kingdom, and he was screaming “Samoa! Samoa Joe, you are so lucky that they didn’t hurt you last week. But I hate to say this, you gotta listen to Hangman. I mean he is my young boy and all. I never forgot about that.
“And listen, have you seen the things that have been happening, Joe? Jay White asked for a World title match, he gets attacked. The Acclaimed lose a tag match for Max and they get attacked. The goons attack Max on November 29th, but they don’t lay a single shot on him, and you come to his aid.
“And then last week, we never saw them physically touch him. We just saw him lying there. C’mon, Joe, think! It’s obviously Max. Max is the devil. C’mon, Joe, I wouldn’t like to you. I’m not talking to you Adam, I’m talking to my best friend by proxy, Samoa Joe!”
Adam Page swung at Roderick Strong and knocked him to the mat!
Roderick Strong (with The Kingdom—Matt Taven & Mike Bennett)
vs.
“Hangman” Adam Page!
Samoa Joe left the ring and pointed at Adam Page as he was exiting. As Page had his back turned, Roderick Strong blindsided Page! Strong stomped on Page in the corner. Hangman retaliated with stiff chops to Roderick Strong.
Page sent Strong flying with an overhead slam. Page hit a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Roderick connected with a back breaker. Page blasted Roddy with a high cowboy boot to the face.
Roddy used a single leg takedown and then drove his knee into Page’s chest. Roddy charged at Page, but Page flipped him over the top rope and followed up with a tope, crashing down on Roddy on the arena floor. Page climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Matt Taven grabbed a hold of Page’s boot. Mike Bennett distracted ref Aubrey Edwards while Roddy kicked Page in the head.
“The opening was there, Roderick took advantage of it, the referee couldn’t see it,” said Taz.
Roderick Strong nailed Hangman Page with a backbreaker on the turnbuckles! Roddy grabbed a top wrist lock. Page escaped and exchanged forearms with Roderick. Both men went for rolling elbows and they collided with one another, each being knocked down.
Adam Page got a second wind and began to stomp a Texas mudhole in Roddy. Hangman planted Roddy with a Death Valley Driver for a two-count! Adam Page chomped on Roddy’s forehead. Page went for a moonsault press, Roddy dodged it, but Page landed on his feet! Roddy charged at Page, but Page took him down with a pop-up powerbomb for a near fall!
Page was looking for the Dead Eye, but Roddy broke free and pancaked Page for a two-count. Roderick followed up with a suplex and then a Tiger Driver for a near fall. Roderick locked on the Strong Hold, but Page reached the ropes, forcing the ref to break the hold.
Page was searching for the Buck Shot Lariat, but Taven grabbed Page’s boot. Bennett distracted the ref on the other side. Page wiped out Taven with a moonsault. Page went back up top and tore down the Kingdom with another moonsault, this time from the ring post!
Hangman went for the Buck Shot, but Roddy had it scouted and went to apply the Strong Hold. Page countered with a roll-up, but Roddy kicked out. Page hit the Dead Eye on Strong and pinned him!
“Both these guys left it all in the ring,” said Taz.
“A great return to form for ‘Hangman’ Adam Page,” replied Excalibur.
Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Andrade El Idolo vs. House of Black’s Brody King!
Brody back up Andrade into the ropes. Andrade applied a headlock and took Brody down to the mat. Brody escaped and squashed Andrade with a senton. Big Brody pummeled Andrade in the corner with chops and then landed a solid elbow strike.
Andrade connected with a big cross body press, but Brody kicked out at the one-count. Brody rolled out of the ring, but Andrade followed up with a moonsault on the middle turnbuckle to Brody on the arena floor.
Andrade dropkicked Brody in the knee and Brody’s momentum sent him crashing into the turnbuckles. Andrade nailed Brody with two dragon screw leg whips. Andrade took Brody down with a flying elbow strike. Andrade El Idolo body slammed Brody. Andrade followed up with a split legged moonsault for a near fall!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Brody rocked Andrade with a lariat for a two-count! Brody connected with a cannonball splash in the corner on Andrade El Idolo. Brody and Andrade exchanged chops. Brody stunned Andrade with a forearm, but Andrade answered with a spinning back elbow!
Andrade El Idolo climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Brody got to his feet. Brody knocked Andrade down with an elbow strike. Both men jockeyed for position on the top turnbuckle. Andrade pulled Brody’s head down, spiking it on the exposed turnbuckle! Andrade followed up with a hammerlock DDT and pinned Brody King!
“Andrade has picked up three crucial points in the Blue League,” said Excalibur.
Renee Paquette was backstage with the legendary Von Erichs—Kevin Von Erich, and his sons, Marshall and Ross Von Erich—who made their return to Dallas!
Kevin Von Erich: “Renee, I love AEW. The style, and I’ve got so many friends here, too.”
Danhausen walked onto the scene, interrupting, along with International Champion Orange Cassidy and Trent!
Orange: “Hey, I got a match on Rampage this week, and I need two partners. How about you two guys tag up with me on Rampage?”
Danhausen: “Hey, you’re betraying us.”
Orange: “What? No, we’re in Texas. So, what do you guys say?”
Marshall and Ross Von Erich agreed, saying they’d gladly have Orange’s back!
Out next: The Golden Jets—Kenny Omega & Chris Jericho!
Jericho: “Dallas, welcome to the return of the Golden Jets! I think that was the first ever Golden Jets chant,” Jericho said with a smile.
Jericho: “The reason why it’s been a while since we’ve been here is because of Big Bill and Ricky Starks. They attacked me after Full Gear, pretty much dislocated my elbow, put me out for three weeks. Last week after Kenny’s great match with Ethan Page, Big Bill kicked Kenny in the face and put him down to the ground. I spent three weeks thinking of what I was going to say to Big Bill and Ricky Starks. It’s pretty simple: Hey boys, get your sorry asses out here!”
AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill walked onto the ramp!
Starks: “Wow, did you miss me? Point proven, Chris. I find this whole situation to be funny. I have no problem with you Kenny. I want to thank you for this great place we have called AEW. And you, Chris, there’s nothing to really thank, because you just suck the life out of every single thing. And it makes me question, you, though, Kenny, because do you really think you can trust a guy like Jericho? I mean, look at the Inner Circle. Look at JAS. Look at what he’s done to those people in the past.”
Big Bill: Kenny, look at the things that Chris has actually done to you. If Chris attacked you randomly on the drop of a dime, me, Ricky, nobody here, would actually be surprised. Just saying.”
Kenny Omega: “So you’re basing this off of my trust between myself and Chris Jericho? Do I trust Chris Jericho? Chris, you know I don’t trust you. Look, Big Bill, you’re talking about track records. Let’s take a look at something from your past, the Firm, for example. Everyone remember the Firm? I can’t say that I do.
“I would say that that Firm angle you had with MJF is more like the flaccid, looking less firm and a little more up your alley, something say, I don’t know, soft. But hey, when it comes to beatdowns, I’m pretty much the king of receiving them. So hey, you guys think you can talk a big game, that’s fine. We’ve earned ourselves a tag team title shot down the road, and guess what? On December 30th at World’s End, we’re thinking maybe the Golden Jets can maybe take those two titles off of your waist and place them firmly around ours. What do you say to that?”
Ricky Starks: “That’s all well and good and we understand you two are the number one contenders and I’m going to speak for both of us and say, hey, guess what, you’re on! But before we even get to World’s End, let me just remind you Chris, I hope you remember January. Because back in January, I actually beat you on Dynamite.”
Big Bill: “Correction. You actually beat him twice. You beat him on a pay-per-view also.”
Starks: “So as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already done half of the work. I know you in and out and I know what you’re all about. We are the best tag team that there is because we are the AEW Tag Team Champions, without a name!”
Chris Jericho: “It’s funny, Starks, you keep bragging that you don’t have a name. I think you need a name. How about this? The Absolute S—ts? I got it! How about we take his first name and then his last name, ladies and gentlemen, AEW World Tag Team Champions Big Billy Starks!”
Starks: “Well that one fell flat.”
Jericho: “Kinda did.”
Starks: “I can excuse the name, but I cannot excuse the outfit where you went to a local Hot Topic and said, ‘Hey, give me the best stuff that you’ve got!’”
Jericho: “Listen, you said I’m a clown vampire, believe me, if I was going to suck my fangs into somebody, I’d do it with somebody with a lot more clout than you. Because from where I’m standing, all I see is a better dressed, less charismatic version of Enzo Amore.”
Omega: “Hey, let’s give Enzo credit. At least he would hype up Big Bill and not take all the spotlight.”
Starks: “Well I think you guys have taken the spotlight a little too far in my opinion, but regardless, I want you to know something. You talk about the way I dress. You talk about Big Bill. Chris Jericho, no one cares anymore. I am sick and tired of you. And Kenny, you’re starting to piss me off, brother. You want the war? Bring it! World’s End, me and Big Bill will take you two on, because we are the best damn tag team there is. Bar none! Nobody better! And if you think you’ve got something better than me and Big Bill, prove it, you two Winnipeg scumbags!”
Omega: “Well, now that you’ve brought out the big guns, I might need to sit and stew on that for a minute. So, much like those tag team belts on December 30th, I must bid you good-bye, bang!”
Jericho: “We’ll see you on December 30th Starks and Big Bill!”
The Outcasts’ Ruby Soho vs. Riho!
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm joined the broadcast booth for this match. She was accompanied by Mariah May.
Ruby stomped Riho in the corner. Ruby body slammed Riho, but Riho followed up with a dropkick. Riho suplexed Ruby and then squashed her with a double foot stomp. Riho climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Ruby knocked her off balance. Riho managed to secure herself and then crashed down on Ruby Soho like a bolt of lightning, double stomping her!
Riho connected with a big cross body press for a near fall. Ruby rocked Riho with a kick to the side of the head. Riho planted Ruby with a crucifix bomb for a near fall! Ruby fired back with the No Future Kick, but Riho kicked out at the two-count! Riho stunned Ruby with a dragon suplex and then pinned Ruby after a running knee strike!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
LFI’s Rush vs. Jay Lethal!
Rush splashed Lethal in the corner. Lethal fired back with a basement dropkick and the did his strut. Rush hit a German suplex and followed up with a knee strike. Rush whipped Jay Lethal into the steel guardrail outside the ring.
Lethal chopped Rush off the turnbuckles. Lethal shocked Rush with the Lethal Combination. Lethal tried to apply the figure four but Rush rolled him up for a near fall. Lethal countered Rush’s discus lariat with a kick to the head. Lethal charged at Rush but Rush nailed Lethal with a belly to belly suplex in the turnbuckles. Rush countered the Lethal Injection with a sleeper and Lethal tapped out!
“Rush has not forgotten how Jon Moxley put him to sleep one week ago,” said Excalibur.
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White vs. Mark Briscoe!
Briscoe wasted no time, going right after Jay White! Briscoe hit a Death Valley Driver!
The fans chanted “Dem Boys! Dem Boys! Dem Boys!”
Briscoe climbed to the top and smashed White with the Froggy Bow. White rolled out of the ring. Mark chopped at Jay White back in the ring. Briscoe chomped on Jay White’s head. Jay White hurled Mark out of the ring, and Mark’s shoulder collided on the ring apron.
Mark blocked the Blade Runner with redneck Kung Fu. Jay White hit a basement dropkick and then a DDT on Mark Briscoe. Mark Briscoe wiped out White with a massive lariat! Mark employed the redneck Kung Fu once again. Mark nailed Jay with the Cactus elbow drop off the ring apron!
Jay White escaped Mark’s attempt at Splash Mountain. White connected with elbow strikes. Mark signaled for the Jay Driller but White countered with a dragon screw leg whip out of nowhere. Briscoe was clutching his knee. White walloped Mark with a sleeper suplex. White served up a second sleeper suplex on Mark! Mark countered the Blade Runner with a side suplex. Mark went for a Froggy Bow, but Jay White countered by raising his knees into Mark’s ribcage. White pinned Mark Briscoe after planting him with the Blade Runner!
Main Event Time! Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland!
The fans were on their feet as the match began, chanting “A-E-W! A-E-W!”
Mox applied a hammerlock. Swerve escaped and taunted Moxley. Both men were playing mind games early on. Moxley and Swerve traded strikes in the center of the ring. Swerve kicked out Moxley’s legs and then spiked Mox with a DDT off the turnbuckles!
Swerve rammed Mox into the steel ring post. Mox retaliated with a lariat out of the corner. Mox planted Swerve with a stalling piledriver for a near fall. Moxley trapped Swerve in the apron skirt and then crotched him on the apron skirt cord. Moxley launched Swerve into the steel ring steps!
Back in the ring, Mox clocked Swerve with a clothesline at the halfway mark. Swerve smashed Mox with a back breaker. Swerve accelerated off the ropes with a back elbow. Moxley nailed Swerve with a cutter, but Swerve kicked out of the cover. Mox spiked Swerve with a Gotch style piledriver for a two-count!
Swerve and Mox exchanged headbutts. Swerve rocked Mox with a flatliner. Swerve connected with a high boot right on target for a near fall.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Swerve used hammer and anvil elbow strikes on Moxley. Swerve followed up with the House Call kick. Swerve was looking for the Swerve Stomp, but Mox knocked Swerve off the top turnbuckle. Swerve fell to the arena floor! Moxley mauled Swerve with a curb stomp as Swerve rolled back into the ring!
Moxley applied a cross arm breaker on Swerve’s injured right arm. Swerve managed to reach the ropes with his boot to force the ref to break the hold. Moxley grabbed a steel chair from outside the ring, but Swerve jumped over the top rope and crashed onto Moxley. Swerve landed on Moxley with a Swerve Stomp outside the ring!
Swerve climbed to the top rope and hit the Swerve Stomp on Mox, but Mox kicked out at two! Moxley countered a JML Driver with a roll thru cradle and he pinned Swerve!
“Jon Moxley, I think he may have even grabbed the belt for that added leverage,” said Excalibur.
“He sure did! He grabbed it with both hands,” replied Tony Schiavone.
“Jon Moxley stealing a victory and stealing three crucial points. Jon Moxley now sits at the top of the table with 12 points, the highest overall total,” said Excalibur.
Outside the arena, four masked assailants with the Devil’s mask logo on the back of their hoodies, attacked “Hangman” Adam Page!
“He’s outnumbered four to one,” said Excalibur.
“Someone’s in that car,” added Taz.
The person in the Devil mask exited the car and nodded at the assailants. The masked men power bombed Adam Page through the glass windshield of the car!
“The devil and his goons just destroying ‘Hangman’ Adam Page,” said Excalibur, as Page was writhing in pain.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Witness history by watching ROH: Final Battle 2023, this Friday, December 15th, exclusively for subscribers on Ring of Honor HonorClub at WatchROH.com!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, TX!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
As we reach the halfway point, things are heating up with the Continental Classic in both the Gold and Blue League with both Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal eliminated from victory in the Gold, Daniel Garcia (depending greatly on Saturday night) stands on the precipice of suffering the same fate in the Blue following his loss on RAMPAGE, and Eddie Kingston could end up in the same position depending on his COLLISION contest! We are heading full speed toward WORLDS END on December 30th, but there’s a lot of story to be told before All Elite Wrestling gets onto Long Island, and Montreal plays host to the next chapter!
In a clash of Canadians, “All Ego” Ethan Page goes head-to-head with Kenny Omega in their first-ever contest, Willie Mack steps up to defend his friend AR Fox against Wardlow, an old rivalry renews between Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Martinez, and the Blue League continues with Claudio versus Kingston and Danielson versus Andrade! The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to best get prepared for it, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, to catch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC: BLUE LEAGUE
Standings
Brody King (6)
“The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson (6)
Claudio Castagnoli (3)
Andrade El Idolo (3)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (0)
Daniel Garcia (0)
ROH World Champion/NJPW STRONG Eddie Kingston (0) vs. Claudio Castagnoli (3)
The history between these two men is well-documented; former training partners, as well as former roommates, whose bad blood blossomed long ago and spilled all over the independent wrestling landscape in the years before Castagnoli left that landscape to ply his trade elsewhere. It was never laid to rest, never settled, and the truth was, even after Eddie Kingston finally defeated Claudio Castagnoli at GRAND SLAM 2023 to win the ROH World Championship, that animosity wasn’t going to fade away even if the two men planned on never fighting each other again.
Unfortunately for Kingston and Castagnoli, their plan to never have to fight one another again became impossible as soon as the brackets were set for the Continental Classic and both were positioned in the Blue League. That made a conflict inevitable, whereas if they’d been kept in separate leagues then the finals would’ve been their only possible meeting place. Instead this Saturday night on COLLISION, in their third tournament matches, the ROH World & NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion will fight the man he dethroned for the former, only this time no title will be at stake, rather three points in the league and the potential for Kingston to be mathematically eliminated from tournament victory. That loss would be a blow more devastating than any other he’s experienced thus far because not only would it mean Kingston is out of contention in the Continental Classic, it also means that he has effectively lost both the ROH World Championship and the NJPW STRONG Openweight Title.
He may have the championship sobriquet attached to his name until December 29th, but if Kingston is eliminated from this tournament before WORLDS END, its a meaningless distinction and he’ll only have himself to blame for putting both titles into the mix to create this modern North American Triple Crown! Can Kingston ward off elimination with a second consecutive victory over Claudio Castagnoli? Or will “The Swiss Superman” bounce back from his loss to Brody King with yet another victory over “The Mad King”?
Bryan Danielson (6) vs. Andrade El Idolo (3)
The last time these two men met in combat was on the October 21st edition of COLLISION, and also the last singles match Bryan Danielson had before the orbital bone injuries he sustained just four days later in that DYNAMITE tag team bout against Okada and Orange Cassidy. It took nearly 19 minutes of fierce battle, but “The American Dragon” managed to topple Andrade on that night to emerge the victor. Now this Continental Classic tournament has given Andrade an opportunity to even their score…
It’s common knowledge that Bryan Danielson comes into this fight still healing from that eye injury, but it didn’t stop him from defeating Eddie Kingston last week in Bryan’s first tournament bout, it didn’t stop him from beating Daniel Garcia on RAMPAGE less than 24 hours ago, and it isn’t going to prevent Danielson from giving it his all against Andrade either. Much like how Danielson had to be wary of Kingston’s spinning back fist when it came to protecting the eye, this time around he needs to be cognizant of that deadly spinning back elbow Andrade employs to knock his opponents senseless. If that connects, not only could it mean the end of Danielson’s bid for three more points, it could mark the end of his participation in this tournament as a whole thanks to another re-fractured orbital bone…
A CANADIAN CHALLENGE…
“The Cleaner” Kenny Omega vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page
For the very first time in their careers, “All Ego” Ethan Page and “The Cleaner” Kenny Omega will go one-on-one after Ethan challenged AEW’s only Triple Crown winner to see who was the better Canadian! Back in June, when AEW came to Hamilton, Ontario for the first time, Ethan stepped up to give AEW World Champion MJF a run for his money in an impromptu title bout, and now he’s making another stand in the Great White North by calling out one of the most influential athletes of this generation!
Omega has had a rough 2023, losing four of his last six singles matches beginning with the night Don Callis stabbed him in the head inside a Steel Cage, and constantly being on the wrong end of an assault from Callis’ Family, but he’s now won three straight in tag team and multi-man affairs, including beating his own best friends The Young Bucks to steal their guaranteed AEW World Tag Title match while apparently sending them off to lick their wounds.
In Montreal, will Omega continue to get himself back on track or will it be Ethan Page’s time to step up to the plate and knock it out of the park?
FOR A FRIEND…
Wardlow vs. Willie Mack
Willie Mack and AR Fox have ties that run deep, back some ten years to shows in Mexico, even include the two men reigning as champions together as part of a trio back in 2015, and those ties have led Wardlow to putting himself in the path of “The War Dog”! For Wardlow, the path ends at MJF’s grave, but the AEW World Champion has a whole lot on his plate and his former bodyguard is going to have to get in the queue. Until then, every one who slows Wardlow down from getting to his goal is going to suffer, and he intends to make Willie Mack the next victim!
TIME FOR A FIGHT…
Mercedes Martinez vs. Willow Nightingale
Willow Nightingale and Mercedes Martinez have a rivalry that has spanned a half-decade, crossed across multiple companies, and across the United States. It began in 2018 in the Berwyn Eagles Club and picked back up in 2022 at ROH’s SUPERCARD OF HONOR event when the two competed for the Interim ROH Women’s World Championship. Both those singles matches were won by Martinez, as was their first AEW bout, a tag team match on COLLISION in August where Martinez and Diamante topped Willow and Kris Statlander. A Trios bout on the ZERO HOUR of ALL OUT 2023 finally saw Nightingale, with Hikaru Shida and Skye Blue as her partners, get that first victory over Mercedes who had ROH Women’s World Champion Athena and Diamante as her allies, and she would score another win over Martinez in a tag match for the Kitsune Women’s Wrestling promotion a few weeks later.
But nothing has brought an end to this rivalry, and the insistence of Mercedes and Diamante to engage with the woman Willow calls friends has kept them in each other’s lives as well. So it comes to blows once again this Saturday night on COLLISION in the third singles match between Nightingale and Martinez! After scoring the last two victories in their rivalry, can Nightingale finally get her first one-on-one win over Mercedes Martinez?
The Blue League tournament action continues, Mercedes Martinez and Willow Nightingale clash, Wardlow goes into battle with Willie Mack, and in a first-ever battle, Ethan Page meets Kenny Omega! COLLISION gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Orange and Angelico chain wrestled and then Cassidy loaded up for the Orange Punch. Angelico rolled to the outside to take a breather and collect his thoughts. Back in the ring, Angelico punted Orange in the hip.
Orange played mind games, placing his hands in his pockets. He used a wristlock takeover and flying head scissors on Angelico. Orange crumbled as Angelico chop blocked him. Angelico kicked Orange’s leg, inflicting more damage.
“Orange Cassidy is going to have to try to fight through this,” said Tony Schiavone.
Angelico tied up Orange in a submission. Orange escaped, and nailed Angelico with the Stun Dog Millionaire. Orange followed up with the Beach Break, but he couldn’t make the cover because he was writhing in pain. The crowd willed him to his feet. Orange was looking for the Orange Punch, but Serpentico grabbed Orange’s leg. Angelico blasted Orange with a pump kick. Then Danhausen evened up the score by grabbing Angelico’s leg, tripping up Angelico.
Danhausen placed a curse on Angelico, and then Cassidy grabbed Angelico with an O’Connor Roll. Angelico managed to kick out and Orange inadvertently collided with Danhausen, who was on the ring apron.
Angelico twisted Orange in a grapevine ankle lock, while Serpentico had Danhausen in a camel clutch on the arena floor. Orange rolled to the ropes forcing the ref to break the hold. As ref Paul Turner was admonishing Angelico for not breaking the hold sooner, Serpentico tried to blindside Orange. Luckily Danhausen was there and cracked Serpentico with a low blow!
“Jingle Bells have rung in Montreal,” said Ian.
Orange rocked Angelico with the Orange Punch and pinned him!
Abadon vs. Trish Adora!
Abadon dared Adora to strike them in the face, and Adora complied. Trish Adora chopped Abadon, but Abadon shrugged them off, absorbing them. Abadon picked up Trish by the arms and then stomped on her.
Abadon cracked Trish with a knee strike and then began to pummel her with punches. Adora pump kicked Abadon, but Abadon got right to her feet. Abadon connected with two thrust kicks and then pinned Trish with the Black Diamond!
The arena lights went dark! The lights turned back on, and TBS Champion Julia Hart was standing in the ring behind Abadon! Julia placed the belt down in front of Abadon, drawing the battle line. Abadon picked up the title. The arena went dark again and this time, when the lights came back on, Julia Hart vanished, along with her title!
“Abadon is having a fit,” said Tony Schiavone.
The Don Callis Family— “The Alpha” Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs
vs.
“Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Matt Sydal!
Don Callis joined the broadcast booth for this match.
Daniels ducked a chop from Powerhouse and then hit him with elbows. Hobbs wasted no time and bulldozed Daniels. Hobbs body slammed Daniels halfway across the ring!
Takeshita tagged in and charged at Daniels with a running strike. Sydal tagged in and dished out kicks to Takeshita. The Alpha caught Sydal, looking for a front plant, but Sydal escaped and countered with a wrist lock takeover.
Hobbs powerslammed Sydal and covered him for a near fall. Takeshita tagged back in, but Sydal used a hurracanrana on him. Hobbs grabbed a tag, but so did Daniels. CD used a drop toe hold and then a hurracanrana on Hobbs. Powerhouse Hobbs signaled for the end, though, and decimated Daniels with a spinebuster. Hobbs pinned Daniels after the world’s most dangerous slam!
Backstage Renee Paquette interviewed Action Andretti and Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin!
Dante: “What we’re not going to do is accept Penta’s disrespect walking in while we were talking. But what we are going to do is accept your little one, two, three challenge. So, guess what? There’s three things you need to know.”
Action Andretti: “It’s that Double A don’t play.”
Darius: “And it’s time to step up.”
Dante: “Or take flight!”
Main Event Time! Continental Classic Blue League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Daniel Garcia!
Garcia came out wearing trunks instead of his leather pants. Garcia grabbed a wrist lock. Danielson suplexed his way out of it. Garcia was looking for the Dragon Tamer, but Danielson grabbed the ropes.
Danielson blasted Garcia with kicks to the hamstring and the shin. Garcia backed up Danielson with rapid fire strikes. Garcia dropkicked Danielson in the corner for a near fall. Danielson sent Garcia flying with a German Suplex.
Danielson taunted Garcia: “Dance, Danny, dance!”
Garcia absorbed a kick and then exchanged open hand strikes with Danielson. Garcia suplexed Danielson for a near fall. Garcia tried for a powerbomb, but Danielson countered with a triangle choke. Garcia fought back but Danielson mounted Garcia with the ground and pound. Garcia got to the ropes and forced the ref to break the hold.
Garcia played possum and rolled up Danielson with an inside cradle for a two-count. Garcia applied the Dragon Tamer on Danielson. Garcia spiked Danielson with a piledriver for a near fall!
“What a main event!” said Daddy Magic.
Garcia punted Danielson in the injured eye. Garcia stomped on Danielson, going to the orbital socket. Garcia started to dance but Danielson seized the moment and charged at Garcia with the running knee strike! Danielson applied the LeBell Lock, and the ref stopped the match after Garcia went unconscious!
“He had Danielson right where he wanted him but then Garcia just had to dance!” said Daddy Magic.
“And now in less than 24 hours Danielson must climb back into the ring and take on Andrade El Idolo,” noted Tony Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Winter Is Coming on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the College Park Center in Arlington, TX!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC featuring:
-Continental Classic Blue League Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Andrade El Idolo!
-Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Martinez!
-Continental Classic Blue League Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston!
– “All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Kenny Omega!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
This past Wednesday on DYNAMITE the AEW faithful in Montreal, and those watching worldwide, witnessed the Gold League reach its halfway point, putting Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe on the cusp of elimination while both Moxley and Swerve Strickland shot for their ninth points. While the last two men achieved their goal of nine points, the first two sadly found themselves on the outside looking in with two matches in the tournament still to go. Moxley did it at Rush’s expense, Swerve did it a Jay Briscoe’s, and Jay White gained his 6th point by knocking Lethal out of contention.
In addition, AEW World/ROH World Tag Champion MJF was laid out, apparently with a broken bottle, while Samoa Joe stood in the ring awaiting their tag bout against The Devil’s Masked Men, Toni Storm retained her AEW Women’s World Championship over Skye Blue only to be confronted by Riho, and TNT Champion Christian Cage managed to defend his title over Adam Copeland in no small part due to the involvement of Shayna Wayne.
This Friday night RAMPAGE comes to you from Montreal starting at 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and features a Continental Classic match in the Blue League between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia, Abadon in action against The Infantry’s Trish Adora, and The Don Callis Family in Tag Team action, plus we will see AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, with Danhausen in his corner, in action against Angelico stemming from ROH ON HONOR CLUB Thursday night! Beforehand, be sure to drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
Last Saturday night Bryan Danielson, with one eye concealed due to his orbital bone injury, defeated ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston in The American Dragon’s first Continental Classic bout. It was hard-hitting, draining, pushed Danielson to his limit, and yet here he less than a week later competing in his second Blue League bout, with his third scheduled for COLLISION opposite Andrade El Idolo!
And just who will “The American Dragon” face this Friday night on RAMPAGE? Why it’s the man who dubbed himself “The Dragon Slayer” after beating Bryan back on the July 27, 2022 edition of DYNAMITE. Danielson might hold the overall advantage over Daniel Garcia in their series of matches, including a 2 of 3 Falls victory on the 8/17/22 edition of DYNAMITE, but the man once called “Red Death” knows what it feels like to be the ROH Hall of Famer.
Garcia is coming into this fight without a point to his name in the Continental Classic, just two painful losses to Andrade El Idolo and Claudio Castagnoli, and certainly considered the dark horse of the Blue League. He still has Brody King, he still has Eddie Kingston, but this Friday night he must remain focused on Bryan Danielson and take the rest of this tournament one fight at a time. Garcia needs to get on the board with this match, his halfway point of the tourney as the first man to compete in his third bout, otherwise he could end up in the same position as Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe.
But if Daniel Garcia can find a way to another victory over Bryan Danielson, this one without the helping hand of Jake Hager, it may very well be the launching point he needs to rebound from those two painful losses and run the table the rest of the way to a nine point showing! Playing spoiler to Bryan Danielson’s pursuit of Blue League superiority is a tremendous resume builder, and if Garcia can be that guy, Kingston and King better take notice and be prepared.
On the other hand, if it’s Danielson who comes out with the victory, he better hope it’s a fast victory with minimal damage to his person because less than 24 hours later, “The American Dragon” will be right back in Continental Classic action with a fight against Andrade El Idolo! For someone who’s freshly back from injury, is it wise taking two fights of this caliber in just one day’s time?
AEW INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
“Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy (w/ Danhausen) vs. Angelico (w/ Serpentico)
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy and Danhausen were just trying to do the right thing by Christopher Daniels, help someone out when their foe was taking advantage of a numbers situation, and that has now brought the champ into direct conflict with The Spanish Announce Project this Friday night on RAMPAGE!
Though not endeavoring into quite the hectic schedule he kept with his first International Championship reign, Orange Cassidy still aims to defend his title against anyone brave enough to step up to the challenge, and it looks like Angelico will be the next individual to try “Freshly Squeezed”!
This encounter will mark their third since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, with OC taking the victories in 2020 and 2021, but their first with a championship on the line. Will Angelico be able to parlay his unique pro wrestling style, with maybe a little help from Serpentico, to his first AEW championship title? Or will Orange Cassidy continue the success he experienced in his first International Title reign?
TAG TEAM BOUT…
The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Powerhouse Hobbs)
As witnessed last week, Don Callis’ Family is on a roll and this Friday night on RAMPAGE they aim to continue elevating their dominant presence inside the squared circle. This weekend they will do so in a tag team encounter when Powerhouse Hobbs and Konosuke Takeshita, two of the most powerful men in All Elite Wrestling, unite for the first time to create a team that could be the most terrifying in the locker room.
Their foes on RAMPAGE will be former ROH Tag Team Champions Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal who, though their reign took place some 17 years ago, have set their sights on finding that magic once again. They’ve been frustrated thus far, losing four consecutive bouts in AEW, but with careers as rich as theirs and 53 years of combined experience in the mat wars, Daniels and Sydal are not about to lay down and give up. They want to face the best competition, the hungry young faces looking to take the top places in the game, and one would be hard-pressed to find two hungrier individuals than Takeshita and Hobbs!
The TBS Championship is clearly on the mind of “The Living Dead Girl” Abadon, but it is just as evident that reigning champion Julia Hart is not the least bit spooked by what Abadon brings to the table. That makes the potential of an Abadon/Julia Hart showdown quite intriguing, two people who live in the shadows and darkness, but before that potentiality becomes reality, Abadon will be in action this Friday night on RAMPAGE against The Infantry’s Trish Adora.
Adora has been building her name on Ring of Honor each week, and now she aims to bring that to the AEW stage as well, but with one of the most fearsome entities in the Women’s Division standing across the ring from her, can Adora rise above any fears and put “The Living Dead Girl” back in the ground?
RAMPAGE comes to you at 10pm ET/9pm CT from Montreal’s Bell Centre this Friday night on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and it is one stacked event! Sadly Don Callis’ “Family” will be in action to spoil the party, but thankfully the Continental Classic will continue with Blue League action between Bryan Danielson and Daniel Garcia! Plus, Orange Cassidy will defend his AEW International Championship against Angelico after their encounter following ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and Abadon will be in action! Before the show begins, be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
Week 3 of the AEW Continental Classic continues with 3 huge Blue League matchups!
First on Rampage, Bryan Danielson takes on Daniel Garcia. Then Saturday night on Collision, Eddie Kingston faces off with Claudio Castagnoli and Bryan Danielson has his second match in 24 hours, this time against Andrade El Idolo!
AEW Rampage kicks off Friday night at 10/9c on TNT
Then the action continues Saturday on AEW Collision at 8/7c on TNT
Follow the AEW Continental Classic standings here.
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Bell Centre in Montreal, 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!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. LFI’s Rush!
Rush chopped at Moxley and Moxley returned fire! Mox changed levels and kicked Rush, but Rush countered with a belly-to-belly suplex. Mox came down hard on his shoulder with an awkward landing, his shoulder and arm being caught under Rush’s body.
They brawled outside the ring and Mox whipped Rush over the barricade. Moxley pursued Rush through the fans. Rush gouged Moxley’s eyes and then smashed a drink over Moxley’s head. Back in the ring they traded more strikes. Rush stomped on Moxley in the corner and then booted Moxley in the face.
Rush taunted Moxley, but Moxley flipped him off in response. Rush scoop slammed Moxley for a near fall. Moxley rallied back with a big cutter to Rush. Moxley rocked Rush with a lariat in the corner. Moxley superplexed Moxley for a two count.
Outside the ring, Moxley charged at Rush and Rush countered with a belly-to-belly suplex, sending Mox flying into the steel barricade. Rush returned Moxley to the ring and Moxley spiked Rush with a DDT.
The fans chanted “Moxley! Moxley! Moxley!”
Rush blasted Moxley with a stalling piledriver. Rush superplexed Moxley for a near fall. Moxley got to his feet and rocketed out of the ring with a tope suicida at Rush! Both men returned to the ring, barely beating the ref’s 10-count.
Moxley and Rush collided in the ring, Rush resorting to a headbutt, knocking Mox down. Rush was looking for the Bull’s Horns, but Mox rocked Rush with the King Kong Lariat and the Death Rider. Rush kicked out of the pin attempt, and then Moxley transitioned to the bulldog choke and put Rush to sleep!
“That’s how you do it, with the proper fundamentals,” said Taz.
“Rush is frustrated. He woke up and heard Moxley’s music playing,” added Excalibur.
Renee Paquette interviewed Roderick Strong and The Kingdom on the ramp!
Roderick Strong: “Renee! It’s obvious that Max is going to put his dagger into the heart of my best friend by proxy Samoa Joe. But you know, Joe is a big boy, and if life has taught me anything, actions have consequences. And tonight, Joe is going to put his hand on a hot stove and it’s going to burn.
“Renee, you sound crazy! Every decision has consequences. Look at me! This is my life. I’m in this wheelchair because of decisions I’ve made. This is my life every single day! And I will live with the consequences of my decisions until now!”
Roderick Strong stood up from the wheelchair and began to walk!
Roderick Strong: “I will no longer suffer consequences for my decisions. I will no longer be held back by this wheelchair! This wheelchair has held me back for far too long. Far too long.”
Renee Paquette was backstage outside of AEW World Champion MJF’s locker room, hoping to get a word with him!
“Hangman” Adam Page walked by, unaware that Renee was doing a live shot. She transitioned to interviewing Page, who hasn’t been seen since his Texas Death Match with Swerve Strickland.
Adam Page: “I got hit in the back of the head with a cinder block and then choked unconscious. So, I could not fly for a few weeks. I’m glad you caught me, because there is something I need to say to you, Swerve, and to the world. Swerve you broke into my home. You went into my son’s room. It took Prince Nana, it took Brian Cage, but you beat me in a Texas Death Match on pay-per-view. I can concede, I can recognize when I’ve lost.
“And you have beaten me. But Swerve at Full Gear I took something from you that you will never get back. And I think we are bound by something bigger than either of us. And I think you should know this is not over. And Swerve I know what you want more than anything from this life. And I promise because of what you’ve done to me that you will never have it.”
MJF walked out of his locker room.
MJF: “Howdy Seabiscuit. I just wanted to say to you, bravo on that match at Full Gear against Strickland. I mean it was so impressive to see two guys battle it out to see who could get more STDs.”
Page: “Honestly I don’t have 30 minutes to stand here for you to talk to me like you normally do, so Renee, if this is your interview, have at it.”
Page walked off.
MJF turned to Renee: “The reason that I have to go out there for 30 minutes is to wake the crowd up after they have to deal with somebody like you putting them to sleep.”
Page turned around and came back to MJF!
Page: “Is there something else you want to say to me?”
MJF: “Funny you ask. My memory is not all that great, Renee, I’ve been hit in the head a few times. I think the last time you and I saw eye to eye was when I verbally bent you over in front of Bret Hart at Double or Nothing.”
Page: “Yeah, yeah, I think you were talking about a match where I buckshotted you and threw you over the top rope. Was that the one?”
MJF: “That’s a good memory. See what I remember is the first time I won the Dynamite Diamond Ring, but I can’t recall who I beat. I think it was this white trash hick. Renee, do you remember who I beat for the Dynamite Diamond Ring, because it’s escaping me.”
Page: “You know, I think it was me, and I think it made me so upset I had to console myself by becoming the World champion instead.”
MJF: “Oh yeah, that reign was fantastic. Lasted about six months, right? The thing is my reign has been well over a year.”
Page: “Well I’m sure you’re really proud of that. And I’m sure you’ll continue to be proud of it until you’re 70 years old, at home, by yourself, telling your ninth cat about your one year title reign.”
MJF: “Funny stuff. You want to get honest here Hangman. You know what I think? I think out of everybody in this locker room, there’s one guy I think…I think you’re the devil.”
Page: “The devil? The masked guy? You think I’m running around in a Party City mask? I have known you for a long time, Max, and as long as I have known you, you have been a manipulator, Max. Just be honest with me, Max. It’s probably just you, right? You put on a mask, you run around, you attack your opponents, you pretend you attack yourself. I don’t know what the deal is but it’s just you. Be honest with me.”
MJF: “You want honesty? How about I honestly beat the living crap out of you!”
Hangman got into MJF’s face, but Samoa Joe intervened.
Samoa Joe: “Easy there, he’s my responsibility now. And MJF, what is wrong with you? We have other issues tonight that do not involve him.”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mark Briscoe vs. Mogul Embassy’s Swerve Strickland!
“This is a must win match for Mark Briscoe,” said Excalibur.
“He’s facing elimination here tonight,” replied Tony Schiavone.
Briscoe used an arm drag on Swerve and followed up with an inside trip and a headlock. Briscoe connected with a high boot into the jaw of Strickland. Mark hit a tight Russian leg sweep on Swerve.
Swerve managed to rally back with a diving uppercut to Briscoe’s neck. Swerve followed up with a delayed neck breaker. They exchanged strikes on the apron. Mark clocked Swerve with a kick, knocking him to the floor. Briscoe charged at Swerve and Swerve backdropped him over the barricade. Swerve superplexed Briscoe off the barricade and onto the arena floor!
Back in the ring, Briscoe rang Swerve’s bell with redneck kung fu. Briscoe was on target with an elbow strike and then a high boot in the corner. Briscoe nailed Swerve with a fisherman’s buster for a near fall.
Swerve turned the corner with a German suplex. Swerve cracked Mark with a roundhouse kick for a two-count! Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle, but Mark knocked Swerve off his perch with a big uppercut. Briscoe connected with a lariat for a near fall. Swerve had the Jay Driller scouted and countered with the House Call kick! Swerve tried for a 450 splash, but Mark raised his knees to counter! Briscoe tried for the Froggy Bow, but Swerve raised his knees to counter!
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Mark was looking for a Jay Driller on the apron, but Swerve countered with a Death Valley Driver! Swerve climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit the Swerve Stomp, scoring the pin on Briscoe!
“Nine points for Swerve Strickland,” said Excalibur.
“Briscoe deserves a lot of credit, putting his body out here, but he was not able to get the victory,” said Taz.
Renee Paquette was backstage with Mariah May!
Mariah: “The meeting last week with Tony Khan went really well. He’s watched all of my work in Stardom. He loves Japanese wrestling. I mean, he’s not an idiot, he signed me. And we planned my debut. We want it to be as good as it can possibly be, bring some much needed glamour to AEW.”
Renee: “You guys planned your debut. Can you give me information on who your first opponent is going to be?”
Mariah: “Renee, that’s none of your business, because tonight is all about ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm. Her first title defense, I’m going to be there, watching, studying.”
AEW World & ROH World Tag Team Champ MJF & Samoa Joe
vs.
The Devil’s Masked Men!
Samoa Joe made his entrance first, by himself. The Devil’s masked men surrounded the ring as the lights flickered. Joe was surrounded on all four sides. The lights went out completely. When the arena lights came back on, the devil’s masked me were nowhere to be seen, and Joe was standing alone in the ring.
“Is this supposed to be a warning message to Samoa Joe?” asked Excalibur.
The masked Devil appeared on the big screen, and then live footage began to show from backstage while Samoa Joe watched on. MJF had been knocked out and his body was unconscious on the cement floor, a broken bottle nearby. Samoa Joe sprinted up the ramp to the back.
After a commercial break, Jon Moxley was backstage!
Moxley: “I’m humble before God and my mother, but look, I know exactly who I am. I know exactly what I’m capable of. I expected to be 3 and 0. I expect to be 5 and 0. I expect to win the Continental Classic because I’m the ace of the world.”
Swerve Strickland and Prince Nana walked onto the scene.
Swerve: “9 and 0, 9 and 0. It’s going to take more than those crappy new kick pads that you have on to stop the momentum that I’m on. As you saw in L.A., I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win, at all costs, it don’t matter who’s in my way. Remember that.”
Mox: “Good! Me too!”
Swerve: “See you in Texas.”
TCM host Ben Mankiewicz introduced “Timeless” Toni Storm ahead of her match!
AEW Women’s World Championship Match!
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c.) (with Luther the Butler) vs. Skye Blue!
Mariah May was watching from ringside.
Toni Storm had a tight headlock on Skye Blue. Toni Storm blasted Blue with a stiff shot. Toni bounced Skye’s head against the broadcast booth. Storm hit the hip attack against Blue and the barricade!
Blue connected with a dropkick and then a rising knee strike. Blue got a near fall on Storm after a diving crossbody press. Storm blocked Skye Fall and nailed Blue with a German suplex. Blue dodged the hip attack and fired back with a thrust kick on Storm. Skye Blue cracked Toni Storm with her own version of the hip attack!
Skye Blue rocked Toni with the Code Blue for a (very) near fall! Toni delivered headbutts to Skye Blue, stopping Skye in her tracks. Storm superplexed Skye Blue! Storm used the hip attack, went for the Storm Zero, but Skye countered with a roll-up! Storm reversed the roll-up and pinned Skye Blue!
After the match, Riho’s music hit, and Riho ran down to the ring! Storm charged at Riho, but Riho dodged Storm and dropkicked the champ out of the ring! Luther carried “Timeless” Toni Storm away from the ring.
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
“Switchblade” Jay White vs. Jay Lethal!
Lethal and White locked up as the fans chanted “Let’s go Jay!”
Lethal went to strut and White capitalized, hitting Lethal from behind. Lethal hip tossed White and then dropkicked him. Jay White went to work on Lethal’s leg. Jay White spiked Lethal with a DDT for a near fall.
Lethal retaliated with a tope suicida. Back in the ring Lethal put White into a torture rack. Lethal hit the elbow drop from the top rope for a near fall! Jay White suplexed Lethal into the turnbuckles. Jay White followed up with a brain buster for a two-count!
White sent Lethal flying with a sleeper suplex. Lethal tried for the Lethal Injection but Jay White countered it, going right back to Lethal’s knee. Lethal countered the Blade Runner but White put his weight on Lethal and scored the pin!
“A heartbreaking loss for Jay Lethal,” said Excalibur.
Main Event Time! TNT Championship Match!
“The Patriarch” Christian Cage (c.) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
Copeland smacked Christian Cage with an open hand shot! Copeland rammed Christian into the broadcast booth over and over. Christian begged Copeland to stop, pleading for mercy. Copeland intercepted a low blow and stomped on Christian’s hand!
Copeland whipped Christian Cage into the barricades. Christian grabbed Copeland and drove his throat into the steel ring post! Copeland blocked the pendulum kick between the ropes. Copeland hit a clothesline, jumping off the turnbuckles and knocking Christian off the apron!
Christian used a drop toehold, driving Copeland’s face into the ring steps. Christian landed a frog splash for a near fall on Cope! Copeland countered the spear with the Impaler for a two-count! Christian was looking for a superplex, but Copeland knocked him down with a head butt. Adam Copeland nailed Christian with a running powerbomb for a near fall!
“That was an impressive kick out by Christian Cage,” said Taz.
Copeland countered the Kill Switch attempt, planting Christian Cage for a near fall. Copeland locked on the crossface but Christian managed to reach the ropes with his boot to force the ref to break the submission.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Adam Copeland hammered Christian Cage’s head on the mat with forearm shots. Christian jumped over Copeland’s spear attempt with a leapfrog and then clocked Copeland with the Kill Switch for a two-count!
Copeland dodged the spear attempt from Christian, and as Copeland moved, he inadvertently knocked down the referee. As the ref had his back turn, Christian kicked the ref with a low blow. Christian grabbed his championship title and swung it at Copeland, but Copeland avoided it. Both men went for spears and collided into one another!
“Both men went for the spear!” said Excalibur.
“The referee is still down,” added Taz.
Nick Wayne’s mother, Shanna Wayne, walked to the ring. She got into the ring, grabbing the TNT title!
“She’s torn,” said Excalibur.
Shanna Wayne smacked Copeland in the head with the belt!
“What the hell did she just do?” asked Tony Schiavone.
“She made a decision, that’s what she did,” replied Taz.
Christian planted Copeland with the Kill Switch. Christian placed Copeland’s head on the championship and then stomped on Copeland’s neck! Christian Cage covered Adam Copeland and pinned him.
“One of the worst things I’ve ever seen,” said Tony Schiavone.
“This is scary and Christian Cage has sunk to a new low,” replied Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE: Winter Is Coming on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the College Park Center in Arlington, TX!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC featuring:
-Continental Classic Blue League Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Andrade El Idolo!
-Continental Classic Blue League Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Eddie Kingston!
– “All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Kenny Omega!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Last week on DYNAMITE the AEW faithful bore witness to the next round of Gold League bouts in the Continental Classic, including Jon Moxley and Swerve Strickland raising their point total to six as “El Toro Blanco” Rush scored his first three, leaving Jay White with three, while Jay Lethal, as well as Mark Briscoe, have zero to their name. In addition, AEW World Champion MJF was challenged by the devil-masked individual to unite with Samoa Joe for a tag team bout, and Toni Storm was informed she’d be putting AEW Women’s World Championship on the line in Montreal!
This Wednesday night, as AEW brings DYNAMITE to the Bell Centre in Montrealfor the very first time, we will see the next three bouts in the Gold League, as well as two huge championship matches! Swerve battles Mark Briscoe, Jon Moxley takes on Rush, and Jay Lethal goes head-to-head with Jay White as some jockey for the top spot while others attempt to stave off mathematical elimination! “Timeless” Toni Storm will put her championship on the line for the first time in this third reign as she faces one of her most persistent foes in Skye Blue, and, in the face of 40-plus years of friendship, TNT Champion Christian Cage will face “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland!
DYNAMITE kicks off at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get catch up on highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
“The Patriach” Christian Cage(c) vs. “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland
It has been more than thirteen years since the last time Christian Cage and Adam Copeland stood across the ring from one another waiting for the first bell to ring that signifies the start of their one-on-one clash. The site of that fight was the Air Canada Center in Toronto, and it came to a conclusion with an Adam Copeland victory, just as it had sixteen other times over their twenty-six singles bouts on record. Though the two men would find their way back to a partnership for a handful of matches in 2011, the neck injuries that should’ve ended Adam’s career, and actually kept him out of the ring for nine years, ended their tag team bond.
Despite Copeland grinding through a grueling recovery, struggling and fighting to get back into the ring in January 2020, the two life-long friends only stood in the ring during a match one more time prior to WRESTLEDREAM in Seattle, and somewhat ironically that was a one night only affair as Christian Cage was forced to step away from in-ring activity in 2014 due to his own medical concerns, and not resuming his in-ring career until that first match for AEW on March 31, 2021.
So in addition to the friendship that begun some 40 years ago, in addition to all the wars they’d fought together as friends, as partners, and even as foes, Adam and Christian were also bonded by the pain of nearly losing their dream as a result of their bodies betraying them. But so too were they bonded by overcoming all odds and fighting their way back to making that dream a reality when there was no rationale reason for either man to still be competing, much less doing so at the highest of levels they are still doing at this point in their careers.
And yet here they are, despite all that connective tissue, standing as far apart as they have ever been with an seemingly insurmountable gap between their desires for AEW. Copeland came here with the dream of standing side-by-side with his best friend and finishing out their careers showing the world why they’ve long been considered one of the best tag teams of their generation, why they were such a game-changing force in tag team wrestling, and just being able to enjoy everything they’d worked so hard to accomplish.
Christian, on the other hand, came to AEW to get as much distance as possible between he and Adam and to establish himself as far away from any notion of the team they used to be once upon a time. He came to be his own individual, and Copeland coming to AEW only served, in Cage’s mind, to cast that shadow over his accomplishments since REVOLUTION 2021, not that great deal of Christian’s accomplishments deserves accolades. He betrayed Jack Perry and Luchasaurus, then turned Luchasaurus on Perry and made the former World Tag Champion into his lapdog, and even though he helped lead Luchasaurus to the TNT Championship, he didn’t even the man to hold his own championship while simultaneously claiming himself as the true TNT Champion. Then, when the opportunity came, Cage robbed Luchasaurus of the TNT Championship to officially make it his own.
He turned Nick Wayne against Darby Allin, as well as his own mother, humiliated Luchasaurus, robbed him of his name, rechristened the man Killswitch as an homage to himself, and threatened to break the neck of his supposed best friend after Adam Copeland came to AEW with a hopeful reunion in his mind. Christian disrespected Copeland’s family, a family that Adam considered him a part of, and has sacrificed both Killswitch and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne in order to save his own skin. The fact that Christian Cage is proud of those accomplishments goes to show just what kind of man he’s devolved into since his arrival in AEW, it just took Sting shaking some sense into him for Adam Copeland to realize just who his supposed best friend truly was at heart.
So now this Wednesday night in Montreal, they will fight, and Christian’s prized TNT Championship will be on the line! Interestingly enough, though Copeland leads Cage in victories in their one-on-one collisions, it is Cage who has a razor thin edge when titles at stake. Nineteen times on record they’ve fought one-on-one over a championship, ten of those have been won by Christian Cage, but the last four by Copeland, although it has been a dozen years since the last of those championship contests.
While these men may be more familiar with each other than anyone else in AEW could hope to be, neither is dealing with the same man with whom they captured seven tag team titles together. Each has been changed by their experiences, experiences that should’ve brought them closer together than ever, but instead have seen them driven further apart than ever before. If there was ever any hope for this friendship to find a place of healing, it will likely be dashed Wednesday night on DYNAMITE. Some bridges can’t be rebuilt after the fire, some sins are not forgivable…
AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH…
“Timeless” Toni Storm(c) vs. Skye Blue
While “Timeless” Toni Storm may still be basking in the glow of becoming a 3-Time AEW Women’s World Champion, apparently recovering from Hollywood parties and hobnobbing with stars, the rest of the division has had their eye on being the first challenger to her throne, and it looks like Storm will have to deal with a familiar foe for her first defense!
Skye Blue has been a consistent thorn in the side of Toni Storm since the beginning of 2023, and there’s not a woman in AEW the defending champion has faced more in one-on-one matches. Five times they have gone head-to-head inside the squared circle, two of those in championship matches, and all five have gone in favor of Toni Storm. Even the Four Way Title match at HOUSE RULES: HUNTSVILLE over the summer, a bout that also involved Anna Jay and Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D, came to an end with Storm pinning Sky. In fact, in the nine total fights these woman have been involved in, Toni holds a 7-2 lead on her challenger, with both of Skye’s victories coming in tag team bouts, though neither conclusion saw Skye pin Toni to get the victory.
The last fight between the two woman went down two months ago on DYNAMITE, and once again it was Skye who fell in defeat, but her transformation over the last several months may be the key to Skye finally claiming, not just a victory over Toni Storm, but also her first AEW Women’s World Championship! Will fans see another Storm/Blue sequel laid out by “The Timeless One”, or will Skye Blue rewrite the script for a whole new take on their franchise? Tune in Wednesday night to see who claims the crown as best lead in the AEW Women’s Division! And just announced as a special guest:
One is a man riding high with two consecutive victories and six points to his Continental Classic tally while the other is a man who has twice tasted defeated, meaning zero points on his record for this tournament. The former is Swerve Strickland, the latter Mark Briscoe, and this Wednesday night in Montreal, they will meet in their first-ever singles match and for just the second time in their careers!
That one previous clash between these two men took place a lifetime ago, and a continent away, when Shane Strickland teamed up with the late Ryan Smile at RevPro’s SUMMER SIZZLER 2017 event in a losing effort against Jay & Mark Briscoe. So much has changed for both these men in the six years since, especially for Mark as he forges forward into the world of singles wrestling after the tragic loss of brother Jay back on January 17th of this year.
Singles wrestling isn’t a foreign concept for Mark, after all he has been in the game for 23 years, years that including some hellacious singles matches against his own brother for one, but doing singles work exclusively, now that is uncharted territory for “The Sussex County Chicken” and perhaps why he is taking the losses as good as he can. Mark knows competing in this tournament isn’t the easiest path, that he’s faced with five of the best in the world in this Gold League, but that doesn’t mean he’ll back down or fold up shop. It’s motivation to get better, to keep pushing, and to continue fighting on for the Briscoe name.
Between Mox and Rush, Mark has already thrown down with two of the heaviest hitters in the Gold League, and now he’s got the red-hot Swerve on his plate who proved unquestionably with that Texas Death Match that he’s got the same grit as Mark’s previous two opponents. Getting those first three points out of this one is going to be a grind for Chicken, but that’s what he does and Swerve best not underestimate as he pursues nine points. After all, Mark is a cornered animal now, a loss here mathematically eliminates him from the competition, and you know what they say about cornered animals…
Jon Moxley (6) vs. Rush (3)
This one is going to hurt, and going to hurt both men involved even more than they are already hurting. We all heard it straight from Moxley himself in the interview embedded above, he is aching and sore and sick and tired, but sick and tired of being sick and tired but fighting is what he does, what he knows, and it’s Moxley’s way through the pain wracking his body.
Similarly, the AEW faithful witnessed Rush gut out a victory over Mark Briscoe last week despite clearly going through some intense leg pain throughout the contest. For a minute it seemed as if the doctor might stop the match, but “El Toro Blanco” fought to his feet, threw down with Mark, and found the way to his first three points in the Continental Classic.
Now these two hard-hitting forces will collide in a rematch of their AEW Interim World Title Match that took place at FIGHT FOR THE FALLEN 2022 on July 27th, as well as the Texas Tornado Tag from the 2/15/23 DYNAMITE that saw The BCC of Mox and Claudio defeat Rush and Preston Vance. Everyone knows the kind of fight these to men bring to the table, and how each seems to feed off getting hit by their foes, but as this tournament gets deeper, as their bodies break down further, and WORLDS END gets closer, will their strategies change? A win for Rush will tie him up with Mox at three points, one for the former 3-Time AEW World Champion could potentially put him at the top of the heap with nine depending on how Swerve’s fight plays out. Every win is crucial, but this week marks the halfway point, and no one can afford to take an “L”…
Jay Lethal (0) vs. Jay White (3)
This is one part Continental Collision contest and one part rubber match as, over the course of their careers, Jay Lethal and Jay White each hold a singles victory over the other. For Lethal, his victory over the future “Switchblade” came at ROH’s GLOBAL WARS 2017, NIGHT 2 event during Jay’s stateside excursion from the New Japan Dojo. There were other bouts involving the two, eight-mans and Three Way’s and Four Corner Survivals, even a trios bout in Korakuen Hall, but that October 13th fight in Pittsburgh was their lone singles until “King Switch” came calling five years later.
From December 2021 through April 2022, Jay White held what he called “The U.S. of Jay Open Challenge Series” during NJPW STRONG broadcasts, a five match series where he first battled Swerve, as well as Christopher Daniels, Chris Sabin, and “Speedball” Mike Bailey. In the second match of the series Jay Lethal answered the call, and on 2/19/22, fell before “Switchblade”.
That bring us to this Wednesday night, the halfway point of the Continental Classic with two matches in the rear view mirror and two waiting down the road, but only one of these two men is on the scoreboard. With a shady victory over Rush, but a loss to Swerve, “Switchblade” Jay White sits with three points while Lethal, following losses to Moxley and Swerve, has a zero beside his name.
So not only are these men fighting for the next three points, they are also fighting for dominance in their series of matches, and in the case of Jay Lethal, desperation to get on the board at all. Should Lethal lose again here, and if Moxley and/or Swerve win, well “The Franchise of ROH” will mathematically be eliminated from winning the bracket.
WHAT IS MJF THINKING…
AEW World & ROH World Tag Champion MJF and Samoa Joe
Given his physical condition, the face that he’s got to fight Samoa Joe at WORLDS END in twenty-four days, and that he’s still carrying the ROH World Tag Team Titles on behalf of himself and Adam Cole, is it wise for MJF to enter into a fight this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE, especially when he has no idea who whose foes actually are?
And what good is Samoa Joe’s promise to keep MJF intact for their fight on December 30th if the AEW World Champion isn’t taking care of himself? Perhaps that’s why Maxwell feels emboldened to take up this tag team fight against an unknown entity, perhaps he’s just lost the ability to use his common sense, whatever the case, this is certainly not the same MJF who spent most of his AEW career avoiding the fight as much as possible. After all, this is the guy who skated by with just six matches in 2019, two of those being Battle Royales, and may see more ring time this year than in the last two combined! Now MJF is running towards the fight, his physical health be damned, and it may fall on Samoa Joe to protect the man from himself if the former AEW World TV Champion hopes to actually see their scheduled World Title Fight in a few weeks.
If not underneath the guise of The Devil, will we all see who’s under the black masks this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE? Or will that be a mystery that continues to haunt Maxwell Jacob Friedman as struggles to keep the AEW World Champion in his grasp?
DYNAMITE comes to Montreal’s Bell Centrefor the very first time, and with it comes two massive championship fights, as well as the next three fights in the Gold League! We will see Swerve Strickland take on Mark Briscoe, Jon Moxley throw down with Rush, and Jay Lethal fight Jay White, plus “Timeless” Toni Storm defends her AEW Women’s World Championship against Skye Blue! And in one of the most anticipated fights in All Elite Wrestling, TNT Champion Christian Cage will fig “The Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland with his coveted title on the line!
The night begins 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 for all the highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, and COLLISION, as well as this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
Between an action packed edition of RAMPAGE Friday night, and the Gold League bouts that went down Wednesday during DYNAMITE, this has already been quite the exciting week for All Elite Wrestling! Add in impending TNT Championship clash between Christian Cage and Adam Copeland now set for Montreal at the Bell Centre, and it would be a satisfying week in AEW action if it ended now.
But thankfully it isn’t over yet, because this Saturday night, when AEW makes their Erie, PA debut at the Erie Insurance Arena, the Continental Classic continues with action in the Blue Blue, including the first bouts for Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo as they take on ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston and Daniel Garcia respectively! Plus, in a battle of unbeatens, Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli will lock up with The House of Black’s Brody King after the former scored a huge victory over Kingston last week.
The Blue League tournament action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s other social media platforms, to catch highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from last week’s COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
CONTINENTAL CLASSIC TOURNAMENT: BLUE LEAGUE…
The BCC’s “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson(0) vs. ROH World/NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston(0)
This may very well be the most intriguing match-up taking place on Saturday night; Eddie Kingston is coming off a loss to Brody King last week in their first tournament bouts, while “The American Dragon” is coming into this one having suffered a fractured orbital bone just over a month ago. The loss to Brody was certainly a rough pill to swallow, not because King is a lesser opponent in any way, but because of the fact Kingston put both his ROH World Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship into the mix for the winner of the Continental Classic. It is not a good first step for the reigning champion to lose out the gate, but from watching his post-match interview, Kingston is trying to be a better version of himself than he would have been in the past. He knows his flaws, he publicly acknowledges them, and is telling the world he will not follow that path to self-destruction again.
Bryan Danielson, on the other hand, is clearly full of piss and vinegar, coming in as confident as ever despite his injury costing him the last month of his career. It’s the first injury that’s kept Bryan out, hopefully his last, and certainly not the first time his eye was the problem. Credit for that goes back to 2007’s series of matches with former ROH World & GHC Heavyweight Champion Takeshi Morishima, particularly ROH’s MANHATTAN MAYHEM II event. Yet as he did then, Danielson is determined to fight on, taking whatever precautions he is required by medical staff, but still game for the fight to come each and every night. Best be wary though when he’s fighting a man like Kingston whose signature is a spinning back fist liable to crack that orbital bone into powder if it connects; yet Danielson seems to see the ROH World Champion as the same individual he first one-on-one with in Taylor, MI back in 2010. Despite everything Eddie has accomplished in the last 13 years, Bryan Danielson clearly does not respect the man, that much Bryan made clear when he joined commentary on Wednesday night.
And while Bryan may also hold an AEW win from RAMPAGE #12 when both entered the 2021 World Title Eliminator Tournament, that does not mean he’s fighting an Eddie with the same mindset he had then. Danielson know faces a man who has achieved his dreams, he’s fought in NJPW’s G1 Climax, he’s claimed two championship titles this year, and he knows the responsibility on his shoulders as a result. Eddie, despite “Mad” being part of his sobriquet, is not crazy or unhinged or out of control, he knew the risks when he threw his titles into the mix, and after feeling the sting of loss a week ago, he’s not about to fall deeper into that hole.
If he does, eventually he won’t be able to climb out, and that’s not just a statement on his points total…
The House of Black’s Brody King(3) vs. The BCC’s Claudio Castagnoli(3)
The two victors from last week’s Blue League bouts are set to meet in singles competition this Saturday night for the very first time! Never a tag, never a trios, certainly not a one-on-one, this will mark the first time The House of Black’s Brody King and the Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli ever share the ring, and that is an exciting prospect!
Not only are there implications for their respective units, the issues raised between The House and The BCC that began when Malakai attacked Bryan Danielson weeks ago, but it also means one man in the Blue League is going to hit six points while, potentially, two individuals remain at zero and two others gain their first three points.
On paper this is a battle of two of the biggest men in AEW, but they are not big in the same way; where Claudio is strength, muscle, and finesse, Brody King is power, size, and brutish. Claudio is schooled in various disciplines of professional wrestling from his years traveling the globe while King is akin to a Bruiser Brody ripped into the 21st Century, and unleashed upon hapless foes. Yet within that brutish offense, is a speed unexpected from a man looking like Brody King, a true “don’t judge a book” situation for professional wrestling, though the same could’ve been said for Claudio prior to his BCC entry. Most assumed him a devotee of a more pure approach to the fight, but his time with Mox and company has shown how adept “The Swiss Superman” is at violence.
In this battle of The House versus The BCC, for leadership in the Blue League, who will fold?
Andrade El Idolo(0) vs. Daniel Garcia(0)
It was only a few weeks ago that Daniel Garcia and Andrade El Idolo had their first right as CJ Perry watched on from ringside, but now that the Continental Classic has begun, their rematch has a much greater wrinkle than the management of Perry. Both Andrade and Garcia enter into this fight with zero points to their name, but in the case of the former, that’s because it is also his first fight in the Blue League whereas the latter fell to Claudio Castagnoli a week ago.
As heard from Garcia’s own mouth, the young man is struggling with that loss and how it makes him feel. The word “loser” kept falling off his tongue as he spoke, and though he did lose, that does not make Garcia a loser. Eddie Kingston lost, Jay White lost, Jay Lethal and Mark Briscoe have lost twice, given how many fights a man goes through in this tournament, losing is nearly unavoidable but it seems as if that is weighing on Daniel Garcia’s mind. It’s similar to Eddie’s struggle, but perhaps the experience difference is allowing Kingston to push through while Garcia seems on the precipice of getting stuck in that mindset.
If he allows that to become the case, Andrade El Idolo will run all over Daniel Garcia this Saturday on COLLISION and earn his first three points in the Continental Classic, but if the man once called “Red Death” can find the confidence he had before entering the fray, before the losses to MJF, Miro, and Andrade dampened his fighting spirit, he will be deadly. The man who once slayed “The American Dragon” could become the man who raises AEW’s Triple Crown comes WORLDS END (https://www.allelitewrestling.com/aew-event/aew-worlds-end) or he could be the man who ends the Continental Classic with a goose egg next to his name…
ONE-ON-ONE…
Abadon vs. Kiera Hogan
It’s been a little over a month since Abadon clashed with Hikaru Shida in that memorable “Fright Night Fight” over the AEW Women’s World Championship, and this Saturday night “The Living Dead Girl” is back in action on COLLISION!
Her opponent this evening is one which she’s never competed against before, “The Girl on Fire” Kiera Hogan! It’s also been a couple months since Hogan has been inside the AEW ring, though she’s done well for herself with ROH ON HONOR CLUB, and is looking to make an impact to get into the title hunt.
It’s a battle of two athletes looking to break through to that next level and earn their first championship here in All Elite Wrestling. Add up those wins and soon that opportunity will come…
This Saturday night All Elite Wrestling makes their Erie, PA debut at the Erie Insurance Arena with three huge Continental Classic: Blue League match-ups, featuring a clash of three-pointers in Claudio Castagnoli and Brody King, as well as two men in Bryan Danielson and Andrade El Idolo fighting in their first tourney bout. The former will take on Eddie Kingston while the latter meets Daniel Garcia in a rematch of their recent COLLISION confrontation.
The Blue League tournament action gets underway at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, and to get prepared for it all, drop by the official AEW YouTube channel to watch highlights from this week’s editions of DYNAMITE and RAMPAGE, as well as events from the last COLLISION, and the latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW RAMPAGE was broadcast from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
Yourbroadcast team was Excalibur and Tony Schiavone!
It’s Friday night and you know what that means!
8-Man Tag Match!
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK,
Danhausen, & Trent Beretta
vs.
Angelo Parker & Matt Menard (with Jake Hager),
and The Dark Order—Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno!
Danhausen cleaned house on the Dark Order. Hook tagged in and suddenly things broke down into a donnybrook with both teams brawling. Menard nailed Hook with a backbreaker. Menard power bombed Trent. Cassidy came in, pushed the pace and DDT’ed Menard. Evil Uno ate a German Suplex from Danhausen. Hook sent Parker for a ride with a T-bone suplex. Hook followed up with a suplex to Evil Uno!
ROH Pure Champion Wheeler Yuta walked onto the ramp and had a stare down with Hook. Menard blindsided Hook as Hook was looking at Yuta.
Wheeler Yuta joined the broadcast booth.
“Hook should really learn not to take his eye off the ball,” said Wheeler Yuta.
The Dark Order double teamed Hook with running lariats. Hook fought back and made a tag to Trent. Trent walloped Alex Reynolds with German Suplexes. Trent hurled Evil Uno overhead with a half and half.
Orange Cassidy tagged in and dropkicked both Dark Order members. Orange staggered Evil Uno with a Stun Dog Millionaire. Reynolds ran in and booted Orange in the face. Trent went to the aid of Orange and tossed Evil Uno with a release German Suplex from the turnbuckles!
Danhausen squared off with Matt Menard, cursing Menard. Danhausen pulled out Jake Hager’s purple hat from his trunks and began to wear it and taunt Hager! Jake Hager was livid, jumping into the ring and immediately spilling out on the opposite side as he charged (and missed) Danhausen. Hook applied Red Rum on Parker while Danhausen cradled Menard and scored the pin!
Renee Paquette was interviewing Anna Jay, Ruby Soho and Saraya backstage!
Angelo Parker ran back from his match and told Anna Jay he was ready to go, and it’d be a team effort. Anna Jay said she didn’t want him out there tonight for the match.
“This is why I love her! Isn’t she great?” said Saraya.
Tony Schiavone was in the ring to interview Sting and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair!
Sting: “Lots of great memories here. Thank you for the memories, thank you Tony Khan, thank you Tony Schiavone, and the Nature Boy, Ric Flair!”
Ric Flair: “Wow! From 1972 to today and believe it or not, I’m still alive. And that’s saying a lot. Because I’ve covered a lot of ground and had a lot of fun. But there’s three or four people that are always going to be special in my life. Dusty Rhodes, Ricky the Dragon, and the guy I think I’ve wrestled at least 1500 times, Sting.
“To be back in my hometown and to be part of this ride. Think about the history of our business. I’ve been with him since ’88 and I’ll be with him until the end. And man, that doesn’t happen in real life, guys. And we’ve stayed as honest and as respectful with each other as the day we met, and that’s really unusual. We’re gonna dance all night and dance a little longer. Wooooo!”
The Don Callis Family—Powerhouse Hobbs, Konosuke Takeshita, & Kyle Fletcher (with Don Callis)
vs.
Three Local Wrestlers!
Hobbs, Takeshita, and Fletcher put on a total display of domination, planting their opponents hard onto the mat. Hobbs scored the pin with ease!
Don Callis: “Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, the Golden Jets! You put two of the greatest of all time in a tag team and what do you got? You’ve got a team that could be the most dominant of all time. I know that wins and losses matter here in AEW, but in the Don Callis Family, the only thing that matters is winning! The Don Callis Family will continue dominating until there is nowhere for the Golden Jets to hide in All Elite Wrestling!”
Footage played from earlier in the night of Prince Nana with “The Machine” Brian Cage and the Workhorsemen!
Prince Nana: “Hey Brian, it’s an unbelievable time for the Mogul Embassy! We have the Gates of Agony out in Japan, killing it! But tonight, I need to go ahead and hire some people to help us out. Tonight, I’m going to need the Workhorsemen’s services.
“This can be a huge opportunity for both of you guys to prove a point to Swerve Strickland and to the Mogul Embassy. I paid you guys, do the job tonight, and we’ll see if you can be a part of the team. I believe in you guys!”
Trios Bout!
Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, & Skye Blue
vs.
Anna Jay and The Outcasts—Ruby Soho & Saraya!
Kris powered Anna to the mat and tagged in Shida. Kris and Shida dropped a double elbow on Anna. Skye Blue tagged in and hit a spinning kick on Anna Jay. Shida and Saraya tagged in for their respective teams. Shida hoisted up Saraya in a torture rack.
Kris planted Saraya with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Anna Jay ran in to break up the pin. Anna tried to apply the Queen Slayer on Statlander, but Statlander escaped. Shida cracked Saraya with a jumping knee strike. Anna walloped Kris with the Flatliner. Ruby Soho inadvertently kicked Anna Jay in the face. Statlander picked up Ruby Soho and planted her. Skye Blue pinned Soho with the Code Blue!
“At the end of the night it was Skye Blue and Kris Statlander working together,” said Excalibur.
Saraya grabbed Ruby by the hair and dragged her away.
Main Event Time! Trios Bout!
ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen—Anthony Henry & JD Drake (with Prince Nana)
vs.
El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Brian Cage suplexed Komander. Penta tagged in and hit a cross body on Cage from the top rope. Anthony Henry grabbed a tag and ate a missile dropkick from El Hijo del Vikingo.
El Hijo del Vikingo wiped out Henry with an implosion dragon rana. JD Drake grabbed a tag and invited Vikingo to chop him. Vikingo chopped Drake and left a handprint on Drake’s chest. Drake fired back and leveled Vikingo!
Penta and Komander dropped Henry and Cage with stereo thrust kicks. Komander dropkicked Cage out of the ring with a boost from Penta. Cage was taken down with a series of sling blades from Penta. He followed up with a DDT to the Workhorsemen!
Komander used a springboard lung blower on Cage, held him, and allowed Vikingo to drop down with a double foot stomp. Penta followed up with a foot stomp of his own onto Cage for a near fall!
“That’s an amazing escape by Cage because he was hit by all three men,” said Schiavone.
Komander jumped in but got shoulder blocked by Cage in mid-air. Cage monkey flipped Komander into the waiting arms of Drake, who power bombed Komander. Drake catapulted Komander into a thrust kick from Henry! Drake held onto Komander so Henry could drop a double foot stomp from the top rope on Komander. Henry covered Komander for the pin, but Vikingo broke it up!
Henry spiked Vikingo with a piledriver. Penta was there and grabbed Henry and drilled him with the Made in Japan! Drake ran in and wiped out Penta. Cage held onto Komander, and Henry tried to boot Komander in the head, but Komander ducked. Henry inadvertently hit Cage instead!
“A miscommunication there,” said Excalibur.
Cage was furious and rocked Henry with a discus lariat! Prince Nana and Brian Cage walked away from the ring, abandoning the Workhorsemen!
Penta smashed Henry with the Fear Factor! Komander flipped onto Henry with a splash. Vikingo finished off Henry with a 630 senton and pinned Anthony Henry!
“The short fuse of Brian Cage would ultimately lead to the win,” said Excalibur.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
On Saturday December 2nd, the AEW Continental Classic continues with 3 huge Blue League matchups! Claudio Castagnoli takes on Brody King, Andrade El Idolo has his first match of the tournament against Daniel Garcia and the returning Bryan Danielson faces off with Eddie Kingston!
The action continues SATURDAY NIGHT on AEW Collision LIVE at 8/7c on TNT!
Follow the AEW Continental Classic standings here.
Wednesday night was a wild on at the Target Center as the Gold League in the Continental Classic resumed action with three huge matches! Opening the night, Jon Moxley defeated Jay Lethal to mark himself the first competitor with six points in the league while Lethal continued without a point to his name. Then, fighting through tremendous pain, “El Toro Blanco” Rush managed to score his first 3 points over Mark Briscoe, leaving “The Sussex County Chicken” in the same boat as Jay Lethal. Finally, in the main event, Jay White and Swerve Strickland battled it out to see who would join Moxley with six point status, with the head of The Mogul Embassy notching the victory!
In addition, fans witnessed a tense confrontation between TNT Champion Christian Cage and Adam Copeland that has led to a championship bout next week in Montreal, saw Julia Hart retain her TBS Championship over Emi Sakura, and heard AEW World Champion MJF, whether Samoa Joe likes it or not, accept a challenge from The Devil!
Things are back to normal this Friday night as RAMPAGE begins at its regularly scheduled 10pm ET/9pm CT on TNT, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans. Drop by the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
EIGHT MAN ACTION…
AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, FTW Champion HOOK, Danhausen, & Trent Beretta vs. The Dark Order (Alex Reynolds & Evil Uno), Angelo Parker, & Matt Menard
This one is stacked! Last week we saw Danhausen return to the AEW stage to lend a hand to his friends and now he’s jumping right into the fray this Friday night on RAMPAGE alongside them! Orange Cassidy, HOOK, and Trent Beretta welcome Danhausen to the fight as they take on a very unlikely quartet in The Dark Order’s Evil Uno and Alex Reynolds who are joined by Angelo Parker and Matt Menard!
The Dark Order have had issues with Parker and Menard dating back at least two years so it will be quite intriguing to see how they work together despite those past problems, just as it will be interesting to see if the tensions between Parker and Menard swirling around the former’s…interest…in Ruby Soho interfere in their ability to function as a team. Oh, and what about that hat?
TRIOS BOUT…
Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, & Skye Blue vs. Anna Jay and The Outcasts (Ruby Soho & Saraya)
Just last week, on the Thanksgiving Eve edition of DYNAMITE, we witnessed Skye Blue take advantage of the Angelo Parker distraction and pin Anna Jay while Ruby Soho was otherwise occupied. To say all of this has been a major annoyance to Saraya and Matt Menard would be an understatement, and it has certainly cost all parties victories since it first began some weeks ago. The fact that Saraya is now going to play nice with Anna Jay, perhaps because Anna’s also the one for her group trying to keep focused, is not going to sit well with Ruby either, but that’s a bit of the case for both sides of this Trios contest.
Ever since Skye Blue was misted by Julia Hart, with the subsequent transformation that has stemmed from it, she and Kris Statlander have been at odds. They haven’t come to blows, save for the TBS Championship victory Stat holds over Skye, but they are certainly not the friends they were six months ago. That leaves Hikaru Shida as the woman whose responsibility it will be to keep her partners on the same page, and not let their personal issues get in the way of winning this fight. For at least five of the six women involved this is about getting back into championship contention, for Ruby Soho, well one can only speculate if her head is on business or more personal matters, but both trios are capable of great things if they can stay on a unified front. Will that be the case this Friday night on RAMPAGE, or will one teams problems sink this opportunity?
A MOGUL TRYOUT…
ROH World Six-Man Champion Brian Cage & The Workhorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) vs. El Hijo del Vikingo, Komander, & Penta El Zero Miedo
With The Gates of Agony embroiled in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s 2023 World Tag League that lasts until December 10th, The Mogul Embassy is down a few soldiers, and Brian Cage is out his ROH World Six-Man Championship partners. For Prince Nana that means recruitment season is upon us, and it begins (possibly also ends) with The Workhorsemen of JD Drake and Anthony Henry getting their opportunity to impress!
Unfortunately for this newborn trio, they’ve got their handful with another rather nascent unit in the form of Lucha Libre’s finest: former ROH World Tag & AEW World Tag Champion Penta El Zero Miedo, AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo, and AAA World Cruiserweight Champion Komander! Now these three men have worked together before, but as a quartet with Rey Fenix on several ROH ON HONOR CLUB events, and they’ve also fought as foes on several occasions, though always for the competition rather than any animosity.
With the Lucha contingent clearly looking ahead towards Top Flight and Action Andretti, will they be focused on the task at hand? Or will fans see two new men join The Mogul Embassy should JD Drake and Anthony Henry impress the Prince?
ALSO FEATURING:
-The Don Callis Family in action!
-“The Icon” Sting & “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair!!
-And more!!!
RAMPAGE returns to its regularly scheduled 10pm ET/9pm CT time slot on TNT this Friday night, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans, and it is loaded with multi-man action all night long! Eight man tags, a huge Women’s Trios bout, The Mogul Embassy giving The Workhorsemen a tryout, and unfortunately Don Callis leading his “Family” into action! Be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, before showtime to up to speed with highlights from this week’s DYNAMITE, as well as RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this latest CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s episode of AEW DYNAMITE was broadcast live from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
Excalibur and “The Human Suplex Machine” Taz were the broadcast team for tonight’s event. They were joined by “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson as a guest commentator.
It’s Wednesday night and you know what that means!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Blackpool Combat Club’s Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal!
Lethal and Moxley exchanged side headlock takeovers. Lethal slugged Moxley with a right fist. Lethal applied a figure four but Moxley rolled under the ropes and both men tumbled to the arena floor.
Jay Lethal rocketed outside with a tope suicida to Moxley. Jon Moxley fired back with a tope suicida of his own. Moxley was wrestling with a sense of urgency, while Lethal was showboating early on. Lethal retaliated with a knee breaker and a dragon screw leg whip, sensing Moxley tweaked his knee on the tope suicida landing.
Moxley scouted the Lethal Injection, but Lethal countered Moxley’s attempt at a jawbreaker with a knee breaker. Jay Lethal dropped an elbow off the top for a near fall.
“This is the Jay Lethal I want to see,” said Danielson.
Moxley nailed Lethal with a cutter. Moxley tried for a piledriver but Lethal pushed Mox into the turnbuckles. Lethal wrenched Moxley’s knee with a dragon screw off the ropes!
“This is a different Jay Lethal than we saw last week,” added Danielson.
Lethal and Moxley traded forearms. Moxley nearly decapitated Lethal with a King Kong lariat! Lethal blocked the Death Rider with the Lethal Combination. Lethal went to apply the figure four but Mox countered with a small package for a near fall.
Lethal locked on the figure four again. Moxley grabbed the ropes to force the ref to break the hold. Lethal swiped at Moxley’s knee with a kick. Moxley baited Lethal in and spiked him with a Paradigm Shift! Moxley hit the King Kong lariat and then a stuffed piledriver, but Lethal kicked out. Moxley transitioned into a rear naked choke and Jay Lethal tapped out! Moxley is the first man with six points in the tournament.
Tony Schiavone was backstage and announced Sting’s final match will be Sunday, March 3rd at the Greensboro Coliseum!
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair and Sting walked onto the set!
Sting: “March 1988, my very first World title match against Ric Flair, and I never would have guessed all these years later, I’d be standing here with Ric. The memories, that night, 45 minutes, draw, commercial free on TV. The big deal to me was I was in the ring with the Nature Boy Ric Flair. Thank you, Ric. He put me on the map. What a fitting place for me to end my career all these years later.”
Ric Flair: “Tony, just like before, the words cannot be spoken to the volume and the emphasis of what’s about to take place in Greensboro. Make no mistake. Sting made himself. I’m 74 years old, I’m lucky. I’m working for Tony Khan. I’m standing next to Sting. I’m honored to be there at your side. This will be one for the ages. Sting and the Nature Boy, and AEW, are coming to Greensboro. Wooooo!”
Sting: “It’s showtime!”
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Mark Briscoe vs. LFI’s Rush!
Both men charged at one another and began to fight. Rush landed a big strike. Mark followed up with a running dropkick. Mark unleashed rapid fire chops. Rush returned the favor to his opponent.
Rush kicked Mark in the spine. Mark jumped through the ropes with a dropkick, as Rush was playing to the crowd. Rush whipped Rush into the steel barricade. Mark back dropped Rush onto the top of the barricade. Mark dropped the Cactus elbow off the edge of the ring.
Back in the ring, Rush sent Mark flying with a release German Suplex. Mark threw his whole body into a vicious lariat. Briscoe baited Rush in and caught him with an exploder suplex. Rush rallied back with a belly to belly suplex.
Mark speared Rush for a two-count! Mark followed up with a neck breaker. Rush slipped free from the Jay Driller. Mark dropped Rush with a kick to the back of the head. Rush suplexed Mark off the apron and onto the arena floor!
Mark Briscoe smashed Rush with the Froggy Bow for a near fall. Rush fought out of the Jay Driller, backdropping Mark. Rush baited in Mark and suplexed Mark into the turnbuckles. Rush followed up with the Bull’s Horns, right on target, and pinned Mark!
“Rush is on the board!” said Excalibur.
AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm was backstage!
Storm: “I’m feeling very fatigued after the championship celebration. I’ll be fine for my match next week!”
AEW World Champion and one half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions MJF came to the ring next!
MJF: “December 30th, World’s End, it’ll be Samoa Joe against yours truly for the AEW World Championship. When it comes to Samoa Joe as a person, I don’t like him. But professionally, I respect him. I respect what he’s done for this industry, and because he didn’t come here to line his pockets, but because he believes in AEW.
“Now back in the early 2000s, I remember getting a poster in my mailbox for TNA Wrestling. I tuned in and I couldn’t be happier. I saw the ‘Samoan Submission Machine.’ He looked unconventional, and he didn’t seem to care, and neither did we. Now unfortunately, later on in his career, his talents weren’t fully recognized, and he was not afforded the opportunity to be a world champion in WWE. But what Joe did, for this sport, was bigger than that.
“Samoa Joe proved you don’t have to be a massive, male model body builder to be a top guy in this sport. Samoa Joe broke the mold. He proved alternatives matter. And because of the roads he paved, it has allowed a man like me to stand in the ring in front of you today. Without a guy like Joe, there might not be an AEW. As much as it pains me to admit, thank you.
“I’m not too shabby myself, now am I? I managed to pave a road of my own. I’ve helped build a new alternative and I’ve helped build this place brick by brick. And I did that by defeating some of the biggest names in this industry. Guys like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, but of all the names I have had to face in this squared circle, the one name I look back on and say, not only was I lucky to be victorious, but I was also lucky to survive, that’d be you, Joe. Samoa Joe you are a wrestling legend. But December 30th is not about your wrestling legacy. December 30th is about my mine!
“December 30th is about can Max outlast the final boss of this sport one more time. So now, I’m going to make a promise. I’m going to make a promise to everyone watching at home and everyone in this arena. Joe, on December 30th, I don’t care if you beat me within an inch of my life, because I promise I am going to show the world it is not about the size of the dog in the fight, it is about the size of the fight in the dog! At World’s End, you are going to have to put me down!”
The arena went dark! Lights in the ring began to flicker. Men dressed all in black, their faces in black masks, with the devil logo on their backs, grabbed MJF and held him down. One of the men had a baseball bat and was about to use it on MJF!
Samoa Joe’s music hit! Samoa Joe sprinted to the ring and the men retreated!
A message on the screen read:
“In the shadows, our game begins. Next week, MJF & Samoa Joe…will you face the unknown in a tag match? Are you a hero, Max?”
MJF grabbed a microphone: “I’m so sick of your Scooby Doo BS! Let me explain something to you! I am not dealing with your crap when I’ve got Samoa Joe breathing down my back at World’s End. I am going to take out all of your men one by one. I am going to unmask you, you coward. And next week, you want a tag match? You’re one!”
Samoa Joe tried to calm down MJF and was upset when MJF accepted the challenge for next week.
Up next: Wardlow vs. AR Fox!
Fox jumped over the top rope and landed on Wardlow, but Wardlow seemed to shrug him off. Wardlow caught Fox and slammed him on the ring apron. Wardlow suplexed AR Fox back into the ring. Fox was sent flying from pillar to post!
Wardlow stalked his prey outside the ring. Wardlow threw AR Fox back into the ring. Wardlow tried to press slam Fox, but Fox escaped. Fox hit a 450 splash, but Wardlow kicked out right away! Fox booted Wardlow in the face. Wardlow absorbed it and then walloped Fox with a lariat.
Wardlow powerbombed AR Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox a second time! Wardlow climbed to the top and hit a huge senton on Fox! Wardlow powerbombed Fox again, and the ref stopped the match! Wardlow won via ref stoppage!
Trios Match!
Top Flight—Dante & Darius Martin, and Action Andretti
vs.
The Hardys—Matt & Jeff, and Brother Zay!
Jeff and Matt used tandem offense on Action. Darius and Brother Zay tagged in. Zay crashed into Dante with a shoulder tackle. Darius dropkicked Zay. Dante tagged in and Dante splashed Zay with a stalling senton!
Matt Hardy drilled Action with a Side Effect for a near fall. Action countered a Twist of Fate and clipped Matt with a combo of moves, including a kick to the back of Matt’s head. Dante tagged in and springboarded onto Zay for a near fall. Top Flight had a flurry of offense on the Hardys.
The Hardys hoisted up Dante on their shoulders and Zay dropkicked Dante for a two-count. Dante pinned Zay after a German Suplex! Dante is back and better than ever!
After a commercial break, Renee Paquette interviewed Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Action Andretti!
Penta El Zero Miedo, Komander, and El Hijo del Vikingo interrupted! It appeared Penta challenged Top Flight and Action Andretti to a trios match!
TBS Championship House Rules Match!
House of Black’s Julia Hart (c.) vs. Emi Sakura!
Emi Sakura picked the stipulation: the match cannot be won by submission.
Julia bashed Emi’s head into the turnbuckles, battering her in the corner. Julia charged into the corner with a lariat to Emi Sakura. Emi chopped at Julia.
Julia rocked Emi with a spinning kick to the head. Outside the ring, Emi reversed an Irish whip and sent Julia crashing hard into the ring steps. Emi followed up with a splash, sandwiching Julia against the ring steps!
Emi stunned Julia with a stalling back breaker! Emi applied the surfboard to Julia and then dropped her hard. Julia dodged a moonsault. Julia locked in the Heartless, but there is no victory via submission tonight. Julia clubbed Emi in the back of the head with a lariat. Julia moonsaulted Emi and pinned her!
RJ City interviewed Mariah May backstage!
Mariah May: “I know I’m the new girl, but I just came here from Stardom in Japan. I’m dying to show AEW what I can do.”
Mariah knocked on Tony Khan’s door and walked into his office.
TNT Champion “The Patriarch” Christian Cage responded to Adam Copeland’s challenge for next week’s Dynamite!
Christian Cage was flanked by AEW security in the ring.
Christian Cage: “What I’d like to do right now is go ahead and invite the Rated R Superstar Adam Copeland to this ring right now. Adam, I know you’re back there. I just want to speak to you about a few things about what you said last week. If you don’t mind making your presence felt, it’d be very much appreciated.
“Adam, I would like to speak to you in the ring, if you wouldn’t mind. If the truck can hit his music, something. Maybe I should come back there and speak to him then.”
Adam Copeland’s music hit, and Copeland stormed to the ring!
Christian: “Management wanted me to have this security. It wasn’t my idea. We don’t need security here tonight. So, I’m going to ask you gentlemen to vacate the ring.
“Last week you challenged me to a match to the TNT Championship December 6th on Dynamite. I’m here to tell you that we’re not going to make it to Montreal next week. We’re not going to make it because I’m sorry. Now look, I know what you’re thinking, that I’m only sorry because I’m on an island by myself. Last week you took out the Kill Switch. You took out the “Prodigy” Nick Wayne.
“I was so mad when you hit Kill Switch with two con-chair-tos, I ran out of my house and drove with the windows down. I just needed to think. It turned into a road trip of soul searching, digging down deep, trying to figure out how I became this guy who does and says such unsavory things. And then on that drive, it started to remind me of those times we borrowed my mom’s car.
“We didn’t care where we went. We were broke. We were having the times of our lives on the road, and we were going to make it. And did we ever make it! We went on to become multiple times tag team champions. The greatest tag team that ever lived. We both became multi time World champions. Take the wrestling part of our relationship away and it runs even deeper.
“Everyone knows you grew up with a single mom, Adam. Everyone knows you didn’t have a father figure. Yes, I’m the patriarch of AEW, but I am your brother. You might not have had a father, but in turn, my father became your father. To this day, he’s still your biggest fan. I’m just going to say, we weren’t just two random guys that were thrown together. I love you, man. We are family.
“And listen to me, when your mom passed away a few years ago, that was the hardest time of your life. But sometime before she passed, she said, ‘What I wouldn’t give to see you guys in that ring tagging one last time.’ And on my drive, I thought, let’s do it for her, let’s go on this journey again. For your mom! Let’s do it for her, man.”
Adam Copeland turned around to contemplate what he just heard from Christian Cage. Christian charged at Copeland, trying to strike with a cheap shot. But Copeland saw it coming and kicked Christian with a low blow!
Adam Copeland: “Nice try, dumb ass. Sit up when I’m talking to you. Shine this belt up real nice, because next week, she’s coming home with me! Oh, by the way, I almost forgot, go f—k yourself!”
Main Event Time!
Continental Classic Gold League Match!
Swerve Strickland vs. Bullet Club Gold’s “Switchblade” Jay White!
Jay White went right after Swerve. White whipped Swerve into the steel barricade. Back in the ring, Jay White went after Swerve’s taped out shoulder. Swerve chopped Jay White. Swerve suplexed Jay right onto the top of the barricade.
Swerve jumped off the apron and stomped on Jay White’s spine. As Swerve was entering the ring, Jay White grabbed him and planted him with a DDT. Swerve got dropped on his head after a suplex from Jay White.
Swerve intercepted a chop and countered with a suplex to Switchblade. Swerve blasted Jay with a flatliner and followed up with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Jay White retaliated with a German Suplex. Swerve rallied back with a discus lariat!
“These two men! How incredible are these two men?!” said Danielson.
The fans chanted “This is awesome! This is awesome!”
Jay White chop blocked Swerve’s knee. Jay White nailed Swerve with a uranage. Jay White applied an arm bar. Swerve escaped and blasted Jay with a kill shot to White’s arm. Jay White almost inadvertently collided with the ref. As the ref had his back turned, Jay White went for a low blow, but Swerve had it scouted! Swerve rocked White with a back breaker. Swerve hit the House Call on Jay White. Swerve connected with the Swerve Stomp, but Jay White kicked out at the two-count!
“You have to be impressed with Jay White’s resiliency here,” said Danielson.
Jay White shocked Swerve with the Blade Runner. Swerve was knocked out of the ring, perhaps a saving grace. Back in the ring, Jay chopped at Swerve, and Swerve fired back with his own shots. Jay White planted Swerve with a sleeper suplex! Swerve countered the Blade Runner, rolling up Jay White and pinned him!
“Impressive roll counter right there,” said Taz.
“Cerebral wrestling from Swerve,” replied Excalibur.
“That got him another three points to put him at six,” added Danielson.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC!
This Friday tune in to AEW RAMPAGE at 10pm ET on TNT!
Don’t miss AEW Collision on Saturday on TNT at 8/7c from the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
Last Wednesday night the AEW faithful bore witness to the beginning of the 2023 Continental Classic with three first-time matches against six of the greatest athletes in AEW. In the Gold League, 3-Time former AEW World Champion and former International Champion Jon Moxley scored his first three points at the expense of 13-Time ROH World Tag Champion Mark Briscoe, former ROH World Champion Rush fell to former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White, and former AEW World Tag Champion Swerve Strickland topped ROH Grand Slam Champion Jay Lethal to get his three.
Then in the Blue League, House of Black’s Brody King beat ROH World/NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion while former ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli beat former ROH Pure Champion Daniel Garcia. This Wednesday night in Minneapolis, with AEW’s return to the Target Center, the Gold League continues with three big-time singles matches, including one first-timer, and we will also hear from TNT Champion “The Patriarch” Christian Cage! And as a special bonus:
The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get caught up on the action with highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
Though both competed in Ring of Honor at the same time, though they actually worked together in CMLL, and fought one another in tags and multi-man bouts under the ROH banner, never before have “El Toro Blanco” and “The Sussex County Chicken” locked horns in a singles bout!
That all changes this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE as both men come into this fight having zero points to their name in the Continental Classic! In the case of Mark Briscoe, his loss came at the end of a hard-fought and bloody contest with Jon Moxley, one where Mark survived a nasty Paradigm Shift and came so close to scoring his first three points at the expense of the 3-Time former AEW World Champion. As for Rush, his loss also came at the end of a hard-hitting contest with “Switchblade” Jay White, but it came to an unfortunate end as a result of White’s underhanded tactics, proving he doesn’t need the rest of BULLET CLUB GOLD to find a way to cheat a victory.
This Wednesday night, in their first singles bout, one of these two men will likely lose their zero, and score their first three points of the tournament, although there’s that possibility of a draw and both leaving the Target Center with a single point..
In a rematch of their 3/30/22 DYNAMITE clash, Jon Moxley and Jay Lethal will lock-up in their second bouts of the Continental Classic! Mox is coming into this fight with a strong win over Mark Briscoe, one that did not come easy, but a win nonetheless, while Lethal heads to Minneapolis with a loss to Swerve Strickland on his record for the tournament.
So for Moxley it’s an opportunity to add to his point total, possibly ramping it up to six points with a victory over Lethal, at the very least to four with a draw, while it is Lethal’s moment to actually get on the board with a victory or draw. Between he and Claudio, The Blackpool Combat Club has started off this tournament with two victories, so can Moxley continue that streak for his unit, or will he be the first BCC member to taste tournament defeat?
Swerve Strickland(3) vs. “Switchblade” Jay White (3)
This one is quite intriguing as it is the first Continental Classic bout pitting two of last week’s victors against each other. As mentioned, Jay White got his in large part due to a low blow on Rush while Swerve, coming off that brutal Texas Death match with Hangman at FULL GEAR 2023, got his over Jay Lethal in a tremendous back-and-forth.
Wednesday night the two competitors will clash in their first AEW singles bout, a rematch of a March 12, 2022 NJPW STRONG battle won by “Switchblade”, and it either ends with one man having six, or both remaining tied with four. Swerve is certainly on the bigger role coming into this following his pair of victories over Adam Page, as well as those over Lethal, AR Fox, and Penta El Zero Miedo, while Jay White came up short in his bid to become AEW World Championship prior to finding a way to steal one from “El Toro Blanco” last Wednesday night. It’s going to be a fight for six, that much is for sure, will it be the leader of BC GOLD or the head of The Mogul Embassy who gets this one?
The world heard Adam Copeland’s challenge this past Saturday on COLLISION, he wants a match with TNT Champion Christian Cage on December 6th in Montreal and Adam wants the TNT Championship on the line so he can take Cage’s most prized possession away. It’s been more than 13 years since the last time these two lifelong friends got into the ring as opponents, with a vast majority of their singles matches won by Copeland, so will Christian Cage be willing to step into that ring once more, especially if it means putting the TNT Championship up? We will find out what he has to say this Wednesday night on DYNAMITE!
Just a few days ago on COLLISION Lady Frost attempted to dethrone newly crowned TBS Champion Julia Hart in a House Rules match, and she was shut down in five minutes by the viciousness of the defending champ. This Wednesday on DYNAMITE, just four days after turning back Lady Frost, Hart will once again open the doors of The House to welcome a new challenger to her dark reign.
What woman is brave enough to cross the House’s threshold this Wednesday in Minneapolis? None other than the Queen herself, Emi Sakura! The two women have only ever stood on the opposite sides once before, during a Trios match that took place exactly two years ago on the 11/29/21 edition of DARK: ELEVATION and saw Julia on the losing side of the contest.
The Black Hart of the House is an utterly transformed woman from who she was at that point, but Emi Sakura brings an experience to the table unlike any other competitor Hart has faced in her AEW tenure. Can she find a way to overcome that major disadvantage, along with whatever House Rule is concocted by The Queen? The defending champ does have a bit of home field advantage in Minnesota, but is that a balance for the decades Sakura has on her inside the squared circle?
AEW returns to the Target Center in Minneapolis for DYNAMITE, featuring the continuation of the Continental Classic’s Blue League with three big matches! Plus, TNT Champion Christian Cage will be in the house to address Adam Copeland’s challenge for Montreal, and so much more!
The night begins at 8pm ET/7pm CT live on TBS, as well as at AEWPlus.com for international fans so be sure to visit the official AEW YouTube channel, as well as AEW’s assorted social media platforms, to get caught up on the action with highlights from recent episodes of DYNAMITE, RAMPAGE, COLLISION, and this week’s CONTROL CENTER!
Tonight’s AEW RAMPAGE & AEW COLLISION shows were broadcast live from the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA!
Tony Schiavone, Kevin Kelly, and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team for tonight’s event.
It’s Saturday night and you know what that means! Saturday night’s alright for fighting!
FTW Champion HOOK vs. Rocky Romero!
Rocky escaped a suplex and both men ran across the ring, delivering lariats, knocking one another down. Hook was first back to his feet. Hook hurled Rocky with a bigtime German Suplex. Rocky struck Hook with a rising knee strike and then a vertical suplex on the apron! Rocky followed up with the forever clotheslines back in the ring.
Hook rallied back with a vicious exploder suplex on Rocky. It was a high impact match in a very short time. Hook hit Rocky with body blows in the corner. Hook headbutted Rocky and got a near fall after a Northern Lights Suplex.
Rocky stunned Hook with Sliced Bread #2. Hook employed a leg sweep on Rocky. Hook countered a second attempt at the Sliced Bread with RedRum, and Hook won via ref stoppage!
Kris Statlander vs. Diamante!
Diamante tried to outpower Statlander, but once she realized she couldn’t, Diamante slapped Statlander. Kris knocked down Diamante with a shoulder block. Statlander powerslammed Diamante for a near fall. Mercedes Martinez walked out onto the ramp to scout Statlander.
Statlander was rolled up by Diamante for a two count. Diamante charged at Statlander, but Statlander was waiting for her with a powerslam. Diamante covered Kris after a cutter, but Kris kicked out. Diamante charted at Statlander, but Statlander countered with a discus lariat and scored the pin on Diamante!
Mercedes jumped in the ring and she and Diamante began to double team Kris. Willow Nightingale sprinted to the ring to even up the odds, coming to the rescue of the former TBS Champ Statlander!
The Kingdom—Mike Bennett and Matt Taven came out, asking the audience if they wanted to celebrate #NeckStrengthNovember!
Bennett said that Roderick Strong wasn’t here tonight because he was recovering from the match last week against Action Andretti, but luckily, Roddy is #neckstrong. Taven said MJF was the devil. Taven told MJF they are coming back for what’s theirs.
Duke Davis and Danny Jones got blindsided by the Kingdom, and the match began! Taven hit the Climax on Jones. Bennett spiked Davis on the ramp with a piledriver! Taven then connected with the aurora borealis for the pin!
Rampage Main Event Time!
ROH Pure Championship Match!
Katsuyori Shibata (c.) vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Wheeler Yuta!
Jerry Lynn, Jimmy Jacobs, and Christopher Daniels were the judges.
The fans chanted “Shi-ba-ta! Shi-ba-ta!”
Shibata applied the bow and arrow submission to Yuta. Wheeler escaped and Shibata followed up with strong knee strikes. Shibata applied a leg submission and Wheeler grabbed the ropes, utilizing his first rope break of the match. Yuta was immediately issued a warning after a closed fist to Shibata’s face.
Shibata dropkicked Yuta’s head against the turnbuckle. Shibata applied the STF and Wheeler managed to reach the ropes, utilizing his second rope break of the match. Shibata put a sleeper on Yuta, but Yuta shucked him off. Wheeler fired himself out of the ring with a tope suicida to Shibata!
Yuta whipped Shibata into the guardrail. Shibata returned the favor, whipping Yuta into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Yuta ducked a PK from Shibata. Yuta knocked Shibata into the ref, hit a low blow while the ref had his back turned, and DDT’ed Shibata right on his head to score the pin!
And new ROH Pure Champion…Wheeler Yuta!
Shibata tried to shake Yuta’s hand after the match, but Yuta nailed Shibata with another low blow and then DDT’ed him.
FTW Champion Hook came down to the ring to check on Shibata. Yuta left, scowling at Hook and holding up the ROH Pure Championship.
The RAMPAGE portion of the evening kicked off!
Continental Classic Match—The Blue League!
Daniel Garcia vs. Blackpool Combat Club’s Claudio Castagnoli!
Claudio Castagnoli quickly hit Garcia with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Claudio followed up with a body slam. Garcia lunged at Claudio with a guillotine, but Claudio muscled his way out of it. Garcia chopped at Claudio, but Claudio fired back with a European Uppercut.
Garcia charged at Claudio, knocking Claudio out of the ring with a running knee. Daniel hammered Claudio with stiff shots to the head. Garcia ran at Claudio, but Claudio caught him and swung him into the steel guardrail.
Claudio applied a sharpshooter in the ring. Garcia managed to trap Claudio and cradle him for a near fall. Claudio blasted Garcia with a European Uppercut. Claudio rocked Garcia with the Ricola Bomb and pinned him, earning three points!
Representing the Patriarchy…Killswitch vs. The Boys—Brent & Brandon Tate!
Brent was thrown overhead by Killswitch with a wheelbarrow suplex. Killswitch choke slammed Brandon over the top rope and down onto the edge of the ring! Killswitch clobbered Brent with a lariat to the back of the head and pinned him!
Killswitch grabbed two chairs and placed them into the ring. Killswitch choke slammed Brent onto the chair! Killswitch grabbed Brandon but then the “Rated R Superstar” Adam Copeland jumped into the ring and cracked a chair over the back of Killswitch! Copeland smashed Killswitch with the con-chair-to!
Killswitch tried to get to his knees but Copeland curb stomped Killswitch onto the chair! Copeland nailed Killswitch with another con-chair-to!
After a commercial break, Lexy Nair interviewed Adam Copeland backstage.
Copeland: “Lexy, I like you, but go. You know what I have to say? I’m coming straight down the barrel to you, Jay. Or should I call you Christian Cage? Or better yet should I call you the Patriarch now? All of this, what just happened to Nick Wayne on Wednesday, what just happened to Killswitch, it’s all because of your insecurity!
“You couldn’t get past your own ego, could you, man? The night I got here, you were about to con-chair-to Sting. Last Wednesday, you were about to have Killswitch con-chair-to Nick Wayne. You know I’ve got a short fuse. You said you were going to break my neck while my children looked at me. You’re not just threatening me and my future, you’re threatening theirs. Now I’m hunting you. I’ve already got two heads on my wall. I’m going to change your soul. I’m going to kick your face in. I am going to take your TNT Title because it’s the most important thing in your world.
“I am challenging you. Dynamite, December 6th, Montreal, Adam Copeland versus Christian Cage for the TNT Championship. And I am going to go places you can’t go, and you haven’t been to because you don’t have that dog in you. I am going to take your TNT Title!”
The House of Black’s Malakai Black & Buddy Matthews
vs.
Komander & Gravity (with Alex Abrahantes)!
Buddy punted Gravity in the face and tagged out to Black. Malakai had a flurry of strikes for Gravity. Komander had a blind tag and caught Black off guard with a hurracanrana. Black planted Komander with a German Suplex for a near fall.
Komander connected with a shotgun dropkick off the top to both House of Black members. Komander nailed Black with a gut buster for a near fall. Gravity took flight with a tope con hiro but Black and Matthews caught him and blocked it. Komander walked the ropes from one turnbuckle from another and then springboarded off the top, taking out Black and Matthews on the arena floor!
Komander and Gravity each jumped off turnbuckles, but Black and Matthews countered by raising their knees. Black cracked Gravity with a knee lift, and Matthews smashed Komander with a knee lift!
Black ravaged Komander with a spinning back elbow and then sat on the mat, waiting for Komander to crawl to him. It was a trap. Buddy curb stomped Komander and then pinned him!
TBS Championship Match! House Rules Match!
Julia Hart (c.) vs. Lady Frost!
Lady Frost chose no count-outs for this match.
Julia Hart whipped Lady Frost into the steel guardrail. The rules were favoring Julia Hart here. Julia picked up a steel chair and placed it on the ground after being admonished by the ref. Lady Frost tried for a moonsault off the ring steps, but Julia dodged it. Lady Frost landed on her feet, but Julia was one step ahead with a thrust kick to the challenger.
Julia propped Lady Frost on the steel chair. Julia ran down the ramp and clotheslined a prone Lady Frost. Back in the ring, Julia applied the Heartless Submission and forced Lady Frost to tap out!
“Julia Hart’s first title defense is a successful one,” said Tony Schiavone.
Lexy Nair was backstage with Don Callis and Powerhouse Hobbs!
Don Callis: “I can’t figure out the calculation that got the Golden Jets—Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega—a tag team title shot. I can’t figure out how you make that calculation when the last time Hobbs had his hands on Jericho and Omega, he broke them, sent them to the hospital. And as Will would say, anyone can get got. And Kenny and Chris, we don’t need two guys to beat the Golden Jets. Hobbs is a one man wrecking crew.”
Powerhouse Hobbs: “It’s simple. I’m big, I’m black, and I’m jacked, and anybody can get it.”
FTR—Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler
vs.
The Righteous—Vincent & Dutch!
Dax used a lariat to knocked Dutch over the top rope. Dax backdropped Vincent out of the ring, and Vincent landed on Dutch. Back in the ring, Dutch splashed Dax for a two-count. Dutch was looking for a senton off the turnbuckles, but Dax dodged it. Vincent grabbed a tag, but Dax used a baseball slide through Vincent’s legs to tag out to Cash!
Cash cleaned house on the Righteous. Dutch grabbed a blind tag and planted Cash with a bossman slam! Dax tagged in and FTR hit the Shatter Machine on Vincent, allowing Dax to score the pin.
Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews walked toward the ring.
Black: “If we would come to the ring right now there would be no one coming to save you. No Claudio, no Yuta. See the misconception is that this place is not the brotherhood that you two think it is.”
The arena went dark. When the lights came back on, FTR were alone in the ring, but the House of Black had vanished.
Action Andretti and Darius Martin were backstage!
Action Andretti: “Eight months, that’s how long it’s been since Darius, and I have been teaming together. Darius, these past eight months, I feel like we’ve grown such a bond together. We’ve had so many great opportunities and I’ve heard that this Wednesday Dynamite is returning to your hometown in Minneapolis.”
Darius Martin: “Yeah, man, we have been building a lot of chemistry. But it seems like there’s something just a little bit off and I think I know what that might be.”
Dante Martin walked onto the scene!
Darius turned to Dante and said, “You ready to step up? It’s time to take flight.”
Dante Martin: “I’m back!”
Tony Schiavone interviewed AEW World Tag Team Champions “Absolute” Ricky Starks and Big Bill!
Ricky Starks: “We thought there was going to be more of a fight from Jericho.”
Big Bill: “These two guys call themselves the Golden Jets. To us you look more like the Golden Girls.”
Starks: “Nice. I like that. They traveled up and down the roads together. Me and Bill don’t even know each other that well. Bill, when’s my birthday?”
Big Bill: “No idea.”
Starks: “Exactly. But what I do know is that you two aren’t built like him.”
Big Bill: “Four years ago when I was in and out of the emergency room having seizures from alcohol withdrawal, I always knew I’d make it back to the top. When I couldn’t get out of bed and I was at the lowest point of my entire life, I always knew I’d make it back to the top! And when nobody believed in me and they counted me out, they said he’s washed, he’s done, I always knew I’d make it back to the top!
“And standing in this ring with this guy, with these titles, I’d say I was right. I made it back to the top. Now Chris and Kenny, we know all about you. We’re very aware of all of the accolades. And you two are two of the best to ever do this. But I don’t think you two realize what you’re dealing with. We are angry, we are motivated, and we’re not only going to beat the living hell out of you, we’re going to embarrass you. When I look at you two, I don’t see Jordan, I don’t see Pippen. When I look at you two, all I see are the dudes that hand Michael Jordan his Bazooka Joe bubble gum before starting lineups are introduced.”
Starks: “I don’t even watch basketball and I know all those people are really good. And I also know two things: one guy tells everybody he’s the best, and the other actually is. After you are done with me and Big Bill, I’m going to let you know one thing. Ricky Starks likes his gum minty fresh and Big Bill likes his Big Red, baby.”
“Limitless” Keith Lee vs. Lee Moriarty!
Lee Moriarty kicked Keith Lee on the thigh. Keith fired back with a kick of his own, but Moriarty ducked it. Keith Lee came back with a pounce on Moriarty!
Lee Moriarty grabbed an arm bar, but Keith Lee pulled him up with a bicep curl. Keith Lee walloped Moriarty with a lariat. Moriarty stunned Keith with a bulldog from the top rope. Moriarty springboarded but Keith countered with a headbutt and then finished him off with a powerslam for the pin!
After commercial break, Lexy Nair interviewed Keith Lee!
Keith Lee: “Initially I planned to come in here and tell you about how good and talented Lee Moriarty is. He is that damned good. But he’s no Keith Lee. And I’m tired of the misrepresentation and the lack of opportunity given to me. And now I’m here to take it. And when I say take it, that means him. You are who I want. And you know who you are.”
Nigel: “Smart money has got to be on Shane Taylor.”
Tony: “That’s the question for us to ponder.”
Main Event Time!
Continental Classic Match—The Blue League!
ROH World Champion & NJPW Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston
vs.
House of Black’s Brody King!
Brody and Eddie traded shoulder blocks. Then they exchanged chops in the center of the ring. Brody battered Kingston in the corner with a running cannonball. Outside the ring, Brody pummeled Kingston with more chops and then whipped Kingston into the steel ring steps. Brody charged at Kingston, but Kingston countered with a drop toehold, sending Brody colliding into the steps.
Brody rallied back, splashing Kingston against the barricade. Back in the ring Brody body slammed Kingston and then connected with a senton splash. Brody tried to whip Kingston into the turnbuckles, but Kingston’s legs gave out and he crumbled to the mat.
Kingston collected himself and out of nowhere, in a desperate move, Kingston clubbed Brody with a lariat. Eddie went for an exploder suplex, but Brody countered with a German Suplex. Kingston shocked Brody with a spinning backfist for a near fall!
They traded chops again! Brody switched to forearms. Eddie spiked Brody with a DDT for a near fall! Eddie charged at Brody King, but Brody planted Kingston. Brody was looking for a lariat, but Eddie countered with an exploder and then a half-and-half suplex. Kingston followed up with a third suplex for a two-count on Brody!
Brody nailed Kingston with a piledriver for a two-count. Eddie ducked a lariat and cracked Brody with a spinning backfist! Brody decimated Kingston with Dante’s Inferno and then pinned him! Brody has earned three points!
“Holy smokes! What have we just seen? This is what the Continental Classic is all about,” said Tony Schiavone.
Catch AEW DYNAMITE on TBS next Wednesday live at 8/7ct from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN!
And remember…the home of professional wrestling is All Elite Wrestling!
